New Year's Resolutions

It's the last day of 2011 and about 35C outside, so today I've decided to stay inside, try to stay as cool as possible, and work out what goals I should set for next year. Most of these are to do with running, but I'll get some others out the way quickly.

1. Play more chess and push my rating towards 2300. This is what I need to become an FM titled player. I have about 140 points to rise, but at this level that is very hard. I will have to up my game, which means putting some work in :(

2. More coffee!! My best coffee of 2011 was probably at St Ali's in South Melbourne. Unfortunately, St Ali's is always packed and the service is always stretched (don't get me wrong, they're really good in there, just always rushed off their feet). So I'm on the search for more good coffee places, and I'll no doubt hit some bad ones around the place.

3. Running. So here it is. What are my goals for the New Year? Well first, as far as this blog is concerned, I'm not going to post about every running session. I've decided to break my training into 10 day blocks and I'll blog about my sessions rather than each individual workout.

The sessions will consist of 3 long runs, 2 of 10km and one longer. There will also be interval training, speed and strength training as well. OMG, this sounds serious! Actually, it is pretty much the same as what I'm doing now except each run is targeted at improvement, even if only a small bit.

And the reason for this is that I don't want to make a complete idiot of myself when I enter some runs this year, which I am going to do!

Puffing Billy Run: I became aware of this after joining an Australian Runners Forum, CoolRunning, and the more I think of it, the more it appeals to me. So I am going to work towards running this race which is about 13.2km and I'll be happy to complete it in anything under 80 minutes which is roughly 6 minutes per kilometre. It's on 6th May so I have 4 months to prepare for it and as I'm already running 10km, I should be able to handle it....I hope!

De Castella Run: this is one I saw a flyer for in 2011. Unfortunately, it was about 3 days before the race was due to take place. The Rob de Castella run is a 15km run for a cause which is quite important to me, mental health research. My wife has been a mental health nurse for about 15 years so this seems an appropriate run to aim for. The de Castella run is on 26th August, so there is plenty of time between Puffing Billy and this one for me to train and try to improve more!

The big goal for 2012 is to push my running out to 20km. Then I will consider a half marathon for 2013, and maybe even take on the marathon distance in the future.

Melbourne Cafe Culture

It has been my absolute pleasure to have a week off work with my wife, Caroline, this week. We have spent Christmas with our great friends. chilled out, and trawled around a few of Melbourne's fantastic cafe's. Coming originally from England, it is a big surprise to find the European style cafe culture on the other side of the globe in an English speaking country. But for those of us who loved travelling across the English Channel, and equally loved the European cafe culture, Melbourne is very appealing, from this perspective.

Dundas Place Cafe

Open frontage at the Dundas Place Cafe

For us it is a short drive to the bay where we can easily choose to spend time anywhere from Port Melbourne to Black Rock (in fact we've walked from Brighton to Port Melbourne, about 10km). A couple of days ago we had breakfast in Albert Park Village at the Dundas Place Cafe. Albert Park Village is a beautifully located place, with loads of cafe's and restaurants walking distance from the bay, and from Albert Park. As a long black drinker, I really enjoyed the coffee which was full bodied and yet smooth of flavour, and although it was strong, there wasn't a bitterness about it. For breakfast I had porridge (yes, it was fairly cold in Melbourne that morning, only about 15C) and it was the best I've had in Melbourne, made with almonds and butterscotch banana. Caroline and I have been here before, and there's always plenty to choose from, the staff are always friendly without being in your face, and to beat everything, the quality is great at cafe prices!

Being close to many places, the only difficulty after having breakfast in Albert Park Village is choosing what to do next! We went to Port Melbourne and walked around Beacon Cove where the Dawn Princess Cruise Ship was berthed. For those interested in cruise ships, there's a schedule for Port Melbourne, the highlights being the QE2 in February and Queen Mary in early March, while for those who want to watch decadent luxury, The World comes to Port Melbourne on February 20th.

Beacon Cove: Caroline with the Dawn Princess in the background.

Brunetti's

Plenty of outdoor seating at Brunetti's in Carlton

It may be one of the most touristy places in Melbourne, but Caroline and I love hanging out in Lygon Street once in a while. Today we spent a bit of time there, and had a coffee in the legendary Brunetti's. The first thing that hits you as you walk in the door is the cakes! There are hundreds of cakes, pastries and biscuits, and they are all calling out to you and saying choose me. Brunetti's has 2 full counters of sweet things, and a savoury counter as well (and I'm not talking about a couple of feet long with a few slices!). I couldn't resist an almond tart and Caroline had a pesche (peach shaped pastry filled with custard). The coffee was smooth, but for me not as full bodied as it could be. Brunetti's is huge with loads of seating inside and outside and again a very relaxed atmosphere, typical of little Italy!

Brunetti's is not the place for those on a diet!

