Feelin a bit meh

Meh.

I'm over uni and its getting me a bit down. As a result I have been tired and crabby. And eating bad food. And not running. I feel ick.

I'll get back to it soon! As soon as uni is over I will be my old self again.

I am going to go for a walk tomorrow after classes to clear my head. I have 2 more assignments and 1 more presentation left and then I am D.O.N.E for the year. Can't wait. Once I have finished uni for the year I will have more time and energy for running, which I am missing!

The Speights West Coaster

I'm thinking about entering the 10K run/walk with my friend Caz. Apart from the fact that it is held on the side of a cliff and it is probably too far for us, it is a crazy idea :) Just crazy enough to work! And what is the worst that will happen? They close the course on us and we get picked up on quad bikes or something and taken off the trail. Eh, we'll have fun!

Stay tuned, we will be making a decision within the week!

Be your own hero

I saw the movie Whip It a few weeks ago. Loved it, but that is besides the point. One quote really stood out for me. It was when the main character, Bliss, is at the rollar derby. She approaches a team and tells them that they are her new heros. The reply is "Put some skates on. Be your own hero".

WOW.

Ever since then, that line, be your own hero, has stuck with me.

I used to read healthy living blogs because I admired these women. I thought they were awesome and strong. They were my heros. But I realised that reading these blogs was fine, but having these heros wasn't. So I put on my own running shoes with a mission to be my own hero. And it has worked! I'm not saying that I don't admire these women. I do. I still read their blogs everyday. But now I read the blogs for inspiration and tips on how I could do things differently. I am now my own hero. I run. I eat (mainly) healthy. I have my own blog and maybe one day I will inspire someone like these women have inspired me.

For now I am content being my own hero.

My next 5K

Last night at 1am I found the next 5K I am going to do. While icing my knee coz it was a little hurty from yesterdays hilly walk. Addicted? I won't confirm or deny!

The next 5K is "The greatest little fun run in the world". It is to raise funds for a local primary school AND it includes a bush walk portion! I love bush walks :) AND I get a number and a tshirt*. Score! My friend Caz and her husband are going to walk with me again, as well as seeing if Mrs Ray wants to come too! (These are the people who walked with me yesterday)

It should be a lot of fun and I can't wait. It is in 3 weeks so hopefully if I am employed I have a nice boss who understands that I sign up for 5Ks at 1am.

I'm very excited :)

* I had to pay extra for the tshirt. Is this normal practice? The entry fee was only $20 and then I got the tshirt for another $25... The tshirt was optional...But I wanted it!

Mairangi Bay 5K

I did my second ever 5k walk today!

I even ran a bit once I realised that I was so busy gas bagging to my friend that we were pretty much last! My friend now hates me and my running spurts, but she will forgive and forget in time!

This walk was pretty exciting for me because I got a race number and eveything. I felt like such a pro!

The course was hilly, sandy and rocky! I admire the runners, I don't think I would have been able to run the whole thing! Maybe next year? And there was a rocky shelf as part of the course that was very uneven and quite narrow in places, which would have been a bit dangerous to run across!

Because I did the walk you can safely assume that my leg is better. It was feeling much better this morning, and my friend was nice enough to slow the pace when I needed, which was mainly up the hills. I may get an anitflam massage and a wheat bag tonight though, just to be sure that everything is feeling better.

Now I am tired out, but still have housework and assignments to do. 2 more weeks until the sweet freedom of summer holidays!

I hurt

I don't think I stretched well enough after Thursday nights run, and as a result I have a HUGE knot in my upper calf muscle. And it hurts. It is in such a place that walking is actually painful. I have been getting massages and doing stretches to try and make the hurting go away. I will try and find the wheat bag soon and see if that helps.

I went for a walk along Murawai beach today, and that was OK. I think the sand helped take some of the pressure off while I walked. I've included some pictures of this beautiful beach below.

The upshot of all this is that I am supposed to do a 5K walk and at this stage I won't be going. If my leg still feels like this in the morning then there is no way I am walking limping 5K on it. I really want to do the walk with my friend, so fingers crossed that this resolves itself soon!

For your viewing pleasure:

Sharing the love

Anyone reading this needs to go here to Jenna at Eat Live Runs blog. She posted a recipe for cinnamon walnut bread, and oh my god. It was soooo easy to make and more then delicious! I left out the walnuts because I didn't have any. I told my boyfriend if I had to choose between him and the bread he was outta luck!

If you cook it in a loaf pan and cut it into 8 pieces the calorie count is 167 per piece. Pretty reasonable! That calorie count is without walnuts and with trim milk. It is recommended to eat the bread with honey butter. I made mine with low calorie olivano, honey and a pinch of cinnamon. It made the bread. So very very good.

Enjoy!

Last nights run

I went for a run last night. 4 km, and I managed to walk 1k, run 1k, walk 1k, run 1k. Well the last k included a steep hill so I power walked up that and then kept running. It felt good :) I'm enjoying my own running plan. No expectations and they one person I have to answer to is me. On a slightly related note, I listened to the same song on repeat 7 times during my run. I'm addicted, it is so good. It is called Something in the Water by Brooke Fraser. Make your way to your nearest itunes store and download it. I find it the perfect running song. Upbeat, good rhythm. AND it is Kiwi music. Can't get much better then that!

Family drama

Had a few dramas of late, so I haven't be blogging or running. But hello, I am alive!

I went for an awesome run tonight though! I just did intervals, ran when I felt like it, walked when I needed. I felt happy and strong the whole time and I got home with a big smile on my face! I was happy the whole time, despite the gusty wind and the rain at the end. That is what I love about running, when I have a good run it puts me in an awesome!

I need to start taking my camera on my runs. Today I was followed by a dog. Once I noticed I stopped running and was wary at first. But once I told the dog to sit and it sat I felt safe. I put my hand out for him to sniff and he licked me. We were now best of friends. I ran up the street and he followed me. I ran back down the street and he followed me. I saw a couple of people walking down the street so I ran up the street again and asked if they knew the dog. Yep, it was their dog. Apparently he is an escape artist, so they were glad he wasn't too far from home. I didn't mind having a buddy, he ran right next to me and kept up with me. I wonder if they want a dog walker? Hmmmm

Dove Pink Star 5K Walk

First the photos

The Auckland Domain

Caz and I at her place

Me at Caz's

The start line

Me just before the start of the walk

I had an absolute blast. The 5K went super fast because I was busy talking to my friend and before we knew it we were back at the start to get our goodie bags! My main complaint is that is was sooooo cold! Freezing cold and while we had jumpers they weren't pink so we couldn't wear them :( As soon as we finished they went on! The course was well marked , well lit and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

We finished in about an hour, which we felt was very respectable!

We are already planning next years walk, complete with light up wings (some ladies had them) and long sleeved clothes!

G'night!

Awesome run

I had an awesome run tonight. I really didn't wanna go and I was dragging my feet but I got up and decided I would just go for a walk around the block. Once I got to the top of my driveway I picked up the pace and ended up running. I ran 1.15km in 7m30s, which is a distance and time record for me; the longest and furtherest I have run. It felt awesome, I even ran up the hill that I always walk up. Go me!

I ended up running a total of 12ish minutes. I honestly stopped timing after the first interval because on my new plan everything after the first interval is gravy. I ran because I was enjoying myself and because it was making me happy.

I ended my night with a trip to The Warehouse for some new sports clothes. I got a new sports bra, 2 new tops and a new pair of shorts. I like spending money on my new hobby. I like having a hobby!

My first 5K

walk!

Tomorrow I am doing a 5K walk to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. As I said to my boyfriend, it is a cause very close to my heart. I want a cure in my lifetime, and if I can donate $20 and walk 5K to help then I will!

I will post pics of me in all my pinkness tomorrow night when I get home. I am doing it with a friend and we are both wearing pink and wings. We will also be wearing pink glow in the dark braclets which everyone will light up at the same time, just before the start.

I can't wait, I am very excited!