Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy!

Woo hoo - a tiny bit of warmth and the wind has eased. It looks like we're in for a pleasant change of climate and the temperature is rising again after a freezing weekend.

Monday

I wasn't able to attend speedygeoff's training last night as we have interstate visitors this week. Instead I ran early in the morning before my physio appointment, just a short run from home.

Total distance: 8km

Time taken: 50mins

Tuesday

This morning I went for run just like yesterday, running early before breakfast and work.

Total distance: 8km

After work I did some strength work at the gym.

Here comes another one - just like the other one!

Indeed, the conditions this morning were similar to yesterday although even colder and more bleak.It was blustery and barely 6deg with an even colder wind chill factor - not at all pleasant at the Vets' Handicap run this morning. For very brief moments during the hilly run the sun peeped through and there was a little warmth but it didn't last and after the run I became freezing again very quickly. However, it is always good to catch up with all my running buddies and see people I only see at those monthly runs.

Total distance: 8km
Handicap group: 19
Place: 63rd (out of 88)
Time taken: 48:42
Average pace per km: 6:05

Battling a bleak and blustery day!

I faced the elements, wore 3/4 leggings, a t-shirt and spray jacket and took off into the wind at about 9.45am. Boy, it was cold. Where has spring gone this weekend? Tomorrow's forecast is much the same - nasty!

I ran from home past the AIS into the city where I turned left and ran along a hilly Dryandra St at the back of O'Connor Ridge and back home via O'Connor and Lyneham. I was caught in a shower of rain a few times and had to battle a head wind other times and when the wind came on the uphills it felt like I was barely moving. I didn't take off my spray jacket at all but when the sun peeped through very briefly I did unzip it a little! Tomorrow's vets' handicap run will be interesting!

Total distance: 10km

Time taken: 1:05

Average pace per km: 6:30

Calories burned: 592

Photos from speedygeese dinner: Craig and Neil; Yelena and Ken; Neil and Peter. All these speedygeese will probably be at the vets' run tomorrow.

Last session at Dickson this season

The oval wasn't open tonight which meant there were no lights and the toilet block remained closed. In spite of the sudden cold change it was quite reasonable weather wise and we had enough natural light to see our way around the track.

We ran a long lap followed by a short lap as a warmup. Our main set was: 200m fast 200m slow, 400m fast, 400m slow, 600m fast, 600m slow, 400m fast, 400m slow, 200m fast/slow, 400m fast/slow and 200m fast/slow. We then did one more cooldown lap.

Total distance: 10.8km

Then to finish off Janene produced an enormous chocolate cake with cheesecake inside - just magnificent! This was to celebrate three recent birthdays in our group - Brett, Heidi and Bronwyn's 40th and also the fact that tonight is our last session at Dickson for the season. Next Thursday is the first week of track.

Photos from speedygeese dinner: Janene and Heidi; Bronwyn sporting her Disneyland Half Marathon medal

A fun run after the dust settles!

This morning I did an RPM class followed by an abs class at the gym and after work I joined Chris, Andy and Jen at Parliament House for a training run. The strong winds from earlier in the day had eased and the rain never eventuated. In spite of the storms of the last two nights and the dreadful dust storm that hit Canberra yesterday it was a very pleasant evening and I really enjoyed the run even when Andy and I lost the others and ran back to the start a slightly different way due to serious lack of direction from both of us!

Photos from speedygeese dinner: Mr B and Jen, Chris and strewth.

Total distance: 10km

Time taken: 1:03

Average pace per km: 6:20

Calories burned: 570

I Hear Thunder!

Last night instead of training we had a speedygeese dinner at La Capanna in Kingston. Only 16 of us attended but it was lots of fun. We arrived home just before a huge storm struck. I went for a run again after work this evening and home just before another storm and at this moment I can hear huge claps of thunder outside which probably means I should turn off the computer!

However, I will just record the stats first as it was only a short run tonight.
Total distance: 6.03km
Time taken: 35:56
Average pace per km: 5:58
Calories burned: 350


Photo: Our speedycoach with his lovely Jenny

Running in the spring sunshine

Floriade - springtime in Canberra

World Age Group Championships Triathlon

Today, Monday, I have just been for a 15km run from home and round the lake. Tonight is the speedygeese dinner so there is no official training session. It has been a lovely day in Canberra today but now there are threatening black clouds on the horizon.

Such a Busy Little Life!

Having been gallivanting once again, this time in Noosa and the Gold Coast, in stunning weather, it is now time I returned to some serious training and healthy eating habits. CJ and I joined Mr B at Noosa for four days before driving on to the Gold Coast. I ran and walked every day in Noosa on lots of hills and undulations and the weather, shopping and coffee was fantastic. Then on to the Gold Coast for a week - lots more running and walking but this time on the flat - no hills whatsoever.

The world triathlon championships were great. Mr B took part in the age group championships and was placed 31st out of 43 in his age group. His cycle and run were really good but his swim let him down. However, the whole experience was fun and we enjoyed the social activities with him. My daughter joined us from Sydney for the weekend of the race and we all had a really good time.

I returned to Canberra late on Monday when Mr B then flew to Melbourne for a squash competition for the rest of the week and I returned to work and routine. I ran on Tuesday, returned to the gym for RPM and abs on Wed and to training on Thursday.

At training only four people turned up and we ran on the oval without lights against a nasty wind and threatening rain. In fact we just finished our session before the rain really came down - excellent timing. Craig led us as our speedy chief was on holidays. We had two warm up loops of the oval, one long, one short before our main session of 10 x 300m fast and 100m slow.

On Friday it was back to the gym for a Body Balance class and yesterday I ran an 8km run. Today we enjoyed a visit to floriade as spring has come to Canberra. It was really beautiful. Tomorrow the plan is for a long run and more constant blog entries. Yes, twoapples, I am alive!