SMC 10km Sun 16/11/08

Travelled with Heidi to Smithfield. Great conditions cool and light winds. I ran 30m 53s which was the usual, and Heidi was first lady home in 40m55s which is a new PB.
This week had a good interval run on tue 10 * 500 in 1m42s to 1m 46s and a good run down to the Cathedral. Some other runs in there too but lifes just too hectic to remember.
On Sunday it was Serena and Kate's dance recital. A fun time was had by all. Serena fell on one of the gym exercises but got back up again. After the show she was laughing about it .... she must be growing up.

Buffalo Creek Star - Sun 9/11/08

On Monday I was dead tired from the ride and its aftermath, so much so that I kept forgetting everything. I even managed to lock myself out of the office for 2 hours when I couldn't find my keys!
So I was surprised that on Tue morning Heidi and I ran the 10*500m intervals faster than ever. Maybe it was the freshly mown grass, or maybe we are just getting better. Heidi ran all the intervals sub 1m50s with a PB of 1m46s and I ran all mine 1m46s or less and on the final one I ran 1m39s.
No runs until Saturday due to work and exhaustion. On Friday night I flew to Melbourne for a work function at Rippon Lea house. In the morning I dragged myself out for a 15k run from the motel in Lygon St to Federation Square and then east along the Yarra Trail. It was a very enjoyable run. The weather was cool and the rowers were out in force along the river. It was fun to see if I could keep ahead of the eights. I ran along the river for 6.5k's according to the signs and then crossed the river for the return trip. This time there was an eight starting off just as I hit crossed the bridge so I really tried to put in an effort. Managed to hold maximum pace to just before the rowing sheds opposite Federation Square, so I was pleased with that effort. Then cruised back to Lygon Street.
Afterwards we visited my old friend Clare Mc. and we returned to Rippon Lea for the full tour followed by a great meal at the Ciccolina restaurant in St Kilda. (Highly recommended). Eventually got home about 10pm and fell into bed.
Next morning it was hard getting out of bed at 5.30am for the Buffalo Creek Star. Little voices were telling me "Its too late you won't make it", "Relax, enjoy some sleep" "Have a rest". Some how I did make it. The 6.20am group were just leaving as I pulled up. I managed to catch them at the first drink stop and then ran with two Action Jackson and Cameron till the 23k mark where I caught up with Mike K. and slowed down for a chat for a k or two. Also met Coly who had recently swum the English channel. He had a very inspirational story. 16 hours in 14 degree water. Wow, that is hard core. I ran on from Mike at the 25k mark and soon found Stefica and had a chat to her for a few hundred metres. I left her at the 26k mark and ran to the finish alone.
I felt strong over the final 4 k but the rough trail was not good for striding out. All up a slow Star of 2h40m.

Gong Ride 08

This turned out to be a super day. My company sponsored the local community at Malabar to ride in the Gong ride. We supplied a coach, a marquee, t-shirts, BBQ and organisation. The community got behind it and raised over $7000. Also four children including my 12 year old daughter Serena rode the 56kms from Heathcote to Wollongong. They were all troopers, well done Serena, Haylee, Josh and Tristan.

The weather was very kind to us with cool cloudy conditions but no rain and a tailwind.

We were inspired by Annette B, who suffers from MS and whose daughter Haylee also rode in the event. Some people inspire you with their quiet determination. Annette and Haylee are two such people and today my daughter Serena was too. She guts her way up the hills, and never complained or gave up.

Annette and her parents came down on the coach and welcomed us at the finish. That gave the ride a new meaning for all of us.
Special thanks go to Sarah B. for her great organisation, the Normandie Motel for catering and to everyone who came on the bus as riders and helpers. It was a privilege to be involved. Thank you.

Striders Lane Cove 10k

Travelled to race with Heidi, Greg and Suzanne. Humid day with light rain. Ran 39min 52 which I was happy with. I had to leave the event immediately after finishing to race down to Mittagong with a spare wheel for Dave who had spent the night by the roadside.
Earlier in week had good 10*500 reps at Pioneer park with Heidi. All below 1m50s the fastest 1m41s and also 10k on Thu.
Lots of cross training at work with diving and lifting all sorts of things.
Tomorrow is the Gong ride which my company has sponsored. So far our group "Annnettes Army" has raised over $7000. Its a wonderful cause. MS sucks.

