McLaren Vale Half

At About the 16kms mark

Ran the Mclaren Vale 1/2 Marathon today.

It was a last thought, as far as I go, to enter. I had won a SARRC Voucher at the Yurrebilla dinner and wanted a new goal to focus on so thought I'd enter...

But the whole lead up to this event was pretty poor on my part. I'd had one good run, the rest had all been sluggish and by the Wednesday before this event, I didn't even want to run anymore.
Yesterday I was starting to come up with excuses for why I wouldn't run it.
Could I say I was sick?
Something else came up?
All these thoughts were going through my mind.

Before the marathon and ultra marathon, I'd been quietly confident. The feeling I had before this 1/2 marathon was completely different...

Last night I had dream after dream after dream where I was late for it...  I panicked all night that I wasn't going to get up on time.


But I got up with plenty of time. My son and daughter had put their hands up to volunteer (ok, so I put their hands up) and they were up early... we left the house and drove down there, arriving more than an hour before start time. I prefer that. That way I get to settle in, talk to other runners and just be a little more relaxed before start.

I did get to talk to a lot of people. There are still people coming up to me saying they know me from facebook or a messageboard or a friend of a friend... I think that's pretty cool. I love meeting new people.

Thanks Sadie for the pic!

There were more than I would have imagined running it! I was surprised... Over 650 entrants last I heard.
So we started and once again, just like in the marathon, everyone passed me. I honestly did try to get some speed up but couldn't do it. At about the 6km mark I relaxed a bit and by 9kms I was even enjoying it... thought I could have almost done a good time but when I got to the main rd with about 7kms to go, I saw there was a crowd building and runners were just stopped there. What the hell was going on!
It seems the police had stepped in to stop traffic congestion and stopped the runners.. some of them had been there for over three minutes. That's a long time when you're trying to go for a PB!!

The wait there took away what little ambition that was starting to build to go for a good time.
So I just ran...
Talked to a few runners along the way and finished.
Made it in a woeful 1:54

I can't tell you how much I hate that.. would have been less without the main rd stop but still not under 1:50 which is what I would have wanted.

Love this running community though. Got to talk lots of inspirational people before and after the event and I think, as I had hoped, my son and daughter got a lot out of it too. My son even asked me how long it would take for him to be able to run a good 5km. I don't know what I answered but his next words were "Don't get that excited mum.."
I'd love for both of them to take up running!


Oh!! And I should mention that I won a random draw prize!!!
I was standing there talking to another runner about what we've won in the past, when his name gets called out! He'd won a $100 athletes foot voucher! I don't mind telling you I was jealous!
So he gets back and we talk about how fantastic it is that he won while they're still reading out names... next minute, my name gets drawn out and I've won a $200 athletes foot voucher!!! WOW!!
I came back to him and said "What are the chances of that happening!! Two people standing next to each other each getting a prize!"
He said we must be standing in the lucky spot...
So for that alone, I'm glad I ran this event today, despite everything!

Another race down. Hopefully I have a better story to tell next time...

Yurrebilla 2011

After I'd finished.

So where does one start to talk about a day that held a challenge that has been so long awaited...


It was August last year when I first heard of Yurrebilla. For one reason or another I was unable to do it that year and it's haunted me ever since.
Last year, while the event was on, all I could do was think about the lucky people who were running it and experiencing it and sharing in each others pains and triumphs.
I wanted to be a part of it too and was so gutted I hadn't been.

This year was always going to be different. There was no way I was going to let it escape me this year.

I started by doing the training runs. The first two were done "two way" so I could get familiar with the trail and get the extra trail time in my legs.

Between a few of us, we organised a couple more training runs including one starting from Eagle on the Hill and finishing at Athelstone... the finish line.
Although this was a fantastic day, my performance up black hill left a LOT to be desired. This hill has broken many a runner during Yurrebilla and I was more than a little worried how I would handle it with 50kms in my legs...

So I started training on it. Going up and down, up and down.. and felt pretty confident with what I had done. I knew it would be different on the day with tired legs, but I wanted to have the confidence, or positive mental edge. By this morning, I was very familiar with the Black Hill portion of the trail and knew exactly what was coming up and where. I knew I could run up most of it on a good day...

As expected, I didn't sleep well last night but that's ok.
I got up just before 4am as I was just waiting for the alarm to go off anyway... quickly realised that I was ready in 20 minutes and was way early... the bus was leaving at 5.30 and even if I left the house at 5am, I'd be early...

I ended up getting to the bus at 5am.. was just so anxious to start!

