Summertime, me and running just don't mix.  They never have.  After two weeks of keeping off my Achilles, I decided to have an easy run.  First 5km was either flat, or downhill.  Next 2km of bush steps and trail. Ok the bush steps are steep but not "achilles-busting steep" like a hill would be.  Final 3kms home gentle incline.  And by the final 3kms my achilles was WAILING again.  So. Fucking. Frustrating. 

Good things about the run were the feeling of freedom running downhill, the feel good stuff released into my brain at the start, the bubbling brook that is usually dry and the smell of the trails after the rain. 

However, I am just going to have to keep busy with "other things".  Last week was a 40km ride which was actually really good.  During the week I've been walking, which is ok, but it takes forever to do my "normal" run!!   This afternoon I am going somewhere I thought I would NEVER revisit - the gym!!!  After 15 years of gym junkyhood, I gave it all away when I started running.  So this afternoon me with my dicky achilles and Yvonne with her torn calf are going to hobble up the stairs and do some weights.  I've always viewed weights as an "easy" workout, and always considered cardio to be king.  Cardio, however has not been kind to me, so for now, weights it is. 

I am also toying with the idea of Daniel the Personal Trainer who comes to you.  He does the HIIT stuff.  On one hand I think it would be a challenge and fun, and on the other I don't want to take it up when I am not able to do it properly with the ankle behaving as it is. 

So, here is me learning the art of patience AGAIN.  A recurrent theme in my life.....and not one I have yet mastered.....!!

Giving up

Observations:  after a mint, a cold bottle of water is the coldest, most beautiful thing you could ever put in your mouth.  After a minty mouthful of chewy on a long run, it is even better.  The most thirst quenching thing you can have.

I am worried about Nicola, the unbalanced twin sister with issues.  She has taken to phoning me in the middle of the night and sending cryptic messages on facebook.  Being a twin, I get those "I know exactly what is going to happen next" feelings with her.  And I had a terrible feeling this morning that she will take her own life.  So I rang her.  I think she is ok today, but something is wrong, something other than all the other terrible things that are already wrong in her life.   Again I've got the guilts and am thinking I should go home.  But I hate the place - and I can't bear the thought of going back.  Time to bring the mountain to Mohammed. 



In other observations, I am crap.  I have no idea STILL about my future.  It keeps changing.  I do know now that you DO need to be careful what you wish for.  It can all go so horribly wrong so easily.  And it is amazing how you can not give a shit either.  And you can still have fun regardless.

I have two ideas that might work.  They both depend on waiting for news on something, one is quite a good idea and will address a few issues, so I suppose I need to wait and see.....!!

This is the year of the Water Dragon.  No idea what that means but my Chinese friend in work seems to think this is a good thing.  Given the last two years have been relatively shite, I am happy to welcome and embrace a good year, no matter what the beast, be it Water Dragon (it is) or a Fire Goat (that is me) or even an Air Head......

Glossary

Wabwador = dog
Buffy the Wonder Dog = dog
Wack Wussell = dog
Buffydog  = dog
Buffaloid Samuels = dog
The Buffster = dog
Buffy = dog (polite form)

What do you want for you anniversary?.....

Um, let's see - a $6m yacht.....?  WTF England?  The Euro is going down the toilet, half of Britain is on welfare, the queen has enough boats and whatnot to be going on with - but TAXPAYERS money can afford a $6m Yacht.  Has the world gone totally crazy?

