first long run of the campaign

So having done five nice steady 35 minuters this week today was the first long run of the marathon training.

Out along the main road and back, boring, but at least I know how far I have to go and can monitor progress from one run to the next.

It was a comfortable run - managed to plod along, walking only to drink, kept my HR under control reasonably and I managed the steep hill back through the woods better than ever before - walked the bits when HR went over 75% but jogged the rest - aim is to get up it in one go by April.

where: up the road and back
how far: 11.2 km 7.0 miles
time: 1:33:58
pace: 13.4 minute miles
AHR: 136

tomorrow: 40 minutes on the road or through the park?

497 miles this year!!

dready again

Plan A was to go out in the park with runingminibeanz, but he said his cold was not up to it and he'd rather swim. So we all went to the gym/pool.

After 10 minutes on the crosstrainer, over to the dready. and 35 minutes done - managed pace better and went a tad further than last time - its feeling good.

Will do a long one tomorrow - it probably isn't strictly BT, but I must start putting in the long runs, otherwise I'll never do FLM.

where: treadmill
how far: 4.4 km 2.8 miles
time: 35:00
pace: 12.6 minute miles
AHR: 132

tomorrow: 7 miles on the road - strictly plodding

Wednesdays run

After a lie-in until 9.00 am I made it out the door for my plod.

Now tyring to get back to healthy eating and work (not sure which is the harder discipline)

where: up the road and back
how far: 4.2 km 2.6 miles
time: 34:33
pace: 13.3 minute miles
AHR: 138

tomorrow: 35 minutes on the road again

into the groove

A gentle plod on the tready today - to the jigs and reels of Captain Driver's Delight!

where: treadmill
how far: 4.3 km 2.7 miles
time: 35:00
pace: 13 minute miles
AHR: 130

tomorrow: 35 minutes on the road

A good Christmas was had by all!

What a GOOD Christmas!

Clear frosty mornings, no tantrums (are the minibeanzes really growing up at last?) and meeting with various bits of family, but not too many at once!

On Boxing Day plodding brother came up and we ran the Furnace Inn 3 miles(ish), a field of about 180, including lots of serious runners and a few santas and elves. The honour of the forums was upheld by popsider - who hangs out on Training - he came 11th in about 17 minutes! We passed three santas and an elf, but two of the Santas came in ahead of us, owing to cutting out the final loop (grrrr)! But we had a great time coming in in 35:35. It was a glorious frosty morning, with the slightest sprinkling of Christmas day snow still on the ground, almost completely off road and a chance to chat to my brother, so run at an easy, base training pace.
This morning we went out before anyone else was up and ran for 40 minutes, including some VERY steep up bits on the park across the road from home. Wish he lived closer so we could explore off road together more. Another frosty morning.

So:
Sunday
where: Furnace Inn race
how far: 3(ish) miles
time: 35:35
AHR: 152

Total for week:16.14 miles


Monday
where: round the park
how far: 2.5(ish) miles
time: 40:00
AHR: 129

Running total for year 482 miles - will not get to 500 unless I overdo it!

tomorrow: gym for strength and tready

Christmas Day

Rest day today - just as well really, had a lie in and was woken by a cup of tea - great start to a good day.
Outlaws been and gone, too much eaten - but not as much as some years I suspect.

Everyone playing woth their chritmas pressies now.

Early night - then up tomorrow to make soup before the morning Furnace Inn race. Hoping plodding brother will get here in time to run too.

A gentle plod

OK after listening to all the folk on the base training thread, I am going to go with that.

I've been to the gym this morning, done a bit of upper body strength stuff (I wonder, do other BTers do strength stuff?) and then 30 minutes on the tready.

Have not got my head round the HR business yet - well I had but then I looked back at the calculations I did yonks ago and found that my max observed HR is now 186 not 173 - which would make my WHRs higher, but then lp said that I should be using 70% of MHR not WHR for BT, so that takes it lower.

75% would be 140 and 70% would be 130.
On the tready I tried to keep it between 130 and 135 - second half of my 30 minute slot I had to walk some of the time as it kept shooting up above 140 - amazing difference between walking at 7.0 and jogging at 7.0 kph


where: treadmill
how far: 3.68 km 2.3 miles
time: 30:00
pace: 13.04 min miles
AHR: 134
last rest day 6 days ago

Tomorrow - rest day
Then Boxing Day a 3.5 km 'race'

Then do 35 minutes / day for 5 days and see how it goes

couldn't bleed!!

