Back to the Oval

Tonight was quite a fun session at Dickson Oval but it was very tough and definitely outside my comfort zone which was the requirement for my training session. Quite a few people who hadn't been at sessions since last year turned up tonight. It was great to catch up.

We ran a couple of loops of the oval to start and the main set was done as one big relay with four people passing batons after fast 200m sprints while some of us tried to keep up with them before they passed the batons and jogged for 100m. In other words it was similar to last week's session in that we sprinted for 200m, jogged for 100m and repeated this 12 times. However, I had to really run fast to try to keep my partner in sight let alone keep up with him - good fun though, at least I can say that afterwards! We finished with another loop of the oval.

Total distance: 7km

Calories burned: 410

Roger running at the half-way point of the marathon and CJ on the home straight

Some days we just need to run!

Distance: 15.33km

Time taken: 1:30:05

Average pace per km: 5:52

Calories burned: 901

Fastest km: 5:27

Locality: East basin of Lake BG - out past Molonglo and return to office in London Circuit

Ewen met me a little earlier today. We started off at 4.45pm and had an awesome run. It was cool but pleasant, no wind and just becoming dark towards the end of the run. I have just started training for the Gold Coast Marathon in July and today's schedule was for 1hour 30mins so we ran for 45mins and turned and ran back for the same time. It was a really pleasant and enjoyable run, much needed to relieve a very very stressful day in the office. Gee, running is a great release sometimes.

Roger and CJ before the marathon - eager smiles!

Happy little speedygeese!

Charlie in the last leg; Gary being cheered on by Rachelle





LL just after she finishes
CJ on the home straight; Caroline being de-numbered after her 50km after the hail storm

Roger,CJ, spody & Gary - all happy speedy geese finishers!

Tuesday - A trip to the gym this morning to lift some weights and do some much-needed stretches and abs work.

But wait there's more - photos galore!

Charlie running under blue sky - LL being relieved of her running chip after the marathon

the 'toasties', speedygeoff & ewen

CJ & Charlie - all smiles
Thea running in the rain - still not warm enough to remove her jacket

Some of the supporting speedygeese- strewth, Rachelle, PRB & Ewen make speedycoach look smug!

Monday morning - RPM/cycle - 45mins class at 6.15am

5.30pm - speedygeoff's training at PH

Distance: 10km

Calories burned: 594

Warm up loop of PH followed by shorter warm-up loop then main set consisting of 3 x 950m fast interspersed with 2 x 950m slow. This week I actually managed to fit in all three fast 950m so was pleased about that. Then we had a warm down loop weaving in and out the dark tracks. It was difficult to see and annoyingly, I remembered to take my headlight but left it in the car! It was mind boggling to note that after the marathon the day before speedygeoff still took our session and Gary even ran an extra km with me to collect my long sleeved top which I had left at the start of our main set. They have both recovered so impressively - obviously doing the right training!

Tomorrow I will publish some more marathon photos. I have a few!

Canberra Marathon Weekend!

Saturday - Marathon Eve

Today Rachelle and I decided to put in a late entry and run the 10km marathon eve run. At least this way we could feel part of this awesome weekend. It is rather a boring course, spectator friendly but mainly flat and on hard concrete and looped round and round and round - hmmm. This was a first for me, quite different from running the marathon but the cheering was fantastic and there was still a big buzz in seeing those familiar faces out there and hearing my name called out - thanks guys. It does help!

Distance: 10km
Time taken: 54:20
Average pace per km: 5:19

I was quite happy with that as I haven't run a 10km race for ages. I may run the Mothers Day one just to attempt to improve my time! Rachelle ran a PB of 47:20 so was very happy with that - awesome!

And today, Sunday, was marathon day. What a day. The race started in the rain - a gentle drizzle followed by a steady downfall for an hour or so before the sun decided to push its way through the clouds and slowly there was some warmth out there. I have now discovered that being a spectator can be very exhausting and very exciting all at once. A group of us ran to the 5km mark, cheering loudly at PH, then on to the 8km mark for more cheering, before running on to visit Katy and Mark in their stunning selection of cheer squad gear in a sheltered spot under the bridge. They are so amazing with their fantastic and original outfits which they changed regularly to brighten the runners' day and lift their spirits. Originally Mark was to be a pace marker but he became injured and unfortunately had to pull out of the run. That didn't stop these awesome Queenslanders from getting into the spirit of the event and making everyone else's day much more fun.

We ran on to the halfway point where we had a great view of our running buddies - so many familiar faces out there, so many smiles, so much pain. Then back to the finish so that we were in time to cheer in the winner and all our awesome running friends and speedygeese and stay cheering on our favourite W75 - Luckylegs, looking amazing and strong at 5:35 and Caroline after her 50km finishing in a hail storm! Well done CJ, Charlie, speedygeoff, Griffin (who is now officially a Griffin), LL, Caroline, Roger and Thea on her debut marathon. Woo hoo, the speedygeese rule - we are the champions! Long live the speedygeese!

The awsome Lucklegs looking fresh as a daisy at the finish and Thea happy to finish her debut marathon!

Griffin becomes a "Griffin" with big smiles from Mrs Griffin!

Dickson Oval speed session

I am sitting here nodding off so I had better wake up, write this quickly, pack my gym bag and go to bed for some sleep! After work today I went to speedygeoff's Thursday Dickson Oval session. There was a good turn-out of people and the weather was mild and perfect for training - marred only by the fact that it becomes dark quite early and then it's difficult to see the potholes!

Distance: 8km

Session: A long warm up loop of the oval followed by a short warm-up loop.

Main set: 12 x 200m sprints with 100m slower jogs between.

It was tough but a good work-out. It was great to catch up with Barb who has just returned from another trip to refresh her kiwi accent.

Best of luck to all those people running in the Canberra marathon on Sunday. I very much envy you and will really miss running it this year. However, I will be out there cheering you on in my CR gear!

Trying out the New Shoes!

Yesterday at lunchtime I replaced my shoes with Brookes Axiom which is what I was using before. The latest pair have purple bits and tone in quite well with the 'berry' pink running gear! I was unable to purchase a bigger size in the Mizuno and these feel comfortable although they're not quite as pretty!

After work today I met up with Ewen and we ran a middle distance run giving me a chance to run in my new shoes! We ran the East Basin and continued on through the Wetlands, past Kingston and back to the start. As we passed Molonglo we met up with Chris running in the opposite direction. He turned and ran with us back to Kings Ave at which point he returned to where his car was parked. It was lovely to run with two very tall gentlemen and I felt secure running through the unlit backblocks where I would never be brave enough to run alone.

Distance: 16km

Time taken: 1:39:13

Average pace per km: 6:12

Calories burned: 960

We were slower than last week but that could have been because we ran with extreme caution in the unlit parts as nobody wanted to turn an ankle or run in potholes. Next week we will take lights!

