Fit Mumma

Dear Running...

  Photo I took myself, here.

I want you to know that I miss you terribly. 

I think about you all the time...

I can't wait until we can hook up again.

But I know I need to be patient.

So I will.

And in the meantime, I'll be spending some time with White Knight getting our ride on.

Please don't be upset with me, don't be sad.

You're still my number one love, but I quite like White Knight and I think we could get pretty close too.

Then I guess I'll have to juggle you both a bit, I hope you don't mind.

I do have a request tho... Ms Adductor Magnus injury will have to go. I'm sorry - but I just don't like her. I mean she's the reason why we have to take this little break from each other... it's just not fair!

We can't both have you... and frankly - I really feel the right to you, is mine. 100% without a doubt!

Plus you've also been spending a fair amount of time hanging out with Ms Rest & Recovery these past few weeks. I understand you are really enjoying yourselves. I promise I don't mind if she hangs out with us still. I really like her! I mean I can totally see the benefits of having her around more...

In fact... I am totally promising you a LOT more time with her on our next season of get togethers. 

Especially on our really long dates, yeah? Deal?!

This may sound a bit daft to you... but by mixing it up some with White Knight and Ms Rest & Recovery... it will actually make us much stronger, I know - sounds strange... but it is SO true.

We cool? yeah, of course we are!

Anyway... don't forget your my #1... and I'll be back with you as soon as I can.

I may not talk about you incessantly like I have done for months... but I think about you that much still :)

I LOVE YOU! Running, I really do! Chin up, you hang in there dear friend!

Just 2-3 months to go and I'll be seeing you :) and I have a feeling we'll be stronger than ever this time round.

Yours truely, madly, deeply...

Bx

Oh, PS... I just remembered to remind you that Ms Swimming is going to join us soon too. You knew about her already, we talked about that before.

PPS... IronMum says hi, she's missing her running too. Can't wait till we're all back together again.

Putting to rest the marathon that never was...

ONCE and FOR ALL, I promise.

So this was THE marathon that never was, for me. It most certainly WAS a marathon for many, many others.

We'd already booked & paid for our accomodation for the weekend that I was supposed to run the marathon.

So, instead of running (in case you are new here and haven't been privy to my banging on and on about it... due to injury)... I did the next best thing. I took a tonne of photos and cheered and yelled for hours supporting all the marathon runners that passed me in Hyde Park. My family joined me too, until I got to embarrassing for my husband to bare any longer. 

It was such a bittersweet experience for me... bitter because I could not run, sweet because I still felt I was with my tribe, and supporting them was an awesome experience in itself.

My tribe who know what it's like to run a 35km slow and long training run... my tribe who run 50-70kms a week for months. Sob. I so miss running right now! Can you tell??

On the day, I paid homage to my tribe, quite literally, for hours... I was yelling:

• You're awesome
• You're amazing
• You're an inspiration
• Dig in
• You got it
• You're trainings paying off now
• You're on the home stretch
• You're getting a finishers medal... and it says MARATHON
• You're daughter/kids/family are waiting for you at the finish
• You're living the dream!!!
• Keep it up
• You're doin' it
• 5% of the population have a marathon finishers medal, you are one of them!! (I really have no idea what the percentage is, but it sounded about right to me *haha*)

Yep, I was (am) seriously nutz (and in my element)... and you know what?  I really hope there is a seriously nutty injured runner in Hyde park yelling any one of these words of encouragement to me as I get my first marathon on!

Seeing the winner fly (quite literally) by me... was amazing, and again, something I very rarely see, as I am running WAY behind him:

Joel Kiplimo Kemboi came in first with a time of 2:17:39. Amazing!!

 Letay Hadish, 26, of Ethiopia was the first female to cross the line in a time of 2:43:22.

I have my bib... and there will always be some sadness at my first marathon never realised... but I know there will be plenty more, and I hope to be running for many years yet! I would rather opt out of this race and get better, than to be sidelined for 2 years. I am sure the first finishers medal will help to disipate that saddness...

Did I mention I am missing my running? Humpf !!! Two more sleeps till I get an ultrasound and try work out where to go from there... hopefully running again real soon!

In the meantime I just have to keep on keeping on with RIDE and weights, and smashing myself as much as I can. I am getting a road bike this week to start triathlon training. Sweet!

