Still Sick

I’m Sickie McGerms still.  The worst part is the hacking cough, well actually the insanely painful headache caused by the cough.  I swear I must be bursting veins in my head or something.  It’s like a super intense icecream headache that lasts for about 30 minutes.  I left work at lunchtime on Friday because I couldn’t do any work and, when I got home, the noise from the construction site two doors down nearly killed me.  Life would be so much better if I had a sledgehammer.

I went to the doctor on Friday and he told me that the only thing that suppresses a cough is opium based drugs like Codiene or morphine or heroin!  Yes, my doctor is prescribing smack!

From the depths of my sick bed, I’ve been seriously thinking of doing the half at the Melb Marathon again this year.  I actually have a long term plan – I’m not sure if I’ve posted about this before (prolly not since I’ve had no internet access). 

Because my bozo running partner is leaving me for the UK, we have decided to do a BIG run together: Dublin Marathon 2009.  Since it’s on in October, that’s 18 months to train.  I reckon I can do it. 

Dublin sounds like the perfect marathon for us – I get to go visit them in England and we travel to do a marathon.  Plus it’s a flat course with an 8 hour (I think) cutoff time.  You can actually enter the marathon as a walker so I totally won’t be last.  Also we wanted to a marathon overseas but I figure it’s best to stick to an English speaking country!

So the rough plan atm is to do a half in 6 months (ie Melbourne) then another one in 12 months (maybe GOR since I wimped out this year) then the marathon in 18 months.

Now, the big question is this: do I plan my holiday so the marathon is at the start and I have a nice rest afterwards, the disadvantage being I might be too buggered to actually do anything else or the marathon at the end with the thought of it hanging over me (and therefore limiting my partying)?

Misery City

That’s where I’ve been living.  My laptop died then I got sick, really bad cold.  Arrrggghh!  I was supposed to get my laptop diagnosis on Friday and heard nothing so by Tuesday I rang them, and rang them and rang them until I got an answer.  I’d taken Monday and Tuesday off work and I just wanted to have bed rest, not wait around for phone calls so you can imagine the mood I was in.

Finally got the laptop back and it’s as dead as!  Deader than when I took it in for fixing, I swear.  They reckoned I needed to spend over $1000 on repairs so it’s not worth fixing but somehow the hard drive got all corrupted in the process (it wasn’t before) so now I have NO access to any of my old stuff.  Umm, yeah, should have done those backups.  I’m sure there’s some way of getting it off there but it’ll cost $$$.

So tonight I went to Harvey Norman and got a brand spanking new laptop.  It’s all shiny and pretty.  I like it a lot but it took most of my Japan savings *sob*.   That totally sucks.  And I have no job in 2 weeks.  I’m sure something will come up, but I’m panicking.

Also I’ve been too sick to exercise since Saturday so am cranky as hell.

Arggghhh!

My laptop’s died (again).  Taking it in to get fixed today – if I didn’t have so much valuable stuff on there, I’d just buy a new one.  Not sure how long I’ll be offline.

My neck is really sore too.  Sunday night I kept waiting up in agony so I went into the physio first thing Monday.  I’ve done something dodgy to it.  It’s much better now but still not 100%.

Apollo Bay

What a great weekend (well apart from the weather).  Went down to Kennett River on Friday night and stopped at the Wye River pub for a counter tea.  I ate far, far too much.  There really was no need for 3 courses!

Got to our cabin and the lovely lady had put on the lights and heater to make it nice for us then settled into an easy night of telly watching.  The cabin was much more spacious and lovely than I expected and, as a extra bonus, we’d booked for 4 people but just Simon and I ended up staying so cost much less.  I’d paid the $100 deposit months ago when we decided to do the run so got money back

Saturday morning we got up and had coffee and breakfast then headed into Apollo Bay.  We got stopped on the road and watched the tail end of the 6.5 km run.  I’m sitting in the car going – oh my god, do I look that slow when I run?  And Simon was like – yeah, of course you do!  Luckily I don’t have to see myself and I can be all speedy in my head.  Then we went for a drive up to the Paradise picnic area to check out the run course – much, much flatter than I’d been expecting

All morning it drizzled.  I’ve never done a fun run where it’s rained but I figured this would be my first.  I put my rain jacket and hoped for the best.

We had an early lunch then picked up our timing chips then settled into our very professional running warm-up – sitting in the pub, betting on the horses!  I loved this run from the start, it was so easy.  We parked outside the pub and had a 5 min walk to the start line so had plenty of time for betting (although we ended up having to dash down the main street to get to the start… damn).

