Hills, hot chocolate and truffles

There's a very good reason why I run and it has to do with chocolate. Because if I didn't run I'd be a candidate for The Biggest Loser show! This way I can combine my love of running with my love of chocolate! S'all good!

Yesterday's run - Bush Capital run
Distance - 25km
Time - 2hr 7.11min
Av pace - 5.08min/km
AHR - 173; MHR - 199
Calories - 1,381! (Justified having an Italian hot chocolate later that day)

I have to admit I was a tad worried about the distance as I hadn't run that far in training and in the past week and a half I had probably run twice. I figured that if it got too much I could always walk! Saw Liza before the start - she looked fit and raring to go. Also saw FlashDuck who was still debating what distance to run. As per usual once the run started, everyone raced off like startled rabbits, except for me. I turned on my ipod and settled in for a long and challenging run.

The first part of the run which both those running the 16km and the 25km do is probably the hardest, certainly the steepest. Downhill running is not my forte and this is where I lost time to other runners, namely Kerrie. Surprisingly I was quite strong on the uphills and this is where I'd manage to reel Kerrie back in. However on the downhills and on the flat Kerrie is a lot stronger runner than me, and she would take off, leaving me to follow behind.

All in all, it was a good run and I finished 4th woman, just behind Kerrie. Having Kerrie just ahead of me all the time really helped me to keep going, especially when I was getting tired. Not sure what Liza thought of the run - I hope she enjoyed it.

Later that afternoon I had the best, to-die-for, hot chocolate ever at Beppe's Tuscan Kitchen cafe at the markets. It looked and tasted like melted chocolate - it was very dark and very rich and came with a teaspoon, that's how thick it was! Mr CJ and I also shared a Biscotti Napoli - a shortbread type biscuit with a date and raisin filling. And then last night I made Chocolate Truffles!

Today's run - Mt Taylor handicap run
Distance - 6.8km
Time - 36.08min
Av pace - 5.18min/km
AHR - 164; MHR - 211
Started in Group 26; came in 94th

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Why on earth did I run this morning? My body, especially my legs complained bitterly about the course. I ran slowly listening to my ipod, trying to block out the pain sensations. The highlight was the cappuccino at Babars after the run! Nuff said!

Four things about me.....

Things you may not have known about me.....

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Waitress
2. Supermarket check-out operator
3. Nurse
4. Project officer in the public service

B) Four movies I would watch over and over
1. Shawshank Redemption
2. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
3. Lord of the Rings trilogy
4. any of the Harry Potter movies

C) Four places I have lived
1. Belair, SA
2. Esperance, WA
3. Busselton, WA
4. Scullin, ACT

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. What not to wear
2. Supernatural
3. the new Dr Who
4. The Biggest Loser

E) Four places I have been on holidays:
1. Darwin and Kakadu National Park
2. Singapore/Bangkok/Hong Kong/Manila
3. Forster, NSW
4. Merimbula, NSW

F) Websites visited daily:
1. Hotmail
2 Blogspot
3. Banking site
4. Calorie King

G) Four of my favourite foods/drinks:
1. Chocolate
2. Coffee
3. Pancakes with strawberries
4. Vegetarian pad thai

H) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Italy
2. Home
3. nice dinner/coffee with friends
4. Retail therapy with friends

I) Four people I think will respond
1. Strewth
2. Hilda
3. Lulu
4. You !!


You know the drill - copy, participate, pass on - if you want to :-)

Tomorrow: 25km Bush Capital run
Sunday: 6.8km Mt Taylor run

I'm back! :-)

Wow! I have been so busy that I have had no time to draw breath, let alone update my blog or look at anyone else's for that matter. I haven't been sick for all of that time though - there was a house move and lots of unpacking happening as well. We are back in our old 'new' house and its great. Everything is so new and clean and pristine and I'm morphing into the mother from hell, or the house nazi as one of my sons called me the other day!

I have managed one run in the past week which is good since there is the Bush Capital 25km happening this Saturday!

Stats:
Distance - 7.5km
Time - 42.58min
Av pace - 5.43min/km
AHR - 145; MHR - 165

I will post some photos of the new house once I'm organised.

Anyway, I'm back! I have lots of reading to catch up on. And its only 17 sleeps until City to Surf!

Blah Blah Blah :-(

Still not well though at least I'm out of bed. However I resemble something out of the Living Dead. Have a good weekend

The fog has descended…again

I don’t know what’s wrong with me but yesterday afternoon I felt so sick that I thought I was going to throw up while driving home after work. Today I feel like crap – headaches, upset tummy, and very tired. I went to the gym this morning for a back and biceps workout and it was a struggle to lift weights, so I took it easy.

