Manic Monday

Monday Total: 12.5k
Week Total: 12.5k
Month Total: 55.3k
Year Total: 362.1k

Time: 65.38min
Av pace: 5.15min/km
AHR: 147; MHR: 182
Av Temp: 19.1*c (6am)
Rel. Humidity Av: 72.3%
Wind Spd Avg: 8.7kph (ESE)
Started with: Bitch - Meredith Brooks
Finished with: Black fingernails, red wine - Eskimo Joe

What a day! It started well - went for a run; felt fine, no problems. Came home, had breakfast, then a shower. Came out of the bathroom (suitably clothed) and whoa! There were 2 guys who I'd never seen before standing in the hallway. It seems that our builder was meant to ring the night before to let us know that in the morning one of his guys would be coming around with a building inspector to have a look at the house before signing off on the plans. Then when they knocked on the door, son #1 let them in - because obviously I didn't hear them as I was in the shower (and wasn't expecting anyone anyway), and then went back to bed. So I don't know who was more surprised - me or the guys!

Being the first day back at school it was chaos on the roads, with a bit of road rage thrown in. Finding a car park was the next challenge. So I really needed that coffee when I finally got to work. Only to be told that Bec, good friend and work colleague, was finishing up a day earlier (she is moving to Singapore for 12 months). Panic stations because I will be taking on her job as well as my own and we haven't had a handover yet. Plus I'm organising her farewell afternoon tea tomorrow afternoon. Which is why I'm baking Short Black Cup Cakes (the perfect combination of coffee and chocolate) tonight. And as I've been taste testing while I've been making them (as all good cooks should!) I'm now hyped on caffeine and sugar. Think it will be a late one tonight. And it is probably the reason why when I first wrote this entry I then went and deleted it....accidentally.....


Oh, and the verdict on the Sticky Vanilla Toffee Tim Tams? I am a traditionalist when it comes to Tim Tams and my personal all-time favourite is the Double Coated Tim Tams. These were a bit ho hum. I think I'd prefer either the Double Choc and Raspberry Tim Tams or the Choc Mudcake ones. And I didn't buy them - blame Mr CJ!

Do. Nothing. Day.

Have just discovered these in the supermarket - obviously for Valentines Day. Currently taste testing the Sticky Vanilla Toffee ones (top).

Simply satisfying, shorter, sweaty Saturday!

Saturday Total: 32.8k
Week Total: 78.8k
Month Total: 42.8k
Year Total: 349.6k

Time: 3hr 22.04min
Av pace: 6.09min/km
AHR: 151; MHR: 191
Av Temp: 20.1*c; Low: 17*c; High: 24*c
Rel. Humidity Av: 77.9%; Low: 61%; High: 88.2%
Wind Spd Avg: 5kph (SE)
Started with: I just wanna live - Good Charlotte
Finished with: Hips don't lie - Shakira

The 'Simply satisfying' part of the heading refers to the really pleasant route we took this morning. There were hills (we did after all run up Mt Majura) but it was all so doable and there were more flat bits than usual. I'm not keen on the downhills because, quite frankly, I suck at downhill running but even these weren't too bad today. And the fact that for a lot of the run we had shade really helped too. Also I wasn't bringing up the rear today, as I usually do. Steve was the plodder today!

The 'shorter' part of the heading refers to the distance we ran: a very pleasant 32km. Though, as I was remarking to John at the end, I still felt just as tired when I finished as I did last week finishing 40km. However the average pace was a lot faster today: 6.09min/km compared to 6.35min/km last week.

It was muggy this morning hence the 'sweaty' part of the heading. It was a beautiful morning and we had lots of shade on the run but due to the mugginess I was drenched with sweat early on. I managed to drink 2 bottles of Gatorade on the run and 2 bottles of water after the run. Then after a banana and half a mango (thanks to Chris) it was time to stand in the lake and cool the tired legs.

It was a good run!

Finally Friday!

Rest day........

Thursday, thankfully

Thursday Total: 10k
Week Total: 46k
Month Total: 10k
Year Total: 316.8k

Time: 54min
Av pace: 5.24min/km
AHR: 143; MHR: 184
Started with: Bad Touch - Bloodhound Gang
Finished with: Fight for all the wrong reasons - Nickelback

My legs generally object to Thursday runs - they know its the last one before a rest day (from running) and before the big one on Saturday. Also by Thursday I have usually run another 3 times during the week including the mid-week medium run and a short fast run plus let's not forget the gym workout on Monday. So hence the title (tho' ihatetoast has given me an idea for next Thursday's heading!)

I ran against Garmin Girl (GG) again this morning with the goal being 5.30min/km pace. Quite doable, you say, in fact too easy? Not this morning; at the 5km mark I was about 66m behind so this run turned out to be a negative split run. By the time I finished I was about 116m ahead but GG made me work for it today.

This was followed by breakfast with Strewth and Mr B at Red Belly Black where I had 2 black coffees and muesli with natural yoghurt, peach and strawberries.

Wednesday Wanders

Wednesday Total: 21k
Week Total: 36k
Month Total: 306.8k
Year Total: 306.8k

Time: 2hr 6.28min
Av pace: 6.01min/km
AHR: 142; MHR: 171
Started with: Special K - Placebo
Finished with: Maneater - Nelly Furtado

I always think those elevation maps a bit deceiving because when you first look at them you think "omg, how impressive, look at all those pointy bits" but actually when you look at the scale at the side, its not really that dramatic - well at least not for this run. Yes, there are hills but I don't recall them quite the way they are depicted in the graph!

Anyway it was an uneventful run. I didn't feel too bad after yesterday's runs, though I have to admit 4.30am came around far too quickly. Saw lots of kangaroos - cute little ones and one huge one with massive shoulders; I picked up the pace a little after spotting him! Also saw an echidna busily waddling along, doing its own thing.

Two Times Tuesday

Tuesday afternoon Total: 5k
Week Total: 15k
Month Total: 285.8k
Year Total: 285.8k

Event: ACT Cross Country Summer Series: Weston Park
Time: 22.02min
Av pace: 4.32min/km

I decided yesterday that I would do this event, even though it meant running twice today. Next week I will rearrange my schedule so that I run Monday morning, and then go to the gym Tuesday morning and run the Summer Series Tuesday afternoons. There are 8 events in the Summer Series and most are around 5km, with the longest being 7.1km. These races are good for speedwork, especially as there are some very fast runners who compete in these.

I managed to see Roy and Ray before the start and said hello to Will, who was marshalling. I seeded myself near the back for a relatively slow start as I was still feeling a little stiff and sore from yesterday's gym session! Fortunately the weather had cooled and while it was warm it wasn't unbearably so. Also a good part of this race is shaded, which helps. Once we had started I began picking my way through the group (it was a good turnout) and once we hit the cycle path I was feeling really good. Its a blast to be able to run fast on a flat surface when most days are spent running almost vertically! And before I knew it I was heading back to the start. I'd forgotten how short 5km is!!!! ;-) It was a good run. Afterwards I bumped into Carol who I hadn't seen since my triathlon days (in the dim, dark, distant past!) and I hardly recognised her - she has lost a lot of weight and looks really incredible. Fortunately she recognised me.


