Thursday, December 30, 2010

A Choice or 2 or 3

Yesterday was a busy day around the house and Luke suggested we go for a run. I put him off until today and asked him to choose between our normal 6k run (Golf Rd), A loop around the block which is just under 8ks but less hilly or run up and down the stairs at Crum Park. We decided to wait and see how we felt on the day.

This morning I was up and ready but Luke had a particularly late night and so I waited for him by keeping myself busy on jobs around the house...

When he finally woke, Shayne made us breakfast and Luke and I got ready to go. With another busy day ahead we both chose the quickest option, our 6k Golf Rd run. I asked Luke to stay with me until we reached the top of the hill and my expectation was that he would then want to take off, much similar to our Christmas day run. However, I made it up the hill feeling fine but I could see and hear that Luke was struggling. It was a test for him today.

Once we reached the down hill part on Golf Rd, Luke found it hard to keep going, a far cry from our last run together! A full tummy perhaps from breakfast, or his late night...That's the thing about running, there are some days when it is just too hard and the mind plays tricks on us, tempting us to stop. I was given a tip years ago, to listen to your body and although I didn't want Luke to stop or walk, I knew it had to be his choice. I couldn't possibly know how bad he felt and his face didn't look good either. Patchy pale bits amongst the normal redness that comes with exercise. However, it is about strength of mind and body. I was left with a choice. Do I carry on or do I stay with him to encourage him to keep going...I carried on.

It was only 6ks and my experience gives me the confidence to keep going over this distance and on this particular route. Luke, I guess, is still learning about what he can endure but I know that he has endurance. I remember during his rugby training at Kelston Boys High School, one of his early morning training sessions involved 2 teams, 2 cars and a race to push the car 800m. Each team of 6 had to rotate team mates 2 at a time, push the car for 10 seconds and then swap with the next 2. He said that it was SO HARD that he collapsed on the floor sometime during the first 400m just after his turn and wanted to throw up but he didn't want to look weak and so he got up and joined his team mates for his next turn. They managed to push the car and finish the race. They lost the first 400m but won the last 400m. He had to dig deep and so I know that it is in him to be able to do it. I trust him to make the right choice for him and today it appears that walking was his preferred choice.

I won today but I have told Lukey boy that we're going out again tomorrow and I will expect him to dig deep and go the distance without stopping or walking. He is keen. I hope we can do it!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

The Build up to Christmas

Merry Christmas one and all! I hope that you had a fun-filled, family time full of festivities and laughter. I know that I did and it was great to wake up this morning (Boxing Day) refreshed and relaxed with my family around me and not having to rush off somewhere. We are heading to the 20/20 cricket this afternoon but at least we get to warm into our day first - HEAVEN!

Last Saturday I went for a 2 hour walk with Sharon up to the Pipe Line in Titirangi and back along the other side towards Titirangi Village again and all the way home. It is an upward climb to the village and I always forget how hard it is, especially when there is a strong head wind. I can't remember the distance but we have covered this walk many times in the past. We also ran segments of it. It is good to be out with my buddies again and on reflection, after OXFAM it took a while to get back into regular exercise but I missed our team walks. After Christmas we will be back into it again with our mountain hikes.

On Tuesday, my son, Luke, asked me if I'd go for a run with him as he has to keep his fitness up for rugby when he's back at school. Not one to deter him from his efforts I had to agree and support him in his goals. Like me, her prefers to train with others and he wanted to do our regular 6kms run (Golf Rd). We took off together but it didn't take long for him to leave me. "Not too fast!" I yelled "Save your energy!" but he ran hard and fast. I admired him for this but knew what was ahead for him. After all it was his first bit of exercise since school, some 3 weeks ago! Needless to say I caught up with him. He wanted to stop for water and walk some. My advice was for him to soldier on, not walk, just slow down but he confessed to not having the right attitude...something to work on for the next time. I ran home and made it a good 7.5 minutes ahead of him.

