Training Log Archive: jennycas

From the lighthouse at Cape Nelson near Portland (the lighthouse keeper's cottages were an excellent destination for a Clayton's honeymoon, but the bed was a bit soft, and so my back wasn't happy) along the Great South West Walk through mallee bushland around the east side of the tip of the peninsula, across to the west side - much more exposed with bare limestone - and back to the lighthouse. Pretty buggered and sleep deprived but bacon & eggs and strong coffee fixed that (husbands are good for something :)

We spent the day touring around Portland (saw the Endeavour replica in port), out to Cape Bridgewater and Mt Richmond. If one were not a fan of wind turbines, then this region may have lost some of its appeal since their advent, but I rather like them - something to do with the apparent perpetual motion, the same way I like watching waves crash on the beach/cliffs. Our route basically took us around the 3-Bays marathon course. I couldn't help but notice that the first half is really rather hilly, even before getting to the ascent out of the lakes (which is known as The Shuffler).

Hagabies (Hagabys? sounds like a bouncier cousin of a wallaby) are fun when you're not too far off the back of the pack to have anyone to play with. And I wasn't, for at least about 3 controls, after which it became clear that even junior girls can run faster than me (as they ought to do) but I was developing a sneaking suspicion that they wouldn't be able to maintain it for a whole 10km.

Having the longest splits on the first loop, I wasn't surprised to see only about 3 maps left when I came through the changeover. Was pleased to see a shorter second loop, ballsed up the second control of it by going up the wrong erosion creek (1 min?) and took a poor route choice through the bracken on the longer leg back towards the changeover, but overtook a couple of juniors (giving me enough time to stop for a drink from my Gatorade stash) and was not dying on the hills, and looking forward to some different terrain on the 3rd loop.

Caught first glimpse of Bridget at about the 3rd control of the final loop but she powered away up the hill and I found myself chasing Amy Buckerfield (who obviously has no fear of bracken, or else no long pants) across a number of ridges. My cautious approach to 22 (go up the track to the head of the gully then aim east) nearly backfired because I came out below it then went further down the gully before realising that the gully junction was above me. Crossed the ridge to 24, but came out a bit south of it. Bleeding time here; I kept seeing Bridget/Amy and losing them again, so tried to pull myself back into focus. Around 25 there was more green stuff than mapped, also at least 3 girls in the vicinity; one of them was Rachel W. We all ran down the road and chased Bridget up the steep singletrack. I caught on that we were about to overrun 26 and turned off into the bushes before the others did. Then I was ahead but only just. Realised that going around the east side of the diggings into 28 gave the clearest approach, but nearly came unstuck when the erosion before it was hidden under the control circle.

Finished strongly, a bit surprised that I'd only just cracked 10 min/km despite working so hard, but it was definitely a good 'toughen up' race, and I know I would have died in the arse, so to speak, in a similar race any time last year. Hamstring held up fairly well but was fatiguing on the final loop and twinged every time I landed in an unexpected hole, which was not infrequent. Suspect I frittered away 3-4 minutes in mistakes, which can be improved upon - would have been quite satisfied with about 95 min, I think.

Long Distance WE 0 - Splits

Event: Eureka Challenge, SILVA NOLs
 

Well, I'm not much of a sprinter, as evidenced by 21st place, but this course was short & sweet compared to the ones we've been running on Wednesday nights lately at the Snap Sprint Series. Generally only a left-or-right route choice; on 2 and 8 (after the spectator control) I went right when left may have been more efficient, but otherwise it wasn't really possible to make a mistake.

Two laps of a fairly intricate handkerchief-sized piece of goldmining, which may have been a bit more legible if the circles had been cut to better show the detail underneath the line.

Mistakes were my own fault though; a minute on 7 where, Kathryn having caught me just as I caught Clare, they went east of the line while I ploughed through the mullock heaps thinking I'd identify where the cliff on the west stopped, but I stopped short, couldn't see what the circle was hiding, and could see another control which I ought to have paid no attention to. Another minute on 13; running uphill after the map-change control (did anyone notice that on the separate descriptions we were given, the map change was marked before 12 not 13?) I folded my map so that I didn't realise the control was over the top of the flat hill, and thought I had to look for a pit before I reached the top.

Anyway, felt like my actual running was okay, and I'm used to coming about 16th these days.

W Open Elite - Splits

Middle DistanceW Open Elite - Splits

Dogwalking was enough for both of us. Physio appointment having been postponed until next week not ideal.

To the redwoods, ho! With Zara/Callum, Tyson, John, Andrew. Z & I then went up the singletrack and came down Saddle Hill. Wasn't happy with hamstring but not much I could do about it (except not being in a meeting for 3 hrs this afternoon?). Anyway, nice to catch up with Zara; afterwards we chatted while a perfect full moon rose in the east.

3-Hills loop. Felt like there was a lead weight dragging at my hip(s) and all down the tight right side, although the sharpness had gone. Towards the end hamstring was aching but I managed to keep the pace steady. Quite satisfied with the time.

Smells like proper autumn now, too - must be nearly time for Eureka/NOL which I am looking forward to, not least because it's a proper Vic Eureka. (Canberra last March just wasn't the same, somehow.) Sadly, we haven't managed to convince any SA juniors to come. Nostalgia for the days when we could fill a 22-seater on a Eureka weekend.

Around Lochiel Park which is apparently an eco-village http://www.lochielpark.com.au/lochielpark/ and has sort-of wetlands and some bushy areas which the course crisscrossed, then over the O-Bahn bridge to the golf course and finishing through the school. I liked the course, although as Andrew said, when we came back across the O-Bahn that was nowhere near the end yet. Felt like I ran quite hard, and could feel that I wasn't focusing quite so well as I got tireder...biggest time loss though was probably a few sec trying to get a grip on the slippery pine needle slope at 5!

Nasty twinge in hip & hamstring; I ran to the end of the street and decided to go back and do lots of core stuff but not too much stretching because that aggravates it. Sitting too much at my desk over the last couple of days hasn't helped.