Last Run for 2007!

SMS from Ewen to cut today's run from 10km to 8km...or shorter!

Program : 8km 'lower aerobic' run.... AHR 107.

This worked better than yesterday's run....thank goodness or I'd have been seriously worried! A few walk breaks included.

8km on Diamond Fields Road : 4k out with AHR of 97 (65%). 4k back AHR 105 (70%).

Later in the day Jim & I met Ewen (returning from Sydney to Canberra) in Mittagong for lunch at "Gilberts"....a very pleasant closure to 2007!

Distance for today = only 8km!

Sunday's 'Longish' Run.....

In spite of having started out at 7:45 this morning to avoid the heat - almost 2 hours earlier than is usual - I had the worst second half of a long run in a long time & finished feeling like I'd run two marathons...one after the other!

Program : 16km (that's all!) averaging heart rate 114 (77%).

I used the same course as last Sunday....shady, taps for water. Out for 8km was OK but coming back my hips & legs ached like you wouldn't believe....even I couldn't believe it! Once home, I fell in & out of the shower, crashed onto the bed & slept for two hours!


8km out in 1:03. AHR = 106.
1km splits = 7:40; 8:28; 8:01; 8:34; 7:31; 7:11; 8:01; 8:15
8km back in 1:06. AHR = 110.
Splits = 7:18; 8:41; 9:06; 7:44; 7:29; 8:15; 7:55; 9:42
Total of 16km in 2:09 (4 minutes slower than last Sunday)...AHR 108.

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Week's Total = 57km

Chev Track....

......much better than I expected!

Program : 1.5km warm-up.

20 laps (Lane 8) with AHR 120 (80%). Time each 4 laps.

Surprised to find this session wasn't as difficult as I was expecting it to be.... in fact, 2nd fastest time for this particular track session & average heart rate right where it should be. The section of grass that's kept cut on lane 8 is becoming more difficult to see & I wandered off course in the first lap. Luckily I had a pocket full of white tissues with me &, without stopping on the next lap, I dropped them at various danger points & didn't go astray again!

Each 4 laps = 12:07; 12:20; 12:26; 12:34; 12:39

AHR = 120. MHR = 125. Time = 1:02:08. Distance = 8.4km. Warm-up 1.6km, warm-down walk 1km.

Distance for today = 11km

'Lower Aerobic' Run....

......Program : 10 - 12km with heart rate averaging 112 (75%).

Tired legs after yesterday's 'upper aerobic' run even though this morning was cool & a very light rain to start with.

Ran a slow 12km with heart rate averaging only 106 (70%). Oh well! Some days are like that but it doesn't look good for track tomorrow!

Upper Aerobic 3k on Boxing Day.

Program : 7km.

1st 4km as warm-up.
2nd 3km 'upper aeropbic' AHR 127.

I used the same section of Old South Road along the Mittagong airstrip.
3km 'upper aerobic' in 21:00. AHR = 127.
MHR = 132.
Splits = 6:49; 6:56; 7:12. Avg. Pace = 6:58

A pleasantly warm mid-morning run...3km not getting any easier! 1km walk warm-down to the car.

Total Distance = 8km

Happy Christmas Day, 2007!

Week 8 of 23...to Canberra Marathon.

......definitely how this morning's run felt, only a ball & chain on both feet!

Program ; 9 - 10km with AHR 107 (72%).

10km with AHR 97 (65%)!!

Nothing in the legs at all this morning..tired & slow dragging those balls & chains! I walked the last 1km uphill to the car.

Definitely no running tomorrow...Christmas Day!

Sunday Run...

Program : 14 - 16km 'lower aerobic' run AHR 114.

A perfect morning for running : cool @ 20 degrees, a very slight breeze & a mixture of sun, cloud & shade from trees along Diamond Fields Road.

16km with AHR 112. Time 2:05

8km from car to the end of the road in 1:02.
8km back to the car in 1:03.

Week Total = 56km

Chev Track.......

It was 30 degrees on the track this morning so I found the last of this session very tough!

Program : 1.5km warm-up.

20 laps, lane 8, AHR 120.

Warm-down.

Warm-up 1.5km....OK!

20 laps of lane 8, timing each 4 laps: 12:02; 12:29; 12:51; 13:28; 13:56

AHR = 121; MHR = 125

Time = 1:04. Distance = 8.44km

1km walk warm-down.

The last 4 laps were a real struggle in the heat, especially while keeping heart rate from soaring upwards.

Total Distance = 11km

Another Lower Aerobic Run....

Program: 8 - 10km 'lower aerobic' AHR 112 (75%).

A very cool, misty morning......simply the best!

