Take the long way home...

It's Monday morning now and following a solid 10hr sleep I am feeling human again.

Life just seemed to intervene over the last two weeks and my riding was minimal (just 1 ride) so I must admit I was approaching the Around the Bay in a Day ride with a mix of both excitement and some trepidation (although I suspect most of the 13,000+ riders were).

My excitement however was ultimately tempered by my decision to shave down. Leaving making this decision until Saturday afternoon was definitely not a good strategy and starting shaving at 6pm in between dinner preparation (when I was in a hurry) didn't exactly help much either. I had thought the hair trimmer on my electric razor would do 80% of the work but all it did was rip the hair out rather than cut it! Plan B was to use my usual shaving razor but I only had one used one and a new one. After one leg and about a 1/2 pint of blood loss, I returned to the kitchen, served a scummy pasta meal and quickly disappeared into the bathroom for another attack. Curiosity about my absence eventually got to the Wobblettes when they found me they were a little shocked to see me with one leg up on the hand basin - hair everywhere and blood oozing down my wet legs. I confess to liking the way my new legs feel now but it is kind of weird that when I touch them I keep thinking of Chrissy Amphlett singing that Diviynal's song "Touch myself". :)

Anyway, back to the ride... After starting at 5:30am in the city, I finished the first 50kms (31mile) at about 30kmph (18.6mph) pace with mostly cross winds. Riding over Oliver's Hill, Mt Martha and Mt Eliza were tough and draining as always so after reaching the Dromana foreshore (apr. 70kms) I stopped at a cafe for a toasted bacon and egg flat bread thing and a cafe latte. Just the tonic!! It was a stiff headwind to Sorrento 100kms (just missing the next ferry cut off) and then a 1hr wait for the following ferry while I ate lunch. I was feeling good at this point, just a little leg weary but the wait helped.
Queenscliff to Geelong seemed full of long undulations that really sapped my strength and I struggled for a while (unable to hang onto any packs) along this leg of the course. I took a break at the rest stop in Geelong and after getting going again found myself with a pack of 30 odd riders. The going up the front was just a bit tough so I slipped to the back of the pack hoping for a bigger draft but it was very disorganised at the back and the pace kept slowing and speeding up so I fell off the back feeling a little dejected. I plodded along for a while on my own at a slower pace and began to find my rhythm again. I remember seeing the 6hr mark come up on bike computer. I had done 165km (102 mile) and was averaging 27kmph (16.7mph) so decided to focus my mind on maintaining that pace to the end. That was a good strategy as it turned out and I finished in 8hrs and 8 mins riding time with an average of 27.1kmph

I can report that 210kms (130miles) on a bike is a looooooong way, my butt is sore but my legs feel pretty good. No punctures and I didn't fall off at all. I think I now consider myself a reasonable, albeit unbalance (in many ways) cyclist!

Oh, and a final note of thanks for everyone on my shaving dilemma.

Today's dilemma

The dilemma I have today, in preparation for my 210km bike ride is whether I should shave down or not!

Pros:

1. I will look like I am a serious cyclist (least until I fall off by forgetting to unclip)
2. Less wind resistance (I have fairly hairy legs for some reason)
3. Apparently in an accident it is easier to clean a wound (ref 1 above)
4. Mrs W may enjoy it...
5. I may enjoy it and keep them shaved

Cons:

1. If I wear shorts over the next few weeks people may wonder....
2. As the hair grows back my legs might itch a lot
3. It's just not something a real aussie man should do.
4. I may cut myself and bleed to death
5. Mrs W may not enjoy it ....
6. Wind resistance saving is probably not that much

Hmm - will be guided by your comments folks. Oh btw - how far up should one shave? Just to the bottom of the knicks or (blokes) bikini line or....?



Running: 2 x 4k runs this week with Holly the ever happy lab. Nothing much to report except I keep finding myself smiling a lot while running. One small sore spot on shin found yesterday but is gone today - will keep a close on it! Next run Saturday - 6k

Its all good so far...

With a total of three 4km runs in the last week I am starting to relax that things are all good again.

