Stupid Stupid Stupid Me

Okay so that was a short hiatus away :) I'm back for Robertsong's sake so he takes up the challenge to post again and keep it going to the NYM!

Actually I'm also back on line as this blog is a place to vent my emotions (good and bad) on how my running is going. Well today it is not going great and it is all my fault.

The last three days have seen me do some decents runs, all with some component of high intensity. This morning was going to be easy but still midrange in length (18km). I got to 9.7km and BANG the freakin hammy (I think I have no idea really) just started grabbing. I stopped when it really hurt (10sec later) and stretched it a bit. Started running again and made it 300m. 10km in 5:20min/km pace. The next 3km to get home took me 40minutes. I'm not even sure the garmin measures that slowly!!! I had lovely company to take my mind of it and just talk as I walked and limped back to my car.
I got home and had a shower and was intending to get dressed for work. I woke up 90mins later at 9am!! I had laid on the bed and thought "what went wrong??" and the next thing I was snoring!! I am just overworked (in running and at work). Its been great though and nothing too stressful so I have been very excited to be maintaining form and keepign to my program but today was a big wake up call.

I'll sort it out and find out what it is - (the injury). I know what I need to do to avoid it - stretching, strength and a slower build up to mileage. I just pushed myself too hard too early. Completely knew what I was doing as I was doing it but it felt great and I kept it up.  Stupid me. Stupid 10% rule. heh heh heh

Fingers crossed its only a small hiccup and nothing more serious. I've never had a muscle injury before. Its weird.

Ciao Kiddies

I have my program through a coach at NYRR now and it is in another online program so unlikely to duplicate what I am doing by typing it all out here again. I am going to aim to still update my blog from time to time on how I am FEELING about my running and put down significant race posts so I can look back on it historically. Maybe a monthly wrap up.

To finish out the week last week I ran:

Friday - Mount Coot-tha, awesome run. Did a bit beforehand as a warm up and to extend the distance. I'll keep doing this.
Saturday - tough love. Had Billy in the pram and we headed out on a hilly route. It was a tough 18km. Getting up the first big hill was so bad but Damo came back down and pushed Billy up for me. Not a nice road that one!! The average pace was around 5:24 for the run but my garmin had posted 6:02 pace as I did not stop it at some places.
Sunday - was not a good day for personal reasons and I didn't run.

The week begins again and I had an awesome fantastic run this morning. I just love running in this city and I am sure the route I took is going to quickly become my favourite one to do in early mornings.

The Week In Review II

Interesting doing this Thur-Wed. I might have to adjust to match my training schedule but for now am in a bit of a habit of blogging on Wednesdays. Its good for hump day - few days of training in the bank and preparation for the weekend to come. So here is the past seven days:

Thursday: 18.5km of hills. No walking. I found this very tiring after doing hills in the two days leading up to this session (Mon/Tue).
Friday: 10km Mount Cootha (hills) a lonely run and again HILLs. WHY??? I must be punishing myself for something. I didn't find this run as hard as yesterdays and was pleasantly suprised with my energy in getting up the 2km ascent. I did crash and burn at work later that morning though....
Saturday: 25km LSD.  Was going to be a mystery run but we have done every course in Brisbane. Turned out to be a reverse river loop. Interesting and the run past quickly. Tess gave me some gu with 8km to go that seemed to perk me up when I didn't even know I needed it!
Sunday: 5km easy. Loved this run. Down to the Gold Coast coastline to catch up with my son playing in the parks. Superb run with maybe a bit of a hangover so happy to get out and get some fresh air.
Monday: 10km @ 5:22 pace. Starting to focus on the pacing of my runs now instead of the 'intensity' level as I measure it. Should keep me honest though I am a bit worried there does not seem to be any rest days coming up *insert horrified face*
Tuesday: 13km:  3.5km warm up followed by 6 x 1km efforts on the sandy beach at Hervey Bay. Awesome run and was really happy I managed to pull this one off. I have not done 1km efforts on my own for years! Not to mention I got to my hotel and didn't eat dinner so was 'fuel-less'. The efforts all averaged around 4:27 with the last one being one of the quickest ones so I was happy to finish strong. 3.5km warm down back to the hotel and crashed in the spa bath. Divine.
Wednesday: 15km - 5km warm up that seemed to be crazy fast. I dropped back after this so I was at the middle/back of the pack out to the turnaround point (10km into the run). I knew everyone would race back to the start and I didn't want to get caught up in their passion. Unfortunately Graham pulled up alongside and we started chatting and then I didn't want to let him go. I had to ramp up one or two gears but we were still only doing 4:45 pace. The first two a bit slower and the last two noticeably quicker with average of the last 5km 4:47min/km. After a solid week of running I think the pace was just perfect. I was certainly feeling it but was also secretly happy I was able to do it and not fall in a heap.

