Saturday, December 17, 2011

Getting back into the Swing

For most of today I have been feeling pretty low - physically, mentally and emotionally tired. During the week I attended the funeral of the daughter of a very good friend. I spent some time earlier in the week with her as she talked about her daughter. That, and the funeral I took of a friend the previous week, have left me drained. Then there was all the preparation for three services for tomorrow.

Anyway, I blobbed around a bit today going out and doing some gardening. Nothing heavy, just maintenance and planting some seeds.

I decided that I would go for a run, in spite of feeling rather low, and that I would do 10k over the old Devonport Triathlon Course.

After a very late lunch (2.45 pm) I waited for a couple of hours and set off. I wasn't interested in the time I was running, just concentrating on how far I had run and how counting down how much further there was to go. I don't know if this is a good way of doing things, but it is how I tend to work things out as I run.

I had two stops at bubblers (on splits 4 and 5) but forgot to stop at the third bubbler. By the time that I was getting up to split 7 I knew that I was feeling far better at the end of the run than I was at the same stage last week when I ran that course. The final run home up the incline over the last 2k showed that.

Anyway, I complete the run in 1.02.12 (6.13/k) and was very pleased with the effort, especially as it took me a while to get into a comfortable rhythm.


Saturday, October 15, 2011

My fourth "Burnie Ten"

Back on 20th June I ran along to Bike Track to do an equivalent of the Launceston 10, which I completed in 54:50 or 5:29/k.

I have had a few problems since then - muscle soreness, emotional distress and generally feeling well and truly burnt out at times. On Sunday and when I am out visiting I "put up a good front" (is that the biblical way to minster? surely not). Anyway, I have struggled in most areas of my life recently and this has affected my jogging.

To cut a long story short, today was my big day. I knew that, because of the strong 30 km/h wind, gusting to 41 km/h, it would be hard on the return 5k. But my first problem struck just before I had completed 2k and needed to use the loo at Coles Beach, which took 2 minutes. I still reached the halfway mark in just under 30 mins so that wasn't too bad.

However, as I progressed homewards I slowed considerably and finished the run in 1:02:30, the slowest of these four runs for the "event". I found myself wondering whether I should give up/slow down/give in/drop out etc!

I'll probably keep at it because I need the exercise and it does help my emotional stability. However, I found that today's second half wasn't the joy most of my running has been in the past.

What do do now? Keep plodding on until I come to the end of my course and hopefully hear "well done, good and faithful servant". I would dearly love to hear that from the Chief Judge, but sometimes wonder if I fit into the category of one of tomorrow's points from Mark 12:35-44 that I have entitled "Hypocritical Holiness".

My splits for the day can be found at: http://connect.garmin.com/splits/121624283

Saturday, August 13, 2011

My "City2Surf"

It might seem strange calling this my 14k version of Sydney's  "City2Surf" but I like to do a mock run over the distance of some of the country's top fun runs. And, besides, I started today's run in the City of Devonport and ran alongside the surf at both Coles Beach and Bluff Beach and also down part of the Mersey River, which, in high swells, often has surfers at the mouth catching the waves.

First, some negatives about today's run:
  1. By the time I had run about 4k I felt that I was struggling to get enough air into my lungs.
  2. Between 9k-11k I felt a bit light-headed and wondered whether I would faint along the way.
  3. At 12k I had a bit of a cramp in my left hamstring but it soon passed, though I did slow to make it easier. I also had a bit of soreness in my lower right hamstring (a normal thing for me) before halfway and some tenderness in the hip (need to do all my stretching exercises more regularly).
Overall I thought it was a good run without any wind at all. I'm sure that I am feeling the ill affects of a lack of LSD runs of late - caused by an upper thigh muscle strain, having two teeth out and my generally feeling like I'm living in a bit of a black hole at times. When I have started an LSD over the last few weeks I haven't been able to finish what I had planned. If I can get back to them (probably after our September holiday) then, hopefully, it will help me to eventually run a marathon.

During the early part of my run I also prepared how I want to handle tomorrow's children's story!

 I had two stops at bubblers in Splits 4 and 8 but missed the third bubbler I was going to stop at on the return leg. Perhaps I should have taken my fuel belt with a couple of bottles in it.

