Another month gone ..

Well July is almost behind us, amazing how fast the months are flying by this year.

Monthly Summary
Running: 223kms (1082 YTD) – my first 200+km month for the year
Cycling: 77kms (1179 YTD)
Races Completed: Sri Chinmoy Princes Park 30km (2:40:52)
Injuries: None really, except for some calf tightness / shin soreness
Highlights: Discovering the wonders of massage
Goals for August: To get in at least 3 long runs

I started off this morning by heading into the gym for a swim, and completed my standard 60 laps of the pool. That’s right, you did read that right, Andrew actually exercised in the morning on a week day! Tonights run was just under 9km at 5:09 pace, slightly faster than most runs recently, because I committed to be home by a certain time as we were heading out for tea. The wind was bitterly cold, and was a direct headwind for the home stretch, quite unpleasant.

The four of us headed out for tea tonight for a small family celebration. I had a pizza and a glass of merlot, both very pleasant.

A day in Ballarat

Firstly, congratulations to Cadel Evans for being the first Australian ever to finish the Tour de France on the podium. What a stunning performance, how unlucky to finish second by only 23 seconds. Cadel, you are a superb athlete and you are a great ambassador for your country and the sport of cycling. Congratulations to all the other “clean” cyclists who finished the 2007 tour.

 

I had another day of annual leave today and Adrienne and I drove to Ballarat for the day. We had a lovely lunch at our favourite Ballarat eatery “Oscars”. We had the soup and sandwich special which was lovely pumpkin, chive and honey soup served with a chicken, avocado and sun-dried tomato toasted sandwich. We had a bit of a walk around Ballarat and I found the Powerbar Endurance sports drink (to be served at Melbourne Marathon drink stations) in a Ballarat bike shop and bought 4 sachets. I also found a nice windcheater (which I’ve been looking for, for a while now).

Tonight I went for a 12km run – I took it fairly easy, finishing in 5:39 pace which included a walking cool-down for the last 500m. It certainly doesn’t take long to cool down now does it? I am longing for some warmer weather – it would be nice to go out for a run without the hat, gloves and jacket!

After the run I made up and drank one of the Powerbar sachets. It passed the first two tests, firstly it mixes up really well (no grit like you get with Endura) and it tastes great. I’ll take the remaining sachets on a few long runs – if I ever get around to doing them

Lots of exercise, but no long run …

I have had an exercise packed day, but still feeling a bit guilty because I should have gone for a long run but didn’t. After another late night with the Tour de France, going for a swim seemed a lot more attractive than the long run and so I caved. So, started the day with 60 laps of the pool, then breakfast with one of my friends from work.

When I got home I mowed the front and back lawns. They are looking pretty tatty for the lack of water over summer, with some areas bare and others with long runaway bits. Mowing makes them look a lot tidier.

After lunch, Adrienne and I went for a drive to a Cheese Factory / Cafe that is only about 20km away from where we live. We decided to have a cup of coffee and a cheese platter to try some of their produce. When the cheese platter arrived, there was so much cheese and mountains of turkish bread. I am a huge cheese lover, but it has been one of the foods that I have really cut back on. Well, not today – I went to town – and loved it! We wrapped up some of the cheese from the platter in serviettes and bought it home, and bought some more cheese and some of their butter as well. It was a nice outing.

When, we got home I decided I’d better work off some of that cheese, so I went for a 22km ride on my bike, followed by a 6km run at 5:21 pace, followed by a quick (15 minute) upper body weights and ab workout.

We didn’t want much for tea, so we just finished off some soup Adrienne made yesterday. It was a new recipe, and was really lovely, it was sweet potato, fennel and leek – yum.

I can’t sign off without mentioning the Tour, and what a magnificent final time trial it was last night. Cadel Evans rode a great race, but so did the two Discovery boys, obviously inspired by the presence of Lance Armstrong in the team car! It is unbelievable that after three weeks and over 3,000km of riding, there is only 31 seconds seperating the first three riders. As I said the other day, with Cadel there as the first Aussie ever to podium, and the other two places filled by Discovery Channel, and Discovery winning the team event, I can say what a wonderful tour, despite all the controversy. Anyway, the sport has rid itself of a few more cheats – so that is a positive thing!

