Race day
Poppet, Bunny and I ran the Canberra Times 10km yesterday, along with Rach and Ben, and Law Man.
The best thing about Canberra is that for any big event, you’re guaranteed to bump into people you know.
I was extra excited, and had my clothes ready the night before.
I got chicking!
(If you love that shirt – and a lady at the race went to buy one after seeing mine! Head to Cait’s site to check them out or place an order)
Everything was going perfectly, until I started running! Lead legs, anyone? I knew that Friday’s long session was going to haunt me, but I was in denial!
I have no complaints though – I pushed hard, and it was a great track – big open roads had been closed off, and there was plenty of room to push past all those frustratingly slow people who congregate at the front (if that’s you, I am judging you – more so if you have a dog, and a stupid orange t-shirt, and are walking. I hate you).
Never without my headband
The tiny hill we hit just before the finish line nearly killed me, and when an older man cut ahead of me to high five some children in the crowd, I not so quietly swore.
What a sweet old man – if that was you, I am forever sorry for telling you to f-ing move. At that point, I was no longer responsible for anything my body or brain was doing.
In the end, my time was 50:29. I’ll take that!
It’s a little better than my last race time, and this course was much more difficult.
Poppet and Bunny are my house-mates, so we headed home to collapse as soon as we could.
Bunny … after an afternoon nap!
Poppet had no need for sleep!
Something fishy
Did you notice the fish behind Bunny? I spent the afternoon watching them flirt with each other (the fish, not Bunny with the fish). Bunny loves fish, and he finally bought a tank. Apparently these fish mate really easily, so we’re hoping for some mini(er?) fish ASAP.
To market
Lucy, who is a legend, came to take me out for the afternoon, for some much needed non-work/non-running/non-crazy time.
She also buttered me up with some home-made peanut butter chocolate granola.
See Lucy, I told you I’d photograph it.
After lunch, we hit the Bus Depot markets. You know those things in your home town that all the tourists like but you’ve never bothered to do?
The Bus Depot Markets are exactly like that. I loved them!
Bus Depot Markets
We spent the afternoon sampling every goody we could get our hands on.
Something new
I’m definitely able to fit a lot more food in as my mileage creeps up. And on the topic of mileage, I’m working really hard to make sure my body is strong enough to support me as I run.
I told you last week that I had bought a pack of personal training sessions at the gym.
Dave totally surprised me. I was expecting a few basic moves to mix up my weights routine. What I got was a great lesson is myofascial slings.
Huh?
That’s what I said. Especially when he told me that I had to take my shoes off and rub my feet.
I won’t go into too much brutal detail – mostly because I don’t assume I’m an expert after my 20 minute run down!
The idea is that they run across the body. As a runner, I was advised to work on my anterior (front) and posterior (back) slings, using the cable machine to lunge and twist.
From what I could gather (and please, if you know better, do comment and tell us more!), this has become popular with elite athletes, and is a great way to strengthen and activate your body in a more holistic way. As you do when you run.
An added bonus – people give you the ‘look’ when they see you pulling cables archer style.
Today’s Moment
My boss gave me lunch and spent the afternoon teaching me a whole lot of invaluable skills – just because he wanted to help me improve my business skills.
I love how an act of kindness like that can make someone’s day!
Your Turn!
What new fitness related tips or tricks have you learnt lately?
How did you spend the weekend?
Has someone done something kind for you recently?
great job at your race, lady!!! my wkend was nice! i went to a bonfire with friends, and the weather was gorgeous. i also made some awesome pumpkin cookies yesterday which was fun! happy monday, love!
Thanks you lovely!
I don’t think I am in a position to give anyone tips.
I spent the weekend working and running for a change.
There is always some small deed that others do that makes me happy. Sometimes happiness can be found in a seed.
I love your race report. Cool. Congratulations!
I want to be like you when I grow up.
Liz recently posted Fantabulous Day #139 – Distractions, Running in Loops Outside…I Survived the Lurkers!
You are in as good a position as anyone! I love hearing everyone’s fitness revelations
Awesome job on the race girl! Great time!!! Sounds like you had a fun weekend! And that granola looks amazing!!! Good luck with the training sessions…I’ve never heard of the sling stuff…sounds interesting!!!
Mindy @Road Runner Girl recently posted The Weekly Chase and Energy Bits Winner!
Thanks so much Mindy! We don;t really have granola here, so it was extra exciting.
