A Husband and Wife team

On Sunday the 22nd of August, I had the privilege of hearing Gisele Blanchard and her husband Mario Bellanova sing

When Gisele and I were teenagers, we were part of the same church and at times, were in musical items together. I always loved to hear her sing and knew she had what it took to take her talent to a professional level.

Gisele has sung all over Europe and as far as I'm aware, currently lives in Italy but is currently visiting Adelaide and luckily for us, scheduled in a performance.

She and her husband were just fantastic! I was mesmerized the whole time. They not only sang the various aria's beautifully, but they actually "performed" them, acting what they were singing. It was magical!

From a couple point of view, it was interesting to see them interacting when they were off stage, no doubt encouraging each other and discussing little things from what they had sung, or were still to sing.

It made me wonder how they handle it when they're arguing? All couples argue right? All couple get annoyed with each other from time to time and singing is such a delicate act that I don't think you could fake it if you were pissed off with your partner! And it's not just a partner, or someone you see from time to time, but in this case, it's a spouse!

I didn't see a hint of this with Gisele and her husband but it made me realise that I wouldn't be cut out for it! :)

And while I was sitting there held captive by the beautiful voices, I glanced over and noticed one of their sons sitting in the front row. He was sitting head back, looking up to the ceiling and seemed, dare I say it, bored! How would it be to have two opera singing parents as a kid? To grow up with two people in your household with beautiful gifts. It would just be normal to you!
Can they appreciate what they have in their parents? Probably not until they're a lot older!

Gisele and Mario it was wonderful to hear you sing and I hope I get another chance very soon!

I Did It....

So, where do I start?

I guess at the finish. I completed the marathon in 4 hours and 18 minutes. At least, that's the time my Garmin gave me. Have to wait for official results but that's about it.

The weather was against us but by race day I was resigned to it and it didn't phase me before the race although I'm sure it affect my time along with everyone else.


It was tough to say the least...

And the westerly drove the water from the ocean up onto the path for that part of the course. It was brutal!


Sure was an experience for my first marathon and everyone says it will make my 2nd a piece of cake. I hope so because I can't tell you I didn't want to quit.
I had hip problems, cramps and a goddam stitch that wouldn't quit.
I hit the wall at 34kms and started walking... I ran again after about 500mtrs but walked a few more times after that. All in all, I don't think I walked more than a km but my time was so bad.
Based on my 30 and 32km run, I was hoping to get around 4 hours so I was really really disappointed with my time and disappointed that I stopped to walk.

My husband followed me on his bike the whole way and another friend joined him for the last 10kms or so. I'm not sure if that was a help or hindrance as I think I got a bit sooky when there were others to hear of my plight...

And I don't work well with encouragement!! the more they told me I was doing great, the more I wanted to put less effort in (well if I'm doing great, I've got room to slow down right?)

Anyhow, it was an experience.

I was so excited this morning. When the alarm went off I jumped out of bed and said "it's time" which kind of reminded me of a woman who feels the first stirs of labour during sleep and wakes her husband with the same words...

But with everything considered, I still can say I have run a marathon and regardless of how bad I thought I did, I have that achievement and I've left myself a lot of room for improvement for the next one!!!

Photos will be on facebook as I find it too hard to post them here...

It's Almost Over

It's almost over. In 60 hours or so I'll be running in my first (and perhaps only) marathon.

I can't believe how worked up I've gotten myself over this. It's just a run.

This morning as I was leaving for work I said to Miss 15 "Three more days!" and she replied "Yeeeaaah, I can't wait".

The reason she said that is that she, and the rest of the family, have been suffering as much as I have! They've had to endure hours and hours of marathon talk.

And besides that, it probably isn't nice to hear "thump thump thump" coming from upstairs as your mum goes thru her training. One hour and 18 minutes of thumping each day would be more than most people could bear yet my family stay silent knowing that this obsession too shall pass....

And in writing that, I really hope it doesn't pass. I mean I'd love to compete in the Gold Coast Marathon next year... that is, if I don't frazzle myself completely with this one...

There are so many things I'm worried about I won't go through them again here. Why good would voicing them do?

Instead I'll leave my next post to be a race report. (oh yes, the family are already dreading that!!! )

I already toyed with the notion of speaking into my mobile phone to record what I was feeling at each stage of the race but come race day, the only thing I'll want to do is finish I'm sure!

