I'm retiring this blogger and going with b2evolution

Over the past few months I’ve been playing around with blogging systems and external purpose built editors. I’ve now made a decision on which system and editor to use. It was a confusing process as when all is said and done there were pros and cons in all systems I analysed. Within this post I’m not going into all the factors I considered, I’ll leave that for my other blog relating to programming and coding, which I’m yet to start. Ok, so for me this is my last post to blogger.com. My new blog address, which is powered by b2evolution, is:-

• My New Blog Address is here.

For Bloglines users: (25 Jul 2006 - update Bloglines info)

• Click here - Subscribe to - Latest Comments.

• Click here - Subscribe to - Latest Posts.

For other aggregators the feed addresses are:

• Comments : http://www.bloglines.com/sub/http://www.superjacent.net/blog/index.php?tempskin=_rss2
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It’s possible to have two entries recorded within say, Bloglines, one for posts and one for comments. How often have you left a comment against a post, anybody’s post, and the author of the post replies to the comment by adding another comment. When comments are added against the blog it’s now possible to see those updates within Bloglines (or whatever reader/aggregator is used). My new blog will be sort of basic to start with but I have a heap more control over it. I’m now in the process of learning PHP, MySQL, RubyOnRails and HTML. That’s when I’m not running..

Feeling fresh - 11 k'er

As I mentioned in my previous post I haven't run since Tuesday last week. I was hoping to get out yesterday but a niggling headache just wouldn’t subside. Had the same niggling headache this morning but by lunchtime everything was right.

Straight after work about 4 pm I was in Fawkner Park warming up and waiting for the satelites to lock-on. Ran my usual Yarra route, a distance of 11.58 km in a time of 58:46 (5:04 /km). Heart rate figures (max/avg) were 165/136. I didn’t really push during this run, just a nice easy pace except for Anderson Street Hill towards the end. I couldn’t help myself, just had to push a little bit, hence the max heart rate at 165.

What a difference a rest makes. Very hard to explain or describe but I felt very, very fresh through out the run.

Details of this run can be found here at Motionbased.

Stats as of 16 May 2006.

Today : 11.6

Prev 7 Days : 11.6

Prev 28 Days : 234.2

MTD : 132.0

YTD : 1059.8

Month Avg : 212.0

Week Avg : 50.5

Total (2001) : 8800.9

Well the last week didn't go according to plan

My last run was on Tuesday (9th May) and was wanting to run a semi-long one on either the Wednesday or Thursday. That wasn’t to be as I developed a stomach bug and just felt lousy. So that left me with the weekend. Well, hosting a 21st on Saturday night involves a lot of preparation and so no running over the weekend. Great party though and I paid the price on Sunday. Weight Milestone Checked my weight on Sunday morning and it’s the lowest reading for at least the last 6 years at 74.9 kg. I check my weight everyday and find it very strange that with no running since Tuesday that my weight should actually head south. Williamstown Marathon 28 May 2006 So the last week has thrown out my training somewhat. I was hoping to have run one last 30 k’er before the Williamstown Marathon but with less that 14 days left that is not going to be. Probably Wednesday or Thursday I’ll try and dig out a 20 - 23 km run and then into taper mode.

Another Yarra Run (15 km)

Just another Yarra run today straight after work. Well, a little bit before work finished at 3.50 pm, only because I worked through lunch. I'm starting to pack more items in my bag now due to the weather. I packed two shirts, one a t-shirt and the other a long sleeved shirt. I elected to wear the long sleeved shirt as it looked a tad cold from the office window. Nothing really special about the run, the usual starting in Fawkner Park and tracking on both banks of the Yarra from Flinders St to Mac. Robertson Bridge. All up a 15.41 km in a time of 1:15:08 at a pace of 4:52 /km. Heart rate info, max & avg, 157/138. Felt OK considering the long 30 km on Sunday. If anything I'm a little tired during the day but during the run I felt comfortable and strong. After the run I knocked out 100 sit-ups and for some reason they have dropped off recently. Message to self, just do them. I'm glad I got the run out of the way when I did. Only a couple of hours later it was bucketing down and I certainly wouldn't have started a run in those conditions.

Stats as of 9 May 2006 Today : 15.4 Prev 7 Days : 96.4 Prev 28 Days : 281.0 MTD : 120.4 YTD : 1048.2 Month Avg : 209.6 Week Avg : 52.4 Total (2001) : 8789.3

Another Yarra Run (post long run run)

Another Yarra run after work, starting in Fawkner Park. This run nearly didn't happen as I forgot to pack socks. Whilst still at my desk checking my bag is when I noticed I hadn't packed socks. It was at this point that a few choice words, expletives, were yelled. My wife calls them 'hissy fits'. Anyway, a colleague offered his and everything turned out alright in the end. I suppose I'll have to wash and return them. He told me that that would be a good idea. My usual Yarra River run. All up 11.61 km in a time of 56:27 at a pace of 4:51 /km. It could have been 50 seconds quicker if I didn't have to stop and wait for traffic at Toorak Rd on the return. My heart rate maximum and average was 161 and 137 respectively. Considering an effort of a run yesterday I pulled up ok for tonight's run.