10km with AHR 105. MHR 119
1st 5km in 43:31; 2nd 5km in 39:55....That's OK!

"Upper Aerobic" 3km..or maybe 4?

Program : 7km.
First 4km warm-up.
Next 3km 'upper aerobic' AHR 127 (86%).

But what happened : I had run, at a guess, about 1km into the fast 3km & realized I hadn't turned the monitor on! No turning back, so I clicked it on & started the 3km from that point...which really makes a fast4km approx......& resulted in my having to do the last 1km up the hill I had planned to avoid.
Ewen politely called it "a senior's moment"...I called it something else & not politely!

Warm-up 4km (+1 extra fast!)

3km with AHR 124; MHR 133.
Time = 20:20 (37 seconds slower than last Tuesday)!
Splits = 6:48; 6:29; 7:08
Warm-down 1km
TOTAL = 9KM

Yesterday, Monday : 9 - 10km "lower aerobic" with AHR 107.
This went well...AHR 106 for 10km

Forget About this morning's Run.....

Look at what came in the mail :

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Some weeks back, CR 'Digger' said he was sending me a "Finisher's" towel for the Melbourne Marathon....there were none left when I finished!

In today's mail, with the towel, he also sent me a "Team Digger T-Shirt", a DVD of the Marathon and...WAIT FOR IT!

To crown it all, literally.......a new Cool Running cap on which he had asked Robert DeCastella to write a message & autograph it personally for me!! Added to that, my name & the Australian flag had been embroidered on the sides & back! I can't think that I will ever own a more cherished and precious piece of memorabilia.

The message says: "Go Norma - Luckylegs - May they never fail you!"

After his autograph, Deek has signed off with the time for his marathon PB 2:07:51.....what a nice touch that is!

And I have 'Digger' and 'Deek' to thank for the lot!

What more can I say...I'm speechless!

Sunday 'Long' Run.....Lower Aerobic.

Program : 10 -12km with AHR 114 (77%).

It was such a beautifully cool with misty rain morning, that an extra couple of kms felt right.

14km total. AHR 104 (problem here with Garmin low AHR? Will use Polar for HR tomorrow & Garmin for distance).

7km out in 59:14. AHR 103(?).

7km back in 58:29. AHR 108(?).

This Week's Total Distance = 54.5km.

I'm wondering if 4 fairly long stops (2 on the way out & the same coming back) to talk to drivers from the nearby properties who had pulled up to ask how I'm going, what have I been up to, what's next, etc. etc.... has anything to do with heart rate. I know I found it difficult to start up again after each chat. I don't mind though, they're such extremely nice people & I appreciate their interest ...& surprise!

On Track.....

Program : Chev Track.

1.5km warm-up.

20 laps with AHR 120 (81%)....time each 4 laps.

Warm-down as you feel.

It is 1 month since I last did this exact session - 20 laps of lane 8 (414m). The times then for each 4 laps were: 12:09; 12:38; 13:07; 13:47; 14:13

Today : 12:07; 12:00; 12:05; 12:14; 12:34 ...which leads me to believe that Hadd & Ewen are working for me too, not only for Ewen!

Distance (with warm-up & warm-down) = 11.5km.

AHR = 121

I felt pretty good when I compared these results!

'Lower Aerobic' Run.....

....a very light rain falling, but I didn't feel like running on muddy tracks or hills of any sort so off to the gym! Besides, I want to wear in new Asics 2120 (bought at Melbourne Marathon Expo) to wear for Canberra Marathon without getting them dirty...yet!

Program : 8 - 10km averaging heart rate 112 (75%).

10km on treadmill (no incline) set for 8.2kph kept heart rate around 112 (75%), 76 minutes.

76 minutes gave me time to listen to "Paint Your Wagon" almost twice through...providing some rollicking songs to run with. Also, to pass the time I took the opportunity of counting, a couple of times for one minute, how often my right foot landed....85 times mostly....I think I've read somewhere that's what's recommended, 85 - 90. Anyhow, it gave me something to think about!

The Best So Far....3km

....on the flattest section of road I could find for today's training.

Program : 7km. First 4km warm-up. 3km 'upper aerobic' averaging HR 127 (85%).

At 4km I was stopped by a lost driver & took about 5 minutes to redirect her towards Bowral instead of Sydney towards which she was unknowingly heading! I ran another 1km to get heart rate back to where it was, so 5km warm-up.

3km in 19:43 with AHR 127 (85%); MHR 131 (88%).

Splits 6:35; 6:31; 6:35

Warm-down 1km back to the car.

Total = 9km & best 3km so far for this every Tuesday session!

