two weeks to go (ntr)

It’s exactly two weeks till the Cities marathon - my next target run. I hope it is warmer then today - went below zero over night, with the car not under the carport covered in ice!! If it is like this, I will def wear gloves and a long sleeve shirt over my running singlet until i thaw out. I could even place a hot skim latte with two sugars at the drink station instead of Gatorade to warm me up!! ;-) I have been getting great support and encouragement from Mouse, the kids, blog and CR friends, which has been great! THANKS! I feel obliged now to give it my all!!

i am over my cold, which is great! I have not done all the running in the program i was trying to stick to, but i did do two cool runs!
1) woodford to glenbrook trail run - a tough first 12km, then nice slightly downhill last 12km.. Given I walked HEAPS of the uphill in the first 12km, i finished with a good average pace, so the last 13km must have been good for getting used to faster running. It was freezing to start with, but finished up really beautiful. Rach and I were just finishing off a small picnic at the end ( my favourite picnic food: bbq chicken from woolies, and a coffee! ) when it started to rain. So we left at good time. It was a good run, and a good day.

2) 6 * 800metre intervals at Blacktown Olympic Park. Although not quite allowed, I did some good laps there on Friday. A lady there told me i needed a permit to use the track, and then only between 4-8pm.She was kind enough to let me continue and for my girls to play around the grand stand for another 30-40 mins though. **** That said, I am sure a better system must exist for the use of facilities paid for by tax payers. I can see the need to maintain the standard of the track ( ie rules to follow on the track ), give special consideration to carnivals, sports clinics etc ( ie time the track is open and closed to public ).

However, charging $80 for a 6 month permit seems a little wrong, given it was tax payer funded in 1999, and you get nothing for the money - no insurance, no supervision ( T&C tell you how to direct your own ambulance! ). I think a nominal fee ( $5 ) to cover administration of issuing an id card and to ensure you agree to and understand the rules of the facility would be fairer to the public. I can’t see the public beating a path to their door to run laps, but for runners who want to use the track, the option is a good one. Just like the Blacktown library - free for everyone, worth a lot more then a synthetic track and well managed via taxes and rates. .

I have done a shorter recovery run too, and I think I’ve taken basil for a run too, but not much else. I need to focus now on keeping it up though, i tend to over indulge in the tapering process!!

I've also done some work on the SMC website - just small stuff updating static pages and adding some links to forms. Nice to help, and good to get a feel for web stuff again. I was never really into it, but have made some pages for uni, and one when I selling software once. Not very fancy. I need to learn how to use MySQL and PHP to improve the race results process. My idea is to have it uploaded easily (read that as not just me able to do it) and runners can filter on various things like name, bib, gender, age group, race type etc etc. I have no idea how to do it, but it should be a fun learning curve!

I have been getting into the idea of "the world wide half" thru the Phidipdations podcast I listen too occasionally. Basically, on or about October 13-14, people from around the world acknowledge each other and run a half marathon - anywhere you like. I like the idea of knowing that on that weekend, runners anywhere and everywhere are doing something outdoors, challenging and sharing the spirit. SMC have a race on that weekend, so I will be doing that course for my part. If other are interested, you can check it out here, and maybe we can do SMC together?

After being a bit run down and a big week at work, Mouse is off riding today with a friend - first time on the road, so i am sure she is a little nervous - and cold! I am looking forward to her ride report!!