Buddha baby

I am writing this blog very much post run and yoga session.....................over 24 hours later in fact................I am feeling the effects of the yoga session and am excited about doing another class this Tuesday evening...........during the run session I felt heavy - might have something to do with the PMS symptoms that I have been lugging around with me all week.................I had a few niggles and I won't fib and say I wasn't happy to get it finished! We ducked home for a coffee and some fruit and yoghurt before heading back to yoga and despite the chilly morning, it wasn't long before I had sweat droplets hanging from my nose tip!

Sleepy run

Mmmmmm.....................I have managed to grab 2 hours of sleep on the wrong side of midnight and no amount of being present, counting sheep, writing lists, melatonin or sleeping tablet is assisting me to get any more slumber.....................oh blob! My run session in a couple of hours is sure to be a top effort!

Winter workout

Excuse me for thinking that winter has landed on the doorstep.................yesterday at work it reached a massive 10 degrees and was wet, cold and windy. The only way that I could convince my body to crawl out from under the doona today (ANZAC day) with very similar weather conditions outside was to compromise and take myself to the gym to complete the hour interval session. So........................armed with my ipod I exposed myself to the icy morning but thankfully only from the front door to the car and then from the car to the gym door. I was truly thankful that I had an indoor training option but seriously my ability to stay focussed (and motivated) when all I was doing was running on the spot was challenged. Followed up the interval session with a weights workout with my beloved and was rewarded with steaming coffee from our local cafe :)

Run, stretch and eat

Today: a run before yoga before breakfast :)

An easy run followed by a restorative yoga session @ Ohana Yoga and Wellness (http://www.genakenny.com/) that released my tight lumbar (courtesy of moving 150 or so archive boxes from a cramped mezzanine at work yesterday) and then to breakfast at Hot Honey (http://www.hothoney.com.au/)...................... I can recommend the homemade baked beans with crispy ciabatta................check out also the fabulous range of homemade cakes :)

Foxtrot Friday

It was the quick stealth that caught my eye
In the dark of dawn, twas the fox, not I
Our gazes locked on the other
As we stepped a wary foxtrot until..................

I sprang into action, arms flailing as I excitedly chased the fox along the street in South Yarra. Perhaps the fox feared I would catch it, so it crossed the street and challenged me to chase it again.......................as much as I wanted to continue the foxtrot, my purpose for being out before the sun came up was to complete a run session...................40 minute hill session........................noctural activity was high and I do believe that I startled a possum enough to cause it to fall out of the tree..........I didn't see the possum fall but I heard what sounded like a balloon, filled with water, hit the ground...........oops.....................me startling the possum may have had something to do with my excited state of being after chasing the fox, the kick-ball-changes/waltzing and leaps that I incorporated into the run or possibly the stylised arms that accompanied my loud whispers of 'foxy'.

Fun :)

Back in the groove

Getting the running shoes on upon returning from Bali has been a little more difficult than first I anticipated................the opportunity to snuggle under the doona has been a little too seductive..............however feeling good about myself starts when my body is moving so my runners were laced up on Saturday morning (before I flew to Perth for a wedding) and we headed out to do an interval session.................mission accomplished even though my legs felt like lead!

About the wedding............it was wonderful to be back with dear friends (even if it was only for a short time) to celebrate and share such a loving occasion.........congratulations to Mitchell and Emma.......(I haven't checked with M&E about putting up photos from the event on this blog so here is a photo of the shoes that I unveiled at the wedding)...........BTW my shoes were a hit and were photographed by a number of guests!

Amazing...............

Just saw the power and awesomeness of Kurt Fearnley http://kurtfearnley.com/
What a guy!

Blissed in Bali

What better way to pamper my body and soul as reward for completing those early morning run sessions and for getting through Term 1 still alive (just)...........as well as to thank my favourite person for being supportive through it all...........and a perfect opportunity to spend time with dear friends............an Easter escape to my favourite tropical island, Bali.....thank you for a wonderful holiday xxxxx

My feet were treated to massage and reflexology and the training diet was almost relaxed and chilled out as we were! Even though the running clothes were packed (after all I have my next run program), we opted instread for dynamic (read hard-ass and sweaty) morning yoga each day followed by eating, swimming, reading..............I even found a sexy pair of platform heels................yet to be debuted on Australian soil.................here is a sneak peek................

Some other smile inducing snaps........................(creatively arranging the photos is not an option on this blog!)

