On the up.

Back down to the Track again tonight to do another easy 10 minutes.

Ran 5 laps then had a good stretch for about 20 minutes. For the first time in a while I ran with no pain or tightness in my calf. HOORAY!

The leg felt so good I had to resist a VERY big urge to run another 5 laps but decided agianst it.

Finally some confidence gained from a run.

The Launceston 10 is only 27 days away and I doubt whether I will be in any shape to run a decent time. However the Tassie XC Champs are on the 5th August and that might be a more realistic goal at this stage. At least I'll have a few more weeks training under my belt.

Bye for now.

Easy Run and some tightness.

My calf had been feeling good allweek so I decided to venture out this morning for an easy run.

Had planned to do only 10 minutes with idea being if I felt any soreness or tightness in my leg I would pull the pin. I got to within 200 metres from home and it started to tighten up so I walked the rest of the way.

I spent the day icing, massaging and stretching and it has started to come good. My personal Physio (actually my uncle)told me to rub some Hirudoid Cream into it as this will help break down the Scar Tissue. The instructions on the tube say to use twice daily. Pigs ring I will use it twice daily. I am using it every couple of hours, enough time has been wasted already and there is some catching up to do!!!!!!!

I will see how it feels in the morning and decide then whether or not I will run tomorrow. If not then I will hang on until Monday to try again.

Cheers

Frustration

My calf has been holding me back for a couple of weeks now, since May 22 to be precise.

It comes good and then when I put the runners backon it goes again. Physio has been a waste of timeand money. Hes not telling me anything I dont already now. Im sick of hearing "you have a tear in your calf, you better cme back and see me again in a few days time". Who retirement am I trying to fund, mine or his????

Considering taking 2 weeks off completely to allow the calf to heal. Wait and see.

On a brighter note, Robbie has started running again. I took her down to the track to help her get started. Apparently I am now her "coach". Her first run was around the St Leonards Aths track and I made her run the straights and walk the bends. I didnt bother counting the laps as it was more the effort than distance that I was after. She did alright for a "beginner". I say beginner because its been 17 years since she last ran.

She might be able to run but Human Anatomy is not her forte. She told me she used to have "Hammy" problems but as she was saying this she was pointing to her Quad!!!!Hmmmm.........!!!

Lucky shes a good Mum or Jacko might be getting fed via Suppository or something!!!

Speaking of our Little Man, hes walking now. 10 months old and hes mobile. Goes alright too the little bugga. Stay tuned for progress reports.

Cheers

Im back!!!

Remember me???

Have I been busy? Yes. Have I had nothing to say? No. Plenty to say but a lack of internet access has meant no posts for a while.

Have settled in nicely to Launceston. Enjoying work. Only a small amount of unpacking left to do (Robbie has done the majority of it) and bugger all running.

For the 1st 3 or 4 weeks I was here I had little time to run as I was trying to adjust to a new job in a new town that was totaly unfamiliar to me. Now that things have settled down a bit I have time to get out and run. Only one problem however, a calf injury that wont bugger off!! When I think I am on top of it it flares again. Running is restricted to 10 or 15 minutes at a time at the moment. There is a Golf Course 500m from home that looks awesome to train on but until my leg heals up I wont get much of a chance to explore.

I have tried everything from regular massage and stretching to ordering a new pair of shoes. Hopefully they arrive soon and I can tick that box also.

Tassie 10km Road Champs are on this weekend and I wont be competing. I was looking forward to getting out there but given my current lack of fitness not such a good idea.

The following weekend I am supposed to be running the Vic 16km XC Champs. Unless things turn around in the next day or so, that might be a non event as well.

Thats enough for now. Will make more posts on a regular basis from now on!!!

Cheers

Vic XC Relays

Thankfully the Weather Bureau got it wrong again as the predicted rain stayed away making the conditions ideal.

I ran the 2nd leg for our team and went out hard in the first lap and payed for it in the 2nd. Good part was I didnt pay for it as much as I thought I would. Ran the first lap in 10:25 and 2nd in 11:00. Very happy with the time considering it was an undulating course and it was my first race for the season.



Robbie was there taking happy snaps of the event. I asked her not to take any pics of the 2nd lap as I knew it wouldnt be pretty!!! Luckily she didnt listen and they turned out alright. Maybe she was a Photographer in a previous life!




Flying to Tassie tonight so this is my last Blog for a while.

Catchya.

Hill Session

Airlie St Sth Yarra, the site of many sessions involving pain.

6 Reps yesterday morning, only going half way up the hill but flat out with a walk down recovery. Felt good. Hills are one of my favourite sessions. The goal was to concentrate on getting the legs down quickly and using the arms the drive forward. I think I succeeded!

In between reps, Gruff and I were talking about the 1976 Olympic 1500m. He had to run 3:37 in the first round just to get thru to the second round. Awesome effort when you consider Round 1 was his first race since leaving Australia. They didnt get a chance to run overseas prior to the Games so it was straight to Montreal and into it.

Theres not many Aussie runners who have EVER run 3:37 let alone run it just to make the next round of major championship. I guess theres only one guy in Australia at the moment who could run that quick at will. Take a bow Craig Mottram.

I was pretty tired at the end of the session and almost fell asleep in the backyard at home in the afternoon. Had to drag myself out of my comfy chair about 4pm to go for another run. This time just an easy 6km to stretch the legs.

Woke up this morning feeling pretty good after a VERY good nights sleep. Easy run this arvo and same again tomorrow. Will throw in some strides tomorrow to roll the legs over before the XC relays on Saturday. Forecast is for rain on Saturday, cant say I like that idea. I guess the conditions will be the same for everyone.

Im running the 2nd leg for our team of 5. Hopefully I will have some others around me when I take off. The plan is to go hard on the first 3km lap and then hang on for the 2nd lap.

See how it goes.

2nd Day Syndrome

In my last Post on Sunday I wrote that I didnt pull up as bad as I thought after the Track session on Saturday. I TAKE THAT BACK!!!!.

2nd Day Syndrome has won again. You do a hard session and then wake up the next morning thinking that you have pulled up well and then BAM! the 2nd day you can hardly move.

When I got out of bed yesterday morning I could hardly walk. My Quads, Hamstrings and Calves were all tied in knots.

I did an easy 25 minute run last night and felt heaps better after it but I am still a little sore in the calves right now. Another easy run tonight and then a quick session tomorrow.

Had a look at the course for Saturday Cross Country Relays and there is not one flat bit of ground the whole way. The hills arent huge but it just goes up and down constantly.

Looking forward to a few days off before the weekend. Some time with the family, some training to be done, legs to be waxed etc etc.

Will catch up with a few people prior to the weekend and then I fly out Saturday night. I will return on Mothers Day weekend for my Cousins engagement party on the Saturday night. Sunday morning is the Vic 15km Road Champs at Latrobe University and then of course its Mother Day also. I guess I better take Jacko shopping to buy something for his Mum. Maybe he can just give me a list and I will do it myself!!!!!!!

Wait and see.