The SMH Half.  I really wish I’d done more training but never mind.  I shall treat it as any other long run and enjoy the company of all the other CR’s along the way

Today I bought a race number belt, much better than having to stick safety pins through all my nice running tops.  It also solves the problem of wearing layered tops and what to do when I want to start peeling them off as I warm up.  The forecast for tomorrow morning is totally miserable so it looks as though my biggest dilema is what to wear!  I did get that nice 2XU sleeveless running jacket but I fear that it may be a tad too warm for it, anywhere between 10 and 16 degrees which is probably just not cold enough

So, not much to do today other than rest up, drink plenty of water (no red wine for me tonight) and eat some good food.  A very early start tomorrow as the run kicks off at 7.30am…eek, I haven’t been able to get up at 5am for a very long time.  I’m sure it’ll be one of those nights where I toss and turn, dreaming that I have overslept and missed the train to get there on time

Oh, and thanks to CR Thomo who posted a video of “True Faith” in the SMH Half thread to give me a bit of inspiration

I’m having a bit of a think about JK’s challenge to post songs that have specific meaning to me, to be honest there aren’t really that many. Some songs I just can’t stand because they remind me of people I dislike or a time in my life that I would rather not be reminded of - does that count Jay? I do have a couple of soppy ones too and I’m taking a punt that was what she meant

Got out for an easy 7k run last night. I insisted that TOH wear the Garmin so that I wasn’t a slave to “the pace”. In the end it was a leisurely 6.30min/k and felt pretty good. A reasonably flat run that took in the golf course and a detour towards the back end of Bondi, made a change from my sudden obsession with hills

Lunch time today I was itching to get out of the office so headed down stairs for a spin class. The new Tuesday instructor is pretty good, lots of hill climbs and sprints today and I was drenched in sweat by the end. The quads felt pretty knackered by the end too, I may have burnt off half the danish I ate for breakfast

Not heaps planned for the rest of the week, another spin class tomorrow lunch time, an easy run Thursday nice before resting up easy until Sunday morning. Not that I’m planning a hard one Sunday - in fact I reckon I’ll be lucky to make the cut off this year - three runs of just under 15k isn’t exactly ideal half marathon prep

I feel desperate for the weekend already, I can’t believe the squeeze for end of financial year has started already - it’s only going to get worse until July 1st…

*Edit*

I seem to have been able to import all my posts from my old blog too which is nice

OK, after much pondering (and cursing, I was doing the ironing - badly) the results are in. I might as well get the embarrassing one out of the way first…it seemed like such a good idea after a couple of glasses of wine last night (”Oooh, I loooove this song”) but now I am cringing at the thought of writing it down…

1. The most embarrassing song you can admit to liking - “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins

I can’t beleive I just said that

2. Now, moving swiftly along, here are my ten tracks on the soundtrack - in no particular order

“Heroes” David Bowie

“Our Velocity” Maximo Park

“Wish You Were Here” Pink Floyd

“A Wish Away” The Wonderstuff

“New Born” Muse

“Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” The Smiths

“Northern Sky” Nick Drake

“Love Like Blood” Killing Joke

“Mayonnaise” Smashing Pumpkins

“Everlong” Foo Fighters

Now that was a hard list to put together, I wanted to get some U2 in there but there was too much to choose from (honourable mentions to “The Unforgettable Fire” and “New Years Day”. I noted with interest that nothing was really that recent. Makes me want to mutter in an old, croaky voice about how they don’t make music like they used to

3. OK, last but not least, my favouritist song of all time which I will never get sick of…

“True Faith” New Order

I love this song and it always makes me want to get up dance when I hear it - except for when I am driving the car and I have to settle for bouncing up and down in my seat while singing my lungs out

Alrighty, can’t wait to see what everyone else comes up with

Getting ready to go out last night, I asked TOH if he could name my favouritist song ever in the whole wide world.  He then proceeded to name about five of his favouritist which I said didn’t count because you could only have one.  So, my challenge to fellow bloggers is this:

1.  Name your all time favourite song that you will never get sick of

2.  List the ten songs that would make the “sound track of your life” i.e. your other favouritist songs that are not your bestest ever

3.  The one song that you love but are too embarrassed to admit it to anyone (and now I’m making you admit it to anyone).  The more embarrassing the better

I already have my answer to 1 and 3, but whittling down the ten is going to be a tad more challenging - I’ve been jotting down songs as they pop into my head and hopefully by the end of the day I will be able to create another post with my answers - looking forward to reading everyone elses…

A rather unexciting day at the office. Got myself to a spin class at lunch time which was a very sweaty and hard 45 minutes (ooer missus).  Had tattoo laser session number 5 this evening - my arm doesn’t seem to have reacted so badly this time, hopefully it wont be covered in blisters when I wake in the morning.  There, that should have put a stop to any ideas the hard and sweaty comment gave!

