Training Log Archive: Craig

Run to Liam's tennis. This was a bit of a struggle, felt about 10k too far. Saw Craig Berg at the 21k mark and briefly thought about turning to run with him but remembered just in time that he never runs slower than 4:20/km so there is no way I could have kept up with him.

Carried my pack with some water, electrolytes and gels so I could get used to it and see what issues I might have on race day. I don't like drinking from a bladder so I carried 2x500mL bottles, one with water and one with electrolytes. It was comfortable enough to carry and drink from but the stereo sloshing pretty close to my ears was really annoying and would kind of spoil the serenity of a nice run in the hills. Might have to reconsider using a bladder. One bottle was leaking a bit so felt as though it was raining on my left side. Aimed to drink about 100mL every 3km and I kept up something close to this through the first half but I was getting less and less interested in drinking as I went so I think that was probably a bit much. Finished with maybe 200mL left so drank about 800mL in 2.5 hours. I think about 1L is probably enough for 6" unless it is really hot. Had one gel at 13km and one at 20km and didn't have any issues with those. Didn't notice it while running but later found I had a little bit of chafing on the lower back from the bottom of the pack bouncing (had phone and wallet there). I'm tempted to try to fit the compulsory gear in the pockets of a cycling shirt and carry a single hand bottle but I think the compulsory gear is a bit too bulky.

Intended to do this at 6am but didn't get out until 6pm, while the kids were getting together ready to go trick or treating. Spent most of the run questioning my sanity and wondering how I was going to get through my long run in the morning. Might need to try running with the race pack and having a few gels tomorrow. Today's nutrition consisted of poached eggs and milkshake for breakfast, no lunch and a BLT for dinner. Not sure that will be enough to get me through 29km before breakfast. I did convince Amy to stop rejecting the chocolates and give them to me instead for the second half of the trick or treating, that should help a bit.

Out through KP, then down Malcolm St and the freeway path to the Narrows to warm up for a 10k tempo around the river. Felt pretty awful setting out which improved to barely acceptable by the end of the warm up.

Saw Hubert on his bike again just after starting my tempo and then again a minute or two later as he must have turned around just after passing me. Still no signs of recognition. Settled into a reasonable rhythm pretty quickly but probably pushing a little harder than I really wanted to, mostly due to fear that the pace would be depressingly slow when I checked it at the end.

Passed Steve Stockwell, one of his daughters and another guy doing some lunges near Pelican Pt. Saw Steve again on my way back and he looked to be moving pretty quickly. His daughter, not sure which one, was a fair way behind and the other guy miles back.

Finished the 10k tempo in 41:43 which I was happy enough with, as I thought 42 was a reasonable target. I was starting to struggle a bit by the end and it took me a long time to recover on the warm down so it was probably a bit harder than the half marathon effort it was supposed to be.

I might have been a bit premature in marking my calf injury as recovered. It was feeling a little tight by the end of the warm up and I was noticing it on and off throughout the tempo. I wouldn't say it was injured but I'm not convinced it will cope with the planned 29km on Sunday. Need to get back onto massaging it which I have neglected a bit this week.

C • Hubert Day 2

Calf got through the ultimate test of playing tennis on Monday night so I figured it should be right to get back onto following the plan. I needed to get work early, so set the alarm for 5, but managed to get up and going a bit earlier than that. Good thing I did as I still got to work a bit later than I was aiming for.

Feeling really tired setting out and my hips were barely functioning at all as I must have been reaching peak stiffness and soreness after Monday night's tennis. The right calf was the least of my worries, but the left was a bit sore, caused more by tight hammies and glutes I think, so I stopped for a little stretch before crossing Thomas St.

Thought I would do the usual out and back around the river and a loop in KP but by the time I got down to Tawarri I was getting sick of the flat grass so I decided to do a loop up through Mt Claremont instead. Felt a bit better after climbing the stairs and running on the road for a bit. First bike to go past on Jutland Parade was Hubert Day, I see him quite often and I always try to say hello but I've never noticed him show any sign of recognition. Not really surprising as I don't think I've ever spoken to him at orienteering.

Didn't really know where I was going through Claremont but managed to pick a nice route through the underpass, between the showgrounds and oval, then past Lake Claremont. Felt reasonably good up Montgomery and through Challenge/McGillivray. Starting to feel a little tired through Shenton Bushland but I think that was mostly my normal tendency to speed up towards the end. I did feel more comfortable when I reminded myself to back off a bit.

Happy to get through that without any issues with the calf. Friday tempo and Sunday long run will provide a bigger test.

Very tired this morning so left it as late as possible and still struggled to get going. Felt reasonable once I'd warmed up a bit and the calf was all good, just a slight niggle in the hamstring.

Pennants vs Forrestfield. Lost the first doubles 0-4 0-4 and it didn't get much better from there, not winning a set all night.
Didn't feel so bad about it when we find out their number 3 had won their last 6 club champs and they all had much better rankings than us. Actually played ok in the singles going down 3-4 2-4 with a lot of close games. Leg held up reasonably well, felt it more in the hamstring than calf.