Final hit out before Sunday

A short run this morning, so as not to overdo it before Sunday. 5km in what I thought was slow but ended up being 43 minutes. (Which I guess IS slow, but not as slow as I thought.)

I'm still a bit worried about my shins. I'm icing them at the moment, but there was a bit of pain this morning. More so when I finished. I've been trying to stretch and I've been using Nurofen gel so I guess I'll just have to take it semi-easy until they get better. I've got my new shoes now too, so hopefully I'm not putting more pressure on them.

This morning I thought I'd try to run on my toes. I tend to run on my forefoot, but I flap. Loudly. Bob suggested I try and run as "quietly" as possible. Since I run on my forefoot anyway, this would help me run on my toes. I did that for a couple of k this morning, but I couldn't sustain it. It wasn't natural for me, so I guess I'll have to keep working on it. Forefoot running is better than heel running, but toe running is better again - especially with shin splints. I must admit I was also inspired by Em who said that it came as a revelation to her that she no longer "flapped". The sooner I can learn to run properly, the quicker my times will improve - or that's the theory.

Sunday is looming and I am excited. Like most of my fellow runners in Melbourne doing the R4K, I have planned where to park and when to leave home, where to meet people, what to wear, what to drink, eat - everything. I am very excited. This will be my first timed 10km. Phew! How amazing is that?? If anyone happens to be in Perth, and notices number 825 pant across the line after about an hour and 20 something minutes - come and say hi!! That's if you can catch me!!!

Shorter club run

Another great club run tonight! Bob didn't run because he was off organising the run on Sunday but Jenny was there. Off we plodded. Only 6km tonight because I don't want to do too much leading up to Sunday. It wasn't until I got home that I realised I'd managed it with an average pace of 7.37 min/k!!! Holy cow!! And I thought I was being fairly conservative too. I must admit I do tend to run that little bit faster when I'm with someone though.

New shoes today too! I went and visited Bob at his shop. I bought a pair of Brooks Glycerin 5. Very schmick. Bob had me running up and down his back laneway in various pairs and we eventually settled on the Glycerin. But the men's not the women's.

While I was there I picked up a Fuel Belt, new socks and a long sleeved running shirt for those brisk mornings in Perth!!

I've got the Bridges fun run on Sunday and I've managed to work out that I was issued a 5km number instead of a 10km number. It was only coincedently that someone mention a "red" number and a "white" number or I would never have known. I swapped over my numbers tonight at the club house but now I'm home I've realised that my new number doesn't have a timing chip on the back of it. Sigh. I'll take it in to Bob tomorrow and see what we can work out. Someone else on the run tonight said that happened to them last year and they had their 10km time put down as a 5km time!! Nothing like a bit of last minute drama to keep me excited!

Stairs hurt

You know those stairs at Kings Park I found a few weeks ago - that I went DOWN? Well I've been wanting to do the route along the river, UP the stairs and back home through Kings Park. So I decided that's what I'd do today. I figured, in my wisdom, that the stairs couldn't be all that hard, and that it would be good fun, since I could then enjoy the gentle grassed downhill on the way home. I also figured it'd only be about 8km. Maybe 9.

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!!!!!)

I think it will be OK

I went for my planned run with Bob this morning. As soon as we got started I was nattering to him about shin splints and sore shins and that I needed all the advice I could get. Despite the fact that my Asics shoes only have 350km on them, it does, indeed, appear that I need new shoes. Bob, who is a nice bloke but subtle as a shark attack, said my extra weight is wearing my shoes a lot faster than "normal" people. No beating around the bush here.

However, Bob doesn't seem to think that the shoes were the only reason my shin(s) were/are getting sore. Ever since my first funrun, Bob has been around. He has seen my meteoric improvement from a 32 minute 4km to a 63 minute 8km to a 85 minute 10km. My distances have been steadily increasing since I moved to Perth. Add onto that my desire to run as fast as I can (which, admitedly is not very fast) and he thinks I've done too much too soon.

