Time to get off my fat ahem! February 5, 2012
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Well, a couple of years ago I did couch to 5k program and a 5k race with the aims of getting fit and fabulous to have our second child (at the time I’d had an ectopic pregnancy and had to hold off TTC as I’d had methotrexate and a laparoscopy to remove it + all the mental emotion stuff that goes with it). Well now my bub is a rather hefty 4.5 month old and I’m finally motivated to get fitter not fatter! It’s really hard as I snacked so much in pregnancy and breastfeeding makes me ravenous! Anyhow, I finally got off my fat a**e and run again. I warmed up and stretched 5 mins, run 10, walked 5 and ran 10 again. It wasn’t too bad, def need to improve fitness over the next few weeks. No shin splints, cramps etc hurrah! Went rather bright shade of beetroot – guess it’s a good thing, if I’m generating heat, I’m burning fat! Was so hot when I got home I jumped straight into the pool and did 10mini laps (it’s a small pool) and stretched muscles. Boy did my legs feel like lead when I got out. Will report back how creaky I am tomorrow morning 
Lazy Sunday & Resuming of Running July 11, 2010
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It’s Sunday and I woke up at 9.15!!! Hurrah hubby let me have a lie-in, I was so out of it I didn’t even hear him and Evie get up at all. Today we have planned a day of very little (the best plans of any day). We’re just pottering about the garden tidying up a bit. I have a nice chicken to roast for lunch with all the trimmings (roast potatoes, carrots, stuffing balls and parsnips). Prob watch a kiddies film in the afternoon (it looks like it will prob rain) unless Evie naps then church this evening.
After 2.5 weeks of not running I finally got off my a**e and went for a run last night. I was actually itching to run for the first time in ages. End of June hubby was away for work so I couldn’t go (as having to look after Evie) then I’ve had this horrible chest infection/cough thing that played havoc with my asthma. The Sutherland to Surf 11k race is in only 2 weeks time and I’m horribly behind schedule with my plans. Last night I managed to run 6k which is only just over half. I’ll run another 6k tomorrow and if I’m not feeling too tired I will push on to 7k on Tues night. I think that if I can do 8k then I’ll feel like I can do the 11k in 2 weeks time. If the worst happens and I’m knackered then at least I’ll only have a few k’s to walk. My time was woeful last night – 42 minutes to run 6 k and my stamina was pretty bad but I know once I get the frequency of runs behind my belt again then that’ll improve. I wonder if I’m being too optimistic in thinking I will magically be able to run 2x as far in 2 weeks (!!!!) but hey, you’ve gotta set yourself a challenge once in a while. And if I think about it, it’ll give me a good (good in the fact it should be easy to beat rather than fast) target time for next year’s race!! The good news was that even with a hiatus in training I did still manage to run 6k (which is the furthest I’ve ever run) and my body was fine in that I had no aches or pains and my breathing was fine. This morning I was a little stiff when I woke up (mostly the calves) but nothing a bit of stretching couldn’t fix (perhaps a bit of Wii yoga later).
Bad Running Day June 19, 2010
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Just got in from my Saturday morning “run”….. what a load of carp!!! Last week I managed to run 5k in 30 mins 3x no problems so this week decided to up my mileage (hmm or should it be kilometreage?) in preparation for Sutherland to Surf (11k race) next month. I only managed to run 21 minutes today (about 4k – boo) What on earth has happened? It was so cold this morning my lungs were sore and I had to take my inhaler 3x and I just seemed to completely run out of steam. My brain was willing but my legs weren’t obliging. And on top of that my mp3 player ran out of juice as I was throwing the towel in (hmm some kind of analogy going on there). I’m thinking I’m just having a bad running day. I know Mon will prob be fine again.
[Edit: Hmm just coughed up a whole load of phlegm - yuck. No wonder my lungs weren't working effectively this morning!!]
