What did Winston Churchill say again?:

So I emailed my client and friend JN, and said I didn't think I'd be ready for Bussleton given that I've missed three weeks with the man-cold-virus or whatever the heck it was. And his response?

6 weeks is plenty - you'll be right.

I've never done a half marathon in such a short prep. I just don't feel ready. And I suppose that's where it starts and finishes huh ... how I feel ...in a word...SCARED!

So I guess it's a chance to prove myself wrong AND right. I trained today in the gym - an hour or weights and 20 mins cardio...felt really really good.

So in the words of a famous old guy who knew lots about battle....never ever ever ever give up.

Hopefully, back to running tomorrow.

Oh and massive congrats to my good friend and blogfollower AA who has shed 3kgs since starting her running career! Go girl, that's the business!

See ya

GT

12 months of Christmas Attitude

Two sleep till Christmas. Don't know where the year has gone. Right now, I'm getting ready to host the final night of the City of Perth Nativity gig. I love seeing all the kids so excited. And THOUSANDS of people turn up. It's a great event, show-stealing chickens aside...but I digress.

Today was my first day back in the office after this man-cold, man-virus whatever it was. Slow to recover believe me. Anyway, enough of the violins. This really is the one time of the year when we can really be unashamedly sentimental.

Yes! We live in an amazing country. Yes! I am blessed. Yes! There is much to be thankful for. But here's something... I am gonna try my hardest to keep this attitude up all year. Just putting it out there.

Why not keep things in perspective 24/7? Why not remember the good things and let the little things slide all year round? I'm not going to call it a New Year's resolution because that will guarantee failure. But I am going to call this a priority and give it a red hot go.

Anyway, next time we talk, it will be after Christmas and I'll be able to let you know. Who knows, by then, I may have actually done some running...

Merry Christmas

GT

Try GT NOT running

My good friend Keiran thought at having a man-cold was code for being pregnant. It's not, and I'm not. Man-cold turned into a "mystery virus" and I've been in bed re-reading the Twilight series for almost a week.  Oh the SHAME

But as someone point out, better to be sick as a dog during adaptation rather than during taper or worse, right in the guts of a mad month.  Meh..

Forget the teaspoon of concrete. I need a cuddle...

Sick as bro..

So here I sit on a Saturday night, on the couch, tissues at the ready. I SHOULD be at Bob Fergie's 60th in Kendenup but well...I'm not. So my first two weeks of preparation have been shocking. I'll be lucky to have knocked off 50% of my training load ...probably it's closer to 30%.   This cold is hanging around like blowflies around the BBQ on Christmas day. 

Big picture, this is not that big of a deal. I was thinking this morning that I may have to ditch doing Bussleton and just head for the hills instead but no...I'm going to use this set back as an experiment. I'm just going to keep on going and see what this amazing body that God created can do.  I mentioned in my first post that a couple of close mates are fighting for their lives right now. It's amazing what a healthy dose of perspective does for us.  So I'll rest and I'll get back into it as soon as I can. Because I can. 

Pass the tissues? 

Damn you, man-cold.

I've done two sessions this week. Just two. The rest of the week i've been running around (i wish!) with a head full of gunk and a massive man-cold. Though as someone pointed out to me, if it were a REAL man-cold, I'd have stayed home and complained to Langer about it. Instead, I went to work and tweeted about it.

What a drag! And what a rotten start to my prep. I've been resting up in the hope that I can knock of a slow, easy hour tomorrow. Fingers crossed....

Good news tho, Phat Phil is back and I'll be back in the ring with him come 7am on Tuesday. I really can't wait for that. LOVE punching the crap out of him. In a non-violent way of course...

Ahhhh...

So this weekend we have a chrissy breakfast, a christmas lunch (same day) and a 60th (same night) oh but wait, the 60th is in ALBANY! Yes. We will drive for four hours and still be in the same state, let alone the same country.

Sigh..

I guess this rotten start will make a great race all the more sweet..?

That's the plan...

Happy Friday!

Man Cold

Anyone got a teaspoon of concrete?

