Achilles update: almost there!
We did some strength testing in the gym and my scores were still solid despite being in an aerobic building phase and doing minimal heavy strength work. I’ve been able to do reps of seated single-leg calf raises of almost quadruple my body weight, and therefore have been claiming that I have the strongest calves in the world and daring anyone to challenge me.
Tomorrow, I’m returning to Potch for another month-long camp with my team in a much better place, physically, than I was in January. After that I’ll go to Manchester, which will be my base during the European racing season. It’s odd to miss the Australian domestic season due to injury, but also an opportunity to embrace my new training setup.
Speaking of racing, it’s been one year since I changed my relationship to social media by essentially rage-quitting. On the morning of my World Indoor Championships semi-final in Glasgow last year, I woke up, opened Instagram, felt a powerful slap of anxiety, realised I was ruining my race day, deleted the app, and haven’t looked back. My account is now “broadcast only”. I still make posts, but someone else uploads them for me. And to show I’ve opted out, rather than being a bitch who doesn’t “follow back”, I don’t follow anybody.
Why all of this? Obviously, I’m not the only one who struggles with socials – but as well-documented, my brain bruises like a ripe peach.
Maybe I’ll do a deep dive into social media and professional sport in future. I have more to say! But I also realise how sanctimonious social media abstinence sounds, so just know that I’ve replaced my scrolling with a crippling addiction to an app called Cozy Solitaire.
Track of the week: Rawlinson Track, Melbourne University
Melbourne has no shortage of tracks; it has by far the highest density of grass and synthetic tracks of any Australian city (and possibly the world).
Rawlinson Track at the University of Melbourne has the potential to be one of the best tracks in the country with its central location, connection to amenities and Princes Park, open access, and busy casual vibe of students walking between classes.
This makes it extra frustrating how badly maintained the surface is, the cramped arrangement with other sports (there’s a hockey cage and basketball rings in the infield), and the confusing management model. Anecdotally, most serious runners avoid this track and only use it as a last resort.
A luxe redevelopment of the university sports precinct is in the works, including a track upgrade. (The specific plans aren’t yet available; if you have them please hit me up.) They “consulted” the athletics club after completion of design. I wrote a letter to support the club, arguing that they should have a proper consultation to understand how to support track culture. My current post-athletics career goal is to work in sporting architecture and demand real engagement with the sporting communities who are affected.
During my thesis research, I spoke to a runner who trains solo at Rawlinson Track in the early morning before work. The students who trickled in along the perimeter of the track gave a feeling of companionship, he said – a boost of human connection that helped get him through training sessions.
Does this sound too wanky? But The Brutalist was nominated for ten Oscars, so…?
A sketch of … Rocco the one-eyed rat dog
Along with running training in the morning, my new training model adds regular cross-training in the afternoons. My regular gym is too far away for me to commute multiple times a day, so for the past two months I had to find a closer gym, which ended up being Hurl’s Fitness in Clifton Hill. In recent weeks I wrangled a couple of regular shifts on the reception desk as well. It was probably the most chill and enjoyable job I’ve ever had, together with my time packing medication packs for old people in a pharmacy in Maroubra when I was 20 years old.
Anyway, the owner’s dog is a festy old Italian greyhound named Rocco (he’s also the mascot). He has one normal eye and one fucked-up eye and he hates men. But he really likes me and sat on my lap while I took calls and wrote emails.
Bye! See you next time from Potch. X