Training Log Archive: jennycas

Fairly direct trundle via the Broadwalk to the DNA tower (didn't run its stairs but made sure to walk up/down alternate helices) then sand tracks through the lovely bushland to the Zamia Cafe playground and on the way back to Derby Rd I did a lap of Lake Jualbup. It's exciting to see red-tailed black cockatoos right in the city!

Afterwards, walked the rail trail with Richard from John Forrest NP where I'd never been, and I was excited by seeing lots of unfamiliar wildflowers, to the Parkerville Tavern (AKA Parky Pub) where Nicole met us and we lunched with Paul Dowling (AKA Juffy) before going back to admire both his handmade strawbale house (AKA JuffyHaus) and his enormous canine (AKA Timber the Great Dane). Airport dropoff was conveniently on the others' way home - I have very much appreciated their hospitality and it's been a great weekend of catching up with people even if I did have to sing for my supper, in a manner of speaking.

C • Singing 7

C • JFNP 1

C • DNA Tower 1

Crashed out early last night, no surprises there as on Friday I'd got up at the equivalent of 2am Perth time. Finished off a couple of things on my L3 controllers' workshop presentations this morning before Anthea picked me up as the workshop venue was the (rather fancy) school where she works and which coincidentally will be next year's Aust Sprint Champs venue. The day went well with lots of interactive discussion and only two people inadvertently napping after lunch, and at the end once we had done some more weight training rearranging the (very nice) senior staffroom to the way it had been when we arrived, Rachel and I ran back to Shenton Park around the coastline and then through UWA, which gave me the opportunity to cross over the new rainbow Kids' Bridge - yes, it's really called just that, but then again this is a town which now has Bob Hawke College (I saw their school uniforms when I was on the train) - next to the new childrens' hospital.

C • Town of Perth 13

Flew out of Adelaide at 6am - urgh. Thanks to the current 2 1/2 hour time difference, arrived in Perth at 7am, and thanks to the new airport train (although technically it stops under only one half of the airport, there is a public bus doing endless laps from the antisocial Qantas terminal to nearby brand new Redcliffe station) which goes right through to Claremont, I arrived at Richard & Nicole's in Shenton Park while they were still having breakfast so claimed second breakfast for myself as kale & quinoa hotcakes as served on the plane are not real food.

In the afternoon, having done some controllers' workshop setup, met Rachel to run the Zamia trail in the Reabold Park bushland - basically a big sandhill - where I had never been before and the loop has lookouts over both city and ocean. Not being used to a 26 degree day and having foolishly left my water bottle behind when earlier Richard and I walked around the botanic gardens in Kings Park, admiring the kangaroo paws still in bloom, I was a bit hot and thirsty but thankfully Rachel was happy to stop and admire the views too :)

Because I won't be here on the weekend.

Parked at Mitcham and ran up Yurrebilla Trail through Waite, on a lovely misty drizzly evening, then down Waite Glen being very careful of my footing on damp slippery rocks and steps, and was rewarded by the sight of the plant accelerator laboratories glowing hotly pink, even more beautiful than pink flagging tape. Took the firetrack back along the base of the hills and finished off with a small lap of the suburbs; unfortunately by then my sports bra seamline was chafing because of the humidity but it was nice to see/smell all the rose gardens in bloom.

Dragged myself out to go around the course which the others had done on Thursday - Bridget described this as "no green" and "you can mostly run on tracks" but that wasn't *quite* accurate - still wondering how everyone else got around this in only 50 min but I did have to walk through all the long wet grass on the golf course as it was getting dark. A bit sad that all the training which I attempted to do in the leadup to Aust Champs, and any fitness gains from the full week of races, seems to have lost its benefits and I am as slow and gumby as ever. If I did want to get fit before Oceania, would have to start running in terrain now, basically.