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A Two Coffee Kind of Morning

11/28/2014

So, yesterday I was sick. Properly sick with what I thought was the flu (this began with an acute, sudden pain in my inner thigh/groin area the evening before, then body aches all over, then fever and other nasties I won't go into here). Cue a day off work, and me fearing the worst (oh no! May have to rest for many many days, or even, shock horror, go to the doctor - something I am not keen to do over here as the local treatment for just about anything is to stick you on some magical, healing drip for a few days. Umm, no thanks.) However, miracles do happen! By the power of a day's sleep and watching youtube movies, I feel a million times better this morning. Thank you Universe!
To celebrate my return to good health, I am going to go for an awesome, mindful run, along my favourite route next to the beautiful frozen river. I am just finishing my second (much needed) coffee pre-run and then I'm outta here! (Although I am 'fixed', the coffee is much needed and welcomed this morning.)

While I was lying around and resting yesterday, I watched this awesome interview with Dr. Timothy Noakes, 'The Lore of Running': http://mindfulrunning.leadpages.net/dr-noakes-interview/

If you have a spare hour and a bit, have a watch! It is well worth it. Very inspiring and interesting, especially with regards to the parts re: nutrition and fuel, and how much water to take on during a run or long run. I also loved what they were talking about at the start, that running is an experiment of one: a personal experiment for each of us: ie. we are all unique and different, thus there is no one-size-fits-all aspect to running or training, nor should there be. Also loved hearing about their running highs and feelings towards long runs and running ultras. Very motivating!! So I had to share.

Aaand, somehow it's the weekend again! How did that happen?!
Tell me, what's on for your weekend? Are you celebrating? Running? Working? Racing? Visiting friends and family?

For me: well, I'm going to start the weekend right, with that soon-to-be-had run. Tomorrow, I'm hoping to go for a long cycle adventure in the morning - there's a huge reservoir that's about 40km or so from here, according to Google maps. Today, I plan to (hopefully) get a fair bit of writing done (I have a couple of other books in the works, although a long, long way off - one is a similar fiction book, in the same style as Bacon Sleep Sex, and one is non-fiction: our travel adventure of touring around China in a caravan). Bit of a getting-started problem/writer's block at the moment - am thinking it may be my environment? So, going to head to a local café instead of our apartment here and see if that helps. I know, once I get fully started and further into the writing that it'll flow nicely (I know, in theory, what I want to write) yet at the moment, I am struggling to properly 'start' - a bit like running or exercise I suppose! Starting can be the hardest part.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!!!

6 Comments

Five Seconds of Fame

11/27/2014

3 Comments

I have figured out a way to regain my 'normal' running pace and to run my usual route in my usual time: don't run in the dark. Haha, sounds simple, yes? This morning's run was the same route taken as on Tuesday morning, however I waited until it was already light (and went at a shockingly late 6:30am!) instead of running half of it in the dark (when setting out at 5:30 or 5:45). Let me tell you - running when you can see where you are going makes for a much better run all round! So, I may have to adjust my 'schedule' hey, now that the day's are so much shorter and it is pitch black and totally dark for the first part of my run (there are no streetlights on to make it out from our home on campus, kind of dangerous, but hey-ho...). Another cold, frosty run beside the beautiful frozen river, but my legs felt great and a lot better than the other day, and woop-woop: no knee pain whatsoever today! Result.

Check it out - got the official race photo (this is from Day 1, at the end of the first marathon, in beautiful Kaili - not sure what happened to Day 2 and Day 3's finish line shot?):

Hmm, now, I do not look that pumped about having finished the first marathon here, but I assure you I was thrilled! (And just slightly saturated too...)

I also got sent the video link for the news report about the race - you can check my five seconds of fame out here: http://pan.baidu.com/inbox/i/2sjQA06T

Have a super day everyone!!!

3 Comments

Start Your Day the Right Way

11/24/2014

6 Comments

Ahh, nothing like an ice-cold (refreshing? invigorating?) run first thing in the morning to kick-start your day. Is it just me or do days just flow much better and better things happen on days when you've gotten in an early morning run, or some kind of morning exercise? I definitely think so. And I have to thank Coach and Husband this morning for your motivating and encouraging words of 'just do it' at about 5am this morning when I was wavering (yet again) re: my options of either getting up and out there into the MINUS NINE degree weather (yes, you read that correctly. Ouch) or staying put in the warm, cosy, relatively comfortable bed. Thanks Husband, I am SO glad I went! Feel alive and pumped for the day ahead now, and I've remembered something: I will probably feel tired in the morning and later on whether I go for a run or not, so I might as well 'just fucken do it' hey. If, like me, you've been hesitating re: your usual exercise routine or have been falling into the trend of lying in bed instead, remember this: you will never regret getting up and actually doing it. You'll feel so much better afterwards. So, come on: just fucken do it!!

This morning's run was a usual 11km run through the riverside park, alongside the frozen river and frozen beaches, which made for a beautiful, frosty run. My pace is a lot slower lately, but that's ok, I am still moving forward. However, my knee started to feel weird at about 40 minutes into the run! Wtf... So, I may need to shorten my usual runs for a while until all weird knee feelings dissipate and bugger off. I'll keep you posted! I'm sure it's just a normal, post 106km run recovery thing. Hope it's not a permanent fixture. I'll be aiming to increase my intake of ginger too, as this will no doubt help (with the joints and with any pain or inflammation).

Other than having races to look forward too, is there anything more exciting to search for online than flights and hotels?? I LOVE planning future trips and holidays and lately our focus has been on our long winter holidays coming up in January. I am thrilled to report that I will travelling back to the beautiful land of Oz where I will see my Mum, Aunt and Uncle and Cousins, my two best friends, and many other friends that it's been well overdue for a catch up. I. Can't. Wait.

Has your usual routine been affected by the change in weather?
Do you use ginger as a medicine?

6 Comments

No Internet Access All Week!!!

11/21/2014

4 Comments

It's getting completely ridiculous now, and we're pretty sure we're being messed around/lied to re: why there is no internet access at our apartment (on campus at the uni we work at). Cue multiple, expensive trips to a nearby la-di-da-look-at-me-look-at-me café (I swear, a good chunk of our salary has gone on patronising this local café where their wifi always works, this past week). Hey-ho, moving on...

Not many runs to report either, but I did finally get back out there and managed a grand total of ONE run this week! My knee seems a lot better (it's actually worse when I am lying down for any length of time, but walking and running seems to be no problem). In between, there has been a couple of strength training sessions at home, and some cycling in the sub-zero temperatures.

Other than my minimal exercise this week (perhaps my body is still recovering from the 100km+ challenge a few weeks ago? I have been really tired and unmotivated re: fitness this week too) I've been mainly getting excited about my debut novel, and trying to share that around the big wide world of the web. Thank you for your support and encouraging words too! These are exciting times.

Here is another link re: Bacon Sleep Sex, on Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23595485-bacon-sleep-sex

Here it is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baconsleepsexloiswood?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Please feel free to 'like' and 'share' it!! I would be most grateful!

So, yes, more freezing-cold weather today. Stay warm wherever you may be. Here's where I would much rather be today, ahh Australia, how I miss you (but will be seeing you very soon!):

Thanks to Kristina for tagging me for the 'I Mustache You Some Questions' malarkey!! Here are my answers below:

Four names that people call me, other than my real name:

Lewis/Louis
Smithy
Loulabelle
Louhobishopie

Four jobs I have had:

Mobile spray tan technician (lol, and I was the WORST hey...)
Pathology Technical Assistant (Cytology Department)
Office Slave on a trading floor of an investment bank
Jenny Craig consultant

Four movies I’ve watched more than once:

Dirty Dancing
Pretty Woman
I Love You Man
Superbad

Four books I’d recommend:

Bacon Sleep Sex by Lois Wood (haha, self-plug much??)
Blind Faith by Ben Elton
Cuban Heels by Emily Barr
Any book by Robert Barrett

Four places I have lived:

London, UK
Brighton, UK
Newcastle, Australia
Perth, Australia

Four places I have been:

Bolivia
Brazil
South Africa
Greece

Four places I’d rather be right now:

Australia
Bali
Argentina
England

Four things I don’t eat:

Bacon, ham or any porky product!
Most meat
Parsnips
Durian

Four of my favorite foods:

Avocado
Cheese and antipasto platters (this counts as one food right?)
Broccoli
Tofu

Four TV shows that I watch:

Hmm, can't really answer this one as currently I watch zero tv.

Four things I am looking forward to this year:

The end of the teaching semester and the exams
The beautiful, picturesque snow we've heard so much about
Checking out some nearby cities via the train
Getting my running legs back out there!

Four things I’m always saying:

Fancy a coffee? (then promptly forgetting the person in question's answer to this, and thus asking again)
How are you all? (One of my lesson openers)
What's the weather like today? (Again, my fail-safe lesson beginning question)
Bacon Sleep Sex (said in a comedy accent courtesy of Google translate, my particular favourites being that said in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and Africaans)

Four people I tag:
Karen (http://moreclutterfromkaren.blogspot.com/)
Amy (http://runwritehike.com/)
Schlub (http://runningschlub.blogspot.it/)
Kim (http://day-with-kt.com/)

Enjoy!!!

4 Comments

B

11/17/2014

8 Comments

Legs Are Ok Now...

11/14/2014

6 Comments

Thank you for all your kind words and well wishes! I can't believe this event was a week ago already, why oh why does time fly so fast when you're having a great time?? I feel a little bereft now hey. Oh well... My legs are recovering well and pretty much feel back to normal. So, I think some cross-training (cycling or strength training) is definitely in order today. I will hold off from running until next week, just to be safe, but I think I'll go crazy if I don't break a sweat doing some kind of exercise soon!

A short (and sweet?) post from me today, as I really just wanted to share a few more pictures with you from this amazeballs event last week - taken by my friend who has a much better camera (thanks Cedric!), so you can get a better idea of the beauty of this place (Guizhou) (and yes, that is me trying to take an action shot of our warm-up aerobics on the left there).

No doubt, there may be yet more photos and talk re: this 100km+ challenge to follow - sorry guys, I'll get it out of my system soon, promise!

The internet continues to be very very sketchy here, but I really hope it's around on Monday, as I have some very exciting (non-running related) news! Stay tuned for then, and I hope I can reveal all.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. For those of you who have a good camera, what do you have? What's all this DSLR malarkey I hear about? Any recommendations for a model/make for a camera (one that I can take on runs and travelling, ideally)?

6 Comments

Day 3 - Zhen Yuan = 22km

11/12/2014

12 Comments

(Ok, writing this third one while we have internet this morning - it is so bad here - we seem to have it for maybe 2 days of the week? Side effect of life in Inner Mongolia perhaps?)

On the third and final morning of the challenge, my legs felt not too bad (much better than the previous morning). The weather was looking a bit cloudy and precarious though, and drizzly rain was on its way. After a hurried health check (my blood pressure went from 90/60 to 110/90 in one day – should I have been worried??) I checked-in for the start of the race, went and drank another pre-race coffee, and then began warming up/stretching, comparing pains etc with everyone else.

My legs were feeling ok, just quite stiff and tired, but my right knee still felt strange. After the fun Heyrobics warm-up, we set off, to cheers of ‘ya jo!’ and ‘fighting!’ and again had some local students joining us for their own race for the first 10 or so kilometres.

I set off at a faster pace than the day before, and due to feeling on fire and that my legs were pretty much fine, I sped off (so to speak) with Rob, one of the guys from the previous days’ running teams who was always faster and stronger than me ultimately. We were chatting about how we’d be fine if we just kept this same pace, and we might even get a sub-2 time. I was stoked about that: was thinking ‘all I have to do, is keep this pace and keep chatting and I’ll be done before I know it’. However, not long after declaring that this was a good pace and that I felt fine, my legs objected and at the 5km mark or thereabouts my pace noticeably started to slow and my right knee was particularly painful. So, Rob powered on and I lagged behind, starting to get passed by everyone we’d passed a couple of k’s back. My knee was getting quite painful and I was doing a mix of shuffling and occasionally trying to stretch out my legs or run in a different style to take the pressure off the knee. (It felt like something mechanical or twisting around the outside of the knee, and was especially painful with any kind of downhill, no matter how gentle.)

More friends passed me by, one telling me really encouraging things such as, ‘you’re a rock-star, you got this!’ and ‘you wrote a novel, you can DO this!’, and my particular favourite, and the one that I think that helped amazingly later on: ‘I believe in you!’ Then my running buddy from the day before appeared, looking strong and fresh and pumped. We chatted for a few seconds and I whinged a bit about my painful knee. Bless him, such a gentleman and good friend he asked if I needed conversation to get me through this final race (even though he would have been fine to surge on ahead at a much faster pace), I misheard and thought he said medication, to which I perked up and said ‘what have you got?’. Turns out, he did have some painkiller on him, and he gave me his last paracetamol tablet, before I told him to go on ahead and have a great race and I’d catch him at the finish. It was his last tablet so I hoped he wouldn’t need it himself (lucky he didn’t). A couple of k’s later there was a drink station so I was able to take the tablet, and wow, let me tell you – that shit really works! I was amazed! The power of drugs hey. I took the tablet at the 7.5km mark and by about 10k’s in the pain was a distant memory and my legs were (almost) back to normal. I picked my pace back up and got on with the race, still being careful with any downhill slopes though. Again, Angel living up to his name – he really saved me again, as without that painkiller I doubt I would have finished or maybe wouldn’t have finished in time.

The course for Day 3 was stunning! Absolutely-fricken-gorgeous!! I didn’t take my camera due to the bad weather, so stay tuned for maybe some other photos I can find of this place, but trust me – it was beautiful! Really peaceful and the road seemed to cut right through the mountain and alongside a beautiful stream with lush trees everywhere. For the last 7 or 8 k’s or so, I had a new running buddy, a man from Henan but I didn’t catch his name. We didn’t talk too much, whether that was due to our being focused on getting this race done and keeping our pace going, or whether it was due to my lack of Chinese language skills, who knows. But it was nice running side by side for the last portion of this 3-day race. When the 20km marker came into view, I squealed and yelled ‘er shi!’ (20!) and we both noticeably picked up our pace. The last few hundred metres takes you through the centre of the village/town and I felt like we were flying! Amazing what painkiller can do hey – this was probably my usual pace for finishing a race, and before I knew it we were over the finish line and were presented with TWO medals – one in a fancy box and one placed around our necks. I had done it!!!! Completed the 100km+ 3-day challenge!!! I couldn’t have been happier! My time for the 22km leg was 2:06 or 2:07 (I really should pay more attention when crossing the finish line hey!)so well under the 3 hour cut-off time and after congratulating and hugging my running buddy who finished with me, I went to find the bus to get back to the hotel.

Here’s the one and only shot I have of this day’s race (hopefully there’ll be more to follow), this is me and my running buddy from Henan, and a couple of others, including an amazing runner and writer from New York (she flew past me on Day 2 and managed an amazing sprint finish! It was her encouraging statements of ‘I believe in you’ that really helped me on the last day too, so thank you so much Orianne!)

12 Comments

Day 2 - Leshan Leg = 42.195km

11/11/2014

8 Comments

On Day 2 of the challenge, I awoke feeling excited, apprehensive, a little stiff (or maybe VERY stiff), pumped, and raring to go - all the 'normal' pre and post marathon feelings I suppose! Luckily the weather had vastly improved and there was even some morning sun shining through. My legs felt a bit strange and not fresh, obviously, but for some reason they didn't feel how they have usually felt the day after a race - perhaps because my body and mind knew that it had to pace itself and prepare for a 3 day challenge, so adjusted the soreness accordingly?

Anyway, after some essential coffee (I stuck to my usual pre-race routine - as they say, don't do anything differently on race day. Although I did force myself to wake up at 4:30 to eat a bit sweet carb-filled bread thing, then went back for a few more zzzzz's) I mosied down to check in for part 2 of this challenge. Apparently, we had to do a health check each morning consisting of your blood pressure check and a temperature check. Oops! Luckily, everyone seemed fine on Day 1 as think most people knew nothing about this. Anyway, all was fine and I headed off to the race starting line, to be greeted by hundreds of people dressed up in their traditional dress, soldiers looking stern and unsmiling (as they do), TV reporters and cameras, and my fellow excited runners.

My legs were feeling a little bit strange, but not too bad considering I had just run a marathon the day before. It was mainly my right knee that was bothering me and felt sort of like it had been bruised or a bit like there was a metal clamp on it. Very strange. Anyhoo, on with the race! We took part in the fun aerobic warm-up courtesy of Linus and Neil from Heyrobics and Heyrunning (the organisers behind this amazing event for us), and then we were 'ready'. Come on!!!

Now, let me tell you: running on legs that have just run a marathon the day before is kind of hard. But we did it. Sure it felt very strange at first, but soon enough we got into a bit of a rhythm and pace, even if it was a shuffle compared to our usual running pace/style. It helped enormously having such a supportive crowd, and we even had some local students taking part in a 10km run alongside us (although perhaps this made us increase our pace a bit? Or try to anyway...).
Soon enough, we were through the town and into the beautiful countryside. This leg was so beautiful! This was a much more scenic route than the day before, and the weather was much better too. This route took us down a gently winding mountain road for most of the first half and then we came back up for the second half, with a couple of k's off on a stunning out and back section that was adjacent to a gorgeous stream and lush rice paddies. This beautiful scenery definitely helped to distract us from the pain!
Another pain distraction, the major one, was talking and running with others for the whole marathon! This was great. For about the first 20km or so we had our running team back, of about 4 of us today (sometimes it was 6 though). Then, the two guys from the day before powered on ahead, leaving just me and the guy who would be my running buddy for the rest of the marathon: Angel from Spain. Quite literally. I think his name is so appropriate - I'm sure without him there distracting me, chatting to me and taking short walk breaks through the aid stations with me, that I may not have made it. He said the same thing about me, about helping him getting through it, and whether or not he was just being polite? Who knows, but we made a great team for the next 22km or so, distracting each other from our respective leg pain (which was really quite painful at times).

As we got closer and closer to the end of the race, and the 39km marker came and went, and then the 40km marker, I knew we were going to make it. We crossed the finish line together (go team!) and I was feeling quite choked up and emotional. We had done it! Well on our way to our goal of completing this 3-day 100km+ challenge. Thank you, Angel - you really got me through and it was great running and talking with you! I had completed the second marathon in 4:57, so still well under the 6 hour cut-off time. Very happy with this.

8 Comments

I Did It!!!!

11/10/2014

14 Comments

Well, I’m back. Phew, what a trip. I did it!!!! I completed the challenge!!! So happy and pumped about this, as let me tell you (and you can probably imagine) that it was really fricken hard! It’s left me with a new awe for our bodies and just what they can do. Maybe they can always do more than we think they can usually? Or, if we really believe we can do something and set out to do it, then our bodies and our physical reality with match that of our hopes and dreams.

There is so much I would like to say about this trip, so I thought I’d break this race recap into three parts and spread it out over three blog posts, haha, so will be essentially dragging this one out (and especially considering our crap to non-existent internet here at the moment – there’s a good chance this one could easily be drawn out for a good few weeks!).

So, this post will cover Day 1 of this 3 day challenge: 42.195km through beautiful Kaili:

I’d woken up bright and earlyish (after finally getting to the hotel room about half 11 the previous night) to the sound of constant, heavy rain. Oh dear. After signing away my luggage (that was to be transported while we were running, to the next hotel and town), I set about some last minute preparations (coffee! And race bibbing etc) before strolling down the mountain to the starting line. I pretty much got saturated from there on, and spent the whole race, all four hours and four minutes of it drenched and quite cold. Oh well, a minor negative, because: yay! 4:04 was my time for day 1: I had beaten my own humble marathon pb (previous pb was 4:35) by a good half an hour! Oh, and you know, finished my first day of a 3 day challenge, running over 100km on Thunder Mountain, injury free - but very sore and stiff at the end of it. Especially my right knee. That felt very strange.

For most of the race, I was running with a team of sorts, there was about 4 of us and sometimes some would be behind and sometimes ahead. The team dropped down to just three for a good while, and I was so trying to keep up with those other two guys (very strong runners, and a good laugh too - one of whom I'd met at the 50km event back in June, so it was great to see him again) but as the 35km marker came and went, my pace was noticeably slowing and I just couldn't keep up with them. I assured them I was fine, and not injured (just slow!), and told them to go ahead and I'll catch them at the finish line (which I did - they both got a sub-4 time! Awesome!).
Those last 7 kilometres were hard, let me tell you! Previously passed runners were passing me back now, as I shuffled onwards, telling myself 'this will soon pass'. Which it did. Before I knew it, I was running down the last stretch of kilometre and into the town to finish, passing by hundreds of school children and locals shouting 'ja yo!', 'come on!' and 'fighting' along with hundreds of outstretched hands ready to high-five and slap me as I went past. Phew, I had done it! Finished my 3rd ever marathon, and finished in my best time yet. Not bad, considering the rain and rubbish weather, and all the hills - on Day 1 the route took in many long hills that just kept on giving, especially three out and back turn off sections. Ouch.
Due to the less than perfect weather conditions, I sadly didn't take too many photos on Day 1, but here are a few to give you an idea of what went down.

The support, from both the race volunteers/organisers, and the local people in Guizhou, was phenomenal: hundreds of people decked out in their finest traditional dress, and whole schools of students (it seemed like) lining the streets to cheer us on and high five us, even in the pouring rain. This really helped with the motivation, especially when my legs got tired or my knee started to feel weird. I was so happy to have finished Day 1, and then set about aiming to get dry and warm again. Hmm, it seemed this wouldn't be happening any time soon, as we had another coach ride first to get to our next hotel and destination. Oh dear... Sitting cold and wet in a bus after having just run a marathon is not much fun. But hey-ho, the things you gotta do as part of a multi-day ultra event.

Stay tuned for Day 2's recap, coming up in the next post. Thank you for all your wonderfully motivating and inspiring and lovely messages too! These helped no end too, so thanks a lot!!

14 Comments

Travelling-to-Guizhou Day

11/5/2014

12 Comments

This is a very quick one - finally got our internet back on (but my guess is, not for long - seems to be even less than half the week now! Boo...) Today's the day - I am all set and ready to make my way to the airport and from there get a flight to Beijing, then check-in to get my second flight to Guiyang, in Guizhou province, and from there I think it's maybe a 2-3 hour bus ride to the town of Kali. Phew. Then I will register and pick up my race gear and meet the other runners. EXCITED!!!!
I saw this just now, and I think it's entirely appropriate and I will keep it in my mind - especially for day 2 and 3 of this 3-day event:

See you when I'm back! (Hopefully with a full race recap and some beautiful photos!!).

12 Comments

A Two Coffee Kind of Morning

Five Seconds of Fame

Start Your Day the Right Way

No Internet Access All Week!!!

B

Legs Are Ok Now...

Day 3 - Zhen Yuan = 22km

Day 2 - Leshan Leg = 42.195km

I Did It!!!!

Travelling-to-Guizhou Day

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