Wipeout - The week of no running

Its a good thing I am so well trained for a marathon, because this week I had a seven day marathon at work with the commencement of the Desalination Pipelay Project and the TBM recovery. So for the first time in a long time I had a full seven days of no running.

Fortunately it was a successful week, and now I can look forward to some easier time, which should include time for running.

Key goals will be
SMH Half this weekend
Woodford to Glenbrook
Gold Coast maybe?
King of Mountain Mt Scarzi run
City to Surf
Mt Wilson to Bilpin
Sydney Marathon

New 10k PB

Since Canberra I have been feeeling terrific. I have kept up the fast 10k runs to Lapa and back and on the follwong weekend I ran a long run Saturday and 2 * 10k cuicuits of Lane Cove 10k course. This week again did the 10k sprints and then ran the Striders Homebush 10k in 38.59. I am getting better at judging pace. That's what I aimed for, so it was pleasing. Then ran the Tourist Trot Star on Sunday in 2hr 20. All good. Plenty of energy left. Went straight to work and dived all day. Still had energy left.

Canberra Marathon 19/4/09

We had planned a full weekend at Canberra but unfortunately I had to rush to a job at Tallowa Dam. Fortunately I still made it to Canberra by 4pm to see Monica and Greg and Heidi run in the 10k. Monica and Heidi struggled a bit and later that night Monica had a few fainting spells.

We had a very pleasant dinner with the Leamons on Saturday night, eating Thai take away. I slept very soundly. Got up at 5.45am and dressed, ate some porridge, guzzled some water and went back to bed for another precious 10 minutes sleep.

Ran down at 6.30 to the start and met up with Mike K who looked in good shape. Weather was perfect. Cool but clear and calm. Soon after the start I was able to settle in to 4.10 pace and as usual the first 10k I felt like a slug. I did the first 10k in 41.xx and the the half in 87. 30. All felt good.

I took a gu at 10k and 20k and sucked glucoden all the way. At the 25k mark Wayne Gregory caught me up and I ran on his heels until Cowbell corner where he kicked away. During the next 5k quite a few people overtook me which I thought was odd as I had maintained the same pace, getting to 30k in 2h 6min. That left me 54 minutes to do 12k if I wanted to go under 3 hours. MMMM....4.5min/k I should be able to do that shouldn't I?

Yes i should have. But in the end I came in at 3.03.xx. I came in with way too much energy. I clearly needed a little more moral fortitude and better pacing in the last 12k's. On the positive side it was a one minute PB and I never felt that i was going to hit the wall like at Gold Coast last July. Note for next time, don't fear the wall so much that you fail to challenge yourself in the last 12k.

After saying Hi to the family I ran back 4k to find Mike who surprisingly was suffering badly. I jogged back to the finish with him, hoping that my encouragement was a help, but he was in a bad way. Disappointing for him as he had put in a lot of training, and seemed very well prepared..

After the marathon I didn't feel particularly tired and so we all went to the markets at Kingston for a few hours. I must have walked another 42k! We had a great lunch with the Leamons including prawns and dips from the markets and an excellent dessert wine from the Snowy Mountains with some Baklava. Then I had a nap for a couple of hours and had to drive home.

Next day the DOMS was minor and on Tuesday morning I was able to go for a brisk 10k Golf course run with Heidi. By Wednesday all soreness was gone. I had a very fast 10k on the Golf Course Thusday, and finally on Saturday morning I ran a very satisfying Anzac Day special. From Home to Cape Banks, Henry Head, Browns Rock, Congwong Beach, Lap circuit, Up Anzac to Bueachamp (taking the line challenge along Anzac) and then my best ever run up Broome St, along the bay up Howe St and home. Very pleasing effort. All up 1hr 50min.

Lead up to Canberra Marathon

I managed to keep the interval sessions up and ran the shortened Vaucluse Variation star on 12th April. This is a fantastic course, hilly but very scenic. I also had what I rate as my worst run ever on the Friday before. I went to run down to Cape Banks, but after a promising first k, all I could do is stumble along and often walk. Oh well. So in the week before the marathon I decided to eat red meat which I did each night. I also rested with just a few light runs.

