Decisions!!

I've been thinking and trying to decide just what I am going to do.  I did another good run on the weekend.  Almost 18km in preparation for the Wanganui half marathon on Saturday morning.  Felt great, felt inspiring.  BUT ... do I really want to do Wanganui in 5 weeks time?  I know I will be ready but there are so many factors in me saying just leave it for this year.  I've been looking at those pros and cons and this time around the cons certainly out way the pros.  The only reason I'm thinking of doing it is because I haven't met my last goal for this year.  To do a half in under 2 hours.  But is this a big enough reason when it is already such a busy time of the year?  I still have next year and there will still be half marathons available.  Maybe I am better off to say, I'm just going to keep running for me for now and the events can wait until the new year.  Reading the blog of someone who really inspires me I know that saying no this time around is not giving in or giving up, its just doing what seems right at the moment.  Thank you Alison for your great blog (you can read it here) and for helping me to understand to look after me!

Active October!

I haven't been reporting much lately but I have still be active.  For the whole of October I have been taking part in an active October challenge.  All I needed to do was complete 20 minutes of physical activity every day in October.  I think I did okay too - there were only 3 days (and in the last couple of weeks) that may not have counted but believe me I was still very active at work, rushing around with housework, completing squats, crunches etc.  So still active!  For the past two weeks, I have also really been getting back into my running training as well.  A typical week for me at the moment is interval training on a Monday, 8km on a Wednesday and then an easy 5km on a Thursday.  The weekend is my long run time.  Well, the interval training I am finding a little hard at the moment to be honest but I am going to keep up with it all.  I know it is good for me and in the end it will be a benefit to my running.  Today, being the last day of October and my challenge I decided to really make it count.  I had completed an 11km run last week and while I know I should increase slowly, I decided just to get out and give it a go.  My goal was to run for at least 90 minutes and then walk if needed.  I ended up running the whole way and I have to say I am quite proud!

I just took my time with this run - started out slowly and just kept on putting one foot in front of the other.  I wasn't worried how long it took me (quite a change for me!!), I just wanted to see what I could do.  It made me think though that maybe I do focus on my speed too much at times but I am going to do a little more thinking about this.  For now I am just super stoked I am getting back into the running groove and getting into enjoying it all again.

Not much to report!

Running at the moment seems to have a big time factor for me.  Only two weeks until term break seems to mean that I'm busy, lacking energy and running ends up on the back burner.  I did manage three runs last week - all 6km in distance.  One was interval training, one was run far too soon after dinner and the last one was I'm just heading out the door for a run.  What a big difference over those runs!  In speed, how I was feeling and how long they took over all.

I had then planned an 11km run over the weekend but time got away.  I know this shouldn't be an excuse but it honestly did.  For this reason I am not setting big goals for this week.  I'm just going to run when I can and do what I can.  So if all is a little quiet over the next couple of weeks it could just be that I have become a little busy.

This week's summary

Okay, so this week I had planned to start working on my speed a little, get the distance back up and just have a good time out running again.  Monday night I set out to do some interval training.  I ran the first km at a nice pace I was comfortable at, then did minute on and minute off fast and slow.  This part of the run took me about 13 minutes to complete and then I just slowed down to a nice pace again for the last km and a bit home.  Well, I was stoked with the pace I had kept over this run.  It was tough on the lungs at times but I was so glad to have done it - really buzzing.  I then didn't get out for another run until Thursday night where I headed out to run 6km.  I didn't really know what I had in mind for this run, I just wanted to do it really.  It was tough - my legs didn't want to work, I felt exhausted.  I even wondered just what I was doing.  It took a bit to get over these thoughts but I headed out this morning.  After a little advice I decided to stick with 8km this morning - after all I haven't been out much lately.  Something 'clicked' during this run and I got home in what I would consider a good time and feeling great too.  This run gave me a lot of thinking time too but before I get into that here are my runs for the week:

My thoughts while out running were a lot around a blog I have been reading about a sugar challenge a friend has been doing.  I really value her opinions and thoughts and she has guided me A LOT in my running over the past year.  I have really been taking on board what she has been writing and I can see that I really need to make some changes myself.  While I don't follow the same eating routine I do know that too much sugar and 'treat' based foods have entered back into my daily life.  I am going to make a change.  I know I need to kick the lollies back out, stop the home baking I eat, stop eating chippies.  I also know I need to get back into eating nuts again, keep up with the eggs for breakfast (and maybe up to 2 eggs for breakfast) and just be a little more positive about food and GOOD WHOLE food again.  So that is my challenge for now and keep on building up that distance.

