Bargain Hunter

Week - 21.5k
Month - 77k
YTD - 598k


Well I eventually found a pair of runners that I liked. I find it hard to choose shoes and for the first time ever I actually bought a pair that I have had before. Well pretty close, the version two of the same shoe. I decided on Mizuno's after speaking with a podiatrist they said these would be good for me. The model is wave nirvana 2. A massive factor in choosing these was the price I ended up getting them for. The RRP for these are 229 they were on special in Rebel for 189 then over the weekend Rebel had another 30% of any shoe that was on sale therefore I ended up getting them for just under 140. I am usually too slow and miss the sales so this time I was pretty chuffed about saving some cash.

Anyway, I have completed three training runs this week thus far. Tuesday I ended up doing my usual 7k cross country run at work. Slow and steady this time with a new work mate who has been slack in the exercise department. This certainly showed up a hill that we call heartbreak hill which makes the C2S one look like a speed hump. It broke this poor lad and lessened him to a walk, and as you do, we paid out on him for being weak the rest of the way. Nothing like kicking a man while he is down :)

The next day it was a average pace road run around the barracks area, this is something I will miss when I depart the defence force, the ability to do exercise and sport everyday and actually be paid for it. The run was going to be 10k but was cut short when the person I was running with began getting blisters and we had to stop. Overall about 6.5k at 5min k pace

Today was a training day for us all at work. Lectures on Equity and Diversity etc etc, however at the end of the first lecture various people were picked at random including myself for drug testing. I have never been tested before in the 9 years and Im glad I haven't. Not because I have anything to hide, it is because once chosen you are placed in a room where you are not allowed food, drink or toilet breaks. It doesn't sound that bad until you are the last person tested out of 25 and each test takes over 15 mins per person. I had to remain in the room for over 4hrs. I returned home with a headache and struggled to get motivated for my run.

The plan for tonight was to run 10k starting off with a 5 min k and then the next being 4 min k pace and keep alternating between these two speeds. I felt pretty average the whole way and ended up cutting it short running 8k however sticking to the plan, well pretty close. I covered the distance in just over 36 mins making that an average pace of 4.33 per k.

Tomorrow Im having a sleep in before, more than likely heading down to the GC to watch the Marathon and chill down there for a few hours.

Finally, good luck to those competing and hopefully I will see many of you achieve your desired goals :)

Tagged by Tesso

4 jobs I have had
Paper delivery boy
Army - Electrical Technician
That's all I have done

4 movies I could watch over and over
Good Will Hunting
Talented Mr Ripley
The Firm
Remember the Titans

4 Places I have lived
Penrith NSW
Wodonga, VIC
Townsville
Brisbane

4 TV shows I love to watch
Scrubs
Seinfield
Everybody loves Raymond
House

4 Places I have been on Vacation
Ireland
Amsterdam
Daintree
Noosa

4 Websites I visit daily
Coolrunning
Bloglines
Netbanking - I hate bills :(
I cant think of another

4 favourite foods
Hot chips
Neenish Tarts
Kippers - Cass loves the smell of these ;)
Lamb Shanks

4 Places I would rather be now
Somewhere a bit warmer
Sleeping
Deserted Island with wife of course
Canada- not real warm but looks great

4 favourite bands/singers
Hilltop Hoods
Pete Murray
Missy Higgins
Jack Johnson

4 Bloggers I am Tagging
Clairie
Go Girl
Hannah
Portrunr

I have returned.....

Week - 0k
Month - 55.5
YTD - 576.5


From Gladstone. The weekend was good quite tiring with alot of late nights. I didn't even contemplate going for a run besides thursday night with the Gladstone Road runners.

*REWIND*
Thursday night as I said in the previous post I had found the run group and they were running 2 races a 2k and a 5k which is handicapped. When I arrived I registered and they asked my time for 1k which I thought was quite strange especially for a 5k run. I assumed that they wanted to know what sort of pace per km I would run for 5k so I said under 4 mins.

The announcements started first where I was introduced as being a visitor from Brisbane and then they told us the course which I had no idea what they were talking about. They then began the front markers, we all had numbers given to us and all these numbers kept being called and I was still standing there. Looking around the numbers kept dwindling, then they called up the 2k runners which is not handicapped and they started their run. At this stage I was a little concerned, there were 4 people left and I thought I will be next but no the next two went. I was left standing at the start line with a speedy looking bloke not knowing where I was going.

