That’s me! Ever since MGirl’s bright idea of squats became part of my day, my quads have been stiff for the last four days. And I’ve only done two sessions of squats on Tuesday and yesterday. When I can get to the point of not being stiff daily, from only two squat sessions, I’ll throw another day in here and there until I am at the point of doing them daily. If I not walking like Cliff or John by that point, then I’ll build up to twice daily. The problem there will be a time factor I think. It’s getting hard to fit things in!
Poor FD#1 hardly got walked this week. Thanks to MGirl (on holidays) and JGirl (visiting on vacation), at least she’s been walked a couple of time this week. I don’t want her to slip down the totem pole, and walking her is good recovery for my weary legs…but if something or someone has to suffer through lack of time I guess she will love me regardless. She might just be a 55kg mass of bouncing puppy because she has too much energy, but she’ll still love me!
Yesterday’s gym session was cut a little short with trying to get CBoy to the school bus (which leaves a little earlier than last year’s) and I had to drive him to the stop. Also, the truth is I slept in until 6am, and fluffed about until 6.30; so if I were more organised I’d have had time to finish. I am quite pleased with my efforts at getting up even though I am still exhausted from MGirl’s birthday weekend. With another busy weekend ahead, I think I’ll be lucky to stay awake until 8pm next week. I am generally in bed before the kids anyway…I must be getting old!
This morning I was up at 5.30am and I woke MGirl (as instructed!). She even suggested I pull off her covers and MAKE her get up to run with me. She has said this twice this week already, and each time I’ve woken her she has groaned and said she was too tired to run. So this morning when she tried the same thing, I was a little less sympathetic and told her it took all of my energy to get myself out of bed in the morning, if she wanted to come it fantastic but it was her choice and I wasn’t going to make her come and struggle to get her out of bed. She surfaced a few minutes later and by 6am we were headed out on a 9km loop along the river near home. The runs are still not easy but with my little pace-bunny charging along beside me I knew I was running better than I had been (but still at a slower pace for MGirl) but it was still difficult. And the runs aren’t even long yet! I focused on making it easy by being aware of how I was running. MGirl seems to bounce (grrr) and I was…well, I can’t describe the difference between us when I saw our shadows on the path ahead…but hers was slim and tall and bouncy, and mine was just… well, was just a shadow. (Stick with the program, stick with the program was running through my head…don’t sweat it, it will all come together).
Meanwhile I was sweating it and MGirl was ahead a few paces (trying to run slower, which she’s told me is hard!), she’s turn around and slow down and wait for her mum…what a sweat girl. I was happy when we hit the driveway and clocked off. I did also note that my legs weren’t hurting at all since my return to running after our holiday, so I was thankful for small mercies and headed inside to get ready for the day. I iced my calves (preventatively; I don’t want my legs to go AWOL again) and got CBoy sorted for his day. While I was making his lunch I checked the watch and the time it took me to run the same 9kms last week. With the pace-bunny along for the run (and not pushing me Commando-style) I managed to cute 10 mins flat off my time! That made me happy; happy and tired I headed off to work.
Now just to get through the busy weekend ahead!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
February 2nd 2011 – It seemed like a good idea at the time…
You know when someone makes a suggestion to you and you think it’s valid and take it onboard and make changes? Well, today I am paying the price for it…big time. I’ve been strutting around doing my “Cliff Young Shuffle” because MGirl suggested that I should be doing “500 squats a day Mum”…but maybe I should start with “50 in the morning and 50 at night” until I build it up. I’ve been told, repeatedly (by people who know) that the terrain of the Death Race will absolutely, without question, thrash and shred my quads! Stripping sinew and muscle from them with every ascent and descent, until they are a quivering blob of unresponsive flesh! Such a good image and probably not so sinister! So vivid an image though that I’ve decided to up the ante and work on them more NOW…at least that way there is more muscle to strip away!!
