Only two more days without benchtops! This kitchen has taken so long to create, I tell you, the painting of the roof of the Sistene Chapel was probably speedier than the builder we managed to find. I did smile at him through gritted teeth when he informed me it was going to be ANOTHER two weeks after the kitchen is finished to make two cushions for my window seat. I could have knocked up one myself by now...keep smiling, he is already scared of me....I can tell.
Things I found amusing this week: iTunes is telling me that The Beautiful Girls is FOLK music!! Images of people dancing the Polka in dirndl skirts...
Anyway...life....continues to move in mysterious ways. Last week the training was going great guns and I was wildly optimistic about life in general and The Race in particular. This weekend was a total SHAMBLES in terms of training and now I am feeling wildly out of my depth, afraid and wishing to almighty god that I had never entered this race. That's us Librans for you, keen on keeping a balance. One week wild optimism the next we've got the fear of god in us. Maybe that's not balance, maybe that's going from one extreme to the other, but anyway...
Friday night was the engagement party and in my head I envisaged myself bringing a four pack of sparkling mineral water, and staying lovely and clear headed. So I have no idea then how I came to be reaching into the wine fridge in the local bottle shop and extracting a bottle of Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, and drinking the lot whilst partaking of karaoke singing and dancing around with a microphone in my hand to AC/DCs "It's A Long Way To The Top".
Saturday mornings 30km run was out of the question. I woke up with a face full of cold sores and a thumping headache. There was only one thing for it, so I sent Husband out for a Sausage McMuffin, took some nurofen and went back to sleep.
Was feeling very guilty and stressed however at the lack of running, and was supposed to be going to Star City for the Sales Society Ball, so made my excuses for that, and headed out for a 15km run instead at 4.30pm. It was very dark by the time I got home. I explored some new local streets and to be honest, this run made me feel much better (I sweated out what was left of the Sauv blanc, my face was crispy with salt afterwards).
The plan for Sunday was to get up at 5am and go to SMC to do the Half Marathon. Another EPIC FAIL!!! Went to bed super early, with everything ready to go, woke at 5am and thought, nup, can't get up. Too bloody tired. Treated myself to another three hours in bed and headed off to the Oaks Trail to do a very slow and uncomfortable 18km. Ankles niggling, it felt like an effort to lift my arms - I considered pulling the pin at 2km but persevered, at least the run home was downhill (well sort of, until that last big hill).
Decided to have a few days off. I am totally knackered, and am now having bad dreams again about this race (as well as very jumpy legs every night). I woke up in the middle of the night last night having dreamt I was dying, so found myself sitting up in bed, gulping for breath. Even my dreams are dramatic. My ankles are getting stiff and sore and my heart is not in it. I even cancelled Sven / Darren, so it felt really odd this morning heading off to work without looking like a packhorse, with bags of running gear, gym gear and the like.
Pretty sure a few days off (and NO SAUV BLANC) will fix me up and I will be raring to go by Wednesday!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
And then I saw the man in the wheelchair....
DID NOT want to run last night. Tired and grumpy on one hand. Terrified of having a day off on the other and feeling like I'm starting all over again. And, to a certain degree basking contentedly in the effort to date.
Anyway, I ended up out on the streets in the dark, internally grumbling to myself.
Then I saw a man in a wheelchair, pushing himself along Rusden Road in the dark. And I felt happy that I can get out and experience that free sensation you get when you run. And the internal grumbling went, and I came home with a big smile on my face, 7km in the bank, and gratitude in my heart.
Anyway, I ended up out on the streets in the dark, internally grumbling to myself.
Then I saw a man in a wheelchair, pushing himself along Rusden Road in the dark. And I felt happy that I can get out and experience that free sensation you get when you run. And the internal grumbling went, and I came home with a big smile on my face, 7km in the bank, and gratitude in my heart.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
More Training Blether
I have a confession. The "real" reason I entered this stoopid race was to lose 5kgs. I reckoned the sheer fear of the event would have me running more and therefore as a result I would lose weight.
I didn't factor in having no kitchen for a month. One sure fire way to take the excitement out of eating is the prospect of washing your dishes in the laundry sink and making everything in a toasty machine.
