Whoops, skipped a few!! Oh well, that is life :)
Okay ...
Training
Friday
1 Spin Class
45min Cross Trainer
Saturday
40min Cross Trainer (cross-country ... hard work!)
30min treadmill (snuck in a 1km slow jog)
Sunday
1 Spin Class
50min Cross Trainer
I really really want to run :( ... the 1km I did on the treadmill on Saturday just reinforced I'm not healed, definitely not sore and limping around, but I could feel it ... and know that if I had run, say 5km, it would have been sore. Patience isn't my best attribute, and this just plain sucks!
On good (and being totally optimistic!) news - I've persuaded three of my sisters to enter the relay with me for the Tarawera Ultra ... should be lots of fun!! It is about a month before London, so hopefully I'll be back into it, fit and training ... the 23km I'll do should equal a good long training run for the marathon.
Eating
Just don't want to talk about it!
Life
Busy, busy, busy ... as usual :) Not such a bad weekend, Saturday was quiet for us, the girls both played netball at 9.00am which means we were finished with sport early, which gave me time to go to the gym. Went and visited my new great nephew, he is rather gorgeous - a good looking baby! Sunday, off to the gym again, and then I had a Stampin' Up workshop in the afternoon - days sure do fly by! Everyone back at school and work today ... I'm about to do the very exciting job of hanging out the washing, then on my bike to deliver and then back in time for the Mr Sky Man to come and connect us etc, fingers crossed it all happens this time!!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
8 Months, 25 Days
Just sneaking in before the day finishes to keep up with the daily blogging! Not a whole lot to say today ...
Training
Zilch ... we'll call it a rest day! Dad rang this morning and said I could have the day off, he'd do all of them today, under questioning, he's supposed to be only doing about 30min on his bike, he has had his stitches out but the skin isn't knitting together quite like it should (he had internal and external stitches) ... but he is being his usual stubborn self and feels fine, so isn't listening quite like he should. Anyway, it was raining, and I although I tried to persuade him being out in the rain and the possibility of slipping etc wasn't a great idea, there was another part of me quite pleased I didn't have to go out and get wet! I thought about going to the gym and doing a stint on the cross-trainer, but decided a complete rest day would probably do me the world of good.
Eating
Double blah
Life
Ahhhhh a nice day at home, I got so many little things done today! The Sky TV people were supposed to come this afternoon and get us connected, we've been with Telstra forever, but have finally got sick of waiting for their Home Media to start and have decided to switch to Sky and MySky (I miss so many good programmes working in the evenings!). Anyway, the technician rang at about 10.00 and said he would get there about 3.00, of course at 2.55 I had to go out and get the kids from school (it was still raining), and he left a message just after to say that they couldn't do it in the rain (the satelite dish needs to be put on the roof of the house). Why he couldn't have worked that out earlier I really don't know. Oh well, nice day at home, housework got done, phone calls got made, stampin orders got dropped off, my workshop for Sunday is all organised (and its only Thursday!).
Spin tomorrow, plus a cross-trainer workout ... hopefully will balance out the work dinner later on!
Training
Zilch ... we'll call it a rest day! Dad rang this morning and said I could have the day off, he'd do all of them today, under questioning, he's supposed to be only doing about 30min on his bike, he has had his stitches out but the skin isn't knitting together quite like it should (he had internal and external stitches) ... but he is being his usual stubborn self and feels fine, so isn't listening quite like he should. Anyway, it was raining, and I although I tried to persuade him being out in the rain and the possibility of slipping etc wasn't a great idea, there was another part of me quite pleased I didn't have to go out and get wet! I thought about going to the gym and doing a stint on the cross-trainer, but decided a complete rest day would probably do me the world of good.
Eating
Double blah
Life
Ahhhhh a nice day at home, I got so many little things done today! The Sky TV people were supposed to come this afternoon and get us connected, we've been with Telstra forever, but have finally got sick of waiting for their Home Media to start and have decided to switch to Sky and MySky (I miss so many good programmes working in the evenings!). Anyway, the technician rang at about 10.00 and said he would get there about 3.00, of course at 2.55 I had to go out and get the kids from school (it was still raining), and he left a message just after to say that they couldn't do it in the rain (the satelite dish needs to be put on the roof of the house). Why he couldn't have worked that out earlier I really don't know. Oh well, nice day at home, housework got done, phone calls got made, stampin orders got dropped off, my workshop for Sunday is all organised (and its only Thursday!).
Spin tomorrow, plus a cross-trainer workout ... hopefully will balance out the work dinner later on!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
8 Months, 26 Days
Happy 100th Post to me!! ... pretty sad when I'm pretty sure I've probably had it going for about a year (just checked, first post was 2nd September) ... so another day in the thrilling life of Lisa trying to get to the London Marathon :)
Training
1hr Cross-Trainer - I've decided to emulate what I'd be running pretty much on the cross-trainer, hoping that will keep my fitness somewhat where it should be for when I start running again, in fact I'm thinking that once I'm okay to run that for a while I might try running 3-4x a week and using the cross-trainer the other couple of days, its not such a bad work out and I feel like its making the leg muscles stronger. So today, I decided to try and make it equal a longish, easyish run. I set it for 60min and manual (because I couldn't workout how to change the time on the fat-burner programme from 30min) and alternated between 5min on 1 and 10min on 4 ... trying to make sure my heart rate was pretty much in the fat burning/sweat, but not high cardio stage. I think it worked pretty well - it felt like a good workout, albeit seems like a long time and is pretty boring (I don't think it as boring as the treadmill though!).
