I just haven't been able to get myself back on the blogging bandwagon, so here is what you need to know to get up to date. I hope to elaborate on it, but this gets me up to date at least!
saturday training was a good session, first I attended at the new location which did have some flow on affects. the routine to get there was different and when it came to running back, I wasn't able to judge the distance as well as normal, couldn't see where to kick in. So I kicked in too early, and struggled! but I achieved my negative split
It was a 95 minute run or 16k for those who got to the turnaround point in time (I didn't), after the usual warm up jog and running drills. The course took in quite a bit of the Run Melbourne course and had a few inclines, which is helpful at this stage (though I wasn't exactly overjoyed running up Anderson St hill on the way back.. but it was ok) I stayed back after for a full half hour of yoga and stretching which was fantastic.
I had a very intense, physical and exhausting weekend after that, which was tough but worthwhile. I managed to talk myself into the half hour easy jog I was supposed to do on sunday night, I actually enjoyed it. It was good to train with the only objective keeping my heart rate low, I was able to play around with my stride length a bit, I'd like to play with it some more this week.
Before Saturday... Mon to Wed I took it easy and recovered from the half marathon. I had yoga on Tuesday but took it easy, a restorative session. I pulled up sore from the half. I was planning to attend training - albeit a bit gingerly - Wednesday night - but left it too late to get to the new location I had just found out about. It is the other side of Albert Park but without a car it impacts my routine a fair bit (wah wah, I know, I am just saying!). So I rested Wednesday, but enjoyed my tempo run to make up for it on Thursday lunchtime and then had an appointment with the Osteo on Thursday night (things looking good, I will keep my awareness on my lower and middle back which are a bit tight).
Re the half marathon, well it was great. I didn't sleep well the night before and was quite nervous. On the way there I was cold, unsure of myself, and as usual wondering how and why I get myself into these messes. When we started I cursed the fact that I was so slow and that I was wise enough to stay slow to get it done! However I also felt proud of myself for sticking to the plan and taking it slow, thinking positively about the process, feeling greatful to be running around my beautiful city and taking in the views and the experience, keeping the focus on my breath and my pacing. Seeing other Can Too runners and people I know from Can Too cheering me on was motivating and heart warming. When I made it to the half of the half at 10.5k I was ready to pick up the pace a little and feeling quite comfortable. I picked up the pace a little and was starting to think about picking it up again as I approached the 15k mark when all of a sudden that good feeling eluded me, and was replaced by a lead-like heaviness in my legs below the knees. They were both heavy yet numb at the same time, and my brain felt less clear. I wondered whether this was the so called wall - surely not at only half marathon distance - and imagined coach Brians instructions during our typical cool downs, run throughs to "churn our legs over". I exaggerated the movement of my legs to try to get the circulation going.
I made it through another 3k to the 18k mark and faced with the second last hill of the day decided to walk it, with long strides to wake up my legs a little. On one hand I am glad I did this, I think it helped me achieve my ultimate goal of making a faster time on the second 10.5k than the first, but on the other hand it means I did not run the whole thing.. and it changed the mental game for me a little, during the final 3k I walked two further 200m stretches. But look - I got to experience struggle and triumph, I maded my negative split and when I crossed the finish line I was buggered, so I am walking away happy! I ran a half marathon!
That is enough blogging for now.. Does not quite bring me totally up to date, but gets another rung on the board perhaps!
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