24 Weeks To Go...

Yes, 24 weeks until City-to-Surf. And week 2 of the training has started well in spite of some pre-session jitters and a mid-session panic!

I thought last Monday was a good effort because it was the first session, but I'm realising that every Monday is going to be a challenge in itself.

I've become to realise that I feel more exhausted on a Sunday night than I do on a Friday night. Sitting at a desk all week with a couple of hours of home time each day is nothing compared to a typical week-end. So I end up over-tired and it takes a bit longer than usual to get to sleep - during this pre-sleep time my mind tends to go into over-drive and that's how I get anxious about the training session the next morning.

This weekend consisted of (on Saturday) an early drive out to the new shopping centre at Rhodes ("biggest IKEA in the Southern Hemisphere") for breakfast and a bit of food shopping. Then back home for 4 hours of garden clearance to prepare the plot for Lian's cubby house. Then off to Lian's swimming lesson (I think I referred earlier to it as a splashing and screaming session) which is good fun but a bit tiring trying to hold a giggling, wriggling Lian in about 1 metre of water. Then back home for some tea and an evening entertaining Lian.

Sunday commenced with taxiing the girls to church. On the way back home, picking up some glue and tape to mend the fridge(!). Then I had to hoover the house. Oh I almost forgot to have breakfast - so I did have 15 minutes with the newspaper, a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal. I also needed to go to the pool shop to get some chemicals and a few tips. Then the girls came home and we had to get everything ready as we were having the neighbours (George, Jenny and their two kids - Julian and Oliver) over for Sunday Lunch.

That was good though, a couple of beers with George - I was pleased that he enjoyed his first taste of pommy beer - a can of smoothflow Tetley's! Mmmmm.

But then, after they left, Shirl and I had to clear up (we must get a dishwasher)! Thankfully, Lian went for an afternoon nap, so Shirl and I we're able to enjoy a peaceful hour or so, reading the paper.

So is there any wonder that I come to work for a rest?

Anyway, that was the pre-session jitters. The mid-session panic was generated because I dug out my old Heart Rate Monitor to wear during the run. My quick calculation of where my heart rate should be had me worried as it was way over that! But never-the-less, I finished the 30 minute session, without suffering a heart attack!

I've had a quick search on the www and apparently my quick calculations were a little inaccurate and things weren't quite as bad as I thought. It does however confirm that I am unfit and do require to keep going slow and steady.

In the meantime, I've confirmed a couple of statistics from the Parkes Hall-of-Fame:

- 1991 City to Surf time 1:11:48
- 1994(?) Portsmouth Half-Marathon 1:38:00

My memory of the Portsmouth Half Marathon was that I was virtually dragged round by Chris & Simon - if not physically then at least the suggestion was that if I was not able to keep up with their pace then I wouldn't be invited to the Golden Key (or was it Quay) again! So thanks fellas.

The City-to-Surf time was achieved 14 years ago when my base level of fitness was much higher than it is now. Also, we started from the second (of three) groups and got up to pace fairly quickly. My 2003 disaster started mid-way through the third group in the middle of all the prams and fancy-dressers and I didn't get up to pace until 3 or 4km. The fact that I didn't actually hold that pace for very long probably had a major effect on the time too! Hopefully if I get my entry in early I'll be in the second group this year.

But no excuses now. I have plenty of time to get the fitness up and go for the sub-75 minute goal.

I think I might leave the Heart Rate Monitor at home tomorrow. No news is good news and all that!

Later....