Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Melbourne Bush-O at Woodlands. Was wondering how I would come up after yesterday's hard day, and was pleasantly surprised by the answer - not that Woodlands is exactly the world's most physically challenging area, but I was expecting it to be more of a struggle than it was. Had Steve Bird on my tail through the first few which got me going, then was running reasonably smoothly through the remainder of the course. No navigation time losses, just finding a slightly sub-optimal place to cross the creek at 2.

Unsurprisingly, this was my fastest kilometre rate of the year. I thought that the big guns might go under 30 but none did (although Kerrin did get sub-5s). Ted did me in the sprint after we were level at the last control. Around me were quite a few of the usual suspects, and one not quite so usual one - Emma Prime, making a rare appearance, who was about a minute back. If she ventures beyond local events she'll be very competitive in W40 next year should she feel so inclined.

Biggest training week for me since mid-2016 (discounting rogaines). I'm happy with that as a week's work.

Down on the Peninsula for the day and took the opportunity to do something akin to one of my classic Peninsula runs, with Sorrento at one end and Number Sixteen beach at the other. I can't remember ever being here in winter before, so it was a bit of a novelty to see the foreshore without campers and the football ground with football (Sorrento v Rosebud, which I imagine is a bit of grudge match).

This was one of the tougher runs I've done this year - no big hills but lots of small ups and downs, and a certain amount of soft sand. Found this reasonably hard work and my quads were suffering a bit at times. Kept plugging away, though, and the end result was something that sometimes happens - after getting through a tough middle, it became a good finish as the terrain got easier (it's always a good sign when the four fastest kilometres of a run are the last four). Didn't get a sense of regretting that I won't be out there for 3 1/2 hours next weekend, but still a solid day's work.

These days I think of it as good news if I do this session on a Friday - it means the earlier part of the week has gone more or less as planned, which has been by no means a given this year. This one was at Northcote, and was a bit icy in the southwesterly (outside the water), but bright - the showers came later.

It's been a rather absurd week in Australian politics. One of the absurdities which got missed by just about everyone (probably because it happened just before the Pauline Hanson fancy dress party) was Eric Abetz claiming that if same-sex marriage goes through the end point would be someone marrying the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Marrying bridges is not an idea which would have come to my mind, but if he really wants to I can think of a suitable partner.

Not at the level of some other runs in the last week with a rather sluggish first hour, but managed to get the distance under my belt without any undue drama and any niggles (although the physio/masseur, who normally sees me on a Monday, had to work a bit harder than usual tonight). Better in the last 20 minutes. A few chunky showers around, but missed most of them.

My best intervals session this year (not that that's an especially high bar to clear). Significantly faster than the last few attempts and felt a fair bit stronger on the uphill reps, too. Seem to have hit a decent spot in the last few days; hopefully it will continue.

Warm-up and down, plus a pause on entering the park to draw someone's attention to the dogs-on-leash sign. This was at least good preparation for riding to and from work, which featured a number of encounters with people who think no-standing signs don't apply to them, people who think give-way signs don't apply to them, and people who think red lights don't apply to them (and that's before we start on the truck who, dissatisfied with a driver's patience in waiting for pedestrians while turning left, turned left inside where the car was, cutting across the gutter in the process and leading the aforementioned pedestrians to scatter).

I was wondering if a familiar building had disappeared en route, but in fact the Melbourne Bicycle Centre has merely had its front painted blue rather than yellow.

C • It was red and blue and yel... 1

Felt reasonably good, although slower than the last couple of days. Forecast was bleak but dodged most of the showers. Continuing to have a reasonable few days on the injury front - have learned not to get too excited about this but it's good while it lasts.

I've finally found a reason to stop at the Glenrowan Macca's (one day) - looking at future eclipse paths today it appears to be near the location of maximum length of totality on Boxing Day 2038. (In case you're wondering, Melbourne doesn't quite get a total eclipse, although I suspect 96% will still be enough to create bad light issues at the cricket, assuming Test cricket is still played during the day by then).

C • Now that is planning ahead. 7

Morning session at Fitzroy. Not coming off as short a day as this time last week and certainly didn't feel as energetic as this time last week, but still a reasonably solid morning's work.

Surprise of the day was to be contacted by the ABC's new regional weather reporter, one Katie Doyle (it was her first day in the job and I think I was her first interview). We're starting to get a bit of an orienteering presence there because Jess Davis - who recently reached an early-career landmark, using for the first time in a story the words "Documents obtained by the ABC...." - is now working for the ABC in Ballarat. (I guess the next step on the career progression is "The ABC can reveal....").

Still a bit nervous about the lunchtime runs but this one was pretty good - main thing was that nothing hurt after some initial hamstring tightness disappeared in the first few hundred metres. Felt like I was moving pretty well, too (although I left my watch at home so don't have the evidence to demonstrate it, or otherwise). Fishermans Bend is industrial but going there means no significant road crossings, which is a definite plus for a lunchtime CBD run. A nice day to be out, on what ended up being the first 20-degree day since May.

It would be fair to say that there was a certain amount of schadenfreude on display in my social circles today. At least he hasn't been told to bugger off to New Zealand within 48 hours or be euthanised.