Off to a Good Start

Whilst the cats away, the mice will play. 

Yet, with my trainer away, I'm too terrified to slacken off that much, because I know she is going to kill me during our first session back-probably more than she killed me in our last session before the Christmas break. To add to that fear I've signed up for the Sun Run again, and I'm going for 3rd time lucky to get a reasonable result.

Thus, I can proudly say that I completed my first workout of 2013 on the 2nd of January-nice early start, I know. It was a relaxed 3.3km run jog, and I have a vague idea that it took 20-25 minutes to complete-translate that to 'I have no idea how slowly I went'. Mark and I left the house jogging, walked down the nasty steep hill at our house (running down hill isn't good for any one's knees, and we're out of shape) and ran the rest of the way through our local park, alongside Pittwater, ran back up previously mentioned nasty hill and ran all the way to our front door. Not a bad effort considering our unhealthy life style in the last two weeks.

I'm a firm believer of 'you only get out what you put in' and considering all the Champagne and ham that has been going in to my body I was expecting to collapse two doors up the street. Thankfully, all my water guzzling paid off, and the first rung on the ladder was a positive one.

Our 3.3km run loop.

However, lots more training is required, because I'm setting my goals high this year. Last year my Sun Run time was 47 minutes and 14 seconds to complete 6.5kms. You may recall  me going on about how awesome my bf is, and that she did it in 34 minutes and 44 seconds. Honestly, I'm a realist, and I'm not going to take the view that 'if she can do it, I can do it', because I can't. I am no where near as determined, motivated or diligent as that amazing woman, and I'm not going to kid myself. Let's face it, that will only set me up for disappointment. I need realistic, achievable goals.

I will confess to running 3kms with her a few months ago, and I mean running right beside her at the speed of a freaking jaguar! Seriously. Then I took the short cut back to her house as she continued to run another 2kms whilst I died at her front door, hoping that I didn't puke all over her lawn. Point is, I now know I can run as fast as her if I force my running brain to let me do it, and that came as a massive shock to me, because since school I've always thought of myself as a total slow ass. I would do my best to get Mum to write me a sick note to get out of cross country-and I think she is still a little shocked that I willingly do these runs now. Again, this all comes down to my super fit bf who dragged me in to the first run and keeps me coming back for more. Don't ask me why.

Sun Run 2011 time

Sun Run 2012 time

I digress. What I am going to do is set myself a more realistic goal. One that I will no doubt regret as the days to the event get closer and closer. As I write this there are only 29 days to go, I know this not because I have counted them, but because there is what I am calling a 'fear clock' on the Sun Run website. 

It was around this time last year that Jen, my trainer, ran with me to complete the relatively flat 5.5km Resolution Run. Whilst I felt like I was going to vomit, thanks to her I managed an average pace of 6 minutes and 44 seconds a kilometer. Based on that data, and using this pace calculator I should be able to complete the Sun Run in 43 minutes and 46 seconds. AND, if I continue the pattern seen above I should be able to do it in 41 minutes..... Wish me luck!