from somewhere in my imagination

On Sunday

Every now and then we have a moment where things all comes together and we achieve something awesome.  I feel pretty lucky to have had lots of moments like that in my life, but truth be told I have worked really hard to get to a lot of those moments.

Like on Sunday.

My first goal for 2012, health & fitness wise, was to run a half marathon.  I was really scared that I wouldn't get there, a foot injury has interrupted my training so it hasn't gone down quite the way I wanted it to.  However, I didn't chuck in the towel.  I changed my approach and adapted, I (mostly) listened to my trainer and I did as much as I could while giving my foot room to heal.  I talk some more about how I adapted and what my training consisted of in another post.

With 19km as my maximum training distance I started on Sunday without having run the full 21.1km before, but that's not unusual for a first time half marathoner.  Not ideally I'd only done it the Saturday before, I'd wanted to be at that distance a good 3-4 weeks before with only a shortish run the week before.

Sunday arrived, way too quickly, Lauren & Jess came along for the drive and for that I am so grateful.  I'm not quite sure how I would have gotten home otherwise.  It also meant I had someone's shoulder to bury my face in when all the emotion hit and I ugly cried, gasping for breath, at the finish line.

I pushed.  I pushed through pain, past the overwhelming desire to stop and walk 3kms from the end.  I pushed through that last km and picked up my pace to the finish line.  I pushed from somewhere within and I made it.  All by my own. 

Long distance runners have got balls.  Even when there is another person running alongside you it's your legs and your brain that have to get you there.  There's nothing else to hold you up but your own two feet, nothing else to carry you over the finish line.

1:51:39 is my official time.  I thought that second 1 was a 0 but I'm not going to quibble over it.  It is so close to the 1:50:00 that I secretly hoped I'd be able to finish in.  So secret I couldn't even say it out loud in case I didn't get anywhere near it.

I amazed myself.

Even when I could barely get out of bed this morning because my body was hurting so bad I still couldn't quite believe I'd done it.

But I did, and I did good.

Thankfully my muscles are coming down from yesterday and I'm walking like a normal person again tonight.  I happy with my recovery actually.

So, on with the next goal, another half, this time as part of the Adelaide Marathon Running Festival.  This time I'll be running on the same track as my sister Sam who's gearing up for the full 42.2km.  Awesome isn't it, I'm excited for it.

Do you have a big goal for yourself this year, running related or otherwise?  I'd love to hear all about it!

Tatum xx

A Time to Learn

You would almost have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation.  I did round 3 back in 2010, its first year, and had some amazing results in a short period of time.

Then I copped an injury that pretty much stopped me in my tracks.

As you know 2011 was a full on year for me and I never really got back into the swing of exercise but with a good, healthy diet my weight stayed around the same.  I think?  I don’t weight myself often normally.  Well, my clothes didn’t get appreciably tighter or looser anyway.

Then I welcomed 2012 and rediscovery of one of my ultimate goals.  To run a marathon.  I committed to it.  I told people and I started working towards that goal in a very serious way.  As well as regular running sessions and other cardio in the gym I knew that I needed to incorporate elements of strength training so I would be less likely to hurt myself again.

Fortunately Lauren introduced me to the Boss.  I have worked really hard and I have loved it.  The changes to my strength and shape have been amazing; it helps when you have great direction.  As the weeks have progressed I have found myself becoming more and more committed to the changes in my body and wanting to progress them further. 

My eating habits have changed.  I don’t want to put anything in my body that isn’t good for it or makes it feel heavy, I’ve worked too hard to undo it by eating food I don’t love and isn’t really good for me.  Sumo Salad and Sushi have been my lunchtime staples on work days when I haven't quite managed to bring my own.

Prompted by the excitement of 12WBT Round 1, 2012 coming to the end I decided that now was the time for me to step things up a notch.  I’ve signed myself up for Round 2 and I’ll be tackling the Lean & Strong program head on.  I am so excited about the new stuff I am going to learn about building lean muscle mass and the nutrition that goes with it.  I want to know more about protein and carbs and the actual facts about when to eat them and why.  Not just all the bullshit that you read in women’s magazines.

With the 12WBT comes goal setting, I do have a few kgs I want to lose but I am approaching the bottom end of my healthy BMI weight range so that really isn’t the key for me.  I am more focused on the changes I read on the tape measure, a lower body fat percentage and growth in lean muscle mass.

After I run the Barossa Half marathon on Sunday I’ll be dialling back the running during June.  I’ll stick with RPM for my cardio, building my endurance and giving my feet a rest from pounding the footpath before I start to ramp up my training again in July on the home stretch for the Melbourne Marathon in October.

To go with the marathon goal I set myself the half crazy goal of taking on Tough Mudder Sydney in September.  It makes me grin and gives me butterflies every time I think of it and the fact that I really am going to do it.

To complement those body stats goals I want to set myself some physical ones too.  Is 12 weeks to short a time to get some good six pack definition?  I don’t know, but I am going to give it a red hot go.  100 push ups on my toes, and let’s add 25 tricep pushups to that…they are one of my nemeses.  Bodyweight chin-ups, another nemesis, 5, 10 maybe?  These goals are fluid, I want to push them as much as I can in the next 3 months to achieve the very best from myself.

So there you go.  I’m saying it out loud and putting my goals out there.  Bring it on, this is my time to conquer and to learn.

I’d love to know if you are doing 12WBT this round.  I’m also really interested to hear about other’s experiences with the Lean & Strong program.

I promise there will be plenty of the other stuff I blog about still, and plenty of new stuff too!

Tatum xx

Run, Run You Can't Catch Me

well...actually, you probably can because I'm not that fast, I just like the nursery rhyme reference.

I've talked about how running is an alternate form of meditation for me and a little about my struggles with foot, ankle and knee injuries in the last 12 months.  Last night I went for a walk with my friend but I ran to her house and ran home when we were done.  My feet had wings, it was awesome.

I've run (or jogged if you want to call it that?) for as long as I can remember.  When I think back and try to remember how old I was when I started I actually can't.  I used to go out for a jog around the block with mum after school each day.  I'm looking forward to taking my girls with me soon, I feel pretty lucky that it's something I started doing at such a young age and I want to do that for my kids too.

When I was in year 12 I came home from school and ran about 12kms most days.  I was absolutely the more focused on running (and study) that I have been in any other time in my life then.  Healthy body, healthy mind.  At 33, 15 years later I want to get to that place again, but this time without all the negative body issues I had as a 17/18 year old.

In a little under 12 months I plan on running a marathon.  It's been a goal of mine for sometime now.  I was going to be this year but a little trip to the USA right in the middle of when I needed to be training hard made that a little difficult.  I've got a few other running milestones in mind that I want to complete over the next 12 months but the marathon is the number one thing I have my sights set on.

Running is something that pretty much everyone can learn to do.  I know a few people who have started running recently and used the C25K program really successfully.  If you are thinking about taking up running here are a few (totally random) pointers from me:

• Make sure you have the right shoes for the job.  You will injure yourself faster than you can even imagine if you start running and your shoes aren't right for or up to the job.
• Find the time of day that works best for you.  I'm most happy running first thing in the morning or around 5-6 in the evening.  I hate heading out anytime after about 10 and before 3.  Quirky.
• The smell of people cooking dinner when you are running can be pretty horrendous.  Lamb roast is the worst!
• If you like to listen to music make sure your earphones aren't going to pop out.  Mine do so my ipod does not coming running with me.  I need to get some with those hooky things.
• Find your own rhythm.  For me running is a solitary thing.  For you it might not me but, to be honest, people who you can run comfortably with are few.
• Learn to zone out.  My best runs are when I zone out.  My body doesn't hurt as much and it is actually one of the few times that I can actually make my mind still.
• Good core strength is an asset when you are running.  A strong core helps hold you upright so it makes your running motion more natural and comfortable.  I've just started using the Jillian Michaels 6 Week 6 Pack DVD...It's a great workout...I'll let you know in 6 weeks how my abs are looking ;)
• To begin with pick a course and stick to it.  Once you get to know it well it's easier to set little milestones along the way if you are struggling a bit.  It's easier to map your progress too if you can compare distance and time with each run.
• The smell of water from someone's garden hose is seriously incredible.
• Make sure your clothes are comfortable and your knickers aren't going to give you a wedgie.
• There is no such thing as too much support when you are running...I wear a sports bra, a compression bra and a sports singlet when I run.  All that breastfeeding has done enough damage, I don't need to make it worse by letting the girls bounce all over the show when I'm running, besides it's uncomfortable.  When I see girls running and their boobs are bouncing I cringe for them.

So tell me...are you a runner?  do you want to be a runner?  do you hate runners? what are your best running tips?

Tatum xx