MIDWEEK LONG RUN

Thanks for all your commments guys, it is great to read them and get your educated (and hilarious) feedback!!!

Most of you will know that I am trying to follow the CSIRO diet at the moment. It is much lower in carbs than what I am used to, so this morning was interesting.
Tuesday night I would usually have some pasta of some sort before the mid week run.
Last night was grilled salmon and salad. And I was home early enough so we ate at 6.30pm.

This morning I woke up feeling good but a bit depeleted of energy - so I ate a banana. I don't normally eat before my runs so it was hard to get down.

I did a few km on my own before joining Mark and Robbie at 5.30am and we headed out to New Farm from the Regatta. Not sure how many km it is (though Tess will let me know for sure)...we turned around at the Bowls Club and came home.
Including the first few km I did Garmin read 22.5km but I suspect it was slightly more as I always lose the garmin when going under the freeway/gardens so not exactly sure.

Distance: 22.5km
Average Pace: 5:00min/km

I was so thankful to the banana. I felt great on the way home and it was disgustingly hot out there. Just when I thought I would die I got a surge and was able to run home quite comfortably. The average pace was around 5:07min/km but we did a few really fast kms so that brought the whole average down for the run, even including my first few km that would have been around 5:35min pace!!

I just can't get over how great I am feeling. I don't know if it is the diet, or the training break I had (sore foot) or simply the fact that I am increasing the training load. Either way it is helping me get through what would otherwise be some onerous runs in disgustingly hot/humid conditions. Maybe it is just all the support I am getting from you bloggers out there............. ;)...*waves*

Time Trial - 3km

Pretty happy with my run this morning. Not because of my time but because I was able to be consistent and I felt great throughout the run. No niggles from the weekend and no soreness that is outside the 'to be expected' variety.


SPLITS
1km - 3:54
1.5k - 5:59
3km - 12:06

I was aiming for 12:10, felt like I was running 11:30pace and ended up with 12:06.

I do believe that next time around - with similar conditions - I will be able to do an 11:55. So that's the goal.

FEB - 11.55
MAR - 11.45
APR - 11.35

Thats a big ask....but that's what I am aiming for. Reach for the stars and all that stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007 GALEFORCE TRAINING CAMP

What a weekend! I feel like I need a holiday just to get over it!

Friday
13km in absolute humitidy on rolling hills with Tesso and friends before leaving for camp. Beautiful scenery!
2hr Hike up Mt Pomona and the area (10:1 gradient!!!)
40min beach run (with shoes!) followed by swim
30min stretching session
30min Nutrition Seminar
Quiz night

Saturday
4.30am start - 2hr run through Noosa National forest. Very hilly, start was on the beach and we had to climb 219 steps in the dark before trudging our way in soft sand climb to appropriately named Hells Gate lookout. Meandered into Noosa and back out to Sunshine Beach.
7am - Swim and stretch Class
9am - Eumundie Markets
10.30 - Hike around Mapyleton Falls area. Swim in cold lake.
4pm - Dinner Prep
5pm - 40 min beach run after 219 stair race
6pm - swim and stretching
7.30pm - Guiness drink at the pub

Sunday
5am - Slow recovery run 1:15hr over beach, gravel/sand paths on rolling hills in Noosa National park.
7am - stretch and swim.

There was a 4hr hike in the Glasshouse moutains on the way home but we had to race home to get shoes for Matts school. It was a great weekend. Totally enjoyed it in a kind of perverse I-really-like-hurting-aching-muscles-and-pushing-myself-to-the-limits kind of a way.

Guess what - today (Monday) is a rest day!

Midweek 16km run

Started out at the most humid time of the day again!!
Met up at 5.30am and we did the usual Wednesday course around Brisbane city, over the Storey Bridge and back to the Regatta via Queen Victoria.

We stopped regularly for water - which was very necessary as it was extremely humid.

It took us 1:19 to do this run. I have run much faster but I was still happy to get around and just complete it. As per previous runs of late the foot pain was intermittent so I am very confused. I am sitting here at lunch with my foot in a bucket of ice & water (do you know how BLOODY PAINFUL that is??) and I have been applying Voltaren so hopefully things will start to settle down soon.

