At this current moment I am a professional runner, and by professional runner I mean that I am currently not working so have all the time in the world to run….

I was recently made redundant and finished working last week. I said to Richard until I manage to get myself another job that I would become a professional runner – perfect timing considering I have just over 6 weeks till my first marathon run! Just a shame I am not getting paid to professionally run….I need to find myself a sponsor or two (funny thing is I went into Shoe Clinic earlier in the week and brought a heap of Clif bars and gels and the lady said are you running one of their events? I said no I just like their products….so if you are from Clif I would love to get stuff for free and run with your logo…that is if you are looking for a semi-professional first time marathon runner….? No? damn)

In my first week as a professional runner I have actually read a book about a professional runner, Paula Radcliffe. Paula: my story so far. It was a great read and really put into perspective that no matter how professional you are or not so professional you are (like me) that we all experience the same sort of emotions, problems, injuries, lows and highs that other runners do. She is one incredibly lady, so many injuries that the average person would have no idea about! Recommend the book to anyone!

As I said, I am just over 6 weeks out from the marathon and I am feeling pretty good. I completed my first really long run on Sunday. I did my first every 30km run, it was tough, but I survived! Thanks in large part to Pauline who encouraged me the whole way, she was doing her last long run (21km) before her marathon in Melbourne next weekend and I am just starting the first of many long runs in the next few weeks before I taper.

The advantage of being a professional runner is that you can literally run whenever you like, no need for getting up super early to run before work and no need to leave your runs till the late afternoon after work. So far I am enjoying this flexibility and the ability to run whenever I like! Is this what it is like for the real professional runners? I have a feeling that their regimes could be slightly more hard out than mine!

We will see how my life as a professional runner goes over the next few weeks…..I do have some pretty long runs coming up (35km…ekkkk) wonder how real professional runners feel when they have to do these sort of runs…guess I will find out soon!

Below are some pics of my recent runs….incase you wanted to see!

I look and cringe as to when I last blogged and it was 20^th August!! Time really does fly.

It has been a really, really REALLY busy time which has made for interesting training times and locations over the last month.

August

We had Spring Challenge on 30^th August at the Raspberry Cafe in Tai Tapu which was a really fun way to get together and meet fellow CPers and the other bloggers. It was interesting and inspirational to catch up with fellow bloggers Pauline, Jennifer and Isobel and learn more about their training and goals in the coming months. We all agreed it is useful not only being accountable to a CP coach but also to the wider community. I think the main highlight of the day was having cake for breakfast and trying out my very fancy new Sunnto Ambit 3R GPS watch. It has been a really good investment and has helped me quantify what I’m capable of doing.

September

Spring time arrived along with a sneaky half marathon and visiting family and friends for three weeks. Simon plotted for me to partake in the Kaikoura half marathon on 12^th September. I wasn’t the only CP face in the crowd – Pauline, Tom, Lauren and Cathy all ran too. I ran the Christchurch half marathon in June and clocked up a personal best of 1.59.09. The pressure was on to beat this time but there was the added challenge of the “slope” (Simon’s words not mine!) at the 15km mark. At that stage of the race a ramp would have felt like Everest! I crossed the finish line in 1.54.24. The new watch was helpful in letting me track distance and speed during the race. For the first time after finishing a half marathon I didn’t get the dreaded cramps and general sick feeling but actually felt well. This race taught me the importance of race preparation and making good decisions. For the first time I ran the race with both water and electrolytes. I sipped both throughout and it really made a huge difference to how I felt during the race and at the end. Preparation nutritionally for the race included eating nothing spicy or herby and to start hydrating two days beforehand. My new PB has definitely put a spring in my step.

