Gym session

I am back at work today- though afternoon shift is good because I can walk Bella and go to the gym or for a run without rushing around. I did make it to the gym but because of the silly cold I took it easy- just 10 mins treadmill, 10 mins stair climber, 10 mins cross trainer then my weights program. I was puffing just walking to the gym so I didn't expect any great workout.
I got on the scales and I have dropped 1.1kg since I last weighed in which was good news, getting my weight heading back in the other direction was a big priority recently so I am glad that it is sort of working.
I had lunch with a friend and I won't tell you what I ordered but let me just say if you want a fantastic $3 pizza in the vicinity of Chapel Street, head to the Lucky Coq! It is perfect those of us who are fiscally challenged sometimes (recent purchases have included 4 dining chairs, 2 bedside tables and 2 lamps).

Another sick day

Due to your overwhelming support for the sick day I have taken another one- well actually because my head feels like it is going to explode and I seem to be spending a lot of time face first into a box of tissues. I have been drinking a lot of water but it just means my naps are ruined by toilet breaks!
I feel like crap for not doing any exercise since Sunday but I don't feel like going out in public- so once these rotten pills start working I might try a Pilates video- gotta do something.
Yes Deege, I don't feel guilty about taking "mental health days" when I am not physically sick- I always feel like I have earned them! We get 9 weeks leave a year though, so they are few and far between.

Off Sick

My head cold didn't go away despite my very early night so I decided not to go to work and share the love around! I shuffled out of bed a while ago and have spent some quality time on the couch hoping that my head doesn't explode. I have also been trying to avoid the kitchen- a. because it is a mess and b. because then I will eat too much.
I checked the blog archive and I didn't get sick after my last two HM so I am just blaming random germs for this one.
I always feel guilty for taking real sick days but this is disgusting so I am sure my colleagues don't want me snuffling and sooking beside them. (and I don't want this to linger so that I can keep training- ah yes, so thoughtful and so selfish at the same time).

Rest Day

I had today off but I still did a lot of walking- Bella had some big walks today at varying speeds! This morning I shuffled around the park like an old lady who had forgotten her walking frame but I eventually got a bit more movement back in my hammies and quads. My hip flexors are really sore still and walking down stairs or even a small hill really hurts. I guess I didn't stretch as much as I need to.
Yesterday I took JoJo's advice and went to the pool for a float around but it was pretty cold so I didn't stay there for long- and because the temptation to have a big swim was too great. My knees were a bit sore though so I didn't. I tried to sleep in my 2XU tights but they are just too uncomfortable.
I am getting a little head cold at the moment so I decided to forgo the gym tonight and head to bed early. I didn't sleep very well last night because every time I turned over in my sleep the pain woke me up!
I have decided to HARDEN UP and get back training (sensibly) until I am a lot quicker- 132 days until the Melbourne Marathon. (Yep I am putting pressure on myself all ready)

200th post today but I won't bore you with 200 things about myself!

Trying hard not to feel like a loser

I had a terrible race today- it went as follows:
Got up early and got ready then took Bella for a walk in the park- I wasn't feeling the best and I don't think my normal pre-race jitters can explain the nasty tummy thing I had going on- it felt more like gastro than nerves. I was worried I had talked myself into getting sick so I ignored it. I was a bit worried about eating or drinking anything in the morning in case I had to deal with it during the run so it meant that I was actually feeling thirsty before I had run.

I got to Williamstown in plenty of time for two more trips to the toilet including one stint of queueing in the worlds slowest queue while everyone took their children to the toilet and someone else who was obviously not feeling the best- but I can never change queue once I am committed in case the previous queue then starts moving. Still got to the start in plenty of time anyway. Saw a few people I knew like Superjacent and Smithy.