On Christmas Day the four of us did our traditional 6k run (Golf Rd). Not a normal tradition for most people, perhaps, but it is something that bonds us as a family. We had a bet on who would come first and we all agreed on Josh. I based my bet on Luke's effort on Tuesday's run and Shayne always comes last while I struggle to keep up with Josh and his long legs these days. As it turns out, Luke had the right attitude this time round. He and Josh took off ahead of us together. Shayne...well, I didn't see Shayne again until I was on my way back and he was WALKING! Josh has a dodgy knee and was finding it really uncomfortable to run. He has been booked in for surgery in January (more on that later). I passed him on the run as he struggled on but unlike his dad, he didn't walk. He told me that his knee wasn't painful but that it felt very uncomfortable and so he slowed down to a more comfortable pace. Poor chap!

That's the extent of my exercise for the week up to Christmas. I believe my half marathon training starts on 4 January but I hope to do a few little runs and walks before then.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! xx

Thursday, December 16, 2010

A Gift of a Poem

When it was time for one of the children at my kindy to move on to school, he gave each of his teachers a gift of a poem written by his mum. A thoughtful, caring gesture that meant such a lot:

Two little eyes
Discovering what's new
Two little hands
Touching everything in view
A sweet little voice
Asking you why
A mischievous smile
And a whimpering cry
Two little feet
Jumping on the floor
A toddler's mission
Is to explore

And now the toddler is a little boy
Going off to school full of joy
Still with two eyes and hands
To discover and view
All things new
For what you have taught him will bode him well
When it's his turn to stand up in class and tell
Of all he has learnt
From all of you -
To stay independent, honest and true
For what more can I want for a stepping stone for my son
Than what you have guided him to become.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Getting There!

This week saw me out twice to do the same as last Saturday. On Wednesday I met Philomen at New Market and we were joined by Mark and Tuan to do Mt Hobson (Remuwera in Māori), 3 Kings (Te Tatua a Riukiuta)  and Mt Eden (Maungawhau, the Mountain of the Whau tree in Māori). These, I sometimes refer to as hills, sometimes mountains but very rarely do I refer to them as what they are, volcanoes. If you are interested, please hit the links. You will also see pictures of them via the links.

Our education system in the UK, back when I was a lass, was such that my understanding of volcanoes was that they are massive, erupting, lava fueled, red hot, deadly things that cause destruction and disaster. There is no way that I would ever have imagined I'd be running up them! Well, at least attempting to run...

It is good to be out there with people again and I'm already feeling the benefits of it after just 3 sessions. If anyone wants to join us, drop me a line and we'll plan it. You won't regret it!

I walked up the mountains on Wednesday but today's effort was slightly more challenging because I wanted to run up to go beyond the point that I ran up to last week. I did it and so next week I hope to run a bit further again with a view to running up the  mountains without walking...Let's see if I can do it...My buddies are happy to walk up and believe me, that's a challenge in itself! Good though. It amazes me when we see these super fit people that run up time and time again with no walking. I'd LOVE to be that fit.

And so folks, I'm back into it, slowly, and feeling really good about it. I just have to keep it up and start the New Year feeling great!  

I should be out again after work on Wednesday, all going well. It is hard trying to cram it in but I feel it is important and hope to keep it up. Until next time, be safe and remember (Auckland friends only), if you need a designated driver, my Christmas gift to you this year is my commitment to come and pick you up from your Christmas parties to get you home safe and sound. I am alcohol free for you. Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 6, 2010

3 Mountains to Climb

On Saturday I went out with Sharon and Philomen from my last team event and Michelle from the previous team events witha  view to doing 3 mountains. I had an idea that I'd walk with the ladies until the climb up and then I'd try to run up. Michelle, who is incredibly fit and recently did her fastest marathon, decided she would run up with me.

We ran the first 1 and a half but on the last one, Mt Eden, my legs were so heavy that I didn't quite have the stamina. Mt Eden is a tricky one with so many different ways to climb up and we chose the hardest! (Not my choice but hey ho, go with the flow). Once we reached the top the hard work was done and this was my first bit of exercise for 2 weeks. I felt ok but have some serious work to do to get back on track and so I will be doing this again on next Saturday.

Once we had finished it was time for coffee and a scone for a well earned break.

This training will help us to get into shape but I'll also be starting my half marathon training very soon. What with Christmas, end of term, ERO visit to my kindie and everything else that needs to be done. It is a VERY busy time. I'm exhausted and I haven't even started yet!