Back home

For a week anyway - we're off on our family holiday next weekend.

The time in Cambridge was productive - some money earned, a bit of culture, good food and friends and 4 runs on the flat plus a brisk walk 1+ miles each way to and from the office every day.

Another undulating 5 miler this morning - overall about the same pace as last week, but I upped the max HR by a couple of notches, which meant I ran more and was more knackered for the horrid hill coming home, so I decided just to walk up it and cool down, rather than suffer excessively.

better this morning

Just back from a better run.

Cooler this morning, it will probably rain later.

Although my calves were still tight, I seemed to be able to keep going better, with just one pause for a good stretch.

So another 3 miles in the bag. I shall increase these midweek runs to 4 miles next week. That will be back in hilly Derbyshire, so my HR will be all over the place again.

no floods here :>)

Just listening to the radio where people are talking about the problems they are having with the floods. We are so reliant on the infrastructure that it only takes a small thing to throw people off course.

Although it has not affected me, so I shouldn't really comment, we really should be grateful - it could be a lot worse.

One parent wanted to know 'How do you feed a small baby when there is no water or electricity?' - how about breastfeeding??


Anyway - running - I've been out this morning, it seemed harder wokr than the last few runs, my calf never really loosened up. I shall try and book a massage for next week when I am home. I saw more runners this morning - hardly any last week at all. At least they keep me running - when I see one ahead I refuse to slow to a walk!

Not wanting to seem impatient, but how long does it take to see an improvement? At the moment I am running to HR, I can't keep going for really long spates of running before my HR goes off the top of the zone. I don't expect to see anything yet - but will I be able to keep it going better by the end of the eight weeks, if I keep the regular sessions?

Oh and I did lose a kilo last week:>)

a little longer

At last the long run is getting longer - which means running along paths I have not trodden for a very long time - in fact today I explored a route I have never done before.

We had a conversation last night with a visiting friend about why I don't go to church much these days - there are lots of reasons, but as I ran this morning I came to the conclusion that currently I find my long run more spiritually satisfying than an hour at church.

So the build-up begins - Hal's half marathon schedule only goes up to 10 miles before THE DAY, but as I have started earlier I hope to get up to 12 miles so that 13 is not too much of a shock. There is a cut off of 3 hours for Amsterdam, so I need to be able to run at a consistent 13:35 pace to get inside that. Currently my best miles, on flat sections of my run are that, but overall I am nowhere near it at them moment.

The sugar-free me has gone reasonably well - I forgot myself yesterday and had a fruit yoghurt - but at least it was yeo valley and organic sugar :>) But no biscuits etc while away.

Will try to keep it going for another week.

I am off back to Cambridge for another week later today - and then that's it, no more exam marking and the end of an era- I've been doing it for 30 years so time for a break I think.

keeping it going

It's easy to get out for a run on a fresh morning when the sun is shining, we'll see how it goes when teh weather gets rough and later when the mornings are dark.

For now though it's going well. Another 3 miles plod this morning, along the same route as Tuesday, it includes a nice section off road, along side a brook, which has plenty of water in it at the moment. Stickless has seen a kingfisher there but I have seen nothing more exciting than moorhens this week, I have seen deer and heron in the past though.

It was a long meeting today and another long day tomorrow. I should be going home tomorrow for the weekend and then back here on Sunday for the last week.

Running on the flat

Running
I really should move somewhere flatter than Derbyshire.
Up early for my run and it was a lovely morning – clear and fresh, just like Cambridge mornings seem to be at this time of year. There is the distinctive smell of lime trees, which for me will always trigger memories of being here.
Anyway the run – my overall pace was quicker than for a very long time. I am definitely a long run runner – the third mile was more comfortable and much quicker than anything I have done for a while – even with running to the HRM, except for the last quarter of a mile where I ignored it and found at that stage I could run, for a while at least, at a HR 15 bpm higher than I my ‘base training’ max. I think this means that if I build up slowly I might actually progress!

Family
Yesterday studentbeanz graduated – so I guess I can’t call her that any longer. She was great, if a little nervous of walking across the stage. It was a good ceremony, not too much pomp, short speeches aimed at the graduates – and I managed to not cry, tough the eyes welled up a little. SB now plans to follow in her mother’s footsteps and train to teach – I am very proud of her.

Sugar free me
Yesterday was fine – stuck to it well.
I am now staying in conference accommodation in Cambridge and breakfasts are a dilemma – the cereals all have added sugar and the alternative is cooked breakfast and white toast. I went for the bran flakes and a banana as white bread is as bad as sugar for me – leaves me with a real bloated feeling.

plodding in the rain

Hal says a 'long run' of 4 miles so that's what I did - I went down the beginning of an old marathon training route that takes me down by the river, giving a couple of level miles in the middle and a steep up back.

Unsurprisingly the first mile was the quickest, but the next two were close and overall the pace was the quickest I have done since I got back into it (still very slow but ...) - so feeling positive.

sugar free me?

About 18 months ago there was a 'sugar free me' challenge on RW and I joined for a while.

I find that sweet things are somewhat 'addictive' - it is very difficult just to have a little - I am better having none and losing the taste for it.

So I am going to try this for a week.

On Monday, I shall be off to Cambridge for the rest of the week for work. So no kitchen to graze in, as I shall be staying in College and catered for.

I shall also have the opportunity to run on the flat - so we'll see if the hills are an excuse or not.

Oh and I did do my run this morning - so that has been going a week now :>)

So far so good ...

Well so far I've managed every other day - I know its only 3 runs, but at least it is the beginnings of a routine.

And, better, I've worked out a reasonable 3 mile run that doesn't involve Killer Hill. Which means I can use the route to monitor progress.

One of my forum friends completed Ironman Austria this week - she was out there for 16:45:31- what a hero I cannot even begin to imagine doing a marathon after 10+ hours of swimming and biking - and as for the tranining ......... So I need to just get on with my half marathon training and quit moaning

end of term!

We finished yesterday with speech day - and a fond farewell to my super U6 girls, they have been one of the highlights of this year - I just hope they get their grades now

I have managed a couple of runs this week and now aim to run every other day in the hols - gradually building up the long run.

The biggest challenge is this week when I am home alone and there is a danger of getting the 'munchies'.

I need to keep myself occupied and drink lots of water. It is not as though I have not got stuff to do - loads of school stuff to do - tidying up the end of this year and getting next year well planned.

I am marking GCSE exam papers at the emoment - possibly the last time I do that - it would be great to reclaim my summers.

last year

Prompted by a remembrance of walking in thunderstorms, I've just been looking back at last year's blog - I must find a way of saving it, I'd hate to lose it all.

This time last year I was commenting on the heat and how I needed to lose weight.

So the only thing that has changed is that it isn't hot.

I am still slow and overweight.

I had given up blogging about it 'cos I can imagine everyone raising their eyebrows and thinking 'yeah yeah yeah, she's said all this before'.

However, I really do need to make an effort, I still don't have diabetes, but it is only a matter of time.

So I shall not harp on about it but I shall be trying.