Routine, routine...

Another 12kms down this morning.

Had to be up and started early as I've got to get Miss 15 to the train station, then drive over to mums to meet with the funeral home people. After that we're going to the nursing home to pick up his stuff.
Another high emotion day

Total kms for May, 230kms

Sad news

I didn't run yesterday.
My mum and my sister and I had spent all day and all night at the hospital with my father.
I did get home to have a shower and get changed but went straight back to the hospital without a thought of running.

My father passed away 7.15pm last night, the 29th of May.

This morning I ran 12kms because I needed to more than anything. I needed something to feel normal.
Now we're on the way back to my mums to spend the day with the family again.

I'm so glad he's at peace but he suffered so terribly the last few days.

Total kms for May 218kms

Another 10 despite....

Yesterday our family received the news that my father has a few days only to live. Even though we knew this day was coming, it was still distressing as you can imagine.

I don't really want to talk about that here in my running blog but the reason I mention it is because I wonder how it will affect my running.

I spent all of yesterday and a lot of today at the hospital and when I came home, I ran 10kms. It was only on the treadmill which seems to be norm for me of late but I don't care. It's what I like for now and better than doing nothing.

So I ran 10kms and felt a little better even though I still don't know what tomorrow will bring.

Total kms for May, 206kms

14 more down

Watched the rain coming down hard as I ran my 14kms on the treadmill again this morning.

It wasn't too bad. The last four days must have conditioned my legs well. Amazing how much your mind plays on your ability to run. If I just switch off sometimes I think I could keep on going forever.

But I'm glad to have a break tomorrow.


Total kms for May 196kms

Not into it

I've been feeling a bit rundown lately.
I think it's a combination of a few things...
1. My dad's health
2. Doing too much to quickly
3. Being obsessed with my new ipod touch and wanting to play with it all the time :)


So I've told myself I'm not going to stress about doing long runs and just stay at this level of 12kms a time until I start to feel strong again.
Everything else I don't have control over so it's no use worrying about it.
The ipod touch.. .well I have another 23 hours in the day to play with that!

Run started off hard but ended up ok... While I running and feeling good, I tell myself "tomorrow I'll run 16 again" but I wonder if that's such a good idea... See how I feel tomorrow morning but if not, there's no shame in running only 12kms again...

Total kms for May 182kms

I hate the wind

There's nothing I hate more as a runner than strong winds. I won't say I like rain (unless it's been really humid and then it rains) but I can run in it... Wind on the other hand, is like someone standing in front of you with their hand on your chest saying 'stop now'

I ran 12kms on the treadmill this morning. I was stiff and sore from yesterday for some reason and as I walked to the treadmill I said to my husband "i don't feel like doing this today"
But as I ran and just lost myself in the process it was ok and the end came quicker than I was expecting. So I was glad to make it in the end.

I feel like I'm in danger of never running outside again.

Total kms for May, 170kms

A Clayton semi long run...

I should have run outside today. The weather was pretty perfect.
But I chickened out because I'm scared of magpies.
I'm not kidding. I know my fear is insane and in the past, I've used my fear to make me run faster (not kidding about that either) but I just wasn't able to do it.

So I ran 16kms this morning but I did it on the treadmill so not sure that really counts. I watched a whole sbs movie...
I like watching those while I run because reading the text takes my mind off the running...

Anyhow, running 16 on the treadmill is better than doing nothing at all...

Total kms for May, 158kms

P.S GUESS WHO NOW OWNS AN IPOD TOUCH!!!!!!!!

Running off the stress...

I got some bad news last night. News I knew was coming but it's still a shock to hear it.

Anyhow, it motivated me through my run today. I just ran without even thinking about what I was doing.

Today I will face it and whatever comes with it in the following days.

Total kms for May, 142kms

Those harder runs make the next ones easier...

I've increase my standard runs to 12kms each time. I don't know if I did it too quickly, but didn't want to bring it back to anything lower after making 12kms the standard. But today, while I was running, I realised that those times when it seems harder, means that my body is working and building and will do whatever it has to do, to make that run be standard for me.
So that the next time I do that distance, it will be just that bit easier.

That's what I found this morning anyhow. I won't say it's easy, but it was ok.

