Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Another very mediocre run at the end of a mediocre post-carnival week, at Macedon - an area for which the good window of opportunity to run on it has probably been missed (it was quite open around 2008-09 but has thickened up again; in particular pretty well all of the gullies were unpleasant, whether mapped as such or not).

Slightly dodgy route on 1 but then had a big mistake early as I did last week, losing about 4 minutes on 4, the first control in low-visibility pines - hadn't quite got the feel of which logpiles were mapped and which ones weren't, got confused by an unmapped logpile and thus convinced myself I was a gully further on than I actually was. Didn't lose much time to mistakes after that, apart from a very annoying 30-seconder missing the entrance to the railway line tunnel, but always felt as if I was plodding, even when it opened up into more mature pines (the splits suggest that I wasn't going that fast through this section anyway). Didn't have much left for the last climb, either.

Others did even worse so I was actually in front when I left, although if Bryan and Evan (both late starters) don't take at least 10 minutes out of this time they've had bad runs.

Earlier than usual for a Saturday morning because of a breakfast with friends afterwards. Felt better at the start of the run than on the last few days but much the same once I was actually going, on a loop out east through Bulleen (a less hilly one than Bulleen can be). Misty and humid which will be good practice for New Caledonia in a week.

At Ivanhoe this morning, ahead of a much-needed massage. A fairly relaxed session, joined by one of the regulars in the last 10 minutes which gave us the chance to discuss the cricket (or lack thereof). Didn't get too dizzy despite having to turn around a lot in Ivanhoe's small deep end.

Headed out on the bike into what seemed like a passing shower, but there was a lot more behind it (and unusually, it was coming in from the south-east) so it was a fairly sodden trip in (although one with little traffic and almost no red lights).

Not quite a proper Thursday long run but getting back to it, along the Yarra Flats initially as far as Chandler Highway, back through the west side of Ivanhoe. Calves pretty tight today (with consequences further down too) - a massage (due tomorrow) is definitely overdue. Not brilliant uphill.

Someone's rather cheekily put an advertising sign for a car wash down the road on the nature strip outside the Hells Angels clubhouse (then again, they probably think the council inspectors aren't going to be in a hurry to visit that location).

Speaking of car washes, a nationwide car wash and cake sale is apparently being held in early June in the US in the name of raising $300 million that the NASA budget has been cut by. I take it that this is mainly a stunt to draw attention to said budget cut rather than a serious attempt to raise the $300 million.

C • Can't feel too sorry for th... 1

A faster and hillier run than the last two. Still struggling to get much power through the Achilles up hills - soreness this week has been a bit more persistent than it often is. This run seemed to go on for a long time, despite being pretty short.

It definitely felt like a nice morning to be out (at least until you looked towards the city and realised what you were breathing). Also pleasant for the ride in as long as you ignored the freshly squashed cat.

C • All the best cats are like that. 5

Still in post-carnival mode and struggling a bit. Headed for the Banyule Flats singletrack, which I thought might have dried out by now but hasn't (at least in the muddiest patches). Not finding much up hills, but did get a good run with the traffic.

Ended up being a pretty busy exercise day for one that was nominally one of post-carnival recovery (there was about 90 minutes of bicycle commuting on top of what's listed here). Back at Fitzroy where the crowds seemed pretty thin; surely winter isn't scaring them off already? A fairly routine swim, and I think I've finally rid my swimming gear of the Moreton Island sand (a somewhat easier task than ridding Rosenthal Creek socks of grass seeds).

A large billboard on Heidelberg Road says 'Dream Bigger'. I thought it might have been the latest campaign by a regular tenant of the site, a well-known disreputable purveyor of nasal sprays, but it's actually for Eltham College.

MFR Monday night from Dion's with a small crowd, just Dion, myself and for the first half Susannah. Pretty slow in the first half but a bit less slow later on. Didn't feel as sluggish as yesterday but wasn't trying to run as hard either. Achilles not great today - struggling to cope with long spells back sitting at a desk, I suspect (sitting for long periods is something it doesn't like - I've hobbled through plenty of airports in the last couple of years).