Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Burnley Half-Marathon. 12 seconds faster than last year; at my age going forward is to be welcomed, whatever the margin.

I mentioned last week that one of my objectives in doing this race was to get my pacing sorted out after not quite getting it right last weekend, and that objective was definitely achieved - very consistent all the way. Had a couple of slightly dicey patches in the middle with hints of a stitch, but that disappeared, and feeling strong up a (very small) hill around 13k gave me confidence that I still had a reasonable amount left in the tank. Started to feel as if I was struggling in the 20th kilometre, which suggests good planning, but finished off well with the help of a bit of competition.

I was a few metres behind Rachel Johnson after 2k and thought that she might be a worthwhile target (as Kathryn was last year), but she pulled away a fair way in the next kilometre - which was my fastest of the race, so she must have been moving at the time - and I never got close to her again. She ran just over 80 which is an excellent result and suggests she's got a 10k close to 36 in her, which I think is at least a minute faster than her usual territory. For a couple of years now she's been close enough at Summer Series to beat me occasionally when I have a slightly off day or take a slightly suboptimal route choice; if today is any indication, I'll have my work cut out to beat her this year even on good days. As far as actual contests on the road were concerned, I spent a long section of the middle 30 metres off a pack and picking people off as they fell off it, then went straight through them around 14k and gained places steadily after that.

Other orienteering performances I know of: 74.50 for Bryan (nine seconds below my PB, set at this venue in 1997), 76-something for Evan (including a 10k PB in transit, although I think Evan is capable of something well under 35.20), just under 90 for Jim, and about 103 for Jess, which I think she'll be happy with. Saw Sophie at the start but not thereafter, and Bruce apparently pulled out somewhere along the way from about a minute ahead of me.

The course was in 3k sections and my 3k splits were remarkably even: 11.35, 11.36, 11.38, 11.38, 11.41, 11.33, 11.38. The result suggests I'm in similar shape to last year although I certainly ran a better race tactically this year; was 19 seconds behind last year's pace at 10k but 31 seconds ahead for the last 11.

Update: just saw the results on the web and they've given me a bonus 3 seconds, so I'll take it :-)

C • Great 1

C • Bonus 3 secs 1

Back to a Saturday routine of sorts. A sleep in (or at least my version of it, which involves waking up at 6.59 and listening to the ABC 7am news before getting out of bed), and a not-excessively-early run around the Yarra Flats and Darebin Parklands on a nice morning. A nippy northwest wind; it's not too many weeks away before northwesterlies will be searing.

Felt better than on other sessions this week, which probably has a certain amount to do with some of the things described in the preceding paragraph. Just drifted a little during the middle but finished off well.

The person who spent a fair bit of an ALP function on Wednesday night haranguing me (I eventually left earlier than I was planning to, to get away from her) harangued the readers of the 'Age' through the letters pages today. She's from a group that opposes any development whatsoever on public lands (and in most other places too), and either don't know or don't care that the inevitable consequence of no development in Boroondara is more sprawl in Pakenham. (She was also fiercely opposed to the Darebin Creek bike path and footbridge, which I've mentioned before in these pages - it appears to have cleared its final legal hurdle at long last, and just needs some funding to build it now).

C • After a few decades 4

Had a needlework session in the morning (at 6.35 - my doctor is as much of a morning person as I am), so the swim was in the evening instead, under the lights at Fitzroy after another long day at work. Felt OK beforehand but seemed to be going through treacle as soon as I was in the water. Will appreciate an easier weekend.

I still keep a bit of an eye on matters Territory, and was rather amused to see a story during the week. The powers-that-be decided to dispose of some confiscated fireworks by putting them in the local incinerator (which doesn't sound like a brilliant idea to me). One of them went off, flew a distance and started a bushfire. Just to make matters worse, somebody closed a gate to stop the media from getting too close to the scene of the fiasco, but by doing so also stopped the fire brigade from getting there.

C • Clochmerle 2 1

Around Ivanhoe and Eaglemont for the first two-thirds on the political newsletter delivery run, then out for a final loop to Macleod. Grinding away for the first 90 minutes on a reasonably hilly course, not as bad as I'd feared given my overall tiredness but still not brilliant (and, after a few good days, renewed Achilles dodginess on the steeper hills). Got an encouragingly strong second wind beyond 90 minutes and felt comfortable at the end.

Changes that have occurred in my absence: the house in East Ivanhoe whose front yard used to be full of garden gnomes and Virgin Mary statues (presumably for sale) now has a clear lawn.

For some reason a van from Mr. Donut was parked outside my house. I resisted the temptation to suggest that they might generate more custom if they relocated outside the Heidelberg police station instead.

I'd hoped to catch up on at least a bit of sleep tonight, but it looks like I might be talking to the BBC at 11 so that might have to wait another day. Still holding up, but not with a lot to spare, I suspect.

C • Mr Donut 3

Morning session based around the Yarra from Clifton Hill, with a fair bit on the single track. Had trouble getting going despite the nice conditions, probably in part because of a very full-on day yesterday. Improved a bit in the last 15 minutes.

3x1k on the Tan. Still not fast enough (3.46-3.52), but definitely needed to get out there. Wasn't expecting a lot, being exhausted before I started (probably more mentally than physically), but it was better than I feared it would be. A nice day with plenty of people out on the track.

Getting to/from the Tan. More careful than usual on the road crossings because there's a jaywalking blitz on at present.

This is an intense week and it will surely catch up with me sooner or later. Today's run was squeezed in after a couple of early-morning ABC appearances - a set of 250s on the Tan starting from work. This was allegedly a speed session but was almost completely devoid of anything that any outside observer would recognise as speed - was never able to get my legs moving at all.

With a bit of luck, by Saturday I might have a day when I sleep at some time outside the hours of 11.30 to 5.30.

C • don't forget to taper 1

Morning at Fitzroy. In a bit of a rush because I was running late (on the way to VicRoads where, slightly to my disappointment, I had to hand in my NT plates), so it was as well that this was one of my less slow swims for a while. A bit of left arm soreness at times but didn't seem to affect my ability to push onwards.

Monday night from my place, with a bigger crowd than I was expecting (still enough food to go around, though). Smooth most of the way after getting rid of some early hamstring soreness, but didn't really have anything for the hills - perhaps a sign of a long race yesterday.

It was a full-on day at work and tomorrow will be busier. I've already got two interviews booked in before 8 tomorrow.

Among the attendees were Rob Lewis and Anna Skarbek, back in Australia after a couple of weeks away. This led to some discussion of WOC and, Anna being a former Victorian ministerial staffer, some more discussion of the misadventures of the Minister for Water, who seems to been over-enthusiastic in investigating the status of Victorian alpine water catchments. Hopefully we won't have any cause to be discussing by-elections next time.