All done - I finished a marathon

It's the day after the Cadbury Marathon in Hobart and I thought I better update my blog to let you all know that I did finish it, yep I ran a marathon, well walked/ran for the last 10kms and there was more walking than running for a couple of kilometres in there, but hey I finished the marathon. Updating the blog via the iPad is going to be a bit of a struggle as I hurt all over, but more on that later.

The day started at 3.30am with the usual breakfast of peanut butter on an English muffin and a coffee only normal thing about the day really, as what sort of person gets up at 3.30am to torture themselves? I had all my gear ready, gels, replacement tablets (replace carbs and minerals and stuff like that, not my sanity), bib, drinks, shoes all waiting for me so a quick get ready plan went into play. I then had a quick 10 mins walk to the local Hotel where the race bus departed, but let me advise you Hobart's street lighting is seriously inadequate and we are during a new moon, so the area was pitch black and it is hilly, "Streets of San Francisco" style so I was cautious, didn't want to roll an ankle on the way to the race bus, that would make a funny story after 30 odd weeks of training....not.

Met my buddy (and training guru, supporter and more) George at the bus (I was on it, he was wandering around it outside thinking I was running late or had chickened out) and we then headed out to the race start. The journey consisted of George telling me things like "we run up this hill", "we pass this place" etc. and me staring out the window into the pitch black wondering how he has night vision.

Not a lot to report per race except a couple of compulsory nervous toilet breaks and a panic moment where George let me know that even though it was a loop course of two lots of 21kms we don't actually go back into the chocolate factory grounds, we turn around about 1km out. Now that wouldn't have been much of a big deal but I'd left my carb replacement drinks with a friend who was going to meet me half way for a top up (or belt swap to be more precise) before she ran her own event which started later. Planning was all stuffed now, I was going to have to run the last 21kms on water and a few gels. I let her know via SMS not to worry, but she was determined to make sure I was alright. A mid race SMS from me (thank god I took my phone) and she arranged to leave my spare belt with the volunteers at the 21km mark drink station, what a legend. She did wait there for a few hours cheering on most of the field (bar myself at the tail end) before she ran to the start of her event. Wonderful effort by my unofficial support crew.

I mentioned earlier that the race is called the Cadbury Marathon and that it starts and finishes in a chocolate factory. I didn't spot any Oompa Loompas, nor got to visit the gift shop, but I do know that I'm one of a few hundred people who have mixed long distance running with chocolate consumption. Even though I'm a vegan and didn't participate in the milk chocolate devouring comp at the finish line, I do have a couple of chocolate bars and a large purple Cadbury Marathon beach town for my efforts. It is funny to watch these athletes, who have been on strict diets for months, just throw it all out the window and hook into a family sized block of chocolate as though it was their last ever meal.

Race started with a "10 seconds to the start, 8, 7 etc", no hoopla, no sirens, guns, no timing mat (you get gun time as your official result so the 30 seconds or so it took me to get over the start line itself, as I started at the back of the field, is included in my official time, which doesn't mean a lot over such a long distance). George was with me for the first 300 metres or so, putting on film my first marathon start, and then he went off to run his own brilliant race. I was running next to Olympic Gold medalist, Cathy Freeman for the first half a kilometre or so and was tempted to go a little harder to say "I've beaten Cathy Freeman over 400 metres" but that would be stupid, funny but stupid as a still had 42kms ahead of me. Race started with a few loops of the surrounding housing area and a number of my buddies from parkrun, who were running in later events (half marathon and 5kms) were probably the loudest cheer squad on course, yelling "go messy boy" as I passed them on those loops. Thanks guys, started my day with a huge smile, and even had people a lot later in the race tell me that I didn't look that messy, so great encouragement.

We then headed down a pretty big hill, which meant we were going to have to run back up it 41kms later - ouch, and onto the main roads, passing the world class MONA Gallery, around the back of the Elwick racecourse (where the Hobart cup will be run later this month) and over this bridge, which had a steady climb, just what you need for aching legs. On the bridge I was passed by a very fast police motorcycle who was leading out the half marathon runners, and quite a few guys who were running faster than I do 200m sprints and they were keeping that up for 21kms!

