Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Picked the biggest competitive day of the year for what turned out to be one of my best runs of the year. Despite a lousy night's sleep, felt up for this race in a way I haven't often been this year (to the extent that it was a bit of an annoyance, trying to get myself into the zone, to have people ask me about various OA things in the run-up to the start).

First leg was a bit scary and I wobbled a bit in the middle but picked myself up OK. Settled down well after that, and whilst not feeling particularly fast did feel like I was making consistent progress through the terrain. Got a lift catching Shane Doyle at 5 and seeing Scott coming out of 6, knowing that I was well ahead of people I'd considered likely rivals in the positions 4-7 bracket. Shane got away from me a bit again on the faster forest on the way to 7, but I then got through him again on the long leg to 8 - a long haul through the forest where I kept thinking there must be an around route choice but there wasn't. Had my biggest miss of the day on 9, 20-30 seconds through being one line of cliffs too low, but was feeling reasonably on top of things by then and finished off pretty well.

The run ended up being enough to get me into 3rd, a couple of minutes ahead of Eric (although 11 down on Steve and 5 on Jock). This placing was definitely my upper limit at my current level of fitness and I was pleased to get it on the board - actually the first time in 18 years that I've been on an Australian Championships podium (discounting relays). I suspect we'll be crossing paths for the next 30 years so if I want to get higher up the lists I'm going to have to start running faster again...

C • Ageing 2

Morning jaunt around Stanthorpe with Jenny, including a trip to the lookout with the broadcast towers above town (about 120 metres above town level). I probably wouldn't have chosen something quite so hilly but was glad that I did, because I felt rather stronger on the climbs than I have at any time in the last fortnight - somewhat relative, but still gives me a little more confidence for tomorrow (not that big climbs will be a major feature of tomorrow).

Did some exploring in the rest of the day, including the Bald Rock climb - picked a good day for it (despite the chilly wind) with very clear air, and the view extending all the way to Mount Warning.

Did a brief wander around at the model without doing anything worth logging (except perhaps for getting sprayed with mud helping to extricate a bogged campervan). Brickbats on the way home to the aggressive, light-flashing and horn-blowing tailgater on the highway; I hope he did something productive with the nine seconds by which he ultimately beat us to the edge of Stanthorpe.

Thinking that tomorrow, 4th/5th will be a par result with anything higher being a bonus; I can't see myself beating Steve or Jock unless they strike trouble, although Eric (who hasn't had a great preparation) might be closer to the pack. Got to get round the course cleanly myself, of course.

C • Clean? 1

A brief jaunt to turn some SI units on before the start of the relay. Not as physical as yesterday (and better running conditions too), but definitely felt better, with more strength on such hills as there were.

This was the prelude to an excellent day's racing (including an epic final leg battle in the junior boys). The ACT ended up on top - not sure if this is a prelude to a 1990s-style dynasty, although the fact that the strength of the team is at the young end suggests it might be. I suspect more will be heard of the third-placed SA team too, although it might not be heard back in SA until the power is back on there.

(The reaction to that event suggests that Donald Trump's America is not the only place in the world where post-truth politics is becoming a reality).

Schools individual day. This rarely offers ideal circumstances for a good run - I've often been working on the commentary until shortly before starting. There was a bit more time today but I wasn't confident about it for other reasons - given my issues of the last couple of days I was happy to settle for just being able to get around and get a bit of confidence ahead of the weekend.

I was in two minds about continuing when things hurt a bit on the first hill coming out of 2, but seeing that that was the only hill of significance until after 8, I decided to keep going and see if it was better once warmed up. It was, more or less; I didn't push any of the climbs but was moving OK the rest of the time, though feeling a bit tired later on on a warm day. Nice area with some interesting rock lines - it's the first time I've orienteering in this part of Queensland and I enjoyed it (apart from the unidentified stinging object that paid my upper left arm a visit on the way to 16). Only a couple of minor misses - maybe 20 seconds at 8 and 10 at 19.

Haven't beaten all the kids since 2001 (oddly enough, it was Jules' time that I was chasing that day), and certainly wasn't going to today, especially after Patrick's great run. Think my time would have been just outside the top 10.

