Training Log Archive: Craig

Event: FootO - Ngangaguringguring
 

H1 at Ngangaguringguring, 10.9km 375m climb.
Wanted to treat this like a real long race and try to stay as relaxed and efficient as possible. Didn't really feel relaxed as my lower legs got really stiff (anterior compartment syndrome?) on the way to the first control and it didn't ease off until about half way around the course. Didn't cope well with distractions either. Inefficient into 2 when I was distracted by Oliver Martin who came into 1 after me and caught up to me on the way to 2. Screwed up 5 when I was a bit distracted by Kellie taking a lower route to my left and was put off by the changed tracks near the powerline. Decided I must have been drawn left by Kellie to where the track bends South so swung right across Juffy's line and then had to swing back to come into the control behind both Juffy and Kellie. Not sure what they did leaving 5 because I never saw them again.

Rest of the course wasn't too bad. Legs started to feel better after 9 and I was navigating with more confidence. Came into 11 very confidently and was a bit shocked not to find a control. Didn't take too long to find it but I'm sure I took longer than my split of 1:04 suggests so I think the clock must have been out of synch there somewhere too. Lost a little time at the last running about 20m north of it and not seeing it behind a line of blackboys and then made a mess of the finish by just running towards the cars and hoping I would see it instead of navigating.

Not feeling too tired at the end but I need to do something about this anterior compartment pressure problem. Doing a bit of a warm up should help and I might have had my laces done up a bit too tightly as well.

H1 - Splits

Easy long run around KP. Started very slowly doing the first 5km in 36 minutes before I bumped into Helen's little group and turned around to run with them. Had to speed up quite a lot to stay with them and then kept going at the slightly more respectable pace for the second half. Stuck to hard surfaces most of the time to avoid the wet grass. Still very sore from my 20 minute effort at the gym on Thursday.

Got home a bit later than planned so didn't get started until 6:25pm. I expected Rachel to get home with dinner pretty soon so I just did a short loop around Rosalie and then back past home. Planned to do laps around the block until they got home and the way I was feeling I was pretty glad to see them half way through my first lap.

Rode to the gym at lunchtime. It's been a while and I've been tossing up trying to start again or cancelling the membership. Went there intending to try to start again but after 20 minutes I'd had enough so I filled in the membership cancellation form on the way out. I tell myself I'll try to do something at home instead but I doubt it will happen.

Group split in two early and I stayed in the back group of short course runners while the other group got about a minute ahead. I had been thinking I wanted to run fairly hard today so I thought it would be good to start out easy and then try to chase down the lead group later. When we split and I started trying to chase my legs just felt empty and I immediately started rethinking my plans to maybe try just surging the hills instead. First hill up into KP felt awful with the legs burning and not much power so I started thinking easy run and try another day. I backed off for a while but ended up surging up the next hill as I caught James and then the next one to catch Ben and other James. Thought I might as well keep it going now so I pushed up the steep hill and by then I could see Jeff so I tried to close on him up the last hill as well. Heart wasn't working that well at the end but only about every 5th beat was an odd one and it settled after a couple of minutes.

Legs still feeling heavy after the restart. I surged up the hill after Hale oval to catch up to the leaders and then sat behind Simon and Stewie down the other side. At the bend onto the flat section I felt an urge to go so passed Stewie and went hard along the flat and then kept it rolling down to Saw Ave. Eased off and cruised down to Aberdare then one final little surge when I went past Betsy.

Maybe needed one more day to be ready for a hard run but I don't expect to feel good tomorrow morning if I play tennis tonight so probably good to have done something a bit harder today.

Pennants training. All doubles.

Easy run around KP. Cut it a bit short because I was a bit late starting and I'm still feeling a bit knackered from the weekend. Hoping this is peak soreness from Sunday's effort.

Lonely sand track loops without Helen or Dean or Priscilla. Didn't feel too bad, just a bit tight everywhere. Maybe getting a bit close to overdoing it.