The promise of coffee for the caffeinista sistas!

7.49am: Gindy parkrun
Distance: 6km (inc 1km warm up)
Time: 31.49min
Pace: 5.15min/km
Cals: 350

Parkrun results:
49th across the line, 1st in age group
Time: 25.39min (this included stopping to tie up shoe laces)

Weather: 6*c, wind – calm; a chilly start but a gorgeous sunny morning

It seemed really strange driving to the start of parkrun this morning as I usually run down and then run home afterwards. But not today. Why? Well there is the Mothers Day Classic 10km tomorrow so I’m saving myself(!), and Gary was shouting the caffeinista sistas aka CJ and Ruth, a coffee for doing the marathon last month. Just quietly – that was the real reason I showed up for parkrun today!Thank you Gary!

It was a chilly start this morning but we soon warmed up on the 5km run – those tricky little hills just pop up when you least expect them! That first one up to the bridge can be particularly nasty – very short and sharp. Deek’s female Indigenous squad were marshalling today as they are running tomorrow. They are training to run New York marathon later this year, as we are!

Then it was off to Birrigai Cafe for a coffee that Gary promised us for running the Canberra marathon. Trust me it was a well earned coffee! And as a special treat, Ruth also had a choccie biscuit and I had a Jaffa slice – very delicious and totally negated any calories I may have earned today from the run! Oh well, the countdown is on – only 2 more sleeps and the challenge is on (deep breath CJ).

This afternoon I baked my first ever sponge so wasn’t sure how this would turn out. I used a recipe from the Cooks Companion – my Stephanie Alexander cooking bible. I remember my nana used to make a sponge using a recipe that didn’t have the usual plain or SR flour but instead used cornflour. This is what this recipe had – cornflour, custard powder, cream of tartar, carb soda, caster sugar and eggs. It baked perfectly and, apart from a tricky situation where it stuck to the wire rack while cooling, there were no dramas. It has now been sliced horizontally and sandwiched with strawberry jam and cream.

Tomorrow its Mothers Day. So why am I getting up early to run 10km? I’m still wondering that myself!

The last gasp

oh my golly gosh…what a shock to the system tonight was. I went along to Speedy Geoff’s Tuesday night session at Dickson oval – something I hope will be a regular Tuesday night fixture in my calendar.

It started off really well. Chatting with Kelly, Caroline, Susan and others followed by a gentle warm up jog. Yep, this was okay, I can handle this.

Then, Geoff mentioned ‘relays’. Teams of two to start with (our super awesome team of Susan and me) - running 300m, pass the baton to your team member then jog slowly back 100m to wait for your team member to arrive with the baton. And so on. For around 15 minutes. I’ve been training for and running a marathon – I only know one speed – slow. So this was killing me. My lungs were burning, my legs hurt, my heart was pounding and all I could think was, how far 300m is! It really felt like I was going to experience my last gasp! I am so not used to this.

This was followed by teams of three (more awesomeness – we now had Kelly join us) – with each person running 200m before passing the baton. For 15 minutes or so. I’m not sure whether I had become used to my world of pain or whether it was actually easier, but it didn’t seem as bad as the 300m efforts. Mind you, 15 minutes seemed to be taking an awfully long time.

But it did eventually come to an end and then we did another gentle warm down jog. This bit I like.

I know its good for me and I need the speed work. Its gotta get better!

I’ll be back!

5.36pm: Speedy Geoff’s Dickson oval session
Distance: around 8km (this is only approximate because there were a couple of occasions I forgot to turn on my watch)
Time: 49.20min (again this includes standing time)
Pace: 6.02min/km (trust me, there were times when I was running a lot faster than this)
Cals: 465
Weather: 18*c, wind – NNW, 15kph; very mild conditions

The layering begins…but no gloves…yet!

5.56am session: easy run
Distance: 10km
Time: 58.37min
Pace: 5.46min/km
Cals: 590
Weather: 4.2*c, wind – W, 6kph; a little chilly

It was another day, another run. To be honest, it wasn’t that painful or hard to get up, get dressed and out the door this morning. It certainly was a lot chillier today – something that I will have to get used to as we get closer to winter. It was all about layers today – leggings topped with running knicks, running singlet topped with long sleeved top, headband (aka ear warmers) topped with cap. But I didn’t need to wear gloves…yet! However, once I started running I soon warmed up and there was a point when I pushed up the sleeves on my top as I was getting a little hot and sweaty.

I varied the route slightly this morning so I wasn’t doing an out and back course but instead seemed to take a more circuitous route – a bit more interesting with some different scenery.

An easy 10km run with no niggles, so all’s good. Touch wood, it stays this way.

Enjoyed a lovely, if somewhat lateish, lunch with 2 good friends, one who had a baby just 7 weeks ago. Can I just say he was absolutely gorgeous but gee, oh so little!

A hoodoo no more!