A quiet Saturday

Started off our day at the Victoria Market as usual for a Saturday, after our market shopping we walked into the city. I wanted to go to Vitamin Me to get some of the Powerbar Endurance Lemon-Lime sports drink that is going to be served at the drink stations in the Melbourne Marathon (I want to try it before the big day). Unfortunately they don’t stock it, and neither do any of the various places I’ve checked today. If any of you have been able to find it anywhere I’d love to know where (especially if it is in the north-west of Melbourne). I’ve looked on their website and they say that Coles and Safeway have it, but I can’t find it in any of the stores out this side. They also list a few bike stores, but the one that is out this side doesn’t have it either. I’ve sent them an email and I know you can order on-line but it adds significantly to the cost due to freight charges, I’ll do that as a last resort if I can’t find anywhere close.

Weighed in this morning at 73.3kg, just 100g heavier than last week. Despite more running over the last couple of weeks than all the rest of this year, and fairly sensible eating, the weight won’t budge. In the weight challenge on the forum a few weeks ago I said I wanted to get down to 72kg, really I’d like to get closer to 70kg, but I think I just have to face facts that this appears to be the “winter weight” that my body wants to stay at.

Tonights run was 12.3km at 5:19 pace. It felt quite comfortable, and actually my average heart rate was about 10bpm lower than usual which is strange.

Playing taxi again tonight for Kate. I’ve just dropped her off at a party and have to pick her up at midnight. I’m hoping that doesn’t clash with Cadel Evans’ time trial ride!

Amazon package

Just an ordinary day at work today, but glad to have it over with as I have another 3-day weekend, with another annual leave day on Monday. I do have to get through the usual four hour Friday night meeting tonight I guess before I can declare the work week over though.

I’m heading out soon to play taxi for my daughter and her friends – they are going to a club and therefore requested a lift rather than driving.

The most excitement today was an Amazon package being delivered – I love getting my Amazon packages. Two new running books today to add to the running library. I bought John Bingham’s latest book “Running for Mortals”. I’m sure it will be similar to his others, but I really like them – I suppose this is more about “completing the set” as I have his other three books. I also got “The Athlete’s Way – Sweat and the Biology of Bliss” by Christopher Bergland which was featured in an article in the latest Runner’s World.

Tonight’s run was exactly the same route as last night, just over 10km at 5:19 pace. Three calf stretch stops on the way around, and finished feeling pretty good again.

Tour despair

I’m sure all cycling fans, like me, are distressed at the apparent state of disarray the Tour de France appears to be in. Overnight the tour leader Michael Rasmussen was kicked out by his Rabobank team for lying to them about his whereabouts earlier in the year, when he missed four doping tests, and the withdrawal of the entire Cofidis team after postive drug tests for their rider, Italian, Cristian Moreni. This following the earlier expulsion of Alexandre Vinokourov and his Astana team for blood doping.

I am trying very hard to look for the “silver lining” to these clouds, that Australian Cadel Evans now has a great chance to win the event, and that at least the tour organisers and cycling governing body are being seen to be tough with the drug cheats. I do think that the professional cyclists have a more strict and complete drug testing regime than any other sport.

I will continue to watch, and support the Tour, as I do believe that a lot of the cyclists are clean, and they deserve our continued support.  

Em, if you are evil for silently celebrating the demise of Cofidis for the way that organisation treated Lance Armstrong when he was diagnosed with his cancer, then I am evil too, for the same thought crossed my mind also.

As a Discovery Channel team fan (go Levi and Alberto) and an Australian fan (go Cadel), I hope to be celebrating the final result to this years tour, big time.

Tonights run was just over 10km at 5:13 min/km pace, and felt really good. I had a little bit of soreness from last nights massage, but I ran this out and the legs are feeling good tonight after a good stretch.

Massage No. 4

I had my fourth massage tonight. Mick was really happy with my hammies and quads, but the calves were still a little tight and there was some real “pain points” again. I am pretty pleased that I decided to go down the massage track, so thanks to all of you who recommended it. My legs are overall much better in the last few weeks than they have been for a while now. I am going to cut back from weekly to every two weeks for a while and see how it goes.

Due to the massage, today is going to be a rest day, so no run.

We have a late basketball game tonight, so I’ll post the result tomorrow, but it is 1st vs 2nd on the ladder, versus St. Christophers who we had never beaten until the last time we played them. I am sure that they will be coming out “ready to play” tonight so we will be in for a tough game I think.

