New PB with running.

I have been feeling a little discouraged lately with the exercise. Moving over to a different side of town and changing gyms... and then adding the 2.5 days of tafe and the new job at the gym really has had me struggling to get my exercise in! I have been managing it but I have been finding it hard to get into a regular routine and find classes and things that I absolutely LOVE.

So, when I went to do the Brooks Twilight River run on sat night I was debating whether to ditch the 8km run and just do the 4km one. It wasn't until I was signing the papers when we got there that I decided to bite the bullet and do the 8km one. Given that the results are put on the internet for these things - I had no desire to do a bad time PUBLICLY!! LOL

Anyways, long story short is that I ran the 8km in 45.02 and got a new PB for myself. 5 min and 37 sec per kilometre. WOO!! I tried to remember to increase my stride length as I think this really holds me back with the long distance running... I kept on forgetting so I didn't do such a good job BUT I reckon this is going to make a big difference if I can remember to do it for the whole time!! It's really hard to remember stuff like that when you are trying not to DIE.. LOL.

Running and talking

Well, I am excited! I have 3 different runs now where I have been able to run between 8-10km easily and talk the WHOLE way!! Instead of huffing and puffing and struggling to breath... LOL..

I have not been pushing the pace at all  -- but I have been enjoying being able to enjoy running!! Running has ALWAYS been such hard work - I remember Anne and I commenting to each other and wondering when it gets easier... Well, IT'S EASIER!! WOO!!

I actually had a "zoning out" moment a couple of weeks ago!! Have you ever been driving anywhere and kind of zoned out and then realised you were almost home... But you don't actually remember driving all the way, and hoping you managed to stop at all the right spots etc...  Well, I had one of those moments RUNNING!! How funny is that! That has never happened to me before. I am usually ALWAYS aware of how hard it is and how much further to go!! Bahahaha.... I am Excited -- because it really is much more enjoyable than counting landmarks!! LOL.

Starting to build up the distance now... Will be at 15km in a months time!! Right on track for the half marathon in July. Tossing up whether to do the Gold Coast one or the one in Melbourne which is a week or two later... Hmmm....

JOB at Fernwood and TAFE

I got a job with Fernwood... I got a job with Fernwood!! ***insert very happy bum dance here!!***

So excitement! I got ATP Sales job with Fernwood Ferntree Gully ... I think I am going to really enjoy doing it when I can get into it... It really sounds like my sort of job. Creating contacts and networking with people... Developing relationships with stores in the area to see if we can partner up with them and help each other out with potential customers / clients. I'm excited!! I really do love the Fernwood gyms...

The plan is to do this while I study my Cert 3 in Fitness; and then to move out onto the floor when I finish my Cert 3 in June. When I have my Cert 4 at the end of the year I will be able to go straight into PT'ing on the floor.

So that's the plan - now all I have to do is PASS!! LOL

I got told today that I look like Tarzan but lift weights like Jane! Mind you I was asked to do a 20kg barbell bicep curl - AFTER I had already done weights that morning!! The funny thing about this is that I AM A JANE!!!! LOL    And I don't particularly want to be a Tarzan! Stupid muscles!

The teacher is not a fan of Fernwood. I find it a bit weird though, because having read Dianna Williams book "Smart women do weights," it seems that Fernwood's philosophy is quite weights based. It just does not practically reflect quite how I have understood it to be saying. Making the weight heavier and lowering the reps does not really seem to happen. (Well - not from what I've seen! Perhaps different Fernwoods are different!) I do quite like their philosophy on muscle, overloading the muscle and the importance of growing muscle.

Anyways - perhaps I should give him a copy of that book!! Personally I don't see what the point is in trying to lift massively heavy weights and trying to be a Tarzan - I am happy to be a Jane who can lift ok weights for a Jane.

Boot Camp with Tommy Hopkins



The track we were running
on - it was either UP or
DOWN!!



Well, it absolutely POURED for the first few hours of the boot camp this morning!! I had rain hanging of my eyelashes so I could not see where I was going!! After a warm up of star jumps, push-ups, commando crawls, burpees and the like we went on an hour long run up and down some SERIOUS hills!!! I have never been so glad I can run in my life - that session would have totally taken me out for the day if I was still at the "finding running difficult" stage...



Now THIS was FUN!! LOL



The second session was a whole bunch of sit ups, push ups, squats and running with sandbags. One thing which was particularly fun was when we had to put the sandbag into our laps and then a couple of people had to drag us up and down the hill.

We had one drill where we had to get all the sandbags across everyone lying down without them touching the ground... and then someone actually had to crawl across everyone!!



The third session was carrying bricks UP ABOUT 200 STAIRS and around and down and UP ABOUT 200 STAIRS and around and down etc... I walked up the stairs and ran down. It was really hard to run with the bricks!! They cut up my arms something shocking!! And I couldn't hold them close enough to me while I was running because they were taking my skin off!! So I had to hold them in the air and run... Not quite sure how good that was for the shoulder joints!! LOL

The forth session was shuttle runs with lots of different things put at each cone: Jump squats, push ups, sit ups, burpees. ie. Sprint to the first cone and do 10 mountain climbers, second cone 20 mountain climbers, third cone 30 mountain climbers.

The fifth session was the commando course. Here we had to climb over walls, through tunnels, swing across some sewerage water, go through tyres and across ropes.... You think of it we did it. TWICE!! LOL. Mud, rocks, bruises, slime and stink!! Was awesome fun.

The sixth session was using tyres as weights and kettle balls, with lots of sprints. Turn the tyres over, run with the tyres, do push-ups on the tyres, use them to do tricep extensions, and rows... The kettle balls were going above our heads, between our legs, to the sides... and any other direction!! LOL

The seventh session was using a massive rope and dragging tyres with sandbags.

Dispite the fact that I was seriously delerious and had numerous cuts and bruises all over me... and dispite the fact that I was having problems walking the next day - It was SO worth it!! FUN!!

I did a PT session the next day and seriously almost cried - IT HURT!!