Training Log Archive: Vaala

Even more tired this morning and had a bit of a drumming headache...that'll be the alcohol from last night (I am like the lightest of lightweights obviously). But I did manage to drag myself out to the bike park after sorting out work stuff. Didn't feel all that good for the first bit but was set on finding that track Rob had taken me on last year which was basically the track that is the furtherest away in the entire park (anaconda I think). Once I got up Uplands I was away though and felt pretty good (actually, getting up Uplands I must have been feeling strong 'cause I was in quite a high gear and not having any trouble). Did have mega issues with my seat though and when I got back I tried to get one of the guys at the park to help me but they couldn't work out why it kept going down on me...and then Cyco was shut so I'll have to sort it next week.

Round some of my favourite tracks at Rob and Marquita's place. After a couple of hours of raking and a few too many late nights I was pretty tired but once I got going it was awesome. One of my favourite places to run (might be all those hills and that you get to take a map out with you too)! The swim afterwards was awesome as well.

To and from the gym.

Really good class...heaps of seated climbing "up" big hills which is my favourite. But perhaps Lincoln is going a bit deaf 'cause the music was too loud (especially for that kind of time in the morning). Was feeling a bit shaky by the end...am in need of some more sleep after an extremely late night earlier in the week.

At Extreme Edge with my flatmates. I paired up with Huyn Jin which was quite fun and let the boys be macho together. I thought I would suck because I was tired and my back and arms were still sore but actually climbed really well with a couple of good overhangs and a really long (up the super tall wall), tricky 19 done and dusted. Also had a look at some 5.10s and did some bouldering in some at the end. Am going to need new shoes soon as holes are forming at the toe and had thought about going with the 5.10s and this pretty much made up my mind...awesome shoes.

To and from the event from my house. Bit of a battle back up the hill afterwards 'cause I'd got all stiff from standing around.

ARGH!!! Bad start...with #1 being hidden somewhere a bit strange (and then when I ran past it later on the course it had been moved to where it should have been). I saw Allan come out of #4 on my way in (he'd started just before me). I was feeling a bit slow and flat (a regular occurance of late not helped by a sore back which I must have hurt at climbing the night before). Got to run past my house twice (and very close to it another time) which was amusing and I did wish I knew what it looked like from the bush side 'cause I could have cut through my property from #11! #17 was just plain ridiculous...definitely not even close to where it was marked on the map so that frustrated me (well, even more than some of the other controls which felt wrong too). Then it was just a struggle to the end! Oh, but I bet Allan (although he was claiming I had homeground advantage...but he followed me into #11 anyway which was possibly the only one where it might have helped a little).

To and from the gym. It poured with rain on the way home which was kind of refreshing.

Super super tough class.

At Extreme Edge with Chris. Toughest session ever. We started off slow but the second half was exhausting. Tried some pretty tough stuff which led to bruising and a few cuts then finished up with 3 large overhangs in a row! The first one was pretty intense on the super overhanging wall. I have definitely improved in arm strength since I managed to get up them all and only fell once (and couldn't swing back in properly so had to start from the bottom again!).

To and from the gym and getting crappy lights but hooning as fast as I could against the cars on the way home because I was running late which was quite fun.

To the domain and back afterwards in a rather round about way. It is always nice when your slow jog is faster than someone else's run...an extremely rare occurrence but nice!

6 x 3 minute "sprints" with 90 second recovery jogs. Just on the flat fields by the grandstand (although some bits I ran on were not entirely flat). Did my last set round the 400m track which was kind of entertaining. And I worked out that 3 minutes is about how long it takes me to count to 120 with each count being 4 steps. Yes, counting is how I seem to occupy my mind when I try and run fast! Beautiful morning with the mist hanging low over the fields.

Bad day. But our flat did all have a lovely walk at the lake later in the evening.