Report Card on 3km Time Trial!

At the conclusion of some very good advice for next Time Trial is the following Report Card -

ATTENTION - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 7.5/10

NEATNESS - 7/10...Points were lost here for being caught limping!!!!! ........>

LEARNING - 8/10

Able to ROOSOADN - 7/10 ....Figure that one out!!

3km Time Trial

.......that's what I felt like & probably closely resembled! Sluggish right from the start of the warm up etc. Some days it's like that I think...just difficult to get going.

I'd measured a 1.5 km out & back section of the road near the Mittagong airstrip, the flattest I could find, but even then some slight ups & downs, potholes & a few cars to dodge. Overcast, windy, but not a gale; 11:00am start, not realizing there had been a tailwind until the turn around when it became a headwind!

Today's time was 18:12 - 1.5km out in 9:56 (should have been nearer 9:00); 1.5km back in : 8:15. Not a PB but faster than 18:22 on 10th August.

I did the best I could, but didn't feel good, all of it was hard work...if that makes sense! Next week, I start some training on a real track... ...now, that will be interesting & should help Chickybabe to run out of sight, even if only on a dark night!

Report Card to follow!

'Easy' 4km

Another short run & again at the gym so that I could do some more work on the leg press. Big day tomorrow - Time Trial Day!

'Easy' Run - 4km

Raining heavily - went to the gym & did 4km on the treadmill & then some leg presses. So good to get some steady rain.

"Long" Run

......even the cows were amused to see this sluggard sauntering past this morning!

An overcast, cool morning with quite a heavy fog on the ranges, I put in some walk breaks because that's what I felt like doing! In this ambling fashion 80 minutes became 90 minutes. Now for this week's program.....

SEPTEMBER

26 - 4km 'easy'

27 - 4km 'easy'

28 - TIME TRIAL : 3km fast - usual warm-up, strides, stretching. Usual GRRRR!

29 - Rest Day.

30 - 6km 'easy'

Sat 1 - 3km 'easy' or rest.

Sun 2 - Long Run 16km 'easy'

In the Garden....

2 x 1km

I think I'd better hide! I'm pretty sure I made a mess of today session as I did the important bits in reverse order!

I did the 20 minutes warm up on grass, 4x100m strides, stretched & walked to the start of the first km which should have been run in 6:30, walk back to the start & the second km in 6:20. The important part was to run the second km faster than the first!

Instead, I ran the 1st km easily in 5:44 & felt very comfortable; I would have had to slow right down to extend the time to a 6:00 min/km & thought I wouldn't have to try much harder to run the second km just 10 seconds faster!! WRONG! The seconds slipped away & by the time I looked at my watch, it was too late even though I made a huge dash to finish...2nd km was 6:00 minutes! So did I do the 1st km too fast or should I have pushed harder in the 2nd km?? Only time & Ewen will tell!! Report card tonight!

Glorious day; very warm; all the spring blossoms bloomin' their little buds off; walked leisurely 3km back home thinking : now, why did I get that so wrong??

Report Card :
1) Following instructions 4/10
2) Performance 8/10
3) Form 8/10 (that's a guess as I didn't see you run)
4) Learning 9/10

This report is being very generous, I think, as I was expecting 0/10 for #1.

30 Minutes 'Easy' Run

Same track as yesterday for 30 minutes - on a very warm, beautiful day!

Another Recovery run

And another lunch date! But first off, did what the program says : 20 minutes 'easy' run.
Walked 5 minutes to a dirt track covered with pine needles, 20 minutes easy jog, 5 minutes walk home; then another enjoyable lunch with a friend from Sydney.

No more shenanigans for this week...been good fun though!!

A Social Event!

Today's 20 minutes will have to wait until tomorrow! Sydney friends for lunch (we didn't eat them, I think we entertained them!) so.......lots of talking, lots of laughter & lots of good reds. No typos errors so far, so I must have been really, really good! Yes, tehre's one...'typos'; oops there's another...'tehre's.

Love my purple 'Frees'!

Oh well, Chickybabe sure had a good day!!

Recovery Run

An easy 30 minutes this morning...beautiful day.....legs OK after yesterday's 10km......still very happy with that! Tired last night though after driving to Canberra, running & driving back, but so pleased I made the effort!

Next run - Fitzroy Falls 10km, 15th October.

The Week's Program

No slackening off for anyone who still can't run out of sight on a dark night!

September
19 - 30 minutes easy.
20 - 20 minutes easy.
21 - Rest...Phew! Thought I mightn't get one!
22 - 25 minutes easy or the gym (The gym I think!)
23 - 2 x 1km : 1st km in 6:30 ( That's easy!) 8 minutes walking....(aaah!); 2nd km in 6:20 (another easy one!)
24 - Rest....(good-oh!)
24 - LONG RUN : 80 minutes easy (very easy; "talking to the cows" pace!)

More pics.......same faces! (courtesy of Ewen)

LL showing off her purple "Frees"!! Raced in them for the first time & they were great..so light... but wouldn't do a longer distance in them.

