legs really have not suffered after FLM - maybe I could have done more?
apart from some walking I have not done any exercise this week - a plan to swim failed to materialise
I woke to glorious sunshine and had to go out and run - no time for much as the teentaxi is required on a Saturday morning
however t shirt and shorts weather and off I went into the park in my new Saucony omni trail shoes (that's another column in the spreadsheet!)
just a little plod enjoying the air - 2½ miles in 32 minutes
and next?
new plan is forming to get me round Abingdon with a new PB
looking back at my training for FLM, in spite of promising myself I would, I didn't do anywhere near enough long runs - so more of those need to be factored in - Mondays have been blocked off in the diary from now until October!
Saturday, 29 April 2006
Tuesday, 25 April 2006
FLM 2006
Where to begin?
[Sorry this is so long, but it will probably be my only record of the weekend so I have to get it all down while it is in my head.]
Friday
Travelled down to London on Friday - train diversion via Birmingham to Euston, which meant I wouldn’t meet RunnyBunny at Kings Cross and travel to the expo together – were all my nightmares of disastrous train journeys about to come true?
Five of us from the running club had booked into a hotel close the expo, so I went there to drop my bags before registering and meeting RB –we decided that the pasta party was required, so off we went, but while standing in the queue I realised I couldn’t find my purse – a small panic, RB paid for my meal and then I scooted back to the hotel – and there it was on the table in my room! Phew! While dashing out to the hotel I was spotted by RichK andTrinity – so I stopped for a chat on my way back. Poor Trinity had withdrawn that morning, her leg having given her clear messages that it was NOT going to run 26 miles :<( Difficult to see all these excited people at the expo when you know you will not be running.
It is soo good to see people you know at such a huge event! Also met jog*jog*jog while chatting to Rich.
I went back into the expo for a mooch, buying a RW goody rucksack and a reject’s fleece on my way round and then back to the hotel for Spaghetti Napolitano and an early night.
Saturday
I met Keith Anderson at breakfast and we chatted – he told me to let him know how the day goes and he’ll suggest what next for Abingdon – nice man :>)
Lots more people expected at the expo today, it was going to be crowded and but should be a chance to meet up with some more friends.
First things first – I take my Oxfam vest to have beanz printed across the top – an essential aspect of running this race is having your name on your shirt.
And where shall I go next? Now, various people have suggested that it is a good idea to have shoes from different brands, giving a slightly different ride and strengthening leg muscles better - and you can't have too many runnign shoes can you? So off to the Saucony stand – a combination of Hippo’s recommendation and the free draw on the RW site I suspect!!
I decide that I really can’t justify another pair of road shoes, but a pair of trail shoes is a different matter. After some misunderstandings about sizing – whether we are talking US or UK sizes, eventually we find a pair that is a good fit – and a test run on the tready shows that they are doing the job - apparently. So that’s £70 for the shoes plus a ‘free’ ‘goody bag’ containing a long sleeve saucony top, some gloves and a beanie hat.
I hear from Tigerrunner, the Sinfin boys are in town and registering! We meet up, have a wander round, two of the lads go for a massage, we mooch some more and then its time for pasta – again. Legs are getting weary, boys are getting thirsty so they adjourn to the pub. I manage to meet up with both SpeedyG and Hippo for chats before going to the pub too, where a couple more club mates are hanging out – they are off to Cuba in the morning, but call into have a jar or two and wish us good luck.
I meet Bud Baldaro in the hotel and thank him for inspiring teenbeanz at last year’s Trailplus – he asks how he is going now and says he shouldn’t worry about not liking track racing! He’ll be at TP again this summer, as will teenbeanz.
And now a chance to rest our legs before the evening pasta hunt. Initially we had not planned to go far from the hotel, but there did not seem to be much around, so on the advice of the concierge in the hotel we took the DLR to Canary Wharf – after the next stage in the train nightmare came true when we got on a train in the wrong direction!! Close to the station we found Carluccio’s which sold pasta, didn’t have too long a queue and looked good.
We had pasta all round – they didn’t have a simple tomato sauce on the menu but they came up trumps with a great sauce as well as some fantastic bread.
An uneventful journey back and to bed – but not before I had pinned my number on my vest, packed my bag, debated the long sleeves/short sleeves issue to myself with the help of the weather forecast (and got it wrong).
Sunday
Up early for breakfast – yes there is ‘porridge’ but not as I know it – more like milk with a few oatflakes floating in it. I settle for cereal and toast.
7.30 and we begin to make our way to the start – the first DLR train is pretty full before we get on, but we are on, then there is a convoluted story about what we have to do when we change trains – nightmare reawakens – and TR has been having similar dreams! We are advised to get the train to Greenwich rather than Cutty Sark as CS is already filling up with spectators and is very congested.
A bonus of walking from Greenwich is that we walk up to the start with the RFG crowd – seeing most of the runners, plus Sally Gunnel and the doc – we guess Crammy is copped up in a box somewhere with Brendan Foster. I chat to Michelle who is very nervous and we talk a little about Anna and what star she is. Chris takes a pic of Michelle and me!
