VIVA LAS VEGAS

Helloooooo!
Just so you all know, I have been overseas for the last 9 days training begins again soon!
New posts to come, stay tuned!

MELBOURNE HALF MARATHON TRAINING: WEEK 1 DAY 7 - I CAN STILL RUN!

So for those following at home you will know that after the NYC Half, I struggled with hamstring issues that have only had me run on race day- which is twice since March. With dry needling, I have got rid of the hamstring issue and so today, I ran.
I am 0.9kg of my 1st goal weight of 69.9 kgs (under 70) and am off to Vegas for a conference soon.
Todays session, involved 4 x 1.3 km runs at relatively good speed from 7.5-9.0/km/hr on 3 incline.
I walked 500 uphill on 9 incline, ran, then did 700 m walk intervals on 9 incline, finishing with a 1 km walk on the 9.0 incline.
After pizza for lunch, I needed to expend some energy.
Really pleased with my first actual training "run". Excited I can actually still run. Was thinking I would have been totally crap but it was actually really good. Sore hip flexors late in the peace which were relieved while sticking my fingers in them while I ran (TMI???).
Feeling ok now, hoping restless legs don't keep me up.
Happy running!

MELBOURNE HALF MARATHON TRAINING: WEEK 1 DAY 3

2 days in a row.
Felt like death this morning so didn't get up as planned to walk long. Took the opportunity to sleep in a bit to try and keep my self from succumbing to the "team sickness".
So just went for a walk up the river. Ran up the hilly bits which was trying but ok.
So using this week to get back some motivation with the hope to be able to have a run in Vegas and Central Park in a couple of weeks.....even in the ridiculous heat.

MELBOURNE HALF MARATHON TRAINING: WEEK 1 DAY 2

.....And it begins again. It has taken me a long time to get back from Stadium Stomp on 14 June. That really quite damaged me at a time where mentally I needed to stay out there and keep going. Had it not, I am sure I would have exercised through the June 30 roller coaster. I went out iceskating today with my friend Sami and her girls, so spent 45 mins hoping I didn't fall over and break anything but got quite good in the end. I had always planned to go the to gym and do a walk (actually to be honest I was going to walk to the iceskating but it all got too hard). When Sami dropped me at home, I am not sure what happened but got on the couch and slept hard for over 2 hours. Woke up feeling like a truck ran over me. The ice-cream must have had valium in it or something. Anyway, it took me the best part of over an hour and a half to wake up properly, and get myself dressed and get in the car.
Was nice to finally be doing something and getting back in that mindset.
13 weeks and 5 days until race day.

SMALL INTERLUDE - AWARDS WEEKEND

There will be a small pause in transmission over the weekend as I have to head to Melbourne for our National awards night. Hoping to go for a small run on Sunday. Will be meeting up with some Dashers (the ones who haven't gone to the Gold Coast to run this weekend) for brunch.
Stay tuned

THE RACE IS OVER- GOLD MEDAL

So for those following at home, there has been much anticipation in my work team qualifying for the World Conference in Las Vegas.
It is with much excitement that I announce, we made it!!
What we should have done in a year, we did in a month.
It was nice to get off the ride finally. Today I have a day off and it is mooch around day.
So hopefully there will be some exercise in my future now. It's a good thing I have already lost 5.5 kgs since I ran the New York Half (today I weighed in at 70.9 kgs).
Looking forward to a few days of normality before the insanity begins in a couple of weeks.

THE FINISH LINE IS CLOSE

A quick post tonight. The finish line is so close. Tomorrow is the last day of the financial year here. We are within a stones throw of qualifying for the Global Ball in Las Vegas. What a ride the last 29 days have been. One more trading day to go, I can smell the margaritas and the melting havaiana runner from here. 

So wish us luck. Team Walkerville. 

See you on the flip side of June 30.

PRODUCT REVIEW: HONEYSTINGER WAFFLE- GINGER

I had some American friends who used these and other Honey Stinger products for fuel during running. I managed to try some of these at the New York Half Marathon Expo this year and bought a box as I really like the flavour.
They are nice and light and not as sweet as other fuels which I really like. I cannot stand that hideous sugar after taste that comes with a lot of running fuel. Each pack only 160 calories, gives you something to chew on rather than suck back like a gel so makes a great pre race fuel. It is a "honey based energy food made with natural ingredients". There are some other syrups/sweet ingredients in there, please use your own judgement to decide if this product suits you, your diet or your beliefs about food.
I really like them.