Stats as of 8 May 2006 Today : 11.61 km Prev 7 Days : 93.4 Prev 28 Days : 265.6 MTD : 105.0 YTD : 1032.8 Month Avg : 206.6 Week Avg : 51.6 Total (2001) : 8773.9

A long 30 km (and a grand for the year)

The alarm went off at 6 am, well my mobile phone went off at 6 am and all I could hear was teeming rain, it was pouring, belting down. My plan was to get up early have some brekky two hours before running and hit the road at 8 am. It nearly didn't happen. With the belting rain I decided to stay in bed hitting the snooze function numerous times. At 7 am the rain had eased somewhat and I started feeling guilty and so I got up, had brekky and I was out the door at 8.17 am. It was a cold, wet and all round miserable morning. I donned my Puma tights and long sleaved shirt and wished I'd worn my gloves. It rained hard and drizzled and towards the end of the run the sun broke through. I don't recall the wind easing one bit. I didn't have a pre-planned course to run just a general idea and knew it would be around the 30 km mark. Ultimately though I was relying on the Garmin for overall distance. From home I ran south down Derrimut Rd to Princess Hwy and then left (east) crossing the railway line and continued to Skeleton Creek. Along the creek to Sayers Rd back to close to home. At this point it was 17 or so km on the Garmin so I just continued on running my usual Werribee River 12 km run. The run itself was a lot slower than last week's long run by a long shot. Towards the end it really was an effort and I was starting to doubt my ability to run 42 km which is only three weeks away. As last weeks 30 km was evenly divided into three sets of 10 today's run was just one long 30 km. Overall I ran 30.63 km in a time of 2:52:09 at a pace of 5:37 /km. My maximum and average heart rates were 145 and 132 respectively. Today's run was an effort and I would have thought the heart rate figures would have been higher, it felt like it. YTD Milestone 1000 km At the completion of today's run I've clocked up 1021.2 km for the year. This is more k's than in some previous years as a whole.

Stats as of 7 May 2006 Today : 30.6 Prev 7 Days : 93.4 Prev 28 Days : 262.5 MTD : 93.4 YTD : 1021.2 Month Avg : 204.2 Week Avg : 53.7 Total (2001) : 8762.3

Easy 14 km

I would have preferred to have run a little earlier in the day. But you know what it's like when other things must be done. So at 4.50 pm I was out the door and running my usual route which incoporated the Werribee River. I noticed upon starting out that my right thigh was a little tight but was ok as the run progressed. All I could think of was, "please no injury, Willi Marathon is only three weeks away". The only highlight of the run was passing a young couple walking their dog, Gerry, who was off his leash and seemed to be out of control.A big dog by the way and I've got no idea what brand (or should that be breed). As I was running towards them I was thinking, "here we go". They were yelling at Gerry and explained to me that he won't bite. I took their word for it, well I had no option anyway. As it turned out he didn't. I passed this couple about 10 minutes later, this time Gerry was on his leash. As I ran past I said, "oh no, not Gerry...." Well, it got a laugh from the couple. All up I ran 14.41 km in a time of 1:12:46 which works out to a pace of 5:03 /km. My maximum and average heart rates were 151 and 138 respectively. My YTD figures puts me at 990.6 km so I reckon I'll crack the grand tomorrow (Sunday - my long run). Stats as of 6 May 2006

Today : 14.4 Prev 7 Days : 92.9 Prev 28 Days : 231.8 MTD : 62.8 YTD : 990.6 Month Avg : 198.1 Week Avg : 52.1 Total (2001) : 8731.7

Just a normal 8.5 km Yarra Run

Just a normal jogging type run tonight, no quick sections to speak of. The only unusal aspect of tonight's run is that it was relatively short at 8.5 km. Of recent days all runs have been over 11 km. I started from Fawkner Park at 3.50 pm and made my way to the Yarra, along the Yarra to Flinders St returning back to Fawkner Park along the opposite side of the Yarra. All up it was 8.50 km in a time of 40:29 which was a pace of 4:45 /km. My maimum and average heart rates were 159 and 142 bpm respectivlely. Over the last two to three weeks I've not been doing any core exercises and so tonight I addressed that and did 100 sit-ups.

Stats as of 4 May 2006 Today : 8.5 Prev 7 Days : 93.1 Prev 28 Days : 217.4 MTD : 48.4 YTD : 976.2 Month Avg : 195.2 Week Avg : 51.4 Total (2001) : 8717.3

Three Five's (slow, quick, slow)

