Normal Service will Resume Shortly

Contrary to how it would appear, I am still alive and kicking.

For a variety of reasons the last few weeks have been hectic beyond all imagination. Work and my health have combined to make it a challenging time.

The week after the Hidden Half was a quiet one on the running front. I came down with a nasty sore throat, and ended up doing an easy five on the Thursday. On the Saturday I took it easyish at the 5K challenge running with Owl (always a hoot!). It ended up being a nice 10K in 57 minutes there and back, and a stunning breakfast at the Bowan bakery with Kit, Ray and Deanne. Sunday I did an easy 15 around Homebush Bay. This went pretty well.

Last week was range week, which is a pretty full on week at work, and some new software was also making life, umm, interesting.

On the Tuesday, however, I had one of those magic training runs. 10K in 58 minutes. It should've left me short of breath. I felt light, I was in the groove and I kept a consistent pace. I was buzzing.

The new Garmin, however was not. It still thought it was April 2026. I sent it off to GME in an express Post bag on Tuesday morning. I rang them today. They still haven't looked at it. BASTARDS!!!!

Deep breath.

I did an easy five on Wednesday morning that didn't feel anywhere near as good.

I nearly took Thursday as a rest day, but the opportunity to go up to the athletic track presented itself on Thursday evening, so I did a trackwork session:

1K warm up
6 * 400m efforts with 200m jog intervals
1K warm down.

The efforts averaged about 1:52, and I was toast after the session. I went out too hard in the first one (1:44), and never recovered.

My choice not to run the Striders 10K on Saturday was one of the easiest ever. The twins had decided that since they would be at their Dad's place on Sunday morning, that my Father's Day would be Saturday. So on Saturday morning I was showered in gifts from the Fathers Day stall at school, and ate scrambled eggs on toast in bed. Pretty spesh.

I finally got back on the bike on Saturday arvo - a slow 20K effort around Rhodes, Meadowbank and Ermington. I thought it wouldn't mess too much with my Sunday run, but I was sadly wrong.

Sunday's long run was a gruelling experience. It was an old favourite - my Rhodes - Meadowbank - Ermington - Silverwater loop, crossing the Parramatta River twice. I struggled from the start. Little vomitlets were hitting the back of the throat throughout the run, and the legs felt heavy and horrible.

Work looks like it might be settling down a bit now, so hopefully normal blog service will resume shortly.