And given this is a tribute to putting the saddness and this first marathon to bed... I want to thank my husband for being so super supportive and awesome every step of the way (esp. all the long training runs). And my ever fabulous running buddy, IronMum (who is also injured and can not run)... you guys have been the best!!!

Bxo

So you think you can run?

Yeah, well... you can't! I can't 

I can't run more than 2km right now... without pain.

I am are nursing an injury... High Hamstring Tendonopathy also know as Hamstring Tendonosis and/or ischial tuberosity. You can take a look at some deets on the injury here, here, here and here.

To put it very simply, it is a pain in the butt {huge, pain/butt... whatever}. It is preventing me from running very far at all, and when I do run I have a nice little limping style going on. Not good.

Causes for injury:

-tight hip flexors - check 
-weak glutes - check 
-Too much too soon - check 
-Horrendous hamstring strength - check ... horrendous is a harsh term, but true!

Add to that a terrible core strength, which baffles me somewhat... but there is no denying... If I do not STICK to my core strength workouts like glue... I suffer BIG.

So the long and the short of it - I wont be running my marathon in two weeks.

Now you can see why I've been quiet here on my blog for a few reasons:

• Working through this issue mainly. 
• Being in major denial that this injury would put me out of the race.
• Coming to terms that it would put me out.
• Realising that running injured did not make me mentally strong, but rather stupid.
• That this is not an injury I could run with... not without perhaps putting myself out for up to 2 years, and I didn't want to risk that.
• Hating myself for not being able to run the marathon... letting myself down, not following through - all those things, some justified, most of them absolutely not. 
• Recongnising that the training was the tough part, and I did most of that, up until I was injured. I ran around 500km for training these past few months, and that for me is a HUGE achievement.
• I took my training very seriously... I miss it tremendously right now!
• Although I took my training seriously, I also wasnt really the BEST novice trainer... I would skip shorter runs in favour of long runs and my body paid the price. Then there were times I would overtrain considerably... then I'd have to rest for a few days and throw my schedule out.
• Initially I was shattered about the realisation that I could not run... I cried many tears & I am sure I will shed more on the day also. However I also put this energy into realising there will be other marathons & other events I will be participating in... and this is what it is all about for me >> the longevity, not the quick tick of the box which is often my style.

So the future looks bright, I am planning for a marathon in April. I have a season of novice Triathlons to participate in... my first is in November & I have lots of swimming and biking to do before then. I need to dedicate another post to my triathlon aspirations soon. I have some big plans for 2012, both on the bike and with triathlons... see how I go. I still need to check the marathon off my list before I will feel entirely comfortable about committing to any other major rounds of event specific training.

Right now I am back at the gym, doing RIDE classes, strength sessions to fix up the hammy, yoga and personal training...

Running, I'll take very slowly, and really its not like I even have a choice with that one, I just can not run right now. I have more sessions with Mr Big Hands to get me all fixed.

Moving forward.

Bxo

Injured with 6 weeks to go...

Until my marathon :( YES, yes... I know seems to be very common, could almost write it into the training program, no? 5-6 weeks out and injury strikes!

So I have hamstring tendonitis combined with glute max aggravation according to my soft tissue therapist at Clinic 88.

Friday morning I was supposed to do a 30 km run. Thursday night after doing sprint repeats {fartlek} with IronMumma I had a sharp shooting pain in my left glute, which had been tender for some weeks, and Steve and I had been working on, with dry needling, manipulation of other (over) supporting muscles and physio exercises.

In the end, after much agonising... I opted out of the run and went to my appointment with Steve later that day... he assured me that had I done the run, he would have hit caused me much more injury. Despite the threatened violence (TIC) I was happy that my hunch was correct, but shattered at the same time! An injury at this stage of my training is devastating! 

Those of you who have had to blow off a long run, know very well the anxiety that it can cause... not good.

Steve told me "running is okay if it is without aggrevation, stop if there is any kind of pain felt"... he also told me I have a very high pain threshold, so I need to be mindful that I am not pushing on while making my injury worse! Mmmm.

Saturday I did Heart Break Hill (Sydney C2S) with my younger sister, Lee... it was a glorious sunny day:

My glute niggled quite a bit and we took it easy.

