Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's off to run I go! ~~

....
.Well, today is important for me because I have the results from the ultrasound earlier than expected....and they're all good!  All clear!  Seems I've nothing to worry about at all......now, that's a worry!

I'll resume my program next week and with 15 weeks still left to the ACTVAC half marathon, I should just about be ready!  Phew, Close call!
  
Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho...Forget all about work and digging...it's off to run we go!

First of May ~~~

On the first of May, it is moving day,
Spring is here, so blow your job,
Throw your job away!
Now's the time to trust,
To your wanderlust,
In the city's dust you wait, must you wait
Just you wait!




 

Some words of advice from Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart!  ("Garrick Gaieties" 1926)

Meanwhile......No running while I wait for results of Ultra-sound,  Friday.

Tempo Run ~~~

I wasn't expecting such a short run to become such a difficult one!

Program 
8km @ MT Pace (6:44/k)

Start from the Highlands School,  Bong Bong & Old South Roads.   I did 5km out and 3k back and walked 1km; this to avoid having to do the last kilometre uphill as part of 8km!

Tempo 8km Run, passing the Mittagong airstrip...>>>>

Few drills 
8km in 56 minutes
Avg. Pace 7:00m/k
 1km splits : Avg. 6:51 (1.2km);  7:14;  6:40;  6:35;  6:51;  7:18;  7:26  

Weather good, bit windy, sunny.  More cars than usual on O.S Road ....Anzac Day;  felt breathing bad from start to finish.  Many breaks to get my breath....don't know why but there it is.  Felt like, and no doubt looked like, an old duck waddling along before trying for take-off!  In this case, no take-off, just waddle, waddle, waddle!

Today..  8km

Walking Briskly ~~~

What a perfectly glorious day!  Nothing but blue skies, not a cloud in sight anywhere and sun, glorious sun shining everywhere!

To take full advantage of the day and to make it an easy one as well, I decided on a brisk walk of one hour from home and back.  This I did, stopping at 'Charlie's' house - at approx. 2km mark- Charlie being a very large brown Labrador whose owners were sitting in the sun at the side of their lovely new home in Renwick and I joined them for about thirty minutes for a chat and a cuppa!

5km Walk + 30 min chat at 2km!

 I'm going to try the Program's Tempo Run tomorrow.

For Today.....5km

Easy, again ~~~

Sunny but very windy today and windy days I do not like very much!  However, good for another easy run/walk from Renwick and a couple of different streets from yesterday to make today's session a bit longer.  Quite a few short walk breaks and a long one to chat to Lily's pups and her owner, Melanie.  Melanie has three children and the eldest girl, about 10 I guess, loves to run and was asking questions about my Garmin.  Naturally, I spent quite some time extolling its virtues and all the whiz-bang things it can do, on and on I raved, when a little voice from the four or five year old girl piped up with, "Yes, but does it tell the time?"  Out of the mouth of babes! REALITY CHECK!  Back to earth for me! 

Today's Run/Walk

 8km easy
AHR 80%
Time 1 hour

My breathing wasn't good this morning...forgot to use the puffer before starting and the wind didn't help at all when running head-on into it.  As a result I had to take more walk breaks than  yesterday, but just the same, I got out and did something.

Today  ~~~  8km

17 Weeks to ACTVAC Half Marathon ~~~~

That's where I'm planning to be on August 18!  After so many false starts over recent months, I can only set a far off date as a goal and then hope to be fit enough to get there and run well.  What is known as "wall of the chest pain" (Costochronditis) has kept me on and off running for far too long so today, after resting the blessed thing for several days (recommended treatment) with absolutely no improvement, I've decided to ignore it as much as I can and pick up where I left off.







Starting easily with a couple of drills, 5km from Renwick to Inkerman Road and back, including a couple of walk breaks.
AHR 78%; time 41 minutes.

Today's 5km

Maybe another 5km+  tomorrow and for the remainder of this week.

