I felt the "buzz"!!

10km this morning. I'm pretty pleased with that. It was a run/walk and it took me an hour and 35 minutes but at least I covered the distance. Percy tells me I walked 6.3km of it. LOL!! My running is so slow it registers as walking speed!!! I thought about changing the configuration of the speeds but it might be nice to gradually see the change from walking to jogging. I have not ever registered a "run" so that will be nice too.

I'm feeling a lot more confident. I just need to be patient, and I will begin to see changes. I just need to think about where I was in terms of running and I realise I have come a long way.

Today at about 5-6km I was feeling really strong. I looked down at Percy and noticed I was running at 8.6km/h. Now I realise that is very slow for most, but I am used to seeing 6.7km/h or SOMETIMES 7.5km/h. Certainly nothing with an 8 in front of it!! And I felt good. My running felt easy and it was wonderful! It didn't last long. After about 6minutes I had slowed down but man, during that 6 minutes I wanted to take on the world! I want THAT feeling all the time!!!

I have to keep an eye on the weather for my runs in the next week because we are getting a cyclone. We expect to be put on cyclone watch tomorrow and then cyclone alert on Tuesday. One thing about cyclones is that you generally get plenty of warning. Not like earthquakes or something. Hubby went around the house yesterday and secured all the cyclone shutters over our windows. We've moved the outdoor furniture either inside the house or into the shed. All we need to do is put the pot plants into the shed just before we get hit. Last year we were a bit more organised and had cyclone stores in the cupboard (emergency food and water) but this year I think we have been a little complacent. We went to the supermarket and stocked up, like a lot of other locals. There are no baked beans left and little bottled water!! I'm not sure what the deal is with baked beans, but it seems to be staple food during a cyclone. If the cyclone brings rain we will probably be cut off from the world so there will be no food for about four days, so we need to make sure we've got stuff especially if we lose power. All we can do is sit back and hope like hell we don't get a direct hit. It's a big state, plenty of coastline for the cyclone to cross - we'll be right.

Per popular request....

This is where I run:

The blue squares at the top left are the salt flats. It looks very green in the photo, but I can assure you there is no green here at the moment!! The little red square in the middle is my run, but I thought it might be interesting to show you the neighbourhood.

This is my run in more detail. Again, I don't know when these photos were taken but I am guessing they are years old. The area in the bottom right which looks kind of brown is all rocky outcrop. You can hike there but it is not an easy hike. It is called the Jaburara Trail if anyone is motivated enough to look it up! There is ancient aboriginal rock art on the Jaburara Trail but the best stuff is located on the Burrup Peninsula (top picture, just above the salt). We've been in the news recently because the Environment Minister Ian Campbell has just approved the destruction of the 20,000 year old rock art to build industry. Unbelievable. Money certainly talks up this neck of the woods. His reasoning - there are no native tribes left who "belong" to the art. (This is because white man massacred the Jaburara people to extinction in the 1800's.) And also because there is a lot of art in the area, so destroying some won't make much difference. (Despite the fact that it is because there is a lot of art that makes it a sacred site!!)

I'm a bit of a rock art advocate but I'm a minority. Industry runs the area up here - and rightly so, they contribute more than 30% of Australia's GDP just from the North West! Still, wanton destruction is wanton destruction. Don't get me started....

Another beautiful day

Another beautiful day in the Pilbara. No wind, cloudless and hot! I did 5km this morning. Makes up for my false start yesterday. I went out yesterday evening for a 3km walk but it was more of a slow stroll because I went with my husband. So it doesn't really count.

I had just started out this morning when I saw a man, clearly drunk, staggering along the path. I was on my warm-up where I walk for 5 minutes. I said "good morning" and went to go around him. He responded by swearing at me. So I jogged to get past him as quickly as possible. He started CHASING ME!! He was swearing and shouting, fairly incoherently. I started sprinting and he sprinted too. He was barefoot, and drunk, so I was never frightened. I knew he was in no condition to last very long, and in the space of about 50m he had fallen over. I kept running as fast as I could to get some distance between us and then I slowed to a walk. The thing is, it upset my warm-up and that put out my whole run! I am NOT a sprinter!! I was puffed for ages!

I don't scare easily and I know how to defend myself, but I would much rather avoid a confrontation in the first place. Still, a bit of excitement for the start of my run.

I had Percy with me, and we were planning on running the same course as Boxing Day. I had the Virtual Partner set and by the time I got to my "starting" point (after my warm-up) I was already 3 minutes in front of the time! But I was puffed, so I elected to do a run/walk along the same route. I kept in front of the time the whole way round, but I was run/walking. I ended up finishing about 5 seconds quicker than when I last ran the course - so Percy gave me a little beep and told me I won.

I'm not sure what the better training is - to run a route without stopping, or to do it in the same time but as a run/walk.

False start

I was due to have a 5km run this morning but I had a bit of a false start. I set out, lasted 6 minutes and needed to go to the toilet, badly. No choice but to turn around and go home. Percy was NOT impressed. I thought about going out again, but it was already late when I left and the sun was up, and hot. I spent the afternoon outside yesterday and I'm feeling a little over-sunned. I didn't want to sun myself any more. Tomorrow is a rest day, so I might run tomorrow instead and have a rest day today. Depending on the heat, I may even go out this evening.

I think my body just wants to remind me about how badly I treated it over Christmas!!!

If I can still do four runs in the week I'll be happy.

Woo Hoo!! Christmas!!

What a great Christmas!!!

I got a Garmin 205! I was not expecting it at all! I had asked for it, and written down all the details but with one thing or another, I just didn't think I would get it. I was so surprised and pleased that I burst into tears!! My husband was concerned he had bought the wrong one! I also got a running hat from my mother (again under instruction) and it is very schmick. A grey and white Nike dri fit cap. I also asked for a running shirt but I was not specific in my details. My husband bought me a Puma t-shirt, bless him. That's a sports shirt isn't it??? It's bright yellow so people will certainly see me coming. Add onto that the running shoes I bought myself and I had a VERY good Christmas!!!

