And now comes the half!

It's almost time for half-marathon part deux! I'm at that point where there are nerves a plenty, but I know I have done it before and I can do it again. I've found it true though, that pressure on my time is on my mind all the time, but I am trying to focus on the same goals as last time.

1. Run all the way, except for drink stops.
2. Finish - actually, that should be number 1!
3. Try and beat my time from the last half of 2:44
4. Try and have a time of 2:3? something.
5. Trainer and Lucinda goal 2:34 (consumption of cake may influence this, ahem!)

Today I just need to pick up my race pack, and do race prep.

I'm nervous in a different way this time, it's different course, out of Wellington, and I still don't feel familiar enough with it, odd I know, it will be supported, but I still fear getting lost. And I must keep properly hydrated, today, and tomorrow.

Wish me luck! :-)

A hearty matter

In the lead up and during my marathon i'll be raising money for the Heart Foundation. There is a personal reason I chose them as my charity, that I don't normally talk about. But now may be a good time.

My grandfather died suddenly in his late forties, my father the eldest of three boys was 16 when my grandfather died. My grandfather, Richard had complained of chest pain for months on end, and had been to the doctor, they thought it was indigestion, it wasn't. One morning, my Nan went to wake Richard, as he would normally have gotten up by now (she has slept in one of the spare rooms that night - as she had been fighting a cold). So she went in to wake him up, and we wasn't breathing. He had suffered a massive heart attack. My father came into the room, obviously aware that something was wrong, and helped my Nan perform CPR whilst the ambulance arrived, it was no use.

My grandmother was left a widow with three young boys to raise, and she did a brilliant job. Whilst my Dad and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. I understand that day and losing his father so young, would have had a massive impact on his life, as it did for my family. Although I never knew my grandfather, anyone I have ever spoken to about him, adored him, he was well respected in the community, and loved his family. I am sad that I never got to know him, and I wish my Dad would have spoken more about Richard when I was growing up, but it is obviously still very painful, even now.




It is a cause very close to me, and if you have a spare few dollars and would like to donate that would be great. If you would prefer to donate to a charity close to your heart or just do something for someone else if you don't have the spare funds, then please do. Any gesture, financial, or through action would be greatly appreciated.

Donations can be made here

When Things Just Work

I had my second 5km series race today, I missed last week because I thought I was coming down with something, so I took a stack of vitamins and headed to bed.

Today, in an effort to get myself out of the office during my lunch break, I headed to spin, it was just what I needed, hard, lots of jumps, we gave it our all.

Then a few hours later I had my race. The weather wasn't that great, with a cranky Wellington wind afoot. We set off, and I paced myself, last time I had gone out way too fast, so this time the plan was simple, steady, and pump my arms hard and fast through the wind. I hit the 2.5 mark and turnaround feeling good, and also noticing that on my way back in none of the second wave fast runners had past me yet, which meant I was going faster than the previous race.

I got a light stitch just before I hit the waterfront again, and pushed through the wind hitting me back as fast as I could. The plan was to look at my watch at the turn point, and just near a little bridge on the way back before I hit the straight.

Once I hit the straight I used whatever was left and belted home, which is of course when my jacket tied around my waist started to drop, and drop and hit the ground, about 5 metres before the finish. I kind of stopped, laughed, hauled it back up and plodded over the finish line.

I knew I had done well, when I looked at my watch, and may have set a pb, but had to wait for the results to be posted.

And oh they got posted 34.58!!!!!!!!!! 2.46 less than the last race! and 1.79 off my previous PB.

Oh, and I didn't come last :-)

The build up

I only have a 10km run tomorrow for my long run, at race pace, so it needs to be 1.12:59...seriously. But the mileage ramps up next week, until the half. I need to make time in the next few weeks to be somewhat familiar with the course, as it's just out of town, it makes me feel a bit more comfortable knowing that before race day!

I got a fair bit done today, even with a sleep in. I went and checked out my local market which has been running for a while, and is very close to my place. I don't know if it was because of the weather, or what but it was tiny, and there wasn't much choice for produce or price for that matter. I did pick up a few things, including two wholemeal loaves of bread (one of which I froze), and some eggs, and vegies. I'll still be heading to the waterfront one tomorrow after my long run, to get more supplies. I also got my gym session in, and went to the library.

So far the no supermarket shopping experience has gone well, I have come to realise though I buy alot of processed stuff, tinned chickpeas, bread, crackers, things like that. I guess I thought I really didn't buy anything processed, but I do, not alot compared to some folks I guess, but enough to go ohhh. I might have to pop into the supermarket though...for toilet paper, and milk, umm and vegemite...i've run out! I did end up buying, soaking and cooking dried chickpeas though, which was not as hard as I thought, plus they taste so much better! So i'm on board for keeping that up!

I've also signed up for a spinathon in few weeks! It runs for 6 hours in total, and you can do at least a one hour session. I checked with my trainer to see what was okay seeing as I have a scheduled 19km run the day after...umm that would be 3 sessions are fine, as long as I rest the rest of the day :-) So three hours of straight spinning classes in a row my legs and more importantly my rear hurt just thinking about it!

List For Play

Thank you to Carla for giving the hint to post my running playlist. I've never really had one. I used to just shuffle about what I had loaded. So it was fun yesterday (yeah it's almost 1am, and I'm still wired!) at the gym (rain, major rain!), I survived on the treadmill and clocked 4.22km in 30 minutes. I was going quite hard out for the first 20 then realised it was supposed to be an EASY run, and slowed down!

So I'm ready, I have protection, here is my playlist in random order, feel free to add suggestions, comments, throw fruit!




Straight Lines - Silverchair
Feelin Alright - Joe Cocker
Electric Feel-MGMT
Unbelievable - EMF
Children - Robert Miles
I Don't Feel Like Dancing - Scissor Sisters
Tonight Tonight Tonight - Genesis
Invisible Touch - Genesis
You Get What You Give - New Radicals
Big Love - Fleetwood Mac
Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
Say You Will - Fleetwood Mac
My Obsession - Icehouse
Miley Cyrus - The Climb
Relentless 7 - Shimmer & Shine
Mysterious Ways - U2