A friend who moved from Canberra to Sydney a year or two back rang yesterday to ask if we would be interested in looking after their dog (and house in Bilgola) while they were over in the West at the end of October.

It's not ideal for Bob's training, getting to the business end of preparation for the Long Course Tri Championships being held in Canberra on 19 November. After consideration today, I will go up and house sit and dog walk for the duration of their time away. Hopefully it will be warm enough to swim a little on the glorious northern beaches, and I will hire a car so that I can visit my friends and sister who all live on that side of town.

I must admit that I am finding it quite lonesome in the house here when Bob is out since Lucy died. I think I hear her rattling her food container during the night; or walking up the stairs; or reflected in the windows. I find myself going to check on her in front of the fire, and stop myself talking to her when my mouth is already open. I wouldn't even call myself a cat person; but after so long, close to half of my life, and she has been through the good times and the not so good.

Looking after 'Polly' for a couple of weeks sounds good. Huxley, if you ever need a hand, I'm here!

The Bush Capital 25k was good; I will post separately about it. I did sleep for 18 hours a day after that however; yesterday for example I woke after midday, was back in bed and asleep for a couple of hours before talking to Aki in the afternoon and another early night. Excitement City!

After an optimistic BBQ Stakes run, I slept heavily and in the hour before noon I was out of bed, only managed to dress myself in a strange but colourful collection of cycling clothes to wear on a gentle roll in this fine weather.

However, before I could get out the door, I was overcome with an encompassing fatigue, and it was all I could do to crawl into bed, clad in arm and leg warmers, socks and knicks and grab some sleep. There endeth the exercise for the day.

Customs today was different; my handicap had been eased to an achievable 7:15. The PRB turned up for a run, his first Customs event, and left with me. His calf gave grief at the 1km mark, and I went ahead to test myself. My breathing was audible as I passed a couple of SpeedyGeoff Geese, but for a change I could talk to them as I wheezed passed.

I kept going. I turned the Willow Tree at around 13:30. Although unsure of my recent splits, I felt good and on track for a satisfying run. Many runners including Bob left early in preparation for the Bush Capital Runs tomorrow. From the 3k mark on, I was constantly looking over my shoulder to see if Bob was going to overtake me. A strange thing was happening though as I kept going ~ as the mobs of backmarkers headed towards me on the out-and-back course, I was increasingly able to return to my greeting of them by name. The last month or so has generally seen me attempt to grunt out a muffled gurgle at best. My eyes were working - it wasn't a blotchy dark mass in front of me, with little peripheral vision. Over the last kilometre I didn't think that anyone was in front of me on handicap, but couldn't be sure. The was quite a deal of lunchtime traffic on the unsealed section around Regatta Point, and by this stage I was furiously checking over my shoulder for Bob, spurred on by Ricky's call to me to stay in front as I huffed past. Up the dark, cobbled track, I could see a white T-shirted runner or two gaining on me fast. Both were wearing caps and I was anxious to stay in front. Around the Pavilion, Trevor, new to Customs, but seen around the traps, passed me and sprinted to the finish for first place. I tried to maintain the pace on the soggy surface and held off Bob at the finish. Better yet, I felt better during the run than I had for ages; it turns out that I did 27:18 and I'm pleased. I am genuinely at the place now

That the time and pace is of little importance, how I felt and pull up says it all. How long this lasts I have no idea!

At the risk of sounding like a cracked record, I might have turned the corner (again).

On what spurious basis do I claim it this time, I hear you ask?

After an extended running late medical appointment yesterday, I tuned up to the Lake Ginninderra Stakes (7k) yesterday, however people was already heading along the finishing few hundred metres so that despite my running tights and top on under civvies, I had no hope on jogging in the erratic light rain.

Bob had a great run, starting with SpeedyGeoff, and finishing the slightly shortened (6.9km due to construction works) course in a handy 28:31. With an impending visit to the Vet, no exercise was done, and not much sleep achieved.