I started off the run feeling crap. Maybe I should have down a better warm up!  I had to take a walk break but then went around the corner and they were filming for local tv so had to start running again.  I figured I’d do 5 mins run, 5 mins walk since I felt so lousy – but got bored with walking so it was more like 2 mins walk, 8 mins run.  Then I started feeling good so just kept running.

I hadn’t got much further when all those fast buggers started passing me on their way back (the course was 14 km – 7 km out and back). I don’t know who the girl was, but she was coming a long way ahead out of the women so I assume she won – I’ve never seen anyone run with such a huge grin on her face.  She was amazing.

Anyway I kept running, getting closer to the turnaround and figured if I started walking, Simon would catch me and give me a huge serve, plus I really felt strong.  When we drove up, we’d seen a hut on the side of the road that was 1.5 km from the turnaround.  I looked at it and thought, I can turn around and get back to this spot and it’s just like a lap of Princes Park!  I took my rain jacket off and tied it around my waist cos I was getting damn hot.

Come back was so easy – all downhill.  I kept running and passing people.  I got to the water station – only 4.5 km to go according to the stewards.  I’d picked up a bottle of water at the turnaround and hadn’t drunk it so I gulped it down at the drink station so I could put the bottle in the bin, not wanting to be a litter bug.  Bad move, cos I got a bit of the way down the road and got a major stitch.  I’ve never had a stitch before so I assume it was from drinking the water too fast.

After that I tried to run as much as possible and then walk out the stitch but it was hard to start going every time I had to stop.

About 1 km from the finish, Simon had come down to meet me.  He’d finished in 71 mins – a huge PB for him!  He took my jacket and I walked a little bit with him then got around a big corner and could see the town, with about 800 metres to go.  I was like, bugger it I’m racing to the end.  I put my ipod headphones back in and took off!

I run my little heart out down the main street, just wanting to get over the line.  Saw Michelle and Jaykay, cheering in the crowd.  When I crossed the line, I didn’t even think of the time, figuring I’d done a really slow race with the walking and having a stitch and all.  They gave me a certificate (at this point I was really befuddled and thought they wanted the timing chip back).

I finished in 96 minutes (I think it was a bit over but we started at the back of the pack so 96 would be around my official time).  That’s a minute or so faster than my best time for 14 km (a bit over 97 mins for the Run for the Kids this year).

And it didn’t rain!

Now I’m thinking if I’d trained hard, warmed up properly etc, I could have down a MUCH better time.

After the run, we caught up with Jaykay and Michelle again and went back to their very luxurious hotel for a shower.  It was the best shower ever.  They rock!

Afterwards, we went back to the pub for dinner and more betting.  I was laughing about us having a day of betting with a bit of a run thrown in.

I woke up this morning thinking some guy was standing outside talking loudly on his mobile phone but it was the loudspeaker guy for the half marathon start.  The half started basically just outside our cabin, which was why we booked it – planning to do the half.

Lots of people came walking through the caravan park, using the toilets and warming up.  Michelle and Jaykay popped in for a morning cuppa and to keep warm before the run started then we walked down to the start line to watch everyone take off.

Once they’d gone, we packed up then headed to the cafe for breakfast and watched the first of the marathon runners go by.  OMG they make it look so easy!  All the local kids came out and run along the road beside them.

After that, we drove home.  I’m not that sore from the run but have had a really stiff neck and shoulders since yesterday.  This arvo, I ended up with a headache and went to bed.  Woke up in so much pain, I had to ring my sister in the next room on my mobile to bring me painkillers!  I think I did something weird when I was lying on the couch watching the footy on Friday night plus lugging all my bags etc on the train.

Other than that, it was a great weekend.  The runs were so well organised and I loved that the shorter runs were on the Saturday so you actually got to go see other people running.  I’ve never done that before because normally you all run at the same time and by the time I’m finished, it’s basically all over.  I did feel a bit disappointed and guilty this morning for not doing the half, but also very happy cos it was SO cold!

Stuff

I won’t be online for the next few days – leaving tomorrow to go to Kennett River then the 14 km run on Saturday and home on Sunday.  The weather forecast is for rain and hail, yippee!

Even though I’m not buying unnecessary things, I ran (not literally) up to KMart tonight and got a new weatherproof running jacket.  It’s unnecessary because I already have one but I really hate it.  It’s icky and stiff and puffy so if it stops raining, it’s hard to tie around my waist and too much to deal with – I’d rather get wet.  The new one is vastly superior being all lovely and purple.  I will run better in a nicer jacket.

