Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3...

4.

Thousand. Metres.

That sounds like a good way to test where my fitness is at. I've built my base up again since the injury and hit over 100km +3000 mtr last week with no worsening of the minor continual nerve/foot issues. And there was so much pretty trail to see!

Now, with the base back, it's time to hit the track and do a 4k "time trial" of sorts and see how it compares to last year's efforts. Oh, it's gonna be sooooo painful. And slooooow. Which means pain for even longer! I'm still 3kg up from competition weight. But I've got the Beet It shot ready (see click through for all my research history and experiments into beetroot juice and ergogenic effects). I need all the help I can get!

Last week I had four great hill runs. On Wednesday Rolf and I got out to do a recce of a PTS half marathon course, so we ran 27k (I ran, Rolf had a bad day and practiced a lot of power walking).

Because it was a race recce, it was top secret stuff, so we ran without company. (Except for that sms after the run reading, "Hey, b, was that you that just left (secretplace)?" Damn. PTS spies!

On Thursday, after missing the usual midweek group run, 6 of us headed out to Bold Park. Rolf was in fine form after his rest-run on Wednesday, so he and another fellow were setting a good pace and there was some sheep-dogging going on to keep the group together. However, an ironic 250 mtrs from the finish, we lost half the pack! A few bonus k later and we were all reunited, eating watermelon in the dark of the carpark, laughing about our mini-adventure.

Saturday, Rolf and I were at it again with PTS stuff - recce'ing the Swissmurdie long course. Naturally, after a long week of work, we opted for the lie-in, which meant an 11 AM start and running in 35 degree peak heat for 3 hrs, sharing the last of the water from my hydration pack 2k from the finish. Why do we never learn? The rest of the day was spent getting the bodies recovered to do a 4hr / 35km run with the group again the following day. More pretty trail, stunning views, brutal heat, and dry hydration packs at the end but this time there was also a waterfall and pool to soak in!

I'll be sure to update after the 4,000 mtr Run of Doom.