My Garmin is called Percy. When I was in high school I was in a play and my character was Percy. Then I got an award for perserverence so I became Perservering Percy. Now, anytime I think of perserverence I think of Percy, so Percy has become my new training partner.

Percy and I went for a walk yesterday to get to know each other, but I took him for our first run this morning. He is wonderful!!!

This is our run from this morning. I haven't worked out the map thing yet (or maybe there are no maps this far away from civilisation), but I am amazed at the variety of my pace. It feels like I just plod along, but really I am going up and down in speed all the time. I pushed it hard at the end and surprised myself by getting up to 10km/h!!! There's hope for me yet. All up 5km in 42 minutes which includes a 5min/500m walk to warm up. I have set this run as a course so I can use it as a virtual training partner. Very exciting.

I'm still not too worried about time, but I like to know the distance and my pace. So now I know that for me 7.5km/h is OK. Clearly I AM getting better - because I just did 5km (well 4.5km) without stopping. That's pretty cool.

I ate too much food, but I had a wonderful time doing it! Christmas is pretty much the only time of the year where you can get away with it. Back on the straight and narrow for me! Now just to get through the leftovers....

Overcast and windy

Did a slow 7km today. It was great! At one point I felt like I could keep going forever! But then I realised I was probably going slower than walking pace. Ah well. Speed will come. Got to be able to make the distance first, before I can get faster!

It was overcast and windy this morning. Still a lot of flies except they didn't just land on me, they slammed into me! It was unusual enough weather for me to jump onto the BOM website when I got home to check for cyclones! None in the next three days, thankfully. So it's just overcast and windy. Weird. It's still hot but I don't think it will be a scorcher today.

Food, food, food today! I'll try and be good but it's Christmas! We celebrate a Danish Christmas so we eat our Christmas dinner today instead of tomorrow. Long day in the kitchen ahead!

Pleasant run today!

I had a wonderful run this morning. Lots of flies buzzing around but they all seemed to miss my mouth and eyes. 5km in an unknown (and don't care) time. I had one brief walk break about 3.5km when a Micheal Jackson song came onto my MP3. (How did HE get on there????) It coincided with the sun breaking over the hills and the full heat hitting me. Stopped me dead until I flicked onto the next song - aahhhh Dire Straits, give me Mark Knopfler any day.

I really enjoyed my run. I wanted to keep going but it was too hot - had I left half an hour earlier I might have tagged on an extra 2km. I'm motivated to get out there over the next couple of days!

Message to Em - the Pilbara is absolutely beautiful! The harshness of the climate means the landscape is ruggedly spectacular. I don't think you can truly experience it unless you live here. I whinge and complain about the heat, but I genuinely love living here. I wish it was cooler (and perhaps a few less cyclones) but there are not many places where you can see the desert meet the ocean. It's been amazing here and I'm glad to have had the opportunity. I don't know that I would recommend a move here to runners though.....

Another advantage to daylight savings

Short 3.5km tonight. Hot and lots of flies but not too bad. I'm still getting out there at least. I slept in this morning (bliss!) and then felt really guilty for not running so forced myself out this evening. It's 8pm, still a little bit light and I haven't even thought about dinner. I like daylight savings! Apart from being able to get up in the morning (or not) at a decent time, I feel less like eating a big meal at night. So many advantages!

Now just to get through Christmas.....

Treadmills are not for me

Thank you to all the supportive comments and PM's. I am not giving up running. I've come too far to let it go.

In an attempt to compromise and escape the heat, I opted to go to the gym and run on the treadmill. One thing I will say about treadmill running is that you can't cheat. At all. But the good thing is it is accurate in terms of speed and distance. I did a 5 minute warm up at 6km/h and then cranked it all the way up to 7.2km/h for 4km. I did 4 km in 32 minutes. The bloke next to me was running at the same cadence as me (our steps were at the same pace) except he was running at 13km/h. I don't like the treadmill. If you want to think about how slow you are going, or how far you have yet to run, then maybe the treadmill is a good idea. Those red numbers ticking over slowly were mesmerising. Worse than me and my problem with checking my watch. It was cooler, maybe. But I can see I would become very bored, very quickly. Still, I gave it a go. And I did 4km - in 32 minutes - which is about what I run normally. At least now I know for sure my pace and the accuracy of the distance, so the run was good in that respect. But I will stick to the outdoors. Summer will end.

Motivation, despair, motivation

I find I have to keep my goal in mind because today, mid-run, I lost motivation. I was up an hour before dawn planning to run/walk 10km. I stepped out into the muggy darkness and had to put on my fly net immediately. I haven't seen the flies that bad in the darkness before. I had been hoping for a couple of k's without them, but not today. I ran 3kms and felt lethargic. It was very hot. By 5kms I had finished my water bottle and I stopped. Just like that. I turned around and walked home. All up 7kms. I was over it. Over running. The thoughts going through my head were negative. I've picked a silly place to try and become a runner. I counted 18 flies sitting on my fly net in my field of vision. My feet hurt. And then I thought THIS must be what it's like to have a bad day. More like absolutely crappiest of the crappiest days. So as I was walking home I decided I would stop running. Maybe keep walking but give the running a rest for a while. Then I thought that would be a waste. I've worked damn hard to get to where I am - and I can run 5km!! 8km on a good day! By the time I got home, had a shower and a big drink of water I was feeling much better. It's still bloody hot, so maybe I need to modify the running somehow to make it more achievable. Maybe I need to keep the distances more realistic while it's so hot. Stick to 4 or 5km during the week and maybe 7km for the long run. Anyway, end of the story, I'm not giving up. I'll keep going, plodding along and I will eventually get better and faster and stronger.

