Sssssssssuper SSssssssseven Km run

Tuesday, 24th January

Beautiful weather this morning, much less humid that my previous couple of runs have been recently. Bongo and myself set off on our usual track of up over the highway bridge and down the back of the racetrack... when I think about it I'm really sure why there is a foot bridge there, all it does is lead down to the race track (where there is almost never an actual big race) so who they thought was going to use the bridge I dont know. Anyway, its a good little hill to warm up the legs quickly and Bongo loves racing down the other side... between you and me, I think he knows hes about to be let off his lead.

So, we get down the otherside of the bridge, and I always like to go about 10meters or so, just so when I let Bongo off his lead he has less chance of bolting back up the bridge and we start our little run around the back of the race course. Probably done about 20meters, when I did this unconscious contorted twist mid-air. My body must have reacted quicker than I was able to compute, as there on the grounding sliding across the path, about 5cm from where my foot was about to land was a brown snake. I managed to do a quick side step to my right, then back to my left to grab the puppy so he wouldnt take an exploratory bite of our new found friend and watched as the snake slithered off in to the grass in the direction of the wetlands. Sure was a good way to get my heart going, though not the way I'd intended when we first set out. Compared to that the rest of the run was pretty uneventful... Bongo played race horse as per usual and I enjoyed the relative cool. Got back home feeling good and in a comparable time to previous recent runs.

Next scheduled (snake free) run is probably just a 5km on Friday and then maybe another 13km on Saturday.

Oh to be a runner again...

Saturday, 23rd Jan
Met at the Regatta on Saturday morning, Lis, Sam and I had already agreed to do a loop down to UQ. Sam was hoping to do 15km, but after finding 11km a bit sore the week before and under strict orders to run carefully and strapped by the physio, I had half thought I would turn back after 6km. Another girl joined us also, and the four of us made our way towards the UQ, it was nice to be doing something different from the river and the chatting allowed the perhaps not so pretty main road surroundings at the start of the run to be ignored.
We followed the road down to the main campus and began a loop. I was feeling pretty good up until half way around the campus when my lack of longer runs (and fitness) started to take its toll. I concentrated on what my physio had told me about falling in to my stride and after a 30 second break when we were deciding whether to turn left or right once we came across a road, I was feeling okay. We got back to where we started and then ran through the campus accommodation and along the river back towards the regatta. A fairly short, though noticeable incline of a hill left me short of breath and the next couple of k's back to the Regatta felt a lot harder than they probably should.
The other girls decided to keep running when we got to the Regatta, as we had done closer to 13km then the desired 15km run. 13km (will have to get that confirmed) was fine by me though and I used the extra time to get in some stretches. I felt a lot better for the most of the rest of the day than the previous week. In the evening we took the kids to see the Monster Trucks, and I did feel my legs becoming quite stiff during that, they seem fine again today though.


Sunday, 22nd Jan
I wanted to go for a run again today, but, I am being sensible about running and so resisted the urge. Instead I did some of the new stretches, cleaned the house to keep busy (oh joy) and went to the shops and bought some pre-requiste Gatorade powder (the other jar I had almost crystalised due to lack of use!!), on my way to the checkout I noticed 4 small tins of creamed rice selling a bundle, so picked one of those up to, will be a good little snack pre-Caboolture. Speaking of Caboolture, the girl who joined us for a run on Saturday is going to be our third and final team member, so that worked out really quite well! I almost feel like a runner again! :)

The Physio

Okay, back from the physio. I dont know whether to be happy that the pain isnt in my mind, or sad that I still have more work to do... I think I'll go with the former, it sounds more positive. Speaking of positive, its not a return of the dreaded itb, but probably brought on by previous problem with my knee; very tight calf muscles, so I'm twisting in the wrong places and accordingly a knot of muscles right at the top of my leg/hip. We went through all the old exercises I use to/still do and she has given me some more that will target the areas directly and strengthen, the previous exercises (she says) were a lot of stretching which I need, but not enough strengthening to actually get better/faster/fitter.

So, back to regular physio visits, but at least I went on the first hiccup rather than took a month, which is what I did last time. Under very strict, almost scary actually, instructions to only run strapped until I go back again next week.

Thanks for all support, and the pep-talk Miners... I WILL run again!! :)

No pain, no gain, but no run either

Silly me overslept this morning, only by 10minutes though, so up I got and back in to bed pretty quickly too. Y'ouch very sore legs, very sore lower back. Bad bad BAD body!

