Training Log Archive: Yak

Road ride no 2 - brought back why road riding can be a hard slog.
Following doc's advice - off to another bike path - this time Stuart O'Grady one next to Northern Expressway. Usually park away and ride to it but parked right at it to avoid cars.. Party last night, so too late a start at 9am, as temp already 34 degrees.

Hot, windy, exposed (no shade), all alone. Quadrella of bike rider hates.
Ipod battery was dead. Has Garmin but no holder on bike so that had to go in back pocket. Thought wind was NE but it was SE so went the non efficient way going towards Gawler first (16km) and then had to turn around and ride the whole 24 km back mostly into the wind, and had final 8 km was wind assisted.
AV 25.3 with wind and about 20.3 against, so overall av was 23.7.
Had climb of 84 metres! One miniscule incline plus one 150m climb that topped out at 4.4%. 6/7 road crossings each way.
R ILT band slightly sore towards end.
Shoulder more sore than usual, so back to icepacks. Doesn't like road bike as much as mt bike.

Tried out the road bike for the first time in 6 months this morning!
had to avoid cars and other riders, so drove to Birdwood for start.

Had forgotten my Garmin but then found that I had forgotten my pedals!
I had taken my bike off the indoor trainer, where I had just toe clips, so as to use sandshoes .... Only had thongs in car so had to use my mt bike pedals. 7 kms in one of the toe clips broke off as I turned a corner, so just had a slippery footplate on that side ...so couldn't really push hard, esp on the downs, in fear of foot falling off ..
Rode via back rd (Burford) to Mt Torrens and then took the Gillett bike path thru Charlston, Woodside, Oakbank to Balhannah and turned around to find I had a headwind and sl uphill back! 34 degrees.
Met Mishmash riders at Birdwood café afterwards.

All cricket ovals either had juniors playing with armbands (and retiring on 63) or stumps and a single bat out in the middle and RIP Phillip Hughes signs up. Soccer game Adelaide v Victory in Melbourne last night stopped for a minute at 63 minute mark as crowd stood and clapped.

HF 6am walk! After about 4 hours sleep.
Then blood test.

Left home at 9.30am riding from home and return to beach via River Torrens trail.
Accompanying 10 yr 7 kids from Paracombe PS with my friend Joy (teacher there) and Bill, the Principal.
A well organised excursion - they had a following car with a spare bike, which we did need as one kid had a single speed. Other bikes transported to and fro in a horse float! Great country solution.
I rode at front or at rear to avoid being crashed into by errant riders!
Stopped at several playgrounds and at festive centre café for early lunch.
Going 28km down relatively slowly - guess at 1.45.
Back was 1.20 definitely ..av about 20. I rode back by myself, initially quite fast as I had a 5pm meeting back in town.

Meeting was School Sport SA Xmas 'do" and I was extremely surprised to be awarded life membership for service to school sport thru my teaching career and also my work in NT schools. I must be getting old to get such honours!
Got the Life membership medal and pin and a giant round inscribed 50cm wide acacia wood cutting board. Might need to buy a different house for t to fit!

Sad that 25yr old Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes died from his head injury today after being hit by a cricket ball whilst batting.

C • Congratulations! 4

Hilly walk on Melrose mt bike trails checking control sites and correcting map. Out there for longer but much stopping.

Strange occurrence - using a nano ipod to listen to radio and measure my distance. Somehow I seemed to have set a goal "workout" distance and this voice kept congratulating me every km and even more so after I went past my nominated goal. After I stopped for 5 mins or so for an apple and drink it concluded I was finished and then another surprise...gave me distance, time, calories etc and then " I am Joan Benoit Samuleson and well done on doing your longest work-out distance." After I started again it went back to normal silent recording..

I saw a castle type rock outcrop from across some hillsides, where I'm sure I hadn't seen anything there before ..confused. Got there and it was "William's Look-out" - a hand made shelter and lookout made to commerate William McCallum, a 28 yr old who was "lost at sea" last year off Tasmania whilst photo-shooting in a kayak. Found his boots and kayak but not him.

Ride around showgrounds checking map and then along rough rail trail towards Wilmington and back.

In between these activities I met caretaker 2 times re map, school Principal, council person but still need to catch up with main landholder - he was out harvesting. Home at 11pm

6am walk with HF group.

After walk at 6am, physio appoint at 9am I then drove to Melrose.
Then walked around showgrounds, school & campground doing O stuff for permanent courses I'm organising up there.
Tea at North Star and I was incorporated into local ladies (20+ of them) Christmas quiz. Was a laugh, with everyone in the pub, including Telstra workers and pub staff joining in.

Then 3 hours of map marking up while I could remember it.

Went down to Kuitpo as had some mtb girls doing an O course.
Took "Dougie" to ride the flatter sections. Parked at bottom of Christmas Hill rd and ride to Chookaroo. On return I got a puncture near Kuitpo HQ and had to walk 3km+ back to car - frustrating. Didn't take any spare stuff as shoulder not up to fixing.

