Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Another semi-circle from the west side to the east side (maybe even a bit southeastish), going across much of this area in the opposite direction to normal and taking in a few new bits of Preston, like the Australian Corrosion Association - presumably they're against it - and Jessie Street, presumably not named after Jessie Street. (A post-ride check of the Melway revealed that Melbourne has five Ralph Streets, the nearest being in Reservoir and Bulleen - possibly meriting a mission this week now that they're legal?).

Seemed to be a bit off pace in this ride, but at least the distance was no issue (and once again no hamstring soreness or fatigue in the later stages).

7 x 2 on/1 off. Continuing to make progress - again no pain, and felt more comfortable running than on Thursday. Did something other than around an oval this time (and even ticked off a few more streets). Humid enough to get something of a sweat up.

Fairfield has historically been quite a Greek area, although that community is ageing (one of the two old-school Greek cafes closed a few weeks ago, although there are still quite a few restaurants). As usual on my Saturday morning newsagent visit, though, there was a group of older men there with newly-acquired Tattslotto tickets and copies of Neos Kosmos.

Headed up on the Yarra Boulevard, fresh from seeing it in a video on Rage this morning - it must have been a while ago (about 25 years to be precise) for it to be possible for three minutes to pass in daylight hours on the Boulevard without the presence of a bicycle. Wasn't feeling especially fresh myself at the start, but gradually built into it.

There were a couple of very visible police camera installations en route (and what I think was an unmarked car towards the southern end, although they didn't seem to be doing anything). One might hope that they were looking for people dropping tacks but I doubt it.

Lunchtime swim. Getting a bit better each time and this was a solid session under the modestly warm midday sun. The system still favours the organised so that works reasonably well for me.

Brazilian police investigating alleged corruption found an MP with several thousand dollars of cash between his buttocks. Gives a new meaning to "dirty money".

And I received today a reply from someone at work to an e-mail I sent in 2004 (16 years later, the reply was still useful, although not for the reason I originally asked). This still doesn't match up to the time lag where I wrote, in 2000, a response to something originally written in 1976 (I'd identified a suspect rainfall observation from 1971 and, on checking the files, found a note requesting its correction) - the author of the 1976 note was still at the Bureau in 2000 so I thought a reply wouldn't go astray. (The suspect observation itself was eventually fixed in 2008, by someone who hadn't been born yet in 1976 - I'd like to think that 32 years is a record for a memo to be actioned in the Australian Public Service, but it probably isn't).

The bad news is that I felt tired and sluggish (not surprising after finishing at 12.45am), the good news is that the run was pain-free for the first time in ages, despite going to a longer rep length (2 on, 1 off). This is very encouraging although I'm not about to rush things back given earlier setbacks. (I'm wondering which will come first - being able to do a proper run, or being legally allowed to do it more than 5km from home?).

Today's name from the past in the news was 1984 W18 Australian champion Karen Barbey. Unlike a certain other scandal-plagued Australian junior champion of similar vintage a few months back, her deep and meaningful conversation with the Independent Commission Against Corruption appears to have been as a witness rather than a suspect.

C • whom 2

Lunchtime ride, feeling somewhat better than I was in the morning. Initially down into Yarra Bend, then west as far as the Edinburgh Gardens, scene of a heavy police presence from time to time this week - although not as heavy-handed as Sydney Uni (picking on a law professor may not have been the smartest of moves for the cops). Fairly quiet outside, and a fairly smooth ride. Got some enthusiastic crowd support from Fairfield Primary in the last bit.

Feeling pretty sleepy this morning, which had absolutely nothing to do with this being the second of three successive nights of meetings lasting to midnight or beyond (I'll be feeling it's an early night when tomorrow night's OA Board meeting finishes at 10 or thereabouts). Got going a bit better later, after an initial loop through the east edge of Kew (or, as it's known by those unimpressed by the antics of the local member, Far Kew) and North Balwyn, then back through Ivanhoe and a finish to the west.

Stretching things out a bit further (9x1 minute this time). Felt a bit of a niggle but definitely improved on the last two, and no tightness afterwards so I seem to be making decent progress.

A sign that traffic is getting more noticeable is that I actually used the pedestrian lights to get across Grange Road (although that was partly because I thought that dashing across in a gap might encourage a nearby three-year-old to attempt to do likewise).

A lunchtime ride with a bit of a mission - on Sunday I'd seen a flash of the relevant colours on the other side of the road and went out today to see if I could confirm the continuing existence of a Carl Kirkwood ALP For Preston sticker (once upon a time these could be spotted on power poles the length and breadth of the electorate but they're becoming fewer and further between). This mission was indeed accomplished. It's something of a historical artifact - the last election that Carl Kirkwood was a candidate in was in 1985 (and for historical bonus points, the small print reads "Part of the John Cain Team").

The ride itself was pretty smooth. Paths quieter than I've become used to, perhaps a consequence of (most of) the kids being back at school now.

2020 life lesson learned: now that the kids are back, do not attempt to get coffee at 9.05am at a cafe in close proximity to a school drop-off area.

Evening session (since that was the time I could get). There were a few squad people who didn't seem to have noticed that their usual lanes are currently the slow lanes, which meant being overtaken at rather high speed on occasions, but I wasn't going too badly myself (by my usual standards).

A scoreline from the WA-SA Shield game which will have been noted by fans of backyard cricket: Wes Agar c & b Ashton Agar 4.

C • Agar 2