City2Sea Race Recap for 2015

This post should come with a warning ... there are many gratuitous selfie shots.  Be warned!  ;-)

So the weekend saw me heading up to Melbourne to once again take part in the City2Sea.   Last year it was my first really big Melbourne event and I went with Chloe, you can read about the hijinks HERE.    But alas this year poor Chloe and family started dropping like flies in the week leading to it and my partner in hijinks succumbed to the bug and didn't make it.

So me being the seasoned Melbourne runner ... yeah right!! ha. flew the flag for both of us and I headed off.  Friday night was a sleep over in Geelong at mum's, and then Saturday morning I took the train to Melbourne.  Found the accommodation I had booked and checked in and then headed up to the Melbourne Museum to collect my bib.

What the heck was with that, making us trek all the way up there, and honest me made sure I swiped my Myki, even though I was only one stop outside the free zone.

So with that done I dropped that back to my hotel room, which incidentally was very conveniently located in amongst the shopping precinct, hmmmm don't know how I planned that!   Checked the envelope and cheapskates, only the race bib, no pins!  Thankfully I had put an emergency set of pins in my bag just in case.

Then I hit the shops baby!  I had some things on my Christmas shopping list to buy so while I had the shops at my feet I made good use.   Love the decorations in the arcades.  Christmas is coming like a steam train for sure.

First visit to Morris & Sons.  I have bought online before from their Sydney store, but now there's one in Melbourne, not sure how long it's been there, but ended up buying some wool and a crochet hook to keep me entertained on Saturday night tucked up in my room.

And what's a visit to Melbourne at Christmas time without checking out Myer windows.  Oh how I loved it.  The story of a little doggy at Christmas.  The people my age oohed and ahhed at the recreations of Melbourne in the 50's (I think it was), it would have gone over the little ones heads, but it was completely delightful.

During the day I had had some chats with Mike about the dreadful happenings in Paris.  Mike was a bit freaked out at me being in Melbourne on my own.  He knew I would look after myself, but it's the fact I was far away from him.  I assured him I wouldn't go out wandering at night on my own, even though I would have been fine!  I did want to see the town hall lit up, after having my dinner at a little sidewalk cafe in the arcade, oh delicious I headed back to my room, and to be honest I was too comfy to go out again when it got dark.  I just wanted to sleep.

Took the obligatory photo of the gear for our runners group and then lights out!

Sunday I woke up to perfect conditions, it was coolish, overcast, but not so cold that I needed a jacket.  I checked out but left my case at the hotel and then super early headed to the MCG.  As I walked up Swanston Street there were 14 police cars all parked in a row, yep they would be out in force at the big events in the city today.

There was a slight toilet issue as soon as I got to the MCG.  The portaloos were backed up, and it was only 7.15am !!!  Oh dear I couldn't bring myself to brave them, ewwwww.  And they had only one outside access toilet to the G open, obviously no access inside the G at this race.  And the line just kept getting longer and longer being that there were only three ladies loos available!

At 8am I met up with some of the girls from the 12wbt Runners Connect Group (Katherine, Nadine and Beth here) and then Trina came a bit later but I don't have that photo.

Beth and I had decided to run the race together, twinnies we would be.   Love this pic, instead of saying cheese Beth decided to say moooo (paying homage to our Runners Connect cow mascot!).  Poor man behind us just stood and scratched his head.

 

Katherine also said she would run with us, yay we would be a trio.  Only one thing, Katherine and I were registered for the blue zone and Beth in the yellow.  Now we reckon we could have run in the yellow - as in you could run in the zone after, but not in the zone before, yellow was starting five minutes later than blue.  But Beth didn't want us to try in case we were disqualified.   So because this race was for pure fun and enjoyment, not for time, not for a PB, we made plans that we would start in the blue, run the km and whatever and wait on the corner of Fed Square and Flinders Street station for Beth and then we'd all run together.

Bit excited waiting for the start.

And then Katherine and I were off from the blue zone, action shot, bobbing along trying to get our heads in the photo.  Hey the world is on a lean!

We got to the designated corner and stopped and waited, what a funny experience that was, seeing the avalanche of runners coming down Flinders Street.  Hey there's a storm trooper!