Seriously though, I fully expect them to take a pounding, and I plan on them surviving. So torture now is a must. Yesterday when I did my weights session in the carport (which I’m quite enjoying) I decided it was time to quad-up (so to speak). I found the perfect element of torture…a broom handle…and squatted away. I did both lunges and standard squats (legs shoulder width apart). It is quite amazing how much these hurt, and how heavy your own body weight becomes after a few short reps. I did 3 x 15 of each type and I thought at first it would be easy enough. I was wrong and what is even more amazing is how much more they hurt today! When I woke this morning for my run they weren’t feeling too badly, but post run was a different story…and the more I sit at work the stiffer they become. I hope they feel better tomorrow, because I’m using the gym again and, of course, squatting. I really would like to get to 50 a day AM and PM – I think it’s a good goal to have. And if I manage it, then I’ll do some more.
This morning’s run wasn’t any easier…I’m imagining it will take a few weeks before anything starts to feel a little less like torture! I figure as long as I am able to read the program, I can train…even if it is slower than I’d like. It’s been ok following it so far, but I’ve skimped on the bike and swim sessions last week, and didn’t bike yesterday and there is only a remote chance of swimming tomorrow. I just need to get into the routine I guess…and I’ve put the weights in there on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the moment. I’m thinking of not swimming as I had so many problems with my ears when I used to swim 10+kms a week while doing triathlons that I don’t really want my head to fill up with water again, though it is a good easy recovery session. Cycling is good; I definitely have to make myself include that.
So, easily distracted aren’t I, the run this morning. I have a really busy weekend lined up and I know I will be unlikely to run (if I do it’s a bonus) so I am making my runs this week a little longer so I get more mileage up over lesser runs. Monday was 5.5km, this morning I went 7.2km in a time of 43+minutes. Tortoise pace at a 6min/km. At least I am going and I am feeling positive in will start to pick up speed in a couple of weeks. I will miss the hills this weekend but perhaps I can be organised enough on Friday morning to get up there mega-early and run before work.
Cboy started at a new school this morning. If the Education Department wouldn’t remove the kid that beat him up, he and I decided it was better to move him. I hope this turns into a positive experience for him; fingers crossed. MGirl is busy finalising her uni enrolment and she is really excited! I can’t believe I am the mum of a university student!
Seriously though, I fully expect them to take a pounding, and I plan on them surviving. So torture now is a must. Yesterday when I did my weights session in the carport (which I’m quite enjoying) I decided it was time to quad-up (so to speak). I found the perfect element of torture…a broom handle…and squatted away. I did both lunges and standard squats (legs shoulder width apart). It is quite amazing how much these hurt, and how heavy your own body weight becomes after a few short reps. I did 3 x 15 of each type and I thought at first it would be easy enough. I was wrong and what is even more amazing is how much more they hurt today! When I woke this morning for my run they weren’t feeling too badly, but post run was a different story…and the more I sit at work the stiffer they become. I hope they feel better tomorrow, because I’m using the gym again and, of course, squatting. I really would like to get to 50 a day AM and PM – I think it’s a good goal to have. And if I manage it, then I’ll do some more.
This morning’s run wasn’t any easier…I’m imagining it will take a few weeks before anything starts to feel a little less like torture! I figure as long as I am able to read the program, I can train…even if it is slower than I’d like. It’s been ok following it so far, but I’ve skimped on the bike and swim sessions last week, and didn’t bike yesterday and there is only a remote chance of swimming tomorrow. I just need to get into the routine I guess…and I’ve put the weights in there on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the moment. I’m thinking of not swimming as I had so many problems with my ears when I used to swim 10+kms a week while doing triathlons that I don’t really want my head to fill up with water again, though it is a good easy recovery session. Cycling is good; I definitely have to make myself include that.
So, easily distracted aren’t I, the run this morning. I have a really busy weekend lined up and I know I will be unlikely to run (if I do it’s a bonus) so I am making my runs this week a little longer so I get more mileage up over lesser runs. Monday was 5.5km, this morning I went 7.2km in a time of 43+minutes. Tortoise pace at a 6min/km. At least I am going and I am feeling positive in will start to pick up speed in a couple of weeks. I will miss the hills this weekend but perhaps I can be organised enough on Friday morning to get up there mega-early and run before work.
