51.5kg 18.1%

Today I did 16 laps in the 25 m pool while waiting for yoga class.
And guess what, a stranger told me I swim very well, can I have a look at her style to see what she is doing wrong.

That inflated my ego so I just floated through my laps. This is something for someone who always thought she was a poor swimmer.

OK maybe I am in fact speeding down the lane, sometimes I feel without even trying too hard. And judging from the pace of confident swimmers in other lanes. Perhaps thats the trick. If you are relaxed you dont trash about inefficiently I guess, and you have time to think about doing the stroke correctly and breathing not like you're drowning.

The only problem is that each lap is so tiring my heart is beating in my ears. and if I try to have a go at the second without stopping, I'll start trashing about.

SO for now, its lap rest lap or alternated with breast stroke. So even if I am learning to flip I might not even put it to use!

I guess its a matter of getting rid of baggage, past bad habits; like not keeping my legs straight and no breathing out fully.

Swimming lessson 2

50.9 kg, 17.7%, 65.9% water

The coach wasnt well so someone else took over. This coach is actually better because I did feel I was learning so much. I do feel like I am breezing through the freestyle now. It seems as if I was doing it as fast as the guy in the next lane. The only difference was that he was doing it non stop. I also learnt the flip today although I am still not very good. She said by back stroke was good too although I havent done it in months.

I guess I am putting in a lot of effort, I can hear my heart pounding after each lap. The kind I can only hear after a short sprint.

I decided this week is swim week and I shall perhaps do just 1 long slow run one of these days.

Yesterday I went to do a leg massage. The masseuse was Japanese, and she told me something I hadnt heard before. That my pelvic bone is not aligned and this is causing mt lower leg tightness. She pressed the side of my thigh, probably along the ITB, which felt really sore.

She said my liver is stressed and I'm not drinking enough. Like everyone who did my legs, she told me to cut back on the running. Huh, I wasnt going to do so much anyway. This week is swim and cycle.

7k @ centennial park

This morning I did a 7k Sri Chinmoy run at centennial park. It started at 8am but I left home at 630 in case I lose my way. I had plenty of time waiting around in the cold. It must've been 16. And there was intermittent rain.

I did a 1k jog to warm up and thankfully my lower leg didnt complain. The route was on grass and trail. Very kind on impact just need to watch out for stones and slight unevenness.

I did 41min for the 7k run. Much of the way there was a few ladies the same pace as I was until I reached a slope at 5 k and became a little slow. I thanked one of them for being my unofficial pacer. A mother. I have huge respect for mothers who can keep up their fitness.

I'll go back there for sure. Its a lovely place to run.

When I got home I started sneezing. I had a hot shower and some food now I think its time for a little snooze. I;m just worried I might have caught a cold so I think rest is best. I got a pot of barley boiling on the stove.

5km 28m45s

I went to Birkenhead Point to do groceries after work, planning to jog right after. Its next to the Iron Cove Bridge. But what happened? It rained.

See it was all a plan I thought of way in advance, because at 4 last week, the sun was burning right through me. No matter I went to the gym and I surprised myself how I could stay on the treadmill for a full half hour, after body balance.

I'm going to start cooking in a minute. I carefully chose my groceries today, my protein shortage utmost on my mind.

For breakfast I had 2 pancakes with mapple syrup, cinnamon sugar and oranges. I had Thai Green Curry for lunch with rice, which I finished except for the grains drenched in curry, too hot...

For tonight:

- fillet of trout.
- mash potatoes with gravy mix from the healthy shelf. (how a processed gravy mix can be organic is a wonder, I am a sucker)
- oyster sauce baby brocoli with mixed nuts

What else did I buy:

- baby salad mix
- guava apple fresh juice, I love mixing this with half water, I think I am having my fluid and vitamins too, plus I think its good for the basil pot of herbs.
- fresh raspberries and apricots
- 500g of mixed nuts; macadamia, brazil, almonds and cashews.
- cous cous premix

Tomorrows brekkie will be:

Pancakes with rasberries and apricots. Yum.

Skinny arms

I laid off running on the weekend although I did yoga. The mirror tells me that my arms are getting skinny again, and it finally dawned on me that its probably because if the lack of protein.

I despise chicken breast. I only like fatty bits. Thighs have lower protein content. I dont like tofu. I can deal with nuts. But how much nuts can I take???? I guess for a start, I shall put a jar to snack on. and trouble is I dont have a habit of snacking.

Does nutella have protein? I can deal with this.

So today I had 2 eggs, and I threw in cashew nuts in my vegetable stir fry. I realise I am not big on ginger. I dont quite like the tangy smell.

Today I started coaching to correct my freestyle, I'm just amazed how differently I am being taught here from what I have been taught before. The half hour lesson was extremely tiring.

Bush fire

Bush fire. So today despite the haze that blanketed the area around my office as I left, I contemplated on running still. I was driving towards the gym, still rather undecided what to do. Epping Road rises uphill to overlook wonderfully at the city. Lo and behold. Clear skies yonder.

