Yesterday though, I packed up my Camelbak (otherwise known as my running handbag) and did it.
Showing posts with label mt coot-tha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mt coot-tha. Show all posts
Off road and out of the comfort zone
So I plotted out this 24k trail run around Mt Coot-tha Forest reserve a few weeks ago. I'm not going to lie. The very thought of it frightened the crap out of me.
Yesterday though, I packed up my Camelbak (otherwise known as my running handbag) and did it.
Yesterday though, I packed up my Camelbak (otherwise known as my running handbag) and did it.
The first Boundary run
Since deciding I want to be an ultramarathon runner, KKB has set me the challenge to run up South Boundary Road to Mt Nebo.
I'm still a little way off running all the way to the top - that's a 42k round trip - but I recently pulled off an out and back long run that I'm pretty proud of for my first effort.
I'm still a little way off running all the way to the top - that's a 42k round trip - but I recently pulled off an out and back long run that I'm pretty proud of for my first effort.
Ride one, run two
Last week was my first week of fairly consistent training in a while.
This week I almost lapsed back by bailing on my Mt Coot-tha bike session yesterday. (It was raining. Descending in the rain isn't particularly safe.)
I saved it today by following through on one of my dumbest ideas yet.
This week I almost lapsed back by bailing on my Mt Coot-tha bike session yesterday. (It was raining. Descending in the rain isn't particularly safe.)
I saved it today by following through on one of my dumbest ideas yet.
The Wednesday morning crowd
This week I headed out to Mt Coot-tha for some hills for strength training.
Last week I was there on a Thursday and I noticed something different about this week's Wednesday morning crowd.
Last week I was there on a Thursday and I noticed something different about this week's Wednesday morning crowd.
Green Eggs and Ham
I know, it's been a while.
I've had a few tough sessions since my last blog post and I might just be slightly embarrassed that last time I was here I talked up how well my training was going.
I'm over the shame though - after all tough sessions are a normal part of Ironman training, and I have a kit bag of coping mechanisms to get me through. I've recently added Green Eggs and Ham to my arsenal. Strange but true.
I've had a few tough sessions since my last blog post and I might just be slightly embarrassed that last time I was here I talked up how well my training was going.
I'm over the shame though - after all tough sessions are a normal part of Ironman training, and I have a kit bag of coping mechanisms to get me through. I've recently added Green Eggs and Ham to my arsenal. Strange but true.
Three Peaks Challenge Part 2: Coot-tha (again) and Gravatt
I know, running Mt Coot-tha dressed as Wonder Woman is so yesterday... but I made a commitment to do it again today, remember.
I also made a commitment to climb Mt Gravatt with the rest of the Truth or Dare Mountain support crew.
My legs were a bit tired from yesterday's lap, but I got through it all fairly uneventfully... and even keen to go back for more.
I also made a commitment to climb Mt Gravatt with the rest of the Truth or Dare Mountain support crew.
My legs were a bit tired from yesterday's lap, but I got through it all fairly uneventfully... and even keen to go back for more.
Three Peaks Challenge Part 1: Wonder Woman solo on Coot-tha
My friends at Truth or Dare Mountain are completing the Three Peaks Challenge this weekend.
In a sign of solidarity for the sisterhood, I ran Mt Coot-tha this morning dressed as Wonder Woman. (Yes, by myself. In costume.)
I'm going back tomorrow for my second lap and you can join us if you like. But more on that later. Let's cover off the reasons I put myself out there this morning first.
In a sign of solidarity for the sisterhood, I ran Mt Coot-tha this morning dressed as Wonder Woman. (Yes, by myself. In costume.)
I'm going back tomorrow for my second lap and you can join us if you like. But more on that later. Let's cover off the reasons I put myself out there this morning first.
Lost in navigation
Good Friday today so to earn the Humpty Dumpty egg KKB gave me I launched with gusto into the trail run that was set as a bit of a change to my regular Friday water run.
My coach is at home off road, but me not so much. Still, I had a map, on which I'd highlighted the route I was to take. I was running less than 10ks from the City at Mt Coot-tha so not much could go wrong.
My coach is at home off road, but me not so much. Still, I had a map, on which I'd highlighted the route I was to take. I was running less than 10ks from the City at Mt Coot-tha so not much could go wrong.
Discovering Mt Coot-tha
I know, I know. I'm always banging on about how I did something new or different, and how great it was, and how I shouldn't have been worried about it after all.
I won't put you through that same old story again. But I will write about my discovery of Mt Coot-tha.
To set the scene - I've been a cyclist in Brisbane for eight years or so and for most of those years I lived a maximum of five kilometres from the base of Mt Coot-tha. Although I've often ridden up the front, I hadn't, until this morning, ever been up the back. Many of my friends, including KKB, find it incomprehensible that I've never ridden up the back. So much so that it's almost become a joke around the posse.
It might be surprising to some of you that I tackled this 'first' by myself. When I was driving there, knowing I was riding alone, I considered many options that would get me out of this predicament. But I knew there was no way out, so I parked at Toowong and set off.
Across the overpass (another first), up the bottom bit past the Mt Coot-tha Gardens and Planetarium then on around past Slaughter Falls to the start of the climb. I don't know why I was surprised, but I was both surprised and delighted to be all of a sudden surrounded by many fellow cyclists, all toiling away up one of Brisbane's favourite training locations.
What I thought would be a lonely, onerous training session was, yes, physically demanding, but beyond that, a real buzz. Particularly after weeks being holed up at home on the home trainer due to rain.
An excellent discovery. And I'll be back. Next week in fact. And I may never ride up the front again.
I won't put you through that same old story again. But I will write about my discovery of Mt Coot-tha.
To set the scene - I've been a cyclist in Brisbane for eight years or so and for most of those years I lived a maximum of five kilometres from the base of Mt Coot-tha. Although I've often ridden up the front, I hadn't, until this morning, ever been up the back. Many of my friends, including KKB, find it incomprehensible that I've never ridden up the back. So much so that it's almost become a joke around the posse.
It might be surprising to some of you that I tackled this 'first' by myself. When I was driving there, knowing I was riding alone, I considered many options that would get me out of this predicament. But I knew there was no way out, so I parked at Toowong and set off.
Across the overpass (another first), up the bottom bit past the Mt Coot-tha Gardens and Planetarium then on around past Slaughter Falls to the start of the climb. I don't know why I was surprised, but I was both surprised and delighted to be all of a sudden surrounded by many fellow cyclists, all toiling away up one of Brisbane's favourite training locations.
What I thought would be a lonely, onerous training session was, yes, physically demanding, but beyond that, a real buzz. Particularly after weeks being holed up at home on the home trainer due to rain.
An excellent discovery. And I'll be back. Next week in fact. And I may never ride up the front again.
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