Lisa’s Journey, Week 11: Challenge Accepted!

Argh… Ok, so who’s sped up time?  It seems I just finish a blog and vow to have the next in on time and then it’s already Friday! Now it’s Saturday and I’m already late, but as my favourite saying goes, ‘if it wasn’t for the last minute, I’d get nothing done’!! So here’s how this week has played out.

Dogs like, ‘lets just go home!’

I started with my first 50 minute run. Having hit 6km the week before, my only aim was to better the distance. Nothing too big, but I did.  On Wednesday my boy, the dog and I headed out to do the fartlek (I really do like doing these workouts)! It was nice to have my wee running buddy out with me again!

 

At the end of last week Ray goes ‘I’ve got a challenge for you next weekend. I know you’re up to it, thats why I’ve put it in there’.  My initial thoughts were “OMG what’s it going to be”?

I quickly looked on TP (Training Peaks) to see what it was. An hour run. Hmm, I actually didn’t mind the fact it was just 10 minutes more. It was more the fact that now the times are getting a smidge longer, would my legs carry me to do it okay?  Would my mind get me there?

Then, as I mentioned last week, it’s about trusting the process.  If Ray’s said I can do it, I can.  And I did. I added another 1.5kms. So 7.5kms today! Wooohooo yippee, proud moment for me. Getting that much closer to 10kms too. Haha and the time ran out just as I got to the bottom of the hill, so I got to walk up it today!!

It is two weeks until the Woodbourne Half Marathon (NO I’m not doing the half), but I am excited for my ‘first’ event in a long time. The kids are doing it, and Nanny is coming too!! So it will be nice to have the family there taking part. My boy has already told me he’s going to kick my butt! LOL

Something else I have noticed and thought I’d mention is the ‘looks’. The looks you get when you mention you’re doing the Whale Run. “OH” and then it kinda goes quiet.  I break the silence with “I’m running the 10km”.  Wait for it.  Yip there it goes and the eyes slide south.  I’m not sure what they are expecting to see down there.  Legs that wouldn’t match my body obviously.  A unicorn maybe. I have no idea, but they will certainly not find your typical ‘runners’ legs! As my Dad would say, ‘lucky legs‘. “Lucky they don’t snap off and stick up their ass’.  These I have no longer.  They have gone with my school days! I’m glad now that I can have a chuckle to myself about this, because I know I can do it, and there’s that quiet pleasure in knowing this!

Stretching is so tiring…

My legs may not fit the standard runners mould, but they’re getting stronger, and are getting me where I need to go! I just need to keep the stretches and rolling happening. I’ve had a lot of support this week, haha.  The doggy decided that she needed to get in on the stretches again, lay down in the way and promptly went to sleep.

– Lisa Harris

Lisa will be writing weekly as she continues her journey to achieving her goal of completing the 10km Kaikoura Whale Run. Check in next Tuesday for her next article.

Read Lisa’s article from last week here:

Lisa’s Journey, Week 10: Trust And To Believe In One’s Self…

And all her previous articles are stored here:

http://www.coachray.nz/category/client-stories/lisas-journey/

Lisa has worked hard over the last four weeks building her training sessions up from a walk with a bit of running…through to running with a bit of walk and now 4km of non-stop running following the programme below.

 

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