Day 2 - "Whatever Day"

Another of those days when I choose whatever I do. Today is cold & very windy in Mittagong - just as I was starting to get used to Sydney's warmer days!

I decided on going to the gym for : 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer + 15 minutes form drills.

I was able to use the big room where classes are held for drills & at the same time watch for 'goof' form in the floor to ceiling mirror. Anyhow, I quite enjoyed the time & it is a help to be able to see for yourself how 'goofy' you can look when doing these drills!

Big, big thank you for thoughts about my brother - last stages with prostate cancer; day by day now. It was very sad staying alone in his house at Concord where over many years we'd had so many happy family get-togethers, BBQs.etc...... especially after each City to Surf run of which he'd done 20+. This year's run will be for him...... from me.

Home from Sydney.

Friday, Saturday & today I've been in Sydney visiting a very ill relative (my brother) in Concord Hospital.

From Google Earth I had worked out that it was 3km from his house to the hospital, so my running each of the last 3 days has been jogging to & back from the hospital, making a total of 6km each day.

The course I took was all the way along Majors Bay Road, into Norman Street, then Nullawarra Avenue, Concord Road & Hospital Road.....and, even though I wore my CR cap, not even once (that I know of) did I get sighted by any Cool Runners!! I was so sure that over 3 days someone would see me, especially while waving my CR cap & pom-poms at every car, bike & person that passed! It's really very sad & disappointing!

I did get a 'toot' from a car, but on looking back now, I realize they were probably having a good laugh and later, from another car, someone called out ; "Keep going, Luv!"

I had the company of Mr G-armin, but only for two of the 3 days...his battery went flat & he wouldn't do another thing after that...I just wore him out, poor thing!

Day 12 - A "Whatever Day"

....easy to guess that I decided on #2 activity for today.....

.....15 minutes of stationary form drills!!

...and a walk (with the dogs).

Tomorrow, going to Sydney for the weekend to visit an ill relative. I'll take Mr G-armin with me for his first time in the city & see how he behaves on some short runs or walks...if I can get him going! Beautifully sunny here today & warmer.

Day 11 - A Hard Day.

Short Speed: " Diagonals"

At Renwick soccer field, a lot of which was very soggy! So was my head...with a heavy cold!

Program : 10 minutes warm-up jog & stretches. Stationary Form Drills (which I did with very goof form!).

Diagonals - Run hard (goof form of course!) corner to corner; very slow jog across field; do 4 'diagonals - rest & stretch 3 to 5 minutes & repeat twice (so, 12 diagonals in total). HR not to go over 95% of max. & take HR before each diagonal.
Warm-down.

I'd never done a session like this before & it's always fun trying something new, so I enjoyed it a lot, except........ for sloshing through the swampy sections & sneezing & coughing & nose blowing!

Heart Rate did not reach 90% of max during any of the diagonals & I recorded (for prosterity & Ewen) my heart rate just before starting each diagonal.

I didn't take Mr G-armin with me in case I was distracted from the session by looking at his handsome dial! I need to get to know him a lot better before 'going out together"!

Day 10 - A Moderate Day.

....the 'grassy knoll' in Ironmines Oval that I used for hill repeats this morning.

Program : 10 minutes warm-up.

Stretches & a few strides.

12 x 40 metre hill. Slow walk down. 3 sets of 4 with 4-7 mins. between sets.

Run with good form!

Short brisk walk warm-down.

Did all of the above with very 'goof' form, having been told on Sunday to keep my bum tucked in at the back, especially towards the top of the incline! I tried very hard to do this but, not having much of a bum at the best of times, it was quite difficult to do. I did concentrate on it though, as well as "tall, driving off the ground, good arms, knees through." This session requires almost more concentration than Chickybabe is capable of!

Incline took about 20 seconds to the top using 85% of MHR.

Highlight of the day............delivered to the front door...........by magic carpet

the new Garmin 305!!! .. . . .. And I've called it

........................... MR G-ARMIN. .......................

Day 9 - "Whatever Day"

I chose Activity #3 .....Total rest!
Cold & wet ....and the Garmin didn't arrive!

Day 8 - A Hard Day!

A TEMPO RUN.....4Km.

Ewen called in on his way back from Cambewarra & the afternoon session started at about 1:30p.m. at Ironmines Oval.

I wonder if others find everything harder when you know someone is watching! Well, I did! The addition of a sore throat - start of a head cold - did nothing to lighten my steps either!

Using bottles & tins that had been left on the grounds from the previous day- why, oh why do people do that? - Ewen marked out, with his Garmin (I'll have mine tomorrow, Monday!) an oval shape to run around...for me to run around while he observed my terrifyingly 'goof' form! Just as I started there were several huge blasts of thunder, which is why my first lap was the fastest!

Eleven times I had to do it! 4.07km in 26:35. Verdict : "Not bad". So I snatched the piece of paper out of his hand & said "Pedantic bastard!"

Moving nicely along.....hills came next!