Anyway, I just found that sad and totally misguided.  In other news, "training" (read "running") ain't happening, but consistently lifting weights every day (and my thighs know all about the 50 squats a day routine now).  Last night I took Buffy the Wonder Dog for a walk, and something was pulling me towards the bush, despite the fact is was after 7.30pm, getting dark and wildly stupid to be marching about on the trails in the twilight.  However it was BEAUTIFUL.  The day started off really wet, but by late afternoon the sun was shining and everything was drying up.  So the trails were damp, full of puddles and had that fantasic earthy smell happening.  All the birds and frogs and cicadas were very happy that the rain had stopped and the noise was DEAFENING, add in a few cockies and some bats and there was quite the little symphony happening and absolutely no need for Slayers "Raining Blood".  Buffy does this cute thing when we power walk, because for her its not a full blown run, greyhound style, but more a trot, so she puts her ears back (perhaps to be more aerodynamic) and has a very determined look about her gob.  Funny little dog, she is an awesome companion on the trails and one of these days she is going to get signed up for Six Foot Track.  So we ended up being out for nearly two hours and it was all good except for when a bat or some kind of large flying insect flew into the back of my hair and had me squealing and carrying on and wildly slapping myself on the back of my head.  All that thinking about wildlife and creepy crawlies and stuff must have been in my head because I had a wierd nights sleep dreaming about my own invented version of lice, which were like big cockroaches living in my twin sisters head and they infected everyone in the world and we all felt bad about that.  Like I say, it was a strange dream.....Anyway, I am consistently icing and stretching my ankle and I can feel it getting better bit by bit, so might even be able to do a little run at the weekend - which will be fab, I cannot remember looking forward so much to getting back out for a run, so that means the motivation is back! Reading the reports of the Narrabeen All Nighter and my friend Cathys awesome debut has made me want to go out and do something similar.....and I see there is a 24hr race in Blacktown in July.......evil laugh....!!!  And now that Simon is training for his marathon, I will have company again, which will keep me on my toes.  So - in summary, motivated!

Meditation

So - I've decided to learn to meditate.  Apparently it will make me happier.

Willing to give anything a try, I've read about the benefits of meditation and decided to give it a go.  Well, planning is everything. 

Firstly, I don't think a good loud dose of heavy metal is the BEST precursor to a nice calm zen meditation session.

Secondly, the caffeine in the second cup of coffee was helping my heart pound just a little bit more than normal, so "concentrating" on the natural process of breathing was hard when the heart is jumping around somewhat unnaturally.

Ok ok, concentrate on breathing.  Clear the mind of everything else.  Wow!  I have an INORDINATE amount of background noise in my head.  About twenty different concepts all at once, each vying for a spot in my frontal lobe, or wherever it is that thoughts get the most attention.

Clearly I have a strong need for a good meditation session, especially given my lack of running at the moment.  Normally that sorts me out.

A friend mentioned today that the time spent on my commute could be devoted to learning another language.  Yes, it could, but becoming fluent in mandarin is not top priority right now, however, a little more clarity, peace, and inner balance would be just lovely thank you.

So I have a 8 week financial plan, and  a general fitness / health plan in place, perhaps I can add to that an 8 week plan to inner balance, focusing on a bit of meditation and lots of selfish ME activities, like healthy food, good exercise, plenty of sleep and surrounding  myself with only the most positive, funny and interesting people I can find.  Oh and I forgot - enjoying being in nice places - 

• The National Pass very early in the morning in summer - all those birds!
• Nepean Lookout on a sunny day - the blue haze
• Milsons Point - with a view of the water and a day dream about living there
• Over Cliff Walk at Wentworth Falls - heaven on a stick!
• Any beach.  
• My yummy scrummy bed
• The back deck with friends....currently getting a bit of a makeover - who needs an exercise regime when you've got a wooden home?!

So, that's the plan Stan.   Tonight, we start with a visit to a Brazilian Restaurant with the beyoooooteeefoool Yvonne and Peter.  Tick - interesting, positive and funny people off that list!

Friday 13th.........

Drumroll......Twilight Zone music.......what will Friday 13th have in store for me?

Last night got home with mood definately GRUMPY on account of the fact that my achilles went NUP NOT PLAYING in the middle of a run where I was thinking to myself, gee I"m clever, all this sore achilles needs is a little bit of blood flow.  WRONG!  It needed a good stretch and some ice and some compression and some massage but not a bloody run with a hill thrown in......so literally had to hop about 3km back to the PT class. 
However, woke up this morning, daily ritual of taking everything off, drying feet to ensure no extra weight is registered from, god forbid, a bit of water on my feet from the bathroom floor and VOILA!!!  3 kilos since the start of the new year.  FANFUCKINGTASTIC!!!!!  One happy camperooney.  So, the mix of weights, high protein low carb, and "'almost" (but not quite) no alcohol appears to be working. (Yep another rip snorting success for Dry January).....

