Blethery Nonsense

Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all the Saints.  Today I had my first ever massage.

Pain city.

Ever since SMC and then the cliffs of Kedumba, I have been in a bad way.  Ankles, calves, buttocks, you name it, tight as Bon Jovi's jeans and walking sideways like a crab out of bed in the mornings.  Gingerly easing down the stairs at home like a 70 year old.  It was a struggle to put my knickers on.

So, whilst Himself got tarted up with a new haircut, I treated myself to a massage at the chinese bloke at K-Mart.

Never having had a massage before, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was allowed to keep all my clothes on so I was a happy camper initially.

To what sounded like the Soundtrack from "Enter The Dragon" he got down to it.  At first I thought he was trying to push his thumbs through my skin, but that was only the start of it.  Everything he did was either agony, tickly or downright kinky.  When he had finished, I didn't know whether to thank him, slap him, or kiss him.

I now know that the back of my knees are almost my most tickly spot, but my sides under my rib cage come a close second.

When I got up off his torture table, I was totally soaked in sweat, but oddly enough, felt something was missing.  My sore back!  Or maybe it was just that he had stopped pushing at it.  I dunno, but I felt great afterwards.

I will try to run tomorrow again.  Yesterday I did some stationery bike, the most boring exercise known to man, some weights and then walked Buffy for an hour.  My ankles niggled and grumbled even doing that.

Today I also looked at bikes.  I think I have found a road bike I like and your man in the shop is ordering one in so I can take it for a test drive.  Gulp.  Then I have to get my brave head on and ride the damn thing.   Quite terrified and excited at the same time.

I had a terrible dream last night, that I got done for drunken driving whilst driving the car from the back seat.  My legs must have miraculously got longer.  Anyway I woke up and wondered if it were a dream, because I was quite depressed at the prospect of jail.

I still haven't entered that North Face.  Chicken.  I got an email from Greg today and was scared to open it.  It was about something else, but I daren't reply until I have entered us.  Am I kidding myself that I can do this?  Probably, but there's only one way to find out....

Two days after the Kedumba Pass run, here is an email I sent to one of the locals I have been doing hill runs with:

Hey

I am a non starter for tomorrow morning. I have totally banjaxed myself on the Kedumba Pass. No kidding, I have never been this sore after a run, my achilles is banjaxed, my calves are banjaxed and my quads are banjaxed. Did I mention I was banjaxed?

I went out for a little run today and it felt like a lame person dragging a club foot along. I think you are getting the picture.

I have misguidedly agreed to go back up there on 2nd Jan to run it again with K. If you are interested and not working, please feel free to come along and torture yourself with us.

Enjoy tomorrows run.

Cheers
S


This pretty much sums up my recovery from the stupid Kedumba Pass.  I hate it but the bugger is not going to get the better of me......

First Step

The Wailing Walls of Kedumba

Yesterday was the "12 hours of Kedumba" Fatass organised by Mister G.

The loop we were planning is a 7.5km steep descent down to the Jamison Creek and back up - all up 15km.  Kedumba Pass is in the Blue Labyrinth part of the Blue Mountains, near Wentworth Falls.

My plan was to do one, maybe two loops, as a "kick off" to my training for the 54km run planned for May, at the North Face, which is held in the same area.

Well the walls didn't wail, but my achilles and calves did when we ran back up the Kedumba Pass.  I had been nervous all day about the run, but when we finally got out there, it was gorgeous.  The evening itself, despite being late December was misty and damp.  The views across the valley were beautiful, sun setting, mist swirling, and the feeling of pure peace in the bush.  Running down to the river was brilliant and by now with all my downhill running, I was feeling very comfortable, enjoying the view and generally wondering why I had been so nervous.

Last week I ran Sydney Marathon Clinic and improved my 10km time considerably.  I think I ran about eight and a half minutes faster than the previous time I ran that course.  I ran the 10km in 57 mins 49 seconds, which is around a five minute PB.  But ever since, my achilles and calves have been sore, and I have tried to rest them as much as I could.

So yesterday, that was my main concern, how the achilles would hold up.  My last long run ended in a hobble so I was hoping the resting and the stretching would help.