Those bags of brown rice that you put in the microwave are now my staples coupled with veggie wraps in the toasty machine (with melted cheese on the OUTSIDE, yum). So scales so far have registered about a 2kg loss. 2kg!! I have never worked so hard IN MY LIFE and all I get is a measly 2kgs!! Mind you, I have been having really odd cravings, yesterday I took the day off work so that I could do a long run, which was just as well, because not only was I craving cucumbers and balsamic vinegar, but made a 30km round trip just to pick up some special balsamic dressing....
But seriously, I have put so much into training for this race, and yesterday I was asking myself why. Others I know have grand plans for a podium finish or a certain time they want to achieve. My goals are no less important to me than theirs, but mine is simply to finish within cut off (and I am so well organised that I haven't quite figured what the cut off IS as yet for the marathon pairs)....and not to suffer too much on the day!! Oh, and to enjoy a pleasant day in the mountains!
Anyway, that said, I have stepped up the training again to include a mid week longer run, so yesterday ran from home, down Mitchells Pass, around the river, back up to the Old Highway and up the stairs to Elizabeth Lookout and along Glenbrook Road and up Allen Street to home. I was very pleased with myself to have run (albeit slowly) all the way up all the hills.
So this week so far:
Monday PT Session and 5km on the bike
Tuesday 6.5km
Wed 21.75km
Plan for the rest of the week:
Thurs: 6.5km
Friday 6.5km
Saturday: 30km (but not "mentally" there yet - needing some incentive!!)
Sunday: 16km
Next week will make two of the mid week runs longer.
I am surprised at how well I am recovering from longer runs. I am scared not to run every day - in case I "forget" how to do it!!!!
I have terrible chafing on my back from my new fancy pack - so need to organise some tape or something for race day.
Otherwise all is going well!!
I didn't factor in having no kitchen for a month. One sure fire way to take the excitement out of eating is the prospect of washing your dishes in the laundry sink and making everything in a toasty machine.
Those bags of brown rice that you put in the microwave are now my staples coupled with veggie wraps in the toasty machine (with melted cheese on the OUTSIDE, yum). So scales so far have registered about a 2kg loss. 2kg!! I have never worked so hard IN MY LIFE and all I get is a measly 2kgs!! Mind you, I have been having really odd cravings, yesterday I took the day off work so that I could do a long run, which was just as well, because not only was I craving cucumbers and balsamic vinegar, but made a 30km round trip just to pick up some special balsamic dressing....
But seriously, I have put so much into training for this race, and yesterday I was asking myself why. Others I know have grand plans for a podium finish or a certain time they want to achieve. My goals are no less important to me than theirs, but mine is simply to finish within cut off (and I am so well organised that I haven't quite figured what the cut off IS as yet for the marathon pairs)....and not to suffer too much on the day!! Oh, and to enjoy a pleasant day in the mountains!
Anyway, that said, I have stepped up the training again to include a mid week longer run, so yesterday ran from home, down Mitchells Pass, around the river, back up to the Old Highway and up the stairs to Elizabeth Lookout and along Glenbrook Road and up Allen Street to home. I was very pleased with myself to have run (albeit slowly) all the way up all the hills.
So this week so far:
Monday PT Session and 5km on the bike
Tuesday 6.5km
Wed 21.75km
Plan for the rest of the week:
Thurs: 6.5km
Friday 6.5km
Saturday: 30km (but not "mentally" there yet - needing some incentive!!)
Sunday: 16km
Next week will make two of the mid week runs longer.
I am surprised at how well I am recovering from longer runs. I am scared not to run every day - in case I "forget" how to do it!!!!
I have terrible chafing on my back from my new fancy pack - so need to organise some tape or something for race day.
Otherwise all is going well!!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Caterpillars
Caterpillars....big hairy poisonous ones, they are invading my bedroom and last night I noted they are moving down the stairs. And there are moths everywhere. What's going on?
Anyway, I suppose if I do leave all the doors and windows open I will receive opportunist grubs checking out the joint, but it is just such a beautiful time of year.
