Since getting home I have.....been for a run, had lunch, done washing, tidied my room, prepared for Mother's Day (everything is under control), rung the hairdressers, checked out train times for tomorrow, packed my bag for tomorrow, looked at the route for tomorrow, rung the doctors (OK, reeeeally running out of things to do now).... I guess there is nothing for it, there are no distractions left, I have to do my coursework.
Oh no wait. I could write a blog! Ha.
I am worried about tomorrow. I am doing a 15 mile fell race. I have never done a fell race before. I am worried because:
1. Of the hills
2. I have never done one before, and well, you never know if you can do anything until you've done it. So maybe I won't be able to. But I guess I won't know until I try it.
3. Because you need to be able to map read and use a compass. I struggle reading even the tube map. But, you learn these things best under pressure, right? And, obviously I'm not going to be at the front, so my plan is to map read perfectly (of course), and my back up plan, is to follow the person in front.
4. What if I'm too far behind the person in front to see them? I suppose it's been raining so it's muddy, so I'll follow their footprints.
5. What if the person in front went the wrong way? Then I'm lost. But I suppose I'd be lost with the person whose footsteps I followed, which is better than being lost on your own.
6. I might break an ankle. Or a leg. Or anything really, it looks quite dangerous. And I don't think 2 weeks is long enough for it to heal before my ultramarathon. I am assuming it's called a fell race because of hills, not because people fell over.
7. I need to catch the 2.38 train to get home in time to go to my Aunty's birthday party, so I HAVE to finish in 3 hours. Which I think is doable, if only I don't get lost.
8. Fell runners scare me. They're all tall and wiry and bendy and fast looking. They're going to laugh at me.
9. The hills.
I think that's it. But on the plus side, this is my first race since the Spooky Halloween Challenge, over 4 months ago! It will be good to pin a number on again and get in the race spirit I suppose. Yes. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts.
And now I'm anxious as well because I haven't done any coursework yet. Better go.
This is the race:
http://heptonstallfellrace.wordpress.com/
Please keep your fingers crossed from 10.30 to 1.30 tomorrow. Thanks :-)
Friday, 28 March 2014
Saturday, 22 March 2014
Last long run...done!
Last two weeks training:
Mon 10th March: 5 mile run
Tues 11th March: rest (Pizza Come Dine With Me and pudding extravaganza at Mel's...practice of carb loading)
Wed 12th March: 3 mile walk, 7 mile run
Thurs 13th March: gym (1km run, 20 min cross trainer, 10 min bike)
Fri 14th March: 13 mile run (inc. 9.5 on Ilkley Moor)
Sat 15th March: 10 km run
Sun 16th March: 10 km run
Total: 48 miles
Mon 17th March: 45 min spinning class
Tues 18th March: 7 mile run
Wed 19th March: 6 mile walk
Thurs 20th March: rest
Fri 21st March: 35.5 mile run, walk 5 miles
Sat 22nd March: Andrew is back! First run since injury! :-)
Total: 53.5 miles
The first week was a bit of a low point in my training plan to be honest (apart from Mel's pizza night, which was epic!). At the time I was totally fed up with everything, felt really intimidated by the race, but at the same time a bit disconnected from it, and felt that all the training I was doing really boring and it was all pointless. I think though, this could have been from all the training which had built up by that point that can make you feel a bit tired, and the race was still a bit too far away to feel excited/really scared about yet, and everyone else was off doing nice stuff at the weekend, and I had to stay in Leeds and do work, and everything all felt DULL! So, I remember this poem that I saw somewhere once, I really like it, and even though nothing had gone wrong, I guess it's relevant (especially the road being uphill part - true, roads are all uphill
"When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow,
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit"
OK OK don't quit! Be motivated!
This week has been loads better. Only 3 weeks today until the race! Did my last long training run yesterday, the same route as last time along the Thames to Richmond, 35.5 miles and I felt good again :-) Weather was good again too - good times!
Tried out a new snack routine too:
Made up some bags of....Haribo, jelly babies, mini eggs and fruit and nuts....mmm mmmm!!! One bag every 10 miles. Seemed to work OK. I lasted 10 miles between each OK, although I was pretty hungry by the end and feeling a bit dizzy, so I guess I should either have had more food, or had it more regularly. But I guess on the race the checkpoints are more frequent than that, and there are snacks at them, so that should be OK. Also, due to being starving at the end, I remembered chocolate milk which people always used to say was good to have at the end of a long run and I always used to love it, but had forgotten about it. Down in one!