Once over the bridge you do a turnaround, back to where we started (roughly) and then do it all again.

The second time I got to the Elwick racecourse I hit the infamous "wall", about 29 kms into the event my brain was pushing me to finish and my body was just stopping. You read all about it in all the books and articles but until you've experienced it you can't explain what it is like (or seen it as everyone around me was also dropping like flies - and being a loop course I could see the same thing happening to the people who were way in front of me). This is when the mental toughness had to kick in - focus on a witches hat about 50m away and get to it, and then do it again, and again and again ad infinituum (well that's what it felt like).

I did have to have a quick toilet break about 36 kms in and getting down the steps of the portaloo was interesting in itself, as was the officials deciding to open the roads to traffic one hour earlier than scheduled "as there weren't many of us left on the course". This caused a bit of undue stress as there wasn't always footpaths to follow so I had to remain alert to oncoming traffic.

Three kilometres from the finish I pass a bas station and sitting there was George, Scott and Joanne, all ready to get me through the last bit of pain. Now no disrespect here, but after getting through 39kms there was no way in the world I was not going to finish, but their presence did buoy me a little as I pushed through the last big hill and onto the finish line.

Over the line I get a large medal, a Cadbury's beach towel, some chocolate and a huge cheer from my support crew and my wonderful family, who had put up with months of training and days of laziness leading up to the event as well the upcoming days of complaining about the pain after the event.

A special thanks to George, Joanne, Scott, Carol, Troy and Jarrod for the efforts in keeping me going during the event itself, cheers, high fives, words of encouragement etc. all helped heaps. Thanks also to George, Dom, Kathryn, Phil, Julie and Jane who met me for long runs during training. A special thanks to Kai, Carol, Jane, Dennis, Jo, Jaymie, Oyiela, Kathryn, Teresa, Phil, Julie, Kevin, Joanne, Scott and Ana who all donated to the Clown Doctors. A great result of $404.20 for the charity.

I'll be checking in again in the coming days with a number of post race humorous tales as I stagger about with a ruined body and will be keeping this blog going with updates on how I'm tracking for the 100km Oxfam Trailwalk in April.

Photos to be uploaded later today.

Three more sleeps until the marathon

Well hasn’t Tasmania been having a horrendous time of it recently? Hottest day since records began, bushfires all over the place with 100’s out of homes and their Big Bash Team needs to win quite handsomely to make the Semi Finals (I know that is not that important but I thought I’d add it to make it a nice three horrible things going on in the Apple Isle). Things are only going to get better for them though as I fly in today with the family to spend a few $, laze around (I’ll call it a taper) and get mentally prepared for my first ever 42km run.

Since my last post (where I’d just finished my last 30km training run) I have officially been in “taper” mode, where you slow things down and stock up the energy for race day itself. My taper has consisted of a few short runs and two longer runs of 15kms and 13kms as well as rice, pasta, wine and cider all to boost those carbs for the energy stores. I know a few others who have been doing yoga, pilates, swimming etc. seriously guys I’m not going to finish top 10 so my arvo naps and green tea will do it for me (we’ll see on Sunday of course)!!!

Last Sunday a group of Parkrunners took part in a scavenger style hunt around the streets of Albert Park and St Kilda, topping it off with breakfast. A great morning was had by all and I can only urge people to get involved in these local events, as there are heaps of friendly people arranging fun events which help your fitness as well as adding smiles to your face. Great effort by the organisers last weekend it was a blast.

Not a lot to report really, I’ll post a few photos of Tasmania if I get a chance, prior to the run but the remainder of my week will be taken up with relaxing times, including a much anticipated visit to the MONA Gallery http://www.mona.net.au/ one of the highlights of any visit to Tasmania. I’ve packed a couple of books as I’ll be reading a lot, and hopefully will be fine to do a little sightseeing on the Monday post run. There are plans to do the 20/20 cricket on the Saturday night as I've never visited Bellerive (so wanting to add that to MCG, SCG, Gabba and WACCA visits) as well as a forest walk of some lazy description (no stupid hiking a day out like I did in Marysville). Kids will be keen to see some convict history and the markets are always popular with tourists on the Saturday morning.