Last week was my biggest week of running EVER with the following runs:
Monday 29.5km of the North Face course
Tuesday - 5.5km to weir including Cardboard Sleighing
Wednesday - Get Out Of Bed Fail - nada
Thursday - Get Out Of Bed Success - 6.5km
Friday - 5km to weir - no cardboard sleighing
Saturday - 40km up hill and down dale (Woodford to Glenbrook to Woodford)
Sunday - 6.5km Boorea Street loop
Wow - 93km for the week. And I am still standing and not making old lady noises when I move!! Wooooohoooooooo!!
A very wise man told me once that your mind gives up before your body does. Somehow (and I have no idea how) I talked myself into believing I could run 40km at the weekend. And guess what? I did!
I am not sure if I am sounding a bit like a wanker here, but I am dead proud of myself. I would have happily worn a tee shirt saying "I ran 40kms today" if I had such a garment. Maybe even a sticker on my forehead would have done. I will admit to putting up a wanky facebook status and emailing those dear to me of my accomplishment. So now I should shut up about it and get on with the training.
This week is going to be tough in terms of time management because Tuesday night we have been invited to dinner with Irish friends (late night, some alcohol may be consumed), Friday night is Eoins and Kirstens engagement party, and Saturday night is the Sales Society Ball. In around all this I plan to fit 82.5km of running (according to my hastily made up plan for the week).
Tonight is PT with Sven / Darren from Shalvey. I will have to stop calling him that because he tells me he is coming along to the next SMC. I hope he has something easy for me this week because frankly, I am knackered. Last night in bed my legs must have still thunk they were running, because they were jiggling around all over the place. I had to get up and sleep in the spare room because they kept involuntarily kicking Small Dog. God I was grumpy and cross eyed this morning until that first coffee kicked in.
Oh and there was a big snake on the Oaks Trail! Didn't I say earlier about death adders on the trail? Well these guys on Saturday described this Tiger Snake as having a head like a bulldog. So of course I goes home and googles Tiger Snake only to find they are an angry fierce customer, more cranky than me after a big weekend and no coffee and THEY LIVE ON MY FAVOURITE TRAIL!! Of course every single stick, leaf or moving thing I saw after that resembled a cross between a snake and a bulldog. Which is probably why I finished that run in record time for me!!
Anyway, I suppose if I do leave all the doors and windows open I will receive opportunist grubs checking out the joint, but it is just such a beautiful time of year.
Last week was my biggest week of running EVER with the following runs:
Monday 29.5km of the North Face course
Tuesday - 5.5km to weir including Cardboard Sleighing
Wednesday - Get Out Of Bed Fail - nada
Thursday - Get Out Of Bed Success - 6.5km
Friday - 5km to weir - no cardboard sleighing
Saturday - 40km up hill and down dale (Woodford to Glenbrook to Woodford)
Sunday - 6.5km Boorea Street loop
Wow - 93km for the week. And I am still standing and not making old lady noises when I move!! Wooooohoooooooo!!
A very wise man told me once that your mind gives up before your body does. Somehow (and I have no idea how) I talked myself into believing I could run 40km at the weekend. And guess what? I did!
I am not sure if I am sounding a bit like a wanker here, but I am dead proud of myself. I would have happily worn a tee shirt saying "I ran 40kms today" if I had such a garment. Maybe even a sticker on my forehead would have done. I will admit to putting up a wanky facebook status and emailing those dear to me of my accomplishment. So now I should shut up about it and get on with the training.
This week is going to be tough in terms of time management because Tuesday night we have been invited to dinner with Irish friends (late night, some alcohol may be consumed), Friday night is Eoins and Kirstens engagement party, and Saturday night is the Sales Society Ball. In around all this I plan to fit 82.5km of running (according to my hastily made up plan for the week).
Tonight is PT with Sven / Darren from Shalvey. I will have to stop calling him that because he tells me he is coming along to the next SMC. I hope he has something easy for me this week because frankly, I am knackered. Last night in bed my legs must have still thunk they were running, because they were jiggling around all over the place. I had to get up and sleep in the spare room because they kept involuntarily kicking Small Dog. God I was grumpy and cross eyed this morning until that first coffee kicked in.