For today....   5km

Long Run ~~~

What a perfect day!  Skies blue and not a cloud in sight.  Just beautiful out and back on Diamond Fields Road.  I felt tired and slow on the way out but picked up a bit on the return. Fair bit of walking uphills.  I ran the first 3km around the school.

Program :  15km

15 sunny, slow kilometres!

15km in 2 hours 8 minutes
5k laps :  42:35;   43:37;   42:20

Today 15km
For the Week 31km (missed cross-training this week)

 




 

Tempo Run ~~~

Yesterday I did nothing more than take Amy and Oscar for a longer walk than usual.  Today was a tempo run which I didn't enjoy that much at all!  It just felt like too much effort!  Included some hilly sections.  Stopped briefly to say hello to Lily's two pups, Ninja and Alice.  Warm day.

Program :
1.5km easy
5km @ ST Pace (6:47m/k based on 33 min 5km)
1.5km easy.

5km @ tempo Pace

Renwick>Inkerman Road...5km
Time ...  34:08
6:46;  6:40;   6:49;  7:11;  6:40
Forgot HR monitor

Today  ...  8km
 

Track at Chev. ~~~

Track Program  : 
 10-20 min warm-up
5 x 1km (6:20)
400m RI
10 min cool-down.

This track session was hard!  Very hot and humid ahead of rain forecast.  As for last week, I ran just inside the boundary fence, changed direction after each 1km and was very pleased I didn't have to run a 6th kilometre!  I had VP set at 6:20/k but didn't look at him at all because I was afraid he would be ahead of me and, if so, I didn't want to know about it!  Today, I ran as best I could without his help and I think I did OK!

1km repeats...not easy!

2km warm-up + couple of drills & strides
6:19 (75-83%);  6:22 (76-84%);  6:08 (77-85%);  6:17 (78-86%);  6:08 (78-86%)
1km cool-down + stretching.

Today  8km

Long Run With Hills ~~~

My program didn't say to run a hilly long run, I just decided to do that myself!

15 hilly kilometres!

First 3km I ran around the school to wake-up in preparation for what lay ahead!  Turning right at the bottom of Bong Bong Road into Old South Road was straight up a winding hill for 2km to the roundabout, which I ran around.   From the roundabout, left into Range Road and uphill continued for another 1km before settling into a pattern of up and down hills.  What a ride!  I walked some of every kilometre on the way out and also on the way back.....walking when I could barely breath, jogging when I could.  On Range Road I ran as far as Nannas Lane and about 200m in. This marked the turnaround point and then there followed the joy of running down all those hills back to the school!

200m in and turn back for home!

I wasn't tired when I finished, but my legs are a bit stiff now, a couple of hours later.  Apart from this course being good training.... once up on Range Road it all seems worth the climb...the views in 360 degrees are superb!

Program : Long Run 15km.

15km in 2 hours 2 minutes
Avg. Pace 8:29/k!!
AHR 111 (70%);  MHR 135 (85%)
5km laps  ~~  46:34;   42:43;   37:47

For Today  15km
For the Week ~~~ 36km  

Tempo Run ~~~

Rain and mist just slightly more of each today compared with yesterday,  fined up at the turnaround mark but another grey day ahead.  I decided against running on the track at Chev because of the weather and instead ran on Old South Road which is a lovely area except for the bends around which it's almost impossible to see or hear the occasional approaching and speeding car or truck.  More than once I had to stop and hop off the road into the wet grass.  The road has its fair share of hills and long inclines, especially between 4th and 5th kilometre and again the last kilometre....uphill all the way.....as slowing pace reflects!

