Run Forrest ... DNS

So I had Run Forrest yesterday.  Totally excited, looking forward to the run and the resultant festival afterwards.  We were out the door by just after 7am to drive the one and a half hours down there.  Had to take my car as Mike's is out of action, waiting on a part.  Today also marked 17 years since my grandpa passed away from pancreatic cancer.  I had planned to run with this photograph in my pocket.  Hold on tight grandpa we were going for a run.

We'd gotten as far as Camperdown, half an hour away, and the minute Mike hit the brakes there was a nasty grinding groaning sound.  Now my brakes have been making a bit of a sound but nothing like this.  Stopped the car, took off again and it was a horrible metallic sound.  Mike wasn't happy at all and at that moment I knew what was coming, we weren't going anywhere.  

He turned the car around on the highway and went off to a small road and got out to check.  He said the front left brake was red hot.  There was no way we were heading to Forrest.  We limped our way back home at about 60kmh and of course I cried the whole way home, big fat silent ploppy tears, and he was feeling bad too, kept saying sorry, which made it worse as he has nothing to be sorry about.  And even being a two car family we couldn't even take his car as it's out of action whilst we're waiting for a part for his.  Stuck.

DNS.  Did Not Start.  First time I've ever had that against my name.

Home, started unpacking, and still feeling in the miseries decided right, I'm already in my gear, at 10.30am I'm going to head out and run my 10km around town at the same time as I would have been doing Run Forrest.

It wasn't pretty, it was slow, but I'm so glad I did.  I took my grandpa in my pocket and we just ran and ran and ran.  

Although at one point I thought I was being stalked.  A van had followed me very slowly, there was some writing on the side but I couldn't make it out.  It would disappear and then reappear again.  Far out, it really was following me.  Then I was over on the other side of town and there it was again, slowly slowly inching it's way up the street, it turned and came up the service road after me.  I was at the stage of trying to work out fight or flight, what to do, then it passed me ... it was the Google mapping van!!  Oh that'd be right, my arse will probably end up on Google with it's own address code!  

And later on that night, a friend of mine sent me this.   Firstly he sent me a message to check if I'd had my concrete yet.  Concrete I asked?  He said yeah, to toughen me up a bit!  He knew I was disappointed about missing the race but told me I needed to start being super proud of myself and to celebrate how far I'd come, and be thankful about that.  I still went out and ran 10km, I don't need a medal to know I'm now a fit woman who can belt out 10km whenever I want to.

Yep, thanks Bruce, point taken!  Got to love the people who make me keep it real.

Oy, I'm still here!

Have just been busy and quiet, but still been running.  I did my 5km Licorice & Olives virtual race for May.  Nothing astounding about the time, holding pretty even.  I've been out and about, and the last two weekends  for my LSR I've been hankering for some different scenery so have travelled over to Terang for a couple of laps of the Dry Lake.

It's a great route 4.5km for the circuit that changes remarkably as you hit the different corners of the lake.  Running clockwise you start off in a bush trail, and you'd swear you were in the middle of the bush.  It smells nice too.

Then as you leave this area of the circuit you end up in country paddocks running in with the cows.  The first lap there were no cows but as I headed around for the second lap the cows had moved along the track grazing.  

There there, nice cow, you're mighty big up close, there's a good cow, let me pass!  I wax ready to take off sprinting in case they charged!!

Through another gate, yes there are gates to open and shut all the way along this route ...

Then you head through the grounds of the nursing home.  Firstly it's really nice for them to allow runners and walkers through their grounds, and secondly I imagine the residents must enjoy seeing people run through calling out a cheery hello.   Not to mention what the sight of my sweaty Lycra tights must have done to heart rates! Hahahaha

Then through another gate and you head up a grassy hill to the top and then wheeeeee! down you go, that's the good part, along a track down the side of the hill down to the flat area below. 

Then you head past some paddocks with horses through a lovely straight stretch, which was just lovely in the sun.

And back along the north side through an avenue of beautiful trees, where I was rained on by Autumn leaves floating down, very magical.

Back up to the main road, and along back to the start again.  Fantastic!  Ready to do it over.  It's a great run and good training for running on different surfaces.  Two laps for 9km makes for a very enjoyable morning run.

These photos are a combination of the last two weekends of long slow runs around the Dry Lake.  How lucky I am to have this area so close to vary my training.

Now on the eating front I've had a jolt and eaten clean for three days running.  One of the ladies from our 12wbt Runners Connect Facebook group has started a Foodies group and just checking in, chatting food, it's made a huge difference.  I don't want to report in that I've blown it yet again, not to mention I could hardly sit here eating choc and reading along.  So far so good.  My eating is where I've slackened off on over the last months and it's what I need to reign in.

GOR

For those 'in the know' that stands for Great Ocean Road and for those REALLY 'in the know' we know that a person is talking about the Great Ocean Road Marathon carnival at Apollo Bay.

I decided to enter the 14km Paradise Run and it was fantastic.  I am so proud of myself too, Mike couldn't make it and I didn't know anyone else from my neck of the woods going to it so I took myself off on the 2.5 hour drive (through some hairy roads through the Otways).  And look at the day!  It was spectacular.  I popped across the road to check out the water, absolutely gorgeous.

  

The only thing about going to these events alone is that unless you find a kind soul to help out you end up with selfies!  The other thing is tha you just end up wandering around and making some chit chat with people as you pass by.  And coming back over the finish line and you are all elated and you just want to hug someone and share the moment and there's no one.  But I can't expect Mike to come to all the events with me, I just need to find a like minded local that wants to do these events as well and share the experience.

Pretty soon we were lining up on the Main Street to start, crowds had lined the street, I was a bit closer to the start than I was comfortable with so I kept way over to the side so I didn't get in the way with too many people, and then we were off.

Up the Main Street and soon enough we had left town and were making our way out to a paradise.  Kind of a cool,ring to it, hey today I ran to Paradise!  What a gorgeous setting to run in, lush green vista on each side of the roadway, beautiful country scenes.  We passed a paddock with some amazing looking horses and they were having such fun galloping up and down the fence line as the runners ran past.  

It was hot!  And looking ahead in the sweeping road it was amazing how quickly the pack had spread out.  I was just past the the 4km mark and the front runners, two guys, were already passing us on the way back (the 10km Mark for them).  They were positively sprinting, I can't wait to see the results to see how close they finished.  All the runners around me, myself included, broke out in spontaneous applause as we all passed them.  It was amazing seeing their stride.

I continued m plod, the water stops were very welcome, I was drinking a cup then dowsing myself with another cup.  Soon enough though we were up in the beautiful fern filled shady treed area, the shade was bliss!  I hit the 7km turnaround point and was slightly ahead of my goal.  I wanted to finish by 2 hours, yes I am a plodder!

It's funny, I look at the elevation and it looks horrendously steep, but I would more say it was undulating, although obviously gradually raising.  It was nice thinking I was homeward bound, and not last by a long shot, there were still plenty of runners making their way to the turnaround point.

At one stage the ambulance went past and shortly after we saw a fellow in distress being worked on.  This is obviously a wonderfully run event, a number of motor bikes up and down the road checking on runners, and St Johns Ambulance were out in force.  I was also taken with the support by the people.  People were out and about calling encouragement. The Main Street was positively packed with people cheering as you were coming down the straight.  I heard "Another one Bites the Dust" being played over the loudspeaker and I sprinted to the end.  1 hour 45 mins or so I saw up on the board, I'll have to wait to get the official time.  I was rapt, well within the 2 hour limit I had said.  Not a cracking pace, but on target for me.

And I finally got bling!  It's been a running joke with my friends that I sooooooo wanted a medal.  Not a convertible keyring, not an embroidered facewasher, but a medal, undeniably a medal.  And I now have one.  And it's beautiful and quite heavy for it's size.  I wandered back around to the finish and snapped this photo.  I had just run 14km and I think I was on a high, I didn't look as exhausted as I felt.

Oh, you'd like a closer look ;-)

And here's the course...

Oh and I loved the signs that people were holding...

"If you think your legs hurt, mine do too standing here watching!"

