Don't you love running friends and the support they give? Although all dressed up and ready to do the Lake Ginninderra Stakes today, I wanted to be involved in Bob's final search for a new road bike, and another visit to The Ride Shop to check out the specs of the Colnago Cristello in detail. (Swoon) A beautiful, beautiful frame. The specs included a Colnago (carbon) seatpost and saddle (Titanium rails); Full Durace Groupset (53/39) 13-28?; Cinelli Graphis Stem^; and Voelta X-Lite Wheels.

We brought Bob's current road bike in to check the geometry and specs. It took quite a while with him on the mag trainer, and all were amazed at his short (but powerful) little legs. Comparing the tube lengths and so on, it seemed obvious that he would need the 45cm compact frame, rather than the 48cm! The next decision is whether to replace the Voelta wheels (bladed spokes, dish rim) which are apparently stiff and responsive, however something of a compromise between race and training wheels. I will try to contact Simon from the Customs run for advice on the wheels. It seems as though one good option would be for a set of carbon race wheels and a reasonable set of training wheels.

It is exciting!!

I met Aki after school (I was a couple of minutes late) and we went for a run together at Mount Ainsle. I didn't know how I would go, It would be 10 nail biting days since I have run, and I was a bit nervous about it. We started slowly, and I found the hills more than challenging and my breathing was laboured. However the downhills were really welcome, and I picked up as the run went on. I haven't downloaded the data yet, however I'm sure that our pace for the second half of the loop was faster than the first. Whooppee! And I felt fantastic!!!

We took a calculated risk and did the loop of Mount Ainslie instead of just going out and back; it was a bit touch and go that the sunset would hold off long enough, and we only just made it. As I became more energised, Aki's mega blistering of the arches reared their head again and made it uncomfortable for a time.

Meanwhile, Bob has found a pair of while tracksuit pants which he has been wearing with a white t-shirt around the house in order to stretch easily. Although they aren't especially baggy (apparently they are a uniform swap from a French Team Member at some World Championships), I still think that he bears a passing resemblance to Ali G and I feel that I am living in Da House. In Da Mad House.

^The pure and aggressive shape of this stem comes from an AL 2030 T6 alloy ingot,
CNC machined. Unique rear closure system. The H shaped front cover optimises the
bar clamping. Fork clamp diameter: 28.6mm (1"1/8) with reduction to 25.4mm (1")
Clamp: 31.8mm Angle 80/100deg 165g (110mm)

First the Good News: My check-up at the Dentist today may have cost $210 for the X-Rays, examination and clean, but once again, I get the big tick of approval. Yay! I enjoy catching up with Fiona, who shares a birthday with me every six months or so.

This meant that I did actually get dressed and out of bed this morning, although it didn't last all day. I have been tossing up all day whether to try and see a doctor at the rooms of my absent (in South America with his Dad) GP today, to check out a very painful right groin. It has been hurting all week, although was secondary to pain in my right flank. (Sympathy pains for Lucy's kidneys?) . Getting up the stairs to answer the phone this morning was very difficult, and walking was not good. It seemed to improve a bit after reclining for a n hour on the nifty new yellow ergonomic dentist lounge. I just want to run!

Unfortunately, every muscle is also aching and I feel pretty ordinary, tired, and am finding it hard to see. It looks like a couple of days off would be a good idea, so maybe I can just 'hold the watch' at Customs tomorrow, and go for a bit of a walk afterwards if the perfect weather holds up.

As my throat is also starting to get sore and raw (no other respiratory symptoms though), it seems like a done deal. Bugger. So much to do.

I not crook, not really. However my muscles are aching and typing this is an exercise in pain management. Just an inflammatory response to life it seems, and it too shall pass. I took Lucy the wonder-cat to the Vet this evening for a check-up, as Bob and I had become increasingly concerned about her hydrophilic behaviour since our return from overseas and constant need to drink. Some years ago, (when she was a sprightly 17 years old) a test indicated loss of kidney function, so we were concerned about the future and her making it to the 21st Celebrations in July.

The news was pretty optimistic, and we have come away with a 'prescription' diet for her kidneys. Despite now being extremely deaf, with one dodgy eye, and few teeth to speak of, she is doing remarkable well.

I met up with Aki for a talking lunch break today - it has been far too long since I have seen her. I certainly wasn't firing on all cylinders, but it was good to catchup.

