Countdown to TM: Day 11...

5 km run with 5kg vest in 25min this morn...

Had to really fight myself to do last kilometre. Legs and breathing took a lot of effort.
Again, went to bed late. Bloody Internet! Too addictive!! ;)
Gotta be smarter on this side of things... Especially with the two events just around the corner.
More sleep to help my body heal and rejuvenate...

Legs were still really tight so loads of stretching and used the foam roller too.
Want a massage...
Neeeeed a massage!!

37 inverted push ups to finish up.

My back has really started to ache this evening... It is often due to tight leg muscles and sitting down for long periods...
Have done a lot of stretches this evenings but haven't had much relief. Popped some pills but they usually only take a slight edge off the pain. Hopefully a good sleep and I'll wake in a better state.

Countdown to TM: Day 12...

Had planned to run this morn but went to bed too late and just felt lethargic.

Stretches - calves feeling really tight.
33 inverted push ups.

Countdown to TM: Day 13...

A quiet day.
Stretches after yesterday's run and 35 inverted push ups in the morning.

Less than two weeks to go until Tough Mudder.
Yesterday's run gave me a lot of confidence for my fitness level for the City to Bay and TM.
I was thinking that doing the C2B (12km) in under an hour was going to have to wait until next year... But if I can do 10km in 55min while wearing a vest, maybe... maaaaybe... it might happen...

Countdown to TM: Day 15...

Started the day with a 5km run in 25min wearing a 5kg vest. Very happy to stick within the 5min/km range with the vest on.

While still wearing the vest, I did a couple of pull ups followed by some dead drops.
Short sprints at the park and a couple on the way home too.

Finished off with 30 inverted push ups at home.

Crashed out early that night for plenty of recovery and prep for tomorrow morn.

Countdown to TM: Day 17...

Bio age testing day!
Stretches in morn to get the body awake and limber.
Ten slow push ups to stretch out arms nicely.
Some core activation exercises.

Couldn't stop thinking about 4pm and the test.
The PT sessions we've been participating in have been great. Complimented my running nicely. Shown me areas I need to improve.

Core. Core. Core.
That's for sure!! :)

Picked up my blood test results from my GP. Cholesterol and blood glucose looking great! :)

Bio Age Testing went really well.
Improvement in all areas!
Have dropped a few kilos over the last three months.
Waist went from 90cm to 82.5cm!!!
(really really happy to see that result!!!)
Blood pressure down (but both the initial reading and today's reading were much higher than what I get when measured at the Red Cross before my blood donations. White Coat Hypertension perhaps??).
Ran an extra level in the beep test.
Was much more flexible than last time in the stretch test.

In the first test, I did 27 push ups.
28 was the next tier in my age category, so I was determined to do 28 minimum this time and push for the next tier which was 40.
Did 42 push ups today!! :D
Felt fabulous after that.

Finished up with plank hold.
Held it for 2:25 minutes.
First time around I only did 1:06, so again I was over the moon.

Since the beginning of this year, I've lost a lot of weight from running and better eating. These PT sessions have been such an awesome added benefit to my fitness regime and shown me that there's a lot more I need to be doing than just running... Especially on the lead up to an event like Tough Mudder.
If it was just a half marathon, yeah no probs, run run run... But it's much much more than that... It's a half marathon with 28 military style obstacles (I like to think of them as rest stops!) along the way...
I get the feeling that it's gonna push me to my limits and test me physically and psychologically...
But who knows..? Maybe I'm more ready than I think I am...

Fear is the mind killer... and on September 23rd, I vow that Fear will not be hitching a ride with me...

Countdown to TM: Day 18...

Stretches in the morn.
Feeling tight from long country drives, too much sitting down at a desk doing computer work and cramped up in small aeroplanes.
37 push ups as well.

Did a 2.5km walk up and down a hill in the arvo as I was feeling really tight in my hip flexors and calves and just wanted to move. Felt liberating! :)

Reviewed the Sydney TM course a little in the evening... Psyching myself up for it!!

Finished off the night with more stretches before bed.
Managed to touch my toes... Can't remember the last time I did that!!
Bio age testing tomorrow... How will it go...?

Countdown to TM: Day 19...

Nothing much today.
Woke naturally at 530am after a very solid sleep. Went and watched the sunrise over Mt Gambier from the Blue Lake. Was beautiful and a peaceful way to start the day. Next time I'd like to watch it from the Centenary Tower, which judging from what I can see may be the highest point around town.
Was very tempted to go for a run, but duty called.

After getting home from Mt Gambier, did some stretches and 39 push ups.

Countdown to TM: Day 21...

Father's Day!
Woke up for a 5km run.
Only a short one this morn as we had plans for the day.

I wanted it crank the speed for the 5km and try pushing for 4:45min kays the whole way if possible but my nose was still full of crap from a cold.
Breathing wasn't the easiest either.
Still managed to do the 5km in 25 min so happy with 5 minute kays.
Stretched afterwards thoroughly. Still wary of back. Plus knees were a little achy.

Managed to do 40 push ups in a row in prep for the bio age test. Last time I missed out on the next tier of push ups by one, so will definitely be in that tier this time and aiming for the next if possible.

A few more hours in the garden.
Hope to have a veggie garden planted soon. Seeds have gone into planter pots and garden bed being prepared.