Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

For everyone's info (especially those who were out there early): -5.8 ranks as Canberra's equal 11th lowest May temperature in 77 years of data at the airport. (The record is -7.5 in 1976).

C • Temperature 1

WOC long trial. I may have told myself (and others) last year that that was it for me for elite long distance races, but decided to have a go at this one, mainly because it's currently a big training block for me and this was effectively a weekend long run.

Didn't get off to a good start with a major parallel error on 1; went over the top and along the ridge (roughly the same as Simon, I think - and I agree with him that it was nice on top), but went off the spur one saddle too early and ended up in the vicinity of 7, though it took me a bit of time to work this out. Probably dropped 4-5 minutes there, so there was nothing else to do but restart and get the best out of the rest of the course. Going up the gully on the first part of 3 was a hard slog (though I got the control OK, unlike a lot of others - most of the termite mounds here stand out so it's a bit of a shock to the system to get one that doesn't), but settled into things from there - nothing special but kept plugging away. Brodie went through me at 5 (and then promptly messed up the next control, as he did yesterday), but didn't see a lot of others through the rest of it. Walked a lot of the big slog up to 9 but knew from there that there wasn't much more in the way of major climbs; went fairly straight on 13, and then was reasonably happy with the last part, holding myself together in country where it would have been easy to lose contact and time.

Endurance is what I'm happiest with from today; I still had a bit in me at the end (didn't even cramp changing socks post-run!). Certainly a marked contrast with the last 40 minutes of last year's nationals, although the good conditions (dry, low teens) helped. Got my first points of the season (finishing would have been enough for that); without the mistake at 1 I would have been around 2.10, which I would have been happy with, and would have put me at the head of a bunch rather than the rear of it.

Took the end of a log on my foot part way through; no issues during the race, but some bruising on top of the foot which caused issues later (I saved my driving for sections of the trip that could be done almost entirely on cruise control).

Event: ACT Middle/Long Championships & NOL
 

NOL Middle race at Wild Deer Sands - first non-sprint National League race I've done this season, which meant I got closer to the points than I've previously managed this season (but I think I've still fallen four seconds short).

Felt notably sleepy in the morning and on the way out there (to the point that I was seriously thinking about handing over the driving), but the drugs worked - I don't normally drink coffee before racing but felt much better once I'd had one. A pretty nice run once going; I'm not fast these days, but reasonably smooth in a technically tricky area (and of a form, flat terrain with lowish visibility in places, that I've often struggled with historically), with only one mistake of consequence, a 30-seconder on 4. Definitely enjoyed myself; tomorrow will be more of a test.

Others around me watch: Brodie passed me coming into the pivot at 8, then passed me again exiting 9, then punched a control on the way to 10 - was briefly pondering whether I should tell him that it wasn't his but he realised of his own accord. I had visions at this point of a Victorian Middle Championships at Rowdy Flat a few years ago when Bryan passed me eight times, but didn't see Brodie again. Went through tRicky around this time, lost a finish sprint against Brian Poon (whose last name was truncated in a rather unfortunate manner by the O-lynx display), but just managed to defend a 12-minute break on race winner Craney - a gap which is consistent with the evidence from last week that I'm just a little bit closer to the pace this year than I have been in the last two.

Got one chance to make use of such part of my Banyule City Council rates as went into the Ivanhoe Pool renovations - they were finished a couple of weeks ago and today was the first chance to see the place in its new form (although the pool itself is unchanged). Not a great session though - back pretty tight for much of it (the first time I can remember this happening in the pool rather than on the run, which illustrates the randomness of it), though did improve in the last 15 minutes.

Heading up to Canberra tonight.

C • pool unchanged? 8

Not the greatest of notes to sign off on in the running from Darebin Street department; while I didn't feel especially sore or especially sleepy, I had no power whatsoever on hills (of which there were a few, this one getting up into the north end of Greensborough) and it showed. Lots of murky drizzle to intensify the mood. (Don't think it will be my last run here - if nothing else, I suspect Tuesday runs in the next week or two will be useful for the purposes of putting bins out).

Took possession of the new premises this evening. Some things have been unloaded but the main move is tomorrow (and no doubt the box unpacking will continue for some days yet; there are a lot of boxes, and I don't know how I would have found time to get it vll done without my parents in town).

Headed out at first useful light for a last look at the old circuit. Felt more lively today than I often have of late on early mornings, but it didn't show in the times. The Heidelberg oval (used on occasions as a film set) is definitely a nice place to be going past on an autumn morning.

Not so nice was the ride home; it rained most of the way and with autumn leaves blocking drains there was a lot of surface water (quite a bit of which was liberally distributed over me by a passing car at one point).

Another in the "last list" - this time the finish via the Banyule Flats singletrack (hitting it as soon as it got light after the early section through the hills of Viewbank). I don't think this will actually be the last time I hit this track - it's still within long(ish) run range of Fairfield - but it will be the last time it's an "almost home" moment. Today, that was "almost home" from a lousy run, in a week when I'm definitely in burning-the-candle-at-both-ends mode.

A last moment I was happier about was picking my bike through the traffic jam outside the old paper mill at Alphington - something I expect never to have to do again. It won't be on my new route (which means I'll also miss the crossfire if the Hells Angels premises are ever the subject of a shootout).

Early once again for a Monday, but this time from Fitzroy rather than from home (and in substantially better weather). Once again, what seems to be the inevitable slow start (a first kilometre split with a 5 in front of it is pretty rare for me these days), but generally not too bad, and not much post-race stiffness from yesterday - perhaps an indication that I might have been going a little within myself? (It probably didn't hurt that the return trip was so smooth too - got back 25 minutes early which isn't bad for a 95-minute flight). Occasional twinges in left calf, as there were all day, but these had no impact on my running.

Think this year's Australian Sprint Championships venue might be in the news a bit this week.

Second leg of the Monday session. Not a bad session and seemed to go faster than it usually does (on a day when I was feeling pretty good generally).