Two days later family arrived for a three week visit. Our first weekend away was in Te Anau and Doubtful Sounds. Running in a new place is always fun and a great way to get to know somewhere in a different way. I took the opportunity to run part of the Kepler track and of course it was totally amazing. I look forward to running the whole thing one day. The following weekend we were based in Christchurch and I ran in Halswell Quarry along C2, Crocodile Track and Kennedy’s Bush. It was my first “proper” uphill trail run in quite some time and it was fantastic…especially the downhill part. Last weekend we travelled to Tekapo and ran along Lilybank Road taking in the breathtaking views of the lake and mountains. During this run I also took on nutrition for the first time. I have a delicate disposition and usually have to eat 1.5 to 2 hours before a run and sometimes that even isn’t enough. I gingerly bit off a morsel of a Rhuburb and Crumble Nakd bar and it sat well. I’m keen to try some other flavours too. It was my longest run to date 25km. Another milestone on the get Emma to 50km journey. On Sunday I ran up Mount John when the winds were in full swing. I reached the steps before the top and thought it was OK, not too windy then got to the top and the wind almost stripped me of my clothing…prime example of a bad decision!

October

The month ahead brings all sorts of fun and adventures. Now that daylight savings has arrived it means longer runs during the week are on the cards. Simon has scheduled some sandwich sessions. I initially thought this might involve taking a sandwich on the runs however that would be a no. Sandwich sessions involve doing the race distance over three days For example, Saturday can be 15km, Sunday 25km and Monday 10km. Just to make things interesting I am travelling to Brisbane and Wellington with work for two weeks, so again lots of discipline will be required to ensure I fit in all sessions, get lots of sleep, eat the right food and drink the right drinks!! Race day is 14^th November and I am feeling that with the end goal in sight, I will be prepared on the day and will be able to enjoy the race 100% in the knowledge that I have adequately and sensibly prepared for it. And of course, I have already set sights on my next race!! I have signed up to be one half of a whole for the Coast to Coast. My team mate Anna will complete the 55km bike on day one and the 67km kayak on day two. I will complete the 33km run on day one and the 70km bike on day two. So after the 14^th November it will be time to pull the bike out of the shed and get ready for the next adventure.

Until next time…

Joined in my first CP group cycle ride this week, we had fun with wacky races and a bit of clowning around in good company. This addition to my timetable has meant I have had to experiment with altering the timing  and content of my meals so I am neither full nor hungry at 6pm. Beck and I have been working on me becoming much more intuitive around diet and sorting out what is genuine hungry eating and what is non-hungry eating. I get to practice both sides as I have to eat when not hungry in order to be able to handle the 6pm group ride but then revert back to hungry eating again later. I got it mostly right this week, more fine tuning will help. If anyone is interested in this approach get hold of “If Not Dieting, Then What?” a book by Rick Kausman. I found this really transformative.

This weekend I had a longer, flatter ride to start building some more endurance. I was caught up just after the ‘downs’ by a really nice Ironman. We chatted all the way along OTT road and on to Ellesmere Rd. I got to show him the quiet alternative Peryman Rd from Tai Tapu that avoids most of the main road to Lincoln that is often so busy. Thanks again for your company Ironman. We agreed that cyclists are much more likely to join up and chat like this compared to runners or walkers; with swimming it’s out of the question really! Lots of friendly waves and nods from cyclists coming the the other way too.

Sunday morning and I’m off exploring Bowenvale and found the Hidden Valley track to challenge my fitness and balance up the rocks and steps. In places I even had to uncover the track from all the spring growth! Loads of crazy, fast MTBers to watch on the other side of the gulley. Fleur promised me off road and a bit more rugged, I sure found it. I love this more challenging walking, the steps you have to take vary constantly and I find my balance is awful! This is great strength training too. Found some pretty flowers to make a good excuse for a breather and to take a picture!

Can’t be that Hidden if I can find it!

I am going to have a great collection of photos of steps at this rate.

Keep ’em coming Fleur!

One thing that has been frustrating for me to get my head around, and also to implement correctly, is running nutrition.Firstly though I want to share a recent running experience….

Last Sunday while I was doing my long run up in the hills and was about 8km from the end, mentally lamenting abut how my legs felt tired, how far I had to go and why don’t they have toilets out here…. When – “Oh my god what the hell is that?!!!”  My mental conversation with myself had gone from worrying about trivial stuff to screaming at my legs to move faster! I was being dive-bombed by a rather zealous magpie who was convinced that I was trying to steal its babies!! Sore, tried legs were forgotten in an instant, I could hear myself screaming and rampaging along the trail. I sprinted the last 500m until I was out into the open and back onto the road again. Fastest 500m I’ve ever done and there’s nothing like a dump of adrenaline into your system to get you moving. When I got home I Googled how to avoid the ‘protective’ nature of magpies. Apparently screaming and running flat out isn’t the way to manage attacks – you should just walk away calmly and quietly. Um, yeah nah no thanks. I have run this track many times over the past year and have never experienced this.   According to Google, magpies remember faces and will attack the same person again even if there is no perceived threat. Breeding/dive bombing season finishes in November so I will be altering my run route until then!