It was only $34 so I actually saved many $$$ since I didn’t buy one from somewhere horrendously overpriced like Nike, therefore I’m really a super saver of money.  Plus I’ve already saved $1,000 and that’s just in 2 weeks.  And last week was rent week!  I want to have $2,000 in the bank before my contract ends in 3 weeks time because I figure that is the bare minimum I’ll need in Japan.

As I packed tonight, I remembered the cabin where we are staying doesn’t provide bedding.  I’m going straight to Simon’s from work tomorrow so can hardly lug a doona into the office with me.  Well I could but I’d prolly just curl up under my desk with it.  I thought of taking my bedding over to his place tonight but then realised I needed it to sleep with.  Anyway they are loaning me a doona and stuff so I don’t need to take mine.  Hoorah!

Not much else happening.  I ran home from work tonight.  I’ve figured there is no point timing my runs -since I’m at the mercy of traffic lights and such the difference between a good run time and bad one is out of my hands – so I’ve been trying to make running to and from work into a fartlek session.  At least I get a bit of variety.

Random daily things

After getting rid of the poo issues, my weight’s gone down a bit!  Still higher than last week but now I have womanly issues.  When I get rid of all these unnecessary waste products from my body, the weight will be looking better!

I ran to work again this morning.  Actually, I’d got up and felt totally unmotivated but could hear my housemate thumping around and really didn’t want to deal with him so chucked on the workout gear and headed out the door instead.  Gruesome housemates are a great motivator – and available for hire, just contact me

I actually managed to not eat too much today at work.  Just need to remember, I don’t have to eat every time I feel like it!

After work, I went to the physio.  He’s decided that my problems are all glute-related.  I thought I’d said that in the first place but then remembered I’d been through it all with the old physio.  She’s gone overseas and he’s the replacement and I just assumed he knew my history.  Anyway he’s said to throw in some intervals and hill training even if it’s just for 5 mins or so.  He also said my glutes were really tight – I’m taking that as a compliment even if it wasn’t meant that way.

Then Andy came over with my mother’s day present – yahs!  Lots of dvds including Footloose (which I’ve never seen), the first season of Six Feet Under (which I’ve also never seen but everyone has been telling me to watch for years) and a Godzilla movie (I told him to buy this cos I need to know what to do in Japan, just in case).  He also bought over some Breadtop treats.  Oops.  Their food is overprocessed and a hundred kinds of bad, but so damn delicious (and cheap).

Ditzy as…

I think I’m losing my marbles.  I just keep doing ditzy stuff.  Today I left work early to fit in a gym session before Japanese class.  Started getting changed and realised I’d left my runners at work (I’d walked in to work and put them under my desk instead of in the back pack).  Since I didn’t have time to go all the way back and get them and still do the workout, I gave the gym a miss.

I actually reckon a lot of my ditziness is due to lack of sleep.  I’d just gotten used to the possums thumping around in the roof and the landlord put in insulation.  Now I can’t hear them but I know they’re there and it’s even worse.

This morning I weighed myself and I’m UP over a kilo.  I have had poo issues so it’s not as awful as all that but the scales are supposed to be going down!  I need to stop eating.  I’ve been using calorie king to track my food and I’m getting RSI.

Blah

My day didn’t improve much after this morning.  Simon called me after his run and reckoned I should put on my race number and head in on the train to get my tupperware from the run but I really couldn’t handle the thought of going back into the city. I went for a run on my own though, which was pretty good.

Then I needed to go to my storage space.  I rang Andy to see if he’d be home so he could give me my pressie.  He wasn’t sure if he was going out so I said I’d ring him later to check.  He got all narky and defensive.  I was so very tempted to drop in unannounced just to see what the hell he was up to, but decided against it.  Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

The good part is that I put a heap of crap I had lying around into storage plus got some things I wanted – a couple of Haruki Marakami books I wanted to reread plus some hats.  I’d been looking at ’20s style hat the other day but I’m not buying unnecessary things and remembered I had a similar one in storage (I’ve got two big boxes full of hats!) so I found that.   Then I put the stuff in the car but I lost my car keys.  I’d been sorting stuff in to one box to take home and another to take to Vinnies.  Normally I leave my cars in the keyhole when I’m doing stuff in the back of the car.  That way I don’t lock them in.  But I’d had them in my hand and they’d ended up in a bag of stuff in one of the boxes.  I guess I’m lucky I didn’t actually shut the car before realising.