It was weird starting out with Tesso and then leaving her to do her 90min walk around Brisbane. She is being very good and sticking to the plan set out with the physio of running only every alternate day. I am so proud of her.....but can't wait until she is back running and we can keep gossiping about all you mob!

500's at PCRG

It was a tough session today. Mainly because it felt like I was swimming and not running with the amount of sweat coming of me and those running around me - truly it was a hot day and everyone seemed to be feeling it.

We did the 3k warm up without too much fuss and then got straight into our efforts. 6 x 500m with 1x500m to finish.
The first effort was wonderful. Truly I felt fantastic and great to be out running again. The foot was flying along and in harmony to the rest of my body (as opposed to the limping effort of late). However I had to focus on my lungs after that first effort as I was having difficulty filling them with oxygen and maintaining my form.

Nonetheless I got through the seesion with only mild heart attacks and suprisingly no chucks at the end - though it WAS close!

I felt I worked hard today and was really happy with my performance. Then again, I have had the week off so I guess I was well rested and due to come back!

On the cooldown back to the Ship Inn my foot was aching badly. Really weird thing was it went away afer we stopped for water in the gardens about 1km from the finish. It has been intermittent all day in my work shoes but I can't say I feel anything at the moment as I type this. I am so over not knowing what it is that I have decided to run regardless and as (if) the pain changes or increases I will then submit to the MRI. In the meantime....there is training to be done!

FOOTAGE....

Um thats a foot update to those who haven't been around for a while :)

The Foot Doctor has reviewed the situation and laid to rest my worst fears. I can run again!

Diagnosis: Foot Strain/sprain and possible bone stress
Occurred: Over fatigued when beach running (after big week and stress of Mt Cootha) and did further damage running without shoes to support my toes/foot structure.
Treatment: Ice in cold icy water daily (no good just putting on ice pack) for 10mins.
Voltaren gel applied directly.
Run 5km Friday morning. No excess pain then run again Sunday for 10km. No excess pain then straight back into training.
Any excess pain experienced in either runs or that wakes me at night, an MRI on Monday.

It was interesting to note that if it does turn out to be a stressy it may be one of those ones that people can train through. Only reason we discussed that was because it doesn't seem to give the sort of pain that a stressy would but due to location of pain any tendonitis is ruled out.

Was good to come out of the Dr. room to find my bestest running buddy there waiting anxiously for the results. Thanks Tesso :) I guess that meant I couldn't fib and say in front of the Dr that he had said I could run for 30km on Sat hee hee :)

Cant wait to run tomorrow at last!! The only bummer of the day is my long run is ruled out this week so I will have to bike instead for a few hours.

FOOT UPDATE

Hah! Nothing to update. Except the gym has been busy swiping my access card.

Done some weights session and an RPM class. It is good for fitness but nothing like the joy (and pains) of running.

I am a fuckwit, a wanker, a complete moron. You can join in at any time. I don't really care because I am a stupid stubborn woman who deserves the abuse of my fellow friends.

Over a week ago my friends told me to get my foot checked out. Over a week ago we suggested remedies and possible scenarios together as I ran about why my foot was sore. Over a week ago....I should have done something.

Saturday I ran 28.5km. Average pace was 5:20 but most of the mileage was a lot faster with 2km very slow or walking - changing the overall average on the garmin.

It was a tough run. Not to mention the fact that my foot slamming into the concrete on each step was agony.
I tried to run on the grass at every opportunity. Looking stupid I ran on the hills or grassy sidewalks, preferring them to the wide footpaths or over the bitumen. It was the only little relief I could afford myself at the time.

Now I am knocking my head on a brick wall...why not I stamped my foot on concrete for three hours despite it hurting. What is it about runners that makes us so single bloody minded that we have to finish a run, that we don't admit our own pain or that we try to minimise the extent of our pain or injuries????? Are we really that masochistic? Why on earth do we both to fool even ourselves?

