After a great night at our tri club's presentation dinner last night, I did an easy 30min run this morning (4.52k - av.6:40m/k) to round out my taper. I'm feeling rather fat, unfit & tired as I always do at the end of a taper week. Guess that means that I'm ready :-)
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 38.6k
Hike - 47.85k
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
T-4...
Last day at work tomorrow - yippee :-) Which reminds me - if you have my work email address or mobile phone number, delete it!
It's been a weird week. I returned to the office on Monday after the mountaineering course feeling like I had been away from it for a month; there really is something to be said for having a holiday or break that is so far removed from everyday life. My head is now well & truly in 'holiday-land'. My butterflies about the difficulty of Kokoda are not yet in formation - I realise that I had a really good, solid prep & that I am confident that I did all that I could have. But of course this isn't always enough to settle those usual last minute I-haven't-done-enough-training panic attacks.
Tuesday
AM - easy 45mins run - 6.25k - av. 6:55m/k
I ran only on PE as my HR monitor - and the rest of my mountaineering gear - remained unpacked in a big pile on the floor in the rumpus room. T'was slow going but that's ok.
Wednesday
AM - 35mins ride incl 5 x 2min efforts
While still watching the climb up the Col de la Croix de Fer during this year's TdF. Next year's race could be on by the time I get to watch the end of this stage....
Thursday
AM - easy 35mins run - 5.33k - 6:35m/k - 141BPM
My last 4-something AM training session for 6 months! Woohoo!! Alas, it's not the last time I see 4-something AM - I need to be at the airport on Monday morning by 4:30am! No strength session again (argh!) due to a farewell lunch & too many others things to do.
Now for my trip, I have decided to start a separate blog to document my travels. I figured that my family and non-running friends won't be particularly interested in my training. I have no idea why - personally I think its fascinating ;-) I will certainly keep - and continue to use - this one as a record of my training over the next few months. But if you are interested in my travels, my travel-blog is here. Just don't bother checking it at the moment - I haven't got around to posting anything yet - but will over the weekend!
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 34.08k
Hike - 47.85k
It's been a weird week. I returned to the office on Monday after the mountaineering course feeling like I had been away from it for a month; there really is something to be said for having a holiday or break that is so far removed from everyday life. My head is now well & truly in 'holiday-land'. My butterflies about the difficulty of Kokoda are not yet in formation - I realise that I had a really good, solid prep & that I am confident that I did all that I could have. But of course this isn't always enough to settle those usual last minute I-haven't-done-enough-training panic attacks.
Tuesday
AM - easy 45mins run - 6.25k - av. 6:55m/k
I ran only on PE as my HR monitor - and the rest of my mountaineering gear - remained unpacked in a big pile on the floor in the rumpus room. T'was slow going but that's ok.
Wednesday
AM - 35mins ride incl 5 x 2min efforts
While still watching the climb up the Col de la Croix de Fer during this year's TdF. Next year's race could be on by the time I get to watch the end of this stage....
Thursday
AM - easy 35mins run - 5.33k - 6:35m/k - 141BPM
My last 4-something AM training session for 6 months! Woohoo!! Alas, it's not the last time I see 4-something AM - I need to be at the airport on Monday morning by 4:30am! No strength session again (argh!) due to a farewell lunch & too many others things to do.
Now for my trip, I have decided to start a separate blog to document my travels. I figured that my family and non-running friends won't be particularly interested in my training. I have no idea why - personally I think its fascinating ;-) I will certainly keep - and continue to use - this one as a record of my training over the next few months. But if you are interested in my travels, my travel-blog is here. Just don't bother checking it at the moment - I haven't got around to posting anything yet - but will over the weekend!
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 34.08k
Hike - 47.85k
Monday, August 25, 2008
T-7...
This time next week I will be in PNG. The fact that my grand adventure has arrived has suddenly dawned on me; I'm feeling rather nervous about Kokoda right now. Hopefully the butterflies will be flying in formation by next Monday....
