Run for Christchurch

I'll be running in Red and Black on the 12th.

http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/run4chch/

As you may know, New Zealand's second largest city, Christchurch, was devastated by a 6.3 earthquake at lunchtime on Tuesday 22 February 2011. There have been over 100 fatalities and many are still missing.

Kiwis out of Christchurch and people around the world want to know how they can help, and the answer's short. With money. But we all want to feel like we're doing more than just typing our credit card numbers into a box and clicking submit. So we thought we'd go for a run. Wearing red and black, to show the people of Canterbury we love them. And we'd like you to join us for a virtual run. Wherever you are.

We're hoping to get 100 runners, so please share this with everyone you know!

I'm back

I've been meaning to blog for weeks.  But everytime I log on my PC I get distracted and forget.

I haven't given up running.  I spent August and September overcoming my hip injury - and fighting the cold dark weather.  I did end up hiring a treadmill for 6 weeks, I can't say I love running on a treadmill, but it did at least keep me putting one foot in front of the other.  

Over the past month, I've started to get back in to my regular routine of three runs a week.  I found it rather difficult to start off with, but then I remembered C25K.  I resorted to my trusty podcasts and started back on week 5 last month.  It didn't take long and now I'm back comfortably jogging 30 minutes, and I can manage a 5k in a decent, albeit still rather slow, time.

Although I feel like I didn't do much over the winter, I am grateful for the Nike+ (and the fellow c25k challengers).  I can look at my graphs in the past few months and see that I was still reasonably regular with at least getting on the treadmill or out the door and running a couple of km's.

I'm only 2km off making the Green level on the Nike website, and rather excited to see the end of all that orange!  Maybe tomorrow, but the weather report isn't looking that great - warm and rainy.  But I'll get out there at some point this weekend.

Getting the motivation back

My days off work have been great.  I think I needed a break away from work, and just some relaxation.  Not that I had any sleep in's, I was up again this morning before 6.30am and went out for a short jog.

I'm feeling a lot better about things - I think I'll still have to fight my way through the next few weeks of winter though.  My hip is a bit sore this evening, and I've noticed niggling pain during my runs.  I am pretty sure it is related to my unexpected slide across the back deck a couple of weeks ago (ended up with me doing the splits and hitting the deck hard).  I forget that if there is a heavy frost the deck freezes over.

So I'll just get out there and run as long as I feel I can - maybe I'll work out some interval running or something.  I'm looking forward to getting outside and running tomorrow morning...if it's not pouring with rain.

I need to just decide that if the weather doesn't let me get outside I have to get on the exercise bike instead - not just stay in bed.  I'm looking into hiring a decent treadmill for a few weeks too.

Running off the birthday cake

So I survived another birthday yesterday.  And even managed to get myself up and out for a nice easy 4km jog.  I was lucky I got myself out of bed before 7am, as it started raining about 7.30am and continued steadily all day.  I have another day off tomorrow, but not sure if I'll run - I've got a few aches and pains so I'll take Daves advice - I should dust off the stationary bike that is sitting taunting me from the corner of the living room.

I think I just need to find a new winter exercise routine.  Maybe mix it up a bit, a few days on the exercise bike, at least one or two runs and some yoga should do it.  And I need to restart the 100 push ups program too.  I'm a little disappointed with myself for not getting back into it after my holiday to Aussie.

Now on to more fun things - my uber-geeky birthday cake.  I mentioned that I'd never had a Star Wars themed cake as a child (my mum did do some neat cakes, but never a Star Wars cake) and it was decided that you're never too old to have a Han Solo frozen in Carbonite birthday cake.  I didn't have to do the boring bits (bake the cake or make the buttercream and frosting) but was responsible for creative direction and sculpting.  It was the first time either of us had attempted fondant icing, or anything this "creative" for a cake.  And after all the work I was rather impressed with our efforts. 

The cake itself was one of my mum's recipes for Chocolate cake - I wanted a chocolate/orange flavour, so we substituted orange essence for the vanilla the recipe asked for.  It's a really nice moist dark chocolatey cake - I don't know if it's because it's made using buttermilk, but it tastes REALLY good.  The buttercream filling (and layer of "crumb coat" under the fondant) was orange flavoured, and a very bright orange colour.  The fondant was a recipe I found on the internet for Marshmallow Fondant, it doesn't taste too bad, but it's a bit sugary, but that might be because I used a budget bag of marshmallows.  Next time I'd splash out and buy Pascals instead of Home Brand.