Looks like you had an awesome weekend! Congrats on a better race time! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I look forward to learning from you!
Thanks Sarah – and same goes!
Congrats on your race. Great time. I hate 10k’s (in a totallt love to hate kind of way). You have to run almost as hard as a 5k for twice as long!
Interesting info about the mypfascial slings. I’m going to research.
I had a fun but busy weekend. Cross country meet Saturday, my daughter-in-law’s baby shower on Sunday (all the way to San Diego for that one, a 3 hour drive each way). I’m recovering today
)
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta recently posted Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Meet
I know! You get to 5km and realise that somehow you have to do that again. Cross country looks sweaty and fun! What’s on this weekend?
And how long until until the by arrives? That’s really exciting.
Wow girl, great time. If that is you with lead legs I am both terrified and impressed by how fast you would be without.
The market looks fabulous. I am hungry and want to go right now!
Abby @ BackAtSquareZero recently posted A Rugby Retirement?
Come with then! Thanks Abby; I feel like I’m getting faster, little by little. Once you get that hamstring sorted, you’ll be flying over intervals and hills.
great job on your run!
Thanks so much Danielle!
1) freaking LOVE you!! u seriously look amazing in that shirt, i think that’s the coolest shirt i’ve ever seen actually.
hehe…but really, thanks girl for all of ur chicking support! i’m gonna have to send a pro crew down there to snap pix so i can make u my official model! no joke…stay tuned actually.
2) dead legs SUCK!! but they happen to everyone and by pushing thru u made huge strides in the mental toughness category. it’s ‘easy’ to run fast when u feel great, it’s really hard to still put in the same hard effort when u feel like crap. so really, some of the races u can be most proud of aren’t necessarily always the fastest.
3) okay, so AWESOME that u’re totally schooling up on the body and how to get u running without dumb injuries! all those ‘little’ muscle weaknesses are super common. i’ll be honest and say that if u do that whole pedestal routine, with the leg lifts if u can, that will literally work all of those areas. also, a muscle that goes along with those ones and tends to get REALLY tight in runners and then cause lots of problems is the psoas. it’s a set of two muscles deep in your belly/groin on either side of your hip. there are stretches to do for this one, get down on your right knee and place the left leg out in front of you, you’ll want ur left quad parallel to the floor. Sort of lean your back backwards and even raise your left arm over your head, you want to feel a deep stretch right in the right hip area, hold it and do the other side. also, if u massage this muscle (not too hard) it helps loosen it up. a lot of times if this is tight people overcompensate and get lots of wacky injuries.
sorry for the epic comment, but lemme know if any of this helps!!
XOXO
You are AMAZING!
I love the shirt, and I love what you’re doing with art and sport (I can’t draw or paint to save my life – so envious!) and I’ll keep showing everyone proudly!
Thanks you so much for that comment – I love the pedestal stuff, and I’m going to do it more often. I have a Cait guru! I love how helpful people are in the running community, and I always, always want to learn more
. Running is addictive. A year ago I didn’t run. At all, and now I feel like I’m in for life.
You’re a gem.
aww, thank u. and i agree that one of the best things about our sport is the enthusiasm people have to help each other….because we’ve all been on the receiving end before and it’s the whole pay it forward.
and it’s also just as rewarding to the person who feels like they might be able help because it’s SUCH an awesome thing to watch someone fall in love with running and to continue to improve, just like u are! XOXO i’m so proud of u, and mean the genuinely. 
Cait the Arty Runnerchick recently posted Comment on Miles Madness Week 1 Update: Totals, Prizes and Gluttony by Cait
Dude you are so much faster than I have ever been! Speedy gonzales, congrats!! And how fascinating, I’ve never heard of those slings! I keep reading your posts with your voice in my head and your cool aussie accent.
Ruby @ Focus, Woman! recently posted Musings from a long weekend away
Haha – I even posted my way cool accent for you last night. Nice to see you again!
Yay!! Congrats on your race! That is a fantastic time, especially for lead legs. And I’m intrigued by those slings… sounds like the trainer knew what he was talking about. I’m going to have to look into that!
Laura recently posted School Lunch Ideas + Sweet Potato Energy Bars
Thanks Laura. The slings really interested me as well – I don’t feel like I’m doing a lot when I lunge and twist, but I feel it the next day – without it truly impacting my running. It seems like a good balance.