Program  :  8km run @ MT Pace (6:56/k based on 33min 5k)

Old South Road

8km in 58:15
7:40;  7:04;  6:41;  6:37;  7:19;  7:09;  7:34;  8:09
Avg. Pace 7:17
AHR 114 (72%);  MHR 130 (82%)

I had VP set but didn't look at all!  Just ran as best I could considering the weather, the hilly course and care of approaching cars.  Started and finished at the school where I stopped for some stretching and a chat with some of the staff after my run.   I can stroll in at any time and always made feel welcome.

I'm thinking of driving to Canberra on Saturday, 13th, to do another 5km Park Run at Lake Ginninderra and redeem my last disappointing effort.  It's also the Canberra Marathon weekend, which I'd forgotten about until Ewen reminded me,  but I don't suppose that would make any difference to Park Run.  I think I'll still go.

For today.....8km

Cross-Train ~ in the Rain!

A very light rain while I was out this morning, more like mist than rain, but sufficient to dampen clothing.  Sun emerged just as I finished but made only a very brief appearance and now the skies are grey again.  I'm finding that I need to keep these "off" days very,very easy, otherwise I can't do justice to the following day's key workout.  In this case, tomorrow's Tempo Run.


Jog/Walk 5km, including some stride-outs and drills along the way!

Jog/Walk......cross-training 5km

Today......5km

Track at Chev ~~ Finally beating VP!

I took a rest day yesterday so as not to have two 'hard' days following each other, so it was over to Chevalier College for today's track session.  A surprisingly cold (12 degrees) and windy day after all the warm and sunny weather of late.  The oval had been marked for football, so with no lanes at all to guide me, I ran just inside the boundary fence where the grass was a bit long, the ground bumpy and with several pot-holes for the unwary to trip in...which I did twice, going over on an ankle, until I learned where NOT to run!  I reset the Garmin before each rep. for lap distance and time.

Program  :
10-20 min warm-up
1200, 1000, 800, 600, 400, 200
(200m RI)
10 min cool-down.

Warm-up + Strides!

Based on a 33 min time for 5km, program times were :

 7:40;  6:20;  5:03;  3:46;  2:29;       no time on the program for 200m so I just made a dash for it!

My Times  : 7:38 (76-81%);  6:19 (76-81%); 4:55 (76-84%); 3:43 (75-82?%); 2:20 (73-83%); 60 secs. (71-82%).

Basing reps on a slower 5km time (from 31 to 33 min for the time being), I was quite comfortably able to stay ahead of VP for all distances!  Very happy with that!

2.5km warm-up + 4 Strides with drills + Program + 1km cool-down

For Today.....7.7km 

 
.

Long Run ~~~

I missed doing my long run on Saturday and again on Sunday, so today had to be the day.

Program : 16km at no specific pace; easy/relaxed effort.

16km ~~~ Long, Easy, Relaxed!

That suited me just fine and that's exactly what I did, including some walk breaks and a stop for water at the school.

16km in 2 hours and 6 minutes.

For the week   ....  41km

Tempo Run ~~ I won!

A much better day than on Tuesday!  I went to Chev track again to do today's session on grass, no shoes and no idea of where I was going to run!  A quick look around and I decided to run just inside the boundary fence even though there was no lane, some mud and plenty of dirt.  At least I had the fence to guide me!  Dirt up to my ankles when I finished!

Program  :
3.5km easy
5km at ST Pace (6:44m/k)
1.5km easy.

5km of 10k Tempo Run

I've made a change from 31min 5km race time - on which to base 3 key workouts - to 33 min ability time for now and work towards 31 min over the next weeks.  This fits in better with all the time I've had off recently.  It worked well today but I still had to try hard for 5km tempo at 6:47m/k. but huge thrill in staying ahead of VP at long last!

Results :
 3.5k easy
5km in 32:58.....that's what I'd call real close!
1.5km cool-down + few stretches.
6:40;  6:33;  6:39;   6:35;   6:27
Avg Pace 6:35m/k
AHR 93%;  MHR  125%.......a glitch?

I felt like quitting on Tuesday;  today, I've changed my mind!    

