Training Log Archive: inuksukIn the 31 days ending Mar 31, 2012:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| « | » |
| » now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday Mar 31, 2012 #
6 PM
mountain biking 1:06:00 [3] 13.3 km (4:58 / km) +400m 4:19 / km
Sweet ride. Climbed most of the way to Yùdài lù on the northern spur. Felt good and the sun came to the party. Hammering it so as not to be late for pizza and a brew...
Thursday Mar 29, 2012 #
6 PM
running terrain 1:09:00 [3] 9.3 km (7:25 / km) +575m 5:40 / km
Crossed over the northern spur, climbed up through the forest to Yùdài lù; back along Yùdài lù and down to the top of uni. Felt pretty snappy.
Wednesday Mar 28, 2012 #
5 PM
running warm up/down 10:00 [3]
Sneaking in a quick workout before department dinner...
running terrain intervals 15:54 [5]
Nursery Loop.
2:03, 2:01, 1:58, 1:59, 1:53 / 90s moving rest.
2:03, 2:01, 1:58, 1:59, 1:53 / 90s moving rest.
running warm up/down 8:00 [3]
Tuesday Mar 27, 2012 #
5 PM
mountain biking 57:00 [3] 10.3 km (5:32 / km) +250m 4:56 / km
Tiānlóng bā bù chéng forest with La. A nice ride around the forest.
Monday Mar 26, 2012 #
6 PM
running terrain 59:00 [3] 8.25 km (7:09 / km) +425m 5:41 / km
Tiānlóng bā bù chéng forest. Still getting oriented to this spur. I’m finding the most important aspect to learn in this area is the layout of guard houses and routines of the park officials and fire wardens. Unlike the ultra-friendly wardens that we have gotten to know near the university forest and the southern spur, the guys in this particular area seem to be graduates cum laude in Bureaucracy; officious about collecting fees, hyper-discouraging to foreigners going into the forest in the evening, and generally anxious about everything ‘different’, I generally find them to be an annoyance I'd really rather avoid entirely. From my experience so far, these conversations never seem result in a positive outcome (for me, that is). The funny thing is that I’ve found that if you are going downhill (out of the park) they don’t seem to pay you any mind, regardless of who you are or what you seem to have been up to. So my masterful plan is to habituate them to me by running past them repeatedly downhill, maybe multiple times in one night, and hopefully given time they will stop caring about what I do. Of course, given some thought, this could also backfire badly by just confirming their general perception that I am disoriented, senseless, and need to be shown the most direct way back to old town.
Sunday Mar 25, 2012 #
12 PM
mountain biking (road) 57:00 [3] 24.5 km (2:20 / km) +25m 2:19 / km
To Xiaguan to Dianyuanlu. This place is a hole. Its is a filthy oily street on the edge of town where giant trucks bellowing suffocating black smoke push off for the last leg west. You can find it just by following the smell of warm motor oil and burnt steel. It is a street that caters to the crowd -- tyre shops, workshops, welders, machine shops, shitty noodles, and at least one dodgy looking "hairdresser." But it is my second favourite street in Xiaguan (the first is the hand and power tool street, which itself deserves an entire travel log by my reckoning). I like this street because here there exists a trade of seamsters who construct massive open top truck covers. They make the most incredible canvas bags, tarps, and tents on these giant foot powered sewing machines that look like they were engineered by Orson Wells. I made the trip over to see how easy and or cheap it would be to get some kit made up -- I had been dreaming up all sorts of cool ideas hoping for the best but....after about two minutes I knew this was not going to be easy. And after another fifteen minutes of design and ten minutes of haggling for the price (I lost there), I had only gotten one rope bag sorted out. I was already exhausted -- I was clearly out of my depth with language and was quite obviously not their market. I couldn't bear to bring up any other ideas today, so I left it there for now and headed to the pool to meet La.
swimming 21:25 [3] 1.0 km (21:25 / km)
pool running warm up/down 5:00 [3]
mountain biking (road) 1:37:00 [3] 22.5 km (4:19 / km) +150m 4:10 / km
Back to pick up the rope bag and then home. It rained.
Saturday Mar 24, 2012 #
12 PM
tramping 4:00:00 [2]
Creek bash with Lara and Adam.
Thursday Mar 22, 2012 #
6 PM
running terrain 45:00 [3] +250m
Tiānlóng bā bù chéng. Mooore tracks...very nice.
Wednesday Mar 21, 2012 #
7 PM
mountain biking 1:04:00 [3] 12.7 km (5:02 / km) +350m 4:26 / km
Tiānlóng bā bù chéng. More tracks...very nice.
Tuesday Mar 20, 2012 #
6 PM
mountain biking 1:05:00 [3] 13.6 km (4:47 / km) +350m 4:14 / km
Tiānlóng bā bù chéng. Discovered some tracks in the forest I didn't know about, so my interest in this area has been reignited. Its amazing how one small linking track opens everything up.
