Sunday 1 July 2012

My Run !

Today I am linking in with Dorothy from Singular Insanity for Things I Know - about things I now know that I didn't know yesterday morning !  (And I am going to cheat and link this in with Team Friday at bbeingcool because I cannot get a post written that is going to be worth reading)

Anyone who has been reading this blog will know that I have been training for the C 10km race for the past couple of months.  (After talking to my Dad I learned that he used to train for 2 months for an 89km race - I trained for 2 months for a 10km race - maybe the difference in our ages when we ran said races had something to do with it !!!!  Or maybe our level of fitness before we started training - I don't know !!!)  Anyway, a back injury last week played havoc with my head as I had planned another 25-30km of training which I didn't get done and eventually I had to accept that the training I had done would have to be enough.  Everyone said that it was enough.  My brain said maybe not !!!

The weather on the Gold Coast last week left a lot to be desired - rain poured down for hours at a time, the wind blew at a million miles an hour and the cold that was felt in our home chilled me to the bone.  If this was the weather that I was going to have to run in, I wasn't sure that I was even going to bother.  So, on top of the weather issue, was the early morning issue.  I don't do early mornings.  And I definitely don't do early morning runs.  I knew this when I entered but I thought it would be OK.  It wasn't that OK - I hated going to sleep at 11pm knowing that I would be up in 4.5hrs time.  Then waking up and wondering, even though I had set two alarms, if they would work.  It messed with my mind big time !!!!

On Friday afternoon I had popped into the Salvos store to buy a throw away jumper for the morning - picked one up for $4 which I was very happy with.  Got home and we went to Charlie's to carbo load - not sure that it was totally necessary, or even whether it makes a difference or not - but we did.  And I finished my meal with a chocolate pizza - so good !!!!

At 4.30am when the alarms both went off I lay there and wondered what on earth I was thinking about ?  Who was I kidding ?  I am not a runner - why did I think I could run 10km.  I wondered whether I should just curl up under the doona and just sleep the day away ?  No such luck - Al got me up and I got dresssed, had my protein bar and half a glass of OJ to take my tablets and we set off at about 5.15am.  Got there waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to early but it did mean we got a good parking !!  Walked through and found where the start was and then did some stretching and went and waited in the starting area.  A stayed with me until about 3 mins before the start of the race so I gave him my throw away jacket with the thought that I would be able to use it for the next time I ran (holy cr*p - at that point I was already thinking about the next race I was going to run !!!!).  The starter gun went off and we started shuffling forward.  I got near the start line only to find that I couldn't switch Runkeeper on on my phone so had to step aside to sort that out.  No panic - yet !

We headed south over Sunningdale Bridge - not a lot of running happening as we were still quite close together.  A fair bit of pushing and shoving which annoyed the cr*p out of me - we are all here to run the race people - just hold on for everyone ahead of you to move !!!!   I did manage to go the whole race without getting tripped up or tripping anyone up so I thought that was a good win !

One guy pushed past me and at that point I had had enough of the pushing and shoving and so said "Really" quite loudly - he turned and I just held my hands up as if to say "What - you think it is OK to push people out the way" and off he went.  We turned at the end of the bridge and headed north.  The leaders had passed me when I was less than 1km from the start !!!  I went up and over the little hillock in front of CQU (where I used to work) and then saw A just in front of the chemist opposite the swimming pool.  I struggled a little from 3-4km and then before I knew it I saw my first sign - 8km - holy moley - how did I get to 8km without seeing a sign !!!!!!  I could feel my legs were tiring but I knew that I had less than 2kms to go to the end and I seemed to get some strength from somewhere and keep going.  I had said to myself that I would like to run the whole 10km without walking BUT if I had to walk I would.

I didn't - I ran the whole 10kms in a PB time of 1:03:21 (was aiming for 1:10-1:20) - and, I never thought I would say this, but I really enjoyed the run.  I don't know if it was because it seemed to go so fast, whether it was because I just got into the zone and ran, whether it was because my legs felt good for most of the race - I don't know what it was but I wish I could bottle it up to use for future races.  Yes, there are going to be future races - and, despite me saying I would never do a half marathon, I think that might be the next goal AFTER I have been to someone to get my knees checked out (as requested by A who is worried I may be doing more damage than can be fixed if I carry on running without getting them looked at).  My right knee twinged at about 7km and I told it to suck it up and hang on until I had finished before it decided to do anything horrible on me - and it did (Thank you right knee !!).  Both knees were sore once I had stopped running but after icing them yesterday afternoon they pulled up fine today.  I have also got a big blister near the ball of my right foot - very strange as I have never got a blister there before on any of my training runs. 

