Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Event: NSW Long Championships
 

The good news was that today's results were highly encouraging for Australia's international prospects in 2009. The bad news is that the international prospects in question are those of our M35 and M40 contingent in WMOC.

In many ways this was a frustrating day because after Shep's withdrawal it was an eminently winnable race and I didn't win it. It was long(ish), it was green, it was technical and it was wet, all of which should have worked in my favour. A NSW win is high on my goals list as it's one of only two state/territory championships I've never won at senior level, and the window of opportunity to do something about it is closing faster than it is in WA where Craig's getting older at the same rate I am (or maybe it isn't closing, of which more later).

That said, there was a lot to be positive about today, starting with the area, the map and the courses. A kilometre rate just under 9 might indicate a long slog, but you always felt as if you were making progress - there wasn't much in the way of rockclimbing, scrambling or scrub-bashing. I was also happy with the way I was running physically, starting with the warm-up. Never really tired which is unusual for a long race. The main reason I lost was because I blew 2.5 minutes on control 8, not quite sure of the cliff lines and running just over the top of it. Also smaller misses at 7 and 14, drifting wide over the top of hills on both occasions, and at the end of the long leg at 20. Fastest in the field from 12 to the finish, but the damage was done and I ended up at the back of the closely clustered top four.

Liggo's result, probably the best of his career, is one that's been coming for a couple of years - he's been fit but hasn't really been able to put it together on the day in a big race. It would have been an interesting 'what if' if I hadn't missed 8. He may well have caught me anyway (he started 2 minutes behind and had cut that in half by 7), and while I was faster over the second half I don't think it would have been by enough to drop him in a head-to-head.

It is definitely a worrying sign for the future that the only four who were competitive yesterday are 41, 39, 32 and 37 (you can add into that mix Steve Craig and Jock Davis, who were 1-2 in M35A in similar km rates to use and walloped the M20s on the same course). It may be a partial defence that no-one under 25 has run a serious championship race in this type of sandstone terrain before (not that inexperience in the slightly-different pagodas terrain stopped Simon Uppill from producing his tour de force at Ganguddy in the 2004 NSW Championships), but there is a real hole in our ranks and not a lot of signs of people likely to fill it.

In the end, for me the result was disappointing, but the run showed potential for something better next week.

C • map 2

A hit-out at Mittagong - wanted to go out in the afternoon to maximise my exposure to the heat with Queensland in mind, even though such a strategy may not have been strictly optimal for tomorrow's performance. As it turned out it had clouded over a bit and 25 degrees didn't feel excessively warm (certainly less so than I would have expected having not training in anything much over 15 since returning from Europe).

Headed out from central Mittagong up to the top of Mount Gibraltar, a steady 250-metre climb over 4k or so. They must have been somewhat lacking in place-naming originality in this part of the world as I can think of at least four similarly-named hills in the Southern Highlands (this one, the 2002 Easter area north of Marulan, one near Bungendore and one on the ridge between Corin and Birrigai). Had had thoughts of dropping down the other side into Bowral and coming back along the base, but that would have made it longer than I wanted and involved a quad-risking very steep descent, so I contented myself with running around the top for a while and then coming back down the gentle way, past lots of expensive real estate.

The run itself didn't feel especially brilliant, but did have quite a bit of strength when it was needed on the climbs.

Plenty of channel-surfing opportunities this evening with two rugby league finals, an AFL final and a rugby union Test, all of them live on free-to-air. Didn't get too many of the results I wanted, though (and even my temporary St. Kilda allegiance was driven more by tipping-competition expediency than deep passion).

C • Saints 5

C • The Gib 1

Experienced a new pool this morning - had to get some urgent repairs to my car (a headlight blew last night) and Camberwell was the best place to do it, which placed Hawthorn on my route. After previous experiences at swimming pools within Melbourne's more affluent eastern suburbs I was a bit apprehensive, and feared the worst when the change room conversation seemed to be focused around overnight moves on Wall Street, but it was fine - being a 50-metre pool helps with spreading out the crowds. The bottom hasn't been painted for a while and, on what was the first proper warm-north-wind morning of spring, there were even a few gum leaves in the water from time to time.

