50 Sleeps till Bunbury (twas the night before Run4Kids...)

This morning my ankle was very sore so I am not feeling very good about tomorrow morning- but I am still preparing as if everything was going to plan. I had a terrible nights sleep so hopefully I will be exhausted enough to sleep tonight. I am thinking all the blogging and "foruming" has built this excitement up and made me more nervous then I realised that I am just as bad everytime I have a run like this to do, it has nothing to do with anyone else but me!

So there the number is- on my nice green lawn thanks to a lot of buckets of washing machine water- I think I have ruined the carpet and my back!

I think I might have to re-organise my training schedule for Bunbury- my ankle hurts for a while after a run and it doesn't matter if I am running 5km or 10km so I think I will only run every three days instead of every second (with spin, pump or a swim on the others) and I will make those runs count for more than I have been. "work smarter not harder" is the suggestion of a crazy man who was once my boss- and it is the same theory- though I will run harder and smarter hopefully.
Anyway good luck everyone- especially in Perth for the Bridges Run. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone and relaxing at the end.

2 More Sleeps! (51 sleeps till Bunbury HM)

No running today, just the usual dog walking.
When I am on leave I spend way too much money so I decided that I wouldnt go to Chadstone this week and therefore would save money and not eat too many gyoza. Today I accidently drove to Moorabbin and went to Sportsmart and spent $202 on 2XU compression tights, body glide (my bra has been killing me lately and my heart rate monitor rubs me until I bleed) and two dri fit tops. It is so much cheaper than Rebel- though not as convenient- but I have been looking for inexpensive dry fit tops to replace my heavy cotton ones. I know it is a bit silly but I am going to wear the t-shirt for the first time at the Run4Kids....What could possibly go wrong!
I have started to carb up a bit- not like in October but still having a bit more bread than is normal and I am cutting out dairy (apart from that tiny bit I just had in my coffee) to see if that helps me on race morning.
I am off to lunch with a long lost friend from uni who has recently returned from living in America and has a beautiful little girl called Matilda.
(Technically last day of leave so I am also trying to do all the other things on the list that I wrote on Sunday night!). Drycleaning.....massive pile of handwashing...

3 More Sleeps!

I just got back from a 5km run around the tan- I took it pretty easy and realised that now I have calibrated my heart rate monitor/ foot pod correctly I have established that I can easily run at 6min/k- not the 6.45 that I thought! So hopefully my real race pace will be in the 5min/k range. I taped my foot again- it takes ages for me to get it right- I took photos with my digital camera as I took the tape off once piece at a time so that I can watch the pictures in reverse to tape up, but I still stress that I haven't done it right. At least this morning I shaved my foot- not that I have Hobbit feet but it was hurting so much when I took the tape off.

My run this morning was not as easy as I thought- I have really taken it easy because of that silly ankle and I am very concerned about Sunday.
I have accepted that it is going to hurt- and not just my ankle, I am very underdone and I should be feeling fresh now but I am feeling a bit unfit.
I am getting the 7.26 tram from the end of the street which should get me there with half an hour to spare (easily) so I can drop off my bag and queue for the toilets and then meet the ausrunners in the rotunda. I have to tell you that everytime I think about the run, I need to go "powder my nose"- I hope I can harness this nervous energy and get it working for me not against me!

I dreamt last night that I was running in the race and I kept taking my track pants off and running along the track (with lots of stairs for some reason) then I would look down and I was still wearing my track pants so I would take them off and start running again only to find I was still wearing my track pants. The worst part is that I woke up with a blister and I was sweating like the proverbial!

Sarah-the Tan track is the path around the Botanical Gardens close to the city- it is about 3.8km and was once covered in tan bark so it is called the Tan. If you went past it now you would be so excited because no matter what time of day there are people of all shapes and sizes running, pushing prams or walking around it.

