Two runs in one day.

I suppose the title could be a little misleading. I actually ran to the fire station from home yesterday, stayed for about two hours than ran home. Not technicaly two runs, but it felt like it to me.

My brigade is 4.1km from home. I can stretch that out to 5.5km with a detour as I did on Sunday morning. I had planned on a 8km forward journey, but I had to be there by 9:30am and had left it a little late. From my place you follow a main road. The footpath surface changes from concrete, to red sand and then back to concrete. Around 3km you have a short up hill section followed by a steep down hill. That levels out flat till I arrive in the fire station. My forward journey took me 27:46 minutes.

With our brigade the members are divided up into four duty crews. The four crews take turns each week to clean the station, perform weekly truck checks or any other equipment checks as required. This Sunday was my crews turn. On arrival I did some stretches and started to cool down. When my sweating had slowed down a little I preceded to clean the floors. We can park three trucks and the ute in station so I got a good arm workout sweeping and mopping the vinyl tiled floor.

My sanity usually gets questioned when I run to the station. We are all volunteers at Narre Warren and sadly, compared to our career firefighter colleges, our fitness is treated rather lightly. When I show up all red faced, puffing and sweating profusely I tend to get a bit of a ribbing. It is all in good humor and I can dish out a sh*t stir as good as the next person.

After all the duties have been completed, I politely refuse all the offers of a lift, and head off for home. After 2km's on the flat the steep down hill turns into a steep, long, uphill!! I puff away and run on, really feeling the burn in my legs and determined not to walk. I am pretty pleased when I get home to find that I have shaved 20 seconds of my forward time, getting back in 27:28.

I bought my first copy of Run For Your Life the other day and was impressed with the running magazine. Even for a relative newbie like me I found it interesting reading. In particular the Pat Carroll running group article. I wish they where in Melbourne. Reading about the Deeks and the '82 Commonwealth Games Marathon left me inspired.

Finally raining

Well the rains has come to Victoria yesterday and today. I travelled to Moondarra last night with my Strike Team but but after arriving there, and getting our trucks ready, we were told that the local fire trails had become too wet and access was unavailable.

I had the chance to take some photos. Below is assembling at Pakenham Fire Station waiting for our bus.


A couple of pictures of CFA crews and trucks at the Staging Area, Newborough Football Oval.



The truck and crew I was to be rostered with. I am on the left.



After taking our pics and having something to eat we were all sent home again. The deployement that was scheduled for tonight has also been cancelled and the fire crisis in Victoria can rest easy till it starts to warm up again.

A cool, night time run.

I had been planning on a night run for a long time. I work all afternoon shifts and don't often get home from work till after 12am. With the high temperatures Friday, a cool change and the need to have a late night (will explain later), Oscar and I set off for our inaugural after midnight run.

It was 1am, still a little humid with the irregular flash of a far off thunderstorm. Felt very good to be running in the occasional light shower and we where setting a fine pace. When we first left home I was originally planning on a 6.1km run. But when we got to the junction of our 6.1 and 11km trails, I decided on turning left and doing the longer one. I normally let Oscar off the lead here but I thought I would leave him on. Just in case any strange dogs ran out of the shadows I wanted to be in control of the situation.

At the wetlands I was ahead of my normal time. Said g'day to some kids who were sitting on the bridge doing God knows what then turned right heading for home.

On the sandy path following the main road the sky's finally opened up. I don't think Oscar was too impressed about running in the rain but I was loving it. I had read before on Coolrunning about others experience with running in the rain and I was keen to try it. I got absolutely soaked. My cotton singlet was sopping wet and heavy so I took it off and went topless for the last couple of k's. Me with my shirt off and running is not a good look but it was nearly 2am and it felt so cool.!

Time was a bit off my PB , 11km in 56:50 minutes. I don't know exactly where I lost time. Somewhere in the last 5km I think.

I am out with the CFA for two nightshifts tonight and tomorrow. Heading out to the Moondarra Fire Complex with a composite crew from Narre Warren and Officer brigades. We have to assemble at Pakenham at 5:30pm then bus to Moondarra about 1 hour away. After the shifts end we will be bussed back home. This is unusual for Strike Team duty. Normally you get rested in motels but with this fire only an hour and a half away it is easier to send crews home to rest.