Ten Bridges Classic Star Sun 4/4/09

Lapa intervals and tempo runs throught the week plus a couple of good bike sprints with Graeme through the week.
On Sat 3rd it was Striders 10k at Lane Cove, which I was able to run comfortably in 39m26s which is a course PB of 10 secs and 46secs faster than 2 months ago.
Sun 4th was the 10 Bridges Star, which I started out slowly behinf the pack but was able to hold on to finish with the faster runners and still fell comfortable. Time overall 2h 12 min. Distanc3 29.5k.

Tallowa Weekend 28/29 March

On Tuesday I ran intervals solo at Pioneer Park and Wednesday it was a MLR of Lapa circuit. Thu 10 intervals at Laperouse with Heidi.
Then on Friday it was off for an emergency job at Tallowa Dam. This meant staying at the Golf club 19k from the dam. So next morning I got away at 5.40am in the absolute pitch dark. It was very still and quiet. The road is lined with tall forest and the only light came from the brilliance of the Milky Way.
I had no torch but I could just make out the white lines down the centre of the road. So I figured, what could be on the middle of the road, and just started running into the darkness. It was like some sort of boundless isolation booth. Gradually I settled into a quick pace, and soon the rhythm of my feet became all I was aware of until... something very very close by let out a tremendous GROWL. It felt like it came from just metres away.
Whoa, I have never stopped so suddenly in my life. Cluthching my penis to stop from wetting myself, I stood very, very still. What the hell was that! Not a dog, not a bull, ...I couldn't see anything just blackness. In my imagination I saw shapes all about me...was that a big roo standing in front of me? I thought about the old saying "a man alone is in bad company"
After several minutes of total stillness, I started to walk, then run. I never did find out what it was, but it was not happy!
The sky did not lighten till about 6.15, by which time I was up on the plateau and could see the peaks on the other side of the valley starting to appear. I let out a Coo-ee and was rewarded with a sensational echo from many kilometres away. This was turning into a great run. Then as the stars were beginning to fade a very bright meteor came down across the sky.
Eventually in full daylight I made it to the final steep 2.5k descent to the dam and ran down it flat out. At this point I noticed that my left foot was hurting. Arrived at the dam feeling pretty good overall at 7.03. Average pace 4.3min/km.

In the afternoon, I ran up Mt Scanzi which has the most wonderful views. My left foot had become very sore so I took it very slowly.

No run on Sunday as I decided to give the foot a rest, plus I had to go to work all day.

Jenolan Weekend 21/22 March 2009

Ron's 60th birthday! Yvette organised a great weekend at the Jenolan cottages. Arrived about 10pm on Friday night. Up about 6.30 and went for a pleasant 10k run down Kanangra road. Very peaceful, many Lyrebirds leapt out of the bush and scurried across the road as I passed by. Ran up the Oakey camp road and checked it out for a bushwalk later in the day.
About midday we drove to the Oakey camp road and with a whole mob we walked down the ridge from Oakey Camp to Jenolan. Navigation wasn't a high priority and we came down the wrong ridge, but it turned out very well, because we ended up coming over the ridge on top of the Grand Arch. Something I have always wanted to do.
Afterwards I took the Pepsi Cola challenge and ran from Caves house back up the hill 6k to the cabins. Its a big hill and I was please to be able to run it without stopping, and sprint when I got to the plateau.
Later I played a very feisty game of touch with Rohan, Geoffery and Alana. This was followed by a magnificent BBQ where we celebrated Ron's birthday.
Enjoyed an extraordinary sunset from the cabins. The view looked straight back to Narrowneck and the Six Foot Track.
Next morning I ran through the pine plantation to the west of the cabins. There were many special moments on this run. Including the encounter with a tame wallaby and its joey, and then the eerie run through the pine plantation with its total silence, before emerging into a big clear felled area around a creek bed.
When we drove home we unfortunately hit a huge traffic jam from Katoomba to Lawson. One very funny thing happened on the weekend. After I got back from the walk to Oakey Camp, I realised the car key wasn't in my camel back. Uh Oh. So what followed was a series of phone calls to Honor in Sydney to try and arrange a spare key, or a hire car. That turned out to be very difficult. So on Sunday morning I went to have a look for it, not thinking that I had much hope....but I found it immediately, sitting on the drivers seat of the unlocked car! D'OH.

