My determination to prove that I'm wrong!

I haven't been updating my blog for months now and I have been sooo lacking. Well at least the lack is not on my training but on my blog. For the past good 6 months now I have been running gradually from 3k runs 3 times a week till recently I am clocking to 30k -40k a week! I have seen such improvement to my strength, I may not be quick (still a turtle) but my breathing is improving (born asthmatic), my stitches pain no longer exist, I still get sore leg after my long run but quickly recovered after few hours and the main thing is I enjoyed running (I never would have thought I say this!) My next coming event is Auckland Half Marathon that I wish to try to improved my running ability in hope once Tri season start again this summer, my running is up to scratch (well that's the plan)

Running has challenged me in so many ways. From the moment I decide this is the day that I want to run till the time that I am about to finished my running no matter how many k's I run on the day. My mental state never been challenged to this degree and I am amazed how I cope with it and how I fight with it on a case by case basis. It can be the weather that make me don't want to go out running, the new route is too scary to try, the iPhone that I used for mapping and listening to the music isn't fully charge till up to I haven't got anything decent to wear for running! That's how pathetic I am fighting with my running demon. But I have 'talked' to myself at every situation that it can be done. My OCD has helped in organised my running day going smoothly or else I won't be out of the door doing it at all.

The furthers I have been running so far is 19.5km in 3 hours which I think in marathon standard is soooo slow but I am determine that my half marathon will be within that range. I hope to run 21k in 3 weeks time giving me enough time to do maintenance run before having a taper week. So far I think my plan will work as long as I keep it to my schedule. I am so proud of my training achievement as I know a year ago I can't even run for 10 minutes without being breathless, fatigue and just couldn't do it but now, running for 10k 3 times a week is no longer a chores to me. And for that, I deserve a pat on the back and I am sure this half marathon in November is just another fear that I will surely conquer soon!

Pain is temporary, the feeling of achievement last forever......

First bike out since winter!

I thought days has been improving with more warm sunny days and I thought of braving myself out in the cold this morning with my thermal and all sort (Vince said I wore more than skier do!) for a bike ride this morning. It turn out to be quite chilly first 10 mins but after that, I am starting to get warmer in no time. I thought I will be ok biking especially been on the wind trainer at least 3 times a week clocking 40-50k in total but MY GOD! My legs are in bits climbing just a small hills! I am soooo unfit!

I have been watching Tour de France on Sky tele for weeks now and gosh, looking at what they do and what I can't do, make me realised what a machine those athletes are! I am not saying I want to be like them but I'm just ashamed that I can't even manage to get my leg going for 5 mins constant pedal to a reasonable height of hills. Saying that, I never yet been in a position where I have to walk with my bike either.

My sweet hubby (Vince) wanted to buy a road bike as he never own one. He is into Mountain Biking and has been to Woodhill on a weekly basis for a good 6-8 months now and he loves it. I hope he does get a road bike as I would love to be out and about with him one day. Maybe a trip to Helensville with him hey (70-80k from our house and back!) Yeah right, that's a dream!

I am glad I started the bike ride again now the weather are slowly getting warmer. I think what I need is a good pair of SKINS type thermal that can hold my body temperature better as I am freezing at some part of the road when I'm under the shades. I should start using my True Rewards and get it at Rebel Sports for nothing!

YASMIN - OUR HEART AND SOUL....

I also bought a set of boxing gloves (and a pair for Vince) with the boxing pad as we want to start doing boxing together in the garage once a week. It will be a good workout together as I am getting totally hooked with it after having 6 sessions last month with few of the girls at Lollipop Daycare. As the instructor finished for now (she's expecting a baby) I thought its a shame to just leave it when I can clearly do it with Vince indoor (he's done boxing before) As long as we don't train after we just had a domestic, the punches might be vital! Ha..ha..

VINCE BEFORE HE LOST ALL THOSE WEIGHT!

I hope to continue cross training more now as Vince also just bought himself a second hand Pinarello Galileo road bike on TradeMe with Ultegra components all over the bike (just under 2 years old) and he never done any road bike before! He literally bought it just as I was typing this blog! As our daughter is growing fast and we are able to spend more time sporting together, it will be a good investment for both of us to keep supporting one another getting fitter, healthier and lost more weight. I admire my hubby determination as he lost nearly 40kg in just over a year and for someone that don't even walk to anywhere now can walk/jog for 10k twice a week, ran in the morning for few k's before going to work, mountain biking for 15-20k every Saturday without a miss and work out in our multi gym garage 4 hours a week. That's is impressive.

VINCE AFTER (NEARLY 6 STONES LIGHTER!)

OUR MULTI GYM - WHERE WE SWEAT OUR GUTS OUT!

I would like to see both of us one day at the finishing line together finishing an event. Now that's priceless!

Rain, rain go away.....