However, pretty much as soon as we turned around at the river to run back up the pass, my achilles and calves went into protest mode.  Being with other people who are keen to run up large hills is good for me, but it was also really tough with Kelly was spurring me on to keep running, whilst my ankles were screaming at me to stop!!  I did at one stage ask her if she would like to coach me for the North Face.  She's pretty tough!!!  She didn't want the boys to see us walking, so every time she heard someone coming, no matter what the gradient, we ran!!  Well, I shuffled.  She ran!

For about 3 or 4 km the calves and ankles were just spasming, which was unpleasant to say the least.  Every time we ran my feet felt like blocks of lead.  However we kept on going and after about 4km they seemed to settle down and we basically maintained a very strong power walk back up, running on the downhill and flatter sections (not that there were many!!).

I think that is the toughest run I have ever done, the hills were relentless.  Despite it only being 15km it was certainly the most challenging terrain I have encountered.  Some of the guys out there were doing 12 hours of hill repeats.  One was enough for me, although I did agree to come back next week with Helen and give it another shot.

I remember as I was going up a very steep bit of the hill, thinking to myself, no way are you doing this North Face caper.  But then I have five months, I have the perfect training ground close to home, in the beautiful Blue Mountains and I have beautiful people around me who are prepared to train with me and give me advice.  So I am keeping on with the training, I am staying positive, but I will be back to that freaking hill to give it a shake once more, and I will be on the lookout for other hills like it!!

A jumble of blether, aided by a glass of wine

There are lots of blethery thoughts in my head at present, most of them confused and competing for my time.  Perhaps writing them down will help me sort them out.

Firstly, madzer goals, that people like me shouldn't contemplate.
Last year in May, I crewed for Cool Runner Osmo at the North Face 100s.  That was so much fun.  Being part of that is what helped motivate me for much of this years running.  I sat at the end and chatted to some of the finishers and thought, hell, one year, I will do that.

So, I decided that I'd love to be part of the North Face 2010.  I have got drunk many nights with my friend Sharene and promised her countless times I would run an ultra with her (what was I thinking, the furthest I have ever run is 26km??) but now, it seems, the goal is set, the training is in motion and the clock is ticking....

Brewer has agreed to run with me in a team - so I do the first 54km and he does the rest.  In my pitch to him asking to do this for me, I did mention that his ego had to stay at home, as he was likely to be stone motherless last, but that didn't seem to bother him.  He said yes and I wrote back "what the fuck have I done?".  His response was "that was what I was thinking".

So, two eejits with little or no trail running experience are fronting up for the North Face, in May, when it is freezy frosty (and in Brewers case, when it is dark).

So - what have I done since I last blogged?  Well, consistent runs to work x 3 per week (12km a go) and hill repeats on Tues mornings with the local boys in the Blue Mountains.  Mind you this week I thought they were trying to ditch me, but as usual, I was being far too sensitive about my speed or lack thereof. Will be out there Tues morning and as I will be on holiday I will be looking to go as hard and long as I can.

Boxing Day - Kedumba Pass Fatass
Farrrrkkkkkkk!!!  I am so looking forward to this, but am also terrified.
 Vstar said if I go for a second lap, he will know I am serious about North Face.  There  is a challenge in itself in that.  So two laps it is.  I am in very good company so am not scared about getting lost etc, I just need to make sure I keep myself nice on Christmas Day and don't overdo the fizzy drinks.

New House
We have found a house we both really like.  I was happy happy happy until I thought about the run to work.  There is no way I could run 35km to work, no matter how freaking determined I was.
So, to be honest, I am thinking that I don't want to buy this house  because it will interfere with my ability to run to work.  For me, that has been the great equaliser.  I find it hard to go out after a hard day and run 15km, but worked up the discipline to go to bed early, not drink (which has been GREAT for me) and get up early and run to work.  It has been so good for my state of mind.  There is no better feeling than starting the day with a run, getting out in the fresh air, running by the river, and just feeling the wind against my skin.  I love it and I think it has done wonders for my well being this year.  I just dont know if any fancy home can replace that.  In fact, I do know.  It can't.