Nothing like a bad day to bring everything back into perspective.
Top 10 reasons why running is great in Karratha:
1. I have no injuries.
2. I can run whenever I want (pending the heat and sun of course!).
3. I have a wonderful pair of shoes.
4. The dawn reflecting on the red rock is spectacular.
5. As distasteful as it is, I DO have a fly net - which is better than not having one.
6. There is a small stretch where I get to see some grass as I pass through a Council park (and I look forward to that part! It's the only green I see - everything else is red, grey or dead.)
7. The sky is always clear and it is NEVER cold.
8. I can breathe comfortably when I run now.
9. I have a wonderful online support network.
10. Did I mention I have a wonderful online support network?

Crisis at 2am

My house is at the end of a cul-de-sac and we only have neighbours on one side. On the other side is a footbath and drain that runs along the back of all the houses and provides pedestrian access between our street and the cul-de-sac on the other side of the drain. Last night about 2am we were woken by a loud "pop" and fizzing noise. When we looked outside we could see a bright red glow. I went into the back yard and saw that my neighbours roof was on fire. I'm not sure how I did it (I can't remember!) but somehow I was over the fence and banging on my neighbours doors and windows to wake them up and get them out of the house. They woke up and called the fire brigade but the firies are a volunteer service up here and we knew they would be some minutes away. I got the neighbours hose and started to hose the roof from the backyard - not an easy thing. There was smoke everywhere and we thought the fire must have been inside the roof cavity. Then we couldn't see the flames anymore. The neighbour went into his manhole but couldn't see any fire - and no smoke. We became very confused. I was standing in my neighbours backyard at 2am hosing their roof (and no fire) wearing only underpants and a t-shirt and bare feet. The ridiculousness of the scene was not lost on me! Then the smoke was gone from the backyard too. Steve, the neighbour, finally was the one to do some thinking and worked out it was a flare that had been set off. The pop and fizz and bright red glow all made sense. It had landed on my neighbour's roof and burnt itself out. I sort of felt a bit silly after banging on their doors and windows like a goose at 2 o'clock in the morning. But at the time I really thought their roof was on fire. Then the police and firies arrived - but it was all over by then. By 3am I was back in bed but sleep was a long time coming. My feet were bruised where I had jumped the fence and landed on gravel. I'm a big girl and I still don't know how I managed it. I know you don't muck around with fires (the house on the other side of the drain burnt down a couple of months ago - the charred shell is still there) so I acted immediately. Kind of good to know I was able to think semi-clearly at the time of a crisis. I didn't wake up again until 7am - too late for a run!

That's my excuse for missing my run.

This morning we found the flare container in our backyard. It had been fired from the laneway by the drain and flown over our house to land on the roof of our neighbour. It could have landed on something more flamable and then we would have had problems!

*edit*
The police just arrived again at the neighbours place. I gave them the flare container. They said this type of activity was common because nearly everyone has a boat and the flares are left in the boats where they are easily accessible to youngsters who want to cause problems. They inspected the damage to the neighbour's roof and there IS a hole in the roof from the flare. My hosing HAD stopped the flare burning the roof cavity. I feel kind of vindicated.

New shoes

Had a great 5km run this morning. I ran my new route again and I still haven't quite worked out the km markers, and because I am not timing things anymore it has not been important. There is one part of the route where I can add on an extra block to bring the total run to 7km, but I was feeling kind of lazy so decided to only go for 4km.

When I got back and looked at the map I printed off gmaps I realised I had run 5km! A nice little surprise - especially since I have only been getting nasty surprises in relation to my distances lately!

I felt sort of semi-strong and managed the distance without stopping. Of course I expect to cover these distances without stopping now, but it is still a satisfying feeling to actually make it.

I had a couple of weird days Tuesday and Wednesday with work and stuff and only managed 2.5km on Wednesday which was supposed to be a rest day, but then did nothing on Tuesday. So I supposed it evens itself out - and I'm back on track today.

I have a new pair of shoes! I really wish I had more experience in these things because I don't know if the shoe shop diddled me or not. I am very excited to report I am the proud owner of a pair of Asics Kinsai but my husband was very distressed to find out I paid $300 for them. I hope they are worth it!!! They are certainly very comfortable and I run without pain (but I had no real injuries to start with so that's no indication). Add onto that a $30 pair of Thorlos. I never knew socks could be so expensive. I haven't told my husband how much the socks were! All of this seems extrordinarily expensive. I don't know how people have pairs they rotate! I am going to wrap the shoes in Christmas paper and put them under the tree! (But I get to use them before Christmas too!!) I suspect Santa will no longer be bringing me my Garmin :(. Oh well, by next year I'll be well and truly ready for it!

I am going to record the distances in my shoes and see how many kms I get out of them. Starting to sound like a real runner, hey.

Another 10km

I ran/walked the same 10km route as last week this morning. I didn't time it - not even taking my watch. I ran when I wanted to run and walked when I wanted to walk. It was great! I managed to leave very early and ran the first 4km in the dark. It was so lovely and cool. There were no flies either - bliss! Then the sun came up and the flies woke up. I had almost forgotten about them in the dark, but they were out with a vengence. I swollowed the second fly that flew into my mouth (managing to spit out the first one) - I'm still gagging to think about it. That slowed me to a walk for a few minutes while I coughed and spluttered. It was enough to make me put the fly net on and I ran the last 6km wearing it. The sun was fully up for the last 2km and by then I was running maybe a minute at a go. But I definitely ran a lot more than I walked and I enjoyed it!

Scott, I didn't see any other runners this morning but there were a couple of walkers. Sometimes I will see one or two other people running but not often. Yesterday I saw a fellow running in the afternoon! It must have been 40 degrees. He looked like he was struggling but good on him for getting out there I guess.

Walk today

Sometimes it is just nice to walk and not run. This morning I went for a 5km walk and I really enjoyed it. I like running MORE but it was a nice change. I can put the fly net on and not worry about my breathing, and I seem to sweat less. Obviously I am not working as hard.....