Now, as for the updates - let's see, where was I...
Sat 16/8 - R's birthday (happy birthday mahal!) - everyone headed to the snow. Me? I stayed in bed & had a nice long sleep-in at our apartment in Jindy before a rather slow 50mins run along the shore of Lake Jindy. The pace was incredibly slow - I choose to blame the altitude ;-) Finished with 7.22k - av. 6:55m/k - av. 143BPM. Afterwards a visit to the bakery for breakfast & coffee, I spent the rest of the day reading the paper, watching the Olympics & taking in the view from our apartment -
Nice :-)
Sun 17/8 - rest. Spent the day at Blue Cow reading & drinking hot choc :-)
Mon 18/8 - Fri 22/8 - 5 day mountaineering course. Wow! What an incredible, exciting week!
Met up with my team for the week at Jindy at 8am on Monday morning and, after getting organised, we travelled by mini-bus, snow-cat & then finally on snowshoes to our camp somewhere between Charlottes Pass & Blue Lake.
I had a fantastic time, ate lots of chocolate (the sekrit to keeping warm at -10!) & learnt soooo much during the course of the week - I learnt how to show-shoe, tie all manner of knots, build snow caves, use crampons, build ice anchors & stop myself sliding off the side of a mountain by using an ice axe. The week culminated in a multi-pitch climb up a snow slope adjacent to camp.
Yes, that's me - on the right ;-)
Unfortunately due to the weather, we were only able to make the 7k return trip to Blue Lake on
snow-shoes once.
Despite the obvious reminder of last Sunday's tragic event, it was a beautiful place to train. I rounded out the week by carrying my pack (weighing around 15kg) and pulling a sled (weighing around 10kg) up 3/4 of the slope from the Snowy River to the top of one of the ski runs behind Charlottes Pass and then down the other side to the chateau - now that was bloody hard work! A truly fantastic week - can't wait to put some of my new knowledge to good use; not to mention head back next year for some ice climbing :-D :-D
Sat 23/8 - I was due to have a rest day but a christening in Canberra on Sunday meant that I had to swap my long sessions around. To allow for the fact that I was still tired from the mountaineering course, I dropped the pack weight back to about 16kg and did a 4:20 hike,
'summiting' Mt Majura twice & Mt Ainslie once. Finished with 19.09k. Surprisingly I felt reasonably strong although a bit tired & hungry by the time I finished. Afterwards, I cleaned myself up & headed to the War Memorial for a quick lunch in the café before spending a couple of hours looking at everything I could find related to Kokoda. All I can say is that I'm going to be a serious sap the whole way along the Owen Stanley Ranges I suspect.... As my head & thoughts have been in the mountains so much lately, it was also a good way to end my last real training session & to start getting my head in the right 'head space' for Kokoda. As all the hard work is now done, that is the only thing I can still do...
Sun 24/8 & Mon 24/8 - rest days & start of taper week :-)
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 22.5k
Hike - 47.85k
Now, as for the updates - let's see, where was I...
Sat 16/8 - R's birthday (happy birthday mahal!) - everyone headed to the snow. Me? I stayed in bed & had a nice long sleep-in at our apartment in Jindy before a rather slow 50mins run along the shore of Lake Jindy. The pace was incredibly slow - I choose to blame the altitude ;-) Finished with 7.22k - av. 6:55m/k - av. 143BPM. Afterwards a visit to the bakery for breakfast & coffee, I spent the rest of the day reading the paper, watching the Olympics & taking in the view from our apartment -
Nice :-)
Sun 17/8 - rest. Spent the day at Blue Cow reading & drinking hot choc :-)
Mon 18/8 - Fri 22/8 - 5 day mountaineering course. Wow! What an incredible, exciting week!
Met up with my team for the week at Jindy at 8am on Monday morning and, after getting organised, we travelled by mini-bus, snow-cat & then finally on snowshoes to our camp somewhere between Charlottes Pass & Blue Lake.