Oh and there was a big snake on the Oaks Trail! Didn't I say earlier about death adders on the trail? Well these guys on Saturday described this Tiger Snake as having a head like a bulldog. So of course I goes home and googles Tiger Snake only to find they are an angry fierce customer, more cranky than me after a big weekend and no coffee and THEY LIVE ON MY FAVOURITE TRAIL!! Of course every single stick, leaf or moving thing I saw after that resembled a cross between a snake and a bulldog. Which is probably why I finished that run in record time for me!!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Stuff - running
Normally after a long run my body makes it very clear that it wants nothing to do with running and likes to go into hibernation and lick its proverbial wounds. Lately though I haven't been getting that terribly smashed up feeling after long runs and despite having a big weekend, I got out on Monday and ran at lunchtime and FELT BLOODY BRILLIANT!! What is it about keeping going that makes you feel stronger?
Anyway, I asked Colin if he fancied running down to the weir at lunchtime instead of going around the lake, and he said yes. He wanted to do his squat jump / sprint / jog / squat jump routine, so we ran along together, he did his stuff and caught up. We got to the Rowing Club where there is a steep grassy bank. It's school holidays and the kids were all on the steep slope with pieces of cardboard, "sleighing" down the bank. There was really no need for words, as Colin and I are both big kids at heart - up we went, grabbed a spare piece of cardboard (there were heaps of them) and we were off. Colin gave me an almighty push and before I knew it I was heading for the river, on my arse, in broad daylight in front of a herd of kids. But my god it felt good!!! We ran back to work giggling and happy.
Tuesday I was meant to get up early and meet Branden for hill repeats, but I think my big weekend of running, jumping, climbing up trees and putting on makeup had taken its toll and I slept right through. I woke up clutching my phone (which doubles as an alarm clock) feeling very guilty. I took that as a message from "body central" to say I was a little bit tired, so had a day of rest. I was back in bed by 8.15pm.
Today I ran the Boorea Street loop with Simon, which was lovely because we had a sleep in till 6am and I didn't feel quite as unfit going up the hill as I did the first time I ran it with him. I enjoy my morning runs with Simon because we blether on about stuff and before you know it the run is over - plus having pre arranged to meet someone forces you to get out of bed and do it.
I had to have a massage today because my legs felt like blocks of concrete. I didn't manage to score the fat chinese man who looks like a sumo, but instead got someone who pulled at my toes and made me giggle terribly. He rubbed lots of tiger balm and something else into my feet and legs and I came back to work smelling like a Sunday Roast, I think he may have be using lard. Anyway he was quite insipid and not nearly as full on as the fat sumo man who told me he would "fix" my achilles. I think I need to stalk up and down past the shop front until fat sumo man is free. He hurt like hell but appeared to fix the ankles, even if only temporarily.
Tonight I had my PT session with Sven / Darren from Shalvey. Half an hour isn't really enough, and I am thinking I really should be doing this on my own now, I know enough of what I should be doing, it is just having the discipline to do it. I also ran a little bit on the treadmill, but by god that is boring.
Saturday morning there are eight or nine of us running from Woodford to Glenbrook, with a few of us doing the return journey up again. I know this will be a toughie, and I will be on my own for the upward journey, but will be good training for me. After all, I now know there is a killer hill about 34km into the North Face that will knock my socks off if I am not prepared.
So tomorrow I might have some kind of easy run - perhaps down to the weir and back at lunch, save the legs for the onslaught of Saturday!! In a perverse way, I am actually looking forward to it. I guess that means I am mentally ready. Some might just say mental.
Anyway, I asked Colin if he fancied running down to the weir at lunchtime instead of going around the lake, and he said yes. He wanted to do his squat jump / sprint / jog / squat jump routine, so we ran along together, he did his stuff and caught up. We got to the Rowing Club where there is a steep grassy bank. It's school holidays and the kids were all on the steep slope with pieces of cardboard, "sleighing" down the bank. There was really no need for words, as Colin and I are both big kids at heart - up we went, grabbed a spare piece of cardboard (there were heaps of them) and we were off. Colin gave me an almighty push and before I knew it I was heading for the river, on my arse, in broad daylight in front of a herd of kids. But my god it felt good!!! We ran back to work giggling and happy.
