Club run number 3

I went to another club run tonight. It is a 6km route and I went out very hard with Jenny. Well it was about 7.30 pace so fast for me! I was going to do the same thing as last week - hang onto Jenny for as long as I could. Tonight we were joined by an older lady Margaret. Jenny and Margaret were happy chatting so I sat in just behind them, quite content to focus on staying with them! At about 2 and a half k there is a drink stop and we stopped for about 2 minutes but I kept Percy running. Jenny went off to the loo and asked us not to wait, so Margaret and I kept running. Margaret was being very kind and running to my pace, clearly it was an easy run for her, but I was struggling. She kept me going when I would have stopped had I been by myself. It was much faster than I thought I was capable of, so I was really pleasantly surprised when we passed 4km in 29 minutes. Somehow I managed to keep going and we passed 5km in 36.40!!! I slowed dramatically in the last km (I was stuffed) and we finished 6.4km in 48 minutes - but that includes the two minute stop. I was really pleased!!! It is the first time I have run with someone for the whole distance (I have been getting left behind) and I KNOW that was what made the difference! Amazing!

After my beaut run on Sunday, I woke up Monday with a really stiff neck. I thought I must have slept wrong or something. Because of all the advice recieved on the Ausrun forum, I decided to contact a sports massage therapist instead of the cheapy place I found in the shopping centre. (You know the cheapy place - where you walk past with all your shopping and sit on a chair in full view of everyone and it costs like 10 bucks. I've seen them at the airport too.) So I forked out $70 for a massage (which I can claim on my health insurance - Yay!) and I told the chick about my running. She understood!! Turns out the problem was in my legs and not my neck - my back has been trying to sustain sore legs and that has worked its way up to my neck. I didn't even realise my legs were tight! After the massage I realised immediately that my legs were tight and I hope I never let that happen again! It was just my inexperience and inflexibility - I didn't realise what "full movement" actually meant! No wonder I could only shuffle! Anyway, upshot is that my neck is still really tight but my legs are a bit better. I need another massage in a week and then I should get one every month or so. Since I can claim it on health insurance, I might just do that!

So I didn't sleep wrong but I might also run with clenched fists. Will have to watch that. The sore neck was something that had been building for months. And the massage has certainly not harmed my running!

The things you learn....

From strength to strength!

I went to another fun run this morning - 5km. I made the distance in 38 minutes - 2 minutes faster than anything I had done in training!! There were a few hills and I actually think that helped, believe it or not! I pushed up the uphill (well as best I could) and then recovered on the downhill. There was an older man in front of me and I wanted to keep him in sight. And there was a lady behind me and there was no way I was going to let her overtake me! Between the two of them I stayed focused and motivated all the way! I went up to both of them afterwards and thanked them - they probably thought I was an idiot!! The first 10km runner finished at about the same time (just AFTER me thankyouverymuch) so I congratulated him. He seemed genuinely interested and pleased for me too!!! Runners are so generous, I love this!

The run was at a place called Joondalup in the northern part of Perth. The park is along the banks of a lake which unfortunately has very little water left in it because of this damn drought. I've never been to Joondalup before so that was exciting too!



After just plodding along for what has seemed ages, I'm suddenly having a rush of milestones! 10km without stopping and now 5km in under 8 minutes a k! And I forgot to mention - Percy had me "running" for 217m today!!! What a buzz! I've finally registered a "run"! (Again on a downhill, but so what?!?!) I think a combination of the cooler weather here in Perth and joining a running club has really worked for me. I'll try not to be too disappointed if I "plateau" for a while!!

I lasted 10km this morning

Hubby drove to work this morning, so I hitched a lift with the intention of a run/walk home. It's about 10km and I didn't really have a plan of attack. I just sort of figured I'd run until I wanted to walk and then I'd walk until I wanted to run. It was a lovely morning! It was light but the sun wasn't up, the birds were singing and it was COOL!! I started off steady and just enjoyed myself. There were heaps of people on the path, and every time I thought of walking, I'd see a walker in front of me. I would think to myself - "just pass this person". Then, of course, I couldn't walk because they would SEE me walk so I had to keep going until I was a respectable distance in front of them. (Is that me being competitive??) Meanwhile, I'm being overtaken by lots of other people who I suspect were doing the same thing! Everytime I got a "respectable distance" in front of the person I overtook, there would be another walker in front of me and I'd keep going again.

