Last Run in Australia for a month....

Well today was my last run in Australia for the next month. We leave on the weekend and don't return until the 27th of April.
God how much fitness will I have lost then? I so hope I'll be able to run... I hope hubby won't prevent me from going... I hope I'll have opportunity even if it's only for a few short runs a week!
And I hope I'll still have the drive to do it when we come back.

I was up early this morning and was going to go for longer but in the end went for the regular 14kms. I kept thinking.. this it he last 4kms... this is the last 3kms... this is the last 1kms.. etc etc... And then when I finished it was over...

Now I could run before work tomorrow or Friday but I can't see it happening. Too hard to orchestrate with packing before we leave and having clothes ready etc etc....

Total kms for March, 242kms

Second to last run before break.

I'm getting so sad now! I can't believe I only have one more run until we leave. As much as I know the break will be good, I can't stand knowing I will also lose fitness!!! God I really hope I'll be able to get a few runs in a week... even if they're only short ones... That will be better than nothing at all!!

Ran 14kms this morning... was fairly easy. There's no such thing as an 'easy' run but it was relatively easy... and it's always good when it's done...

So one more run to go now.... And I'm wondering whether I'll make it a longer one. Just don't have time for it in the morning when there's hubby and kids to make ready... and then have to get the kids to school.. but will do the best I can.

Total kms for March so far, 228kms

Now that was encouraging!

So last night I went to check my mail and such and saw that a comment had been left on this blog.
The comment by JH read

"Thank god you're taking a holiday. I've been trying, and failing, to keep up with you monthly km total. I'm 9km behind right now, but that's only because I did a 28km run this afternoon.

BTW - you're definitely in shape to run a marathon, at least in my opinion. Why not take a trip to the Gold Coast in early July? It's a good marathon - very flat, very fast, and well organised."

I can't tell you how much this encouraged me!
First of all, that someone was measuring their progress against mine and secondly, because they thought I was in shape to run a marathon now!! That made me feel REALLY good.

If I wasn't taking this month off then I'd probably go for the Gold Coast one this year but as I haven't been in this position before, I don't know what running little over the next month is going to do to my fitness.
Someone else wrote me an email saying my body will probably welcome this break and come back stronger. I hope so.
And I have no idea with what intensity to come back with! Right now I'm running about 60kms a week.. maybe even a little more, so what do I do when I come back?
And I really hope I'll have a chance to run at least a couple of times a week when I'm away...

That note made it easier for me to get up early and go for my14kms run this morning. It was relatively easy. I just felt good! And you just have to love those runs!!!

Total kms for March, 214kms...

Coming to an end....

I've only got a few more running days until we leave for our trip.
It seems to have come up so quickly now.

Don't know why but I've also been feeling run down now so I guess while I'm dreading, I'm also welcoming the little break. Not that I won't be running at all... I intend to do some running while I'm over there but I know hubby will be over protective and won't let me go out alone so I don't know how that's going to work out. Still, I hope to do SOME running....

And then hopefully I'll get back to it when we come back because I've never been this close to realising my dream of running a marathon... could I really do it? Could I really achieve this goal?

Anyhow, I did another 14kms this morning... felt ok. I was back in the old shoes as I didn't want to chance blisters so close to going away..

This time next week we'll be in LA. How strange does that sound!!! Think the LA marathon is on this week... if things had been scheduled differently, could I have considered running that??? Probably not but it's nice to think about.

Total kms for March, 200kms...

Running Before the BBQ

Seems to be all happening at once today!
Miss 15 had a friend stay over last night and with the bbq today, I knew I wouldn't really be able to do a very long street run, so ended up doing 16kms on the treadmill.... in my asics!!!! I'm so happy I can use those shoes!!

I noticed something else this week too. When I run before work, I am so stiff!!! It's because I have a sit down job I'm sure! I run, I get ready for work, I travel to work and sit.... and when I get up for my first break, I feel like I can hardly move!
When I'm home and I run, I feel fine... in fact most days I don't even feel like I've done anything at all but it's always different when I go to work.

Anyhow, it's now 11.06am and the salads are all mostly ready, meats in the fridge marinating and ready to be bbq'd... Still have to vote but otherwise all ready to go for a very pleasant afternoon indeed!

Total kms for March so far, 186kms

Think I'm Blister Free!!

Thought I'd take advantage of hubby being on night shift to run and early morning 10kms.
Seeing as I was doing a shorter distance, I thought I'd try out my new shoes... the asics that had given me such terrible, blisters that had bloodied up my shoes.

Last time I tried to wear them I started feeling discomfort about 7kms into my 12kms run...

