from the coolrunning race calendar :



Apr 2008
Fri-Sun 18-20 Apr BRISBANE MARATHON FESTIVAL (QLD)
The 17th annual Brisbane Marathon Festival is on from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th April 2008. The Festival commences with the Brisbane Running and lifestyle expo on Friday from 3pm. The kids events will be held on the Saturday afternoon at 2pm. The main events on Sunday start with the marathon and half marathon at 6am with the marathoners doing 2 laps of the half marathon course. The final event is the 10km Run/Walk at 9am. ALL events will start/finish at the Cultural Forecourt South Bank Parklands. Finishers in the Sunday events all receive a commemorative technical running shirt and the marathoners and half marathoners also receive a finishers medal. The half marathon doubles as the Queensland half Marathon Championship. Online entries are now available. contact: Intraining 07-3367-3088. email: race@intraining.com.au. Visit the website for more details. 
 
Sun 4 May HAMILTON ISLAND HILLY HALF MARATHON (QLD)
Traverse the beautiful Hamilton Island, to its highest peaks and furthermost points. Predominately a trail run with some challenging climbs and spectacular views. Also includes a mixed 3 x 7km Relay and a Kids Run (2km). Cash prizes for 1st-3rd Male and Female plus 1st team courtesy of Whitsunday Gold Coffee. Fantastic random draw prizes. contact: Steve Jackson. email: sportsclub@hamiltonsiland.com.au. Visit the website for more details. 
 
notice the rellay option above

Sat-Sun 24-25 May WARWICK PENTATH RUN (QLD)
5 Races held over 2 days with a total of 42.2km. You can participate in 1 or all of the races. Prize money $$$ for place getters and trophies for category winners. Races are Saturday 1) 1/2 Marathon, 2) 4.6km Cross country 3)5km Road race Sunday 4) 10km Killarney Assent 5)1500m Main street race. With 2 breakfastes and a Saturday night meal with race 1-3 presentation for under $100 a great weekend of running. All finished by 1 o'clock Sunday. contact: Robert Stewart. email: rstew67@eq.edu.au. Visit the website for more details. 
 
Jun 2008
Sun 1 Jun QUEENSLAND HALF MARATHON (QLD)
The Queensland Half Marathon will be staged at its permanent home, the Doomben Racecourse, on the 1st of June. All the athletes will have the memorable experience of finishing in front of the stands and the racetrack. The days events will be made up of the Half Marathon (21.1 km), the Doomben 10,000 (10 km), the Doomben Cup (2.5 km walk) and there will also be a 5km fun run. Doomben, Brisbane's oldest racecourse, will provide the perfect backdrop for an exciting carnival atmosphere. Spectators and competitors will be enticed to join in the activities, drink in the atmosphere whilst applauding the "back of pack" runners, watch the award ceremonies and enjoy the expo with lots of companys showing you the latest in running gear. Come be part of a great race and every runner recives a gift of the race at the end. You can also purchase a shirt for all your hard work. Bring the kids and they too can run around the racecourse for $5 a head to be part of the day as well. This race seems to get bigger each year coming into its 6th year. contact: Phil Hungerford. email: phil@theruninn.com.au. Visit the website for more details. 
 
Sun 29 Jun RUSSELL ISLAND HALF MARATHON (QLD)
A scenic, peaceful course with undulating terrain on the jewel of Southern Moreton Bay - Russell Island. Come and run where time has stood still for 20 years. The air is clean and the local water is sourced from under North Stradbroke. This is a relatively new event but the organisers are dedicated to putting this location permanently on the serious runners' calendar. Be one of the early adopters and register today. Starts at 0700 to allow mainlanders time to get here on the ferry (see guys I listened). contact: Jane Lefevre. email: jane@play-on.net.au. 
 
 
Jul 2008
Sun 6 Jul GOLD COAST AIRPORT MARATHON (QLD)
Celebrate 30 years of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. More than 16,000 people from around the world will "Embrace The Next Step" and participate in either the 42.2km Marathon, 21.1km Half Marathon, 10km Run, 7.5km Walk or Junior Dash races for the kids over 2.25km and 4km. Regarded as the premier marathon in Australia, the Gold Coast Airport Marathon is recognised worldwide for its fast, flat and scenic course - runs alongside Broadwater & Pacific Ocean surf beaches and past high rises with the hinterland mountains as a glorious backdrop. Thousands of spectators line the course with roving musicians and entertainers, creating an amazing atmosphere to inspire and motivate the participants.  contact: Phone 07 5564 8733. email: info@goldcoastmarathon.com.au. Visit the website for more details. Click here for an entryform. 
 
