Sonia O’Sullivan: Variety can spice up your training regime

It’s 20 years now since I first arrived in Melbourne, escaping our winter for the Australian summer and my first ever warm-weather training camp. Back then I knew exactly what training I needed to do daily. I only had to establish my routine in a new city.

Straightaway I was introduced to The Tan, Melbourne’s iconic 3.8km gravel path – originally a horse track – that goes around the Botanical Gardens. It’s mainly flat and no matter what time of day you went past The Tan, there would always be people running. Most people run clockwise, taking in the steep 400m Anderson Street climb, which is also the direction used to get your fastest lap.

It seemed as if all Melbourne locals, including AFL football players, would know their “Tan” time, and use this as a gauge of their current fitness level. I was a bit more concerned with how fast I could run 12½ laps of an athletics track (5,000m), so I never really got too concerned about my “Tan” time. I would run six laps on a Sunday for my long run, and that was probably the quietest morning of the week to go for a run around The Tan.

Fitness revolution

Melbourne, like the rest of the world, has evolved with the fitness revolution, and now people aren’t just out running but also cycling and swimming, with fitness boot camps also popping up in parks throughout the city and suburbs.

It’s been awhile now since I’ve run around The Tan, as I don’t live so close anymore. So last week I decided to pay a bit more attention to fitness routines outside my back gate. We’re very lucky as our house backs on to a lovely gravel running trail of around 8km. It was 8am as I headed out with Snowy, our six-year old Border Collie. He likes to run with me most days, but on Thursday we were walking with a hurley and sliotar; my latest routine means Thursday is not a running day.

Normally there would be people running and cycling in all directions but today at this time it was mostly all the dog-walkers. It seems I’m not the only one with a fixed training routine: it’s in us all, even the dogs. I quickly realised 8am was the dog-walking hour, although I missed the high-energy fitness hours, which take place from around 6am each day. Funny how as the day goes by there seems to be a changeover of the intensity of activity.

I also know this from my immersion with various training groups in Melbourne. The big difference between Australia and Ireland is the waking hour, or the time that is acceptable for groups of people to head out and claim their boost of energy for the day. After a few months in Ireland, I’ve found it very difficult to get up at 5:30am and get to the train station on time to join the ARCers (Ashburton Riders Club) for the daily ride, departing at 6am.

It took me a while to catch on that the station clock was the daily starting gun. There is no waiting around and if you’re late, you end up chasing down the road, hoping to be saved by the traffic lights along the way. Maybe they’ll get all the red lights, and I’ll get all the green lights? Once you turn the corner at the end of North Road, all the way to Beach Road, it’s like joining the Tour the France, with so many groups of riders in matching gear, flying along in small and big groups.

It’s an amazing sight and a great experience to join in. This is no casual early morning ride, although the views out over Port Philip Bay and the stunning houses are enough to keep you amused if you get dropped by a concentration lapse.

Then there’s the FHOGS (Fat hairy old Guys & Sonia). At 6:01am we’re in the pool as the doors open at 6am for the waiting queue. This is a brilliant splash-and-dash, in at 6am, out by 7am. Anyone who swims will know how much easier it is to swim in a group, how much more you can get from a group session. Although recently I’ve found swimming in the late afternoon sun a bit more pleasant, with my trusty Garmin for company, and a session on a piece of paper stuck to the pool deck.

But running is still my favourite activity, and 9am each day is the “Mums” running hour. It’s a lovely nice social time to run and chat and catch up on all the recent news, out around Gardiners Creek Trail, Caulfield Race Course, Wattle Park, Jells Park, Nortons Park. The buzz and selection of venues is far greater than The Tan, and the intensity is so much less.

Daily routine

I feel a little like a magpie, dropping in and out of these groups and training sessions. It’s nice to have the constant and measured efforts in your daily routine, but it’s also nice to mix up your days and hours, sampling a little of this and that, seeing the value in everything – even if it means getting up before the sun to join a group ride or swim. The result after something different is always extremely satisfying. You just have to join in and give it a go.

No matter what level of fitness – beginner or Olympic athlete – it’s only when you mark out a target and tell a few people that you will be able to commit to a more rigid and strict routine of fitness.

After spending six months focused on the Dublin marathon, I’m in the in-between phase now, maintaining fitness so that I’m ready to commit, once I target that next fitness goal in my life. It’s been nice dabbling in the different groups, although I am itching for the constant routine, that thing which voids out any question marks in your head, and is a driving force that has you jumping out of bed every morning before the alarm goes off.