We huddled at the start line. I was in the first group. (There were three start groups)
The countdown happened and off we went!! and all I could think was "I'm finally running Yurrebilla" I was just so happy!
I was surprised at how quickly the pack thinned out. There was a couple of guys ahead of me, then another girl and I ran together for a long time. At the halfway mark, one more guy passed us from our group and said something about  being on schedule for a 7 hour finish. The girl I was with and I just looked at each other and said "Does he know what the finish is like???" It may be 6kms, but you ain't going to be doing that in less than an hour... Not the regular people anyhow...

So we kept running... The girl I was with has had knee problems and has had limited running leading up to this event. She was worried how her knee would pull up.
She had her support crew come to meet her at just over the 30kms mark. Somewhere around there anyhow.. So I left them to it and went on as I was pretty confident of the route here on in.

Everyone kept telling me I was the first girl to come through. Made me feel pretty good even though I knew there were two groups starting after me.. so even though I was the first girl through, didn't mean I was placing first. But I was first in my group.

Finished strongly without too many dramas.
Runners from the 2nd and 3rd group starting passing me about the 44kms mark.

When I was 400 or so meters from the end I felt a lump in my throat and thought I was going to cry... but then my calf cramped up again as it had been doing off and on in the last 6kms and at that point a group B runner whizzed past me so the tears were put away and I forgot the cramp so I could just finish...

My time was 7.41.
If you had told me that I'd run this this morning, I wouldn't have believed it.
I was secretly hoping for 8 hours but thought I'd get 8 1/2...
Don't know if I could top it next year though!

When it's too perfect....

What an amazing morning I had.
After debating with myself about which trail to take, I decided to drive to Chambers Gully and run along Bartril track, then down longridge track till I got to the look out point.
 (You don't know how proud I am of myself that I'm starting to remember the names!)
This was the first morning I'd ever run it by myself.
I wasn't out to break any records. This morning was just about being out there and enjoying the experience.

It was chillier than I expected so I tried to get into a good pace to warm myself up. It was a gentle (and I use that term loosely) uphill. I found it hard going at the start but once I was about 5kms in I got that euphoric feeling that only other runners can really know about.




When my legs felt too heavy I stopped to take a photo or two.










I took this one to prove that yes, I really do have different running clothes although I will always be wearing a skirt of some kind...

Saw a koala or two. Too bad I couldn't get a good shot of this one.

So I got up to longridge feeling like I was having the best day of my life but it was only to get better... Kangaroos lined the path almost all the way to the longridge look out point.



They looked at me curiously (well I can't blame them really) and let me take a photo or two before hopping off to another location.

I took video of these two because they were cleaning each other or something but they stopped when I started filming...


The look out was beautiful as it always is.

I stopped to breathe it all in.

I had seen quite a few magpies along the longridge track on the way down, so on the way back through that part, I picked up a couple of branches... just in case... I felt invincible with those!!! But I was ready to toss them should I encounter another person.
Thankfully there were no magpie swoops to write about.

There was a pretty awesome thing that happened though.
I was back on the Bartrill track, not long turned from Longridge. I was watching my feet, making sure I stepped in the right spot and on the look out for potential snakes, when I almost ran into a kangaroo! I had just rounded the corner and it was right in the middle of the path!
I think we gave each other a fright!
He took off down the path in front of me. He was SO fast but he made it seem effortless!! Such graceful elegant creatures they are.

I kept running down the same track the kangaroo had gone on and about a km down, there he was again. This time he was stopped and just looking at me.
I'm sure he was thinking "You call that running???"
He watching me for about ten seconds this time and then pushed off again and unfortunately I didn't see him anymore

Kangaroos, Koalas, no Kookabarra's this morning though... but....


I got to the car, completely euphoric, wondering why the rest of the world doesn't know about this. I got in and started to drive when I got a message, so I pulled over.... while I was pulled over, a pretty little blue bird came and sat on my side view mirror! He alternated between the mirror and the window!

 He was dancing from point to point, showing off just for me!!





I watched and luckily caught a few photos even if they aren't that good.

Mother Nature loved me lots this morning




How will the rest of my day be able to compete with that??

Adelaide Marathon 2011

As always, before any race or running event, I ask myself "What the hell am I thinking?"
And this morning, while I was sitting in the car waiting (yes I came way early as I always do..) those doubts started to nag at me again. 
Why was I doing this?
Had I done enough training? My training this year was so different..
Am I going to be humiliated and have to pull out?
Are those last few kms going to be the death of me as they were last year?