Soon enough the bibs turned from blue to yellow and we kept a keen eye out and there was the pink flash waving madly at us and then the three of us were off.   What a fantastic time we had.  I usually run alone, I don't train with anyone because of the fear of holding them back, but we were all about the same pace, super quick Beth was coming back after injury and we ran at a comfortable pace.  There were music and dancers placed strategically along the route at intervals, hence the Run Out Loud tag the event had been given.   I took a photo of a few of the acts.

No idea how this lass stayed on her stilts but she was grooving away to the best of them.

There were rock bands and dancers, kettle drum players, a ukelele band, some bagpipes, and cheerleaders.   One thing I did notice was that the energy levels of the acts didn't falter, no matter how far into the race we were.   We made sure we cheered and applauded the acts as we went past.

A couple of action shots along St. Kilda Road, heck it's hard to run and take a photo and get all three heads in at the same time! ha.

Almost, but still not quite!

Then the Albert Park slog!  Hey there's a sign for me, obviously I was going way too fast!  NOT.  The next flash that came up was "SLOW DOWN ... FOR CROSSING SWANS" haha.  Oh and we saw some little baby swans while we were running, totally adorable.

It is a slog around Albert Park, and we noticeably became quiet at one point, so much so that I commented.   But continue on we did, because once we came out of Albert Park it was just a short run down to Catani Gardens.

I high fived a couple of police that were on the route keeping an eye on proceedings.  We rounded the corner and then saw the finish line up ahead, Beth's husband was having a cheer and taking photos and then the three of us, arms in the air crossed the finish line, yay!   More bling!

Water and an apple and some fun photo opportunities.  Damn straight three hot women running the race!

This one made me laugh "Run like there's a creepy man behind you".  I will remember that one in speed sessions!

And here's the run, all 15 kilometres of it.

I will go on record and say this was probably one of the most enjoyable events I've run, because of the company obviously.  We were out there for the pure enjoyment of it on Sunday.  The weather was good, we chatted and boogied to the music, we laughed and laughed, there's something to be said about not taking the events so serious all the time.  I missed my mate Chloe, but we will be planning some hijinks for 2016, don't you worry.

So that's the last fun run I've entered for the year.  I seriously think I need to rectify that.  I've registered for fun runs every month of 2015, but nothing for December.  I may do a couple of Park Runs, but I shall have to have a think about what else I can do.  Then the fun begins to plan for 2016. 

Hamilton Vitality Run

I'm afraid I'm playing catch up blogging!!

Last Sunday I drove up to Hamilton to take part in the Hamilton Vitality Fun Run.  I had entered the 10km and was thrilled a couple of my Warrnie friends were also heading up.

I saw the half mara take off as I arrived and I pulled the car over, wound down the window and yahooo'ed Kellie who was running on past.  Beware the crazy woman in the aqua coloured car, is all I can say!

I met up with Melissa and Alison and after picking up my bib and chatting to a lady I have met on some of the Park Runs up there, I hightailed it back to Kellie's car to keep warm.  We sat in the warmth of the car and chatted but by the time we decided it was time to make a move down to the start area it had warmed up, not shivering at all any more.

It was a lovely course, part of it familiar from the Park Runs if been to, then along the river and back.  Must admit I kept one eye out for snakes!!

Love this pic the photographer took on course.  How lucky to receive photos for free via their FB site.  I wrote and offered to pay for it I liked it so much.  Giving the official runners salute!!

Met up with the girls after the run...

And yep once again we colour co-ordinated unknowingly!

And another event completed.  A thoroughly enjoyable run, first time entered it, but it ended up HOT!!!

Next up ... City2Sea!

Melb Mara Celebrations! Finally.

So we have a group of runners in Warrnie, we're all part of the Runners Connect group, our fabulous online group of girls who have all done 12WBT and who have found a love of running.  And as it happened we all did the Melbourne Marathon Festival.  Three did the full marathon (ay yay yay!!) and the rest of us did the half marathon (that was hard enough!!).

211 kilometres between this group of seven women.

So Kellie had the great idea we should all pop the smelly runners away in the wardrobe and frock up and have a lovely dinner together.  Yep, we'll all be in that.  Only catch.  We had to wear our medals! bwahahahaha.  To the ritzy chi chi pooh pooh Club Warrnambool.  Well I guess our finishers medals were the perfect bling.

As I was getting ready I texted Kellie that I felt like I was getting ready for one of the old 12WBT finale parties we used to go to.  I was soooo looking forward to this night.

Here are a few of us on arrival...  Pre-dinner drinks.  (excuse the phone photos taken indoors).

Popped together a collage of all of us.  These girls are so freaking inspirational, I'm so glad to call them my friends.  We've all had hurdles to go through in our training, and despite us all running our separate races, it was very comforting knowing we were all out there at the same time doing our thing.

Kellie had a fun idea, she made up some questions and we each had to draw one and answer it.  Heck in the end we all answered each question, it was fun.

Such as "what was the first thing you ate after your run, and would Michelle Bridges approve" oh goodness I got that one.  Okay I fess up, it was a huge bucket of very salty potato wedges and a large chocolate smoothie.  And no she probably wouldn't approve but I ate every bit and licked my fingers too!

Mel had the perfect response to this question.  Yep Mel and Deeks after the race.  Lucky duck.

The restaurant staff must have thought we were a hoot.  One last pic before we left.  I think we should do this more often, maybe after each big event we are all at.  Fun fun.

Until next time my special running friends.  XX

Hello my pretties......

Well a girl needs a reward for running a goal event right??   RIGHT????   So we headed down to The Running Company in Geelong, main reason is that Mike is really wanting to get back out into it and try the C25K (couch to 5k) program again, but he has been having all amount of trouble with his runners that he was 'fitted' elsewhere.  To the point he was clamping the soles of his shoes ovrnight the insides were hurting so much in his instep.

Sooooooo, while he was fitted, I decided I needed a new pair also.  I got them to check on their computer how long I'd had my last faithful runners for and it was Feb, so they'd done about 800k's!  Time for retirement.

So Mike went off with Bree and I had the store manager Julian fit me.  Despite being super happy with my Brooks Adrenaline 15, he brought that one out, plus some others he thought might suit, after seeing me run on the treadmill.  Love that they check so thoroughly how your feet land, what your ankle is doing, etc etc.

So I think I ended up trying 5 pair on, and couldn't go past it, another pair of Brooks Adrenaline 15.  I will say though that a pair of New Balance were a very close second, but I figure why try something new, when I was already super happy with Brooks.

Mike was still going with his appointment so I sat in and watched (and took a couple of sneaky pics).  Here he is being studied by his sales expert on the computer, it's a video of his feet landing.  He looks the part doesn't he, flannelette shirt and all !!   Kudos to Mike, he'd never been on a treadmill in his life, he handled it well.

And can you believe after both of us tried all the shoes that were recommended for us, we both end up with - Brooks Adrenaline 15 - the male and female versions.  We are a Brooks family, RUN HAPPY is their motto!

I took my pretties out for their maiden voyage and it was love at first run!  I just don't want to get them dirty!!!!   I've run in them a couple of times now since this pic was taken, and it's like putting on a glove, they truly are the best shoe for me.  Although I am glad I was able to try some other comparable shoes from the other companies, just to check.  

And Mike has been out in his (lily white legs and all) got to love this man.  And he reports that the shoes are brilliant, he is having none of the trouble he had with his old ones.  However he is still having a bit of ankle pain which he thinks is just a beginners problem now, he just needs to get stronger.  He has found running on the grass verge much more comparable than running on the road.

So stay tuned for many more running adventures.  I did my second Parkrun this weekend, and am tempted to go next week too, despite the hour drive there and back, as it's a dress up Parkrun, wear a halloween costume.  You just know the thought of dressing up appeals to me big time!!!   Still to be decided.

The big day - the Melbourne Half Marathon

Race recap and it's long, so be warned.  ;-)

Having done a half marathon only 6 weeks before I was actually quite calm for this one, the only nervousness was being around sooooo many people.  I was a tad scared of running late or not knowing where I was meant to be. Silly stuff when you look back on it.   Alarm and up at 5am, and I had my Turbo Superfoods Performance and Recovery Powder.  I've been using it before my long runs, mixed with Rice Milk and it's really helped kept hunger pangs away.   My only beef is that you have to buy rice milk in 1 litre cartons, I haven't seen it any smaller, so I only needed 200ml to mix with the choc powder, grrr.

Left the hotel at 6am and headed up to the MCG on foot, didn’t rush, so about a 2km walk and just followed the throng of runners. It was quite eerie actually, so many people walking to the G with the G all lit up in its splendour against the dark sky, and people talking in subdued hushed tones.

