a different way to run

well i cannot be more pleased ... :D

starting the same time as the gym challengers - so 7 weeks, 3 days ago - the final results are a little earlier than 8 weeks (hey every day counts!) ... however, as i am heading away this evening, michelle did my measurements this morning after bike
i have lost 6.6kg, and .... 18.7cms!!
w00t friggin w00t! i have struggled to reach a 10kg goal loss, though i still have another couple of weeks, my 'personal challenge' i set as 10 weeks long!!
whilst my alcohol intake leaves a lot to be desired recently, specially the past weekend :) eeek -  i HAVE worked hard for those current results! positive results, CAN only ever happen that way!
food - all clean and living foods! and i have had a good exercise week this past one, a good mixture of running and gym work - however, my big day was saturday ...

you know, to run, 100kms - is easy! anyone REALLY can do it. it's the mind that is the hard work - yes, there is pain, ups and downs along the journey, but as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other, the destination will be reached. there is no other result that could possibly happen.
when you stop. that's when everything hurts. you realise your feet are filled with blisters, your toenails are about to fall off and youve broken a bone in your left thigh (ha!) and to move on from that, once you stop - difficult.
it's the same with 160. you pass through 100kms, you simply keep going, the 100km pain doesnt hit, because that isnt the end of your particular journey at that time. one foot keeps moving in front of the other, the only place you can get to, is the end of your 160km journey. you stop. the pain hits! you realise your feet are filled with blisters, your toenails are about to fall off and youve broken a bone in your left thigh :D

so - with that in mind - c2k, the realisation only really hit last thursday, yes, i run lots, yes, i run long distances, BUT - i have never run, ever, where i am running 5/10kms, then having an hour or so rest. a stop. cessation! then getting up and heading off for a 5 or 10 km run again, with a step and repeat as necessary, up to 240kms if required. that's a lot of stops and starts. what if after the third or fourth time, the body, my body, doesnt want to run no more? what if two or three times was my limit? it needs to be tested. so last saturdays goal was, to run. all day. stop. start. stop. start. stop. start. and see, if after a few times, i can still get up and run some more :) turns out, that sort of approach is ALSO a good mind tester! the mind sure doesnt want to go out and run in the afternoon sun!

after all the rain we have been having, it was a gorgeous weekend indeed, too hot for running i must say - the heat emanating strongly from the concrete every run .. however it was the only day i really had available to take up its whole with such a venture so no choice but to go ahead to plan despite the weather change ... each time i came in, straight to the cold shower, my innards were cooking - my clothes soaked through, yeah. it was sure hot out there. got underarm rash which proves that doesnt come from the length of a run, but more how hot it is, damn canteen lady arms of mine!!

while it went relatively well, it was tougher than i could have imagined... legs, superb. heart and lungs - excellent. back - ouch. pulled up not so much sore, more like, stiff. exactly like an ultra or any long run, in the evening every time i sat and went to get up, hard to stand straight till i hobbled around a bit to loosen up ! :D stretched heaps

6.10am - 5kms (iga return)
8.00am - 8kms (water tower back of airlie return , walked up to the tower though)
9.40am - 5kms (to gym and back, stretched - did some ab work at gym)
12noon - 10kms (jubilee pocket)
2pm - 6kms (to cannonvale beach return along boardwalk)
4pm - 5kms (gym park return)

total 39kms - i am VERY glad i did it. lessons learned. but it's certainly a very tiring day, not helped by the humidity i guess - legs 3 and 4 were the hardest ... (mentally i think) ... not a day i would recommend to anyone who has a life haha! if ya wanna run 39kms, just go and do it and get it over with!

got VERY tired between runs the most, that WAS, the hardest part - running, was easy - however, at c2k i guess the distractions and busyness will prevent that - and not gonna have humidity tiredness to contend with i spose at mt kosciusko!! (lungs coldness tho)

so, pleased my challenge results. i DO think i am strong, i DO think i am running well at the moment, i DO feel capable. so, i grab that little mixture and utilise it positively and help ray achieve his goal of 242kms!!!

cannot wait for my week ahead - very exciting - bring on tonight :D