Last week I mentioned I was entering in the big race today. Well, it turns out that 80,000 people did the same thing and this morning we ran and jogged and walked 14km from the city to Bondi Beach.
I left the house this morning feeling completely unprepared, having slept fitfully and suffering a bit of sunstroke from spending a few hours in the park yesterday. My training was incomplete, my health not 100% and I was nervous as anything. I caught the train in and everywhere I looked, even at my local train station, there seemed to be people wearing sandshoes and sporting clothes. I calmed myself by knitting on the journey in. Yes, I carried a small knitting project with me. How could I not??
Got to Hyde Park in the city and there were even more crowds. The major theme for the day, obviously. Met with my brother and sister-in-law and we queued up in our starting group. The atmosphere was fun. People were excited, nervous and a little cold! Lots of cheering and clapping when the first group went off (funnily enough the winner would have crossed the finish line just as I was crossing the start. Heh).
The gun went off, the surge began and we were off. "Let's run!" my sister-in-law exclaimed and then zoom, she was off. My brother and I looked at each other and laughed and started at our own, slower pace. A steady jog.
And amazingly we kept it up the entire time. Jogged the whole way. Made it up "Heartbreak Hill" with nary a scratch. Upped the pace a little on the downward stretch around the 11km mark. No sign of Prisciilla although we kept in contact by phone a little along the way. I checked my timer as we rounded the corner to Bondi - 95 minutes. I tried to up the pace a little more (to try and beat the magic 100 minute mark) but my body wouldn't budge! Took us another ten minutes to reach the finish, but we did it. Sore but smiling! (And my incredible sister-in-law beat us in by a few minutes, even after stopping for a toilet break (and queueing for that!) half way through!)
I have to say that I am so very pleased with my effort today. I honestly did not expect to be able to do anything but walk. Having my big brother by my side was wonderful. He encouraged me and kept pace with me and made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. And knowing my sister-in-law was somewhere up in front inspired us to keep going in the (vain, it turns out) hope that we might catch up with her!
Thanks, guys! I'm really looking forward to doing it all again next year, but perhaps with a little more preparation this time!
P.S. We took some pictures with our mobile phones. I'll add them later when I get a chance.
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Sunday, August 01, 2010
One week to go
I don't think I mentioned that I entered the City to Surf back in June. I was feeling optimistic. There was plenty of time, it was over two months away. Plus my brother was going in it, and my sister-in-law said that it was probably his last time. How could I not go with them?
Heh. The weeks flew by incredibly fast, as they always do. The past couple of weeks I've been fending off a head cold/respiratory virus thingy that the kids have happily brought home and spread around. Cough, splutter, sniff, sneeze. I've still managed to keep it mostly at bay, but it's also meant that I've been tired, unfit and generally lazy. AND NOT TRAINING. Eep.
Now there is one week to go and I think I am even more unfit than I was when I entered. So much for my running. At least I know that I'll be able to walk it with ease!
Heh. The weeks flew by incredibly fast, as they always do. The past couple of weeks I've been fending off a head cold/respiratory virus thingy that the kids have happily brought home and spread around. Cough, splutter, sniff, sneeze. I've still managed to keep it mostly at bay, but it's also meant that I've been tired, unfit and generally lazy. AND NOT TRAINING. Eep.
Now there is one week to go and I think I am even more unfit than I was when I entered. So much for my running. At least I know that I'll be able to walk it with ease!
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
On constant rotation
I've been listening to The Postal Service's album almost constantly lately. It's got a good beat for running. And one of my favourite songs.
Just thought I'd share.
Just thought I'd share.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Running, running
Looking back at my archives, I don't think I've really written much about my new early morning thing... Getting up and out for a morning walk/run most weekends and every day (almost) during the christmas break.
I can't remember when exactly I started doing it but I remember that when we went away to Hawks Nest in January last year I was able to get out a few mornings and run up to the beach.
Some people (especially my night-owl-definitely-NOT-a-morning-person husband) might call me mad but I really do enjoy the solitude, peace and freshness of the early morning. The birds are busy, especially the water birds in the river which I travel alongside.
If I'm early enough (a bit harder in summer!) I can catch the sun popping up over the trees, and in winter I can glimpse frost on the grass on the particularly cool days. Not that exciting compared to those living under bucketloads of snow right now but it's not that common here in Sydney!
But now the time has come where I feel that I want to step up a bit. Today I bought an iphone application (for my ipod touch - wish I had an iphone!) to get me started. Couch to 5k is an application that helps people get moving and training (in half an hour runs, three times a week) to be able to achieve running a full 5km, over a period of 9 weeks. Actually, I bought the "Couch to 10k" app first (which seems to have only been released two days ago!) but with one hour workouts in that plan I've decided to start with the 5k and work my way up.
