Training Log Archive: Anvil

Bellerive Beach, Howrah Beach, Tranmere Foreshore, Rokeby Hills, Howrah, Waverly Park, Bellerive.
Just sort of made up the run as I went along - I always plan on doing a run like this, but usually once I get to the end of the Tranmere track I get lazy and just run back. Will have to check out Knopwood Hill, cause if there's access you could link up the Tranmere Hills with Waverly Park and not have to run on streets for almost the whole run - there are some big private properties which could get in the way.
Also scoped out a potentially nifty sprint area - if I stay in Tassie longer than planned I might try my hand at mapping it!

Pretty painful, but not as bad as I thought it would be. First time I've ever done that track, probably would have pushed a little harder in the last third if I'd known I was close to the top. Tenth I think.
An impressive collection of orienteers turned up - almost all of them either non-resident Tasmanians or mainlanders, where are all the locals?
That's right, playing poncy fake rugby ;)
Felt a bit rude for pissing off straight after, but have an important knoppies meeting to get to. 2 pints goes a lot less further these days.

C • Good run 2

Warming up before hand and 'scenic' loop around the top of Mt. Nelson. Definitely scenic, but had a pain in the arse climb on the way back, not really the thing you want to do after grinding up that hill.

Went for a run in foothills of Grasstree Hill near Risdon Brook Dam, then finished with a loop of the reservoir.
Such a shame we can't use that part of the map any more, the sandstone up there is awesome and it's so fast in places.
New shoes continue to be good, I think the knee problem I was having was due to my Triumphs being knackered - they had done almost 800k, mostly on pavement! I could feel it coming back when I ran in them on the beach on Tuesday, but nothing today.

Went for an easy trot along Bellerive and Howrah beach in the evening. Took it easy, but needed to overtake some posers running shirtless a couple of times.
Finished off with a dip in the sea - first time in the ocean since I've been back, very nice.
Heaps of people out tonight. Surprisingly all the dog were well behaved and leashed - wonders never cease.

Long day of travel that started with spending the night in Christchurch Airport for an early Jetstar flight and then six or so hours in Melbourne due to delays.
So this week was a bit of a test to see how I fare with the rest of Oz and to see what I need to work on.

The good: Fitness is going in the right directions, but I'd still like to be faster. Happy with the sprint result, though the run could have been better - make sure shoes are properly tied! Really pleased with how I ran in the first half of the relay - if I can do that for an entire course I'll be stoked.

The bad: Technical skills = poor. After a year without much tough terrain, control circles with more than one feature are proving difficult. Did well in detail where there were obvious attack points - the thickets in the sand dunes and the cliffs at Naseby, but need to work on other skills when they aren't available. Terrain speed is sub par - again this is likely due to tracks often being the fastest option in the UK.
Not sure what happened in the Classic and Middle race - maybe I started too fast? Two time zone shifts in a week? General race fatigue - had done 15 high intensity races since November, including the half marathon in December? Catching someones cold? Too many variables

Mass Start Loop Race.
I think that's the first mass start race where I've had no idea the entire time how I was faring!
Decided to use the same plan of attack as before, take it easy and nail it, but once the race started I decided I'd use people to lead me into the control if they were going the way I wanted, but not to exert myself to stay with a pack. Worked pretty well, I was by myself after #5 on the first loop, but throughout the course it seemed like I was with pretty much every Australian at one point or another!
Only one mistake of note, #13 on the 2nd loop - just got a bit disoriented towards the end and wasn't reading the map properly, probably cost me a couple of minutes. I should have thrown my mantra out the window for that one and chased after Robbie as he caught up to a pack and had a good race around the final short loop, instead I just plodded round looking over my shoulder to make sure no one passed me.
I think we just did 2 legs of the senior boys relay course. I really prefer this style of course splitting, having common controls with quite distinct legs in between instead of the usual mostly common course with the occasional split control.
Good fun race to end the week, probably the one I enjoyed the most. Still no results so not sure how I went - I'm told possibly top 10, but I think I'll be just outside it.