1hr Delivering - Dad must have been given the okay to get back on his bike because I came back from the gym to find a box with not nearly as many bills in it as it said on the box, he must have taken a good chunk of them himself. Probably not so great because he probably should still be taking it easy, but a bit of a relief as I still have grocery shopping and helping Rhiannon with her paper run to do!
Eating
Blah, just the same as yesterday ... and the scales are matching that - not moving, good that it isn't upwards, but downwards would be nice. But, well you have to WORK at them coming down!
Life
I have a new Great Nephew, born at 6.50am this morning! That makes my "greats" now number four ... does that make me old? LOL Romeo (I still can't believe my niece is making the poor boy live with the name Romeo through the rest of his life, especially his school life ... ) was born after only about a 4hr labour and 30min pushing, wow - 7lb10oz :) Rhiannon is hoping we'll go and see him at the birth unit this afternoon, but I don't really see us fitting it in, maybe a quick 5mins on the way to the supermarket. Tracy (my niece) was living a pretty hard life up until she got pregnant, addicted to P and alcohol and doing some pretty awful things that go with those addictions, the last 4-5mths she has really cleaned herself up, is living with my sister, and is back to the sweet niece I've always known and supported through some pretty hard family times ... hopefully she will stay clean and this will be the making of her (and yeah, my family could be a soap opera ;)).
Time for a shower and getting ready for the afternoon usual rush!
Training
1hr Cross-Trainer - I've decided to emulate what I'd be running pretty much on the cross-trainer, hoping that will keep my fitness somewhat where it should be for when I start running again, in fact I'm thinking that once I'm okay to run that for a while I might try running 3-4x a week and using the cross-trainer the other couple of days, its not such a bad work out and I feel like its making the leg muscles stronger. So today, I decided to try and make it equal a longish, easyish run. I set it for 60min and manual (because I couldn't workout how to change the time on the fat-burner programme from 30min) and alternated between 5min on 1 and 10min on 4 ... trying to make sure my heart rate was pretty much in the fat burning/sweat, but not high cardio stage. I think it worked pretty well - it felt like a good workout, albeit seems like a long time and is pretty boring (I don't think it as boring as the treadmill though!).
1hr Delivering - Dad must have been given the okay to get back on his bike because I came back from the gym to find a box with not nearly as many bills in it as it said on the box, he must have taken a good chunk of them himself. Probably not so great because he probably should still be taking it easy, but a bit of a relief as I still have grocery shopping and helping Rhiannon with her paper run to do!
Eating
Blah, just the same as yesterday ... and the scales are matching that - not moving, good that it isn't upwards, but downwards would be nice. But, well you have to WORK at them coming down!
Life
I have a new Great Nephew, born at 6.50am this morning! That makes my "greats" now number four ... does that make me old? LOL Romeo (I still can't believe my niece is making the poor boy live with the name Romeo through the rest of his life, especially his school life ... ) was born after only about a 4hr labour and 30min pushing, wow - 7lb10oz :) Rhiannon is hoping we'll go and see him at the birth unit this afternoon, but I don't really see us fitting it in, maybe a quick 5mins on the way to the supermarket. Tracy (my niece) was living a pretty hard life up until she got pregnant, addicted to P and alcohol and doing some pretty awful things that go with those addictions, the last 4-5mths she has really cleaned herself up, is living with my sister, and is back to the sweet niece I've always known and supported through some pretty hard family times ... hopefully she will stay clean and this will be the making of her (and yeah, my family could be a soap opera ;)).
Time for a shower and getting ready for the afternoon usual rush!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
8 Months, 27 Days
Training
1 Spin Class
45min Cross-Trainer (on cross-country programme ... hard work!)
1hr45min Delivering
0 Housework ;)
Eating
Not bad, not good ... it is hard to balance getting hungry from working out with eating right, one day I might get my head working with my body!!
Life
Well, quick one today ... its been a busy day! 3.00pm, just waiting for afternoon tea to finish cooking (Sizzlers in bread ... pack of 8 means 2 each for the kids so I can't be tempted because someone will miss out which = me being in trouble! LOL). Once they are cooked I'll go and have a shower, then off to drop of the first one at Jazz, deliver the last of the bills in the car, then home to get dinner ready (Pumpkin Lasagne ... yummmy) ... with gym and hip hop drop offs/pick ups inbetween!
Not a lot else happening ... thats what happens with trying to blog everyday, anybody who can be bothered reading, gets to see how mundane my life really is ;)
1 Spin Class
45min Cross-Trainer (on cross-country programme ... hard work!)
1hr45min Delivering
0 Housework ;)
Eating
Not bad, not good ... it is hard to balance getting hungry from working out with eating right, one day I might get my head working with my body!!
Life
Well, quick one today ... its been a busy day! 3.00pm, just waiting for afternoon tea to finish cooking (Sizzlers in bread ... pack of 8 means 2 each for the kids so I can't be tempted because someone will miss out which = me being in trouble! LOL). Once they are cooked I'll go and have a shower, then off to drop of the first one at Jazz, deliver the last of the bills in the car, then home to get dinner ready (Pumpkin Lasagne ... yummmy) ... with gym and hip hop drop offs/pick ups inbetween!
Not a lot else happening ... thats what happens with trying to blog everyday, anybody who can be bothered reading, gets to see how mundane my life really is ;)
Monday, July 19, 2010
8 Months, 28 Days ... & I'll show you mine
Marlene's I'll Show you Mine if you show me your's
Okay, I don't have many medals from running at all, they don't always give them here! I'm disappointed they didn't have one for the Rotorua Marathon, that would have been one of my proudest.
Mine aren't anywhere exciting, in fact I'm probably the most relaxed person about medals, the only reason they're hanging up at all is because my husband or the kids have hung them up!