Parliament House becomes darker!

Rachelle and I arrived early enough to run about 2km warm-up before the rest of the group arrived. We both ran in our new shoes just for the warm-up but I am wondering if I should have selected half a size bigger as I can feel my toes touching the end when I run.Kathy suggested taking them back to the shop when she is working tomorrow and just checking the next size up for comparison. Better to be safe than sorry!

This evening's session after the warm-up loop and a half was the same as last week. 950m undulating repeats with slow recovery runs of the same distance between each one. Then another warm-down loop.

Distance: 10.5km (including extra warm-up at start)
Calories burned: 430
With daylight saving ended the sun sets much earlier and we were running our last warm down loop in darkness. Looks like I may have to hunt out my headlamp!

Women's and Girls' Fun Run in the Sun!

It was a stunner of a day for the W&G Funrun. I collected Rachelle in plenty of time to collect our numbers and catch up with just so many friends and acquaintances who seem to come out of the woodwork at awesome events like this. There were almost 1,300 entrants of all shapes, sizes and abilities and it really was a great atmosphere. Our speedyganders were cheering us on from the sidelines along with those speedygeese who had run longer distances beforehand and of course all those many other families and friends supporting so many people. It was a well-run enjoyable event. I did not run very well, possibly a lot to do with little sleep and a bad week but I was happy. It didn't matter, it was all about having fun and that was there in multitudes. I wore all pink today (except for the shoes which definitely looked a tad grotty) and thus it was that Rachelle and I trotted off to the Runners Shop after a pleasant lunch for a little retail therapy. R was in search of lovely track shoes and I was in seach of shoes with a touch of pink to complete my outfit. I bought some Mizuno shoes in the end after trying just so many others. They feel comfortable and lightweight. I'll try them out in the warm-up before tomorrow's session and will hopefully run in them at the 10km marathon eve run.

Distance: 5km

Time taken: 27:05
Average pace per km: 5.20
One of these days when I'm feeling bug-free and fit I will beat that elusive 5min km pace!

Daylight Saving Ends!

This week has been a bit of a disaster. I had a few days off work sick and as a consequence was unable to run between Monday's training and today. It's taking a long time to shake it off and energy is lacking. However, this morning I bit the bullet and organised to meet CJ for a coffee at Black Pepper at 9.30am. This would ensure that I ran to meet her there at that time. Besides Mr B is in Bathurst this weekend at a squash tournament so I am free as a bird. He's such a gadabout but by all accounts is winning his matches so that's good.

Anyway the run wasn't too bad. I felt very heavy and slow for the first half and then at about the 10km mark I met up with CJ (totally unplanned at that time) running in the opposite direction so I turned around and ran the rest of the way with her, back to our coffee spot! That probably made me speed up a bit!

Total distance: 15km
Time taken: 1:29:52
Average pace per km: 5:59
Calories burned: 890

It turned out to be a stunning sunny 21deg day in Canberra today with not a breath of wind, not many of these days left now I imagine, but oh boy it was pretty damn cold at 8am! Tomorrow is the Women's and Girls' Fun Run. Although I have entered I know it will be a slow run. After all the emphasis is on having fun in the sun. :) I must remember to put back my clock as daylight saving ends. How sad. Summer is truly over now.

Weekend Review

Wow, quite a weekend really. After Friday's spin class I had a call from speedygeoff which set my thoughtwaves in action and that evening I checked the Cross Country calendar, contacted a couple of friends and decided at about 9pm to run the 10miler early next morning.

Saturday - Cross Country Run - 7am

Distance: 10miles (or 16.22km according to Garmin)

Location: Black Mountain Peninsula round Lake BG

Time taken: 1:32:33

Average pace per km: 5:42

Place: 68th (out of 108)

Calories burned: 965

It was a cold morning that early (what an uncivilized hour for a race) but actually the conditions were absolutely ideal - not a breath of wind and the sky remained overcast until towards the end. It was lovely - undulating (those hills can be tough for that distance) but for a last minute decision I enjoyed the run and was pleasantly surprised with my time. Later a few of us enjoyed a coffee and chat (as we do) at Tilleys - a good morning. Oh and we remembered to turn everything off at 8pm for earth hour and enjoyed the sounds of silence!

Sunday - Vets' Handicap Race

Location: Kowen Forest

Terrain: Very hilly

Distance: 7.5km

Place: 76th (out of 100)

Handicap Group: 23

Time taken: 45minutes

Average pace per km: 6mins

This was a tough hilly uneven run but the weather was ideal. I probably found it more difficult as I arrived very close to the time it started and didn't allow enough time for a reasonable warm up. However, I was pleased to have run it and it was great to catch up with heaps of people who I only ever see at the handicap runs.

The afternoon was spent on grandparent duties followed by a family dinner and a big family working party packing up furniture and pulling up carpet as Mr B is painting walls and laying floorboards as his next project resulting in rooms full of boxes and books and furniture being stored while this project takes place. We have one very empty echoey (is that a word?) family room and several very cluttered rooms as a result! I'm sure it will be worth it when he finishes!

Monday - speedygeoff's training at Parliament House

Distance: 7.6km

Calories burned: 450

I arrived too late for the warm-up loop due to work commitments so this cut the distance very short. The main set was a number of 950m fast undulating loops alternating with slow loops. I struggled a bit tonight but every little bit helps. This was followed by the warm down loop of PH.

Wombat Wednesday

In the morning I struggled out of bed to attend the RPM/spin class at the gym. Gee, it was hard work after missing Friday's class!

After work Ewen met me for our mid-week run round the East Basin of the lake. It felt slow and tough initially but once we were in a rhythm and involved in all our long weekend catch-up session it felt good, although we were battling a head wind on the return journey. We beat last week's time by 4secs per km!

Total distance: 16km
Time taken: 1:37:20
Average pace per km: 6:05
Calories burned: 950
I do enjoy those Wednesday runs and the company is great but once I finish I just can't seem to eat and drink enough. I'm hungry all evening!!

I think our hot snap is defnitely over. The mornings and evenings are becoming exceedingly brisk (unlike my running) and our overnight temperature tonight (Thursday) is forecast to be 3deg - ouch - back to boots and jackets for the office and I must look out that long-sleeved running gear!

Fun at the Coast!

We had an awesome weekend - great company with lots of walking, running, swimming, wining and dining, kayaking and far too much chocolate! The weather was fairly average - some rain, some cold snaps, some sunshine but on the all-important kayak lesson day it was beautiful. The sun came out and we had a fantastic time even including swimming during our morning tea break and later in the afternoon at the local beach.

