Still chugging along. Went for a slow walk on friday. May even do it again today. Woo! LOL.

I'm going up to Mooloolaba for a few days at xmas. I think my nearest and dearest are rather afraid to leave me alone on significant dates now. That said, I'm looking forward to spending some time swimming, sunbaking and reading. My planned reading for the break currently includes "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" which I've been meaning to read for years.

Thanks also for all the comments, lovely people. It's nice to read supportive stuff. I will have to read more blogs - I've not been online so much lately.

In an effort to do something positive, I took this photo the other day on my walk. The good thing about walking is that I can carry my camera, which I can't do when I run (too much shaking for an SLR!)

Hope you're all looking forward to a very happy xmas and new year. I've got my fingers crossed that 2008 is a whole lot better than 2007!

H x

I have no hair

Because every woman should shave her head at least once in her life time, and my hair was very short anyway, I decided to do mine ;) snap decision, though on retrospect, I really should've done it for charity.

It's quite liberating, though my head is a bit cold. It's growing surprisingly fast, too. It feels great and I can't stop rubbing my head. It also has fantastic velcro properties ;) Just kidding.

Of course, I also seem to fit right in at the mental health section of the local hospital now. Just call me Britney. Not! I don't know why I've been so hush hush about what's been happening to me lately - I think it's that I have been scared people will judge me for it. But perhaps, while I don't talk about this stuff, I'm actually lending power to that idea.

Anyway, the long and the short of it, if you hadn't guessed already, is that I've been suffering from acute, clinical depression as well as bulimia and a personality disorder. All in all, I've been as low as you can possibly get. My birthday was the pinnacle and, well, I'm lucky I'm still here.

It's hard to explain what that's like to someone who hasn't been there. There's a line in the sand in life and once you've crossed it, the knowledge that you're capable is always there. Then there's the effect such things have on the people who love you. I'm still working my way through that aftermath.... I am still the Hannah that people know, but on another level, I am quite literally, a big, fat mess. My family and workplace have been really supportive, but funding changes at work have made things quite unstable so who knows what the future holds.

Depression makes me behave like a hermit. I can go out to see friends in small groups or go to the movies, but I struggle with large groups or public events. I have no motivation to do anything or go anywhere. The effort it takes me to fight my illness every day seems to just suck all will out of me.

I know that eventually things will have to settle. In the mean time, I'm attempting to weather the storm. I do want to get back to running. I just think it's all going to take some time. One day at a time!

Hola

Hello Blogland,

I’m still kicking. Or at least I really would be if I could kick one foot with the other without falling over. I’m currently on another round of name-that-antiinflammatory and trying to muster some enthusiasm to move my ever-expanding arse. If my foot isn’t better by February (marking 12 months since I hurt it) I’m going back to the specialist and begging for surgery.

I did go swimming last week. Once. The only thing that’s getting a major work out around me currently is the local mental health system. I’m collecting labels.

Besides spending quality time with my Psychiatrist, therapist, doctor and caseworker (we are just one big happy family, really) I am currently working many, many hours a week. Which is good, really, since this is a stormy time for my employer with recent funding cuts and may go some way to helping me keep my job. There are also family problems brewing, just to add some icing to the overbaked cake.

I saw the running girls tonight. Went to Ronnie’s and had Mexican. Complete with Sombreros and plastic cacti. It was nice to see them all.

Now Don't Die of Shock...

It's only been a month since my last confession post.

I'm still alive. Obviously.

I will try to restrict this entry to running related stuff. Of which there is little, since I literally haven't done any exercise since my last post.

I am currently still waging war with my bloody orthotics and that is still just in the day to day scheme of things. I have blisters all over my feet as I try them in various different shoes. Shoes which were once comfortable without orthotics become unbearable with. I am rubbing parts of my feet raw. In sheer desperation, today I went into the city and spent $180.00 on a pair of work shoes that will hopefully do the trick. We shall see. I have had the orthotics reviewed and reshaped, but it is a long and painful process. My foot feels no better, so in the long term, it looks like I may well be facing surgery.

I am also still rather unwell. I am currently going up and down every two weeks or so, feeling better then worse, then better, then worse. It sucks. A lot. I rattle when I walk from the amount of medication I am currently taking. It's all rather a big change for someone who not so long ago, rarely took so much as a panadol.

My lovely friend Em is running with the club now and loving it. I am hearing news via the grapevine and missing it all rather a lot. If I can muster the motivation, I am going to try to go to tuesday track sessions and just use the time to walk around the outside of the field, until/if I can start to jog gently.

Unfortunately, my injury, combined with my illness, the side effects of the medication and my resurfaced eating disorder means that I am currently back at 105kgs and a size 20. I am secretly terrified of seeing the wider running cohort because I am so embarrassed by regaining all the weight. I know (I hope!) that no one is going to judge me for it but it is mortifying.

I'd completely forgotten how awful people can be when you're fat - a few weeks ago I had to try to find an evening dress for a work function. I finally found something I liked and the woman in the shop literally sneered at me and asked incredulously if I was shopping for myself. She then told me they didn't have my size and that they only went to a sixteen. It is pretty mortifying to be treated like that. Needless to say, I didn't buy anything to wear.

So yeah. It's all fun here. But I'm not ready to give up on running just yet. I am right back here at square one, but one day, I'd really like to be able to run again, just a little. I'm going to continue to try to get back to running, anyway.

Far OUT! You have got to be kidding...

I woke up this morning to find my foot is sore again. Not only that, but I also have a sharp pain in the other one, too. Feels like a pinched nerve or something.

All from walking 3km?

Blah!

TT

This morning I went to the 5km time trial at Shorncliffe. It was really good to see everyone, although I felt really self-conscious going back looking and feeling so overweight and unfit. Was great to see Uncle Phil though, who is looking heaps better after his surgery.

So much has happened since I was last there – the problems with my foot and then the other stuff that’s had me in hospital three or four times… all in all, I feel rather changed by the last few months. Hopefully in a good way. Time will tell, I guess!

Anyway, my orthotics are still painful, so I probably walked 3km today. My feet are sore, though not blistered. I did attempt to run a couple of hundred metres, just to see what it feels like with the orthotics and it felt truly bizarre, like I am running with my toes turned in and down. My body weight and stride has shifted so much that I’m paranoid I’m going to twist my ankle or fall over. I’m not quite sure what affect running on the outside of my feet is going to have on the rest of me, either.

Anyway, babysteps.

Only seven months, three weeks to go until I can take them out.

Orthotics...

Orthotics....

Ow.

I feel like I'm walking on potatoes. It feels so unnatural having my weight moved to the outside edge of my feet. Like I'm going to twist my ankles very easily.... I am currently doubting very much that I will ever be able to run on these, let alone get used to it! They're so hard.

Time will tell, I suppose. I go back for a final check in, in a few weeks.

I may attempt to walk the 5km time trial on saturday, depending on blisters.

update

Well, I pick my orthotics up tomorrow. They said I should wear them for a week to get used to them before starting to try to run again. With the rain and cold last night, my foot is still hurting which means I shouldn't really run until it doesn't hurt again anyway.

I also appear to have an ear infection, caused by a sore throat, which was caused by hayfever. Consequently, I constantly feel like I've been swimming and want to jump up and down and shake my head to dislodge the fluid. No gratifying rush of water though. Sooooo frustrating! It also means I'm almost completely deaf in one ear and very dizzy as a result. My lovely running doc, C, is on holidays, but if it's not better in a few days, I'll have to see one of the other doctors for some antibiotics or something.

Had coffee with my lovely now-running friend, E, last night. She has started coming to the run inn and is loving it. I hope I can get back to the point where we would be able to plod together.

Am starting to tackle some of the other health issues I've had recently. It's a slow process and long term treatment, but I'm going to give it a go to see if it works. Better than doing nothing.

Drumroll, please... finally saw the foot doc

Went to see the foot doctor today and ended up spending the entire day at the Brisbane Private Hospital. I am so completely over spending days inside hospitals, but I decided, after waiting for months to get in and see the specialist it would be worth it just to finally, finally get a prognosis.

My initial appointment was at 9.30am. The doc looked at all the x rays, bone scans and then finally, the last MRI that diagnosed the Bursitis. Then he tells me that actually, he doesn't think it is bursitis at all. Instead, he thinks a bit of the bone in my foot has died because it shows up as a horrible grey colour, not white like fluid. This would also explain why nothing showed on the bone scan, since there is no increased blood flow to make it a 'hotspot'.

Cue much panic and him not giving me a straight answer on what would happen if it was dead.
So, I get sent straight off for another $450 MRI scan to confirm it.

With much baited breath and gnashing of teeth (and contemplating a lifetime of pain in my foot or surgery or far worse no more running) I finally get back in to see the specialist at 4pm.

He reviewed the new MRI and turns out it is bursitis after. Phew. Chronic Sesamoiditis, to be precise. To fix it, I've got to get an orthotic made for the foot and wear it for six to eight months. It will probably take that long until the inflammation goes down and the bursa thins out again. I can try running on it when it starts to feel better but I have to stop immediately if it hurts. So this means no long runs for a long time and counting forwards eight months, looks like I might not make it to the GCM next year either. Waa.

Looking at the bigger picture, I know this is actually good news (no surgery or cortisone!) and I'm very happy the bone wasn't dead. I guess part of me had been waiting for this appointment for so long that I had half imagined there'd be some magic bullet cure. Or that it wouldn't take so long to fix. Or that I'd known how to fix it months ago. At the moment I just feel cranky because I walked alot yesterday to stir it up for the specialist and consequently my foot now hurts like hell again and I'm truly, truly sick of it.

But there we are. Thinks could be worse. Once I have a couple of orthotics made, I can start trying to run again. That at least, is something.

update

Hello, hello.

