Longest Run - Done!

Last weekend I ran the longest run in my half marathon training - 18 kilometres.  It was actually 17.75, but I backtracked and ran around a little bit more just to get this number on my watch!

Longest run EVER!

I decided to do a bit of a dress rehearsal for the race.  I wore exactly what I plan to wear on the day and all went well.  I did buy a new pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 16's and decided to break them in on my longest run ever, which may have been unwise but two weeks out from the big day they urgently needed breaking in.  They were fine, no blisters or anything, I love my Wave Riders.

My Thorlo Experia socks were a bit sweaty though.  They are great for winter running but I might keep looking for the perfect summer-humid-climate running sock.  Who ever knew socks could be so important!  Even though I don't plan on wearing it on the day, I also trialed my newest most exciting running acquisition - a hydration pack (more on that later).

Another part of my dress rehearsal was to run the first half of the course.  This involved catching the ferry over to the race start at Devonport:

See you in a couple of hours Auckland City!

I had planned to get up early to emulate race day, but after mucking around a bit and then just missing a ferry and waiting around for half an hour for the next one, I finally set off running around 9am.  Oh well, I'll make sure I get there early on race day!

We drove this part of the course the weekend prior, and I was a little nervous about the hills.  They must look bigger from a car, or maybe I had built them up into something they weren't, because they were easier to run than I expected and I felt a lot happier in my mind having conquered them.

My favourite spot was Narrow Neck Beach, where some kids were getting ready to go out sailing at one end:

and a man was walking his dog at the other, except I missed the dog from the shot...

The course winds it's way to Takapuna then through the back streets to the 9km mark where it turns onto the motorway - this is where I turned around and ran back the way I came:

I took three gels around 5km, 9km and 14km.  Not sure if I'll take that many on the day, but my stomach handled them fine so I know that I can if I need to.  Vanilla Bean was a bit sweet - nothing surpasses my faves Espresso Love and Peanut Butter!

This is only my fourth or so run over 13-14km, and one thing I notice is how in the zone you get with the repetition of running, especially on roads where your pace is more consistent.  My knees felt a bit tired for the last couple of kilometres, but I kept plodding along, knowing that if I stopped I might not get started again!

It is a big confidence builder running 18km, because now I know for sure I can run a mere 3km further and make it 21km.  Race day - bring it!

Half Marathon Nerves

My first half marathon is in 2 weeks time.  I'm starting to get nervous.  Here is a small sample of what has been crossing my mind the last week:

Can I even run that far?  My longest run so far is 16km and tomorrow I am scheduled to run 18km, so I'll see how that goes...

Will my verging-on-dodgy leg behave for that distance? I still get niggles in my IT band/vastus lateralis and foam roll regularly, but it is not getting worse. Yet.

How far apart are the water stops?  Just checked the website and they are at 4, 8, 11, 16 and 19km, and include water and Powerade.

What am I going to fuel with during the run? GU gels? (faves are Espresso Love and Peanut Butter)  Dried apricots/dates?  My stomach handles Powerade, but my head tells me that bright blue stuff is just wrong.

How often and when?  I took 2 gels last weekend, and will try 3 tomorrow merely to see if I can stomach it, no idea how many to take on the day.  What do you do?

Will those North Shore hills at the beginning tire me out?  We were over in Devonport last weekend so I made hubby drive the first part of the course - there are a few hills that made me feel not so great.  I worry.

Will I cope climbing the Auckland Harbour Bridge towards the end?  I am mentally prepared for this (...it's only 33m...) but I think I'm going to be tired by then and 33 might feel like 333.

Will I be able to run all the way or will I have to stop and walk?  Depends on those hills, and my long run tomorrow - if I can run 18km, I can do 21.1km

Should I walk through the water stops? If they are uphill, probably yes!

What should I have for breakfast, and when?  Wholegrain oats and blueberries?  With the race starting at 7am, I need to eat it by 5:30am

What shall I eat for dinner the day before?  Meb K has spaghetti and meatballs, so I might try that too!

And lunch? Something healthy and carbolicious - suggestions?

