Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

I wouldn't normally expect to feel happy after a run which contained a 4-minute, a 2-minute and a 1-minute error (even if Winsplits failed to notice the last two), but I was pleased just to get through a run of this length without significant physical trouble, in interesting terrain which always felt enjoyable. The limestone terrain in the Eyre Peninsula, as I've noted before, is like nothing else in Australia (reading the vegetation is a bit like Cantara before it got overgrown), and provides a major challenge - not just for me judging by the number of big blowouts.

I got out of the car stiff and wasn't even sure at that point whether I'd be able to go out, but was pleasantly surprised that things loosened up well on the warm-up (maybe Bridget was sending me positive vibes). Got the first three OK, then was very hesitant on the way to 4 - this is unforgiving terrain if you lose contact - but didn't actually go too far off the line, which is probably how I still won the split despite regarding it as a mistake. The other two misses were at 6, where I struggled to pinpoint a small depression (in the company of Ethan, for whom this was the start of a day he'd probably like to forget, culminating in punching the wrong last control), and 9, where I thought I'd found a gap in the green which would lead me to the control but had got the wrong gap, and was sufficiently confused on the other side that I ended up dropping 4 minutes or so. From there it was pretty good, and I even started to feel as if I had a bit of flow in the running at times.

Ended up further ahead of my opposition here (Greg, Ruhi and Ben) than I might have expected, although Ruhi is carrying an injury. Simon put all of us into perspective by doing 72 for 12.something.

Wildlife log: one dead roo and one live (and fast-moving) emu.