The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly... Highlights from my Marathon Training

 

Wairere Falls waterfall going up
rather than down. Crazy!

Well I am very proud to say that I have built up my running from 6-7km per week to 58km this past week! Actually cannot believe it, and the more I run the more I feel like I can do anything... but the runs can be very challenging at times and I will today include some highlights of recent runs!

• Running in 26 degrees heat with no clouds or breeze, and a hole in the o-zone layer! Spent 15 minutes running up and down the same 50 metres of road just because it was in the shade - boring but necessary.
• Being chased down the road by a dog who had bitten me a few years ago. Then spending the remaining 50 minutes running in tears before ringing my Aunty to pick me up as I couldn't get home without passing the dog.
• Running at Omokoroa beach with my older sister Tracy, and younger brothers Jack and Graham. While running up a steep hill, after 20 minutes, Mum slowly driving next to us eating an icecream! Of course, I ran to her window and had a mid run bite after failing my attempt to push it in her face hehe.
• Accomplishing my best run of 1 hour 45 minutes at a slow speed around the beaches of Mount Maunganui with my little sister Mikaela, and cousin Tayla. Feeling very proud, we enjoyed a swim at the beach, and fish and chips after (great post run food I am sure!).
• Hiking up and down Wairere Falls only to find when we got to the top we couldn't get to the lookout because the strong wind was pushing the waterfall upwards towards us!
• Looking forward to a very short run of 20 minutes (day after the biggie) only to find that it was the longest 20 minutes in the world and the biggie was very much easier!
• And finally, the best part of any run on a hot day.... jumping in the pool after is always a highlight! And the occasional gin or Pimms - not sure that Keegan would agree to that post run hydration technique....

So despite the horrible runs, they are necessary to really enjoy the goodie runs! I am still going in this training and see my drive and determination to run the marathon only increasing as I progress... as I like to say: bring it on! :-)