This morning I was only doing 10kms and being paranoid, I wasn't sure if I was feeling discomfort or not but my knees and hips felt FANTASTIC!!! I love the way these shoes treat my joints!!!

Anyhow, the great news is no blisters!!! I took one of the bandages off and there was nothing there. I've left the other on but I'm pretty sure there's nothing there...

You don't know how happy this makes me!

Total kms for March, 170kms

Just an update

Nothing much else to say except ran my 12kms today...
Looking forward to the rest day tomorrow.
We're having a bbq at our place on Saturday at lunchtime so not sure how I'm going to work a longer run into that day... See what happens...

Total kms for the month, 160kms...

Back to Early Mornings

Hubby is back on night shift so I got on the treadmill fairly early this morning.
I was watching some tivo'ed SBS movie. It was ok... made the time go quick enough.

Feeling a bit sore in the joints though. Not sure if it's due to the slightly extra running I've been doing or the age of my shoes. Probably a bit of both...

Total kms for March, 148kms...

You're Goddam Right I Can!

It was supposed to be a recovery run but I wanted to run an old route right along the beach this morning. I guess it was a recovery run in the fact that I was going pretty slow... Averaged 10.7kms/hour. (13kms in total)
But I won't beat myself up about it as I was against a bit of a wind for the first 6kms and I was still sore from my half marathon yesterday...

But what irked me most of all, was when I was about 10kms in, I was coming up from the beach to the road and I had to go up these steps. This old man was coming down the steps and he said to me "you can make it" with a smile on his face.

Now I'm sure he was just trying to be encouraging but I felt like saying "You're @#$#$## goddam right I'm going to make it" I wonder if my face betrayed my emotion.
Or maybe I just looked half dead and he was trying to encourage me... god I hope not... I didn't feel like I was dying... I didn't feel like I was struggling up those steps.... I think he just wanted to make conversation or something.

I did see something funny though. At one point I was on the road and noticed a very large woman jogging on the beach. She really looked like she was going for it and all I could think was "good for her!". But then I heard her shouting "Coco!!!!! Coco!!!!!" and saw she was trying to catch her dog who was fighting with another.... but this dog was at least 800metres away!!! Poor thing. I had to feel sorry for her AND the dog her dog was fighting with!

Kind of sorry that I'm back on the treadmill tomorrow as I enjoyed these last two days on the road. Especially today... didn't realise how much I'd missed the beach. I tend to stay away from the beach because there's too many runners and I feel intimidated... luckily I wasn't passed by any although I did pass a few (on the other side of the road as I hate passing other runners)

Total Kms for March, 136kms

Another Half Marathon

I had two high calorie days on Thursday and Friday... the two days I didn't run! Don't know why I had to eat so much. I didn't actually feel full or bloated so maybe my body just needed it all.

Anyhow, I knew today was time for another half marathon at least and the condition were JUST TOO DAMN PERFECT!!!
I'm not kidding! The sky was red as dawn was almost gone as I head out and there wasn't much wind at all. There was a strong ocean smell and I almost changed my mind and ran along the beach but I didn't... Maybe tomorrow...

So I did my favourite 21kms course I've set for myself. The first 5kms were a little hard... I got into my groove from 5-10 but then after the halfway mark, I started wishing I was closer to the finish line and it got a little hard again.
When I had about 7kms to go, something weird happened. I don't know if it was my heart rate strap shifting but I suddenly felt tight in my chest. I must admit, it scared me a little but that's probably not saying much because I always tend to jump to the worst conclusion!!!
I even almost stopped.
I took one step then thought, "what the hell are you doing, you've done this many times before!!!" and started again albeit, a little slower. 1/2kms on and I was fine and even found a good pace.

There were runners ALL OVER THE PLACE and I have to wonder if any of them write on the message boards that I visit... how big is the Adelaide running community? I don't think it's that big...

My time wasn't fantastic for the 21kms... 1 hour, 55 mins, 31 seconds.
I've been faster... but as I kept telling myself throughout the run, it's not speed I'm concentrating on but distance. I just want to make it!

Sometimes I wish we could have an LED display over our heads that told everyone that saw us running on the street, how far we'd gone already because I wonder how fatigued I look towards the end of my run... maybe it's not as bad as I think.... at least I can hope that!

Total kms for March, 123kms

Last Run Before A Two Day Break

Because I won't be running Thursday and Friday, I thought I'd do a couple of extra kms this morning.
It's sometimes hard to fit in though... I mean I have to get up early(which I do anyhow) and the more kms I want to do, the earlier I have to get up...
And it depends whether I'm showering before or after I take them to school too.... :)

Speaking of that, one time we had to leave just as I finished my run and we're on the way to school when we see their cousin (who goes to the same school). The kids begged me not to stop as they said I stunk and were embarrassed to have their cousin in the car with them. LOL

Anyhow counting today, I've run the last five consecutive days for 66kms. Today I'm rewarding myself with a nice long warm bubble bath. Hope the thought of it isn't better than the actual event as I tend to get bored easily... but I'll have my mp3 player and a book in with me...