Yesterday Wobblette #2 and I took off with our pom poms and cow bells to cheer on the 2hr+ half marathoners and the full marathoners that were finishing in up to 5hrs during the Melbourne Marathon. With three hours of cheering my throat, legs and arms were sore and in need of a break - at one point we resorted to laying on the ground and cheering from a horizontal position with pom poms waving in the air. I would have loved to have stayed longer but Wobblette #2 was getting cold and had by then finished saving all the beetles she could find on the nature strip.

After packing W#2 in to the car with Mrs W I went to congratulate the runners and sooth my throat with a couple of ales at Transport pub. It's great to sit with those that were enjoying their post run highs and also great to meet and chat to a few of the interstate runners. Fascinating also to get an insight from one of the massage girls on how their day had been.

I have only 3 small, easy runs planned this week before my 210km cycle this weekend. Following that, I will scale down the riding a bit and slowly build my distances up to about 10kms over the rest of October. If I can run 40kms this month without any issues I will be a very happy puppy

Ha Ha Ha ! The sponsored cyclist....

complete with business socks!

Hey if you can't laugh at yourself....

Run report :)

It's difficult to put into words my current sense of excitement! During the past three months while I have been unable to run, I (and my family also) have gone through some changes. I left the company I was working with for the past 2 years (for a much better job) and we have had some issues at home that have now happily been resolved with terrific outcomes for all concerned. Being an emotional person by nature, and with these big changes going on I have to some degree, felt pretty exhausted and not really feeling like I wanted to write much here. I've taken the opportunity to also think about where running "fits" into my life (both now and in the medium long term).

I have on my desk here at work, a description of a butterfly's life cycle - as seen through the eyes of Wobblette #2 (6.5yo) - see below.

Baterfly

Suffice to say I too feel like a new Baterfly today - at the start of another life cycle :)

*SLAP!* - enough naval gazing Wobbly Man!!

My 4km run was fantastic!! Apart from the delay in getting out the door which was caused by forgetting where everything was, I found that within a few mins I had settled into a comfy rhythm and was in a great mental space. Holly (the ever happy lab) had also quickly settled into her rhythm, her tail happily wagging away while she trotted along beside me. I didn't run with, need, or miss my watch (thanks for the very "timely" reminder D).

At about half way, I had a forced myself to have a good think about how my body was feeling. First thing I noticed was how good my legs were feeling (completely pain free), how heavy I felt, how much my waist was jiggling, and finally, that I think I could feel my man boobs bouncing! Thinking of Kramer in that Seinfeld episode with the "Manzierre", or was it a "Bro"?, I caught myself smiling a few times as Holly and I continued our run through, and around, a local golf course. Running is fun!

Holly and I managed the 4km (2.5miles) loop without stopping and I felt great the whole way around - my legs don't feel stiff and Holly's tail was still wagging when we got home.

It's nice to feel like a runner again. *grins*

Edit to thank the various PG, CR and RBF members (you know who you are) who have been there to offer their support over the last few months - you guys/gals are awesome!

One week on and ...

...this slacker has done virtually nothing when it comes to exercise!

With needing to travel with work last week I couldn't get out on my bike and as it has been a while since I travelled with work, I forgot to take any gym or swimming gear - despite staying in nice hotels with gyms and pools. Doh!!

While away I met with lots of Cool Runners and was kept wonderfully entertained. Thank you Jen, Owl, Kevin, Ellie, Mark, Cirque and Owen for your company in Sydney and Brisbane . What a wonderful running/blogging community I am lucky to be a part of!

Since July 4th, which coincidentally is my brother's birthday (which I forgot again), I have been (not so) patiently unable to run due to my shin "issues" and counting down the days to my next run. Well its nearly 90 days now and my legs feel fresh and as good as new. I think I will go out for a small run tonight after work - just 20 mins worth to see how good or bad my fitness level is. I have chocked on a few extra kilos in the past months too so it's going to be ugly I suspect and best done under the cover of darkness - don't need the general public unnecessarily alarmed.

Thanks everyone for your very kind comments and support following my last post. You folk keep me motivated and inspired and for that I can't thank you enough!