I had a busy weekend starting with another run on Saturday morning, my long run for the week. It was also another back-to-back (B2B) run with Friday’s; that’s twice this week. Contrary to my long held ideas, I didn’t die. And my body didn’t suffer either. This bodes well for continuing back-to-back runs on Friday/Saturday which is a regular part of my program; hopefully so when the runs start getting longer. Saturday’s run was to be 11km, and guessing a route I came in a few 100meters short, but I was happy with my run. The plan with my long runs is to run down to a heart rate of 150, or as close as I can keep it at that. I tend not to look at my pace as that is self defeating and I am teaching myself to think of the long haul ahead. When you are a runner your aim is to run. All my reading has told me that when you are an ultra-runner the aim is to stay on your feet, so that notion embraces walking when you have to and running when you can. I will try to incorporate regular walk breaks when my long runs get over 20kms.
The rest of Saturday was spent lounging around the house. Even though I did do quite a few loads of washing and some ironing and mowed the ever-growing lawn; I still felt guilty and like I’d wasted the day. It was the first day where I had nothing to do and nowhere to go, so I thought it was probably ok to be a little slack. By the evening though I was missing the kids and bored! I went to bed early as Sunday was going to be a busy day. It started with me working on a water station for a Marathon Club event at Point Walter. I had left the house at 5am, so there went any plans for a sleep in. When I was finished there, about 9am, I went collected MGirl after a night out with friends. I had really wanted to have a nap when I got home, but the morning disappeared and I was heading out of the house again just after 12 noon to attend a 4 hour course to become an “Event Traffic Controller”. This was through the Marathon Club, again, and it was interesting and pretty easy. If I traffic control 2-3 times a year over the next 3 years (that’s how long the qualification lasts) then the Club will waive my membership fees. I’ve already paid for this year anyway but my main aim in doing the course was to be able to help out more and meet more people. So now I am “certifiable”! The day ended with walking the dogs with MGirl. FD#1 is a bit psycho lately as she’s been relegated to the bottom of the pecking order; and shock of all shocks, FD#2 came also.
This morning came with the usual start at 5.30am. MGirl quickly opted out of running though, again, I’d been asked to wake her. Think I will give up there! She is great company when she comes, but I figure if she doesn’t want to go, then she could get another hours uninterrupted sleep if she didn’t ask me to wake her! I ended up doing 6.6km in just over 37 minutes, averaging 5:45pace which made me happier. The runs still aren’t getting any easier, but they hurt a little less! MGirl said she thinks they won’t get easier, as the fitter I get, the longer the runs will become, so they will all be hard! Somehow I think she might be right! My enjoyment factor is picking up though, so it must be a little easier. I am looking forward to going up the hills again as I’ve been a bit reluctant with all these bush fires around Perth at the moment. I think this weekend I’ll have to head for the hills; I need a little change. And I’ve just realised that this week marks the end of my first 4 week block, and Week 5 is an “easy” week…with distances baking off again a little for a rest to start another 4 week build phase in Week 6. The nicest thing about today was another walk of the dogs after dark, with both MGirl and CBoy…for a moment it was family bliss; a perfect way to end the day. I commented how nice it would be to do this every night as a family…I’ll let you know if it happens again.
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