By the time I got into the city I was running late so I hitched my skirt and hailed a cab.  Then, just to add more chaos to the morning, whilst stopped at the traffic lights at dirty Taylor Square, a huge brawl broke out.  This poor young guy was thrown onto the middle of the road while a dirty skank bashed him repeatedly in the head with her shoe (yes, she was all class) yelling filth at him.  Then, the slapper’s boyfriend (who just by looking at him I had an instant dislike for) took a running jump, trying to land both feet on the poor victim’s face.  I yelled at the cab driver to blast his horn but apparently he wanted “no trouble, no trouble”.  So I leaned over and beeped the horn a few times to try and get the thug’s (and the slapper’s) attention before they killed the poor boy.  Suddenly a bouncer ran out of the Courthouse Hotel and broke it up, leading the injured kid to safety.  And some wonder why I think people are just animals..?!  It was an absolute disgrace.

Now – onto the training…

So, it was a “recovery” run today, remember?  A “recovery” run?  For who?  An iron-man?  Who were they kidding?!

Of ALL the training we’ve done so far, this one sucked.  Really and truly sucked.  It was crap and I hated it.

Eight kilometres of mostly running up hills.  Not just pissy little hills either… but big, monster, an old car would definitely not chug up this one, type hills.

We started at our usual “meeting point” in Centennial Park ready for some warm-ups.  Today, channel 7′s “sunrise” was there to film the group.  Which is actually really cool – as the group is doing a good thing, raising much needed funds for cancer research and encouraging group fitness, etc.  What I didn’t realise was that “TV promo” meant “double the warm-up”.  Awesome.  By the time we had finished warming up, we were exhausted.

I did laugh though, at how many people actually turned up today.  You see, normally on a Saturday the group is, well… erm… a little ‘lighter’ than average..?  Obviously some people just can’t give up their Friday night booze sessions.  But, alas, it seems the call of brilliant Australian breakfast television *vomit* was heard by many of the participants.  They showed up looking fresh – hair done, make-up slapped on… oh what a treat.

Anywho.  We ran from Centennial Park up to Oxford Street and then all the way down Ocean Street.  Through Woollahra, down to Edgecliff.  And we kept going… down, down, down hill into the pits of excrutiating-pain-in-my-quads-I-am-really-going-to-need-a-cab-to-get-me-back-up-this-hill hell.  Right up William Street, down South Head Road to the Police Station at Rose Bay and then we had to turn around.  At this stage I was looking for a way to fall over and sprain my ankle.  Unfortunately I’m too much of a girl to endure the pain of a sprained ankle so I kept running… enduring a different type of pain.

I had to stop and walk a bit here and there up the hills on the way back but eventually made it.  All the strained muscles and injuries I had accumulated so far were holding up ok – a little titchy, a few quiet screams, but nothing too bad.  I sensed a blister had formed on heel of my left foot though – I couldn’t wait to see that!

Coffee and chats after training (with people I like) and then off home.  And oh my!  The blister is MASSIVE!  It would have to be the biggest blister I have ever seen in all of my life.  It is so awesome.  I don’t want to pop it as it is just so huge and awesome!  I feel like people will judge me for this.  I don’t care – you should see it!

Now it is time to eat and sleep.  I’m going to rest for the next couple of days.  I think my body is telling me it needs it.

I’m “resting” today… resting my injured, pitiful body, that is.  But there is some good news!  The deep tissue massage that hurt like a bastard yesterday has worked wonders!  Except for being a little tender to touch in some places.  I am unstrapped and feeling a little more confident today seeing as though I’m not hobbling around Surry Hills like a twit.

So tomorrow we are doing a *recover* run which I am SO pleased about.  The trainers have said it will be nice and easy and we are to enjoy it.  It’s 8km in length, which does seem at odds with their description, but hey – I will cling to any form of hope at the moment, true or otherwise.

Ok.  I must get all this work done so I can leave the office on time tonight.  I hope all those who go out drinking tonight suffer with hangovers tomorrow.  Oh no, that’s AWFUL… *but I do kinda mean it and am so very jealous*.

Ok.  Now before I tell you about how awesome I was at sprinting during training last night, let me just clarify… yes, I do wear “skins”… no, “skins” are not like normal tights – they are good for sports and muscle cooling & support and stuff.  No, I do not only wear them, highlighting my junk for all to see.  I wear them under shorts.  Yes, I do like how they feel. Ok.  That’s enough information now.

