A run in the (mid-winter) sun

Today I awoke, too late to go for a run as usual, and went to class. This is the most consistent routine for a Monday morning. There was something that was unusual about this Monday morning though, the weather. Yesterday I noticed it was raining, today I noticed it wasn't. After two coffee's I went for my run, very quickly I came to the conclusion that I didn't have enough water in my body. Now that I'm at home I have a large glass of water in front of me and with every mouthful the headache is slowly receding. Today is a very mild 16° and I have managed to acquire a slightly annoying headache on my 3.78 km run in the sun; I can only imagine the difficulties I would face if I were to run a marathon in 40°+ so let's get this right in the chills of a Wellington winter. Then we can try it in the early summer warmth of Marlborough; and get it right.

I'm adding something new to every post, beginning with this one, as I have noticed something different every time I run. And so at the bottom of each post I shall add a 'things I notice section'. I may even begin to take a camera with me on the odd occasion, but perhaps that would detract from 'the running experience'? We shall see...

Things I notice: A broken plate. Smashed to smithereens it sits quietly and dejectedly on the 5th corner, I don't know if it's waiting to be collected or has run away from home. Or perhaps this corner is the plates equivalent of a tropical beach. Maybe I should ask it?

The Run of Today +

Another day, another run. Only a short trip today. But still a run. On a side note I've changed the website I use to 'count the miles' as I don't really want to be counting miles, I'd rather use Kilometres like a normal person.

And on to the run from today...

I looked up at the clouds as I left, and a slight frown passed across my face as I noticed the rich grey colours that seemed to be all the sky was made from today. I thought that I might be getting a bit wet, and then recognised that the only reason for me to get a bit wet was the excessively well developed procrastination skills that I have. I'm not sure who I can thank for those, but I won't be buying you a beer anytime soon. After these enlightened thoughts had wafted through my mind I decided that I had better just get going. So I went.

If you will notice on the little thing that measures altitude it starts by going up. And then up, the first half of this run is spent going up. It was on the last little bit of up that I ran into a problem. I was being assailed at both ends. The assault at the front was caused mainly by the wind, but it was helped by the slight drizzle that had begun to float slowly down. Until it was caught by the wind, and then it turned into nasty needles that sought to drive me back. Only there was another battle going on behind. This might get uncomfortable, if you have a weak stomach you might want to look away now. The battle behind was caused by last nights dinner. There was a strong desire to get home as fast as I could to solve these matters. You can look back now if you'd like.

These two battles enticed me into taking a shorter run today, although I think  I can safely say I won both battles.

Weekly Round Up


Day 1: 500 m
Day 2: 2 km
Day 3: Nil
Day 4: Nada
Day 5: 4 km
Day 6: 7.8 km
Day 7: 2 km

This gives us a grand total of - 16.3 km

As for the goal of 25 kms. I didn't make it. A fair estimate for the reasons behind this would be the overuse of the 'procrastination tool' and the two days in the middle where I didn't run at all. Not to mention the crazy cockamamie mistake of Monday. Best start this week on a different note.For the goal over the coming week I shall keep it at 25 km, and with a little extra work it is still an achievable aim.

10 km run?

Well, another run done today. That brings the days total to... One. Awesome. I set off with the intention of running 10 kms, I had even mapped out a possible route, with the help of Google:maps, but this didn't pan out. Instead I ran 7.8 kms. It took me around an hour. A bit slower than I'll need to be in the future, but I got it done and that was the whole point of the day. Somebody asked yahoo answers for me and the people of the internet said that 50 mins was a good time for a 10 km run/race. I was 2 km short, and 10 mins slower. I'm not too disappointed with that, but I will be looking to more than halve the amount of time it takes me to run 10 km.

Here's the route I ran today. There was a considerably large hill right about where I decided to turn around which was absolutely no fun whatsoever. The view once I got to the top didn't make up for it at all either. All round a disappointing hill in a disappointing place. I'll have to remember to steer clear of that one in the future.

On another note, the weather here in Wellington is not doing anything at all to assist my motivation. With cold days and wind that brings in rain it's not much fun at all. However, once I get past the sore legs, the tired legs, the horrible cold at the beginning, the feeling of over heating at the end and those damn hills, it's really not fun at all. But it still must be done.

Wonderful Weather

I'm sitting in front of my laptop with sweat pooling on the keys as I type. Today I ran a new route, a route that I had not run before. I left to take my usual 'round the block' route and passed a road that I've often wondered what was at the end of. Today, I stepped forward for the challenge and I ran towards something I didn't know. I didn't know how much of an uphill there would be.

