Tuesday 28 June 2011

It's all starting to get a little bit serious

So two weeks into speed training and well ouch springs to mind! As in turns out I only have the one gear when it comes to running and if I were to make a comparison think of Sunday afternoon driving.
I had become rather comfortable running the 20 kilometres to and from work a few times a week and my times for this distance have been gradually decreasing, a positive sign. However I suspect the folk putting my running program together suspected I was getting off a little easy and have certainly upped the ante and its getting all a little bit serious. However this is exactly the push (or kick) I needed.
So the speed or “quality” running as those in the know apparently call it, (in addition to my current running program) involves 800m sprints following a gruelling Zamia track run on a Friday and five kilometres at a pace of 4 minutes per kilometres which following Sunday’s efforts I can’t say I have actually achieved just yet, but it has certainly given me something to work towards.

Sunday rolls around and it’s time to attempt five kilometres in 20 minutes. So I made it through my Sunday morning ‘easy’ run unscarred and prepared for my second run for the day, the one that although it is over quickly I suspected was going to hurt the most. So I broke out the instructions to my running watch to work out how the set and operate the pace alerts and off to the river I went to get this 20 minute, 5 kilometres under the belt. All was going swell until I hit the half way mark, then quite frankly panic set in when I realised I don’t actually think I can keep this pace up. And then the beeping of the watch kicks in to politely inform you that you have dropped below a four minute kilometre pace. And as I then also discovered that if you don’t pick up the pace it beeps again, and again and again!
So all in all my run ended with me yelling at my watch – "I know I’m not running fast enough, and I don’t need you to keep reminding me" I am sure to the amusement of any onlookers.
So it is back to the drawing board on the speed front, and it’s something I will certainly have to work at however I am assured it will get easier.

Monday 20 June 2011

Behind the scenes of Lorna Jane Modern Muse

With a recovery week scheduled in my marathon training program (before entering a month of speed training, not my forte, but more on that next blog) I took the opportunity to put together my Lorna Jane Fit Girl competition video entry.





Check out the final cut at - Holly Ord - Gotta Love the Ride

I hope you enjoy it, we had a ball putting it together (even if it was rather embarrassing) and I hope you can draw some inspiration from it.
And finally thanks to Ellen, Richard and Paula for all your help, you are the source of my inspiration.


Thursday 16 June 2011

Thanks for your continued support and inspiration

Just a quick note to say thanks to the team at Insite Commercial Interiors for your continued support. It inspires me to keep pounding the pavement!

Check out their blog update on my training and fundraising progress at http://insiteblog.com/2011/06/14/holly-hitting-her-strides-for-new-york-marathon/

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Running, running and a little more running (Part 5)

So, far, my training is on track and going well. I have had wonderful offers of support from the least expected places.

My training regime currently entails running approximately 60 km a week. This includes the 20 km’s along the Swan River to work a couple of times a week. On Saturday mornings, I usually do some pace work and run the bridges course circling Canning Bridge to the Mount Henry Bridge. And to build fitness I tackle the hills of the Zamia trial near Challenge Stadium once a week. All of which fits in around the circuit training classes at Mind Body and Soul Fitness Studio. The strength training I do at the gym will help to ensure my body holds up to the 42 kms but the greatest help and strength comes from the people at the gym who every now and then remind me that I may actually be able to achieve my crazy goal.

To ensure my body holds up I also try and squeeze in either a Bikram yoga class (That’s 90 minutes in 40 degrees, of me constantly trying to reach my toes, which seem to get further away as the class goes on), or a sedate session at the pool, to build core strength.

After what seem like a never ending summer, the cooler weather has finally arrived so I can begin with some early morning training to acclimatise to the New York weather. The marathon is run in November, and was a chilly 7 degrees last year.

The training program that I am following gradually builds up the km’s I run each week and peaks at an number of kilometres per week that I am even too scared to write just yet. As part of my training I have recently taken part in the 14km HBF Run for a Reason (only a third of the distance I have to cover – a daunting thought!) I am aiming to take part in the Perth half marathon in July and the City to Surf half marathon in August.

Whenever my training gets tough or I just don’t feel like getting out there, I think of Winston or Sheldon Zinn from Brooklyn, who at the age of 87, completed the New York Marathon last year in 8 hours 8 minutes and 41 seconds.

One of my favourite quotes is by the American marathon runner, John Bingham who said “The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”

HBF Run for a Reason - one third the distance, eeeekkkk.

Wednesday 1 June 2011

Why not the New York Marathon (Part 4)

As an accountant, I was fascinated with some of the figures which I found when researching how much I could make a difference. $50 funds one hour of cancer cure research. $1,900 funds one week and $7,000 funds one month and $90,000 funds one year of vital cancer research.

This was a win win situation  for me. If I could raise enough funds for this cause, Cure Cancer Australia would be able to offer me a place in the 2011 New York Marathon. My aim is to raise $15,000 for the Cure Cancer Australia Foundation.
So goal checklist is:
    CA – Tick
    Travel – Tick (well first tick anyway)
    Bike riding – Tick, crash
    Running – Tick
    Dad – Tick
    Getting into the New York Marathon – Tick

Now all I had to do was train and raise $15,000.

The first New York Marathon was a humble affair. In 1970, 127 runners paid the $1 entry fee to the New York Road Runners Club to participate in the 42.2 km race that looped several times within central park. Of the 127 starters, only 55 runners crossed the finish line. Not a comforting statistic. In 2010, 40 years after the inaugural race, the New York Marathon saw the biggest ever marathon field the world over, with 45,350 runners competing. And in 2011, I am hoping to be among the crowds of thousand trying to fulfil a dream.

In 1976, six year after the running of the first New York Marathon, its co-founder, Fred Lebow redrew the course to run through all five of New York’s boughs. This is how the course stands today and it is a tough one.
 
Looks long on paper

At the boom of a canon, the runners set off - uphill! Starting on Staten Island the course then travels over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the first of five bridges in the course. Sadly the runners are required to run this rather than take the Staten Island ferry over the water to Brooklyn. The route then travels through Brooklyn, where I hope to get swept up in the excitement of the event and not actually notice I am running.

Making it through Brooklyn, we then venture into Queens which hides the steeper hills of the course and then crosses into Manhattan, where the largest and loudest crowds gather. The course is lined with over 130 bands to take the runner’s mind off of the pain they are feeling. I can imagine by this point some friendly encouragement from the crowds will be greatly appreciated.

We don’t stay long in Manhattan before we head up to the Bronx, crossing another two bridges before returning to Manhattan and heading through Harlem, enjoying the gospel singers at churches along the way. Finally, it is on to the very welcome sight of Central Park and the FINISH LINE.

I can’t actually imagine the feeling and sense of accomplishment I am going to feel as I cross the finish line (in what ever fashion I am able to). All I know is that it is going to be fantastic!