Week 5 of 23...to Canberra Marathon.

........what a difference a cool change & no sun makes!

Program : 8 - 10km with AHR of 107 (72%).


10km with AHR 107 (72%).


1st 5k of 10 in 40:53 AHR 105.
Splits = 7:40, 8:34, 8:12, 8:40, 7:73.


2nd 5k of 10 in 39:27 AHR 106 (71%).
Splits = 7:40, 7:25; 7:53; 7:33; 8:50.


Negative split 1.31 minutes!

Sunday 'Long' Run...

Today's run finished here ....as far as is allowed along Diamond Fields Road.

Program : 8 - 10km 'lower aerobic' with AHR 114.

I chose this course today because it was a hot morning & there's plenty of shade & a few taps to get water from.

Total of 13km with AHR of 105 (?)

6.8km out in 53 minutes; 6.8km back in 56 minutes.

Week Total = 34km

Back to 'normal' training this week!

Chev Track...

Still in recovery mode....

Program : 1.5km warm-up.

12 laps @ 120 (81%). Time each 4 laps.

1.5km warm-down.

1.5km warm-up in 12 minutes; 1.5km warm-down in 14 minutes.

12 laps in lane 8 (1.6km each lap) in 48:42 ...AHR = 118, MHR = 123.

Each 4 laps : 11:53 AHR = 114; 11:58 AHR = 119; 12:25 AHR = 120; 12:29 AHR = 120

Total Distance = 10km.

Very hot & humid & happy to finish with 12 laps instead of the usual 20! Storm gathering & broke with much thunder & lightning around 2:30p.m.

8km Recovery Week.....

Program : 6 - 8km 'lower aerobic' with AHR 112 (75%).

4km out in 34:13 with AHR of 113 (76%).

4km back 34:13 with AHR of 108 (73%).

Total distance = 8km, AHR 110 (74%). Hot & humid. Storm clouds gathering.

Week 5 of 23....to Canberra Marathon.

Program : Monday.....Rest. Done!

Today: If feeling OK, 20 minutes easy lower aerobic running on grass.

I was feeling OK, so I did 21 minutes easy lower aerobic jogging on grass in Ironmines Oval where it was awfully hot & humid.

Distance = 2.5km. AHR = 108 (73%).

Central Coast Half Marathon

The plan was to finish somewhere between 2:30 & 2:45. I finished in 2:36.....OK time, when running distances at the moment are 10 - 12km & high humidity on the day.

I drove to Sydney on Saturday afternoon, stayed the night with friends & was picked up by Superflake at 4:40 Sunday morning for the drive to The Entrance.

In any field of runners I'm bound to be at the very tail end, but in such a small field I was most definitely at the very tail end! The 'sweeper' (I didn't know there was one for this race) thought he was running with the last runner, until someone got a message to him that there was someone else behind him! And so, I had Steve, the sweeper, run with me for the last 4kms until we came to Eagle & Gnome waiting to join in with about 2km to go. At about 50m to the finish line, a number of Cool Runners had gathered & gave me the cheer I needed to 'kick up my heels' & finish.

A very scenic course following the water, shady in most parts, mostly flat & an event I hope to be back for next year. Volunteers were wonderful & were still there at every water station until I finished....doesn't always happen this way! I thank them sincerely for their time & care.

The only hiccup on the drive back to Sydney was having to ask Superflake to pull over from the middle of a freeway because I was car sick & about to throw up all over the interior of his lovely car! Rather than have this happen, he found a spot to stop & after a couple of breaths of 'fresh' air, we were on our way again without further mishap! I'd forgotten my cap & might have had a 'touch of the sun' after the run.

I stayed an extra night in Sydney rather than drive back to Mittagong feeling tired & a bit"off". Home today, Monday.

Half Marathon Time = 2 hours 36 minutes with AHR of 127 (85%).
1hr:17 to the turn around; 1hr:19 return.

Week Total = 60km

Chev Track....

A kerfuffle, that's what it was....my track session today!

For once, I was there bright & early, but there were no lanes; cricket season...as if that mattered!

Program : 1.5 km warm-up. 16 laps, lane 8 with AHR 120 (80%). Time each 4 laps.

All that can be accurately gauged from this session is that I ran round & round, all over the oval, never in the same lane twice, but remembered to time each lap & keep AHR at 120 or thereabouts!

Vague 4 lap times are : 12:14; 10:11; 11:57; 12:16.

No warm-down : drove home 'cross as crabs'!

Total of 8km.

Rest & drive to Sydney tomorrow. Central Coast Half Marathon Sunday...courtesy of a lift from Superflake!