Arrive at the start in time for the loo queue, then sort out clothes and drop the bag off, keeping an old cagoule that is probably not very waterproof, but will do for the hanging around at the start as there is a light drizzle.
And so to the run- it’s not really a race is it?
Had hoped to meet up with SpeedyG at the start to try to run-walk together – but it was not to be.
We set off and cross the start about 8 minutes after the gun, but about 500 metres further on we grind to a halt – and it seems to be the loo queue at 600m that is causing the delay!!
My target time is 6 hours – which is 13:44 minute/mile, so the plan is to run a mile and then walk until the 13:44 is up at this start of the next mile. I’ve been doing this with 14 minute miling in training and seemed to manage it – up to 14 miles anyway.
I use the mile markers to give me the lap times on the Garmin, rather than rely on the GPS as I know it will be unreliable in the City amongst the tall buildings and the two tunnels. So I’ve set the custom screen to give me HR, lap time and overall time. I decide that I WILL walk if my HR goes too high – but what is too high? I decided that 148 was too high, but looking at how I faded I think maybe I should have gone for 145 – I used 140 in most long runs – and I was probably going too fast in the first half of the run.
I can’t do a mile by mile report of scenery etc – so the highlights are really looking forward to seeing people at particular places – and that will not be possible at Abingdon, so I’ll need a different strategy by then.
So:
Mile 11 – Nicko on his bollard – a big hug.
Mile 11 and a bit – Meldy – another hug and ‘you’ll see the others soon’
Mile 13.5 – my brother and nieces and the first of three great bear hugs of the day – what stars to chase round London in the rain!! It kept me going along the Highway just looking out for them!
As can be seen from the data, the AHR has dropped, I am slowing now and walking more– I made a decision to walk if it went over 140 at this stage – too late I suspect
Mile 17 - Mudchute and the forum supporters – more stars! – Stickless, VRap, Evil Pixie, CdK and MrCdK, Berry, and more I am sure – all a bit of a blur – some hugs and kisses and a couple of mini mars bars for my bum bag and on I go.
I make a decision now that I am probably more effective walking briskly than trying to run walk and feeling horrible about it. So my brisk walk comes into its own again and I manage sub 16 mm walking, if you discount stops for hugs!!
Mile 22ish and my brother pops up again :>) and I tell him it is going to be more than 6 hours to finish as I am walking more now.
Mile 23ish(??) I spot Trinity standing alone watching the crowds I run over to her and we have a big hug – not sure who needed it most.
Somewhere around this stage it is raining heavily and I am wishing I had worn my long sleeved helly and my gilet – I am getting quite cold now and when I spot a St John’s person with space blankets I go for one.
And again I see my brother - not sure where – Embankment or Birdcage Walk??
Soon I am near to the finish, I throw away the blanket and manage to jog the last 100 m or so on the encouragement of the commentator!
Time: 6:13:42 – an improvement of over 18 minutes on last year’s time – so maybe next year I can get under 6 hours!
and afterwards
I made my way to the Oxfam reception, which was up the top of the Duke of York steps – how on Earth was I going to climb those steps with my very heavy goody bag (loads to drink in there) as well as my kit? A lovely lady from Oxfam came dashing down the steps to meet me and carried my bags, as I entered the reception area there was a great cheer - more tears welling up – they were all so kind, I showered, was massaged, and met my family listening to some good music. I couldn’t eat the wonderful food though as my digestion system was still shut down.
And at last I retrieved my phone, which had soo many messages asking how I had done, where I was, was I ok – by now it was an hour after I had finished and I had not checked in with anyone (tsk) – but lovely that so many people wanted to know :>)
I wended my way over to the Thistle, where there was a lovely welcome from so many friends (sadly I had missed some because they had been and gone).
It was lovely to see Meldy and Nicko again and especially to see RichK, and Leon and Karen, and Hippo of course. And there were my great Sinfin clubmates who had finished AGES before me but had hung around drinking beer until I turned up.
Eventually hunger got the better of the lads, the football had finished on the telly, so we Sinfin runners wandered off to find food. And another Italian restaurant – this time for Pizzas or Lasagne. But I couldn’t do the lasagne justice – my digestion still had not recovered from the hammering of gels and lucozade. So just a small glass of wine, and loads of water.
Back to the hotel and crash out to sleep – after hanging all my kit up to dry out before packing in the morning.
the morning after ….
after waking starving at 1 am and a feast of muesli bars and pretzels (and water), I was not up too early, breakfast and then off to the train into Tower Hill. We went for a good look at Tower Bridge, as no one remembered much from yesterday. Then we walked along the embankment to Blackfriars, taking a tube to Kings Cross for some lunch in a café – all day breakfasts for the boys and a delicious bacon bap for me – the first food I had actually enjoyed since the run.
On to the train, a good read with music in the ears and a return to reality at home.
EDIT
How could I forget - Tigerrunner didn't quite make his PB - but he WAS 15th in his age group :>))))
[Sorry this is so long, but it will probably be my only record of the weekend so I have to get it all down while it is in my head.]
