New Year resolutions

I don't believe I made one for 2010, turned out I really didn't have much chance for doing much after health concerns hit.

So that easily makes resolution no 1.

1. To be healthy and to stay healthy. That's the plan, anyway.

My running goal for 2011 is going to be quite simple, but achieveable.

2. To get fitter again, especially at the 5k distance.

This is a bit disappointing, at 2011 looks like the year of the half marathon in Canberra. There are so many to choose from! The fact is, though, that my running is sporadic, and I forsee myself yet again being time poor. If I can get myself to consistently do 20 minute runs regularly as opposed to 2 hours here and there, I should be able to regain my fitness in a stronger way.

Which leads us to 3.

3. To get my 5k time down under 22 minutes again. I am a long way off this, don't want to even think about it!

So there you go, dear fellow runners, I will be dedicating myself to the 5k distance. Hopefully this pursuit goes well. Now, for the few who may be interested in the other stuff

Composition goals
1. Finish that flute concerto. It's over 3 years old now, grr, must get it done. I spent 3 hours on it today! :)

2. Start and complete that orchestra work. Stay tuned, an orchestra has granted me the opportunity to write for them, with the performance being in 2011, I am forseeing a group of minature pieces so I can play with the sound palette available.

3. Rearrange my song cycle for 2002 for orchestra, and submit it to that TSO national composer school again. I am forever getting rejected for things, and this year I won't have the time for yet another project, so re arranging something that already exists sounds like a great idea to me. Last year I submitted the Siege of Bethulia based on the book of Judith. I wrote the entire work in 5 weeks. Admittedly, it was a bit rushed so I got rejected.

Piano goals
1. Prepare the repertiore for the 2012 Sydney International Piano Contest. Ever since I was 14, I've wanted to enter, even if I fail, I still want to do it to see if I can. 9 hours of repertoire by memory, all of it polished, I have one piece that is competitive, I play that with far more poise than other pieces, everything else would need a hell of a lot of work.

2. Sightread/ sort of learn the Pirates of Penzance score. I am being made to for my job. The music is more interesting than the last musical our school did, but still has heaps of repetitive bits based around dominant and tonic chords. It gets annoying after a bit, but I can't wait to see the kids on stage with it.

Work goals
1. Redo the written documents for the government registration process (does a summersault) yes, really, I teach inclsively, but it looks like I don't if I haven't phrased it right and included every little minor thing. When the hell are we going to be acknowledged for overtime pay?

2. Plan out new units for new classes.

3. Train in the adminstrative area and do PD in leadership so I am ready for the upheavel at the end of 2011. Hah, if I think 2011 is going to be difficult...

and ultimately

even if I can't achieve most of these things, to keep a positive outlook.

Okay, I am ready, Bring it on!!!

Taking things slowly

All too slowly, lol.

I did a slow jog of 20mins away from home and back, running through Ainslie trails as I went. Part of the course had strange temporary waterfalls, and I managed to drench both pairs of thorlos, which are currently in the wash, and saw that I could not run today.

Today, instead, I went to the pool for a short and slow swim. I AM SO UNFIT! It took me a bit to remember how to make 50 meters of a pool. My left side of that chest tightened a few times as well, which was disconcerting, but I learnt that breathing on my left side seems to take strain off my heart.

Such a long road back now. :(

Reports are done, and almost recovered

The last few days of the reports saw me suddenly with a constant headache and dizziness. I managed to get myself a virus, yay! Monday and Tuesday were hell, with me going to work but being barely able to drive with all the white glary cloud out there, and school kids had to put up with me just yelling my way through each day - as they should, this mumbo jumbo of university telling us to not yell at kids is adding to the pwerlessness of teachers, but if I was on prac, I probably would have failed, lol.

Wednesday saw me blindly drive out to Gunaghlin to the doctor, then go back to bed, and I woke up on Friday. I've been dealing with some unpleasant after effects and I will wait for a few more days before I run again.

So, I am just waiting before I run and compose again. I am composing again from tomorrow, and running again soon.

I am volunteering my time this Saturday at the Christmas Party for Special Kids, sorry Saturday group. :( Don't ask about next Saturday either, I have three parties in one day and two the day before... don't think I'll have the legs for running. ;) I'll be running though. :)

Reports

Ah, so that is why I am in lala land.

Sorry, guys. I am so focused on signing off the year 10 certificates, and today I became Head of Department again, which means, at this time of year, if people don't complete their reports (and there are a few) guess who gets to do it?

