Am I ready to run the 27k tussock traverse?…ummmm….

Image by kalavinka via Flickr

Well! Christmas really stuffs my routine up..and the holidays that follow! So how did I do over the ‘break’?

Christmas day was a restrained(ish) day for me nutritionally. I had a slither of New Yorkcheesecake…just a slither. I made the cheesecake, courtesy of my friend Nigella, therefore I knew exactly what I was eating..(yes, wonderfully flavoured fat). I interspersed this with fruit in the form of french champagne. Needless to say, there was no exercise forthcoming.

Come boxing day and I was out running for a restrained 45 minutes through the hills of my favourite Mt. Victoria. The day after boxing day and I did a good mountain run for 70 minutes. Then for two more days I did  my ‘un sleep’ thing, which tends to make me hungry, grumpy and uninspired. I did not run but the kids and I walked to the beach everyday. 

The two days before New-Years day saw me completing short road runs, 30mins and 40 mins respectively. I was actually just happy to make it out of the house. I find it hard to focus while life is a bit ‘unfocused’, i.e, the kids are home, sparkly decorations are up, consumerism runs high, air of expectancy permeates, town is relatively empty…I don’t like it. I have analyzed why I don’t like this lack of routine and have concluded that it is because it tramples on my carefully constructed use of time. I need my time to create my own space, where I can look after myself. It all happens fore-mostly in my head…I need the routine to have a clear head, so I can get things done. Of course, we all know that time is time and I can get things done anyway. Time is the same whether my wee head feels clear or not. Right?

I had more fruit in the form of champagne, and wine on our quiet New Years eve and of course NO  tussock traverse training. Then to top the ummm…err..’training’ off, we went camping.  Kaitoke of course is a regional park in the Wellington area, which is chockablock full of wonderful mountain runs. But…I just couldn’t do them, reasons being, I did not want to run mountains by myself, (axe murderers etc..) and I did not want to leave the kids alone in the camp ground.  I was growing steadily more anxious regarding running. I do not think this is a good thing, the kids were enjoying themselves and I should have been able to chill out and relax a bit.

We came home after being rained out after three days. I did a good Mt Vic run for 80 minutes and felt ‘normal’ again.

So, at this stage, while I know I could complete the traverse, I don’t think I would enjoy it very much. I have got a few weeks left where I will pound the hills around Wellington, (that is the plan anyhoo..).  Watch this space!

 

more on my tussock traverse training, raw nutrition, protein…

Image via Wikipedia

miso,shitake, and sesame oil.

I was feeling so lack luster, it was hard to get out of bed at 5.30 in the morning, (now here I am blogging at 3am…but thats another story) and was feeling a tad ‘blue’. So, after hearing good things about the ‘herbal guy’ in Hataitai villiage, I went to see him. After asking relevent questions, and doing my blood pressure, an iridology check, he said I have a ‘strong constitution. Yep. But lacking in B12, iron, and possibly do not eat enough. He said I probably am far more active than the average vegan and he gave me good advice on snacks to have, i.e a protein snack every two hours. Nuts are good, but no more than two brazil nuts, (something about selenium.)  Miso, with sesame oil and herbs is also a very good snack.  For breakfast, I now have a ramekin full of raw oats, soaked in hot water with honey (not vegan..I know) and bee pollen (ditto) and calcuim powder. I chase this with a fresh vegetable  juice (thanks oscar). Its all very yummy and satisfying.

I bought B12, multi B’s, calcium powder, iron and a bottle of flax oil from him. He also made me up a beautiful ‘sleep’ tea and advised me to eat a handful of pumpkin seeds before bed. They are full of tryptophan, (like potatoes and lettuce) so should help induce sleep. 

