ok well ive been so busy the last few weeks I havent really had a chance to update everyone. But Kokoda is a go. I have had my medical clearance, my trainers are keeping me going and they believe I can do it, the only hurdle left now is for me to believe I can do it.

This is a big big thing for me. This will be the ultimate conclusion to everything I have done. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there are going to be other experiences in my life that will be mindblowing. But to come so far and now have a real chance at actually doing this. Will be fantastic! It will be this crazy experience where I can just soak in the atmosphere and take the challenge and run with it. Surely I will be able to do anything by the time I get back from this.

Training for Kokoda is not easy though. I have 3 sessions a week specific to Kokoda. Tuesday nights is hiking around the gym area in Bowen Hills & Teneriffe (Dunkenfeld & Down Sts if you know them) and then Friday morning (530am mind you…ewwwww) is a gym session with lots of cardio and leg work. And then Sundays is the big session. Hiking at Mt Cootha. Not just one journey up the hill. at the moment it is 3 hours worth and the sessions will increase a LOT apparently. But if i can keep the falling over to a minimum, I will be very happy (two stacks at Mt Cootha so far).

In other news, My warddrobe has been emptied and some new clothes purchased. It has been crazy just buying clothes at normal stores. I can’t believe that i never thought i would do that. The one thing is though, I still find it hard to shop on my own. Places like target etc don’t phase me as I have shopped in their before. But other stores, I can’t do it on my own. That may sound really stupid but I get to overwhelmed and if I don’t know I just have to run out.

To give you an example yesterday I went to this Jeans store down the road from me which had 2 pairs of Levi’s for $40 which is a total bargain. Figured i could get rid of the old jeans that are way way way to big for me (and i only bought them in april so havent had much wear either). But i didn’t have any clue what size i was meant to be and so I go in and since its a factory outlet their was no real staff around, and after just looking and thinking to myself “what size am i” i just ran out of the store. I am so chicken. But after talking to Kat this morning at training she told me to just suck it up, put on the first pair and if they fit, they fit.

So i grabbed the biggest size (38) and I just put them on, and they fit. It felt wierd trying on a pair of jeans. I was like ummm but soon enough the fear went away and I managed to shop on my own. It’s not as bad if I have someone else with me though as I can usually just look at them for guidance/help/support.

Well with the 10k all completed and behind me, its now time to knuckle down and focus. I had hoped i could have some more time to train for this but it looks like its been moved up. If it all gets approved (leave etc) i should be heading to Kokoda on September 1st.

Thats right, only 2 months away. Im scared again! Jesus what am i doing. I am going to put everything i can into this. I will do this and i will try not to kill myself in the process. It is going to be one of those amazing experiences that will stay with me forever but I have to make sure that i can do it.

For that it means getting serious about my training and focusing and knuckling down. Lots of hiking and lots of steps i guess. Sunday morning is going to be my first ever hike at Mt Cootha. Will probably need to get some decent hiking boots or shoes soon as well.

This is just a wierd feeling right now. Everyone keep your fingers crossed it all goes ok!

The weekend is finally over. I can sit back and just think about what has happened over the last few days.

I will give a brief run down of how my day went yesterday:

6am – Phone alarm goes off, get up, grab a juice, get changed.
6:20am – Voicemail from Trainer, “You better be awake”
6:21am – Ring back, yes im awake, are you?
6:30am – Tracey Parks Car on other side of Nerang River bridge and our warm up walk begins
6:45am – Arrive at the Race Precinct, Run into Meg, Scare Meg & Vinnie with how different I look
7:00am – Wander round the race precinct
7:20am – Hear the gun go off for First Wave as Andy & Tracey have a coffee
7:30am – Find a Spot in the line up
7:31am – What the hell am i doing this for again?
7:35am – Lots of people around, am i gonna get trampled wtf!
7:40am – Everyone else has their ipods in, stuff this no need to hide it
7:44am – WHY THE HELL AM I DOING THIS!
7:45am – BANG!
7:46am – WHY DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS!
7:55am – Ummm was that the leaders running past… what the hell i just left!
8:00am – In a Rhythm so far, Cadence is helping well

I dont really have any times to put now as i really don’t know what times i passed certain things but i will use km marks instead

1km – Looking good
2km – Rhythm set lets kick this shit
3km – Umm was that a black bib going the other direction… what the hell (black big is my wave)
4km – laughing at girls in capes running along side
5km – TURN POINT! thank god… now to go back over this bridge
6km – Wow… still seeing people running the other way, 4km to go, just a run from the gym to the powerhouse and back
7km – Theres the end of the line running past now, fighting with andy about how far 3km to go would be back at the gym (its the boats btw :P)
8km – Digging Deep now, focus on breathing, 15 mins to go
9km – HOLY CRAP I AM REALLY DOING THIS
9.5km – End coming in sight
9.7km – Tracey yelling me on
9.8km – Meg & Vinnie, Then Ross, Suz & Brendan
9.9km – Mum & Dad and Marcia & Richie
9.95km – the end shute, Dig Deep, hammer it home, dont run into the ladies
10km – Hear the words “get your arms up for the photo”, so raise my arms and hope that i get a good photo
10.1km – Feel a tap on my back and its Andy wishing me well, try not to vomit or fall over, stumble towards the cool off area, grab a water and an orange. Drink down a sports drink (bad idea i think this is what stuffed up my stomach later on), and try to recover, congratulations from a few other people. Walk towards the exit and grab my medal and tshirt….

What a feeling it was to come out of the exit of the recovery area, to my friends, beaming smiles, hugs, cheers and photos…. what an experience. I will definatley try to do it next year if I am around, but I am gonna help out Yena and help her with the 5k at Bridge to Brisbane (although i will see what others are doing with the Bridge to Brisbane, i may walk it instead).

I would really like to thank everyone who gave up their morning to come and support me. Marcia & Richie, thx for the sign and for suprising me on the start line! To meg & vinnie, guys thanks so much for coming down and staying for the race, it was great to see you both again. Ross, Suzanne & Brendan, you guys are always there for me and for coming down and putting up with me all weekend, I thank you! Jeremy & Yena, thanks for trying to make it there in time for me to cross the line, but i know you guys will always be good friends. (ps thx for the shirt, i love it). To Tracey, thx for the lift and for being there to take photos for me. To Adrian, dude, thank you for running with me, in bad shoes and not your running clothes. But most of all, a big thank you to Andy. Thank you for being there every step of this journey so far mate, your the best trainer ive ever had 😀

As for what else happened over the weekend other than the race. It was good times with friends and family. Friday was pretty relaxed, wandered around Robina and did some shopping (mainly food for the BBQ). Found 2 new awesome hoodies at Footlocker for University of Texas & Duke so that was cool. Then just relaxed and chilled out at Q1 on Friday night. After the race on Saturday i went back to the Apartment, and just tried to recover for a bit, Ate some breakfast and felt really sick. Then people started arriving for the BBQ and i slowly started to get food ready to go. We all moved down to the pool area and had an awesome feast.

Sat night after a good afternoon of just really doing nothing but having fun I felt fantastic. Went out for dinner in Surfers Paradise and had some Teppanyaki Kangaroo (yeah yeah i know, not very authentic), played some Uno and just had some fun with my friends.

This morning after waking up late and missing the Half Marathon and Marathon Starts (i did watch the Marathon runners go through Surfers though) i cooked breakfast and had a pancake for the first time in 8 months. Then after checking out and dropping some stuff off to the parents, Suzanne, Brendan & I went shopping at Harbour Town. What a haul I had today. You can see the photos of the haul in the picasa link but I am really happy to have clothes that fit now!

Anyway Masterchef is about to start and I need to have some dinner!

GC Marathon 2010

So apparently I had my affirmations wrong so lets try this again:

* I have put in the efflort and I am reaping the rewards
* I have achieved what I have set my mind to
* I have put in the hard work and i have seen the results
* I have thought positively and i have had positive outcomes

I am still gonna leave the ones below to help enspire everyone else.