For today ~~~   10km

 
 



 

Cross Training ~~~

An easy day after yesterday's debacle!

Cross Training  :  Easy Jogging

6.2km jog

Very easy jogging for 6.2km in 51 minutes.
AHR 69%;   MHR 89%

Took several walk breaks on hills and to keep HR below 80%.  Very hot morning, but still an enjoyable, easy jog.

For today  :  6.2km

If a Picture Speaks a Thousand Words.....

....then there are already more than four thousand words on this page that give some idea of today's terrible track session!

Warm-up and Strides

Searching for my 200m lane @ 800m pace!

Still looking for the 200m lane @ 800m pace!!

Around the boundary....ONE Unfinished 800m....Gave Up!

Cross-Training ~~~

For today  :  Short Warm-up.
 Magill drills + strides + Brisk Walking (legs still not fresh enough to run after Saturday's hills and before tomorrow's track)

All up.....5km

Amy......Cooling down after her walk today!

REST DAY ~~~

Pleased to take today off ;  need to freshen up the legs for a new week after yesterday's long, slow effort.  Took Amy and Oscar for their walk...very hot.  Amy had another swim in the cattle trough!

A Long Run With Hills ~~~

It's an exaggeration to call what I did today 'a run' and nearer the truth to say : I kept moving for the required distance.  Run/walk, about 50/50 and it took forever to finish!  Breathing problem hugely relieved after using a 'puffer' prescribed by GP on Thursday.....but my legs!  My poor, poor legs!  Not in a long time have they felt so bone tired; in other words : it was all a big struggle!

Program  : 15km ...supposed to be run at 7:28m/k, based on 31 min 5km time.  

(I'm thinking of moving that 5k time along a bit to 36 minutes, though I couldn't have moved more slowly than I did today!)

             A 15km Shuffle!

15km in 2 hours 14 minutes!  Avg. Pace 8:58m/k!

I chose Diamond Fields Road and Buckmans Lane because of the many long hills without thinking of how unprepared I was for such a course over 15km.  Anyhow it's done, after a fashion : the day was fairly warm, sunny, with a good breeze.  I didn't see a single soul except for some big fat cows munching away while lying in the shade.

What I am pleased about though is that I finally got through a whole week's program, including two days of cross-training!  Been a long while coming!


For the Week.....  42.6km

The day Off ~~~

Today I took a rest day, apart from accompanying Amy and Oscar for their walk.  It's quite hot and could be storms later.  Smart little Amy cooled off by jumping into the cattle trough.  Very funny to watch : she takes off almost vertically like a helicopter and lands in the water with a loud splash, walks up and down until she lets me know it's time to lift her out! Must get a photo.

'Longish' run tomorrow, so I needed the rest today!

The Tempo Run... that didn't happen! ~~~

Today's program :  8km Tempo Run.

I didn't do it!  I'd just finished 3km warm-up when Phil, my friendly groundsman at Chev, where I intended to run, told me he'd mowed the cross country course in preparation for All Schools CC race tomorrow.  Out the window went the tempo run and I decided to do 5km of the CC course instead!

  It was tough : muddy in parts, hills I had to walk up, tree roots everywhere and deep hoof-prints left by cattle to make it just a little more difficult to manoeuvre safely, but so much more enjoyable than doing 5km round and round in the 200m lane.  Phil was still at work when I raced down the finishing chute with arms in the air and shouting, "I won! I won!"  A good laugh put a nice finish to the session!

5km Cross Country

For Today  8km

Cross Training ~~~

I set off to do an easy 5km this beautiful morning.  Towards the end of Inkerman Road is a very nice long hill and I thought it a good idea to do some long hill repeats.  I intended doing 6 x 60 seconds and then easy run back to the car.  However, after the fourth repeat my quads were saying very loudly, "We're not doing even one more repeat let alone another two!"  I had no option but to agree and jog back to the car.

