Sagging hips and more training...

I've clocked up100 kms during January in our start towards our marathon goal, most of them nice and slow. We're sticking (mostly) to the plan.

I've felt pretty good.

We ventured down to the local Little Aths track and took our shoes off and sprinted on the lush green grass. It was so inviting we couldn't resist and barefoot running is meant to be good for you. I must have used muscles that haven't had much of workout as my bum was a bit sore the next day.

But I've noticed something that I need to correct before too many more kms are run.

 Now I know we are never happy with photos of taken whilst running and are hyper critical but these ones taken at Parkrun each week show me with a definite dip of the hips.

Chris has said rather unkindly that I run like a gimp

more like a duck waddling back and forth

Running Buddy says its worse when I'm fatigued

I'm conscious of my form when I am running but it's not something I can feel as I'm doing it and have been googling to find a solution,

This looks exactly like what I am doing and the kind folk at Runners connect tell me I need to strengthen the muscles in the hip until my old patterns are over ridden by new ones.

Looks like side lifts and clams are in my future.

Not all the pics are that bad, taken a split second later my form seems OK

 Running buddy has lovely form, no side waggles for her.

A more efficient running form means less chance of an injury and more sustainability

Planning, running and a new Buddy...

Now we are not just thinking about doing the marathon but actually booked in for the Gold Coast Marathon we have to do the training to reach our goal. And as Running Buddy says if you are doing a marathon you have to live and breathe it and talk about incessantly. I'm sure other people are not interested but we will talk about it to whoever will listen and luckily we spend a lot of time together and never tire of it, yet.

We've enlisted a fourth to our small training group. Running girl No:4 started running with us in the early days and did that first half marathon with us in 2013. She had other commitments that prevented her from running with us but has a wealth of knowledge being a personal trainer/crossfitter/weight lifter/gymnastics teacher. She has a great steady slow pace which we need in these early days and is able to talk throughout her runs giving us tips and ideas.

So far so good, our plan is to slowly build the distance and the pace just running 7-9 k at a 7 minute pace. We have some races to spice things up that fit nicely into the plan and the weather has been kind. Parkrun is still our time to push for a faster time but no PBs this year yet.

managed to blast past this guy in the last 50 metres

picked up some new compression shorts at Aldi for just $13

The running...

Looking back on Garmin Connect I logged up 561km last year. About 200 short of the year before and it shows. My weight has crept up and my times are slower.

But we did some fantastic races during that time... Wyndham Fun Run, City Trail, Werribee Mansion for the 1st time, and the inaugural Wings for Life night run. There was a 3rd go at Run 4 Kids and the beginning of our Parkrun journey. We joined the Melton City Runners group and tried to kickstart our running with a Spring into Shape series and I ran Ballarat for a challenge.
No doubt the highlight of the year was travelling up to Sydney and running the City to Surf. Such a bloody good weekend and a tough run.

It was the memory of that trip that got us together to find another destination goal and we have come up with this one

Yep a full marathon, in July!

So now the planning and talking and running begins.

Christmas time...

Christmas 2015 was a lovely affair.

Presents for big people thought out with care for each. So much so I ran out of ideas. But everyone was happy in the end.

my blue/silver theme tree

Callum...always happy to have his photo taken

brewing the punch

 I did have some time to relax and enjoy among the hosting of this years lunch.

 After our lunch we played an eye opening game of Cards for Humanity. The adults learned a thing or two and the young adults liked the shock value.

 The usual shenanigans ensued when it was time for group shots. You wouldn't think it would be hard to wrangle 13 people into some photos but we managed with much laughter.

one of these 2 is a natural redhead

 The selfie stick was a handy addition this year

I hope your Christmas was as well celebrated as ours

A new era...

Now that Erin has finished school I find myself in a new and unsettling position, one that I am quickly adjusting to,
After 22 years of figuring school times and events into my lifestyle our focus has shifted. No more school fees is also a lovely reprieve. It has taken some time to change my thinking and even the mood in the house has altered.
Instead of our annual trip to Port Fairy we headed to Echuca for a getaway. While it was nice it wasn't the same. I missed the beach and our regular beach walking, rock scrambling, swimming and relaxed week. As the day approached that we would normally have departed I found myself irritable and in mourning for the trip. I had let the site go last year, not renewing our booking. Chris finally took me away and Echuca/Moama was able to be booked at short notice and not too far away.

the little unit, nice air con but a bit like staying at Nana's

we ventured over the border into NSW

We had a nice time but it showed to us both, and me in particular, that we are beach people and not river people. Plus it was really hot and busy. I was determined to have a run recorded on my Garmin so I headed out from our cabin, while Chris did the dishes from breakfast, and managed a paltry 3k before it became too much (even at 10am). I then jumped in the pool among a lot of children and cooled off.

pit stop at Elmore

we were amazed at the size and number of houseboats and mused over whether we would ever have a holiday in one

'Riverview' is a misnomer, there was no river view and to Chris' enormous frustration no internet access 

We did the touristy thing and visited the Holden museum.

When we pulled into the driveway at home Chris turned to me and said he would rather go to Port Fairy than back to Echuca! It was nice but it wasn't the beach.

I have to remember the things I don't like about camping at Port Fairy like being too hot without air con or too cold huddled in a blanket waiting for fireworks or watching the tent blow sideways worrying if it would stand up in the wind or the tent leaking in the rain. Ideally booking a  house close to the beach will solve those issues.

But we headed back to work feeling like we had had a holiday and as much as we have no school children to plan around Chris' holidays will still be dictated by term breaks where there are drivers available to fill the routes.

 And my next planned break needs to be in the mid year school holidays...more about that later.

Run, run,run...

The weekend had some running in it of course, not the City 2 Sea or Run from hills formal kind of running but very satisfying running.

Early on Saturday morning was Parkrun and the encouragement of pacers

My plan  was to stay ahead of this tall girl with the 30 min bib

I was able to stay ahead of Carly and run a PB. I wanted to have a number with a 29 in front of it and Carly's voice was behind me saying 'don't let me catch you Jo-Anne' and I managed to stay ahead and laughed out loud when I saw the times...28:59!! Just have to keep that up now.

I wanted to keep up with this guy but had no hope

Parkrun is such a good event. It is run by a great bunch of volunteers. It's timed. It's free. There is loads of encouragement for all, whether young or old, new runner or not, running with a dog or pushing a pram or even if you can't run a step but want to work towards that goal. And being a global organisation means you can run in other states or even overseas.

As you can tell, I am a big fan.

By attending Parkrun and talking to other runners I was able to join a local running group. This group organises informal runs and meets up at various places by putting out a call on facebook. I answered such a call and ran with a small group in the Gorge this morning.

This run was billed as an 'easy 5k trail run'. Trail running is not my first choice but thought I would give it another try as it was good chance to try with a welcoming group.
We set out at 9 on a perfect morning, I've walked this track many times but running it required a lot of concentration. The pace was good and though I felt as though I was holding the group back they never let on, even stopping at times to look at a wombat or goat. Luckily no snakes this morning.

great spotting Tom

I was too busy looking at my feet to admire any scenery

cooling off post run

Trail running is a bit like hill running for me...I have to convince myself I like it. I know it is good for me and I just have to embrace it. Although the run was hard I enjoyed the challenge and getting to run with these nice people.