'Lower Aerobic' Run.....

Program : 8 - 10km with AHR 112 (75%).

10km : 1st 5km in 42:24 AHR - 111 (75%). 2nd 5km in 44:39 AHR = 112 (75%).

A late start & finished around 12:30p.m. A fairly warm morning. The run was easy......walked a few times on the hills to keep HR down.

Track tomorrow!

'Upper Aerobic' Run.....

Program : 7km
First 4km as warm-up.
Second 3km 'upper aerobic' AHR 127 (86%)

I walked downhill to start on a flatter part of Old South Road....0.8km

Warm-up 4km in 29 minutes.
'Upper aerobic' 3km in 20:34 with AHR 127 (86%)...right on the mark!
1k splits : 6:34; 7:05; 6:46

Walk back to the car 3.5km in 27 minutes. Dark clouds around the ranges when I started at around mid-day. Southerly head wind for the 3km upper aerobic. Tough session, still manageable although not conversational.

Total Distance = 11km

'Lower Aerobic' Run....

Program : 9 - 10km with AHR 107 (72%)

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Diamond Fields Road again. Humid & finished just ahead of the first showers for today. Okay run.
1st 5k of 10km AHR = 102 in 45:25 (slow!)
2nd 5k AHR = 104 in 43:07 (slow, but not quite as slow!)

Running with the flies.....

Program : 10 - 12km with AHR 114.

Run = 12km........AHR = 110 (74%)

First 6km AHR = 105 (71%)..... in 47:13
Second 6km AHR = 114 (77%)... in 50:11

This morning was very humid & sticky & looking like there's more storms to come later today.
The 12km was very comfortable ....except for the million flies sitting on top of my cap (the same one, Melbourne Marathon 2007, with which I beat off the chook!) getting a free ride back into town!

Week Total : 51km.

Chev Track....

Program : 1.5km warm-up.

20 laps averaging HR 120. Time each 4 laps.

This morning was wet & windy so I re-arranged the program & used the gym

treadmill, to give similar results as would have happened on the track...hopefully!

Warm-up : 1.5km. 8km with HR at 120. Short warm-down & stretches.

This was much harder than on the track to my surprise....hot & very sweaty!

'Lower Aerobic' Run.....

Program : 8 - 10km 'lower aerobic' with averaging HR of 112 (75%)

An overcast, cool morning with some light rain. Part of the instructions was to take at least the first 1 - 2 km to reach HR goal.

Total = 10km with AHR of 107 (72%).

1st 5km in 43:31 with AHR = 105 (71%).

Splits : 8:01; 9:18; 8:51; 9:08; 8:09

2nd 5km in 43:08 with AHR = 109 (74%).

Splits : 8:28; 8:02; 8:49; 8:11; 9:38

This was all very easy running on the same pretty road.

'Upper Aerobic" 3km....

Program : 7km.

First 4km as warm-up.

Second 3km (as flat as possible) as 'upper aerobic' averaging HR 127 (85%).

Well, it's just about impossible to find anywhere that's flat for any distance without at least some inclines included and so it was today : Motion Based shows "Elevation" + 57 / - 17 and I have no idea at all what that means! What I do know is, I knew I was running on an incline for just about all 3kms!

Walk 1km to start.

4km warm-up in 33 minutes.

3km 'upper aerobic' AHR = 128 (85%) in 21:45.

Splits = 6:56; 7:17; 7:32

Walk 1km back to the car.

Today's total = 9km.

I should have been out earlier when there was thick cloud cover but it was already sunny & hot by 10:00a.m. so 3km at this heart rate was a bit difficult ...but not too much...and it's done!

Week 3 (of 23) to Canberra Marathon.....

...A hot day, but plenty of shade for this morning's run. Thunder in the distance now at 2:45 pm.

Program : 9 - 10km 'lower aerobic' AHR 107 (72%).

I ran 10km averaging HR of 106 (72%) in the shade on Diamond Field Road. Only the last 1km back to the car was on the sealed main road...& hot. A nice comfortable run.

1st 5km in 41:22. AHR = 105 (71%).

2nd 5km in 42:39. AHR = 107 (72%)....walked a couple of hills to keep HR down.

Sunday 'Longish' Run...'lower aerobic'.

Program : 10 - 12km, averaging HR 112 (76%).

I decided to change to Range Road for today's run. I had the usual late start at 10:00am & already a hot morning & no shade on this course...just more & more hills! The 6km back to the car looks more like 'upper aerobic'!

Run : 12km. AHR 122

Time : 1:31.54

1st 6km in 46:44. AHR = 115 (78%).

