Training Log Archive: AC

Still waking up early due to jetlag. Read for a while and then headed out for an easy longer run. Grey and cool, but good conditions for a run. I don't usually listen to music while running, but on this occasion I listened to Glenn Campbell's greatest hits. Good fun to hear these old tunes. Made the time pass nicely.

Got back from the round the world trip on Saturday morning and have struggled ever since with illness. Nothing major enough to keep me home from work, but just feeling chesty, coughy and very tired. Jet-lag probably played a role here. Took my gear into work a couple of times, but just couldn't face the prospect of getting out for a run. Finally had a go this morning, at least partly in deference to the theory that a good run will help to clear out the remaining bugs in the system. It kind of worked in that I certainly got rid of a lot of snot, but am yet to see if there are lasting benefits or ill-effects form the exercise.

Anyway, a drizzly morning for it and actually felt okay. Back still sore and hamstrings not great. But knocked off 7km quite comfortably.

Got out for a pre-dawn run and headed to the Tan for a run around Melbourne's iconic running venue. Bit of a slow start and struggled on the hill on the circuit, but a nice run overall.

Not feeling great with a sore throat and a bit of a cold. But couldn't resist getting out for a run around the Central Basin in Canberra. This used to be my standard run when I worked in Canberra and it was great to do the loop around the two bridges again. Beautiful morning for it.

A disaster of an orienteering race - completely underestimated the difficulty of doing this race in the heat (32 degrees) and just stepping off a long haul flight from Vancouver. Plus I had a cold and my back gave out less than a km into the race. Wound up walking almost the whole course, getting crankier and crankier as I went along. Admirable ambition to do the race, but should have been sensible and stayed in bed - not as tough and resilient as I once was :-)...

Ile-de-France Middle Distance Championships at Le Ball Trap map in Fontainebleau forest. Very nice area - a suitable amount of good granite with quite a complex of steep short gullies. Nicely mapped and the 1:7500 scale was very welcome. Good course as well. I started off okay for the first few controls then made a minute error on each of 5 and 7. My back really started to play up and get very sore over the last couple of km and I had to stop several times to try and stretch it out (with minimal success). Jogged on and got round the rest of the course without major mishap, but never felt like I was running very freely. THis is probably not surprising given that this was my first O race since October last year, and I have not been very consistent in my running training. Still, good enough for a close 4th place in H55 (winner did 35.43, so only 1m23s off the win - bit of a nice surprise!). Back felt very stiff and sore afterwards....

After a very busy week at work, it was nice to get out for a short morning run before yet another busy day. A bit stiff and slow to start with but settled into a nice rhythm and pace. Good run.

Glorious morning for a run. I don't normally like doing intervals first hting in the morning as my body just doesn't ever really get going. This morning was an exception adn I felt reasonably sprightly from the first few steps. So set out to do 12 x 1 min on / 1 min off. I wound up doing 13 intervals because I lost count. Reasonable pace for the most part (4.00-4.10) although I fell off the pace for a couple of intervals in the second half (4.19, 23) when I hit a slope for a couple of intervals - try as I might, I couldn't maintain the pace going up hill. Finished off with a couple of good hard intervals below 4min/km. Good session.

C • good session 3

Back in Paris after a week in Hong Kong. A lot cooler for running, and raining as well. Perfect running conditions and took full advantage with a longer run. Started out with Lisa for a couple of km, then went down to the Seine with the intention of heading across to Parc de St Cloud. Unfortunately, the pedestrian bridge was closed and had been so for some 5 months - must be a major renovation under way. Joined up with a large running group for a couple of km, evidently on their long run, then peeled off and headed back home. Good run, but tired now and in need of an afternoon nap!

Had been planning to do at least one more run in Hong Kong, but jetlag and tiring tourist activities conspired against me. A bit of a shame, but not too disappointed as the outdoor running was not particularly inspiring and didn’t really feel too motivated for getting on the treadmill in the hotel gym.