Quick post tonight.
We're now a few days into Lent and I'm assuredly feeling better for it.
I made it to the Ash Wednesday Mass this week just gone, which was a bit of an achievement: I was meant to be starting a jury trial the next day! It was packed and, sadly, it was very difficult to hear the priest. Regardless, I know what I want to achieve this Lent. I'll again give up encouraging bad thoughts, and anything that might give occasion for adultery (I'll also go to confession, which I haven't been doing). I'll pray a rolling novena for souls in purgatory. That is, finishing it, then saying a couple of other prayers, and then starting again. And I'd like to make a few donations to charities as well.
It seems perverse to have been looking forward to the penitential season, but I have. Not, I suppose, out of a love of penance, but out of a desire to change myself. I can't think of a better season to become the person you want to be.
Saturday, 29 February 2020
Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Road to Wollongong Part III: Stronger
Things are on the improve. Since my last post the weekend has come and gone. I needed to head back up to the farm to lend a hand with drenching cattle, which meant a lot of time both on my feet and climbing over the sliprails. And of course, many miles were walked with the dog during the off-hours.
Sadly, I couldn’t get time to run while I was up there.
I was fairly stiff in the ankles and tendons when I got back to town for the working week. It was raining on Monday night and so I couldn’t walk home after work. I made up for it all with a run home last night on the usual 10km route. This particular run almost didn’t happen. We’re going through a mind-bogglingly busy period at work following the departure of one of the firm’s solicitors. It was 10:30pm when I finally wrapped up for the night. I decided to run anyway given I need the stress relief: the mental pressure at work has been close to clouding my judgment which can only end very badly.
In the event it was a good run. I’d only intended to take it gentle but I found my legs felt strong and my knees and tendons weren’t hurting. Subject to work, I’ll probably try for 13 kms on Thursday evening and another 21kms at the weekend.
 |
| Fairly representative for both days |
I was fairly stiff in the ankles and tendons when I got back to town for the working week. It was raining on Monday night and so I couldn’t walk home after work. I made up for it all with a run home last night on the usual 10km route. This particular run almost didn’t happen. We’re going through a mind-bogglingly busy period at work following the departure of one of the firm’s solicitors. It was 10:30pm when I finally wrapped up for the night. I decided to run anyway given I need the stress relief: the mental pressure at work has been close to clouding my judgment which can only end very badly.
 |
| This isn’t the time of day I was running but it’s roughly the area |
In the event it was a good run. I’d only intended to take it gentle but I found my legs felt strong and my knees and tendons weren’t hurting. Subject to work, I’ll probably try for 13 kms on Thursday evening and another 21kms at the weekend.
Monday, 24 February 2020
Road to Woollongong Part II: my knee hurts!
Last week was a somewhat patchy week for training. On Sunday - the day after the benchmark run - I needed to go to the western suburbs to see a client (a pigeon racing club, no less!). After I’d seen them I went down to Altona beach to have a beer and chips and go for a walk to stretch my legs out.
I wasn’t able to run again until Thursday, mainly due to pressure of work. I made up for it with walking home from the office most nights.
I decided to enter the half-marathon in the Victoria Police and Emergency Services games in order to test myself against other runners. The games are fairly cheap to enter (about $25.00) and always a lot of fun. It's a mild nuisance that it's on a Friday morning (which means a half-day off work) but on the plus side it's in Melbourne this year rather than Ballarat.
When I finally did get out on Thursday the run was a little troubling. I settled on my usual 10 kilometres along the Capital City trail. My legs should have been back to 100% but certainly didn’t feel like it. It took some effort of will to keep going, even if my average pace over the 10kms was fairly normal.
What was a bit troubling was a noticeable pain in my left knee whenever I went downhill (uphill was fine). In the last three kilometres I was locking the leg in a partly bent position and rolling forward onto my right leg, which was doing all the work. I'm really hoping the leg comes good, but I'll give it a bit of stretching and yoga on my off days. I need to go and see the GP re some other things in the next few weeks and if it hasn't come good I'll ask what he thinks. In the meantime I'll just keep pretending there isn't a problem.