Cboy started at a new school this morning. If the Education Department wouldn’t remove the kid that beat him up, he and I decided it was better to move him. I hope this turns into a positive experience for him; fingers crossed. MGirl is busy finalising her uni enrolment and she is really excited! I can’t believe I am the mum of a university student!
Monday, January 31, 2011
January 31st 2011 – Major Tom to Ground Control…
Wow, so much time has passed since my last entry. I know few of you will have been waiting with baited breath, but at least some of you will be relieved to know I am still alive and not drifted off into outer space!
It became such a challenge trying to update the blog while we were travelling, that I decided not to bother. I would simply have been updating you about the fact that it was incredibly challenging to run while travelling, and how bummed I was about not running more. I decided that I needed to let go of the idea of running in exotic places as it wasn’t happening. If I kept thinking about how much I wanted to run, I would’ve just brought myself down which isn’t the emotion I wanted to have during our amazing holiday! In Paris CBoy got a cold, the passed it onto me, which I then gave to MGirl, who kindly gave it back to me a week or so later while we were in Kiel Germany. I couldn’t shake it then and ended up traveling with it for the remainder of our trip…coughing and blowing my nose for about 4 weeks, which also made it harder to run. I dosed myself up on various products from different continents and ‘soldiered on’. Although it affected my ability to run, it didn’t stop me from having a great time, albeit carrying a box of tissues wherever I went.
And it was truly amazing. I have returned with a renewed soul; happier in my life (though I was pretty happy anyway), happier with my kids and glad to be home. I really didn’t want to leave Oregon (our last stopover) as we were having a wonderful time with friends of old and it felt like I hadn’t left (I lived there in the early 90’s). But, home we came and I must admit it was nice to be home…except for this weather! It turned into summer while we were away and after spending weeks in minus temperatures the first week was a little tough to aclimatise to!
The sum-total of exercise while we were away, though not running, was pretty impressive. In London, Paris and New York (where we spent 4 nights in each place) we must’ve walked 10kms a day. It was the best way to see each city and when I had managed to find some scales, I’d actually lost 2 kgs in the first few weeks. Thankfully I found them again in Oregon, where we were visiting the “people” and not the “place” and didn’t do any sightseeing. A few days into our stay in Oregon I was sleeping so soundly and for about 10-12 hours a night. I realised how relaxed I felt and realised how stressed I had been prior to this trip. It was such a physical change and probably why I didn’t want to get home to routine too quickly, even though I was itching to run. MGirl claimed her favourite place as London, where we ran twice through Hyde Park. It was such a lively place, even with the cold weather and frozen lakes and old snow on the ground. I know CBoy’s favourite place was the Kennedy Space Centre in Orlando Florida. It was a mind boggling place and he was in his element. Even MGirl and I thought it was pretty cool.
My favourite stopover would have to have been Oregon. I loved all the cities we went to and the sights we saw, but Oregon was a chance to catch up with friends I hadn’t seen for nearly 20 years…and they all remembered me! It was enriching and renewing. A close 2nd would be New York; I’d love to experience Central Park and the city during the warmer months. Central Park was lovely…so romantic! A good spot for a honeymoon I think.
We arrived home on January 20th and the pace has been chaotic since! With CBoy starting at a new school this year we were book and uniform shopping to get organised for a start this week. I also had my sister JGal arrive on the day we got home with her partner for a week’s stay to coincide with MGirl’s 18th birthday and party. A few days later our cousin, JGal, arrived for 2 weeks for the same reason. Then my best friend DGal arrived on the said birthday night for the weekend and the 18th party itself! All but JGal have returned home, and the house is mostly recovered…me, I think I will take a week of early nights to find my bounce again.