I had a fantastic time, ate lots of chocolate (the sekrit to keeping warm at -10!) & learnt soooo much during the course of the week - I learnt how to show-shoe, tie all manner of knots, build snow caves, use crampons, build ice anchors & stop myself sliding off the side of a mountain by using an ice axe. The week culminated in a multi-pitch climb up a snow slope adjacent to camp.
Yes, that's me - on the right ;-)
Unfortunately due to the weather, we were only able to make the 7k return trip to Blue Lake on
snow-shoes once.
Despite the obvious reminder of last Sunday's tragic event, it was a beautiful place to train. I rounded out the week by carrying my pack (weighing around 15kg) and pulling a sled (weighing around 10kg) up 3/4 of the slope from the Snowy River to the top of one of the ski runs behind Charlottes Pass and then down the other side to the chateau - now that was bloody hard work! A truly fantastic week - can't wait to put some of my new knowledge to good use; not to mention head back next year for some ice climbing :-D :-D
Sat 23/8 - I was due to have a rest day but a christening in Canberra on Sunday meant that I had to swap my long sessions around. To allow for the fact that I was still tired from the mountaineering course, I dropped the pack weight back to about 16kg and did a 4:20 hike,
'summiting' Mt Majura twice & Mt Ainslie once. Finished with 19.09k. Surprisingly I felt reasonably strong although a bit tired & hungry by the time I finished. Afterwards, I cleaned myself up & headed to the War Memorial for a quick lunch in the café before spending a couple of hours looking at everything I could find related to Kokoda. All I can say is that I'm going to be a serious sap the whole way along the Owen Stanley Ranges I suspect.... As my head & thoughts have been in the mountains so much lately, it was also a good way to end my last real training session & to start getting my head in the right 'head space' for Kokoda. As all the hard work is now done, that is the only thing I can still do...
Sun 24/8 & Mon 24/8 - rest days & start of taper week :-)
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 22.5k
Hike - 47.85k
Thursday, August 14, 2008
New season footwear
It seems yellow is the colour for the (my) upcoming season. I'd put my feet up & take a photo of them a la Runner Susan but they are too freak'n heavy!
Monday - rest day. Much needed. Tired & sore after Sunday's hike.
Tuesday - unplanned rest day. Was supposed to run but canned it after a cr*p nights sleep. Grrrrrrrrr.
Wednesday - 45min ride including 2 x 10mins AT while (still) watching this year's TdF climb the Col de la Croix de Fer. Good session; felt really strong :-) In the evening after a work function, I went to a great presentation by Andrew Lock on his successful ascent of Makalu, the 5th highest mountain in the world. Cool :-)
Thursday - easy 40mins run (6.09k - av. 6:35m/k - av. 144BPM) on an icy morning in Penriff. I was supposed to do a strength session as well but couldn't escape from the office. Grrrrrrr. So much for my last week of 'heavy' training.
I have a big 10 days ahead. After a half day in the office tomorrow, I am heading down to Jindabyne for the weekend in the snow with various members of the Mango-clan. Then next week I am doing a 5 day mountaineering course. Really looking forward to it after getting some great feedback from another WWoT member who attended it last week. We are camping above the snow line somewhere near Charlottes Pass I think so the weather might be a tad fresh ;-) And then (after a weekend in Canberra for a family function) it's back home for my last week at work. It's almost here - can't believe it - yippeeeeeeeeeee :-D :-D :-D
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 15.28k
Hike - 28.76k
Monday - rest day. Much needed. Tired & sore after Sunday's hike.
Tuesday - unplanned rest day. Was supposed to run but canned it after a cr*p nights sleep. Grrrrrrrrr.
