Two Months!

Do you see the ticker? Two months!!! Whooooaaaaa baby, it wasn't that long ago that I won the prize and it was 10 months away, and I was having to tell people, no, no, its not for ages yet, but I need that "ages" got get my body prepared. Well, I'm happy to say the preparation is going good, now I kinda feel I just need to finish the training programme, keep my body well and uninjured and we're all GO!

I saw a friend at the shops today that I haven't seen in a while and she asked if I was nervous, and as I said to her, funny enough, the closer I get the less scared I get (about the actual run, I'm scared of getting sick, getting injured, the huge crowds I'm not used to and don't like at the best of times). As I get closer and the training gets harder, and I knock off the long runs, the more I believe that I might actually be able to do this and maybe, just maybe, do it pretty well, better anyway than I ever dreamed about 10mths ago when my initial reaction was "what! run a marathon, not *insert bad words" likely" LOL

I did my hill run yesterday, 53:20 - funny, my time gets slower each week, yet I feel stronger running up it - I think I've learnt to pace myself better and pace it pretty slowly before hitting the hill and then take it pretty easy running down ... not worried at all, its getting that hill in that counts! In fact, mad woman I am, I'm wondering if I should attempt doing it twice - or even maybe three repeats of the first half, the first half is steeper - I know now, definitely more of a mental thing, that once I get past the first half it is okay, that first steeper half is the killer. Anyway, I then read the notes on the Hal Higdon training programme last night where it says take Thursday's shorter run easier to prepare for a lot of running this weekend - whoops! 8.5km, steep hill on still a bit tired legs from the weekend before ... maybe not quite what he meant! Legs feel good today though, and its a rest day - so all good :)

Weigh in today, and for the first time in a while I actually lost a reasonable amount of weight (600g, just over a lb). My secret? Well, WW wouldn't like me, but basically a couple of weeks ago I decided to stop counting points and to sound like the hippy that my husband likes to call me (I'm still trying to persuade him that positive thinking, kindness and deepset belief in yourself works wonders) I'm sure that in some sort of strange way, I've released it from head, so my body is happy to "release" as well. Yeah, sounds wacky, but I think there is something in it. Also, mostly, I just can't count points and stick to a "diet" when I'm going to run 2-3hrs the next day, or needs to refuel my body after a 2-3hr run. I'm not rushing out and eating junk, in fact I'm pretty much eating the same ... but definitely those couple of days of big exercise, I'm letting my body dictate more about what it needs. We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks - hopefully its the start of a downward trend!

So - this weekend - 13km at marathon pace tomorrow and then 27.5km on Sunday ... I've mapped it out on Map my Run ... and boy it looks like a long way! We'll take it easy though, and I'm sure we'll survive :) I get to come home and go to a baby shower for my niece which should be lots of fun, something to look forward to while I'm running!

Still on Cloud 9!

Yep, still on cloud 9 and still buzzing :)

But I've got to write about my "Best Mother of the Year" moment yesterday, can I blame still being high from such a good run and wanting to rush the girls to school so I could buy the paper with the official results for my wee, um, slack mother moment?

I got up yesterday, did the normal shower, breakfast, getting the girls' lunches ready, getting them out the door (really, it is only the 8yo that still needs prompting to eat breakfast, put shoes on, brush hair), took Charlotte to school, got the paper - came home and read it, mucked around on the computer here for a while, made a couple of phone calls and then went out on my bike delivering for a couple of hours. Got home about 12.30 and notice Cameron on the couch in the lounge as I walked past to put my bike in the shed, I figured he'd come home sick from school (the high school is a 5 min walk down the road from us).

Got to the front door and vaguely wondered why it was still locked, and how he'd got inside. So I ask him why he's come home? His answer? "I never left", um, yeah ... mother of the year, I'd never even noticed that he wasn't in amongst the normal morning activities in the morning, certainly never occured to me he was still in bed asleep! Turns out he was very tired and slept until 11.30, and actually went to school this morning, raced in the 1500m for athletics and then came home sick, full of a cold. There is no doubt he will be well tomorrow though because he has a school cricket game!