1km splits = 7:30; 8:05; 7:59; 7:19; 8:29; 7:26

Return 6km in 45:10. AHR = 130 (88%)..uphill most of the way back to the car.

1km splits = 7:34; 7:04; 8:05; 7:04; 7:46; 7:29

This Week's Total = 53km

Rest.....

...this wimp at the left is using only a 3kg weight!

A good day to not run - too hot! Indoors at home, I did about an hour or more of weight training (4kg dumbbells!) for upper & lower body, core strengthening & stability exercises.

I quite enjoy doing this session on my two non-running days.

Track at Chev.....

Program : 2km warm-up.
20 laps lane 8, averaging HR 120. Time each 4 laps.
2km warm-down.

2km warm-up in 16 minutes.
20 laps of lane 8 (8.38km) in 1:05.56
AHR 120 (81%); MHR 124 (83%)

5 x 4 lap splits = 12:09; 12:38; 13:07; 13:47; 14:13

2km warm-down in 20 minutes : jog/walk/take photos of the grounds at Chev.
About 20 minutes stretching, looking up at the sky & thinking how marvellously I had done!

TOTAL DISTANCE = 12.5km
TOTAL TIME = 1 hour 42 minutes.

A very hot start to the day at 10:00a.m. Even though I was able to maintain an AHR of 120, each 4 laps got slower than the previous set. I think this was due to it being a hot day.


So, now I just gotta get fitter & gotta get a cool day...or gotta get up earlier!

The motor bike was in the parking area, presumably belonging to one of the teachers...a BMW 2007 K 1200lt! What a ride on the wild side that would be!!










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'Lower Aerobic' Run.....-

Program: 8 - 10km 'lower aerobic' run, averaging HR 112 (76%).

A rest day yesterday spent lopping tree branches, which Ewen says is good upper body work!

Today's session :

10km : AHR = 115 (77%).

5km splits = 38:38; 41:19.

Run felt comfortable in spite of a late start at 11:00 a.m. & humid morning.....a big storm late afternoon & still humid....... walked a couple of minutes on the hills on the way back to the car where I did some stretching on the grass.

Some 'upper aerobic' running....

Program : 7km.

First 4km as warm-up.

3km 'upper aerobic' averaging HR 127 (86%).

For today's session, I walked 870m to start below a steep hill. I didn't want to elevate AHR on the return by finishing uphill....if that makes any sense. It did to me anyhow! Also walked the same distance from the finish back to the car at the top of the hill....and I'm counting all this extra walking as part of today's total training distance! Which is 8.7km

Walk to start 870m.

Warm-up 4km in 32 minutes. AHR 105 (70%).

'Upper Aerobic' 3km in 20:26 with AHR 129 (87%)

Warm-down walk back to the car 870m.

Stretches without chook in sight!

A lovely warm morning start at 10:30. ....21 degrees felt more like 28! The 'upper aerobic' 3km was definitely not a conversational pace...more grunts than anything if I'd had to talk! It felt OK though & if I'd had to run longer at the same pace, I would/could have!

Total Distance Today = 8.7km

Week 2 of 23 to Canberra Marathon.....

Program : 9 - 10km 'lower aerobic', steady pace, averaging HR 107 (72%).

10km Run : 1st 5km in 40:39. AHR = 105 (71%).
2nd 5km in 42:39. AHR = 109 (74%).

AHR for 10km = 107 (72%)....how did I do that?

After the run I stayed outside the soccer field for some stretching! The oval caretaker was cutting the grass with a ride-on mower & the cowardly cock (a-doodle-don't!) was nowhere in sight... ...hiding & lying in wait for some poor defenceless old lady to return!!

The Return of the Killer Rooster!

...He's back! I think he's part of the FBI or the CIA sent with the special mission of killing LL! Why else would he be there again the very minute I lie down on the grass to stretch?

I'd finished my run, hadn't seen the teenage killer for a few days, spread out my towel & lay down to stretch. So I wasn't looking anywhere except skywards when I heard the familiar "Cock-A-Doodle-Doo"! With unheard of speed I got to my feet & there he was guarding the only exit from the field! What to do?

I fled to the furthest corner of the field, looking for another way out, but the entire paddock in which the soccer field sits, is surrounded by closely spaced barbed wire! Well, I thought to myself, I'll do my stretching, keep a close eye on the killer & think about the battle later. And so it happened that, by the time I'd finished stretching, he was nowhere in sight.

No risks can be taken with anyone as devious as this rooster, so I found a big chunk of wood having decided that firstly I'd strike with the towel - I really didn't want to kill the bloody thing - but if one of us was going to go down in battle, it sure as hell wasn't going to be me!