Another non-running blog post for you all. I am unfortunately still stuck in the land of non-running until at the very earliest, 12 September, when I see the specialist about my foot. The last few months have definitely made me appreciate what it is to be healthy and fit. I know I keep saying it, but I will never take it for granted ever again. It has made me realise that it is perhaps not a good plan to rely so heavily on running as stress relief and a social life - good to have other options to fall back on.

Not much else to report... I recently had an exhibition, sold some work. Work is crazily busy, as always. My sister is pregnant again and my car is being repaired, post limo-bust up. I still can't work out how my car was hardly damaged and the big expensive monster was trashed!

I have also had all my hair cut off again in a short, messy 'bed hair' crop, a la halle berry/michelle williams.

limo

I forgot to mention in my previous post that I had a car accident last week.

I was driving to work, minding my own business and waiting to turn into the car park at work, when a bus stopped to let me through. Without thinking (!) I pulled across and promptly hit a car.

Not just any car, either. No.

I hit a two week old, chaffeur driven car, which, apparently (on looking at the business card of the driver) was actually a limo. I managed to take out three panels of his car, but only scratched the paint off the front of my faithful little toyota starlet.

Either way, I still have to pay the excess, so I'm getting mine repaired too.

When I'd calmed down from that, I went into work. Later, I went to leave for a doctors appointment to discover I had locked my keys in my car in the kerfuffle. It was only that I left the boot unlocked that I managed to scramble through and unlock the door without having to call the RACQ.

Whose overdue membership fee, I promptly decided to pay!

update

I have had about a million emails from everyone asking why I haven't blogged anything in ages, so I thought I should do a brief update of sorts.

I'm still not running and am still waiting for my specialist appointment to come up. The good news is that because I've done virtually no exercise for ages (and I'm talking one RPM class a week if that!) my foot actually feels a bit better. I may start walking to see if it recurs.

I've since had some other medical problems, which has resulted in a lot of doctors appointments and various other stuff. It is hopefully nothing that won't respond to treatment but it's meant I haven't been a very well girl, hence no blogging.

I have also put on a fair amount of weight again. I'm not back to 126kgs, but I'm a lot fatter than I've been in a long time. It's not a very nice place to be.

At the moment, I'm hoping that once I get the all clear to start running again (and learn to run again!) and with some more treatment for other stuff, things will improve.

dreaming

I dream last night that I was on a long run on the bike path by the river - the sun was sparkling on the water and the wind was in my hair. I could feel the salt drying on my skin and my heart pumping the blood through my body... felt really alive and full of joy to be plodding along like I used to.

Then I woke up :(

Anyway...

I got bumped up the waiting list for the specialist another week, after my doctor sent a faxed referral. I did learn to call on mondays though, to see if there's any more cancellations. I feel like just bloody running on it, only I don't want to be in pain for the foreseeable future or do any long term damage.

Have been doing RPM classes with Linda. The biggest achievement in which has been that my arse is no longer as sore as it was after a class any more. Perhaps it's because I'm spending so much more time sitting on it!

GCM pics here:

http://www.coolrunning.com.au/gallery2/v/CoolRunners/Unsorted/goldcoast07/

Nothing else to report, save that I had my very last PT session ever, have been doing the odd RPM class and my foot is no better... boring, boring!

GCM 2007

So, ventured down to the gold coast today to watch everyone do the half, the 10k and the marathon. Full of memories of last year and it killed me watching everyone get all pumped and take off, only to stand like a lemon and watch.

Pretty emotional and it actually sort of took me by surprise - I was quite prepared to stand and cheer and take lots of photos, when I remembered to hand my chip back in and was told I couldn't even get the tshirt because they're for 'finishers' only. Much to my embarrassment I almost cried in front of the woman. Yes, I know it's only a bloody race, it's only a bloody tshirt and there's always bloody next year, but it still upset me. I'm easily upset currently, much to my irritation. I just can't wait for this year to be over.

It wasn't all doom and gloom though - this pic is me and running buddy Tracey stealing the sub 3.30 marathon sign at the start of the race. It's the closest we're ever going to get to one and we gave it back afterwards, honest ;)

I took about 200 photos all up but I'm not uploading them until I get to work (and fast broadband) but lots of nice shots. Susannah did an amazing PB, coming in at just over 3.30 (18mins!) and Ronnie came in at 2.15, smashing her PB by 15 minutes! Great to see.

I couldn't find the CR cheer squad and couldn't hear well enough to use my mobile - too much noise and if I moved, I'd have lost our spot/table/place which I was holding for the run inn runners. Mind you, I almost didn't want to see anyone when I feel so revolting - better for me to just pull my head in and get on with getting myself sorted out before facing lovely CR people. Was quite happy just seeing one or two familiar faces and having a relatively quiet one.

It's good that it was quiet, because if I have anything to do with it, next year is going to be anything but! Nothing motivates more than a good dose of abject frustration.

Quiet on the Western Front

Well, not much new to report here. I'm still waiting for my appointment with the doc to see if there's anything that can be done about the wait for the specialist. I don't think the antibiotics I'm taking are doing anything for my foot. The anti-inflammatories help, but the dose isn't high enough to make much difference (it's Prexige again, but only one a day).

Went to the run inn on wednesday to wish everyone luck at the coast. Really bittersweet because it made me remember how electric and exciting it was this time last year for me as I got ready to run my first 'proper' marathon. I know there'll hopefully be many more (and if nothing else, being on the bench is increasing my motivation for when I can run again) but it still made me want to cry! Whinge, whinge, whinge. I will never, ever, ever, take running like I was, for granted, ever again.

Have realised I'm supposed to be at a work-related function on saturday night and I can't really get out of it without looking enormously rude, so I have decided to car pool with the girls on the sunday morning. The lovely Susannah had offered me a bed in her apartment bless her and I feel reeeallyyyy bad about not using it, but I don't want to dampen anyone else's experience while I'm such a misery guts.

The truth is that my current state of woe is due to a bit more than a bung foot unfortunately and while I'm prepped and ready to cheer my lungs out for all and sundry, until I get my head together and sort myself out a bit, I have a suspicion that I'm going to tend to be a bit of a piker. The important thing is that I'm doing something about it, so I hope everyone can be a bit patient with me until I get myself together.

That said, I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the race. I am contemplating giving my chip to someone uber fast so that I can claim a sub 1:40 half, but I think that might be cheating ;) I am going to take my camera and take lots of pics for everyone, too.

fark!

Rang up today to get an appointment with the specialist. Whose first available appointment is October 31st. That's almost four months away. Four months. By which point, if this doesn't fix itself, I will have had !@%#$ bursitis for eight months straight. Far Out.

Did half an hour on the bike and a body balance class and then an RPM class this morning, followed by a brief swim. My butt is killing me from the bike seats and I've discovered I can't even do most of a body balance class because it involves flexing your feet in a painful manner. I am suspecting the same will be true of yoga.

Blah. Blah. Blah....

referral

Thanks for all the supportive comments, guys. Much appreciated!

Went back to see my lovely running doc and now have a referral for the specialist. I've also got another course of anti-inflams and some antibiotics to take (apparently there can be infection in the bursa). The Doc doesn't think another round of pills will help after all this time (but hey, worth a shot!) and that the specialist will go with cortisone, which, I've decided, if it's put to me as a treatment option, I will try in conjunction with no running for the foreseeable future while all this gets sorted out. If the cortisone doesn't work, then it means surgery. Blah!

It's been really interesting hearing about everyone's experiences with cortisone, good and bad, but currently I am at the stage where I am in pain at some point every day with it so I'm ready to do whatever it takes. If it doesn't work, nothing ventured, nothing gained. You never know, perhaps the specialist will have other options for me to consider, too.

Am doing RPM classes with running buddy L and some body balance with workmate, S. Will throw myself in the pool a few times a week and hopefully that (and my Psychologist!) will stop me rocketing all the way back to morbid obesity.

There you go, an almost positive blog! I'm going to have to think of other things to write about in the interim period ;)

Went to the 5km TT this morning at Shorncliffe and had a bit of a chat with Uncle Phil about the bursitis and cortisone and stuff. He's not sure that getting an injection is the best thing and reckons it often doesn't work. After lots of reading (hurrah for CR and google) it seems there are definitely two schools of thought. Those for, those against.

So, I'm thinking perhaps I should just get in to see a podiatrist (Nathan Eadie was recommended to me but apparently he's hard to get in to see - very popular) get everything assessed and just take a few months off completely to see if it helps, before resorting to steroids. Gah. I dunno.

It is going to absolutely kill me not to run. Mostly because once the memory of the endorphins fades, I'm terrified I won't ever find the motivation to start again. I feel like running now defines a part of who I am and no other form of exercise really does it for me anymore. Anything else I might like to do (team sports like football, netball, volleyball) are all going to involve the same old pounding. I'm scared I'm really going to let lose the hounds and rocket back up to 126kg.

I picked up my GC race pack today as well. I didn't downgrade it to the 10km so technically I'm still entered in the half. I'm debating the wisdom of doing any event at all really - all it's going to do is agravate the situation and I don't even think I would make it to the 10km mark currently. The jury is still out but my foot hurts after a 5km jog this morning, so it's not looking good. What a waste of $65.00.

Blah. Just call me Ms.Misery Guts. I'm not blogging again until I have something positive to say! I can't stand listening to myself!

MRI results are back

Well, the good (?) news is that my foot problems werent just my imagination.

I have bursitis in two of the joints in my big toe. The MRI picked up fluid in them and a bit of distention, but apparently not enough to need draining (!)

I haven't really had a chance to google/search CR about it yet, but from a brief glance at the web, seems treatment is rest (check) anti-inflammatories (check) ice (check) and failing those three (check) cortisone injections. Bugger me :(

Besides the fact that I'm not too fabulous with huge needles, I'll have to find out if this is a long term solution or just a temporary one. If it's a temporary one and it's going to come back, what's the point?

Blah. Who would have thought something so small could cause so many problems!

