Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Intermittently in the last couple of weeks I've had soreness in my right knee at the start of runs, but it's warmed up quickly and I haven't considered it anything to worry about. Yesterday it was fine on the run but came up sore in the afternoon and was awkward to do things like climb stairs on (although the thing which is most uncomfortable is standing on bike pedals going up steep hills). Thought I'd see what it felt like on a run but it was inhibiting my ability to run freely, so I thought pretty quickly that it wasn't worth taking a risk with. Doesn't like I'll manage three straight 100km or 10 hour weeks after all...(the original plan today was for the longest run of this cycle, aiming for something around 2.40).

At least this gave me more time to work on the WOC qualification paper (something which has been soaking up plenty of the last few weekends but finally went out the virtual door this afternoon). I don't get the feeling it's a terribly serious injury but might take a little time to settle down. Given the forecast it may not be the worst week to be on the sidelines.

After the abortive attempt to run I headed for the pool instead. This wasn't the ideal time and place - Ivanhoe is not the most spacious of environments for such occasions and it's less spacious when swimming lessons and aqua aerobics are both on. Went around in circles a lot. Knee not painful doing this but didn't feel right, so will need to be careful.

Had hoped for something good this morning after the last couple of Saturdays but it wasn't quite to be - instead a reasonably humdrum effort out along the Yarra as far as the Finns Reserve bridge. A bit of left Achilles soreness at times, something I haven't had much of in the last couple of months. Felt a bit drained on the bike later in the day but the first mid-30s day of the season might have had something to do with that.

There hasn't been much rain in recent weeks; the grass is getting crunchy in places, and the Banyule Flats singletrack is now dry for the first time in many months (although the overhanging vegetation has thickened to the point that anyone who isn't either a Key, a Casanova or under the age of 13 is going to be doing a certain amount of head-ducking).

Last night I might have felt like I could barely walk up the stairs at home but it's amazing what a difference a decent night's sleep (and some food) makes - back to normal this morning (although that might have been put to greater test had this been a running day). A good solid session in the water at Fitzroy, with some good company for most of it - one big difference between swimming and pool running is when your head isn't in the water you get to know the regulars.

Another long Thursday grind, never feeling great but seeming to hold it together most of the way. At the moment, though, I'm operating on the edge and this run took me past it - nothing particularly untoward on the run itself (apart from a light-headed moment with about 15 minutes to go), but after finishing I was drained in a way I can't remember being post-run since attempting to do a long run on a 29-degree morning after a 43-degree day during the 2009 heatwave - slightly better after eating something. I expect I'll be a lot better for a night's sleep this evening; I'd want to be.

Run from Surrey Hills out as far as Blackburn Lake as a prelude to street-O tonight. Blackburn is an area I very much like running (a real pocket of bush in the middle of the suburbs), and isn't in range from my place on anything except the longest of runs. Yet again, grinding in the first 15 minutes but reasonable after that. A nice morning to be out - a southwesterly change had just gone through (bringing with it a bit of bushfire smoke).

Right calf the tightest it's been for a long time before the run, following some cramping overnight, but was a non-issue on the run itself.

C • Surrey Hills? That's where ... 12

Street-O at Tally Ho in East Burwood. It was pretty obvious which two controls to drop but there was a wide variety of ways of not going to them, which broke the field up pretty quickly. I seem to have got the shortest route but this merely lessened the margin of defeat.

Took about 3k to get going (which took in most of the hills on the course, and a little bit of rough stuff), then hit quite a nice rhythm as I was trying to haul in Andrew Baker. Was hoping to do the same to Ian Davies but couldn't make enough of an impression - maybe next week. Tailed off a little bit in the last couple of controls. Enjoyed the nice evening - it's not going to be like that next week....

I then had a rapid exit for what I thought was an 8.30 date with ABC radio in NSW (seasonal climate outlook). However, they rang 10 minutes earlier than I was expecting them to and I was just getting out of the shower. It's not the first time I've talked to the media whilst naked, but it is the first time I've been on air in that state.

C • Seasonal climate outlook 2

250 on/250 off at the Tan at lunchtime (largely in the name of building some heat tolerance, albeit not as much heat tolerance as I would have got in Adelaide today). A session without a lot of spark although a bit more power uphill than I've been used to lately.

Going to/from the Tan.

Swim at Richmond, in anticipation of a Monday night at Kirsten's (which didn't quite happen as planned, as noted below). A pretty ordinary session with lower back tighter than usual, and accordingly slow. Not feeling particularly fired up.

I may have felt more fired up had I seen today's 'Australian' prior to the swim - they ran a piece claiming, in essence, that global warming had stopped because 2011 and 2012 (so far) were cooler globally than 2010 was. I was designated as the person to respond to this if required but the ABC decided not to go through with an interview, depriving me of the chance to use the line that that argument was a bit like saying that Michael Clarke should be dropped because he got 329 three home Tests ago and has only managed 210 and 259 in the last two.

C • Cooler 2012 4

Kirsten was sick so Dion took over the hosting at short notice; he's currently on the injured list so the run was just Ezy and myself. Felt better than I was expecting after the morning (and a hard weekend) - one of the more respectable Monday runs I've had for a while, especially with a bit of rougher stuff thrown in on the river bank.

Was proudly wearing the yellow and green today but didn't encounter any visible Man U supporters to sledge.

Life's little mysteries department: the yellow barrier blocking off a bit of the Docklands bike path which was under repair was labelled 'NYPD'. (My guess is that it's a leftover prop from the erstwhile film studios at Docklands; the other alternative is that the Melbourne City Council has been buying second-hand barriers from New York but it seems implausible that such a thing would make financial sense).