Running Diary Boxing Day 2011

I now know that running on a stomach full of Christmas goodies is not the best thing to do, but it certainly helps to keep trim. On Christmas Eve, I did a 10km run. I had learnt from the run before to wait until a little later and when I went out it was pretty warm, but nowhere near as hot as in the middle of the afternoon. I was able to run my 10km (actually I did just over 7km, stopped for a drink and then finished the final 3km) at a reasonable pace of less than an hour, and didn't fade towards the end. I also started very conservatively and then speeded up a bit after 2km to run at a pace I felt pretty comfortable at.

A hazy, warm evening overlooking the bay at my 7.5km drinking stop.

Although it was hot, I paced myself and managed to run the distance comfortably. I now want to run the distance a little quicker. I have set myself a target of 55 minutes for 10km, and I also have decided that I should try to run further so I am going to try to move up to 15km. This, however, will not be an overnight thing, and if it takes me 6 months to get to 15km, then so be it.

Today, I was feeling rather stuffed after overindulging in the Christmas spirit yesterday. A combination of too much rich food, and beer and spirits made me feel pretty yuck today. But it didn't stop me from going out to run, though I was careful to listen to what my body suggested. In fact, almost as soon as I left my house, I just felt like opening up and going quite quickly, so it was soon decided that I was going for a short, sharp ride. The conditions weren't bad at about 18C, though it was quite windy. I got into a rhythm at a faster pace than I'm used to and ran about 5.5km. My slowest kilometre was 5.36, which is pretty good for me and my overall time for the 5km was 25 minutes, 56 seconds. I have a target of 25 minutes for 5km which I'm not really training towards at the moment as I'm going for longer distance stuff, but runs like this are quite encouraging. If nothing else, it shows that the longer distance workouts are helping me keep a decent pace for longer times now.

Running Diary 22/12/2011

Hazy day by the bay today.

Actually, 'running' diary is stretching things a bit today! It has been very warm today, and I went out to run earlier than I should have, at about 5.00pm not waiting for the day to cool down. This proved to be a mistake. I was planning on running 10km today, but struggled to loosen up in the first kilometre. After 5km I decided to have a break. I was very hot, and puffing badly so I walked for maybe 200-300 metres, before trying to run again. This time I managed a bit under 3km before my legs told me that was enough for the day. It left me with about a kilometre to walk home. This is a bit longer than I usually leave myself, but I feel pretty good now, so it wasn't a bad thing.

I know the dangers of hot weather running, but didn't fully prepare for this run and chose a bad time to go out. Even now, the temperature is about 27C outside so it hasn't cooled down much from the top temp of 27.6C. All this can be checked out on the excellent weather site, BOM. But really, you only need to look outside, and step out the door to know if it's going to be painful training.

You don't need the weatherman to tell you it's hot!

Running Diary 20/12/2011

I felt tired before running today. I didn't sleep well last night. So I decided to take it easy and run as far as my body would allow. Actually, the run kind of energised me, and soon into it, I felt pretty good. In the end I ran just short of 9km and was running quicker at the end than at the start. The conditions were better for running as it was only about 18-20C when I went out. There was a bit of breeze but that didn't really bother me too much, and it wasn't coming off the sea towards me so my bayside part of the run was really good.

I have also recently got some running gear. I now have shorts and shirts made to keep me cooler during my workouts. To be honest I don't really understand the technology and am happy just to go with the flow. But what I do know is that if I sweat less, I will be able to run more efficiently as I will not be heating up so much. Actually, the choice of clothing and the technology used is pretty amazing!

A great motivator is having other people training with you, or around you. Recently my wife has started cycling, and is rapidly increasing her speed and distances. We now spur each other on and support each other. Having a training partner, or a person who can act as your conscience when you don't feel like training is an excellent motivator. It works both ways. Today it was Caroline's birthday (Happy Birthday Darling!) and after work she was quite tired. However, when she saw me come in from work and get ready to run, she perked up and got herself ready to cycle!

My beautiful wife, Caroline, is also getting fit!

Running Diary 18/12/2011

Today, I decided it was time to try to put into practice some of the things I've been looking at. My main focus today was on my breathing and my upper body tension. I ran a bit under 6km, and at the end of it I felt completely exhausted, worse than if I'd run 10km. The effort it took to correct my posture and regulate my breathing was more than I could cope with. I now have to ask myself whether I am to continue trying to correct my faults or just to run naturally. I guess I will have to alter my running style as it was causing me pain. The good thing about today's run was that I felt virtually no tension through my arms or shoulders. I was running loose and felt pretty good at the end of it.

So I wonder how long it will take for me to be able to 'run tall' and still get the results I was getting through my natural style? I will continue this experiment and see where it takes me. I'm rationalising it by comparing it to golf. Most players get to a certain level with their natural style, but to get better they often have to unlearn some things and relearn a new style. Perhaps the same could be true for running. I have no intention of ever racing, but I don't enjoy pain that can be avoided, so I feel that changing my style to help me achieve more comfort through my workouts must be good.

Another alternative that I'm seriously considering is to start yoga and upper body strength exercises. I'm not talking weights, but more balance type exercises, and stretching. Again, a simple search on line can bring up a number of workouts and exercise plans. I might get on the wii and follow the yoga exercises, and some of the balance games. This could be a good workout during my non running days.