So, got to wonder ... maybe my head is full of running rather than mothering? LMAO!!

So, this morning is usually my shorter, tempo run. My legs are still a bit stiff and tired from Sunday so I wasn't sure whether I'd try and run faster, figured I'd decide once I started. I gave it a go at my normal starting point, but only lasted about 1.5km, and then just ran steadily to another road where I knew it was about the end 1km that I usually run faster and tried to run that faster, but really was too tired and didn't do much pushing at all. I'm fine with that, got to listen to the body sometimes, especially when I know I've got a 13km to run tomorrow!

6.6km - 36:24min

Right, off to the next "way too busy Tuesday" pick-up - Rhiannon from Hip Hop, then dropping her straight to netball!

2:01:08!! and a little bit of Sunshine

Wow and wow!! How did I manage that? In just two months from my previous half marathon, I took 8 minutes off my time, just wow ... I am amazed everyday at what we can train our bodies to do :)

Ewa gave me a Sunshine Award - thank you Ewa!! and thank you for all your nice comments, I'm blushing :) I have been reading your blog, but can't comment? Just in case you thought I was really rude and was totally ignoring you!

I'm supposed to pass this on, but I think every blog I read has had a Sunshine Award! I read lots of inspirational blogs and they all deserve awards!

Today is a non-running, cross training day. My cross training will be getting on my bike and delivering, I have Saturdays and todays to do, because I wanted to let me legs totally rest before yesterdays run.

Legs feel pretty good today, one calf muscle is a bit sore, it was trying to cramp for a few km's yesterday, but I willed it away ;) ... but it is tight today, otherwise - a bit stiff, but not too bad at all!

So what was my Half Marathon Time?

I don't know!!! and its killing me! Stupid, stupid me arrived at my carpark at work (okay its a client carpark, but its "my" carpark when I work my evening shifts, so I decided there'd be no harm in parking conveniently and easily almost across the road from the start line!). Anyway, arrived, parked starting getting all my gear together and found I'd forgotten my Nike+ attachment for my ipod, oh no! absolutely gutted! My game plan was to run a 5:50/km pace for the first 15km and then decide from there whether to speed up, stay the same or struggle at whatever pace to finish. So here I was, no ipod attachment, no watch, absolutely nothing to give me any idea on how fast I'm running ... duh, duh, duh!

I remembered just before we started that I DID have my playlist from Wanganui's half marathon, so if I used that at least I'd have a vague idea if I was on track or not if I could remember the songs I'd placed at 5k and 10k, and would definitely know if I was doing really badly if the playlist finished before I did ;)

So off we went, I was with Deirdre (running partner on a Sunday) and Sue (another mother from gymnastics who was doing her first half) ... we were all running about the same pace to start with but then the two of them edged away from me - which was fine by me, I hate that feeling of trying to keep up, or like I should be talking or whatever, I just wanted to concentrate on my running.

I started and kept up a pretty steady pace, at about 3km I passed Sue and it was getting pretty hot. At 5km it was still feeling like hard work but I felt like I was running at a pretty good pace, confirmed by the first "girl" artist singer song at 5km, which is exactly where it should have been. At about 7-8km the rhythm and in the "zone" suddenly kicked in and I was feeling great ... I love that what I call "machine" feeling :) ... there was a drink station at 9km, I pulled my gel out of my pocket ready to take and then thought, no I'm feeling fantastic, I'll save it until the next drink station and only use one (I'd been umming and ahhing for a while about whether I really need two gels for a half marathon).

We hit the wind about this stage - Wellington is well known for its wind and it was good hard gusts for a while, which going by the way a lot of people were dropping back and I was still going and feeling well, I handled quite well!

I could see Deirdre just ahead of me all the way ... all that running together, we must have pretty much aligned our pace!

So on we ran, 11km I had my drink and gel ... hit the turn around area at 14km (the finish wasn't at the start) and was still feeling strong, at about 15km I sped it up a bit ... feeling strong and the wind now on my back! I passed Deirdre at about 17km, and at this point was looking hard for the 18km where I was hoping to put in a last burst. By the time I got to 18km I was still going at a good pace so I kept with it (and was passing a few people, so I must have paced myself well as they seemed to be flagging). Then hit about 19km and all of sudden my body said "enough!", the last 2k's were a struggle, but not a really bad struggle, just tired and it was hard work.

