Hills are my friends... apparently!

Friday morning cycle group with Gail and the gang... is hills day.. When I first joined up with this group I found myself hating the ride before I started because I knew it was all hills.. and thus not enjoying the ride at all. I had to have a talk with myself.. It went something like this....  "
ME - "Self...You need to stop being so negative!
Self - "I hear you but the hills and headwinds hurt!"
ME - "They are good for you, you are going to do them anyway... so we need to just do it...cause then its done and we can move onto other things!"
Self - "Righto... lets get out there and ride them there hills....xxxx"

I have learnt two things... 1. Self is very agreeable!   2. I can do anything I put my mind too.
The hills are getting easier every time I do them.. I used to have a rest day before hitting them and this week, I did a 10km run yesterday and backed it up with a 30km hills ride (ave speed 30lm p/hr) today.. and tomorrow is my 70km Saturday Group ride which is just the best fun.

Little tired now so am resting until tomorrow... possibly taking on some more vitimins today..

The hills are your friends! Apparently! xoxoxoxoxox

Oh the Blisters...

Right so my 10km run before work last week was not a fluke.. I have again run 10km before work today. However it did take me 1.5hours and I am putting that down to the fact that I ran around our neighbour this morning and it is not lovely and flat like the inlet. Some rather large hills.. and for the record we don't like them.

I still enjoyed the time. I think I may even be in danger of starting to enjoy running.. Heaven help me. I do have some serious blisters on my feet from my shoes... Not sure why... I haven't ever got them before.. perhaps it was the socks.. I have a good size blister on my butt from my running shorts.. thats never happened before either.. So I hurt when I walk from the blisters on my feet.. I hurt when I sit down from the blister on my butt... I can only see one way out of this mess... I clearly have to lie down for a little nap..

I was running...

I have discovered that many things can be classed as strength training.. Gardening all day in 97% humitiy 38 degrees definately strength training.  Moving heavy furniture all by oneself definately strength training. Cleaning windows (inside & out) with a new fancy schmancy window cloth, cleaning the flyscreens and trying to match the clean screens with the clean windows... definately strength training... Tuckshop lady arms should soon be a thing of the past if I keep this up.

I had a fight with Coach Crealy in my head this morning.. She wanted me to get up and go for a run... I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep... Coach Crealy won !... I got up and went for a short, quick 6km run.. Managed a PB too and did it in 40mins... God I hate it when she is right.. Once you do it.. its done and in the bank!   Once apon a time 6km would have been a long walk... now its a short run... Makes me smile.

Home in time in time to wake up the girls, get ready and then we sat outside together and had a lesuirely breaky chatting excitedly about the first day back at school. Courts very excited to see all her friends again.. Gem so not ready to be a grown up year 7..

14 weeks until Busson Half Ironman.. yyyeeeeeccccccckkkkk!

Australia Day Fun Run... in the early morning sun.

Oh how I love that all my little ducks have come back over the hill. The girls are back from holidays with their Dad. Gem looking like she has not slept the entire time she was away and last night slept a solid 14 hours... One tired little duck that is for sure. Courts if it is possible has grown again and is now very definately taller than me... eeeeckkkk. I discussed the Fun Run with the girls, Gem bless her NOT keen... doesn't particularly enjoy running.. Courts yep count her in (even though has done next to nothing for the last 8 weeks).. So an early morning for me and Courts.. Banana on toast for breaky and down to the Inlet for a 7.30am start.

The sun shining, friendly faces smiling everywhere. Close to 800 people I would guess, line up for the start. A nice slow pace up the hills, the serious runners had taken off at a ridiculous pace and the rest of us seem to potter along which suited Courts and I.. Picture if you will... Me yapping , Courts huffing and puffing and the odd grunt. I had the run of the week I think... no pressure, just running with my kid in the early morning sun. Watching the birdlife on the inlet, canoes, and yakking my kids ear off.. Doesn't get any better than that.

Love ya loads Courts... still think I beat you though..We have to wait for the results to be printed in the newspaper after our sprint to the finish giggling... I had so much fun with you!

Rain Rain go away..

Rain, Rain go away ... I wanted to go for a long ride today!

I'm one of 'those' people!

This morning I had a goal of running 10km before work. I have never been one of 'those' people before. 10km seems like an exceptionally large number for me.. After hitting the snooze button twice and hearing Coach Crealy talking very loudly in my head about consistancy I got myself up and dressed, shoving a museli bar into my mouth as I head to the car.

I had planned a run at the inlet (same place we did the Women's Fun Run). The inlet is a 5km loop so I didn't need to worry about measuring my distance... I could just run. The sun was shining on the water, birdlife swimming.. rowers getting out on the water, loads of people walking, riding and running ... just like me.. I had forgotten my watch so decided to just run... enjoy the time to myself. I thought about Sarah and her friends in Brissy who are having trouble finding places to run.. I couldn't believe just how beautiful it was. I completed my two laps... yes that is 10kms in 1hr and 4mins... going by the car clock.. WWWWOOOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOOO! Now I am one of 'those' people.

With my house being very empty and quiet over the last two weeks... I have had plenty of time to train and think. Much time has been spent cleaning out cupboards, moving furniture... can you believe it the children actually have carpet in their bedrooms.. Aaron comes home tomorrow and I feel for him because I have moved everything around that he will be lucky if he can find anything. heheheheehe!

Training has been going full steam ahead... twice daily with Amanda (shall be known furthermore as Superwoman) Just to give you an idea here is a summary of the last week;
Monday:         Rest Day
Tuesday AM: 30km bike ride with Gail @ 30km per hour. Love this group ride
Tuesday PM: 5km Run with Amanda along the beach front.
Wed AM:       36km bike ride with Amanda @ 30km per hour
Wed PM:        1km Swim Squad - with some girls from Womens Tri (some lovely muscles swimming in the next lane....)
Thursday:       3km run with Runners Club.
Friday:            30km Hills Ride with Gail and Tuesday Girls ... If I say so myself I smashed the hills..
Saturday:        70km Natural Tempations Group ride @ 25km per hour... Went pretty easy on this ride... stayed at the back of the pack and took things easy and thoroughly enjoyed the morning.
Sunday:           Short Course Tri 250/10/2  - The Tri was called off due to an accident during the bike leg.. I had done 7.6kms and then we all went for a run together to finish off the day.
Monday:          Rest Day
Tuesday AM:  30km bike ride with Gail @ 30kms per hour... Love, love, love
Tuesday PM:   9km Run with Amanda along the beach front.

Really watching what I am eating at the moment to make sure I am getting the most out of my training.. so much to learn. I have also thought alot about the long course Tri I did a few weeks ago...I feel like my confidence has been shaken some what from that experience so I am now working with some great people here to try and get that back.