Fast walk this arvo

This afternoon hubby walked home from work, so I walked to meet him then turned around and walked back with him. For some reason he's started a health kick and although he will not run, he WILL walk! Normally when he walks it's a stroll but since this health kick started he walks with some serious pace. It was too hot to even contemplate a run, so I had resigned myself to just walking before I even left the house.

All up tonight it was 4.7km in about 45 minutes. Not too bad I guess. The problem was that I couldn't keep up with hubby!! I was walking as fast as my pudgy little legs would move but he just strode away. I had to run every minute or so just to keep up! The irony, of course, is that he COULD run with me because he WALKS at my running pace but he refuses to. I don't know how people walk that fast! And that's still slow compared to some! The benefit was that I had a SIGNIFICANT negative split for the "walk" so that's gotta count for something.

In fact, as I think about it, I think that's my first ever negative split! Now just to do it when I'm running a marathon!!!

No more frozen bread!

Good run today! I managed 7.3km and only walked a km and a half. I ran 5.5km non stop and it felt surprisingly easy. Percy told me I was only travelling at an average of 8.25 minutes a km so no wonder I felt good!!! Percy also told me that I walked 3km! LOL! At least it's getting slightly better.

I've been running at a pace that has been comfortable for me lately - it sort of started when I decided that times were not important. I'm out there, I'm moving, so my body will tell me when I'm ready for the next step. I'm very happy to keep plodding along - long and slow suits me just fine.

When I can make 10km, I'll be super impressed with myself. I'm still a bit off but not that far. I'm looking forward to finding running routes in Perth - the river will figure strongly, as will Kings Park. All I need to do is get the distances right!

I went and did some groceries this morning, including buying a loaf of bread. The bread is frozen and you get it from the freezer section. I can't remember the last time I bought a loaf of bread that was "fresh". That will be a novelty when I get to Perth - I'll probably go into the bakery section and squeeze all the bread with a stupid grin on my face!!! There IS a bakery here, so you can buy freshly baked bread (in fairness) but they don't make the yummy grain breads like Burgen or Helgas. Certainly most of the bread consumed in Karratha is frozen. Another thing the city folk take for granted - like daily newspapers, but don't get me started there either. Ooh ooh - and movies! And sushi! Sigh, the city is soooo appealing.

Bring on the move!!!

Thanks to all your supportive comments. I didn't realise my excitement was THAT transparent!! Don't get me wrong, I have loved my time in Karratha. But this was my run this morning.....

And THIS was my run in Perth...

Hmmmm, where would I rather run?????

It's starting to sink in what a massive decision we have made. I'm feeling a lot of excitement but it's also nervous excitement. This has been a quick decision. But we've got nothing to lose and everything to gain! Our house JUST makes it into the picture above, about 1cm from the bottom and 1mm from the left! How close is that to the city?? I can do my hill training in Kings Park and my long runs along the river.

This morning I only managed to mostly walk 5km. The mind is a powerful thing. After a couple of cool runs in Perth the heat this morning was oppressive. The fly net went on almost straight away and I started noticing awful stuff - stuff that is so common it is not worth mentioning: kangaroo carcases, dog poo, broken glass, red dirt. You know the sort of thing. I slowed to a walk just wanting to be in Perth!! Then I saw a flock of cockatoos feeding in the early morning light and the sun came up over the red rock and it was beautiful again! But for all its beauty, it's just not QUITE enough to keep me here.

I'm in Perth!

Well yesterday I ran 6km along the Swan River in Perth!!!!

I'm inPerth at the moment - and boy do I have news. We are moving to Perth!

It has all been a bit of a mad rush. After Isobel crossed the coast I got a phone call from my husband. He asked if I wanted to go to Perth. Well, who am I to complain about leaving the heat and moving back to civilisation! So yesterday we jumped on a plane and flew down here and started looking for somewhere to live. We were lucky enough to find something very quickly. I think it was all meant to be.

Hubby has got a transfer to Perth, effective immediately. We pack up and leave in a week or so.
We've managed to get a house near the river in Nedlands, a leafy suburb of Perth about 5km from the city. It's an older place, but I'm not complaining. I will be able to run along the river every day! I am so excited. I can join a running club and go to regular events. You will start to see my running improve in leaps and bounds!!!