On the Friday morning seven of us set off for a run, all running various distances according to our needs. Mr B and I were running at a gentle pace and decided to go on to run almost 22km. We ran several kms on the beach bush track that Ewen had recommended and it was just beautiful, set amongst the trees in the shade. The surface was a bit rough at the start but great later and it was sad to emerge back on to the pathway where we headed for Huskisson before we turned back. I had to run another km at the end up a very steep hill before heading for the beach to stand in the cold surf while Mr B went for a proper dip. It was very refreshing.

Distance: 21.43km (yes, I know I should have run that extra 600m)

Time taken: 2:18

Average pace per km: 6:28 (parts of it were a bit rough and parts were on soft sand which was tricky)

Calories burned: 1270

During the course of the weekend I went on a 9km walk with one of the girls and a few swims in the surf. It was just a lovely social weekend.

Tuesday - Back to work!

I managed to run between showers this morning before work. Later it absolutely pelted down so I was lucky to run when I did. It had been raining overnight and the ground was wet but it was really pleasant temperature-wise.

Distance: 8.8km

Time taken: 57mins

Average pace per km: 6:30 (no excuses, just tired I think)

Calories burned: 525

I need to burn heaps more calories to work off a lot of extra chocolate intake. I've been desperately trying to eat up all the chocolate so that I can be good again. If there's none around I can't eat it. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it, but I don't think it quite works, somehow!

Happy Easter to you all!

This has been a stressful week - far too many hours at work, auditors in the office and lots of other dramas. I was unable to go to training on Monday night which was very sad so instead I ran a short run early in the morning. It was only a short run as that was all I could fit in but at least it was something.

Distance: 6.79km
Time taken: 40:22
Average pace per km: 5:57
Calories burned: 398

Wednesday
6.15am - spin class - 45mins of hard work on that bike!

5.20pm - Run with Ewen round East basin of Lake.
Distance: 16km
Time taken: 1:38
Average pace per km: 6:07

Now that's a better pace for that distance. We'll be down to 6min pace soon. it's great to have Ewen back running with me again after his awesome SFT. We only had one stop and that was on the return trip. It was a really good run on a perfectly still balmy evening - bunnies, lizards, kayaks, good conversation - a lovely run altogether.

Tomorrow afternoon Mr B and I are off to Hyams Beach near Jervis Bay with three other couples (including CJ and Mr CJ) - should be a fantastic weekend, with plenty of exercise involved as everybody going is training for something - duathlons, ironman, marathon and half marathons - so it will be lots of fun. Oh and there'll probably be a bit of chocolate involved too somewhere in there! Happy and safe Easter everyone!

Flat batteries, lack of fuel, empty radiator; overheating!

That was me on my run this morning! I started way too late in a 33deg temp and suffered accordingly! Last night we met up with friends for a great meal at a local restaurant and of course a few wines were consumed. I guess the combination of the wine, the temperature and lack of food as I didn't eat before my run, caused me to struggle this morning. I can only describe this run as an exhausting exercise in determination! I ran from home to Lake Ginninderra, round the lake, back past Giralang through the tunnel on the way to Gungahlin and back down to Kaleen shops where I bought another bottle of water as I had drunk all four of my little bottles from round my waist, on towards the AIS then back home. I just couldn't seem to drink enough and the moment I reached home I drank gallons of water and gatorade. It was a HOT run but at least I did it (slowly)!

Distance: 22km
Time taken: 2:20:14
Average pace per km: 6:22
Calories burned: 1300

Friday - Yesterday morning early I had a mammoth session at the RPM class. I'm sure the air conditioning wasn't working Although the fans were operating all the glass windows steamed up and we were just dripping. It was a new track and it's great music but an extremely hard workout! Am I losing weight with all this hot hard work? - nah, not a gram, not a kilo, zilch!!

Putting things in Perspective

Yesterday morning I went to see Jimmy at the Clinic and he seems pleased with me. I now have two different strengthening exercises, one involving a tennis ball. I don't need to work out what spot to roll on it as there's a nice little bruise where Jimmy used his elbow which is the exact spot - ouch!

After work today I decided to go for my middle distance run without the company of Ewen who is still recovering from his mammoth effort at SFT. So I plugged in my faithful ipod and set off from work alone running to the lake heading East past Molonglo Reach and over the bridge before returning the same way. Sometimes running alone gives one time to reflect on the important things in life. I've had a tough week at work and for the past couple of days I have had a bad headache and have been feeling a bit below par. However, as I ran by the lake on a very hot Canberra afternoon I saw so many friendly people out there - runners, cyclists, walkers, orienteers all responding to my "hi" with a smile and a very elderly lady being pushed along in her wheelchair who smiled brightly as I ran past. There were people fishing, kayaking, dragonboat racing and even kite flying. It was a stunning evening to be out there amongst it and I felt really lucky to be running on such a day.

Distance: 15km

Time taken: 1hr 33mins
Average pace per km: 6:12

The temp reached 33deg today and it still felt very hot when I started my run but there are some shady parts and that certainly helped! Interestingly enough by the time I finished running my headache had gone!

Happy Canberra Day!

What a stunning day it was for a holiday - just perfect. After a much anticipated "lie-in" and a leisurely breakfast Mr B and I decided to go for a short bike ride. Hmmm, now my idea of short and Mr B's idea of short are obviously slightly different! We headed off towards the city via the cycle track past the AIS then on to Lake Burley Griffin where we enjoyed an icecream before cycling all the way round the lake via Kings Avenue and West Basin then back home again via Lyneham making a grand total of 40km! Yes, it was a leisurely pace (according to Mr B) but I did cycle at 35kph for some of the way and I was completely exhausted when I arrived home as my last bike ride was about 17km so it's a big leap for me! Anyway, after a couple of hot cross buns and lots of cold water we showered and changed for Geoff's running group at Parliament House.

speedygeoff's running at PH - 5.30pm
Distance: 9.2km

After the warm up lap of PH we headed for the grassy bank, ran a loop of that then did quite a different session from usual. We all lined up on one side of the grass and ran to a pole on the opposite side (about 60m) as fast as possible. We did 12 repeats of this, jogging back to our starting pole between each sprint. It was quite fun and because the sprints were short it was manageable even in our tired state! There were only a few at our training session tonight, possibly because of the public holiday or more likely as lots of the group had run in some or several events over the weekend and were recovering.

We ran a long warm-down similar to last week's run which increased our total distance. It was a good session in spite of the heat which today reached 31deg. Summer has come late to Canberra this year!

Weston Creek Half Marathon

Wow - awesome results in the SFT with Ewen doing a PB in 5:41 and twofruits a time of 4:50 - amazing times for such a tough 45km.

