Some Times you just have to say STUFF it.

Well that’s what I did last night and still can’t decide if it was a good idea or a bad. First of all it was just not a good day to go running we had our friends that have been living in London for the past two years come over. Which was awesome but ended with me running out the door after 8:30 also for the first time I ate before I did my run which I can tell you is a bad idea. I had an easy 4K on the program but decided to say stuff it and went out hard. After 2K I could feel the food rolling around in my stomach and just decided not push to make myself sick and just walked the last 2K home. In the end though I had done 2.15K in 14 minutes 4 seconds was really happy with that time as the pace was 6:31 per K which for me is Flying so here’s hoping that finally I’m starting to get some speed into my legs.

Last Run: 2.15
Week: 9.16
Month: 44.53
Year: 246.49

7K

Well Missed my Early morning run with my mate on Sunday morning as I had to drive up the coast and back so didn’t get home until about 5:30. So I had to do my long run in the hot dry wind yesterday afternoon. Was also really tired from driving all day so was not feeling that good at all. Left the house at about 6:15 as I fluffed around a lot trying to work out an excuse so I wouldn’t have to run luckily I couldn’t come up with anything. Once again just stuck to what seems to be my idle jogging pace of 8 minutes per K. I managed to maintain this pace through the whole 7K and even managed a small sprint at the end although my legs really were sore from the 6,8K before the last 200 meters. Finished in 5 minutes and 20 seconds just under 8 minutes per K. Was so happy but was a little silly I normally don’t run with any water on me as am usually only going for 20 to 30 minutes so don’t really need it. Yesterday though ran for almost an hour and the hot dry wind didn’t help so was very dehydrated when I got home so did the smart thing and drank about 2 litres of water over about 2 hours to get my fluids back up.

Interval Training

Well had my first speed session this morning did 5 x 1 minute reps with an active recovery of 2 minutes. With a 5 minute warm up and cool down. Was interesting did the first rep only slightly faster than what I would normally run. And tried to increase the speed every rep. Coming into the last rep I was starting to get a little tired but I was pumped by how well I was doing I was really surprised with how fast I can now run. The last rep I just sprinted as hard as I could as managed to keep it up for about 40 seconds before I had to pull back just a little but still managed to run the last 20 seconds. All in all it was my self time and trying to maintain a faster pace so I am happy with how it went. But there is a lot of room for improvement but I’m happy to put in the work.

Last Run: 2.56
Week: 15.42
Month: 35.37
Year: 237.33

Awesome Five K

Wow what a run last night went out at about 7pm as it was very hot yesterday and wanted to give it time to cool down. Ran to my parent’s house again but took a different route. Decided last night that I would start to get more serious about my training up until now I have just been walking out the door and running for as long as I can and then walking the rest of the way home. Have had a rough idea of how long or how far I wanted to go but nothing really concrete about how far in what time always focused on one or the other. So last night I set myself a goal to run to my parent’s house at 8 minute per K pace. Well headed out the door and set my count down timer to 8 minutes and started the run. Once the first K was over I found it really easy to maintain this pace and managed the run in 44 minutes the distance was a little over 5.3K so I ended up averaging 8:10 per K which I was very happy with as this is the first time I have tried to pace myself. So now all that’s left for the week is my interval training on Friday morning I have tried to do this a few times and have always pulled out at the last minute and just gone for a run instead but it’s time to get serious only 127 days to go to the race with my mate and I want to at least be competitive if not win so hopefully I can lift the intensity of my training.

Last Run: 5.36
Week: 12.86
Month: 32.81
Year: 234.77

Not a Fun Run

Well last nights run was interesting planned to run 4K at 8 minute pace just to ease back into running after my race. Headed out and everything was going well til the 2K mark then my Ipod case which wraps around my waste broke. I was very annoyed as I have had it for about 3 years but have only just started to use it when I started running. Was so annoyed I threw it away not my best moment as I normally don’t litter but was so mad. About 500 meters down the road I realised that not only do I keep my Ipod in the case which I now had to carry but I also store my house keys in there as well. So went flying back down the street by this time it was really dark so it took about 10 minutes to find the bag get my keys out and then I still had to run home. Decided to then take the short cut home as I had had enough. Did 3.7 in 27 minutes but that didn’t include me running the 500 meters back don’t know why but I shut the garmin down so had to turn it back on once I found the keys. Anyway was not my most enjoyable run and now have to try and find something else to carry my Ipod around in.

