Tagged Again

I've been tagged by Laura. The rules of the tag are;



- Copy the rules (or your version of them) and the set of questions onto your blog

- Post your own answers to the questions

- Tag five new people.



If tagged, you’ll find your name at the end of this post.To be sure everyone tagged knows they’ve been invited to play, go to their blogs and leave them a comment notifying and referring them to your blog for details. Lastly, once the chosen have answered the questions on their own blog, they should come back to yours to tell you. Here are my responses.



1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?



Maybe one or two 30 minutes jogs on the treadmill at the gym.



2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?



Best - The last 500 meters of my first half marathon in 2006. The feeling of accomplishment was amazing.



Worst - Regularly succumbing to shin / foot problems which lead to long periods of no running.



3. Why do you run?



To challenge myself, test my limits , find my boundaries etc etc.



4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running?



Get some get custom fitted running shoes, don't increase your mileage too fast, shorten your stride length and try not to run on hard surfaces if you want to avoid shin splints.



5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

Never travel with me on public transport. I have a habit of just jumping on the first bus or train I see and could end up anywhere. Recently I was with a bunch of guys from work and we decided to take the train to a pub for some drinks one Friday after work. The pub was just up at the next stop. As I get a train to work I was in charge of getting everyone on the right train at the right time. Unfortunately we all ended up on an express train that took us to West Auckland. It was an interesting 20 minute trip that I am still often reminded of.

I'm breaking the last rule and not tagging anyone. I've seen this tag around the blog world a bit now so there's probably not many people left to tag.

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Back in NZ

Hi, I'm back from our vacation now. We had a fantastic time in Canada and the US during the month of April. It was full of extremes with lots of snow in the Canadian Rockies and 20+ degrees days in Las Vegas and LA.

Lots of highlights but Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon would be two biggies and of course Disneyland where we had a couple of fun filled days.

Check out my travel blog at northamerica2008.blogspot.com for all the detail and some photos. It's not yet fully up todate, I have to post still about the last week in LA and I hope to get some more photes up there so stay tuned.

Still not Running

I have been very lazy this month.

As I mentioned in the last post I've taken a rest from running and have opted for the extended rest option rather than starting up only to have any training broken up by our North American vacation which now is in just ten days time.

I have been naughty though and haven't done any cross training at all. I know that's lazy as but really all thoughts have been on our trip with much time being spent online making final arrangements. Also if I can't run then I often struggle to find the inclination to cross train. I should at least be making the effort to get on my exercycle and give my legs a workout. I want to try and get a half day skiing in while at Banff so I expect if I try that after six weeks of in-activity I will be paying a high price.

Injury wise my shins are feeling okay after a months rest though the heel still seems not totally right. I'm not sure if this is PF as there is no sharp pain early in the morning which is apparently a symptom. Hopefully with more rest that will come right, though I expect much time will be spent on my feet while overseas.

Sorry I've also been a bit lax getting around other blogs. Not much fun reading about others workouts and races when you're not doing the same. I hope to catch up with you once I get back into some training come May or June.

Happy running.


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I Ran Today!

Just an update from yesterday. I decided to run today after all. Felt okay. Slow 45 minute run. Almost 8K.

I'm packing the shoes for Nelson so will be trying for a couple of runs along the Nelson foreshore this week.




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What will 2008 Bring?

Happy new year to everyone, hope you've managed to get a good break in.

This time of the year always seems to be the time people like set their goals for the year ahead doesn't it. I've never really been one for new years resolutions as such, though I do believe in having an idea of what goals you want to achieve and I guess now is as good a time as any set re assess where I'm going and what I would like to get out of 2008.

I'm not going to sit here and write that this year will be the year I'm going to run a marathon and that I'm going to do this and that. Off course I would love to run a marathon as well as a number of smaller races.

The one major running goal I have for 2008 is to just get and stay injury free. If I can do that then the races will follow, of that I'm sure.

That may sound to some like it's far too non specific and that I'm afraid of commitment or that I'm not backing myself enough to just say I'm going to run a marathon no matter what. That could partly be the case but the way I see it until I can get to a level where I'm able to maintain a regular training programme without breaking down every three or four months then I see no sense in setting race orientated goals.

I know from looking back at my numbers from 2007, there is a lot of room for improvement and that will also be a goal for this year, to add to those numbers. Again if I can stay injury free then I should have no trouble surpassing 2007.

A marathon remains long term goal and one that I will strive for but whether it will be this year, or next or in five years, I can't say.

This week I have had just the one run , on Monday a 3.3 mile , 30 minute jog around the Auckland Domain. As I said in the last post, the shin has started to cause me some more discomfort and I was tempted to pull out after the first of my planned two laps. As most of you will know, we runners never like to pull the pin half way through a run so I soldiered on and completed the planned 30 minutes.

I was due another run yesterday but choose the sensible option of another days rest. I was a bit down yesterday as a result, but I'm pleased to say that the rest seems to have done the trick and it is feeling better. With a family holiday planned for next week to Nelson I was thinking about taking the week off running to give the shin an extended break.

I'm sure you will agree that it's no easy decision, knowing when to take a break or to push ahead with the training, especially as next week was supposed to be week three of my Rotorua Half Marathon training schedule. I might try and fit a run in tomorrow and see how it holds up. I will be taking my runners anyway so wish me luck.

Later.



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Motuihe Island Restoration Project

This week I got to spend an awesome day out in the fresh air away from the office and I could hardly have picked a better day. I work for ANZ Bank and as part of its values of giving back to the community the Bank gives every staff member the opportunity to do community volunteer work for two days a year.

Our office has 'adopted' an island in the Hauraki Gulf named Motuihe Island, which after 100 years of various uses including farming through to being used by the Navy as a training ground and hosting a variety of introduced pests, it is now to be restored to its former state through an intensive pest eradication and re-forestation project.

All introduced pests and animals have been removed from the island and a replanting programme is underway and in about 10 - 15 years time the island will be a sanctuary for bird life and also day trippers to escape the city and enjoy the tracks.

It's already a great escape from the city with some great beaches to relax on and only 30 minutes by boat from the city.

Here's some pics


The boat trip out to the island.

My 'job' for the morning was to drive a tractor which was fitted with a tank full of spray and a couple of spray guns. Two others were walking behind me and scrambling down cliffs spraying any of the unwanted weeds or introduced and unwanted plants which if left unchecked grow into quite large tress which crowd out the NZ natives. I'd never driven a tractor before but really it's just like a car in a lot of ways so I had no issues with it at all.


On the island's tractor.


One of the island's stunning beaches.

Training this week has been a a little mixed. I felt I had quite a good 'recovery' run of 30 minutes on Thursday but Saturday mornings was a real struggle with the shin actually flaring up the worst since I've been back running. Add to that the numb foot thing that used to bother me looks like it has not fixed itself yet.

This week I'm back to the physio for a check up so we'll see what happens. I'm supposed to get a 50 minute run in beforehand and that is scheduled for Wednesday.

Here's the numbers;

Monday - Run /walk 40 minutes
Tuesday - Swim 1000 m
Wednesday - Volunteer day
Thursday - Run / walk 30 minutes
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Run /walk 35 minutes.
Sunday - Rest

Finally here's a pic from the Auckland Santa Parade held today, again in awesome weather and it's not even summer yet!





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The last week and the week ahead.

What's happened this last week?

Thursday. Swim, not quite a 1000 m. Goggles giving me problems still.

Friday. Auckland v Otago rugby. Auckland got up for the win by 11 points. Game was a bit flat, poor crowd and not much atmosphere. A typical Auckland crowd some might say.

Saturday. No training, enjoyed a meal out with friends to this place. Heaven for meat eaters with a continuous supply of meat being served at your table. I had two cuts of beef, lamb, sausage, chicken, pork ribs, salmon. No I didn't have desert.

Sunday. Golf at Pukekohe. Another poor round, 100+, lost an incredible eight balls. I'm not playing enough to be consistent. Would rather be running honestly.

Monday. Another swim but goggle problems see me finishing short of the 1000 meters again. Should I just get some new ones?

Tuesday. Slept in and missed my weights workout. Hate those early starts , if I've been up too late then these are almost an impossibility. Will postpone it to Friday.

Tomorrow. Bikram Yoga. Still get that nervous feeling before these classes like when you know you have a really challenging workout ahead of you and you just hope you can get through it in one piece.

Thursday. Will aim for the 1000m swim again. Am seeing a physio just to get my shin / heel checked out and find out if there is more I can do to speed the recovery along.

Friday. The weights session I missed.

Chi running update. Haven't gone too much further with this yet but I am starting into the technique. Practicing some of the technique in my every day walking around just to get a feel for it. Feels like I'm prancing around a bit but apparently this is what it is supposed to feel like?

Happy running all.



