I managed to get out and have a short, sharp burl on the mountain bike (Cannondale hardtail F600) though the local bushland for a quickie to see how the handlebar bag handled, and if I could use the top map pocket for navigation and maybe el basico MTB orienteering. It was great getting back on dirt, although in my haste I had left gloves behind (it was still c.o.l.d). Constrained by time, and a little tentative about twisting my foot out of the cleat on the sprained ankle, but great fun.

In the evening I lobbed up to 'Team Moore' at Dickson oval for my first track session in four weeks. Aki was there, along with my favourite running buddy Peter, and the format was the same as in previous weeks, with 8 x 300m sprints, followed by a baton change and 200m recovery in teams of three. It was a clear, dark, star studded night with no cloud cover to protect from the plummeting temperatures.

I felt that I flew in the first rep (I don't think I'll find a vocation as a sprinter though), however found it increasingly difficult to lift, with my breathing very laboured. When Aki padded past me easily when I was doing it tough on rep 2 or 3, I shouted some carefully chosen words of encouragement (and I quote: "I hate you"). Her style, speed and endurance is continuing to improve all the time, and with her undoubted commitment will do great things, soon.

By the end of the 8th rep, I was well and truly ready for the warm down jog, and the pendulum had swung to enjoying the (benefits of the) session, even if during the efforts this was hard to conceive!

Home to some hot nutrient empty sodium (packet broth) to supplement my fortijuice and warm me from the inside. Hip flexor sore at the end, but good now. Ankle so much better, I shouldn't mention the uncertainty of the variable grass track.

Spent an hour removing cable ties on my bike holding sensors and mounts etc, which was long overdue. Hope to cycle to customs tomorrow, only drawback is that makes it difficult to do more than the 5k due to security.

Mood :-)