Wellington - I'm coming back!!!!!

A little off topic as I'm just meant to be working towards my last goal of a sub 2 hours half  BUT ... I just discovered this afternoon I have won (YES THAT'S RIGHT - I WON!!!!) entry to the Wellington Marathon next July!  I won't be entering the full marathon but I will be taking up the offer and going back for a second attempt at the half.  I completed it for the first time this July but had decided I wasn't heading back next year because of the cost.  Well that is all changing now.  Getting my entry like I have means I can give it another shot.  Yay.   I'm just a little more than excited really.  And I guess that also means I have something to keep me training over the beginning of the winter months again next year.  So Wellington - I will see you again in 2016!

First Run!!

This run has been a very long time coming but last night I finally got out that door in my new runners and gave them a go.  I had no goals or expectations from this run.  I just wanted to get out there and get those legs moving again.  I just can't believe just how much difference a small 3km run can make.  Here's the proof of my run:

Honestly this was probably all I could have managed tonight and after listening and reading so much with my friends over at Run for your life I know I needed to just take getting back into it all slowly.  No point in rushing back in and making myself sick again!  So I have started again and from here I plan to get back into a training schedule again and work towards my goal.

Almost running

I'm now desperate to get out for a run.  Why?  Because I have finally been able to treat myself to a new pair of runners!!

Any runner will know just what that feeling is like to get a new pair.  And I really want to try them out.  Unfortunately I still haven't managed to get out for one but I am hoping that this week will be the week.  I haven't been doing nothing during this break from my running.  I have been working out at home using DVDs that have been sitting around at home for the last 4 years.  I'm hoping that these might just keep my body in a little shape and keep the muscles toned.  I certainly know I feel them some days!  This is what I have been doing:

It's nothing compared to my running but it does give me a little something to do.  Next  blog will be about that first run I have managed to get out for though - promise!!

A little about me

My running really only began back in 2013.  My baby boy had just turned one and I needed a little something to do to support my mental health.  Before getting pregnant I had just managed to get up to running 6km so this was my goal - to get back up to this distance again.  It was a slow start back but within the month (I think) I had the 6km under my belt again.  From here I entered a winter series of runs.  Each run was 3 weeks apart and I was going to cover the distances of 10km, 10km and finally 15km.  This was the start of my addiction to running I guess.  From here I decided to enter a half marathon in the December (only 6 months after my first 10km!).  I did it and it was a buzz.  Yes I was very exhausted at the end and it took a little time to recover but I had done it and I was going to go back and do it again.  Last year in 2014 I completed the same half marathon and took 7 minutes off my finish time.  I was stoked.  But it also set something alight in me.  Could I do it and break get back to the finish line of a half marathon in under 2 hours??  Something for me to think about and work towards.  At the beginning of this year, I set myself three running goals as can be seen on the photo:

For me the biggest goal was to just keep on running.  To keep on getting the feeling and joy that I did get from running.  Yes, I'm having a little running break at the moment to get my general health back on track  (but only for this week) and other than this I have pretty much kept on running so far this year.  Back in April I was able to tick off goal number 2 when I ran a half marathon at Waitarere Beach.  Wow - that was an amazing run.  In July I had hoped to tick off goal 3 when I ran in Wellington for the first time ever.  Unfortunately I was 2 minutes 48 seconds too slow.  I've now decided I did do my best during this run and I'm going to get back into some serious training and try in Wanganui for the 3rd time this December and see if I can get there.  This blog is going to be a little about my journey through to December and hopefully then I will be able to celebrate with you all achieving goal number 3.  I look forward to sharing this journey with you all.