God save the Queen. We mean it man...

Monday: x training; 20min arc trainer,20min bike,20min weights
Tuesday: 15km easy
Wednesday: x training;15min rowing,30min weights
Thursday; Long Run 30km
Friday;5km recovery run,bike 20min
Saturday: 12km easy
Sunday; 10km incl 3km at 4.50 pace

Best long run I've had this year.Felt pretty strong throughout although my pace did slow in the last 4-5km's. I also did it with no sport gels which may or may not be related to the amount of nougat I snarfed down during Easter.
This week is supposed to be an easier week,but I think I might go for 32kms.We'll see!

~~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere in an English castle built with the money thieved from countless generations Prince Wills and "commoner" Kate are in a heated argument

Will: Awright geeezzaa! Kate come 'ere an' kiss my royal ring. Sorted mate.

Kate:Blimey! In no way'll I be subjected ter yaaahr class structure. Nuff said, yeah?

Will: Lor' luv a duck! come on love. I am yaaahr future king.bow down ter me! Know what I mean?

Kate:Gawdon Bennet! look mate.I don't care who yew bloody well are an' besides im considerin' joinin' da classless socie'y twats par'y so,i really don't think dis is gon'a work out. OK?

Will: Blimey! go away then.you're never touchin' my septure again! Nuff said, yeah?

'es a scumbag don'cha know

Last Weeks Training:
Simple.
3x12km
2x bike
1x4km

A 10km Race.

I have a love hate relationship with 10km races.
I'm sentimental about them because it was the first distance I ever aimed for race-wise,but,if it was something tangible that I could slap with a rubber chicken I would,because it's a hard distance!

There's really not much room for error,or easing off. It's like having to run your best 5km,twice!

I entered this one with few expectations. For the past 3 years I have consistently run it at the same pace and finished around 57min. I don't think that's a disgraceful time with someone of my limited abilities,but, I just always thought I could do better.

I firmly decided that I would take 6minutes to ease into the first km because it's hard to count on a good start on this route as the path at the start is narrow and easily bottlenecks.
I had set my watch on a 5.45/per km pace because I thought it was a pace I could handle and if I stuck to it,I'd break the 57minute.

I didn't time the first km,but I think it was slightly faster than 6minutes.
I had a good run up and over the bridge and completed my second km in about 5.15.I decided then to try and maintain that pace as well as I could.Even if I slowed down slightly,later on,maybe I'd given myself a good headstart.

It was a fairly uneventful race,which is a good sign that I was foscused on what I was doing,that is,until my mp3 player stopped working.
I started feeling like I was losing speed around 8km and I kept reminding myself that I had run much harder distances and in harder circumstances than this.
I kept going and at around 8.5km decided to try the mp3 player again.'Lo and behold it worked and on came Eye of the Tiger!

Just what I needed.

I pushed on to the finish and as I approached the finish line saw 54 something.
54!..I wanted THAT!
And so,with a slight concern in the back of my head that maybe one of the digit lights had blown out,and it was really 56minutes,I sprinted for the finish.
I think I finished around 54.36.
That's a 3minute PR.

I'm thrilled with it.I needed the boost because,lately,I have been secretly wondering if my best running is behind me.

Now,I'm thinking..bugger that.

~~~~~~~~~~

There was a bit of squeeking last week about there being a website whereby students could post comments and rate their teachers.

You know-this type of behaviour makes me quietly bite my fist and breathe heavily through my flared nostrils.

What is happening to our youth??

What happened to the good old days when they spraypainted "MR SMITH IS A COCKHEAD" in bright red letters across the bus stop at the front of the school.

Bloody lazy I say.

~~~~~~~~~

And finally,the tune that came on AFTER Eye of the Tiger,that really pushed me home.

Enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lauKSyePq2w

Fwee Woger!

Monday-30 min bike;30min circuit weights

Tuesday-15km easy

Wednesday-rest

Thursday-8km (should have been 10)

Friday-Pilates

Saturday-6.5km

Sunday-21km (should have probably done 28 )

Monday-15min bike;40min swim

Tuesday-8km easy

I had a pretty easy week last week.I ran out of legs on Wednesdays run.I felt pretty good for my long run on Sunday,but decided to make it only 21 km as I was running in the evening and ran out of light,and well,what can I say..I'm wussy!

I'm not pushing hard this week either.I'd like to have a good race on Sunday.I don't expect to break any records,but,I just want to feel as though I saved it all for that day and hurled it all out across the route!

So to speak.

