Training Log Archive: markg

Achilles sore this morning. Still not sure why but will do some massage and stretching. Planned to the do the Cyclones training in the afternoon but forgot o-shoes and then discovered Bowman Park is not a 'park' but steep as anything bushland - so not the best choice for a dodgy achilles and slippery shoes - and took my bat and my ball and went home.

Long run from my place through Gap Ck, up Highwood Rd Tr, to the summit and down via Frosty's. I thought I was going to bail on this one early on because my achilles didn't seem happy but I got a bit shitty about it and kept going and it improved. Really enjoyed this run in the end, so nice to be out running in the morning on beautiful day, even with a dodgy achilles and a cactus toe. I was also pleased that this run didn't feel too challenging, I even managed to increase my tempo comfortably along the summit road. The last couple of week of orienteering must have helped but my legs certainly don't have the strength and endurance they did a couple of months ago.

Hrmm, achilles a bit sore today ... have to think about why. I suspect I've tightened up in a few places.

Heh ... can anybody else see this? What do you reckon ... hang on ... I know this, I've seen it before ... it's TRAINING!

Haha, first training run in donkey's ears. Nice to be out and about. From home for a tiny loop into Coot-tha and back. Achilles didn't feel great but at least I'm pretty sure it's not going to hurt tomorrow.

From the top of the field to the bottom! After yesterday's race, today's run at Sandy Ck was always going to be a physical challenge but to make matters worse my brain packed up on me too. The problems started at the second control: I got distracted at #1 by Dave Firman and left the control in the wrong direction, which meant I picked the wrong vague gully on the vague rocky slope. Anna (on R2 but with a similar start) and Aaron both went through me from 2 min here. I was a bit scrappy through the next 3 rocky controls but got them okay. On the ~2km leg #6, I wimped out and opted for a wide clear-running route, but stuffed it at the beginning and bailed out to the main road which was even wider. I nailed the control but it was at least 1:00 slower than running straight. Circumstance contributed to big mistake on #7. I had a simple plan, 'run on compass till clearing and look for control' but as I approached the circle, the boundary of the yellow was pretty vague and I saw Aaron ahead looking confused so I assumed it wasn't up there. Turns out it was but there was no flag, just a stand and Aaron hadn't spotted it yet. He sorted it out pretty quick but I stuffed around for ages before coming back to it (-4:30).

It was a bit of a routine plod then until #11 when I got my first ever jumping cactus and 1 min later came extremely close to my first ever brown snake bite. That scared the life out of me and I then watched my footing very carefully while I walked straight past the control without seeing it.

I made another mistake in the rocks at #16, losing maybe 1:00. I was glad to be finished. I'll be even gladder when I get the end of the cactus spine out of my toe.

C • LUCKY 1