There's quite a few Melbournians heading down for the event on Sunday so there will be a nice support crew to cheer me on - thanks heaps guys. And there are plans to do a Facetime link up with all the participants we know who are competing in Two Bays 56km and 28km events on the same day - good luck to all of them, maybe next year for me.

As part of the run I’m raising funds for the Clown Doctors in Tasmania (If you haven't heard about the Clown Doctors before, check them out at  http://www.humourfoundation.com.au/) and if you’d like to chip in a few $ my fundraising page is at http://cadburymarathon.gofundraise.com.au/page/MessengerT every little bit helps. A huge thanks to all the supporters so far, whether financial, mental or training, it’s been a great journey and with only a few days to go I’m eagerly awaiting the outcome of my 42km jog/run.

Why I've been walking like Roy Rogers

It has been a very long time since I last posted here, doesn’t mean I’ve dropped off the face of the earth, or given up my marathon goal, or become lazy it’s a simple case of being a very busy time of year. Busiest being my 50^th birthday itself in early December – so now the “Can a 50 year old” header of this blog is now true.

Here’s a tip for you, if you’re planning on running your first marathon think of the 60 odd kilometres of training you’ll be doing about a seven weeks to three weeks out and see if that coincides with a major event, like a 50^th, or Christmas or major work events. Don’t drop your goal because of that, just be aware of the time pressures.

Onto more amusing anecdotes though. A couple of months ago I posted about the time I ran my t1ts off (chaffing on the nipples), well a few weeks ago I was walking around like Roy Rogers for a few days after a 25km long run. This was due to the large sized 2XU skins becoming too big for me. All this running has caused me to drop 13 kilos since July and naturally I’m down quite a few clothes sizes to boot, but the wardrobe is not going to be replaced just yet, may as well wait until I’ve run the marathon in Hobart, the post Xmas sales and then restock. Having said that, baggy skins are not recommended, unless you want everyone in the office thinking you’ve been on a horse riding trail for a couple of days on the weekend. Watch them smile as you wince every step you take!!!

As training has been upped to 50-60kms per week, it has also been necessary to book in for a weekly myotherapy massage (as I told you before the practitioners tell you it’s Latin for “deep tissue” whereas it is Latin for “watch me f*ck you right over”). The process is where my masseur rubs heavily on my calves, until he finds a pea sized lump and he then proceeds to push, prod, rub and stretch it in every possible way with the most force he can possibly use, until I am beyond tears, am about to put a flailing foot into his solar plexus and then he stops and finds another spot. Or he may rip the thigh muscles apart using his palms at either end, or maybe your neck or shoulders. Once I’ve decided enough pain is enough, I pay the receptionist a healthy sum, stagger back to the office and wait for the bruises to appear. Experience tells me they look best two days later, more purple than black.

All up it’s becoming an expensive exercise, this running caper is not as simple as find a pair of runners some shorts and away you go. I have special socks, compression bandages (which were a gift I must admit) for post recovery, ointments to stop certain parts rubbing, skins (which aren’t cheap), proper shoes, drink belts, recovery powders, during run powders and gels, a watch that costs a fortune (but did help me from becoming lost one day in some wetlands I’d never run before), hats and goodness knows what else. So an $80 entry fee, $2000 or so in accessories, probably $1500 in chiro and massage bills and I’m just about ready to run a marathon.

