Unfair

Unfair, awake at 5am on a designated sleep in day! Finally back to sleep and woke up few hours later feeling worse, unfair! Forced myself out for a mini run and felt like I was in slow motion, unfair, not to mention the swooping swallow! I think it must be a little bit like my theory that more sleep breeds sleepiness, hence less training equates to lazy town. I must remember to listen to my head and not my heart for the next week, potentially good general life advice?! Last unfair, out all day with the drinking masses and no drinks for me, though that is completely self-induced unfairness. Off to dream about post race ice cold beers!! 

Milestones

So I have made it to Week 15 of my 16 week training plan. Raise own right hand, bend at elbow, pat on back. I have to say I’m already a little bit proud and a whole lot tired.

 
Speaking of 15, this year marks 15 years of my love affair with running. Of course I had run prior to that, school cross country (propelled by the unfeeling Mrs Kimpton who is probably still a feature of many girls’ nightmare) and sport like most kids. However, not only was the effort despised, it was often interrupted with walking and always seemed like a chore. What I wouldn’t give to see the expression on Mrs Kimpton’s face today (my PE teacher for seven years), to tell her of my progression, weight loss and efforts of the last 15 years.

That first ‘real run’ is still clear as day. Urged on by a new uni acquaintance I hauled myself around Princess Park, managing the full lap without stopping. It wasn’t a pretty site but the feeling captured me. Inward satisfaction, self-control and an awakeness that made everything else in life seem a little easier. The back straight seemed to go on forever, the slight incline past the pond felt like a mountain and the tree that marked the finish point like the end of a marathon. But that was all it took and I was hooked. That park was influential for me and was my rock until I learnt to run for me anytime, anywhere. It was a safety net; the distance, the familiarity and the other people plugging away. If you told me at the end of that lap that I would go on to whittle that lap time down to a 13min something effort, run two marathons, subscribe to Runner’s World magazine monthly and consider buying a new sports bra over jeans, I would have laughed in your face. But I’ve now spent more of my life running than not and I feel like it is part of my fabric. The running leg of the half-ironman is the least of my worries, in fact I’m practically jumping out of my skin to complete it!

Operation List

I am a list person. Lists clarify my ticking brain and give me a locus point. Top of today’s ‘to do’ list is the creation of several other lists in race preparation. Operation List is a tangible task to assist me in the psych out of tapering and the impending race: A revised training schedule to stop my twitching body from doing more than is necessary, a nutritional list to hold me to account and remind me to hydrate, a packing list (want to circumvent the disaster of the Lochness Marathon and neglecting to pack a real sports bra!) and of course a miscellaneous list of anything else that might just need a list e.g. really got to finally tri out those damn tri laces!

Tapering, where science battles with psychology and 14 weeks of body battering. A bit of googling and my original taper plan has been slightly modified. Felt a bit guilty about yesterday’s effort (60km ride, 8km run, 2.3km swim) but then discovered that most people operate on a 10 day program. In fact, I found out that most taper programs recommend keeping some high intensity efforts to jog the muscle memory. Still, the doubt factor was there this morning and I kept having to check that my legs hadn’t been replaced with solid concrete stumps. In a really strange way these two weeks are going to bring completely different challenges than the last 14 weeks.
 
Right, according to my list there is much more to be done today, but at least I can now cross this off. Yes, I have been known to add something to a ‘to do’ list after the fact to then be able to enjoy the satisfaction of crossing it off!

Rule 70.3

Gulp. Just had a quick glance at the competitors briefing... My stomach is now in knots, goodbye sleep. There are enough rules and regulations to start an army barracks! 

Sporadic joy

Sporadic joy is so joyful because it is unexpected. I've decided these moments should be celebrated more often because it is far too easy to focus on the negatives (I'm thinking even potentially a blog dedicated to this concept?).

Sporadic joy is more than just a 'win', you know those delightful moments like filling up with petrol right as they are putting the price up, or getting a double yoker when you crack an egg. Sporadic joy can be a glancing moment between two strangers, waking up feeling like the world is just right or just a pure gust of happiness for no apparent reason (my cat Fonzie is prone to these, though equally as a Burmese/Siamese/somethingarother cross, he is equally prone to fits of whinging for no apparent reason).

