Monday 28th February
This is not really my first week, but I need to start somewhere.  I have been training for 7 weeks now, but have not recorded my training sessions.  I have been running 2-3 per week, for 60 – 90 mins, trying to increase my speed.  I did a 12 km run yesterday in which I did some hill sprints for the first time – 4 reps up Glynburn Rd, down Cooper Pl, Up Cooper Pl, down Glynburn Rd.  After looking at my trail afterwards (via MapMyRun), my Coopers Pl legs, which felt shorter and flatter, were a bit remarkably so – I need to go much further down the road next time!!
Mondays are becoming a yoga / recovery day as a rule, but today I didn’t even get to my yoga class.  In fact, I have only been twice.  Just as well I am calling this week ‘week one’, so I have a chance to improve my stats.

In my 7 weeks of training so far, I have lost nearly 11 kg (by being very strict with my diet as well) and planning on losing another ten kg by the time the big run comes along.  I’m planning on losing another 7 from here for my regular training.  That weight puts me at the weight I was when I turned 16, so I’ll see how I go maintaining that.  At least the physical activity levels I have planned for the year will help.

Tuesday – the kids have gymnastics for 90 mins, so I load Luca’s bike onto the back of the car so he can accompany me as I run from Walkerville along the Torrens through town to the weir and return.  I first did this route 2 weeks ago, on a warm day (35 degrees or so), and felt very flat.  Most of the last 30 minutes of it I wanted to stop and walk, but I kept plugging away.  Today, with my chatterbox 8 year old son, I was not holding out for any particular speed.  Just the chance to do a run.  It was a milder day (23 degrees), and although I still felt flat and slow and distracted, I was surprised to see my stats at the end – my 12.12 km in 73 minutes meant that my pace was my fastest yet (6.04 mins / km), averaging 9.9 km per hour.  If only I had looked at my phone towards the end – I could have  tipped that up to the magic mark!!  

My goals as I go along are to get over 10 km per hour for my typical runs, to do the city – bay fun run in September in under an hour (that’ll be 12 km / hr or better), and of course, run that marathon!!

Wednesday – a bike ride, as I have the Coast to Coast ride from Glenelg to Victor Harbour to do on Sunday.  I have done 4 rides now in the last month -  55 km flat mountain bike ride, a 72 km flat road ride, a 55 km hill ride last Wednesday and another 53 km hill ride today (much hillier today than last week).  2.5 hrs, so it was very slow, but it was also very hilly – I even had to stand up out of my seat for 4 sections of uphill to keep going!

Very exciting today, though – my bright orange asics official ‘ING New York City Marathon Training 2011’ t shirt arrived!!  It fits, and I will wear it proudly, and secretly wishing the writing on it was bigger so I can show it off to the world!!!  


Thursday – a work and rest day.  Booked a massage for next week, though.

Friday – a short run after work and a Dr appointment with Milla – just 28 mins, 5.5 km, record (!) pace of 5.22 mins / km (11.3 km /hr).  Much better than a month or so ago, and so augers well for more pace as I keep training.  Good also just to do a short run –  for the last month every run has been at least an hour, so it was nice to force myself to run faster, safe in the knowledge that I was not going to get stranded miles from home.  Felt good, and treated ourselves to a trip to the movies afterwards, where although my left knee is sore, I didn’t completely cramp up!!

Saturday – Strong Core ball class, and rest.  Bike ride tomorrow.

Sunday - A gorgeous Adelaide autumn day of 32 degree forecast. I headed off at 7.30 to get to the top of Portrush Rd and pick up the rest if the back coming from the beach. When I got there, the lane closure was already in effect and plenty of other people had the same idea as me (starting from somewhere in town other than Glenelg) and were heading up the hill. So I didn't need to stop and wait. The ride felt good. I stopped at each of the 4 rest stops to top up on water and I collected a couple of the ‘shotz’ carb gel things to try out at the meadows stop.
Around the 85 km mark I felt really flat and couldn't get my groove at all, so had one of the gels. Sickly sweet with a jelly consistency, it was gross but sat well. Of course, as soon as I had put the empty packet in my pocket I saw the sign that said refreshment stop 500 m!!  I could have managed with Powerade and water and kept the gel to try when I was running (which was my plan).
I picked up a couple of bunches along the way - or they picked me up and I got dragged along in the second half of the group. Amazing at times - cruising along at 45km/hr on the flat, going up hills still on the big cog, and I am not as awful at climbing as I always think I am. I guess that's what happens when you always train alone - no benchmark except for the faster people that pass you.
The last climb into victor harbor was cruel- it kept stepping up and up and up, but I felt great knowing it was the last one, and that I was nearly done :) I finished at Victor in 4 hrs 17 mins, which was my time from home, so includes my stop to remove my long sleeved top below Eagle on the Hill and my 4 drink and toilet breaks. According to MapMyRide, I averaged a little over 26km/hr, which I was really pleased with, especially considering I took an hour to do my first 17km, and 2 hrs to get to 45 km. My knee felt good, my feet were fine (last time I rode 100km my feet were burning with pain at the 70-80km mark), my shoulders and bum were numb at times and my left hand kept getting pins and needles, but I felt good.
Lunch, a sit down on the grass in the shade, shoes off, and I was feeling great. Not so great that I wanted to join my friend Neil in a ride back home again, though!! My 4 training rides in the 4 weeks leading up to this weekend was just the right amount of training, and I feel good that I can do 4 hrs without being written off. Running is entirely different to riding, but I did do a lot of the ride at a good pace, and at a working heartrate. Running for 4 hours will be harder, but I am confident I can build up the stamina and strength to do it.