I am planning on running again soon. I am walking a bit, but I got heart palpitations the other night and I'm not silly. I am easing off until work stress is over. I don't know what people say when they say you can find time to run. I've worked non stop on these things and this is being organised. Last lot I did, I was disorganised and up until 4am in the morning!

So sorry with not getting back to you, Ewen. :( I will run with the group again soon. Or crawl, rather. :)

My heart is in it

Huh, lots of puns with heart stuff, lol.

So the diagnosis is: minor structual defect, mainly concerning the lower chamber, with scar tissue in heart, resulting in ectopic heart beat, caused by minor cardiac event, eg, birth.

The words with running is: be careful to not run when sick, drink a lot of water before and on the day as dehydration will lead to blackouts and weakness, don't run if tired. Which is pretty much what I was already doing, at least it explains why some days and some moments I just run like crap, and now I know what that chest pain I sometimes get while running is.

The words with other things are: no treatment is necessary as long as I STAY FIT. Lol, that's what I want to do. Miscarriage is now 40% more likely, although child birth is not impossible it will nead to be closely monitered. (Yay, I can have kids!)

Generally, he said I am good to jog, sprint, run and do mountains :) He did advise my to stay away from marathons as they are draining a bit on hydration which increases bad stuff. Up to 10k is advisable.

Yay! Now to slowly run again!!!

An uncertain, timid jog

That's pretty much what describes what I did on the weekend. Last weekend I walked up Mount Ainslie slowly, and got puffed out pretty quick, and the next day I ran around the base of Mount Ainslie. Woohoo, go me!

Yesterday, after a week of work and bad weather, I got up the guts to go for a runish thing during the afternoon. I ran slowly out around Mount Ainslie once again, got frightened by some angry kangaroos so I deviated from the trail, onto Campbell Offices area, up to Mount Ainslie drive, then back onto the main trail until the end.

Oddly enough, I am going to the cardio tomorrow afternoon to see if I can still run. I am hoping for positive news. With it will come the information about other things that are important to, such as lifestyle stuff, if I need an operation (he already told me he thinks I am clear :) ) and another few things that I am scared about...

I will post tomorrow evening if I can, to tell you the result. It's going to be good news, I hope...

Learning how to conduct at the ABC, Sydney

Running?

Ah, yeah, that. I'm not doing it.

I was originally rejected by Symph Aus's program, then due to a person dropping out due to whatever reason, I got told I had a place a week before school holidays started, while I was at work. So I quickly organised my stuff and then went to spend a week in Ultimo in the ABC studios learning how to conduct in front of ensembles from Opera Australia, etc.

Admittedly, I was the worst in the group and had to work really hard. I am now convinced I need to develop this skill more. There were quite a few really awesome conductors with us, with only 8 selected from accross Australia. Ages ranged from 23 to 64, with me being one of the youngest, but ageing a year in my absence.

I am now 28.

Then I spent the last week down the coast and just came back today. Damn reality. I need my holidays to last sooo much longer!!!

Um, Hi. One day I might actually run again. :)

The outcome from the cardiologist...

So the day of reckoning is over. I was a little bit worried about today, but pretending not to be. I'm not in pain anymore, and the side effects have moved on. Yay for magnesium drips.

I went in for a couple of new tests with yet another doctor. He was very nice to me, and was very mater of fact about the running and caffeine intake.

Of course, I expected to be in there for 5 minutes then be cleared and thrown out again. I didn't like the expression on his assistant's face shen she looked at the ECG though. She shook her head and said 'I'm sorry, I'm a bit new, I haven't seen one like this before...' and fled off to the specialist.

Meanwhile, I stared at the ceiling and forced myself to stay calm.

The specialist basically told me this:
I have an ectopic heart beat. This means that the two sections that cause a normal human pulse are being answered by an additional electrical charge which is resulting in a stronger contraction in the lower section of the heart. Basically, in music terms, most people have a 2/4 rhythm, I have a 3/4 rhythm with an accent on the third beat. Maybe the reason why I have always sucked at rhythm. I will now be required to have a few more tests done, including an ultrasound to confirm the structure of the heart is as it should be, and that this hasn't resulted from an event such as...
I won't bother saying the last bit, because he is 99% sure that I was born this way, and it isn't due to damage from a cardiac event.

I am allowed to start exercising again, however, only lightly at first, such as walking. He told me that I need to be very sure to keep fluids up because I will be more suspectable to dizziness and blacking out from dehydration than others. He has not ruled out running way long distances or speed, but is waiting for the ultrasound in September to confirm my ability to run like I always have. I also have to limit caffeine but I can still have two coffees a day. :)

More waiting, but it is nice to know that I am allowed to run. Sort of. Yay!

Waiting

This part of life is called waiting. Waiting is not necessarily a bad thing, as a lot of life is spent waiting. In this period of waiting I have been entertaining myself with grumbling at pretty winter mornings that are crisp and clear, and glaring at bright, happy bird filled afternoons that would be perfect for a jog. Or a climb of Mount Ainslie which beckons to me from 3k away. Or even a nice walk.

I laugh at the rainy, cold days, and smile at the bighting, mean wind and am so happy that I don't have to face it.

Meanwhile, I have a cold, and it's affected the chest again, resulting in more gasping jolts at night from suddenly realising I'm not breathing. I am waiting to get well again. I also wait to be able to sleep on my right hand side, so that I don't wake with the left in such pain.

In my waiting I delve into the things I can do, like reading and music and shopping, and thank God that I'm not just a runner. I'd be crazy by now if I was. There are a lot of nice things in my life, I am happy, I just want to be able to run...

I don't have much longer to wait.

I am waiting for 1 on Tuesday. Tick, tock, tick, tock.

Gah, I am no good at waiting!

*Waits*

It's not asthma...

I have often had a stabbing pain in the left hand side of my chest, and it has affected my running results. When I get it, I run 7 min ks for 5 or 6k events. I always put it down to asthma.

So, I woke up the other day in absolute agony, and was unable to breathe properly or even sit up. Getting dressed, albeit as quick as I could, was a big challenge. I took a panadol hoping to ease the pain, but it didn't work. The pain had been growing for 48 hours, and I had never had it this bad before, so I went into hospital.

They were all very nice to me, but there were quite a few with obvious broken limbs and stuff who seemed to be in heaps of pain. I was surprised that they asked for me as the next person, as I thought that what I had was just like a panic attack or something.

I assumed I'd be out in 3 hours or so.

I was given an ecg and blood test on arrival, and put on oxygen. I don't like needles, and was a bit upset that they left a canula in my arm 'in case we need it'. I refused to look the whole time. The chest x-ray came back clear and with no problems, but the main concern was surprisingly over the ECG.

They sent 2 different doctors came to review it and kept me being scanned the whole time. They were discussing it as I was given pain killers and a magnesium and electrolyte drip due to a magnesium defficiency. I made sure to tell them I was a runner in case my heart beat was low.

Eventually they sent in a cardiologist to see me, who explained to me that I didn't have asthma. I have an atopical heart beaet, which means an extra beat that weakens my heart, and a delayed QT interval, which means I am prone to black outs, etc, due to this thingymabob. I also have plurisy, which was the original thing that gave me pain, I think.

I argued with them so I could be released early. I have to go back if it gets worse, and I am NOT ALLOWED TO RUN for a few weeks. When I do get back to it, I am going to have to ease back into training. I also have to go to my gp and the cadio guy before I can start training again.

I am still in pain and miss the oxygen supply they gave me, but was able to make it to see the people at Customs today. I was a bit upset I couldn't run, but not really. I was happy to be standing outside, and to not have a drip in my arm. Yay!

So much for persistance

Unless it is persistance with not running. I weigh more, and haven't run since my last post except for last Sunday. Last Friday was the end of the reports, and before that I was on several courses of antibiotics since the last post. If I ran at the moment I'd be lucky to maintain 7 min ks.

The opportunities to run are not about to improve, as I am going to Hobart tomorrow with 40 or so teenagers. See? This is what teachers do in their holidays! We are taking them down to 'band camp' and it shall be quite...cold. My best friend is going to try to see me, though, even if it means she will be putting up with x amount of 13 - 18 year olds. What a great friend. When I get back I hope to train more. Probably for the 10k or something.

Persistance

I have none at the moment. There is another half marathon around the corner, and yet I am really sick yet again, needing time off work and everything. This has been a really weird and yuck cold, as it's attacking my ability to see as well as hear. I am annoyed as I was back on track with running, and now... nothing. Grrr. Got to get reports done, but my eyes are so screwed up. :(

And then...a good half marathon

I was running like !@#$ in the school holidays. My customs joggers runs over 5k were full of me feeling like vomitting, and barely struggling for sub 25. I enetered early for the half, and started doubting my sanity near to the day.