I had a good workout today (a bit different but fit in with the on and off raining this weekend) I didn't manage to run yesterday as I planned to (8-10k) as it was pissing down with rain but this morning Vince suggested that I should I ran to badminton, play badminton for couple of hours and then run back home. So that is just what I did. And this is my ran to and back in the eyes or Mapmyrun.com.

I'm very pleased with my effort today. The fact that I have been able to run anyway this weekend since weather has been quite bad the day before. I must admit, my run is quite slow as both times (to and back) I am running against the winds! Any excuse......

First day of training after a week rest from Tough Guy n Gal Challenge. Not that I didn't want to start the training after few days post event but I have this cough that I can't seems to shake off. It really make me asthmatic which is a turn off during training (like there is a turn on for training?)

Did a 20km training on wind trainer (effing hard!!!!) but I managed to hack with with the help of my favourite 'training tunes' on my iPod - my best friend that is, without it training is just a distance dream. Try to sing while you on wind trainer (nah! I ain't that fit yet!) I felt good providing my derriere (spelling! Back side that is) is sore from sitting on the bike seat (I haven't been on it for good couple of week or possibly my bike pants are getting thin? One of those two's)

After the bike ride (which I felt like doing 40km) I brave myself to do a small run. So I did. Managed to run just for 5.1km and I felt ok but failed to do the 4th loop on the route to make it near 7km. Never mind. Still I am impressed with my determination.

I am off to boxing tonight so looking forward to that. I want to fit a swim today but I think I might have that a miss and do that tomorrow instead as it will give my poor leg a day rest but swim is not gonna go hard on my leg, so good balance there.

I want to keep my training consistence on a weekly basis now with not much expectation of mileage but just be out there and do it. I know I will get back to this madness in no time, slowly but surely....

Songs that accompanied me this morning for my wind trainer session and run are:

1. Outta Here (Esmee Denters)

2. Knock You Down (Keri Hilson ft. Kanye West & Ne-Yo)

3. Bring Me To Life (Evanescence)

4. Shackles (Praise You) (Mary Mary)

5. Love, Sex & Magic (Ciara ft Justin Timberlake)

6. America Boy (Estelle ft Kanye West)

7. Don't Stop The Music (Rihanna)

8. Get Right (JLo)

9. Feel (Robbie Williams)

10. Stronger (Kanye West)

11. Boom Boom Pow (Black Eyed Peas)

Been there, done that and got really dirrrrtyyyyyy!!!!!!

Gosh - where do I start? I thought at first I was mad to take part on this event but until I got to the finish line, I think it's no longer the madness is in question here, it is more to do if you are determine enough to put your mind to something that you think you can't do. I certainly owe my most gratitude to my mate Stuart and his friend Gareth that decided to run, walk, crawl or even drag ourselves together until the finishing line, rather than leaving me to do it all by myself. I was slow, but I wasn't a quitter!

Some of the girls that I knew from Yasmin's daycare (the teachers) took part on 6km challenge but I decided to push the distance to 12km instead to see if I got what it takes to finish and do it. What do you know, I may be one of the last but I didn't ended up DNF! I didn't even injure myself or limping much once I reached the finishing line.

The most difficult part for me on this challenge (if I am running by myself) is to pull myself out of the deep water. I think the last couple of water we were in, if Stu and Gareth wasn't there, I will be frozen to death in it! The other tough bit which I really struggled through the whole course of this man made and natural obstacles are climbing on those hills second time around (12km participant has to do the course twice) Not only the poor legs are knackered but it just doesn't want to climb anymore. After reaching the top hill (I am not kidding you, its like the scene in The Sound Of Music those hills look like!) running downhill can be quite dangerous too especially where the slippery places are. It will only take one wrong step and if you slip, you will be doing those Bollywood scene on Indian/Hindi movie where they rolling from top hill all the way down the bottom singing their heart out. The only difference is, they got better costume on, where I am covered from top to bottom with mud. I don't even recognise myself at the end of the event as I was soooo dirty!

It's also very tricky to run all the way this course not only if you have the pace and stamina for it as the muddy areas are, again, if not careful can be lethal! Accident waiting to happen. If I am not overly careful enough about my steps, I think I would have been much quicker. Its only my first time and doing 12k, I think I have done well. I finished in 02:27:53.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cried (well, what's new there?) when all three of us reached the finishing line together holding hands as I have yet again proven that I can do it. I have it in me to do it. I felt slightly embarrassed as the 'event photographer' took our photos with beer in hand (the sponsor of course) where my eyes were filled with tears! Such a wimp! Or my neighbour Brett would think so (miauuuwwww!) But when the lady photographer asked us to do another pose only this time with grrrrrr..... and mean face, I soon got my tough spirit back up again. This event is something that I will not forget and it mean more to me as I got 2 friends that willing to sacrifice their PB on the day so they can pace it with me. Now that is priceless.

