Thursday, August 28, 2008

Altitude Training Camp



It's a hard life but somebody has to Snow Ski and play Golf. I'm off to training camp tomorrow morning. I might run, I might not. See you all.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Moore of the Park 10ks

Around Moore Park and Centennial Park. Quite warm, is Spring really coming?

Feeling slow and unfit. What's new!

Total was 10.5ks in 55:48. Average pace of 5:18 per klm.

The 3000m is a great night of racing. 100 males and 40 females last year.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Centennial Park 15ks

Well the Olympics are over. Commiserations to Troopy for his race. Enough said!

Ran after the Marathon had finished, which meant about 12:30pm. Nice and cool in Centennial Park in the shaded areas. A fair bit of dodging today due to every kid in town having a birthday party on the grass it seemed.

Still don't feel like running at the moment. Maybe a week on altitude training camp will help me.

Total today was 15.2ks in 1:16.35. Average pace of 5:02 per klm.

Goal for the end of the year is to get myself fit enough to run fast at the State 3000m in November I think.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

No time, no time

That was no time to run tonight. Too much work to do. And the conditions were great to run in as well.
Only had time to run down to Fox Studios and back. Not long enough for my liking.

Run was 5.6ks in 27:25. Average pace of 4:53 per klm. By Christmas 2009 I might get near 4 min ks.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Centennial Park 10ks

Ran around Centennial Park mostly on the grass. Pretty cold and windy tonight. At least I didn't have a thunderstorm to contend with like last night in the Eastern Suburbs.

Ran down to Fox Studios and back going via Queens Park direction and Oxford St.

Total was 10.2ks in 51:12. Average pace of 5:01 per klm.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

An hour of power

Wokeup, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head. Looking at the mirror I saw I was tired thought it best just to retire. After watching Lightning Bolt last night I decided I needed more sleep so stayed in until the Marathon started. Consequently watched the Marathon and Swimming and then went out for a run.

Ran around Centennial Park, Moore Park, SFS, the SCG and Fox Studios and then back home.
Total was 12.4ks in 64:00. Average pace of 5:09. I'll get it faster eventually.

Apologies to Lennon/McCartney for using their line that didn't make the song.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I can breathe again

I was able to get to a chemist and get myself an asthma puffer tonight. So finally cleared the lungs up a bit so I had a good run.
I ran up to the Footy Stadium and back. Very cold and windy tonight. But I was soft and wore a long sleeve top.

Amazing what happens when your lungs can breathe properly. Total was 6.54ks in 32:05. Average pace of 4:54 per klm.
Now let's get serious!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Half an hour is all I'm worth

The mind is willing but the lungs have an aversion to exercise.
All I had time for was half an hour tonight. Well actually I couldn't breath so I stopped when I could see the beetroot reflection of my face in the passing car windows.
I was waiting for someone to call an ambo when I stopped to cough up a lung half way.

I was running around Centennial Park on the grass if you must read. Managed to make it to 30 minutes, just.

Total was 5.5ks in 30:09. Average pace of 5:28 per klm.

Did we run faster on Sunday?

City 2 Surf stats:
2006- 55mins=455th, 2007- 55mins=363rd, 2008- 55mins=440th.
2006- Top 100=50:03, 2007- Top 100=50:23, 2008- Top 100=49:36.
2006- Top 500=55:33, 2007- Top 500=56:52, 2008- Top 500=55:41.

Are we all faster than last year?
Was it the cooler conditions?
Was it the Olympics?

I know I was slower, but hey I was busy chasing girls. You can't run fast while doing that.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

City 2 Surf 2008


It was long it was tough and the conditions were brutally cold. Oh that was the 2hr wait for the start. Won't bore you with details. So wake up. There was Tesso,tuttle, blue dog, horrie, spud, miners and gogirl,etc, etc.... And some hack Cool Runners on the other side of the Berlin Wall pretending they can run fast. Apparently they could going on the stories I heard at the finish. Maybe they had drunk a six pack each by the time I waddled across the finish line. Tell him he's dreaming.

