I had the best ride to work this morning. I have a late meeting so I started late and didn't leave home until 8am. It was 15 degrees and beautiful. I had forgotten what it was like to ride in the warmth! It rained all night and Kings Park had that beautiful sweet smell of freshness - and there are wildflowers everywhere!!! They weren't there yesterday! But this morning the bike path is lined with beautiful white flowers. I'll have to bring my camera and take a photo. It was absolute joy to ride through. Flowers make everyone smile don't they?!
The wildflower festival is just about to begin in Kings Park. I thought it was just in the Botanical Gardens. I didn't realise the flowers would be EVERYWHERE!!! And I didn't realise they came up so quickly - literally overnight!! Those of you who have been reading my blog since I was in Karratha will know my favourite wildflower is the Mulla Mulla. I didn't post a photo last season. I'll have to get some photos this season.
Hmmmm, and as I write, the clouds have come over again and rain threatens once more.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Open day
Hubby's work had an open day yesterday so somehow I got roped into being a volunteer for the day - crowd control, answering really dumb questions about stuff I know nothing about, and generally being polite and friendly. Man it was tiring - especially that bit about being polite and friendly!!! Some people ask really, really stupid questions. The best one was "Do you use any special cleaning equipment to clean your lights?" What do these people think??? I told them that, in fact, we DO use special cloths - and they seemed satisfied with that! And I don't know how many times I described how to get to the portaloos.
I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I suggested to hubby that we cycle to the open day. You know, get some exercise and sunshine, not worry about parking, etc, etc. It was just a tad over 10km and a lovely ride! Then at about 1pm, after my feet were starting to really hurt, it started raining. It continued to rain steadily for the rest of the afternoon. It was a long day, I was tired, my feet hurt, I hadn't sat down all day and I had to face cycling home in the rain.
I decided to turn the situation into a positive experience (as I am wont to do). I told hubby it would be fun to cycle in the rain. We found ourselves disposable ponchos, got all decked out for a ride in the cold and took off! We took turns overtaking each other, just for fun, and the person in the lead could choose the song to sing. We rang our bells at everyone and hubby said hello to everyone we passed, plus hello to a few birds and trees and fish (we were on the river). It was a hard ride but enormous fun! My legs were aching last night, like they haven't ached for ages.
I'm sure a lot of people raised their eyebrows at us - but by that stage of the afternoon, I just wanted to be at home in the warm and dry!!!
We went and ruined it all by having pizza for dinner, but that was fun too!!!
And now, ANOTHER week of rain....
I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I suggested to hubby that we cycle to the open day. You know, get some exercise and sunshine, not worry about parking, etc, etc. It was just a tad over 10km and a lovely ride! Then at about 1pm, after my feet were starting to really hurt, it started raining. It continued to rain steadily for the rest of the afternoon. It was a long day, I was tired, my feet hurt, I hadn't sat down all day and I had to face cycling home in the rain.
I decided to turn the situation into a positive experience (as I am wont to do). I told hubby it would be fun to cycle in the rain. We found ourselves disposable ponchos, got all decked out for a ride in the cold and took off! We took turns overtaking each other, just for fun, and the person in the lead could choose the song to sing. We rang our bells at everyone and hubby said hello to everyone we passed, plus hello to a few birds and trees and fish (we were on the river). It was a hard ride but enormous fun! My legs were aching last night, like they haven't ached for ages.
I'm sure a lot of people raised their eyebrows at us - but by that stage of the afternoon, I just wanted to be at home in the warm and dry!!!
We went and ruined it all by having pizza for dinner, but that was fun too!!!
And now, ANOTHER week of rain....
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
I've been tagged
RunMumRun tagged me so here goes...
Jobs I’ve Held: Bar wench, journalist, long career in a public service department, university lecturer, now another public service department.
Movies I Can Watch Over & Over: Ummm... anything Star Trek (Sssshhhh), Dead Poets Society, Animated movies.
My Guilty Pleasures: Star Trek (hee hee), potato chips (yum!), long hot showers (it'd be baths if I had a bathtub), reading.
Places I have lived (in order): Queensland (Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton) and Western Australia (Karratha and Perth).