But here they are hanging on the framed (by hubby, not me, of course! LOL) medals from my shooting days ... my proudest medals - I always said the London Marathon medal would probably get the same equal proud feelings. Anyway, the ones in the frame are my Oceania game medals - first in the Womens' Individual match and second in the teams match ... way back in 1995! ... note the two Australians either side of me, that is worth a LOT of medals LOLOL.
Training
Lets call it training ... it will eventually become that!
Yesterday -
1 Spin Class
30min on cross-trainer
2.5hrs delivering on bike
Today -
1.5hrs delivering on bike
Nothing too exciting, but definitely feel like I'm keeping my muscles moving and my cardio fitness up there.
Eating
Yesterday - okay, not great, but okay. Today the scales had me at less than I was Friday, for me, and a Monday morning, that is an accomplishment :)
Today - bad lunch ... but it wasn't really bad (half a thing of chips, chicken sandwich and sultana scone). Breatfast was good, dinner will be healthy shepherds pie. As long as I keep to the no picking after school, that is an okay day ... not a weight losing day, but shouldn't be a gaining day.
Life
The kids are back at school today, yay! for a quiet house ... boo! for the getting back to rushing around. I've got to pack the girls in the car amongst some bribery to do some of my delivering ... as in me driving, and them hopping out to the letterboxes. Dad came off his bike last week and has internal and external stitches in his leg and has been told NOT to bike for a while (for avoidance of blood clots that he is prone to and an ulcer forming on his leg) ... so the bits and pieces he usually bikes for miles to do on his bike, I'm doing in the car - just don't tell him I'm taking the lazy way out ;)
Hubby has a job interview this afternoon ... fingers crossed for that - I think I've mentioned a bit here about his work and their lack of motivation to pay him his commission payments, we ended up going to a lawyer and mediation and as a result ARE slowly getting paid ... but things aren't great ... he loves his actual job, but the stress of their money problems etc just isn't much fun.
I'm about to be totally indulgent ... ignoring the bathroom that really needs a good clean ... and going to sit and watch Outrageous Fortune taped from last week :)
Okay, I don't have many medals from running at all, they don't always give them here! I'm disappointed they didn't have one for the Rotorua Marathon, that would have been one of my proudest.Mine aren't anywhere exciting, in fact I'm probably the most relaxed person about medals, the only reason they're hanging up at all is because my husband or the kids have hung them up!
But here they are hanging on the framed (by hubby, not me, of course! LOL) medals from my shooting days ... my proudest medals - I always said the London Marathon medal would probably get the same equal proud feelings. Anyway, the ones in the frame are my Oceania game medals - first in the Womens' Individual match and second in the teams match ... way back in 1995! ... note the two Australians either side of me, that is worth a LOT of medals LOLOL.
Training
Lets call it training ... it will eventually become that!
Yesterday -
1 Spin Class
30min on cross-trainer
2.5hrs delivering on bike
Today -
1.5hrs delivering on bike
Nothing too exciting, but definitely feel like I'm keeping my muscles moving and my cardio fitness up there.
Eating
Yesterday - okay, not great, but okay. Today the scales had me at less than I was Friday, for me, and a Monday morning, that is an accomplishment :)
Today - bad lunch ... but it wasn't really bad (half a thing of chips, chicken sandwich and sultana scone). Breatfast was good, dinner will be healthy shepherds pie. As long as I keep to the no picking after school, that is an okay day ... not a weight losing day, but shouldn't be a gaining day.
Life
The kids are back at school today, yay! for a quiet house ... boo! for the getting back to rushing around. I've got to pack the girls in the car amongst some bribery to do some of my delivering ... as in me driving, and them hopping out to the letterboxes. Dad came off his bike last week and has internal and external stitches in his leg and has been told NOT to bike for a while (for avoidance of blood clots that he is prone to and an ulcer forming on his leg) ... so the bits and pieces he usually bikes for miles to do on his bike, I'm doing in the car - just don't tell him I'm taking the lazy way out ;)
Hubby has a job interview this afternoon ... fingers crossed for that - I think I've mentioned a bit here about his work and their lack of motivation to pay him his commission payments, we ended up going to a lawyer and mediation and as a result ARE slowly getting paid ... but things aren't great ... he loves his actual job, but the stress of their money problems etc just isn't much fun.
I'm about to be totally indulgent ... ignoring the bathroom that really needs a good clean ... and going to sit and watch Outrageous Fortune taped from last week :)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
8 Months, 29 Days
Okay, time to get serious ... serious about updating the blog - do you think I can do it daily, even if I just have drivel to write about? Maybe some daily headings :)
Running/Training/Exercise
Running = not happening, I've made an appointment with a sports doctor for 2nd of August (first available appointment). I ran 10km a week ago, absolutely loved the run, took it at an easy pace, leg felt good while I was running, the sun was shining albeit cold ... it was one of those perfect runs BUT by night-time I was limping around again - not so good.
So I decided to make the appointment, what I'm hoping will happen is that by then without running for just over three weeks it will be almost better from rest and the Dr will say start slowly, or rest it a bit more. I'm not sure I need the appointment, or whether rest will do it, but giving it takes 3-4 weeks for an appointment, I didn't want to rest for a few weeks, run, find I needed an appointment and then have to wait another few weeks. So, that is the plan, for now.
I'm picking the Auckland marathon isn't going to happen, I should be training now. I'm okay with that, I can always do it next year - way more important is to get right for London next year - 8 months and 29 days away!