I wasn’t able to run again until Thursday, mainly due to pressure of work. I made up for it with walking home from the office most nights.
I decided to enter the half-marathon in the Victoria Police and Emergency Services games in order to test myself against other runners. The games are fairly cheap to enter (about $25.00) and always a lot of fun. It's a mild nuisance that it's on a Friday morning (which means a half-day off work) but on the plus side it's in Melbourne this year rather than Ballarat.
When I finally did get out on Thursday the run was a little troubling. I settled on my usual 10 kilometres along the Capital City trail. My legs should have been back to 100% but certainly didn’t feel like it. It took some effort of will to keep going, even if my average pace over the 10kms was fairly normal.
What was a bit troubling was a noticeable pain in my left knee whenever I went downhill (uphill was fine). In the last three kilometres I was locking the leg in a partly bent position and rolling forward onto my right leg, which was doing all the work. I'm really hoping the leg comes good, but I'll give it a bit of stretching and yoga on my off days. I need to go and see the GP re some other things in the next few weeks and if it hasn't come good I'll ask what he thinks. In the meantime I'll just keep pretending there isn't a problem.
Monday, 17 February 2020
Road to Wollongong: Part I
Hi everyone,
This weekend saw the start of the Road to Wollongong. I'd decided on a 21-ish kilometre run to see what my pace is over that distance. I'd have set the run for Sunday, but I was already committed to other things that day and so it was Saturday or never.
The weather made itself known, in the form of 100% humidity and near-constant drizzle with an option on rain. Anyway, I headed out, since you may as well train in the conditions you might have to race in. By the third kilometre my sneakers were full of water. I pressed on through Birrarung Marr, past the Federation bells, and then up the Yarra trail to the Powerhouse Boatsheds. This meant a quick trip down memory lane for me, to my one brief season as an oarsman countless moons ago.
I turned back at that point for Church Street and kept going until I hit the Yarra. Well, actually I stopped short: I didn't know that Church Street came to a dead stop by the Carlton & United Breweries plant. I weaseled through some residential streets until I found Gipps Street and then picked up the Capital City Trail for the final leg. By this stage (roughly 15kms) I was feeling the load and hills were a hell of a challenge. I wasn't even game to free-run down hill on wet ground as I wasn't sure that I could react well enough if I slipped on something.
In the event, my pace was, well, ratchit. Basically, I need to pare 45 minutes off of this to get back to my best time, and a full hour off this time to feel properly happy with it. Good thing I like a challenge!
On the plus side, my legs were sore but not smashed afterwards and so I found I'd put up a respectable number of walking miles by the end of the day. Some of these were to Our Lady's for Mass and then on to the Great Northern for beer. I take care of body and soul.
This weekend saw the start of the Road to Wollongong. I'd decided on a 21-ish kilometre run to see what my pace is over that distance. I'd have set the run for Sunday, but I was already committed to other things that day and so it was Saturday or never.
The weather made itself known, in the form of 100% humidity and near-constant drizzle with an option on rain. Anyway, I headed out, since you may as well train in the conditions you might have to race in. By the third kilometre my sneakers were full of water. I pressed on through Birrarung Marr, past the Federation bells, and then up the Yarra trail to the Powerhouse Boatsheds. This meant a quick trip down memory lane for me, to my one brief season as an oarsman countless moons ago.
I turned back at that point for Church Street and kept going until I hit the Yarra. Well, actually I stopped short: I didn't know that Church Street came to a dead stop by the Carlton & United Breweries plant. I weaseled through some residential streets until I found Gipps Street and then picked up the Capital City Trail for the final leg. By this stage (roughly 15kms) I was feeling the load and hills were a hell of a challenge. I wasn't even game to free-run down hill on wet ground as I wasn't sure that I could react well enough if I slipped on something.
In the event, my pace was, well, ratchit. Basically, I need to pare 45 minutes off of this to get back to my best time, and a full hour off this time to feel properly happy with it. Good thing I like a challenge!
On the plus side, my legs were sore but not smashed afterwards and so I found I'd put up a respectable number of walking miles by the end of the day. Some of these were to Our Lady's for Mass and then on to the Great Northern for beer. I take care of body and soul.