Right back to relevant stuff like sports nutrition. I know that the science behind fueling right means that I can run for longer and getting my nutrition right obviously also helps your body recover faster, ready for next time. I have been learning about the power of carbohydrates being the main providers of energy in my run diet. My day-to-day diet is usually focused on ‘whole foods’ and I try and limit my sugar intake (added and hidden). Running nutrition is an area that is new and feels completely foreign to me and it appears, (very frustratingly) can take a while to get right. Thanks to some information supplied by Richard I have worked out that between my electrolyte replacement drink and gels, my carbohydrate consumption might have been unbalanced, causing me to feel thirsty even when taking on fluids and also giving me an upset stomach post-run. Last weekend I tried just water with an Em’s power bar and it was good in the sense that this combination didn’t upset my stomach, but my energy levels didn’t feel balanced. I don’t have a sweet tooth so using gels and energy chews takes a bit of effort.   Plus needing around 60g of carbohydrates per hour equals a lot ‘real food’ in comparison to chews and gels!   So I am back to the drawing board of what is going to work for me. I have a 30km run planned for this Sunday so will be trying out some new combinations to hopefully find something that sustains the energy levels without too much gastro upset. I am also working on some new strategies for refueling post run at the moment as I find it difficult to eat after a long run. This inevitably leads to wanting to eat the entire contents of the fridge about 2 hours post run. Never a good thing! So tomorrow will be another step in the process of conquering a marathon!

Last week ended with my first attempt at a real hill, Westmorland. It wasn’t pretty and I am very glad no one witnessed it! There may have been a bail out detour required at Sedgwick St but that was only so I could do a U turn and continue on up the hill minus the imminent cardiac arrest!
So this week was meant to have been a rest week but it hasn’t really felt like it, probably because I have filled the non training time with other things. There is daily yoga and having to consult a massage therapist about my lymphoedema. If anyone wants to know more about this condition just holler. So this morning’s programme had me going up Flowers Track in Sumner as there is a treat at the top for me.

Check this swing out.

Getting inverted or even just getting your legs above your heart is wonderful recovery and with this swing you get to sway back and forth too, I love it! You could do acroyoga on this…

Get a load of them socks!

The last month has seen a noticeable increase in milage on the bike. Two weeks ago saw my biggest ever training week, with 25 hrs, 415km (all on MTB) and some swimming. The biking included a mid week 148km ride, followed by a weekend trip from near Timaru to Twizel and return. Last week I rode in Micro Adventure 3 around the Methven area. Some knee problems saw me cut the ride short, but i still managed my first night out in the new tent and got to test my gear out in some pretty cold conditions. A trip to the physio showed the problem to be a muscle imbalance problem pulling my knee slightly out of alignment, rather than any structural problems. With my long rides now getting up around 12 hours (away from home) the little things are starting to become important!
Having now ridden with a few different people, mostly experienced in Brevet style riding, I am starting to find the pace that i can sustain all day, and for multi-days. It is a far cry from the intensity and speed of 100 mile bike race and Iron distance tri pace, but i’m loving the more relaxed attitude to riding and the essential cafe stops!
last week I received my front roll, feed bags and top tube bags from Stealth bike Bags and had the opportunity to test them on Micro Adventure 3. I have some minor adjustments to make, but they worked superbly. Being my first opportunity to ride with a full gear kit, the set-up worked remarkably well and it made a world of difference having ready access to food and gear.
Training wise, it is now just a matter of keeping the milage rolling along and keep on testing the gear. Each time I load up the bike i find a better way of packing things. As I am anticipating taking around 17 days for Tour Aotearoa, if I can save 30 mins a day in packing, unpacking and sorting gear out during the day, I can gain nearly a full day!!