Finished the run in 6 hours 20 which is pretty close to last time I did it. I outran the watch (well, I kind of forgot to charge it) - it only lasted 20 miles, and I did 35, hahaha!
Also, I was proper hungry all the rest of the day and today too, which I didn't really feel last time I did this run, but is more normal for me after a long run! So, after I got back and had a shower and more food and felt better, I walked back into town to meet some of my old work friends for a drink, so good to catch up! Tried walking, because I've found walking after a long run helps to help the old legs feel less stiff the next day. Didn't even get to town before was hungry again...argh! So had to stop and get a snack. Also, sooo thirsty! So, after drinks was starving AGAIN, Andrew is at home...what to have for dinner??! Am in Sainsburys....they have Indian takeaways which I always wanted to try....treat time!
I there is one thing that is really really rubbish, it's disappointing food! And Sainsbury's takeaway is really rubbish! :-( Bah! I was thinking about a good dinner for at least 20 miles today! Huh :-(
But today has been a good food day! Cheese scones for lunch:
And banana bread for afternoon tea:
So, that's it for long runs now before the race. After all that...I think I'm going to miss them! So, I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do now before the race. I'm doing a 15 mile fell race next Saturday, which I think is going to be really tough, but good hill practice (and navigation practice, or failure, I'm not sure), and apart from that I guess just keep it ticking over for a couple of weeks, and then ease off for the last week. Starting to get excited about it now!
Mon 10th March: 5 mile run
Tues 11th March: rest (Pizza Come Dine With Me and pudding extravaganza at Mel's...practice of carb loading)
Wed 12th March: 3 mile walk, 7 mile run
Thurs 13th March: gym (1km run, 20 min cross trainer, 10 min bike)
Fri 14th March: 13 mile run (inc. 9.5 on Ilkley Moor)
Sat 15th March: 10 km run
Sun 16th March: 10 km run
Total: 48 miles
Mon 17th March: 45 min spinning class
Tues 18th March: 7 mile run
Wed 19th March: 6 mile walk
Thurs 20th March: rest
Fri 21st March: 35.5 mile run, walk 5 miles
Sat 22nd March: Andrew is back! First run since injury! :-)
Total: 53.5 miles
The first week was a bit of a low point in my training plan to be honest (apart from Mel's pizza night, which was epic!). At the time I was totally fed up with everything, felt really intimidated by the race, but at the same time a bit disconnected from it, and felt that all the training I was doing really boring and it was all pointless. I think though, this could have been from all the training which had built up by that point that can make you feel a bit tired, and the race was still a bit too far away to feel excited/really scared about yet, and everyone else was off doing nice stuff at the weekend, and I had to stay in Leeds and do work, and everything all felt DULL! So, I remember this poem that I saw somewhere once, I really like it, and even though nothing had gone wrong, I guess it's relevant (especially the road being uphill part - true, roads are all uphill
"When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow,
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit"
OK OK don't quit! Be motivated!
This week has been loads better. Only 3 weeks today until the race! Did my last long training run yesterday, the same route as last time along the Thames to Richmond, 35.5 miles and I felt good again :-) Weather was good again too - good times!
Tried out a new snack routine too:
Made up some bags of....Haribo, jelly babies, mini eggs and fruit and nuts....mmm mmmm!!! One bag every 10 miles. Seemed to work OK. I lasted 10 miles between each OK, although I was pretty hungry by the end and feeling a bit dizzy, so I guess I should either have had more food, or had it more regularly. But I guess on the race the checkpoints are more frequent than that, and there are snacks at them, so that should be OK. Also, due to being starving at the end, I remembered chocolate milk which people always used to say was good to have at the end of a long run and I always used to love it, but had forgotten about it. Down in one!
Finished the run in 6 hours 20 which is pretty close to last time I did it. I outran the watch (well, I kind of forgot to charge it) - it only lasted 20 miles, and I did 35, hahaha!
Also, I was proper hungry all the rest of the day and today too, which I didn't really feel last time I did this run, but is more normal for me after a long run! So, after I got back and had a shower and more food and felt better, I walked back into town to meet some of my old work friends for a drink, so good to catch up! Tried walking, because I've found walking after a long run helps to help the old legs feel less stiff the next day. Didn't even get to town before was hungry again...argh! So had to stop and get a snack. Also, sooo thirsty! So, after drinks was starving AGAIN, Andrew is at home...what to have for dinner??! Am in Sainsburys....they have Indian takeaways which I always wanted to try....treat time!