"Canberra Times" 10km Run

............I think I'll soon be able to run out of sight...but only on a dark night! Nevertheless, I practically flew today!! Finished in 65 minutes (neg. split 3 mins.).........fastest 10km in the last 12 months.....2 of which were 75 minutes (Fitzroy Falls) & 67 minutes (Fisher's Ghost) both in 2004. Ewen thinks I'll be drug tested soon....isn't he sweet?! And what a coach!

Left Mittagong at 6:00a.m. & in Canberra just before 8:00a.m. for what was to be perfect running weather; plenty of time to queue for loos as usual & warm up for the 9.45a.m. start with over 2000(?) 10km runners & 1500(?) 5km walkers who started at our 5km mark. At my slower pace I got caught up with the walkers but managed to wriggle my way around & through them & zoomed along the cycle track without getting lost!!

The course was good...a few long inclines & some very welcome declines. A short, steep slope was something of a surprise at the very end of the run! It was great to meet up with more Cool Runners & relax for a while on the shores of the Lake before driving back to Mittagong.

A day well worth the effort!

Obviously, I'm hopeless wth names!

L. to R. : CRs Griffin, LL, Speedy Geoff, AKI, CJ, Flash Duck, Strewth, Ewen/Wombatface.

(Hope I've got it right!)

A Rest Day......

...........for tomorrow's "Canberra Times" 10km Run.

A 'Very Easy" Run

I walked 1km to the soccer field so that I could run on the softer grass surface for 15 minutes + 4 x 100m strides & then 1km walk home. I did this because I have a bit of an ache down the outside of my lower left leg since Sunday's half marathon & hoping it won't give me trouble in Flash Duck's CR Girls Team on Sunday in the 'Canberra Times' Family Fun Run; will take a rest day tomorrow & keep icing the area & see how it is then. I don't want to have to pull out, but then again I don't want to end up with having to take time out later with an injury.

An Easy Run

Another recovery run. Today is even more windy than yesterday so off to the gym again for 35 minutes on the treadmill.

A 'Slow' Run

Used the gym treadmill this morning for 25 minutes easy run.... too windy to venture out. Legs still a bit heavy/tired after an exciting weekend in Sydney!

Sept. 12 -18

This week's program - unless changed by Ewen!

September
12 - Rest (What a blessing! My legs are so stiff I'm walking like an old woman!)
13 - Rest ( ditto, the above!)
14 - 15 minutes 'easy'
15 - 15 minutes 'easy' .....change to 30 minutes easy
16 - Rest .......change to 15 minutes + 3 - 4 strides at the end.
17 - 20 minutes 'easy' ...........change to "Rest".
18 - "Canberra Times" 10km......part of Flash Duck's "Cool Running Team"!!

Blackmore's Half Marathon, 2005

Omni, LL & Owl....& Chickybabe with wings spread, swallow-diving.............>

Oh, I did enjoy this run; I loved it! Ran with Owl all the way & Omni for most of the way. We called out to all the CRs we knew & all the ones we didn't know!

What made this special was having others with & around me all the way out & back. We might not have passed too any on the way out, but for the last 5km or so, we simply flew along passing young & old (!) until Observatory Hill where I, not Owl, almost came to a standstill; almost but not quite! That was a horror of a hill! In fact the entire course is a hard one that I'd forgotten about.

Then for the last few kms, Chickybabe simply took wing & flew down Macquarie street alarmed at her own speed!! I'm certain that the Time Trials I've been doing for a mere 4-5 weeks have been of great significance in helping me to finish faster & more easily over a longer distance than ever before. Even the poor darling Wombat, who had been waiting for me at 1.5km from the finish, had the most awful trouble trying to keep up with me!!!! Will this student outrun her teacher?

After a great race, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll over the Harbour Bridge reached by an agonizing climb up dozens of steps...Ewen carrying the bags, me doubled-up, moaning & groaning with quad pain! We followed this with a pleasant lunch with Robert & Flash Duck & then headed back to Mittagong for a cup of tea, a Bex & bit of birthday cake.... starting from the heel, we've finally reached the licorice shoe laces!!

Another great run! But nearly forgot the splits! Missed the 5km sign so no split for that section!Other splits were - @ 10km 1:14:24; @ 15km 36:54; 20km 36:32; @ 21.1km 4:52.

Official Time - 2:31:31

A 'Slow' Run

.....Chickybabe off to Sydney in the morning!!


25 minutes slow, but forgot to do the 'strides' at the end! Oh well.....! Results book from GC marathon tells me I've set a new race record (age-category) for that course! So there really are some other slower runners after all!

Driving to Sydney in the morning with Ewen who will probably drag me out to do the 'strides' in the arvo!

Hot here to day; some clouds rolling in; rain is forecast; I hope it's cooler in Sydney on Sunday....so looking forward to the day!! I need to remind myself that : "As long as I enjoy the run, it will have been a success, no matter the time!"