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TRAINING: THE MENTAL STRUGGLE

So this week I posted about "Sprinting to a Different Finish Line". The finish line that is the end of the Australian financial year and the end of a 12 month incentive that the company I work for runs every year. The prize for reaching very high goals is a trip to somewhere in the world for the weekend. That somewhere is always known from the 3rd week of July of that financial year. This year, the destination is Las Vegas. We get a big party on the Friday (last year Will.I.Am  was the DJ), we have a conference on the Saturday with guest speakers (last year, Will.I.Am, John Prendergast and Li Cun Xin- Mao's Last dancer). Saturday night, we have a ball and a guest act (last year, Jesse J and Havana Brown). Other guest speakers have been Michael J Fox, Michael Phelps, Lance Armstrong, Andre Agassi. It's big business this ball. I go every year and as I said, this year is the first year I won't go as an individual, but we are with in a hair's width of going as a team. My job is consuming; emotionally, mentally and sometimes physically. By physically I mean when it is coming down the wire to qualify, work days are long, it's dark when you leave, you are tired, mentally spent. I was just talking to one of the boys yesterday saying that even thought I was out of action for nearly a week after Stadium Stomp, the week following (the one just going past) has meant I have done nothing. I feel crap for not doing so but feel too crap to do so. Vicious cycle that I know one walk/ gym session will stop. I have been lazy. I've been working nearly 12 hour days and also working on my days off just for that opportunity to go to "The Paradise of Vice". This isn't normal in my job. I have taught myself to leave on time, but at this very pointy end of the year, there is more to do than normal. I don't want to get to June 30 and say maybe I should have done this or that. I'm tired, I'm exhausted, I'm spent. Tomorrow is also my day off. I am going in to work for 4 hours. Then I will come home. Sunday is a day off. I will more than likely take that day off too as my manager is having her 30th party. Conveniently, just around the corner from my house.

Whatever you are doing this weekend, do it well, and have fun.
#globalcampaign

RACE REPORT: NEW YORK MARATHON 2013 - NEW YORK

In 2013, I ran the New York Marathon. I ran this as a 40th birthday present to myself.
Click here for my race report.
It is a day that changed my life. The people I met through that race as still in my life and have become some of my closest friends. The positive power of social media.
Hope you enjoy the read.
BB

PRODUCT REVIEW: THORLO EXPERIA SOCKS

I only had one pair of these socks for a very long time. For some reason I found them not ideal compared to other socks I had. I then bought about 6 pairs at the NYC Marathon expo in Nov 2014 and have never looked back. They have become one of my favourite brands of socks. Available in so many colours, I love them. They are fitted giving support around the arch. Padded to provide cushioning on both the ball of the foot and the heel. At the expo they normally have 3 pairs for $45USD which is such good value as they are about $30AUD a pair here. Can't go wrong with a deal like that!. They aren't left/right sculptured, but I still like them. If you are not used to padding on your socks you may wish to try with one pair first.




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SPRINTING FOR A DIFFERENT FINISH LINE

So June here in Australia means the end of the financial year and the company I work for has an annual incentive that finishes on June 30. It is the world conference that is for "The Best of the Best".
I have been for the last 5 years and have only missed 1 out of the 7 I could go to. I normally qualify as an individual but this year, I have fallen slightly short. However, our store has it's best opportunity to qualify as a team. It will go down to the wire, 5:30pm on June 30.
The prize, a trip to "The Paradise of Vice", Las Vegas for the weekend. One of my favourite towns.
We last went here as a company 5 years ago. We took over Caesar's Palace and had one of the biggest pool parties, the town had ever seen. So big, they closed the pool the next day to clean it.
This year, I believe we are at The Venetian. God help them. This event attracts 3000 agents globally.
So for the next week, it is head down, bum up to get to the finish line.
It's a different type of race but the bling is amazing.

Wish us luck.

MARATHON RUNNING: TRAINING FOR NEW YORK 2013

If you are thinking of doing a marathon or want to know what it is like to train for one, please head over to my blog : http://brionybullardmarathonfit.blogspot.com.au/
This tells the tale of what training I did, some of the food I used in training and of course the all important race report. It is a blog covering 9 months of training for the New York Marathon, which I ran as a 40th birthday present to myself. Plenty of ubiquitous Garmin photos with distances and times. The race was the inspiration for the forming my group the Dungog Dashers who even 2 years on are still meeting up at races, going to surprise birthday parties and catching up all over the world.
This race and the lead up to it truly changed my life for the better. The people I met through this race have enriched my life more than I could ever have imagined.
You can also read about my latest gathering with them in New York, during March by clicking the links below.