NOT Good June 9, 2010
Posted by graciek in Life in General, Running, Under the Weather.1 comment so far
Last Friday I woke up with a major headache and nausea all day (def not prego b4 anyone gets any ideas). Then feeling crap all weekend. Yesterday I finally felt better (coincidentally the sun was out too). Tonight I went out for my run and was doing well. Pushed myself a little harder tonight and was feeling great until after about 15-20 mins I rounded the corner and started going downhill. I looked downwards and suddenly felt nauseas again, so I tilted my chin upwards then my head just lolled backwards and suddenly it seemed like the air had gone all smoky. Not good. Tried to cross the road and was seeing car headlights doubled up and all spangly. Double not good. So then walked back home very shakily. Had to lie in the dark when I got home and downed some paracetamol and a pint of cold water. Weird – it’s like my head suddenly just overheated or something. Will see how things are in the morning or I’ll be off to the doctors.
Just Keep Running June 2, 2010
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Did my 2nd run of Week 8 of C-2-5k tonight. It’s finally stopped raining long enough for me to run. It’s so much easier running in the evening as I can’t see how far I’ve got to run, I just keep on going until I reach various junctions. For some reason the run always seems to go by so much quicker (even though it’s not) when it’s dark. I’ve got up to about 4.4km in 28 mins now so am running round the last block twice. Still not on the right pace yet but not hard to run the whole time and there were no pains or aches at all. My lungs did get a little tight 1/2 way round but that seemed to pass thankfully. It was so nice to be out running after a few days of torrential rain – it feels great to feel the blood pumping around.
My First 5k Race May 23, 2010
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Woohoo I did it!! This morning I ran in my first ever 5k race at Doll’s Point. I finished in a fairly respectable time of 31 mins. Not bad considering 7 weeks ago I could barely run 90 seconds without keeling over!! Today’s run was Week 7, Day 3 of the Couch-2-5k plan (though you’re only meant to run 25 mins I just played the Week 9 podcast instead to get me through). I wasn’t even that tired at the end. No aches or pains or anything so that’s good too. The only thing that got me was the psychological aspects. Ha ha – I totally missed the start of the race as there was a random lady standing next to me asking me questions about where the various kilometre marks were. Just as I was pointing it out suddenly everyone behind me was surging forwards and I hadn’t even started my iPod or stopwatch. Thankfully I managed to remember to start my watch as I went past the line. The first 1/2 of the race was fairly straight forward (a little tough on the sandy forest bit of the run as the ground was so loose) but went by quite quickly in 15 mins. The long straight part hugging the coastline along the promenade was soooo boring. It seemed like it was taking forever to run to the headland and I could feel my mind thinking how far it seemed to be and how I didn’t seem to be getting any closer and subsequently the legs started feeling heavy. Once I got to the headland though I only had 5 mins left and I knew the end was in sight so felt much better. I sprinted the last minute or so as fast as I damn well could and was pleasantly surprised to find I had loads of reserve energy in the tank (if only the race was another 20m long I would have overtaken the 5 people bunched up in front of me). I crossed the line 95th at just over 31 mins and promptly felt extremely nauseas (I think it must have been the adrenaline). On the whole it was a great run and I think I probably lost that minute in pace during the long back straight of the 2nd half where I got psyched out.
So 2 more weeks of C-2-5k to try and knock that extra minute off and do the 5k in 30 mins consistently then I need to start running further so that I can do Sutherland-to-Surf race in late July (it’s 11k but mostly downhill I gather).
Week 7, Day 1 – Finally!! May 19, 2010
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It’s been torrential rain all week so far here in Sydney. I couldn’t get out to do my first run of the week (well it didn’t stop me attempting to go out last night, which lasted all of 5 mins till my trainers were full of water). It’s funny most evenings when I go for a run I’m fairly sluggish, and have to motivate myself to get up and go. But when you can’t go run then suddenly you’re really really just itching to go pound the pavement!! So 25 min runs all this week. Slightly daunting but after surviving Week 6 day 3 run it was definitely doable. Set off on my normal course. The first mile is always tough (well not really tough, just tiring) for some reason then once that’s over with the rest just happens. I just think about getting to various waypoints/landmarks/corners along the route and before you know it you’re heading for the last stretch!! Also I have now tied my shoelaces differently and am pleased to report that I had no foot numbness today at all (the previous 2 long runs I got foot numbness from about 20 mins). I laced them in a parallel bar pattern.
