Training Log Archive: jennycas

Around (and sometimes almost into) the Yarra with Bruce. I now know where the Fairfield pipe bridge is. Came back across the Studley Park suspension bridge.

Met Kris for brunch at a gluten free cafè which Lauren would like, then headed for the mountains with Blair. We walked up Mt Erica but no snow on the top (there was, when I walked with Hania, after 1998 Christmas)

C • *like* 1

Well, I consider driving to Melbourne quite restful - I only had to focus on doing one thing. Plus, there was scenic scenery and music of my choice, to which nobody could hear me singing along tunelessly :)

C • Scenic scenery 5

Attack of the Killer Physio

Kath doesn't like my ankle. Apparently she has an irrational fear of a tendon rupture because the peroneal tendon is all that's holding it together. Or maybe I have paraphrased. I was too busy bending the needles she was sticking in me (including behind my ears) to pay precise attention. But we both agree that it's inflamed and there aren't any decent ligaments left to keep me upright and therefore I will see PhysioXtra's resident sports doctor next week - and maybe it's a good thing I haven't booked any flights to Tas just yet.

So weird: after today I won't be back at work until Nov 29th (although next week is a conference). Have never been away from work for this long...probably good practice for if I am really going to take a month and go to Europe with Sus next year (have never been to Europe, either).

Short but not sweet. Started up past the lake with Zara/Callum, Steve & Aidan Sullivan, Lauren, Fern, but by the train line had decided that there's no joy in running when my foot hurts with every other step (more so downhill) so Fern kindly accompanied me back along the creek.

Comment of the day from George/Geoff: "Now that Krispy Kremes have gone under we will all be able to fit our guitars* in the overhead lockers again."

*or other musical instrument of your choice

C • George/Geoff 2

Mortlock Oval, 225m, x 12. Rough, as always. Didn't tape but wore stable shoes (which would hurt my shins anyway if I wasn't on grass). Hamstrings got tighter and tighter...but I get points for consistency.
51, 49, 50, 49, 51, 51, 50, 49, 50, 50, 50, 49

warmup 12 min, warmdown 14 min, recoveries 15 min (78-86 sec)

Three Hills Loop. Nice cool morning for it with still some water in the creek from the weekend rain and also water in the long grass which almost hides the singletracks at this time of year, so my socks became entirely sodden. I enjoyed this, despite having to be ridiculously careful where I put my feet on the rough ground - and even then my taped ankle tw(h)inged at nearly every step.

Trying to work out how much fitness I've lost but I think it's more a loss of agility, confidence and therefore speed. Got the confirmation email for Cradle Mtn today and it didn't exactly fill me with enthusiasm for verrry long trail runs over summer. On the other hand, presumably I'll be training anyway for the Aust Champs rogaine which is 2 weeks earlier than Cradle. Am going to have a chat to Kath on Thursday and maybe even actually take her advice...

C • Melbourne 4

Okay, so I'm still slightly embarrassed about this. We didn't mean to ask the guy with the iphone where we were. But now I've learnt some more of Belair's geography.

Started out with Bridget, Simon, Fern & Lauren heading downhill from Fern's and northeast around the gullies on the rim of Shepherds Hill reserve, then when we got to the bottom of Grevillea way/Gum Drive we turned up Gum, and for a while it was familiar, being the way we had run down with Ben & Mace back in January, but then we turned on to Neate, past some amazing houses, some corrugated cubist constructions and some which only a 60s architect could love, and then we weren't quite sure where we were any more. We'd take an uphill street, only for it to descend towards the valley again. On Penno Pde Sth I got confused because we were suddenly much closer to the train line than I had expected and I couldn't work out which would be the street that would get me down to the bottom of Miller Pde - I usually run these streets in the opposite direction, and don't bother with the names.

So there we were at a crossroads, 5 orienteers unsure which road to take! Fern & Bridget figured there was safety in trainlines and while the rest of us were debating alternate routes a guy walking home from the station got out his iphone and in about 5 seconds, showed us where we were! How embarrassment...

C • fern and i were running tow... 5

It only takes 22 min to get from Macclesfield to Bridgewater so I was able to join Zara/Callum, Lauren, Fern, Bridget & Simon for the first of the Sunday morning Bridgewater runs (I am going to miss a few in the near future). I started out feeling absolutely crap because the subsequent activity to riding up the hill yesterday should not have been sitting for a couple of hours without any stretching, but I gradually improved. Tired, though, definitely, and ankle had had enough of the rough sections by the end.

We took the Heysen Trail Spur to Hahndorf via Verdun, having to stop for a freight train to pass when we reached the line, then crossed the Onkaparinga on the road bridge and took Taminga Grove south under the freeway. The Cox's Creek crossing had a fair bit of water in it, to Callum's delight, then we went up to, through and down from Mylor CP into Mylor, up Wilson Rd, followed the Heysen trail down Aldgate Tce (the spongey stuff in the creek bottom has gone and now there's kind of a swamp) and finally back into Bridgie. A few doublings back for little Biddy girl towards the end, but after all this is the longest Bridgewater run we've done for a couple of years. It was scenic and wildflowery and a perfect cool morning for such a run.

Afterwards George & I took Grandfather to the Callington show which we managed to have a quick look around in between the rain showers. 'Twas cold and windy, though, and a number of children's balloons were seen sailing on the breeze in a northeasterly direction. I wonder if any will be found by landowners out at Pymton?