It was pretty exciting at the start though. So many people came up to me and said hi. A lot of them even knew me by name and I wasn't sure who some of them were but I guess if you start showing up at running events and races, (not to mention having a voice on facebook) people start to get to know you.
And I really love that about running. I love how everyone is just so supportive and so nice and we all want everyone else to do well.

So there was a lot of back slapping and well wishing going on at the start.

Before we knew we were off... and the start was good. I didn't think I took off as fast as I did last year but maybe that was a good thing.
Last year I remember overtaking people at the start, this year it seemed EVERYONE was overtaking me! I tried not to get discouraged because I knew the times they do are not going to affect my time.
I'm running against myself.. and I was running at just over 5min/km pace then so I was doing alright...

So  I think I went pretty well on that pace till just over the halfway mark. Then we hit some winds and it wasn't that bad and maybe I would have slowed down a bit anyhow, but I forced myself not to look at my garmin. I just wanted to run to make it...  But I knew I'd slowed down...

I did sneak a peak from time to time and saw that I was actually close to being able to make a sub 4 time but it would require that burst of effort which I knew I didn't have. I was working at the maximum...

And those last eight kms especially were difficult. I wanted to stop so many times but I just talked myself through it.
"Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, doesn't matter how long you take, loved ones are waiting for me at the end and they may even be there now... the quicker I get there the sooner I can see them and the quicker I can be finished..."
And it worked.

I stopped at the drink stations but only so that I could drink....

Got to the end and I just couldn't take the smile off my face.
I'd beaten last years time.
My garmin showed 4.05.02
It also showed that I ran 42.53kms so a bit longer than an actual marathon course... and believe me, when you want to die, those 300 metres mean a lot!!!

After last year's marathon I was saying "never again" but this year, although I know it was hard, I'm not saying it... I'm not saying I'm looking forward to my next one but it's definitely an option!

Yurebilla Stage Two

In preparation for the Yurrebilla Trail Run 56km Ultra, I've been running the trial runs.

The course has been split into three stages. The first was 16 1/2 kms long and was four weeks ago.
The second was 17 1/2kms and was held last Saturday.

I don't know why I work myself up so much before these runs. It could because I've not run on most of these trails before so I'm always worried about getting lost. It could be because I know I'm going to run it two ways, and would prefer to start at the end, run to the start and start with the group, then run with the group back to the end.... than start at the start with everyone, run to the end and then run back to the start.
I know, I have you all confused and I probably could have worded that much better but...

For the run this last Saturday, at least I knew where the start and finish were, so I wasn't worried about that, but to get to the start by 8am (which is the time the main group was starting) I'd have to start at the finish at least two hours before, and that means running on trails in the dark...
That was fine when I didn't know what to expect, but having done that once before, I knew what to expect and wasn't looking forward to it...

I barely slept Friday night because I get anxious about silly things  sometimes and I still hadn't decided whether I was doing a 6am start or going with the main group at 8am and doubling back that way... I really didn't want to do that... so I decided I'd just head on out there early and if there were people I could run with, great, I'd go with them, if not, I'd just go back home and make it to the 8am start with the others...

As I couldn't sleep, I checked my emails during the night and found out that at least one other runner (Thanks Callum!) was going to be there at the finish point, ready to run to the start,  but he was leaving at 5.30am...

I'm only 15minutes from the meeting point so I got up, got ready and went!

The early morning and the sheer silliness of what we were doing caught up with me though and after about a kms of uphill, in the dark running I stopped and said very embarrassingly "I don't think I can do this today"
Callum spoke like a doctor trying to soothe a frightened child and said wisely to just give myself  twenty minutes and if I still felt bad, to turn back then...

Magically, after those words were spoken, it all went away! I felt fine or at least, back to normal and we went on our way.

Running in pitch blackness, with only our little torches to light the way is quite an experience and not one that I'm too fond of. I did have a "mid-light trip" which is becoming customary for me. I've got quite the selection of scrapes and bruises on my lower limbs at the moment but nothing serious and nothing to stop me running!

At one point there was a heavy rustling in the bushes which I'm sure was a kangaroo but we just kept moving.... moving fast....


We heard the howl of a koala and stopped to try to find it with our litte torches... we didn't find the one howling but we did see one just a few meters away right at eye level!! So close!!

I've pasted our route as mapped by my garmin but I only turned it on after we'd already gone 1.3km so it's short by that much.