If only I had the confidence in myself that everyone else seems to have in me I would save myself a lot of angst !!!!  I hope I haven't put the hoodoo on myself with this first run being so good and that runs will only go downhill from here !!!  Maybe because I didn't over think it, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.  Hopefully I will be able to under think all future races.

To my family who have been amazing in helping me train - either by riding with me or not nagging for meals when I have been out training and couldn't be arsed bothered to cook dinner or entering the MDC to keep me company and then running ahead because I told her to or just telling me that of course I am going to finish it even if I have to walk, to my virtual cheering squad who cheered me on during my training runs when I felt like I had no more to give and who were there with me yesterday cheering me on finish and to finish strongly, A HUGE BIG THANK YOU because, for sure, without your support and encouragement, I don't think I could have accomplished what I did.  So, while it may have been me out there running, it wasn't without help from all of you !

My legs were a little tired last night and a little tight this morning.  But they felt good - they feel good provided I don't sit for too long in one position !!!!!  I am thinking of having a rest week this week - except for the normal 2 x PT sessions - but no running - and then starting again next week.  I think I am going to enter the 5km Bridge to Brisbane - we get back from NZ the week before the race so if I can get enough kms done before we leave, I will be happy to enter that race.  The following week we have The Stampede so I will have to look for which races there are after that is over provided my knees are OK !!!!

Have the best week ever - for anyone involved in financial year end - good luck !!!!

TFTD : Without pain there would be no change.  But pain, just like everything in life, is meant to be learned from and then released.

23 comments:

  1. Oh yay! Go you! Congrats on not just running the whole 10kms, but on acheiving a personal best. Nicely done. You should feel so proud of yourself... and I hope your knees are ok!

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    1. Thanks Lisa. I am sitting here icing right knee at the moment - it twinged quite a few times today. I have an appointment with a podiatrist on Saturday - have to take in my running shoes and run on a treadmill for him - hopefully he will be able to recommend something so that I can continue running !!!
      Have a great week and thanks for the 'review' of Brave - think we will have to get to see it sometime.
      Have a great week.
      Me

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  2. Congratulations! That's wonderful news....I'm so glad you made it!
    All the training was worth it!
    Excellent effort :)

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    1. Thanks so much Tracey. Next time I will try to have the same confidence in me that everyone else has !!!!
      Have a great week and thanks for stopping by my blog.
      Me

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  3. woooohooooo well done...congrats on the PB too :-)
    Be proud of yourself..you worked hard for it.

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    1. Thanks Jen. It was a great run although I am paying for it with painful knees. Am off to get them looked at on Friday and Saturday and hopefully they will be able to do something for them !!!!
      Have a great day and thanks for the encouragement.
      Hope all is well with you and your family.
      Love, hugs and positive energy !
      Me

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  4. Congratulations - handy time too! Knees are hinge joints and my guess is what is driving a lot of the pain is either coming from the hip or the ankle - so worth getting checked out more :)

    Cheers
    Liz :)

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    1. Thanks Liz. I am not doing any running this week as I have found that my knees are sore when I walk up and down the stairs at work. I have an appointment booked with the osteo on Friday and then a podiatrist who will do an analysis of my running on Saturday - am very interested to hear what he has to say so long as it isn't "You have to stop running if you want the pain to go away." !!!!!

      Thanks for stopping by and have a great day !
      Me

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  5. Congratulations! I'm happy for you! It's great you achieved your goal with success! And cheers to many other runs!

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    1. Thanks Rita. Off to get my knees checked out tomorrow before I start my next training plan !
      Have a great weekend !
      Me

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    1. Thanks Catherine !
      Have a great week.
      Me

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  7. Well done! That's amazing work!!! You've got me all pumped for the City2Surf in August :)

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    1. Thanks Grace. Good luck for the City 2 Surf - I did it a few years ago. I had to drive about 20-25mins away from where I live in order to be able to walk some hills !!!!!! Around where I live it is as flat as flat can be.
      Have a great week.
      Me

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  8. Wow - I am so proud of you! You did it! And you did it under the time you wanted! Well done!

