Nearly there.

I can't say I'm 100% satisfied with my preparation over the last two weeks, but it hasn't been terrible. The hamstring strains from early December persisted long enough to cut down running to just two or three times a week. The race simulation on Dec 7 was a surprise: I was a minute ahead of each the first and second splits I'd set on: 8 minutes instead of 9 at the turn for Telegraph Corner, and 14 minutes instead of 15 minutes at the mirror turn. But I was still at 18.30 at the summit of the last climb. This is a bit confusing. At first I thought I'd slowed down, 'knowing' I had a minute in hand. But looking at it objectively, I think it's also that I had misjudged the length of that section. Even now, it's hard to reconstruct in mind exactly why it should take so long. If I run through the curves and straights of it, it doesn't seem like a 4.5 minute run. But I went back there the day after and ran it again, in three hard efforts with just one minute rests, and it still took me 4.5 minutes. So, one thing is, it's longer than I thought or think. My body hasn't taken the measure of it properly. Also, that's the point where the real strength is needed, and who knows if I have it? What I hope is I'm rested enough, and have made enough gains in strength, to really race over that section. I should be holding back at all there. In the sim, and the reps the next day, the 'central governor' was kicking in at that point. What I want is to be strong enough to run right up to the limits of the central governor at that point. Can I? My training hasn't answered that question. Which is where my dissatisfaction lies. The race will answer it. Will I be able to run myself into complete oxygen starvation at that point? Will my fitness allow it? Or will I shut down?

It's interesting, running at that pitch of intensity, how the brain starts to take a position as it were outwith the body. The brain observes. The body decides. I'm curious what will happen. I hope I can stay in that state of curiosity and not psyche myself out.

The training log is really helpful at this point. It really helps to be able to review all the sessions I've done and tell myself I've done, if not enough (it's never enough), then at least enough of enough.

So since the sim and the following session, I've done one wednight run with a sort of loose, but nevertheless fast, run up the peak, followed by a short rest then a hard run around the Peak, another rest at the end of that, another road loop but at a much lower intensity (conversational) and a fast, relaxed descent back to Central. Followed that with hard bike intervals on the Friday- 6 x five minutes with 50 second rest; and then a run of the Tai Po Mountain Half route the following day. The sunday after that I had a very tough hike through dense bush, uphill, with a pack- good strength work- and since then, basically just tapering using the bike. Tuesday it was 2 minutes hard with 20 second rest, 6 times. Wednesday it was 30 minutes spinning in the morning, and in the evening, accelerations over 10 seconds, 20 seconds all out, 10 seconds deceleration, and repeat, 12 times. This morning, 40 minutes spinning. Tonight, not sure I'll do anything. Stretching probably couldn't hurt. Tomorrow I'm very busy, but I should get out and do some accelerations, maybe just two, up to race pace, over 500m. Saturday a jog and some strides.

Weight has to come down, that's one thing to be very careful of. It's stuck at just over 80.

Already planning for next year.