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| Sunday 28th October, 2012 ~ Adidas Auckland Qtr Marathon |
This year I have done a few events. I thought that I had actually done more than 8, but apparently not. HOWEVER, it is still a lot more than what I have done in previous years which is nothing! I managed to do the 2011 Sculpt Women’s 6K and a few years ago I did the swimming component of a women’s event and that is about it.
To be honest I actually think that the Sculpt Women’s 6K got me thinking about doing more events and so I started signing up. Obviously, I did not think of doing anything in January and February.
I think that The Dual on the 24thMarch was the equivalent of about 10,000 events…well that is what it felt like when I was doing it. I actually did Round the Bays and thought “how hard could 10km on Motutapu be" …. I was so wrong!
What I have really learned is that you need to train for events even if it’s just walking every few days. I have done events with no preparation and suffered for days and I have done others which much more training, and I can honestly say that you need to prepare especially if you are carrying a lot of extra weight as it can be brutal on your body.
I have also learned that you cannot STOP training if the weather is bad, or if it is dark outside as you lose fitness and strength very quickly. I found myself wishing at times that I had never stopped training.
So this is 2012 vs. what I plan to do in 2013
2012
18th March – Ports of Auckland Round the Bays (8.4km) Time: 1:39:41
24th March – Partner’s Life The Dual (10km) Time: 2:51:55
1st April – Omaha Classic (5km) Time: 0:55:02
15th April – Run Auckland | Waiatarua Reserve, Remuera (10km) Time: 1:57:44 6th May – Run Auckland | Musick Point, Bucklands Beach (10km) Time: 1:53:24
27th May – Run Auckland | Onepoto Domain, Northcote Point (10km) Time: 2:08:00
29th July – Run Auckland | Harbourview, Te Atatu Peninsula (10km) Time: 1:57:58
28th October – Adidas Auckland Marathon (10.55km) Time: 1:55:45
18th November – Sculpt Women’s 6K (6km) Time: 1:11:00
2013 (so far)
10th February - Westfield Albany Lakes Summer Series Race 2 (10km). Time: 1:51:02
3rd March - Westfield Albany Lakes Summer Series Race 3 (10km). Time: 1:48:05
Since getting back into walking at night (or in the mornings on the weekend) what I have noticed is that there are a lot of people that train together as a couple. It is actually really nice to see. Two weeks ago I saw two people running with their dog and from a distance I thought they were vomiting at the top of a hill….but nope they were just catching their breath and letting their gorgeous black Labrador have a pee.
The other couple that I see a lot is a woman that runs and her partner/husband/friend/brother etc. actually rides beside her. I thought “that is fabulous support and so safe for her”.
I have considered walking with Mark, but I appreciate the time on my own listening to music and processing my day at work. Also, he’s a lot fitter (and smaller) than me and is constantly saying “how about we run a bit” or “lets walk a bit faster”. It always frustrates me as I am still building my fitness level back up, however maybe I should not let it frustrate me and treat it like motivation to be better, faster, stronger.
What events are you interested in doing? Do you train with a partner or friend?
What I have realised is that I love some of these events and now I have done a few I know which ones I want to do again and which ones I will definitely avoid. I honestly thought I would NEVER do Motutapu again especially when I was walking it and having to tell my feet to “keep going”, but I have just registered for this. 