I still don't know how I'd go running a 16kms - something that would have been nothing for me before we left to go overseas... but maybe I'm just trying to do that too soon. I should be happy with 12kms each day right?

Total kms for May 130kms

Dreading Winter

I hate Winter.

I would hate to live in another country where the climate was colder than here. We don't even really have cold winters but I'm hating these cold mornings.

I was thinking about cold and muscle recovery, and how injury seems to happen more in the colder months... so does that mean that after a run, it's better to have a warm bath than a run in the ocean? I've heard the opposite is true as a general rule but I don't know that I'd be in a hurry to do it.
I find a good stretch here and there throughout the day works wonders...

So I ran 12kms again this morning. I haven't been able to shake this chest thing. I don't know if it's an infection or something else but it comes up particularly when I'm running. I feel really tight in the chest, especially in the lower chest and I have a little trouble breathing. I hate that. I hope it will go soon.

Am generally still pleased with my progress.

Total kms for May, 118kms

Nothing to see here

Ran 12kms this morning. Am finding I'm not having much to write about when it comes to my running.
That's probably a good thing. I'm not having any injury problems as I'm getting back to where I was before.
It's becoming relatively easy although I'm still nervous I won't be able to complete my course every time I set out. But I think that feeling is what drives me.

I'm remember how important stretching is for muscle recovery. I wish I'd remember how important water was too as I'm not drinking nearly enough... but I'll get there...

But the marathon still seems so far away....

Total kms for May, 106kms

54kms for the week...

I'm getting there slowly. 54kms this week which isn't bad but I still haven't done a "long" run.
I was thinking about doing a 16kms one today but chickened out... maybe next Saturday...
I'm hoping to do 12kms for the next four days. That should contribute nicely to my next weekly total!

I hate that I don't have access to blogger and other blogging sites from work anymore.


Total kms for May, 94kms

Love those "extra" runs

Tonight's wasn't a planned run. I knew I wanted to run but after a stressful day at work (bomb scare and all!) I knew I could have easily piked out...

In the end I ran 10kms which is more than I've ever done at night I think. I'm a morning run type of person.
I started off surprisingly well but found I tapered after about 4kms... and then by the end I was struggling a bit but I'm glad I hung on and finished. Nothing like the satisfaction of crossing that finishing line!

Each step brings me closer to better fitness and you gotta love that!

Total kms for May, 82kms.

A little bit longer

Last night I was even considering doing a 16kms run this morning.
While I knew I could probably do it, I didn't want to face failure in case I couldn't make it.
So I ended up doing 12kms this morning and you know it was actually pretty good!

We all have different ways of getting through our runs mentally. I don't say "getting through" as if it's always a struggle but we all know that if you have the right frame of mind, a run can be a breeze, or a fight to the end.

This morning was a breeze and it wasn't anything to do with physical conditioning, but that I used a secret mind weapon. Can't do it all the time or it will cease to be a weapon but I was glad with how i went this morning and it made me almost wish I had gone for more.

I now have at least one day break before my next run... might go for a 16kms run on Saturday...


Total kms for May, 72kms

Eating too many vegetables isn't a great thing...

Last night, for mothers day, us siblings and our families went out to dinner with mum.
She likes going to this Mongolian restaurant.
The novelty of this restaurant, is that you go up to the "buffet" area and pick out the foods you want in your stir fry. The line starts with frozen meats.. kangaroo, lamb, beef and chicken... then your veggies.... and then the sauces. You put what you want in your bowl, then take it to one of the cooks who throw your combination onto a big hot plate. It cooks in minutes!
It's delicious and dare I say it, nutritious.
But I really should have stopped at three bowls.... I knew I couldn't fit the fourth in but still.. value for money and veggies being my favourite food and all that... I went for the fourth!

I was paying for it last night and this morning, I think it made my run a little sluggish but still I got through it with enough ease that I think I will go for 12kms tomorrow morning.

Total kms for May, 60kms

Nothing new...

Not much to say but I told myself I'd write every time I ran so I'm writing.

