A 14km run down!!!!

I'm back from NZ so its now time to get serious and up my training :)

I ran into my friend Julian Cole on Friday night, and was chatting to him about training, which inspired me to give a big run a shot and just see if i could do it!

So and worked up and nervous I set out on a 14km run.... the destination, Warrigal Rd and home again!! If i did it it would be my longest run EVER!!!! Big challenge I know.

The track I took is the one I ride to uni during peak hour because it winds through the valley from Mount Waverley to Chadstone along the Scotchman's creek trail. Its pretty and beside the river so at least it gave me something to look at as I ran along. Not sure if it is a good thing choosing a track you know so well becuase I knew exactly what was yet to come, and how far I had to go.

As always the first few km's are the hardest, and everytime I set out on a run, the first km or two I question whether I am actually capable of finishing this marathon challenge and whether my body will make it through. (When I was a kid I used to go to the podiatrist all the time, and all i remember him telling me is that my feet will stop me from every becoming a proffesional athlete or a personal trainer becuase my body wont cope with the strain.... guess I'm going to show him!!!)

So i struggled through the first couple of kms and began to really enjoy my run. Did I mention I dropped a Preen can on my left foot big toe nail 15mins before I started my run? well I did and it really began to run about 20mins into my run, but I kept going.... nothing was going to stop me, Lance Armstrong rides in the sleet, I will run with a toe nail that has now turned off, and has stopped me from walking since I got home from my run. So 7kms in I hit the half way mark, and I'm at Warrigal Rd, I have Juju in my head "once you get to 8kms, theres no difference between 8km and 15kms" so I determined to get to 8km and then apparently its all down hill from there!

Well..... apparently not all down hill, becuase I live on a hill, and the last km is definetly all uphill and it hurts! But around the 9km mark, I started developing a blister on my inside arch, where I can feel my foot rolling in when I run (stupid podiatrist, u will not be right!) But I keep running, determined to make the 14kms, and as I get closer, it hurts more, but the more determined I become. I raced up the hill home (ok by raced I mean as fast as i could after runing for over an hour!)

I DID IT!!!!!! I MADE IT!!!! MY FURTHEST RUN EVER!!!!

I got home brusied and battered and sore, but immensly proud of my achievement. I had a black toenail, I couldn't walk becuase my muscles were so sore, and I had a blister on my inside arch, but I had done it.

14kms in 1:20..... not bad I think :)

I now have to go buy new shoes so I dont get blisters in the future, and I have to stretch properly in the future, when I got home from my run I had to turn around and ride 13km to work half an hour later. So I pulled up pretty sore the next day, and the legs were not loving it!

so far 35km down, 265 to go :)