 We ended up getting to the start with plenty of time left before the actual start took place. We were going to take it easy on the way back but everyone was running so we just ran along with them.

When we got back to the spot where we'd seen the koala, we noticed he was still there so I took a couple of photos. Those things don't move for nothing!!

As every run is, it was great once it was finished! I was driving home thinking "Did I really just run that far?" and you know, I really felt pretty good... just the odd niggle or two but nothing major...


Just one more training run to go now before the main event!

Too late to back out now...

I've really been enjoying my running lately. So much so, that I've neglected to update this blog!

Last year I ran the Adelaide marathon. After an injury setback, and starting again slowly early this year, I didn't think the marathon would be a possibility but....

I started running trails and that seems to have made my general running stronger.

The great thing about trails is that there is so much going on, you forget what you're doing! There is so much to take in from the different terrain, to the smells and sounds around you. Not to mention the gorgeous scenery...
Starting at 6am in pitch darkness adds an interesting dimension too!!

But on Sunday the 31st of July I ran the Hills 2 Henley race.

I was looking forward to doing this as it was the first long non trail run I had done in a while.
I did an ok time but I just felt like I had such a bad run. I'm not sure why.
The conditions were perfect.

I had told myself that I'd see how I went with this race before deciding if I was going to tackle the marathon but who was I kidding? Of course I was going to do the marathon!!
Not that I think I'll do well... but I know I'll hate myself on the day, thinking everyone else is running and I'm not in it...
So no matter how badly I'm going to do, I'm in...

And strangely enough, I'm no where near as nervous as I was this time last year about it all!

When you're all in it together...

I knew I was going to do the next organised trail run no matter what obstacle may have been put before me. I just loved the last one!

And I'd been inspired by the 6/12/24 hour runners the day before...
They'd been running for most of Saturday and some where continuing on into the night and following morning.
How could I not do a little 21kms trail run?

So I had all my clothes ready. Got dressed and when I opened the back door to get my shoes, realised it was raining heavily.
I must admit, I did think about cancelling for half a second there... but I was dressed and my mind was set on it so off I went.

I was the second one there. Always anxious to start! With the amount of rain that was falling, I wasn't sure too many more would show up but I was wrong...
Slowly they started coming from all over the city...
Think we were about 12 or so... only three women.
We all laughed about how mad we were but there was never a question that we weren't going to do it.

So with our sanity clearly not functioning, we set off! I kept up with the front group for about 2-3kms but at about that time I, along with two other guys started falling short of the front pack.. As I had no clue of the trail we were going to do, I pushed myself to keep up.  I may have pleaded "don't leave me" but maybe not.. I'm sure I didn't actually say it out loud!

I may have even made a girlie "ew" sound or two as my shoes squelched into slippery, sloshy mud. I was wet through to my socks within the first kms... we were completely drenched!
And yet, with all of that, it was still fun!
And I think it was because we were all in it together!

If you look at the garmin map you'll notice that the first part was quite uphill! And we were just getting up to a high point when I looked to the right of me and saw a big kangaroo!!! We stopped to admire it for a while (just me and the two other guys as we were completely alone at that point) then were off again...

About midway  through our run we caught up with front pack runners... well actually, they caught up with us as they'd taken a wrong turn and had to double back. They were with us for a few minutes then quickly took off again...
We didn't see them until the end.

Like most runs, I really started to enjoy it from the midway point. At that time I could just relax and enjoy my surroundings even though it was still raining heavily.

We had to cross the freeway over the bridge a few times and I heard a beep or two as we were going over. I'm sure the beep was saying "What the hell are you guys doing????"
Only another trail runner would understand...

And yet what a great feeling when we finished!! We'd done it and it really HAD been fun!!!

And I can't wait for the next rail run!

Trail Running...

Ok it's no secret that I get obsessed... and my latest obsession seems to be trail running.

I just can't get enough of it!

This morning I did a trail run with a few other trail running nuts.. stole this photo that was taken of the group. Can you see my bushy pony tail?




I met most of these guys for the first time this morning. We were a little quiet, not knowing each other, but that soon changed by the time we'd finished.
I find the group so encouraging and friendly. And the difference with going with the group is that I won't stop if I get tired.. can't let anyone see me stop! So it pushes me further and I really felt like I pushed myself up those hills this morning and loved it! Can't wait to do it again! So nice to have sore quads!

Another photo I stole from another runner...I was still near the front here... Actually I did ok and would have finished sooner if the group I was running with didn't take a slightly longer scenic route. We weren't quite sure where to go but we did know the destination so we just followed the signs and knew we'd eventually get there...