"The only thing between you and the finish line is sweat"  (I called out to her that she told us that 12km ago, being that I'd seen it on the way out of town!!)

"Run like Joel Selwood is standing at the finish line with a puppy" 

I wanted to get going home pretty quick smart, to get through the curly bit through to Colac before dark, and I did, but not before stopping at the bakery and buying a chocolate milk and a sausage roll!  I deserved it.  2.5 hours later and I was home.  And now about ready to drop.  What a great day.  Fantastically run event, completely enjoyable with amazing scenery, I would certainly do it again in a heartbeat.

MDC Geelong

Okay so Mother's Day is a pretty special day for us in Australia (just for my overseas friends reading this), not just because it's Mother's Day, but it involves the Mothers Day Classic.  People all around Australia take part in a running event in cities and towns across the country, all raising money for breast cancer research and awareness.   It was this time last year which was the first time my mum had seen me run.  And she couldn't wait for it to roll around again this year.  Mum used to be a keen walker (comes from not having a drivers licence) and I know she would have loved to have taken part in the walk, but for her hip problems.  However she is an amazing cheer squad.   And once again it was fun taking part in the Geelong event with mum.

So the day started early, here's my alarm!  Pushy isn't it?

We had a quick breakfast so it would subside by the 7.45 start and donned our pink, and in our opinion the brighter the better!   Check out mum's runners!  Yes my mum is short, cause I'm not the tallest by a long shot, but mum is 4'11 and a half inches tall (yes, she says that half is very important!!)  It was a PERFECT morning.  No wind, no rain, it was just glorious.  Overcast, but then the sunrise was beautiful.  Couldn't have ordered a better morning.   

It was a fun fun morning because some of the runners from the 12wbt Runners Connect group were there and funnily enough recognised me from my hair!   ha.  So I got to meet Shev and Trish as well which was super super great.  I love that this running gig brings you into contact with the most wonderful people.   Not to mention my partner in crime at the Geelong Half Marathon Sarah.  We made our way to the start line as we were taking part in the 8km run (mind you Sarah finished and then did the 4km walk with her family, go Sarah!).

Lots of people there, they had flipped the course a bit this year, and we had to make our way up the extension of Brougham Street up along the water front at the top of Eastern Beach.  Ouch.  That's a nasty start to the race.  A bit excited lining up at the start, and Sarah with her trademark smile, does this girl ever have a down moment?  ;-)

It was a fun morning, there was an 8km run and walk and a 4km run and walk, but it was only the runs that were timed.  The official times are now on the website:

• My time:   57:17    (last year I was 56:37 so close, I'm blaming the hills)
• Overall placing:   606 out of 676 runners in the 8km run
• Gender:  470 out of 528 females in the 8km run.
• Category (female 40-49):  118 out of 128.
• An average pace:   7:09 min km, which is fast for me, so I'm happy with that.

There's a bit of a running joke in our 12wbt Runners Connect group that I am holding out to finally get a medal.  And that I don't count a convertible keyring on a lanyard as a medal.   I don't want a transformer medal, I want something that is undeniably-can't-be-used-as-anything-else-medal.   But still, I'm pretty pleased to get another one of these.

And a princess sash!  What can I say, it's official, I'm a pink princess!  Mum won a spot prize of an umbrella too, she was rapt (it was white with butterflies all over it).  They put us in front of the wall and took our photo and stuck a big bow on mum's head!   Got to love it.

What a great mornining.  Mum had enjoyed it down there as they had singing and entertainment, a number of stalls, it's a gorgeous water front, she had a ball chatting to people and soaking up the atmosphere.  

Article from the Geelong Advertiser so you can see the fun of the day and the beautiful area we had to run in.

Home, shower, change and then it was a lovely lunch at Empire Grill for us, for their special mother's day lunch.  We've been going out to a lovely restaurant for years now, but for the last three have kept going back to Empire Grill.  Sensational.

All that running ans spectatoring meant we were in fine spirits to enjoy a beautiful three course meal, including a yummy dessert.