Exercise - so what am I doing instead? I'm doing the three spin classes I can get to each week and on Friday I gave the cross-trainer (elliptical) a go at the gym, figuring that my leg seems to only hurt from the running impact ... I'm hoping it is closest to running and will keep my fitness up there ready to run again. I did 30min on Friday and boy did I have sore muscles yesterday, obviuosly you use different muscles, or muscles differently on it! Good news though is that my knee/injury DIDN'T hurt, so it should be an okay alternative - yay!
Weight Loss
Insert high pitched screeching laugh ... or maybe call it weight GAIN. I have been awful the last week, its like a total mental thing - can't run = eat instead, absolutely pathetic behaviour! I'm exercising, I'm burning calories, I don't have to run to stay this weight ... but I do have to eat right! Hopefully slightly back on track since yesterday.
As for official weigh-in on Friday, I did sneak a look, but hated what I saw so I'm pretending it didn't happen ... blinkers are on!
Stupid, because one of the things I know I need to do is drop that last 5kg, impact is hurting my leg and causing the injury, less weight = less impact, pretty easy equation.
Life
This school holidays ended up being busy for me! The first week my "real" job had half the team away, so I did about twice the hours I normally do ... although Dad did all the delivering so it wasn't so bad, I had time to take the kids out to the movies one day, and time to spend some time baking doing stuff at home before I left for work the other days. Last week Dad managed to come off his bike and he has stitches in his leg ... and been told NOT to ride his bike for at least a week, so I've been doing all of it ... good exercise, but lots of time! I'm lucky I have good older baby sitting kids, and good kids that are happy to entertain themselves.
Yesterday I spent a lovely WHOLE day at home ... made pumpkin soup ready to freeze, some scones ready for lunches next week and started a craft project with the girls ... and even did some tidying and vacuuming!
Today it is spin class and then I'll do another 30min on the cross-trainer ... delivering and then hopefully time to finish the craft projects (so my name isn't mud! LOL).
Back to school tomorrow!
Running/Training/Exercise
Running = not happening, I've made an appointment with a sports doctor for 2nd of August (first available appointment). I ran 10km a week ago, absolutely loved the run, took it at an easy pace, leg felt good while I was running, the sun was shining albeit cold ... it was one of those perfect runs BUT by night-time I was limping around again - not so good.
So I decided to make the appointment, what I'm hoping will happen is that by then without running for just over three weeks it will be almost better from rest and the Dr will say start slowly, or rest it a bit more. I'm not sure I need the appointment, or whether rest will do it, but giving it takes 3-4 weeks for an appointment, I didn't want to rest for a few weeks, run, find I needed an appointment and then have to wait another few weeks. So, that is the plan, for now.
I'm picking the Auckland marathon isn't going to happen, I should be training now. I'm okay with that, I can always do it next year - way more important is to get right for London next year - 8 months and 29 days away!
Exercise - so what am I doing instead? I'm doing the three spin classes I can get to each week and on Friday I gave the cross-trainer (elliptical) a go at the gym, figuring that my leg seems to only hurt from the running impact ... I'm hoping it is closest to running and will keep my fitness up there ready to run again. I did 30min on Friday and boy did I have sore muscles yesterday, obviuosly you use different muscles, or muscles differently on it! Good news though is that my knee/injury DIDN'T hurt, so it should be an okay alternative - yay!
Weight Loss
Insert high pitched screeching laugh ... or maybe call it weight GAIN. I have been awful the last week, its like a total mental thing - can't run = eat instead, absolutely pathetic behaviour! I'm exercising, I'm burning calories, I don't have to run to stay this weight ... but I do have to eat right! Hopefully slightly back on track since yesterday.
As for official weigh-in on Friday, I did sneak a look, but hated what I saw so I'm pretending it didn't happen ... blinkers are on!
Stupid, because one of the things I know I need to do is drop that last 5kg, impact is hurting my leg and causing the injury, less weight = less impact, pretty easy equation.
Life
This school holidays ended up being busy for me! The first week my "real" job had half the team away, so I did about twice the hours I normally do ... although Dad did all the delivering so it wasn't so bad, I had time to take the kids out to the movies one day, and time to spend some time baking doing stuff at home before I left for work the other days. Last week Dad managed to come off his bike and he has stitches in his leg ... and been told NOT to ride his bike for at least a week, so I've been doing all of it ... good exercise, but lots of time! I'm lucky I have good older baby sitting kids, and good kids that are happy to entertain themselves.
Yesterday I spent a lovely WHOLE day at home ... made pumpkin soup ready to freeze, some scones ready for lunches next week and started a craft project with the girls ... and even did some tidying and vacuuming!
Today it is spin class and then I'll do another 30min on the cross-trainer ... delivering and then hopefully time to finish the craft projects (so my name isn't mud! LOL).
Back to school tomorrow!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Bits and Pieces
So how was the knee after Thursday's 5km? Well, by Thursday night it was sore and I was cursing and swearing and resigned to the injury just not getting better. Friday morning I woke up and it was still a bit sore, went to the gym did my physio stretches, did a spin class and its been feeling good ever since, well "good" as in it feels about where it was before I ran on Thursday. Maybe there is hope. So, I'm going to continue with the physio's idea that along with the strengthening exercises and taking it easy it will get "manageable", but I'm also going to book an appointment with a sports doctor and get it looked at. So, slow and easy 10km tomorrow ... I'm going to try taking an antiinflammatory before and after and see what happens ... that maybe a lot of the pain is inflammation?
