I am on...

HOLIDAY!

Yeeehaa, a whole week off work! I love school holidays!

I hope you weren't expecting a post about running, because I haven't been on one yet this week. Instead I have been buying shooooeeees!

 

And a necklace:

 

The BF and I went to a 40th anniversary dinner for the rugby team he played for last year. It was a posh, posh affair. Some ladies were wearing hard out proper ball gowns, and had had their hair done and the hairdressers and stuff. Hard out!

I did not go that hard out, but I did get my glad rags on and did my best to scrub up!

I even bought one of those hair things that give u a nice bun. It worked super easily and looks "soo glamourous!" according to my sister.

Yes, my re-growth is yucky. I am still trying to find a hairdresser who is not an idiot. 

So! Fun weekend! Run tomorrow to top it off, I promise.

Sleep in vs running.

This is a tough tough choice I face nearly every day.

Because my job requires me to work until at least 8 pm, and at the moment till 8.45, I don't get home to have dinner until around about 9 at night.

It also means that I refuse to get up until 9am. Sleep is important, and without it I am a grumpy grumpy girl. Some runners can get up at 4am to go for a run, and on race day the adrenalin kicks in and the early start doesn't bother me. In fact, I know that if I go for a run as soon as I get up I am much more likely to feel happier at the end of the run, be that because I held my pace, or because I ran further or faster than normal. But on any normal day, the thought of waking up early to go on a run is super hard for my brain to accept. Even though I love running, and know I will be stoaked at the end, I find it so hard to fight sleep!

So today, which is my last day of work before the school holidays start and I get a two-week holiday, my brain was already in holiday mode and I slept in instead of going for my run. Not only could I not get up early to go for it, but I couldn't even get up at my normal time to get out there!

Right now I'm thinking to myself,

"Hello? You're training for your first ever half marathon in TWO WEEKS! Shouldn't you therefore be actually training?" 

I mean, even now I'm typing this blog instead of getting my running gears on and going for a jog.

 Writing running blog ≠ actual running :P

Hmm, have time to put make-up on and pose for a photo, but not to go for a run...

But luckily, next week I will be on holiday when other adults (aka, my friends) are not. I will have hours upon hours in which to go for runs! I will be so bored, I might even go for a bike ride afterwards (ok, probably not, let's not get carried away).


I hope you are looking forward to a run-filled week from me next week!

Better now!

Thanks for all your concern after my self-inflicted illness haha

On Sunday I was MUCH MUCH BETTER!!

Look how chuffed I was haha



And would you believe it, I smashed out a 12km run easy as. I am not sure why it was so so easy. Breathing was fine; pace was fine; keeping it up was fine. Probably because it was a be-a-utiful day! It was sunny, I ran along the river and around the University, there were cherry trees everywhere, man I love cherry trees! I was in a goooood mood


So this Sunday I am hopefully going to find my 15km just as easy... I hope the sun is shining and I am not hung over and not knackered from a rugby club dinner on Saturday.

On a completely unrelated note, my hair has been growing! And not snapping off. 

However, it has come to another stand-still :( I honestly use the creme de la creme of shampoos and conditioners (or at least that is what one hairdresser said when I told her what I used), I still don't often straighten go crazy with hot tools on it. Hairdressers are always confused as to why my hair is so dry and why is doesn't grow and why it snaps off.

They say, "Oh, you shouldn't tie it up when it is wet."
I don't.
They say, "You should use protein shampoo."
I did.
"You shouldn't dye over the bits that have already been dyed."
I have never.
"You shouldn't get such closer together foils. I'll do it like this for you."
Ok.
"I'm going to give you skinny foils"
Um... as long as it matched what I already have.
What the hell, why doesn't it match?
"You use too my protein shampoo."
I say, "What the hell, you just told me to use it."


Is there such thing as a hair doctor??? I need one. Not an idiot hairdresser. Got the running under control, why not my wrecked hair???!

Too hungover

Am too hung over for a run today.

Last night was Netball prizegiving, and because our team coached ourselves we got a bar tab. I'm sure you can imagine how things went from there!

When I'm feeling better I will go for my long run haha

But for now I think I will go back to bed :P

Night! 

Awkward...

Went for a run today. Was supposed to run as fast as I could for 25 minutes. Instead I ran as fast as I could for about 1.5km then went back to normal pace.... I tried!

