When the going gets tough...

I often have really bad days running and I guess I have flukey days too. The other day I rode into the Tan to do a flat 5km tempo. My goal time was 23 minutes, 55 seconds (4.47 per km). I didn't think it'd be too difficult considering I'd ran 23.05 only 10 days earlier. But it was hard! I ran and ran and ran as fast as I could but I still finished in 24.24. Maybe I was tired from the ride in (or the speedwork two days before). Or maybe I was just having one of those days.

2007 Goals

My running goals for 2007 are...

*Run 2000km for the year
*Compete in about 20 races
*Complete at least one half marathon (preferably up to 4)
*Do speedwork at least once a week
*Stay uninjured
*Cycle 4000km as cross training
*Try a duathlon (run, cycle, run)

PB Goals
3km - 13.30
4km - 18.00
5km - 22.30
8km - 38.00
10km - 47.00
21.1km - 1.44.00

Dinosaur Diggers

I've started working with a lady named Sandra who has a company called Dinosaur Diggers. She runs kids birthday parties with a dinosaur theme and she's got me to help her. It's a really good set up. We drive out to the party an hour before it starts to set up. The party then goes for 2 hours. There's another hour of packing up so altogether it's 5 hours. That means $50 per party for me. I just have to help Sandra set up (lots of heavy lifting) and pack up as well as helping with the kids. At the party, Sandra does a 30-45 minute presentation, then have the kids divide into two groups to do two activities. I take the gemstone panning while Sandra does the fossil digs. I've done two parties so far and I'm really enjoying it. The work isn't too hard (because it's what I enjoy) and it's really good money for me.

Annual Cape Paterson holiday

Yesterday Mum and I got back from Cape Paterson where we have our annual beach holiday. It's nice to get away for a week of hanging out at the beach, lots of exercise, shopping, reading (studying a bit too this year) and watching the cricket on TV. We rent a house from a friend and stay for a week. Tim hasn't come with us the last few years, but he did come down with Anna for part of our second day.

The weather in Melbourne was supposed to be over 30 degrees for most of our holiday, but we didn't feel it down there because of the sea breezes. Still, the beach was so pleasant even though I was freezing most of the time. I perfected my bodysurfing because the waves were a perfect size. I also didn't get very sunburnt as we mostly went to the beach after 3pm.

I didn't get to do as much running as I wanted to as my legs felt pretty tired. I'm still building up after not being able to run much in December. However, I had a really good session doing hill sprints on a perfect sized hill and afterwards, 200m laps of the local oval. I also got to run on the beach but it made my legs really sore so I only did it once. We also rode into Wonthaggi and back a couple of times.

On the Sunday we were there, an aquathon was being held in Cape Paterson. I was really excited as I thought they might have a fun run. Alas, they only had one event, a 400m swim and 3.5km run. I was so tempted to do it but I think I would have drowned doing the swim. I thought I especially couldn't take the chance as swimming 400m in rough seas would be very hard. But on the day the sea was perfectly calm, it was perfect conditions for the race. Mum and I went and watched the swim start and then walked back to watch the runners. There were people of all ages and abilities and it was really fun to watch. It made me really want to do it though!

Mum and I both bought a lot of clothes etc as well. I managed to spend a lot of my money from working but also got some great things at the op shop.

To be continued...

My first Sri Chinmoy race

This morning I ran my first race with Sri Chinmoy. I thought the advantages were numerous - it was only $10, a small field, medals for placings etc and these outweighed the 8am start time. I'm very glad ran it and I'll definitely do another. Sri Chinmoy have a really good set up. It's cheap, they have a loyal following and you get a lot for your money. There's no fancy timing devices but it's not really needed with only a small group racing.