Last year I ran 1:28:57 or 6:22/k. Today (though the course was slightly different in that I ran 7k from home along the Bike Track and then did the return leg instead of using the old Devonport Triathlon Course with an extra 4k on the Bike Track) I ran it in 1:21:20 or 5:49/k. While I ran the outward leg until my Garmin told me it was 7k (a bit further than the council marker) it recorded the return leg over the same course at 6.93k so I'm not sure exactly how far I ran

My time is also a 2:25 PB from my previous best over that 14k course when in training.

 My splits, for which I was quite pleased regarding consistency till the 9k mark, can be found at:
http://connect.garmin.com/splits/106049409

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Into the Teeth of a Gale

I don't think I have ever known Devonport to be so windy as it has this year, and that didn't make it easy for today's run along the exposed Bike Track from home to Tea Tree Lane.

In spite of the conditions I pushed ahead with my planned run, taking into account the invaluable advice I have received from my unofficial mentor/trainer/personal coach. I set off with the decided intention of not running my splits any faster than 6 mins. I held myself back as well as I could until I eased into a steady pace. However, as you can see from the splits all but three of the first fourteen were under 6.00/k. Oh, well! At least I wasn't pushing myself too hard. Perhaps I should say that the outward 14k was wind assisted (50 km/h gusting to 72 km/h) - but that's not totally correct because I was still getting blasted by cross winds that supposedly came from the west but seemed all over the place.

As I was running by the GPS for distance I went further along the route than last time until the 14k ticked over. Then I turned and really felt the force of the wind, which slightly picked up its intensity though the gusts didn't go above 70 (not that that means a great deal when you run uphill over the exposed Victoria Bridge and so much of the journey was into those buffeting winds.

I passed through the half marathon distance in 2:04:56 (1 min 33 sec slower than last time). On the previous occasion that was where I had had enough and then jogged/walked the final 7k home. Today, however, I kept up my steady pace that still felt comfortable. Just before the 23k mark I had to duck into the toilets near the Viet Vet memorial site and, though it was a stop of less than 2 mins, I could feel my muscles and joints begin to tighten up. Starting up again it was into the gusting wind and I was no longer able to get my rhythm going, meaning my final splits were much slower than I had been running.

I thought that I would walk the final steep hill but didn't need to - though a couple of tourists stopped and asked for directions. That didn't deter me and I kept plodding up hill to finish in a time of 2.51.34.53 or 6.07.66/k. That bettered my previous attempt on that course by 4:58, which shows the benefit of trying to run a more even pace.

I'd love to say that I came home to a big hug - but it was not to be. However, there was a lovely hot bath awaiting for me to relax in while reading Karl Barth's "The Church and the Churches". Far easier to understand than William Wilberforce's "Practical Christianity" which I am trying to plough through at the moment.

Splits can be found at: http://connect.garmin.com/splits/97785191

Saturday, July 2, 2011

A Disappointing Half Marathon

 This week has been a taper week, having run just 15k in two outings during the week and only 25k in three outings since my version of the Launceston Ten. During the week I was getting itchy for a run because I wanted to be fresh for today's half!

Well, today was the day I intended to coincide with tomorrow's Gold Coast Half Marathon. I decided it would be best if I used the Bike Track, as it is the flattest of my courses. I intended to ignore the distance markers and run by the Garmin, which turned out to be more than the distance markers anyway (which is what I have used in the past).

In the morning I mowed the front lawn and was aware that I am able to push the mower around our flat lawn without puffing and panting like I used to do before I took up jogging. If nothing else, at least I can do the mowing much more easily now.

Having loaded my fuel belt bottles with Staminade and my pouch with jelly babies I decided to warm up by walking the kilometre from home to the start of the Bike Track (with its hill). My McMillan Running Calculator told me, based on my recent 10k run, that I should be able to complete today's half in 2.02.01 or 5.47/k. However, being a bit optimistic I though I might like to have a crack at breaking the 2hrs for the run, meaning that I would need to average 5.42/k. With this in mind I planned to run between 5.40 and 5.50/k.

