5 weeks in!

Well, I am 5 weeks in to Ironman training....  So far it has been pretty good.  I have missed 1 session and pulled 1 session short, so considering there are 10 sessions a week  I think this is not too bad.

A few things that I am doing differently in this Ironman campaign are as follows:

• Aiming to lose weight and race and train lighter
• Aiming to do all the run sessions including speed work with a concentration on high cadence
• Aiming to incorporate trail runs at least every 2nd week
• Aiming to follow the Ironguides programme to a 'T'
• Aiming to incorporate yoga and core strength work - at least 1 of each a week

So far, I have lost 7 kilos, with another couple still to come off. I have not missed any run sessions and am coping quite well with the speed work (it is all relative - let's face it, my 'speed' work is not really speedy!!).  I have also done all my weekend runs on the trails which I am absolutely loving; even if I have yet to find an 'undulating' trail - they are all 'hilly' in the Emma elevation classification.

I am following the Ironguides programme in the order stated and am starting to understand the benefits in doing this. I have been attending yoga once a week and incorporating a strength session after my Tuesday run session and occasionally after the Thursday session.

My strength session has evolved and is now at 3 sets of sit ups, plank and push ups.  I am currently doing 110 sit ups, 2.5mins of plank (this needs work!) and 35 push ups.  So, I will continue to 'up the ante' on these each week to gain improvements.  Thankfully, I have joined a gym in town which is where I do my midweek runs, so I am finding it easy to use the gym afterwards to get the strength session completed.

My swimming has improved also.  The 200m TT efforts started out at 4mins and I have now got them down to 3:43mins.  I know, not 'speedy', but an improvement nevertheless.  Hopefully this can continue to improve as I concentrate more on my stroke.  I am using the pull buoy and paddles as per the programme which I struggled with last year due to shoulder pain.  This time, however, I have got smaller paddles and am coping really well with them.

My bike seems to be taking a little while longer to come together.  It will be interesting to see the 20min and 30min TT times when I get up to them, but I expect that they may be a tad slower than last year.  Hopefully that will pick up in time.  I am going to incorporate some good hills in with my long rides this year to build more strength which was definitely lacking last year.  Hopefully I can keep any hip and knee pain at bay and continue to do this which I wasn't able to last year due to pain in these areas.

So, all in all, progress so far has been positive.  No, I am not going to get a Kona spot, no, I am not going to be in the top half of my age group, but I am hoping this year that I don't have to be worrying so much about the cut off time!

Onwards and upwards.  14 and a bit weeks to go.

Auckland early morning run

Well, Craig, Dad and I all arranged to go for a run early in the morning prior to heading down to Taupo whilst Faye was going to rest her calf and hit the elliptical trainer in the gym.

It was unanimous - we all had a shocking night's sleep due to the outside noise of trucks, cars, people, etc, etc.  It was bad, I felt like the walls were made of cardboard.  I wished I had earplugs!

Anyway, we didn't want to miss out on the morning's exercise seeing as we had a bit of a drive down to Taupo and then we had a busy afternoon getting bikes built, etc.

We headed out along the water for 15mins and back 15mins all at a nice light jog.  I was really disappointed when we had to turn around as it was a beautiful morning, I was feeling great and I was really enjoying the views of the bay and different scenery.

So, we then headed off across town to pick up the hire cars and have another game of 3D tetris; this time with 2 cars and more luggage!  Luckily, Craig was a Storeman and Packer in a previous life.

Clem7 Tunnel run

Today was the Clem7 tunnel run.  It was to be a run from the Bowen Hills entrance of the tunnel to the SE Freeway entrance which was the turnaround point and then back again.

I was looking forward to it.  However, it turned out to be kind of awful.  I met some friends for work there and the goal was to run it with them. We started a fair way back and they gradually let the runners through and in to the tunnel.  When we started it was not too congested, which was good.  A short time in to the run, however I realised that it was really hot and humid.  I was sweating quite profusely and my HR was about 10bpm higher than what it should have been. 

Unfortunately it didn't get any better from there as when we approached the first water station they had run out of water!!!  Each water station we passed had no water.  I ended up walk/running with Lindsay from work and we passed 2 competitors who had collapsed, so I'm not too disappointed we walk/ran it, let's face it; that's how I intend on bringing the Marathon home on Saturday!

So, lesson learnt - do your run from home where you take your own water out with you and run in the open air rather than through a tunnel!

