Ethics Found Then Plagiarised

It was in reading the latest edition of Wild magazine last week that I found a paragraph that challenges my thoughts on why I choose to run and why I find myself drawn to longer trail runs all the time:

What is a mountain? This may seem a foolish question, because we 'know' what mountains are - or we think we know. We have pictures of mountains in our heads, so that when we see mountains we recognise them. We think having a head full of pictures allows us to know the world - but does it? The mountain is living; the picture is dead. You may know what sort of rock a mountain is made of; you may know its name, its height, certain facts about its ecology. But does any of this convey what the mountain actually is?

This particular paragraph in Martin Hawes excellent feature article "A new wilderness ethic" seemed to jump out at me in terms of why it was I want to run. I have often loved the Blog title "Riding the Wind" for its simple explanation for why the author does what he does. This paragraph helped me clarify the purpose of my running. Because it is through running, not on but with and amongst the Blue Mountains that I most enjoy my this recreational time. The more time spent with the Blue Mountains, understanding what it feels like to run in here rather than through here, clarifies the enjoyment to be gained from trail running.

So from an article on ethics I am plagiarising the purpose and applying it as the underlying philosophy of the BMMC. More a challenge for myself and others to aim for rather than a rule. An ethos to take running, to get to know the environment we run in. Not just in terms of meters gained or kilometers completed but in terms of the spirit of the Blue Mountains (or any other natural wonder in which we happen to be). I think this differentiates the trail runs from the fun runs or track races. Maybe it is as simple as the journey verse the destination!

It was with this in mind I recommenced training this week. Following a disrupted few days with the PDHPE teachers conference and the associated driving to Manly and back each day. Along with family functions diverting my attention from training over the weekend. I couldn't round up any training partners so quite fittingly I was granted the uninterrupted pleasures of running through the mountains trails solo to reflect on the environment I am blessed with every day if I so choose.

Monday 26th October
An afternoon solo run around the espresso run. It had been raining pretty constantly all day so the tracks were full of water and the trees hung over the single tracks full of weighed down branches. It made for pleasant run and I soon found my spirits lifting to the point that I decided I would try and run the trail version of a tempo run. Keeping in mind a trail does not ideally suit itself to the calculated set paced running of a tempo run I took the approach that I would simply run at a solid but controlled pace. Pushing it to a point that I felt the twang in my legs but always confidant that I could knock it back and run another lap if time had permitted. I hadn't felt this good for a long time on a run. I didn't look at my watch once till the end, and was pleased to have gone around in 26 mins 50secs. Some 4 minutes faster than the average time I have been running this track over the past few months.

Evening Edition:
Was a great privilege to have attended Springwood Rotary to catch up with the first exchange student that stayed at my parents house in 1989, Roland. Was even more surprised to run into Mr Living Legend 002 and find out he was the guest speaker in to talk about his 24 (so far) 6ft track marathons. Dom is a legend in every aspect and the 6ft talk was sensational.

Tuesday 27th October
Doubled up today for the first of many future doubles. With the focus at the moment on building weekly totals rather than individual runs at the moment the plan relies largely on double days initially. Hoping to avoid injury and illness.

AM out with the BMMC from Sleep Trains round house. The standard lap of Sleep Trains loop with Animal, Jay (strange name I know) and Sleep Train. Was feeling fairly good this morning and despite what felt like a little extra time spent stretching managed a reasonable time of 1hr 4mins 14sec. In particular tried to work it a little up out of Sun Valley. Though the "Im not really training" one managed to laugh at me in action as I felt every step of the second half of the climb. Was interested in the concept of an agenda based conversation. Liked that it gave me time to prepare my contributions to conversation the night before.

PM back to Knapsack to run espresso with GPB. What a difference 24hrs can make. Poor nutrition and two runs down in the past 24hrs soaked the legs and cruised round with pit stop and stretch at lookout for 34mins 15sec. Some 8mins slower than yesterdays 'Trail Tempo'. Glad they had chairs at Cees else I might have been the first one to fall over asleep drinking coffee in history.

Wednesday 28th October
Over to the Lucasville Resort for a run with he currently known as the Holiday Maker. Round what is becoming the standard Wednesday run round Glenbrook past Mini Rail down to Lennox and back through Knapsack Reserve. Will need to map and name this run to simplify future entries. Maybe the New Wednesday Run. 50mins 2secs

PM back into Fartlek with ball at the Kingsway. Seems Panthers Rugby League players also make good touch players (this is suppose to be mixed division 3/4). Got smashed by a better team but think it could have been a lot more if they had wanted it to be.

Thursday 29th October
With the Animal resting for his return this weekend reclaimed the Thursday run. Just Sleep Train and myself this morning so an adaption of the Hills Circuit was implemented, with much less hill. Easy pace (for one of us) to give 55mins 12sec having ventured down to Lennox then adlibed a track back to bike jumps, over Mt Sion and back via the link tracks to Old Bathurst Rd. Legs pretty much smashed from the beginning.