Post Six Foot Runs

Rested on Sunday and Monday.
Tuesday ran 10 intervals around Laperouse. A little slower than usual but I was surprised how good I felt.
No run Wednesday.
Thursday ran three laps of the Heatbreak Hill circuit (3.6k) which is up the C2S hill from Rose Bay, then down the back streets to the shops again. The first was 18min, the second 16min and the last was 14min. A great workout on a beautiful morning.

Six Foot Track Sat March 14th 2009

I had been away in Fremantle for work all week, which included a cramped night at sea on a tug boat. But I also had some very pleasant runs including one around Fremantle cemetery (Final home of Bon Scott and Heath Ledger). The week wasn’t hectic but I ended up getting into Sydney airport at 7.15pm after a 4 1/2 hour flight and then to Blackheath at 10pm. So I was a bit tired. Pre race dinner of chocolate ice cream and chocolate. Mmmm.
In the morning I travelled with Mike and Stef to the start. It was ideal conditions. 13 degrees, light breeze and damp ground. I had an overwhelming feeling of sleepiness.
I joined the wave 2 start about three or four rows back. There was a big rush to the stairs. I had already made up my mind that I would run steadily to the river to save energy. Even so I managed to have my first of two race falls on the treacherous path down to the stairs. It was nothing, I rolled and bounced back onto my feet fortunately without a scratch.
At the top of the stairs the flying pack came to a sudden halt. Then it was a single file plod to the bottom. Why so slow? The stairs were wet and slippery, but I think it was mainly one woman who must be a good sprinter and made it to the stairs early, but who I later saw hobbling down the path like a fledgling chook, her arms out wide and tottering all over the place.
The trip down Nellie’s Glen was pleasant, except for a long toilet stop in the bushes. Across the road I still had a great feeling of sleepiness, and I kept thinking how will I ever make 45k’s.
Past the road we arrived at the first hill before the bush. A single file grassy knoll which brought many runners to a sudden walk after the easy downhill of Nellie’s Glen. The hill woke me up, and I quite enjoyed it. Into the bush on the way down to the river I fell in behind a very fit looking woman and decided to stay behind her. Several times she offered for me to overtake, but she was an excellent pacer and I refused. Conditions were excellent, with low fog banks in the river valley keeping conditions cool and moist.
We arrived at the river in 1h 25m. The river level was low, and as I waded through the cold water it felt great on my legs. All sleepiness was now gone and I was feeling good. So up the Mini Mini Saddle I went. I knew it was a long haul so I adopted the little engine approach “I think I can…” and just tried to hold a run which I felt comfortable with. I assumed at some point I would have to walk. After all, everyone else was walking! But I kept going, and going. I overtook ten runners, then twenty, then thirty. All of them wished me well as I overtook them. Finally I got to the cattle yards and the downhill section before the saddle. That was a nice break before going up again. But I was able to keep it going. The last pinch was hard but I knew I would make it by then. Once on top I coasted down to Alum creek and a few runners flew past me. “Let em go” I thought, there is only one person I am running against in this race, and that is me.
I still felt strong as I ran through the creeks in the valley passing the halfway mark and onto the Pluviometer hill. I knew this would be tough, and I was already planning a walk run strategy. And that’s how it was. I ran about two thirds of it, and walked the steeper pinches. Again I passed a lot of people including all those that passed me after the Mini Mini. I never saw those runners again.
I arrived at the top of the Pluvi at 2h.43min, and it was satisfying to reach it running. This is a false summit because the next 12k of the Black Range is uphill almost to the campground. I had hoped that I would be able to run the whole Black Range, but I wasn’t sure. It is a tree lined corridor of pain and disappointment In my previous two runs this is where cramping had stopped me in my tracks.
So off I went along the Black Range. The weather remained perfect, cool with light northerly breezes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could still run quite well and that the hills were no obstacle. I was overtaking many people, and during the whole Black Range just two people passed me, who I would later reel in. Some Wave 1 runners now started appearing. On and on the Black range continued, winding through the bush like a road to now where.
Finally I started to glimpse pine trees and I knew that I was nearing the campground. 10k to go. Still I was feeling strong.
Onto the Deviation and I knew the bastard rock strewn hills awaited me. It was on the first of these that trouble struck when my right quad suddenly cramped. I had to walk and massage it at the same time and after five minutes it had passed, but I could feel it lurking, so I slowed down a little to keep it under control. Still I was passing people and not being overtaken. I had to walk up the steepest of the deviation hills and arrived at the road at 12pm, or 3h 55m from the start. 7.1k to go. Here fortunately I was able to get some salt, as I could feel my calves starting to cramp.
Two year ago cramps had caused me to walk most of the Black Range, so I was determined to run at a pace that didn’t bring them on. Strider Andrew fell in behind me as we ran down to the cottages. Along here I had my second fall, which fortunately again left me unscathed, and I bounced back on to my feet. When I arrived at the cabins with 4 k to go I was no longer strong, but just hanging in there. I was balancing fatigue, cramping and pain with my desire to get to the finish line.
Three people overtook me in the last 4 k. One was a fresh looking young man in a yellow shirt, the other a solid 30 year old who was walking the hills and then sprinting the flats, and the other was the woman who paced me to the river. She had run a great race and in the end beat me by 30secs.
Finally I arrived at the long downhill two 2k from the finish. A sharp pain had developed in my right side which was agony on the downhill but I knew there was just 10 minutes of pain left, so I told myself to suck it up.
In previous years, I had become very emotional as I caught my first glimpse of Caves House through the trees, but this year I simply had a quiet feeling of satisfaction, which came from doing something better than I had before. I crossed the line in 4h 39 m 08s which is 21m 10s improvement on last time and I felt far better afterwards then last time.
Mike also ran an excellent race to get a 15 minute PB of 5hr 58min.
I know I will go another 20min faster next time. The key things I did right this time were:
-Consistent long runs with lots of hills
-Good carbo loading before hand
-A reasonable taper
-Kept a steady pace early
-Kept sucking Minties all the way