The way I see it, is it's like going back to square one, but in a good way. It's like when I started running. I'd run the first 1km, then walk for a bit, then run the rest. I have to build up my stamina in the exact same way. For now, I will need to work towards being able to hard-run a long distance.

On the awkward side, on both runs this week I have been spotted by workmates. One guy was completely normal about it. Except it was the day I was utterly soaked... definitely a bit awkward.

Today, a girl mentioned she'd seen me and was definitely smirking... what? Why? I was on a run. Looking after my health. Getting fit. Having fun. I'm not even a crazy slow runner (most of the time...). Why does that deserve a smirk? My shirt wasn't even see-through this time! WHAT IS THERE TO SMIRK ABOUT?!

Trying to look kind, but actually looking patronising.
Found this here.

So, that was a bit awkard too.

Have you ever had that? People thinking there's something to feel superior about just because they see you.... doing what? Something different from normal? Something that may imply that you are unhappy with yourself or how you look? Why should I be embarrased that I was on a run? I'm PROUD that I'm a runner. No smirk necessary.

When the BF is away...

....the mice come out to play?

No that's not really what I meant haha.

What I mean is that whenever I don't stay at my partner's house, I often am more motivated to go for a run.

Usually when I wake up at his house, I have to walk home. And before I do that, I have to put in my contact lenses, and I have to put on make up, which means I also have to wash my face at his house. When I get home, I've already got a fair amount of my morning routine done, so I often think, "Run? Neh. Too lazy. Already up now."

So when I sleep at my own house, I can wake up, get into my running gears straight away, not bother about putting make up on (well, not a lot... yes I am that vain), and just get out and go!

Looking forward to doing just this tomorrow!

Hopefully it doesn't rain again haha

Wardrobe malfunction!

On a normal night, I will stay up till past midnight. I don't do much, just check out a few things on the internet, do a bit of work, watch the late night news. I am often at work till after 8.30, so I have tea quite late too. So I usually sleep in till aroud 9.30. I realise for most people this is a crazy sleep in, but some days I struggle to get up even at this time!

Last night, however, the BF and I were in bed before 10. Crazy! Then, when I woke up at 8.20 I was awake and ready for the day! This almost never happens to me haha

So I got up and went for a run!!

I wasn't planning on doing a long run, even though I had a bit of extra time. It was drizzling a bit, but not the huge amount it has been lately. I have a bit of a confession - I do not wear hard out running gears every time I run. Obviously I wear a decent pair of running shoes, but I only own one pair of running tights, and more often than not I'll run in my Nettie training shorts. Not only this, but I'll often just wear an oversized, cotton Netball shirt. Not ideal for running, but I have so many of them, they are more convenient than washing the three expensive dri-fit material shirts I have.

So today I was in standard shorts and a Netball shirt, out on my run.

Yeah, it was raining but I wasn't really bothered. I was in a really good frame of mind for running today. Even when I was passed by a 50+ yo man, I was like "I am running with the best of them! This old guy is clearly a keen as runner, still running in his 50s/60s, in the rain! I am clearly as keen as him to be out here in this weather!! Yaaaaay running high! I'm a legend!", instead of "omg I suck I just got passed by a 60 yo".

But then, as I was running down one of the main streets in my city, it dawned on me.

Remember how I said it was only drizzling? But how the past few weeks it has been pissing down? Well today I underestimated the rain. I was running, totally soaked through, in a white shirt. In the rain. With a black sportsbra on. Down one of the main streets. In a seethrough shirt. I am an idiot.


By the time I got home, the front of me was drenched. I had water in my eyes, the front of my shirt was clinging to me, my hair was totally matted and yet the back was COMPLETELY dry??!! Why couldn't the front have been dry?? How does that happen? Not only that buy I had to condition my hair twice just to get all the knots out.

I realise I look about 15, have terrible re-growth, and that this picture is ridiculously pixelated.

But besides all that, I am still stoaked that my run went so well! 6.5km in 42 mins. Not a speed run, but still really pleased I got out there and went for a run :) Even if I did look like I was in a wet t-shirt competition.

15k today

Yeah, 15k that I didn't do.

I'm still injured. Deja vu? This is definitely repeating what was happening a few months ago.

What should I be doing instead? Swimming? I hate swimming. You have to pay to use the pool (don't have to pay for running on the street), you have to wear togs, then you have to spend ages drying off before you get in the car to go home to shower. And you get chlorine in your hair.

