Training Log Archive: ColmM

Stewart Island pt.IV
Freshwater Hut - North Arm Hut - Oban
Despite having a decent feed the night before (thanks to over-rationing early on), I was still feeling pretty tired this morning (probably understandable). Got up and over the hill alright toward North Arm (2 more kiwis on this climb), but it was a bit of a slog from then on.
Made sure I was back before 14h00 cos I knew that was when the chipper closed after lunch, but turns out they’re only open on Fridays & Saturdays. Sad.
Nowhere else with hot food so just stocked up on quick easy options in the shop and returned to the hostel.

Have an assortment of aches and pains;
blisters on the back of my feet, cuts on top of my toes have reopened, shoulders aching from the 7-8kg pack, hands cut up in lots of places from the shrubbery, muscle at the front outside my shin is achey, so a bit limpy, but mostly feeling relatively alright and just nice to have some hot food & a shower. Will have some easy days for sure and see how those front muscles come along. My abs, and general front were sore to touch out there, not sure if they were overworked or what it was, but they feel fine now anyway.
Expect there was some sort of training benefit in there even if I amn’t aiming for ultras, but mostly was just a nice little adventure, with some lovely isolated beaches and back-country very much worth seeing.

Food left: nada.

C • Epic adventure 5

5mins in the sea to try and reduce the swelling & muscle issues.

Stewart Island pt.III
West Ruggedy Hut - Big Hellfire Hut - Mason Bay Hut - Freshwater Hut
Started a bit earlier to make up some lost ground, and was treated to my first kiwi in the dunes coming onto west Ruggedy beach, which was lovely. Made reasonable time after big Hellfire (and saw another kiwi), and soaked up the sun on the empty west coach beaches. I was keen to kick onto Freshwater Hut to make Monday a bit easier. Unfortunately couldn’t fill up with water in Mason Bay hut because there was a dead rat in the tank, but treated myself to a jackfruit wrap and finished the day feeling alright.
Lovely sight of smoke coming out the chimney on arrival. Stayed with a nice couple of rafters who were inspecting huts for DOC (and noted the dead rat in mason bay), and a German fellow who was also trying to run the circuit but now had no shoes and was doing it barefoot - I really felt for him cos it was ridiculously muddy and cold, but he was a hardy fellow.

Event: Jukola 2020: POSTPONED to 2021
 

Stewart Island pt.II
Christmas Village Hut - Yankee River Hut - Long Harry Hut - West Ruggedy Hut
Left in the dark, and didn’t see anyone for the next 36hrs. Slow going again today. A little resigned to the fact it was now a 4-dayer so got pretty tired rationing maybe a little too hard. Nice big hut but didn’t have the equipment to get a fire going, so just got in the sleeping bag shivering and went to bed at 18:30ish, and got up shivering about 06:30ish. Little grim at times but was mostly aight.

Stewart Island pt.I
Oban - Lee Bay - Port William Hut - Bungaree Hut - Christmas Village Hut.
Originally hoped to get out to Yankee river hut, but by the time the ferry had got in, and I’d dropped by main bag at the hostel I knew that was unlikely. In the end, the track was much rougher, and slower going than I’d anticipated so needed the head torch for the last half an hour.
Good day out though. Shared the hut with a sound kiwi couple who’d caught some fish and venison, and a French bloke living off noodles.

Starting food:
1 Tupperware of Sweet potato curry w/ brown rice (~2 meals)
1 Tupperware of BBQ Jackfruit w/ brown rice (~2 meals)
1 Pack of small spinach wraps (6)
4 nature valley bars
1 bag sour patch
175g bag roasted salted cashews

A mix of;
- training has been going relatively well, why not bank some
- I do have a couple of minor niggles, which will probably appreciate the day off
- and I think the next few days will be pretty big

Nice one along the lake. Glorious weather, would like to be up the hills but keeping it flat for the feet.

Rathfarnham League virtual 5k
Figured before I’d be happy with anything under 17, but probably a little disappointed with anything over. Know that in reality I’m quicker than 17, but solo TTs and that, so it’s always gonna be a chunk slower.
Got up there and realised how exposed it was this week as there was a fairly hefty wind. Oh well, today suited best and it wasn’t like I was gonna go changing it last minute. 2nd & 4th km into wind.
Decided to aim for pretty much 17:00 (3:24s), and see where we got to. Felt alright early on and saw avg at 3:18s ~500-600m in, though this made the 3:26 beep a little surprising. Tried to work into the wind, and did alright (3:28). Tried to pick it up a little to drag back some time on the 3rd, but alas, not to be (3:32). Was resigning myself to trying to make sure it was sub 17:30 at this stage, but worked hard into the wind and got a very pleasant surprise (3:20), so with renewed hope of getting close to 17 I kicked on and tried to run hard for the last km (3:15).

Actually think that was alright all considered. Pretty windy, not the freshest legs, solo, haven’t really done any sessions (outside of these TTs) for the last month, and maybe could have worked harder earlier considering the last 2k.
Anyway, that’s a wrap for the time trial series. Will try get back to a little more structure next week, will focus more on the hills but try and fit some sessions in here and there too.

Easy out along the lake. Right hip had a minor twinge but nothing serious.

In my haste I couldn’t find my head torch, so just grabbed my phone, but there were actually 15 of us, so it was pretty lit up. Big group. Didn’t need the torch on the uphills, used the phone on the downhills.