Old Friend

After the holiday waistline exercise with the knife and fork, I visited an old friend yesterday that I had not seen since September. I took a run up Ball Run - my local hill.

Of course I was taking it easy (re: Hamstring and Gut problems) however I managed a reasonable time all the same (below 50min) It was not the slowest assent this year, but I was super careful on the return. The routes that bisect the switchbacks where muddy with patches of snow and ice. Overall the time (speed) was the slowest of year, but the conditions where easily the worst too.

Here are the stats for the last 4 runs (inc. this one, there is some variation of route hence different distances)

Distance	9.15 km	9.05 km	11.15 km	9.25 km
Time	00:49:26	00:47:55	00:57:06	00:48:23
Avg Pace	05:24 min/km	05:17 min/km	05:07 min/km	05:13 min/km
Calories	667 C	657 C	812 C	674 C

Avg Moving Pace	05:17 min/km	05:11 min/km	05:02 min/km	05:13 min/km
Moving Time	00:48:28	00:46:59	00:56:11	00:48:20
Avg Speed	11.1 km/h	11.3 km/h	11.7 km/h	11.5 km/h
Avg Moving Speed	11.3 km/h	11.6 km/h	11.9 km/h	11.5 km/h
Max Speed	15.1 km/h	15.2 km/h	15.6 km/h	16.6 km/h
Best Pace	03:58 min/km	03:56 min/km	03:51 min/km	03:37 min/km
Elevation Gain	250 m	259 m	304 m	254 m
Elevation Loss	253 m	262 m	301 m	256 m
Min Elevation	328 m	328 m	324 m	328 m
Max Elevation	589 m	590 m	602 m	590 m
Avg HR (bpm)	--	154 bpm	--	153 bpm
Max HR (bpm)	--	154 bpm	--	153 bpm
Avg HR (% of Max)	--	83 % of Max	--	83 % of Max
Max HR (% of Max)	--	90 % of Max	--	105 % of Max
Avg HR (z)	--	4.3 z	--	4.3 z
Max HR (z)	--	5.0 z	--	6.0 z
Avg Run Cadence	91 spm	90 spm	91 spm	92 spm
Max Run Cadence	109 spm	116 spm	113 spm	111 spm

To hamster or not.

As I may have exaggerated, it has been cold and not a little wet here recently, and I had toyed with the idea of a tread mill. I am afterall Mr mum and stressed out worker at the same time. My thinking was, I could sneak in a few k's in the wee hours when nobody was looking.

However, the following video has convinced me otherwise. I would not be having as much fun as this girl - I would be the boring chap next to her. Could I handle that?

Something motorized.

I am getting good at these sneaky runs. I managed a 5km snow and ice run this afternoon. While Owen was siesta-ring and before celebrating his birthday, with more toys that need constructing - something motorized.

One of the most annoying features of my Garmin watch is the Stop Button. It is more of a pause button. If you don't take the run off it, then it can continue the run even though there has been more than 24 hours between restarting the thing. That happened today. In places there was sheet ice and meter thick snow, so I think it was about the slowest run I have done this year - All the same I was surprised at the 60 minutes the watch  said I had done. (I had done maybe 30 minutes at that point) Now I have a hopeless record of two separate runs as a single entry. I could waste time and split it, but I doubt I will do that.

Still improving

There are lots of pages on the Internet suggesting that going for a run can keep you regular. This morning I snook in a run between constructing the playmobile fire engine and eating Christmas lunch with the inlaws for that very reason. The diverticulitis is subsiding, but I need to get  a bit more out (feeling bloated and a bit sore in the abdomen).

It was a beautiful snowy run, but my mind was wandering and it struck me that I had the gut problem twice and both times after injury. Then I continued the thought process and linked in Ibuprofen (Advil actually). Just looked it up on the Google, seems that some doctors do indeed link the two things.

This attack was nothing, no doctors and no threat of the knife. I am going along with the Advil theory and will be avoiding the evil stuff from now on. (Hopefully, things will continue to improve here and I will be smiling on my next run not wandering of I have some "put in paper" in my back pocket for unexpected sit downs.)

Wired

Yesterday I had a case of lack of poo. This would normally not concern me, but with this years colon problems, I have been drinking coffee by the bucket load today to make sure I get to be regular - much prefer a bit of the shits than nothing.

So far nothing except a bit hyper. Would love to get out for a run to help with the flow, but I am in charge of the kids today so am busy playing the wee with them instead.

Addendum: Looks like it may just be a case of trapped wind or something!

Mind over body

The body is still telling my mind to quit. Now my feet have all cracked up. Down the sides of my feet I have what in French is known as crevasses and believe me, they feel that big but are in fact only about 2 cm long.

