its all go

running/ramblings

I can’t believe it has been 10 days since I last blogged.  It is quite amazing as I thought I would have more time up my sleeve once my 4 year old starter Kinder but I seemed to have ended up with less!

I will just start with this week……  I started my Sporting Spirit sessions this week and have to say, totally loved it   It was a really nice bunch of people ranging from one runner who had never ran 5km before up to another runner who runs 15kms and up.  I was nestled right there in the middle which alleviated my nerves.  I was scared I was going to embarrass myself but I didn’t, yay for me!  The other thing I was a bit scared about was how old everyone was going to be as I thought I would be surrounded by spritey young 20 year olds but that was not the case at all.  I would say the youngest was in about her thirties and the oldest about 60ish.  Monday’s session we covered drills for technique and strength.  We did all those sorts of things we should be doing as runners but I definitely never do   For example, marching with skipping, patter rans, butt kicks etc.  I am really happy to be doing these types of drills in a supervised group because I find this stuff to boring to do by myself.  Wednesday’s session was intervals, I think thats what they are called??  We started with a 2km warm-up run and then did 2 minute fast but comfortable runs with a 2 min jog back recovery.  Not sure how many of those we did but it was a few.  We then finished with a 1km cool-down run.  All up I think we covered about 5-6km’s.  On the way back to my car when the session was over, I kept my eyes peeled on the runners who were running in the 2nd of the Sunset Series.  I knew that Andrew, Kathryn and Tigerboy from the ausrun forum were running in the event and I wanted to cheer them on if I saw them.  I only saw Tigerboy and he had a determined look on his face.  I called out “Go Tigerboy” which I found out later, he did hear.  Have to say I got a few funny looks when I called that out

I had another dry needling treatment done on Monday and my hip feels so much better, in fact I will go as far to say its not giving me any grief at all!  I wasn’t sure if I needed a 2nd treatment done but I had been told it usually takes 2-3 treatments so I just did it.  I have been doing all my stretches that Physio instructed me to do but I am yet to start my Pilates program.  I was going to start this week but I have had to keep close to Kinder as my 4 year old is having a few toileting issues, number 2’s    I only live across the road so I have told them to ring me if there are any mishaps and I will pop over.  Not sure what is going on with him and I guess we will work it all out eventually but until then, Pilates is on hold    

So I am now going to resume my Run 4 Kids training and this Sunday I will be doing a 8km run at the We Can Walk It Out Fun Run.  This will be the third year that I have ran in this event and although a little low key, I love the atmosphere that surrounds this worthy cause.  I am going to treat it purely as a training run and plan to run slow to see where I am in regards to distance.  If all goes to plan, I might, not sure yet, do the Beat the Boat 10km fun run the following week-end and then the remaining two week-ends leading up to Run 4 Kids, attempt two 12km’s.  I did Beat the Boat last year and have to say I found it to be quite a challenging course so I will see how the 8km goes on Sunday.  I will take it week by week but I am hoping this is the way it will pan out.  That said I will be running at Run 4 Kids  

needles and running group

running

Ran down at Princes Park yesterday after I dropped my 4 year old of at Kinder.  It was really quite warm even though it was just after 9am when I set off.  The last km was a bit of a killer.  I ran for 5kms with one drink stop at the 3km mark.  Have to say I was happy when it was over and feeling once again a little negative about my running, or my trying to run I should say.

ramblings

I decided in the car coming home that I would book in for needling at Sports Clinic and I would go ahead and book into the 10km Booster group at Sporting Spirit  If I want to keep running and improve I have to do these two thing otherwise I can see myself falling off the rails.

I was able to get an appointment for last night at 6.30pm or Wednesday morning and I just bit the bullet and had it done last night.  It is just like having accupuncture done, not that I have had that done, but it was just really fine needles being inserted into two area’s of my hip, and then left in for about 10-15 minutes.  I had about 3o needles inserted and it really was a painless procedure.  There was no discomfort at all.  The hip area was feeling a little “heavy” as the time went on which was good apparently but that was it.  I may need another treatment next week but I have to access how I go.  My plan is to continue with Physio’s orders, if I can remember and see her on Friday for review. 

