Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Second day of Easter. Went out last, which I thought would be a disadvantage but turned out to be a slight advantage - it rained in the morning and stopped about 30 minutes before I went out, giving the rock a little bit of a chance to dry out.

This was an excellent run for fine navigation, with my only mistakes being a 15-second hesitation coming into 19 and a similarly-sized wobble at 24, although I lost probably about 2.5 minutes in total on poor route choices at 5 (along the ridge) and 21 (to the south). Lacked physical confidence running in the heavier rock in the wet, especially after a fall coming out of 6, but I suspect I wasn't exactly alone in this. Faded away a bit physically in the last 20 minutes but not to the extent of some Easter long days. Didn't get into any packs as I went more or less straight through everyone that I caught.

I was about where I expected to be relative to the winner (11 minutes down), but placed a bit worse than I was expecting; a couple of people who I thought would struggle to last the distance didn't.

Just noticed that this failed to make it up the first time I posted it.

First day of Easter. Didn't get a good line on the way to 1 but hit the control OK, then running quite well through the first half of the course. An annoying 45-second mistake at 8 which should have been quite an easy control, then fairly reasonable to the finish. Not aggressive enough in the heavy rock, but I'm not sure too many are.

For reasons discussed elsewhere it was declared a no-race. I didn't see either of the offending phantom controls so didn't lose any time; it was a bit disappointing to have a reasonable result wiped from the record books (although in the end it made no difference to my final placing).

Event: Australian Easter Three Days and Prologue
 

Pretty standard sprint for me - reasonably clean (only one very minor wobble and a couple of brief hesitations), too slow (my usual 2.30-3.00 behind the winner), and just managed to get in the points. Interesting venue but the course was far too easy - it's fitting that I've been having a revisiting-the-1980s fortnight because this was the first time I've run a green course in serious competition since 1983. It says everything that needs to be said that, from the splits, by far the most difficult control on the course was the spectator control. Felt reasonable and set for the more significant days ahead - today was damage limitation.

A very sluggish session at Belconnen. Wouldn't normally read too much into this type of session but it would be nice to have a bit more energy so close to a major competition.

Spending a couple of weeks based at a university has reintroduced me to some of the features of campus life, including the lunchtime demonstration with more speakers than audience (this one was about education funding). No-one's tried to sell me a copy of Green Left Weekly yet.

C • swim 3

Out along the side of Mount Painter and the Pinnacle, back through the suburbs (including an excursion past the Macquarie Primary grounds where Michael Bevan is reputed to have batted every lunchtime for six months without getting out). A bit better than the last two days, especially in the second half, but definitely still not brilliant.

The jokes about police and doughnuts are true: Grant confirmed on the weekend that the AFP get a 50% discount at Krispy Kreme. (I also noticed on passing said establishment that their products are 'halal certified'. I'm not sure exactly what makes a halal doughnut, except that possibly if you eat too many of them you increase your chances of meeting Allah more quickly).

Around the lower slopes of Black Mountain. Again felt pretty flat, although a bit less so than yesterday. Probably not the best of times to hit a low spot so hopefully it's very temporary (no sign of any illness).

Ended up with last start on Friday and Sunday, first start on Saturday, and hopefully first start on Monday (some may be thinking of a line from 'The Castle' at this point). Probably as good a solution as could have been hoped for in the circumstances. At least it's not going to be ultra-hot.

C • Jousting sticks? 16

Cross-country at Stromlo; I wouldn't normally race this close to Easter but wanted to have a look at the new course. Very enjoyable for the first 1.5km - and then got the worst stitch I've had in years. At this point I decided that there wasn't a lot of point in flogging myself into the ground three days out and eased off a bit. Was probably heading for something around 18.

It's a nice course with plenty of twists (reminds me a bit of Lotus Bay in that sense, although not as tight) - would prefer a bit more variation in the ground surface but then my idea of real cross-country differs from most runners' idea of real cross-country. I also pondered whether there is anything left on my 1991 map of the area which is still there in 2008; even the contours look like they've been significantly remodelled.

Caught up with a few people I was expecting to see, some I was sort of expecting to see, and some I definitely wasn't expecting to see (one being Lauren Shelley who's over here preparing for a tilt at a qualifier in Rotterdam; another being an old school friend I haven't seen in 15 years, who wasn't a runner in those days either). Also remarkable how many people asked me whether I've moved back here on the strength of appearances here and at Commonwealth Park last week.

C • Moved back 18

Lap of Lake Ginninderra with a bit extra at each end. Have run a couple of very good races around this lake but today definitely wasn't it - sluggish throughout, perhaps a bit better later on. More building work in the vicinity then there was last time I was in these parts.

Interesting interview venues part 103: underneath a tree outside the Hancock Library at ANU (on the mobile with ABC radio in Mount Gambier). I spent a fair bit of my Honours year in the Hancock and you could do far worse as a place to work from (as long as you don't get easily distracted by views).

I don't normally log bike commutes, but I'm tempted to today because getting my father's bike (which was pretty basic when it was new and certainly isn't new any more) up the hill back into Aranda from the lake was pretty hard work.

Also discovered the downside of being the first guinea-pig for the Easter online entry system - it didn't work (something I only found out when Bruce pointed out I wasn't on the start list). All sorted out now. I assume I'm starting either first or last every day (except for Monday, obviously) but haven't checked my times against the overall lists yet.

C • obviously? 3

C • Weather update for Dubbo 2

A mundane swim at Belconnen. I'd call it a slow pool but every pool's a slow pool for me.