Despite the sleep deficit, I went down to Woden under clearer skies and a surprisingly warm 13 degrees (the things you appreciate in a Canberra winter), to run the BBQ Stakes. On registering (good value at $1) I found that my run last week was even worse than I thought: an embarrassing 36:56. As expected, my handicap had been eased a stingy 15 seconds, meaning I started off 8:30.

It was good to see the PRB arrive just as I was about to start, fresh from talking to his surgeon. He remarked how much better I looked today, and started feeling somewhat better too. The first kilometre took 5:55. Not perfect for a much better time given that the 1st k is pretty easy compared to the hills to follow. Heart average 149, max 160.

My breathing was hard and laboured throughout, although I felt much better running, and I could almost enjoy the run.

So, no flash times, however I felt so much better, and recovered quickly without too many undue effects. A slight glitch meant that I hadn't retrieved my keys in time and they disappeared into a security building. I was able to obtain them eventually, however it required a bit of waiting around wearing not too much. Once returned I had access to the car, phone, cash and warm clothes.

So - as long as I can breathe, what do I do now? I had entered the 25km Bush run on Saturday and was resigned to completing another distance (5km, 16km) instead. I have received my City to Surf Number, but still think that this will be too tough on me with the travelling and crowds.

After that? Who knows

I wasn't trying to be obtuse earlier ~ and I don't think that I am especially sarcastic - cynical, ironic, yes, but not so sarcastic.

I feeling a bit sorry for myself; I faced the music that the City to Surf (and hence our girls weekend away) wasn't a goer this year. I had thought about going along anyway, but I'm bitter and twisted if I wasn't able to run, and would feel self-conscious and like an outsider piker. Even if I did run, I would lose my A group start.

I ran Customs on Friday, thankful that Friar had adjusted my handicap an unreasonable extra 60 seconds. Thankfully, Friar has been conscious of my running lately, and hopefully the effort that I have been putting in for such poor results. I started hard, on the same time as Jodie (7:45) successfully putting her off guard with my yelp of pain at the start, and then racing away in an attempt to 'Go Hard or Go Home'. I wasn't going to run to my handicap, I wanted to run as fast as I could. Around 1km I caught up with Rad and Friar and grunted my way past. I would have like to pass on words of encouragement, however it was not going to be able to come out of my lips.

I saw some earlier starters in the distance and pushed to catch them. Ha! Before the ferry terminal, Jodie threw herself past me and started to disappear into the distance. The Podrunner track I had chosen today had the fastest rating I could find (174 bpm) and it did mean that I was turning over my legs like a wonky train. Between the 2 and 3km marks there was the unexpected exaltation to 'Speed Up Your Metabolism', 'Turn Up the Pace'. I tried to follow, it just didn't seem to work.

I saw Aki flying past in the other direction, and she looked comfortable. I couldn't talk. My vision was wonky, and I found it hard to maintain my focus and see much at all. Bob slapped my hand on the way past. The PRB had come along with a new running friend, L, and her gorgeous, active 2 year old daughter. L flew past me with about 1,200m to go and I tried to tell her that the end of the course was different to the start. I'm not sure if I was intelligible. Judging by her pace, she would not have too many people to follow on the correct route.

I plugged along, and looked towards the finish. It was hard going up the final rise, but I managed to finish. Not a great time - 29:48 (ish - my brain gets too addled to do simple arithmetic at the moment) - and I was going hard!

I surfed a bit afterwards but eventually regained my equilibrium. The highlight of the day was to see the look of delight on the face of Rad as he and L's daughter played aeroplanes. I wish I could have saved a copy of this for prosperity.

A Hot Soy Chocolate at the ever-friendly Hansel and Gretal at Belconnen was fun. I got tired very quickly however, and returned home and then to bed.

Two Blogs in two day - something of a minor victory, methinks.

