Judith's Marathon Journey

Up early, with the birds, to run with a colleague.  She’s just getting back into running, so was keen for a short, slow jog – we did about 3km together before she headed home and I added a 6km tempo run – probably slightly faster than intended – I struggle to get the pacing right: too scared I’ll run too slowly and miss my target pace!! Then I jogged another km as a warm-down, and walked the last few minutes home to breakfast!

I actually enjoyed being out so early – I don’t do that often – maybe I should. It’s a beautiful morning, with even the ever-present wind at just above breeze-level!

A busy week – so delayed entries in the blog!

Monday, thankfully, was a rest day – and I needed it!

On Tuesday, my gym’s Express Fit classes resumed after a month’s break – wow! So sore afterwards! No run, then, other than a 1k warm-up on the treadmill.

Speedwork on Wednesday – again on the treadmill, repeating the session I did two weeks ago: intervals of 3k, 2x1k, and 2x800m with 5 minutes jog after the 3k, and 2 minutes jog after the other intervals. With a warm-up 10 minutes and a couple of minutes cool-down, the total mileage was 10k – and I completed it a minute faster than last time! Very hard work, and I was delighted to be able to spend the rest of the day soaking up the sun at the Basin!

Today was another Express Fit class – if possible, it was even harder than Tuesday’s! Our trainer tells me she’s upped the effort now – so that we don’t plateau! Hope she’s into rest weeks as well!!!

No avoiding it: the wind howled all night, and my phone app gave no promise of an easing, so by 8am I was out there. The first 8km around the bays headed straight into the northerly, although there was some pleasant respite around Oriental Bay.

I left the waterfront to run up (yes, that’s uphill) past the Botanic Gardens, along Glenmore Street, through the Karori Tunnel and up Raroa Crescent. That’s 4 or 5 km uphill – but the wind was behind me most of the way, and I didn’t feel too bad – but the really steep bits got to me! Down to a crawl!

Then it was downhill pretty much all the way back to Kilbirnie – just Crawford Road hill to negotiate, and I managed that OK. So 19km in 2:19. Good effort.

I slept a good stretch of the afternoon, and I’m definitely sore – will need to ice the left glut (same old trouble spot) tonight. Good job, well done!

Another warm, windy day – not conducive to running…. but I logged an easy 5k, very slowly. I hope the wind drops overnight – another long run in these conditions is not appealing!

Yesterday was probably the hottest of the summer so far, so I settled for a rest day, with some maintenance exercises (heel drops/raises, squats, clams) and stretching.

This morning the settled heat of the last few days was disturbed by strong northerlies (again!) – at least it was cooler. I had to decide between another 10k on the treadmill, or doing my tempo run in the wind… Without speed intervals to break the boredom, I ruled out the treadmill and set off into the northerly. With the first and last kms just warm-up/cool down, I ran the remaining 8km at ‘tempo’ pace (or effort, into the wind) – I was aiming at around 6:20 min/km, but not surprisingly I was a bit slower than that, doing the 8km in 51:44. I put so much effort into the 4k into the wind that I didn’t have much left in the tank for the ‘easier’ return journey! It was a struggle, but I made it! A few niggly bits – left knee and sacroiliac joint – but nothing serious.

Easy run tomorrow!

I’m feeling much better today – so no problems with my scheduled run. I did 10km on the treadmill, including 6 x 1km @ 10km race pace, with about 3 minutes jogging between each rep. I’m happy with that – fortunately someone turned on the air conditioning just after I started – otherwise they might have had to mop me up off the floor!

I woke on Sunday to the sound of howling winds – oh, no! I’ve got a 16k run scheduled, with the last 5k slightly faster than jog pace…. So I went back to sleep, as you do, hoping that the wind would die away during the day.

To distract myself I got engrossed in the one-day cricket match – but still the wind howled, and by 6pm I knew I couldn’t put it off…. it was pretty much as bad as I expected! Still, the middle ks with the wind behind me made it a wee bit more enjoyable! It was warm and thirsty work. I tried to up the pace over the last 5k, but that was a tough ask – first a hill (up to Seatoun tunnel), then in Miramar I hit the wind again. But I think I did around 32 minutes for the last 5k, which is good going.

Next day, yesterday, I was so stiff and sore!

Not feeling all that great today, either, so I decided on another rest day, with just a light workout at the gym. Much better now – and speed work to do tomorrow! Hope I sleep well!

After losing the plot towards the end of last week, I seem to be back in business. It seems a combination of too much Christmas cake and too little adult company over the Christmas New Year period affected my motivation! And then there was the Test at the Basin – very hard to fit in long runs when there’s a Test match to follow!

So on Monday I atoned slightly for missing Sunday’s long run with a combination run – about 4k to the Basin in the morning, followed by about 7k home around the Bays after the close of play.  This wasn’t an easy run – half into a strong breeze, a decent hill climb up Crawford Road, and a backpack to carry.

Tuesday – rest day.

Wednesday – speed work on the treadmill. I ran 10k with bursts of 3k, 2 x 1k and 2 x 800m at 10k race pace. Pretty good effort – but very hot work!

On Thursday I was back at work – so ran home via Newtown – just over 6k into a southerly with backpack – about 45 minutes. I intended to go to the gym then, but it was just about to close – summer hours!!

Today I ran 6k in 38:44, including 25 minutes ‘tempo’ run. This was probably a wee bit faster than it should have been, and I was pretty knackered at the end! I didn’t feel well last night, and didn’t eat a meal; then this morning’s run was pre-breakfast – so two runs without a meal – not a good idea.

Rest day tomorrow! May try to fit in a gym session….

Lovely run today, 45 minutes – about 7km. Went down to Lyall Bay, through the airport from the southern entrance, up Broadway, into Ira Street to Miramar – finishing at Palmer’s Garden Centre! Of course, then I bought some plants, and had a leisurely walk home…

Back to the gym today for a much easier session!

I went through a Swiss Ball routine today, working on my core. I added some upper body work with some push-ups and overhead presses.  Nowhere near as exhausting as yesterday on the treadmill, but still a good workout.

The gym is closed until next week, so I’ve got three outdoor runs, and an outdoor resistance training session to look forward to for the rest of the week.