We both thought I did these quite well, though I did need reminders about pushing off, lifting knees & using the arms. I think I did 4 on this hill..........
and then one more on an even steeper & longer slope. And then down came the rain, just in time for a coffee break; drove a couple of minutes into town to an excellent cafe "Gilberts" & piled the calories on with a large slice of cake each : mine, Fig & Almond; Ewen, Quince & Almond; both served with a big dollop of fresh cream! It was heavenly!

We talked for ages.......but the training session hadn't finished yet! I wanted Ewen to go over the Form Drills with me & because it was still raining, we used the pavement outside the shops in a side street under shelter! Now, if you do them like Ewen, you have no need to worry about people passing by; but when I do them it's a different sight altogether.... scary enough for people to give a wide berth to the footpath & what looked very much like an inebriated Hippopotamus!

....and so we called it a day ................ and it was a very good day!

Day 7 - Whatever Day"

I chose #3 from the list of "what to do" on a 'whatever day'....Total Rest.

Definitley the best choice as Ewen is calling in tomorrow on his way back from Cambewarra to (1) run a Time Trial with me, (2) inspect the 'grassy knoll' for hill repeats & (3) go over the drills to make sure I'm doing them with 'goof' form!

Should be a very 'goof' afternoon & I hope I don't get into any more trouble!

Day 6 - A Medium Long Run

What I was told to do today was : 50 - 65 minutes at an 'easy' pace - talk to the cows!

Well, tonight I'm in the most dreadful trouble! I was slow alright but jogged easily for 1 hour 25 minutes (to even up a full km); wrote up my report & e-mailed it to Ewen & stupidly put the total time down as 2 hours 25 minutes!! Try to imgine the e-mail I got back! I knew I'd be in strife for going over 65 minutes, but thought it worth the risk (at the time!) so as to get back quicker than I'd gone out... a negative split of more than 5 minutes. I'll never go overtime again! Try to imagine the blast that thundered over the ranges from Canberra to Mittagong when I made the mistake of reporting that I'd run for something over 2 hours!!

Now I can't stop laughing about it!

Day 5 - A "Whatever Day".

For today , I chose part of activity #2 & activity #1, which means I did 40 minutes on the elliptical trainer at the gym & later at home, "Pilates for Runners & Cyclists" DVD. While at the gym I put my name down for an 8 week course in Pilates...starting 3rd August, Thursday mornings at 8:30 a.m. At this time of the year, I'm hardly ever out of bed at that hour & quite often not even thinking about it! Just have to get to bed before mid-night the night before.

I enjoyed this "Whatever Day" - no impact on legs & listened to music on the CD player....nice!!

Day 4 - A Hard Day.

In fact, it was a very hard day! And very cold & windy! Maximum 10 degrees was forecast but hovering around 8 degrees now at 4:30p.m. & a misty rain coming in over the hills. Just back from taking Oscar & Oliver for a quick run - walk for me - around the soccer field & so relieved to get back into a warm house.

Today's programme : Track Intervals....Chev. track
Warm-up, stretches, 3x100m strides.
6 x 800m @ 90% of MHR!!! 2 Sets of 3.
Warm-down.

Well, I did it! 2 minutes walk recovery & 6 minutes between sets. But it got sooooooo hard! And I wasn't faaaaaast! And the wind bleeeeeew me backwards! And I had to share my oval for the first time with the students who must have thought I was reeeeeeeally mad! But I kept goof form all the time!

I hope Ewen will be satisfied with today's effort...I'll soon find out!

Day 3 - An Easy Day.

Programme for today was : 30 minutes at a comfortable pace & within this run do 4 x 100 metre 'strides'.

....and that's exactly what I did!

Ironmines Oval was a bit of a bog after all the rain; cold wind blowing - not the best conditions, but the session is done!

Day 2 - "Whatever Day"

No one could have been more surprised than I to find, in the new programme 14 day cycle, a day with the enigmatic title of "Whatever". All will be revealed in due course, but in general it means exactly what it says : I can do whatever I like! Sort of! I have a choice of doing any one activity out of seven and they are listed in order of preference.

However, I assume this is not strictly binding under the law as it stands at present (hope I'm right Ewen!) so I've taken upon myself the decision to do activity #5 today...which is :

20 to 30 minutes maximum of easy running.

My reason for this choice is : tomorrow is an "Easy Day" involving very little running & I'd rather use one of the other activities after what is called a Hard Day!

This is ground-breaking stuff I'm onto here, fellow bloggers & gives rise to my thought for the day:

.........how fortunate I am to have such a friend/coach willing to give time & encouragement to someone who was referred to recently in a magazine as "the unstoppsable, ageless wonder" (LOL), but who in real life is just Chickybabe who can't run out of sight on a dark night!

First Day for the Rest of 2006!

New programme started today! Very different from the previous one...I will have to apply myself seriously to this new 14 day cycle lest I incur the wrath of the coach!! (Just kidding, Ewen!)

DAY 1 : (Sunday) LONG RUN.
Run for 75 to 95 minutes maximum. Generally easy pace - an average of
75-85% of MHR.

Started out around mid-day along Diamond Fields Road - again - and was very smartly lapped twice by this young motor bike rider!