Barefoot Running - even after reading Born to Run and being fascinated with all the research, and definitely being able to the sense of it - it still isn't something I aspire to do. But, funnyish story, I was talking to my Dad yesterday about it and he reminded me how on the last leg of the running tour they used to do around here (3 days of running, 5 legs I think? It was an annual thing for a while and he ran it each eyar) they used to have to run across the river, so because he didn't want to run in wet shoes he always wore sandals for that leg of the race ... my Dad was a trendsetter way back about 15yrs ago and he didn't even know it! LOL
Official Weigh-In - well, yesterday morning I managed to get to 68.4kg ... a whole 400g less than the week before (that is 0.9lb). Any loss is a good loss so I'm happy. Now, to do the same this week! It was easier to eat better this week because I started work at 3.30pm everyday (except Tuesday) - I normally start at 6.30. Anyway, that meant I had lunch at home, and then left at about 2.30 - avoiding that early afternoon when all I want to do is pick and eat all the wrong stuff! I was very good at bringing the right snacks and dinner with me and sticking to them :)
I think that was all! Happy Birthday to Josh my now 16yo!!
Barefoot Running - even after reading Born to Run and being fascinated with all the research, and definitely being able to the sense of it - it still isn't something I aspire to do. But, funnyish story, I was talking to my Dad yesterday about it and he reminded me how on the last leg of the running tour they used to do around here (3 days of running, 5 legs I think? It was an annual thing for a while and he ran it each eyar) they used to have to run across the river, so because he didn't want to run in wet shoes he always wore sandals for that leg of the race ... my Dad was a trendsetter way back about 15yrs ago and he didn't even know it! LOL
Official Weigh-In - well, yesterday morning I managed to get to 68.4kg ... a whole 400g less than the week before (that is 0.9lb). Any loss is a good loss so I'm happy. Now, to do the same this week! It was easier to eat better this week because I started work at 3.30pm everyday (except Tuesday) - I normally start at 6.30. Anyway, that meant I had lunch at home, and then left at about 2.30 - avoiding that early afternoon when all I want to do is pick and eat all the wrong stuff! I was very good at bringing the right snacks and dinner with me and sticking to them :)
I think that was all! Happy Birthday to Josh my now 16yo!!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Baby Steps
Baby steps are good, strides would be better, but any little step is good :)
On the eating/weight loss front, official weigh in day is tomorrow, but I weigh myself everyday, and I've lost all of a grand number of about 200g so far this week, hopefully that will hang on for tomorrow's official day. I'm actually pretty happy with that - I have dropped my exercise sooooo much the last couple of weeks and I was really worried my body would go into shock and put on weight, so my "trying" and doing okay, but not perfectly at following points again and 3x spin classes a week is keeping me on track and at least maintaining. I'd obviously love to be losing more, but I've got to look at the big picture. I haven't even done any biking/delivering for nearly two weeks! That is usually what burns those extra few calories ... but my Dad (who I suspect is more addicted to exercise than I am LOL), did the last few days of last month because he knew I was trying to rest my leg, and then this week when we start up the month, he insisted on doing Otaki (the first few days) because I'm starting work early most days this week. It's certainly been nice having some time at home, especially as it is school holidays, but I feel like a lazy slug!
On the running side of things - I ran 5km this morning! Yay! and really enjoyed it, I was a bit worried that I'd enjoyed the time off too much and it would be hard work to get back into it. But it felt like coming home, and although I could tell my legs were a bit "gosh we haven't done this for nearly two weeks", my fitness felt good. As for my knee (and yes, I'm calling and admitting its a knee injury now), it started off good, a bit stiff but pretty freely but I could feel it the whole way, and was very tentative on the downhills because I felt like the extra impact would be too much. I came home and iced, and rolled ... now I'll just wait and see how it feels later tonight - it usually after I've sat at work in front of the 'ole computer screen for a few hours and not kept moving that I feel it. If it is no worse than before I started today I'll still not run tomorrow or Saturday, but I'm hoping to do a slow and easy 10km on it on Sunday.
I've just finished "Born to Run" and one thing that has made me think about is the enjoyment of running - I think I've been pushing and pushing to get better and better since I started, I think now, especially while trying to fix the knee, I just need to get out there and run slow and enjoy it .. something I'm definitely going to work on. I'm still a goal seeker, I still want to break that 4hrs for a marathon, and better my last time, but reality is, Auckland is 16wks away and I don't think this injury is going to let me train hard for a while, so I plan on (hopefully!) getting the miles in, getting the hills in, but taking it easy and just enjoying the running ... and then doing the same with Auckland. In an ideal world the injury will get better and I will be able to train "harder" for London ... because, really, that race is the important one :)
On the eating/weight loss front, official weigh in day is tomorrow, but I weigh myself everyday, and I've lost all of a grand number of about 200g so far this week, hopefully that will hang on for tomorrow's official day. I'm actually pretty happy with that - I have dropped my exercise sooooo much the last couple of weeks and I was really worried my body would go into shock and put on weight, so my "trying" and doing okay, but not perfectly at following points again and 3x spin classes a week is keeping me on track and at least maintaining. I'd obviously love to be losing more, but I've got to look at the big picture. I haven't even done any biking/delivering for nearly two weeks! That is usually what burns those extra few calories ... but my Dad (who I suspect is more addicted to exercise than I am LOL), did the last few days of last month because he knew I was trying to rest my leg, and then this week when we start up the month, he insisted on doing Otaki (the first few days) because I'm starting work early most days this week. It's certainly been nice having some time at home, especially as it is school holidays, but I feel like a lazy slug!
On the running side of things - I ran 5km this morning! Yay! and really enjoyed it, I was a bit worried that I'd enjoyed the time off too much and it would be hard work to get back into it. But it felt like coming home, and although I could tell my legs were a bit "gosh we haven't done this for nearly two weeks", my fitness felt good. As for my knee (and yes, I'm calling and admitting its a knee injury now), it started off good, a bit stiff but pretty freely but I could feel it the whole way, and was very tentative on the downhills because I felt like the extra impact would be too much. I came home and iced, and rolled ... now I'll just wait and see how it feels later tonight - it usually after I've sat at work in front of the 'ole computer screen for a few hours and not kept moving that I feel it. If it is no worse than before I started today I'll still not run tomorrow or Saturday, but I'm hoping to do a slow and easy 10km on it on Sunday.
