10k race!

I am so very happy and pleased about today! It was a bit of an early start, my train left Cambridge at 05:55 so I had to leave home 05:15... But it was all right! Had to take a little detour when in London, they are for some reason doing construction work on pretty much all underground lines. But I got there in time, picked up my timing chip and T-shirt and then got my shins taped up! Really like when you come to race and they offer good service, bag drop, massage and professionals to apply kt-tape! Very pleased!

At 9 the race started and I don’t know if I have done progress without really noticing or what but it felt so incredibly good. The kilometres just went by and my shins didn’t bother me. Felt a little pain on the outside of my right knee, but I'm pretty sure that is because I need new shoes. My breathing was excellent and I wasn’t short of breath until the very end when I pushed on. I kept a study pace to begin with, felt like I didn’t really know what pace I could keep but when I got to 5-6k I just felt, I got this. So I could speed up the pace!

And even if I was quite a bit from my pb and even if I could have gone stronger in the beginning I am very happy with the result. I finished a 10k without my shins having a meltdown and I crossed the finish line without being completely run-down. That is more than I was hoping for!

This is why I keep running, this is why it's all worth it! The joy of success and progress, and the wonderful feeling of being able to control your body! The trail was amazing as well, went trough the heart of London, Big Ben, London eye, the Tower bridge and a lot more! Beautiful!

When I got back home I just took a shower and drop in bed with a move, its rainy and I'm tired from a long day! I'm going to reload my batteries and be at my very best tomorrow at boxing practise!

Keep calm and run!  

A second breakfast on the train!

The massage was great!!

Friday

Time flies, I find myself surprised every Friday. What happened to the other days? Been a weird and disorganized week when it comes to my training. Monday was insane with double workouts, and had to cancel gym on Thursday because a guy was going to come fix the internet and I had to be home so didn’t have time before work. Went today though! Did 30 minutes on the crosstrainer, love that thing! Did a interval program and it really made me sweat and work hard. And I like that you use your upper body as well!

After that I did my regular upper body program and it already feels better ans easier to do! Should have started this a long time ago... Still working on what I'm going to do tomorrow, run, gym or rest. How do you usually plan your training before a race?

Going to see how it all work out on Sunday and if it feels good I have a few other races I'm going to sign up for! Just don't want to sign up for a bunch and then than have to drop out if my shins don't stand it. Take it day by day! What I know I’m going to do it a obstacle course race in November. Going to be great fun! It's ether 5 or 10k, I'll see where I'm at and which one I chose! Looking forward to that!

To have something to look forward to and to train for really motivates me. Even if I most days enjoy going for a run or hitting the gym I sometimes need a little boost. Something that make me keep going and pushing myself even when it's hard and just one big fat up hill. And if it's up hill it will most certainly soon enough start going down hill! Just going to have to work trough it!

Off to bed now, had a terrible headache most of the day and just felt a little off balance. I bet a good nights sleep can fix that!

My new friends...

Can't help myself, little leg work won't hurt!

Headache and trying to rest, unsuccessfully. T thinks I should
cook him dinner insted and would not stop taking photos
untill he was fed... I now have about 35 pic of me
in my bed ^^ 

My poor upper body...

It's Wednesday night and 3 days till the 10k race! It has been an interesting week so far, Monday that was suppose to be my resting day turned in to a day with double workouts. Went to the gym in the morning to get a schedule worked out to get my upper body back in the game. When we were done Steve asked if I didn’t want to do a session while I was there. Of course I wanted. Did the cross trainer for warm up, I found that it is a lot friendlier to my shins and still get your pulse going! So after that we worked through my sad excuse for an upper body and an hour later I was ready to just lay down and cry. Haha, well, it felt great to be back on track again!

Went home and took a shower, worked and had dinner. At seven I went off to visit the boxing club. Was going to see the place, talk to the instructors and so on... Well, the very nice instructor Gary asked if I didn’t want to join since I was there. Yeah, what a heck! So after an hour of boxing (and Gary wasn’t easy on me just because I was new, or the only girl) my arms were shaking and my upper body had definitely had a choking first day back at the gym.

Well, I made Tuesday my new resting day, my shins were a big ass pain, guess from the sprints we did for warm up at boxing. Put on liniment before bed and a warm pair of sock and actually felt better this morning. Still decided to do the gym today and run tomorrow. So I went trough another hour of pain and sweat. But it was worth it, always is!

Is now trying to plan these 3 days before the 10k. Need to run at least once, but want my shins to be as fresh as possibly. Always balancing on a thin thread, not wanting to push to hard but still need to get the exercise to move forward. So I will ether run tomorrow or on Friday...To hell with the plan, I'm just going to play it by ear and listen to my body!

Nothing to to with the post, but
horses make me happy and
peaceful so i don't care!

Gym Gym Gym!

Luch! I just love broccoli!

Life saver!

5k race

Back after a long but fun day in London. I decided not to run yesterday, did take a 7k walk just to move a little. Don't know what difference it did but my shins have been great today! Taped them before I left this morning and I didn’t feel anything during the race. It was only a 5k but consider that my shins had a total meltdown at 2k when I was at my worst I'm very happy with the result!

Feel it a little now but not at all as much as I thought after 5 k on only pavements and rock hard grounds. Except that my legs felt a little heavy ( nothing to to with the shins) it felt great. The breathing was good all trough the race and I can finally feel that I'm on the right track back! I can finally see some progress and that all my hard work, sweat and devotion is paying off. It's so much easier to push and motivate yourself when you see results.

