catch-up-o-rama!

Wow, has been a while, after I was in such a good habit there for a while!
Well... I do have some excuses... top of the list being that I moved house! It was all a bit of a whirlwind, dealing with tax, banks, real estates, removalists and new body corporate... but I am in and I love it! I'm @ Torbreck, which is Brisbane's first residential highrise, built in the 50s and still going strong today... I am now just  a few minutes walk from my favourite Brissie 'hood- West End; I have walk and run routes literally on my doorstep; a lovely lap pool down the road and a cool down pool in my back yard- hurrah! I will try to post more often but for now I will give a snapshot overview of my time away from the blog...

Most recently on Sunday 7 November I mud-wrestled my way through the 350m dam swim/10km mountain bike/4km trail run(mud run!) that is the trex off road triathlon... yes that is mud, all over us, at the end of the run, but you cant hide our huge smiles- I felt like a kid again, whipping through the mud, swimming around the dam, and generally loving being outdoors. The event was low-key, family-friendly and great fun... hecks yes I'll be back for more of that!

This is a bit of a Brisbane special- there has been a spectacular Jacaranda season and this was taken mid-run on a highgate hill-uq-regatta-go between bridge route. After coming over the Green Bridge to uq I turned the corner and this boulevard of jacarandas stretched in front of me- made it into a great Saturday morning and an awesome way to start the day!




Finally, this pic from a weekend at the end of october was taken from the top of  Mt Ngungun, one of the Glass House Mountains North of Brisbane. My friend Alana and I had an awesome weekend, climbing up Ngungun early saturday morning, wandering around the mountaintop towns of Maleny and Montville, before coming down to sea-level at Noosa, where we tried stand-up-paddle-boarding around the beautiful Noosa National Park, bikram yoga and lots of delicious, fresh food from around the Sunny Coast...


 I guess the recurring feature of the couple of months just gone has been enjoying exercise- mixing it up, doing it with friends, using it to see new places- always with a smile :-)
Let's keep that going- I can tell it will be a good summer!
L. x

primo afternoon stretching spot

I just wanted to share this fab afternoon stretching spot... In my building I'm a lowly 2nd floor-er, but this afternoon rather than exiting for my run at the bottom of my building as per normal, I decided to exit at the top (we are on a steep hill- hence the 2 entry points!)... Awesome decision! There is a little opening on the 7th floor where us lowly folk who can't afford the view permanently, can go just to hang out and have a look. This afternoon I was lucky enough to catch the beautiful setting sun, streaming over the city and setting behind the Brisbane valley hills in the background... Loving the afternoon light at this time of year... what a great place to stretch out the day!
L. x

dusky walks

Sometimes life gets too much... things build up on top of each other and it overwhelms... toppling over, in much the same way as (in my case!) the tears do too. I know that this happens when I'm tired, when I havent had time to do a proper shop so not eating well and when I haven't got everything nicely balanced... so what I need to remember are these wise tips (thanks mum!)...
one... get out and walk. there is something about the air that calms me, the rhythm that soothes... or maybe it just gets you out of your immediate environment and forces you to think about something else for a while...
two... remember your friends... I took this pic as I walked over to meet up with a friend and walk through highgate hill and west end. It was a beautiful, clear evening and the view from highgate hill in brisbane is stunning. Talking things through with my friend I managed to get some kind of perspective. Even though things may not be returned to perfect balance yet (are they ever?!?! this is life!) at least I could share my tears... and some laughs... and that makes everything easier to deal with!
L.

more swims, more runs and pies!

Happy fathers day dad! I have discovered a fabulous country vegetable pie recipe, courtesy the silverspoon cookbook, made famous by italian mamma's the world over, for the past 50 years!
This one I was super proud of, because I used spinach grown in my very own garden boxes on my balcony. I think it makes it taste even better!
This was also a special treat for dad for fathers day- something we don't particularly celebrate but do usually acknowledge in some way.
I have also discovered the  lululemon athletica blog, which talks about lots of active, positive, lifestyle issues. In particular I loved reading about their lululemon manifesto - basically a recipe of how to live life to get the most out of every day. It got me thinking about things that I would include in a 'Lucy manifesto'... I think one of those things is definitely to use my recipe books more! I love cooking... and eating! But I think I need to make a more conscious effort to try out different recipes like this one... My first pie ever! I feel another entry coming on, to clarify what would be in my manifesto! Pie for now... (hahaha!)... L.

spring = evening dusk runs

The light at the moment is beautiful! The temperature is perfect! The evenings and early mornings in particular feel special, as the light and air changes, night to day or day to night. It's been great to get back into jogging with running friends, sharing the evening air and light as the sun shines its rays onto the buildings of the city before it sets behind the Brisbane Valley mountains.
It is on days like these when you can't ever imagine it clouding over of raining... Of course, the reality is that one always follows the other, but for now the weather has well and truly thrown itself into spring and it feels glorious! L.

swimming is my yoga....