I set off with my Garmin initially telling me that I was running a bit too slow. I tried to adjust my pace to what it should have been but just couldn't get it right - so I gave up and tried to run at an even pace, even if it was a bit faster than I had planned. By the time I ran through the 12k mark (a longish incline) I was starting to feel the effects of my run, but I wasn't about to give in - at least not yet.

I began to slow and remembered Bruce's advice about not running too hard at the beginning (a bit late now) so that the last bit becomes a hard slog and you feel like not wanting to run again. I kept going as best I could and stopped the clock at 21.1k in a time of 2.02.39 or 5.48/k. It is still my best time for the half (beating my 2.06.22 for the SMH half back on 13 May and my 2.03.23 as part of a 28k run 11 June), though I don't have the ability (mental toughness they call it) to push myself when I get to the closing stages of a run.

At the moment I am still a bit sore - but definitely wanting to do it again. At this stage I don't know whether just to concentrate on half marathons for a bit longer (another one coming up early in September) rather than trying to run a full marathon. While running I did feel that I was having a bad day, and would have appreciated a pace car to help me be consistent. My problem is that at the beginning of a run my pace seems so easy and it isn't till I get towards the end that I realise that I still don't have the endurance I need to keep up that pace. By the time I have the necessary endurance I will probably be repeating the same mistakes but at a faster initial pace.


Even though I have called this blog "A Disappointing Half Marathon" because of how I ran it and the final time I recorded the overall result was not disappointing as it is a PB.

Anyway, I have a 28k and two 36k LSD's coming up over the next three weeks before a crack at the 14k City2Surf. I'll just have to wait and see what I do after that.

My stats can be found at: http://connect.garmin.com/splits/96190258

One happy plodder!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Move over Sally Field

Yesterday was the Launceston Ten, so today I ran my version of it along the Bike Track.

It was a pleasant 13-14 degrees  and the pouring rain held off until I had arrived back home. There were a few sprinkles but not much to worry about - though there were a number of puddles I had to negotiate because of the rain from the last couple of days. The only thing that made the run hard - basically, though not completely, on the homeward bound leg - was the 50k+ buffeting winds along the exposed sections of the track and also, at times, to the tunnelling effect it created through parts of the bush.

This is the third time I have run this "race". In 2009 I ran it in 1:02:34. Last year I ran it in 56:59 and, having done a number of LSDs of late, I initially hoped that I might better that time (especially as I am in my taper period before I "race" in the Gold Coast Half Marathon in just over a week).

When I started out at what I thought would be a good pace I was shocked to see that, after the first couple of hundred metres, I was running slowly at around 5:40/k. Oh, well! However, I kept striding along and gradually my Garmin began to show a more realistic rate. At one stage as I was running along the track with bush on either side I could feel the wind almost lift me off the ground, just like Sally Field, in "The Flying Nun". It was only the once but it did indicate how strong the wind was at that time.

After about 3k my legs told me that I was running more strongly than I had anticipated and I began to muse over how slow the return leg would be into the wind. Well, I turned around at the 5k marker and was hit front on by the wind and could feel myself struggling to keep going. I began to calculate what pace I would need to run at, for the return 5k, to be able to have roughly the same time as last year.

I kept at it - though on the open sections of the track I took a battering from the wind as it blasted straight into my face. However, on the more sheltered spots I could again lengthen my stride and raise the pace.

I reached the end of the course and stopped the clock (my Garmin distance was out of kilter compared to the course, but, then again, I usually find that the out distance differs from the return distance when it is exactly the same distance both ways).

I came in at 54:50, which is a 2:09 PB AND it was fractionally under 5:30/k. Very pleasing considering the conditions. According the the MacMillan Running Calculator I should be able to run the half marathon in 2hrs 2mins, which is getting closer to what I want to achive. However, time will tell.

You can find my splits at http://connect.garmin.com/splits/93631151

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Tea Tree Lane Trip

Just a couple of days ago I was visiting people on the other side of the Mersey River and, now that the Bike Track has been extended, I decided to change my planned course and run to Tea Tree lane at Pardoe Beach, which turned out to be the same distance (28k) that I had intended to run today.