7am: Canberra marathon 42.2km
Time: 3hr 50.51min
Pace: 5.28min/km
1st lap (10.5km): 1hr 42sec; 5.46min/km
2nd lap (15.4km): 1hr 22.55; 5.23min/km
3rd lap (16.3km): 1hr 27.13; 5.21min/km
Weather: (7am) 6.9*c, wind – calm; I was freezing before the start!
(9am) 12.4*c, wind – calm; not so cold now – funny that!
(11am) 20.8*c, wind – WSW, 9kph – it was quite warm out there

Well, I feel so much better now! Why? I’ve got that hoodoo off my back. I’ve been trying to do my 9th marathon since 2010 (my last one was in 2009) but injury or returning from injury has hampered me since then. But today….well it was the sweetest victory. I beat that hoodoo and had an awesome run.

Not awesome in time I admit. I’ve run faster marathons. But today it just came together and for the last 10km I had a big smile on my face because I recalled why I love running marathons. I was in my element out there.

I started very slowly but that’s my style. I ran the first 4km with Ruth before slowly increasing my speed, but not too much. I was experiencing tummy problems and wasn’t sure how long I could go before having to search for a toilet. As it was it was at the 12km mark on Parkes Way when I had to make a detour to the toilets. At this stage I had passed the 4hour purple balloons but unfortunately they passed me while I was otherwise occupied. And it seemed to take forever before I caught them again – not long after the Glenloch Interchange turnaround. Once they were behind me I could relax.

Looking at my splits I gradually increased my pace over the distance and negative split. I felt strong and comfortable the further I ran. I kept waiting for the wheels to fall off but it never happened. Tummy problems hit again in the last kilometre and required another dash to toilets once I crossed the finish line.

So I achieved my goals!
Making it to the start line
Making it to the finish line
Running it under 4 hours

Some things I learnt today:
Blackberry Gu is disgusting. I picked one up from an aid station and wished I hadn’t.
Blackberry electrolyte drink isn’t much better.
Fairfax need to cater better with their post-run refreshments – electrolyte drink and a small pile of rock hard pears is pretty pathetic. Where were the bananas? Or at least something edible.

Lunch afterwards at Cream with Nikki and Dave, Ewen and Keren was awesome. A glass of bubbly never goes astray!

Dinner tonight with Ruth, Mr B, Keren, Mr N and other good friends is eagerly anticipated!

Number 9….finally!

Lunchtime run

12.40pm: lunchtime run with Mr B
Distance: 10.6km
Time: 58.24min
Pace: 5.29min/km
Cals: 600
Weather: 24*c, wind – N, 11kph; sunny, blue skies

Second last run before Sunday. I was meeting up with Mr B down at the lake for a bridge to bridge run at lunchtime.

My Garmin took forever to locate satellites. I was almost at the lake before it had finally located one.
I couldn’t see Mr B at this point so ran a little way towards the museum before backtracking to the ferry terminal – the agreed meeting point. He was there waiting for me.

We set off at a steady pace for a pleasant clockwise run around central basin. There were plenty of other people out enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. It was a beautiful day, and quite warm. It was nice to have company for a change for one of my lunchtime work runs.

We went our separate ways back to our respective workplaces once we’d crossed over Commonwealth Avenue bridge. I briefly thought about Sunday and how I’d be feeling when running along the bridge, not once but twice, as part of the marathon circuit.

Back at work, I had a shower and changed and then finally I could have my lunch. I was starving by this stage

Tomorrow morning I will do my last run, an easy 6km, before the marathon

“We runners are all a little nutty, but we’re good people who just want to enjoy our healthy, primitive challenge. Others may not understand running, but we do, and we cherish it. That’s our only message.” – John J Kelley

Another gorgeous morning

Slow &…….sluggish

5.58am: easy run
Distance: 6.2km
Time: 37.12min
Pace: 5.59min/km
Cals: 361
Weather: some fog, clear; 6.5*c, wind – NNE, 6kph

I so did not want to run this morning but I needed to get it out of the way early because of other (work) commitments. One consolation – it’s at least light at 6am….for the time being.

But it did seem like an awfully long 6km and that it would never end. Though going at the pace I was running, it was taking longer than usual, that was no trick of the imagination.

2 more runs before the big one on Sunday. A tempo run on Thursday and another easy one on Friday.

Tomorrow: brekkie with my favourite gal pals

A glorious start to the day

The best way to eat a strawberry?

4pm: easy run
Distance: 13km
Time: 1hr 15.94min
Pace: 5.46min/km
Cals: 756
Weather: cloudy, 23.6*c, wind – SSE, 13kph

Got up at 8.30am this morning, then changed the clocks back! So it was really only 7.30am – an early start to a Sunday. Not that I went for a run – that didn’t happen until 4pm. Still it was a leisurely start to the day – corn fritters and oven roasted tomatoes for brekkie while reading the local paper. Then later on I met Ruth for coffee and lunch.

