Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Expected this to be an epic and it was - a long, hilly race on a hot day, and given that I haven't done any runs longer than 1.45 since November, it's perhaps not all that surprising that that's about where I hit the wall. A real struggle for the last 30 minutes, walking even minor hills, and I certainly didn't have more than fumes left in the tank when I finished. Dropped about 3 minutes to Ricky (and probably others) over that section, probably losing four places or so.

Started reasonably well on the first loop, mostly through keeping my head while others were losing theirs in terrain which reinforced Belair's reputation as the most continental map in Australia - vague contours and point features in sometimes low visibility. A very annoying 30-second miss on the last control of the first loop through not seeing a side track. Was worried about my back on the first climb but it settled, and the first half was decent physically - also technically through the small rock around the map change. I think I might have been close to the top ten at that stage.

Things unravelled a bit on 9-10 on the final loop, a long leg where I was counting on a small track through steep downhill green which I didn't find, and look to have lost 3-4 minutes bashing through the bush (compared with Craig who had the same forking as me). That set us up for the next long leg. I went wide left; at that stage the idea of a couple of kilometres gently downhill on roads was pretty appealing, and since I knew I was going to be walking any sort of hill I thought I might as well do the climbing in one hit at the end of the leg out of Echo Tunnel. From there, even though there was no more climbing, it was definitely a case of clinging on for dear life.

I can't be happy with this sort of result, but having this race under my belt will make things a bit easier for the next long distance, on Easter Sunday. With a bit of luck it might be a bit cooler too.

Good event, and good course-setting. A few surprising results - Victor Mansner is someone who's going to make his presence felt during his stay in Australia. Also impressed with the junior women - all 13 of them lasted the distance (the only DNF was a wrong control), and Lanita got what looks a real breakthrough result. Nuggets also on top in both senior grades, and the junior women (the Cockatoos not getting three men finishing was a bonus there).

Unsurprisingly, it was a very inactive afternoon.

C • 9-10 4

C • Long Leg 2

Course 1 BBB - Splits

Event: Adelaide NOL
 

NOL sprint qualifying at Flinders University. The biggest shock of this was the result - on Monday I would have rated my chances of making the final as being on a par with those of, say, Denis Napthine being Premier of Victoria by the end of the week.

The run itself was pretty clean, and about consistent with where I am at the moment - the best news was no back issues (despite having woken up a bit stiff). Couldn't match a lot of people for speed, although was in a couple of scraps from time to time, the most enduring with Jemery Day who was running faster but making mistakes. Scraped into the final by 5 seconds - a totally unexpected result (thanks mainly to Fletch, who blew the second-last when in a qualifying position). I got the benefit of being in a soft heat (the cut was a minute further behind the winner in our heat and the other two, and with all due respect to our heat winner, Brodie, I don't think he's quite yet in the league of Matt and Simon), but I've been on the wrong end of plenty of marginal qualifying races in my time so I'll take that luck when it comes.

I'd expected to spend the first part of this race afternoon hanging around watching the A-finalists before embarking on a not-especially-meaningful B-final run sometime around half past five. Instead I was mixing it with the big boys (as third starter), although under no illusions as to the likely outcome - my chief mission was not to come last.

Took a couple of controls to get into it but settled fairly well after that. Caught a glimpse of Shaun about halfway through and thought I'd probably caught at least some of the minute on him, which came as a bit of a surprise, but by then Lachlan had done the same to me. He caught me on the legs back across Waite Road and got away. I then faded away a bit in the last quarter of the course, not an especially got sign for tomorrow, and lost my lead over tRicky in the last part of the course, thus narrowly failing to avoid the wooden spoon. Back fine again. Impressive run of Matt's; the women's no-race was unfortunate.

Trivia point of the day: the leg from 17 to 18 took us past the old Waite Institute meteorological site (the screen is still there but it's no longer a Bureau site). This has the equal fifth-highest minimum temperature on record for Australia, 35.2 on 24 January 1982. (Five of the top six were set in SA that night - the others being Arkaroola, Port Augusta, Andamooka and Parafield - with Wittenoom equalling Arkaroola's Australian record of 35.5 in 2003).