I there is one thing that is really really rubbish, it's disappointing food! And Sainsbury's takeaway is really rubbish! :-( Bah! I was thinking about a good dinner for at least 20 miles today! Huh :-(
But today has been a good food day! Cheese scones for lunch:
And banana bread for afternoon tea:
And now spaghetti bologanse for tea :-)
So, that's it for long runs now before the race. After all that...I think I'm going to miss them! So, I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do now before the race. I'm doing a 15 mile fell race next Saturday, which I think is going to be really tough, but good hill practice (and navigation practice, or failure, I'm not sure), and apart from that I guess just keep it ticking over for a couple of weeks, and then ease off for the last week. Starting to get excited about it now!
Monday, 10 March 2014
I did my longest run EVER!
Last weeks training:
Monday 3rd March: 45 min spinning class
Tuesday 4th March: 1 hour circuit training, 5km run (gym)
Wednesday 5th March: 10km run (running club, home from Headingly), 3 mile walk
Thursday 6th March: rest
Friday 7th March: 35.5 mile run (Thames Path and Richmond) Wooooooop!!!
Saturday 8th March: 1000m in Olympic swimming pool
Sunday 9th March: 4 mile walk (Lee Valley)
Total: 51 miles
Forgive the excessive punctuation and capital letters, but I'm quite EXCITED!!!! (sorry, enough now). 35.5 miles in one go is 5.5 miles longer than I've ever run before, and I loved it and honestly felt good all of the way. Also, to be honest, that was a surprise.....
Up until now all long runs I've done I'd kept quiet till after I'd done them, just in case I couldn't do them, and then no one would know, so I wouldn't be embarrassed. But several people had been asking me lately what the rest of my training was like before the race, so I'd kind of mentioned that I was going to do a long one this week, as it's only 5 weeks away now till the race, and I thought it was time to get serious.
So I was slightly nervous when I woke up on Friday! But excited, like I was about to do a race, I've really missed that feeling since not doing any since the last marathon last Nov, 4 months ago now!!! Breakfast = a bowl of porridge, and a bowl of Cheerios, for good measure, some coffee and plenty of water. I borrowed Andrew's GPS watch, because mine is fixed but is stranded far away in Chorley for now. This is a MASSIVE gift....35 miles on the clock for free!
It's a beautiful day! As I walk to the Boris Bike stand with Andrew so he can get a bike to work and I will start running, I feel like we're walking to the start line of a race! Slightly less glamorous than all that once I get started, but maybe it's the weather, or being back in London, or the thought of doing something I haven't done before, but I feel a little bit electrical inside, if that makes sense, like today is a day when something is going to happen.
It's so warm that I ran in only a vest. Well, trousers too, obviously, but what I meant was no hat, gloves, jacket malarky. You have no idea how happy that made me!
So this was my route:
It was 35.5 miles and took 6 hours and 17 minutes. And really honestly I felt really happy for every single minute and enjoyed the whole run. That's never happened before on a long run! Although I genuinely love running and get a huge buzz out of it, if I'm completely honest there are usually at least a few miles during each marathon where if you ask me what I thought about running, I would say it sucks big time, and I want to stop. Now. And forever. Hey, sometimes it even feels like that the whole flipping way. But I think that's important though. When things are tough, it forces you to figure out what it is that keeps you going. If every run in your marathon (or any race) training was easy, well that would all be great and lovely, but what happens if you get to race day and you have a bad day, how will you know how to deal with it and keep going? Also, realistically, you probably aren't going to cover the whole of the distance of your race in training, so on race day you're going to have to run further, and probably harder, than in training. That will be tough, and of course you can do it! But it might be difficult, and you need to be able to cope with that. So, in summary, after that lil' old pep talk there, it's great to run well, but having a bad run is useful too! I have had, in my opinion, plenty of those already this winter, and so I shall relish enjoying a whole run in the sunshine.
In a scientific experiment I have plotted my moods (in pink) from this run, and compared them against my moods from my last 30 miler in February. That must be an improvement, right?!
I am, however, aware that London is flat. Yorkshire isn't. London is sunny (sometimes). Yorkshire isn't (at least, not since I've been there). Which may account for it feeling easier. Shame the race isn't in London hey.