After two not completely expected days away from running I found it hard to motivate myself. There just wasn't any oomph to be found, this wasn't helped much by Wellingtons wonderful winter weather. Somewhat blustery with small spells of horizontal rain and a nice dark grey sky were some things that kept me from wanting to slip into my running shoes. I made it though, after much pushing and fighting within my head. Now I have to do it all again tomorrow. If your wondering what sort of weather I'll be dealing with on my next few runs.

I believe my run today had the hilliest profile of any run to date, granted it was just down then up it still felt as if it was rather a steep run up. That may or may not have had something to do with my lack of running in the last couple of days. Distance run today - 3.89461248 because I haven't figured out how to tune the map my run people into real measurements. They are American which means that, like Liberia and Myanmar...Burma..., they use the 'imperial' measurements system. Confusing for those that can count, it still means that I almost ran four kilometres(yes, kilometres is spelt that way) today. Still a long way to go to reach my desired mileage(kilometreage?) for the week, but every little bit helps.

No run

There was no run today. I did climb 250 stairs though. As some friends were going to Cape Palliser, the southern most point of the North Island, we thought we would tag along. Had a neat day off, but back into it tomorrow.

After the day before ANZAC Day, but the same day

Well, I went for a run... I ran into a slight hitch on the way out the door, it was requested ever so nicely that I should do the dishes before I left. And so I did. Then I ran at a slow jog to the shops at the top of the hill before becoming one with Tawhirimatea, once again, all the way home.

The day before ANZAC Day

Today marks a slight deviation from the tradition that I have sought to establish in the first month or so of running and writing. That deviation is to turn everything backward. I have done yoga in the last half hour and am now preparing to depart for my run. Just a short circuit today as my body is still complaining about the lack of nothing time it has had in the last month or two. I shall return in a short period of time all sweaty and give my wife a hug, which I'm sure she loves. It's a Tuesday and tomorrow being ANZAC Day here in New Zealand I'm sure that I will have the opportunity to run on the next day as well. So without further ado, I shall bid you adieu and a-running I shall go.

Today

I had a bit of a busy day today, back at uni after a couple of weeks off, and so I didn't think I would get time to go for a run today. This is mostly because I didn't get up when my alarm went off. Something in the fogginess of dream time said it was ok to let it just go and go. Disappointing I know, however I did end up going for a walk through the botanical gardens. If you haven't been to Wellington then you won't know how awesome this is and so I shall attempt to describe it; Wellington is on a hill, actually it's on a lot of hills, but one of these hills leading down to the harbour(yes, Google, that is how you spell 'harbour') is a rather large wooded area. In this rather large wooded area are a rather large amount of trees and such as well as a few more little hillocks that I shall call hills. So the basic gist of it is that I walked around these hillocks and through these trees for a couple of hours this afternoon. I thought that compensated for not going for a run.

Once we had finished in the botanicals I went to uni and did some study, read some passages and wrote some of another essay due this week. When I had finished that I got a call from my wife saying that the money had come through and could I please pick up some rather odious demon sticks. It was at around half past 8. If you are from New Zealand you would know that the dairy's all close around 8pm since we are now on winter time. If you not from New Zealand you would know a dairy as a convenience store. Oh, and in New Zealand suburban dairy's close around 8pm in the winter time. There is, half way down the hill(I am in Wellington, so everything is either uphill or downhill from where you are) to town, a dairy. I didn't realise that  these things close at 8, I either thought or hoped that it would be open until half past 8 or preferably 9pm. So I started running. It wasn't. So I kept on running. I ran all the way down the not insubstantial hill into town, went to a 24 hour dairy and turned around.

I started running back. I got maybe a third of the way up the hill and started walking again. Tricking myself into believing I was walking because of the monumental danger that running up the stairs in pitch black darkness(I exaggerate, it was merely midnight black) might have attached to it. Once at the top of these stairs I decided I should walk a little further and also that I was going to push the button on the traffic lights to wait for that little man to go from angry red into happy green. I can't pretend this was for safety, as there were no cars, it was really to let myself return to myself as the lack of oxygen seemed to have had an adverse effect on my self awareness. Then I had a light jog to the base of another hill that I walked briskly(read ambled) up.

In the end, I did get a run. Not quite the run I was intending to do before breakfast, but a run none the less. Oh, and don't ask me how long it was for I have no idea. I'm going to say 500 m because I believe it counts though it isn't really a run.

