Sunday, November 26, 2006

Shagged

have to admit i feel a little 'shagged' at the end of the week.
was in sydeeneee for the week at a work conference.
had a busy first few days going to presentations/workshops during the day then social funcitons at night.
decided by wednesday that i'd had enough! and didn't go to much after that.
was nice to catch up with spud on thursday for lunch.
went for a run around the domain, the botanical gardens and opera house on the tuesday.
stuck to the exercise bike at the gym the other days.

flew back on friday washed some jocks and socks and headed straight up the sunshine coast for the weekend.
as it just so happens we were staying close to the 'great walk' sunshine coast hinterland.
it covers 58kms in total and is west of montville and mapelton.
website is here: http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/great_walks/
MRX and a few others ran up this way a few days after the glasshouse '5 mountians' run - but my legs and the DTI thought better of joining them on this occasion.
went for a run along the track on the saturday morning.
miscalculated a tad by thinking we were staying only 0.5km from the start (when it was 1.5km).
the terrain was fine but hard to keep at 6min/kms so my initial promise of turning around at kondalilla falls (12.5km) in 1.20 was looking in doubt until i decided to sweat a little harder.
not difficult terrain - just a few bits that are difficult to run in and a few little hills and twists and turns.
the sort of terrain thats definately quicker running in than riding on the mtb - for me at least!
walked some of the shorter walks in the northern section later in the morning with the other half and had a bbq lunch at kondalilla falls picnic area.
saw 3 snakes during the day!
the manager of the place where we were staying gave me a topo of the walk - i luv maps :).
he is now a friend for life.

monday - nothing
tuesday - 15-16kmish
wednesday - 1hr stat bike
thursday - 1hr stat bike
friday - nothing
saturday - 25kmish hills/bush
sunday - 1hr stat bike

6 days til kepler.

Monday, November 20, 2006

2 runs a week - now i call that 'training'!

very quick blog - have to arise in 5 hrs time to catch a plane south of the border for a work conference.
couldn't find a mutually convenient time to get the biomech analysis this week so will put it off until after kepler.
looking at my training i have only run 4 times in the last 2 weeks which is good i think!
feel quite fit at the moment. touching wood that it stays this way for a while yet.

monday - nothing
tuesday - 14km flat run (71.00)
wednesday - physio (no needles! - still a bit sore from last week)
thursday - 30-32kmish/3hr run from kp including mt coot-tha loop. legs felt good.
friday - massage
saturday - 1hr stat bike
sunday - 1hr stat bike

congrats to all those who survived GNW.
condolances to tugger who DNFd <10km from the finish and tim who will have a much better day next year i'm sure.

2 weeks to kepler.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Biomechanically 'Challenged'

i am indeed biomechanically challenged.
a few years back i was doing a track ultra.
one of my fellow competitors asked my other half (and crew) 'what was wrong with me'.
they thought i had some sort of physical disability.

my right lower leg was broken as a kid so the foot is twisted out about 20 degrees.
i think for reasons of balance the left arm swings rather awkardly to the side so i look lopsided top and bottom.
i am not a 'pretty runner' :)

anyhooo i guess after all the injuries i've had i finally decided that my BC status should become official and i'll be getting a biomech analysis some time next week.
i guess the big question will be what they can do to actually straighten me out!

a big week this week - felt almost like i was actually back training again which in reality i havent done all year.
did a long hilly run on wednesday around mt coot-tha including all the hilliest trails: owl trail (up the middle) then ran to gap creek reserve via highwood road then back to the mountain via kokoda track.
i ran the kokoda track several years back before it was graded/gravelled and the rocks actually made it easier to climb.
now its so steep that u simply slide back down the gravel and in order to go up it u need to go off to the side.
then did the little chapel hill/fleming road loop and back down to slaughter falls.
i was stuffed - and still am.
have also been to the qsmc twice this week and had those little acupuncture needles twice to try and get rid of the really hard knotted muscle bits that massage arent fixing.

monday - 60mins stat bike
tuesday - 30mins stat bike
wednesday - 2.5 hr cootha run and physio/needles
thursday - nothing
friday - 60 mins stat bike and massage and physio/needles!
saturday - 14km flat (70.20 neg split)
edit: sunday - 30mins bike

tonight my thoughts are with all those attempting the GNW 100km/mile events.
with temps in the low 30s all those hills must seem twice as steep.
hope everyones ok out there.
personally i;m glad i'm here!

3 weeks to kepler.
giddyup.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Group runs are not my strength

i dont belong to a running group - not the group run kind of person really - bit of a loner.
i turned up on saturday morning (6am) to the combined regatta runners/running buddies/?runn inn morning run.
somewhat worried when i saw about 20 runners (including tess) heading towards the city on my way there in the car - the regatta group had started off early.
about 10-15 turned up for the run (including tesso and clairie who had turned around) from regatta around mt coot-tha and back (15km).
for some reason i got a bit impatient at the bottom of the hill when the rest of the group stopped for a drink and took off.
bit embarrased about it now - felt a bit lonely and stupid half way around but caught up with some of the ?intraining mob who were also running around there.
probably not quite group run etiquette - not that i would know!
guess i was running a bit angry from earlier problems during the week.
waited half way down the mountain and ran with tesso, clairie, scotty and ?karen a few extra kms back.
nice to meet ciaran, tara, scotty, mat and phil for the 1st time (writing these names down so i dont forget - terrible with names).
i have to admit i'd never voluntarily get up at 5am for a run by myself!

after some knee soreness on monday i decided to bail on the great gnw plan.
have entered bogong-hotham "B2H" though.
so effectively i have 3 alpine ultras on the 1st weekend of december, january and february.
have thought about doing these for a while and have entered and DNSed a few times.
i think realistically would be happy to do one, ectatic to do 2 and surprised to do all 3.

monday - 60min stat bike with some ?meniscal soreness after
tuesday - nothing
wednesday - 7km run (31.50)
thursday - nothing
friday - massage
saturday - ?19km hilly. pulled up well.
sunday - nothing

go mellum.
dont let gnw beat you!