Once I got started I felt really good- my pace was around 5.45 min/km as I dodged and weaved around the walkers and people who were poor "self seeders". I enjoyed the run and got to encourage Smithy and Steve was they came back past me at the turnarounds.
Once I got to the 8.5km mark, I hit the wind and it was bad, I felt like I was jogging up and down on the spot- I tried to duck in behind other groups but the wind was gusting all over the place and I thought it might be a bit rude if I was right in someones space. We ran into the wind for about 10km and it just ruined my plans of a PB. My iPod battery died after just an hour and a half leaving me alone with my negative thoughts and nasty self talk. When we did finally turnaround and head back with the wind my legs were too tired to pick the pace up significantly but I managed to get back to 6min/km which had been a dream in the wind.
At the 19km turnaround it was back into the wind and I allowed myself something to drink- before that I hadn't felt like a drink- I was probably just after a walking break. I struggled into the running track for the final 200m and I was passed by Cool Runners runrtom and SlowSue who I had been trying to beat after they headed to the toilets at about the 7km mark. I stumbled across the line got myself some pancake and apple crumble (love the rolled up pancake with crumble inside Jaykay and Beki.
So my time of 2:18:xx has made me realise that I need to lose some weight (a LOT of weight), train faster and realise that if there is a coastal wind warning where I am running on the coast then I should be happy to finish.

As for my brief flirt with doing a full marathon, let me say right now that it is not even a remote possibility right now- (I believe you should never say never, never say always- and that is the only thing stopping me from saying I WILL NEVER RUN A MARATHON). I just don't have the mental toughness at this stage.
I did just get off the phone from JoJo who I think must have thought I was feeling a little unbalanced after I declared I was never running again- I felt terrible after my run. I drove home from Williamstown feeling at least 0.19 blood alcohol%. I was all over the road and had to concentrate on staying awake. I walked inside and lay down ready for a nap, remembered I had left my phone in the car, struggled out to get it, came back inside, climbed into bed in my stinky clothes and slept for two hours.
I have eaten and I feel okay- but just so you know Steve- I am not running the half marathon at the Run2G this year- I will do the HM at the REAL Run to the G this year- the Melbourne (half) Marathon in October- I have a lot of work to do before then.
Thanks for all your good wishes. (I nearly dedicated todays run to you runners out there who can't run at the moment, glad I didn't now because you would all be saying "Geez, Sara, don't bother next time!)

Pre-Race Program

Just more of the pre-race program which consists of this:

1. Check www.weatherzone.com.au to see if it is going to be windy
2. Eat some bread
3. Drink some water
4. Check the Bureau of Meteorology website to see if they are forecasting less wind than weatherzone for race day
5. Eat more bread
6. Drink more water
7. Check the Melways so I know where I am going
8. Panic and try to think up believable excuse for pulling out of run
9. Contemplate buying whole new running outfit for race day
10. Become conscious of every little niggle and twinge in every muscle
11. Lose and find race number, runners, sports bra, running shorts, hat and sunglasses three times whilst preparing race day outfit
12. Eat bread, drink water
13. Watch Funniest Home Videos
14. Worry about bad karma for laughing at grannies falling over
14. Go to bed at 7.30pm and continue to worry about karma, not waking up in time, losing car keys etc
15. Get woken up by BF at 2am as he asks would I like some MacDonalds chips to help with carbo loading
16. Consider then decline offer
17. Wake up at stupid o'clock and begin the first of many trips to the toilet!

That is pretty much it, am so sick of eating that the new diet plan which starts after I have eaten pancakes and apple crumble tomorrow after the run, should be easy!

For those of you that love your treadmill check out half-fast- his link to youtube is hilarious.

Walk around the Tan

Got up "early" this morning and caught up with JoJo for a walk around the Tan with Bella - I am still sort of on Perth time which is 2 hours (and 10 years) behind. Resting up from now on and hopefully running a massive PB on Sunday (as long as there is no wind).

I am home!

I got home from Perth last night and I am a bit tired this morning but managed to make it to my physio appointment for my neck and back. I am still really sore and stiff in the neck from my small accident at the park a few weeks ago- a week away from the computer has made me a bit better but I will wait and see how I go on Sunday when I do the Sri Chinmoy HM in Williamstown.