Monday Mar 19, 2012 #
Note
(sick)
So, what exactly did you cook that in?
Sunday Mar 18, 2012 #
9 AM
tramping 30:00 [1]
climbing 30:00 [1]
um. sandbagged. blah.
tramping 2:00:00 [1]
Up and down and around a bit.
climbing 30:00 [1]
New route -- dirty but super fun.
Saturday Mar 17, 2012 #
9 AM
running warm up/down 6:00 [3]
running 20:00 [5]
Moneghetti on the track
2x90,4x60,4x30,4x15 with equal rests.
I thought I was doing ok, but started to really struggle from about the 2nd 30s.
2x90,4x60,4x30,4x15 with equal rests.
I thought I was doing ok, but started to really struggle from about the 2nd 30s.
running warm up/down 5:00 [3]
1 PM
strength & conditioning (track building) 3:00:00 [1]
More slashing digging and rolling boulders.
Friday Mar 16, 2012 #
6 PM
mountain biking 58:00 [3] 11.6 km (5:00 / km) +300m 4:26 / km
Mucking about Tiānlóng bā bù chéng tracks. Kind of a bitsy ride -- one flat and an awkward section I must have repeated 8 times trying to get right. Finally, annoyed I couldn't do it, I moved a rock. Its still a little scary but at least doable.
Thursday Mar 15, 2012 #
6 PM
mountain biking 53:00 [3] 9.4 km (5:38 / km) +450m 4:33 / km
Southern spur with La. Got a late start, so we didn't get to be out so long. Good ride. I made an ugly first attempt at crossing the waterpipe -- I managed the first tyre alright and felt like I was in the clear, but then the front of the bike and I were somehow over-taken by the back of bike sliding down the pipeline in a slightly different direction. Seeing as how we were all attached somewhere in the middle, it didn't go so well. Oh and the new jump isn't actually that sweet. ah well. Fun little ride.
Wednesday Mar 14, 2012 #
6 PM
running warm up/down 11:00 [3] 2.0 km (5:30 / km) +125m 4:11 / km
Run to the weir. So I decided it was about time to try out the knee on something a bit quicker...actually, I think I'm just getting all hyped up reading everyone else's logs.
running terrain tempo 28:54 [4] 5.45 km (5:18 / km) +330m 4:04 / km
This is my second go of this loop. Starts with crossing the creek and snaking up through the forest to the ugly gully, sidling across and down to four corners, across to the blue hut, out the the gravel road, down a bit and then back up the pipe track through the tea gardens to the weir.
Its a really nice loop, lots of ups and downs, dirt tracks, grassy tracks, and overgrown tracks. I felt ok, though I was slow on the uphill, my lungs feel like they've been ripped halfway up my throat, and I only just managed to stem off the urge to drool. I also managed to miss the turn off the road near the end, as a new pile of rubble has been dumped on the track. I fumbled a bit trying to get back on track and up to pace while a big dust storm hit, but I couldn't be too upset as they've made a sweet jump on the end of the track.
Knee coped well, though there is still an odd 'presence' which is difficult to explain, but seems only to make my left leg feel slightly weaker on the climb. Hmm. must continue with the ridiculous exercises...I loathe ridiculous exercises.
About 1:30 faster than last year
Its a really nice loop, lots of ups and downs, dirt tracks, grassy tracks, and overgrown tracks. I felt ok, though I was slow on the uphill, my lungs feel like they've been ripped halfway up my throat, and I only just managed to stem off the urge to drool. I also managed to miss the turn off the road near the end, as a new pile of rubble has been dumped on the track. I fumbled a bit trying to get back on track and up to pace while a big dust storm hit, but I couldn't be too upset as they've made a sweet jump on the end of the track.
Knee coped well, though there is still an odd 'presence' which is difficult to explain, but seems only to make my left leg feel slightly weaker on the climb. Hmm. must continue with the ridiculous exercises...I loathe ridiculous exercises.
About 1:30 faster than last year
running warm up/down 13:00 [3] 2.0 km (6:30 / km) +20m 6:11 / km
Back home, sloowly
Tuesday Mar 13, 2012 #
6 PM
mountain biking (road) 1:20:00 [3] 25.0 km (3:12 / km) +150m 3:06 / km
North along the main road with La. Rode up a side road/track to scout out another gorge mission. Felt pretty speedy except when the wind kicked up.
9 PM
mountain biking (road) 18:00 [3] 3.3 km (5:27 / km) +150m 4:27 / km
Home with the groceries...
Monday Mar 12, 2012 #
running terrain 1:02:00 [3] +500m
Forest behind uni to Yùdài lù. Ugh. So slow -- doing my best tractor pull impression on the uphill.
