I think I have changed my mind about wanting a new kitchen, unfortunately it is a bit late, as the builders have been and ripped out half of the existing kitchen and one wall.  What a mess!  The cobwebs alone were noteworthy.

Then Nice Husband informed me today that Kitchen Man can't actually come and put in the new kitchen for a month, so we will be cooking with an electric wok and a microwave from now till god knows when.  I foresee many trips to The Lappo for dinner and maybe now is the time to eat all those frozen dinners I made back in 2006 and froze in little plastic bags, "for emergencies".  I did clean out my food cupboard and was impressed to find a potato bake mix with a use by date of 2004.  Which doesn't quite beat Derek and Kerrys frozen chicken that moved house with them three times and was finally named Cedric.  


Anyway, I was a chirpy unit today as I got out and did a 5km run at lunch time and had NO ACHILLES PAIN!!  Yahoo.  Started to feel very positive, plus it is getting cooler, let the training begin.


I was thinking I might do another shortish run tonight, that was until I came home to Kitchen Massacre.  So I spent about two hours filling plastic rubbish bags with shite that we have collected over the years and stuffed into the kitchen drawers, you know, the ones under the cutlery drawers.  I found a marriage certificate, some chopsticks and twenty bucks in a birthday card that I forgot to send.  Bargain.  I also did some weight lifting in the form of lifting the old kitchen cabinets out onto the front deck.  I told myself two hours of moving shite around the kitchen was good for endurance, although I may be kidding myself.

The rest of the week I have rides, runs and PT sessions planned, but our water polo session has been postponed due to the Blue Green Algae in the lakes at the moment.  Apparently it is dangerous to dogs and pigs, but the ducks are fine.  You don't see too many dogs or pigs swimming down the Regatta Centre so that is a relief.  









 

What a very odd couple of weeks!!

So - I couldn't run and thought I would keep myself fit with pump classes and riding my shiny new racing bike.  In a previous life as a gym bunny, I would do pump as an "easy" option, thinking it was pretty cruisy and didn't require much effort.  2 years on, and my first pump class was hard work!  My second pump class involved a lot of facial expressions rarely seen in public.  I couldn't sit down, pick up a pen or zip up the back of my dress for about three days.  I seriously went to work hoping I would find a kind colleague who would help me out.  

However, by the third pump class of the week and 120km on the bike, I was starting to think, hey, there is more to fitness than just running, and there are certainly things I can do that don't involve as much pain and suffering afterwards.

So I got really excited about the cycling thing and after a really enjoyable 40km ride with Whippet Gal, decided to bite the bullet and pick up the fancy shoes and clippy pedal things from the bike shop.

Buoyed from my really enjoyable ride, my decreasing waistline and general feeling of wellbeing, I had decided in my head that I would spend a lot more time on the bike, get really fit and the increased strength in my legs would be a huge bonus to my running.  All was very well with the world.




So the decision was made to head to the bike shop and pick up the fancy clippy in shoes (white, gorgeous Shimano jobbies, with a fetching streak of silver, I could not wait to get them on my feet) and new matching pedals.

Got home and got straight out on the road, with the intention of practising clipping in and out.   First time, fell over.  Ok, expected this, was on the grass verge, cool.   Second go, fell over again, third go, I got it!!!  I had Buffy following me, and I was busy telling her what a very clever mummy she had, look at me, third go, I have it sussed.  

So I decided to ride down our street, pick a spot to stop, pretend it was a traffic light and do the necessary manouevres.  

Rode down, picked spot, made the classic mistake of putting on brakes prior to disengaging foot, over I went, on a very bumpy road.  Took a huge lump out of my knee (the same knee I fell on at Woodford to Glenbrook and then again at another Woodford to Glenbrook and then again at Kedumba Pass) - so I guess you could call it a tender spot.

Skulked home wheeling bike (was not game to get back on) feeling like a loser. 

It took me a few days to want to get back in the saddle, but decided to do it on the grass at work.  In the meantime, some very kind people had given me tips, ie sit on the bike and just practice clipping in and out, which I had done.