Today was the Weston Creek Half Marathon with a different start and a variation in the course this year. Mr B and I entered as a team and for a moment there I thought I was going to have to run it on my own as Mr B did a very big "CJ" during our 6km run yesterday morning. He was very badly grazed and bruised and feeling stiff, sore and sorry for himself last night. However this morning he felt a bit better and fortunately decided to run - phew! His leg started at Black Mountain and I ran the second half which started in Curtin. I quite enjoyed the run and the variation of the course made it more interesting. There were quite a few undulations but I didn't feel too bad. We came in about 6th in the teams and there were about 29 teams so that wasn't too bad. I'll revise this when the official results come out soon. I think our overall time was 1:53:20 giving Mr B a time of 53:56 for his leg.

Distance of my leg: 10:60
Time taken: 58:24
Average pace per km: 5:31
Calories burned: 625

Later we spent a pleasant few hours over lunch at Belluci's with a few of our running buddies before rushing home to cook an ambitious and very successful meal for the WDF tonight. Tomorrow is Canberra Day - a holiday - a sleep-in woo hoo!

Wednesday is Wombat Day

This morning I just missed the RPM class by one minute so I did weights and stretches instead and followed this with the 15mins abs class - very important for me!!

5.30pm - Ewen met me after work and we ran from my office to the lake and along to the bridge past Molonglo Reach where we turned and returned to the office.
Total distance: 15km
Time taken: 1:33:05
Average pace per km: 6:12 (a bit better than last week)
Calories burned: 891

It was a good run tonight and I felt very comfortable. We talked all the way (as one does), spotted bunnies and fluffy baby ducklings and it was altogether most pleasant. Ewen is running the 6FT on Saturday along with twofruits and many others including some of speedygeoff's running group. Very best of luck to my very good friends. Run, walk, climb well, stay safe and enjoy the day. I'm really looking forward to reading all about it!

It's good to be alive even on a Monday!

This morning it was so difficult to struggle out of bed to go to the gym after a four day weekend which just flew by! I could get used to those extra days off work. Actually there's a few four day weeks coming up with Canberra Day on 10 March then Easter a couple of weeks later. Ah and it's such a lovely time of year NOT to be working. Autumn in Canberra is one of the best seasons weather-wise. The temperature lingers at about the mid 20s and it is just lovely to run or to sit out in the sun.

6.15am - Gym
RPM class

45mins of hard work on the bike and I actually was having trouble with pains in my hammie this morning which didn't go away. I was a bit worried about the training tonight but I managed to run through the pain and it's not too bad now although I am very aware that it's still not 100%!

5.30pm - speedygeoff's training at Parliament House

Distance: 10km precisely
Calories burned: 600

Session: 1.56km warm up loop followed by 4 x (30secs fast, 80secs slow x 3 with rest between each set). This session was run on the grassy slope in front of PH and fortunately I only had to do my 40secs sprint on the uphill slope twice!

We followed this session with a long warm down running away from PH and in and out off-road undulating paths. I had no idea where we were but it was a pleasant run and with so many of us nobody became lost fortunately. I enjoy those long gentle runs much more than the actual sprinting part of the session!!

Jen and the Mangoes visit Canberra

A lovely afternoon at Tilleys with Mango, mini Mango and Jen_runs - all looking awesomely fit. Mango is in training for the Ironman in April and Jen is in training for her HUGE adventure next year (see her blog). Ewen has the 6foot next Sunday, CJ has the Canberra Marathon next month and Mini Mango runs awesome track times. I am privileged to be in such inspiring company!

Alone on a Saturday Night!

After an awesome performance by Santana at Homebush in Sydney we arrived back to a busy weekend. Mr B has a squash tournament all weekend and he is refereeing a triathlon early tomorrow morning before his next game. Tonight he's out at a squash dinner/dance and here am I all alone drinking the odd glass of wine and reading everybody's blog! What a stunning day it was here today for the first day of Autumn. This afternoon we had visitors from the Central Coast who we haven't seen for some years. Fay used to teach my 30yr old son in pre-school and her 18yr old son is now at ADFA in Canberra and they watched him in his passing out parade today (I keep calling it 'coming out' parade which is a bit of a faux pas but is it worse to come out or pass out??) Anyway, I digress. Mr B managed to come home between squash games and we had a great afternoon catching up with the family.

This morning I ran from home, round Lake G and out towards Gungahlin before returning home. I felt the occasional twinge in my hammie today so eased off a bit and tried to find the grassy edges beside the cycle paths. It was a great day for a run, quite crisp and cool in the morning.

Distance: 20km
Time taken: 2:05:04
Average pace per km: 6:15
Calories burned: 1188
Tomorrow Jen-runs is in Canberra and a few of us are catching up for lunch at Tilleys - woo hoo. It will be so good to see her.

The Quick Brown fox ran out of sight!

Morning 6.15am - Gym
RPM - 45mins spin class
15mins abs class

Afternoon 5.20pm - Run
Distance: 16.34km
Time taken: 1:45
Average pace per km: 6:26 (a little slow but comfortable chatting pace!)
Calories burned: 970

Ewen piked out today as he's saving himself for the last 3km of the season tomorrow at track. Good luck Ewen! Instead Marg drove in to meet me after work and ran the East Basin run with me. It was a pleasant temperature as the sun had gone behind a cloud and stayed there! We ran the same route Ewen and I usually run and this time we spotted a little brown fox with a white tip on his tail and sharp pointy ears who hesitated for a moment to have a good look at us before running quickly across the path and off into the distance! There were a surprising number of people out for a run or walk or cycle even through the wetlands which is fairly unusual. It was very pleasant although it took a while for my legs to appreciate more pain after this morning's RPM class which was very intensive!

Gold Star from Jimmy!

This morning before work I visited Jimmy at the clinic and he was very pleased with my progress. He gave me a solid half hour of intensive treatment, including the elbow massage and the groin (hip flexor) prod. It hurt but it was good pain and I felt quite good later. He has set me a few more exercises which I will endeavour to do each evening. I am now allowed to do some speedwork but only on the flat, no hill sprints just yet. Wonder if speedycoach will take any notice of aforesaid statement!!

This evening after work I went for a swim.
Distance: 1km
Time taken: 29:27
I know I'm slow but I was pleased because at least it was under 30mins.

A New Week Begins

6.15am - Gym
RPM - 45mins of blood, sweat and tears (or it felt like that anyway)!!

5.30pm - speedygeoff's group at Parliament House
Running
Distance: 10km

Rachelle and I didn't manage an early warm-up tonight but as it happened we had a longer warm down after the main session making a total of 10km for training which was a good amount for a Monday. We ran the usual warm-up loop of PH then headed down to the lower grassy bank in front of PH. There we ran loops of 40secs fast and 80secs slow repeating this 12 times. Of course Murphy's Law dictated that for more than half of those 40secs fast I ended up at the start of the uphill slope! I was careful not to push too hard but I did make an effort and it felt like hard work. The warm down was a run down to the lake and back up to the start. It was a good session with great company. Tomorrow morning I visit Jimmy at the Clinic. My hammie is still very tight but so much better than before.