Food (always at the front of my mind) stops:
6 miles (Battersea Park): 1 x packet (2 biscuits) Morrisons milk and cereal breakfast biscuits
12 miles (just after passing Putney): 5 x jelly babies
17.5 miles: HALF WAY!!!! Had a sit down for a few minutes on a handy bench by the river just before Richmond: 3 x oat cakes with peanut butter, 4 x jelly babies
23 miles (Richmond Park): 1 x packet (2 biscuits) Morrisons milk and cereal breakfast biscuits
29 miles (on Thames Path on way back to Putney): 1 x strawberry Nutri-Grain bar
Plus, 1.5 liters of water
Am getting used to eating 'proper' food while running, rather than just sweets. It seems that eating around every 5 miles stops me from getting really hungry, and I've read that you should have something even more frequently than that in an ultra. So I'll try that next time. It's just a faff carrying stuff in a rucksack and having to stop to get it out, but I know it's important, and I can really feel the difference in recovery if I've eaten quite a bit during the run. Peanut butter oatcakes don't travel too well though while running. But hey, at least it wasn't an onion bagel, like last time. Big improvement.
Other things that happened this week..... I went to a lecture by Malcolm Brown who coaches the Brownlee brothers (the triathletes) with Kath and Liga from running club, then we did a 10km run back home, around all of the hills in Leeds! I swam in the Olympic swimming pool at the Aquatics Center with Andrew. Amazing! What it must feel like to be a champion!
Monday 3rd March: 45 min spinning class
Tuesday 4th March: 1 hour circuit training, 5km run (gym)
Wednesday 5th March: 10km run (running club, home from Headingly), 3 mile walk
Thursday 6th March: rest
Friday 7th March: 35.5 mile run (Thames Path and Richmond) Wooooooop!!!
Saturday 8th March: 1000m in Olympic swimming pool
Sunday 9th March: 4 mile walk (Lee Valley)
Total: 51 miles
Forgive the excessive punctuation and capital letters, but I'm quite EXCITED!!!! (sorry, enough now). 35.5 miles in one go is 5.5 miles longer than I've ever run before, and I loved it and honestly felt good all of the way. Also, to be honest, that was a surprise.....
Up until now all long runs I've done I'd kept quiet till after I'd done them, just in case I couldn't do them, and then no one would know, so I wouldn't be embarrassed. But several people had been asking me lately what the rest of my training was like before the race, so I'd kind of mentioned that I was going to do a long one this week, as it's only 5 weeks away now till the race, and I thought it was time to get serious.
So I was slightly nervous when I woke up on Friday! But excited, like I was about to do a race, I've really missed that feeling since not doing any since the last marathon last Nov, 4 months ago now!!! Breakfast = a bowl of porridge, and a bowl of Cheerios, for good measure, some coffee and plenty of water. I borrowed Andrew's GPS watch, because mine is fixed but is stranded far away in Chorley for now. This is a MASSIVE gift....35 miles on the clock for free!
It's a beautiful day! As I walk to the Boris Bike stand with Andrew so he can get a bike to work and I will start running, I feel like we're walking to the start line of a race! Slightly less glamorous than all that once I get started, but maybe it's the weather, or being back in London, or the thought of doing something I haven't done before, but I feel a little bit electrical inside, if that makes sense, like today is a day when something is going to happen.
It's so warm that I ran in only a vest. Well, trousers too, obviously, but what I meant was no hat, gloves, jacket malarky. You have no idea how happy that made me!
So this was my route:
It was 35.5 miles and took 6 hours and 17 minutes. And really honestly I felt really happy for every single minute and enjoyed the whole run. That's never happened before on a long run! Although I genuinely love running and get a huge buzz out of it, if I'm completely honest there are usually at least a few miles during each marathon where if you ask me what I thought about running, I would say it sucks big time, and I want to stop. Now. And forever. Hey, sometimes it even feels like that the whole flipping way. But I think that's important though. When things are tough, it forces you to figure out what it is that keeps you going. If every run in your marathon (or any race) training was easy, well that would all be great and lovely, but what happens if you get to race day and you have a bad day, how will you know how to deal with it and keep going? Also, realistically, you probably aren't going to cover the whole of the distance of your race in training, so on race day you're going to have to run further, and probably harder, than in training. That will be tough, and of course you can do it! But it might be difficult, and you need to be able to cope with that. So, in summary, after that lil' old pep talk there, it's great to run well, but having a bad run is useful too! I have had, in my opinion, plenty of those already this winter, and so I shall relish enjoying a whole run in the sunshine.
