I really am a lucky bastard to live where I do. Which of course isn't really true; my folks brung me up proper and I've played my hand reasonably well. A-n-y-w-a-y, that comment is the prelude to what I believe will be a rather dull blog post about a couple of runs - or rather one run done twice - that took in Sydney Harbour and a 1.6km stretch of Pacific coastline in Sydney's Manly. A magnificent place to "have to" run and today, it was where I had to run and each run was a workmanlike trot to get my numbers up.
We'd had friends over to stay on Saturday night and I'd had a couple of beers more than I should have, so an 11ish to start the day seemed appropriate. Humidity, dehydration, blah blah blah. So the first run came and went, wit me going through 10k in a little ender 50minutes, so I'm still not chronically slow.
I'd set off early, when only the girls and the dog were awake. I got back and there were a couple more moving about. There had been some wispy cloud and my early start meant I avoided getting zapped by the sun. But when I got home it made an appearance and even at 07:30 had a lot of bite. Breakfast done, we headed to the pool.
Since Christmas the chore that was taking the kids to the pool has become a pleasure. AJ, now 6, clicked one day. She pushed aside whatever had been holding her back and is now jumping into water she can't stand in, swimming widths, picking toys up from the bottom. I still watch her like a hawk, but we can now have fun. School's summer holidays, over Christmas when I get a block of time off of work, fell at the perfect time for me and her. We went to the pool every day, didn't have lessons, just fun. Click!
H, who turns 4 in May, is also coming good. She has a reckless disregard for her personal safely, so she'll end up as a great swimmer. It's funny watching her try to beat the shit out of the water with her doggy-paddle and shout "DO YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO?" at anyone she bumps in to.
By the time we left the pool the temperature was in the mid 30s. I wasn't running home...Mum crashed on the sofa, the girls in their bedroom and me on a beanbag under the ceiling fan on the deck. It was that sort of day.
By mid afternoon the temperatures was still about 32. There were some clouds building up and the threat of a storm that has not yet come. Just before 4pm the temperature dipped under 30 and I decided it was time to head out and do the same loop again. We're have friends over for brunch tomorrow so I didn't want to leave the run too late; I need another early one tomorrow, want to maximise recovery and rehydration. Actually, I fancied a beer. As far as the miles go expect tomorrow to be a repeat of today. Head down, turn the legs over, dehydrate, rehydrate, rinse and repeat. Oh, and do the 30 day Plank Challenge ins support of Sal, who decided she was doing it and really isn't. Three and half minutes today. A bit ouchy.
The run was OK. Humidity was at around 50% and with a bit of a breeze 29 actually felt relatively pleasant. Go figure. Looking forward to February. Another 22km for the total with 2 beach loops.
Janathon total - 556km
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