Tuesday I was meant to get up early and meet Branden for hill repeats, but I think my big weekend of running, jumping, climbing up trees and putting on makeup had taken its toll and I slept right through. I woke up clutching my phone (which doubles as an alarm clock) feeling very guilty. I took that as a message from "body central" to say I was a little bit tired, so had a day of rest. I was back in bed by 8.15pm.
Today I ran the Boorea Street loop with Simon, which was lovely because we had a sleep in till 6am and I didn't feel quite as unfit going up the hill as I did the first time I ran it with him. I enjoy my morning runs with Simon because we blether on about stuff and before you know it the run is over - plus having pre arranged to meet someone forces you to get out of bed and do it.
I had to have a massage today because my legs felt like blocks of concrete. I didn't manage to score the fat chinese man who looks like a sumo, but instead got someone who pulled at my toes and made me giggle terribly. He rubbed lots of tiger balm and something else into my feet and legs and I came back to work smelling like a Sunday Roast, I think he may have be using lard. Anyway he was quite insipid and not nearly as full on as the fat sumo man who told me he would "fix" my achilles. I think I need to stalk up and down past the shop front until fat sumo man is free. He hurt like hell but appeared to fix the ankles, even if only temporarily.
Tonight I had my PT session with Sven / Darren from Shalvey. Half an hour isn't really enough, and I am thinking I really should be doing this on my own now, I know enough of what I should be doing, it is just having the discipline to do it. I also ran a little bit on the treadmill, but by god that is boring.
Saturday morning there are eight or nine of us running from Woodford to Glenbrook, with a few of us doing the return journey up again. I know this will be a toughie, and I will be on my own for the upward journey, but will be good training for me. After all, I now know there is a killer hill about 34km into the North Face that will knock my socks off if I am not prepared.
So tomorrow I might have some kind of easy run - perhaps down to the weir and back at lunch, save the legs for the onslaught of Saturday!! In a perverse way, I am actually looking forward to it. I guess that means I am mentally ready. Some might just say mental.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
What a fun Easter! And it had nothing to do with chocolate, easter bunnies, vodka or swinging from a hammock at 2am sipping a Cosmopolitan.
Week prior to Easter was run run run....trying to get those legs used to running when they were tired and sore and heavy. My approach to this is, do it every day and pretty soon it stops hurting. Pretty soon came and stopped hurting it did! Sort of!!
I knew I had a big weekend of running over Easter planned, so on Friday I took myself off on the trusty bike for a couple of laps around river- unkind on the quads, kind on the ankles.
Saturday morning was Woodford to Glenbrook with my mate Martin. We ran it half an hour slower than last June!! How could that be? Maybe because we stopped to take photos?
Here is one that Martin took that I really like. I love this view in the background and no matter how many times I run this trail, I always stop and enjoy the view at this particular spot.
The thing I noticed about Saturdays run was how quickly the kilometers seemed to tick by - good company you see - last time I did this run, admittedly I did it the hard way - Glenbrook to Woodford, but I did it on my own and it felt like I was never going to get there!! On Saturday, before I knew it, we were at the Rangers Station. Once there, we were supposed to be calling John for a lift, but I suggested to Martin that we run to Glenbrook (only another 2km up the road) but I thought the transition from power walking up that bloody horrible hill to running again would be a good bit of training. We both looked very dismayed to see Nice Husband pull up beside us!
Sunday we had some out of town visitors too, with a bushwalk planned. We decided to do Wentworth Falls as none of us had seen the Falls before. Amazing views and scenery, and lots of laughs, as well as plenty of steps and stairs, and lots of walking. A most enjoyable day. We sort of all looked like we had been let out for the day, see below.....
Sunday was a great day out, we had lots of laughs, but by about 3pm I was having a bit of a stress attack.
I had planned to go running on the North Face course with Kevin the next day, who is a very accomplished runner, but at the moment is facing some injury issues with his feet. I had to get focused and I had to get myself well rested and ready for the day ahead. I knew Kevin was injured, but was planning on doing North Face and asked him if he would be interested in a slow jog on the course. I was very very lucky that he wanted to test out how his injury would hold up, so he said yes. I was going to see some of the actual course I would be running on!! Yahooo! Yahoo for about thirty seconds mind you, after he said yes, I was terrified right up until, well, until that ladder.
Anyway I am getting ahead of myself.