Today I went to buy a new pair of pants for work. I am usually an 18 and sometimes a 20 *shame* but I had to buy a size 24 today. Quite a slap in the face really. To add insult to injury the lady had to hunt for that size and then told me (quite politely) that she was sorry but that is the biggest size they make. She tried to make me feel better by telling me that manufacturers make different sizes and even SHE has to go up to size 14!!! Humph! It's one thing going from a 12 to 14 but quite another thing to struggle to find anything in the shop big enough. I tried on other styles but their 24's were too small!! Narrows down the choices when you are limited to the only thing in the shop that will fit.

I've learnt not to go into "real" clothes shops because they only stock size 8 and 10, but I thought a workwear shop would be a bit more realistic. Anyway - I'm on the journey and I'm heading down! I'll keep running and watch the food and hopefully my size 24's will be too big soon!! One day I'll go into a regular shop and buy what I damn well please!

Cooler weather

I don't know if it is me getting up earlier, but it has definitely been cooler for the last week or so. This morning I did 6km (including a short walk break) and there was one stretch where a cool breeze hit me! I remember being surprised and I wonder if that is what it is like for "normal" runners (who live in "normal" places).

I am hoping to get to Perth in the next week and I am looking forward to going for a run! I'll be able to compare temperatures then.

Today I ran my new route again, and was intending on trying for 7km but about 4km in, I felt a niggle in my right calf. Like any good runner, I kept going hoping it would go away. When it didn't go away, I stopped and walked for a while, deciding to go for 6km instead. The niggle went away and I forgot about it and started running again. It came back again just before I finished, so I stopped again and walked home. I made sure I stretched really well (of course that could be the WORST thing I could have done!!) and it seems OK now. Tomorrow is a cross training day and Saturday is a rest day - so I reckon I'll be fine come my next 10km run on Sunday.

I passed an old man walking today. He could hear me coming behind him. I was on the road and he was on the footpath. He thought I was on the road to go past him so he got off the footpath for me. (I was on the road because it is easier than the footpath.) When he realised I was taking a very long time to catch up, he hopped back onto the footpath. He turned around again and saw I was still trying to catch up so he stopped and gestured that I should have the footpath. I smiled and said thanks and told him I was on the road deliberately. He was being nice, but it just reinforced to me (again) how slow I am going!! Sigh.

I hope this beaut weather holds for a while longer.

Another new route

Another new route today - and no watch. It's a lot more relaxing for me when I run, but I worry that I will take it too easy because I don't know how far I've gone or how long. I find I underestimate these things.

I measured today's route on gmaps and it is about 5km. OK I guess, but the microwave tells me I was gone almost an hour. Not sure how that happened. But I'm still getting out there, so I will continue to improve I guess.

Daylight savings is great in the mornings, but a pain at night! My body is not ready for dinner until the sun goes down, so by the time we eat it's like 9pm. Then I want to get up early to go for a run so I like to go to bed by 10pm but I'm still full from dinner. I'll have to get into a new routine. Mornings however are wonderful. Up at 5.30am for a run in the coolish pre dawn.

10km run/walk

Well I was true to my word. I ran/walked 10km this morning. I'm not sure exactly how far I ran and how far I walked, but I know I ran more than I walked. Even though we are not timing these things, it took me an hour and 44 minutes - but I didn't look at my watch once during the run! And the time is only for future reference. Since I don't know how far I ran or walked, I can't work out my speed - so it's all good.

I left early this morning and it made a difference. Also the new route is fun! There is one stretch where I have to run up and down the same road for about 8oom each way and that is a bit boring, but the rest is cool because it is all one lap.

I got overtaken by a kid on his bike who was being stupid doing wheelies up the gutter and riding with no hands. He rode really close to me to get past. I say kid, but he was probably closer to 16 or 17. He was about 50m in front of me when he tried to jump up the gutter with no hands and he came off - hard. He was still on the ground when I caught up to him. He was hurting but he was too embarassed to show it! I asked if he was OK and he said he was fine. His bike, however, was not. He limped off pushing his bike (and was still going faster than me, but we are not concerned about speed anymore are we?) but I'm guessing he was heading straight home! Poor bugger.

Plus - we are now on daylight savings!!!

Reality Check

Thank you to everyone who has been so encouraging throughout my journey so far. I have been feeling very sorry for myself, and extremely frustrated for the last day or so. Let me tell you why.

Someone on the forum posted the gmaps website, and I was very excited as I measured my normal route accurately for the first time. It turns out that I have been running 3.5km and not 4km as I thought. So my very slow 9 minute km's are even more appalling. Horrified at my shocking progress, I sulked all day yesterday. I didn't even go for my scheduled run - I piked. It is the first run I have missed since I started this. I was little Miss Cranky Pants.

But then I figured it was a good reality check. It gives me a greater appreciation of what other runners are doing without even thinking about it. And I realised that I REALLY have become obsessed with times - and that is not what running is all about, at least that's not what I wanted. So instead of feeling sorry for myself any longer, I jumped back onto gmaps and measured 10km along a completely new route. Tomorrow is my long run. I was hoping to do 8km, but the 8km I THOUGHT I was going to do, is more like 7km. So I am going to set off on my new 10km route and run until I hit the 7km mark and then I'll walk home. And I don't care how long it takes me!!

At least I'll have the satisfaction of knowing the real distance I have covered - and no watch. I think I need to get rid of the watch altogether - yes I'll probably count paces, or guide posts or something else, but no matter. I want running to be about running. I don't want to worry about times - I'll leave that for the races!!

So I managed to dig myself out of the hole I put myself into, which is a good thing. I will improve as I am meant to improve - I can't expect to run 7 minute k's just because others can. I'm still a ton overweight so I've got to expect some wind resistance! I will take my watch once a month - as a reward - and see if that makes a difference.

I have a watch compulsion

I've really got to stop taking my watch on runs. I become so obsessed with the times. I did 5km today in 40.42. Not too bad for me. I decided that I would push the first 2km and managed 14.53! Not my fastest but good for me. Anything under 15 minutes is great. Then, because I have this timing compulsion I decided to measure a no-frills km. Just me running comfortably, no hard work, no sprint finish. My "comfortable" km is 8.42!! So slow.