Short Run

I went for a very short run yesterday after I taped my foot up like it was part mummy and I had no heel pain whatsoever! I didn't run very far 5km along Orrong Road to Toorak Road, down Clendon Road to Malvern then back the way I came. I don't normally run along the road because I prefer a track or a park but this was a bit interesting because it had hills and I was running in Toorak just plain gawking at the houses. Money might not buy you happiness but it buys you a big fence to hide all that sadness! The pace was very slow but I got up the hills quite welll and I am planning on using Orrong Road to train for the Great Train Race because it is massively undulating all the way down to the Yarra and back- though it is not very far- maybe 2.5km there.
I had dinner with some girlfriends last night- big on gossip and a great catch up session and I decided to leave the car in Albert Park (maybe too much wine, maybe not but I didn't think it was worth risking it). So Bella and I got up early this morning and walked to the car via the lake. All the Grand Prix infastructure is nearly gone from the lake- but it is all dusty and horrible so it will take a while before it is back to normal.
Not sure about going to spin class today or whether I should taper some more. In "Lore of Running" Noakes says that the reason we find it so hard to taper is because of our ego- we need reassurance that we are still fit so we want to keep exercising to prove to ourselves that we can do it. So I am going to try to ignore the ego and taper properly.

Boring spin

Slept in am until 7am this morning! I am going to train really hard and try to get to sleep in until 8am by the end of the week. Mind you, none of my resolutions or goals have gone that well this year- in fact I can pretty much tell you that I have failed in every single one of them- guitar is gathering dust in the corner, missed my March run due to dodgy ankle flaring up, feel like I am gathering dust while I run, if you only knew how many chips I have eaten in the past week alone you would shake your head and make tut tut noises and as for staying under 70kg I am getting further and further away. I shouldn't be so up beat about it- I should be having a very serious talking to right now.

Went to the physio today- my calves have had rocks in them for the past few days and I was hoping for a serious massage but she didn't think I needed it. All my other ankle problems have subsided- but the heel pain is still there and the physio now thinks it is PF- dammit. So I have had a lesson in taping my foot and a list of other hopeful remedies. I am hoping I can get past the Bunbury HM and then I promise I will have six weeks of no running. The physio said stop being so dramatic- I might not need that at all.

I went to spin tonight and I absolutely hated it- boring music, boring instructor and I really needed someone to motivate me tonight and it didn't happen- maybe that is why I like running- I control the music and I don't have anyone else to fall back on for motivation. I left early and my heart rate was oh so low for the whole time.

Tan, Yarra etc

I had a lot of sleep last night! And then an extra hour this morning- so it was as busy as Bourke St mall around the Tan when I got there at about 7am (though I was thinking it was really 6am!) I ran a lap and was planning on heading back along the river to St Kilda Rd and back down the other side- but I had to stop and go to the toilet in the stinky public toilets. I was leaning over enthusiastically papering the toilet seat (sorry too much information) when my sunglasses fell into the toilet. Good sunglasses too, not cheap ones. I couldn't leave them there so I had to go outside, get a stick and fish them out. I couldn't bring myself to keep them so I left them in the bin.
My run was okay- I didn't push it too hard and only ran 9km. My ankle was fine apart from the lingering pain in my inner heal. My calves were like rocks so I stopped and strectched but it didn't seem to help. I am going to change my phsio appointment time and get them worked on early this week.
Though I have been tapering for ages due to the dodgy ankle I thought this week I would just have smaller runs but keep going to spin and pump but lowering the intensity.
Not much planned for my week off- apart from shopping for new sunglasses.

Rest Day Again

I didn't have much sleep last night - had to go and collect a very damp half drowned BF at 2.30am and then didn't really get back to sleep after that- I am thinking of suggesting that he goes and lives with kathrynoh's housemates and she can come and live here in tranquility.
So I am quite tired and don't feel like doing anything. I have next week off so I have planned a week of short runs, pilates and pump- if I do half of it, it will be a miracle.
It absolutely poured yesterday just when I was taking Bella for a walk- but it felt so nice that I kept walking until it was raining so hard that Bella was heading for home without me.
I went to the Adidas sale this morning- I got there two hours after it started, queued for 20 mins to get in (and I refuse to queue to get into bars) and there was nothing but desparate people fighting their way through boxes of bad polo shirts. I will resist the urge to tell you the thoughts I was having about my fellow tight a$#es- lots of people who might wear a lot of leisure wear EVERYDAY and never do any exercise, and who might wear their good Adidas trackpants to court if they were ever required to attend to answer charges relating to their lowered Commondoore. Ooops, that bit of nastiness just slipped out. But I am pretty sure that the people who started the Noble Park "riots" might have just updated their wardrobe.