I also rang Brian at Sporting Spirit and joined the 10km Bosster group and that starts at Princes Park on Monday.  The session will be on strength and technique and starts at 6pm for an hour.  Hubby has assured me I can go with no hishaps and for his sake, he better be right!  I am a little bit nervous about going but at the same time beside myself with excitement, it just sounds so good

the whinger and miss responsible

running/ramblings

Well, my week since the Zoo run has been a total write-off.  I just couldn’t fit a run in on the Friday and then this morning my planned run also went out the window   Even though I had planned to run this morning, I was feeling really stuffed from a Greek christening that we went to yesterday, so in hindsight it probably would have been crappy anyway. 

I am feeling a little down in the dumps regarding Run 4 Kids.  I just cannot believe I am only at 8kms and on a standstill with running.  It just sucks!!!  I am thinking maybe I should just continue with my plans and then take up with Physio after Run 4 Kids.  I mean really, I ran it last year with sciatica and the pesky hip and lived to tell the tale, gggrrrrr!

Ok, responsible hat is now on   I am going to ring Physio tomorrow and book in for the dry needling as soon as possible and then maybe hopefully, I can get back on track.  If it is raging success, I should be able to build up to at least 11km if not 12kms surely.

Ok, whinging hat back on…..  its just not fair!!!!

zoo run

running

Last night was a really nice night for a run through the zoo although this time around I didn’t see one animal.  As planned, I did the 4km event, as not planned, instead of “gentle plodding” I just went for it.  In fact according to my watch I knocked off about 1min 16secs of 4km time   Will have to check that to make sure thats right, I did accidently hit lap button on finishing instead of stop button.   

Caught up with Andrew and Kathryn pre-race and had a nice chat, its always nice to see fellow ausrunners at these events    I scooted home not long after finishing as once I had cooled down, I started getting cold.  One good thing about finishing  before 8km racers, the queue for your bits and pieces isn’t long.  My 10year old loved the carlton bag and flag in showbag but I am sure there would have been a lot of runners out there who wouldn’t have been happy with that

ramblings

I am really happy to report the hip feels pretty good today, in fact I can almost not feel any tender bits.  I really concentrated last night on stretching the way physio showed me and for the right amount of time, I took my anti-inflammatories and iced area.  I am optimistic that I am going to knock this in the butt without the dry needling   

The consultation that I had with Physio yesterday was really enlightening.  She showed me on the ultra-sound where I have imbalances between left and right sides and not enough strength in other areas.  Of course my Pelvic Floor muscles weren’t ignored and I back doing them with abdo exercises   She picked up on my neck pain which I have also had for an eternity and this is all connected to core and posture.  Its is amazing the different outcomes between the two Physio’s that I have seen.  I went to 1st Physio about the hip problem and she did say I had weakness’s between sides, she also said she had know idea why or what was causing it.  I am really glad I have discovered this Sports Physio even if it was just initially for a Pilate program tailored for me.  She definitely knows her stuff and I am optimistic that I am going to get all my niggles sorted at last

Jaykay, I do have one foot longer than the other which was picked by my Podiatrist hence the adjustment made to right orthotic.  I use to get sciatica on left side as well as the hip thing going on.  My sciatica disappeared once he built up the right orthotic but sadly the hip pain has always been a constant.  I felt as though I had exhausted the Podiatrist which is what led me to the 1st Physio last year.  I will go back to Pod though as it is almost a year since adjustments went on.  They probably need to be reviewed.

Andrew, last night you asked me what bursitis was and here is a link telling us all about it

*edit*  Official times are up on website and I had a feeling I stuffed up my time   Finished in 23:31secs not 23:09secs which gives me a PB of 54 secs.  Doesn’t sound as impressive now

*edit 2*  I have a question…. my distance on Garmin came up as 3:87km, so if the satelites dropped out, is that why time would be out?

change of plans

ramblings

Well, you know how I said in last post that by going to the Physio to get my Pilates up and rolling it was going to change my running, well that it did but not in the way I expected!!

While taking my history she zoomed in my pesky right tender hip which I might add have had forever.  This is the hip that gives me no grief while running but afterwards is always a little tender which sometimes extends down side of leg.  Lately with that, I have had lower back tightness, it all seems to respond well to stretching and rest.  She seems to think that I have bursitis and a ITB problem    The funny thing is I have suspected on and off over the time that my symptons pointed to that diagnosis but when I saw a different Physio back in July/August she didn’t mention either.