As for running - it is in the unknown basket at the moment. A good nights' sleep may fix everything, permitting me to jog around the BBQ Stakes course tomorrow. But running in this condition is counterproductive - I have done it too many times before with devastating effects.

Wish me luck!

No, nothing to do with s8boarding.

Bob had a physio appointment first thing this morning, and was then heading for a swim. Although there were things we needed to do after that, I threw on my cycling clothes and without little preparation headed out the door on my much loved and very under-used Road Bike for a spin.

I knew I didn't have long ~ and needed to be in contact with Bob, so I rode off with the earphones attached to my phone and the radio on, and only arm warmers with a cool running tri top; no skull cap under my helmet, short knicks, short socks. The radio (ABC NewsRadio 103.9FM) advised me as I rolled down the hill from home that it was 5 degrees. I was committed and regardless of the weather and the fact that I could hear the front tyre squelching against the bitumen (I had forgotten that I hadn't pumped up the tyres since before we travelled) I continued on, as too many times in the last two weeks I had made aborted attempts to cycle.

I didn't have too long to decide which direction to head, but as it was just after the morning rush, I rode down Coulter Drive and then into Southern Cross Drive. It was very pleasant cycling conditions, although the tyre pressure was making it hard going. I turned around after a measly 10km and came home via an alternate route. Not far, not fast (I'm embarrassed to say I averaged around 20k/h), but it was good to get out on the road bike for a change.

Bob eventually arrived home, and confirmed that I had about 8 PSI in the rear (Ouch) and less in the front. They are now up to full training pressure of about 120PSI. Cycling should be easier now!

Bob and I went and bought some clothes for him and I confirmed that I could take the car for a visit to Geoff's group tonight, concentrating on the long warm-up and warm up. However, I dropped Bob at Clinic 88 where he was meeting a friend for a run after a massage, and went home do some much needed but boring chores. I was whacked! I lay down, and before I knew it, I was not just in the land of nod, but aledgedly snoring my head off. And it was long past Geoff's group time before I woke up. Nearing sunset, no run for me today. I guess I needed the sleep.

Tomorrow - Customs 5k, and maybe another ride on inflated tyres!

Participating in the Half on Sunday was the best thing I could have done; I am energised and enthused with running. The perfect weather doesn't hurt either!

I lobbed up to the Black Mountain Run Up yesterday at lunchtime, although an enforced warm-up jog meant that I didn't have long to spare at the start. I was slow, and even had to stop my pretend running gait on the stairs up near the top. Despite this, I felt so much better than in the February run and was delighted to see that I wasn't as slow as I thought.

I chatted to allrounder on the jog down, and then headed off to do a little local geocaching. I hadn't done sufficient preparation (doh!) found it via the long way. It was a buzz though! With few alternatives on a superb day, I headed up to Mulligan's Flat to look for another. A great hide, with a 2006 Australian GeoCoin inside. Woo Hoo!! I jogged back down to the car feeling elated and did another nearby. It was getting late . . . .

Another heavy night sweat left me very groggy and worn out once again in the morning, although I did manage to cycle to the BBQ Stakes at Woden (just in time), and even off my reduced handicap of 9:45, had dozens of people passed me. I passed only four or five . . . . :(

I did feel so much better though, and remembered how bad I felt during the last few times I ran this (in pursuit of my 100 run T-shirt). I didn't even check the time in which I finished until I got home, and although far, far away from the time I should or would like to be doing, it was as fast as I needed to to be an improvement on my runs on this course for a long, long time. And it was fun!

So, I'm heading in the right direction.

An elongated ride home via commonwealth Ave Bridge and the National Museum gave me confidence in being able to cycle again too!

Best news yet though, is Aki and I are definite starters in the Cool Running Chicky Babes category for the Woodford to Glenbrook trail run in June. Watch out!

I met up with Aki today to attend the Sri Chinmoy 10k run at Acton. Earlier in the week, weather conditions were slated to be perfect all week - maximum of 17 each day with no more than light cloud. It changed for the weekend however to deteriorating conditions on Saturday, with wind and rain today. Fortunately, conditions were pretty good in the morning, although local tempests developed around 10:30 - 11:00am and made it rather miserable and grey from then on.