So there we have it: I know what I'm running now. I just need to get fast!
Sunday, 16 February 2020
Road to Wollongong: Prologue
For a while I’ve been thinking I needed another mountain to climb. I believe I’ve
found one.
You remember that I said I while ago that I wanted to try a lot of new things? Things I’d not done before? That was brought back into mind recently by something that happened at SES. One of the newer members who I helped train last year came back from the summer break sporting a healthy pregnancy bump. This rattled me a bit. I couldn’t figure out why. I only know her as a fellow volunteer. I don’t know anything at all about her private life. So, why should it matter to me? The best guess I could come up with was a sense of life leaving me behind.
You remember that I said I while ago that I wanted to try a lot of new things? Things I’d not done before? That was brought back into mind recently by something that happened at SES. One of the newer members who I helped train last year came back from the summer break sporting a healthy pregnancy bump. This rattled me a bit. I couldn’t figure out why. I only know her as a fellow volunteer. I don’t know anything at all about her private life. So, why should it matter to me? The best guess I could come up with was a sense of life leaving me behind.
This lead me to consider finding myself another mountain to
climb. Happily, this didn’t take long.
The Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games are
held every two years, and this is one of those years. The games are open to (inter alia) “registered
volunteers … from eligible emergency service agencies across Australasia,
including New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South East Asia”. Since I don’t meet the criteria to compete in the World Police and Fire Games, this is as high a level as I can compete
at. Further, they’re being held in
Wollongong, on the New South Wales coast south of Sydney. This is reachable from where I live (flight
to Sydney; train to Wollongong).
The event I've set my mind on is my preferred race distance, the half-marathon, which will be run on Friday 23 October 2020. This is 8 months away, and I'll be training up for it: I want to put up the best time I can while the chance presents.
So, expect this blog to get a bit running-heavy for the next few months: Let's see where this road can go!
The event I've set my mind on is my preferred race distance, the half-marathon, which will be run on Friday 23 October 2020. This is 8 months away, and I'll be training up for it: I want to put up the best time I can while the chance presents.
So, expect this blog to get a bit running-heavy for the next few months: Let's see where this road can go!
Wednesday, 15 January 2020
An Adventure in Speed Dating
I tried something different last Friday evening: I tried a speed dating event at a bar in Fitzroy.
Melbourne's heavens opened late that afternoon, so that was a challenge: I knew I'd be sporting that "drowned rat" look. I'm not going to lie: I was a bit nervous. I summoned up my “just arrived on scene at roof damage leading a good crew" look: the impression I was going for was of a man in control of my surroundings and his reactions. Certainly after thinking this for the tram ride I was at least feeling like that!
I imagine the format of speed dating is well enough known not to need setting out. Each date was about 15 minutes with changeovers notified by text message. Matches seemed to be basically set by age, which saw me meeting people at the high-30's end of the age range (this suited me fine). All of the matches seemed like good people, even if not uniformly appealing. One or two had personalities that left no mark. More tragic were the ones who seemed to have long ago sold their identity to their work and to have no real core of their own to express. On the other hand, others were fascinating to talk to and one at least had had much the experience with her ex I've had with mine: there were no more fights over their child; it was easier just to get on with the business of being irrevocably part of each others life for the next umpteen years.
Oddly, one of the best conversations of the night was with a young lady of 31 during the meal break. Each of us was enthusiastically consuming sausage rolls and chicken wings in the knowledge we wouldn't be paired and therefore there was no loss about scarfing down food in front of the other. She remarked that her reason for being there was in large part that her parents want grandchildren!
Not many people hung around afterwards and so I contented myself with ordering the best Bloody Mary I've had since I was last in New Orleans. On the walk home I stopped for drambuie in the Lord Newry Hotel, began a draft of this post and reflected on the experience. Something that struck me was the randomness of it all. My last date of the night was the belle of the evening, a professional lady who looked a bit like Natalie Dormer. With a little Dutch courage on my side, I asked her why she was single: she was certainly attractive and intelligent. She replied that she'd just never 'clicked' with anyone. Perhaps I'm missing the point of all this (quite likely) but a 'click' seems like an alarmingly random way to decide matters like this: no wonder, perhaps, that so much sadness comes into the world from relationships.
