Smashed PB again

Well I managed to beat my previous time in the corporate cup again. This time I ran 15:46 for the 4.5km. It was not easy. I felt terrible the whole way with my legs feeling really heavy and slow. I also had a sore lower back after my run from the Tram terminus to Pinky Flat. I'm now thinking that the sore back could have something to do with lifting a whole heap of stuff while setting up and packing up at the race for life on Sunday (I did a 21km long run in to the city and then helped with the event rather than running in it). My average heart rate this morning was lower again at 171 bpm, so my fitness seems to be improving despite my tired and sore legs.

Race Time @ Ave.HR

1. 18:10 @ 178
2. 17:33 @ 169
3. 17:05 @ 171
4. 16:49 @ 175
5. 16:22 @ 178
6. 16:12 @ 174
7. 15:46 @ 171

I've got my tights on now to try and help my legs recover, and I'll monitor my back over the next couple of days. Today's run is the last official run for the corporate cup, but there is a fun run and presentation next fortnight. The exciting part is that there is an invitation race for the faster runners as part of the fun run which includes prizes for the winners. Considering I came 3rd overall in the last run and I'll probably be in the top 5 again this week, I think I'll go in it. It'll be nice to go out and race on the course again after all these time trials.

The only other event I am considering at the moment is the Blackhill Challenge. I'm still not sure I'm ready for the hills in this event. I certainly have the speed, but I've been doing little to no hill work all year. In the last two years I have gone in this event, I have been coming off the 50km and 100km Trailblazer events, so I've had plenty of hills in my legs, but less speed. This year will be the opposite. I guess I should give it a go. It might be interesting to see what sort of training has the better result. I might also get out and do some hill repeats at Montefiore hill later this week.

OK. That's enough for now. Happy running people.

I ran with Buster in Adelaide!

Ok not quite. But I was running on the uni-loop at the same time as him just 10 minutes ago. Sure, he was running in the opposite direction to me and it was half dark, but I did say g'day and he and his running partner said g'day back. I was just about wetting myself, I was that excited. Really kicked home in the session after that (so I could get back here and write about it). I didn't see him around the other side of the loop, so he must have stopped, but I was running through my head how I might be able to get his autograph on my CR cap. Alas, it was not to be. Anyone know what he is doing in Adelaide? I think I read that he has finished his season, so I assume he is back in OZ having a well earned break.

Anyway, that's my excitement for the day. Back to work now.

Bodybuilding vs Bold and Beautiful

It has been a week since my last entry which is due to a combination of slackness, piles of work and not that much to write about.

I'm feeling really fit at the moment, although yesterday I felt pretty tired during my run at lunchtime, so I'm not running today. Hopefully I'll get out to Track Times tomorrow morning for a speed session ahead of the Race for life on Sunday. Looking forward to the last Corporate Cup race next week.

Last night I saw a program called Shock Docs on channel 8+1. Not my usual taste in TV, but the two subjects were very interesting. First was a story about English female bodybuilder Joanna Thomas' journey to the Olympia titles in Las Vegas. The second story was about the Bold and Beautiful Beauty Pageant, a beauty contest for women over size 18.

I'm a bit torn over these two stories as I think that both may promote unhealthy lifestyles. I'm not saying that the women in either of the competitions didn't have some form of beauty (although some of the contestants really did have me wondering what could be described as beauty). I actually thought some of them were quite attractive, but the underlying health issues were a real concern.

The bodybuilding girls seemed to be engaging in some fairly risky practices such as fasting, dehydration, extremely low bodyfat %, unnecessary cosmetic surgery, and presumably some form of pharmaceutical assistance. My initial reaction to this story was that many of the women did not look natural or feminine. The weird part is that I've seen plenty of physique and figure competitors who are muscley, attractive and feminine, and seem to achieve this through fairly healthy lifestyles. So are the different divisions two totally different sports, or is the bodybuilding just a more extreme form of the the same behaviour? I don't know, but I'd like to find out.

On the other hand, the BBWs were basically glorifying obesity. I know they are saying that they are happy with the way they are, but it says to all obese people that it is OK to be that way. Well it is not. I accept that we shouldn't discriminate against obese people, but I think it is incorrect to condone it.

I think that despite the fact that I had a stonger negative initial reaction to the bodybuilding women, in hindsight I actually respect that form of lifestyle more than the BBW. The bodybuilders clearly have to work extremely hard and make enormous sacrifices to compete. The BBW really don't have to do anything other than eat too much and then make themselves look beautiful. One group is rewarded for extreme hard work and sacrifice, the other is rewarded for no hard work at all. Or am I missing something here?

Meeting Tesso - PB

I'm not sure what was the highlight of my morning, meeting Tesso or getting a PB for the 4.5km lap of the Torrens at Corporate Cup.

I got there reasonably early this morning to beat the heat (forecast 34 degrees). I saw Tesso running along the other side of the Torrens, so I knew we would cross paths. Went out hard as usual doing the 1st km in 3:27 (ran past Tesso after about 500m), slowed a little over the next 2km but then brought it home in the last 1.5km for a PB over that course of 16:12. This is 10 sec faster than last fortnight and 4 seconds faster than my previous PB on this course set in 2005 during the SARRC twilight race.

1. 18:10 @ 178
2. 17:33 @ 169
3. 17:05 @ 171
4. 16:49 @ 175
5. 16:22 @ 178
6. 16:12 @ 174

Above is my progression during the Corporate cup with average heart rate. Up until last run, I was getting the feeling that I was just improving by running harder and not actually getting much fitter, so I am pleased that my average HR has decreased this fortnight. Can I go sub 16 next fortnight in the last run of the series? We shall see. After seeing me run this morning, Tesso said she expects no less, so the pressure is on!

Went for a few km warmdown and chinwag with Tesso after the run. It was really nice to meet up with her and talk running and other stuff for a little while. I was moaning and groaning most of the way because the run really took a lot out of me, so I hope I wasn't too incoherent. After a while Tesso went back to get ready for work and I trotted back to Uni. I'm feeling a bit better now, although the hayfever is pretty bad now with the hot northerly blowing today.

Anyway, a great start to the day, back to work now.

Surprising quote

"Only through the readiness to accept historical truth can a sound understanding of contemporary reality be reached." - Pope Benedict XVI

First, let me say that although I was baptised a Catholic, I don't really subscribe to any religion at the moment. I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment - given in the context of aboriginal reconciliation in this country - I'm just surprised that the current pope said it. And, is he prepared to apply it to all instances of "historical truth"? Time will tell.

100 things about me - work in progress

1. I don't subscribe to any religion
2. I used to be Catholic, but I got sick of their hypocrisy
3. I am a spiritual person
4. We put down anthroposophy as our religion on the last census, although it is not a religion as such
5. I like the original Star Wars movies and hate the new ones
6. Empire Strikes Back is my favourite of course.
8. I like watching boxing.
9. My body type would be suited to boxing, but no one I know would ever accept me doing it.
10. I played hockey for SA at every junior age group and for the National Hockey League team.
11. I got sick of hockey and started distance running in 2004.
12. I am very competitive.
13. I have never stolen a pig.
14. I am allergic to horses
15. I love bananas and have been very unhappy since Larry hit town
16. I'm vegetarian (lacto-ovo)
17. ...

Not a PW

So I might have been a little hasty with the PW call. I really thought I did better than that in 1999. I do recall however, that I had to stop for a couple of minutes to go to the toilet that day (poor race preparation), so it probably still makes this year a bad result.

1999
00:48:19
254

2000
00:45:03
82

2006
00:47:04
135