Well it’s been a month since my last Journal. I can’t believe it has gone so quickly. I am currently on holidays studying for my VCE exams that are only a month away. Despite this, I have still been able to train reasonably well. As stated last month, I am trained by Justin Rinaldi. Last year it was pretty much just the two of us training, with a few guys coming in and out during the year. This year we have a more settled squad, including Simon Fitzpatrick and on the rare occasions James Pettigrew. We are also regularly training with Mark Hipworth’s group 2-3 times a week. Simon & James are great guys and we all get on very well together. My older brother Tom is also threatening to join us now that football is over. It is great having a group to push you, particularly on those cold and miserable nights that Melbourne throws at us sometimes.
I have been training very well, with some positive signs for the season ahead. I have had a slight niggle in my shin which has been bothering me for 6 weeks. I got it checked out after the pain neither improved nor dissipated just to be certain it was nothing serious and the news is that all is OK. I just have a minor stress reaction which means I need to cut back on long runs for a few weeks, so just hard running sessions and pool work until things are 100%.
The pool sessions I do with my brother and Alex Carew are always great fun. At the start of each session we do a 250m kickboard time-trial and finish the session with a 50m time-trial. Despite being great mates, I can honestly say there is no better feeling than beating Carew or my brother over either distance! Currently my best times are 5:09 for the 250m and 45.8 for the 50m. I have found that the friendly competition that we have found in these time-trials has really helped motivate me to get into the pool and work hard.
I have competed a few times over the last month. Firstly I ran a 400m on the 25th of August at the All-Schools Knockouts, clocking 49.22 and a week later at the Vic All Schools Relays. I was in the Open 4 x 800m for St. Kevin’s and ran the last leg. When the baton got to me I had a bit of ground to make up with Freddy Ovett from Melbourne Grammar leading. I caught him with about 150m to go, got to the front with 100m to go, but Freddy had a bit more in the tank than me and re-took the lead in the last 20m, winning the race for Melbourne Grammar. I ran a 1:48.3 split, so was pretty happy with that for this time of the year. I ran in a new middle distance spike from New Balance. I don’t think these are on the market yet, but it is a fantastic shoe. Previously I had been wearing another brand, but I think the New Balance is significantly better. They have a really aggressive plate and the quality and finish is just sensational. I also ran a 1500m at a school comp on 16th September at Box Hill. I clocked in at 3:54 which is a new PB, albeit unofficial. I look forward to running a few 1500s over summer, so hopefully I can get under 3:50.
Later this month I will compete in the APS Finals on the 23rd of October which I am really looking forward as it will be my last ever race for school; until then it’s back to the track and the pool….and the books.
Thanks for following.