False start on a run this morning (not too surprising after yesterday), but fortuitously the local pool is just across the road from the Murwillumbah YHA (an interesting place to stay if very much of the old style, with a bit of hippiness mixed in). I expected I'd be swimming, but they had a pile of flotation belts so I was able to water-run instead, which went more or less OK. Probably timed this well as I got the impression from setting-up activities that this particular bit of water was about to be taken over by the time I finished.

Spent the rest of the day meandering through the far northeastern corner of New South Wales, viewing some impressive countryside (some of it paths previously trodden, some not). Plenty of evidence of local non-enthusiasm about coal seam gas exploration, most notably the huge banner over the road at the entrance to The Channon (which usually rivals Nimbin for Australia's highest Greens vote) - 'No CSG Not Now Not Ever'. (It was also in these parts where I saw an ad for a Sea Shepherd fundraiser). Later you pass the demarcation line between hippies and rednecks (indicated by the appearance of bullet holes in road signs) before going back into Queensland via the Lions Road from Casino.

There's not much at Rathdowney and there's even less where I'm headed for the next couple of days, so I may not be heard of much between now and Thursday night.

Post-Schools sprint. Felt OK on the warm-up and good in the first couple of controls. This was good while it lasted but it didn't last long - this race was Gone in 60 Seconds, because that's about how long it took for a back spasm to occur (unusual for a flat race). This one was at the nasty end of usual experience and slowed me right down - was very tempted to stop but thought failing to finish a sprint at a national carnival would be somewhat humiliating - perhaps best indicated by the leg where I was having trouble getting away from John Robinson (an outstanding runner in his day, but closer to 80 than 70). Did start to ease up a bit towards the end which is vaguely encouraging, but the time was suitably humiliating - barely beat any of the kids other than the reserves.

Maybe on the weekend all parts of my body will finally cooperate simultaneously. (The throat infection that's plagued me for the last week finally seems to be easing properly now).

A great day for South Australia, with three wins out of four. Angus Haines was particularly surprising - he's certainly fast and I thought he might be a top-six shot with a good run, but I definitely didn't see him as a potential winner.

I'm now spending the time between now and the end of tomorrow exploring the northernmost corner of NSW, having this afternoon managed to find a beach and associated settlement which the property developers haven't managed to get their hands on yet (Fingal Head).

C • Angus 1

Australian Relays at Mundoolun, running third for the second Victorian M21E team. I didn't have good memories of this part of the world, having had something of a nightmare run across the road at Collins Creek on the tail end of the Easter 2012 carnival.

Before the event I thought we would do well to stay out of the mass start, but my teammates did an excellent job, and at one stage it was even looking possible that I would take over in the lead. That didn't happen but six teams (in fact, all six of the teams that finished) were covered by about 3 minutes after two legs. Felt reasonable at the start on the climb to #1 and settled OK, missed #3 a little (and Bruce, who'd started a bit behind me, missed it a little more), and we were then together running up the long gully to #4. My plan was to turn off before what seemed on the map to be a leftward kink in the gully, but it must have been a non-obvious kink because both of us missed it and went in to search for the control on a slope which turned out to be 200-300 metres too far along (and at least partially off the map). This is the sort of mistake which is not usually noted for fast recovery and neither of us produced one. Eventually picked it up from above with about 4-5 minutes blown apiece.

Bruce ran away from me after that. Feeling somewhat disgruntled, I missed 5 a bit too (maybe 30 seconds) but then settled down through the erosion section. Up until then I was running OK but hit the wall at about 40 minutes; probably shouldn't have been too surprised by that after being sick to a greater or lesser extent all week. At least by then most of the climbing was done, but I had one more misadventurous leg to come - on #16, I (a) altercated with some lantana to reasonably spectacular visual effect, (b) took a route choice out to the road but then had a lot of trouble finding a place where I could come back across the fences (two parallel fences, one rickety, one new), and (c) while I was looking for a place to cross the fences lost track of where I was on the map and proceeded to head briefly up the wrong gully. Brain was definitely fading at this stage, and any sprint finish would have been a no-contest. (As most of you know, there were two great sprint finished, ACT-NSW for 1st and Vic-SA for 3rd).

Felt very washed-out after getting back (as evidenced by time spent sleeping in the late afternoon).