At 5k on the return, a huge brown Labrador dog charged out of one of the new houses like he was going to eat me, only to find he was quite tame and just happy to meet a new friend.  He was quickly followed by his owners apologizing profusely! I had been watching this particular house being built and loved the unusual design of its exterior.  Today I was asked in to see the interior.   Every room had a huge 'WOW' factor but I hope I said something more intelligent than that as I saw each room; and that is how I came to meet Barry, Julie and "Charlie"; a nice way to met people new to the area....... everybody ought to have a dog!

Hill Reps. between lap 2 and 3

Easy run to Inkerman Road
 4 x 60 sec long hill repeats
Jog down, walk around about 3 minutes
Easy run to car.

Total for Today....7km 

Track Session ~~~

I wasn't expecting great things from this session but I didn't expect to feel it as hard as it was!  I'm still basing the three key workouts - track, tempo and long run - on my 5km time from November last year ...31:18, as the FIRST program says to do. However, I'm thinking now that I should change that time to somewhere around 35 minutes.  That's how I felt during and after each of today's repeats.  Not sure about changing , but I wasn't running the set paces this morning based on 31:18k for 5km.

Program :  Track
10-20 min warm-up
400 (2:21);  600 (3:34);  800 (4:46);  1000 (5:59);  800;  600,  400
400m RI
10 min cool-down.

1000m ...in 200m lane.

Results  :  
2km warm-up inside boundary fence + 4 drills with strides
400 (2:23);  600 (3:44);  800 (5:01);  1000 (6:27);  800 (5:04));  600 (3:41);  400 (2:21)
1km cool-down + stretches. 

Felt pretty naff except for the recovery intervals!

For Today  7.6km

 
 

Cross-Training ~~~

Such a beautiful day here!  Love this time of year.  An easy cross-training day for me :   tough track session tomorrow!

1 Set Magill Drills with stride between each  (on road, about 45m)
5km easy run...to Lilly's place and back (Lilly and pups there to greet me!)

Today  :  5km.

Park Run ~ Lake Ginninderra, Canberra.

I wish I could say I ran well, but I didn't!  Same problem that's been bothering me for weeks now...I can't breathe properly.  It's ridiculous that I'm still puffing and out of breath when I run.  I'm seeing my GP this week and I'll see if she can sort it out and do something about it.

I was up at 4:00am, left at 5:00am, in Canberra at 7:00am after driving in complete darkness all the way.  I did not enjoy that one little bit; no traffic at that early hour, but worrying about wildlife crossing the freeway had me on edge the whole time.  "Tom Tom" was invaluable and I'm sure I'd never have found the place without him.  So relieved when I heard him say, "You have reached your destination!"

Park Run Lake Ginninderra

No one there when I arrived, so I set off on a 1km warm-up and by the time that was done, the car park was filling up.  I met up with Ewen before the start and he very gallantly ran just ahead of me so that I always knew I was on the right course which I was surprised to find more difficult than expected.  I walked several times because I was puffing so badly and also on a couple of short steep hills, where others also walked!

The details  :

5km in 36:15 (very disappointing!)
7:00;  6:47;  7:02;  8:06;  7:08 (that tells the true story!)
Avg Pace 7:16
AHR 82%;  MHR 87% 
In spite of those bad numbers, I got the second highest age % of 79.53!

Coffee at a nearby cafe with Ewen, Ruth, CJ and Margaret was the most enjoyable part of the day for me!  Must say though, I will go back for another park run, not just to improve my time, though that is essential, but because these runs are so non-fussed and extremely well organized : just turn up, short briefing, run, present bar code at finish...and that's it.  Except for coffee with friends at the end! 

With Friends...after the run..CJ, Ruth, Ewen, LL, Margaret.

Rest Day ~~~

I took today off except for taking Oscar and Amy for their walk.  An early start tomorrow, leaving at 5:00am for Lake Ginninderra park run in Canberra.  Can't believe I'm having to get up and set off well before the sun is up!