Shows I enjoy: NCIS, House, Simpsons, Law and Order, does Star Trek count?
Places I Have Been on Holiday: Europe, Scandinavia, Heron Island, Whitsundays, Broome, Margaret River.
Favorite Foods: Chippies, pasta, cheese (Castello is my favourite at the moment), really good quailty eye fillet cooked blue.
Websites I Visit Daily: Bloglines, ABC online, Media Monitors (a subscritpion news site).
Body Parts I Have Injured: Achilles, patellar.
Awards I’ve Won: None really.
Nicknames You’ve Been Called: Cel - not much else you can do to Celeste is there?
Jobs I’ve Held: Bar wench, journalist, long career in a public service department, university lecturer, now another public service department.
Movies I Can Watch Over & Over: Ummm... anything Star Trek (Sssshhhh), Dead Poets Society, Animated movies.
My Guilty Pleasures: Star Trek (hee hee), potato chips (yum!), long hot showers (it'd be baths if I had a bathtub), reading.
Places I have lived (in order): Queensland (Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton) and Western Australia (Karratha and Perth).
Shows I enjoy: NCIS, House, Simpsons, Law and Order, does Star Trek count?
Places I Have Been on Holiday: Europe, Scandinavia, Heron Island, Whitsundays, Broome, Margaret River.
Favorite Foods: Chippies, pasta, cheese (Castello is my favourite at the moment), really good quailty eye fillet cooked blue.
Websites I Visit Daily: Bloglines, ABC online, Media Monitors (a subscritpion news site).
Body Parts I Have Injured: Achilles, patellar.
Awards I’ve Won: None really.
Nicknames You’ve Been Called: Cel - not much else you can do to Celeste is there?
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Riding commute back
I'm back riding to work again. It's good to be back. Yesterday was very cold however. Three degrees. It's still dark in the mornings but the birds are waking up, so it's quite pretty. By the time I got to the gym this morning, the sky was just light with only a few clouds. I love dawn, easily my favourite time of the morning.
I did another 1km on the tready at 9km/h just to prove to myself that it wasn't a fluke last week. I found it pretty hard going but I made it. Gosh I am so unfit! Got my heart rate up to 168. That can't be good. I might slow it down a bit and hang on for a bit longer. I'm excited about swapping the elliptical trainer for the treadmill but my injury-fear still lingers. I tell myself that I can feel the pull in the achilles, or the calf, or the hamstring - I think I am my own worst enemy.
I know that if I push any longer than about 7 minutes at 9km/h I'll be overdoing it. At least you have control on the treadmill. You don't get that in "real" running - unless you are far more experienced than I am and you are able to keep the same pace.
I'm still looking for mini milestones. I had another one last week. I was at the gym and a lady couldn't work out how to adjust the seat on one of the machines. I was able to help her and I also showed her how to do the exercise. Hey, it's a little thing for most - but a thrill for me! you know what they say - small things....
I did another 1km on the tready at 9km/h just to prove to myself that it wasn't a fluke last week. I found it pretty hard going but I made it. Gosh I am so unfit! Got my heart rate up to 168. That can't be good. I might slow it down a bit and hang on for a bit longer. I'm excited about swapping the elliptical trainer for the treadmill but my injury-fear still lingers. I tell myself that I can feel the pull in the achilles, or the calf, or the hamstring - I think I am my own worst enemy.
I know that if I push any longer than about 7 minutes at 9km/h I'll be overdoing it. At least you have control on the treadmill. You don't get that in "real" running - unless you are far more experienced than I am and you are able to keep the same pace.
I'm still looking for mini milestones. I had another one last week. I was at the gym and a lady couldn't work out how to adjust the seat on one of the machines. I was able to help her and I also showed her how to do the exercise. Hey, it's a little thing for most - but a thrill for me! you know what they say - small things....