In a scientific experiment I have plotted my moods (in pink) from this run, and compared them against my moods from my last 30 miler in February. That must be an improvement, right?!
Ilkley 30 miles (Feb)
London 35 miles (March) 
I am, however, aware that London is flat. Yorkshire isn't. London is sunny (sometimes). Yorkshire isn't (at least, not since I've been there). Which may account for it feeling easier. Shame the race isn't in London hey.
Food (always at the front of my mind) stops:
6 miles (Battersea Park): 1 x packet (2 biscuits) Morrisons milk and cereal breakfast biscuits
12 miles (just after passing Putney): 5 x jelly babies
17.5 miles: HALF WAY!!!! Had a sit down for a few minutes on a handy bench by the river just before Richmond: 3 x oat cakes with peanut butter, 4 x jelly babies
23 miles (Richmond Park): 1 x packet (2 biscuits) Morrisons milk and cereal breakfast biscuits
29 miles (on Thames Path on way back to Putney): 1 x strawberry Nutri-Grain bar
Plus, 1.5 liters of water
Am getting used to eating 'proper' food while running, rather than just sweets. It seems that eating around every 5 miles stops me from getting really hungry, and I've read that you should have something even more frequently than that in an ultra. So I'll try that next time. It's just a faff carrying stuff in a rucksack and having to stop to get it out, but I know it's important, and I can really feel the difference in recovery if I've eaten quite a bit during the run. Peanut butter oatcakes don't travel too well though while running. But hey, at least it wasn't an onion bagel, like last time. Big improvement.
Other things that happened this week..... I went to a lecture by Malcolm Brown who coaches the Brownlee brothers (the triathletes) with Kath and Liga from running club, then we did a 10km run back home, around all of the hills in Leeds! I swam in the Olympic swimming pool at the Aquatics Center with Andrew. Amazing! What it must feel like to be a champion!
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
There's a spring in my step!!!
It's March! It's March! It's officially SPRING! Good times are coming! You know when something in the air changes around this time of year, and it's like the heaviness of winter lifts, and the air feels fresher and lighter? This has happened! Granted, it's still bloody freezing, but maybe not even for that much longer!
The last week of winter training was:
Monday 24th Feb: 10km run at home (to White Coppice and to Anglezarke)
Tuesday 25th Feb: circuit training
Wednesday 26th Feb: walk 3 miles, run 9.3 miles (with running club, last few miles with some of the people who are doing the Woldsman in July, go go go Team Woldsman!)
Thursday 27th Feb: run 13.5 miles (6am, Leeds, rain, ouch)
Friday 28th Feb: gym for core exercises (argh)
Saturday 1st March: run 6.2 miles, walk for a couple of hours
Sunday 2nd March: rest, and eating
Highlights: my Mum and Dad did a 25 mile race walk near Bolton Abbey in the Dales on Saturday. Went to watch, although failed in role as a supporter because they beat us to the meeting point and then I didn't have a phone signal to find them. Epic fail :-( But they did amazing anyway! So Andrew and me went to look around Bolton Abbey and went for a walk along the River Wharf. So pretty! You can walk across the river on stepping stones but the water was so high because of the rain they were totally submerged!
Lowlights:
13.5 miles around Leeds in the early morning while it was still dark was quite depressing, to be honest. I've added it to my list of 'character building' runs, which people always harp on about as being important, and which is becoming quite a long list.
I've also been complaining lately (a lot, sorry) about being tired and everything is so much effort, and it's so hard to run, etc etc etc. Have self-diagnosed myself as anaemic, which of course, I know, you shouldn't do by yourself. But, I know if I go to the Drs the following will happen 1) they will say, what do you expect if you suddenly started running a lot more than you used to, of course you'll feel tired, 2) OK, if you're going to be awkward, let's do a blood test....and I'll have to have a blood test and it will be awful and I might faint, and then I'll have to wait for ages, and try to call the Dr to get the result, and get put on hold for ages, and then I will get the result, and it will be a bit low, so I'll have to go to the chemist and get some tablets. Or......I could try taking them anyway because I have loads of times before, and see if it helps, and if it does I will save the Drs time, and will feel better sooner. So, I did, and I do. Yay!
Final thought. I have been focused on bridesmaid shoe shopping this week for Katie's wedding, and have shoes on my mind.....