Friday
Travelled down to London on Friday - train diversion via Birmingham to Euston, which meant I wouldn’t meet RunnyBunny at Kings Cross and travel to the expo together – were all my nightmares of disastrous train journeys about to come true?
Five of us from the running club had booked into a hotel close the expo, so I went there to drop my bags before registering and meeting RB –we decided that the pasta party was required, so off we went, but while standing in the queue I realised I couldn’t find my purse – a small panic, RB paid for my meal and then I scooted back to the hotel – and there it was on the table in my room! Phew! While dashing out to the hotel I was spotted by RichK andTrinity – so I stopped for a chat on my way back. Poor Trinity had withdrawn that morning, her leg having given her clear messages that it was NOT going to run 26 miles :<( Difficult to see all these excited people at the expo when you know you will not be running.
It is soo good to see people you know at such a huge event! Also met jog*jog*jog while chatting to Rich.
I went back into the expo for a mooch, buying a RW goody rucksack and a reject’s fleece on my way round and then back to the hotel for Spaghetti Napolitano and an early night.
Saturday
I met Keith Anderson at breakfast and we chatted – he told me to let him know how the day goes and he’ll suggest what next for Abingdon – nice man :>)
Lots more people expected at the expo today, it was going to be crowded and but should be a chance to meet up with some more friends.
First things first – I take my Oxfam vest to have beanz printed across the top – an essential aspect of running this race is having your name on your shirt.
And where shall I go next? Now, various people have suggested that it is a good idea to have shoes from different brands, giving a slightly different ride and strengthening leg muscles better - and you can't have too many runnign shoes can you? So off to the Saucony stand – a combination of Hippo’s recommendation and the free draw on the RW site I suspect!!
I decide that I really can’t justify another pair of road shoes, but a pair of trail shoes is a different matter. After some misunderstandings about sizing – whether we are talking US or UK sizes, eventually we find a pair that is a good fit – and a test run on the tready shows that they are doing the job - apparently. So that’s £70 for the shoes plus a ‘free’ ‘goody bag’ containing a long sleeve saucony top, some gloves and a beanie hat.
I hear from Tigerrunner, the Sinfin boys are in town and registering! We meet up, have a wander round, two of the lads go for a massage, we mooch some more and then its time for pasta – again. Legs are getting weary, boys are getting thirsty so they adjourn to the pub. I manage to meet up with both SpeedyG and Hippo for chats before going to the pub too, where a couple more club mates are hanging out – they are off to Cuba in the morning, but call into have a jar or two and wish us good luck.
I meet Bud Baldaro in the hotel and thank him for inspiring teenbeanz at last year’s Trailplus – he asks how he is going now and says he shouldn’t worry about not liking track racing! He’ll be at TP again this summer, as will teenbeanz.
And now a chance to rest our legs before the evening pasta hunt. Initially we had not planned to go far from the hotel, but there did not seem to be much around, so on the advice of the concierge in the hotel we took the DLR to Canary Wharf – after the next stage in the train nightmare came true when we got on a train in the wrong direction!! Close to the station we found Carluccio’s which sold pasta, didn’t have too long a queue and looked good.
We had pasta all round – they didn’t have a simple tomato sauce on the menu but they came up trumps with a great sauce as well as some fantastic bread.
An uneventful journey back and to bed – but not before I had pinned my number on my vest, packed my bag, debated the long sleeves/short sleeves issue to myself with the help of the weather forecast (and got it wrong).
Sunday
Up early for breakfast – yes there is ‘porridge’ but not as I know it – more like milk with a few oatflakes floating in it. I settle for cereal and toast.
7.30 and we begin to make our way to the start – the first DLR train is pretty full before we get on, but we are on, then there is a convoluted story about what we have to do when we change trains – nightmare reawakens – and TR has been having similar dreams! We are advised to get the train to Greenwich rather than Cutty Sark as CS is already filling up with spectators and is very congested.
A bonus of walking from Greenwich is that we walk up to the start with the RFG crowd – seeing most of the runners, plus Sally Gunnel and the doc – we guess Crammy is copped up in a box somewhere with Brendan Foster. I chat to Michelle who is very nervous and we talk a little about Anna and what star she is. Chris takes a pic of Michelle and me!
Arrive at the start in time for the loo queue, then sort out clothes and drop the bag off, keeping an old cagoule that is probably not very waterproof, but will do for the hanging around at the start as there is a light drizzle.
And so to the run- it’s not really a race is it?
Had hoped to meet up with SpeedyG at the start to try to run-walk together – but it was not to be.
We set off and cross the start about 8 minutes after the gun, but about 500 metres further on we grind to a halt – and it seems to be the loo queue at 600m that is causing the delay!!
My target time is 6 hours – which is 13:44 minute/mile, so the plan is to run a mile and then walk until the 13:44 is up at this start of the next mile. I’ve been doing this with 14 minute miling in training and seemed to manage it – up to 14 miles anyway.