Thus armed, I crept on tippy toes towards the exit, weapons at the ready. No chook anywhere! He didn't hear me coming & so I was able to run to the car & only then did I drop all the artillery!

But before all of that.......

Program: 10 -12km at AHR 110 (74%).

Distance = 12km. 6km laps = (1) 47:20 AHR 112 (75%). (2) 49:52 AHR 113 (76%).

This Week's Total = 48.7km

Track at Chev.

Program: 2km warm-up.

16 laps averaging HR of 120.

Time each 4 laps.

The only part of the track where the grass had been cut was a narrow strip along the outside line of lane 8, so I ran on that. A bit wet & one muddy section to plough through but the day was perfect for running : cool & more of the misty rain we've had all week. Not a too difficult session which will therefore increase to 20 laps next week....so I'm told!

The session :

2km warm-up in 20 minutes, using the road that runs through the grounds of Chev.

16 laps lane 8 (6730m) in 46:31 (6:54/k).

AHR = 120 (81%); MHR = 127 (85%).

**4 lap splits = 12:16; 11:26; 11:39; 11:11.

2km warm-down in 20 minutes.

A few stretches.

Total distance = 10.7km. Time = 86 minutes.

**Any discrepancies in 4 lap times was due to my mismanagement of Mr-Garmin under circumstances over which I had no control!

'Lower Aerobic' Run....

Program : 8 - 10km 'steady' run averaging HR 110 (74%).

Ran on Diamond fields Road in spite of some muddy patches which I was able to avoid. A very cool day, overcast & the usual misty rain.

Distance = 10km

5km splits = 43:06 ...... AHR = 108.

41:23 ...... AHR = 110.

Neg. split ......1:43

A Day Off....

.......a Rest Day! Nearly frightened the life out of Jim & the doggies by doing some core strengthening exercises on the floor at home & then throwing dumbbell weights up, down, sideways & every which way....for an hour!

I filled in the entry form for the Central Coast Half Marathon, December 2nd & will post it off tomorrow. Today...too wet to bother going anywhere.

Some 'upper aerobic' running....

Program : 6km. First 3k as warm-up, second 3k 'upper aerobic' averaging HR 125 (85%).

I stayed on Old South Road which is a flatter sealed road & not muddy as are all the dirt roads right now. Another cool, delicious, misty rain morning! I was pleased with the second 3k..... keeping AHR exactly where it was supposed to be!

3km warm-up in 24:49. AHR = 107 (72%).

3km 'upper aerobic' in 21 minutes. AHR = 126 (85%). MHR = 132 (89%). Avg. Pace = 6:58.

Tomorrow : Rest...but a few drills, strides at the soccer field...not the one where the demon rooster is/was....haven't seen him this week!

Program for Canberra Marathon, 2008.

Week 1 of 23!

Valuable information : No long runs until January, just aerobic runs. Two 'rest' days.

Program : Monday 5th, November.

9 - 10k 'lower aerobic', steady pace averaging HR 106 (72%).

A very cool mid-morning with light wind & misty rain falling....perfect, except for the muddy trail, shoes & legs!

10km. 5km splits (1) 42:49, AHR = 104.

(2) 43:43, AHR = 104.

Out of Intensive Care!

No killer chook hanging about this morning! Someone might have taken an axe to it - wish I'd been carrying one on Wednesday! I hope one of the Council rangers has found a good home for it or it's confined to prison for the term of its natural life!

Toady's run : 10km low heart rate.

5km out in 40:29; AHR = 102; Avg. Pace = 8:02

5km back in 39:17; AHR = 116; Avg. Pace = 7:48.

Negative split = 1:12!!

Very hot & humid here. I think/hope a storm is coming later today.

The Attack of the Killer Rooster!

I hardly ever think about what might be the way I die even though I realize it's a definite at some stage! But today, I truly believed I saw it coming in the form of a big, bloody killer rooster!

This morning, as I usually do after my run, I lay on the grass in the soccer field where I've parked the car, in order to do some stretching. For several weeks there's been a rooster wandering the nearby street & field pecking for food. Never bothered me & I love all animals anyhow, so as it came closer to where I was lying, I started up a friendly conversation, still lying on my back with feet up on a railing, doing the right thing & draining away all the bad blood from my legs & renewing them with good blood when I stood up.

However, before that happened, this huge, bloody rooster flew straight for my face!! I had my cap in hand - my nice new Melbourne Marathon one - & used it to keep whacking the monster over the head as I struggled to my feet.