Sunday 26th Oct

No run Friday due to late finish docking ships at Garden Island. Saturday morning CR 5k at Iron Cove. Ran off 20min but came in at 18m48s. Robert G and Suzanne L also came along.

Then took a group for Gong ride training at Heffron for two hours. Afterwards we had an all day party for Serena's 12th birthday including taking the 10 kids for a hike to the Coast graveyard to take rubbings of the tombstones.

Sunday morning went for 1 hour ride around Centennial with Monica. First half hour was easy then I went all out until I managed to lap Monica.

Thu 23/10/08

Rested my knee till Tue. Ran 10 * 500m intervals. Stated at 1m 51s and built up to 1m 40s. No pain in the knee but I could still "feel" it. No run Wed. Then Thursday ran 2 * 5.3km quick circuits of Malabar. No knee pain at all.

Maroubra Fun Run Sun 19-10-08

I was looking forward to this event. But on Thu I was running 1k intervals with Heidi J. when I got a sharp pain behind my right kneecap. I could still run on it but not flat out. So I have rested it since then and so no Fun Run.

Instead I watched from the side line. A lovely day but hot with very little wind.

Heidi ran in 33.09, Greg L. in 42, Neil agsin won the wheelchair, and Serena, Michele, Monica, Ricky Lilly and Elke, Kate and Geoffery all walked the 4k.

Brighton Beach Dash 12-10-08

Inaugural running of this 10km race along Brighton beach promenade. Bit of a dodgy surface but it was well organised and I had a comfortable run in 39.13. Please with that, only have to improve just over a second/km to go under 39.

Heidi J. ran a modern PB of 41.09. Her folks kindly gave me a lift out there. We were going to run back to Malabar but Heidi had a spectacular fall into the gravel after the race and took some bark off. So after doing an extra 10k we caught a cab.

Also this week I did 10*400m intervals Tuesday and 10k tempo on Thursday. I also dived twice a day which was fun but very tiring. Great weather though, we saw all sorts of marine life, the highlight being the first of the Humpbacks going south.

Jervis Bay 5-10-08

A day trip with my daughter Honor to Jervis Bay. We met up with Michael and Jessie at Callala and then Mark W. met us in his boat with Ian and Ray.

The weather was overcast but the sea was dead calm, so we were able to anchor right under Point Perpendicular. I have many happy memories of this site. It is big. The bottom is made of huge boulders stacked on top of each. Honor and I dived to 32 metres cruising in and out of the passages between the huge stone monoliths. We spent the dive photographing sea tulips (Below) and anemones (above). The water was cold and there was a green tinge due to algal bloom, but it was worth it. There is something special about the the heads at Jervis Bay. Diving anywhere round here is memorable.

Honor also found a super cute baby Port Jackson shark which sucked on to any thing that came near its mouth.

Afterwards we dived the Fairey Firefly wreck off Callala. This plane crash landed after a mid air collision in 1956. The details are here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VX381_Fairey_Firefly_wreck . The photo below shows a restored Firefly in RAN Air Wing colours.


The plane is virtually fully intact and there are few signs of "ratting". The parachute and compass binnacle are still in place.


By coincidence I am named after a sailor who was stationed at HMAS Albatross at the time of the wreck, and who was later killed in a car crash on the HMAS Albatross Road in 1958. He was my Uncle Alan and he is buried in the Service Graveyard at Nowra. I wonder if he worked on this plane?

When I was talking to my Uncle Noel a couple of months ago, he remembered Alan lovingly. They had served in Korea together. Alan was on board the carrier HMAS Sydney as an Aircraft Artificer, and Noel was a foot soldier at the front line. Noel was seriously injured by a Chinese grenade and spent two years convalescing.

