Double Figures - Yey

Time Goals

The first time I talked about the possibility of running a marathon, it was with the New York race in mind. November 2009. How hard could it be? Both Oprah and Katie Holmes have done it...

To enter NY you have to record a qualifying time (which I learned, for women, was 3h 23min) in a race in the 12 months prior, enter a lottery for a place, or you could pay extra $$$ and go with an international travel agency.

3 hours 23 mins - is that all??

For someone who had never run further than 21k, that seemed reasonable, I mean the Olympians do it in about 2h20 and they are often in their late 30's with children so it could be a reasonable goal?

To my colleagues amusement I started with this lofty goal. Who knows, I thought, I could be a natural runner and had just never known?? Hey, always the dreamer, why not even an Olympian one day?

Well, as it turns out, I'm not a natural runner. More of the shuffling along type, especially up hills!

So as I trained for my qualifying race (Canberra in April 09) my goals were adjusted along the way: 3h45.... 4hours.... To run the whole way.... To finish.

I finished. 4hours 42 mins 23 seconds. Including a 6 min toilet stop, according to my garmin, so really I like to think of it as 4hours 35 ;)

So now training for Paris, initially I thought a reasonable goal would be to finish <4 hours. My average pace has improved, but I'm just not getting the weekly km's needed under my feet. Some people have said that Paris should be just about the 'experience'. But I have been to Paris many times before, and know most of the route well.

At this stage of training - I'd be disappointed if I didn't beat my Canberra time.

The Boyfriend Factor

I have finally determined what is different for me 12 months after training for my first marathon - why my training has been ad-hoc and building the distance a struggle. Last year I trained in the same heat of summer, realistically my diet hasn't improved and I had the same goal.

But this year I have a boyfriend! What does that mean? Not having the same routine week in week out. More social occasions to fit in. More restaurant eating and more time in bed (sorry mum!).

Need I say more???

Of course, I'm not complaining, absolutely enjoying all my time with Ash. Just need to prioritise my training :)

I won!

Today was the last race in the 3km time trial that I have mentioned previously. It ran over 7 weeks, on a handicapped start and with points awarded for position at the line.

Well today was the final race and double points up for grabs. I didn't think I had much hope at finishing on the podium but knew that I have had a good training week (yep - stuck to my schedule so far!) and was ready to go as fast as possible for the whole 3 ks and not stopping on THAT hill. (Up the Cahill to the first Bridge pylon).

So I had a good run and for a minute or so thought I could possibly finish 1st but was pipped at the post (literally with 50m to go) by the fastest runner in the pack. The result: equal 2nd across the line. I was happy with that, proud of my effort.

I have just downloaded the stats (for anyone whos interested):
Average pace: 5.10min/km (Go Trace)
Average heart rate: 185bpm
Max heart rate: 199bpm (I know seems a little high, but quiten normal for me - I think)
Time: 15.21 (pb on the course - yey)

Anyway, back at the office, the results email came through and I WON! Tied at the top of the series with Kate! So it is not an Olympic medal but I've awarded myself a gold one anyway (image attached) :)

Maybe I'm a runner after all...

Mental Game

I was explaining to someone the other day that you can't just wake up and run 42.2km - for weeks and months before Canberra every time I went for a training run I mentally prepared so that when I woke up on race day I knew I would do it, no doubt, no "I can't", there was no other option but to cross the finish line.

Recently I have been congratulating myself just for getting out of bed to go for a run or continuing in the heat - - - really... I realised yesterday that this attitude isn't helping because it has allowed me to walk up those hills and not run quite as far as planned.

Its time to toughen up mentally - stick to the training schedule exactly, no excuses...

I think another reason is that Paris still feels so far away but actually (for my benefit) it is only 19 weeks from today!

So for accountability here is this weeks plan (that I am sticking to!!)
Monday night lazy 4k to the pool 1k swim
Tuesday Lunch - 5.5k fast
Wednesday Lunch - 3k time trial - the last BGI one
Saturday morning 10k to/from and around Centennial Park

Author Apology

In my last post I told the story of eating sushi recently but carelessly failed to mention who it was that introduced me.

As I think I have a whole 6 readers of my blog (subscribe please for a little encouragement!) I need to be more careful and mention them when they feature.

So it was Giddo, my boss, who took me to sushi for my birthday. I enjoyed it so much, but haven't been back to this particular sushi train cause it was slightly over my regular lunch budget.

Thanks Giddo! You have broadened my lunch options from oporto...

Ps. He thinks also thinks I'm a control freak - no, not me ;)

For the love of Sushi

Recently I ate sushi for the first time. The sushi train restaurants are now common around Sydney but I never went in as the thought of raw fish just turns my stomach. I never knew that there was chicken teriyake, edamame, seared salmon and wagyu beef! I've was slow to join the trend but now eat it for lunch at least once a week - its a healthier option than oporto :)

Meanwhile, this last week has revealed two hurdles in my training effort.

1. Party season - yes, its that time of year, the Christmas celebrations have started and my first work party was on Friday night.

