5 weeks to go...nearly there!

Sunday 18 April
Bike ride 1hour
Gym - stretch and core
Ok so my hip is way too sore to be running 32k today, instead I did lots of stretching whilst painting ALL day.  At 4pm I rode my bike to the gym did a bit of stretching and abs there, and then rode the bike home.  Physio is booked in for tomorrow night for some work - this time a different physio so I'm hoping for some relief.  I need to get back on my feet, I'm nearly forgetting how to run!! Ok maybe not but it feels strange not to have run long for ages!

Saturday 17 April
Bike half hour
Painted two rooms and the hallway :) today too so I'm a bit tired, but extremely satisfied with the productive day.  Now it's time for a cool drink and relax.  I need to get hydrated for tomorrow's long run.  And stretch.

Friday 16 April
Run to work 4.5k & stretch at gym
Bike from work 4.5k
My bum and hip is SORE!! Otherwise all is good.  I'm off to ask my beautiful husband to be for a massage and for him to work his magic to make me able to run on Sunday...hope so.

Thursday 15 April
Bike to work 4.5k (AM)
Body Combat (PM)
Run from gym/work 4.5k (PM)
So today I joined the gym near work, well technically it is on the same block of land as work so yeah - very convenient.  I haven't been doing as much core/weights work as I should be and I think that having the gym so close to work well I can't miss that opportunity to get a workout/class/stretch in before and/or after work.  Did my first body combat class in years and it went really quickly!  I took it easy cos there is a lot of jumps (not so good for the shins) but the abs and pushups at the end and all the punch's and kick's worked me hard!  I really enjoyed it.
I then did a VERY LIGHT jog home after the class.  I know, the physio said not to run til tomorrow BUT I was talking to my COACH today and told him about it all and he said very light jog is ok tonight as long as I don't feel that pain again.  So that's what I did, and no pain.  Just stretching now lots and lots!
It was nice for Coach Brian to call me today, we went through my plan for the next 4 weeks.  He gave me a lot of confidence in what I've done and I think it was his way of telling me just to stick at it for this last month and not to worry and stress too much about the race.  All is good :) I'm off to stretch...

Wednesday 14 April
Bike to and from work 9k
PHYSIO
Booked into the physio to check out the hip, basically nothing too serious just extremely tight hip flexors.  I had some dry needling done to release it and then was told to rest up, do lots and lots of stretching and massage as well over the next few days.  She asked what my schedule was for the next few days and said to NOT run until Friday morning where I can go for a light jog, then for my long run on Sunday I can only go if I don't feel any niggles on Friday's run.  I'm ok to do cross training so bike/ergo etc. are fine and she said if I can't do the run Sunday then a long bike ride could do as well.  BUT I really do want to do Sunday's long run, it's so important this training run.  I need to get used to the feeling of running LLLOOONNNNGGGG.
Booked in for a check up next week so will see how it goes.
So...off I go to get some more stretching in.

Tuesday 13 April
Run 3.5k out of 15k
Bike from work 4.5k
I'd planned to run 15k from the city out to work, was very tight in the left hip before I went but thought it would loosen up as I started to run.  I made it to 3.5k before I had to stop and get picked up.  It was the first time I've EVER had to pull out of a run mid-way through so you can imagine how disappointed I was.  I had a huge limp.  Josh picked me up and had a look/feel at my hip flexor, gave it a good rub down which seemed to release it.  Anyway, to cut a long story short I had plenty of voltaran on it during the day, rode the bike home which was ok, then stretched a fair bit when I got home.


Monday 12 April
Bike to work 4.5k
Run from work 4.5k
I was still feeling groggy this morning and slept in a little later than usual. Had a nice easy ride to work, a busy day at work where I was feeling very sleepy again but then 4pm came around and I felt energetic all of a sudden :) I ran home from work and I would actually say it was a tempo run, I picked up the pace an was really strong up the hills. Very happy with that.
Josh gave me a good stretch and then I've been on the roller ever since. I want to do a medium distance tomorrow morning (15k) before work, just light but need to get these k's up.
This is really the peak week or two in the training before a taper to the finish...oh wow it really is getting close!
Funny how I say the race is the finish - I guess after 18months training for one day the race is just the icing on the cake really. All the training will pay off I know it. Can't wait to get there xxx

Ryan's booked in for his first two operations, which will be in June/July. He's such a tough little boy I know he's going to be fine, we just need to be there for him as much as we can. The donations I'm receiving from this run is helping him get through these operations, I'm so grateful for all the support I've been given over the past few months. Thank you!!