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!

Twang - ouch!

Molonglo Reach - 7.30am
Distance: 12.38km
Time taken: 1:19:27
Average pace per km: 6:25
Calories burned: 715

It was perfect conditions for a run this morning and there was a good turnout including Steve, Ewen and Barb. Barb had the best news ever - she's not returning to NZ to live after all but is staying here in Canberra. That's such fantastic news! I was really enjoying running and talking with Barb and Ewen with the others in the distance in front of us, when suddenly I felt a distinct "twang" and my hamstring sent a shooting pain through my left leg. I couldn't even walk let alone run and the others had to assist me hopping and limping to the road. It took ages but any pressure on my foot sent immediate pain through my leg again. Ewen ran at a fast pace (so much for his Hadd training) back to his car and drove back to collect us and drive us back to the start where my car was parked. I iced my leg frequently at home, went out to vote and shop, can now put weight on it and walk but it's aching and painful so disappointingly I think it would be safer not to run in the Vets' Handicap Run tomorrow. Instead I'll watch Mr B in his triathlon then join the Vets after their run for the Xmas celebrations as it's the last handicap run for the year. Damn, damn, damn - a physio appointment is obviously in order! But hey, on a positive note, it's moments like these that I realise how lucky I am to run with such wonderful friends!

We should be glad it rained but .....................

Monday 19 November
6.15am – Gym – Fitball

4.30pm – Early warm-up - speedygeoff’s training – Parliament House
5.30pm – Main training session
Total distance: 13.8km
Calories burned: 820

I managed to run in the early warm-up session with Ewen and Geoff. We ran up and round the course and then down to the lake and for a gentle 6.5km run.

The main session consisted of the following (borrowed from speedygeoff’s blog)

Lower level - bitumen path - 4 x 40 secs on 2 minutes, alternating directions-2 minute break
Middle level - gravel path - 4 x 40 secs on 2 minutes, alternating directions -2 minute break Higher level - dirt (was grass) path - 4 x 40 seconds on 2 minutes, alternating directions.

It was a really hot night but fortunately we were not too far from water and the company was good. We finished with a warm-down lap of PH.

Tuesday 6.15am – Gym
Bodypump

I couldn’t run in the Cross Country tonight as I had to attend a work function but I wasn’t too sorry as the temperature soared to 33degrees today!

Wednesday 5pm – Run with Ewen
We decided to run gently and for a shorter distance tonight for two reasons, the main one being that we were both planning to run the 10,000m at the track tomorrow and the other being that I had a Vets’ sub-committee meeting to attend at 7.30pm. However, there was a very strong head wind on the way out and we chose to walk for a short distance after the 5km mark. It was decidedly pleasant just walking and talking too. During our outward run near the carillon we spotted a bright orange bunny. There were a number of bunnies but this one looked like it had been crossed with a marmalade kitten. It was so cute and distinctive. I was sorry I didn’t have my camera although it moved rather fast. We ran the return trip via Regatta Point so that we could spot some of my young workmates at the start of their Boot Camp session and give them an encouraging wave.

Total distance: 9.1km
Time taken: 55:28
Average pace per km: 6:05
Calories burned: 530

Thursday

This afternoon it rained solidly and steadily. It took me twice as long as usual to drive home through very very deep puddles of water and avoiding crazy drivers. I prepared for our track event and listened for cancellations - none broadcast. The rain was coming down steadily but veteran runners are hardy creatures and I thought the race would still go ahead. Ewen travelled from the other side of town and at 6.45pm messaged me at home, where I was still debating as to whether to brave the elements, to say that the gates were locked and the track was cancelled. I assume there must have been some flooding as it had rained for several hours. No doubt the full story will be revealed. I felt sorry for Ewen especially as I know he was looking forward to the 10km run tonight. We had both organised our "speedy" lap counter. It is very rare for the track to be cancelled completely so I will be interested to hear what happened and who made the final decision. I had an unexpected "rest" day as I deliberately allowed myself an extra hour's sleep this morning so that I could be fresh for the run. And now the rain has stopped!

Struggling in Canberra's Heatwave!

Disaster!!

