The one in which I finally blog! Twilight Bay Fun Run

Oh boy has it been a long time between blogs.

I think because this time ... I truly am doing this for me. I'm accountable to me. And the biggest reward I can get ... is the quiet knowing in myself that I am sticking to my word and following the plan.

But this I have to share.

I've learnt to run again.

It's not always pretty. I'm definately not fast. But I am loving it. When I am on the road I feel like me again.

Way back before I started my baby 1 minute running intervals I signed up for a fun run - even though I couldn't run.

Why? Well one - because my friend Sonja ran her first half at Gold Coast - and through rejoicing with her I realised how much I missed it!

And two - because I knew without a deadline ... I just would flounder again.

So I signed up for the Twilight Bay Fun Run. And with the support of the Operation Move girls I got going. Baby steps. But moving towards the goal.

When I signed up my goal was to run most of the way. At least 3k. And come in under 45 min.

But by race day - 12 (ish) weeks later - I knew I totally had this one.

How did I know this? Because for once I had found a plan. Stuck with it. Done the hard yards. Before the race had started I had a pretty good idea of how i

For me - one of the most exciting things - was I was sharing this day with my daughter and my friend. My girl has become an awesome runner. She is determined and focused and she LOVES it. What more could I want?

We got there early - we were organised. The sun was shining and life was good!

It was funny. When I entered this race I wanted to tell no one. And ALL these people I knew entered too! It drove me bonkers! But ... by the time the day came I was glad to have my sole sisters with me. They were my best encouragement and I think they were truly joyful to see me out there again!

And by the time we started I just wanted to run. I wanted to do it - and prove to myself that I could.

Now - pre twilight  not everything was smooth. I've been working through injuries (plantar fasciitis and shin splints!) and even a few days before was having issues. In fact I ended up running in my besties shoes! It was an interesting week.

And then we started. And it was fun.
I had decided to run without music. And I'm glad I did. The sound of feet hitting pavement was almost meditative. It calmed me and got me in a rhythm. It pushed me forward against a headwind and got me a very nice first split. Sub 7min km! My fastest yet!

I maintained a similar pace for the second 5k, and then the headwind truly hit in. It was hard. But I was determined I wasn't stopping.

Around the 3k mark my friend's husband and their boys were sitting on the sidelines with their motivational posters - (worst parade ever!). It was the boost I needed. PP had told his wife he was sitting there cause that would be where we needed him and he was right. Just before an uphill session and the wind hitting us hard.

The run to the turnaround point took FOREVER. I really should check out the course maps better.I kept expecting to see it any moment ... and I was always wrong.

Normally a turnaround point is a joyous thing. The last 2ish km's home should have been a breeze. Except ... for the breeze ... or the wind that had turned into something to combat.

Passing PP and the boys again - PP got up and gave me a high 5. Best Ever. To all the sideline encouragers in any event - you are awesome!
And then - it was time to slog it home. I kept trying to pick up the pace - but that wasn't going to happen. I tried popping a song on to see if it would help get me home (it was MEANT to be Footloose!) but instead ... a colour meditation track came up on my phone! Whoops! That wasn't going to work - so music went off again.

I swear the course measured long (by my garmin) and those last 100m were hard. But there is nothing as sweet as a finish line. Well except for a finish line with your friends waiting at it to rejoice with you. I truly didn't expect to see them there . They had a half about to start. And they waited for me. I hope they know how much that meant.

My girl of course finished way before me. She is awesome. I am so proud of her - as she ran most of it on her own (her dad helped her get started and made sure she was right to go on) Sub 26min. Rockstar

And me? I finished in a net time of 36:45, A big pb. My previous 5k pb was 38min.

Very very happy!

I have lots of new goals. Big goals. Like running Gold Coast again. And maybe - just maybe tackling the half.
And a LOT of goals that lead up to that one big goal. But I have a plan - and faith that it could happen.

It was a joy to run again. I think it was an even BIGGER joy to hang around and cheer my friends on as they ran their half marathon! THEY ROCKED IT. I honestly think that was more fun than running it.

So there you go. First run report post baby. As my friend told me. Back in the game baby.

FIST PUMP x 3 !

FIST PUMP ONE!!!
I ran 4 k! Without stopping!

FIST PUMP TWO!!
It felt awesome ! I felt strong! And I smashed my average time!

FIST PUMP THREE!!
At my weigh in today I lost another 1.9kg! Over 4kg in two weeks! And 7 since I started!

Feeling healthy happy and strong!

Week 6 running update :)

I am up to week 6. Already!

Can you believe it?

The thing that amazes me most - is over these weeks I have not missed a run.
If it is scheduled I have done it. Even if I don't want to.