Have just ordered cedar blinds for our new house – very exciting.

Hope everyone is feeling a whole lot better than I do and has a great weekend.
****************************************************
“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” – Dr Seuss

The fog is lifting

I’m referring to the fog in my head. I’m feeling much better compared to earlier in the week when I was grumpy, tired and felt like I was coming down with the dreaded lurgy. However I met Strewth for brekkie this morning and that always puts me in a good mood!

Stats:
Today’s session: interval run – 6 x 2.30min (1min RI)
Distance: 6km
Time: 30.27min
Av pace: 5.05min/km
AHR: 153; MHR: 192

Splits: 4.34 / 4.25 / 4.29 / 4.25 / 4.35 / 4.30min/km

It didn’t feel as cold this morning – there was no frost and it was overcast, which of course meant it was darker than usual. I’m actually really surprised with my splits because my legs felt were really tired and slow. I like this session because its quick and over in half an hour, yet it feels like a really good workout.

Last night’s session: Cycle intervals: increasing & decreasing gears
Stats:
Time: 30mins
AHR: 121; MHR: 145

This is such a tough workout even though my heart rate doesn’t reflect this. Why is that? Trust me, I’m grinding those gears out, the sweat is pouring off me and my legs are burning but my heart rate is frustratingly low. This is one hard workout and I’m always cursing Sharleen (the person responsible for this workout) while I’m doing it but again, its another short workout.

*********************************************************
"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend." - Albert Camus

Grumpy bum

Everything irritated me yesterday – work, the real estate agency that we are renting the icebox from, family, traffic, the weather, the way the newspaper was folded, the company we are getting a quote for cedar blinds (they wanted to change the carefully planned appointment I had set up several weeks before…grrrr), you get the picture. It was not a good day. So it was probably a very wise decision not to inflict myself on anyone at yesterday evening’s run session.

Today there are traces of irritation but not as bad as yesterday. I’m tired – that half marathon really took it out of me, more than I would admit. But I did get up this morning and run my hill repeats like the obedient little automaton that I am. There was a sense of déjà vu as I ran up and down the hill – whether it was memories of Saturday’s run or last week’s hill repeats I’m not sure – its all starting to blend into one! Though there was no Cindy Lauper this morning; instead it was Foo Fighters, Offspring, Korn and Green Day (suited my mood really!).

Stats:
Session: hill repeats x 12
Distance: 10km
Time: 60.12mins
AHR: 156; MHR: 224

*****************************************
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
~anonymous~

My ‘get up & go’ has got up & gone…

I ran my hardest ever half marathon on Saturday – the Googong off-road half marathon, organised by the Cross Country run. We were lucky with the weather – it looked like it might be a miserable day but it improved, and for a while there was even blue sky. I missed the start because I was talking to Peter and then realised that everyone had taken off. I followed quickly though in hindsight I needn’t have worried – it was never going to be a fast run. I kept to a steady pace up and down the hills – it seemed like we were either going up a hill or down a hill, though I’m sure there were some relatively flattish parts to the course, I just can’t remember them!

Course description and profile - check it out!

Stats:
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 1hr 53.05min (according to my watch)
Av pace: 5.17min/km
AHR: 171; MHR: 187

I was gradually passing other runners and tried to keep Kerri B in sight – which I did until near the end where she took off and I didn’t see her until after I had finished! And I’m not ashamed to say there were times when I walked parts of hills because it was a lot faster than running. Also I am not a great downhill runner and there were some very steep downhill stretches where the ground was very unstable. Though the three or four times I nearly came a cropper happened on the relatively flat bits.

I finished strongly and I was pleased with my run on such a challenging course. Next event is the Bush Capital 25km at the end of July – this course has definitely prepared me for that.

Since the half marathon I have felt really really tired. Sunday was a rest day though I wouldn’t have managed any training with the way I was feeling anyway. This morning I did a legs and shoulders weights session at the gym and I was planning on going to the run session at parliament House after work. However, I still feel really tired (my get up & go has got up & gone) and so I’ve decided to give this session a miss this week.

I’m also sporting a bit of a bump and bruise on my forehead from a little accident I had with a kitchen cupboard last night. I bent down to open it and it swung out more quickly than I had anticipated and I have the imprint of the corner of the door on my forehead! Ouch!

Well done to everyone who competed at the Gold Coast. I know Tesso did really well – yay!!!!!!

*******************************************************
"Aim not for what you are, but for what you could be." - Lucas Hellmer