No exercise today, although I did get out of bed despite a brain curdling headache. Contacted Bob, Aki and the PRB to let them know that I was vertical, tried applying heat packs to my neck to ease the pain.

While driving to pick up Aki, found that heat applied to my ear helped - the pounding and whoosh! whoosh! wasn't good. I got Aki to drive from there, and we headed down to the south side of town to meet the PRB for a coffee at Deek's Cafe and Bakery at Pearce Shops. I had tried the coffee at Deek's just after it opened without much success, so, on Friar's advice, decided to give it another go.

It was too cool to sit outside, so fortunately one of the 4 indoor tables were free at 1:30pm when we arrived. Aki devoured the latest issue of R4YL, while I was frustrated with the dodgy screen alignment of my PDA.

The appointment with the Podiatrists (plural, therein to be known as P1 and P2) was fascinating, and I felt honoured to be able to be be able to be part of the process. Up until the observation of chronic callouses, I could faithfully say that our feet (Aki and I) had nothing in common. Whereas my feet are wide, requiring a men's EE fitting (which will still be too long); Aki are long and oh-so-narrow. P1's exclamation on seeing her naked foot was "So Flat", whereas my high arches permit no shoes. And so it went, right down to the Girlyist Girl detail.

The video analysis by P1 was reviewed by P2, and the chronic blister and knock knee bio-mechanical inefficiency was addressed. I was delighted to see that the first line of action was some aggressive strapping of the feet. My bio-mechanical problems were helped enormously be appropriate strapping and exercises. Orthodothes then sealed my ill - not injured running career.

So - Run with the strapping on during the next 72 hours with the strapping on a run that would normally cause blisters.
- continue with cross training such as spin sessions.
- build up the eccentric adductor muscles.
- come back for review in two weeks.

Although it wasn't exactly a stressful day, I was exhausted by the end. The wisdom of me doing the City to Surf doesn't sound too good.

No exercise today, despite feeling as good as I had for a while. My cognitive decline is concerning me more than the physical, not new, but more than a nuisance nevertheless.

So please excuse me if I repeat myself or am unintelligible.

So please excuse me if I repeat myself or sm imiteliahosnkr.

Met up with my young friend after a session of 'Superman Returns' - the first Superman movie she has seen on the big screen, the (Christopher Reeves original) last one I saw I shudder to relate to anyone. I missed her walking by despite my constant vigilance, and we got together to catch up for the first time since the school hols started. There was a lot to cover.

I would quite like to see Tristram Shandy and Wah Wah at Electric Shadows, but Superman I could live without this week.

We tried to get the Polar Precision Software and its updates up and running on her PC (so far so good), although I had to leave before I could get the USB connection up and running to download and upload the info. She WILL bring the 625, foot pod and HR strap with her to Customs tomorrow, and might even get some baseline information first for her predicted HR Max and VO2. (Aki, I know that you're reading this).

Better go and celebrate with the birthday girl. Too much cake and champagne is never enough!

Turned up for the BBQ Stakes again today, after a little break, keen to go hard, but did not want to flog myself mentally as well by going off my 'correct' handicap time of 9 minutes. Left on scratch, and worked hard, enjoying the 'Podrunner' download mix today rather more than yesterday, which incorporated a mix of African drumming and some vocalisations. It helped my legs turning over at an increased cadence and to dull the groin pain after the first kilometre or thereabouts.

Finished in 35 minutes, a tad under 6 minute kilometres, which is laughable except that I worked really hard and got faster as I went along. Pleased to have run, and not as stiff as I was after yesterdays flat 6k effort at Tuggeranong. Go figure.

Meeting Aki tomorrow for a smoothie or coffee or Pho. A cold night is predicted, so Lucy the wonder Cat will no doubt cuddle close tonight ~ significant as tomorrow is her 21st!!!

Happy Birthday Lucy!!

