Still kicking.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

4 runs last week. Two regular runs, two tempo runs. Loving it, but not terribly exciting to write about.

Weather cool, with some nice sunny days. Natives restless. Send supplies.

[stillwaddler]

sounds a bit like my week MLCM...first time in ages my weekly mileage went into double figures, enjoying it too.

[Bierzo Baggie]

4 runs in one week is good going. I'm heading in the same direction this week....for the first time in ages too

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Still managing 3 or 4 runs per week, and just starting to think about ramping it up to something significant (they're all shorties thus far) as the race deadline approaches. Runs have been difficult, as late winter here has seen a barrage of disease (aka swine flu) which I've done my best to avoid, but I have been less than 100%, so it's been difficult endurance-wise. Still, I'm feeling good just now and with a week in Adelaide from this Tuesday I'll be able to frequent some of my old-time fave runs, which will be nice.

Not so nice is Australia battling in the cricket (2/90 as I type, but with Ponting and Hussey at the crease I'm expecting a miracle) and losing to the dreaded foe New Zealand in the Rugby, things do not look so good.

I am inspired though by the amazing Usain Bolt... Wow! I mean, WOW!

Gotta love this running game.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Hmm, seems rather unrowdy here at the moment.

My running goes well, despite a difficult week in Adelaide, where strenuous physical labour (leaving me sore and achey) and lousy, lousy weather put paid to my running plans. However I'm back in Sydney now and a testing little 9km run safely negotiated, so all's well for my race in 18 days time.

I say "safely negotiated", but for some reason (probably lack of training, duh) I was really struggling at the half way mark. Still, I struggled through that section and finished quite strongly, so I'm marking it down as a good run.

I was going to give my track du jour award to William Shatner's remarkable rendition of Pulp's Common People but in the end had to give it to Bluejuice's remarkable Vitriol with its simple but awesomely powerful chorus for a tiring runner:
[INDENT]Good luck and dont dare give up
give it a little bit of vitriol!
hey!
and if its really gonna cut you up
give it a little bit of vitriol!
hey!
[/INDENT]...watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldBhDmvWFXE

[marathondan]

So, sounds like you're heading for the race in decent shape?

Looking forward to it? Or to busy to think about it?

Let us know how the final buildup goes. Things are, as you say, a little quiet around here. But I suspect that with the first rustlings / splashings of September (it's pouring down here, as I type) a few of the Northern hemispherers will start to emerge from our summer hibernation...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

So, sounds like you're heading for the race in decent shape? Looking forward to it? Or to busy to think about it?

I am looking forward to it Dan, and mainly because I'm in reasonable shape for the race without having killed myself in the process. Today I went for a 10km kayak paddle and followed that up with a gentle 10km plod, both of which went smoothly (except for a mild bout of ankle blisters caused by poor shoe/sock matching on my part), so yes, I'm in good shape for the race. Not sure if a pb is on the books, but to be honest I don't really care that much. It'll be fun regardless of time, which is what it's all about.

So yep, all's well in the MLCM camp at the mo.

[marathondan]

How long does a 10K paddle take you? Is it high intensity? Sounds like quite a long way. Then again, I guess the rate of progress is faster than running.

I've always fancied it, myself. Maybe next summer...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

How long does a 10K paddle take you? Is it high intensity? Sounds like quite a long way. Then again, I guess the rate of progress is faster than running.

I've always fancied it, myself. Maybe next summer...

Well no it's a lot slower than running because I'm in a touring kayak rather than a racing one, and because I tend to cruise around enjoying the scenery! I just go out to enjoy it, really, with the aerobic work-out being a bonus. According to my Garmin, the 10km took me 1h20m, which is somewhat slower than the 10km run, and also a lot slower than a serious kayaker would do of course.

If you have a half a mind to give it a go, and have some suitable water nearby, do so - it really is tremendous fun and great for upper body strength. If you stick to a touring kayak you won't have too much trouble: racing kayaks whilst fast, are very prone to tipping over of course. TKs are slower but far more stable.

I have no idea what the water temperatures would be like in your part of the world, but I generally stick to the upper reaches of rivers where the water is shallow and therefore warm (relatively). You also don't get bothered by large water craft. And the scenery is nicer!

