Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Oops: at last weekend's Victorian Premier Cricket match between St. Kilda and Footscray, the players were wondering why the bowlers were having trouble hitting a consistent length and the quick singles were harder to get than usual. It wasn't until after close of play that it was discovered that the pitch was marked as 22 metres instead of 22 yards. (The four batsmen who were run out have a certain cause for grievance).

First attempt at a run, on a route which started a theme for the day - looking at watercourses with lots of water in them (Darebin Creek in this case). Felt reasonable to start with but enough minor discomfort on the run, and tightness after it, to reinforce that I'm still not quite right and won't be able to launch myself straight back in. Definitely an improvement on a week ago though. Missed all the showers.

Once I realised a few days back that I wasn't going to be doing much serious running this weekend, with no other commitments I decided it was a good opportunity to see the Murray and related rivers in a once-in-a-couple-of-decades state. There was a bit of a change of plan when I found out this morning that my tentative target for tonight, Moulamein, was under an SES prepare-to-evacuate warning (they're worried about the town levee withstanding the flood peak). Route ended up as Maldon-Bridgewater-Durham Ox-Boort-Kerang (crisscrossed the Loddon, which is on its way down, quite a bit on this stretch)-Barham-Moulamein-Maude-Hay. In many cases the secondary rivers look more impressive than the main ones, probably because towns like Barham and Moulamein are built in places where the rivers are at their most confined. However, the highlight was late in the day, crossing the Murrumbidgee plain at Maude; the river must be about 5km wide at that point at the moment.

By the way, places which floodwaters are retreating from smell somewhat unpleasant.

C • Hay, Hell and Booligal 8