CLAIRIES WEEKEND IN MEXICO MELBOURNE

Arrived in Melbourne at 8am Friday and started to get excited about a weekend in Mexico. Woohoo long weekend.

My clients did not want to wait around in the taxi line so we grabbed a limo and headed for our hotel. After dropping our bags off we walked the streets of Melbourne and spent most of the afternoon at the Motor Show.

My legs were killing me by now. Had high heeled boots on since 6am flight - not the best to walk for 6 hours in!!

We headed out to Lygon St that night for a great feed. After dinner I got a cab back to the hotel to get an early night. Little did I know there was a Bucks night in the room above so all I heard until 1am –when they were kicked out of the hotel, was screaming and laughing and swearing.

I was so tired by now that I just wanted to go home to my own bed. My legs ached and I wasn’t looking forward to another two days of this.

Got up super early ready for my run around the TAN. Walked through the city and just got to Flinders Station before the rain bucketed down. Think I should have taken ObiWan up on his offer of a lift!!!!
I kept going after a few minutes and proceeded to head up to the top of the TAN. Got there and did not see any crowds so I asked some people who were running around. They said the VRRC was around the other side for this mornings run. I wasn’t even sure where I was and if I was already on the Tan so I just tucked in with some runners who said they would show me the way....well this guy was fast. He was warming up and I think doing 4.30/km. I was trying to keep up but this was my racing pace…NOT FAIR! Then they told me how they were training for Comrades and I began to think I made a big mistake coming along for this run.

Arrived at the start and realised I had done more than 5km just to get there! After stretching and registering for the run I went in search of some coolrunners. I met up with PaulC, OBiWan, SlowSue and Superflake. Great bunch of runners.

Not long after that the race started and the early runners headed out. It was a handicapped race so we were all going off in the aim of finishing at the same time of 55mins.

PaulC and I went out at 15mins (=40min 8km) whilst Obi and Superflake hung around for about 22/23mins (=32min 8km).
The first lap was an eye opener. The hill I had run down in my warm up was now the one I was puffing up (Anderson St). It wasn’t too steep though and as it was the beginning of the run I actually liked the change in gradient. The first lap was done in 30sec better than our target which was pretty good considering Paul and I were chatting the whole way.
The rain started coming down then so now I was cold AND wet and thinking about the long walk home already! That was when I got to the Anderson St hill for the second lap. I knew I was either going to speed up and race this or just call it quits and walk. I wasn’t a quitter so off I took. My lungs were burning and my legs went into shock. Got to the top and kept going but at a slower pace for a few minutes to get by breath back. Enjoyed the last 2km of the run but didn’t really feel like doing much of a kick. I think the past few weeks of hard running was finally catching up with me.

Finished in 54mins 10sec which means a 39.10 8km. I didn’t feel hot and sweaty like I normally do and had to put a jacket on straight after the run (how novel!!).

I hung around and got some piccies and had breakfast courtesy of the VRRC. Superflake dropped me off in the city and I started walking back to the hotel. It was a lovely walk but I just wanted to get warm and dry and was in need of a hot cup of coffee.

I turned up a wrong street and ended up in Chinatown. A girl was surrounded by a group of 15-20 men, one of whom just hit her. I was terrified. I was in my running gear with just my camera and mobile phone. I phoned hubby so I could talk to someone as I walked past.
The girl was crying and screaming and I was about to stop and go to her when she kicked and slapped one of the guys and then came running in my direction. I had not stopped walking. The language coming out of her mouth was quite choice! The guys were laughing at her and she was still yelling. Makeup was all over her face. One of the guys went up to her and grabbed her, my hubby told me to just keep walking fast, I glanced back and they were kissing. Another fight between two of the guys was now getting all the attention of the group and I was almost out of range. It was terrifying.
The thing I was most angry about was my inability to stop in the first instance to ask if she needed any help. I should have called the police, not my husband. Ok so some people live like that but maybe it is because people like me just keep walking and don’t do anything about it?

I spent an hour in the bath at the hotel before walking back into the city. I shopped and shopped then went back to Chinatown. It was all hustle and bustle of a Saturday afternoon with no sign of gangs or any trouble. I went in and had Peking Duck for lunch as a treat YUMMMM!

Later that night I got in touch with wobbly man and called off the run for the following morning. My feet were so sore from all the walking and running. Also I knew I was in for another late night with my clients.

Sunday I spent at the Queen Victoria Markets and got a call from hubby to say the bank had rung. Apparently they thought someone had stolen my credit card and was running around Melbourne chalking up a list of expenses…..mmmm I knew then I should stop shopping so I got a jam doughnut (how good are they!!!) and waited around the city for my clients to finish at the Grand Prix. We limo’d back to the airport and flew out for the warmer weather.

Now that I am back safe and sound I feel a bit slack for not running Sunday. My legs might feel like they did a marathon this weekend but most of it was walking. I covered 16km on Saturday running - 10km at close to race pace and then 6km of jogging. I think I did at least twice that in walking.

Still having Friday AND Sunday off makes me feel like a slacker. It’s a mental thing. My legs welcome the break but my head is telling me I am loosing form with every rest day. I won’t have any excuse come Tuesday to do well at this weeks speedwork.