TGIF

A particularly difficult day at work again, for different reasons (no IT related disasters), but trying and emotionally tiring all the same. The weekend couldn’t come at a better time.

A group of work-mates are starting some morning training sessions (they are beginning their triathlon preparation, so there will be running and bike), so even though I don’t think I’ll be a starter for the triathlon this year, these sound like a good motivator for some morning exercise. Starts next week – now it’s just a matter of dragging myself out of bed.

After work tonight the weather looked particularly threatening but I decided to see how much of a bike ride I could get in before the rain came. I decided to just ride laps of my usual 6km running route, and unfortunately only got two of these in before the rain hit. Afterwards I did a short core workout, including the last day of week one of the Hundred Push-ups program.

The month that was: not much running again (20 km out of the 59 km for the month was the Melbourne Marathon 10km and the Burnie 10km), the Tassie holiday was a bit of an exercise hiatus, and a sore knee for the latter half of the month kept me on my bike.

Run: 59 km @ 5:28 min/km (YTD 783 km @ 5:18 min/km).
Cycle: 371 km @ 25.7 km/hr (YTD 2917 km @ 26.0 km/hr).
Swim: Didn’t get wet once (except when it rained).
Workout: Manaqed to avoid the gym again for the month, and only half as many home workouts as last month (5).

I’m glad that the quote I posted yesterday resonated with so many of you. For me, it is the last five words that make it work so well for me “… the way you used to be”.

Mizfit – no real Halloween equivalent down here, but we do have a public holiday next Tuesday because of a horse race (Melbourne Cup Day) – not really equivalent, but equally bizarre!

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

During the holiday to Tasmania I read “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” by Haruki Murakami. Basically just his thoughts on running and other related things (like triathlon preparation), as he prepares for a marathon. A simple little book, but I really enjoyed it, probably because a lot of his thoughts echoed my own. If you get a chance to pick up a copy, give it a read. I liked the following quote so much, I’m adding it to my blog navigator.

“In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.”

A very windy 23km ride tonight in 57 minutes. I haven’t run since Burnie, nearly two weeks ago, the last eight entries in my training journal have all been “Bike” – about 240kms in total.

Dad’s taxi operating again tonight having dropped the kids in the city for another concert, The Butterfly Effect, picking up again later.

Smile … you’re on candid camera

I rode my bike last night and tonight, the same 27km route as Monday night. Last night I improved the time by just under a minute, tonight I took a further 3min 47sec off last nights time.

Tonight whilst riding down a local street, a car, with two male youths pulled alongside and I noticed the passenger had his mobile phone and appeared to be taking a picture of me. Weird I thought, then I was struck in the face by a stream of water. The old “water pistol that looks like a mobile phone” trick. I was not particularly bothered, it was actually somewhat refreshing as I had been pushing pretty hard, but I did hope that they would get held up at the upcoming roundabout, as they would have received a somewhat bigger water stream from my drink bottle through their window. No such luck I’m afraid and they disappeared into the sunset. I hope to see them out on the streets at some future date.

Slipknot

A nice ride after work, just under 27km in about an hour.

Dad’s taxi has been operating tonight, taking the kids into Rod Laver Arena to see Slipknot. Quite funny seeing the hundreds of young people heading into the venue, and nearly every one of them wearing a black t-shirt (including my two). Thinking now, that it is going to make it hard to find them when I go in later to pick them up!

If you don’t know Slipknot, click below. It’s probably a generation-gap thing, but it just sounds like noise to me.

Edit: Happiness is … finding eight more Katie Melua tracks you don’t have, on iTunes!

Happy Birthday Darling …

Another trip to Docklands today, but this time in the car, to celebrate Adrienne’s birthday at Medici. A very pleasant day with family from both sides. It is days like today, spent with family, that make you feel grateful to be alive and make you realise how lucky you are to share your life with others whom you love.

Last night whilst watching TV, I got the mother of all leg cramps. It got me all down my left leg. Is it possible for the ITB to cramp up? That’s what it felt like, but it also extended down the calf. I had to stand up and get myself into a weird, sort-of twisted position to get it to stop – that, and a fair bit of self-massage. A bit of soreness in that leg through the night from the cramp, but thankfully it did not return. I think that during the bike ride yesterday I was probably using the left leg a bit more, because of my sore right knee, and it being a twice as long as usual bike ride, maybe the cramp was the poor left leg telling me what it thought. Sara and Jo, I am going to get the knee looked at I think, I’m just so scared of being laid up if I have to have an op, and also have heard some horror stories about people who have knee ops and they end up far worse than before they started. Anyone know any good knee doctors in Melbourne?

So, another rest day today!

I’m going to follow the advice of “the other Andrew” and re-start the 100 Pushups program, I’ve downloaded the one-page guide and will start tomorrow. The plan is the same as last time, to do the 100 Pushups program Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and to follow it with some other core exercises from my home workout program. I’m not confident I’ll get any further than I did last time, but at least it will be an incentive to get back into some strength training.