Then finally, the finish! They had said to us at the beginning that when we came in and looked at our times to make sure we added 50min as the clock was set for the 7km runners/walkers who left after us (but were all coming in as we came in - wow, chaotic!). So I desperately looked for the clock but didn't see it anywhere! I knew I'd definitely run faster than the 2:06 I wanted because my last song hadn't played on my playlist, but otherwise had no idea of my time. Deirdre came in not long after me and her watch said 2:02 for her time ... but I'm not sure how accurate it is ... so until tomorrow when the official results come out, I'm thinking I ran about 2:02, maybe 2:01 something ... which I am absolutely thrilled about! My goal was to definitely run about 2:06, but hopefully push it to a 2:04 :)

Of course, I will wonder for ever whether actually not being able to check my pace and time was actually a good thing for me, I had to go completely by feel (these last few weeks of working on marathon pace, and tempo runs and "normal" runs definitely has helped me "feel" my pace better), or whether I would have done just the same if I was checking my time ... and well, if I knew I was that close to two hours would I have had the mental focus to push just a bit faster to break it? (not that that was ever even in my head to do - I'd long decided that one of my first goals after London will be to work on a sub-2hr half marathon, I had no dreams or intentions of pushing for that yet!).

Anyway - it was a good run, good in that I did exactly what I wanted, paced myself in the beginning well enough that I'd have enough juice left to push it a bit faster at the end, didn't quite do it exactly right as I definitely felt it in the last 2km, but 15-19km I was able to push it a bit faster.

Very very happy :) (and even happier when I actually see the official time!).

Mini Taper

Sort of a mini taper ... it is also the "cut back" week on the marathon programme, so it worked well. Mini taper for Wellington Around the Bay's Half Marathon on Sunday! It is only the second year they've run the half marathon at this event, usually it is just the 7km fun run/walk event ... which is one of the bigger running events close to us. I'm looking forward to running the half with about 1000 people, rather than the last couple that have been 1-200 people :)

None of my trusty sisters are running this weekend, Julie my usual running mate is battling injuries, the twins just thought it would be too much of a struggle with lots of people and Macy (the baby) and Dianna is concentrating on her biking ... so its just me from the damily this time. BUT! I have two friends running, my usual running buddy and another mother from gymnastics is doing her first half marathon. I'm picking up Sue and driving us in, parking at work which is very conveniently almost across the road from the start and then Sue's husband is going to pick us up at the other end (don't like those races that don't finish where they start!) and drop me back off at my car. Fingers crossed it all works smoothly because I have to be in Palmerston by 2.00pm to run a stamping/card making class ... so half marathon starts at 8.30, should finish 10.30(ISH), back to the car by 11.30, home by 12.30, very quick shower, need to leave by about 12.45 to be in Palmerston at 2.00pm - its going to be tight!

So my mini taper, I stuck to the programme Tues/Wed, but ran my hill on Wed rather than Thurs. Yesterday (Thurs) and today I've run 6.5km at a pretty easy pace ... I'm going to have my rest day tomorrow so hopefully my legs are fresh for Sunday.

I'm hoping, and expecting (and will be disappointed if I don't!) to at the very least make my 2:06 goal (6.00min/km). I'm aiming for more like 2:03-04. My plan is to start out at 5:50/km and hopefully keep that pace to about 15/16km. At the point I'm going to either find that I was dreaming and started to fast, but should be able to maintain or drop back in pace a bit for the last 5km and still make 2:06. What I'm really hoping is that the tempo training will kick in and I will have enough energy left to actually pick up the pace a bit for the last 5km and run those a bit faster. Here's hoping!

