Tuesday, June 24, 2008

"I am Legend!"






Before you start thinking something like "He is Wanker" that blog title doesn't refer to me but to my new training grounds. For the past 4 months I've been getting up early, 4 am, twice a week and driving into one of my University jobs, one, to save time on the commute, and two, to use the facilities at a sports complex just near my school.

As in the movie with the above title it is always completely empty and I get that same sense that I did from watching the movie "I am Legend." Still don't really understand why nobody uses it, it has some prime running tracks, two 400 meter tracks and a 3km loop of red sponge track that winds its way around the complex between brand spanking tennis courts , soccer grounds and baseball stadiums.

I'm sure people are using it on weekends and later in the day, but truly I haven't seen hide nor hair of anyone there between 6:00 and 9:00am the times I'm usually there and it is all pretty bizarre.

Not complaining mind you but to make it perfect it would just need a few friendly/ large eyed women spread evenly, so to speak, around the track gently shouting words of encouragement. I've gone too far again haven't I?

Anyway, the pictures speak for themselves. To finish off, I will tell you that things are fine with my training the last two weeks being at 119kms and 120kms respectively. If I can just hold up without breaking I will be set for a great marathon come August.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Love vibration



122kms this week and another trip into uncharted territory that sees me sore but still standing, albeit against a wall. Its been a good month, I've only missed one short run and clocked up close to 450 kms. Next week I'm going to drop the kms, think I'll aim for about 80K, and try to get one quality speed work session in. Any suggestions for the this week I basically just want to keep on rolling but at the same time give the body a bit of a rest?

I have to thank my long suffering wife and kids for allowing me the time to indulge in such a frivolous pass time and the new Ipod. I bought it three weeks ago and have found that it has allowed me to make the time spent running just that little bit more interesting. I've of course been listening to music but have also been downloading books, 1 hour biographies, and other much longer books that interest me and on occasion have found that I'm running longer just so I can listen some more. All this has been a revelation for me as I have never run with earphones and in fact, I thought previously that it would be detrimental to my ability to run with good style and think the thoughts that serve as a kind of meditation for me. But so far I've found only positives with this.

Well, on with the show. The youtube clip is one of the songs that I've been listening to on my runs lately. Good beat for running this.