Christmas
Christmas depresses me.  I have no idea why.  Maybe because my family and my twin in particular are in another country and the whole Christmassy thing is so family oriented.   I don't seem to be able to be happy at Christmas and imagine all sorts of stupid things.  By January I always seem to be able to get a grip on reality, but in December I seem to go a wee bit mad and sad.  I am just starting to just accept that.

Next time I write, I will have succumbed to the Kedumba Cliffs.  Oh my!!!

Random Ramblings

Today was lovely. 

Out of the blue I recieved a lovely message from a friend that made me very happy (and a little bit tearful).  Nice, unexpected messages will do that.  Anyway, cheered no end, I am now wondering what the heck I was thinking planning to run a marathon. 

However, wierdly enough, I am really enjoying the training.

I have been lucky enough to be asked by some very nice local runners to join them on some of their training runs and that has been good for me.

Then I have some very experienced long distance runners as friends, i.e. 100km madzers who carry on like eejits about running for entire weekends and hallucinating pink elephants out on the trail.

One friend has even worked out when she turns 42.2 so is going to do 42.2km on that day. 

Anyway, on Monday I did my 12km run to work.  I'd had a rather big weekend, so just getting up and getting the trainers on and hitting the pavement was an achievement.  It was fair to say that it was not my best run, and the mindset was very much "are we there yet?", not, "wow, isn't this a great way to start the day?". 

Tuesday morning I got up at 4.30am to meet the guys early for hill repeats.  After hill repeats I decided I hadn't done nearly enough damage to the legs and so hit the gym for a short, sharp weights session for the legs.  So I did lunges, squats and dead lifts with the weighted bar.  BG - a runner I really respect and admire suggested a weights program for the legs to build strength, which is what I need - strength!

I came home totally and utterly soaked, and completely starving!  I had a tuna wrap for breakfast, so there was me with hairdryer in one hand, wrap in the other....my family have become accustomed to my strange habits.

I did get a gorgeous new running outfit from America that conveniently arrived Monday night before my Tuesday morning session with the locals - I got a RED running skirt and am convinced it makes me run faster!  But the piece de la resistance has to be my new mesh tee shirt.  Wow, how good does that feel on your skin?  I will be purchasing more, it is also mega super dooper flattering, which is something that rarely goes with skin tight running gear. 

I might add that one of my other major objectives of all this running is not only to do a marathon, and do it in a reasonable time, but to lose some weight.  Being five foot nothing, it's not like I can have a few spare kilos and look ok.  Every kilo matters in my case!! 

Anyway - tomorrow and Friday I have scheduled runs to work (it is just too hot in the evenings to run) and then Sunday I plan to do a long run.  Now, I haven't done a long run in about a month, the longest has been 12km, so I am wondering how I will go.  I plan to get hubby to drive me somewhere, kick me out, and tell me to run home.  Otherwise it is hard to motivate oneself to go the distance, and easy to cut it short.  I might get him to drop me at Woodford, and run to Glenbrook, then get him to pick me up and buy me breakfast!!!

Spanner in the Works - A Self Inflicted Spanner

Understatement of the year : when Art P, owner of the Blaxland Thai Restaurant happened to mention that the "chillies were hot this week". I am currently sitting here awaiting bottom recovery and the ability to walk with comfort once more. I am actually looking at ways to put off this mornings run, but there is no getting away from it. I have to do it.

I missed Friday mornings run. I tell myself at the start of the week which runs I am going to do, and then I tell my friend what I am doing, and he keeps me honest and every day, asks if I did my run. So already feeling bad about missing Fridays session.

Thursday night, our auditors invited me out to dinner. Early night I thought. Be home by 10pm Darling, I told Himself. At 1am I found myself belting out Abba numbers and playing air guitar in a dodgy Karaoke bar somewhere in the Cross.

Anyway, that put paid to the early run. In fact, once in work on Friday morning I was feeling very ordinary, and no amount of sugary drinks or tuna wraps were working at improving my feeling of well being. Someone suggested self testing (in our work, we are not allowed to be on site with a blood alcohol reading of over 0.02) so I thought, hmmm, what are the chances of me being over that at 10am? Anyway took the test and was 0.045 which meant I COULD GO HOME!! Hallelujah and praise the Lord. There was definately to be no running for me yesterday. Sleeping, yes. Running, no.