I use the mile markers to give me the lap times on the Garmin, rather than rely on the GPS as I know it will be unreliable in the City amongst the tall buildings and the two tunnels. So I’ve set the custom screen to give me HR, lap time and overall time. I decide that I WILL walk if my HR goes too high – but what is too high? I decided that 148 was too high, but looking at how I faded I think maybe I should have gone for 145 – I used 140 in most long runs – and I was probably going too fast in the first half of the run.
I can’t do a mile by mile report of scenery etc – so the highlights are really looking forward to seeing people at particular places – and that will not be possible at Abingdon, so I’ll need a different strategy by then.
So:
Mile 11 – Nicko on his bollard – a big hug.
Mile 11 and a bit – Meldy – another hug and ‘you’ll see the others soon’
Mile 13.5 – my brother and nieces and the first of three great bear hugs of the day – what stars to chase round London in the rain!! It kept me going along the Highway just looking out for them!
As can be seen from the data, the AHR has dropped, I am slowing now and walking more– I made a decision to walk if it went over 140 at this stage – too late I suspect
Mile 17 - Mudchute and the forum supporters – more stars! – Stickless, VRap, Evil Pixie, CdK and MrCdK, Berry, and more I am sure – all a bit of a blur – some hugs and kisses and a couple of mini mars bars for my bum bag and on I go.
I make a decision now that I am probably more effective walking briskly than trying to run walk and feeling horrible about it. So my brisk walk comes into its own again and I manage sub 16 mm walking, if you discount stops for hugs!!
Mile 22ish and my brother pops up again :>) and I tell him it is going to be more than 6 hours to finish as I am walking more now.
Mile 23ish(??) I spot Trinity standing alone watching the crowds I run over to her and we have a big hug – not sure who needed it most.
Somewhere around this stage it is raining heavily and I am wishing I had worn my long sleeved helly and my gilet – I am getting quite cold now and when I spot a St John’s person with space blankets I go for one.
And again I see my brother - not sure where – Embankment or Birdcage Walk??
Soon I am near to the finish, I throw away the blanket and manage to jog the last 100 m or so on the encouragement of the commentator!
Time: 6:13:42 – an improvement of over 18 minutes on last year’s time – so maybe next year I can get under 6 hours!
and afterwards
I made my way to the Oxfam reception, which was up the top of the Duke of York steps – how on Earth was I going to climb those steps with my very heavy goody bag (loads to drink in there) as well as my kit? A lovely lady from Oxfam came dashing down the steps to meet me and carried my bags, as I entered the reception area there was a great cheer - more tears welling up – they were all so kind, I showered, was massaged, and met my family listening to some good music. I couldn’t eat the wonderful food though as my digestion system was still shut down.
And at last I retrieved my phone, which had soo many messages asking how I had done, where I was, was I ok – by now it was an hour after I had finished and I had not checked in with anyone (tsk) – but lovely that so many people wanted to know :>)
I wended my way over to the Thistle, where there was a lovely welcome from so many friends (sadly I had missed some because they had been and gone).
It was lovely to see Meldy and Nicko again and especially to see RichK, and Leon and Karen, and Hippo of course. And there were my great Sinfin clubmates who had finished AGES before me but had hung around drinking beer until I turned up.
Eventually hunger got the better of the lads, the football had finished on the telly, so we Sinfin runners wandered off to find food. And another Italian restaurant – this time for Pizzas or Lasagne. But I couldn’t do the lasagne justice – my digestion still had not recovered from the hammering of gels and lucozade. So just a small glass of wine, and loads of water.
Back to the hotel and crash out to sleep – after hanging all my kit up to dry out before packing in the morning.
the morning after ….
after waking starving at 1 am and a feast of muesli bars and pretzels (and water), I was not up too early, breakfast and then off to the train into Tower Hill. We went for a good look at Tower Bridge, as no one remembered much from yesterday. Then we walked along the embankment to Blackfriars, taking a tube to Kings Cross for some lunch in a café – all day breakfasts for the boys and a delicious bacon bap for me – the first food I had actually enjoyed since the run.
On to the train, a good read with music in the ears and a return to reality at home.