Sun 27 Jul PARK2PARK HALF MARATHON, 10KM & 5KM FUN RUN (QLD)
Take the challenge! Come along and test yourself on our challenging (we've thrown in a couple of small hills) course. Fun for the whole family. Walk, Jog or Run! contact: Alison Fyfe. email: park2park@ihfoundation.org.au. Visit the website for more details. 
 
 
Jennie hope this will keep You motivated     

I also read about the barefoot runner and was inspired.  It's funny Jen - you thought "I can't imagine going through that much pain on purpose" about bare-footing it, I was instantly inspired to learn how to barefoot it so that I don't have to go through the injury pain of wearing shoes :D

well the reality is, she is not the only one and not the first one.

There is a huge movement around teh world in this for many years, and thats the reason that somebody strated the biss of manufacturing the 5fingers.

There are whole website about barefoot running and for barefoot runners, with detailed history i\of individual runners, plenty of advice how to, there is a section of best places to run barefot in nature etc, and there is aalso section for teh best races to participate barefoot etc, of course this is all american based.

So what I am saying she knew all of this before she started so she knew this works so it was not blind trust.

The reason that her story particular is interesting is that she is an aussie, she just completed fampus 6 foot trail maraton = 45km in Blue Mountains in 5fingers so it is all relevant to us here, and she is active person on australian coolrunning forum, so she is easy to follow ask the question etc, she is very helpfull.

But if You think of it in wider context, this is similar to say what Gordon Pirie says in his free ebook, about getting rid of all the modre high cushioned shoes and run only in so called racing flats, he this way helped lots of injured runners and getting them much faster. 30 years ago there was no such thing as the cushioned stability control etc BS "running" shoes, the runers were not injured that often, and the average time at marathons was 1 hour faster that these days.


I was using Nike Frees in the transition period and it was a great help, but I got now to the stage that even with the insoles out of them, they are getting too soft, too high, too cushioned and too resricting so am going to stop to use them, so Frees are good in transition but within a year they will become limiting of progress...

I am now at the stage when the Aquasocks and Dunlop Volleys are also getting tooo restricting, there is no cushioning so it is fine in that aspect, but as my speed is increasing they become to loose - the feet in higher speed starts sliding in them, so I am at the ponit that I have no other option than go completely barefoot and to buy the 5 fingers, which are bit expensive but as I progressed I run out of cheap options.


Jennie would You like to go for some running session together in april in MEL ?

Hey Rudy and co, I'm so exited to be having a running session with you Rudes. I hope I don't slow you down too much.

I really got a lot out of that ladies blog. I am now a member of the coolrunning forum as well but haven't posted yet. Been too busy.

When we went away I packed my runners and my running gear. Got up nice and early on day one. Warmed up well. Started running and did ok. I only ran about 1.5k's and stopped. I couldn't work out why. I had to stop because I was having a hard time breathing. It wasn't until a truck went past me belching out black plumes of smoke that I realised the volume of traffic. I'm so used to jogging nice and early in the AM that I have not had to worry too much about running with lungs full of smoke.

That's what I put it down to anyhow.

That afternoon we went to the beach. Out to the water... waaaaaaaaaay out because the tide had gone out. I was walking along feeling very elegant in my swimmers with my nice almost toned legs when I fell in a hole... sliced open the bottom of my foot and that was the end of my running that day. I had taken hydrogen peroxide with me and so sprayed that on the cut often to keep it clean.

I made the mistake of wearing my frees with it as we were at a campsite that was full of dirt. (Loved it!) and I thought that if I wore thongs that I would end up with dirt and crap in my cut. However it got slightly infected with the wearing of frees and I limped around camp like the walking wounded (well I was!!!) for the next few days.

Today and yesterday were thongs only and so it has finally sealed and has a nice little covering on it now. I've got a weights session booked with my trainer tomorrow as I didn't think I would be able to do a long run and enjoy it but will run again tomorrow night.

I saw Run Fatboy Run while we were away and loved it! Larfed so hard. I can't wait for it to come out on DVD.

My son's teacher has been reading this thread. I find her very inspirational. She thought she was going to have to have an operation on her knees and hasn't been able to run for over a year (on road) due to the pain that would follow. She got a copy of Chirunning and is now doing 10k runs and no op due in sight! Go T!!! You are awesome.

xoxoxox

After my 'run' last week I decided to just walk for the next few times. Over the end of the week and weekend I had quite a few flu symptoms. Whether they were a cold/flu thing or some detox I don't really know but I am glad that I have started to take some time out to rest.