7km 45 min. for some reason the polar logged a slower than usual timing. I was quite sure my pace wasnt much slower. there wasnt a hint of haze. It was pleasantly partially cloudy. But if they tell you the ozone is gaping here, they mean it. It wasnt hot but I tanned 3 shades.

Honestly at this rate I will be a Nubian princess in no time.

So 25 km this week. Slow but steady. I thought heading for balance or yoga right after a run is a fab thing to do.

A thunderstorm is building up right now. Perfect timing, I am home and warm and the haze needs to get cleaned from the air.

Enthusiasm week 2

So yesterday I was back at Iron Cove. 7.8 km but with lots of stops because my lower leg really hurts. I need to control myself and start slowly but its hard to do that outside. The great thing about this loop is that I have to complete 7k no matter what.

Some crazy day I will take my camelback and run TO the bay instead of driving there.

I left work at 4, (what??? yes! on a monday too!) It was 430 when I started and the sun is quite strong. Someone told me over the weekend, that its so bright because it is in fact 330, because of daylight saving. Its still comfortable to run, mind, but I dont need to toast, thanks. Vit D is great but this part of the world is gaping at the O3 layer.

Over the weekend I did a cycling trip to Bicentennial Park, if only to experiment on my Cycling computer which beeped incessantly because I didnt set it to "stop being a nuisance" and it made warning noises when I hit 160 bps. It was an enjoyable relaxing trip. I didnt dare go any faster because I was still wobbly and even the gentlest downward slopes made my heart skip beats.

Today I experimented on the treadmill. I did a slow 8 km/hr for 1 km, another 1km with gradient and no pain came. then I did short bursts of sprinting for another 2km and I was done.

Feeling strong

2 cups flat white

Brekkie: 1 serving Uncle Toby's instant oats(honestly this serving is TINY!)
Lunch: Vegetarian Sheperd's Pie, 1 fun size mars bar
Pre-workout snack: 1 cup creme yoghurt
Dinner: Baked dory, potatoes and pumpkin

I felt strong at pump class today. I didnt have to cheat so much at least and its 2.5 kg more than what I have been stagnating at for quite a while.

I dont have a weighing machine to track right now but I can feel how much I weigh. At this point I feel its 51kg. I'm eating well I reckon but I think if the intake remains the same as I log higher mileage, I'm going to turn skinny again.

Last 2 day's meals:

2 cups flat white
Brekkie: 250ml berry juice (unintentional OK, couldnt find my breakfast)
Lunch: Pasta w mushroom, baby corn and smoked salmon, Banana walnut bread w butter
Dinner: Vegetarian shepard's pie

2 cups flat white
Breakfast: cereal + milk + banana
Lunch: Large fish wrap. Grilled fish + salad
Snack: 2 squares cadbury chocolate
Dinner: Small portion pasta (sweet corn+mushroom+smoked salmon) lightly creamed

Come back

I've been 10 days since I got back and I've done 3 bay runs. I'm keen to get back on the running track, at least before family comes to visit and there'll be another reason to disrupt it again. I shall just have to find a way to make sure their being around doesnt affect my running schedule this time.

My lower leg is still tight and it feels better when I am running on dirt. The weather has been erratic and today was slightly warm. Its easier to run when its cooler. The thirst factor doesnt come in. Else my throat feels so dry the later part.

I think I may start to log my diet. I don't feel skinny at this point. And most people agree I look healthier. Possibly because its not winter and I'm not constantly huddled trying to keep warm. My arms are meatier. Its toned because of pump classes. But there was a time earlier this year when even with pump and ashtanga yoga (yep tough stuff involving lotsa crocodiles) my arms were like sticks.

Yeah, i cant believe that skinny arms time was actually this year still. It felt like a long time ago somehow; that life I had living in the city. That was just in May! But I was also preparing for a marathon then. Logging 30km a week. chinese classes, salsa classes, bellydance classes.

So I think as I journey into the start of another prep for a marathon I ought to log my intake. Just for keeps.

For the record I don't starve myself. My heaviest meal is probably lunch. Because usually I eat out and I cant really control how much food is served to me. For dinner I'd eat until full and keep the rest for tomorrow's lunch or some other time.
I indulge in sweets but I try to do that in moderation because I can feel it going to my arse. I havent had my Krispy Kreme since 3 weeks and I think thats pretty commendable. ..

7.6km 47min

I'm grateful that I don't suffer from hay fever. Else I think running outdoors in this beautiful city will be impossible and I would have missed out on all the fun.

The only real running I have done this week was the 7km Bay Run after work on Thursday. It was superb. Warm enough not to feel chilly yet you dont perspire profusely and feel dehydrated. So 7km without a drink, not a problem.

My lower leg was still tight but the pain didnt overwhelm me. I felt better when I ran on dirt than on road.

This morning at yoga I felt tight as ever, and I didnt feel very strong although the class is quite an easy one. Some of the poses helps loosen the muscles. Like being in a warrior position, can stretch the outer lower leg. Its the kind of stretch you dont commonly do post running and something I had totally forgotten about.