After a great breakfast of risotto and toast (then a banana and muesli bar) I had my bottles filled with Staminade so I could depart at around 1pm, meaning I would be back before it became too cold and dark. I had my mind fixed on running it in around 3hrs, having done a similar distance of two laps of the Bike Track from home three weeks ago in a time of 3:03:59 (that's 6:34/k).

With that time in mind, I set off at a slowish pace (or so I thought) but I found that I was plodding on much faster than I had anticipated. When I realised what I was doing I decided to keep going at that pace because it felt comfortable. I did question whether, at 7k, I should turn back and have a shorter run but thought better of it. It didn't take long before I had run through that small difficult patch and was again enjoying what I was doing.

I was still running quite strongly (for me) at the 14k mark where I turned though I noticed my pace just easing slightly. Crossing back over Victoria Bridge I found a bit more difficult as I plodded up the incline to get over the Mersey and from then on my running was over 6min/k.

As soon as I had run through the half marathon mark (2:03:23 or 5.51/k which was a PB of 2:59) I decided that I had had enough of that pace. I immediately stopped running and started walking while I drank the last bottle of my drink and ate the rest of the snakes. From then on I decided that fartlek would be a good idea so finished off the last quarter of my run by alternating between jogging and walking according the to conditions and how I felt. I arrived home in a time of 2:56:29 (6.18/k) so I still managed to come in under the 3hrs I had as a target.

It is obvious that my ability to judge my pace is hopeless, hence the last quarter of today's run. Maybe I need someone to run with me who can help me out in that way!

In spite of my not "finishing" the whole course by running I do not feel defeated or thinking "never again". It's simply a lesson I have to learn and I did enjoy what I did! My short-term goals at the moment are to run the half marathon in under 2hrs, the marathon in under 5hrs and to be able to cover 45k (6ft Track distance).

I am now starting my three-week taper to get ready for a half marathon on Saturday, 2nd July to coincide with the following day's Gold Coast half marathon (I realised that I didn't have enough time to get ready for the full marathon). However, in the midst of these three weeks of taper I will run a fast 10k on Monday, 20th June (the day after the Launceston Ten). I'm hoping that I will be ready for the full marathon distance by the end of August as the Ross marathon will be run on the first Sunday in September (we'll be in Melbourne on our way to Sydney for my mum's 90th birthday).


If anyone is interested in seeing the various splits the link is:
http://connect.garmin.com/splits/91504282

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Musing from an LSD trip

Just to set the record straight for those not yet in the know, LSD in running parlance stands for Long Slow Distance and is designed to build up endurance.

Today was my day to attempt 3 laps of the Old Devonport Triathlon Course, which is about 30k. My aim was to try and complete the distance in about 3hrs 30mins, or 7min/k.

I commenced by walking up the the hill to my starting line while my Garmin located the satellites for accurate recording (however, I noticed that when I uploaded my data it had me starting in a funny spot in the middle of someone's backyard rather than on the street).

As I started running, my musings were about running slowly to complete the distance. Anyway, I completed the 3 laps in 3hrs 13min 19secs or about 6:27/k. I deliberately chose to walk the steepest hill just before the end of each lap so as not to push myself too much and knock myself up. The time exceeded my expectations. From about 15k onwards I started to notice a bit of stiffness in my legs (calf and hamstring) but it wasn't too bad. I ran through the half marathon distance in 2:13:48 - again better than I had hoped for, seeing it was part of a 30k run. By 25k it became progressively more difficult to keep up my pace and I slowed down considerably. I did wonder whether I should still be aiming to run a marathon distance in a few week's time or just to stick to the half. At least I have planned, whichever I decide to do, to run using the flattish Bike Track rather than either of my two other courses which contain a fairly steep hill that would need to be negotiated either three or four times, depending on the course chosen.

It was over the last few kilometres that I began to muse on the fact that long distance running can be both hard and painful - but I was in it for the long-haul. It struck me how similar long distance running is with the Christian faith for neither is a flat out sprint to the finish line.