After dropping mum home I finished off the day going to the cemetery to leave some bright coloured flowers on my mother-in-law's grave, and stopped in at Rebel Sports for a bit of a look see and then the long drive home.   And the surprises didn't stop there, waiting for me was a little box of chocolates and a mother's day card, such a clever menagerie we have  ;-)

So what's next ... Saturday the 14km race as part of the Great Ocean Road Marathon Festival, the 14 km being from Apollo Bay to Paradise, out and back.  I'm a bit uneasy thinking of the elevation, but eh, I do believe there may be a finisher's medal involved.  A real-live-medal.  I got my race pack in the mail today, squeeeeeeal !!

Oh and yes Cat, I was filmed 4 times getting my runners - my old ones, bare foot, and the final two which I had narrowed it down to.  Amazing seeing the difference in each.

Ready for tomorrow

Clothes are all laid out, new pink top cause I needed to go brighter than my other pink tops!! ;-).   Ready for the Mothers Day Classic 8km in Geelong tomorrow.

Mum has her pink all planned out too! Although her days of any distance walking are long since passed as she has hip problems now.  Still she will be there to cheer and disk up the atmosphere and entertainment.

This arvo though I popped into The Running Company in Geelong West and got fitted for new runners.  What a fantastic experience.  They videoed you running on a treadmill from behind paying particular attention as to how your ankles rolled when you landed.  I was shocked at the inward roll of my ankle, I swear it looked like my ankle could have snapped.  What pressure I've been putting on them with my plodding.  I'm lucky it hasn't resulted in more serious problems.

After a lot of talking and testing I came away with these beauties...

Mizuno Wave Alchemy 12.  The difference in my ankle roll when running in them was quite amazing and they feel sooooo good.  

I won't wear them tomorrow however. Don't do any different on race day!  But I'll give them a few runs during the week to see how much they love me ;-). I do believe a love affair is about to begin.

Back tomorrow with a race recap.  Do for anyone running the Mothers Day Classic across Australia have a fabbo morning.  And everyone have a lovely Mothers Day.

Not nice !

I had my first bad blogging experience day before yesterday after all my years of blogging.   I have another blog which is just craft and family related things.  No big secret, you can find it at Pins & Needles.   My stepdaughter sent me a message to say that one of the photos from my blog was on a site on facebook that she happened to see.  Huh?  I went had had a look, and someone who had a less than desirable facebook page with pictures and captions of people saying they were from suburbs in Geelong and being quite derogatory in his terms of phrase, had taken one of MY pictures that I HAD TAKEN so it BELONGED TO ME, and put it on HIS facebook page.

It was a photo of my husband's uncle who came over to visit us from Scotland.  It was a day that we had taken him and his wife to Halls Gap to visit around the area, and it was hot.  It was hot for us, so it was waaaaay hot for a Scot.  So he ended up stripping down to his shorts and white singlet for the day.  Who cared.  Anyway I had a picture of him in the bush, and let's just say he is a rotund type of fellow.  Well this facebook person has happened onto the picture and saved it to his computer and put it on his Geelong site with a less than flattering description.

Since when did this become acceptable practice?

So I pm'ed this person and asked him who gave him permission to use my photo and how did he get it, and I got a smart arsed comment back that he found it on Google and if I have a problem with it, take it up with Google, and he told me the search word he used, which I won't use here because there were less than favourable pictures when I searched.  And I scrolled down as far as it would let me, and nope, my photo of my husband's uncle was not on it.

So I pm'ed him again and asked him once again to take it off his facebook page, it belonged to me, it wasn't on the images when I searched what he said, and I got another smart arsed comment back that that I have no idea how to use the internet.

I beg to differ.

At this stage I was trying to work out what to do, Mike was livid.  I pm'ed him once again and said maybe so, but I would like you to take it down, there are plenty of other photos he could use in its place, this photo belonged to me, etc etc.   I think he realised I was not going to let up.  I was ready to let the masses know to bombard him.  So I got "alright alright" and the photo is now gone from his facebook page.

And I have in turn found out how to make the photos on here so that you can't right click and save to your computer.  Or if you can after what I've done to the code, I don't know how, so it might slow people like this ... errr ... gentleman down.