Anyhow I guess I won't be running for a couple of weeks as I suspect I have a stress fracture. Appointment with the foot doctor is the first thing on the agenda this week. Until then - its drowning for me (thats my style of swimmning for all those fishes out there).
Guess I can get out the bike thing as well *oh joy*...sorry Miners but some of us just arent' built to ride two wheels without motors :)

Thursday No Watch Run

As my foot has been a bit sore lately from coming down Mt Cootha to hard last week I decided to skip that session and head to Pats instead. Thankfully he wasn't scheduing a speed session and we had a 50min run on the books instead. Though getting caught talking to the faster runners in the group I certainly ran a lot harder and faster than I wanted to.

The 1km race at the end I didn't bother nominating a time and just run easy. Did 4:57min and the weeks running caught up with me so I stayed with Pat to call in the last few runners. I then walked all the way back to the Ship Inn for a pancake breakfast.

Oh and best thing of the day - I won the Group Member Award, which was a double pass to Gold Class cinemas woo hoo.

Speedy Kills - really it does!

Coach Chris said to run 15km in a controlled 4:45 min/km pace this morning.

I roped in Tara and iliketoast for the ride and we strapped on our rocket boots. Started the morning with a 1km run to warm up and then Mark got the whip cracking. I had garmin on virtual partner to tell me how I was doing but I should have ignored it - I totally lost track of the satellites and it took forever to get them again when I resurfaced from under the bridge. Hence it was saying I was too slow, so I sped up and left Mark & Tara behind. Then they went in front as I attempted to slow down and get back on pace....aaarrrrgggh. I am hopeless at this.

I was really pushing it and finding the pace tough going. It is a fairly hard run. We all walked the hill going up to the Storey Bridge to conserve energy - and my calves are still sore from the beach.
Going over the bridge for the first time I felt I was going to make this. I was really warmed up by now and ready to pump some action.

Going past the ship Inn and not stopping nearly killed me. It was good to do something different today but at the time I cried. Not nearly as much as when we went over Queen Victoria bridge - man that was tough. Exhausted and trying to keep up the pace running uphill is really hard. I slowed a little in the next km and did a 4:48, then we increased the tempo and did the last two km in 4:44 and 4:31. I would never have believed I could finish off like that.

The crazy thing is - I have to run that pace for the whole marathon!!!! So much training ahead of me still...
Run results: 15km in 1:07:00
Total run: 1:12:20 (1km at 5:20 to warm up)

GET FIT CHALLENGE

Okay it is official. Blogger Scott and myself have lauched vicious attacks at each other.
Well that certainly sounds a lot more dramatic than going on a diet!!!

Scott and I both need to lose weight, not because we are fat, but to get down to our racing weight before our key races.

Scott needs to lose 5kg and I need to drop 4kg. Scott needs to lose his weight by mid feb, I have till end of Feb. Might sound a bit harsh on poor old Scotty but my keen dietitian tells me it is easier for a male to lose that weight than a female. Oh and it just so happens Scotty has the added pressure of his race being on the 18th Feb!!

We both know the prizes we are going to give the winner....but we'll save that for a later post.

Rules:
Must still be able to train well (ie can't check in to hospital and have stomach pumped each day!!).
Can't chop off any body parts.
Must maintain fluids - weightloss can't be dehydration.
Must be progressive (ie can't drop 4kg overnight....mmm I wish!!)

Hopefully the joint venture will provide us both with will power and motivation at the times we need it.

*Interruption by Secretary*
Clairies response: no thanks, no Tim Tam for me today...

Ok I'm back - see it is working already!!!

3km Time Trial

That time of the month again. I was sore all over during the warm up but was confident that I had done everything right. I had an early dinner, was in bed before 8.30pm, wore my long skins, had plenty of fluids beforehand. I was pumped.

The warm up and strides didn't feel too good but as soon as we started I was on fire. I was flying along and did 1:45 for the first 500m. Then I realised how silly I was so I slowed down and let the lead pack go. I was quickly overtaken by others and eventually made it to the turnaround at halfway in 5:58min. I was on target for a sub 12 and was feeling really good.