Well, cold and plantar and me raced the City 2 Surf on Sunday. It was fun for all 3 of us. My foot just loved the concrete, and the lungs loved that fresh voltaren gel and vaso air they were taking in, and I was there just for the hell of it.

Some would say. You fool you can't run. Since Lardy is leaving the country I've taken up the mantle. Racing 7 kgs overweight is not a good look. Why were all the good looking girls running faster than me during the race. Damn those chocy tim tams.

Yes there was a race in all of this. The trick was to convince the lungs that the effort I put in was reasonable so don't clog up so I can still breath. A bit quick up the Highway to hell leading to the Cross tunnel and I was coughing up a lung while helping the drought as soon as I saw daylight on the otherside. Maintained a steady pace of lardy proportions. When I arrived at the Sheaf the band played 'enter Sandman'. I felt like knocking back a schewie of New and continuing. Damn no money.

At the bottom of next in line for heartbreak hill. Surely a song on Tesso's 5 million song ipod. I spyed a young female so entranced by my tim tam gut she broke 2 min ks to be with me from the back of the pack group. Tis love I tell ya. Bloody queue jumpers.
The dodgy 7/7.2k was met in 40:10(5:44/k). A cause for celebration as I was only twice as slow as Monners record.

At last my favourite part of the race. Oh not quite. Still more of heartbreak to finish and then turn at the dead centre of Dover Heights to run home. I perked up, the lungs were talking to me, go faster Paulie. So I did. I reached 11k in 62:30. A quick 5:35 per klm. What a speed increase? Ha! A whole 9 secs per k faster. Motorised zimmer frames move quicker. And I think I saw one pass me. Either that or the non watered down gatorade had given me sugar overload.

The 11k was upon me and in my new lofty weight proportion. That means fat, I rolled downhill taking out dogs and small children as I barrelled past the golf course and shops of North Bondi. A hasty high five from the cheer squad and I sprinted for home. Damn I forgot 1k left. I ground to a fast jog at the Campbell Parade lights as the beer queue for the Bondi hotel was getting my attention. I turned the corner and spied 75. Wholly crap run flake run.

I bounced across the line. Well parts of me were. I think my lungs were thankful I stopped.
A huge 18mins worse than last year. Finished in 75:49. Did the last 3 k in 13:39. And the last 7k in 35:39. Go the negative split.

I had fun! It was ugly, it was slow, I was wheezing for air for half the race. But I got through my first race in four months. So I'm happy. Thanks to the Striders for the post race drinks and fruit. Superb. Sorry I couldn't stay for beers. But after 14ks of concrete my feet were really hurting.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Moore Park 6ks

Felt quite chilly tonight. Doesn't help the asthma either. Hopefully my cold will clear up by Sunday morning so I can run down William St without being run over by a flood of super heroes.

Ran down to Fox Studios and back. Went too fast at the start so consequently had to cough up a lung half way there. Not a good feeling.

Total was 5.85ks in 30:20. Average pace of 5:11 per klm.

Good luck for everyone running or shuffling C2S on Sunday. See you at the start, during the race, in the cheer squad, at the finish, and drunk at the pub. Go hard and have fun!

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Centennial Park 12ks

Went out late this morning for a run in the park. Regretted that as I was dodging all run the walkers, dogs, kids on bikes, scooters and skateboards.
At least I had a run when the sun was out compared to my night time runs at present.

Total was 12ks in 1:04.20. Average pace of 5:21 per klm.

I seemed to have worked out my pace without going lactic which is good. Means I can keep breathing while I run, and slowly get faster.

Should make a reasonably crappy run at C2S next week.

Friday, August 01, 2008

Windy and Cold 6ks

Since I had a long day at work today I really did not feel like running at all tonight.
Ran a bit around Centennial Park.

Total was 6.62ks in 34:51. Average pace of 5:15 per klm.

Still effected by my cold. It isn't helping my breathing at the moment.