So, after work Wed night I was supposed to go to bike riding class but couldnt turn up unable to ride the damn thing with these new pedals, so decided to just practice on the grass at work.  First go, crash landed, took the scab off my knee, hissy fit, tears, home. 

So for some reason this stressed me beyond belief, and I spent Wednesday night on the sofa with a bottle of wine, crying my eyes out, feeling like a loser.

I know I am stressing about stupid things, but cannot stop myself.  I seem to stress about everything these days.  I was hanging up my clothes and next thing I am stressing that I havent worn that ra ra skirt in ages and will it be out of fashion by the time I wear it again?  I stress about intersections on the road.  I stress about this freaking stupid north face race which I really want to do on one hand but now I wonder if I can.  I am stressing about riding my bike with these pedals, I am stressing about not riding my bike and not running and getting fat.  I am stressing about work, and my home renovations and my car getting sap on it and the paint lifting off.  And I am stressing about my son going to uni and living in and never coming home again. 

So I have started taking vitamin B and doing deep breathing.  I got a personal trainer to help me work on my core and he gave me breathing exercises and I was doing them on the way home in the car and I swear I got high from hyperventilating.  

So plan for the week is STOP FREAKING STRESSING!!! 

This week - AC DC in concert, off to Bathurst for a snoop around the offsprings uni, the logistics of extracting myself from plans I've made to see friends in the country cos Nice Husband has won a trip to the Margaret River for us, and Board Meeting and ATO investigation at work as well as a "legal review" of the project I have been working on for the last 9 months.   Actually, that is quite a lot happening, now that I think of it.   


The plan is lots of riding, gradual increase in running and keeping up with the pump classes and one PT session.  

So - here's the "actual" plan

Monday lunch - 20km ride, Mon night - AC DC - MOSHING!!
Tuesday morning - 7km run, Tues day 4 hrs in car to and from Bathurst, maybe little run in the evening, say 4km?
Wed lunch - 20km ride, Wed night - 7km run
Thurs lunch - 20km ride, Thurs night, Pump class
Friday afternoon - Team Building Water Polo, Fri night - PT Session
Sat morning - Pump and river run 7km
Sun morning - 10km run, Sun night - PUmp


Lets see how I go.....said it so I have to do it!!!!!

Reading blogs of really fit, accomplished athletes is all well and good, but when they scrape their knee or stub their toe, they go on about it like it is the end of the world, whereas when you read some battlers blog about how they were 120 kilos and ran a half marathon and a full marathon the next day, it is kinda way more exciting.  

Sitting in the physios waiting room tonight, there was an article in the Mountain Biker magazine about some fat dude who rode a lot and lost a lot of weight and ended up qualifying as an elite for some international race.  AND there was a pic of fatty, looking as nerdy as I look in my retarded helmet and my non conforming cycling attire, and then a pic of him lean in the whole kit and caboodle of the cyclists attire, en route to some 24 hr biking victory.  

The Physio waiting room has an abundance of cycling magazines, this is where I come away with bike esteem issues, just reading about the things I "should" have on my bike. I need to keep reminding myself I am just cycling for cross training purposes and I do not need a colourful outfit, new saddle, fancy brakes or a carbon fork.  Whatever the fark a carbon fork is. 

But as usual, I digress.

This week I did not run at all until today.  I assumed resting the ankle was the right thing to do.  I rode my bike 20km each day and in the evenings I have done a pump class three out of the last five nights.  (I did have trouble moving on day two but I am fine now). 

I have booked a personal trainer for three sessions just to work on core strength, as that is what Mr Physio says is the root of all my evils.

However, going back to Mr Physio tonight to get my orthotics (read, shoe insoles with a huge freaking egg in the middle of them) and he said that none of this will help me!!!  

There was me thinking I was taking control of this injury and being proactive, and he tells me the PT will know nothing, that pump will be "good fun" but won't really help me, the biking is good for oily marks on your legs and that I should do deep water running.

Back to the drawing board.

I told him I was scared of drowning, and asked how you stayed afloat with a weighted belt.  RETARD!!!  It is a flotation belt. 

So I came home feeling like all my work this week has been in vain.  I mean, I couldn't even WALK after the first pump class......

