short plod

Just a couple of miles - Killer Hill with Teenbeanz

slower overall than last week, though that is because the stretching time after the first mile was prolonged

looking forward to Abingdon reports later - but will be on my way to Exeter by then, so will have to read blogs when I get back tomorrow night

autumn days

Saturday

met up with a fell running colleague at my meeting this weekend - he ran in the Vets World Champs in the Lake District last month and had a great time

so we both agreed to go out for a plod this morning - but not together - I am soo conscious of being so slow

anyway up and out at 7, still dark, but not at all cold

and a plod along the streets of Coventry - at base pace with stops in the first couple of miles for stretching, I managed a 'quick' third mile as I did not stop to stretch but did walk when the HR rose too high - so was pleased with the numbers:

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	14:29	129	14:29
2	14:11	144	28:40
3	12:50	146	41:30
0.14	12:29	148	43:17
3.14	13:46	140	43:17

Skipped off the end of the meeting to come home to watch teenbeanz run his first XC of the season. Added bonus of watching Tigerrunnner run too. He then walked round with me to support TB. TB struggled - he hadn't run since Tuesday and couldn't keep up with the field, so TR ran some of the second lap to support TB.

TB was fed up at the end but feeling more sanguine now - trouble is there are some talented runners in his age group - he has moved up an agegroup this season and there is not the range of standards there is in the men's race, so its a bit demoralising for him.

Ho Hum

Southampton in the rain

Tuesday

a couple of meetings in Southampton provided an opportunity to meet up with RobW :>) – no not for a run – he’s out of my class

but a meal, a natter about running, and a gossip about other bloggers (!) was something to look forward to



you know how it is when you are chatting away, driving round a strange town in the dark, in the rain, in a strange car?

well its really easy to take a wrong turning ………………..





or two!





eventually we found the car park and a space big enough for the tank



and a short walk took us to a restaurant where we had a good meal and chat





thanks Rob for a good evening


nothing like meeting up with a virtual friend and reality turning out to be just as good




oh and the gossip?




finishing time for Abingdon?




mmm poor race preparation by the runner – longest run????



but famous for just going out there and doing it …………………




we await the race report with baited breath ………………………

another good run

I have found treasure in my TP

we went out again today - is your longest run also supposed to be your fastest???

TP is quicker than me so she plods along and I work a bit harder and go a bit quicker than I would on my own

we both need lots of stretching in the early miles, so the pace we run at is quicker than the pace that shows as we stopped for a stretch at 1 mile, 2 miles and 3 miles

legs just began to feel good at 4 miles!!

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	13:22	130	12:59
2	13:54	138	26:53
3	14:37	141	41:30
4	12:49	144	54:19
5	13:10	144	1:07:29
.03	12:59	149	1:08:16
5.03	13:34	139	1:08:16

so thanks TP!

killer hill

I was planning on 4 miles this morning, but then realised I ran yesterday, will go out tomorrow with TP and hope to do a short run on Tuesday cos I can, so decided to attack killer hill and just do the 2 miles.

Did it in 20 seconds quicker than last week and only 2 very short walks today - so I will beat it yet!

Its a hectic week this week, working away from home Tuesday to Saturday, with the odd return to get clean clothes and wave at the family, so will be trying ot fit exercise in where I can.

a good start

Friday
Another light switched on by an item on the radio about diabetes - they are all there to get me to take this seriously.
It linked in with somehting the blessed Delia said years ago - about giving up added sugar competely - she said she did it for Lent each year, and that having given it up you get to the stage where you don't miss it too much and that you need less sweetness.
So - trying to avoid anything with added sugar - or artificial sweetners - will help withthe weightloss and also help my insulin levels andmaybe stave off the diabetes.

So starting as I mean to go on today I will start. Arriving at the training venue there are the biscuits - but also a basket of fruit and even mini packets of raisins. So a good start to the day.

And I managed to carry it on throughout the day.

A very tiring day's training - on the go from arriving at 8.30 until leaving at 4.00 - either formal sessions or answering questions.

Home and 'flop' and early night.

Saturday
Lie in until 8.00 - real luxury and then out for a plod with teenbeanz. His XC season starts next week, so we decided to go in the park - very hilly and hard work but good for the legs.