Other than that I thought I would share this video with you. It’s by my new favorite band and as well as the song being rather awesome, the video is really quite lovely, enjoy

Or streets judging by this morning’s run

After last night’s jaunt up HBH I had the bright idea of heading out this morning for a hilly 16k.  I started out with a slow, steady incline along the gold course before heading onto Old South Head Rd for the mini-HBH.  I ended up stopping at every dang set of traffic lights which was frustrating but at least on the bright side created a quick breather every 300m or so.  From there I headed down Edgecliff Rd and up the charming Wallis St which is a short, sharp incline - although not as short as I would like, then over Oxford St and into Centennial Park to run along the top end to Lang Rd where I bumped into CR Don Juan near the bubbler.  It was a welcome break as I think my legs were suffering a bit after yesterday’s effort and I was feeling a tad warm from the late morning sun - deceptively warm as my newly acquired tan will tell you!

After that it was a jog down Lang Rd and onto Anzac Pde, stopped at the servo on Alison to get some gatorade and then shuffled along Darley St, up the hill next to Queen’s Park.  At this stage the idea was to head straight over and down Macpherson St to Bronte and back home along the Coastal Path but my legs were feeling totally buggered by then.  I also figured that as it was rapidly nearing lunch time and it was a beuatiful day, the path would be chockers with people ambling all over the show so I opted for the grind back up to Bondi Rd and then home via New South Head Rd with a gorgeous view of the boats on Rose Bay as a reward for my efforts

My shins are a little “twitchy” now but even though I’ve not run over 14k in months, the routes I’ve been choosing have been challenging so I don’t see myself having problems getting around the SMH course in two weeks time

I did struggle a bit with my motivation to get out this morning but in the end I really enjoyed it.  There were a few Dory “Just keep running” moments when my legs were starting to hurt but I can feel myself getting stronger so it’s all good.  At least now I can sit around on the sofa all day without feeling guilty

Oh, and I made protein pancakes for breakfast this morning - I can’t remember the last time I had them, they were yummy so I reckon I’m going to make them the night before and take them to work.  I had been eating the All Bran Honey & Almond flakes - very nice but unfortunately I am starving hungry by 9.15am which is no good

A pretty full on week at work, it’s so hard trying to get through a five day week when there have been so many long weekends!  It’s a long slog now until the Queen’s birthday in June

Late this arvo, well, early evening, we headed out for a plod up HBH and around the golf course.  I told TOH to just run on ahead and turn back when he got to the top, that way I wasn’t holding him back and he could get a bit of extra distance in.  It also meant that I wasn’t running out of my comfort zone in a lame attempt to avoid seeing him run with that awkward gait he adopts when trying to stay at my pedestrian pace.  Anyway, despite my best efforts we still made it around 2 minutes faster than last time (no garmin, just stop watch) and by the end it was getting ugly - I should have stuck to my guns, never mind.  All up a hilly 9k + in just a touch over an hour.  Tomorrow I plan on shuffling about 16k taking in the nasty hill up Old South Head rd, possibly up Darley Rd and back along the Coastal Path.  Methinks I have a bit of a death wish with that route in mind but if I shuffle slowly enough and leave early I should make it home before I turn into a pumpkin

I bought a CD for the first time in ages today, normally TOH does all the music purchases in this house as I’m embarrassed to fess up that I’m a bit out of touch these days.  However, for once I got something he’d never heard of.  It’s The Presets new album “Apocolypso”, very good if I do say so myself

Oh and talking of good things, yes AJH it is the Lindt Chilli chocolate I have been enjoying way too much of lately.  It is sooooo good and leaves a lovely warm tingle in your mouth.  Tonight I’ll be washing some of it down with a bottle of Shaw and Smith shiraz - another recommendation for you AJH, not cheap at $42 a bottle but I guarantee you will adore it.  I also have some King Island double cream brie for after dinner so with Top Gear on the box before getting stuck into the “Jekyll” dvd I’m all set for the evening

After a lazy long weekend and a sleep in til 5.40am this morning (rough night’s sleep), I decided a longer, more challenging route was the order of the day.  Lately I have been slacking a bit (yet again) and only averaging about 6.5k for my runs.  Tonight was not to be so I picked out a route just over 9k that threw in HBH for good measure

It was pretty darn cool out and I was wishing I’d picked up the sleeveless jacket I’d been eyeing off in 3 Sports recently - I talked myself out of buying it at the time as I reasoned the weather wasn’t cold enough