Next Sunday I have a 10k race, and to be honest, I’m a little nervous. Not about the distance , I know I can do that, but of course my shins... Always those darn shins but also it's been a while since I've been out on races and I don't really know my 10k pace anymore and all those things that was routine before... Felt today that my pace was a little unsteady and without the pulse watch I would have been even more lost. Well it's a week till then so I can fit in some long runs and I will calm down! Was about to not do the one next week and wait till October but better to get started!

Met this guy today who ran 5k on 15:55... Very impressive and it really made me want to work harder! Not that I could ever do it on 15:55 but definitely better than today! But at the end of the day I'm really happy with what I accomplished and that is in the end the most important thing!

Nice reading on the train back!

5k charity run in London!

Was not planing on post anything today since I'm resting and haven't done anything interesting more than laundry and food shopping. But I was sitting surfing around and found a 5k charity run on Sunday in London, Battersea Park. I thought why not, 5k is a good distance to start with and it's fun and for a good cause.

I have a 3,5 mile race at the end of October, there is also a 5 miles around the same time so might as well get back to it rather sooner than later. I'm a little torn about what I'm going to do tomorrow. I can go for a run, or maybe more a jog just to move since I've been resting today. Or should I rest tomorrow too, to save my shins as much as possible before the race. Well it's a 5k , not exactly a marathon but it is around 4-5k my shins starts to trouble. I'm simply going to wake up tomorrow and see how it feels!

Sharing this link http://www.justgiving.com/Malin-Ekstrom have a look if you like, it's for the charity run, and every £ counts! And why not come join me!! The more the merrier!

Now I'm off for a good cup of tea and my Harry Potter book!  

Listen to your body

Been a lovely day today, sunny and blue sky! I was planning on taking the 7k trail but ended up taking the 4.5 instead. My shins didn’t seem quit as good as they have been lately. Think that was a good choice because defiantly feel it now. Not sure if it's because I rested for 10 days while I was sick and in the middle of moving to a new country or because of the changed grounds, been more pavements and hard ground than I usually do. Well I'm going to rest tomorrow, or maybe go to the gym and do some upper body since my current upper strength is comparative to a slugs... I have really put the gym aside...

Really bothers me when I can't run as far as I wish, and it's really frustration when you get up to 4-5k and your shins starts to trouble and you feel that you have so much more to give. Earlier I have just pushed it and thought I treat in when I get home, put some ice on and so on. Know much better now, my stupidity resulted in me being away for a long time to recover from it. So I know I have to take it slow and don't overwork my shins. Rebuild muscles and all that. But again, very frustrating to not be able to take myself out once in a while.

Good thing though, found a boxing club that is going to fit me perfect! 2-3 times a week and boxing is far friendlier to my shins but yet a great workout. And not to forget, it's really fun! So I'm starting that on Monday, really looking forward to it!

So if anyone out there have any magic tricks on how to treat shins feel free to share it... Feels like I have tried everything, maybe it's just more patience I need. Well I'm really happy to be back running and I'm positive it will get better in time! Negativity and bitterness will take you no way but down! Keep the good attitude up and run like you stole something!

Lovley with a 11 y/o with a new camera in the house... Me
trying to fix the stove...Way to early in the morning...

And me feeding bunnies in the morning, looking tired, and in
a hideous outfit haha. But she insist that her pictures get
"published" as she calls it. And she is checking...
A week and I'll be off the hook!

And a picture actually releted to the subject,
 taped up and a waterbottle
ready to go! Don't forget to drink!!

That's my moivation!

Ended up running today after all, even though I did a little bit of fitness training as well. But my main focus was on running. I took a 4k trail, and luckily it felt better than last time. Still a long way to go, but all those small steps forward is one day going to make a massive different from where I started off!

But today’s run was good, one of those times when you start off feeling good and pretty soon just feel like you want to sit down and die. Like there is not enough air to breath and your legs are begging you to stop. You push trough it and then just get that flow, when it feels like you can run forever! Wonderful feeling!

From time to time I think, why on earth do I put myself through this, trails that never seem to end, rain and cold and shin splint, but that is only a tiny part of the what running is all about. Running is about pushing yourself to new levels, it's the freedom to be able control your body and most of all it's something that makes me happy, healthy and confident. I run for my own sake, I set my own goals and I get a great boost when I reach them.

The whole reason I wrote this was because I read on a forum where this girl wrote that running ruined her life. That her team and herself as well pushed to hard. When it became something she was forced to keep getting better at. That makes me sad, and it makes me want to point out the importances of listening to your body, and to do what feels right for you. No wrong in pushing yourself hard, I do that, but when you no longer enjoy it, it's probably time to stop and think why are you doing what your doing?

Today I actually ordered the KT-tape pro, want to try it out and now when I'm getting back on track with my boxing that also unfortunately fallen somewhat by the wayside after the summer in the states. It means that I are going a lot more workout and the pro is sitting on for up to 7 days. We'll see if it works and if it's making a different. Worth a try!

Random lunch, before the big weekly food shopping trip!

Photo cred to sweet little E who has been trying
out her new birthday camera! The sepia effects is
her favorite so far! She asked me to do a "strong
pose" Not sure how well I did that but...