Well it's week 16 and I am tapering (easing off on my training so that my body is 'fresh') before my Half Marathon this weekend. The trouble with tapering when you are used to exercising most days is that you really WANT to be training, you feel guilty for not training and towards the end of the week you're almost popping out of your skin (which is the whole idea I guess :-) ) !
Last night I went for my last run before Sunday's Half. I was hoping to get out for 5km after work, but I got away late and my husband had already left for his run which we had planned to do together. Instead of deciding not to run, I ran the planned route in reverse and met up with him and then did the rest of the run together. In the morning rush I'd forgotten my GPS watch so had to revert to using Map My Run on my iPhone to record my kms. This is perfectly fine but it doesn't connect with my HRM and makes it harder to keep an eye on my pace etc. So in fleeting moment of spontaneity (those who know me well, know that this doesn't come easy :-) ) I decided that I would just RUN! I wouldn't monitor my pace and I couldn't monitor my heart rate anyway, so I would just run for however long and far as Byron had left of his run when I met up with him.
The result was awesome! I ended up running about 1 minute faster per kilometre than I have been averaging on my long weekend runs - and it felt GREAT. I was working hard but it felt comfortable and pain free - I was stoked!!
I was so excited, as I had started to wonder whether I would ever be able to improve on my speed, and shared my news with my personal trainer, Angus, who by now is used to random text messages about such things (and other things far less exciting ;-) ). He was of course was very supportive and happy for me, but did request that I don't do anything silly between now and Sunday. I reassured him that my plan for the half was to finish it and that improving my times was a longer term goal. He then said to me 'Don't forget how many minutes you used to run for. Remember that 8 minute run!'. I had to stop and think for a bit ..... but then I REMEMBERED!
Back in 2011 when I was freaking out about turning forty I decided that I needed to learn how to run. I had been running on the treadmill for a few months following the '5k runner' app, as well as advice from Angus, when I decided I wanted to try running outside. I was pretty nervous about giving it a go, worried that I wouldn't be able to do it or would do it wrong, or simply collapse because I was so unfit, so I asked Angus whether he would come for a short run with me to make sure I would be ok. Thankfully he agreed and one day before we started my PT session we set out for a run.
OMG! I thought I was going to die! My lungs were burning, everything else hurt and it felt like we ran for ever. I was so self conscious and was worried that every passing car and pedestrian could see the panic and fear in my eyes as I gasped and huffed and puffed with my heart pounding in my chest. In reality we can't have run more than a kilometre and we were gone all of 8 minutes!!!! I really didn't think I was going to be able to make it back to studios. It was the longest and furthest I had run outside without stopping and I was excited (once I'd recovered) ! I could RUN!
Now, less than two years later I am running my second half marathon in 2 days time, having also completed a 5km, 5 x 10km events, a mini triathlon and a 83km ride through the Strathbogie ranges, not to mention the 1000km of training and bi-weekly PT sessions I have completed this year alone.
So this weekend I plan to go out and enjoy myself, soak in the atmosphere of The Age - Run Melbourne - Half Marathon, listen to my body and just RUN!
Jo x
PS if you want to read more about my year of freaking out because I was turning 40 - click here.
Last night I went for my last run before Sunday's Half. I was hoping to get out for 5km after work, but I got away late and my husband had already left for his run which we had planned to do together. Instead of deciding not to run, I ran the planned route in reverse and met up with him and then did the rest of the run together. In the morning rush I'd forgotten my GPS watch so had to revert to using Map My Run on my iPhone to record my kms. This is perfectly fine but it doesn't connect with my HRM and makes it harder to keep an eye on my pace etc. So in fleeting moment of spontaneity (those who know me well, know that this doesn't come easy :-) ) I decided that I would just RUN! I wouldn't monitor my pace and I couldn't monitor my heart rate anyway, so I would just run for however long and far as Byron had left of his run when I met up with him.
The result was awesome! I ended up running about 1 minute faster per kilometre than I have been averaging on my long weekend runs - and it felt GREAT. I was working hard but it felt comfortable and pain free - I was stoked!!
I was so excited, as I had started to wonder whether I would ever be able to improve on my speed, and shared my news with my personal trainer, Angus, who by now is used to random text messages about such things (and other things far less exciting ;-) ). He was of course was very supportive and happy for me, but did request that I don't do anything silly between now and Sunday. I reassured him that my plan for the half was to finish it and that improving my times was a longer term goal. He then said to me 'Don't forget how many minutes you used to run for. Remember that 8 minute run!'. I had to stop and think for a bit ..... but then I REMEMBERED!
Back in 2011 when I was freaking out about turning forty I decided that I needed to learn how to run. I had been running on the treadmill for a few months following the '5k runner' app, as well as advice from Angus, when I decided I wanted to try running outside. I was pretty nervous about giving it a go, worried that I wouldn't be able to do it or would do it wrong, or simply collapse because I was so unfit, so I asked Angus whether he would come for a short run with me to make sure I would be ok. Thankfully he agreed and one day before we started my PT session we set out for a run.
OMG! I thought I was going to die! My lungs were burning, everything else hurt and it felt like we ran for ever. I was so self conscious and was worried that every passing car and pedestrian could see the panic and fear in my eyes as I gasped and huffed and puffed with my heart pounding in my chest. In reality we can't have run more than a kilometre and we were gone all of 8 minutes!!!! I really didn't think I was going to be able to make it back to studios. It was the longest and furthest I had run outside without stopping and I was excited (once I'd recovered) ! I could RUN!
Now, less than two years later I am running my second half marathon in 2 days time, having also completed a 5km, 5 x 10km events, a mini triathlon and a 83km ride through the Strathbogie ranges, not to mention the 1000km of training and bi-weekly PT sessions I have completed this year alone.
So this weekend I plan to go out and enjoy myself, soak in the atmosphere of The Age - Run Melbourne - Half Marathon, listen to my body and just RUN!
Jo x
PS if you want to read more about my year of freaking out because I was turning 40 - click here.