Drought? Hah...

It's been raining for days on end here but prior to today it hadn't interfered with my training since it wasn't raining in the early mornings. Kind of makes a joke of the water restrictions that have been in place here for a long time though!

The rain woke me on and off throughout the night and so when it got me at 6am, I reached for the alarm and reset it to 7.30 as I knew there was no way I'd go for a run.

In my defence, I did try to remember the whereabouts of my rain-coat that I used to use on the bike, but I haven't seen it since returning from Singapore so couldn't take that option. I should probably try to dig it out anyway, just in case...

I'm a bit disappointed about missing the run because I was ready to embark on my new tactic of random routes (or at least not the same route every day)! I should try to go for a run tomorrow so that I can rest Saturday before a longer run on Sunday.

I bet you never knew that there were gadgets to aid running? I didn't. Well check it out. There's a range of GPS units which strap on the wrist and they will log your distance, speed. The top of the range model even records heart rate. All that data can be downloaded to PC for analysis.

No more guessing on my distances (particularly on unfamiliar routes) or wondering whether I'm going too fast or too slow. Oh sorry, I shouldn't talk too soon, I have to check the price and get permission from the boss yet!

New Inspiration...

Just the usual 5+km route this morning, in a bit less than 30 minutes.

But that's all going to change. I've taken the advice from some new found friends and I've realised that I have to start varying my route. Goodbye to only running on the easiest route around, hello to the rest of the surrounding streets and the inevitable hills. I think I have established enough of a base now to conquer my hill-phobia.

That, in theory should keep my enthusiasm up as well as improve my strength and fitness.

And my longer runs on Sundays need to get even longer. That means I'm unlikely to see any of the Sunday Arvo Footy from now on! Hope it's worth it!

47 days to go...

Another steady 5.5km this morning.

I'm really spurred on by the successful Sunday runs too. Even with the cold mornings, it's no hassle to get out of bed and get out there. Mind you, the much awaited rain in NSW is now starting to fall so I don't know how I'll cope with a cold, wet morning!

I pushed a bit harder through the middle of the run and finished in a bit quicker time than usual (less than 25 minutes anyway) but I really felt it in the last km or so. It's got to be good though, right?

Until tomorrow...

Same as Last Week...

Again, the Bulldogs were on TV on Sunday afternoon, smashing the Manly Sea Eagles and proving they're back in contention for the finals series.

But I still went for the long run, this time completing the same 11.7km route in 65 minutes, but managing to get back to watch the second half of the game.

I felt really good on the run again. The first 5+km circuit must be what I need to warm-up, because I (felt like I) was flying along between 8 and 11km. There are a couple of long hills which don't seem to take too much out of me now. I'm using the 'magnet pulling me up the hill' and 'falling forwards towards a point 20m ahead' techniques to get me through it.

I can't say my pace is too high on these hills nor is it for the first 5km or so, but I'm beating the mental demons by proving that I can go the distance (only another 2.3km to go to complete the City to Surf circuit) and I'm finishing with something left in the tank.

So it's all good...

Half Marathon...

Another date to note in my diary: 11th September 2005 - Sydney Half Marathon.

I'm runner number 3398. I understand that there will be far less than the 60,000 City to Surfers taking part in the Half Marathon, so there'll be no excuses about being caught up in crowds. This race uses timing chips, so I can't even play around with my finish time either.

I intend to really make a big effort on the long Sunday runs. That's where I'm going to teach my body and mind how to run for what's likely to be close to 2 hours. Maybe I should introduce some hill training during the week too.

I've run two half-marathons in the past. The first was Portsmouth 1993, where I finished in 1:38 - which was a great effort achieved with particular assistance from the two hares I was running with that day (big thanks to Chris and Simon). The second was Singapore 2001, where I finished in 2:01 (agonisingly close to a round 2 hours).

Now considering that Singapore was typically hot and humid that day, and the organisation was terrible with no water available by the time I reached the water stations (and I certainly wasn't anywhere near the last to reach them) - I should definitely be able to beat the 2 hour mark. I should probably wait until I see how I go in the City to Surf, but if I achieve my target time of 75 minutes there then I should be in line for a 1:55 finish for the half marathon.

But a 1:45 is a much rounder number, isn't it?

Wish me luck!

Can it Get Any Worse...?

According to the weather report, it was 8 degrees C this morning with a wind chill taking the "feels like" temperature down to 4 degrees.

I was just thankful for the double layer of clothes up top and the hat to keep me warmish.

It's even too early for the sun to show through. No that doesn't occur until I'm on my way to work, shining just above the buildings, through my murky wind-screen, blinding me in the process.

Anyway, it gives me a good feeling to keep logging in the morning runs. 5.5km again this morning. That's my three weekday sessions completed, now for 3 lie-ins and a rest before the long run on Sunday.