So that's two trail runs in two days... how will my treadmill ever compete with that??
Not a chance!

Today's run courtesy of Garmin

I think I found heaven...

Honestly, I just can't describe how I feel when I run in Morialta.
Maybe it's just that it's still relatively new...
Maybe it's the fact that I've been going first thing in the morning...
Whatever ever it is, it's almost a spiritual experience to be runnning through that place.




Yesterday morning Nick and I got there before 7.30 and off we went... we went further than last time, not even realising the kms we were building up.

The fog was so thick and intense! Everything around was was so still. It felt like we were in some prehistoric time.
It even felt like our conversation was polluting the sereness of it all.

He's still working up to a run and I must admit, I found it hard to just hang back and walk, although from time to time I would run on ahead (Especially up the hills!) and then come back down to where he was and go up again...


We had sort of planned to go to Nortin Summit but we reached the road and walked a little way... not knowing how far we had to go on road before we met up with the trial again... And it was foggy and he was nervous of running so close to the roads edge in the hills in those conditions so....
We turned back...


We'd gone 13.3kms when we got back to his car and I decided to run back to his place from there... Did another 7kms for a nice 20.3kms this moning. And honest to god it doesn't even feel like I've done anything...


I hope the feeling I have as I run through there never goes away....

Sea to Summnit

I don't know where to start when it comes to today.

Today I ran the George Driscoll Sea to Summit trail. It was supposed to be 32kms but my garmin and another runner who finished with me, both showed it to be 33 1/2kms... and at the end, that extra kilometre and a half really made a difference!

I was just beside myself with excitment.
I got there pretty early but didn't know anyone so just walked around to try to keep warm. It was a cold morning!
One of the buses was late coming from the finishing line so we had to wait a little bit and by then, there were people I knew around so it wasn't so bad.
Of course, I was filled with self doubt!
Firstly that I could complete the course, and secondly that I wouldn't get lost!!! The getting lost factor was probably a bigger issue....

I lost my running partner right at the start but didn't feel so bad as at that stage, there were other people around so I felt confident I wouldn't get lost... as the group thinned though, it became a little more of an issue but still it wasn't too bad until I stepped wrong over a creek and injured my knee.
I almost cried.
I knew I was going to finish one way or another, but the thought of the next 20kms running in the pain I was in was almost too much to bare! I kept looking at my garmin wishing it to clock over faster...

Then it happened... there was no one to the front of me, no one to the rear of me and I came to a point where I had no clue where to go...

So I waited for the next runner... His name was Dave and he was just amazing... running along at my hobbling pace to be sure I wouldn't get lost.
I should have known already, but he told me what markers to look for and I felt a little more confident so I told him to run on ahead (didn't want to slow him down) but he said he'd stay with me to Belair and he did! How nice was he!!

Did ok on my own... at one point I had to ask a guy who was doing some gardening in his front yard if there had been a group of runners come by, because I wasn't sure if I was going the right way and he said "Yes there have been tons of runners coming by"
I really wasn't THAT far back I thought... There were tons behind me too!

So I kept going until I got to another spot where I couldn't see any markers... This was about 8kms from the end... I doubled back as I was scared I'd missed a turn off... about 500mtrs later I saw a girl and a guy coming and ran with them.. They were familiar with the course and were fantastic company for those last hills back to the finish line.

Can't express how much I enjoyed today... Everything about it... well, apart from the injury!

And after I got home and showered I realised I have a monster bruise on my right leg just behind the knee... Not sure if that came from when I stepped wrong or from something else!

And I just love this running community. Everyone is just so supportive! what a great bunch of people to be associated with

Now, when's the next run???

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

So yesterday, I was still on a high from my trail run the previous day... and as I'm lying in bed contemplating my life and such, I remembered that the Sea to Summit trail run was occurring in a weeks times...
For some reason, I started toying with the idea of entering...

A few minutes later I was on facebook asking if I was stupid to even consider this (Where else would you go for support) and after a few of my running friends ecnouraged me, I entered!

Don't know if I'm crazy or just really love trail loving a lot! LOL

So there you are... Next Sunday I'll be out there with the lot of them and I hope that I will NOT get lost!

Breathless Beauty

What a fantastic morning!

Last night my brother and I had organised to do a trail run up at Morialta Falls. He's only getting back into running but those trails are so beautiful anyhow I jumped at the chance.

We got there fairly early.. about 7.30am.

