Last run before a 2 day break

Finished off stronger than the last two days today.

I'm realising more and more how much the mind controls what the body does.
If I set myself out for 18kms, then my mind is set on completing that much... If I set myself for 12kms, then my mind focuses on that... and when I'm approaching the end, I start looking forward to it and think "i couldn't run a metre more..."
of course, I know I could, but my point is that the mind controls this.

So I'm hoping it's going to be in place on Saturday when I do my over 20kms run...
I hope it won't be too hard on my body. That's what I'm most worried about.
Think I'm going to take Sunday off to recover.. maybe just do a slow jog or walk instead..

Total kms for June, 220kms

Rain Rain Rain...

It was raining when I got up this morning and now, at 9.55am, it's still raining.
All I can think is that if this was the day of the marathon, I would have been running in rain for 3 hours already! I know I have no control over the weather on the day but god I hope it won't be raining hard and windy...

I wasn't as sluggish as yesterday today but I did start to get plagued with doubts... 42kms? What am I thinking!!!

The test will be this weekend when I do my first over 20kms run for over 10 weeks. That is, I haven't run over 20kms for at least 10 weeks...

Did 12kms this morning

Total kms for June, 208kms

Danger of overtraining?

I think a lot of runners fall into the trap of overtraining.

Not sure if I'm there but I was pretty sluggish this morning and kept watching the clock and the kms, counting down for when my 12kms were going to be up. It was fairly hard and I have two more morning of 12kms to come.
Then I have two days off to my long run this weekend and I'm hoping to do a run of over 20kms on the road on the weekend... Hope the weather holds up!

I'm feeling so nervous about the marathon. It's a long way! But then I've read of people walking the last 10kms and things like that and I don't think I'll be in that position but at least I know if I do have to walk, I won't have been the first one to do it!
I just hope I make the end before the cut off time. LOL

Total kms for June, 196kms

Stepping Out...

Amazingly, I actually ventured outside today.

My main goal was to experience a few hills...

It was GREAT to be outside! I'd forgotten how much I loved it! It was cool but the sun was out and there wasn't any wind so it was nice.
I ended up running 14kms outside.

The last 4kms are all uphill and that's what I was focusing on... and I was surprised at how well I took the hill.
I was pushed by an adrenalin rush I had at the beginning of the hill... a tough looking staff put it's nose under my foot. I had no idea he was there until I felt him and it scared the bejeezus out of me!!! He was sans owner too!! Luckily he quickly lost interest in whatever was under my foot and run down another street. And lucky also that he didn't make me trip because he did knock me off my running pattern a bit.

Good news is I wasn't scared by any magpies...

so I'm looking forward to my long run OUTSIDE on Saturday!

total kms for June, 184kms

Almost made it out the door....

Ok so now that I'm signed up for the Adelaide marathon, I know that I have to get in more long runs and more runs on the road... I've got to stop wussing out and using the treadmill...

This morning I was going to go on the road. I got dressed in my gear (The clothes I'd bought from the discount Nike store in Vegas... wearing them for the first time!) put on my Garmin and went outside to acquire satellites....
Well... wouldn't you know it but over the sea were the blackest clouds you could imagine.
Now I did consider running anyhow, but I really wanted to run a set amount and was relying on my Garmin and didn't want to chance it getting wet in a downpour. Those things aren't waterproof are they?

Anyhow, I ended up going back inside and did my longest run on a treadmill ever... 18kms. I know, i can't believe it either.... it was pretty boring....
But still I got a sort of longer run in and was running for a good amount of time so it's a good start to my training.
Tomorrow I might do a short run outside and do my normal stuff during the week...

Think I'll try for 21kms outside next saturday...

Total kms for June, 170kms

On my way...

Well a lot has happened since I last blogged!

I decided to take the challenge and signed up for the Adelaide marathon, even if I'm going to be crawling across that finish line.
My aim is just to finish.
I suspect I'll be walking a good portion of the last 10kms but who cares... I'm going to try my hardest and just see what happens.