My program started Monday January 24th, a 27 week program that I’ve written myself. I’ve asked a few people to have a look at it, and so far the consensus is fairly positive. I’ve already decided to tweek it a little, realising I need some strength sessions in there also. It has 4 weeks of build and then a rest week @ 70%, on and on, until 3 weeks until race day with taper and travel time to Canada. I’ve started back at 5 km runs last week, with a 9km long run. I missed one run on Wednesday as it was 30C degrees when I woke at 5.30am, so now I am looking at indoor training options for running, like buying a treadmill. Running on a treadmill will also help with pace and have hills programs, so I think it will be a good investment in the long run…haha!
After such a busy weekend of family and birthdays I was determined to not let it derail me at such an early stage. I set the alarm for 5.30am this morning for a 5.5km run and woke wondering what time it was and why the alarm (or FD#1) hadn’t woken me. It was just before 7am and I realised the volume on the radio was turned down so I hadn’t heard the alarm go off. It was good to get the extra sleep and I got out of bed having decided to go anyway. I figured I’d fit it in and still get to work on time as I had no one else to wake up and get out of the house this morning. It was much cooler this morning, and more humid. My runs last week have shown me I’ve lost about 45secs/km on my fitness and I bounded off trying to prove myself wrong.
I found out that it is possible to go out too hard on a short 5.5km run, and that by the time I got back home I was as slow as I was last week. Although frustrating, I’m not focusing on it…as I’ve slowed down I know I will speed up again and I will just focus on the program and getting everything done…fitness and speed will take care of itself as a consequence of the training.
Yesterday I went to an ultra running seminar put on by the WA Marathon Club. It was a packed house, and encouraging seeing all shapes, sizes and ages there. It really is a sport for everyone. It was interesting to listen to the speakers, and though I’d have liked some more technical information, I feel more excited about my journey this year. I just have to get on to fundraising…again! That is where I seem to struggle to make time to organise things, but I shall persist!
My focus this year for my life, other than a looming 125km trail ultra, is to make more time for me, especially socially. So tonight I am going to a beginner’s ballroom dancing class with a couple of girls from work. Honestly, I feel way too tired to bother, but I suggested it to them and I will probably want to go next week…so I have to toughen up twinkle toes! I need to increase my social circle if I’m ever going to run into Mr Right…though there were a lot of freakishly fit men at the ultra seminar! Maybe I need to go to more WAMC functions!
It became such a challenge trying to update the blog while we were travelling, that I decided not to bother. I would simply have been updating you about the fact that it was incredibly challenging to run while travelling, and how bummed I was about not running more. I decided that I needed to let go of the idea of running in exotic places as it wasn’t happening. If I kept thinking about how much I wanted to run, I would’ve just brought myself down which isn’t the emotion I wanted to have during our amazing holiday! In Paris CBoy got a cold, the passed it onto me, which I then gave to MGirl, who kindly gave it back to me a week or so later while we were in Kiel Germany. I couldn’t shake it then and ended up traveling with it for the remainder of our trip…coughing and blowing my nose for about 4 weeks, which also made it harder to run. I dosed myself up on various products from different continents and ‘soldiered on’. Although it affected my ability to run, it didn’t stop me from having a great time, albeit carrying a box of tissues wherever I went.
And it was truly amazing. I have returned with a renewed soul; happier in my life (though I was pretty happy anyway), happier with my kids and glad to be home. I really didn’t want to leave Oregon (our last stopover) as we were having a wonderful time with friends of old and it felt like I hadn’t left (I lived there in the early 90’s). But, home we came and I must admit it was nice to be home…except for this weather! It turned into summer while we were away and after spending weeks in minus temperatures the first week was a little tough to aclimatise to!