Boozy Book Buying

I didn't go to spin this morning- I took Bella for a walk and came into work at 7am- I hate being here early but it means I can leave early and I have a valuer coming to see my flat so I can get a loan for a newer car.
I went to WeightWatchers last night- it was as bad as I thought- 75.6kg (Okay worse than I thought but only by 0.1kg) so I have put on an amazing amount of weight since Christmas. Time for that to go before I end up back where I was. I am going back to fat club next week so that I can record an amazing drop in weight due to not eating any chips over the weekend or next week. I am sure I can do it.
After fat club I caught up with my friend who has been working in East Timor and I resisted the urge to drink a million beers as is usually the case with this friend- and I left the pub only a little bit "socially excited". I then decided to go to Borders and buy a running book- I am sure the sales assistant was bemused by my glassy eyes and boozy breath as I paid for the "Lore Of Running" (have been reading good things about it on the net while I am supposed to be working- I am a little under- utilised at work and I hate it). I also bought the new Norah Jones CD too so I might have been more socially excited than I thought.
Anyway I am going to try to get to spin or pump tonight after the valuer leaves but I don't know how successful that will be.

3Laps of Tan

Woo Hoo- so exicted that I ran a but further WITH NO ANKLE PAIN- I am back! I am not concerned about the Run4Kids anymore- I felt good, and my ankle was fine, though it is a bit tender now that I have cooled down. I didn't run very fast (av 6.20 m/k- fastest 5.15!) but my heart rate was fairly normal (max 89% and average 78%).
It was so foggy when I started off (after walking Bella which is always a good warm up for my ankle, it starts off sore but after the 2.5km walk it is usually feeling good) and it took me a while to get my rhythym but then I felt fine. I started thinking that people who run in daylight are a bit slower because I was actually passing people and this never happens. Then I thought- maybe I am getting faster!
About a year ago I would run at 5am and there would be four other people I would see everyday and we would wave at each other and say hi- it is so busy at that time now- and I imagine it might get busier when daylight savings finishes and it is a bit lighter. Maybe the depths of winter will test their mettle.
Weight watchers tonight (then meeting a mate who has been away in East Timor for a few months- at the pub) and I am predicting a significant increase to about 75.5kg- no point starving myself today just to get a few grams off, just eating sensibly and committing to going to fat club every week from now on until I can trust myself again.
Thanks so much for all your encouragement and positive comments, it is worked a treat and banished my ankle pain!

11 Sleeps Till Run4Kids!

I ran last night- it is such a rare occurrence for me to convince myself that I have run out of excuses and I have no choice but to run, in the afternoon, with normal people, not early morning freaks, in daylight!
I went to the tan with Bella- I was going to do 8km if my ankle let me but the good news is my ankle was fine but Bella was a pain, she just isn't fit enough to keep up so I only did 6.5km and the pace was terrible. It was still very humid so I sweated buckets despite the continual stops while Bella pretended she was going to pee then just had a sneaky rest. I made it back to the car, stretched and went home. I considered running a few more km in the streets around home but I thought I should just quit while I was ahead. No ill effects with the ankle this morning- I had it in the icy bucket on and off all night and I am pretty happy with it. I taped it as best as I could like the physio said to, but I was so sweaty that it started to peel off. I also taped my foot to make my heel a bit fleshier and more padded to land on.
This morning I did spin after I took Bella for a walk- the class was really good. I made sure I got my heart rate up quickly into the new target zone and then kept it up even during the recovery periods. We did intervals and it was a great workout- hill intervals and sprint intervals- just the sort of thing I should be doing while I run!
No muffins yesterday and I am going to try for no muffins all week! I will also try tonight to cook something healthy instead of something easy.
I AM GOING TO WEIGHT WATCHERS TOMORROW NIGHT- I really have to get rid of this extra "condition" before Bunbury.