Last Run: 3.7
Week: 7.5
Month: 27.45
Year: 229.41

My First Race

Well it’s over and what a day missed my train to the city and the next one wasn’t for half an hour so got to Milson’s Point Station at 7:20 (Race started at 7:30). So only just had time to run down and under the harbour bridge and then the gun went of. Ran straight past the line and was so focused I ran straight past Megan Gale who was there to start the races. Had ten thousand people in front of me at the start of the race so it took a little about a 1K in get through most of them so didn’t really hit my stride until the 1.5K mark. Also getting there late didn’t have time for a warm up but it’s all a learning experience all in all I am happy with my performance I ran it in 26 minutes which is only 2 minutes behind the time I wanted to do and considering my start I have to be happy with it. Also I ran the whole way so that was encouraging. The only really bad part of the day I feel was that I probably went a little to easy on myself and it was finished before I realised not knowing the course outline that well I failed to pick up the pace at the end to give me a better time but all in all was a great day and nice to be out running rather than sleeping in like I would normally do. Stayed around for a bit and watched the end of the Marathon damn those guys can run unbelievable how fresh they look after 42K. The winner missed the start and didn’t start running until 5 minutes after the gun went of and he still managed to be about 2 minutes in front of 2nd place crazy.

Last Run: 3.8
Week: 3.8
Month: 23.75
Year: 225.71

Last Run Before My Race

Ran to Weight Watches again on Wednesday night took a different route this time around. Wanted to take it a bit easy but that hasn’t been working of late and Wednesday was no exception. Ran 3K in 20 minutes which is pretty close to my hopeful race pace on Sunday but came out of it feeling great so I’m ready for my first race and hopefully everything goes to plan.

Last Run: 2.9
Week: 5.77
Month: 19.95
Year: 211.91

Another Update

Well have been a very bad blogger of late so I need to update a bit.

Last Friday decided to run to my parent’s house from my place for the first time. Had no idea how long it would take or how far it would be but decided to give it a go anyway. Well took of at about 8:30 am (had the day of) and arrived just after 9:00 am only took 32:06 and was a little over 4K not my best average time but was a lot of hills and a very strong wind so was very impressed with my efforts and was happy that I didn’t stop to walk the whole way.

Sunday’s run was a bit of a rush job as had to get back to the house by 8:00am and could not make the Bay and be back in time so decided at the last minute to just do my normal loop around my house. Took of at 7:30 planning on running 30 minutes and see how I feel but ended up only doing 22 minutes as it was raining for most of the run didn’t want to risk a cold the week before my race.

This Sunday is my First race and am really nervous I know it’s only 3.8K and I know that I can do it easy but really want to come in under 24 minutes which means I would have to run faster than I ever have before. I do think it’s possible though as I always hold back a little bit on every run never had the opportunity to go out hard as I have other runs the next day and such. I should pull in under 28 minutes no problem that averaging under 7 minutes a K which I have done on a few occasions but really want to pull in under 24 would really be a good feeling so here’s hoping everything goes to plan. Unfortunately I have yet to really learn how to pace myself so I am afraid I’ll go out to hard and blow it but I did that in the C2S so hopefully this time around I can hold to the race plan.

Last Run: 2.87
Week: 2.87
Month: 17.05
Year: 219.01

Bad Run

Had a bad run last night not sure what happened have been doing so well of late and have been feeling strong. Last night was completely different really didn’t feel like going but forced myself out the door which is the first time in ages that I have had to do it. Normally though once into there run I feel great but don’t know just didn’t feel right the whole time I was out there. Never got into my ritham which kind of spoiled the whole thing. Then this morning woke up feeling like crap so I think I might be coming down with a bug which is not great as I have my dabue race next weekend. So hopefully everything is better by then. Also am going away for the weekend and not sure if I will be able to run which is scaring me a little as I don’t want to miss this Sunday’s long run so hope I will be able to find the time.

