The best 5km of my life!

This will not seem like a big deal to many runners. But to me, as far as I am concerned, I just placed first in an Olympic 5000m.

Last week I ran 5km WITH NO WALK BREAKS. Sure I have 'run' 5km thousands of times. But I have always taken a walk break, normally around the 3-3.5km mark in a race for a couple of minutes before I pick it up for a strong finish. When just training by myself I normally just stick to my Galloway intervals as that is what I will be using in all of my upcoming RunDisney Races- Wine and Dine Half, Avengers Half, Dopey Challenge and Castaway Cay Challenge.

I decided a couple of weeks ago to get back into running with my run group, they are a bit faster than me, so I normally just tag along at the back or cut a 1-2km off the out back path so I can finish with everyone and have a safer run. During one session, one of the girls offered to run with me, and as we chatted I was feeling pretty strong. We took one 30 second walk break at the turn around point, and I thought to myself, next time I am not taking that break.

The next week I headed out with the group, and with my goal in focus I finished that 5k running the whole way. I know to a lot of people that wouldn't be a big deal, but it is definitely one of the high points of my running career. To do something that for so long I though was impossible was amazing.



How did you feel when you achieved a long term goal?

Ash :)

We have to share the running love!

Okay, just to make this clear I will give you a bit of background. I am not a sleek looking runner with brand name gear and world record pace. I am more of a uncoordinated elephant plodding along, but a very happy and self assured elephant. I honestly couldn't give a two hoots what other people think of me when they see me running my awesome Galloway intervals and stopping to pull out my wedgie. Such is the life of a runner, and in this case a slow and happy runner.

But when you ask about my upcoming races and I tell you about 1/2 marathons on consecutive weekends and my new obsession, the Dopey Challenge, DO NOT ASK ME IF I THINK I WILL FINISH.

Of course I think I will finish! I am blindly optimistic. And barring some horrific injury, I WILL FINISH! I cannot afford to be thinking negatively 5 months out from the event. All I can do is train my little heart out and hope for the best. So when sometimes tells you about their crazy 150 mile ultra, don't ask them 'Do you think you will finish?' because I guarantee you, that they would much rather hear you say '150 miles! You will smash it!'. A little positivity goes a long way people, so hand it out at every opportunity you get!

Generally speaking, I am one happy chappy!

What's the best thing someone has told you before a race?

Ash :)

The wise Garmin knows all.

While on my 7 mile (11.2km) training for RunDisney's Dopey Challenge, I found myself with a lot of time to just think. As I plodded along, I found myself feeling stronger and stronger with each passing kilometer. Now in no way am I complaining about this, but in my experience I am a runner who doesn't really get into the groove of my run until about the 7-8km mark. This is one reason why I really struggle with a 5k, just as I start to feel like I am finding a comfortable rhythm, the race is over. And last year in my maiden half marathon voyage I copped a second half split (10km-end) of 1:11, which is actually 6 minutes faster than my 10km PR. Weird hey?

Anyway, my very wise Garmin obviously records a variety of information, and mostly I am just checking my overall pace/km to check I am still working with RunDisney cut off time (which I am- WAHOOOOO). Today I though I would have a little look at my splits per interval (on a long run I use 1:1 Galloway intervals).

These are the splits from the beginning of my run (warm up, then 1 min run: 1 min walk)

These are the splits from the end of run

As you can see, my run splits improve by over a minute from in the range of 7:14/km-8:13km to a best interval of 6:03/km.

This showed me to two things: 

1) I am not crazy, I didn't just feel like I was running faster, I actually was running faster!

2) If I can find a good warm up that works for me and can get me running those kind of times from the start I will be in much better shape for the Dopey Challenge.

Do you ever look at your GPS data? Have you ever found anything interesting?

Ash :) 

Less than 3 months until Wine and Dine Half Marathon!

As I write this my excitement levels are rising, because there is officially less than 3 months until the beginning of the Wine and Dine Half Marathon Race Weekend.

Wine and Dine half will be my first official RunDisney race and to say I am looking forward to it is a huuuuge understatement! Ever since I found out about the RunDisney race events I have had an interest, but living in Australia and the thought of taking on a half marathon made it seem like a fantasy. I started running, and by running I mean run/walking (which has worked an absolute treat) and built my way up to half marathon distance. After finishing uni and not securing a full time job straight away, the registration for Wine and Dine seemed too tempting to refuse (and it's on my birthday!). So when it opened I registered, and the week after I registered for Avengers Half and a month later I was registering for Dopey. I definitely caught the RunDisney bug!

