morning of

Last night when I checked in I was SO HAPPY I decided to run Rotorua again.  Sometimes you get burnt out but along the training months but getting to Rotorua and checking in was exciting.  I feel so good.  I took this picture in hopes that I would be able to see the Finish tomorrow. Yee'go.

Just about to leave the hotel for the race!!! It's a little frosty outside---hopefully I'll warm up quickly.

 

2 more days

Every other thought has been about the marathon on Saturday.  All week I have been falling asleep to the image of running along Lake Rotorua with a little drizzle and looking good in my new Orca top.  I feel confident this year. I hope not overconfident.  I did not run every single workout from my training plan but I did give a better effort this year.  I feel more prepared and I feel like I know what to expect a little more this year.  I have checked the forecast 99 times today and Rotorua is supposed to be a SUNNY 19 degrees!!!!!  I really hope that is the case-that way I would not even need to consider wearing tights.

finishing touches

Just a few days left before the big race. 
I have picked up some tips from various sources on what this rest week should entail.  

•  Keep all activity levels low.
•  Don't worry about feeling sluggish.  It's normal to feel this way after training hard for several months.  
•  Practice keeping your body hydrated.  Sip on water continually.  
•  Get some carbohydrates in your body.  It is a good week for pasta (I hate pasta).  
•  Prepare everything for race day.  I have already bought my gel shots and token power bar.  My lovely husband even bought me a special running top with a small zip pocket for stashing gel shots during the race. 
• Stay positive.  Don't let pre race doubts creep into your mind.  

Cheers

Why 26.2?

Marathon mission: Why those final steps are a killer - CNN.com

I always wondered why there was an extra .2 on the 26 miles. Now I know. Thanks CNN.  

God Save the Queen.


6 days left!

6 X 1200m

I am a fan of speed intervals.  I love the way it pushes me to run fast and hard in ways that an endurance run never can.  I love that intervals remind me that I am kind of a little fast.  I really enjoyed doing 6 X 1200 m today.  There is much benefit in doing speed workouts, even when you are training for 26.2 miles.  It is a good thing to train your body to run FAST for distances longer than 100m.  I feel like I get much more out of my weekly routine when I add components of short and long and weights.  It is the perfect mix.  
Also, I'm 1.5 kg heavier.  I'd like to think I've gained more muscle in the past 6 months.  

slacker

Guilty.  I did nothing this weekend.  When I saw the rain I knew I was doomed but I thought I would at least opt for an indoor workout.  It did not happen.  I slacked off, no excuses. 

The only positive thing I can report from this weekend is that I have a clean house and no laundry looming over my head.

 If this did not happen once in a while then I would not know the difference between a good and bad workout.  Here's to hitting it really hard on Monday morning!!               Cheers

rainy day

Today is the first day in a very, very long time that I have woken up to solid rain with gray skies.  It got me thinking how lucky I have been to dodge the rain for the past several months.  Last year at this time it was always raining.  


My exercise weakness is definitely New Zealand rain.  It isn't extremely cold but it never stops and really soaks you.  I don't love getting soaked while running.  Which explains why I'm going to run on the tredmill for half of the mileage that I'm supposed to do today instead of running outside.  

Monster Month

Monster Month-the final weeks leading to the big marathon. This year the monster month has been much more like a candyland and rainbows month. 

Last year I hit some serious roadblocks with my motivation, poor eating habits, and constant sadness.  I don't feel at all like I hit those roadblocks this year.  Know one probably realizes how much of a hard time I had last year.  I struggled big time with feeling sad and depressed.  Some days I didn't even have the will power to get out of my pajamas.  I was quite nervous leading up to the race.  I knew I would finish.  I ended up finishing stronger than I thought and had my eyes open to a whole new world of motivation.  My outlook on life was altered after that race.

Fast forward to this year--Wow.  I'm a different person.  I have zero desire to eat nasty crap.  I workout at the gym with my super handsome husband 5 days a week and I feel so strong on my endurance runs.  I'm peaking at the right time. Most important of all, I'm not sad anymore.  I feel great.

I have noticed a definite increase in my hunger though.  I am always STARVING.  I felt the same way last year during the monster month but the difference is that I am turning to whole grains, yoghurt, nuts, and fruit instead of Cadbury Dairy Milk.  

I have just one more 20 mile run.  From there, I'll be "taking it easy" until the big day.  

Yee'go

all before work

I award myself a gold star for today.
I kept waking up all throughout the night because I was excited about the run I had planned before work. Finally at 4:48 am I couldn't take it anymore and I got out of bed.  I managed to get a few things crossed off my to-do list while I waited for 5:30am to roll around. 
I ran all the way to work.  That's 10.2 miles folks. 
I calculated that it would take me just under 2 hours if I was running 10 minutes miles. 
Guess What???
I ran 8:40 mile pace and got there in just under 1 1/2 hours.  
The best part about this run is that I felt so unbelievably good.  I'm peaking at exactly the right time. Starting next week my training tapers way down and I'll be taking it easy up until race day.  
I feel so confident about this year's marathon.  

The other best part about my run is that I was wearing long tube socks with pink and yellow stripes.  

non obese city

I have really loved living in a fit, active, and non obese city.  People never turn there heads in wonder when I run past.  Everyone gets it here.  Aucklanders love being active.  It will be annoying to go back to an obese place where I'm the token runner.  

4 weeks to race day

My thoughts as race day approaches

• I feel faster this year.  The extremely long endurance runs have been much more fun and easier this year.  It seems as if my body is more accustomed to the rigors of endurance runs now that I have a marathon under my belt.  
• I'm lighter this year.  For reasons beyond my knowledge, I am 6 kg lighter than I was last year.  I guess it can be chalked up to my 2 sessions/day workout schedule.  I've been consistently burning more calories for over a year.  
• The weather seems to be warmer.  By this time last year I had already busted out with my tights and cold weather gear.  This year, I'm still sporting shorts and tanks.  Running in warm weather will always be in my favor.
• I know what to expect.  I was ignorant last year on a lot of things.  I know what to expect.  I know where I'll be when I hit the wall.  I know that I love my ipod and that gel shots work.  I know that my toenails will fall off.
• I will do exactly what I did last year for hydration and energy refueling.  Last year I sipped water at every single water station without gushing it down.  It kept me hydrated the entire race. I never got cotton mouth.  I also consumed 3 gel shots in the latter half of the race.  I took them at appropriate times and I'll do the same this year.
• I am on the prowl for a running top with a pocket.  Last year I stuffed my gel shots in my shorts and that was not the best thing I have ever done.  A pocket would solve that little problem.
• I am still striving to break the 4 hour finish.  That means I have to cut off 12 minutes.  I think I have it in me.