I've just finished "Born to Run" and one thing that has made me think about is the enjoyment of running - I think I've been pushing and pushing to get better and better since I started, I think now, especially while trying to fix the knee, I just need to get out there and run slow and enjoy it .. something I'm definitely going to work on. I'm still a goal seeker, I still want to break that 4hrs for a marathon, and better my last time, but reality is, Auckland is 16wks away and I don't think this injury is going to let me train hard for a while, so I plan on (hopefully!) getting the miles in, getting the hills in, but taking it easy and just enjoying the running ... and then doing the same with Auckland. In an ideal world the injury will get better and I will be able to train "harder" for London ... because, really, that race is the important one :)
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Training Programmes and "Summer" of Weight Loss
Firstly ... Training Programmes. I love planning, writing lists ... just not so good at keeping to them! LOL
So, for my first marathon I followed (religiously, never missed a training run) the Hal Higdom Intermediate 1 programme, and it worked well. This second marathon training cycle, I had planned to follow the Intermediate 2 programme, but blend it with some speed work and hill work. About a week ago I sat down with my spreadsheet and blended in the latest RW's half marathon programme in with the Hal Higdon one ... using the RW's speedwork etc and mixing it with the right mileage. I was more than happy with it.
Then, I admitted defeat and admitted that I'm injured and decided to take a week or so off, I worked that into the training programme, I figured I am more than half marathon fit, missing the first couple of weeks of the Higdon programme wasn't going to be a major, and in fact when I worked out the whole programme had that all fitted in.
Then, with being injured, and all the blog reading etc I do, I thought maybe I'd look at the FIRST programme to see what it says ... I keep saying to my younger sister who has struggled with injuries that it would be good for her, so should listen to my own advice. I had a look and the whole concept makes a lot of sense, but I know I want to run more than three days. While looking at the site with the FIRST programme, I looked at their five day marathon programme, and thought, now that looks like me. So now I'm not sure what to do! Too many choices.
So Hal Higdon? Big plus, his programme worked really well for my first marathon - and I really like the two harder weeks, then an easier week concept ... mentally I found that worked well.
Marathon Training Program - Has the "extras" worked into it, has a longer run mid week (the only thing I thought would maybe work better with the Higdon programme), it is a twelve week programme which gives me a bit of time to work on the injury.
I think I've pretty much decided to scrap my well worked out programme from a couple of weeks ago and go with the Marathon Training Programme ... and if the knee is still not quite right, cut down to four days a week - which with the longer mid-week run, I think would work well. I'll probably use the spare 5th day to work with a Personal Trainer to work on my core and strengthening.
Maybe, I'm just a programme whore, and can't get enough of them? LOL ... but I do love working with a spreadsheet ;)
... and the injury update? Physio really does think its my knee, I told him I was sceptical of that because it just doesn't feel like my knee ... but he explain how all my other muscles are fine, there is absolutely nothing to point towards anything else, plus it is definitely weight-bearing pain which points towards a joint injury rather than muscles (something like that anyway). BUT the big thing that has me convinced that maybe he is right (and sorry Mr Physio man for doubting you and saying I doubted you), I talked to my sister the next day - my younger sister who ran my first few races with me - who has been off with a knee injury for a few months, and comparing notes ... her injury started in exactly the same way. Damn. So I'm doing the exercises, I definitely won't run until Thursday ... it is a week after the half marathon now and I can still feel soreness when I move wrong. Thursday I'll run an easy 5km and see how it feels, I'd planned to then take another couple of days off and throw myself into a 17.5km as per the programme on Sunday - but I'll assess that at the end of the week. Meanwhile I'm trying to do three spin classes during the week to keep my fitness up :)
"Summer" of Weight Loss
Kerrie over at Mom vs Marathon is putting together a group of people wanting to lose weight over the American summer (it will be our winter), I need something to give me a good rocket up the a** to get myself back on track, so I'm going to join in with the hope it will give me the motivation I need.
I'll put my beginning weight and some photos up tomorrow (I'll try and convince my 11yo to take some photos in the less workout clothes as possible to get a "true shape" shot).
This not running makes me eat even more believe it or not ... I'm so frustrated with myself and lack of control at the moment :(
So, for my first marathon I followed (religiously, never missed a training run) the Hal Higdom Intermediate 1 programme, and it worked well. This second marathon training cycle, I had planned to follow the Intermediate 2 programme, but blend it with some speed work and hill work. About a week ago I sat down with my spreadsheet and blended in the latest RW's half marathon programme in with the Hal Higdon one ... using the RW's speedwork etc and mixing it with the right mileage. I was more than happy with it.
Then, I admitted defeat and admitted that I'm injured and decided to take a week or so off, I worked that into the training programme, I figured I am more than half marathon fit, missing the first couple of weeks of the Higdon programme wasn't going to be a major, and in fact when I worked out the whole programme had that all fitted in.
Then, with being injured, and all the blog reading etc I do, I thought maybe I'd look at the FIRST programme to see what it says ... I keep saying to my younger sister who has struggled with injuries that it would be good for her, so should listen to my own advice. I had a look and the whole concept makes a lot of sense, but I know I want to run more than three days. While looking at the site with the FIRST programme, I looked at their five day marathon programme, and thought, now that looks like me. So now I'm not sure what to do! Too many choices.
