It was the night before city to surf...

It's actually 2 nights before my first ever City 2 Surf, and I am feeling very nervous. One of my work friends is also racing, and we have been exchanging terrified looks all week! We did use carbo loading as an excuse to each corn chips at a birthday afternoon tea on Wednesday though so not all bad :)

The forecast for Sunday is daunting too; cold, very windy and possibly raining. I think I will be running Heartbreak Hill straight into a headwind. I stopped off on my way home to pick up a cheap jumper to wear to the start; I wonder how much of the race I will wear it for?

I'll be meeting my running group at lunch time tomorrow to drive to Sydney together. Before then I have to get my gear together, update my running playlist and finish a uni assignment! Argh.

I'm going into the race much more poorly prepared than I anticipated I'd be when I signed up. Problems with my pesky right calf, a sprained ankle and then four weeks off with a torn oblique means the furthest I have run in about 2 months is around 8km. I have maintained some level of fitness; I have improved my 5km time by about 45 seconds since June, but I have no idea how I am going to go over 14km.

I am trying to remind myself that I have been injured; to have fun and enjoy it, but my self talk is not helping the nerves!

Sweating my thorns off (in winter)

I have had my eye on the Boring Runner's 3rd Annual Sweat Your Thorns Off virtual race for a while now, but I didn't know if I'd even be capable of running this weekend.

This was my second ever virtual race-  I think they are a brilliant way of building a community of runners and supporting other runners to achieve their best. So thanks Adam for arranging this one. I was lacking motivation for yesterday's run, and it was only remembering that I had entered the SYTO race that got me out of bed!

I combined my run with this week's Gindy parkrun. Free, timed and 5km, exactly what I needed for Sweating my Thorns Off. Of course, it is winter here in Canberra, and the previous week's parkrun had been run in sub-zero temperatures, but I always sweat, and knew I would have no problems sweating my thorns off. Imagine my surprise to wake to a sunny and balmy 5 degrees! I was actually a bit worried about layering my compression socks and long tights together. Sweating would not be a problem at all!

There was a good turnout, almost 60 runners this week. With my series of injuries this would only be my second run on this course, and the last time I had run it, I was nearly delirious from the cold. Prior to my oblique tear I had been running really strongly. Speed training was paying off; my pace was improving without feeling like I was working harder. I really wanted to run faster than my previous parkrun time (27.10) but I didn't know if it was a realistic goal or just a pipe dream.



Whenever I run I like to get off to a slow start and finish strong, but I really wanted to beat a girl running in denim overalls! I took off faster than I wanted but just had to get past her! It felt uncomfortable, I was certainly working hard, and I walked between two light posts at the top of a hill, but I finished in 26.25! So a 45 second parkrun PB for me (and after 4 weeks off running with an injury!) and only 30 seconds from my 5km PB. Getting under 25 minutes is my 5km goal for the year, so here's hoping!

girl running in overalls

dan and me; crossing the finish line

I'm back baby!

Long time no post!

I tore an oblique muscle 5 July that kept me from running (and most exercising) for almost 4 weeks. I was pretty low- the frustration and depression from another injury during the training cycle was pretty hard to bear.

I was really challenging myself; I was getting up early to fit in a morning workout alongside my regular lunchtime and after work sessions. I can't even remember the specific exercise that did me in; it was some sort of bridge, I think. What I initially thought was an annoying cramp just would not go away. I was struggling to complete the exercises in class and even walking back to work was uncomfortable. Sitting at my computer I was getting sorer and sorer; dull aches just sitting, and sharp, stabbing pain when I moved (or coughed, laughed, sneezed).

I put off running hill intervals that afternoon, and rested (like really rested- I barely got out of bed) over the weekend. I got through a speed session with my running group (likening the pain to being stabbed in the ribs with a screwdriver) but I pulled up so sore I knew I couldn't ignore it.

Diagnosis: torn oblique- 3-4 weeks of rehab. Only permissible exercises- stationary bike, light stretching and bridges on my knees. Should be OK to run City 2 Surf. Argh!

Well I was good, and followed doctor's orders. I had my first run last Saturday. 4.5km around the streets near my parents. I accidentally turned it into a tempo run, with 2 faster kilometres (about 4.45 pace) in the middle. It was uncomfortable rather than painful, and I had almost no pain afterward!

So I will still be running the City 2 Surf next weekend, but I will have to revise down my time goal. I am quite disappointed, despite a series of smaller injuries my training was coming along so well. The speed work was really paying off; training runs I was completing in 5.45 pace a few months ago I was doing at 5.25 pace without an increase in perceived effort. I haven't run further than 8 km in about 8 weeks, and my total running volume is much less than I where I would want to be, but I will finish the race and be happy with that (I hope)!