Training Log Archive: Golfer

Dropped the car in for a service then ran home via Willan's Hill.

Medium course at Rawlings Park. Nice tempo all the way. Nice brekkie with Deb afterwards at Kooringal Mall.

Short morning run down to Marshall's Ck bridge and return.

Lap of the Lake from Briohny's house. Starting to get a bit warmer.

Putting out track controls on easy course. 3 of my tapes from yesterday afternoon had been removed!

Collecting the furthest controls after today event whilst Deb got the closer ones.

Putting out and tagging control sites for tomorrow's club event on Willan's Hill. apart from numerous map changes and the swarming mosquitoes, all went well.

Right knee causing some concern. Generally OK whilst walking but seizes up after sitting for any length of time. Hopefully OK for golf in the morning!

Back into running after a few days rest. Felt very uncoordinated but got through it OK. Both knees quite sore (left one from the weekend, right from twisting it whilst field working CSU map yesterday!)

Event: Hume and Hovell Ultra
 

Great weather on Saturday for the Hume and Hovell Ultra weekend at Tumbarumba. We camped at the start/finish at Henry Angel Trackhead on Friday and Saturday nights in the trailer (Deb, Logan and I) with Briohny and Ryder in a tent. I got up at 6:00am to watch the "brave" ones start in the 100mile and 100km races. Briohny and I ran the 22km "half". We were bused to Mannus Creek for our remote start at 10:30am.

Fire trails for the first 5km and I started OK (watching Briohny disappearing into the distance) but an equipment failure (broken strap on hydration pack) after just 3km slowed me down. Bern and Fiona assisted me in patching it together with safety pins and it held out to the 5km checkpoint where good old gaffer tape came to the rescue (thanks Jeff!). Onto the single track just after this and into the climb (and mud) up Mt Garland and from 7.4km to about 8.6km I was basically walking. 2nd checkpoint at the top of a ridge at 9.1k was a false dawn as, after a quick downhill, I was climbing (and walking) again and this pattern continued for another 2-3km before finally reaching the top (over 600m climb) and starting a fast downhill to a spectacular crossing on a swing bridge of a very fast flowing Tumbarumba Creek. Passed all the 50km runners on their way out on this section.

Then the steady but consistent climb back up along Burra Creek, which was also putting on a great white water show, feeling pretty good and confident of meeting my pre-race goal of 3 hours or even better. Then with just 3 km to go I started cramping badly in both legs and had to walk pretty much the whole of the remaining distance. A slight deviation from the marked route also cost me a few minutes when I lost sight of the taped route and instead found myself following an animal track! Finally reached the last stile crossing just 500m from the finish but when I tried to climb over, both legs locked in a serious cramp. Had to stretch and just wait until the spasms subsided before getting over. I then had about 3 minutes for cover the remaining distance and managed to hobble along and cross the line at 2hrs 59min and 39sec!

Really tough run but great terrain and scenery and so pleased to finish inside my target time. Briohny ran very well and probably would have had 2nd female but for her own slight deviation off the marked track but 3rd was still a great effort.

We spent much of the afternoon and evening watching and cheering as runners on all courses apart from the 100 mile finished (1st in this came in at about 5:00am Sunday). Mixed this with chasing the grand kids around and keeping them away from the several fire pits! Deb had a tough day as she was left with the boys whilst Briohny and I ran but did a fantastic job:-)

C • Good run.. 4

Afternoon run from Briohny's place around the east side of the Lake and then home along Kooringal Rd before finishing with the steep climb up Simpkin Cres onto and over the top of Rocky Hill. Probably last run before Saturday's H&H half but might squeeze another short run in tomorrow or Friday morning.

Enjoyable morning ride with Deb out along Mitchell, Gregadoo and Plumpton Rds before a nice coffee at Kooringal shops. Forgot to stop the Garmin at the coffee stop so time is a guestimate but distance OK.

Ran home from Briohny's house after dropping the boys off from sleep over.

Morning run, hills to start and finish, flat in the middle! Very nice to see the sun:-)

Last long run before the H&H half in 12 days time. Same start as last week in Silvalite and ran with Deb again until she turned back at 2.5km. After more rain last night the trails and watercourses were running fast and full, as was the tunnel under the railway so opted to go up and over the tracks. Through the hills to Holbrook Rd then onto Bourkelands/Tatton ridge where I met Deb again, this time walking Darcy (Briohny and Trent's labbie). Deviated from last week by going down to the Lake and running along the western side (short detour into the golf course as the track was underwater) and then home via Kooringal Rd and the powerline track. Quite a bit slower than last week but had a few enforced slowdowns (eg railway crossing!) and it was so very wet underfoot that I took it very cautiously.

C • Wetness 3

Wagga Wagga "Gears and Beers" cycling festival on a glorious spring day. Deb and I rode the 30km event (there were 9, 30, 50, 100 and 130km options) and then settled in a for few "re-hydrating" ales and ciders with a few friends. Very pleasant day.

C • Nice.. 1

A very wet start for October Roadies at Rawlings Park. Whilst it didn't actually rain, the 40mm we've had over the last 2 days had even the smallest gully and watercourse in flood, resulting in a course significantly altered from previous years. Only a few hard fools turned up but we had fun sloshing through the water and along the muddy tracks. Happy with my pace today after a few days rest.