I had a thought yesterday. Rather than wait for over a year after the City to Surf until next September's Half Marathon, why not do it this year? That only gives me 4 weeks to recover and get some extra mileage into my legs, but I could adjust my current training to get that mileage in now - I just need to make sure those long Sunday runs are in fact - long, like 20km or so!

My 75 minute target for the City to Surf extrapolates to 1:55 for the Half Marathon. I've no idea whether the course is hilly. I know it starts over the Harbour Bridge and ends up at the Opera House.

Bugger it! Why not? I'll check it out and get my entry in: then there's no turning back.

Sooooo Cold...!

I'm having to wear a tee-shirt over my long sleeve top now. I can't believe how cold it is, or how sensitive I am to these single digit Celsius mornings.

Still got around the 5+km route, fairly comfortably. I keep trying to kick up the pace but I just don't seem to have anything. Is that really due to the fact that there's no fuel in the tank?

I only need to do one more run before another Sunday arvo long, slow, distance. I hope I can repeat last Sunday's efforts.

The creature visitors seem to have disappeared. There's been no noises up in the roof and the newspaper flag hasn't moved either. I guess Jack's poison attack has worked. I'll check with him to see if the bait is still being taken and also have a go at blocking the hole in the roof up this weekend. I hate ladders!

54 days to go...

Yep, you guessed it. Not much to report today.

Just did the 5.5km route this morning. I realised that I've won a bit of a mental battle with the longer run on Sunday. I now know that I can run for over an hour and for over 10km, so my meager 5-6km weekday runs should be easy-easy.

I measured Sunday's route in the car last night. 11.7km. So 65 minutes for that distance extrapolates to 78:30 for the City to Surf, i.e. 3 minutes outside my target time. With 55 days to go, I should be able to gain that sort of advantage.

Later...

On a High...!

No, I'm not talking about the height I climbed up the ladder at the weekend to investigate our possum problem, which incidentally may be something far less cute and cuddly sounding - like a rat! I've shoved a piece of newspaper in the hole where I think they're getting in and out. In theory, if the paper is moved, that confirms where I'll need to block up. However, my next door neighbour is tackling the bigger picture by laying poison bait for any such unwanted guests and he tells me that the bait was being taken over the last few days but not now, which suggest that he's probably cured it that way. In which case my newspaper idea will not confirm anything. Either way, I'll block up that hole next weekend.

Nor am I talking about the victory that England scored over the Aussies in the one-day cricket last night. I watched the 1st innings but the 9 hour time difference prevented me from watching England bat. If the (northern) summer carries on like this though, I may be having a few sleepless nights watching the test series.

What I refer to in the title is the run I notched up yesterday.

I intended to go while the girls were at church, but they didn't rise until 9.30am by which time we all wanted to go for a big breakfast and get on with the tasks for the day.

So I ended up going just before tea - about 5.15pm. I intended to be back before 6. I even thought that was a great effort since it meant me missing the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (my team, based on it being the local team to where I first lived in Sydney) beat the Canberra Raiders in the Rugby League on TV.

The thought had crossed my mind to follow the 10km route I'd mapped out, and just see how it went. If I got tired, I could cut it short and head home. I never really expected to complete the whole 10km.

I started off at a steady pace, following my usual 5km route. I was feeling good. I was thinking that having eaten lunch only 4 hours earlier was paying dividends.

As I came to the point at about 4km where my 10km route heads away from the 5km, I had no problem in making the turn.

There's a long steady hill at about 5.5km for 1.5km or so, which I just steadily worked up. Still feeling pretty good. That took me toward the furthest point away from home which then turns back and rejoins my 5km route. I knew that part of my normal route was fairly flat and then heads to a steep down-hill for the 10th km, so I felt confident I could complete that. I wasn't too concerned about the time, this run is supposed to be "long, slow, distance".

So back onto my familiar route through kms 7, 8 & 9, I was amazed how good I felt. So good in fact that I thought I could go a bit further. So I passed the street which would've finished the 10km and headed to the next side-street which in fact would be the same finish as my 5km route. Hang on is that getting confusing? Let me re-read that... No, I think that makes sense.

I discovered that I could run easier if I "stiffened my feet" - or at least that's what it felt like. Rather than plodding along, I found that I could bounce off my toes, using my feet and calves more.

I really felt like I could just keep going, rather like Forrest Gump when he started running. But then I thought I'd better not push it too far and cause injury or too much soreness to run this week.

I think I did about 11.5km in 65 minutes. I had a good stretch when I got home, a hot shower and then a big bowl of lamb curry stew and rice for tea. Yum, yum!!

So as a reward, I took this morning off. I'm glad I did because my heels feel very sore. I'll run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - then rest Friday and Saturday before hopefully repeating yesterdays effort next Sunday.

No, Rest for the Wicked...

Watch the punctuation...

No, I didn't go for a run this morning. I felt like 3 runs already this week was enough and a couple of rest days would refresh me for a good long run on Sunday (I hope nothing distracts me from that).

