A weekend in Perth: 2009 and 2010 in contrast

Its now been 8 months since the World Triathlon Championships and 3 months since my ultra marathon, and since then I haven't been following a structured training programme. I do what I feel like and when I feel like it. Which lately has been very little. However, my body is now craving some hard physical work now and I will start some more regular training/exercising now.

However, it has made me stop and ponder how life has changed since this time last year... This time last year my weekend consisted of:

Saturday 2009:
My day started at 6am with a 5 hour cycle in the Perth Hills at 80% of my power threshold, this ride included 6 * 5km tempo efforts with 5 min recovery. This was immediately followed by a 5km run off the bike at 4.20/km pace. I arrived home about midday-ish and immediately nourished my depleted body- I took a look in my food diary for that day and I had poached eggs, silver beet and tomato salsa on soy and linseed toast.

After just 2 short recovery hours I dragged myself down to the local pool and swum am easy 4km set... all with a band and pull buoy, so a major arm workout. Funnily enough the swim helps the recovery. I wrote in my training diary that I felt better after 2.8km and that I got some tan lines in early July!

While I have no record of what I did on this Saturday evening, I can guarantee that it entailed a DVD, nourishing food, a couch and not much else.

Sunday 2009
Sunday started a little later than Saturday with a 2 hour 15 min bike ride and a 75 min run off the bike. The run included 4 * 2km intervals at 3.55/km and 3 min recovery at 4.40/km. So a shorter session, but generally harder on the body due to it being the end of the week and the running intervals.

After resting my wearied legs in the Swan River for about 10 minutes I can guarantee you that I would have bought a diet coke and the Sunday paper on the way home from training... lunch was 2 minute noodles (baked not fried version) mixed with frozen veggies, a can of lemon pepper salmon, sweet chili and soy sauce.

I would often rest for a couple of hours and then head out to do our weekly grocery shop with Jason.

This year's weekend couldn't have been more different...

Saturday 2010:
My day started at a leisurely 8.15am, the only reason it was that early is that I had a hair appointment. By 9.15am I was sitting in at my hair dressers in East Perth on a massaging chair having my scalp massaged. Following my haircut I visited Farmer Jacks where I picked up some fresh bread, fresh coffee for Jason, a paper and diet coke.

From here I flicked through the paper while waiting for my friend Sandy to pick me up. We were off to a Vintage Sale (see below) and a lunch of bread and dips and refreshing white wine.
After the lunchtime outing Jason and I went and scouted out a car he is considering buying (see below). This was about an hour round trip for us.
After checking the car out, Jason and I stopped in at the claremont shops for some new ink for my printer and a birthday present for the party we were heading to on Saturday night. We got home in time for an afternoon nap for me and a couple of games on the computer for Jason.

On Saturday night we went out for Richard's 33rd Birthday, dinner and drinks at the Oxford Hotel in Leederville (see below). We got home around 11.30pm and stayed up to watch the Tour de France prologue. Finally heading to bed around 1am.
Sunday 2010
Sunday started a little later than Saturday considering the late night. I think that I got up around 9am. My morning started with a quick trip out for some milk (normal for tea and chocolate for Jason), the Sunday paper and I'm sure there was a diet coke in there :-)

The rest of the morning was spent reading the paper for me and pottering on the computer for Jason.

Around midday we headed into Fremantle for lunch- prawn and avocado salad for me and a red beef curry for Jason. We topped this off with a treat (mini apple pie for me and mini chocolate mud cake for Jason) on the beach. It was a stunning day on the beach and we just sat there for around 1/2 and hour.

I watched a movie during the afternoon while working on a creative photo project (which will be revealed in a few weeks time) and Jason played Battlefield with his clan. Finally around 5pm we headed back to Farmer Jacks for some groceries.

So there you have it, two contrasting weekends!!! My how things have changed.