..and say “there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home”
*sigh* if only it were that easy.
I am not a very good traveller and there is a very good reason why it has been 7 years since I last went on an overseas holiday, my tolerance for being stuck on a plane is breached within about 90 minutes of take off 
I have claustrophobia, not in the “oh my god the walls are closing in on me” sense (though you won’t see me spelunking anytime soon) but I can’t stand to be stuck somewhere where I either can’t get up and walk away (such as at 30,000 feet) or where I can’t make a quick get away (such as stuck in the front row in a dark conference room with the door far far away). So a little over 2 hours from the Gold Coast, with a hangover thrown in for good measure, was way beyond my limits and I was particularly agitated today, couldn’t concentrate on my magazine for more than a few minutes and constantly checking my watch, I practically leapt off the plane when the doors opened. I always make sure I get an aisle seat near an exit.
Anyway, it was a great trip up north but there really is no place like home, being the rigid Capricorn that I am changes to my routine are not embraced 
I couldn’t get to the pool and was not happy about taking 5 days off from the pool running, but it couldn’t be helped. Turned out the pool near my brothers was an outdoor pool that was closed for winter, yes CLOSED, even though I have been using an outdoor pool in Melbourne, they are a bit soft up there though! The other pool was a bit of a drive away and with very busy days and relying on a borrowed car I just couldn’t get there.
I did my run/walks though, Thursday I did W3 minutes R2 for 20 minutes and on Saturday it was W2 minutes and R3. Yipeeee, this was the first time I was able to clock up more running than walking!!! Today I did my second round of W2 and R3, I wore my footpod today and total running distance was about 2Km 
Wednesday I pick up my orthotics and it is W1 R4 for 20 minutes, 2 of those and I graduate to W1 R5 for 30 minutes. So far so good with my legs, I have been pulling up fine after the sessions and there has been no pain at all during.
Race Day
Down to brass tacs, Race Day yesterday was glorious. After a few indifferent days with the weather Sunday dawned magnificently, it could not have been more perfect.
I drove to the race with my sister and full credit to the organisers even after the HM and Full had started there was still stacks of parking right opposite the start line in both the park and Australia Fair shopping centre. We got there about and hour before the start and I set my sister up with her race number and timing chip, soon after my brother arrived and I got him sorted as well, they were both fun run virgins. My niece who turned 6 months yesterday was kitted out in sympathy with a little running top and a pair of baby dunlop volleys and was well behaved all morning to support her Daddy.
My sister was hoping to run around 60 minutes and my brother was hoping to finish before the 90 minute cut off. I sent them off to the start line and waited on the barrier to cheer them over the line. I watched the elites to their strides and warm up, then after a bit of a gee up the countdown begun and the gun went off. Then like a bolt from the blue I became stupidly emotional and started to cry! I couldn’t believe it, I was totally fine in the lead up then the tears were streaming down my face, stupid Em!
I saw my brother and sister run by, gave them a big cheer then went back to grab my sister in law and niece to find the finish line and my sisters fiance. Once near the finish chute I saw a mate finish his marathon then left everyone there to station myself at the 9km mark. My sister came running by, working hard, managed a smile and was on track for just over 60 minutes, her final time was 1:02:22, she couldn’t have been happier and I was proud as punch, I rang through to her fiance who practically jumped into the finish chute to cheer her on I should add that she had only ever run 10Km once before in a training run and did this off 3 days a week of 3Km runs and 3 days a week of boxercise. Just imagine what she will do with some more training, she is a natural.
But to my total surprise about 5 minutes later my brother came running along, unmissable in a bright orange cap, I was stoked he was still running. He told me later he was walking at the 8Km mark but started running again as he wanted to finish running not walking. But the best bit was his time 1:06:31 how good is that!!!!! Let me put it in perspective, he is a big fella (at first he thought the X-Large on his race bib was me taking the piss, ’till I pointed out that it was his Finishers T-Shirt size) and has broken both his ankles over the years, one still has the pins in it. Added to that he has not done any running in the past 3 weeks, though he has been doing his boxercise. When he did a test run on the course a few weeks ago it took him much longer to finish as well.
So, looks like we are just natural athletes in my family
Now my sister wants to do the HM next year so I will concentrate on getting her “fit to train” between now and December then get her on to a HM training program early next year, I may pick a few brains over the coming months. Because it is in the middle of the AV season I have told her that I will run it with her to pace her. My brother has not been put off and he has promised to do the 10Km again next year.
Afterwards we had a long and boozey BBQ (hence this mornings hangover), the race kits came with stubby holders and my brother sunk more than his fair share of VBs wrapped in the new holder, a few bottles of vino for me and my sister and a great piece of wild barra on the BBQ for me.
Speaking of food, the less said about the last 5 days the better. Brother used to be a chef and I was spoiled rotten, lets just say when Jamaican Banana’s were offered at 1030 last Friday night I didn’t need my arm twisted (for the uninitiated that is banana’s cooked in butter and sugar and finished with whiskey, usually rum but needs must when it wasn’t to hand and of course served with a big scoop of vanilla ice-cream)
Still, a few days of little exercise and dietary excess just hammers home the fact that it is not the life for me. I am feeling pretty seedy today and was pretty happy to get back to the old healthy eating and exercise routine. It was back to the pool today with Jo for the following session -
5 minutes warm up
3 sets of 7 by 90 seconds hard with 30 second recovery and 2 minutes between sets
5 minutes cool down.
Alright, bored you all enough, I have plenty of blogs to catch up on now.
