Karen writes: How do you relax the top of your head?

Wellington marathon in less than 5 weeks.  The only reason I am actually getting to this event, the only suitable event in the whole of New Zealand in that deadly middle of the year slump, is because I am pretending it is a family holiday.  The girls haven't been on a plane, well the older one was when she was just over a year old but she understandably doesn't remember that.  They just watch me leave with my bag packed to drive or fly off to what for them are exotic locations, it doesn't matter if I'm going for work, and they feel that they are missing out.

So, laden with guilt after abandoning the whanau firstly for the recent Rotorua marathon, then the Napier conference, I said "lets fly to Wellington for a fun filled weekend in the middle of the school term... oh how convenient...there is a marathon there for mum and a kids mile run".  Actually, I also had the excuse that it is almost my birthday so I could say it was a special treat for me, how often do you turn 47 of course?

There was another and unexpected treat on Saturday morning.  On the way to do the grocery shopping me and the girls stopped at the local school to find out more about the T'ai Chi group which runs there once a week.  We were welcomed in, asked to stay to watch, then it was suggested we might like to give it a go.  We ended up thoroughly enjoying the session.  Well, mostly, I struggle with determining left and right, older daughter struggled to suppress her desire to talk when something captured her attention, younger daughter wondered aloud in the car afterwards how you relaxed the top of your head?  While we were doing it I looked at the oh-so-slow and apparently gentle movements and wondered why my legs were literally shaking by the time we had finished.

I wonder if this could be the magic solution to getting me to stretch and strengthen regularly without having to undergo a massive effort of self discipline/stubborn bl**dy mindedness and whipping up my terror of injury every time? Why didn't I think of finding something enjoyable to do the job, even better if the child-sitting problem is solved as they can do it with me!

As far as run training, I'm using the Higdon senior plan again since it worked ok for Rotorua, I just had a few days off after the marathon, a 5km midweek, an 18km that first weekend and straight back into 40 odd km split into 3 runs a week. I managed a slightly creaky 24km on Sunday morning, my ankles and calves were a bit wimpy...possibly because of all that deceptive T'ai Chi stuff, I'm sure that will improve with practice though.

Kate has had a brainwave too.  She is signing us up for some ride down-country in July.  Midwinter-in-any-weather-unless-actively-dangerous-starting-at-a-pub kind of ride.  Should be good, and it will drag me out of of my desire to completely ignore that torture appliance otherwise known as a bicycle until spring (actually, I do love cycling, I'm just still OVER it right now and need motivation).

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