personal worst - but still smiling :)

i wasn't sure how i was going to go this morning - but I had katie and deanne as my personal pacing group! My friend Mel was on her striders debut so she came along for the ride too (although she could have gone loads faster!).

as everyone knows the goal was 55 or below... i crossed the line in 56.55 (or thereabouts - i forgot the garmin!!)

we went out pretty fast (5min first km) but i felt pretty good and we slowed down. at 3 - 4 k i got a stitch but was able to run through it. it was at about 5k when i went - uh oh - there is nothing left. i've got NUTHIN. i don't think it was cause we went out too hard - i think that today i was just running at half strength. i've got lots of reasons (excuses...) why it was a shitty run but instead i am going to have a glass half full moment:

- i won't be able to appreciate the good runs if i don't have some shit ones!
- i can't keep having pb's every race i do
- i had a fantastic support team - katie and deanne looked after me the whole way even when i wanted to stop and when i got a bit teary at the end (what is that about? i am actually ok about it - i think i was just feeling awful!!)
- i have no doubt that i will get there eventually!
- i ran 10k!!!!

anyway - it was so great to see everyone again and we had a hilarious moment at the end when katie and i went to our matching dirty white mazda 121's and opened our boots and theirs was full of videos they are getting rid of and mine is full of self help books! me friend mel relieved us both of a bunch and katie took a bunch of books so it was a run-slash-swapmeet. excellent - my car is loads lighter now!

anyway - off to pick up the new bike this morning! hurray!!!!!!

EDIT - the bike is gorgeous - i will update with pictures tomorrow (including spokey dokeys....)

Also, just in case i hadn't had enough punishment for the day, i went to my first stroke correction squad swim session. fark!! intense. even the warm up! used the pull bouy in the warm up and flippers for a lot of the breathing drills. some of the breathing drills were really good and i even kept up with a 10 x 25 hard that we did. i dropped off (and indeed out...) during the 8 x 100 hard swim at the end and the coach actually told me to stop (he knew i'd run in the morning - but then again practically everyone had done a brick session that day so i wasn't hoping for much sympathy. i think it was more a beginners thing and i feel glad that i've done it once now. won't be so scary next time.

now to practice on the bike tomorrow... this should be interesting... :)