The month that was …

Headed out for a run with Alyssa this morning before breakfast and we managed a fairly slow 9km, with some walk breaks, overall pace just over 6 min/km. She hadn’t eaten this morning, to avoid the stitch, and was a little low on energy and struggled towards the end of the run. We just need to keep building slowly, and not pushing too hard, and I’m confident we’ll have a good 10km at Melbourne Marathon!

A shopping trip to DFO, a few little jobs around the house and then a home workout just before tea for about half an hour.

I’m flying down to Burnie tomorrow again, just for the day, so it will be a long day (up at 5am to get to the airport on time, then not back home until after 8pm).

August was a better month, exercise wise for me, although still not a huge amount of running, it looked like this;

Running: 80 km @ 5:42 min/km (YTD 640 km @ 5:15 min/km)
Cycling: 327 km @ 24.8 km/hr (YTD 2217 km @ 26.1 km/hr)
Swimming: 7 swims (14km)
Strength: 11 home workouts

Interesting that both the running and cycling were significantly slower than previous months – for the running I think this is due to the run/walks with Alyssa, for the rides I think probably due to it being particularly windy for the month.

So with four months to go, this sets up a little mini-goal for me, to make sure to crack the 1000km for the year, needing to average 90km each month – should be ok with summer coming.

Considering I’d only hit the pool 8 times in total for the Feb-Jul period, 7 swims in August was a good increase. Also the 11 home workouts doubled the total number for the year to date. I think I can really feel the difference of the additional strength training I’ve done this month, feeling stronger in the core and upper body (the swimming helps both of these too I think). Can’t see the six-pack yet, but I’m sure it’s under there somewhere

One way to get back out running …

What would be the best way to force myself to get back out running? Maybe to bust my bike, so I have to run? Well, that’s what I did today. I headed out straight after lunch, as the weather looked like it was changing, and about to get really crappy. I wasn’t sure how long before the rain would come, so decided to stay local, and just did some laps of my normal 6km running loop, with a small (just over 1km) added loop that adds in a killer little hill. I was close to completing my 4th lap, when I heard a nasty little ping and realised I’d broken a spoke in my back wheel. I didn’t hit anything so it must just have been a weak one, or general wear and tear. I tucked it in behind another spoke and rode slowly home – fortunately I was only about 1km away. Anyway, it was a tough, hilly, windy, 29km ride.

So, the bike is out of action until I can get it into the local bike shop to be fixed. Therefore if I want some outside cardio – it’s run, run or run.

We moved into the 21st century today and bought a microwave. We’ve never owned one before. The kids have been bugging us for a while to get one. Never been a big fan myself, but I guess they have their uses.

A run, but not a terribly successful one …

Firstly, to answer Sassydrcil’s question from yesterdays post, I am doing the 10km event on Melbourne Marathon day. I am running it with Alyssa, my little running protege (13 year old next door neighbour). It will be her first “fun run”. With that in mind we went for a training run tonight, intending it to be the same 8.5km “Galloway run/walk” we did last Sunday. Unfortunately, Alyssa got another stitch, so it got cut short and we just did the 6km loop. With the walk breaks included it was just under 6 min/km pace. Alyssa had eaten something about an hour or so before the run, so we are pretty convinced her stitches are food/digestion related.

For me, the run felt okay – no issues with the knee or shin – but it didn’t feel “great”, if you know what I mean. So, that mojo isn’t back, but at least it was a run. Now I’m going to go and hit the mat, swiss ball and weights for a bit.

Iceland!

Amazed to see on my ClusterMap (see on the bottom right) that I have a blog visitor from Iceland! How great is that!

Another busy but unproductive day at work today, late getting home and couldn’t be bothered with anything much, so deciding to call it a rest day.

I’m so tired that I can’t think of anything else to say, so I’m going to have an early night!

Where has my running mojo gone ?

And, why am I not out there looking for it ?

Seriously though, I thought I was a running addict, that I couldn’t do without it. But recently I have really been preferring other things. In the mornings a swim seems a better idea, on a fine afternoon a bike ride appeals more. What is going on here ? I know I need to keep the running up, I’m registered for two races soon, and also for Alyssa’s sake too – but why doesn’t it seem to be the same “buzz” now ? Hopefully just a phase ?

Today, another swim before work, the usual 80 laps or 2km. No exercise after work, just pizza, red wine and chocolate tartufo ice cream – bad boy, eh.

I think this could be one of the most beautiful songs ever.

