It's a Lovely Day Today.........

After about 10 days straight of overcast, rainy days, the sun has finally reappeared!!! Apparently June has had record rain-fall for the month - add to that the coldest temps ever recorded - as you can imagine us sun lovers here in QLD are having a hard time adapting!!! I was starting to feel down in the dumps a bit, and it's all to do with not seeing the sun. Hilds mentioned something similar on her blog too. BUT it's all good today :)) There's not one cloud in the sky!! You can see for miles... planes, birds etc. It's very cool :)) I'm hoping to go for a run at lunchtime, coz it's been so long!!!!!!!!

Not alot to report, busy at work... getting everything in order for financial year end, next week will be the big rush to get the BAS done, and group certificates and all else that goes along with it, all before I fly down to Melbourne :) Now, that I CAN'T wait for!!! :))))

Been going hard on the cardio machines at the gym, they don't know what's hit them!! And I don't know what's hit me either.... lol. But as mentioned before, I can finally get outdoors again :) Weights are going well, I just went up in weights today in one of my exercises... it felt a little light, so I referred to the book, nope, that's the correct weight, welll let's put more on... so I did, and voila, 3 sets squeezed out! I'm going to update my programs on the weekend, the old bod knows what's going on (didn't take long!!), so time to shock it again!! Not including chest exercises of course as my shoulder still isn't co-operating, if anything has gotten a little worse :( Back for punishment massage next week, and I really don't know what else to do.... Unfortunately with work, I just can't totally rest it, I'm always lifting or carrying plate weights or dumbbells or boxing or something. Nevermind, patience my dear watson.

Gotta run, work to be done! Have a super duper sunny (hopefully!!) Thursday!!

Super Saturday!!

I particularly love weekends, but then again who doesn't! It's still cold and rainy... but I'm over that... think I've used up all my "free whinge" tickets this week. LoL
I did things all backwards this morning. First of all, I actually slept in, - jumped outta bed at 7.30am then, without eating breakfast first (second 'backwards' thing, I need food for energy before I train) rushed off to the gym for opening at 8am. If you don't get there before 8am, and bolt inside like it's boxing day sales when the doors open, you're damned if you're going to get a cardio machine!! I ended up with the cross trainer... not my first preference... but at least I got something :P 35mins of hills on that, then still no treadys free so decided I'd try to conquer the ancient cardio climber, ya know the stepper looking thing with the arms that move as well... cripes, that's a hard little piece of machinery isn't it!!! 10 mins was enough, then ended with 15 mins on the bike - interval style :) (third 'backwards' thing - I'm NOT an indoor cardio person, can't stand it, but didn't do my normal run this morning due to rain). Sweat was pouring, legs were burning, it was a great start! And you know what, it felt FANTASTIC to do something different. I didn't feel flat and lethargic going in on an empty stomache, whether mental or not, I had a job to do in there today, and that was to burn some big fat calories, and I did! :))

Right, off to go ten-pin bowling now. It's our first work social-club kinda event. Should be fun, who doesn't like throwing heavy objects around!!

Record Breaker...

See, told you it was cold here yesterday!!! ;)

Coldest June day in half a century - Daily Mercury 22.06.2007

IF you thought yesterday was one of our coldest days, you might just be on the money.
We will find out at 9am whether the "shocker" broke the record for the lowest June maximum recorded and unless the sun comes out in force this morning, we could shatter the 15-degree record which has stood since June 1961 by more than two degrees.
"You can tell your grandkids you lived in Mackay the day temperatures were less than Melbourne," Bureau of Meteorology technical officer Craig Hall joked.
"It was nasty."
In Mackay, the highest temperature was 11.6 degrees at 3pm. Mackay's average maximum for June is 22 degrees.