But on the bright side, at least it's not more serious.

50 minutes

Finally went for a run this morning, after getting over the worst of the bug. I haven't been that sick in ages! Blah!

Met Linda at the park down the road and we did a slow 50 minute plod. Hopefully we can increase that slow 50 minute plod to 60 minutes next week.

My MRI is booked for thursday. If it doesn't show anything (and therefore that I am not doing myself any major damage through increasing training) I've decided I am going to just going to bite the bullet, stick my head down and try and run through the pain. If something does show up (and I totally can't believe it won't!) I guess I can find out what my options are but at least I'll know where I'm at.

Thinking about going to Lake Manchester tomorrow.

All change...

Forgive me, running gods - it has been some days since my last confession.

No change with my foot. I've been running very little. Toyed with the idea of running at the Queensland Half, but an attempt at running 10km the wednesday prior put rest to that idea. I got 5km in and then the pain in my foot kicked back in and I ended up walking the rest of the way home. Instead, I helped out by doing rego and then giving out bling and towels to the finishers. Nice to see familiar faces, even if it was a bit hard not to be out there.

I stopped taking the voltaren about a week ago, as my kidneys and back started to hurt. The minute I came off it, the foot problems started back up. Although, I think it's not quite as bad. Hard to tell if that's my wishful thinking!

Running on wednesday night was interesting. The heavy rain meant that no other beginners showed up and consequently, I almost escaped without a run. Ended up being shoved out of the door with Uncle Phil and Kylie and ran a few kms. They slowed down for me, but it was still pretty fast for me. Gone are the days when I could just about keep up when they did slow down!

Eventually, Uncle Phil, Kylie and Mattie dropped off the back with me. I hate other people having to do that for me, but I needed a break, so we walked a way. I'd done a PT session in the morning, so I suppose that didn't help matters, either!

I've been working really, really hard lately both at work and on another exhibition that I have coming up next month. Consequently, I'm a bit run down and have caught a nasty bug from somewhere that is making me feel like death warmed up.

I'm getting so sick of hearing myself whinge, I can't imagine how bloody irritating it must be to have to listen to me lately! LOL! As Uncle Phil reminded me on wednesday, there are worse things in life to deal with than a sore foot and I will eventually get my fitness back and run without pain again.

I've also started getting help working on some of the issues that tie into my problems with food and depression. It's not a very pleasant process - reopening old wounds, and facing some nasty stuff, but if it means that I can come out of the other side of all this feeling stronger, fitter, healthier and happier, then it's got to be worth it in the end.

Everything seems to be in a state of change lately - my personal trainer has increased his fees way beyond my budget, so I've got three more sessions left before I give that up. I feel a bit sad about that, too - I've been training with him for over three years and he's helped me a lot. That said, it's probably also a good thing for me, too. I've rejoined the gym so I'm not going to stop exercising or anything, but I really need to just take some time to sort myself out.

Having this bloody foot problem has definitely taught me about humility and not to take fitness or exercise or running for granted. I'd forgotten how much of an achievement it is to even be able to run 5km - 5km currently feels like 30km used to. I'm still undecided as to whether to go ahead with an MRI but I probably will.

At the moment, I feel a bit like I've fallen apart and am currently trying to put myself back together. The good thing about that I suppose, is that as I remake myself, I can be better than I was before.

Anyway, enough of a heartfelt entry from me and back to your regular viewing. Speaking of which, Shane, where is your blog now? I keep meaning to catch up and leave you comments, but I can't find it!

Goal Shoals

Well, I hope I'm not tempting fate in saying this, but now my foot is feeling oh so slightly better, I feel like planning some goals for the next year or so. Something to aim towards, because not having goals currently is making me do sweet FA!

I've finished the first course of Prexige and am now onto Voltaren three time a day for a couple of weeks. I can feel the injury a little bit more again (thinking it's because voltaren isn't as strong) so I'm not counting my chickens just yet but it would just be nice to have something to daydream about when I'm driving myself nuts watching everyone else do all the big races!

I was supposed to do the 5km TT yesterday morning and slept in, so this morning I went to Mt.Cootha and did 45 minutes on the trails. Bit of a rush because I have to go and take my exhibition down today. Walked a fair bit. As I was run/walking, I was thinking that perhaps Six Foot might be a good training goal. I'm thinking I'll need at the very least, a solid six month lead up (which is going to mean training through the hot weather, argh!) but as long as my injury continues to improve, it's a realistic idea. Gives me a few months just to come good, then I can kick in to it properly.

I'd also like to do the 24km GH run at the end of july and then (all being well!) the 30km in september (what happened to the 50k option?) I want to regain a bit of confidence in my ability to do the distance. Amazing how much you can take that for granted.

I'm still not quite sure about the Queensland Half next weekend. It's a bit scary because it's such a jump in distance from what I have been reduced to. The last three or four weeks at least, I've run nothing longer than about 10km. I don't know whether I should just skip it, do the 10km (though it'll kill me to be there and not do the half!) or pace the 2:30 group again with Ronnie.

What other goals should I have for the next year or so? (other than 100 miles next year!)

Glasshouse 11km

Well, it was good to be back at Glasshouse. Even if it was really bizarre to be doing the short event. Felt a bit sad I wasn't able to have a crack at the 80km, which was one of my previous goals for the year. Anyway, I'm sure all this complete and utter frustration will push me to train harder once I'm able. Look out, next year!

Linda and I ran the 11km in about 1:10 I think. Foot felt okay, though started to twinge and swell half way through. (aren't I glad I didn't have a crack at 30km? I almost did - wouldn't have made it to 20km) Very strange to feel soooo unfit whilst out there - I remember just being able to keep on going. Not that GH is ever easy, but all this has certainly made me appreciate being able to stumble along consistently for hours like I could.

Oh and add to that the fact that just as I came off the trail onto the last 100m of tarmac, I managed to full on kick a tree root with my bad foot!

$%&*#&$ !!

(well, I don't think I was as polite as that!) Stuck my foot in the icy cold pool for 20 minutes then again when it started to throb and now seems not to be too bad again, but tomorrow will tell no doubt.

Really good to catch up with a few familiar faces. Tanky absolutely decimated her 80km. I think she said she did it 2 hours faster than last year! Vegie did the 30km with Di and came in looking fresh as a daisy. I got a text from Susannah saying she came 12 th Female (out of two hundred!) in the Great Wall of China Marathon. That girl is absolutely phenomenal! Inspirational :) I'm sure she could make it on the Aussie ultra team if she wanted.

A new week and back to work tomorrow :( Can't believe how quickly my two weeks off went! Tentative plans for the week:

Mon: Circuit training a.m + 5km walk/run
Tues: Track session
Wed: PT session a.m, Club run p.m
Thurs: 5km walk/run
Fri: Circuit training a.m
Sat: 5km TT a.m + 1:30 (?) hour run
Sun: REST

The saturday long run will vary depending on how my foot holds up, as will the 5km runs on monday and thursday.

Hope everyone that went to Warwick had a fab time. I really missed it! Next time, Gadget!

Ahhhhhh (that was a good sigh, for a change)

I'm hoping I'm not going to jinx myself here when I say this but I can't help it.

MY FOOT FINALLY FEELS A BIT BETTER!

Praise the running gods, I think the anti-inflammatories are starting to work! I have been taking 200mg of Prexige (lumiracoxib) twice a day. Once I finish that, I move to Voltaren for a bit. All things being well, I may well be on the mend! I wish I'd had the brains to just go and see my favourite running doctor when it first happened. The real test will be when I finish all the tablets I guess but right now I'm just enjoying being almost pain free!

I didn't realise just how much this injury really hurt and how constant the pain was, until it started to feel better. My general mood is so much better too - as I'm sure everyone around me will agree, it was all starting to make me very, very cranky. Sleeping heaps better too.

It is sooo unbelievably nice to be able to walk around without pain and not to have to favour one side of my foot as much. To be able to stretch and point my toes in bed without wincing.
I can still feel the injury, but it's heaps better and I feel rather like a new woman today!

So much so, that I think I will go and run a sedate 11k at GH with Uncle Phil, tomorrow. It's apparently not as hard as previous ones, I have new shoes and it's not on concrete so I feel relatively happy to give it a go!

So good to see a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel :)

Progress....

So, went off to see my favourite running doc this morning for a fresh perspective. He thinks I have torn the ligament where it joins the bone in the ball of my foot. Ties in to what Uncle Phil thinks too.

So now I have two new types of anti-inflams to take but if that doesn't fix it, looks like cortisone injection and a trip to the specialist might be in order. Blah! I'm really hoping the drugs do it. If they do, I might be back to normal in a couple of weeks! Hurrah!

So good to be made to feel like I'm not going crazy and it's not all in my head. The doc was soooo fabulous, I think he might be stuck with me from now on - he even gave me his mobile and home phone number incase I have any problems! Certainly beats the various levels of disdain the rest of the doctors I've tried have displayed.

Fingers are crossed!

7km

Got my new shoes tonight. They are bouncy :) Alas, my foot hurt after 3km tonight. Managed 6 or 7kms with the beginners again.

Today I began the four times a day icing and rubbing. Also bought some anti-inflam gel to see if that helps matters. Spoke to our resident running doc at the club and am going to go and see him. I think it can only be a good thing to see a doctor who runs.... may shed some light on matters. At this stage, I'm desparate enough to try just about anything!

Because I have not much else to say, here's another pic from Australia Zoo. I think this one was a king brown. I would really like not to ever meet one of these guys without there being a sheet of perspex between us. Beautiful, but nasty!

Track

I went back to track last night. Managed about half a session I think. Uncle Phil finally succumbed to the vast amount of whinging I've been doing about my foot and poked and prodded it for me. Something is clicking in it and the tendon is swollen. I actually have really loose joints - my shoulders and hips partially dislocate quite often. It sounds revolting but it doesn't hurt too badly because I put them back into place as soon as I feel them start to go. If that's what happened to my foot, it makes sense that it didn't show on the xray or scan or anything.

