Training Log Archive: markg

Easy evening run along Moggill Ck in west Kenmore. Achilles has been sore since the relay and this run didn't help. If it doesn't improve over the next few days I might have to skip the middle champs.

C • sunday 2

Aus Relay Champs at Mundoolun. Took out the win with the Cockies with a heart-stopping sprint finish between Ian and Rob Bennet from the Stingers. Awesome to win and reduce Vic's lead in the NOL but geez I'm having difficulty feeling good about this when I had one of the worst runs of the day ...

Started well, got my bearings before the start triangle and hit the 1st cleanly but already 15s behind Simon, who had the same split. #2 was a short easy one. #3 I took the contouring option while Simon went straight. I didn't get a great run through the lantana, it was thicker than I expected, and was a bit hesitant into the control. I was alarmed that I couldn't see or hear anybody at this point! Went straight on #4 found an okay route through the lantana but got pushed a bit left. Was with Alex and Simon Rouse at the end of this leg. Pushed hard through the lantana to #5, lost a little coming into the circle. Leaving #5 I realised I hadn't checked the code and cursing decided I needed to go back to check. The control was the correct one, of course, but I lost sight of Simon and Alex, only catching sight of them again once as they left #6. Lost a few seconds on #8 running too wide and then had a 1 min loss on #9: got confused running down the "track" off the spur, misread the contours a bit and screwed around a bit, finally hitting it just behind Josh. Pushed hard again to #10 with Josh in sight. Then I started to get a stitch! Couldn't believe it! F@#$!! I got #11 and #12 fine but I had to ease off the pace and was losing ground to Josh, who was helped by having the shorter split here. Went left of the line to #13, lost a bit of time in some lantana at about 1/3 distance but lost more because of the stitch, even stopping briefly at one point to massage it out. Got #13 cleanly at the end and the long climb helped the stitch (I only ever get them on the downhill). Tried to stretch my legs down to #14 but got a bit left, ran over the broken down fence without seeing it and ended up about 200m west of the control. Lost a bit more time coming into #15 by ducking in too early like everyone else. Really disappointed with this run, so relieved that Shep and Eon were able to reel everyone in.

Aus Sprint Champs at Griffith Gold Coast Campus. 6th, 1:31 behind Simon. Intense and interesting race. I made a few too many little mistakes, some from poor map reading, some from loss of concentration and focus. Not too unhappy just disappointed about the missed opportunity for a podium. The bigger time losses were at #5, where I didn't see the stair route and took the zig-zag path, #6, where I didn't see the tiny track and then missed a turn, #13, with a bad route choice (although probably the best route I could see because I still hadn't spotted the stairs near the control!), and frustratingly 15s at #22 right at the end of the race (2 places right there ... ). A few other bits and pieces too.

Leg loosener along the Brisbane River at Teneriffe. Nice to be running along the river again. Humidity was lower than I feared but I still got pretty sweaty.

Having achieved body weight + 50% in the isometrics calf "raises", I decided to move to phase 2 of achilles rehab. With an outline of the protocol but lacking any specific guidance from Cathy I tried 3 x 12 @ 25kg straight and bent single leg, followed by 4 laps pushing/pulling the sled w/25kg. Seems like a good load for a week or two, got some good knee shakes on the bent leg ones.

Meander through the terrain on the ridge, with only about half a km on-road. Felt pretty solid without being super-strong, ramped up the pace near the end. Achilles was pretty grumpy at the start but warmed up well.

Was going to head over to lunch-time orienteering but my achilles was really crotchety as a I jogged to the car so I abandoned. I did a couple of easy laps around Haigh Park afterwards and the achilles warmed up just fine. Did rehab isometrics at the gym afterwards; bumped the weight to 35kg and it was okay.

1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1 with equal floats on the tracks around the bottom of Mt Ainslie. Speed was okay and fairly consistent. Ave pace for each int was 3:14, 3:22, 4:05 (uphill), 3:32, 3:25, 3:02 (slightly downhill).

Got a bit of a twinge in my achilles during the 3rd and was going to pull the pin but it resolved quickly. Had a shorter recurrence in the 5th. Going to take it easy for a couple of days.

Easier jog through ANU at lunch and then to the gym for achilles rehab again. Struggled a bit at the end; not recovered from last few days.

Tired but ran steady.

Work to the War Memorial

My debut at the Mt Ainslie Run-up. I've only been thinking about it for the 18 months since I started work! Time was 13:58 which isn't awesome. Reckon I was still a bit tired from Sunday and really haven't run many hills this year. Had a good tussle with guy called Jack but he got away just after the stairs. I was feeling like puking at that point so couldn't push any harder. This has happened a couple of times recently :(

Finished up running down the Centernary Trail north side

Very easy recovery jog followed by achilles rehab at the gym.

ACT Long Champs and the Jim Sawkins Classic Handicap at Timber Tops. 3rd place, 6min behind Doyley. Got off to a bad start, with no warm-up and then missed the actual start as I made a last second decision to put my sunnies back in my bag. Doyley took off hard, dropping even Marty and I puffed along somewhere behind. The two of them were gone by the pivot control and I ran the rest of the course by myself. It turns out Marty and I had the same split but he stuffed the first control after the pivot majorly (perhaps ran the wrong loop first) and ended up half an hour down.

I ran okay, feeling a bit stronger in the terrain and on the hills. Nav wasn't too bad but got confused by the old map at my #8 and then lost focus for #9 so lost about 2min here. Apart from that there were only a few little misses including a natural break on the long hill climb. Happy to be so close to Doyley and Shep. Maybe things are looking okay for Aus champs?

A fun and fast course by Acejase. Pity the mass-start field wasn't bigger with more head-to-head racing.

Shadowed Ewan on the blue course. It was the first time he's done a course by himself and he did pretty well. He made one mistake which he sorted out before it got too bad and spent a lot of time confused at number 3 where there were two controls on track ends about 10-15m apart only one of which was on the blue course. Controlling oops.

Was planning to have an easier week for achilles health but it was getting out of control. Took myself out for an ascent of Mt Ainslie via the concrete path, which is a route I've not done before. I really struggled with the climb today, felt like I was barely able to keep running at times.

Afterwards went to the gym and did my isometric Achilles strengthening, bumping the weight up to 30kg. Had a good case of shaky leg after the run but just managed to get through the set.