The sum-total of exercise while we were away, though not running, was pretty impressive. In London, Paris and New York (where we spent 4 nights in each place) we must’ve walked 10kms a day. It was the best way to see each city and when I had managed to find some scales, I’d actually lost 2 kgs in the first few weeks. Thankfully I found them again in Oregon, where we were visiting the “people” and not the “place” and didn’t do any sightseeing. A few days into our stay in Oregon I was sleeping so soundly and for about 10-12 hours a night. I realised how relaxed I felt and realised how stressed I had been prior to this trip. It was such a physical change and probably why I didn’t want to get home to routine too quickly, even though I was itching to run. MGirl claimed her favourite place as London, where we ran twice through Hyde Park. It was such a lively place, even with the cold weather and frozen lakes and old snow on the ground. I know CBoy’s favourite place was the Kennedy Space Centre in Orlando Florida. It was a mind boggling place and he was in his element. Even MGirl and I thought it was pretty cool.
My favourite stopover would have to have been Oregon. I loved all the cities we went to and the sights we saw, but Oregon was a chance to catch up with friends I hadn’t seen for nearly 20 years…and they all remembered me! It was enriching and renewing. A close 2nd would be New York; I’d love to experience Central Park and the city during the warmer months. Central Park was lovely…so romantic! A good spot for a honeymoon I think.
We arrived home on January 20th and the pace has been chaotic since! With CBoy starting at a new school this year we were book and uniform shopping to get organised for a start this week. I also had my sister JGal arrive on the day we got home with her partner for a week’s stay to coincide with MGirl’s 18th birthday and party. A few days later our cousin, JGal, arrived for 2 weeks for the same reason. Then my best friend DGal arrived on the said birthday night for the weekend and the 18th party itself! All but JGal have returned home, and the house is mostly recovered…me, I think I will take a week of early nights to find my bounce again.
My program started Monday January 24th, a 27 week program that I’ve written myself. I’ve asked a few people to have a look at it, and so far the consensus is fairly positive. I’ve already decided to tweek it a little, realising I need some strength sessions in there also. It has 4 weeks of build and then a rest week @ 70%, on and on, until 3 weeks until race day with taper and travel time to Canada. I’ve started back at 5 km runs last week, with a 9km long run. I missed one run on Wednesday as it was 30C degrees when I woke at 5.30am, so now I am looking at indoor training options for running, like buying a treadmill. Running on a treadmill will also help with pace and have hills programs, so I think it will be a good investment in the long run…haha!
After such a busy weekend of family and birthdays I was determined to not let it derail me at such an early stage. I set the alarm for 5.30am this morning for a 5.5km run and woke wondering what time it was and why the alarm (or FD#1) hadn’t woken me. It was just before 7am and I realised the volume on the radio was turned down so I hadn’t heard the alarm go off. It was good to get the extra sleep and I got out of bed having decided to go anyway. I figured I’d fit it in and still get to work on time as I had no one else to wake up and get out of the house this morning. It was much cooler this morning, and more humid. My runs last week have shown me I’ve lost about 45secs/km on my fitness and I bounded off trying to prove myself wrong.
I found out that it is possible to go out too hard on a short 5.5km run, and that by the time I got back home I was as slow as I was last week. Although frustrating, I’m not focusing on it…as I’ve slowed down I know I will speed up again and I will just focus on the program and getting everything done…fitness and speed will take care of itself as a consequence of the training.
Yesterday I went to an ultra running seminar put on by the WA Marathon Club. It was a packed house, and encouraging seeing all shapes, sizes and ages there. It really is a sport for everyone. It was interesting to listen to the speakers, and though I’d have liked some more technical information, I feel more excited about my journey this year. I just have to get on to fundraising…again! That is where I seem to struggle to make time to organise things, but I shall persist!
My focus this year for my life, other than a looming 125km trail ultra, is to make more time for me, especially socially. So tonight I am going to a beginner’s ballroom dancing class with a couple of girls from work. Honestly, I feel way too tired to bother, but I suggested it to them and I will probably want to go next week…so I have to toughen up twinkle toes! I need to increase my social circle if I’m ever going to run into Mr Right…though there were a lot of freakishly fit men at the ultra seminar! Maybe I need to go to more WAMC functions!
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