So today I got back in the pool... I always forget, when I'm not in the habit of swimming, how much I love it, feel energised by it, calm from it, and just generally in a good mood with the world. Some people hate swimming- something about the chlorine, black line and I guess the difficulties of getting arms and legs moving together to propel you through the water, all the while staying a float and drawing breath appropriately. Lucky for me, dad threw me in the deep end at musgrave park pool when I was little and got me to swim a length (I had done some swimming lessons across the pool beforehand- it wasn't child abuse!). Since then, I have always been able to hold my weight in the water, be it at swimming squad, waterpolo or mucking around in dams and in the surf.
Anyway, it has been about 6 months since I was doing any kind of regular swimming (yeah, I know- fair-weather swimmer who can't hack the cold!) and this morning was the perfect day to get back in the pool. Today is the first of spring. A sunny, warm morning in beautiful Brisbane and the pool was not too busy. I even smelt jasmine in the air as I walked down to somerville house pool. There is something about submerging my head beneath the surface, that allows me to enter my own little underwater world. Here, with every day noises muffled, my own thoughts can wander, as much or as little as they like. I find it calming, therapeutic even- and even though I am keen to try some yoga (I even picked up an introductory offer brochure when I was at the pool!), the slower pace and relaxed vibe of water means that, for now, swimming is my yoga...
L.

Tuesday early run!

So tuesdays are quite an early start for me. Usually i struggle with alarm issues and getting out the door on time but sometimes, like this morning, i get my shit together and manage a morning run as well. On the days that are a struggle i need to remind myself of the rewards- not only do i feel better immediately after a run, but i feel better all day. And dawn views always feel special. There really is something different about the air quality in the morning, the start of a new day... Ok, you got me, i really am a morning person, but even morning people need reminding of why its worth it to get up sometimes! If you really cant make it up, enjoy my pic- this is what you get on morning runs- Bellissimo!
L.

Sat walking tour in west end

Spied these beautiful gates on a walk through west end and highgate hill, burbs of inner city bne. It was nice to walk and talk rather than having a total sweat fest for a change! Though that said, i have signed up for the straddie triathlon which is getting ever closer so think ill need to pick things up in the next month to get ready for that!
....Maybe tmrw!
L.

Thursday jog

So today I managed to get back to running- hurruh! This morning I took a route along the river where I passed by Brisbane's iconic new(ish!) goma- in the pic you can see two Queendland features- the huge fig tree which  provides much needed shade and also the louvred roof- which covers the gallery outdoor eating area, opening onto the river. Local sunshine coast architects Lindsay and Kerry Clare completed the project and were also this years Australian Institute of Architects gold medallists. Their website shows some of the work they're been churning out over the years, and I think the development of their simple planning and passive solar design principles. So glad this job came to fruition- its position on the banks of the Brisbane river and some of the exhibitions goma have drawn have been amazing, and just what Brisbane needed.
L.

Tuesday Walk

So I am running a little behind this week, but I have a couple of entries banked up, ready to go now!
I have had a slow start to the week, with a little medical issue that needed attending to, so instead of any runs, I have had some lovely walks while staying out at my parents place on the outskirts of Brisbane. I feel so lucky to be able to live in the inner city and yet be able to escape to their place whenever I want (or need) for some bush air and r + r... The rejuvenating ability of nature never ceases to amaze me!
More soon...
L.

Sunday run/coffee catch up

We are so lucky to be still theoretically in winter yet have as beautiful days as these in brisbane! Todays run was a nice opportunity to catch up with a friend for a sunday morning run along the bne river. She recently had a baby and has been following a pod runner programme- she is now up to half hr of running and as well as being totally proud of her, im also excited to have a new running pal! Chatting about life, politics (eek!) and where to coffee post-run made the half hour fly by! Yay for runs with friends!

Thurs run pic...

Some days i think i need to run more than others! Today was one of those days! Things werent going quite right, i was sitting at my desk and nothing was happening so i broke early for an afternoon run. It was really nice to be out in the sunshine instead of running in the dark, especially after such a warm day- its only august but subtropical brisbane has thrown off its winter coat- it was 28 degrees today! Pic is taken from kurilpa bridge- i just loved the combination of sun and shade and lines and repetition... Thats all for now, off to fix my tiny blisters :-(
l
L.

Tuesday twilight boxing

View from kangaroo pt cliffs while i did some boxing training with my brother and his girlfriend... Sorry for swearing at u little bro, ur training style was getting on my goat ;-) though on reflection it was probably just because it was doing me good that it hurt so much- thanks! X

My run pic of the day! First run in new orthotics + first run in a while= tough! But glad to be back and hoping the plantar fasc holds up!
L. x

winter cheer

Sometimes it's the little things that cheer you up... sunshine, blue skies and bright yellow jonquils! Seriously, how could these little bundles of goodness not cheer you up?! Dad sprung this little treat on me this afternoon- thanks dad- and tehy made my day!
So, once again it has been some time since I blogged... I seem to do lots of reading of blogs but when it comes to writing... well it's enough to keep up with texts, emails, facey, twitter... let alone blogging as well!
I do have good intentions of trying to get regular with my blogging... for now though it's just the jonquils! x