 I then further considered that the Christian life can also be both hard and painful and that God has nowhere promised us that it would be a bed of roses that we would sail through. After all, it is a spiritual battle we are involved in. I then mused on the similarities between long distance running and the Christian ministry for it, likewise, is both hard and painful (as well as joyful, but here I was only considering one similarity) through being involved in the lives (pains, griefs and joys) of people - both those who are Christians and those who aren't!

One day my running will become slower and slower to the point where I find it difficult to continue. There are times, I mused, when I know that I am becoming much slower in ministry as the spiritual battle and pressures take their toll on me emotionally, mentally and physically and I wonder how long I can continue before I need to retire from being "full-time" in parish ministry and minister, using my gifts, in some other way.

In the meantime I shall plod on (I have often described myself as a plodder in ministry) to the best of my ability, relying upon God's faithfulness and grace to sustain me, until that day eventually comes.

Who said that long distance running was a mindless exercise?

Friday, May 13, 2011

A Surprising Half Marathon

As part of my build-up to have a crack at the marathon distance in a couple of months time, I am slowly trying to increase my distances following the schedule I have worked out. However, there are quite a number of times when I just cannot keep my schedule going so I keep on adjusting it (usually downwards).

Saturday is my usual day for an LSD run (for those not in the know an LSD run stands for Long Slow Distance and is designed to build up endurance). The aim is to run at a slower than normal pace but with the intention of completing the distance. As I have a wedding today I ran my LSD yesterday!

I had planned to run 24k or two laps of the Bike Track. Now, because Val had the car and I didn't want to change the course I was going to run, I walked the 1k from home to the start of the track beside the Devonport Aquatic Centre. I didn't feel the cold (and I doubt if it got above 14 all day) but I sure could feel the blustery wind.

As I was walking down to the start I was trying to mentally calculate what pace I should aim for and settled on running between 6.05-6.10/k, knowing that I would slow down in the latter stages of the run.

The fist k was right on 6mins but for the next 4k it ranged from 5.47-6.01. As I headed towards the turning point for the first time at the 6k mark I was hit with a strong headwind (which I found out later was around 40k/hour). Even so, I still managed that last 1k in a surprising 6.05.

The first 2k of the return leg were both under 6/k but for the remainder of that return part of the first leg I was basically running in and out of shelter and side-on into the wind, so I again slowed down to just over 6/k until I ran the last k in 6.29 to the halfway point, which was all uphill.

I commenced the second leg and ranged from 5.49-6.02/k to the turning point at 18k (surprisingly I was able to manage the headwind for the last 1k to the 18k mark in 6.02, which was faster than the first time I ran to that turning point). Knowing that I was just in front of averaging 6/k I wondered how I would go getting to the half marathon mark. My first k after the turn at 18k was run in 5.52 but from that point on I began to slow with every k taking a little longer. However, I still ran through the 21.1k mark in 2.06.22 which means I averaged 5.59.34 for the half marathon (according to my Garmin and not by the kilometre markers) and I took 4.51 off my best ever time for the distance on what should have been an easy LSD run.

From the 21.5k I could feel myself tiring with my last three kilometres run at 6.26, 6.31 and 6.46 (the last of these up the final hill).

Then I walked home to an enjoyable hot bath that Val had once again prepared for me.

Having written this blog it is now back to getting all the paperwork done for the wedding and then completing tomorrow morning's sermon.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

My first 2/3rd marathon distance

Last Saturday I had planned to run two laps of the Bike Track for a total distance of 24k. However, when I had finished the first lap I didn't feel up to continuing . Today I had scheduled to run two laps of the HomeBike Track for a total distance of 28k. Val suggested , seeing I didn't complete last week's run, that I should change my plans and run 24k. However, I thought I would stick to what I had had planned.

This morning and early afternoon was enjoyably spent gardening with Val - weeding, turning over beds, composting in preparation for what we need to do in the weeks ahead.

My plan was to leave home at 3.00 pm and finish my run within 3 hours. In my mind I was calculating my estimated time based on 24k rather than the 28k and it was only after I had started that I began to realise my mistake. This course was to be an LSD to ensure that I completed the distance. Unfortunately, I didn't start my run until around about 3.20 pm so I was well behind before I even started.