Go for it!

[glaconman]

I bought a kayak once but it was a sports version and, like you say MLCM, it was very twitchy. When I wasn't rolling into the water I was generally going around in circles. I only took it on large flat water where it's difficult to judge distances. Not a great experience. I ended up selling it.

I would like to give it another go as soon as my lad is a confident swimmer. This time I'm thinking a big open canoe would be the ticket. Something with room for a my lunch and the banjo.

To you have any experience with the inflatable canoes? I'm guessing, apart from the convenience of an inflatable, that a wooden canoe is the preferred option.

[El Gordo]

I'll join the kayak/canoe club. When I was a kid, I read a book about canoeing (for some unknown reason), and have wanted to do it ever since.

I've managed it only once, in France, during a carefree fortnight in the mid-80s. We'd been grape-picking (or was that another trip...?). Anyway, we were broke, and spent some time hitch-hiking round the south. We ended up mooching around the Rhone valley for a while. Can't recall how but we found ourselves at a small village on the Ardeche which flows into the Rhone I think. And here they were offering canoe hire so we took off for a day. It was idyllic. Very much tourism rather than sporty stuff. The river was perfectly still and wound for miles through a mountainous area with huge cliff either side. Totally still and silent, apart from the sound of the paddles in the water.

Would love to do that again. M, unfortunately, isn't keen on 'activity' holidays.

[marathondan]

Would love to do that again. M, unfortunately, isn't keen on 'activity' holidays.

Looks like it's the Kennet & Avon for you then!

[El Gordo]

Would love to do that again. M, unfortunately, isn't keen on 'activity' holidays.

Looks like it's the Kennet & Avon for you then!

You don't know how right you are....

[marathondan]

Here's something for you to set your sights on next year, EG.

[Seafront Plodder]

I generally stick to the upper reaches of rivers where the water is shallow and therefore warm (relatively). You also don't get bothered by large water craft. And the scenery is nicer!

Go for it!

....where the tidal flow means you don't actually have to paddle eh?

I have a river like that round here. When the tide is right you can start at the sea, sit in your kayak and just steer a bit, and be taken to the best pub in the northern hemisphere... http://www.thegeorge-alfriston.com/

Some pints later (whilst waiting for the tide to change), you wobble back down to the coast whilst trying to avoid the banks which have a habit of jumping out at you.

Great fun!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

....where the tidal flow means you don't actually have to paddle eh?

I've been rumbled!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

...This time I'm thinking a big open canoe would be the ticket. Something with room for my lunch and the banjo.

Do you have any experience with the inflatable canoes? I'm guessing, apart from the convenience of an inflatable, that a wooden canoe is the preferred option.

All I know about inflatables is that they are very slow. If that isn't an issue for you, then I guess there's no problem with them.

Wooden canoes are very heavy. If you actually want to get the thing in and out of the water, you're probably better off with fibreglass, kevlar or carbon fibre, which are much more common these days anyhow.

Possibly the biggest problem with kayaks (as opposed to canoes) is that it's harder to find one that's just right for you. Seat type and position is a very individual thing, and if you don't get it right, you're going to quickly get fed up with the thing and not use it. Some kayak stores give you a "try before you buy" option which is pretty important I think. I was lucky in having some really keen kayakers/canoeists in the family, so I was able to try a few different kayaks until I found the best one for me. If I was buying from scratch, I'm not sure how I'd go about it, as it really is important to try it out before handing over the readies. Is it comfortable; does it have a compartment for the ice and beer; will it take the banjo readily etc.

Worth the effort though!

[glaconman]

All I know about inflatables is that they are very slow. If that isn't an issue for you, then I guess there's no problem with them.

Wooden canoes are very heavy. If you actually want to get the thing in and out of the water, you're probably better off with fibreglass, kevlar or carbon fibre, which are much more common these days anyhow.

Thanks for the advise mlcm. I only have a small hatchback; not something that would be suitable for a big canoe on-top although I might squeeze an inflatable in the back.

Maybe it's time I put my masterplan into action and bought that old Landy I've always hankered after. It's just a question of persauding Mrs G. Perhaps if I pretend I'm after a rusty old sports car she'll be relieved when I settle for the Land Rover.