Last Run: 2.44
Week: 7.44
Month: 10.09
Year: 212.05

A Week of First’s

Will do two blogs today to catch up with all the news firstly my run Last Friday was very cool. Focused on speed for the first time since started running and was really surprised with how fast I can know run. Normally just plod along at a nice easy pace not pushing myself to hard. On Friday set my timer for 6 minutes and planned to run 1K in the 6 minutes pulled up at 900 meters but was still feeling strong so took of again and managed 800 meters in the next 6 minutes before I had to slow down.

Managed 2.65K in 20 minutes the further I have ever run in 20 minutes. Felt great on Saturday was not sore at all and was really looking forward to my Sunday run.

Sunday morning got up at 5:30 in the morning and picked my mate up on the way to do the Bay Run 5K. I did it last week in 35:50 and was looking to better that run. We started running just on 6:30am and it was a really nice time to run the sun had been up for about 20 minutes so it wasn’t to hot yet. We headed out and I felt great really starting to enjoy my runs more than every before. Before I knew it we had crossed half way and I was still feeling strong. We had a plan to try to keep to 7 minutes K’s then pick up the pace for the last K. Ran under the bridge and crossed the 4K mark and then picked up the pace this is where I really struggle the last K but managed to cross the line strong (also managed to run past the line not just to it and Ray kept prompting me). Crossed in 34:49 a 1 minute PB left unreal didn’t even care that I couldn’t breathe who needs to breathe anyway. So the First’s

First 5K under 35 minutes.
First run in which I averaged under 7 minutes a K (6:57)
First K I have run under 6 minutes (Last K on Sunday 5:58)
First 100K clocked on my running shoes (101.9 total)

All in all I have had a great weekend and am feeling really confident for the run on the 17th September really want to crack the 24 minute barrier but would be happy with under 25.

Last Run: 5.0
Week: 7.65
Month: 7.65
Year: 209.61

On Top

Had a great run on Wednesday night was the first time I have run two days in a row since I started and have been really worried about it all week I was fine nothing to worry about. Came away fine from it this was also the first time I was running to somewhere normally only do a loop around my house but actually ran down to Weight Watches kind of stuff it a little to. I have never run there so was not sure how long it was going to take. The way I went takes over 30 minutes to walk but only took 15 to run there it was a little shorter than the 20 minutes I had on the program but still was enjoyable. Really feel like I am starting to get somewhere all I need to do now is drop a few more kilos in the next 2 weeks. I have my next race on the 17th September 3.8K and I want to do it in under 24 minutes at the moment at my easy pace it would take about 28 minutes so hopefully on the day I can go a little harder and pull in around 24 minutes. Dropping a few kilos would really help that and it would make running easier all around. So really need to focus for the next few months on losing a few kilos (22 to be exact) will make it a lot easier come race day on the 26th January 2007.

Last Run: 1.92
Week: 9.32
Month: 47.08
Year: 201.96

After 5K

Went out the door at 5:45 last night and it ended up being a really good run was a little sore in the legs from my 5K on Sunday but soon found myself in the zone and finished up doing 2.38K in 20 minutes which pretty much my average run time and distance these days hopefully my speed will start to pick up soon. All in all I am happy with were I am at at the moment have been sticking to my schedule really well and hopefully come Sunday I’ll be up for a good long run and hopefully might do 5K in a little less time than t=last week.

Last Run 2.38
Week: 7.4
Month: 45.16
Year: 200.04

Five K

The Struggles are over I am back in action and ready to run. I did my first 5K on Sunday and know feel like I am actually a runner but first better catch up.

I missed my run on Wednesday last week so was felling really bad and guilty and then went to the movies on Friday night after work so didn’t get home until 8:30 but forced myself to go out the door as I didn’t want to fell guilty for another two days did 2.5K in 20 minutes but felt flat through the whole thing plus also had to stop half way through again as I’d once again tired my shoelaces to tight and my feet were going blue.