I won’t go into a lot of the training runs that I’ve recently done, other than to thank a wonderful array of friends who have been more than supportive, joining me for 5 or 10kms to keep me motivated and on track, push me when I’m going from kilometre 20 onwards or even just the fact that they are going to be there so I can’t renege. I’ve now put in a couple of 30km training runs and although not at a great pace, they have taught me quite a few things about the marathon itself:

• I’ll hurt
• I’ll be grumpy when done
• I’ll hurt some more afterwards
• I need to get my hydration and fuelling spot on (which I think I’ve done)
• I need to stretch more
• I need to pack my compression gear, pre-race, during race and post-race powders and gels (I wonder if I’ll have to explain the bag of white powders and Vaseline?)
• The last 12 kms will be the toughest, but my head is around that so I will do it, it could well be at almost walking pace but I’ll do it

So only 20 days to go until the marathon itself, and therefore I’m onto the “taper” time, whereby the 30km run I did yesterday was my last long-long run and I slowly reduce the distances so my body can store energy or some such scientific thing.

I’ll post again here before the run itself together with an update on my next big challenge (for charity) which will take place in April 2013.

Links on right hand side take you to my fund raising pages.

More running - this is getting crazy 42.57kms this week!!!

It’s been a while between drinks so I thought I better give you a running update on my goal towards the Hobart Marathon in January 2013.

Since my last blog update I’ve clocked up 91.58kms and even if I do say so myself there have been a few decent efforts in there.

Marysville Half Marathon – There is a Marathon Festival held in Marysville each year to assist the town with rebuilding after it was completely destroyed in the 2009 bushfires (37 locals lost their lives). They ask you stay 2 nights when booking for the festival to contribute back to the area so we headed up on the Friday afternoon. Saturday I stupidly decided a bushwalk up a mountain trail would be a good idea and after 8kms or so realised that the terrain was steep and tough and was feeling quite a bit worse for wear. But the next day I fronted up for my second ever half marathon with the only aim being to finish and have fun.

Finish I did, but not without a few issues. About 6 or 7kms into the event (after climbing a massive hill – whilst walking, even the pros didn’t run it), I was admiring the scenery and not looking at the terrain and took a handy tumble. With cut hands, knee, hip and back and with a few decent bruises I soldiered onto the 8km drink station where I washed the grit from my wounds. It was then onto the 10km checkpoint where I took a few minutes time out in the first aid station to get antiseptic applied and a couple of bandages added before I headed off for the final 11 kms, up to Stevensons’ Falls and then onto more riverside trails back to the finish line. My finishing time was 2:38.14 coming in 247^th  that was only 9 mins 16 seconds slower than the Melbourne Half Marathon four weeks prior and this event included hills, trails, a stack and time out in first aid so I was ecstatic.

The fun was out of this world, the community feel, the friendliness, the scenery, the trails, the whole weekend was an amazing experience and I could be hooked into this trail running stuff (even if I am slow).

Another highlight was competing in the BRW Corporate Relay event with two colleagues from work, here you had to run 5kms, remove the timing anklet, pass to your team mate in a crowded transition zone and then cheer then on at the start of their run. I was the slowest of the three, but given I’d run a half marathon 3 days prior and had backed up for a training run of 7kms the day before it was amazing that I could run under 32 mins. We all had a great time, finishing off with a further slow 6kms and then dinner at a great vegetarian place in St Kilda.

Final highlight of the week was participating in ParkRun’s 1^st Birthday event, where the theme was Super Heroes and Villians. I turned up dressed as Zorro and escorted my eight year old son (Batman) around the 5km track in a slow time, but with a stack of people getting into the theme and cakes, coffee, bananas and more at the finish line it was a fantastic morning. Quite a few of us may have looked ridiculous, but we put smiles on heaps of people’s faces, had fun fun fun got some fitness in and encouraged quite a few bystanders to not take themselves so seriously. Another great event by the ParkRun crew, and if you haven’t checked out their website to see if there is a ParkRun near you I thoroughly recommend you do so at www.parkrun.com

I have now been running 4 times a week with one day being a long run (that now means a single run every week of 20kms+ between now and the new year). Tomorrow the plan is to push out a slow 22.5 kms – reckon I might be a tad hungry tomorrow arvo!!!!

I’ll check in again in a few weeks’ time with a further update on how I’m progressing to my first ever 42km event.