Anyway, I am now on orders to ice it four times a day for three days, see how it goes, then we'll try alternating with really hot and then really cold water for another few days. Fingers are crossed! I have to say I accidentally banged it on a door jam today and it would be an understatement to say the air turned blue!

On the plus side. I went to Australia Zoo yesterday and got to eyeball a tiger. And I mean really EYEBALL a tiger. He walked right up to me and stared me in the eyes. There would've been perhaps six inches between our noses. It was bloody incredible :)

Here's the pick I took as he turned away. I was too stunned and too busy looking at him to press the button whilst we had eye contact!


Tomorrow night I'm running again. Currently I'm thinking I will go to Glasshouse and run the 12km with Uncle Phil. I just don't trust myself to make it through 30km currently and I don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere with a bung foot.

Another positive - I'm buying new shoes tomorrow!

10km + MDC 8km

On thursday I did a PT session and got my butt kicked by my trainer for being crap with my food again. Hopefully it will inspire me to improve. I'm going back on Lite n Easy at the end of the week after cancelling it in a fit of irritation at myself for wasting money on it when I was cheating anyway.

On friday I went back to circuit training which was good. Nice to be back and there was a huge rainbow afterwards. The mosquitos were shocking though - apparently there is a swarm of salt marsh mossies in the area that have flown down from sandgate that been causing problems. Having pommie blood, I am a beacon for them, aerogard or no!

On saturday, my foot still felt okay, so I went out and ran 10km on the nearby bikepath. Hard work. I think you know you're unfit when 10km seems a long way again! LOL! After that, I went to a 50th Birthday party and my foot throbbed the whole way through. I wore flats, but still drove me nuts. Got to bed at 1am.

Today, I did the MDC 8km. Was rudely awoken by the lovely Ronnie banging on my front door - I had slept in! I hate doing that - of course I bolted around my unit throwing clothes on and grabbing stuff. I must've been in a deep sleep, since I answered the door practically naked! Poor Ronnie! Anyway, managed to get myself together and fell into the car half asleep still, putting socks and shoes on and timing chip.

Arrived at the start, went to the loo and then before I knew it we were off. I knew the minute we started running that I was going to feel it. My thighs were fatigued from yesterday and I thought I might have to walk. Eventually I fell into a rhythym though and kept going. I really wanted not to have to walk... would be really depressing not to be able to complete 18km in a weekend. This time last year, I did 42km in a weekend at Warwick without batting an eyelid (okay, well, I was buggered, but I did it). Anyway, no use dwelling on that!

Bumped into the lovely tanky on the way back and had a brief chat. I've missed all the races and ultras so much and I think a large part of that is the people - they rock. By that point in the run, my foot was really starting to hurt and I felt like shit. Tanky dropped back to walk with her parents and I carried on.

The finish chute was absolute bedlam. To be completely honest, I've never yet experienced a good USM event. The poor volunteers were overwhelmed - we got herded into the finishing area, packed in like sardines. It took me over 20 minutes just to reach water. Mostly I think it was because the race packs weren't assembled so people were picking up bits and pieces from tables along the way, taking ages to move. Again, the volunteers were doing a great job and there were apparently 1000 more entrants than they expected, but USM really should have made the water tables easier to access. It's not just inconvenient not to be able to get to water, but dangerous. At those events, most of the people running don't normally run and they need to drink. As did I ;) If it had been hotter, I imagine they'd have had to start pulling people out over the barricades, like at a rock concert!

Anyway, that's my grumble for the day. I did get a funky pink water bottle too. Once I got clear of the madness, I discovered my foot was really really REALLY unhappy with me again and limped back to the car. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow because I'd like to either do circuit training or the social run at sandgate. Or both. But we shall see. If it's this bad tomorrow, I will be happy just to walk normally!

B L A H

So, last night I went to track for the first time in ages.... to watch :( Not a good move since it made me feel like kicking my !*%$*#(% dodgy, crappy IRRITATING GODDAMN FOOT against the wall repeatedly. I am sooooo soooo soooooo bloody frustrated, I cannot express how pissed off I am with being injured. It's ridiculous. This has been going on for more than 3 months now and watching everyone whizz around last night made me think about how unfit I am now and that I'm drifting away from all those goals :( Seeing all the events coming up that I was going to do isn't helping either.

Seems the hills at Mount Cootha don't agree with whatever it is that's still not mended. I'm doing my best to ignore it and just run on it anyway, but I'm a little scared to go all out and sprint on it at track incase something snaps or pops or otherwise. I think it's safe to say after ten days of max dose, the anti-inflams are doing absolutely nothing to make it any better.

Perhaps I should just sprint on it and see what happens. I seem to be playing a game of chicken with myself currently... seeing how far I'll push things before I lose my nerve.

BLAH.

Anyway, I know it's not the end of the world. I just want to get back to training and having some goals to work towards. I feel (and look!) like a blimp currently.

Mount Cootha 1:50

Yesterday I met Sam and Jill for the usual run up Mount Cootha. It's been a while since I did the regatta loop and so I was a bit worried I would have to walk the entire thing or that I would have to turn back.

I did a fair amount of walking, perhaps four bursts. Half way up I bumped into Deb from BRRC and we ran the rest of the way together which was good. Nice to have some company for the hills. Then she turned down a different road and I ran past Tori with her Tri squad on their way up.

I got back to the Regatta and found I'd run it in 1:50, which is exactly the time I do when I run the whole thing without stopping. Very bizarre. I must have been running quicker when I did run, or walking faster or something but I was just happy not to have taken three hours! My foot hurts a bit after it - sore to wiggle my big toe up or down. I think hills agravate it.

After the run, I met the girls back for Breakfast and Schultzy rocked up after a run and joined us. Last night, I had my art exhibition opening which went fairly well I think. Loads of people came which was nice, including the lovely Tesso. The show is up for almost a month though, so I think some people will look at it during the coming weeks.

This morning, I met Sam and we went for a walk through the park near where the both of us live. My hips were a bit stiff from Cootha, but nowhere near as bad as I thought they'd be. I've got the next two weeks off from work so I'm planning to catch up on lots of blogs, read, eat, sleep and run a lot.

2 hours

So, this morning I decided to test my foot out again and went for a run out at Shorncliffe. No idea how far I went, perhaps 15km? I ran from Sonomas out to the other side of the old bridge at redcliffe and back. There was a little walking in there... not that I was killing myself, more that I was taking it easy.

The old bridge is perfect for intervals (not that I was doing any!) there are lampposts every 25m or so. I saw some poor fisherman who had put a fishhook right through the skin on the back of his hand. Owwwwww.

As I ran (pointedly ignoring foot) I was contemplating whether I might be crazy to attempt to train for the GCM in 8 weeks. I mean, I could cover the distance, just for fun. Might take me six hours to finish and it would probably HURT like a bastard afterwards, but I could....

I might just do it, even just so I can squarely give the giant finger (or should that be toe?) to the foot-gods.

Who knows. Tomorrow morning is the Mount Mee run. I might just do that, too.

Bone scan results

Well, I finally got my bone scan results today. No sign of a break, a fracture or a bone tumour (aren't I glad my doctor didn't tell me he was looking for that until I knew I didn't have one? LOL)

This is good since it means there's nothing structurally wrong with my foot, save for the usual wear associated with runners, apparently. It's also bad because I now just have to try to tough out whatever is wrong with it. It still hurts and I still don't have any answers. I feel like I would like a bloody reason for the WEEKS I've had to take off! LOL!

Anyway, that's not going to happen and I'm back to square one on not being able to afford the podiatrist, so I've started taking the maximum dose of anti-inflammatories for a week and have thrown in a daily glucosamine tablet for ever after.

Hopefully things will improve.

At least I can possibly have a crack at the Mount Mee 10km on sunday.

Exhibition

Well, still no foot news I'm afraid. I've rung twice and they still haven't gotten back to me!

But anyway, in the meantime (and because some of you have asked) Here's an invite for my upcoming exhibition, 'Say Cheese' at the Queensland Centre of Photography.

It opens on Saturday, 5 May at 33 Oxford Street, Bulimba and the show runs until 27 May.

For more details, check out the news section on my website at: http://www.hannahbroom.com

Bonescans and Brisbane Marathon Bag Lady

Went to have my bonescan. Definitely not the most pleasant thing I've ever done - they inject you with radioactive isotopes, then you have to wait around for two hours for it to go through your system, whilst drinking tons of water. Then they hog tie your feet in various positions (which hurt with a sore foot!) and videotape the glowing stuff moving through your blood stream. Anyway, four hours later it was done and tomorrow I can ring to see if my GP has the results. Hopefully they'll give me them over the phone. If not, it's another visit to the doctor.

Today I went to help out at the Brisbane Marathon in the baggage area with toasty and my running buddies Ronnie, Tracey and Jill. When we got there nothing was set up. Within minutes, throngs of marathon runners had descended on us and about 45 minutes of madness ensued. We managed to get all the bags in rows and ordered by number though. There's something very satisfying about that (must be the virgo in me!) and no one had to wait more than a couple of seconds when dropping off or picking up. Had a lovely time with the gals and toasty, joked and gossiped as we went. Got to say hello to most of the usual suspects too. There were quite a few amazingly rude people too, who just slammed their bags down when dropping off and then when they picked them up, they just grabbed them and walked away without saying anything. Naughty wench that I am, I started yelling 'YOU'RE WELCOME!" in a bright, cheery voice as they departed. I cannot, cannot, cannot abide that sort of rudeness. Even if we weren't volunteers, it's so unnecessary and ungrateful. But anyway, enough of my soap box.

