Recovery

Today Total: 4k
Week Total: 4k
Month Total: 150k
Year Total: 1484k (Adjusted to account for an earlier error)

Just a slow 4k trot around Concord Golf Course in 26 mins before heading off to training tonight.

Not much to report other than I was reasonably happy to back-up after yesterdays assault on my body.

Couple of minor niggles - but a lot less jiggles :-)

Big Jump

Today Total: 23k
Week Total: 56k
Month Total: 146k
Year Total: 1487k

Watching silly Westerns on the tele last night I didn't get to bed until absurdly late so I was bit slow to get moving this morning and didn't get out the door till almost 10AM.

Surprisingly I felt great so I decided to do a genuine LSD run taking the first couple of k's at around 6.40 pace - distance being todays objective.

I implemented my tried and trusted distance extender regimen of a 1 min walk break after every 20 mins of running and it worked a treat.

The route I took was the foreshore from Cape Cabarita to Canada Bay and then across to The Bay for a lap and return. I picked the pace up a bit around The Bay for show - though I ran into the herd doing Seven Bridges crossing Iron Cove and these cows weren't budging for my calves (do your worst DJ & Ewen - if you've got anything left that is). My pace gradually dropped over the last 8k with a couple of 7 minute shockers in there when I hit hills.

All up I did 23k in 2.33.55 (6.41av)including the walk breaks - considering my longest run since June has been 14k I'm very happy with it.

:-)

CR 5k Challenge

Today Total: 10k
Week Total: 30k
Month Total: 123k
Year Total: 1464k

26.29 today = 1.29 faster than last month = still bloody slow = Ewen is pretty safe from losing our bet on who will get back underneath 23 minutes first.

When I first turned up about ten to seven the start line was deserted. Shortly afterwards Papa Luigi turned up and we wondered if we had the right day? Then within the space of a couple of minutes CR's emerged from everywhere like freedom fighters converging on secret food dump. I swear that if we had CR bandanas instead of caps Homeland Security would take an interest in us.

Having been off work yesterday with a crook tum I wasn't expecting too much today so went off 27 mins with one other guy Geoff (?). I was determined to stick to pace so let him go early as he scampered off closer to a 26 min pace.

I found 5.15 to 5.20 pace fairly comfortable but the wind was an absolute shocker during the second and third k and my mouth went all dry and gluggy (sorry not the nicest image I know) which had the run comfort indicator spiraling downwards.

About half way through the second k I recognised the twin bobbing pony tails of Bernie G and the Owl and just focussed on closing the gap.

The two ladies who went off 25 mins passed me somewhere around the 4k mark and I used them to drag me up to within a few meters of Bernie & Owly where I recouped my breath and sat put till there was about 400m to go. At that point I increased my stride length, overtook them and headed with what little energy I had left for Queen B who was marking the finish line.

For once I was amongst the first to get to the finish and could turn back and see the rest of the crowd come hurtling across the line in various stages of exhaustion - for my part I was totally spent.

The 5k back to the start was a complete horror for me - the fuel tank was reading empty and I was barely running on fumes - in fact a few times I slipped it into nuetral and just coasted (read walked). I was the last back by a long shot and most people had already left by the time I got there.

I was going to go to breaky with Uncle Dave, Papa Luigi, Owl, Colin, Benny, Gnome & TA (there may have been others - sorry if I left you out) but when I got back to my car my breathing was becoming all wheezy (wot tha?) and I decided to bail and go home - beaten but not cowed.

Next stop sub 25 :-)

Easy Ten

Today Total: 10k
Week Total: 20k
Month Total: 113k
Year Total: 1454k

My calves pulled up a bit tight after Tuesdays faster run and last nights bag work didn't do much to loosen them up so I set off today at fairly conservative pace. With my history the last thing I need at the moment is to overdo things in the calf department.

The first k was a bit scratchy but after that I settled into a fairly comfortable rythym as I doddled around the foreshore on my standard out and back course to Canada Bay and return.

All up 10k in 61.06 (av 6.06 pace).

The bod is feeling a bit weary having trained every day for the last seven days - depending on how I feel I might make tomorrow a complete rest day.