Anyway.  So, as I mentioned in my last post, our track training was all about “straights & curves” last night.  Now let me explain in “Jay terms” exactly what that meant…

Each set was 1km in length – that’s 2.5 times around the track.  When running around the track, we had to jog the curves very slowly but when we reach each straight stretch of track we had to sprint… and with each set we had to increase our sprint speed.  Between sets we did a recovery job around the track (just once – what do you think we are…?  Athletes?!).  After the second set I was swearing and cursing.  After the third set the air was filled with the smell of sausages sizzling on a barbeque.  After the fourth set my “groin strain” was so aggravated that I think the muscle was just going to start shouting abuse at me.  But still, as I am a trooper and all, I pressed on, speeding up in my sprints as each set was completed.  I even started to get a little mouthy to the girls in my group – you know… “come on, you can do it, keep up, I’m awesome” etc… If I were them I would have tripped me over for being a twat.

After all of that, I am in pain again today.  Which means I headed off to see Rachel, my phsio, first thing.  I think she just feels sorry for me now.  Picture it…  In hobbles a little man with a scowl on his face.  His left leg is dragging behind him, but that’s not all… this dragging leg is shaved from groin to knee and ankle to half-way up the leg.  That’s right.  It’s probably easier to say the leg is hairy from knee to shin.  Pretty, yes?  To make it even more attractive, the ankle is covered in blisters and bruises and the thigh in Petechiae (little purple spots caused by burst blood vessels).  There is a patella band on the right knee… is that it?  Yep.  I think that’s enough though, right?

But at least my pelvis is now aligned!  Rachel shakes her head and I see sympathy in her eyes.  She calls me a “poor little mite”.  Awww… she is the greatest – she knows just how to feel sorry for you enough that you appreciate it without feeling like a loser.

Rachel focused on my groin strain today with deep tissue massage.  It hurt so much that I think I may have cried inside.  But seeing as though I am a man and am not in tune with my emotions, I wouldn’t really know, right?

I dragged my pained, embarrassing leg back to my office and got on with the rest of my day… hoping that everything would improve somewhat by the time for Saturday’s run.  Cross your fingers for me, please!

I have, however, taken extra special care whilst walking, sitting, standing… well actually doing ANYTHING today so as not to strain another important muscle or muscle group.  My “groin strain” (still think that sounds so wrong) is feeling mighty and I think I’ll be ok tonight.  I’m still going to strap it up – hell, why not?  I shaved half of my leg so I need to cover it somehow… and will also strap my ankle.  My right knee is also niggly, so I’m going to wear a patella band on that one.  I should look into being a bandage/support band model… or a ‘what we don’t want to happen to you when you start training with us’ model…

Right.  That’s enough.  Off to the track.

Below is some information about one of the programmes which is dedicated to protecting children’s brains against side-effects of radiotherapy treatment for cancer.  A programme being run by Dr Jordane Malaterre at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.

Lowered IQs, learning disorders and difficulties at school.

Not what you wish for any child, let alone one recovering from leukaemia.

According to Dr Jordane Malaterre, radiation treatment is very effective in treating the disease. Unfortunately, it can also deliver some nasty surprises later on.

“Up to 40% of children may have impaired cognitive development due to radiation treatment for their cancer. Radiation damages the areas of the brain that supports intellect, learning and memory,” Jordane explains. “That has a huge impact on the lives of these children and their families. It also represents a large social and health burden.”

Jordane is particularly interested in developing therapies that can reduce these side effects of cancer treatment for children. She is the lead researcher on a project to develop a drug therapy aimed at stimulating the damaged cells to regenerate following radiation treatment.

The second part of her project involves testing the effectiveness of the drug therapy and demonstrating improved or restored cognitive ability. “A model has been developed that is currently being tested on lab mice. If we can get significant findings, it will lead to clinical trials,” says Jordane.

Jordane grew up in France, where she completed her PhD. “I have been in Australia for five years now,” she says. “I came to do my post-doctoral research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. I was very interested in continuing my study on the side-effects of cancer treatments and want to make a difference in people’s lives.”

“Working at Peter Mac means I share the lifts with the very children that I am trying to help, which is really motivating,” she says.

Jordane acknowledges her biggest personal challenge has been the persistence needed to continue with her research when the results do not lead to the expected outcomes. This is balanced with the excitement when a breakthrough is made.

“The Cure Cancer Grant that I received has been life-changing for me as a young researcher. It is the first time I am the principal investigator of a project. This is very significant in terms of people taking notice of my research.” Jordane sees great future possibilities for the research she is doing.

“The findings of our research could also apply to other people experiencing the debilitating side-effects of radiation and chemotherapy cancer treatment.”

This information has been sourced from Cure Cancer Australia Foundation (www.cure.org.au) and is just one of the programmes that your donation will support.

If you can spare anything at all, please contribute to my fundraising effort for CanToo and the Cure Cancer Australia Foundation. Every dollar goes toward helping to find a cure or viable treatment for a range of cancers that effect so many of our loved ones.