Tuesday morning total: 10k
Week Total: 10k
Month Total: 280.8k
Year Total: 280.8k

Time: 56.43min
Av pace: 5.40min/km
AHR: 139; MHR: 159
Started with: Stinkfist - Tool
Finished with: Here it goes again - Ok Go

Took it slowly this morning as I had a 5km race this afternoon. Nothing to report.

Muscles Monday

No running but a gym day instead. Legs feel fine; I'm just suffering some residual tiredness from the weekend's long run. So it was a lower body workout plus abs this morning; which is kind of ironic because my poor old legs get enough of a workout anyway!

There were less people at the gym this morning - guess the new year resolutions are starting to peter out about now. The regulars were there but not too many new faces. I had to drop back on the weights for some of the exercises because my legs were objecting, but it was still a hard workout.

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Freddo Inventor dies (as reported in today's Canberra Times)

A Freddo Frog flag will be draped over the coffin of the man who invented the Australian chocolate icon more than 70 years ago. Harry Melbourne, who thought up the idea of the chocolate frog named Freddo when he was 18, has died in Melbourne, aged 94.

And from the Cadbury Australia website:
Seventy years ago Harry Melbourne invented our beloved Freddo Frog.

When MacRobertson Chocolates was looking for a new idea for their Children's range, a chocolate mouse was most preferred. Harry Melbourne, who was employed at MacRobertson, knew this would not sell and in 1930 created Freddo Frog.

"I told Macpherson Robertson (the owner of MacRobertson Chocolates) women and children were afraid of mice and a chocolate mouse would not sell".

When Harry pitched the idea to Macpherson Robertson he said "I'd like to see one, make one up and bring it over to my office".

"I did and three days later the Marketing Manager said I had backed a winner."

iliketoast I owe you a freddo frog.

And in response to ihatetoast's question about what I did on my do. nothing. day - naturally I had coffee (2 in fact), went for a walk, and read. Pretty boring actually....

Sleep-in Sunday

That's right...no running...its a do. nothing. day!

And how am I feeling after yesterday's almost-marathon effort? Tired but the legs feel fine; no soreness or stiffness.....yet.

Sensational Saturday

Mt Ainslie/Rollercoaster loop x 2 1/2 (inc 3 x Mt Ainslie)

Saturday Total: 40.7k
Week Total: 80.7k
Month Total: 270.8k
Year Total: 270.8k

Time: 4hr 34.43min
Av pace: 6.44min/km
AHR: 152; MHR: 197
Temp: 23.8*c avg; 26*c max
Started with: Throw it away - Jake Cartel with Toby Rand
Finished with: St Elmo's Fire - John Parr

This morning I ran my longest ever training run - 40.7km. And I'm happy to report, I think I'm improving on the hilly runs. Yay! Finally....... Mind you, I'll probably go out next week and run an absolute shocker. So I will revel in today's accomplishment for a little while!

Don't get me wrong, there were still times when I walked...I think that's a given for me on a lot of these runs. I'm constantly amazed at John who ambles along up the hill making it look like its nothing more than a gentle undulation; and Steve, who bounds along full of energy; and they are both having a full-on conversation; and then there's me, bringing up the rear, concentrating on my feet and my contribution to the conversation, when I am still within earshot, are single syllable words.

On the second loop, which is done in reverse, I lost contact with John and Steve and so had to make a decision as to which way they would have gone, heading back up Mt Ainslie (this was not long after you passed me Ewen). I decided to go the way we did a fortnight ago, and which proved to be different to the way they went, but we managed to regroup back at the War Memorial.

For the 3rd time up Mt Ainslie, I was positive I would be walking it so it was very satisfying when I found I could run most of it. The run back to the finish seemed to go on forever, particularly the Campbell Park bit which was exposed and hot, and then the golf course section which just seems to go on forever. However finally I had made it back and it was bliss to stand in the lake, cooling my hot achey feet and just. stand. there. doing. nothing.


Congratulations must go to iliketoast for managing to get 4 songs out of 5 in the Frappe Five. Commiserations to Tesso. I only managed to get 2 songs: Hilltop Hoods - The Hard Road; and Muse - Starlight. However, on my ipod I do have 4 songs out of the top 5.

Triple J's Hottest 100 2006 (Top 10)
1. Augie March - One Crowded Hour
2. Eskimo Joe - Black Fingernails, Red Wine
3. Hilltop Hoods - The Hard Road
4. The Killers - When You Were Young
5. Scissor Sisters - I don't feel like dancing
6. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
7. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
8. Gotye - Hearts a mess
9. Muse - Starlight
10. The Grates - 19-20-20

Fantastic Friday - Rest Day

Have a great Australia Day holiday!

So far so good - up to no.53 on Hottest 100 and none of my selections have come up yet........!

Just for Katy, here's Thekthy Thursday!

Wednesday Total: 10k
Week Total: 41k
Month Total: 230.1k
Year Total: 230.1k

Time: 52.44min
Av pace: 5.16min/km
AHR: 148; MHR: 222
Started with: Its the end of the world as we know it - REM
Finished with: Times like these - Foo Fighters

I really did not want to get up this morning. In fact I wanted to start the long weekend a day earlier. Mr CJ brought me a coffee before he left for work. I drank that. I lay there a bit longer. True to form the little nagging voice started - you really should get up and run; you can't run after work so you'll have to do it now; you'll feel guilty all day if you don't run; you'll wish you'd run, blah,blah.....

15 mins later I was dressed and heading out the door for an easy 10km with 6 lots of 100m strides thrown in to break the run up. My legs were tired and I'm really glad tomorrow is a rest day - I feel like I'm due for one.

Wonderful Wednesday

Wednesday Total: 21k
Week Total: 31k
Month Total: 220.1k
Year Total: 220.1k

Time: 2hr 6.03min
Av pace: 6min/km
AHR: 151; MHR: 240
Started with: Minority - Green Day
Finished with: Common People - Pulp

Woke up in the early hours of the morning to the sound of falling rain. What a lovely sound - unfortunately we don't hear it all that often. It was quite a heavy shower but all it served to do was make things muggier than they already were.

Then it was up at 4.30am for breakfast - toast with honey and banana (yum!) and coffee. The mornings are darker now - at 5.30am when I left on my mid-week medium long run it was still dark. I ran up, up, up Springvale Dve - this morning it seemed extra long but finally I reached the top and continued along to Mt Painter nature park - more hills that seemed to go on forever. Then it was on through Cook, Aranda bushland and finally, Black Mountain nature park. It was only on my return trip that I started seeing other people out for walks, some were jogging, others had their dogs, a few were cycling. By the time I got home I was dripping in sweat - it was extremely muggy. And that was my half marathon (well almost - didn't run that extra 100m!) before work.

Terrific Tuesday

Late edit - I have officially entered Six Foot Track Marathon.

Tuesday Total: 10k
Week Total: 10k
Month Total: 199.1k
Year Total: 199.1k

Time: 48.50min
Av pace: 4.52min/km
AHR: 160; MHR: 194
Started with: Here Comes Another One - SGT
Finished with: Pretty Vegas - INXS

Oh man, have I got sore musckles today. DOMS has moved from the legs to the upper body and getting the crop top on and off this morning was an exercise in pain and patience. However I'm pleased to say it didn't really affect my running. An amazing fact I learnt this morning: within 15mins I can go from being asleep to running my first km in 4.58min/km. Isn't caffeine wonderful!!!