I don't know how I got them, I wander if it is not feet drying seasonal hear in the Rhone valley. I did get the same effect a couple of years ago but the running seems to have helped stop it. (I have not been running for a week, hence the cracking in the foot). But the hamstring seems to be playing ball and gave me no noticeable twinges today (Snook in a few k just to test it out)

Did my share of xmas shopping today (no wander I was feeling ill yesterday, just the idea of shopping 2 days before Christmas could bring a man out in hives)

Crap

Think I may have pulled my hamstring a little.... Karl, you must be in good shape now. I will take the baton. It is very small pull, will lay off a few days and see what happens. It may well take a few weeks though judging by the Internet traffic on the subject. (Snowing at the moment, maybe that is a good thing)

Weather and cars

So far this winter, I have ran because the car was stuck in snow. I have ran to find the wifey who was stuck in snow. I also jogged to find a route so that wifey could get to work. Tomorrow I get to run because I opened the car door and the back window fell out. In the AM I need to drop the car at the garage and run home. (Ah well, it is -5 degrees, it will be fun)

Unthinkable

I have been layering my trainers with mud, so much so they have not been drying recently between runs. I gave in yesterday and actually rinsed them off (Instead of the more usual, hoping that running itself with knock of any excess dirt).... It has been cold.

You know its cold

You know its cold.... When you chose the shirt closest to your body that is least likely to rub the nipples. (And when you get back from the run the nipples are soar anyway).

When avoiding the mud you get your feet wet, but hardly notice it because the foot is already numb from previous bad water jumps.

Sneaky 6

I snook out this afternoon between meetings to get in a quick 6km. That shows the time pressure I am under at the moment, when doing 6km feels like doing something slightly naughty.

And amazingly, I saw another runner on the foxes run loop. This is the first time I have seen another runner there - I must have done that part 30 times or more. We had a brief conversation while our paths coincided. Even more strange was that I saw him on a cold day (hovering around 0 degrees).

Supper man reversed time by flying round the earth

With Wifey's new job, there comes a commute of about 2 hours per day that leaves me to deal with all of the kids logistics. From getting them up and dressed to getting them home from school, cooking and getting them ready for bed.
Of course my work has upped a gear and I have several deadlines to complete before the end of the year. That leaves about minus 6 hours during the day. Running is now off the agenda (unless by running backwards I can make the clocks slow down)

However, yesterday I spotted a crazy little 40 minutes I could use in a run between dropping Joanne off for a music theory lesson and picking her up. I chose a little loop, about 30 minutes. But I had forgotten to add the getting stuff on time and simply getting out the door, on my return I had just 2 minutes to pick her up.

I am not sure if the other mums could see I had been out for a run just minutes before.... I am sure they could smell it!

More cold training

Yesterdays cold weather training was augmented with some low impact snowman building yesterday evening. It can be said that we are not the most gifted sculptors the world has seen.

Fistycuffs

Oh what fun this morning. Another 10cm of snow fell overnight (20 in total). It was Cecile's first day of work so she was panicking  (And she would eventually take the old car as it has snow tires not the new one)

She phoned in and said it was impossible to make it in, but then I said, "Hold on, why don't I have a look at the roads outside the lottisment" So off I trotted for yet another sneaky run and lo and behold, the main artery routes where clear AND nobody was on them as it was difficult to get to them.

The scenic with brand new snow tires would not have a problem... As I was running back a snide comment by one of the neighbours made me do a double take. She was shoveling snow and said that it was just as good an exercise and why wasn't I shoveling and that not running. I politely said that it was up to me.

Oh dear, I was making sure that Cecile could get out of the lottismet when the same neighbour (who was still moving snow) said that we could not pass until we gave a hand. I got out the car and may have said OK had it not been her husband started pushing me about.... I lost my temper, at which the guy backed off (although big, he was not up for more than a shove thankfully, no doubt I would have been eating snow had it come to more) while the woman refused to move. In fact planted herself on the bonnet of the car. After lots more posturing and shouting and truly un-neighbourly behavior we got the car through - Ah well we are moving soon who needs neighbours who spend 3 hours moving snow and polishing a road. More to the point, who wants neighbours who will not let you pass?

Snow

We had the first fall of snow yesterday and it caused all kinds of panic. People had been expecting it a bit later in the evening, as it was it dropped 10cm just before rush hour.

We had just picked up Cecile's new car from the garage (High specked Megan) and she returned with new car while I returned with her old one my new one after it's service. We both took different routes as it was jammed both ways. I abandoned after 20 minutes, parked up and got Joanne from School by foot.

Cecile then took about 3.5 hours to do the 2.5km from the garage to the house! What a mess... However, It gave me the excuse of doing a snowey run to try and find her.