Sunday, February 13, 2011

Week 6 - training takes the next step

After arriving home with a head cold last week I decided it was best to skip the short run of three runs this week and allow full recovery before taking the next step.

On Thursday afternoon, although I was still suffering from a mild head cold, I thought it was best to go for a run in an effort to shake off the lingering nasal congestion and to keep the legs and kilometers ticking over.

The 40min walk/run was my first run since being back at training that I actually felt fit. My legs felt strong and fresh (probably because I had had a good week of rest) and I felt light on my feet which I put down to losing three kilos since I began training this year. (I am happy to say I am now under 82kgs, down from 85kgs at the start of the year) I hit the hills for this run and made it from my place, to Mount Ainslie, up and over the first hill ( a slow gradually climb) and at the 20min turn around had to walk up the hill I had just run down. Thank goodness it is a walk/run week as my heart was about to smash through my chest if I ran any further up that hill!

Yesterdays run tackled the same course. From my place, out to Mt Ainslie around to the left, up and over the slow gradual hill and down the other side into the creek line and around to the right which leads up a another slight hill.

Running tip: for every hill you run down on the way out, you have to run up it on the way home!

It was a beautiful morning in Canberra. It had rained in the early hours and the moisture was still on the ground and the kangaroos were out grazing with their joeys. I must has seen at last 20 kangaroos this morning, some sleeping, some on the fire trail, some bounding off into the trees. Truly a great way to start the weekend: exercising, taking in the fresh air and getting in touch with nature. Now I have a sore knee, bugger.

This coming week I may be switching training plans to one from the Gold Coast marathon website. http://www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au/ each year Pat Carroll a four-time Gold Coast Marathon winner, writes generic 20-week programs will help you get your campaign started and keep you on track! There are training diaries for the Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km run with BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED programs for each distance. For a quick link to the training diary here is the link http://www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au/default.asp?PageID=19200

Valintines day tomorrow so no running for this yong man. Out to dinner and a movie. But I will back into training on Tuesday with a 30min run, a 40min run on Thursday and a 50min run on Saturday. I was asked today how far I am running...not sure, but I am hoping I am running 6min kms so around 5kms this Tuesday, almost 7kms this Thursday and just over 8kms on Saturday total of 20kms for the week. Not bad for someone who hasn't been running for over a year but still a long way to go if I want to be fit enough to run a marathon in July. Only 20 weeks to go!

Wish me luck :-)

PS: I volunteered at a local triathlon this weekend and it was fantastic to see so many people of all fitness levels out there giving it a go, achieving their personal fitness goals and for me that’s what it is all about. Setting a personal goal, and then working damn hard to achieve it. Congratulations to anyone who achieved their personal fitness goal this week, you have worked hard and have achieved it, well done :-)

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