The way I've found to motivate myself to run at a fairly brisk pace and not slacken off, which I am prone to doing on my own, is to set Garmin Girl to Virtual Partner mode. Usually I will set it to run at 5.30min/km pace. Then my competitive streak kicks in and I try to beat her by a sizeable margin. Today the gap was 1.17km - happy with that!

The Crown Affair
On 8th December last year I went to the dentist for the first of 2 visits to have a crown put on a tooth that had root canal treatment in 2005. Two months and 8 visits later I finally have the crown fitted. So 2 months, 2 crowns (1 crown broke and I was nowhere near it – in fact, I wasn’t even there), 2 temporaries (inc 1 swallowed!), 4 replacements of temporary crown, 1 visit in person to ceramist, 3 visits of crown to ceramist (without me)…..I think that’s it!!!! *touch wood*

Correction: I love Mondays but hate big hairy spiders!

I know; its sounds like I’ve ingested way too much caffeine for my own good but today has been a good day. I don’t know why; maybe because it’s not so hot; maybe work has been interesting and challenging without being mundane or miracles expected; maybe it’s just a change in attitude. Whatever; today has been a good day and it started with a visit to the gym. That’s it! Maybe it’s the endorphins kicking in!

It’s been way too long since I’ve been to the gym (I think it was before Christmas) and I have been putting it off lately. After all, the plan was to go back when I started work and I did start back at work last week. But then I reasoned that I needed to ease back into work and concentrate on my running. This morning I momentarily thought about starting next week after the long weekend but I promptly dismissed that thought, had my breakfast and went to the gym. No more internal arguing!

This morning I focused on the upper body mainly because I am suffering a bit of DOMS in the legs after Saturday’s run. Then I did ab and back exercise because sadly, I have been neglecting these as well. There were a few familiar faces but also lots of new faces – new year’s resolutions to get fit and buff I guess.

I left the gym feeling very virtuous this morning! 0:-)

Late edit: So where does the spider come into this you may ask? Driving home after work, and approaching the large roundabout, something to the right of me caught my eye. I looked and nearly ran off the road in fright - a large hairy spider was skedaddling across the driver's side window. Ok so it was on the outside, and all I can say is thank god for air-conditioning otherwise I would've had my window down and I don't even want to go there. Still it was enough to get my heart rate racing and I spent the rest of the drive home wondering whether there was anyway that eight legged fiend could get inside the car. Then I had visions of the big hairy spider waiting for me to get out of the car, ready to pounce....(I do credit spiders with far too much intelligence). I was so tempted to ring Mr CJ to come out and check the outside of the car before I got out however the mere thought of this little incident being brought up in conversation for the next x number of years was enough for me to get up the courage to open the door.......while leaning back just...in...case....and......then leap out of the car! Any neighbours who happened to be watching through their blinds or curtains must've wondered what I was on! Now I'm worried it might have got inside the car. I will be thoroughly checking the sun visors, pockets inside the doors, beneath the steering wheel, etc, etc before I leave home tomorrow!

Rest day

Now this is a mountain!

Mt Tennant in the distance - where we ran (walked) today

Saturday Total: 30.7k
Week Total: 74.8k
Month Total: 189.1k
Year Total: 189.1k

Time: 4hr 26.26min
Av pace: 8.39min/km
AHR: 156; MHR: 240
Max elevation: 1,396m
Started with: The Saints are Coming - U2 & Green Day
Finished with: Ain't no other man - Christina Aguilera

That was one helluva training one this morning! Temperature range for the run was 20*c - 34*c. It began with a very steep uphill rocky path followed by some great trail running among the trees and then onwards and ever upwards to the top for the first time! Great views but then we were away again and after this it all becomes a blur - lots of uphills and downhills, some running out on exposed trails and that relentless uphill the second time around. I did lots of walking and even that was a challenge at times particularly as the temperature rose and the cloud burnt off. The final run back down to the start never seemed to end - it was the same very steep rocky path - put one foot wrong and it could be a very painful descent; not even worth thinking about. However, despite the heat and the relentlessly steep and never-ending hills, and rocky paths, I did enjoy it - there were parts that were really great and parts that weren't so great. But that's what running is all about...... Oh and when I finished I was handed a cup of bubbly - perfect way to end a hard run!

Rest day

Fartlek before breakfast

Thursday Total: 10k
Week Total: 44.1k
Month Total: 158.4k
Year Total: 158.4k

Time: 54.07min
Av pace: 5.24min/km
AHR: 145; MHR: 186
Started with: Bohemian Like You - Dandy Warhols
Finished with: That's the reason I'm leaving - Franz Ferdinand

19*c at 5.30am - its hard to believe this is Canberra. But lately we have had very warm nights and mornings, and its hot during the day (33*c today; 35*c tomorrow).

Anyway I learnt my lesson from last week - do my run in the morning on Thursdays, otherwise I have to front up at track that night to do a run and we all know what happened last Thursday!

It was a fartlek run this morning which made it slightly more interesting than usual: 2 x 60sec (60sec RI); 4 x 30sec (30sec RI) - repeat all this again then 2 x 60sec (60sec RI). I run a couple of kms to warm up (aka as wake up) and then a couple of kms as a cool down back home. That's it - nothing more to say really. Very boring.......

The rest of the day went in a coffee haze - its was just one of those days. I won't admit how many I had; suffice to say it was more than 5 cups of 'real' coffee....:-) And no, I wasn't wired.......However I did get a lot of work done!

I think I can....I think I can.....

Wednesday Total: 16.7k
Week Total: 34.1k
Month Total: 148.4k
Year Total: 148.4k

Time: 1hr 40.24min
Av pace: 6min/km (I think Garmin Girl is playing games because for my 2nd km I apparently managed to run it in 2.07min!!!! The times for the other kms seem to make sense tho)
AHR: 149; MHR - 173
Started with: Dr Pressure - Mylo Vs Miami Sound Machine
Finished with: I can dream - Skunk Anansie

It was back to Mt Taylor this morning because I had an appointment in Deakin at 9am so it made sense to run in a location that wasn't too far away. It was warm and muggy and I was dripping with sweat before I had even got halfway up Mt Taylor and yes, I admit, I was walking! I was puffing more than the little steam engine and it was a case of "I think I can...I think I can...I think...oh bugger who cares, I'm walking...!" There were not many people out and about this morning; I only saw a handful of people.

I also had 2 'almost falls' - with the first one I was almost horizontal, arms outstretched, ready for the 'splat' when I somehow managed to pull myself back upright. Whew! The second one almost happened as I was negotiating my way through the narrow gap between the gate and fence, at speed, and almost lost my balance. No other incidents to report.

Easy peasy

Tuesday Total: 8k
Week Total: 17.4k
Month Total: 131.7k
Year Total: 131.7k

Time: 42.37min
Av pace: 5.19min/km
AHR: 145; MHR: 170
Started with: The Fallen - Franz Ferdinand
Finished with: Evil and a Heathen - Franz Ferdinand

Different time of day and cooler temperature and the result is an easy, comfortable run - very enjoyable. I love running first thing in the morning, before everyone else is up and about. A good start to the day; fingers crossed the rest of the day goes so well!

Muddle of a run

Monday Total: 9.4k
Week Total: 9.4k
Month Total: 123.7k
Year Total: 123.7k

There are some days when I just should not be let out the door to run - especially in afternoons when it is still 32*c at 6pm; when I think I can run like its only 16*c but the sun is beating down and I have no water and there is not a lot of shade. There are some days when I just do really stupid things and today was one of those days - can't help it, its in the genes.....or maybe it was one cup of coffee too many......or because it was my first day back at work after having a month off.............

