Tuesday Easy Run

14.8k 1:18:10. HR Avg 141 Max 150 Avg Pace 5:17
Course: Work to Riverside.
Start Time: 5:40 pm Temp 28C.
Session Type: Sub 72%MxHR Easy Run

Legs are still feeling a bit stiff from Sunday, so thought it best to just have an easy run tonight. Again quite a head wind going out along the Teneriffe reach of the river. Strange the loud muzzling effect this has on your headphones and it made listening to Amadou and Mariam quite difficult.

Out in 37:44 and back in 40:35 listening to Fiona Apple.

Monday Recovery in the Gym

Just a recovery day today after yesterday's effort. Started with 10 minutes on the exercise bike and then spent 20 minutes on the treadmill at 6:00m/k pace. Finished it off with some stretches and ab work. The arm is not up to weights just yet though.

Sunday early run and then BRRC Race

29.0k 2:25:10. HR Avg 155 Max 178 Avg Pace 5:08
Course: Around West End & BRRC 15k race.
Start Time: 4:40am Temp 22C.
Session Type: Easy Run and Race

Up at 3:45 am this morning. The plan was to get as many Ks in as I could before the start of the BRRC 15k race that was starting at 6:00am. Arrived at West End at 4:40 and did just under 14k in 1:11. Nice run along the river and over the Goodwill Bridge. Arrived back at West End in just enough time to have a big drink of Gatorade, register for the race and have a pit stop before setting off on the 15k race ( 3 five K laps).

I started conservatively and did the first lap in 25:57 (Pace 5:12 m/k , HR 154). I had pre-race thoughts of doing HR 155 all the way but I was feeling so good, I decided to do the next lap at HR 165. So I upted the pace a little and started picking off the runners in front of me. Second lap was 24:53 (Pace 4:59 HR 164). I was still not feeling any tightness in my legs, so decide to just see what sort of pace I could hold for the next 5k. So upted the pace again. I was still passing a lot of people which was great for my focus but with 2k to go there was no one I could see in front of me. But I was travelling well and I managed to hold my form to the end. Third lap in 23:20 (Pace 4:40 HR 174).

All in all a very satisfying training session. Very pleased with how easy the last 5k was. I just need to run that pace at HR 160 which is my target HR for the marathon. I'm banking on this happening when I start doing some harder speed sessions.

Caught up with Eddie, Clarie and Karisma after the run who are all like me training for Canberra. Didn't catch any of them in the race though ;-)

There was a just little beeding on my arm but the scars are looking much better. 76K for the week is a good return to running. 240K so far this month.

Friday Riverside run

14.8k 1:10:59. HR Avg 154 Max 166 Avg Pace 4:48
Course: Work to Riverside and Back.
Start Time: 5:15am Temp 27C.
Session Type: Sub 82%MxHR Easy Run

This morning I went back to the doctors for a check on my scars. He was really impressed by the amount of swelling around the middle scar on my arm. So he wrapped the arm in a compression bandage which I have to wear it till it goes away, although it is OK to take off when I am running.

This evening it was very breezy by the river and I mostly ran into the headwind going out. With the wind behind me coming back, I lost its cooling effect and so it was rather hotter. Out in 35:21 and back in 35:27. My body seems to be getting back into the running routine now.

I have loaded some recently acquired music on to my music player. Firstly I listened to Fiona Apple's "Extraordinary Machine" and then some of the 1967 album "Merveilles Du Passe" by Congolese guitar legend Dr. Nico (very tasty).

When I got home and after I showered, the scar on my arm was oozing deep black blood. This lead me to the conclusion the swelling is due to a hugh pool of uncoagulated blood and it now seemed to be slowily coming out. So for the next four hours, I gently encouraged this flow and the swelling has gone down markedly.

Aussie Day Run

13.6k 1:08:48. HR Avg 151 Max 165 Avg Pace 5:03
Course: Two Laps Gap Cycle Path.
Start Time: 6:00am Temp 25C.
Session Type: Sub 82%MxHR Easy Run

Going to a BBQ lunch today and with the Qld Roar playing tonight, I thought it best to run this morning. So got away at 6:00am. Is it just me or does it seems more humid in the morning then in the late afternoon?

A pretty easy run but the HR was a bit higher than I would have expected for just over 5min/ks. First lap in 34:03 and the second in 34:43.

Recovery Run

9.8k 57:08. HR Avg 121 Max 131 Avg Pace 5:49
Course: Work to Sydney St and Back.
Start Time: 5:15 pm Temp 28C.
Session Type: Recovery Run

Just to be on the safe side, decided to have a real easy run today. Luckily John was also going for a run, so tagged along with him. The pace was gentle all the way but it was a bit hotter than yesterday. Still the oppressive humidity of earlier in the month seems to have gone for the time being.

Back to (Runs from) Work

9.8k 45:05. HR Avg 154 Max 175 Avg Pace 4:35
Course: Work to Sydney St and Back.
Start Time: 5:30pm Temp 27C.
Session Type: Sub 82%MxHR Easy Run

Finally out for a run. The first K felt very uncomfortable with my legs feeling quite stiff. I just eased into the run but by 10 minutes I was feeling loosened up and felt quite comfortable going around 4:25 to 4:30 pace. Turned around at Sydney St Ferry in 22:40 and quickly realised I'd had a nice tail breeze coming out, so it was bit tougher going back. I managed to stick with the 4:30 pace and at least the headwind was helping to cool me down a little. Managed to come back in 22:24 for a satisfying return to running.