Shaking Like A Rattle

I had to start work at 7am so there was no time for a run mainly because I had to water the garden at 6am then jump on the tram- damn these water restrictions, It would make more sense to just launch stage 4 and then I could water the two trees I have when I am bucketing out the washing machine water. I feel obliged to water my Japanese Maples because they were so expensive and I nearly killed them by assuming they didn't need much water.
Anyway I have started actually taking the vitamins that I keep buying- I thought it was a bit of a waste when I cleaned out the bathroom cupboard and there was a lot of money tied up in bottles that I am never organised enough to open.
So I bought a pill container that only just fits in the morning and afternoon doses- so I am trying to remember to take:
Iron - to stop the anaemia
Vitamin C- to help the iron absorption
Fish Oil- weight loss and lubricating the joints (??)
Chinese Arthritis and Joint vitamins- repairs sprains, treats bursitis and
Anti Imflams- for my damn ankle

I didn't have a laksa or pad thai last night! I had my left over rice and that was it- and today is the day of no more muffins. I am starving and I would love an enormous muffin right now even though I just had lunch but I am sure I can make it. I just had a lot of vitamins so that should fill me up! I hope they don't get together and cancel each other out.
I get to finish at 3 today so I will try to make it to spin or I will be taking Bella for a run...at night- I am not sure if it is possible yet, maybe I just can't run at night, maybe I am just not cut out for it.

No Laksa, No Pad Thai

When I decided to run this morning I forgot to take into account my sore neck- not a running injury, more like a sleeping too long at a funny angle then waking with a start and giving my neck a big ole jerk when I woke up - it really bothered me all day- especially on the bike because I couldn't turn to look behind me, I would physically have to turn my whole body around and that is a recipe for disaster.
So when I woke up this morning, my neck was still very stiff and sore so I went back to sleep until BF got up and made so much noise it was like he had a brass band playing. Eventually I got some more sleep and Bella waited patiently until 8 to go to the park.
Then I went to spin class- the instructor was really good and I got a great cardio work out. I rode home, had to get off my bike to cross the road again because I couldn't look behind me. And I have been doing all the tidying, cleaning and vaccuuming that escaped the weekend.

My weight loss is now solid weight gain- so I have decided that my grandiose plans of not eating chips or bread for a week are just not working so I am going to have to make everyday the Monday that the diet starts. So today my resolution is not to have a fatty laksa or enormous pad thai tonight while I am on afternoon shift. The boys all like to head out and get something cheap and enormous and I am just going to say no, and get a clear wonton soup for dinner. Wish me luck because I can usually start pining for a serve of pad thai that is too high to jump over at about 5pm. I have some "fried" rice to take to work as well so I should be able to avoid those fantastic muffins from the canteen also- I must learn to ignore them.

Deege- I am inventing new names for muscles -the IT Post is (in sara's world) the muscle that runs up the inside of your calf- I can't remember what the physio called it so I had a stab- I am sure proper medical types would tell me I am very very wrong- but I am fairly confident they don't read my blog.

No Run Today

Got up late this morning and had to take Bell for a walk because she had already punished me for sleeping in and had dug a hole in the turf. We had a quick walk and then I had to ride to Elwood and collect my car which we left outside a friends house last night after waayyy too much red wine. Then I had to take Bell to the vet for her yucky ears. I just wasted today- my sister brought around the Little Miss Sunshine DVD and even though I have already seen it I watched it again- I just love it, such a funny funny movie.
I did go to Pump class and I have to say my arms are getting competitive for the favourite body part- my biceps got a massive workout today. Then Bella and I had a walk to Toorak to return the video. I am absolutely knackered now and not long out of bed.

Can't decide whether or not to go for a run tomorrow or not- my ankle is okay and I really think I will try a 5km run with the option of extending if doesnt hurt. I am on arvo shift so it would be a shame to waste all that time by not running.

Running with Craig Mottram

Okay he didn't run, and I didn't get close enough to him to actually say I even stood with him- more out of fear that I would be overcome with awe, prostrate myself on the ground in front of him shouting "I am not worthy!".
He had answered some questions in front of the whole group but generally just stood around looking tall, gorgeous and fit (in every sense of the word)- then he just ran up Anderson Street and he was gone.
I joined the comfortable 4km run and it was pretty easy, I can run and have a conversation without a problem (until Anderson Street) . My ankle didn't hurt one bit while I ran though it did hurt a bit when I had stopped- but that is not running pain, it is walking pain (yeah right).
So I am icing my foot now and I am hitting the anti inflams also. If I am allowed I might try a 10km run on Monday morning- though I was supposed to ring the physio and leave a message first.
I did Pump last night- very aggressive instructor- shouting at people for packing up early and belittling the woman who asked for the music to be turned down. She was nasty but she kept me on my toes because I didn't want to attract her ire for doing the wrong thing.
I stepped up the weights as well.
Man the cars are noisy at the Grand Prix- by tomorrow I will trying to get so far away from the city- might find a track to take Bella for a walk.

