Day 11: Running ... in the morning again!

Yes indeedy folks, I went to bed so early last night I woke up really early and didn't know what to do with myself.  In the end I decided there was only one thing to do and that was to get the peeps out of bed and go for todays run ... fair to say I had to bribe the kids, lucky Tiong Bahru Bakery for breakfast is a family favourite!

Given the peeps were running their own 5K apps (see this post if you want to check out the apps they are using) with me today I decided doing a circuit around the local park was the best idea.  We all run at different speeds and crossing multiple roads probably wasn't the best idea if I wanted to be able to run without worrying about their safety.  The local park is a block on its own so its long enough not to be boring while we are still running short distances. 

Ready for her run!

I was so busy listening to music today that Ned told me I was halfway before I even realised how far I had gone.  It made me realise how much music and running go hand-in-hand for me and I am so pleased I am over my mental block about using headphones while running!  I am sure most people have their favourite songs that make you feel happy, alive, or have great memories attached to them that make you wanna get up and get jiggy ... I know I do and lots of them are on my running playlist!  For me music plays a crucial role in making me feel good while I'm out exercising and I think its the distraction of upbeat music that makes the cycles go so fast.

Until I reach a level of fitness where running becomes enjoyable on its own merit, music is going to be my savior from being tormented by Ned when I really can't be bothered "... picking up the pace to a run ..."  So I thought I would embarrass myself a little further and give you some of my favourite running tracks ;o) 

Bob Sinclair - Love Generation
Creed - Higher, With Arms Wide Open, One Last Breath
Kelly Clarkson - People Like Us
Bon Jovi - Its My Life, Because We Can, Livin on a Prayer
John Parr - St Elmo's Fire
P!ink - Just Give Me a Reason, Try
Black Eyed Peas - Where is the Love, I Gotta Feeling
Rhianna - Where Have you Been, Diamonds
Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait
F.U.N - We Are Young
Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
Jennifer Lopez (feat Pitbull) - Dance Again

Yeah ... that's probably enough embarrassment for one day ... :o)  See you all tomorrow for another run!




 

 

Day 9 and 10: I think Ned will be HAPPY

This is my niece Isla and I, we both enjoy the relaxing rides at theme parks!

Well for the last two days no running has been on the agenda but I think Ned will still be happy with me.  I spend the ninth day walking around Universal Studios, drinking plenty of water, and only eating gluten free, dairy free food.  Not bad for a day off and I am sure I walked off most of the calories I consumed and then sweated out the rest thanks to the soaring humidity and nervous energy from the mildly nauseating rides I went on late in the day thanks to the egging on of two eight year olds and my sister!


It was a great day, and extremely hot!

Today I spent much of my day relaxing knowing Ned and I have a date tomorrow and it involves a significant amount of running.  Not sure I will have earned any brownie points from Ned from my activities today but I did say no to the waiter when he asked about ice creams, but yes to the lime juice that was way too tempting in 32 degrees ... and it was TOTALLY worth it :o)

To be fair it was the perfect spot to relax ;o)

See you all tomorrow, when Ned and I will determine whether a day relaxing by the pool is really a good idea prior to a run day or whether today was just a day of pure luxury and laziness!

 

 

Day 8: The Start of Week Two

My 5K running app started its second week today and, as such, so did I.  Best not to get on the wrong side of Ned just yet!  The running intervals got LONGER ... yikes.  I did head off early by my standards but probably not for anyone else, it was just after 9am when my shoes felt the pavements of Tiong Bahru.  It was fairly hot by then (~30 degrees) and there was plenty of traffic on the roads as I hit the concrete jungle today.

Hello Great World City ... no shopping today sadly, just
passing by!