Aki had a blinder of a run - her full report is here. Yesterday I prepared to go for a cycle, it taking a long time to prepare, not surprisingly, as I hunted out the cold weather gear and stuff for the bike. I felt good. Damn good. Bob's cold had established into a very nasty cough and he managed to secure an appointment at our GP's clinic on Saturday morning. Tyres pumped up, a supply of arm warmers, Geocaching maps and waypoints (it does take a while getting prepared for this fun activity), and other things dug out of their hiding places in our storage compromised house and I was ready to go - almost. As the garmin was searching for a satellite, Bob rang to suggest that we cycle together as soon as he gets home. He had finished with the doctor and only needed to fill a prescription for penicillin. I kept myself productive in the kitchen while I was waiting, but unfortunately, the Saturday morning crush at the pharmacy took a long, long time, and before he walked in the door it was all I could do to stop crawling into bed for a nap.

Bob was too tired when he got home (he lacks the shopping gene like me), and so I turned off the garmin, which was waiting in anticipation on the bike, and, still in my cycling knicks, socks and jersey climbed under the covers of the study bed "for a bit of a rest". Three hours or so later I woke up.

I was still lacking all energy and developed rather painful diarrhoea during the afternoon and evening. (Sorry, but it is relevant). I had to have a number of sitz baths to soothe the pain, and was confused at how I can get 'Delhi Belly' when returning from an undeveloped country to affluent Australia. I had few significant problems whilst away, a wonderful respite and good break for 6 weeks. I wasn't sure about how I would go with running the next morning, but thought that if the diarrhoea went away I should be OK.

Although a bit painful overnight, otherwise it was alright and I headed off trying to convince myself of having modest goals. There were, as usual, quite a few familiar friendly faces at the start of the 10k, and the chill in the air had picked up, causing me to put on tights and warmer clothes even though it was very close in time to the start. We started close to on time, and I settled into a happy, slow and comfortable pace, conscious of my polar beeping at 5:30 intervals, although not too concerned about keeping at this pace over the first few kilometres.

I eased up, and warmed up enough to remove my warmest fleece as the k's ticked by. However spasms of searing pain returned around the 4km mark. At 4.5km I was forced to stop cold in great pain, and knew that I needed to get back to the start. However with a stream of runners coming in the other direction, I didn't want them to be concerned about me cheating (I wouldn't have gone through the finish chute, but they weren't to know that), and after all what was another 500 metres? Actually it's an extra 1 kilometre where it's least needed. My pace dropped substantially, and as I came up to the turnaround I considered whether to ask for a lift back to the start with Amelendu. For reasons which seem perfectly reasonable to me (being unsure of how dirty or smell I may have been), I elected to continue and get back as quickly as I could. This plan fell apart as the sharp daggers of pain seared through. I automatically jammed my finger or thumb in my mouth when the pain made me made too many audible squelches.

Alas, within the kilometre I stopped and, with too many similarities to the Vets Half Marathon of 2004 (it was almost at the same point, and I was consoling myself with the fact that at least it was much shorter back to the finish on this occasion! I did not reinforce that the movement I did then was very bad and contributed to the serious nature of the problem; that would have been counterproductive.

After barely four or five minutes of this, a girl came alongside me, stopping completely to my embarrassment, to ask if I was OK. Sorry, but I was somewhat bitter and twisted at this stage. It turned out that she had been at High School with me some decades (25-30 years?!) earlier and recognised me. I found out that this was her first 10k, and not wanting to hold her up any longer and wanting to get to the finish as quickly as possible, I began to jog with her. It was a very easy pace, but still more painful than walking. I chatted incessantly as a form of distraction and was delighted to have the company. It turns out that the alumni had been in Canberra since 1987 - the same year that I arrived - funny how things turn out!

I had to stop a few times, and was pleased to see Aki on Hospital Hill, doing a warm down and checking to see if I was OK. Bob had cycled down to the site, and I had wondered earlier if I could get a message to him to throw his bike in the car and pick me up, although Bob had probably already left. My brain must have been addled, as I couldn't work out what time Aki had run despite asking her a number of times. I knew it must have been good. On finishing, I gathered my kit of gear and disappeared to change. I felt must better, although started to get the notion that this was a prolapse happening again, not just diarrhoea. It was certainly painful.