Vets Handicap - 0n the road to recovery!

The morning started with momentary panic, when my son who was collecting the grandchildren (who had stayed overnight) couldn't start his car which was parked behind ours, but it actually turned out to be a good day. The handicap was run at North Curtin and the first 2km was a steady incline, the second km being steeper than the first. However, for some weird reason I felt quite comfortable just taking small steps up the hill and speeding up a little on the downhills. I managed to catch up with Marg and overtake her and to overtake the other person in my handicap group. CJ of course sped past me in the last km starting from Group 35. She's running so well and is in fine form for the marathon. I enjoyed the run and it felt so good to actually be making an effort and not to suffer too much. That's the first speed event I've attempted since my hamstring injury in November. I think I may be on the road to recovery at last! I visit Jimmy at the clinic again on Tuesday. I hope he's pleased with me. I still do my strengthening exercises every night! It was good to catch up with lots of people at the handicap who I haven't seen for ages as I missed last month's run.

Happy birthday to Jeni who returned to Uni in Sydney today after a few of us enjoyed a coffee with her after the run.

Distance: 6.2km
Time taken: 34:38
Average pace per km: 5:35 (It's below a 6 at last!!)
Fastest km: 4:58 (how did that happen? - must have been a downhill km)
Calories burned: 367
Handicap group: 23
Place: 69th

Sunshine keeps me smiling!

Friday (I love Fridays) :)
Gym -RPM

Ok, so RPM is jolly hard work but I do love Fridays cos I know that once that session is finished I don't run after work and at the end of the day it's the weekend. It was especially good today cos I attended a Planning Day out of the office and an absolutely delicious lunch was provided!

Saturday (today) - Morning Run
Distance: 17.6km
Time taken: 1hr:50:15
Average pace per km: 6:16
Calories burned: 1042
Location: From home to and round Lake G and back via Giralang

Yay, I just checked and when I ran this same run last weekend I was 2mins slower and the average pace was 6:25 - woo hoo! On my return journey this morning I glanced sideways to see a whole field of kangaroos of all sizes watching me curiously. There were so many of them.

I'm running the Vets Handicap run tomorrow and of course it will be very slow as I haven't been doing any speedwork at all but I don't want to miss any more. The company is great and if I don't turn up to run I don't qualify for points. It's a gorgeous day in Canberra today - bright and sunny with a little wind - great weather for drying washing and for running! Hope it's like this tomorrow too.

Running with a Patient Wombat

Tuesday morning - 6.20am
Swim - CISAC followed by a blissful spa
Distance: 1.1km
Time taken: 33mins

Wednesday - 5.30pm - Run

Ewen met me after work and we ran down to and round the East Basin of Lake Burley Griffin. It's been absolutely ages since we did that run and it was lovely that he had the patience to run with me and talk and talk and talk. He also had to wait and wait and wait as I had to stop three times for a nature visit probably due to a very large pumpkin rissotto last night - good thing there are loos every 5km along the way. I struggled a bit as it was very hot to start and my legs were objecting and I felt rather tired but I still enjoyed the run and the company. We spotted very curious cows (one an unusually light brownish grey colour), two fully grown bunnies (those babies have grown up) and a baby lizard who was so very cute. It was great to run that course again after so long.

Distance: 16km
Time taken: 1:42:24
Average pace per km: 6:24
Calories burned: 950

The Blogging Week's Update

I have been very slack with my blogging but that bossy Ewen has talked me into an update! I tried not to listen Katie, truly but my conscience won me over!

Sunday 10 Feb
Cycle 20km

Monday 11 Feb
Morning 6.15am - RPM
Afternoon 5.30pm - speedygeoff’s group PH - Run

Warm-up 1.5km with Rachelle then warm-up loop of PH with main group. Main set –
we paired up with someone of a similar pace (Kelley decided she wanted to run slowly so she was happy to be my partner) then speedygeoff took us over the course of what was to be the "fast" loop followed by a "recovery" loop...the aim was to work hard for 20 minutes completing as many loops as possible... we finished with a warm down loop which included running up the grassy slope of Parliament House to admire the view from the top!
Distance: 10:11
Calories burned: 580

Tuesday 12 Feb
6.15am – Swimming 1km – 30mins

Wednesday 13 Feb
6pm – Run – Towards Gungahlin through tunnel along cycle track on grassy verge
Distance: 16km
Time taken: 1hr:41:55
Average pace per km: 6:22
Calories burned: 960

Friday 15 Feb – RPM

Saturday 16 Feb – Run – From home to Lake G and round lake and home via Giralang
Distance: 17.6km
Time taken: 1hr:52:54
Average pace per km: 6:25
Calories burned: 1046

In the afternoon we visited friends for a game of bocce (French boules) in their backyard aided with a glass of wine or two. It was such fun then in the evening we shared the birthday celebrations of Marg and Gwen - lovely company and very enjoyable.

Happy Birthday Marg and Gwen

With "the birthday twins" and Jen Graeme and Mr B

Sunday 17 Feb
Cycle 20km

A great weekend was topped off nicely when a group of us met at Tilleys for coffee and a lovely wind down catching up on all the news. What stunning weather we enjoyed this weekend.

Monday 18 Feb
6.15am - RPM

5.30pm – speedygeoff’s group at PH - Run

Distance: 10:6km

Rachelle and I did a short warm-up of 1.55km before joining the main group when we ran another warm-up loop of PH before heading down below the oval where everybody ran as fast as possible (some of us still ran slowly) for 40secs in one direction before turning and running gently back to the start and running fast in the other direction for 40secs. This we repeated 6 times before running up to the road level where we did the same thing all over again. We followed this with a warm down loop of PH. The temp was a pleasant 25deg but it felt hotter! It was actually quite a stunning evening, still and beautiful.

Slowly but Surely!

Now just for the benefit of Ewen I will explain that the 10% rule I was given only applies every second time I do a longish run. In other words I have been told that I must run approximately the same distance twice before increasing my distance (not speed) by 10%. Thus it was that this morning I increased my distance and must repeat this distance before increasing it again. Phew! It was a really cool day today barely reaching 20deg but this made for pleasant running.

Distance: 16km -yay! (I admit this is a tad more than a 10% increase!)
Time taken: 1:44 (oh dear)
Average pace per km: 6:30 (oh dear, dear, dear!)
Calories burned: 960

I actually enjoyed this run and wasn't really too worried about that slow time as at least I am now running 16km with very little discomfort (and very little speed but you can't have everything). Later in the morning I met up with CJ for a lovely long lunch at Black Pepper - a popular spot where a number of friends drifted in and out (including speedygoose Kathy with her Geoff) in the 2 hour time period while we lingered over lunch and coffee.