And when I have had doubts about my ability my body has performed every single time.
Your body is amazing. It can give more than you think.

Sunday was my final run of week 6. 3.6k without stopping.

And it hurt but I did it.

29 min straight running

Runs aside

This week I have eaten cleaner and feel better than ever before.

I am down 4kg since starting running - lots to go but I feel awesome!

Ready for week 7!

Couch to 5 k ... 5 weeks in

Yesterday marked the completion of week 5 of the couch to 5k for me. Four more weeks to go.

It was a week I was looking forward to ... and dreading a little as well.

In  week 5 the intervals grow ... and it ends with one straight 20 min interval. A BIG step up from the 5 min intervals of the week before.

Week 5 is about not only your fitness - but mentally deciding it will be done - and making it happen.

I had set myself up for the best success I could.
I chose a good course.

I had pep talks with a good friend, and also Rell, my old running coach.

Her words were in my head.

Long and slow. That is how she taught me to increase distance - and this is no difference.

And it was slow. I forced myself to slow. I wanted to complete the interval no matter what.

And I did.

20 min straight. Even with a headwind on the return trip.

THIS was the mental battle I needed to win and I did it!

This runner girl is back!!!

Bring on week 6!

Smiling again

Coming back to fitness and health after baby has been harder than I could ever imagine.

Reasons. Excuses. Avoidance?
It doesn't really matter. It was what it was - and now she is almost two I am finally getting my groove back.

Things are falling into place.

I am running again (well - getting there - couch to 5k week 4!)
I am lifting again.
I am at the gym.
I am eating to nourish my body.

And for the first time in a long time - I am smiling again.

My can'ts are becoming cans. And I am finally getting the courage to make plans again.

Lots of reasons to smile

Embracing the rest day.

Wanna know a secret?

When I was back and doing 12wbt hard core I never really *got* rest days.

Well - sometimes I scheduled them in - but they were rest days in disguise. No gym smashing but maybe a 5-10 km walk instead. I couldn't get my head around actually just "resting"

I was sort of like the minions in this pic. I knew what I was doing when I was smashing it up. But rest - no clue. Rest days to me meant going completely off track and losing total sight of my goals. I think I was terrified to take them.

You know what though - it didn't work. I would be fine for weeks then burn out or lose focus - I just couldn't keep going at that pace.

This time - I am embracing the rest day. This thing is for life - and life is far too long to smash your body.

Still eat well. Still be mentally on track - but totally totally take a day off training.

7 days

7 days of eating clean

7 days of tracking

7 days of moving my body

I am feeling so much better already.

I am finding I am able to give that little bit more at the gym.

I am shoes on, gear ready, eager to get out the door when Paul gets home so I can get to the gym.

I still miss the days of being able to workout whenever I want - and knowing my body is strong.

But I am 7 days closer to where I want to be.

Do I wish I started earlier? Don't we all. But I didn't. And it is what it is.



My plan for the next 7 days?

• To give my body an active rest day
• To make something simple and delicious for quick last minute lunches.
• To continue training every day.
• To begin to test my foot with small, slow running intervals.
• And to swallow my pride, and book an assessment at the gym so I can get a weights program sorted that I am happy to do. I miss being strong.

Next weekend I have the lovely reward of a trip to Phantom of the Opera. I get to hear music that stirs my soul . That will be my reward

It takes a village ...

Remember #fighterbabe?

That little miracle we never thought we would have?

Well here she is - 19 months and a running jumping leaping FIRECRACKER through and through!!

She makes exercise a little difficult at time. She wants MUM and wants mum with her. A lot.
(and you can't exactly leave a baby at home while you go train!!)

This week - I have trained. And like the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" - it is completely because of my village!

This week my training has been possible because ...

• of my husband. Who rushes home and cooks dinner so I can sneak a workout in.
• my hubby who also takes her in Bob our running pram every parkrun
• the parkrunners that quietly keep an eye out for the runaway toddler every week I'm sure!
• My step buddies. Who miss a track - or two - and dance and cajole Miss A so mummy can do a bit more
• The other mothers in the step class - who watched my baby while they were watching their own.
• My bestest buddy miss Sonja - who keeps quietly smiling at me cause she knows how hard this is for me - and offers to leave her own class if I need.
• Even instructors at the gym who I caught playing "peekaboo" and laughing with her this morning (thanks Nikki!)

It takes a village! I'm so grateful for mine (and if you see a mum with a toddler or a baby at your gym give them a smile. Help them carry their bags or put their gear away after class! It's hard to put your health first! Especially when babies want to play!)