What time do I have to catch the ferry to Devonport?  Just got an email this week saying get there early - a lot of runners arrived at once for the later ferries and not all could be ferried...  that would ruin the day.

What time do I have to leave home? 5am?

Or wake up? 4:30am?

Or go to bed? 6:30pm?

What am I going to wear?  I'm really fussy about what I wear - if it is uncomfortable or hot it annoys me.  So far it is my Lululemon black pace-setter skirt, Adidas blue racer back top, Nike cap, Under Armour Armour Bra, Nike SportWatch, Experia socks, Mizuno Wave Rider 16's.... - these are my faves so far.

Will it be hot or cold, dry or raining, calm or windy? Hubby happens to be a weather expert so problem solved.

What shall I take to keep me warm before the start?  We get gear bags at registration so can dump some overlayers at the start line.

Do I need new shoes? Possibly - my Wave Riders are 400km old and although they are still great some new ones would be nice :)

What is a realistic time goal?  I really don't know - 2:10 - 2:30?  Those hills are putting me off.  My recent training 10km time indicates 2:20 - so that was a good guess!

How fast shall I run? 2:20 equals 6:40 pace - sounds do-able to me.

Should I try to run faster than that?  My mile time trial and 5km time indicate times of  2:02 to 2:12 - can I do this?

Will my Nike SportWatch work on the day?  I worry about this, as it has had 'blank screen' a couple of times lately, and I've had to reboot it from my laptop.  I certainly won't have my laptop on me on the day...

Have I trained enough for this?  I don't think my endurance training has been enough.  I've had some ITB issues that prevented a good base training period.  Maybe next time.

Do I have enough endurance?  Probably enough to make it around the course, but not enough to run a fast-for-me time.

How will my family find me amongst the masses?  Yes - I'm the one in the blue shirt!  One of the most popular colours - maybe I should choose a colour that stands out.

Will my family be at the finish line?  They better be...

As I say, just a small sample...
Is your mind a flurry of erratic thoughts before race day too?

No Speedwork Tonight!

I've been so busy the last few days that I had no idea what was on the agenda for Tuesday's usual speedwork session, plus I was feeling tired and kind of dreading doing my usual reps around the park.  I usually enjoy the challenge, but this time Real Life had caught up on me.  What a nice surprise I had when I got home from work and checked my training plan - yay, no speedwork tonight!

There was a catch however... the plan was for 10 x 1 min steep hill climbs instead.  Gulp.  Ever heard that expression that hills are speedwork in disguise?!

Pretending to be unfazed, I jogged down to the park, found a steep hill and bounded up it.  This was fun!  I even chose a track with tree roots to dodge over and daydreamed I was in a trail race:

The tree roots were really knarly towards the top!

By the third repeat, things were no longer fun.  My bounding hill climbs had turned into a short 45 sec shuffles with frequent stumbles and burnt out quads before the top.

Abandoning the mountain goat idea, I moved around to another slope covered in grass. Here the traction was better and I could run up with less effort:

My quads and lungs gradually recovered, my pace picked up, and I lost count started to enjoy it so much that I ended up doing 11 repeats.  What sort of crazy person does that?!

(guess which colour shows elevation)

I actually do know the answer to that question.  Crazy people like me, and if you are reading this maybe you too, who run because it never fails to make us us feel good.  It can take a while to warm up and get going, but I almost always finish a run feeling miles better than when I started, not just physically but mentally too. And I can confirm that a few steep hill climbs certainly do the trick!

My hill, aka Bayfield Park, from the boardwalk through Hukanui Reserve

And one day I will be doing them on that track with the tree roots.....

Do you have steep hill climbs in your routine?
Or pretend you are in a race when you're really not?

Fastest 10K

One of the benefits of being a relative beginner is that new PB's come regularly as you rapidly improve.

Even in training...

I have to say I felt awesome on this run, and I'm trying to remember what I had for lunch so I can eat that everyday!

I had a 12km run at 6:15 pace on the schedule, and at the start I was trying slow down because I caught myself zipping along at 5:15 pace.  I ran along Ponsonby and Jervois Roads, and being a Thursday night all the bars and restaurants were busy, and my ego (that I didn't realise I had) made me run a bit faster than usual.  Then it was a nice cruisy downhill to Cox's Bay, and a small climb to Westmere, followed by the long stretch of Meola Road to Point Chevalier.