When I got home, I foolishly however essential it was, jumped in a bath and crawled into bed. Boy did I hurt. A lot more blood, not all of it fresh than I had thought. I slept once I could ameliorate the discomfort of "lying straight in bed". That evening I found that sitting, walking etc hurt far too much, and I ended up resting in bed. I'm a bit grumpy about it - although should be grateful that I wasn't either overseas, or even in Albury for Nail Can Hill. I now realise that the Half Marathon, at whatever pace is unreasonable (damn it), and will need to see the doctor and surgeon again when I can move around a bit better.

I was bothered last night by a very sore throat which developed after the run yesterday, and painful ears overnight which made sleeping difficult and disrupted ~ not helped by the return of night sweats. Pretty good on waking though, the glands (specifically, those under my right ear) continued to be sore throughout the day. That said, I had a top day!!!

Spent the morning kneading a batch of dough for Bob's bread rolls, starting a pot of soup on the stove, doing a few loads of washing. My intent had been to do a geocache or two before Customs, however it took longer than expected to find out about the computability of the old Thule roof-racks in the storeroom (for a 626) with our current car, a Magna station wagon. Unfortunately the news wasn't what I had hoped for.

A good chat with Friar on his return, and then the other early attendees took up all the time. I was surprised to see that my handicap was 7:15 (Aki's is 14:30!), a stark reminder to how poorly I had been running leading up to us going overseas. With so little running under my belt, and nothing timed to a pace for so long, I went of my handicap and planned to maintain the fastest pace I could for as long as I could. No chance of anything like a 22 minute run today (I wish . . . and I remember when), but my gut told me that I would be better than the appalling runs I did before I left.

Sure, I may have started out a tad fast, but even splits were never going to be on the agenda! The good news, albeit due to me running off my soft, "when I was sick" handicap, was that I wasn't passed by a soul, and only failed to catch two others in front of me. My watch beeped it's not-so-cheery 25 minute warning as I came around the trees leading up to the pavilion at the top. I wasn't sure at how long it would take to get to the finish - I know that Jodie did it in a minute, but she has an effective and strong finishing kick!

A lot slower for me! A finish time of 26:45 was a little disappointing immediately upon finishing, however I am reasonably happy with it with the benefit of hindsight. Most importantly, I didn't experience any of the groin pain or shivering shakes that so plagued me before. Slow, but good!

The most exciting thing though was seeing the sprint to the finish by Aki and another, seasoned and talented runner, CT. It was brilliant to watch and they both turned on the juice to get to the line, with Aki finishing well clear in a magnificent 21 minutes 16 seconds for the 5+ km. Work has begun on floriade and the course is a little longer than usual.

Afterwards coffee with some of the girls on the Deck. A good day was had by all, however nothing can surpass the excellent PB by Aki. Her personal training plan is going well and paying dividends in spades!

As always, returning from a holiday is hard work! Especially with the lingering effects of the cold which are keeping Bob and I from are optimum.

Family commitments meant that we we took care of our Great Niece Madelyn yesterday, and met Bob's sister today. However, unlike yesterday, it was a beautiful day in the national capital today, and I forced myself to go to the supermarket after we met sister-in-law and went to the markets for a truckload of fruit and vegetables (although not too many bananas!).

The supermarket shopping finished to partially restock our vacant pantry cupboards, I found an old one-piece tri suit and t-shirt to wear, and headed out the door with a printout from the GeoCaching site and a multi coloured ping pong ball (borrowed from Lucy's cache). I found the first one without much difficulty, and revelled in the beautiful weather and great conditions. I was able to get into a good groove for the next few kilometres of jogging to the next cache on the other side of our house. There was greater tree cover and the sun was rapidly beginning to fade to low on the horizon. I had a bit more difficulty finding this cache although was delighted to locate it, and as I was was in the backyard of my favourite running from route, I made my way back to the fire-trail and continued around my Aranda loop and under Caswell Drive. It was not a long run, not fast, but not too hard and I loved it!

I'm only a little confused now at how to indicate that I have found the caches? I considered emailing or phoning allrounder, a veteran GeoCacher, but I am stubborn (and hope to see her tomorrow!) I should be able to work it out on my own!

Can't wait for Customs tomorrow, although if I had one (secret) goal it would be to run at the same pace as Jodie - I don't know if I can hang on to that pace for 5kms though. Plan to do the Sri Chinmoy 10km on Sunday - Bob is considering the 4km!

The running blog resumes - It can only get better!