Winter

So winter has well and truly started.  It's dark, cold and pretty wet.  It makes it very difficult to get out of bed at 5am to run on the weekdays.  I've been running sporadically over the past couple of weeks.  I'm still keen to get out there but I was suffering a bit of SAAD this week and just wanted to get a few more hours sleep.

It didn't help having a couple of nights of broken sleep, getting up to watch NZ play in the football world cup. 

I made up for a couple of low mileage weeks with an epic 1 hour 40 minute run this morning...just over 12km.  New time/distance record.  I was pretty slow, but mentally I felt good.  It was nice to wake up early - it was 5C, so not too cold, and I could see that it was a clear morning.  The sun came up as I ran the streets and it was a lovely clear sunny morning.  Not even a frost. 

I really should have stopped at 9km, but I was so close to 10km.  Then I hit 10km and I was just under 2km from home.  So instead of walking, I ran.  Or rather stumbled, rather slowly.  Had to run past the house to hit 12km - then had a short 500m walk back to the house.  Oh, my legs - I was doing a very good impression of a ultra-distance runner and that wobbly walk once they cross the line.  For me 12km is ultra-distance running!  For now, anyway.

Since it was Saturday, I did have to get out of the house by mid-morning and run some errands.  So more walking...sore feet and all.  But it was better than sitting for too long - think I would have seized up.

Over all, I'm a litte sore, but very pleased with myself.  Hoping to get out for a short walk tomorrow and then the usual weekday runs.  But the weather doesn't look like it will cooperate :(

Another week down

Just under 9km this week, that is about normal.  Just over 3km on Tuesday and then I ran a 5k on Thursday - new PB, finally cracked the 35 minute mark.   Average pace 6'53"/km.

Not sure what the weekend has in store for me yet.  Possibly have to work for a few minutes early tomorrow, checking servers, but it's one of those pain in the behind tasks that I'm not sure when it will be and how long it will take.  Argh.  At least I shouldn't have to go in to the office anyway.

The weather looks like it will be pretty rubbish - and I doubt I'll be braving squally thundery showers.

The first Manawatu Striders winter series run is on Sunday morning.  I was thinking of running it, but now some friends are keen on walking it the 5k so I'll probably go along with them and walk it instead.  Still not sold on the 'race' thing.  But we're not keen on walking in the rain, so I doubt any of us will get out of bed early Sunday morning if it is raining.

The first couple of weeks of winter have been a rude awakening - we'd had such a mild autumn that the cold wind, rain and low temperatures are making us all head inside and eat high calorie food.

The nike sportband has been working pretty well - it's not as good at tracking as a garmin with GPS would be, but I use my phone GPS at the same time and it is accurate enough.  I like the website, the goals and challenges.  The c25k June challenge is going pretty well for my team...team Ninja in front at the moment :)    And my run graph is looking pretty good - it's nice to see the slow upping of the mileage as time goes along.  You can see the 10km run last Saturday standing out from the rest...

Queens Birthday Weekend

The 10k took a little more out of my legs than I thought - I hadn't felt any ill effects through the day on Saturday.  Yesterday was a different story - I spent about 4 hours in the car and by the time I got home I was certainly feeling every km I'd run. 
I didn't get out for the recovery run I'd hoped for, as the weather was pretty awful when I woke up.  Heavy rain and wind, so I wasn't going to brave that.  Then I woke up a bit sore again today, just went out for a short 2km walk to stretch the legs and get some fresh air, but it wasn't very nice out - not cold, but really windy.
I'm really off the wagon with the healthy eating - stopped at the dairy for a bar of chocolate on the walk...eek, I really need to stop giving Whittakers all my money.  It's just harder when it's so cold and miserable outside.

Tomorrow is another day, it's my usual scheduled running day.  I think I'll just take it slow and run/walk 3km or so.  Hope the rain doesn't ruin my plans.  As long as it's not heavy rain I'll get out there I think.