It's mothers day. Not that that makes any difference to me today. My son muttered happy mothers day but that was it. My daughter hasn't said it yet but she has done other things that were very special to me this weekend... life goes on.
Ran my 10kms, did the cleaning (and the kids helped) and it's just a regular Sunday.

10kms is feeling really good but I'm not upping my kms. I feel like I need to keep writing that.

I've got a feeling I might go for a little longer on Tuesday seeing as I'll have a bit of a break after that. I just want to be back to where I was before!

So for anyone who reads this who has a mum, treat her special today cos god knows she's probably always thinking of you.

Total kms for May 50kms

Start of four days in a row...

So I did another 10kms this morning. I'm almost where I was before I left. The test will come this week when I run four days in a row of 10kms. Before I left I was running four or five days of 12-14kms runs and a 20+ on the weekend... something like that.
I feel pretty good but I'm scared of over doing it and I feel like I always need to explain/defend myself!

Started my 10 pretty good this morning but felt it a bit at the end. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the week holds up.

I'm also more than a little depressed that Winter is coming and it's yuk outside...and we're getting closer and closer to magpie season which means I won't be doing any cross town runs for a while.
And THAT means I probably won't be ready for the Melbourne Marathon later this year and will just concentrate my sights on the Gold Coast marathon next year... don't think I'd make it this year. That's a little disappointing too.

But I'm taking each day at a time for now and trying not to look too far ahead..

Oh and off topic, they've taken away access to ALL blog sites at work. I HATE that!!! Now what am I supposed to do? Work???
hehe

Total kms for May 40kms

Each day is feeling better...

Ran 10kms this morning. I was confident on the outset and finished strong. Feel pretty good about it. I guess I just have to be careful I don't try to do too much too quickly and get burn out. I'm trying to hold myself back this month.

But I'm so happy that I'm getting back into this quicker than I thought I would. I can feel my body hardening up a little again. I'd gotten so soft so quickly of that month off! Yuk... Amazing what running can do for you! How good it can make you feel!

I'm almost sorry I'm working the next two days and have those days off running...

Total kms for May, 30kms

Getting closer...

I feel like I'm getting closer to what I was before we left to go on holidays.
I can't imagine doing the 60-70kms weeks now but surely I can't be that far off...

This morning I ran 8kms very easily. I knew I could have done more but I'd promised myself I'd ease in slowly... so the question is, will I just do 8kms tomorrow like I'd planned or spike it up to 10kms? After tomorrow I get a 2 day break so maybe I will go for the 10...

I'm not trying to break any records this month. I knew it would be a low kms month.
There's no hope of me reaching JH's months totals so I'm not trying for that but I hope to be right up there next month! :)

Feels good!

I hate writing this monthly total because it's so piddly but..

Total kms for May, 20kms..

Getting my groove back

It feels so good to be putting on my running gear! I just love it! And I'm not using my super cheap Las Vegas Nike outlet store clothes yet!
I am using the outlet store shoes though and they're great so far....

So yes, it's May. I've been ditzy about a lot of things lately... I'll put that down to no running!

Only did another 6kms this morning and probably could have done more although with my chest feeling as it does, I didn't push myeslf.
Tomorrow I have a rest day and maybe on Tuesday I'll go for 8... see what happens.
Think I'll get back into it pretty quickly fingers crossed!

Total kms for MAY, 12kms

So happy to be running....

So I was only on the treadmill as I work my fitness back up...

but as I started running I spontaneously threw my hands up in the air and said "I'm running!!"
My husband thought I was crazy of course!

Seeing as I felt pretty good Wednesday (apart from a heavy chest but that's another issue!) I ran 6kms today. I know I could have done more but I promised myself I'd ease into it and I want to stick to that. There's no way I'll be ready for the Gold Coast Marathon.. think I knew that but depending on how I go, I may still be able to give the Melbourne Marathon a go... see what happens...

So speaking of my chest, when I ran Wednesday, it felt really heavy and I HAVE had a chest cold so it's not surprising... and today, about 3kms in it started to get really heavy and hard to breathe. I persisted because that's just what I do but it's a little uncomfortable now....
Tomorrow I intend to do another 6 only again... See if it's better.
My body feels pretty good apart from the extra kilo's I'm carrying.

Total Kms for April - 10kms