I am feeling so completely wiped...

Last couple of days have been interesting.

I did my very first fun run and because one of my other mates had already entered, instead of doing 3k, I wound up doing 10k in the Twilight Running Festival. In hindsight, that probably was not the wisest move as it has been a while since I've done any kind of distance running and 10km is well and truely above what I would normally do anyhow! So, the race pretty much went like this:

1km - Wow, that was a lot longer than I thought it would be.. oh well.. just keep going. 6:00/km is good. I'm on track.

2km - What?! Are you for real? This is ONLY 2km? (Stopped jogging and walked a bit in silent protest). 6:30/km.

3km - Onset of minor meltdown accompanied by psychogenic hyperventilation. I felt like I had been running for an age already and was feeling like I would NEVER reach the end.

3-5km - At some point I realised I just need to keep going cause walking was going to take me an eternity. Started to set myself landmarks to run to and when I reached, would set another landmark. I spotted my PT heading back in the opposite direction (talking quite a few kms ahead of here) and realised my man would be heading back so started focus on picking him out which did a good job of distracting me from feeling tired.

5 - 6km - At the turn around point on the Corso, some random had set up a sprinkler across the track. I love that guy...

7km - 8km Between 6 and 7km I spot the mate who was running behind me and then suddenly I've lost anything else to focus on... This little section between 7 and 8km is the worst. Although I was fine in terms of cardio, my lower back was hurting from trying to do the new technique poorly, my muscles were tired and mentally I was beat as it seemed like everyone in the universe had run past me...

9km - Possibly the best sign ever. It is almost over. Reach the running track and tell myself that I will not stop while there are people around watching and cheering etc. The guy coming first in the half marathon is not far behind me because the idiot on the loud speaker is announcing it. I decide it is time to sprint it home for the last 100-200m. Amazingly, my body complies and I reclaim my place in front of two or three women who were slowly finishing. At that point I wish I'd tried to push it out at the beginning of the track rather than the end! Of course cardio wise I was ready to die after crossing the finish.

Yeah... which means the marathon dude did the same track that I did twice with extras in the time it took me to do it once... noone likes crazy people like that.

My PT set me 65 minutes to do it in and I managed it somewhere around 72 minutes. Probably will show a little better because it takes a minute to get through the start line.

Of course at the end after all my sulking and whinging I knew I would be doing it all again in the furture!

The down side was that after the race I started to feel a little off colour and like my guts were none to happy. Made it to the pizza place for our celebratory dinner before things went rapidly down hill and I could barely sit up right. I felt sick and incredibly lethargic and despite my feeble protests ended up being manhandled by husband and friend to the hospital next door where I was triage as a cat 4 and left in the waiting room for six hours, rolling around in crampy agony alternating between vomiting and diarrhoea. By the time I got to see a doctor the worst had passed and I was ready to go home... which they allowed me to do with a bottle of maxolon in tow. Finally in bed at 5am.

After the first spew I figure it was just lactic acid build up... but when it didn't resolve...gastro clearly.

So, the day was spent sleeping , rehydrating and gnawing on toast...

Today I am back on real food but feeling pretty tired and lethargic still. Need to go and restock on vitamin material and also grab food for lunches during the week so that will be my task for the afternoon.

Was at some point going to write about new work arrangements but I think I've pretty well spent my creative genius for the day and need to return an email or two.

I don't like Wednesdays.

Wednesday is either the day before I have to go back to work or the day that is tantilisingly close to the last day of work where I am feeling too tired and mentally drained to be productive.

Every second Wednesday, when I am working, I have to go to an early morning meeting. Although this provides an enlightening insight into the hospital workings, it means I miss my morning group training session. Another things that I dislike...

This morning's session was good. Beginning to feel a little bit stronger and grounded again but have a fair way to go.

Did do so well with the cardio component though... I've done two sessions of the running group and now suddenly cardio is very complicated. The technique is great and when I can get it right, there is such a difference in how everything works but my brain is going into overdrive to trying get all the bits to work. Then I go back to a group session and it all falls apart! My legs hurt and I'm breathing hard. So, I was frustrated and disappointed... realised that I was forgetting to look up. I need to be doing the warm up drills before I try and run. More consolidation required. Thinking I might have to get out on the weekends and practise a bit more....

The rest of the session was largely weights based and I enjoyed that as usual. There was a nice balance this time and it all felt good.

Tomorrow is PT so I have to make sure that today I am well hydrated and diet is spot on otherwise it will harder than it needs to be... it will be hard anyway but I don't want to be mentally putting things down to not preparing adequately.