My preparation this week: Monday: 1 hour.
Tuesday: 1 hour
Wednesday: didn't fit a run in
Thursday: 12 hour constant shift at work with parent teacher interviews. No chance for run and no overtime pay.
Friday: 16 hour day at work due to a really cool excursion, however, no break, followed by a birthday party.
Saturday: Birthday party continued all day. (Not kidding).
Sunday:

I expected the half to be at 7.30. Not 7. Lol. I turned up way late, looked at everyone standing at the starting line as I drove past I thought !@#$, drove the wrong way up that street in Manuka, found a park behind the Church (perhaps illegal?) and bolted to the starting line, where I found Geoff and a few others and then bang.

Okay, so not the best warm up.

I jogged out and let the optimistic woman with Geoff (I want to run 90, you'll be there with me too...(rotflmao)) run way ahead and drifted back in the field. I found Ruth and ran with her for a bit, then eventually decided that I felt okay, and tried to push for a good 5k at least, and hope to hold on. I managed 25.30 for the first 5k.

It was a happy day, and I was around happy people, and I hung onto a group that stayed fairly consistent around me. I ran a SB in the second 5k, usually the first is the quickest with me, so I was happy with this. I manged a 24.10 5k, making my 10k 49.40, and another SB.

Half way was met at 52.10. Not bad, but I did positive split.

I fell out of pace around 17k and drifted a bit through to the end, encountering a stitch highlighting how unfit I am at 19k. It was a struggle, but I ran the last lap of the oval hard. KC only beat me in by a minute, and I only beat Rach in by a minute. So the three of us finished right next to each other in under 1.50.

I was estatic with this achievement. UNDER 1.50!!! In fact, 1.47 or even under. Yay! I was expecting 2 hours at fastest.

It was a great day and the volunteers were fantastic. It felt better than the other half it replaced, and the marathon seemed better organised. Hopefully, next year, I'll be in shape for it. :)

An inconvenient Ruth

On the radio they were saying how new movies could be made just by dropping a letter somewhere. They also mentioned this title, which I think would be funny if we got Ruth involved with filming.

Today I did a general 11k or so run without the garmin, just getting back into it. Autumn is so beautiful, with those long shadows and different coloured trees. I don't like the cold much, but it is pretty. :)

Where I've been

I have been kind of away from the running scene of late. I was busy with school, then with my sister being up, and then got sick. I am coming back from being sick yet again, going for my first jog around Yerabbi Pond today. I have been sporadically running throughout, and throwing in some woefully slow long runs. It just gets so hard to balance things when you have a full time job, more work on the side, and friends.

I did get a small job doing an arrangment for a musician which was performed on Saturday. That was really cool.

Keep running, and don't follow my example. :)

The geese that stand out from the ducks

On my afternoon 'meander' I came across a group of ducks, and in the midst of them were two geese. I think they thought they were ducks, but they were really geese. It was warm today, and I'm trying to regain the speed I have lost. Not going that great, but I scared a young female walker with an ipod so much that she jumped in the air. Too funny!

Nationally famous running advice

You can get it here, people.

A guy on Triple J is going to attempt to run a half marathon, and was looking for advice for his hips after an 8k run. I knew the idea of an ice bath and anti inflamatories with glad wrap would sound ridiculous, and therefore Triple J worthy, so I submitted it and I got it broadcasted! If you were listening before 7 you might have caught it.

I'm still running, just really, really busy and helping a friend train to run from scratch, so my times have stagnated a bit.

Go the gosling!!!

Telstra Tower run up x 2

I haven't raced in a while, so of course I turned up thinking 'what am I doing here?'

I went off with group 45, first running up a hill, then down a hill with speed bumps before turning around a smooth surface concrete drive and hitting the narrow stair case. I took each step 1 at a time, they were to big to do 2 at a time, and too small for the 1 at a time thing.

I was puffed by the tenth 'flight'/ (There were 40 to do). The main obstacles were breathing as it was quite muggy and the oxygen level in the stair case seemed to have been used up by the people before us. I also had a strange feeling of claustrophobia as I couldn't see out and I had the feeling I was going to be here for a while. By the end, dehydration from not drinking enough water at work hit me and I really needed water. The last three flights were the hardest, and there was a sign saying 2 more flights, then ha ha, tricked you... lol, I got the joke with the laughter is the best medicine line, but only when I could think again, huh. *rolleyes*

I ran 5.18 for my first climb.

