Number one...
Here i am - i am already doubting my technological ability to get this set up right but I'll give it a shot!! I am a 25 yr old new-to-Sydneysider. I moved to Sydney about a year ago and I really love it, although i am completely bankrupted by the extortionate price of everything. I moved to sydney to make a few big changes, away from Perth (not for any particular reason except that i like change...), to a new job that I thought would be fantastic, and to try and get myself motivated to get fitter.
The move itself has been great although I do miss family and friends a lot. I have met heaps of great people here, but it is still not quite the same as family. The job has turned out to be dreadful and a year later I am desperately trying to make a move - but am hampered by not wanting to make another wrong step. I am starting some more study in a couple of weeks (counselling/psychotherapy) which I am very excited about but is a 4 year course so I am a little daunted by the magnitude of the proposition.
Do I sound a little overwhelmed? :) I am a little, but am basically having a great time here. One thing that has been good is that I have made a lot of changes to my health and fitness and feel like I am very much in the right direction. When I was about 21 I lost 10kg which I have maintained since. I feel that there is still another 5-7kg to go which is part of my motivation. However in the interests of my ongoing mental health I chucked away my scales so who knows what I am now. I certainly feel better!
Early last year I decided that I wanted to run (because obviously runners are all very good looking and intelligent people - why wouldn't I?). I thought i would be starting from scratch and it turned out that i could do a very slow 20 minutes. Anyway throughout 2005 I kept at it on an off (some times particularly off) amongst a range of other things. I had a particular "off" period at the end of 05 and am now trying to get into it seriously. Hence the blog!
At the moment I am doing a bootcamp (not a fitness first one) which has been great for improving my fitness. Its only twice a week but it is quite intense as it is with a group of super-fit people. which is great for fitness, rubbish for the self confidence!! Ah well it is a very humbling experience to be the crappest at something isn't it?
So, yesterday (in between 2 bootcamp days which was a bit dumb I suppose - but got to harness the motivation when it is there!) I thought I'd see how far I could go. In the end I ran 2 laps of Centennial Park which is the equivalent of my best distance ever! (I think that is 7.4km). My knees were a little sore at the end and I was super duper slow (too embarassed to write it down. ok it was 55minutes) but I did feel that I could have kept going at the end.
Other than that i have been doing some beach running (again very slow) for as long as I can and then walking which I think has improved my fitness a bit. And I enjoy getting down to the beach early in the morning.
My running goals for 2006 are lofty! But I need to have high hopes or else I get bored. They are:
- Run 10K
- Run 10K in 60 minutes
- Run in the Mothers day fun run
- Run the City to Surf
- Run the Blackmores half marathon (hmm maybe that can be a 2007 goal...)
And my stats for this week are:
Tuesday 7/2: Bootcamp
Wednesday 8/2: Run - 7.4km, 55 mins
Thursday 9/2: Bootcamp
Hopefull if I see this all in front of me and write it all down I wil keep motivated! Any help much appreciated!
posted by Ellie80 @ 9:17 am
14 Comments:
Hi Ellie - hope you don't miss your friends and family too much back over there, but at least you've now opened yourself up to a brand new running family here too! you'll find they're a pretty damn fine and supportive bunch over here.
Great to see you set yourself some good goals (you definitely don't want to miss City 2 Surf - best race on the planet), and congratulations on your fantastic run in Centennial recently :)
Look forward to seeing your updates
You've made a great start, Ellie! Like Miners said, you'll met the most supportive group of friends here - I couldn't imagine being without them!
Keep the good work going & I & many others, will come by to see how you're progressing. Work towards those goals & you'll so much more enjoy every bit of your running. A very big welcome to CR Blogging!
Welcome to Blogsville Ellie. Might see you around C/Park one day !
The move must've been such a big change in your life Ellie, I'm pleased you're having a great time in Sydney. And it will only get better once you get to know the wonderful CR gang down there.
Good luck with your training and your goals. I'll be down there for the City To Surf, and maybe even sooner. Hopefully catch up with you then.
Meanwhile, happy blogging!
hi Ellie, welcome to the world of blogging...
great work with your fitness and i like your goals, espeically the way they progress...i'll be at the C2S and the Sydney Half...
you'll get plenty of support around CR way and lots of helpful advice too...
catch ya!
you guys are great! Thanks so much for your kind words. i am going to start bugging you all on your own blogs really soon...
El. Running's a social sport, so find someone to run with and you won't look back. I can think of a couple of bloggers that run around Centennial Park. Have a hunt around the blogs and leave the a note.
Even if you can only hook up with them once a week, that's still an extra run that you get, and you can suck their brains dry of running wisdom while you're at it :-)
sfG
Hi Ellie,
Sounds like some of your goals are similar to mine this year. I'm just coming back from injury and so am trying to build back up to 10km. I did a half last year and would love to do another one this year but will wait and see how my knees go.
I haven't quite cracked the 60 mins for 10km goal as yet and that's one I'm definitely going to go for. I'm always running around Centennial and Queens Park so once I'm back into more regular training then we should catch up. I won't be any faster than you at the moment so it should be good!
Blogging has been great for me to keep my motivation so I'm sure it will help you too.
I moved to Sydney from London and struggled for the first couple of years but joining some running groups and having friends through running has been a great help to me in the last few years. As you say it's not the same as family but friends can be easier at times!
Keep at it and I can't see why you couldn't do a half later this year.
Always nice to meet a new blogger Ellie - welcome ;-)
I look forward to reading about your progress towards your goals.
"because obviously runners are all very good looking and intelligent people - why wouldn't I?"
So true! And we're happy to have you among our numer. :p You'll make that half marathon goal. :)
Welcome to blogging. Great first entry. Go for the half - the goal will keep you motivated. Be careful not to do too much beach running.
Welcome to blogging Ellie. I hope this is the start of a really fantastic "on" period for you. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you have any questions.
Looking forward to following your progress!
Hey Ellie!!! Welcome to blogland and Sydney!! I am a Newcastle girl and have loved the move to sydney! I also do a bit of running around centenial park... do you have a CR hat? We might see you there!! come alon to the CR challenge 5km at the end of the month- great to meet some CR's.
Keep up all your hard work!!
What the others said up there ^^!
You have some good goals Ellie - I agree with the half for '07.
I suggest making gradual changes to your training. Keep the distances short. 50-55 minutes is plenty but also do shorter runs. Try and make them better. For you, train 'under distance' for C2S (an 11-12k hilly run/walk would be plenty).
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