I'm hoping to start tomorrow morning, nice and early before there is any stirring in the house. So nice and early to bed for me tonight! I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Gettin' fit (or trying to)
About six weeks or so ago, I started going to the gym every Tuesday lunch time. It's a big thing for me... I first joined the gym about ten or more years ago and went twice, I believe. And then again about three or four years ago. I went to about three classes and then stopped.
This is the first time in my life that I've actually regularly worked out (not counting my dragonboat racing days). I'm so impressed with my persistence! I think it helps that I don't go alone. Dan and a friend from work come along as well, and it's great. We encourage each other, egg each other on, compete with each other :) We spend some time on each of the different fitness machines - treadmill, stepper-thing, rowing, cycling.
The best thing is that I think it's actually working. I think I'm getting fitter. I've been trying to work on my running. And rowing. I set some small goals and am bettering them each week. I won't embarrass myself by writing them here, but just know that they are reasonable and achievable while not being too easy! I'm definitely feeling today's effects tonight... my poor aching legs!
I've been thinking about trying to go more than once a week but time is short these days... I'll keep you posted!
This is the first time in my life that I've actually regularly worked out (not counting my dragonboat racing days). I'm so impressed with my persistence! I think it helps that I don't go alone. Dan and a friend from work come along as well, and it's great. We encourage each other, egg each other on, compete with each other :) We spend some time on each of the different fitness machines - treadmill, stepper-thing, rowing, cycling.
The best thing is that I think it's actually working. I think I'm getting fitter. I've been trying to work on my running. And rowing. I set some small goals and am bettering them each week. I won't embarrass myself by writing them here, but just know that they are reasonable and achievable while not being too easy! I'm definitely feeling today's effects tonight... my poor aching legs!
I've been thinking about trying to go more than once a week but time is short these days... I'll keep you posted!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Heartbreak Hill
As I've mentioned before, we're going to enter the City to Surf fun run which is only two weeks away!
My brother decided that it would be a good idea to have a look at the steepest section of the race, fondly referred to as "Heartbreak Hill", so that we would have an idea of what we were getting ourselves into (now I'm not so sure that it was a good idea!!). So we drove to Rose Bay and walked up that part of the course, along New South Head Road. It was fairly steep, but not too gruelling... today anyway. On actual race day, one has to run/walk 7km (with some smaller hills along the way) before you get to this point. Ack! Well, at least the view near the top is breathtaking (boom boom).
Since we'd driven out all that way, we thought we might as well grab some lunch while we were there. So we picked up a barbecue chook, some bread rolls and salad and found a small park/beach near Woollahra Sailing Club and had a nice little picnic. What a view of the enormous houses along the waterfront, and in the background of the picture here with Dante in it, you can see the huge campuses of Kambala and Kincoppal-Rose Bay Schools. (Two private girls' schools, one Anglican, one Catholic, at the top of the hill with magnificent views and regal sandstone buildings).
The kids had a wonderful time playing in the sand and getting their feet wet a little bit. There was a sea-plane which came in to land and take off a couple of times, and a small wooden boat ramp which the boys enjoyed running up and down. Atticus tried to copy every thing that Dante did, following him around wherever he ran. Abigail was fearless and her father did everything he could to stop her running straight into the water. Eventually her parents lost out, and she got just a little bit drenched (at least they'd managed to take off her shoes before she went for her dunk)! Some more photos are on my flickr account.
My brother decided that it would be a good idea to have a look at the steepest section of the race, fondly referred to as "Heartbreak Hill", so that we would have an idea of what we were getting ourselves into (now I'm not so sure that it was a good idea!!). So we drove to Rose Bay and walked up that part of the course, along New South Head Road. It was fairly steep, but not too gruelling... today anyway. On actual race day, one has to run/walk 7km (with some smaller hills along the way) before you get to this point. Ack! Well, at least the view near the top is breathtaking (boom boom).
Since we'd driven out all that way, we thought we might as well grab some lunch while we were there. So we picked up a barbecue chook, some bread rolls and salad and found a small park/beach near Woollahra Sailing Club and had a nice little picnic. What a view of the enormous houses along the waterfront, and in the background of the picture here with Dante in it, you can see the huge campuses of Kambala and Kincoppal-Rose Bay Schools. (Two private girls' schools, one Anglican, one Catholic, at the top of the hill with magnificent views and regal sandstone buildings).
The kids had a wonderful time playing in the sand and getting their feet wet a little bit. There was a sea-plane which came in to land and take off a couple of times, and a small wooden boat ramp which the boys enjoyed running up and down. Atticus tried to copy every thing that Dante did, following him around wherever he ran. Abigail was fearless and her father did everything he could to stop her running straight into the water. Eventually her parents lost out, and she got just a little bit drenched (at least they'd managed to take off her shoes before she went for her dunk)! Some more photos are on my flickr account.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Training up
My brother, Chris, and his wife, Pris, have decided to join in the City to Surf fun run which is held every year in Sydney. It is a 14km route, from the city to Bondi Beach, and has a particularly gruelling steep section, affectionately known as "Heartbreak Hill". About 60,000 people participate and it is the "largest timed fun run in the World" (from the History page of its website).
Well, Chris and Pris invited the rest of their siblings to come along and since they are taking their daughter Abi in the jogger pram I decided that I'll enter, too, and take Atti! I spoke to Dan about it and he thought it sounded like an interesting idea and said that he would like to come. I'm not sure if my other brothers are going to come, too, but it could turn out to be a big family thing.
It's not an easy walk - 14km is quite a distance. I think the average time is about two or three hours - the winners do it in 40 (male) - 45 (female) minutes. I was keen to bring Dante, too, but we're still thinking about that one.
To train up, we've started going for long walks to our local shops on the weekends. There's a lovely bike path along the Cooks River here in Sydney and we take that for most of the way. It takes us about 45 min. walking at a slow-medium pace with Dante. We've done it twice now, and it has been fun (except for Dante complaining that he's tired/hungry/thirsty all the time, hence our deliberation on whether to bring him on the Big Race). Atticus loves going out in the pram. He is so happy when he sees us bringing it out and often tries climbing into it himself because he's in such a hurry. We're lucky that the weather has been very kind to us - not hot but not too cold, and lovely and sunny.
I have also stopped using the lift at work (unless I have a trolley or something heavy to carry)! It hasn't been that hard to adjust - I know I should have done this a long time ago. There are lots of nutritionists and nutrition-related people in my building and one of the professors actually requested once in a Board Meeting that
people stop using the lifts and walk more! I was feeling very proud of myself all last week, except for one afternoon when I wasn't feeling well and caught the lift to level 8 (the top floor). I did walk back downstairs, though!
And this morning, to keep with the fitness training, I went to dragon boat training! I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I used to participate in this sport quite a lot, with my brother, Tim, and his wife, Janet. I stopped when I was pregnant with Atticus, and have only been back once or twice for a paddle. I would love to get back into it and train more seriously, but it's a bit hard on Dan, having to mind the kids all the time. Training once a week on a Sunday morning would be okay, though, I think... It's a great sport - you sit down! No running involved! It's wonderful being out on the water, with views of the city and the Glebe Island Bridge behind (or in front) of us. I know my shoulders will probably hurt tomorrow, but it was great to be back in the boat for a little while.
So now we have about 5 weeks to prepare (and enter) the race. I'll keep you posted with how it goes!
Well, Chris and Pris invited the rest of their siblings to come along and since they are taking their daughter Abi in the jogger pram I decided that I'll enter, too, and take Atti! I spoke to Dan about it and he thought it sounded like an interesting idea and said that he would like to come. I'm not sure if my other brothers are going to come, too, but it could turn out to be a big family thing.
It's not an easy walk - 14km is quite a distance. I think the average time is about two or three hours - the winners do it in 40 (male) - 45 (female) minutes. I was keen to bring Dante, too, but we're still thinking about that one.
To train up, we've started going for long walks to our local shops on the weekends. There's a lovely bike path along the Cooks River here in Sydney and we take that for most of the way. It takes us about 45 min. walking at a slow-medium pace with Dante. We've done it twice now, and it has been fun (except for Dante complaining that he's tired/hungry/thirsty all the time, hence our deliberation on whether to bring him on the Big Race). Atticus loves going out in the pram. He is so happy when he sees us bringing it out and often tries climbing into it himself because he's in such a hurry. We're lucky that the weather has been very kind to us - not hot but not too cold, and lovely and sunny.
I have also stopped using the lift at work (unless I have a trolley or something heavy to carry)! It hasn't been that hard to adjust - I know I should have done this a long time ago. There are lots of nutritionists and nutrition-related people in my building and one of the professors actually requested once in a Board Meeting that
people stop using the lifts and walk more! I was feeling very proud of myself all last week, except for one afternoon when I wasn't feeling well and caught the lift to level 8 (the top floor). I did walk back downstairs, though!
And this morning, to keep with the fitness training, I went to dragon boat training! I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I used to participate in this sport quite a lot, with my brother, Tim, and his wife, Janet. I stopped when I was pregnant with Atticus, and have only been back once or twice for a paddle. I would love to get back into it and train more seriously, but it's a bit hard on Dan, having to mind the kids all the time. Training once a week on a Sunday morning would be okay, though, I think... It's a great sport - you sit down! No running involved! It's wonderful being out on the water, with views of the city and the Glebe Island Bridge behind (or in front) of us. I know my shoulders will probably hurt tomorrow, but it was great to be back in the boat for a little while.
So now we have about 5 weeks to prepare (and enter) the race. I'll keep you posted with how it goes!
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