Brass Monkey 2006

This really is a brilliant race - nice and flat, warm starting and finishing area, lots of forumites - and the best marshalls - loads of them and all giving great encouragement - even when they have been standing waiting nearly three hours for the last of us to crawl in

before
mrbeanz and I set off soon after 7.00 - after we (sorry, he) had scraped the ice off the car windows

on to the road and it was foggy, slowing us down a little, but as there was not too much traffic it was not a big problem

arriving in York, we followed the AA instructions to the race course, missing the turning twice before eventually hitting the car park

desperate for the loo after lots of hydrating I lept out of the car - to be greeted by richk who was parked one row behind - a great start!

gradually more of the clans gathered - Xavier Breath (XB), Evil Pixie, RunnyBunny, Northern Snail, Stumpy, little miss happy, mark*w .....

meeting in the underworld of the Grandstand was great - plenty of space - decent loos and somewhere for a photoshoot out of the cold air - pics will be on richk's site soon

all too soon it was time to remove the layers and move to the start - meeting more forumites on the way

and we are off, starting at the back and soon very nearly right at the back, I plodded along, HR 150+ which was higher than intended, but it seems sooo stupid to walk right away - suppose I should have warmed up properly like Pixie - but I did the first mile in 12:16 - far too fast - no wonder HR so high!

my target was just to get under 3 hours - which is 13:30 pace, but I also thought it might be possible to run 13 minute miles at a reasonable HR, so that is what I tried to do - using Trinity's tactic of run the mile, walk any 'slack time' at the start of the next mile and then complete the next mile

worked well for 8 miles - kept the running going pretty well, especially as there were so many marshalls out there, it seems a shame to walk!

after 10 miles it got a bit tough - a felt the threats of cramp in my calf, and had run out of drink

but the cramp never really materialised

a mile or so from the end XB jogged out to meet me and came back in the for the last mile - and there was Pixie and mrbeanz to cheer me in :>))

what a great finish - and I managed to run the last 100 yards too!

After
this is the best bit - back into the grandstand and they are only just doing the presentations - and there is tea and coffee and great flapjack!
So a sit down, warm up and natter with XB and mrbeanz, finding out about their races

XB missed aPB becuase he wasn't htinking about time, just enjoying the race - finishing in 1:50

mrbeanz's calf seized up at 3 miles, and he plodded round in 1:50 just behind XB

sorry we did not gather again with pixie and others :<(

the numbers

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	12:16	149	oops off too fast as usual
2	12:50	150	can't keep up this HR
3	13:10	147	getting better
4	12:52	149
5	13:06	147
6	13:06	146	consistent
7	13:01	145	they are all meant to be like this one
8	12:56	146
9	13:12	144	getting tired now
10	13:25	143
11	13:19	143
12	13:16	143
13	13:40	142	oops chatting with XB!
0..1	11:59	146	sprint finish
13.1	13:04	146	2:52:27

the numbers show that 13 mm should be possible with more tranining, making a sub 6 hour marathon possible too

full results at the Knavesmire Harriers site

a plodette

club night tonight and we had a new lady in our slowest group - so we just did a two miler - good to have someone else around my pace - though I suspect she might speed up fairly quickly

so:

distance: 2.02 miles
time: 26:23
pace : 13:03 mm
AHR: 142

off to Coventry first thing tomorrow until Saturday - will try and fit in a little plod tomorrow evening

and then Brass Monkey on Sunday - see you there Pix!

a struggle this morning

long post warning - got to get this one out of my system!

Monday is LS day - and today was to be 10 or 11 miles - last long run before Brass Monkey next Sunday

so a look at the map suggested I could tag a bit onto each end of the 9 miler to take it up to 10 and see how I feel when I got close to home, whether I might add a bit more on

so early porage then settle to a bit of work until digestion has happened - durign this time the heating went off and I began to to feel cold and ot liek going out - but I must

its grey and miserable, outside the forecast is for showers this morning and heavy and more frequnt showers by lunchtime

so I dug my gilet out of the cupboard, a long slow cold and wet run would be worse than anything

decided to try dextrose tablets rather than gels for energy en route - I find the consistency of the gels is bleurgh and half strength lucozade - too sweet at full strength

so eventually I get out of the door and plod on my extra loop, by the time I join my usual route I have added 0.65 miles

by this time the HRM is beginning to play up and despite groping up my top it seems set on not working - except to occasionally tell me my HR is 224!!
as I am wearing an Enell, I have just tucked it under the strap, without the elastic strap - so maybe the contact is not good enough - though this is not usually a problem - or maybe it need a new battery - will have to investigate.

so will just have to run on feel - and I plod along for a while, but the toxic twenty is turning into 30 and I am tempted towalk, even though it is flat and early days - and I am thinking of escape routes, just doing the 6 miles instead of 9+ - but as I walk to clean my glasses a cyclist passes and calls out 'keep going' so i set of again - thanks to that man!

eventually I get into gear and by the time I get to the escape lane (4 miles) I am not even contemplating taking it!

it is a good for the first 5 miles - some ups and downs but not too much traffic and I have not yet done it eonought ot be bored by it

at the turning point I seem to have a lost a few of my extra yards - and insteadof turning at 5.65 it is 5.5 - ah well

now on the main road and a few buses pass - and I have a thought that I might catch one!

but I keep on going and now I am pleased I have my gilet - on the way out it was sheltered and I did get very warm - but now I am running into a wind and it is trying to rain

on familiar territory I plod up killer hill - managing to keep plodding some of the time but getting rather slow and a few short walks

as I near the turning for home the 9 mile bleeps - and I know it is 0.3 miles up the road to home, so I have lost more of that extra distance - not sure how though!

so I continue on to add a little extra, but it is serious rain and I don't go as far as I should - and dip out for home, by the time I get to the door it is 9.7 miles

and its over

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	12:40		mainly downhill - too fast
2	13:56		downhill and level!
3	13:53		level and up
4	14:23		uphill
5	14:21		still mostly up
6	13:21		turned for home
7	14:09		getting tired
8	13:49		uphill - so not bad
9	14:43		killer hill
0.7	16:01		its raining, uphill and I want to finish!
9.7	14:04		2:16:31

of course, I now wish had carried on past the front door - to make the 10 miles- as Hal Higdon says, don't cheat on the long runs

so its miles under the bonnet and now I have put a new battery in the HRM is it is fine

better today than Sunday!

good weekend

Saturday
County XC champs today, so off to the park with teenbeanz - not far to go this year, just a mile or so up the road

His is first race and we arrive in plenty of time to warm up, meet other members of the club team and generally get in the mood

Sudddenly its time to get all the warm clothes off and the spikes on

and they are off!

two laps of the course and as they come back at the end of the first lap there is a least one drop out ahead of him and one runner behind him

he maintains his position to the finish - and received an invitation to be a reserve for the County Team!! He is dead chuffed :>))

and as a bonus my forum mate tigerrunner won a bronze for third in his new age group - 50th birthday on Friday!!

