Training Log Archive: hilarity

Time and distance a bit of a guess due to not restarting GPS on time.

Phantom Phorecaster convinced me to come out to Ascot for a paddle and a catch up over coffee, and it's difficult to say no to a Phantom. He also suggested we paddle a K2 and I said NO. So I loaded the Swordfish and headed for the club, where the Phantom continued to suggest a K2 until I made it very clear that I was NOT going in a kayak of any description.

So we settled on a double ski. Ascot has one double ski, and on it is written 'Ian Head Memorial Race, donated by his family in 1986'. So we were paddling a 26 year old ski covered in the junk that falls out of spider webs.

And it was really crap weather. So we paddled 4km upstream into a headwind, quite a stonking headwind, then turned at the bridge and headed back. WHEEEE and then SNAP went the rudder cable. And then sideways went the ski. We were 2km from Ascot, so it could have been a whole lot worse - the Phantom had wanted to paddle to Barkers Bridge which would have put us 6km from the club when the snappage would have happened.

All in all, quite miserable, but good for a laugh!!

Decided it was about time to pump up the bike tires and head out for a ride, cos I need to get some bike fitness (and more importantly, bum toughness) before venturing to the skills park or (god forbid) actual MTB trails.

I have no clue what I pumped my tires up to as my pump gauge goes back down to zero all the time. I rode to the city, past Harbour Town and stopped at the hifeous building cos I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do next and there were people all over the place.

Bike needs a service, it's rather noisy . . .

No idea about time as the GPS ran out of battery towards the end of the first lap.

Running on grass is freakin' HARD! Even on the first lap I couldn't manage a whole km. Hopefully this was good for me cos it sure as hell wasn't any fun. If not for cricket and Andre I would have gone to the pub many laps before I did.

Thank goodness I brought my umbrella this morning! I still ended up with wet feet but the rest of me was all good.

The iPhones were tuned to BOM radar when I arrived, and there was a good mix of scepticism and recklessness disguised as bravery - should we go, is it unsafe, does carbon fibre really conduct lightning, we're not wooses, etc.

It was up to me to call it so after receiving all manner of weather reports including useful info like 'there's lighning over there', 'there's a rainbow, that has to be good' and even some comment about the ducks (???) I decided we would go.

I'm really glad we did - we never got rained on, and apart from a stonking current against us on the way out combined with a headwind, it was a lovely paddle. By the time we got back to the Narrows there was no wind and the section of water that I keep saying is going to be rough, was actually like glass. One day it will surprise us!!!

I've had decidedly UNhappy hips for the past week or two, so I decided today would be a good day to do some of my Happy Hips yoga. I haven't done the pigeon pose for the (nerd alert!!) obturators, gemmeli, and piriformis recently cos it causes a clunking noise in my right hip.

But maybe there is something to that, I got the clunk twice tonight but currently the hip feels better. Tomorrow will either be an improvement or I'll be unable to walk.

I feel like the three dwarves - Sniffly, Snotty, and Sneezy. The fourth dwarf, Fevery, is nowhere to be seen THANK GOD cos if he shows up he will bring his little mate Panicky.

C • Dwarves? 2

I took my sniffles and sneezes to the first running technique session where I leaned that I've been doing it all wrong. Now I know what to do, and even better I understand why.

We worked on landing our feet directly under us, heel flicks, keeping our shoulders in line with our hips, and not swinging our arms wildly. It felt absolutely ridiculous but now that I understand the biomechanics behind it all a lot better, I'm going to work hard on it!!

Holy guacamole! Not sure where this came from but I was flying tonight. I felt incredibly strong and was in front most of the time (except the first sprint). Usually only 1-2 of grid three managed to catch me - thx Caitlyn for your arrival on Saturday which kept your dad away :-)

The current was quite strong tonight and gave me a whole km in 5:20 and a top speed of almost 13kph!! WOOOOOO!