Winter run

You could be forgiven for thinking that summer and autumn had been put on fast forward and once more winter was on the doorstep.....................a chilly morning meant that I snuggled under the doona longer than I had planned..............not even the pooch wanted to leave the house.........she was tucked under the doona and dug her paws in when I clicked on her leash, refusing to come for the run..............by the time I got to The Tan it was a busy scene. Today nothing hurt.........not my feet, not my knees and my breathing was settled so before I knew it the hour interval session was finished.

Off the plan

The run I was scheduled to do was different to the run that I actually did............why? Well it was a case of not feeling up for a 2 hour run (number of reasons).............................my options were to stay in bed or to go on a hill run in South Yarra (with my triathlete) and at least get a run in..............my thinking being it was better to do something than nothing....................

What a dick!

Ok I had said I was going to do the Two Bays trail run (28km) this January (http://www.twobaystrailrun.com/). I had it in my head that it was late in the month and when I was looking over this week's training schedule I saw that Coach Tippett had written it in the slot for Sunday........................the trail run this Sunday.......surely not.........surely yes it would appear so........I checked the website for the run and realised that I had been looking at the back up date instead of the actual date! Eeekkkk!

My brain went into overdrive - I hadn't bought my camel back water pack yet let alone train with one (I personally was not looking forward to running with one as I detest the sound of sloshing water when I run!). Each runner takes their own water as the drink stations are about 10km apart. Then I read the participant's requirement list: a compression bandage in case of snake bite (OMG I hadn't considered that possibility.......I know the trail run is in the bush and snakes live in the bush but they really hadn't come into the picture for me!). Another requirement is a mobile phone with good coverage as well as a map in case you become lost.......mmmm my orienteering skills aren't honed...................a severe case of doubt washed over me about my readiness and I sent an email to Coach Tippett concerned about injury, snake bite and getting lost!

Spoke with the Coach today and he allayed my concerns about getting lost and about the kiss of death from a snake.......he did say that I would be quite sore for about a week because of the rocky course.......righto I decided that I was ready to take this on........
I went to register for the event only to find out that the event is sold out and there are already 100 runners on the waiting list! I am a dick!
So I will make contact with the Coach and get in early with my registration for the run in 2013!

Back to business

This entry is in a couple of phases-pre run and post run.......or really pre-pre run, pre run and post run!

Pre-pre run: looked out the window (as my triathlete left on a 6 hour group ride) at the weather-wind and rain.......my two most favourite weather conditions to run in....not......welcome back to Melbourne! So I lingered under the doona a little longer and checked out a post made on Facebook by a friend who works for lululemon about female athletes.........ok now I am motivated and ready to take on the wind and rain.

Pre run: out of bed and getting organised and I caught sight of my body in a mirror - I had to have another look.....the relationship I have with my body is not the best and I beat up on it often, regularly discounting the amazing things it can do........was that really my body looking back at me? If so, I was a little impressed.......and even more so when I jumped on the scales and realized that even with some indulging over the break and a few missed run sessions, I am still a couple of kilos lighter than before! You go Leanne!.........motivation goes up a notch.........

Post run: once I had started and said some mantras to myself I finished the short run session feeling like my day had got off to a good start!

May your day be chockful of goodness :)

My body really isn't interested in running today

Truer words have not been uttered before! Perhaps the very fact we kept hitting the snooze button every 10 mins for an hour and a half was signal enough that neither of us was particularly keen to get moving but needless to say we got up and ran by the water in Ballina. Session had some speed work in it.......I was more into the session about halfway through the hour-was that because I knew it was almost over or was it because I was warmed up and in a rhythm? Double thickness dog coat doesn't suit the climes of northern NSW so the pooch was drenched under showers and in the water at regular intervals.

Headed into Byron for breakfast and a day on the beach and whilst we were waiting for breakfast to be delivered, I felt a pull to the shoe shops.......what a disappointment! Not a single pair shuffled on the shelves urging me to take them home :( I crossed the street into another shoe shop...........oh my! I really thought I would be leaving empty handed.......however one shop closer to the breakfast cafe, a rack of gorgeous dresses teased me to enter..........into a fabby eclectic Aladdin's cave and there on the back wall was a pair of tangerine laser cut wedges that winked at me..........I slipped them on and was sold! A red canvas bag and a woven leather bracelet and I was ready to eat!

Reunion run

An hour and 40 minute interval session around dad's neighbourhood done before the sun had enough sting to create yet another tan line and before packing up the car to start our journey south. Pooch ran with us, partly because she had told us that she had missed us but more so because we wanted to wear her out so that she slept in the car. Not sure I will have the chance to buy a pair of shoes before we cross the border but We are meeting mum for a coffee in Currumbin and you never know what is around the corner :)

West Coaster

After a whirlwind visit to Perth I am sitting in the Qantas club attempting to capture my last run in brisbane on the morning we flew out and my two sessions here in Perth.........flying out of brisbane early meant an early rise but with a run to complete it meant an even earlier get up -try 4.30! Although the session was short it was a sweaty run through the streets around dad's place. We arrived in Perth on the 28th Dec and went directly to an extravagant 5 year old's birthday party.........it was a hot welcome to the sunny state and secretly I enjoyed being thrown into the water after the party had finished! Heading to bed much later than my body is used to, we got up and I ran from South Beach through the city of Fremantle, found an ingenious spot to wee and cursed myself for not getting up an hour earlier to run to avoid the intense heat at 6.30am!

We had a sleep in the next morning and my second run yesterday was a hard run-sensational scenery running along the Swan River but my god it was hot and without any water along the running tracks I was as dry as............(you fill in the gap)

In the back of my mind is the fact that I am supposed to be doing a 28km cross country trail run later this month..........not feeling the love just yet :(

Has been a great trip back to Perth - full of friends and good times........heading back to Melbourne via Brisbane means getting back on the food and drink wagon.