Wednesday - 45min ride including 2 x 10mins AT while (still) watching this year's TdF climb the Col de la Croix de Fer. Good session; felt really strong :-) In the evening after a work function, I went to a great presentation by Andrew Lock on his successful ascent of Makalu, the 5th highest mountain in the world. Cool :-)
Thursday - easy 40mins run (6.09k - av. 6:35m/k - av. 144BPM) on an icy morning in Penriff. I was supposed to do a strength session as well but couldn't escape from the office. Grrrrrrr. So much for my last week of 'heavy' training.
I have a big 10 days ahead. After a half day in the office tomorrow, I am heading down to Jindabyne for the weekend in the snow with various members of the Mango-clan. Then next week I am doing a 5 day mountaineering course. Really looking forward to it after getting some great feedback from another WWoT member who attended it last week. We are camping above the snow line somewhere near Charlottes Pass I think so the weather might be a tad fresh ;-) And then (after a weekend in Canberra for a family function) it's back home for my last week at work. It's almost here - can't believe it - yippeeeeeeeeeee :-D :-D :-D
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 15.28k
Hike - 28.76k
Sunday, August 10, 2008
I've fallen & I can't get up...
Another weekend gone; only 3 weeks tomorrow (Monday) til Kokoda.
My recovery week came to an end yesterday (Sat) with an easy 30min run around the hood after a bit of a sleep-in. Finished with 4.71k - av. 6:24m/k - av144BPM. I spent the rest of the day running around the house like a madwoman cleaning my trekking poles & boots (which were a mess after the mudathlon in Canberra a few weeks ago) and packing, unpacking & repacking for Kokoda and the mountaineering course. The Kokoda pack is down to 11.4kg now; my mountaineering pack still needs some work...
Today it was off to the magnificent Perrys Lookdown & Blue Gum forest for my 5.5hr hike today with a 20kg pack (18.84k). There was an icy wind & a nice light dusting of snow on the ground as I drove into Blackheath at 7.30am; I have to admit that I was asking myself why I hadn't taken up an easier - and warmer - sport. Still bad weather is, if nothing else, a good opportunity to test out my gear & the wind, rain and snow (yes, I got 'snowed' on!) certainly did that.
The gate was locked so I had a 3k walk in the cold wind to the lookout(down). Thankfully the trail down the escarpment & the forest were both largely protected from the wind. I had a bit of tumble in the forest when a stick jumped up & bit me ;-) It was a good reminder that the weight of my pack means that it sometimes has a mind of its own. I landed in a nice lush patch of grass where I did my best impersonation of a turtle on its back unable to move. Thankfully no-one was around to see it. Had to undo & take off my pack in order to get back up again.
A beef & guinness pie, large coffee and chocolate cake afterwards in Blackheath rounded out my day nicely :-)
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 9.19k
Hike - 28.76k
Friday, August 08, 2008
15...
21 sleeps to go until I finish up at work, Bro :-D :-D
What a weird week it's been.
Friday - rest day.
Developed a 4 hour stomach bug on the way to work. Arrived at work, was sick & then turned around & headed for home. Given it's a 3 hours return trip, it was rather annoying. Slept 3 hours on Friday afternoon, another 9 hours on Friday night & woke up fine on Saturday.
Saturday
AM - 2:10 ride on the M7 bike path - 51.41k - av. 23.7k/h - av. 131BPM
Strangely after being sick on Friday, this was perhaps my best /strongest ride to date! Our average pace was 24k/h (a first!) until we turned off the M7 for the 2km c/d ride home. I also managed to stand the whole way up both of the big hills heading north near Elizabeth Drive; I've never had the strength / endurance / cardio fitness to do that before. Nice :-)
The day ended with R, Rags and myself attending the WWoT masked ice ball in Manly. A fantastic night of great food, alcohol & rope games ;-) to raise funds for the WWoT Seven Summits Team and the Fred Hollows Foundation. I managed to win two prizes in the silent auction - a gorgeous photo taken from Mt Elbrus in Russia (one of the Seven Summits & perhaps my next one after Aconcag) as well as a fantastic photo of Everest taken and signed by Lincoln Hall. However I think the highlight of the night was watching Rags being dragged, by his tie, onto the dance floor by a blond Amazon :-D
Sunday
PM - 2:27 hike w/14kg pack - 9.92k - av. 109BPM
After Friday's illness and a bit of a sniffle on Saturday, I decided to start my recovery week a day early & so cut this session back to 2.5 hours & reduced my pack weight to 14kg. Fully fuelled thanks to pancakes at Chez-Rags & lolly bags courtesy of Mouse & the kids, R & I headed for Glenbrook to walk up to the Red Hands Cave. I was a bit over the idea of walking & a bit tired but the company was nice :-)
Monday - rest day - 4 weeks to Kokoda!
