2P's RUNNING BLOG

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Jul/Aug/Sept 05 Blog (118.4km's) June 05 Blog (217km's)

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Friday 14 October, '05 - Retail Therapy

As a spur of the moment decision I dropped into a Rebel between appointments today and what a wonderful thing it was. $410.00 later I had a new pair of Asics Nimbus (finally they had my size), a Skins sleeveless top (to see if it makes any difference to my back), a set of Linebreak Calf Guards (basically Skins for below the knees), some Bodyglide and enough Gu to stock the Sixth Fleet.

Got home and couldn't wait to give the new shoes a try so it was off for a quick 6k around Canada Bay. I have finally found MY shoe, they are the cats meow as far as my feet are concerned. Being new I got hotspots on the balls of my feet around 5k but apart from that I've never run in a more comfy shoe - happy, happy, joy, joy.

I am really glad in hindsight that I pushed to do a run yesterday because even though I am a bit sore today my pace was back to normal.

Off to training tonight and I am going to give the Linebreaks a whirl. I didn't wear them on the run because I have a sneaking suspicion that unless you use something to keep them up they will slip down. The start/stop nature of training makes it more conducive to pulling em back up than running. I could be wrong, maybe they'll stick but didn't want to risk it running. If they do fall down I guess I could always try the old footy trick of wrapping the top with a bit of stretchy electricians tape.

Off to see Bec in Bathurst this weekend so unlikely I will get a long run in but I'm pretty happy with this weeks effort so far.

Thursday 13 October, '05 - Slow 8k's & A Close Encounter

Well I am putting my mantra to the test "this is the new expectation legs so get used to it". As can be seen from previous posts I haven't been doing too many K's of late so the efforts of the last 6 days or so though modest have left my legs weary, particularly since my non-running workouts last Friday night and Wednesday were savage on my legs too. The sensible thing would have been for a day of recovery, but hey who says you have to get wiser as you get older?

I headed off for my Canada Bay/Breakfast Point run around 7:00pm, all was going well till I ran through a soccer ground I have run through a gazillion times before, I ran through a gate I have run through a gazillion times before, only this time due to the stirling efforts of the local council there was a chain strung at quad height across the gate.... I was more concerned that someone may have seen me than at the pain or surprise. Before I even hit the ground I had visions of me appearing on Silliest Home Video or some such. Once I sorted myself out I had to laugh as I'd actually headed off on the run because I had had an ordinary day and I was trying to clear my head, the fall (I did a really neat sommersault) made me realise that when things seem bad there are always worse things and no doubt many people had had a worse day than me.

Anyways I kept plodding and got through 8k in almost a record slow time, but I'm happy with it.

Wednesday 12 October, '05 - Canberra

After yesterdays quicker run I was all keen and eager to do something longer this morning as long as the calf muscles agreed. I beat the alarm and sprung out of bed at 0530 - so keen I forgot to give any thought to what the temperature might be.

Heading down to the lake the first k was a bit of a struggle as I was concerened my fingers were about to drop off from frostbite (OK slight exaggeration). The recent temperature in Sydney had certainly lulled me into forgetting how bloody cold it can be in the morning in Canberra. I soon warmed up though and chased the the big yellow Questacon balloon as it sailed (?) over the lake.

I pulled a negative split for the back 5k which put me in a happy mood for the rest of the day :-)

Tuesday 11 October, '05 - Canberra

Off to Canberra again for work and got in just in time to be able to fit in a 6k run, a shower, get dressed and be ready for a dinner appointment.

From Rydges Capitol Hill I did the "usual" run down through Telopea Park to the lake and then head off to the West (clockwise). It's about 1.5k to the lake from Rydges so only 1.5k on the lake before turning around. I must say after reading the close encounters of other CR's with ducks recently (Hijacking Thread) I was a little nervous but as it turns out the ducks and geese in our fair nations capital were on their best behaviour as I trundled past them.

It was 31 degrees when I left South-West Sydney, but only 18 when I arrived in Canberra so altogether much more conducive to running. The only slight hiccup was a pretty stiff Westerly wind which I was running into the teeth of on the out journey but was mercifully at my back on the return.

Fastest 6k I've done in ages though the calf muscles are giving me some gyp. Let's see how I go in the morning....

Sunday 9 October, '05 - Gwandy

Late Friday night we headed up to Gwandalan for some much needed R&R. The lawns were well overdue for a mow (does that count as a training session?) so that was pretty much Saturday gawn.

Got up this morning and headed for a longer run. I was still feeling a bit flat so made a conscious decision to walk the first 100m of every kilometre. It turned out to be a good decision as I was only capable of an extremely slow pace from the 8k mark onwards. Whilst I struggled a bit I really enjoyed the section I did along a fire trail in the Munmorah Rec Park. It was a bit windy but the views of the ocean and the park were worth it - for a couple of k's I was definitely in my happy place.

