Training Log Archive: Lizzie

Decided to do a long run along the skyline, going as far as I felt before turning toward home. Mum helpfully decided to go running from Wilton bush, meaning I had to manage my energy enough to end there to retrieve the car.

Started off with the climb straight up Kaukau. Brutal start. When I was close to the top I was surprised to see that I was close to being on Immy's Strava CR time...always dangerous. So I upped the pace for the last climb (known as Hillary's step). Turns out I missed the CR by 6s, and paid for it with stomach cramps for the next 15mins. Serves me right.

Continued on in the clag, over Crowes Nest and Otari, where the newly shorn sheep stuck out nice and white against the grey cloud. Started to feel good about halfway down Otari, and had a good speed going through to Makara saddle. Overtook a guy struggling on his bike up to Makara peak, where I took a bit of a break while judging my energy levels and possible future route.

Decided to run down on the expert mtb tracks, as I figured the chances of meeting a bike was minimal on these tracks. Unfortunately it was also an expert running track, given the slick as clay and my poor choice of normal running shoes... Made it to the bottom in one piece though, well clear of the two girls who were biking down the intermediate track in parallel to me.
Had another mini break at the bottom while I figured out my next steps. Decided that while I was tired, i didn't want to run through karori on the boring roads...so I better run up Wrights Hill on the mtb tracks instead ;)

Was having second thoughts about my decision half way up Salvation track though. Especially when a bee decided to fly into my half clenched fist, and without giving me a chance to release it, stung me on my middle finger. My right hand, feeling it was missing out, then got bitten by an over-friendly dog on the next corner.
Slogged it out to the summit, for more non existant views in the clag. Then, disoriented by all the cloud, took the wrong track down, adding a bonus 500m to my run.
From there on it was thankfully 90% downhill, down to zealandia and along the valley to wilton bush and the car.

Probably a bit longer than I should have done with sprint training tomorrow and races next weekend...oops

C • the cheek of you 2

Mt lowry with Laura. Always get caught out by how unduating the ridge is! Great loop, good times.

Jog from Korokoro up and past the dam with Tessa. Chatting pace. Seem to have tweaked my hammy with all of the squatting and standing up all day at the excavation site yesterday. Hope it eases off over the next couple of days.

Had an amusing but frustrating interaction with a yellow-hammer on the way down. It refused to fly off the path, instead flying 5m ahead, landing, then flying another 5m. This continued for a good 100m of track before it eventually conceded and flew up into a bush.

C • Just to be anal 2

Day (and a half) trip up to Napier to help with sampling some old hangi sites and fire pits that archeologists had found in a central Napier building site. Interesting but very long day. (far easier than other fieldwork though)

Sprintervals at whiteria with Laura. Good session.more spring in the step than 2 days ago anyway. A couple of little slips missing turns in the tight stuff which cost seconds but nothing more. Good with company :)

Easy loop of wilton. Out on blue to the cemetery, then up to the saddle and down through flax clearing.

Immediately postrun

Sprint training at Unitec. 6 x intervals and 1x longer loop course.

6 intervals, with 1.15 or 1.30 rest between. Shortest one 2:50, longest 4:40

Final loop course. My legs were smashed by this point. Long first leg over fields and slightly up hill, was going full effort but looked at my watch to see my pace was 5min/km!

Really good fun all up. Nice to train on an area that is pretty new to me (think I ran here once, testing oceania courses 3yrs ago)