Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

After another attempt at a jury meeting (having pressganged Anna into the jury after various others were eliminated on the grounds of either conflict of interest or being unable to be found), I made it out to the event and jogged round all the controls - as always in such exercises, being slowed down by deciding what to do with any issues encountered, although I had the sense my body might not have appreciated anything more ambitious. (It is the first time for a while I've managed to do something on four successive days).

Relieved that today seemed to go pretty smoothly - if anyone noticed that the map at control 42 was slightly wrong they haven't told us about it. (The map shows two low crossable walls not joining but in fact they do - not sure if this was an error which wasn't picked up or late building work - so we made the control as visible as possible from all likely approach directions on the basis that if you see the flag you don't usually ask too many questions).

And we finally managed to conclude a 24-hour saga late in the day. In case you're wondering, the hold-up was that a written response to the original complaints, which we're used to being a rapid and straightforward process, is much more complicated in a place where any written communication has to go through a formal process, and without a written response to a complaint there cannot be a protest. In the end I sought, and received, approval from the IOF to refer the complaints directly to the jury - once that was done (and a certain juror had finished her race) the actual meeting was relatively quick.

One benefit of the drawn-out jury process was that I had the chance to have a good conversation with Lars Lindstrom (Danish coach and one of the jury members), and get a bit envious of their resources (their annual high performance budget is roughly ten times ours).

C • HP 11

Running (using the term loosely speaking) some middle distance controls before the start of the World Cup. Doing a lot of walking on the steeper ground but didn't feel too bad otherwise, nothwithstanding the humidity. Everything was more or less OK from that angle, and the event seemed to be going smoothly for a long time - just a pity that it's blown up in controversies over people going through forbidden areas (something still unresolved at the time of writing).

This time did more or less what I was intending to do, getting around the lake near the Xiqiao Mountain Hotel. A promising start to the run which didn't quite carry through (quads a bit sore and weak), but at least back was OK today.

Spent some of today dealing with the clause in the IOF Competition Rules which requires a new construction site to appear on any sprint competition area within 72 hours before the event taking place (fortunately we hadn't printed the maps yet), and other parts of it dealing with various random questions and issues, including how to get a couple of stranded Australians up to the middle model (at least the transport snafu was today and not tomorrow), what to do about an accidental gender reassignment in the start list, and being asked by the opening ceremony MC how to pronounce the name of Astrid Waaler Kaas (not sure I was much help on that one).

Had a go at getting out further this morning but never loosened up properly. Maybe tomorrow - feel like I'm reasonably close. Humidity not too excessive - definitely a welcome change from September (the athletes don't know what they're missing out on). Very noticeable change in traffic levels between 6.50 and 7.20 in the morning (i.e. at 6.50 crossing the main road was quite straightforward) - I've noticed that this is one area where most people do actually stop at pedestrian crossings (if you're assertive enough), although I'm not game to put that to the test without local company.

Spent the rest of the day doing some final checks of the sprint and middle areas, and doing a fair bit of waiting around while other people did things (I'd come prepared for this likelihood and thus got halfway through a book on 19th-century weather observers in Canada).

I'd picked a place to stay in Hong Kong which was within walking distance of both the airport express and long-distance stations (the logic being to minimise my dependence on the local subway, which has been the target of some of the turmoil of late). The price of this was a lack of good places to run, but that turned out not to matter because my hip flexor was still pretty sore post-flight, and after a few minutes of trying to pretend it wasn't, I abandoned my original plan of intervals in Kowloon Park and went for a walk instead. Hong Kong doesn't seem to be as much of an early-morning city as I expected, and I found it surprisingly hard to find anywhere to eat at 7.30 (having decided to pass up the A$40 breakfast at the hotel, perhaps a bit harshly because I was getting a room for $130 which I suspect in less turbulent times goes for at least three times that amount).

Once again no obvious sign of trouble (although rioting tends to be a second-half-of-the-day activity in most parts of the world), and the train trip went smoothly. A bit of a mix-up with plans meant that I didn't get out into the field today as I'd hoped to, but at least I've seen (and am happy with the look of) the printed middle distance map.

Some wandering around the neighbourhood (about 3km away from where I stayed last time) led me to the local supermarket, although "supermarket" barely does justice to the establishment (in the basement of a shopping mall). Joined the checkout queue to be greeted by some familiar faces - Krystal and Lizzie.

C • Last time I bought instant ... 10

Travel day from Melbourne to Hong Kong. Thought I was going to squeeze a run in before going to the airport but didn't feel up to it (perhaps I should have tried doing it in a shopping centre car park), so instead the session was at the other end of the day, on an exercise bike in the hotel gym - assisted by the flight being 30 minutes early. Good to turn the legs over and gradually loosened up.

Most of the trouble in Hong Kong has been at weekends; there's graffiti everywhere, but I haven't seen any other issues yet (nor is there a major police presence around the stations, which surprises me a bit).

Not the best night's sleep I've ever had (for reasons which will be apparent to most readers of this site), but still managed to get out of bed for the early pilates session. Not too bad once I got warmed up.

The ride into work was even more of an obstacle course than usual, but at least I can think of it as good preparation for the chaotic streets of Asia (not that I plan to do too much cycling on the chaotic streets of Asia).

Not sure I got everything done before leaving work that I wanted to, but did get the most critical things done, and once I'd handed over my drought report to the colleague who will see it through to publication, I headed out the door and in the direction of the pool (probably the last time I'll have a session in the pool for a while). Not usually at Fitzroy in the evenings, and although it was cool the clear skies had the air of a summer evening. Working pretty well for most of it, particularly in the second half.