Blessings from the Training Fairies

Obviously I'm doing something right, because the good training sessions have kept on going.

After Monday's excellent run I managed to deny myself the opportunity to get back in the water on Tuesday by forgetting my togs and my running tights. I figured I could work around the lack of togs. I could simply wear my sports bra under my wetsuit then put a t-shirt on afterwards. However there was no way to get around the lack of running tights! I really need to get myself a tri suit.

In any case a Southerly was blowing and I had to run through the freezing cold rain to get from the bus stop to our house, so being snuggled up under a blanket in a pair of track pants rather than out there running and swimming didn't seem like such a tragedy. However Duck later confirmed that the water had been lovely and calm (Oriental Bay is sheltered from the Southerlies).

On Wednesday we ran the 2.4km police entry test. When I first ran the distance in July 2006 it took me 12.26 minutes. In October it took me 11.38. I was still buzzing from my burst of speed on Monday night, so I was confident I could beat that time. I started out at a fast speed, and was unsure how long I could maintain it. However I stayed focused, and knowing that I only had to hold that pace for a short period of time helped. My breath was coming in short gasps, and pedestrians were turning to see what small stream train was running up behind them. It was all a little embarrassing. As I crossed the bridge for the last time and reached the other end of Frank Kitts Park a quick look at my stop watch told me I wasn't going to make it in under 11 minutes, but if I didn't slow down I wouldn't be that far off. In the end I crossed the finishline in 11.05 - another 30 seconds wiped off my total. I get to run it again in three weeks, and I'm totalling aiming to wipe off that last five!

I got up the next morning and ran 2km on the treadmill in just under 10 minutes, and then Duck put me through a circuit/powerbag training session in the Studio. Lots of push-ups and leg work! By the time we met up again on Thursday night the wind was strengthening. We rode around the Bays for 20 minutes to the Naval Base, ran 10 minutes, then cycled back again. The wind was, at times, scary. The crosswinds on Cobham Drive threatened to shuttle me sideways at any moment. Coming back around the last point all I could hear was wind, and it was all I could do to grind my way slowly forwards, trying not to think about getting blown off. By that point even Rose had overtaken me on her shiny new road bike. I had to eat humble pie and not worry too much about my ego!

Friday morning, and another RPM class. Al and I got to choose the tracks, and it helped to distract me from the pain in my legs. I miss having fresh legs for RPM, but I'm just going to have to deal with it until after the half marathon in June now! At least the fans are back again, after several weeks of them all being broken.

I skipped Body Balance in favour of reading a good book, and was feeling remarkably rested this morning for my trail run with Sarah. We ran up Hawker, and as Sarah has described in her own post, we managed not to get too lost, although the steepness of parts of the trail had to be seen to be believed! We managed to find our way back down to Pirie Street and had enough time to sprint back down Courtney Place and Lambton Quay to Body Balance at the Terrace at 10am.

Today was my first attempt at release 36, and I love it! The new Tai Chi moves flow really well. The strength poses don't feel rushed (although all the standing lunges played havoc with my tired quads). It seemed all the hip openers and stretches worked on the exact parts of my body that need a bit of focus. I felt strong when I needed to feel strong, flexible when I needed to extend, and even reasonably balanced (although my right side still sucks). The back-strengthing and lengthening poses seemed to go especially well today, and I have more movement through my lower spine than I can remember having had in the past. However the best bit was the bird pose. I can't believe I have the balance and forearm strength to accomplish that particular move!

The rest of the morning passed in a flurry of exercise geek activity. I bought a fab new pair of running shoes at Shoe Clinic. Sarah bought Gloria, the perfect Giant hybrid bike. It was even in her price range! She will totally kick all of our butts in the SPARC duathlon... By the time I'd dropped Sarah and Gloria off home and done the grocery shopping I was more than ready for a nana nap. As I type this I'm stuck on the sofa under a blanket and two cats. The weather is terrible outside, and I can hear the sound of the Summerset concert in the Basin Reserve. I'm so glad Hamish and I didn't pay $65 each to sit in the wind and rain!