Friday 30th October
Set out from the Mansion on Marshall with Wholie the Holiday Maker. Plan was for an easy 40 minutes and so with random turns and couple more rights than lefts managed just that. Round Aussie Pyrenees, past the big M, over the station through that girl from the wonder years and round the back ally to the standard exit. 40mins 12secs feeling tired in the legs but generally good.

Saturday 31st October
Spent 25 of the 30 minutes provided pre-run completing 3 trips to the loo and still wasn't confident enough to head off on Extended Florabella Pass run with out banning Sleep Train from farting for fear of compensatory response on my guts response. An uncomfortable first 30minutes don the standard exit and along the back ally. Out at Spurwood to drop his hat at the round house and on to Warrimoo Station. Past Mister G's former club house and on to Florrabella Pass.

A very wet and overgrown path today making footing uncertain for the first 20minutes of the pass. Two quick stops round the Ross Cres exit area to check out the creek below (and swimmingly good it appeared) before continuing along to Pippa's Pass. Exited at Blaxland Library, up to Station across down Borea before taking the false finish home.

After a very uncomfortable beginning stomach settled and felt good for the vast majority of the run. 1hr 35mins 41secs, think this gives me about 70 to 75 km this week with Sydney to Gong (very socially tomorrow). Happy start to being back into it. Aim to hit 100km weeks mid way through November.

Joining Arsenal and Other Gunners

I reapplied for the position of President of the Gunnas society on the weekend. Once again failing to arrive (or leave for that matter) at an event as previously proclaimed in public forum. I am lead to believe the Kembla Joggers Mountain run on the weekend was an excellent event, however by mid way through Saturday afternoon I had once again talked myself out of going.

I feel a return to the 2008 strategy of not committing to anything may be required to prevent myself from entering the Guinness Book for most proclamations of attendance dishonoured in a lifetime.

Training has been going pretty well these past few weeks and the aches and pains are being held at bay. Managed to clock in runs every day plus some in the last week of the holidays and whilst I seem not be be able to recall the details I feel assured they amounted to an impressive training performance. Purely only for purposes of self . . .

This week is back to routine and the routine is largely returning:

Monday 19th October
Joined GPB, Mister G and (a truly) Nugget for a lap around Espresso followed by a lap around the exploratory track of Son of Espresso. A total of 9.5km (comfortable 54mins) sensational tracks and trails (for those who didn't bail at the end of Espresso). I'm coming to feel that Knapsack Reserve is the heartland of short track training in the Lower Blue Mountains. Too many options too much fun.

Tuesday 20th October
Having missed the BMMC in the AM from Sleep Trains due to SWMBO's sabotage of the alarm went solo in the afternoon around Something Snappy. 24mins with efforts on the hills. Still got to get the strength built but felt excellent in the heat of the afternoon.

Wednesday 21st October
Traditional Lucasville circuit now. Meet up with Whollie for a run round the Brooke heading home via Knapsack Reserve. 55 minutes all up and very fresh after the run. Expecting a hard hit out tomorrow morning.

PM having decided I had retired from the world of Touch due to seeming endless injury upon participation. It was with verbal outbreak from SWMBO that I returned to the fields for another session of fartlek with ball. Disappointed at the need to sub off quite as regularly as I did but pleasantly pleased with team play and the sharp hit out.

Thursday 22nd October
Had expected to wake with hami's strung like a guitar. was pleasantly surprised that it in fact only took the standard 3-4 minutes of ginger walking to get the legs into a 'normal' gait. As expected as solid hit out around the basic hills circuit with Animal and Sleep Train. Though I doubt the pace was on for the two prementioned I certainly was pushing today, and on a run that hurts even when you think you are taking it easy I really felt the effort today. Boy it feels good to be back in a state to be able to hurt this much. 62mins 50secs which is the fastest I can recall getting round this run and the stretch (time inclusive) (you know you love to stop and stretch on a run S**G**) was at least 1 minute longer than the norm.

A Venture Beyond The Blue Mts

For any interested BMMC runners I plan to use the Kembla Joggers Mt Running series as an opportunity to spread good will and happiness. From us to them. If you are interested in joining me the first run is this Sunday. Link below for greater details, when there go to Latest Club News & Results on the right hand side, scroll down to Mountain Running, Updated Program and click:

http://www.kemblajoggers.org.au/

Don't forget to read about tomatoes in the fruit salad. . . . .

Is That A Tomato In My Fruit Salad?

I have had some time normally occupied by training over this past winter to read and was fascinated to get stuck into '3:59.4 The quest to Break the 4 Minute Mile' by John Bryant in this time. In particular I was drawn to the Oxford way, which seems largely to revolve around the concept of not actually doing too much. As we all know if you train too much and too hard it is just going to make you tired for your races.

This concept of amateurism, despite its apparent negative impact and undoubted delay in the achievement of the 4 minute mile, appeals to me and as such I can see myself easing into the realms of amateur training. Particularly the don't do too much part. As they say what is good for the GOOSE. . . . . (Wisdom v Knowledge I say). Yes I think I am going to be very amateur indeed!

Things seem to be falling into place a little at the current point in time. It seems that for the first time in many months I have been able to put a few consecutive(ish) days together without too many pains and aches getting in the way. All be it at decreased intensity and duration for now. Build it again piece at a time.