A couple of busy days at work …

A couple of busy days at work, so not much activity on the blogs I’m afraid. I’ve had one of my staff members from Japan visiting the office, so have been pretty busy with meetings etc. as well as going out for dinner tonight. A reasonable meal at the RACV Club in the city, although the service was disappointingly slow – healthy choices with a salmon patties entree, followed by tuna nicoise for main. Tomorrow night another meal out with the whole team, at the local pizza restaurant, so maybe not so healthy!

Yesterday the only activity was a good “home workout” with intervals on the exercise bike, and today I got up early again and went in for a swim (usual 2km = 80 laps), then another shorter “home workout” tonight before going out for tea.

Now I have a 11pm-1am meeting to attend, but I’m thinking I might opt out after the first hour so I have more chance of a 5am rise tomorrow for another swim.

An early morning run and an afternoon ride …

Alyssa and I went out for a run before breakfast this morning. It was her first run ever over 6km – we need to be increasing the distances to be prepared for the 10km at Melbourne Marathon in October. We also want to do a few early morning runs (ie same time of day as the actual race will be) as we’ve always run in the late afternoon / evening. In order to get her to easily run the slightly longer distance we decided to do a “Galloway” run/walk, running 900m of each 1km and walking the last 100m. Anyway she comfortably did 8.5km, with an overall 5:52 min/km pace, including the walk breaks. It won’t be long and I’ll have her doing 10km!

At home it was then time for a shower and breakfast, and a lazy morning watching the men’s marathon. I am going to be glad when the Olympics are over to be honest. The Channel 7 coverage is really annoying me, to the point it is stressing me out. The marathon is on, and I want to watch it, but they are showing re-runs of the relays? WTF! It really has been a disgrace.

After a spot of lunch it was time to sprawl in front of the TV again to watch the Geelong vs Nth Melbourne game. I think I’m turning into a grumpy old man, because, despite the fact that my team was winning, I was getting really annoyed with the umpiring – at half time I’d had enough, so I went out for a bike ride. Just over 20km, in about 50 minutes. I found this new little street in my neighbourhood that is the steepest little hill I’ve seen for a while. I rode down it on my way out, then near the end of the ride rode up it. It is only short, but a real challenge to get up, I think I’ll build it into my neighbourhood loops.

I think I am becoming addicted to this stuff. If you haven’t tried it, and like lemon teas you really should try it. The ginger makes it a really flavoursome and warming drink.

Now to answer some of your questions and comments on yesterdays post.

Mizfit – I’m not sure that a guest food day post from me would be all that interesting, but I will think about it, and maybe submit something soon.

Sassydrcil – John Bingham does have a website, it is http://www.johnbingham.com/

AndrewE – I am 179cm (or just under 5′ 11″ in the old lingo).

It’s my Shrinkaversary !

I hope tokaiangel doesn’t mind me using the term she coined on her blog, but today is my 3rd Shrinkaversary ! I’m using the term a little differently than TA did, using the verb version of the word.

It was 3 years ago today that I reached my goal weight of 75kg, from a starting weight of about 110kg. With todays Saturday morning weigh-in with 73.9kg on the scale, I am proud to say that at no Saturday morning weigh-in for the last 3 years have I gone over the goal weight. That’s 3 years of successful maintenance ! Thanks so much for all the encouragement from all of you, it would have been a lot harder without you guys !

Today’s exercise was a 31km bike ride mid-afternoon. It was a lovely ride, and I even added in a few more hills (including that big one where I nearly got wiped out by a truck last time), and also some new local roads I haven’t ridden before.

So You Think You Can …

I don’t know if anyone else (other than Jaykay) is watching So You Think You Can Dance. I started watching it because others in the house were, then just in protest against the abysmal Olympics coverage, but seriously it is quite fun, and some of those guys and gals can seriously dance ? And of course then there is Cat Deeley – she is seriously cute and I just love her voice! There is something about that English accent that just does it for me.

For the second time in the week I got up at 5am and headed in for a swim, doing the usual 80 laps (2km) and again managing to have a lane to myself for the entire time. Maybe that is the one advantage to these cold mornings!

After another seemingly long day at work (even though I left at 4pm, to make up for last nights 10pm meeting), I went for a ride on the bike, just over 21.5km. Again, very, very cold out on the bike, frozen feet and face by the time I got home.

Out for tea tonight, a nice pizza with the lot and a couple of glasses of shiraz will more than make up for all that exercise I fear!

Another cold day …

Another cold and miserable day today led to just an inside workout tonight at home … just couldn’t manage to drag myself out the door for anything else. So, a 40 minute workout inside, repeating the pattern of the other night with 4 sets of 5 mins on stationary bike, 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups and three other exercises.

I hadn’t seen Sally McLellans post-race silver-medal trackside interview until today when I watched in on the net, if you haven’t watched it, it is refreshingly awesome.