Update

I have been so busy at work lately I haven't blogged - when you are pregnant you really try to work harder so that people don't label you with the usual stigma of pregnant women.

Anyhow two major tenders in two days. If they pay off, I'll be able to afford twins after all :) Just kidding.

Still running at Pats and am getting out on my bike more as well which is good for overall fitness. My weekly mileage is below 50km which is pretty miserable but then again - every run I am really enjoying and nothing is taken for granted anymore.

My knee still gives me grief every now and then but nothing I am worried about. In fact since being pregnant my hip has not been a bother at all - which is totally amazing. So I think the hormones have fixed that issue that has been plaguing me for over a year.

I'm sure I will be much better once Canberra is over with. It has been hard to watch all my friends continue to train for that event whilst I just plod around and have no (running) goals. Heh who knows once Canberra is over - that first week afterwards I might even be able to keep up with Tesso :)

I am starting to look forward to Canberra - because for me now it will be a holiday. Chance to catch up with the family and with friends. Watch some great running and eat copious amounts of pasta.......aaaah the life of a non-running marathoner :)

Update

Okay so now you all know I am pregnant and not just overeating...... :)

The road has been tough on me with Canberra so close away but really at the end of the day as my buddy Tess says - "there's always another one". Marathon that is!

Went along to Pats this morning and did 8km. Did the warm up and cooldown with a bit thrown in the middle. No actual speed work, just a faster jog than the warm up. It was fun because there was a crowd in the group who were going only 80% as they are racing on the weekend at Mooloolaba Triathlon so I was able to stick with them - better than running on your own.

I am really missing not running long distances (funny I am not missing speedwork too much hee hee) but after receiving an email from CR Queen (Dawn Tiller) I have a better idea of what I can accomplish during the next 30 weeks. A simple 10km a day is 70km a week - which is where I usually like to be at. After the last few low weeks I'd even be happy to be running 50km a week for the next few months.

Oh and btw if anyone has a cure for 'lunchtime sickness' please let me know. It seems to be between 12-2 when I feel most unwell. Aside from that - all is well.

Two Days Training

WEDNESDAY
Tutor Tesso said it would be good to go to the gym...so I did. Ran on the treadmill (=airconditioning) and it felt fantastic. The heat really has been rocking me around lately.
I ran for 8km and could have done a marathon (and more importantly WANTED to) but I had to go to work. Felt really positive after this session as it is something I can see myself doing for a long while.

THURSDAY
A nice cool morning so speed session at Pats was looking enticing. The warm up was good - I got the chance to catch up with Tesso (we hadn't spoken for amost 48hrs, excluding emails of course) and before you knew it the session was started.
5mins, 4mins, 5mins, 4mins.
I was running quite slowly and still found myself in the middle of the pack which really shocked me. There is a fine fine line between running fast and hurting and running slow in regards to the distance you cover in 5mins. I am so amazed that when I've run really hard I only gain another 300m or so to when I am running comfortable. Just like that person who is so far ahead of you and you just can't catch them in a race but you find out your times were only seconds apart!!
Amazing stuff and running slowly - you get more time to think about it all.

The head was pounding a bit on the return efforts from the exertion (ha ha) so I walked a bit here and there but overall was happy to just be out there running with no knee pain.
On the last effort Pat knew I was not at 100% so he asked me to take the music box (in a pram) up to the last hill where we would all be finishing. Yah...so I didn't have to do the last effort after all and just pushed the pram for 600m and sung and danced like a lunatic who'd just won the lottery.
.....anyhow I had fun and that's what it's all about.

Month to Date

I have only run 55km so far this month. That's just about what Tesso ran on the weekend *gulp*

Thurs 8/3 - 8km
Friday 9/3 - gym
Sat 10/3 - 15km 5:48 pace

Anyhow....I am really missing my running. Well I am still running - but I am missing the long long runs and the speedwork that I have been opting out of.
I was all geared up to go to Pat's this morning with my new fancy hat (courtesy of Tess) but after doing hours of vacuming and scrubbing last night I wasn't very well so decided to not run.

