Beating Back The Beast - best laid plans

Best laid plans of mice and men -
I had planned to do a longer run today looking for distance rather than speed but plans change. With visitors due today I didn't have time to be outside for a long period of time so opted for the shorter 2 k run and again tried to increase my pace.

I am happy with the results today as I again managed to shave time off the distance. Split time of 8 minutes per km. That is another 26 seconds per km off my pace. Now this gives me something to  smile about 😁 I may be under 8 minutes a km sooner than I thought.

One thing I do have to look at potentially changing is when I eat breakfast. At present I am eating after my run, I get up, drink some water, stretch and then run, but I am not certain this is working as well for my body as I would wish. Thing is though I do not want to wait around for food to digest before I run. It gets hot quickly in the mornings and I am not a morning person, so getting up earlier is not an option I will be exploring any time soon.

If I could get by with a protein drink then I would be set but of course they are not something that my body will accept anymore. I will go back to my recipe books and search for something that is easily consumed and digested so I can grab it and run, literally. Wish me luck on that search! Considering fruit is out.

Oh well as I said the other day, onward and upward. Something I have learned from martial arts, is when an opponent thinks they have you trapped, if you relax, don't panic, there is always a counter and a route to success.

I am grateful today to have again started my day with a run on a glorious morning

and to have improved my times. Today is going to be a wonderful day. 

My training buddy 😍

Beating Back The Beast - Shorter and some what faster!

Lifting the intensity!
That was my goal for today, I wanted to lengthen my run intervals and cut my time per kilometre. I cut my run to 2 km's and increased the length of my run intervals. I was a little disappointed as I had hoped to take more off my time than I did. I shaved off 14 seconds a kilometre. It seems the nana run I was managing by the end of my run was not a lot faster than my walk, oh well onward and upward.

I think I will go for distance again for a couple of runs and then attempt a shorter faster run again. I am determined to improve both my endurance and my speed.  I must admit though breathing was an issue with the Nor'wester blowing. Always full of allergens and willing to share. I think without it I may have managed a better time so that is promising. I am thankful
the wind was not gale force this morning and allowed for the hounds and I to run in the forest.

I feel blessed to be able to run on such a beautiful morning, there have been many such mornings where simply getting out of bed and crawling through my day have been all I could manage. Feeling grateful even if I am having salad for breakfast.

Beating Back The Beast - Running again

Wow I never thought I would ever say this but ...It's great to be running again.

After nearly 2 months off running due to food reactions, the craziness of end of year gradings and the prize-giving and then Christmas I finally plucked up the gumption to run again. I have been doing other workouts but to be fair I find none as hard as running, well maybe the Yoga but that is challenging in so many other ways.

The first few laps of the forest were particularly difficult but as I found my breathing rhythm and got going I found it got easier and easier. I stuck with the interval training I had been doing prior to my break, walking and running, but instead of using the coaching program just went back to the app the logs my progress and coached myself. I actually found this worked better for me, as I could push myself to a goal and I wasn't waiting for the coach to tell me when i could walk again.

Managed a little over 3Km's today which I am actually quite proud of considering how the beast has been treating me of late. I definitely know I have extended myself but after the initial recovery period I have been energised all day.

Tomorrow will be a stretch day. I said last week I intend to do more stretching and as tempting as it is to run again tomorrow I am not going to I am going to stretch! Discipline is the key here. Lets see how that works out for me.

Win to Amanda today 😀

Beating Back The Beast - A New Year!

Starting the New Year as I mean to carry on with some P90Xtraordinary awesomeness!!!!

Today was Shoulders and Arms.. Sunday was Extreme Yoga!!!  And that is not an exaggeration....Phew...whose idea was that anyway???

After a chaotic end of the year with gradings, prize-givings and reactions to food I took a break over the silly season.

A wonderfully sweet family member gave me The Healing Kitchen book for Christmas and I have been trying a few of the recipes out. Some work others even though they are AIP have me flaring up. But it was a good time to experiment while I was not trying to push my fitness.

Make no mistake I didn't have complete down time. There was a lot of gardening to catch up on and the new veggie patch is still in progress. Always something to do to make sure I do not become sedentary again.

 I find that when I have to sit at the computer for long hours I tend to become glued to the chair. It becomes very hard to motivate myself to get up and do anything. The excuse is always readily at hand that I have work to do here.

I have just completed another proof of By Dragon's Light but was proud of myself this time. I still got myself outside to do things that required activity as well. It makes for a much healthier happier soul. Now I just have to keep that motivation and not let the Beast steal it away.

A good weight work always surprises me with a boost to my energy and that feel good feeling, I love P90X, I love working out and I love being fit and healthy, Yes Beast I said healthy I am on the road and the journey is just beginning.

BRING IT!!