Bag dropped, loo stop and then waited for anyone I recognised and thankfully saw Katherine from our 12wbt Runners Connect group, and not long after Jane, Mel and Sara, all doing the half marathon. We got a quick pic... 

... then had a quick visit inside to check out the G (realising also there was no line for loos inside, as against the lines at the portaloos) and then headed to the start. Jane went off to find her pace group, Mel and Sara had already headed to the start so Katherine and I just fitted in where we stood.

Almost ready amongst the throng of runners...

The National Anthem was played and the start gun fired, but even then we were still at a standstill, I think it took 5 minutes before we even got to the point of crossing over the start!   I was really mindful to keep my pace steady and not get carried away, the weather was perfect, cool (but not cold) and overcast, but even still I was grateful for my hand held bottle that I could sip from whenever I wanted and it was nice to keep running through the water stations.   It was fun running through the city and Katherine and I kept pace with each other, just running on our own, but it was comforting keeping each other in sight. At one stage I moved over to the service lane as I wised up that it was better to run on the inner side when there were bends, and at about 4.8km there was a motor cycle beeping along St. Kilda Road and helicopter overhead and the first marathon runner was heading back. Wow. The stride on him was amazing. Although he wasn’t the ultimate winner so not sure what happened there, as the next three runners were a little bit behind him. We all applauded as we were running, it gave me goose bumps.

I found Albert Park the hardest, it’s such a slog around there, particularly as runners were thinning out. 

The out and back section was great as I was able to see some of our girls ahead of me. Ha! Well actually they saw me and called out, I seem to run with blinkers on. It was then the sun started peeking through the clouds and I felt it was getting a bit hot. Running back into the city was good, knowing I was really in the direction of the end. The half marathoners were running in the service lane whilst the marathoners were on St. Kilda Road proper.  The service lane was heavenly because it was shaded with big leafy trees. A friend of mine Narelle called out to me as she blitzed past along the road, she was running her first marathon.

Elisha from our group spotted me and we were a bit to and fro there for a while as I was doing some walk/running, but Elisha kept focussed and kept her pace going. When I got to the Arts Centre area and saw Karen’s hat before anything else - let’s face it, the hat would enter a room five minutes before her!! wink emoticon – it was wonderful. Then saw Beth and the balloon. Karen ran with me for a little bit, feeding me red frogs and making sure I was alright. Heck both Beth and Karen’s cheering and friendly faces were like a God-send, and I swear it was all I needed to keep going.   Both Karen and Beth were out injured and like the troopers they were they were there to support the rest of us.  Plus although I had missed them, there were the obligatory cow posters dotted along the course, as a pick me up for our girls.  I hope it gave lots of runners a giggle, they'd have no idea what they were about!!

Around the roundy bit and one of my friends from work and a member of the Aths Club who was doing the marathon patted me on the back as he passed and told me to run strong (the beauty of having the same shirts recognisable from the back as well). That put some spring into my legs. Then heading to the G and up that flipping bridge. I saw three photographers one after another. Another lass and I said we can’t walk up the hill so we started running for the photographer, first one, second one, but by the third one I said “I’m spent” and he took the photo anyway while I was having a laugh.

Along that road next to the G, there was a mariachi band playing Abba’s Fernando, WTF?  We needed something rousing!!  The crowds were going crazy and then I was at the entrance to the G and imagined all the world runners who had finished races through this entrance and there I was running there too. The colours and the sounds hit me when I got into the stadium and I remember Shev telling me to run on the grass, we needed to say we had run on the hallowed turf, so I did for a bit.  I think I blubbered the whole way round, I felt so proud and emotional. And then it was done, I was through the finish line.  Not my best time but I was okay with that, this was the biggest event I’d ever been in and I was blown away by it all. 2:49:20.  I took some pics in the stadium (funnily enough I only took one pic in Albert Park during the actual race, not sure where my thinking was there, oh well).  I got handed my finishers medal, grabbed a banana and filled up my water bottle, and sat in the stands and just absorbed it all and yes had another cry.

Not that long after Katherine had finished and found me sitting in the stands and so I took her pic and well because I had no supporters there figured time to go, I'd been sitting there for a while soaking it all in.  I slowly made my way back inside and to the bag check, no need for warm clothes today, but grabbed the bag I had left and took yet another pic in front of the board ... 

