Can You Feel the Energy?
I'm back into a training block, eating better and starting to feel 'the vibes'.
The past is just a bridge, we burned down, behind us, when we left this town.
Kalari the Cursed
In the ancient lands, there lived a man named Kalari, a member of the local tribe that had resided in the region now known as the Kowen Forest. Kalari was known for his wicked deeds and malevolent ways, earning him a reputation as the most terrible man in the entire tribe.
His heart was as cold as the biting winds that swept through the rolling hills of the landscape during winter, and his actions caused pain and suffering to those around him. Kalari would steal from his neighbours, deceive the elders, and disrespect the sacred traditions of his people. His greed and arrogance knew no bounds, and he cared not for the harmony that the tribe had always strived to maintain with the natural world.
The elders, troubled by Kalari's actions, decided that such wickedness could not go unpunished. In a solemn ceremony, they invoked the ancient spirits of the land, asking for justice to be served and for balance to be restored. The spirits, hearing the plea, decided to cast a powerful curse upon Kalari.
As night fell, a fierce storm swept through the region, and the earth beneath Kalari's feet trembled. Unbeknownst to him, the curse took hold, transforming him into a massive and formidable hill known as Amungula. The once-terrible man was now an eternal guardian of the land, cursed to stand tall and stoic, bearing the weight of his misdeeds for all of eternity.
Amungula, the living hill, became a symbol of the consequences that befell those who strayed from the path of righteousness. The indigenous people, while saddened by the loss of a member of their community, understood the importance of balance and the need to protect the sacred bond with nature.
Over the years, stories of Amungula spread far and wide, cautioning others against following the treacherous path that had led Kalari to his fateful destiny. Amungula, though silent and unmoving, seemed to carry the weight of the lessons it embodied. The people, with a newfound reverence for the spirits and the natural world, continued to live in harmony, ensuring that the tale of Kalari and Amungula would serve as a timeless reminder of the consequences for those who strayed from the sacred ways of their ancestors.
Week #1 is in the Books
Monday: Intervals - It was one of our last days on the Gold Coast, so I got out for a set of 6-8-10-12 it basically is a minute interval times six, with 45 seconds times eight, 30 seconds times ten and 15 seconds times twelve. The nasty thing about this exercise is that it’s a 2:1 exercise which means the rest between each rest is half.
Tuesday: Rest day, big drive back from the Gold Coast, a couple of walks with the dogs on the way back.
Wednesday: 90 minutes easy on the trails, honestly felt like crap this entire session, and really considered what my training over the next few weeks was going to be like, but I then remembered running is sometimes good, and other times we do get the shit!
Thursday: Got my New Balance 1080s in the mail and thought it would be a perfect opportunity to get out and about on the road, much faster run. Couple of ups and downs on Gundaroo Drive near the Hungry Jack’s, I don’t know what it was, maybe the smell of flame grill was helping me move.
Friday: Two hours easy on undulating trail. Some heavy hills, hard to get into a rhythm, but I know a run like this will do me some good going forward.
Saturday: A track half marathon using some of Martin Fryer’s Mind Tricks to get me in the game. I should stress that outside of my tempo or interval days, not a whole lot of this block is fast, it’s just about getting time on feet and conditioning the body to try and go for as long as I can. Given my backyard record currently sits at four loops, I’m confident I can at least double that come April. A great day out with Ultra Mediocre, with a few legends including Pickle and Cracker getting a marathon.
Sunday: Got out and about with my good friend Nat doing a recce of the Kowen Half Marathon course which we’ll be doing in a couple of weekends, which includes Amungula! I really love running with Nat, she’s so strong, I’ve always admired her ability to push through and smile when things get uncomfortable. Surrounding myself with better runners made the weekend a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, but I could tell late in this run my legs were feeling the pinch of the day prior’s track work. I’m looking forward to Kowen New Year’s Resolution next weekend.
Totals:
Running: 84.3 kilometres, 1727 metres of elevation and 11 hours 39 total.
Walking: 13.1 kilometres, 74 metres of elevation and 3 hours 26 total.
A very solid week for the first day back at training, plenty of prehab as well to make sure everything keeps running smoothly (pun intended).
New Year’s is Done, Stay the Course
I was reminded this weekend gone by that the record for the Gumby course is 32 laps, held by the incredible Chris Wilder, who I think is one of the more underrated runners in the Canberra region.
My goal is a miler, which might be achieved this year, it might be next year, but a miler in 24 hours, let alone the Gumby is no easy task, so realistically the goal could be a longer endeavour, and that’s okay. The point of saying this is I know a lot of you have set nice new shiny goals for this year, some are big, and some involve doing less, no matter what your goal, it likely won’t happen overnight, and you might not even achieve any goals this year, but if you have a go you’ll make progress, that’s something important to keep in mind.
So given we’re now in the second week of the year, keep chipping away and who knows what this year might have in store for you.
I hope to see you out on the trails, don’t hesitate to reach out on instagram, strave, facey or X, I’ll be there and always happy to talk running.
Really enjoyed reading Kalari the cursed story :D
Yes Fordy!!!