If I hadn't taken my watch, I would have been pleased that I managed 5km. But no, now I have to think about my pace being so slow!

It was a beautiful morning. I can't remember when it was so cool. It was still only 25 degrees when I got home. Still heaps and heaps of flies, but I guess I can't expect everything.

OK - next run. No watch.

I am making progress

I struggled through 5km this morning. Actually, I surprised myself. I wanted to do 5km but found it really hard at 4km and managed to keep going. No watch again today - which is just as well because my last km was slow. But at the moment, I am quite content with my plodding. I'm pleased I managed 5km and whilst it wasn't comfortable, it wasn't soul-shatteringly hard either.

I'm not sure why but today I felt kinda pleased with myself. I was thinking about how far I have come in my running from a zero start (and still thinking about how far I have yet to go). But there is something about quietly plodding that is enjoyable and relaxing in a weird kind of way. And I am making progress. Slow - definitely. But progress nonetheless. 10km doesn't seem so far anymore, nor does running for an hour and a half. A few short months ago, 1km was beyond me. Now 1km is like a warm up!!!

One good thing about the heat - I'm drinking heaps of water! I can get through 4 or 5 litres a day without too much drama. That helps the food intake too. Instead of eating, I have a drink of water. I'm into almonds at the moment too. I can munch on a handful of almonds and snack for 2 or 3 hours. Much better than chippies or chocolate!!!

I saved a man's life today

Well perhaps that is a little TOO dramatic. How about I "might" have saved a man's life today. I was all set for the SiS3 and was about of bed at 4.30am to beat the heat. A little after one km in I saw someone lying half on the road half on the footpath. This whole running thing must be getting to me because for a split second I actually thought about keeping going because it would upset my time!! Fortunately common sense prevailed and I stopped to see if he was OK. He was probably drunk and didn't quite make it home before passing out. He was lying on his back and I knew that if he could choke to death unless I put him on his side, unless he was dead already of course. I kicked his boot a few times but he didn't move. I shouted at him and shook him and his eyelids fluttered but his eyes were rolled up in the back of his head. I tried to roll him on his side but he was heavy. Some old fellow came out of his house and told me to leave him alone. I said he could choke if he was left on his back and I kept trying to roll him over. The old fellow said he had already called the police. By that time I had rolled him over onto his side. He was breathing so that was fine. Then I took off at a bolt, disappointed at the time I had taken to help this fellow! This man might live to see another day, and I am upset at wasting 30 seconds!!

I started my run conservatively hard but had that slight hiccup between kms 1 and 2. I really pushed it hard to the second km, trying to make up lost time, which I guess was a silly thing to do. By the same token though, my stop gave me a chance to get my breath back a bit. I tried to maintain my pace - which was about 7.30 pace - good for me. I was struggling in the last km. But I pushed it as hard as I could. I'm glad I wasn't wearing a heart rate monitor because it would have blown up. I gave it everything. I crossed 4km in 29.58!!!!! Yippee!! My last km was 6.59! Wow! Smokin'!

I overtook a walker just before I finished and then he overtook me when I stopped. I was puffing and panting and carrying on - I'm sure he would have thought I was having a heart attack! I kept walking to get my breath back, and ended up walking past the place where I helped the man earlier. There was a wet patch on the ground where he was laying but there was no sign of him. The old fellow came out of his house again and said someone threw a bucket of water on him and he got up and walked off. Well at least he wasn't dead - and maybe, just maybe, he has me to thank for that.

Flies sleep at night time

A light day today. Run/walk untimed for about 4km - just less. I didn't take my watch and the microwave said I was gone 34 minutes so pretty good really. That includes my warm up walk which I don't usually count, so it's not as swift as it sounds!!

I slept in this morning, unintentionally. I forgot to set the alarm. I was hanging out for dusk so I could do my run/walk. It was still hot but there were NO FLIES!! It's a shame it's not better lit - I might run in the evening more often. But then if it were better lit, there'd be all sorts of other bugs. Can't win really. I must admit though, I like the mornings better. (And that's coming from the Queen of sleep-ins!)

One more week till daylight savings - can't wait!! At least then I can get up at a decent hour and go for a run.

I'm looking forward to Sunday. Even though I'm running a race of one, it is no less exciting for me. I've gotta beat 32 minutes. As long as I don't get too excited and go out too hard. Race plan: start conservatively, but not slow, then play it by ear!

Bloody hot!

I made a mental note that I wouldn't keep complaining about the heat - but I can't help myself. This morning the heat and humidity were incredible! I was sweating from places I didn't know could sweat! I had little rivers of sweat running out of my knees!! My knees!! Bizarre. It was so hot overnight that the windows had condensation on the OUTSIDE!! You know how when you take a can of softdrink out of the fridge, condensation forms on it - well that's what it's like.

And these Goddam flies. I'm over them. I wear a fly net when I walk but not when I run, usually. Today I ran with the fly net. It's like wearing a plastic bag over your head. The sweat can't escape and it's hard to breathe. And THEN one sneaky bugger managed to get under the net and I had a hell of a time getting it out.

Vent over.

I ran 4km today. I tried to push it for the first two and I managed 14.42! Better than last week but still abismally slow. I took a quick walk break and kept jogging. I reached the 3km mark and I decided to keep going past my normal corner to cross the road into Millars. I haven't measured it yet, so I ran 9minutes past the 3km mark (just to be sure I made 4km). Then I walked home.

Got the SiS3 on Sunday. Tiger Boy has given me a challenge. I have to beat his 8km time over 4km. He reckons he'll come in about 31 or 32 minutes. I'll take him on! Nothing like a little challenge to get you motivated! I'll be struggling - but I guess that's the idea. Otherwise I'll never get faster - and there's no races up this way. Wish me luck!

Trying hard

Today I was going to do 4km then see how I felt as to whether I tacked on another km. My husband left at the same time as me to go for a 2.5km walk. Having read about tempo runs on the forum, I decided to try and catch him by gradually increasing my speed. I needed to catch up by my 3.5km mark because that's where he finishes and I keep going to 4km.