They screwed up my group, and since I was wondering some tactics to myself, I decided to go with the option to run it again to make my time official. This time I ran out a bit harder, then took the stairs 2 at a time for as long as I could with breaks in between where I would run them 1 at a time. I still got very tired in this one, even though I was still walking for most of it. Oddly enough, I was expecting to be slower, but was actually quicker.

I ran 5.00 for my second climb.

I was happier about that, and the feeling at the top was surreal. Not the feeling of having completed a marathon, but to see the sun setting at your feet after working to get there felt pretty awesome. The people on my team were great and happy to be there. My only complaint was there should have been a big party in the viewing gallery.

VH ran the stairs 2 at a time and finished in 3.20. Now I know how to do it. *sighs* Doesn't mean I can, she is a machine!

I will run this event again if it's on next year. I want to break 5!

I should probably give an update.

Not much to see, though.

I have gone back to work and am getting used to it again, meaning I feel exhausted by the afternoons. I am still trying to compose. And I run every now and then, where I can. I was going much better before term break, but now I have a far more complacent attitude.

The last 2 weeks have had my long runs shortened to 16k as the left knee has started acting up again, and some weekly runs were cancelled as a result of that and tiredness in general. I did run on Sunday, I ran 22k, however, buggered stuff up with the Garmin.

It refused to find a satellite, but I ran anyway. It means I ran 20 in 1.54, but in real time I ran 20 in under 1.50 (just!) with an extra 4 minutes of distance in there. The same with the half marathon distance (really 1.52.5?) and the 22k ended up looking as 2 hours.

I still feel buggered from it today, but the knee was okay. :)

A PB, but with a price.

A small price to pay.

I wasn't going to do the 800. I was just going to do the 5000. However, with some urging by the goose, and the promise that a female runner from VETS, R. would be there, I decided it was worth a go.

I turned up with a light cold, nothing major to worry about, and it was quite warm, so I didn't really feel like racing, just jogging. When I drew my lane, I thought about how I always got the dodgy lanes, so changed my decision to a different card at the last moment. Huh. I drew lane 8.

I went out ahead of everyone and quietly waited for the gun to go off. They paused longer than usual, so it annoyed me immensely, and the man next to me held up a yellow card, so I straightened up, thinking we were being told off like the fast guys, then bang.

Ah, dear.

I ran out, it wasn't long before the inside lane kids were kicking my butt, with R. in there somewhere. By the time we got to the lane converge part I was heaps behind, and quickly ran the extra distance to get to lane 1. (LANE 8 SUCKS!!!)

I put myself just ahead of the last runner, and just behind a little boy, who was conveniently behind R. and tried to hold it there. GOSH THEY RAN FAST! R. went through 200 at 38, with me bordering on 39/40, and thinking to myself 'stupid, stupid.'

I went around the first lap in 1.22, still tucked in behind the little boy, then he started running out wide and slowing. I didn't want to run around him, and the gap on the inside was big, so I just ran on through. (Is that illegal? There was a gap there.) I tried to get near R., but she was an eon ahead.

She was closer than the other kids, though, so her being there gave me hope for my time. I went through 600 in 2.06 (Much faster than intervals, sheesh!) and then did a quick calculation in my head. I ignored the led in my legs, and burning in my chest, and pushed. I pushed harder. I pretended to catch up to R., although I knew I couldn't. I kept going anyway, concentrating to bring the legs through quicker, forgetting that pain even existed.

I went through the finish and stopped my Garmin. (Lol, yes, I used it). And went over to the table, concentrating on breathing again. I had a drink to get rid of the fire in my throat, and then suddenly, I had to leave quickly. I went to the other side of the track, away from people, trying to stop myself from coughing. I drank more water, but alas, it was no good.

See, I was thinking, if I ran really hard the worst that would happen is I would be knocked out. I kind of forgot that asthma thing, and my lungs weren't ready for this. It was the cold before, I realise now, combined with a huge effort which did this to me.

I am still finding that one breath every 10 minutes or so doesn't actually happen, several hours after I've finished the race. Stupid bloody weak lungs. Gah!

I went in the 5000 state champs, but only made one lap before my lung spasmed, and combined with a light stitch. I decided that I'd had enough and dropped out. (There was a huge crowd in it, anyway.)

The time for the 800 meters was 2.46.53. I believe this is a 2 second pb. Thanks R.! :)

Team Edward or Team Jacob?

This seems to be a common question going around at the moment due to the Twilight series. I finally did get around to reading the books, after much pleading from friends and students alike.

