A big fat tick!

Thanks to my running buddy Kate, this weeks long 18km run can all be ticked off.  I really have to say I am quite happy to have achieved this.  And the best part - running in Palmerston North meant no looping back over the same route and some new scenery for me.  Hard to believe when you look at the map that we didn't even cover much of Palmerston in the end:

Quietly, I am also quite happy that this coming weekend is just a shorter run.  It is going to be hard still as all off road but I'm ready for just something a little different.  Almost a new month too and I guess that means setting some new goals as well.

Wish me luck!!

Tomorrow's run is all mapped out!  Check it out here! 18km - I haven't run this long in quite some time.  I've had a good build up during the week (7km, 8km and a very quick 4.8km).  I know I can run this distance as I have done it before BUT ...  Just wish me a little luck and I will be back in a few days to let you know how it went.

Goal Met!

At the beginning of the month I set myself the goal of running 100km for the month of February.  I have done this with 4 days to spare.  A 7km run on Tuesday and another 8km on Wednesday meant I met my goal.  I still have another short run to do on Friday and then my long run on Sunday which Kate has mapped out our 18km for us.  Very exciting really.  I really getting back into my running now.

The week in reflection

Another week done and dusted in terms of running training.  I started the week with some hill reps. The hill I chose I have run before and it is a bit of a nasty one at times.  I decided I just wanted to get to the top of it four times - three of which needed to be run all the way up.  It's just 200 metre up so I thought it can't be that bad and surely it will be good for me.  By the third up, I had to stop and walk some of it. This meant no stopping on the four up.  I plodded my way up and then decided to carry on along the road right to the end before coming back down and finishing my run.  For those who know Feilding at all, I chose Highfield Hill for these reps just so you know what I was completing against. Next run was Wednesday night. I had already decided this would be a longer steady run.  I was so ecstatic when I got back and saw I had kept an average pace of 5.50 for this 8km run.  I haven't had stats like that for quite some time so cue a little victory dance for me.  That left one week day run to do.  My time trial and since it was coming up to the end of February I wanted to see if I could meet my challenge of a sub 5minute km.  Guess what? I did!! My pace for that km was an amazing 4.55.  I felt really proud of myself but did then realise that it was quite similar to my last time trial as I have been running just over the 1km mark.  Oh well, this can be my official personal best and I have something to work on from here.  Then along rolled Sunday and long run day.  Honestly if I didn't have Kate as my running buddy I probably wouldn't have run.  I just had a bad running vibe with me and it was stopping me from being my usual bubbly self about my runs.  With the support of Kate and her encouraging me along, I managed to plod out 16km this morning.  I felt terrible that I didn't use proper running etiquette today and I went ahead a couple of times and also ran an extra road but Kate insisted I get my kms in and that she would meet up again with me but she just needed to keep it a little easier today.  So now I just need to work out what I plan to run for this coming week.  Maybe some intervals, a steady run and then of course my long run next weekend again with Kate.  Training seems to be going okay and I know the excitement will be back again soon.

What a run!

First though, I must say just how much my thoughts about my running have changes lately.  I was always so focused on speed, getting faster, that sub 2 hour half marathon.  After a second run with my running buddy, I have really had a change in thought.  I have learnt to enjoy the runs again.  To not worry about how fast we have gone (or far for that matter).  I have learnt to take in the views around me, enjoy the company, and just be at one with myself, nature and where my feet are taking me!

Now onto this weekends run!  We had planned on a 14km run for this weekend and it was time for me to head through to Palmerston North for our run.  My running buddy had mapped out this route for us - lots of trails and all new scenery for me.  I will be honest and say when I first saw the map I was a little worried!!  It did look hard.

I could see there was going to be a lot of ups and downs but I was also very excited.  We decided right at the beginning we would walk any bits we needed to and just try our best.  My running buddy had been sick and couldn't push it too much and I was still amazed at what a struggle 13km had been the week before.  Well before I knew it 1km had passed.  We were just cruising along, chatting about this, that and everything and I was taking in the views.  We certainly did have to stop - mainly for some photos of the views we had - and to say, "Look at us, we did it!"  The 10km of trails was just amazing and it was the 4km we covered along the river and on the streets that were hard but we got the whole 14km done.  I loved every minute of it.  I'm so proud of what I achieved and just want to share a couple of photos of our run with you all.  Sadly, it's a Feilding run next weekend so there won't be the photo opportunities or anything but at least I will still have the great company.  And here's to some more training this week.  I'm thinking some hills might need to be tackled and maybe a time trial later in the week.