I printed off the shout out to Tim and left it as a suprise on his desk this morning. ^_^ As much fun as it is telling you all what a great guy he is, it's important for him to know too. :) He was touched and I got al emotional (in a good way) He's so sweet!

Anyhue. Still sore today so I'm not adding anything to the LEM total. ;_; Hopefully the doc rings back with good news around midday.

Today I got to try out my full wet weather kit. Booties, Rain coat, long pants. It's COLD AND MISERABLE here. So much so that I slept with the DOONA last night. A DOONA??? In SUMMER???? what's going on???

If you can, Get a copy of Australian Triathlon and Multisport Magazine this month. Read the article about Anne Garton. I've known about Anne's achievements since the beginning of the year when I saw her story on Australian story on ABC2 one Saturday Morning on Repeat... I was just about to run when her story came on. It was worth NOT running that morning to watch it.

She's a Brisbanite. She's currently working with the Croc squad and she's an age grouper who's made it to the worlds! But she made it to worlds from her HOSPITAL BED!

I mean this girl was condemned to supergluing her bike shoes so she could keep riding. Her tri team were giving her handme down outfits to help her train! Her doctors had her on 24 hr watch and allowed her to train under very strict conditions. She is fighting her mental illness head on by kicking some serious arse in the Queensland Triathlon Series.

Since qualifing for the worlds (and turning it down since she couldn't afford it) she's had everything donated to her so she can focus on her support and recovery. I'm really proud of being from Brisbane when Radio stations, corporations and local tri squads rally around and help others. Anne was able to make it to the worlds and even got 7 weeks of CROC SQUAD coaching beforehand which really helped her improve, -new gear-new bike- and her family got to be waiting for her at the finish line.

Anne inspires me more than the pros do. You go Anne! We are proud of you! I'm hoping Anne will be on the course at Robina (and kick my arse!)

23min 56 seconds - 1000m freestyle.

Was supposed to run to the pool, but was seriously hurting today so I walked.

Well I might be officially SCREWED!!! I'm sorry LEMmings...

You know that Pain I had on Monday night, Well I'm still sore today. I still thought I'd pulled a muscle but now I have - Blood in the urine last night and this morning - DOCTOR THINKS I HAVE A KIDNEY INFECTION!!! (or a kidney stone, or a tumour - But the first one is by far the most likely)

Can't get in for an ultrasound until monday. Samples have been sent to the lab and I'll be doing "light work" and drinking lots of water until I get the results.

SAVE DIFF!   

Thought I better post this here too. I posted it a little earlier in the SPOUSE SUPPORT THREAD

He's become my cycling coach. I don't need to join a bunch ride when I get enough training and motivation chasing his arse on the brisbane corso! ^_^ It's a great view! I keep getting top 5 places in my age group so his method is DEFINATLEY working!

He buys me tri gear, and he's a bit of a gadget nut. AND he loves coming to races so he can check out the bike porn (even if most of it is TT bikes!) and

As well as being my cycling coach, He is also my cheersquad, bike servicer, massage therepist, nutritionist, team car, photographer, eye candy type sherpa.

Even though triathlon is something I do for me, I couldn't do it without him.

Man I'm so glad I did this. LOTS of rests in between but some interval sessions are good right! Should be a good group. One of the instructors is new too so overall a very friendly no threatening group! I really injoyed it!

Best News I've heard all year! If you haven't heard we're in the middle of a drought! So rain is a VERY good thing!

Who else is back to the grindstone today? There's like no one here at work! Majority of people are still on holidays. It's so god damn cold in the office here! I'm going to go over to target and buy a jacket/jumper or scarf or something. it's FREEZING

Interesting smell on the run this morning. The rain and humidity actually bought up the smell of KOALA SHIT as I ran through the scrub near bowie's flat. As the smell got stronger, I did find the " evidence" so I stopped and looked up and around for the little bugga.

LEGS - Lunge - Touchdown lunge 10 reps on each leg (x2)
LEGS - Single leg DB squat - Balance Squat and Pull using 2.5kg DB. 10 reps on each leg (x2)
LEGS - Side Step-Ups - Side Liftoff 10 reps on each leg. (x2)
CORE - Push ups - Push and Row using 2.5kg weight A push up incorporating a pull on alternating arms using a 2.5kg weights 10 reps (x2)
CORE - Knee to Chest - Pedalling plank 10 reps on each leg (x2)
CHEST - Flat Dumbell Press - Bridge Press using 2.5kg dumbells switching legs with each bridge 10 reps (x2)

FLEXIBILITY - Downward Dog, Extended Tirangle (one each side), Warrior (1 each side)
BALANCE - tree (one each side), Stability ball twist (30s each side)

YIKES! Man I was in pain last night. On my right side just under my ribs. It stretched from the bottom of my rib cage (including the last rib) down to just to the right of my abs, around my back to where my right kidney is then all the way down my back to the top of my hips.

It HURT. It was like I'd overstretched the muscle! OUCH. Fiance gave me a really nice massage but when he got to these spots it was ABSOLUTE AGONY!!! ;_;

My legs are still sore from the fitness test I did on sunday. Those squats are AWESOME!!! The run this morning certainly helped that out.

Smelt this on the run this morning. Couldn't find the source of it though. It's nice to know there are Koalas around!

Oh yeah - I sent an email to intraining! ^_^ Hopefully I'll be joining their run class tomorrow night! EEP!

