Fanatics Christmas Run 2013

Distance 65.2km [total: minimalist 329.1km: Barefoot 5632.5km] Week00  year total 1548.6km

Monday, 23-Dec. 11km

Holiday at last! I still got up early as I wanted to get the shopping out of the way before the crowds built up to the levels that make you want to scream. I set of to the shops at 8am and there were quite a few there but nothing like what would be there in a few hours time.
After the shopping expedition was complete, I called around to an old neighbour who was having some shoulder problems, I had some books that would be able to help him fix the problem if he followed the instructions in them.
It was after that I headed out for a mid morning run. I'd not run earlier as the tide was in and I had the intention to run north to Semaphore but when I got to the beach and felt the wind I decided that running south would be the better option. The run went well, no aches or pains to report. I did a beach stretch to mix it up at the end. I still haven't done any speed work so far so still feel slow.

Wednesday, 25-Dec. 13.5km

It was early to bed for me on Christmas Eve, 9pm but, unfortuantely with it still being a bit light outside, warm and people moving around, sleep took a while to overtake me.
I had my alarm set to wake me at 5.15am and that seemed to go off shortly after I fell asleep. I stumbled around in the dark and grabbed my gear, shorts, t-shirt and heart rate monitor then out of the door, no breakfast as there wasn't enough time.
I drove the 5km to the shopping centre at West Lakes along dark empty roads, wondering if maybe I had the time wrong, was it 7am and not 6am.
I saw more headlights as I got closer to the shopping centre so I was ok. I parked the car and wandered down to the gathering crowd of Christmas Fanatics to look for familiar faces.
I saw David and Cathy who run with me on our monthly barefoot runs, I saw another friend Ian who had just returned from the west after one of the big Ironman contests in Bussleton.
As 6am came we all gathered to sing a Christmas carol which it was agreed was the most harmonious in quite a few years and then it was time to run. Of the 3 distances 8.5km, 13.5km and 21.1km, I decided that I would do the 13.5km this morning.
I started slowly, running along Brebner Drive with Ian chatting and catching up on news. Doing this stops me setting off too fast and lets my body get up to running pace in a controlled maner.
I did notice, before the race started that there were around 6 people wearing VFF's in the run this year, I did have a brief chat to them, non were ready to shed the shoes completely. I wonder what time they finished in.
From Brebner drive the route takes a right turn for 1km along Frederick Road, we mainly run along the concrete footpath, as this is a unofficial run there is no traffic control or distance markers.
We take another right turn at Trimmer Parade which takes us to the south end of the lake before taking another right turn into Military Road that runs along the west side of the lake.
The sun was now up above the hills and the temperature rising from its early 15C up to 22C, the air was perfectly still and the lake like a sheet of glass. The magpies were singing away in the trees with their distinctive warble and only the occasional car broke the natural sounds.
After 2km along Military Road another right turn into West Lakes Boulevard and the split point between the 8.5km and the longer runs.
The 13.5km now turns left along Bartley Terrace for a 2km distance then back along the same route.
Only at one point did I hit a patch of the very rough bitumen where I had to run in the gutter which had a steep camber, a small road bridge where the footpath disappeared.
Ian did a good job as a pacer as we started on ourt way back, he split off at the 12km point to run the 21.1km where I ran left along the Boulevard and back to the shopping centre finish. I had a bit of a race against a lady for the last kilometre and we took the same time at the finish with a time of 1:10:54 for the distance.
It would have been nice to do 5 minute kilometres but I was just outside that. It was a very enjoyable run anyway, a great way to start Christmas Day.
There were plenty of cakes and fruit at the finish line, all baked by various runners.
I waited around to meet David and Cathy as they arrived back from their run then I headed off home..... to sleep.

Friday, 27-Dec. 16km

Dragged myself out of bed at 7.30am for a pre breakfast run. It was due to be over 30C today so getting a run in early when the day is fresh would be good. I was surprised how cold the sand was this morning as I ran down the beach towards Glenelg. I felt a bit creaky today, the calves are a bit stiff from the race on Christmas day so I'd lost a bit of bounce. I chugged away along the beach until I hit the breakwater at Glenelg. I was unsure if the tide was coming in or going out as I ran down, as I made the return journery I could see it was coming in as the areas that were clear were now submerged. There were areas where the beach was covered with lots of rocky obstacles which keeps the eye-foot co-ordination sharp. I did a bit of road running for a change of surface on the way back before finishing back on the beach getting back at around 9.15am, it was a leisurely pace after all.

Sunday, 29-Dec. 8.2km

Well, I must have had a rocket underneath me today as I zoomed around knocking a few minutes off my normal time around this route. Not the fastest ever by any means but much better than the last 12 months. The weather was perfect, still, sunny and 18C. I must have been insprired watching the Bay-Sheffield races yesterday at Glenelg. One of the winners in the over 35 category was 55 years old, there is hope for me yet.
The winds of yesterday had blown themselves out, they must have been a real challenge for the longer distance runners yesterday, no records set.
After the run I did a bit of a lacklustre gym session, not really very focused I will admit. The gym was quite full as well which surprised me, I thought very few would have been there due to the holidays.

Monday, 30-Dec. 10.5km

A pre-breakfast run, I debated whether I should have some oats and fruit for breakfast then run an hour or so later but that would have meant running at 9am. I wanted to get it over with before the sun got too strong. Luckily the temperature had dropped quite low last night and it was cold under foot where the concrete was still in the shade. There were plenty of runners out today, making the best of the cool conditions.
Running before breakfast is tough, my body feels asleep, it takes a few kilometres to wake it up, my feet felt a bit slappy on the ground, lack of control. It got better though. I was starting to feel tired from the lack of food by the end of the run.

Tuesday, 31-Dec. 6km

A warm day of 35C today so an early morning run was called for. Funny thing I have found is that it is harder for me to run during holidays than while at work. That is because the routine has been broken up, I am usually forced to run in the evenings after work but during the holiday when you can choose whatever time you like, the urgency drifts away.
I didn't feel up to putting a long run in today, in fact I had planned just to swim today but, as it was the last day of the year an easy slow run to wind down would be good. It actually didn't feel as good as I hoped though, the slow run made me feel tired, maybe a sprint would have been better. After the run I braved the sea, it felt cold but probably wasn't. I slowly acclimatised to the water temperature and had a swim around for a 30 minutes. I wouldn't stay out too long as the sun would be fierce after 10am and I had no sunblock to protect me. I headed home at 9.45am into the cool and dark waiting for the sun to set. That sounds like some kind of vampire.

Yearly Totals

Total kilometres run in 2013           1548.6km   (962 miles)

Neil