There are some really cute awkward moments in this series, particularly in the first book, that seem to want to keep you reading them. Basically, by the time the second book arrives, Bella has managed to attract half of the males in Forks, and two of them just happen to be monsters that hate each other.

It's a bit mystifying how this all works, as Bella is far more miserable than I am, and makes self sacrificing choices to make herself more miserable. She is supposedly 'ordinary looking' which really doesn't gel with the attention she gets - why not go back to Jane Eyre where she remains ordinary looking and people treat her accordingly so? I really get annoyed with the author's description of her friends too. Jessica is said to be shallow and not intelligent, Lauren pretty but nasty, Eric friendly but 'chess club type' and Angela 'nice, but skinny and shy.' Who thinks that negatively about their friends? Gah!

Okay, so to the point about the post:

Edward

Edward has a few things going for him. The author puts him up on a soapbox to make us feel the same way that Bella does. He basically has gone without a girlfriend for 90 years, so he's really smart because he filled in the time by learning languages, how to fly planes, how to do the inhumane thing of composing and playing piano (wow, am I a monster too?) he has studied philosophy and Shakespeare, probably nursing too, and managed over the years to rake up a lot of money which he obviously gets off his sister. (She got it from seeing the future and cheating on the stock markets).

Bella likes him because he's hot, mysterious, almost as miserable as she is, and for the smart thing too. She doesn't like the fact he showers her with presents, wants to pay for her to go to an expensive college, and really doesn't want him to buy her a flashy new car. Of course she doesn't! What sort of girl would want that?

By the fourth book the collection of cars gets a bit stupid and unrealistic. Edward originally owns a volvo and says other cars are ostentacious, then ends up with a whole garage of stuff that I couldn't afford one of. (I really want Alice's car, the 911 Turbo. :( ) In the end, the being rich thing actually seems boring because it's not like they've had to work for what they have.

Oh, did I mention he was a vampire?

Jacob
Jacob is the son of her Dad's best mate, who she knew when she was a kid. He gets really excited when he sees her and is clumbsy as well. He goes through a massive growth spurt as he comes into his own monsterdom as a warewolf (Or sort of, that's explained in the fourth book). He hasn't got the cool cars, but he does fix up two motorbikes, one for him and one for Bella. He has a diminishing wardrobe due to his transformations, which isn't a concern because he has one hell of a body, but he lives in a run down shack with his Dad, and without the 90 years without a girlfriend he isn't as cultured or as perfect as Edward. So, basically, he is poor, but hot with lots of muscles and most people find him intimidating.

The Edward/Bella/Jacob situation

Edward leaves Bella because he thinks he isn't good for her, since he and his family really want to eat her despite the fact he is a 'good' vampire. She thinks it's because she's not good enough for him. etc. He leaves her, and she chases after him through the forest. This part really annoys me, as now we are going to have heaps of American teen girls going off in the forest alone. Sheesh. He didn't go back for her, and she ends up disappearing for a day or so before she is found in a catatonic state.

Jacob then appears as this knight in shining armor who gives her reason to live again. He is friendly, kind and supportive and puts up with her state. We get to the point where Jacob and her are about to become an item, then Edward intervenes by trying to kill himself because he thinks Bella is dead because Alice told Rosalie who told Edward about a vision which might not have happened, which resulted in Alice going to Bella before Jacob and her could kiss. *rolleyes*

What I think
Personally, Edward freaks me out. First, he wants to drink your blood, isn't that reason enough to stay away from him? Then, he goes into her room at night without permission to watch her sleep months before she is even involved with him. He leaves her in the forest while there are still 'bad' vampires around. He is overprotective to the point of restricting her freedom, and tries to keep her from her friends, particularly Jacob. I'm kind of concerned for the well being of the author because there is so many symptoms here of abusive relationship material.

Jacob tries hard not to hurt her too, is infactuated with her, he also can stand back and give her space. He tolerates her seeing her friends, he even goes to the movies with them. When he comes to her bedroom at night, he asks permission and lets her know that he is there first. He also asks her not to put herself in danger, but accepts her decisions and doesn't physically restrain her from her choices like Edward does. He is also protective of her, but keeps his distance a bit more. I do wish they kept his long hair. lol. He also doesn't abandon her in the forest, or remind her all the time about how she is always in danger.

So the verdict for me is: Team Jacob.

And of course, there is no Team Mike. He's not a monster, so why would there be one?