I can honestly say that the run with Kevin put me well outside my comfort zone, but was brilliant in terms of training, seeing the course, and advice from an experienced trail runner who has done masses of these sorts of events.
When we set off, I thought to myself, this is a fair clip. No-one uses the term "clip" but it kept popping into my mind. I don't know where it came from. I kept thinking I would not be able to keep up but I kept thinking, you have got to, and I was very nervous for the first five kms or so that the day was going to be a disaster.
When we got to the Golden Staircase I told him to go on ahead and I would meet him at the top. I arrived at the top totally dripping with sweat and gasping for breath!! I think if I could have read his mind there and then, it would have been "oh shit this is going to be a long day!". I remember getting to the top of those stairs only once before and my legs having gone to jelly, so I was pretty happy to have all my blood sugar evenly distributed by the time I got to the top! The very hardest bit was starting to run again and getting back into that rhythm. But we did, and before I knew it we were passing the most amazing countryside, on a thin peninsula known as Narrowneck, with views below of valleys and sky as far as the eye could see. We ran on for a couple of hours, well, we ran, we power walked, we ran some more, and suddenly we appeared to be on the edge of the cliff and Kevin mentioned Taros Ladder, a bit I had been interested to see. I had been quite blase about it, thinking it was just a small rock with spikes in it to help you down. WRONG!! We went down one old rusty looking ladder and I asked if that was it.
No, said Kevin, this is it, and gestured at a hole between two rocks, about the height of three houses with only metal spikes in the rocks.... My heart started to pound and I thought of this poor man who had agreed to take me on this run, and how pissed off he would be if I said I couldn't go down there.
So I shut up and did what he told me, despite being the most scared I think I have ever been in my life, and that includes the first time I drove over the harbour bridge and had to have the air conditioning on cold to dry the sweat from my palms.
In fact, that had nothing on this experience.
On the early part of the run, Kevin had been telling me how he used to teach Mountaineering, and abseiling and I was never so glad to have such information tucked away in my brain as I had at the moment I looked over the edge of that big rock.
Anyway, he said he would go down first and show me where to put my hands and feet. I had to put my trust in him totally and turned around, grabbed the spikes and down I went. First couple were fine, no bother. Then he said, right, put your left foot on this ledge. Now I am five foot nothing, and I said, I dont think it will reach. He said stretch right out, of course it will. It wouldnt. Try as I might, stuck halfway down a rock face, and my leg was not long enough to fit onto this ledge. At that point, I thought, I have two choices, jump down and break a few legs or climb back up. I didn't fancy either much. Luckily we found another bit of ledge that my stumpy leg could reach and averted that disaster. Wish I had worn my heart rate monitor, as I don't think I will ever see such a high reading.
Next, he pointed at a very thin worn looking piece of rusted metal and said put both feet on that. I gulped. I thought if I put both feet on that my porky weight will break it and that is me, gone. At this stage, I was about 17 or 18km into a fairly hard run, I was sweaty, tired, scared and I had a mans head up my skirt on a cliff face. I suddenly had a terrible urge to laugh. I think it was nerves.
Anyway I can't actually remember getting off that particular piece of rock, but I tell you, when I was back on solid ground I told Kevin I would never ever forget that few minutes of my life. And I won't. All talk of wanting to do abseiling, mountain climbing or canyoning left me abruptly at that point.
However, I do remember having a feeling of pure euphoria afterwards, (glad I was alive maybe?) and thinking ha!! I can do ANYTHING!!
It wasn't long before a very big long unrelenting hill took that feeling from me and flung it back into the recesses of my mind. At this stage, Kevin was well in front and I could tell I was slowing up, but as soon as I was able to catch up to him, he would start running again! It was like he was dragging me up those hills, but we got there. Finally he shouted "Sonia! This is Dunphys!" and there was a gravelly downhill leading to a grassy field. We made it! And I had got to see most of the part of the race I would be doing!!
The run took 5 hours and two minutes. We covered almost 29kms. At some points we were running six and a half minute kms, so I don't know what happened in between, but it has given me a better appreciation for the time it will take getting up Golden Staircase, and down Taro's in the race, as well as feeling stuffed going up those big unrelenting hills.
