Training Log Archive: markg

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.