To go faster I will need to run all the Pluviometer. Train longer to avoid fading in the final 10k.

One Week before Six Foot Track, Sun 8/3/09

Here is an update one week before Six Foot.
I was able to maintain momentum after the Equalizer but I cant remember the individual days very well. I do remember that I ran Heidi's secret hill course. Its up C2S heartbreak hill then down a back road to Rushcutter's. All up a 1.6km circuit. Run three of them in a row and you know about it.
My work has got in the way as always. And despite the GFC we have never been more in demand. I enjoy working as a Diver but its tiring. last Saturday I had to work all day and just got out for a light run in the evening. Next morning I was up bright and early for the Pymble Pushover, but as usual I had trouble finding the start in the dark (ie. I was running late). So instead I ran three circuits of the nearby Striders Lane Cove 10k course, starting at the top. The first circuit was fine, the second misery and the third was runners high, pure pleasure. One of the nice things about running here is all the others runners and cyclists. There is always someone to pace you. Afterwards I rode circuits of Centennial Park with Graeme. I rode one hard with him slip streaming, then vica versa.
This week i didn't get many runs in mid-week, and I ran late for the Striders 10k on Saturday. So I gave up and turned back to run 5k round Heffron. Then 10k later in afternoon with Heidi, who is sick, so it was a slow run.
Today I left the house at six am and ran two 15k laps of the hilly Malabar/Laperouse/Maroubra circuit which features my old friends Broome St, Howe St, and Bilga Cres. It was hard. First lap took 1hr 20, the second 1 hr 15. I had one good sprint on lap 1 against some bikes up Howe St.
All in all, I feel I am as well prepared for Six Foot as ever, and I am confident of breaking my PB of 5Hr 18s.
This week I am away in Perth till Friday attending a course. Hopefully I will have a restful week there.

The Equaliser 22/2/09

First time at this course, heavy rain meant the creeks were in flood , but it stopped in time for the event. The rain also washed away most of the flour markers. Its a long downhill first and I certainly felt stiff to the creek. But on the uphill I felt I was going pretty well.
Along the bitumen I lost sight of the leaders and could not see the turn off. So I slowed down and checked with the runner behind me called Nick. After a short delay, we found the turn off, and headed back into the bush. After another 2k we came to the "Pump house" turnoff, and could not see any arrows. Nick thought we should go straight up the hill, so up we went. After a k or so I noticed that there were no other footprints...mmmm....wrong way!
We turned around, and after a 4 or 5min delay we were back at the pump house. It turned out that after the event, we weren't alone. A lot of others got lost. the remainder of the run was quite pleasant. I was psyching myself up for the hill but in fact the crest came much faster than I expected. All up time 71mins.