I am just back from my training day/night and it was a bit of a morale boosting exercise, getting to know everyone else in the office who we have been bumping into at the photocopier but didn't know their names. It was actually a lot more fun than I thought- we stayed in Trawool which is miles from anything and we had some get to know you sessions and some "team building" stuff. Then there was drinks, a swim, dinner, a fantastic guest speaker who told about policing war crimes in Sierra Leone and a lot more drinks and ......karoke. You will all be relieved to know that I decided my office has a bit of respect for me at this stage and so I decided to save my Dolly Parton "9 to5" rendition for another time. I made it to be at 2am but the boss finally got the karoke machine turned off at about a quarter to four after hearing the fourth version of "My Way" which apparently once was his favourite song.
I had a swim this morning to clear the head and then we had more training to do before returning to Melbourne.

So I am sitting here, a little seedy, and I was thinking that a few slices of buttery toast would be the answer- then I read Kathy's blog and I have decided to get back into the weight loss regime- which means going back to Weight Watchers and taking what I eat seriously. Kathy has lost 40kg- she is absolutely amazing. So no toast for me- I am going to walk Bella then going to pump class.

My ankle is okay after my run yesterday- slight pain in my ITpost (?) and the inside of my foot but nothing that gives me concern.

Went for a run this morning (5km at Tan) - with Bella so that I didn't get the urge to run too far and it didn't hurt too much but it did hurt. My leg and heel were still taped but it was the inside of my heel that was hurting. The physio says I definitely don't have PF which is good. I have to ice my leg and ankle now so I hope I am not tasked with driving today.
Bella had a good run- wagging her tail and flirting with anyone else running past - she does this to men, children and old people- sorry ladies you don't get a look in! But she also does it the manequins in the window of Witchery. I stopped running with her when she started limping a while back so I didn't want to take her any further- she has to "canter" to keep up with me now instead of just "trotting" but I am not sure if she has been getting slower or I was getting faster!
So I am off on a training day today and tomorrow which means I won't get to run etc but I will be there Saturday morning at Run4Kids training at this stage.

Physio

I saw the physio today (after a great girly catch up with my mates Kendra and Sav) and she says there are about three different things going on with my right foot and it is all about trying to treat one or two without aggravating the others. We have no idea why my ankle/ heel was unhappy on Saturday or why it still continues to complain. My ankle is always swollen a bit but it looked bad today so there was a bit of massage to try to move some of the fluid on.
The plan is more icing, more stretching- try two light runs and then I have to leave Mary (PT) a message about how it is going.
So I am missing Run4YourLife at Daylesford on the weekend- I was looking forward to it but now I will run tomorrow morning before work then again on Saturday morning- might do the comfortable short run (and get to see Buster!)
I am not scared of running R4Kids- I will be a bit underprepared but I seem to do all my runs like that and I don't think it hurts. I am not really scared about Bunbury either- but I would like to progress not slide back down into despair.
My leg is taped at the moment - to support my ITpost (??) - inner leg and my foot is taped around the ankle because despite there being plenty of flesh and padding on the rest of my body, there is very little on the heel of my foot.

Anyway I just had the bank man come out and go through the loan process with me. I am one step closer to a better car (still about three weeks away). I drove a Mazda 3 today and quite liked it- and I loved getting to test drive without the car salesman- though this is the first time that I have been allowed to do that. I must look trustworthy.

How To Measure Your Calf Muscles...

1. Get a ruler and place it so that it is at ninety degrees to the wall- or take a piece of tape with centimetres marked on it starting at 0 and place the 0 end against the wall at ninety degrees.
2. Place one foot at about 10 centimetres out from the wall and bend that knee so that it touches the wall. If you can touch the wall, move your foot back a centimetre and try again. If you can't touch the wall then move your foot closer to the wall and try it again. Keep your heel on the ground.
3. Repeat with the other foot.
My best left leg stretch is 12cm but my right leg is 6cm! That is why I say there is 6 cm difference in the calf muscle- I am sure it isn't actually 6cm left but the physio says that when I am facing away from her she can see the difference in the size of my calves. Normally I would like them both to be small- but I have inherited my mothers small calves so I don't worry about their size- now gluts are another story. Calves are definitely my favourite body part. (What is yours??)