Running
I had three runs while I was away- an 8km along the beach road in Scarborough which was okay but not that picturesque because of all the traffic and the lovely fumes I got to breathe in- it was just a nice gentle run, starting slow and building up to a normal 6.20 min/k pace. I cooled down then had to take Daisy and Harry for a run as well - they are so cute and stopped to stretch with me too!
I ran on Sunday morning along the Murray River in Yunderup which is south of Perth- a 10km run around the streets, some of it with my nephew Harry on his new bike (we raced for one section and I was flying along at 4.30 min/km before I had to admit defeat and let him beat me). I then ran along a little sandy path that runs alongside the creek and home again.
I had a final little jog on Wednesday morning- just a slow 5km before taking Harry and Daisy for a short run as well.
I didn't see that many people running- but every person I did see said hello!

Perth
I don't normally spend that long in Perth but the original plan was to do the Bunbury HM so I thought I would need time to prepare and recover. Instead I just spent a lot of time with my brother and his family- Harry is nearly 5 and he is adorable and so lovely and sensitive, he gives me kisses and asks lots of questions like "who makes sheep?" Daisy is nearly four and she is a little monster- toilet training is a drama and she throws constant tantrums when she doesnt get what she wants- so we had a lot of stand offs because I refuse to give in to her- she locked Harry and I outside while her mum was out shopping and then she couldn't get her out until her Mum came back. I was happy enough reading in the sun!
We went to Yunderup and spent a day out on the boat fishing and crabbing (with no luck) then motored over to a friends holiday house for a BBQ- such a lovely way to spend the day.
It was good to catch up with my brother (and beat him at Trivial Pursuit) and spend some time with the little monsters.

I got to meet Celeste finally and we went out for Japanese - such fantastic food cooked so well and we got to chat about running and work without having to provide much background because we knew a lot about each other all ready. I hope I didn't talk about nasty toddlers too much!

I got up this morning and have read everyone's blogs (160 entries!) and found 51 topics I had to read on Ausrun! I also found time to buy four new dining chairs and walk Bella- she has been bugging me all day, trying to get me to make up for the 12 walks she missed out on while I was away after she was only walked TWICE in the last week- hence the Japanese maples are missing branches and the lawn looks horrendous.

Damn that gym

My neck and back are still sore so I went to the gym today instead of running- it seemed like a good idea....I started on the spin bike for half an hour, making up my own class by doing standing climb for one song on my ipod then sprinting for the next song so I was a damn sweaty girl when I finished. I then thought I would do my intervals on the x-trainer- I did two three before I just got a headache because they are still renovating the gym and they are painting with something toxic so when I was gasping for breath all I was doing was poisoning myself. So I slunked out and went to the supermarket. (before I left the gym I stood on the scales and had the rudest shock of the year- I am fat again, it isn't water, it isn't muscle, it is the product of eating too much because I tell myself that I deserve it because I am unhappy sometimes- so here it is- I weigh 77kg- and that is after I finally got down to 70kg in December, I have put it all back on. I don't know what it is going to take to get me out of this eating thing, but I think I have to just bite the bullet and take Weight Watchers seriously instead of half doing it, I can't keep carrying this bulk around that is for sure)

I am off to the blood bank this afternoon- though they rang me and asked if I would donate plasma instead- they take out your blood, remove the plasma and put the blood back. I like donating because then I get to be all weak and pathetic, "look at me, I am saving lives and I have a huge wound in my arm where they sucked the blood out of me"- I don't know if plasma has the same effect, people might be interested in the plasma process, not my courage and that wouldnt be the same!
Yep, I am on leave and I have too much time to think about how important I am. I won't be posting for a while because I am heading to Perth to meet Celeste and I won't have access to the internet, but I hope you have some great runs- good luck Beki for SMH.

