Short term memory loss!

Oh golly, another week has flown by already and now there's all this catching up to do. I so wish I didn't have to go to work and could keep everything up to date. I can't believe it's less than a month until Christmas. I have just so much to do and work is so busy and there's so many functions it's driving me crazy. What is really really disappointing is that I was so much looking forward to track on Thursday with Luckylegs coming to Canberra to be at track and the spiral handicap event to run. However, I completely overlooked the fact that it is actually the evening of our client staff Christmas party which I am compelled to attend being part of management and I am disappointed, frustrated and very cross with myself!

I will go backwards with my training (which probably has gone backwards lately anyway)!

Monday 27 November
Morning - Gym
Total body workout

Running - speedygeoff's group at Parliament House

Geoff was unable to attend tonight so Trevor led our group following speedygeoff's program. After a warm-up loop of PH our main set was 5 x [600m hilly loops fast, 600m hilly loops slow]. Maureen and I managed 4 repeats before calling it quits. The others had lapped us anyway. The temperature was 34deg and we were dripping and uncomfortable. We finished with a cool-down (I wish) loop back to the carpark.

Total distance: 8km

Sunday - Vets' Handicap Run - 8.30am
Location: Innabaanya (Mount Majura)
Handicap Group: 20
Place: 70th
Distance: 8km
Time taken: 47:30
Average pace per km: 5:57

The run started on a hill and was off-road, very undulating and had a lot of loose stones and rocks on the route so I had to watch my footing. It was a two loop course and the second time certainly felt easier than the first loop in spite of the hills and knowing what was coming next! I managed to run all the way although a bit slowly! I didn't run really well but it was a good course although I did run with caution among the rough surface. The weather was very hot and I don't run particularly well in the heat. There was however some lovely shaded parts along the way. Mr B ran well taking ten minutes less than me and coming in 10th from Group 25. After the run we stayed to listen to all the presentations and enjoyed a sausage sizzle, drinks and good company!

Later in the afternoon I watched the finish of the Hartley Challenge where all the cyclists arrived in convoy at Reconciliation Place. We had a couple of friends who had completed the cycle and had a ball. It was certainly an impressive challenge over three days of cycling a total of 450km.

The triple tri was also held this weekend and a number of friends and vetrunners competed in various legs.

Saturday - Medium hilly run from Molonglo Reach - 8am
From next Saturday onwards our runs will start at 7am as the weather is becoming really hot. However this morning we started at 8am and yes, it was still very hot. Barbara turned up this week and for a while we ran with Ewen who had decided to start with our 8am group today as we run more gently than the 7am group! We ran a slightly different route back following Ewen. It was very close in distance to our usual run.

Distance: 16.3km
Average pace per km: 6:30
Time taken: 1hour 46mins

Thursday
Morning - Gym

6pm - Track

I planned to run the 3000m event at 6pm and arrived with just over 5 minutes to spare - not a lot of warm-up but tonight it was extremely hot on the track. The sun was glaring down and that 3km felt really hard. I was 28secs slower than last time!!
Event: 3000m
Time taken: 15:25

I was just packing up to leave the track when Marg and Anne arrived and somehow I was talked into entering the 10000m event. Now this means running round and round the track 25 times. Fortunately the sun was no longer streaming down and the conditions were a lot better at 8pm than they were at 6pm. Roy lap counted for Marg, Steve and me and off we went - round and round and round. For the first 6km I ran behind Marg and tried to ensure that she didn't get too far in front. At the 6km mark I sped up a little bit and managed to pass her. At this point I tried to continue at a slightly faster pace and managed to stay in front of her. It wasn't as boring as I thought it would be as there were lots of others out there and people cheering on the sidelines. In fact I hate to admit this but I will probably do it again!

Event: 10,000m
Time taken: 53:46

Wednesday - gym and yoga
Too far away to remember the details. I know I definitely benefitted from the yoga session. I will try very hard to update my blog more regularly so that I don't forget what I'm doing!!