Run 5 and a trip to the vet

It has been the day that Chilli and Alfie have had to go for their vaccinations. We took them this afternoon and they were fine. Chilli squawked all the way there but Alfie liked to look out of the car window.

When we got back, I went out for a run. I did a nice 5km. Nice, because the weather was much nicer for a change! Sun was quite low in the sky but it was still warm and there wasn't too much wind.

It felt quite good too. I felt stronger!

Run 4

Did intervals on the treadmill today. Still very windy and rainy and I really didn't feel like going out in it today. It's hard work looking after a new puppy and trying to keep a kitten in - jabs coming up soon I hope!

Can't remember how many I did, but I covered 6km in all and ran several 400m fast!

360 days until VLM2012.

My birthday and the Ballot opens

It's my birthday today - and the ballot opens for the marathon. What a combination!

I have entered the ballot but don't expect anything to come of that. Thought it is also a good idea to contact the charities and see what they can offer me.

Had a very nice birthday though. Steve took me out for a meal in the evening and I escaped the menagerie for a couple of hours!

Weather is not good - high winds, heavy rain and it's cold. Must be winter coming!

Run 3

Happy Easter everyone. Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. The weather was beautiful yesterday - today it has been rainy and cold! I was going to go out for a long run, probably up the B'bos Road, but changed my mind this afternoon, and ran on the treadmill.

It has been a long day, as Alfie was not well last night and not only did we have to get up to take him out at least twice as usual, he needed to go out even more times because he was not well - both ends!

So not a lot of sleep was had all round really. Hence a shorter treadie run this afternoon.

Approximately 6.5 kms and 1 hour of running. I know - very slow! But at least I did it! Hopefully, Alfie will start to sleep better soon, not need to go out in the night, and everyone will be happier!

Run 2

I escaped today - from the "mad house"! I was both dreading and quite glad to get out and have a run! I am really tired - I've never had such an energetic little puppy before. He is real hard work - but I went out for a run anyway.

I wasn't going to go very far because I felt tired and was still a bit achy from the run the other day, but I took my "plan" with me in my head, and I ended up doing it anyway.

3.5km easy - 5km @ 6.41 - 1.5km easy

I ran up the B'bos Road into a head wind and up hill, which slowed me down a bit but it was nice coming back as the first half was downhill! I had to keep slowing myself down.

I ended up doing 10.28km altogether, and it was a nice comfortable run! Not a bit like I thought it would be.

AND: It is exactly a year until the London Marathon!

Run 1

I am starting a new training plan this week as I want to improve my half marathon time. There is a half I would like to run in August, so now is the time to do it. I have decided to try out the FIRST running plan, which consists of 3 runs a week but incorporates a steady intensity and speed build up based on my current 5km time.

Today was a warm up, followed by 12 x 400m runs @ 2.22km pace. Phooar, never worked so hard. My legs felt like jelly after the first 4 or 5, but I persevered and it actually felt a bit better for a while. I certainly felt like I had been working though! I finished off by jogging/walking home. I covered a distance of about 11.4kms overall - a lot more than I thought I would do.

I had a chocolate steri stumpie when I got back!

New Treadie

Wahay! I have a treadmill - at last! I'd better not go into details of the hassle Steve My Beloved had when trying to buy it for me! You ask him - you'd never believe it! OK, you probably would actually!

Anyway, I have a treadmill now - not just for me though. Steve can use it, and I will train Mango to use it (there are lots of days it is just too windy for her to be taken out) and when the pup is old enough, he can use it too! So - that has to be value for money!

Steve had to get a friend to help him get it out of the car - I wonder how many kilograms it actually weighs! Then, we had the fun of putting it together! Several hours later (without TOO many problems) it was ready for use. Just a shame it was too late in the evening to be able to try it out.

Still, I did manage to have a go the next day. It worked! No more excuses when the wind is howling through Pearly Beach, or the rain is hammering down!

Races run to-date

Spar Women's Challenge - 5km - April 2010 - No time recorded

Hermanus Wheels and Runners - 10km - May 2010 - 1hr 6min

Cape Point Half Marathon - November 2010 - 2hr 29min

KFC Brackenfell 10km - January 2011 - 1hr 4 min

Seeff Weskus Half Marathon - March 2011 - 2hr 34 min

Why Not?

Why do I want to run the London Marathon?

I started running on and off after coming to South Africa, but only started running "seriously" about 18 months ago. I felt I needed something to focus on - living in Pearly Beach is not like living in most towns and cities! I am also the type of person who needs to exercise and "keep moving" - why get older before you have to! And most people need to lose a few kilograms - don't they?!

My first "running" steps on the road were based on a simple plan - one minute jogging, 1 minute walking... Eventually, after what seemed like many weeks I built up to feeling that I could run a 5km race. So I entered one! I ran the Spar Women's Challenge in April 2010 in Bellville. There was a 10km and a 5km race, the 10km being the main one, and there were several thousand runners dressed in all kinds of fancy dress! It was a great atmosphere and I thoroughly enjoyed the run and getting my medal at the end. I have no idea how long it took me though and I didn't really worry too much about the time because there were so many people, it was impossible to run until at least after the first kilometre.

This race made me want to do more and I entered the 10km Wheels and Runners Race in Hermanus being held about 3 weeks later, which eventually led to my first half marathon, the Cape Point Half Marathon in November 2010. This was an amazing experience, also very enjoyable even though it was held in gale force conditions.

I had been considering for a while whether I would be able to train enough to be able to run a marathon and decided "why not!" However, if I did run one, it would have to be a "special" one and it would be for charity. I came up with the idea of running either the London Marathon or the New York Marathon! Why not aim big! The charity? Alzheimer's - in memory of my mum and others who had the disease, have it now, or may have it in the future.

So... here goes!