Headjob

Hee hee....................... got your attention! This morning's long run is to build endurance in my legs so we went off to Brighton and I ran towards Port Melbourne because I figured I would rather run into the head wind for the first half of the run and have the wind behind me after I turned around. We were out running later than normal (that is, the sun was up and shining!) and the pedestrian traffic was almost gridlocked. Running into the head wind was almost like running on an incline the entire way, so in my mind I am figuring that it was almost a second hills session! Legs were tired from the run session yesterday but I am happy to say that although the wind did my head in (head job!), I ran for 90minutes and I looked forward to my soy coffee. Now for the rest of my day's plans.

What plans do you have for today?

So inclined

This morning the hills were alive with my huffing and puffing up hills and down dale! I haven't run hills for about 2 months and today felt like I was pummeled...............thank goodness it was only a short session! It was my first hill session of many more to come.
Running hills is hard work because it requires that you recruit more muscles fibres to get you up the incline meaning that you fatigue the muscles more quickly...................in the end you get stronger...........which is what matters to me!

Looking forward to my flat long run in the morning.

Save my Sole

This morning's pre work run was an intervals sessions and it was a great session......a warm up, followed by 10 x 2 minute builds to marathon pace, 1 minute walk float in between, 5 minute jog, then 10 x 1minute builds to marathon pace and a warm down. Just over 10kms covered. Not being stressed  by work and having sensational unbroken slumber the last few nights all worked in my favour this morning! This is what I want to feel like every run session!

I was feeling fabulous after my run and wanted to add a bit more sass to my day by wearing a new pair of shoes (see Beatrix shoe below) but because my feet were suffering a little from running, I had to save my sole and wear an equally nice pair of shoes, albeit not new, with a lower pitch/slope which in turn is less painful for the arch and the ball of the foot.............watch this space for when I debut my Beatrix heels................................. soon :)

Drowned Rat

Sunday's 70 minutes easy run aorund the Yarra in icy rain............I don't look happy but I was just cold and dripping wet!

Monkey Feet

This morning's run was done in near perfect running conditions for me..........about 6 degrees (but according to The Age website felt like 3.6 degrees), essentially no breeze and a light fog..............I ran from Port Melbourne down past St Kilda and back in a 60 minute run. I took my new Injini socks out on their maiden voyage........Injini socks are a revolution and the new ones I wore this morning combined the 'sucker sock' (aka compression socks) with the individual toe sock.........(I also have striped ones that look like licorice allsorts, pink ones and white ones)............I heart Injinji socks :) However I cannot say that I heart my run this morning.....sure conditions were near on perfect for me but I just couldn't get my breathing and rhythm in sync :( my breathing all over the place, my legs wanted to run faster than what they needed to. I concentrated on slowing my arm movement down so as to slow my legs..............today it just didn't come together.................I focussed on my form, where my shoulders were, how my feet were landing, my push off, my stride..........but still nothing gelled. My average pace for the entire run was on target but I was so not on fire!
What I can take away from this morning is the accomplishment of actually having done the hour run, on fire or not.

Check out the socks I lurve!............http://www.injinji.com.au/index2.htm

Back on the hamster wheel

School is back and this means only 1 thing in relation to my running..............running @ stupid o'clock each morning before I head off to work. My life is once more ruled by alarms and bells........at least for the next 10 weeks until the school holidays happen once more.
I am one of those who has crossed over to the 'dark side' of pre-sunrise runs. Whilst lots of people I know are snuggled under doonas deep in slumber, I get to see Melbourne and its surrounds in a different light (no pun intended!)...........I see possums scurrying up trees and across overhead wires, men sitting in cars reading newspapers with the interior light (WTF!), people making out in cars (oh yeah!), night owls returning home from boozy adventures, morning tv weather crosses and of course other pre-dawn runners. I really love watching the world wake up.
I would also like to thank my running partner.........I couldn't do what I do without you. You are the best!

A leopard never changes it spots

This post is a follow up for the request to post a photo of my leopard shoes.......the original leopard heels I bought in New York a number of years ago and are affectionately known as 'my hooker shoes' by a dear queer. The other leopard heels are Vienna Kid and I wore them to my 40th a couple of years ago. Miaow pussycats

New York purchase                                      Vienna Kid sexy heels  

Ice ice baby

I took the opportunity to do a treadmill run this morning instead of getting dressed in thermal running gear to brave the icy start in Melbourne this morning. Figured that I only have the chance to take the option of a treadmill run for 2 more days (holidays finish Sunday midnight and I once more will do my runs at stupid o'clock, simply to get them done!)............the flash new treadmills allow you to choose virtual scenery, so I opted to run through the streets and parks of Chicago followed by some trail runs through Wyoming State Park.
Post run, I think I hear some new shoes calling my name........................I need some red heels.......watch this space!