10km conquered

It's Queens Birthday weekend which means winter is here and it's the last public holiday/long weekend until October. I'm off to visit my mum tomorrow, so that means the usual long Sunday run was out - I'm probably just going to accompany my friend on a short walk before I head off early. She's actually just starting the c25k, so I might get a little recovery run in as well.

I'll call it a recovery run as I woke up really early this morning and decided to just get up and go for a jog. I'd notice I was getting a bit antsy, as I'd been unwell again and missed my Thursday run. I took it slow and jogged along in the dark, enjoying the quiet Saturday morning streets. I was out long enough to see the dawn break and it turn in to a lovely sunny day. It was frosty cold though - coldest morning this winter I think and I was a little underdressed - I only had a tshirt on, with my long leggings. The metservice website was saying -1C (feels like -3C) so it wasn't my imagination. I think I needed another layer on this morning - but I thought I might be out for a while and didn't want to be carrying an extra jacket if I got too warm. Next time I'll check the temperature before heading out to make sure I layer up properly - I've got all the right gear now :)

But I seem run best in cooler conditions, and I conquered 10km without too much of a problem. I've found that the struggle to keep running ends after about 40 minutes, and once I hit that, my body gives up fighting and just settles in to the run - I stop thinking about stopping and walking and just jog.

I was suprised to hit the 10km mark - and go a little over. My pace wasn't bad, I covered 10.24km in 1hr 19minutes - an average pace of 7'45"/km. I was glad to get home to a warm shower and it was a perfect morning for hot porridge and a cuppa.

Still running

I may not be blogging very often, but I'm still running.  Not very much over the past week, as I've been a bit under the weather.  And it's been cold and wet here too.  I had kinda been looking forward to some cold weather to break out the gear I bought in Melbourne - a pair of Asics full length running tights and a long sleeve Helly Hansen 'dry' top (got that one in a clearance sale, yay!).  But the cold dark weather does make it hard to get out of bed in the morning.

I have managed one run this week before my headcold decided to make a reappearance.  I was suprised at how well I ran.  New PB for 5km - 35min 48s.

I've fallen off with the 100 pushups etc  - stopped when I went away and haven't got started again.  Hoping to next week, but this time I'm just going to pick either the pushups or situps and complete one before I start the next.  Simply because it was starting to take an hour or so to do all three, and the time commitment kept putting me off. 

Me? I'm a One Hour Runner

It's been a shortened programme - where the 9 week c25k took me 10 weeks, the 10 week OHR has taken me about 8.

I wasn't sure how far I'd be going this morning, I'd planned at least 54 minutes.  It was hard going for the first 30, I'm over my sore throat, but have been left with a cough.  I was prepared to give up, but somehow never quite got to that point.
At the 40 minute mark I left the streets and ran along the stopbanks toward the main road.  I seemed to get my second wind, and the last stretch home wasn't too bad.  Except where I had to go up and over the railway tracks, I had been feeling good, and powered up the slope a little too fast.  Not the thing to do when you've got a mild cold...I could hear my breathing getting worse and on the way down I was sucking in air like an asthmatic.  Took it easy for the last few minutes and by the time i reached the 60 minute end point, I wasn't feeling too bad.  But I was pretty glad I stopped only about 200-300m from home.  Warmed down with 20 minutes of yoga - I've found a short program that is rather good for stretching and relaxing after a run.

I managed an average pace of 7.44min / km - which isn't too bad, considering I picked a route that included a bit of hill work.

Not sure where too now, I'll keep up with the 30 minute week day runs, and a 60 minute Sunday run, but need to figure out how to push myself out of the comfort zone.

I'm tentatively planning my first 5km run with a friend next month, so that is a short term goal anyway.  I'd like to crack the 35 minute mark by then...

unfortunately I had to come back from holiday

I had a great time in Melbourne, great flights on Air NZ.  They really are a great airline to travel on.  And I'm a real fan of the inflight entertainment systems these days.  I watched "Boy" on the way over, and "Precious" on the way back. 
I really love Melbourne, the city centre is reasonably compact to walk around and the trams mean that you can get almost anywhere with no hassles.  It was nice to arrive before lunch on a Sunday (and lovely hotel meant we could check in immediately) and the town was packed with runners and walkers who'd just finished the Mothers Day Classic run.  Pity I hadn't arrived in time to run with them!