Got home and figured the day wasn’t going so great so had a nap!  Finished up the day with a trip to Borders where the cafe dude told me I look like Dave Hughes!  WTF… that is so not something I want to hear.

DNS!

Well I was supposed to do the Mother’s Day run this morning but it just didn’t work out.  Firstly, I slept in and missed my tram (why the hell do they organise these events for before the trains start running?  The only transport option I had was to catch the very first tram at some ungodly hour) so I figured I’d drive instead.  I chucked my clothes on then grabbed the race pack out of my bag so I could put my timing chip on my shoe.

Got to the Tan and half the roads were closed for the run so I drove around looking for a park, freaking out because it was getting late.   I found some parking but thought it was too far away and i’d not get to the start line on time – big, big mistake!  Kept driving and because of the closed roads, ended up on St Kilda Rd and forced into the city.  I hadn’t even thought about road closures or where to park cos I’d planned on catching the tram.

Sitting in traffic, I figured I might as well put my race number and be ready.  I searched through my bag.  No envelope.  Yikes!  Then I realised, I’d sat it on my bed when I got my chip out… and it was still there.

I figured I could park in Fed Square car park.  Now remember, I NEVER drive into the city – why the hell would I do that since it takes 10-20 mins on the train, so I know nothing about parking.  It took forever to get into Fed Square then got around to a corner and realised I wasn’t go into the car park but still in a line of about 20 cars trying to get in there… and it was moving very, very slow.

By this stage, I was nearly in tears with frustration.  I’d well and truly missed the start of my run but thought maybe I could sneak into the 8 km start, well except I didn’t have my number either.  I felt so bad because I’d talked Simon into doing the run and he was there on his own.

I tried to call him but my frigging phone was out of credit.

I figured I should at least park somewhere and take my timing chip back and watch Simon finish but could only find 1 hr meters in the city.  Drove around another 300 city blocks and, other than pay $$$ for some car park, couldn’t park anywhere.

I bashed the steering wheel a lot and said some cuss words then decided to screw it and come home.  I think I’ll go for a run on my own later.

Grade A Moron

That’s me. I can’t log into my netbanking account cos I forgot my account number. I’ve only been using it for about 10 years. I just have issues with logging in from my laptop cos it doesn’t have a number pad! Oh well, I only wanted to pay rent. I can do that Monday from work.

I had a really frustrating day at work yesterday. Why can’t people who write documentation, help files etc for software telling you what you want to know? Heaps of info saying the program does X but nothing on how to do it! Nothing on the net of any help either.

Since I felt so narky, I emailed Simon to see if he wanted to go for a run after work. We organised that I’d run down to Princes Park and meet him at 5.30. After I left work, I realised my phone was completely dead and we’d not actually decided on a meeting spot. We have two spots were we normally meet – either near the playground (if we drive) or near the capital city trail if we run or bike there. So I ran backwards and forwards between those two spots a few times. Didn’t spot him.

Then, because it was a quiet night, I decided to call out his name. It’s a lot harder than you think, to just start randomly yelling out to someone with people around thinking you’re loopy. Still nothing. Then I remembered sometimes we meet around the other side of the park at the start line.

It’d gotten dark so I did a lap then figured if I hadn’t found him, I’d run home (he was supposed to give me a lift; he was also supposed to be there with the car so I could dump my backpack).

It’s amazing how many people look like Simon when they were running in the semi-dark. Of course when most of them got closer, they were girls… ha, ha.

Ended up running home. I went along the running trail, didn’t think until later it would have actually been better to run along the street with street lights etc.

Anyway I got home and phoned him. He’d called me to say he’d got stuck in traffic and wasn’t going to make it! Damn. Still I got in a 11.5 km run (with lots of walk breaks and hanging around breaks).

Go me – we had Tim Tams in the break room at work yesterday and I didn’t even have one! I had lots of other food, I’m eating way too much lately, but no Tim Tams. I’ve realised I don’t actually like Tim Tams that much. I like the concept of Tim Tams but not the reality. To me, TT are associated with girlie bonding… sitting around having D&Ms and all that stuff. It’s funny isn’t it, I’m sure you can buy a pack of them and eat them sensibly but that seems kind of wrong, like part of being a girl is sitting down drowning your sorrow by eating the whole packet. If you don’t do that then somehow you’re betraying the sisterhood or something!

Anyway, apart from the netbanking login, I’m also a grade A moron because today is the only morning I can sleep in (mother’s day run tomorrow) but I woke up at 6.00. That’s plain stupid and I may well go back to bed.