The race was at Princes Park which I haven't run before. It actually took us a while to find the start line. It was so easy to register and hand over a $10 and we were there in perfect time for the start. I managed to start in about the fourth row but the start was very hectic. The track isn't too wide so I was running on grass for a bit. Last night for some reason I had the number 4.22 in my head as the first split. I thought no way can I do a 4.22 split! But guess what my first split was... 4.22! Heading into the second and third kilometre I thought I was really behind and I thought there were lots of people in my age category in front of me. between 3 and 4 kilometres we did a 'dog leg' and so we could see everyone who was ahead of us. I looked at everyone's bib which displays which race they're doing and which age category they're in and realised I was 2nd in my age group and the little girl ahead of me wasn't far away. i actually caught her just after 4km and tried to pull away so she couldn't get in front of me again. I finished in a time of 23.05 (although I'm not sure where the actual finish was) and the lady that took down my time told me I was 1st in my age category and 4th out of all the females!!! Wow! I was very happy. They had good food and drinks for after the race including their legendary pancakes, bananas, nectarines and Endura and cordial. I'll definitely do another SC race!

My km splits were
4.22
8.56 (4.34)
13.47 (4.51)
18.27 (4.40)
23.05 (4.38)
They are great splits and I'm very happy with my race as I really felt I pushed myself to my limits.

Lorne and Geelong

On Friday the 5th January Mum and I headed to Lorne (after the 5th Ashes Test had finished) so I could do the Lorne Mountain to Surf race. It's an 8km (or so) race. The first 2km are on streets up and down big hills. The next 4km are along a lovely bush track. The last 2km are along the Great Ocean Road and a foreshore track. The day had been 35 degrees so I was freaking out a little. It did cool down a bit but it was still boiling during the race and I felt a bit light headed especially at the beginning. It really was a lovely race and if it wasn't for the heat and the hills it would have been blissful. I had to walk for the first time ever in a race which is kinda sad but it was so hot and my legs just weren't moving! 10 seconds of walking rejuvenated me though.

I was hoping to finish in under 40 minutes and in the top 20 in my age group. I ended up finishing in 42 minutes which I suppose isn't too bad considering the heat. And I finished 17th in under 18's which is good coz it's a hot field with lots of people. When we were wandering around Lorne before the race I walked straight past Anthony Hudson (had to stop myself from saying "it's Huddo!") carrying a Mountain to Surf pack. I looked up his results and I'm very happy to say I beat him by 21 seconds!!

One of the reasons I did the Lorne race is because Clare and Anna are down there. Anna was working on Friday afternoon so I visited her in her bakery. And Clare spotted me just before the race. I think she calmed my nerves!

The whole of Lorne had a great atmosphere and I thoroughly enjoyed it. However we didn't stay in Lorne, we stayed in Geelong with a friend of Mum's from dragon boating, Fred. It was really nice staying at his place. We were staying in Geelong because on the Saturday we were doing the 70km Amy Gillett ride.

The ride went from Geelong to Queenscliff and back. It was really easy on the way to Queenscliff, despite the slight headwind. But on the way back we had a massive headwind and it was very difficult. It took us 4 hours to ride the 70km which is quite slow.

It was a very fun weekend (well it wasn't even 24 hours) and I'd love to do it again next year.

Christmas 06

What an anti-climax Christmas was! In several ways.

1. To combat maybe some extra Christmas treats I planned to get up early, ride into the city and do a lap of the Tan. I wake up at 6.30am and it is RAINING! What a bugger!

2. A few weeks before Christmas I accidently 'found out' what I was getting for Christmas, a subscription to Runner's World magazine. I was really, really looking forward to getting it. But alas, it was a misunderstanding and Mum was actually getting my a heart rate monitor. It's very useful but I was really looking forward to a Runner's World subscription. I ended up buying it myself.

3. I really didn't get any presents. Which doesn't bother me except what I did get was stuff I didn't need, when there's so much I do need/want.

4. We didn't get to spend much time at the rellies coz Mum had to leave for work. I think some of the rellies are getting super annoying.

BUT, on the plus side

WE SAW SNOW ON CHRISTMAS DAY!

Technology breaking down

Still can't use the internet at home, only at Dad's. It's quite frustrating for the essentials - emails etc - but it's not killing me. What is killing me is the fact my phone had died. The colour on the screen has gone. It's just a white screen. So I can't send and receive SMSes, make calls, check the news and sport, watch videos or listen to music! And I'll probably have to fork out $300 for a new phone.