Sub 60 10k

Today Total: 10k
Week Total: 10k
Month Total: 103k
Year Total: 1444k

Yeeehaa!!! Today was the breakthrough I've been looking for since I recommenced training - 10k in 59.18.

I know 59.18 for 10k aint nuffin to crow about but this is the first run I have done in 3 or 4 months where I didn't feel like I was struggling at any stage, I felt strong the whole way - by the same token I certainly didn't bludge and the strong headwind I ran into around the foreshore for most of the run certainly kept me honest.

I'd rate it as a good hard and satisfying workout for this stage of my training - I'm a very happy 2P tonight :-)

Planes, Trains & Automobiles?

Today Total: 14k
Week Total: 41k
Month Total: 93k
Year Total: 1434k

No! Grasses, Trails & Bitumi (ok so I took some poetic licence inventing a plural for bitumen) :-)

With heavy showers through the night I opted for the relatively wimpy option of running around the lakefront (ish) of Gwandalan and Summerland Point. It rained on and off and everytime I was exposed to the honking Southerly that was blowing I zipped my CR tri top right up and jammed my '05 Six Foot hat down low over my eyes.

Today was a tremendous grind after the last few days but I am starting to feel that old familiar confidence (probably misplaced) that I can run long distances :-)

Happy Trails

Today Total: 7k
Week Total: 27k
Month Total: 79k
Year Total: 1410k

Alas no Spud - not mountainous Wattagan trails but mildy undulating Gwandalan trails - you have hit the nail on the head though - my heart pines for a start in GNW - maybe I could turn up for some pacing at the back end......

After belting out 10 x 2min rounds on the heavy bag last night and doing some core strength stuff I was well and truly ready for my soon to be patented mow-the-lawn recovery session this morning - having not been up here for a while it was a 2 hour workout that left me raring for a run.

Mrs 2P wanted to go bogon spotting down at Lakehaven so I got her to drop my up on the Pacific Highway and I doddled back through the labrynth of trails around Crangan Bay.

The most comfortable run I have done in a while - still pretty slow but I can feel the base starting to come back - my aerobic base that is - not my butt - I'm desparately trying to shed that particular base :-)

Hopefully I can back-up again for tomorrow.

Chip Chip

Today Total: 10k
Week Total: 20k
Month Total: 72k
Year Total: 1410k

As Gronk would say "keep chipping away 2P" and that is exactly what todays doddle in the light rain was all about - I just wish I was armed with something a little bigger than a nail file to get through this bloody great mountain.

It's all just part of the process and it is much easier to keep my eye on the prize now I have my handy dandy new fangled countin machine up top :-). A four year old could solve a Rubiks Cube quicker than it took me to get that lil sucker working the way I wanted!

Anyhoo the run actually wasn't that bad - a bit slower than Tuesday but at least the rain kept the spectators down and I could jiggle and bounce my way round the foreshore with relative privacy.

Off to training tonight and then up to the lake house for the weekend - with a bit of luck I can hit some trails over the next couple of days.

Upward Trend

Today Total: 10k
Week Total: 10k
Month Total: 62k
Year Total: 1400k

Headed off after work in the light sprinkling rain around the old stomping grounds of Breakfast Point and Canada Bay.

Very happy to have run a nice even pace for the entire distance without struggling over-much. The weather was coolish but boy it sure was humid out there and I was sweating like a submariner in a depth charge attack.

Anyhoo 10k in 62.56 - considering that last Saturday week I struggled to "race" the Striders 10k in 64mins I'll take this "training" run as a sign of improvement - hey what can I say - as a behaviouralist from way back I'm a huge advocate of the 3 R's:

Response
Rewarded
Recurs

Now if I could only get the cognitive therapy to work as well :-)

Misty Mountains

Today. Total: 14k
Week Total: 24k
Month Total: 52k
Year Total:1390k

I really struggled on Thursday morning and by 10PM that night I knew why - let's just say I had urgent and competing priorities for the loo and throughout the night I woke several times with a raging temperature.

By midday I felt a lot better but the prospect of flying didn't really thrill me a whole heap - anyhoo I made it home and went straight to bed.

This weekend was a "Bathurst weekend" and I was pretty poor company for the Halfpenny on Saturday - though I felt heaps better and was eating normally I felt tired and washed out like I'd had a heavy night on the turps.