So here I was yesterday all excited about doing Run 4 Kids, joining Sporting Spirit and maybe doing not one Half Marathon but two, and, I have been told not to increase my distance above 8km until settled, ggrrr!   The good news is I can still do three runs a week, two 5kms, the 8km and water running/swimming so that is good I guess but now I am stressing about Run 4 Kids!  She has given me a couple of core exercises, glute and itb stretches, anti-inflammatories and I have to ice bursa after running.  She also spoke of dry needling , yikes!!  I think she wanted me to book into that but I am just going to do everything else first and see   On one hand I am happy that maybe I may be able to sort this as I have had it a long time but on the other hand all my grand plans are now on hold.  I was actually going to pay for Sporting Spirit 10km booster group today.  I still want to do that but I guess it would be wise to see how I go over the next week.  I am going back to her next Friday for a review and to do some Pilates.

JH, looks as though the Burnley half is out for me

running

I am going to do a slow 4km plod tonight at the 1st of the Sunset Series.  I just don’t want to miss out on running through the zoo, it was a great run when I did it for the first time last year.  Hopefully I will get to say hello to a few ausrunners and coolrunners      

plotting

ramblings

I am really excited about my Pilates appointment tomorrow, it is going to change my running life, well I hope   I just can’t help feeling when I get this on a roll, it is going to make me stronger and I am happy I am starting it now before Run 4 Kids.  I am hoping the core strength will me to finish a little better than last year, the last 3km’s especially that last 1km was a killer   

The other thing I am excited about is, I rang Sporting Spirit today and had a long chat with Brian, one of the running coaches, about my running.  I have decided to join the 10km Booster group, not sure if I will be able to get to all the sessions but at least I will have some structure and advice along the way.  Its three sessions a week, Monday and Wednesday evenings at 6pm and Sunday mornings at Princes Park.  The Sunday session is at 8am so I know I won’t always be able to do this session but I am hoping to sort something out so I can at least do some.  If not, I will find out what is being done and do it myself later in the morning.

I have been mulling over which half marathon to do after Run 4 Kids.  Initially I thought it would be the Melbourne Marathon in October but I think I may want to do one earlier than that.  I was thinking about Run to the G but I am not sure about that as I have been looking at feedback from runners in previous years and it is all not so great.  So any suggestions or feedback about Run to the G or any other half after Run 4 Kids would be good.

Lastly, I may rock up for the 4km Zoo run tomorrow night.  I did want to run 5km tomorrow but I loved this run so much last year, and even though I did the 8km I can’t help feeling it is one not to miss, even if it is only a 4km

Capital City Trail

running

I am feeling absolutely fantabulous after my 9km jaunt along the Capital City Trail this morning   I was originally going to go to the Tan but one look at the other half when he walked in from work told me I should stay close to home   So I hit Princes Park and decided instead of doing laps, I would give the CCT a go and I am so glad I did.

I did stuff up and ended up on Hoddle Street and ran just past the Clifton Street Train Station before venturing back along the trail.  There was an arranged CCT run organised by a few Coolrunners and I knew “Tigerboy” was running with them and as coincidence would have it, I saw them at the point where I should have gone to continue along trail.  I ran past the Rushall Station instead of going through underpass to otherside.  Now the egg I am, I thought I would do a shifty and follow their path so I could see exactly where the trail went for next time but I was sprung because they stopped for a stretch just as I turned the corner   No TB in sight but I did see another group of Coolrunners not long after and I am thinking he may have been in that pack but by then I was too far away to see.  Anyway, next time I will know where to go, I hope! 

ramblings

I have booked in for my Clinical Pilates assessment on Wednesday morning at the Alphington Sports Clinic, and I can’t wait to get this on a roll.  I put off making the appointment last week because I thought the kinder may call me to calm the Pesky 4 year old during his session, yeah right!  I know, I know, I am happy that he has settled in so well, but really…….

