I grabbed a few zzzz's when I'd returned from the run on Saturday ~ I thought at the time that I was warming up as much as resting. It was a very difficult job getting out of bed on Sunday to go to the Vets Handicap to marshall. My alarm went off, and off, and off. My eyes were incredibly gunky (technical term), and despite a few vials of artificial tears, I had to rely on seeing-eye glasses today rather than contacts.

Bob cycled down to the course at Mt Taylor, and in my haste to arrive in time (or just to arrive), I was ill prepared to run. I threw an extra warm top, hat and warm cycling gloves into my backpack just in case. It was a mild morning, but I was cognisant of the need to keep warm after turning blue yesterday. I jogged up to the turnaround point for the short course event (1.75km from the start) and felt comfortable with what I was wearing. However standing around did nothing to help! First, the windstopper fleece came out, followed by my silly-looking hat with ear flaps presented to me by the owner of "Blueberry Hill" xc ski lodge in Vermont, where I did a spectacular 10k cross country in 1999. I just got colder.

It was wonderful to see so many people though out there walking, jogging, exercising their dogs and utilising yet another of one of Canberra's wonderful urban nature parks. We are very lucky. I spoke to quite a few of those out enjoying a wonderful Canberra winter day, including a bloke from Queanbeyan walking his son's dog, a fit Indian couple interested in the distance markers, and a couple of casual joggers. The runners and walkers in the short course event (3.5km this month) started coming through, including the amazing Carol Baird who was backing up from her 'training run' over the 60km course yesterday in 6:09. Another recent media-star, Rick Hatcher from Customs was walking sprightly up the rear!

Just as the short course participants petered out, the front runners from the 'long' course (a hilly 6.8k) started coming through, and were soon thick and fast. The handicap system may have it's detractors, however it consistently produces exciting finishes. I saw Friar running well and advised him that he was in 21st position. My buddy Peter was not too far behind, and Bob was quite a way back with 2km to go, having started off as a back-marker. When all were through, I gathered up the signs and witches hats along the course and made my way back to the start for a welcome hot drink and a chance to catch up with others. Peter offered to go for a run with me that afternoon, which I sorely needed, and we exchanged mobile numbers.

By the time I got away however, diverting via the petrol station to fill up after Bob's extended trip to the cycle race (not such a success ~ in a very good position, he punctured for the second week in a row during a race, and had to do the final 2/3rds as a hard, individual time trial). I soon climbed into bed again, after another dose of BionTears which wasn't relieving my eye grot. I was soon asleep once more, racking up the frequent sleeper points. When I did emerge, groggy and gritty-eyed, I watched the news on TV (how does anyone know what is going on in the world if they don't watch SBS?), and then headed down to bed again at 7:30pm. Zzzzzzzzz.