The Six Foot Track results have been amazing and I have been reading them over the past two days in awe. If anyone wants any motivation to run -you only have to look there. Some fantastic results and awesome performances. But when you realise how hard the run is - anyone that finishes is a champion in my eyes.

Now is the exciting time because the focus around Australia shifts to the next big race - CANBERRA!!!!

Easy Run

Started at the Regatta this morning at 5.30am - got there just in time. Staying in bed with the sun coming up later is already looking more welcome!

Tess was there - Toasty, Ciaran and Tara had already left to go and do more km's than what we were planning.
We ran out to the gardens and just kept a good 5:00 - 5:30 pace going the whole way stopping for the odd drink and to wring out the clothes from all the rain. Certainly got very cold and wet towards the end of the run - but neither Tess nor I were complaining, it was wonderful to run in.

12km all up and I am starting to feel that I will be at the start line of Canberra but will be taking it very very slowly. Maybe 4:30 pace. 4hrs 30mins that is!!!

CANBERRA ALL BOOKED

I was going to be driving down to Canberra for Easter with my family and then staying on for the following week for the Marathon.

Now I will be just flying in on the Thursday and coming home Monday afternoon.

I am really looking forward to the Marathon. I am having alot of problems running at the moment and have many niggles so it is unlikely that I will be running it on Doctors Advice - but I am still keen to go down there and watch JD, Toastie, Celeste, Blue Dog, Eagle, CJ and many others running it again. I am very excited.

My running partner iliketoast is not going to have the torture of running alongside me helping me achieve a pb of sub 3:20, so I hope that he works extra hard and runs a PB for both of us doing closer to 3:10. mmm no pressure!

I also hope Tess makes it to the start line. But if not it would also be fun to be together on the sidelines cheering everyone one.

Thanks for all your support.

8km Fish Run

8km Regatta Run - coach said to run 4km at 5min then turn around and run 4km back in 4:30min pace.

The first km was dismal at 5:12min - but I always warm up slowly so wasn't too worried.
Each km after that got faster so I decided to keep it going that way and I would be happy.

I knew I would have never been able to run 4km at 4:30min/km pace. I had 300ml of blood taken over the past two days which fatigued me a bit but moreso the weather was absolutely humid this morning. I thought I was hallucinating when another runner mentioned the breeze was really nice - obviously she was walking a lot - but thankfully Tesso backed me up and said it was one of our most humid days so far this year. Thank goodness - I was starting to feel like it was just me!!!

Anyhow, at the turnaround I was doing 4:50 and then got it down to 4:45, 4:40, 4:32 and final km was 4:31. I was very tired when I was running. My legs were really hurting and I thought I was going to spend the day in bed. My HR was also high for an 8km effort - around 165bpm.

But within a minute of finishing I felt great and wondered what all the fuss was about. Didn't eat for about 2hrs after my run - second time this week - which really annoys me as it doesn't help the diet or the recovery!!!!!

Now just one big bloomin long run to get through tomorrow and it will be a new week.......

PCRG - Final Countdown

Pat was talking about a countdown to Gold Coast and all I could think of was how many training days I had left until Canberra.
There are 33 more days of training. Following by 13 days of taper before RACE DAY.
Of those 33 days I am likely to need a rest day each week. So that is less than 30 days available to me. Holy Moly.

Today we had 3km warm up; 1km; 500m ; 1k; 500m; 1km and 3km cooldown.

I worked hard on the efforts but it was easy to tell that I was exhausted from the running and travel of the weekend gone by - even with a rest day yesterday. I heard Pat say 1st km was 3:58 but I started in the group after and I don't know when he started his watch. It was very confusing. I didn't wear my own watch because I didn't want the pressure of running to a time. The rest of the efforts I just tried to keep up with Tess and Celeste.

