Training Log Archive: Anvil

Anzac Day Cross Country race on the Domain. Wasn't sure about this yesterday, was feeling tired and sore throaty/hint of a cold. Felt good today so it was likely a mild case of pansy-itis.
Quite a good course - from cross roads oval down along Soldiers Walk with a few single track detours, then zig zagging back up the hill on various minor tracks.
First race in a while, I forgot about getting a good start place and was immediately boxed in for the first 100m or so by slower runners (actually the start was pretty poorly organised). After that the pace was pretty frantic as the first 2ks were downhill - I was lucky that I got in front of the people who go hard at the start and then cause major bottlenecks once the track becomes more technical (Paddy Watts was less lucky).
Was a little concerned when I hit the bottom of the hill that I'd done a little too much too early, but once the climb started I began to overtake people fairly consistently- kept seeing Petey K. in front of me but couldn't get to him. Got overtaken in the finish by someone, that hasn't happened in a while - either I'm now finishing with stronger runners than I used to, or I'm pushing more during the race than I used to? Either way, it's a good thing.
Splits: 3:22, 3:23, 4:11, 4:10, 0:35 (200m)

C • I saw you... 5

Not much warm up cause I was running late due to being kept on hold by telstra for 15 minutes (and they didn't even fix my problem), then about the same after cause I couldn't be arsed.

It was too nice a day to be in at work, so I ducked out early and headed out to the Waterworks.
Was only gonna do the Chimney Pot loop, but when I got up to Huon Road I couldn't face the climb around the quarry so headed out along the track to Fern Tree turning it into the Double Gauntlet loop (although this makes the loop 20 minutes longer and has more climb it made sense at the time).
Still really warm at 4pm, but the only other person I saw on the tracks the whole time was Hannys mum on her bike near O' Gradys Falls!

Some great meta-dialogue on Lost last night regarding the rules of time travel, finishing with; 'That's really confusing', 'well, get used to it'. Clearly directed at those who've complained the show it too hard to follow. Miles is my new favourite.

Super cruisy tour, perfect for post Easter legs. Very small turn out to be expected (Louis = nerd, Brea = sick, Nicko = lazy, Lee = still in recovery)
Set by Pookie around the streets of Howrah and Tranmere, there were a couple of perfectly set Ladies Legs that would have been nailbiters if we'd been doing it at normal pace.
Ryan almost won a leg this week, but unfortunately disqualified himself by not strictly adhering to the rules. All other legs were won equally between myself, Emma and Lukey.
I think I must still have a bit of lingering Welsh cold resistance, everyone was well rugged up but me - it's still above 10 degrees!

Recoveryish run around Montagu Bay and Gordons Hill. A few aches and twinges in the legs slowly dissipated after a few ks and I felt quite sprightly so upped the pace a little (pushed hard, felt good ;) )
Gordons Hill in the dark is not a good idea - will have to pull out the head torch from now on so I don't have to stick to streets.

The copyright police somehow found out about my current facebook profile photo!

C • copyright police 3

NOL race at Lively Bog.
Even though I had a great sleep, I just wasn't in the mood for 12km on St. Helens granite - luckily I had Robbie and Parto 2 and 4 mins behind me, so I just decided I'd latch onto either of them and just go for a terrain run.
No surprise that at #1, after a crap route and losing a minute being dragged down by an unmapped clearing Robbie appears. I must have been off with the fairies, cause halfway to 2 suddenly he was 100m away from me. Shift up a gear, but can't reel him in - though I have him in sight till #5 I lose him on the hill. No worries, couple more controls and I'm sure Matty will come through.
Stop outside the circle at #7 cause I can't read the detail, just a lot of rocky ground. Decide to go in and head for lots of rocks and pray. It works.
Get confused by all the gullies at #9 and stop 30m away from the control.
Get dragged to the west by the more obvious rocks at #14, also at this point I realise I've got about as much flow as the Murray River... and where the hell is Matt?
Parallel error at #18, then I don't see the control where I expect it - see some ladies coming out from some rocks below me so I head down and find it - seemed very low to me and it's the only control where my GPS track doesn't line up? No one else noticed it though.
Realise on the way to #19 I've almost finished so put a half hearted effort in to finish off - until the hill gets in the way and I go back to regular pace.
Surprised when I finish and Blair calls it a 'solid run' - I was pretty sure I'd be about last. I'm guessing everyone was having a similar day to me.
Kind of annoying, 5 minutes faster and I'm well in the top 10. But I'm not bovvered.

C • Some of us did notice it 3