Training Log Archive: Craig

Initially thought I would head into John Forrest but that would have required starting uphill and I just couldn't face it at the start so I went the other way out past our old house to O'Connor Rd and back. Really sluggish to begin with but started to feel a lot better on Casino Rd East and felt quite good for the rest of the run. Right achilles was a little sore going uphill today but ok coming back downhill towards the end and overall not as bad as I feared it might be. Really feel like I have turned the corner this weekend and feeling more like a runner again.

Played a set and a half of doubles with Laurens, Daniel and Gunesh. Hitting the forehand much better today but my serving was terrible.

Had a little hit with Helen in the morning then hoped to have a hit at social tennis in the afternoon but there was a handicap singles tournament on instead so ended up just having a bit of a hit with Graham to help him warm up. Worked out ok because we mostly just hit forehands back and forth which was just what I needed.

Felt I needed to put myself into a competitive situation to see how my body responded. I figured tRicky and jumbo would be too fast for me so I lined up next to Sten thinking he would go out fast but if I could get through that then I should be able to stay in touch for a good part of the course. Start went pretty much as expected with Sten gapping me early. Jumbo was a little slow out of the blocks but came flying past on the way to the first and went past Sten before taking a different route. I went the same way as Sten and kept hoping he would start to come back to me but he just kept edging away. After a while I started taking the opposite choice to Sten when there were similar left/right options between controls but I think it just lost me a bit more ground. Took a different route through the last 5 or 6 controls but it was never going to make much difference and I came in about a minute down on Sten and 4 behind jumbo with tRicky between them.

Really happy with how I felt physically. Despite never being able to close on Sten I did feel quite strong all the way and held a pretty consistent pace. Never felt the slightest twinge from my knee or achilles during the run or afterwards. Feeling much more ready to get back into some proper training after this.

I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning but somehow convinced myself I had to do it and that I would probably feel better once I got moving. I was wrong. Feeling very stiff and no energy, don't really know why. Shuffled and walked up the sand track, a couple of surges and more normal jogging on the way back but still walked a bit. Actually felt quite good on the surges.

C • My guess: 6

Very slowly up the broadwalk then a bit faster back down the sand track because I was running late. Right achilles not bad at the start but gradually getting more sore throughout the run.

Social tennis. Seem to be getting worse each time I play at the moment.

Easy run in KP. Didn't feel the right achilles at all playing tennis last night but it was a bit tender throughout this run. Not thinking about the knee anymore.

My first pennants match filling in for Ben in a team with Daniel and Laurens. Won the two doubles matches but lost my singles match despite playing better than I did in the doubles. Had some good patches but made way too many unforced errors. Good fun, hoping they need me to fill in again sometimes but I want to improve my game a bit before then.