Combined bike/run

I was supposed to run on Thursday, however I chose to have lunch with a friend instead of running at lunchtime and then when Craig came in to pick me up from work he wanted take-away for dinner, so we got that while we were out.  Hence no run in the afternoon either.  It would seem my motivation is somewhat lacking...

So, I did a wind trainer session with a run off the bike as one session.  A bit naughty seeing as they were supposed to be separated, however both were done very easy.  It was just a 45min easy spin, followed by a 30min easy run. I felt OK.

24.5km run with company!

This run was a repeat of last week's long run with a great twist!  Sarah joined me which was great.  She was happy to let me shuffle along at my own pace and kept me entertained with banter.  It was a bit cooler too, which helped us.

I was loaded up with food, band aids, chaffe cream, money - I felt like we could have left home!

It rained as we went over the Green bridge and I was getting a little concerned that we were going to be running with squelching feet, however it really didn't amount to much at all thank goodness.

We got to the Yeronga shops around the halfway mark and stocked up on some Gatorade for me and an orange mineral water for Sarah.  Well, do you think these 2 strong girls could open Sarah's drink!  We tried our hands (wet and sweaty), t-shirts (wet and soggy), serviettes (no good), until eventually, we must have looked desperate and thirsty enough for a kind gentleman to offer to open it for us - Phew!  Disaster averted...  Thank you.

The rest of the run went without incident and the good news is that we finished the whole run in 3 hours.  I finished 1km short last week, so I am thrilled with this.  Also, I was less sore this time around, although my feet still ached.  I actually took a Nurofen at the 2 hour mark to make sure that it will sit ok with me as I never take pain killers.  Thankfully it sat well as I intend on using them throughout the race if need be.

Sarah is a real trooper; she finished the Geelong Half Ironman a couple of weeks ago and her next event is Mooloolaba Triathlon which is Olympic Distance, so she really didn't need to do a 3 hour run!  I was really grateful for the company as it made the run that much more bearable.

We celebrated with Iced Coffee's whilst cooling down in the pool - very civilised.

It's raining cats and dogs!

The plan today was to sleep in which contributes greatly to my overall sanity and then to run at lunchtime.  I have been doing this prior to Hell of the West to acclimatise to running in the heat, but I have decided that I will continue with it as I really do like my Tuesday sleep ins!

So, I turned the alarm off before going to bed on Monday night and had a very wonderful sleep in.  I can't wait until this becomes a regular occurence!

I packed my running gear in my bag and headed off to work.

Just before 12, I started to think about getting ready for my run when I looked outside and everything was grey - I couldn't even see the outlines of any buildings through my window!  On closer inspection it was bucketing down rain, the likes of which I haven't seen in quite a while!

Now, I'm not adverse to running in the rain, particular in Brisbane's summer heat, however this was different, it was followed by some really close lightening and thunder and was the sort of rain which would leave you looking like a drowned rat with blisters and chaffing.  Not ideal...

So, I decided to skip the lunchtime run and try again in the afternoon.

It was still raining in the afternoon, so it ended up being a treadmill run which was very boring, but at least it was done.

My motivation is wavering on "I can't be bothered" to "OMG, it is so close, I need to really smash it!"

I just want to keep everything ticking over nicely at the moment and not get any injuries, illness or anything that could be detrimental to my race in 17 days!!!

24.5km run

I had mapped out a 30km run...  I really wanted to be able to run 30km's before heading over to attempt to do a marathon after 180km's of bike, just for my piece of mind.

However, I have had sore shins and on my long ride with Jacque yesterday she pretty much talked me out of it and I have heard the same advice from many sources.  I am better off to be standing on the start line having not ran 30km's rather than having run 30km's and be out with a stress fracture.  My problem is that I am just so slow it is getting beyond a joke. 

I thought that the course I chose would be around 26-27km's, however when I got home and mapped it it was only 24.5km's, of which I walked the last 1km as I had reached the 3 hour mark and my feet were aching.  I was really disappointed as I ran the whole way with the exception of 1 toilet stop, a couple of drink station stops to refill my drink bottle, a couple of times I stopped to eat, I stopped to buy 2 Gatorades from the shop.  So, I guess that does add up to a few stops, but I figure that this is how I'll be 'racing' the Ironman.  On these times I will be out there over 6 hours for the marathon.  It is going to be a long hard day which I fully expected, but I just had a little hope that I would be slightly faster than that.  I was hoping for around 6:30min/kms rather than 7:30min/kms!

