Training Log Archive: Craig

Australian Relays, Mt Killawarra, Warby Ranges.
Knee a bit stiff and sore but it warmed up reasonably well. A bit tentative on the downhills and rougher sections early on but it got better throughout the race and wasn't really bothering me by the end. A bit off line on 6 (226) going a bit left of 2 when I intended to be a bit right and then stuffed up 9 going to the wrong split first despite being on my own at the time. Feeling really tired on the early hills but that improved in the second half as did my navigation. Pretty much on my own through the second half and feeling a lot more comfortable both technically and physically so enjoying it a lot more than at the beginning.

Warm up for the relays. Wanted to keep moving right up to the start so my knee wouldn't stiffen up but didn't want to do too much in case running made it worse. Probably should have done more as it got better and better throughout the run and has pulled up pretty well after finishing too.
Warm down was 3 hours in the car, 2 hours waiting in queues and 4 hours sitting on a plane battling with grumpy over tired kids.
Won't be in a hurry to fly Tiger airways again.

Event: Australian Long Champs (SILVA NOL)
 

Australian Long Champs at Northern Spurs, Warby Ranges. Looking forward to this one as I thought the terrain should suit me, I felt I was orienteering well at the WA champs and I felt good running long distance pace at the sprint.

First control nice and safe, feeling controlled. Conscious of leaving 1 a bit too far right so ran along the indistinct track on the other side of the spur for a while to correct. Crossed the gully, see some rocks up on the spur to my right, downhill through some patchy green, cross the track, down through some more green, past the control on a dam... hmmm, I don't remember a dam, that really should be mapped... stop, wipe the rain off my map, definitely no dam. There is a track just ahead of me, ah there is a blue circle next to a track, must be there, check the compass yep, Ive swung off course to the right again, cross the track over the knoll, hmmm this seems a very large clear rock surface, oh crap, there is the dam, I must be heading down towards 6, check the compass, yep heading east again. Turn around and check the compass every 10m the rest of the way into 2, still had to turn 90 degrees a few times to get back on course but found it cleanly.

Tried to convince myself that a clean run for the rest of the course would still be a pretty good run overall but the confidence was completely gone and another significant mistake on 4 didn't help. Felt tired and slow on the hills and was thinking very negative thoughts but I saw Bill Edwards up ahead at 5 which helped me to keep plugging away through the middle of course and slowly get a bit of confidence back. Went past Bill when he missed 9 to the right and saw Rob leaving 10 as I approached which gave me a significant boost mentally.

Pushed hard out to the track from 10 to 11 but still seemed to be losing ground to Rob and couldn't see him by the time I left the track. A little hesitant coming into 11 but saw Rob leaving and thought he was heading out a bit too high so I wasn't too surprised when I got into 12 just ahead of him. I was surprised when he stayed behind me on the climb up to 13 and sounded as though he was struggling to stay with me. Took a fairly direct route to 14 and Rob came past me on the flat section early in the leg but I was able to catch up again on the climb. I decided Rob obviously wasn't going as well as he was last week at the Vic long champs because I was feeling tired and slow and was still able to keep up with him. Rolled my right ankle a bit going into 15 but didn't notice it for long.

Took the wide left route choice to 16. I had my map folded so I could only see the first half of the leg and just remembered I had planned to head for the track bend. I was a bit surprised how wide it was when I unfolded my map again but it seemed to work well. I got to the track with Rob, having taken slightly different lines, but couldn't stay with him on the downhill track run and had probably dropped about 100m behind when he cut across to take the small track all the way in from the left. I stayed on the main track a bit longer and took the same route I had taken into 2 at the start. Saw Warren leaving 16 as I approached and then saw Rob heading in as I was leaving. It turns out I was fastest in the whole field from 10-16 (44:11 vs Shep 44:22 and Rob 45:03) so maybe Rob wasn't going so badly.

Heading out of 16 my legs had nothing left, then I bashed my knee on a rock, then Rob came past and I basically fell apart making a complete mess of the last 4 controls. I'm really a bit surprised I lost as little as I did over the last 4 but the 17 seconds spent 20m from the last control looking at it and trying to work out if that was the only control I still had to find was a little embarrassing. I think I must have run out of fuel at 16 and my brain was not really working after that. I think I probably should have taken a gel with me. I've never really been convinced that they have done anything for me in the past but I think this might be the evidence I needed to convince me to use them in future.

Felt like a disastrous run in the early stages and I was pretty much ready to give up the sport at one stage between 4 and 5 but in the end I think there were a lot more positives than negatives to take out of that run. Looking forward to talking to Cam about my summer training plan now.

Run to the start. No warm down. Knee stiffened up really badly later, had trouble walking that night and Amy was making life difficult for me by doing laps of the house both inside and out at the bbq.

C • Laps 5

Australian sprint champs at Benalla. Intending to take this pretty easy but had a bit of trouble controlling the urge to run fast until I made a big mistake on 6 (30s) although it doesn't look like it from the splits. Settled into an enjoyable cruise around the second half at long distance pace and felt pretty good by the end. Didn't even make the top 50 if you include the juniors. I think in future the only sprint I will do is the Easter prologue and any I think will be good training for that.

Warm up for sprint, was planning to do more but it started raining. Warm down was climbing up and down the rocket a couple of times at the park down the road.

Up at 4am to fly to Melbourne then drive to Wangaratta, with a couple of stops, arriving a bit after 6pm.

Didn't think I would be able to fit in a run today but managed to sneak in a short loop in Kings Park while recompiling, lucky my computer is old and slow too. Feeling reasonably springy, I think because all of my leg muscles are so tight. Had a few seconds of tachycardia while sitting at my desk but it was fine running.

5k loop with a few 2min efforts on the flattish section from O'Connor Rd back towards Moola Rd. First effort was 4:16/km then just did the same section again working the times down to 1:40 (about 3:30/km). Right hammy seemed fine but the left felt a bit tight at times (only the right got massaged last night).

Zoo