And there was a sign pointing to something called a "plant accelerator". I did like Matt's suggestion that this was where they collide a tulip with a rose at the speed of light and see what happens.

1C - Splits

Course 1 - Splits

Unley pool on a warm morning, and plenty of customers; gave some thought to running today given I hadn't run earlier in the week, but still have the feeling I need to look after myself if I'm going to get through the weekend. Not the greatest of sessions; felt like I was pushing against the current a bit, metaphorically speaking.

We sometimes get frustrated with red tape at work now but at least the situation's improved from what it once was; I came across a 1949 reference to a proposal to spend 12 pounds to lop a tree overhanging a raingauge at Willunga, which had to be referred to the Director of Meteorology in Melbourne because spending such a vast amount of money exceeded the Regional Director's authority. (OK, so it probably translates to a few hundred dollars in today's money, but I still would have thought the Director would have better things to do).

Met up with a number of Arrows and pseudo-Arrows for an evening run, on an evening which had cooled a bit but was humid (by Adelaide standards anyway). This was to be the run which indicated whether I could function uphill yet. For the first five minutes it felt like the answer was going to be 'no' and I was starting to think that the weekend might be a bit less active than planned on, but unlike Sunday it did loosen up after that, although not enough for me to want to join Jenny and Zara when they split off for a particularly steep climb. A somewhat draining evening, and one which continues to suggest that I'll be enduring rather than racing on Sunday (although the conditions for Sunday look a bit less unpleasant than today's).

An award for being overtaken by events goes to whoever sent out an e-mail on behalf of the Victorian ALP late yesterday drumming up support for a campaign against State Government cuts in the health area. The name of the website in support of this campaign? stopbaillieushealthcuts.com.au. I don't know how much the domain name cost but I'd suggest whatever it cost has been wasted.

Broke up the drive with a run at Keith. This was not going to be one to test whether I can run up hills again (that will come tomorrow), but it was one to test whether I can still run, something which was answered in the positive. It also gave me a chance to look at a weather station - actually two, because I started next to the old one in town next to the highway and headed out to the new one about 3km west. That was enough to get me into the countryside, as evidenced by the fact that the first three vehicles I saw were a tractor, a school bus and a ute. Perhaps disappointingly, I'm not going to be around for the header demolition derby on 23 March. Said derby was advertised by means of a spraypainted pile of haybales; last time I was out this way the haybales were instead deployed in the name of saving Keith Hospital, a fight which appears to have been won as there were no signs that I saw and the hospital still appears to be functioning.

Didn't feel especially lively on the run, but no signs of injury trouble, and the least slow I've been for a while (the lack of hills probably contributed to that). Getting pretty warm by the end but we'll have to get used to that.

As I write it's about 12 hours since I left Victoria. An awful lot of chaos has erupted since I left....

Back was considerably improved today but decided to give it another day of rest from running, instead going for a swim. Flailing around even more than usual and rather too slow for my liking; had a fairly rough night's sleep which might explain a bit. Once again no sighting of a cloud.

Hit the road in the afternoon, for the first stage of the trip to Adelaide, pulling up just short of the border in Kaniva.

C • What is a cloud? 16

Back still tight when I got up this morning which turned probability into certainty that I wouldn't attempt to run. Instead I took to the water, pool running rather than my usual Monday swim because I thought that would stress the back less. Not a bad session, even if the sun glare was a nuisance, but back started to make its presence felt in the last few minutes. The regulars had noticed my high media profile on Friday.

I've been in the wars a bit over the weekend; there's been intermittent, non-specific pain in my cheek over the last few days, which I suspect may well be a wisdom tooth finally trying to put in an appearance at age 41. Will need to get this properly looked at once back from Adelaide.

The better news was later in the day; somewhat to my surprise, I was able to get a physio appointment this afternoon. The physio did a fair bit of work but doesn't think there's anything drastically wrong (and it already does feel a bit better), and is cautiously optimistic that I'll be OK for the weekend. I'll certainly rest it again tomorrow, and then see how it feels (wondering if nine hours in the car between now and Wednesday lunchtime, albeit split across two days, is going to be quite optimal for it).