Did I mention that I don't like Wednesdays?

I know that once I get into work tomorrow it will all be fine but I don't like the anticipation. I hope this will be a good week... at least better than the last...

I am completely amused by this video. It is actually kind of catchy and have spent far too long with lololololololol running through my head. Worst lip synch ever!!

Nothing much to report... just feeling too tired to boot up Sim 2 and waiting for the boy to come.

Got my hair cut today so it is now at a more manageable length. It is also a bit purple... couldn't resist the opportunity to colour again!

Also popped out to get some new underwear and workout gear to make it a little easier to get through my eight day work week!

So, I've had a relatively productive kind of day!

Had been contemplating karate tonight but I don't think I'll go. The hair dye and white gi probably aren't a good combination to start with but I am also thinking that I might put it on hold until I can find some purpose there...

As I mentioned, I've rekindled my love of Sims 2 and really enjoying the experience now that I have a computer that can actually handle the game well.

So... in between having lolololololol in my head, I've got this rattling around:

Tomorrow morning is running group! Can't believe how re-addicted I have become to the exercise thing. The difference this time is that even though I am making very slow motions towards my former state of fitness, I am enjoying each of the sessions. I don't find myself waking up and feeling like I don't want to go. The group training atmosphere probably has a bit to do with that but I guess also the variety too. It is funny the difference between working out three as opposed to five times per week. On five days, I want to do seven!

Hmmm...might go build a new Sims 2 home afterall!

I've been a little bit slack with updating here but I am going to start making more of an effort.

Where am I at?

Work

Since start of July 09 I have been filling a higher duties position. This initially was a 12 month trial position however, it seems we have had enough success that they are expanding and extending the contracts. When the expansion positions were called I had apply formally to keep everything above board and I have since been told that my position is secure for the next 12 months starting 22 March.

I haven't really had a chance to sit down and contemplate this any further.

It will mean that my roster for the next year will be very predictable and I won't have to go back to night shifts.

I will be getting yet another new partner and I guess I am a touch concerned about just who is going to end up by my side given that there were not enough suitable applicants.

Thursday was horrendous. My current partner bailed and so I worked an almost 12 hour day. After midday I didn't get a chance to rest or eat and found myself feeling partiularly stressed. I hate feeling powerless to do anything...


Training

In December we moved from the 30 day challenge to the maintenance program. So, three times per week we get up early and tackle a group fitness session. The boy has been doing his own thing on the days in between and I have been floating.

Feeling a bit flabby and gradually losing all the strength that Id worked tirelessly to gain, I figured it was time to expand my sessions again.

As such Ive joined the running group on Tuesday morning and taken up PT with the same guy that does boot camp.

So far, I haven't been disapponted.

We are doing a lot of technique work in the running group. A lot of the stuff Ive read before but have not been able to put it very effectively into practise. His explanations make a whole lot of sense.

PT is mad. I have honestly not been worked so hard by anyone in life.

My first training session was 100 club.

I had 38 minutes (which became 40) to complete the following:

• 100x pushups


• 100x burpees


• 100x jack knives


• 100x tuck jumps


• 100x lunges on each leg


• 100x assisted china


• 100x push press w/ 10kg barbell

I managed it 43 minutes which isn't bad.

My second session was even more mean. It was only because we kept moving that I didn't vomit.

• 10x 30second sprints on the rower with 30second rests.


• Alternating pushups and assisted chins in the following ratio 1:2, 2:4, 3:6 etc all the way to 10:20.


• 2x sets 20x cross jab, duckl waddle, 15burpees and sprint. Nil rest between sets.


• 2x sets 30second upper cuts, prisoner duck jumps, 20 jumping lunges and sprint. Nil rest between.


• 2x sets of unknown time alternating uppercuts with overhead strikes followed by unknown time alternating pushups with bridging but not allowed to go to knees at all.

Talk about trashed. Eventually get reduced to doing unfit person technique and hate it but body won't play otherwise!

I love my new guy. He knows his stuff, he genuinely flogs me to bits and just lacks the super ego. The guy is ex military and a machine. But he has not once bragged about what he can do. He's awesome. Get a nice stretch out at the end too!

Karate has taken a bit of a sideline and Ive let my prepaid training lapse. But I ddn't train often enough for it to be value for money anyway. I'm struggling to find the motivation to get back into it. Little bit concerned about having lost fitness too. Should be going Monday but will see how it plays out.

Otherwise nothing new and interesting to report.

Will work on writing here more often.