Magic massage that is :) I've never had a massage, I hate being touched ... don't run and hug me when you meet me for the first time, I'm a live in a bubble kind of girl. So, even before this running lark people would say you should get a massage, you're so busy, take time for yourself, get a massage ... um, no, not many clothes, somebody I don't know touching me ... ah, no. All the runners I know keep saying, get a massage, and I have thought, yeah I should ... but, um maybe not.
So my shoulder/back/neck is obviously muscular, I'm scared, so I decided to listen and get that massage. Lucky for me, Deirdre goes to one regularly so could recommend her, and also mentioned she is a runner and has run a marathon, okay all good - I've also been worried about getting someone who doesn't know what they're doing.
30min appointment, 40min spent on my knotted, tight, shoulder/back/neck and it feels soooooo much better. Sore to touch where she has poked and prodded, but that is probably usual for me - the couple of times I've been to a physio I've warned them I bruise easily, the first time the poor woman was aghast and looked so guilty when I went back for a 2nd appointment a few days later and I was covered in bruises where she'd poked and pushed. I have a feeling I'll be bruised after today ... so the "outside" is sore, but the "inside" feels sooooooo much better. Still stiff, and I can feel it, but I know even if its sore again by the end of the weekend I have another appointment next Tuesday that should loosen it all again, and after that its tapering and time for it to heal. Hopefully it will be all fine!
So today, 8km run - fairly easy pace - 43:52 (5:33/km).
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
A Garmin before Easter?
I hope so! I just ordered the 405, I'm a bit nervous, I've read the reviews and I don't think this one is as reliable as the 205/305, but I also really cannot see me wearing a bigger bulkier one. I would have loved green but none of the websites in NZ seemed to have the green, only the black. I love lime green! LOL I did order it through what seemed to be a reputable, good (not parallel import) company so hopefully that means if there are problems at least I have the option of sending it back in to be fixed.
I tweeted about it, my husband came back with "I have no idea what it is, a small dog?" LOL I talked to him later and he wondered if it was something to do with my relatives (he was being silly), as my mother's maiden name is Garmonsway ... that should be good luck, right? When I explained what it was he then sounded very cautious as he asked me if I remembered what my track record with watches is like ... um, yeah, I've lost a few and haven't worn one for years because I always lose them, I assured him it was a training tool, I'd only wear it while I was training and then it would sit in a charger ... it will be fine!
I do feel guilty about spending the money, but (and here comes the woman justification thing) my Nike+ is driving me crazy, I just can't get it to callibrate right so I'm trying to run at marathon pace, checking my pace and doing a quickish calculation based on what I "think" the difference should be. Deirdre my running partner will laugh at me, she thinks I need to relax more and just run. But I'm a numbers girl, an analytic girl and working to pace and coming home and working it all out is half the fun for me (it's that inner geek!).
So, talking about the running thing. I ran on Saturday even though I knew it was going to hurt my back/shoulder socket/whatever is hurting ... and it did. It was fine while I was running up until the last couple of kms and then it started hurting, including shooting up to my neck. I came home and sat with a bag of frozen peas on it for a while. It wasn't actually worse than the Friday after that, but still sore ... and I was scared (and am still scared) that I'm damaging something that isn't going to fix easily and I've only got FOUR weeks until marathon day! So yesterday I didn't run and didn't bike, had a complete rest day (which I'd planned to do anyway) and went to the pharmacy and bought some Voltarin to hopefully really hit at it. It didn't seem to be doing anything until yesterday evening at some point I thought gosh, the pain is finally going, yay, the anti-inflammatories must have finally hit the right place. Much more comfortable sleep last night and this morning it doesn't feel too bad at all. I took voltarin this morning, but I think I'll leave it after that and see how it feels after my run tomorrow. I have been biking/delivering today and it is still good. I can still feel it, but I can lean on my hand/arm now without yelping. I also booked a massage for tomorrow morning in hope that that will loosen whatever needs loosening. Tomorrows 8km will be interesting, I'm going to take it easy ... so fingers crossed! I think Deirdre and I are going to run the Campbell Mill run on Thursday so I'll swap my 8km on Thursday to Wednesday and run Wednesday's 13km on Thursday ... two days of short easy runs will hopefully help the recovery as well.
S0, lots of hoping today, hoping my Garmin arrives before this weekend so I can run my long run with it on Sunday, and hoping my sore socket/whatever is on the way to recovery and stays that way!
I tweeted about it, my husband came back with "I have no idea what it is, a small dog?" LOL I talked to him later and he wondered if it was something to do with my relatives (he was being silly), as my mother's maiden name is Garmonsway ... that should be good luck, right? When I explained what it was he then sounded very cautious as he asked me if I remembered what my track record with watches is like ... um, yeah, I've lost a few and haven't worn one for years because I always lose them, I assured him it was a training tool, I'd only wear it while I was training and then it would sit in a charger ... it will be fine!
I do feel guilty about spending the money, but (and here comes the woman justification thing) my Nike+ is driving me crazy, I just can't get it to callibrate right so I'm trying to run at marathon pace, checking my pace and doing a quickish calculation based on what I "think" the difference should be. Deirdre my running partner will laugh at me, she thinks I need to relax more and just run. But I'm a numbers girl, an analytic girl and working to pace and coming home and working it all out is half the fun for me (it's that inner geek!).
So, talking about the running thing. I ran on Saturday even though I knew it was going to hurt my back/shoulder socket/whatever is hurting ... and it did. It was fine while I was running up until the last couple of kms and then it started hurting, including shooting up to my neck. I came home and sat with a bag of frozen peas on it for a while. It wasn't actually worse than the Friday after that, but still sore ... and I was scared (and am still scared) that I'm damaging something that isn't going to fix easily and I've only got FOUR weeks until marathon day! So yesterday I didn't run and didn't bike, had a complete rest day (which I'd planned to do anyway) and went to the pharmacy and bought some Voltarin to hopefully really hit at it. It didn't seem to be doing anything until yesterday evening at some point I thought gosh, the pain is finally going, yay, the anti-inflammatories must have finally hit the right place. Much more comfortable sleep last night and this morning it doesn't feel too bad at all. I took voltarin this morning, but I think I'll leave it after that and see how it feels after my run tomorrow. I have been biking/delivering today and it is still good. I can still feel it, but I can lean on my hand/arm now without yelping. I also booked a massage for tomorrow morning in hope that that will loosen whatever needs loosening. Tomorrows 8km will be interesting, I'm going to take it easy ... so fingers crossed! I think Deirdre and I are going to run the Campbell Mill run on Thursday so I'll swap my 8km on Thursday to Wednesday and run Wednesday's 13km on Thursday ... two days of short easy runs will hopefully help the recovery as well.
S0, lots of hoping today, hoping my Garmin arrives before this weekend so I can run my long run with it on Sunday, and hoping my sore socket/whatever is on the way to recovery and stays that way!
Friday, March 26, 2010
I did it!
Yep - hit goal weight :) Helped by running this morning, but I ran last week as well and still lost 1.3kg for the week, that controlling your snacks inbetween meals sure does work.
July 2008 - 96.8kg (212lb)
March 2010 - 67.0kg (147.4lb)
Total Loss - 29.8kg (65.5lb)
This is my Weight Watchers goal, I still want to get to 65kg (143lb). Yeah, I look 10x better, I'm 10x fitter but I still fit in a 12/14, I'd be happier in a 10/12, plus I think I'd run better ... its all in the details :)
But I'm happy! When I started at Weight Watchers for the upteenth time, I never imagined reaching goal weight, I just wanted to get to a "normal" weight, its only been the last few months I've dared to believe that I could actually do it.
I have to thank my good friend - RUNNING!! The weight really started moving when I started and finished the C25K programme, then upping it to 10km. I'm not sure what would have happened without the amazing spot prize to run the London Marathon, I like to think that I would still be running, but probably not training for a marathon. When my sister and I ran the 10k where I won the prize we had said while we were running that next year we would do the half marathon, so quite likely I would be just starting to train for my first half marathon now. It would be amazing to be able to see what would have happened if that "little" thing hadn't happened, know what I mean?
So to the running thing, its been a week since I updated and I've done a bit of running in that time :) Including, how could I forget? The big 32km (20mile) run last Saturday! It went really well, by the time we got home after 3hrs30min I was tired and my body was starting to hurt, but most of the run I felt great, slow steady pace the whole way. What really blew me away is that the next day my legs hardly hurt at all, so amazing that your body can be trained to run that distance and manage it to a point where it doesn't even hurt.
Monday I ran an early morning (6am, in the dark) 8km, 45min something, quite slow ... maybe from tired legs, maybe because it was dark and there were parts I was scared of tripping.