Saturday evening was the Club Awards dinner - being a friendly club as well as awards for best man and lady - based on race results over the year; there are leagues, so you can win an award by doing well amongst your peers; also there is a club member of the year - chosen by club members and finally a memorial award given to a family who have contributed to the club in the past year - so a really nice affair

So it comes this last award and TeamBeanz won!- really nonrunningteenbeanz won it - he has created a website for the club - it went live this very day and we now have a silver rosebowl to polish for the year!!

He was chuffed when we came home and told him

Sunday
Should have run 3 miles yesterday, but no time before the XC races and to weary later

so off out this morning for a little plod up the road and back - funny how a 3 mile run almost seems like not worth getting changed for - but that is what the schedule says, so go with it

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	12:41	130	generally downhill
2	14:20	136	a little undulation
3	14:21	138	better than my usual pace up this killer hill
0.15	14:29	160
3.15	13:49	135	43:33

the return mile and half is the last stretch of my 9 mile run; yesterday mrbeanz ran the 9 miles in preparation for Brass Monkey - he informed me the run is undulating rather than hilly - but even he said the last mile up my killer hill is a bit of a pain at the end of a run!

plodded and prodded

still on track with the HH schedule, so feeling pleased with myself

this mornign was due to be 3 miles, so I went to the gym and did 5 km on the tready - trying to keep up the pace - so 3. 1miles done

and then for a massage

the phyzz had suggested that I see the sports masseuse / therapist once a month to keep me ticking over, rather than see her unless there is a serious problem so off to see Anna - masseuse to Coventry City FC!

A good session, she certainly found some of my notty points, and gave me a good going over - now not allowed to run for 24 hours - so will do tomorrow's 3 miler in the afternoon

now feel like I need a snooze!!

slow 4 done

had planned to run early, but decided to get some work done first and I am so pleased I did - now a glorious day
clear blue skies and warm (apart from the wind)

so 4 miles plodded - and I use the word advisedly

how come these were at a slower pace than the 9 miles on Monday?

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	13:01	132	mainly downhill
2	13:54	138	seems level!
3	15:37	136	definitely uphill
4	14:14	134	HRM intermittent uphill
.14	15:20	159
4.14	14:14	135	58:54

by the way when I talk about killer hills - they are not generally serious hills or particularly long they are just killers at the end of a plod - and always are there as I live close to the top of a hill!

9 miles d&d

so Monday is long run day and today Hal said 9 miles so 9 miles was done

same route as I did on New Year's Eve - downhill, level, climbing, undulating downhill, levelish, killer hill (You'd love it Leon!)

So the numbers:

Mile	AHR	Today's Pace	NYE Pace	NYE AHR
1	132	12:29	12:59	139	downhill
2	137	13:25	13:43	139	pretty level
3	139	13:41	14:03	143	rising
4	138	14:33	13:44	151	climbing
5	137	11:29	13:24	149	must have lost signal here I think!
6	137	13:29	13:31	140	coming home
7	133	13:57	13:32	139
8	139	13:52	13:54	138	this is uphill
9	136	14:56	15:02	137	killer hill warm down
9.0	136	13:33	13:48	142	2:01:56 2:03:55

so pretty pleased with this!

What does it mean for BM?
Last night I commented on Pix's blog that I was hoping to run at 13:45 or (optimistically) 13:30 pace at BM which is in 2 weeks time and flat as a pancake.

Today I ran the first 8 miles in 1:46:59 which is equivalent to 13:22 pace - including some serious gradients. So maybe I should hope for a quicker pace than I had suggested at BM.

As I was plodding round today, I did think that I might run BM to my HRM - without the bleeps of course. I tend to get into a groove of plodding, which sometimes slows down, but if my HR says I could be going quicker then I try to speed up a bit. And it is a training run for FLM anyway!

getting back into the groove

So back from working away - and not much running done

Thursday
I was staying at the Madejski Stadium in Reading - usual new stadium location on a trading estate - not ideal running country. It did not look like the sort of place you'd want to be out on your own early in the morning, so I decided to try the gym. A colleague told me that it opened at 6.00 am - so there I was at 6 ready to go - but it did not open until 6.30.

Rather than sit around for half an hour I decided to plod outside just looping round the stadium. But I was not dressed for runing outside at that time on a January morning, so I only managed 3 laps - 18½ minutes before my hands were numb. So fionished off with three flights of stairs in teh hotel and glutes and core exercises.

Then a long day of exhibitions and giving talks left me worn out by the time we got back to the hotel at 7.00 pm.

Friday
The only way I was going to get a run in before leaving for the conference was to get up at 6.00 again, but a bad night's sleep put paid to that -so it was just the glutes and core this morning.

Saturday
Exhausted by the meetings and woken at 3.30 am by boy racers practising their hand brake turns in the car park outside, meant again I did not get a run in.
6.30 pm home at last and out for a curry to celebrate the teenbeanzes' forthcoming birthdays next week.

The two targets I had for these days away were to try and plod each day and eat sensibly.

As seen above did not manage the first but DID manage the second. :>))


Sunday
A lie in until 9.00 am such luxury!
Then a visit to the gym this afternoon - just 3 km on the tready and some core strength - long run tomorrow.

The plan for the week ahead:

Monday	9 miles
Tuesday	rest
Wednesday	4 miles steady
Thursday	In Exeter - rest day
Friday	3 miles treadmill: speed pyramids
Saturday	3 miles recovery
Sunday	cross train

working away again ....

So it all begins again - off on the train for few days away in a hotel

two targets:

• eat properly
• get in some running somehow

the hotel looks to be in the middle of a loop of road about half a mile long, so a few circuits of that morning and evening may be the best way to put in a few miles - might be doing the dreaded 'doubles' !! - but just a couple of miles each time owing to time constraints, not serious daily thread type doubles :>)

there is a gym , but they tend not to open early enough in the morning and the treadmills always feel a bit rickety after the good solid 'life fitness' ones we have at the gym

the eating will be ok in the hotel, its the buffet lunches I'll have to watch

I have decided to run FLM for Oxfam this year and have now set up my web page - take a look and read about why I chose Oxfam

stepping down week

The long run should have been a 9 miler at the end of the week, but the only day I have time for a 'long' run is today, and it is a bit close to Saturdays' 9 miler, so I decided to swap this week and next week and just do 6 miles, using partof Saturday's route

a tad slower than Saturday - which may be reflected in only a banana before I went out and not enough water - did not take a drink with me - and also the fact that I did do 9 miles on Saturday, which was the longest since Windsor.

so I've put Saturday's numbers on the equivalent miles in for comparison

Mile	Pace	AHR	Saturday
1	13:17	133	12:59 139
2	13:50	136	13:43 139
3	14:08	137	14:03 143
4	13:48	140	13:44 151
5	13:57	138	13:54 138
6	14:20	139	15:02 137
0.09	14:09	141
6.09	13:53	137	1:24:39

so in fact although the miles were a tad slower they were also at slightly slower HR too - I managed to keep the HR under 140 better

so I am happy with that

New Year New Resolve

Happy and Healthy New Year to you all

So others have posted their targets for 2006 and so must I.