Yesterday's heavy fog & rain lifted to a cold & mildly sunny day - a good running day.

Ran easily for 1 hour 40 minutes; 12km; negative split 4 minutes.
Avg. HR = 70% of MHR; Max HR = 85-90% of MHR

Day 9 - Another Easy Day.

No Running. Some stationary biking. .....did 45 minutes.

A wet, wet day! Heavy fog. A good one for an indoors session.

And..........have just been told a new programme starts tomorrow, Sunday, 16/7/2006!!!!!!




....now, that's exciting news!!

Day 8 - An Easy Day.

Diamond Fields Road.....

....just talk to the cows & take photos sort of day! These little fellas didn't seem too interested in what I had to say though!

A big contrast to yesterday - today we have mist over the ranges & a misty rain as well - but great weather for an easy jog.

Program : 35-60 minutes (depending on how you feel on the day) easy, slow run at below 75% of MHR.

I did : 70 minutes (8km) along Diamond Fields Road. HR at 70-75% of MHR.

This was an very enjoyable jog & a welcome change from the treadmill. I noticed that the wattles are just starting to flower...

Day 7 - A Slightly Hard Day.

I discovered a new oval/soccer field today & it's taken me 13 years to find it! There it was on the other side of the highway from the grassy knoll that Ewen had decided was 'near perfect' for hill repeats. It's called "Ironmines Oval", is perfect & even has some historical interest as well.

I left at 11:30a.m. in the warmer part of a day with temperatures ranging from -1 to 10 degrees.


The oval has fairly steep grassy slopes along the whole of one side....just right for running up -
with good form! - and walking down.

Program : 10 minutes warm-up. Stretches. 3 sets of 4 repeats.
Warm-down. Stretches.

I Did : 4 sets of 4 repeats!

By pretending that Ewen is watching, I keep goof form!

Feeling so goof, I ran these steps....once only!

I didn't feel at all like setting out today - had to push & talk myself into it - but I was so glad I did or I would have missed out on seeing, feeling & being part of another beautiful day.

A Very Easy Day - Day 6

No running today.

I did 45 minutes stationary cycling + some butt strengthening exercises - I'll soon have a butt strong enough to enable me to run out of sight on a dark night!!

To the 'grassy knoll' tomorrow for hill repeats.

Day 5 - A Hard Day.

Sunny but very windy, so over to the gym for today's hard session.

Program: 15 minutes slow jog warm-up. Stretches.
2 x 10 minutes of 'hard' running.
6 minutes slow walk recovery between each 10mins. & after the session.

I did : 1 km as a warm-up. Stretches.
1 x 10 minutes with treadmill @ 9.5 - 10kph
6 minutes slow walk.
1 x 10 minutes with treadmill @ 10kph to 10.5; to 11kph for the
last 2 minutes.
6 minutes slow walk warm-down.
And a few more stretches.
Avg. HR. = 80-85%; Max. HR = 95%

For me, this was a really hard session! 'Easy' tomorrow & over to the 'grassy knoll' on Thursday.

Day 4 - A Moderate Day

Program said : 15 minutes cycling + 15 minutes form drills + 8x100m reps.

What I did: None of the above!!

I'll do 30 minutes on the stationary bike later this evening.

Day 3 - A Hard Day.

At 3:00pm it was too cold & windy for the outdoors; used the gym treadmill for this session.

Program: 10 minutes jog warm-up. Stretches.
5km at a 'Hard' pace - 85-95% of MHR
Short brisk walk for warm-down.

RESULTS : 1 km warm-up. Stretches.
5km splits = 7:11; 6:43; 6:12; 6:03; 5:28
Avg. HR = 85%; Max. HR = 95%+ a bit!

Time = 31:38

.... didn't do the warm-down or the stretches!

......had a hot shower & drove home. Ewen is probably still too jet-lagged to read blogs, so I might escape detention for such negligence!

Day 2 - An Easy Day

Program : 25 minutes stationary cycle + 25 minutes form drills.

I didn't do the drills...not ready for that yet!

Stationary cycle : 30 minutes @ 85 rpm.

Day 1 - A Fresh Start!

Back after 1 week in Sydney & no running at all in 2 weeks......what a long time 2 weeks seems! However, with Ewen back from the USA tomorrow morning ( Hurray!) & the C2S in 5 weeks, it's time to see if one leg will still go in front of the other.

Surprise! I was contacted by the Sydney Morning Herald today re an article & photo in a C2S magazine, published the week before the run.....they thought it would be interesting to have something on a "legendary runner"!!! Legendary = old, I think!

Anyhow, today's program was: 10 minutes warm-up & stretches.
45-65 minutes at 75-80% of MHR.
Record avg. pace per km & do slight neg. split.
Brisk walk warm-down.

What I did: 10 minutes slow jog & stretches.
50 minutes with HR @ avg. 85% of Max....(a bit high
for such a slow pace?)
Average pace per km = 8:18 mins.
Distance = 6km
No warm-down....... Trouble! Trouble!

Good for CB to be back again!