I am thinking the sports beans and I don't mix well. I only took 4 during my run on Sunday as opposed to around half a packet,and I didn't end my run feeling nauseous and tired! I don't know what the difference is in sugar,but, I think I'll go back to the gels I used last year.

~~~~~~~

It would be remiss of me not to coment on the Ben Cousins saga. The Eagle fallen from grace and landing in the bosom of 'substance abuse'.

He used to be my favourite you know,and, I like to think I can understand where he is right now.

I too was a substance abuser.Yes,that's right.

For many months I could barely make it through an afternoon without ripping open a tube of Starburst chews.

My fingers fumbling as they unwrapped the first fruity square.

So,yes,I too have travelled in that gloomy vortex!

And it's because of that experience that I can unequivocally say that I can forgive Ben for his addiction.

HOWEVER..I can't forgive him for THAT hair!

For the love of all that is Vidal Sassoon ,Ben!

If you aren't yet ready to check yourself into rehab..at LEAST send your hair!!

~~~~~~~

And finally,a comment on our illustrious foreign minister, Alexander Downer,who has been popping up all over the telly today because long term australian Guantanamo resident, David Hicks, has pleaded 'guilty,yes guilty,anything to get me out of this hellhole' .



Good old Al has always reminded me of one of those tossers from that show "Brideshead Revisited"

You know..the blokes with the boat hats and the white SLACKS and knitted vests.


So here is my Teddybear Downer impersonation.



"WELL, I think that Hicks chappy is weally horrid.In fact Teddy hasn't slept a wink since I told him that people like David Hicks would pull his little button eyes awf and stuff them somewhere unmentionable.

I've been to Bali you know and I know the DISTWESS that can happen when someone moves your banana louwnge chair without even ASKING!..and so I can weally weally understand the howwor of tewowism and why people like him should be made to suffer unmentionawable punishment like...toastie soldiers that are cut too thick so that you can't dip them into your wunny egg!

HE'S JUST..HOWID!"

The secret

Friday: 11km easy
Saturday: xtraining;bike/weights-light leg work
Sunday:30 kms
Monday:Pilates
Tuesday:14km easy

I finally managed my first 30kms. On the plus side,it's way earlier than last year,when I didn't do my first until about 6 weeks before the marathon.
On the negative,the last 2km,particularly the last was so fricken hard. I'd really like to blame the weather. It's still very warm in the mornings.I sweat BUCKETS and have consistently hit the last 2 kms with no water left in my fuel bottles.
My legs and feet felt crampy and achey.
I'd also like to blame something on nutirition. I do grab some toast before I go,but,I think my sugar levels must crash because I end up falling asleep post run and craving sugar. In fact,I drank a can of coke!! before I started feeling ok again!
So,I dunno..I need to tweak my diet or something before the rampages of the evil imperialistic capitalist consumerist society takes control of my body when in fact all I really needed was a 65c salt tablet.


The Secret

On Monday, I something vile,frightening and truly damaging to my psyche occured and as a result I am now imprisoned by the shocking experience to such an extent that it has taken all my willpower and sheer determination to sit in the room and type these few words to you.

Yes,dear reader.A MOUSE crossed my path in the doorwway of this very room and I am pretty sure ENTERED.
I'M SCARED OF MICE!

Since then I have been shoving a variety of people in here to bang on furniture to see if it will come out.
I have left my feral cat Kitty Boy with strict orders to come in ans scope the place out,not to mention telling my crack atack dog, Fidel to come in and 'sic 'em'.
Sadly, Fidels response has been pretty much to lie on his back demanding a belly rub or,lick his balls
(Him,not me)

I have decided what is needed is that some enterprising soul establish a company whereby, if you find yourself in a situation where you need a bloke (to open jars,squish a bug or find a rodent),and your usual handy bloke is not around,you can call this..army of blokes! to come and sort it out!!

I know my feminist sisters may scoff at me,but I say this.
Yes, I will hold my own in a male dominated work environment.
Yes, I will venture into a sports bar and ask for a bacardi mixer.
Yes, I will forget to shave my legs for a day..or 3..4 tops..

BUT DON'T ASK ME TO DEAL WITH...mice :(

Stella,is less than stellar

Sunday:20km

Monday: x Training-swim 30minutes,bike 30minutes

Tuesday:14km

Wednesday: x Training-arc trainer 20minutes, circuit weights 30minutes

Thursday: 10k Tempo run including 2x1km@ 4.56



I was surprised I ran 2x1km at 4.56.

I don't think my pace has ever been,on average,faster than about 5.20.

The little speedwork that I have been doing over summer is my first experience at it.

I have been 'seriously' training for events for only the past 2 years.

In 2005 it was for my first half marathon and last year my first full.

During that time my goal was really just to make the distance,even though I did have some nominal times in my head.

Prior to 2005,I dabbled in running and would enter fun runs just to see if I could do it.

I remember the first time I ran for a whole hour without stopping!



Im kind of proud of that 4.56 today because during the whole time I kept thinking I wouldn't make it.I had set my watch to countdown 5minutes. I kept telling myself I was too slow,I felt too sluggish,I needed to slow down.

I have learnt to disconnect my legs from my head and they kept ticking over!



But,while I was telling myself that I wasn't going to make it, I also had that bloody song by Hinder playing in my head "Voice of an Angel"

With a fast and heavy backbeat.



I blame my experience at 'Nerves'.