Tomorrow morning my runners will be pulled on and taken on a 60 minute hill run..............................

Did that really happen? Part 3

I haven't run all week, in fact I have done very little.................by Wednesday I was moving in a more human fashion and less like someone with a carrot wedged between my legs...........yesterday I even started looking at what my next run event will be..............check out http://www.greatoceanroadmarathon.com.au/ .......................however I would like to try the half marathon...........................and today I did my first post marathon gym session......................and to think that this time last week I was about 4 kms into the marathon is surreal.

Did that really happen? Part 2

So once I had been given the all clear from the med tent, I shuffled to the car and was driven home by my champion triathlete (who shaved 14 minutes off the previous Ironman time).............we both were incredibly stiff and sore and tired but couldn't wait to tuck into our post race meal (even if it was after 11pm) of lentils and quinoa.................mmmmmm yum!
Sleep didn't necessarily come easily, with both of us bouncing around courtesy the caffeine tabs taken during the race (I digress but I recall the look I got from Zoe when I was waiting in transition for Stu to get back from his ride, I was jumping up and down on the spot and wondered aloud whether I needed to take any more caffeine before I headed out on the run!)...................not even a sleeping tablet worked like it should!
We get up the next morning to get ready for work and my left foot had been truly mashed in the marathon...................

The casualty count included 3 juicy blisters, one very bruised toenail (that now is in the process of leaving home) and a big toe that is really only half a nail now.......................I had the chore of wearing flat shoes all week and kids at school took great pleasure to tell me that I looked 'funny' when I don't wear high heels....................oh the indignity!

Did that really happen? Part 1

Wow, Ironman Melbourne was a week ago today...........the pain has subsided, the blisters have popped and my feet can handle being encased in shoes once more.
The fortnight leading up to the event was not great for me with regards to physical preparation, even if it was taper time but the energy and vibe at the Frankston start line was something worth experiencing.............I saw the professional triathletes off in the water @ 7am (dawn had not broken yet), then the open athletes (including my favourite triathlete) 15 minutes later and then my team swimmer, Zoe @ 7.30am. A total of 1600 athletes started the race!
It is exciting to see wetsuited swimmers leaving the water after 3.8km and running into T1......spectators run and dart to get the best viewing of the athletes as they disrobe from their marine clothes and get kitted up in their cycle garb for the 180km ride.
Once Zoe had passed the timing chip to Stu (aka Waffle) he was off on his cycle along the Eastlink with two laps of 90kms. He estimated this would take him around 6 hours so there was some time to kill........................

Zoe graciously hung out with me at the cafe near the Frankston Pier where she ate hot chips and drank coffee and I continued to carb load (banana and staminade!).................we watched the pros move from T2 and head out on the marathon (42.2kms) from Frankston to the finish line @ St Kilda................waiting in transition I managed to see my favourite triathlete and stole a kiss before heading out on the marathon!
Let me tell you I was on fire..............as I ran through drink stations, past spectators and through the live broadcast stations along the route, I was told how fresh I looked and how good my form was.................................I wasn't looking so fresh when I finished (but that's another story)..............the run was scenic and it was a hard run but the support was sensational and for a teeny weeny second I thought to myself "you should try doing the whole thing one time Leanne", my position now remains very clear - stick to just running! The camaraderie was alive all the way along the course - the human spirit and individual focus was really inspiring. At about the 35km mark my legs and feet were in great pain and I wanted to take a break and walk but playing on repeat in my head was a comment from Kellie (we share the same coach) to her husband at a triathlon the previous month "Gaz we're all hurting. Harden up" ..........................if others around me (who had swum and ridden) were still running/moving/shuffling then what reason did I have to not keep running?
Seeing the finish area lit up, with music pumping and the crowd cheering on everyone, it was hard not to feel like a champion. The run chute to the finish was packed with people and I met Zoe and Stu about 300m short of the finish line so that we could run over as a team! It was an amazing finish! It was like no other finish line I had ever run through before.

My favourite triathlete was waiting for me. The rest is a little hazy as I ended up in the medical tent with low blood pressure and dehydration (even though I was well hydrated before the race and I took drinks at all but 3 of the 21 stations along the route)................I was placed on a stretcher, had my feet elevated, was wrapped in a foil blanket and was unable to have a drip because my veins had collapsed........and my favourite person waited with me until I was given the all clear to head home.........at about 11pm!