Tempo Run ~~~

Last night I made the decision to do today's training on the grass at Chev track and I did, little knowing that the morning was to be a foggy and wet one.  No rain while I was at Chev but the fog had all but wiped out seeing anything further away than a few hundred metres.  "My" 200m lane had been cut close so it seemed the best and driest place to run....but for me 5km on an approx. 200m lane was going to be both a physical and mental strain!  For this reason I did the 3.5km warm-up and 1.5 cool down just inside the boundary fence.  After one lap in the warm-up, my runners were clogged with newly cut grass and soaked with water which was reason enough to do the session in bare feet.

Program  :
3.5km easy
5km @ ST pace (for me 6:26m/k)
1.5km easy.

5km tempo run

I set off in fine form for the 5km with VP set at 6:26 m/km.  I was ahead of him anything from 5m to 30 m, lap after lap after lap....Until the last 1km when I fell hopelessly and horribly apart.  Gasping, even grunting, stopping, walking and legs buckling beneath me.   Couldn't keep running for the life of me!  Of course, that's exactly what VP had been waiting for, and so he surged ahead laughing at my agonized facial expressions and, the final insult, finishing 100m in front!

No excuses  :  I know not to start too fast and make fading/collapsing the inevitable finish.  I will remember this at the Lake Ginninderra Park Run on Saturday.

Now the Results for 5km :

Time  : 32:56
1k splits  : 6:30;  6:18;  6:22;  6:34 and 7:10
Avg. Pace 6:36m/k
AHR 82%;   MHR 91%

Using the 200m lane wasn't too bad after all....unless I can blame it -- which I can't  -  for the disaster that befell me there in the 5th km!

For Today    10km

 A Foggy Day in Bowral Town!

 


 

 
   

Cross-Training ~~~

An easy day today after yesterday's track session and ahead of tomorrow's tempo run.  I felt tired today...as I expected; each of the three key workouts are hard days.

Today, I ran easily from Renwick to Inkerman Road (2.?k) and, as planned, used the top section of the street for short hill repeats after which I returned the way I'd come.  I don't think the hill was steep enough but it'll do for starters!

8 x 30 second reps.
Walk down after each.

 Total (incl uphill sprints but not walk-downs)....approx 5km

Back on Track ~~~

It's five weeks to the very day since I last did a track session at Chev!  I wasn't expecting any miracles, so I have no reason to be disappointed.  In fact, I don't think I did too badly all things considered, especially the fact that I still wheeze to breathe.  The grounds keeper thought I must have stopped breathing for ever, so after a short chat explaining my absence, I set off to see just how much I'd deteriorated.

The Program :
10-20 min warm-up
12 x 400m (90sec RI) 2:21 (5:52m/k) based on 31 min 5km
10 min cool-down.

My 200m track!

2km warm-up
4 drills with strides
8 x 400m : 2:28;  2:22;  2:29;  2:21;  2:31;  2:24;  2:29;  2:20
1km cool-down + few stretches.

 I finished with 8 x 400m (instead of 12) because my legs - and the rest of me - told me to!  Better to finish on a good note than a bad one and I think that's what the remaining four might have been.  As it was, I was satisfied with this first attempt back at the track and considering the usual breathing difficulty, the times weren't too bad.  I changed direction after each rep.  A sunny morning with a cool breeze heralding Autumn.  Grass good on 'my' 200m track in the centre of the oval.

Room for lots of improvement, I know;  but have to start somewhere and I did enjoy getting back to the track!

For Today...a very nice day! :  6km.

Beginning Program Today ~~

At last!  After so many false starts, I think this is the real one because I felt good about it when I finished.  It felt like I'd done something worthwhile for a change by commencing the FIRST program for half marathon training.

Cross training :

Short warm-up (Renwick streets) + 4 strides
1 Set Magill Drills with stride between each

Drills Here.....45m from car.