The last week of winter training was:
Monday 24th Feb: 10km run at home (to White Coppice and to Anglezarke)
Tuesday 25th Feb: circuit training
Wednesday 26th Feb: walk 3 miles, run 9.3 miles (with running club, last few miles with some of the people who are doing the Woldsman in July, go go go Team Woldsman!)
Thursday 27th Feb: run 13.5 miles (6am, Leeds, rain, ouch)
Friday 28th Feb: gym for core exercises (argh)
Saturday 1st March: run 6.2 miles, walk for a couple of hours
Sunday 2nd March: rest, and eating
Highlights: my Mum and Dad did a 25 mile race walk near Bolton Abbey in the Dales on Saturday. Went to watch, although failed in role as a supporter because they beat us to the meeting point and then I didn't have a phone signal to find them. Epic fail :-( But they did amazing anyway! So Andrew and me went to look around Bolton Abbey and went for a walk along the River Wharf. So pretty! You can walk across the river on stepping stones but the water was so high because of the rain they were totally submerged!
So, didn't quite walk 25 miles, but still an ice cream was in order. You have to celebrate your successes, however small.
Other highlights of the weekend included food. Lots of food. Made pizza and cheese scones and roast beef and rhubarb and custard tart......so this week I compensated by having some salads, until today (only Tuesday) when it was Pancake Day, of all days, so all that went out the window.....
Why do we only have pancakes on only one day of the year though? They are really very good, pancake day should be regular, like Monday mornings.
Lowlights:
13.5 miles around Leeds in the early morning while it was still dark was quite depressing, to be honest. I've added it to my list of 'character building' runs, which people always harp on about as being important, and which is becoming quite a long list.
I've also been complaining lately (a lot, sorry) about being tired and everything is so much effort, and it's so hard to run, etc etc etc. Have self-diagnosed myself as anaemic, which of course, I know, you shouldn't do by yourself. But, I know if I go to the Drs the following will happen 1) they will say, what do you expect if you suddenly started running a lot more than you used to, of course you'll feel tired, 2) OK, if you're going to be awkward, let's do a blood test....and I'll have to have a blood test and it will be awful and I might faint, and then I'll have to wait for ages, and try to call the Dr to get the result, and get put on hold for ages, and then I will get the result, and it will be a bit low, so I'll have to go to the chemist and get some tablets. Or......I could try taking them anyway because I have loads of times before, and see if it helps, and if it does I will save the Drs time, and will feel better sooner. So, I did, and I do. Yay!
Final thought. I have been focused on bridesmaid shoe shopping this week for Katie's wedding, and have shoes on my mind.....
Monday, 24 February 2014
Countdown! 7 weeks!
Weeks training:
Monday 17th Feb: walk 2 miles, run 8 miles
Tuesday 18th Feb: walk 3 miles, run 3 miles, gym (35 min cycle, core exercises), run 3 miles
Wednesday 19th Feb: walk 3 miles, run 7 miles
Thursday 20th Feb: rest day
Friday 21st Feb: run 7.5 miles
Saturday 22nd Feb: rest day
Sunday 23rd Feb: walk 15 miles
Total: 51.5 miles
Only 7 weeks to go! The evenings are getting lighter, my last two runs were absent of any rain, my new trainers are still mud free after a whole week, and there are snowdrops. In 5 days it will be March and spring will be here! Good times are coming!
Did a 15 mile walk with my Mum and Dad yesterday. A good practice, in case I need to walk at the end part of the race. They walk very fast and very far. 15 miles in 4 and 3/4 hours! My legs are sore today. Argh.
Muddy boots...
...but happy walkers!
Have also got a new core workout thing from runners world so have been doing that at the gym. That hurts too. Moan moan moan.......
Feeling focused now though! Can't believe how close it is already! Nothing like a bit of fear to get you out training....so I'm off for a run....
Monday 17th Feb: walk 2 miles, run 8 miles
Tuesday 18th Feb: walk 3 miles, run 3 miles, gym (35 min cycle, core exercises), run 3 miles
Wednesday 19th Feb: walk 3 miles, run 7 miles
Thursday 20th Feb: rest day
Friday 21st Feb: run 7.5 miles
Saturday 22nd Feb: rest day
Sunday 23rd Feb: walk 15 miles
Total: 51.5 miles
Only 7 weeks to go! The evenings are getting lighter, my last two runs were absent of any rain, my new trainers are still mud free after a whole week, and there are snowdrops. In 5 days it will be March and spring will be here! Good times are coming!