The plan was to do a steady 10km run - and I thought if I could 5min kms that would be a steady run; 50mins and I could call it a day. Well actually I was still debating whether to do 8km, 9km or 10km - after all, it was still hot outside and my legs were still a little stiff from last week's runs. So I left my options open.......after 5.8km I revised my options.........have a break and then do another 4.8km, call it intervals and then call it a day.........after another 3.6km call it quits and walk home the last kilometre. Mr CJ just shook his head and mumbled something about lunacy or suchlike as I walked back into the yard, looking very hot and bothered and thirsty.

1st interval
Distance: 5.8km
Time: 28.14min
Av pace: 4.51min/km
AHR: 164; MHR: 181
Started with: Real Wild Child - Iggy Pop

Rest Interval: the time it took to listen to We're not gonna take it - Twisted Sister (3:40min)

2nd interval
Distance: 3.6km
Time: 17.09min
Av pace: 4.43min/km
AHR: 176; MHR: 184
Finished with: Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

So sometimes runs don't quite go to plan................

Rest day

Hot, hilly and dusty*

*its all a matter of perspective so see here for another perspective on today's run!

It's not clear from the photo but my socks were almost brown from the dust, as were my legs before I stood in the lake to cool down after the run.

Saturday Total: 35k
Week Total: 76.6k
Month Total: 114.3k
Year Total: 114.3k

Moving Time: 3hr 49.38min
Av pace: 6.31min/km
AHR: 148; MHR: 193
Elevation gain: +1,500 / -1,489
Max elevation: 850m
Started with: Livin' la Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
Finished with: Real Wild Child - Iggy Pop
Special mention: Teenagers - My Chemical Romance (best song of the morning!)

Yesterday the temperature reached 40*c - not very nice at all. It was cooler when we started our run this morning but halfway up Mt Ainslie the first time and I was feeling hot. My legs, especially my quads were still feeling tight from Thursday's 10km on the track - in fact, it felt like I had done a lot of downhill running.

Anyway got to see Strewth and Barb very briefly before the groups went their separate ways. I started slowly (and didn't get much faster) and just tried to keep the guys in my sights - this didn't always work! For a lot of the run it was just me and my music which got louder as the run wore on. The rollercoaster was okay the first time but coming back over it a little later from the other way was a helluva lot harder, but as John pointed out, we had also run 20km by then and it was a lot warmer. In fact the temperature range for the run was 17*c when we started to 26*c when we finished.

Ewen went for a tumble - I gave him 10/10 for style. In fact I hadn't realised that he had fallen, that's how good it was - he tumbled and got to his feet, practically in one move!

So the run was hot, hard and hilly - nothing new there! However, the last 5km back to the finish at Molonglo Reach was pretty impressive for me, particularly after all of the above:
31km - 5.01min/km
32km - 4.50min/km
33km - 5.17min/km (not sure what happened here)
34km - 5min/km
35km - 5.03min/km

The morning after.....

After the 10,000m - very glad to be finished!

Friday Total: 9k
Week Total: 41.6k
Month Total: 79.3k
Year Total: 79.3k

Hmmm, not feeling so sprightly this morning as I headed out on my easy run - I was very slow and stiff to begin with. The plan was to do 10km but then thought that 8km was more achievable, but ended up running 9km anyway. It was very warm and muggy and when the sun did make an appearance from behind the clouds, it was hot. And I'm talking 7am!

Time: 51.07min
Av pace: 5.41min/km
AHR: 171 (quite high); MHR: >200
Started with: Oh Yeah - End of Fashion
Finished with: SOS - Rihanna

So its another hot day - 38*c. Too hot to do anything but sit in front of the aircooler and watch the one day cricket.

Tomorrow: long hilly run

Useless bit of (interesting) trivia: In 1453, Turkish law made it legal for a woman to divorce her husband if he failed to provide her with her daily quota of coffee.

25 laps later........

"Medal presentation"

Thursday Total: 10k
Week Total: 32.6k
Month Total: 70.3k
Year Total: 70.3k

It was still over 34*c at 8pm so it hadn't cooled down a great deal. I was in two minds about running the 10,000m, in fact if I had had my way I would've gone home and just run 10km in the dark! However Strewth was having none of that and was busy bustling around finding me a lap scorer and keeping an eye on me to make sure I didn't escape! I had arrived at the track just before Luckylegs started in the 800m and I managed to get a photo. This was taken as the start of the second lap and you can just see Aki to the right, who was setting the pace for LL. Well done LL! It was hot out there.

Back to the 10,000m..........

"You spin me right round, baby
right round like a record, baby
Right round round round
You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round round round"

(You spin me around (like a record) - Dead or Alive)

Those words came to mind several times over the next 45mins. Thank goodness for lap counters (and a BIG thankyou must go to PRB, Carolynne and Ewen) because I lost count after the 12th lap. I was lapped umpteen times by the fast guys (and there seemed to be lots of them or maybe I was just seeing the same ones again and again...).

However I was being sensible - this was after all the training run I didn't get to do this morning (when it was a lot cooler), so tried to run at a steady pace and pretend I was running out at Black Mountain nature park. And I did have someone to chase - SA. If I could keep her in my sights and not let the gap get too large, then who knows....? There was a time though when bridging that gap seemed almost insurmountable...it was hot, I was hot, and I had to stop several times for a drink.

To cut a long story short, I passed SA in the last lap, put the foot down and took off. After all, once I've passed someone there is nothing worse when they manage to pass me again!!! And I won the 10,000m ACT Championships (women)! And no, I don't usually run a 45min 10km as a training run!

Congratulations must also go to SA (who gave me something to focus on for 25 laps), Aki (who had also run 800m a little earlier in the night) and Strewth (my best running buddy!). And lets not forget Mr B - this was his very first track experience!

*a photo of the girls will appear here when Blogger will let me*

Hot, hot, hot

It is forecast to reach 38*c today and it is 35*c now (1pm). I have 10km on my schedule today and so I set my alarm to run before meeting Mr B and Strewth for breakfast. Only problem was I think I was still operating on Qld time because I set my alarm for 6am when I should've set it for 5am. There was no way I was going to be able to run 10km, have a shower and then drive into Civic all in the space of an hour! So Strewth, bright spark that she is, suggested I run the 10,000m at Track tonight instead!

So tonight at 8.15pm think of me running 25 times around the track in the ACT 10,000m Championships.....slowly.........

Revenge of the hills

Today Total: 22.6k
Week Total: 22.6k
Month Total: 60.3k
Year Total: 60.3k

The holiday is over and its back to training so I was up early this morning for a medium long mid-week run, before it got too hot. I thought that having an easy week would mean having fresh legs and feeling revitalised so why did it feel just as hard as before running up those hills?! However it was good to get out on the trails - its a really pleasant run if you disregard the uphill sections. They're there to keep me honest! And I did run it slightly faster than the last time I ran this route, which was on New Years Eve. Some of the trails are very rocky - not huge boulders but rather the paths are covered with lots of small pebbly rocks and this can be very uncomfortable to run on, particularly if you land awkwardly on them, which I seemed to be doing quite a bit this morning.