Total rant update which means little

Here’s a bloke who is too busy at work, got a running program that is eating into all his spare time and then is feeling guilty for not updating his blog. I’ll give you a tip, if you want to keep people up to date, or motivated, or engaged then don’t have a full time gig and then decide you’re going to keep a blog going. All it will do is make your hair greyer than it originally was.

Pathetic intro really, but how else do I let you know that I ran a half marathon over two weeks ago and didn’t even bother to proclaim to the world my own personal achievement?

So here is a summary of the last 18 days since I last updated my blog:

1.  Day one – (the Saturday prior to the half marathon) – went to my local ParkRun and did about as much as part time busker on  a Monday (ie. Spoke a lot, felt involved but contributed f* all)
2. Day two – ran 21 kilometres – yep ran a whole half marathon. I could give you km by km run downs, but the support pacing crew helped me through 7 mins average per km and pulled me up early for being too enthusiastic, but let me go at the 18km mark (which was my fastest – how the hell did that happen???) and all up I finished inside the MCG doing a lap of the “hallowed turf” (what sort of term is that? Hallowed be thy name?? Sanctified, since when is an oval shape of grass a religious experience? Sacrosanct? Now seriously guys, you’ve just let 50,000 runners do a lap, so how sacrosanct is that???). All up I finished the half marathon in 2:28.58 so under the 2:30.0 I would have liked to have done, but in all honesty I had a goal of having fun, and another one of just finishing, to put a time constraint on my performance was not a smart thing to do, even if I did beat it. Rambling now – point 2 alone is going to constitute more than the whole blog update. BTW – Went to the soccer in the afternoon and felt alright until I decided I needed to stand up and walk around, geez those small plastic seats can do wonders for your legs…not…
3. Monday – the day after – felt okay really just pottered around, might have even snuck in a few ciders – oops wouldn’t have done that as I was at work getting hammered.
4. Tuesday – decided that if I’m going to run a full marathon then I better hop back on the bike, so went for a slow 5km run – it was slow but it felt okay
5.  Next four days – not much bar getting the fluids back to a normal level, which probably included a few pints of brewed material, but to be honest it may not have as I can’t remember (so that probably means it did!!!)
6.    Six days after half marathon – started to feel guilty as I had only put in a piddling 5km effort and what sort of marathon runner does 5kms per week. So went out for a quick 5km jog (actually I think this was a weak ParkRun - don't recall) .
7. Next day – probably watched sport – might have even had a glass of wine whilst doing so
8.   Day after – guilts kicked in, a long run is required, so pushed out a 12km slow run. Actually felt okay with it, must have been the wine the night before
9.  Next day – nothing in gps so must have had more wine
10. Next day a slow 5km effort after work (well I was locked down for two days in a planning session for  employer so ducked out before the whole team came breathing stale liquor into the breakfast room and did a run up some massive friggin mountainside in the Yarra Valley region. It raised a sweat so at least I wasn’t the only one smelly over the toast!!!)
11.    Next 2 days – must have been more work, probably tossed and turned in bed all night wondering how the hell I’m going to run a marathon when all I do is procrastinate and fend off the guilt monster with an occasional 5km jog.
12.  Saturday – back to ParkRun and for some bizarre reason the people who had paced me through the half marathon thought it would be a good idea to push me to a sub 30 min 5km run. Now don’t get me wrong here, all help is most appreciated, however I had plans for a light run as I was going to pump out 15kms on the Sunday. One click in and I’m not worried about tomorrow as I’m making sure I can keep up with a 5.45 per click pace. Earlier in my blog I wondered if I could ever break the 30 min mark for 5 kms – well if you’re slow like me I suggest you train 20 weeks for a half marathon, bust your guts to finish that and then back up 13 days later to run a personal best for a measly 5 kms. You’ll smash it. 29.35 is now my pb (remember that’s a serious runner’s terminology for “Personal Best”).
13.   Sunday – plans for 15kms slow run out the window, still knackered from my Craig Mottram impersonation the day before
14.  Monday – feel guilty for missing the 15km (how am I going to run a marathon if I’m too lazy to even back up for a 15km run?) so get the bee in my bonnet (even though it is 26 degrees Celsius)  and decide I’ll do a slow 16kms instead. Aching achilles, sore calves and a dripping t-shirt only 12kms in and I pull the pin. That is not the sign of a bloke who is committed to running 42kms in eleven weeks’ time, better start that meditation tape again – think I must have switched off whilst it was on.

Somewhere in all of that I spent a quick session with a couple of punters from ParkRun who walked me through these machines and weight thingies at a gym (no not at Jim’s house but more like one of those venues where you work out to improve your body image or muscles) – all I can say is that I didn’t realise I could have an aching ribcage from lifting a dumbbell smaller than a flashlight. It was approx. 1980 when I last hurt that much (I only say “approx.” as a few of those years were a blur) and that involved Johnny Lydon, beer, spittle and illegal substances.

There was also a “myotherapy” (apparently Latin for I’ll make every muscle in your body hurt and bruis like fu*k) session in there too – but I’m booked in for another one tomorrow so that’s probably another story.

Quick Pre Melbourne Half Marathon Update

Tomorrow is my first half marathon – yippee. So after 20 weeks of following a training guide (loosely I may add) I should be ready for 21kms of running. It will take me about the same time as a full soccer match PLUS and hour!!!! OUCH.

Just to give you an idea of the amount of training I’ve done I've put together a quick table of the date and kilometres run. Sometimes the distance doesn’t appear that far, but it could well have been hill runs or a sprinting session (eg. Sprint and walk).

29/05/2012	4.68
31/05/2012	5.32
3/06/2012	4.25
7/06/2012	3.79
10/06/2012	5.46
15/06/2012	5.26
17/06/2012	6.5
23/06/2012	5
24/06/2012	7.53
25/06/2012	3
26/06/2012	5.25
1/07/2012	8.25
3/07/2012	5.8
5/07/2012	6.38
7/07/2012	5
8/07/2012	10.69
10/07/2012	4.68
11/07/2012	4
15/07/2012	10.17
17/07/2012	6.8
19/07/2012	4.1
20/07/2012	6.02
22/07/2012	12
24/07/2012	3
25/07/2012	5.31
28/07/2012	5
29/07/2012	14.19
31/07/2012	6.74
2/08/2012	6.6
4/08/2012	5
5/08/2012	14.32
7/08/2012	6.09
8/08/2012	5.7
11/08/2012	5
12/08/2012	16.07
14/08/2012	3.52
15/08/2012	6.96
18/08/2012	5
19/08/2012	18.03
21/08/2012	3
26/08/2012	11.11
29/08/2012	6.09
1/09/2012	7.94
2/09/2012	15.04
4/09/2012	5.38
8/09/2012	5
9/09/2012	16.8
11/09/2012	1.609
20/09/2012	5.11
24/09/2012	5.11
26/09/2012	15.42
29/09/2012	5
2/10/2012	18
5/10/2012	3
6/10/2012	9.73
10/10/2012	5.04
TOTAL	404.839

It was interesting putting this together as I was looking at some of the sessions and they were “run 5 mins walk 2 mins” and in the space of 4 and a half months I’ll be running 21kms with minimal (if any) stops. I’ve done a couple of 18 km efforts and feel ready to go – taking it easy today and will be upping my carb and liquid intake to ensure I’m all set for a best effort.

I will be tweeting with photos at stages so feel free to follow me @messy_tony and unlike quite a few runners I have no time expectations as this is step one of my longer term goal of the Marathon in Hobart in January.

I'll update the blog post race with the promised opinion of myotherapy massage as well as my plans to get fit enough for 42kms sometime next week.

Training in Far North Queensland? You betcha

It has been three weeks since I updated my running and charity blog and boy have I been busy. I have been off work, right up the top of Queensland (if you count north as “top”), sitting by swimming pools, wandering through World Heritage Listed pristine rainforests, swimming in the Pacific Ocean and more. The hardest part was having to put up with the half a dozen or so nubile 20’s something bikini clad, university students on our small excursion to the Great Barrier Reef, really guys I have coral and stuff to look at!!! What has this got to do with running? Absolutely nothing, except that my running diary did look a little slim. But there were valid reasons for that.