Just a couple of miles with lots of stretching. Then back and I have done some core stuff - press ups, crunches and glutes :>))

Now breakfast and shower call.

running again

Wednesday
I had promised myself I'd go out at lunchtime - but I failed to get out the door

I have to recognise that unless I have arranged to meet someone to run I HAVE to do it first thing, before I am awake - otherwise I can always find an excuse


I'd like to go out earlier, but on a school day I can't go out until I've seen the teenbeanzes out the door really


Thursday
Arranged to meet TP today at the gym and go for a run.

One of the receptionists spoke to me and said she'd been out with the running club last night - and sorry not to see me. Explained about slow running - and she said I was NOT to let that stop me going - maybe I will give in and go back.

We debated how far to go, I didn't really have time for more than an hour, so we agreed on that, but will increase the time by about 15 minutes each week.
And it was good - drizzly and grey, but off we went along the river path, stopping at each mile to stretch the calves we chatted throughout - TP having more breath to chat than me, but I did manage to talk, so not too fast. Did not have HR alerts on, but chatting meant it was probably about right pace.

And when we got back I found I had been going quicker than I have for ages :>)

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	13:58	128	13:58
2	13:43	152	27:41
3	13:13	148	40:59
4	13:03	150	54:02
4.23	13:33	143	57:20

catching up

Sunday
Out for a miniplod on Sunday morning - did not have time for as far as I had planned as I had to get back home for family stuff.
Off to London in the evenign for a meeting on Monday - need ot be at the venue for 8.00 am

Monday
Just a mile or so walking in London and a very heavy work day. Highlight of the day was Robert Winston talking about the importance of Science teachers :>)
Back home and collapse.

Tuesday
Gym first thing - programme 2 lots of CV and then squats, crunches and lunges

Then into the phyzz - after a once over and discussion of how things were she gave me some key exercise for the glutes. The good thing about these is that I can do them when away - assuming they give me a hotel room big enough to lie on the floor - not always the case!!
Then some soft tissue needling - an alternative way of dealing with my chewed up muscles. We'll see wheter it has worked - leg abit stiff now.

Off to lunch with LMH which was good - am pleased I am not doing Abingdon in 2 weeks!

And now I MUST work.

running is good!

I emailed Tigerrunner to say I did not think I'd be coming to the club for a while, and explained why. He replied with a lovely email, encouraging me to come and saying they would sort out some one to run with me each week - and if not run, just come for the drink and chat! We'll see.


Went out for a short plod with teenbeanz this morning - he is running in the Northern Road Relays tomorrow in Liverpool, so just wanted a gentle run this morning.

It was good - as I didn't go far and wasn't too tired coming back, I tried to run all the way back up killer hill - didn't manage it but made it farther than usual.

As he does not go as far as me in his weekend run, it will be good to make it a get up this ***** hill challenge and he can do it twice if he isn't racing at the weekend.

Will have to do my longer run another day.

Hoping to go out with TP later in the week.

not running

stiff from yesterday's exploits in the gym - and working away, not managed to do anything today

when reading about Fraggle's knitting I was reminded of this the ultimate knitted toy!


there was an article in the Guardian about it

tough gym session

well I asked for some serious work and the PT gave it me


she has devised two programmes to build up my core strength and some CV stuff as well

I must get to the gym twice a week - otherwise I forget what I am supposed to be doing!

For Pix:

Programme 1
warm up: X-trainer 5 minutes forward, 5 minutes reverse

[rower level 2½ minutes; 20 press ups] × 4

[single leg extension straight arm pull (weights) × 20 ; Swiss ball squat with dumbbells ×20] ×3

[resistance band lunge, tricep extension × 20; Swiss ball balance on forearms] ×3

Cool down on tready

Programme 2
warm up : 5 min treadmill

[Recumbent bike 2min; X-trainer 2 min; upright bike 2 min; staircase 2 min; arm bike 2 min;] × 2

[squats with weights × 20; crunches 8 × 2]×3

walking lunge with dumb bells × 4

Cool down on tready

not the running club

I realised that I didn't want to go to the running club tonight, because my pace is sooo slow at the moment that I would feel I was holding whoever ran with me back. I KNOW that they would not want me to think like that. But that is how I feel at the moment.

So I decided to go to the gym instead. Just for a little 'get the legs going 'session, warmed up on the cross trainer and then a little go on the tready - with loads of stretching. Didn't do too much because I have a session with the PT tomorrow morning to devise a new programme of core strength.