It was hard going for him and a few times I left him to run up ahead, then ran back to him just to keep warm.

It was just so exhilirating!

My brother got warmed up after about 30 mins and started to really enjoy it also, picking out trails we could go to make it last just that bit longer...

Had a funny (although not at the time) incident when we were going downhill. My brother was just turning to tell me to be careful as it was really slippery and... you guessed it, I fell straight down on the end of my backbone! Must have looked so funny!
Had a few bumps and scrapes and a bit of an ache in my back but I ran it out and it was fine.

The scenery was gorgous and I saw part of Morialta that I'd never been to before.

I really can't wait to do it again!

I was so pumped when we finished (only did about 9kms there) that I ran another 6kms when we got back to his place.

And nothing else I do today is going to compare to that!

Have to get rid of my timidity...

Ok so I've been going through a pretty good running period lately but I still can't get past my 12kms a day.
Adittedly, I haven't really tried to go for more than that, but only because I don't want to fail.

So my plan was to feel strong with my 12.
And I'm there now...

So it's really time to move on and start incorporating some long runs.

The problem is, I'm scared to! I keep tentatively scheduling a long run in, but when the time comes, I don't go for it citing one excuse or another.

Tomorrow I was hoping for a longish run... 18kms at least... but now they're forecasting wind and rain so there's an easy out for me....
I haven't decided but I don't think I'm going to be going out in those conditions so I'll probably jsut do my regular 12 again which is better than not doing it, but i'm not really pushing myself.

Total kms for May: 162kms

Back after a work enforced short break...

It wasn't really a break but it sure did feel like one.

I normally don't work Monday, Tuesday's and every 2nd Wednesday but due to special training at work this week, I had to go in those days... and that meant I couldn't run.

now I know I could organise my schedule, get up at 5am and go, but I just felt I'd get too worn out with everything else I have to do and I like to enjoy my run, not think of it like a chore...

So I ran last Sunday, then didn't run again till Friday and it's amazing how good it feels after a break. It felt like I hadn't run for weeks but it was only four days... and I felt like I had a strong run...

Today's run was pretty good too... So far so good!
I keep being afraid I'm going to overdo it, and then not feel like running at all. Don't know where that fear comes from but it's there at the back of my mind all the time.

Total kms for May - 90kms

New Shoes!

Well the highlights of my last five days of running were ....
the first three days were fantastic... 12kms and felt good ... well as good as it feels when running...

On the third day I wore my new Brooks Adrenaline and they really felt so good! So much lighter than my last shoes AND they don't bother my feet/toes/arches. Love them!

The fourth run... well I don't know what happened but I had a walk break in the middle of it, and the same thing happened with my run today however I still completed.. but I just hate when I have to break the run up like that... So both days I ran 12kms and walked another 1km midway through the run...

Now I have two days off to recover, get my energy and mojo back and do it all again Saturday...

Total KMS for May 48kms

One kms off 200 for the month...

It kinda sucks and I may just get on the treadmill and run another kms because I hate odd numbers... and to finish at 199... well that's just not right!

But I'm happy with that and today I ran an easy 12kms so I'll attempt that for the next four days as well... hopefully it will be just as easy.

Yesterday I was talking to a young guy at work who was talking about running along the beach. He's got a 4km run along a regular part of my route and we were just talking about how nice it was and how much we love running... and now I've got to be paranoid that I might see him when I run.
I really don't like the way I look when I run!!
Anyhow, it's good to talk about it with a fellow enthusiast and I was really looking forward to it this morning which is probably why I had such a good run!!

Total kms for April 199kms

Absent from Blog but still running...

I haven't been writing because it's been so hard lately. I've been running my allotted kms but only just and I've felt AWFUL afterwards... pretty sure I've had some kind of virus.
I'm not really sure what's been going on but I can't remember it ever being this hard before.

I had to resort to taking walking breaks inbetween just to reach my kms....

today was the first time in about 2 weeks where I ran 10kms straight. No stops... but I had to run at a slower pace.
So maybe I have been sick. I know I've been coughing and spluttering in the morning and feel a bit chesty but that's just today... and today was a good day!

Anyhow, analysis aside, I'm happy I ran a good one today and hope I've turned the tide.

Kms for April holding steady at 112kms

I guess all things considered that's pretty good...

Hard going...

So this week I've run 52kms which is more than I've done in a long time however it's been REALLY hard going.
I ran 12kms on Saturday, which used to be my usual daily run, but I think it really taxed me so much that it affected my following runs.

I just feel like I should be back to normal now and am trying to get there as soon as possible...