So yesterday I decided to check out the river for the first time. I couldn't wait! There was water and trees and grass and birds and lots and lots of fit people! We are staying in the city at the moment so I started at the bells (for anyone who knows Perth) and then ran along the bike path past the Old Swan Brewery and turned around and came back. Poor old Percy took a while to adapt to the change in satellites but I hope he can draw me a pretty picture of my run. I'll have to wait to get home before I can download it. There were so many people out running and cycling and walking. I got overtaken by a couple of ladies who were jogging having a lovely chat! I'll be like that soon- just you wait!

Now just to get a job...

Isobel

Looks like Isobel will only end up as a small cyclone after all. She has been moving too quickly to intensify and will probably remain a Category 1. BUT she is bringing a lot of rain. Heaps of it. All good for the rest of WA, except that there might be too much of a good thing. The weather bureau are predicitng flooding in many areas.

The ABC has started their emergency broadcasting, and Isobel is expected to cross the coast about lunch time. It will miss here, so we will only get the rain and some wind gusts.

Let's hope the rain makes it to some areas that need it.


No run today, which is actually a shame because it is cloudy and cool!!! If it starts raining, I may not be able to resist!

Start to 2007!

First run for 2007 and I had no problem getting out of bed this morning! I ran 5km and walked 2 and a bit and it took just over an hour. I figure if I can do at least that every time I go outside, I'll be well on my way to my goal of 2007 km for the year.

It was hot this morning and the change in the weather also brought in the humidity. I walked the last 2km with the fly net and the air was oppressive. I left before dawn and, you know, I think the coolest point was just as the sun broke through. It didn't last long but I swear that a cool breeze came up with the sun.

The route was my normal route, so the picture Percy drew me is not exciting - certainly not really worth posting. Much more exciting is the progress of the cyclone. It's still only a tropical low but it is forming into a cyclone quickly. We may only get a "small" cyclone - not that any cyclone can be called small! It also looks like it might just miss us - so that's good too. But these things are unpredictable and we'll know for sure tomorrow. We are also expecting some rain with Isabel so I hope the flooding is not too bad. It's generally the water that causes most of the damage, as opposed to the winds. Storm surges, flash flooding and rain in a region that is usually dry can wreak havoc. This cyclone has formed quickly so there has not been much time for it to intensify. That's good news for us.

Every cyclone is different. I've only been through 7 (Isabel will be number 8) and no two have been the same. Some zoom through and drop lots of rain, while others hang around, follow the coast and scare the bejeezus out of you! The thing is, you can never tell which will be which! I check out the BOM site or listen to the ABC radio and we are kept pretty well informed.

Blue alert is first. That means a cyclone is coming. Yellow alert means get ready, the cyclone is definitely going to hit. Red alert means batten down the hatches, stay inside and hope for the best - the cyclone is right outside! Schools close on yellow alert, and many shops. Everything shuts on red alert - you can't drive your car and you most certainly would not even think about going for a run! I've been through red alert twice - not nice both times. The radio and tv play warning sirens and the police drive around getting everyone off the streets.

New Year's Resolutions

I'm excited about 2007 and I expect there to be plenty of opportunities coming my way. I intend to grab those opportunities with both hands and hang on for dear life.

1. Complete a half marathon
2. Lose 15kgs. (I was going to put 30kgs - but anything more than 15 will be a bonus!)
3. Do training runs of 9-10km as a matter of course. Run at least 4 times a week.
4. Be able to do at least 10 full push ups on my knuckles (Go macho me!)
5. Remain injury free even if it means missing a run or a race now and then.
6. Eat sensibly. I'm no good at protein shakes breakfast, lunch and dinner but I can at least be conscious of what I eat.
7. Enjoy life!! Not be stressed by things over which I have no control.
8. Make a committment one way or another to the PhD. Either I do it, or I don't. I can't keep fluffing around hoping it will get done. An hour a day.


Cyclone news. Looks like Cyclone Isabel will be a "Wham bam thank you Ma'am" type cyclone. Zooming in and crashing into the coast before it can generate too much power. A nice Category 1 or 2 cyclone would be good to ease into the season. Save the big ones for later on! At this stage they predict it to cross the coast on Wednesday, but as a Category 3. Cat 3 and above are officially "scarey". Cat 1 and 2 are just big storms. We're on Cyclone Watch but not on alert yet.