Its Getting Beary Scary......

Right then, blogwatchers.  I’m not sure whether you guys are impressively generous or a bunch of sick puppies - I think, maybe, you are probably both.  Now, remember that my fundraising website has only been live for one week and my original target was $1000.  I agreed somehow  (I still don’t quite know how this happened – aren’t things like this only supposed to happen if you’re drinking??) that, if I managed to more than double my original target that I would wear THIS and post a picture on my blog of me wearing said garment.  http://printallover.me/collections/womens-swimwear-one-piece-swimsuits/products/0000000p-kodiak-bear-2

In case you need any reminding, I am raising money for a very worthy cause – the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of A-mur-ica.  The link to my donation website is here – if you’ve never seen someone running a 5K dressed like a traffic cone before, you really need to check it out.  Really.  You don’t know what you’re missing.   http://online.ccfa.org/goto/Sholloway

The training is actually starting to go quite well (can you detect a note of surprise here?!).  I’ve managed not to tweak the muscle in my calf again (fingers crossed, touch wood) so I’ve been able to stick to the training schedule this week.  I’ve obviously crossed fewer roads this week. 

The schedule usually comprises of 3 shorter runs a week, followed by a longer group run on Saturday morning.  Last week’s run was 4 miles, the longest I’ve ever done  but, this week, there wasn’t a group run scheduled as the CCFA organization was hosting an educational seminar instead.  However, so as to not fall behind on my training AND to demonstrate my commitment to the cause for any of you blogwatchers who haven’t donated yet, I actually voluntarily signed up for a 5K race this morning!  It was called the Ravenswood 5K race and it was to support a local soup kitchen and other worthy causes.   I think its now in its 19^th year and its obviously been very popular as there were 4,000 runners signed up!  The race was due to start at 8am, with race packet pick-up (ooh – check me out with the fancy lingo!) from 6.30am onwards, so it meant yet another early morning weekend wake-up call – 5.30am – ugh!  At that time in the morning, it was still a bit chilly, so I made sure to layer up properly – I think I managed to cram 5 layers under my running jacket.  It was a little snug and Michelin-man’esque, but at least I was warm for the race.   I got there just after 7am and went and picked up my race bib and race t-shirt.  It was a bright pink Mizuno confection with the name of the race stenciled on the back.  X-large, my arse.  Although, to be fair, it probably wasn’t meant to be worn over 4 other layers.

Proof I woz there

Not being a seasoned 5K-er, it was interesting to see how the race was organized – very smoothly, as it happened.  As the time approached for the start, all the runners moved into the area behind the start line and self-organized into corrals based on anticipated pace – minutes per mile.   Because of my handy-dandy heart rate monitor watch, I had a vague idea of my pace, so I went and stood by the 11 minute marker.  After the singing of the US national anthem, the horn blew for the start of the race - and we were off!!  

Well, almost.

It took a few minutes to get going, as the faster runners at the front moved off first and we shuffled upwards towards the starting line from our stations at the back.  But, after a couple of minutes, we were past the start line proper, I fired up my running mix on my iPhone and off I trotted.   I have to say that my new watch is brilliant – I think it was because of that that I managed to run round the entire 5K course without stopping!  (well, maybe some of my training may have helped too!)  I ran at a pace that kept my heart rate at between 145-150 bpm and, because of that, felt pretty comfortable the whole time round.  I didn’t go too fast and get really winded and then panic, but instead actually settled into a bit of a rhythm.  I think there may have been a fleeting moment when, shock horror, I may have come very close to actually thinking about possibly enjoying it!   Before I knew it, my running mix (31 mins) had run out – and I was pretty much at the finish line!  Now, I don’t yet know what my official time was, but I think it was around 35 mins or so.  I’m very pleased with that – for me at the moment, its more important to keep going for longer distances without stopping, rather than to go fast and I’m not sure I’ve ever run quite that far without stopping before.  So, yey for me – I may loathe and despise running still (that momentary moment has, well, passed) but I can’t deny that its starting to get me fitter!!  (and with just over a month to go before Machu Picchu, then its just as well!).

The other cool thing about finishing a 5K race (other than the fact its over) is then the free food at the end, as you cross the finish line and then people start handing you stuff.  First is the bottle of water (or Gatorade), then there are tables piled high with bagels, then bananas, then bags and bags of Oreo cookies, Nabisco treats, Fruit gummies, Clif bars – you name it, there’s a (packaged) carb there with your name on it.  Now, given it’s the weekend and one of my cheat days AND the fact I’d just run a 5K race, I didn’t stint on the post-race refreshments.  I felt I’d earned every mouthful of that chocolate chip Clif bar or the cinnamon roll sample.  Unfortunately now, at night as I type this, its wreaking havoc on my guts – obviously me and white flour and baked goods really don’t see eye to eye.  It’s at times like these I’m very glad I live on my own and am (currently) single.  Even the cats are looking mildly disgusted.

In other running news…… the love I feel for my compression socks continues to burgeon and is on the verge of blossoming into something quite lovely.  I’m sure they’re the reason neither my calf has played up nor my varicose veins exploded, both positive outcomes I’m grateful for.  I managed to wash them without dissolving them (fortunately they’re not hand wash only) so they are delightfully low maintenance (another relationship plus) and I can put them away when I’m not using them (bonza!).  I also have an uber-compression thingy (not sure it qualifies as a sock – there’s altogether too much strapping and Velcro for that, I think) that I’ve been using for the longer runs that’s so snug it leaves two long parallel dents down the front of my leg, on either side of my front bit of leg (sorry – temporarily can’t remember what that bit’s called).  So far the dents seemed to have come out over time but I’m sure the day is coming when I’ll inadvertently wear them for a bit too long and they will be stuck there and I’ll be forever furrowed.

So, have I bored you enough with running stuff yet?  Should I continue to describe my training in gruesome detail or just cut to the chase?  

The million-dollar question is…..how much have I raised so far?  Is it time to start re-growing out the leg hairs ready for my Sweary Beary Hairy Swim Suit?

Sarah, Mahj, Daniel, Sam, Dad, Lauren, Lisa, Lisa’s Mum and Dad, Marcy - thank you.  You are all BRILLIANT for having donated and I am very grateful for your generosity.   With your donations and folk from my work, I can announce that my grand total is now………………….drumroll, please………………………..

$1,900!!!

Yes – just a mere $101 shy of the grand total needed!  Bearmaggedon has been averted for another week!!  Now I know there are still some folk who have said they are going to donate who haven’t yet done so, so I know I only have a temporary reprieve.  I think by this time next week, I’ll probably have a spot of online shopping to do….   So, then, blogwatchers, you know what you have to do….. its up to you now…..

And – as additional incentive – the person whose donation puts me over the proverbial sartorial top will win a very special prize……

Ah.  The shin.  That’s it!