Countdown to TM: Day 14...

Weighed in at 81.5kg.
Seem to have stabilized around there.
Happy enough with that weight! :)

Met a mate at 10am for a run around the Torrens River. He hasn't had as much opportunity to train as I have recently, so I wore the 5kg vest to help slow me down.
I was a bit hesitant as we were aiming for 10km and I wasn't sure how I'd do with the vest over that distance, but he said he'd be happy to walk if I needed to. ;)

Did 10km in 55min!!
And that even included a couple of double backs to let my mate catch up and a bit of walking when I bumped into another mate!!
Was over the moon with the time. I wasn't expecting running 10km in under an hour with the vest on.
But I think running with someone combined with a later start time helped a lot. Half the time when I run in the morn at 6am, my body feels heavy and lethargic... I think the later time just lets ones body normalize before putting it through hell.

Very proud of my mate too. Running 10km in under an hour after minimal training was a great effort.

Lots of stretching afterwards and in the evening as a long run will often leave me tight for the next few days.

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 16...

Today's post is taking on a bit of a different angle...

And I'll make it easy on you... I'll write the short version for those that cannot be bothered with my verbose style and the long version for those that want a bit of the background and motivation to this post (and maybe a little bed time reading to help them sleep!).

SHORT VERSION:
Over the next two weeks before I take part in Tough Mudder, I want to raise a minimum of $140 (just think, only fourteen people need to donate $10... easy right!?) for Legacy as part of my acknowledgement for the way that TM has changed my life and to pay tribute to those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice during active service for our country.
Please click here if you wish to donate.
(FYI - Leave the "State" blank and put your state in the "Province" section)


LONG VERSION:
This morning, a friend asked what the charity group Legacy represented.
I explained to the best of my knowledge that they provided support to the families of Aussie soldiers who had died during active service (since checking out the Legacy website I've learned that they are "providing services to Australian families suffering financially and socially after the incapacitation or death of a spouse or parent, during or after their defence force service").

It got me thinking...
It has been "Legacy Week" this week and you may have seen the tin rattlers out and about... I'll be man enough to admit that I avoided eye contact with them last week when I was at Bunnings... When it comes to charities, I tend to donate to only to a couple, like the Red Cross or the Cancer Council, as they are close to my heart... Legacy isn't high on my list, as it has very little personal impact on me...

Unfortunately it was "good" timing last week for all Australians to be reminded what Legacy is there for, when we lost five of our diggers in a single day...
Three were murdered in a cowardly "green on blue" attack and two died in a helicopter accident.
There are now five more families out there, that will not have a father or a son or a brother or a husband or an uncle to ever see again...

Tough Mudder supports Legacy in Australia, Wounded Warrior Project in the USA and Help for Heroes in the UK. To date, over $3 million has been raised for Wounded Warrior Project alone. Here's a video with a little background if you are interested.

When you first register for a Tough Mudder event, you are sent a link to help raise money for Legacy. The added bonus is that if I raise $140, I get a $25 discount of my entry fee.
I registered in January for this event (yes a whole nine months before!) but purposefully ignored the charity side of it... The main reason why? Because I wanted Tough Mudder to be about me... Purely and selfishly that's it... I didn't want my motivation to be stemming from raising money for a charity... I wanted to be training for this event so that once I've crossed that finish line, I can proudly say "I did it!"...

But you know what...?

I have already won...

Tough Mudder has changed my life in so many ways for the better...
I am probably stronger, lighter, faster and healthier than I have ever been in my adult life at the moment... I have shaved centimetres off my sides... I have lost excess kilograms from all over my body... and I have added years to my life...
And it is really all thanks to TM... It has inspired and motivated me where other methods have failed in the past...
The goals I set originally have been surpassed... smashed even...

So now it is time for me to give thanks...
And this is the best way I can think of doing so...

I want to raise a minimum of $140 over the next two weeks... Hell not even $140 cos I've just donated $25 as proof that it is not about the discount... And if I do hit $140, then I will drop another $25 as further thanks to everyone for their support!

So may I beg of ye, for a mere $10 perhaps?
Too much? ...just a fiver would be great thanks! :)
Help make a difference to the families of those that made the ultimate sacrifice and were lost whilst defending our country...
Help cheer me on for September 23rd... be there with me in spirit if you cannot be there in person...

Please click here to go to the donation page.

And if that link doesn't work for some reason, please copy and paste this:
http://www.raceit.com/fundraising/donate.aspx?event=6814&fundraiser=r2594499

Luv ya!

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 20...

Flew to Mt Gambier for work early in the morn.
Flight was delayed and we almost had to turn back because of fog, but got there eventually.

I was pumped... Couldn't wait for the end of the day...
Why...? Because I had a mountain to conquer!!

Two years ago, a mate and I were in Mt Gambier for work and we decided to run around the Blue Lake. This was well before my running days and I was probably doing very little regular exercise at the time.
I felt like I was almost going to die that evening...
I have asthma but it rarely bothers me and I haven't had a full blown attack since I was a child.
But the higher altitude, thinner oxygen (well it's not that high, but I'm sure the air is thinner than flat old Adelaide!) and cool damp air was the perfect recipe for disaster for me.
After about 400-500 metres, I had to stop... I could barely breathe... And this time there's no exaggeration... I was having trouble actually drawing air into my lungs...
My poor fitness in combination with the conditions was destroying me...
From memory after recovering I walked the rest of the way.

So this was it... Back in the Mount in a much fitter form... Memories were haunting me but I'd had my asthma meds and stretched well...
And you know what...?
I smashed it!!
:D

I did three laps of the lake course (11km) in 59 minutes. Breathing was fine. Felt like I was flying on the downhill sections. The uphills were a challenge on the second and third laps but still managed to keep jogging the whole way.

This was my post on FB after the run:

Blue Lake, two years ago you humiliated me. I tried to run around you and you just sat there and laughed. My legs could barely carry me up your hills. My asthmatic lungs choked on your thin, damp wintery air.
But not this time...
This time I came prepared.
This time I made you my bitch.
This time your were just a perfect little training exercise on the lead up to my two upcoming events.
This time I thank you for being here to challenge me again.

I'm looking forward to next time...

Was one of the best feeling runs I've had in a while...
Felt smooth... Controlled...
Recovered quickly and stretched afterwards.
Maybe the change of scenery did some good...? The fresh country air?
Whatever it was, I hope I can hold onto that feeling when it's time for TM...

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.

Countdown to TM: Day 22...

It's finally September!
The month I've been waiting all year for... The Month of Mud!!
The first day of Spring as well and Gaia put on a spectacular day for it.

Wasn't too seedy after previous night.
Only did some light stretches.
And gardening for a few hours.

Countdown to TM: Day 23...

No pain this morn!!
A little stiffness maybe, but no pain!! :)

Did plenty of stretches for recovery from yesterday plus strengthening core exercises to avoid more issues.
Really need to work on core on a regular basis.

Fasted overnight for a blood test (cholesterol and glucose) for bio age testing next week. The week before we started the PT sessions, we had our bio ages tested.
I was four years under my chronological age! :)
I wish I'd been tested at the beginning of the year when I was 10kgs heavier. Would've been interesting to see the difference.

Had a mate visiting from overseas do there was a big dinner and plenty of drinking. Stuck mostly to red wine... Purely for the anti-oxidants of course! ;)