Deirdre who I run my long runs with wants us to race each other ... that works for her. Also Sue I think will be just a wee bit faster than us, so she reckons we should aim to keep up with her. I'm going to have to work really hard at being firm about running my own race! Yep, I'm competitive and would be happy to race and beat them, but I think I know my limitations and I'm better off sticking to my plan and if that just happens to make me faster, well that would be nice ... but beating my friends isn't actually a biggie for me ... I'm very self-motivated and self competitive and thats enough for me :)

Now, lets hope for a NON windy Wellington day! (They don't call it Windy Wellington without good reason though!).

No hill repeats for me!

Just one kick-ass hill! I was going to take photos last week, but it rained. Today it is raining again, but I took photos anyway. Now, I live on the flat, by the beach, walk out my door and it is all flat ... but up the road away from the beach we do have hills! So I drive up to Valley Road, park by a retirement village, and do my hill.

So here we go, my hill run in pictures!

Firstly, dropped the girls off at school, then driving to the hills - can you see them in the distance?















Starting off - down Valley Road, this part is just over 2km, the horrible thing is, as soon as I get out of the car I'm straight into a small hill so I'm stuffed as soon as I start! Once again, see those hills in the distance?















Here we are! The Maungatooks ... now trying reading that sign after a few wines, there is a good reason all the locals call it the "Maungatooks"! Can you see that sort of horse shoe group of trees on the right at the top? That's where I'm going!















This is my view for the next 1.8ish km, going up I just concentrate on the road and keeping on going!




















Finally the top! One of the ways I keep going is telling myself that at the end of the London Marathon, this is how I'm going to feel ... so suck it up and just keep going!

Getting to the top is worth it though - look at the views!






























I've got to say, it looks much better on a sunny day when you can see the blue sea, Kapiti Island and if its really clear the South Island as well ... but well, I can't say we've had a lot of sunshine this summer! If you look hard you can see the flat with all the houses in the distance, that's where I live, see how flat it is!

This next photo, you can see Valley Road where I've turned off from to run up the hill, see? one kick-ass hill!
















Of course running down is way more fun! I didn't take any on the way down ... but going down it is definitely easier to enjoy the view ;)

... and just because I had my camera when I got back to my car, look at my number plate - it's one of my favourite things :) Then again, I haven't shot for a couple of years so maybe I should change it to RUNMOM!















... and you know? Watching the Winter Olympics, my favourite event has always been the biathalon, I would LOVE to give that a go one day, but considering I've never skiied, that I've touched snow, oh about once in my life, there isn't a lot of chance. But hey, they should make a Summer Olympic sport biathalon - RUNNING and shooting, would that not be the coolest thing?

So the boring details - 8.5km Hill Run (52:56).

Life is good

Especially when you're training for a marathon and you're still enthused and feeling good! I've had a couple of people say in the last couple of months ... oh, wait until you get to those monster weeks and you just can't be bothered getting out and running. Well, maybe I'm not at those weeks yet, but I'm still eager and enthused to get out and run every morning. I love feeling stronger, I love seeing my pace get faster, I'm loving the challenge.

Okay, alot of that gushing might be to do with the fact the last two runs have been great, throw in a bad one I might not be quite so gushy! LOL

Long Run Sunday - 24km

My furtherest run to date, but then again the next 10 weeks will have lots of those! I was supposed to run with Deirdre, but first of all I had to change to the afternoon because we took our oldest son into his new living arrangements (life as a varsity student!) and helped him move in, I kinda figured that huge moment in his life (and ours) was probably more important than running my long run in the morning when I'd like to. Anyway, we planned to meet at 2.00pm and run then. Deirdre rang me at about 11am in a fluster, they were having unexpected visitors that she couldn't get out of being there for so was rushing out of the house to go do her run then. Which left me on my own later in the day. Originally I'd kinda planned we'd run down the beach, because I know Deirdre likes that run, and I'm all for trying something new (and not being so bossy and anal all the time!). When I was on my own I decided to stick to where I knew and ran the river trail twice, it is about 10km long so with the 2km from home to the start of it and back again, that made my 24.

