COCO BUTTER: Jumping aboard my (exercise) train

Hallo!!

The QLD crew at the parkrun Perth smackdown!

It feels like forever since I posted here but I checked and it was actually just on Friday ;) Maybe because that's because I have SO much to say and SO much on my mind! I won't bore you with everything and I have a few enthralling topics I want to write about over the next week, but for now I just wanted to chat about some of the training that I've been doing. For no reason other than I've been doing some different things which have been pretty cool and I have a lot of awesome photos that I wanted to share!

I am getting more into the training lately. This has been a slow process. From someone who wouldn't run for a train to someone who has a self confessed addiction to boot camps, it's been an interesting 7 months. I was thinking the other day that if I wasn't trying to lose weight, that I wouldn't train. Because, I'm not going to lie, I don't like exercise. If there were no or limited health benefits to be received, I would be on the couch and NOT running around a sports field.

The most beautiful smackdown supporters

However I called myself on this. Because some of it, I do enjoy. Mish's challenge for us last week was to say what our favourite type of exercise is and why. I chose boot camps (of course). But what got me was my answer. I said that it was because I get excited about getting out of bed every day to go. Seriously, Kate?

Umm, yes, I do.

More on boot camps below but I just wanted to mention that. I used to get excited about getting up out of bed to eat a calorie laden breakfast. Now it's to sweat profusely and smell badly on a football field.

#lovethesechanges

I'm getting my training on and loving it :)

Blue haired gal: INTERSTATE SMACKDOWN!

My hair!

A few weeks ago I participated in the 1st Inaugral QLD vs. Perth Crew Smackdown! Basically it was a fun state vs state event, using parkrun as our vehicle. Our teams geared up at various parkrun's across QLD and Perth and we did our 5km in a fierce battle! The stats were prepped and QLD came first! But the winners were everyone who participated, and especially those who walked with me.

I was moon booted up at the time and was in pain to walk let alone be allowed to run. But I had someone walking alongside me the whole time, and others came back to do the last stint with me also. I felt so supported and it was such a fun morning. And I was very relieved that the blue spray washed out of my hair!

Twigs in my undies: PT!

Awesome session

I did my 1st PT session in about 10 years! And it was awesome! It was full on! But I loved it. It was a cool experience remembering what it's like to have dedicated 1 on 1 attention in a training situation. I used to do PT regularly and loved it (and also was in love with my gay, male PT, but that's a whole other story) so it was great to revisit this way of training. AND afterwards I went to the bathroom and found twigs and leaves....ummm....in....there. hahaa! I don't know how that ended up happening! I joked that from now on clients should be judged on this criteria. If they don't end up with twigs and leaves in their....region....then they haven't worked hard enough! ;)

PB with a recovering injury - rock on!: FITNESS TEST!

Running my time trial again!

We did our Week 8 fitness test with the QLD Crew on the weekend and I am so happy with my results!! You can see them here: Coco's Stats What I was most excited about was my time trial. I shaved just under 4 min. of it but that wasn't a really true reflection as my last one was done walking because of my ankle. This one I was able to run (!) (more on that in a second). But what was cool was when I compared my time later, I realised that it was a PB for me - I beat my last running time, which was 12 weeks ago - after 2 months of not running. There is so much to be said for fitness :)

My freedom is back: RUNNING!

The view :)

So yes, you read that right, I AM RUNNING AGAIN!!!! Can you tell that I'm excited about this?? It has been over 2 months. The princess accident was the 2nd November so I really haven't ran since October. And you know how much I have missed it. Well, I am finally back, baby!

Last week I tested running at boot camp for a couple of days. Just very light running in the soft grass. And it went ok :) I didn't push it though. Then last week I was driving over the Story Bridge one night at around 7:30pm and I noticed that there were people jogging across the bridge. I decided I wanted to do that too. I am never spontaneous. I haven't properly ran since October. It's a bridge. It's night time. I've just finished boot camp. I didn't know how to gain pedestrian access to the bridge.

Dodgy unfocused selfie of my running smile!

Who cares - I was going to do it! And I did it. It was amazing. I pulled my car over to the side of the road as soon as I could, in the city, and found my way to the bridge. I love Brisbane's skyline at night, so it was really pretty being up there and completely refreshing with the breeze etc. But the coolest thing was running again. I took it easy - I ran across then ran/walked/ran back as I knew that's what my ankle could cope with, but I did it. I feel full of freedom when I run and being on the Story Bridge just made it a bit more special for one of my first 'runs' back.

Since then I've ran a bit in boot camps etc. It's not completely healed yet as it's quite weak and tonight it's actually hurting, I think I have pushed it a little.

But I will take care of it. I am just so thankful to be able to run again :) Look out pavement, I'm about to pound you!

#addictedmuch: CAN'T GET ENOUGH BOOTY

My water pistol was broken!

Ahhh I am seriously in love with boot camps! I've upped this a bit and am so lucky to have found some boot camps that I adore. I realised how much I loved them when I realised I was using them as a form of reward for myself. eg. when I walked the Brisbane Kokoda twice that day, I was pushing myself because boot camp was on soon and I didn't want to miss out. It was like a reward of not going slowly when I wanted to. "Keep up Kate, boot camp awaits!" ;)

I started a new set of boot camps this week - a very appreciated Christmas present from my family. The first one was on Monday - I was looking forward to them and wanted to do them, yet on the morning I was a ball of riddled anxiety! It was seriously like my first boot camp, all over again!

Best.fun.ever

I literally almost turned around and went home twice on my way there. I was petrified. I decided it would be really hard, I wouldn't be able to keep up, that everyone else were athletes and that they would laugh at me. I wasn't cut out for this. I went to the wrong park at first. I had a teary moment when I got there. But I showed up. And I LOVED IT. Seriously, I have been counting down the days until the next one. And even better, my usual boot camps have got extra sessions at the moment....so now, I CAN DO BOOT CAMP EVERY DAY! And twice on Wednesday's! I am in love, it's like it's Christmas every day ;) I don't want to sound like an idiot but I seriously love them so much. With boot camps and other stuff, I think I've slept past 4:30am once in the past fortnight, but it doesn't bother me. Oh, and..I think my insomnia's gone. It just took a while to settle. :)

We also had a couple of water fights at some boot camps last week which were so much fun. I haven't played like that in a long time. To start off the day with a boot camp and a water fight, it's just the best :)

So there you have it! There's some of the activities I've been up to. I'm in the middle of reassessing at the moment and I still have so much to update you on, but for now I just wanted to have a chat about the exercise. That I love. And don't hate. Who am I? :)