Hope my resolutions are not failing already.

Hilly & hot

SUNDAY

Up early for the drive down to Windsor, arriving before 10 for a 1 o'clock start!

After a doze in the car it was off to the forum tent.
I shall probably forget to mention someone, but it was great to see XB,poddler,yumyum and family, Berry, Ailsa, Larry. Meldy.Sluggy and Mr Slug all WAISTers. And of course BB. and BD who organised the whole thing. And there was Fraggle and family and tinribs and XFR bear and ........

And the race?
I started at the back with More of a Tortoise and Bodjit with the original intention of run a mile walk a minute but I had not taken into account the HILLS and the HEAT.
I remembered XB saying he was planning to run it comfortably at a set HR as he is doing 2 more halves over the next 2 weeks. And Bodjit saying she was just going to base it. So I decided to run at 'base pace' around about 145 and walk up the hills if HR went above that.

I felt much more in control now and chugged along, passing a few people now and again, but going rather slowly - data will follow once I get home.

It now became a lovely jog in the park up to about 10 miles. After that I couldn't keep the running going even when the HRM said I should.

But I did see the scenery - including the deer, which the fast peeps missed.

Time? Another PW 3:09:22

Post mortem later.

MONDAY

Sorry for those reading a disappearing blog, I have discovered that if you edit a post it disappears and I had to save this as draft while I cooked tea!

So first of all the numbers from yesterday:

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	14:25	147	14:25
2	14:01	149	28:26
3	13:22	147	41:48
4	14:07	149	55:55
5	13:53	147	1:09:48
6	14:13	147	1:24:01
7	14:15	147	1:38:16
8	13:55	145	1:52:11
9	15:01	144	2:07:12
10	14:47	142	2:21:59
11	15:31	141	2:37:30
12	14:34	139	2:52:04
13	14:22	136	3:06:26
13.1			3:09:19

stats are from garmin, final time is from chip time

So ...... what this says to me is that I need to do more longer runs before I venture onto the half marathon course again and that Worksop is DEFINITELY not a place for a longer run - I would be so far off the back with a sweeper ambulance chugging behind me it would be very miserable.

So

The Plan

Base train from now until Brass Monkey - 4 months - trying to get out 4 or 5 times a week, with a club run most Wednesdays and a longer run at the weekend with TP. I have to be realistic, I am not going to get out every day and so there is no point in aiming for something I will fail at.

Aiming to be doing at least 10 miles on the long run by November and then weekly.

AND

to lose at least 1½ stone by Brass Monkey [after listening to yet another item on diabetes, I know I have all the prerequisites - except being totally sedentary- I HAVE to lose weight I am well obese - much more overweight than anyone else in our clan here].

I know I can count on your support in this - and I will need it!

taking this more seriously

I've been just 'going through the motions' recently - with running, work, eating heathily .......

just enough to get by

not even that on the eating front - some dreadful lapses :<(

really need to change all of that

so

• two days of healthy eating before Windsor may make me feel less blobby and more like doing the business
• two days of concentrated work before Windsor may help me get back on track and fulfil a few (late) deadlines
• two days of relaxing at Windsor and on Monday with friends may make me feel more positive about all this stuff
  

then home on Monday and a sustained effort to keep things together for a bit

W i b b l e .........................................................................

tapering and hydrating

Looks like it might be warm in Sunday so I am trying to get the water habit, don't want to falll into the same trap as last time.

Not entirely sure I shoudl be doing this Windsor Half, don't feel geared up for it at all, but will be good to meet a crowd of forumites and I am using the opportunity to visit a couple of friends while I am down south.

So :

Wednesday
Tried running at lunchtime - something I never normally do. I had porage at 7 and then a peanutbutter sandwich and a banana at 10, ran at 1.00. Felt a bit stuffed to start with, but no indigestion - mind you I only ran a couple of miles!

It was HOT.
Will be having porage earlier on Sunday, before I set off, and not eat so much later.


