it is time...

we have lift off!

The new blog is up and running so please come and visit and update your bloglines etc. The first post is a bit wordy... :) But don't worry - there will be a running related post just as soon as I go for my run today! Please come along for the ride!

Thanks old blog for the good times xxxx

(Must work out how to back it up - I don't have to cut and paste into word do I???)

running as panacaea?

I had a lovely night last night at the Striders awards dinner where there were some excellent awards for some well know coolrunner/striders. Good work to everyone who won and it was nice to see so many familiar faces. It was also really cool to hear Kerryn McCann speak and also to give a commentary on the last kilometre or so the Commonwealth Games 2006 marathon in Melbourne which many of us remember. I remember it as the first time I had watched a running race with the interest of a runner. I had tears in my eyes that day and was jumping around like a lunatic. So it was very cool to hear from kerryn's perspective!

Then I thought that it was a great idea to head out for some drinking and dancing. It definitely was, but when the alarm went off at an obscene hour of the morning, and in fact 2 hrs and 45 mins after I went to bed, it was not very pleasant. I nearly stayed in bed and I could have but something just dragged me out. I think it was catching up with Lulu and the fact that it is always a really enjoyable morning of running. Lulu didn't end up coming but it was still gorgeous out there.

I really surprised myself with my run. I went out at the 32 minute mark as I wasn't sure how I'd hold up or whether I would need a pit stop. In the end I felt pretty comfortable and stuck at 5.20ish pace which bought me home in 26.57. If you'd told me that I could (reasonably) comfortably do 5 k in that time a year ago I would have thought you were nuts. Now it turns out that is simply the case.

A few highlights of the day included seeing Gnome looking so strong in his first hard hit out back from injury, meeting MissZ and having a good chat on the run back, breakfast with the crew and delicious avocado and mushroom on toast. Mmmm.

All up 10k with first 5k in 26.57 and second just under 5k in 30.13.

Any I think that running is now officially a good hangover cure because I feel great now! Although I suspect that it is all a matter of degree...

EDIT - thanks to Lulu the list of performance related fundraising measures is increasing! Like I don't have enough KPI's at work!!!! The latest is a km related donation for Gold Coast with a double-up if I do sub 2hrs....

Sweat and bribery

So people (you know who you are :) )are coming up with some very creative ways of donating to my NY fundraising drive. In particular, one lovely coolrunner has committed to donating $10 for each Sweat session that I attend between now and then (40ish I think) and $100 when I break 2 hours for the 1/2 marathon.

All very good incentives (although as I believe someone may have said - surely having to run a marathon is enough incentive to go to training!!!!).

And having attended the first Sweat since that deal, $10 is in the bank :)

Actually I had a great session this morning. I was feeling good. I had 5 x 400's on the program, and for once Sean didn't increase my reps or distances! not everyone fared so well though, I think it was because of the 1/2 on Sunday.

The garmin measured the courses slightly long at 420m but I trust Sean's roller and I was happy with the times anyway. Its practically cross country so I am always interested in how much difference it would make to run on the track. Up at Jindabyne I was running them (at least one!) 10 seconds quicker on the measured track.

Anyway - my times were: 1.49, 1.48, 1.49, 1.53, 1.48. I was really happy with that effort. When I add my 3.85k warm up and 2.3k cooldown it was a good day and 8.2ish km.

Sweet!

All recovered

After the half I was feeling a bit of DOMS - but not too much so I can't complain. Monday was a rest day and I just walked in to work which was a good stretch of the legs (4k). Yesterday I had a massage with Easy Tiger which was great. my quads feel heaps better now. I was supposed to run for 29 mins but instead I walked to and from work which is about 8k for the day.

This morning I was keen to get out again and do my 28 minutes as scheduled. I did so - the garmin was playing up though. It wouldn't lock to a satellite and was having me at 15min k's for a while. Then suddenly it clicked through 4k and I was doing 4.47. Doesn't really matter but it felt like 6.20's...ish :)


I am looking out my window and there is a little white cockatoo have an absolute ball. We are at about 10 stories here and he has found a little light fitting attached to a building that he can perch on. He sits there and every now and then jumps off and freefalls and then comes up and does it again. Having a grand old time I think!

Sub 2 hour goal lives to see another half marathon...

ok - no sub 2 hour today - but I have never been this happy to get a personal worst!!

My time was 2.06.xx - definitely no land speed record - but I have to say that I am pretty happy. It is a very solid long run and I think I have only run for 2 hours about twice this year so it was also a good lesson in 'why long runs are important if you want to run half or full marathons'. Lesson learned :)

I started out too slow today which is a new place for me to be!! I never felt like I got in a rhythm either. I started right at the back. It took 4 1/2 mins to get across the starting mats which is fine in terms of time but worked out badly because the crowd was a little slower than I wanted to be and it was only after a couple of k of cruising that I realised this and made an effort to speed up. By that time I was well down on my goal splits and no matter how hard I pushed (and it felt like I was pushing hard!!!!) I kept slipping back on those splits.

But i still took a lot out of the run. I can run a half marathon! Just as there is too fast there is also too slow. Make sure I think about how I am going to anchor the gels I am carrying before I leave the house. I think with the longer runs I run better with no music... (doh!!). I have lots of lovely friends such as Sam who ran up the footpath on hunter st on my second lap just to keep me company despite a near stress fracture, and Lulu and WTR who ferried me to and from the venue and ensured I was fed and watered :)

I also got to meet some other people who will be running in New York with me - and I proudly ran in my new Heart Foundation top!

shameless plug below :)

heartchallengesny.kintera.org/ellieboyd

Awwwwwwww...

I love you guys!! Thank you for all your lovely supportive comments and thank you to the people have already made donations. I am very humbled and grateful - especially for a very large one that just snuck in this afternoon... you know who you are :)

Training this week has been pretty low key - Thursday morning was 3k fartlek. It was a bit like a reunion for me - my downstairs next door neighbour came, lovely sam was back, CR will came along - all and sundry - I love it!! I actually had a really good morning running wise too. We were aiming for fartlek at just faster than or just slower than 1/2 marathon pace. I think I worked on closer to 10k pace so I am feeling good for tomorrow.

This morning was 18 minutes on the program :) 2.7k - why is it that short pre race runs are always a struggle??? Getting it out of the system I like to think!

I have spent a good bit of this afternoon upgrading my internet plan and downloading music, and have composed a playlist for tomorrow - it is 2 hours precisely - I'm confident hey???

Don't judge me for my taste :) I just want upbeat things that make me want to run fast!!!!!!

Fall Behind Me The Donnas
The Others (Radio Edit) TV Rock vs Dukes Of Windsor
Be Together (Original Radio Edit) T-Funk featuring Katie Underwood
Family Affair Mary J. Blige
Never Again Kelly Clarkson
Bleed American Jimmy Eat World
You Can Do It Ice Cube
Lose Yourself Eminem
1 Thing Amerie
I Write Sins Not Tragedies Panic! At the Disco
You Oughta Know Alanis Morissette
Fast Girl Gyroscope
In Love With You Freestylers
Put Your Hands Up for Detroit (Original Mix) Fedde Le Grand
Rock This Party (Original Mix) Bob Sinclar
This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race Fall Out Boy
Hands Open Snow Patrol
Girlfriend Avril Lavigne
Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle) Limp Bizkit
Keep Your Hands Off My Girl (Album Version) Good Charlotte
Du hast Rammstein
I Predict A Riot Kaiser Chiefs
Something About You (Single Edit) Jamelia
Pictures (Tonite Only Remix) Sneaky Sound System
Oh My Gosh Basement Jaxx
anxiety Black Eyed Peas
Get A Life Freestylers
Breathe The prodigy
Not Many (The Remix) - Scribe Featuring Savage Of Deceptikonz & Con Psy Of Frontline Scribe Feat. Savage Of Deceptikonz & Con Psy Of Frontline
Don't stop Timo di Roy

Some photos from my quick trip back to Perth - me and my cousin and one with my mum :)

OK - finally the big exciting news :)

Is that a good hint? (I'm hoping my remedial cutting and pasting of html source has worked here!!)

Yep - the big apple - New York! I am going to New York and in particular I am going to New York in November this year. Not entirely coincidentally that is when the NY marathon is on... and I'm running it!

I have managed to secure a place to run the 2007 New York Marathon as a fundraiser for the Heart Foundation. I am part of a group of people who have each committed to raising $10,000 for the Heart Foundation.

The Heart Foundation is a cause that is close to the hearts of lots of Australians. I didn't know this - but 48,000 Australians die each year of heart disease. This is one of the reasons why 6 years ago I decided to change my lifestyle and a year and a half ago I decided to be a runner. I am so grateful to be healthy and fit and what better way to celebrate this and give something back to an organisation that is doing so much.

And this is where I need your help :)

$10,000 is a lot! You can help by making donations here:
http://heartchallengesny.kintera.org/ellieboyd

In addition I am looking for any fundraising suggestions that anyone has. I would also really appreciate it if you would ask any friends or family or workmates that you think might be willing to help or donate. Any suggestions of companies that you think might be open to sponsoring me would also be great!

One other thing that should help is that R4YL has agreed to my writing a series of 3 articles on the program (through Inspired Adventures), my training progress and a race report. That is pretty cool too I reckon :) - although I shouldn't say anything until it is finalised!

I am moving to a typepad blog once I get it all fancied up - but for now there was no way I could hold off on telling everyone any longer!!!!

I'm so excited I could practically explode!

E

x

update

toe seems to be fine - i ran with it yesterday and although I felt it, it didn't stop me (despite wanting it to when I was on the 3rd rep...).

the big news is coming - I promise!!! and it may come with a new blog...

owls sweat too :)

Lovely Lorna came along to Sweat this morning which enticed me to definitely go. It was good to have her there but alas it will not be continuing (at least until she comes to her senses and moves east with all the cool kids).

600's were on the program for this morning. Of course I made the tactical error of going out fairly hard and he bumped the first 4 girls in the 600 group up to 800's. Allegedly we were to alternate 800s with 600s but he let us do one more 600 and then made us finish with an 800.

So - the times were:
2.44 (600)
3.40 (800)
2.44 (600)
3.44 (800)
3.47 (800)

3.4k warm up and cool down :)

so ridiculous its almost heartbreaking

still in Perth but heading home today - it was my grandmothers 80th last night which was the cause for celebration and homecoming. Just beforehand though I was in the hotel room that my aunt and two cousins (2yrs and 6 weeks) were staying and I was trying to get the baby to sleep.

With baby in my arms I managed to stub my toe (middle right foot) on a chair leg. Now these are hard sharp metal chairs... it hurt and all I wanted to do was swear and jump around. I couldn't jump because of the baby but I did swear loudly. But I thought it was alright and was over it in 10 seconds. Then I sat down for a while and eventually looked down and saw the blood pooling under the toe nail. Eeeeek!!!

So it turns out that I have lifted 2/3 of the nail off the nail bed. It hurts more with a bandaid on and is actually ok so long as I am barefoot. However, running shoes are not an option. Today anyway. I am hoping for miracle cure before tomorrow and definitely before Sunday - BIG RACE!!!!

Any toenail tips greatly appreciated :)

jeez you lot have a good imagination!

no I am not pregnant or engaged or anything like that!

I am however awaiting a few more details before I do a big long post on the matter.

I am also in Perth and have been since Wednesday so there has been some disruption to training. Truthfully the disruption has been more due to my sore leg than the trip though.

Nonetheless yesterday saw me haul my sorry self back on that wagon and get out of the house for a surprisingly spritely run :) actually it felt pretty tough but it was a lot faster than I would have thought!

I decided to run from home (East Perth) to the bottom of Jacobs ladder - a nasty set of stairs equilvalent to maybe 8 or 10 flights I guess? (I turned the garmin off for the actual climb) and then home.

It was 3.8k each way. Trip there was 22.54 at 5.59 pace. Trip home was 21.42 at 5.41 pace! I was pretty stoked with that negative split given how shattered my legs were at the top of the steps.

All up 7.6k and I was glad to get back into it. Next run will be Sunday and it is officially taper time for the SMH half!

x

bugger...

just when I really wanted to go to training I have a fair bit of pain in the right tib post. doh. So i didn't. I don't want to bust anything. I did a fair bit of stretching and some icing last night and it will be fine tomorrow I'm sure.

I also have some awesome news that I will post about properly when I have some more info!!!! can't wipe the grin off my face :)

nice easy run

that is the only way to describe this mornings run - nice and easy! Had 40 mins on the program and 40 mins I did. 6.12k and 6.32 avg pace. Very enjoyable.

Except - the blister from yesterday is a bit annoying, and my right tib post is aching and stretching isn't helping. need a massage but don't think it'll happen! argh!

National Park

Bit of a jaunt down to the national park today. i was kindly chauffeured by mr lulu (who sped off on his merry way when we got there) and accompanied by lulu and RA. The weather is absolutely perfect today (albeit a bit bloody cold when we got there...) and it is such a gorgeous place to run.

I had 2hr 10 on the program, but I was feeling a teeny bit drained from yesterday I think and I struggled. I probably should have just paced myself and let the speed demons go on their way - but I hung in there :) The tiredness combined with a blister developing on my left foot made me decide to pull the pin when Lulu was finished at 1hr30. I am not too worried about the decision. I have a longish run due Wednesday which I will try and do Tuesday because I fly to Perth Wed night and have a training course from 8 till 6pm Wednesday and I couldn't work out how I was going to run and get to work in time short of getting up and running at 4am...

anyway it was still a great run and I mentioned to Lulu that I don't have that same freak out thing about running the full distance of a 1/2 in my training. I feel good and I feel pretty well prepared. Plus I think I am still pretty positive after yesterdays run :)

All up we did 13.6k in 1hr30 - avg pace of 6.37 which is pretty respectable I think! I may go out for the remaining 40 this arvo depending on the blister status or I might even get the bike on the indoor trainer for an hour or so. maybe... :)

spring cleaning afternoon in the ellie house today. I'm in the mood so I reckon I should go with it!! but first lunch...

Yahoo!

Sub 55 10k - check.

In fact - pending official results - 54.27 - I am officially stoked!!

I was super anxious/nervous when I woke up this morning. I'm not sure why - but there you have it. I kindly had a lift up to North Head this morning which was great because somehow his way took half as long as my way did last time. hmmm...

I decided to leave my ipod with uncle dave but after the first mini loop I realised I needed it! So he kindly handed it over as I ran past. Lucky this is not triathlon - talk about outside assistance! From there there was no magic to it - I just had to stick to my pace for the first big lap and try and hold on for dear life on the second lap. And actually my pace picked up the second lap which is even better.

My Garmin measured the course long which I realised meant that I needed to pick the pace up because I couldn't rely on it. I thought I was well ahead of schedule but then the 55min pacer came past! He kindly dropped back to check up on me and pointed out that we could pick it up on the downhill ahead. I did and after about a k I got in front and managed to stay there till the end.

Some unreal runs this morning - Tigerangel was in amazing form. She took off immediately and Gnome said that she was scaring herself, but she is one lady who you know will hang on!! I have enjoyed running around the same pace as her for the last little while - but now she is off there is no stopping her! Go TA!!!

Also a couple of sub 40's - Horrie and Hamburglar - very nice work!!!

Was so nice to be back into it, and I just love catching up with everyone at the end. Makes the pain worth it :)

Yayyyyy!!!!!

(edit - splits were - 5.26, 5.27, 5.31, 5.20, 5.30, 5.30, 5.19, 5.08, 5.22, 5.10, 37s (the 138 m over that the garmin measured - apparently its probably that it gets confused in the little loop at the end and tries to make it a circle...)

honeymoon is over baby

well not really - but i definitely didn't feel as good this morning as I have for the last few weeks. There are a few reasons I think - yesterday I was in melbourne and I ate highly un-nutritious food and dinner was a carrot and some toast.

still I got up and did it which is a-ok in my book.

Firstly did a good warm up - including strides and drills it was about 3k

Then it was 400's - because of the 10k on Saturday I only had 5 and I wasn't going too hard. Still I went out hard because I wanted to see what my 1.38 up at Jindabyne converted to down on the track. The answer? 1.50!!! What the?? The garmin says that it was actually 430 not 400 and it didn't feel that slow, but Sean reckons his wheel is more accurate than the garmin. hmmm... Ah well. Maybe I'll go by the garmin this time :)

Times were: 1.50, 1.56, 1.55, 1.55, 1.58 and 2.15k overall avg pace of 4.28/k.

560m cool down (I know!!) and about 5.6k all up for the day.

I'm still feeling good for a big run on saturday!

4 lap time trial

It was that time of the month again this morning - time trial day. I can't say that this is a favourite session of mine. Still I had a very definite goal for this morning. Do it at the pace I intend to run my 10k on Saturday - which is 5.30/km. Given that today was 5.7k and not 10 it was meant to be reasonably comfortable. Sean didn't know that was my plan. But it was the plan nonetheless.

I started out and consciously made myself slow down and not go out too hard and think I did that pretty successfully. I felt great at the end of the first lap and like I wasn't really puffing at all. The second lap felt pretty good too. Third lap was a bit harder, and the fourth was harder still, but that was because I decided that I was doing ok so I'd pick up the pace. I ended up home in 30.49 with 5.25 average pace. A good confidence booster, especially as Sean thought I looked like I was running a lot lighter and easier than I have before. Cool!

I just did a quick look back and my last 4 lap time trial in March (pre-camp) was 32.14 - so that is pretty good improvement I think! Especially as I was kind of deliberately holding back.

Noice.

all up 9.7 k for the day