End of week round up

The sixth in a row today. As yesterday the run I took was excessively long I decided to shorten it a little bit today. I ran around half of what I ran yesterday. I'm still pleased with myself that I actually managed to get off for a run today, my legs were pretty heavy when I started and I thought that I would end up just doing my shorter run. However, once I started going I could feel the muscles starting to loosen up just a little and halfway through they were feeling only tired.

Now that you know my legs aren't as Godlike as they appear to be, lets get onto the important stuff: How far did I run in the last week. With only one day off I'm expecting to at least get close to my goal of 15 kms.

Day 1: 0 kms
Day 2: 1.8 kms
Day 3: 1.8 kms y
Day 4: 2.0 kms y
Day 5: 1.8 kms y
Day 6: 6.8 kms
Day 7: 3.3 kms y
          TOTAL:  17.5 kms

Result: Pride. At least on my part. I have almost run a half marathon in the past week, not only that, I've also managed to keep my goal of daily runs going and I've added yoga as well(On the day's with a 'y' in the above list). I've still not managed to get myself to a point where I can consider myself to be actually 'fit' but I have managed to get that point a little bit closer. With the continued effort on my part I believe I can 'knock the bastard off'. I realise(yes, Google, that is how you spell 'realise') that it's still a long way away but I'm actually seeing that I am capable of managing such a feat as the 'Marathon de Sade.'

Goal for the next week: 25kms, including a run of 10kms or so. It should be attainable, especially as I'm intending to run every day.

A little complaint.

You will notice the last post was posted at 2013. On Friday the 20th of April. It wasn't.(Small note, I changed my timezone to what it should automatically have been set at and it 'post dated' my previous posts) It was posted at 1500 on Saturday the 21st of April. You will also notice the URL in the address bar. unabletorun.blogspot.co.nz. That's right .CO.NZ, meaning that I am located on the New Zealand portion of blogspot. The American owners, Google, seem to think they are the only time zone. Perhaps they don't want to face the fact that they are, and always will be, behind. Apparently I have to change my timezone. I would have thought a blog at blogger.co.nz would automatically be in the New Zealand timezone, not the American timezone. Another thing I don't like is the American English spell checker that Google insists on using. I realise that it is an American company, but again, I'm using blogspot.CO.NZ, not blogspot.COM. Also my language setting is set to English(UK) which should mean that colour is spelled colour, not color.

I like to think of myself as not completely retarded, I believe I have the ability to spell. I think I also have a reasonable command of the English language it would be nice if this technology would stop telling me how I should think and just let me think. For example; I'm not a big fan of the British Empire, they did some nasty things. I do however think the British Empire is a lot closer to heaven than the much more insidious American Empire. At the very least you knew where you stood with the British Empire. Mind you that might just be because I'm a young white male. See, I can think for myself. I pity the children of the future, they're going to not know at all how accurate the statement 'ignorance is bliss' is.

The Fifth

It's 1425 on Saturday the 21st of April. I have just returned from a run, my long run of the week. I have small rivers of sweat cascading down my body. This is understandable, at least it is to myself, as I have just completed my longest run. In living memory. This afternoon I ran 6.9 kms. In less than an hour. I think. I didn't actually check the time before I left, but I think I stepped out the around half one. I have been running for not even 2 months and got to the point where I can run nearly 7 kms not uncomfortably in less than an hour. Now I realise that before the end of the year that time, less than an hour, is going to look ridiculously slow. But at this point in time I'm really stoked with myself for two reasons really. It took me less than 1 hour. I ran all the way. I stopped where I turned around for a brief rest, but I still ran all the way there and all the way back.

I have another day to come tomorrow, on which I think I'll try and get in another 5km or so of running. My goal for this week was 15kms and at the moment I'm sitting on around 15kms and not feeling too bad. Not only have I been running this week I've also been doing yoga. I've used this as I don't know how to stretch properly, I don't have any money to go to a gym and learn, nor do I want to really. This seems to be doing the trick, basically that's what yoga, as a fitness exercise, is all about. Stretching and controlling your breathing. Anyway, off to day 6...

