Interval running

Another night at boot camp and another weary, yet happy, blogger. Tonight it was interval running. That's one session that I love in a kind of 'it's going to hurt but I'll be really glad I did it' way. In fact, during the session one of the girls said "I hate running" and I wasn't able to say "I love it" because of the 'it's hurting' factor. I was able to say "I love what running does for me" in between desperate gasps for breath.

We started off with a warm up that would have killed me when I first did interval training. We ran around the school footy oval, with side steps, grapevines, high knees and boots to glutes at various stages, then we did it again. I remember when I first did interval training I couldn't run the whole way around the oval without stopping to walk. Now I can do it twice!! (Did you notice that twice required two exclamation marks?)

A bit of stretching then we were into the the actual intervals. The first session required us to run a lap then recover while our partner ran a lap. I think I managed to run my laps faster than I ever have before. Five laps later and I was amazed that I hadn't melted into a puddle of 'I can't do this' goo.

Fortunately we went to half laps which seemed so much achievable, except for the 'it's a shorter distance so it requires a quicker pace' factor. I hate that factor. Mind you, I was really pleased that I managed to find another gear. I think having TB at boot camp helps a lot, as I want to impress him with how hard I'm working. Hearing him say "Well done Kathy" encourages me to keep on going when all I really want to do is stop.

We finished off the interval training with third laps, which again needed to be quicker. I remember only having two running paces - a fast wobble and a slow lurch. Now I have an 80%, a 90% and an 'I think I'm going flat out' pace. Well, I like to kid myself that I have those paces.

It started to get too dark to run fast, so we switched over to a circuit type of activity - a reverse pyramid of modified sit ups, a short run, push ups, and run back. We started off at 10 and the group finished when I got to 1. I was glad I wasn't faster than me as those lucky souls started the pyramid in reverse. The whole group did 1 with me at the end though and they were all delighted when I did that last push up.

An aside: TB and I went to Melbourne on the weekend, where he was lucky enough to meet the rest of my family, including my parents. I'm clearly going to have to rent myself a normal family. On Saturday night we were supposed to be having dinner with Mum and Dad and two of my sisters. Instead it turned into a "National Nanna's Day" party, with various grandchildren, a couple of Nannas, the Nanna's day costume of purple wigs, pink rubber gloves and purple slippers, and purple balloons everywhere. TB survived the occasion and I'm not suddenly single again, so I guess the evening went well.

We went to the Vic Markets on Sunday followed by the Carlton vs Footscray game at Telstra Dome. I'm a Doggies supporter and TB is a Blues supporter. He was delighted in the result. Dinner in Little Bourke Street at Kun Ming's (an old favourite of mine) and Monday off work. It was a great weekend.