Sunday I ran up again with my little one, Mikaela... who is a speedster and found the hill easy peasy. As I would expect from her athletic 10 year old legs :) Cutester... the kid has some speed and spunk thats for sure! I don't think I found it quite as easy as she did!

Unfortunately the weather was no where near as lovely as the day before, in fact it was raining as we ran... oh well, we still had a ball together :)

This week my training schedule looks like this:

I didn't do the mile repeats this morning... but I will pick up and get on track tomorrow, I am hoping.

Not sure how I will go with another fartlek session.

IronMumma is injured too... her hip. Awesome hey. We make a sorry pair right now!

In the meantime we are doing what we can... resting and eating CLEAN as possible, taking in lots of fluids and listening to our bodies.

Until next time... Happy Training :)

Bxo

Water Running, Nike Workout and Matt Long...

Is what I served myself up with today!

Firstly... water running at 615am on a foggy and cold winter morning. I did it robot like, outta bed, into my new swimmers (LOVE them) and out the door.

It was EXACTLY what I needed this morning. THis is the view that greated me as I returned home after a solid workout:

After being home, tidying kitchen, putting on a load of washing... getting boys sorted, lunches packed... toy cars agreed upon.... yadda yadda yadda - we were off to the gym.

Where I gave myself a hiding with the Nike Training app on my ipad:

Can I just say... I F*#king LOVE LOVE LOVE NIKE... they are the bomb. Their women althetes are the BOMB!!! I think the first "Nike" woman athlete I ever fell in love with is Gabrielle Reece... HELLLLLLLOOOOOO sexy!!!

Eh.... em!!! Gorgeous! Hottie!!!

N.E wayyyyyys.... while at the gym I listened to the last 20 mins of my Matt Long audio book. OMG... crying at the gym... then having to explain why... he crossed the line to be told "MATT LONG, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN" just 2 MINUTES ------ TWO, just 2 !! ---- prior to the cut off.

Of course no one at all at the gym gave a shit... they pretended to. Or at least tried to, or at least my husband's (and my at times) PT seemed to care a bit. Ha. It's hard to give enthusiasm for something you know nothing about. I get that. However... this story... Matt Long's story is just incredible, a story of real determination and persistance. A true HERO.

If you are into inspiring stories, you need to get yourself Matty Long's book. Awesome stuff!

Oh and I found the blog of the amazing Emily... a MUST read. Had me in tears more than once yesterday!

Love her work!

So I have a jam packed week of workouts ahead of me and I am actually really pumped to get into them and smash myself hard.

Excited even.

Looks like I am back... and frankly, not a moment too sooooooon!

47 days to go... and I run my first marathon.

I am sure there will still be a few more lows before the day, but right now I am on a high with the anticipation and knowing I can and will do this.

Happy Training.
Bx 

20km run today (& pity party)...

and this is where I'm at right now...

Finding it quite hard to get past the tough parts of my run... and feeling burnt out, run down and generally a bit crap-ola. It's all head stuff... and I am working through it, one run at a time...

Thank GOD for gorgeous super supportive friends (Kristanne you are an angel :))... and a fabulous husband who knows me so well.

I'll get past this hurdle. I know I will.

I know this is a bit of a pity party... but please do not be judgmental or critical... just know that this is my place right now and this is my vulnerable side of training for a marathon!

Please share your hurdles and wisdom, how do you train your mind for a marathon {or other most significant event/occasion}? What have you overcome to get to the "finish line"?

Bxo

30kms DONE and dusted...

Yah ***Boooowwwhhhh-yaaarrrrrhhh* and it feels awesome right about now.

Now that I have had a shower, got some more fluids and a protein bar into me... and rugged up some.

This is the route I did:

These are my splits up until my iphone charge DIED... {so sick of that happening}... my stats should be about 40kms more than they are :(

So I only got 17kms due to technology malfunction!!

I know that at KMs 12/13 I had a toilet stop and didnt pause the Nike+... I always forget to play again. Then at KM 16 would have been where we stopped to chat with K's family.

I look at those splits and I think, I can go faster than that, they are nowhere near my 5km PB, or 10km PB, or 15km PB.... but here's the thing:

Long runs are not meant to be run fast ... this is my long run pace!!! and it's right on for where I am at in my training and experience as a runner. I know I'll get better.