Lap scorer

I went to the 1 hr run tonight because I knew they would be short of people to lap score, and ended up scoring for VH. She spent most of the time running 1.30 a lap, sometimes so on the money it was scary, and she ran 15k in that time. I can't even imagine it, whoa!

Also I thought to try posting this. Hopefully it works. Just as an aside to the novice half marathon training group starting up, and the news that the biggest loser contestants all have to run a marathon this year.

I can run faster

it seems that way when I am running now. I have a couple of paces available to me all of a sudden, and it is a bit of a shock after running at either 'okay, or stop' for a year. Today I went on a slow run, modified due to them closing off my path I usually take, and found my feet could easily speed up. The beginning was a slow amble, the end was at 5k race pace, and despite sweating like a pig, I could have gone for much longer.

I'm trying to compose music too, and was an extra in an add shot Monday. I got to be in the background eating pasta. Pretty good role for me! :)

I only do it cause it's pretty!

Friday: no running due to the Australian Youth Orchestra Alumni day. My friend from Sydney had her piece played, and I went to support her and the others. We later all hit the town and partied it up, along with the lecturer from havard. :)

Saturday: I woke up far too early after that to do some running to meet up with others at Molonglo reach afterwards for coffee. However, my first stop was Mount Ainslie, as I am planning on a new goal and I need to get hill work behind me. I ran up Mount Ainslie twice, and only really did it because it was pretty. The morning light danced through the trees to make soft patterns on the bark below, and all of Canberra was sleeping at my feet (well, maybe not all). I forgot why I love Mount Ainlie. Now I remember.

Once up on the second time, I did another 4 lots of the part from the nasty stairs all the way up to the water tower. I am getting stronger, as I was able to take each step one at a time, and because it hurts to dawdle the same way it hurts to race, I don't mess around with it. I wasn't aware of what it must look like, until two walkers stopped at one of the flat bits, moved out of my way and exclaimed. 'Far out, how?...' Then I couldn't hear what else they said, lol. That was fun!

The final AYO concert was on last night and went for nearly 4 hours. Wagner and Bartok were beautiful. Some people don't like Wagner because he is so over the top, but I can hear the romance and love and longing dripping of each lower string passage. Too bad Hitler liked him too. But so did mad King Lutwig. I went to his castle in Bavaria which was inspired by Wagner. *sigh*

Then I woke up again without much sleep, and went down to Molonglo Reach to do my long run. The main lake makes me run faster, I swear. It was a happy morning, no where near as hot as last week, and I set out around 7. I ran 5k in a bit over 28 mins, 10 in 53, 15 in some disgusting time I can't remember, I'd reached 17k when I was still in the 1.30s, and rather than slowing, I still felt strong. I finished 20k in 1.49 or so (definately under 1.50) and went through 22k under 2 hours. I finished it off slower, running 22.8 in 2.04

Wow. Too bad holidays are almost at an end. :(

ER

I don't really like hospitals. I spent a great deal of time in waiting rooms for around 2 years, and I hate the morbidity, usually because it's connected to something bad.

Mum got very sick early Thursday morning, so I took her up and waited 7hrs or so while they did tests to see if a clot had travelled. I did get to read some 200 pages of a book while waiting, and I will say that the coffee shop at Calvary is so much nicer than other hospital coffee shops I have been to. If it wasn't for the newborns and people dressed with shower caps and green uniforms, I could actually believe I wasn't in a hospital.

The situation wasn't as severe as we thought. I managed to get home in time to get ready for track in the evening, and ran in the 5k.

I wasn't expecting too much, just to get under 23 minutes. I headed off at an average pace, settling in happily behind geoff and others. I used people as wind breaks in the home straight, which made my run more amusing, and slowly reeled a few people in until I was just behind JW.

Since JW and I have been toe to toe back when I was fit, I decided to hang on to him and hope for the best. He was going at a happy pace, anyway. He grinned ahead of me and threw back a few comments about the music I was listening too, lol. I told him it was a good song, and great for the situation. He tried not to laugh.

I thought he was going for the 5k, so I was bemused when he sped up, thinking that I really was slowing badly. I tried to keep up, as he finished the 3k, but alas, trundled in behind at around 12.51 or 2 or something.

Then I ran the rest, tried to keep up an okay pace, miscounted my laps by 1, so then realised that wasn't my last lap (come on, 20:05 was on the garmin, as if!!!) and tried to go for the last lap as hard as I could.

I finished in 21.38. How the hell did that happen?

Easy run

What is it with this heat? It looked like a dust bowl out there, but maybe that's just Gungahlin.

