today i was a superstar.

i've been battling blisters. this is one of them.

they don't hurt really bad, but they both just popped recently.... maybe it was yesterday? and that sucks cause if i'm in the surf tomowrrow, i risk getting sand in them... remember the squeaky 8km? ouch... i couldn't walk for at least a day... and i think that was a sunday... j was gone... where was he? oh, yeah, he went to canada ahead of me. to get prepared to propose ;)

i just have to watch out, keep 'em clean. maybe tape them before stepping onto the sand tomorrow? *sigh* my poor feet. they need some serious attention. i'm considering some quality acupuncture to help some of the achey bones.

BUT TODAY I WAS A SUPERSTAR! after a lot of deliberation on how the day would pan out, we ended up at home. so i went for my 12 mile run (19.3km) around here. i ran the same course i ran on thursday morning, only i ran it twice. i ran the first half very nicely, conservative running. made it back home, it had started to rain! grabbed my fuel belt (water and dried fruit) and exchanged the sunnies for a visor. got a kiss and a spank from j and was out the door again in under 2. the second half ran well too. felt great.

i thought that running the same old places that i run during the week would be boring but because it was from 2:30-4:30 on a saturday afternoon, it was totally different. i have *never* seen the corso so void of athletes, let alone people! and the rain gave my run a whole new dimension too. and i got to eat, which i haven't done since starting the training plan so that distracted me a bit too... we don't have any sports gel or special drinks at the moment (for some reason we only get those when j trains hard, i make do without) so i drank water and ate (semi)dried apple rounds (these were ok... a bit too much chewing for me) and dates... the dates were awesome! AND I FELT TOTALLY OLD SCHOOL! *giggle*giggle*

the change in vision, from blue super sunnies to orange rimmed visor was cool too. and the light went all weird for the second half of my run.

i decided to run strong my whole way home. i felt so good :)

here are my times and heartrates for my quarter splits (3miles/4.8km each)

31 min 22 sec ... 149avg/188max
32 min 19 sec ... 152avg/168max
30 min 52 sec ... 155avg/167max
29 min 10 sec ... 164avg/181max
total time 2 hours 3 min 44 sec ... 155avg/188max

simply fyi, i had a great time doing the 10km run on thursday morning. it was the longest i'd had to run before work, i felt great despite only having about 4 hours sleep.

am looking forward to, possibly, having a training buddy a couple of times a week over the holidays!

if anybody has some good news for blister suffering, please let me know!

or if you know anything about sore toe joints!

enjoy your sport.

-xo-

well, this week i've been mentally more determined... even if i didn't make it on my run this morning.

i'll probably catch a bit flack for it!... meh.

i had to be reminded yesterday, when i was fretting about my slow-ass pace, that this is only my warm up 18week training plan.

the real one starts, well, about 18 weeks out from the gc marathon. then i will do all the right speed sessions, hill repeats (got some great ones right around my house!) and more pace running.

reminder again: this is just a warm up. for fun. i'm still not focusing on nutrition... will probably cut out drinky poos.

i'm trying to set a goal time that's achievable but that will also blow my mind. somewhere around 3:30... but i'm scared to set my sights so high! that's over an hour better than my pb. j thinks i can. i'd be happy under 4 i think. i'm really into this *ease into it* thing...

i'll be easing into a 10km tomorrow morning. it's always a bit of a milestone, these midweek sortalong runs. just because i have to fit it in before work. up at 5am. should pass out now... gotta write some xmas stuff first though. ahhhhh

looks like i'll be catching up on my sleep this weekend again!

happy training! -xo-

just starting week 6...

week 4 was a tough one. i got tired and almost fell sick. skipped my long run that weekend, even after being so excited about it. *sigh* it's better to listen to your body though.

i ran an absolutely awesome 10 miles (16.1km) on saturday, along the gold coast. from the top of the spit to in between surfers' paradise and broadbeach. it was gorgeous. i felt strong and float-ey. i ran consistentley.
my first quarter (which was through bush and sand) took 32.24min (HR 169 avg/180 mx),
second quarter 27.33min (HR 173 avg/179 mx),
third quarter 27.30min (HR 172 avg/180 mx),
last quarter 27.32min (HR 173 avg/178 mx).

so, it was really slow (6.5-7min/km pace.... which is still faster than my honolulu pace!) but seeing as how my longest run prior to this was 8 miles, 3 weeks ago... i was working with the slowandsteady motto. testing old grounds. now i know, a bit better, my limitations and will be pushing them harder during my LSD training.

we went in the ocean after. i was tired as! got sand in my pants as usual. i need shorty boardies!

for cross training on sunday (which i tend to skip a lot!), went to byron bay with friends. anna and i shopped the markets all day! stopping only for a coffee when the sun got too hot and we realised we'd left sunscreen in the car with the boys who were surfing!

all up it was a fab weekend that seemed to go on and on! (hence the monday blues!)

well, off for my 5km (3miles) now... i run here: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=573137
then breakfast. then work. bike or bus today? ... probably bus. looks like rain and i'm feeling wussy!

happy training!