To contribute, simply go to CanToo, type my surname (Munro) in the search box and click on Search. Select me (Jay Munro) and enter the amount you are able to contribute.

I cannot thank you enough for supporting CanToo, Cure Cancer Australia, and myself in this challenge.

Good morning, 5.20am.  What a pleasure it was to wake up this morning.  I laid in bed arguing with myself as to whether I should actually get up and go for a run or drift back to sleep “by accident”…  I got up.  Proud of me?  Me too!

I washed my face, groaned, swore, strapped my injured limbs, adorned my lovely running kit and walked out front door into the dark of Autumn’s first morning.  It was windy, cold, early, quiet and lonely.

I had a 2kg backpack on, crammed full of my gear for work and then some.  You see, the idea was to run from Lilyfield to my gym (sorry, my *health club*) in Bondi Junction, do a Pilates class, shower, dress, head into work.

So I began.  You see, I had limited time.  I had to ensure I made it to the gym around 30 mins before the Pilates class started to secure my spot.  If I missed out I would be incredibly irritated… One foot in front of the other, over and over again.  Running tall, listening for traffic, blah, blah, blah.  All I cared about, really, was where all this uphill crap had sprouted from?!  It seems so flat in the car – a runner’s dream!  But no.  The hill seemed never to end.  It wasn’t a huge incline, but it was a hill nonetheless.

I pushed on.  And on.  And on.  It was really tough – especially running on my own in the dark.  I never realised just how much the chooks in my running group motivate me.  Not in any way aside from having others who are running with you and sharing the pain.  I cannot even guess as to how many times I ALMOST talked myself into stopping.

I then reached Surry Hills.  I was only a street away from my office.  My office has a shower.  I have 24 hour access.  I could just stop here, shower, have breakfast, start work and still feel kinda good that I went for a run.  But before I knew it my office was suddenly ‘way back there’… I had powered on.  Yes, I’m awesome.

Actually, I think I was just so deeply into the argument occuring in my mind that I didn’t realise I had kept on running.  So then I was facing a massive hill.  Albion Street gets rather steep, doesn’t it?!  I will admit – I stopped and walked a little.  Give me a break… where were you at that time this morning, huh?

As soon as I reached the top I started my jog again.  And this time I didn’t stop.  Battling the wind, the negativity in my mind and the pain in my knees, I now had something to prove.  I had to make it.

When I saw the Oxford Street mall in Bondi Junction, I chuckled.  Like a kid.  I couldn’t help myself.  I was so amazed at what I’d just done.  I somehow pushed myself further than I though I could have just a mere hour before.  I ran 9.9 km in 1 hour and 7 minutes.  For a beginner runner, I think this is ok.

I made it to the gym (health club) with plenty of time to spare and stretch in.  And the Pilates class seemed to be a breeze – again, I’m fairly certain those endorphines were helping me through it.

So, all of that and in at work by 8.30am.  Not bad.

I wonder if I’m up to doing it again next Monday morning though…?

Strangely, my groin strain is improving even though I continue to run – I have become an expert at strapping it properly though to prevent further injury.  Hopefully I will now just avoid tripping over any more people in the street and straining it all over again.  Even thought the schedule says to do a light run on Sundays, I’ve decided to listen to my body and do a run on Monday.

Whilst I’m still on *strange* things that I find myself doing at times (through no fault of my own – I blame all those around me, of course) – I really did something odd on Friday.  You see, I was picking up a little bit of lunch in the David Jones Foodhall, wondering a tad aimlessly, exhausted from a hectic week and not paying too much attention to anything, when I saw this really nice jumper on a mannequin near the escalator.  Now, I’m not sure about you, but I like to ‘feel the fabric’ of potential new purchases, so I approached and stroked the chest of the mannequin and not only did the jumper look good, the fabric felt good to.  And then it moved.  No, not the jumper, the ‘mannequin’.  Yes, that’s right – in my deleriously tired state, I walked up and stroked a strange man’s chest in public.  The poor guy absolutely crapped himself, jumped back and just stared at me – to which I could only respond, “I’m so sorry, I thought you were a dummy”… before turning and running away with my face flushed and my arms flailing about.  Classy.

Anyway.  Thought I’d share.  I blame my running and exhaustion.  I was never like this before… surely I wasn’t.

In my head I imagined an easy jog, along the water, gazing out at the ocean, the sun shining, everyone smiling, birds a-tweeting… well… in reality, we pushed our bodies hard to jog up the hilly Birrell Street, the sun was BLAZING, sweat pouring down our faces, traffic everywhere, people walking slowly and 3 abreast making us dart in and out just to get through – yes, there was the ocean views, but I was so exhausted and fighting the urge to stop and walk so hard that I didn’t even see them.  That was just to get to the top of the cliff at the point – then we had to run all the way back.

