3 sleeps to Auckland Half Marathon and some nerdy route elevation analysis

All I could think of in the last couple of days is the Auckland half marathon this weekend! All the training over the last few weeks are going to be put to test. After running a few races, I have learnt to stay positive and not get too nervous but it still gets you anyway. Having said that, I was dead calm with at the North Shore half  and had a blast! Reason that I was so calm was because I treated it as a weekend long run with a big crowd. I had no expectation plus the weather was made for running. Since the Auckland half is my last race for the year I am eager to run it like a race and give it my all. I don't have a specific time in my head and it's maybe good so that I don't get too stressed out. 

As I was curious about the new route this year, I did a  elevation gain analysis of  the route 2012 vs route for 2013. The most significant part is after 9km mark when we have to run on the motorway. Last year we had to run on Northcote Rd and Lake Rd before ending up on the Harbour Bridge and this year the route will have us running on Akoranga Busway all the way to Harbour Bridge. It's going to be a boring route running on the motorway for about 5km but the pro is that since it's so flat, it would be a great opportunity to gain some time before slowing down on the run up to the Harbour Bridge. I think a lot of people will be speeding off at this point to gain some advantage.

I am looking forward to picking up the race pack tomorrow and check out the expo a little bit and hope for pleasant weather and lots of energy on Sunday.

Are you running the Auckland Marathon?

What is your race plan?

What gets you going during the last few kilometres?

How do you treat yourself after the race?

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Making your own preserved lemons in 5 minutes or less

Spring and summer is always an exciting time to enjoy the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. It's also the cheapest time of the year to buy and preserve them for using them in winter. I started preserving my new batch of lemons as my last ones were really good and it's super easy to do. All you need are some clean airtight jars,water and salt. I cut my lemons into wedges but not all the way through so that you can fill it with salt and keep the lemons whole. Add the lemons into the jar and fill it up with water and and salt. I used filtered water to ensure that the water is as clean as possible. I made one jar with just salt and water and the other with some cloves, juniper berries and cinnamon. You could also use bay leaves and other herbs you have or like.

Once you filled the jar up with water, just screw it tight and store the jars in a cool dark place. I store mine in the bottom of my pantry cupboard. Remember to write a date on it to know when they are ready for use. It should take at least 3 weeks and only gets better with time. I use mine in Moroccan stews, dips and seafood. It's so easy to make and makes no sense to buy them from a shop because it's much more difficult to buy than to make your own. I love using my own sauces/ ingredient because I know exactly what went into the process.

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Why do I look like I am not running anymore

An old friend recently asked why I am not running anymore and I was quite surprised by that comment because I am still consistently running 3 times a week. The difference is that I don't want to talk about it on Facebook as much any more. No particular reason but maybe I just don't like to post about every run that I do because apparently that's what you do if you are 30 and beyond, according to Buzzfeed. Yeah, I base my decisions on Buzzfeed because that it's a very intellectual source of opinion and findings.

I have been running a little less this year but am doing more tempo and speed work and it’s been good to me. My speed has increased a little more than last year and my body and mind are happier because it’s under less stress. If I have learnt anything from the last few years of running races is that the mind must not be stressed out during the preparation of the race. It takes all the fun out of running and it’s the essence of running for me, personally. Of course finishing with a great time is awesome and rewarding but when I ask myself the reason why I started long distance running, it’s because I love doing it. When you put yourself in a situation where every training is just a number and a “task” it takes all the fun out of it. I am not saying that you should not have a goal. You should. It makes training more fun and meaningful. But there should a goal that is realistic that is going to push you further but at the same time not to be disappointed and self-imposing on what you can or should do. I was bitterly disappointed when I did not reach my goal finish time as I bonked in the Auckland Half Marathon last year and that put me off from running for a couple of weeks. I ran another half marathon recently and I treated it as a training run instead of a race and I swear it was one of the best runs I have had in years! My mind was relaxed and my body felt light and willing. This is how running is supposed to feel like. Compete with yourself, not only in terms of time but also how happy you were whilst you were at it. I finished that race in my best time ever. And I even stopped for a few minutes because I tripped and scraped myself. Yes, the run was so awesome that it didn’t bother me one bit.

I am going to do the Adidas Half Marathon in less than 3 weeks’ time and I am trying to stay focused on being relaxed about it. I will run as hard as my body and mind would and enjoy the rest of the journey. A great race is also about feeling the electric of the day. I have to admit that I enjoy race days because you get to run with thousands of other people and it’s the safest way to run because you don’t have to watch out for traffic and all you do in that  few hours is concentrate on running and listening to what your mind and body tells you. Actually for me, my Garmin tells me what I should be doing. But it’s all good. I will be focused on staying healthy and happy until race day. Maybe a trip of indulgence to Lululemon. 

Sharing with you some great running related finds on this post.

Happy running everyone!

Are you training for a race now? What is your strategy?

What motivates you to run?

What is your favourite tune to run in?

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