I found this quote today:

"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'." 
-Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner

And I have to say... I did walk some today, and I took some stops for refueling and toilet breaks... but overall... I would ask myself "can you give more" and when the answer was "yes"... I kept cranking {not sure my slow poke pace could ever be referred to as cranking, but anyways!)...

I am super grateful and appreciative of my wonderful friend Kristanne who rode along beside me, and gave me water and Gu's whenever I needed them... she was gentle in her encouragement. Thanks Kristanne. She wants to keep riding along side me and IronMumma as we count down to our big day. Awesome!

I admit when we got to Commonwealth bridge, I said to her... we have two options #1 keep going, #2 start home. She asked how I would feel if I didn't do the planned 30km run? ahhhhh, yes, we kept going.

THEN... her hubs and two boys were in the car near Grevillea Park.... oh man!!! Nooooo... we stopped and chatted, it took every ounce of me to not beg a lift home... I still had another 13kms to run. Before my brain got to thinking about that too much, I took off again.

I think I did the 30kms in about 3:20. 

I feel better than my last long run, and I am happy with my run today. Better in that I can tell my body is getting conditioned. Still I missed my IronMumma! running buddy, now with Kristanne by our side, we are going to go even stronger... mind you I will be chasing IronMumma most the way!

Get your shoes on, lace 'em up and do your best.

Love it!

Bx

My Running Bucket List...

We've all got one. 

A list of events, races, marathons we would LOVE to participate in one day.

This, of course, would be in the ideal world where wishes are made, age is irrelevant {and really it is}... money is not an issue, time and training, injuries are also no problem. Oh, and in some cases my actual ability is not a factor... ie. my ability matches these dreams {only in my dreams!}. Life is perfect basically :)

In no particular order, I give you my list:

Boston... okay this really is THE Godfather of all marathon's, the ONE to do. Aside from being the world's oldest marathon, it is also the first marathon a woman ever ran in, and she was disguised as a man to do so... she was rapt when the men she was running with realised she was a girl and encouraged her to take her hoodie off. The crowd were also full of encouragement and support and cheered to see a woman running. LOVE it!! LOVE Bobbi Gibb! I first read her story here, and it totally blew me away then and still does now.

Paris - I love this city, it really is the most magical place to be in... and I would love to run down the Avenue des Champs Elysees and past the Eiffel Tower. Amazing. What a rush that would be. Paris holds such fond memories for me, holidaying with Nath and Mikaela. xo

London... again more fond memories holiday with Nath and Mikaela & I love this city too... 

 
San Francisco... I've never been, I've always wanted to go... Nath has been and it is one of his all time favourite cities in the world. 

Venice ... another city I adore, and fond (and some not so fond) memories holidaying with Nath and Mikaela. Only, no offence kidlets... I'd rather go alone with Nath next time!

Florence  Okay, I have a HUGE thing for Italy... having lived there for a year, and my family heritage, and holidays... and it is just the most amazing place on earth to me. Makes my heart sing being in Italia!.

Milano, this is where my {mother's} family originates from... it would be a joy to run this marathon. JOY... joy joy!

Pisa... this is such a magical place for me... Nath, Mikaela and I had the most wonderful time here, I even climbed the tower!

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe... breathtaking, no? need I say more!

New York, but of course!!! I've never been and  always wanted to go.

Melbourne I LOVE LOVE Melbourne... it is distinctive and warming to my heart this city!

Adelaide, I've spent lots of time here over the past 6 years. My dear husbands home town... would be fabulous to run with family and friends out in droves to support. Ha! Maybe I'll do it in 2012, depending on dates.

El Scorcho, Texas... would this be crazy or what. 50kms starting at midnight. I like that it is a loop track, so if you had a support team, they'd be able to cheer you on through-out the whole race.

Australian Outback Marathon... I mean WOW - I think this would be one of those lifetime experiences that just stays with you forever.

Larapinta Trail, NT Australia... I would love to do this. I think it would be spectacular. I love the idea of running a few hours each day for 6 days... awesome. Camping out under the vast blanket of stars that only the desert has. Magic.

Ecuador Running Adventure... I like the idea of Nathan hiking for the day and me running, then meeting up each night. Maybe this is something we will do in our retirement :) This would be super challenging at 12 days.