Sweating the details

Words, words, words................do they put you off? Make you question what you are doing? Rattle you? Or do they excite you?!
At any given moment, I would happily admit that I love words but when it comes to run training, the mere mention of the words 'tempo run' have me building a wall and questioning my capability as a runner............why is this so? (For those that aren't familiar with the term 'tempo run' it is the best way to get faster and stronger.)
As a runner (with the goal of beating my 2010 marathon time) of course I want to get faster before fatiguing. Give me run sessions made up of intervals or hills or even long runs (an hour or longer) and I am usually pretty happy to get in there and do it...................so I am really stumped as to why 'tempo runs' = guaranteed negative self talk. The negative self talk doesn't mean that I don't do the run session......I do it, although with not much heart and have trouble shutting down the ongoing banter with the cast of a thousand in my head.
An article in Runner's World explains how important mental strength is as part of the training program. One of the suggestions  is to tell the world your goal and by doing this, you have to do it. I am really familiar with goal setting, but I haven't put my marathon goal out there for all to know. Maybe by doing that, it will help me push through this mental challenge.....here goes............ my goal is to run the Melbourne Marathon sub 3.45.


(Runner's World article if you are interested... http://www.runnersworldonline.com.au/default.aspx?s=motivation-display&id=2064 )

AWOL Mojo

Missed this morning's run in favour of a few more zzzzzzzzz (in my defence I woke @ 3am and was awake for 2 hours)............walked the pooch for a coffee pick up and while she looked high and low for rabbits I looked high and low for my mojo that took a leave of absence this morning....the good news is, I found my mojo, hiding in a random neighbourhood letterbox seeking warmth from the morning..............I poked it a few times, tried to coerce it out of hiding and sensing a stubborness not previously experienced, I grabbed mojo by the scruff of the neck and stuffed it in my pocket and finished the walk home.
Mojo and I will become friends on this afternoon's run.

Sole Survivor

So, why did I need a new pair of flats?
1. Did I seriously think that the loafer shoe would add more personality to my life....seriously?!! Come on!!
1. Flat shoes don't feature a lot in my wardrobe so they were an obvious choice.
2. I love patent.
4. I love shoes.
5. Each of our feet has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments. With such a complex structure, there is a lot that can go wrong. So you could say that I am trying to be a little kinder to my feet!
6. Because I could

Run baby run!

Day 2...........I hit the gym yesterday to avoid the winds that promised to transport me to the Land of Oz............was being a cry baby about running yet again in blasting cold winds and rain...............was a nice change listening to my tunes, watching people come and go at the gym and watch the TV screens with breakfast tv but I did miss pounding the pavement.
A trip into the city later in the day was filled with many temptations (known as shoe sales) and I HAD to buy another pair of flat shoes..........simply because I don't have enough. I ended up with a patent pair from Wittner, with the tag line reading "Add a little personality to your look with the Rachale loafer!"......as if I need any more personality! (http://www.wittner.com.au/shoes/shoes-sale/rachale-black-buttermilk-patent.html)

Today's run was on the treadmill again but tomorrow I will see you on the hills

High Winds........Secure your load!

                                                                        High Winds.........Secure Your Load

Day 1 of training for the Melbourne Marathon............my first run after having a week off letting the migraine hangover wear off. Have a guess how]I escaped the high winds!

Cinderella's feet they aint!

I love my toenails. I love seeing them through peep toe shoes, in strappy sandals, coming out of stockings. I love to see them painted and manicured. I love all nailpolishes - dark colours are my favourite but I have been spotted with glitter, sparkles and decals.

As you can see, my feet and toenails look uncared for,calloused, chipped, bruised, and a nail is missing from one toe completely! Cinderella's feet they are not. My feet and nails have looked like this since before I ran my first marathon last year as a result of the training and I imagine will continue to resemble something half chewed until I hang up the runners for good.

I know that my feet are crucial to what I want to achieve..and I love them for getting me this far.....they have the power to make my running experiences comfortable or painful. I just struggle with how they look and this limits my glamour shoe choice!

I think I will slip them into my sparkly slippers for now.

 

This is not my race

Twelve weeks of run training incorporating strength, speed and endurance were supposed to have me primed and ready to run a good race at the recent Gold Coast Marathon but the Mother of All Migraines paid me a visit on the flight to Brisbane. And so it was that I was rendered totally useless unable to cope with noise, light or movement. I went to bed on Friday evening and only got out of bed on Monday morning (the day after the marathon was run) to catch the flight back to Melbourne. It was on Saturday that i realised that this was not my race :(
So the two hour runs @ 4am before heading to work, the interval work on icy, wet & windy mornings and the hilly runs that made my lungs feel like they were about to explode all appeared to be in vain......or was it?