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 13:19 | 142 | includes 2 minutes stopped! |
| 2 | 12:44 | 148 | |
| 3 | 12:05 | 146 | |
| 4 | 12:24 | 147 | |
| 5 | 12:21 | 145 | |
| 6 | 12:52 | 146 | |
| 10km | 1:18:38 a pb by 5 minutes - oops! | ||
| 7 | 12:54 | 146 | |
| 8 | 12:48 | 143 | |
| 9 | 12:53 | 142 | |
| 10 | 13:30 | 143 | |
| 11 | 13:32 | 140 | |
| 12 | 13:55 | 141 | |
| 13 | 13:52 | 143 | |
| 13.1 | 2:50:45 | ||
| 14 | 14:21 | 140 | hugs from brother |
| 15 | missed the marker | ||
| 16 | 28:50 | 137 | |
| 17 | 15:43 | 135 | Mudchute |
| 18 | 14:30 | 136 | |
| 19 | 15:38 | 132 | |
| 20 | 15:12 | 129 | |
| 21 | 15:30 | 126 | |
| 22 | 16:22 | 122 | more hugs |
| 23 | 15:53 | 122 | |
| 24 | 15:58 | 119 | |
| 25 | 17:14 | 118 | hugs and slowing |
| 26.2 | 17:14 | 120 | |
| 26.2 | 14:39 | 135 | 6:13:42 |
EDIT
How could I forget - Tigerrunner didn't quite make his PB - but he WAS 15th in his age group :>))))
Wednesday, 19 April 2006
short plod
getting back into a routine after the holiday, so went out at 7.00 for a short plod
2.2 miles, 30 minutes at 2 seconds over marathon pace
I have a plan to meet up with SpeedyG at the Blue start and we will plod together with an aim of getting in under 6 hours - we have slightly different plans - she wants to run a mile walk a minute, I want to use the trinity method to keep from going too fast and walk more than a minute if necessary
anyway we will start off together and see how it goes
last massage this evening and a good natter with masseuse about her Reading half, RFG and other stuff- she may be on RFG tomorrow night, massaging Michelle!
been having the weird dreams - my anxieties are all about logistics before and after, rather than the run itself
so my dreams are all about catching trains and finding stations, too big a kit bag .........
ah well all too soon it will be all over and we'll be wondering what to do next!
I need a plan!
2.2 miles, 30 minutes at 2 seconds over marathon pace
I have a plan to meet up with SpeedyG at the Blue start and we will plod together with an aim of getting in under 6 hours - we have slightly different plans - she wants to run a mile walk a minute, I want to use the trinity method to keep from going too fast and walk more than a minute if necessary
anyway we will start off together and see how it goes
last massage this evening and a good natter with masseuse about her Reading half, RFG and other stuff- she may be on RFG tomorrow night, massaging Michelle!
been having the weird dreams - my anxieties are all about logistics before and after, rather than the run itself
so my dreams are all about catching trains and finding stations, too big a kit bag .........
ah well all too soon it will be all over and we'll be wondering what to do next!
I need a plan!
Monday, 17 April 2006
Looking towards London
Less than a week to go and I feel I need to take FLm into account in what I do now
Saturday
A gentle day - not up too early and some study sorting - taking things out of boxes and either throwing away or filing.
I start to teach my Mum to surf the tinternet - she did have a go a year or so ago, but never got very far - this time I think she might make it - once she has got used to using the mouse
after lunch its off to the gym for a swim - just a leisurely swim for me, mainly there to encourage the teenbeanzes to go and use their membership
the nice thing abotu my Mum being here is that we go for awalk round the block in the evening
Sunday
Up early to cook bacon baps for thirty at the church breakfast! So as that WAS early, I do not get in my last 'long' run - will do tomorrow
after lunch I get out in the garden for 2½ hours, trying to make sure I do not strain my back - a common problem for me in the spring - turning and moving compost heaps across the bins and spreading the mature stuff will have to wait until next week
and another walk round the block after a rather filling tea of roast duck, roast potatoes, cabbage and carrots
Monday
A beautiful morning first thing and so I go out for my last long run - 60 minutes is the target, but I don't go far enough
a lot of strange spikes in my HR - up to 217 on one occasion - I must try putting my polar on at the same time as my garmin- not sure whether they will interfere?
as usual first 1½ miles are very ploddy, and then coming back into the park I suddenly get the urge to RUN!! and I do for a while, however all too soon I am at the foot of our steep hill home, so its back to walking with the occasional jog on the slightly less steep bits
but it was a glorious morning to be out
which cannot be said later in the morning
Easter Monday is the date of the 2½ mile handicap at the 'elite' athletics club we are members of and teenbeanz won the youth cup last year - will be more difficult this time as he is quicker his handicap will not be so generous
This is a road race around the streets near the club and I am marshalling on corner where it is possible to cut a few yeards off the course - so no cheating this year!!
I walk out ½mile to the marshalling point and wait and wait and wait .... and it begins to rain, and get heavier and heavier - good job I have a marshall's bib over my fleece! eventually the first runners appear, by which time the rain is torrential and they are running straight into it
as the last runner passes me he thanks me for waiting and tells me he is last - and I tell him that I know the feeling!
teenbeanz does not retain his trophy - in fact the fastest runner in the race is another U17, so not too surprising
I then drive my Mum back to Lincoln and arrive home very weary - definitely an early night tonight!
run numbers briefly:
3.73 miles; time 53:70 average pace 14:17 best mile 13:09; AHR 128
Saturday
A gentle day - not up too early and some study sorting - taking things out of boxes and either throwing away or filing.