 My late start made for some interesting (precarious) road crossings as I tried to negotiate my way towards Great World City without stopping at the many, many traffic lights.  I am pretty certain this is the downside of not having any clue where you are going and no road plan handy.  It also made my run times longer as I had to run almost every road I crossed (these are not narrow roads people, far from it ... imagine 4 lanes each lane side) and they occurred mostly through my walking cycles as no luck would have it!  I did manage to run every cycle and probably had only one more run in me when I was asked to warm down by Ned ... perfect timing as I think the next cycle would have had a lot of clock watching in it otherwise ;o)

Best part of my running session today was rounding the corner for home having cooled down and seeing these two handsome chaps about to cross the road ... low and behold, they had my coffee, hot drinks for everyone else AND morning tea for the tribe from Tiong Bahru Bakery!  Outstanding timing boys, I owe you one.

Such a good sight to see!

So good so far but I am sure there will be hard weeks ahead where I have to revisit the week before moving on ... but as far as I'm concerned any progress is good progress and I am currently lapping those still on the couch!

first day I have had sounds in both ears ...
momentous occasion for me, first time in
eight years I have run with music ... yay, me!

 

Day 6 and 7: Week One Run and Dusted

Day 6 saw me complete an early morning run around Tiong Bahru.  I am still surprised I got up early and went for a run but the feeling was awesome and it signaled the completion week one of running .... YAY!  The running was really easy today and I didn't clock watch at all ... hope it wasn't getting up and running first thing in the morning that had that effect.  Yikes, that would be a habit I wouldn't like to keep going!  

After the run, we headed to Malaysia for a couple of days to visit LEGOLAND ... where brick dreams are made and mine were.  It was awesome!  The details are amazing, the lego sculptures all over the park had me gob smacked, and the peeps LOVED the rides.  When the Lego water park is completed later this year, it will be unbelievable.

Day 7 was a rest day before we start week two in my 5K training program app.  We have another busy day tomorrow back here in Singapore so it will have to be an early morning run again ... trust me its not going to be a habit ;o) 

Short and sweet post for today, see you tomorrow for a ramping up of the running régime ... bit scary but one day at a time should work!

Day 5: Cross Training, or a Day Trip

It's really hard to know what I did today ...  Mo took all our peeps and I to Pulau Ubin today for a bike ride.  It is such a beautiful place and only a short boat ride from mainland Singapore but you feel like you are miles away from anywhere.  There is no modernisation, the taxi drivers snooze in a shade hut while waiting for customers, the main street is about 50m long and consists of only bike shops and eateries.  Its like walking back in time, its quiet and very laid back.

Main Street

We hired some bikes and took off on a bike ride around the island.  There are very few vehicles so completely safe for bike riding with kids and they loved that they could own the roads!  The scenery is stunning and untouched, which is great when you are meandering up gentle inclines and you forget that the pedaling is taking a little more effort.  There is a parking lot for bicycles up the top part of the island where you can dismount and take a walk down to the water and along some great boardwalks.  Two hours later, ~10Ks biked and walked, and a few small but daunting hill climbs later (a lot of which were done pushing bikes up rather than cycling up!) we arrived back at the pier hot, sweaty, and exhausted!

Bike Hire ... VERY expensive at $2 for the day!

It was an awesome day trip that combined some fun exercise for all of us and deserved a good soak in the pool once we arrived back at the condo.  The legs are a little sore tonight so tomorrows run should be interesting!  That and the fact I have to get up really early in the morning to do it before we venture across the border to LEGOLAND Malaysia.  I can't wait, bricks and I have a long history and its like a dream come true to take my peeps their with my sister and her two ... so a big day that starts with the last run for the first week in my quest to run 5K!

It was so safe for the kids so it's perfect for a family
adventure!

The boardwalk ... a really cool loop circuit that takes you
down to the waters edge

While my bike was parked up it got ransacked by the
local monkeys looking for food!

Did I mention that I am not a morning person ... like, not at all ... I generally like coffee to drink before I talk .... and about an hour before I have to function .... even longer if you want me to use my brain ... yeah, not a morning person not even close!

 

Day 4: Getting the Family Moving

I am so lucky I have a very supportive immediate and extended family, not to mention my dear friends who are like family.  Heaps of them have offered support, coaching, medical assistance, and to run with me too ... even my peeps!  I love that the peeps want to support me and to encourage them increase their own fitness I have also entered them in the kids series Run Auckland, with a little bribe for each race they run in ...  like I said, I want them to participate and support my fitness and, more importantly, theirs over the longer term and bribery has always worked for me as a mother!

 My biggest peep, Ben, saw my 10K Runner app and told me he had seen a similar running app he wanted to try out.  Its called Zombies, Run!  Its an adventure that gets you to run further and faster the more missions you do.  There is a 5K Beginners Zombie, Run! app that Ben is going to do after trialing the full version which he has absolutely loved.  Its perfect for boys and adventurous girls that want to get fit and get some adventure gaming in too!

Zombies, Run!

We tried a mission out with Pollyanna, my youngest peep but she was not at all fussed on the zombies chasing after her, which I can completely understand.  It took a bit of searching but I finally found a "girls" couch to 5K app called Run!Alice.  So far so good, Polly loves the journey bringing Alice back to the castle ... not totally loving the Witch that runs after her because, lets be honest, Singapore is a pretty hot, humid place to start a fitness program!

Speaking of not loving things, it pays to have some appropriate running gear we have discovered. If money is an issue check out the fitness outlet stores for some of last seasons running clothing and accessories.  I made the fatal mistake of sending the kids out in loose cotton tees and shorts only for them to get rubbing rashes from the thick material.  Not the best idea when you want them to keep up the training and come out with you again AND enjoy it!

The peeps new running gear ... no more rashie booboos!

We went to Queensway Shopping Center (an outlet mall for fitness fanatics) today and kitted out the kids in some Dryfit running gear and some socks that are designed for runners and don't slip in their shoes.  Blisters are a really bad idea in heat and normal sports socks just haven't cut the mustard this week.  Lessons learned and I am slowly rectifying them as we go along on this running journey!

In other news, Mo (my sister) took us to Haw Par Villa today and it has got to be the weirdest place I have ever been to!  Its hilarious, the sculptures and art are amazing and incredibly macabre all at the same time.  The kids were amazed, disturbed, delighted, and confused all at once and totally enjoyed the adventure.  

Haw Par Villa ... Constructed by the Tiger Balm Creators

 

Sculptures Galore

 

Multiple King Kongs anyone!

It was a nice gentle walk for my day off from Ned.  Mo tells me Ned will be even more delighted with me tomorrow as we are off to Pulau Ubin for a cycling adventure!

Until then, take care xx

Day 3: Running and some Race Registrations!

The courts and track at Bukit Timah are full of so many people doing something
its almost like a festival of fitness every . single . day ... awesome place

Today we get further from the couch and closer to 5ks with W1D2 and a 30 minute workout.  The legs felt a bit stiff yesterday morning but apart from that no issues after the first run.  I actually looked forward to running today, must be those happy endorphins playing with me ... yeah, there is no way I have exercised that strenuously or continuously yet to reach such giddy heights but a positive attitude always help before you go out on a very humid day!  

This was the temp two hours after I started
running!

Change of scenery today, I really wanted to join all the other hopefuls on the track at Bukit Timah in Singapore.  I have spent lots of time at the track this week watching my nephew training to get fit for the football season.  It was very motivating watching everyone from Singapore's track team, to highly motivated runners, to retirees, to football kids, to the plodders (like me) work their way round the track to reach their individual goals.  It was time for me to join in today and sweat with them :o)

I really needed that positive attitude today, I found my legs didn't want to move as fast as I wanted them to!  By the time we got to the track it had been baked in sun for the day and I felt hot just walking out there let alone running.  Lucky the vibe out at CCA is so awesome you just want to do it regardless of how your legs feel and I did do it and managed all the running segments which made me feel so proud.  Ned and I weren't the best of mates today, I clock watched a bit during the running phases and, once again, didn't drink enough water earlier in the day.  Came away with a headache thanks to a lack of water, but was really pleased with how quickly I recovered from the run afterwards ... Bonus!

Ok, I have made some progress with finding some races in New Zealand I can work towards completing.  The first one is a 5k race I promised Caryn I would do on the first of December.  I found one in Auckland, the ADRA Charity Run that goes around the Auckland waterfront and has no hills ... a good idea me thinks for the beginner 5k race runner!  Registrations open shortly and I am excited there are some friends and family that have said they will run it too ... nothing like having others to support and inspire you.

The other event I have registered for is the Run Auckland 2014 series.  The series takes in 6 races at different locations around Auckland and takes place between March and July.  Competitors get the choice of participating in the 5k or 10k at each event and the sixth race also includes the Run Auckland Half Marathon ... perfect timing as its about a year away, SWEET!  

Well that's about it for today, run and dusted ... Two day break before there is any further movement away from the couch towards 5k which is a little sad.  However, it gives me a chance to explore the food side of things more and let you know what my family are doing to support me and also join in :0)

 

Day 2: No Running so lets talk Food

Todays lunch: potato salad with dairy free mayo

I find it hard to talk about food and diet in general as its not a subject that I love!  It seems every generation there is a new something that must be taken out of everyone's diet to solve the growing issues with weight ... we took out fat, we've taken out carbs, low gi was the way to go, sugar is a drug that should not be tolerated, gluten is poisonous, dairy has terrible side effects, and don't use artificial anythings if you expect to live!  Even fruit has had it's protesters, and don't even get me started about liquid diets and food replacement program's ... where does it stop?  To be honest I think there will always be a next big idea that will aim to solve everyone's weight loss.

I often hear about someone who knew someone who new someone else who lost a lot of weight doing some new amazing diet and it worked wonderfully.  Next minute half the village are doing it and wondering why their results aren't the same or not working at all.  For me the easy, maybe not right, answer is that we are all different in the way we function internally and each diet will do something different for each person.  So for me the answer lies in trying various ideas and seeing what you body likes in terms of not only weight loss but also in terms of inner well being.  We all have our favourites, you know the diet that worked really well but needed lots of will power ... I think most of us know which foods we have to stop eating if we want to make a difference to our weight.  For my sister its sugar, she stops eating it and the weight falls off her.  For Caryn, she has found the Dukan Diet was brilliant, it shifted weight for the half iron man and kept it off using this method.  Caryn is talking about diet on her blog this week as she has some dilemmas with the Dukan Diet and is experimenting with her choices as well!
 

For me?  Well I haven't got the full answer and lots of the next year will be about finding the answer.  Two food groups I know my body doesn't love are gluten and dairy.  I LOVE dairy foods ... cheese is my chocolate as I don't have a natural sweet tooth.  Several months ago I gave up both after doing some research to see if it would help me mentally, physically, and internally.  I am one of those people that believe if you do enough research you can find the evidence to support both sides of the argument :0)  As such, I wasn't overly optimistic about any major changes dropping these two food groups would bring but thought I would give them the three week stand down and reintroduce them one at a time after that.  For me, the feeling of wellness was so, well ... exhilarating I have stuck with no gluten and no dairy 95% of the time and still feel awesome!  It's not going to be the same for everyone, but if you have an inkling about what food group you think you body might have an intolerance for, drop it for three weeks and see if you have any positive results.  Three weeks is a small amount of time to do some personal testing and if you don't see any results there's been no harm and you can continue to enjoy that food group!!

The down side of reducing these two food groups has been the increase in my sugar consumption.  While I have adapted from drinking lattes to long blacks, the coffee now has a sugar in it :0(  As I said above, I don't naturally have a sweet tooth but have developed one since quitting gluten and dairy.  I am keen to get rid of the majority of sugar as well but need to better understand how to put in place a well rounded, flavourful diet that's not boring either!!

So this year the food journey will be a trial and error one hopefully ending up with an answer that is right for me but providing people with lots of ideas along the way they can try for themselves.  I love to try new ideas and new recipes and I will be doing both over the coming 12 months, especially with the help of Pinterest ... my go to website for seeking fresh, fun ideas for anything! 

Day 1: Done and Dusted

Day one has been and gone and I succeeded in doing the W1D1 workout on the 10k Runner app I downloaded to get me started on this road to health and fitness.  Now don't be confused, the app also has a 5k program and that's what I am using.  It worked brilliantly I didn't need to keep watch checking as a lovely man, lets give him a name and go with Ned, told me when I needed to slow to a walk and speed up to a run and even let me know when I was halfway through todays workout. Ned and I got along famously.  Of course it could have been because todays workout was only 25 minutes long and not too taxing AND to top it off Ned gave me a merit badge for finishing :o)

Actually the only hard part of todays effort was the heat and the humidity.  I went this morning and by Singapore standards it wasn't too hot, a mere 29 degrees (Celsius).  But alas for the beginner runner it was blisteringly hot and the humidity didn't help.  The cold shower after the run helped and the long black that was waiting for me at Forty Hands shortly thereafter helped even more!

A couple of picks below of where I ran, it was mostly around the park, down to the Tiong Bahru market and, so I didn't get lost, around a lamppost and back home in the same direction taking in one side street that was tree lined and looked too pretty not to run down. 

Quick thanks for all the lovely support, it is so nice and completely MOTIVATING so thank you very much!

It Started with a Pair of Sneakers ...

... and a trip to Singapore to see my lovely sister.  Some things just seem to happen at the right time and for me all the i's were dotted and t's were crossed and I was given a challenge I couldn't refuse.

I have been lucky enough to spend some quality time with Caryn, one of my sisters dear friends while I have been in Singapore.  She is amazing, she is 50, regularly runs, has done marathons, triathlons, and last year did her first ever half iron man! I kid you not, if you wanted to be inspired she is perfect and has decided to run the Singapore Marathon on the first of December.  You can follow her latest sporting adventure on her new blog A Year in Tiong Bahru, Singapore - Marathon Season.  Our relationship went slightly downhill when she challenged me to find a 5km race to do on the same day ... hmmm.  It IS the right time for me to start thinking about myself and, in particular, my health and fitness so I said yes!!

I like setting goals.  Most of my goals have involved others, especially my children.  One I did complete for myself was to blog a year of pinterest creations ... the first person to achieve it and I loved doing it, so did Pinterest which was lucky :o)  This time round the goal is more personal.  I have often given myself private health and fitness goals but have never completed them, always some of the way but never to the end of the goal!  My solution to this is to make my goals public and blog about them for the next year ... Making myself completely accountable to me, Caryn, and anyone else watching this amusing adventure!

 So the Goals for the coming 365 days:

On the first of December I am going to participate in a 5km race (this race is in Auckland, New Zealand), then at the six month mark compete in a 10 km race, ending this years goals will be a half marathon (she says hopefully!).  I am not a natural runner and am not really fit ... I love playing sports but haven't joined any teams since moving to the Hawkes Bay earlier this year and my sweet walking partner now lives 6 hours away so not that convenient!  I can happily run up four flights of stairs but I would pass out if you made it ten!    Hopefully that gives you some idea of my fitness levels or lack of fitness more appropriately.  I am going to get Caryn to help me with what I should be doing and seek her advice OFTEN so I don't mess this up.  Caryn's first piece of advice was to use a couch to 5Kms program to get off to a good start. I went to the app store and found plenty of apps that have a couch to 5kms program, there are also plenty freely available online.  I went with the 10K Runner: 0 to 5K to 10K run training app as it had great reviews.

The second part of this journey is to also drop a substantial amount of weight.  There is no goal attached to this part except that it HAS to be double digit kilos :o)  I am going to mess around with my diet and also blog about it as a way of tracking the experimentation and, once again, keeping myself accountable.  I don't believe in there being one diet that will work for everybody as we all function differently internally.  Hopefully by blogging about it, I might encourage others to give something new a go or hopefully there is lots of feedback and I can get plenty of new ideas from you guys as well.  Failing any feedback, there is always my go-to bible of knowledge Pinterest for plenty of inspiring ideas to try!

Caryn and I are both hoping we will inspire more people to come join our journey, get involved, even find a running race that suits your fitness ability, blog about it, and we can create a supportive group of like minded people ... if we can all inspire one another I am certain the journey to health and fitness will be far more prosperous and definitely a lot more FUN! 

Anyone interested leave a comment so I can follow you and add a link at the side of this blog so others can follow along too!