The possums are obviously having a rest too. No sound of them running and jumping up in the roof space for the last couple of nights. I still need to get up there to take a look at what they're up to though.

Until next week...

Heh, Not So Fast...

Well I thought I was attempting a faster 5km this morning, but ended up finishing in an ordinary 25 minutes.

Perhaps I was delayed more than I thought by the car that almost knocked me over... some idiot backing out of his driveway wasn't looking where he was going, so I had to swerve around him with a hope that he'd stop before he got to the road (he did). I managed to get a couple of slaps in on his boot lid and gave him a "what the f..." look.

But that's OK, I'm on track this week to get 4 runs in plus a longer run at the weekend.

No further news on the possums, but we think we've spotted where they're getting into the roof... more to follow on this me thinks!

That must have been 7km...

I'm feeling a bit sore now, but that's not unusual. I reckon my route this morning covered 7km, in 35 minutes. I might have to measure it by car tonight.

I have to admit that I almost binned it though. I don't think I slept too well last night and this has been too easy an excuse for me to reset the alarm in the past. So good that I dug deep and got out.

I'll have to check with Shirl, but I'm sure I heard some scurrying in the roof last night. I suspect that we have some possums hiding from the cold. Either that or I was dreaming. At first I thought it was Lian who'd woken up and was wandering about, but I checked and she was sound asleep in bed.

Better put in a call to the pest controllers...

A Sunday Run to Report...

At last, I finally managed a run on Sunday.

As suggested, I went out while the girls were at church. I ran for 40 minutes - haven't worked out the distance, although I hope it was 7 to 8km.

It was just a plod really. I just wanted to get the time and the first tick in the Sunday column.

Yesterday was a Public Holiday here, so we enjoyed a lie-in till 8.30, then out for breakfast and a picnic in the park for lunch. Certainly no chance of a run.

I went for a run this morning though. Another 5.5km I think - about half an hour. It felt good for most of the run, but the last km or so was the usual effort.

So as I missed Monday, I now have to add Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to this morning's run before another long(?) run on Sunday.

The weather was unseasonably warm this morning. Hope that continues...

65 days to go...

Another 6km this morning, but a bit slower than Wednesday's run.

The last 1km of this route passes the end of our road, goes away and loops back. This is a real mental challenge since it would be soooo easy just to stop as I reach the end of our road and walk home to cool down. So I'm pleased that I can resist that temptation.

I am feeling a bit sore though. My left heel aches and my hammies are a bit tight. I'll review our weekend schedule and either do the long run on Sunday or Monday (Queen's birthday public holiday) morning.

67 days to go...

Another good session this morning. I reckon it must've been close to 6km in less than 30 minutes.

This is exactly what I need to do. Slowly increase the time (and hopefully the distance) of my runs during the week. The next step is to slot in those longer runs. I should really try and do a 45 minute run this weekend.

It's a long weekend with a public holiday on Monday, so likely we'll try and get out and about to enjoy some quality family time. I just hope that still leaves time (and energy) for a run!

Again, bloody cold this morning!

Back on Track, Again...

I know I've used that title before, but it certainly seems apt to use it today - I hope.

There was no doubt in my mind that I'd be up this morning for a run, despite the recent failures. And what a good run it was. I finished via a slightly different route, obviously still finishing at the same point (home) but taking a little bit of a detour to decrease the gradient encountered in the usual last 500m or so.

I reckon it probably added another 600m to the run, so 5.6km in all.

I should definitely look to vary the route in future. Even if it's just to prevent the onset of boredom!

Still it was bloody cold though. The wooly hat is certainly proving useful.

Not a Good Start...

Entries to the 2005 City to Surf opened yesterday.

I got my entry in on-line first thing yesterday morning. So now I'm committed. 10 weeks to go.

So imagine my frustration when I had another sleepless Sunday night - just like 2 weeks ago (see my Revenge of the... entry). Except I did make it in to work this time. But I did fail to get out for a run this morning. So I must go for a run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday this week... without fail!

A Week to Forget...

With only a run on Tuesday and this morning for this week - I should hang my head in shame.

Even this morning's run was a huge effort to get out of bed, so I am at least pleased I got around.

I really hope that the opening for entries to the City to Surf on Sunday will give me the boost I clearly need, although I suspect a sudden increase in temperature would have a more significant effect.

There is one piece of positive news from this week - last night I became an Australian Citizen. Despite a comment made in a speech given by some old bat representing the state government, I haven't had to "give up my identity", in fact the Australian Government actively encourage people like me to hold dual citizenship. I guess they recognise that the biggest reason for people not to do it is the resistance to break any historical ties.

The pros and cons for me were: Pros = don't have to keep reapplying for Permanent Residency every 5 years; and a stronger link to the country where we expect to live. Cons = I now have a legal obligation to vote, i.e. it's mandatory here! I will still support England in cricket and football is still played with round shaped balls.

So, like Lian - I am now a Citizen of the United Kingdom and of the Commonwealth of Australia.