Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

NT Long Championships. This was a more varied area than yesterday, with very rocky ridges, but also some flatter gully-spur terrain; again the burnt stuff was nice, the unburnt not so nice, although there was an attempt to map it using green stripe this time. Conditions were again kind with low humidity - in fact is was quite cool overnight (certainly cool enough to make for a somewhat uncomfortable night given that my sleeping bag and most of my warm clothes are on the docks with my car).

The first part of the course was rocky. My line into 1 wasn't great but I hit the control OK, and then plugged away through to the end of that section before stretching out in the next part. Around 30 minutes in the sole of my right foot started hurting quite a bit and I was wondering what was going on, thinking that perhaps my shoes didn't offer enough cushioning for the terrain. They certainly didn't - half the right sole had fallen off (although I didn't see the full damage until after I finished). That made the rest of the course a bit of a battle with pain an ever-present companion. I was a little wide on 9 and too high coming back into the rocks at 16, losing about 15 and 45 seconds respectively; didn't tire much but I think this might have been because the shoe problems constrained my running speed. I was quite happy to see the finish. Ended up about a minute clear of Lachlan.

I thought the sole of my right foot might have been a seriously ugly sight but it doesn't look too horrible, with no obvious signs of blisters, just bruising, and it feels better to walk on now than it did immediately afterwards, which is a good sign.

I now expect to be in Darwin until Thursday (which was the original plan anyway), unless the problems with the car are more serious than anticipated.