I have been chastised for not keeping my blog up to date (a fair cop!), so a quick summary.
Medication is still working well.
Quite a bit more activity this week, made all the better by Bob's rapid recovery from his lurgy which rid him of his appetite for nearly a week.
On Monday, the PRB and I met for our regular (two out of 2) cycle at Mawson. We did an extra bit along the trails at the base of Mt Taylor as well this week, reminding me of how wonderful it is to get out in the bush on the bike. Must do more soon! Also went to the gym in the evening and did some cardio work on the rowing machine, and the cross trainer as well as a surprisingly pleasant 30 minutes during the ABC News on the treadmill.
Tuesday is the movable feast of lunchtime running. Today was the Lake Ginninderra Stakes, a monthly 7k handicap around the shores of the northern lake in Canberra. I had a funny tummy that morning and was uncertain of my ability to attend, however the PRB offered to pick me up on the way which sealed the deal. We started early, off 5:00 minutes (my correct handicap is 18!) and it wasn't far into the run that I realised once again that I had forgotten to take my inhaler before the run, and wheezed my way through. The tum got it's revenge and I whisked myself away as soon as I had finished in (about) 41:50 with a toilet stop along the route. The rest of the day was a write off.
Just a bushwalk on Wednesday, as Bob left for the Gold Coast Half Ironman at Coomera Waters on Sunday. Household chores and an attempt to organise some of my paperwork.
Another cycle with PRB and Rad on Thursday, this time meeting at Hughes and wandering along the bike path to Scrivener Dam, and then down to Weston Creek to check the mail and http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/kml/episode.kml%3FepisodePkValues%3D1432062&ie=UTF8&z=12&ll=-35.260198,149.0625&spn=0.109331,0.227966&om=1 so on at a Friends place, before returning on a magical mystery tour. Coffee at a too-well shaded Hughes Bakery afterwards was very pleasant before I cycled home via the chemist, making for a 54 km round trip. Very nice.
Friday, brush teeth, go to Customs. The wind came up after I had locked my bike, but it was nowhere near as strong as last week. Wombatface also turned up for his first run which was great! Again, I was into the run before I realised that I needed the inhaler before the run! I pushed hard, and managed to be the first of the regular runners to finish once again despite my handicap being put back to 8:00 minutes, and I busted a gut to finish in a tad under 28:00 minutes in 27:56. I was very happy - it seems such a slow time, but it is a marked improvement in the right direction! Afterwards a very pleasant bowl of coffee (like a French Cafe au Lait bowl, but with a handle) with Ewan at the National Library. I contemplated the strengthening wind before riding home up Barry Drive and Belconnen Way.
More Cycling! A group of the PRB's Saturday morning group were going out to the Cotter for a run early (6:00 am) on Saturday. However tempting, I knew that running this distance and course was not sensible for me, so we agreed to join them on our bikes. I didn't bother to chance tyres from the full slicks I was running, remembering that the surface was pretty good. I expected the climbs to be hard however, and the 5:30 am start meant that I only slept briefly as I kept waking so that I wouldn't over sleep. It was hard, but great fun.
Overall, not much running, but 124km of cycling from a base of zero a few weeks ago.
Thanks for the mail check Carolyne and Rad.
Hope you are enjoying the new found world of re-bicycling.
You've had a good week Carolyne. I enjoyed that bowl of coffee at the Library. 6am Saturday! That's why I don't run with them ;)
Wow FD - those distances are awesome! I thought my ride of 24km today was a good start until I read your blog - amazing! Well done. You are so inspiring.
Great to see your doing well FD. :)