Archive
6-Jun-2015 Saturday .. some joy
It seems I have been working harder & longer at work the last few months, so today it felt like a real luxury to sleep in until about 10am with my wife and have a coffee sitting out on the back deck.
After dropping Kody off at a friends place I went running, not a huge long run, just an hour on what is becoming my fave route – to Jibbon beach and up the Eric St track then back down to the beach on the Sandy track. I did it last weekend in barefeet but today I wore shoes. My running is going very well, just frightened now of doing something silly and getting injured!
Then I went swimming at the beach – which is rapidly becoming my favourite spot to swim as it’s so clear and gets deep quickly – often just 1m from the edge it seems over my head! – just to the right of the rocks and across to “Devs” (as the kids call it) and back again. The water was chilly but not too bad. Maybe 17C in the water I’d estimate. Then jogged home afterwards.
Took Chelsea driving, then went to see Kody play soccer at Heathcote.
After seeing off Dawn to work and skyping with family in the UK, I “went to the gym” over at the oval:
5 sets of:
- 50 skips with skipping rope
- 20 step ups with 15kg “sandbag” on shoulders
- 10 pushups
- 10 knees up whilst hanging from climbing frame
It’s pretty clear that doing sets of reps is a good way to do heaps more than just straight through. I felt extra virtuous as it was so cold outside (10C) .. ha ha must be going soft !
After dinner I took Chelsea out driving again, this time to Sutherland and back. Relaxed in the evening listening to alt-country playlist on Spotify.
3-Nov-2014 Still Injured
Despite recovering from my fall on Lady Carrington Drive a couple of weeks back, I still have this nagging pulled muscle behind my knee. This makes it very painful to even run slow on flat pavement.
I now have my bashed right shin from kayaking yesterday that is still painful, and will also last a couple of weeks.
This has put me in a negative state of mind about running races as it first occurred during the Coastal Classic back in Sept and has never really gone away. Dawn reckons that getting a massage would help, or multiple, but I never manage to get one.
In fact it seems that I quite often get injured during races over the last 4 or 5 years but I don’t get injured when I go running by myself. Clearly I over-stretch in races and generally push myself heaps harder than when I am by myself. It’s pretty obvious even to me that there us probably nil health benefits of this and indeed much health degradation going on.
So why do I keep doing these races if it stuffs me up so much ? That is indeed the question I am pondering as the North Face 100k entries open on Wednesday for next May. In reality I am not going to enter – I know that already as its not just the race (and expense, it’s $360 to enter) but all the long training runs I’d need to do and smaller races – and believe me I need to do them. My trots around the park are good but by no means am I as fit as I’d like to think.
It’s starting to make me question whether I still really even want to do races like six foot each year or whether I should just move to do other things I enjoy…. I will probably enter six foot later in November and how it pans out. I probably need something to aim at to keep my training honest!
2-Nov-2014 Summer has arrived figuratively!
I didn’t do a lot on Saturday. Up late, chores etc but I did go swimming. It was very hot 35C and quite windy (perfect weather for bush fires, and in fact there was a fire in the Blue Mountains). I swam from the rocks at one end of Hordern’s to the wharf and back. Going was with the wind/waves and not too bad but coming back was very hard – quite a bit of up and down and water in the face. Afterwards at home when I was getting into the hammock on the back deck I had a small globule of water run out of my nose onto the floor – a clear sign summer has arrived and it made me feel very glad! I even walked the dog.
18-Oct-2014 Saturday & Splat
We both got up late this morning 10.30am and Dawn was gone 11am (admittedly she is working night duty tonight), but I am not, just tired after a week at work, and for the last few weeks I have also been going to the gym 3x a week.
Did some chores then went for a swim at the beach, lovely and sunny but still some stormwater dirtiness in the water.
After breakfast, at gone 2pm, I went for a run on Lady Carrington Drive, which I don’t run on that often. Am trying to go under 2hrs but it was about 2hrs 8min today. But I took a dive on a rocky section and cut my knee and forearms which took most of the weight, and my front/stomach. I still had about 6km to run so that was tough but bearable.
I made risotto for Chelsea and Kody with mixed success…. bleedin’ kids.
This evening I downloaded the One Track Heart film about Krishna Das. And of course then watched it. Great.
16-Oct-2014 I Know Nuffink
This post was inspired by poetry of our fore-fathers listened to whilst I was out running:
The More I see, the more I know
The more I know, the less I understand
I think the reason I wanted to stop being manager of CoolRunning, and even doing less running, is that was really all I knew other my job :- running.
