I have six months to train for the London 10k. Tam suggested the two months prior to the race be 10k-specific training. The four months prior to those should be used to experiment..

After I removed the frilly pink corset and matching suspenders and swapped the red vinyl CFM boots for some runners, I was out the door for a “slow as possible” EARL run.

I figured, with my legs still trashed from the recent PB and my for-once-in-my-life-I’m-not-eating-enough dizzy spells of late, I was due for a “rest”.

Running slow(er) is harder than I’d imagined. With no real need to concentrate on breathing, every spare nerve impulse was free to relay the pain from my shins to my brain. I guess there was none of that adrenalin/dopamine pain-blocking. It hurts to be me. Time was a Zimmerframe-equivalent 49:03.

Woke up* (thanks for the call Tee, really!) and I could actually walk.

What’s up with that? I’m going to have to try harder next time!

Sub-30min EARL in a month? 4min/kays by July? Is the big fella getting a touch too optimistic? Meh! We shall see..

Note to self: Leave laptop volume UP! 😉

(*Disclaimer: “Woke up” is not entirely accurate… zzzzz…)

Bus 65 is supposed to go past every 10min. I waited a fscking hour for that piece of sh1t to show up!

I reckon ten bus 65’s went past in the other direction and two going my way even stopped and dropped people off, but let none on. Being late was going to fsck up my night – stopping me revise .NET for a job interview and pushing my run back so late I couldn’t do it. If I exercise too late I don’t sleep. If I don’t sleep, I get grumpy. My grumpy is worse than “normal” grumpy – trust me.

It was going to be late but I decided to run anyway. My legs were still tender from Sunday’s run with my shins letting me know how I’d treated them with every step. This just fueled the rage.

The over-sized red sardine tin finally arrived home and ejected me into the street. On the bus I’d decided to channel the anger into a fast run. No, it was more than that, tonight wasn’t just going to be fast, tonight was going to be a PB.

I was fuming. I wanted to hurt. I knew it was going to be a PB.

I changed as fast as I could and sipped on some water – as much to hydrate as to get rid of the “oh my god, too many coffees!” taste in my mouth.

Insert run here –>

It was a blur. Lots of awkward breathing trying to kill stitches and lots of shin pain. It was quite windy (“from the Southwest at 14mph gusting to 26mph“). Charge home. Stop clock.

Before I could even think about it, I had my breath back. This pissed me off because it meant any slowing was because my legs can’t handle the impact and NOT because my CV system is at its limit. I walked up and down the street to “warm down”, breathing as if I’d spent all day in a deck chair, but with legs that felt like they’d spent the day being pulverised with a ball-peen hammer. Who the fsck would be a runner eh? 😉

Time? 33:10

That’s another 2 minutes off my previous best and includes stopping for a car leaving a driveway and something else.. what was it.. fuggit..

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, bus 65!!!

After 30min of pondering how to ride to the park and then run around it, without getting my gear nicked and without carrying 5+ kilos of crap on my back..

I gave up. It’s impossible. I decided to throw everything in my bag, ride there and deal with it once I arrived.

Rode slowly towards Richmond, noticing stuff I just don’t see travelling on bus 65, like the Steam Museum with its huge tower out front. I was riding slowly as a test to see if I could arrive at work without being drenched in sweat.

I could. What’s more, I could do it in only 25 minutes! Let’s recap: 1 hour on the train, 30-40 minutes on the bus and 25 minutes riding S-L-O-W-L-Y by bike. DAMN THEM for not having showers! So, I COULD ride to work, but that whole ‘holding back to stay dry’ and putting good clothes on sweaty body thing. Blah! New job!

I’d forgotten my A-Z so I couldn’t find the gate I was after. It started to rain.

Attempting to keep the weight down in my bag, in case I had to run with it on, I was only wearing running shorts and a t-shirt. Was I cold? Hell yes! Time to bail. Running the park can wait.

I’m not sure how to get around the lack of gear storage space and I hate carrying stuff. If I run when the Serpentine people run I might be able to leave stuff in someone’s car? Worst case – I catch the bus in running kit.

On the way back I found a cute little bunny rabbit. What I mean to say is: I found a roadie to chase down mwahahahaa! This dude looked kinda serious, ie. he was riding fairly hard, he wasn’t wearing a scarf, a huge jacket, jeans or an overcoat and he wasn’t riding a 50yo shitter, an mtb (threw that one in for the a.b peeps ;)), a hybrid (ooh stop me!), a folder or anything embarassing like a GT fitted with mudguards. I chased and “holy crap” I could actually keep up!

Usually with time off the bike my legs seize up and I run out of air trying to ride hard. Not this time. I eventually lost him at a red light – but that was only due to him taking what I thought were silly risks through the traffic to get green. I might not win any races but it’s good to know that I can still ride.

Oh, I can still trackstand too. Good thing riding a bike is just like, um, err, riding a bike? 😉

Feeling in my hands returned quickly thanks to the super-heated nature of this house. I wasn’t going to run (I thought “maybe later”) but it didn’t take long before I felt the urge.. I was warmed up, after all..

Out into the rain, somewhat annoyed about getting my shoes wet, I shuffled off. It might be petty but I’m no longer in the position to buy expensive kit so I can’t afford to have these ones ruined. “I’ve got FIVE kids to feed!” or at least bond and rent to pay.

Note to self: Get arse into gear and get a better job!

I’m also not in a position to buy warm cycling gear – I should’ve kept the jacket from Courier Systems! It was so much easier in Melbourne – even in winter I could usually get away with just a jersey, knicks and warmers. I badly need a funky riding jacket and some long-arm and long-leg options. Short-sleeve summer kit doesn’t cut it.

Anyway, run was normal EARL loop. Clock stopped at 39:18 which included some walking. Yes, walking, shuddup! My legs felt trashed. When I woke up (thanks for the call Mum but my alarm beat you ;)) I could still feel the after-effects of Friday’s run so I expected as much. Lactic acid buildup in my shins was pretty bad (guess there is muscle there) and my calf muscles were copping quite some burn too. I went out a little bit pumped up but quickly slowed to a trot and then a walk. Wait for the burn to subside and then run again, repeat thrice. Quite sore.

In other news: “Lucky” the cat has returned safe and well to its home.