Pulled up with a bit of calf trouble - that will teach me for spruiking how I had overcome my calf drama's. Bugger!

Friday 7 October, '05 - Planning Day

After chatting last night on CR it dawned on me that I really haven't a clue what I'd like to do next. I'm not really motivated by races or doing stuff with other people but occasionally I emerge if there is something that takes my fancy.

The Grand Dame of CR (Lucky Legs) is organising the Six Foot Track - The Slow Version (6' TSV) for the last weekend in November and it really appeals, but unfortunately it clashes with a Bec weekend so I need to set my sights on something else, enter the Tuggerah Half (4th December) - perfect. It appeals because it is not far from the lake house and timing wise it is roughly half way to next years official 6' and training for the half will keep me in nick till I start my prep for 6'.

So that is that: Tuggerah Half in December; a possible maybe on a stretch of the C2K Fatass if it happens the following week and Six Foot in March '06 - Lock it in Eddie! Beyond that I have a vague idea that an Ultra of some description would be a good thing to do.

Today armed with a new plan I took off round the Canada Bay Loop with a goal of getting into double figures, it was sprinkling and a bit windy and after 3k's I was gawn. It seems the events of the last couple of weeks combined with Wednesday's double session and bugger all sleep have taken their toll so I just backed the pace right off (I even walked for a bit) and doddled home. I'm weary but I'm not too-phased (I will somehow have to make it through tonights session as I'm taking a class) but I'm confident that with some good sleep I will bounce back - after all I now have a plan :-)

Wednesday 5 October, '05 - More Like It (And The Vibe Is For More)

After Sunday's false start to the month it was good to get a run in that is half-way decent.

On Monday my back was in all sorts of drama's, particularly my left shoulder and a drive to Bathurst and back in the one day was not really very high on my "most what I'd like to do with my day" list. However, it was right on top of my "what I want to do with Bec list" - it was also number one on Mrs 2P's list even though she was still grieving big time (she is an amazing lady and I love her heaps and heaps). Ex-Mrs 2P was gracious and welcoming and let us join in on a lovely family morning-tea with Bec and then we took her out for lunch. We got her back in time for her friends to start arriving for her "official" celebration - a party for 14 X 14 yr olds (7 of which were sleeping over) and Mrs 2P and me headed back to Sydney.

Tuesday was funeral day and a bloody long day it was too. The service in Concord kicked off right on time at 10:00am, the wake at the Dolce Cafe at Cabarita Junction went without a hiccup and we headed off to Cessnock for the burial. We were having a bad day, but for some others it was worse, there was a fatal accident on the F3 which held us up slightly on the way up - unfortunately it held us up big time on the way back with the Police not opening the South-bound lanes till 6:00pm.

I had planned to work today but when we got home on Tuesday night (eventually) we discovered that Chiara's (No-1 grand daughter that is currently living with us) bird (a Peach Face thingee) had died during the day so we hid the cage and diverted her attention. The priority task for me and Mrs 2P today was to go bird shopping! We couldn't find one that was a "ringer" for the late "Jimmy" but fortunately Mrs 2P had a wave of inspiration - get 2 birds!!! When Chiara came home this arvo she was so over-the-moon that we had got "Jimmy" a mate, she completely failed to recognise that it wasn't "Jimmy" - catastrophy thankfully averted.

At around 6:00pm all was cool and froody on the home front so I headed out for a run around Canada Bay, I didn't quite make it to Breakfast Point because I bailed early and cut through Massey Park Golf Course and back home. I was happy with only 7k as I had to go to training tonight, but I am really looking forward to doing something over 10k. I'm never really satisfied with anything shorter!

Sunday 2 October, '05 - "Yeah Right"

Certainly not the start to October I had been planning but at least I've finally got past the 1000km mark.

What a day! Trying to get the house all gussied up for "Grandma's" funeral day on Tuesday (want to go to Bathurst on Monday for Bec's birthday) I drew garden and lawn duty plus some other sundry chores which we got done just in time to give me a 40 minute window of opportunity before the grand-final started and the family arrived for dinner. I figured a quick 5k's a shower and I'd be sitting in front of the tele with dinner on my knee and telling the kids to "shoosh" cause the footy's on.

I headed out the door with the intention of doing a lap of Concord Golf Course but it didn't take long to realise I was more dehydrated than I had reckoned, my mouth and throat quickly became parched but I decided to push on. But when my upper back started to spasm I figured life the universe and everything was trying to tell me something so I hit the stop button on the Garmin tucked my tail between my legs and wandered home.

On the bright side the Tigers won and Maddie the youngest of the grand-kids when giving out kisses to say goodbye said "Pop" for the first time as she leaned forward - big, big smiles from me and a tear from Mrs 2P (coincidentaly something must have irritated my eye around the same time) and a warm glow for the rest of the night.

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