When I started doing yoga, it was like a new world – so many types and so much to learn – many people can do yoga every day for years and still not be an expert. (Like running), then there is surfing, gym and fitness, cooking, languages, music, books, travel – SO MUCH TO LEARN, and SO LITTLE TIME.
That’s why I can’t just do running, I need to move onto other things. I know some people might like just doing one thing, but it’s not me, I need to keep on moving on.
(Definition of nuffink is here).
12-Oct-2014 Hot Sunday
Dawn went to work early and I got up early some 4hrs later. I had a quick swim at the beach which was great – sun was out and water was great.
I bought a short-necked turtle for Kody as part of a prize for winning best-and-fairest in the Zone OzTag competition. We had to go to Heathcote for that. Then I did a bunch of home chores. By then it was gone 1pm. I weighed myself and was shocked to see 81.6kg the heaviest for many years even though I am careful with what I eat and the exercise that I do. hmmm probably more running required.
I then went for a 2hr run to the burnt steps above little marley. That makes it 4 weeks in a row now. Afterwards I bought a better cap online as protection from for sun as it is very hot and exposed out there. Big Marley and Little Marley beaches had the best waters I have ever seen there, almost no waves, crystal clear blue water, no dangerous rips! I should have stopped for a swim but didn’t as I knew I would have a swim back home. Afterwards I died on hammock for a couple of hours.
6-Oct-2014 Long Weekend
This weekend was a long weekend, and all through Friday I could feel the pressure slowly lifting from my shoulders as the day wore on. It wasn’t that there was any less work but as the day wore on, there is less chance of anyone stressing about it, and it would just get left until next week. I left work at a reasonable time but I still had a headache by the time I got home. I even went to bed reasonably early.
Saturday I was up at gone 10am, did some chores then went for a swim at the beach – it even feels like summer. The water was a bit nippy but still a heap warmer than a month ago. Then I went for a 2hr 30min run towards Wattamolla (turned back at the sign near Marley track). Very hot and as I didn’t take any water I was dying near the end. Saw a work colleague Frank Wareham at Big Marley with wife and kids. Got home just before Dawn went to work, but by then I was a wreck.
Sunday I was up late again, 10.30am, chores and a swim then went out with Dawn to Cronulla then yoga. No running. Went for a walk to and then along Jibbon beach – it was great under the moonlight abd still very warm. We even saw a yacht that had run aground on the rocks at the north end of the beach.
Monday was up late again and had a swim again, then went running with Dawn for a bit more than an hour before she went to work then just pottered around at home. She beat me although I should point out it wasn’t a race but she is just heaps better on the hills. It was very hot, as we went between 3pm and 4pm and were both just dripping with sweat. I had a dip in the sea then drove her to Sutherland as I dropped old clothes off in the clothing bin and went shopping. Needless to say I was totally stuffed with sore legs by the evening. I cooked the kids some food and even made Chelsea a couple of days lunch.
Overall the weekend was a great success – thoroughly trashed myself with running and yoga. Weather was excellent – warm and sunny day and night and even had quality time to myself and with the family. Ate well and never felt rushed – very relaxing.
28-Sept-2014 A Quiet Weekend
There’s no other word for it, it’s been a quiet and relaxing weekend!
Friday night I left work late in time for 6.30pm gym class, did 2 classes HIIT and a Hardcore (for my soft core … it was hard yakka). Then the steam room and sauna then a cold juice and a slow walk down George St with a samosa chaat and Masala Chai at the Jaipur. Caught the train in time to meet Dawn from yoga at 10pm.
Saturday up late (10am), some chores then a swim. Pretty much the first proper one of the summer season. Hordern’s beach was beautiful. just gorgeous. sunny and warm. The water was a bit nippy but quite tolerable. Then after I went for a 3hr run to Wattamolla beach and had a quick swim there and ran back. I took my ipod, Paul Weller, Counting Crows and Pearl Jam, all live. It was hot and I went for a quick dip at home again before zonking out on the hammock on the back deck!
Jazmin had built a BBQ in the back garden we all sat out and had our food out the back – surely the first sing of the approaching summer. It was great and she did a great job, with Dawn her helper.
Sunday, I also got up at 10am. Dawn was at work and all the kids went out, so I did a bunch of chores, listened to some music, did a bunch of reading, breakfast and then for another swim at the beach. Just great. Later in the afternoon I ran to Maianbar, but took it easy after yesterday’s effort.