Anyhoo, I went to spin this morning and realised that I have been taking it way to easy in spin because my heart rate monitor was calibrated poorly. I worked so hard to get my heart rate up to 65% within minutes of starting the class (it is all downhill when I ride my bike there so it barely registers) and then battled to keep it going up and up. My max was 88%- though we were supposed to be doing intervals and 90% was my goal for two minutes. I averaged 70% which is not as good as my old heart rate monitor (!!) but still better. I had to leave early to ride to work and have a shower. I remembered my towel this morning- not like yesterday when I had to sit in my cycle gear (mountain bike street clothes not garishly hued racing bike lycra!) until my BF came to work and brought me a towel- the paper towel was never going to cut it.

20 days until R4Kids

I did go to pump last night and I am just starting to feel it in my legs- oh it is going to hurt! I realised that because it is a public holiday today the gym doesn't run its usual classes and that means no cycle class to get these wooden legs moving. So I am back to pump tomorrow morning and by then I will really be hurting. Normally I don't really load up the bar because I don't want sore legs for my run the next day, but because I am not running again until the physio looks at my ankle I am going to load that bar up until it hurts! (not really- I am such a wuss) I might head to the gym this afternoon after work and make up my own spin class. When I said spin wasn't really exercise, I should have added that this is a new thing- now that I think I am a runner I don't even rate swimming as exercise because I don't get the tired, good hurt, exhaustion feeling that running gives me. I sweat buckets in spin class but I don't go home with legs that feel like they couldn't take one more step like running sometimes does for me.
My ankle still hurts to walk on- and last night it was hurting while I was trying to sleep so I hit the nurofen again. That probably sounds bad, but it has been like that for a year, just a bit more chronic now.
I put some tape on the carpet so I can monitor my calf stretches- so far my right calf is still 6cm shorter than my left so I have left the tape there so I remember to do the stretches.

Enough posting about not running- two more sleeps until I can see the physio.

The plan

I felt miserable for a while but I know that I am fit enough to do the Run4Kids without really pushing it in the next three weeks so I will just do spin and pump until I can see the physio so I should get some sort of effect from training my legs and doing strength work. I will hit the anti-inflams, fish oil and everything else I can find in the medicine cabinet- including iron tablets. I am just concerned that the physio will tell me to stop running and I am definitely doing the Bunbury HM with Celeste.
So off to Pump tonight.
Oh- I test drove a car yesterday- nice and boring off white Toyota Corolla- and the salesman must have used all the text book moves "So Sara, can you see yourself owning this car?" I think he meant "Silvano, I can see yourself spending the commission on this car". Will wait and see.

Too much pain

I made it out for my run a bit late this morning- it was 7am and definitely light around the Tan when I got there but I headed off feeling very good. I had a bit of ankle pain when I started but I was ignoring it as usual and made two laps without a drama- the pain was getting a bit stronger and it wasn't just the usual inside ankle pain, I started to get pain up the inside of my lower leg too. I did another lap and it was really sore, almost the whole way around the ankle, up the leg and I was starting to hate it. I was pretty unhappy because I had so much energy, I wasn't tired and I was easily maintaining a 6.20 pace. I left the tan and headed off along the Yarra just to mix things up, but as I jogged along the track I just felt like I couldnt run any more because of the pain so I turned around and walked back a bit. I tried running again and thought that it wasn't hurting but then I realised that I was only using the ball of my foot and I was doing proper limping/ running. So all up I managed 14km of pain. I made it back to the car and came to work where I have made a physio appointment and sat here in miserable silence. I think it is time for cortisone.