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Rain again
Well it is forecast to rain again for the week - but fine up on the weekend. I thought that I'd still risk the ride to work anyway. I mean, it only takes 25 minutes. Surely, if it's not raining when I leave the house then it won't rain for 25 minutes, right? Well yesterday, I rode to the gym in only a few sprinkles. Once in the gym though, the rain started to bucket down. Heavy. I did my weights then chose a treadmill on the window where I could watch the rain. My thoughts were turned to how I would manage showering, getting changed and still ride the rest of the way to work without getting wet. Suddenly my clever plan of riding when it was forecast rain didn't seem so clever. It ended up being quite a complicated process. I decided to not shower, and stay sweaty so that it didn't matter if I got wet as I rode the rest of the way to work. There are also showers at work, so I knew I could still be fresh as a daisy - it's just that the showers at work are not the nicest and I rather shower at the gym. My bike was parked in the rain (of course) so I left my backpack near the gym door, toddled off in the rain to get the bike, wheeled it back under cover while I packed the paniers, and then rode unpleasantly all of 500m to work. Only 500m, but it doesn't take long to get soaked to the skin!
Meanwhile, I was so distracted by the rain that I found it quite easy to run 1km at 9km/h on the tready! That's a 6.40min km!!! I don't think I could run that fast "for real" though, somehow the treadmill makes it easier. And it was only 1km.
Meanwhile, I was so distracted by the rain that I found it quite easy to run 1km at 9km/h on the tready! That's a 6.40min km!!! I don't think I could run that fast "for real" though, somehow the treadmill makes it easier. And it was only 1km.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Duathlon???
Well the rain has stopped and I'm cycling again. All up, I think I missed 7 days cycling.
Thank you for your wonderful comments, particularly the suggestion that I should give duathlon a go. I have been giggling about duathlons ever since. I think it is necessary to remind you that I ride a CHUNKY bike, with chunky tyres, a fat girl seat and paniers. I would look decidedly odd lining up for a race with my bike!!! Fair enough I could remove the paniers, but there is no disguising that my bike is built for comfort not speed (a lot like me, really). I can safely tell you that duathlon is not on my "to do" list. But, perhaps you have planted a seed of thought - we'll see.
I've been getting massages every week because they are organised through my workplace. (Yes I DO work at a very cool workplace!!) Anyway, Jim, the massage guy has noticed I've been using the elliptical trainer! I've been keeping him up to date with my progress and he said there is a big difference in my calves - mainly that they are tight - but that clearly I have been using them a lot more recently. I get an hour massage a week, and he works on which ever area he thinks needs the work. Sometimes it's a full body massage, other times it's just the legs. One time he spent half an hour on my KNEES!! He's only a remedial masseuse, not a sports masseuse, but I love it! I love my Friday mornings, even though it hurts like hell most times.
Jaykay, you were asking about the calf machine. I'll try and describe it. You sit on a chair with a back rest and there is a bar that you rest your feet on. You then push the bar down with your toes and it exercises your calf muscles. I find that if I sort of put my feet on the side of the bar, instead of the top, I can use the weight of the machine to hold my stretch in place.
Thank you for your wonderful comments, particularly the suggestion that I should give duathlon a go. I have been giggling about duathlons ever since. I think it is necessary to remind you that I ride a CHUNKY bike, with chunky tyres, a fat girl seat and paniers. I would look decidedly odd lining up for a race with my bike!!! Fair enough I could remove the paniers, but there is no disguising that my bike is built for comfort not speed (a lot like me, really). I can safely tell you that duathlon is not on my "to do" list. But, perhaps you have planted a seed of thought - we'll see.
I've been getting massages every week because they are organised through my workplace. (Yes I DO work at a very cool workplace!!) Anyway, Jim, the massage guy has noticed I've been using the elliptical trainer! I've been keeping him up to date with my progress and he said there is a big difference in my calves - mainly that they are tight - but that clearly I have been using them a lot more recently. I get an hour massage a week, and he works on which ever area he thinks needs the work. Sometimes it's a full body massage, other times it's just the legs. One time he spent half an hour on my KNEES!! He's only a remedial masseuse, not a sports masseuse, but I love it! I love my Friday mornings, even though it hurts like hell most times.
Jaykay, you were asking about the calf machine. I'll try and describe it. You sit on a chair with a back rest and there is a bar that you rest your feet on. You then push the bar down with your toes and it exercises your calf muscles. I find that if I sort of put my feet on the side of the bar, instead of the top, I can use the weight of the machine to hold my stretch in place.
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