Melbourne's heavens opened late that afternoon, so that was a challenge: I knew I'd be sporting that "drowned rat" look. I'm not going to lie: I was a bit nervous. I summoned up my “just arrived on scene at roof damage leading a good crew" look: the impression I was going for was of a man in control of my surroundings and his reactions. Certainly after thinking this for the tram ride I was at least feeling like that!
I imagine the format of speed dating is well enough known not to need setting out. Each date was about 15 minutes with changeovers notified by text message. Matches seemed to be basically set by age, which saw me meeting people at the high-30's end of the age range (this suited me fine). All of the matches seemed like good people, even if not uniformly appealing. One or two had personalities that left no mark. More tragic were the ones who seemed to have long ago sold their identity to their work and to have no real core of their own to express. On the other hand, others were fascinating to talk to and one at least had had much the experience with her ex I've had with mine: there were no more fights over their child; it was easier just to get on with the business of being irrevocably part of each others life for the next umpteen years.
Oddly, one of the best conversations of the night was with a young lady of 31 during the meal break. Each of us was enthusiastically consuming sausage rolls and chicken wings in the knowledge we wouldn't be paired and therefore there was no loss about scarfing down food in front of the other. She remarked that her reason for being there was in large part that her parents want grandchildren!
Not many people hung around afterwards and so I contented myself with ordering the best Bloody Mary I've had since I was last in New Orleans. On the walk home I stopped for drambuie in the Lord Newry Hotel, began a draft of this post and reflected on the experience. Something that struck me was the randomness of it all. My last date of the night was the belle of the evening, a professional lady who looked a bit like Natalie Dormer. With a little Dutch courage on my side, I asked her why she was single: she was certainly attractive and intelligent. She replied that she'd just never 'clicked' with anyone. Perhaps I'm missing the point of all this (quite likely) but a 'click' seems like an alarmingly random way to decide matters like this: no wonder, perhaps, that so much sadness comes into the world from relationships.
Too Much Spare Time
Here I am on a Wednesday evening feeling a bit lost.
It's been a good couple of days: I'm getting back into the swing of things at work and also feeling a bit more like myself again. I ran home from work last night, which was good even if I was left with a painful twinge in my might knee. Melbourne is very smoky although going along the Moonee Ponds Creek you don't really notice it (mainly because the creek smells so much worse than the smoke).
Tonight, as I said, I'm a bit lost on account of unexpected free time. This afternoon the weather bureau was prognosticating a bit of a weather apocalypse, and so I left work early. Well, early for me (about 6:30pm) in expectation of callouts.
In the event, there were no callouts which left me at a bit of a loss. I couldn't run because I did that last night and want to do so again tomorrow night. I settled for a yoga routine from my phone followed by TV and dinner, but it all felt somewhat unsatisfying. At least the yoga seems to have sorted my knee out.
It's been a good couple of days: I'm getting back into the swing of things at work and also feeling a bit more like myself again. I ran home from work last night, which was good even if I was left with a painful twinge in my might knee. Melbourne is very smoky although going along the Moonee Ponds Creek you don't really notice it (mainly because the creek smells so much worse than the smoke).
Tonight, as I said, I'm a bit lost on account of unexpected free time. This afternoon the weather bureau was prognosticating a bit of a weather apocalypse, and so I left work early. Well, early for me (about 6:30pm) in expectation of callouts.
In the event, there were no callouts which left me at a bit of a loss. I couldn't run because I did that last night and want to do so again tomorrow night. I settled for a yoga routine from my phone followed by TV and dinner, but it all felt somewhat unsatisfying. At least the yoga seems to have sorted my knee out.
Unusually for me I actually felt like to talking to other homo sapiens and browsed my contacts on various social media platforms without finding anyone I can really talk to. So that was a bit depressing.
Leading me to now: wine and a stiflingly humid room at my digs. Roll on tomorrow.
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