Physio

I visited the physio this morning and she gave my neck and back a pounding. Apparently the problem with my back isn't me, it is you- all of you runners and fitness fanatics who blog and cause me to spend the whole day on the computer checking your progress and oohhing and ahhhing about your latest PB or injury! Well it is more likely to be the way I slump at my desk while I am at work everyday. I am not sure if the pounding works, it hurt so much and really still hurts. I have some exercises to do which involve lying on the floor which always makes it highly unlikely I will persist. I do my calf exercises because I can do them at the park while I walk Bella, but I can't see myself doing this all the time.
I haven't felt like exercising at all today- I nearly needed Bella to drag me up the hill to the park (and it is a really little hill). I really like the dog park- there are so many different people and different dogs - I am even starting to learn the owners names instead of just the dogs. Panda B. Bandit is a gorgeous staffy who has appeared on his own blog.

4 laps of the Lake

I had a terrible nights sleep then got up at 5.30 and took Bella to the park before driving to the Lake. I did four laps which is about 18.2km and I felt good! I didn't have any pain in my ankle so I feel happy with the run and I will enter the Sri Chinmoy HM in two weeks time. For some reason the first lap was the hardest and my laps got quicker and quicker. I was trying to stay at about 6.30 min/km but in my last lap I was sitting at about 5.50 without a problem.
The only problem was my upper back- there is a really sore spot that still gives me a bit of grief from when I was knocked over at the park. It pretty much hurt constantly for the last 15km and I was concentrating on keeping my shoulders relaxed and not letting my arms creep up higher than my hips but the pain was pretty bad.
I am icing my ankle right now but I don't know what to do about my back other than book into the physio and find out if I can tape it?? I tape my foot and ankle so much that I think I am using about 5metres a week of tape!
Mothers Day today so we are heading out for lunch because Mum and Dad are in Melbourne after a 60th last night.

I have been bad

I used to drink a lot more, in volume and frequency but I really cut back because it was affecting my Saturday run, but yesterday I returned to my bad bad days. It never occurred to me that being in a shout with boys is a bad idea before- I could easily keep up or even be the one pushing the pace, but now it just makes me drink too much too quickly. So lunch was the start and then by the time it was 7pm I had drunk enough beer to make me witty, fun, skinny and a great dancer (don't worry there wasn't really any dancing- but if there was I would have been a chance to be a new Pussycat Doll)
Thankfully I have an inbuilt go-home meter which always sends me home before I become too embarrassing- my sister missed out on the go-home meter! My lovely pregnant friend Sav was driving so she dropped me home then Bella and I got fish and chips for dinner before I fell asleep on the floor (not for too long)

Anyway, onto more important things:
I didn't run on Thursday morning even after eating too much on Wednesday- I forgot that I had done a massive load of washing and all my running gear was still wet- such a bad excuse. I did run on Friday morning- a lap of the Tan then a loop up to Fed Square and then a little bit more along the Tan to make it up to 10km. Bella came with me so it was slow and she was playing games the whole way along. She still smiles and flirts with men as they run past! The only bad bit was then not having a chance to ice my ankle and then wearing heels to work so my ankle is feeling a bit fragile.
I am resting today then doing laps of the Lake in the morning- trying for a slowish 20km or thereabouts so I can make a decision about the HM in 15 days.

Rest Day

Had another rest day today- not really planned but when I remembered I was catching up with two school friends last night I realised I wouldn't be home early so I set the alarm for a bit later and had a lovely sleep in.
I have to say that my friends are amazing cooks! I am holding them all responsible for this weeks blowout- (the past four weeks have been my own doing) first it was Leslie with her maple glazed salmon, fantastic crunchy potatoes and a wonderful cheesecake on Sunday night, then it was Sally's turn last night with creamy beany soup, fantastic fresh pasta with a lovely garlicky simple sauce and then red wine poached pears.
I am still a bit tired because I got home a bit late so I will be in bed early because Bella and I are going to have a good run in the morning.
I am planning a big run on Sunday morning before deciding about Sri Chinmoy on Monday.