What doesn't kill you can still annoy you

Been a couple of days since I checked in, so busy this time of year. They say Christmas is the time when people focus on what really matters. I'd like to think so. I also think it's the time when I take a deep breath and prepare myself mentally and physically for the onslaught that is a Tognini family Christmas. But more on that another time..

Did 40 mins this morning into a howling easterly. Those danged easterly winds! The one thing I hate about a Perth summer ... they scream all night and blast the morning away. But the funny thing about it is, when I finished my run this morning, as much as it DID hurt, it really fired me up. I can't wait for Busso and I almost (almost) can't wait for Darlington.

So what's the plan for Christmas? Working right up until the 24th - we are so busy ! Going to try to catch as many friend as we can before the 25th, then a quiet couple of weeks before my fully sick cousins Alessandro and Elena arrive from Italy. God love 'em, they're so cool, I can't wait to spend time with them. 

Oh and running. Lots of it. Phil, my boxing coach has just come back from a trip east with the boxers from Bradricks who CLEANED up at the national titles. So I'll be in the ring, on the bike, putting the ks into my legs and doing everything I can to be ready for Feb. 

Failing Forward

Okay. So here's an opportunity to "fail forward". My first week of training could only be described as a disaster. I've completed 50% of my training load only.  Sigh...Such a busy busy week. 

Can't wait for Monday. Turn this into a positive.

Thinking of GP this week. He's my motivation. 

Hey, while I think about it, follow @joshcoxrun - brilliant!

Ha!

An easy 30 mins this morning. Or should I say "easier"...

My heart rate is starting to come down from outer space, always a good sign. And I'm not cursing the day I was born with every stride either. Give me another 10 days or so and I'll be right back where I need to be.

My dad, Bruno, always told me that nothing worth having comes easily. I'm always amazed at how easy it is to lose running fitness, especially after how long it takes to build it up.

Bruno also said the hardest thing about running is putting your shoes on in the morning. He's not bad for and old bloke! Mind you, he has his moments. The other day he phoned me all in a tizz, demanding to know if the Australian media had noticed that Kevin Rudd is more about spin than substance....I told him it was a massive conspiracy.

Another run tomorrow morning then a day off!

Failing Forward

Jess is our intern. She has lent me a book called Failing Forward by John Maxwell. It is about how people respond when things go a bit pear shaped in their lives. Can't wait to read it for a whole bunch of reasons but primarily because like most people, I find this a very a challenging landscape when it does evolve.

Didn't get a chance to test out Budgie's theory about running in the afternoon. Hmm....not even one week down and I've missed a run. Deep breath GT, deep breath. 

Score; Thursday 1, GT 0.

I woke to a massive tune wedgie, courtesy the Bangles.  Yes, the Bangles. Manic Monday to be exact. Having Susanna Hofff's nasal wailing rocketing around your head is not a good way to start the day. AND I slept through my alarm, even though I went to bed before 10. Go figure.

Budgie, my coach has a theory that women in particular run better in the afternoons. I guess today I'll have a chance to test out that theory. 

My body responds equally as quickly to chocolate as it does to weights

Exchange in the kitchen this morning after I get home from the gym

Langer to GT "How much chocolate have you eaten?"

GT (all defensive and such) "I've eaten NONE since I had that family sized block on the weekend."

Truth is folks, my body responds equally as quickly to chocolate as it does to weight training, and there's the cryin' shame right there. 

Tattoos at my gym

I have ended up at this large commercial gym in our area. It's full FULL of tattooed beefcake (male and female varieties). You're SO not in da club unless you got ink baybeh...

So I do weights three times a week and generally, I tumble out of bed, find whatever training gear is clean, and do my thing.  I'd say at my gym, I'm in the minority.  There's an awful lot of gym fashion going down between the bicep curls and the single let squats.  What always amazes me 1. how folks can look that dressed up at 6am and 2. why would you (this one's for the ladies) put on a full face of makeup just to sweat it off? 

But I digress...

Great weights session this morning. I've always loved doing weights. Makes me feel strong and I always notice that my body responds really quickly. Can't wait for the first two weeks of training to be over, because hopefully, by then I will have started to feel human again.

Oh and breakfast this morning? Steamed broccoli, Chinese Greens and poached chicken. 