First the long term over the year stuff:

• loose a pound a week through the year to get me to a healthy plodding weight
• run at least 4 times a week, even if some are only 2 or 3 miles
• be more organised in my working life

On the way - to be a stone lighter for FLM (I now weigh the same as I did last April) so I need to

• drink 2 litres of water a day
• eat at least 5 fruit and veg a day
• concentrate on low GI low fat foods
• do core strength and stretching on non running days

keeping going

Friday
Woke up to torrential rain, which was washing away the snow nicely.

Had arranged to plod with TP - her return to running after weeks of virus and rotten chest (seems to be a lot of it around). Decided as she had not plodded for ages a tready session would be better than her not completing the route.

So tready it was, now this shoud have been an 'easy' session for me as I have my long run tomorrow. But I find it difficult to do easy on the tready.

However 4 miles done - some pyramids, some hill walking and some at around 145-150 HR.

Saturday
Its long run day, but did not wake until 8.00 so up then for some porage and then back to bed for an hour to finish reading Going Postal the latest Pratchett in paperback, that I had for Christmas.

Then up and out - a new route, suggested by mrbeanz, which takes quieter roads out and then my usual main road back.

I have realised that all my runs are hard work - have been running at 145 HR, which is too hard to maintain, so I have dropped the max down to 140 on my Garmin.

This is the first outside run at this new rate. The consequence of this is I am having to learn to plod more slowly without dropping into a walk :>)

First mile is basically downhill to the river, so fairly easy. Then the route begins its undulating climb to a much higher point than my other out and back route.
Once past the toxic 15, I began to enjoy myself, especially as this part was on a road I rarely drive along, and part of it I have never even driven, so all new and different. As the Sun broke through I had fantastic views across the Derwent valley.

My HRM lost signal from time to time and occasionally registered signals of 230 bpm!!! but I am still here to to tell the tale and just kept plodding comfortably.

Reached the turn and found I had done about 5 miles - so it was going to be 9 miles not the planned 8. Keeping to HR140 seems to have been a good idea - the return plod was much more comfortable than the same 4 miles 10 days ago.

Phoned teenbeanz when I was 1.5 miles out and he came out to meet me and did some fartlek stuff looping round me for the last mile home.

Arrived home not feeling too knackered and like I could have gone further if necessary. :>))

So the numbers:

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	12:59	139	downhill
2	13:43	139
3	14:03	143	rising
4	13:44	151	climbing
5	13:24	149	still undulating
6	13:31	140	coming home
7	13:32	139	nice and steady
8	13:54	138	this is uphill
0.98	15:02	137	killer hill warm down
9.98	13:48	142	2:03:55

Conclusions?
Running on the flat I reckon I can plod along comfortably at 13:30 pace or even a bit quicker - which gives a half marathon time of 2:58 for Brass Monkey. Given my last two were over 3 hours, I would be pleased with that - although I did 2:43:27 last time, which is about 12:30 pace! No chance of that I suspect.

So that's 2005 running done - though there is a local 5km at midnight mmm?

Perhaps not, it is even more vertically 'undulating' than today's route I believe.

Anyway a happy beanz today.

snow and ice = treadmill

so very cold today, definitely the wrong conditions for a pavement run and did not feel like icy feet from running in the park

off to the gym this afternoon for the treadmill -

10 minutes cross trainer to warm up

then 4 miles on the tready - first two as [pyramids up to 8.0 km/hr and down again in 10m steps

the second half run at 70-80% HR, adjusting incline and pace to keep HR in that zone

4 miles 54 minutes AHR 145

Christmas is over

That's it then, Christmas is over, the relations have gone home and I'm back on my computer - stayed off for nearly 3 whole days!!


Furnace Inn 5k Boxing Day Race
Did this for the first time last year, with my brother. Unfortunately this year he had a bad back so he just came to carry the bag. But mrbeanz and teenbeanz were fit to run, so we gathered at the start - and this year I knew lots more of the other runners, which was good.

The course starts at a pub, runs through a lovely park (which some of the local runners use for hill training) and along the river - mostly along part of my 4 mile off road route. (Last year it missed a bit out down a steep road in the village, owing to the icy conditions.)

So off we go, I started with my V60 club running partner and another 'slow' lady, but the initial hills caused me to drop back from them, a few walks there I am afraid.

After the first mile or so I am at the back, apart from a couple of fancy dress 'Little Britain' runners who have a weheel chair which one of them rides in on the down hill bits, btut they push empty u the hills and across the grass. As we come back with about a quarter of a mile togo they decide they cannot go any further and drop staright down to the finish instead of completing the last killer loop! I wonder if they are the same two chaps who wore santa suits last year and dipped out of the last loop?

So I am definitely last now, tracking a couple of ladies about 100 metres ahead. I keep going but cannot quite catch them before the finish.

As usual I hated the first fifteen minutes, hated the hills, but enjoyed finishing.

So the numbers:

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	13:02	152	uphill and on grass
2	11:47	147	downhill and level!
3	12:38	150	level and up
0.11	12:08	169	race for the finish!
3.11	12:28	150	38:51

So does this tell me anything for FLM?

Mainly that I must lose weight, and keep training of course!!

Oh, and teenbeanz beat mrbeanz - for the first time in a race!!

Tuesday
Disposed of all the relatives this morning, taking my Mum home and driving back through snow flurries, reminded me that there may be soem cold training runs ahead.

The plan is written and the rest of the week requires :
a couple of 4 milers and an 8 miler.
I must take the first opportunity of decent weather to do the 8 miler, as the 4 milers can always be done on the tready.

Christmas Eve

Just to record run!

to the gym for the treadmill - trying to make my legs work hard once a week when I can get on a tready

so pyramids - ramping speed up a notch every 100 m and then down again and up again and ....