By the time we'd done most of the baggage, my foot was really hurting. It's been feeling a lot better the last few days (typical, after tests and all!) but today it ached like hell. I felt really jealous of everyone out there running! I also remembered how horrific my half was at the race last year and by the gods, after all this, next year, I'm soooooo going to whip it's arse!

I think the realisation that all plans and goals for the rest of this year are on hold is finally sinking in a bit. Bit depressing. I am thinking that if the foot issue does turn out to be soft tissue, I should give my foot another two or three weeks off before returning to running, and that doesn't leave me enough time to get into shape for the GCM. After having done the full last year, I feel weird about dropping down to the half there.

Anyway, whinging doesn't get me anywhere, that's for sure. Will just have to suck it up and get on with things.

Congrats to everyone who did the Bris Mara this morning. It looked so hot, you poor things!

xray and bloods okay

Well, my xray and bloods came back clear, so I'm off to have a bone scan on thursday. It's going to cost $550 or so and I think I will get some of that back on medicare. I really, really, really hope so anyway. If I don't I'm going to be in trouble but I'm at the point where I just want to know whats wrong. Tomorrow I'll ring medicare and check.

Even though it is good that both the xray and bloods were clear, it's sort of horrible too because I don't have any answers. I feel like maybe I should just be putting up with it and running through it...which is what I was doing previously. It's not an unbearable sort of pain, it just won't go away. Maybe if I just give it more time it will heal itself..... if it does turn out to be just some sort of soft tissue injury I'm going to kick myself repeatedly. Though obviously not with my right foot!

Anyway, nothing to do but wait until next week I guess... still a cranky, fat and generally miserable Hannah til then :(

What the Doc Said

So I woke up this morning and (Carpe Diem) rang the doctors. Went in and he poked and prodded it and on monday I'm going for a blood test (to rule out gout, of all things! I thought only old men who drank too much got gout) and another xray to check for stressies.

If the xray comes back clear, he'll then send me for a bone scan. Depending on what happens with that, the next step would be a trip to the bloody orthopaedic surgeon. (*freaks out and attempts deep breathing*)

Id quite like it to be gout actually, since that's easily treated. Or even a stressie that's not yet healed. Or basically anything that doesn't involve letting anyone with a big fat needle/knife near my foot!

I think, ladies and gentlemen, that all 100 mile bets are off until I get the results :(

Soooooooo unbelievably annoying. But at least there's now a plan of attack, even if it does suck.

Fatter, Fitter, Fubar foot!

I started bootcamp this week and did reasonably well on the fitness test. Blitzed everyone on the leg strength test by about a minute though, which was a nice surprise (must be the hilly trails!) Also did personal training and confessed to my trainer that I've fallen quite spectacularly off the diet wagon and practically have to start all over again.

Anyway, the less said about that, the better. I'm back on lite n' easy and even if I'm fatter again, I feel I'm getting a bit fitter. Ran on wednesday night and it wasn't quite as difficult as the week before. I did however manage to stick my foot in a hole and twist my ankle (the other side to my existing foot problem) but thankfully I was able to run it out and it felt fine the next morning.

My foot is still not right. Yesterday morning after bootcamp, I walked from the train to work and I almost cried at the constant stabbing pain through the joint. Being in a reasonable amount of pain for this long has just made me completely and utterly miserable. I'm still doing my best to hold on to my denial and run because currently it's the only thing that making me feel (temporarily) better. It actually does feel better whilst I'm wearing trainers though, possibly because it's cushioned. I run, it hurts, I rest, it feels better so I run, then it hurts again. Repeat. The only option is to just go to the bloody doctor, I guess :(

I know I could be doing serious damage by continuing to run on it without having it checked. I know that the longer it carries on, the more unlikely it is I'll be up to the 100 miles or any race really. I don't really want to go into details here, but there's a lot in my life that is a struggle currently and this is all just the bloody icing on the bloody cake. Nothing is more ugly and unproductive than a good dose of self pity I know... I just have to pull myself up by the bootstraps and do what I can to make the changes that will solve the problem.

3:20 of trails and some very evil hills!

Yesterday, I went to the Intraining Easter Egg run at the West End. Unfortunately, once I got there, I decided not to run - partly because they wanted $25.00 which I couldn't afford (I had thought it was $15.00 - I'm sure it used to be!)

More annoyingly, my foot is *still* not right which is what sealed the deal. I wore heels the day before at work from 8am - 11pm (it was a long day!) so that may have had something to do with the pain kicking off again.

I'm trying not to launch into a big whinge about my foot but it's driving me absolutely insane. I go for a run (or seemingly, wear heels!) then I have to take one or two days off for it to settle, then I think perhaps it's okay, run again and it hurts again. I'm thinking I'm going to have to go and beg the doctor to see if they can scan it for free. I just want to know I'm not doing any more damage whilst I'm blatantly ignoring the problem and running anyway. Bad, bad me. I know it's naughty.

On that note, I was very, very naughty this morning and ran/walked/ran for *drumroll* 3:20 on the trails around Mount Cootha. It was such a perfect morning this morning, I just couldn't help myself. Gorgeous clear sparkly blue skies, just the hint of a cool breeze, the temperature is perfect and everything smells faintly like eucalyptus. I've had a map of the Mount Cootha trails pinned next to my computer for a couple of months and decided it was time to go and test some of them out.

I started out at the JC Slaughter Falls (for ease of parking!) and ran the Hovea track and then the Aboriginal art trail. It's not very long and somewhere along the way I found a fork which led up into the bush for a couple of kms so I decided (feeling all adventurous) to follow it and see where it led. Turns out it was a closed trail which had been shut for revegetation. Oops. Shame it's shut, it was lovely. It came out somewhere on the usual road to the top, so I turned right and ran up the hill towards the cafe. I consulted my little map and turned onto the Honeyeater track. Fun going down, nice views along the way. Down the bottom of that, I did a quick loop around the Butterfly Trail and had a bit of a look at the 'enviro hut' thing they've got down the bottom. By the look of the map, somewhere it links up to the 'Kokoda track' and a few others I'd love to do, so I'll have to consult the street map and go back. It'd be great to have run every single trail on the mountain at least once.

On the way back up, I think I came across the Reservoir track (not on my map) which is quite short in terms of distance, but has some almighty hills in it. Parts of it were so steep, I actually had to stop twice whilst WALKING up it to catch my breath. Mental note: perfect spot for some six foot training, I'm thinking.

Climbing back up the Honeyeater track, I then ran back towards the cafe, then veered left down the Summit Track which leads back towards where I'd parked. Stopped for a quick toilet break and then turned out of the JC Slaughter Falls car park and went left, past the Hoop Pines picnic area and the Silky Oaks one.

Just after that, I turned up into the Powerful Owl Track. Holy crap! I wasn't feeling too fresh after a couple of hours anyway, but there are some more BIG hills on that one! Headed for Channel 9, but then detoured to Simpson Falls and then the Euginia Circuit. I had to walk the majority of that one - heaps of loose rocks and tree roots. Interesting seeing where the falls where (or at least, where I assume they should be - was completely dry) and hopped across the falls to the other side, where the trail snaked up the hill again.

Eventually, I wove my way back to the Powerful Owl trail and discovered that going down the enormous hills was a lot worse than going up! The sensation was rather like standing on marbles whilst on the edge of a cliff. How I didn't end up going arse over tit all the way to the bottom, I don't know!

Feeling quite pleased with myself (and glad to be back at sea level!) I then headed back along the road to JC Slaughter Falls, finishing with 3:20 on the clock. Quite how far I went, I've got no idea. I'm inclined to think that it wasn't actually very far - most of the trails are pretty short, and even though I ran both ways along most of them, I don't think it added up to much. That said, trails take practice and walking trails at a reasonable pace isn't always easy, either.

Time on feet, baby.

Anyway, next on my agenda (foot-willing!) is working out what order to do the trails in, in order to run every single trail in the same session. That ought to take me up to 6 or 7 hours, at least! Perhaps I'll post it on Coolrunning and see if anyone has a preplanned route.

20km Glasshouse Night Run

Last night I headed up to the Glasshouse for a night run. I was interested to do it because the only time I've run in the dark was when Suzannah and I did the 50km last september.

Drove up to the start and met running buddies Vegie, Di and Schultzy. There were about 27 starters, with around seven of those doing the 20km. Tanky was doing the 10km. I felt quite good after the 5km that morning and was glad I hadn't pushed myself too hard - particularly when running up the path to the top of Wildhorse.

It was a really interesting experience for me - I learnt heaps in preparation for the big one: I learnt that I am going to have to carry insect repellent with me during the night (or I may be anaemic by the end of the run!) that I desparately need some trail shoes (nothing like kicking rocks to wake sore toes up!) and ditto with a nuclear-bright headtorch. Schultzy did a most impressive commando roll over a tree branch so I think the more light the better in my case!

The run also showed me just how work I'm going to have to do to get my fitness back to where it was (and beyond!) which was a bit depressing, but can't be helped! I had a few walk breaks and I noticed my comfortable pace was much slower than the others. It wasn't hard to keep my legs going exactly (I guess I can thank all the walking up hills and weights sessions for that) but moreso my breathing - after a time I had to shut up and just listen to the others chatting rather than joining in.

After the run we all headed back to the servo for a drink and some of Kelvin's yummy chocolate things. I gained another two volunteer pacers for the 100 miles. I had been feeling a bit like perhaps the 100k was a more realistic option, but now I feel fired up to just shoot straight for the big one.

My foot held up reasonably well. It is slightly sore this morning, but a couple of days rest should sort that out. Robert Song asked if I know what caused the stressie in the first place: to be honest, I'm not sure - when I look at the different factors involved I think it was probably a combination - I was wearing old (dry!) shoes for part of the race which had no bounce left in them at all. I was only walking in them, but my instinct is that they would have had an effect. I was also trying to speed walk off the balls of my feet and I've never done that before really. I'd also been very slack with my training prior to the event, not running more than 2 hours or so and none of that on the flat. The fact I'd been running hills so much might have contributed.