Oh my god this is a hard sport

I didn't run Wed/Thu/Fri due to work and social commitments. The main social commitments was my 20th wedding anniversary!!! Wow, that a long time. Thank you Michele. Celebrated by going to Honor's HSC briefing at her school. No, no, we went out the night after the anniversary to dinner and saw Grand Torino at the Greater Union Gold Star. That is a great movie, Clint Eastwood draws together so many elements of the decline of the USA, and says it with such tight dialogue. The ending was a little corny and convenient, but it is fiction after all. His character reminded me so much of my recently deceased uncle Noel.

But back to running, which is the cause for the title. I felt like I had risen from the dead when I got up at 5am this morning. I had gone to bed at 7pm, never having felt more exhausted. I knew that I had to get out for the long run, but it would be a job of work. I headed up along the coast to Dover heights about 17 km away, and very hilly. The first five k's I was just a dead man jogging, then bit by bit I started to come good. When I got to Coogee a girl started following me and started gaining, so I put in an extra sprint through the Waverly graveyard but still she was gaining. Just past Bronte she overtook me, thanks I thought just the incentive I need, and I hung onto her heels. She started slowing down at one point, so I said "Don't slow down now!" and she picked it up again. Finally she turned off at South Bondi, I think we both appreciated the push we gave each other.

So I carried on up to Dover heights with a new burst of energy. At the shop on top of the hill I bought a banana and orange juice. The proprietor insisted on giving me a croissant, no charge. It went straight down.

The return trip was back along the coast to Tamarama then I went up the stairs to the Telstra tower at Waverly. These were the stairs that I had almost passed out on two weeks ago. A large group of Can-Too runners were making their way up the hill, which I am please to record I was able to run without difficulty despite the 25k in my legs.

At Waverly I went down Carrington Rd through the back of Coogee and up the hill to Higgs St and onto Malabar road at the graveyard. Then down Torrinton along Maroubra and up Broome st , then finally up Howe st and home. Plenty of hills and only the one stop at Dover heights.

All up time 3hr 20mins. Felt absolutely buggered afterwards. The last 10k from Carrington Rd hill I just kept thinking, "this is so hard", "boy am I hurting", and "death can't come soon enough" but I made it. It was the dread of those 6ft Track hills that kept me going.

Hot then cold

Sat 7/2/08
Striders 10k I just didn't have a lot of puff, or possibly enthusiasm, and ran only 40.07. Pretty poor effort but not a disaster. Heidi on the other hand beat me for the first time with a 1.5 minute PB to record 39m28s to be third female. Wow, that is a 5 1/2 minute improvement in six months! Afterwards I went to work with Honor, install a sonar blank on a ship at GI, and then went out in the company's new boat. Exhausting day. It was stinking hot. 40+

Next day I intending to get to the Hornsby Hurricane star but I just couldn't get out of bed early enough. When I realised I wasn't going to make it I stopped at the Lane Cove course which was on the way and ran two laps and bit extra. All up 25k. It was really hot, and as it turned out this was the day of the Victorian bushfire disaster.Over 1800 homes destroyed and 190+ dead. That puts running into perspective.

I had Monday and Tue off with work commitments and then had two good runs on Wed and Thu nights. I ran the 14 km from home to Lapa and then up to Maroubra beach, up Broome st and home. Ran quite hard. On Fri morning could only manage early morning drills for half an hour.

Sat 14/2/08
It poured rain on Friday and Saturday morning so I gave the Roseville Ripsnorter a miss and ran the reverse Clovelly Canter again. Fortunately this time I had a bit more energy and was able to run the whole thing with only drink breaks including the Tamarama steps!!!! All up exactly three hours for 33k or so. (I had a few scenic long cuts around Waverly cemetery)

On Sunday It once again poured rain and I had a big sleep in till about 10am. I don't remember the last time I did that! Later I went out for a moderate 6k run.

Monday I was up early and ran 12k loop to the Cathedral. I had a 10k run in the evening in beautiful conditions. Big cumulus clouds and very still.

Tues I ran 8 intervals around Lap with Heidi and about 4k of warmup. She goes to the Masters games on Wed to compete in the 8k cross country. She should go well.

Then work got in the way...