Cape Tribulation

Just before I left on holidays I managed to do something to my hip flexor (I’d know if it was a hip flexor), but the top of my right leg was stuffed. I was hobbling like a draught horse who’d carried the alcohol into the MCG on Grand Final day and the pain was around the hip region, so I've done the self-diagnosis thing and called it a hip flexor injury. A mate told me about 10 days rest would do the trick – amazing, I was going to Far North Queensland for 10 days, what a coincidence. Since my last blog update where my last logged run was a long one 16.8kms (and I did say my right thigh hurt!!!), I had only completed one extra run before I flew out – The “Marathon Talk Magic Mile” where you run your fastest mile and log it on their website. 9 mins 22 for me – all along I have said that I'm not fast, just persistant, but I was happy with anything under 10 mins and considering I was doing it on one leg for about the first 500 metres I was okay with the results.

Onto holiday running, now imagine this, I left Melbourne and it was something like 15 degrees Celsius, when I landed in Cairns it was 30 degrees Celsius and about 80% humidity, not your ideal long running conditions. So whilst away I clocked up a couple of extra “one mile” runs on the Sunday and a further 5.11 kms on the Thursday and another on the flowing Monday. No fancy times, as I was wetter than a tissue at a screening of “My Sister’s Keeper”, I usually sweat from the head, so wear a cap, but nothing was coming out the noggin’ up there, it was pouring out of my torso. At least I had a swimming pool to leap into, or some salt water therapy about 10 metres from where I finished. View was nice too – pity those palm trees, sand and waves kept getting in the way of her…um I mean “it”.

I flew back to Melbourne on the Tuesday arriving late that night with a work training session booked in for the next three days. Day one didn't start until 3pm and I had the morning off, so it was time to get serious again and put in a long run. 15.42kms later I was spent, but it was a good solid test plus I had to be alert all afternoon, so I was testing out my mental strength as well, it’s not a good look learning about “emotional intelligence” and you’re the only one of the group of 12 who is snoring. The others did have a number of laughs at my expense, generally when I needed to stand up, walk anywhere, bend down to pick something up, the groans were louder than the main character in “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Plans were for a light 5km early morning jog on the Friday, but when the alarm went off at 5am I realised that sleep deprivation is not my thing and gave the tune up a miss.

So after a three week hiatus I was back at my favourite ParkRun, wearing a Sydney Swans scarf (it was Aussie Rules Grand Final day) and although my plans were for a sub 30 min effort, the pace runner got about 30 metres in front with about 2kms to go and I thought “ I'm never going to catch him” as he seemed to be speeding up. Turns out he’d run the 1^st 2 kilometres in 6.07 so had 14 seconds to make up and decided to do so into the massive head wind we had that morning. All up I was done in 31 mins and 35 secs, but could have shaved about 20 seconds off that time, but etiquette meant I shouldn't blast away the newbie in the last 500 metres, so I paced with her and let her finish 1 second in front of me. Next week she is toast.

With only twelve days until the Melbourne Half Marathon and only one long run under my belt in the last three weeks I decided that I better pull my finger out and on Tuesday this week I headed off for an 18km training effort. All done in a slow time but I felt strong at the end and could have run a further 3kms so I’m ready for the half marathon, just a few more light training runs in between (plan on 10kms on Saturday) and I'll be fresh for my first attempt at the 21kms.

Onto the marathon itself. Now the commitment had been made to run the Hobart Marathon on 13/1/2013, in as far as I’d booked my airfares to Hobart. Entries opened on 20 September and on that very same day I was online and entered. Now I just need some accommodation, three more months of training and I will be finishing my first 42km run. The hardest part of making the commitment has been done, the rest just now depends on myself being mentally solid enough to keep training and the rest will fall into place.

Next week I'll give you an update (hopefully prior to my first ever half marathon) with my thoughts on listening to tunes whilst you train or run, as well as a review of my first ever deep tissue massage (that should give you a couple of laughs).