6.4 km - 4 miles done
max speed 8 km/hr
AHR - don't know - forgot to switch watch off at the end!!


and now its over to Christmas and family

must wrap the prezzies


Happy Christmas one and all

FLM again!

after FLM this year I said I wouldn't do it again until I had lost weight and was running more quickly

wel I have not lost weight

and my last two half marathons have been my slowest

so I did not enter the ballot


but the club had a place spare - scandalously only 4 people put in for the five places!

so tonight I went down there and asked if the fifth place was still free

and it was

so I now have the forms .....


and a number

so I have to start NOW

Lessons learned from last time?

• choose a plan and stick to it - last time I started on Hal Higdon's then tried to revert to base training - running every day, got injured and lost a lot of training time
• don't miss the long runs - which means don't try doing them on a Sunday - it messes up the weekend for the family
• don't think that just becasue I am running I can eat what I like - refuel properly

So this time

• Follow Hal Higdon's novice schedule but do the long runs from the intermediate - as I am already ahead of where his long runs start from
• Aim to run long runs on a Monday - it will mean running alone, but I will have to do that mostly anyway and it will not mess up family life - just have to book them in my diary NOW
• Be flexible about the days I run - I have to be to fit in with the times I work away - and this schedule has 4 days running, 1 day cross traing and 2 rest days which is realistic I think
• Eat properly and get the refuelling on long runs sorted

That will do for now .......................

all comments welcome!

especially from the professionals ( that's you, Womble)

"long" run done

no more procrastination I just had to do it

one of mrbeanz's routes to work takes himout along hte mian road i used to do my long runs along
so I decided the only way to do this was to get him to drop me 8 miles out and I would run back

So up at 6.30 for a banana and a drink

then dropped at 7.40 8 miles from home

and plodded back - taking energy drink and phone and emergency pound coin

now considering this route is along the Derwent Valley - following the river down, there always seem to be a lot of undulations, but at least runnign all one way, you don't end up thiking at every downwards stretch 'I'm going to have to go back up on the return'

anyway first couple of miles warming up, stiff calves needed a lto of stretching

then around about 4 miles my right foot feels strange - sort of numb/pins and needles/as though my sock is rucked up; pausew to take shoe oiff but no sign of trouble, now these are my older pair of shoes and not a perfect record of miles done in them (probably around 300), but maybe the cushioning is going considering how overweight I am

anyway, after a few pauses and concerns about this, about a mile later it seems ok again - strange though

next few miles tick away ok, and all of a sudden its the last mile and killer hill!

teenbeanz wanted to do a gentle recovery mile or so after his hard session last night, so I give him a call and suggest he plods to meet me, which he does - it is so good to run together

he does a bit of looping and I do some walking and we return home together

the numbers

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	14:23	140	stiff calves
2	13:51	137	more stretching
3	14:01	139	numb foot
4	13:37	138
5	13:54	140
6	14:04	139
7	14:20	138	uphill now
8	15:48	135	killer hill
0.09	15:50	120	walking!!
8.09	14:16	138	1:55:27

so now to plan next week's run!

club social evening tonight so maybe I'll ask my V70 running partner if he fancies a 9 miler at the end of next week

Later

V70 doesn't want to do the long runs as he has races each weeekend!!

So its back to the solo runs until Pixie is back on form

but other news .... my first claim club has a spare place for FLM - eeek - I got a place with them last year in the draw - this year no draw, 4 takers for 5 places - wonder if I should phone and find out if it has been taken?

the weekend

Friday evening
East Midlands Social - this all began to fall apart about a month ago when we realised we needed two - so part 1 was last week
June and Coz


Pixie and Steady

beanz and Pixie











Part 2 fell apart earlier in the week when fotoman cried off wit the lurgy - so that was Suzy Q out too - looking after fotoman
then Muzzy had a bad back and could not make it either
and finally Little Miss Happy - usually the life and soul of the soical was laid low and had to send mark and Robin without her

however Jars and Mr Jars made it - and Mrbeanz made one of his rare visits into forumland

Robin, mark*w, MrJars, MrBeanz, Jars





(teenbeanzes had to settle for Dominos Pizzzas, though running teenbeanz did point out as a forum runner he shoudl have been there)

and we had a good time :>)



Saturday
supposed to be long run day, so up for breakfast at 8ish then dressed and off to the shops before getting changed for my run

But where to run 8 miles on my own and not on the horrid cambers of the A6?

I have to find another strategy for long slow plods - I just cannot get out the door on my own - too much to contemplate as I cannot find a local long safe route, without loops and thinking about carrying drinks etc - it all defeats me at the moment

So I chickened out again and settled for a 4 miler in the park - could have done that twice or the bottom two mile loop three times, but just could not face it - I knew I would not do the repeat loops

So the run down the hill in to the park and along the river, then back up the hill - steeper back up to start with and then a gradual climb home.

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	12:49	132	lots of downhill in this bit
2	13:14	139	down along the river here
3	15:00	141	back up the hill - some steep walking bits here
4	14:03	141	mostly a gradual climb
0.14	15:04	145	last climb home
4.14	13:49	139	under 14:00 pace - yee hah!

It WAS a lovely run and I did enjoy it but was cross with myself for droppping out of the 8 miler I promised myself.

But on Tuesday I am going to run 9 miles withPixie - so no chickening out of that one!

Sunday

No running today - visitors for lunch, so up early for food prep not a run.

And then too stuffed to run later.

But 60 mince pies made (and some eaten) and the tree decorated at last.

well everyone's putting their trees in their blogs, so here's ours -not real I'm afraid

and here are our Christmas people amid the sheep and other animals

gym again

so I had that end of term feeling today

dropped the teenbeanzes at school and on to the gym

cross trainig was the plan - but I have decided to skip the squats as I hav espotted a pattern of injury after squat exercises in the past

so tready - bike - cross trainer-tready - 35 minutes altogether - no time for more and included 2.1 km on teready

then off for haircut

oops did not factor in breakfast, but manged to get a banana and a cereal bar at the gym

then shopping - now I am not your average female shopaholic - mainly cos I am oversized and just get depressed by not fitting into anything that I like and not liking seeing me in anythign that will fit :<(

but I do need some new black work trousers - so it has to be done


off to M&S two piars of trousers that fit JUST - a good incentive to keep the eating under control

on ot Debenhams lookign ofr Coloured tops for Christmas - cannot go on wearing back all the time - but what has happened to Debenhams??? It has lost all its decent clothes and its all tat for the young :<( :<((

so a couple of Maine t-shirty tops will have to do

a few pressies bought too and then back home for a sandwich and glass ofg milk and I feel knackered TOTM doing its stuff

so off for a snooze

then collect teenbeanzes

and shortly get ready for the East Midlands Social (Part 2)

so no work done, apart from a couple of emails replied to

and tax form not done yet eeek!