2km Time Trial

Left at mid-day to do today's session. Warm up 20 minutes & strides on the soccer field. Set off too fast for the 1st km & struggled to get to the end of the 2nd km! Jog/walk 4km home.

As instructed, not a PB!! 10:35 total, as against 10:28; this is such a tough session for a Chickybabe!

Took note of weekend weather for Sydney - 27C on Saturday & 19C on Sunday; glad it's not the other way around!!

and now....The Nibbling of the Cake!...

.....THE WHOLE PACKAGE!.....

....THE Birthday Cake...that crushed the Chrysler!

.....The Flowers!....

....The Birthday Present!......

Back In Business!

Three days without a computer!! After major surgery, we're back in business!

Brief Recap : Sunday : Long Run........1:04 out; 1:01 return; 16km in cold, wet, windy conditions.

Monday : Took the day off to recover...& to have another birthday! Phew! Made it to another one!

Tuesday : Did 30 minutes on elliptical trainer.

And now for the rest of this week :

September

7 - TIME TRIAL 2km hard.*

8 - Rest Day.

9 - 30 minutes easy including 'strides' at end.**

10 - Rest Day..... OR...... Walk with Wombat in Sydney (definitely the latter!)

11 - BLACKMORE'S SYDNEY HALF MARATHON!

* "Don't go all out for a PB....not 2008 1500m Olympic Games pace."!!!!!

(Just as well I got this modification..I intended going much faster than that!

** "Cut back to 20-25 minutes EASY jogging." That I can do.... EASILY!

"Steady" Run

Program said 55 minutes "steady" - rounded it off to 60 minutes to do 8.5km; windy day, but otherwise all OK. Avg. HR 75%; Max. 85% = "steady"!

I hope it's a happy one for Cool Running Bloggers from the Spring Chickybabe!

3km Time Trial PB!!!

There was a gale blowing this morning....and some rain!

I did the usual 20 minute warm-up in light rain & strong winds; stretched & psyched myself up to let go!!

A good 'tail-gale' gave me a flying start to the finish........15:10! (3 weeks ago 18:22)

The last km was, as usual, well- nigh impossible to get to the end of...always the case when you've taken what seems like your last breath & legs, even lucky ones, say they've had enough! Walked 3km back to the car...headwind all the way. This is a really tough session for me & the last km hurts like hell, but when it's over & I see some improvement, I forget all about the pain!

Now I can't wait for my report card to arrive!

Edit (late at night) : I received a very good report card from Ewen who also gave me some excellent advice & warnings (re Blackmore's half marathon) that others will find helpful, so I'll include 2 of them here - (1) Running a fast half takes a lot of effort & racing hard often detracts from enjoying the event; (2) ..it (the half) will be a success if you feel good during the race even if you don't run under 2hours 30.

Those words (gems each one of them) will be deeply implanted in my mind & will be my guide on race day, especially during those inevitable stretches when Chickybabe is running alone!

Easy "Run"

It wasn't a run at all....My legs were feeling a bit tired so I used the gym elliptical trainer ...30 minutes...including 10 minutes "running" backwards. Saving my legs for tomorrow's Time Trial! Yikes!!!

'Easy' Run

Just 35 minutes this morning & what a morning!

Long Run

This morning's run was to be 1hour 55 minutes (or a bit longer.....if I felt like it); it became just a little bit longer at 2 hours 2 minutes, & as Ewen says : "easy all the way" or "just talking to the cows".........

It was the perfect morning : clear skies, warm sun & a pleasant breeze; couldn't get a better day to be alive & doing a long run. I was thinking as I jogged along : how I wish the rest of the world was like this...seeing what I'm seeing, doing what I'm doing & feeling on top of the world! Sad that it's not so.

Distance = 16km total; Time = 2:02 (1:02 out & 1:00 back!) . Phew...just made it! Left at 9:00am & home for breakfast at 11:00a.m. Took a gel but didn't need it; 2 watering stations (tanks!) on the way out and back. Did a few stretches at Glenquarry before commencing the climb back up that huge hill ...HR monitor said 90% of max. here!

And now for the week ahead:

AUG/SEPT.
29 - 35 minutes 'easy'.
30 - 25 minutes 'easy'
31 - TIME TRIAL - 3km HARD! ("Go for a PB & try for a tailwind," he says!) Gulp! Grrrr!
1 - Rest Day...(about time!) First day of Spring...yippee!
2 - 55 minutes 'steady'....whatever that is!
3 - Rest Day or 20 minutes 'easy' (Well, I know which one that'll be!!)
4 - Long Run - 110 minutes finishing strongly! (Lucky if I finish at all!!)

..........a little of this & that........

A "Fairly Solid Pace" Kind of Run.

The session was 60 minutes duration, including 5 minutes warm-up, 50 minutes "fairly solid pace" & 5 minutes warm-down. I didn't find it an 'easy' run, but then 'fairly solid' is not synonymous with 'easy', I guess.

Total distance for 60 minutes was 8.5km (not far, is it?); fairly warm at 11:00 a.m. when I started & got even warmer as the pace became more solid! Polar monitor gives me average HR of 80-85% & 7:03min/km....oh dear, my 1st marathon, 5 years ago, was run slightly faster than that pace!