Will I do it again next year? I don't know. I know Stuart wanted to do again next year and he can suck me into anything this fella. So we shall see if the circumstances is allowing me to do it again. Don't get me wrong, its certainly fun, entertaining, doing all the mud sliding, etc and felt like you are a kid again as some time. The pain and hurdles that you go through during the event made you realised how hard it is. Like Stuart said to me when I was complaining that it was hard, he said life is hard, who said its going to be easy. So true. I learnt a lot from this event. And I still keep telling myself when I doubt myself that I can't do it. I also keep telling myself once I completed an event that I CAN DO IT! Its a forever battle but I know I am not a quitter.

I also learnt when you have great friends, do not let them go. And I will be running with them at Auckland Marathon 2009 this November (well not together like this time). Bring it on!!!!

First flu, then what???

It has been one of these crazy weeks where I felt at my worst with flu/cold, getting frustrated I couldn't do any training, being at home 24/7 with a sick child that also missing her daycare as a result of being sick (since Swine Flu symptom school are very touchy when it comes to sick children being at school, etc and we parents has to sign daycare extra 'term and condition' for sickness clause which is understandable), my personal challenge got neglected and this week I even have a scare of miscarriage which just a bit too much for me.
I thought it was a normal cycle (you know, woman thing) and it seems very heavy than normal and its only a day. I seems to have the miscarriage symptom and made me very paranoid as we have been trying for another baby 'casually' for nearly a year now and I just thought maybe its time to see the quack just to make sure that I am not abusing my body (not in term of the trainings that I did or how I eat but more to do about the lack of awareness about what I know and what I don't know about abnormal bleeding during my cycle) I didn't stop my training, as a matter of fact the day I had these heavy bleeding my boxing was at the top of the world! I was enjoying it so much, my 'partner in crime' Jo think I was overly aggressive punching her hand and kept reminding me that she isn't my husband (if that is who she think my target is!) I got to see the quack by the end of the week and everything seems to be ok (internal check - cervix wasn't opening) Still, my GP don't want to rule out it isn't a miscarriage so asked me to do a wee on the pee stick (which fortunately I have done and its NEGATIVE!) She also said pee stick isn't as good as blood test as it won't detect the most minute pregnancy hormone so I was given an instruction to get a blood test which I done the day after.
I finally got the result and a call from the lovely lady doctor and I was told that the test was NEGATIVE! I am relief as I do not want to go through the scan, cleaning it all up, etc (yuk!) although given the choice I will do it, so we can have a clean start next time. I am very pleased with the result but I must admit the waiting and wondering game did put my concentration and focus elsewhere than training and my passion for the sports for a week. I think if the result is positive, I won't be upset or worried and I will take the next step to get myself scan and clean up properly. I understand that our body has a natural way of getting rid of what not meant to be or not good. But its just an extra blessing that it isn't positive at the first place.
So, it has been a few weeks of disruptions, physically and mentally and my Tough Guy and Gal Challenge is this Sunday. I am prepared, I am ready to be out there to have fun, get myself into a right mess, mud, wet and I want to enjoy this event with my best mate Stuart that decided to do it alongside me. He is like a brother to me. Maybe he is the only man beside my husband Vince that willing to hear all the gruesome details about my problem last week. For that I give him a huge credit!After this event, I want to plan what I want to do in order to prepare for Auckland Marathon 2009 in November that I am taking part, I want to incorporate a structural training plan that can link to my personal challenge (more practical and related to future events) and I want to revisit my 2009 goals for the ones that I've done and the one that still to be done as we are now already half of the year (where did the last 6 months gone?) and I need to be realistic about my personal goal for this year.Although my blood test came negative, at the back of my mind I can't help of thinking that I need to be a bit more strategic about what I want, if it is practical to try another baby now or would I like to venture these crazy sports wee bit longer and postpone the idea of having another baby until next year? Am I selfish or am I just being realistic to do all these planning and replanning? Am I being practical? Or just pure naive? I wish I didn't think about it too much as I will ended up beating myself up for wanting to do something that I love without being judge (that's a baby and love of my sports). Still, whatever it is I hope I am happy with the decision.....

4th week, 7 days personal challenge report

I had the whole week feeling very lethargic, stuffy, sore and ache with flu/cold symptom. Didn't sleep very well as coughing all night. Managed to fit one run on Sunday 21/06/09 for just 5k. I thought I didn't do that bad.

I am continuing my personal challenge next week for another 30 days so I can achieve my target goal. I did a boxing session yesterday and has will have another one tomorrow. I look forward to that. My shoulder, arm and upper body are sore and feeling really hard as muscle are pumping from boxing session. I really enjoyed and felt like I can do boxing for long term training as part of full body / all round exercise (hardcore!) I want to write a bit more about my boxing session tomorrow as I forgotten to bring my camera yesterday (I promised some photo shots right?). Our instructor is 6 months pregnant but she didn't give us any sympathy during the session! Ha..ha..

As I am not back into the training game and felt much better, this week report for my another 30 days personal challenge will be on starting next Monday 29/06/09. I also got 2 weeks before my Tough Guys and Gals Challenge in Auckland and hope I have prepared myself mentally and physically for the event.