I cannot believe the continuing drug / doping scandals at the Tour de France, it is such a shame for the sport and for those cyclists who are “clean”. With Vinokourov and the Astana team out now, and a doubt over Rasmussen it really casts a cloud over the event. That said though, with tonight being the last mountain stage I think it could be another late night!

Edit: We went down 34-32 in tonights game, so as I thought it was a close fought game. We’ll now drop down to 2nd on the ladder.

I got my car back, finally …

Yes, that’s my good news for today, I finally got my car back after the accident over a month ago! I think it has taken a long time because I haven’t been hassling them too much, as I had another car to use. They have done a great job though, the car actually looks better than before the accident – it looks brand new – a lot of the marks and scratches that were on it are gone, and they have cleaned and detailed the whole car. I’ve only driven it home tonight, but it seems to drive perfectly well too. It is nice to have it back

To answer a few of yesterdays comments …

Jaykay, I think the Hurricane 9’s were about $160, which is only about $20 cheaper than most other stores. They did have Hurricane 7’s (men’s and women’s) for $69.95 but unfortunately in all the stores I looked in they didn’t have my size.

Sara, I didn’t take a sickie yesterday, I was actually on a day of annual leave. I haven’t taken a sickie for years in fact.

Everyone who commented on me running when I was under the weather, my rule is usually if I just have a head cold I’ll run, if it any lower (chest for example) I won’t. I often really find that an easy run helps me feel better and clears the head.

Socks wise, I love my Thorlos – I know they are very expensive, but for me they are definitely worth the money. I buy the “number 3’s” which are the highest level of cushioning and protection. If you buy these you need to wear them when buying new shoes because are quite thick.

Today at work was a classic example of why not to take a couple of days leave, I returned to mounds of paper on the desk and approximately 650 emails. I only managed to get through about half of them because I had meetings for about 5 hours of today. Has anybody read the book “Death By Meeting” – that’s how I’m starting to feel.

My run tonight was just under 9km, at 5:30 min/km pace (including a 500m warm-up walk at the start).

A quiet day off

Had a day off work again today and spent it fairly quietly, not doing much at all.

I’m still suffering a little from the dreaded lurgy (to use JH’s word) that is going round. My throat was pretty sore when I woke up this morning, but seems to have gotten better a bit during the day. I think I might have to give the TdF a miss tonight and get an early night.

Our only outing today was to look for some new walking shoes for Adrienne, which we got from Athlete’s Foot at Watergardens. I looked longingly at the new blue Kayanos, but given that I got my new Sauconys only a couple of weeks ago thought I’d better not. I did buy myself a new pair of Thorlo socks though. Most of mine are short anklet ones and when I run in my long Skins, there’s this half inch or so of skin that is exposed as I run that gets really cold, so I bought some longer ones.

Tonights run was just under 15km and was a bit of a struggle towards the end, probably due to being slightly under the weather. I did the 500m walking warm-up and 500m walking cool-down, including these the overall pace was 5:42 min/km.

Go Cadel

What a terrific effort by Cadel Evans and Alexander Vinokourov in last nights individual time trial. Vino certainly has answered those critics who had written him off since his accident during the 5th stage. To continue on with stitches and bandages on both knees and his elbow is a superb effort, he is a great athlete. Cadel just keeps plugging away, and in my opinion it is better for him that he hasn’t got the yellow jersey, personally I’d like to see him just stay in touch (maybe get a few seconds closer), and then take it in the next time trial. The next couple of stages in the Pyrenees will separate the men from the boys even more.

Staying up until 2am watching the TdF every night is having two negative effects on me, it is putting a definite kybosh on any morning exercise plans (slept in until 9:30am this morning), and I am eating too much while watching TV. Last night was a particularly bad night, involving biscuits, yogurt, dried fruit, cereal, apple, orange, muffins with peanut butter and copious amounts of strong coffee. But I wouldn’t miss watching the tour, I am in awe of those guys punishing themselves over so many kms for three weeks.

Not much to report today, we took Jackie for another walk down to the Maribyrnong River, planted a new plant in the garden, then I went on another bike ride. It was just under 28km in just over an hour, but a harder (hillier) course than yesterday, and I pushed it a bit harder than yesterday too. This wasn’t shown in a faster pace, but was shown in a significantly higher average heart rate.