There are slight elevation gains around Pt Chev and they felt minimal compared to usual. I stopped for a drink at the water fountain, then cruised downhill to Western Springs, where I started to f a d e.  A guy zoomed past me, but as is often the case they slow to their normal pace once ahead - do you notice this too?!  I find it quite funny, anyway I decided to use the super-runner powers I had tonight to keep up with him.  It worked until the long trudge up Chinaman's Hill where he disappeared into the distance - still, I managed to climb it faster than usual.

I finished at 11.5km and stopped my SportWatch, which lit up  and congratulated me with a 10K PB of 1:03:23 - despite several stops at traffic lights, a few hills and a couple of water stops!  This was a 3 minute improvement on my last record, which incidentally was also earned on a training run.  I know, I really need to run a race.

I'd love to run both a 5 and 10km race soon to get some official times, but for now my emphasis is on my first 21.1km - the Auckland Half Marathon on 3 November.  For that I just want to finish in a respectable time for me - and whatever that is will be a PB too!

Have you ever done a PB in training? (it's not a 'real' PB though is it?)
Does your ego make you run a bit faster around crowds? (apparently so!)
Or run faster past other runners? (they pass me, not the other way round...)

A Day in the Life of Me

Today I'm linking up with Jill and Angela with their fun idea to share a peek into our daily lives - not just the running part!  This is my day last Wednesday:

My alarm (aka my Nike SportWatch) goes off at 6am, and I'm lucky enough to live with a coffee addict who willingly springs out of bed and brings me a coffee in bed each morning!  I usually have a quick flick through some blogs before getting up and getting ready for work.  I'd like to say I have a super organised morning routine, but to be honest it is a mad rush having showers, finding clothes, and making lunches, to get all of us out the door in time!

I work as a patternmaker in the fashion industry, and it is a job I love for both its creativity and technical aspects. For every new design that is created a new pattern has to be made, and that is where I come in. Working closely with the designer and production team I spend my days creating and perfecting patterns - cutting shapes out of paper and cloth, overseeing the making of prototypes, fitting, and readying the final pattern for production.  All good fun!

I'm home by early evening and if it is a run night I head straight out the door for a run.  Currently Wednesday is a rest day for running, but it also happens to be the day I take an evening sewing class at the local school. After some speed housekeeping and an equally rapid pasta/tomato/tuna/olive dinner (with hopefully not too much garlic!) I arrive at class and spend the next couple of hours helping everyone with their sewing projects. Teaching is really satisfying as everyone discovers new things, and it is interesting how each person learns so differently.

When I get home it is my bedtime but I've found I need to wind down a bit after the night class. This often means a Milo or glass of wine and some running blog reading and writing, before lights out at 9:30pm - I need tons of sleep!

Apart from the sewing class that is a typical day for me!

Getting Faster

This week I had a 1 mile time trial on my schedule - the aim of this is to gauge progress/race/speedwork times while not exhausting yourself with a full on race.  I really didn't feel up to it, but jogged along to the Domain anyway, to run the Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile.

After a few stretches I took off around the course, aiming to stay under 4:45 pace for the whole way so I would beat my previous time.  I glanced at my watch and it was around 4:20, and I didn't think I could keep that up, but then I got to a nice bit of road and wow - I felt like superwoman!

Over halfway now... just keep moving...concentrate on breathing...

And then it hit me.  The wind.  The real reason I felt like superwoman in the second quarter was because the wind had been at my back, and as I circled the course it was now at my front - and it was strong!  I tried not to let it slow me down, but it wasn't long until I was struggling along at a snail's pace.

I felt like I recovered a bit towards the end, but that must have been all in my head because my pace doesn't look like it picked up at all!

So - a disappointing finish, but I guess the wind assisted me in the beginning and it all balances out.  I still managed to run my fastest mile!

That's an improvement of 9 seconds from my time trial back in April.  Not a huge gain, but I have been injured in that time and I think I could have run faster without that wind!  I also managed to run my fastest kilometre at 4:31.