Sunday Mar 11, 2012 #
10 AM
climbing 30:00 [1]
Shimenguan. A gneiss off-cambre slab climb. Scorching hot. Yeow.
strength & conditioning (track work) 1:00:00 [1]
Slashed out more tracks. Hot.
climbing 30:00 [1]
Already over-cooked, but worked up the enthusiasm to make a go of a longish slab-turn-arete rated 5.10b (18/19ish). Took an awkward fall and somehow ended up finishing on the wrong side of the arete rated 5.10d (20ish), just to add some spice. Not surprisingly, took another fall. Had a bit of a quiet moment there. Shattered. Beeline to river below after.
strength & conditioning (track work) 3:00:00 [1]
More slashing, shifting boulders, and such. Made the final push to the far wall. Back to the blue pool. Good day. A bit tired.
Saturday Mar 10, 2012 #
8 AM
running terrain 49:00 [3] +150m
Forest behind uni with La
2 PM
strength & conditioning (track work) 3:00:00 [1]
Shimenguan. Ridiculously hot. Slashed out and benched some new tracks to future climbing projects, and started to repair some of the old ones.... Lots of work here -- I'm pretty sure everything will come back with a vengeance. Stink of crofton weed. Stink. Swim in the blue pool in the gorge on dusk...oh yeah.
Friday Mar 9, 2012 #
5 PM
mountain biking 1:01:00 [3] 11.11 km (5:29 / km) +350m 4:45 / km
Spur south of varsity with La. Crossed qī lóng nǚ xī at the weir and climbed up through the graves to ugly gully. Cruised across the bushy contour track and smashed our way down the first descent. Hmm, I forgot how much I love this track—lots of pokey bits and bushes, sections of slick clay, terrible visibility and awkward little drops, but not so much that you can't hammer it for some parts. Turned south on another rolling/contour track (almost lost my arm to this vicious fern with fronds like a hacksaw—seriously, this is the most aggressive fern I've ever met, makes bracken seem like a pansy. No joke, it pulled me right off my bike and had a go...) and then dropped down to the tea gardens, up to the first wardens hut and then worked our way back along to the weir. Great ride.
Thursday Mar 8, 2012 #
6 PM
running terrain 37:00 [3] +150m
Run up the hill from uni with La. Followed the lower fire line north, and bits of the cobble track back south. Through the tree nursery and uni home.
Wednesday Mar 7, 2012 #
6 PM
running terrain 1:25:00 [3] +550m
Spur south of varsity. Crossed qī lóng nǚ xī at the swimming hole, bashed up the slope until I hit the track, which seemed to take forever, and I hadn’t actually made too much progress climbing the hill. Even on the track the rest of the way to Yùdài lù seemed like hard work today. Headed south to the first reasonable track downhill; meandered my home in the dark… A bit tired actually.
Tuesday Mar 6, 2012 #
6 PM
mountain biking 1:02:00 [3] 12.25 km (5:04 / km) +250m 4:36 / km
Cruising around the Tiānlóng bā bù chéng tracks with La. Mountain looks like Mordor today.
Monday Mar 5, 2012 #
6 PM
running terrain 1:19:00 [3] +550m
This little piggie ran to market via Yùdài lù. Nice night in the forest -- didn't see anyone but a couple punters on horses and their guide coming down the track. As I climbed past them one blurted out "there is not enough time!"
Time for what? Or perhaps more importantly before what? Clearly, this guy is in with the Man, and sum'n big is gonna go down.
Time for what? Or perhaps more importantly before what? Clearly, this guy is in with the Man, and sum'n big is gonna go down.
Sunday Mar 4, 2012 #
9 AM
tramping 40:00 [1] +200m
climbing 1:30:00 [1]
Another great day at Shuanglang. Loads of sun, snow on the hills -- primo.
tramping 20:00 [1]
6 PM
running 31:00 [3]
Uni run
Saturday Mar 3, 2012 #
2 PM
tramping 40:00 [1] +200m
climbing 1:30:00 [1]
Great day out. Climbing much better than in Yangsuo a month ago. Prehaps not being sick has helped. Cold wet and windy, so to make us miss New Zealand.
tramping 20:00 [1]
Thursday Mar 1, 2012 #
5 PM
mountain biking (road) 39:00 [3] 14.6 km (2:40 / km) +40m 2:38 / km
swimming 27:00 [2] 1.3 km (20:46 / km)
Got talked into a swim with La. Inital observations: 1) Chinese swimming pools could double as western spas; 2) Chinese goggles are not made for my Cro-Magnon skull; 3) how is a heated full-size olympic pool in a city of 600 000 so empty of users?; 4) having to wear a swimming cap is a real equalizer -- sadly, they were out of the leopard printed ones; 5) the little pastic skuffs are a nice touch.
pool running 10:00 [2]
mountain biking (road) 50:00 [3] 14.0 km (3:34 / km) +200m 3:20 / km
Brr big rain. I forgot first rule of interstellar hitchhiking, so I was still wet from the pool.