I now know I have NO wisdom.
It was 5km to the stairs. A nice gentle jog since I didn't want to aggravate my shin. I took it slow and really enjoyed the run - but it was damn cold!!!! I am NOT used to this cold weather. My nose, ears and fingers were FREEZING!!! Anyway, 5km to the stairs. The stairs are not the Kokoda trail stairs (they've been closed because of a rock slide) but the ones near the Aldephi Hotel. I saw some people coming down, reaching the bottom and then turning around and going back up. One of them was jogging. Right, I thought, this will be fun! So after about 10 stairs I realised that I was in big trouble. Man, stairs are HARD WORK! I tried to keep an even pace, just walking, but I stopped at one of the landings to let someone go past me. Then every step was hard. My heart rate was absolutely through the roof. I was sucking in breaths but there was no disguising how hard it was for me. When I only had two flights to go I had to stop again and I thought I was going to pass out. I started gagging and dry reaching (pleasant thing, these stairs). I eventally got to the top and I had to sit down for about 5 minutes before I could even take a swig of my water bottle. Inside, of course, I am laughing at myself. I must have looked ridiculous. Chicky babe who passed me on her way down, reached the top again, took a mouthful of water and headed back down and was not even PUFFING. And here I was, unable to even stand up after only one "lap".
Here's the elevtion chart, just to show how damn hard it was!
I now have a new challenge. To climb those damn stairs and get to the top feeling as though I can keep going - ala Rocky.I knew I was only halfway through my run. But I was still looking forward to the gentle grassed downhill. A thought came through my head that I could also climb DNA tower in Kings Park. When I passed the tower, a grin came onto my face and I headed over. But the tower was closed "for safety reasons" so I couldn't climb it. Probably just as well. I can be a stubborn idiot sometimes and I would have climbed that damn tower even if it killed me. Perhaps someone is looking out for me. So I ran the downhill and I DID enjoy it. I was pretty well stuffed by the bottom so I decided to walk the last couple of k's home. Almost 11km, in a time you most definitely do not want to know.
Another day of stretching, icing and anti-inflam cream for my shin - and I'll be fine. Haven't bought my new shoes yet either. That's either today or tomorrow. (I may also have to buy a beanie and a long sleeved shirt - OMG it's COLD!!!!!)
12 comments:
It was a little bit cold here this morning too, but not beanie weather yet!! I'm not sure how I'll go in the winter??
Good on you for doing the stairs! stairs are great for fat burning! Don't fret about the 'chicky babe' ... you'll be overtaking her in no time and doing the rocky dance at the top!
11km is great! well done.
Thanks for the 'H' suggestions!
Are the stairs known as Jacobs Ladder? Apparently there is some sort of stair case that everyone does in their lunch hour and it is mighty hard- sounds like you found it!
Great session today- you have inspired me to get my butt outside and run.
Great stuff Celeste :)
It might be bloody freezing but if you're anything like me you'll appreciate how much easier it is to train in this weather and as your body isn't working so hard on keeping cool, you'll have plenty of energy to keep you going faster for longer :)
Sounds like classic shin splints with the pain going away after you start running and coming back when you have stopped. Probably due to your increase in training. I'm not sure about the show-life but at my running store they seem to think that Asics wear a lot more quickly than some of the other cheaper brands. If you can manage it, get yourself a second pair so that you can rotate them. By giving your shoes extra "rest days" you'll increase the wear that you get out of them as they can recover more between runs
How can it be freezing? This is Australia you're talking about.
The stairs sound torturous but its good to have a nemesis to kick into touch.
I'm so looking forward to it getting colder. I'm so over the heat we've been having! I find going down stairs tougher than going up, my knees have trouble going down.
NOT THE BLOODY STAIRS!!
That's where the w.eagles train and if you don't watch out soon you will sprout a mullet and develop a strong aversion for booze buses.
I felt chilly running today too.
I wore...COTTON!! :-O
You are talking about Jacob's ladder right!! I only did it once in my time here in Perth! I thought it was hard work too, they are very steep. Good on ya!
Hey Celeste, I know you will be doing a Rocky dance in no time at all - it can only get easier each time you do it!
As crazy as it sounds, I wish I had some stairs like that close to me. They'd be a killer but I bet you'd get results
Hope your shins are feeling better. Ouchies!
I prefer hills over stairs any day of the week.
For next time to take your mind off the stairs why don't you count them as you go. Just a thought.
Celeste, I end up tired when I read your blogs! How much energy do you have? What an effort!
Chicky babe would have done it hard her first time too.
The DNA tower closed for safety reasons? So I didn´t imagine it was shaky...
My office is on the fifth floor and I simply don´t get used to the stairs. Every morning on the third one I think, nahhhh, only the third???
I hope you manage better than I do! :-)
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