    Thanks for linking in with #teamfriday - I really love that you link in every week. Thanks again for taking charge of this last week, it was so nice knowing it was in good hands!

    Yay for YOU! So impressed. Mr Cool bought me some new running shoes today, my training starts next week - yay!

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    1. Thanks B. I was really happy with my run.

      Happy to have been able to help out with Team Friday last week.

      My training starts again tomorrow night - all going well with my knees. At this stage not sure what my next race is going to be (thanks for the heads up re the Toowoomba race) but can start training for it anyway especially as we are going to have a two week break when we are in NZ.

      My new orthotics will be ready sometime the week after next so don't want to do too much damage between now and then as I am counting on them to get rid of the knee problems that I have been having.

      Have the best week ever !
      Me

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  9. Well done!! That's such a big run and you did it really well. Horrobily early start!! But you got that over and done with too. So glad you enjoyed it and felt good. I've never run 10km and cab't really imagine it... but 5k for me is next!!

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    1. Thanks Seana - yes, I don't do early morning starts very well - especially for a run !!! I always train at night after work so found it quite difficult to get up and get moving. Once I was up I just wanted it to be over and done with !!! Unfortuantely they don't ever run races in the afternoon.

      I never thought I would run 10km but I did - once you have conquered the 5km, you will look for another challenge and that will be the 10km. I did a 4km first and then went up to the 10km. Now I am looking at a half marathon - I think I am nuts but want to feel like I have a challenge ahead of me !!!!

      Enjoy the week ahead - love, hugs and positive energy.
      Me

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  10. Oh My Goodness hun I am honestly so so proud of you and thrilled for you. I wondered what you meant by the comment on my post where you said you were getting a throw away jumper lol. I have been a bit absent from the blogosphere these past two weeks and am just playing catch up tonight and I was busting to come over and see what you have been up to - and what have you been up to? Running bloody marathons like a champion, that's what!
    You are just amazing you know - truly inspiring. How did the knees stand up? Did they make you pay later? xxx

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    1. Thanks Sonia !!! I have had a week of resting - no running at all - and I start training again tomorrow night - hopefully for a half marathon in a couple of months. I was going to enter the Toowoomba half marathon but a local has advised against it so I am on the lookout again for another race to enter.

      My knees didn't hold up too well - they are still twingeing on and off if I am on an incline/decline/go up or down stairs. I have been diagnosed with patela/femoral syndrome and so now am waiting to get some orthotics which should alleviate the problem - **fingers crossed**.

      I saw you were out of touch for a while due to Fifty Shades for Grey - I have also heard everyone talking about it but I just can't see myself picking it up instead of a good detective/courtroom drama !!

      Have the best week !
      Me

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    2. Oh you poor thing, but you know it makes me even more in awe of you that you continue running despite the pain. You are just so incredible hun and determined and I love that about you.
      Ha ha I am not normally someone who would read the whole Fifty Shades type book so I am so surprised I have been sucked in.
      Hope the knees are improving hun and those orthotics give you some respite. xxx

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  11. I so loved reading this. I suddenly suffered from major self doubt before my 10km run too! What are we like?!
    I am setting my sights on a 10km fun run in January - it's a tough track, windy and hilly and then will think about whether to aim for a half in August next year. It truly is addictive isn't it? I love running with others in a fun run atmosphere. It flies and goes so much quicker than training on your own. xx

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  12. It definitely is addictive. I love running although have only been for one run this week on Monday. I have decided to wait until I get my orthotics before I run again - I am worried about damaging my knees. Today I fell down the stairs at work - don't know what I did but missed the last 3 steps - went head and shoulders not the wall and have a huge carpet burn on my knee - am hoping that won't put me out of action because nice my orthotics arrive I want to be out there running again.

    I don't do running with others - for me I am better off with my phone/music and runkeeper - it is my time to just not worry about anyone or anything else plus. Am worried about holding people up !!

    Have the best weekend and take care !
    Me

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Have the best day.

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