Mini Goals

It is so much harder to get moving now that I no longer have gym membership. Some would say that once they lock themselves to a financial commitment to a gym membership more often than not, you are guilted into going because you don't want to waste the money you've paid. I was never really one of those members. As those of you can attest, you never walk out from a workout feeling like it was a waste of time.

It has been a start/stop process for me to get me moving. Without goals I lack the motivation so I've set myself a mini goal. I will run every day for the next 7 days, starting tomorrow Sunday 17th February.

We'll see how it goes shall we?

Besides these mini goals, the races I'm hoping to complete this year are:

4 May 2013 - Nike She Run 10K
19 May 2013 - The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon
22 Sep 2013 - Blackmores Half Marathon

On top of that there are the SMC monthly races. I've registered but so far I've only ran 1 race since October. It's not a lot of races this year but they are a lot harder. I haven't done a half marathon since 2011. Back then I had a personal trainer to get me into shape. I really need to get some exercise plan in place.

Progress.....what progress?

Do I regret not doing the Blackmores Half Marathon this year? Sure! But I didn't want to enter it half-arsed and then be disappointed with my time. It was a struggle to complete the 9km run, I made the right decision.

I go through phases when I immerse myself into fitness and it correlates with what is going on in my life. In times of stress I turn to what makes me feel better, exercise! But it has also become more than that. Exercise is a lifestyle. It's beneficial in good and bad times....but I admit, in good times exercise is one thing that is neglected. Life happens! It's balancing it all that is the key.

My mind is constantly on exercise because once you stop, it's amazing how quickly you feel unfit! And knowing what it feels like to start from the beginning again, not looking forward to it. I was supposed to hit the gym at 530am this morning but instead sleep won the battle. Last night, work won! There just isn't enough time in the day, it seems.

This Saturday I will make the time, no excuses!!! Paddle boarding will be a great core workout and snorkeling I'm sure has fitness benefits. If not it will be fun at least.

Footy season is back, have the Rebel Run 4 Fun and the SMC road race series has begun. No more excuses, time to see some much needed progress or else I will always be a wannabe marathon runner!!

Addiction

You know you're a fitness addict when you get excited going to the supplement warehouse but still girly enough to squeal with delight at discovering the cookies and cream flavoured protein shake.

Who said supplements couldn't be yummy?

Progress!!

The runner's high is an addictive feeling. Being able to gauge that my training is paying off is such a rewarding feeling. I am now looking forward to my upcoming races and my results. 

This is a short entry........not much to say except 'I'm ecstatic!'. A big pat on the back methinks. 

Feeling somewhat normal

The pain from the aftermath of a serious workout can still be felt but today I feel somewhat normal. My legs are still healing but the thought of going to my touch football game tonight fills me with nervous anticipation. It is always hard work, running up and down the field but always very rewarding in the end, win or lose.

Tonight instead of a 4.8km run, I am substituting it with my touch football game which I equate to sprint training.

Update:

Didn't make it to my footy game. Had an interview after work and wouldn't have made it on time. Decided to take another rest break to get my legs to be fully recovered. Tomorrow I will run.

On the train ride home, I realised I couldn't be cryptic in my entries. For this blog to be of any use to my training I need to be a bit more detailed.

I noticed after my workouts on Saturday and Sunday I was exhausted. The causes could be:

1) worked too hard;
2) not eating a runners diet or;
3) not getting enough rest.

It is not enough to maintain this blog, record my runs in my training spreadsheet and weight sessions but I think I should maintain a food diary. It all seems too much. If only I applied this much effort in other parts of my life.

Sometimes I wonder what motivates me? And why on earth I put myself through all this pain? And then a friend who shares the same running craziness as I tells me 'You do it because you can. All of this will be worth it in the end.' 

My life for the next 9 weeks....

I will be a party pooper for the next 9 weeks. 

Frustrated.....but 'consistency is key' I've been told.

To say i'm frustrated is an understatement. It's only week 1 into my 10 week training program so I shouldn't be too hard on myself but when you know what you are capable of, impatience starts to set in. My mind and body are not quite in sync yet.

What has stuck in my head from my current reading material 'Never go 2 days without running!' and I am trying to stick to that. In running, it doesn't matter that you've ran 10K races or half marathons. The minute you stop running for more than 2 days your fitness diminishes. Consistency has always been an issue for me but I am trying to work on that. This time around, I don't want to finish but I want to finish in a better time than last year's time.

I woke up this morning with my muscles aching from the Tabata class and the weight training yesterday. It was enough to stop me from going out for a run. But I made myself go. It was one of my worst runs. Not even 1km into the run and I was suffering from shin splints. I battled with my mind throughout the whole workout, do I cut it short and end it and try again next week? But I persevered. I made the workout count and settled instead for interval training. Running fast for a short period and then walking. One of these days I will have my mojo back and all my consistency will have paid off. I long for the day when I go out for a run and I'm flying. It will happen, I know it will. I have every faith in myself. Failure is NOT an option.