In the meantime Alan had gone to Scotland to train as a diver with the Royal Navy, and while there he was selected for "special operations". He later enrolled in the military foreign language school at Point Cook, Victoria. Alan learned Russian and it was at his suggestion that Noel followed in his footsteps and applied to study Indonesian. They were also trained in interrogation techniques, and survival skills.

After Alan died, Noel completed Officer training and had a long career as an Indonesian intelligence expert.

Two months after I visited with Noel in his nursing home, and he told me all about Alan, he passed away aged 83. I hope the brothers have reunited in death. As Noel said to me tearfully "Alan was my best mate" That was 50 years after his brother's death.

The words of the poem "For the Fallen" rang very true as Noel remembered his brother so vividly and his comrades who fell in Korea.

There are many roads that we travel in life, and they have a way of converging as we get older. I wonder if this plane is a crossroads between my Uncle and I? Were his hands the last to touch the wings before it took off? Did he give the pilot a thumbs up as he taxied away?

PS... Speaking of roads converging, who should be sitting at the table at the Berry doughnut van when we pulled up but my sister-in-law Karen and my niece Emma. Karen kindly sprang for the donut and coffee and saved me a sprint to the ATM. Thanks Karen! The planets aligned for me that day.

Striders 10k - October 4th 2008

Striders 10k Homebush - 39.50 felt good. Bit of a strain in the last half but never felt like I wanted to quit. Light rain and muddy track.

Light week of running this week. Started running intervals with Heidi J.at Pioneer. Ran 10 * 400m on Tuesday and 5 * 300m Thursday.

Heavy diving week. Two dives a day every day. Great weather. Cuttlefish have gone beserk laying eggs on everything in sight.

Also saw some spectacular Blue Devil Fish

And Sea Dragons with berries.

Running since the Marathon

I felt very fresh after the marathon and very little muscle soreness. There was no time for recovery runs as I was at sea all week and diving most days.
I made it out on Friday evening for a brisk 5k run. Then on Saturday I went to the Coolrunners 5k handicap time trial at Iron Cove. Very civilised. I ran faily comfortably in 19.15 and then 21mins on the return. Very pleasant coffee with the CR people afterwards.

Today ran the Airport Star. Very lethargic. Very warm day forecast is 33deg. Took the short option of 26.4k and glad I did. Not much left in the tank at the end.

Low Iron

I am a regular blood donor and was surprised this week when I was rejected for donation because of low haemoglobin. So I went to see the Doctor Chris who advised that this is not uncommon in marathon runners! Who new? Not me. Looks like the diet missed out on a few vital minerals...like iron...Dohhhh!
So Chris is testing me for other possible causes of low iron like cancer, but the most likely explanation is that I haven't eaten enough iron rich foods like red meat, combined with endurance running which tends to deplete the body of iron.
The bonus is after I increase my iron/haemoglobin levels back up again I should have a lot more energy.

Sydney Marathon - 21-09-08

Decided not to run with the 3hr pacers but run according to how I felt. Made it to 21.1k at 90mins and then 30k at 2.10. I was expecting to hit the wall, so I tried to hold back but as I passed the turnaround on the City West link I felt better and better. I kept passing people and no one was passing me. That was unusual and also motivating. As I passed over the Glebe Island bridge for the second time I remembered last year that the 3.15 group passed me here, and I suffered terribly to the finish line. I also remebered that at the Gold Coast 2 months ago when I came to a complete halt at 39k with dizziness and fatigue. But today I was feeling good. I actually started to feel better than in the first half. But I new I had at least 7k to go so I was determined to hold back.
Then I was into Hickson Road, a long desolate straight. One runner was a long way front of me. I decided to increase speed just enough to catch him before the bend. I did! So I came up to the Wharf theatre and overtook a couple more runners. Then coming around Dawes Point I ran past the seawall that I had rebuilt and remebered how hard it had been working there. Only two k' to go so I let it rip, and somehow managed to run the last two k sub 4 mins. Time 3.04.?? Two minute PB and an 8 minute course PB.
I had so much extra energy that I ran back to Hickson Rd to find Mike and pace him home. He was suffering but hung on to run 3.50 which was 19 minutes better than last year.
What was the difference?
-1) I force fed myself carbs (pasta, bannanas, bread, honey, rice) for three days before hand.
-2) I filled myself with V8 juice and gatorade.
-3) I had easy days before the race
-4) During the race I had a GU before the start and at every 10k (even though I wasn't hungry)
-5) I sucked Glycogen pills the whole race
-6) My training while missing afew days due to flu and work has been consitent over the last 7 months.

