Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Melbourne City Race at Port Melbourne, which was semi-familiar territory for me back in the 1990s when I was living in Albert Park (although my runs more often headed south and east). It's a different place now to what it once was; when my great-uncle was coaching in the VFA after finishing his career at Essendon, Dad would often go to games with him in the 1950s, but the one he wasn't allowed to go to was the away game at Port Melbourne (presumably the wharfies would have used a lot of words unsuitable for innocent young ears).

The major test here was to see if I could get through a continuous run of an hour or thereabouts, which was what I expected it would be. The answer turned out to be "sort of"; it started out all right, but my back worsened from about 30 minutes onwards. (Part of my problem was that I got too good a run with the traffic; traffic stops are useful for stretching it out). Walked for a couple of minutes at around 40 minutes and then it settled down enough to be OK for the rest. Couldn't quite break the hour (the impressively improving Callum White, who went through me late, won with 38), but probably more positives than negatives here.

The course was more straightforward than last time - less complexity in the buildings - although there were a few decent route choices. Hope the neighbours at Gasworks Park (in the news a few weeks ago after objecting to students from the nearby high school using the park during breaks) weren't too upset.

1: M/W Long Hard - Splits

Went out to Westerfolds in pursuit of progressing some unfinished business; I've been out here previously to do the permanent course in numerical order, and because the control numbers are fairly random this often involves criss-crossing the map. I'd got as far as #16 on my two previous goes and added another eight today. The run itself felt like a slightly incremental improvement, handling the gentle hills better than previously (but still walking the steeper ones), but it was enjoyable going across the terrain (no long grass here either). Lost contact a little on the way across to 19 but didn't lose much time.

A bit later than usual after a late-night meeting (not quite done with these yet). Felt reasonably relaxed - the tightness in the groin area from yesterday is gone - and generally a decent session.

Contrary to what I said on Wednesday, I did take to the bike today (with a bit of a detour). In another sign that normality is returning, I encountered a demo making its way down Swanston Street on the way home.

First time I've been out this early for a long time (sounds odd to say that when much earlier runs were a part of my routine until a few years ago). Felt stiff early and was wondering within the first couple of minutes whether it would be a false start; it was never a great run, and I settled for 40 instead of the 45-50 I'd hoped for, but managed to keep plugging away and get something on the board. Given my next destination, I also took the opportunity to clear the remaining parts of the southern end of Northcote (everything south of Clarke is now covered).

Followed a run with Pilates which is a rare combination. Not sure it worked so well - I thought the run would loosen me up but this didn't seem to have been the case, and was quite sore for a couple of the exercises. Also pulled up a bit sore afterwards (and with tightness in the groin area), although a couple of walks later in the day seem to have eased that to some extent - hopefully it will be OK by the time I next plan to run on Saturday.

South Wharf intervals. Reasonably hard work but will still take this as a further sign of progress (particularly the reasonably comfortable return afterwards, unlike last time). Going a bit lactic towards the end of the last couple. Still slightly alarming that my pace on these (around 4.00-4.10) is about what I was doing marathons in in the mid-late 2000s (and considerably slower than my marathon PB). Bit of wind around but it didn't seem to make a lot of difference.

Warm-up and down, better than last time (to the point where I was starting to view waits for traffic as an annoyance rather than a relief). My watch had slightly more of a clue as to where I was than it did last time but there were still allegedly a few random excursions into the middle of buildings.

For the first time in a year and a half I was heading home from the office in the dark. It will be next week before I'm riding home in the dark - using public transport this week (on the two days in the office) because a critical intersection on my riding route is closed for tram works.

I've also been following the volcanic eruption in the Caribbean (doesn't seem big enough, yet, for measurable global climate impacts). Noted with interest that one of the reports quoted a Professor Richie Richardson of the University of the West Indies (presumably not the cricketer).

Quite an encouraging run despite feeling tight before I started. Settled sooner than I often do and definitely felt fitter than I did before Easter, handling the various short, sharp hills (mostly on the west side of Ruckers) without undue drama. A bit tougher in the last 10 minutes after my left quad got a bit sore from the descent off the hill. The physio still found plenty to work on this evening, though...

C • physios 1

Swim at the Echuca pool, an indoor affair (in the interests of keeping it open all year, I guess). It's a place where the water safety posters are about kids not drowning in farm dams and irrigation channels, and also featured two outdated and mutually contradictory Covid signs (one stating that masks should be worn at all times outside the home, a second saying they should not be worn if well; the latter must date from the very early days when masks were in extreme short supply).

(I suspect that outdated Covid signs are going to be something we see more and more of over time).

The swim itself was reasonably mundane. Neck felt a little stiff at times, not sure why, but felt pretty good afterwards. There are apparently 900-odd public pools in Australia (tracked by someone who's trying to swim in all of them); I think I can claim 40 or so.

This was followed by a good catch-up (in person for the first time) with my Indigenous co-authors for our State of the Environment chapter. (Minor orienteering connection: Bendigo have set up a permanent course on their traditional lands at Barmah).

A slightly tedious trip back to Melbourne thanks to numerous roadworks (one of the negatives of travelling on a weekday is that you can run into a lot of these).

C • Is there a welcome to count... 3

C • Permanent course? 1