Gosh, where has time gone?

I've been a slack blogger!

I was extremely lucky after the half marathon in that I didn't seem to have any injuries or a lot of soreness at all, so I've pretty much got straight back into the running. I spent the first week taking it pretty easy, I didn't run Monday or Tuesday and then did a 5km run Wednesday. Then Thursday, still feeling good, I tackled the Maungatooks! Worked out that it is 2km from the golf course carpark along Valley Road (gentle rolling hills), then 2km up the Maungatooks, 2km down, and 2km back to the car, so a good 8km run. I didn't manage to run all the way up, but ran more of it than I thought I would manage. Coming DOWN was hard, my stomach hurt (I think the muscles were given a work out holding myself back), I got the stitch, and it was hard, harder than going up. Next day, once again I felt fine (I am counting my lucky stars here that my body seems to have taken to this whole running thing really well, besides my back that seems to be all better, I haven't had any injuries, or worrying niggles at all).

Saturday I ran 5km, and ran it as fast as I could - I think one of the reasons I'm not hurting is because I'm maybe not pushing myself enough, now, I'm not sure whether that is a good thing or not - probably a good debateable topic to be quite honest. But Saturday I tried hard, to get a grasp on where I am at with pace. I ran it in 28:30 (5:40/km), so faster than I have before, but not outstandingly fast ;). Next day I ran 10km, in 1:02:50 - not extremely fast, but a slightly quicker pace for a training run.

This week I've tried to push myself a bit each run - I'm aiming to try and run my 5-10km training runs at 6.0m/km ... and still take it easy on the longer ones. Tuesday I ran 8km in just over 48min, yesterday 10km in 1:01 ... so getting there. I can "feel" my legs, they know I'm working them harder, but hopefully in a good way. Today it is the Maungatooks again, I probably won't push it too hard for that run, I just need to concentrate on building endurance up the hill.

My weight is up again, the last two weigh ins I've lost 1.4kg, then 0.9kg ... good weeks! This week my routine totally changed, I filled in a PA position at work Mon-Wed so I was in the car for an hour commute there and back (sitting on my butt), then sitting in an office all day - SO not used to that, no time on bike, no walking to school and back, I don't think I realised how much "extra" exercise I fit in during the day! PLUS I couldn't resist the pull of the nice "by myself, no should be doing things" lunch break in a cafe reading my book. So the scales today show I've probably put on the 0.9 I lost last week, I have today to try and drag it back a bit before weigh in tomorrow - I should be able to stick to my points, plus a good run up hill, plus about 3hrs of delivering on my bike ... it shouldn't be too bad - but very frustrating when I'd decided to work hard and get rid of the last 5-6kg!!

I think that is all to report really ... busy, busy, busy as usual!