I can see clearly now

7.30 am, 40 minutes, Moore Park

Another good run this morning against the odds. The legs were shaky but the dodgy foot was good. I think there's a message here. I'm just meant to run slowly. I can't believe it is taken me several running injuries and so many years to work out the obvious and inevitable.

Close to home I had this monster-sized dog bound up to me in Rushcutters Bay Park, turn its head and sniff my arm-pit. The dog galloped away again unimpressed. I felt like uncovered-meat.

Weird

7.15 am, 45 minutes, Centennial Park

Weird run that is.
The run was unbelievably good with minimal discomfort and a second wind after 40 minutes to pick up the pace at the finish. Even the hills felt good this morning.

Still a couple of runs left in me before I retire back to the pool.

For readers the good news is that I'm reading Joseph Williams "Style: toward clarity and grace" to improve my writing. An improved writing style is to come on the blog, and as for content, still the same horse-shit.

Batman

7.00 am, 40 minutes, Woolloomooloo - Opera House - Botanical Gardens

This morning's run was the second very slow run in two days as the conditioning hits rock bottom. I would've been outpaced by a shrinking glacier this morning. The Manly ferry and an oil tanker raced past me with formula 1 speed at the Opera House to take the chequered flag. By the time I got out of the botanical gardens a number of flowers bloomed and several birds and bats were trying to pollinate me.

The good aspect about feeling so sluggish is that the whole body struggled not just the injured parts. Nevertheless I'm still out there, just.

Caught up with Portrunr (who was in town), Beki, Blkbox, Owly, Jen Runs & Ellie over dinner last night . Was lovely to see everyone again. [ I just pinched this from Jen's blog] - I told you I was feeling sluggish.

Bubbles

7.30, 1 km, Boy Charlton Pool

I went for the fluid option this morning of a swim, and I blew a few bubbles in a relatively effortless performance. I did spot the local swim coach in action and I need stroke correction lessons. But I keep going for a run instead of a regular swim.

Talking of bubbles, last Saturday night at Kings Cross I also saw a few bubbles in a specially constructed 4 metre high water tank just inside the front door of the Las Vegas Hotel. You'll have to trust me on this one, but it was my first visit to this venerable institution, before or after the recent renovations. The tank contains a chair bolted to the floor and two go-go dancing poles rather than exotic marine life, much to my disappointment. At 11.00pm the bubbles and flashing lights came on and two dancers modestly clad in one-piece swimsuits descended down the poles in fire-brigade style. It was a pretty tame performance. I could've done better.

Lact Away * warning * - contains running content

7.30 am, 40 minutes, Darling Point - Double Bay

Pretty much a safe-harbour run this morning around the quiet leafy streets of postcodes 2027-8. I am edging closer and closer to the pool and budgie smugglers as my capacity to run declines further with old age and multiple exotic maladies. But this morning was an uneventful, no frills run with no frills pain and discomfort.

I've been running around the same routes as before, and my time splits are almost identical to those when I was fully fit running on recovery days. So after 2 months going downhill, it just goes to show this business about training is over-rated, or the Lact-Away is working.

The Neighbourhood Watch signs were out on Elizabeth Bay Road yesterday asking for witnesses to the sexual assault last weekend, so the low-life is still at large.

CSI Woolloomooloo

8.00 am, 35 minutes, Woolloomooloo - Opera House - Botanical Gardens

After yesterday's swim which was surprisingly good, I resumed foot patrols around the neighbourhood keeping an eye out for felons.

As well as a fistful of felons, there are a lot of fashionable gay guys that live in this neck of the woods. As a result the local opportunity shop is pretty well stocked with last season's wardrobe. At the opportunity shop I did see a number of customers stocking up on what is the criminal wardrobe of choice amongst the Darlinghurst Road set: track suit pants, baseball cap, nike runners, and sports-top. It is a functional wardrobe. There was a guy in Darlinghurst Road near the police station last month wearing a t-shirt that said:

"It is not a crime if you don't get caught".

CSI Kings Cross

6.00 am, 40 minutes, Moore & Centennial Park

A slow and steady start to the run due to the abnormally low level of criminal activity in the local streets on the way out to the park.