Tuesday I ran with Deirdre and one of her running friends, Maria. We ran up the Maungatooks over the top to the four wheel drive place and then back again, nice to run with friends and a good hill work out - it took us 50min, so probably about 8km, which conveniently is exactly what my training programme said to do.
Wednesday was another 8km, 42:39, I decided to skip the tempo run and just run comfortable, so quite a good time. I think I was subconsciously rushing because I knew I needed to get home, have a shower and be ready for the local newspaper reporter to come and interview me. I'm pretty sure it was this run where I've injured myself! Me of no injuries ... not ankles, knees, hips, hamstrings ... not my legs at all, but my back where the moving arm kind of rubs at the shoulder blade, does that make sense?
Rest day yesterday - but I had delivering to do, in fact a couple of days worth to do because I worked all day Monday and have been a day behind all week so yesterday was catch up day. My arm/back felt "okay" until last night when I had to do some filing and pushing the hole punch down hurt.
13km marathon pace today, 1:19:53, pretty much bang on pace which was good! Came home and my arm/back hurt lots, darn it. I've taken a antiflammatory pain killer and I'm hoping that does the trick. I'll run my 19km tomorrow but then Sunday I plan on a total rest day, and then to get me back to my normal training days, I won't run, but will bike on Monday so hopefully by Tuesday it will come right, fingers crossed. Otherwise I might have to run and only move one arm!
Right, time to pretty myself up and get ready for work ... this week has been non-stop, I'm looking forward to what looks like a reasonably quiet weekend!
July 2008 - 96.8kg (212lb)
March 2010 - 67.0kg (147.4lb)
Total Loss - 29.8kg (65.5lb)
This is my Weight Watchers goal, I still want to get to 65kg (143lb). Yeah, I look 10x better, I'm 10x fitter but I still fit in a 12/14, I'd be happier in a 10/12, plus I think I'd run better ... its all in the details :)
But I'm happy! When I started at Weight Watchers for the upteenth time, I never imagined reaching goal weight, I just wanted to get to a "normal" weight, its only been the last few months I've dared to believe that I could actually do it.
I have to thank my good friend - RUNNING!! The weight really started moving when I started and finished the C25K programme, then upping it to 10km. I'm not sure what would have happened without the amazing spot prize to run the London Marathon, I like to think that I would still be running, but probably not training for a marathon. When my sister and I ran the 10k where I won the prize we had said while we were running that next year we would do the half marathon, so quite likely I would be just starting to train for my first half marathon now. It would be amazing to be able to see what would have happened if that "little" thing hadn't happened, know what I mean?
So to the running thing, its been a week since I updated and I've done a bit of running in that time :) Including, how could I forget? The big 32km (20mile) run last Saturday! It went really well, by the time we got home after 3hrs30min I was tired and my body was starting to hurt, but most of the run I felt great, slow steady pace the whole way. What really blew me away is that the next day my legs hardly hurt at all, so amazing that your body can be trained to run that distance and manage it to a point where it doesn't even hurt.
Monday I ran an early morning (6am, in the dark) 8km, 45min something, quite slow ... maybe from tired legs, maybe because it was dark and there were parts I was scared of tripping.
Tuesday I ran with Deirdre and one of her running friends, Maria. We ran up the Maungatooks over the top to the four wheel drive place and then back again, nice to run with friends and a good hill work out - it took us 50min, so probably about 8km, which conveniently is exactly what my training programme said to do.
Wednesday was another 8km, 42:39, I decided to skip the tempo run and just run comfortable, so quite a good time. I think I was subconsciously rushing because I knew I needed to get home, have a shower and be ready for the local newspaper reporter to come and interview me. I'm pretty sure it was this run where I've injured myself! Me of no injuries ... not ankles, knees, hips, hamstrings ... not my legs at all, but my back where the moving arm kind of rubs at the shoulder blade, does that make sense?
Rest day yesterday - but I had delivering to do, in fact a couple of days worth to do because I worked all day Monday and have been a day behind all week so yesterday was catch up day. My arm/back felt "okay" until last night when I had to do some filing and pushing the hole punch down hurt.
13km marathon pace today, 1:19:53, pretty much bang on pace which was good! Came home and my arm/back hurt lots, darn it. I've taken a antiflammatory pain killer and I'm hoping that does the trick. I'll run my 19km tomorrow but then Sunday I plan on a total rest day, and then to get me back to my normal training days, I won't run, but will bike on Monday so hopefully by Tuesday it will come right, fingers crossed. Otherwise I might have to run and only move one arm!
Right, time to pretty myself up and get ready for work ... this week has been non-stop, I'm looking forward to what looks like a reasonably quiet weekend!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Goal Weight
No, not quite there yet, and what is it anyway? For ages I have been saying 65kg is my goal weight. At Weight Watchers this morning I said how about we actually measure me propery and work out what my WW goal weight is, originally I planned to bypass their goal weight and stick to my 65km ideal, but the weight is coming off so slowly now and I'm paying nearly $20.00 each week to be weighed, which I do at home anyway. BUT I still need to go - it keeps me on track and keeps me accountable knowing I've got a meeting each week, it works for me.
Anyway - they measured me as tall as possible, including leaving my slip on shoes on (probably about 1cm gained height, so my "official" Weight Watchers height is 165cm (5"5'), which makes my official goal weight 68kg. Today I weighed in at 68.3kg (yeah, 100g MORE than two weeks ago - I know from my scales I gained about 1kg in the last couple of days, probably the hummus and rice crackers I demolished in one sitting ... or just usual woman cycles). Anyway ... that is 0.3kg (0.66lb) off goal!!!
I feel like its a bit of a cheat, and I know in my heart that that is not my true goal ... but it will be nice to be there, talk about maintenance, do the maintenance thing before I go away (and really, although doing the WW maintenance thing, I'll still be aiming to lose more!).
I also need a push at the moment, and to lose 0.3kg this week will hopefully be the push I need to stay totally on track this week, sometimes a little goal makes all the difference!
So wish me luck ... I'm hoping for a "Lisa's First" accomplishment next week (I've done WW for years and years off and on, and never got near goal ... this is actually really big, but for some reason I'm having trouble getting excited, probably because I know its not my "true" goal).
I'm also only 1.5kg off losing 30kg ... I'm really excited about getting to that, hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I'm picking there will be lots of small accomplishments over the next few weeks if I can just stick to eating well (WW goal, 30kg lost, healthy BMI, "my" goal).
Running - I tried to run 8km marathon pace this morning (aiming for 6:10/km), since I've had my new shoes my ipod Nike has been recording extra length (eg 13.6km instead of 13.1km), so this morning I tried to resync it, I ran 1km, pressed the right buttons and then carried on for the other 7km. Checked my pace, 6:30/km what??? I'm not going that slow?! sped up until I had it telling me I was at about 6:13, and knew I was running faster than that. Tried to just keep a steady slow pace, got home and it measured it at 6.5km .... grrrrrrrrr, I'm so annoyed. I'm going to have to try and go out before our 32k run tomorrow and try and resync it again, I really want it to be recording right when we do our big run.
Have I mentioned I want a Garmin Forerunner? Really really want? ... but $500 is better spent on overseas accommodation and travel right now, if husband's %&#&& work would just pay him the money they owe him I could buy one! Not sure that is a priority he will be mentioning when pushing them for the money though ;) Talking about Garmins (can you tell I'm avoiding housework before I go to work?), 405 or 305? I really really like the look of the 405, I don't like things around my wrists at the best of times, I don't wear a watch, bracelets annoy me ... so the 405 looks a much better size (even with being overweight I have small skinny wrists ;)), but I've read reviews (not obsessing at all, honestly!) it doesn't sound the best? Or is that the typical "always some moaners out there"? The 205/305 looks really really bulky to me, I'm not sure I'd handle wearing it ... but it has better reviews. Expert opinions? Cuz you know ... that was going to be my reward when I reached goal weight, I could justify it, IF the money came through :)
Anyway - they measured me as tall as possible, including leaving my slip on shoes on (probably about 1cm gained height, so my "official" Weight Watchers height is 165cm (5"5'), which makes my official goal weight 68kg. Today I weighed in at 68.3kg (yeah, 100g MORE than two weeks ago - I know from my scales I gained about 1kg in the last couple of days, probably the hummus and rice crackers I demolished in one sitting ... or just usual woman cycles). Anyway ... that is 0.3kg (0.66lb) off goal!!!
I feel like its a bit of a cheat, and I know in my heart that that is not my true goal ... but it will be nice to be there, talk about maintenance, do the maintenance thing before I go away (and really, although doing the WW maintenance thing, I'll still be aiming to lose more!).
I also need a push at the moment, and to lose 0.3kg this week will hopefully be the push I need to stay totally on track this week, sometimes a little goal makes all the difference!