Anyway, I ran today with the boys and god love them, they ran at my pace, which was sweet of them, mind you it was 40 odd degrees and Rob hadn't run for 6 weeks because he was in Europe getting banjaxed on Honey Vodka....we only did 4km, but the ankle was ok, it was the heat and my lack of fitness that really made it tough if I am honest with myself.

So, nice Physio man says run 4km every second day and gave me strict instructions about the orthotics.  He thinks I am a retard too, because he looked deep into my eyes and told me to CONCENTRATE when he was telling me about how to get used to the orthotics - a bit like you would talk to a four year old.  Do I come across as someone with no brain?  When I used to work with him I am sure he did not consider me daft.  

I was so busy thinking that he thought I was stupid I wasn't really listening.  I know he said something about wearing them till they hurt then taking them off and waiting 2 hrs but I cannot for the life of me remember when I was allowed to start running.  And i have an appointment next week with him, so if he asks me.....farrrk.

Maybe I should just ring and ask.  Which will confirm I wasn't concentrating.


Oh for a brain that stops working overtime on crap and misses the important stuff.





 

Feeling nice and calm and relaxed about not having run one kilometer since Saturday.  (Who am I kidding, every night I have night sweats about losing fitness, hills and The North Face in general).  However, I have got my backside into the saddle of the new bike and racked up some kays around the lake at work in an attempt to keep up the fitness.

However tonight was bike riding school.  And, lo and behold, bike riding school is held at the track at work.  Bonus!

We registered and first thing we were going to learn was corners.  Corners!  Who doesn't know how to ride a bike around a corner?  Well according to Brett, our trusty teacher man, you have to have the opposite leg straight (opposite to the corner) because it keeps you steady.  Or something.  I was so busy checking out everyone elses bikes and their gear and their bling that I wasn't really listening.


Next we had to ride with one hand.  Clearly this is to give passing cars the bird should they try to cut you off.  Obviously very important in cycling, and therefore number two in the curriculum.   I passed with flying colours, giving everyone a jaunty wave as I passed.  


Next was "pace lining" which is cyclist speak for riding in a pack and taking turns to be in front.  That was the best fun.  Except when I turned to make some smart alec remark to another rider and nearly stuck my wheel through her spokes.  (Spokes probably isn't a politically correct term in cycling speak).

And I kept forgetting that I was last and had to move up.  So I kept getting left behind. 

And by this stage Brett was clearly of the impression that I was some kind of retard and told me to up the gears, down the gears, brake, speed up, at all kinds of inopportune moments.  Why can't I cruise along in a high gear?  It makes me go faster.   But no, it appears you are meant to go in an "easy" gear.  My legs don't really go that fast. 


Anyway, I was the only one without the silly clip in shoes, however was informed that I was working twice as hard by not having them.  So - getting them this week.  If I am going to scunder myself by having to drive one handed round corners, surely I should just bundle up all the embarrassment (as I am bound to fall over) into one night out and be done with it?


I mentioned that my hands were not long enough to put the brakes on hard enough and some lady kindly pointed out that if I had spent the money on "decent" brake pads, it would be far easier!!!!  Cyclists!!


I was also the only one without glasses.  Now, I am quite short and glasses always make me feel even closer to the ground which is a sensation I am not keen on.  However, after "catching" a fly right in the eye, I think glasses are important.  A mouth guard might be a good idea as well.


And a speedometer thing.


And gloves.


And cleats and shoes.


And an outfit.

And.....

Longest run for me today and biggest running week

...and I am shattered.....!!!

The run was Woodford - Gates on the Oaks Trail - back up to Woodford.  Hills, hills and more hills.  Hardly any flats.  Up or down.  Lots of hills.  Many hills.  Did I say it was hilly?

Anyway, ran with Miss Beautiful Bernadette, and really wanted to make the most of the day.  However ankles had other plans.  We ended up finishing 34 very hilly kms in 5 hrs and 2mins.  I needed to stop every now and then to adjust my ankles, let them out of their shoes, unravel my bandage and stretch, etc. 