Never mind, long sleeved top and tights would have to do.  I didn’t have the Garmin as someone *cough* had taken it to work with them this morning, leaving me without.  Instead I just popped on the stop watch and ran on feel - much nicer.  I made it up HBH pretty comfortably and at no point felt like I was struggling.  The shins were a tiny bit niggly and at one point the arch of my left foot was feeling quite tight - almost like there was something in my shoe digging into the foot.  The niggles never developed into anything and despite the stiff breeze it was a very enjoyable run.  I’m glad I didn’t take the easy way out tonight as it was very tempting

All up, a little over one hour and feeling quite smug.  Not a bad time considering the big fecking hill.  Having had a yummy home made basil and tomato sauce with spelt pasta, I’m now enjoying a glass of red wine and about to enjoy some Lindt choccie.  Doesn’t get much better than that does it?

Surprise, surprise - I didn’t make it out of bed for a ride this morning.  I had a shocking night’s sleep and woke up with a splitting headache, not that I needed much of an excuse to stay in the cosy bed a few hours longer and avoid trying to keep control over my bike in the rain.  Still, on the plus side this meant that TOH was able to enjoy a much longer ride without me trailing behind

Yesterday I had plotted out a longish run with a distance of 14k in mind.  I have left all my training until the last minute and so the SMH half is going to end up being a long training run again.  Not that I mind, it’s a nice social morning with a big CR turn out.  Given the short time frame, I figured a build up to 18k would suffice in the remaining weeks

I’m not sure what I was thinking as I the route I picked was a quite hilly on with the first 3k containing an incline of almost Heartbreak Hill proportions.  So, the route went in a round about way to Centennial Park where we “ran” into Phil from our local running store - the Sydney Running Centre.  It also looked like a car had collided with a cyclist with police, rangers and generally lots of people milling about.  We got around at a reasonable pace, although not exactly setting the pavement alight.  Still, considering the tough nature of the route it was pretty good.  At about 12k I started to get a sore back and was feeling a little weary, just over 2k later I was happy to stop and walk the rest as a cool down.  All up 14.25k in 90mins.  I think the 11k cut off I was so worried about last year will be no concern this year either.  I don’t need to pick up the pace much and course will be much easier than today

I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the longer runs

So, this week was pretty good for me running-wise.  I got in four runs and a total of 35k for the week.  I just need to keep up the consistency and work on increasing the distances.  I probably need to spend some time at the gym doing core strengthening stuff too as my lower back is feeling a tad sore

Referring, obviously, to my posting rate of late

I can’t remember the date of my last post without going and checking my blog, but I think it was a little over a week ago when I took the day off work to get the car serviced and enjoy a longish weekend with TOH

So, what since then? My divorce certificate came through making it all signed sealed and delivered - footloose and fancy free now! Well, not really. Happily living in domestic bliss is more how I would put it

I didn’t get the chance to go to the gym much this week due to being on a course for three days at work. I have had business unit manager rights to our financial system for several months but finally managed to get on the official training course. Not that I needed it, but a system upgrade at the start of the month meant that it was actually a pretty useful three days and I learnt heaps of useful stuff. It also got my curiosity stirred up as it would appear that it is capable of a lot more than we are currently using it for. In fact I would go as far as to say that we are probably only making the most of about 40% of it’s potential - what a waste! Anyway, I am now officially part of the support team so will get even more harassment from various staff members…

On the training (exercise) front this week, I left the office early on Monday to do a weight session in the gym, followed by 15 mins on the cross trainer and 20 mins on the bike (killing time til TOH picked me up). Then it was home for a 5.5k run at a reasonably up tempo pace (not sure how fast though as decided to run without a watch or Garmin). Tuesday no exercise due to being completely wiped out, same on Wednesday. Thursday an 8.5k run which was most enjoyable. Friday another lazy rest day. Today a casual 6.5k run after a hard morning spent shopping for shoes and clothes *phew*

Oh, and a swim last Saturday which was enjoyable apart from the tool that had no idea of lane etiquette and kept swimming on the wrong side of the lane, at one point getting between me and the rope and nearly drowning me in the process. Not happy Jan

Tomorrow morning I’m hoping (weather permitting) to get out for a ride on the bike, followed by a long run in the arvo. By which point it’ll probably be time to head back to the office *sigh*

I’d like to get back to the spin and pump classes next week but I have another training session on Wednesday (we are trialling some new PDA/Smartphones for a project we have going over a couple of years). I’m sure I can still manage to fit in a few though so all is not lost. It’s also performance review time so this should be interesting… I have a few things I have been wanting to discuss and this will be the perfect opportunity

So, time for me to have dinner, TOH is making a tuna bake…mmmmmmmm