I'm going to get Uncle Phil to check my current shoes on wednesday. They're pretty new so I feel confident they're okay, but it'd be nice to rule them out. I'd really, really, really like to buy some trail shoes, but short of a financial miracle, it's not going to happen for a month or two. I have a plan or two in place though - may do a bit of graphic design work on the side to generate the money.

Today is a rest day... tomorrow looks like it will be circuits and a run, or a run at the very least.

TT run and 50km at Mount Mee?

My trip to Cairns was fab. Basically three days of gluttony, but back on the lite n' easy wagon today. Giving the scales another week before I see what damage I did!

Got up at 5am today and headed to the 5km time trial. So many new people, I hardly knew anyone! Did 28 mins I think, but I wasn't pushing it at all so I'm happy enough. Felt reasonably comfortable the whole way too (or at least, until I stopped!)

The weirdest thing is learning to trust my foot again. I'm still very suspicious of even the slightest twinge or ache. I can still slightly feel where the problem was (after a run anyway) though it is nothing compared to what it was like. All ithings considered I think that's normal, so I'm proceeding with caution and monitoring things as I go.

I'm really looking forward to going back to wednesday night running - it's amazing how much gossip you miss when you don't go for a few weeks. Not so keen about the idea of going back to track because I know it is going to be soooo much more painful to start with, but I think next week is surely the week. Because my focus is currently on distance, I'm even wondering if I should still be doing track cos I don't really need to go faster, just longer - but I know the answer is probably yes... anything that improves my cardio would have to help me.

So many races and things coming up, gotta be right for them! I'm particularly eyeing up the Mount Mee 50km on 29th April. It's only a week after the Brisbane Mara, but I think I'd rather run long at Mount Mee instead... hills, trails, variety.... not just the same old bike paths we all know and love/hate. If I do it, it starts at 6am, but I'm going to need at least two hours head start so I don't hold everyone else up. I'll have to ask Uncle Phil (I can see the expression on his face already!) I'd rather do it at a comfortable pace and with some walk breaks than with the stress of a pace car up my behind the whole time.

Anyway, had better go and get ready for the GH run with Vegie and Davo tonight! It's sooo unbelievably good to be running again!

I'm baaaaacccckkk ;)

Had a fabulous (if lazy!) weekend on the beach - ate waaaaayyyy too much junk and am consequently feeling the effects this morning. I'm also not getting on the scales for a week, lest I scare myself. I'm going to Cairns for work weds-fri and I can't take my lite n' easy with me, so I'll have to be sensible whilst I'm up there, too.

On the positive side of things...

I did my long run this morning as it didn't get done on the weekend. I ran for 2 hours! No foot problems, either! RAH! Started just before 5am, in the pitch black. Bit hair raising, starting out alone on the dodgy bike paths, but pleasantly surprised to find quite a few other runners out at that hour, so it wasn't too scary. Didn't feel overly tired or that I had to stop (not even a water stop was had!) and kept my legs turning over. It was probably a little slower than normal, but at this stage, who cares! It was just so good to be out there running :)

A few people have been asking if I'll still be doing the GCM, what with the fact I've missed the best part of two months training with my stressie. It's freaked me out a little because I started to doubt myself. It'd be quite easy just to give it a miss and blame my injury, but I'm now recovered I'm not about to cop out. I'll listen to my body of course, but I know I can do it - this years GCM is really a stepping stone to the GH100 anyway. A training run. It's not necessarily about a fast time, but about finishing comfortably so I don't wipe myself out for a month.

This morning has made me feel that I'm not quite as behind the eight-ball as I thought. Had I had a bit more time, I would probably have gone to 2:30. The next few months are going to be disgustingly hard as I ramp up the training to catch up, but I'm prepared to do the work. I've signed up for another hard-core bootcamp next month and I'm going to carry on doing circuit training on the other mornings and return to running my usual schedule. So with a couple of weeks lead in to work up to it, my training will start to look like this:

M - 10km + Circuit training a.m
T - Bootcamp a.m, Track session p.m
W - Circuit training a.m, 10 km group run p.m
T - Bootcamp a.m, PT p.m (fortnights)
F - Circuit training a.m
S - Long Run (building from 2:30 base, increasing by 10 mins each week)
S- REST DAY - 1 hour walk

Last year, the longest run I did was 3:30 - this year, I'm going to make it at least 4 hours - again, with the ultras in mind. I'll also alternate the flat with trails. The trails will possibly be longer runs and have walks in them, to try to simulate what it will be like to be out there for hours. Continuing to run long on the flat should hopefully see me avoid feeling like utter crap at the GCM where it's soooo totally flat!

I'm running at GH on the weekend, when I get back from Cairns with Vege and Davo. Chance to get some night running in, can't wait! I've missed catching up with everyone so much!

Behold, for today I RAN!

Had a bit of a late night last night due to a work function, so I got up at 6am and headed out along the bike paths. I do love where I live - it's so close to kilometres of pretty tracks perfect for running, walking and cycling. There are always heaps of people around on the weekend too, so I feel safe going out alone.

I went out with the intention of having an easy run just to test my foot out. It was really hard going at the start - I've been sick the last week or so and I'm still not 100% and my lungs felt really sort of 'stiff' from it. After half an hour or so, I felt like my body remembered what it was supposed to do whilst running and it got a little easier. My legs felt fine pretty much the whole time - I guess that's from having weeks off, plus I'm now carrying almost 8kgs less weight around with me, which surely has to help!

Arrived back home an hour and a half later. But there were quite a few walk breaks in there, too. I went out with the intention of doing 5kms or so, but it just felt so good to get my heart rate up a little!

The best news is that my foot held up... only able to feel it very slightly once or twice on the run and it was fine after. Despite todays over enthusiasm, I'm going to ease back into it over the next few weeks. No track for another week or two, probably no wednesday night run next week either.

This break has definitely fired me up to work harder and run faster than ever before...

I'm on the way back, baby! Look out! ;)

Halfway There! WOOHOO!

7.5kgs to go... I am now back in skinniest-ever territory ;) Very Happy Me.

Now all I have to do is get back to running... I've been really sick the last three days, so I've done no exercise at all for those days.

My foot feels better. Fingers crossed for a run tomorrow morning!

Mend, Dammit! 78.3kg

As you can see, I'm still chipping away at the scales... 300 grams or so and I'll be back to the lightest I've ever been... then it's all new territory, baby! Highly amusing really given that I can't run and yet here I am dropping all this weight! Lite n' Easy rocks my socks. I ate a chocolate muesli bar yesterday. It's all in the portion sizes - either that, or it's laced with amphetamines or something!

My foot feels lots better. So much so, I almost had a repeat sneaky run this morning but I held off and (tried to) satisfy myself with an hour of walking up and down a bloody big hill instead.

Still haven't mustered the courage to face swim squad yet. Maybe it's just that I'd rather be doing stuff outdoors. Who knows! Anyway, one more week off then I shall try my luck with my foot again.

All this time out is putting crazy insane ideas in my head about all the things I'm going to strive for when I get back into it. I figure, if I can get down to 70kgs, I'm naturally going to be heaps more efficient (and dare I say, better! faster!) at running because I won't be carrying around 15kgs that I don't need. I want to be insanely, crazily fit, strong and toned and I'm going to work my arse off to get there!

Well, I snuck out for my sneaky run at Sandgate this afternoon. I went for a half hour, with a few walk/water stops thrown in because it was about 10.30am and bloody hot.

This wasn't the smartest idea I've ever had.

My foot felt okay during the run itself, but by the time I got home and showered and changed and things, it's back to being sore even just to walk around on.

Bugger it :(

So I'll give it another couple of weeks and try again, I guess!

Anyway, my running pal Ange sent me an email about her swim squad, so I think I'll give it a go next week. I'm slightly terrified, considering I can get about 300m before having to switch to anything-but-freestyle but everyone has to start somewhere, I guess!

78.9kgs (6.1 KG down!)

Ho Hum

So... nothing much to report on the exercise front really except more swimming and double sets of push ups, sit ups etc at circuit training to avoid the intermittent shuttle runs!

I went and had my root canal work which was positively the most painful experience of my life to date, surpassing a burst appendix. I've not had kids though, so perhaps my comparison is unfair! Came out with a very light wallet and a very big payment plan :(

I went to have my xray, which was conveniently located next door to the dentist, only to discover that they didn't bulk bill. Consequently, I couldn't have it done and after a bit of calling around and some blubbing in my car, drove out to Indooroopilly where they do bulk bill.

The good news is that xray showed no visible fractures. I was due to go back to the podiatrist today. Or at least I thought I was, based on the appointment card given to me. I got out of work and arrived for the appointment, only to discover the receptionist had written the wrong date (the 1st instead of the 2nd). Oops. I dropped the xrays off and cancelled the appointment for tomorrow because my boss is being very understanding, about me skipping out, but between the my foot and my teeth, I'm only compelled to push my luck so far.

At the end of the day, I just can't really afford to go back to the podiatrist or to have an MRI so I'm just going to have to wing it. My foot actually feels heaps better, so currently I think I might try to have a bit of a sneaky run this weekend sometime to see how it holds up. If it starts hurting again, I'll assume it is a SF, stop, bite the bullet and take the next four weeks off. Really that's all anyone can do anyway!

swimming, sinking, swimming...

Almost 6kgs. Hurrah!

I'm going to have my xray today. Root canal this morning, too :( Good job I took an RDO from work!

I've been swimming several times this week and am slowly trying to improve - ie. swim further before drowning. Went to circuits yesterday morning only to find they were doing a run! Poo! The one time I can't do a session, it's one I'd love. Anyway, I got sent home by the trainer, but he assures me tomorrow morning will be back to strength work.

I'm already cranky because I want to run. I'm even dreaming about it and I keep catching myself attempting to run while doing mundane stuff and having to stop. My foot is a little better I think - though I took some painkillers yesterday at work.