Epic bike, Epic trip, Epic views. Alps to Ocean trail, Pukaki

Back country roads near Albury

The Stour valley, Hakatere Conservation area

First weigh in of gear. Give or take a bit, 10.4kg including bags

I have just finished the Catch Fitness 20 Week Challenge and the last 4-5 months seem to have whizzed by in a flash. To end the challenge Pumped Training (where I train) hold a fun run event and I entered the half marathon. My race plan was to try and emulate some of what I plan to do when I run the Queenstown marathon in a couple of months. I rested up last week and only did a couple of shorter runs. I was seriously twitchy and ready to run by the time Sunday rolled round. I was nervous but felt prepared. The run went really well and I was pleased with my pace and my form. Unfortunately my legs weren’t too happy towards the end of the run but hopefully once I get a few more long runs in, they will cope better with the distance I am preparing them for!

As with any plan there is always something that is bound to go awry. I wrote a list of what I needed for the day and a couple of omissions made me realise the importance of double checking everything. It was a bit chilly on arrival as I left the puffer jacket at home (wasn’t on the list) and I only planned for it being cold (only took long sleeved run tops) which in the end wasn’t really a problem but it spun me out a bit at the start!

Also, I had rehearsed in my head how I would warm up, with a focus on some of the static exercises I had practiced in my training. What actually happened on the day was I got so busy catching up with everyone and chatting, that the warm up plan went right out of my head which could explain some of the soreness in my muscles this week!

My nutrition during the run seemed to be adequate but I think that perhaps I may still need to eat a bit more either for breakfast or carry more fuel with me. This time I tried eating something within half an hour of finishing my run which is something I don’t normally do. My stomach didn’t really appreciate the new plan so I might have to re-think post-race refuelling!

So, this week my focus shifts from my 20 week challenge goals to fully focusing on the Queenstown marathon – back into the training and long runs. I see on my training plan I have a few 30km runs coming up – when I first saw them written down I had heart palpitations and having just run 21km, a full marathon distance just seems daunting and a bit overwhelming at times. However, the power of the BHAG is that it gets you out of thinking too small. And it wouldn’t be a BHAG if it wasn’t a little bit scary….

The countdown has begun! With only 2 weeks until Spring Challenge I’m starting to get excited. For those that don’t know Spring Challenge is an all-women’s adventure race. It involves rafting, mountain biking, running/hiking and navigation. It is raced in teams of 3 women. There are 3 different race options – 3, 6, or 9 hours. We have entered the 9hr race. It’s an awesome race and I’m really looking forward to it. I have raced it twice and each time it has been quite different. Each year the race location changes and this year it is in Wanaka which is really exciting because it’s such awesome place.

I’m on study break so I decided to head home to Wellington. I had an exciting weekend of training filled with mountain biking, running and lots of hills. Although our Spring Challenge team is spread throughout NZ we all managed to be in Wellington for the weekend to do some training. Kathryn and I weren’t exactly sure how our Saturday was going to end up, we were recently warned that Spring Challenge is going to have lots of mountain biking and hills in it this year so we decided find some hills to ride(which is easy in Wellington!). Kathryn’s sister wanted to take us mountain biking in Belmont Regional Park so that’s where we started. About 3.5hrs later we made it back to Kathryn’s house – sore, cold and a bit muddy having concurred a few hills. Wellington threw some great weather at us – we got not just rain but heavy hail!

We decided that wasn’t enough training for the day, especially since the weather was clearing up. We enjoyed some much-deserved food, got warm and then went for a run up Mt Kaukau carrying gear. My legs did not enjoy it the run very much.

To finish the day off Kathryn and I loaded the car with our bikes and headed off to Wainuiomata to meet up with Nicole for a mountain bike. Yay! We managed to all get together as a team! We enjoyed some nice single track, a four-wheel drive track and some more hills… I slept pretty well that night.

On Sunday morning I enjoyed a little sleep in and even managed to get some study done before jumping back on my bike. Kathryn, Nicole and I got to enjoy some wonderful sunny weather mountain biking in the Akatarawas. Kathryn had to leave a bit early to drive back to New Plymouth, so Nicole and I continued on. I even hut bagged a hut for the first time on a mountain bike (I really like hut bagging)! It was awesome way to complete a good weekend of training. It was also exciting exploring mountain bike tracks that I don’t normally ride. Now bring on Spring Challenge!