So I started slowly and consciously increased my speed every km. By the time I hit 3km I knew I was in trouble. I was going faster than "comfortably hard" and knew I had to slow down. I could see my husband in front of me but I couldn't catch him. He beat me by about 200m. I was disapppointed but at the same time I realised that the run was pretty good. Excellent training. My speed between 3 and 4km was pretty slack, but I pushed it right at the end. Then I walked about 500m home. I was flat out making 4km, I knew I wouldn't make 5km today - but it was a nice solid 4km.

I didn't take my watch with me today - because initially I was just going for a nice comfortable run. But now, I would like to have seen my splits! Probably just as well though because I tend to travel slightly slower than I think I do.

Only a walk today

A short walk today, only worthy of a short post! I walked the new Millars route again. It only takes about half an hour, but is nice for a change. I managed to convince the husband to walk it with me, so that was nice too. It was hot but not too bad.

I'm looking forward to daylight savings from a purely selfish reason - it will mean that I can walk/run early in the morning when it is dawn without it being a ridiculously early time. Hopefully that will kick in on December 2.

We left at 6am this morning, far too late if I am running. But if it was daylight savings, 6am would really be 5am and just nice! 5.30 would really be 4.30 and perfect! Roll on December 2.

Another hour

I looked forward to this run all week. Long and slow. Suits me to a tee. I'm going to ditch the whole timing thing, and go by distance. So today I did 7.5km. And I felt like I could keep going. In fact, it was hard to stop. When I did stop, my legs wouldn't go in the right direction and they felt heavy and painful. Yet, 10 seconds before that I was thinking that I could probably run 10km! There is something to be said for getting into a rythym. I didn't realise I was in any sort of rythym - until I started to walk!

Even though I'm not really timing anymore, I think it is still important to point out that the run took me over an hour. I'm not breaking any land speed records here.

I think what I will do is gradually increase my long run every week until I get to 10km and then hold there for a while. At my current rate that'll be 90minutes - long enough for the time being. I might also lift the distance of one of my mid week runs - to say 6km.

I've decided I'm going to be a long distance runner. Might aim for the Half Marathon in Perth in 2007. That's in September. Quite a reasonable goal I reckon.

Beautiful morning

I had a very enjoyable quick 30min run/walk this morning. Makes up for missing yesterday. Nothing too stressful - ran when I wanted to run and walked when I wanted to walk. I took the new route which I will call "Millars" since it goes through Millars Well. It is not a very long route but might be just the perfect length to add to my 4km loop. I'll jump on the bike and measure it one of these days.

I have an MP3 player with an arm band and the arm band broke this morning. The MP3 itself is still working well, which is a bit of a shame because I really like the look of the new iPod nano shuffle! So I tucked the MP3 into my drink pouch, and that seemd to work OK. I don't like the cord flapping around but I can't figure out anyway to stop that.

I love gadgets. I wish someone would invent a wrist GPS (like the Garmin) but with a Bluetooth MP3. Now that would be cool!!! I reckon it would be a hit with the runners. I jumped on the net to see if a Bluetooth MP3 existed and it does! But nothing really suitable for running. Can't be too far away, I guess. Some nerdy gadget geek who loves running will invent it I'm sure.

Didn't get out of bed this morning!!

Today is supposed to be my "recovery" run, or at least a run/walk. I usually enjoy these sessions because they are just for fun, no pressure, no time, limited structure. Just getting out there.

Well this morning I was just about to get out of bed when I got a visit from my cat, Pookie. She was feeling particularly lovey-dovey and snuggled under my arm and rested her nose on my nose. And she was purring. My heart just melted so I allowed her to share that special moment with me. Pookie is not a particularly affectionate cat and I always enjoy when she wants to spend time with me. Then she decided my nose needed cleaning, so she "groomed" me until I met with her satisfaction. Then she had to clean herself, because all that cleaning makes one dirty!

Eventually she got up but it was too late to go for a run - just too hot. Last night was a shocker. The minimum overnight was 27, but it felt worse. I've got to be out running before the sun is fully up or it becomes unbearable.

So I feel a little guilty for not running, but not too much. I haven't had a rest day since last Saturday, because now I'm walking on my rest days. So I might just make this a rest day - or I might go out this afternoon if it cools down enough.

But it was worth it for a quality bonding moment with my cat!

Hard to get out of bed this morning

This morning I didn't want to wake up. The alarm went off and I started telling myself that it was OK to go back to sleep; it was more comfortable; easier; and it didn't really matter if I missed out on one lousy run. So I rolled over but I didn't sleep. My mind then started thinking about how I would feel if I didn't go. The tired part of me said I could go later this afternoon. The guilty part of me knew it wold be too hot, so I took a deep breath and just got up. I need to learn a lesson from this - as soon as the alarm goes off, jump up. Don't think about it.

I was 15 minutes late going out the door, but I went! I had no real plan for today so I decided to see how fast I could run 2km. If you are reading this Joey - you are the inspiration for this! But I also wanted to see if I could hold that pace, after a brief walk, for 4km. I don't know what I was thinking! My first km was 7.30 (pretty good for me but still knowing I needed to keep some in the tank). The second km was 7.18 which means 14.48 for 2km. Anything under 15 minutes is pretty special! Then I walked for a couple of minutes and still managed to cover 3km in 23 minutes, another quick walk and I finished 4km in 30.51. Not my best time, but better than usual. I always manage to do a better time when I take walk breaks - still not sure why. Then I finished off with a 2km walk.

It was hard work today. Hot. I puffed and panted, but by the time I got home I felt great, as I always do after a decent run.

Cool walk!