Suspected Stress Fracture :(

Soooo... after yet another day of fairly constant aching/throbbing foot pain I caved in and went to the podiatrist. She said that she thinks I may well have a stress fracture of one of the sesamoid bones (which, as far as I can gather, are the two little knobs of bone that hold one of the tendons in place)

This means an xray, then possibly another in a few weeks. She wants me to have the first xray to check it isn't a more serious (splinter?) fracture first, even though if it is a SF, it's probably not going to show up on the initial xray.

This means I'm looking at at least another week with no running, then if it is a SF, another five. Waaaaaaaa. *bangs head against keyboard* I nearly cried. Only time will tell, I guess. I'm trying not to get depressed about this until I know what I'm looking at.

She taped a pad to my foot to take some of the pressure off which instantly felt heaps better walking around. I'm supposed to ice it every day, too.

Bugger, bugger, bugger.

80.1kg

Well, didn't make it to track on tuesday. Eventually wiggled my foot and decided against it. Did go running last night, just a short one, 45 minutes fairly slowly and my foot hurt the entire way :( I can run on it, but the pain is the sort that makes me feel slightly queasy, which I know is not a good sign :(

I'm giving it a deadline. If I can't run long on saturday, I'm going to the podiatrist on monday. Stupid, stupid, stupid foot! Grr!

At least I'm still getting skinnier. It's probably all my running muscles disintegrating from underuse *L* Had a nightmare PT session this morning... really hard work. I'm going to be sore tomorrow.

4.2kgs down

Did rather a hardcore session at circuit training yesterday morning. Consequently, I can barely lift my arms above my head today! It drove me nuts not running on the weekend and I have to admit there has been a little running with circuits. Not more than a couple of kms though, honest!

My foot feels better, though I can still feel the problem (whatever it is) when I lift my big toe up (as if I was trying to point it at the ceiling). I couldn't resist chucking my gear in the car for track this afternoon. I'll go, but if it hurts, I won't do the session :(

I'm going to do circuits and run tomorrow night, though.... I am too stubborn for my own good sometimes. All depends on how tonight goes, I guess.

According to my scales, I have now lost 4.2kgs - only 10.8 to go, Gods help me! I know I am getting slightly slimmer again by the fact my jeans are a bit looser.

On thursday, I'll see my PT and if he notices the difference, I'll know I'm on track!

On the weekend, Gods willing, I will be running long at last! HURRAH!

3k Challenge, Ship Inn

Friday morning I went and did Circuit training. There was a little bit of running, but much more strength work. The only thing I couldn't do was the proper push ups - bending my toe upwards hurt. So I did them on my knees instead. Not as hard, but better than nothing!

Felt like I was starting to come down with a bug on friday and left work a bit early, but had a change of heart and made it to the 3km challenge anyway. So much fun... so many familiar faces :)

Lovely to see everyone. Picked Tanky's brains re GH and 100 miles and ultras and things. The more I think about it, the more I'm becoming obsessed with 100 miles, Gods help me!

Decided not to push my luck with my foot and didn't go on my long run today. Will go for a swim tomorrow instead. Gotta keep this ticker moving in the right direction! *grins*




Thanks for all the comments guys. I swear, everyone should have a blog - there's so much collective wisdom here!

positive thoughts...

Went back to running last night. Went a bit slower than normal, but managed an hour or so. This morning, I woke up and found my toe was sore again :( Not as bad as monday, but still ouch. I can still run on it, so had a bit of a walk and ran some stairs this morning. Not wanting to push it too much though :( It's sore on the inside edge at the widest part of my foot :( Hurts if I press on it and aches after exercise. There's no muscle or soft tissue there to damage *worries*

I guess there's nothing to do but wait and see - I can't afford to go and get it checked.

Anyway, positive thoughts!

Last night I bought a proper running backpack so I can run to and from work. Once my foot stops hurting, I'll start doing that, too.

some rest

Had the last two days off as rest days - my right big toe was sooo painful on monday, it was insane. I had these horrible stress-fracture thoughts going through my mind, but it's heaps better today so I'm slapping myself for being far too melodramatic. Mostly my ankles and shins are a little sore from all the circles, but aside from that I feel great. Back to it, tomorrow.

I'm a bit irritated at myself that I didn't push on and do the 12 hours, but I suspect that if I had, I would've hurt myself. The pain in my foot was way worse than any of the post-run aches I've had. But, there's always that what-if, what-if. It irks me that I was out on the trails at Binna Burra for hours and hours a few weeks ago, without a problem, but I struggled so hard with complete flat. Anyway, no use stressing about what I can't change.

Lite n'Easy continues to go well... about 3kgs down and creeping closer to my pre-massive-blowout weight again and feeling tons better. Everyone at work ate warm caramel date loaf infront of me in a staff meeting today and on sunday night, my meditation group ate tim tams. So, so far so good - am resisting temptation. Tony (PT) rang today to see how I went at Caboolture so it was nice to be able to say I'd been a model of good behaviour with food! Hopefully it will soon start to show!

Am actually dying to get back out there and train. I want to get my long runs happening properly again and hop back into a decent training routine. I've been watching too much of the Biggest Loser and wishing someone would kidnap me for four months of intense training. I'd LOVE to do it! I wish someone would run a month long bootcamp at a reasonable price :) (spoken like a true endorphin junkie!)

DNF - 6:00

So, my first ever DNF! I guess it has to happen sometime. I made it to six hours and then decided that for my health, sanity and ability to train in the near future, I should stop.

Arrived at Caboolture quite early and it was great - a total CR fest! Met a few new faces and caught up with some I haven't seen in ages, which was lovely. There were heaps more people this year and lots more on the track in the first few hours.

Before long, we were all lined up into groups according to how long we were running and then, all of a sudden, we were off! I put my ipod on and realised that somehow, my music had been replaced with podcasts of Kyle-bloody-Sandilands, the annoying git from Australian Idol! Argh! I pressed buttons to no avail, so had to console myself with disagreeing wholeheartedly with the utter rubbish that springs forth from that man’s mouth.

On running around the track, I noticed that the lovely Davo had put encouraging signs up for us all in strategic spots… it gave me a giggle and a lift every time I went by them. That man needs a medal! Counting laps and cheering, he’s one of a kind!

At about an hour and a half in, the storm clouds that had been gathering in the distance hit and the rain started falling. I whipped off my ipod and handed it to Davo as it’s not in a waterproof case. I wish they made waterproof cases for the nano. I’m not game enough to risk gladwrap! At least it meant I got a break from Kyle! I then realised I’d left my bag out in the open and that it was unzipped, so I had to divert quickly and grab it. Everything inside, including my dry clothes, my purse and phone (!) got absolutely soaked.

The rain got pretty heavy and running around the track was a bit like going through the rinse cycle of a washing machine. Repeatedly. The track turned to mud and I started gathering up half the course in my shoes. (note to self: buy gators!) Annoying little pebbles that rubbed at the soles of my feet. The body glide wore off my arms and I started chafing majorly. It’s quite impressive today, but I won’t inflict a photo on you all!

My shoes filled up with water and became like concrete and cane toads started appearing all over the place. I found myself having to jump around a bit to avoid landing on them. Tess ran by me and almost took a wrong turn, hee hee! Mind you, it was fairly hard to see where we were all going at that point!

At about three hours, I realised I was in trouble. All the long runs I've done in the last month have been on hills and trails and the constant flat started to kill me. My hips and back hurt and I started realising I was going to have to fight to make it to six, let alone twelve hours.

Tanky ran by me and told me she knew I had more in me and I knew I did, too which caused me have a quiet, miserable blub on the back straight. Shortly after, the rain began to ease up and the mud started to get deeper. I resorted to walking all laps and spent some time going around with Cirque who did a great job in listening to me whinge!

At about four and a half hours, I grabbed my ipod again and managed to make it play properly. The first hour or so is the playlist I used when I ran the GCM and it made me reflect on that. Consequently, I pulled my head in, stopped feeling sorry for myself and got angry with that 500m circle of mud. I decided to make it to six hours at least. I started power walking (Hermie gave me some great tips as he lapped me!) and just put my head down and bum up and went for it.

At six hours, I decided enough was enough. Uncle Phil (Coach) was there and walked the last couple of laps with me, which meant a lot. He was very good and didn’t say ‘I told you so’ once. Mind you, I think I said that to myself instead. Bah!

What did I learn from this experience? That I need to do a lot more training if I’m going to have a crack at the GH80km and that I’m going to have to seriously think about whether I can make the distance on my own before I attempt it. If I get stuck out there, you can’t just walk off the track.

Call this a new resolution… more training, less whinging!

Some thankyous…

The CR cheersquad and lapcounters were brilliant as always! A big, huge thankyou goes out to Davo, who did an amazing job at keeping everyone's spirits up - from putting encouraging signs up around the track, to putting an esky full of free drinks out for coolrunners, to counting laps for Tanky and I. Davo, you rock - I'm waiting for an opportunity to return the favour!

Thankyou to Cirque for coming and cheering, the crew from the Run Inn (was great to see all of you!) Hermie for offering some much needed encouragement around the track, AB for checking all was well after and Tanky for being my inspiration! You rock, Girl - couldn't have made it to six without you!

Thanks to Geoff and all the volunteers that make this event so special. It has a unique atmosphere and I'll be back - me and that track have unfinished business!

Despite the DNF, I had a great time.... If nothing else, it showed me I've got a whole heap of training ahead of me before GH! Congratulations everyone on some fab PBs and records. Tess for the 50k, Clairie for the 36km (?) and many more.

Mt Cootha, Lite n' Easy and Training

Went and ran the whole of Mount Cootha again this morning with the girls, so it seems the last time wasn’t a figment of my imagination! We did it quicker as well, I think, although I didn’t wear a watch this time so I couldn’t say for sure.