Each run after that Saturday one got slightly better but it was still depressing how hard it was.

Add to that another lost toenail, and toe so sore it feels like it's going to drop off, and a strained left hamstring... well it was all conspiring against me..

But I can't be too unhappy because like I said, I did manage 52kms so guess I should be happy...

Total kms for April 52kms

Getting better all the time

Yesterday I actually ventured outside and did a 12kms run.

It felt fantastic to be taking in the morning air and I was early enough to not be bothered by traffic... I headed off to the beach and enjoyed the serenity of calm seas... It was really beautiful and the time just went!

I've been running along that esplanade for about 10years off and on and it's amazing to me that I'll see the same walkers doing their daily routine.
Ten years to be walking the same route is a long time!
I like to mix my running routes up.

So I ran and by the time I hit the 10kms mark, I was ready to stop. 10 kms is the most I've run so far since coming back from injury but I'd set myself 12kms to do this morning and didn't want to let myself down!

So I perservered and ran 10km.. The last kms were harder because I was running away from the beach and back into traffic and it just wasn't pleasant at all.

Add to that a serious case of chafing... Now why is it that you can wear the same clothes over and over and then one day you put them on and get chafing!! I just don't get it! Especially as I love my running skirt and will be upset if I can't wear it anymore!!

So today I was back to a comfortable 10kms and I almost wussed out and stopped before reaching 10 but I got myself to forget about how many kms left and just kept going..
I did slow my speed though.. but still I did it

Total kms for April 22kms

Biggest running week in a while...

I feel pretty good today because I'm almost back to my normal pre injury running.

Almost.. about 75% of the way there.

I've run 42kms in the last five days and feel pretty good about it although, I'm also looking forward to a two day break now!

I'm still not brave enough to venture outside. I don't think I'll cure that until I just ignore my fears and go out there. I just don't "feel" like a runner. I don't look like a runner...

Having said that, I know that when I do venture outside, I'm going to LOVE it...
I'm penciling in Saturday morning....

Total kms for March, 125kms

Hoping for a much better month next month!

Doubt and victory

Everytime, before I run, I have a feeling of dread.... like I'm not going to make it.


While I'm running I can think myself thru it and I make it just fine...

And today I ran 8kms which is a recent high... Not the 12kms a day I was doing a few months ago but still, it made me feel good.

Now I have 2 days break before my next run.

32kms in the last 5 days. Not to bad but I'd like it to be better...

Total kms for March 83kms

Holding Steady

I feel like I'm almost there.

In the last four days I've run 6kms every day. 24kms in four days. I used to run 48kms in four days but that's ok... I'm moving forward and that's the most important thing.

I think my back is holding up pretty good too but I don't want to speak too soon!

So for now I'll keep going at 6kms a run and when I feel comfortable with that, I'll move on to a higher amount.
I still feel like my fitness is bad. By the time I'm getting to the last couple of kms I'm really hanging out for the run to be over but when it is over, I recover pretty quickly.

It can only get better I guess!

Total kms for March 51kms

Hit a recent high

This used to be a casual, between training days run just to loosen myself up... but I ran 6kms this morning and it felt pretty good..

Taking my total to 27kms for the month

I used to run 60 kms in five days... In the last five days I've run 23kms
Such a far cry from where I was..

I just hope my fitness will build up quickly.

I'm still hanging in there though so I guess that's something...

When to increase?

So I've been going along pretty good but I'm still only doing 4kms a run. The last two mornings I felt I could do more but I'm scared I'm going to increase it too soon. I've told myself that I should do another 4kms tomorrow and maybe only Tuesday and Wednesday increase it to 5kms.

Shouldn't be a problem right?

Physically I'm ok although I do have a bit of hip soreness... so I really don't want to push it too soon but I'm loving the feeling of being able to run again...

And I'm dying to do some decent kms..

Each time I get up I have a sense of "I can't do it. I've lost my ability to run again"
Don't know why that is but when I'm doing it, and especially at the end, I feel really good... so I try not to dwell on the negative and just get dressed and let whatever is going to happen, happen...

So I'm still hanging in there...

Getting easier...

I still can't believe how unfit I had become. Not that I'm much better now but I'm better than not running at all!

I've run 4kms, 4 days in a row now. By today, the last day, I found it quite easy. I was almost tempted to run a little further but I don't want to make the mistake I have made in the past and do too much too quickly... so I'll keep it at 4 for at least one more time, then I might switch it up higher...