Morning

It's a Friday morning. I'm not a morning person. Today I managed to drag myself out of the dream world at a respectable half 8 in the morning, I then proceeded to fanny about; reading emails, checking the news, looking at procrastination sites, and taking care of necessary business for the next hour and a half. However I must say that it has been 4 days with a small but not inconsequential run each day. I think that's not too bad going as I've also added another thing to my morning routine. For my wife's birthday last year I gave her a pair of Yoga mats. I told her it was so we could do yoga together, however I had really bought the wrong one first off and couldn't get my money back. My prediction however has come true, and I am now trying really hard to fit that into my mornings.

Yoga, ah, the bending of legs, arms, backs and all those other places that shouldn't be bent. I've noticed on the last couple of mornings that my legs, arms, backs and all those other places that shouldn't be bent don't want to do anything. I think this is mainly because of the innate system of laziness I have been able to install so thoroughly while I was getting to this age. My whole body is pretty saying to me 'you don't have to do anything' but as it doesn't actually hurt, it just isn't easy and natural to be lifting a leg to take a step, I've come to the conclusion that I just need to tell my body to stop whining and harden the f啊ck up.

The Wind

I live in Wellington, New Zealand. If you know New Zealand then you'll know one thing about Wellington. The capital city is famous for one thing above all others. It's not the prowess of our rugby team. It's not our amazing seafood, though you can find a good feed of fish. It's not even the political skill of our politicians, our political might is something to be reckoned with: If you drink Tui. It's our wind. Seeing as how we are located in the 'roaring forties' we have an abundance of strong winds. Today was a rather special run, I ran and ran. Only 'round the block', so my long run will have to wait for another day, but today was still special as today was the day that the wind and I became one. That's right, I am now 风伯(fengbo) - the human form of the Chinese God of the Wind. Known to the Maori as Tawhirimatea and also to the Norse as Njörðr. I am one of the all powerful forces in this world and I shall sweep all before me. But wait... I may have got a little carried away... Today I ran fast. Tomorrow I shall run faster....

four days without...

Friday - No run.
Saturday - No run.
Sunday - No run.
Monday - No run.

Pathetic. That's what I told myself as I lay in bed with the warm foggy surrounds of sleep slowly being pushed further and further into my mind. It didn't help much. I still wanted to lie back and let it all just wash over me, let it lull me even further back into my sleeping bliss. That couldn't work though, as every time the folds of sleep managed to grasp a toe hold in my mind there would be sharp kick and a noise from my wife. I took that to mean that I had finished for the night and stumbled out of bed. After I had made a coffee for my wife and I, and drinking both of them, I slipped into my running shoes and made my way out the door. Left, right, left, right. I was back into it. The challenge now, I've decided, is to see how many days in a row I can manage to fit a run in. So today has been day one. Just the short 'round the block' route with a slight change. I ran up a different street so that I would have a steeper profile to my run. It doesn't make much of a difference, but it does make a small difference. The intention tomorrow is to do a longer run. The same route as the 4.5 km run last week but with an extra bit tagged on from the turn around point to make it longer than 5 kms.

Expect to hear more tomorrow about that one.

Yesterday.

Yesterday all my troubles went away. Not really, but I did go for a run. This post is just a day late as a friend was in town from Australia and so after my run we had to go on downtown and show him how to get up the hill. This marks 5 days with a run everyday. Most of them being a shorter 'round the block' run but with a 'long run' thrown in. The length of the shorter circuit is around 1.8 kms and this week I ran this route 4 times. I also ran a slightly longer route that took me almost up to a group of shops we'll call the 'Northland Shops', mainly because they're the northland shops, which evens out at 4.5 kms. Nearly 5 k's. I'm not sure how long these runs are taking me as I have yet to get hold of a watch of some sorts. I timed myself yesterday on a short run and that came out at 16 mins. So at this point it takes me a quarter of an hour to run nearly 2 kms. A despicably long amount of time really, but still something I'm proud of as I manage to run the whole distance. Which, of course, is the whole point of the exercise.

When I count it up the distance that I have actually run in the past 5 days is 7.2 kms 'round the block' and a 4.5 kms long run. A nice round total of 11.7ish kms. The challenge is now on for the my next week of running to get up to and perhaps pass the 15km mark. Something I feel is getting closer and closer. I still fully intend to run a 10 km run in the next 3 weeks and yes, I'm very aware that this weeks total will have to fall somewhere on the 'very short run' end of the scale. But that's the whole point of doing the Marathon des Sables in 2 years time, rather than next year.

Short and Sweet

It's a short and sweet post today as I'm severely limited for time. I went for a run, only the short 'round the block' circuit, and I found that I am now able to make myself run a little faster. The only time I stop when taking a short trip is to pick something up from the shop. That's usually only a brief 'can I have one of those, please' sort of stop. So, in conclusion, the good news is that my runability is on the up. Let's keep it that way, shall we?

The Return Of The Demon

I decided this morning that it was time to admit defeat. For now at least, I have to face the fact that I have failed. I'm talking, of course, not about my running endeavours which are only beginning but rather about a disgusting and expensive personal habit that I acquired some years ago. I have tried many times in the past to shake this habit and this time I really thought I had managed this. I believe that I will have no choice but to make it work.

I am talking about that beast that torments around a third of the adult male population and is one of the most insidious industries in the history of industries. The tobacco companies. Controlled by only 5 major producers this industry has you in their pocket, provided of course that you bought into their product. If you have ever had the misfortune to be addicted to something you know how much of a winner the first person to sell tobacco was onto. You want another, and only another will do. It reaches a point where you don't only want another, you need another. That's the point I am at at the moment.

I don't want another cigarette, I just have this great big empty spot which I can only fill with a cigarette. At this point in time. I'm hoping that I can use my running to improve my mind. Part of the reason for running every day is to convince myself that I can do things that I really don't enjoy. That they can become a fun and productive part of my life. I believe that coupled with my desire to not pay as much taxes, in 2005 of the $1.6 billion spent on tobacco 70% was sent straight to the taxman. Now I don't begrudge a little tax, I do think that a 70% tax rate is a little high. My best bet, I have concluded is to stop buying them. And so I shall, henceforth, feed the soulless corporations in this world just a little less and also stop contributing so much to MP's overseas travel funds. As a small side note on this I expect to be able to run 10 kms within the next 3 weeks provided, of course, that I manage to keep my hand out of the tobacco box.

The Longest Yet

I'm writing this because I am quite proud. Yes, proud. Today I went for a run with half an idea to run a bit further than I have before. Usually when I run this is the route I take. I know, it's short; But I'm only beginning. This is the route that I take if I'm going for a longer run. Ridiculous right? Ah well, at least it is longer. This is why I am proud today. A little bit longer than the usual 'around the block' run. The first time I did this 'round the block run' I found myself puffing and blowing all the way round. Not only that, I stopped semi-regularly to keep my huff'n'puff from knocking me out. And by semi-regularly I mean every 3 - 5 minutes. On my run today I stopped once, at the shops, twice, after the tunnel, and thrice crossing the road at the top of the hill to home. I think somewhere in the last month my fitness level has improved. Although still having a substantial way to go before I am able to run for 7 days through the Sahara. Thankfully there are a few shorter challenges and around 2 years to go before I will be doing this.

The First Surprise

It happened today. It's never happened before. So I was most surprised. It has been a week since I've written anything which, coincidentally, also means that it has been a week since I've laced up my running shoes. This added immensely to the surprise that I got when I got home. It was a good surprise, I didn't get home to find my wife in bed with another man. No, it wasn't a woman either. It was, perhaps, better. Before I fully explain this surprise I need to explain my house or rather the way you get to my house. You go up. Now, it's not as bad as some houses in wellington in that it doesn't have four hundred steps leading up to it. It does however have four wheelchair inaccessible ramps zig-zagging up to the front door. Which is actually not my door. Usually when I get home for a run I'm really tired and my legs don't have any desire whatsoever to be going up hills so I force myself to run up to the door at least 3 times. Now, when I run I don't run far, only about 2k's each time. This often seems to be more than enough to tire me out. I think my level of fitness has something to do with that. Today seemed to be very special; on my run I ran further than I usually manage, stopping to walk a short while only once, and when I got home I did my usual up down up down up. Even though I was huffing and puffing like I was looking for bacon for dinner I still thought to myself that I could have run further and actually kind of wanted to. So I did. Up down up down up again.

This came to me as an extra large, extra special surprise. I actually wanted to run for longer, to run further. I would have thought a week without running would have had a more negative affect on my fitness level or what I'm going to call from now on my 'runability'. It sounds better when you say it aloud. It seems that my fitness level is actually improving, even though my consistency has been lacklustre at best. This was an incredible surprised to me, to find that I actually had a desire to run a little bit further. That same desire didn't happen while I was running though. So I've come to the conclusion that my attitude to running is still the same.

I F啊CKING HATE IT!!

But perhaps that's changing...

A run.

Today I ran, and ran, and ran. Then I turned around and ran, and ran, and ran. All the way home.