This was a pretty good week for running! We had a houseguest all week so I wasn’t sure whether I’d get in my runs, but luckily Eileen went with me for all three of them. She also pushed me on my pace a bit, which really made me feel the fitness I’ve lost since the Half-Marathon. My right foot hasn’t been bothering me too much. I can still feel a difference from my left foot, but there’s hardly any pain. It’s actually kind of frustrating, because I have no idea what’s prompted the improvement! I guess I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. I also managed a session at Spudds on Wednesday, which has left me feeling pretty sore…

July 4: 7.44km
July 6: 5.48km
July 8: 5.50km
Total this week: 18.42km (11.5mi)
Total in 2010: 507.58km (317.2mi)

I have finally crossed the half-way point in my goal to run 1000km in 2010! I should be at 519km right now, so I’m about 11.5km behind. My weekend runs are going to start slowly extending though, so I should make it up over the next few months. The only danger is my three-week vacation to the U.S. looming on the horizon. I’m going to have to work to get the runs in.

I told you it could only get better! This week I managed three runs, including two of them actually on workday mornings. They weren’t long and they weren’t fast, but I got out there! Snook even went along with me for two of them. The last two were FREEZING COLD; Sydney has had some of the coldest weather in decades. We actually saw frost on Tuesday! My foot is still bothering me, but the last two runs weren’t too bad. The ultrasound I had last weekend was inconclusive, so I still really don’t know what to do to make it better. My half-marathon prep has started though, and I’m going to keep plodding on as best I can!

June 27: 5.91km
June 29: 5.41km
July 1: 5.43km
Total this week: 16.75km (10.5mi)
Total in 2010: 489.16km (305.7mi)

I am exactly halfway through the year I set myself to run 1000km in 2010, and as you can see I’m only about 10km behind…

This is it. This is the low point of the year, I swear it. I only ran once this past week. I didn’t go to Spudds. I feel listless and flabby. I could make excuses – I think I’ve been fighting off a virus for the past week; Rodd didn’t want to run on the weekend; I’ve been busy at work; I haven’t been sleeping well – but really, I could’ve done more if I really wanted to. I haven’t had a weekday morning run in ages. Winter, you know? It’s tough. My half-marathon training starts next week though, so I’m hoping a plan will get me back on course. And it did feel good to go for a longer distance on that single run…

June 20: 10.96km run
Total this week: 10.96km (6.85mi)
Total in 2010: 472.41km (295mi)

Next week will be the halfway point in my goal to run 1000km in 2010, and as you can see I’m a bit behind on making the 500km mark. It’ll all get better from here, right?

Apologies for missing last week’s update. It’s just kinda depressing, you know? My distance is only half what it should be, and my foot is still bothering me. That said, I am loving my weekly run with the Snook. It makes me happy that he’s getting some exercise, and I like that we get to spend that time together outdoors.

June 12: 5.31km
June 14: 6.79km
Total this week: 12.1km (7.5mi)
Total in 2010: 461.45km (288.4mi)

To meet my goal of running 1000km in 2010, I should be at 461.5km. Folks, that’s pretty much exactly where I am. My entire cushion is gone. Unless I can pick up my mileage, I’m going to start falling behind. *sigh* It may be time to start putting in some long walks if that’s the best I can do…

Hip Stretches from Sara and Ryan Hall. These are exactly the type of hip and glute stretches I do for my stiff right hip. (Well, it’s the type I do when I remember to do them.) (Link courtesy of Running to Disney.)

Geek Girl Runner Episode 008
Here it is! My long-awaited EPIC next episode. Hey, only 2.5 weeks between shows! I think that’s some sort of record. This is also probably the longest show I’ve done so far. This episode features: what’s been keeping me busy lately (both running and otherwise); a training update; emails, comments, and shout-outs; and a weighty (HAR HAR) discussion on the topic of sports bras. Thank you especially to all of the women who gave me interviews at WWKIP Day and to those who contributed to the online discussion. I hope you like the episode!

Show links:
World Wide Knit in Public Day
Elkhart County Fair 5K Road Run
You Don’t Have to Run Alone – blog and podcast of Ted
Blackmore’s Half-Marathon – part of Sydney Running Festival
Kelly in Motion – blog of Kelly
Marathon Woman Returns! – blog of Elma
Wikipedia entry on Sports Bras
7 Rules of Sports Bras
Sports bras: the lowdown
Australian Institute of Sport: Berlei sports bra testing results
Biomechanics of Breast Health

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

The topic of the next GGR episode (to be recorded today or tomorrow) is sports bras. I managed to get several interviews yesterday at WWKIP Day with women who participate in a range of sporting activities. If you’d like to contribute, just drop me an email or leave a comment on this post. I’m interested in hearing which type of sports bras you prefer, problems you’ve had with them in the past, features you particularly like; etc. If anyone has ever undergone a breast reduction, I’d love to hear about that too.

Another light week of running, mostly because the weather has been so completely miserable. It’s rainy and horrible and I just haven’t been able to drag myself out of bed in the morning. I did manage two workouts at Spudds though, where I am still kicking some major ass. (I’ve had double 100’s on the rower at my last four sessions now.) I also went for two easy runs around the neighbourhood on the weekend. The really amazing part is that the Snook came with me for Sunday’s run! He’s agreed to run the Elkhart 5K Race with me and Mom in July, so he needs to train a bit. It was so fun being out there with him.

May 29: 5.36km
May 30: 5.36km
Total this week: 10.72km (6.7mi)
Total in 2010: 437.84km (273.65mi)

To meet my goal of running 1000km in 2010, I should be at 423km. So I’m still ahead. I’ll ramp it back up slowly.

The other amazing news of the week is that @AirForceTed (of You Don’t Have to Run Alone) and @Passinthrough are both going to be running the Elkhart 5K too! It’ll be an International Running Buddy Meet-up of Epic Proportions. 🙂

While those of you in the U.S. are celebrating Memorial Day weekend, Down Under we’re counting down the last two days of Autumn before Winter begins in earnest. It’s been cold, windy, and rainy in Sydney; the kind of week where you prefer to curl up under a blanket rather than drag yourself out of bed to exercise. I recorded the long-awaited Episode 7 of the Geek Girl Runner podcast tonight – IN A SINGLE TAKE! – huddled in my cosy closet. This episode features: what’s been keeping me busy lately (both running and otherwise); recaps of the two races I ran this past month; a training update; emails, comments, and shout-outs; and ruminations on running for goals versus running for fun. I hope you like it!

Show links:
Mother’s Day Classic race report
Sydney Half-Marathon race report
The Secret Life of Kris – blog of The Other Kris
Corso La Meta – podcast and blog by JayDub
Elkhart County Fair 5K Road Run
Fun Run Pink 10K
Blackmore’s Half-Marathon – part of Sydney Running Festival
Runners Round Table
“Mixed Media: Podcasts you can run with” from The Buffalo News
Marathon Woman Returns! – blog of Elma
Chacos on the Run – blog of Shayna
One Girl Running – blog of Heidi
You Don’t Have to Run Alone – blog and podcast of Ted

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

I just learned over at Other Kris’s site that the women-only Fun Run Pink will be happening a week after we get back from the States. Perfect! So even though I’m missing the Bay Run and City 2 Surf, I can still do a 5K on my trip and a 10K when I get home.