Well, that was the signal for the killer teenage chook to begin combat - the beastly thing kept on flying at my legs while I screamed at the top of my voice - to no avail I might add - & belting it over the head with my lovely new cap! After about 3 minutes of this I thought 'my time has come; I'm about to leave this world having been shredded by a chook! I didn't know what else to do but edge towards the road & make a dash for the car, which I did but with the terminator in full flight after me!

Like I said, I seldom think about the way I'll exit this planet, but never in my wildest dreams did I think it might be at the hands/claws of a big, fat, ugly, bastard of a rooster! The rooster might crow, but I wish it would croak. Give me the Killer Tomatoes any day, especially if George Clooney is the star!

I think I deserved the good news delivered by the mailman later in the day : I'd won a Polar FS1 heart rate monitor - valued at $109 - for 1st Place in Age Category, Blackmore's Half Marathon!

I may need it in case my Forerunner 305 died of shock during the rooster attack!

Finally, today's run : 10km. 5km out from the car in 42:20; AHR 111; Pace 8:23.

5km back to the car in 40:46; AHR 112; Pace 8:03

This Week: Do as I like! Next Week: Do as I'm told!

For this week, anything that's comfortable, so today I returned to Diamond Fields Road for a very easy 8km run.

4km out in 32:41; 4km back in 32:40. Almost even splits! AHR = 108bpm; Pace = 8:06. Good to be back on the road again!

Rather Boring Stuff.....

......is this jog/walk routine around all the various Mittagong soccer fields so that I can stay on flat & grass surfaces, giving the tear in my tensor fasciae latae muscle every opportunity to heal itself.

So......I'll leave my blog on hold until 'real training' begins in a couple of weeks.

Till then........happy & safe running to all!

Another Grasshopper Day.....

.....but not cycling like this handsome fella!

While in "repair" mode I went to another soccer field where the grass was thick & spongy. This seems to make jogging a little more difficult when feet sink into the grass & having to lift legs more than usual, but I imagine it would be good exercise for ankles. Wore #3 Frees so practically barefeet.

Program : For 40 minutes, Walk/Jog : 1/3 minutes .

AHR = 110bpm (74%). Distance = 4km.

A Day Off....

Instead of running 5 or 6k today, I took the whole day off to attend to some chores in the garden. Several hours of that were quite enough for this grasshopper................

Still Just Grasshopping....

Program: Walk/Jog : 2 /4 for 42 minutes.

This was OK with a little less walking & a little more jogging!

After some Google searching, I've found a couple of exercises for the micro-tear in my tensor fascias latae muscle. I like the sound of that diagnosis....sounds like something real runners get! I've been doing these & another suggestion made on the message board, but I can't remember who wrote it or where it is!

Anyhoo, as 2P says in his blog, as soon as I get home from training I lie on the floor & have my legs raised onto the bed until my feet begin to tingle. If I remember rightly, this sends all the 'bad' blood back to the heart which then immediately starts to pump 'good' blood back to the legs when I stand up! What a clever thing the body is!

I can do a short run tomorrow ......5 or 6k! Goodbye grasshoppers!

Another Walk/Jog Day.....

.....with the grasshoppers in the oval!

Program : Walk/Jog : 2/3 .....for 45 minutes....yesterday was 3:2, so moving along!

No pain in my thigh muscle where the tear is, but the swelling hasn't gone right down yet.....continuing with ice & Voltarin.

AHR = 99 (66%); MHR = 125 (84%). Distance = 4.5km.

Back in Business.....

Over to Ironmines Oval to have a flat & grassy surface for my first little bit of running since Melbourne Marathon.

Program : 3 minutes walking/2 minutes jogging : for 45 minutes.

Easy! No pain where the micro tear is, but continuing to use ice & use Voltarin during the day.

AHR = 80 (60%); MHR = 110 (74%). 4.34km....WOW! Almost in shape for Canberra!

An awfully strong westerly wind blowing & 25 degrees, but it felt good to be out again!

The News Is Good!

It's taken a few days but I finally know what the injury is that showed up under ultrasound last Friday.

After seeing my GP this afternoon for results:-

Firstly : Not bursitis!

Secondly : Small haematoma & micro-tear of the tensor fasciae latae muscle....whatever that is!

Thirdly & most importantly to me: I can resume jogging and/or walking! Keeping up fitness & movement very important.....continue icing & using anti-inflammatory gel....return to see GP in 1 week for discussion & review.

I've already sent news on to Ewen who will tell me what to do .....& where to go!!

Thanks you so very much for all your good wishes & kind thoughts about Melbourne Marathon..........Canberra Marathon, 2008, here I come!

Melbourne Marathon, 2007.

