Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Arrows and various hangers-on long run, from Bridgewater to the Mt Lofty summit and return. Not exceptionally hot (low 20s) but very humid. It was one of those days where I mostly felt reasonably comfortable at the level I was running out - and was pleased with how I was able to lift myself for the big climbs, especially the very steep final climb up to Mt Lofty - but didn't feel like there was another gear there. Bruce and Simon were going a bit faster than I wanted to be (or perhaps could be) going, so I was happy enough to settle in with others for most of it, mostly either Jenny (honeymoon? what honeymoon?) or Lauren. Quads threatened to rebel a bit after the major downhills but ended up OK, and certainly less drained than after recent long runs (probably something to do with the shorter length) - a good thing with 8 1/2 hours on the road ahead of me.

It was nice to have a few days away in Adelaide, the first time I've done this without there being a (significant) orienteering event involved - just good in general to have a few days to relax amongst friends. (I will, however, be hoping not to be making the same journey two months from now - if I am, it will be because I've found it necessary to implement my escape plan for if things get too ugly after the public data set launch, although with some of the intensity having gone out of the issue since the middle of last year that's now a fairly unlikely scenario).

Oddity of the trip home: someone in a spacesuit (or close facsimile thereof) pushing a cart along the side of the road somewhere between Keith and Bordertown. I'm assuming it was being done in the name of raising funds for some cause or other.

I'm back home now for all of one night - in Sydney for a conference during the week, then fly directly out to Geneva on Friday night. Excessive heat is certainly not going to be a problem I'll have to worry about for next weekend's long run: the current forecast for Sunday morning is -14.

C • Spacesuit 4

Moved down to Morphett Vale last night (in a spare Casanova family house, with Tracy and family) to give the newlyweds-to-be their place to themselves. I haven't been to this part of Adelaide before (except quickly through it on the reversing freeway); it looked like an area of suburbia developed in the 1960s (or maybe early 1970s) and frozen in time since. One oddity is that it's a land of heathens - Kingston has the highest percentage of atheists of any Australian federal electorate, something which took me very much by surprise when I saw it - I would have expected it to be one of the Canberra seats, or inner-city Melbourne, Sydney or perhaps Adelaide. (It came up in the context of a discussion of the under-acknowledged role of religion in explaining why outer suburban Sydney and Brisbane swung massively to the Liberals at the last election, while outer suburban Adelaide swung equally massively to Labor, with Melbourne somewhere in between).

The local area didn't look too inspiring for running but the coast looked within range so I headed in that direction. Getting there involved a traverse of industrial land featuring a (defunct) oil refinery and a (defunct) Mitsubishi factory, but once near the water there were some nice views to be had from the top of the coastal escarpment. Didn't have time to get right down to the water. Coming back it was apparent that the house was at almost the highest point of the area, and it was hard work on an increasingly warm and humid morning.

Of course, the real reason we were all there occupied large parts of the rest of the day, and a very nice occasion it was (and a great spot for it). The storms also had the decency to hold off until well after the end of proceedings.

Pool running at Unley - a nice spot for a session in the water on a warm morning (I imagine it gets pretty crowded later in the day), which I did while Jenny and Susanne were swimming. Felt pretty good doing this and didn't get the cramps that have sometimes troubled me in this session of late (possibly because I was coming off a shorter day yesterday than is often the case on Thursdays).

This led into another pleasant day at the cricket (and less crowded than yesterday). I did, however, miss the opportunity to undergo a bit more South Australian cultural assimilation - the pie floater van didn't turn up today.

Summer Series at West Lakes. I don't normally run on Fridays these days and it was still very warm (33-34), which made me wonder how it would go. The answer, as often on hot days, was that I was good for 15-20 minutes - surprisingly so - but then faded out after that. A little off pace throughout before a beach section put paid to any chance of a fast km rate.

SA summer series events offer both line and scatter options. I'd been led to believe that most of the big guns did the long line course, but in fact they mostly opted for the scatter and I was pretty much on my own. Some interesting route choice on some legs - and some pockets of this area would be good for a sprint. 8-9 offered the chance to swim 100 metres or run 800; even for me, I think swimming would have been faster but I don't know if my watch would have survived the journey.

One feature I haven't seen at Melbourne street events: the Aboriginal group congregated on the bench next to #4. They were more friendly and less boisterous than their Canberra counterparts the day before.

Joined various Arrows (and Bruce) as part of the Australia Day run from Brighton to Hallett Cove and return. A coastal track doesn't sound too challenging but this one has a challenging section, from about 4-6k going out, with several gully crossings on stairs which go from 30-40 metres to near sea level and back again in a hurry. That was hard work (in both directions) but quite nice running terrain otherwise. Didn't try to go at the pace that the faster people were going, and felt a bit weak at time - still suspect I'm fighting off a cold - but some good patches too. Not as hot as I thought it might have been.

