Two top teams, one win, one loss …

Isn’t it exciting when you get your picture in the paper. On page 17 of the Sun today you can see three Ausrunners in the picture of the Nike Run for the Kids training session. ChrisW is in the middle of the front row, Old Miler is in the black t-shirt, and yours truly is towards the back with the black cap and glasses.

And wasn’t it great to see Buster on the front page, and some more photos and decent coverage in the sport section too! I bet those pictures are cut out and on Em’s wall!

After work today we had our last game of sand volleyball before the finals, we were sitting second and we were playing the top team. I’m sad to say we got our arses severely kicked, three sets to nothing. We played short, only having four due to some injuries, and three out of the four of us are knocking on the door of fifty, and we played a younger, taller, full team from our Manufacturing group. Oh well, we enjoyed ourselves – despite losing.

My girls also played the top team (we’re fourth) in basketball tonight, and had a win. It was a game of two halves. We played a great first half, and were 29-10 up at half time. In the second half they came out really hard and it was a game of defenses, we ended up winning 31-22 (yes, we only scored one basket in the second half). I think I annoyed them a little because for the last 8 or 9 minutes I made a substitution at every break in the game to run some time off the clock, but I think that is a legitimate coaching tactic. There were some words exchanged between players again at the end over some nail scratches – it certainly is different playing in an adult competition.

It was such a delightful night when we got home from basketball (about 9:15), I decided to go for a run, just a short one, 5km at 5:26 pace. Pace was necessarily slower because the streets around me are so badly lit.

A good run makes up for the rest of the day …

Another day at work to forget. To be absolutely honest, I’m beginning to feel a little trapped at work. You know the feeling, not really wanting to be there every day, but knowing that from a financial point of view, with bills to pay, and a family to support, there is little choice. Too much to do, but not prepared to work all the hours under the sun to get it all done. I really feel like I need a change, but at my age, and after 27 years at the same workplace, I’ve probably left it a little late. With a pretty good salary package, and a lot tied up in a defined benefit super fund, I think “trapped” is the right word. I’ve thought a lot about it and I don’t think I have a choice but to put up with it for – gulp – another ten years or so. Maybe some leave would be a good idea.

Thank god for my exercise time each day – I really think that is my saviour at the moment – a chance to get it all out of the system!

Tonight I was later home than normal, thanks to a “strategy” meeting, so had to run after eating. Had to be home by 8.30 (Em will understand why), and didn’t want to run too soon on a full stomach, so decided to go for a ride on the bike for half an hour, then do a short run. So the exercise log will show a 12.3km ride in 30:24, and a 6km run in 28:16 (4:42 pace). The run really surprised me, because I when I got off the bike the quads felt a bit tired, but as soon as I started the run, I settled into a fairly steady pace. My splits were 4:53, 4:40, 4:34, 4:39, 4:46 & 4:39 – so I was really happy with that run.

My first R4K training run …

I made it into Fed Square tonight for my first Run for the Kids training run, and I am so glad I did. It is just so much better running with a group, makes a very pleasant change to only having myself for company!

Met up with Chris W on the way to Fed Square, and Stu Mac and Old Miler were there in their capacity as run leaders too. These were the only Ausrunners that I’ve met, I’m sure there were others there, but I didn’t know them.

I was impressed with the organisation of the session, before, during after the run itself. Getting a free Nike t-shirt was a bonus too!

Before the runs started there was a Herald-Sun photographer taking some shots, and he wanted a group of 10 or so to pose for some shots, so keep your eye out in the papers, as Chri, Old Miler and yours truly were in the “photo shoot” group.

I opted for the 8km “medium” group, of which Stu was one of the race leaders. We ran from Fed Square along Southbank,  down to and around Telstra Dome then back along and around the skate park (near Spring Into Shape start area) and back to Fed Square. Overall I measured it as 8.27km at a pace of 5:29 min/km. This was a really good pace for me on a night like tonight, not too hard, just right so you can enjoy the run.

I’m certainly going to try and make it a regular Monday night thing until R4K, as I can’t make the Wednesday or Saturday sessions.

An early run around the Tan …

This morning I dropped Kate of at work at 6am and headed down to the Tan for a run. Parked near the gym in the city and ran down to the Tan, then did two laps and back into the city. Aim was for a nice, easy run this morning, and that’s what it was, just over 10km in 56 minutes (5:38 pace). It really is beautiful running round the Tan early in the morning isn’t it! You guys who work in the city and have the opportunity to do it regularly are so lucky! I didn’t take any music this morning, just listening to the city waking up noises and the birdlife from the Botanical Gardens is so good! Especially the bell-birds!Not a lot of runners down there this morning, only a handful, but there were hundreds of cyclists, an event, looked like something for MS, was starting from Alexandra Ave. – they didn’t cause me any problems though.

Then at 8am it was time for the normal swim (did 50 laps this morning), hit the spa for a while (really nice massaging the calf muscles in the jets), then the sauna, then breakfast with Alan, Dee and Cheryl.

Watched the mighty Pussy Cats demolish a hapless Richmond – looks like it might be another do well at the start, disappoint at the end, season for us Geelong supporters!

Nothing much else to report for the day, mowed what is left of the lawn, more ants, this time in the pantry (grrrr – they are driving us nuts).

A good run …

Victoria Market as usual this morning, spent a bit of time looking for some of the ingredients from the Kiwi BBQ, ended up buying some Vinocotto and Persian Feta and are going to try and replicate the bruschetta – hope it’s as nice as it was the other night.