Did a 15 mile walk with my Mum and Dad yesterday. A good practice, in case I need to walk at the end part of the race. They walk very fast and very far. 15 miles in 4 and 3/4 hours! My legs are sore today. Argh.
Muddy boots...
...but happy walkers!
Have also got a new core workout thing from runners world so have been doing that at the gym. That hurts too. Moan moan moan.......
Feeling focused now though! Can't believe how close it is already! Nothing like a bit of fear to get you out training....so I'm off for a run....
Monday, 17 February 2014
Wind, rain, mud, rain, wind....and repeat...and repeat...and repeat...
Monday 10th Feb: walk 3 miles, spin 45 min, core work
Tuesday 11th Feb: run 3 miles, circuit training 1 hour, run 3 miles
Wednesday 12th Feb: run 7.5 miles, walk 3 miles
Thursday 13th Feb: rest
Friday 14th Feb: run 21 miles
Saturday 15th Feb: rest
Sunday 16th Feb: rest
Total: 40.5 miles
Reduced the miles a bit this week, because all of the programs I've seen say you should take it a bit easier every few weeks to give your body a chance to recover. Didn't really feel like I needed a rest, but thought it would be best to follow the advice of what's gone before. Don't want an injury at this point, thank you very much.
Actually, I think my default is setting is set at lazy. Totally enjoyed a weekend off running. Even at Andrew's house which is by the Regents Canal, with hundreds of people are walking/ cycling past every minute, I couldn't be stirred into a single feeling of guilt about sitting around eating tonnes of lovely food and drinking wine, whilst not joining the people running past.
Then felt ashamed of myself this morning, so got back on the training plan, pronto. Also had a minor panic attack that the race is only 54 days away. DAYYYYS!!!! Oh my days.
This week was a sad week. My Nike watch is no more. It has ceased to be. Popped it's clogs. A goner. I think the weather was too much for it. It got a leak, got all wet inside the screen, and switched itself off, forevermore. Sad times, we've been a long way together, that watch and I :-( But, Nike are going to replace it! Hurrah! Although I will miss my original, first ever, GPS birthday gift :-(
Also this week my parents bought me new trainers! In time to wear them in before the race. Look. The're so white they could almost blind you.
Which brings me on to my next point. The Weather. How long do you reckon they're gonna stay looking like this?
0.0000025 seconds after leaving the house, in the current (boringly prolonged) weather conditions.
Now, I am fully aware that I have absolutely NOTHING to complain about weather-wise, or much else wise for that matter. In fact, the only effect that this latest weather palaver has had on my life really was when I got the train to London last week, and they had cancelled the service down to one train an hour, but I ended up getting to London actually earlier than I was supposed to. So I feel a bit bad complaining about it, bearing in mind all of the people who have lost an awful lot.
But, I'm just going to have a tiny rant, which do please feel free to ignore. I AM SICK OF THE WEATHER!!! WHEN IS IT GOING TO STOP RAINING?!?! ENOUGH ALREADY OKAY!!!
OK. Breath. Over. Feeling better after all the capital letters and excessive punctuation.
Really though, Wednesday night running club run was absolutely the worst weather that I have ever run in, I think actually in my whole entire life. Absolute shocker. Left uni about 5.30 and it was raining and windy, but pretty standard really, nothing unusual there. By the time I got there I had narrowly avoided being hit by a large branch, I was soaked through to the skin, and there was a full blown storm going on with wheely bins and pizza boxes flying round (the glamour). I was all up for going home (lazy-o-meter alert), but running club is on the way home, so I compromised, and decided to go in on the way, to assure myself no one else was mad enough to be out for running, so I could go home guilt free. I underestimated my running friends. They were there, trainered-up, ready to go. So, off we went. 7.5 miles of, um, I'm not sure exactly how hard the wind was blowing in all that technical 'miles per hour/ gale force x stuff', so I'll just go for a more descriptive description - we got blown off the pavements, blown backwards, pushed forwards, hell yeah l I'm sure we were even flying at some points! Rain hitting our faces so hard it was like pieces of glass being thrown at us. Entire clothes soaked through to the skin in ice-cold water. Oh yeah! Oh, I also actually got hit by a branch this time. But just a small one. Got back to the club and I was so cold I couldn't move my hands enough to get changed for a whole 10 minutes. Just sat there in wet clothes. But wow, what a night! OK, if I'm honest it was pretty uncomfortable running in it, but it felt like we were a real team battling against the true rage of nature! Ha. If we can run in that, we can do anything! 42 miles is a breeze! Well hopefully not too strong a breeze. But anyway, let us hope for only a whisper of a breeze, and no rain (absolutely no rain, thank you) on 12th and 13th April.