I deliberately didn't look at Percy until I hit the bell tower. I figured by then I had covered a neat distance without stopping. I was surprised to see it was 4.5km, so then I figured I'd try and run 5 without stopping. I still didn't have a plan for the run. But when I hit 5km there were walkers in front of me so I couldn't stop until I'd passed them! Then I figured I'd try and run for an hour. When I made an hour I was almost at 8km so I decided to keep going to 8km. When I looked at Percy again it was 8.5km so I thought why not try and make 10km!!

So I did!

My pace was wonderfully consistent - certainly not fast but nice and steady. At the 6km mark I had to go under the freeway and I think Percy lost the satellite which is why it looks faster than the others. I'm pretty sure I did NOT pull a 7.15 km out of my hat at that point!!

Ignore the 11km stat - that's just me walking home, stuffed. But I managed the 10km in 1 hour and 22 minutes!!! WOW!!! I am so proud of my self at the moment - and I feel on top of the world!

Running club again

Well I turned up to the running club again last night. It was a bit easier and a new person came and asked ME questions!! I ran with Jenny again - but only for the first 3.5km. I told her that I knew the route and she could run at her normal pace. I tried to keep up with her for as long as I could but at about 3.5km she left me behind. I was really pleased with my pace though. I reached 4km in 31 minutes - faster than my fun run the other day. Then I walked for a km and ran the rest of the route. I'm still the slowest, sigh, but I've just gotta keep plucking away. I actually made the route faster than last week - even with my km walk. So I'm improving. Some of the 10km runners had finished by the time I finished the 6km - they just whizzed past me. One lady gave me an encouraging comment as she raced past well on her way to a sub 50 min 10km!

I would have hung around a bit last night but I was off to see Fiddler on the Roof. It was showing at the same complex where the run was, so I jumped into the shower (reminded me of boarding school) and got changed. It was all a bit rushed and I hadn't finished sweating from my run, so the shower didn't really make me feel refreshed. Then me and hubby toddled across the road and watched the show. It would have been easy to ditch the run because of the time factor but I didn't and I'm proud of myself for that!

A 6.31 k!

Yesterday the plan was to run/walk into the city to meet hubby and then walk home together. I'm still not quite used to running two days in a row so I knew I wasn't out to be a hero or anything. I thought I would run hard for a km - kind of like a time trial and then just do whatever until I reached hubby.

I managed one km in 6.31!!! OMG!!! It was very hard work and I was knackered at the end but - holy cow - it's a move in the right direction. Still, it was only for one km. At least now I know I am capable of it.

I ran/walked for another 4km and then walked almost 5km home. On my feet for a tad under 10km.

I caught the tail end of the Biggest Loser yesterday. I'm actually not a great fan, but there was one chick who was running with a skinny work colleauge. If any of you wondered what I look like - well the sight of the fat chick running is pretty close! I actually noted to myself that she could use an Enell bra.

Karrakatta Cemetary

I decided to go somewhere different today so I headed out to try and find the Karrakatta Cemetary. I rather like cemetaries because they are so peaceful and I figured running through one would be peaceful too. And it was. A nice run, completely different to everything I have done so far, so a pleasant change. The Karrakatta cemetary is very old, and very large. Some of the graves are quite spectacular and it's all divided into different religions. It's very well kept, and was nice to run through.

Only about 6 and a half km today and very slow, even for me. But I'm still out there. I find myself taking walk breaks again, but when I'm running I'm running much faster. I guess it's a trade off until I can improve my cardio fitness. I'm really enjoying the faster running. I looked at Percy on one of the downhills and I had ticked over to 10km/h!!!

(Hannalie, you asked how I measure my runs - well Percy is a Garmin 205, and I don't know how I ever survived without him!! He tells me my speed and the distance I have travelled. AND he makes these pretty pictures!!)

Good run today

I had a good run today. 8.85km in about an hour and 15 minutes. I was running into the city to meet hubby and I had hoped to make 10km in under an hour and a half, but he drove past me before I finished the 10km. Oh well. I was on track for an hour and a half so that's pretty good. I was doing OK until 6km when I needed to stop and walk. When I started running again, I managed to continue plodding but my pace was much slower. I must have been in a rhythm without knowing it. I'm definitely improving. I managed to pass the 5km mark in 40 minutes so that's pretty cool! I'm now looking at my watch and seeing how far UNDER 8 minutes I am each km (well, at least for the first 4 or 5!!) Woo Hoo!! (Not sure what happened to the picture but you get a lovely aerial shot of Perth!)