So Hal Higdon? Big plus, his programme worked really well for my first marathon - and I really like the two harder weeks, then an easier week concept ... mentally I found that worked well.
Marathon Training Program - Has the "extras" worked into it, has a longer run mid week (the only thing I thought would maybe work better with the Higdon programme), it is a twelve week programme which gives me a bit of time to work on the injury.
I think I've pretty much decided to scrap my well worked out programme from a couple of weeks ago and go with the Marathon Training Programme ... and if the knee is still not quite right, cut down to four days a week - which with the longer mid-week run, I think would work well. I'll probably use the spare 5th day to work with a Personal Trainer to work on my core and strengthening.
Maybe, I'm just a programme whore, and can't get enough of them? LOL ... but I do love working with a spreadsheet ;)
... and the injury update? Physio really does think its my knee, I told him I was sceptical of that because it just doesn't feel like my knee ... but he explain how all my other muscles are fine, there is absolutely nothing to point towards anything else, plus it is definitely weight-bearing pain which points towards a joint injury rather than muscles (something like that anyway). BUT the big thing that has me convinced that maybe he is right (and sorry Mr Physio man for doubting you and saying I doubted you), I talked to my sister the next day - my younger sister who ran my first few races with me - who has been off with a knee injury for a few months, and comparing notes ... her injury started in exactly the same way. Damn. So I'm doing the exercises, I definitely won't run until Thursday ... it is a week after the half marathon now and I can still feel soreness when I move wrong. Thursday I'll run an easy 5km and see how it feels, I'd planned to then take another couple of days off and throw myself into a 17.5km as per the programme on Sunday - but I'll assess that at the end of the week. Meanwhile I'm trying to do three spin classes during the week to keep my fitness up :)
"Summer" of Weight Loss
Kerrie over at Mom vs Marathon is putting together a group of people wanting to lose weight over the American summer (it will be our winter), I need something to give me a good rocket up the a** to get myself back on track, so I'm going to join in with the hope it will give me the motivation I need.
I'll put my beginning weight and some photos up tomorrow (I'll try and convince my 11yo to take some photos in the less workout clothes as possible to get a "true shape" shot).
This not running makes me eat even more believe it or not ... I'm so frustrated with myself and lack of control at the moment :(
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Harbour Capital Half Marathon Report
Before I ran my marathon, I had this planned as my next big goal - my first under 2hrs half marathon. Then I ran a half marathon before the marathon and got my under 2hrs there, so I changed this goal to 1:55. I didn't count on gettin injured though. I've been nursing this stupid injury for about a month, my training definitely hasn't been what I wanted it to be, so by the time I got to Sunday I'd readjusted my goal to getting under 2hrs.
After Christchurch my leg was pretty good, the physio sent me off with the exercises and the expectation it would get better. After a couple of weeks of training pretty hard, my leg was definitely getting worse not better. So before this race I took three days off, dosed myself up with Voltarin and hoped for the best.
My plan was to push myself to start faster, get to under 2hr pace, or very close to right from the beginning and then keep it there until about 13km. Then, if needed, push myself to run a couple of fast k's to make sure I kept my pace to under the magic 2hrs (half marathon pace for under 2hrs = 5:42).
We parked at work, about 10min walk away and walked down to the stadium. Weather was a typical winter Wellington day - cold, wet, southerly.
Got to the stadium, found my sister, niece and great niece - left Cameron who was running the 10k and Rhiannon who was running the Magic Mile with my niece and my sister and I went off and lined up for the toilets. I'm usually way too early to races, this one I was running late! While in the toilets they called for everyone to line up, so it was a rushed toilet stop and then off to the start. Ugh, one of my tactics was not to get jammed in at the start, I had to push myself to the middle because it was already crowded. Dianna had long gone and I know was going to try and stick with the 1:40 pacer (she's much faster than me! LOL).
Got my ipod going, got my Garmin going, and I was ready - just in time, only took about 30sec to reach the start (I much prefer the different starts for each event), and off we ran, and no jamming in - yay! Probably because we run from the stadium and the entrance is wider than a normal road, by the time we reached the pathways down and hit the road people were already settled into reasonable pace, and I must have been in the right place - no weaving, getting frustrated.
So - plan to hit about 5:42 pace? First 5k splits = 5:35, 5:35, 5:37, 5:33 and 5:34. Whooaaaaa ... the voltarim and rest obviously worked, my legs were actually working right!
By about 8km I was getting tired, I was a bit worried about this ... I'm usually a slow starter in case I overdo it, but this time I wanted to push myself. At about 9km we turned a corner and suddenly had the wind behind us, just as I needed it. Second 6k-10k splits = 5:37, 5:39, 5:42, 5:41 and 5:27.
This was an out and back course, so it was about 9k I the main bunches started coming the other way, I saw a friend from school first (she finished in 1:31 ... whoa!), was looking for my sister, didn't see her, didn't see her ... thought I must have missed her. At about 10km (0.5km) from the turnaround, there she was! ... she is quite funny about my running and I know lots more worried about me beating her than I am about catching her ... I can imagine her panic when she realised I was only a k behind her - she said afterwards it really sped her up ;).
13km I stopped properly, had a drink, had a gel and regathered, that pushing it was getting tiring! 11k-15km = 5:33, 5:40, 5:42, 5:45 and 5:34 (the 5:45 was the drink stop, I was quite pleased I managed to gather the time back afterwards).
Those last 6km I was just telling myself to hang on and keep running and making sure I kept my overall pace in about the same place! I was quite surprised everytime I looked at my watch that I was still keeping up, because I didn't feel like I was! I think the wind was behind us most of way back which probably helped.