I can't believe I just typed an entire week's blog and lost the lot! I have no idea what button I pressed but I just lost the lot - aaaaaaaaaaaaah! I thought Blogger was supposed to save drafts but only one word is there so i have to start again and now I'm cranky - grrrr!

Tuesday 13 November
Morning - 6.15am - gym
Bodypump
This was tough after a week's break.

After work 6pm - Cross Country Run
Location: Weston Park
Distance: 5km (plus 3km warm down)
Time taken: 27:13
Average pace per km: 5:36
Temperature: 30degrees

I found this tough in the hot temperature. The location was great, the company excellent but I struggled in the heat and was not pleased with my time which was more than a minute slower than last week.

Wednesday 14 November
Morning - 6.15am - Gym
Spin/Cycle class followed by 15mins abs

After work - 5.15pm - Run with Ewen
Distance: 16km
Time taken: 1:41:27
Average pace per km: 6:20
Calories burned: 895

We ran from work, down to the ferry terminal at the lake and past Molonglo covering the East Basin and back via Kingston. It was extremely hot to start and a struggle at first but the return journey was more pleasant. We saw lots and lots of bunny rabbits and noticed that our black swans had moved location from the carillon to further down the lake.

Thursday - Track
I had an extra 45mins sleep this morning as I met CJ and Mr B for brekkie - lovely. The 3000m event at the track was still run at a very hot time of day and my running suffered accordingly.

Distance:3000m

Time taken: 15:56
Average pace per km: 5:23

Later in the evening I ran the 6 lap spiral handicap event which I really enjoy. The temperature had dropped a bit and it was much more pleasant.
Distance: 2.5km
Time taken: 13:13
Average pace per km: 5:18

Saturday - Run - 7.30am
Location: Molonglo Reach and round base of Mt Ainslie etc
Distance: 16.7km
Time taken: 1:45:44
Average pace per km: 6:20
Calories burned: 962

There was quite a large group there this morning, my first run out there this season. It was a good time of day to run as the temperature increased during the day. Ewen was kind enough to run with me at the back of the pack. At first I found it difficult as I'm out of practice at running at that time of day. We walked a little on some of the hills but ran slowly on most of the course. Later we all shared morning tea and perused Liz and Cathy's photos from their amazing trek in Tasmania earlier in the year - inspirational stuff. It was a good morning. In the afternoon I had a hot stone massage (a gift voucher that needed to be used). It was an amazing experience - I loved it - a full hour which just flew by - beautiful.

Today, Sunday, I made a trip to the Runners' Shop and bought not one pair, but TWO pairs of running shoes - a racing pair for the track (hope it helps me run faster - I'll try anything) and a medium light pair for training - how exciting! Then later in the day I spent a decadent few hours over lunch and coffee with running friends in a very civilized manner in the middle of the sunny city. What stunning weather. Later still there was a thunder storm and it rained - perfect!

New Week, New Challenges, Seeking New Body after all that chocolate!

Back to it!
Monday 6.15am - Gym
Fitball - Abs, abs, abs

4.30pm - speedygeoff's training at Parliament House

Made it to the early start tonight where speedygeoff, Ewen and I ran round the course and a little more of a warm up before the official warm up. The actual session after the warm up lap of PH was 4 x 700m undulating/partly flat repeats alternating directions. It was very hot tonight and felt quite uncomfortable. However it was good to be running.

Total distance: 13km
Calories burned: 762

Chocolate slows me doooown!!

Wednesday 7 November
Run after work

Ewen met me at the office and we ran around the East Basin of the lake via the ferry terminal and on past Molonglo Reach - no sign of our swans this afternoon. They must have sought shelter from the headwind which we battled on the way out. We still saw our bunnies running rapidly across the path on our way to Molonglo. I wouldn't have liked to be swimming in the lake today - definitely a tad undulating! (Can water be undulating??) The return journey was calmer but we had lost a little time by then - not a problem really as it gave us more time to catch up on the goss!
Distance: 16.35km
Time taken: 1hr 40mins
Average pace per km: 6:07
Calories burned: 970

It was just as well I burned a few calories on this run as I consumed a few more than I used over the next few days when I was in Hobart for a Training Awards Night. A few of us stayed on until yesterday afternoon and had a wonderful time on a boat cruise, visiting the chocolate factory, eating far too much chocolate and exploring the Salamanca Markets. Far too much food was consumed and absolutely no running took place!