First Km I was frustrated, I was trying a new hydration pack (I usually carry a drink bottle which is really annoying), I had the pack to loose and it kept dropping off my shoulder AND my ipod was only playing in one ear. I stopped at about a half km to try and fix them - pretty unsuccessfully. I carried on, feeling rather annoyed ... by the time I got to the river I still hadn't fixed them but decided I'd cope until I got to the Main Road bridge where I was planning to stop and drink and have a gel anyway. By the time I hit the second walkbridge (about 5.5k from home) I was in a rhythm and feeling great. The Main Road bridge is the turning point for the river run (over the bridge and back down the other side of the river), so about 7km from home. I took the pack off tried to tighten it (but still not enough), had a drink, had a gel and was off again. For some reason, probably a totally mental thing, I love running down the return side of this trail, I always feel good :) I think I sped up a wee bit and was really enjoying the run. I'd also talked myself successfully into knowing that once I got to the main walkway bridge I'd have a quick walk and drink over and I'd be halfway then it was just up the one side and then back down the "fun" side and only 2km home after that. It wasn't until I got to the second walkway bridge again (about 15k) that I started feeling at all tired. Then it was just that 1.5km (which is the worst part of the run, lots of big river rocks along the trail that I'm always really scared I'm going to twist an ankle on) up to the Main Road Bridge. I walked across there again, again having a drink and my 2nd gel and then it was the "fun" side of the river back down to the start again. Made it to the walk bridge no problem, walked across and had a drink and then just had the 2km home. I'd be lying if I said that 2km was easy, but it wasn't too bad! Got home, and all finished - a great run. It took me 2:32 with an average pace of 6:21/km, I think I actually ran the second half faster than the first, which is good for me the serial start too fast runner!

I was pretty stiff the rest of the evening (and yes, rolled my eyes at unfit husband who was complaining HIS legs hurt because of the six flights of stairs we went up and down a few times while moving David into his new home). The worst thing was I kept waking up during the night with sore legs, what is with that? I'm thinking blood circulation or something? Woke up yesterday morning and my legs felt great ... bit stiff, but definitely not "sore".

Today - Tempo Run - 6.5km

Once again, this went well, I'm amazed I can run a long run Sunday and then find my legs all ready to go again on the Tuesday morning.

Fastest overall pace yet 5:23/km (35:17 for the whole run).

See? How can I not be enthused?

Remind me of my happy Pollyanna attitude when I'm moaning after a bad run!

Survived!

Last week at Weight Watchers when we went around at the end to find out our week's goals ... I said "survive" ... I knew last week was going to be a busy one! I worked 8.30-5.00 on Tuesday, and then had a Stamping (card making) class at my house on Tuesday night, the usual delivering and folding the kids' pamphletts for their paper run on Monday, as well as organising class so I could come straight home on Tuesday and be ready. Wednesday I was in work early (I swear that either the women I work with have very low immune systems or are very good at making the most of their sick leave!), Thursday was pretty normal busyiness and yesterday I worked from 8.30-5.00 again. *phew*, I made it through the week in one piece though! I must admit, that eating wise I kinda lost the plot this week, I just couldn't be bothered ... and the fact that eating right is still such hard work, shows I have a long way to go. Actually, my weight stayed about the same all week, so that is fine - I didn't really "blow out" I just didn't eat "losing weight" good.

When I got up this morning and found that the girls' cricket was cancelled, I thought today might be a quietish day, but as the day goes on (and its only just after 10.00am) it is already looking like logistics muddle ... there is a good reason I call myself "Queen of Juggling"! I have delivering to do, which will probably take just over two hours, not too many at all, but I need to bike over the river and right to the other side of Waikanae Beach. But finding those two hours is looking complicated. Cameron needs to be dropped off at cricket at 12.30, which means I can't go now (which probably means I should hop in the shower, I was going to run, breakfast, bike and be home for a nice free afternoon), I need to do some shopping, a few last minute things for Mr 18yo who is leaving tomorrow and a hydration backpack ... which I want before tomorrow's long run. So its looking like cricket drop off, shopping, then home to do delivering - getting home in time to go out to dinner at 6.30. Last family dinner before Mr 18yo leaves! Such, is the story of my life. In fact, I've just realised that Cameron is at cricket, Josh is going to a party which means my two babysitters aren't home this afternoon ... hopefully David Jnr (18yo) is going to be, otherwise I won't be going anywhere! ... so next time a well meaning person says something like "gosh, isn't it amazing how you can fit something into your life if you really want to", can I hit them? (oh, and DH is working today)

Anyway, enough with the rambling.

