Monthly totals: October 2010

Cycling: 35h 32m | 746.4 km
Running: 7h 30m 21s | 69.81 km
Walking: 1h 35m
Tennis: 35m
Indoor rock climbing: 20m

Comments: On Sun 17th Oct I participated in Around the Bay in a day. 210km! The training for this, plus the event itself is definitely responsible for the increased cycling mileage. That and the fact that the weather's nicer for commuting. Last week I rode my bike everyday, usually I only manage three times a week in between Spring rain.

October also saw me running more consistently than I have in months. This should only improve.

Maiden voyage

I realised last weekend that my old runners had put in 119 hours and 1026 kms. They were starting to look and feel a little worn. It was time for an upgrade. Same shoes, updated release. I've been in the Asics GT series for years now and my feet with their wideness and odd toe lengths couldn't be happier.

Run: 1:07 | 10km | 6m:42s/km. Long run. It was surprisingly muggy this morning. I just headed out to run by the river. I saw many a race goer making their way to the racetrack by boat. Runners felt awesome. I came good half way through.

Better off

For forty minutes of my run I honestly thought I'd be better off sitting at Riverland under one of those big umbrellas drinking an icy cider. I felt sluggish. It was only when I stopped thinking about how much I wasn't enjoying myself and how lucky I was to be away from my desk and in the sunshine that I came good. I was so tempted to head back out!

Run: 51m | 7.7km | 06m 35s/km

RiderLog

This was the first app I downloaded. And I finally remembered to use it today. At this stage it's specifically for commuters in Victoria, Australia. It records the basic details of your trip and anonymously uploads them to the Bicycle Network.

The information is then used to improve the planning of bike infrastructure and to convince authorities to invest more in the locations where people ride. I'm all for that. There's a few parts of my busy commute that could be made safer for sure!

Risky business

The things we do for a photo, hey? I just got a new iPhone 4. I'm late to the technology I tells you. So on my way home I attempted my first Panda portrait. I was petrified of dropping my phone, I didn't, but I'm not sure how many more of these I'll attempt. Risk taker, me? Not so much.

Yep, I commute in work clothes. It goes alright.

Mixing it up

Another gorgeous day for riding. This snapped by the Yarra river on my way home. I was running late for a Skype date with my newly founded (inter)national book club. I was trying to rush, but on this bike it's impossible.

Run: 48:48 | 7.76km | 06m 17s/km. I'm starting to feel better running. I ran 24 min out and on the return did 10x 30sec efforts with 30sec rest between. I find it really difficult to run fast and keep my form.

Sunny Sunday

A glorious day in Melbourne town. After a much needed sleep in I was off on the bike for a quiet spin along the beach. Because I was quite late heading out there weren't many people about. Then it was off for a stroll around the lake.

Ride: 1:57 | 48km | 24.4km/hr. This was by myself and was trying to throw in some efforts, but obviously not enough, because the speed is a little slow and my average heart rate (HR) was pretty low too. Still, so good to be out there. Should have had more to drink, I only managed half a bottle of water, when really I should have had close to two.

Oats are not for me

I just can't come at porridge. I've tried, really I have, to like its texture and its stick to your stomach lining goodness, but I just can't handle the mouth feel. On a day where I know I'll be running I like to have a pretty substantial breakfast and a bowl of 'sweet' Quinoa does it for me. It was Heidi from 101 cookbooks that inspired me to try it for breakfast.

I usually cook up a batch and freeze it in 1/4 or 1/3 cup portions for use during the week. I either defrost it overnight or just pop it in the microwave when I'm ready to eat.

I've been known to prepare it with Almond milk, which adds to the Quinoa's nuttiness, but it works equally as well with regular and soy milk. This version includes stewed apples with vanilla, greek yoghurt and almond butter. So very satisfying.

Run: 32m | 4.8km | 06m 40s/km. I was pumped for this run, I had to wait until the afternoon for some clear weather and it was a serious disappointment. I felt awesome for the first three minutes and horrible the rest. I'm not talking OMG this is hard, I'm taking OMG if I don't stop I'm going to lose my stomach contents. Hopefully next week I'll come good.

Chili is an awesome addition to a salad roll

I sit in front of a computer for most of the day. When it's sunny I'm itching to get outside. So I did just that. I bought my lunch (an occasional Friday treat) and sat at Southbank watching the world go by. As much as I would have liked to be running, it wouldn't have been sensible on such a warm afternoon and I'm sure my ITB would have protested at running three days in a row.

Guilty pleasure

I picked up the latest edition of Women's Health last night. It's my guilty little secret, that's kinda public now. I like their featured healthy recipes and that they quite often use female athletes as their models for certain shoots. This is awesome. Here are real women, with fit bodies modeling swimsuits. Bring on more of that I say!

Run: 51 min : 7.7km : 6m40sec/km. Perceived effort: hard. How can you feel so good one day and so very average the next??

This is not the beginning

I'm going to ask you to be my witness. But really more so this is about keeping myself accountable. This is not the beginning of my "athletic career". I am in fact in the midst (I swear). Welcome to my small world of trying to live a healthy and balanced life. I know I'm not the only one, so come join me.

Today I ran. In the glorious sunshine. During lunch. No wind. It doesn't get much better.
Run: 38m : 6km : 6m19s/km - yeah I'm not the world speediest runner, but it's a challenge for me and that's what I like.

I also got a commute in which I kind of count as incidental exercise. That's my beast of a slow bike up there. How I love it.