beginning to panic abotu things left undone

must get an ordered jobs list

wildlife

you don't normally read reports of wildlife when people do a run on the tready, but the gym has three treadmills that look out over the River Derwent to some wasteland, which I think is a former industrial site

you cannot actually see the river, but the trees along its banks mark its route

I always choose a tready there - back to the rest of the gym, no mirrors - although at night you can see yourself reflected in the windows


why am I telling you all this?

well normally I just put on the music, and watch the cyclists on the path by the river, telling myself I will not look at the numbers until the next person come into view - tready equivalent of running to the next lampost!

but today the sun was up and the birds were flying, first a cormorant (or was it a shag?) then a fleet of mallards

then a great grey heron - it was magnificent!


oh and the running?

well the schedule said 4.5 miles with TP - but she is still coughing and spluttering so it was me and the tready, so I decided to go for 'speed pyramids'

did 3.2 miles in 45 minutes - including warm up and cool down AHR 134

not the 4½ I was supposed to do, but just couldn't keep going any longer and needed to get on with the day

so I am wasting it here instead!

domestics

Monday
woke up yesterday to find soggy carpets and a leaky pipe

that meant moving lots of stuff so we could see how much damage has been done - bubbling wallpaper, soggy wool carpet

I did manage to do some core and glutes exercise and stretching - left leg still sore, so no run planned - in fact it was as Hal says - strength and stretch!

Tuesday
found difficulty in getting to sleep - finding a comfortable position with sore leg was difficult - eventually had ibuprofen and paracetomol, which seemed to sort it

not so stiff this morning

but lack of sleep, TOTM and niggly teenbeanzes meant a horrid start to the day

and I could not go out cos I had to wait for the plumber

and now he has been it is a bit late to go the gym as I have to go for a train to London soon - leg still too sore to run, but had hoped to get on the X-trainer and do some upper body stuff

ah well, maybe too tired anyway

will see phyzz if leg not better soon

plan for next few days

so training plan for the next week

Tuesday	core strength, glutes and stretch
Wednesday	working in London - not exactly rest but just some stretching
Thursday	4.5 miles with TP - are whatever she can manage
Friday	gym
Saturday	8 miles
Sunday	4.5 miles by river
Monday	rest day
Tuesday	9 miles with Pix - off road

Sunday run

so I've been putting it off for over a week and now I have to do it

mrbeanz and teenbeanz went out and did 6 miles at 8.00 but I was going to take a lot longer for my 7 miles, so we could not go together and I needed to fuel up first

I have just read that Pixie fuels up on energy bars just before her long run, I tend to go for the porage two hours before - which means early morning long runs are not ideal

so breakfast at 10, off to church and then back to run by 1.00

after much debate about route I decided on my usual long run route up the main road, as I was running alone, I am not keen on the rather isolated off road route

a glorious day for a run - clear blue sky, December so sunny but not hot and not much of a breeze

so off I plodded, not too bad, but back begins to remind me its been aching after about a mile, but I am determined to keep going for at least 2 miles before listenig to any aches, as I know that once I am warmed up it will all be different

by 2 miles I am beginning to feel ok about this and plodding nicely

out to the end of the route, and it is not quite 3.5 miles, the first time I have done this run since my garmin days, and I always thought it WAS 3.5 miles to here, ah well

and back home, into the sun to begin with - pleased I brought my cap

seems to be going well until I hit killer hill - and then my back really begins to ache, and the last mile is hard, lots of walking, with little jogs in between

and home for a drink and stretch and a warm shower

and then my left leg began to ache - like it has not done for some time

I have not been doing my exercise prescribed by the phyzz as I should it did not ache like this after Leeds or any other runs recently

it occurs to me that there are some dodgy cambers on this run, and I notice them on the way out when my left leg is downhill, but not on the way back along the same path

maybe this route is the cause of the ache as I have not done more than a mile or so along this route for some months

the numbers:

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	13:56	131
2	14:16	138
3	13:54	142
4	13:59	141
5	13:29	143
6	13:40	141
0.88	15:32	136
6.88	1:37:00	139

so looking for the half full glass, negative split over the 'running' miles!!

cross training for Christmas

Friday
not much exercise - waiting in for deliveries I did a little core stuff


but then the Christmas East Midlands Social - part 1 - we need two, cos not everyone could make either date

so there was Steady and June (Mrs Steady), coz, Pixie and me. It was quite strange, because Steady had met mrbeanz and teenbeanz at the Sinfin 10k in the Summer so they refer to me as MrsBeanz! A small but select group.

We had a good meal and natter and finshed early - not quite the riotous assembly of a London Social!

Saturday

with scoutbeanz off for a winter camp in Sherwood Forest (but in huts not tents) we have teenbeanz to ourselves

he wanted a haircut so we decided to get into town early and have a go at the shopping before it got too busy

a tiring 1½ hours later we were on our way home with heavy bags and I ahd an aching back from hard pavements

so the plan to run 7 miles did not seem so clever now, but I could not do NOTHING, so after a coffee and a banana it was off to the gym, where I did a good hour of upper body stuff and stretched out my back

and as teenbeanz is off to the AC disco tonight we may have a rare evening at home together :>))

a better day

little runs

Wednesday
Club night, in London but arrived back in plenty of time. While I knew it was the AGM I sort of didn't twig we would be running early to be back to shower and meet.

So when I got there there almost everyone had gone.

Fortunately one of the V60s was around and he went out with me - looping the loop while I went round the block and then off for a longer run on his own - thanks N. So that was just 1.7 miles done.

Then the AGM - a friendly affair that lots of people came to - and a chance to learn a few more names.

Thursday
Up to get the teenbeanzes off to school and out for a plod to make up some of the miles from last night but an achey back meant I did nto go as far as planned. 2.3 miles done and then home to stretch. A shame, becuase it was a lovely morning as the Sun came up.

Back still aches, so will not be running tomorrow - must get back to core exercises again.

