Do I Really ...

have to go back to work that is?

Have had a good week of running. Managed to get in 4 runs including a 10 k run up big mountain (formerly known as 'killer hill') which felt good. I also had a good walk up one of the steepest mountains close to home and realised that walking up and down mountains must be the best exercise there is.

I realised after this morning's run that I am feeling excited abut running again. The last few runs have felt good. I was even reading a marathon training plan this morning (just out of interest no definite plans in that direction).

This Week

Run: 28km
Walk: 12km
Total: 40
Year Total: 138.6

Home Again

Back from our quick visit to Adelaide (made even quicker by a cancelled flight due to low cloud/rain in Coffs which meant arriving a day later than expected). I had a nice time and managed two runs while there. It was nice to run in a dry climate but it was very windy on one of them. Caught up with lots of family except two niece - J very disappointed to only catch up with 16 out of 18 cousins these holidays.

Yesterday I finally had my appointment with the gastroenterologist (5 months later) and will have to have a gastroscoscopy sometime in the next 3 months to get a definitive diagnosis of the coeliac. The great part about this is that I get to eat gluten for a week or two before the procedure. I am already planning the pizza, beer, bread, real muesli, Lindor balls, etc (see how deprived I am). It will be interesting (and hopefully not too unpleasant) to see if the gluten has much effect.

I also managed a run yesterday before heading off to the appointment. 7 ks up the road in 42.43 - av. HR: 168. After the appointment I managed a marathon of sorts - buying D's books for high school. I learnt a valuable lesson - go to the newsagency. They are so much better organised than Big W (and similar prices) and also check out second hand book stores. I accidentally stumbled across the atlas needed for $6.00.

Weekly Round Up (for last week)

Run: 13KM ???
Walk: 16KM
Week Total: 29
Year Total: 98.6

Scott - you will need to look closer ... as in behind the tree (in the brown murky water:)

Monday Morning

Can anyone guess what this is?

Ran 7ks yesterday at about 6.00PM and it was still about 29 degrees and felt hot. I took it easy and was pleased that my average heart rate was 158 (which at least reflected that I was taking it easy). Time in zone (according to HRM: 28.47)

Weekly Round Up

Run: 20.6KM

Walk: 21KM

Weekly Total: 41.6

Year Total: 69.6

Off to Adelaide with boys tomorrow for a week. I will be running but not blogging as my parents have no internet. I'm looking forward to some dry weather (sorry Adelaideans!) as it has been a very humid start to the year here.

I Choose Dingoes

The title reflects my new running mantra. At times I can get a bit freaked out when running and I'm not sure if it's my overactive imagination or running solo in the bush that does it. At the moment the cicadas are crazy-loud, you feel like you are in a science fiction movie and it is very hard to hear anything else. It is a little disconcerting as I rely on my sense of hearing to figure out what is going on around me while I am running due to the many twists and turns my road takes. So I am easily spooked at the moment.

So what do dingoes have to do with all this? As long time readers would be aware I have had quite a few 'encounters' with dingoes whilst out running. Admittedly the most threatening they have been is either following me for about 5 minutes or just staring at me before running away.

About a week ago while running up the road I came across a dingo only 500m from home so I decided to run down the road (decisions, decisions). The run was okay but as I came back up my own driveway our next door neighbours' (on the down the road side) two fully grown male rottweilers came growling at me out of nowhere and scared the heck out of me. Luckily the neighbour was out on his mower ... I had picked up a handful of rocks and yelled at them by this time.

So the upshot of all this is that dingoes are much less scary than fully grown rottweilers and so I will run up the road and stop being paranoid! I usually love it up there but I think those cicadas are sending me crazy.

Today's effort: 8.2ks (the longest one in a while) in 52.29. I'm happy with that and am still figuring out the heart rate monitor - accidently reset it when I got back today and didn't get to look at the data first.

Sunday Snapshot

Some wild weather and rough seas in this part of the world this week.

I will need to increase the ks this week but I blame the weather as it has been very wet here. Apparently our road was cut off but we have been at home blissfully unaware. This morning's run was extremely humid. I am still figuring out the heart rate monitor and need to adjust it again. My average was 165.

Weekly Round Up

Walked: 15k

Ran: 13k

Week Total: 28k

Year Total: 28k

New Year Goals

Decided to keep the goals few and simple in the hope that I might actually be able to achieve them. I am turning 40 this year so being fit and healthy is even more important.

1. Cover 2008 kms - running and walking.
2. Run at least 2 half-marathons.
3. Complete a half-marathon in under 2 hours (luckily I saved this one for this year!)
4. Complete a fun run with J - maybe the City to Surf.
5. Use this blog more (I will need more running talk now that my car pool buddy and fellow runner S is moving interstate - I need that running talk as everybody else finds it really boring ... I wonder why?)

I think that will do. I have had one run with the heart rate monitor and it was mostly in the 90%s. I remember from aerobics when I was about 19 that my heart rate was always higher than everyone else's. I will have to figure out how to adjust it.

I have already started the 2008km goal but didn't get out yesterday as it rained all day. It means that I have to walk or run 5.4 ks per day on average so it should be achievable if I am consistent.