The Press Summer Starter

A few weeks ago MrMoo and I walked 10km in The Press Summer Starter.

I was a bit dubious going into a "fun run". Running / dodging scooters and prams is not fun.

I really wanted to ace the training for this, since I only trained for 2 weeks leading up to a 14km at the beginning of the year which I ran alright in. I wanted to see with proper training what I was capable of!

Unfortunately. Life. That thing that gets in the way of good intentions. Sickness, busyness, holidays. Training was put on a hold and a week before the event we re-assessed our goals and decided to go into aiming to have fun and spending some time together.

We borrowed an extra buggy so we could both push the girls, went for a quick walk the night before the event and that was about all the preparation we had! Oops.

[[That's MrMoo there with the buggy. What a hottie.]]

And you know what? It was actually FUN!

The organisers had a different live music station every 1km, and on most of the lampposts inspirational messages. There was selfie stations and dog water bowls along the way. The girls sat happily the whole way. It was a great atmosphere!

And then we hit the bagpipes about 2km in played by two young boys.

Bagpipes man. Back in my home town they are played at nearly every funeral. I cant shake a feeling of emotion and grief when I hear them, and from that point on I had a lump in my throat as I walked the course.

I felt like crying nearly the whole way, there was just so much emotion around, walking next to my fellow cantabrians, down broken streets with joyful families waving us on in their dressing gowns. *gulp*

Surprisingly, I have continued to exercise following the summer starter, I have been for a few walks and runs since, and I hope to work on my fitness and strength over the summer time too.

It feels good to move, to release the days stress, to work my lungs and feel my muscles stretch. My body and mind feels much better for it.

Thanks Press for putting on such a great event!!

The Beginning of our Training #moo2fitness

Well, that winter was long. I've been waiting for months for it to be light enough and warm enough to tighten the sneakers and get out on the pavement for another run. 

I really enjoyed training for the City to Surf, and when MrMoo announced that he wanted to train for a 10km fun run at the end of November I jumped on the bandwagon!

It is SO. GOOD. to be outside, sweating, huffing and puffing. It's a stress release and therapy time, a time to pray and zone out and focus in. It's just a good time for everything.

I'm looking forward to upping my fitness and acing that 10km. I'm actually considering not running in the fun run, and doing it on a different day so I can time myself. And. Well. I was really bitter about having to run with scooters and prams during the city to surf. It was dan.ger.ous. Apparently I'm not much of a "fun run" type. Oops.

I live around such a beautiful area, there are lovely parks and walk ways I can run down. 

I use the Nike app to coach me in my training - you put in how many km's you want to be able to run by a certain date and it works out a daily training schedule for you. In the early weeks I really like that there are some walks to loosen up your body in between runs.

[excuse that shoe pile]

MrMoo and I take advantage of the walks by going out together after dinner before bedtime. It's a lovely time bathed in sunset light, the girls sit happily in their buggy with their tummies full, sunglasses on and we get to chat about our days, which isn't something we are usually very good at making time for.

And, it's really hot seeing your hubby working out in such a perfect scene.

[I'm sharing on Instagram #moo2fitness ]

I Did It!

Almost 2 weeks ago MrMoo and I ran the 14km City To Surf in Christchurch. 

We did it!!!

It seems like forever ago now, but was such a personal achievement for us both!

I'm so proud of the Mr for his running, he kicked my butt on the day and wasted my time, although I wish I could have kept up I knew I wouldn't have been able to. His man legs, lungs and heart were no match for mine!

Particularly I'm really proud of my training before the event. I recovered from a sprained ankle and fitted 8 weeks of training into a few before the race. I never postponed training because I was tired (which I was), but hit the pavement whenever I could. When MrMoo got really busy NannyMoo came over a few times to watch the girls so I could still squeeze In a run.

And boy, it was so good getting out of the house to sweat out some of the day. 

I don't weigh myself, but I'm pretty sure I lost a little weight in the process too, things began to fit a little better (although that seems to have all been reversed in the last few weeks haha)

So the day was a success, I confidently ran 14km with only a few light walks along the way for drink stops!!!!! HOORAH!!

Thank you for all your support along the way and for cheering me on from the (virtual or physical) sidelines (my big sis from London even made it to the sidelines!!) I've loved training along side you and my husband.

I'm actually glad it's over now so we can see each other an night time and not always be rushing out the door! Training is a huge commitment and was hard to squeeze into our lives. It kind if feels like I've hardly seen my husband for the last few months, one of us was always off running etc

I'd love to keep up the running, perhaps a little more leisurely and not at my husbands expense in the future.

Training

I've nearly completed my second week of training for the 14km City to Surf run in Christchurch in March.

I haven't really done any exercise since becoming pregnant over 3 years ago so this is a bit of a shock to the system (if you dont count all those km I tread each day getting from A to B with the pram and no car), although not an unwelcome one.

It feels good to be getting fit, slowly but surely. Mentally, too. Exercising the body does wonders for all things in your life. Funny how expending all that energy actually gives you more in return.

My one goal is to be able to keep up with MrMoo on race day. I thought training together could be some sort of marital bonding activity, and we can do the walks together with the pram (and they are lovely) but all of our training runs have been done seperately at night so far.

Looking at MrMoos run stats on his phone its becoming glaringly obvious that his big man legs give him a definite advantage. If I think about his stats all hopes and motivation for me shrink away by the second. I may need to trip him up on the start line. Just a little sprain, nothing major, just enough to slow him down a little....