Sunday - Slow Run

Yes indeed, Mr B accompanied me on a painfully slow run from home to North Lyneham Ridge and on over O'Connor Ridge up and down hills and trails - normally a lovely run but I suffered every step of the way. I felt exceptionally slow, everything hurt and the last few days of over-indulgence really showed - oh dear, back to the drawing board tomorrow and I must not look at all that chocolate which I somehow managed to bring back cos it was such a bargain!!
Distance: 10.14km
Calories burned: 560
And I won't even go there when it comes to the time taken!!

After the Weekend - Cross country series begins

Monday - speedygeoff's running group at Parliament House

As we didn't return from a fantastic weekend (in spite of generally inclement weather) at the South Coast until 4.45pm it was a bit of a rush to make it to training at 5.30pm - no hope of making it to the early start. We ran our usual warm-up laps and then ran five intervals (plus a trial lap of the course) of 670m on an undulating circuit including one nasty little hill. We started each interval every five minutes. Those hills were a bit painful. We finished with a warm down lap.

Distance: 8.4km
Calories burned: 500

Tuesday - Cross country - start of Spring series - 6pm
Location: Boat House, Menindee Drive
Distance: 5km (plus warm up and cool down giving total distance of 10km)
Time taken: 26mins
Average pace per km: 5:08
Calories burned: 300

Tonight was the first of the Spring series cross country runs. As it was a public holiday in Canberra for Melbourne Cup Day (ok, they're calling it Family and Community Day) I had a nice relaxing day (including a very nice lunch) and collected Rachelle on the way through from home. I had a little flutter on the cup and chose the winning horse - yay, a very exciting win, but I saved the champagne until after the run tonight!

Track session at the AIS

Tonight was my first track session this season and of course, being a Thursday night, it rained gently but steadily during the 5 lap spiral but it was pleasant and cooling and quite welcome really. I do enjoy the social side of track season. It's lovely to have an opportunity to catch up with lots of people in-between events. I even met another kiwi tonight - a brand new starter to the track.

Events entered
3000m (3km) handicapped according to age
Time taken: 15:29
Average pace per km: 5:07
Calories burned: 180

5 lap spiral
Total distance: 2km
Time taken: 10:30
Average pace per km: 5:07
Calories burned: 122
Handicap group: 30
Place: 19th

Hey, at least I'm consistent! As this is my first track session I hope to improve. My goal is to run 3km in under 15mins. However it won't happen before Christmas as I'm in Hobart next Thursday so will miss another track session dammit!

The best and the worst of nature!

The Empty Nest!
Another week has gone and life has once more interfered with my blogging. Last Thursday it rained and it rained and next morning when I arrived at work I was devastated to discover that the baby magpies had disappeared from their nest. There was no sign of them on the ground and no sign of mum or dad. Neither has been sighted since. The nest remains deserted!

Saturday 27 October - short run
Distance: 8.22km
Time taken: 49mins
Average pace per km: 6:02
Calories burned: 482

Sunday - Vets' Handicap Run
Location: O'Connor Ridge
Distance: 8km
Time taken: 47:25
Average pace per km: 5:50
Place: 33rd
Handicap Group: 23
Calories: 488

This run was on familiar territory and in spite of the fact that I had an extremely late night, due to daughter-in-law's 30th birthday dinner party followed by an early morning due to the commencement of daylight saving, I really enjoyed the run aside from the tiredness. The surface was rough and there were lots of hills but it was challenging and I kept thinking if I hadn't eaten so much the night before and if I had more sleep, I could have run a lot better. Never mind, it was fun being surrounded by running friends. Later in the day I had a lovely time at Barb's get-together in spite of getting very lost finding my way to her new temporary home!