2. The onset of summer. Today is scheduled to be 39deg! I was up early to try and beat the heat but an hour after my return my face still looks like a tomato! I knew it would be tough training through summer, but I did it last year and understand that I just need to plan to avoid the hottest part of the day.

Although, I'm finding it difficult increasing my distance, I'm still feeling really motivated to get out and run. My marathon mentor - Mark, who got me through Canberra - has provided me with a training diary that starts tomorrow. So I'm on track... Paris, here I come.

Niggling Injuries

Managing injuries is one of the challenges of making it to the starting line on April 11. My left leg is the weak link. It is the one that I broke years ago on Christmas day on a ski mountain in Austria and while it healed well enough for 'normal' activities, the training required for my first marathon revealed its limitations, mostly through the ITB.

A common problem for female runners due to our natural shape, the ITB is a band that runs down the outside of your thigh from hip to knee and the injury often reveals itself through knee pain. I thought the time off from training since Canberra would have alleviated the problem. I haven't yet had knee pain but often feel quite tight through that part of the leg. I manage this with a foam roller, quite a painful exercise, but laying on the roller has become addictive for the relief it provides.

The other therapy is massage and I have had some weird looks as I use the palm of my hand to repeatedly bang up and down the band.

In addition to the ITB, I also sprained my left ankle back in July and the flexibility just hasn't returned. After the 10k last weekend there was some light bruising but thankfully no pain. Hopefully this won't cause too many issues.

The First Milestone - 10k

Yesterday was a fun run around Olympic Park which finished by running through the tunnel and into the Stadium just like the Olympians 9 years ago.

My goal was to beat my 38yo brother. Ha ha, but truthfully, he is pretty fit at the moment and could be a challenge, especially as I know him so well and he will save something for that last 100m, not to mention want to tease me the whole way if he could...

Really though - I hoped to finish around 55mins. Anything under 60 and I'm on track, anything over and I would be disappointed.

The result...

Me: 58.53
Waz: 53.58

He beat me by 5 mins! I let him get too much of a start, thinking he would crash and burn along the way... oh well.

All up I was happy with my run, prepared that the last few k's would hurt as I hadn't run further than 7k in months.

Viv and Sus made the trek to Homebush with me and both ran well, Viv coming in sub 60mins. We tried to convince her to sign up to Paris - C'mon Viv!!!

WE'VE BOOKED!!

Ash and I have booked flights to Europe - YEY. Departing the Easter weekend I will have time to recover from any jet lag and prepare for the Big Race. Keen to lock in any early bird specials, I'm almost as excited to be flying there in the A380 as running the race!

This trip is getting bigger every time I speak to my Mum - she's coming, bringing with her 3 friends, my sister is coming in from London with maybe others and now today, Mum tells me that my big bro is coming too!! Apparently there's going to be an Aussie contingent in the crowd - flags and all - look out Paris :)

Now all I have to do is be able to run the race - that is: train, stay injury free, eat well, find a solution to the toilet issue (an upcoming blog) and well, find the right outfit!

This is hard

I ran to work yesterday. Approx 8.5k's, and it was hard. I'm still waiting for that 'muscle memory' to kick in that Veronique has promised will make training the second time around easier.

I'm feeling good about being motivated to get out and exercise, just finding it difficult to run for any length of time without needing to walk at intervals.

I'm conscious that I have a 10k fun run next weekend, the first of my training goals - after yesterdays effort through the hilly Eastern Suburbs, I'm hoping its a flat course!

I need to remind myself not expect too much too soon which is frustrating. After my marathon in April, I really have only run a handful of times in 6 months (where does the time fly??!!)

I keep telling myself baby steps Trace, baby steps...

I've decided I need to formalise a training schedule. So far training has been a bit ad hoc. At least then I can tick off some goals along the way and keep me a focussed on the main goal - so ok, its my task for this weekend.

Ben & Jerry's

Heaven has arrived in Bondi!

For those of you who have never tried Ben & Jerry's it is the best ice cream ever!

I have never seen it in Australia before and today I saw a small sign outside the local (but obviously gourmet) fruit shop that I couldn't miss - the unique branding that is B & J.

Fear not - I hear you asking how this will fit into my marathon training diet - well, at $12.50 for smaller that 500grams, I can't afford to be eating it regularly :)

My selection - Chocolate Fudge Brownie. To my dismay, there was no caramel chew chew or phish food in the fridge but choc chip cookie dough might need to be tried next week...

PS. The no-fries month is nearly over, I can't believe how I have lasted, or how hard it has been. I haven't lost any weight but I think I feel slightly better for it. Might keep it up a bit longer.

The 3k Series...

Every Wednesday for 7 weeks at lunchtime a bunch of my work colleagues step up on the Cahill Expressway and complete a 3km loop time trial - for fun!

I thought this was perfect timing in my get fit campaign as I could wear my heart rate monitor and fancy watch (love my garmin) and track my fitness through the 7 weeks.

It is a handicapped series with runners at various levels participating. The route is tough with the last half almost all uphill and a killer hill back to the finish line.