This morning I ran 11km at Marathon Pace - it is really windy out there today, but running slower you don't seem to notice it as much! 1:07:21 (6:07/km).

Tomorrow is 24km - we're running it at 2.00pm, I never run at any other time except the morning, so I'm a bit nervous about it being hotter and my body not being used to it ... but it should be fine. It's another juggly day, David wants to be in at his hostel at about 10-11am and I'd like to see him off into the big wide world, so it was either leave really early to run (about 6.00am) - which actually, would have been my first choice, but Deirdre isn't a morning person plus her hubby wants to bike with his biking group at 8.00am anyway so afternoon worked better. Cameron is playing a rep match tomorrow which I was hoping to see some of, but that isn't looking likely at this stage!

Okay, off to find that shower ...

Quick Catch Up

Very quick (lucky I type fast!) ... thought I should update somewhat in case anyone thought I'd got lost on my long run or something!

So after my mammoth delivering/biking effort on Saturday, Sunday was long run day - 22.5km, the furtherst I'd run! and actually it wasn't so bad, it took us 2:26 which was pretty slow, but slow is what I'm supposed to be aiming for on the long runs, so all good. My only slight worry is that I was definitely tired and done by the end of it, and really it was only a km and a bit more than a half marathon, so I hope I can go faster without it ending badly at next weeks half marathon. My legs were definitely tired during the run, I felt good breathing/fitness wise, but my legs definitely struggled. So got home, rather tired, dehydration headache (bad me, I've been good up until now at avoiding that) and then had to go out later in the afternoon for what turned out to be another two hours on my bike. Actually, that was probably the best thing, my legs felt good after that - biking definitely loosens those muscles!

Monday was cross training - NO delivering (explains the big amount over the weekend), I did my spin class that night - I looked after my legs a bit there, I didn't put as much into as I could have :)

Tuesday I tried a "proper" tempo run - 6.5km, 1st km warm up, then approx 4km fast and then 1.5km warm down. It all went good except I didn't really slow down that much for the last 1.5km! But I did my first "longer than 5km" run under 5:30/km - yay me :)

Yesterday was my mid-week longish run, 11km 1:01:43 - felt pretty good, I'm feeling strong :)

Today is up the Maungatooks for my hillwork. It will be a slow hard one, my calf muscle is feeling quite tight and I know I'm tired ... we'll take it as it comes :)

Right, girls are waiting for their lunches to be made!

Oh! and big relief, DH got paid half of what he is owed ... enough to pay the extra curriculum activities (girls' dancing, gym, Cam's soccer, cricket etc) AND more importantly, I can book accommodation for our trip, yay!

I did a Marathon Today

Well, does 4.5hrs on my bike delivering count, its the same amount of time I want to run the marathon in! ... Yeah, four and a half hours, and I didn't finish - that's what I get for taking Thursday off as well as my usual Friday, and a big load of envelopes turning up on Friday. It's going to be a fun long run tomorrow ... I've been drinking lots of water, plus Powerade, I didn't push it at all, kept the bike on a nice low gear for easy riding ... lets hope it all worked!

So my 11k Marathon pace run this morning? It went great! You can see from my Nike+ graph that I was a bit up and down trying to keep the pace the same, but overall it came out at 6:10/km which is about what I was aiming for. It was a nice run, I was able to sing along to my ipod and just enjoy, not that I don't enjoy my other runs, but there is something about running slower and easier that makes for a nice run :)

Tomorrow, 22.5k (14mile) ... will be the longest I've run (as will most Sunday's long runs from now on), Deirdre and I are running together ... we both agreed to go out half an hour later, I found it hard getting up this morning and feel I need a bit extra sleep, she is going out to a party tonight and is expecting to feel it in the morning. I think we'll both be happy to go slow tomorrow, me because I've probably over done it, her because she will be probably slightly dehydrated, fine pair we will be!