Today was another borderline run. The pace of my runs is not far off recovery run pace, but the levels of discomfort seem to be creeping up. I might only need a few days off again.

I'm headed back to the pool real soon. Better get the budgie smugglers out.

Take-off

6.00 pm, 40 minutes, Moore Park

A late decision to run after a biggish lunch of salmon, rice and a musashi fruit bar I finally found at the local woolworths after weeks of searching the health food section. The musashi goods were in the toiletries section with the health supplements.

I felt huge and fully fueled up the whole way around, not unlike an airbus A380. If only I had the same range. I finally felt reasonable after 35 minutes, more like a jumbo, and landed just after dark.

Reported in today's SMH there was a sexual assault 50 metres from home in Elizabeth Bay Road at 4 pm last Sunday. Two men grabbed a 20 yo woman and dragged her into a lane. It is an innocuous looking place that I run past regularly, a heavily populated area and disturbing. I'll be a bit more vigilant for these felons, even if I'm dodging the usual motorists trying to set land-speed records on the unbroken 50 metre stretches of open road around here.

Rubbish

8.00 am, 30 minutes, Darling Point - Double Bay

I pulled up a bit tired after yesterday's session. The run was pretty much a battle all the way around.

The annual Woollahra Council general rubbish collection looks like it might be coming from the volume of furniture being thrown away. No early antiques or treasure lying around, and from the way I'm running at the moment I'll be off the streets when the rubbish trucks come around.

Downhill

7.30 am, 1 hour, Centennial Park

Any doubt on whether my fitness has bottomed-out after 2 months of no speed work was quickly dispelled when the hamstrings felt like twigs about to snap going up-hill. I've still got 2 more months for the fitness to go downhill too. Of course I'm floating down from a stratospheric height.

After the early hills, the running was remarkably good around Centennial Park with Sean's group, although I was often running behind Sean who did a marathon yesterday.

I'm your Kofi Annan (George Michael remix)

7.00am, 50 minutes, Centennial Park

After lasting 9 minutes yesterday on a run, I got up at 6.30 am for a longer run this morning; I was hoping for double digits. I went down to Sean's training having read on her blog that Lulu was making a comeback appearance after her Italian training camp.

I was moving steadily enough to the park but nothing spectacular on the running front.

I did get to Sean's training late-ish, and on arrival I spied Sean, Royworlds, Lulu and Ellie. By the time I'd exchanged greetings with Sean and Royworlds, Lulu and Ellie were out of there like a shot. Admittedly I hadn't washed beforehand, but gee Lulu and Ellie are fast movers when time is of the essence. Anyway I regained my composure and after a quick wash by the tap, I chatted to the ever-accommodating Horrie, Belinda, Bernie and Blue Dog.

Socially I was on the back foot for most of the day, until Kit emailed me, and I read the Coolrunning man v woman thread. Now compared to some CR correspondents I'm as clean and silky-smooth as Kofi Annan.

The twilight zone

7.30 am, 1 hour, Rushcutters Bay - Rose Bay - Bondi Junction

An uneventful run, which was good for a change - I'm all done with dramas and being in the limelight - and a nice change of scenery.

I'm only occasionally getting out of first gear but the body is enjoying weekend warrior pace. There's not much incentive to picking up the pace, only the prospect of pain. But I'll try and get down to training at Centennial Park soon, if I can get out of bed. I had another massive sleep in to 7 am.

The Sweet Spot

7.30 am, 45 minutes, Moore & Centennial Park

Another good comeback run this morning: not too fast, not too far, and not too hard. That's three days running in a row without breaking down. A P.B. for Spring.
There was a savage head-wind blowing from the south which blew me backwards for a while.

For a Monday morning it was unusual to see a golfer on the Moore Park 16th fairway that early; he was wearing bright yellow pants which sent a clear warning. I turned around, headed for the hills, and went home via Centennial Park.

Keeping up with the Jones'

7.00 am, 55 minutes, Centennial Park

I got down to Centennial Park at a leisurely canter, and then picked up the pace to keep up with Dimitri who was on a warm-up lap of the inner fence. I just managed to keep up with him running, although I doubt I'll ever keep up with him socially.