And back I ran until I met those damned Tamarama steps again.  They played havoc on my knees on the way down, you couldn’t possibly imagine the struggle it was to climb them in my exhausted, bewildered, sweaty, aggravated state.  I basically hauled my ass up them, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other pained foot.  Hand after hand on the rail, pulling, grimacing, and *whimpering* (I’m quite comfortable admitting this as it was really hard and I will not be made fun of).

I got to the top and just could not run anymore.  My glutes, my ankles, my knees, my calves, my hamstrings, my ego – all searing with pain.  But, after a quick recovery walk, I pushed on.  And then I walked a little again.  And then I pushed on and ran a bit further.

Just as I was losing the battle in my mind to give up and hail a cab I saw those heavenly gates of Centennial Park, glistening in that sweet sunshine and suddenly all was forgotten.  What an awesome run (obviously the endorphines had kicked in well and truly by now – or I was just delerious).  I sped up, running as fast as I could, pumping my arms, grinning from ear to ear… I could SMELL the finish line stocked with Powerade and Muesli Bars…  8.1km in 52 minutes.  But as soon as I finished I was in no mood to celebrate my successes.  I wanted food and sugary/salty drink.  Shove your stretching, screw your run-throughs…  Someone feed and water me!

So, in summary.  Saturday’s run was hell.  That is all.

My dodgy leg and ankle were both strapped to the hilt and were feeling good (ish).  The actual training they wanted us to do was ok – a little boring, but that’s fine.  Ailsa wasn’t feeling well so didn’t make it and Sarah couldn’t make it for some reason too.  That meant I was on my own again.  I spoke to a few people during the night who were in my group (you see, following the time trials last week, we’ve now been separated into different training groups based on our result) and some were quite nice.  There is one who annoys me – I constantly feel like tapping her ankle and tripping her just to make her be quiet for a minute, but I know it’s wrong and that I’d probably just hurt my uncoordinated self in the process anyway.

I made sure to use my lovely new Suunto t3 with footpod whilst training – it is SO awesome!  It did help to keep my speed on track and motivated me as well.  My average time per kilometre ended up being 5.10 minutes, with my fastest being 4.14 minutes.  I really shocked myself with that.  It means my speed is improving each week.

I do have to say that I really pushed myself though – but that’s the point of track training.  At least it’s only once a week.

Our ‘easy’ distance run on Saturday is fast approaching and doesn’t sound so easy to me at all… We’ll be running about 8 kilometres (which is fine) but there are hills and LOADS of stairs.  Nooo!  We will be starting from our usual place in Centennial Park, then running out of the park and up to the end of Birrell Road, down the Tama steps and up around the point before returning and coming all the way back.  Awesome.

I’ve decided to go to a Yoga class straight after the run – so we’ll see what that’s like.  I’m sure I’ll be exhausted by midday on saturday and will be having a snooze on the couch.

I need to make sure I get an awesome night’s sleep tonight – I’m so tired!  I’ve been positioned on university campuses for the past two days for work (O-week) and it was exhausting!  First we were at Macquarie and then yesterday at UNSW.  Macquarie was odd – strange student population, quite rude kids, unattractive campus.  UNSW was (in comparison) awesome.  Great campus, fun and friendly students.  I did feel really old though (and I’m not – I’m only 29)… I even mentioned Huey Lewis & the News (I love them, don’t mock me) and asked me if that was some ‘show on SBS or somethin’..?  Oh, but I was far too tired to explain so I just nodded and smiled.  Poor clueless thing.  There was also a guy dressed as a German maiden who was saturated following a jelly wrestling competition… oh to be a full-time student again.

Right.  I need to get moving and off to work – busy day and i want to leave on time to come home and relax.

You see, I was out last night for a friend’s birthday dinner.  It was all great, I had one drink, plenty of food, and caught up with some people I haven’t seen in years.  So I was feeling rather chirpy when I left early to get my rest before track training tonight.  And then I tried to get into a cab.

My adductor injury (groin strain) was getting better if you recall from my previous posts, however as I tend to leave my left leg on the road as I enter a cab, only to drag it in after me once my body realises it is still out the door, my injury has now returned.  What a twit.  This is the SECOND time I have aggravated it by getting into a cab.  One would have thought I’d know better.

So my jovial mood was no more.  Instead I sat wincing in the back of the cab, one hand on my crotch, the other holding my head up with a crazed, pained look on my face.  The poor cab driver probably thought something really suspicious was going on…

Once home, I followed the typical routine – anti-inflammatory gel, ice pack, strapping.  I woke a few times with a jolt of pain last night but it is better already.  I must say I am a pro at applying a bandage.

Let’s just hope I don’t do anything stupid today to make it flare up again before training tonight.  I do have a cab booked for 8.45 this morning….