Saw some guys in nice tops with WTF in big letters and "where is the finish" in small print.
I'm really overweight and not a good sight in lycra!

Walk with bike back to car at Kuitpo.
Annoyingly Southern Vets cycle race grades all went past me I the opposite direction (on the road) and everyone I knew said hello ... "just taking my bike for a walk."

Took out "pinky" in evening along Torrens to botanic park and return. One slow detour section towards the city. Ran over a small, baby snake!

Big thunderstorms in morning, so only indoor trainer.

Too tired for planned ride after computer work and then car shopping in afternoon. Had felt tired after another painful night and still tired even after walk.
Went along Torrens and up and back to LNE rd thru back streets to get a tiny bit of climb.
Unique situation watching Aus v South Africa 50 over game tonight - they used a drone to chase the seagulls away from the crease, as they were interfering with batsmen's view of ball.

Torrens walks - 6am with Heart Foundation towards hills but they went less than I thought, just 45 mins. So went out later to meet a friend and do a quick short lap towards city.
(First tradie work done - electrician replaced fuse box)

Evening ride along Torrens to the bike path end on Gorge rd, then looping back to Paradise Bridge. About 5 nasty little "inclines" which were a struggle and perhaps too hard on the shoulder.

Managed to bookend my 2 activities between a day of heavy rain - yeh.
I have a plan that involves lots of climbing for 5 / 6 months hence, so I'm certainly starting from a base level.

8am walk with Heart Foundation mob at Thorndon Park = 4 laps.
They have about 30 people at this walk - everyone just forms little groups going at own pace.
Met a lady formerly from Eyre Penisula farm that knew my grandparents and dad from there.

Ride to and from Michelle & David's at Felixstowe, near Payneham pool. With a pool session in behind.

Pool exercises at Payneham, accompanied by Michelle. 32 degrees, pool mostly to ourselves at 3pm. Did 20 mins running in water with out arms and 10 mins with arms.

One handed lawn mowing - to get rid of weeds.
Have had a friend doing some garden pruning and putting in of extra native plants for me, at mate's rates, and garden is looking great.

6am walk with Heart Foundation ladies west along the Torrens.
A real wildlife walk
- koala with a little baby on its back walked across in front of us - wish I had my camera, as they then sat at head height while we walked past.
- 2 baby miner birds right next to path with parents in the tree.
- an ibis family in a nest with a baby right next to reid's rd bridge.

Rode back to koala sighting with my camera but mother and baby were about 40 metres up the gum tree. "Shot" the ibis instead.
Nice to have riding option.

Then to physio, worried a little that my shoulder was a little sorer.
But I improved many cms on all my mobility tests, (though nowhere near enough to do up a bra) and we were both pleased. Gave me the warning not to do too much and not allowed to do breastroke in water yet either though I feel that I could.

Had blood test and my INR had gone dangerously low, so am to increase wayfarin level, even when taking celebrex.
And it's only lunchtime and I feel like bed.
Afternoon of plumber, painter and concreter visits.
Then went and did rego etc at CX race at Victoria Park from 5-8pm!

Yeh - first ride back, just on 2 month mark after op
Doc said I could try it this week
Test will be how it settles down tonight
Felt a bit sore just being extended out but didn't hurt much over bumps
Just along Torrens quietly

Did first aid course (again, like for 15th time I reckon) today.
Only got 1 of 46 questions wrong in contrast to everyone else who totally failed it at first attempt. 2nd attempt they were allowed to use the book!
Had to cheat a bit on compressions, not really pushing with sore shoulder.

C • Biking, already?! 3

Just spent from 6am - 3pm working at Ride for Pain . for pain research. Riders rode up almost every climb in the Adelaide Hills, with one going over 30%. I spent 4 hours being the commentator & interviewer. Lovely mix of the likes of Aus team riders like Alex Edmondson & Amanda Spratt, the SASI riders and the general riding community who all sat around chatting afterwards at the post-ride supplied BBQ and coffee van. Well done,especially those that did the 6 hour course with monster climbs up Coach & Woodland at the end of 90km.

Nice walk in Morialta after work. Legs super tired from standing up all day.
many people there
Started at Stradbroke rd carpk and went up the south side behind kiosk and around to 2nd falls and then across to deep View lookout. Then climbed up and took the longer way back via the newer track, which I love.

Just started feeling plantar fac.... in my R foot at rest - bugger.

C • Plantar fasciitis 7

Wasted day being bleaugh..
Late afternoon spent setting up for Ride for Pain HQ that I am working at tomorrow.

To & from Victoria Square in city where I was working for RideaBikeRight doing promotion at a diabetes promo / education day. Worked from 7.30 - 2.30pm. Little sleep again so very tired and headachey in evening.

6am Heart Foundation walk loop along Torrens towards hills.
My ipod said 7.2km but I reckon it was only 6km?
Saw koala walking across path 100m from home.
Very nice out this morning.

