After the high of the Around the Bridges triumph, I promptly hit a low with a very nasty bug that Sam brought home from school camp. Oh, and then we moved house. Just for something to do. Life does seem to get in my way an awful lot. I lead a deliberately busy life, it's true, and that's the way (uh-huh, uh-huh) I like it (uh-huh, uh-huh) but it can be exhausting riding that rollercoaster on a regular, self-inflicted basis. Needless to say, it has been a matter of 'Training? What training?'
The need to make a consistent effort with running is something that I knew I would struggle with this year. I have a habit of taking on way too much and getting too busy - it's been all too easy to get out of the habit of running at various stages. There is still enough time though. It's over 6 months until the marathon and most training books have 4 month plans - but even so, I can't afford too many more of these periods, when too much else is going on to make space in the schedule for a concerted and regular training effort.
So now it's time once again to take a solemn vow: I hereby and forthwith pledge and confirm before you, dear blog readers (all 35 of you) that from now until November I will NOT TAKE ON ANY OTHER PROJECTS no matter how fascinating or exciting they are. No taking up harpsichord, learning Icelandic or sewing a replica of Notre Dame cathedral, no 'why don't I just restore my gran's antique bureau myself?', no 'wouldn't it be fun to go vegetarian for a month/become a junior rugby referee/do an MBA online', NO grand plans or schemes for anything other than family, work and this marathon project. And you are hereby and forthwith required and directed to to slap me if I do otherwise. (Just not too hard, ok).
Rosie Ruiz was someone who quite famously found a way around a lack of training. She 'won' the 1980 Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 31 minutes and 56 seconds. But not long after it was discovered that she had cheated and used the subway (no-one could remember seeing her on the course until the end and her finishing time was more than 25 minutes ahead of her reported time in the New York marathon six months earlier). It soon turned out that her 1979 New York time, which had given her entry into the coveted Boston Marathon, was also a scam - she had started the race, dropped out after about 16 kms, got on the subway then walked a short distance to the finish line in Central Park. Very naughty. I'm not sure if anyone's ever tried a public transport scam in the Perth Marathon but I suspect not - it would probably take much longer than 2 hours 31 minutes to find a bus on a Sunday in Perth.
Donations now at $3840.00. Almost at the $4000.00 mark!! My goal is $5000.00 by mid-May so if anyone has found some spare cash down the back of the couch, I can direct you to a very good home for it at http://www.everydayhero.com.au/kate_offer (And while you're there, knock off James' message about how I am an inspiration to the elderly, will you?!!)
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
The Triumph of the Nana Shuffle
This past weekend saw my very first public outing as a runner - Sunday's 10km ASICS Around the Bridges Run! And I am on a legally sanctioned high as a result.
First things first - my time. Although I don't have the exact time yet (that will be available on the Marathon Club's website in a few days) it was about 90 minutes. Very happy with that.
Secondly, there was an unanswered question from a few blog posts back - how far could I run without stopping? Given that I was 'Runner, Interrupted' over the last month or so, I hadn't actually tried to answer that particular question and was feeling a little nervous as a result.
As the race began, I made sure to heed the advice of Kevin, a New Walker Facebook Page Likee, not to get caught up in the excitement and to pace myself so I started off with a very slow jog. When 20 minutes came and went (my previous record) I was just about on the Causeway and thought I would just try running over the bridge. At the other end, I was STILL running so then I decided to try for 5km - and did it!! At that point I took a walk-break but at 6km started jogging again (motivated by the fact that my cheer squad were at the 6.5km mark and I wanted to run triumphantly past them) and, with the exception of a fast walk up the Narrows Bridge, kept that up until the very end.
Never having been in an actual race before I did try and just concentrate on my own time and not get caught up in what other people were doing. But there were a few people who were running at about the same pace as me and I couldn't help but declare various unsuspecting runners my competition; I pitted myself against Couple in Red, BackPack Lady and Grandma.
BackPack Lady pulled ahead at the 8km mark and I lost her. My sights were then turned on Grandma and Couple in Red. By the 9km mark, Couple in Red were no longer a threat but Grandma was still a good 100m ahead. And even though I was tiring by that stage, my desire to take her out overwhelmed me and I dug deep - and out NanaShuffle'd Nana.
And so the finish line! What a feeling! I still can't believe I not only ran for 5km without stopping but managed the whole 10km in an hour and a half. I am a long way off a marathon but I have done more already than I ever thought possible. I am making progress!
And speaking of progress, donations to the SEE project are now at $3740.00! Hoorah!! Thank you all. I've promised World Vision $5000.00 by May with the rest of the total $10 000 by October. Even though I know the NY Marathon is still a while away, if anyone has been thinking that they would like to contribute to my fundraising, right now would be a wonderful time. $50.00 can supply 25 cultivated coffee plant seedling to a farmer in Ethiopia, $100.00 can provide two farmers in Senegal with seeds, tools and training to grow climate appropriate food and bigger amounts can do even more good! You can donate and get a receipt for tax purposes online at http://www.everydayhero.com.au/kate_offer
First things first - my time. Although I don't have the exact time yet (that will be available on the Marathon Club's website in a few days) it was about 90 minutes. Very happy with that.
Secondly, there was an unanswered question from a few blog posts back - how far could I run without stopping? Given that I was 'Runner, Interrupted' over the last month or so, I hadn't actually tried to answer that particular question and was feeling a little nervous as a result.
As the race began, I made sure to heed the advice of Kevin, a New Walker Facebook Page Likee, not to get caught up in the excitement and to pace myself so I started off with a very slow jog. When 20 minutes came and went (my previous record) I was just about on the Causeway and thought I would just try running over the bridge. At the other end, I was STILL running so then I decided to try for 5km - and did it!! At that point I took a walk-break but at 6km started jogging again (motivated by the fact that my cheer squad were at the 6.5km mark and I wanted to run triumphantly past them) and, with the exception of a fast walk up the Narrows Bridge, kept that up until the very end.
Never having been in an actual race before I did try and just concentrate on my own time and not get caught up in what other people were doing. But there were a few people who were running at about the same pace as me and I couldn't help but declare various unsuspecting runners my competition; I pitted myself against Couple in Red, BackPack Lady and Grandma.
BackPack Lady pulled ahead at the 8km mark and I lost her. My sights were then turned on Grandma and Couple in Red. By the 9km mark, Couple in Red were no longer a threat but Grandma was still a good 100m ahead. And even though I was tiring by that stage, my desire to take her out overwhelmed me and I dug deep - and out NanaShuffle'd Nana.
And so the finish line! What a feeling! I still can't believe I not only ran for 5km without stopping but managed the whole 10km in an hour and a half. I am a long way off a marathon but I have done more already than I ever thought possible. I am making progress!
And speaking of progress, donations to the SEE project are now at $3740.00! Hoorah!! Thank you all. I've promised World Vision $5000.00 by May with the rest of the total $10 000 by October. Even though I know the NY Marathon is still a while away, if anyone has been thinking that they would like to contribute to my fundraising, right now would be a wonderful time. $50.00 can supply 25 cultivated coffee plant seedling to a farmer in Ethiopia, $100.00 can provide two farmers in Senegal with seeds, tools and training to grow climate appropriate food and bigger amounts can do even more good! You can donate and get a receipt for tax purposes online at http://www.everydayhero.com.au/kate_offer
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