You WISH you were me! 

Oh Dear.

Saw myself under fluorescent lights today. 

THAT is one of the reasons why I run. 

Fully Pumped? Naaahh...half asleep!

 

I wish I could say I was fully pumped as I drove to my weights session. But I wasn't. I was half asleep.  I told Ryan (Suckling, my weights coach) that not only was I going to do Bussleton, I was going to do Darlington five week after that. His reaction? 

“Darlington?? Ooohhhh nasty.”
Err. As IF i need a reminder.

You see folks, that’s where it all began.  The scene of my almost-demise. I did my first half Marathon on April 13th 2008. The Darlington Half. The toughest run in WA according to Budgie (Andrew Budge) my running coach.

Why?  Well, to be honest, I was tricked...kind of.  Let me explain.

The week AFTER the race we met for coffee and cake (damn straight I ate cake) and I told him about my 22k of agony. How I made ALL the mistakes..not enough fuel or water. Went out too fast. Heart rate too high too early. 

I told him how I’d seriously considered getting a cab at the midway point.

I admitted cursing his name as I groveled through the first 8k of incline. You see, when the Budge had suggested Darlington, I didn't really have a concept of HOW hilly it was. I grew up on the coast where it is super flat.  He'd told me it was really nothing more than gentle inclines.  Errr...that's ONE way of describing Darlington.

And when I asked him why he chose this race, he said his answer was simple.

“You'll never do another half as tough as that one. Everyone will be easy compared to this.” 

I finished 3^rd last I think, either that or second last. At the final drink station with 3k to go, I was begging the people for sugar. Anything. I couldn't speak properly and was beginning to hyperventilate. They wanted to retire me and told them to sod off, because I had come too far to quit. AND that the Budge would be so disappointed in me if I bailed out then...

So I walked/did the Cliff Young shuffle for the last, revolting, torturous three kms.  And there I spotted him. My darling husband. Standing  at the finish line, with a CAMERA.

I confess to swearing at him and threatening divorce if he didn't put it away. 

Then I crossed the finish line and burst into tears.

“Have you got any food ??” I sobbed.

And that  folks, is why I am going back to Darlington.  That is a record which is begging for correction. 

6pm 

Just finished dinner of tuna, avocado and cucumber salad. It’s gonna be a loooong nine weeks.

What was I thinking ??

What was i thinking ?  

I am a runner.  I. Am. A. Runner.

It’s taken me a while not to feel like a massive fraud for saying that.  I guess I am though, albeit a bit of a jenny-come-lately.  In the past three years I’ve knocked off  two half marathons and a bunch of other short distance runs. So I guess that counts, right?

I’m not that quick and I reckon I look funny.   In my mind, I reckon I’m one of those people that, when someone sees them running, they say... “oh that poor girl...”  Madame la Mayor of Struggle Town.

I definitely don’t have a typical runner’s body either.  Oh man, no way.  Let’s just say I keep the good people at Berlei in business.  I feel lumbering, and I’m not that graceful BUT (and there’s always a but) running was my Everest.  The one thing I never thought I’d be able to conquer. So here I am again. How quickly I forgot?

I’m gonna do the Bussleton Half Marathon, followed by the Darlington Half Marathon. They’re about a month apart and Busso is nine weeks away.  To a good runner, it’s not that big of a deal but to me, well let’s just say it’s a big big big deal.  And you might be wondering why I am so bonkers.  I guess I’m stubborn. Wait, no, I AM stubborn.  I like to set goals and work to them.  And finally, so much has happened this year to remind my how short and precious life is, so why life a safe one?

A close mate of my husbands and mine is, as I type, in a fight for his life against a rotten and destructive cancer (is there ANY other kind?)  My close friend’s sister, a 39 year old mother of two little girls is in the middle of chemo that will either take her life or save it. 

So, I have kind of decided that it’s time to live a bigger, fuller life.  Because I can, and I am thankful that I can. 

You may be wondering what that has to do with running 22 ks in a row ...twice. In a month.  Well, cause it means I have to treat my body better. I have to be disciplined and I have to stick at it. All reasonably frightening prospects for someone like me. But more on that another day.