Went out for a run at about 5pm, and what a pleasant change for there to be a little bit of coolish breeze! After fading last night, I decided that the aim tonight had to be for some consistency. I had really tight calf muscles so decided I would allow myself some stretch breaks during the run, and I ended up taking four of them, and these 1-2 minute breaks are not included in the the time or splits, so I guess that makes me feel that I’ve cheated a bit, but anyway ended up with 9km in 41:23, splits of 4:39, 4:33, 4:24, 4:27, 4:47, 4:42, 4:33, 4:33 & 4:36. So, I guess I achieved the goal with a faster run, and good even splits, but there is no doubt that is a lot easier with a few little rest/stretch breaks.

As it is Saturday it is weigh-in day and as expected I had gained weight, but fortunately it was only 0.5kg, so considering I did no exercise 3 days out of 7 I was happy with that.

I have to take Kate to work at 6am tomorrow morning, so the plan is to hit the Tan for a run before the usual swim. Anyone want to bet on that, or me returning home to bed for an hour?

A run at last …

Ok, in answer to the few questions about the Kiwi BBQ night, there was no Kiwi-fruit, no Kiwi-birds, and it was all Kiwi wine that was served (mine was a very nice Grenache).

The menu was;
- Sauteed Mussels
- Whole Roasted Venison Backstrap with Beetroot Tzatziki
- Hapuka Baked in Foil
- Horopito rubbed Lamb Cutlets
- Roasted cherry tomato, asparagus, feta bruschetta
- Cherry & Mint-Chip Ice-cream

All of the various seasonings, herbs, infused oils etc. they used were from NZ as well. MAR, if your barbies are as nice as this one was, I’m coming over to see you!

Well, I’m happy to report that I did actually get out for a run tonight after work, and I was reasonably happy with it, although I definitely faded at the end. I went out with the goal of running for at least an hour, and no other definite plans. Ended up being 14km in 1hr 16min, overall average pace of 5:27 min/km. However, the first 7km were completed in under 35 minutes, meaning the last 7 took over 41 minutes, so definitely slowed down on the homeward stretch. It really was still quite warm and muggy, a very black sky so I was praying for some rain all the way round, but the only drops I felt were my own sweat.

Anyway, a run is a run, and 14km is 14km more than I’ve done the last three days, so shouldn’t complain.

That’s all for tonight, I’m going to go and watch the Melbourne Tigers smack the Taipans (I hope)!

A Kiwi BBQ …

Certainly going to be a low week for me exercise wise, I think especially after tonight that the calories in are beating the calories out. Yes, no exercise again, third day in a row.

Tonight Adrienne and I went to a Kiwi BBQ Night at the RACV Club in the city. Two of the chefs from the club, one of them Tony, a Kiwi, gave a BBQ cooking demonstration, cooking up five courses in “Kiwi style”, then we all got to sit down and sample the fare they had demonstrated cooking.

It was a lovely meal, with some good company and good wine.

Not looking forward to the weigh-in this week!

No run again … just ran out of time

Well just no time today for that run. Well, if I’m honest I guess I could have gone early this morning, but again couldn’t drag myself out of bed.

When I got home from work I had to turn around again and drive Kate back to school. Kate is in Year 12 this year and has nominated for school captain – I am so proud of her – I think she would be a great school captain. She always has everyone elses interests at heart, and is such a generous and caring person. Anyway, tonight at school they were having some presentations etc. and she was asked to go down and be one of the students meeting and greeting the guests.

Then it was basketball tonight, and an interesting game. The girls won 27-25, and the other team weren’t happy! One of their team got fouled off and she refused to leave the court and called the ref an f’ing idiot – got a tech foul obviously. Then after the game they were all complaining. Stupid thing was that the girl doing the scoresheet was a little girl (I guess about 11 or 12 years old) from their team. So if any mistakes were made it was down to their team, and there were plenty of adults spectating for their team, so why not put one of them on the bench. As we were leaving we heard some of their players still abusing the refs and organiser and talk of their team being reported. Oh well, all makes for an exciting night!

Now I’m going to watch Extras.

A drive to Shep

Had a day off work today and Adrienne and I drove up to Shepparton. We do this every now and then, to stock up on various things (mainly canned fruit, but also baked beans, canned tomatoes etc.) from the SPC Ardmona factory outlet. It also serves the purpose of adding a few kilometres on the car which is needed with the FBT year due to finish at the end of next month (I have a company car and the only thing I pay is the FBT, and if we don’t do 25,000km in the year it costs a few extra thousand!).

Was a nice uneventful drive, had a nice lunch in Shepparton too, and stopped for a coffee and cake at a nice little bakery in Nagambie on the way home.

Every time I drive up that way, or to Ballarat, with the 110km speed limit, it always makes me wonder why the Geelong freeway (which we travel frequently too) is not 110?

Is anyone else getting driven nuts by ants at the moment? We seem to have them in a different room each day. If anyone has any good tips for getting rid of them I’d love to hear them. We’ve tried most things but they are persistent little buggers.

After tea went next door to drop off a birthday present for our next door neighbour, and it ended up being a lot longer visit than planned, so won’t get out for a run, so treating today as a rest day!

Out of the 6km rut (for one day at least) …

A better (but not ideal) run tonight. Decided not to do one of my loop circuits, because I knew I would end up doing the 6km one again. So, I just decided to run for 25 minutes, then turn around and come back (chose 25 minutes because I was told by SHMBO that I had an hour before tea, didn’t want to be late). Anyway the run ended up 10.82 km in 53:54, average of 4:59 pace. I was happy with the average pace, but took nearly 29 minutes to “get home”, nearly 4 minutes away from an even “out and back”. Anyway, it was still quite muggy and warm, so that’s my excuse.

At least it was a bit more than 6km!

Day off tomorrow … yeah!