So wish me luck ... I'm hoping for a "Lisa's First" accomplishment next week (I've done WW for years and years off and on, and never got near goal ... this is actually really big, but for some reason I'm having trouble getting excited, probably because I know its not my "true" goal).
I'm also only 1.5kg off losing 30kg ... I'm really excited about getting to that, hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I'm picking there will be lots of small accomplishments over the next few weeks if I can just stick to eating well (WW goal, 30kg lost, healthy BMI, "my" goal).
Running - I tried to run 8km marathon pace this morning (aiming for 6:10/km), since I've had my new shoes my ipod Nike has been recording extra length (eg 13.6km instead of 13.1km), so this morning I tried to resync it, I ran 1km, pressed the right buttons and then carried on for the other 7km. Checked my pace, 6:30/km what??? I'm not going that slow?! sped up until I had it telling me I was at about 6:13, and knew I was running faster than that. Tried to just keep a steady slow pace, got home and it measured it at 6.5km .... grrrrrrrrr, I'm so annoyed. I'm going to have to try and go out before our 32k run tomorrow and try and resync it again, I really want it to be recording right when we do our big run.
Have I mentioned I want a Garmin Forerunner? Really really want? ... but $500 is better spent on overseas accommodation and travel right now, if husband's %&#&& work would just pay him the money they owe him I could buy one! Not sure that is a priority he will be mentioning when pushing them for the money though ;) Talking about Garmins (can you tell I'm avoiding housework before I go to work?), 405 or 305? I really really like the look of the 405, I don't like things around my wrists at the best of times, I don't wear a watch, bracelets annoy me ... so the 405 looks a much better size (even with being overweight I have small skinny wrists ;)), but I've read reviews (not obsessing at all, honestly!) it doesn't sound the best? Or is that the typical "always some moaners out there"? The 205/305 looks really really bulky to me, I'm not sure I'd handle wearing it ... but it has better reviews. Expert opinions? Cuz you know ... that was going to be my reward when I reached goal weight, I could justify it, IF the money came through :)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Loving the Mizunos!
Now my blister on the my heel has healed (heel, healed ha ha), I've put the Mizunos back on and I've just finished my third run in them ... they feel great, definitely lighter and whether its the shoes, the training, whatever, I'm a running a little faster and easier :) The only problem I am having is my third toe is mushing against my second toe and rubbing the nail into it. I clipped the nail yesterday hoping it would solve it, but it didn't, it was still rubbing this morning. I'll have to be sure to put a plaster or something around the second toe before I go out on Friday. Let me say here, I ALWAYS have trouble with blisters etc with any new shoes, one of the great things about the Asics is that I never did ... not sure whether that means they are my shoe or not, or just good luck - but I know from experience that after a while the new shoes will be fine, I tend to take a bit to break new shoes in (whether running or normal shoes ... hence I've never ever been a "shoe" gal).
A quick summary of my runs this week (I'm running a day ahead because we're doing our long run on Saturday, rather than Sunday, this week) -
Monday - Tempo run - 1km/2.5km/1km/2.5km/1km - 42:29
Tuesday - 13km run - 1:13:32
Wednesday - Hill run - 8.5km - 51:27
Wow, the wind was BRUTAL this morning - the first 2km I was running straight into it - hard, freezing cold, southerly - yuck! Best thing was, on the way back it was an easy run! Looking at my Nike ipod stats it says I was running about 5:05/km on the way back ... pity that with the new shoes I know its slightly wrong - probably more like 5:10-15 ... but even that is fast for me ... worth the really hard first 2km to enjoy coasting back to the car! Up the hill it winds so the wind kind of comes and goes so its not so bad ;)
Now ... on to weight ... interesting couple of weeks. Last week I lost the plot with my eating, it seems to happen to me every now and again, I just can't face eating right and eat crap for a week. Actually, I don't really eat the crap I used to - but I did buy my lunch nearly every day last week - my choices are better (no cream donuts or high fat takeaways!), but still not good, and I was pick, pick, pick at everything. According to the scales I whacked at least 1kg on, very annoyed with myself. But, as I know also happens, this week my head is back in the right place and "boom!" I've lost that 1kg plus some. I wonder sometimes whether our bodies just need to relax sometimes, definitely I think the mind does! For me though, it really is still a continuous battle to make good choices, how long do you think it takes before the good habits I'm trying to teach myself just become normal and without thought? Ever?
Anyway, big picture is ... the training is still going unbelievably great, there are only a couple of weeks of hard training left and I'm still waiting for the "extremely hard", "feeling extremely tired", "not wanting to go out for a run" feelings, because they just haven't happened :)
A quick summary of my runs this week (I'm running a day ahead because we're doing our long run on Saturday, rather than Sunday, this week) -
Monday - Tempo run - 1km/2.5km/1km/2.5km/1km - 42:29
Tuesday - 13km run - 1:13:32
Wednesday - Hill run - 8.5km - 51:27
Wow, the wind was BRUTAL this morning - the first 2km I was running straight into it - hard, freezing cold, southerly - yuck! Best thing was, on the way back it was an easy run! Looking at my Nike ipod stats it says I was running about 5:05/km on the way back ... pity that with the new shoes I know its slightly wrong - probably more like 5:10-15 ... but even that is fast for me ... worth the really hard first 2km to enjoy coasting back to the car! Up the hill it winds so the wind kind of comes and goes so its not so bad ;)
Now ... on to weight ... interesting couple of weeks. Last week I lost the plot with my eating, it seems to happen to me every now and again, I just can't face eating right and eat crap for a week. Actually, I don't really eat the crap I used to - but I did buy my lunch nearly every day last week - my choices are better (no cream donuts or high fat takeaways!), but still not good, and I was pick, pick, pick at everything. According to the scales I whacked at least 1kg on, very annoyed with myself. But, as I know also happens, this week my head is back in the right place and "boom!" I've lost that 1kg plus some. I wonder sometimes whether our bodies just need to relax sometimes, definitely I think the mind does! For me though, it really is still a continuous battle to make good choices, how long do you think it takes before the good habits I'm trying to teach myself just become normal and without thought? Ever?
Anyway, big picture is ... the training is still going unbelievably great, there are only a couple of weeks of hard training left and I'm still waiting for the "extremely hard", "feeling extremely tired", "not wanting to go out for a run" feelings, because they just haven't happened :)
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Fun runs!
Wow ... busy weekend! As I've said, I totally switched my training around this week.
So Friday was long run day with Deirdre instead of Sunday. Rather than run 21km we decided to run on Deirdre's "home turf" (normally she parks at my house and we run on the flat/river/beach courses) and try the Campbell Mill run - Deirdre has run it before a few times with her old training buddy (who moved to Australia, hence her asking to connect with me for her marathon training this time around). Anyway, Campbell Mill - fun farm/trail run!
Campbell Mill/Perham Road loop - this is where we ran, through stones, mud, cows, horses, over gates, up rocky hills, down rocky hills and through a stream ... wayyyy out of my comfort zone but I loved it. Including running from where we parked the car at the start and making it a loop it was nearly 15km ... maybe not 21km, but the different terrain and up and down hills hopefully made up for it! Definitely not a course you'd want to run by yourself - especially me who is scared stupid of animals, we get to the cows on the track and Deirdre is just keep running they move out of the way, and they do! I would have stopped and frozen wondering how to get around them without them noticing me ;) Plus it is very out of the way, and out of cell phone signal, not the sort of place you'd want to be on your own and break an ankle or anything.
Finished my run, got home, showered and was off to work, whoops, no time to prepare for my stamping (card making) class on Sunday!
Saturday was rest day, I got DH to drive me to my sisters house while he took the girls to their cricket game, he dropped me off at about 8.30am, I got Stephie out of bed (sorry Stephie!) and picked up other sister's old bike off her - a road bike, unlike my very thick tyred mountain bike ;) ... I rode that home ... just a couple of km and hoped that was enough to sort of get used to it! Spent the morning getting my class read for Sunday afternoon because I knew that would be the last chance I'd have. Once the girls had finished cricket we packed Charlotte up who was (very conveniently) staying with friends for the night, packed DH, me, Cameron and Rhiannon up and caught the train to the Stadium to watch NZ beat Australia in the cricket (yay!!). Got home about 11pm, to bed about midnight and set the alarm for 6.30am this morning.
Alarm went off way to quickly, I showered (yeah, even though I was going to get sweaty and need another one), had breakfast and hopped on the bike and biked to the race start of the Waikanae Triathlon - I'm sure I've explained before the stupidity that is our roads that it is actually quicker for me to bike over to Waikanae Beach than it is to drive! Good to give the bike a run though!