At 5am, the temperature was just 8.9 degrees and the Apparent Temperature (with the rain and wind chill factored in) was a frosty 5.6 degrees.
For people in the Pioneer Valley it was even cooler. The temperature hovered below nine degrees all day and there were reports of a minimum of one degree at Crediton, Eungella, early yesterday.
Finch Hatton Gorge resident Warren "Wazza" Swadling, who runs the Platypus Bush Camp, couldn't help but laugh at the expense of a few brave backpackers (English and Canadian) who took a swim in the icy waters yesterday morning.
"I saw the expressions on their faces - even they though it was cold," he said, huddled in front of his heater and wishing he had a "platypus' coat" to protect him.
Thick cloud is to blame for the cold day with the sun unable to let through a chink of light or warmth. A massive upper trough in central Australia has caused the rain but skies might clear later this afternoon.

I'M SOOOOO CCCCCOOOOOOLLLDDDDD

BRRRRRRRRRRRRR... Winter is certainly here. It's show day holiday here today, and it's a terrible day. It hasn't stopped raining, allllll day. Poor little kiddies won't be going to the show today! Me the big kid, went last nite - the only day of the three that it hasn't rained. It was very cold though... I can't remember the last time we got so cold up here. Don't ask me the temp though, it's just cold :P And we aren't graced with central heaters... dress up like an eskimo and hope for the best!!! LoL

So I ask the question - how the hell am I gonna survive 4 days in Melbourne next month!?!?!?!? I'm so looking forward to it... well I WAS until I saw Kek's blog and her new jacket she can go walking in... what? you mean you have to wear warm stuff walking down there?!?! ;) Oh gosh, I'll be in a state won't I!! I simply wear a T-shirt as opposed to a singlet... go hard for 5 minutes till nice and warm, then have to roll the sleeves up.... It's gonna be a culture shock for me!!! I am SO taking my snow jacket I wore every single day in Canada, I knew I'd have use for it again!! I wonder if I'll get weird stares......

Due to the weather, I haven't run this week :( I planned to do 15kms this afternoon but not with this rain. I'll catch my death! Went to the gym this morning for training, but as it's only open for 2 hours on pub hols, and coz I accidentally slept in, I didn't have time for anymore than 15mins cardio to finish off my sess. Looks like I'll be dragging out the exercise tapes for a TV workout later on!!!

I had a mini spend-up at Lorna Jane on Tuesday :) A long-sleeved shirt and and two sports crops tops. I cannot do without those padded crops now!!! I feel so much better (and bigger lol)in them :)) Got great discounts too, as being in the Fitness Industry, I get 20% discount... that's a mammoth saving!! If any of you PT/Gym Instructors didn't know that, make sure you say something!! The % discount may vary, but you still save!!!

HOLY CRAPOLA!! Just saw the time... time flies when fluffing bout on the puter. I have hardly started my day and it's nearly 2pm. The plan - update playlists on my i-river, create some new CDs for work and exericse tape!!!!!

tootalooooo

"I'm the King of the Castle, and You're a Dirty Rascal"

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN!!

First pic is of the hill I had to conquer Saturday... photo was taken at the start line, the finish was the chalet at the top which you can sort of see... if you squint really hard... where the trees aren't as thick. The person in the pic is no one of interest, he was just lucky ;)

Yes, the annual King of The Mountain run was on this weekend- 6.4kms from start to finish up a hill that never goes down!!! They really should run it down the mountain one year...

48mins and 22secs later I was at the top. As my heart rate was breaking records, my breathing was like a dying dog, when I had to talk out loud to myself C'MON GIRL, I swore yet again that this was the last year, I was never, ever doing it again. I made that same promise to me last year, and the year before and you know what, in another year I will be doing the same thing again! Sucker BIG TIME!

The second pic is the view from the top, looking back down the mountain. It's the best feeling to get to the top and know you've made it all the way up... alive.

So all in all, I'm STOKED that I survived it for another year. A little disappointed that I ran 2mins slower than last year (2mins up those hills is a LOT of actual distance), but still a happy chappy as I did do less hill training, concentrating more on the 1/2 which was only 2 weeks ago.

However, I'm even more stoked that I came SECOND OVERALL FEMALE!!!!!!!! (Won't mention that the last year's reigning queen is out of town, and that the local triathlete girls rode it instead of running) but as they say, you can only race who shows up on the day!!!!!!!!!!! Took home $75 cash for my efforts, so made a little profit!!! Plus I won a random door prize so was a lucky day for me!!

Best news of all - my butt and legs aren't even sore!!!!! What the?!?!!!

In the Newspaper....

Teen Dies from Muscle Cream Use

A New York medical examiner blamed a 17-year-old track star’s death on the use of too much anti-inflammatory muscle cream, the kind used to soothe aching legs after exercise.
Arielle Newman, a cross-country runner, died after her body absorbed high levels of methyl salicylate, an anti-inflammatory found in sports creams such as Dencorub and Deep Heat.

*************************************************
My leg muscles are very sore today; still suffering from DOMS a tad from Thursday I think. My 5.45am hill run on Saturday morning was bloody freezing (7degrees for the record… see it does get cold ;P ). I discovered it’s quite hard to run up steep hills when you’re hammys and glutes won’t work (coz they’re too sore, AND frozen solid!)… I guess this has delayed the healing process with all those hills!! Yesterday afternoon I did a hilly sand dune track thru a reserve, this time it’s my quaddys turn to hurt. Not enough to put sports gel on them now though….

After a previous post about suffering from LOTS of ulcers, I took everyone’s suggestions on board, and just last week I was waffling about I hadn’t had any since that mother of a one back those few months ago. Well didn’t I just jinx me! I’ve been hit with three… yes THREE at once :( No changes in diet or stress levels, I’ve been blaming everything else on the weather lately so… it must be the weather!!! Lol! I do swear by religious taking of glutamine though, I really believed this has helped with them, and my whole immune system as everyone around me especially at work is getting sick, but so far I’ve stayed good :) Now, hope I haven’t just jinxed me….

Love Love Love Public Holidays!!!!!!!!!!! Went for a walk/run this morning when I crawled out of bed at, ah-hem, 8am, then to the gym, which was p-a-c-k-e-d. Got a little too ambitious on chest weights; my shoulder has been behaving and I’ve been going up 1kg each hand each week (dumbbells I’m talking here), but today it’s a little twingy and complaining. So I thought the best medicine would be to do nothing but lie in front of the TV, catching up on all my taped shows. You know, really shouldn’t do any work if there’s a sore bit ;) Shoulder feels great now thanks!

Oh and next week we get a pub hol here again! It’s our show day on Thursday :) :) :) Then that’s it for the year :( :( :(

Right-o, time to pack all the food and clothing for the 4.30am wake-up! YEEHA!

BRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WINTER IS HERE!!!

Nice little cold snap has just hit here! We've all been wondering when winter was going to 'officially' come as it's been really warm lately... until this morning. We've also had heaps of rain this week which has been sooo nice, I lurve the rain, and well, who doesn't need it at the moment! I'm sitting here in my brand-spanking new purple Oscar the Grouch flannalette PJs + singlet underneath (dag!) + uggies and wrapped in a blanket. You'd think it was snowing, god knows how I survived a winter in Canada.

I really struggle in winter. It's hard to get out and go running, but once you're out there its so much better :) So, to throw myself in the deep end, I'm up as usual tomorrow morning for a 5.45am run start... it's supposed to be about 9 degrees... Oh dear, I'll have the mental argument with the 2 Selinas... motivated Selina and any-excuse-will-do Selina!! The problem is that I have no winter running gear.... I'll be out in my singlet and shorts, might even have to wear at T-shirt (OMG!). And we wonder why people stare at us!! LoL Anyway it's hills tomorrow so won't be long till the sweat is pouring.

I had a pretty big week, so can't wait for bed :) Had to write an article for an insert magazine for our newspaper, and of course I was I just on deadline, I'd hate to be a journo! I 'accidentally' forgot the profile pic of myself, but of course they hit me up for it... yay, can't wait to see it :P Had an appt with financial planner, good thing is this financial year the business has more than doubled from last financial year in terms of growth!! YEEEHA! Hard work DOES pay off, even though it doesn't seem it ever will. Hope to double again this next year :) Now just trying as much as I can to minimise the mammoth tax bill I'll be receiving at the end of this month. Yipee. Yesterday I did my First Aid update course, so that was a different day. I felt like I had a normal (whatever that means though) routine again. I was able to go to the gym before the course, attended it from 9-5, then cardioed after it. Just like the olden days in my previous job.

