bluesbuffett

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Eye Kneed Shorts

My comment last post proved to be accurate: I seem to post only after a run. Today was my first race since 12/07. Reason? Son's soccer and lethargy. I managed to pick up a strand of the flu virus doing the rounds late July, and had a week off work. No running, and the most time absent from work (in 29 years) and from running (in 27 years). Pretty Bizarro World-ish.
Statistically, since last post, I've covered 306k in 30 runs - that 10k average persists!

I have done a "trial" race though: a few days before the second CR West Time Trial, I ran at lunchtime down to Nurragingy, thinking to do the 5k course. AT THE EXACT MOMENT I crossed to the start, there was Ratdog driving out from the carpark, having re-done the course! I suppose I could claim to hold, temporarily, the course record as I decided to run it and then jog back to work, making it an 8k in total. Oh, I did it in 25:20 so the record lasted only until Saturday morning.

Today was West Met #15 at Cook Park South Strathfield, a fairly flat concrete bikepath by the Georges River. With the soccer season now over for Son, he came along and did the 2k in a leisurely 8:47, not even puffed. Mate Joe and I did the 4k, with his 15:53 a great result, and my 19:13 making me happy. It was a windy, cold afternoon. Next week is the last competitive event, but it's always controversial: a 4k Handicap, supposedly done using athletes' best three times over the distance. I can't work out, mathematically, how I can get an equivalent 17 min estimate from the judges when I've never run faster than 18...

Son's school 1st X1 are champions, winning the Grand Final in a thrilling Penalty Shoot Out 3-1, after being locked at 1-1 after extra time. He managed to play with conjunctivitis which surprisingly didn't limit his eye/foot co-ordination.

The new CR shorts arrived two weeks ago, and they are great. I like the extra pocket at the side, just deep enough for a credit card and phone. Useful, say, if I wanted to do a 10k run finishing at Rouse Hill and dropping into JB Hi Fi to purchase the box set of Dad's Army (complete with beanie) for $159, then run home looking like a home handyman.

Just when I've fully recovered from the effects of the flu, had X-Rays, Ultrasounds and CT scans to determine there is nothing wrong with any part of me other than perhaps some strained ligaments around the ribs, my knee starts to play up (ie three days ago). So I'm thinking twice about the 14k long run tomorrow and instead considering 10k and a visit to the physio. That's fitted around the chiro of course, as I need to keep them in the style they are accustomed to...

Medicus curat, natura sanat