Then the wheels came off. I struggled past Tess and more people overtook me. Just as I reached Tess the 12min pacing group went past me and I groaned aloud I think. I had no excuse I just didn't want it enough.
Going up the hill I almost stopped to walk so I knew mentally I was in trouble.

I struggled home and 400m from the finish I saw Matty coming up, I increased the pace slightly and then when Matt reached me he told me to run hard and think of Canberra. so I did. Simple as that. As usual I sprinted hard and it didn't hurt anymore than the running I had been doing but I was damn fast. I flew past 'Afrikan Will' who had overtaken me 200m back and kept going till the finish. I crossed in 12:14 and was happy with the fast finish. At the 500m I was on target for a 12:20 finish so I had smashed the last few hundred metres. Now I just have to get the desire to do that the whole 3km!!!!!

Running Update # 2

Friday: 3km Gym treadmill, 60mins weights/stretching. (ok 60mins laying down on the ground pretending to stretch my back.

Saturday: 23.5km Mini River Loop through St Lucia, Indooropilly, Yeronga and back to Southbank skipping West End. A good run with fast moments and slow moments. The slow ones were at the end. That may sound logical but I had hoped that I would be able to finish strong on my long runs by now. So the plan for next weekends run is to go easy and be able to finish as strong as I start.

Sunday: 55min beach run. The run that was not supposed to be. I have a suspected sore foot. Well it IS sore but I am hoping it is nothing overly much to worry about. It doesn't hurt when I am barefoot :)
5mins knee high water, 5mins soft sand, 5mins hard sand. REPEAT 3 times finish off with 10mins water running to cool down.

Monday: Rest Day....I need it, first day back at work and I have the Holiday Is All Over Blues.

Running Update

Just a quick one.

Starting to feel very weary. The aftereffects of the flu thing and also the amount of training of late.

Tuesday - Speed session at Pats. Only did 80% effort but kept the recovery time down to compensate.

Wednesday - 16.5km. Went out easy, upped the pace midway, came home easy then did a hard last km - well it felt hard but was only 4:30min/km pace. I was very tired...and cold...and wet. It rained pretty much the whole run.

Thursday - 9km. Mount Cootha trails. Was cool again this morning and Chris had a plan to make us work for it. He sent us off in groups A, B & C with 2mins in between each starting. I was in group B. The idea was to catch the members of the group in front of you. I did that within 15mins but was also overtaken by the C group quite easily (oh dear..). It was fun but the weird thing was we all worked so damn hard it was our fastest run ever on that course. Coach was very impressed. I was very sore. Icing my ankles now as they were hurting alot from the downhills. I need new shoes :(

New Years Resolutions

For the past few weeks I have been suffering from a bad chest cold that has caused me to not do many runs.

Christmas Day I had the pleasure of running with my running buddies and then wheezing whilst I watched them run many more laps than I was able to.

I rested a week after Kurrawa and then ran again because everyone was doing the Green Bridge initiation run. I just couldn't miss out when everyone else in Brisbane was christening the new bridge. It was a 17.5km run and I honestly can't recall going up some of the hills. But the bridge I remember. It was lovely. Thank goodness it was overcast and not overly hot.

I went to bed for three days and was generally miserable.

Christmas Day I had the pleasure of running with my running buddies and then wheezing whilst I watched them run many more laps than I was able to.

I felt much better a few days later but decided against running hard for a week.

Saturday we did the Green Bridge run again - the opposite direction for the loop. It was fun and I realised how much I had missed out on the previous week.

Sunday 31st we did the New Years Eve run up Mt Cootha. It was tough but I felt great and loved it. Tess was tearing up the hill and I was amazed and in awe of her running ability.

This morning - 1st January 2007 I ran again with friends and did an hour running around the city greeting all those that felt seedy or for other reasons were on their way home after a long night out. It was fun but I was ready to just go back to bed after finishing.

The trek towards Canberra has begun and I am keen to get stuck into my training now.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES.