I left this a bit late… because the big race is tomorrow! I’m just about ready to go. Thankfully my cold passed within a week without too much drama, and it never moved into my lungs. (I credit several “hot whiskeys” from a sympathetic barman last weekend.) I’ve had massages each of the last two weeks in an attempt to deal with my continuing lower back and hip soreness. I even went to yoga on Monday! (Surprisingly brutal.) Last weekend I went for an experimental 3:1 run/walk and found that my pace was close to 7:00/km, which is way faster than I was doing at 5:1. So that’s the plan for the race now, a 3:1 run/walk for as long as I can sustain it. I need to average 7:49/km for the first 16km or risk getting pulled from the course. Shouldn’t be too hard. If anything, I’m probably a bit undertrained for this – my LSR topped out at around 15K – but that’s pretty much a reaction to how overtrained I was before the May race. My new Asics have been helping with my foot, and I plan on slathering on some anti-inflammatories before the start. My biggest worry is this back pain, and whether I’ve done enough to keep it at bay. We’ll see in less than 12 hours!

Sept. 12: 7.67km
Sept. 14: 5.4km
Sept. 17: 5.45km
Total this week: 18.52km (11.5mi)
Total in 2010: 692.72km (433mi)

To meet my goal of running 1000km in 2010, I should be at 711.5km. That leaves me about 19km behind schedule. I should make a big dent in that this week though. 🙂

We’re officially in the taper, folks! Which is a good thing, because I’ve caught a cold. I did a long run of 14.4km on Monday, which is the longest I’m going to manage before the Half-Marathon next weekend. I did the whole thing at 5:1 run/walk intervals, and I easily kept under the 7:45/km I need to average for the race. I’m not going to set any speed records, but I feel reasonably confident in my ability to finish the thing without getting pulled off the course. I had a massage Monday night and asked the masseuse to focus on my lower back and hips, which helped with some of the pain I was having. On Wednesday I went out for a nice easy run around the neighbourhood where I had very little issue with my foot, back or hips. That was good! But four hours later I was sniffling, which was bad. It always happens right before a race! I’m taking it easy for a few days, and I’ve skipped today’s planned run. So far everything is above-the-neck (mostly sinus-related), so I’m hoping I can keep it from moving into my lungs. Lots of liquids and sleep and decongestant for me!

Sept. 6: 14.4km
Sept. 8: 5.48km
Total this week: 19.88km (12.4mi)
Total in 2010: 674.2km (421.4mi)

I should be at 692km to meet my goal of running 1000km in 2010, so I’m still about 18km behind pace.

Does stretching before running prevent injuries? Scientists say NO. I often get defensive when other people ask if I stretch before I run, because I don’t. More research to back me up!

An up and down week. My new shoes (Asics Gel Kayano 16s) arrived on Friday so I immediately started wearing them around the house to break them in. On Sunday I decided to risk wearing them on my long run. They’re just so comfortable! The Snook joined me for a 5:1 run/walk to Centennial Park. We did about 6km and then switched to a 3:1 ratio for the trip home. I did a bit extra to make up the distance I needed. I felt pretty good on that run; my back didn’t hurt and my foot felt okay. Tuesday, however, was disastrous. I felt slow; I was thirsty; and every muscle was sore. It was such a slog. Then today I bounced back again. My legs are still sore, but my pace dropped by 30s/km. My hips are so tight though, I think I might try to arrange a massage this weekend.

Total this week: 25.5km (15.9mi)
Total in 2010: 654.32km (408.95mi)

To reach my goal of running 1000km in 2010, I should be at 673km right now. So I’m about 20km behind pace. I’m slowly clawing back ground though!

I just discovered that Dan Clark – who sent me the wonderful 13.1 medal mentioned in GGR Episode 9 – has started his own blog and podcast: Running the Golden Years. Thank you again Dan! I’ll be reading and listening. 🙂

Things are slowly improving. I still feel sore and tired, but my pace is getting better. I went for a long run Sunday night and did 5:1 run/walk the whole way. My right foot was bothering more than usual. (I’ve ordered some new shoes to see if that helps.) My training plan has me doing 5 miles on my morning runs, but I backed off that a little. I just need to get my legs used to running on concrete again, I guess.