I have started on Lite n’ Easy – it’s amazing! I can’t believe it’s calorie controlled! I’m on the lowest calorie plan they do, but when I unpacked the boxes there is just sooo much food. It’s a lot of fresh stuff, which is great and there’s no cooking, very little washing up and no going to the supermarket involved, so you might say I’m in heaven! I could totally eat this stuff for the long term, even if I wasn’t dieting. Unreal.

Anyway, enough gloating about the joys of Lite n’ Easy!

My entry for Caboolture D2D is in and paid for and I’m now starting to get a bit nervous! Though, I do think it’ll be a bit like a party with so many lovely coolrunners in attendance! The fact that I’ve done very little training and lots of races and events is a bit worrying, but I’m quite happy to walk as much as I need to. I’m looking at it as a starting point, now I’m starting back into marathon training again.

Running on Wednesday night was fun, but not very hard work… we’re all still stuck in one big beginners group again and whilst 40 minutes is great, I really need to start doing at least an hour and at a faster pace. Next week, Ronnie, Carolyn and me should get to hang off the back of Phil’s group for a while then drop off which should solve some of the speed/distance problems.

Also heard that I’ll be having an exhibition at the Queensland Centre of Photography in May. Yay me!

27:30 TT and New Hair ;)

I went to do the 5km TT this morning, after wussing out on a run yesterday... I just couldn't drag myself out of bed and then when I got up, I spent the whole day cleaning and doing eight million loads of washing. It was disgustingly humid at the Time trial and I almost threw up mid run from the effort. Did 27:30 though, which was about 25 seconds quicker than last month.

Today, I also got my hair cut a lot shorter (it was past my shoulders and a bit like a giant hairy blanket!) My head now feels all light and floppy. But I like it :) Not sure what it'll look like after copious amounts of exercise, but only one way to find out! It definitely looks healthier, which is good.

I did Track on tuesday and ran my fastest 400m in a while at track... 1:40 and that was with sore, sore glutes from Binna Burra. Yay me.

Wednesday was a medium long run, although a new lady came so Ronnie and I had to take her out - we did a 6km loop then dropped her back and took off for a few more kms. I hope we didn't kill her - both of us were chomping at the bit but we kept the pace down I think. Have to see if she comes back next week!

Thursday I did Personal Training - Tony thinks I should go onto the CSIRO diet for a while, but it involves lots of cooking and I am, for want of a better word, a shitful cook - and even if I wasn't, I don't have much time to do so. I'm going to ask him to write me a week's diet instead. With easy stuff that doesn't involve effort ;) You wouldn't think food could be such a major thing, would you? But it is for me, as we all know!

I watched Blue Crush last night and am feeling all inspired - I want to look like that surfer girl ;) at least, I want to be that toned, anyway!

Binna Burra Babes Go Bush: 35km of trails

Back from a weekend up at Binna Burra. For those not in the know, Binna Burra is up in the mountains and rainforest about an hour and a half outside Brisbane. It’s one of those gorgeous, forgotten places that you know about but seldom visit.

Left work early on friday to head up to Binna Burra with running buddy Suzannah. River City Runners (RCR) had planned a weekend up there and thrown the invite open to whoever wanted to come. Both S and I love trails, so was a great excuse for a weekend away!

We arrived at about 4.30 or so and checked in. I'd never stayed there before, but it was great. They have safari tents with little verandahs and their own campfire. Plus, a gorgeous gorgeous view out over the rainforest to the coast. Vegegirl arrived as we were about to start cooking dinner and we all sat around the barbeque and gossiped. Well, okay, Vege and I sat - S cooked - I bought her dinner the next night instead. Not wanting to inflict my culinary crapness on possibly the best cook I've ever met! She cooked risotto with champagne and pine nuts on a BBQ hot plate. Unreal.

The next morning, we got up at 5am and went to meet the other runners. They were very speedy and left us in the dust! We ended up with Linda, Andrew, Harvey, Lisa, me and Susannah. Hadn't met Harvey before - he was from RCR but set out with us just wanting to do 10km and turn back.

We did the Coomera falls circuit which was about 18km. Looked fairly simple on the map, quite a scenic route. We didn’t actually read the sign about it near the track though, which told us all about what was to follow and that we shouldn’t do it after rain! It had rained the night before!

We started off at a nice gentle pace into the bush. You really have to watch where you put your feet because of all the tree roots and loose rocks. You also have to be covered in mossie repellent and wear decent socks, because as we discovered, the leeches were shocking!

Being a bit of a pommie still, I still have a slight issue with leeches. Bugs, snakes, insects, general wildlife is fine. Leeches, nah. They only really got a hold when you stopped moving though which was a good incentive to keep running. I just kept telling myself they use them in medical situations, so they're not evil really. Honest.

The first stop was a gorgeous lookout, about 5km in. It was the highest lookout I've ever been on - it made me a bit dizzy! We took loads of photos (will post them when I get them from Vege and Suze) Then, we headed off down the trail. Harvey decided he felt good, didn't want to turn around there so he came with us. Shortly thereafter, we were forced to slow to a walk which we were to maintain for the next 10km or so.

The rain had made all the rocks slippery and there was a massive, sheer drop on one side, so it was fairly vital to be careful. It was then that Susannah practically gave herself a concussion, headbutting an overhanging branch. It made quite an impressive crack and I grabbed her round the waist as she teetered sideways towards the edge! LOL!

We spiralled down into the valley below. Then started the first of what became 19, yes, 19 river crossings. Not just little river crossings either, but giant stepping stones and waterfalls. It was gorgeous. It was so quiet, I felt completely enveloped by the energy of the place. As I said, I love trails and I love the bush. Perfect combo – would’ve loved to stay by the water (minus the leeches of course!)

Crossing the river so many times became highly amusing. Lucky for us, the water didn't get very high and was crystal clear without being freezing. Harvey filled his bottle up at one of them. We came across a brilliant blue crayfish that hissed at us and snapped it’s pincers before running away. Pity they're protected - they're beautiful *and* I imagine, delicious, with some salt and lemon!

Harvey and Andrew being gentleman decided to help us girls across the river. I think it was at the second or third river crossing that Harvey took a massive tumble – he must’ve stepped on a slippery bit and landed on his chest on a rock which must've really REALLY hurt. He was okay though, except for some bruises and a chipped tooth and hopped up. At the next river crossing, he did the same, this time landing flat on his back. Once we knew he was alright, it was just all too much for Vege and I, who dissolved into hysterical fits of laughter.... not good when you're trying to balance on a slimey rock at the time ;) I got my feet wet ;)

Andrew came across after us and then promptly dropped his water bottle in the river – fuel belts and clambering over rocks don’t mix! There was a tiny waterfall where we were and every time he tried to drag the bottle across the river with a stick, it got flipped back down the rapids. Eventually, after about 89 attempts he managed to flip it out, across the river to dry land and we all applauded.

The leeches started to get really bad - they're amazing little things - they seem to sense body heat and when you looked at the ground, they were crawling towards you. Every half an hour or so we stopped to flick them off. If you aren't quick enough, they latch onto your fingers! I felt one bite my toe and hopped up and down on one foot and pulled my sock and shoe off, with Andrew holding onto my wrist while I tried not to fall back into the drink! It didn’t get me though, hooray!

Eventually, the trail widened out and started to climb up again to where we could run. Put in more of an effort and Andrew and I ran ahead to the finish, dodging the tourists on the way. Lisa came out 30 seconds or so later and the two of us sat down to wait for the other girls. Andrew went off for a shower and while we were waiting, we had a muesli bar and caught some sun on a bench.

All of a sudden, Lisa was standing on the top of the picnic table pulling me up after her, shouting "SNAKE!" - a brown snake (we weren't sure if it was a green tree snake that was brown or an actual brown snake) had slithered across under our legs to the bush on the other side. I hadn’t even seen it – I’ve decided it’s definitely time to get my eyes retested! Certainly got the adrenalin going!

That night, we all had a massive dinner together in the cafe and then sat round the campfire gossiping. It was so nice just to relax and chill out. I should've done similar during the xmas holidays. Alas, for crap finances. Adrian and Karen (Karisma) had arrived earlier and so we all sat and chatted. Headed to bed at about 10pm.

On arriving back at the tent, it became apparent that we had new neighbours in the safari tent next to us and that the husband snored like all hell. Evil as I am, I’ve found that if you impersonate someone who snores, they’ll often wake up enough to shut up. So I had a crack at it, but to no avail. Made the girls giggle though! Eventually I managed to drop off to sleep.

This morning (Sunday) we all got up at 5am again and headed out for another run. This time, only Lisa, S and I were in the slower group. We headed out on a different trail, over the other side of the mountain. Amazing how different the terrain and eco system was, just so close together.

This trail was 22km and took us six hours! Though the bush was heaps drier - more eucalypts and *bonus!* no leeches! Though apparently the boys still found them! It was just stunning scenery.... again, very dense and rugged... about 12 river crossings this time. We walked the whole way, just chatting. There were beautiful crystal clear creeks, waterfalls and brilliant green mossy boulders... massive, massive ancient trees and clearings - just amazing. I wanted to stop and have a swim but we were running a bit short on time. We clambered through lantana and long grass, over tree trunks practically taller than me and wiggled underneath them. At times the trail was so narrow, you had to rock climb across to where it widened out.

Loved it. It's amazing how close to Brisbane it all is, yet I've hardly been up there... the peace of the place, the overall sense of tranquility.... just gorgeous. I don't think I can rave enough about it! So good to get some time away from work. Even though we didn’t actually do tons of running, I still broke a sweat and have slightly sore hips from the hills. Vege is going great guns and I think she’ll be back running longer distances again before we all know it!

Must thank the lovely Vege and Susannah for a fabulous weekend. It was so nice to share it with great people. Makes so much difference. I think Binna burra would be the perfect place for a big CR weekend away!