Captions please....

Blogging Holiday

Yes folks - I'm taking a break from the blogosphere for a while.

For those insomnia sufferers who have been using my blog to send themselves into a semi-comotose state before hitting a pillow, my advice is to read through the archives of my blog - although a word of warning, doing so may well cause permanent brain damage!

Running update: Following my 17k last weekend, I have decided to take at least a fortnight off from any running to ensure all the niggles and aches are completely gone. I intend to spend the time off from training sleeping, planning the rest of my training year and setting some new goals.

As usual when I am not running I am thinking about it and have already started searching my favourite web-sites for shoe bargains etc. My usual two (apart from E-bay): Road Runner Sports and Eastbay have some good deals on Brooks Adrenalines and I may just sneak another pair into the cupboard (for later in the year) while Mrs Wobbly is thinking I am not contemplating any more running purchases. I am also planning on dropping a few old pairs of runners into the charity bins at the same time.

Also on my accessory list for Winter is one of these
LED Light band which may just find its way into an order soon.

Any other suggestions on good web-sites to peruse would be welcome.

Catch you soon...

Memorable Canberra moments and what's next..

The three amigos - we trained together and all finished. (Wobbly, Cato and Greybeard)

Proof that running a marathon can actually be fun! (Plu and I show-boating for the cameras)

Okay, the pain is now subsiding and the memories of a fantastic weekend are still vivid. :)

This morning was a leisurely medium-long run with Greybeard, Cato, myself and Holly. We cruised up to Green Point and back for a nice little 17.6km round trip. My left knee and hip certainly enjoyed running more on the grass/trail than on the bike path but it was great to get out and get the blood pumping around again! The muscle soreness is almost gone.

I'm still taking my time on what races to run but I am considering some (not all) of the following. My two goals for the rest of the year are basically to try and better my 10k PB from September last year and improve my nearly 3 year old 1/2 PB:

14/5 Walhalla Wound up 19k
20/5 Mt Beauty 1/2
28/5 Williamston 1/2
2/7 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
23/7 Princess Park Half 28/8 Wili 2 Bili 36k
8/10 Melbourne Marathon (if it's on)

11 questions... (tag)

Here are my answers to 11 running questions:

1. What time of day do you run?

Mostly early mornings. I never used to be a morning runner but otherwise its difficult to be consistent with my training in my current job. About once a fortnight I run at lunch time or in the evening.

2. What are your favourite runs?

I have two favourites - my coastal torture trail (15 minutes from home) which is a 12km trail run with 3 sets of 70 steps plus two tougth hills. My other favourite is The Capital City Trail - a 30k undulating bike trail that circles the city of Melbourne.

3. What is your favorite song to run to?

I don't run with music but occasionally sing while running by myself (much to Holly's dismay). I tried running with an FM radio once but the ear plugs kept falling out and I haven't bothered since.

4. What book are you reading at the moment: I just finished Sucking the Marrow out of Life by John Maclean and have just started Slave by Mende Nazer.

5. When did you start running?

October 2002. I got roped into a 10k run when I chaired and OH&S committee and actually enjoyed it.

6. What's your post-race/post-run ritual?

Long run: A good stretch and something to eat, closely followed by an espresso coffee and then a hot shower and something more to eat. A nice nana-nap on the couch mid-afternoon following a long run is bliss. I gave up having protein shakes as I couldn't notice any difference when I stopped having them.

7. What do you eat before you run?

Normally nothing but for long runs I always have 2 slices of white toast with mashed banana and honey.

8. What's your favorite running accessory?

Easy - my Garmin 201. I love it.

9. What's your motivation for running? (or why you first started running)

It started as weight control but has since become a part of my life that I use to; manage stress, stay healthy, enable me to eat what I want (mostly) and now I can't imagine not being a part of the Melb running community.

10. What are your running shoes?

Currently - 3 pair being rotated:
Brooks Adrenaline 6, Brooks Adrenaline 5 and Brooks Dyad

11. What is your next running goal?

I haven't set a new one yet. Puffing Billy (for fun) and a setting a new half marathon PB are on my list for this year though.

Now - I tag Tesso!

Losing my virginity in Canberra!

What a weekend - woohoo!! It will bore everyone to tears if I attempt a blow-by-blow description of the run so will try and keep this brief.

The Start: I arrived with about 5 mins to spare and no warm-up. As I was introducing myself to some fellow Cool Runners the gun went off - oops! I hadn't even turned on my running watch so consequently spent the first three mins turning it on and finding the right function - while trying not to elbow too many people along the way.

0- 10km: (55:58) I went out with my Melbourne training buddies Cato and Greybeard. Even though I knew they were likely to be too fast for me I wanted to get through the first 10k with plenty of chat to distract me from my back pain. That worked well and I soon found the Team Wobbly cheer squad near the 10k turn around point cheering like crazy! I grabbed some ibuprofen and a chocolate Gu and thought I was feeling pretty good. Going past the turnaround and the CR cheer squad I seemed to end up beside fellow Cool Runners (Plu and Gasher) so we set off for the second longer loop in search of photo opportunities.