Running, whilst being the thing that I love to do most, despite being absolutely crap at it, will have to take a little back seat whilst I sort out the achilles.  I have devised a little circuit of high intensity exercises coupled with heavy weights which appears to work nicely for me.  And I can still swim (except I will be keeping my mouth closed - I firmly believe my nasty virus was something lurking in Glenbrook Pool) and go cycling and do my intervals and treat each set of stairs at the train station as a stair master and do my pelvic floor excercises on the train and run up and down the stairs at work and - well you get the drift......  So mood from yesterday has definately improved.  I am yearning to get back out on the trails and I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I dearly want to do the Knapsack 3 hour race with last years dream team, except I would be hoping for a more dignified finish this year that did not involve projectile vomiting for what felt like an eternity in the transition area, but that seems unlikely too (the race, not the dignified finish).  Anyway I am feeling happy and positive about everything DESPITE dicky ankle, so - life is good.  And I am enjoying it.  I think that's the idea.

Holy bedclothes batman!

Holy bedclothes batman, what was that? Been in bed for what seems like an ETERNITY and is most of 2012, but given there have only been three or four days of 2012, this is not as dramatic as it sounds...!


The nasty, nasty, nasty virus knocked me flat on my back for a few days, but hurrah for fabularse doctors and drugs that would skin a badger, should you immerse a badger in them. In fact, I have absolutely no knowledge of the drugs' badger skinning powers, but if it kills a little parasite that creates a little pod to live in so that things can't kill it, sort of, teenage mutuant ninja turtle style, then it must be strong.


   Anyway, still tired and dopey (what's new?) (here I am looking tired and dopey) but certainly feeling a million times better than the last few days - phew! Everyone here has had a great time making poo jokes at my expense and generally taking the mickey. 

So, might even get back to work tomorrow, depending on how I wake up. Hence, I declare 2012 officially OPEN!!  Let's go!

New Years Day - 2012

So, New Years Day 2012 was a cracker of a day - warm, sunny, hangover free.  I thought about all the things I wanted to achieve this year.  It all got too big and complicated, so I quickly directed my thoughts to more worthwhile pursuits, like looking for my bike helmet and cleaning out under the stairs.  

The Boot Camp had been going well.  Each day I have been doing something and trying to mix up the swimming, riding and running, because, as usual, calves and achilles are carrying on.  So, Thursday I did another 1.5km swim and weights (100 squats with the bar again) and Saturday was a 32km bike ride.

Despite the exercise, good food and generally looking after myself as well as getting to bed early, I had been feeling a bit off colour, and before the bike ride I really questioned if it was a good idea, but once out there, it was fine.  So I wasn't all that worried about going into the National Park for a run with Kel and a hike down to the Erskine Creek.  The plan was to swim in the creek then hike back out.  We did that, although the run felt just wierd and uncomfortable.  

On the climb down, there was lots of discussions about snakes, as the hot sunny conditions were perfect snake sunbaking weather, and there was a bit of squealing and carrying on when we saw something serpent like crawling through the undergrowth.  On closer inspection, it was just a little blue tongue lizard, but it reminded me of the famous Goanna Sighting of 2011 on Six Foot Track with Monica and I thinking some kind of modern day dinosaurs were living in Katoomba.  No matter, we got safely down the the creek and we were very brave and once we had established that there were no eels, snakes or other living creatures in the river, we got in.  Perfect spot for a swim, perfectly clear water, just beautiful.  Lots of giggling when we touched rocks or each others foot and mistaking it for a snake.  Well, giggling after the initial gasping and shrieking.....

The climb back up, whilst reasonably steep, is really not that hard, so before we knew it we were back up on the top of the world again.  

This is when new years day went all wierd on me.  Got home, had a shower and felt really bizarre, cold and shivery.  Wrapped myself up in about seven hundred towels and lay on the bed.  Felt really odd.  Tried to stand up.  Everything went black and got that feeling of blood rushing from your head to somewhere it is not supposed to go, so lay back down.  Lying down hurt, every bit of me was sore, so tried to get up again, only to have to lie down.  Continued this routine on and off for most of the night, and lets face it, most of today.  Telling myself this is NOT an omen for 2012 and it WILL be a good year for me.  Plus, it is an amazing kick start to the 2012 diet......so all is good.....or it will be just as soon as I can get out of bed....