I read the following :
The Woman Who Walked 10,000 Miles in Three Years [link]
But then there’s Sarah Marquis, who perhaps should be seen as an explorer like Scott, born in the wrong age. She is 42 and Swiss, and has spent three of the past four years walking about 10,000 miles by herself, from Siberia through the Gobi Desert, China, Laos and Thailand, then taking a cargo boat to Brisbane, Australia, and walking across that continent. Along the way, like Scott, she has starved, she has frozen, she has (wo)man-hauled. She has pushed herself at great physical cost to places she wanted to love but ended up feeling, as Scott wrote of the South Pole in his journal: “Great God! This is an awful place.” Despite planning a ludicrous trip, and dying on it, Scott became beloved and, somewhat improbably, hugely respected. Marquis, meanwhile, can be confounding. “You tell people what you’re doing, and they say, ‘You’re crazy,’ ” Marquis told me. “It’s never: ‘Cool project, Sarah! Go for it.’ ” Perhaps this is because the territory Marquis explores is really internal — the nature of fear, the limits of stamina and self-reliance and the meaning of travelling in nature as a female human animal, alone.
and then :
Global explorer Alastair Humphreys discovers microadventure [link]
When Alastair Humphreys leaves an “out of office” note, it’s for real.
But these days, the Briton — who once left his parents’ house and came back four years later after cycling around the world — is finding adventure closer to home.
“Originally I wanted to test myself, to see what I was capable of physically and mentally, and I suppose I wanted to try to make my mark for myself and on the world,” he tells CNN’s Human to Hero series.
“Now it’s just more the curiosity of going to new places and the simplicity of life when you’re out on an expedition, and the contrast of the life out in the wild to the real world back home — the urban, busy, hectic life which I also enjoy.”
It sent me off reading other links and even buying his book about walking across India. That is the kind of stuff I want to do, not sit in an office !!!
6-Sep-2014 Coastal Classic run
Today was the annual Coastal Classic race, approx 30km from Otford to Bundeena. It’s about the 5th time the race has been on, but of course about another 5 years before that it was a Fat Ass race, free and under-the-radar.
I came 469th from 638 total finishers in a time of 4hrs 18mins about 2 mins faster than last year. I was fairly happy with that given I was just jogging and not pushing too hard – just wanted to make sure I finished in one piece and did not stack it.
It was quite cool and REALLY muddy with some drizzle in places. Last year was HOT and sunny.
Michael came to my place about 7am and we drove to Otford then Jaz drove back. He’d already gone by the time I finished, he was almost an hour ahead. I came home and had a hot relaxing bath and send Kody out to get a Lentil pie from the Passionfruit cafe. Then I had that “with sauce”. Needless to say I was stuffed for the rest of the day (lucky Dawn was at work) but I did spend most of the time clearing up and doing chores.
A good day!
24-Aug-2014 Marking the Coastal Classic course
I had pretty much allocated (dedicated ?) the complete day to completing my tasks for the Coastal Classic race. I had laminated some signs that are to be put up at various places by the car parks through the national park. I then printed up both sets of residents letters (Bundeena and Otford) then set off to post them and put up the signs. Luckily it had been raining all yesterday and earlier today but when I went out … just perfect. The photo below was taken at the Otford lookout.
My other main task was coordinating Billy’s Bushies volunteers which was mainly a lot of phone calls with Billy himself (now 80 yrs old, no email and no mobile phone) and this year “Gymea John” who helped get an initial list of names.
17-Aug-2014 A Cold Winter’s Day
Dawn was off to work early so I could get up when I liked. It was warm & toasty under the doona, and chucking down with rain outside so there was no incentive to move. Let me think … no … none.
I got up at 10.30am, cranked up the fire (to 1 bar) and tried to get the temp off 10C indoors to a reasonably 17C or 18C.
I did a bunch of chores until about 3pm, then went for a run after it stopped raining to Maianbar, Yennabili point then went for a dip at Hordern’s Beach … a quick dip!
Then did more washing, drying and ironing, and pottered around on the computer. Yeah I should do this more often…
25-May-2014 Weekend incl Running!
This weekend was a bit like last: watched the kids play soccer, went running, went swimming, felt totally knackered both Saturday and Sunday nights. Luckily the weather was superb, warm 25C and sunny. Even the sea was approx 20C! Yesterday I ran to Maianbar whereas today I ran from Audley along Lady Carrington Drive. Unfortunately I think my injuries have left me out of practise and I was slow as. I didn’t even make it to the end as I wanted to keep it to 2hrs. Worse, I locked myself out of my car and had call home on 1800-reverse and get Jazmin to come and rescue me.
I got a solid 8hrs sleep last night even allowing for getting up at 6.45am this morning to drive to The Ridge for kids soccer.