need for speed

running

I always keep an eye on the training program that Steve Moneghetti has on the Run 4 Kids website and I noticed this week they had a speed session included.  So because I have been struggling with my boring slog street runs, I thought I would try and do some sprints down out local Athletics track.  I decided to modify it as I wasn’t sure how I would go and I really didn’t want to kill myself.  There were also quite a few “real” runners down there doing speed sessions and I didn’t want to look to much of a doofus  So, I ended up doing a 2km run to track and then completed 200m x3 sprints at max pace of 3:27 with 200m walk recoveries in between.  I then ran home.  Even though it doesn’t sound like much, I have to say I found it quite exhilerating.  The best bit is today I feel really good, no niggles and I can move

ramblings

Well, our pesky 4 year old started kinder this week and I was really nervous how he would go.  He has been to two sessions this week and I thought he would be clingy and upset when I left him there.  Yesterday he actually blew me off without even giving me a kiss good-bye and this morning he was peed off that he had to go to speech and there was no kinder session.  I guess I should be pleased that he seems to have settled into it well but quite frankly I can’t help but find it a little rude

my body is now my temple

running

Aaaaggggghhhhhhhh, another crappy run!!  I was going to run down the Tan but because hubby got home from work late I changed my venue to Princes Park.  I wanted to get home sooner so he could go to bed if he was tired.  I much prefer to do my longer runs at the Tan over running laps at Princes Park.  When I arrived at Princes Park and turned my Garmin on, it told me my battery was low.  When it finally found the satelites it died not long after so that mean’t I could not run to time which is what I have been doing.  Great start!  I had planned to run for 55 minutes today so worked out if I was running my long run pace of 7m per km that would give me the approximate distance of 8km, so that is what I aimed for.  I more or less struggled for the first 6km and had three drink stops and a stretch    My self talk was really negative and I could hear myself saying, this is terrible, I am not going to be able to make the distance and omg, how long have I been running but once I hit the 6km mark, it completely turned around.  I was then saying come on you can do it, only another 12-14 minutes to go, its only 2km

There were so many people down at Princes Park today.  The Sri Chinmoy event was on this morning but by the time I got down there it had more or less finished.  I am still yet to do one of these events.  The 8am start is not good for me but I am going to do one of these this year sometime, somehow.  There were a few personal training groups, bike riders, walkers, Thai Chi and Yoga groups.  The atmosphere was good though with everyone busily doing their execise and I think that did help a touch.

Now I think the reason my run was so crappy today was because of the state I am in at the moment.  I am carrying way to much weight, I never drink enough water and yesterday I had the most disgraceful eating day ever.  Apart from breakfast, everything else that I ate was crap!!!  I actually went to bed with my stomach groaning and woke up that way as well.  So today I am definitely back on the wagon, my body is my temple!  Next week I am going to repeat that 8km and hopefully it will be better

Sunflowers

running

I had my car booked in on Tuesday for its 1000km check, so after I dropped it in I went for my 30 minute run ending at home.  It was just after 9am but the sun was already warm.  In fact it was one of those slog runs again   Its amazing how my 45 minute run on Sunday was great but couldn’t wait for the 30 minute one to end!   

Yesterday wasn’t so bad as it was cooler, raining in fact in the morning so I put my run off until the afternoon.  I nearly pulled the pin I must admit but when I realised there was no way I could swing a run today, I put on the “uniform” and out I went.

I still feel as though I am a really crappy runner.  Sometimes I just feel as though my body is too old for this caper and I am never going to “get comfortable”.  I have to always concentrate on holding my self upright, swing my arms the right way, breath correctly and pace myself.  I also struggle mindwise at times which I have mentioned before, especially when I do the street runs.  Anyway, I shall continue, who knows, give me another year on top of the two that I have already been running and it might get better, thats if I don’t have a zimmer frame by then

ramblings

At Dad’s funeral, we gave out packets of Sunflower seeds for everyone to plant to celebrate my Dad’s wonderful life.  I planted about 12 seeds and out of those 12 seeds, 4 took off, two larger ones and two smaller ones.  To me it signifies my family, myself, hubby and our two children.  Funny enough, they seem to represent the size of us, for eg, out of the two larger ones there is a slightly smaller one and the same for the two smaller ones.  It may be coincidence but I like to think it is not    I didn’t upload a picture of all 4 because if is a sideways shot and I don’t know how to turn it around   

 Our pesky 4 year old who insisted on being in photo, and, in need of a haircut which is happening today.  You can see one of the smaller sunflowers in that shot and one of the taller ones.

Edit*  Jaykay, I would love to run with you and Michelle at Run 4 Kids but I am suppose to be running with RJ.  RJ at the moment is nursing a dodgy hip so we have our fingers crossed that it sorts itself out so she can.  Having said that I know I am going to be darn slow so you and Michelle may want to zoom ahead