It's always so much worse in the morning, after being horizonal for 8 hours. It's still uncomfortable now, 3 hours after I got up. Oh, and I can tell that I'm a bit run-down because my sinuses flared up last night. My collection of pills this morning consisted of:
1 x multivitamin
1 x glucosamine
2 x ibuprofen
1 x pseudoephedrine
I'm turning into a pillaholic!

Some pics I took last night:



spot the difference.

Bodydoctor

Went through the Bodydoctor routine this morning with 2.5kg dumbbells (don't laugh!) as far as the tricep dips before I ran out of steam. I so hate being ill, injured, or otherwise sub-par with zero energy. Hard to stay motivated at home too - I got sick of listening to talk-back radio (aka TripleJ) so did a lucky dip into my cassette collection and drew out Beverley Hills Cop (anyone remember that?!) for some pumpin' music.

I want my foot back... :-(

No running

Foot is purple and swollen, and the ankle is "tight" with zero flexibility. But I can walk semi-normally, and it doesn't hurt. Getting out of bed is another story though - I have to swing my legs over the side, WAIT for the blood to rush down and the throbbing and pain to stop, before I can stand up. Those first few hobbles towards the bathroom make me feel like an arthritic 90 year old.

Did the Lectric Soda thing for the first two nights, and compression bandage for the first two days - which simply caused the swelling and bruising to move across the top of the foot and around the inside of the ankle. Eugh. Not pretty.

No running for probably another 10 days. I'm not doing my morning walks either - I can't even walk down the corridor properly!

I went slightly mad in the Myer's bookshop a while ago, and one book I picked up for 25% off was BodyDoctor. Basically a fixed series of hi-rep/low-weight resistance exercises, plus the obligatory diet section. Anyway... the point of this ramble is that as I can't run/walk for a while, I thought I'd set up a "home gym" (as I no longer belong to a regular gym). Went down to Rebel at lunchtime today to buy a set of dumbbells, and will work through the exercises tomorrow morning.

I am a Bear Cub

Sarah's Blog had a link to a Cute Animal Quiz.
So drum roll please...

You Are A: Bear Cub!

Bears are strong and independent creatures who roam in the forest in search of food. Bears are usually gentle, but anger one and be prepared for their full fury! You're tough, you won't back down from a fight -- classic attributes of a bear. Intelligent and resourceful, though lazy at times, you are a fascinating creature of the wild.

You were almost a: Squirrel or a Parakeet
You are least like a: Turtle or a LambWhat Cute Animal Are You?

ARRRRRGHHOWOWOWOW...

Yeah, I rolled my ankle again. The Left one this time, and I think I did a better job of it this time, even though I stopped running straight away.

For the last few weeks, I've been on Cathy's Trail Running email list. Except their runs are always 30km+ - and I'm not ready for that. But today's one was 10-15km, and close by in Sherbrooke Forest (DRNP), so I decided that it was about time I went.

We left from the top carpark and ran downhill towards Belgrave. Towards the bottom, I tripped on -something- and staggered around trying to keep my balance. I propped myself against a tree and waited for the pain to stop. It didn't. I looked down, and already there was swelling around the top of the shoe. Bugger - well, that's me out for the count. I think around 4 kms at this point, although the Gizmo dropped out in the forest.

What to do... what to do. I was with a small group of Robyn, Cathy, Danny, and a lovely man who's name I've forgotten (someone help me out here?!) who became my guardian angel. He offered to run BACK UPHILL to get his car, and pick me up from the road - which was probably about 500m further downhill. Paul and Peter?? had run back to find us, and everyone walked down with me and waited with me at Micawber's Tavern (unfortunately closed). You guys are all amazing. THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH.

I made it home without any dramas, and minimal (car) gear changes - again thankful that I live in a part of the country with very few intersections! Very sore operating the clutch pedal; and even sorer trying to hobble around on the foot. I spent the next 4 hours on the couch with my foot iced, bandaged, and elevated. (doing the R.I.C.E. thing).

Reading back through my blog for the last time I did this (23 July), I found the email from Whippet Man about Lectric Soda Crystals. I'd completely forgotten. Definitely going to do that again. And that I'd better allow 2 weeks off running - that's going to throw my new-found resolutions out the window. AND... I just realised... my new Linebreak running tights are jinxed. The last time I wore them was last time I tripped. I hadn't worn them since as they needed the waistband taken in (too loose), which I only did last weekend. So today was their second wearing - and the second time I have rolled an ankle in DRNP. And the first time that I HAVEN'T worn the ankle braces in DRNP since last time too. Sigh... hard lessons.

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Weekly stats

Weight	74.0 kgs ▼
Running	11.1 kms
Walking	27.8 kms
Cycling	8.9 kms

Saturday Cycle

I'm setting a Street-O event next month at Croydon Hills, and because of the numerous off-road trails and parks, it's easier to cycle through it looking for cool places to hide controls (rather than drive/walk). So I did - only 9 kms on the cycle, because I'd done a bit in the car beforehand. I hope it's going to be long enough (in total) for the A-course runners - ideally, they should have to do ~10kms.