The aim was to try and run at around 7 mins/k and as I worked through my calculations again it struck me that that would take 3hrs 16mins. Anyway, I tried to stick to my time but after the first 1k I was beginning to run faster than what I wanted. I am fully aware that when I do this that I slow down in the latter stages of a run. I kept checking my Garmin every so often to see what rate I was running at - and even when it was faster than what I had planed it seemed a dawdle.

I carried four 8oz containers of Staminade with me (as well as a pouch full of snakes to nibble on the way) and knew that there were two bubblers that I could get a drink from. I made good use of the bubblers on the first leg to 7k (as well as having some Staminade) to where the old ferry wharf used to be in around 45mins. So far so good. The next 7k to the starting point was without incident, though it was a bit slower (the hills don't help) and I turned in about 1hr 32mins.

I was still feeling rather good as I made my way into the second lap but, as it was now about 4.50pm it was starting to get a bit darker (especially as it was totally cloudy). That couldn't be helped. This time I only used one of the bubblers because I felt comfortable with how much Staminade I had left. I ran through the half marathon distance in about 2hrs 20mins.

The last 7k became increasingly difficult because of the rapidly failing light and by the time I was running through the bush it was well nigh impossible to see anything except the outline of the track under my feet. At least the dead leaves stood out on the bitumen. It was when I reached the 25k mark that I was beginning to feel the strain of running 28k - but I am going to have to get used to it if I want to run a marathon and then the 6ft Track! Over those last few k I knew I was slowing down quite a bit and began to wonder whether it would have been better to have run a shorter distance. At least next week is my off cycle when I run only half the distance I have run this week.

I finished (maybe that should read "hobbled home") in a time of 3hrs 11min 39secs at an average pace of 6.50/k. All in all I was quite happy with my day's outing.

When I walked in the back door Val was on the phone having thought that I would be home in about 2hrs 30mins (which is absolutely impossible for me). People were out on the track searching for me in case something had happened in the dark! Isn't Val a wonderfully caring wife! But I'm not the superman she imagined that I was and she did have a hot bath run for me (warm by the time I arrived home - but still very much appreciated).

My splits are:
1k - 6.51      2k - 6.39      3k - 6.35      4k - 6.44      5k - 6.34      6k - 6.26      7k - 6.16
8k - 6.21      9k - 6.26    10k - 6.28    11k - 6.20    12k - 6.22     13k - 6.49     14k - 7.47
15k - 7.08  16k - 6.30    17k - 6.32    18k - 6.45    19k - 6.25     20k - 6.40     21k - 6.48
22k - 6.51  23k - 6.46    24k - 6.57    25k - 7.06    26k - 7.09     27k - 7.32     28k - 9.25

The hills are 1, 13, 14, 15, 27 and 28 (I walked the steepest part of this hill this time around)

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Old Devonport Triathlon Course

As I continue to prepare myself for a run over the marathon distance in July to coincide with the Gold Coast Marathon I am following a training schedule (adaptable according to circumstances). I did 2 laps of this course today.

I'm obviously still not up to speed with my Garmin as it had me starting in a place where I didn't and recorded the first lap as 9.87k while the second identical lap was 10k (what it should be). Hopefully I can get used to it quickly.

I wanted to run at an easy pace of between 6.45 and 7.00 per k but it didn't work out that way. I was running so easily at a sub 6.00/k and was able to maintain that general pace for most of the run. The exceptions were the hills which slowed me down quite a bit.

Perhaps the reason I did as well as I did was that I carried my fuel belt full of Staminade, refilled one empty bottle at 5k and drank from a bubbler a bit further on, while continuing to finish off my Staminade at regular intervals. Also I carried some snakes to nibble at appropriate times. It was b-in-l Bruce who told me how he handles long runs that made me think this way. I now know some spots where I can refill bottles on some of my circuits.

My time of 2.03.37.76 bettered my previous time of 2.09.51.18 by over 6 mins and that included needing a stop at just over the 14k mark at the toilets near the Viet Vets memorial.


Yes, I am a little bit sore but I have always pulled up quite well the day following longer runs, so hopefully the same will be true for tomorrow.