I am taking the camera tonight. Will try and update with pictures later.

Happy Australia Day

I hope all are enjoying Australia Day. You should be out and about enjoying the various communities activities. For the Coolrunners who read this I have noticed a few races happening around the country. Good luck in your events.

In Victoria it is way too hot to run. We are expecting another warm day of 38 degrees forecasted. I will be hanging around the house trying to keep cool then head off to work this evening.

Oscar and I ran our regular run yesterday morning. It had been a few days since our last run and it was good to stretch the legs. 11km completed in 54:17.

It was with great sadness to hear of a firefighter dying in a tragic accident in the Yea area after I left on Monday. Campbell’s Creek captain Trevor Day was killed when the Tanker he was on rolled over in the Highlands, north of Yea. Knowing how close knit a brigade can be I can't imagine the impact that tradegy would have on the members. My condalances go to the Campbell's Creek CFA and Captain Days family.

A trip to Yea

I had planned to go for a run last night when the cool change came in. It cooled down quite a lot and felt very pleasant outside about 10pm but I had voluntered for a Fire Brigade errand early this morning.

Seven vehicles from the local area (6 trucks and 1 four-wheel drive) had been sent urgently to Yea yesterday for a fire. The crews on the trucks had been working all night and were in no condition to drive home today. Six other truck drivers and myself met at Dandenong Fire Station this morning at 5:30am for a two hour bus trip to Yea to bring the vehicles home.

I usually work afternoon shifts so was not used to such a early start. I tried to catch some sleep on the bus but the movement wasn't working for me. As we got closer to Yea we noticed a lot of the grasslands near the road had been burnt out. There was places where the fire had gotten very close to houses and we could see where the fire had jumped the Melba Hwy. We arrived at a busy staging area at the Yea Football Oval at approximately 7:00am.

From there we had some breakfast put on by the local Red Cross and waited for our trucks to come in off the fire line.

I always find Staging Areas interesting. You see firefighters and trucks from near and a far, some from places I have never heard of. The crews that were coming in from the night shift looked very tired and dirty. I was told that they had a very busy night.

Our trucks came in around 9am. The night shift crews went for breakfast before getting on their bus. We had a quick look over the trucks before setting off for home.

We tried to stick together for the trip home but keeping seven vehicles in convoy formation is no easy trick. Especially once we hit surburbia with traffic lights and road works it was nearly impossible.

The crew bus beat us back to Dandenong at around 11am. We where shortly behind them. I had Carrum Downs tanker which is pictured here below.

I am back home now. No time at all for a run as I have to go to work tonight. Maybe after work or in the morning for sure.

Hot!

It is 10am and my outside thermomenter reckons it is 38 degrees. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecasted a top of 42 degrees. Hopefully a change will come in tonight and I will get my first night run.

There is a strong northerly blowing and I told my Captain last night that I will be available for the Fire Brigade today. That means I will have to stay locally in the area. The neighbors have air conditoning and I think we will be going over there to play Texas Hold Em'.

Stay cool all.

Lysterfield Lake run

I was planning to go to Lysterfield Lake tomorrow but with the expected forecast of 41 degrees I decided to step it up to today.

I drove to the park early without Oscar (dogs are not allowed) and arrived about 10 minutes before the gates opened at 8:30am. I parked the car and packed some stuff into a small bum bag, phone, I.D, water and car keys. Perusing a map I planned on starting on the Lake Circuit Trail which was 6.25km back to the car. Then maybe the Homestead trial at 6.8km depending on how I was feeling.

There was a lot of other runners and bike riders about. I set off well crossing the dam wall then hitting a hill straight up. It felt like a steep climb but I managed to plod along reach a flat then following it too the right. I stopped to take a picture of a kangaroo, something I don't normally

see on my runs, then continued with uplifted spirits.

I returned to the car in 37 minutes or so (stuffed up pressing stop on my watch). The sun was starting to get a bit of a kick to it so I decided to give the Homestead Trial run for another day.

There was a few guys in the car park who after going for a run where donning their wetsuits. I figure they must be training for triathlons. I must admit this has sparked my interest.

Not quiet the 1 and a half hours running that I planned on but I will make up for it when it is a bit cooler.

How hot did they say?!?