Then started walking back in the direction of the city and I found some Warrnambool friends and chatted, and then we saw the blind runner (wow!!).   He was tethered to another runner and had the word 'BLIND RUNNER' across his front and back, and well this would have been about the 41km mark as he was doing the marathon, a photographer was trying to grab a photograph and started running with the aim of getting in front of him.  Only just, as he was magnificent and kept powering along.  Never say never huh?  When you see someone with that much guts doing a marathon, we stood in awe and watched.     We also were commenting that it would have been fantastic to see some of the girls from our group doing the full marathon and no sooner had we said that but Shev and Sue rounded the bend, dressed in their Wonder Women outfits.  Loved it !  We screamed and cheered at the tops of our voices.  Later we saw Paula, or she saw us and yelled out.   It was great seeing them run, my only regret was not seeing my Warrnie friends out there. 

BEST . DAY . EVER.

Heading back to the hotel there were a few runners taking pics with the iconic Flinders Street train station behind them so I followed suit!  As you do!!

I was also so incredibly pleased with the official photographs.  One thing I've worked out being a slower runner is that by the time you get to the photographers on point throughout the route, they are a bit bored because the frenzy of the faster runners have already been through and they just keep snapping when you come upon them.  I ended up with 20 photographs being taken.  I particularly liked these finish photos, very emotional doing my victory lap and the end was in sight!

And my all important precious finishers medal, I had cried a bucket load by this stage!  So so happy.

And here's the route.  It was a looooooong way!  

So what's next?  Well after I start walking straight again! haha, I have a busy November - the Hamilton 10km, the City2Sea 15km (and girls weekend in Melbourne!! woo hoo) and I'll do another Park Run in Hamilton.  And I'm also signed up for the Indigenous Marathon Project virtual run 100km for the month of November.  So it will be a cracking month.

The Melbourne weekend

Right I'll split the weekend's posts into two - the Saturday and the Sunday.

I got up to Melbourne mid-morning Saturday and despite check in at the hotel not being until 3pm, they had a room ready and I was able to check in about 10.30, bonus!  Dropped my bags off and then headed up to the MCG.  There she was, by this time the next day, all things being equal, I would have done my victory lap!

I had a wander around the expo and collected my show bag, which had a very nice hat in the half marathon show bag, and then my Sydney friends found me.  Diala, Sue and Karen.  I had met Diala and Karen before, but it was a first time meeting with Sue.  How funny we are in this day and age, all old friends online, just still yet to meet!  So so happy to meet up with these girls, so did a bit more looking about the expo.  Bought some more Balega socks, they have become my sock of choice, they are a USA brand and have the comfort factor I like.  I also bought a Flip Belt.   I had seen these advertised and had my doubts that they would be comfy, but I was able to try one on and bought it.  I'm still yet to run with one, so jury is still out.  I'll report back.

So we had a meet up planned in Federation Square for lunch for anyone from our 12wbt Runners Connect group that wanted to attend.  Some of the ladies I had met before.   Some I had not.  Karen and I shot down to Queen Street to pick up the cow balloon, Karen's first time on a tram apparently!  The cow knocked a few people in the head on the tram, ha!  It was quite huge as you can see.

What a lovely bunch of ladies.  We are all ages, sizes, abilities, and yet we come together with a common love of running and all having done or doing 12wbt at one point.  I feel so soooooo incredibly fortunate to know these wonderful inspirational awe-inspiring ladies.

Some left and even more arrived !!!   I ended up staying at lunch till it was about 5.30 or getting onto 6pm!!

And it was Jacque's birthday on Marathon Day (yes, she was running a marathon on her birthday! Yikes)   And the ever amazing Karen made cow icing toppers for cupcakes (and not to mention brought them all the way from Sydney).  Well we had to carb load right?  There'd be carbs in cupcakes wouldn't there???  ;-)

So I ended up leaving the lunch full of good feelings and laughter and made my way back to the hotel for a bit and then popped down to one of the outdoor cafes in the arcade and had a small pasta dish for dinner.  Just alone with my thoughts, which is what I wanted.  Then back to the hotel for a lazy early night.  Got my gear ready, how colour co-ordinated I was going to be!!   Made sure everything was ready and alarm set for 5am for Sunday.

And got this message from the little one!  Well being that he is 16 months old I'm thinking his mum had a hand in deciphering, ha!   Really, what more do you need right?  This is what it's all about, health and fitness and being a good role model for family and friends.

Lights out!