Intervals in the park

I took Bella to the park and after a warm up lap we did our intervals- the plan was 4 laps as quickly as I could but I had to keep an eye on Bella in case she needed cleaning up after, or in case she decided that people walking along having a peaceful morning walk also needed to be jumped all over.
So the splits are:
warm up- 6 mins
1st interval- 6 min/km and 0.55km (that is when I noticed the gentle rise really felt like a hill)
recovery 200m walk- I was knackered
2nd interval- 5.40 min/km and 0.51km
recovery- 200m walk
3rd interval- 5.40 min.km and0.55km
recovery-200m walk
4th interval- 5.41 min/km and 0.5km
recovery 330 m walk
short jog - 2.6km
warm down walk

About 6.4km not counting the walk home and it felt really hard- I was sweating so much because it is quite mild. I did some good stretches and I have to say that I am really not sore after Puffing Billy- I think I tried my guts out but why don't my muscles hurt?? I have been wearing my skins to bed and then taking them off when it gets too hot in the night- maybe they are the wonder pant that everyone says?
I feel quite good- not sure about the Sri Chinmoy HM on the 27th yet but I will keep an eye on the weather for that one.

My name is Dorfus Pottyd**dle

Recovering today- though my legs aren't sore and even my ankle is feeling good. I am planning on the 600m sprints again tomorrow morning- I was thinking I had nowhere to do them with Bella in tow and then I realised that the park where I walk every day with Bella has a track that I have mapped out to be 630 metres!

Below is something I received in an email and it amused the whole office for about an hour:


We all need a little stress-reliever! This only takes a minute.Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you need some silliness to break up the day. If we are honest, we have a lot more stressful days than not.Here is your dose of humor...The following is excerpted from a children's book, CaptainUnderpants And the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants, by DavePilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...
So:-1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your New first name:
A = snickle
B = doombah
C = goober
D = cheesey
E = crusty
F = greasy
G = dumbo
H = farcus
I = Dorky
J = doofus
K = funky
L = boobie
M = sleezy
N = Sloopy
O = fluffy
P = stinky
Q = slimy
R = dorfus
S = snooty
T = tootsie
U = dipsy
V = sneezy
W = liver
X = skippy
Y = dinky
Z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the firsthalf of your new last name:
A = dippin
B = feather
C = batty
D = burger
E = chicken
F = barffy
G = lizard
H = w affle
I = farkle
J = monkey
K = flippin
L = fricken
M = bubble
N = rhino
O = potty
P = hamster
Q = buckle
R = gizzard
S = lickin
T = snickle
U = chuckle
V = pickle
W = Hubble
X = dingle
Y = gorilla
Z = girdle

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:
A = butt
B = boob
C = face
D = nose
E = hump
F = breath
G = pants
H = shorts
I = lips
J = honker
K = head
L = tush
M = chunks
N = dunkin
O = brains
P = biscuits
Q = toes
R = doodle
S = fanny
T = sniffer
U = sprinkles
V = frack
W = squirt
X = humperdinck
Y = hiney
Z = juice

Thus, for example, George W. Bush's new name is: FluffyChucklefanny.

Beaten by a train

I was actually beaten by two trains and a lot of people- but it was such a fun day and I am absolutely exhausted

I got up too early and took Bella for her walk before getting ready and heading to Ringwood Train Station. I had a little sara-time in the car, trying to relax, maybe sleep because I was very early. Then I got the train to Belgrave- though before we left a woman who appeared to be a little rough, shabbily dressed and lacking in a little hygiene boarded the train and said "Has anyone got a spare ciggie?? Spare ciggie for me anyone??"- if she had looked a little closer she would have noticed that everyone was wearing a tracksuit and looking a little fitter than your average smoker!

I got to the start area, one trip to the portaloo, got rid of my bag and extra clothing then joined the loo queue again- with Chilliman for company (in the queue, not the loo). I headed off to the start- bumping into Beki, Deege and Blackbox. Gotta love the National Anthem- followed by the start then... Chariots of Fire theme over the PA system causing much laughter.
It was downhill for ages and all that did was make me nervous, to re-arrange Newton's Law- what goes down must go up.
Sure enough it was heading up and up very soon- one hill that took us to nearly half way seemed to go on forever, I hated every second of it.