At lunchtime I was feeling quite uncomfortable and decided to keep up with my 'softly-softly' approach back in to running and have booked a physio appointment for tomorrow. My lower back has locked up and my legs and itb knee are sore. Probably just re-adjusting to some more regular running, though I have had all the symptoms before and I'd rather know now and try something new if need be. Anyway, still postive about everything, if its all okay tomorrrow I'll be out for a long run on Saturday (already arranged!) and handing in my application for Caboolture... just a glitch I'm hoping :)

Oh, and I have also decided to go back to pilates and found a class that is on at 7.30pm on a Monday night. I use to love pilates, the core strength, relaxation and posture it gave me. I'm hoping this class will be just as good as the one I use to go to.

Back in to running (and blogging too!)

As I'm sat here after my run, precautionary ice-pack on my elevate knee (just a small amount of swelling had develeoped) I realise that at about half way through my pain-free run this morning that what I use to love about running was still there. I did wonder for a while there if I would find it again, but with puppy for entertainment and new tunes loaded on to my mp3-player, I couldnt have been happier running around my new loop. I added a lap of the park to it today, the idea being to increase the run by 1km, I think it might have been closer to 800m, but thats okay for the first run of the week. So about 6.8km done today!

Saturday Long(ish) run

Saturday, 14th January

Well, finally I did it, got over my long-run fear and met up at 6am Saturday morning. I'd already spoken to a couple of the girls I use to run with and knew they'd be there so that was a good boost. My goal was between 10-12km, so it seemed only right I should do 11km. Lis and I started off, in a slow but reasonable pace, her goal was 12km, so we decided we would run to the Botanic Gardens, she would do a lap or two while I stretched some and then we would do another lap or two together before going back to the Regatta. This is the exact same run (less the laps) that I did on my first Running Buddies meet, one year and one week ago... it almost hurt just as much! The main difference though was afterwards, none of that wiped out for the rest of the day that I experienced last year, a little bit fatigued but not enough to stop me from going for a 40min jog and play down the beach with my puppy that afternoon.

I'm planning on taking things easy this month and have decided not to go back to speed work for a while. The plan is 2x7km during the week and then maybe a 12km run on Saturday and work up from there. Lis is keen to do the Caboolture 6hour relay, so I have agreed to that... I've barely run over an hour in the past four months, let alone 2, but from what I can gather though you can stop and walk, chat, eat etc in between the 500meter laps. We've already agreed we'll be going for no record breaking!


On Sunday I was feeling fine and even managed a bit of pool work in the afternoon

Thank You Jen_Runs

I've just posted my table up of Events I'd Like To Do (2006 Edition), thanks for giving me the coding and instruction Jen, now its all up there I'm more likely to stick to it :)

another one down

Another good 6km this morning, 2 mins quicker than on Tuesday too, though I think that’s more to do with Bongo playing Race Horse and dragging me along when we run around the back of the track than my own personal improvement! Still, I feel good with things, a momentary tightening of my knee passed without returning for the rest of the run, and given the heat and humidity I was pretty pleased with how things went. I am still aiming for 12km (okay, could be 10km) run on Saturday morning, as nice as it would be to get out there getting closer to 20km’s again I am determined to run the year injury free and the best way, I think, to do this is by being sensible during training.

So, this week has/is looking like;
Monday – 30min puppy walk
Tuesday – 6km
Wednesday – 30min puppy walk
Thursday – 6km
Friday – 30min puppy walk
Saturday – 10-12km run
Sunday – run down the beach with puppy

A couple of Km's down!

After a long break I have decided to get back in to it, a slight lack of motivation brought on mainly by an even slighter training schedule over the past few months has left me very unfit. After a breakfast at MJ’s on Sunday I have found (some) motivation to get the running shoes back on, starting this morning. I took the puppy out with me, not such a puppy now and he can easily keep up and go the distance, so it was good exercise for both of us. So slow and so painful though, its like I’ve gone back a year. Still this time last year I started running and up until July I was going okay, so hopefully I can replicate and exceed that this year again.

We left home about 5am and headed up over the bridge across the highway, beautiful breeze at the top and all the way along past the racecourse. I think Bongo fancies himself as a race horse the way he was tearing along, I had to almost sprint to keep up at one point. Around the park and back along the other side of road home in a big loop. I think about 6km, nothing spectacular but at least I’m off the mark.

Another run planned for Thursday and then possibly even a running buddies run on Saturday, maybe just 12km to keep it sensible. I think the other runner’s enthusiasm will help a lot with motivation as well.

Oh, and I did manage a run over Christmas in the UK, just the one though as despite gloves, beanie and four layers I was still cold. I never use to run in the UK other than on a treadmill and after spending three UK winters in Australia I’d completely forgotten how cold and dark it could be!!


PS: Can anyone tell me how you put those tables up on your blog so I can keep track of my Km's? :)