Training Log Archive: slow-twitch

Gorgeous day at Queen Elizabeth Park. Not the most technically demanding sandune orienteering, but it might just be that the way the terrain works here plays into my tendency to look for patterns in the ups and downs as I seem to have mostly good runs here. This would be one of the longest races I've run - I think I've crossed that psychological 10 km barrier a few times but not often. The climb figure is unofficial - I was just curious to see what all those 20 m hills actually added up to.

Happy with fitness & speed though the last 10 minutes were a struggle. John and I overtook each other a couple of times over the first 2/3 which kept the workrate up higher than maybe I was planning to, so I was a bit worried about whether I was going too fast, but the course only needed to be about 750 m shorter to not hurt! Technical side was a little messy early on, but after the 5th control everything seemed to pretty much click. Worst time loss was getting tangled in some unmapped vegetation on what I still think was otherwise the best route for 6-7, grrr.

Result? 2nd M21A. A "fair bit" behind Magnus but closer than I'd expect. No doubt Bill E would have taken another 5 or 10 out of Magnus' time, and there were a few other absentees who'd have been faster than me if they were shocker-free, but nice to have a good run "rewarded"...

Post race warm down, just in time before the seizing up process progressed too far! Also pulled in a few controls later but don't know how long that took so won't log it!

Joined by John again, who was feeling a bit under the "weather" so the pace kept fairly easy. Out to Tinakori Road, a bit of looping around the lower and mid slopes of Tinakori Hill (a shorter loop than intended because I haven't spent much time here lately and chose tracks that delivered us back to where we left the roads a bit too quickly). We split on the way back into town and I took in a few extra ups and downs through the gardens and Kelburn Park. Didn't really feel like an hour's run, which I think is a good sign? Not enough up and down to select "Hills" in the workout menu - if John wants to argue that point he's gonna have to sign up! ;-)

Usual easy wednesday loop, a brief trip up to the gardens then down to the waterfront. This time had John (must get him indoctrinated onto attackpoint) for company for a change. Perfect Wellington winter day.

Think unless I get a miracle sleep tonight, tomorrow will be a rest day and leave the "long" run til Friday

4x4 minutes, c 2 minute recoveries, plus warm up and down/getting past the crowded part of the waterfront. The 8 km is approximate, somebody (probably to do with the Wellington marathon) has nicely put out distance markers around the bays and where I turned round at Weka Bay just happened to be where the "4km from Queens Wharf" one is. I figure distance from the office must be similar.

Had been having a fairly grumpy 24 hours, trying (& failing) to sort out at least one aspect of my life while simultaneously doing battle with the limitations of XL (and the limitations of people using the database I'm working on...) at work. Can fully recommend a good hard intervals session as a way of blasting away a good chunk of negativity!