I've worked out a training schedule but when I showed my husband he thought there was too much running in it and I don't want to overtrain. But I definitely need to get some long runs in there! haven't done more than 16kms since before we went overseas! Am going to do at least 16 this weekend and then build my long runs (on the weekend) from there until the 15th of August.

Will give myself a nice break after the marathon!

it's good to have something to work towards.

Ran 12kms after work tonight

Total kms for June, 152kms

Just a smidgen of hope

Well I got an invite on facebook to the Adelaide Marathon in August.

Wow

I'd really like to do this but know it would kill my body in it's current condition.

But my goal would be just to finish and I know I can do that! I'd be happy with anything under 4 and 1/2 hours... but happier still just to say I'd done it.

So I put a status update asking if anyone else I knew would be running it... and the chances of that are NIL!!! LOL. I don't know any other runners.
I just need that bit of encouragement.

My husband won't give it to me... not after seeing how I was suffering with my back/shoulder last week but man... I think I could almost do it with the right backing... I'd be scared to death but I think I could do and what a feeling when it's over!! I'd love to have that experience.

12kms run today

Total kms for May, 140kms

Grey skies are going to clear up...

I said on yesterday's blog that I felt the black cloud shifting.
Well it's moving even more!

Ran a good 12kms this morning. I was a little stiff after running the two days prior after a week off, but felt pretty good..
although must remember to snip those toenails because that was bothering me all through the run!

Don't want to speak too soon but feel really good.

Total kms for May 128kms

Surprising...

I had a bit of pain in my back/shoulder after my run yesterday and started to despair that I wouldn't be able to run again today but by the end of the day, it was feeling a lot better.
I'm still taking the pills the doctor prescribed.
Anyhow, today I set myself for another slow 8kms... After I had done them, I figured why not do 4 more as I felt pretty good and what's 4kms?
So I did them and I can say I feel really good about it! I'm not sure, so I don't think it hurt my body.

I'm the type of person that when I don't run, like if I have a day or two off, I don't think I can do it again. no matter what my past history of running is.

So after that week off, i was surprised I ran the 8kms and surprised today that I've managed 12.
It's a stupid thing that happens in my brain but I guess that's why drives me to keep striving... thinking that I can't do it, so I have to prove myself wrong.

So I'm pretty pleased today and dare I say it, the dark cloud I've been sitting under seems to have shifted ever so slightly...

Total kms for May 116ms

Trying to make it back

I thought my running days were over.
Sounds dramatic and I guess I don't mean that literally, but I just couldn't see myself running again.
I even stopped visiting running sites and forums because I felt like a fake.

My injury got worse. I'm finally on some anti inflammatory's and they've helped.
I took that week off.

I don't know what caused it all.
Was it a naturally occurring injury?
Was it over training after we came back from o/s and I had that month off?
Was it being down after the death of my father?
It could have been all or nothing.

In any case, this morning I thought, what the hell am I pushing myself for? What am I trying to prove and to who?

So I ran just 8kms. And it probably should have been easier than it was but doesn't matter I did it.
I didn't have the same pain as I did last time I ran... otherwise I wouldn't have run, but now I feel a bit of pain and hope I have started up the injury again. I'll see how it goes for the rest of the day.

My goal was to run the Gold Coast Marathon next year... so I'm crazy to push myself NOW aren't I? What for? My goal should be just to keep running steady, and start my proper training for the marathon early next year.
Not that I'm an expert, but that's the way I'm thinking right now.

Total kms for May, 104kms

A Forced Break

Well it looks like I'm going to be taking a bit of time off running.

At this stage I'm thinking a week. I did end up going back to the doctors today and as I already knew, it wasn't a blood clot in the lungs, but something to do with my discs. I asked the doctor
specifically about running and he said the running wouldn't hurt it (good to know) but that I shouldn't run while it's flared up.
So I'm taking the week off.

I guess I feel ok about that.

I'm pretty sure my feeling of dread before running last week was due to the pain.
So I guess I'll just see how I go this week and maybe will run again on Saturday.
Even though it's due to injury I feel like I'm being lazy and losing my desire to run.

I hope not.