Still no exercise

I didn't make it to the park today, haven't run, or walked Bella and I am still in my pyjamas- lucky I am on arvo shift. I woke up at 5.30, ipod charged over night ready, running gear laid out, ready to walk Bella and then do a massive run before it got too sunny. Unfortunately I woke up with massive pains in the stomach like the worst period pain, but with some crazy pain in the back thrown in. I felt awful and hunted around for some drugs, any drugs- preferably nurofen plus, couldnt find anything so I let Bella in and we went back to bed in the spare room. I eventually went back to sleep and then after my boyfriend realised I wasn't out running found me some pain killers I slept until 9.30. My gut and back still ache a bit so I am not running today either.
It makes me pretty unhappy when I don't do anything for a few days (and I don't really count spin as exercise) so I am pretty determined to do my long run Saturday now- that means missing Run4Kids training sessions which is a shame because I really enjoy them. I also have to work Saturday so I can get my run out of the way, ice my ankle at my desk then come home for an early night. Thanks for all your advice about resting- it makes me feel better about not running- I aways feel that if I don't run nearly every day then I am heading back to my old pre running fat days.
I have been strapped for cash recently- hence the frantic search for cheap running shoes that eventually bore fruit- and I desparately need a car that doesn't sound like a truck (or racing car as my nephew described it). It would cost as much to repair my car, as it would to buy it- those 94 Laser TX3s are worth a hellofalot these days!
So I am topping up the home loan and getting a newer car- my brother said it is either financially irresponsible or very good economic management. I am very excited- even though I can't quite afford the lovely car my sister just bought - Audi A4- it would be nice to have something that Bella doesn't hear when I am still 2 km away. The boys I work with have agreed that some people (who frequent Chapel St on a Friday night) would pay a lot of money to have a car that sounds like mine!

No exercise (24 days to go)

I am having too many rest days at the moment because I am struggling to stay awake- I considered calling in sick this morning but then I remembered that I don't have any more days "without certificate" and I didn't want to go and bother a Doctor, tell some lies and get one. So I reset the alarm, got another hour in bed then took Bella to the park. I did some power walking around but I wasn't kidding anyone, I was supposed to run about 8km this morning. I was thinking about doing it tonight but then I remembered I am going to have a long run tomorrow morning so I will just do that instead- then maybe go to Pump class so I won't feel so bad. Time for me to really hit the iron tablets I think because I have been eating lots of spinach, chicken etc and it isn't boosting my energy levels at all.

Spin class (25 DAYS UNTIL RUN4KIDS!!)

I went to spin this morning before work (after taking Bella for her usual trot around the park) then rode my bike to work. After fiddling with my heart rate monitor limits the other day I really struggled to get my heart rate into any sort of anaerobic/ aerobic zone- previously my 65% limit was 122 bpm, but now it is 138! At spin class I have to work so hard to get my heart rate to budge, it really wants to hang around 110 and I have to try so hard, mess around with the resistance and pace to get it up into a zone where my heart will be working- so now it is even harder! I know that nothing has changed, just the silly numbers on my watch, but it still messes with my head when I am struggling to work up a sweat.
My max heart rate was only 76% and my average was 57%- though the ride to work has some easy flat sections and finishes off with a fantastic gradual downhill and my heart rate would back off a lot.
Anyway, glad to be back at work after two more days re-training in certain aspects of work that apparently require six monthly updates.

3 Tans

I have had the last two days off running and I though my knee was getting better but it still hurt a bit this morning. I took Bella for a walk then ran three laps of the Tan- I averaged 6.24 min/km and my heart rate average was 154 (73%)- and my max was 183 (86%).
I was supposed to do intervals but I didn't think I had the energy to keep any real pace up. My diet has never been very good or very bad but now I think I need to make a decision to only eat things that will be good for me- I am so tired all the time and although I get up early, I get to bed very early too. I think I could be a bit low on iron- because of the no red meat thing it is easy to slip a lot.
I am going to have my long run on Friday because I am on arvo shift and I am going to try drinking a bit more while I run and try to find a gel that I can have while I run that does not have the consistency of snot! It was pointed out on Ausrun that my half marathon is closer to a marathon time so I need to prepare for it that way with my hydrating and fuelling etc.
Last night I was getting some chairs from my sister and I was parked in the carpark under the flats where she lives in Toorak- a girl rode her bike into the car park and I instantly was checking out her t-shirt because it was a Nike one with the power song written on the front- then I had a closer look and it was the same girl who I see every week at the Run4Kids training sessions on Saturdays! I had actually just emailed her that morning because she hadn't seen the photo of the runners in the Herald Sun so I had emailed her a link to Andrews blog so she could see herself in the photo. She lives in the same block as my sister. I was so spun out by the "small world" thing.
Anyway her Power Song is DangerZone and I think it is great. I was unsure of mine but now I have decided on "Black Betty" by SpiderBait

R4Kids Training (d-8.5, w-32.3,m- 23.5,y- 229.2)