Lesson learnt.  This whole blogging thing is a bit of fun for me, a way to memory keep which I'm all about.  But it can turn to crap in an instant when someone abuses trust you place in the internet.

Half marathon ... the aftermath !

Well glad to say I've pulled up AOK!  Surprisingly so.

Sunday night I was in agony after getting home, had a light dinner and I think I was in bed by about 7.30 or so.  Woke up around 1am and my legs were screaming, I couldn't work out how to ease them.  Ended up getting up as I was so restless, made a cup of tea and built a ramp on the end of the couch and tried sleeping on the couch with my legs up in the air and my nice tight boot socks pulled all the way up.

That was okay, until tinkle tinkle tinkle plop.  The cat decided that my stomach might be a nice place to sleep and she came out and joined me.  Then started doing the kneading thing that cats do right on my stomach.  Sorry puss, back to the basket you go.  I slept in fits and starts until tinkle tinkle tinkle about 3.30am woke up and Lucky had decided he wanted to join me and I had a little dog jump up and try to nestle between me and the back of the couch.  I think about 5.30am I ended up back in bed again.

Monday I was okay, kept the boot socks on and pulled up nice and tight around my calves which seemed to be the only thing hurting, rubbed ice gel into them a number of times, and then by Tuesday wonder of wonders no aches, no pains.  It was a miracle.  I do think that massage straight after the run on my calves on Sunday did a lot to start the healing process on my muscles.

I had booked Monday and Tuesday off of work as I hadn't known how I'd pull up so it was just two days of rest and relax.

So no post race depression in this house, I have finalised the entries of my next three races.

11 May:   
Mother's Day Classic at Geelong (8km)
This will be a nice day, I did this last year and mum and I had a great time, it was the first time mum had seen me run.  We had a lovely morning all decked out in pink, then had a wonderful mother's day lunch at the Empire Grill in Geelong.  A very special day to be repeated again this year.   Mum doesn't walk much any more because of her hips, but she was happy to sit and soak in the atmosphere.

17 May:
Great Ocean Road at Apollo Bay (14km)
I have never done this event and in a moment of madness the other night hit enter! ha.  A most beautiful part of the world down the Great Ocean Road, and I know there will be hills involved, I have looked at the elevation.  The 14km is an out and back from Apollo Bay to Paradise and back.

8 June:
Run Forrest at Forrest in the Otways (10km trail run)
This is the second year this event is being run, I was so close to entering last year but for some reason I didn't.  Although I do gravelly runs here at home, it's not really trail runs, so I have a bit of training to do over the next month ... Mt. Leura for training here I come!


So there's an event missing there.  Sorry Matilda.  I decided in my musing about upcoming runs to enter that I will give Run the Gap a miss this year.  And my reasons are shallow, I will grant you that.  Out of all the fun runs I have done over the last year and a half, I have never received a finisher's medal.  Probably because a lot of the races I have done are smaller local events.   I have so many runner friends who have a whole truck load of race day bling and I've not got a one (I'm not counting the convertible key ring I got at MDC last year cause it's a keyring essentially, it's not a medal).   After the Geelong Half Marathon and running 21 freaking kilometres and coming away with an embroidered face washer and a bag of snake lollies and  okay so it was really a very small sweat towel, but it may as well have been a face washer, my want/need/desire/ to get a finishers medal is at an all time high.

I was never good at sports in school, I have never been athletic in anything.  I do not have any sports related trophies or memorabilia in any way shape or form.  And whilst I may not be a great runner, I am a runner nonetheless.  And I really reeeeeeeally want a finishers medal.  So I know there's one on offer at the GOR race so that's what tipped me in doing that race over the Run the Gap, as much as I love the Run the Gap.

Shallow maybe?  But eh, it is what it is, right.  I wonder if organisers even realise there are lots of people like me out there and we would definitely pay more for an entry to races just to receive a finisher's medal.

Now I've dipped out of the next round of 12wbt.  I want to go it alone again this next three months.  I mainly used the last 12 weeks to train for the half, despite my eating not being what it should be.  So the resolve is there now, to turn this next 3 months into a successful one.