I've put together my splits:

1.   6.18 (crazy start)
2.   5.45
3.   5.46
4.   5.52
5.   5.55
6.   5.54
7.   5.51
8.   5.49
9.   6.11 (incline)
10. 7.10 (steepest hill)
11. 5.49
12. 5.52
13. 5.56
14. 6.24 (brief pause)
15. 7.55 (Viet Vets)
16. 5.55
17. 5.53
18. 6.02
19. 6.31 (incline)
20. 6.40 (steepest hill but 130 meters short by Garmin)









































































































































































































Friday, April 8, 2011

Freedom Run 2011

A couple of days ago I was feeling brain dead from preparing a funeral service so decided to go for a walk. Just near us is a Bike shop that also caters for all sorts of sports. I happened to look in the door and noticed that they had watches for sale, so I went in to have a look at them.

I ended up getting myself a Garmin Forerunner 110 which has GPS capability so I can now accurately plot my runs for distances and I will upload them onto both the Garmin Connect and MapMyRun sites. The only problem with today's run was that I didn't stop the watch when I should have and it threw out all the results (also strange that both Garmin Connect and MapMyRun, which use the same data upload, brought out slightly different results), however, I deleted everything after the 12k mark. Yes - the run was actually 12k and not the 10k the organisation said it was!

The Freedom Ride and Run is on behalf of Live Free Tassie (Teen Challenge) to raise funds for their rehab site that seeks to lead people free from addictions to drugs and other substances. Hence it is called Freedom Ride and Run. This was the first year for the run. The southern ride commences from Port Arthur, the site of the convict penal settlement, to symbolise coming out of slavery into freedom when people give up their addictions. It is the hope of the organisation that many will also experience spiritual freedom in Christ.

The number of registered participants was:
Southern Ride - 123
Northern Ride - 42
Southern Run - 31
Northern Run - 1 (that's lonesome me!)

My cheer squad consisted of Val, Alison Hillier and her daughter. Alison did say that the date clashed with a wedding in their church which prevented some others from competing.

At the start wearing my new top with part of my cheer squad
After getting a drink I set off at what I thought was a reasonable pace - but little did I know it that that pace would vary wildly over the course - yet I felt fine as I ran the outward leg of the course.

I completed the outward journey at the Viet Vets memorial where Alison had some drink and food for me and it was here that I stopped for about a minute (Split 6).
Drink and nibble time at Viet Vets Memorial
Back on the track I was beginning to feel the effects of not having run a well-planned race as can be seen from my splits. I struggled up the incline to the pool carpark (Split 10). However, I did complete the course with my cheer squad waiting back at the starting venue with more drink and nibbles.


Finishing off

The end
To date I have raised $500 (actually banked with more promised) to go towards Live Free Tassie. I decided to enter this run because one of our elders in particular always prays for those affected by drugs and other substances and I told the congregation that we needed to put "feet" to our prayers to make them more effective. Thanks to all those who have sponsored me!

Thanks to Alison who not only handed over my shirt and provided drinks and nibbles but then took us out to lunch. Much appreciated!

I am now eagerly looking forward to 2012's Freedom Run and hoping that others will join in to support such a worthy cause. What I like about the Freedom Run, apart from supporting Live Free Tassie, is that it is run on a Saturday and not on a Sunday like the majority of races.

Split
Time
Moving Time
Distance
Elevation Gain
Elevation Loss
Avg Pace
Avg Moving Pace
Best Pace
Calories










100:06:0500:06:051.0020806:0506:0504:3697
200:05:2500:05:261.007805:2505:2604:1993
300:05:3500:05:181.0051805:3505:1804:2594
400:05:2500:05:251.000405:2505:2404:3995
500:05:2300:05:241.000205:2305:2404:4596
600:06:2200:05:261.000406:2205:2604:4695
700:05:3000:05:301.005005:3005:3004:3595
800:05:3400:05:341.002005:3405:3404:3396
900:05:5700:05:571.005005:5705:5605:0396
1000:06:2700:06:281.0019406:2706:2805:0496
1100:05:5700:05:521.00103105:5705:5104:1594
1200:06:1000:06:101.0012606:1006:0904:4695