Anyhow, this was just a progress report.. I'm doing well, I'm still going, and hoping to increase my kms soon...

The numbers still sound so small...

So I managed a 3kms run yesterday and had set myself four for today.
When I got to three, I stopped running but kept walking. I was disappointed because I'd set 4 for myself even though earlier in the week I was going to sit tight on 3....

Anyhow, after walking 300metres or so, I set off running again and run the last kms, and then walked another 300metres or so...

4kms running, 600metres walking... guess that's not too bad but I cringe when I think about the numbers compared to what I used to run.
I KNOW I have to run these low numbers if I ever want to see the high ones again but it's not very sexy...

At least it is getting better/easier every day... and that little break I took after 3kms really made a big difference, helping me to finish my short run strong.

It's been a week since I started running again now and I've run 16kms in total... That would have been a casual Saturday morning run for me in the past!
I do feel better and I know it's doing wonders for my singing voice!! (That's a whole other side of me)

I wish I could see into the future to know what kind of kms I will be doing in a few weeks from now...

Now I have a two day break, so I will enjoy that, recoup and get ready for 4kms on Saturday...

Little by little...

And I do mean little...

Yesterday and today, I only ran 2.5kms (each day). And while I'm embarrassed about the amount, it's 5kms more than I ran this time last week!

And the other good thing I've noticed is that after I ran for the first time last week, I was terribly muscle sore!! It was horrifying! And it took me a while to recover from the run on the day...

However with the last two runs especially, I've recovered virtually straight away and feel like I haven't run at all... So my fitness is coming back!
Also, with the first few short runs I was wanting them to be over halfway thru... but today especially, I ran to the end of my 2.5kms and felt I could have done more...

But tomorrow I will make myself do only 2.5 again, and maybe go for more on Wednesday because then I'll be taking a two day break...

I think I'm on track... I really HATE the small no. of kms though!!

Still here...

I got up this morning and thought.. "oh no, I said I was going to run again..."

But the rest of the house was sleeping and it was wet outside (so I wasn't going to go out there) and just went downstairs and had a coffee...

After ten minutes or so I felt a lot better and after the rest of the household woke up, I got my running gear on... yes only for the measly two kms I was going to run, I got dressed and went on the teadmill...

And today it felt better than Tuesday...
I know I could have pushed myself another kms but I want to be consistent and run over the next few days so I left it at that.

I'll keep it there until I'm totally comfortable then raise my kms again.

It's pretty depressing that I'm only running 2kms. I feel embarrassed even writing that down but it's better than doing none and it's bringing me further along the road to complete recovery (and fitness!)

So I'll keep going...

Well whaddya know...

Over the months, I've stopped going to running forums, I've stopped reading running blogs... and I stopped being so depressed that I wasn't running.

I know that my injury doesn't stop me running, but it may give me pain following run.. so there's my dilemma...

But anyhow, this morning I put my 'walking' clothes on and walked down to the shops.
A 4kms round trip..
nothing exciting about that!

For a while now, I've been saying "I'm going to run this week... I'm going to run tomorrow..." and those days have come and gone...
I was only intending to run a couple of kms.. I just wanted to get the feel of it again.

Today after I came back from my trip to the shops, I was still in light clothing so I figured what the hell, why not... and I stepped onto the treadmill.
I didn't want to run outside as I didn't want to have people seeing me stop running... at least if I have to stop and I'm on the treadmill, I'll be the only one who knows about it!

So I set the treadmill for just over 2kms and ran.

I've got to say it felt pretty magical when I first stepped on to it. Who would have imagined that? And then as I started running I felt like I'd come home.

I've lost a lot of fitness though. I ran 2kms without any trouble but I could still feel it... but from past experience, I know the fitness comes back soon.

So now I'll see how I go and give it another couple of kms on Saturday which unfortunately, is the earliest I'll be able to run again.

2kms is hardly anything to be happy about but I think the corner of my mouth are slightly upturned...
;)

Still not running...

It pains me to say it... but at least I can now drive by another runner without getting a lump in my throat.
I'm coming to terms with it.

And I know that most of this is psychological... I know that exercise actually helps osteoarthritis and there's no need to run 12kms a day.. I can just do 4 or 5 but I can't bring myself to do it. I'm scared I'll hurt more even though everything rational tells me I won't.

As it is, if I'm moving I'm fine, if I'm stationary I'm also fine... it's getting from one of those states to the other that causes me pain...

I know I'll run again, but I also know that there's no chance of another marathon this year and I'm really upset about that...