Coach Tippett thinks that my current program is some of his best work yet....................let me be the judge of that...................
Yesterday's run session in crisp pre-dawn conditions (4.30am) consisted of a warm up, 8 x 1km efforts and a cool down. I followed the run session with a challenging yoga class.................the stretch after the run is like the cherry on top of the ice-cream :)
It is almost 1 year since I started this blog.......................the sole purpose was to document my progress, thoughts and achievements after the ill fated trip to the Gold Coast to run a marathon.
What I have realised is that shoes (old, new or otherwise) have not featured anywhere enough! It is also insightful to read back over my entries and get glimpses of how I was seeing the world. But more than that, running has shown me that when things get tough, somehow, from somewhere deep inside me, I find a source of strength and determination to push through the pain and keep moving........................my training this past year is evidence of my tenacity, my resilience and my passion................................having this blog is a nice reminder :)
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Monday, 25 June 2012
Pedalling the Pavé
What an outrageous and crazy spectacle to signal our arrival @ Hawthorne Velodrome (after the trail run yesterday morning) for the start of Melburn Roobaix (http://fyxomatosis.com/index.php/melburn-roobaix-mainmenu)
For those unfamiliar (me included) with what has been a cycling cult classic over the past 5 years, Melburn Roobaix is a cycle rally based on the French spring classic 'Paris-Roubaix' which is one of the oldest cycle races in the world.
Like the French version the route incorporates some of Melburn's longest and bumpiest cobbled pavé sectors, dirt tracks, cycle paths and finishes at the Brunswick outdoor velodrome.
Unlike the French version there are no prizes for first, second or third. It is not a race.
There was lots of lycra. There were long socks with dubious costumes-see below. There were many pairs of skinny jeans. No matter what sect of the cycling religion you follow, there were fellow bretheren. Join in the fun whether old and new, young and old, ladies and gents, on bling bikes or beaters; fixed or free, geared or singlespeed, one wheel or two.
I was decked out in a black long sleeve thermal and wore a classic green cycling top from Paris no less, paired with two pairs of gloves-black ones bought last weekend in Hobart under fingerless gloves patterned with cowhide, black jeans, scarf and my Nutcase "I love my brain" #8 ball helmet...........and my pink Diesel sneakers................check me out..................
For a chick who doesn't ride very often at all (last time I was on a pushie was to St Kilda from home and back again about a year and a half ago), my efforts surpassed my expectations..................over 5 hours we covered about 60kms and climbed some steep hills and sections of pavé(cobblestones) .................. 2 fabulous (experienced cyclists) that joined me on this adventure are to be thanked HUGELY for helping me with the cycling etiquette that kept me safe (out of potholes, eventually away from shattered glass and on my side of the road/path)...........................I misinterpreted hand signals early on, thinking that the pointing and spirit finger movements were pointing out scenic aspects.....................BONG BONG.................after riding through broken glass that I had been signalled to avoid - I had been looking at the ground to find what was of great interest but did not realise it was in fact the glass- I clarified the meaning of the non verbal gestures. I have added a call-out to the repertoire of cyclists......................cycling etiquette 101: when approaching a crossroad, the one in the front checks for traffic and calls out one of 2 things:- clear means all good to cross, stopping means.......it's not ok to cross! I have simply added an extra dimension to the call-out.................clear if you hurry..................the girls riding with me yesterday clearly understood my call-out! The pitch at which it is stated/shrieked/squealed indicates how quickly to hurry!
For those unfamiliar (me included) with what has been a cycling cult classic over the past 5 years, Melburn Roobaix is a cycle rally based on the French spring classic 'Paris-Roubaix' which is one of the oldest cycle races in the world.
Like the French version the route incorporates some of Melburn's longest and bumpiest cobbled pavé sectors, dirt tracks, cycle paths and finishes at the Brunswick outdoor velodrome.
Unlike the French version there are no prizes for first, second or third. It is not a race.
There was lots of lycra. There were long socks with dubious costumes-see below. There were many pairs of skinny jeans. No matter what sect of the cycling religion you follow, there were fellow bretheren. Join in the fun whether old and new, young and old, ladies and gents, on bling bikes or beaters; fixed or free, geared or singlespeed, one wheel or two.