All the music was played at that annoying march speed,and it's still going through my head!



Thankfully, I've stopped hearing 'Now move away from your station and prepare to check your heart rate" in my sleep





STELLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA



I cannot understand the stampeded caused by Stella Mcartney clothing being sold at Target.

Evidently, women were taking a wide berth away from the stressed tracksuit pants and hightailing it for the Mcartney label!



I don't understand why.



I mean. I love clothes,and although I'd unquestioningly pay $300 for running shoes, and $50 for running shorts, I'd never spend $200 on an overstretched jumper being passed off as a dress.



Didn't Stella go through a stage of being 'known' for her designer t-shirt's with a horse head printed on it?

Wasn't that her claim to fame?





I'm sorry Stella, but Don Corleone did it way better in the Godfather!



I'm sorry consumers,but,in my opinion,the whole Designer Wear obsession is purely

pardon my vag

I've missed you so.

Yes..all 5 of you,you big lugs.



Many things have kept me away,the details of which I won't bore you with but,well,here's a hint.

See that tuft of reddish/highlighted hair behind Brian Burke?









Say no more ,right? -nose tap-





Training: I started a new programe last week. I am still doing the same mileage,but running 4x a week rather than 5/6. My weekday runs are longer to make up for the days I don't run,so,it's a little like doing more long runs.More details to follow!



"Move to the next station"

As you may know a couple of months ago I landed a job at that w0mens gym, "Nerves".

Here is an overview of how it panned out.



I could accept that on the money I was earning, I wouldn't be making the Gold Coast Marathon this year.

I could not accept we hadn't recieved the 90c casual pay increase.



I could accept that I had to answer the phone using a script.

I could not accept someone not thinking I could substitute the word 'especially' with 'specifically'



I could accept I had to wear an unflattering scolloped neck t-shirt.

I could not accept the tye dye purple ones.



I could accept scrubbing rest stations,vacuuming,toilet cleaning,dusting and machine wipe downs as part of my duty statements.

But, I REFUSED to accept listeining to Deep Purple's, Smoke on the Water being sung by some barber shop quartet in that REALLY annoying pumped up beat ONE MORE TIME.



And so, after being bitten by a redback and almost treading on a tiger snake, I realised that

1. there's just one too many creepy, crawly,creepy,bitey animal in this country!..But,thankfully, Amanda Vanstone got kicked off the front bench.



and 2,despite things taking a piece out of me or wanting to,I could survive ,and so,I needed to quit and move on to something else.



So,for now, I am back teaching.

More on that later.





And finally,in response to the students at Westchester High School who were suspended for saying the word 'vagina' during a school performance

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17535427/



may I just say



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Why Brain from "Family Guy" is right.Again

Monday;Pilates (I needed the stretch after Sunday's 20kms. My butt was sore!)
Tuesday; Yasso's; 4x800m @ 5min per Km pace;6.2km total

I beat myself up over Sunday's run.
It wasn't that it was HARD,but I did take walking drinking stops.Aerobically I didn't feel too bad,but it was so tiring!All I could think about was how well I felt running 20kms during my last marathon training.
Then I remembered that I didn't run 20kms in January last year.
In sweltering humidity and heat.
And then I remembered the big picture-trying to run more long,long runs.
By the time I 'officially' start training in mid February, I will be well on the way to doing a 30km run,and that's quite neat.

Also,I have pumped up the speed when doing yasso's on the treadmill and am setting my high speed on 12 rather than 11.2.
I thought I'd fall and knock my teeth out-but so far,so good!

~~~~~~~~

"'I just spent all morning watching a VH1 special on Gwen Stefani. I don't know what a Hollaback girl is. All I know is that I want her dead. "- Brian (Family Guy)

I couldn't agree more!

While some of her songs while she played in No Doubt were passable,her warblings since then are about as pleasant as severe sphincter crampings.

Take her latest song 'wind it up"
Supposedly the lyrics are 'wind it up,uh,uh,uh,uh'
But all I hear are 'waduh'.

GWEN.CAN YOU NOT ENUNCIATE AT ALL?

I don't think I'm old fashioned.I will still bang my head and slap my steering wheel to The Sex Pistols, The Hoodoo Gurus,Val Doonican and The Ramones.

Why, some people who know me will even tell you I know the lyrics to mmbop and understand the profound depth of the meaning associated with 'ba dubi dop ba do bop'

But then again,maybe it is an age thing because even when I look at Gwen,I see...

Vivienne Westwood.

Cept Viv's cooler.

Am I alone here?

And seeing as we are talking about music,let me express my sheer delight that Augie March's song 'One Crowded Hour' finished at the top of Triple J's Hottest 100 songs for 2006.

I adore this song!

I think the tumbling lyrics and swirling melodies capture beautifully the breathlessness of first lust! And the head in the hands realisation that it's all gone horribly wrong.

Take a minute to enjoy the greatness of Augie March!

And ponder the timeless words of Walter Scott,

"One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWEahIQGsZY