Karen writes: Things to raise the heart-rate
Big run last sunday, it was 30km plus, I say plus because I am sure the much-loved GPS doesnt record accurately when I am down in the deep bush gullies, I mean I'm pretty sure that when I was running full-tilt down the pine needle covered trail I wasn't doing a 12 minute km which is what the device told me. No matter, I am happy, the run went well, and on monday I was a little weary but nothing to write home...blog...about. I did another 29.3km yesterday, I plodded along and barely raised my heart-rate, it was a no problems run. It would have been a lot more arduous (read 'boring') if I hadn't had the company of another Te Puru runner who was also in pursuit of 30km. It's always a relief to work my way up to those sorts of distances and I now think I could run Rotorua marathon next weekend if I had to.
Some things do raise my heart-rate though, like on a little run the other day, early evening, I came back through Omana park. I was hot and for a change working quite hard, running the dreaded intervals of 30 seconds fast and 20 seconds slow and having to concentrate on maintaining a rhythm. Then I heard children screaming in the public toilet, I mean, not a bit of squealing, this was all out screaming, then one child crying. I had to divert and have a look and went into the toilet expecting at the very least an axe murderer to be in there. The noise stopped abruptly except for one small one swallowing her sobs into hiccoughs, the other, a little older, looking at me with big wary, or should I say, guilty eyes. No axe murderer. I had to say something so I did the speil about not being a good idea to scream for no good reason because one day no-one will listen, all the while keeping an eye out for a parent who may or may not appreciate me accosting their children in a toilet. The older girl paused before she answered, I could see the 'how do I get out of this' thought bubble hovering over her head. Oh, she says at last, we saw a spider. She looks pointedly at the little one who appears confused for a bit then nods slowly. Ah no I thought, that was the sound of unsupervised kids testing the acoustics of a concrete block building. But it wasn't my job to teach a poor liar to lie better, or to chase down non-existent spiders, so a head-shake and I headed off out into the fresh air again feeling relieved it was nothing worse. A couple more speed intervals and my heart-rate was up again for the better reason of running, rather than fear that something awful was happening.
On another topic known to raise the heart-rate...shopping. Havent had to spend any money on clothes or accessories (except for a new pair of sunglasses) for ages having acquired so much sports related stuff over the last couple of years. We now have new 2XU running singlets for Rotorua, the old blue versions we had made up for our fundraising efforts way back in 2012 are getting very worn and their purpose has been served. The new tops are the most glorious fluoro orange and flare out a bit so there is a bit of forgiveness in the stomach region. The time has come to again look at getting other things ready for the big run, I know I need new running shoes and I'd better check the state of socks, hats, anti-chafe, sunscreen and supplements.
Some things do raise my heart-rate though, like on a little run the other day, early evening, I came back through Omana park. I was hot and for a change working quite hard, running the dreaded intervals of 30 seconds fast and 20 seconds slow and having to concentrate on maintaining a rhythm. Then I heard children screaming in the public toilet, I mean, not a bit of squealing, this was all out screaming, then one child crying. I had to divert and have a look and went into the toilet expecting at the very least an axe murderer to be in there. The noise stopped abruptly except for one small one swallowing her sobs into hiccoughs, the other, a little older, looking at me with big wary, or should I say, guilty eyes. No axe murderer. I had to say something so I did the speil about not being a good idea to scream for no good reason because one day no-one will listen, all the while keeping an eye out for a parent who may or may not appreciate me accosting their children in a toilet. The older girl paused before she answered, I could see the 'how do I get out of this' thought bubble hovering over her head. Oh, she says at last, we saw a spider. She looks pointedly at the little one who appears confused for a bit then nods slowly. Ah no I thought, that was the sound of unsupervised kids testing the acoustics of a concrete block building. But it wasn't my job to teach a poor liar to lie better, or to chase down non-existent spiders, so a head-shake and I headed off out into the fresh air again feeling relieved it was nothing worse. A couple more speed intervals and my heart-rate was up again for the better reason of running, rather than fear that something awful was happening.
On another topic known to raise the heart-rate...shopping. Havent had to spend any money on clothes or accessories (except for a new pair of sunglasses) for ages having acquired so much sports related stuff over the last couple of years. We now have new 2XU running singlets for Rotorua, the old blue versions we had made up for our fundraising efforts way back in 2012 are getting very worn and their purpose has been served. The new tops are the most glorious fluoro orange and flare out a bit so there is a bit of forgiveness in the stomach region. The time has come to again look at getting other things ready for the big run, I know I need new running shoes and I'd better check the state of socks, hats, anti-chafe, sunscreen and supplements.
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