Got divebombed by a couple of magpies. GET OVER IT ALREADY... sheesh. They only do it when you're not watching too.

"Long" Walk ?

After waking up before the alarm, I decided NOT to lie in waiting for it, but head out early and get in a slightly longer walk. My aim was to do 1 1/2 hours, but there isn't that much road in Seville! 6.3 kms in 68 minutes. No dogs, no magpies, and finally saw a single cycle commuter on the Warby Trail.

The week's wanderings

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Two dogs and a Magpie

I was only a kilometre or so from home, thinking how nice it was not to have had any dogs harrass me, when I got swooped on by an overzealous magpie. Well, I guess it's now Magpie Season in Seville. Any ideas on the best way to deal with these? - apart from avoiding all roads with nesting magpies. And just around the corner, two dogs ran out to greet me. The more "aggressive" one was a very elderly hound which I gently prodded away with my foot. His smaller playmate was content to yap at me from their front gate. 5.3 kms.

Oh, and the scales said 74.0 kg this morning. Which means, I guess, that it's time for a confession: I had a KFC Wicked Meal on Monday night. Which went straight onto the scales the next morning, and bumped me up to 75.7 kg. Urgh. but I'm back down, and then some, so yippee. :-)

Street-O @ The Glen

Enjoyable run. Yes, really! My distance of 6.4 kms doesn't really reflect the fact that I was running comfortably and easily. I came in 6 minutes early, having worked out a short loop which left me without any options to pick up last-minute extra points. Never mind... I enjoyed it.

Doggonit

Blasted smelly mutts that have nothing better to do at 7 o'clock in the morning than to bark, yap, and chase people. Dogs that come out onto the street and follow you when you're walking away (I've just ordered a small digital camera to take on runs - look out mutts!), dogs that chase you along the perimeter of their fenceline - one property has a huge length of frontage on the corner of Warburton Hwy, and two dogs that snarl at you the whole way around. Dogs that hurl themselves at the gate and set off the whole street barking. Grrrrr. And this is all within the "suburban" part of the town. No such problems out in the rural area. 5.6 kms.

Back to normal

Feeling 1000% better this morning. I felt groggy for most of yesterday, and took another dose of sudafed plus some painkillers when I got home from work. Head is now pretty much back to normal (whatever "normal" is!), although my neck and shoulders are still sore. Had no problems getting out for my walk: 5.8 kms. I did the Chandler Road loop again (from the road end), and actually considered running over the longer boring sections. But I easily talked myself out of it. :-)
I read somewhere once that it takes 3 weeks for something to become a habit, so I figure I'll walk for an hour each day (Mon-Fri) for 3 weeks, then start running on one day, and build up from there.

Mondayitis

Oh god, I am so sore. I trundled off for my walk this morning still half asleep. My eyes feel puffy and just want to close. And I've got a headache, which feels like it's in my sinuses, so I've dosed up on pseudoephedrine (wonder drug).

I was dog tired last night - I was ready for bed at 8 o'clock, although managed to stay awake reading until 9:30. And then I couldn't sleep. Arrgh.

Roll on hometime...

4.9 kms.

Insurmountable Hill

SATURDAY: decided that Street-O was "too far, too wet", so I donned my daggy old parka and pulled weeds in the garden in the rain for 2 hours instead. Pretty lazy day apart from that.

SUNDAY: spent 2 hours digging over what will become the "lower garden". I'd started this at the end of summer and ran out of steam, so the first part was easy. And breaking up clay is a whole heap easier when the ground is soft and damp.

Then I dusted off the bike and went for a ride. I'd like to cycle into work once a week when daylight savings starts, so I thought I'd better try it. Along the Warby Trail to Lilydale, then along Maroondah Hwy to Chirnside Park. Except that I only got as far as the other side of Lilydale. That monster hill between Lilydale and Chirnside proved insurmountable today, so I pottered along a rough gravel road beside the railway line for a while, then headed home via Lillydale Lake. 32.6 kms. Sore arse, sore left knee.

---

Weekly stats

Weight	74.6 kgs
Running	6.5 kms
Walking	21.6 kms
Cycling	32.6 kms

Found: Chandler Road

Problems getting out of bed this morning - finally rolled myself out just before 7am and stumbled out the door. The Gizmo took a while to wake up too - standing around in my garden blowing foggy breaths while it searched for its satellites. As promised yesterday, I headed along the Warby Trail to find Chandler Road from the other end. The FR came in handy to measure distances (sure beats pace counting!!) - just over 1km from the transmission line to the crossroad. I needn't have bothered - it's signposted! And it was the one I thought it was - a long unmarked dirt road/drive with a letterbox at the end (for the property on the other side of the Trail). 5.7 kms in 58 minutes. I'm getting quicker! Either that, or I'm getting better at avoiding slow wet slippery areas.