After the three really positive 30k days, I was sidelined by work and couldn't get out for another run till Sat morning. I ran the reverse Clovelly Canter again with Ken W and his girlfriend Milly. They are training for the full iron man at Port Macquarie.
Milly is an impressive woman, her schedule is crazy but organised. I asked her my usual small talk question "what would you like on your tombstone?" and she gave the best answer I have ever heard , she said "Kick it to me!"
The run was at a slow pace to the half way mark at Malabar when I suddenly felt ill had to make an urgent visit to the bushes!!! I got going again, and caught them at Maroubra.
Ken and I then picked up the pace and ran at 4.2k/min to Bronte where Ken turned off, and I continued on up the Tamarama steps. Half way up I felt giddy and exhausted and just had to sit down. I was done. Made it back to the car at a slow jog, all up 30.7k in 2h 50min.
No runs till Tuesday morning when I had my first run with Heidi for the year. We ran 10 rolling intervals of Laperouse loop. Very humid and tiring but both of us seemed strong. See how we go at Striders Lane Cove on Saturday.

Megalong Return

View from the top of Carlons Head towards the Black Range


I spent Mon to Fri working intensively at North Head STP from 5am to late. So I had to pass on running. Fortunately I was able to get away Friday evening for a return trip to Carlons Farm at Megalong Valley with Neil Kate, Geoff, Michele and Serena. The forecast for Sydney was for over 40 deg so I hoped the Mountains would be a bit cooler. In the morning I was very tired and we hung around the campsite while the girls danced and Geoffrey threw his boomerang. Then after poking around Blackheath antique stores in the morning, Michele dropped me off at the Explorer's Tree at 1pm for what proved to be an epic adventure.



View to the Campground from Carlons Head - 450m below



It was hot, over 31 degrees but humidity only 73% and a fresh westerly wind. I ran down Nellies Glen to the Megalong road and turned left to Carlons Farm. I plodded along feeling quite comfortable, but I was careful to keep sipping water. I arrived at Carlons Farm just as Michele and Serena turned up in the car. Serena had stubbed her toe, so I carried on up to Bellbird Point which had incredible views of the Cox's river and Breakfast Creek. then on a whim I ran up to the Medlow Gap road and looked for the Carlons Head track. I couldn't find a track so I bush bashed straight up the hill until I came to the cliffs...I really should have told Michele about this beforehand, but I couldn't resist...I scaled the cliff using the chains and hand holds...it was a bit exposed and the wind was gusting over 20knots straight at the cliff... but the climb wasn't hard and the next thing I know I was on top. That was a change in elevation of 450 metres in 2k or a gradient of 25% overall. So I called Michele from the top, and we arranged to meet in Katoomba at the Golden stairs. I ran along Narrowneck at a steady pace enjoying the most wonderful views in the afternoon sun. It was hot, and I had run out of water but the exhilaration of being on top kept me going. It was about 32k all up with some very big hills.
View back to campground from Bellbird Point

Afterwards we had a delicious Indian meal at the Arjuna restaurant in Katoomba before returning to our collapsed tents at Carlons farm. (the wind had blown the over)
I was up at 6am on Sunday to a beautiful cool morning with light drizzle and moderate southerly wind. The tent was surrounded by kangaroos, some with joeys and two big males who were duking it out on their hind legs. This time I ran up to the Medlow Gap road and then 9k round to Taro's Ladder. The climb was taxing and it was hard to keep running afterwards, but I eventually perked up and ran to the coffee shop near the Katoomba oval. All up 25k with a 340m change in elevation overall.
Michele and Serena met me at the coffee shop, and after breakfast we had a great visit to the Scenic Railway. They really have done a great job with the boardwalk through the rainforest. It was interesting to see the use of lightweight galvanised channels to make the supports.
In the afternoon we had a disappointing meal at the Alexandra pub at Leura (that place has gone downhill quickly), dropped in at the Castros and got home about 6.
Next morning was Australia Day and I dragged myself out to run the Clovelly Star in reverse. I plodded along in ideal conditions to cover the 32k (with my extra bits) in 3 hours, Fairly slow but the hills of the previous days were holding me.