Oscar and I went on our 11km run yesterday morning. Except for a personal best of 54:38 it was fairly uneventful. Maybe the speed work helped with the PB?

Following Steve Moneghetti's training plan I was planning on going for a slow, long run at Lysterfield Lake on Sunday. But we now have a forecasted top of 41 degrees expected for that day. I can't see myself running in that kind of heat. I may have to swap rest day from Monday to Sunday and leave my long run for Monday morning. Hopefully the weather forecaster is full of BS and has it all wrong.

Speed work

Steve Moneghetti writes a weekly column on the Run for the Kids website about training for this event. This week he wrote about introducing speed work into the regular routine. I figure if Mona is going to give advice about running it must be good.

I set out yesterday morning to the local footy oval. I worked out a 2km path to jog there for a warm up and get to the oval all ready to run. It was still before 8am and there was all ready a couple of people there walking laps. I planned on sprinting half the circumference of the oval then jog the other half. After doing a lap of that I brought my expectations down to doing quarter sprints, quarter jog. I thought after doing regular 10km runs I would be getting fitter but after 2 laps I was huffing, puffing and pretty exhausted. I completed another 2 laps then headed the 2km home at a slow pace trying to recover. I estimated I ran 5.5km in 27:09.

I can see I need improvement in this area and I did enjoy the change to the routine. I plan on using Tuesday mornings when practical for speed training with the view to doing an extra lap a week.

Just another 11kms

Oscar and I got back to our regular 11km track yesterday. We completed it in 56:22. We were worn out when we finished but I ran all the way, It has been a week or so since I have completed that distance. It was good to get back to regular form.

Just got home from a BBQ lunch and swim with the family. We went out to Lysterfield Lake which is only about 15 minutes away from home. Looks really nice and has a few walking tracks of varying distance's. I am planning to go back for a run and explore. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed so Oscar will have to sit that one out.

Feels so good to run

Oscar and I just got home from a quick 6.1km run through the estate. It took us 31:11 minutes and it felt like it was a cracking pace. I bought some new shorts today and for the first time this week we managed a run with no problems woohoo.

As I mentioned earlier I have just gone twelve months off the smokes. In the first few weeks after giving up I stacked on about seven kilos to get me to my heaviest ever of 115 kilos! I have always been a large build but seeing 115 on the scales really freaked me out. From then on I have started exercising heaps more and trying to watch what I eat.
The exercise has been easy but being careful of what I eat has been a lot harder.
I am currently at 101 kilo and would like to loose another 15. I don't think it will happen with running alone and eventually I will have to look seriously at my diet.

Narre Warren Service Ute & Narre Warren Catering in action. 

A few disheartening runs.

I have tried a few runs lately. They didn't really work for different reasons. I'm currently having a couple of days rest then will go out again on Friday.

SUNDAY 8th of JANUARY

Normally I do my running in the morning but being a hot day today I left it till after dinner. The wife and I had a BBQ and Oscar and I set off for a short 5km soon after.
I think I had one too many hamburgers because I came down with a bad stitch and upset stomach about 1500 meters into our run.
We finished off the 5km with a combination of running and walking in 34:26 minutes. A bit disappointing and I promise to make it up Monday.

I was lying in bed that night almost asleep when my pager goes off with a fire call. It is a page for catering required at a factory fire in Dandenong, a neighboring suburb. In my brigade, Narre Warren, we have a specialist catering/lighting truck. We provide food and refreshments at most of the large, ongoing incidents in the area. It is something different to our normal duties and it is a good way to get an invite to all the big jobs. I turned out for the call and ended up spending around 4 hours that night feeding firefighters. It was a healthy diet of hamburgers, sausages and bananas (bananas raw and not BBQed). We were set up away from the fire and didn't get to see any flames although there was a lot of smoke.
I have a poor quality picture taken with my camera phone of our Catering Unit and Service Ute all set up above.

MONDAY 9th of JANUARY

When I run I wear bike shorts under running shorts to stop my fat thighs from rubbing together. My current bike shorts are worn and need replacing so I decided to give them a miss and go running shorts only. At around 3km I started to regret that decision as the chaffing became unbearable.
I continued on home mixing up the running and walking. I ended up completing around 7km in 59:30 minutes.
To say I am disappointed with those two attempts is an understatement. I am planning to buy some more shorts on Thursday and put in a better effort for the end of the week.
Please don't do an update on Coolrunnings Team i till then :-)

Profile pic

I have shown a few friends outside of Coolrunning my Blog and they suggested that I update the picture.

