Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

The upper hamstring twinge from late yesterday made its presence felt overnight - it's never a good sign when something hurts enough to wake you up during the night. I wasn't particularly confident, but it felt sort of OK warming up on the flat so I decided to start and see how it went. Knew within the first 1.5km that I was in trouble, but thought I'd get to the top of the hill (in this part of the field, you mostly have to walk the steepest parts whether you like it or not, because of congestion on the single track) and see if it improved at all once over the top. The answer was that it didn't really and was uncomfortable on any sort of slope both up and down - felt like the sort of thing that I could probably struggle on with if it really mattered, but not worth it for what was clearly going to be a poor time, even compared with expectations.

It's getting frustrating that a new injury seems to pop up each time it looks like the last one's fixed. (It's also a pity to waste conditions as good as you'll ever get in January). I know that's part of getting older but not everyone falls apart. Seeing the physio tomorrow so will see what she thinks.

C • Dam 5

C • Its only the fortunate that don't fall apart 8

Event: Melbourne PAS Surf Coast Series 2 - Point Lonsdale
 

Surf Coast series event at Point Lonsdale, (sort of) on the way to Two Bays. Started out on the sand dunes and beach before going back into the town. Felt like a struggle for the first half, but gradually improved and the competitive juices got going in the last 15 minutes as I tried to fit as many controls in as I could (although the top of the right hamstring produced a signal when I sped up a bit). Still not too sure about tomorrow, but we'll see how it goes.

Initially planned my route more for scenery than points (it was a score event), but did end up getting all ten 15-point controls, mostly leaving out areas in the north which were more suburban and not particularly high-scoring.

By being on the Bellarine side of the bay this afternoon, we missed the opportunity to partake of the Portsea Polo. This is one of Melbourne's more notable festivals of poshness - the sort of place where you're definitely slumming it if you arrive in your own vehicle (a chauffeur-driven one is acceptable, but those who really count make their entrance by helicopter). Coming off the boat at Sorrento, we saw two stretch limos in rapid succession disgorging occupants in a range of states of inebriation.

Back to Fitzroy for this session for the first time in a while, getting moistened from above as well as below (although only lightly for the most part). A reasonably routine morning; felt like something was threatening to cramp at the end (as it occasionally does in this session) but not too bad.

There was a large and rather obtuse climate sceptic ad in today's Australian on behalf of somebody calling themselves the Climate Study Group. I'm not quite sure why you'd pay good money to publish such an ad when the Australian is already printing plenty of their stuff for free.

From Fishermans Bend (car being serviced today) down to St. Kilda. After the first couple of kilometres, a consistent run without reaching great heights, on one of the better mornings we've had for a while (i.e. temperature and dewpoint were both close to January averages). Not exactly a good replica of what's to come in terms of its topography (the only "hills" were going over the footbridge opposite the Espy, and the bump on Fitzroy Street which feels big when you hit it at the 37k mark of the Melbourne Marathon but is inconsequential at any other time), but at its best in the last couple of kilometres which is encouraging.

Better than yesterday, which I guess is progress (it was a little less humid, which helps). Took to the terrain this time on Aranda Hill/Black Mountain - moving reasonably smoothly through the terrain, without a lot of speed or taking on much in the way of serious hills. Wore a few spider webs, but no grass seeds, which meant my advance planning was unnecessary (I'd brought a pair of socks full of holes which I was intending to throw out).

Not one I'll put in my list of highlights - felt sluggish throughout and especially so on any sort of hill (and the hills on this one were reasonably gentle - lower slopes of Black Mountain - although numerous). Something which may or may not be connected is that I felt very sleepy last night and could (and perhaps should) have gone to bed by 8.30. Will certainly want to be in better shape on Sunday, even though getting to the other end of the course without completely falling to bits is pretty much the limit of my ambitions.

Humid by Canberra standards.

At Northcote, where even the outdoor pool was at 29.something degrees after the weekend's heat. A consistent swim if not particularly fast. Didn't feel very awake when I started but better later on.

A new one for me - joining a recently established lunchtime running group from work (I don't do a lot of running at lunchtimes and even less in the last few months), down to Port Melbourne and back. Felt like I was moving reasonably well once warmed up, although dropped into a bit of a hole in the group coming back because the fastest few wanted to go faster than I wanted to go on a recovery day. Still worth doing.

Up in Canberra now for a couple of days (again for work). Took a somewhat unusual route into Canberra (over Wee Jasper) because of storms over the Snowy Mountains.

C • Wee Jasper 3