Didn't pack my running shoes, but we walked for miles over the 3.5 days we were there.  Walked, shopped and ate.  There are so many nice places to eat, we spent a lot of time walking around trying to decide where to go.  And we attended two Tegan and Sara concerts - they were great live.  Really enjoyed it - worth the trip over the ditch.  The local support act was ok, a band called The Jezebels - I just found them a bit boring, and all their songs a bit samey.  The other support act from the States was Astronautalis.  And he was awesome - bought a couple of his albums from iTunes once I got home.

I've been back running - with a short 2k the first morning home on Saturday, then I skipped the usual long Sunday run as I was dead tired and couldn't drag myself out of bed!  But I've run twice this week - 3.5k and 5.3k.  Not too bad, considering I haven't been eating very well and I've been fighting a cold and sore throat all week.  My sinuses have stayed clear so it hasn't stopped the running yet, but I had such a sore throat and strained voice today I took a sick day off work.

At the Melbourne Aquarium, I decided that feeding Stingrays for a living wouldn't be THAT great.  Unless you like being squished whilst underwater.

We ate lots of baby cupcakes

Took photos of random towers lit up all pretty

and attended two concerts at the Forum Theatre

16 weeks of running

16 weeks and running seems to have become an integral part of my week.  I don't think I'll ever be fast, I don't think I'll ever run really long distances, but I just like to run.  I hope that continues, with the winter coming quickly and a few more months of dark, cold morning runs...

I'm in to week 8 of my shortened OHR programme.  I'm not struggling with the longer runs, but I do find I have to push myself a little harder to keep going past the 30 minute mark.   36min run yesterday, and I managed to hit the 5km mark and felt good the whole run - so I was pretty proud of myself and on a high most of the day. So much so, I'm considering going for a short jog around the block if I wake up early enough tomorrow....and I NEVER run on a Saturday.

I am getting to the point where I don't need so much structure in my running to keep going, but I think I need some kind of programme to keep pushing me to be better, fitter, faster, stronger!  Not sure where I'll go to after the OHR, I'll have 2 weeks left after my week off....I'll have to start looking around.  Maybe I'll check out the coach section on the nike plus website.

Which reminds me, I'm loving the nike+.  A garmin would be great to track my fitness and running, but the social aspect of the nikeplus site is pretty neat.

In other news, I have a 6 or 7 hour drive ahead of me tomorrow - Palmy to Auckland.  We've got the whole day, we're not in a hurry, so we might not go direct - maybe we'll go via Taupo and stop at the lake, or take the National Park route through Taumaranui - I've never been there, so it would be something new.

Then it's up really early Sunday morning to the airport to fly out on Air NZ to Melbourne for a week of shopping, walking, great food and two Tegan & Sara concerts.    I've got my earbuddy concert earplugs all packed and ready to go.

OHR week 7 and trips to the physio

haven't done too badly this week, have run twice, and done two more days of the 100/200/200.  Total rest day today :)  Mainly due to a physio appointment this morning, I find it's best to let my muscles and ligaments settle down after my hips and back (and neck today) have been cracked back into place.

My workplace asked for a full physio assessment this time, so I saw the big boss - who actually specialises in sports therapy.  It was a good opportunity to check out a few things about the running.  He was adament that is was important to take things slow.  I suppose he sees lots of people who've pushed to far too fast.  I've also been instructed that the most important thing for me and my physiology is to make sure I take short strides - don't stretch out too far.  So it's something I'll have to watch out as I try and up the pace.
He approved of my choice of running shoes, checked my feet out (all good), leg length and ankle strength.  My left ankle is about 10% weaker than the right (the left one is the one I sprained two years back) - but that is too be expected due to all ligament damage.  But it's all good - the only issue is that my ligaments are a bit too flexible & loose, resulting in misaligned hips - which throws my back out.

I'm going back next week to get an exercise program to strengthen the glutes.  At least I've already started on squats!

I'm hoping to complete week 7 on Sunday and get a 45 minute run done.  The weather has packed up - it's not cold but it's pretty wet out there now.  But Sunday is supposed to be nice - cool and sunny.