I entered myself into the Duathlon and waited for my two sisters to arrive who were also doing it. They finally arrived (why am I so insanely early to races?), we jogged up and down a bit to keep warm cuz it was cold, autumn is in the air! Put our bikes in the transition area and off we went to the start. Only a really small group were doing the duathlon - really only a small group doing the whole lot, got to love small town events! It was a 2km run, 15km bike and then 5km run.
Hooter went and off we went! I ran the first 2km in 10:40, go me! Even better I was just behind the "faster" front group ... sister Dianna was in the "way ahead" first couple of runners, then there was the "faster" front group. Sister Georgie was in the group ... I was so proud to be just behind them! Transitioned onto the bikes ... and off we went. Now, just a wee note here ... I'm not a bike racer! LOL ... I'm on my bike from anything to 2-4hrs about 5 days a week delivering, but delivering to mailboxes and stopping starting, walking my bike up the hill when it gets hard is a bit different than racing, I'm definitely bike "fit", but I wouldn't call myself a racer. So all those (well few, cuz there weren't that many in the race) runners behind me, passed me on the bike ... maybe not all ... but definitely quite a few of them. I did fine, I was more than happy with myself, I didn't have any problems handling the distance, just not speedy. The 15km was 5 loops of 3km ... Dianna lapped me when I was on my 4th lap, darn LOL
Finished the biking, hung up the bike and off we ran again. Ahhhhh can I say how much stronger I have become? All those women that passed me on the bike ride, I think I passed them all on the run, nobody passed me on the run, but I passed quite a few ... that's a nice feeling :)
After getting myself sorted so I had my Nike+ ipod all set for the 2km, and restarting it for the 5km, I crossed the finish line, chatted to a couple of mothers from school and THEN remembered to stop it - duh duh duh ... I wanted to see how fast I could race 5km! It stopped at 28:30, I'm pretty sure going by my pace at each km, I probably ran it in about 27min.
The results are up already and I came 6th out of 16 ... soooo happy with that :) Us sisters did good -
Dianna was 2nd - 1:05:09 (1st place was really fast - 58:36!)
Georgie was 3rd - 1:12:33
and me 6th - 1:15:38
Last year when I started running in a few races, my sisters were miles ahead of me ... I'm slowly catching up :) Then again, when you're last in - you get the loudest cheer from them all!
So just to finish off my busy weekend, I chatted for a while, then hopped on my bike to ride home, got home - showered (again), made myself pretty, packed the car and went off to run my class. Got home in time to cook dinner ... now I plan to watch a movie and relax for the evening!
So Friday was long run day with Deirdre instead of Sunday. Rather than run 21km we decided to run on Deirdre's "home turf" (normally she parks at my house and we run on the flat/river/beach courses) and try the Campbell Mill run - Deirdre has run it before a few times with her old training buddy (who moved to Australia, hence her asking to connect with me for her marathon training this time around). Anyway, Campbell Mill - fun farm/trail run!
Campbell Mill/Perham Road loop - this is where we ran, through stones, mud, cows, horses, over gates, up rocky hills, down rocky hills and through a stream ... wayyyy out of my comfort zone but I loved it. Including running from where we parked the car at the start and making it a loop it was nearly 15km ... maybe not 21km, but the different terrain and up and down hills hopefully made up for it! Definitely not a course you'd want to run by yourself - especially me who is scared stupid of animals, we get to the cows on the track and Deirdre is just keep running they move out of the way, and they do! I would have stopped and frozen wondering how to get around them without them noticing me ;) Plus it is very out of the way, and out of cell phone signal, not the sort of place you'd want to be on your own and break an ankle or anything.
Finished my run, got home, showered and was off to work, whoops, no time to prepare for my stamping (card making) class on Sunday!
Saturday was rest day, I got DH to drive me to my sisters house while he took the girls to their cricket game, he dropped me off at about 8.30am, I got Stephie out of bed (sorry Stephie!) and picked up other sister's old bike off her - a road bike, unlike my very thick tyred mountain bike ;) ... I rode that home ... just a couple of km and hoped that was enough to sort of get used to it! Spent the morning getting my class read for Sunday afternoon because I knew that would be the last chance I'd have. Once the girls had finished cricket we packed Charlotte up who was (very conveniently) staying with friends for the night, packed DH, me, Cameron and Rhiannon up and caught the train to the Stadium to watch NZ beat Australia in the cricket (yay!!). Got home about 11pm, to bed about midnight and set the alarm for 6.30am this morning.
Alarm went off way to quickly, I showered (yeah, even though I was going to get sweaty and need another one), had breakfast and hopped on the bike and biked to the race start of the Waikanae Triathlon - I'm sure I've explained before the stupidity that is our roads that it is actually quicker for me to bike over to Waikanae Beach than it is to drive! Good to give the bike a run though!
I entered myself into the Duathlon and waited for my two sisters to arrive who were also doing it. They finally arrived (why am I so insanely early to races?), we jogged up and down a bit to keep warm cuz it was cold, autumn is in the air! Put our bikes in the transition area and off we went to the start. Only a really small group were doing the duathlon - really only a small group doing the whole lot, got to love small town events! It was a 2km run, 15km bike and then 5km run.
Hooter went and off we went! I ran the first 2km in 10:40, go me! Even better I was just behind the "faster" front group ... sister Dianna was in the "way ahead" first couple of runners, then there was the "faster" front group. Sister Georgie was in the group ... I was so proud to be just behind them! Transitioned onto the bikes ... and off we went. Now, just a wee note here ... I'm not a bike racer! LOL ... I'm on my bike from anything to 2-4hrs about 5 days a week delivering, but delivering to mailboxes and stopping starting, walking my bike up the hill when it gets hard is a bit different than racing, I'm definitely bike "fit", but I wouldn't call myself a racer. So all those (well few, cuz there weren't that many in the race) runners behind me, passed me on the bike ... maybe not all ... but definitely quite a few of them. I did fine, I was more than happy with myself, I didn't have any problems handling the distance, just not speedy. The 15km was 5 loops of 3km ... Dianna lapped me when I was on my 4th lap, darn LOL
Finished the biking, hung up the bike and off we ran again. Ahhhhh can I say how much stronger I have become? All those women that passed me on the bike ride, I think I passed them all on the run, nobody passed me on the run, but I passed quite a few ... that's a nice feeling :)
After getting myself sorted so I had my Nike+ ipod all set for the 2km, and restarting it for the 5km, I crossed the finish line, chatted to a couple of mothers from school and THEN remembered to stop it - duh duh duh ... I wanted to see how fast I could race 5km! It stopped at 28:30, I'm pretty sure going by my pace at each km, I probably ran it in about 27min.
The results are up already and I came 6th out of 16 ... soooo happy with that :) Us sisters did good -
Dianna was 2nd - 1:05:09 (1st place was really fast - 58:36!)
Georgie was 3rd - 1:12:33
and me 6th - 1:15:38
Last year when I started running in a few races, my sisters were miles ahead of me ... I'm slowly catching up :) Then again, when you're last in - you get the loudest cheer from them all!
So just to finish off my busy weekend, I chatted for a while, then hopped on my bike to ride home, got home - showered (again), made myself pretty, packed the car and went off to run my class. Got home in time to cook dinner ... now I plan to watch a movie and relax for the evening!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sad happenings on "my" hill
Car accident
A group of silly teenagers (skipping school) were obviously joy riding - its not a road you drive up to be going somewhere, when I'm running I will see maybe one or two cars, if any. Usually working cars - road works, power works. It's narrow, windy and steep ... and obviously whoever was driving the ute didn't take that into account. The kids involved were from the same school my two high school aged boys are at, they didn't really know them - not their crowd (thankfully!). I'm incredibly impressed with the school though, the accident happened at about 9.30am, by 3.00pm when they came home they had a notice with exactly what had happened, who had died and who else was involved ... no room for rumours or tall stories at all.
I have to admit to being very relieved it was a Wednesday morning, not a Thursday morning ... the timing was such that I probably would have been right there just as or after it happened - not my idea of fun at all!
So running! Yesterday I ran 13km, having swapped all my days around this week, this was my Saturday run :) ... it was one of the those rare days where I really couldn't be bothered, the legs, the breathing and everything was working just fine ... but my head couldn't wait for it to be done! I realised later that I've run five days straight this week (usually I run two, cross-train, run three, rest), including my long run ... so quite likely I just needed a day off, which I'd planned for today anyway!
Tomorrow Deirdre and I have plans to run the "Campbell Mill" run, I haven't run it but Deirdre tells me it is a good work out. She lives at the bottom of the Maungatook Hill, so we'll run up my usual hill, but then carry on further - I think you turn off and carry on up ... not as steep as the Maungatooks, but a few more hard hills, I think going by Deirdre's time to run it (about 1:20), its probably about 13-15km ... I should be running 21km, but I figure the hard hills should make up the difference, and it should be fun!