He thinks I should either cut back on my distances, or cut back on pushing myself to get faster. I decided as I was running that distance is much more important to me than speed. So Bob and I decided to run very slowly this morning. And NO SHIN PAIN!!! (It was sore before I started, and is sore now I've stopped, but I couldn't even feel it for the first 8km this morning.) The last two km I became conscious of the pain, so it seems 10km might be my limit for a while - at least until my body gets used to it. And no upping the speed, AND upping the km.

Thank you everyone for your advice - it is greatly appreciated. I will continue to ice 2P, and I take on board the cross training suggestions (if it's not running, then it's not fun! But I'll try.). I will try a few slower runs and see how my shins go. If they are not improved in a week, then it's off to a sports physio. But today I managed a slow 10km quite easily.

Bob runs the Runners World shop here in Perth so I am going to visit him this week and get a new pair of shoes. He'll fit me and check my gait and all that sort of stuff. While I'm there, I might just pick up one of them fandangled fuel belts too.

Oh by the way - 10km this morning in 86 minutes.

No running :(

I don't know what I've done to my leg, but ever since the run on Wednesday it's been SORE! It's more in the shin area and I am paranoid about shin splints, so I haven't run on it. It's now day three of no running and it's still not better. I wish there was someone I could ask, but this running malarky is still too new for me to know anyone.

I was supposed to run 10km tomorrow with Bob, so I might go along and ask him then. If he says I shouldn't run, then I won't. Gosh I don't want an injury. I think perhaps my 18km stupidity took more out of me than I thought.

Anyway, I'm very unhappy and frustrated. I want to run, but I don't want a long term injury. I don't even know what is wrong. Would a massage help? Should I see a physio? Should I just stay off it for a while? Am I panicking over nothing?

And just when my fitness was starting to improve.

Aaaarrggghhhhhh!!!!!!

8km club run

Well there was a BBQ tonight so Jenny, Bob and I headed out at our usual pace, but Jenny and I wanted to be back for the BBQ. Bob did 10km but we are so slow that the BBQ would have been over when we finished the run, so Jenny opted to turn around at about 6km, so we finished at about 8.5km. Still over an hour - but get a load of this pace chart!

I seem to get faster the further I go. I'm really not sure how I manage that. In the first half, I was running with Bob mainly and he did most of the talking. At about 6km, Bob kept going so I ran with Jenny and she kept asking me questions! I had to answer her, and you know I think that's why I went faster!! Bizarre, but there it is!

It was hard work, but at the same time I felt strong. Even Jenny noticed the change of pace, and she said my breathing is not as noticeable as when I first started! I have a sore shin tonight, so I am icing it and stretching - I hope it's not because I was running on the path instead of the grass. Naughty, naughty.

18km. Oh dear.

I did 18km today, but before you panic Ang, 13km of it was walking. So much for my 10% rule. I was on my feet for 3 hours! And boy are my feet sore!!!!

I had no intention of doing a run/walk over 18km today - it was as a result of a miscommunication with hubby. I sometimes run or walk to meet him as he walks home from work. Today I THOUGHT that's what we had arranged. I decided I'd walk for a km then run as fast as I could for a km, then walk for a km and so on. I expected to meet him about 5 or 6km into the run. I figured it would be a sort of faster session, with a big long recovery between runs.

Percy tells me I did a marvellous job! My runs were 6.53, 6.34, 6.44, 7.16 and 7.03!! :) But I gave it everything and I was absolutely stuffed when I finished each km.

The problem was, I ended up 10km from home at hubby's work, with no sign of hubby and no other way home except to walk!! A quick call to hubby and he was still at work, so I stretched while he got changed and we walked home together (via the city so it was a bit quicker).

Now I'm sitting here in my skins about to soak my aching feet in a tub of water!! But I'm secretly very pleased about the time on my feet! Only 5km running, but 3 hours exercising. Surprisingly my legs are not sore, but my feet are. Plus I think I need to rethink my *ahem* underwear for such a long time - a little chafing. All good practice for BUNBURY!!! I am now confident I will make the distance - even if I walk!!!

However it will be quite a while before I do something as stupid as 18km again!