10 - 20km: (54:37) I was still traveling okay, found myself running on my own at about the 15k mark - not sure how and I was feeling that the slightly fast pace was helping my back pain (although this was probably the ibuprofen in hindsight).

20 - 30km: (59:30) Going through the Half Marathon point in 1:53 had me worried but I soon realised I had to add on 3:05 mins because it took me that long to get my watch going after the start - so I relaxed a bit. Just a couple of mins ahead of schedule I was feeling relaxed. I had forgotten to walk though the drink stations as planned because the water tubes are so easy to run and drink with. I felt good just keeping my rhythm going while drinking. I think I took a small walk while going up a hill and stopped to do some back stretches as well.

30 - 40kms: (69:13) Things were beginning to get ugly for me. I stopped at about 34km mark and briefly started to sob. I doubted I was going to finish for the first time. I couldn't keep the pace going and not alter my gait so I slowed down a little, thinking if I kept my form I wouldn't do any damage to my back. I needed to stop and do my back stretches every couple of kms and then every km towards the end. My calves were also starting to cramp. I remember starting to chat to one girl during the final leg home (I guess around the 36km mark and she said she had thrown up three times so far). I didn't feel so bad after that so I walked and ran and stopped and stretched my way to 40kms thinking if I could make it to the Wobbly cheer squad I would be able to finish.

40 - 42.2kms: The Wobblettes ran up to me around the 40km mark and ran with me for about 200m or so - I began to feel good again. Lucky I had my sunglasses on at this point as the tears were flowing again big time. I remember feeling an overwhelming feeling of being part of a team. The realisation that I was going to make it to the finish started to set in. As the girls got puffed I suggested that they meet me after the finish and plodded on. About 200m from the finish I could hear the finish line cheering and wondered if they could see me walking so started running again!! As I rounded the corner into the finish chute I heard the CR cheersquad going berserk and I lifted a final time - things were going in slow motion at this point. Although I don't think I was running particularly upright, I remember hearing my name being yelled out by a number of voices I recognised and realised that I couldn't focus through the tears behind my sunnies.

A blue gloved hand reached out for me and started to guide me past the finish line. I said I was fine and then wobbled and grabbed the hand rail. The medal was placed around my neck and very soon afterwards placed around Wobblettte #2's neck where it stayed for most of the day!

I can't believe how many lessons I learned on Sunday and not all to do with running. Without the Team Wobbly and CR cheering at various points around the course, and the CR fraternity I am sure it would have been a far less memorable experience for me. I was lucky to be able to start and very fortunate to finish and experience finishing a marathon.

Canberra here we come!

My back has been getting a bit better each day and the lovely Osteo tonight confirmed that it would be reasonable to expect some continued improvement. Given I felt "kind of" comfortable with 7.5k on Monday and it is definitely better today I'm prepared to bank on some more improvement and give it a go on Sunday.

Since the injury I have not been expecting to run on Sunday and now I feel very unprepared mentally. I have a bazillion things to think about now and can't seem to focus on anything. Eg my Garmin wrist band broke a fortnight ago and I hadn't bothered getting it fixed.

With the starting temp tipped to be 2 degrees and getting towards 20 degrees by the time I finish I am also wondering what to wear. Perhaps I will stop and strip off my tights and change to shorts after the first lap? (Out of sight from the cheer squad, small children and old ladies of course).

So much to think about and so little time! 5 sleeps to go...

Saturday smiling?

As suggested by the physio on Friday evening after his pummelling I went out for a very light 3km jog on Saturday to see how the lower back pain was. It was there but not as bad as before and I ran the whole way with a stupid smile/grimace type expression which I am sure on-coming pedestrians couldn't quite work out. I doubted I could run a marathon though (at any pace beyond walking).

The plan with the physio was if Saturday went okay I would have a longer run on Sunday and see how that went. Armed with a level 3 overhang and a messy house I decided running was perhaps not the best idea and have delayed it so far. I'm feeling fine now but have had a few back twinges through the day and am not sure I am ready to run and perhaps have to accept the fact that my marathon goal is beyond me (for now). I have a secondary plan starting to form of running the Great Ocean Road marathon on 21 May. That might be a reasonable alternative but sadly will be without the CR cheersquad and the many Cool Runners that I was so hoping catch up with in Canberra.

... stay tuned for an update....

Edit: I ran for 40mins on Monday morning around my local streets in ever decreasing loops and most of the time was feeling that the pain levels were more manageable. The thing is I am not sure if I just trying to talk myself into it..... I suspect I am just trying to avoid making the decision.