If it turns out Deirdre is busy (we can't all have later afternoon/evening jobs like me, leaving the mornings free to run!), I'll do the 21km on the flat.
Righty, off to do some delivering on my bike, have a good day everyone!
A group of silly teenagers (skipping school) were obviously joy riding - its not a road you drive up to be going somewhere, when I'm running I will see maybe one or two cars, if any. Usually working cars - road works, power works. It's narrow, windy and steep ... and obviously whoever was driving the ute didn't take that into account. The kids involved were from the same school my two high school aged boys are at, they didn't really know them - not their crowd (thankfully!). I'm incredibly impressed with the school though, the accident happened at about 9.30am, by 3.00pm when they came home they had a notice with exactly what had happened, who had died and who else was involved ... no room for rumours or tall stories at all.
I have to admit to being very relieved it was a Wednesday morning, not a Thursday morning ... the timing was such that I probably would have been right there just as or after it happened - not my idea of fun at all!
So running! Yesterday I ran 13km, having swapped all my days around this week, this was my Saturday run :) ... it was one of the those rare days where I really couldn't be bothered, the legs, the breathing and everything was working just fine ... but my head couldn't wait for it to be done! I realised later that I've run five days straight this week (usually I run two, cross-train, run three, rest), including my long run ... so quite likely I just needed a day off, which I'd planned for today anyway!
Tomorrow Deirdre and I have plans to run the "Campbell Mill" run, I haven't run it but Deirdre tells me it is a good work out. She lives at the bottom of the Maungatook Hill, so we'll run up my usual hill, but then carry on further - I think you turn off and carry on up ... not as steep as the Maungatooks, but a few more hard hills, I think going by Deirdre's time to run it (about 1:20), its probably about 13-15km ... I should be running 21km, but I figure the hard hills should make up the difference, and it should be fun!
If it turns out Deirdre is busy (we can't all have later afternoon/evening jobs like me, leaving the mornings free to run!), I'll do the 21km on the flat.
Righty, off to do some delivering on my bike, have a good day everyone!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
I'm such a Goober
Here's part of the email I wrote to the travel agent yesterday
Seriously, as I'm training sometimes I start to think, what say this isn't real? What say I'm doing this all for nothing? ... I know, nuts ... but it is like a dream really :)
And never fear, she answered me with a reassuring, yes its definitely real and the travel envelope will be couriered to me next week sometime!
So, yesterday ... I did my 15km bike ride, then 5km run. Both were really good - but gosh that getting off your bike and then running is a really strange feeling, I couldn't really feel my legs properly until I'd run a couple of k's! Once I could feel them, they felt pretty good, especially after running my long run the day before.
Today I ran my 8km at 6.00am ... way earlier than I'm used to, and it was dark! I never run in the dark and I have to say that our street lighting is really bad in some places, I also very rarely run on the road, but I was this morning because I was worried about not seeing a drive way dip. It should have been a tempo run, but that just seemed too hard so I ran a "fastish" easy pace for the whole run. Ended up being 5:40/km ... which I'm happy with!
I also have to say I take my hat off to people who commute in rush hour every day - normally, with the odd hours I work, it takes me about 45-50min to commute into the city, this morning I left home at 7.30am and didn't get into the office until 8.50am ... I'd go nuts if I did that every day, and that's with being able to use a carpark in the office building ... so direct from my front door to the office. I also admire those people that get up early every morning before work to run ... I've been one tired puppy all day after getting up before 6.00am.
Tomorrow is 13km, I'm going to take that pretty easy. I really need to let my body and muscles rest a bit before next weeks hard week!
Also - do we get some sort of confirmation letter or something from the marathon people? Reading all the info on their site I think we need something when we turn up at the Expo to collect our numbers?Don't mind me ... it's getting close and I'm starting to panic about all the details - or that it might just be a big joke, and someone will jump out and say ha ha I fooled you!
Seriously, as I'm training sometimes I start to think, what say this isn't real? What say I'm doing this all for nothing? ... I know, nuts ... but it is like a dream really :)
And never fear, she answered me with a reassuring, yes its definitely real and the travel envelope will be couriered to me next week sometime!
So, yesterday ... I did my 15km bike ride, then 5km run. Both were really good - but gosh that getting off your bike and then running is a really strange feeling, I couldn't really feel my legs properly until I'd run a couple of k's! Once I could feel them, they felt pretty good, especially after running my long run the day before.
Today I ran my 8km at 6.00am ... way earlier than I'm used to, and it was dark! I never run in the dark and I have to say that our street lighting is really bad in some places, I also very rarely run on the road, but I was this morning because I was worried about not seeing a drive way dip. It should have been a tempo run, but that just seemed too hard so I ran a "fastish" easy pace for the whole run. Ended up being 5:40/km ... which I'm happy with!
I also have to say I take my hat off to people who commute in rush hour every day - normally, with the odd hours I work, it takes me about 45-50min to commute into the city, this morning I left home at 7.30am and didn't get into the office until 8.50am ... I'd go nuts if I did that every day, and that's with being able to use a carpark in the office building ... so direct from my front door to the office. I also admire those people that get up early every morning before work to run ... I've been one tired puppy all day after getting up before 6.00am.
Tomorrow is 13km, I'm going to take that pretty easy. I really need to let my body and muscles rest a bit before next weeks hard week!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Another Sunday, Another Long Run
Yep, the next long run, done! 29km (18mile) was on the training plan ... and I *think* we ran that far. I'm a stick to the plan, stick to map girl ... Deirdre isn't! We are a good combination, I keep her more focussed, she keeps me more relaxed and out of my comfort zone.
So, I had the course all mapped out, we get to Waikanae and Deirdre is "how about we run along the beach", well why not? So off we go ... I should run along there more often, it was a nice running the tide was out, the sand was hard, and I think it's better for your legs than the pounding on the roads (see, she drags me out of my comfort zone, in a good way!). We stopped at the toilets at the other end of Waikanae Beach, and I don't know what I did, but my ipod kept timing the run, but not measuring it ... so it was 8.5km at the toilets - we ran for what we thought was about 5km up the beach, to where we thought main the Peka Peka road was, had a gel and a drink, I realised the ipod wasn't working properly so restarted it. Got back to the stream/toilets (well, the stream wasn't the toilet, the toilet was at the top of the stream, that we had to walk up and cross so we didn't get our feet wet!), checked my ipod - 3.5km, whoops not quite the 5k we thought! ... that's okay, numbers are my thing - 8.5km + the 3.5km my ipod missed = 12km ... and we should have run about 13km up to Peka Peka, to make the return route right to get to 29km - whoops!
Anyway, off we went, up the road towards Statehighway One, took a wee detour around a block to try and add the extra km's, got to the Highway Bridge by the river and we were at 21km ... with about 7km left going the route we planned, and me being slightly obsessive wasn't wanting to do 28, 29 was on the programme! So as we ran down the side of the river we decided to run the long way home after we reached the end of the river which would add extra, but we'd walk the last half km or so to ease the muscles. Which we did, although we stopped too early. I mapped the route later and it was actually 29.5km including the walk - so I dunno whether we actually "ran" the whole 29, it might have been more like 28.5 ... but, really, come on Lisa, that doesn't matter - it was the Sunday long run done, and it was fun run with lots of variety - road, trail, beach, road, trail, road :)
After my lovely heel blister on Saturday with my new shoes and my sore left foot, I decided the older shoes would be a wiser option. I went to the pharmacy and asked about really good band-aids for the blister and she suggested that I actually use strapping tape and tape around the blister and foot, that way it wouldn't move like a plaster probably would. So I went with that suggestion and it worked like a dream! Never felt the blister at all and the strapping stayed put, didn't move or come off at all AND by total accident found that my foot sat in my shoe so much better, the strapping stopped my foot from sliding up and down ... so even without the blister I'm tempted to strap the foot anyway. I definitely will until the blister heals! Left foot that I was worried I'd done damage to was no problem either, and the pain is all gone - yay!