It was really good because on the last 1k Glenda ran beside me and told jokes whilst i was trying to breath, then she went onto somenoe else and I was struggling and about to die when Celeste went past me and said my name - which made me stick with her. It was a good feeling to be able to find something left.
When I finished I was very red faced and breathing really hard. I am sure my HR was way up. I decided to run down easy but when I started running I realised that my breathing got under control and I was able to keep an even pace all the way back until just at the top of the goodwill bridge, where I again faltered and slowed a bit.

I am happy with the session today and can't wait to do another Canberra Training Session. I just don't know how I will be able to manage holding it all together.

A hectic life:

Friday 16th - 3km race - crap run, 12:36
Saturday 17th - 12km - ha ha so much for long run
Sunday 18th - 10Miler - 1:19, felt great.
Monday /Tuesday - Sydney for work - no running
Wednesday - 20.5km Average 5:10
Thursday - Speed, PCRG. Mix of good and bad bits, slow and fast bits.
Friday - 12.5km throughout city of Sydney courtesy of Tour Guide Tesso.
Saturday - 5km race (21:06) 2km warm up and 3km cooldown - including Lilyfield hill rep
Sunday - 34.5km with JD, Eagle and Tesso. Average pace 5:03. Was a bit faster than that as I left garmin on when walking up some stairs very slowly (it was the last km!!!).

Feeling great now and ready for a kick ass week of running! Rest day tomorrow and then straight back into it again.

Canberra = 6 weeks to go~!!!!!!!!!!

Friday - Gym and Race

Hopefully Steve has signed off his computer and gone to get ready for his big marathon...so he won't see this post. I am resting - truly I am!

Actually this morning I WAS really lazy and just did a very short stint at the gym. More like laying on my towel pretending to stretch when I really was getting some extra zzzz's.

Tonight is the Brisbane Running Group 3km Challenge - a 3km race through the botanical gardens in the city. Sounds like fun, will hurt like hell and be followed up with a well deserved drink!!

Can't Wait! I'm dying to run again - it's been 51 hours since I last ran.......

Midweek 10Miler

Toastie, Robbie and I headed out for our usual Wednesday run from the Regatta, over the Storey Bridge and through Southbank back out to the Regatta. I cut the far corner by 300m so I calculated that today instead of 16.5km it was a 10Miler!!

I felt good during the run but was just keeping it an even pace. As soon we got on the bridge I turned the ipod on for some support. It was on the song that I was meant to finish with on Saturday at Caboolture...so it made me feel so good and strong that I surged quickly. The calves felt better for a bit of a fast run so I then decided to do a bit of fartlek on the rest of the way back. Made it hard to keep with the boys who must have thought I was playing games with them :) well I was...but as long as it all helps with the running.

Oh and Ewen, you can keep the 3:15 Canberra Bus Ticket...I'll be happy for a ride on the 3:19:54 bus. Thats the big goal.......

Speed Work

Turned up at Pats for another session this morning. And before Steve or Ewen growl me for it, let me say that I only turned up because it was Pats....and well you can't miss a chance to run with such a great group of friends....AND I didn't really do any speed work.

I took it easy and covered around 6km for the session and just floated as everyone else was doing 30/30 efforts. It was fun to not have to run hard.
I just couldn't imagine a Tuesday without starting it at P.C.R.G.

36.5Km Dusk Til Dawn - Caboolture Run

For starters - I have been forced to the new blogger so please resubscribe if you want updates. I'll be hunting down anyone who doesn't........ :)

What a night!

Right now I have a very sore toe and my walking reminds me of my grandmother and her cane...I don't have a cane. My stomach is aching from cramping all night (not during the run thank goodness) and I have been drinking copious amounts of water to flush my body.

Despite all that I had a great night. It really was a dream run. If you go to www.coolrunning.com.au you will see all the experiences of the night there from other runners as well.