The first thing I did when I got home was check out the McMillan Calculator for my updated training paces and target race times:

The half marathon prediction is tantalisingly close to sub 2.  I don't know how realistic that goal is - the thought of running at 5:47 pace for 21.1km seems far fetched to me, even with a couple more months of training!

Do you ever use the McMillan Calculator?  Are the race prediction times accurate for you?

Half Marathon Training Begins

Half marathon training officially started last week!  My ITB is not yet 100% but it appears to s-l-o-w-l-y be getting better rather than worse.  I'm disappointed that my endurance hasn't progressed during this time but I'm persevering onwards regardless!

My weekly schedule looks sort of like this:

Monday - Rest, Exercises
Tuesday - Speedwork, Runner's Pilates
Wednesday - Rest (or easy 40 mins)
Thursday - 6-10k steady
Friday - Rest, Exercises
Saturday - Easy or fartlek 40mins
Sunday - Long run, Yoga sometimes if I am organised enough to get up and along to Lululemon by 8:30

Tuesday's speedwork is generally a few repeats of either 400m, 800m or 1000-1200m.  I did 1200m for the first time this week and it was fun to go a bit longer.  I wasn't sure how fast to go so I ran them around 5:15 pace which is slightly faster than my 5-10k pace.

At the moment I think my body prefers training 4 days a week rather than 5, so I have been resting on Wednesdays instead of doing an easy run.  That extra recovery day seems to keep the niggles at bay. Of course this change to the plan has been helped by the fact that it was pouring with rain when I got home the last couple of Wednesdays...

This Thursday's steady 8km was run with my husband.  I intended to run around 6:15 pace, but with him out front and me trying desperately to keep up we ran more like 6:00 - and it felt pretty good.  My leg was a bit tetchy after the last hill, but it felt good after I lay down on the floor with my legs up the wall, some ice and sleeping in my compression socks!

For Saturday's fartlek session I decided to run hills, and I tackled a new route I invented called Western Springs Trails.  It serpentines up and down all the steep streets and trails around Western Springs out and back - a total of 5 climbs!  I'm going to be honest and admit I walked most of the uphills - I look forward to the day when I can run this challenging course with gusto!

I always enjoy Sunday's long run - it's a chance to extend the boundaries, explore new parts of town, and I try to stay off-road as much as possible.  Today I ran once again with hubby - over to Pt Chevalier Beach:

When the tide is out you can run right around the coast - one day I will do this!

I've been wearing my heart rate monitor on long runs to make sure I stay in the right training zone and I'm pleased to announce that 86% of yesterday's workout was under my target of 165bpm.  I can assure you that is a lot lower than it was watching the first America's Cup races!

And according to Nike+ I ran my fastest 10k while trying to run that slow.  Err - really?  I've never done an actual 10k road race (trails, yes) - so maybe I should!

What is your weekly running schedule like?
Do you give your regular running routes names?
What paces do you use for your speedwork training?

The Return to Judge's Bay

Now my runs are getting longer I'm really enjoying getting back to running some of my old routes.  But there is a particular one that is real a mental obstacle - that run along the waterfront to Judges Bay overbridge, the one where my ITB yelled at me and stopped me in my tracks 3 months ago.

I have to be honest that this running route has been haunting me.  I keep planning to run along there, but inevitably put it off for another day, fearing a repeat ITB flare up.

On Sunday it was one of those beautiful gotta-run-by-the-waterfront days and the temptation was too much:

The Waitemata sparkling in the sunshine - this was the view across to Devonport, with the volcanic cones of Mt Victoria, North Head, and Rangitoto Island in the distance

But mostly I ran it again to finally extinguish the negativity this route has in my mind.  I think that has gone now:

There was a lot of concrete running, but I safely made it to the Judge's Bay overbridge, and here's the photo to prove it:

See it?  See the bridge in the top right of the photo?  There's even a tad in the top left that you can see if you squint...

I know you were wondering, the whole thing looks like this

I did feel a slight twinge in my quad running home - sometimes I wonder if my niggles, which seem to shift around the leg, are just psychosomatic!  I stopped to stretch, and took it easy on the way home, enjoying a few water and traffic light stops and walking up the Franklin Road hill instead.  I ran the remainder, and a cold blast in the shower and some elevation seemed to do the trick, as I felt 100% the next day.

