Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Local event at Macedon, sidestepping most of the rain (the really significant stuff was never expected until afternoon/evening anyway), but back wasn't playing ball today. Might have tried to push through it had I not had a championship race a few days away.

The forest was still wet. I'd forgotten how much fallen timber there is in parts of this area - potentially lethal in the wet - and some of the tracks were also almost unrunnably slippery.

Definitely in a flat spot at the moment. The best that can be said for this run is that it wasn't as bad as Thursday's, but hills (and there were a few on the Kew side) were a struggle, and again inordinately slow, even on the flat bits. Probably the last warm-weather run I'll do for a while (it was 24 at 9am), although Auckland can be humid.

One positive from this week: I no longer seem to be getting significant hamstring soreness from sitting down at work. (Hopefully that wasn't just the adrenalin from having the finish line in sight).

The Yarra Valley AGM was this afternoon. There was some discussion about the club history which Peter Black's working on, which in turn got me thinking about how it's probably about time we got working on a national one in time for the "50th anniversary" (with apologies to earlier events in SA) in August 2019. It's also realistically the last opportunity to do it whilst most of the key players from the early days are still alive.

Definitely feeling a bit more like it this morning than I was yesterday. Fairly nice morning in the pool, although I'd like to have more running in me to put it mildly before hitting New Zealand.

The big moments of the day were later, finishing the new version of our long-term data set late this evening - something I've been working on, on and off, for the last couple of years. I should feel more relaxed this weekend than has been the case for a while (just a pity there was no-one around to share the moment with, but once I realised late afternoon that I could finish tonight, I wasn't going to leave the last bit for Monday).

C • Good work! 1

Started with the intention of going long (and starting appropriately early to do so), but it wasn't happening at all today - felt weak (particularly on any sort of hill) and decided after 20 minutes or so that this wasn't the day to push boundaries. Also hints of hamstring soreness although that disappeared later. Some very slow stretches along the rougher Yarra trails, but even the flatter sections weren't much under 6s today. A disappointing run which makes me wonder if things are going to unravel a bit over the next few days - the rest of the day was also a bit of a struggle (of the almost-ready-to-hit-the-wall-by-9 variety, which was a bit of a problem because I was still working then).

20x30 secs in All Nations Park - still a little bit of soreness pushing off and thought it best not to extend to a longer set, but better than the equivalent session two weeks ago and actually felt as if I was pushing reasonably hard at times in the second half. I'll count it as a sign of (slow) progress.

This week's on-leash compliance rate: 1 from 5.

Going to/from All Nations, not very fast (especially to).

I noted yesterday the current rain affecting New Zealand but I hadn't realised until reading their monthly report how wet March had been. Auckland had its wettest March on record, and depending on how things unfold early next week, we'll probably hit Easter with close to 500mm having fallen since March 1. I'd be prepared for some extended walks from parking.

C • oceania forecast 5

Taking advantage of the temporary increase in early morning light to take to the Yarra Bend trails. Promising start to this run but then felt a bit flat - struggling on the smaller hills to an extent I wasn't on Sunday. Should do me good to get more consistently into rolling country but it didn't really show today.

Just as well World Masters isn't this week - the North Island is being pummelled by the remnants of Debbie. Last I saw, 100-150mm of rain is forecast for the Auckland region in the next 24 hours or so.

A reasonably solid morning's work, despite intermittent goggles trouble. Certainly felt like autumn this morning - apart from the end of daylight saving, it was the first night under 10 - but nice in the water.

It's the first day of school holidays supposedly, but I didn't see any evidence of a decrease in traffic (if anything it was worse than usual), and the bike area at work was fuller than normal, probably a product of the nice forecast.

Finally managed to complete what I intended on a lunchtime (or evening) run, which I'll take as progress. It was hardly the most inspired of runs - definitely felt like the day after a solid weekend - but after the first 10 minutes or so, such back issues as there were went away. Will consider this as a positive.