After the run I had a slice of toast with honey- it was soooo delicious and crunchy and mmmm, mmmm (this is for Katy!!!!!) *hehehehe*

Time - 2hr 16.54min
Av pace - 6.02min/km
AHR - 149; MHR - 172
Started with: Turn up the radio - Masters Apprentices
Finished with: DOA - Foo Fighters

"jones the grocer group of stores seeks to provide you with a truly individual gourmet experience every time you enter one of our stores.

Each store will stock premium local products and sumptuous delights made in their own kitchens, which complement the “jones the grocer” range of products."

Had lunch with Bec in Manuka at jones the grocer - very upmarket! The sumptuous delight I had was the poached chicken, walnut, aioli, and mesclun in a sourdough roll (aka a chicken and salad roll with mayo!). Coffee was good.

And on the 5th day there was sunshine!

Sunday - aren't they a friendly looking bunch! This was post-run and breakfast and I think by this stage the smiles were frozen on our faces from all the photos that had been taken! Thanks guys for a great morning and a special thanks to Tesso for organising it.

It was a great run to the Spit and back (10km), at a very leisurely pace. It might've been early but I was still feeling the heat.



Sunday evening - our holiday wouldn't have been complete without a night out at Dracula's Cabaret restaurant. Ok its not highbrow or classy but it was a lot of fun - in fact, it was a hoot!














Final day - omg, I do believe that is sunshine and blue sky. This is how I picture the Gold Coast and this is what we got weather-wise for the last 2 days! Bewdiful!

Surf, sand........and sun?!

I'm back! Above is a photo of our first day on the Gold Coast - not a good start. The weather did improve but hey, we didn't let it slow us down. There was plenty of shopping, eating, coffeeing to do but..... not a lot of running! However, rather than bore you with words, here are some photos....

1st night - Jupiters Casino:

Thursday

Thursday evening

Friday - checking out our boat!

My favourite chocolate/coffee shop!

Saturday - shopping!

to be continued......................................

A grey day

Today Total: 12.3k
Week Total: 12.3k
Month Total: 12.3k
Year Total: 12.3k
(thanks must go to 2P where I got the idea from!)

Today's run
Distance - 12.3k
Time - 1hr 6.28min
Av pace - 5.24min/km
AHR - 144; MHR - 161
Started with: Special K - Placebo
Finished with: Sarah - Eskimo Joe

Slight niggle with R knee this morning but it soon wore off. Wasn't feeling as light on my feet this morning - that could be attributed to a) a bad night's sleep and/or to b) the fact that I'm a couple of kgs heavier than I normally am, thanks to Christmas festivities. Whatever; I felt as though I was moving more like a baby elephant rather than a gazelle!!!! I will deal with the weight issue after the Gold Coast!

Tomorrow we are off to the Gold Coast - I am so looking forward to getting away for a few days for some, hopefully, sun and surf. It was cool, grey and miserable here today - hard to believe its January. And maybe I might see some of the Bris Vegas CRs!!!!

So its over and out until next Monday. Have a good week; I know I will!!!!

Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way (Dr Seuss)

Distance - 23km
Time - 2hr 19.30min
Av pace - 6.04min/km
AHR - 149; MHR - 176
Started with: Yo Mama - Butterfingers
Finished with: Its the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine) - REM

My mountain will have to wait for another day - it just wasn't calling my name this morning! Though that's not to say that I wasn't running a hilly run; just that I decided against walking/running up Black Mountain - running around it was more fun. And it was a gorgeous morning for running - everything smelt so fresh and eucalypty after the thunderstorms and rain we've had the last couple of days. Nothing can beat running along forest trails, in dappled sunlight, with no-one else around. It doesn't make the hills any easier but the scenery is amazing. Saw Roy while out running - I was 8km into my run and he was close to finishing. Had a quick chat and then I was on my way again. All in all, it was a good run - the perfect way to finish off the year.

Even better - had brekkie afterwards at Babars in Woden. It may have only been raisin toast and a long black but the fact that someone else had made it, made all the difference! But then we headed back to Belconnen Mall for a cappuccino at Bayswiss - its the best.

Have a wonderful new year's eve and here's to a great 2007! For me, its going to be a wonderful year - running SFT and Canberra marathon and then going to Italy in the middle of the year - can't wait!

My New year's resolutions:
"Life is a journey not a destination. Enjoy the journey. It will be over way too soon."
"You can either live your life like a daring adventure or live your life safe but sorry you missed it."
"Listen to your inner voice."
"Life is either a plain bowl of vanilla ice cream or a delicious hot fudge sundae. You choose." (no prizes for guessing what I'd choose!)

Black Mountain run

Distance - 21.4km
Time - 2hr 7.45min
Av pace - 5.57min/km
AHR - 148; MHR - 173
Started with: The Fallen - Franz Ferdinand
Finished with: The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim

The weather has been really different for the 3 longer runs I have done this week. Lat Saturday when I ran in the Black Mountain Nature Park it was hot and humid; on Boxing Day when we ran Rob Roy, it was sunny and cool to start with but slowly warmed up; and today, when I ran in Black Mountain Nature Park again, it was grey and overcast. I don't really like the start of the run because its on footpaths and goes steadily uphill until I reach the Pinnacle Nature Park. Then its on to gravel and dirt and the run is offroad from here. The hills don't stop though! However today I had planned on doing an undulating run and missing the bigger hills including Black Mountain. This doesn't mean it was that much easier as the path I followed in Black Mountain Nature park is very undulating. The payoff though is its a lovely run surrounded by native bush and trees, with the occasional sighting of kangaroos and the noise of the galahs and cockatoos.

A little troubling was the niggles I was feeling in my right knee particularly when I ran downhill - I was conscious of this from about the 13km mark. Fingers crossed it is just a niggle and after a day of rest (tomorrow) it will be okay. However I also have an easy week of (flat) running up on the Gold Coast which hopefully will help as well. The last thing I need now is anything to go wrong with any of my body parts! So yes, Katy, in response to your question I will do a couple of runs while on holiday but I will also be lazing around, shopping, eating and coffeeing! Oh, and I drooled over that photo of the gingerbread houses, or more precisely the amount of dark chocolate that was used in the construction!!!

And yes, Tesso - you've discovered my alter ego! ;-)

Intervals

Session - 6 x 1min (2.30min RI)
Distance - 6.5km
Time - 34.14min
Av pace - 5.16min/km
AHR - 156; MHR - 204
Started with: Penguins and Polar Bears - Millencolin
Finished with: Kryptonite - Three Doors Down

I thought it was time to go for speed rather than slogging my way uphill - at least the pain of intervals is over quicker! I felt sluggish and my legs were feeling more like legs of lead rather than legs of steel! However I have to admit that by the 5th interval I was finding some speed but also very grateful that the actual interval was only 60secs long. Any longer and I might have expired on the cyclepath! Think I might try incorporating a speed session once a week just to break up the monotony of running/walking up and down hills.

Yesterday's run
Distance - 11km
Time - 59.59min
Av pace - 5.27min/km
AHR - 147; MHR - 165
Started with: Voodoo Child - Rogue Traders
Finished with: Turn up the radio - Masters Apprentices (I love running to this song!)

This was an easy run on cycle paths close to home with hardly any hills. Leaving the run to the late afternoon probably wasn't the smartest idea - it was still very warm. As usual I felt slow and sluggish for the first 5km and then I eventually get into my stride and everything was hunkydory after that. One of my pre-New Year's resolutions is to do a lot more stretching and so after the run I spent some time doing just that. The intention is to do some stretching every day especially as my calves are really suffering from all the hill running I am doing.

