2011

Friends, loved ones, fish and strangers…what is doing?  I can not believe that it is only four more days till Christmas!  Our family is going away for a lovely holiday in Yamba so this will more than likely be my last post for 2011, and what a year it has been!  There has been SO much happening I am just not sure where the time has gone!? 

Socially and family wise things have been super.  Pria is growing so quickly and Tegan and I are learning new and wonderful things every day on how to try and mould her into a Godly little girl more and more.  Tegan and I celebrated nine years married and I am starting to feel ol…nah, just hitting my form!  Work is also going well and keeping me, and the crooks on our toes!

All that aside, this is primarily a running blog, so a bit of a re-cap on 2011.  It has been quite a big year for me running wise!  I have taken part in a number of organized runs and really found my niche in the trail running scene!  I have met so many beautiful people this year and I am sure they are friends I will now have for life!  Us trail/ultra runners are a special breed!  And for those wondering, yes, I have turned into a real hippy and I love it!  Hug a tree and go vego I say!  This years runs have looked as such:

Mini Kokoda (Trail) – 50km

The North Face 100 (Trail) – 100km

Gold Coast Marathon (Road) – 42.2km

Relay for Life Bundaberg (Grass Track)– 107km

Cane 2 Coral Bundaberg (Road)– 15km

Glasshouse Tour (Trail) – 100miles (161km)

3 x Lighthouse Series runs – 10km each

On top of the organized runs, my training has been a major improvement this year, doing more k’s per week than I ever have before.  In the New Year, upon returning from our holiday, I will have a analysis of my k’s for the year/weekly averages.  This is some data I have never really kept before and upon doing it this year, it is quite interesting.  On a quick glance, I expect to have done over 5000km this year averaging, hopefully, 100k a week, give or take.  That info is to come.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

There has also been a major turning point in my running as far as ethics, mindset and footwear goes in 2011.  I have really embraced running on a whole new level this year and my life doesn’t feel complete if I am not doing it every day.  This year has seen me move from conventional running shoes, to a minimal running shoe, to sandals and barefoot.  I have taken the last three to four months to focus solely (no pun intended) on sandal and barefoot running, to really give it a go and make an assessment after completing Hares and Hounds, January 2012, in my sandals.  At this time, I am surely going to continue embracing the huarache sandals and completely unshod running.  The freedom and liberty it presents is amazing, along with a vast array of other major benefits to be discussed in future blogs.   

Another major thing that has been incorporated into my life is this blog.  I just want to take the opportunity to thank you, who ever you are, wherever you are, for reading this.  It is strange but I really feel a sense of ownership over this blog, and almost a responsibility to do it now.  It is something that I really enjoy doing and from some of your lovely comments, it appears that most of you enjoy reading.  My goal from the start has been to try and lift people higher than they are at the moment, encourage you to think more highly of life, get active, smile and love someone or something more than you have before.  As I have said people, life is but a breath so let’s embrace it together and ENJOY!

I pray that as the next year moves on, that you will continue to read my ramblings and be encouraged by my randomness.  Lets work to make this world a better place, cause if we don’t, the next person might not either…and what a shame that would be!

As a side note, please stay safe on our roads this holiday.  There have been too many fatalities that my mates at work have had to clean up this year, so take it easy and have a good time!

Keep smiling people, Merry Christmas and I hope it is a blessed time of the year for you!  Go run a trail, smile at a stranger, call your supermarket workers by name and have a chat with them, kiss a dog, hug a cleaner, go for a swim in the ocean, love nature, embrace life, go bare (foot that is, or if the other tickles your fancy, maybe that too!) and GO LIVE!  Bless you all and until 2012, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Run on friends, run on!

Change of plans...

Well, it has been a while between drinks!  But I am back with another effort of rambling!  It is good to be here, typing to myself, knowing that my friends and random strangers will soon be reading my nonsense!  I apologise for my time between blogs but somehow, things always tend to get hectic and time gets away from me.  In saying that, I am wanting to make this a bit more regular from here on in, and have some topics I wish to vent, so you will hopefully be hearing from me a bit more often from here on in! 

So, I guess the big news that I need to vent first, is that after much discussion and thought, the Run Across Auz we were planning is off…or at least been postponed for a number of years.  There were a number of reasons for our decision but all parties concerned thought it best to call things off at this time and possibly look at other options.  I am definitely going to complete this challenge in my lifetime but the general consensus is that that time is just not yet.

In saying that, we obviously wanted to do something else substantial…with a bit less organising and stress!  So after a bit of thought, and a bit more to do, we have had the idea of going on a family holiday (Tegs, Pria, Mum, Dad and I) around Tassie.  The catch is though, is that Dad and I will run around the little island!  It all might sound a little selfish but this idea stemmed from my previous blog about ‘running for running’s sake’.  We have talked about taking about four weeks, running maybe 50k ish a day and taking a rest day every three to five days to sight see and enjoy the beauty of Tassie.  Running for the sheer enjoyment of running!  Nothing to fundraise for, no pressure, just good times!  Run, rest, coffee, laugh…have a ball!  Don’t hold it against me but I am very excited!

So that is the big news…again…there is always something in the pipeline that is my mellon!

Apart from that, all else is well!  The training is cruising along nicely and I am loving the sandals and barefoot running!  I did my biggest week so far since switching over last week and covered 125km.  The best thing about this is that I did not even feel sore or worn out…this will be discussed in a future post and my thoughts on it…wait for it! 

I am really looking forward to my next event which will be Hares and Hounds on the second weekend in January.  Will be great to be back on the trails at the Glasshouse Mountains, catching up with friends and hopefully making some new ones!  This will be my first Ultra in my sandals and I am already feeling the fittest I have been in a long time and keen as mustard for a good hit out.  It probably sounds a bit weird but it will seem a bit strange to be finished an event in 6-6.5hours instead of 15-30hours!  Nice little stroll in the bush!  Ha!  Good times!

So friends, that is about all the goss for this blog!  As I mentioned I have a few topics that I want to cover in the near future so I look forward to sharing them with you!

I hope this finds you all well, safe and loving life!  I got emailed a few quotes the other day so I will leave you with a few of the good ones!

Stay true friends, love life and RUN ON!!!

‘Some people collect stamps – I collect miles.’

‘Ounces of discipline or tonnes of regret.’

‘You don’t stop running because you get old, you get old because you stop running.’

‘Even if your on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there!’

And my favourite…‘My sport is your sports punishment!’

NOTE - As an extra, yesterday we run the last of the Lighthouse Series races at Burnett Heads.  I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to Sherry and all the crew for putting in so much hard work and time to make these runs not only very enjoyable but also a great success!  The work that they do of their own free will at Bundy Road Runners is to be commended and it is super that the town now has an organised group to show off!  Let it continue to grow in numbers and get more and more people running!  WELL DONE GUYS!