Retrospective post: 11/01/2011

On Sunday I relocated from one coast to another. Which meant a bit more time on the bike, this time with my Mum, who has only recently taken up road riding. We did a loop that consisted of some highway riding and then some coastal back road riding which I much preferred.

When we got home I ran off the bike. For the first time since 2009! Ouch.

Ride: 1:19:37 | 30.8km | 23.3km/hr
Run (off bike): 7:24 | 1.2km | 06m 10s/km

Sunday Run: 53:30 | 8.2km | 06m 31s/km. A million times better than yesterday. I even threw in 5x 30s efforts / 30s rest.
Saturday Run: 26:26 | 4km | 06m 37s/km. I think the heat had a lot to do with the fact that this was my worst run in a long time. It took every ounce of mental strength not to stop.

Retrospective post: 6/01/2011

With plenty of soreness going on from the horseriding, swimming was my best option today. The arrow is pointing to the pole I swam out to. I did it twice, once with the man (which utterly exhausted him) and once alone. It's somewhere between 230 and 260m depending on the tide. I called it 250 and it still has me swimming slow.

Swim: 24m | 1km | 02m 24s /100m

Retrospective post: 5/01/2011

Today I discovered I do actually have inner thigh muscles all thanks to our afternoon of horseriding, there was no mistaking the pain that came on after an hour or so of gripping the saddle with my knees. I like the feeling of waking up dormant muscles!

Run: 1:07 | 10.5km | 06m 23s/km. Another run to Safety beach. I stopped half way for a quick stretch and headed back. I tried to focus running on my toes and mid-foot in practice for the Vibrams I just ordered!

Retrospective post: 4/01/2011

We had the most beautiful morning for a cycle. After changing a tube with a slow leak I was ready to go. We headed for Mt Martha where the hills undulate but the accompanying view is spectacular. I spent a lot of time on that road training for Ironman, so it's a place filled with some tough but rewarding memories.

Ride: 1:15 | 30.8km | 24.64 km/hr. A fairly leisurely pace we weren't scooting up the hills, just taking it easy.

2011: The year of the marathon

I don't make resolutions, so much as set myself goals for the year. This year is an interesting one for me, one that potentially holds great change. I have six months off this year as a result of some extended long service leave. I'll be traveling through Europe for two months and then come home to immerse myself in training for the Gold Coast marathon. I'm putting it out there, I want to run a 4:30. Considering 05:06:15 is my PB over the distance I have a lot of work to do. To assist I will rejoin the running group I was with last year. When I'm not training I'll be putting my efforts towards a new job/career. This year holds great possibility - almost too much!! It's exciting and scary all at once.

Infolio Portsea Twilight run

I signed up for the 6.7km to keep myself on track over the Christmas/NY period. Foolishly perhaps I went into this run completely oblivious of the course, which when I read the website says this: Point Nepean provides Australia’s most scenic and challenging course with spectacular Bass Strait and Port Phillip Bay views. That’s the good bit. The tough bits are the undulating, short sharp hills on the way out and then the undulating short sharp hills on the way back.

Challenging? Yes. I'm pretty happy my heart rate monitor failed to work. I didn't need to see numbers, I knew how hard I was working.

The evening started with an undie run - brave people I tells you. We were then corralled into groups pertaining to our speed and let off at 5 min intervals as the course gets a little narrow at times. For the most part I didn't find it too congested until you got to the 123 steps, which were a forced walk. I found the first three kms ok, the fourth horrible, it was like I was running backwards that many people passed me, I came good at the fifth and felt strong home.

Run: 6.7km | 40m 25s | 06m 02s/km. Pretty much a spot on average time if you look at 2009 results. I'm happy enough to run this pace over that course!

Monthly totals: December 2010

Cycling: 1h 56m | 44.5 km
Running: 7h 19m 24s | 70.12 KM
Walking: 4h

Comments: The lack of cycling was disappointing, but when I think back, we had a lot of rain that was a touch prohibitive. Relatively consistent with the running. I consider anything in silly season a bonus.

While I'm at it HAPPY NEW YEAR and here's the yearly recap.

Cycling: 127h 46m 41s | 2718.02 km (+ 696.06km from '09)
Running: 73h 46m 30s | 678.97 km (-113.45km from '09)
Walking: 43h 20m
Yoga: 8h
Commuter Cycling: 4h 40m (I started to log this with cycling)
Skiing: 4h
Mountain Bike: 3h 55m
Bike Trainer: 3h 30m
Windsurfing: 3h 15m
Swimming: 2h 7m | 5.4km (+5.4km from '09)
Massage: 2h
Strength: 1h 45m
Stretching: 55m
Tennis: 35m
Aerobics: 20m
Indoor rock climbing: 20m