Monday - speedygeoff's training at Parliament House

Because of work commitments I didn't manage to go to the early session. However, I did run with the main group at 5.30pm starting with our usual warm-up lap. It was a great turn out and a good chance to catch up with a number of people. After the warm-up the main session was four x 640m repeats from the road and through the rose garden then jogged back to the start. Marg, Jodie and I only managed to squeeze in 3 repeats before the rest completed their 4. We then did a warm down loop of PH. After our warm-up we completed a number of stretches - yes, we are doing proper stretching at training now - great stuff!

Distance: 8:34km Calories: 530

After the training session I had to return home to clean up our deck. How fortuitous that daylight saving started the day before and I had enough light left for over an hour. A huge storm last night had whipped through our yard and our outdoor umbrella smashed through the glass topped table on the deck. I was left with one swinging enormous umbrella and shattered glass absolutely everywhere – shards of it on the deck chairs and shattered glass covering the deck. I climbed precariously up the step ladder to untie a million knots to release the umbrella off one hook and then it swung ominously close to my good ceramic pot so, wearing galoshes and leather gloves, I balanced myself pulling it out from the table frame (no glass top left at all) and then moved the ladder to release it from the other hook. Then the fun started – to try to fold up the umbrella. Oh dear, it went half way and stuck. I was almost in tears of frustration and ended up ringing Mr B (currently in NZ) who told me the ropes had to be loose and released so it would then fold. So I crawled under it in my running gear (must have looked an interesting sight if the neighbours saw me!!) and untwisted a very knotted rope from the inside top of the umbrella then after about 15mins it released and folded up on top of me!! So I pushed and shoved my way out from the umbrella and then rolled it up and dragged it into the garage where it now lies in state (but not nearly the same state as I was in at that moment)!! Then back to the garage for the outdoor broom, the kitchen shovel and lots of newspaper and bags. It took over an hour more to sweep up the glass and carry it through the house (cos I had shut the back door into the laundry and I had to go through the sliding doors and through the living area) holding a huge bag of several paper loads of glass and praying I didn’t drop the lot all over the carpet. I made it and for the next bag loads I made sure the back door was open!! I was utterly stuffed by the time I finished and it was now dark outside cos of course the outside light bulb had gone!! After all that I made myself some dinner and had a well-deserved shower!

Tuesday - Bodypump class at gym
I missed last week's session and found it really hard this morning especially as I decided to attempt to increase my weights. It was very painful!

Wednesday
Morning 6.15am - RPM - Cycle class
7am - 15mins killer-abs class

Our abs coach is being married in 6 weeks and is determined that we will all share her perfect abs. Consequently we worked extremely hard in that 15minutes! Her motto is "no pain, no gain" which may give some indication of how hard she works us!

After work - 5.15pm - Run with Ewen

Ewen met me at work and we ran down to the lake, over the bridge to the ferry terminal and on to Molonglo Reach doing a U-turn and returning to the start.

Distance: 14km
Time taken: 1hr 24mins
pace per km: 6mins
Calories burned: 830

It was another good run. I started off feeling very slow with my knees hurting after yesterday's gym session. I also had two pit stops which was annoying. However, the return journey was much better and we picked up the pace. At the carillon we stopped for a moment on the bridge and watched fluffy little goslings with their mum and dad - very cute. One of the highlights of our run, for me, was the tin mounted on a telegraph pole containing bags for 'doggie do' clean-ups. I have never seen these before and think they're a wonderful invention for assisting to keep our environment clean and fresh.

Tomorrow morning I'm meeting CJ for brekkie and I'm so looking forward, not only to catching up, but to that extra 45mins sleep in the morning!

Where do I start?

I have just realised I haven't blogged for a week. How on earth did that happen?? The last week has been a bit disjointed and didn't exactly go according to plan.

Friday 19 Oct - Run
Distance: 6km
Time taken: 35mins
Average pace per km: 5:50
Calories burned: 355
I just ran round the local block at 5.45am before work instead of going to the gym as I missed my run yesterday.

Sunday - Run
Distance: 14.3km
Time taken: 1hr 34mins
Average pace per km: 6:39
Calories burned: 818

Mr B and I went for a very hilly trail run around North Lyneham Ridge and O'Connor Ridge. It was hot, dusty and hilly but it felt very good especially after an excess of food yesterday as we had a bbq to celebrate youngest daughter's forthcoming birthday.Unfortunately I probably won't be able to go to attend the first track session at the AIS tomorrow as we'll be having a family dinner for same daughter's actual birthday.