The best parts of the run?

• Running past the spot at 6km where my knee went into shutdown - without a niggle!
• Having a laugh with another runner about how hard it was to get yourself in a phone shot.
• Running past a very old lady in a wheelchair sitting out in the sun - her face totally lit up when she saw me and she said "I used to run!"  I responded with "It's fun isn't it?", and with the utmost enthusiasm she replied "I used to love it!"  Aww...

Are you hesitant to run where you once got injured?

What were the best moments from your runs this week?

Spot The Difference

If you can spot the difference, you'll guess what I bought myself this weekend :)

Saturday was one of those rainy days where you sit around the house getting agitated, so I went for some retail therapy at my local Shoe Clinic.  I tried on a couple of pairs of shoes....

(upon which I will write notes right here and now so I don't get them all mixed up)

• I liked the turquoise Mizuno Wave Enigma 3 - more cushioned than my Wave Rider 16's but lighter
• I didn't mind the Ascis Gel Nimbus - but they felt different on my foot.
• They're getting a pair of Mizuno Ascend 8 trail shoes in for me - I have tried these on in another store (Athlete's Foot) and liked them very much - shall I buy some?
• I was wanting to try the Mizuno Wave Sayonara's but they're not in New Zealand yet :( 
• But I see them promoted on the Australian Mizuno site, so hopefully they are on a ship in the Tasman Sea or something...

So, back to the shopping...

I saw the Polar watches by the counter and something prompted me to ask about the Polar HRM that goes with the Nike SportWatch.  Lo and behold, it was right beside him and quite affordable too, especially with my $50 loyalty reward, so out came the plastic and I skipped home all happily retail therapied.

My long run on Sunday looked like this:

Except I did something wrong and it didn't record my distance and pace (around 12km).  When you do it right you get a cute graph of your pace, elevation, and heart rate too - fun!

That peak at the end of the graph is when I power walked up The Steep Hill, where my HR maxed for the day at 177bpm.

Right - off to work out my training zones!
What is your experience with heart rate monitors?  I had a Timex Ironman one for a while, until the watch strap fell apart due to old age.

My Quarter Half Marathon

First of all, a big thanks to all who gave their advice on half-marathon training a couple of posts back!  I have decided to keep following the book I have been all along (Fishpool), where the longest run is 11 miles.  The upcoming weeks in this plan look achievable in my post-injury condition (I still get a few niggles and don't trust my leg 100%), whereas the distances in Paula's plan were looking too high-risk too soon for me.  Decision made!

Yesterday's long run called for an easy 10km, so I decided to run part of the actual half-marathon course.  I want to get familiar with the last few kilometres so I can easily gauge how fast to run them on the day - and also so I don't end up being like a child who keeps whining are we there yet?!  It is easy to think that once you come off the Harbour Bridge it is a quick run to the finish line, but there are quite a few twists and turns that take you the long way round - but thankfully it is all flat!

I ran my way through the streets of Ponsonby to the point where the course exits the bridge.  At this point there is just over 5km or about 1/4 of the race to go.  To be honest I felt awful!  It was 3pm and I hadn't really eaten much that day, or drunk many fluids, and there were a few uphills which sucked what little energy I had.  However I survived, as you do, and felt a lot better once I got down to Curran Street and the water's edge (4km mark)

It's a nice run around under the northern end of the bridge, and alongside Westhaven Marina:

Deceptively close to the finish line you turn and run another 2.5km out past Silo Park and back alongside the Viaduct to finally reach the finish line down Fanshawe Street.  I've got to say, I felt a little rush of adrenaline running along there!

However I held back as I still had to run home.  I stopped to refill my water bottle in preparation for the climb up Franklin Road, my first major hill since my ITB flared up.  I managed to run all the way up, but it was such a struggle compared to how it used to feel.  It just goes to show how beneficial a few hills are in your training!

In total I ran 12.2km - more than planned, but it sure felt great and best of all there were no niggles.  So although I ran quarter of the half marathon course, I really ran half a half marathon didn't I?