Went to give blood this afternoon, but they dug around for a vein, and when they found one it did not flow very well so they sent me away!

I now have a bruised arm, and don't think upper body at the gym is a good idea tomorrow!

Will just do the treadie I think. Or go outside if it is sunny!

beautiful morning

What a beautiful day - clear blue sky, not too cold just the weather for running. A bit blowy though.
I've done Sainsbury's and been out for a run, so can feel quite pleased with myself so far.

Too nice a day to do my normal main road in the dark plod, so I went in the park. This is much slower runing - steeper hills, and today very muddy.

However I went out for a run, got my HR up and lots of fresh air in my lungs. Probably not far enough or quick enough but still ....

where: two loops in the park
how far: 2.7 miles
time: 38:34
pace: 14.19 min miles!!
AHR: 132 (?not sure this is right - said 79 for ages when it felt more like 130!)

tomorrow: gym - tready plus some strength stuff I think.

first day of FLM training....

OK so I've been out today and done a VERY slow 45 minutes. The trouble with living on a hill is that it is always uphill coming back and today my back was aching on the uphill, so I walked rather more than usual.

However its done.



where: to the fire station and back
how far: 3.25 miles
time: 44:55
AHR: 134

tomorrow: early trip to Sainsbury's followed by the same run again

I'm in!!!

Well to cut a long story short, we had the club draw tonight and I have a place for the FLM.

So no more wussing around, proper eating and proper running.

Only ran a couple of miles tonight - horribly icy. Supposed to be milder tomorrow, so will try and get out on the road.

Am struggling with whether to do base training type stuff - aiming for an hour a day (but not able to do every day) or to stick with Hal Higdon, 4 times a week plus 1 cross train.

Advice??

Well a bit of a wuss, but at least I did something

When mr beanz got up for work it was dark and very frosty, so I thought maybe I'd leave it a bit and go later when the Sun was up.....
......took teenbeanzes to town to do their Christmas shopping, by the time we got back it was sleeting :<(

now I don't mind rain, I don't mind cold but ... cold and wet is just miserable ....

I know, I know, I will not get away with not running in cold wet conditions and be fit for BM and FLM.

But today I just could not do it ...
so I went to the gym and did 30 minutes upper body stuff followed by 5 km hills on the dready - better than nothing.

But another week without a long run - must do one some time soon.

beanz's ramble bar

This is the flapjack(ish) recipe we always make for family rambles, scout camp, High Peak relay .....
Oat & Sultana flapjacks
250g margarine
250 g soft brown sugar (or demerara)
150 g syrup
400 g rolled oats
100 g SR flour
2 tsp baking powder
100 g sultanas
50g sunflower seeds
75 ml orange juice

Melt margarine with sugar and syrup in a pan or in the microwave oven.
Mix in dry ingredients.
Stir in orange juice.

Spread mixture between 2 lined baking tins (10” x 7” x 2”), pressing down slightly.

Bake at 180°C for 20 -30 minutes until lightly golden.
Allow to cool in tin before taking out an cutting into portions.

Each tin makes about 20 pieces.

Great recovery food after a run on a cold morning.

pathetic .......

Yet again I fail to get out on a Sunday - just could not get out of bed in time to run and be back to take minibeanz to her job and then be ready for church.

So - will definitely go tomorrow morning - 9 miles should do it - 5 weeks to Brass monkey - eek.

dark and dingy Saturday

Well I suppose it is nearly the shortest day, but it really is dark and damp outside.

Yesterday was a bit hectic and I didn't post - gym and yassos first thing - 5.7km in 44 minutes. Then on to shopping - managed to get most pressies. Now need to sit down and work out there is left to get.

Then finished writign cards. Evening was spent at the AC - young athletes presentations and disco and buffet. Good to natter to some of the other parents.

This mornign 3 hours in teh garden - doing stuff that's needed doing for months. Still loadds to do, but its raining now. How come I am happy to run in the rain but not garden? Well I do stay out there if iam already out there when it rains, but going out in it - no thank you.

Derby forumites meet tonight - looks like we will be a very select bunch in the end.

Must plan another one for later in the year.

Thursday night must be club night

Back from Cambridge and London - lots of walking but no running.

Had a really nice meal out with an old flame. Then up this morning for a healthy breakfast - not at all tempted by the hotel cooked breakfast this morning.

Been to the club tonight - same run as Tuesday, 3 miles, slightly quicker, very windy and very soggy grass on the field.