Do you think the body remembers???

Yesterday I was at the gym.

And I had to grab something quickly upstairs while my baby was happy downstairs.
I really didn't want to move her.

So I sprinted hard up those stairs.
(a flight and a half)

And do you know what?

It felt great.

I wasn't breathless and my heart wasn't pumping.
A week ago walking felt an effort.

It's only been a week.

Do you think the body remembers??

Always remember

MyZone Match

One of the rather cool things about my gym is it is part of the myZone network.

You can purchase a belt (or win one in challenges) which records your heart rate and other data. It then flashes this on the screen as you work out and shows you what "zone" you are working in.

(as well as heaps of other useful stuff like send you your data via email at the end of each session)


Well ... Yesterday was the start of something new! And for me - it will be awesome!

Zone Match.

Basically at a prescheduled time zone match is activated in the cardio room. You pop on a piece of equipment with your belt on - and an interval based program will start. Your job is to try to keep up with the zones on the screen!

So yesterday was steep intervals. Basically 1min in the blue zone, 1 in the red. And continue. For 20min.

For me it was awesome. Mind games to take my mind off being stuck in the gym. And I worked HARD. Sweat was pouring off. It felt like the old me.

My stats for the session (so I can compare later)

Class: Steep Intervals

Zone Match: 25.98%

MEPs: 84 
Duration: 00:21 
Av Effort: 89% 
Calories: 207 
Av Heart Rate: 159 

I'll definately be back

A tale of two journeys

Some days I find writing on this blog a trifle confusing.

It is like I have two completely different journeys and I am trying to combine them both on the one blog. It's a tad confusing.

There is the story of the old me. Who did 12wbt. Lost the weight and became unstoppable!
The me with confidence and a desire to go hard.

And now there is the me now.
Tired. Frustrated. Overweight again. (and more than a little mad at myself for getting here again!)

I had thought about starting a new blog. A new blog for a new journey.

But I don't want to forget where I came from.

Reading back shows me this isn't new. This is just me getting back and doing what I was doing back then.

I hope I don't confuse you too much with my two stories.

Tell me - new blog or stay here??

Lifting date :)

It's no secret that in my world time away from the kids with hubby just doesn't happen! Then on the weekend I had a brainwave!

There is a kids cage at the gym - so hubs and I had a lifting date! It was Sunday afternoon and quiet so worked perfectly. We bribed miss 8 to entertain the toddler.

Post gym selfie. Check out e - she sure looks impressed!

On injury, frustration .... and lego????

Some people when they get injured have great stories to follow!
Stories of bravery ... and adventure ... and big crashes!

Me - I get lego.

Seems a few months back I hurt my foot - so badly it effects my every day. If I sit for a bit I limp in pain till it frees up. I have two pairs of shoes I can tolerate and won't tell you how much I've spent on ones that don't work.

Some days walking 2kms means I am feet up in pain the rest of the day.

So - I went to the podiatrist ... as you do ... ready for an answer and a CURE!

Seems not. I have the unglamourous sounding injury to the fat pad of my heal. Most common cause?? Stepping on a lego. Estimated time to heal - 6-18 MONTHS.

Time is really the only cure.

So if you are wondering where I have been that is where. Limping in frustration and sulking at the card I've been dealt.

Well guess what. I can't stand doing nothing anymore.

I am declaring the next 4 weeks rehab week.
Instead of doing the training I love ... I am gearing up for a boring mind numbing month of cross trainer, bike and rower. Anything that keeps the weight off my heal.

Stubbornly I am still doing some step classes but doing all the low impact moves.

And I'm commencing back at strength training - hopefully I can tolerate that.

Honestly - it sounds crazy but such a simple thing hurts like hell.

This is my plan to hopefully drop some weight (which might help) and build some fitness while I wait for it to fix - without causing anymore damage.

Now - the question is ....

How do I make the cross trainer fun?????

Some things are harder than you think they will be.

Fighterbabe is 19mths.

Can you believe it?

My miracle is a climbing running walking always moving ball of energy.

And I can tell you I am not where I thought I would be.

Getting back to the life I was living was harder than I thought.

A big part of it is excuses I know. And I'm not going to go into that.

But for other new mums out there - sometimes it is just hard.

Mind, body and life did not work in a way I could go back to the old me.

Injury made it worse.

And for a while that was ok with me.

But now ... now I feel I need to change.

I want time for me back.

I want to feel like I can trust my body to be strong.

I want to feel healthy not tired.

So baby stepping I am back.

I'll update you with my plan shortly.

But for now - it is enough for me to say that I've been to the gym three times in the last three days.

Happily  - that's a good enough start for me ...