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The Ultimate Goal

This last two months off running has not been without its frustrations. I would give anything to be able to be out there running again injury free. I just have to remain positive and look forward to the day when I will be able to do just that.

I still don't feel that I'm ready to start back running. I'm still carrying a bruised heel which I think I picked up when I was trying out some exercises to strengthen the ankle/shin muscles.

I may have been guilty of slacking off slightly from the routine which I set for myself at the start of this rest period. Going away last week put a dent in the routine also and pretty much wrote off that week. The weights workouts have tended to be one a week rather than two, I've opted for stationary bike ride in the weekends rather than getting out on my mountain bike and I've missed a couple of pool sessions. I have enjoyed the Body Balance classes I've attended at the gym and this has given me incentive to look for a yoga room to attend once a week now that my one month gym membership is up.

What I have been able to do over the last few months is continue to catch up on your blogs which helps to keep me inspired and gives me hope that one day I will be able to achieve what some of you do (well if I can even achieve half of what the likes of Eric and Rob are doing then I'll be happy).

The terrain that these guys run in is amazing and has really got me interested in the idea of running trails. We've got some equally amazing backcountry trails in New Zealand and the idea of running some of these really appeals. Even in the Auckland region we're blessed with Waitakere Ranges, less than 45 minutes from my home which has trails galore.

Undoubtedly some of the best scenery and back country trails are in the South Island and that is where most of the classic adventure races and trail races are held. As far as trail running is concerned two races that are right up there are the Routeburn Classic and the Kepler Challenge.

The Routeburn Classic is a 38 K mountain/trail run along the popular Routeburn Track, which has traditionally been one of the country's most popular 2-3 day hikes located in the Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks.

Perhaps even more testing is the Kepler Challenge a 60 K mountain run which funnily enough, follows the Kepler Track, near Te Anau, Fiordland.

These two runs would represent the ultimate goal. Let me say right here that I would love to one day run these races.

I know that I've got a long way to go before I could even rightfully take my place at the start line for one of these events, but its big goals like these that will hopefully keep me motivated and on track to getting injury free and running again.

Happy running.



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Enjoying the Rest

Who finds it difficult to get into a new exercise routine when you're changing things around a bit?

I must admit I have been a bit lazy this week and apart from one 30 minute aqua running session on Monday, I've done absolutely nothing. I could come up with all the usual excuses like, a busy week and work, crap weather, too tired etc, but really I just haven't got my butt into gear yet and committed to any sort of routine. Often when I'm changing things around it can take a week or two to settle into a routine so hopefully I'll get organised shortly.

I've pretty much told myself that there's no running until September, so in that respect a week or two off now is probably not going to hurt me too much.

If I'm going to come back stronger in September though I know I need to keep cross training, keep working on maintaining what flexibility I have (which isn't a hell of a lot)and improving it if possible, and fit in some strength work.

When I do come back to running I might take it real slow and try the routine that Mark wrote about in this article. It seems a little bit like learning to walk again, but right now I'm almost prepared to try anything if it's going to keep me from getting shin splints again.

So seeing as I've got no running news to update you with I thought I'd share a bit of something else. Us Kiwi sports fans have got a huge double header to look forward to this weekend in the shape of two highly anticipated sporting clashes which have and will capture the attention of many New Zealanders.

In the early hours of Sunday morning (NZ time), Emirates Team New Zealand take on the the Swiss defender, Alinghi, in race one of the Americas Cup, arguably the most sought after trophy in yachting, in Valencia, Spain. The excitement has been building up in recent weeks as the Kiwi challenge firstly overcame the twelve other teams from around the world, culminating in a 5 races to nil series win over the Italian challenge, Prada to win the right to challenge for the Americas Cup. The Kiwis will be doing all they can to get the cup back of the Swiss team who took it off us in Auckland in 2003.

At the same time as the yachting is getting under way, the nation's favourite sporting team, the All Blacks, take on South Africa in Durban, in their Tri-Nations match. These two teams have one of the most famous rivalries in international rugby and they are always hard fought and tough encounters. We expect nothing different on Sunday morning.

Down south in Queenstown and Southland they're 'enjoying' the first big dump of snow for the winter. Here's a television news clip on the big snow.

It's been a wet week up in Auckland with more rain forecast for much of the weekend. Jack's Soccer has already been cancelled. The boys each have another birthday party to attend this weekend.

Finally, good luck to those running in the Western States 100 mile race this weekend. That's gotta take some guts.

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