Training Log Archive: jennycas

Minigaine at Stirling with the birthday boy. His knees are worse than mine and I took a while to get used to slowing my walking pace, but there was plenty of scenic scenery to look at. Basically we went across to Aldgate, then Bridgewater via the Heysen Trail, then under the freeway through Arbury Park, up over the freeway to Old Mt Barker Rd then back down the hill past even more beautiful gardens than we had seen already. Funny moment was when we saw an open inspection. I said "we shouldn't, we're rogaining" and he said "but it's my birthday rogaine, I can do what I want!" We decided we were too daggy to go in, though.

Finished just in time to pull up our chairs next to the finish and watch the stream of late-comers huffing and puffing in (I predicted that the Kennedys would be 6 min late, and Zara/Lauren 8 min, after we had seen them over near the golf course with an hour left to cover the distance we'd taken 2 hours to walk).

It was a nice afternoon out, and although I would have loved to be running there was no way I could have done so for 3 hours - and it was definitely more fun than rogaining with my parents. Also quite a simple course and so we had our maps in our pockets for much of the time. I would have prefered real controls rather than Q&A though, and families may have wished they were closer together.

"Oh look, there's a flounder!"
"What's it doing in a swimming pool?"

Nah, it wasn't quite that bad, but I'd forgotten how boring swimming is and so I kept thinking about everything other than technique. Also didn't want to aggravate tendon in my knee by kicking. But pool was pleasant enough.

Bridget was only running for 10 minutes so I started off with her & Simon, then kept going to the redwoods. Cherry blossom and forget-me-nots not up to usual standards, and there is a big gum tree down across the access track, but still, it was a better-feeling run than any in the last month so maybe the green tea and fish oil (urgle blurgh) are doing something?

Mitcham & back, feeling slightly stronger than Sunday. Couldn't say that knees were comfortable though. As I was explaining to the surgeon, this problem has been creeping up on me for at least 6 months, now I think about it. And I'm sure its multifactorial; I know there are tendons involved. His assessment was probable chondromalacia patellae (otherwise known as patellofemoral syndrome?) +/- tear in/squashed meniscus. MRI booked for Tues...then another month before I can get in to see said surgeon again. He was interested to know what rogaining is :)

C • don't tell him! 2

Not sure how much I slept, because my head was full of selection stuff, but at least it wasn't my knees keeping me awake. And it was a lovely grey morning, so I tested the theory that a flat run would be okay. Which it was; to the far end of the caravan park along Brownhill Creek, and back again. Usual story with neuroma at an hour and orthotics attempting to blister me but I enjoyed the springtime garden smells.

I'm getting smarter at not aggravating my knees but the underlying problem is definitely still there, whatever it is. Slightly envious when I hear about other people's long runs (the ACT crowd are particularly adventurous) and see the info for Two Bays and the Wilson's Prom ultra - which is the same weekend as Black Hill (I obviously won't be running that either).

On the other hand, I guess my legs are even older than Geoff's Landcruiser (but it has done 370 000km).

C • 370,000km 6

Knees had been getting gradually grumpier during the day - ironically from walking around work rather than from yesterday - and the first few downhill paces from F&T's were enough to notify me that a hills run was going to turn nasty very quickly, so, in the interests of being able to walk tomorrow, I escorted Bridget back to her place (we found a geocache on the way) and then returned.

A bit sad about no more Max Fatchen (I tried to explain to Bridget who he was). I think someone should publish a book of all his newspaper columns.

When I stretched out in the night knees didn't hurt (normally there's a horrible grinding twinge as they straighten) so I thought it may be safe to go running this morning. Did the 3-hills loop in Shepherds Hill, only about 10 min slower than my best...oh well, it's difficult to complain about running in springtime in Adelaide :) The grass in the creek bottom before the final hill was taller than my head!

C • house hunting? 7

Over to Mitcham & back. Fairly feeble effort because all my quad strength has gone (I lamented my diminishing quads to the sports Dr and he said he had been thinking how well-developed they were!). But nice afternoon for it. A guy with green hair was skateboarding in the gutter. He looked around just as I came up behind, jumped with startlement, and hastily grabbed his board on to the footpath.