Waddling or is that Wobbling like a slow goose!

Tonight I was lucky as the threatening clouds drifted southwards and I was able to go for my run after work. It was pretty uneventful except for the scary part of finding a suitable spot for a nature call and ploughing my way through the long grass to try to find a tree to block me from the road side. I kept imagining snakes slithering through the long grass but fortunately I escaped unscathed with not a snake to be seen. The temperature had dropped and I think I was quite safe but trampling through long grass in remote areas always scares me! I was pretty happy with my run - just slightly faster than yesterday and a bit more comfortable.

Distance: 13:36

Time taken: 1:22:20
Average pace per km: 6:10
Calories burned: 800

Applying the 10% Rule!

This morning I trotted out for a 13.2km run (adding 10% carefully on to my 12km) as follows:

Distance: 13.2km
Time taken: 1:22:58
Average pace per km: 6:17
Calories burned: 790

It was quite a pleasant morning for a run but I didn't leave home untl 6am and as a consequence it was a bit of a rush to make it to work just a little late eating a breakfast bar on the way. I was up early enough, I just took too long to get out that door!

Gym, Run, Swim - Can't think up an original heading!

Morning - 6.15am - Gym
Fitball class - lots of abs work

After work - 5pm - Running - Parliament House

I took Rachelle to speedygeoff's group just after 5pm but by the time we started running it was about 5.10pm so we could only fit in a short run before meeting everyone for the training session at 5.30pm. It was good to be back after a few missed sessions but I knew I must stick to instructions and not do the speed work. We ran a warm-up loop of PH then trained on the grassy verge in front of PH towards the road. It had rained steadily for most of the day but we were very lucky in that it had eased off by the time we trained and we could have our entire session outside. The main session was to run loops of a 300m course, 100m being on a diagonal slope across the grass and two lots of 50m down or up the sides. The goal was to sprint the diagonals and jog the 50m sides aiming for 10 loops. Each time the leader passed us that would cut one loop off our distance. We stopped when the leader had completed 10 loops. I managed 7 loops at my gentle pace. We then ran a cool-down loop of PH before speedychief suggested (strongly) that we run up the main slope of PH to the top to admire the view and catch our breath before trotting back down again and returning to the start. There were 22 of us there tonight, the best turn-out for a long time and a few new faces since I had last been. It was a good session and I look forward to the time when I can run it much faster, injury-free!

Total distance (including the earlier warm-up): 10.4km

Tuesday - Swimming - 6.15am
Yes, it was back to the pool for me this morning and I managed to swim 1km in 29:30mins before spending 15 blissful minutes in the spa - a very pleasant way to start the day.

Decision Made!

On Thursday I visited Jimmy again and he was very pleased with me. I am now allowed to increase my running by 10% every second run. Now, when I put all my calculations together it works out that I could only fit in one run over 30km before the marathon in April. Sooooo, looks like I may have to give Canberra a miss this year and as I'm only allowed to increase distance, not speed, I may also miss the Half in March. Instead my next goal will be the Canberra Half in May. Now, to say I am disappointed with this outcome would be putting it mildly. But now that I have made the decision I will move forward, increase my distance and think positive. At least I am running again and slowly but surely I will be back. The Canberra Marathon will still be there next year and there's always the Gold Coast in July or the Melbourne option??

Anyway I digress! I just had a lovely social weekend - disastrous on the diet side but very pleasant indeed socially. On Friday night we met friends for dinner at Della Rocca, on Sat night we met up with more friends for dinner at Zefferellis and today I spent a very pleasant and relaxing afternoon with CJ, Ewen and Rachelle at Tilleys.

Friday morning - Run
Distance: 11km
Time taken: 1:08:14
Average pace per km: 6:12
Calories burned: 655

Saturday morning - Run
Distance: 12:05km
Time taken: 1:15:44
Average pace per km: 6:17
Calories burned: 715

Sunday morning - Cycle
Distance: 20.04km

Flash, crash and down came the rain!!

We had a fantastic weekend at the coast with lots of sunshine, surf, good company and far too much good food, wine and cocktails! However we did manage a 12km walk, a 10km run (average pace per km 6:15)and a 5km run (av pace per km 6:05)while we were away and lots of beautiful swims at the beach. Yesterday I was on duty at the cross country race at Stromlo and after it was over I ran a short couple of loops (4km) with Ewen, speedygeoff and Rachelle just because I love that surface and of course the company was lovely.

This morning I went to the gym and did a weights session followed by a 15mins abs class.

After work I ran from home at about 6.30pm and apart from a few niggles I felt great. In fact I felt as though I could have continued running except for a little glitch. On my return run there were sudden flashes of lightning, huge rumbles of thunder and the sky became very dark indeed. Just as the first raindrops fell I had to detour for a nature stop at the shopping centre. When I emerged the rain was falling heavily and there were huge puddles outside the door. I stood there for a while along with other drowned rats before I finally succombed and used my mobile to call Mr B to collect me - wuss! I know if I hadn't stopped I would have just continued on in spite of the rain but after stopping it's difficult to head right into it when it's pounding down. It wasn't a gentle fall by any means and the thunder was still rolling.

Distance: 10:33

Time taken: 1:02:45

Average pace per km: 6:04

Calories burned: 605

I was very happy with this run as it felt much more comfortable than it has for a long time. Perhaps next time I will try for 12km and gradually progress. At the moment I feel much more positive and will keep my fingers crossed. I have another appointment with Jimmy on Friday. Now on to my exercises!

Off to the Coast

Woo hoo - tomorrow I'm flexing off work and we're driving to the coast, one night in Batemans Bay and two nights in Narooma for a weekend birthday party - should be fun, fun, fun! here's hoping the sun is shining and the sea inviting. It's my first visit to the coast this summer and I'm having withdrawal symptoms. I'm hanging out for the sea.

Today was my appointment with Clinic 88 and Jimmy. He's lovely and spent a full hour prodding and working on my leg and groin area. Yes, it hurt like crazy but it felt good afterwards. I have special exercises to do every night and another visit in a week. I will cancel (or at least postpone) my ultrasound appointment for a few weeks to see if this works. In the meantime I am allowed to run as long as I don't push further or faster this week so it looks like constant 10km running for a week. He still seems to think he can fix me in time to train for the marathon but I think it's just a little late to build up the long runs unfortunately. However, I won't say a definite "no" just yet. Now I'm off to do my exercises before bed. At least I've packed! Happy Australia Day to my Aussie friends! Have a safe and fun weekend.

I know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly .......Perhaps She'll Die!!