The locals had all walked to the bottom of their driveways to see us run by but they must have been tired of clapping and shouting encouragement by the time I puffed past because they were just standing there looking solemn at us. Every now and again someone would shout a bit of encouragment but mainly it was odd stares.

Eventually it went down again and finally we were nearly there- the last little bit was just through the park and it was very steep downhill- I said that I preferred the uphill to the people around me but we all knew I was lying.

I managed to make it the finish line in 83:xx I think- averaged 84% with a max heart rate of 92%. My pace was about 6:15 min/km which I was happy about especially considering the hills where I was shuffling along at 7:20 min/km.

I found the ausrun cheer squad- thanks guys and headed to the tavern with Jo to catch up with everyone. Two beers and an enormous plate of wedges later and I was ready for bed. Jo kindly drove me back to my car and I tried to stay awake long enough to get home. I fought off taking a nanna nap for about 45 seconds when I got home- had a kip for an hour and am about to go out for dinner. I might be a very boring dinner companion tonight.

Still Tapering

The first photo is quite obviously the train race number and the second photo is for deege
I have been tapering for the run on Sunday so I have done little or nothing for the past two days- unless you count walking naughty naughty Bella. The day that I ran 8km with Bella she still had enough energy to start excavating the lawn and then followed it up the next day with about 8 more holes. I have told her that the next hole she digs I will bury her in it.
Not sure whether tapering is going to do anything for me this time- my legs are going to get the fright of their life when I hit those hills. The aim of the game will be to run hard where I can and to tiptoe like a little princess when the terrain gets rough- I am more frightened of rolling my ankle again than I am of the hills.
I haven't been on the net very much lately because I am actually working during the days now while I am at work, and someone who I live with has been looking at certain websites and used up all the downloads for the month so we are now as slow as dial up- grrrrrrrrrr (for both reasons)
Good luck to everyone doing the run and here is hoping I am still injury free this time tomorrow!

Two laps of tan with Bella

Took Bella with me for a run around the Tan this morning so the pace was pretty slow- but she is getting better and doesn't have to sniff everything and everyone as much as she did. She is pretty happy just running along beside me unless there is another dog in the vicinity and then she likes to try to pull my arm out of it's socket.
I did two laps plus the little bit up to the monument that hopefully makes it up to 4km for each lap. My heart rate was pretty constant at 74% though obviously it was a lot higher up Anderson Street. Though for some reason I didn't struggle up Anderson Street - maybe because I was concentrating on Bella or something else- I am still very frightened by the hills on Sunday.
Bella took the opportunity for a bath when I stopped at the start of the Tan so she could have a drink out of the trough there (for some reason there is nowhere else for her to drink) and she jumped into the trough and lay down. I think she has been overheating a bit recently because she lies down in puddles at the park all the time so she ends up all nice and muddy. Does wonders for her coat because she is always so shiny! Maybe it is all that cheap supermarket food that I give her.

5km on treadmill

I took it easy this morning- short jog with Bella around the park then drove to the gym. I had a little run on the treadmill- just half an hour using the plan that I read in Runners World- I did four efforts 600m @ 3km pace with a 3min recovery in the middle, because I didn't know what 3km pace was I just set the treadmill on 11.5km/hr and tried to keep that up. I was just able to keep that pace up without really pushing myself. My back felt a lot better so I didn't mind a little run.
I am going to try to head to pilates during the week as well.
It is nearly two weeks until I head to Perth for a week and I can't wait- I spoke to Harry on the phone last night and he said that we are going fishing when I visit. Last time we went fishing I was a bit unwell because it was quite rough out on the boat and then in the middle of the night I felt sea sick again but it turned out to be hideous gastro that was making the room rock and roll. I don't need that again.