As for myself, well it all started when Tesso picked me up and we spent several hours mischieviously laughing at our lack of preparation for this event compared to last year oh and the fact that Tess had been asked by our mutual buddy to load music on her ipod. Little did Lizzle know that Tess had put on all a total playlist of hilarious songs and we went through them laughing the whole way up to the race site.

It was good when Matt and Toasty arrived. I felt like the Running Buddies were there in full support. Toasty had no ambition to run this race other than to do what I was doing and be supportive in my build up to Canberra. He really was looking forward to running (NOT!!) and during the freak lightening storm decided we both had to pull out and not run tonight. Well rain or not we lined up to tap the hands of Geoff (Toasties partner) and Glenno (my partner) at the 3 hr mark and head off for our 3 hrs of fun.

I raced off in the first lap, primarily to get out of the crowd that had all turned around at the hour change (directions of the loop changed every hour). As I finished the first lap,Mark was just starting his first lap so I then had the impetus to run hard for another lap to go past him. Soon after 5km was up and I was telling myself to calm down and slow it up. I had been averaging 4:40's and the goal was to A. achieve 35km in 3 hrs. First and foremost this is what I really wanted.
After the first 20 laps (10km) I had a gu. The next lap was quite slow as I allowed the gu to digest - a race strategy that works for me. Then I told myself I would never get through this run if I focused on the time. Each lap the clock only moved 2:30minutes - so it would have been like watching a pot boil.
I told myself to get through the next 15 laps and my family would then be there (they had all been out go-karting all day until the storms hit). Sure enough..there they were. Then I told myself to go hunt some buffalo to get me through the next 10 laps. Here I told my lapscorer to yell out and do a dance when i hit 60 laps. I had decided I would be able to keep it steady until then and perhaps then be able to do a hard 10laps to finish it off.

At some stage she yelled out to me about 60 laps so I started running hard. After I did 10 laps I stopped and went up to her table...it was only 66 laps. Obviously she had been yelling "nearly 60" when I thought she said 60. *groan* So I had a tough mental decision to make. Run hard to finish the 70 laps I wanted or just run easy (I had time). I decided I was hurting badly and the best thing was to finish strong and I wanted to finish ASAP. So I umped the ipod and Choirboys saw me pump out some fast (for me) finishing kms. I was really happy. At this stage I again finished and went up to the scoring table and was told I had completed 71 laps...aarrrgh.
I walked along and told my scorer and others who were encouraging me to run that I had done what I had set out to do - 35.5 km in 2:55. Then the Bufflo (aka toastie) came up and pushed me along telling me to run the time out with him. It was really good for me and a very emotional lap as we jogged along and I realised I had achieved my goal and then some. All up in 3hrs we did 36.2km but tonight they included the last lap as they required you to run to the finish instead of staying on the course so the scoresheet says 36.5km.

I just loved all the support I got during the event and especially before the event from all the blog comments. I have a mobile device so i get my email on my phone. Even when we were travelling up to the race I was able to read inspiring comments from you all that you posted on my blog. It was all just great. I can't thank you all enough.
Thanks also to CJ I hope to be able to put up some fancy photos for you to see. Unfortunately the one with the camera never has shots of herself....or should I say fortunately :)

LATEST

Sorry guys, but I think I'm going to have to refrain from blogging next year, but thats okay, after the olympics I'll be back


Just a ho-hum rest day today.

Lazy Sister

It was fun at Pat's this morning. We had a great turnout - of newbies!!! OOOOOWWWEEEENNNN finally dragged his sorry ass along. And I am sure he enjoyed himself and wasn't really sorry at all :) *waves*

Tess and I ran very easy to ensure we didn't injure ourselves or overtrain before Caboolture. All up I believe 9-10km. The rest of the group did:
3km warm up
4min hard, 30sec rest
4min hard, 30sec rest
turnaround
8min hard all way back
3km cooldown

It doesn't matter if you run easy or not. Doing 10km is still a load on the body.

Talking about loads on the body - my sis is piling on the weight from slacking off in her training. I asked her why she had lost motivation. She said she was fully motivated but too scared to train. I thought this was weird until she went to her local pool and took some shots for me - these are from Darwin.

