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More Post-Race Pain Than A Full Marathon!

10/25/2015

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Today has been a struggle, mobility-wise. My legs have been sore AF. And they're getting worse. Noooo: this doesn't bode well for tomorrow, when DOMS is supposed to be even worse than the day after the event. I'm trying my usual mix of excellent healing foods, including salmon, turmeric, eggs, dark chocolate, broccoli and lots of green leafy veg, nuts and seeds, and mushrooms, so, fingers crossed this will do the trick.

Seriously, my legs feel worse than if I had just ran a full marathon, not just a half! Ahhh, but the reason being? It wasn't 'just' a half, by any stretch of the imagination. The reason for my achey-as-fuk-post-racing legs today is due to my last minute entry into the Kedumba half marathon down in the beautiful and awe-inspiring Blue Mountains, very close to Wentworth Falls. A couple of guys from the running group I've joined were talking about it when I met them for a hill training session earlier in the week, and well, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity! Sounded too good: a half marathon in one of my favourite parts of Australia, that was also a trail race half marathon and not the usual tarmac affair. I was in.

We travelled down way too early yesterday morning: my usual 4am alarm was shockingly reset to 2am and we were on the road by just before 3:30 am, driving down from Newy to the Blue Mountains via Sydney. We arrived there in good time, collected our bib and timing chip, along with a foldable reusable cup for the course (great idea!) and chatted nervously before the race. I say nervously - I wasn't nervous until one of the guys who ran it last year started shaking his head and mentioning 'oh the pain' that was to come. Hmmm.... Surely it would be ok? I sipped on my black coffee (the organisers had thought of everything: a café tent was on hand, as were a few portaloos with a steadily growing queue or other runners) and took it all in. I was so psyched to be there! Although, it was pretty farken cold that's for sure.

We set off on the dot at 7:30, after a short race briefing by the organisers, and we were off! Straight into a gentle UP hill - what the!? I thought it was literally 10.5km DOWN and then 10.5km UP? I was soon too hot, and discarded my mistakenly worn jacket (managing to find it later when I was coming back - result!). Soon, we were going down though, I didn't have long to wait. When I say 'down', I mean down. It was pretty steep in most parts and my calves started to hurt as I tried to slow my descent, not wanting to injure myself in the rush to get down the mountain. With every steep section down my mind was a mixture of: wow, look at the stunning, ethereal views (we ran through the layer of clouds at one point - amazing!) and: shit, we have run back UP this!?.

When we reached the bottom of the valley, the course flattened out and we ran along a pathway through a meadow and through a refreshing river crossing (up to my knees!) and then back across the same river to retrace our steps. Now the hard part would start, is what I was thinking to myself.

I actually found the second half easier, in some ways, than the first downhill half, as crazy as that sounds. I think I wasn't expecting my calves to have got so smashed as I ran down the mountain, so going back up was a welcome relief for them. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I could run parts of the uphill section too: hiking the too steep parts and conserving my energy for the rest of the race, but running the parts where I thought I could (and did). It certainly wasn't a PB for me, and was my second slowest half marathon (the slowest actually being my most memorable and best running achievement of being the female winner of the Great Wall of China Half Marathon and running a PW of just over 5 hours!) but I am thrilled with my time of 2:11! I had just wanted a time of roughly 2:30, but this was just a guestimate based on the professional peeps, the winning female from last year doing it in 1:47! Now, next year I have my time to beat: I will be aiming for 2 hours to 2:10. Because I am definitely coming back!

It was just such a beautiful and amazing race. Sure it was tough (it is actually listed as the 'toughest half marathon in Australia'), and sure I am now in a world of pain whenever I try to stand and walk anywhere, but it was most definitely worth it. There's no feeling quite like finishing a really hard race, and finishing stronger than you expected, AND having just ran through the stunning Blue Mountains in perfect weather conditions and on fire-trail surface (no tarmac and cars in sight! oh, save for the emergency car) just tops it off. Not to mention the veggie burger and cold drink (and copious fruit, lollies, water and sports drinks that were on offer at the finish line) that we found out were included with every entry - trail race AND a free burger?! What a perfect Sunday morning! Great company in the form of many other like-minded runners, and a very welcoming, friendly crowd and organisers, made this a very memorable and endorphin fuelled event.

Here are some pictures of the event, now excuse me while I hobble to the kitchen for some more leafy green veg and eggs! If you get a chance to run Kedumba, GO for it!!!

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Two Year Bloggervesary

10/17/2015

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This is a week late. I hadn’t realised when I posted my blog post last week (on Monday instead of the usual Sunday, due to some wifi problems) until later, that it was two years on that day that I started writing these blog posts. TWO YEARS of ‘blogging’ or rambling re: running, travelling, eating and other important things. A lot has happened in just two short years, and life in Yiwu actually seems a lot longer ago than just two little years.

So, firstly ,yes – two years ago I was living in a city called Yiwu, in South-East China, in Zhejiang Province. A relatively small city by Chinese standards, only about 2 million or so peeps. I was an English teacher at a middle school, together with my husband, I was regularly training to improve my various pbs (as in, ‘proper’ training – intervals, tempo runs, stair training, and long runs – the whole shebang) having not long ago been on a permanent high of being the Female Champion (number 1 woman!) at the Great Wall of China Half Marathon a few months back, and I was usually found casually cycling around town in between teaching, or eating delicious street snacks or dumplings from my favourite local restaurant, or being told to ‘go and rest’ after my one or two or three lessons of the day.  I could also be found at my computer a lot of the time – typing up chapters of my debut novel Bacon Sleep Sex (the bulk of which I also wrote in Yiwu – having that awesome balance of 10 hours of ‘work’ each week, i.e. the teaching, and the rest of the time being able to explore or run or write.)

There are so many people and things I miss from Yiwu, and so many great memories. If only the pollution wasn’t a problem and if only my Aussie and English friends and family lived there too. Probably could have stayed there indefinitely. Although, no doubt, I would have got that familiar itchy-feet-itis again anyway and would still have been keen to move on and see ‘more’ of China (and the rest of the world). Of course, life wasn’t perfect two years ago, and there were still some struggles (including one major one that has taken almost these past two years to tackle and figure out, and is still an ongoing thing) but I definitely miss the freedom and the lifestyle of where I was two years ago when I sat down to write my first blog post.

In memory of Yiwu life, here are a few photos from my time there:

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iStadium Half Marathon - Newcastle

10/12/2015

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Yesterday I took part in the inaugural iStadium run here in our very own beautiful, city of Newcastle. 21.1km of running through familiar streets and then onto part of my usual long running route when it joined onto Memorial Drive and we ran alongside the ocean for a bit before looping back, heading up a slight hill, and then retracing our steps back towards the famous Knights' stadium (or Hunter Stadium) where we got to run a victory lap (or half-lap) to the finish line. A beautiful morning too - it was getting quite hot out there. This wasn't helped by a later than planned kick-off: starting at the late and sunny time of 7:15 rather than the 6:30am start we had all arranged to get there by (apparently there were some issues with the road closures).

A later start would have been awesome to know about earlier - I had gotten back home at approximately 3:15 that morning, from seeing Beauty and the Beast The Musical in Sydney, where my uncle is playing Cogsworth (which was an amazing show by the way! So good!), and then took the late train back up north - then ate and drank tea for a while, then at about 4am I had a power nap of about 45 minutes (my 'sleep' for the night). So by the time the race rolled around in the early hours of yesterday, I was feeling pretty wrecked - I've said it before and I'll say it again: missing sleep and feeling that tired makes me feel like I'm off my face or drunk! When this was obviously not the case. I can't do an all-nighter and no sleep anymore! Wrecks me. Ohwell. It didn't affect my running too much, I suppose, as I still ran a 1:39 half, however, this is a whole minute slower than my last two races, and not that 1-2 minutes faster that I was aiming for. I couldn't do my usual strong/fast/sprint finish either, and whether this was down to being severely tired and drained from travelling, or the heat of the morning, I'll never know. This race certainly felt a lot harder than the last two races, although it was really great having a local race. Not least for the awesome support network!

I've recently started going to a few events/runs with a local running group, who are phenomenally supportive and enthusiastic! (Not to mention: a lovely group of runners with some excellent banter.) Here is our group photo at the start of the race. Spot the odd one out (yep, time to get myself an official red shirt methinks!):

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Another highlight of this race was the complimentary massage immediately after the race too! I am sure this has helped me with the recovery today. Such a good set-up - you finish in the stadium, get your medal, and some drinks and fruit, and then mosey on round to the massage zone where you recover on a spin bike for a few minutes until your masseur is ready for you. What a great idea! This was the same with the Sydney half marathon I did recently too. I hope this becomes a mandatory feature in every race! It really helps.
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That's all from me for now. I'm still pretty wiped out from the weekend. Congratulations to everyone who ran on Sunday! There were many a mention of PBs afterwards. A special shout-out to my friend (who also happens to be a client) who smashed the race with a time of 1:31!! He is consistently setting goals and then working hard towards them and smashing them!! So awesome to see, and the proof of consistent training and dedication/commitment to nutrition and eating right, is in the pb! ('Proof is in the pb' instead of 'proof is in the pudding'?) And well done to everyone, whether you got a pb or pa (personal average?) or pw - that sun really was a shocker! Beautiful course though, of course. Here's to the first of many iStadium runs, and to me beating my time during next year's race.
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We Are What We Think

10/3/2015

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This morning's long(er) run was my usual route from Carrington, along past the harbour and Nobby's, then Newcastle beach and up on past King Edward park and along Memorial Drive to the Merewether Surf club and then back the same way to home, and it was perfect weather. The kind of stunning morning that reminds me why I am so fricken proud and lucky to call Newcastle home, even if it's an adopted sort of home (me being technically a London-raised Salopian - haha, look that one up...). It's just such a beautiful, friendly and active little city. The change of hours due to 'daylight savings' (by the way - can we all just take a moment to appreciate this is one of the two days a year where we collectively agree on and realise that 'time', as we see it, is nothing more than a human construct and illusion, as we can suddenly all agree that now it is a different time) definitely didn't stop the many runners, surfers, sea kayakers, SUP'ers, dog-walkers, and skaters. It seemed everyone was out and about early this morning, and who could blame them. To prove my authentic Aussieness and that I am worthy of that citizenship certificate carefully stashed away somewhere safe, the phrase 'pearler of a day!' comes to mind.

So, my run started off beautifully and I was quite happy just soaking it all up and thinking about a myriad of things. One of which is 'how much I love Newcastle' which then led on to 'oh yes, I'm going to see a movie this evening that is filmed all around Newcastle!'. I could not be more excited - this evening I will be attending a friend's film premiere right here in Newy, for his new movie 'Pop-Up' (Tower Cinemas, 6:30pm, today). I LOVE a good movie, or show, or novel, that is set in a place that I've either lived in before or know well, and combine this with what looks to be an awesome drama/romance (Stu, you are very talented! Can't wait to see the whole movie!), and the whole shebang of a film premiere (you know, red carpets, dressing up, paparazzi flashes, etc - not too sure what to expect as this will be the first one I've ever attended, but think it's safe to speculate re these!) well: I. Am. Excited. If you are here in Newy and fancy coming along, here's some more information about it, the trailer, and a link to buy your tickets:
http://www.popupmovie.com/

Here's a good article written by one of the dudes working on the movie (I'm sorry I don't know you're official title/technical name Richard!). By the sounds of it, if you LOVE Newcastle, you will LOVE this film! https://open.abc.net.au/explore/105667

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Then my running mind went back to a rest around something that I've read recently, in a couple of different places, where people have been quoted as saying something like 'it doesn't matter if you've been running for 6 years or 6 months, the first 10 minutes of any run is always hard/bad'. What the?? I simply don't find this to be true or the case at all. Sure, very occasionally, when my legs feel like lead or after a big race or training session the day before or something, then you might feel tired or like you're shuffling, but that actual feeling of 'it'll get better / everyone hates the first ten minutes'?? I don't think this is true for everyone. (Please tell me if this is true for you too!! Or am I a freak??). Could it have something to do with what we tell ourselves before we head out for a run?? I definitely think so. I.e if you tell yourself 'this is going to hurt' or 'this will be hard' then more than likely, it WILL hurt or be hard. Just as if you tell yourself: 'I can't wait to get out there and run' or 'this is going to be great' then more than likely, you WILL get out there, and it WILL be great. Such is the power of our thoughts and intention, something that's been on my mind a lot lately. I didn't specifically have this is my mind this morning as I made my way out of the door, it's just something I thought about whilst running a little bit later, but I DO remember one of my recurring thoughts this morning as I got dressed/ready and laced my shoes up was this: 'I get to go and do my favourite thing ever now!' And then, just a few seconds later: BAM: there I was doing (one of) my favourite things ever and was out there running. (i.e. we create our own reality.) So, I don't know where this 'the first ten minutes of anyone's run is going to suck' theory comes from.

About a third of the way into the run however, my right knee was starting to do that strange thing it used to do when it had had enough after my first ever full marathon, back in the day. Specifically when I was running DOWN hill, down Memorial Drive. Hmmm.... It didn't feel good, and I slowed down to walk the rest of the downhill sections of my 'run'. I was actually looking forward to the up-hills as at least there was no pain or weird feeling when running UP! Oh well. This then led me to cutting the whole thing short by about 20mins or so, but no actual harm done. Oh well - nothing some good old fashioned rest and turmeric won't fix! Maybe my body's way of telling me: take it easy this week before the iStadium half marathon next Sunday.

So, there you have it folks: to sum up: Newcastle is a beautiful and inspiring city; Pop-Up is premiering tonight at Tower Cinema, and we ARE what we think or believe and there is such power in the things we say or tell ourselves. So choose your words wisely and be careful what you wish for!! Wishing you a BEAUTIFUL rest of your Sunday, whatever it is you are up to, and before I go, here's a sampler photo of Newy itself, taken early one morning last week:


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    A 30-something's running and travelling experience around the world.

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