Given Friday night and this weekend’s running, I have been thinking about running a lot. It’s a strange sport and all I can think of is Just Run – it doesn’t matter where, when or how or what you wear, eat or the speed. It’s meditative, healhty etc. Just remember : Just Run! It’s like a buddhist koan, a famous one being “before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water… after enlightenment chop wood, carry water“. Running is the same and you need the same mindset: “As a beginning runner, just run … as an Olympic athlete, just run”.
5-Oct-2013 Creating Routines
The update on my October challenge, (to do some exercise each morning before I go to work (during the week) or before I do anything else (at the weekend). What exercise or how much of it of course doesn’t really matter – it’s really about trying to kickstart the daily habit), is that Tues (first day of October and a day off work) was easy. Weds (at work), I was too tired and didn’t do anything !
Thursday I did get up at 0630am and went for a run (out the door by about 0645) the earliest quite some considerable time, but the run was very short and I was very stiff. Friday was better and I ran to Jibbon beach.
Saturday and Sunday were better, the run was about 50mins and the swim at Jibbon beach was about 10 mins. Jibbon is one of the cleanest waters in Sydney (the annual report of all beaches proves it) and I just love the deep and clean water.
I have loved the last few days and would like to do this ongoing. In fact I would be very happy to do this. IT’s clear I need a routine as per the old days when I used to run with Bruce at 6am each morning in Berowra. We used to smash out 90mins each morning – no wonder I got so fit.
As I am trying to get into the running habit and writing habit, it was great to read this article in the Guardian. It has some great tips and is endlessly fascinating (and just shows the great articles coming from that great media company).
7-Sept-2013 Coastal Classic Race
Today was the Coastal Classic 29km race from Otford to Bundeena. I was obviously running again, hoping to redeem myself after last year’s DNF (twisted ankle and dropped out at Garie Beach 10km).
Michael & Nigel came to our house approx 7am and I drove to Otford and Jaz drove the car back. At the start I seemed to meet a lot of old friend that I hadn’t seen for a while, maybe as I don’t mix in running circles too much.
The upshot was that I started approx 2/3 down the field and started fairly gently, probably overtaking more people than went past me. It was a hot day, possibly 29C according to the weathermen – no bad as it is just into Spring. Michael came past just before the Marley aid station and I didn’t see Nigel at all (he finished a couple of minutes behind me).
Coming down the Sandy Track close to Bundeena, we saw a big red-belly black snake on the track. The guy in front who was suffering from cramps soon got a move on!
My time was 4.18 a bit slower than expected, maybe because it was hot, but also maybe that most of my training had been over a couple of hours and I probably slowed up during the last hour. I was actually quite happy with my run and could easily have gone on for another 10km – maybe even turned back !
Big winner of the day was Andrew Pettica from work who ran about 3 and a half hours or something – pretty good for a first decent trail run.
Afterwards I had a lovely swim in the sea, luckily I have the week off work!
Today was also election day, when Tony Abbott got in, the less said about that the better! The funny thing is Dawn was working overnight and after my exertions earlier I was flaking out on the sofa. The last thing I remember was half of Kevin Rudd’s losing speech then I zonked out, missed the rest of it, and missed all of Tony Abbott’ speech.
1-Sept-2013 Results of August Challenge
During August I started doing a challenge – I mentioned it briefly here previously.
I am keeping a tick list for each day on the wall by my desk to track :
- no packaged breakfast cereal (usually smoothie)
- no chips (usually my post-yoga salty treat)
- no chocolate (usually a nibble late at night)
- no butter or yogurt (sometimes when snacking)
- no bread or pasta (I used to have too much and felt bloated – prefer to cut down the bulk and go for better nutrient quality)
- sport/sweat once a day (create a better DAILY habit)
Here are the results: http://goo.gl/SQ47GM
As you can see it was pretty successful. I specifically chose it to be HARD and so that I might even fail. I think on average I had one slip up a week.
In September I want to continue with another challenge – this time I will try and go 3 ocean swims a week, 3 runs a week, 3 yoga classes a week and 3 times at the gym a week !
16-Jun-2013 The weekend
Well the weekend seemed to pass in a bit of a blur. After the Friday night film I went to bed on Friday tired, but was up early as had to leave for Kody’s soccer at just gone 7am Sunday at Oyster Bay. She lost. Then we went to the Caringbah bookshop to buy a couple of books as she won a voucher over the summer that expires this month. Finally we went to Westfield Miranda as she wanted to buy a massive beanbag (with her own pocket money). I took her to Lindt for a treat (ok and to buy me a coffee…)
We make it home to fill up the bean bag with beans before I had to take Chelsea to her game also at Oyster Bay.
