Training Log Archive: GraceE

Long travel day from Canberra to Stanthorpe. Got out for a quick leg-loosener just on dark from our caravan park in Glen Aplin.

Picked Matt up from work and then ran home from Lennox Gardens via cyclepaths (around the lake for a bit and then straight up Woden Valley). Was to run for an hour averaging 4.45 pace, as Point to Pinnacle training (ok, it's very mildly relevant. It's on tarmac).

C • Haha 3

I did Matt's control pick on Cooleman Ridge. Aus champs training - tick. It was tricky with all the rock detail, especially now the vegetation has been burnt away revealing extra un-mapped rock. I think on the whole I did all right, although strava says I was only moving for 48mins - how rude!

Long run - up Mt Rob Roy first, then the extra loop to the south that I often do (including quite a bit more climb!), then I also visited another trig right before dropping back down to the car. I love this nature park and the views you get, it's my favourite in Canberra and I'm always surprised I have it to myself every time.

Event: Australian Orienteering Championships 2016
 

Tuggeranong Parkrun. Was a bit slower than I'd hoped.
4.03, 4.06, 4.04, 4.09, 3.58.

Same run as Sunday with the 3 x 5mins tempo.

Mt Taylor with an effort up the western rocky path. Getting quite dark for the descent.

Lunch time run behind Capital Hill and then beside the lake, including 7 x 2mins (1min rec).

Headtorch run on Farrer Ridge.

A lap of Mt Taylor (anticlockwise, whoa) including 3 x 5mins tempo.

Spent the morning at Government House for Matt's citizenship ceremony! In the afternoon I watched some hockey grand final action at Lyneham and on the way home stopped at Cooleman Ridge to do a couple of reps up Mt Arawang (NE and W tracks). Wanted to do three but was running late for dinner at Jasmine's to celebrate Violet's first birthday!

A lap of Mt Taylor, racing the fading light. Still coughing.

Just around the streets of Torrens because it was dark and I couldn't be bothered wearing a headtorch.

Preliminary final against Checks. We lost 1-2, which was a bit sad. We played really well and the game could have gone either way, but we couldn't put the goals away. So we finished 3rd in SL1. Was a fun season!

Michael and I teed up on Friday to run today, starting in O'Malley. We did Isaacs Ridge, Wanniassa Hills and Farrer Ridge before making a bee-line for home. It was a lovely run with great company although I have now pretty much lost my voice :s Michael now heads off on his next posting.

DFAT hills. Wasn't feeling good but it was Michael's last Friday run so I went along but took it easy(ish).

On Farrer Ridge in the last of the light.

And.... I'm sick again.

Spent the morning in the Mittagong area, then had lunch in Berrima.

Semi-final (3v4). We were playing Canberra Uni and had to win in normal time as they were higher on the ladder. Some sad news at the start was that the ANU mens SL2 goal keeper had died in a motorcycle/car collision on Friday, so both teams had a minute’s silence at the start of the match. I did not know Callum, but some in my team were quite close to the 23yr old.
We played some really good hockey but the score was nil-all at half time. Both teams had chances to score but it was still a goal-less game with four minutes to go. I started to get a bit worried and pushed higher (was playing inner). In the final minute there was some hard-fought and desperate play, and the ball hit the opposition’s foot just outside their defending D with a few seconds to go. The UC player knocked the ball away and so the free was upgraded to a short-corner as the full-time siren sounded. We had one last chance to play out the corner for a goal. I pushed out, Bec trapped, was meant to lay-off but went for the straight shot and smacked it into the backboard. It was a very emotional end given the circumstances.

C • awesome 3

I ran the Coastal Classic course despite the race being postponed, but started at the more leisurely time of 10.30am, from Otford. It was a bit windy, partly cloudy but not raining.

The first part was nice heading up the ridge, then it got pretty muddy and slippery underfoot dropping down into Palm Jungle. I had to overtake a group of about 60 people heading down here. Matt was going to meet me “at about halfway” with water so when I got to a surf club at Little Garie Beach at 10k (72 mins) I thought I’d be fine until 15k. Had an encounter with a grey snake (?) on the steep track heading up Garie North Head, it wouldn’t move along despite me throwing twigs at it - in the end I had to close my eyes and step right near its tail. It didn’t bite me.

I eventually arrived at Wattamolla Beach after 2hrs 15mins and met Matt and Florence, had some water, most of a banana and a second gel (had one at 12km) but got the feeling I had passed a point of no return re energy levels. Continued on, splashing my way along the coastal track (actually, hanging from branch to branch trying not to submerge my road shoes in water and mud, all to no avail when I had to cross a massive stream in the final 10km).

I became very achy in the final few kms, and it was a bit of a struggle. The headwind on the last beach into Bundeena was insane. Finished in the park with a friendly cheer squad of two waiting for me, hooray!

C • Good work! 3

Drove to Mittagong after work.

... And then it turns out that the race has been "postponed" due to some rain that has been forecast. Oh that's ok, I only booked two nights away for it :P

Did a little run on Farrer Ridge to loosen up the leg and my body in general.