6.15am - Gym
This morning I actually did a 45min RPM/Spin class at the gym - woo hoo, it's been nearly 2 months since I attempted that and I really truly did it - I didn't push it too hard but I still managed to build up a sweat (how indelicate) and felt quite good.
Then I did a 15mins abs class - ouch!

6.15pm - And tonight - wait for it - I ran 10km
Yes, finally I'm running a bit further - still slow Ewen but now it's down to 6:16 per km pace. When I reach 6min km again and run 16km I'll consider myself back! In the meantime I'll keep plodding on.
As I ran towards home this evening a nasty little fly flew straight into my mouth and right down my throat - I tried to spit it out - eeeeew - but nah, this old lady certainly swallowed that fly so I sang to myself instead and decided I definitely did not want to swallow a spider to catch the fly. Now just in case you haven't lived long enough to know what I'm talking about here is the song!

I know an old lady who swallowed a fly I don't know why she swallowed the fly Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a spider That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her She swallowed the spider to catch the fly But I don't know why she swallowed the fly

Perhaps she'll die
I know an old lady who swallowed a bird How absurd to swallow a bird She swallowed the bird to catch the spider That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her She swallowed the spider to catch the fly But I don't know why she swallowed the fly

Perhaps she'll die
I know an old lady who swallowed a cat Imagine that. She swallowed a cat. She swallowed the cat to catch the bird She swallowed the bird to catch the spider That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her She swallowed the spider to catch the fly But I don't know why she swallowed the fly

Perhaps she'll die
I know an old lady who swallowed a dog What a hog to swallow a dog!

She swallowed the dog to catch the cat She swallowed the cat to catch the bird She swallowed the bird to catch the spider That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her She swallowed the spider to catch the fly But I don't know why she swallowed the fly

Perhaps she'll die
I know an old lady who swallowed a goat Opened her throat and down went the goat! She swallowed the goat to catch the dog She swallowed the dog to catch the cat She swallowed the cat to catch the bird She swallowed the bird to catch the spider That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her She swallowed the spider to catch the fly But I don't know why she swallowed the fly

Perhaps she'll die
I know an old lady who swallowed a cow I don't know how she swallowed the cow She swallowed the cow to catch the goat She swallowed the goat to catch the dog She swallowed the dog to catch the cat She swallowed the cat to catch the bird She swallowed the bird to catch the spider That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her She swallowed the spider to catch the fly But I don't know why she swallowed the fly

Perhaps she'll die
I know an old lady who swallowed a horse

She's dead of course!

Waddling On! (or is that waffling on??)

Sunday Run
Distance: 8.5km
Time taken: 53:50
Average pace per km: 6.25
Calories burned: 500

Tuesday morning Run
Distance: 8.05km
Time taken: 51mins
Average pace per km: 6.21
Calories burned: 480

My car went in to have the airconditioning fixed yesterday morning and they decided they needed to keep it overnight. Thus, no transport, which meant unfortunately I didn't go to speedygeoff's training last night. I also couldn't go to the gym this morning but at least this meant I could go for a short gentle run from home. The hammie didn't hurt until the 5km mark this morning, that's a bit better. This gentle short running is manageable but I'm very much looking forward to Thursday's massage. I'm sure the pain will be worth it. I want to run further and faster!!

Star sign for Thursday 17 January

Almost forgot - I just had to copy my star sign from the Canberra Times on Thursday. Maybe it's a good omen!! Here is tis!

Star Sign – Thursday 17 January

"Your goals have been pushed on to the back burner since mid-November, but you can expect to put them on full heat again from January 29. Action is stirring!"

Who said running was a cheap sport??

Thursday events

This morning early I went for a gentle run to test the pain level so I could describe it properly to the sports doctor!

Distance: 6.2km

Time taken: 39:35

Average pace per km: 6:24

Calories: 370

When I first started running I didn't think I would make it to the corner. However I persevered within my time limit as I was meeting CJ for brekkie at 7.30am in town. The pain worsened about the 3km mark but it was bearable and I think I may even have been able to run another 2km at that pace if time had permitted. Later however my leg felt quite uncomfortable and when I visited the sports doctor I could explain what was happening. Twelve minutes and $130 later I had a referral to Clinic 88 for deep massage therapy and a referral for an ultrasound ($580) followed by dry needle treatment ($15 a needle) if necessary. The theory is that it may be scar tissue and she does seem to think that it results from a torn hamstring. My appointment at Clinic 88 is next Thursday and if that provides good results I may be able to either delay or cancel the ultrasound. I have my fingers crossed! The dry needle treatment would be to break up the scar tissue if this is what the ultrasound indicates. I am allowed to run within my pain threshold, in other words, short distances off-road. I will continue to cycle and swim when possible. I may have to re-evaluate my goals but will see how the deep massage therapy helps before I say that a helper rather than a competitor may be the goer at the marathon this year - "sad face"!!

After work on Thursday I went to track to report for duty. I was given the eye-opening tasks of assisting at the pole vault and later the javelin for the rest of the evening. The age groups for the three competitors at the pole vault were M30, M70 and M85 - inspirational! The javelin throwers were an interesting group of people of both sexes and ages varying again from 30 to almost 85! It was good to finally meet the people belonging to the names appearing regularly in the Vetrunner magazine. Some dashed off to participate in other events inbetween their throws. My job was to ensure they did not step over the white line before or after their throws and to call their names and record their numbers and distances. I learnt a whole lot about their rules!!

Friday morning

Swim - 1.2km (a little further this time)

followed by 15 blissful minutes in the spa and a short time in the sauna.

Today, Saturday, the grandchildren have just left having spent the night here and the rain is coming down solidly. I can smell the rain, it's beautiful!

Results Pending!

Tuesday

This morning I swam 1km comfortably and followed this with a relaxing spa!

Wednesday 6.15am - Gym

I spent 40minutes concentrating on upper body weights and physio stretches (gently) and followed this with a 15mins abs class.

7pm - Cycle

My intention of going for a gentle bike ride turned into a struggle against a head wind but I did enjoy the ride especially during the parts when I was assisted by a tail wind. I rode 17km and I'm so glad I can at least cross-train to a certain extent.

I have made an appointment with the sports doctor on Thursday (tomorrow) afternoon. It will be interesting (?) to hear the verdict.

Gentle Runs Only

Since my last entry I have been to the gym doing Fitball and Abs Classes, upper body weights, a couple of cycles on mainly flat surfaces, a couple of swims, lots of physio exercises including another intensive physio session and on Saturday I ventured out to Stromlo Forest Park to attempt some gentle running with some of speedygeoff's group on the grass. I ran the warm-up of 2.5km with Ewen at a gentle pace then ran the 1km intervals at my own pace while the others did speed work. Rest assured "twofruits" - there was no speedwork for this little goose! Apart from the fact that I can't run fast the heat at the 9am start on Saturday was horrendous. I felt quite ill from the heat and I was only running at a very slow pace. I have no idea how people can run such incredibly fast intervals in that intense heat. Anyway I did end up with a total of almost 8km but it wasn't comfortable. The best part about the running was the company and the fantastic surface. It's certainly a lovely place to run but a bit of a trip to get there. I might manage to find the way quicker next time!!

