Live, love, run

Not a bad week. 4.63km walk Monday, 5.5km interval run on Tuesday and a 12 km long run today in just over an hour.

I ran the long run at Relay for Life, a Cancer Council event run each year to raise money for cancer research. It’s a relay event where each team must keep a baton moving around an athletics track for 24 hours continuously. We have been doing it as a business for quite a few years now and plenty of the gang get involved. Mum and Dad came and the kids walked 15 laps each.

The track is VERY old and it is not good for your legs. Mine are very sore after 30 laps or 12kms.

This week is preparation for the 10km Asics Bridges Fun Fun. I haven’t ever run a 10km before, having done 5km, 8km and 12km races, so it’s a chance to set a benchmark for that distance. I felt good in the long run today so will aim for a sub 50 minute finish, although none of my training times indicate that is realistic!! But I know what racing does for my times. We will see.

Work is still very busy but I am feeling more in control and have tried to decrease my levels of anxiety around work stuff which is difficult. My resourcing will be back up to speed in a week so that will make a big difference.

Counting Crows - From Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings 

Can you see me up on the building

From down on the pavement or out in the crowd?

Can you see me through the glare of the lamppost?

I’m walking a tightrope into the moon

I don’t want to feel so different

But I don’t want to be insignificant

And I don’t know how to see the same things different now

Oh, could you see me?

I’m one in a million

I am Icarus falling out of the sun

Could you see me fall in the light of spotlights

And jackknife through night as black as a bedroom

And white as a lie?

I don’t want to feel so different

But I don’t want to be insignificant

And I don’t know how to see the same things different now

Diving through the dark

While the night turns blue

Are you aware of your intentions?

Because I wear my intentions so clear

If you see me wading through water

Come drown in the river right in front of the world

You can wash your face and hands in the stream of my anger

It’s as bright as white paper

And as dark as a girl

I don’t want to feel so different

But I don’t want to be insignificant

And I don’t know how to see the same things different now

WORDS BY ADAM F DURITZ

MUSIC BY ADAM F DURITZ, DAN VICKREY,

CHARLES GILLINGHAM, & DAVID IMMERGLÜCK

Pretty good week post Oasis. Work still very busy trying to reconfigure my staffing after a couple of resignations. Finding new people hasn’t been an issue, but it puts pressure on the senior team and gets others nervous.

Ran 4.6km on Friday, 4.5km on Saturday and 10km long run today. Felt good in each run. The Saturday run was up around Tyler’s horse riding classes which is semi-rural. LOTS of dogs behind fences, except one German Shepherd that jumped the fence and chased me. I used to deliver milk out that way when I was 15 or 16, so I have bad memories of dogs out that way. Anyway, I escaped unharmed and ran a fast time!! 

Today we went to Kings Park for Easter Sunday with Mum, Dad and Papa. The kids love Easter and get too many eggs. Tyler has already lost three for talking back! He is a cheeky kid but very funny as evidenced by the photo he took of me sleeping!

Dexter is getting better with the runs. I saw on Running with Dogs - http://www.muttrunner.buckeyeoutdoors.com/blogs/ - that one of the gang uses a short lead. I might give that a go in the next few weeks. If he sees something, or another dog comes into view he strains, and/ or runs in front of me, so need to find a way to keep him alongside. Just practice I suppose.

I had to ring Louie halfway through my run with Dex today. It was hot and he was struggling so she came and picked him up. Poor bugger, he just lay down at the half wa y point. I felt terrible. He seems ok now, but he is only young still, so not ready for my long runs. 

Anyway, the stress levels are down, and things are getting back into some semblance of normal. Will hit the gym this week and get back into some strength work to add to the running load.

By Ayaan Malik

It brings hope

courage has strength

it brings faith

courage conquers hate

it brings joy

courage is will.

By Ben Lee: 

I refuse to go numb
I refuse to go numb
I refuse to go numb
So let the music come
Let the music come
Let the music come

I think there’s something in that for all of us…

Oasis Ball week. As Chairman it was madness leading into the gig so running was non existent until today when I did 9.8kms with Dex. Nice long run and felt good.

The Ball went so well. Check out www.oasisproject.net.au. 850 people and a final donation to the Salvation Army of over $150,000 if I can contain costs. That will be a record for the event. It was incredibly stressful because of the unknowns - how many will come, additional costs on the night, running out of booze etc etc, but in the end it was amazing, and very satisfying.

We won Agency of the Year for the second year in a row which is great for a tough year, and my campaigns for Association for the Blind and Lotto won the major TV and Press creative categories. It’s a great result and hopefully will settle things at work a bit.

Our industry is SO much fun. My head can attest to that yesterday after a 4:15am finish. Pain central, but worth it.

No comment. Crap.

For Amy

Why don’t you see me?

It doesn’t feel quite right.

I’m not smiling on the outside

But my smile inside is bright

My Mum tells me that it’s normal

That my time for love will come

But it feels sad and lonely

When you’re left, the only one

Dad says I am his beauty

Not to rush the boy/ girl stuff

That’s easy to say when you’re older

When you’re young it feels a bit tough

But I woke up in the morning

And its a brand new shiny day

The weird feelings from last evening

Seem to have begun to fade away

Perhaps they’re right, there is no rush

There’s plenty of time for fun

I hope it’s true there will come one day

When I’ll find my special one

Well, that’s phase 1 down. 3 x 5km races and now into 10km racing and half marathon training.

This week at work was possibly the most draining and  difficult I have ever had. Wednesday was a complete meltdown for me. I have spent the rest of the week seeking support from the team at work and at home. Louise has been amazing.

I have simply tried to do too much, and not asked for help. It’s time to start asking or I may well fall over. Anyway, I feel like I have a plan, and I can start to get my act together.

Half marathon training starts tomorrow. Bring it…

Beautiful evening for a run. I struggled through this run but finished quite strong. I had two runners with me for the whole race, one who stuck with me and then passed me with a km to go. I got past in the end with a final sprint. 

The final result…

24 minutes and 25 seconds. 4:53 min per kilometre pace.

73rd of 132 and last in my age division (8th!!).

I have had an emotionally draining week at work, so it was important to run this out. Was happy to finish and in a reasonable time.