The thing I loved most about this experience is that it took most of the FEAR away from the race. Yes it will be the damn toughest thing I have ever done. Yes it will take me at least 11 hours. Yes I will be challenged more than I ever have. But I don't think it is impossible any more.
One last thing. John picked us up from Dunphys camp site and of course, by this stage I was in the car, riding up the hill, happy with the run, basking in the effort expended in the day, and I suppose the accomplishment, when suddenly, I asked, "do we run up this hill in the race?". "Yes", said Kevin. I honestly thought he was joking. The four wheel drive had problems getting up it. Fark! I tried to imagine how I might feel having done the 29km we had already done, the 8km that we didn't do that is in the race, THEN this big hill, shook my head and thought, I'll worry about that another day.......
So this weekend I have got a gang of willing friends to come on a 40km run with me. Not all are doing the full 40km, but the end bit (ie the last 20km) are uphill steadily. It will be another test, it will be tough, but it will be good training and closer to that elusive 54km I have to do on race day.
Then I think I might take up knitting.
Week prior to Easter was run run run....trying to get those legs used to running when they were tired and sore and heavy. My approach to this is, do it every day and pretty soon it stops hurting. Pretty soon came and stopped hurting it did! Sort of!!
I knew I had a big weekend of running over Easter planned, so on Friday I took myself off on the trusty bike for a couple of laps around river- unkind on the quads, kind on the ankles.
Saturday morning was Woodford to Glenbrook with my mate Martin. We ran it half an hour slower than last June!! How could that be? Maybe because we stopped to take photos?
Here is one that Martin took that I really like. I love this view in the background and no matter how many times I run this trail, I always stop and enjoy the view at this particular spot.
The thing I noticed about Saturdays run was how quickly the kilometers seemed to tick by - good company you see - last time I did this run, admittedly I did it the hard way - Glenbrook to Woodford, but I did it on my own and it felt like I was never going to get there!! On Saturday, before I knew it, we were at the Rangers Station. Once there, we were supposed to be calling John for a lift, but I suggested to Martin that we run to Glenbrook (only another 2km up the road) but I thought the transition from power walking up that bloody horrible hill to running again would be a good bit of training. We both looked very dismayed to see Nice Husband pull up beside us!
Sunday we had some out of town visitors too, with a bushwalk planned. We decided to do Wentworth Falls as none of us had seen the Falls before. Amazing views and scenery, and lots of laughs, as well as plenty of steps and stairs, and lots of walking. A most enjoyable day. We sort of all looked like we had been let out for the day, see below.....
Sunday was a great day out, we had lots of laughs, but by about 3pm I was having a bit of a stress attack.
I had planned to go running on the North Face course with Kevin the next day, who is a very accomplished runner, but at the moment is facing some injury issues with his feet. I had to get focused and I had to get myself well rested and ready for the day ahead. I knew Kevin was injured, but was planning on doing North Face and asked him if he would be interested in a slow jog on the course. I was very very lucky that he wanted to test out how his injury would hold up, so he said yes. I was going to see some of the actual course I would be running on!! Yahooo! Yahoo for about thirty seconds mind you, after he said yes, I was terrified right up until, well, until that ladder.
Anyway I am getting ahead of myself.
I can honestly say that the run with Kevin put me well outside my comfort zone, but was brilliant in terms of training, seeing the course, and advice from an experienced trail runner who has done masses of these sorts of events.
When we set off, I thought to myself, this is a fair clip. No-one uses the term "clip" but it kept popping into my mind. I don't know where it came from. I kept thinking I would not be able to keep up but I kept thinking, you have got to, and I was very nervous for the first five kms or so that the day was going to be a disaster.
When we got to the Golden Staircase I told him to go on ahead and I would meet him at the top. I arrived at the top totally dripping with sweat and gasping for breath!! I think if I could have read his mind there and then, it would have been "oh shit this is going to be a long day!". I remember getting to the top of those stairs only once before and my legs having gone to jelly, so I was pretty happy to have all my blood sugar evenly distributed by the time I got to the top! The very hardest bit was starting to run again and getting back into that rhythm. But we did, and before I knew it we were passing the most amazing countryside, on a thin peninsula known as Narrowneck, with views below of valleys and sky as far as the eye could see. We ran on for a couple of hours, well, we ran, we power walked, we ran some more, and suddenly we appeared to be on the edge of the cliff and Kevin mentioned Taros Ladder, a bit I had been interested to see. I had been quite blase about it, thinking it was just a small rock with spikes in it to help you down. WRONG!! We went down one old rusty looking ladder and I asked if that was it.