Must start Christmas shopping tomorrow - managed to write over half the cards, too sleepy to do more now.

eek only a week to Christams eve!! No parcels contents bought, let alone posted.

Tuesday running

Tuesday is club night - I am the slowest plodder in the club - by a long way apart from one other.

The other plodder is another Mum, who started (like me) because her children are there.

She does not train as consistently as me, but is less overweight and does run a bit faster. However she reckons that plodding a bit slower with me enables her to go further. And for me plodding a bit faster with her, and keeping going when there is a temptation to walk, helps me go a bit quicker.

We don't go very far yet - 3 miles tonight - but that is fine 'cos that's what Hal Higdon says for a Tuesday and Thursday (which are club nights so that's good).

Off to Cambridge and London tomorrow - so no running, but plenty of walking.

So run: 3 miles at 11.6 minute miles
Eating - reasonably restrained, once Pix made me think about it and realise water is a key to not bingeing (sometimes anyway)

panic!

panic is setting in as I realise how much I have not done - will have to do some serious grovelling and not make promises I cannot keep.

have had a nightmare with the email today - keeps refusing to send, so i cannot even send holding messages.



on a brighter side I did get out and run this morning 3.25 miles before breakfast.


on a darker side I did not go to WW - school meeting to go to

so today has been a day of eating the worng stuff - but get back to sensible amounts and stuff tomorrow.

useless Sunday

slept in until 9.15 - so no early run before church.
felt bleurgh most of the day - stuffed up with cold, sore throat, so have nto done much at all

really want to get out and run tomorrow - maybe not the 7 miles on the schedule, but must do something.

also loads of work to do - deadlines looming and passing

no shopping done, apart from Amazon

no cards sent


eeeeek

back from Brum

Back home from a heavy three days in Brum

Did not manage to run this morning - had to get up and finish work for meeting.

Made the fatal mistake of calling at Sainsbury's on the way home, whilst hungry and thirsty and had a choc attack. Should have bought a bottle of water instead.

Never mind tomorrow is another day.

Have decided to move Sunday run to Monday for the next month or so, so I do not have to get up so early on Sunday mornings, will just do an hour run before church.

Friday's gone

out for a run early this morning - 5.5 km - it was cold, but not frosty by then.

Felt good, though pace turned out to be slower than it felt - but kept HR under control.

Hectic working day - recovering someone else's stuff. But worked with a stimulating colleague, so all ok.

Finished in time to rush out for food, then back to type up day's stuff.

Must go to bed - so no run tonorrow - must finish typing up ready for tomorrow's meeting.

Exercise - 6
Food - 22/20

run 5.5 km 44 minutes AHR 141

no run:<(

no chance for a run today - left home early and meeting went on late.

Will go out early tomorrow.


Out for a curry this evening - so no counting points either!!

yasso tonight

It was yassos on the tready again tonight - 4 reps at 8.7 and last one at 8.8. I really enjoyed it.

Off to Brum tomorrow - working in hotel until Saturday pm. Should find time for some runs after meetings and before breakfast - no kids to get off to school!

Today:Food 24/22 (its the bananas!)
Exercise 4.5
Water 9
Fruit & Veg 7

Run 5.55 km in 40 minutes - 11.6 minute miles! 136 AHR

on track today

Well, got some work done - though not enough - but I cannot hit all targets on the same day at the moment.

Been for a run with E this evening, but she was not well, so it was partly a walk. However I did do 4 laps, last lap runing on my own, so that's something.
Eating under control today - in fact saved some points for curry on Thursday!

Exercise - run 4.5
Food 17
fruit & veg 7 - better
water 11 so far!

5.6 km (ish)
41:39
65% AWHR

WW - bad news good news

so +2lbs tonight - no surprise there then - lots of good excuses TOTM, being the only valid reason

Julie has said have a go at 20 points this week (instead of 22) - plus some allowance for exercise, so its going to be tight, given that I have 3 days at a hotel later in the week - including a curry no doubt!

however I did walk to WW and back, so thats a bonus.

Today
exercise : gym 2, walk 3
food: 22
fruit & veg 5; water 10+

starting again again

So I went ot the gym this moring and did half an hour (only) on upper body / CV stuff - 2 teeneagers at home ill so did nto want to be away too long.
Had a chat to PT about my struggle with weight. She has given me some tips to help me renew my determination.