I was decked out in a black long sleeve thermal and wore a classic green cycling top from Paris no less, paired with two pairs of gloves-black ones bought last weekend in Hobart under fingerless gloves patterned with cowhide, black jeans, scarf and my Nutcase "I love my brain" #8 ball helmet...........and my pink Diesel sneakers................check me out..................
For a chick who doesn't ride very often at all (last time I was on a pushie was to St Kilda from home and back again about a year and a half ago), my efforts surpassed my expectations..................over 5 hours we covered about 60kms and climbed some steep hills and sections of pavé(cobblestones) .................. 2 fabulous (experienced cyclists) that joined me on this adventure are to be thanked HUGELY for helping me with the cycling etiquette that kept me safe (out of potholes, eventually away from shattered glass and on my side of the road/path)...........................I misinterpreted hand signals early on, thinking that the pointing and spirit finger movements were pointing out scenic aspects.....................BONG BONG.................after riding through broken glass that I had been signalled to avoid - I had been looking at the ground to find what was of great interest but did not realise it was in fact the glass- I clarified the meaning of the non verbal gestures. I have added a call-out to the repertoire of cyclists......................cycling etiquette 101: when approaching a crossroad, the one in the front checks for traffic and calls out one of 2 things:- clear means all good to cross, stopping means.......it's not ok to cross! I have simply added an extra dimension to the call-out.................clear if you hurry..................the girls riding with me yesterday clearly understood my call-out! The pitch at which it is stated/shrieked/squealed indicates how quickly to hurry!
Bitumen is boring!
Tried out my first ever trail run yeserday morning in the Salomon Trail Running Series (http://www.salomontrailseries.com.au/) .....................it was fun.....................one of the best things was how short the distance was - 5km....................to have the run started and finished in under 30 minutes is a dream! Yesterday's race was held at Kew (Studley Park)...........it was scenic, muddy, fresh and crisp, the air was filled with chattering birds (probably laughing at us all), running through fern-fringed surrounds, jumping over slippery muddy puddles, weaving through towering stands of gums and sweeping along flowing trails beside rivers and creeks. And for someone who was just out to give it a go and was enjoying the scenery along the way I managed to come 6th in my category.
Looking forward to getting dirty again :)
Looking forward to getting dirty again :)
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy
Post birthday run once we were back in Melbourne.........................it was struggle-town!
Anyway that was Sunday and today is Tuesday.......................this morning started off with a yoga class and was followed with a quick run session that consisted of a warm up, 3 x 1km @ race pace with 3 minute float between each kilometre and then a 10 minute warm down...easy peasy lemon squeezy
Hope your day has been easy so far too :)
Anyway that was Sunday and today is Tuesday.......................this morning started off with a yoga class and was followed with a quick run session that consisted of a warm up, 3 x 1km @ race pace with 3 minute float between each kilometre and then a 10 minute warm down...easy peasy lemon squeezy
Hope your day has been easy so far too :)
Monday, 18 June 2012
Let her eat cake!
Ah another year older, not certain that I am any wiser............................I spent my birthday in gorgeous new surrounds...................Hobart! Suprisingly to this destination we did not take our running gear..............
H is for happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday Miss Leannie, happy birthday to me!
O is for Oh I cannot believe that I was told that Hobart wouldn't be any colder than Melbourne......and that I believed what I was told!........on the way to breakfast we needed to buy gloves......................on top of Mt Wellington the wind was howling and it was minus 6.6 degrees!
B is for brilliant breakfasts each morning at quirky little cafes..................check out Machine Laundry Cafe as well as Tricycle Cafe :)
A is for the Henry Jones Art Hotel (http://www.thehenryjones.com/) located on Hobart's waterfront. Love!
R is for red kid suede shoes for my birthday! Dorothy eat your heart out! Love, love, love!
H is for happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday Miss Leannie, happy birthday to me!
O is for Oh I cannot believe that I was told that Hobart wouldn't be any colder than Melbourne......and that I believed what I was told!........on the way to breakfast we needed to buy gloves......................on top of Mt Wellington the wind was howling and it was minus 6.6 degrees!