How was your long run this weekend?
Do you like to recce your race course, or leave it as a surprise? I don't usually check out trail race courses because they are usually in such out of the way places, but the HM course is so close to home.  

Trail Running in the City

A while ago when I was shopping for trail shoes, the salesperson asked me where I did my trail running.  I replied that I did a few organised events, otherwise most of my off-road running was around town.  I don't think he really believed me, but it is true!  Even though I live in the centre of a city of 1.5 million people there are plenty of areas to run off pavement.  You just need to know where to go.

I managed to run 9.5km today (thank you ITB!) and a lot of that was off-road.  After a couple of k's of pavement and grass verges, I ducked down some steep steps into Jagger's Bush:

 My spirits instantly soar as soon as I hit this little oasis - it is short, but sweet!

I emerged at the sports field, ran around the crunchy gravel track, then crossed Meola Road into more bush - this time alongside the water's edge and a tangle of mangroves:

I introduced my immaculate white Wave Riders to some lovely mud, then it was out onto some open grass with a track - obviously somebody else runs this route!

At the tip of this peninsula Meola Reef runs right out into the harbour - it is actually an old lava flow and you can walk all the way out there when the tide is low:

Not today though - instead I continued around the peninsula and returned home via Western Springs park.  No pics from there today though, so that can be another story!

So many city parks are linked by great running routes, allowing you to reduce the amount of pavement you pound.  I keep discovering more and more of this secret network as my distances increase and I venture further.  I thought I knew Auckland well - until I started running!

If you have a choice, which route do you prefer to take - the trail or the pavement?

Half Marathon Training Plans

My big running goal this year is to run my first half marathon, and I've entered the adidas Auckland Half Marathon in early November.  This year it sold out in a record 8 days, so I'm glad I got in!

At the moment I am looking at training plans and there are tons available from so many different sources - running books, running magazines, running websites, online coaching, etc.

And then there are the different levels of training plans too - run to finish, run to a PR, or run to win (lol!).  This will be my first half so I don't have a PB to beat, but I don't want to merely aim to finish.  A lot of run to finish plans seem to be aimed at total beginners - like the non-runner who signs up for a charitable cause or a Friday night dare and then thinks: "Gee, I better do some running, where do I start..."  Not that there is anything wrong with that, in fact I admire anyone who does, it's just that I have been running for 18 months now and 'just finishing' seems under-ambitious to me.

I would like to train for a time goal estimated by the McMillan calculator from my 10 km PB.  I haven't run a 10 km race recently, but did run a 5k last weekend.  Going by my 5k time of 28:39, the McMillan calculator it gives me a guesstimate of 2:12.

Before my injury I had a few training plan options bookmarked, but post injury they are looking seriously ambitious.  I've had to cut back my expectations a lot as I'm just not ready to jump into long runs yet.  To be honest I'm pretty gutted about this and it has taken a while to accept. Especially as my previous prediction time was 2:04 (and I was harbouring a secret ambition to run under 2 hours...)

I need to start at a level where my long runs are between 5-10 k, so I'm considering following a 10 k plan to begin with, then merge like a zip into a half-marathon plan.

Paula Radcliffe's 'new intermediate' training plan for the 10k starts around the level I want, and if I cut a couple of weeks out (the 10km taper ones), that and the HM plan brings me exactly to Sunday 3 November. As long as I stay injury-free of course...

What I like about Paula's plan is that she schedules in strength training days and cross training days - something I need reminding of!

Rest day + core strength exercises and stretches!

It also suits me that it starts with four days per week and builds to five.  But the mileage does increase considerably, and I am concerned that there are no cut-back weeks - I think these are important for me post-injury.

The final weeks have long runs of 12, 12, 13, 14, 14, 13 and 10 miles

 Maybe I should stick to the plan in the book I have been following all along, where the final weeks are 10, 11, 8 miles:

Where oh where is the perfect half marathon training plan?!  I suppose I will just have to see how my ITB behaves.
Which training plan did you follow for your first half marathon?  As you can see I am still open to recommendations!
At the end of the day I want to a) run all the way, and b) finish happy with my effort, so c) next time I will have a time to beat!