No, said Kevin, this is it, and gestured at a hole between two rocks, about the height of three houses with only metal spikes in the rocks.... My heart started to pound and I thought of this poor man who had agreed to take me on this run, and how pissed off he would be if I said I couldn't go down there.
So I shut up and did what he told me, despite being the most scared I think I have ever been in my life, and that includes the first time I drove over the harbour bridge and had to have the air conditioning on cold to dry the sweat from my palms.
In fact, that had nothing on this experience.
On the early part of the run, Kevin had been telling me how he used to teach Mountaineering, and abseiling and I was never so glad to have such information tucked away in my brain as I had at the moment I looked over the edge of that big rock.
Anyway, he said he would go down first and show me where to put my hands and feet. I had to put my trust in him totally and turned around, grabbed the spikes and down I went. First couple were fine, no bother. Then he said, right, put your left foot on this ledge. Now I am five foot nothing, and I said, I dont think it will reach. He said stretch right out, of course it will. It wouldnt. Try as I might, stuck halfway down a rock face, and my leg was not long enough to fit onto this ledge. At that point, I thought, I have two choices, jump down and break a few legs or climb back up. I didn't fancy either much. Luckily we found another bit of ledge that my stumpy leg could reach and averted that disaster. Wish I had worn my heart rate monitor, as I don't think I will ever see such a high reading.
Next, he pointed at a very thin worn looking piece of rusted metal and said put both feet on that. I gulped. I thought if I put both feet on that my porky weight will break it and that is me, gone. At this stage, I was about 17 or 18km into a fairly hard run, I was sweaty, tired, scared and I had a mans head up my skirt on a cliff face. I suddenly had a terrible urge to laugh. I think it was nerves.
Anyway I can't actually remember getting off that particular piece of rock, but I tell you, when I was back on solid ground I told Kevin I would never ever forget that few minutes of my life. And I won't. All talk of wanting to do abseiling, mountain climbing or canyoning left me abruptly at that point.
However, I do remember having a feeling of pure euphoria afterwards, (glad I was alive maybe?) and thinking ha!! I can do ANYTHING!!
It wasn't long before a very big long unrelenting hill took that feeling from me and flung it back into the recesses of my mind. At this stage, Kevin was well in front and I could tell I was slowing up, but as soon as I was able to catch up to him, he would start running again! It was like he was dragging me up those hills, but we got there. Finally he shouted "Sonia! This is Dunphys!" and there was a gravelly downhill leading to a grassy field. We made it! And I had got to see most of the part of the race I would be doing!!
The run took 5 hours and two minutes. We covered almost 29kms. At some points we were running six and a half minute kms, so I don't know what happened in between, but it has given me a better appreciation for the time it will take getting up Golden Staircase, and down Taro's in the race, as well as feeling stuffed going up those big unrelenting hills.
The thing I loved most about this experience is that it took most of the FEAR away from the race. Yes it will be the damn toughest thing I have ever done. Yes it will take me at least 11 hours. Yes I will be challenged more than I ever have. But I don't think it is impossible any more.
One last thing. John picked us up from Dunphys camp site and of course, by this stage I was in the car, riding up the hill, happy with the run, basking in the effort expended in the day, and I suppose the accomplishment, when suddenly, I asked, "do we run up this hill in the race?". "Yes", said Kevin. I honestly thought he was joking. The four wheel drive had problems getting up it. Fark! I tried to imagine how I might feel having done the 29km we had already done, the 8km that we didn't do that is in the race, THEN this big hill, shook my head and thought, I'll worry about that another day.......
So this weekend I have got a gang of willing friends to come on a 40km run with me. Not all are doing the full 40km, but the end bit (ie the last 20km) are uphill steadily. It will be another test, it will be tough, but it will be good training and closer to that elusive 54km I have to do on race day.
Then I think I might take up knitting.
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