5km easy run........no walk breaks at all!!

7km Total Today

This was the first time in ages that I've run any distance at all without having to walk.  Very pleased about that I am!  It was a slow 5km, but then cross training is meant to be easy according to the program.  However, I was surprised to find it was quite so slow because I felt as if I was running well...just goes to show!

5km in approx. 39 minutes; can't be sure because I didn't separate the warm-up and drills (about 2k) from the 5km run.  Anyhow, I'm not going to worry about being slow.....just yet!

Total for Today....7km

A Rest Day ~~~

Not sure that I really needed a rest day, but took one just the same.   Intend to start my half marathon program this week....lost track of the number of false starts!  Tomorrow I plan on doing some short hills and an easy run and then back to the track on Tuesday.   I hope it works out this time!

Today was beautifully warm and sunny.  I took Amy and Oscar for a longer run than usual; both have now flaked out inside on the cool floor tiles!

Fingers crossed for yet another start back this week!

Run/Walk, Further! ~~~

I could almost call this a long run judging by recent standards.  Still run/walk, but twice as far as during the past week.  Diamond Fields Road for a change of scenery, called on Tom and Patricia at about 2km....no one home except "Slipper", the horse to whom I gave a carrot; on then to 5km to see Doug and Cheryl who were at home; chatted there for about 30 minutes and then turned back to where I'd started from at the Highlands School.

A good day to be out and about : cool breeze and warm sun.  I felt the extra distance and the hills but managed to jog most of the way....I might even be improving; antibiotics kicking in.

Diamond Fields Road

Distance  11km....with walk breaks
AHR 74%;  MHR 86%
Avg Pace 8:50m/k; Best pace 5:16m/k
 

Puff! ~~~ Puff!! ~~~

 When, Oh when, will my breathing return to normal?  This morning was a little humid, but nice breeze and no sun..... could be more rain.  I chugged along taking more and longer walk breaks than previously this week.  I just get out of breath too easily.  However, I console myself by thinking that anything, walking, jogging or whatever, must bring about improvement eventually.  I hope it will happen quickly, having committed to running Lake Ginninderra Park run Saturday week!  What have I done?

From Renwick, almost same streets as I've been using this week.  Lilly's pups raced to the gate for a cuddle but no sign of Lilly herself.  She must be happy being made a fuss of in one of her several homes!

Today's Puffing 8km!

Couple of drills...
8km Jog/Walk
Few stretches.....standing, not wanting another bull ant bite by sitting in the grass!

For Today   8km. 

Nothing Doing Today! ~~~~~

Just waiting around for the lawns to be cut and hedges trimmed. It took the poor guy hours!  The grass in the front was dreadful, but the back was so long Amy had made a tunnel from one side of the yard to the other so as she could get to see her friend 'Maggie' who lives next door!  Funny watching her disappear into the grass on one side and reappear on the other! I think she preferred it as it was...I often saw her lie down on her stomach and stretch out on the long cool grass! Everything looking much more civilized tonight.  Tomorrow, I'll do my usual run/walk.

"I'm just the cutest thing you ever did see!"

Lilly's Puppies ~~~

But no sign of Lilly this morning.  The pups' owner told me that Lilly is spending a few days on the next property further up Inkerman Road, so I was only able to snap her two pups  for the brief second or two that they stood still!

My Run/Walk  :

Sunny morning, nice breeze but still quite humid.  I took much the same course as yesterday, run/walk again, puffing again and watching heart rate.  I am SO unfit!

While sitting on the grass later, I was bitten on the  butt by a giant bull ant!!  Has to have been a giant one judging by the pain it inflicted and the lump that formed.

I set of Magill Drills with strides...over 30m only.
7km run/walk
AHR 72%;  MHR 82%.