Total kms for March, 102kms

Nothing much to report

Nothing much to say.

Ran my 12kms this morning without incident...

Towards the end of my run I thought.... now if I was running a marathon I'd still have 28kms to go... and that felt a little daunting....

But I'll plod along towards my goal.

Total kms for March, 88kms

Setting My Goals

Well yesterday I announced that I'd like next years Gold Coast Marathon to be my first marathon.

Hubby scoffed under his breath "that's if you're still running then".

It's no secret that I get obsessive about thing, then when I get sick of it, leave it by the wayside. I don't know that it would apply to running though because I did start running 10 years ago and only gave it up about 2006... and even then, still ran from time to time, I just didn't do it with any regularity... and because I didn't think I'd ever be able to run longer than about 14kms, I didn't aspire too...

I've proved I can run further now, and I'd like a goal to work towards. If we weren't going overseas later this month, I'd be setting my sights for this years marathon I think...

Anyhow, my brother said he'd like to come so with at least him, hubby and the kids, I'll have a cheering squad of five.
Can't imagine doing it but I'm closer than I've ever been that's for sure!!

And the wonderful news is that the headache that's been plaguing me the last few days has finally gone!!! It was a fairly easy run this morning.


Total kilometres for March, 76kms.

Still fighting a migraine

I'm being punished for something I'm sure!

Yesterday after my run, the family went to the local Westfield and I had a blinding headache. It was like a knife was piercing my skull every few minutes.
It lasted throughout the day and being as paranoid as I am, I was convinced I had a brain tumour!

It lasted throughout the night and was there again this morning.

I briefly debated not running, and knew if I told hubby about it, he'd get me not to run (well he does have to listen to my whinging after all) but I ended up doing it.
Clocked 12kms on the treadmill while watching a SBS movie. They're great to take my mind off of what I'm doing.

Still I was glad when the treadmill beeped that my run was over.

Head is still pounding but at least I can rest for the rest of the day now.


Total kms for March - 64kms.

Passing up an outdoor run

Think I've been feeling a bit off lately. A few members of the family have been sick so I wonder if I'm picking up the bug a little... not enough to hit, just enough to wear me down...

Anyhow I managed a 12kms unscheduled run this week... and I was supposed to go outdoors for my longer run today but it just didn't look nice (was supposed to rain) so I just figured I'd stay indoors on the treadmill and believe it or not, clocked up 16kms on there.
It's better for my joints anyhow...

Total kms for March, 52kms

Getting That Hunger

This morning I checked my email etc before my usual morning run.

I happened to come across someone's you tube channel that had different running clips/stories on there. I started to watch some of them and just became so inspired!

They were showing different people of ALL ages, running a marathon. I saw a 77 year old woman make it across the line. I don't know how long she had been running for but I thought if she can do it, there's no reason why I can't do it!!

I saw their faces as they crossed that finish line and wanted that experience for myself so badly!

I know I'll do it. It's just a matter of when I guess but I can't wait to claim that experience for myself.

Anyhow this morning I had a relatively easy 12kms run.

I'm looking forward to my day of rest tomorrow though.

Total kms for March, 24kms.

A New Month

Can't help but wonder how many kms I'm going to manage this month.

I tend to be obsessive about things and I wonder how long this running obsession will last. Right now I still can't believe that I'm running the kms I'm doing. I would hope that it would never end. Well I guess the intensity won't last but I think I'll always run to some degree.

When I did that 26.5 run Saturday morning, I started from my usual spot and encountered a group of walkers. They were a HUGE group, all dressed the same and all carrying their water bottles and cackled away as they took up the footpath and half the road.

We had to go in the same direction for a little while and I'm ashamed to say I was hoping no one who saw us thought I was a part of them...
Does that mean I'm a walkist? Antiwalker?

Anyhow, I know the thin line that separates me from them. I'm really no better, I just a few more months under my belt.
I can't believe that I just started running again Sept 2009 after not doing it for two years, and have gone further than I ever did before. It's like a dream.
It makes me think that one day, I may really be able to run a marathon...
I'm not in a rush though. Whatever will be will be, but I can almost see that dream out in the distance, ready to be a part of my reality...

So enough with the jibber jabber.
New month, an easy 12kms this morning... what will the rest of the month bring?

Total kilometres for March so far, 12 kms.