So today, with chilli burn and the dregs of yesterdays hangover still lurking, I write this, trying to motivate myself to get out there. In other worrisome developments, it is our Christmas Party tonight at work, which means probably more fizzy beverages, and therefore I need this workout.... Mind you, I have orchestrated some very fun, non drinking activities for tonight.

First of all, Space Hopper races. I researched Space Hoppers very carefully on the net and now we have six shiny new adult sized space hoppers and a whistle. The plan is to race them around the lake.

We also have a home made volley ball court - complete with sand. (It's a beach theme).

There is the duck pond, for a swim.

And a band playing, so we can dance.

All of the above will cut into sitting around drinking time I am hopeful.

Tomorrow is the Cougar Conference at the Intercontinental, which means more fizzy drinks.

And food.

So the challenge for me is to restrict calories, restrict the fizzy stuff and keep myself nice, because next week I have three runs to work to do, plus hill repeats at 5.30am Tuesday morning, as well as a long run on Sunday. There, said it, so now have to do it!!

Day Two Marathon Training

So tonight himself took off to the pub to watch some fight or play poker or drink beer, or whatever happens on boys nights at the pub. So before he left, I got him to take the packet of Salt and Vinegar Kettle Chips out of the cupboard and put them in his car. Taking no chances. I also bustled him off with his jube jubes and made him throw out his hot chips with salt and vinegar and gravy on top in the big bin outside, just in case I got tempted.

I ran to work today, which is 11.78km and took me one hour fifteen minutes, including stops at traffic lights (which, quite frankly, are very welcome). It has been taking me one hour and fifteen minutes with traffic lights for quite some time now (say 4 months?) so I really am not trying very hard. But today I felt ok, despite having done "hill reps" yesterday. Mind you, I didn't do them very fast, so maybe that was why I felt ok today. But yesterdays effort was about 10.5km, with around 6km of hill repeats. My legs felt ok, my lungs burnt. Which means I have strong muscles in my legs but my fitness is shithouse.

I thought a lot about what a friend had said about my running at the weekend, and what I already knew, that I sway from side to side when I run and this wastes energy. So I tried to lean forward slightly and run from the hips but all that concentrating and leaning forward made me go faster so I got puffed out and had to slow down to my usual gait. I just like running along forgetting I am running and thinking about stuff and planning stuff and pretending that I am a lead singer / guitarist in an all girl rock band belting out some heavy rock, thinking about "form" isn't part of my "runners high".

I think I have perfected my playlist too, with maybe one or two tweaks, I have the PERFECT playlist for me. Lots of screaming, belting out rock music, guitar riffs and me pretending I am the lead singer in a rock band. Oh I think I already said that.

Anyway, I have to go to Sydney to have dinner with Steve and Andrew The Auditors tomorrow night, but I still want to run to work tomorrow, so I have orchestrated a complex logistics operation whereby Himself drops my handbag at work, rings my work colleague who will allow him entrance into our building and places said handbag in my office. Handbag may also be accompanied by choice of dresses, shoes, belts, makeup, perfume etc. I do actually have all this in work, but a wider choice is always a good thing when one is going out on the the terre.

I am concerned however about Fridays scheduled run to work after an evening wining and dining in Sydney....

Scundered Eejits and Banjaxed Running

Woo hoo my first post on my brand new blog, that I have had for about nine months now and done absolutely NOTHING with. That's dedication.

So why suddenly a blog?

Drum roll, much holding of breath, dramatic pause etc etc....I am going to run a marathon. That's right, run 42.2km without stopping for a coffee, some lunch or a wander through some shops.

So this blog is going to be both a training diary and a record of how it is all going, hopefully up to and including the big day itself, which will be sometime in July 2010 at the M7 marathon and is a picturesque little route that passes by waste treatment plants and motorways. Brilliant!

This morning, to start the training proper, I got up at 4.45am to run with other like minded individuals up and down a big hill in the mountains. Ten times. Jelly legs a-quiver.

Ok that is enough waffling on for now.

I ordered some running clothes on line to help lift motivation levels. A RED skirt. I will let you know if it makes me go faster.