Thursday
Been for a swim this morning followed by a haircut.
Trying to work but finding it difficult to get down to all the tasks in hand.
MUST get lots done tomorrow and also get a couple of goodnights' sleep.

ouch indeed

So off to the physio this morning

usually I go for a swim first, but an earlier appointment and horrrendous traffic meant I had to settle for a coffee and banana instead!

met up with PT, who I have not chatted to for ages - made an appointment for a session next week to sort out a new programme - based on two sessions a week to build up core strength

so to the physio ....

yes my calf IS rock solid

and we'll just do a bit of massage and then dig in

apparently I have a very high pain threshold - which enables her to dig in hard!!

then some poking around in my back

and some advice on stretching to do between now and Windsor

must do it!

she also suggested some 'soft tissue needling' - a kind of acupuncture to release the tight bits - anyone know anything about it?

she's going to try it out in a couple of weeks


the other senior physio came in while I was there - she is physio to the England Women's Cricket Team and was on the bus last week and went to the Downing Street reception. Interesting insights.


training schedule
I should not plan a week's schedule ahead, it never works out

I was planning to gym today but was lucky to get physio appointment instead, but I have to take teenbeanz to his athletics tonight, as mrbeanz has a meeting
so I could plod round the field for a couple of miles while teenbeanz is training

I was planning to go to club night tomorrow but mrbeanz has booked himself a gym appointment [he forgot I go to the other club on a Wednesday :<( ]
so I have to take other teenbeanz to archery and will not get to my club run
maybe I will try a lunchtime plod tomorrow in preparation for the Windsor start of 1.00 pm - I NEVER run at that time of day

plodding on

Sunday

So up early(ish) for a plod - nothing significant done since Robin Hood last Sunday.

Only time for an hour or so so off I went up the road, boring route but don't need to think too much.

Its undulating, so difficult to get into a rhythm for any length of time, but trying to keep HR to 145 max.

Walekd for 5 minutes warm up and then ran below 145.

Decided on the way back the soul needed something other than road, so came back through the park, harder work but much prettier.

Walked up the hill at the end - hence the much slower pace for last section - but HR still high!!

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	13:14	128	13:14
2	13:35	139	26:49
3	13:47	142	40:36
4	13:53	142	54:29
5	15:53	143	1:10:22
5.16	15:24	138	1:12:54
run	14:07	139	1:12:54

Monday
Off to London today, no chance to run first unless I get up too early - need to get the teenbeanzes up for school before I go for the train.

A 2 mile walk to the meeeting and then 2 miles back - back was much more pleasant as I knew where I was aiming for and was able to take the back street route.

As Leon remarked recently there is a lot to see in a city above eye level and I love to walk down the side roads in London and look at the fascinating mix of architectural styles, buildings names, blue plaques .....

Booked a session with the physio tomorrow - hope she will be able to give my calves a good going over before Windsor.

working away

Thursday
No after effects of running yesterday - in fact the stretching and jogging seems to have sorted out the sore calves. :>)

Off to deliver furniture to studentbeanz and take her to Sainsbury’s – stocking up on food again!
Pleased to see she is settling in to her rented house, with other housemates moving in too and BF around as well.

Then off to 2½ days of meetings in a hotel. An interesting mix of folk and lots of people watching to do as new teams are built. I am responsible for the building of one of the teams, and whilst I have some strong personalities in there, they are good people who want to do a professional job.

No time to run – its pretty intensive from arrival until midnight.

Friday
Up early for a little plod just a couple of miles with lots of stretching – uninspiring running territory – industrial estate or the dual carriageway? Tough choice – but it was a lovely morning with beautiful sunrise.

And then in to very full day of work – demanding stuff getting people to know each other and agree on new working patterns and roles.
Making sure the work is shared out equably as it is paid on a piece-work basis, but making sure some people are not overloaded as I know they have other commitments to the organisation.

A brief pause between work and dinner – relax or swim??
I am afraid I went for a phone call home with my feet up.

Left the bar at 11.30 and crashed out.

Saturday
Alarm went off at 6.00 but I had prep to do for the meeting, so no plod :<( Good end to the work at lunch time – people seem happy with the way it has gone and nobody said it was a waste of time coming, so job done. Home, to find Windsor number has arrived and Brass Monkey cheque cleared – no more race entries to do for a while now unless I enter FLM to build up my rejections? or do I decide I’ve been there done that and settle for halves as more family friendly events? I’m sure you will tell me what you think!

later .......

I must plan ahead a bit with my training, rather than trying to fit it in and failing

so a plan:

Sunday	W5:R60:W5
Monday	London - walk 4 miles
Tuesday	gym - strength and tready
Wednesday	club night - 1 hour steady
Thursday	swim
Friday	Rest Day
Saturday	Rest Day
Sunday	Windsor Half

recovering

Tuesday

A swim and jacuzzi seemed just the thing for sore legs - with some stretching afterwards

Wednesday
Very tight calf muscles today, so did some stretching through the day.