Week 1 was tough, the first one out. And there was crazy headwind as you climbed the final hill, when with all your might you felt like you were going up and down on the spot. My time was 17 mins 40 (ish), I slowed to a walk at various intervals and was just pleased to come in under the 6min/km mark. To gauge some of my colleagues, the times varied from an unbelievable 11 min to 20 mins.

Week 2 was tough again - it was so hot! My time, though the walking was less, was only 3 sec quicker than the week prior.

Yesterday was week 3, my chance to do so well in the series as the handicaps become more accurate and my fitness improves. while I was proud of my PB 16 min 22sec - one that will be tough to beat - I came an ok 5th, passed in the last 50 m by Mark (and yes I'm going to send you this post). But in the near perfect conditions, everyone was just as impressive, smashing their previous times and congrats to Sus, from last to first in a week - well done :)

I'll try again next week.

The Start – Arc de Triomphe

This icon of Paris was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to celebrate his victories. Ironically the first march through the completed Arch was the one carrying his coffin in 1840. It is now the French National War Memorial and stands 49.5m high, 45m wide and 22m deep with the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Eternal Flame burning underneath.

The Arc is at the centre of Place d l’Etoile (Star) – the chaotic 8 lane roundabout that brings together 12 avenues of Paris including the Champs-Elysees. At 8.45am on the 11th April, 40,000 runners will be spilling out from these Avenues when the starters gun goes.

Those of you who are aware of my former life will remember that I know Paris quite well having delivered many a Night Tour – 2 hour guided coach trip – around the streets of Paris. Well, examining the marathon route, much of it lies on a similar path, so I am going to refresh my knowledge in the coming months and enjoy the sites as I run this time (probably thinking how much I preferred it on the coach!).

169 Days to Go…

October – Fries on the side?

Let’s face it, we all wouldn’t mind losing a kilo or two from time to time. Recently me included! To complement my training, and really as a test of my willpower, I have decided to eat no hot chips this month. This includes French fries too!

Hot Chips have been quite a staple in my adult life, as many of you know! While I have never kept a ‘food diary’, thinking about it, I probably would have a serve of some sort, on average, about 6-7 of the 14 lunch and dinner meals a week. I hear you say really??? Well, think about it, twice at lunchtime (how can you avoid it in those food courts?) and one fast food meal on a weekend plus anytime I eat out at a restaurant or pub, I always would order a meal with chips on the side.

After some quick research, on average a serve of hot chips is 300 calories. McDonalds fries are much worse, 458 calories for a regular size. Times that by 6 and that is 2000 calories, the equivalent of an average women’s daily recommended calorie intake (ref: http://www.vitalhealthzone.com/nutrition/diets/recommended_calorie_intake.php#1) with very little nutritional value.

I hear Biggest Loser in my head, count what goes in and what you exercise away. For me to exercise 6 servings of hot chips a week =
2h 45m running or
8h walking or
3h swimming
And that’s only to work off what I'm eating, not to lose any of that extra padding.

This doesn’t include any other ‘naughty’ things I eat, I hear you all saying what about the chocolate?? My response – that’s a different topic! One thing at a time ;) king size caramellos still allowed. This month for me it's just NO hot chips.

So far so good…

Training Begins - Ouch

This week has been all about getting off what has been my lazy ass for the last few months (there was that sprained ankle excuse that lasted a while) and starting a routine.

My plan is to divide the training into 2 distinct periods. From now until Christmas is all about getting fit - cross training to build up strength and keep the training interesting. I plan to do 3-4 sessions a week, mixing in running, swimming and a gym class and/or yoga.

THE GOAL - By Christmas to run 20ks in less than 2 hours

After Christmas the serious distance running with begin.

Started with a run/swim during lunch on Tuesday, more like a walk/run and in the pool I was lucky to push out 6 laps, the last 2 only because I had paid the $5 to get into the pool and felt I should get my $$ worth. I was invigorated back at the office though and know I am going to enjoy these lunch times away from the office over summer.

On Friday I went for a lazy 4k jog at lunch with my fellow Paris marathon hopefuls Steve and Sus. It was raining and cold as we ran around Mrs Macquaries Point and I don't think any of us particularly enjoyed it - Steve took off out in front (even though he has told me, I learned he's not one for social running) but his legs tightened up pretty quickly while Sus and I made the distance with only 1, or was that 2, walking patches. Never mind the stats, we are on the way...

Anyone for Paris?

Arriving at work recently, some of my friends were talking up the idea of running the Paris marathon next year.

Needing a new goal and really, any excuse to go to Paris, it didn't take long for me to decide - I'm in!!

Both Sus and Steve have also registered and V is still considering (come on V...). Mum and Ash are already planning their trip, so all that's left to do now is train!

Paris - 42.2km - 11th April 2010 - 181 days to go...

The idea for the blog was really as a motivator for myself and to keep track of my progress. Not sure how many will read it and apologies now if you’re not entertained!

Thanks to Ash for helping get this page looking so good :)