The good part is that I didn't need to stop and stretch and I felt pretty comfortable even though it was really, really hot and humid.

I ran with my Skins calf compression socks on and I found that these were excellent.  My shins were sore on the Friday, I ran on the Sunday, stretched well afterwards, iced my legs well, and really I couldn't feel my shins at all. 

I will do this same run next weekend and see if I can pick the pace up even just a little.

I fell off!

Well, I had a very gumby moment.

I was leaving home to meet Jacque in at Active Stride at 5am.  So, when I left home it was 4:30 and it was pitch black.  I was on the driveway, mounted my bike, clipped in my feet and away I went - except I managed to turn my wheel enough to block my pedal motion when I went to turn left out of the driveway and I was helpless to avoid crashing like a heavy sack of potatoes to the ground.  As I realised I was falling I had that moment where I just hoped that I wasn't going to break anything!!!  3 weeks today to Ironman New Zealand and I really, really, really didn't want a stupid fall to end it all.  Thankfully as I went through my body and assessed the damage, it just seemed to be a sore knee which ended up a bit grazed and sore hands which actually were fine.  Phew!!!

Not a great start to the ride.  So, Craig helped me put all the pieces back together and patched me up and by this stage I was running late and feeling a bit shaken, so I decided to drive in and meet Jacque at Southbank instead!

Thankfully, this was the most excitement!  Jacque and I headed down the Coast and we made it down to the Mobil just south of Dreamworld. 

It was a nice, cruisy ride and it was great to catch up with Jacque.  We managed to chat and catch up so it was really good.  Very enjoyable.  Finished the ride feeling very strong and not overly fatiqued.

Happy Birthday Gran!

My Gran turned 90 today.  Such a fabulous achievement, made more so by the fact that she is as sharp as a tack, can still get around OK, is living on her own, although she does have some help.  She is a really sweet person who stays up to date with current events and is always easy to have a conversation with.

To celebrate this fabulous day the 'girls' in her life all took her out to High Tea.  It was lovely, there was my mum, aunty, cousin, there were 3 of her neighbours and a couple of friends from way back. 11 of us all enjoyed a fine High Tea with dainty sandwiches, scones, cupcakes and mousse shots served alongide tea in beautiful china cups.  Definitely worth taking the day off work for!  Hope you had a lovely birthday Gran.

Thankfully I managed to get my swim in before heading up the Coast, however the motivation for a run in the afternoon upon my return was lacklustre at best!

After some procrastination I headed out for my 5km hilly loop around Kenmore.  I started fairly slow and steady, however around the halfway mark I started to feel really good.  Maybe the 2 days off training helped! I felt like I was running fast and I was really enjoying the run.  I finished really strongly and wished that I had timed the loop!  Maybe it's just as well...  Perception is a funny thing and can often not match up to reality! 

Let's just agree that I was running fast.

23km run

Today was my longest run ever!

I was scheduled to do a 2hr 30min run in the morning and a 30min run in the afternoon.  I woke up and it was pouring with rain - absolutely bucketing down.  I was so despondent, as I really needed to get this run done.  I wasn't keen to run in this sort of rain as I was guaranteed to get blisters and be out of action for too long.  So, I decided that I would swap the runs around and do my 30min run on the treadmill inside in the morning and hope that the rain would break enough for me to get out in the afternoon.

Thankfully, the rain did clear and Craig and I headed off in the afternoon in a nice easy pace towards Yeerongpilly train station and then back home again.  It is relatively flat, although there are some undulations around Kenmore. 

The pace was very slow and the temperature was muggy and rainy but not too unbearably hot.  We had to make a toilet stop for me a short way into the run which was annoying, we also stopped at the tennis centre to refill bottles and then we purchased some Gatorade and water at Indooroopilly 7-11, other than the toilet stop the other stops were pretty quick.

I felt pretty comfortable up until about the 17km mark where I started to feel stiff.  We stopped and stretched on the way back on the Indooroopilly bridge which definitely helped. 

I was very tired after the run and my legs were tight and sore, but I was very pleased that I was able to run that far!

What it has highlighted is I need to do more on my long runs.  So, I am contemplating a long run this weekend of 30km's at a very easy pace with a couple of stops for Gatorade, food, drink, etc, but try to keep it moving as much as possible.  It will probably take me many hours, but I think the conditioning on the legs will be very beneficial to me.