Unfortunately I have to go in to work tomorrow - shut down a server and replace a fan.  Which is annoying, as it's a hot swappable part, but I can't pull it out of the rack without unplugging the short network cable.  So it means going into work out of hours on a Saturday and shutting it down :(

But in happier news, I'm also heading up to my hometown of Napier to pick up my new-to-me car.  Pity I don't have time to stay the weekend - it would be nice to run part of the coastal walkways. But I'll probably get the opportunity to do that when I'm back there over christmas (in summer!).  It looks like a great network of pathways now.

OHR week 6 down, 4 weeks to go

So I skipped 2 of the runs, but hey, I managed 41 minutes this morning so I'm counting it as done.

It wasn't a great run, it wasn't an awful run. It was just too humid outside, after about 10 minutes I was damp and uncomfortable. It's APRIL, in Palmy...it's not supposed to be 18C at 7.30am in the morning. The nike+ still needs a bit of calibration, it seems to be bang on for the first km, but by the end my stride had probably shortened and I was a few hundred metres out - it said 6km, I'd only run 5.3 according to the phone gps and Map my run  .  Still, I've shaved off a few minutes from my first 5k time.

The ankle didn't hurt at all through the run, possibly due to the brace I was wearing.  So that's good news.  I've noticed a bit of discomfort during the day, but nothing bad.  Maybe I'll get a two morning runs in this week before work.

I also did the end of week two progress tests for the 100pushups, 200situps & 200squats. 

Pushups - 16 - an improvement of 14 over the initial test
Situps - 21 - improvement of 13 (less than my max yesterday, but my abs hurt today!)
Squats - 45 - improved by 20

So that's a win on all all counts.  I started with the c25k on the 17th January and I couldn't run 100m, do more than 2 pushups or 5 situps.  Now I can run 5km and I'm sure give me another month or 6 weeks and I'll be doing 100 pushups.  Anything is possible if you give it a go.

Updates

Firstly, the Lemon Chicken and Rice experiment ended in a call for Pizza delivery.  If it hadn't been for the guests we would have just had vegemite on toast - but can't serve that to guests! The chicken = bland but cooked rather nicely, Lemon Rice = really not my thing, left a funny kinda off aftertaste. 

I only ran once this week - managed 10 minutes on Tuesday morning but my ankle started to hurt and my back cramped up a little so I stopped.  Took Thursday off in the hopes that the extra few days rest will let the ankle heal.  It's certainly improved over the past two weeks, so I'm not concerned, it will come right if I'm careful.  Will be strapping it up before going out tomorrow.  I'm hoping for a long run, and keep on schedule with the OHR program - supposed to be 40 minutes.

I haven't done nothing since Tuesday though, I've got on the exercise bike a couple of times, and kept on with the 200/200/100.

The results for week 2 day 3 -
Squats - max 45 (total 105)
Sit Ups - max 25 (total 61)
Push Ups - max 10 (total 32)

I'm really impressed with the total numbers I'm getting up to.  The programmes are working just like the c25k - I started off thinking it was near impossible to do 100 pushups, now after only two weeks I can see that I should be able to make it!

Really looking forward to test running the Sportsband tomorrow, and I've got about an hour or so of music cued up on the shuffle - the playlist looks a little like this...

Groovejet - Spiller
I'm an animal - Neko Case
Griselda - Natalie Merchant
Possum Kingdom - Toadies
The Hand that Feeds - Nine Inch Nails
Elephant Elephant - Evelyn Evelyn
Adventures of Isabel - Natalie Merchant
King of the Road - Roger Miller
Black horse and the cherry tree - KT Tunstall
Little Little Little - An Horse
Heimdalsgate like a Promethean Curse - Of Montreal
I'm still standing - Elton John
More than a woman - The Bee Gees
Poker Face - Lady Gaga
The Cure - Tegan and Sara
Hold On, Hold On - Neko Case
Maybe Sparrow - Neko Case

I've just received 2 new CDs in the mail this week - the soon to be classic " Evelyn Evelyn " CD and the new Natalie Merchant project "Leave Your Sleep". The Evelyn Evelyn CD is great - couldn't help but laugh at some of the tracks. And the Natalie Merchant discs are, well, interesting. I'd thought I'd probably listen once and then file away with the rest of my 10km/NM collection, since poetry isn't really my thing. But I'm really enjoying a number of tracks.

New Gadgets

my new gadget (or, if you prefer "running bling") turned up as I was leaving for work this morning.

