Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

I thought I might be through my injury problems after yesterday, but it's obviously one of those which has good days and bad days, and this was a bad day. Didn't feel brilliant in the warm-up but thought I would at least start and see how it went.

The mass start was predictably frantic (Craig and I were 20 metres behind the fray through the first leg). It was quickly apparent that the body wasn't going to improve, and that this was terrain which one had to attack, which I wasn't in a position to do. It certainly wasn't worth battling round a long race for the sake of a bad time, so I decided to pull out after the first loop, which was very disappointing.

Not sure quite what to expect from here, but will give it a few days off from running now and see how it feels towards the end of next week. Not what I really wanted in the lead-up to Easter.

C • Victorian theme 2

Event: SILVA National Orienteering League
 

NOL sprint at Keithcot Farm. The main concern with this run was would the body hold up; it did, more or less, with only minor hints of groin soreness. Also felt stronger than in much of the last few weeks, including on the hills. Didn't miss anything and routes mostly reasonably good in the building detail.

As usual, my start was on the slow side and Patrick Saile caught a fair bit of ground on me in the first 4 controls, before catching me a minute by 12. He would have done well to stay behind me because he then proceeded to lose time on 15 and then miss 16 altogether.

Filling in time between two races in a day is a bit of a challenge. We found ourselves at the local shopping mall. A little too late, I realised that venturing into an outer suburban Adelaide shopping mall wearing a Victorian team top might not be the most brilliant of ideas, but as most of the local bogans were otherwise engaged at the V8 race the visit passed without incident.

NOL Middle at Para Wirra. A hot afternoon (33-34 degrees). The chasing start format made things interesting; I started with Ollie Mitchell (we dead-heated in the morning) and just behind Jim and Liggo. Jim went the other way on the first butterfly, and I gradually drifted behind the other two, although not losing much time. Caught Ollie again, along with Mark Gregson, on the second butterfly before blowing it with a 45-seconder at 13; then regathered Ollie quite quickly, which made think I might be able to drop him on the last major climb, which I did. This then left me in a group of 5 over the closing stages, but in the nice position of being able to relax because I was coming from furthest back and would therefore have the best time of the bunch as long as the group stayed together, which it did.

A little weak on a couple of the hills, but got a second wind later on and handled the heat OK - although I wouldn't have wanted the race to be much longer. 13th was a reasonable result without being stellar; certainly better than I had feared given my atrocious form over the last few weeks. Again no trouble from groin.

Swim at Richmond, without using the legs much on advice to preserve the problem muscles (which actually felt better today) as much as possible. This meant going even slower than usual.

Trip across to Adelaide this afternoon/evening - a long haul, in part because it took forever to get out of Melbourne (thought 3 p.m. might be early enough to miss the worst of the traffic, but no such luck). Stopped in Horsham en route; was half-expecting to see crowds of sixteen-year-old boganettes outside the Premix King toasting Senator Fielding and celebrating the demise of the alcopops tax, but nothing of the sort was in evidence.

8x1km on the Tan, 250-350 jog recovery. The best that could be said for this session is that I got through it, unlike last time. Significantly slower than the session with the Hoggster a while back though, with nothing faster than 3.46 and a couple out around 4.00. Nothing remotely resembling speed. Groin still at the 'annoying but not really hindering' stage.

Sights of the Tan, part 1691: a man in a business suit taking his young son (7 or 8 at a guess) to school in a rickshaw-type contraption, climbing the Anderson Street hill. Not surprisingly the runners were going faster than he was.

Australia's most famous meteorological instrument (certainly the only one to be celebrated in song) was back in action after being out for a couple of weeks, although it was several degrees warmer than 11. It will be looking for a new sponsor soon because Nylex has gone bust.

Warm-up and down for the intervals session; tight in the former and tired in the latter.

The doctor took a look at my groin and associated muscles today and didn't like what she saw. She would rather I take a few days' break now but, assuming it feels OK in the warm-up, I plan to try to get through this weekend and then take some time off next week.

Felt like a good run trying to get out in amongst a sea of mediocrity, but groin tightness just enough to hold me back. Not sure whether to be happy or disappointed about this.

As with my previous excursion onto the Merri Creek path, the compliance rate with the dog-on-leash regulations was about 50%. At least none of the other 50% chased me this time.

Annoyance of the morning is that we evidently have a new newspaper delivery person and he doesn't turn up until after 6.45.

Street-O at Yarra Bend. This is a map prone to route choice disasters and I had one, committing myself at an early stage to what turned out to be a very poor option (700 metres longer than Bruce). A good course, which provided ample opportunity for such disasters and even gave us a few opportunities to take to the terrain.

Again felt sluggish early on, but started to get into my stride more in the second half - by which time the light was starting to become a factor. Not remotely near the pace given my poor route. Groin improved as the run went on, and as with yesterday felt better the faster I went.

There was another earthquake in west Gippsland today, which I felt this time. Those familiar with scientists will not be surprised to learn that the interval which elapsed between the end of the shaking and the start of the office sweep on what magnitude it was was, at most, 30 seconds. Same size (4.6) and almost the same place as last time. I'm actually surprised I didn't field any media calls about it as the media are often confused about which agency is responsible for earthquake matters in Australia.

Again slow, although felt a bit faster than it was - not sure if I should take this as a good sign or a bad one (9.42). Again suffering a bit from left groin tightness, although it was worse at low speed than high (and pulled up reasonably well thereafter).

My usual bike commuting route takes me directly past the Dan O'Connell Hotel; as the name implies this can be a raucous place on 17 March (and the crowds spill well into the street). This year I remembered to give it a wide berth.

Morning session at Fitzroy. Felt a bit out of sorts when I got up this morning but much better after doing some exercise, which is not a bad state to be in.

Headed out at lunchtime with two meetings tonight. Didn't feel that great but kept a reasonable pace, helped by a good run with the traffic (for an inner-city). Groin tightness from last week returned, and didn't really ease through the run which is a concern.

Our Minister's performance on Saturday night seemed to go down pretty well at work, although I might have to send him a briefing note on the rarity of 45-degree days in the Western Desert (or better still see if we can get him to launch the publication I've written on extreme temperatures in Australia).