Aug. 22: 11.22km
Aug. 25: 7.03km
Aug. 27: 5.50km
Total this week: 23.75km (14.8mi)
Total in 2010: 628.82km (393mi)

I’ve clawed back a little ground in my goal to run 1000km in 2010. I’m still about 25km behind pace though…

Geek Girl Runner Episode 009
Hey, remember when I used to podcast and stuff? Guess what? I MADE A NEW EPISODE! This is basically a catch-up show, filling you in on all my running-related (and not-so-running-related) news from the past two months. The show also includes a race report from last month’s Elkhart County Fair 5K Road Race which features the podcast debut of my husband, the Snook (as well as my Mom, Step-Dad, and little brother). I ended with bit of further discussion about the sports bra topic, as prompted by some new research that’s come up. I hope you like the show!

Show links:
Elkhart County Fair 5K Road Run (official results)
The House on the Rock, Spring Green, Wisconson
Blackmore’s Half-Marathon – part of Sydney Running Festival
Run Yank Run – Paul Abrelat’s podcast
Phys Ed: The Right Kind of Sports Bra from The New York Times

Thanks as usual to Nick Arthur for the use of his song “Little Donut Party”!

Well, I ended up taking the rest of last week off due to the cold I caught when I got back to Sydney. I spent the whole weekend just lying on the couch with a killer sinus headache. (Even drugs didn’t help.) I finally managed to get back out there on Tuesday for a shuffle around the neighbourhood. I was tired and snotty, but I survived. I went for another one today. My lungs feel great, but like every muscle of my body is sore. I’m not sure if it’s the lingering effects of the cold – possibly dehydration – but my legs and back and even hands were aching. So I took a lot of walk breaks and tried to just enjoy being out in the nice weather. Spring is finally here!

Aug. 17: 7.55km
Aug. 19: 7.2km
Total this week: 14.75km (9.2mi)
Total in 2010: 605.07km (378mi)

I should be at 634km right now to meet my goal of running 1000km in 2010, so I’ve got some ground to make up. However, I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the Blackmore’s Half Marathon next month. My goal is just to finish the race, no matter what the time. I need to make up for the DNF in May. I’m really looking forward to it! The Snook will be running the Bridge Run 9K on the same day. I’m excited for the both of us…

I always knew that the last week of the trip would be hard to get in my runs. We were travelling by ourselves in Wisconsin, and we were doing a lot of sightseeing on our feet. (We spent nearly five hours walking through the House on the Rock, for instance, so there was no way I could run after that.) I did get in a 4-miler on the treadmill at our hotel though. Then we basically lost two full days in transit back to Sydney, and then another two to jet lag. Finally managed a decent run (in the freezing rain) on Tuesday, only to come down with a cold later that same day. I’m hangin’ on. My only consolation is that last week was a scheduled cut-back week anyway, so I haven’t wrecked my training plan too badly. I just need to get back out there as soon as I can.

Aug. 1: 10.05km
Aug. 4: 6.4km
Aug. 10: 7.13km
Total for these two weeks: 23.58km (14.73mi)
Total in 2010: 590.32km (368.95mi)

My tally for 2010 has taken a beating though. I’m now 25km behind where I need to be to meet my goal of running 1000km in the calendar year. Eeek!

Saturday’s race wiped me out a bit more than I expected, so my runs this week were rather slow and laboured. I was sore! Tuesday the Snook and I went for a run on country roads near my Aunt Deb’s house, but it was so hot and humid that we gave up halfway and finished the run on a treadmill in her basement. Thursday (today) was less humid, but I’m still feeling quite a lot of soreness in my lower back. My right foot has started to ache again too. I did my four miles, but it was awfully slow. The Snook joined my brother Joey on bicycles and they lapped me again and again.

July 25: 5.04 RACE
July 25: 3.22km run
July 27: 6.4km run
July 29: 6.72km run
Total this week: 21.38km (13.36mi)
Total in 2010: 566.74km (354.2mi)

To meet my goal of running 1000km in 2010, I should be at 576km. I’m only 10km behind pace!