Here, there and everywhere... Filling in the gaps

Yesterday I set my goals for the upcoming year. While reflecting on how many goals I achieved last year, I realised that I have not been posting here and my accountability has turned to absolute rubbish. I have not been filling in my nutrition for my online coaching with Luke and my training has not been very consistent at all.
So I am going to try my hardest to keep myself on track and also keep people who are interested in my journey up to date. 
Last post I was preparing for my first ever City 2 Surf run back in 2013.  
So how did I go with it?? WELL I was telling everyone that I was aiming to just finish but I had told Rachael that I wanted to finish it in under 2 hours..... And finish it in under 2 hours I did!!!!! 1:59:45!!! Just scraped in and I am so PROUD that I did :) It was hard. I was nervous. I was so afraid of not finishing I had to stop and pee within the first 2kms!!! 

I will forever be grateful to my best friend and sister from another Mister, Peta  for taking the plunge and running with me! After finishing the City 2 Surf I felt invincible. So much so that in September I ran the Bridge to Brisbane without running  since the City 2 Surf! Again, I smashed my goal. Finished the 10km run in 77 minutes which was 2 minutes off my first ever Bridge to Brisbane. 

Now onto 2014....
I know I am glossing over but a lot has happened in the last year and a half. I am trying my best to make sure I dont skip the important bits though :)
We began 2014 in our new house. The lease with DHA on our old house wasn't renewed in September so we were packed and moved to a much lovelier suburb and house. I am so grateful to live where we are now. My neighbours are amazing and I have made some really lovely true friends.
I have hit a lot of goals training with Luke. I came very close to my bench goal of 50 kilos (a goal that I have decided to aim for again this year!) and have discovered that I am a lot stronger than I ever thought I was! My favourite exercises are Bench Press, Close Grip Bench (aka the T-Rex lift), Stiff legged Deadlifts, Seated Row, Squats, Leg Press and Assisted Chin ups. Least favourite is and always will be split squats. *blergh* 
I finished training with Luke at the end of September due to finances.  I couldn't afford the investment so I a now training on my own at Goodlife in Carseldine, Chermside and Wintergarden (Brisbane City.) I have dropped the ball since finishing with Luke but that is my own fault for allowing myself to use not having a training buddy as an excuse.
I have actually begun enjoying doing my weight training on my own. I plug my headphones into my ipod and just do my own thing. I need to workout a schedule that matches my rotating roster and allows me to get 2 weight sessions and at least 3 ICE (Intense Cardio) done while also getting the usual household duties and responsibilities done. I really need to get my license!
Once again in 2014 I used every fun run I did (not that there were many due to illness and injury.) to try and raise some money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of NSW. The Everyday Hero page is still open for a few more months.. If you want to help me reach my goal by donating or sharing the link I would really appreciate it! The link is: https://give.everydayhero.com/au/ness-e-beck I am $227.50 off my goal!! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me by donating or sharing the link as well as cheering me on every step of the way!!!!
I kicked off my running year in May doing the 8km Mother's Day Classic. Smashed the previous record and finished it in 54:04!

Next run was the City 2 Surf. I had a few challenges before my 2nd City 2 Surf. Two weeks before the run I picked up a sweet pair of orthodics to help sort out my plantar fascitis. I have to admit it made the run interesting and rather painful towards the end... I had blisters on the arches of my feet and the pads of my toes.... But I kept going. I finished it in 1:49:53. 9 minutes 52 seconds faster than my first year. I don't know what made me smash so much off my time... I rang my friend Diana just as I was approaching Heartbreak Hill. I was so nervous despite making Heartbreak Hill my bitch previously that I guess I just needed to hear one of the many people who believed in me to give me that boost as I was running alone this year... I ran up that hill picturing my parents and my brother R waiting for me at the finish line. I remember hitting the 11km mark. My feet were so sore. I felt like I just wanted to give up. So I sent my Dad a txt telling him I would be there soon. That gave me the determination to keep going... I hit the 12km mark  and then I saw Bondi Beach... I remember putting one foot in front of the other and saying to myself "I can do this. I'm nearly done. I can do this. Keep going." and switching to "You are a champ. You can do this." I'm not going to lie I also had all sorts of scenarios of crossing the finish line going through my head. It helped me ignore the pain in my feet. As soon as I crossed the 13km mark I rang my Dad. I remember yelling "DAD! I'm coming! I'll be there soon!" and my poor Dad trying to make sense of what I was yelling at him on the phone. As soon as I hit where the crowds were I put in the extra effort not knowing where my family were and if they were watching... My Dad got some video of me on his phone running around the last corner. I didn't know where they were and by that point all I wanted to do was cross that line and get to a toilet as all the water I had been drinking from my waterpack as well as the gatorades decided to hit me right then haha. I crossed the line and when I looked at my watch I cried a few tears of happiness. I was aiming for 2 minutes off my previous time. Nearly 10 minutes was a big shock for me!! It took me at least that amount of time to get from the finish line to my family... We then caught buses to the station and a train to the city where we went and ate at Mamak's!!! Mamak's is one of my FAVOURITE restaurants in Sydney! 

Just after starting the run

Medal number 2!

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think I have any complaint about that day! Apart from the blisters lol.
Well I have to go get ready for work tomorrow so I'll leave it here for now...  I will post again either tomorrow or the day after with  Bridge to Brisbane and the rest of 2014. I also want to post my plans and goals for the year so that I have it somewhere other than Facebook....