New York Training - 16 Weeks

The Sixteen week program starts today. I have two programs. One really hard (supposedly 3:09-3:13 time) and the other one aiming for 3:20 which is the Runners World app on my iphone. Both have more similarities than differences. The biggest notable one is the NYRR program the coach did for me does not have many rest days. Starting today the first day off is August 12th!!! but they do give you a flex day that you can use as your body requires (to have off or run easy or cross train whatever you feel like).

I don't have a great track record for keeping with programs...so it will be interesting to see how we go. In NY I just want to be able to run sub 3:30 very comfortably and enjoy the surroundings.

P1 - 13km @ 5:22pace
P2 - 7Mile @ 5:34pace or *Flex*
Actual - 10km @5:22 pace

The thing I have noticed the most about these programs is they don't have much mileage for the long runs but keep throwing hard runs at you. I am used to doing long runs each week and a mid week long run, a hill or speed session through the week and the rest as easy/steady runs. Both programs have runs every day ranging in hardness and specicifity of toughness. I guess thats what I have never done so only one way to work out if it will suit me.....!

The week in review

A few days of rest and the training begins..

Thursday: 15km @ 5km pace. Tough gig at times on my own but very very enjoyable.
Friday: 10km Mount Cootha (hills) a great run with Tesso and ran with strength but not overly hard
Saturday: 16.5km easy. Nothing too long. Everyone still recuperating or recovering from the marathon so this was more just for fun and to keep the mileage in training.
Sunday: 5km race. Ha! This felt hard but the time wasn't that tough. 22:19. My legs were so heavy and my breathing was heavier than an elephants in a monsoon.
Monday: rest day
Tuesday: 10km warm up and cool down plus 3 x 2.7km hill circuits each one timed with the middle loop a race. I hope to increase the number of circuits but still keep a decent time. I love this loop.
Wednesday: 10km - after hills last night it was tough and my legs were tired. It rained the whole way and should have been miserable but strangely relaxing. The end of the run was much easier than the beginning but I was glad to stop. Tonight....stretching is on the menu.

Gold Coast Half Marathon 2012

Another pacing gig at the Gold Coast Marathon is done and dusted and what a run it was. This year the start was not as crowded as previously but I was soon to regret saying that as the crowds hung with us the whole way with no tapering once you got going!! Definitely need to talk to the organisers about some staggered starting times next year.

We had about 300-400 runners with Tesso (Pacer A doing gun time) and me (Pacer B doing net time) and it was a tough gig to run consistent pace when you could not even break into a decent run for 3km. Guess it doesn't help when you are wearing clown shoes *snigger*

I loved telling everyone around the 15-17km mark right before the bridge that they should all be hurting right now. I had someone tear up when I then said WE ARE ALL HURTING RIGHT NOW it's not just you. It's a shared pain and we can run together and finish this race and be HALF MARATHONERS!! (a number in the group are usually first timers).
Such inspiring stories as we made our way back to the finish and I really didn't want the run to end. Saying that though it is a tough day out there. Up at 4am to head to the tent, 6am race start, 8am finish by 9am we were at the 41km mark of the Marathon course and stayed there until noon cheering all the runners on. I got home at 3:30pm and was completely exhausted but wouldn't have it any other way. I hope I am always fit enough and keen enough to do the pacing gig. It is my favourite run of the year and gives me so much inspiration to carry on with my own goals that I need to include it as a MUST DO. I was 1sec per km out this year (1:59:40) as my garmin was on the setting that stopped timing when it sensed you were stopped (ie water station or when I turned around to talk to other runners and once when I was running backwards and then stopped and waited for this one guy to stop crying and be able to run again) so I knew I was a minute or so out and just had to fluke what time I was running in at.
I have to say one of the funniest things was getting asked to pace in the Sunshine Coast race in August. We tenatively agreed so when I got home the first thing I did Sunday night was log on and check out the run and the course. Proudly sponsored and raises funds for RONALD MCDONALD House. Pissing myself laughing....of course they want the clowns to pace!!!!