Even though I work with tech, phones, computers etc all day (and have done for 8 years) I'm not jaded and get a little excited opening a new box...

Won't get to play with it till tonight unfortunately :(  And won't be able to take it for it's first outing till Sunday - I'm pain free today, but to stay that way I need another few days rest I think.

oh, pretty pink :)  It's a way brighter pink than the photo picks up.  Take with my phone, so not the best quality

and the following photo shows why I probably will never buy a Garmin - don't think my wrists can pull it off.  Look how big the Sportsband looks on me!

And it came with a shoe pouch to attach the sensor.  Even my Brooks will have new bling!

 Ah well, back to work for me.  Have put the slow cooker on - experimenting with a lemon chicken and rice recipe.  Probably not the best idea when guests are coming for dinner...at least they are bringing dessert and the fish & chip shop is only 5 minutes away!

a lazy Sunday morning

I'm back from my Sunday run.  It is such a nice day out today, so far Autumn has been almost nicer than Summer was.
My ankle gave me a bit of discomfort a few times, but nothing bad enough to stop, but it did slow me down.  I forgot to start the sportstracker on my phone until a few minutes into the run, so it isn't quite accurate, and I don't think it picked up on the few times where I doubled back a bit on the stopbanks.  I think I got near enough to 5km in 38 minutes though.  And it certainly wasn't as hard as the first time I ran 5km back in the last week of the c25k.

I've stretched and done a short yoga program.  Just have to ice my ankle a bit, then I can get on with my day.  I've planned chicken vegetable soup for lunch - from scratch, so I've got a chicken to dismember to start the stock!

With the intent of running 38 minutes

I thought I'd be optimistic and make a new playlist, 38 minutes long for tomorrows run.  Somewhere along the line it became a kiwi music playlist (I think when I stumbled on Poi-E, that 80s groove got me)

For Today - Netherworld Dancing Toys (warmup)
Slice of Heaven - Dave Dobbyn
Counting the beat - The Swingers
Jesus I was Evil - Darcy Clay
Poi E - Patea Maori Club
I got you - Split Enz
Fraction too much Friction - Tim Finn
Violent - Stellar
Forever Tuesday Morning - The Mockers
I'll Say goodbye - The Dance Exponents
Tears - The Crocodiles
In swings the tide - Anika Moa
Beside You - Dave Dobbyn

And the whole point of you tube.  The original 1984 music video for Poi E.  Don't think there would be a kiwi of my generation who didn't, at some point, attempt to breakdance at a school disco to this song.

200/2001/100 week 1 done

If I learnt anything from doing the c25k it's how quickly the body adjusts to exercise.  I still find push ups really difficult, but can manage them a little better now.  They really work the core strength, I always thought it was just an arm/shoulder thing.

Anyway, results after w1d3

Squats - max 35 (total 56) 
Sit ups - max 21 (total 46)
Push ups - max 6 (total 23)

I'm hoping to get out for a run tomorrow.  The ankle hasn't been too bad today, no pain while walking.  I've been icing it, and stretching my calves out and that is really helping.  So I've decided I'll go out intending to run, if there's no pain after the warm up walk, I'll run and see how it goes.  If I make half an hour, I'll be happy, but even 10 minutes will be fine, I'm not going to push it.

Push ups won't kill me

I've never heard of anyone dying from attempting to do 5 push ups in their lounge.  Not to say it hasn't happened, but I'm sure it won't happen to me.

The day started of reasonably badly.  I was up early, dressed for my run then headed out the door.  Half way through my 5 minute warm up walk my ankle started to hurt.  I attempted to jog, it didn't hurt so much but I realised it would probably be a really bad idea to keep going, so I jogged home, continuing to have to talk myself out of running past my house and on with the run. 

I could never have imagined that I'd have to talk myself OUT of running, rather than in to it.  But, better a few days off now than ending up with a major archilles injury.  I'm hoping to be able to run on Sunday, but I'm not going to push it - any pain or discomfort and I'm not going.  Instead I've decided that I'll get on the old exercise bike and keep the cardio fitness going.

But a sore ankle wasn't enough of an excuse to not do the squats/situps/pushups.  Week 1 day 2 today and I did slightly better than day 1.

Squats - 30
Sit ups - 20
Push ups - 5