Another run straight from work starting in Fawkner Park, just off Commercial Rd. Tonight I wanted to get a reasonable distance in and a little bit of speed work. What I decided in the end was a longer type of fartlek session. Either way I was going to get at least 15 km in and so I divided that into 5 km sections (using the Garmin). The plan was to run the first 5 km easy, the second 5 km hard and the last 5 km used as a recovery type run. I’ve never done this type of run before, such long sections between pace change. My thinking was, and I’m not sure if it’s valid, after completing the second 5 km at a quickish pace (for me that is) that should replicate my energy levels as if I had run a normal 20 km or longer run. I wanted to be stuffed but keep going. Surely this should help with long distance running. Well at 3.40 pm I was off running through Fawkner Park heading towards the Yarra River. At this time the rain started and only lasted for not more than five minutes. My session went according to plan. After the first 5 km I was well and truly warmed up and floored it, well not really sprinting but a heaps quicker pace at around 4.10 /km mark. I was surprised with my last 5 km. Initially just after the completion of the quickish 5, yeah I was stuffed, panting but shortly after I got back into my rythm and coasted home, all be it at a slower pace. All up I ran 15.88 km in a time of 1:15:30 for an average pace of 4:45 /km. Overall my maximum heart rate was 163 bpm and the average was 143 bpm. These figures alone don’t really tell the whole storey. The 5 km splits are as per the following:-

Split	Time	Pace	H/R
0-5	25:10	5:01	146 / 133
5-10	21:00	4:12	163 / 153
10-15	24:38	4:55	160 / 144
15 - 15.88	4:42	5:19	145 / 138

Further details can be found here at Motionbased.

Stats as of 3 May 2006

Today : 15.9

Prev 7 Days : 96.2

Prev 28 Days : 208.9

MTD : 39.9

YTD : 967.7

Month Avg : 193.5

Week Avg : 50.9

Total (2001) : 8708.8

Blogger Note The above table, I know, is all out of whack. Trialling different editors etc and even within Blogger.com the formatting of tables is one big pain in the a.... It's late now and I couldn't be bothered tinkering with this post any more.

An easy, slow 12 km around Hoppers

Just lately I’ve been feeling really tired during the day and today was no exception. I had, sort of planned, a hard fartlek session tonight but changed my mind later in the day to just an easy, slow, just do the k’s, type run. Tonight I decided to get home first and then hit the streets, which I did. Again it was one of my usual runs around Hoppers which incorporated the Werribee River. When I say and easy and slow run, it was an easy and slow run. All up I travelled 12.38 km (according to Mr. Garmin) in a time of 1:07:31 at a pace of 5:27 /km. Did I mention it was a slow run, quite effortless really, well some effort but ran it quite comfortably. My heart rate readings also indicate an easy run at a maximum of 141 bpm and an average at 131 bpm. The weather tonight was not an issue as it was yesterday. A coolish temperature of around 15 degrees and a little wind from the north.

Further details about this run can be found here at Motionbased.

Stats as of 2 May 2006 Today : 12.4 Prev 7 Days : 80.3 Prev 28 Days : 193.0 MTD : 24.0 YTD : 951.8 Month Avg : 190.4 Week Avg : 50.1 Total (2001) : 8692.9

I’m nearly at the 1000 km for the year mark and am expecting to crack it by the end of the week.

A wet Yarra run, really wet 11 km.

After yesterday's effort (30 km) I was really energy sapped all last night and during the afternoon today. Wasn't so much this morning as I was on the go and really didn't have time to think about it.

I had planned to get a run in today and had my bag packed and with me at work. This morning I was as keen as mustard and in the afternoon I was having second thoughts. I was considering going home first and then hitting the streets. This option, for today, was fraught with danger in that having to catch a train home (40 - 45 mins) and in my already tired state is not very conducive to eventually hitting the streets a few hours later. Even though I was tired I eventually decided, "bugger it - just go and do it". So I did.

I'd been inside all afternoon and didn't notice the weather deteriorate, if I had I probably would have cancelled the whole deal. So, I was out in Fawkner Park just off Commercial Rd doing my stretching whilst the Garmin was locking on the satelites. It pelted down and I was off passing the rugby training group. I was out now and surely the rain wasn't going to last. Well it did. For the entire run barring about 10-15 mins it was torrential. The 10 - 15 mins when it wasn't it was that misty, drizzly, I'm getting ready to bucket down again type rain.

The run was one of my now usual runs from Fawkner Park. To Anderson St, crossed the Yarra and followed it to Mac. Robertson Bridge, crossed the Yarra again and returned up Anderson St and back to Fawkner Park. The overall distance was 11.61 km (Mr. Garmin said so) for a time of 54:37 which works out to a pace of 4:42 /km. My heart rate max and avg readings were 162 / 145.

Considering I was really tired to start with I was quite happy with tonight's run. I felt strong and in no way energy sapped. I'm now starting to think this whole sense of being tired might just be in my mind.

I've check my splits using SportTracks and the 5 km splits indicate that I was getting stronger as the run progressed. The first 5 km my average pace was 4:49 /km (avg hr 141 bpm) and for the econd 5 km my average pace was 4:34 /km (avg hr 148 bpm).

I've since found out that Stu Mac spotted me running up Anderson St about 5.20 pm. Yes Stu, that was me. Apparently he was about 50 metres behind running to his plan. We should make a date and have a decent run together either around the Tan/Yarra area or back home in Hoppers.

Stats as of 1 May 2006 Today : 11.6 Prev 7 Days : 84.1 Prev 28 Days : 180.7 MTD : 11.6 YTD : 939.4 Month Avg : 187.9 Week Avg : 49.4 Total : 8680.5