Dont Try Putting The Square Pegs In The Round Holes

Had a great week last week with training in terms of each individual session and the total kilometers reached by weeks end. A number of things panned out well enabling this to happen, including freed up afternoons, new training sessions that added an element of freshness to the week and plenty of people hitting the road again after some time off increasing the amount of people out there to train with.

In looking ahead to this week it won't be as simple. Year 12 formal, numeracy team meetings and Dance concerts in Newcastle being among a number of things dragging at my time available to train.

The image of my niece (all be it at age 10 months) trying to push a square block into a round hole seemed to sit in my mind as I contemplated fitting it all in this week. Clearly what was good last week wont work every time. That's not to say it is going to be OK to take these distractions as an excuse to do nothing though. So the aim will be to find the square hole and or the round block. To see if it can be dome from a new perspective. Knowing that it may not be every week I can clock increases in total training kilometers.

Monday 30th Movember
AM out the door at 5.50am for the reawaken the week run. Today i decided it would be nice to head out through the Aussie Pyrenees up to the Arches round the back past the chefs hat back over Blaxland Station along Borrea and through the false finish. Clocked in at 32mins 47secs at a comfortable pace, just aiming to wake the legs up after a rest day yesterday with a few hills planned for this afternoon.

PM a planned 45mins on the escarpment between numeracy team meeting and year 12 formal went down the drain. Quite literally in fact and given the earlier analogy of the square pegs and round holes I guess it is quite fitting that an old saying relating to the eye of a needle sees me parked in the lounge room never more than 10secs from the most important room in my life right now. No training no yr12 formal no getting to far from said room. Hoping all clear (figuratively speaking of course) by tomorrow morning for BMMC run.

2010 6ft opens tonight, BMMC assault to be fine tuned prior to this occurrence.

Tuesday 1st December
Yesterdays lunch has maintained the rage and is keeping me away from travels too far from the main room still. Fortunately my wavering motivation has been kept high by the madness that is unraveling post 6ft entry closures. Too many posts on CR to go out anyway. Will be back to it by Thursday I'm guessing by feel at the moment.

Friday 4th December
Today saw the first run back after Mondays mishap with a salad at lunch. The first day I felt confident I could get out without imminent danger on each step. Left the mansion on Marshall at 5.30am with Wholie the holiday maker and rounded the Aussie Pyrenees to the Arches round the back of Blaxland shops crossing up at the pedestrian steps high side of Blaxland. Into the back ally from Winiecooper (loved the wonder years) and out to the causeway before returning to the standard exit and home. 50mins 15secs all up and happy to be back out running again not inside running.

Saturday 5th December
A great morning running in the Royal, having left the familiar safety of the Blue with B06, Dr Phil aka Flying Fist, The Welsh Exchange Student, Mr & Mrs Train and Mr & Mrs Donga (all hail the prince), to experience this coastal run and get a feel for what life in the Blue will be like post global warming.

A 5am meeting and departure from the arches of Blaxland saw us arriving at Bundeena a little latter than estimated for the finish car drop. A slight detoured back to Bundeena about 5mins after leaving to drive to the start after B06 realised that when everyone else was placing finish line clothing in the remaining cars he was in fact not. Finally reached Otford for a tail end BMMC only 7.30am start.

The plan had been to regroup continually along the run with aim of a swim at one of many options along the way. The absurdity of photo suggestions certainly helped with these re groupings and with the two maternally connected doing the back and forth a couple of time everyone made it through the first 2hrs together quite well. Brilliant sights along the way made the 4.30am rise more justified. Having particularly enjoyed running through the tiny community's along the way singing 'Morning has broken'.

Most grateful for the aid station in the car park. Confirming that our slight detour around the tanks had been corrected (however the associated headland was well worth the journey). Having refilled water containers we promptly ran off in the wrong direction enabling some to take the desired swim across the lagoon whilst others (now known as BMMC Sherpas) carried their phones et al.

The latter parts of the run became quite hot and I was grateful for the relief of the breeze that came by on occasions. More great views and an increasing rate of perplexed walkers meet us through these last parts. The last section also saw the demise of the regroup concept and by the time the end of the coastal track was reached it was only the Welsh exchange student, Dr Phil and I together with others in front and behind respectively given there position in relation to us. A quick sub committee meeting and the (grow some chest hairs) sandy trail option was selected.

One final extra 2mins at the end of the point before cruising through the beaches and streets of Bundeena to finish at the Fringe Cafe in 3hrs 57mins 24secs. Overall a tougher day out for me than I had planned. Guess it was just one of those days you don't have the rhythm in your stride. Very much enjoyed the track however and would love to come back to the Royal at a latter date to run this course again. Particularly with a chance to explore more swimming options.