Today - Monday
6.15am - Gym - Fitball

So many tricky abs exercises with the same relief coach we had last week. Oh boy, she really is tough but this week she suggested we let some air out of our fitballs and it made it much more possible to accomplish some of those strange contortionist exercises which we do!

4.30pm - Run from Parliament House

I left work early and joined the early starters for an interesting warm-up down to the lake and past the yacht club on to Yarralumla where we turned and Emma led us on an off-road route back. This was a great route and would have been even better if my hammie hadn't been causing me a lot of pain and slowed me down to almost a walking pace. In fact I did have to stop and walk a few times. Geoff ran back to the group start as did Emma eventually after ensuring I was ok but Ewen and his mate, Bruce from Sydney, jogged with me back to the oval where we thought we were training - nobody there, so on to the rose garden, nobody there so eventually (at 6pm) we found the 5.30pm group at the grassy hills in front of PH. The boys could still fit in 6 of the 12 speedy diagonal hill repeats but apart from a gentle jog I just did lots of stretching and called it a day.

Total distance: 10.5km (in pain!)

Question: Do I return to the physio or do I consult a sports doctor now? I can run about 3-4km pain free then it hits and it gradually builds up to be too painful to run.

At home I iced my hamstring and did still more stretches. Tomorrow morning I will go for a gentle swim in the pool.

No Improvement is Happening!!

Friday morning I went for another 1km swim before work and on Saturday I went for an 8km walk, deliberately not running for a couple of days and what's more I was a good little girl and did all the physio exercises. This morning I attempted another run. I managed a very slow, very painful 10.52km. From the 2km point on it hurt, yes indeed, it was definitely my hamstring (forget the back) and it hurt like crazy. I walked a bit on the hills and stretched but I ran (jogged really) 10.52km starting out with the intention of a 15km run. That didn't happen and I arrived home frustrated and disappointed. My appointment with the physio is on Tuesday at lunchtime. Let's hope he can perform miracles!! I have a marathon to run!

Distance: 10.52km
Time taken: 1:10 (that must be the slowest run in the universe!!)
Average pace per km: 6:47 (how embarrassing - practically walking in parts)
Calories burned: 620

I wasn't going to blog my time but I have decided I will after all. That way, I can watch the improvement (I HOPE)!!
In the late morning Mr B and I went to a premier of a movie at Dendy called Lust, Caution. It was in Chinese with sub-titles - a 2 1/2 hour very thought provoking movie - gripping and terrible in parts.

Stealing a Quote that Fits!!

Before Work 6.15am - Gym
Bodypump class
It's been quite a while since I've been to this class and I really noticed it. I also felt it a bit in my hamstring when we were doing some of the leg work.

After Work - 6.15pm - Run

Actually it wasn't so much of a "run" as an attempt to run. I was running in pain from about the 2km mark. I persevered for 10km but at that stage the hamstring was hurting too much to continue so I walked the rest of the distance home. I made several attempts to start running again but it just wouldn't happen so it looks like another trip to the physio is in order. Just as well I didn't attempt track running. I knew I wasn't ready for speed work again yet - to quote speedygeoff's palindrome - "dammit, i'm mad"!!

Distance: 10km
Time taken: 62:50
Average pace per km: 6:17
Calories burned: 590

Plus 5km Walk!!

Back to Work!

Early Morning Run - 5.45am
Distance: 12km
Time taken: 1:17:28
Average pace per km: 6:27 (slow)
Calories burned: 718

It was very difficult forcing myself out of bed bright and early but well worth it. The early morning temperature was pleasant without the intense heat which prevailed later in the morning. In fact it was just gorgeous at that time of day. It didn't make me run any faster but at least it was comfortable!

After work - swim
Distance: 1km
Time taken: 30:15 (slow)

My swimming is as slow as my running but I was pleased to manage the 20laps again tonight before dinner. I will sleep well tonight after my first day back in the office after the wee Christmas/New Year break. Tomorrow morning I plan to return to the gym.

First Day of 2008

What a hot sunny day in Canberra today. We had a bit of a sleep-in after wandering home at 2am this morning - yes, a great party. There was even half a band (the other half were interstate!) and they serenaded us to some well-known oldies. It was lots of fun. Mr B and I went for a bike ride late morning to Lake BG and round the bridge ride buying a yummy icecream on the way! It was only 24km but that was far enough in the heat of the day. Tomorrow I'm back to work and to normal routine and I'm not looking forward to it one little bit! The plan is to rise very early and go for a run before work before the day becomes too hot again. Here's to a healthy 2008 for everyone!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

End-of-year Training Group Dinner - Dec 07

Yesterday afternoon I squeezed into my Speedos (ouch) and accompanied Mr B to the pool. Yes, I actually went for a swim. I can't remember the last time I swam laps. It felt comfortable and refreshing - the ideal occupation when the outside temperature is 34degrees! I managed to swim 1km and felt very proud of myself. Ok, so it took me 30mins but at least it's a start. We then showered quickly and rushed off to the movies to see "Two nights in Paris" - fun!

This morning I ran 12km - yes, slowly but surely I am increasing my distance. There were even some very slight undulations today. I try to run on the grassy verge beside the cycle path when there's grass or gravel available avoiding the concrete surface when possible. My average pace is only 6:28 per km and has been for a while but I'm more concerned about increasing my distance at the moment. The speed can come later when there's no pain, hopefully!

Anyway, we are just going to eat a light meal before rushing off to a friend's party and to see in the New Year. Fortunately our friends live within walking distance so there'll be no problem about who is driving! Happy New Year to you all and have a safe and fun evening if you are celebrating!

Breaking the Silence!

Firstly thank you for all your comments and good wishes. I do hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that 2008 will be a year full of fit, healthy injury-free training.

After several visits to the physio and three different diagnosis – the first a Grade II strain to the lateral head of the Biceps Femur(?) muscle, the second a torn hamstring and the latest problems with the sciatica; being prodded, manipulated and stretched on a machine (and I still can’t reach the top shelf in the supermarket!) I am now running very slowly and cautiously off-road and mainly on the flat. Today I ran 10km which has been my longest run since the injury in November. The 8-10 days off running turned into several weeks. I have been on a number of 20-30km cycles and was going to the gym regularly until the last few weeks which have been frantically busy at work.

However, now I just have to increase my distances and speed and am running every second day gently. It still hurts if I push too hard or run on hills so it is going to be a slow process. I am determined to run in the Canberra Marathon in April so I will do this!