Tuesday
AM - easy 30min spin
Wednesday - rest day
Thursday
An easy 30mins run at 4.30am [4.48k - av. 6:43m/k - av. 143BPM] and a 60mins strength session later in the day. Man I lurve weight training :-) Very excited to realise this morning that I only 2 more weeks of pre-5am training starts to go before I am a lady of leisure for 6 whole months :-)
Thanks to Ellie & Vurt for your hospitality last night (*waves*)
Friday - rest day - 3 weeks left at work! Bring on the Olympics - what is not to love about the Olympics - sport, sport & more sport :-D
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 4.48k
Hike - 9.92k
What a weird week it's been.
Friday - rest day.
Developed a 4 hour stomach bug on the way to work. Arrived at work, was sick & then turned around & headed for home. Given it's a 3 hours return trip, it was rather annoying. Slept 3 hours on Friday afternoon, another 9 hours on Friday night & woke up fine on Saturday.
Saturday
AM - 2:10 ride on the M7 bike path - 51.41k - av. 23.7k/h - av. 131BPM
Strangely after being sick on Friday, this was perhaps my best /strongest ride to date! Our average pace was 24k/h (a first!) until we turned off the M7 for the 2km c/d ride home. I also managed to stand the whole way up both of the big hills heading north near Elizabeth Drive; I've never had the strength / endurance / cardio fitness to do that before. Nice :-)
The day ended with R, Rags and myself attending the WWoT masked ice ball in Manly. A fantastic night of great food, alcohol & rope games ;-) to raise funds for the WWoT Seven Summits Team and the Fred Hollows Foundation. I managed to win two prizes in the silent auction - a gorgeous photo taken from Mt Elbrus in Russia (one of the Seven Summits & perhaps my next one after Aconcag) as well as a fantastic photo of Everest taken and signed by Lincoln Hall. However I think the highlight of the night was watching Rags being dragged, by his tie, onto the dance floor by a blond Amazon :-D
Sunday
PM - 2:27 hike w/14kg pack - 9.92k - av. 109BPM
After Friday's illness and a bit of a sniffle on Saturday, I decided to start my recovery week a day early & so cut this session back to 2.5 hours & reduced my pack weight to 14kg. Fully fuelled thanks to pancakes at Chez-Rags & lolly bags courtesy of Mouse & the kids, R & I headed for Glenbrook to walk up to the Red Hands Cave. I was a bit over the idea of walking & a bit tired but the company was nice :-)
Monday - rest day - 4 weeks to Kokoda!
Tuesday
AM - easy 30min spin
Wednesday - rest day
Thursday
An easy 30mins run at 4.30am [4.48k - av. 6:43m/k - av. 143BPM] and a 60mins strength session later in the day. Man I lurve weight training :-) Very excited to realise this morning that I only 2 more weeks of pre-5am training starts to go before I am a lady of leisure for 6 whole months :-)
Thanks to Ellie & Vurt for your hospitality last night (*waves*)
Friday - rest day - 3 weeks left at work! Bring on the Olympics - what is not to love about the Olympics - sport, sport & more sport :-D
MTD:
Bike - 51.41k
Run - 4.48k
Hike - 9.92k
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