Sunday Sep 2 |
 | MTB Orienteering race (Wellington Mill) 27:00 [4] 6 km (4:30 / km) | |
| shoes: Bike, Merida |
| This day wasn't really meant to be it seems in retrospect. Had a good night's sleep but woke up weary. Drove the 2hrs down to Bunbury with Jen and her Dad. Got out of the car stiff so made sure I did a bit of a warm-up on some single track. At the start I left late as I had a bit of trouble folding a relevant bit of map into the mapboard. On the way to 2 I never saw a track on the left that I would need later to get to 3. I came back from 2 measuring and still missed it, u-turned then found it, overgrown and indistinct junction. That made me wonder about whether any field-checking had been done as it was one of only 2 route choices for that leg... a few more omissions as I continued down this track confirmed my suspicions so I determined to be more cautious. Found 3 then headed off to 4. Snapped my chain riding up a hill - fortunately I had a chain-breaker and spare link/pins with me so got a new pin in eventually. Couldn't make sense of where I was so headed back the 300m to 3 to start again and then as I headed out of 3 my derailleur decided to part company with the bike. Then I trudged home.
In a way I am glad it happened there only a few km from home rather than later in the course, or in a proper race in a few weeks time. 10hours from leaving home to arriving back home and I was even more tired when I got home, really light-headed and physically exhausted. Had a big roast dinner at Mum & Dad's and now going to be very early. Will burn the credit card in a day or two to fix the bike as I need it virtually every weekend in Spring.
Sigh. |
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| C • Ironic 2 |
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| C • Feet 3 |
| MTB warm up/down 9:00 [2] | |
| shoes: Bike, Merida |
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Saturday Sep 1 |
| Road Bike (Riders' Choice) 2:33:58 [4] 81.43 km (1:53 / km) | |
| ahr:130 max:161 slept:7.5 shoes: Bike, Kestrel |
| I had a good night's sleep and when I woke it was calm and not too cold so I really didn't have much excuse to stay in bed. It was almost light too with the latish start to this group - 630am. When I got to the bike shed my back tyre was flat. Fixed it, realised I was now late and headed straight to Salvado Rd to intercept the group. They must have left a bit late as I got the whole way along the railway before I found them, a biggish group of 40+ today with Evo lurking at the back. Then Eoin appeared so I had two people I knew there! Later coach Ross appeared "taking it easy" as he has some bike races next weekend. It seemed slower than usual until we reached Port Beach Rd, or whatever it is called now it has been realigned. Along there I assumed my customary role in group bike rides of maintaining a ridiculously high speed but still watching the group ride away from me while lithe, whippet-like lycra creatures zip past me, bridge the gap and taunt me with their sheltered position.
Heading through Claremont a small delivery van/ute gave the group plenty of room as he passed, almost pushing a car coming the other way off the road. Eoin and I commented on it. Moments later said van applied the brakes and swung left in-front of the group of 40-odd cyclists and into a car-park. Another of those drivers afflicted by the malaise of poor decision-making when bikes are nearby. Must be some sort of interfering mental energy or something from the combined group mind.