Race Report - Unitec Run Series #1

Today I jumped in the deep end and did a 5km race!  Lately I have been running 30 mins with no ITB problems so I decided to enter the first race in the Unitec Run/Walk series, thinking I was 'just going to take it easy'.  That is much easier said than done in a race!

The Unitec Run/Walk series is the official lead up series for the adidas Auckland Marathon/Half Marathon/Quarter Marathon, and I was expecting a bigger turnout than there was today.  But it was a cold windy Sunday morning and so I suppose it was only the craziest most intrepid runners who turned up.

I shed my outer layers and as I dumped them on my husband I thought I was going to freeze wearing just a skirt and T-shirt, but was OK once I started running.  I really don't like getting hot when I run so I always tend to under dress, but today I could have done with some long sleeves and long tights.

The course was a 2.5km loop around the Unitec Campus in Mt Albert, and you run 1-4 laps depending on the marathon event you are entered in.  There was a lot of gradual downhill (nice) and a couple of steeper but short hills towards the end of the lap (not so nice), so it was quite a good course really.  On the second lap I found the steepest hill hard going and briefly thought of walking, but I concentrated on my breathing instead and that got me through.  Once I recovered from that I felt strong to the finish, which just goes to show that most of it is all in my head!

My main aim was to run under 30 mins, my hopeful aim was to run under 28 mins, and I achieved somewhere in between at 28:39 - that's a PB for me so I'll take it!  The stats - average pace 5:45, 18/125 females and 62/215 overall.  My SportWatch recorded 4.98km, so I guess cutting all those tangents saved me 20 metres!

Today I had the pleasure of meeting another local blogger - Jody from kreacher's little corner.  She's much speedier than me and finished as 6th female - awesome stuff (and great to meet you Jody, I look forward to many more!)

After the race we were supplied with bagels, bananas and Powerade, and most people were in a bit of a rush to getaway as it was cold and windy.  When I got home I untied my shoelaces and there was my timing chip still attached - I had totally missed the drop off box.  Just as well we don't live too far away...!

Overall it was a good race, except the person at registration didn't give me my change so I paid dearly for the race (OK - I didn't realise at the time, but I wasn't the one on duty...), and I think the transponder return box should be more obvious as idiots like me completely forget in their post-race daze.  Total sport have a great system where you can't exit the finishing corral without handing it in, and that really suits my mental state after a race!

The next race in the series for half-marathon entrants like me is a 10km in 3 weeks time.  Since my leg is behaving nicely with no niggles, I expect to be there!

Did you race this weekend?
Were you at Unitec too?
Did you get a PB?

Preventing my ITB Problem

Without wanting to tempt fate, I think I am recovering from my ITB issues.  I have run 30 minutes with no pain at all, and I feel very few niggles at other times.  But I am continually nervous when I run - I don't trust my leg yet and I'm sure my ITB could flare up again under stress.  In other words, I'm still taking it easy.

While I recover I've been looking at causes of this problem in the first place.  If I can identify the cause I can reduce the chances of it ever happening again, right?  Here are a few things I've pinpointed:

Worn out shoes
When I got home on that day I checked my running shoes, and I'm embarrassed to say they looked like this:

I thought I was checking them regularly, but obviously not regularly enough.  Either that, or they wore down real quick in the last week!   When my Physio saw them he said rather politely "yeah, they won't be helping...". So I went out the next day and welcomed a pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 16's into my life.

Recent increase in mileage
The first thing my Physio asked me when I went along to see him was if I had increased my mileage recently, and I didn't think I had.  To be honest I had been without my Sportwatch for a month and didn't have actual stats.  I bought a diary, worked back over my schedule, and discovered that in the week prior to my injury I had run more than usual - including the hardest race in my life!

Muscle imbalances
My Physio noticed I had weak glutes and tight hip flexors, so I've worked hard on getting them to function properly and keep my pelvis and core stable as I run.  Now I can feel new muscles, and I feel stronger and more efficient when I run.

Pavement slope and hard surfaces
I have a habit of running on the left side of the road when I run out and back, so the pavement slope is the same in either direction.  I should alternate this - or better still keep off the pavement wherever I can, as it is the hardest and nastiest surface to run on.

