Shanghai marathon 2006
Starting line
Suzhou University sport's day, October 2008
HHH at Taihu Lake (it was about 35 degrees and very humid that day!)
HHH run at Taihu Lake, September 2008
Hangzhou race, November 2008I’m a bit in a hurry this morning (kou yu exam in 1 hour!) so I’ll give you a picture special that sums up what’s been on my mind all week: running and exercising! I think putting on a bit of weight actually has had a good effect on me… because now I am training harder than I have done for a long time! And I am paying much more attention to what I eat, and how much I eat. I am not only keen to get back to my normal shape, but I am also keen to push a little bit extra this time… and get really fit for summer!
The beauty of training and exercising (like always) is: it gives so much energy, and the feeling of relief and happiness after a long run is simply wonderful. I’m combining running with weight training, and this week I’ve been cooking for myself every single day. It might just be a mental thing, but I already feel less bloated and therefore also more ‘firm’ than I’ve done in a long time. Yesterday I had zero motivation to workout, but still pushed myself to go for a 30 min run… once I started running I felt better and I ended up doing 10 km within 57 minutes. Gotta love those days.
I’ve been thinking about starting an additional blog, a training/food blog, to document my training/eating. I’ve written down everything from training results to meals before, on an on/off basis and it really IS a good way to keep track of how your are doing. Also, when writing it down it gets harder to come up with excuses and you cannot hide behind anything if you put on weight… the truth is right in front of you in your food/exercise diary.
The good thing about doing a training/food diary online is that you can get tips/advices/inputs from other people who are into the same sort of lifestyle (or others who think you are totally over the top –there’s a charm with that one too!).
But let’s see if I do it or not… But like I said, if I do, it will be an additional blog to this one, so SHE in China will still be going strong. The other blog would only be about training stuff… in that way, all of those who are not one bit interested in training don’t have to get bored when reading about my training ups and downs in this blog.
Having a training blog has been so helpful for me. You really do think, "Now do I want to get on there and tell everyone I skipped my workout today?" Plus you get to record all your milestones and what you're thinking about while you train, which is really nice for me because there are all these thoughts I have while working out that would just still be floating around in my head if I didn't get them out somewhere.
ReplyDeleteIt's also just nice to have the log of what you've done, of course, so you can look back on it and see what you've accomplished. I've really enjoyed my training blog (http://fasterthanpete.com), I would reccomend it, and I would read yours. :)
A training journal is so motivating Jonna. I have a training log that I keep on my fridge, alongside my goals. Each session, I write in my distance, time and average HR. It really keeps me on track.
ReplyDeleteIf only the same would happen for the food intake! I just love eating too much and can't say no!
Good luck with your training.
You should definitely do the training blog. You might end up with some interesting cross traffic - runners who find the training blog and the realize you have the SheInChina blog later.
ReplyDeleteWith the number of followers on this blog, the new blog would very likely have a decent readership from day 1 - something that few blogs could boast.
10km in 57mins.... not a bad result...
ReplyDeletei like in the same blog as this is your life
Colleen -yeah I bet.. that's exactly what I was thinking... if I decide to write about it, I need to keep training hard so that I actually have something to write about!!
ReplyDeleteAnna -It is great indeed! Are u still doing the GW marathon?!? U must b really fit by now! :)
Casual observer -that was my intention... let's see what I decide on.
mantse -not that fast... but seeing that I am not a fast runner it's OK.
Jonna, Thanks for the running pics. Regarding the air quality, how was your breathing during the run ? How did you feel at the end in comparison with running amid Swedish air ?
ReplyDeletegood luck and enjoy yourself in China
ReplyDeleteIt seems like a marathon in Shanghai is a great opportunity to develop breathing problems! But hey if you can do it there I suppose you can do it anywhere!
ReplyDeleteChong Hum -It's not that bad that you will notice it when u r running.. like, I didn't suffer from any breathing problems or anything.. but u cannot compare the air quality in China to what we have in Sweden.. I am from a small town and used to run in the forests... u could smell the nature out there. Over here, you cannot smell anything but fumes... :/ The air in China is BAAAAD, but it is not impossible to run here.. it's all about how picky u are and how hard u wanna try. The Shanghai marathon is a really flat race course so I believe many runners have done some great results while running here... If u r worried about the air quality I would suggest some other China marathon.. maybe Dalian or Hangzhou? Once u move away from the big cities the air quality gets much better.
ReplyDeleteBoomka -never thought about that but I guess u r right :) Although I don't think u will develop breathing problems from running one race here in China... unless u r extremely sensitive.
Chong -oh, and I forgot: I felt just as tired when I finished the half marathon race in Shanghai as I did when I finished the Copenhagen-Malmö bridge half marathon back in 2005 in Sweden... The air didn't 'add' to that :) (in fact, maybe I was even a little bit more tired after that race in Sweden? It was during a hot hot HOT summer day, around 28 degrees -very hot for Sweden indeed- no wind and strong sunshine... It's one of the hardest races I've ever taken on I believe).
ReplyDeleteSuper great awesome idea!
ReplyDeleteI would love to follow your training blog and maybe give some inputs now and then!
Do you have any goal for this season? Like some specific race or anything?
Good on ya Jonna for keeping up the spirit, even with those pesky Looming Exams!
ReplyDeleteAs for moi, my Beginners finished 2 weeks ago and I've enrolled at a different place for the next level.
Decided to try another place as the teacher wasnt the best. Her English was not quite as good as she thought it was, she never actually answered the question you asked, and she didnt like it when people disagreed with her. Such a pity, since she had a lot of enthusiasm.
Just give you an example- A classmate asked if the "peng" in "peng you" could be used on it's own.
Teacher replied: no, "you" is always used with other words, which combine to give other meanings, like "bi you".
My classmate asked again 3 times: but what about "peng"?
And the teacher kept talking about "you".
Pretty confusing for the absolute beginners, which thankfully I wasnt, for this level.
So I've moved on, and I'm a little nervous, because this place is quite serious. The textbook has almost no pictures, never a good sign for easy learning at a relaxed pace :) I'll actually have to put some effort into it!
Good luck with your exams, and, in case you've forgotten about it because you're in China, Happy Eaaster too!
Take care,
Adrian
Emil -no no race or goal.. Just a wish to get better in general. I was going to do that Yangzhou race but it collides with visitors (again!).
ReplyDeleteI would SO read your training/health blog! I actually really hope you start one but no pressure or anything. ;P
ReplyDeleteI am trying to get back into eating healthy and running again. It's really hard to start up again when you stop for a bit. But you're right, once I start running, I wonder why I ever stopped.
I admire your dedication! Please send some my way - I am having the worst time ever in keeping to an exercise schedule. Ghaaaaa
ReplyDeleteSo make the visitors take part. Or they can do something else by themselves, or watch the race.
ReplyDelete:)
Nanciful -well I have pretty much decided now to start a fitness blog as well.. I'll start it soon after out visitors have left, somewhere around April 15... stay tuned!!! I hope u drop by to share your best fitness tips/advices! :)
ReplyDeleteEmil -yeah, sounds a lot easier than it is.. No one shares my love for running... others just find it strange/ annoying... but hey, the fitness blog will happen soon after they have left :) Look forward to your input, you're the pro after all!
Lover of life -I know it's a pain... hence why I am starting the new blog! :)