5k
the race went very well. I did a good time and what I think it's a pb....like last year I wasn't able to see the start line and I might have started my watch a bit earlier or later...who knows. But, considered my lack of training, I was pleased to do a race at an increasing pace with the average of 9:00 minute per mile. Final time 28:00. I was paced by a friend who pushed me really hard...by the end of it I was really dying and my face in this pic shows that, doesn't it??
guinea pig
I did a VO2 max test and with it I will be given my lactate threshold. I don't know the results as yet. I have also received a scan to measure my body fat percentage. Not very good news on that front. 31% was the result and my BMI is 24%. these are normal ranges but I found out that I have put weight on lately and I am not happy about it.
In 4 weeks they'll run the same tests again and then the real procedure starts: for 6 weeks, 3 day a week (1 hour each time) my legs muscles will be stimulated with electro...thing (can't remember the name) and then they'll see how strong they've become and the tests will be done for the final time. I am very curious to see how it goes.
future plans
tomorrow morning I am off to the states (L.A and San Francisco). I am going for a conference/job interview/holiday and to be honest right now I feel more nervous than excited!
If the job interview goes well, somehow, deep inside, the idea of moving to the states scares me a bit. if the job interview goes wrong, though, next academic year I will be unemployed, and that idea scares me too. I should just concentrate on the fact that I will see two amazing places (LA and san francisco) that I have never seen before and I should think about what comes when it comes. dunno....
anyway, I hope your holidays go well.
I might be able to blog from there, otherwise I'll "see" you in 2009
)ciao!!!
for the first time in 3 years and 6 marathons I wasn't sure I was going to make it to the end. my training had been poor and my motivation quite low. the weather forecast had predicted rain and indeed the night before the marathon I could not sleep because of the noise outside: it was pouring down and the wind was strong too!! I said to myself that if the weather was going to be the same in morning I was not going to race.
when I woke up, though, the weather was really nice and I had no other choice than walk to the start line in piazzale michelangelo (there's a beautiful view of florence from there). but once there, I got literally soaked before I set off for my 7th marathon. fate!
From the first minute of my race I knew I was going to finish...not matter how!!! I had a friend along the course who cheered me on on 3 different occasions: 12km, 25km and 41km; I had certainly something to look forward to. my parents were supposed to come to florence too but decided not to the end, because of the weather.
I adopted the same strategy of my dublin marathon: 5 min run and 1 min walk and despite my lack of training, my lack of sleep and the rain I closed my race in 4:56. not my best time, but not my worst either.
The course was nice, even though the stretch from 32km to 38km was pretty boring and looooooong. I had started to get tired by then but at that point I was determined not to pull out. so I kept repeating my mantra ('till the finish line) and alternating walk and run...by then it had become 4 1/2 min run and 1 1/2 min walk. It was a bit discouraging not to have much support by then and some of the people I met along the route kept saying "they must be the last ones", nice!....but I tried to keep positive and I crossed the line with a big smile.
now I am in Italy, at my parents', until sunday and I am eating a lot and relaxing a bit before I start marking exam!
it's really cold here!!!