So after much stuffing around and heartache (bloody computer) I grabbed this one off a video file. It is of me after completing the 10km Olympic Dream in 2005. I had just finished explaining to my wife how I wasn't the first to finish (woohoo Steve Moneghetti) but I certainly wasn't the last!

Me 

You start to walk...

FRIDAY 6th of JANUARY

Oscar and I went on a run this morning. It was over a different route that has a few more hills and a mostly concrete surface. It is 10.8km long but involves doubling back (which I hate) and did I mention the hills?!?
Well we set off ok. It wasn't overly warm but there was full sunlight and I was feeling hot. We plodded on till around the 7km mark, where we have to turn around and back track, when I started walking. It may be more psycholigical than physical but when I start to walk I find that is the end of me. I tend to run a little then the walking takes over. I noticed Oscar was limping slightly so that gave me more of a reason to walk.
When I run I don't carry water with me. I tend to just drink a litre of water when I get home. This day though I found myself so very thirsty. I was checking out houses with taps near the street even against my earlier protest contemplating where I was going to "borrow" some water. I ended up finding an outside tap at a swimming centre and Oscar and I had a drink there. I have noticed that generally I don't drink a lot of water day to day and I think that when I run in warmer weather I could be making myself dehydrated. Leading to me giving up easier when it is hot. I have started a water drinking regime and it feels like my bladder is always full haha.

Oscar's sore foot.

I went for a run this morning. It was over a different route than normal and according to my time of 1:05:37 it should have been about 12km. There was a few larger hills than I am used to and that may have slowed down my pace a little. I will check the distance in the car later.

When Oscar was born his mother accidentally nipped off one of his toes. According to the Vet this is a common occurrence when the Mum tries to break open the sack to free the pup. This has left Oscar with three toes and a stump on his front left paw (see picture below). It normally doesn't bother him especially for a run or to chase a ball around but he will favour it when he wants something or when he is in trouble (refer other pic). Well after we did our two runs in two days Oscar has pulled up a little sore. My wife noticed he was favouring it more than normal, and his stump is a little red, so he is getting a rest for a few days.

I wonder if Asic make Kayano's for dogs??

Oscar's Missing toe. 

Poor Oscar 

Happy Anniversary

January 3rd 2006. It has been twelve months since I gave up smoking. This time was actually the second attempt after a 3 month stint early 2004. I have been determined this time though an am very proud of my achievement. I encourage all that have made it a NYE resolution to keep it up.

No running today as I had to do Fire Brigade stuff this morning and work tonight.

Happy New Year

I worked NYE till 1:30am. After the temp in Melbourne reached 43 degrees I thought I would be in for a interesting night. Luckily for me it was pretty uneventful. Fireworks in Melbourne looked cool. I seen some poor unfortunate soul getting drag of my train covered in vomit and looking a little uncouncious. He didn't quiet make it to midnight. Police and Paramedics where there fairly quickly and he did wake up when they where strapping him to the stretcher. After work I joined my friends and family at a party. As I wasn't drinking I drove the missus and kids home about 4am.

SUNDAY 1st of JANURARY 2006

My wife had left her car at the friends place over night. I put on my new Kayano's (so excited) and Oscar and I set off. It was about 26 degrees and overcast. I did a good pace and arrived at our friends place 6 km away in 32:30 minutes. Stayed for a little while whilst I cooled off and Oscar played with his doggy buddy there. My friends still comment on how mad I must be but I think I have inspired their 21 year old son. He is a little overweight and was asking a few questions about running.

I downloaded a excel running log from www.thinnmann.com . It looks pretty cool so I plan on filling it out this year to map my progress. I had a play with this file in the afternnoon.

MONDAY 2nd of JANURARY 2006

I wanted to make an entry in my running log so we went for a run this morning. I am planning on running in the 14.8km Run for the Kids on April 9th. I have to push my distance up from the usual 10km so I did a extra 1k today. 11 kilometers in 56:23 minutes this morning I am happy with that. Oscar was also happy with two runs in two days.