I'll call it a "pilot study" for Blackmore's half marathon, which I hope won't be any longer than SMH half (2:27).

2km Time Trial

......hope I didn't look quite this crazy this morning as I tore along Old South Road, a danger to all!

Wore the 'Frees' today for a 2km Time Trial; warmed up for 20 minutes on the grass in the local soccer field, 4 x 100m strides; stretched, walked to 'the start' & flew away! 2km in 10:26 which I thought was good......waiting for word from big "W"! I tried so hard I could hardly breath at the end, but a couple of minutes later I felt fine & jogged 3km home. The pain was short-lived surprisingly & I took the 3 little doggies for their usual 40 minute romp through the cow paddocks this afternoon!

I'm always thinking : I train so hard, you'd think I'd be able to run out of sight during the daylight as well as on a dark night! Oh well, Chickybabe, just keep trying!

Another 'Easy' Run

No trouble getting outdoors today; warm, sunny & no wind! A perfect sort of day really; ran 'easy' for 30 minutes, including 4 x 100m strides at the finish.

An 'Easy' Run

There wasn't a chance that I'd struggle with the elements again this morning, so off to the gym where I did an 'easy' 30 minutes on the treadmill, gradually increasing the incline to 6%; then a few crunches & stretches.

This Week's Programme

AUGUST
22 - 30 minutes easy.
23 - 20 minutes easy.
24 - TIME TRIAL - 2km hard. ( No grrr!)
25 - Rest Day.
26 - 60 minutes consisting of 5 minutes warm-up, 50 minutes at 'fairly solid pace' (i.e. close to half marathon pace) - 5 minutes warm-down jog. (a possible grrr here?)
27 - Rest or 15 minutes easy.
28 - Long Run - 115 minutes (or a little more...not if there's gales like today!) easy all the way.

Chickybabe will soon be able to run out of sight.....but only on a dark night!

Long Run

F@&##&* gales! There, I've said it! Friggin' gales! No wonder I can't run out of sight on a dark night.....however I could barely stay in sight this morning! I don't mind that it was cold, but the wind was something not to behold! As I said to big 'W' when I emailed my report, I had to hang onto not just my cap, but my jumper & shorts as well! Shredded I was by the time I finished & now I'm walking around like an old woman & not at all like Chickybabe!

I was to do 80minutes, but that became 101 by the time I clambered back up the cliff from which I'd been blown (!!) &, more importantly, I had to round off the kms which took me to 7km out & the same back.

52:24 out & 49:17 back & not a breath did I have left in my body!

Edit 21/8/05 - so as I'll remember it 'when I grow too old to dream' - Age Category Results for City-to-Surf, 2005 - 70 & over - 3rd Place!!!

Time Trial - 3km

....I couldn't help but look pleased with myself this morning! I think, given a very long life, I might become not so slow! I can't say I enjoy this session yet, but it's becoming more agreeable!

So I did the usual 20 minutes warm up to get to where I start to fly; stopped for about 10 minutes & walked around & stretched (I must get a sketch of my stretch!) & ready to go! Now, anyone would think that given that I only had to try for a consistent pace of 6:45 each km, it would be a breeze; but I found it quite hard going & was very glad I had to do only 3 & not 10km.

Each km was - 6:25; 6:29; 6:35, giving a total of 19:29 & I'm hoping that big "W" confirms that Chickybabe is doing OK. Funny though, I always feel that I'm really speedy when I'm training, but alack, race results don't often conform to this image (below) that I have of myself!

Another 'Easy' Run

It's pretty good being able to start this sort of day with a run & a smile & a song! An 'easy' 40 minutes again. No side effects after the C2S; feeling a bit energetic actually! Simply can't make up my mind about Bankstown half marathon this Sunday...I'll ask "W" if he thinks it's too close to Blackmore's half in 3 weeks time.... it's a big help knowing someone whose brain hasn't become dulled by time!

An 'Easy' Run

I was down for only 20 minutes this morning, but on such a superb day who could resist staying out longer? Not Chickybabe! In any case, I had to finish listening to the disc I'd taken along ("Man of La Mancha") & that lasted 40 minutes & that's how long I jogged 'easily' for! If tomorrow is like this, I don't think I'll be able to take a 'rest day'.....it's just too damned good to stay inside!

Correct time for C2S (in today's SMH) is 1:41:29. 1st half in 54 minutes; 2nd half in 47 minutes; negative split of 7 minutes!! WHOOP!

Towards Blackmore's Half Marathon

..And so training for Chickybabe continues this week for 11th September...half marathon.

AUGUST
15 - Rest Day!!!
16 - 20 minutes easy run.
17 - 40 minutes easy run.
18 - 30 minutes easy run + 4 x 100m strides
19 - TIME TRIAL 3km......growl! At evenly hard pace...6:45 each km. More growl!
20 - Rest or 20 minutes easy run.
21 - LONG RUN - 80 minutes.