Hope to do a 7 miler at the weekend, all being well.

wimp

so was planning a long run today

7 miles - ok not long but longer for me

but too long to do on no brekkie, so there I was eating porage at 6.30


then at 8.30 I was falling asleep at my desk, advantage of working from home is I go and lie down

next thing I know its 10.45 and I have not run and now I really don't want to take my fat body on the streets in broad day light

and I have work to do anyway

so I have not been

will try to go to the gym tonight

road to hell is paved with my good intentions

Later that day .................
Thanks for all the kind and supportive comments

I thought gymm plans were going to be sabotaged when the teenbeanzes came home and announced that we were needed at school for a parents evening at 7 an dthen scoutibenaz had to be transported to the other side of town for his meeting .......

however I managed to get my act together, cook and eat tea, go to the meeting take scoutbeanz, and then get the gym for 8.45 - much later than I am used to

so warm up on the cross-trainer - should have been 10 minutes but met a couple of peeps to chat to so it was 20 minutes ...

then on to the tready - heavy legs and fast beating heart, but I did a couple of km and then loads of stretching and the foam roller on the ITB - ouch!

and home to find out what else has been going on in the teenbeanzes' lives

and loggin my little plod revelas I have passed 500 miles for the year- and beaten last year's total with 4 weeks to go


so ending the day more postively than it began :>))

back in Cambridge

I optimistically thought that Cambridge running meant flat running

 

Forgot that the hotel is close to Castle HILL

 

So my route this morning inevitably included the hill – it was that or running across the open spaces in the dark, alone – not such a good idea

 

Ah well it was a very slow climb so that to be honest I hardly noticed it

 

Anyway 3 miles done and now off to breakfast and then a full day meeting

 

And the same tomorrow

club run

out with the friendly club tonight

there is a chap, P, who is a vet of some considerable years who has decided he will look afterme - which is really nice, he is happy to plod round with me, chat adn encourage

so we repeated our run from 3 weeks ago, but I did not stop for stretching and only walked to cross roads and up the steep bridge over the island - much better than a week ago and about a minute quicker for 3.2 miles :>)

I really must make the effort to get there every week - it is so good to run with someone who keeps you going

in response to pixie's plans, I have nothing so structured

I have Hal Higdon's beginner schedule to work on - but trying to make my long runs build up a bit more than he does - he only goes to 10 miles the week before the race, I would like to get a bit closer to 13.

So I am trying to run 4 times a week - plus if possible, a session at the gym for core strength, plus my core stuff I can do at home or in a hotel room - asssuming there is enough floor to lie down on!

And eat properly too - that has been a real struggle recently.

reflections

Some numbers from Sunday

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	12:58	150	12:58
2	14:07	148	27:05
3	12:59	151	40:04
4	13:12	153	53:16
5	13:05	152	1:06:21
6	13:48	147	1:20:09
6.2	12.25	154	1:23:24

I was looking back at the first six miles of Robin Hood, which was not a good run.

Mile	Robin Hood Pace	Robin Hood AHR	Leeds AD Pace	Leeds AD AHR
1	12:59	165	12:58	150
2	13:59	152	14:07	148
3	13:08	156	12:59	151
4	13:38	160	13:12	153
5	13:12	159	13:05	152
6	14:08	150	13:48	147

The Leeds run was marginally quicker - but, more to the point, at a lower heart rate - so maybe I am getting fitter.

I knew all that data would come in handy sometime!

Pyramids

So today, I was originally going to run outside, needed to do 4 miles, but the teenbeanzes have rotten colds, so I offered to take them to school and then go on to the gym - have not been for ages.

I started off planning to do yassos - but setting my target time as 6 hours for a marathon gives 8 km/h on the tready - and that is very hard work. So after one 800m at 8km/h and recovery 200m at 6 km/h and then 200m at 7 km/h I decided to do a pyramid speed session.

It goes like this:

warm up to 7 km/h in first 400 m then increase by 0.1 km/h each 100 metres, up to 7.5 km/h (which is quicker than my average pace on Sunday, so first target) then back down in steps to 7 km/h, recovery at 6.o for 100 metres then up again. Repeat until 6.4 km (4 miles ) done.

next time I shall do the same thing but go up to 7.6 km/h

the thing is, I do find the tready hard going, so need to have some variety in there to keep me going, and 100m slots are short enough to do that

beautiful blue sky outside now - so I must go and do something in the garden, as this is supposed to be a day off

Running again

So Leeds Abbey Dash
Up early to drive to Leeds - worried about getting lost or the roads being closed - so I arrived very early. Fortunately I was parking at RunnyBunny's office, so I had somewhere warm to wait and meet friends.
Eventually I met up with RB, XB, Ailsa, Jars and MrJars, Elephant Feet and Daffy.
Ailsa, Daffy and I started at the back and planned to plod round together.
It didn't start well when the paramedics and police bikes passed us within minutes of the start, releasing the traffic into our lane of the dual carriageway. This meant moving onto the pavement and lots of fumes - ugh.
Next hazard was being ignored by the marshals, who stood on the central reservation, watched us waiting to cross and then told us we didn't need to - wasted a minute or so there.
This is an out and back course so soon (about 3km) the front runners were coming back!
I thing this made me speed up because I drew away from Ailsa and Daffy (sorry pals). I was plodding ok and felt I had a demon to deal with - missed the last two races and messed up the two before that. So I didn't wait for them. (I do feel guilty about that but there were two of them.)
Saw Tracey Morris and BarnsleyRunner running well the other way and soon all the forum friends were coming back too.
Encouragement from fast peeps kept me going and soon I was at the Abbey and the turn round.
My target time was 85 minutes - predicted by fetcheveryone, based on training times. I seemed to be keeping to 8.5 minute kms so it was looking good, and at this point I remembered Trinity's tactic in ultras (ok I KNOW this isn't an ultra) - you run your mile (or in this case km) and if you arrive ahead of time you allow yourself to walk to the end of the time.
So I used this tactic on the return half. I gradually caught up with a few stragglers which is a good morale booster. I was then overtaken by faster bloke whose car had broken down!
Coming back into the city there was a nasty little hill just before the end. Then I could see the town hall and the finish!
Made it in 1:23:24 on the Garmin so very pleased. A pb of course as it was my first

Thursday

another train journey to London - with a chance to read papers for the meetign and then relax

a walk along the embankment to the meeting and then back 4 hours later

sitting on the train on the way home I realised that my cold seems to be easing - no longer bunging up my sinuses :>)

back to London tomorrow then to Brum for Friday evening and Saturday

then Leeds

feeling more positive now

thanks for the support, peeps

bleurgh

this is a non running beanz here - have not run for 10 days now - a combination of stinking cold, lots of travelling and tough days and TOTM has laid me very low

and now snow is forecast for Sunday :<(

and I have to drive up to North Yorkshire anyway on Sunday - planning to go on after a brunch with forum pals


but the prospect of getting up before dawn to drive north is not enthralling at the moment

still no running

I have nto run since Monday

today was matthew walker Xmas Pud 10k was planning to do it but just could not imagine running with this cold


but


I DON'T DO COLDS

so I am rather fed up


however teenbeanz ran and did 45:49 - not quite a PB but a tougher course than his last couple of races so he was pleased.

really want to run Leeds next weekend with some forumite friends

so need to get rid of the cold

off to Gateshead tomorrow - want to arrive in time to see the Millenium Bridge

it started well......