Monday - gym - Fitball - abs

A very late night attending the presentation dinner of the Graduate Cooks' Awards - six courses of absolutely divine food with the appropriate wine to match each course! Needless to say I did not rise early for a gym session on Tuesday morning!

Wednesday (today) 6.15am - Gym - RPM/Cycle class
Tough, aerobic and a great session.

After work today - Run

I met Ewen and we spent the first 600m walking until my garmin found a satellite. Then we ran a similar run to last week. Again we saw tiny baby bunnies but only sighted 6 baby ducklings presumably to a different family from the 10 we saw last week. It had cooled down and there was plenty of cloud cover. In fact apart from a head wind in parts it was ideal conditions for a gentle longish run.
Distance: 16.62km
Time taken: 1hr 43mins
Average pace per km: 6:12
Calories burned: 990
It was a little slower than last week (perhaps we talked too much or perhaps it was the wind) but it was still a pleasant run. This time next week it should be much lighter at that time of day with daylight saving coming into effect. Thanks Ewen for yet another lovely run.

A 'Feel-Good' Run in the Bush Capital!

Morning 6.15am - Gym
RPM Cycle class

45 minute tough cycle class followed by a 15mins abs class with the original coach who has been on hols for a few weeks. Boy, is she enthusiastic and tough but every part of our abs was worked upon and it was such a good session. She's one tough lady!

5.15pm - Run
Distance: 16.3km
Time taken: 1hr40mins
Average pace per km: 6:09
Calories burned: 970

I met Ewen near my office and we went for a run to the lake and round the East Basin loop. Wow, what a run! It makes one really appreciate living in the bush capital. Running that part of the lake is almost like running in the country, it's quiet, it's off road, has a country smell and about the only person we met was running in the opposite direction. That person was none other than Emma Carney and Ewen assures me we were running faster than her! However, the best part of our run was yet to come. We saw pelicans, swans, ducks and then two very proud ducks taking their family of at least 12 tiny fluffy ducklings for a fast waddle. It was so beautiful. Then to top it all as we ran further on past Molonglo two rabbits crossed our path quite close to us and a little further on we saw three tiny baby bunnies running for cover. It was so exciting - what a fabulous run. We talked, ran gently, the company was great and altogether it was one of those feel-good runs which is what is what running is all about really!

We have Babies!!

Yes, the magpie mummy in the tree outside my office window has produced two babies. Two of her four eggs hatched over the weekend and there was big excitement this morning with the staff crowding in to have a peep at the babies through some little binoculars. Now these babies are not exactly beautiful, in fact they look like tiny skinned rats with a bit of white hair sticking out. One is pink and one is grey. However, I am confident they will develop into beautiful teenagers. The other two eggs are unhatched - not sure if they will still hatch or whether mummy will give up on them. In the meantime she has been feeding her babies today with daddy's help and it's quite a nature lesson to watch them - a slight distraction from the normal work load!

Morning exercise - 6.15am - Gym
Fitball - lots of nasty abs

Afternoon - 4.30pm - Run - Parliament House
Distance: 16.3km
Calories: 960

I managed to leave work early again which was great as it was a lovely sunny day today and it meant I could run with Ewen and Helen who also turned up early. We ran nearly 8km in the warm up run down through Kingston. It was very thirsty weather and I felt quite dry. At 5.30pm we met up with the others and ran the warm-up 1.7km loop of PH before the main set where we divided into relay teams of two. I ran with Ewen as my partner and we ran the usual diagonal laps across the grass and back up the hill to tag the other person. Those uphills felt hard especially as we really tried to race the person closest to us. After the winners finished ten repeats of this the whistle blew and we ran a cool down loop of PH. Then Ewen and I ran the loop again to make the distance over 16km in total.
Tonight I am very tired!

On Ya Bike!