I came up with this concept this morning on a light jog, which I really needed to dig into the depths of motivation to find the energy to commence. I'm normally a Michelle Bridges go get 'em person at the thought of a weekend lengthy exercise jaunt (ps If you didn't already know I met Michelle this year and squealed loudly in her ear, flapping my hands and requesting a photograph, definitely some sporadic joy there). Anyway, not this morning. Think it is a combination of extra sleep and a week out of routine. However as Dean Karnazes profoundly proclaimed in one of his books (well worth reading) he doesn't know of a person yet who went out for even ten minutes of running and didn't come back feeling better for it. So I soldiered on and low and behold I started to feel great. I will at this point actually give TP a little bit of credit here. I always like to give him shit about how much I have 'given' him, opening him up to the likes of outdoor swimming in the depths of Winter etc. Well, I will begrudge him the benefits of running to good tunes - however I will also argue that there is a time and place for just soaking up the delights of the environment, sans intrusion. Anyway for some reason I enjoyed several gusts of just sporadic joy whilst cruising along this morning, my legs felt strong, the path felt extremely runnable and I was just grateful for being able to start my day like that. 

It also made me think about some sporadic joy of the day before. I took my last day of holiday as a day of solace. Strangely this began at 5amish to head across town and take Monday out for a chilly cruise, a lazy seaside run, followed by my real reasons for crossing the river, a couple of hours R&R at the St Kilda Sea Baths (add that to the pool slut list please!). All washed down with breaky out and the paper. Step in several moments of sporadic joy:

High fiving the guy who was jogging in thongs, lots of silly laughter from both parties.

Then I'm pretty sure I gave some sporadic joy to commuters cycling past me as I stopped for a bite to eat enroute from run to baths (I have a fear of going hungry). Bunkering down I had an awesome view of the world, whilst devouring my new fetish for bircher muesli. Saw lots of people smile as they commuted past:

Post-exercise I ventured to a very south of the river suburby breakfast spot, lacking a bearded barista of the north but still delightful. Highlight was sharing my bench with the woman who openly declared she had just finished a full hour of personal training, without a hair or speck of makeup out of place, armed with Home Beautiful. I did pre-judge her but she was endeared to me when the fireys pulled for a coffee pit stop and she leant over to share a moment with me. Sporadic joy at the random exchange of banter between two strangers - oh and the fireys set up in front of us for their coffee, just in case the paper lost my interest!

OK this has been far too lengthy I feel but I think my drift of sporadic joy definitely explored. Must add some of the pearls from the Wizard too before I forget.

So back to the purpose of the blog again, clocked up an OK'ish week, think I fitted everything in, just felt a bit off being out of routine. Will call today as my last official 'long run' prior to race day - 15km and not a sore spot to mention.
  

All in a days work!

So even whilst on leave I feel like I need my 'two extra hour' superpower. Been enjoying some tinkering in the kitchen, cooking up some of those recipes collecting dust (if that's possible digitally) and stocking the freezer for easy snack access. This has also given me opportunity to stock my supply cupboard with ingredients I dare not put on the weekly shopping list. I decide long ago that Uncle Toby's and the like were a waste of calories and money. My repertoire of such delights has now widened and is getting increasingly 'powerful' as my maverick kitchen like behaviour continues. Anyway my bestie has just given me fuel for post-ironman blog thought, raving about my creations. So might just kick in here the fruits of today's kitchen work - baring in mind I wasn't overly careful with the photography.

1. Zucchini polenta bread - best served warm with lashings with avocado:

2. Raw soup! Care of Ange's Bali health retreat - not overly well received, but I'm still a fan:

3. Seared wasabi tuna, coated in sesame seeds with a self-devised Asian salad, omg is all I can say:

4. Power seed bar - still fridging it up, seemed a bit crumbly, fingers crossed and faith in the recipe, unlike me, but hoping the coconut oil makes a difference:

Final note before logging off for the night. Decided with two weeks (less now- ahh) of proper training to go that embracing chocolate is necessary, if now then when?!!!

Off to see the wizard!!

Off to get some wisdom from someone who has smashed several ironman events. Nerdily I have a list!!! Makes it seem very real.... 😳