Was unsure about club night tonight - knew I didn't want to run for an hour and work fairly hard, but LMH wanted to come and try it out, so I went anyway.

LMH went out with Tigerrunner and few others and I just jogged round the field a few times - just over a mile with lots of stretching - certainly feels better at the moment.

Away for the next three days - will try and do a little more each morning.

Robin Hood Half

Sunday

So the day arrived, up early for porridge and then off to pick up Little Miss Happy and mark.

Threats of repeats of last year's traffic congestion failed to materialise, so we arrived at the start way to early - plenty of time for loos and a retail opportunity.

Although lots of forumites had arranged to meet at the baggage tent ( a HUGE marquee), so had everyone else, so if you did not know what someone looked like, you were not about to find out!

We did meet micknphil, Mava, Trinity (great to meet her and she did a great marathon time too), another forumite whose name I did not catch, hammerite and Space Cadet, and then Red Haired Girl and Sam.

I also managed to meet up with TP and her friend and also an ex-colleague of LMH. We were all planning a slow run so congregated at the back of the pack.

So the race, started off steadily, forgetting how much up there was in this early part of the race - not hilly eveyone told me, but to an overweight slow peep they felt like hills to me!

I tried to stick with my run a mile walk a minute strategy, but the hills left me with no alternative but to walk a little - AHR still well above BT in these early miles.

S out of town and into Woollaton Park - a pleasant change from city streets. Coming out of the park we should begin to feel the benefit of all that climbing with some nice downhill bits, but the first twinges of cramp begin to arrive. Just a rippling through my calf muscles and ignored by me.

At this point (mile 8-9) I catch up with TP who has been run walking and now walking, not quickly, with someone she has met. TP says her HR went through the roof and stabbing pains in her head have slowed her to a walk. I find I am walking faster than her and we soon separate.

However when some real down arrives and I want to jog away, the cramp really kicks in, I try stretching but no difference, as soon as I go from walk to jog I cannot move at all.

So I settle for a brisk walk - and as you can see from mile 9 my pace drops a bit and my HR a lot!

Occasional attemps to jog bring back the pain, so its essentially a walk for the last 4 miles :<(

But my brisk walk is enough to give me the psychological boost of passing people :>)

I try to jog for the cameras in the last mile, but end up hopping - but not knowing which leg to hop on!

LMH and mark were in the home straight to greet me and encourage me to the end (thanks guys) - but I just couldn't run.

Lots of cheers as I came down the home straight - but not for me - the 3 hour marathoners were coming in too!

after the race
Collected my medal and goody bag - ate the sorreen bar immediately - and off to meet up with LMH, mark, RHG and Sam.

Off to the pub for lunch and a good natter - RHG and Sam go off to Australia in 10 days - we'll miss them.

As an added bonus Muzzy turned up at the pub - having marhsalled MOB for the week he then did a stint marshalling the marathon!

2 hours later, walking back to the car the marathoners were still coming in

so the numbers

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	12:59	165	12:59
2	13:59	152	26:58
3	13:08	156	40:06
4	13:38	160	53:44
5	1312	159	1:06:56
6	14:08	150	1:21:04
7	14:34	152	1:35:38
8	13:08	157	1:48:46
9	15:13	140	2:03:59
10	13:35	146	2:17:34
11	14:46	140	2:32:20
12	15:23	133	2:47:43
13	15:07	134	3:02:50
13.1			3:06:25

stats are from garmin, final time is from chip time - forgot to switch it off at the end!!

Post mortem

So how to prevent cramp?

Several thoughts occur to me

the only other time I had it was from about mile 10 at Brass Monkey - there I used a gel for the first time and maybe not enough water

no problem with cramps at FLM - just ran out of steam then - drank plenty it was much hotter

I probably did not drink enough water yesterday or on Saturday - I really don't like the gels SiS Go - must try something different

I did not get enough sleep on Friday night or Saturday

and I had not put in the miles before hand

Windsor in 2 weeks

HELP

edit .....

is this the cause?

not sure how much credence to put on the garmin HRM - though I have been using it and sticking to 148 max in training - so maybe the cramps were the dreaded lactic acid??