Sydney Marathon Eve - 20-9-08

Its the eve of the Marathon and I can't say that I am confident. I have concentrated on 5k runs in the last two weeks. No long run last Sunday. Instead I managed just one sprint around Centennial Park after which I was stuffed, then a slow jog/walk home. I put this fatigue down to the flu hangover and a big day at sea working on Saturday.
Overall I think I am as fit as I ever have been but the Sydney course is not easy with hills at the Domain, Alison Rd, Darling harbour and City West Link. If I can crack 3.10 I will be very happy, and I will be content with anything under 3.15.

Flu

Best of Intentions to run in the Striders Sneek Peek 35k but the Flu took hold on Saturday night. Only ran a couple of 10k slow jogs through the week. On Sunday 7th ran the Willoughby winder which ended up being 32k with rain extensions. Felt pretty good.

New Diet Part 2 - Sat 30/8/08

Broke the diet on Tue night when I attended the wedding party for Gina and Toby. It was bring a plate and Toby being a chef, everyone brought something good! Had some chocolate, had some sausages, but also ate lots of great salad. Took Wednesday and Thursday off as I was so tired and sore. Friday ran home from work 12km. Saturday morning 10 hill repeats from the Sea rescue to the top of Howe St. Hard work. Have stuck to the diet. Lost 3kg this week.

New Diet

This week started new diet to get rid of lazy fat before the Sydney Marathon. My weight has gone up to 74kg. So I have sworn off fat, bread, tea and coffee, lollies, chocolate,cake... for the next 4 weeks. Target weight 69kg.
Ran 12k home from work via Lapa on Monday at 5min/k. It was murder. Legs very sore. Tuesday ran 5k to work and 12km back home. Legs still sore.

Mt Wilson to Bilpin August 24th 2008

Stayed in Blackheath with Mike and Stef, Michele and Serena. Very cold in the morning with a heavy frost but by start time of 10am it was cold but perfect for running, with clear skies and low wind.
I decided to hold back this year and was pleased to let people overtake me early on. I tried to hold 4.2m/k until the bridge. After the 5k drink break I pretty well ran by myself the whole way. Coming onto the bitumen I came upon a group of three and slowly I came up on them and went past. Then a short way down towards the river I picked up another. I had a very enjoyable run to the river, I could see an NRG runner in the distance on the long straights. He stopped at the drinks station and I continued up the hill. The hill! Boy it goes on forever, well 7k I think. The runner who stopped powered up and soon overtook me. I plodded up, and up, and up. Finally got the the Bells line road and had 1.5k to run. But I was pretty buggered. Got home in 2.49.40 which is a minute faster than last year.
Mike had a great run coming in at 3.12 which was much better than he expected.
In the afternoon Neil/Kath/Kate/Geoff /Drew and the Castros came up to Blackheath. On Sunday we all watched the Olympic Marathon and went on a bushwalk through Centennial Glen. The kids practised abseiling by the creek.
I also got in 5k of slow recovery run with Kath on Sunday morning and another 5k in the evening.

Clovelly Canter Sun 17-8-08

30k around the eastern suburbs. 2hr 20. No dramas. Also this week two interval sessions and one swim session.

City to Surf 10-8-08

Cold with light westerly blowing. Great conditions. Last year ran 57.50 and planned to run 1 minute faster this year. Twenty nine minutes at 7k, and 56.40 across the line. Its always hard to get going after standing for an hour at the start and the first three k's were a struggle, but then I just sat on 4min/k pace. By luck or experience I came in exactly as planned and feeling well. Then ran back to Rose Bay and walked with Michele and Serena to the finish.