Training Log Archive: AC

Picked up the MTB rental (nice Giant Anthem 29er dualie, but a size too small for me) and headed out to The Camel Farm where there are some 40km of purpose built single track in a lovely forest. Superb riding which showed up my lack of technique on such tracks and in rocky terrain. The dry gravelly tracks were also a real challenge after so much European muddy and firm terrain. Had a couple of spills at slow speed, mostly going uphill through rocks and a couple of times on gravelly berms where the front wheel slid out in the gravel. Really enjoyable though and would love to spend a heap of time on such tracks to get better at them. Will have another couple of rides here before heading back to Paris. Very hot this morning and am glad I had a Camelbak.

Scott bikes were lending out new bikes to test ride and so I headed off on a $4000 carbon fibre, dual suspension, 29er for a quick spin (Spark I think was the model). Although I was quite tired after my previous ride, it was great to get out on this new bike which is a step up from anything I have every ridden before. THis bike had some real zing and could roll over the terrain very easily and quickly. Will be hard to get back on the Giant tomorrow, and even the Specialised back in Paris! I guess that is why they have these test ride days - to sow the seeds of discontent and to make people poor!

Now over in Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to watch son #2 play basketball. decided to go for a run on the Bibbulman Track, which kicks off just down the road. Decided not to go the full track as that would be a 2000km out and back run. Just headed out for 43 mins and then turned around at a convenient landmark. Very tough going. Not only was it quite hot and dry at that time of day already, but the track was really rough for most of the way and I really had to take it easy in order not to break a leg. As it was, I turned my right ankle several times, but not badly. Very hilly and so good training effect. Very nice to be in the Australian bush again - not much of the smell of gum leaves (too dry for that I guess) but to run through the eucalypts, grass trees and granite of the region was superb. For my next run here, will need to find a fire trail circuit as teh track is just too rough for my aging legs.

C • Bball 11

Slept in and didn't have enough time to do as long a run as planned. So just went back out to the Tan and did one lap. Set a PB of 18.35 this time - it was worth doing a soft time first up so as to set myself up for a PB by a minute :-). Quite a warm morning and still very hazy with bushfire smog. Not sure how healthy it is to be running in such conditions. Off to Perth now for the next stage of the trip.

Morning run around the Tan. Had been looking forward to this but jetlag and the cycling session yesterday conspired to make this a real struggle (the few beers last night didn't help either). Did establish a time for the Tan though - 19.52 should be a nice low base to improve upon :-). Very smoky this morning from the Victorian bushfires, and quite warm as well.

Hit the hotel gym after a lousy night's sleep due to jetlag. Jumpedon the stationary bike and cranked out 30 minutes of good effort. Warmed up fro 10 mins and then did 1 min H / 1 min E until 30 mins was up. Legs pretty wobbly afterwards.

Melbourne is really an active town. Great watching from my hotel room all the exercise being done in the city - the rowers on the river, lots of runners along the river edge, bikes everywhere. I have a good view from my 16th floor room of the river and Flinders St station and the city skyline beyond. Very attractive on a glorious sunny day like today. Looking forward to getting out tomorrow morning for another run around the Tan.

In Melbourne for a G20 meeting and took advantage to have my first ever run on the famous Tan track. Quite a busy morning with lots of runners, many quite quick ones, and a few boot camps in action. I can see why it is a popular circuit. A nice little run and did one lap before doing 5 30 sec hill sprints up the grassy slope just near the starting pont of the Tan. Probably a little ambitious as had a bit of a sore right calf afterwards - nothing too bad, but need to keep an eye on it. Jogged back to the hotel in Southbank and did a few situps and stretches in the fancy hotel gym.