Nicole, Kathryn, Rachel

One of the advantages of being an older soul is that over the years I’ve tried out loads of different kit and equipment so you’d think I had pretty much figured out what I like and what works well for me. Thing is that new products and refinements of older ones keep coming along and so I am just working out that the world of sports and fitness hasn’t half moved on since I last looked some 5 years ago.

I’ve been very short sighted since I was about 10 yrs old. Unless I use contact lenses (and I have in the past but can’t be bothered now) the world of fancy sports sunglasses is largely denied me. Now I’m ‘older’ my focal length for reading is heading in the other direction! I want to have sunglasses I can wear on the bike that protect my eyes from the wind, let me see clearly, work in bright and low light and it would also be nice to be able to read my cycle computer when it’s on my stem. Check out my Adidas ‘Evil Eye’. I came across the sunglasses in one of Torpedo7’s terrific sales. Keeping a look out for this sort of bargain can really pay off as prescription lenses don’t tend to come cheap. A bit of googling showed they come in a small size, (great for women), adjustable all over the place, interchangeable coloured lenses included, with a yellow for low light, and can take an inserted prescription lens. Off to my favourite opticians, T+S at Northwood and hey presto, clear vision, a lens for every weather condition and they look the part. Even in the drizzle at the Brunch Ride, sunglasses of this lens colour can make a big difference for comfort and clarity.

One of my other favourite bits of kit are Ground Effect’s ‘Chipolatas’ gloves. Newer materials mean I can have gloves that fit snugly, keep my hands warm and dry and I can still work the controls. No more mashing or missing the levers!

On the training front, Fleur continues to unleash her stash of stairs on me. I actually really enjoy them; honestly! I was just having a bit of fun here for the camera. I am also doing circuits and bumps on the ‘Downs’ more and more. Got up to 8 bumps yesterday… Hmm I wonder how many bumps it will take to equal Coronet Peak?

Most of my runs are on long, straight country roads due to us living in Irwell. In fact, I had to run 27km a few weeks ago and I ran it in one direction due to a strong southerly blowing (I don’t do head winds) and I literally turned only about four bends. Many of you would find this unbelievably boring but not me. It is a great feeling getting to the end of the road and the Garmin is telling me I have just run 20k. Great only 7 to go!

On Sunday I ran 31k’s around Brookside to Leeston and back. It was a great run! I have run these roads many times before and I know most of the families that farm in the area and they know me. One farmer calls me “the crazy running lady”, which is slightly offensive but I quite like it!

The first thing I do on a long run like this is to drive the course and put out my drink bottles – they are always waiting for me. No one out here thinks it’s odd that there is a water bottle lying beside their letter box or road sign. If I get hot I can leave my jacket or hat in any of the letter boxes and they will always be there for me to pick up later. I have one farmer who leaves lollies in his mail box for me – do you get that town??

The scenery is always changing in the country. You get to see all the seasonal transformations. Watching the paddocks being turned over and planted to then seeing the header coming in to do the harvest when the crops are ripe, the calves and lambs being born means warmer days are beginning. I have even had to do the odd rescue. One time I heard a little lamb crying on the side of the road. There were no other sheep around so I picked her up and put her under my jacket to keep her warm and went up the first driveway I came to – why do farmers have the longest driveways in the world? The farmer named that little lamb “Pauline”. Another time I saw a poor old ewe trying to give birth but the lamb had become stuck, so I ran up another long driveway and told the farmer. He said “well did you pull it out?”

Running in the country does mean running on the roads. There are no footpaths out here. I always run on the right so the traffic is coming towards me. Most drivers are really considerate and will give me heaps of space, I always give a ‘thank you’ wave and nothing beats a cheering toot, toot from friends as they drive past. If I happen to see another runner (a rare occurrence) there is always a big shout out and even a mid-road conversation. I can’t say the same about some of the townie, Lycra wearing, road cyclists that dare venture over the Selwyn bridge, unfortunately!!! *

So give country roads a go. Come on out. Did I also mention there are no hills, no smog, just the sweet smell of the silage being fed out and occasionally the not so sweet smell of the offal pit burn off!
*CP cyclists do not fall into this category.