C • What did the doctor say? 4

Friend saw me in the garden so I did another little walk with her chatting.

At 39 degrees this was a nice exercise assignment.
Michelle Soar, who lives nearby to Payneham pool came along to keep me company.
Got there a bit early and only had school water polo matches for half the time.

Did approx. 50 mins of legs only water running in deep end and 12 mins with arms plus standing only mobility exercises.

thorndon pk walk

Decided as I wasn't sleeping I might as well have a 6am walk with Heart Foundation walking group that meets 500m from my house.
They did a loop along Torrens towards the city at an uncomfortably fast clip but it was nice to have already done some exercise by 7am - not something I have generally done since my triathlon years last century.

Walk to and fro SportsMed, Stepney but from a different direction - Norwood parade.

Went thru lots of interesting back streets and saw 2 lots of "bag men" collecting cans & bottles from recycling yellow bins. One using a bike and one a Woolies trolley.
On way back I talked to the latter - he said that Woolies trollies are much better made than Coles. He had started collecting at 9pm the night before (now 11am) and had 8 big bags hanging from his trolley, all bulging. Reckons he had close to $90 worth, depending on how many 2 litre bottles were there, as they take extra space despite being squashed a bit.
Was a good day for him. However he reckons that there are now 6 guys on his patch, some come from as far as Pt Adelaide and even use a car! He lives near Portrush Rd and the recycling place is at Stepney. His other money comes from New Start ...

the other thing of note was that Sportsmed has bought up many blocks surrounding it for car spaces for employees. Physio said that they have just bought a warehouse and Clinpath building next door to build actual multi storey carparks if they go ahead with adding another floor to their hospital, which equals 45 more beds! Greedy surgeons!

Physio was concerned that with my rest from doing most exercises for the last 5 days that pain and inflammation hadn't decreased, so agreed that I should see surgeon post haste, or could end up with a frozen shoulder to add to my non sleeping probs. Doc came back from o/s yesterday and I now have an appointment tomorrow afternoon.

Managed to pull off a contra deal today with Focus Bikes owner to loan their blow up "arch" for finishes at Easter 3 Day O next year.
I was straight up and told him that they were foot orienteers but he could see the usefulness in cross promotion and was rapt with the idea. His company is quite big, importing high end Cervelo & Focus Bikes.
Win- win - hope OSA appreciates it!

Meant to walk in Black Hill but the CFS was burning it off - hope it doesn't get away per usual.
Late walk from Montacute rd to S along Yur trail - past Fox Dam (brimming full) and then down to private property sign. Slow on downhill.

Towards end I came across 3 search & rescue guys practicing their abseiling ... with good need.

Managed to drag myself out to do a walk up Anstey's Hill.
Up thru quarry and 4WD tracks to top near Range Rd south and then south past my old home and down to ruins. Then 5 min tough climb up Torture Hill and back down near trig on bike single tk adjoining ruins walk valley. Lovely day out. I was quite slow on rocky descent. Arm in my bum bag for about 30%.

Read 3 books after a very painful night.

Over and back to Thorndon Park for market night. Moon rising was spectacular.

At Payneham pool. Included 25 mins legs only run in water, and only 5 mins with arms this time. Rest was annoying little exercises and no great exercise. Boring session and I got cold despite it being 34 degrees.

Physio reckons I may have been overdoing it as my shoulder is ultra sore even during the day.
Hard to tell what the culprit is:
driving a little; aquatic activities; bike ed for 4 days last week (without the bike); holding a lollypop in windy conditions up the Flinders ...
So ... not to drive again for awhile and to limit my aquatic activities somewhat and keep off the weights for a day or two....

Hilly walk in Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens - first time I had been there.
I ended up with a wet t'shirt courtesy of the many sprinklers on narrow paths. Got lovely photos of a kookaburra, swan, and a bird.

Then to Tues cyclists Mel Cup lunch nearby.
German trained horse who had only had 9 starts (8 places) won. The favourite, a Japanese horse, came last and died in his stall afterwards.

Indoor trainer, including 5 x 30 secs sprints.
How come in Midsomer Murders half the villagers die in each edition?

Walk up Reids rd and around.

Jackie Fairweather (nee Gallagher) died yesterday, aged 46 years, taking her own life.
Former world champ triathlete, marathon medallist at Com Games and ultra runner. Devastating.

C • Very sad 3

Driving back via stops at Melrose and balacklava.

Up at 5.30am after little sleep. Quite cold and still fairly windy - 30kph?
Temp was cool for start and just perfect later ..22 degrees or so.
Was directing 205 riders early on at 2 locations - near Rawnsley and at end of sacred canyon Rd.

Then out to Gum Ck station to do photos - saw most of 109 and 205km riders come thru.
Walked out with another non rider to Moggs Hut (very special construction) about 2.5km each way. This was on the course so took lots of photos while doing so.
Back to finish for more photos, interviewing people at finish and over food in restaurant afterwards.