Tuesday 11th Feb: run 3 miles, circuit training 1 hour, run 3 miles
Wednesday 12th Feb: run 7.5 miles, walk 3 miles
Thursday 13th Feb: rest
Friday 14th Feb: run 21 miles
Saturday 15th Feb: rest
Sunday 16th Feb: rest
Total: 40.5 miles
Reduced the miles a bit this week, because all of the programs I've seen say you should take it a bit easier every few weeks to give your body a chance to recover. Didn't really feel like I needed a rest, but thought it would be best to follow the advice of what's gone before. Don't want an injury at this point, thank you very much.
Actually, I think my default is setting is set at lazy. Totally enjoyed a weekend off running. Even at Andrew's house which is by the Regents Canal, with hundreds of people are walking/ cycling past every minute, I couldn't be stirred into a single feeling of guilt about sitting around eating tonnes of lovely food and drinking wine, whilst not joining the people running past.
Then felt ashamed of myself this morning, so got back on the training plan, pronto. Also had a minor panic attack that the race is only 54 days away. DAYYYYS!!!! Oh my days.
This week was a sad week. My Nike watch is no more. It has ceased to be. Popped it's clogs. A goner. I think the weather was too much for it. It got a leak, got all wet inside the screen, and switched itself off, forevermore. Sad times, we've been a long way together, that watch and I :-( But, Nike are going to replace it! Hurrah! Although I will miss my original, first ever, GPS birthday gift :-(
Also this week my parents bought me new trainers! In time to wear them in before the race. Look. The're so white they could almost blind you.
Which brings me on to my next point. The Weather. How long do you reckon they're gonna stay looking like this?
0.0000025 seconds after leaving the house, in the current (boringly prolonged) weather conditions.
Now, I am fully aware that I have absolutely NOTHING to complain about weather-wise, or much else wise for that matter. In fact, the only effect that this latest weather palaver has had on my life really was when I got the train to London last week, and they had cancelled the service down to one train an hour, but I ended up getting to London actually earlier than I was supposed to. So I feel a bit bad complaining about it, bearing in mind all of the people who have lost an awful lot.
But, I'm just going to have a tiny rant, which do please feel free to ignore. I AM SICK OF THE WEATHER!!! WHEN IS IT GOING TO STOP RAINING?!?! ENOUGH ALREADY OKAY!!!
OK. Breath. Over. Feeling better after all the capital letters and excessive punctuation.
Really though, Wednesday night running club run was absolutely the worst weather that I have ever run in, I think actually in my whole entire life. Absolute shocker. Left uni about 5.30 and it was raining and windy, but pretty standard really, nothing unusual there. By the time I got there I had narrowly avoided being hit by a large branch, I was soaked through to the skin, and there was a full blown storm going on with wheely bins and pizza boxes flying round (the glamour). I was all up for going home (lazy-o-meter alert), but running club is on the way home, so I compromised, and decided to go in on the way, to assure myself no one else was mad enough to be out for running, so I could go home guilt free. I underestimated my running friends. They were there, trainered-up, ready to go. So, off we went. 7.5 miles of, um, I'm not sure exactly how hard the wind was blowing in all that technical 'miles per hour/ gale force x stuff', so I'll just go for a more descriptive description - we got blown off the pavements, blown backwards, pushed forwards, hell yeah l I'm sure we were even flying at some points! Rain hitting our faces so hard it was like pieces of glass being thrown at us. Entire clothes soaked through to the skin in ice-cold water. Oh yeah! Oh, I also actually got hit by a branch this time. But just a small one. Got back to the club and I was so cold I couldn't move my hands enough to get changed for a whole 10 minutes. Just sat there in wet clothes. But wow, what a night! OK, if I'm honest it was pretty uncomfortable running in it, but it felt like we were a real team battling against the true rage of nature! Ha. If we can run in that, we can do anything! 42 miles is a breeze! Well hopefully not too strong a breeze. But anyway, let us hope for only a whisper of a breeze, and no rain (absolutely no rain, thank you) on 12th and 13th April.
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