Yes today for the first time in months and months (probably over a year) Mr B pumped up my bike tyres and I took my bike out for an airing. We just rode to the lake, had a drink, then cycled home again. The outward trip was tough as there was a nasty wind and I felt a bit insecure. I had to become used to using gears again avoiding pitfalls and glass on the way but on the return journey I began to relax and speed up and felt good that I had actually made a start. The first cycle is always the worst and out there in the real world feels quite different from cycling in the safety of a gym!

Distance: 17.5km
Max speed: 37kph
Average speed: 19kph (caution prevailed)

This afternoon Mr B and I met up with Rachelle, Kelley and CJ at KokoBlack for a yummy feast of Belgian chocolate to die for. Ewen opted to watch the motorcycle racing instead - never mind Ewen, we'll do it again, I feel confident of that! In the meantime I'll just have to run more to use up those calories!

Trails rule!

Friday - Gym
RPM - Cycle class

This morning I forgot to take my trousers to the gym so considering a shirt and jacket would not be a good look on their own I detoured home after my RPM class to shower and dress there instead consequently missing out on breakfast - grrrr!

Saturday - Trail Run

Mr B and I ran from home to North Lyneham ridge where we ran a loop and a half of the hilly route there before running on and crossing the road to O'Connor Ridge where we ran the trails there - lots of steep hills and a bit of uneven surface with loose stones and rocks but gee, I enjoy trail running. It's so much more pleasant than running on hard concrete. However, it's also much slower struggling up those hills! There were a few interesting signs on the way, one warning us about swooping magpies so for a few kms we ran carrying sticks above our heads looking a bit like Olympic Torch bearers - nah, we didn't look a bit like that really but it did make me giggle thinking of the comparison!

Distance: 15.34km
Time taken: 1:36
Average pace per km: 6:15
Calories burned: 880

Gym, Gym, Run, Run ....... How original!

Tuesday - 6.15am - Gym
Bodypump

Wednesday - 6.15am - Gym
RPM (spin/cycle) followed by 15mins killer abs

6.15pm - Run
Just a short run round the block to finish the day.
Distance: 6km
Time taken: 34:50
Average pace per km: 5:50
Calories burned: 360

Thursday - 5.30pm - Run
Training at Dickson oval
Distance: 6.8km

Only 8 people turned up for training tonight, probably due to the threatening black clouds. During the warm-up it started to rain (what a beautiful smell) and it was a fairly good downpour which only lasted for the duration of the first warm-up lap - just enough time to become drenched! Then the rainbow appeared and the sun shone briefly through the clouds. We continued training without any more rainfall. After another warm-up short lap our main set consisted of:

5 x 400m laps on 6mins
Thus we had quite a long rest between each 400m and ran one less than last week.

Lap 1: 1:57
Lap 2: 1:51
Lap 3: 1:49
Lap 4: 1:51
Lap 5: 1:48

At least I was faster than last week but that could have something to do with the fact that we ran from the opposite side of the track which meant we finished on a slight downhill rather than a slight uphill. I also had the motivation of racing against Jodie who is a similar pace to me and I wanted to race her against the finish line!

Slightly Off Training!

Monday 6.15am - Gym
Fitball - This is another name for abs exercises using an exercise ball. It's painful and intensive but presumably it works! I found it so hard to make the early start this morning and felt tired all day at work, probably due to a very full-on weekend!

Early and Late Training - 4.30pm
I arrived at training at 4.30pm which enabled me to run a 7km warm-up with Ewen. It was great to hear all about his Melbourne half and Norma's marathon. They both did really well.

It was pleasant weather with some warmth still in the sun but unfortunately I felt a bit blah and had to stop a couple of times at nicely-placed toilets! In fact I was unsure if I would manage the main training session but I was really pleased to be able to complete the whole session, albeit with slow caution! We ran a warm-up loop of PH then our main set was 10-12 repeats of about 200m zigzag runs across the grass in front of PH. We divided into teams of two and ran it as a relay. I didn't push myself too hard as I still felt a bit dodgy but it was fun and I'm glad I lasted the distance. I even managed the cool-down loop to finish off. There was a great group there tonight. Rae was there for the first time for ages and Caroline was there too. In fact I think there were about 20 tonight and after the session a few of us stayed to drink a glass of champagne in honour of Ken's birthday yesterday.