I've copied my thoughts from the thread on the Message Board.......telling it twice is too boring! Maybe a few photos taken from the hotel room at night are more interesting. They're all practically the same, but I just loved the spectacle!

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Not on the Message Board is that the day after Blackmore's Half Marathon I found a large & painful swelling at the top of my left thigh. With icing & Voltaren I kept training for the marathon & it improved. However, it came back with a vengeance during the marathon & luckily I had put a couple of Panadol in my pocket with the gels, etc. Hardly able to walk without pain ever since, today I saw my GP who has diagnosed it as severe bursa inflammation. Tomorrow, an ultrasound to make sure nothing more is wrong & then complete rest, not even walking, until it repairs itself....possible cortisone injection depending on results over the next few days. The timing is OK though..... a few weeks rest & still time to be ready for Canberra Marathon...I hope!

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/4190028

I returned from Melbourne late last night, Tuesday...giving myself a couple of extra days to recover...and I needed them more than I'd expected!

I now realize that, for me personally as an ever-increasing septuagenarian, I must not in the future enter marathons where the course is opened to traffic etc.. within a time frame I am no longer able to meet.

Out to the turnaround point was a wonderful experience & even though I was running alone & used to that, I thoroughly enjoyed the course, the scenery around the bay and most especially, the continual encouragement from runners already coming in the opposite direction on their way to the finish....thank you so much...you lifted my spirits more than you could know! I was thinking how 'cool' it'll be to be running down hill just like that on my own return! Wrong, it would not happen that way! Cato and his dog, a cool duo, both wearing cool running t-shirts, waiting for me at the turnaround were the highlight of the first half of the marathon.

But after the turnaround point...and I'm speaking only for myself...was a nightmare! Running on the footpath meant watching that I didn't trip over tree roots; the cycle path became a dodging competition to see how quickly I could hop out of the way of cyclists...once I nearly didn't move quickly enough & was almost clipped by the bicycle. Please remember these are just my feelings & emotional reactions......others may not have been bothered by any of this at all.

I began to feel totally depressed as I tired more & more & could see that all the barriers, flags & directions had been removed, the traffic was flowing & the footpaths filled with people, children, dogs etc. At around 25km I realized I would be completely lost unless I could keep 2 runners in sight... way up ahead, one wearing a white singlet, the other a red one. From there, it became a frustrating & almost tearful battle to pick them out from others on the footpath which kept changing from bitumen, to grass, to dirt, rough patches.... and the pain in my quads from stepping up & down the curbs was difficult enough, but how painful was it to have to wait at all the traffic lights to change to green!

That was until at around 35 or 36km I saw Ewen, Eagle & Horrie waiting for me! From there to the finish, Ewen would run ahead & have the lights change to green by the time our trio reached the crossing! Has anyone ever heard of someone doing that for a tired & ready-to-give-up runner? I never have & will forever be grateful!

The cheer squad where Courtley Love & others waited? What can I say? I had yet to meet up with Eagle & Co. & I was fading fast, but you cheered me up & had even kept an icy pole & some snakes to keep me going!

Horrie & Ray warned me of any dangers they saw at every curb crossings - including an approaching tram - so I really didn't have to do any thinking for myself...just keep lifting one foot after the other & listen to their on-going encouragement. How truly I love these three great friends who have so often 'brought me home'!

Sounds like I had a bad day & didn't enjoy it at all? Not quite true & anyone who is still running at 78 will one day face these formerly unknown frustrations for themselves....maybe try it now so as to know what's ahead in the future!

However, I'd do it all again, the same way as Sunday, just to experience what I felt when I turned at the "Transport Hotel" & heard the cheering from all the Cool Runners who had assembled on the deck waiting for this Cool Running quartet to come by! You brought me completely undone & all the emotions I'd been holding back came pouring out... I broke down there & continued to sob all the way to the finish!

Coming into the completely empty MCG meant little if anything...it was just where I could stop running! Sorry if that offends anyone, but that's the truth; that's how I felt ...it was finished!

Melbourne Marathon 2007 will not be remembered by me for the marathon event only ...Net 5:58:00.

Melbourne 2007 will continue on in my memory for as long as I live as how blessed I've been to have Cool Runners, who have always been there to 'rescue' me on so many occasions, as an integral part of my life..... and you did it again on October 7th, 2007. That I will never forget!

I re-read what I wrote before going to Melbourne : "I expect the very best of myself and the very best is coming to me".............and it all happened exactly as I said it would!

Up, Up and Away!

<................one way or the other.............>

to Melbourne tomorrow for the Marathon on Sunday! Thanks for all good wishes....I need them! But I expect the very best of myself and the very best is coming to me!