Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Still not 100% but on the way up, so felt confident enough to do a session of some kind, if not to venture into the humidity to do it. Original plan was to do a session on the stationary bike in the hotel gym in the morning, but what I thought was the hotel gym wasn't open then (in fact what I was looking at was a separate gym and the hotel one was elsewhere), so went in the afternoon instead (having gone for a walk in the park as my morning plan B instead). A bit tedious as stationary bike sessions are, but at least I didn't fall to pieces and it was good to get something passing for exercise.

The hotel pool (next to the gym) had a sign which listed the conditions which meant you were prohibited from using the pool. It's probably a relief that psychopaths are excluded. So are those with venereal diseases, although I'm not quite sure why; carrying out activities in the pool which could lead to the spread of venereal diseases would presumably be in breach of other rules.

The meeting wrapped up today; whilst still wondering what I've let myself in for, I've emerged from this week with a much better idea of what I'm supposed to be doing and when I'm supposed to do it. (Since I'm a bit of a glutton for punishment, one of the bits of the report I'll be responsible for is the one which deals with how much global temperatures have risen and how close we're getting to the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 C above pre-industrial - no pressure....).

C • Chinese pools 1

Still no better today (in fact probably a bit worse, although that may have owed something to my thinking at dinner last night that I was more recovered than I actually was). Not bad enough to affect my participation in the meetings, but I suspect dehydration would catch up with me in a big way if I attempted to run in these conditions.

One benefit of holding an international meeting during the World Cup is that it provides an instant conversation-starter with a fair number of the people present, as demonstrated this morning when I was standing next to people from Colombia and Senegal (who play tonight). There were a few miserable-looking Germans this morning.

Last night's dinner was nice at the time, not quite so good at 3.30 this morning. Certainly not the worst stomach upset I've had but enough to make me think that going out possibly dehydrated in Guangzhou's current conditions probably wasn't a good idea. Had hoped to do something in the gym after the end of sessions today if I felt OK (which I did), but the meeting ran too late for that to be an option.

Looks like Oslo is going to be almost as hot, but somewhat less humid.

And can any readers who are more into shopping than I am (not an especially high bar to clear) enlighten us as to what one would do with 567 handbags?

C • 567 handbags 4

Various bits of me felt awkward before the start so I wasn't surprised when it didn't work out (the steps coming out of the metro station which is the only practical way to get to the park across the main road east of here were enough to set me off). Hopefully better tomorrow, in a week when I'm really only in maintenance mode. No less humid today (probably no less humid here until sometime in September).

Continuing a gradual acclimatisation process (if you can ever properly acclimatise to these conditions, although I guess people who live here must manage it). What in other circumstances would be an easy recovery run was pretty hard work here, and I suspect I wouldn't have coped with much longer. Found a decent place to run, though, based around the park to the west of here and then finishing up around the block taking in a bit more of the residential area; the big plus of such a route is no road crossings other than one big underpass.

As I expected, I was not alone in the park (I doubt if there is any such thing as being alone in a public place in this part of China); lots of walkers and a few runners, but also some well-used public table tennis tables and badminton courts, and numerous practitioners of tai chi.

Got down to business today. It's going to be an interesting ride, although there will undoubtedly be times in the next three years where I'll be wondering why I put my hand up for this.

And I noticed on TV last night that ads for 4WDs on Chinese TV feature landscapes (and roads of questionable quality) which I presume are in Tibet or somewhere near Tibet. I would also speculate that there's about as much chance of the average 4WD sold in Guangzhou ever going anywhere near Tibet as there is of the average 4WD on the roads of Toorak ever going anywhere near the Kimberley or Cape York.

C • chance? 2

Running in one of the regional events, about 60km north of Guangzhou, in an area which was mostly lychee forest (it's harvest season - I seem to be making a habit of being at local fruit harvest festivals) with a bit of village stuff thrown in. Interesting area for the experience, although not viable as a World Cup middle area - too technically simple, and too small.

Not sure if I was seeing a representative sample, but control flow didn't seem to be amongst the stronger points of the local competitors. I at least got that bit right, but struggled with the running side of things on another very humid day (this will become a familiar statement by the end of the week). Wouldn't have wanted to be much further, and wasn't up to sprinting up the dam wall to the last control, either.

There was a TV broadcast today (good to see this in good shape as preparation for the World Cup) - spent 10 minutes or so being interviewed, in front of an audience which probably got a decimal point in the Chinese ratings (which probably still meant it had more viewers than the State of Origin). They also seemed to issue everyone with watch-style GPS trackers, which means they must be cheap - will need to make some enquiries about this.

Now back in Guangzhou for the next step - the IPCC meeting. Did some scouting of the neighbourhood in the late afternoon; amongst the discoveries made is that the Decathlon outlet across the road sells running socks for 24.90 for three pairs, which means it costs considerably less to throw your dirty socks out and buy new ones than it does to get the hotel to wash them (15 per pair). I'm doing neither, having applied the stomp-shampoo-on-them-in-the-shower method to my washing, which leaves the bathroom looking like what my grandmother would have described as a Chinese laundry.

C • New Zealand laundry 3

One of the other Australians here, when I mentioned the World Cup-related things I was doing this weekend before the meeting, said that my schedule made her tired just thinking about it. I responded that hers did the same to me, and mine is more predictable. (She has a nine-month-old daughter).

An easy one while I acclimatise to the humidity of a tropical wet season (about 28/25 this morning). A bit of a concrete jungle where I was staying in Kowloon but not too much traffic (motorised or pedestrian) and didn't have too many road-crossing interruptions until the end. Through Kings Park at the far end (my second successive Kings Park run, 6000km or so apart), with a few hills and steps, although nothing compared with what Hong Kong can offer in other places. Not super-energetic, but OK in the injury department.

Got the train to Guangzhou afterwards to link up with the World Cup organisers and look at a possible middle distance area - one of those days which doesn't feel too hot at first glance but leaves you drenched in sweat as soon as you walk up a hill. Finished 30 seconds after it started raining. Have ended up tonight in a town 70km north of Guangzhou and having dinner with the district governor (amongst other notables).