The North Face 100... this would be incredible to be able to achieve such a feat, it would be my ultimate dream. This video makes me cry, and my 2 year old scream "GO" at the computer! The Australian Blue Mountains are magnificent... no doubt.

Oh, and I should add that this dream list, does not take into account the little matter of qualifying either! Ha!

So yeah... that's my bucket list for running. So far, I am sure I could add more as my running continues.

We gotta have dreams :) Even if they don't ever come true, it's nice to day dream them anyways.

Hugs

Bx

Registered...

For this:

Gives me goosebumps watching this :) Imagine being able to run THAT fast!!! Oh man, that would be such an incredible feeling!

I have told Mikaela I am not registering her. A few reasons... I am running with my FIT gals and we are in the Green group. Mikaela has not done any training... and I am not sure she is up to it, also if she is not running with me, I am nervous with the sheer numbers involved and her getting lost.

Secretly I have registered her in the Yellow group, which I think two of my sisters are running in... she can run with them. But I am really nervous and not sure about it. So I leave my options open and we can decide closer to, or on the day.

I've also registered for the BIG ONE for me this year... my FIRST FULL MARATHON:

I spoke with my Dad yesterday... he says he may come down to watch me race too.... oh dear, we'll both be blubbering if he does!!! But I'm not going to hold my breath, cause he may not be able to make it.

Anyways it's a LOT of training I gotta get into these legs. I am feeling very pumped and excited.

Love out.

Bxo

716 kilometers...

is what it's going to take for me to be ready for this.

7 fricken HUNDRED & 16 kilometers!!!

ARE-YOU-KIDDING-ME ?????

Ah, no... aparently the oxymoronically titled program of Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster... is that I run my legs crazy for 16 weeks.

Okay, I can break it down... yep 3 {three}, just 3... measly running sessions per week. 

Only there is nothing measly about them.

For starters... I'll be running a half marathon EVERY WEEKEND for 14 of those 16 weeks.

EVERY WEEKEND. Yes.

For FOURTEEN weeks!

And 5 of those weekends I'll run 32kms. FIVE!

Excuse me for all the YELLING, but I am a little freaked out here.

That's a lot of running!

I ran (eh-um, embarrassingly) only 180kms or so to prepare for the half.

Explains why I didn't manage to sub 2hrs, no?!

Still, I mean this is a low km training program for a marathon, really?!

I read some blogs where runners are doing between 50-100 MILES per week. What the?

I can't imagine doing that, this program averages 45 kilometers (that's only 28 miles per week)... I know I can do this program.

In addition to the 3 running sessions, I'll be doing 2 cross training sessions of swimming, cycling or rowing. Nothing load bearing. Which means, sadly, no more weights sessions with Alicia. I just can't do such intensive weights&cardio sessions as well as this training...

Here's the thing... there is SO MUCH training to be done.

And it's so precise.

I realise those who don't run, or who have never trained for a half or full marathon before (or any other major kinda endurance event), may not get it...

Every workout for 16 weeks is nailed to the wall in a schedule that MUST be followed. 

Say it with me... every-single-workout-for-sixteen-weeks. EVERY!

I'm cool with that. 

It's a LOT of work, a lot of dedication... a LOT of soul. But I am ready.

Image from here.

I am ready to do this hard work.

I have about 18 days to kick off, and I just want to get started.

I'll be running about 50kms per week until then... so my legs are "adjusted".

I think for the half I was really divided between training with Fe and Alicia doing some fabulous metabolic conditioning workouts... and running. I tried to do both and basically only gave a portion of my abilities to both, or either.

This time around I am going to minimise my margin for error as much as I can.

I am training for a marathon.

Nothing else.

Keep it simple.

Real Simple.

There are SO many programs to choose from {and thanks to amazon, I have a tonne of books to refer to}... this is the one which I liked the most... and it makes sense to me.

I know the speed runs are imperative to my improvement as a runner. In fact it's these speed runs which made me choose this program. I'm really looking forward to those. 

See how I go.

I had to translate the program from miles to kilometers... and here's the other good news... if I am successful with this program, I can reuse it again in another 21-26 years in order to qualify for Boston in the womens aged 60-65 category. shake-of-the-head... I kid you not! That's where I'm at right now!

If I ever feel really overwhelmed, I simply remind myself, it's no IronMan! :)

Hugs

Bx