Enchanted was a GREAT flick and I highly reccommend taking along younger girls to go see it!

I was too busy laughing at the prince getting run over by the peleton to notice what bikes the guys were riding. LOL It was too funny. Guess I'll just have to wait for the DVD.

I even was singing my head off in the car on my way home! Although I'm trying to remember the lyrics now and all I can think of is "how does she know?"

Was a good flick! DEFINATLEY a chick flick. Definatley a kid flick. The animation is pure disney! The Kings and Queens ball is beautiful - And like Evie so eliquently put it when we were watching the fairy godmother is a 6 year old wielding an American express credit card scene "What? Don't you need a signature in America?"

Is that true?

Can a six year old really go into a boutique store and buy designer shite and pay for it with Daddy's credit card??? O_O

Guess there's nothing else to blog here except:

TEST 2 Got Muscle?
Upper Body - Stability ball push ups
10: thigh level, 10: knee level, only 2 at ankle level.
Lower Body - 1 min Squat
As many as you can do in 1min - 24!

TEST 1: HOW FIT IS YOUR HEART?
3 minute step: Cardio (Aerobics)
TEST 3: CAN YOU BEND IT LIKE BIKRAM?
Downward Dog: Flexibility (stretching)
TEST 4: ARE YOU WELL BALANCED?
Flamingo Reach: Balance (Yoga)
TEST 5: DO YOU HAVE FAST FEET?
Two line hop: Agility

TEST 1: HOW FIT IS YOUR HEART?
3 minute step: Cardio (Aerobics)
TEST 3: CAN YOU BEND IT LIKE BIKRAM?
Downward Dog: Flexibility (stretching)
TEST 4: ARE YOU WELL BALANCED?
Flamingo Reach: Balance (Yoga)
TEST 5: DO YOU HAVE FAST FEET?
Two line hop: Agility

TEST 1: HOW FIT IS YOUR HEART?
3 minute step: Cardio (Aerobics)
TEST 3: CAN YOU BEND IT LIKE BIKRAM?
Downward Dog: Flexibility (stretching)
TEST 4: ARE YOU WELL BALANCED?
Flamingo Reach: Balance (Yoga)
TEST 5: DO YOU HAVE FAST FEET?
Two line hop: Agility

TEST 1: HOW FIT IS YOUR HEART?
3 minute step: Cardio (Aerobics)
TEST 3: CAN YOU BEND IT LIKE BIKRAM?
Downward Dog: Flexibility (stretching)
TEST 4: ARE YOU WELL BALANCED?
Flamingo Reach: Balance (Yoga)
TEST 5: DO YOU HAVE FAST FEET?
Two line hop: Agility

I've decided to give the Women's Health Ultimate fitness plan '08 a whirl! Click here to read more!

It apparently goes for six months. But I was drawn to it out of the fact that there's also self monitoring every few weeks to see where I'm improving or need extra work.  I needed something to help me with strength and flexibility - I figured this was a good way to start.

 The Fitness test I completed today can be found here and has set me up for the exercises I need to incorporate into my training for the next 4 weeks. 

And so - The results are

CARDIO:  110 recovery average heart rate.  SOLID

STRENGTH - Upper:  Can complete 2 ankle and 10 of the knee stability ball push ups SOLID/STRONG
STRENGTH - Lower:  24 SOLID

FLEXIBILITY:  Didn't understand the instructions - So I'm unsure if I completed it correctly - ASPIRING/SOLID

BALANCE:  Left foot is dominant.  TOP SCORE 15 STRONG.  Right foot was pathetic.  5 ASPIRING.

AGILITY:  Left foot is dominant. 28 STRONG.  Right foot was shakey.  24 SOLID

Interesting results.  I know I have a "high" heart rate.  It maxes out in tries a lot higher than my Fiance's does when he's sprinting in a race on his bike.  The strength was kind of unexpected.  I know I'm a lot stronger since I started swimming but that's pretty impressive!  Flexibility was no suprise.  I'm as flexible as concrete.  The Balance and agility results were suprising.

I'm right handed but in these tests I'm clearly left leg dominant! 

I thought I'd be pretty good at balancing since I used to skate a lot.  But then after I completed this test it dawned on me that whenever I did a graceful fly in my skate class or on my rollerblades I was always balanced on my left foot, arm's spread and my right foot out the back behind me.  I used to skate laps like that!  Rarely did I use my right foot!  

The other reason I'm so crappy on my right leg is because I spent almost two years balancing on my left because the bone in my tibia was regrowing after surgery to remove a cyst caused by the golden staff bug.  Ever since I was diagnosed with that bout of Osteomyelitis in high school I guess I've been "tredding with care" on my right foot...  Might explain why I can't stand running too.  If these tests are anything to go by then all my power is probably coming from my left leg!  

So - I guess I've got a strength and flexibility plan to work on for the next six months.  It'll be pretty to good to blog about that's for sure.  

Then I'll get a treat tomorrow!  I'm going to see ENCHANTED!   It's only been open here for a week - As usual Australia has to wait ages for the disney flicks which show up in the states soooo much earlier.  >_<  I'm taking Evie (Mini triathlete!) and her little sister along.  Should be a good day.  Fiance's staying at home since it's a "kid-chick" flick. 

I dunno - If the adds are anything to go by - I'd like to see the prince get run over by those cyclists in the park!  I can "brand spot" if I can.  ^_^