The swim felt like it was lasting for a long time but was quite a reasonable session. Off to Wagga tonight (en route to NSW Champs), hopefully with functional headlights.

Quote of the day goes to British cycling gold medallist Chris Hoy, after somebody asked him "We've heard a lot about what other people think of Chris Hoy, but what does Chris Hoy think of Chris Hoy?". The response:

"Chris Hoy thinks that the day that Chris Hoy starts referring to Chris Hoy in the third person is the day that Chris Hoy disappears up his own arse".

C • Hoy 2

Just like last time, I marked the failure of the world to end as speculated by starting my run with a lap of Warringal Cemetery. Unfortunately, for much of this run I felt about as energetic as the occupants of Warringal Cemetery. From time to time it looked like it might have been about to come good but never really did, although did manage to handle the numerous hills through the second half better than seemed likely at first. This will be my last long(ish) training run for a while - hope the races are better than this.

Had a shower chasing me around for most of the first half, which was a bit strange with clear skies all around.

You may recall my mention a couple of weeks ago of the news report which started "A Mount Gambier woman has warned the community against cleaning lawnmowers in bedrooms while smoking". I've now seen the full article and it contains plenty of other gems, including "Ms Goldsworthy said although she had been convicted of arson before, this time it was an accident. 'I swear, this time I did not do it', she said". The journalist must have had to exercise considerable self-control to avoid cracking up with laughter during the interview.

C • End of the world 1

C • Shower 1

C • right vs left 2

A session that started promisingly, on a very pleasant crisp morning, but didn't quite live up to its potential, not helped by several breaks for traffic in the second half.

Noticed on going past the VicRoads HQ in Kew that there was a large American flag flying out the front. Presumably this is indicative of where they get all their ideas on transport policy from.

3x1000 on the Tan again with jog in between. Gradually building a bit more pace in this session: km splits 3.44, 3.39, 3.35, which is a couple of seconds quicker across the board than I've previously done in this session. Felt quite sharp at the end although less so elsewhere - and even the last kilometre was only at a pace that I could do 21 of in succession in 1997.

If I haven't updated my log by the end of tomorrow the world has probably ended (but then none of the rest of you will be around to notice either). I'm mildly surprised that I haven't yet fielded any phone calls on the subject, unlike the last occasion (6/6/06) when such an event was heralded in certain quarters, and someone rang me six times in a day and a half trying to convince us that it was the Bureau of Meteorology's responsibility to warn the Australian people of impending doom.

Felt better this morning, after some initial stiffness, than in recent fartlek sessions. A slightly more respectable pace too (9.19), but still somewhat short of where I'd like to be at this stage of my preparation. Hopefully another week of sharpening will do (some of) the trick.

Didn't quite go to plan this morning - was going to swim at Fitzroy on the way into work but got a puncture, so went to Collingwood instead (which is close to Clifton Hill station). A pleasant enough session which loosened up some pretty tight muscles (especially quads) from yesterday. Collingwood must be one of the hotter pools around - felt like a warm bath (water temperature was about 31, I think).

Nothing to add interest to an F1 race like a bit of rain, is there?

Monday night session from my place to mark 10 years (minus one day) at my current premises, taking on various hills of Heidelberg and Ivanhoe. Not the best I'll ever feel on a run in my life but hills were OK. Had some there who don't normally make it out to the wilds of Heidelberg, and one for whom Heidelberg is closer than other venues - James Allston, making his first Monday appearance to my knowledge (and probably not his last). It seems another Allston is also applying for jobs in Melbourne, but I suspect that the Monday night pace will be much too slow for her liking if and when she makes an appearance here.