Monday

after not running in the relay I HAD to get out on Monday so went over to see TP - lots of nice cycle tracks and nothing too undulating

its going to be a matter of exploring the routes I think - we wanted about 4 miles - didn't do quite that far but an encouraging run:

Mile	Pace	AHR	time
1	14:40	134	14:40
2	14:07	147	28:47
3	12:58	145	41:45
0.76	12:45	151	54:30
3.76	13:41	144	51:30

so I was getting faster - this is definitely a function of warming up - and calf was a lot less tight - just a little stretch after 1 mile and then it was ok

walked a little in the first couple of miles when HR went skyhigh, but from about 2 miles only slowed to cross the odd road

a good run

the fetcheveryone predictor says I should do the 10K in 85 minutes - but this first one on Sunday is HILLY and muddy so I am not getting too optimistic - last runner last year was about 85 minutes

Tuesday

travelled up to York on Monday afternoon ready to do some training on Tuesday

decided not to take my kit because I knew we'd be starting work at 8.00 and that would mean running in a strange place in the dark

however had plenty of exercise , my fell-running friend and I spent a lot of time carrying piles of paper up two flights of stairs

Wednesday

Wednesday is club night and after a good run last week, I was fully intending to go, but the cold that has been hanging over me for a few days took a turn for the worse, so I decided that running on a freezing cold evening was not the best way to look after it

of course it doesn't feel so bad this evening :<(

however it was probably for the best, as I have not been spending much time at home recently so an evening at home cooking and washing up with the teenbeanzes took the strain off mrbeanz a bit

off to London then Cambridge tomorrow - will take my kit and see how I feel on Friday morning

High Peak Relay 2005

scroll down for pics!


not blogging for just a few days seems to make it harder to get going again


but I met up with EvilPixie today, so back in blogiverse

life is just so hectic at the moment that I can't quite rememebr what I am supposed to be doing where and when - last week finished in Durham and then Bath - took my kit but didn't run on Friday mornign when the alarm went off I just decided I needed the sleep

back home Saturday evening and straight into organising for the High Peak Relay - while I was away I had texts and emails about team members were dropping out - injuries, incoperative wives, forgetting all about it ........

mrbeanz did sterling work in working out the logistics of how two drivers could get everyone to the start of their races and yet not leave anyone hanging around getting cold at the end of their run

I was busy making the usual batch of flapjack for refuelling


and worrying - especially for the newbies, would they enjoy it or hate the hanging around for just a few miles running?

Sunday

The day dawned bright and beautiful and stayed that way - the drive up into the Peak was full of autumn colours, absolutely glorious

as we drove up the A6 past Belper I could not believe I used to run out along there in my FLM training - did I really run that far?

a phone call from Pix signalled that at least one runner was in place at the start - and we were nearly there

arriving in a car park heaving with whippets is always disconcerting, but we met up with our forum team mates - Little Miss Happy, mark*w, Muzzy, Suzy Q, Photoman (MrQ), Space Cadet, Robin and of course Pixie - final team member, teenbeanz had come with us, Mrbeanz was injured and not running but was going to drive a support car, as was MrQ

all present and all ready to run!
the next three hours were spent driving round the countryside dropping off and collecting runners - the master plan all worked out brilliantly - in spite of a major road closure we did not know about until we saw the diversion signs!

mrbeanz & suzyq check the logistics








Little Miss Happy warms up for leg 3



(left) Muzzy prepares for Leg 5 with a broad smile


















Dave Denton, Mastermind of the whole thing briefs leg 7




at the start of leg 7 Dave Denton admires teenbeanz's Aldi gloves!





SuzyQ finishes leg 8 strongly


everyone enjoyed their runs,




people running the same leg as last year beat their previous times

and this year we were not last!!

in fact we came 44/48 - so well pleased











teenbeanz, mrbeanz, Robin, LMH, mark and Pixie after finishing off the flapjack

if you fancy this race next year is 12th November - get it in the diary!

yet more pics here

not a runner

after a couple of good runs last week I am now completely useless

Monday
dutifully went to the gym cos that was what I had decided - in spite of the fact that it was a LOVELY morning

went on the tready looking out over the nice flat riverside path (which I've just remembered I don't do on my own)

Aim to do 4 yassos (4x800m) at 8 km/h - managed 3 a couple of weeks 2 weeks ago so supposed to increase them
Did ONE and my legs were not liking it, so reduced the pace a bit and did 400s with 200 walking intervals instead - decided I needed to do 5.5 km - nearly 3.5 miles as that was one of my Hal Higdon targets for the week.

So managed 5.5 km of intervals, but the quick bits were only 7.5 km/h which is 8 minute km or 12.8 mm - I suppose it IS faster than I usually run, so will have done some good

Tuesday
TP's day off so yes we can do a run, but not from the gym cos she doesn't want to be called in and they are short staffed.

So from my house or hers? I have loads to do so she came here. But i cannot drag her out on teh main road at 10.00 am - too trafficy, so we go donw to the park. But that is even more 'undulating' and I wimp out almost cpmpletely and we walk back. I feel so sluggish this week.

And I've enetered my first 10k in less than 2 weeks and I will be last (really last runner last year was 85 minutes, which is what I am runnning on teh flat) and it is hilly and ........

but I must not moan about being last 'cos somebody has to and I tell teenbeanz it doesn't matter, but .....


hmmmph



High Peak Relay
Last year a crowd of forumites ran the High Peak Relay - reportand pics here .

The plan is to do it again this year - all seemed to be going smoothly until other things got in the way - injuries, XC leagues ....
So as of today we have 9 runners for 10 legs - the runners are of varying paces and it would be really good to do a quicker time than last year - and maybe even not come last - hence my reason for not running!
Pix has nobly offered to do two legs and even a longer one - we'll see what transpires.

I am going to see if I can persuade someone from the club who is not doing XC to do a leg.

Who'd be team manager eh?

home for a few days and trying to catch up on family and work stuff


Sunday is long run day right?

but now my long run is getting longer (ok only up to 6 miles but it takes me a long time) it is getting harder to fit into Sundays

woke at 7, heard the rain hitting the window at about 90 degrees and decided I could not face going out for 6 miles withouth breakfast and no time ot eat, digest and then run before church, so went back to sleep

woke at 8.30 and then its a rush to get organised for Church

back from church, MrBeanz and teenbeanz went for their run and I didn't - excuse there is no time for me to do 6 miles before lunch

after lunch - need to digest, do a few other things and then get the evening meal in the oven and now its getting dark

so after a load of pathetic excuses, I have not run

what I should have done is gone out for a shorter run instead of nothing :<(( lesson learned - need to reschedule longer run away from Sunday - as I am working for the next five Saturdays its going to have to go on to Mondays most weeks I think so what happened while I was away?