Today is a cross training day, and usually I'd have delivering to do on my bike, but I haven't got any to do (well, I have but only a small lot that I know will combine with tomorrows so no point in doing them today). So after much humming and hahhhhing, I've decided to do a mini-duathalon later on today - I'm doing a fun duathalon on Sunday so need to do a wee practice run of biking then running, so I'll map out 15km to bike and then I'll run 5k ... the 5k isn't quite the no-running, cross training ... but I'll take it easy :)
This week is a total "off training plan" week - it is the "step down" week in training, so I thought I'd take advantage and do the fun duathalon, just because I want to ... and I could juggle things around and make it work. I'm supposed to run 21km on the Sunday, which I was going to do on Friday, then rest on Saturday, then Duathalon on Sunday. Deirdre does a wicked hill run that she's been wanting me to do with her for a while, I think its about 15km - up the Maungatooks, then up and around even further, so we're going to do that on Friday ... and with the hills it should pretty match up to an easy 21km. So this week -
Today (Monday) - bike 15km/run 5km
Tuesday - 8km Tempo (I'll see how the body feels for the tempo)
Wed - 13km (should be 8km, but I'll miss the 13km on Sat so swapping things around)
Thurs - Rest Day
Fri - Campbell Hill run (approx 15km)
Sat - Rest
Sun - Waikanae Duathalon - 2km run/15km bike/5km run
Then the week after we'd already planned to run the big 32km on Saturday because we are both busy on the Sunday, so I'll push my training programme forward a day for the week, so Monday will be straight into the usual Tuesday run. I think it looks like a pretty good plan - fitting in the "want to dos" without mucking the training programme around too much :)
So, I had the course all mapped out, we get to Waikanae and Deirdre is "how about we run along the beach", well why not? So off we go ... I should run along there more often, it was a nice running the tide was out, the sand was hard, and I think it's better for your legs than the pounding on the roads (see, she drags me out of my comfort zone, in a good way!). We stopped at the toilets at the other end of Waikanae Beach, and I don't know what I did, but my ipod kept timing the run, but not measuring it ... so it was 8.5km at the toilets - we ran for what we thought was about 5km up the beach, to where we thought main the Peka Peka road was, had a gel and a drink, I realised the ipod wasn't working properly so restarted it. Got back to the stream/toilets (well, the stream wasn't the toilet, the toilet was at the top of the stream, that we had to walk up and cross so we didn't get our feet wet!), checked my ipod - 3.5km, whoops not quite the 5k we thought! ... that's okay, numbers are my thing - 8.5km + the 3.5km my ipod missed = 12km ... and we should have run about 13km up to Peka Peka, to make the return route right to get to 29km - whoops!
Anyway, off we went, up the road towards Statehighway One, took a wee detour around a block to try and add the extra km's, got to the Highway Bridge by the river and we were at 21km ... with about 7km left going the route we planned, and me being slightly obsessive wasn't wanting to do 28, 29 was on the programme! So as we ran down the side of the river we decided to run the long way home after we reached the end of the river which would add extra, but we'd walk the last half km or so to ease the muscles. Which we did, although we stopped too early. I mapped the route later and it was actually 29.5km including the walk - so I dunno whether we actually "ran" the whole 29, it might have been more like 28.5 ... but, really, come on Lisa, that doesn't matter - it was the Sunday long run done, and it was fun run with lots of variety - road, trail, beach, road, trail, road :)
After my lovely heel blister on Saturday with my new shoes and my sore left foot, I decided the older shoes would be a wiser option. I went to the pharmacy and asked about really good band-aids for the blister and she suggested that I actually use strapping tape and tape around the blister and foot, that way it wouldn't move like a plaster probably would. So I went with that suggestion and it worked like a dream! Never felt the blister at all and the strapping stayed put, didn't move or come off at all AND by total accident found that my foot sat in my shoe so much better, the strapping stopped my foot from sliding up and down ... so even without the blister I'm tempted to strap the foot anyway. I definitely will until the blister heals! Left foot that I was worried I'd done damage to was no problem either, and the pain is all gone - yay!
Today is a cross training day, and usually I'd have delivering to do on my bike, but I haven't got any to do (well, I have but only a small lot that I know will combine with tomorrows so no point in doing them today). So after much humming and hahhhhing, I've decided to do a mini-duathalon later on today - I'm doing a fun duathalon on Sunday so need to do a wee practice run of biking then running, so I'll map out 15km to bike and then I'll run 5k ... the 5k isn't quite the no-running, cross training ... but I'll take it easy :)
This week is a total "off training plan" week - it is the "step down" week in training, so I thought I'd take advantage and do the fun duathalon, just because I want to ... and I could juggle things around and make it work. I'm supposed to run 21km on the Sunday, which I was going to do on Friday, then rest on Saturday, then Duathalon on Sunday. Deirdre does a wicked hill run that she's been wanting me to do with her for a while, I think its about 15km - up the Maungatooks, then up and around even further, so we're going to do that on Friday ... and with the hills it should pretty match up to an easy 21km. So this week -
Today (Monday) - bike 15km/run 5km
Tuesday - 8km Tempo (I'll see how the body feels for the tempo)
Wed - 13km (should be 8km, but I'll miss the 13km on Sat so swapping things around)
Thurs - Rest Day
Fri - Campbell Hill run (approx 15km)
Sat - Rest
Sun - Waikanae Duathalon - 2km run/15km bike/5km run
Then the week after we'd already planned to run the big 32km on Saturday because we are both busy on the Sunday, so I'll push my training programme forward a day for the week, so Monday will be straight into the usual Tuesday run. I think it looks like a pretty good plan - fitting in the "want to dos" without mucking the training programme around too much :)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Spirit of the Marathon and New Shoes
It's not often I have too much to talk about, but lots at the moment LOL
Firstly - the movie Spirit of the Marathon Deirdre and I were talking about this last Sunday and both saying we must watch it, well what do you know, I went to my sister's for a baby shower that afternoon and she had it there, she'd got it for Christmas - and so loaned it to me. I squirraled it away for a quiet time which turned out to be Thursday night when DH and Josh were away in Auckland (seeing Paramore, well Josh and his friend saw Paramore, DH did the supervising, dropping off and picking up - they had a great time ... and I'm relieved, especially after Josh tells me they made it right to the front of the stage and he had to hold one woman who fainted, that they both came out safely!) ... anyway I ended up with a bonus evening at home, so after the girls were in bed and quiet Cam and I watched it. Gosh it was good ... the build up etc was very interesting and worth watching, but OMG watching the start with about the same number of people who will be starting in London, well that definitely brought a tear to the eye and shivers down the spine, have I mentioned in the last five minutes how close it is getting??? Part of me is excited about being part of such a huge event, the other part still scared stupid. Something good about watching the start though, was how relatively quickly those tight crowds did spread out, by the time they got to the start they were moving pretty freely - that was a relief, I pictured being jammed in for the first couple of k, but maybe not. Also interesting to see were the drink stops, I've been pretty certain that I wouldn't take my hydropack, that I'd rely on the every 1 mile drink stops, but I'm second thinking that now - they looked so crowded and scary, that maybe I'm better taking my pack and stopping out of the way, away from the huge crowds at each drink stop. Something to think about. Anyway, if you haven't seen the movie - definitely worth watching (of course, its a few years old now - but I'm never first up to watch/see anything! LOL).
Something else I've done the last couple of weeks is read Dean Kanaze's 50 marathons in 50 days and his first book Ultramarathoner ... he is my new hero :) ... I like that he is "just an ordinary guy" with amazing "something extra" that sees him through such amazing events. Cam, my sporty, non-reader has even started reading it ... so it must be good!
So right now, I'm full of inspiration ... lets hope that equates to good running!
New Shoes ... yesterday I went to Athletes Foot and got my feet properly fitted for shoes. Very interesting! I have suspected for a couple of weeks that maybe my shoes are too big, I've bought the same size for the last year, and over the last year have lost a lot of weight ... so it doesn't take rocket science to work out that maybe my continuous sore toe (I lost the nail after my first half marathon and it has never been the same, after every long or hard run it blisters or gets slightly infected again) was due to my shoes maybe being slightly too big.
Turns out I was right. My left foot is just over half a size bigger than my right foot AND I was wearing shoes that were about half a size to big for my left foot which equates to being a size too big on my right foot, which is the foot that my toe has been giving me grief.
When I stood on the magic machine, it showed all my pressure on my heels - I questioned that and said there is no way I'm running with my body being held too far backwards, I'm struggling to make myself run upright rather than stooped at the moment, the complete opposite to what he was saying. So then I walked across it - and whoooaaaaaa ALL the pressure on the front of my feet, the guy doing it was quite surprised, I wasn't ... that is what I'd expect to see going by photos of me running. So - smaller and more flexible shoes are apparently what I need.
We tried a few different brands and ended up with Mizunos - they feel great, very light and very like they're just part of my feet. I don't know a lot about running (well, actually I know way more than I thought I'd ever know!), but I do know from shooting that if my rifle felt like it was just a part of me, I performed at my best ... I figure it is the same with shoes on the feet :)
So, Mr Expert said to run them in slowly, just a couple of ks at first ... so this morning being the bullheaded person I am, I ran my easy 13km in them, and um, there is a reason he is an expert - I've ended up with a blister on my right heel (yep, where my smaller foot is moving up and down the heel) and my left side of my foot is really sore, it felt like it was cramping or something for a lot of the run - not towards the end though. I think the soreness is just getting used to I suspect running slightly different, and the slightly different probably actually running better.