Saturday morning I made up for being a nasty minded person and went and collected Leslie and her two dogs and went for a walk with Bella. Leslie was very grateful so I plan to call her next week when I can also.
Then I went along to the Run4Kids Training session at the Tan. I went with the 10km "comfortable" run but in the end we only went about 8.5km - it was pretty warm and I wasn't wearing a dry fit top so I was a sweaty sweaty mess. My heart rate maximum was 92% and my average was 82%. As we headed back I tried to stretch out the last 2km with a bit more speed- there was a break away group up ahead and I tried to catch up but then they just sped away from me but I tried to keep the pace up. I started my effort at 5.30 m/km but when I got to the bottom of Anderson Street I was back up to 6min/k.
I had to hurry home after the session because Prue was coming to pick me up because we were going to the farm.
I was still red in the face and sweating a lot even after my shower when I got in the car- but I think I cooled down by the time we got to Ballarat, then it was another 90 minutes in the car with my muscles slowly seizing up before we were home.
Bella loves the farm - swimming in the troughs, rolling in dead things, eating heaven knows what.
Mum and Dad were baby sitting a 3 year old and a one year old for the night so we were instantly changing nappies, wiping noses and playing hide and seek.
We had some friends over for dinner which was fantastic- though I "accidently" drank a whole bottle of sparkling burgandy, two brandy and drys and a shot of limoncello. I woke up a bit slowly but didn't feel any ill effects which was lucky because I was being shadowed by a 3 year old who wanted to help me while I assembled the patio heater we bought for Dad for Christmas- the patience was wearing a bit thin!

Spin class

I worked till late last night so I really struggled out of bed at 5am this morning- I have been having very bad sleep recently- I collapse into bed and fall straight asleep then wake at about midnight thinking it is time to get up, and then continue to wake up throughout the night.
(Right now there is a bloke in my office shouting at his wife on the phone- and he doesn't even need to use the phone, I am sure she can hear him anyway- but the best thing is he is shouting "STOP YELLING" continuously at her- gotta love how professional some people can be- I obviously got more sleep than he did)
I walked Bella then rode to Spin then left early to ride to work- all by 7am- I was still asleep when shouting man starting ripping into his wife, but I am really awake now.
I am planning to go to pump tonight, but we will see how that goes, my dedication falls off in the afternoons.
I am going home to the farm tomorrow so I should definitely get a run in tomorrow morning. I think I am going to start doing my long run during the week when I have afternoon shift instead of the weekend.
As for my new shoes- I was just going to buy them from Rebel- bite the bullet and not worry about $30- 40 that I could save by ordering them over the internet- athleticedgeonline have them for $180 and I can get them at Rebel for that. But they don't have my size- I rang Sportsmart and they have my size and sometimes they give you discount if you work for the "emergency services" so I am just going to get them there, tonight!

Tan and Yarra (d-15, w-23.8, m-15, y-220.7)

I had a pretty disappointing February- didn't really run as far as I wanted to- so I have kicked of March with a 15km run this morning. I am on arvo shift again so I got up at 5 as usual and walked Bella before driving to the Tan. I did two laps then ran along the Yarra to Macrobertson Bridge then crossed over to the Richmond side and ran back. My foot pod decided not to play for a little while and then joined back in- but it was pretty close to one of the signs saying how far it was to Punt Road so I was able to work out the distance- I will check it with www.mapmyrun.com .
I have adjusted my heart rate maximum to 211- which is just one beat above my last previous highest reading- it was about 15 bpm too low I think. So today I averaged 76% and my maximum was 87%- far more normal readings. My maximum pace was 4.21- I think that was when I did a "vanity fartlek" at the end because there were people watching.
There were so many cyclists on their way to work and they look fantastic- the flashy coloured lycra clad bodies of those on racers who just whiz past you almost too close, the more mundane street wear worn by those on mountain bikes and then the lycra clad older ladies on more sturdy bikes who ring their bell as they go past.
The plan is to do some weights today at the gym, spin tomorrow then Run4Kids training on Saturday.
My new Polar watch has a function where it can display number of days until an event- so now I have a countdown on my watch telling me how long to Run4Kids- 31 days and counting. Every time I look at my watch I am reminded- it reminds me of a book I had to read at school and there is a phrase that I love "At my back I always hear, Times winged chariot hurrying near"- might have to google and see where it is from- unless someone can help me out?