B is for brilliant breakfasts each morning at quirky little cafes..................check out Machine Laundry Cafe as well as Tricycle Cafe :)
A is for the Henry Jones Art Hotel (http://www.thehenryjones.com/) located on Hobart's waterfront. Love!
R is for red kid suede shoes for my birthday! Dorothy eat your heart out! Love, love, love!
T is for how travel opens your world.......................T is also for thank you x
Thursday, 14 June 2012
From Paris with love
Listen to this song, From Paris to Berlin whilst reading today's entry :)
Today's 90 minute run session was not really held in Europe but we did run the length of Collins St from the Paris end to the New York end......................past Chanel, Bally, Coach, Bulgari, Hermes...............................we may as well have been running down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, with luxury specialty shops and large deciduous trees lining the streets...................the intervals run session took us from South Melbourne (parked out front of yoga) up to The Tan, past Birrarung Marr to Collins St, down Collins to Docklands, across to the Convention Centre, by Crown Casino, along the river back to The Tan and back to yoga........................15kms.....................we then headed into a morning Vinyassa Flow yoga class...........aaaahhhhhh!
(PS did an hour run yesterday foloowed by a weights session)
x
Today's 90 minute run session was not really held in Europe but we did run the length of Collins St from the Paris end to the New York end......................past Chanel, Bally, Coach, Bulgari, Hermes...............................we may as well have been running down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, with luxury specialty shops and large deciduous trees lining the streets...................the intervals run session took us from South Melbourne (parked out front of yoga) up to The Tan, past Birrarung Marr to Collins St, down Collins to Docklands, across to the Convention Centre, by Crown Casino, along the river back to The Tan and back to yoga........................15kms.....................we then headed into a morning Vinyassa Flow yoga class...........aaaahhhhhh!
(PS did an hour run yesterday foloowed by a weights session)
x
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Just perfect
I have to say that the past week has delivered the most perfect running conditions....................except they have been wasted on me because I have either been a) sick with gastro and couldn't have given a toss or b) just not keen on heading out in temperatures that are hovering around the big fat zero!
This morning was no different........still, clear and crisp conditions outside.............but try as I might to visualise myself running the gritty Tan track, I pulled the doona closer to my face and grabbed another 30 minutes of snuggle before getting up to head to yoga........................yoga that is practised in a room heated to 27 degrees......................mmmmm, fabulous!
I have checked the weather forecasts for the next few days and I am inspired that the morning temps will at least be double digits :)
This morning was no different........still, clear and crisp conditions outside.............but try as I might to visualise myself running the gritty Tan track, I pulled the doona closer to my face and grabbed another 30 minutes of snuggle before getting up to head to yoga........................yoga that is practised in a room heated to 27 degrees......................mmmmm, fabulous!
I have checked the weather forecasts for the next few days and I am inspired that the morning temps will at least be double digits :)
Sunday, 10 June 2012
I got nuffin'
Ahhh the Sabbath.................the day of rest....................the gastro has finally exited (just yesterday) and bid farewell so in effect my entire week has been a Sabbath.....................bed rest with no running, no yoga, no gym, no energy, no wellness.........dare I even say, no interest in looking at shoes, even online! Sacre bleu!
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Goodbye Gastro
Oh gee........................am just climbing out of the gastro pit that I have been in for the last few days..............granted the vomiting has finished but the ghastly nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach lingers..............................my favourite triathlete shared the gastro with me and not one to feel left out, the pooch joined in the chuck fest last night.......................so no running, no yoga, nil, zip, nada, nothing except bed rest!
Friday, 1 June 2012
Captain Triathlon
Not much to say other than this morning's hour run is done.......it was pretty bloody icy....................I am typing with stumps.......................where my fingers used to be...................oh and the other thing I would like to say is that I totally enjoy watching the city wake up and the reason I get to watch the city wake is all courtesy of the fabulous, Mat Tippett (http://www.etpa.com.au/).............is he handsome? Of course he is! Is he superhuman....................he sure is................Captain Triathlon may just be at an event near you soon...............
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