A little ride down to Docklands

I didn’t get home from work last night until a few minutes after midnight – as I said yesterday “bloody Microsoft”.

This morning we headed into the Victoria Market and did our fruit, vegie, meat etc shopping as usual. Afterwards, Adrienne was heading round to a friends place for a clothing party so I thought I might head out for a decent ride. It was sunny and warm, so I did the right thing and covered up to be sunsmart, and applied sunscreen. I headed down the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and was going to cross over the Flemington Bridge onto the Capital City Trail, but it was closed for renovations, so I headed down to Docklands instead. The ride home was much tougher (into the wind) and therefore slower. I stopped off in Essendon to a friends place for a quick drink of water and chat, a pleasant break with 20km to go to get home. The ride ended up just short of 64km in just over 2.5 hours.

I’ve been having a bit of knee soreness since the Burnie 10, that’s why there hasn’t been any mention of a run since then. I’ve been applying the usual ice therapy, but think I am going to have to be brave and get it looked at soon.

The first official weigh-in this morning since the holiday, and I’m happy to report I managed to sneak in under the 75kg goal, weighing in at 74.6kg.

I hate Microsoft …

It’s nearly 9pm and I’m still at work, and it is all Microsoft’s fault. In case you haven’t heard Windows is not a very secure operating system. Another significant vulnerability requires patching, and the Microsoft software we use to actually do the patching is not working as it should, so it looks like it could be a late night. So, no exercise today, but I might lose a few pounds from the stress.

I’ve just gone out to get pizza’s for the team (the one’s who are actually clever enough to do the work) and am making them coffee – that’s about all I’m good for these days in situations like this.

Anniversary

Just a ride to work and back today … about 23km all up.

And today is our wedding anniversary … 26 years today !

Some things I missed … some things I didn’t

What did I miss while I was away ?

• Of course, the kids and the dog – you don’t know how much really until you get home.
• My own bed – I had the best nights sleep for 10 days last night.
• My bike – two nice rides since I’ve got home, last night just over 22km @ 27.8 km/hr and tonight just over 23km @ 27.2 km/hr.

What didn’t I miss ?

• Work – it’s still the same.

What do I wish I didn’t bring back with me ?

• The extra 2kg ! Probably mostly made up of Tassie red wine !

Dickhead of the week award goes to the bloke in the little sporty BMW who pulled up beside me on my ride last night and yelled at me for not riding in the bike lane. Now, I always ride in the bike lane when it is safe and practical to do so, but on this particular stretch of local street the council have seen fit to install 5 speed humps, and they have placed poles with street signs advertising the speed humps smack bang in the middle of the bike lane next to each one. Now, there is technically room to go around the the pole, but due to the presence of the pole, the bike lane never gets cleaned by the street sweeper so there is always debris (stones / glass etc) in the bike lane. I also think it is safer to ride the whole 300m stretch just outside the bike lane rather than darting in and out of the bike lane at each speed hump. Of course, I didn’t feel the need to explain all this to him, so I just told him to get #$%^&’d and gave him the finger – he didn’t seem to appreciate this too much

Tassie – Day 8 … and a few photos

Well the last day of our Tassie trip was beautiful weather again, we really have been so lucky you know. We drove from Burnie to Devonport via Latrobe and Sheffield, stopping at a few attractions such as the House of Anvers chocolate factory (their fudge is just awesome) and a lovely little glass studio in Sheffield where we watched some very clever glass marble making. We had another fairly uneventful crossing of Bass Strait aboard the Spirit of Tasmania, although it was a little rougher than the trip over, but nothing that put me off a wonderful three course meal and a few glasses of Tassie red (again – you’ll all be thinking I’m a sot).

First job of course this morning was to go and pick up Jackie – she was a little weird at first, but I think she still loves us

And now it is back to the real world unfortunately – why couldn’t holidays last a little longer?

Here are a few photos – including a couple with me in them so you know I haven’t been making it all up! And before anyone says anything, no, I’m not in the first photo!

The monkeys in Launceston City Park were wonderful to watch. This guy is getting the full-body makeover from his two mates, they were at it the whole time we stood there (about 15 minutes).

Here’s me overlooking Dove Lake, with the amazing Cradle Mountain in the background.

Here’s me again, onboard the Eagle, cruising down the Gordon River.

The Seal Cruise in Stanley was a highlight, they were a delight to watch, but boy did they smell bad!

Stanley is a beautiful little spot, I think my favourite place we visited. The prominent rocky outcrop is called “The Nut”.

Here I am (2023, blue shirt, light grey shorts) struggling up the hill towards the finish line in the Burnie 10.

Taking the car on the Spirit is a great way to see Tasmania – I’d recommend it!

We’re already planning our next trip to Tassie for early next year – there was so much of this beautiful little island we didn’t see. I have two trips to Burnie in November for work, but they don’t count.

Sassy, you were right in your comment about my heart rate during the Burnie 10. According to my HRM, I maxed out at 182 (106%) and averaged 169 (98%) – so a fair effort I guess.