Now my biggest decision is whether to use old shoes or new shoes tomorrow for my big run. At the moment I'm thinking probably the old ones, I don't want to end up really hurted that left foot, I can handle a blister (I just about always get them with any new shoes I buy - although surprisingly not when I bought the Asics?), but I don't want to end up with a stress fracture or something scary.
So a big "running" week for me :)
Today I ran my 13km "marathon pace" run ... my Nike attachment wasn't recording right (new shoes - placed differently?) but I think I managed it at pretty much exactly 6:10 pace, I haven't put it in Map my Run yet which gives me a nice accurate time. Felt good though, I was singing along with my ipod so definitely in the low heart rate range :)
Firstly - the movie Spirit of the Marathon Deirdre and I were talking about this last Sunday and both saying we must watch it, well what do you know, I went to my sister's for a baby shower that afternoon and she had it there, she'd got it for Christmas - and so loaned it to me. I squirraled it away for a quiet time which turned out to be Thursday night when DH and Josh were away in Auckland (seeing Paramore, well Josh and his friend saw Paramore, DH did the supervising, dropping off and picking up - they had a great time ... and I'm relieved, especially after Josh tells me they made it right to the front of the stage and he had to hold one woman who fainted, that they both came out safely!) ... anyway I ended up with a bonus evening at home, so after the girls were in bed and quiet Cam and I watched it. Gosh it was good ... the build up etc was very interesting and worth watching, but OMG watching the start with about the same number of people who will be starting in London, well that definitely brought a tear to the eye and shivers down the spine, have I mentioned in the last five minutes how close it is getting??? Part of me is excited about being part of such a huge event, the other part still scared stupid. Something good about watching the start though, was how relatively quickly those tight crowds did spread out, by the time they got to the start they were moving pretty freely - that was a relief, I pictured being jammed in for the first couple of k, but maybe not. Also interesting to see were the drink stops, I've been pretty certain that I wouldn't take my hydropack, that I'd rely on the every 1 mile drink stops, but I'm second thinking that now - they looked so crowded and scary, that maybe I'm better taking my pack and stopping out of the way, away from the huge crowds at each drink stop. Something to think about. Anyway, if you haven't seen the movie - definitely worth watching (of course, its a few years old now - but I'm never first up to watch/see anything! LOL).
Something else I've done the last couple of weeks is read Dean Kanaze's 50 marathons in 50 days and his first book Ultramarathoner ... he is my new hero :) ... I like that he is "just an ordinary guy" with amazing "something extra" that sees him through such amazing events. Cam, my sporty, non-reader has even started reading it ... so it must be good!
So right now, I'm full of inspiration ... lets hope that equates to good running!
New Shoes ... yesterday I went to Athletes Foot and got my feet properly fitted for shoes. Very interesting! I have suspected for a couple of weeks that maybe my shoes are too big, I've bought the same size for the last year, and over the last year have lost a lot of weight ... so it doesn't take rocket science to work out that maybe my continuous sore toe (I lost the nail after my first half marathon and it has never been the same, after every long or hard run it blisters or gets slightly infected again) was due to my shoes maybe being slightly too big.
Turns out I was right. My left foot is just over half a size bigger than my right foot AND I was wearing shoes that were about half a size to big for my left foot which equates to being a size too big on my right foot, which is the foot that my toe has been giving me grief.
When I stood on the magic machine, it showed all my pressure on my heels - I questioned that and said there is no way I'm running with my body being held too far backwards, I'm struggling to make myself run upright rather than stooped at the moment, the complete opposite to what he was saying. So then I walked across it - and whoooaaaaaa ALL the pressure on the front of my feet, the guy doing it was quite surprised, I wasn't ... that is what I'd expect to see going by photos of me running. So - smaller and more flexible shoes are apparently what I need.
We tried a few different brands and ended up with Mizunos - they feel great, very light and very like they're just part of my feet. I don't know a lot about running (well, actually I know way more than I thought I'd ever know!), but I do know from shooting that if my rifle felt like it was just a part of me, I performed at my best ... I figure it is the same with shoes on the feet :)
So, Mr Expert said to run them in slowly, just a couple of ks at first ... so this morning being the bullheaded person I am, I ran my easy 13km in them, and um, there is a reason he is an expert - I've ended up with a blister on my right heel (yep, where my smaller foot is moving up and down the heel) and my left side of my foot is really sore, it felt like it was cramping or something for a lot of the run - not towards the end though. I think the soreness is just getting used to I suspect running slightly different, and the slightly different probably actually running better.
Now my biggest decision is whether to use old shoes or new shoes tomorrow for my big run. At the moment I'm thinking probably the old ones, I don't want to end up really hurted that left foot, I can handle a blister (I just about always get them with any new shoes I buy - although surprisingly not when I bought the Asics?), but I don't want to end up with a stress fracture or something scary.
So a big "running" week for me :)
Today I ran my 13km "marathon pace" run ... my Nike attachment wasn't recording right (new shoes - placed differently?) but I think I managed it at pretty much exactly 6:10 pace, I haven't put it in Map my Run yet which gives me a nice accurate time. Felt good though, I was singing along with my ipod so definitely in the low heart rate range :)
Friday, March 5, 2010
I've added/changed a couple of things
I've finally added my sponsorship link - my family and friends keep telling me I need to put myself out there, but that's a scary thing to do! So I've put it on my blog ... that at least a few people read, is that putting myself out there? LOL I've had lots of offers for other people to contact the local newspaper etc ... but its scary, and honestly I don't think I'm *that* much of an inspiration, I'm really rather ordinary!
So anyway - it is there, definitely don't think I'm pushing anything, because I'm not ... I'm not a pushy person, but its there, like everyone keeps telling me to do - happy "everyone"???
I've also changed my weight loss ticker, I've very bravely put my original weight - I don't really like to admit how much I weighed, I still don't feel like I weighed that much ... but there it is, I did ... and instead of feeling bad about it, I need to start feeling proud and happy about how far I've come :)
I went and got my feet properly fitted today ... but I'll write about that tomorrow, it's bedtime for me now!
So anyway - it is there, definitely don't think I'm pushing anything, because I'm not ... I'm not a pushy person, but its there, like everyone keeps telling me to do - happy "everyone"???
I've also changed my weight loss ticker, I've very bravely put my original weight - I don't really like to admit how much I weighed, I still don't feel like I weighed that much ... but there it is, I did ... and instead of feeling bad about it, I need to start feeling proud and happy about how far I've come :)
I went and got my feet properly fitted today ... but I'll write about that tomorrow, it's bedtime for me now!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Rah Rah ... I want your horror ..
I've just sat for the last hour and gone looking for new music for my ipod - I've got some old ones that are annoying me now, and I needed some more upbeat ones. Lucky for me I have a 15yo who is mad on music and often has the music channel on watching videos so I can annoy him by going - oh I like that! Who's that? What's the name of that? Oh I've asked you five times before? Whoops, sorry (yeah, he doesn't enjoy the bonding moments ;)).
So between the internet and remembering the videos my ears have perked up at and looking online at "top running songs" I've spent $30 on new music (via The Warehouse, two $20 itune cards for $30 this week!).
I've never been a big muso, even when I was bopping 80's teenager (although George Michael was rather gorgeous!), so I've got quite a range in music I like ... basically anything that sounds good to me but I never have a clue about who sings what or whether its old or new, or popular or not.
Which from the new ones I've added today probably shows!
Here are some of the my favourites to run to (in case anyone else is looking for some running music, or you just want a laugh at my taste!).
Lady Ga Ga - Bad Romance
Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow, I Gotta Feeling, Meet Me Halfway
Gin (a NZ artist) - Oh my, Hey Hoh, Under My Skin
Juice Newton - Queen of Hearts
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Miley Cyrus - The Climb (I was gutted when I realised she sung this ... I'm forever complaining about the screeching, high pitched pre-teen voices of Disney channel in our house *big eye roll*)
Those are some I added today - a couple that remain my favourites to run to -
Smash Mouth - All Star
Eminem - Shake that Ass (this one is typical bad words, bad Eminem - but I love it ... and if I've got my ipod on shuffle in the car with the kids, its one I have to really press skip really fast!). I have to admit to being a bit of a closet Eminem fan - I have a few of his on my ipod ... not sure I really like my kids listening to him though!
Westlife - I have a Dream (I like their version better than Abba's)
ELO - Don't Bring me Down
They're just a few which shows my wide range of music likes!
... and in running, I ran up my hill today and was feeling amazingly strong all the way up, then turned around to come down and was blasted full on by the wind, so maybe not so strong, more that there was more wind than I thought helping me!