I had a cool walk today - literally!! When I got home it was still only 26 degrees and there was a dew this morning! Wow! A dew!! Plus, I went a different way today which was kind of exciting too. I am supposed to have a rest day today, so I decided a walk would be good. No running. I thought it was a good opportunity to explore new running tracks. I've been looking for a reason to take this new route but have been reluctant because I don't know the distance, and I like to know how far I've gone as opposed to how long. So last night I decided that I would walk this morning. You know how when you look forward to something you get excited just thinking about it? Well that's how I felt!! It's almost embarrassing to admit!! I was up before my alarm with anticipation! Strapped on the gatorade, MP3 and fly net and was off.

In order to explain the significance of this new route, I need to provide a geography lesson about my location. Karratha is a long narrow town that runs east west. There are two main roads that border the town - one to the north and one to the south. The "top" road and the "bottom" road (creative bunch aren't they?). The top road runs along the flood plain/mud flats and the bottom road is bordered by rocky hills. Physically, Karratha can not expand north or south because of these natural boundaries. Karratha is a planned town, purpose built as a service town to the mining industry. The only way you can drive from one end of town to the other is by taking either the top road or the bottom road - no other roads go all the way through. There are three or four "through" roads which join the top and bottom roads. All the residential streets come off these through roads and most are culdesacs. The through roads form a natural border for the suburbs - there are four: Nickol, Millar's Well, Peg's Creek and Bulgarra. I live in Nickol, right on the edge of town. There is limited room for expansion east and west, too, because of the salt flats and more flood plain. There are heaps of bike tracks and footpaths throughout the town - I have to give credit to the town planners, it is pedestrian friendly. The footpaths join the culdesacs or run between them, so it is easier to walk than it is to drive. Unless you take the top road or bottom road, you can easily get lost in our charming little town and drive around in circles.

I'm getting to the point. Suffice to say my "normal" route follows the top road and I weave in and out of the streets around Nickol. Naturally I started my runs in loops around where I live and I avoided crossing the "through" road to Millar's Well. Well my walk today CROSSED THE ROAD!!! It was very exciting! I saw new people out and about, not the "regulars" who walk the top road with me. Another couple of exploration walks, then measure the distance on the bike and I might have a new running track! I've driven around the streets a fair bit (I volunteer for Meals on Wheels) but there is something different about walking them. Whilst I love my runs, I'm now excited about my next few walks too!! (Pretty sad really how a change in route can make me excited....)

Tuesday

An easy run today. I was going to go for 5km but decided to only go for 4. I had an upset stomach this morning - probably something to do with the crap I ate yesterday when I went to a movie. I haven't had a pigout in a while, nor am I likely to again for a while if that is how it makes me feel when I run!! I was running much faster than I went on Sunday but I didn't record my time. I decided not even to take my watch because I get so frustrated at my speed. I might just go for distance for a while. Distance and how I feel. I struggled to make 4km. I stopped at about 3.5 to pat a cat that crossed my path - friendly thing. Then I found it difficult to start again. Serves me right. I decided to push it hard to 4km just to get it over with! I walked back to my street and did four run-throughs to finish off. (Not sure if that helps my speed, but it can't hurt!)

It was hot again. I checked the temp on the weather bureau site and it said 28.3 degrees. But the humidity was only at 30% so I didn't sweat too badly. I knew it was warm but I would have thought only about 26 so perhaps I am getting used to the heat!! I also went early - 5.10. If it's 28 degrees before 6am, I'm going to have to go early every day. Only getting to 40 today, apparently.

An hour!

I was naughty today. Today is my long, slow run and my programme said I was to run for 50minutes. I decided to not check my watch because I get frustrated at how slow I go. I knew I would make 6km, so the plan was to check my watch at 6km and see how far I was from 50minutes with a view to making 7km. Good plan, I thought.

Well the weirdest thing happened. The further I ran, the easier it got. I was going slowly, I knew that, but I felt like I could just keep going. At 3km, I'm like "ONLY half way" but at 4km it was "only 2 to go". Instead of thinking in minutes, I was thinking in km! That's the first time that has happened. At 5km I was feeling strong. I was only going slowly but I wasn't puffed. I felt like I could keep plodding forever! At 6km I checked my watch and my little high came crashing down. 54minutes. No wonder I was feeling strong - I was barely at walking pace.

My brain had been thinking 7km and here I was at 6km already over the time I was supposed to be running. So I became a petulant child and thought stuff it I'll run the damn 7km. So I kept plodding, slowly, easily, and made 7km. I wanted to keep going but I thought I was pushing it a bit already, so I stopped. One hour and 2mintues! Well and truly over my 10%. Naughty.

Apart from my very slow speed, another reason I felt good today was because I ran very early and it was relatively cool. I was up before dawn and out the door when it was just light. I have the air conditioner set at 22 degrees and it was only slightly warmer than that outside. Probably only 23 or 24. I thought maybe I would escape the flies, but the buggers are up early. I'd finished my run and the temp would still only have been 26, if that. It was great. It means getting up at 4.40 - but only once a week! The heat has really started here now - it got to 42 yesterday. We are unlikely to get any respite from the heat until about April. Sigh. Gotta work with it - think of all the conditioning I'm getting!

Easy day

Today I had to do 25 minutes light cardio vascular. Usually I will do a run/walk but today I went for a walk because my husband came with me. He doesn't run, and doesn't understand why I do, so it's nice sometimes to just walk together.

We walked for 30 minutes. I couldn't help myself and did the occasional star jump or knee lift or bum kick. But it was nice.

I don't feel like I've done anything when I've gone for a walk. Maybe I walk too slow. I think I'd like to start walking more often, maybe on rest days. I've got three rest days a week at the moment, and I itch to get out there and do something. What harm can a walk do?

I'm also thinking of tagging a walk onto the end of my runs to build up time on my feet. I hover around 40 to 50 minutes but if I add a 10 0r 15 minute walk to the end of the run, I will be on my feet for an hour. Sounds like a plan.

Fatness in perspective

I need to give some perspective to my fitness goal. I am a large girl. I don't like to admit these things but I tipped the scale at 100kgs. For my height of 172cm, that means I'm carrying about 40 extra kgs. Holy crap! I don't like to dwell on weight because I'm more about how you feel, or how you look. However the scales don't lie. So you can imagine what I look like in a pair of Skins.