Lunchtime run

I ran my normal loop around town at lunchtime.  It was hot, which is the idea so that I can prepare for Goondiwindi's Hell of the West triathlon on Sunday.  I took a drink bottle with me and managed to drink all of it! It was a 7km run and I was running for just over 40mins.  I felt comfortable and I don't seem to be suffering in the heat as much so I am pretty confident that the acclimatisation is working!

1hour 50min long run

Due to my dodgy hip flexor I chose a route that was relatively flat.  I ran from Kenmore to Tennyson and then back again.  I headed out at 4:30am, it was still a little dark, not needing a headlamp dark, but the sun wasn't up yet.  As I was running through the bike path to get on to the road it was a bit dingy and even though I am really familiar with the path, etc. I couldn't help wishing that Nattie was running beside me.  Nattie, however hasn't turned into much of a summer runner.  She would run this run with me a few months ago when I was training for the Gold Coast Half Ironman, but she can't cope with the heat and humidity, so a 30 minute run is about all she can cope with. 

I ran comfortably and was feeling as though I could run forever. I had a bottle of electrolytes with me and a power bar.  I didn't need the power bar, but I could have done with a bit more electrolytes!  It was quite muggy.

I started to feel it in my legs in the last 30minutes or so of the run.  I think that I really need to do some strength exercises in my legs as I am not going to get the km's into them.

My hip flexor didn't flare up, I could feel it and would describe it as a niggle rather than anything more, but I am booked into an Osteopath on Friday, so hopefully they can get it sorted for me!

Sunny lunchtime run

Well, as part of my acclimatisation to the heat that I will be experiencing at Goondiwindi I ventured out into the heat to do a 40min run.

Today in Brisbane the temperature climbed to 33°C.  I'm not sure if it was that hot when I was running, but I left work at 12:00 midday, so it would have been close enough.  I was armed with a drink bottle full of water and a nuun tablet.


It was slow, very slow.  Oddly enough I felt OK in the heat, I was drinking regularly and I was sweating, but I wasn't too uncomfortable.  Maybe this means that I am acclimatising, let's hope so!



However the thing that has got me a bit down is my pace.  I am so slow.  I know that I am not doing speed work for fear of injuring myself and I can accept that I am going to be slow.  But it just got me a bit down today. 

I have a new gadget - it is a Garmin FR60W and it has a foot pod.  I mainly wanted it so that I could have a garmin HR monitor that matched in with my bike computer and which I could also use in the race that would give me HR in the run too.  I can swim in it and it will run a stopwatch over 17hours (my Ironman cutoff).  This achieves all that as well as giving me my pace.  Now, I haven't calibrated it just yet, but from experience they don't ever seem to be too far off.  I was running between 6min 30 to 7min pace.  Just so slow.  So, then I calculate how that equates to running a marathon and as you can imagine it's not really a thought worth dwelling on!  I am prepared to be out there a long time and I know that I need to prepare mentally as I AM going to be out there a long time.  I just need to somehow get over it and move on.  I'm not going to get magically quicker between now and race day so it is what it is.

Sigh.

90min hilly run - phew

After a 15min warmup I tackled our hilly Kenmore loop.  To say I was fatigued from the ride 5.5hour ride yesterday was a major understatement!  I was shagged...  There is a bit that is a bit of a slope and it normally doesn't bother me but I found it really tough and then when I got to the steeper bit I shuffled up there at snails pace doing everything within my willpower to not walk.  It was not pretty.

However, I did manage to get around twice and I didn't walk except for 3 steps when I had a stitch which wouldn't budge. 

It was one of those sessions where I was definitely going through the motions to get it completed.

It's nice to have gotten through and toughed out a session like that on very fatigued legs. 

My hip flexor was sore before the long ride yesterday, then after climbing Nebo and Settlement Road and Samford it was quite sore.  After today's run it was bothering me a lot.

I attempted to do my 30min run in the afternoon, but once I found myself limping after only a couple of minutes it turned into a brisk walk instead.  So, it was a 30min walk and a good stretch instead of the run.  Disappointing, but I think it was the right decision.

Lunchtime run

I have registered for Goondiwindi's Hell of the West triathlon so I need to acclimatise to running in the heat.