Back to the run. By the time I got around to doing this it was getting on for time – 4pm. I ran down to Lake Ginninderra and around to Ginninderra Dve bridge before retracing my steps and returning via the cycle path that runs parallel to Ginninderra Dve, then running through the tunnel to come out near Melba oval and running home from there. It’s a different route to what I normally do but I enjoyed it so must add that to my list of regular run routes around home. I also noticed how dark it was getting near the end of my run, around 5.15pm, now that daylight savings has finished.

And what’s the best way to eat a strawberry? Why, picking them straight from the garden, when they’ve been warmed by the sun and are oh so sweet. Which is what I did once I’d got home.

Last long run :)

7.17am: long run inc parkrun
Distance: 17km (inc 5km parkrun)
Time: 1hr 33.36min (5km – 24.09min)
Pace: 5.30min/km
Location: Lake Ginninderra
Weather: (7.30am) 6.6*c, wind – calm; (9am) 11.3*c, wind – ESE, 7kph

Today was my last long run before the marathon. Of course, come Sunday week I’ll be running 42.2km.

It was another chilly start this morning and for a while there I thought I’d be heading off to the lake in the dark but the sun did eventually rise around 7am. Thank goodness daylight savings finishes tonight. It was great while it lasted but its so dark in the mornings now.

There was a large turnout for the Gindy parkrun this morning and the usual suspects were there – Ruth, Marg, and Gary, and Mr B even showed up. I was 6secs off my PB today though it did feel like I was running faster, obviously it was just harder! Then a casual cool down run home again afterwards – a pleasant way to end the run.

The rest of the day was spent familiarising myself with domestic duties once again because for some strange reason I decided to save some money by not getting a cleaner anymore. What was I on at the time to even consider this absurd notion?! As compensation for hard labour I had prepared Moroccan lamb shanks with pumpkin & mint for dinner tonight, with poached vanilla pears with chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream & toasted coconut flakes for dessert. Recipes courtesy of Michelle Bridges and Weight Watchers Verdict? Delicious.

“I may not be the strongest, I may not be the fastest, but one thing’s for sure, I’ll be trying my hardest.”

Blue skies & sunshine

7.09am session: long run
Distance: 25km (inc 5km parkrun)
Time: 2hr 27.46min (5km – 25.48min)
Pace: 5.54min/km
Cals: 1,468
Weather: (7am) – 3.5*c, wind – calm
(10am) – 12.9*c, wind – NNW, 6kph

Wow, it was a chilly start to the run this morning, requiring a spray jacket until I warmed up. I was grateful for the 7km warm up run before the parkrun because it was so painfully slow. However by the time the parkrun started, I had warmed up and had a much more comfortable run. Met up with Ruth before the start of parkrun and also chatted briefly to Gary.

I was pretty happy with my parkrun this morning. The plan was not to knock myself out but to run comfortably as I still had to get home. Last time I ran this course I did precisely that (ie knocked myself out and ran a PB) which made the trip home long and slow. So I paced myself well today and finished with plenty left in the legs to run another 13km home.

Ruth and I then ran part of Lake Ginninderra and the peninsular together before going our respective ways. It was nice to have company for 6km of the 13km run home. The rest of the run was uneventful and I felt fine. It was another beautiful day – blue skies and sunshine. I wonder how long this will last? Well, that’s our second last long run done before the big one, and next week’s long run really isn’t one – its only about 13km.

Met up with Ruth again a bit later for lunch at Kingston and Co. By then both of us were starving – my last meal was at 5am! It was crazy busy at the Mall – so many people obviously doing last minute Easter shopping. So it was nice to sit down, relax and enjoy a yummy meal and a great coffee. Mr B joined us a little later.

Stromlo Forest Park run

Today’s session: vets run @ Stromlo Forest Park
Distance: 8km (+1.2km warm up)
Time: 43.22min
Pace: 5.15min/km
Cals: 480
Start group: 28
Finish place: 59
Weather: (9.50am) 15.4*c, wind – N, 6kph

Some mornings are better spent staying in bed rather than getting up and getting ready for a run. Not any run, mind, but a monthly vets handicap run at Stromlo Forest Park. The venue alone should’ve been enough to put me off – I’m not a fan of grassy undulating tracks. Running 38km yesterday should’ve been enough of a reason to miss this morning’s run.

So why was I there this morning, having one of the worst runs of my running life? Stupidity? Madness? Insanity? Who knows? Catching up with other runners who I don’t see on a day-to-day basis – possibly. Maybe for the coffee and chat afterwards at the Yarralumla Nursery cafe – probably! The things I do for coffee!

Anyway back to that god-awful run. It was not pretty. The first kilometre was the hardest and I really seriously doubted that I would make the distance. However I know from experience that the first kilometre can be pretty awful and things will improve. Today, marginally. Everyone else seemed to be running well, which is why many runners were passing me and I was passing very few others, at least initially.

To sum up my run today – that’s 43.22min I’m not going to get back! Happy to finish. Even happier to go and have coffee with Ruth, Margaret & Ewen. Makes it all worthwhile really.