For today  ~~~  7km

"Lilly" ~~~

"Lilly" is a dog.  I think she's cross-kelpie.  I don't know what the 'cross' is but whatever it is, it has made Lilly a very nice dog.  She is black with a white stripe on her muzzle. She's not mine, though I could easily take her home with me after she joins me for part of my run; she has that : Oh, poor little me, I'm so lovable" look on her face and in her large,soft, black eyes.  Very hard to resist!  "Lilly" has one of those stray dog life stories that make sure you never stop believing that there are a lot of good, generous people living on this planet!

"Lilly" lives on Inkerman Road using at least four properties as her home.  She became a stray when her owner couldn't be bothered feeding her and so she wandered from house to house being fed by everyone and, unfortunately for the poor little thing, leaving litters of pups for the not so happy residents.  Two of these residents put together the cost and had "Lilly" desexed after her last litter of puppies, two of which found a home with one of the families....the family I've come to know and who told me "Lilly's" story recently.  Though she 'owns' this family as her main family, "Lilly" is a free spirit and so she continues to go from one family to the other, extending her presence for one and all to enjoy!

This is all happening on Inkerman Road where I usually run from Renwick.  I always stop and greet "Lilly's" puppies, now fully grown, as I pass their property.  They bark loudly and run to the gate, but are as meek as lambs and like nothing better than to be petted and patted.   It's while I'm giving them attention that "Lilly" appears from nowhere!  One minute she's not there, the next she's standing beside me at the gate, delirious with joy at seeing her puppies - she still knows they're hers!

When the commotion quietens down, "Lilly" and I set off uphill to the end of Inkerman Road where we about turn and head back down again.  Before we reach her puppies, she branches off into one of her other homes, but stays on the edge of the road until I'm nearly out of sight.  For the second time, the pups rush to the gate, we have another chat before I head back to my car parked in the shade in one of Renwick streets.

I love this mostly daily meeting with"Lilly", her puppies and her several owners.  They're such happy little dogs and I always finish my run by taking away with me some of their 'joie de vivre'!  "Lilly" continues to go from house to house, never staying too long in any one place, but always returning each day to see her puppies and run a while with me.  "Lilly" is a true, free spirit and she is allowed to stay that way.

Tomorrow, if I manage to get "Lilly" and her pups to stand still, I'll take some photos.

Now, My Run  :

I drove to Chev first, saw the track was too wet, thought of running the cross-country course, realized it too would be muddy and drove back to Renwick where I could run on the dry streets.

Today's Run...Inkerman Road lap 4/5..where "Lilly"" lives!

An easy 7.2km Run.
Renwick, Inkerman etc...

Breathing not good..still have chest cough;  walked a few steps when breathing laboured.  Tomorrow, I'll wear my HRM and see just how high or low my HR is.

For today:   7.2km 

Cross training ~~~

An easy 6km this morning ......hopefully a start this week with the half marathon program, which means track at Chev tomorrow.  However, I doubt that the grass track will be dry enough to use, in which case I'll probably do another easy run.  No hurry with the program while there's nothing in the near future to aim for.  Easy runs I need a lot of!

Renwick and Surrounds 6km

 Weather, a bit of everything  :  sun: heavy, grey clouds;  more rain on the way.  If the lawn man doesn't come soon to cut the grass, we'll have a jungle surrounding the house!

The Weekend ~~

It wasn't what I expected.  There were showers on and off both days and the only times I got out were to take Amy and Oscar for their runs.  My runs just didn't happen.  I probably could have made more effort and squeezed something in somewhere...there were some fine breaks but I don't need a drenching at this stage and will now see what the coming week is like.  Also, a bad night's sleep last night did nothing to make me feel like dashing out between showers.  Thought for the day..... I mustn't doze through "Dowton Abbey" tonight!

Too Darned Wet! ~~~

...and it's Autumn!

I thought it unwise to go out today in these wet conditions.....cold too at 12 degrees, considering I still have a cough lingering on.  Hopefully, tomorrow......