walking in the rain

I was caught by torrential rain yesterday and was literally soaked to the skin by the time I made it back 'home'.

It was quite exhilerating once I had made the decision to walk and not hang around in a bus shelter until it had stopped or a bus arrived.

The thunder and lightening were exciting - though a bit scary when they arrived together and were clearly overhead - but I told myself there were enough tall people with umbrellas to make me safe!

The downside was that my sandals rapidly became soaked and I now have a raw blister on a toe, to add to the insect bite on the same leg - so no running again :<(

Running with friends

Monday
An advantage of the current job is that I get to travel around the country and meet friends and run with them.

So yesterday I ran with Coach and she saw the reality of my running .

We plodded slowly for 3 miles and came to the stunning conclusion that losing weight is the best way for my running to improve!

So no miracle cure, just got to eat better!

It was really great to run with Coach (and have a good natter) and I have been sent away to Cambridge to eat sensibly and get in some base training.

Need to plan in some long runs - 7 weeks to Robin Hood!

Early Wednesday
Set the alarm for early to get in a run before breakfast.
But Cambridge mozzies seem to have other ideas - a bite has become alarmingly red overnight and a swollen ankle is the result. A couple of years ago I ended up on antibiotics after a similar bite.

So I shall be keeping an eye on this. Meanwhile antihistamine rules.

And I'll settle for a brisk walk to and from the meeting.

Hotter.....

It doesn't get any better does it?

An early 3 mile plod this morning plus 2 x 1.5 miles walking to and from meetings.

Another 2 days here before a brief trip home.

Another hot day ahead

Last night we went to a retirement do for 4 people I worked with 23 years ago.
It's amazing how some folk have not changed a bit whilst I needed several minutes conversation with others before I could match a name to a face.
It was a late night and I decided I didn't need a run this morning - will be walking a few miles between meetings though.

You may have noticed that Abingdon has disappeared from the list of races to come. I cannot see how I could fit in the miles alongside the new job - and a heroic 'failure' wasn't to be contemplated.

Those with children and jobs will understand the decision , I am sure.

better

Up early to run in Cambridge this morning. There are fewer cycle paths off road in this part of town, but there is Stickless’s Kingfisher stream to enjoy.

 

So off I went for a plod, trying to warm up gradually – that is slowly. HRM was very intermittent, so a run based on feel was called for.

And as usual the first mile felt horrid, but I just went with the flow – fartlekking between lampposts and trees.

Off the road and along Stickless’s path and disaster!

 

 

They have gravelled what was previously a fairly rough muddy path and now there is little chance on creeping up on any wild life – it can hear me coming miles away!

 

Last summer when I ran along here I saw a small deer (muntjac?) I couldn’t believe it was a deer, but S assured me it could have been. Today a couple of herons took flight as I clomped up and sundry coots and moorhens pottered in the stream.

It would be difficult to see a kingfisher at this time of year as it so overgrown. The trouble is that in the winter when I am here it is too dark to run along there at the time of say I am able to run.

 

Anyway after two miles of fartlek at last I fel like a runner and I did the third mile in 12:15 – I was determined not to slow down to a walk :>)) I think that is probably the best training mile I have ever done on my own with nobody to keep me going!

 

Not sure if I will run tomorrow morning. MrBeanz is coming down this evening and we are going to a retirement do for four colleagues who we worked with 20+ years ago. Unfortunately MrB has to go back this evening as he has unavoidable meetings tomorrow.

 

So it depends how good the party is!

A PB to report!

Not much plodding this week.

A power walk on Wednesday left me with chafing from my rucksack on bare arm :<(
I did have a plodette on Thursday morning in Cambridge - but only enough to remind my legs that they have to work.

Friday was the Tara Kinder 10k. This is an evening race put on by the local running shop all traffic free, which is great for a slow plodder, and mostly through trees, so garmins are a bit wary of it but we love it on a warm sunny evening!


Teenbeanz came to support - and was roped into time keeping!
I went for a warm up jog - but then stood around chatting to clubmates, so the effect had worn off a little at the start.
And off we went.

