The weekly skinny #2 - 04022018

For week 29/01/2018 to 04/02/2018

Distance : 23.29km
Goal:  50km
Rating:  ⭐️⭐️

Running days:
Goal: 6
Rating ⭐️⭐️

Runs: 5
Goal: 7
Rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Longest run: 7k on the treadmill
Goal: 15k
Rating: ⭐️

Cross training: 1 PT session, one stretch session
Goal: One stretch session, one gym session. Core exercises every day.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Weight: 55.8kg
Previous weight:  55.7kg
Loss: Gain of 0.1kg 😳
Goal: 54kg
Rating: ❌


Overall rating:  ⭐️
Really slackened off on my physical training. I am busy with other priorities, so that's to be expected.
Overall though, I'm not *that* disappointed with maintaining a stable weight. I'm not doing anything overly radical to lose weight, so a down week is OK.

parkrun adventurers roving report: Tamborine Mountain

Episode 97 of the parkrun adventurers podcast is out!

Find out why parkrunner Brett Geebus has launched a campaign to crowdfund defibilators for remote parkrun events, and catch up with the latest parkrun stats with The Prof, Ian Hay.

My roving report from Tamborine Mountain parkrun kicks in at 47 minutes, and there's also a roving report from the brand spankin' new Bargara parkrun.

Listen to it on Soundcloud or download from iTunes.

The weekly skinny #1 - 28/01/18

For week 22/01/2018 to 28/01/2018

Distance : 47.85km
Goal:  50km
Rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Running days: 5
Goal: 6
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Runs: 5
Goal: 7
Rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Longest run: 21.15km
Goal: 15k
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cross training: nil
Goal: One stretch session, one gym session. Core exercises every day.
Rating:  ❌

Weight: 55.7kg
Previous weight:  56.1kg
Loss: 0.4kg
Goal: 54kg
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Overall rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Slackened off this week, especially with my cross training.
I'll give myself a pass mark - if I could give half stars I would have given myself a 2.5.

Winter goals

So, you already know by now that my day at Ultratrail Australia wasn't a miraculous victory. That's OK.

I wasn't in a great place mentally when I posted my race preview. Things improved overnight, and by the time I got to the start line I felt confident enough for it to be an each way bet as to whether I'd cross the finish line victorious or pull out at the 4k mark, where the course passes back by the start line after an out and back through Katoomba.

Catch up time... again?

How did I get here again?

A few months down the road and I'm catching you up on months of activity, inactivity and most importantly, challenges ahead.

I'm writing this from Katoomba, home of the Ultra Trail Australia. Tomorrow I'm attempting to cover 100km with not enough training, a bit of a bung hammy, and a tweaked ankle.

I don't know if this is advisable or possible.

How did I end up here?

I've had a busy start to the year pursuing a chance to officiate at the Commonwealth Games next year so my opportunities to train have been limited.

Two weeks ago at the QUT Classic I tripped and ripped open my left palm and bruised my right knee.

A few days after that my bruise paled in significance when I tweaked my hamstring in the gym. And than a couple of days after that I twisted my left ankle awkwardly. Since then I've been applying Dettol cream to my left palm and Rapigel to my ankle. So at least that took my concern away from my lack of training.

That was until I read the weather forecast. 95 percent chance of rain and a maximum of 14 degrees and then I thought, well, that's three strikes of bad luck (bad training, injury, and terrible weather). Things are on the up.

I don't really feel like things are on the up but I'm here and it's T minus 24 hours.

Wish me luck.

Or phone me right now and talk me out of this madness...

Personal worst

OK so it might sounds like an exaggeration with a title like "personal worst".

I am a fairly good judge of when things are going pear shaped and at the moment that's a pretty good estimation.

And, there are also stats to prove it.

Catch up time

I've been a bad blogger.

It's been over 70 days since the CCC and I haven't posted a thing.

Most of you will know from my Facebook page that I DNFed. I was withdrawn from the course at the Triente checkpoint, 72ks into the race.

I'm sure I'll write a post at some point about the CCC. But the short version is, it was brutal. The hardest thing I've ever attempted. I underestimated just how much up and down there was in the damn thing, even after studying the course and elevation profile. You just can't fathom hills that go for hours until you're there and doing it.

We travelled home from Europe not long after After that I took some time to recover and lick my wounds.

Then it was maintenance and rebuild time.

I started running again after a few weeks, just short runs. New shoes, new orthotics, and

I have already set  some new goals, the first one being to run 150ks this November for the Indigenous Marathon Foundation Virtual Run.

I’m 43% of the way through November and as of this morning I’ve covered 51ks, or 33% of the goal. I’m a tracking a little behind but I’m confident.

I’ve also entered the Strava challenge to run 10ks in one run in November. I’ve achieved this (but not publicly). So I have at least another 10k run to tick off.

This is all building to running 21ks by the end of the year, so I can build into my 2017 goal ultras. I'll join the December Strava

More on that later.

Until then, I think I can say, I am back.