Joined running club

Yesterday I went along to my first training session with the West Australian Marathon Club. I turned up a little nervous and unsure but everyone seemed friendly - albeit very fit! I was starting to feel very much out of my depth when the conversations turned to "slow" six minute kms. Another lady, Jody, was there for her first time too and was worried her six min k's would be too slow. I still think 7 min k's are fast. Still, they were very welcoming and a lady, Jenny, said she would run with me as she was usually slow. So off we went! The shortest route is 6km and most runners went for 10. The club house is on the river and they run up one bridge and back along the other. Jenny ran very slowly with me and we had a lovely chat but it was hard work for me! At the 4.5km point she pointed me in the direction of home and went off to add on a couple of faster k's! So I plodded slowly by myself back to the starting point where a few had already finished. I felt a little awkward because I wasn't sure if everyone hung around and waited for everyone else to finish or what the go was. I stretched for a while and a few others came back, jumped in their cars and left. So I left too. Another lady told me about Monday night runs at Kings Park where they train on the hills. She was very polite when she said it might be beyond me at the moment, but I was still welcome to come along and have a go. So I might do that. I'm not going to get better unless I train with those who are better than me! I'll certainly go back next week - after a few weeks I'm sure people will start to recognise me and get used to seeing me around. Might even turn up on Monday too!! Jenny said she was usually last and she was pleased to be able to run faster than someone!!!

As an aside, my bra arrived in the mail yesterday. It was lovely to put it on! The Berlie bra has been good but my ladies need extreme support. The little tag on the Berlie bra said the bra could reduce bounce by 40- 50% but that's just not quite enough! The Enell bra straps me in and NOTHING moves! For running uphill the website is http://www.bellaforma.com.au - hope it helps! It's really only good for larger busted ladies. If I could get away with wearing a plain ol' crop top I would!

"Running" today

I tried really, really hard today to run as fast as I could for as long as I could. I kind of had in mind that I would get Percy to register a "run" (even just for a metre or so!) but alas that was not to be. However, although it was harder, I felt better when I ran today. I felt like I was really running instead of the shuffle I normally do. I started my run on a downhill and I decided to just let myself go instead of hold back like I normally do (usually so I don't fall face first into the footpath). Percy tells me my first k was my fastest - 6.42!!!! Can you believe that??? Holy cow UNDER 7 minutes!!! I think I need to get to 6 minutes before Percy believes I am running, but I felt like I was flying! Granted most of it was downhill, but I'll take it.

Percy tells me I managed 4km in 30.39! 30 minutes is getting closer - but I was stuffed!

One thing - my big toe started hurting! Really hurting. I wonder if it is because I was running in a different way to what I normally do, or if my shoes are perhaps not as suited to my feet as I would like them to be, or a combination of the two. I stopped to walk after 4km and the toe got better but then started hurting again when I started running. I don't know - probably my running style. My poor feet just didn't know what happened today!!

It felt less awkward to run but also harder. I've worked out what it is - I lifted my knees. So of course it was harder because my poor thighs had never worked that hard before. But of course it was easier to run because my poor thighs had never actually WORKED before!!!

I ran/walked just over 5 and a half k and walked a k and a half home. All up 7km. I'm going to try and "run" again! It was cool!

Fun Run!

I had a wonderful morning! 4km in 31.13 which is not my fastest but I'm reasonably happy with that. And I wasn't last! (There were walkers.) There were about 100 runners, maybe more so it was all very exciting. Hubby came with me - to walk - but when the gun went he took off running! He was excited by the atmosphere as I was. I took off very fast and had to slow right down. I was soon the last runner, but that's okay. I just wanted to make the 4km. Hubby tried to run with me but I was going too slowly so he just did his own thing (and came in under 30 minutes!!!!)

My pace was amazingly even - consistent to the second except at the end when I tried to pick it up. I didn't want to run out of puff so I kept it pretty slow and comfortable. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience! I managed to beat the 10km runners home - just! They were overtaking me on the loop thing back to the finish but still had to run 1km when I had 100m.

Great day!!!