So I turned up to my mates place on Sunday morning really not felling that good at all and was not very confident. We drove over to Drummoyne to do the Bay run and started out before I could talk myself out of it. I find it so much easier to run with someone than by myself Ray talked me through the last 1K and we had crossed the line before I realised looked at my watch and couldn’t believe it 35:40 average 7 minutes and 8 seconds a K much faster than I have ever run before and longer than I have ever run before could not believe it and didn’t really feel that tired so was a little bummed as I probably could of gone harder. But it is all a learning curve so next week I’ll be ready to go a little harder and hopefully knock of a bit of my time.

Last Run 5.02
Week: 5.02
Month: 42.78
Year: 197.66

Struggling

My run on Sunday was another struggle since C2S I have really found it hard to get out there and run. And since my running buddy had to cancel on me on Sunday morning decided to sleep in even though I new that I probably wouldn’t have time in the afternoon. Got home around 5 which wasn’t too late and fluffed around a bit before I finally got out the door at around 5:30 covered 2.37K in 20 minutes. Only had to stop to walk twice which was a big improvement on my last run but still a long way from where I was before the race. Can’t believe its taking me this long to recover but as it was my first race I have nothing to compare it to. Anyway this week I’m now into my race prep for the 3.8K on the 17th September I don’t feel that 30 minutes is to much to ask just as long as I stick to my schedule over the next couple of weeks. Would also like to drop a few kilos between now and then so hopefully my weight will start to move. I was looking at my legs last night and already I have lost most of the fat of them in only 13 weeks. Hope I can lose some more around the middle section now.


Last Run 2.37Week: 2.37Month: 35.27Year: 190.16

Ouch

Last nights run was very hard my first after C2S and was very hard to get out the door. Also once I got started things went from bad to worse my legs had stopped hurting when I walked but once I started to jog they really started to sting. So kind of half ran half jogged for about 15 minutes and then kind of crawled the last 5 minutes. Did not think it would take this long to recover hopefully my run on Sunday with Ray will be a lot more enjoyable as I can already feel myself starting to slip with the focus. Need to remind myself that my next race is only 4 weeks away come on 17 07 2006 looking forward to doing 3.8K really want to do it in under 30 minutes that’s all I’m aiming at at the moment.


Last Run 2.2
Week: 2.2
Month: 32.9
Year: 187.79

City 2 Surf

WOW 123 Minutes and 16 Seconds am so excited even though I am so tired I can barely move. I had a goal of finishing in under 140 minutes as I wanted to do better than 10 minutes per K. smashed that and averaged 8:39 per K so was very happy with my effort. It was a great day and even though I ran it by myself I had a lot of fun. It’s a really nice course and the atmosphere was amazing could not believe what I saw people running in some of the outfits I saw yesterday included.

About 20 guys in just Speedo’s
About 500 guys dressed as Fairies
4 guys in one costume (Loch Ness Monster)
One guy was dressed as a Giant Condom
About 50 girls in Bikini’s (They all got my vote for best costume).
A couple of people dressed as Chicken’s

Anyway now all I have to focus on is making sure I run this week. That thought right now is a scary one as I am very sore at the moment but I’ll go for a walk tomorrow and hopefully that will help and then I’ll attempt an easy run on Thursday.

Last Run 14.3
Month: 30.7Year: 185.59

Need to Review before Posting

Well after Sundays run I was on a high and on Tuesday I almost flew out the door could not wait to start my run I mean 4K is an achievement and it means I am really starting to become a runner. Did the same loop around my house as I did on Sunday and even (for luck) had the same tee shirt on covered the distance in 25 minutes was so happy. Then as I was stretching in front of my house I looked at my garmin (Seline) I got quite a shock I’d only covered 3.2K couldn’t figure out the problem for I had covered the same distance as Sunday then I realised I’d not reset the trip on the garmin on Sunday so my warm up walk was included in the distance so I actually covered about 3.2K on Sunday not 4K was a little upset until I realised that I had covered the same distance in only 25 minutes only 2 days later was really happy after that. Also I had felt strong coming down my street so still had more in the tank I’m sure I could off gone for longer. Also I realised today that I sold myself short on my total distance covered in the year as I forgot to add the monthly and yearly totals together so please find below the accurate distances travelled so far. Looking back to when I started running on the 23 05 2006 I would jog 1 minute and walk 3 and could barely keep that up for the 20 minutes. Now am jogging at a nice pace for over 20 minutes can’t believe how much I have changed in the 11 weeks I have been running its crazy.

