Running on emotion

Last night I went for my regular training run, but I was full of emotion.
Anger, Sadness, Frustration and a whole host more.

In the last week my workplace has been very stressful and full on, my fiance has had her Grandpa pass away and yesterday got news that her family dog of thirteen years passed away.

It was all a bit much, I normally try to run at a constant pace but I just couldn't do that yesterday.
Instead I did a series of sprints over my 3.8km normal distance.

Sprint flat out for as long as I can up to around one minute thirty, walk till I get my breathe back and repeat.

I didn't count the sprints, I didn't pace I just went until my lungs and legs where burning and I couldn't think.

Running on emotion is a dangerous place, it's easy to push yourself so hard you get into the injury danger zone, but I needed it last night.

I needed the release and to empty my head.

Tonight I'll aim for a more normal paced run.

Cramping up

Last night I attempted a 7.5km training run, that didn't quite go as planned.

Within 3km I was cramping through my calves fairly badly, I tried to run it out but that made it worse.

So I slowed down and walked but still no dice, stretching didn't help either so at the 4.7km mark I terminated the run.

It's not the end of the world, it happens.
I would rather cut a run short than risk injury.

Besides all of the kms add up and at this stage of training it's all about building the cumulative kms and slow runs anyway.

Next run is friday a 5km, then sunday another 7.5km

Embarking on the new challenge.

So it's been a little while since I've posted, there have been no real life changing developments.

Other than having to take a break from martial arts due to work commitments and trying to maintain a base level of fitness through running and core work, not a lot has really been happening.

For the last few months I have had a niggling thought in my mind, that I wanted to do something more, to give more.

While running an idea came to me, to fundraise and raise awareness for bone marrow donors and cancer research. I sort of had a vague idea of what might work, but I kept thinking it was a mad (as in crazy) idea and tried to dismiss it.

Everytime I ran, it kept cropping up, so I started to investigate and suddenly I have a goal and more motivation than I could have ever imagined.

My idea is to run from Adelaide to Melbourne fundraising and promoting blood / bone marrow donation along the way.

The most direct route is 738km, but I don't expect that I will be able to go the most direct way because of freeways and road restrictions.

I'm anticipating around 800km for the trip and to do this over 14 days.
This would mean averaging around 60km per day - which for anyone not into running, that's 18km more than a marathon, daily.

I'm working out the logistics and starting to plan as I type, the training routine has already started.
Strangely I'm not in the slightest concerned about the distance, it will be long and grueling slogging along during the run, but I know I can make it.

I know I can make a difference, that's why I feel so strongly about this and have set a nice target to raise $10 000 AUD as a minimum, I will hopefully raise closer to $25k, I would love to raise $50k but I think that is going to be an epic stretch.

I will start documenting my running progress and training as I get to longer and longer runs, along with updating on the sponsorship / donation and fundraising journey.

This morning at 5am I went for my first early morning run and set a good time and  reasonable distance.

Tomorrow I am doing a longer run of 7.5km and hope to do that in around 30 - 35 minutes.
I'm not hugely fussed about the speed of the runs as long as it's a decent sustainable pace.

Anyway with that, I'll leave you to it so I can get back to planning.