Visiting the south west

In case you think I've been a bit quiet lately - it's been because we were off exploring the countryside of the south west. Hubby and I went to Margaret River for a couple of days then to Denmark and Albany before getting home this evening.




We stayed at a B&B in a little place called Cowaramup just outside Margaret River and used it as a base to explore the wineries, cheese factories, chocolate factory, gourmet food outlets (spotting a common theme here??). I went for a run along a trail which was beautiful!!

Thinking I was a good girl, I washed my sports bra - my beautiful firm Enell bra which cost a FORTUNE - and hung it up in the bathroom, then promptly left it there when we headed to Denmark. I didn't notice until I went to go for a run and I was devestated!!! It was 5 hours drive away and not possible to go back for it. We rang the B&B and they still had it and will mail it home for us (thankfully) but my funrun is on Sunday and it won't arrive before then!!!! I was in tears trying to explain to hubby that I couldn't run without my bra. He, of course, thought it was all a bit silly - after all I have heaps of bras right? Eventually I was able to sort of explain the importance of the bra and hubby, bless him, drove us to a lingerie shop and I bought a Berlie bra - which was the most supportive one I could find. I'll use it Sunday but it won't be the same!!!! So my memory of Albany will be buying a sports bra. Ah well, I guess it's not a holiday without some sort of experience. So, after all that, I was away 4 days and ran once! But man what a run. It was 5km taken really slowly and I managed the first 4km in 32 minutes!! Fast for me!!! I'm on track for a close to 30minute time on Sunday!!!!!!!!! And not running for the past 3 days is...... tapering. At least I'll be fresh!

But our little holiday was wonderful. We saw some amazing things. WA is an awesome state. It was the first time down south for me so I was playing tourist! We had a great time which consisted of far too much food.

Thank you to everyone's supportive comments. I'll let you know how I go on Sunday! I'm very excited - new bra and all.

Time on my feet

Today was all about time on my feet. I wasn't trying to run the whole distances, in fact my average pace was 9.42!!!! All up about one hour and 45 minutes. I went through Kings Park but along the river side. I think next time I'll take the inner route. There are a set of stairs up to Kings Park which thankfully I was coming DOWN on this run. But I might try and incorporate them going UP in the next few weeks.I came home along the river and the Perth City triathlon was on. There were hundreds of cyclists but it has only served to confirm that I am a runner and not a cyclist. It might be different because it was a race but they were aggressive ("Get out of my f***ing draft!" - to another cyclists, not to me!!) and very competitive. Lots of huffing and puffing and not too many people enjoying themselves! I've yet to see a running race so I can't really talk! But it was still very exciting and inspirational.

There were a couple of larger ladies plodding along as I came onto the path, so I ducked in front of them with the idea that I would see how long it took for them to overtake me. It looked like they were barely moving, and one of them looked particularly uncomfortable. I am afraid to say I was overtaken very quickly and I had no hope of catching up. I can only think that if they LOOKED slow then I must look SHOCKING!!! Sigh. Just more motivation.

Nice slow plod

A nice slow run this morning. I took on board some of the comments people have made and concentrated on simply plodding without stopping. I managed almost 6km before I had a break but it was incredibly slow. Still it's nice to know I can continue to plod the distance.

I'm still really enjoying the cool mornings in Perth. It can heat up during the day but at least there is some respite overnight. It is beautiful along the river. I stopped at the tearooms on the way home and met hubby for a cup of tea. It was meant to be a cup of tea, but I had taken so long to get there that he ordered bacon and eggs. I sat with him for a while and then went home for a shower - it was not quite the environment to be stinky and sweaty. All up about 7km.

I'm excited about my funrun on Feb 11. 4km sounds perfect and I am confident I will last the distance. I'll aim for 30minutes but I'll be pleased with anything less than 32. That's 8min k's. It might still be a bit beyond me, but I'm hoping the nervousness of the race will help me pick up the pace. I will have to remember to start conservatively or I'll run out of puff!!

Oh and another thing, there are hills in my neighbourhood. Nothing heart shattering or anything but varieties and undulations. I have discovered I like hills!! Sure they are hard work, but you can feel the different muscles working and the reward when you get to the crest is wonderful! I can coast down the other side, to start climbing the next one. I'm starting to notice that I can get my breath back and still be plodding - amazing! I can even almost (ALMOST) talk while I run!! Huge changes!