Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Didn't quite manage all I was hoping for but still a reasonable morning out; hamstring was getting a bit worse around 40 minutes and I took the conservative approach, but it was definitely better than Saturday and lasted longer than both the last two runs. I'd have taken this weekend's runs as an outcome if offered it on Saturday morning.

The mission today was to clear a bit more of Ivanhoe and that part was done, which meant it was the hilliest run I've done in months; seemed to cope OK which I'll also take as a positive. Should be able to get the remaining bits between Ivanhoe Grammar and Heidelberg Road next time, then the only remaining parts on the far side of Darebin Creek will be the Bellfield part.

Also had my two longest in-person conversations for a couple of months, one with a Melbourne Uni colleague walking with his family, the other with someone wearing a Raiders top with whom I could commiserate over last night's result (at least it was a contest, unlike today's AFL match). Might be another couple of months before I get the chance for another one.

Eaglemont Flats again. Hamstring was a bit sore when I got up and I was in two minds as to whether to try to run on it (to the point that I put the bike in the car so that I'd have a fallback option to get at least something on the board if running was a no-go), but it was manageable, if never especially comfortable (and seems to have come up fine afterwards).

Did the even controls from last week (which does mean a different combination of route choices, although probably a less interesting one in this case); didn't want to push the distance too far at this point. Didn't work out too badly although got a bit disoriented on the green flats between the bike path and the river on its southern side (probably the trickiest part of this map). The water's gone down a bit since last week but there are still leftover water-filled depressions around.

Came to this after watching the finish of the Tour (some nice forests to be seen on the later part of that stage). Some of it must have rubbed off because the first part of the ride, on the Yarra Boulevard, was better than usual, but didn't quite go on with it. Hamstring a bit uncomfortable in the last 10 minutes.

Closing playgrounds may well have saved lives, but perhaps not in the sense that the health authorities had in mind - a massive tree had come down on the one near the Gipps Street bridge (presumably in last week's storm).

And they say Melbourne has four seasons in one day: the 3pm forecasts for Denver next week are 36 and sunny on Monday, 2 and snow on Tuesday. (Something vaguely similar, although only low 30s in the first part, happened just before I made my one visit to Boulder in September 1993).

C • Rubbing off 1

Back doing something today, although pulled up a little earlier than planned when the hamstring started to fatigue, having seen what pushing through a final 10 minutes did on Sunday. Pretty hard work running compared with last week. Windy and quite warm, and there must have been a few spots of rain overnight (though nothing registered) because parked cars were well-decorated with samples of South Australia's finest (some big dust plumes were visible on the satellite images yesterday on the east side of the Flinders Ranges).

Picked off a few more streets, mostly in the small industrial pocket on the north side of Darebin Road between it and the creek. One of these was Ford Crescent, not to be confused with Ford Street which is only about 200 metres away (but on the other side of the creek and a council boundary). A look at the 1945 aerial photos revealed that the former didn't exist in 1945, the latter did but only its eastern end was built on, with the west end leading to what looks like a farmhouse. I wonder if they were named after the same Ford? (possibly somebody who had something to do with the farm, which could well have straddled the creek?).

(One of the three local cafes I get takeaway from - spreading my coffee custom in the name of helping to keep multiple businesses alive - has a large print of the local street map on its wall, good for planning the next mission while you're waiting).

C • Old maps 9

Gave it a go this morning but decided after a few minutes that it still wasn't quite up to it. Felt similar to last Friday so hopefully tomorrow will be OK.

I did a bit of a double-take when I saw that the people who've just moved in around the corner had the number plate 'APRL19', but it turns out I'd misremembered the date of Hitler's birthday (it's the 20th) so my suspicions that some Nazis had arrived in our midst are (probably) unfounded.

C • April 19 3

Hamstring close but not quite ready. Left it another day and went for a morning walk instead down to the gradually receding river.

The Herald-Sun ran a piece yesterday in which they reported that Northcote was one of the two Melbourne suburbs with the greatest "oversupply" of women (framing it as such indicates a certain attitude in itself). Someone commented on Twitter "I wonder if anyone's broken the news to the Hun yet?". (My initial search of the Census data failed to find info on the number of same-sex couples by suburb, but they're definitely not in short supply in this part of town).

C • over supply 3

In significant news for any northern suburbs Melbourne orienteer, the Coburg level crossing on Bell Street is no more.

Monday morning ride. Started up the Heidelberg hill as usual (which felt a bit easier than usual, probably because there was a bit of a tail wind), but somewhat different thereafter, partly in the name of avoiding a couple of magpie trouble spots. A bit of rain in the middle part but otherwise decent riding, and felt OK.

Hamstring pulled up sore this morning but somewhat better by the afternoon. Will see what it's like tomorrow before making a decision on running.

One of the numerous bits of news of the day is that Jim's Mowing is apparently suing the Victorian government for lost earnings by its franchisees. Presumably any payout would be based on the declared taxable income of the claimants in the last full financial year, in which case the government probably isn't too worried - the most they're probably up for is around $2.50.

C • Jobkeeper 4