This morning however I woke fresh as and feeling fine and decided Narrowneck was on. Three times I've been here in the last four weeks and each time the conditions have been starkly different. Today it was a balmy 19 degrees and the valleys were just starting to haze up.

I headed off determined to better my time from Wednesay week ago - I immediately knew I was in better shape when I ran all of the first of the rises - I did still walk some of the steeper sections throughout the run but I certainly ran heaps more of the uphill than last time.

I had 3 goals:

- no double digit km splits (check)
- negative split (check 1.34 -ve split)
- faster than last attempt (check beat it by 9.01)

Very happy 2P as this is the best indicator yet that I am starting to get lighter, fitter and faster - I loooooooove these hilly trail runs for what they can do to your confidence (the view and the vibe aint bad either).

By the time I got back to the car it was almost whiteout conditions with visibility down to about 50m as the fog rolled in during the last 2k and the temperature noticibly started to drop - vindicating my decision to always carry a space blanket when running solo in the mountains.

Our mountains might not be very high - but geez - I feel on top of the world this arvo :-)

Up There Cazaley

Today Total: 4k
Week Total: 10k
Month Total: 38k
Year Total: 1376k

I'm in Melbourne for work so this morning I headed out into a gloriously sunny day (bit windy but) and did a bit of an extended lap of the MCG.

I was very careful not to tread on any dead Swans and kept a watchful eye out for any swooping birds of prey ;-)

Still finding it a bit tough - but I guess you get that in the big games. Try again tomorrow :-)

Still Plodding

Today Total: 6k
Week Total: 6k
Month Total: 34k
Year Total: 1372k

I have Whinging Leg Syndrome - no niggles - just tired, miserable pins that feel like lead weights attached to me at the hips.

With a hectic schedule for the next couple of days I needed a run today as insurance against not being able to squeeze one in later in the week. Tomorrow is Mrs 2P's Happy Birthday day and as previous wounds  have now healed sufficiently I won't risk bloodshed or a broken limb by going for run (no one here but us cowards). Wednesday I am on the Red Eye to Melbourne and have a work dinner that night so no running opportunity there. I might squeeze something in on Thursday or Friday but will just have to wait and see - maybe Wobbles might be up for a trot Thursday arvo?

As for today - yowser! - I struggled through 6k in 40 minutes - Ewen I might as well just buy you that beer now mate ;-)

Cheap Lact-Away

The legs were a little too overcooked to make running a sensible option today so I headed out for an easy 30 minutes on the bike for a bit of recovery.

It was mighty windy out around Breakfast Point and Canada Bay with lots of trees and even a light pole down.

Not the most pleasant 10k I've ever ridden but the quads are a little happier for the experience - and it was a whole lot cheaper than Lact-Away ;-)

Striders 10k Plod

Today Total: 10k
Week Total: 28k
Month Total: 28k
Year Total: 1366k

After Wednesday's and Thursday's hit outs I predicted it would be a hard day at the office today - talk about your self fulfilling prophesy - I reckon I could do Sister Cleo out of a job.

My first ever Striders event and I must say what an impressive machine. I'd join but I am a big believer that if you are a member of a club then you should put in as well as take out and I simply don't have the time available to contribute. But I will continue to fund their coffers (gladly) with the extra visitors charge at those events I can make it to into the future.

The usual suspects were in attendance including Tesso who is moving here from Brissy (hehe couldn't resist that Clairie) and it was really nice catching up with all my virtual mates from both Blogland & CR.

I was planning to go 59.59 but after 2k I knew that wasn't going to happen - the slight rise on Pondage Link Road had my VMO's screaming from Thursday's ride - my breathing was fine for a change but the legs were just dead and so it was plod, plod, plod.

I had convinced myself that I would DNF at 5k but as I trotted back to the Start/Finish area the legs and brain refused to yield and I accepted my fate and continued on with the 2nd lap.

I haven't seen the official time yet but it will be in the high 63's (nett) Edit: 64.02 gun - I think I was about 4th last Edit: I was 6th last, but there were also 9 DNF's - fairly woeful given that a few short months ago I was running 10 minutes faster as comfy training runs. Still - on the bright side - I've seen some positive movement on the scales and I am back into double digits so it can only get better from here ;-)

Bike Bliss

Just got back from a 53k ride on the mountain bike in 2 hours 40 - considering some of it was on dirt trail and some on grass I'm very happy with it.