City-to-Surf, 2005

I had the most wonderfully enjoyable run of all my 17 C2S! Not faster than last year; in fact, 1 or 2 minutes slower, but I can't remember feeling this particular run so comfortable; can't remember enjoying every hill; can't remember running so fast down the hills!.. ...so fast, I even terrified myself by my own speed! Can't remember loving every step of the way; can't remember a C2S where I didn't struggle..... ... but this was it! Put simply - I loved every minute of this year's City-to-Surf!

Amongst all of the Crs I met up with later at the Striders tent, (thanks to all for your welcome), it was Action who said something that I thought about on the trip back to Mittagong (& unless he reads blogs!!), he never will know the impact his words had. I'd kept saying to others, in answer to questions of, "How did you go?" "Oh, I'd hoped to go under 100 minutes, but not sure of the time adjustment for the first 2 starts"... always answering in terms of my time; explaining 1 or 2 minutes one way or the other; & I gave the same reply to Action, who ignored these responses about my time & kept asking, "But did you enjoy the run? Did you really enjoy yourself?"

"Yes! I said truthfully at last. "I loved every single minute of it!

"Well then," Action replied, "time is irrelevant!"

And it was only then that I realized what was really important about this run in particular & just how struggle free & free-spirited I'd felt during every one of those 14kms! Indeed, it was a very happy day for me!

Results in tomorrow's SMH & will know my correct time then & it's important.......just a little, but eventually I'll most likely forget it, whereas the euphoria of this City-to-Surf will be with me for the rest of my life!

Edit 21/8/05 - 70 & over Age Category Results - 3rd Place!!

Last Session Before City-to-Surf

....doing the last 10 minutes of 30 minutes run at the gym. Instructions were to do this at 6:30 - 7:00 min/ per km pace, but Chickybabe flew along at 6:18 min/per km!!

...And that's about it until after Sunday's City-to-Surf...

3km Time Trial...Grrrrrrr Session!

.. Chickybabe, blue with cold!! And a flurry of snow!!




The session was : 3km warm up, then a 10 minute break walking around & stretching, so I did that like this................. .........................................................................>

Then I have to psych myself up for the 3km TT, today 1 & 1/2km out & back, going hard but, to quote the likeable lad who is helping me be not so slow, "without killing yourself". The only way that was going to happen would be if an almighty tree fell on me. Lastly, a 3km jog/walk home; total 9km.

Now for the time 3km TT results... (& I'm pretty sure "W" will be quietly pleased with Chickybabe's slight improvement on the last 3km TT of 18:27); 18:22 (6:05, 6:03,6:13)!

Easy Run

I wouldn't go out in the wind again after last Sunday, simply couldn't! I went to the gym instead & did the 25 minutes + 4 x 100m strides on a treadmill; had a shower, came home feeling civilised & quite pleased with myself for not opting out of the session altogether!

Tomorrow is going to hurt, but "without killing yourself" as Ewen says! Grrrrr session!

All the 'stuff' for Blackmores Half Marathon came today...bib #4164.

'Easy' Run, 30 minutes.

Feeling a bit stiff behind my knees...why there? I don't know! So I walked a few minutes, before starting, to a dirt track that's always covered in a thick layer of pine needles......filtered light under huge old pines, quiet, out of the wind & soft under foot; very nice!

Long Run.....100 minutes

What a shocker of a morning! A cold, constant blast of wind coming across to my right side going out & the same rip-roaring wind to my left side on the return when I surely felt I was moving sideways more often than forward & the last 2kms fully into my face. I should have had gloves but didn't realize it was going to be that cold, so instead I pulled my hands inside my sweater...wishing I could have pulled my head in too; & I had to do a negative split & I did -

Just 'talk to the animals' pace out....a slow 60 minutes (to even the distance to 7km!) & 45 minutes back, (didn't bother about the seconds), speeding (?) up & down the hills as hard as the elements would allow! I worked so hard against the wind on the way back!! Total of 14km - Time 105 minutes; negative split 15 minutes. I think/hope 'W' will be pleased with that! What a relief afterwards to get into a hot shower & then a bowl of hot oats for breakfast.

Week Beginning 8th - 14th August:

8 - 30 minutes easy run.
9 - 25 minutes easy run + 4 x 100m strides
10- TIME TRIAL - 3km hard (grrrrrr!)
11- Rest Day (d'lovely!)
12- 15 minutes easy run. *
13- Rest Day (another d'lovely day!)
14- CITY TO SURF!


*Change to - 30 minutes run with last 10 at 6:30-7:00 per km pace.

A Day in the Garden!

.....so I didn't run...neither did I rest, but on such a glorious day, I had to be in the garden preparing for Spring! A crab apple tree last Spring & the buds are already waiting to burst out all over again!

(Trying to work photos into my blog!)

50 Minutes 'Medium' Pace Run

Colder this morning...knew Winter would return, but clear skies & lovely sun. Time on feet today was actually 58 minutes because I wanted to round off the distance to 8km ...an average of 7:15min/km...hoping that pace can be called "medium"!