I was holding on ok along the south side of the river through the posh enclaves, there are always fortunately a few heavier cyclists who let me past on the hills but then allow me a bit of a draft as they come back to the reforming group. But then the section along Canning River loomed, the section where last time I did this ride some months ago I was ridden away from and left alone. I hung on today, stayed on Ross's wheel while 90% of the group rolled-through and shared the load. It was pretty fast along here too, mid-40s. Coming home was all good till Riverside Drive where one or two people were feeling the pinch and dropping off. This means the others accelerate swiftly and go round them. But my engine lacks a turbo, bit like my old 1982 Subaru, and it takes a lot longer to get up some speed and tag back on like a blowfly returning to sheep's arse. All good (but hurting) till Barrack St, ok till the Narrows where 4 or 5 people peeled-off to head home. This left me and two others 20m behind with the group ahead really cranking. The gap got to 50m before there were two of us left, then I had a go, held the gap at 50 for bit but then the legs gave way. The guy behind realised it was all over and gave up. I thought that was a bit soft so tried to work hard all along to UWA. Fortunately the group was stopped wayy ahead at the lights and as I got near the lights went green and I was able to catch back on, cough for a bit, then say my farewells. Heading home was s-l-o-w. Stupid legs were rooted. Breakfast and then 2hrs sleep! |
| Paddling (Beach) 1:10:00 [3] 9 km (7:47 / km) | |
| slept:2.0 shoes: Ski, Mako 6 |
| Forgot GPS so guessed distance. Was a bit scared by the break, but once sitting on the ski it accelerates so fast that you get past the drop zone very quickly. Paddled to halfway between Trigg and Scarborough Beach and back in an hour, then did a few efforts. There were a couple of other paddlers who launched at Scarboro as I turned and I chased them the whole way back - they were on spec skis but were not going much slower than I was and it was a solid chase, never caught them. Beautiful afternoon. |
| Running (Kings Park) 1:03:00 [2] 10.97 km (5:45 / km) | |
| shoes: Brooks Beast |
| I started out good for 10mins of this pleasant run with Jen. Then my body gradually decided that the tank was empty and it became physically very very hard just to keep running. Everything ached in a tired way and I started using up all my excuses to stop - did the stop and stretch one first. Then the stop and walk the new treetop walk thingy - twice as they closed one end while we were 5/6 of the way across. Then stopped for a pee. Then walked about 3 strides up one of the roller-coaster hills. Not auguring well for strong ride tomorrow. |
Friday Aug 31 |
| Swimming (Squad) 1:32:00 [3] 4.3 km (21:24 / km) | |
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| Today was a good morning - I was awake and my arms warmed up in the warm-up rather than at the 2.5km mark! Main set felt easy (300/400/500/600) and afterwards I was ok enough to do a set of 25max/25easy for 500m and I only began to lose speed in the last 3 reps. Yeah, feels good to have some swimming strength back. |
| Paddling (Beach) 50:00 [3] | |
| shoes: Ski, Mako 6 |
| It was my day off from work today, but with other staff away I did a half day, 730-2, which gave me time to score a free lunch at Mum's, then head home for a 90min nap before blearily dragging myself off for a much neglected paddle. I was half hoping it was too rough to get out but the big waves were infrequent and I was able to get out with minimal difficulty, still a bit of an adrenalin rush as the potential for a bigger one to be lurking unseen out the back is always there! Headed south to the blockhouse, into the sou-wester but across the westerly swell - which with the addition of some backwash and monster rips off the shore mayde life a bit tippy, no real problems though, jsut a few brace strokes. When I got back I did 3 ins-and-outs to push my luck a bit. |
| Running (Beach Session) 20:00 [3] 3 km (6:40 / km) | |
| shoes: Barefoot |
| RUnning within the session and the cooldown, didn't really do a warm-up as I was rushing ab it from the ski. |
| Core Stability/Stretching 30:00 [3] | |
| shoes: Barefoot |
| Usual exercises, increased the number of sit-ups, lunges and burpees. Was a bit weary phsyically, but awake mentally tonight. Swim and paddle make my arms tired for this sort of stuff. |
Thursday Aug 30 |
| Road Bike (Commute) 1:09:00 [1] 29 km (2:23 / km) | |
| shoes: Bike, Kestrel |
| Mmpff. Let's see, 20s a K faster last night running, 20s a K slower this morning riding!!