The perfect antidote.....

......to over-indulging on Xmas day - the Boxing Day run!!!!

Distance - 28.5km
Time - 3hr 7.01min
Av pace - 6.33min/km
AHR - 150; MHR - 176
Started with: Livin' la vida loca - Ricky Martin
Finished with: Maneater - Nelly Furtado

It was a gorgeous morning for running - clear blue skies and no wind. It was a little chilly to start with (5*c) but did warm up. The plan was to run Rob Roy, which we did, right to the top. At one point on the way up Rob Roy the song "Lift' by Shannon Noll was playing; you know the "I know you're hurting....." song - at that point all I could think was "you have no idea how much I'm hurting!" However, having said that I have to say that the ipod was only used for a small part of the run - about 10 songs, so I can't have been hurting too badly!

All in all it was a great run with great company and surroundings and I felt so much better knowing that I was running off some of the calories I had consumed yesterday! Today I planned on staying in a calorie deficit and this was a good way to start the day!

Have a very merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a very happy and safe Christmas and a wonderful new year! Take care and I hope to meet many of you in 2007.

Now back to business - running.

Saturday's festive run
Distance - 26.5km
Time - 2hr 45.38min
Av pace - 6.15min/km
AHR - 157; MHR - 191
Started with: 2000 miles - The Pretenders
Finished with: All Star - Smash Mouth

Downloaded 90mins worth of Christmas tunes that had a decent beat so this consisted of festive songs from Twisted Sister, Jet, slate, Lou Rawls, etc! It was good for a laugh anyway. Imagine running to A Heavy Metal Christmas (Twisted Sister) - "a tattoo of Ozzie, 2 pairs of spends pants, 3 studded belts, 4 quarts of Jack, 5 skull earrings, 6 cans of hairspring, 7 leather jackets, 8 pentagram, 9 tattered t-shirts, 10 pairs of platforms, 11 black mascaras, and 12 silver crosses."

Ok back to running - I decided to run close t home and so ran through Mt Painter nature park, ran a few hills in aren't nature park and finally committed myself to running/walking up Black Mountain (812m). I have to say that my walking up hills is improving!!!

Halfway into my run, which I started early due to the number of commitments I had that day including picking up son #3 from the airport later that morning, I received a phone call from said son. This did not bode well because a phone call could only mean one thing: a missed flight. Yep, I was right. I listened patiently while son #3 vented about standing in long queues and the lack of service from Qantas staff and then informed him that I was part way through a run and was in fact standing in Black Mountain nature park and therefore could not help anyway. He had calmed down by this point and said they had transferred him to another later flight and could we pick him up in the afternoon. Problem solved. I could now continue with my long run.

It was a hard run, partly due to the hilly terrain but also because of the weather - by the time I finished (at 8.30am) it was already 29*c.

(Please ignore any spelling or grammatical errors as you are reading this - I am writing this with a glass of Bailey's type of liqueur and cappuccino truffles next to me!)

Thursday's run
Distance - 9.2km
Time - 53.22min
Av pace - 5.48min/km
AHR - 136; MHR - 209

A short run before heading off to breakfast with Strewth and Mr B - one of my favourite times of the week, before heading off to the hairdressers.

Anyway, again have a wonderful Christmas; stay happy and healthy and here's looking to a great 2007!!!!

Bah humbug ten times over!

Running? Phooey! Hills? Bah humbug!

In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm not that hung up on running at the moment and hills are definitely not doing it for me. I'm feeling discouraged and frustrated with my running.

So what has brought on these un-CJ-like feelings about running? Tour de Mountain! It was crap, it was horrible, it was........well words fail me. But anyway lets start at the beginning....

Saturday's run

Where: part of the Tour de Mountain course excluding Mt Taylor.
Distance -15.2km
Time - 1hr 40.24min
Av pace - 6.34min/km
AHR - 145; MHR - 178

Now this was fun. We had Tesso and Tuggeranong Don (TD) for company and it was great. Poor Tesso, though, I think she was thinking it was going to be a flat easy run, oops! But with great company it didn't feel too bad (tho' TD going for a tumble may think otherwise!) and I was feeling relatively optimistic for the race the next morning. Anyway it was great to catch up with tesso and hopefully the favour can be returned when I'm up at the Gold Coast early January - somewhere flat would be nice!!!! *hint, hint!* I had also brought my camera especially to get a photo but forgot after the run...dammit! And next time Tesso, we'll include Mt Taylor! *wink*

The rest of Saturday was spent xmas shopping, fruit and veg shopping, before heading off to our friends' Xmas party (a not-to-be-missed annual affair!). No alcohol passed my lips (tho' in hindsight I may as well have, it might have helped my running!) but I did snack on party food eg dim sims, party pies, little meatballs, and various other delicious food items.

Sunday
What - Tour de Mountain
Distance - 19km
Time - 1hr 45.59min
Av pace - 5.45min/km
AHR - 163; MHR - 191

Not a lot to say other than it was a horrible run, did a lot of walking and generally never got going. Between the 8th and 10th kilometre things improved, albeit very briefly! Never was I so glad to finish a run. So what went wrong? Don't know - haven't reflected on the run at all.

Tuesday run
Distance - 12.1km
Time - 65.47min
Av pace - 5.25min/km
AHR - 149; MHR - 195
Started with: Born to run - Bruce Springsteen (appropriate)
Finished with: Someone that you're with - Nickelback

After a rest day on Monday I thought I better get out and see how I felt. It was an easy, relatively flat run and I didn't have to get up at some unearthly hour to do it! Mission accomplished!

Wednesday run
Where - Mt Taylor
Distance - 16.4km
Time - 1hr 42.47min/km
Av pace - 6.15min/km
AHR - 142; MHR - 170
Started with: Fingers - Pink
Finished with: Twisted transistor - Korn

It was a cool, grey and cloudy morning. As per usual there were parts of Calf Cramp Hill that I had to walk but otherwise it was just a slow steady plod from start to finish. Not as many people out either; other weeks there have been lots of walkers heading up and down the path but not this morning. No mishaps to report either - no falls (though quite a few close calls) and my ipod remained fully powered!

I'm also feeling much better about Sunday's run. It wasn't a great run but hey, that's life! You have good ones and bad ones. I still love running though the jury is still out on hills!

Also, in the mail today arrived entry forms for SFT and Canberra marathon. Decision time!

I like to move it, move it

Thanks to Tesso (her music list) I downloaded this song to my ipod - its so cool to run to!

Anyway just to prove to myself I could still run after yesterday's 'splat' I ran a fairly fast 9km this morning before brekkie with Strewth and Mr B. It was great - I really enjoyed just going for it and not having to worry about hills! Admittedly I found it a bit hard going near the end but still a very enjoyable run on a very muggy steamy morning.