Last splits, 16km to finish = 5:36, 5:38, 5:52 (drink stop), 5:37, 5:36 and 5:42 (there is a killer short steep ramp/hill going back into the Stadium).
I didn't look at my overall time until just before the finish and suddenly realised if I pushed it I could get a PR ... so I pushed myself into a sprint and managed 1:57:27 ... 13sec faster than my previous fastest time ... yay!!
So ... the damage? Well the voltarin obviously masked the injury, because by Sunday evening I was seriously hobbling. Monday I was still sore ... and Thursday now and its still not good :( I'd already decided to take at least a week, probably a week and a half off to see if that would fix it - but I was hoping by now it would be feeling good and then a week extra would give extra healing time. I'm off to see the physio in about half an hour, hopefully he can work some magic!
And the kids? Cameron (14yo) ran the 10km in 51min, which isn't bad because his training seriously declined about the same time the World Cup started ... bit hard getting up and running before school when you've spent half the night watching TV! ... he said it was easy and should have run faster (he hadn't run that far before and was worried about pushing it too hard).
Rhiannon (11yo) ran the mile in 9:22 ... not too bad, she isn't quite the natural athlete her brother is, so thats pretty good for her :)
Righty, better get myself ready for the physio and those little running around jobs I need to do afterwards!!
Thanks for reading :)
Oh ... and a last couple of pictures - I wonder why people are forever mistaking my sister and I???
After Christchurch my leg was pretty good, the physio sent me off with the exercises and the expectation it would get better. After a couple of weeks of training pretty hard, my leg was definitely getting worse not better. So before this race I took three days off, dosed myself up with Voltarin and hoped for the best.
My plan was to push myself to start faster, get to under 2hr pace, or very close to right from the beginning and then keep it there until about 13km. Then, if needed, push myself to run a couple of fast k's to make sure I kept my pace to under the magic 2hrs (half marathon pace for under 2hrs = 5:42).
We parked at work, about 10min walk away and walked down to the stadium. Weather was a typical winter Wellington day - cold, wet, southerly.
Got to the stadium, found my sister, niece and great niece - left Cameron who was running the 10k and Rhiannon who was running the Magic Mile with my niece and my sister and I went off and lined up for the toilets. I'm usually way too early to races, this one I was running late! While in the toilets they called for everyone to line up, so it was a rushed toilet stop and then off to the start. Ugh, one of my tactics was not to get jammed in at the start, I had to push myself to the middle because it was already crowded. Dianna had long gone and I know was going to try and stick with the 1:40 pacer (she's much faster than me! LOL).
Got my ipod going, got my Garmin going, and I was ready - just in time, only took about 30sec to reach the start (I much prefer the different starts for each event), and off we ran, and no jamming in - yay! Probably because we run from the stadium and the entrance is wider than a normal road, by the time we reached the pathways down and hit the road people were already settled into reasonable pace, and I must have been in the right place - no weaving, getting frustrated.
So - plan to hit about 5:42 pace? First 5k splits = 5:35, 5:35, 5:37, 5:33 and 5:34. Whooaaaaa ... the voltarim and rest obviously worked, my legs were actually working right!
By about 8km I was getting tired, I was a bit worried about this ... I'm usually a slow starter in case I overdo it, but this time I wanted to push myself. At about 9km we turned a corner and suddenly had the wind behind us, just as I needed it. Second 6k-10k splits = 5:37, 5:39, 5:42, 5:41 and 5:27.
This was an out and back course, so it was about 9k I the main bunches started coming the other way, I saw a friend from school first (she finished in 1:31 ... whoa!), was looking for my sister, didn't see her, didn't see her ... thought I must have missed her. At about 10km (0.5km) from the turnaround, there she was! ... she is quite funny about my running and I know lots more worried about me beating her than I am about catching her ... I can imagine her panic when she realised I was only a k behind her - she said afterwards it really sped her up ;).
13km I stopped properly, had a drink, had a gel and regathered, that pushing it was getting tiring! 11k-15km = 5:33, 5:40, 5:42, 5:45 and 5:34 (the 5:45 was the drink stop, I was quite pleased I managed to gather the time back afterwards).
Those last 6km I was just telling myself to hang on and keep running and making sure I kept my overall pace in about the same place! I was quite surprised everytime I looked at my watch that I was still keeping up, because I didn't feel like I was! I think the wind was behind us most of way back which probably helped.
Last splits, 16km to finish = 5:36, 5:38, 5:52 (drink stop), 5:37, 5:36 and 5:42 (there is a killer short steep ramp/hill going back into the Stadium).
I didn't look at my overall time until just before the finish and suddenly realised if I pushed it I could get a PR ... so I pushed myself into a sprint and managed 1:57:27 ... 13sec faster than my previous fastest time ... yay!!
So ... the damage? Well the voltarin obviously masked the injury, because by Sunday evening I was seriously hobbling. Monday I was still sore ... and Thursday now and its still not good :( I'd already decided to take at least a week, probably a week and a half off to see if that would fix it - but I was hoping by now it would be feeling good and then a week extra would give extra healing time. I'm off to see the physio in about half an hour, hopefully he can work some magic!
And the kids? Cameron (14yo) ran the 10km in 51min, which isn't bad because his training seriously declined about the same time the World Cup started ... bit hard getting up and running before school when you've spent half the night watching TV! ... he said it was easy and should have run faster (he hadn't run that far before and was worried about pushing it too hard).
Rhiannon (11yo) ran the mile in 9:22 ... not too bad, she isn't quite the natural athlete her brother is, so thats pretty good for her :)
Righty, better get myself ready for the physio and those little running around jobs I need to do afterwards!!
Thanks for reading :)
Oh ... and a last couple of pictures - I wonder why people are forever mistaking my sister and I???
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