Run 4 the Kids...

My fourth time running in this event and it was a beauty.

The carparking was a little tricky but Running Buddy negotiated me around some bollards and had a nifty back way past the Casino that saw us arrive in the pre destined parking bay in good time.

the MCG at sunrise

early start for us

 The course was altered this year so even though it was my 4th run it was new (and longer). After the tunnel and the bridge we ran through Docklands, behind Southbank back to the Domain.

there's something motivating about running with 30,000 others

We still ran through the Domain Tunnel and then up and over the Bolte Bridge. This was the first year I ran all the way to top of the Bolte. I was determined and very pleased to accomplish this feat. It was an interesting challenging route and I felt good the whole 16k but was pleased when the finish line finally came into sight. It was a good event to increase the distances we need to cover before July.

This event more than any other is about participating, challenging yourself, raising money for the Children's Hospital and involving all sorts of runners. Our conversation at brunch was peppered with highlights of the event and the things we spotted, like the man running in a leopard print dress, a man running with a pusher with AC/DC tunes belting out, a short statured runner who's running style looked like hard work, There were lots of people running who looked like they don't run regularly, lots of costumes as well as some famous finishers such as Craig Mottram and Lisa Weightman.

Our next event is a serious one, a half marathon where there will be no dress ups or frivolity, where the time is the focus.

Old anxieties...

The old anxiety about car parking has reared its ugly head today. Fore warned about road closures for tomorrow's Run 4 the Kids event have reminded me of how I used to feel before a big event. I've got the training down, the gear sorted and the fuelling okay and for the last couple of years I've had the car parking sorted as well. But this year's event clashes with The Grand Prix, the Garden Show and something called the Arnold Classic (!)  & means they have closed roads and access from 5am. I'm reassurred a little by Running Buddy's knowledge of the city and alternatives to my Book a Bay booked spot. Wilson Parking's Book a Bay has been my life and sanity saver knowing a reserved car park, pre paid and reasonably priced, has made events in the city very manageable. We haven't had so many messages back and forth for a long time.


But I will not be able to relax until my little car is parked in the city somewhat near to our event. The race itself will be a blast

What's with the weather?...

Training has been proving difficult with this continuing hot weather we have been having in Victoria. Coupled with the high humidity we have been struggling along in clocking up the kilometres. But we usually don't let it put us off unless it is around 40 degrees. Running in high humidity is a new experience for us and has seen us dripping with sweat and desperate for a drink.
Tennis has also been difficult also. As we were running on Friday night I kept thinking to myself...it's just hot, it's just hot and maybe this is the conditions we will come across on the Gold Coast. And I have had chafing in some new and interesting places. One particular pair of shorts were banished until this morning when I thought I might still be able to wear them over full length compression tights.

Next run coming up next Sunday, the Run 4 Kids in the city.

Another week of running...

and not much else.

But training has been going well. We did 8k on Monday backing up Sunday's River Run and it felt good. Next up was 16km around our own river 3 k track. I was not keen on doing 6 laps of the same track but in the end it was a really good run.

Running Buddy has warned me that my tennis days will be over if I hurt myself while playing and I had a close call when I stumbled backwards after doing a burpee and landed on my bum, I did the absolutely wrong thing by putting my hands out to save myself, an instinct that is hard not to do. The result was only some bruising on my hands and coccyx. If I had broken my arms I could have still run, albeit looking more like a gimp, in plaster. Embarrassment was my biggest injury.

Luckily it didn't stop us running on and enjoying another event today.

We joined the Goding's Kubota team in our orange team T shirts and ran 10km in the Wyndham Rotary Fun Run. We have done this run before and enjoy the challenging course.

kicking back after the run

we are becoming known for our love of orange

34km run this week and as of this week the runs start to get longer

Things are looking up...

A few more runs under the belt and the plan is going well. I've had to run a couple of times on my own this week, which I haven't done for ages and it has gone well. The smiley face icon is appearing next to the logged runs.
Today was also the first  race/event this year and it was a beauty, 10km along the Barwon River in Geelong on the undulating shady course. I was very happy with my time and got a medal at the end. Running Buddy slipped away from me in the crowd and I settled in with a couple of other girls and we paced along nicely. That is the nice thing about this running game, you can make a new friend and have an instant bond as you encourage each other along.

I love this run. I hope I love it when we do the half marathon

Days like today are the payoff for the training runs we do. I am looking forward to the next one in a month, even though it is the Run 4 Kids over my nemesis, the Bolte Bridge.

Hill work to come...

Plans and goals...

all running related of course.

The 3 of us are constantly researching and reading to get as much information as we can about this running caper.
Mel has found a half marathon along the Barwon River that fits in nicely to our schedule and Running Buddy suggested the Great Ocean Road half marathon in May. They cooked up this plan while they were running while I was at tennis. Once I looked at the training program and realised that we were up to running 20-25 kms at that point I was in.

Sometimes the plans we make sound like a great idea but when it comes to the actual running part, my imagination doesn't match my effort. This week did not match my intention. Monday started off well with a good 10k down to the Avenue (the newly installed toilet block is like an insurance policy, now I know it's there I haven't needed it) but on Wednesday after work I struggled to do 5k. It was meant to be a fast 7k but I couldn't keep it up. We threw in some fartlek so it wasn't a total waste.
Then on Saturday for Parkrun I had in my mind that would be my fast day but again couldn't manage it.
Looking forward to today, the morning was cooler and the 14k slow run seemed doable but alas it was not to be for me. The girls ran on to finish an impressive 16k and I could only complete 12.

Running Buddy is concerned about the view from behind, but it looks great

still smiling after 16k

Adding in some formal events into the training plan helps us to keep fresh over the next 20 weeks and hopefully will stop my overactive mind ruling my muscles.

A new Parkrun...

Today we ventured to nearby Werribee to help the group who are about to launch their own  Parkrun.

We ran the 5km course they had mapped out and the volunteers got to try out the equipment.

It was a hot sunny morning and about 120 turned up to join in.

The course through the park and along the river is a bit hillier than ours at Toolern Creek but it was a nice change and we ended up with good times.

we had the briefing first

the Melton crew

After we had done this run we ran along the track again to get some more kms done, we were dripping with sweat by the end.

I think their event will be a success after this trial.

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.