I cannot believe Week 4 is already at my door. My daily routine now revolves around whatever training I have planned for the day and I am making personal choices such as what I eat and what time I go to bed in anticipation of the next days scheduled exercise.
I am just as surprised as you are.
Our runs this week consisted of two 3min runs and two 5min runs.
The first time we had to do this, on Tuesday, I thought my lungs would burst. Really.
I felt like everything that could possibly distract me was out to get me. My gym pants were falling down. My hair was blowing in my mouth. My eyes were itchy. The sun was too hot. My throat was dry. The wind was too strong. That bird is totally squawking at me.
Distractions aside, Rhi and I reassured each other throughout the entire circuit and came out the other end triumphant and giddy with shock that we had actually finished without needing to stop.
Wednesday's bike ride turned out to be the hardest thing we have had to endure since the beginning of this madness, purely because of how exhausted we already felt. My usual ease when riding was muted by the burning in my legs and lungs but we persisted around the Little Para River Trail and made our 60 minutes as required.
We also took this opportunity to try out the TORQ gels that our boss had given us to sample, so at 30 mins in, we shared some Strawberry flavoured goo, and then jumped back on our bikes with renewed vigor.
I don't know if this was only due to some placebo affect, but after taking the gel, we both felt much more awake and energised, and our legs didn't hurt as much as when we started. So that is a +1 to the product. I mentioned this in my other post, but I don't think I would use this while running as you have to tear off the packet and then squeeze the gel into your mouth without getting it all over yourself and everyone else.
I failed at that and I was standing still *insert rolling of eyes here*.
To add to the surprises of this week, Rhi and I commenced our second round of jogging for the week on Friday morning and it was challenging, but simultaneously, felt good. What?
That's right. It felt good.
Because of the longer running times, we had to extend our running circuit to follow the shared walking trails down behind the Adelaide Zoo, across the river and come back around to the Oval. I never knew that there was so much scenic pavement in the Adelaide CBD.
Between the river Torrens, the wildlife, the water and the energetic atmosphere that comes from joggers, walkers and cyclists, it is worth taking a walk through there, even if just for a quick look.
Saturday and Sunday were forecast at 40 degrees both days. The 5th day of Summer, and we were already in the cooking zone!
Luckily, Rhi and I had already organised to go to the Elizabeth Aquadome to do an Aqua Aerobics class for our cross-training session, so we didn't have to be out in the heat.
I was decidedly in denial about what that meant for Sunday's run.
I haven't been to an Aqua class in about 7 years, and I also try to avoid being in my swim wear as much as possible, so I was a little nervous about going. But I was adamant on trying something different for our second cross-training session so I got to sleep in until 7am (again, since when is 7am a sleep in?!) and met Rhi at the AquaDome at 9.00am.
The class didn't start til 9.30am so Rhi and I simply tread water and stretched for half an hour while we waited.
Right on time, we noticed some people congregating around a lady in bike shorts with a microphone on her face and figured we must of been in the right place.
Our suspicions were quickly confirmed when the instructor realised there were a couple of new faces in her obvious crowd of regulars and shouted at us (over the din of splashing children) whether we were joining the class. So red-faced and giggling with the entire class staring at us, Rhi and I sidled in a little closer and joined in the fray.
While appearing a rather calm and simple routine, it is always unexpected as to how much any kind of water exercise works the entire body. Even though we were punching water, my core had to be locked and my legs firm. Even though we were doing jumping jacks, I had to hold my shoulders down, and keep my core nice and tight. So by the end of the 45mins class, Rhi and I were completely body tired.
We decided to finish up our cross-training session with a couple of jogging belts, and jumped in a lane to tread water as aggressively as possible to keep our heart rates up.
Worn out, water-logged and sore, we left the Aquadome feeling pretty great and vowed to include a water exercise in our future cross-training sessions.
As I mentioned earlier, I was clearly in denial about Sunday's run, but Rhi and I had decided that to beat the heat, we were going to have to get up and meet as early as 6am down the beach, with a promise to wade through the cool water afterwards.
At 6.15am I opened my eyes and in a panic, had to text Rhi to let her know that I wasn't going to make it. Luckily, Rhi had powered on (power to ya!) and was already at the beach starting her warm up, so I rolled over and went back to sleep with a promise to myself that I would have to run later that night.
Since it was more than 40degrees outside, Chris and I spent the day hibernating inside with the blinds down and the aircon on. I watched 4 movies, and finished a Netflix series while doing food prep and finally, after the sun went down, convinced myself that since Chris wasn't going to go for a run in the dark with me, and that I was going to have to use the treadmill.
The treadmill and I are not friends.
I have been dreading this day, and I have been talking about dreading this day. And today was finally the day where I had to stop. Numerous times.
The emotions were complicated. The guilt at having to stop. The bad voice on my shoulder telling me that I am failing by stopping. The self-loathing at not being able to do what I can usually do.
Then I started to give myself some credit, and while that little voice was also telling me that I was making excuses, I tried to focus on why I was struggling, and making mental notes about ways I can ensure that I better prepare myself and give myself the fairest chance of delivering my best.
For starters, even though we had aircon, it was easily over 25 degrees inside. I need to get a pedestal fan.
I am sure the treadmill is older than I am, and the belt sticks if your footfalls are too heavy. Insert 'gliding' quote here from Miss Congeniality.
I was dehydrated, and struggled to open the stupid sipper on the bottle, which dribbled water all down my chin. This might sound great when your overheated, but it just pissed me off.
Also, for the very first time, just after the 'half-way mark' I experienced gastric distress and had to run off to the loo during a walking break. I don't want to talk about it.
Nevertheless, emotional, tired, and sweaty, I persevered and finished the interval training, running as often and for as long as I was able.
I confided in Rhi regarding my failed run and she surprised me with a massively positive response including a virtual high-five which immediately made me snap out of it.
Yeah! Go me!
Even though it was hot, I was tired, still full from dinner and hating running on a treadmill, I still put my trainers on and grunted and sweated my way through it.
Even though I felt like quitting and falling to the floor in a puddle of my own sweaty tears, I persevered.
Fucking win!