I start to teach my Mum to surf the tinternet - she did have a go a year or so ago, but never got very far - this time I think she might make it - once she has got used to using the mouse
after lunch its off to the gym for a swim - just a leisurely swim for me, mainly there to encourage the teenbeanzes to go and use their membership
the nice thing abotu my Mum being here is that we go for awalk round the block in the evening
Sunday
Up early to cook bacon baps for thirty at the church breakfast! So as that WAS early, I do not get in my last 'long' run - will do tomorrow
after lunch I get out in the garden for 2½ hours, trying to make sure I do not strain my back - a common problem for me in the spring - turning and moving compost heaps across the bins and spreading the mature stuff will have to wait until next week
and another walk round the block after a rather filling tea of roast duck, roast potatoes, cabbage and carrots
Monday
A beautiful morning first thing and so I go out for my last long run - 60 minutes is the target, but I don't go far enough
a lot of strange spikes in my HR - up to 217 on one occasion - I must try putting my polar on at the same time as my garmin- not sure whether they will interfere?
as usual first 1½ miles are very ploddy, and then coming back into the park I suddenly get the urge to RUN!! and I do for a while, however all too soon I am at the foot of our steep hill home, so its back to walking with the occasional jog on the slightly less steep bits
but it was a glorious morning to be out
which cannot be said later in the morning
Easter Monday is the date of the 2½ mile handicap at the 'elite' athletics club we are members of and teenbeanz won the youth cup last year - will be more difficult this time as he is quicker his handicap will not be so generous
This is a road race around the streets near the club and I am marshalling on corner where it is possible to cut a few yeards off the course - so no cheating this year!!
I walk out ½mile to the marshalling point and wait and wait and wait .... and it begins to rain, and get heavier and heavier - good job I have a marshall's bib over my fleece! eventually the first runners appear, by which time the rain is torrential and they are running straight into it
as the last runner passes me he thanks me for waiting and tells me he is last - and I tell him that I know the feeling!
teenbeanz does not retain his trophy - in fact the fastest runner in the race is another U17, so not too surprising
I then drive my Mum back to Lincoln and arrive home very weary - definitely an early night tonight!
run numbers briefly:
3.73 miles; time 53:70 average pace 14:17 best mile 13:09; AHR 128
Friday, 14 April 2006
Catching up
missed posting for the last few days - various reasons, hectic life, moving study, loss of internet connection ...
Wednesday
weigh in - another pound off
drive down to Cambridge
arrive in Cambridge in time for lunch - meeting - drive home
drive home - loads of traffic, pushing it to be back in time for running club, but just get home in time to change and collect teenbeanz
club run - we plan 3-4 miles but I don't even get to walk around the car park and warm up, we go off too fast - first mile 12:27 (forgot HRM) and my calves are screaming - I let the other two go on and I jog back to do some stretching - only 2 miles done and this is a steep taper!
Thursday
off into town with nonrunnignteenbeanz to buy jeans, walking gear for DofE and a new phone for him
first a haircut for me while he does market research, then a coffee in cafe nero - pretty rubbish coffee
then shopping, the orange shop queue is so long we decide to shop online having chosen the phone he wants
but we do find gaiters, walking trousers and jeans so he is fairly happy
afternoon - lots of physical activity moving stuff back into my study - carrying, bending, stretching, putting stuff on shelves
but no running
am not sleeping very well - legs seem to be twitchy, is this a tapering effect? certainly can't be too much running this week!
Friday
up at 7.45 - a lie in!
need to do something but not much time after lie in, so jog round to the rec where there is a cricket pitch, a football pitch and bowling greens on a terraced hill. For some reason I never think of running here but actually it is ideal for some stuff - a flat football pitch makesa good place for intervals and the hills might be good for hill work - it is not too sleep but is even and different bits give different gradients!
the football pitch seems to be about 0.05mile x 0.03miles - which is about 80 metres x 50 metres I think
so after a very heavy legged warm up, all of a sudden I felt like a bit of a push - so I 'sprinted' along the long sides and walked along the short sides x 4
and the garmin shows that the 80 metre bits were done at 10 mm - and under - amazing for me!! and HR went up to 153 - which means I could have worked a bit harder - or maybe for longer - to get it to 160
will have to try and incorporate that into my training more regularly after next week
Wednesday
weigh in - another pound off
drive down to Cambridge
arrive in Cambridge in time for lunch - meeting - drive home
drive home - loads of traffic, pushing it to be back in time for running club, but just get home in time to change and collect teenbeanz
club run - we plan 3-4 miles but I don't even get to walk around the car park and warm up, we go off too fast - first mile 12:27 (forgot HRM) and my calves are screaming - I let the other two go on and I jog back to do some stretching - only 2 miles done and this is a steep taper!
Thursday
off into town with nonrunnignteenbeanz to buy jeans, walking gear for DofE and a new phone for him
first a haircut for me while he does market research, then a coffee in cafe nero - pretty rubbish coffee
then shopping, the orange shop queue is so long we decide to shop online having chosen the phone he wants
but we do find gaiters, walking trousers and jeans so he is fairly happy
afternoon - lots of physical activity moving stuff back into my study - carrying, bending, stretching, putting stuff on shelves
but no running
am not sleeping very well - legs seem to be twitchy, is this a tapering effect? certainly can't be too much running this week!
