Training Log Archive: jennycas

Temperature was reasonable in Emu Plains so I ran from parents in-law's up to Glenbrook via Knapsack Bridge, Elizabeth's Lookout and a lap of Glenbrook Lagoon. Had to walk the steep stairs which were quite rough and washed out - and also I was pretty buggered, so it was good to have an excuse to admire the scenery. Not hugely keen on being on the go for 24 hours next weekend but at least the current forecast of 27 degrees for Mudgee looks manageable.

C • Good luck 1

The original YHA at Hawkesbury Heights/North Springwood burned down in the January 1994 fires; its replacement is an impressive A-frame structure with a single tree trunk as an exposed beam running the full length of the downstairs living area, from which there are views out over the Nepean River towards Richmond. You can't bushwalk directly from here but 5km back up the hill in Winmalee there's a fire trail loop called Blue Gum Swamp, so I ran that while it was still overcast (although warm enough already) and tried not to think about what it could be like going cross-country on a rogaine in sandstone country. While pleasant, this is not anywhere near as impressive a route as descending to the Blue Gum Forest in the Grose Valley below Blackheath (are they seriously letting people trample through there next weekend on a commercially organised trail run? I feel it's sacrilegious to do such a thing in the peaceful Grand Canyon - and I think that about the Wonderland Run in the Grampians also) but there were some impressively-blooming waratahs on the valley descent and flannel flowers in bloom already, on the ridgeline return.

C • Nationals 3

C • trail runs 6

Around Glebe - back streets, foreshore, Blackwattle Bay Park, before heading out to Penrith where it was mid-30s (thankfully won't be like that in the mountains next weekend). Knees took a while to warm up but in the end the rest of me got a little too warm in the sun and I tried to find the shadiest streets possible. A bit sad that it's not yet jacaranda/jasmine season in Sydney but the tradeoff is that beautiful rhododendrons and azaleas are still blooming up the mountains. We're staying in the designed-to-be-fireproof little YHA at Hawkesbury Heights and there is no one else around, so I hope we don't have to test its functionality.

Attack of the Killer Physio
Kath implied that it's all downhill once you turn 40, or at least much harder to recover than it used to be. She's talking about strenuous exercise rather than nights out on the town...

Belair run with Zara, & Callum of course. Pretty tired, and legs hammered after physio, so I needed to walk up the steps. It was a nice evening, and lovely to be out in the park, and this kind of balanced the fairly sombre conversation topic, best summed up as: depresssion could be considered a potentially-fatal illness.

Around Mitcham on a sunny evening after a day where I was so tired that the afternoon required both coffee and chocolate, so I thought I'd better work off at least one of them.

Went for a trot along the creek behind the caravan park then a stagger up Brown Hill, getting to the ex-trig on top just as the last vestige of sun sank below the horizon. Continued up the ridgeline with a cold wind blowing (will it really be 35 degrees next week?) and then down Yurrebilla, which looked well-trodden after Sunday. Also much drier underfoot than a couple of weeks ago; the ground is like cement. Trying to land a bit more on my toes rather than heel-striking because that's what aggravates the adductors - but now the knees are feeling it.

Gosh, this was a struggle, despite the absolutely beautiful morning. South from Ave Rd, past Perry (catfeeding stop) into Shepherds Hill, the full length of the valley up to the trainline & along singletracks to Eden Hills station then over into Bellevue Heights & down through the uni. Nearly didn't recognise the plaza, because it's now a 3-storey building; that map will need updating before sprint series. Loved the view out over the ocean when crossing the footbridge high above the pine forest, but my legs were really starting to struggle with the horrible tightness through groin in hamstrings & adductors (worse after riding bike?) and I needed a number of stretching stops on the way back through the park & suburbs.

Saw quite a few guys coming down the new MTB singletracks in the park and heard one say "that was great fun, I can't believe this is on our doorstep". I reckon national parks and council have done the right thing by not treating Shepherds Hill as a conservation reserve, but I bet they'd be surprised to know that I startled an enormous kangaroo in there first thing this morning. Also there was a point where my legs were so tired going uphill that I just sat down on a rock and looked out over the valley and listened to the numerous very-happy birds; we are so lucky to have pockets of bushland like this tucked in amongst the suburbs.

Absolutely exhausted and legs quite uncomfortable by the end but they responded well to a huge breakfast of bacon/eggs/tomato/mushroom cooked at home with G who got back late last night from a trucking trip to Melbourne. He commented that it's odd that he's gone to Vic at nationals time, but I haven't!

Event: 2015 Australian Orienteering Carnival
 

Brownhill Creek, late on a pleasant spring afternoon after a day of housework and gardening at Perry Ave with the dog (sneaked in a vet trip too). Seemed to be riding the brakes a lot on the way back along the valley but if I went any faster I was getting face-splattered by clouds of insects.

Rather stiff through back & midsection, but the water was almost as comfortable as my bed. Dog survived being left home alone for an hour, with no damage to either himself or curtains (because we haven't put them back up yet).

Up Randells, down Gloucester. Really nice evening for it and the setting sun over the ocean reflected off the houses in a pinky-orange colour which can only be called "sunset". Thought I was running hard on the way down but the time wasn't very good, partly because the light was fading and also adductors didn't like the sustained downhill. I need to focus on uphill running anyway, because Point to Pinnacle will *only* have about 5x as much ascent as this run does.