Run for the kids 2011

This would have to be the most enjoyable fun run I have ever done!!  Unbelievably, I did not find it hard at all!! In fact, I still had energy at the end and was bouncing around thinking I would love to do it again!! LOL...



This was around 14km... I really should have been
looking a little deader!! LOL..

On the flip side to this, I was a little disappointed I didn't push myself enough. I was trying to pace myself and did a little TOO good a job of it!! Hehe... BUT, it's a good learning experience!! I am known for going out to fast and dying early! This time I went out slow and sped up too late!! I will get it right one day!! LOL

1 hour, 30 min and 30 seconds!! LOL... Not my best time for that distance - But like I said... SO enjoyable - could have kept going forever!!



The MOST enjoyable part -- was SO very cool!!

I am looking forward to the half marathon in July!! The aim will be to beat the pace per km for the 21km - and it should be fine to do!! I will push myself earlier ... It was not until the last 4.38km that I pushed the pace a little in this run.

http://tiktok.biz/runforthekids/2011/09285

Those last 4 kms I did with a pace of 5.56min p km... The first 10km I did with a pace of 6.28min p km!! Need to speed up earlier!! LOL.

Now, to register for the Run Melbourne Half...

Loved being part of the 12WBT team!!

My mind is a tool. #lessonlearned

I have been a little discouraged lately with the exercise stuff.. With certain people telling me what I am bad at... Trying to juggle family and life... Being discouraged from even doing exercise... And just being sick and not doing as well as I could!!

Anyway, This morning I arranged to meet someone and have a go at the 1km time trial and the beep test. I have not done the time trial this round of the 12WBT-- With the discouragements lately, I have found myself thrown back in time, way back to where I began in terms of being scared of failing... At the end of last year I did the 1km in 4.27min. What if I could not do that again?? What if I had gone BACKWARDS in my time???  (Amazing how one persons critism can really knock you around!) But this morning I bit the bullet and did it. I actually had to have 2 tries at it because I gave up halfway through the first try (which is quite indicitative of my state of mind these days! - Scared of failing). I am NOT a quitter - in fact, I can't remember giving up at any fitness challenge before (So this was really quite a significant thing!!) When I gave up after 600m, I asked the person my time and was surprised to find it around 2.30min... That was not too bad.. I could handle that!! I had a bit of a "moment" here because I realised I probably could have done it!! LOL...

So, I went on and did the beep test; and then went back and gave the time trial another shot!! I am continually amazed by how much of this exercise stuff is a mental game. The last lap around I kept repeating to myself - strong fit legs / strong fit legs !! And I did the 1km time trial in 4.28min!! YAY! I haven't lost it!! LOL!! AND I think I could beat that!! I was really fighting with confidence issues for most of that 1km. Now that I know what I can do -- WOO!! Bring on the next one! Hahaha...

The Beep Test was much the same as the first shot at the time trial in that I gave up as soon as it got a little hard. I got up to level 7 and then stopped. I had never done the beep test before... and now that I know what it is all about I look forward to smashing past that number too!! LOL! Next time I will do it with someone -- I reckon a little competition would help heaps.. I didn't really give it everything today so I am excited about trying it again..

The mind is such a powerful thing. It is so important to stay on top of it and not let anyone drag you down and get you to doubt yourself. Easy to say, hard to do!! As soon as you start to doubt - your performance drops significantly! Let this be a lesson to me!!! My mind really is a tool - I need to learn how to use it! I guess this was what you call a breakdown and breakthrough moment!!  (Thanks Chloe for your help.. Really appreciate it!)

I just read a post by Craig Harper which is so true!!

A quote from it: http://www.craigharper.com.au/happiness/self-loathing/

I’ve never met a person who has not experienced the “I’m not good enough” feeling at some stage of their journey. I have felt it many times. It’s called being human. And it’s okay. What’s not okay is for those feelings to destroy my potential, my happiness or my future. What’s not okay is for those feelings to hijack my cerebral landscape. What’s not okay is for those feelings to determine decisions, my behaviours or my reality.

Dexa scan - Bit sad!

It was time to get another dexa scan done. I got one done at the end of last year but had lost 5kg or so since then. I was curious to know how much of this was fat and how much was muscle. I really dropped off the weights over the Christmas / New year period and I suspected I lost a little muscle. I was hoping it was not too much though!! LOL.

Anyways, so I went along to the place and got the scan done. Turns out I lost 3kg of body fat and now have only 12kg of fat in my body!! The guy told me he has not seen anyone as lean as me in there for a while -- which I really was not sure whether or not to believe him. And then he asked me if I still get my period!! Ummm..... Mate, I REALLY am NOT that skinny!! Hahahaha.... However, that result did place me down well and truly in the athletic range of body fat - which I was happy about. The scale ended with me on the end of it - so I asked the guy what was below that... He said to me 'nothing is below that!' LOL.. I am not to lose anymore body fat apparently!! Hehehe..

On the other hand, I was a bit sad though because I also lost 2kg of muscle!! *sniff*.. Too much cardio will do that!! So, I have been on the hunt to try and find out how to keep my muscle WHILE continuing to run... Looks like the answer is Carbs, Protein, Carbs and Protein... And little else!! So, some days I do better at that than others -- because I do like to eat other foods too!! LOL...  I have changed the way I am training with the weights too. I now do heavier weights for less reps in the hopes that I might build some muscle or at least maintain what I got!! Hehehe...

That dexa scan was a couple of weeks ago now... I will give it a few more weeks with this protein / carbs / heavier weights and go see if it has made a difference (or at least that I have STOPPED losing lean tissue!!)