Hiking and biking
As most of you know, just over a week ago, near the end of a 15km run around Deepwater Pt, I felt my right calf muscle give way (what I was doing with a cow strapped on me I’ll never know! Ok, just kidding!) And I was only half a km from finishing the run. Pretty frustrating.
Saturday’s bike ride was pretty frenetic. Rodrigo Mejias was at the front which always means a fast, unrelenting ride. He’s one of the best time triallers in the state here in Western Australia. I got dropped again just before the Causeway but the group always wait for us stragglers near the Narrows Bridge. No Richard Kelly, no Rob Walt, no Luke Hardy so a lot of the pacesetting was on Rod’s back.
I’ve been able to cycle with this calf injury but no running for a week now. Not sure if its my soleus or gastrocnemius muscle (I hope it’s the first one because it’s much easier to say!) It’s been very sobering for me to be hit with running impediments.My family will tell you I’ve never (ever) had running injuries before! Before this calf muscle, it was 3 weeks of bronchitis. Hopefully, that’s the end of a patch of bad luck.
Last Sunday, around 6 of us went trekking from the Northern start of the 950km Bibbulmun track at Kalamunda and 10.5km to the first hut called Hewitts Hill and back for a 21km round trip. Our same group (plus another 6) are all camping and trekking at Bluff Knoll this long weekend. Bluff Knoll is the highest of WA’s peaks and apparently there was snow in these Stirling Ranges last weekend. And unpowered campsites to boot. I have an uneasy feeling already!!!!!
Back to our Sunday trek, it was a cold, wet and windy walk but we were pretty well decked out with wet weather gear. Dee and I have decided we will prepare ourselves (in just over 12mths time) for an assault on the entire Bibbulmun Track. So giving you all plenty of notice in case any of you want to tag along (or just do a section or two with us). We figure it will take 4 to 5 weeks with 30kms a day being the aim. If any of you are serious about joining us, feel free to let me know so we include you in all the planning.
A few of my friends did the Team Time Trial near Pinjarra last weekend (weather didn’t seem to be on your side). Paul Prottey, Peter Clark and Brendan McSweeney placed 3rd in the competitive Masters category. Well done guys. There’s no such thing as an easy time trial. Very taxing in atrocious weather.
I’m aiming to run with Stephen Dunn in the Rottnest Marathon. There’ll be no sub 4hr aspirations, it will just be a trundle through to finish it with Steve. It will be his 100th marathon and he’s only around 41yrs old. It’s hard enough for most of us to imagine doing just the one marathon (or a half marathon for that matter!)
I’m also on board for Anaconda with Declan in a team of 4 again. I’m just doing the 14km run but once bitten twice shy - it’s a flamin’ hard run and it would be good if I didn’t get lost on the run this time. Can’t wait to jump off Sugarloaf Rock again (actually, I can wait!)
And I know I’ve said this before, but I plan to start swimming training again at Riverton Leisureplex with at least one other person. We won’t set the world on fire at between 50 sec to 1mins per 50metres. Still, swimming is good because you can feel it doing you good and it becomes meditative (also a lot easier to do now that the weather is getting warmer)
Todd Panietz and Peter Clark in the business end of their IMWA training. I hope its all sailing along nicely. If any of you IMWA aspirants want some company on the long cycling digs (and I don’t slow you down too much) give me a yell and I’ll join you. Brendan, our team cyclist and Emily our swimmer for IMWA- I’m sure you both are getting stuck in to your training. I haven’t yet booked accommodation in Busselton but no need to panic at this stage.
There’s also a 12 hour rogaine coming up on 11 October (I’m reliably informed). It’s near Dryandra /Wandering way. (Actually its rather ironic because when I rogaine, I feel like I’m just wandering anyway!!)
Stay happy, healthy.
I’ve only just revived our Sony Vaio so have been offline at home for a while.
CHRISTO