RUN FOR A REASON COMPLETION UPDATE:

Howdy all! I completed the 14km HBF Run for a Reason race yesterday here in Perth.

Firstly my opinion was that the race was actually 14.5km haha! That was because there was a signpost marked out when we completed each kilometre! So for the last km I really had to grit my teeth for my life and go as hard as possible and was really relieved when I saw the 14km sign! But NO finish line! The runners in front kept on running around another corner, down another straight, around another corner, another straight, another corner............when was it gonna come! I even yelled out loud, 'they're teasing us here with the finish line aren't they', so all other frustrated runners could hear me! I guess I was running for another 3 odd mins or 500m past the 14km sign before the actual finish line!

As for race options there was either the long or short option, I did the long one. Then we assessed our estimated finish time so we could line up in either Group A, B or C. I went for the middle group, B which had an expected finish time of between 1 hr 15 mins and 1 hr 45 mins. At the start line the 'Group A's' take up about the first 100m followed the the B, then C group. There was a bit of congestion at take off, that is making it to the start line from nearly 200m back and then the first 200m or so of stopping and starting once past the start line.

My gun time was 1 hour 29 mins, so I'm guessing my net time would be about 1 hour 27 mins. I know I managed the first 10km just under an hour which was pleasing. I know I slowed down a bit between the 10th and 13th km and really bit the bullet in the final bit and finished totally pooped! I ran all the way. I don't consider it a bad effort cause I hadn't done any runs of longer than about 5.5km in the last couple of months.

Involved in the event there were over 10000 participants and we got to run on the freeway I'm guessing to the annoyance of motorists! These event was a last min decision, (I only decided to do it 5 days before the race and signed up then).

WHERE TO FROM NOW:

* The Perth Half marathon is on 8 August, (11 weeks as of yesterday). I haven't decided whether I will enter this event or not at this stage but will assess it in 8 or 9 weeks time. Then there is the City to Surf 12km run on the last Sunday in August. I have a definite plan to enter this event unless of injury or illness! Then from October/Nov triathlon season starts.

So therefore now I plan on 3 runs per week, (one hilly run, one short fast run or intervals, and one long run per week). The long run will start off at 11km and build up to 21km over the next 11 weeks, - a km a week extra each long run but I may have a taper week before the half marathon if I do it. The short and hilly runs will be at least 5km a pop.

I also plan to keep up one good bike ride per week. At this stage I'm not fazed if it's an RPM class of at least 45 mins at gym doing as best as poss or one ride of at least 20km steady per week. I really need to be more organised and get in one swim per week. Just 1km focussing on technique and pace for freestyle for the next 4 weeks anyway. However the good lap pools aren't so handy to me. There is one 10km away so if I ride there and back and do a swim I can count that as having have completed the bikeride and swim in one go! I'm not at this stage phased that the 20km bike ride is broken into 10km rides! And for strength: - either 1 Body Pump class per week or a self made weights workout covering all major muscles. I also still want to get in once per week a 15 min circuit covering pushups, plank, lunges, crunches, dips, - that's easy, can be done at home without equipment! I will ensure I have one day off all training per week too!

If I do the half marathon, a completion time of under 2 hours would TOTALLY rock my world!!! However beating my half marathon PB of 2 hours 15 would be fantastic too! Following City to Surf the idea is to drop the runs from 3 down to 2 a week and add either a swim or bike ride to help towards triathlon.

Watching diet, sleep and organisation will be vital too. A big focus will be really trying to cut my intake of processed foods. Lots of fresh veg, some fresh fruit, lean fish, meat, chicken. As for packaged foods like oats, brown or basmati rice etc I am to limit foods with the ingredient panel listing names and numbers I don't understand! Ideally wholefoods. Herbs and lemon juice will make good sauces. Natural yoghurt over artificially sweetened yoghurt. I will consider the types of foods served at a health retreat and mirror my choices a bit of them. I won't be totally strict I'm sure but will look for improvements! Also I still am needing to focus on fatloss! So portion control and less sugar will be the go!

Talk soon!

All the best,

Pip :-)