I won't lie and say the run was fun.  The run was freaking hard and I was in pain for about 70% of it.  However the company was awesome and the kms just kept racking up.  And it is good to hear how others train, and it was heartening to hear that it is not all running that makes you stronger.

Straight afterwards I felt good at finishing my longest ever run and my biggest ever week (81km).

However I realised today those ankles need a break if they are to recover.

So AT LEAST a week off,  maybe two.

When I came home, I actually swore that I would never run again, so sore were my ankles.  Voltarin and icing and compresssion socks weren't helping and I actually spewed and I think it may have been from feeling sick from the pain.  God that sounds dramatic.  But it wasnt very nice.

So, I hung out till the clock said 5pm and poured a glass of red.  After the first glass, the pain subsided.

I was planning to drink enough red so that I could not feel my legs, but having a couple of medicinal glasses has helped....no need for desperate measures.

This blog is very serious.  It is not like me at all.  I wonder if I should just pull out of this freaking race.

But then my determined little inner voice says DON'T GIVE UP!!!  So I will wait and see how things go.  No giving up yet.  Getting orthotics Thursday.  Should help.  Fingers crossed. 

The Week So Far

Sunday = 18km in National Park.  Slow as something that is very slow indeed.  Painful on ankles.  Felt like I was running on the spot.  Not ONE km was under about 7.5 minute kms.

Tuesday = another 18km in the National Park.  Even slower than Sunday, ran with uninjured faster people, got disheartened and cut my run short.  Ankles very pissed off indeed.

Friday =  hill repeats on Hare Street with Simon.  Ankles revolting.  Ice bath for feet whilst putting makeup on.  Could have ended in disaster had my straighteners fallen in the bucket.  Iced ankles with frozen onions in work.  Bandaged ankles tightly for a while.  Rubbed voltaren into ankles.  Took voltaren tablets.  Elevated ankles.  Did calf raises. 

Terrified beyond belief that they will play up tomorrow.  Have 35km in National Park planned.  Bernie G (fast runner, salt of the earth) is coming up and we are running (and walking) from Woodford to the gates on the Oaks Trail and back - a 35km round trip.  GREAT training for North Face as it is hilly, and trail and the like.  Bed very early tonight.  If I manage the 35km tomorrow, it will be my biggest week of running (around 81.5km), which is not bad considering I FEEL like I have done nothing much.  I guess that is because I haven't run the 35km yet.  Slaps head. 

Better, better, better

 Temperatures in the Blue Mountains dropped about 15 degrees since yesterday (yesterdays temps maxed out at 43.3 degrees in Sydneys west - yucky poo poo).  My eyeballs dried up when I went outside yesterday, hence much palaver about crap training, no long runs, blahdy blahdy blah.


Today, woke up and lo and behold IT WAS COOL!!  Yahoo!! Running shoes promptly donned, iPod charged up with this, amongst other things:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oW3a8ZcAek

(how cool a song is that?)

and out the door to the National Park for 18kms of trundling along contemplating my navel amongst other things.  

Came home feeling much more positive about training, the scary climby race thing and life in general.  


Oh and went to the party last night, drank four bottles of sparking mineral water, kept away from hammocks and cigars and in bed by 10pm. 


WIN!


Tomorrow the plan is to do the Lovers Walk 10km loop with the horrible stairs just to get the quads ready for the 30km Australia Day run.  


This week will actually be a biggie in terms of kms, which should be good for the old confidence.  


Thinking about it on my run today, I bet my ankle woes not only stem from me being "put together wrong" as the nice physio described it, but from the type of training I was doing.  I was running to work three to four times a week and that was all I was doing.  Now the run is downhill or flat.  No uphills at all.  I wonder if I have built up strength in the quads and suddenly when I am off at Xmas and start doing hill training, my calves have gone "but hang on, we don't normally do any work, we are going on strike".  Or whatever calves might happen to say, could calves, of course, speak. 


Anyway, will try and even up the uphill and downhill running to sort that out.


Was thinking my next long run could be from Woodford, down to the gates (17.5km) and back, all up 35km and hilly hilly hilly, and no real danger of snakes as the path is nice and wide.   Mind you, having said that, wait and see, my next blog report will involve a death adder on the Oaks Trail.