Sunday 4th October
In the misty mountains a morning spent reliving ones teenage years can only be best spent on a grown mans BMX. Pulled out the Mt Bike and cruised off from the returned ones house at 6.30am (all be it 5.30 thanks Mr Savings time). Too much fun is never enough as puddles and mud flew everywhere on the circuit out to St Columbas-Gross Head Sth-down Bees Nest-Blue Gum Swamp and finish.

Most impressive was the returned ones attempts to take on the skate park on a wet morning. Didn't actually realise a person could slide that far. All up around 20kms of Mt Biking, good cardio and no pressure on the achilles.

Monday 5th October
Mt Bike again, this time with Dr Phil into the national park. A basic Bennets ridge circuit with early entry into Euroka and up Bennets. On to gate and back down single track. More puddles more mud more fun and still no pressure put into achilles. The lightning was a little concerning but such is such. Again close enough to 20kms.

Tuesday 6th October
Time to give the achilles a test with a planned circuit around the espresso run followed by a touch of exploratory running to try and knock back Espresso to a 3km (15min) circuit for Mister G's secret plan.

Nice lap of espresso in around 28mins but didn't quite get it right on shortening it to a 15min circuit. It is down to 25mins for the shortened version so far and more thought will have to go into trying to make the desired 15min circuit whilst retaining as many points of interest as possible.

Wednesday 7th October
No training but very enjoyable day in Sydney with Mum starting with a sea food cooking dem, lunch at the fish markets and then walking around the foreshore to Darling Harbour for more coffee and food.

Thursday 8th October
Golf day (in Orange) meant no time for training, but hey I'm an advocate of the Oxford way these days so all is good. Played crap and almost got eaten by a snake on the third hole (no it wasn't just sleeping in the sun it wanted me).

It's a long way to drive to play a game of golf is Orange.

Friday 9th October
An AM run around Something Snappy got the heart going early. Felt good for the last couple of days off and climbed out from the fire trail in a touch under 3 mins. Not supper fast but enough to feel the heart rate rise. No pain in achilles on climb was most welcomed. About 25 mins overall satisfactory for a casual jaunt.

PM Mt Bike in National Park with the returned one turned into a longer ride than originally planned. Ended up through Euroka up Bennets on to gate then out to Nepean Lookout before returning down single track (till the inevitable puncture that used the last spare pushed us out to the Oaks to ensure we got out with all tyres inflated) Estimated around 30kms.

Saturday 10th October
WLDMR Championships kick off at 7.30pm our time. Wonder what it would be like to know a World Champion and one of the newest Wallabies. That would make for an exciting week for one reliant on others abilities to feel success in the world of sport.

Got out for a run in the National Park this morning. Plenty of Bikes around but besides a solo runner climbing out from causeway as I entered no runners seen. Cruised up along Oaks to Bennets Ridge before turning off back down to Euroka. Decided to add another set of stairs down to Nepean River and back on the way and with the climb from Durak Camp site and the climb out of causeway at the finish was very happy that the achilles seems to have held up.

It's been quite nice running solo of late and today was no exception. The sounds of "The Kings Of Leon" were perfect today as an adjunct to the run and I feel really good after my coffee's and run. 1hr 28mins 17 seconds.

Can only think that if I felt so good the Sleep Train must be ready to smoke the course. As Guru Bobs says:

"The fact that no one understands you

does not mean your brilliant"

Falling Off Donkey's

Hiding in the tent as the winds tried to blow us off the face of the Planet last weekend got me thinking about why it is I seem to roll through a constant cycle of on again off again with my training. There are plenty of excuses out their and I am sure if I trowel back through this blog I would have covered most of them.

Then through the week looking for bits and pieces to throw at the Yr12 Gnomes on their last days with us I found a small book that was used at my wedding to help the groomsmen stay on track with their speeches. As I flicked through the pages of 'Guru Bob' I stumbled across the following words of wisdom that have echoed through my mind all morning whilst out try to rip my achilles apart again:

"If you fall off the donkey seven times, you must climb back on eight times. But if you fall off the donkey ten times, most possibly you are not cut out for riding donkeys."

and it has had me thinking I keep running getting injured and then being frustrated that I cant run. I get better and start training to hard to soon and get injured again.

Case in point today. Having got past the frustrations of a winter compiled of a displaced rib, strained right achilles, torn right hamstring. All might I add related to the foolish pursuit of playing touch against 20yr olds. I was settling into a pattern of casual training again, when for some reason with just a tinge in the left achilles I seemed to think running playing on hills was a good idea.

The start was good and the first climb at 40minutes in felt good. Around the old quarry and back down the stairs to the second climb ad the achilles was straining a bit to the point of being irritating. By the third of four climbs up the escarpment it had become painful and I was forced to walk out of the single track leaving a climb unattended. 1hr 40 minutes of the 2hrs completed and three solid climbs but now an ice pack is back and a modified training regime shall once again need to be explored for a few weeks. This is starting to piss me off.

All this and still I haven't once tried riding a donkey.