A Day Off!

Chickybabe is resting today!

A 2kmTime Trial

Warm up 20 minutes; 4 x 100m strides; walk around & stretch, like this....>

2km TT - and it was not easy at all! Time = 11:43 ( not hrs. & mins.!) & I ran really hard & I couldn't have run any faster or any further without ending up like this.................................>

A 4km jog/walk home...total of about 8.5km. It was tough going at the time, but felt fine afterwards!

Easy Run + Strides

Is there no end to these wonderful sunny days? 16 degrees today & 17 degrees tomorrow; it's absolutely, bloominlootly fantastic! So to be out for only 20 minutes did seem a shame, but do or die, I'll do as I'm told : 20 minutes easy jogging followed by 4 x 100m strides - and I even enjoyed them!

Tomorrow is TT Day for Chickybabe! But I notice it's 2km this week not 3....phew! First though, the usual warmup, stretch & strides & flapping of feathered wings! I'm actually looking forward to seeing if I find it as hard as last week; being shorter, (the distance, not me!) I suppose not.

An 'Easy' Run ...August Already!

Another fantastic day to be out! This is Springtime....at least the daffodils, jonquils etc. think so! They've been blooming out of their little minds for weeks now & I've been picking some of them for inside the house. They're such cheerful little things! Pity another blast of Winter is still to come.

This morning's run was at an easy pace for 30 minutes...not hard to do in this sort of weather. More please!

Sunday Run - 90 minutes

It was 'Christopher Robin' who prayed something like : "Thank you, God, for a lovely day; now, what was the other I had to say?" Well, it was the most glorious of mornings to be out doing anything! Of course, "the other thing" is to say inadequate words like ""thank you so much" to some dear CR bloggers for your very kind thoughts for Jimbo! Now all is well again; but what was the other thing I had to say? Think, think, think!

Ah yes! This morning's run!

I think Wombat will be pleased with me today. Time on feet was to be 90 minutes, with the first half at 'talking to the cows' pace & the second half a negative split... i.e. 'hard work'! Trouble with that was....the paddocks were filled with dozens of new calves as well as their mothers & fathers, all of whom had to be talked to, which explains why it took 50 minutes to get to the turn around at 6km! Marvellous, though, how incentive increases when you're answerable to a 'higher authority'! I was back at the start, a lot of uphill, in 38 minutes!! So, all up I only ran 88 minutes! And that is a negative split of 12 minutes!! Can't wait to email Wombat the results!

And now for Week August 1 - August 7..(with some modifications already!)
AUGUST
1 - 30 minutes easy run.
2 - 20 minutes easy run.
3 - TIME TRIAL (Oh Dear!) - 2km hard.
4 - Rest Day (Thank you!)
5 - 50 Minutes 'medium' pace.
6 - Rest or 20 minutes easy run
7 - Long Run 100 minutes easy..(Negative split again!)

MODIFICATIONS :
Previous day to TT, do a very easy run, then stop, stretch & do 4 x 100m strides. (Blimey! I'll soon look like "ROO" hopping along!).

On other easy days, walking, going to the gym, etc. is OK. (Nothing about eating, sleeping, etc. do you notice?...just as well there aren't cows to be milked!)

All jokes aside, I'm loving it & lucky to be doing some training with Wombat's help, in the hope that, one day soon I will not be so slow & may even be able to run out of sight on a dark night!

'Medium' Pace Run

45 minutes "medium' pace; I took "medium" to mean just push a bit harder than an 'easy' run; ran total time of 46.49 so as to round off at total of 6.5km...i.e. 23.04 out & 23.45 back.....avg. 7.1 min/km. I'll have to check this out with 'W' to see if he approves of my interpretation of "medium"! Windy again on the return.

Mr. LL had another fainting spell yesterday; ambulance to High Dependency Unit, Bowral Hospital; I stayed all afternoon; Cardiologist kept him overnight on heart monitor; home today; seems fine again; seeing cardiologist Monday. Main thing...we're together again!

I felt I had to do my runs both yesterday & today (not selfish, I hope) but it does help lift feeling depressed & teary.

I have to go to Sydney tomorrow, so will take that as a rest day.

Rest

According to Wombat : "and on the 4th day Chickybabe rested!" Relieved that unlike the Creator of the world, 'W' didn't designate the 7th day for rest!

Truth be known, immediately yesterday's TT finished, I felt fine...no lingering fatigue at all! Looking forward to tomorrow's run already.....weather is simply great!

3km Time Trial

....but Wombat never told me my very life was on trial here today! God Almighty (not you 'W'!), I felt this an awfully hard session...my life was in danger of ending with one, huge gasp of what I thought was my last breath!