Running Diary 16/12/2011

Another hot evening run, but this time I ended up with a bit of a headache probably from dehydration. It was about 27C when I was running, and I went a little below my usual pace for just over 8km. This is a good workout for me, but might have been pushing it in the conditions.

I am actually writing this the day after the run, and I can say that I am completely recovered now. My legs feel great, my head is clear, but my shoulders ache a little. I have been taking the strain from my runs on my arms and shoulders, and their is some residual aching. So now I am feeling more comfortable with my breathing, and my muscles are coping and recovering well, I need to find some technique to avoid this tension. Funnily enough, whenever I think of one of these things, I check it out online and it has been dealt with before. This is pretty comforting and also extremely helpful to new runners as we can draw on the experiences of those who have gone through these things themselves. To avoid the slack, I'm going to try to 'run tall', as advised by head coach of UCLA track and cross country, Bob Larsen.

I had another groan moment, as I was approaching exactly the same point in my run where there had been a police road block before.

More flashing lights cross my path on a run.

This time I saw flashing lights again, and dreaded the detour which would make me run further than I had to. In fact the lights this time were from a fire engine, but I don't think it was an emergency as there wasn't much activity. This means that I've had police, an ambulance, and a fire engine all with their lights on cross my running path over the past 2 weeks. Hopefully these things will come in threes, and the sleepy suburbs I run through will revert back to normality.

Apple Coleslaw

My lifestyle lends itself to grabbing coffees and snacks from cafes around Melbourne. The diversity is amazing, and after a while I've found places I like to go to regularly. That doesn't stop me trying new places out, and I've not been too disappointed very often. It seems that the quality of food and drink is generally quite good, at least at the affordable level where I'm looking at going. Today I went to my local cafe Rocleys, in Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick.

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I was in there for an early lunch today, and saw some coleslaw. Coleslaw might be simple but it's my favourite salad, so I had a chicken pie (the pastry on both sweets and savouries are to die for) and some coleslaw. The coleslaw had apple in it, and it really freshened the salad up. I'd never seen that before. I'd seen coleslaw with sultanas in, or various types of dried fruit, but never apple. I'm going to try it myself, and have seen loads of recipes on the internet.

I have to say that the most mouth watering one I've seen so far has been on this blog.

Running Diary 15/12/2011

I woke up this morning and got myself ready for an early run. Actually, I forced myself out this morning, as last night I had got home later than expected and felt exhausted, so I opted out of the scheduled run. It has been a beautiful morning, so it really wasn't difficult to get myself going.

A run of 2 halves

The first part of the run went at a decent pace. I ran a steady 3km to the bay, stopped to take a photo and then started back again. But at one of the main roads I have to cross, I was waiting for the lights to change and a woman on a bike rode into the back of a stationary car. There was quite a bit of blood, and the woman was pretty badly shaken (didn't seem to have any broken bones), so I waited with here, as did a few other people until an ambulance came. They made sure her her head and neck were secure before taking her off to hospital, and I gave a statement to the police, though to be honest I didn't really see that much.

After this, I still had about 2.5km to run home, but my heart wasn't really in it. I lost focus and basically jogged back. It was still an ok workout. I hope the woman is ok, and just remind all my cyclist friends to be careful when they're on the roads. This woman was wearing a helmet and there was still quite a bit of blood around her head.

Glorious Port Phillip Bay on a sunny, blue morning.

Running Diary 12/12/2011

I have had a few days off from running due to a weekend working away in Tasmania so felt I should go for a decent length run today. For me, that is about 10km now, which has taken me a while to get to. You can see some earlier posts concerning running on my old blog.

The weather was good today, with little wind and quite cool for Melbourne, being about 17C/18C when I went out. I didn't feel so great at the start, and was puffing quite a bit early on, but then settled into a rhythm and really enjoyed the run. This was the first time I had managed to run fairly even paced for the whole distance. Usually, I tire towards the end and the last couple of kilometres can slow down considerably, but in fact I ran the second half faster than the first which felt really good.

I'm tracking my workouts with an app for my phone which uses GPS tracking. It is linked to a website called endomondo which stores my workouts and lets me analyse them. Endomondo is a fitness community and by joining this I have been inspired to run more regularly and further. At the moment I don't have a clear aim of where I'm going with the running as I've sort of reached the things that I thought I might be able to do. So I've got to set some new goals, which I'll be doing over the Christmas break.

My new blog

I've been writing a blog for quite a while now which has had many aspects to it. I've found that bit confusing so I'm compartmentalising my blogging life. This blog willl have no chess on it at all, while the other will be completely chess based. This blog will be primarily about coffee, running and travel. I am an avid coffee drinker, living in a city full of barista's so I'm in coffee heaven. Of course, I'm always looking out for new places to have a coffee.

I've also become quite an avid runner and I'll be keeping a diary of my running here, partly to inspire others, and partly to inspire myself! I've become interested ina number of issues to do with my health which I guess has to do with quickly approaching 50 years of age!

I also love to travel. The author G. K. Chesterton once said "They say travelling broadens the mind, but you must have the mind". Hopefully I can still see wondrous things and meet wonderful people around the World.