Two weeks later and I am definitely more ‘zippy’. The protein snacks during the day really help with a consistent energy supply thus I do not have the ’3pm slump’, so do not crave sweet things. However, my sleep is crap. For example, last night I was in bed about 10pm (I am trying really hard to be in bed early…) and I was asleep not long after that, but I woke, looked at the clock and it only read a disappointing onea.m! I try to be calm. But I  am too annoyed to be calm. So I get up, and lie on the couch. In the end, (the end did not take too long) I couldn’t settle and finally got up, made my ‘sleep’ tea and here I am. This happens nearly every night. The night before last I was distinctly worrying if lack of sleep could kill me. ( I know it cant…it just makes me crabby.)

It is an ongoing saga. Sleep.

As for my tussock traverse ‘training’, I have been running more and with more focus. The longest run however has only been 90 minutes. But my runs are feeling better. Two or three times per week I have been walking into the city, pushing Paloma which takes about 50 minutes each way. I  put her in the gym creche for two hours. I then do a weights work out  (one hour) followed by a run averaging 40 minutes. Then we walk home which is up hill. I have tweaked my weights work out, but I think shortly I will employ a personal trainer to help with the whole programme.( Whilst training for the C2c, I used a personal trainer to give me a plan once every 6 weeks.)

My family life does get in the way of my focus…I feel guilty if I go for a run, or the gym-on the weekend. My family comes first, on the other hand so do I??? Yes I know. It is a conundrum. (Nice word, con-nun-drum…) 

On Sunday, after returning from the morning market, I was actually hanging out to go for a run around the Karori sanctuary.  While in theory, I could have, I felt like I couldnt leave the family. I wanted to but didnt want to…if you know what I mean! I dont like the idea of the kids on playstation, p.c, …errrr..anything to do with them ‘sitting around’ , especially on such a glorious day as Sunday was. So, my solution to the complex (in my head) issue was to  suggest we all go and walk the sanctuary. After much grumbling and poo faces, we arrived at the sanctuary and walked around….( I say ‘walked’ but it was more a meander..)  it took us about four hours going at the three year olds pace. It was a tough walk, the sun was relentless as were the hills. It was good for the kids and I had Paloma on my shoulders for the last 4-5 K, (sharing with Deanes shoulders), so it was a good work out.

But doing this sort of thing, while good for the family, for me is not a training strategy. I need to work it all out so as to give them what (i think) they need, spend quality time with them and my husband whilst making time for me to train with the focus needed. I dont want this to mean that I am the one that has to be out of bed at four in the morning so I can train with out disturbing family time. Maybe I need to do a bit of ‘disturbing’?

*top of page image: city end karori..

kids food fuss

Last night for dinner, I made  macaroni cheese as per Izzy’s request. She is seven years old and fussy. Double FUSSY. On the table I also placed a platter of lettuce leaves, sliced celery, sliced mushrooms, sliced green capsicum and a bowl of fresh guacamole. A large bowl of my ‘now famous’ grated carrot-beet-apple salad joined the platter on the table. Paloma (3yrs old) had spent about 25 minutes at the kitchen bench, (standing on a chair)cutting a zuccini into big chunks with a blunt knife. She had put these fat chunks into a bowl and sweetly, put this on the table too. So, seated, candles lit, we first ate Palomas ‘salad’. I like raw zuccini, but the kids had a hard time…it is usually grated, however they munched on it as their wee sister smiled and watched them proudly. She didnt, however, partake.

Izzy ate a bit of her macaroni cheese but happily ate the celery and a lot from the platter. Rose ate nothing. Harry and Drew scoffed the lot. My goal is to always put platters of fresh raw salad bits and bobs on to the table, its good to have options and it is a way of expanding the fussys taste experiences in a non-threatening way. They don’t have to eat it. We have a plan for the week of eating that the kids help me work  out. Drew said she likes that we have a plan. We have more interesting meals. It is true. Dinner time used to ‘arrive’ and I would wonder what the hell I was going to give them, it would usually be rice and tuna with soysauce and broccoli. Which is nice once in a while, but not three days per week.

Last night both Drew and Harry went for a run with me. Therefore it was only a 4k run, but I was happy they were out with me. I try to stress the importance of running to them. Running and reading as Will Smith says. So I am happy to do small runs if it will get them started on a habit that will enhance their lives.