Sunday, June 21, 2009

Off the rails

You might have guessed correctly that my running has sailed into a bit of a lull this past week. At least I hope it's just temporarily becalmed. Last Sunday during my long run I noticed a slight niggle in the left shin. On Monday it was aching enough that I cut short my run with the Speedygeese. I rested Tuesday and Wednesday, then ran a not entirely comfortable 7k on my Fire Trail course on Thursday — 5:08 per km pace at 84% of maximum heart-rate.

On Friday I went for a walk, and made my first YouTube movie, Looking for Kangaroos and Wombats, which you can view below (if you have a spare 5 minutes) — I walk around my 7k course and manage to get some good film of the local wildlife. Yesterday I rested again (the shin was feeling better), and this afternoon I might test the leg with a short run at Fadden Pines.

I think my recent tiredness and higher heart-rate on the 7k runs was an indication that I was teetering dangerously on the Hosaka-training tightrope. I'm thinking of scaling back the volume for a while (to around 90-110 km per week) in order to regain my balance. I hope everyone is having a great weekend, and is doing better than me at staying balanced!

25 comments:

Superflake said...

Hope the shin is ok ewen. You could have an easy week from Hosaka and seek revenge next week.

jojo said...

good move taking a rest i reckon

Andrew said...

Video was a nice touch! Maybe do some more?

Two Fruits said...

May be a little song and dance in the next movie, I'll call Baz to direct. You could have called that video "Australia", but that's been taken. And I know there once was an echidna around that area.

Anonymous said...

wannabe said

So there was no sighting of the Tasmanian Devil wearing nothing but the red budgie smugglers?

Bruce said...

Sorry to hear about the shin. Looks like you needed that rain though I doubt it came from us. We tend to get most of our weather once you're done with it (and sometimes even a bit of smoke!)

Samurai Running said...

I liked the vid Ewen. Seems really still and silent and the sky in some of the shots looked great.

Yes, it does look as if you need a bit of rain but even without it, it is a far better view than most of the suburbs of Osaka.

Upload some more in the future if you can.

Julie said...

We get deer, squirrels, ducks, herons, rabbits and (as you know well enough from my tirades) Canadian geese. I like your wildlife better.

You saw a lone magpie. You know what that means. Pity you didn't salute it and say, "Good morning, Mr. Magpie. Where's your wife?"

Don't worry about the niggles too much. It's just the same old shit our bodies and minds throw at us when we try something new, or are doing well (take your pick).

Love2Run said...

90-110k is scaling back?? You really need a break or maybe your weakest link is starting to show its face. Tell me about your Canada Day in mid-June. Here we celebrate on July 1st. Love the video ;=)

strewth said...

You had rain I believe?? NY is very very wet - must have sent you some. Enjoyed the video clip! Take care of that shin - REST a bit more - I know it's a 4 letter word but sometimes it has to be done!

jen said...

Great video Ewen! I really enjoyed seeing where you run. It looks pretty hilly to me! I loved seeing the kangaroos, how neat. They have the same face as the deer around here. Another vote for more videos in the future! Makes me think I should put one together of my run in Forest Park.

Hope you shin heals up soon. Ice ice ice!

plu said...

great to see another video of a run..how good for someone to have a run like that out their back door.

Plu

Rob said...

I hope the shin heals quickly Ewen. Thanks for sharing the video.

Stu Mac said...

Good vid and enjoy the slight rest, maybe even a massage???

rinusrunning said...

WOW, nice movie and so can i see where you live and run!.
Take some rest and i hope the pain go away!.
Rinus.
www.rinusrunning.punt.nl

Girl In Motion said...

I totally enjoyed your video, though I had to Google wombats to find out waht I was expecting - what crazy creatures! The kangaroos are fantastic, effortlessly bounding a few feet away from someone's laundry. Too weird. Take care of that shin, you have all my sympathy on that front.

Anonymous said...

The video is great. Another little nostalgic reminder for me. I do not really need to remind myself that I have been very lucky over the years to have had the opportunity to run in Australian eucalypt forests, Canadian north-west Pacific rainforest (bears included) and now the gentle English woodland with its moisture, greenery and flowers, but there is certainly something about eucalypts and kangaroos that hits the nostalgia button. I hope the shin recovers quickly.

RICK'S RUNNING said...

Maybe the answer to running faster is is to hop like a Kanga!
Yeah stretch those tight calf muscles out and do some deep pressure massage, should do the trick!

Jog Blog said...

Are you still aiming for the Gold Coast 1/2 marathon on 5 July?

Runner Susan said...

Ewen, well done - that was fabulous! Although, I kept expecting Cindy's voice to pop in somewhere. The kangaroos there are like the cows here. Except hopping and without horns. Hopefully you'll catch a wombat on video soon.

At the car rental place in San Francisco I meet two Aussies traveling the US, but the didn't know you. They were awfully nice so I told them to check out your blog.

speedygeoff said...

Would Ewen's next door neighbour even know him?

Ewen said...

Thanks Andrew (and Scott) - I plan to make some more (once I learn how to edit better and make the file size smaller).

The Aussie Magpie is a very clever bird (except in the swooping season), with a delightful song to greet the morning sun - I'll get closer next time.

Mike, I think our Canadian Embassy makes the Aussie Canada Day on the day that fits into the running calander :) They imported 60 litres of maple syrup for the pancakes!

Yes Jen, make a video of Forest Park - I want to see where you run - wait for the rain to stop first!

Liz, I'm still going to the Gold Coast - depends on the leg if I run though - may end up cheering you and the others from the sidelines.

Speedygeoff, the neighbour who made the tall fence (to stop me from bounding over) knows me. The other one has just moved out - I think they got sick of the wombat holes under their fence.

R2B said...

Hope your well Ewen and things are picking up again...

Sling Runner said...

Nice video of the running trail. i wish we could have something like that in Singapore.

Taking a down week once in a while should rejuvenate and re-generate.

Stephen Lacey said...

Hey mate, nice video of the bush. It is a strange capital city we have; nobody knows where the bush ends and the city starts. You'll be stuffed but if the council gravels the road...you won't be able to find your turnaround and will keep running forever. And final comment: when you said the wombat lives down that gully, I thought you were telling us the way to your house ;-D