The hard training is starting to get going, with a big focus on Dopey training, which will nonetheless prepare me for both of my halves in November. I am seriously so pumped and just waiting to board that plane and be on the way to Disney to make my dreams come true!

What is your dream race?

Ash :)

Recovery Tips and Tricks

I touched on a few of my recovery tips and tricks a little while back (check out my post here), but thought I would give a bit more detail on my personal recovery strategies. What works for each individual will always be different, but these are a few strategies I rely on.

1) A good cool down- I always try to finish a run with 1/2-1km of gentle walking to bring my heart rate down and help my muscles to relax

2) Stretching- I focus on my hip flexors, calves, glutes and quads as they are all problem areas for me. I find about 3 minutes per stretch works wonderfully.

3) Protein- My personal favourite is Dextro After Sports Recovery Drink, but another tried and tested favourite is chocolate milk! Whatever works for you, but you want to get some proteins and carbs into your body within about 30 minutes of finishing your workout.

4) Depending on the intensity of the session, I will sometimes have an ice bath. It sounds brutal, but it works wonders for me.

5) Compression- I love my 2XU elite compression tights, but I also wear 2XU compression socks

6) Bath with epsom salts- If i am still feeling a little tight the next day, a warm bath with epsom salts really helps.

7) Foam Rolling/Rolling with a spikey ball- I have a spikey ball that I swear by, and often roll the arches or my feet, calves and hip flexors if I still have a little tightness the next day.

What is your recovery magic trick?

Ash :)

Disclaimer: I was not compensation for this post in anyway. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First Official Dopey Training Run!

Yesterday I completed my first official Dopey Training Run!

An easy 10km was the start of what I hope will be a focused and ultimately successful training series. I am super nervous so any words of encouragement would be appreciated. It is going to be a tough slog but it will be worth it when I get there!

I have my training plan all printed off and I am ready to get stuck into it. I can be a bit lazy so I am sticking the training plan up next to my bed so every morning when I wake up it will be there staring in my face saying 'RUN LAZY BONES' and hopefully I will be able to say 'Sure thing!' Dopey is going to be my first marathon so some people probably think I have bitten off more than I can chew but life is short so you have to take opportunities when they come up and make the most of them.

28 sweet weeks of Jeff Galloway training goodness!

Say something nice to keep me motivated! Please!

Ash :)

Stadium Stomp 2014

Well! I know I have been absent for a few weeks and I have no excuses other than I have been enjoying some amazing holiday time with my family. I love running, but I love my family a whole lot more, so being able to relax and spend some real quality time with them has been amazing.

While on holidays though (back home in Melbourne), it wouldn't have been a great holiday unless I snuck in a little race or something somewhere. So, Stadium Stomp 2014 it was! I completed it last year and had a ball, so making the decision to go again was a pretty easy one (see my blog about it here).

I decided to complete the full course just as I had done last year, and turned up and registered on the day (it actually worked out perfectly as my partner had to work that morning anyway), and watched a very cute on field proposal as I waited for my wave to start. I was little nervous, but knowing exactly what to expect, and knowing I had completed it last year made it A LOT easier!

I took it easy at the start knowing what was ahead- a few people commented as we finished level 1 and moved onto level 4 about being half way. Even though it does feel like half way because you have finished 1 of the 2 levels, in terms of stairs- you are only just over 1/4 of the way. It was great knowing what was ahead of me and it really helped me to pace myself so I could complete the challenge but finished with essentially no gas in the tank. I broke it into mental sections (green chairs, brown chairs, blue chairs) and counted how many sets of 'up' stairs until the next colour section of the stadium. Before I knew it I was nearing the end, and I was feeling it. I mean feeling it. My legs were shaking with every step and I was so looking forward to sitting down!

I pushed hard and I finished in under 1.5 hours, and I think it was faster than last year (but not 100% on that one). I was pretty pleased with myself after no specific stair training and just deciding on the day before to complete it.

I would 100% recommend Stadium Stomp to everyone, whether it be the half or full course. It is an awesome day out with a great atmosphere and provides an awesome challenge to people of various fitness levels. A big thumbs up from me Stadium Stomp!

Feeling very accomplished at the end of the day!

Do you often decide to do a race on short notice?

Ash :)