Guns N' Roses

Wow! What a roller coaster this last week has been. Despite succumbing to a three day virus, I still managed to get in three good solid runs including a 17.5k run yesterday. Woohoo!!

I know that by saying it I am probably courting disaster, but I think I am slowly regaining some of my long lost fitness. My shins feel a little tender today but are remaining under control so far and with a little luck tomorrow I will finish off the month smack in the middle of my target for the month of between 100 and 120kms :) Mission accomplished for January. February I need to plan out yet...

I ran with my Garmin a couple of times to see how bad my pacing is (still terrible) and to measure a couple of my standard run routes that I have varied recently due to my reduced fitness. Garmin can go away again for most runs except the longer ones - it takes away from my enjoyment and I am valueing that greatly.

It's been great this month to run without a serious plan other than to run three times a week (no more). I suppose without a BIG goal (and the associated training plan) it's easy to slow down and smell the roses. Despite the occasional frustration with my own fitness levels, the roses are smelling great!

I blame the weather!

The weather here has been all over the place this last week! Days of a blistering 41 degrees with just a few % humidity to night's where the minimum didn't get under 27 degrees and with humidity in the 80-90%.

Thank goodness the firefighters have had some relief the last few days. I see 100 or so American firefighters arrived yesterday to help on the firefronts. Thanks guys, thanks to all of you unsung volunteers (like you Spark Driver)- your blood is worth bottling!

In the last week I have managed only 2 runs but I don't feel guilty. My main aim, while to get consistent with running three times a week, is to stay injury free so I achieved that! My shins had a welcome 5 day break too.

Yesterday was a 14km run and I took my Garmin along for company. I banged out 6:00/kms most of the way and despite needing a couple of short walk breaks averaged exactly 6min/km for the trip. Of great satisfaction was finishing with a 5:15km for the last km. Mr Garmin go away again for a week or so - I just wanted to see how I was going really.

Water - how was it I could guzzle down 2 litres a day with a problem?

I now take a 800ml bottle in the car with me and force myself to drink it all on the 40 minute drive home each work day. I guess I am averaging about 1.5 litres a day now - better than the last few weeks which is good.

After Glow

Not a whole lot to report really. I managed to get in about 29kms this week and ran three times. My shins feel pretty tender but hopefully will be happy witha day or two's rest. More warm weather is forecast this week so I will need to be flexible with when I can get my runs in (3 planned).

Pretty pleased with my week's effort would dearly love to be able to string a few of these together - I suspect my shins have other plans though.

I managed to pick up a paint brush in anger both days and once again am pleased with the results - thanks goodness the paint tin was empty by 4pm - early drinks and nibbles on a lovely Sunday afternoon after getting in a decent run in the morning.

One thing I have seriously gotten out of the habit of doing is drinking water regularly. I really need to remind myself all day to drink - its just not a habit like it used to be.


I didn't take my camera with me today but here is a photo of a part of the coastal trail I often run. While I didn't actually run this bit today you can get an idea of how pretty it is to run on the
coastal trail near my place.

Next weekend I am hoping to get up to Churchill Park or Ferny Creek for a trail run -that should be fun.

Currently enjoying listening to: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere over the Rainbow

I'm still here....

Now, I expect that some of you were sitting back thinking there wouldn't be another post from the old Wobbly fella for another few weeks while his post holiday interest level for his training and blog dropped lower than a prostitute's panties. Well those of you that did, were wrong!

Here I am, bright, shiney, far from new, and as excited about my return to training as a randy teenage boy on his first date. I confess though, to being a little unsure about what level of training my body can manage (perhaps again like that randy teen). Unsure, is no far as I have torn my calf and my injured my back through over-training before both reulting in extended periods of being unable to run, and I'm concerned either may break easier next time. Having said that, both times things have broken were at peak training-load times and I intend to be much more careful regarding training loads going forward. I think I am perhaps adopting the opposite approach to a certain fair maiden from the Black Knight's army. While it's very frustrating being unable to run like I used to, what I am doing is very, very enjoyable. I really look forward to my runs and certainly am enjoying the flexibility that low mileage brings with it. It is particularly enjoyable running without Mr Garmin's regular reminder on how slow I have run the last km in.

The trouble is that low mileage means a low amount of calories being burned up and my fondness of food and alcohol over the festive season has resulted in me carrying a few extra kilos that I didn't have at this time last year - Oink, Oink! As I increase my miles the kilos will just fall of me, won't they? Won't they! (please nod with me here readers)

I just ran twice last week, a mid week 10k and a weekend 12k. It's been a bit hot here during the last week so I skipped another run I did have planned.

Any long runs for this month will continue to be limited to 1hr 30 mins and I plan to run about 100 -120kms this month.

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow, can you believe it is 2007 already?

It seems like so much has happened during my 2 week holiday that it has all become a bit blurry. Maybe that also has something to do with the amount of alcohol and food I have consumed lately. My two week holiday was fantastic although it seemed to flash by (and onto my waist I might add). I guess that is what happens when you have a great time. :)

With the help of my holidays, I managed to re-establish some consistency to my running. Having the flexibility of running pretty much whenever you like doesn't really allow much space for excuses does it? I'm still running without my orthotics and running only every second day (at most). I also have no intention of running with a watch for January unless running a new course and need to measure it.

While I was away I ran with my Garmin to measure my distances and I am soooo glad I did. I have never used the "bread crumb"/map function before but managed to get myself utterly lost while returning from a 10k run in a country town we had over-nighted in. A quick button press onto "map" and I found I was heading at 90 degrees to the direction I thought I was going in. I am sure I would still be wandering around looking for my way back to the motel without it - it is brilliant!

With the new year upon me I suppose some stated long-term goals are appropriate.

1. Stay injury free and run within my body's limitations
2. Get capable of doing marathon training again.
3. If one and 2 are achieved , Gold Coast Marathon in early July is a maybe, and if the moons align perfectly and finances permit then an overseas marathon in the last quarter of the year is possible.

For January however, I will just be continuing to ease my mileage up while protecting and managing my pesky shins.