Friday
up at 7.45 - a lie in!
need to do something but not much time after lie in, so jog round to the rec where there is a cricket pitch, a football pitch and bowling greens on a terraced hill. For some reason I never think of running here but actually it is ideal for some stuff - a flat football pitch makesa good place for intervals and the hills might be good for hill work - it is not too sleep but is even and different bits give different gradients!
the football pitch seems to be about 0.05mile x 0.03miles - which is about 80 metres x 50 metres I think
so after a very heavy legged warm up, all of a sudden I felt like a bit of a push - so I 'sprinted' along the long sides and walked along the short sides x 4
and the garmin shows that the 80 metre bits were done at 10 mm - and under - amazing for me!! and HR went up to 153 - which means I could have worked a bit harder - or maybe for longer - to get it to 160
will have to try and incorporate that into my training more regularly after next week
Monday, 10 April 2006
running along the canal
an opportunity to run with the marathon queen - not to be turned down
and as she ran a good half yesterday at Reading, there's a chance we might run together!
so after scraping ice from the car I drove down to b-z's place and we made for the canal, garmins set for a 90 minute plod - part of the TrailPlus taper
it was a wonderful morning, blue sky, sunshine, but not too hot and an off road run along the towpath
the plan was a 5 minute warm up walk followed bu runnign to 45 minutes and then back
its a good job we planned to walk the first part - it was seriously uphill to the canal!
and then a downhill plod, past a few locks, where the only noticeable gradients occur, we chatted, about running and runners we know, I guess most of the people who might read this got a mention!
after 45 minutes we turned, a shame really, we could both have gone on, and it was such a beautiful morning but at this stage I would like to have faith in the schedule!
so back we went to a drink of water, a cup of tea, a shower and pub lunch
what more could you ask for!
a great day - thanks, marathon queen!
oh, numbers:
and as she ran a good half yesterday at Reading, there's a chance we might run together!
so after scraping ice from the car I drove down to b-z's place and we made for the canal, garmins set for a 90 minute plod - part of the TrailPlus taper
it was a wonderful morning, blue sky, sunshine, but not too hot and an off road run along the towpath
the plan was a 5 minute warm up walk followed bu runnign to 45 minutes and then back
its a good job we planned to walk the first part - it was seriously uphill to the canal!
and then a downhill plod, past a few locks, where the only noticeable gradients occur, we chatted, about running and runners we know, I guess most of the people who might read this got a mention!
after 45 minutes we turned, a shame really, we could both have gone on, and it was such a beautiful morning but at this stage I would like to have faith in the schedule!
so back we went to a drink of water, a cup of tea, a shower and pub lunch
what more could you ask for!
a great day - thanks, marathon queen!
oh, numbers:
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 14:21 | 118 | 5 min walk then run |
| 2 | 13:15 | 137 | |
| 3 | 13:42 | 135 | |
| 4 | 13:47 | 134 | turn around in this mile |
| 5 | 13:17 | 136 | |
| 6 | 14:05 | 133 | |
| 0.56 | 16:23 | 118 | walking cool down |
| 6.56 | 13:13 | 131 | 1:31:39 |
Sunday, 9 April 2006
life, the Universe and new carpets
a leaky pipe before Christmas has resulted in disruption ever since
at last the light is at the end of the tunnel - I had to clear one end of the room so the decorator coudl make good
this weekend I have had to clear the whole room so that the new carpet can be laid this week
this has been a serious undertaking - I have been in the room for 10 years, accumulating stuff which might be useful, but has not left the box since it was put there some time ago!
so the move has involved a lot of throwing away - and a resolution that nothing will go back - it will be filed - in the filing cabinets or in the recycling box
not much left in the room now - except the printer which has to be kept alive whilst the teenbeanzes print out the last of the GCSE coursework - final, final, final deadlines this week!
I did manage a plod this morning - 45 minutes 3.3ish miles and all before the rain and hail arrived.
two weeks from now it will all be over .................................
and the next one to be planned .............................
at last the light is at the end of the tunnel - I had to clear one end of the room so the decorator coudl make good
this weekend I have had to clear the whole room so that the new carpet can be laid this week
this has been a serious undertaking - I have been in the room for 10 years, accumulating stuff which might be useful, but has not left the box since it was put there some time ago!
so the move has involved a lot of throwing away - and a resolution that nothing will go back - it will be filed - in the filing cabinets or in the recycling box
not much left in the room now - except the printer which has to be kept alive whilst the teenbeanzes print out the last of the GCSE coursework - final, final, final deadlines this week!
I did manage a plod this morning - 45 minutes 3.3ish miles and all before the rain and hail arrived.
two weeks from now it will all be over .................................
and the next one to be planned .............................
Friday, 7 April 2006
Friday - not long to go now!