RACE EXPO
RACE DAY
MILE 10 CHEER SQUAD
POST RACE DRINKS

Thank you for reading :)

PRODUCT REVIEW: GYM BOSS miniMAX INTERVAL BEEPER

This girl is big on interval running. I never used to be. I used to think you had to run all the way to get faster times. I have had 4 PB's this year using Jeff Galloway's method of run/walk intervals. I got the gym boss to help me in the NYC Marathon in 2013 and have used it ever since. I love it.
If you have a basic Garmin or watch for running this will be the perfect accompaniment to your either of those. Available in an array of colours, the Gymboss Mini Max runs off 1 x AAA battery. You can adjust your intervals to anything you like. Maximum of 99 rounds of the 2 intervals. Beeps go off for 1, 2 or 5 seconds and the beep can be quite loud (for a race like NYC Marathon, this is essential. I had to wear it on the neck hole of my top the crowd was that loud. It's so easy to use this product, I am a big fan and recommend it to anyone who needs something to time their intervals. It means you aren't always looking at your watch.
So if you want to get the perfect interval timer click below!




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PRODUCT REVIEW: GU GEL - SALTED CARAMEL

When I first started running, I couldn't stomach Gu Gels. I loved the idea of all their flavours, but they never sat right in my belly. In the last 12-18 months, things have changed and I have been able to use these gels and I really do like them.
My #1 favourite is the salted caramel flavour. It is sweet but not sickly. These gels also don't have that vile aftertaste that some of the synthetic fuels have.  Best deal I have ever had is $1USD each at the NYC Marathon Expo. However, if you are not able to get there in November, then click below and the lovely people at Amazon can send some to you!





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#GU
#dasherlife

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PRODUCT REVIEW: POWERBAR WAFER - CHOC/PEANUT BUTTER

Powerbar is one of the big hitters when it comes to running fuel making gels, protein bars, wafers and other fuelling options for athletes.
I had never tried these wafers until I saw them at the NYC Marathon Expo in 2014.
I decided to buy a few and wish I had bought a bunch.
At 160 cals, they provide a reasonable pre race/mid race fuel option.
They do come in other flavours, but I prefer this one.
I like the fact that they provide a bit of a boost but aren't sickly sweet. An issue I have with lots of the synthetic fuels out there.
If you think you want to try them out, click below to be taken straight to where you can buy them!


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TRAINING: WALKING (JUNE 21 2015)

Mum and I headed out very early at 6:30 am in 6C temperature. No wind and virtually no cloud. Great morning for a long walk.

I did forget to turn off the Garmin until about 45 minutes after we got in!
So time was about 2:14 and distance would have been really about 10.8km
A smashing day here in the Rads.
So if you are pondering over whether to go out, put your shoes on, grab your iPod and just walk.
At least you will be out getting some sunshine, topping up your Vitamin D and burning some calories.
Enjoy your Sunday!
#garmin
#dasherlife
#lifeofanoneliteathlete

PRODUCT REVIEW- POWERBAR PERFORMANCE ENERGY WAFER

PowerBar is one of the big hitters when it comes to running fuel. They have a wide selection of gels, protein bars, wafers and other fuelling options for  all athletes.
I had never tried these wafers until I saw them at the NYC Marathon Expo in 2014.
I decided to buy a few and wish I had bought a bunch.
At 160 cals, they provide a reasonable pre race/mid race fuel option.
They do come in other flavours, but this is the only one that actually.
I like the fact that they provide fuel but aren't sickly sweet, an issue I have with lots of the synthetic fuels available. It can also be broken in half as it is pre-scored.
You can buy them individually or in a pack of 12.
If you think you want to try them out, click below to be taken straight to where you can buy them!

(Affiliate Link)

16/06/15 STADIUM STOMP AFTERMATH

Oh dear god, I am so out of practice with recovery. So kind of neglected the foam roller or stick on Sunday (first mistake). Walking on Monday, difficult and sitting down all day wouldn't have helped. Middle of the night on Tuesday morning, I had to get on the roller, almost instant relief, but then got up at 7:30...ugh
Went for a 5 km walk, see below how long it took me to get from mine to Henley jetty!.
Under that, that is me in Ikea, going down the stairs, sideways, one at a time like a geriatric.
Got in an epsom salts bath tonight which was helpful but now I have sat down, the lactic acid is back.
Legs are sore to even touch. I have got the stick and am trying to use that. Adductors are very very sore.
Wanting to do the event at the MCG but don't want to be like this :)
Still, great challenge the #stadiumstomp ! Don't let that put you off!
#dasherlife