Tired, sore and slow. Met Jen at UWA and then along river to work. Silly body just couldn't get going - but then I did need a hot shower and some stretching this morning just to be able to walk normally to the kitchen for food! Although, now at lunchtime tucking into left-over risotto, mmmm, I'm beginning to feel much better. Will try for some better pace on the way home. Maybe. |
| Road Bike (Commute) 45:00 [3] 19 km (2:22 / km) | |
| shoes: Bike, Kestrel |
| Felt much better heading home tonight. Fortuitously I got a puncture. Fortuitously because for the first time since the caffeinated race back in whenever I'd found a spare tube at home and put it in my backpack. Fortuitously too in that this week is the first week I've relocated my pump and started carrying it. Lucky too that I'd just turned to head home the medium distance way home when a maverick double-g impaled my back tyre. Really struggled to get the tyre back on, eventually my finger and forearm tendons gave up and I had to risk using a tyre-lever. Fortunately no pinching. And then even more happily the tube stayed inflated all the way home - not bad for a tube that'd been repaired 3 times. |
| Core Stability/Stretching 40:00 [0] | |
| shoes: Barefoot |
| After having a little reminder of how much chronic hamstring pain really sucks earlier this week, I was very diligent and did a solid 40mins of glute, groin, quad and hammy stretching while watching the final of the "Stupid Celebration Next to a Long Jump Pit competition". The Gold undoubtedly went to the Italian with his sub-human screeching and bellowing combined with a bit of chest-beating, chin-thrusting and obligatory strutting. Silver,again uncontested, went to his mother for the 'Possessed By and Evil Spirit" twisting, turning, lots of little jumps, head shaking and constant stream of gibberish.
It was awesomely satisfying to see the last jump by the last jumper eclipse the twit's previously leading mark. I wonder how the orienteering community will react next time say, Troysie, takes an early lead in the WOC Sprint, watches his time posted then creates his own brand of histrionics? :-) |
Wednesday Aug 29 |
| Swimming (Squad) 1:28:00 [3] 4.2 km (20:57 / km) | |
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| Pool was nice and warm this morning and I felt strong. Couldn't stay with the lead fellow but swam in 2nd in my lane. Main set was 5 x 400m with 30s rest, firm, medium, hard, medium, easy. Stayed in afterwards and took it up to 4.2km. Beginning to feel tired now, 10mins before I go out into terrible weather for a long run! |
| Running long 1:33:40 [3] 17.5 km (5:21 / km) | |
| ahr:132 max:153 shoes: Pearl Izumi meshy ones |
| I had a very hectic day with work, two manager types away so I am carrying the can this week -was actually looking forward to the long run to burn off some nervous energy. Evo rocked-up, and a clubbie called Ricky, both of whom are fast and it made it a quicker run than normal for Saz, me, Brian, John and Simon. It was 10 or 11 degrees w ith a really strong westerly and intermittent rain. Just lovely! Saz looked grumpy from the car-park and after about 10mins politely spat the dummy and headed off for her own run. After 40mins off hills, bridle trail and limestone we reached McGiilivray and Simon called it a day - sore from C2S on weekend. Steady pace through JTC then up past Graylands, St John's Wood, Stevenson Ave and then along WCHwy to Oceanic, sand and grass the whole way. Pace was higher from Stephenson to OCeanic but Pete and Ricky were nice enough to come back for me at SAS and then we turned back again at Oceanic to pick up Brian and John for the 10min cruise home. Was a bit stiff after this run, about 20s a k faster than normal. |
Tuesday Aug 28 |
| Running warm up/down 30:00 [1] | |
| shoes: Brooks Beast |
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| Running intervals (Grass Farm) 27:49 [5] 6.6 km (4:13 / km) | |
| shoes: Brooks Beast |
| 3 x 2.2km grass farm loops. So called Grass Farm because about 15 years ago they actually used to grow turf here. Now it's just a rough oval. This is the first "real" session for a long time and I certainly felt ungainly, unfit and like I was inefficient.
9.00
9.04
9.40 (almost dark, had to be careful on eroded downhill) And tired...
On the plus, I don't think that was the slowest I've run, and my legs weren't too sore afterwards although my hammies certainly felt the longer stride! Will enter HR later when I get a chance to upload from GPS. |
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| C • Too embarassing??? 4 |
Monday Aug 27 |
| Swimming (Squad) 1:10:00 [4] 3 km (23:20 / km) | |
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| Pool was cold this morning - too windy to put the covers on last night. It meant I had to swim hard from go to stay warm, and most certainly didn't stay in afterwards. Probably a good thing as I was shattered from the set, I'm fit enough to push the whole set which leaves me more tired than when I was blowing up and then dragging through. |