All the wounds held up well and gave me no problem on the run or after. Must say the two on my lower arm look gross. Still very swollen which I believe is a lot of internal bruising and very red but not painful. Luckily I can't get a good look at the ones on my back but they seem much better.

Gym Bike and Treadmill

1:01:03. HR Avg 132 Max 152
Start Time: 3:10 pm Temp 25C.
Session Type: Gym Bike and Treadmill

After yesterday's session on the gym bike, I was more than happy to go back today and do some more. Did around 45 minutes on the bike. Right next to the bike is the treadmill and even though I detest running on treadmills, I just couldn't resist the temptation and did 16 minutes of running to finsh off the session. All went well and it didn't seem to cause any discomfort in my wounds. I think I am just about ready to go for a real run.

Friday Gently in the Gym

Time: 25:00. HR Avg 110
Course: Gym.
Start Time: 5:10 pm.
Session Type: Gym Bike

Decided to do an easy 25 minutes on the bike in the gym this afternoon. Found I could exercise my legs/heart, with no strain on my upper body wounds. Stopped before the sweat started to flow,so I could keep them relatively dry.

Aiming for a run on Sunday morning now.

Post Op Recovery

It is now two days since I had the surgey on my arm and back to remove various skin cancers. Thankfully they were all excised adequately so no follow up surgery required. Tomorrow morning, I am supposed to be able to take off the dressings and be free to go about things normally. I don't know if the doctor would class running 30k as normal or not!

One of the wounds on my arm is still very swollen and seeping blood, so I don't hold out much hope that it will be OK by tomorrow. I was hoping to start running again then but Saturday or Sunday might be more realistic. Guess it is better than the last time in 2002 when I had to spend 3 weeks in bed recovering with my leg elevated.

I thought that this would be a good rest period for the legs but they feel very heavy. They were very swollen last night as well.

Let this be a lesson to all, respect the sun and slip, slop, slap.

Long Run before Work

30.6k 2:49:59. HR Avg 140 Max 156 Avg Pace 5:33
Course: To Newmarket and then on Gap Cycle Path.
Start Time: 4:20 am Temp 24C.
Session Type: Long Run

Up and out the door by 4:20am this morning. I had to get my 30k run in before going back to work this morning. Conditions not too bad, although I was still soaked through by the 20k mark. Musn't have taken too much out of me as I managed to stay awake all day at work. Maybe the air-conditioning helps.

What I did on my holidays

Came back yesterday from two weeks at Caloundra. It was a great beach holiday with lots of surfing, swimming in the pool, cricket and tennis. Kewell (my 8 year old son) is non-stop go and certainly keeps everyone active. On top of all this I still managed to get all my planned runs in. Have kept up the morning running and was up around 5:00am on running days.

I thought I might have been able to escape the heat, but the humidity was still extreme, especially the first week. Only after the two nights of storms on Friday and Saturday did the weather become suitable for running and luckily it was my 30k long run on the Sunday. Only lasted that day though. We were staying on the headland north of King's Beach and we had a spectacular view of the storms over South East Qld on that Friday night. With a reported 17,000 lightning strikes that night, it was quite a light show.

Here is a list of my runs while away. The 10k runs were to Golden Beach and back, and the 15k runs were to Pelican Waters and back.

Mon 2/1
15K 1:17:12 HR 145

Tue 3/1
10K 54:07 HR 139

Wed 4/1
10K 51:54 HR 139

Fri 6/1
15K 1:16:05 HR 146

Sun 8/1
30K 2:42:20 HR 136

Tue 10/1
10K 49:14 HR 147

Wed 11/1
15K 1:21:15 HR 133

Fri 13/1
10K 50:17 HR 143

Sat 14/1
15K 1:13:31 HR 143

Loaded the new Amadou and Mariam album "Dimanche a Bamako" on to my Music Player at the start of the holiday. I had bought that album and the earlier 2002 album "Wati" in the middle of the year. I decided to listen to "Wati" first and it ended up one of my favourites of the year. The new album is a collabaration with Manu Chao and has had great reviews, so I was eagerly awaiting listening to it. I found it a bit lightweight with too much of Chao's influence. A bit disappointing and I listened to Wilco's "Summerteeth" just as much as it.

I had a goal to do 300k, between 19th December and when I got back to work on Monday. So far I am up to 284k and will hopefully pass that tomorrow morning when I do my 30k Long Run. I was on race duty this morning at the BRRC, so couldn't run then. Tonight the whole family is off to the football to see the Qld Roar play Melbourne, so no run tonight.

So a very early start on Monday morning will see me get the run in then. Should make for any interesting first day back at work as I have gotten into the habit of having an afternoon nap over the holidays. On Tuesday, I am having day surgery to remove some skin cancers so will need to have a few days off which will be welcome. I think I am more tired from lack of sleep than the running. With the hot nights it has been hard going to bed early and getting a good sleep!