Today was a good day for that - 30 degrees with not much humidity.  I ran the 7km loop from Central Station down Ann Street to the river, towards the Botanical Gardens, over the Goodwill Bridge, over the Storey Bridge and then finish at Riverside Centre for a stretch.

I felt good, I ran in the shade where I could find it as I don't need any additional sun and I felt good.  I was sweating and it was hot, but I was comfortable.  I carried a drink bottle and sipped water when I needed it.  I finished feeling stronger than I started and I felt as though I could have kept running.  In saying that I am starting to overthink how long a marathon is and as I was finishing my run I did some mental calculations and divided a marathon into the 7km loop I did and it didn't come out very well!  When I finished my run I said to myself  "I would have to do that ANOTHER 5 times!!"  7kms is not insubstantial, so 42.2kms is a really, really long way.

I think to get over my fear of this distance I am going to think the word "now".  What do I need to do now?  Enjoy the moment now!  Only worry about now!  I am trying to treat my training like that too.  I haven't been thinking too far ahead on what is in store and I find that it really helps because if I looked at the whole programme I would down tools and get into my sloth position on the couch never to see the outside world again.

Mostly, however I am feeling fitter and stronger (and more tired of course!).  I am still an Athena, but my body shape is changing.  I see glimpses of muscles poking through that weren't there before.

I am also being very careful to not demoralise myself by running and riding with people that are going to completely annihaliate me - I just don't need that!  I feel as though I will get through the distance; no - I don't think it is going to be a great time (I certainly won't be qualifiying for Kona!) however I certainly hope that I am not the last one through that Mike calls out before the end of the night. I am quietly confident that if I trudge through at my own pace I will get there in the end, with hopefully a little time up my sleeve.

What more could I ask for.

60min run

Well, the down side of having a sleep in and relaxing around the house in the morning is that I have to do an afternoon run.

When we swam at 10am this morning the heat was on.  I applied sunscreen but I am still burnt - it was really a burning sun and the temp was up.  It would have been in the 30's.  So, of course in the afternoon it was still hot...  So, I waited until 4:30pm and headed out then.

It was still warm, but not overly unpleasant, I took a bottle of water with a nuun tablet in it just to make sure I didn't dehydrate too much.  I ran through the Cubberla Creek reserve which Craig discovered a couple of weeks ago.  There is a whole heap of trails through there and it is really lovely.  There is a creek with stepping stones and it is really pretty.  So, discovering new trails certainly made the run a whole lot more pleasant. Also, it is relatively flat which is nice seeing as this was supposed to be an easy run.

I left the trails and ran to the end of the grass fields of Cubberla Creek reserve and then ran up to the Fig Tree Pocket state school and then ran straight back without going through the trails on the way home.  It ended up being just over an hour.

Got home and stretched and then jumped in the pool to waist high for a while to get the heat out of my legs.  I then applied some Zen linament and put my Skins on.  I am hoping that this will all amount to a great recovery as I have been getting a few little shin niggles and ankle niggles.

Long run, swim, shorter run

Today's day started off with my long run which was a 15min warmup, 50min hilly run, 15min cool down. 

I concentrated on my cadence on this run and I found that it made the run go quite quick having something to focus on and play around with.  I am aiming for a cadence of 96.  My normal "Cliff Young shuffle" cadence is around 80.  I found that if I concentrated I could achieve a cadence of 96 if it was on a slight descent.  I was in the low 90's on the flat terrain if I focused on my cadence and it would drop back a little on the hills.  I want to get to the point where I can run in this cadence effortlessly on the flats with a fairly low heart rate and this will be my new focus on all runs. 

I actually felt as though I had a bit of potential to improve!  I felt as though given enough focus I could achieve this and be comfortable running like that and that it would improve my overall times.  It certainly needs a lot of work but I'll see where it leads me.

My post run recovery was great.  I wasn't rushed so I had a good stretching session followed by the rest of my electrolytes as it was really hot and then I headed to the pool with a milo.  I then had a shower and put some skins on and tucked into some weet-bix with a coffee whilst reading the paper.  Ahhh, I've just described the perfect start to the day!

Craig was meeting some friends to ride down to Lake Hugh Muntz where I was meeting some friends to do an open water swim so after breakfast Rachel and I headed down to meet Craig.  When Craig got to LHM he did a 40min run off the bike and Rachel jumped on her bike and rode around with him.  We followed this up with a trip to the cafe for some toasted banana bread dripping with butter with some yoghurt and honey and I washed it down with an iced coffee - the day is getting better!