Oh, and only one more day and then I am on leave for 4 glorious weeks! Am I excited - oh noooooo!!!!!!!!! ;-))))

Distance - 9km
Time - 42.12min
Av pace - 4.48min/km
AHR - 154; MHR - 171
Started with: Can't repeat - Offspring
Finished with: Special K - Placebo

Tomorrow:
(am) Gym - upper body / abs
(pm) Work Xmas lunch
(later pm) Xmas dinner with friends

Another one bites the dust, aka fall #2

It had to happen.......fall #1 happened in January (photographic evidence). Fall #2 happened today - no photographic evidence. I had run Mt Taylor (855m / 2805') as per usual for my Wednesday run, my ipod decided to die about halfway into the run (flat battery) and about another kilometre after that I bit the dust, very heavily (I blame it on lack of music). Once I regained my breath and managed to get up I surveyed the damage - one very grazed knee, grazed arm and hand, bruises appearing on leg. I was about halfway from the finish no matter which direction I ran, there was nothing for it but to continue on my way, with a bloody knee that seemed to attract attention from anyone I passed.

Distance - 15.9km (fall happened at about the 8km mark)
Time - 1hr 38.40min
Av pace - 6.10min/km
AHR - 146; MHR - 174
Started with: Stand up - Jet
Finished with (at the 7km mark): Welcome to the black parade - My Chemical Romance

The rest of the day - feeling sore and sorry for myself :-(

Tuesday - Gym
Workout - leg session
Worked hard and supersetted some of the exercises.

Monday's run
Distance - 12km
Time - 67.38min
Av pace - 5.28min/km
AHR - 145; MHR - 181
Started with: Hit that - Offspring
Finished with: The middle - Jimmy Eat World

Recovered well after Saturday's almost-marathon effort so feeling happy about that.

Saturday's run - now this was a run!
Distance - 34.5km
Time taken - 3hr 40 something mins - a very long time
Av pace - 6.40min/km (does include walking up Mt Ainslie the 2nd time)
AHR - 152; MHR - 182
Started with: Do-do's and Whoa-ohs - Kisschasy
Finished with: Gone away - Offspring

Ran up Mt Ainslie okay the first time; ran most of the way up Mt Majura the 2nd time, but the 3rd time up Mt Ainslie was just a little too much - I had to walk most of it and it never seemed to end. However after that I seemed to get my second wind and managed the rollercoaster okay and also the run back to Molonglo reach. So pretty happy with my first very long run in a long time and the fact that it included a few steep hills!

Friday - gym
Workout - upper body session

Thursday's run
Distance - 10.2km
Time - 59.04min
Av pace - 5.46min/km
AHR - 135; MHR - 180
Started with: Your woman - White Town
Finished with: This is how a heart breaks - Rob Thomas

It doesn’t get any easier

I’m not sure why I think it will get easier to run up Mt Taylor – maybe its because I run the godforsaken hill every week so I think I must eventually get used to it. However, it’s still just as steep and unforgiving in parts and I find myself slowing down to a walking pace and wondering out loud why I’m even doing this at 6am!

Distance – 15.9km
Time – 1hr 39.57min
Av pace - 6.16min/km
AHR – 151; MHR – 180
Started with: Joey- Concrete Blonde
Finished with: Girls just wanna have fun (methinks it’s my ipod’s little joke)

The run up Mt Taylor was then followed by a run down the other side, after a brief stop at the top to enjoy the view, have some water and wait for my calves to stop screaming. There was quite a bit of traffic both up and down the hill – everyone else was walking, which was very wise I thought. I would get these sympathetic looks from the walkers – particularly if I was heading up as they were walking down, looking as cool as a cucumber whereas I was red faced, hot and perspiring! Once down the other side I followed the vets run route which had been graded since I last ran there on Saturday – in parts it was quite heavy going as the dirt had been stirred up.

On the Oakey hill part of the run I turned my ankle ever so quickly – fortunately it wasn’t too bad and I could keep running. I’m not sure what had happened but the surface was firm and even so I can’t blame it on that. I was very conscious of my footing after that however.

Finally I was back at the gym ready for a shower and something to eat before heading off to work.

This afternoon I have yoga.

Tomorrow:
(am) 12km run

Back to the gym

Its been over a month since I’ve done a decent workout at the gym so I was looking forward to getting back there. The first thing I noticed on my return is that there has been a mini population explosion – it was soooo busy. People must be getting in some last-minute exercise before Christmas. I found myself circling/hovering around the machines I needed to use and for a while it look like I was destined to never get to use the leg press machine. I had completed all my other exercises before it became available and then there was no way anyone else was going to get to that machine before me. Gym rage could’ve been on the cards!

So tomorrow I probably won’t be able to walk (it was ‘leg’ day today) which is a bit of a worry because it’s my mid-week Mt Taylor run (the 4.30am wake up call).

Tomorrow:
(am) Mt Taylor run
(pm) yoga

Mt Taylor x 2

Distance – 24km
Time – 2hr 34.10min
Av pace – 6.25min
AHR – 150; MHR – 177
Mt Taylor – 855m (and I felt every bit of that!)`
Started with: Cuz I can – Pink
Finished with: Here comes another one – SGT (again)

I must be mad, stark raving mad (no comments please) but anyway I decided that because I was skipping the Mt Tennant walk on Saturday (after reading the write up on it there is no way I would’ve been able to run any of it!) I would instead run Mt Taylor twice.

It was very overcast and humid and it briefly looked like it might rain as I started my run from the gym. I stopped off at Woden Plaza for a toilet stop and got some very strange looks from the early risers who were out for breakfast. Somewhere between there and the top of Mt Taylor I lost one of my small drink bottles, something I discovered after stopping to talk to Charmaine who had come flying down as I was struggling up! This didn’t bode well at all as I had finished one of my drink bottles at the 7km mark and only had 2 left for the remaining 17km.

I passed a few more runners as I descend on the other side – one being Tuggeranong Don, who did not recognise me. I think he was focussed on getting up the hill! Then I followed the vets Mt Taylor course around to the other side (this is quite undulating) and then headed up Mt Taylor again, before down the other side, another lap of the vets course and then across to Oakey Hill nature park (BBQ Stakes course) and finally back to the gym. I had also managed to make my water last for the duration of the run.

Despite wanting to have a nap badly in the afternoon I was busy xmas shopping and baking. I made World Peace cookies (they’re meant to be that good) – basically a very chocolatey cookie filled with dark choc bits (looks ugly but if you love chocolate then looks don’t matter!), and Hummingbird cupcakes (banana, crushed pineapple and pecan mixture topped with cream cheese frosting). These were for afternoon tea on Sunday – they went down a treat!

Today’s run
Distance – 12km
Time – 67.50min
Av pace – 5.39min/km
AHR – 139; MHR – 164
Started with: Vertigo – U2
Finished with: Plastic loveless letter – Magic Dirt

I hate Mondays! It seems like I get back on that treadmill and start all over again for another week. I need a holiday and I need it now! Ok, rant over – I was up at 5am and out the door half an hour later, not nearly fortified enough on back coffee. It was a drudge today – just one foot in front of the other until thankfully I could finally stop and have breakfast. I think I’m like this because my weekend was pretty full on with early starts both days and now I’m tired.

Tomorrow: back to the gym


I was bored..........

You are a Buff Girl!

You've got a boomin' body and a fearless spirit. Most guys have trouble keeping up with your energy and fitness level. Competitive and fun loving, you're up for almost anything. Make sure you pick a guy who doesn't mind getting beaten by a girl!

What Kind of Girl Are You?