What was I doing differently in May when I was losing well? I was posting on the WW forums - but the site is sooo slow; I was drinking loads of water - and logging it; i was writign down my food and eating half my exercise points. So this is going to become more BJ diaryish as I do a more comprehensive log. I know its not very public - ie no one comes here much, but it is for me to focus myself.

and another thing - no eating at the computer - and since I spend a large part of my day working/surfing/forumming that should cut down consumption!

So I will check in each evening at least.

no run today:<(

Well did a short plod yesterday with runningson, but was planning 7 miles today. Decided not to do it first thing in the dark, but later in the day. By then I really could not face it, so dipped out.

Much prefer early morning running.

No hope of having lost at WW now.

still waiting

Still no raincoat from FLM - its getting a bit tedious - pretty certain I'm out but still want to know if I have to rely on a club place.

No running and too much food today.

Will try harder tomorrow.

club field again

Took advantage of my training partner's absence to run the club field again - 4 laps is about 5.5 km - did this in 38:18 tonight. Used to take us 12 minutes a lap back in the spring, and we certainly couldn't manage 4 laps! It is a bit tricky in the dark, but the floodlights help.
Its good to run on grass, makes a change from road, where I do most of my runnng at this time of year. Most of it is fairly level, but a few inclines and some rutted bits too - hard work on the grass, I am not ready for XC yet!

Food: 27 points
exercise: 5

yasso runs

Been to the gym tonight and done 4 yasso reps, together with warm up and cool down I ran 5 km in 39:50 - pretty slow overall but the pacy bits were good. Will go for 5 reps next week, keeping the slower intervals a bit shorter to fit them n to th etime I have.
Haven't counted foods so far this week - must get back on track tomorrow.

back home

Back home after awaydays.
Have just checked the distance of my Sunday run on Mapper and it appears to be 4½ miles in 48:33 which is a pb pace!
Went to WW last night and had lost ½lb - good considering the eating and drinking at the weekend - not excessive, but not within points either.
3 weighins to Christmas - would be nice to lose some more between now and then.

running away

I've been working in Cambridge for the last few days so lots of walking between hotel and meetings.
Managed to get up at 6 this morning and run about 4.5 miles before breakfast.

Now in Letchworth and on to London tomorrow (more walking) and then home.

Points - who knows, trying to keep it under control.
Exercise - 6

weigh-in tomorrow!

a good run

Went out this evening with my partner at the club - 3.8 miles in 45 minutes - good for us! Partner can actually go a bit quicker than me so she tows me along!

Signed up on the club notice board to go in the club ballot for an FLM place if I don't get one in the main ballot. The club has 6 places, and not normally too many wanting to do marathons, so I am in with a chance there (eek it might become a reality).

Away for a few days now, taking my running shoes with me.

Today:
food 26 points
exercise 6 points

just the gym today

Should have been a midweek 5 miler today, but couldn't get it together during the day to go out - too much work unfinished.
So I've been to the gym while minibeanz was helping at cubs. Just some CV stuff - it feels like I have bruised my knee, but don't remember bumping it.

so eaten 25 points
exercise 4.5 points

Getting on track

Went to London today for a meeting - arrived early so fitted in 45 minutes walking before my meeting - and did my first batch of Christmas shopping in the British Museum shop!
Avoided the biscuits and tried to choose sensibly from the sandwiches at lunch time - plus some fruit.

Back home in time to go for a run with my running partner at the club, and we managed a pb on our 3.8 mile route - knocking four minutes off our previous best time. It's much easier to keep going without pausing for a walk when there's two of us. Whilst my HR crept a little above 75%, I was never struggling and average was 74%. Maybe I ought to try to measure my max again, have not done it for ages and I could probably push myself harder now.

So:
points consumed: 26.5
points earned : 9

PS why is the time showing on this clock wrong - doesn't it know I'm in the UK?

A little about me

I am an overweight, middle-aged woman who has discovered the joys of running over the past year or so. I am not sure how I shall use the blog, but maybe as a personal record of trainig and weight loss.
I am hoping to run FLM, but will not know for a couple of weeks whether I have a place.
I have run two half marathons so far - Robin Hood (2:46) and Worksop (2:44).
I am using Hal Higdon's novice training schedule for a marathon, stretched to run from now until April.
next planned race is the Brass Monkey at York on 23rd January.

First blog!

Well everyone else is doing it, so I have joined in.
Like others I have found myself with a blog becuase I wanted to comment on someone elses!

So today, Monday 22nd November

Week 15 of HH programme, so a rest day.
WW weigh-in 13st 9½lbs -lost 2lbs this week.
This could turn into a bridget jones style blog - reporting points eaten and exercise.