With absolutely no objective evidence (in fact one could argue that it points to the contrary), I feel as though things are looking up.
I got stuck into painting the storeroom yesterday. A small room, but with a v.e.r.y. high ceiling. I put a stack of elfa wire shelving up last year above hooks for four bikes to hang. Getting the stuff down was exciting enough, but painting the cathedral ceiling and the wall where it joins was thrilling. Fool hardy, but thrilling.
Needing to use a small brush for the narrow corners, and with Bob doing a long cycle out along Lake George, I had to climb up and down the extended ladder after every second brushstroke. Keeping an eye on the clock, I was keen to finish the first coat before heading off to the lunchtime Lake Ginninderra run so that I could finish the job that afternoon. I did, but in the process arrived paint splattered, and after the last runner had left. I raced off anyway, dodging the roadworks and cars whilst the path was diverted for construction and repair, and keen to catch up where I could. I wasn't running fast, a steady five minute pace throughout, but felt good on the run and enjoyed it, keeping up even splits and slightly cooler conditions more conducive to running in the middle of the day.
I finished as the presentations were being completed, being handed a very welcome cup of water by Aki who was looking fit and fast. Not much time to catch up, as Bob required the car to get to an overdue hair appointment, and (yet more) painting awaited.
Finished the job that afternoon, and felt a bit flat. A quick change of clothes and Bob and I headed down to Weston Park for the first Cross Country event of the 5k Summer Series. It was a roundabout course, out and back along the much of the Longstaff/Pennington route along grass for much of the way. No matter how slow I was there was quite a lot of positives from this run in 26:14 too ~ perfectly even splits to the hundredth of a second! That it is that close is just luck and co-incidence, however it was interesting to see how many people I reeled in and passed over the last two or 3 kilometres as I paced myself evenly with 13:07.2. Slow, but felt good.
Sinuses are still an issue, and with a fairly considerable night sweat and bad, stuffy head on Wednesday morning I was not happy. Went down to the BB Stakes at Woden at lunchtime anyway (gotta get that T-Shirt!) and was amazed during my warm-up and how the legs just wouldn't move. Some stiffness and 'tension' around the top of the inside thighs was also apparent. Amazing that I could feel muscle tension/pain finally, after all this time! Off my usual handicap of 12:15 (when will they realise that off this time I keep coming last?) and felt OK to start. My shoelaces were undone though, and with an uphill start running in reverse, I kept plugging away until I crested the rise, and stopped at a bench to tie them up. It was really hard to get moving after that however, and I could feel that I had tied them up too hard, but I wasn't going to stop again! I was passed by one runner after another, although I felt pretty good about the run, despite being really slow churning out 6 minute kilometres, despite 'racing'!
Speedy Geoff met me at the top of Waldock St, and we ran to the finish together which was very pleasant. Once again the kindness of runners came to the fore when I discovered that I had lost my car key from the (un) zippered rear pocket in my shorts. Quite a few people assisted me in looking for it, taking up their time and effort on my behalf. Thanks HL, Friar, and SpeedyGeoff for your efforts. It turned out that I had left the car unlocked inadvertently and had my complete set of keys inside. We weren't able to find it, hopefully I dropped it into the money envelope, I was not feeling myself today at all. I do not have my wits about me at all.
I got stuck into painting the storeroom yesterday. A small room, but with a v.e.r.y. high ceiling. I put a stack of elfa wire shelving up last year above hooks for four bikes to hang. Getting the stuff down was exciting enough, but painting the cathedral ceiling and the wall where it joins was thrilling. Fool hardy, but thrilling.
Needing to use a small brush for the narrow corners, and with Bob doing a long cycle out along Lake George, I had to climb up and down the extended ladder after every second brushstroke. Keeping an eye on the clock, I was keen to finish the first coat before heading off to the lunchtime Lake Ginninderra run so that I could finish the job that afternoon. I did, but in the process arrived paint splattered, and after the last runner had left. I raced off anyway, dodging the roadworks and cars whilst the path was diverted for construction and repair, and keen to catch up where I could. I wasn't running fast, a steady five minute pace throughout, but felt good on the run and enjoyed it, keeping up even splits and slightly cooler conditions more conducive to running in the middle of the day.
I finished as the presentations were being completed, being handed a very welcome cup of water by Aki who was looking fit and fast. Not much time to catch up, as Bob required the car to get to an overdue hair appointment, and (yet more) painting awaited.
Finished the job that afternoon, and felt a bit flat. A quick change of clothes and Bob and I headed down to Weston Park for the first Cross Country event of the 5k Summer Series. It was a roundabout course, out and back along the much of the Longstaff/Pennington route along grass for much of the way. No matter how slow I was there was quite a lot of positives from this run in 26:14 too ~ perfectly even splits to the hundredth of a second! That it is that close is just luck and co-incidence, however it was interesting to see how many people I reeled in and passed over the last two or 3 kilometres as I paced myself evenly with 13:07.2. Slow, but felt good.
Sinuses are still an issue, and with a fairly considerable night sweat and bad, stuffy head on Wednesday morning I was not happy. Went down to the BB Stakes at Woden at lunchtime anyway (gotta get that T-Shirt!) and was amazed during my warm-up and how the legs just wouldn't move. Some stiffness and 'tension' around the top of the inside thighs was also apparent. Amazing that I could feel muscle tension/pain finally, after all this time! Off my usual handicap of 12:15 (when will they realise that off this time I keep coming last?) and felt OK to start. My shoelaces were undone though, and with an uphill start running in reverse, I kept plugging away until I crested the rise, and stopped at a bench to tie them up. It was really hard to get moving after that however, and I could feel that I had tied them up too hard, but I wasn't going to stop again! I was passed by one runner after another, although I felt pretty good about the run, despite being really slow churning out 6 minute kilometres, despite 'racing'!
Speedy Geoff met me at the top of Waldock St, and we ran to the finish together which was very pleasant. Once again the kindness of runners came to the fore when I discovered that I had lost my car key from the (un) zippered rear pocket in my shorts. Quite a few people assisted me in looking for it, taking up their time and effort on my behalf. Thanks HL, Friar, and SpeedyGeoff for your efforts. It turned out that I had left the car unlocked inadvertently and had my complete set of keys inside. We weren't able to find it, hopefully I dropped it into the money envelope, I was not feeling myself today at all. I do not have my wits about me at all.
Weird, super slow, but a 'happy run' nevertheless. On arriving home, Bob and I cycled out to the Gunghalin cemetery to see visit his father Frank's grave. Although the old fella died in 1994 at the age of 91, it was his birthday today and he would have been 103. We actually diverted along the new Gunghalin Drive Extension (GDE), still under construction, and had a great stretch of well made dirt road to ourselves as a shortcut between Ginninderra Drive and the Barton Highway.
Felt OK cycling too. Tomorrow ~the return of the Cool Running Chicky Babes Team as they take on Race 2 of the TACT Aquathon Series.
Carolyne, that's "All Go & Full Steam Ahead" - all in one day! Good to hear you're getting back into the swing of things......how's the plan for 6 foot going?
Just caught up with the Canberra Oz Day results. Well done to both of you. :)