Rest day tomorrow ... then another big weekend, that I'm all prepared for with my new music!
So between the internet and remembering the videos my ears have perked up at and looking online at "top running songs" I've spent $30 on new music (via The Warehouse, two $20 itune cards for $30 this week!).
I've never been a big muso, even when I was bopping 80's teenager (although George Michael was rather gorgeous!), so I've got quite a range in music I like ... basically anything that sounds good to me but I never have a clue about who sings what or whether its old or new, or popular or not.
Which from the new ones I've added today probably shows!
Here are some of the my favourites to run to (in case anyone else is looking for some running music, or you just want a laugh at my taste!).
Lady Ga Ga - Bad Romance
Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow, I Gotta Feeling, Meet Me Halfway
Gin (a NZ artist) - Oh my, Hey Hoh, Under My Skin
Juice Newton - Queen of Hearts
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Miley Cyrus - The Climb (I was gutted when I realised she sung this ... I'm forever complaining about the screeching, high pitched pre-teen voices of Disney channel in our house *big eye roll*)
Those are some I added today - a couple that remain my favourites to run to -
Smash Mouth - All Star
Eminem - Shake that Ass (this one is typical bad words, bad Eminem - but I love it ... and if I've got my ipod on shuffle in the car with the kids, its one I have to really press skip really fast!). I have to admit to being a bit of a closet Eminem fan - I have a few of his on my ipod ... not sure I really like my kids listening to him though!
Westlife - I have a Dream (I like their version better than Abba's)
ELO - Don't Bring me Down
They're just a few which shows my wide range of music likes!
... and in running, I ran up my hill today and was feeling amazingly strong all the way up, then turned around to come down and was blasted full on by the wind, so maybe not so strong, more that there was more wind than I thought helping me!
Rest day tomorrow ... then another big weekend, that I'm all prepared for with my new music!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
February Totals
Just because I'm a big copy-cat and I've seen other bloggers doing it!
Total Km Feb: 239.4km (148.75 miles)
Total so far for 2010: 437.5km (271.6 miles)
Furthest Run: 28km (17 mile)
On track? Yeah baby :)
I tried to work out my average pace, but with all the places I record my running, I couldn't find an easy way of doing just February!
So this morning I ran the first "short" run of the week - my Tuesday tempo run. Training plan has upped the distance to 8km, so I worked out that 1/2.5/1/2.5/1 should work. Ran the 1st "warm up" km, then pushed the speed for the next 2.5km - first 2.5km was good! Tired and ready for the recovery 1km by the end of it though. Second 2.5km I struggled to keep up a good speed, definitely worked myself a good workout which is the main priority, but I wasn't as fast as the first 2.5km. Then slowed down and ran the last 1km home. Still my fastest time for that particular route though! 42:54 (7.9km) - go me :)
This afternoon is our nutso Tuesday - Charlotte Jazz 4.15-5.00 then gym from 5.00-7.00, Rhiannon Touch Training (which Cameron coaches so I have to pick him up from school ready for straight after school practice at the primary school) 3.00-4.00, then Hip Hop from 5.00-6.00, then netball training from 5.30-7.00 (obviously she misses half an hour, we haven't learnt that magic trick of being in two places at one time yet!). I keep saying I'm Ms Queen Juggler!
As for our big overseas trip - on Saturday I booked the rest of our London accommodation (the prize only allowed for two nights) and booked tourist and travel passes for London and Paris ... that put a major dent in our bank account, but so relieved to have it done - now all I have to worry about is accommodation for Paris and LA and then spending money, and I suppose money to feed us for two weeks! It is all coming together and I'm starting to get really excited now!
Total Km Feb: 239.4km (148.75 miles)
Total so far for 2010: 437.5km (271.6 miles)
Furthest Run: 28km (17 mile)
On track? Yeah baby :)
I tried to work out my average pace, but with all the places I record my running, I couldn't find an easy way of doing just February!
So this morning I ran the first "short" run of the week - my Tuesday tempo run. Training plan has upped the distance to 8km, so I worked out that 1/2.5/1/2.5/1 should work. Ran the 1st "warm up" km, then pushed the speed for the next 2.5km - first 2.5km was good! Tired and ready for the recovery 1km by the end of it though. Second 2.5km I struggled to keep up a good speed, definitely worked myself a good workout which is the main priority, but I wasn't as fast as the first 2.5km. Then slowed down and ran the last 1km home. Still my fastest time for that particular route though! 42:54 (7.9km) - go me :)
This afternoon is our nutso Tuesday - Charlotte Jazz 4.15-5.00 then gym from 5.00-7.00, Rhiannon Touch Training (which Cameron coaches so I have to pick him up from school ready for straight after school practice at the primary school) 3.00-4.00, then Hip Hop from 5.00-6.00, then netball training from 5.30-7.00 (obviously she misses half an hour, we haven't learnt that magic trick of being in two places at one time yet!). I keep saying I'm Ms Queen Juggler!
As for our big overseas trip - on Saturday I booked the rest of our London accommodation (the prize only allowed for two nights) and booked tourist and travel passes for London and Paris ... that put a major dent in our bank account, but so relieved to have it done - now all I have to worry about is accommodation for Paris and LA and then spending money, and I suppose money to feed us for two weeks! It is all coming together and I'm starting to get really excited now!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Why is it?
That I look *beep* awful in official running photos? The photos from the half marathon are finally up (and lucky you, I can't copy any of them!) ... and there are a measily three of me, and they all look awful. The one "good" running shot, I look hunched over and have a big open mouth with what looks like gritty teeth - cripes do I really look that bad all the time I'm running? Sheeeeshhhh
Oh yeah AND I still look fat - all these people who keep telling me how fabulous I look and how I don't need to lose anymore ... hello? I can see that extra 5kg even if they can't!
Although, looking at photos like that DOES tell me that, yes, I look hunched up - I need to work on my posture and try and run straighter ... hard to describe, but I look "short", like my knees bend too much and my body is hunched. Something to work on!
Oh well - maybe London, I'll get that perfect running photo?
Onto much happier things ... we ran 28km yesterday, and I feel great! We ran it slow and steady and I felt pretty good the whole way, even when we got back to my house I felt like I could have run a few more km. Poor Deirdre was struggling, the last km or so she kind of fell behind me and I could hear her shuffling, whereas I felt like my feet were still lifting well - I've said it so many times, but the training really does work, I'm amazed that albeit slowly, running 28km really wasn't that bad at all! It took us just over 3hrs, I don't know the exact time because I forgot to press "resume" after our drink and gel break at 18km, it took me a couple of km before I realised there was no music playing my ears (in my defence, I had it on pretty quietly just as a very background noise!). The main thing is though, we did it!
I've been on my bike for four hours today and honestly, my legs are a little tight and one inside ankle ligament feels a bit "stretched" ... but otherwise, I'd hardly believe I'd run that far just yesterday.
So this week - 8km tomorrow which I'll try and put a couple of tempo sets in, 13km on Wed, 8km on Thurs which I'll do up the Maungatooks, 13km again on Saturday and then 29km on Sunday - it's one of the bigger weeks in the schedule!
Hope everyone has had a good running weekend and are looking forward to a good week, wherever you are!
Oh yeah AND I still look fat - all these people who keep telling me how fabulous I look and how I don't need to lose anymore ... hello? I can see that extra 5kg even if they can't!
Although, looking at photos like that DOES tell me that, yes, I look hunched up - I need to work on my posture and try and run straighter ... hard to describe, but I look "short", like my knees bend too much and my body is hunched. Something to work on!
Oh well - maybe London, I'll get that perfect running photo?
Onto much happier things ... we ran 28km yesterday, and I feel great! We ran it slow and steady and I felt pretty good the whole way, even when we got back to my house I felt like I could have run a few more km. Poor Deirdre was struggling, the last km or so she kind of fell behind me and I could hear her shuffling, whereas I felt like my feet were still lifting well - I've said it so many times, but the training really does work, I'm amazed that albeit slowly, running 28km really wasn't that bad at all! It took us just over 3hrs, I don't know the exact time because I forgot to press "resume" after our drink and gel break at 18km, it took me a couple of km before I realised there was no music playing my ears (in my defence, I had it on pretty quietly just as a very background noise!). The main thing is though, we did it!
I've been on my bike for four hours today and honestly, my legs are a little tight and one inside ankle ligament feels a bit "stretched" ... but otherwise, I'd hardly believe I'd run that far just yesterday.
So this week - 8km tomorrow which I'll try and put a couple of tempo sets in, 13km on Wed, 8km on Thurs which I'll do up the Maungatooks, 13km again on Saturday and then 29km on Sunday - it's one of the bigger weeks in the schedule!
Hope everyone has had a good running weekend and are looking forward to a good week, wherever you are!
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