Planning

So day has ended up being my rest day.  I might not be out there running but I have definitely been doing a lot of thinking about running.  My new running buddy is a pro with writing up plans and certainly bet me too it and today I have been spending some time going over this, looking at other plans and seeing what I hope might work best for me!  Wow only 12 weeks until my first events and I know that time is going to fly.

Lots of positives!

Well, I'm into the final week of the Kick Start programme now.  This quote was shared the other day and it has been certainly ringing true for me!

I just happened to come home and read this after a very trying interval training session.  For this session I was running at fast speed for 3 minutes and then having 60 seconds of recovery.  I'll be honest and say that I struggled but at the same time I'm proud that I did it.  And it was the programme that kept me going with it.  See, if someone else sets me the challenge or the task for the day I have this feeling of not wanting to let them down so I try my best to achieve it!  And I really have had some challenges.  I completed my second time trial and ended up a whole 5 seconds fast than the first one!!!!

I was just so stoked with this time! And now today I was challenged to some hill work.  90 seconds running up hill and then jogging down again.  I did it.  Yes I walked a little of some of the uphills but I got the whole 8 I needed to do in and here is my evidence of this run:

I have really been enjoying my running lately.  Having a real focus to it has been the best thing.  And it seems that it just keeps on getting better too.  It seems I have managed to get a running buddy for some of those long weekend runs.  This is certainly going to help and make some of those runs just a little more fun.  I'm sure more will come about this in the future.  For now, I'm just celebrating in the success of completing the challenges I have been set but also looking looking forward to tomorrow's rest day.

Missing in Action

I've been a little quiet lately.  The end of last year became a bit of a non event and running almost went out the window.  I knew I would be able to get back into it all but I just needed to find the best way to go about it.  Then the perfect opportunity came knocking:  Run for your life kick start.  This was just what I needed.  A two week programme to get my running back on track again.  I'm up to day five of it already, done my first ever time trial, battled the always hard interval training and enjoying today as a rest day.  During this quiet time I have also entered two events for this year.  My first of which is in April so not long at all.  I will finish my kick start programme and then get straight onto training for it.  I guess this all means I won't be able to go missing in action again!

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.