Last Run 3.2
Week: 3.2
Month: 16.4
Year: 171.29

Last Week

Well haven’t blogged for a bit so need to get everybody up to date.

Last Wednesday I walked to work which is 13.2K good training for the City 2 Surf. I rain the last 3K as well as I wanted to see if I could as I want to run the last leg of the C2S this weekend. Was a little slower than I normally run but felt like I could of keep going but once work was in site was too hard to force myself to run past it. Covered the distance in 2:25 minutes which I was really happy with as the fastest I’ve done it in the past is 2:45 minutes and I had an extra 900 meters to walk this time.

Fridays run unfortunately did not happen as I was too tired after working Thursday night to get up in the morning and then missed it in the afternoon as I went from work to the football. So ended up doing my boxing exercise when I got home which was quite late but okay.

Sunday Monday once again I missed my run hard to go up the coast with my wife so that put an end to running with Ray but when we got home I was determined to go for a run and it paid of. Out the door at about 5pm and straight into my warm up then into my run which was only suppose to be 20 minutes but felt really good so kept going and ended up running 4K in 28 minutes and 37 seconds which is the longest I have ever run EVER. So was on top of the moon yesterday.

Also have decided to scrap the posting of my weight as I have decided not to worry about it and focus more on my running and my ever shrinking body. So instead I’ll take an idea from my friends and post the distance I have travelled. Hopefully this will stop me jumping on the scales 3 times a day Just to check stupid and none productive.

Month: 13.2
Year: 154.9

Make your Move

Well things last week didn’t go so well Tuesday was a really hard run and then on Friday ended up running out of time and missed my run. So had to do my boxing really late Friday night but still somehow I survived.

Luckily for Sunday morning otherwise I might of started to lose hope that I would ever be a runner. Ray and I have been running at Olds Park now for about 2 months and I have yet to run the whole 20 minutes I have done it a few times when I run near my house but have yet to complete 20 minutes at Olds Park. So we got there just after 7 on Sunday morning and went into our warm up (walking once around the park) and then we jogged. After about 2 minutes I new I was going to do it easy as I had missed Fridays run my legs felt great and I really enjoyed the run. It was a lot warmer than it’s been of late and was a really nice time to run without being to hot. We ended up running 2.81K in the 20 minutes and still had enough in the tank to sprint the last 200 meters to the car. Think Ray was a little tired from his race yesterday cause I was a little faster than him in the sprint which normally I get my @ss kicked.

Current weight 95 (need digital scales cause I reacon it was about 94.8 this morning but to hard to tell)

Starting Weight 101

Goal 77

Hit The Wall

Found last nights run very had to complete but it was my own stupid fault. I went out to hard and to fast, normally I travel at about 8Kph but last night I took of and when I looked at my GPS (Seline) I was going at over 9.5Kph and stupid me thought of well lets just see what happens. Man did I hit the wall at about the 8 minute mark I could barely move my legs it was so bad I almost fell over. I had never felt anything like it could barely draw a breath I have been tired in the past but not like this. I new then that I had to stop for a bit so walked for 1 minute and then tried to run again but was no good my feet were killing me that’s when I realised that my laces were too tight and my feet were throbbing. So stopped completely retired my shoes and then started of again managed to keep running for the last 12 minutes but at a very slow pace. I felt like a fool when I got home as I have been doing to well and have been so careful to pace myself can’t believe I threw everything I have learnt out the window last night DUMB DUMB DUMB. The only good thing that came out of last night was the fact that I now know what it’s like to hit the wall and hopefully if it happens in a race I won’t panic like I did last night. Also how dumb is it to tie your shoelaces so tight you feet hurt anyway now that’s behind me and looking forward to Fridays run hopefully things wont be as bad as I have two days to recover.

Current weight 95 (Finally the scales have started to move again)
Starting Weight 101

Goal 77