Happy birthday

It was son #3's birthday yesterday - the baby of the family has turned 22. I stunned the family by making the birthday cake(s) - something I haven't done for years. After all, that's why we have The Cheesecake Shop, Cake It Away and Michels, isn't it?! Anyway I managed to make Florentine cakes ie double choc mudcake topped with chocolate ganache, chopped ginger, cherries and flaked almonds, then dark chocolate drizzled over (there's a chocolate theme happening...). I won't bore you with the details but let's just say that there was drama aplenty in the making of these! However, the cakes were delicious and that's not just me saying so, so it was all worth it.

On to running things........

Yesterday morning's run
Distance - 10.8km
Time - 60.35min
Av pace - 5.34min/km
AHR - 144; MHR - 193
Started with - Put your money where your mouth is - Jet
Finished with - Here comes another one - SGT

Uneventful run. Felt okay after the Mt Taylor run the day before - just a little bit of DOMS, which was to be expected.

Tomorrow: long run of about 25km
Sunday - rest day - son #3 flying out in the morning, destination Gold Coast, for 3 months IT summer school (Griffith Uni) then friends coming over for afternoon tea. Planning on doing some baking before then.

4.30am start

I was actually awake at 4am this morning but lay there checking the clock every 5mins because I refused to get up before 4.30am. Then I was up having toast, banana and sugar free maple syrup for breakfast plus my regular caffeine shot. I was feeling okay and seemed to have recovered from the 2 runs I had done earlier in the week so was feeling pretty confident about my run this morning.

Distance – 15km
Time – 1hr 33.15min
Av pace – 6.13min/km
AHR – 148; MHR – 188
Started with – That’s all lies – Jet
Finished with – Deeper water – Deadstar (pretty much how I was feeling by then)

The run was basically the Barbecue Stakes run with Mt Taylor in the middle. Started off well but once I hit the hills I was struggling and I hadn’t even hit Mt Taylor proper. Clairie’s comments came back to haunt me – especially the bit about the fact its not how you feel before the hill but how you feel halfway up the hill – and I hadn’t even reached THAT hill! So I did some SFT walking training interspersed with running.

The doctor’s comments of ‘run within your comfort zone’ also passed through my mind. Only trouble was my comfort zone this morning was an easy 5km loop near home not struggling up Mt Taylor, so I was way out of my comfort zone!

Anyway I soldiered on, very slowly, and made it to the top and then down the other side. The rest of the run was uneventful……fortunately.

Mt Tennant on Saturday? I don’t know, might be pushing it this week.

I have boot camp yoga (my term) after work today. Forget visions of lying back relaxing, gently moving into poses and holding them before languidly moving into the next pose. The class I go to is more along the following lines:
“Move into xyz Pose – hold; bend deeper; stick that shoulder in; hooooold that pose; push the hip out; relax; move the thigh thataway; breathe; and lets do all that again….and again….and again.
Ok, now we will do xxx pose (some gravity defying pose); hooooold that pose; push up higher with those hips; relax those shoulders; straighten the legs; breathe; and we will do that pose again…..and again….and again.”
And so on it goes for 90 mins, fortunately with a relaxing session at the start and at the end.
I’m toooo tired for that!

Take 2......

I wasn’t sure if I’d be pushing the friendship by running again this morning but I really want to get back into my training routine and I usually run on Mondays (I can see the head shaking and finger waggling already!). I was up at 5am (it’s been almost 3 weeks since I’ve done this) and out the door for a 11-12km run. *Fingers crossed* the running gods are not cranky with me…….

Distance – 11.3km
Time – 65.55min
Av pace – 5.48min
AHR – 137; MHR – 203 (that's the shock of getting out of bed so early and inflicting exercise on my body at such an ungodly hour)
Started with – Good People – Jack Johnson
Finished with – Filthy/Gorgeous – Scissor Sisters

I am suffering some DOMS (would you believe!) so its lucky tomorrow is a rest day. However, I am a bit unsure whether to tackle the Mt Taylor run on Wednesday – admittedly it would be slow but because I’m running by myself I could take my time; walk even. Do I; don't I; will I; won't I? Think I’ll wait and see how I feel tomorrow and then make the decision tomorrow night.

ihatetoast - a butterfly cake is a cupcake that has had the top cut off, then filled with jam and whipped cream. The top that has been cut off is then cut in half and the 2 halves placed in the cream to mimic wings. The cakes I made were also dipped in chocolate (of course) and rolled in coconut before doing the above steps.

I have a plan - it looks like a plan, sounds like a plan, it IS a plan!

My doctor has given me the all-clear to start running/exercising again....as long as I run/exercise within my comfort zone and don't push it (*sigh* there's always a catch isn't there!).

So, the plan is......to run within my comfort zone this week, and take it each day as it comes. If I don't feel up to it, I won't run. Now this may sound pretty basic and common sense but common sense has not my strong point in the past! So, baby steps it is.

Next, depending on how I go this week, I'll re-introduce the gym next week. I thought it might be just a bit too much to start running AND head back to the gym in my first week post-lurgies. I desperately need to get back to the gym soon because I'm metamorphosing into the marshmallow woman - my muscles are becoming soft and squishy. However, baby steps it is - the gym will happen next week.

Take 1 - first run post-lurgies

I loaded up my ipod with some new tunes and resurrected some oldies and this morning I ran! Oh yes, I was out that door, ready to follow that road wherever it took me, with the sun on my back, the wind on my face.....

Cut, cut, cut!

yeah, yeah, ok - it was more like......*cue heavy breathing* I hadn't even reached the end of the street and the legs were complaining about the sudden burst of activity after weeks of idleness, heart rate was maxing out, thoughts of calling it quits were flashing through my mind....I was dying.

And then I found my stride, the breathing settled down, the heart figured things weren't so bad and obligingly slowed down, and finally I could hear my music over my breathing. I was running....!!!!!

Distance: 12.2km (yeah, I was surprised too!)
Time: 71.23min
Av pace: 5.50min/km (baby steps remember)
AHR: 143; MHR: 162

Ok, it wasn't fast but I just continued with the 'one foot in front of the other' and look where it got me. So a slow 12km later and I was feeling pretty chuffed with myself!

The best music for running today:

Twisted Transistor - Korn
Right here, right now - Fatboy Slim
No way back - Foo Fighters
Welcome to the black parade - My Chemical Romance
On my way - Spiderbait
Stinkfist - Tool
We're not gonna to take it - Twisted Sister (did you hear that, body!)

....and my current favourite - an oldie but a goodie......

Enter Sandman - Metallica

And so what does one do to celebrate running post-lurgies? Make butterfly cakes! And the family loved them!

So, thank you everybody for your kind thoughts and positive vibes. Fingers crossed, the rest of the week will go just as well.

Hit by a double whammy

For the past couple of weeks I've been hit by a double whammy - first a horrible virus thingy which zapped all my energy and left me feeling, and looking, like death warmed up and then when I was at my lowest, the worse sinus infection I have ever had. I have never felt so sick, so blah, so utterly horrible as I have for the last couple of weeks. Now I'm dosed up on super strength antibiotics so *fingers crossed* I am on the road to recovery. I HATE BEING SICK!

I have had plenty of rest, more than enough sleep, have done absolutely nothing (apart from a few days work here and there) and I am bored. I need to get better and I need to get better NOW! I want to go back to the gym and start running again..yes, even hills. I feel like a big fat lump of lard......so more positive vibes please because I need to get better now!



Have a good weekend!

ps thankyou Strewth for the Haigh's dark chocolate frogs - they are, sorry were, very moreish!