When I think about how I ran with those tremendously infected and painful blisters, I wonder if I'm the same person.

Fought Through

For today at least, I fought through.

Got up very late for me. 7.50am. I was so tired.

And the last thing I felt like doing was running...

so I told myself I'd just 'run later' but I put on my running clothes anyhow.

Within 30 minutes I felt like I could start.

Even as I started though, I wanted to stop.... But once I got past a few kms I was a lot better and by the time I was finishing, felt quite strong.
So that's good.
I was so close to not running today and how horrible would I have felt if I didn't run!
so I'm glad I did.

But tomorrow is another day.


Total kms for May 96kms

Made It

Didn't think I'd make it to today. I have two mornings off now. Won't run again until thursday night.

It was ok today although I still have that damn shoulder pain that makes it hard to breathe.

Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. It will be the first time I'm there since my father passed away. Anyhow, those thoughts are not for this blog...


12kms today. Easier than it has been although still struggled in places but bottom line is I did it.

Total kms for June, 84kms

Another day, another negative thought...

Ok that title is probably a little misleading because although I did have negative thoughts, it was a lot less than the past couple of times and after I got into my groove, about 5kms in, I was ok.

I think my main problem right now is my shoulder. My husband thinks it's a pinched nerve. It's really the whole right side of my rib area, up to my shoulder. It's painful when I breathe so you can imagine what it's like to run with that...
The only time I feel relief is when I bend over from the waist and just hang there.
Running with my infected blisters was easier than this!

But after tomorrow I have a little break so I guess I'll see if it gets better after that... for now I continue with the voltaran and may even take a trip to the doctors tomorrow..

Total kms for June, 72kms

Just Doing It

Before I went overseas, before my father got very sick and passed away, my head was full of training and preparing for running a marathon.
In the last week especially, I feel like that's just a dream that really, will never happen.

Every morning I seem to fight with myself about running.

I did my 12kms this morning but still, I could have stopped.
My right shoulder is in constant pain, making it hard to breathe as I run. I'm living on volatran.

What I'm telling myself now is that I'll just settle for 12kms a day, not pushing myself to do anymore or to go outside or anything like that, until I get out of this rut.

total kms for June, 60 kms

Fighting the negative mind

I really didn't want to run this morning.
I could have so easily talked myself out of it.
Anyone would have said I was justified in not running... after all, i've already done 60kms this week... and that's not even considering what else has been happening this week....
Nobody would have blamed me.
On top of all that, I have a horrible right shoulder injury. I don't know what caused it but I know that Voltaran helps... but there's only so much voltaran you can take and I'm out now... I devoured the packet in a matter of days..

So I told myself I'd just get going and see how I'd go, giving myself the option to stop any time..

And after I was 5 or 6 kms in, I just put myself into automatic and finished the 12kms.

And yes, I was happy I'd done that in the end! Especially as I've been feeling soft and flabby lately. I don't know why. Maybe I'm retaining fluid or something.


But anyhow, bottom line is I'm happy I did it.

Total kms for June, 48kms

Still haven't ventured out

I had to take my daughter to the train station this morning and rather than get up early, especially after this emotional weekend, I decided to run after I'd dropped her off...

And seeing as I was dropping her off about 8.15am, I toyed with the idea of running outside....

But though it was completely sunny, it was pretty cold and just thinking about running outside made my joints hurt!

So I chickened out and ran inside while watching a re run of "Wife Swap"
Amazingly, the bad tv made the time go quickly

Total kms for May, 36kms

Every day the same

I guess it's not unreasonable to think I'm rundown.

I did another 12kms this morning and it wasn't hard but I'm just not feeling it anymore. These days are really taking their toll.

Tomorrow is the funeral and I'll be taking a day off running.

Friday things go back to the new normal.


Total kms for June, 24kms

Not feeling it...

Felt a bit run down this morning. An accumulation of days past I guess. I know I haven't been drinking enough water too so that adds to it.

Still I ran 12kms this morning.

And I'm off to be with my family again today.

Funeral is on Thursday

Total kms for June, 12kms