We headed home and I had arranged to meet Alicia (who I had just swum with) and Bec (recently returned from Vegas) at Cootha for a 30min run.  By the time we got home I only had 40mins before it was time to head out again!  Alicia and Bec were both raring to go and we did a reverse Bardon loop as it had rained and I didn't want to wreak my new shoes doing trails.  The Bardon loop was a good run, it wasn't exactly easy which is what my programme specified but it was nice.  I think Bec found it particularly easy as she was doing most of the talking!  Not quite sure how to talk uphill yet; when I try it just comes out as garbled gasps - something I should practice maybe?

It was great to hear about Bec's trip to Vegas and we stood around afterwards and stretched and chatted.  It certainly makes it easier arranging to meet friends and go for a run.

All in all it was quite a big weekend.  Just trying to think of how I can explain what I got up to on the weekend if anyone asks at work; 5 hr ride, 1hr 20min run, open water swim, 30min run - that pretty much consumed up the whole weekend and it is only going to get worse from here on in!  Gulp.

90min long run with Craig

After the festivities of Christmas Day and Boxing Day which both contained copious amounts of food we were in damage control!

So, off for a 90min run for us.  I am a slower runner than Craig and he said that he would run at my pace.  We headed out towards Indooroopilly and St Lucia and made it to the Golf Course before turning around and heading for home.

The run felt comfortable; I made sure that I wasn't hurried and ran at my own pace and I felt good.  I felt like I could have run forever.  I took a bottle of water with me and a gel of which I managed to have a 'sip' of - I really need more practice with this. 

The rain made it a little uncomfortable, Brisbane had just received copious amounts of rain and we copped a good steady rainfall on the run.  I have come to the realisation that I don't like my feet getting wet.  I am going to put a pair of socks in a snap-lock bag in transition for the IM so that I am guaranteed a pair of dry clean socks for the marathon!  Small luxuries...

Because we didn't have any other commitments we took our time stretching and then went into the pool and I seemed to recover from this session really well.  My ITB's were a little tight in the evening, but really this was the only indication that I had run for 90minutes so I am really pleased with that.

Christmas morning

We had a big day planned...  12 of our family and friends were coming over for a massive Christmas Lunch, so Craig and I decided that we didn't want to do too much exercise otherwise we would be yawning through the conversations.

We decided our 5km loop would be a good start to the day and go a little way towards undoing the damage we both intended to inflict on our waistlines at lunchtime!

The run was gorgeous - I donned my reindeer antlers and took Nattie with me and I had a couple of people wish me Merry Christmas and flash their car head lights - very festive.  It sprinkled a light rain which was really pretty and cooling which all made for a fantastic run.

Now, on to the important business of Christmas Lunch and Boxing Day Lunch!

The menu was:

Turkey Roll
Ham
Roast Potatoes with garlic and rosemary
Roast Pumpkin and Sweet Potato coated with seasoned flour
Honeyed carrots
Beans with slivered almonds
Crunchy noodle salad

And for dessert:

Christmas pudding with brandy butter
Custard
Cream
Ice-cream
Cointreu truffles
Fruit
Pavlova Christmas Day
Cheesecake Boxing Day
Many more nibblies

So, all in all - there is a lot of work to be done to work it all off!!!

The start of my long run!

Well, since having a hamstring hiccup I haven't done any long runs.  Today I managed a 1 hour run with a few niggles but nothing too dramatic.  Coincidentally, no niggles on my hamstring!

Craig and I set out from home and ran up to Kenmore Road and then around to Fig Tree Pocket Road and we managed to get almost down to the Pony Club before we hit 30 minutes and turned around.

It was quite a hilly run and probably not one that I will continue as my long run.  I think I will do my run out to St Lucia or even Chelmer/Graceville as there is a mix of flat and hills and water and toilets, etc.

I struggled and felt like I was running really slow (there's a reason for that - I was!).  But at the end of the run I didn't feel as though I had to stop, I could have shuffled along for a bit further, so I am happy to finish on a note like that.

There are a couple of hills that I ran up today that I haven't been able to run up before; I was gasping for air and struggling, but I didn't need to walk, so whilst it is still slow there is some improvement.

Cliff Young is my inspiration.  I often think that if I get into a comfortable pace if I can just go on forever like Cliff I'll be a happy girl.