Cycling? Don't own a bike. Don't own a helmet. Both too expensive to buy.

Gym? Expensive. Have to make time, rather than just go out the door when I feel like it. Whole weeks' worth of money wasted.

Ugggh why is staying fit and healthy so hard? And why is it making me feel UNhealthy and sore?

Today is definitely a day for catching up on blogs. Probably wedding- and interior design-related ones, rather than running.

Bad but good....

Today I went on my "speed run", only I was not speedy at all.

Having had such stiff legs this past week, with semi-sprained calf and other muscles, I thought "Hmm. I shouldn't run for a few days. On Thursday I will be FIiiiiiiine!"

On Thursday I was not fine, but I was stupid and went anyway. It was bad in that my knees were not happy. Half-way through it was like my bones were grinding against each other. It was bad in that my breathing would not settle. I was huffing and puffing like I was back in January.

But it was good in that I didn't stop! I refused to throw in the towel, and I ran the whole measley 3km because I didn't want to be a quitter.

Boy did I pay for it for the rest of the day; my knees were shot. I have no idea how I will manage my 15km on Sunday in preparation/as part of my training for my half marathon in October.

So, today my speed run was bad because it really hurt, my breathing was rubbish, but it was good in that I didn't give in, but then, it was really bad because in reality I should have kept my head, and realised that turning back for home was probably better for myself in the long run (haha PUN!)

The moral is, being a stubborn runner can be good, but it can be bad!! :( So to cheer myself up, here's a funny pun:

Haha, gettit?

Cheeky monkeys

Today I went for another fartlek. Seems I really enjoy them! There is just something about running fast and hard. Do bear in mind that I am only running hard and fast for five minutes at a time, though, haha.

But today, not so enjoyable. I walked some of my run, my knees packed it in, I got a sore shoulder and side, and did I mention I walked some? And now, even though I stretched, my thighs are stiff as. Boooo.

On the upside, I did make a monkey display out of paper today at work, with a big speech bubble saying "Don't monkey around! Re-enrol now for term 4!".

It took up the better portion of my afternoon where we didn't have any kiddies. If you are unsure what I do, I am a tutorrrrrrrr. I avoid teaching my students to use multiple letters in words, though. Maybe tomorrow I will upload a picture! But till then, here is a display I did for Term 2, it was ahhhmazing!



What kind of job to do have? Do you get to spend hours cutting animal shapes out of coloured paper?

Whoops...

Did I mention that during my 10km race it was pissing down?

Well that day had nothing on today. It BUCKETED down all weekend. The front of my house was a swamp.

So, as you may guess, I didn't do my 12km training run :( I feel MEGA guilty and sad! That means that I only got to 1 run of 4 this week. Pathetic. I didn't even have Netball because the season is over.

Instead, I stayed inside and ate lamingtons with the BF, watched the ABs beat Argentina, and cleaned under my mum's kitchen sink as it has been a total mess for the past 20 years. She and Dad are currently in Bangkok/on a flight to Amsterdam, so she can't stop me from throwing out year's and year's worth of plastic bottles and containers.


On the up side, the other day I went for a paced/fartlek run, where I ran as hard as I can for 5 minutes, then jogged for the next 5 minutes. And I ran 5km in 30 minutes! Yay. This is probably a record for me.

Hopefully I get some decent use out of my running shoes soon! Long-run on a weekday, here I come!

Training for a half

Heck yeah I just wrote that!

Do I expect to run it all? Hmm, debatable.

Am I going to try? Fo Sho!

Here is a week screen shot of the plan I prepared for myself for the Half I didn't run.


I planned the runs I would do on every day, and on what days I would do cross-training (i.e., Netball).
Yes, it is colour coded. Yes, those colours are arranged into a rainbow.
No, I did not stick to any one of those runs. I did stick to the rest days though, haha.

My new training plan does not require for me to run on a certain day; instead, it is flexible. I chose what type of run I do on a day.

For example, a week consists of

1. A long run
2. A short, as-fast-as-I-can run
3. A medium, fartlek run (Slow then fast then slow then fast)
4. Crosstraining/moderate run
   

Do I actually know anything about running, aside from how to actually run? No. However, my wee plan was created by an exercise physiologist.