Total distance (by Ewen's garmin as mine had a flat battery): 14km

A Memorable Weekend with the Whales!

Friday - 6.15am - Gym
RPM -cycle/spin

I left work early, although a meeting delayed me longer than planned, to enable us to drive through to Merimbula in the South Coast while it was still daylight. There we stayed a couple of nights with two other couples (including CJ) on a whale watching package tour.

We had a wonderful time on Saturday, saw lots of amazing whales but oh boy, it was a rough boat trip in extremely windy, stormy conditions out there on the ocean. However, it was a fantastic experience and we had a ball. The whales put on a real show for us. It was great. The package included a very nice meal in an Italian restaurant where we exchanged travel stories over a few glasses of vino!

Sunday - Run
Mr B and I managed to squeeze in a run before breakfast. We ran down to the Boardwalk and along to the end through bush and then round the Merimbula inlet. It was a pleasant early morning run.
Distance: 9km
Time taken: 53:10
Average pace per km: 5:54
Calories burned: 530

I Don't Like 400metres!

This I have now decided after tonight's session! After our usual long loop and short loop of the oval our main set was 6 repeats of 400m on the uneven and rough surface of Dickson Oval track on 5minutes which gave us a long rest inbetween each set to jog lightly. Then to we ran a warm-down loop of the oval. Those 400m repeats were very tough in the nasty wind after a hard day in the office!

My times were slow but I was still stuffed!
lap 1: 2mins
lap 2: 2mins
lap 3: 1:56
lap 4: 1:56
lap 5: 1:55
lap 6: 1:56

At least I was consistent - consistently slow!
Total distance: 7.6km

Spin, spin, spin!

Stationary bike climbing up, up, up then intervals and fast spin, spin, spin! Yes, that was part of our session in the RPM cycle class at the gym at 6.15am. After the 45mins of "dripping" exercise on the bike I went to the 15mins abs class in the next room for more pain including a reverse plank which is an absolute killer.

I worked late to finish an important project so couldn't fit in a run after work today and tomorrow morning I'm meeting CJ early for brekkie so no gym - yay! No doubt however I will be going to training after work at the oval so will have to work extra hard!

Continuing the good start to the week!

Tuesday 6.15am - Gym
Bodypump (including abs)

Tuesday 5.45pm - Run

Yay, I collected my repaired tyre after work and as the shop officially closed at 5pm I left work early. However, the lovely gentleman there obliged by changing my tyre for me ever so quickly with his super duper mechanical wheel brace and a jack that was just like a foot pump only bigger. How easy it looks with the right equipment! What's more I didn't even need a new tyre. They could mend the puncture even though I could see daylight through it where the glass had embedded - amazing - I was impressed! Anyway to cut a long story short I made it home while the sun was still out and could squeeze in a run.

I ran from home and past Giralang to the 4km turnaround point near the tunnel heading for Gungahlin and then returned home the same way. I don't particularly like cycle tracks but for some reason I was running quicker than usual probably because nature was telling me I needed to get back home quickly!

Distance: 7.9km (not sure why I was short-changed here - must have cut corners)
Time taken: 44.2mins
Average pace per km: 5:37
Calories burned: 455

A Windy Labour Day in Canberra

Actually, it's been a windy weekend altogether - sunshine but nasty cold wind. We took the grandchildren to Floriade ( the annual spring flower festival in Canberra) today for a picnic and fun in the animal petting area and the children's parks. Out of the wind the sun was warm but I wouldn't have liked to be battling the wind in the Sri Chinmoy 10km race earlier. Instead of competing in that I chose to join Ewen at 4.30pm (or just after) and run an extra 7.3km before Ken took speedygeoff's training group for our session at Parliament House. Only five of us turned up tonight, probably due in part to the race in the morning and in part to the public holiday. We ran our warm up loop round PH and headed for the rose gardens where we ran 12 x 350m loops with 40secs fast and 80secs round to the start. Then we ran a warm down loop back to the carpark.

Total distance (including warm up before training): 15.3km
Calories burned: 950