Not bursting with Rude Health at the moment, although I am trying to keep active . . . when I'm not asleep, that is!

The current cold snap in Canberra doesn't help either, it is uncommonly cold for this time of year, and I'm suffering. No excuses though. At the Mount Ainslie Run Up last Tuesday I was gloriously last on a spectacular day. It was good to see Aki there and we spent a bit of time together afterwards.

No more running since though, despite a great deal of sleep! Rad picked me up this morning to go to the 'other' Tuesday Lunchtime running event in Canberra, the Lake Tuggeranong Stakes. With the once-a-month Lake Ginninderra Stakes (7k), the Mt Ainslie Run-Up (2.2k) and the Black Mountain Run-Up (2.6k) there isn't much time left for the weekly Lake Tuggeranong Stakes (6k). However there was a window this week, and Rad rang to pick me up first. This ensured that I got out of bed, and out of the house, which would have been a bit questionable otherwise.

He is a treasure, arriving early, he carefully takes a plastic bag and goes around collecting the multitude of fast food rubbish left around the start. Soon enough, we were off, and I once again went off my 'correct' handicap, even though I knew that I was terribly slow. At 8:30 I quickly slipped behind everyone, and this just continued. I tried to emulate the 'Podrunner' exercise of a few weeks ago, and this time, not only had the MP3, but also had it fully powered up. This week is was 'Bulldozer' rated at 140-something Beats per minute. Interestingly, my heart rate was around 148 for most of the time, even though I was going as hard as I could. It did seem to ameliorate some of the horrible pain from the groin. I finished in 33 minutes, and was, predictably last again. It still hurts, but I will plan to get to the BBQ Stakes again tomorrow, because I'm sure that it is good for me - and I can handle these lunch time runs in this weather!

The ACT Cross Country Club (ACTCCC) conducted a new event today, the Googong Dam Off Road Half Marathon. With no preparation and little knowledge, Aki and I car pooled, the transport of choice for many of those attending. My navigation skills could do some honing though, as I took Aki on a 'scenic' tour of suburban Queanbeyan before a phone call to the PRB put us back on the right track.

There was quite a big turnout, not surprising given that the cost for members was zilch, nix, nada, gratis - and only $5 for others. I am so pleased that I saved my $80 registration fee for the Gold Coast tomorrow! Although my tour de Queanbeyan did not leave us with much free time, I found that there was an early start, and just managed to line up as we headed off about 15 minutes early.

It was on a good fire trail surface, and although quite exposed, in the faint winter sunshine it was perfect, with views of the dam as we wound our way around - and up and down. It was rather hilly - in fact a total elevation gain and loss of 1,081 metres!

I felt a tad better than when running in the Customs Joggers run on Friday, not quite so spastic and my breathing didn't wheeze quite so much. I was slower than expected, it hurt more than I would have liked, but I was running! Far too soon a long, lean flash of legs eased his way past me and up a hill. He must have been the leader in the race at the 'correct' start, but I didn't immediately recognise him and his was running so well - in absolute, not just comparative terms. A little later, the familiar club colours with Scott Imhoff, and Trevor Jacobs passed as well, then after a break, a steady stream of the faster blokes on the course. After crossing a dry causeway, a sign indicated that there was a car park access 2.2 km away. A check of the dashboard confirmed that this would be the turnaround.

I plugged on, keeping an eye on the distinctive Cool Running colours of Strewth in the distance. To my chagrin and surprise, she was lounging around at the turnaround! What was this! I didn't know that there was a relay event!

Funnily enough, after about 13 or 14 kilometres, I kicked into gear. My arm no longer had a mind of it's own, my breathing normalised - still wheezing on the worst of the ascents, but normal - and it felt more like it should to run. Sure, the groin pain intensified greatly, resulting in involuntary cries, but thankfully there was no one around. Despite a toilet stop, I manage a scant negative split (10-20 seconds), but a negative split nevertheless.