Last week I did a 10km run on Sunday. It wasn't easy, but it didn't totally kick me in the shins either. I was a bit sore afterwards, even though I stretched a lot, and I didn't get a PR, but it was a good run overall.

Hmm, thinking of sore legs, my knees haven't hurt for a long long time. Hurray!

So, here's hoping it'll do the trick, and that I don't bank too many runs!

10km race

So. My 10km race.

On the day there were 3 races: A Half, a 10km and a 5km. The half was timed by the people running the race, and the runners all had wee timers or whatever stuck to their bibs. Unfortunately, they left the timing of the 10k to the runners themselves :P

At 10am the runners for the half marathon left, and then the runners for the 10km merged onto the road, and ten minutes after the half marathoners we started.

It was pretty cruisey at the start; there was a big hill at the start that you could coast down. The scenery was beautiful across the bridge over the river. It also ran along the lagoon, and passed some beautiful houses.

Yes I realise it looks cold - that is because it is Winter here.
OH did I mention it was ABSOLUTELY PISSING DOWN THE ENTIRE TIME. The whole race.

The course was really flat so it wasn't hard, but mentally I wasn't the best. The rain didn't help. I was struggling a bit at the start, and so I started, again, thinking of passing people, and I perked myself up by thinking "I am going to make this 10km my bitch!" Lame I know. Luckily a lot of it was along a route that I run all the time, which was good for me I think.

With my plan to run it in 1.05, I was trying to run 6.50 minute Ks. But that pretty much went out of the window on my second km that wasn't downhill. So I thought bugger it, I'm going to run it how I like it, and just do my best to push the second half.

At the half-way mark there was a wee old bloke who read out our times to us as we ran passed him. It was really cute haha and he called out "45 minutes something something", and I said "Thanks!" while secretly thinking what the fuck, I am slow today. There is no way I am hitting my mark today.

But I kept up, and I kept passing people (although along the lagoon stretch I did get passed by one lady, grrr), and I happily pushed it. There were even some bagpipers practising along the route, which I took my earpiece out for.

Once the track looped back to the bridge, I passed a walker. He was humming, so it was tough getting in front of him! I felt like I was going pretty well, even though lots of half-marathoners were passing me. One boy from my work did, and he turned around and waved which was really nice.

But I hadn't thought about how much of a bitch that hill was going to be running it on the way up. It killed me. I was huffing and puffing, I may as well have been walking haha. I even walked for two steps before I gave myself a big telling off and picking up the pace again. I felt sad, but at least I knew I was really knuckling under and giving it everything. I was shagged.

The end of the race was misleading; I thought the finish line was much much sooner than it was. In that last .5km after the hill I was shamelessly passed by quite a few people, including the walker I'd passed earlier. I kept running, and when I turned the corner to the last few metres (maybe 200?), I couldn't go any faster.

You know how getting to the finish line somehow gives you that extra boost of energy? Well that didn't happen for me. I looked up and saw the big clock, and it read 1.19.47. I thought, You're joking. My aim was 1.05, and I'm nearly 15 minutes over?? What a joke. I dug deep and picked up the pace for the last 20 metres so that I would get under 1.20.00, and luckily I did, but I was still waaaay off my aim. :(

The bonus at the end? George (the BF) was waiting at the finish line! I didn't know he'd come along. Yes, he was clearly there to report on it, not to see me, but he did call my name and wave in my face to get my attention after I'd crossed that finish line. And then he pocketed my ipod for me because by then it was bucketing down. I was freezing and drenched, my hair was totally matted into a nest. So I was pretty happy when he said he could take me home. So well done George, you're a top BF haha, even if I'm not a top runner.

We got a free energy drink and bananas (neither of which I had, I just beelined for the water), and the half marathoners got a medal. I was jealous; I wanted a medal! haha. But I was gutted that I was so so so over my time. George said that when he interviewed the winner, he'd said the rain slowed everyone down. I realised that 1.05.00 was very ambitious, but I'd run it in 1.08 before hand, so when I came in a 1.19.55 I was really really gutted.

It wasn't until 7pm that night, sitting at home in my pyjamas, drinking a hot coffee, after my shower and hours later, that I realised the clock wasn't showing our time. It was showing the time for the half marathoners. Who started 10 minutes before us. Which meant that I was actually 10 minutes out.

Which means I actually finished in 1.09!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Relief and redemption! Haha yaaaay!