I was spent by the time I got to the cafe where I bumped into Ellie and Jen about to take off on the bike-legs of their morning workouts. We had time for a chat while Ellie was slipping into her full racing outfit to launch her new bike for its maiden voyage around the Sydney Olympic bike course under escort. Jen's bike looked like the poor cousin compared with Ellie's impressive and sleek racer. Looks like Jen will need a pay rise or Lance Armstrong fitness to keep up .

The foot is holding up well which is pleasing, and the leg strength is slowly coming back. I should be in superb aerobic condition by the time I get to hospital for surgery.

Super size me

7.00 am, 50 minutes, Centennial & Queens Parks

After deferring yesterday's run so long I eventually abandoned the idea of even a quick nude dash at 10pm, it was all systems go this morning. I felt remarkably good, a week of easy runs has put me back in running condition. It is all relative; I'd only out-sprint a sausage dog today. I haven't done any speed work of substance for 5-6 weeks.

I got down to Queens Park expecting to see no one in particular, thinking Sean was away on his training camp, and there was Sean and the squad minus striders. Enjoyed a quick chat trying to convince various people I was not faking physical injury and just doing a rehab. 50 minute run.
I got home in a negative split of 2 minutes instead of the wheels falling off.
Looking good to run off the weight I've put on in the last 2 months including bulging pectoral muscles and biceps from swimming. I'll probably pass on the Uncle Toby's calendar and wrist-watch endorsements though.

Woof woof

7.30 am, 40 minutes, Moore Park

Comeback MCMXIX took me to Moore Park for an ambitious 40 minute easy run. I can run uphill now, and I made it to the golf course in one piece. There I couldn't catch a young woman jogging with her sausage dog. I returned home with tail between the legs.

I am due next month to have the ganglion in the left foot cut out. But in the meantime I can run, so in the immediate future, I am back to the weekend warrior jogger with no races, no running goals, no program, and just imagine this, running just to enjoy it. Scary stuff. Don't know how I'll cope.

Feelin' groovy

7.30 am, 30 minutes, Woolloomooloo - Botanical Gardens

This was still a restrained run, but a smidgen of leg strength has returned, and the joints are getting re-accustomed to running.

The course was relatively flat, running surface was smooth, and pretty ideal conditions for a run. I even got out of second gear around Woolloomoollo Bay, chugged around most of the way, and still ran past a couple of dozen people.

At the botanical gardens I ran past rows of flowers in full bloom, and slipped a couple in my hair on the way home.

Great Expectations

8.00 am, 20 minutes, Double Bay Marina - Rushcutters Bay

I've had a Dickens of a time doing the long runs, so I set my sights on a 10 minute effort but got a second wind, without lentil-assistance, to double the distance this morning and made it via the Double Bay public toilet with toilet-paper and soap. A bit disappointed there were no linen hand-towels.

As expected, the left foot didn't like uneven surfaces, hills, turns, or going over 20 minutes, so I won't be an early bookmaker's favourite for six foot track 2007.

I'm assured that running won't actually do me any great harm, so I'll keep plodding along. Nevertheless, in a literary vein, I'm already mentally drafting my impending blog posts: 'hard times', bleak house' and 'titanic'.

Weekly Long Run

8.00 am, 8 minutes, Rushcutters Bay

This morning wasn't the most successful of long runs. I lasted a whole 4 minutes before the left foot made it clear it wasn't up to a run. I've seen a G.P. this afternoon and got a referral to a surgeon.

In the meantime, back to the pool.

I also crashed this afternoon and had another nap; I was still recovering from Saturday night's dinner, karaoke and early-morning dancing at Owl and Tesso's birthday party. Glad I don't do that very often.

The tortoise and the hare

10.00 am, 55 minutes, Moore & Centennial Park

A scratchy effort running after a late night out singing and dancing at Owl and Tesso's birthday party, and after a bit of eating and drinking too.

The body held up well and the legs are getting used to running again. It feels like I've had 4 years off running, not 4 weeks. I got a second wind after 30 minutes.

I ran around Aussie Stadium; not a Broncos fan in sight. I wasn't carrying any valuables just in case.