Just for fun, here are the week's walks:

red: Tuesday - local streets and playing fields
yellow: Wednesday - west along the steep stuff
blue: Thursday - out and back along Victoria Rd
green: Friday - east along the trail and down Chandler Rd

Lost: Chandler Road

06:30, get up. 06:32 starts raining. Urgh! Don really ugly fishing hat, and head out the door anyway. The rain settled into a light drizzle - just heavy enough to have to wear the hat so I didn't end up with soaking wet hair. I'd worked out a loop that took me out into the back blocks and onto the Warburton Rail Trail via Chandler Road. So I get to the place where Chandler Road should be, and all I can see are private driveways (letterboxes, gates, and an absence of road signs). Definitely in the right place - just a fraction after the transmission line. Arrgh. Head back the same way in disgust. 5.5 kms. I check the Melways when I get home, and Chandler Road is marked with a gate. Right, so it must be the long unmarked driveway with a letterbox, but no property name. I'll attack it from the Trail end tomorrow...

Street-O @ Rowville Lakes

Okay sort of a run, I guess. Running at about 5:30 pace, but plenty of walking breaks. 6.48 kms.

Postmortem of the Vic Champs (my DNS), and no one questioned my excuse for not driving up. No peer pressure in this game, ha ha. It looked like a really nice map too - I would have liked to have done it. Lots of fast open stuff with some technical (rock navigation) bits in between.

Steep

I woke up at 4am this morning to the sound of rain, and I thought, well, this will test my resolve! But by 6:30am the rain had stopped, and I headed out the door for another 60 minute WALK. I took a map, and headed for a wriggly bit of road marked "Steep" - which I've never been brave enough to do on a run. And it was steep. Climbing up out of the valley and onto the hills on the outskirts of Seville. Hmmm, I could live out here. Most of the roads are unsealed, but well graded and completely deserted at that time of the day. Just as well, as I was walking down the middle of them. 5.5 kms.

Random thoughts on diet and exercise

Warning: FEMALE random thoughts.

I didn't go to yoga last night, but picked up KFC on the way home (so much for my new meal planner), watched the News, then spend the evening reading through a pile of "new age" magazines - Womens Fitness & Health, Wellbeing, Living Now... you get the picture.

Living Now had an interesting article on why sugar makes you fat. Basically, when you eat sugar it turns into lactic acid. The body doesn't like acid (it prefers an alkaline environment) so it wraps the acid (molecules?) in fat to protect itself. If the liver and kidneys then can't eliminate the fat-wrapped acid drops, the body stores it somewhere away from the vital organs - like in the BUTT and HIPS. My personal favourite storage places. So, to lose the lardyarse, you do the liver-cleansing thing, and cut back on the sugar drug.

Right. I can do that. Right?

Somewhere though the evening it occurred to me (like, d'uh) that my running has been pretty crap for the last few months, and that I'm not really enjoying it for its own sake. And Colac posted something a while ago saying that Caveman should get out of the cave as soon as it was light, and spend an hour in the sun to kickstart the body. So, putting two and two together, I decided to get up with the alarm and WALK for an hour before breakfast.

Which I did this morning. 4.9 kms in 57 minutes. Must remember not to walk through long grass when it's been raining for the last 2 days. Squelch! At one point, I walked around the local playing field (in circles) and realised that it was effortless. I had just switched off. And that this is what running should be like... instead of the gasping, plodding attempts I've been doing lately.

DNS

Did Not Start. I had this dream that I woke up and looked at the clock, and it was 10 to 7. So I thought, well, it's too late to go to Chiltern so I'll have to stay home instead. Then I woke up and it was only 5am, and I thought, well, I still have a chance of going. Then I woke up again and it was 10 past 7, and it was definitely too late to head north.

So I cleaned my dive gear, did some washing, planned my meals for the week (still at 74.6kgs), cooked two lots of meals, bought and read the Sunday paper, and generally had a very lazy chilled-out day.

Street-O @ Camelot rise

Hard to get moving - just sort of plodded around the course.
7.6 kms.

Tossing up whether to go orienteering tomorrow. It's the State champs. I've already entered and paid. But it's in Chiltern. ~300 kms away, ~3 hr drive. Each way. $50 petrol! I'd have to leave home at 7am, and wouldn't get back until 5ish. That's a whole day gone that I could be doing other things with.

I'm Back!

I finally got my gills wet again after 20 months out of the water. Nine dives in 4 days - 7 different wrecks at depths ranging from 18m to 46m, plus a couple of bommie/reef dives. Awesome!

Only problem is that my sinuses have a bag limit of 4-5 days diving, and right now they're sore. What started as a headache that wouldn't go away has turned into a pain right across the left side of my face. Everything aches - my teeth, eye socket and ears. And (I think) because of this, the BLOODY GROUND WON'T STOP ROCKING. I've been off the boat for a day and a half and I'm still bloody swaying. But I'm looking forward to a SOFT bed and a quiet night.

Didn't get home until nearly 7pm, so no Street-O. Next O run on Saturday.