Wednesday Run

How droll....had 20km @5min pace in the program.
Managed 10km @ 5.28min pace.

Just didn't feel up to it this morning despite the fact that I had made up my mind to cut back the mileage to assist me with my run at Caboolture this Sat. I don't think I could have done 20km anyhow!!!

VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR....

Wonder who's going to kill the Video Stars??????????

Tess and I fronted up to Pats determined to have a great time and enjoy the day. It was really fun. We did the warm up slowly....not because we felt bad but because we wanted to get on the video ha ha ha ha As it turned out the cameraman wasn't ready by the time we went past him so we sped it up.

Once in the gardens it was great to see so many others there for the session - over 100 of us! ****101 TO BE PRECISE**** We had hill reps - which sounds bad but is a fantastic session that really works you whilst allowing you to see and cheer others in the group. For any newbies it is a good one to come to - they get the full support and encouragement as opposed to an out and back course session.

I did the first lot of hill reps as best I could. Then I picked on some others who seemed to be slowing or otherwise needing encouragement. Anna B was doing well until I pulled up alongside and yelled at her to get moving. Told her to mentally 'push all the paperwork off her desk and focus on getting up the hill'. It seemed to work and she put in a great effort.
Next on the target list was Cassie - she is doing 6hrs at Caboolture this weekend and I suspected it was her last hard session before then....so best make it work I thought! I pulled up alongside and raced her to the top. She did so well, I know she is going to have a good run on Saturday.

Next I heard Pat tell us to finish it off. So I cut short the recovery (and got the full disapproval of PUNTERMATT) and went up the hill again. Toastie didn't like me being in front so he zoomed past with every last ounce he had (I could tell as he didn't even wave when he went past).
It all seemed to be over so soon.

On the cooldown Tess and I took it easy and made our entrance back to the group in true style - on the back of Flash and Phantom that is! Will be amusing to watch in the video.

After a quick lippy application and change of hat, I was off to stand beside Pat and Tess for the group shot. Very proudly I might add.

I just love being a PCRG runner!!! (ps it's not compulsory to do the 20 pushups after a run, but if Tess does em - I have to. If I do em, Toastie has to....and on it goes...)

Long long long run - Saturday

36km in 3:19

The Garmin showed a few hundred metres shy of 36km but I am confident I did the distance anyhow. I was keen to keep going to finish off with a snazzy 36:00km showing on the garmin but wasn't feeling too crash hot so decided to stop being so anal about the exactness of the distances and finished it there at the car.

Cooled down in the pool for 5mins before heading to the cafe for breaky.

At breaky I got unwell from all the food smells. I was very nausea-ish and my body was trying to get me to lie down on the cool floor and forget about the world. I got through and ate my eggs and rye toast before coming home and collapsing in the shower.

It is moments like these that my husband questions my 'healthy' sport.

Thanks to Toastie, Tess, Matt and Celeste for running the distance with me today. I can honestly say it never felt like that far so I was really happy with the distance. We ran average 5:40min/km pace which hurt at first to run that slow but I fell in the groove and it suited me okay for the last 16km. My final 2km I picked it up to just over 5min pace but I was really buggered then and looking to finish.

Thursday No Watch Run

Out there again at PCRG. Really makes my day worthwhile when I start it with a run with the group.

11.2km averaged 4:40min/km pace

Tess and I had a plan - to warm up, then run 4:40 pace, then ease off before doing a fast 1km no-watch-run.

It was not much fun out there this morning. I was trying to be focussed but was actually finding it a bit hard going. I ran slowish to warm up, ran several 4:36, 4:40, 4:41, 5:05 and a 3:56 to finish. All up the average was 4:40 but rest assured there were some slower k's in there somewhere!

Now - like CJ I am severely looking forward to tomorrows rest day before a big 36km run with Tesso & Mark on Saturday.

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*