Various groups were already setting up their Australia Day BBQs/champagne breakfasts on the foreshore. I pointed out to the others that one group still had 11 minutes before they could legally start on the grog (it was an alcohol-free zone from 8pm to 8am) but Bruce pointed out that that particular group looked like they had two or three years before they could legally start on the grog. Such Australia Day gatherings seem to be becoming increasingly popular, although I still prefer the pancake breakfasts everywhere that were a feature of Canada Day the year I witnessed it. (The pancake breakfasts were especially abundant that year because there was a Liberal Party leadership election pending - in Canada all party members get a vote in these - and several of the breakfasts were being run by supporters of the candidates trying to sign up new members).

After that (and a brief cleansing dip in the water) it was off to the Adelaide Oval for a relaxed day after a non-relaxed few weeks. I'll give the Adelaide Oval points (at least relative to the MCG and Docklands) for the variety of their food offerings - I mean, who would have thought there would be a market for curry at an India match?

And, against stiff competition, I think Brighton Beach has the most ridiculous warning sign I've seen anywhere - one warning that there may be soft sand on the beach.

C • I think the MLA and Sam are to blame 1

C • Warning signs 2

250 on/250 off on the Tan in the morning. Definitely not a good session - feel as if I'm on the edge of a cold and had little enthusiasm (the best that could be said is that it was better than the last time I did this session, which was straight after getting off an overnight bus).

Going to/from the Tan.

Hit the road to Adelaide around lunchtime - a trip with a few minor frustrations, some of them involving the eating and drinking departments (an Ararat cafe which I had plans to visit was closed, and I gave up on the pub in Bordertown as a potential dinner spot after nobody appeared at the counter in five minutes; Jenny's assessment of the bleakness of evening eating options in eastern South Australia proved to be on the mark). Other frustrations involved trying to check out the Black Range near Stawell, as the three roads the Vicroads directory showed to get across it from the east side (a) didn't exist (b) ended up at a locked gate and (c) was undriveable, although I did still see enough to think that the area has potential - although perhaps more the private land around than the range itself.

Started from near the Tan and headed out as far as Kooyong before coming back through Toorak, a good place to see real estate no readers of this (except possibly Liggo) are likely to be able to afford. Still grinding a bit; better after the first 10 minutes but this was never a great run, having trouble finding an extra gear to go uphill when it was needed.

Can't say I was hugely surprised by the report today which found that people who flew Australian flags on their cars were more likely to be racist than the broader population.

C • Aussie Flags 10

Did street-O out west tonight because I'll be on the road to Adelaide tomorrow night. It was out at Laverton, a location I know mainly as the home of one of my 112 temperature sites (on the grounds of the RAAF base); the height of the fences outside the area's schools was an indicator that this isn't the best of neighbourhoods (I can understand why the Western Autistic School needs a high fence, not so sure about the other two). It was also a pretty hot night (30 at start time), although with a hint of seabreeze developing during the run.

The main feature of this area is that the freeway and railway line cut through it. We had to drop 6 controls (more than usual) and a number of people decided that the six south of the freeway were the ones to drop, but I'd spotted that there was a set of four on the south side which linked together nicely with each other and with the crossings.

This was the first time I'd tried (for more than 10 seconds) to run fast since the Two Bays. In the first couple of kilometres I hadn't really freed up, but then got into a couple of nice battles where I was gradually pulling in people who were running at a similar speed to me but making small mistakes. I'd just opened up a bit of a break on them when we hit the railway crossing with a train coming - giving me the frustrated feeling that an F1 driver with a decent lead must feel when the safety car comes out. 90 seconds later (I haven't counted this in running time) I got a reasonable jump on the restart and ran a solid last section. Somewhat to my surprise, I saw Bryan behind me at the second-last; less surprisingly, he'd run me down by the exit from the last control and beat me by 20 metres. (It turned out his north-of-the-freeway route was a kilometre longer).

Not a terrible run, but on a flat area I'd want to be faster than this, even given the heat. It will be my last one of these for a month so maybe in March?

The drive there took me past Melbourne's most unfortunate billboard juxtaposition. The first one is a large Worksafe ad featuring a sad-looking girl saying "Where's daddy?'. Immediately behind that is an equally large billboard for a King Street strip club.

Fairly relaxed swim at North Melbourne, mostly trying to work stiffness out. Sun glare a bit of a nuisance at times but that's an outdoor pool in summer for you.

First MFR Monday night of the year, from Ilka and Vanessa's in Parkville; it was also the hottest run I've done this year. Took the reasonably usual route from here up around Royal and Princes Parks with some minor variations. In the first half felt OK but unable to get beyond a plod, but when the pace picked up a bit in the second half when it was just Kez and I it felt a bit better. Shouldn't be too upset after a big day yesterday.