When I started the C25K I struggled to run continuously for 1 minute. My fitness level was nonexistant. My speed has not improved, but my stamina has. I've made great improvements to be where I am now.

I have tried to run before. It's a bit like giving up an addiction. I was addicted to sitting on my butt!! I'd start a running programme but then something would happen and I'd stop for a week, then two weeks, then a month. Then I'd get sick, or something else would happen and soon there was no running programme.

I wanted to start running when I came to Karratha, about 12 months ago. But it was hot. Then there were cyclones. Excuses, excuses. I have to say, though, in January I hurt my ankle. I was packing up the pingpong table for a cyclone and I dropped it on my ankle. There was a lump the size of a cricket ball off the side of my ankle and we thought it was broken. Not much you can do in the face of a cyclone so it took 6 days to get to the doctor. By that time my whole foot was a yucky black/purple colour and I could not walk. The x-rays showed my ankle was not broken, thankfully, but bruised. I was on crutches for a fortnight and it was some months before I could walk without a limp and even now it is still tender - 10 months later!

So the weight piled on while I was doing zero exercise. I started the C25K programme cautiously but my ankle has been fine. I have full movement and it only hurts if I poke it! So I don't poke it!! The other day I remember having to think about which ankle it was - and I knew then it must be better! Still, there is weight on my ankles and knees so I need to be a little careful.

At the moment, I have no excuses. I have been exercising consistently since July. In fact I have not missed a session. I put this down to the support I received from the runners forum. Now I'm confident enough to start a blog! I have enough faith in myself that I will continue this running - even through the heat and cyclones!! (We dumped the pingpong table!)

"Speed" session

Today I had to warm up for 5min, then run 10min "comfortably hard", rest for 5min, then 10min "comfortably hard", then 5min cool down. The idea is to get me used to some faster work.

Last time I did this session, it was an out and back route but today I wanted to be able to measure how much distance I covered so I ran my normal route "Leonard Street".

I started with a five minute walk to my "starting" point then jogged very slowly for 5 minutes. I had my watch set to beep every 5 minutes. I figured that would let me know when I was half way through each of the 10 minute sessions. I probably only managed 500m in the first 5minutes - pretty slow. Then I picked up the pace as best I could. I reached the first km marker with 1.55 left of the first 5min of the 10min session. I was about 10 seconds shy of my 2nd km mark when the 10 minutes was up and I started to walk. My math is not great but I reckon that means I covered the 2nd km in about 7.10. An improvement! I walked for 5min, slowly because I knew I was actually supposed to be standing still. Then I started again for the 2nd 10mins. I tried to keep the pace, but I felt it get very hard. Soon I was running "normally" (ie very slowly). I pushed as much as I could but finished about 100m shy of the 4km mark (the fence at the end of the park). I slowed right down for the last 5min cool down and crossed 4km in 31.45. I kept jogging until the end of the 5min cool down then I walked home.

I felt tightness in my right calf during the second 10min session, but it was fine during the cool down. I made sure I stretched my calves well at the end. There is no soreness now, and the stretches did not hurt so I don't know what the tightness was.

I know my little tiny improvements should be celebrated but I still feel so fat and incapable. I was at a Melbourne Cup lunch on Tuesday when the conversation turned to exercise. I said I was trying to become fit and was running. One of the girls asked how far I was running and I said between 4 and 5km. There were ooh's and aah's around the table and I tried to tell them that it was distance not speed! Seriously, walkers could overtake me. I'm a plodder. Then of course they all thought I was being modest! Sigh. I think the only person who realises just how slow I am - is me!! I invited one of the girls to come with me one day, just to prove I am actually slow and she said she couldn't run that far. So on the one side I am frustrated at my lack of fitness and speed, and on the other hand I really should be proud that I can keep plodding and shuffling for 4 or 5km!! I'm at a confusing crossroads! And I suppose this confusion will remain until I reach a goal that is actually worth shouting about - like 10km in 60mins! And then by the time I have the fitness to run 10km in 60mins - that won't be good enough either!

So, moral of the story... I ran a km today in 7.10. YAY!!!

Fat and unfit

I started running as a way of increasing my fitness with the added bonus of losing some weight. Sometime over the last couple of years I've piled on the kilos. Not sure exactly when that happended, but as I recall it consisted of nice, lazy weekends with lots of food. It was a lifestyle. But now my lifestyle has changed.

I started running about 3 or 4 months ago. I was on the C25K program and made the 30minutes in 10 weeks (from a base of ZERO). But the 5km has taken much longer. I'm now running 5km, not so much with "ease" but certainly "easier". It still takes me 40minutes. I'm built for comfort not speed - but I hope to change that too!

Like anything, running is about consistency. I'm getting out there 4 times a week and running. Not far, and not fast, but running. I worry about injury so I haven't pushed myself yet (well - beyond struggling through 5km!). My knees and ankles are supporting a lot of weight and performing an action to which they are not accustomed! So I'll take it easy. And I'm enjoying the journey.

I don't want to be slim. That's not me - it never has been. But I'd like to be fit and healthy. If that means I am slim, well it's an added bonus!! I've never been good at dieting because I don't have a problem with being fat! I'd like to be thinner, sure, but to get there I'd rather run a marathon than eat lettuce. Of course I understand the irony that a good diet improves running - and I'm working on that!! I have changed my diet but I am not "on" a diet. Minor distinction but important!!

By the way, I have not been on this journey alone. Struggling through the C25K programme, I stumbled across a runners forum. I posted to this forum regularly and they were incredibly encouraging. Advice from many different people, some of whom had already taken the journey I am now on, served to inspire me at so many different levels. My milestones were rapid and each one magical. These milestones were supported and celebrated by the forum members.

I am far from being a runner (yet). But the journey has begun. And, you know, I don't want that journey to end too soon. I'm enjoying the travel!