Week 10 Begins

....with a rest day!

Even though lower back is fine today (not so during Sunday's long run!), went to Physio, massaged, heat applied, stretching ; upper body push-ups to do at home; she will take a look at knees & back on Thursday.

Long Run to Finish Week 11

36km this morning with some walk breaks; now have horribly throbbing knees & will go and lie down!

Total for this week = 80km

Total for this month (Jan.) = 348km + Dec. 268km
= 616km in the lead up to Canberra 50km

Recovery

8km ....walked it so as to spare knees any further pain!

Medium Long Run

Could I posibly be "hung over" after Sunday's 8km?? I felt very tired in spite of a rest day yesterday..hinges & joints all needed oiling! Lower back stiff & both knees aching.

18km...and to make sure I end on a positive note : if the session did nothing else, I'd like to think that it at the very least, it strengthens mental thoughness.

Rest Day

.....feeling tired; pleased a day off happens to be today.

Australia Day

Medibank Private 8km Fun Run, Centennial Park: fun? For sure, but a very tough, hilly 2 laps. Time: 54:40 & a PB for that course.

Recovery + Speed

10km this morning...overcast & humid; out 5km with 6 X 100m strides; back 5km power walked as I felt in need of more recovery time after the weekend & tomorrow's early start for Sydney & Centennial Park 8km. Must remember to set the alarm for 5:00 a.m.!!!

Rest Day

........watching tennis!

Longest Run So Far!

At 6:30 a.m. the ranges were covered with heavy mist; visibility reduced to about 50m but a glorious morning for a run.

34km on bitumen down & back up the Macquarie Pass has given me aching knees; tomorrow a rest day.

This marks the end of Week 12; a total for the week of 86km...Chickybabe is tired, but pleased!

Aerobic Run + Speed

This morning : 12km with 8 X 30 seconds 'hard'....i.e. as fast as I could possibly run! Taking the rest of the day easy before tomorrow's long run.

Rest Day...& ready for it!

Watch tennis &, at the same time, do some stationary bike, light weights.

Mid-Week Medium Long Run

Longest yet for a mid-week run : 18km; and I struggled all the way; I felt more like a jumbobabe than a chickybabe! heavy, sluggish, tired, etc. etc. & walked the last km.....anyhow, I finished it, but hated every minute!

Hopefully knowing that not many will be reading my blog, (I wouldn't want too many to know!) it's going to contain not only the good, but also the bad & the ugly. This morning, other than what's written above (& that was the good part!), I also had the bad & the ugly in the form of constant dashes into the bushes &, there is no more polite way of saying it : got home in a "mess"! So there! Now, if it happens to others, you're not alone!

Recovery

An 'easy' 6 km followed by 50mins. deep water running & hot spa!

Aerobic Run

16km this morning; kept HR at 73% of max.

12 Weeks To Go!

....beginning with a rest day.

Long Run

Forgot to record yesterday's 6km. It all counts!

Today did 26km, 2 more than planned, but the morning was fairly cool, overcast, though humid.

Week Total = 66km and the end of week 13!

Tomorrow begins a 'step up' again week.

A Recovery Day

...or rather an easy day in preparation for tomorrow's long run; will be finishing this 'step back' week with 24km.

Rest Day

That's it....no running!

Mid-Week Aerobic Run

This morning 13km....keeping HR between 70 &75% of max....just 'putting in the miles' as the books say!

Recovery Run

Out by 6:30 a.m. before the predicted 33 degrees. An 'easy' 8km & used my new Polar S625X monitor; have yet to read back the recorded results, but having set it for 'Pace' I was surprised just how far off the set pace I drifted. Nice toy though!

A Run With Strides

This morning 13km, including 8 X 100m strides. Now this really gets the heart rate going upwards to 94% of max. Enjoyed the session, especially the run home after the strides were done! A pleasant, warm morning.

Week 13 Begins

Rest Day for me; going to the movies to see "De-Lovely".

Sunday's Long Run

Very cool, very fresh morning....what a difference it makes! 32km.........run/walk...5/1 for all 4 hours 15 mins. Not fast, but got where I wanted to go! Felt strong all the way, even climbing back up the Pass. Hope I'm not fooling myself when I say I can feel an improvement from week to week. And now Chickybabe must lie down, start to read and then fall asleep for 2 hours! Tomorrow begins Week 13 towards Canberra 50km. Total for this week = 78km.

A Short Run Before a Long One!

Next week is a 'step back' week....Ye Gods! the weeks are passing quickly! This morning was an 'easy' 8km; cool, overcast; hoping for no rain tomorrow when the plan is for 32km. which will take me a fair way down Macquarie Pass & back. This week, while watching the tennis, I've spent some time on the stationary bike, some leg raises, one and two legged mini squats, crunches and upper body work with light weights. With the Australian Open coming up, I might soon resemble a Turkeybabe rather than an Chickybabe Blogger!

A Day Off

No running today, thank goodness! I really feel I need it after yesterday; will put my feet (& legs) up and watch the tennis this afternoon.

Mid-Week Run

18km this morning....and a tale to tell! 9km out, good; 9km return, faded....faded.....faded with each km! Why? 1. Set out late 10:00 a.m. & already hot (not an issue really) 2. Nothing to drink before starting out 3. Didn't take any water with me 4. No taps to drink from anywhere Result : 5. Overcome by fatigue & thirst during last kms & walked the last one 6. Drank a couple of handfuls from a not too clean roadside puddle of rain water! Result : 7. Lucky I haven't got la grippe!! One more lesson learned & you should know better.... you silly Chickybabe Blogger!

A Recovery Walk

8km today, but did it at a fast walk. Reason for walking : a bout of post-shingles neuralgia from 2:00a.m. till 5:00a.m. kept me awake; it's bad enough if it happens during the day, but at night it's sheer agony. I was in no mood to do anything today, but the very thought of having to post a DNS here, where nothing but the truth must be told, was sufficient to get me out! And it still gets counted as 8km recovery...so there!! The breeze was more of a howling wind and the flies more of a squad of suicide bombers, but your Chickybabe Blogger trudged on through it all!

LT Run

Back to a cool, misty morning! 14km run today, with the middle 6km at between 80% - 90% of max. Average was 85% and I was pleased with being able to keep with that comfortably. I don't think I'd have been as successful a month ago, so things must be improving gradually, judging by the results. It was, as always, up and down hills; for future reference & comparison the middle 6km times were : 7:03......6:23.....5:53.....7:04.....6:10......5:29....up & down like the terrain! Not fast by most standards, but OK for this Chickybabe!

A Day Off!

Week 14 to Canberra begins today. A rest day is much appreciated after yesterday's 30km! Slept in till mid-morning! The only exercise today will be to take my 3 doggies for a longer walk than they usually get each late afternoon, i.e. approx. 60mins.

Long Run Finishes Week 15

For me to get out by 7: 00 a.m. is early! Over 30 degrees predicted, however there was heavy cloud cover right up until the last 12 km when the sun came through. I did 30km this morning : from Mittagong out along Old South Road, past Almyerton; turn around at 7km & back 7 km; add another 12km loop & another 4 km home. ....took plenty of water, a gel & sports drink; also took time to take in the scenery, a lovely green; and talk to a few horses along the way! Finished OK but legs very fatigued! So now we head into week 14; for the past week total = 72kms.

January 1st, 2005

Began the New Year with an 'easy' 6km and we're back to hot weather now! Went out late at 11:30 a.m. and it was already over 30 degrees, so tomorrow I must be out & about much earlier to avoid the heat during what is to be a long run.