So... until my next words are read on this page, I'll lay my typing fingers to rest.... and add that I can't wait to read them myself!

So Much For The "Perfect" Water Belt

I have to take back everything I said about that damn water belt.

It was my own fault. I ran with it on Saturday and for some stupidly insane reason, tied it around my waist, directly on my skin. Tights below, sports bra on top, but nothing round my middle...

And sure, I felt a "scrape, scrape" as I ran so I tried to adjust it.

Now let me just explain, this belt is filled with Velcro straps. Velcro to do it up, and Velcro for the three water bottles it holds.
After a couple of kms, I couldn't really feel it anymore so I thought I'd adjusted it right.

When I got off and had a look, I was stunned. I was completely red raw. I had a shower, yelping every time the water hit my sore spots!!
A few days later I'm less traumatized by it but I still look like I have some strange kind of pox around my middle and I'm so glad I wasn't wearing any clothing as that belt would have completely ruined my good running clothes!!

So....
I won't be using a running belt for the marathon.

I've decided,
I'm resolute,
I will just hold my own water bottle in my hand for 4 hours... and if I need more, Deno will be around on his bike somewhere to help me out.

And I'm happy with that decision anyhow because I couldn't get used to the weight of the water around my middle....

And now... I just have to do it.

A New Temporary Favourite

I think I've found a new store to love and believe it or not, it's not related to food!

My new favourite store of the moment is "The Sports Boutique"

It's not that I've just noticed it... oh I've seen it was there! I walked past it a million times... even ventured in... and quickly out a few times!
Why was I so reluctant to go in? Because I felt like I didn't belong!

This is the ultimate store for women runners. It's a little intimidating because the women who run the store look phenomenal. Not in a model way, but in a sports/athletic way.
THEY look like real runners!!!

In comes dumpy, frumpy me and they probably write me off as someone who's buying for a runner... or someone who has just started out...

But today I went in there and joy of all joy's they had a water belt on sale that is almost too perfect!!It consists of three little bottles and a pouch for a few goodies. The belt itself is elastic and much better than the other bulky water belt I bought from the internet a month ago.


The only down side is that my ipod touch doesn't fit into the pouch... but I'd rather run without that than without knowing I have an adequate water supply for the marathon!!
The whole time the sales assistant was talking to me about it, I was making myself NOT bring up the fact that I was running in the Adelaide Marathon in a few weeks time. I bet they are too!!

In any case, even if they are they'd never recognise me on the day, with my hair back and no make up on....so now I have a water belt that I can actually feel confident with!

I can't wait to try it out this weekend!

Parental duties...

I've had to be at my childrens school every night this week.

The first two nights was so that they could get their government
supplied laptops (thank you taxpayers of Australia)
The third was "band night".
Miss 15 is in band. While I love to hear her play, I don't relish
having to sit thru other concert bands until finally she's on.

It's always stated "we can go after I've played" but she's either
in the last group or the exit is right next to the stage so you
can't do it discreetly.

To endure the time before she was on tonight I did the unforgivable
and brought my iPod touch.
I got a bit nervous when the teacher in charge of the music section
started hovering around. I felt like I was going to get a tap on
the shoulder and be sent to detention.

As you can see it didn't stop me writing this blog.

He's still behind me but I'm putting it away as Miss 15 is on now with her group.

Yay!!
Almost home time!!

I just don't get it.

Today I came across this story of a forty year old woman who died of a heart attack.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/7935025/britains-fattest-woman-dies-of-heart-attack

She was allegedly Britain's fattest woman and had spent the last four years in hospital because she was no longer able to walk.

What makes this story stand out to me is the point where it says people would smuggle food into her!!

This isn't the first time I've read this sort of thing in similar cases.
I once watched a show on television which followed another guy who'd been hospitalized for the same reason, and they were keeping him on a calorie controlled diet to try to restore his health and give him some life back... His partner kept bringing him in fatty foods!!!
What's wrong with these people!!

That's like someone being hospitalized because of suicidal thoughts/attempts, and their loved ones smuggling in razor blades....

I don't understand it.

And I feel so sorry for this poor woman's family. She's gone and left four children who now don't have a mum. What lesson have they learnt? What have seen and experienced?
It was such a needless tragedy and to think that it was helped on by her friends and relatives smuggling in food is just to horrible to contemplate.