We set off 1 minute behind the second last group and all I was thinking is I hope this guy takes it easy and doesn't leave me behind. It would have been easy to see if the group was run in the morning but the run started at 5.45pm so I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me.

It turns out that the bloke I was running with is doing the GC marathon, and while we were running he was having a conversion with me. Myself I on the other hand was having difficulties just breathing let alone chatting. We started fairly moderate but slowly increased the pace until the 2k mark where I slowed a little. From this stage I knew where I was going and remained behind him for the majority of the run. I think he eased up so I didn't get lost because he stayed about three metres in front of me and didn't pull away.

I increased the pace towards the end and drew level with the guy and crossed the line together. To my suprise the time was nothing flash. I think that it must have been a little over 4k maybe 4.2k but it didn't matter. The time was 14.59 and we never caught anyone the whole run. I later found out that the front markers went off 9 mins in front of us, that is a huge distance for a 4k run.

After the race I chatted with the guy for a bit and he is aiming to run 2.50 - 2.55, last year he ran 3.04 so I can now pretty much assume he was taking it easy and waiting for me in that run :)

Today I think I might go and purchase some new shoes. I hate spending money on these but they are a necessity. I have ran over 550k in the ones I have which I bought in Feb, so almost 5 mths. I am thinking mizuno or adidas not sure, I think I will stay clear of asics, everytime I get a pair I seem to be injured not long after.

Over the hill

Literally!

The past few days have been quite hectic, I have been on a course for the first half of the week where I have been learning to drive vehicles using night vision equipment through bushland. This has unfortunately ceased my opportunity to do any training as obviously it needs to be night time to conduct the course. It has been late nights so no early morning training which also destroyed my birthday as I had to work late that night aswell :(

I am now writing this in Gladstone where we have travelled up for a wedding. Cass is a bridesmaid so we had to get here early for all the stuff that is required to be done in that position.

Myself however have no ties and have found out that there is a Gladstone road runners who conduct a 2k and 5k handicapped event on Thursday nights. So that's the plan for tonight go down and stretch the legs out, at the moment I dont feel very energetic but I will still give it a go.

So that's about all I have to say at the moment, will post again when something more exciting happens :)

Spectrum Fun run

Week - 29k
Month - 49k
YTD - 570k


This morning was the local fun run, held at Bray Park. I have only been living out there for 4 months and it is great to see the community organise an event like this. I woke up this morning not really feeling like a run but I knew that if I piked that I would regret it later in the day.

Time flew this morning and before I knew it I was still at home 20 mins before registration closes. So we quickly loaded up the car and drove the 1k to the start of the race. I registered and then went for a quick warmup, about a minute into this my shorts felt funny I looked down and noticed that they were on backwards......IDIOT!! I quickly ran into the shops to the toilets holding my arms low so no one noticed and put them on properly.....pretty funny, well it is now.

There were some familiar faces around from the Run Inn and I was quite suprised at the turnout, apparently over 300 people this morning.

The race started at 8am, I really didn't have a plan, I was unsure on my fitness as I have not been doing alot over the last few weeks and what I have been doing has been at a slow pace.

So we were off, I started close to the front behind the speedy's and took off pretty fast. The first km is mostly up a slight hill and was very suprised to reach the 1k marker in 3.36. The next few km were pretty much uneventful I maintained a similar pace. I reached the 2k marker in 7.20 and then 3k in 11.12.

By this stage I was thinking had I gone to fast and eased up a little, I knew the course pretty well and the second last k is an incline so I needed some in the tank for that. The km markers kept coming quite quickly which I was very happy about. I was starting to tire and reached the 5k marker in 19.12, I had maintained 4 min k pace for the last 2k.

I tried to increase the pace a little but was getting pretty puffed by this stage, the 6k marker came around but I can not remember the exact time 23.xx. I started to slow alot and knew that the next km was going to make or break me. By this stage I knew that I could break the 32 min mark so I just tried to hang on.

A bloke that I had past at the 5k mark past me at the 7k marker just after the hill and slowly pulled away from me. It was quite good having someone close Im usually all alone in runs so I think this helped alot in getting a better time.

I reached the 7km marker trying to put a brave face on for those spectators lining the roads but I dont think I was fooling anyone, I was hurting and noticed I had 4.30 to run the last k in to break 32 mins. I upped the pace and felt a little better now the course was flat again, I couldn't catch the bloke in front and just tried to hang on to my position.

I crossed the line in 31.13 which works out to be 3.43 last km. I was pretty happy with my result given my last few months of injury. I am unsure of my position but the results will be on the website later on this afternoon.