Loking on geodistance.com I’m not quite going at a fast enough pace. I worked out that I covered 3.7km in 25 mins (and I need to be up to around 4k) so Friday night I will try harder. I wasn’t particularly tired out after the run so I must have a bit more in reserve to give. My first 5k race is on Sunday – at current pace it’ll take me 34 mins. I really hope to get across the line in around 30 mins. I’m led to believe that when you’re there with others running and spectators cheering you on that you tend to go with the flow more so hopefully that’ll be the impetus to a faster time.
Urrrgh a Cold!! May 15, 2010
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Woke up feeling great this morning. It was hubby’s turn tonight to deal with Evie’s nighttime awakeness. Poor Evie is having major teething woes. Feel so sorry for her as she’s obviously not comfortable. Sadly it also means she’s waking up every few hours (or not even sleeping at some times). Thurs night was awful and I was on shift cos hubby had work the next day. Last night hubby did his shift. She woke up at 3am and just never went back to sleep. I woke up at 7am and went for my Week 6, Day 3 run (25 mins non-stop). I decided to change it up a bit a do a different route. Ran down to Carss Park and back. In 25 mins I covered about 3.6km (bit slow) which means if I go at the same pace next Sunday I will finish the 5k in around 35 mins. My feet went a bit numb again at around 23 mins running – when I graduate C-2-5k I’m going to go get measured properly (in the meantime I’ve changed the pattern in my shoe laces to ease the pressure). All this exertion and lack of sleep and suddenly late afternoon I felt so exhausted. My throat feels sore and all my bones ache. Now I’m running a fever and for some reason my mind just won’t switch off. I seem to have picked up the cold hubby had earlier this week. I need to go to sleep!! Arrrgh
Channeling the Power of RoadRunner!! (C2-5k W6D2) May 13, 2010
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Since I ran for over 30 mins on Saturday (Week 5, day 3), days 1 and 2 of Week 6 have been easy. Day 1 seemed ridiculous, running only 5 mins at a time seemed really disruptive. I guess the point here with the interval training is to get you running faster and longer. Tonight the programme was 5 min warm up, 10 min run, 3 min walk, 10 min run, cool down. After about 5 mins I psychologically become tired, but I have since worked out how to power through it… it sounds mad but I channel the power of the RoadRunner (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha). I actually imagine myself like roadrunner, legs whirring round and amazingly, my legs just keep on going. Once I got to the end of the second 10 min run I thought I had so much more to give that I ran for the remainder of the distance before doing a quick cool down home. I think I ran about 13 mins instead of 10. I know it doesn’t seem much, but hey 1 month ago I was only running 3 mins at a time and feeling knackered!!! Gonna run the 25 mins on Saturday evening (yes that’s right I actually have no social life anymore boo hoo). Then a week Sunday is the 5k race! My route isn’t much longer this week but I added another ~200m so that’s better than nothing (bringing me up to 4.6km now).
The Dreaded Week 5 Day 3 (+ some) May 8, 2010
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Wow – how fast has week 5 suddenly come up (yes, I know technically the answer is 5 weeks, but it seems not that long ago that I was just starting the whole C-2-5k programme and dreading it). I met up with my good friend Flora and we did a practise run of the 5K Fun Run we are doing in 2 week’s time. My friend has been running more seriously for the last year and she’s doing her first 1/2 marathon next weekend so I was a bit overawed when she said let’s do a run together. So my mission for today was simple – just run for at least 20 mins. I was surprised that I actually managed to do it. The fun run is by the beach so is lovely and flat. I was running along getting into my groove then at about 18 mins my mp3 player ran out of battery and the next time I asked Flora what the time was it was 22 mins (hurray). I was just thinking – hurrah now I’ll walk and Flora said, c’mon let’s keep going. So I thought, yeah I’m not too tired so kept on going. Apart from about 20 seconds of walking to drink some water and a quick toilet break I managed to do the whole 5k run in about 35 mins. Although as penance for the toilet break Sgt Flora (hee hee we were joking I was on her boot camp) made us run a lap on the beach. I never realised how slow and tiring it is to run on soft sand!! But it was all good fun and I was totally knackered at the end (but not collapsing). Now I know that I can do it, I just need to work on getting my fitness up. So I have 2 weeks before the race day. My aim is to get across the line in under 30 mins.