Narrabeen 32k and Clovelly Star 30k

I recovered from the flu suddenly and went to the Six Foot track training group 32k run across Narrabeen plateau. I thought the pace might be slower which would suit my flu recovery, and also I really wanted to see this area. It was a very pleasant morning, overcast and cool. About 30 runners. The organisers were just that, super organised with water drops everywhere. Due to the nature of the trails and the many turnoffs, it was a slow pace as we kept regrouping and going single file through the bush. I had quite a few good conversations along the way. The last seven k's or so we were able to sprint out along the excellent track around Narrabeen lake. I felt good and really enjoyed it.
Clovelly Star - Hmmm, should I do another thirty k on Sunday? Well I felt OK and it was local, so I joined the 6.20 group and off we went. I was tired but I didn't have any trouble keeping up along the hilly course along the coast to Malabar. After the hills the pace quickened (or I slowed) and the group started to break up. I stayed in contact until Kensington and the front four slowly pulled away. I came in about 500m behind, and felt pretty good. Tired but no injuries.

Then went off the Mike and Stefs' for the Warriewood swim. I missed that but had a great day and spent a couple of hours in the small surf with the kids. A great day.

The Flu returns.

I thought I had kicked the flu but it kicked back in with a vengeance and I had to lie low from Monday to Thur.
Finally got out for a run to the office and back on Friday.

Megalong Weekend Jan 10/11

Cricket at the Campground

Drove up to Carlons Farm camp ground with Neil, Geoff, Kate Serena, Michele and Honor. I made a silly error and we wasted an hour going up the Shipley Plateau. Finally got to the campsite and we had it all to ourselves, which was just as well as it was midnight and we made a lot of noise.
I slept very soundly after a week of flu, and we had a quiet morning exploring the area. Michele and Honor weren't into camping this weekend and went back to Sydney.
I took Geoff, Kate and Serena on a great hike from the Megalong road up the Six foot track to the Nellies Glen Turnoff, then up to the Narrowneck tunnel (Rennies). The kids were troopers and we had fun finding our way through the pitch black tunnel, and getting thoroughly filthy. We emerged onto the Federal pathway and followed it back to the Golden Stairs. I saw several Lyrebirds and found someones hidden lunch which animals had pulled apart. It included some Full O Fruit biscuits which I greedily ate.

Inside Rennie's Tunnel

We met Neil at the mountain top and then had a meal at the Blackheath pub, before going back to the tents at Carlons.
Saturday night was one of the most beautiful that I remember. A full moon came up through a misty sky about 10pm. It was dead still. All the bush was lit up by the moon as if it were a dream, the cliff of Narrowneck could be clearly seen. The weather was perfect, and I left the tent flap open. About 1 am I woke up to see the enormous moon filling the tent door.
At 5.30am I dragged myself out for a run. On the way back I had noted the didtasnces from ther campsite. So I ran with the sunrise, kangaroos and wombats along the beautioful Megalong valley to the Coffee shop and back. The outward trip was a struggle with the flu setting in, but I recovered on the return trip and ran along happily, at about 4.3min/k. 30k all up
Afterwards we had a fun game of cricket with our kids and some fellow campers Carol and Geraldine and their boys.
Later we hoked up the nearby hill and claimed it with a cairn of rocks, and the drove down through Biolpin to visit Catherine and Michaels Arabian stud. We learned a lot about Arabs, and I have to agree they are beautiful animals.

The Flu

Aaargh... the kids had now I got it. For a week as it turned out. This flu hung around for a week and I lost my voice for three days. Nio running for five days. Fortunately it went away very suddenly on Thursday.

Tuesday Sprints

Mon 5/1/08 Ran to work and later walked home. Very hot. Cycled to Airport and back to farewell Fred and Cindy.
Tue 6/1/08 Early meeting at Manly. Ran home at 7pm and stopped for 10*400m sprints at Pioneer. Pretty stiff after the weekend, ran them between 1.44 and 1.57.

Dee Why Dash 4/1/09

27k from Dee Why Surf club up to Oxford Falls then to Allambie Heights, Manly and along the coat to Dee Why. There were some big hills and one big down hill. I felt pretty good getting through it in 2:25. Mentally the hills were tough especially the last one at the end.
Yesterday I went on a 5 hour bike ride (in the saddle) from Malabar to Lillyfield where I met Graham, then all around Homebush Park, then on to Enfield for coffee with the Castros, then back along Cooks River and Foreshore drive. Left knee sore afterwards so I iced it and took Voltaren.
Last weekend I ran in the CR 5k in 18.53. Heidi ran 19.44. In the last week I also ran Heidi's secret Coogee Hill course, and we ran downhill intervals at Lapa. Numerous other runs, around Lapa/Malabar.