No warmup/cooldown
I know, so naughty.
I warmup and cooldown before and after speedwork, but not for my usual easy runs.  My Physio told me to walk for 5 mins before running, so I'm going to be a good girl and do as I'm told.  Also, instead of a sporadic stretching routine, I have committed to a regular one by writing it into my training plan!

Excessive hills/downhills
I don't think I had been overdoing the hills, but my race the week prior to injury did have some biggies!

Also, the day of my injury I ran down the Franklin Road hill, and it felt really odd for some reason - sort of jarring and uncomfortable.  Maybe this was a sign, or maybe it wasn't, but I will be wary of that feeling in the future because about 15mins later my ITB was yelling at me!

So - that's my list of potential causes.  Whether it was one thing or a combination I will never know - unfortunately most of them are of the totally-obvious-and-should-know-better type!  I.e: avoidable.  Lesson learned.

If you've had a sore IT band or other running injury, did you manage to pinpoint the cause?  
Can you think of any other causes I should be thinking about?

Dreaming of Running

For the last week I've been for short runs every second day, increasing the duration by 2 minutes each time - I'm now up to 21 minutes!  

Although I enjoy being able to run again, even if it is only for a short time, I really dream of those longer runs where I extend my immediate boundaries and explore new parts of the city again.  I came across this draft post of such a run before I got injured, which only serves to fuel the fire.....

My 8k steady run recently took me along Ponsonby Road, through historic St Mary's Bay, and down the steep steps of Jacob's Ladder, where I had options.  Right towards Victoria Park and the city, or left towards the motorway overpass - I chose left:

At the end of the overpass I emerged to this view, and descended the stairs to run around the waterfront drive:

It was a beautiful day - and there's something special about running next to the water, isn't there?  

I'm going to be running over that distant harbour bridge in November during the Auckland Half Marathon, and kind of gulp every time I look at it, but then I remind myself it is only 33m elevation - a walk in the park!

I continued around Westhaven Marina and under the southern end of the harbour bridge.   

Auckland CBD admidst a maze of masts

Then it was a climb up Shelly Beach Rd to Herne Bay, and a zig-zag home through city streets.  A route to remember.

Sigh - I really miss my running adventures, and can't wait to start plodding the pavement big time!
Patience, patience.....

Things To Do When You're Injured #3

#3 - Keep Exercising!

The first thing I did once I knew I had injured my ITB, was ring the physiotherapist I went to last time.  Not only because he is a general all-round nice guy, but he also runs.  He understands without question how important it is for world peace that this middle-aged mid-pack runner gets back to running as soon as possible!

He did a few tests and prescribed me stretches (hip flexor, gluteal) and strengthening exercises (clam sets) to help my recovery and correct my particular muscle imbalances.

 I've been really good at doing these twice a day (really good meaning I've only missed them twice!)  I look forward to my daily time on the mat so much that I take the opportunity to work on a few other areas as well - like my core and upper body.  I love doing dead bugs:

and single leg bridges:

And my foam roller is practically my best friend.  From now on it's coming on every holiday with me:

To help improve my upper body strength I bought some dumbbells, and I've been having fun with those too:

Last year when I had my month's free gym membership, the muscle tone in my arms improved from zero to passable fairly quickly, so I hope to get back there again.  I also invested in this book which I really recommend - Weight Training for Running:

Each week I try to make it along to a Lululemon Yoga session.  I really enjoy them, and they're an invigorating start to the day!

By the way - I went in there yesterday to find some yoga trousers and they happened to be on sale - whoops, danger time!  I walked out with a cute running jacket, T-shirt, underpants and a headband....  I can't believe how much money I've spent on running while not running!

There is good news on the horizon for my budget though - I ran!  I did 15x 1 min run/walk repeats with no niggles at all.  After a recovery day (hehe!) I ran 20x and just about couldn't stop myself.

Fingers crossed this will be the last of my Things To Do When You're Injured posts*!

(*  I hope I'm not speaking too soon!)

(PS - thanks to my patient Mum who is visiting for taking the photos!)