Chelsea lost but she did score and she did play well herself.
In the evening I made the kids dinner and basically crashed on the sofa.
Sunday morning Jazmin drove herself to soccer, the first time she drove by herself. scary, but not really as we do trust her. She is keen to drive the car more possibly she thinks the car is hers. I would like her to gradually ease herself into the car-borrowing world, possibly even buy her own. That is the trial of having a teenager I guess.
I got up late instead of rushing to watch her play, and then did lots of chores and read the paper with breakfast and a coffee. Maybe I am getting old, but it seems like a good thing to do on a dismal chilly winter Sunday morning. In the afternoon I went running and swimming in the largish waves off Hordern’s beach. In the evening we all went out for dinner to the Heart & Sole Organic Cafe in Cronulla which we all agreed was excellent quality and well worth the effort. I crashed on the sofa when we got home. Yes I am tired !
27-May-2013 Article about me in r4yl
I got a copy of this month’s Run for your life magazine, one of Australia’s best running mags. There was a very short article about me in the ultra running section:
25-May-2013 Weekend yay!
I think I am still getting over last weekend’s race and being away for the weekend. It felt like I got up early every day this week, and its been cold and its been dark so as a consequence I hadn’t been running or swimming and just felt like blah all work. Work felt tough and I just was too tired to do anything in the evenings.
Bit today I had a sleep in and did some chores then went running in the sun. Saw the guy that lives next to Nick Galvin who did the 50km last weekend, then saw Sheena on Jibbon beach so stopped to talk to them both. Ran the Eric St track/ Sandy track circuit, then swam at Hordern’s beach … getting colder but still just great to be back. Did a bunch of chores the rest of the day. Very relaxing.
17-May-2013 Going to the North Face …
Today I left home at 0730 as I had to be at work at 9am, and so I had the car packed as I had to leave work at 1430 so I could drive up to the Blue Mountains to do the rego for the North Face race in Leura at the Fairmont Resort.
I had booked a small cabin in Lawson as per usual I didn’t decide what to do until about the day before. The price was right – $60.
I said I would check in between 5pm and 6pm and made it just before 6pm, but then dashed out again for the race check-in. I was impressed with the fairmont – it was a cold night and they had a bunch of woodfires going so it had that very woody Blue Mountains smell. I saw Mikey from work, Sean, Mel, Ewen, Tall Geoff and a heap of other mates from CoolRunning. I developed a headache most probably from stress! After I got everything sorted I went past Wentworth Falls and got a pizza. I was back in Lawson and in bed by 9pm but kept waking up – a mix of a new bed, scared of the run and scared of oversleeping. It was very quiet and comfy.
Here is the review I left on AirBnb:
I only stayed briefly at Jan’s place overnight arriving in the dark and leaving early morning in the dark however I must say that I was very happy with my overall experience. Jan is very friendly. The room was like a country hut and was warm & cosy given the cold night outside. The furnishings were fine, all I needed or even more than I needed. It all looked very new like it had been re-furbished recently. I am definitely bookmarking this place for when I come past this way again. The garden is really great so even on warm summer days it would be good to sit on the steps and take it easy. In the dark they had lots of solar lanterns and lights, which was great. There were zillions of stars also!
AirBnB has a cool android app which I first started looking at when I was in India – I will probably use it more as you get a more “real person” experience rather than most normal online booking places.
5-May-2013 Weekend, mainly sport
On Friday evening I left work at 5pm and caught the train to Newtown to do a handstand class:
It was a good class, 40 odd people. Beforehand I could do a headstand against a wall (with only 1 attempt so didn’t look like a total twat), but handstands were something I have never been able to do. After the class I can definitely do a handstand against a wall but need a bit more practise doing it away from a wall. not too bad for an old geezer.
Saturday was kids soccer in the morning then I took Ko to Miranda to buy a birthday present then took her to a party/sleepover in Maianbar. I was going running but went for a swim in the sun whilst it was still daylight. I finally went running at gone 5pm, along Lady Carrington drive, 20-odd km. Most of it in the dark with a torch. I felt I went quite quick and was stuffed at the finish.
Sunday morning – pick up Ko then go to Caringbah to watch Jaz’ soccer. Then went for a swim. Then went running. I wanted to go further but took a shorter route and was out for 2hrs.
Made a Japanese miso soup for us all for Sunday dinner. Very tired!
Kevin Tiller 
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