Instructions for today & subsequent Wednesdays assuming I survive this one, were : (1) find a suitable venue...got that bit right ; (2) jog for about 15-20 minutes.... no trouble with that; (3) 4 "strides" over about 80-100m (had to make a typo correction there from 'kms' back to metres! Maybe that's where I went wrong? Did strides over 80-100km!!!); (4) stop, stretch & rest for 10 minutes ....you bet I did! (5) Run 3km hard but evenly as if in a race & don't sprint at the end; just 'evenly hard' the whole way...might just as well have asked Jesse, the elephant, to do that! (6) Take note of time, walk for 10 minutes & than jog home (if you can!)...well, I couldn't, but I did have the car at the finish!

That's who I must have looked like & certainly felt like... as though Jessie might have had a twin who breathed like 'Puff, the Magic Dragon'; running 3km hard wasn't a labour of love at all, but a gruelling, labour-intensive exercise for this Chickybabe who one day hopes to be not so slow!

Anyhow I did it, even if in an elephantine sort of way, 1.5km out & 1.5km back ( return into a headwind). Eternally grateful "W' that you made this a once a week only session!

TIME : 18:27 Mins & Secs. (NOT hrs. & mins.!)
HR Max. : 90%; Avg. 83%

An 'Easy' Run

Same as yesterday...20 minutes run; westerly wind stronger than yesterday. It sounds like a clap of thunder each time it hits the front of the house; not at all nice outside & the gym seems very inviting!

Running the "Wombat Way!"

Programme for Week 1, 25th - 31st July...in order to make Chickybabe less slow & hurtling along!...here it is :

JULY
25 - 20 minutes easy run.
26 - 20 minutes easy run.
27 - TIME TRIAL ** - 3km hard.....strong even running
28 - Rest Day.
29 - 45 minutes, medium pace.
30 - Sat. Rest day or 20 minutes easy run.
31 - Sun. Long Run 90 minutes.

** This is the important (read 'tough'!) session each week & much more about how to do it & all other sessions as they happen.

Monday - 20 minutes easy run - Done! Easy! I keep HR for 'easy' runs 73-83% of Max.

Not very pleasant out today; westerlies starting up.

Sunday "Long" (?) Run Into the Wind.

....... an ugly westerly was blowing Chickybabe's feathers every which-way this morning so I stayed out for 1 hour only & that was enough! An easy jogging pace, keeping HR between 73% & 83% of Max. but didn't get very far.

Programme to be less slow, "according to Wombat, Verse 1 Chapter 1," begins tomorrow!

Another 'Easy' Jog

How long can this brilliant weather last? Hopefully until the start of the August winds! A full week now of sun & warm days of up to 15C. Shorts & short sleeve top was all that I needed for this morning's 40mins easy jog. Hope to double that tomorrow & then commence W's programme on Monday; really looking forward to doing some training to be, not faster, just not so slow!

A Bit of Cross Training

Went to the gym for 40mins. session on elliptical trainer & then some work for the quads on the leg-press....& that's it: another beauty of a day, 14-15degrees & still no winds or clouds.

The Morning After the Day Before!

....and never felt better! No headache! Actually feeling 'really alive' for a change! We had such fun....talking, eating, laughing most of the day, all of which goes well with more than a few very good red wines!

So out early this morning 9:00am (?) for 45 minutes of easy jogging; superb day here (4 in a row) without a breath of wind, not a cloud in the sky...just warm, glorious sun. Hope all the Vic . bloggers are getting some of it too. It's so good to be alive & still enjoying being alive!

A Rest Day...of Sorts!

Calling today a 'rest day' is just another way of saying Chickuybabre didn't run but had a very nice day just the same...... with friends who came from Sydney for lunch & we lucnhed & drqank Glorious red wines all afternoon! That's why I'm leaving ina all the tupo errors, jusdt top show what lots of gloruious reds can do to someone who otherwise would be embarrassed to l; et even one error go uncorrected! I've got a wonderul feeling Chickuybabe might have a headache headache in the morning! Oh waht a beutiful day!

Oh well, next week the serious tuff tarts!

"Easy" Jog

30 minutes this morning just jogging along; another late night to follow with TDF back on. It's frightening just how strong those guys are! Scenically beautiful as well.

A Lazy Monday...20mins. jog.

I'm a very pleased Chickybabe because.......as of next Monday, July 25th, I'll be starting a program give to me by CR Wombatface! I think it's very brave of him to even attempt to do something to make me less slow & if it doesn't work, I'll know who to blame.....ME! He's a very knowledgeable wombat & knows what he's doing, which is more than I do.....still not able to run out of sight on a dark night, taking nearly 6hrs to finish a marathon, continually being directionally challenged (thanks Plu!), etc. etc...

I have the program for the next 2 months & each week consists of 3 'easy' runs; 1 'Time Trial' (a hard session); 1 'medium' pace run and 1 'long' run; 1 rest day + one of the 'easy' runs could be a second rest day if needed. A big change for me will be that each session is 'time on feet', not distance.

Anyhow, I'll continue to post each day's session, starting next Monday, & anyone who wants to pick up hints from our very kind & very wise CR wombat, need look no further!

Watched the Tennis !