I DID get to the club on Wednesday night and a couple of peeps plodded with me - pulling me round 3.6 miles in an average pace of 13:34 which is slow and not much faster than my power walking, but is the best pace I have done on the road for a while.

And I DID run on Friday morning 3.2 miles at 13:36

So what about this week?

TP wants to run on Tuesday, but it is forecast heavy rain, which she hates, so will she want to do 6 miles in the rain? Or shall I do 6 miles tomorrow on the grounds she will not want to go out? Maybe I can cope with two 6 milers on the trot, but its club on Wednesday, so tha would be three 'hard' days on the trot.

So:

Monday	gym - yassos 4 x 800 m at 8 km/h = 12 mm pace
Tuesday	run with TP or alone
Wednesday	club run 3.6 miles
Thursday	day trip to Durham then on to Bath - no chance of a run
Friday	hotel in Bath so find a run in the morning
Saturday	Rest Day
Sunday	High Peak Relay - may be running or just driving

From Durham

So one down one to go.

Yesterday I did the same presentation four times - it was difficult to be sure whether I included everything in the last one!

Did all my core stuff yesterday - crunches, sit-ups and various glute strengtheners.
And done them all again today :>)

I do still have races planned - 2 10ks in November, the first I will have done, and a good chance of being last in the first one.
The trouble is that most races are on a Sunday morning, which is not good from a family/church point of view.

Ah well home tonight :>)

Back running

On the iron tablets now and the apricots too

Now on the road again (well rail actually) so blogging by email
Saturday
teenbeanz needed to do a tempo run today so we went down to the river path, which is reasonably flat. 3 miles for me and 4 for him.

Sunday
An extra hour in bed - still seem to need lots of sleep.
But looked out of the window and saw it wasn't raining so I got on my kit and out the door.

5 miles done average pace 13:45 which is good news given my hilly route.

Should have been doing Worksop half today. I was sorry to miss seeing loads of forumites including the quick peeps from the daily training thread and the derby social crowd too. But pleased I decided not to run.

Now in Manchester - stuff to do here tomorrow then up to Durham for Tuesday and then home for a day. I WILL run with club on Wednesday .

mmmmmmmm

not sure what is going on here, getting my act together to run is just hard

Monday
meet TP - it was absolutely pouring down and silly to go out in it when we were at the gym - so we did Yassos instead - for a 6 hour marathon that is 6 minutes for 80 m easy calculation - 8 km/h - not all that quick really, but we did them, maybe should go for a notch or two quicker next time. Total distance 5 km - so that's a 3 mile run out of the way this week.

Tuesday
planned to work at home (done) around some core stuff, but just didn't get round to it - so ZERO

Wednesday
teenbeanz has a training schedule from coach at club - which includes 25 minute recovery runs on Mondays and Wednesdays - so that was we set off to do - but did not plan a long enough route, but we need to make it a block and a half to fill his time
then off to see studentbeanz, so walkign but no more running

Thursday
was going to get up and run first thing, but we all slept late and by the time I got up the traffic was full blast and I couldn't face running up the busy road and TOTM has kicked in
thought I might go to the gym this evening - then remembered I am giving blood this afternoon so will not be up to the gym after that

and I have work to do

and ....................................


bleurgh


edit later
blood rejected - low iron count, but not low enought to be anaemic

so does mean I could go out for a plod in the morning

watch this space

or not

Good weekend

Friday social

A small but select group of forumites met on Friday night - LMH and mark, SuzyQ and MrSuzyQ (who has now become a forumite and has his own name - fotoman), Muzzy and Rory Coleman - famous mad ultra man and inventor of Marathon of Britain

I think I volunteered to crew at the MOB 2006 - subject to MrBeanz agreement - more of that later.


Saturday
Off to visit friends in flattest Lincolnshire - had planned to plod a couple of miles early, but didn't make it - however we did walk a couple or three miles at Gibraltar Point - fantastic Nature Reserve - lots of geography - and birds too!

Good to meet up with old friends - mrbeanz's friends really and they were able to tell the teenbeanzes all sorts of tales of mrbeanz's mis-spent student days - so what they thought might be a boring trip turned out all right in the end!

Sunday
Up fairly early for a four mile plod. Good clear autumnal morning, not too cold and little traffic on the main road I plod along.

Mile	Pace	AHR
1	13:32	131	includes 5 min warm up walk
2	14:40	140	includes lots of stretching at 1.5 miles and 1.9 miles
3	13:07	144	undulating return keeping HR under control
4	13:56	146	Killer Hill
4.0	13:49	140	a good plod I thought

Was contemplating why I want to go off for a week and crew for MOB - I don't even like camping!

I think it is some kind of mid-life thing - not exactly a crisis - but I have been a wife and mother for 22 years and not done anything away from all of that that is exciting or challenging until FLM this year. Decided not to enter FLM again until I know I have a chance of doing it significantly quicker.

So need something to look forward to and be involved in - and maybe this is it?

It will be the first week in September, the teenbeanzes' first week back in Sixth Form, mrbeanz's birthday at the end of the week - so not ideal timing but there is always something ...

I'll think some more....................

plodding on

Wednesday
had hoped to be back in time for runnigng club, but it was not to be, so just some walking in Cambridge - couple of miles maybe?

Thursday
up early for a 3 mile plod - still not cold at 7.00, but must find my gloves because it will be soon

first run following the phyzz on Tuesday - hamstring fine, calves tight for first couple of miles, stretched lots, but by the third mile they were feeling easier, but back ached coming up the hill, slowing me down to a walk

not worth a table for 3 miles

what: 3.22 miles
where: up the road and back
time: 45:36
pace: 14:10
AHR: 136

Friday
meeting TP - should have been a 6 miler, but she has an injured foot, so we went into the gym instead and I tried out her new programme for the treadmill class - she is a PT too

pyramids - increasing incline from 5 to 10 - could not run at the steeper inclines - never been that high before!

still 2.2 miles done

now trying to get some work done and in the post this afternoon


read this article in the Guardian yesterday - must get the book - my working life needs sorting!

in between journeys

just a short day at home between work travels

yesterday Exeter - a long way to go for a meeting

but I stole an hour at the end of the day to go walk about before getting a later (but through) train

it seemed from brief acquaintance to be quite a pleasant place to live, not too large and with access to some stunning countryside

wandered round the cathedral, which is a sensible size too with some old Norman bits and then add ons - and a nice green space around it

back home last night

to the gym and phyzz this morning - another go at needling the trigger points - seems to have been effective on my hamstring that was sore earlier

we'll see how the calves stand up to running tomorrow - if I am back in time that is

I was planning to go out with the running club, but I've just had the agenda and it is a long one, so that is looking less likely - and the meeting is not quite what I thought it was, and the business I am concerned with is last item :<(

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.