I was immediately at the back and plodded along trying to keep HR under some kind of control - but first mile was still quickest!!

I forgot to switch to lapping at km markers, so had to do most of sums in miles.

The course is a little loop, including part of the main loop route, two big loops and then half the little loop to the finish - so the opportunity to be lapped many times!!

But at least it is fairly flat!

After 3.5 km a caught up with a lady who only ever done one RFL before - so not much triumph in passin gher!

But lots of people passed me and many gave words of encouragement - and also helped me to keep running and not walk too much.

Once the first couple of miles were out the way, as usual I felt much better and did not want to crawl away and marshall instead.

And then it was over and teenbeanz was there to record my time. - 1:22:22 (?) on my watch, 1:22:45 on the clock.

Either way a PB :>))


Ok I know very slow - but .................

More of a walk .....

.....than a run


It is such a beautiful morning I decided I had to go in the park than on the tarmac, so I did. The only trouble is it is a bit vertical:


The first mile is down - but I am warming up in that mile, trying to get the legs to accept the fact theyhave to work.
The next mile is UP and my HR was working well just walking up.
Finally an opportunity to run!

But it was lovely just walking - birds, rabbits, squirrels and the odd dog walker.

anything is better than nothing

Rather than feel miserable that I can't fit in the training I'd like to do I decided just to get out and do what I can - and match my racing to what is possible.

So I got up and did 4 miles before going off to Sheffield for the day.

And felt much better for having done it :>))

lost the plot .....

I seem to have lost the plot this week. I haven't run since Monday and can't get my act together now either.

I could blame it on work - I have loads to do and find difficulty in justifying taking time out in the day to run.

Not only is early morning the best time for running for me, it is also the most productive time for getting on with marking. So today marking is taking priority.

The week
Tuesday - I didn't get back from a meeting in York until gone 8
Wednesday - Governor's during the day and then a do at my new school - a lovely evening with music and food and a chance to get to chat to a few more folk - but no time to run an dno club night
Thursday - only day at home all day so I must break the back of the marking today and this evening a presentation at the teenbeanz's school and a fundraising do for a friend going to teach in Ethiopia with CAFOD
Friday - being trained in Sheffield all day and a teenbenaz taxi service in the evening
Saturday - speech day at new school

So fitting in plodding is going to be difficult - can't see where this week's long run is going to go either

and I didn't do enough runs last week


and the week before that was a write-off


Ho Hum - if all I've got toworry about is when to fit in a run I can't be too badly off can I??

still hot!

I managed 4 slow miles this morning with teenbeanz jogging along by my side - and occasionally persuaded to zoom a bit.

Then spent the rest of the day walking up and down stairs in my new school - moving equipment around - with the help of both the TBs :>)

friends .....

several people have posted about friends recently

I just want to talk about very concrete experiences

Tuesday
In Cambridge for a week and in a different hotel from colleagues - which is fine - I am close to the river for running and the other peeps are all colleagues rather than friends

So Tuesday evening I went to eat with some long time friends - they supported me when I was in the early years of teaching 30 years ago - I taught one of their boys. It was really good to catch up with them - it didn't feel like 30 years though!

Wednesday
A friend and colleague is in town for a different meeting - and he quite understands when I can't face trekking across town in the evening to meet for a meal with him and his team.

Friday
Home at last! Great to see the family and student beanz, home for a month.
And then a forum night out - collecting PH from the station and on to the pub. There were 17 of us from across the East Midlands - including LMH and mark*w - the first forumites I ever met in the flesh. The forums may have their problems - but I have made some good friends there.
PH came back home with us, met the teenbeanzes en masse and survived - great to have her to stay.

Saturday
Up early for a plod with PH - coach said I should do 11 miles - PH wanted a few more for her weekly total!
Suffice to say we had a compromise on 12.6 - but walking the last mile or so whilst exploring a new bit of route.
It was HOT.
And there was quite a lot of walking to keep the HR under control.
But it was a lovely morning - we nattered and plodded and I barely noticed the toxic two!

Running with friends is just the best :>)