I wouldn't get up early enough to run before the start of Davis Cup (stayed up far too late watching TDF), but just in time to see the tennis start at 10:00am! Should have run, but doing no serious training till next Monday; then it's time to get ready for Blackmore's Half marathon on Sept. 11, with C2S in between. A few more days to laze around or jog when and if I feel like it.

Day 2 of 3

Lordie, but it's freezing here today! Cold wind too; had to wear woolly cap, long sleeves & tights. 40 minutes & that's long enough to be outside on such a cold day; don't think we'll get to 10 degrees again. Long (?) run tomorrow.

1st of 3 Days

Jogging along for 30mins. this morning...on the up & up! So cold here today...lucky if we hit 10 degrees max.

3 On...1 Off

For the next 2 - 3 weeks that's what it's going to be : run 3 days, 1 day off. Only 20 mins. each day this week; tomorrow Friday, Saturday & Sunday will be 30 minutes each day & increasing the time gradually in following sets of 3 days.....very soon Chickybabe will be flying out of sight on a dark night!

Just Jogging Along!

Monday, Tuesday & today, Wednesday, got out into the sun! 20mins. easy joggging on Monday & Tuesday; today 25mins.! Wow! Soon hit the big time again! City-to-Surf next.

....memory still coming back

....Oh, and Mr LL presented me with a most beautiful bouquet of flowers when I got home from the Gold Coast!

Very wet & windy here today; so glad I don't have to go out & run, but I'll start to think about it next week......maybe!

As the Brain Starts to Function Again.....

..so does memory slowly return!

I omitted one of the nicest moments of the day. On the Sunday evening I had a call from Wombatface asking how I was & if I wanted to have something to eat. Even though I assured him I couldn't eat a thing, he arrived at my pad with 2 big delicious hamburgers & a box of chocs! It was the best hamburger ever & for someone who wasn't hungry, I have to confess I wolfed it down & finished first!

Then we just sat, ate chocolates, drank several cups of tea & talked for a couple more hours. Now that was so good of a Wombat to take such care of a Chickeybabe, wasn't it? A very pleasant finish to the day too!

5:58:51 !!!!!!!

There it is! Is that the sort of time a runner would take to complete a marathon? Well it did & I'm disappointed with it considering I was allowing a generous 5.30 to finish. Anyhow, can't change it, can probably learn something from it, though can't think what that might be right now except never underestimate what can happen during a marathon no matter how you prepare, how good the first half, etc. etc.

All pre-race preparations were in place, hydration, fuel, etc. slow start & first half all good. During the second half, however, I suffered badly; my quads just about completely seized up, were shot through with pain at every step & I just had to hang in there & keep moving forwards, backwards, sideways, any whichways as long as it took me towards the finish. Strangely, at no stage did I even consider not finishing; it was 'do or die' & I just kept telling myself I was getting stronger with each step (lies!), slower (for sure!), but nearer & nearer to the end. I was never going to give in while there was the slightest chance of finishing & I truly believed that no matter how badly I felt, I could still make it unless someone pulled me off the course!

So when the motor cycle police officer pulled up alongside at about 35km I thought that gruesome moment had arrived! He asked if I was OK! Who? Me? The Chickybare blogger? Sure, I was OK! Just stopping momentarily for some light refreshments! And off I wobbled again trying to look like I was having the time of my life....which I was in another kind of way though!
What this very kind man did was to ride ahead, alert others wearing similar gear that a lady in her (wait for it!) 50's was in trouble out on the course. Every km from there seemed like 10km before reaching the next km point, but with 1.5 km to go, Courtleylove's daughter, CR Eskiemo, came alongside & jogged with me; at the same time straight ahead the entire cheer squad was approaching...I thought I'd died & gone to heaven & here were the cherubim & seraphim coming to take me through the pearly gates!

This wonderful group lined themselves on either side of me & with shouts of encouragement , banner flying & pom poms waving, they saw that I got to the finish chute & still on my own two feet...I think! They didn't leave me there though; they just walked along outside the railings & I'll never, ever, forget the sound of their voices shouting "GO NORMA!" over & over until I crossed that damned line! These, not the run, are the memories I will take with me forever of GC 2005.

Monday I couldn't leave the apartment; my quads were in agony by then & far worse than during the marathon; had I gone out it is quite likely I'd have been arrested for loitering in a public place! I was moving like the Tinman in the "Wizard of Oz" but not nearly as elegantly. Tuesday I found I could cross the road to the beach by avoiding all the curbing & using those sloping bits they have for oldies! Even they felt like going up & down a roller coaster. I had a lovely time wading in the surf ....a wonderful massage for my weary legs. Tuesday I did the same but wore my cossie so I could duck under the waves....sheer bliss; also did a long walk along the sand; so beautiful those beaches.....seemingly endless stretches of white sand, warm water to wade in, mist from the sea breeze, balm for a tired body, soul & mind.

And this was pretty much how Chickybabe finished & sailed off into the sunset of her latest marathon!

I'm Still Here!

The Chickybabe blogger is still here! Back last night; couldn't get damned computer to work all day today! Have just posted a report on the main message board, but will write other thoughts here tomorrow.