Another glorious day in tinsel town so I donned the bike knicks and my ancient Reynold 531 jersey and headed off on the MTB to Parramatta via Meadowbank, Ermington and Rosehill.

When I got to Parramatta Park a small pack of road bikes was passing so I tacked on the back to see if I could keep up - they were travelling between 26 & 27kmh on the flat - just cruising and having a good old natter. It was a bit of a stretch for me but I thought a nice quicker section would be just the ticket to break up my ride and make the 20k homeward trip interesting.

I stuck with them for 6 laps, struggling a little on the slight rise just after the main entrance but found I was reaching for the brakes as my greater weight and gravity took over on the down. No one spoke to me - I don't think they thought very much of a triple figure fatso on a $250 MTB with normal pedals, nobbly tyres, wheel reflectors and a bell tagging on to them - but what the hey I'd let them run with me anytime  ;-)

After breaking off from them I then set sail for home pretty much the same way as I'd come - the 6 faster laps had certainly made my legs nice and toasty - I was fine on the flat but my legs were soon screaming on any hills - I loved it! I will confess - the last 3k were a bit of a drag and I had definitely had enough by the time I turned into my driveway but as I said at the start, I'm very happy with it.

Man I love holidays :-)

Narrowneck Bliss

Today Total: 14k
Week Total: 18k
Month Total: 18k
Year Total: 1356k

Talk about chalk and cheese - when I was last at Narrowneck last Sunday week it was 28 degrees and gale force winds - today it 21 degrees and not even a hint of a breeze. Springtime in the mountains at its best :-)

I parked up at the locked gate, jacked up the camelbak and after manouvering my body underneath it (read extended all the straps to accommodate my new found girth) went for a trot 7k out to the fire tower and return - I went out very conservatively walking the worst of the hills early - the plan was always for a negative split which I accomplished by a bit over 2 minutes - so pretty satisfied with that.

The views were simply stunning today and I was very much in my happy place :-) 14k is still a bit short to call it a real run - but I'm getting there ;-)

Hehe and one for you Hilda - I'm tapping out this post on my Blackberry at a place called Hilda's Lookout!

Paying The Piper

Today Total: 4k
Week Total: 4k
Month Total: 4k
Year Total: 1338k

The legs were as dead as door nails after the last 2 days exertions so I decided to keep it short and slow and fair dinks even that was a struggle.

At this stage it is that fine balance between keeping the faith, getting some consistency back into the training and not overdoing it - I suspect I'm right on the cusp after todays very ordinary outing.

So I'll have a rest day tomorrow (Halfpennys Birthday in Bathurst) and then the plan is for something longer up the mountains on the way home on Wednesday.

Enjoy the holiday Monday for those who have it ;-)

On Your Bike

My legs pulled up heaps better after yesterday than I expected - happy days :-)

Another glorious Spring day - so when I found out that the social director had booked us in to go and watch grand halfpenny number 1 do some modeling work at Birkenhead Point the wheels and cogs got to turning that I could literally get the wheels and cogs turning.

So I got out the metal detector and started searching for the MTB - I finally found it in the carport under a pile of dust and cobwebs - it was worth the asthma attack to dust it off - it's actually red - go figure ;-)

I rode on semi-flat tyres for 5k till I finally found a servo that had their air compressor turned on - nothing like old fashion service - well there certainly is nothing like it around Concord anyway *tish-boom*.

And onwards to Birkenhead (where I promptly lost my sunnies) - the grand halfpenny sans front teeth did her best for Osh Kosh & Pumpkin Patch and earned more money for about a minute and a half all up on the catwalk (aged 7) than I do in a day - good work if you can get it - maybe I should become her agent......

On the way back I took in The Bay, Five Dock and then back to the foreshore around Canada Bay and Breaky Point where a maggie got me a nice raking blow down the side of the cheek - even drew blood - so now I have the classic duelling scar to go with my Germanic ancestory - now where are those blue coloured contact lenses and peroxide?

Anyhoo all up 20k in just under an hour - pretty happy with that considering the first 5k was like riding through molasses. Life is good :-)