Today I went for  a run with my trainer. I'm still not feeling 100% but I ran 4.5km's and am feeling good. My friend Deige and I are going in the Mothers Day fun run in Brissy on the 8th of my which is an 8 km run and in the Doomben 1/2 marathon which is 10k's. How exciting. No free tshirts this time around! LOL. Have to buy them but that's ok. I can get myself a shirt as a reward. I always feel so happy when I wear my other one.

I pushed myself with my run today. My legs were like jelly and so were my arms at the end of it. We did some work where we would up our pace (I just lengthened my stride) for a certain distance before resuming to our original pace and a sprint. Well, you call it a sprint but a little old lady hobbled past me with her walking stick! *kidding*. I couldn't really sprint at that stage.

I did the first 2k's easily. So happy. I remember just a few months ago when that seemed an impossible feat. 

I was not hydrated enough though. Must up my liquid intake. Water.

Life is good!

xoxoxox

Am off for a run this morning.........and really looking forward to it.  This time yesterday I didn't consider myself to be a runner - today I AM a runner.   

My right knee was a 'leetle' bit sore this morning, and as I sat here jiggling legs up and down mindlessly I  suddenly heard and felt my knee go 'crack' ......and you know what?   No more soreness, yahh.

My goodness! I've read the book but having a days teaching with JR was the best thing I have ever done. He is a phenomenal teacher. I recall when I first started listening to people like Anthony Robbins and Wayne Dyer that they said that building the foundation is the most important part of anything you do. I think that Robbins called it "mastering the basics". He also says that "Repetition is the Mother of all Learning".

JR focused on the three most important aspects of of Chi Running for hours! Until we all got it. There was posture, alignment and the grounding stance. I tell you I feel amazing. I thought I had picked up on it but half an hour later I had lost it again. By going over it as much as we did, I had it by lunchtime. I tried to feel it more than think it as that's how I do things. As I sit here now at my office chair I am focusing on my posture and which will help me while I run.

JR likes to have small groups so that he can give as much individual attention as he can and it was great because I could practice what he had just shown us and focus on that while he went around the rest of the group.

He is very very conscientous and earnest. I've never applied the word "earnest" to anyone in my life but when I think of JR that is the word that springs to mind. We went for a run again this morning which was good as there was a few things that I had forgotten overnight.

The muscles at the front of my thighs are really sore. I put this down to them never being used before. I mean, when I ran before my butt and hamstrings would get sore but I don't recall the fronts of my thighs ever being used!

I should mention that we had an amazing group of people. JR and I hit it off straight away but when the first lot of people arrived I immediately went back into childhood fear. They were kitted out in their Nike Skins and had all the gear. She spoke of how they were life long athletes and I just did an internal (aaaaaaaaaaaaargh... can I pretend I have a leg injury) but I squared my shoulders and decided that just because sporty ones had really given me a hard time throughout my school life did not mean it would happen now.

I spent a lot of time talking to both of them and loved them. So nice and they looked amazing for their ages. I don't actually know what their ages were but really clear skin and eyes and just gorgeous people.

When it came time to do the first run I volunteered to go first. I did this for two reasons. One, because I know that rarely does anyone want to go first but no-one minds being second and two, because I didn't want to see the Skin's couple run because I would feel worse about running in front of them and three, Because I don't like running in front of others. I feel self conscious and so I got it out the way fast and did a little comical "Huzzahhhhh!" at the end to break some ice.

As we went through our warm up exercises Sacha did a little ice breaker of his own by incorporating some sexy dance moves in there.

Bella had a great time with us all. She just ran most of the time around us looking as if to say "That's how you do it. Now get down on all fours and RUN dammit!".  She had rolled in something disgusting out there and smelled really bad and so I sprayed her with a dog-smelly that I only use in emergencies and it was a lot better. She was very pong-wiffy but well behaved.

By the end of the day we were all so keen to get out there and do some great running. I am resting tomorrow or just walking at least but I tell you, on Tuesday when I have my session with my trainer I am going to blow her away with my new found speed!

There's so much more to say but I am totally shredded mentally this week after doing an 80+ hour week and the workshop and I have about 4 hours worth of paperwork to do so I'll leave it for now.

So awesome!!! I'm really glad that I hunted JR down and I think he is a real asset to Australian running.  Thanks JR!

xoxoxox

Thanks for your congrats! I have sore muscles tonight. Using different muscles to the norm.

Hey Annette, I'm sure he would. If you get a group that can pay in advance he definitely would. He has a maximum of six per class so if you get say 8 or nine he can split it over 2 days. I highly recommend having a follow up the next day too. It's amazing what I forgot overnight that I am pretty sure I got cemented in today. Awesome.

He is really keen on raw foods too and is experimenting with what works for him so will not be telling you to load up on protein powder or other things....

Just send him a pm through here. He'll answer.

xoxoxox