I still have about an hour or so delivering to go so I'm going to have to drag my tired legs out later tomorrow to do that as well, after I've run. I tell ya, if it wasn't for the ice cream and apple slice I had for "lunch" at about 4.00pm after I finished on my bike, with all that exercise I should look like a stick!

A few thoughts

Rest day today, love rest day! (actually, sadly, I'm starting to miss running on a rest day ... my husband must be right, I'm addicted!).

Anyway, a few things on my mind ...

• Weigh in day today. 69.5, finally at the bottom end of where I've been for the last 12 weeks, hopefully I can get below that now. I've been thinking about my eating and I'm going to try and make a few changes, actually sticking totally to WW points would help, I have too many little cheats that I like to deny to myself are happening.

• I'm obsessing over the 2011 Disney Marathon ... seriously, I've said it before, how amazing would it be to run 42km on the day of your birthday that you turn 42yo, and then even more amazing if it was at a place like Disney? I told my husband last night that we should take the kids to Disneyland next summer holidays, then threw in the idea that perhaps I'd run a marathon at the same time. So obsessed that I've looked at the entry page and wondered if I should just enter and then worry about details later ... oh yeah, I still haven't actually run a marathon yet, I might swear never to do another one after London! Oh and, 2 adults, 4 adult fared children and one child fare = BIG money ... but still, how amazing would it be?

• Here's the Facebook message my older sister left me yesterday -

"hi just had to tell you something before I go grocery shopping...I was running this afternoon and a lady in one of those kapiti health white cars stopped me..she was quite excited...she said to me " youre Lisa arnt you? Youre running London Marathon, I saw your write up in paper"..I then told her no im not you that im ...your sister...she was surprised and asked me if i was going to london with you...i said no that youre taking your hubby....funny...come to think of it i have had people say hi to me lately and i dont know them..lol"

Ha Ha! About 20yrs ago when I was a lot thinner and Dianna was just a bit bigger we used to get mistaken as each other all the time (she is 6yrs older than me, so not sure if its a compliment to me!) ... then she got thinner (we're about the same build, but she is about 52kg (115lb)), and I got fatter and it didn't happen quite as much ... now I'm not as fat, its starting to happen again.

Tomorrow is Marathon Pace day ... we'll see how that goes - I've given girls' cricket duties to Husband, I also have a s**tload of delivering to do, so the plan is to run and then go out on my bike, I suspect it is a good four hours worth ... probably not the best thing to do before Sunday's long run but I don't really want to do them afterwards so I haven't got a lot of choice, I'll take it easy and hope that it doesn't tire me out too much before Sunday.

Four down, one to go ...

That is children, out of the house to their respective education facilities! Got to say my 18yo who is the last one to return to school (as I type he is just coming home to disturb my lovely, first time in seven weeks, quiet house). Anyway Mr 18yo is off to university this year and is driving me nuts ... even though we've talked (and yes, nagged and nagged) about saving money for the last couple of years he has been way more interested in socialising etc than actually saving. So now, its crunch time ... and of course for some reason its all my fault. I think I'm supposed to be sad, or something, about him leaving home in a week ... but after having more words, again, this morning ... well I can't see me missing him in a hurry, sad yes that the first one is leaving, sad that he is going to go live in a hostel with four other people who might just get annoyed at the same things I do (dishes that don't go in the dishwasher, towels that get dropped on the floor etc)? no! He needs it. To remind me that we're not really bad parents and a most of it is down to personality? The other four seem more than capable at saving money and picking up after themselves!

Anyway ... I needed to get that off my chest ... and I bet you thought this was a running blog!