I jogged up over Aki's Hill and back, extended the run out just a bit further due to a dog being a bit annoying, but cute. Then, of course I ran around the lake. I ran fora bout 10k, picking up the pace just towards the end, in order to get in from the heat before I collapsed. Gah. Yuck.

It's again been a while...

since I last posted. So since I'm too hot to think about composition, I might as well blabber about my dismal training.

I have ran. On the 3rd I did the Women's and Girls jogalong. I headed out quick but slowed down, and later stopped for a short bit to check on a lady who had fallen. I would use that as an excuse about my time, but seriously, I was running a dodgy time. I managed to get there in 29.30 or something, at least on my watch.

I later went back to the lady, and was surprised to find that we had no first aid people there. I was also a bit astonished to find they hadn't replaced stock in the first aid box, and had to make do with other materials for bandages. I brought this to the CCC attention, and hopefully they'll update it soon.

My bandaging was awkward and when patched of her arm changed colour in front of me I found it hard to keep focused. I really do suck at this stuff.

I don't remember the time between then and Thursday, but by Thursday I really needed a decent run, so I did a 14k, opting out of the track session that night due to weakened fitness. I swam 1k in the evening, after watching everyone run. The combined meets work, I don't know why they don't do it more often. It would help on volunteer shortage, duh. And I'm not the only adult present who runs.

Friday I did Customs Joggers in the heat. We had lots of new people, and SC managed to convince me to try for a new goal. I agreed happily, and now am wondering what I am doing, lol. I ran out hard despite the heat and maintained a good pace, but felt I slowed after the turn around, only to speed up again near the end. I managed 23.10

Saturday I did a long run that was supposed to be 18k. I ran from Molonglo reach around the lake, over commonwealth bridge, out to black mountain penninsula, thinking that I wouldn't ahve enough distance I kept going a bit longer, then turned back to Molonglo Reach. I ran well, surprisingly, and passed lots of cyclists and walkers, and happy people. (The race walkers were all uber serious).

I miscalculated. I was a bit annoyed when I realised I'd run 18k already, but since I had to do the distance anyway, I decided to run the remainder. Just over 20k in 1.53 or 1.56 or something. Whoa. Didn't expect that!

After doing bugger all but hanging out with a friend who was down for the AYO yesterday, I ran this morning before meeting up with another friend. I did a speed session for fun. After the 6 600s of previous weeks, the 600s felt easier.

600: 2.19
600: 2.17
400: 1.27
400: 1.23
200: 34.5
200: 34.5
10 x 60m untimed.

The 60s are still way too hard.

Hills, fireworks, lightning, drinks and soccer

On the last day of 2009 I got up early and ran. I did a 'speed session' although it lacked anything of the sort. I did things a bit differently, working on lactic acid problems. I had the rare experience of having a runner move out to lane 2, thinking I was using lane 1, when I was thinking he was using lane 1, so I was using lane 2. If I'm doing this distance in reps, I don't want to go out any further than I had to, so he was very courteous. :)

600: 2.27
600: 2.29
600: 2.28
600: 2.23
600: 2.30
600: 2.27

I was not expecting the 4th to be my fastest. That's the first time ever in a set of 6 that the 4th has been the fastest.

I might not run today, or if I do, it'll be a slow one with my sister. I really have felt a bit under the weather all day, hmmm.

Last night was a great Thursday night. I wandered off to a party where I only knew one person, but quickly met everyone else and was taken in really well. We played games, ate the best food that my friend's boyfriend made (he should be a chef) and then went walking up a nearby hill that looked over lake burley griffin to watch the fireworks. We also cheered any unsuspecting motorists who happened to drive by below us, they all returned our happy greetings.

When we got back, some one got out a glow in the dark ball and we played volleyball and soccer until some disgusting time, then came in to round up the party with some great enthusiastic dancing.

I was so bloody sore in the games from running in the morning, but still had good ability to run and steal balls of people and jump, and elbow the occasional tough guy in the ribs, lol. I was pathetic at ball sports at school and never bothered to try, but these days I don't care how dumb I look. I think running has given me more confidence to join in, and have a go. I scored heaps of points in volleyball, avoided misses by 'rallying' well, and even kicked a goal in socker. (Which resulted in the other girls who were there screaming and giving me a giant bear hug. There weren't that many of us, and so they were happy when one of us managed to get past the guys, even if it was a fluke).

And there was lightning showing off in the distance. Bring on 2010. :)