Had to back it up today with seven clients in a row, a half hour break then another 5. Then had to clean the studios, and all the other crap that goes along with it.

OMG, I'm waffling... best be off to my warm bed. Early to bed, Early to rise!!!

Evidence...

Looking GLAMOUROUS!!!!!!!!!! Thank god it was over... :)
At the harbour, 400m from home, against the wind.

It's only caught up with me the last few days, I must have been on a high on Sunday, yesterday I'd felt like I'd been hit by a bus, and I'm very tired still :)
Can't wait for the next one...................... August 5th in Townsville!!!

I DID IT! I DID IT!! I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!

1/2 marathon - 21.1kms -
1 hr, 57mins and 15secs

I'm just over the mooon!!! It was overcast so conditions were perfect. At 7kms my feet went numb (oh crap), and 10kms they just 'released' and felt good again. I had my 2x caffeine strength GU gel at 10kms and I really felt I needed it and whether it was psychological or not, I felt like I lifted. (Go the GU, especially the expo freebies, ha!) About this time though I realised that, taking fatigue into account, I prolly wouldn't make it under 2 hours. At 14kms I realised I had 40mins to do 7kms and that it must have been my oxygen-starved brain calculating wrong at the 10km mark. At 16kms I was still on track, at 18kms I had 19 minutes to do 3kms... I was getting excited! From 19-20kms I pushed it a bit more as the wind was going with me; we were running along a road at the beach and it was windy so I knew at the 20km mark when we turned to go back home I was going to be against it... so allowing for that... I turned with 1km to do in 10 minutes, I knew unless I stacked it that I had it! :)))))
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ANYHOW, I'm absolutely knackered, not even going to mention the state of my feet... Back to the me-shaped dent in the couch and continue watching Buffy series... (yes I'm a huge closet fan of that show... but don't tell anyone). I'm up to series 1 episode 5. Only got many many more to go ;)
Thanks girls for the well-wishes, I really appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Skippity do da, skippity yay, my oh my what a wonderful day"

Waffle waffle, mumble mumble

ONE MORE SLEEP!!!!!!!!

Yes it's finally here. Tomorrow morning I will crawl out of bed at 5am to shower, eat, go through my ritual, psyche myself up, drive to the race, then run 21.1kms... just for the fun of it. The remainder of the day will be spent as a vegetable, sleeping and resting my tired legs, then wondering why on earth I put myself through it... but will I do it again? Of course!!! Provided all goes well (ie, injury free), I'll be doing the next one in 8 weeks in August at the Townsville Running Festival. Just don't ask me if I still am anytime tomorrow though!!!

Now the way I've carried on and hyped everything up in my last posts, you'd think I'm a good athlete or something!! Far from it... In fact, I am realistic about the fact that I will be one of the last runners back, but I have no issues with that!! I just love running and how I feel after it!! I can't WAIT to get in and do my first ever half marathon, and see what time I can come up with! I'm competing against the clock, then next time I run, I will compete against that time. I do my best to lead by example and encourage clients to enter a fun run and have a go, you DON'T have to be the best!!! Achieving a goal is the most rewarding accomplishment! Last year a few of my male clients beat me in a 5 km run, I was SOOO proud of them, and they were stoked (and haven't let me forget it either!! LOL!). However, most disappointing is when people refuse to enter, only because they know they aren't going to win or even place. I mention that simply because I've seen it happen alot within the club I'm in. That's not what sport is all about!

My DOMS is all better, my only concern are my feet... they're quite sore at the moment, feeling a little strained like last year *gulp*. I'm talking positively to them though, if I don't think about it, they won't hurt :) I've been soaking them in my foot spa. Ahhhh :)

It's been overcast and raining all day today! I'm PRAYING that it's still like this in the morning. The best conditions are when it's raining, it's so refreshing and the sun doesn't drain your energy.

Right, I'm waffling now, must be a few nerves... I tend to do that, get nervous when I have a semi-important event on!! I bet I won't sleep too well tonite... OMG, it's REALLY NOT that big of a deal!!!! LOL

Goal time: under 2 hours... 1 hr 50something minutes and however many seconds.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!! :)