So on to running ... THANK YOU Morgan and Andrew for your comments - Morgan you had me in a slight panic, tempo? speed? hills? Eeeek! I'm just concentrating on getting the miles in LOL But actually when I look at my running week, I DO do a tempo run each week, usually at least one of my short run days I concentrate on pushing myself and seeing how fast I can run it ... I went and read up on tempo running, and although I'm not doing it exactly right, I am pretty much doing what I should be *phew*. As for hills, I've got slack, and knew that before you commented, and fixed it today (more on that later). Andrew, I always like your perspective, I think we've come from the same "place" so its always good to hear what you've got to say :) Anyway, with the pace thing - I'm going to try and run my 11k on Saturday at 6:10/km pace ... this is probably a bit faster than marathon pace, but I want to see how it feels and I'll be making sure we run the 22.5km on Sunday nice and slow. After I've run a half marathon race in a couple of weeks I think I will be able to work out better where I'm at.

This weeks runs?

Tuesday - 6.5km (35:59), tempo run! LOL (next Tuesday I'm going to actually do it properly, run a slower 1km to warm up, 4km pushing it faster and then 1.5km slower to warm down :)).

Wednesday - 11km (1:02:19), probably a little fast, but I tried to stay comfortable the whole run and it all felt good.

Thursday (today) - 8.5km (52:05) - back to my hill work! I had a look and it was 5th of November since I last did this run ... I think I stopped before the half marathon and then never got back into it. So with the kids back at school it is easy to drop them off and then drive up to the carpark and get to it. The last couple of times I did it I managed to run all the way up ... today it was a definite run/walk ... but still faster overall than three months ago. If its a beautiful sunny day next week I'll definitely have to bring my camera ... first 2.5km is rolling valley hills, next 1.8km goes from 50m elevation to 279m elevation ... it is a beautiful view from the top, well worth running up for, but hard work!

Tomorrow is rest day - yay!

Marathon Pace?

Okay, I'm not sure how many marathon runners are reading, but I'll throw the question out there ... Marathon Pace? How do I work it out?

I've studied the McMillan Calculator, I'm aiming for a 4hr30min goal (6:30/km) ... based purely on that is what "I" see as a respectable, first time, runners marathon, believe me I also know that just finishing, at any time will be an accomplishment! But 4hr30min is what I've also put down for London which is where I'll end up when put in corrells etc.

S0, studying the calculator - 4hr30min is probably about right (pretty lucky considering that a few months ago that was pretty much a pie in the sky dream number plucked out of no where!).

Now, studying the Higdon (Intermediate 1) programme I'm following - I'm failing in the pace department, on Saturdays I should be running at marathon pace, I'm not, I'm just running at a comfortable pace which is way faster than marathon pace. Sunday's long run I should be adding 30-45sec on to marathon pace, I can't seem to make myself run that slow (although as I hit longer runs, maybe that becomes easier?).

So, experienced runners I guess I'm asking am I completely failing training by doing what feels comfortable at the time?

I AM going to try and run Saturday's run at marathon pace, I can understand that it is important to get the body to feel the pace and get used to it.

The long runs, I've slowed down, but I'm not sure I want to slow them down any more than I am?

Also, I started running a year ago. As I get fitter and thinner (ha! not much thinner for the last 2-3mths but still working on it!), I get faster and stronger. In two months am I going to be faster and stronger than a 4hr30min marathon? Or is this about where I'll be, because really 2mths isn't long - maybe I should take now as my base line for pace?

I think I'm lacking endurance training, but that could be the nervous, OMG I've got long runs coming up, can I do it? But maybe I'm dreaming about a 4hr30min marathon ... when I hit that 30-42km mark my body could very well fall in a screaming heap and say HAHA what were you thinking, I don't have an extra 12km in me ... and I could very well limp slowly to the end.

So? Suck it up, follow the programme, it works, and stop thinking about it so much?

OR follow how my body feels on the long runs and weekly short runs, but work at marathon pace on Saturdays?

and um, yeah, all of sudden reality is setting in and I'm suddenly scared I'm doing it all wrong!

So - tonight - spinning class, should I admit the mild panic I felt when I rang to book only to find the class was full? Oh no, I have to do that I want the scales to go down, Oh no I have to do it, it is cross training day and the programme said an hours cross training would be good today ... I don't think I'll admit that to my husband, he already thinks I'm now addicted to this running lark - I'd hate him to be right! LOL ... oh and they rang soon after to say someone had rung and cancelled so I've got a spot *phew*.