Nothing much done yesterday apart from shopping with studentbeanz
this afternoon I saw her off at the station and then went to the gym
it's too late to do much about enduarnce but maybe a bit of speedwork wil not go amiss
so after warming up on the cross trainer I did my speed pyramids - up and down the speed until 5 km done
used HR for the top of the pyramid, and will try to push a bit harder next time - enjoyed it once I was passsed the toxic 20!
this afternoon I saw her off at the station and then went to the gym
it's too late to do much about enduarnce but maybe a bit of speedwork wil not go amiss
so after warming up on the cross trainer I did my speed pyramids - up and down the speed until 5 km done
used HR for the top of the pyramid, and will try to push a bit harder next time - enjoyed it once I was passsed the toxic 20!
Wednesday, 5 April 2006
getting fitter!
it's been a good couple of days
Tuesday
Not a running day, but it was such a glorious day I couldn't stay inside. So studentbeanz and I went for a walk in the park - the one with the steep hills and the golf course. It was great, we chatted about this and that and by the time we got back we had walked 2.3 miles and felt soo much better for it!
Wednesday
A couple of weeks ago I went along to WW and yet again I had not lost anything and I did not have time to stay to the talk. This was a real waste of money. I asked a good friend if she would help me - both to lose weight and to develop my running post FLM. She agreed but suggested there was no point in witing until after FLM - lets start now.
So over the last 10 days I have been logging what I eat and the exercise I do. And this simple discipline has resulted in a 2 pound weight loss in the last week :>)) I've just got to keep it going now!
Another beautiful day, but a shorter walk this time - lots of other stuff to do and a club run this evening. But 1½ miles done. I really must do this every day when I am working at home - it is such a good way to break up the day.
Club run
V69 was not there tomight so just XLS and me. We decided that 4 miles would be a good distance to do, and set off together, comfortable for her and a bit harder for me, but I did manage to chat most of the time - so not that hard!
First mile done in 12:38 - crumbs and I was chatting too! AHR 137 - what is that all about - would have expected it top be at least 5 higher!
And so it went on, chat, run, enjoy:
Tuesday
Not a running day, but it was such a glorious day I couldn't stay inside. So studentbeanz and I went for a walk in the park - the one with the steep hills and the golf course. It was great, we chatted about this and that and by the time we got back we had walked 2.3 miles and felt soo much better for it!
Wednesday
A couple of weeks ago I went along to WW and yet again I had not lost anything and I did not have time to stay to the talk. This was a real waste of money. I asked a good friend if she would help me - both to lose weight and to develop my running post FLM. She agreed but suggested there was no point in witing until after FLM - lets start now.
So over the last 10 days I have been logging what I eat and the exercise I do. And this simple discipline has resulted in a 2 pound weight loss in the last week :>)) I've just got to keep it going now!
Another beautiful day, but a shorter walk this time - lots of other stuff to do and a club run this evening. But 1½ miles done. I really must do this every day when I am working at home - it is such a good way to break up the day.
Club run
V69 was not there tomight so just XLS and me. We decided that 4 miles would be a good distance to do, and set off together, comfortable for her and a bit harder for me, but I did manage to chat most of the time - so not that hard!
First mile done in 12:38 - crumbs and I was chatting too! AHR 137 - what is that all about - would have expected it top be at least 5 higher!
And so it went on, chat, run, enjoy:
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 12:38 | 137 | didn't feel that quick! |
| 2 | 12:54 | 139 | includes two major roads to cross |
| 3 | 12:20 | 142 | quickest mile ever! |
| 4 | 12:57 | 143 | crossing those roads again |
| 0.08 | 12:14 | 151 | uphill sprint! |
| 4.08 | 12:42 | 140 | a good run |
More than a minute quicker than marathon pace - and anotehr quickest mile PB!
And then a shower, a few of teenbeanz's chips and home for shepherds pie!
Definitely a good day
Monday, 3 April 2006
stuff gets in the way ...
Today was planned to be a 2:30 run - last of the longs, or first of the tapers
I had to get out by 8:30 to fit it all in as student beanz was due to be picked up from the station
but the gas man cometh -the road outside is being excavated and new gas pipes laid to all the houses - but we have two gas meters - owing to it originally being two houses - and this is 'illegal' - so much toing and froing with higher and higher levels of foremen and I have to agree that a new gas pipe will not be connected to our 'second' meter - so no heating or hot water in that half of the house - which inlcudes studentbeanz's bedroom and my study :o(
then phone calls to mrbeanz who explodes (well not literally) and wonders why they thought we have had two separate bills for the last 10 years! and to our patient heating engineer who promises to call by this evening
all this means I do not get out of the house until 9.15
I decided I could not face the A6 yet again so will go down river, past the gym - so I can call in there for a drink, and it saves using my bottle belt, and just use my bumbag for phone keys etc - as I will at FLM.
Off I go plodding gently, but my HR seems to rise rapidly every time I go above walking pace in the first couple of miles - maybe I just need to warm up more slowly - I was already doing 5 minutes walk at the start as that seems to ease my calves into it.
The walk from the station to Blackheath for FLM should help there.
Anyway, I plod to the gym -which is just 4 miles, and good timing for a drink and buy a lucozade sport, drink a third and add water to dilute it - too sweet at full concentration.
Meet my massueuse who is doing Reading on Sunday with Michelle from Run for Glory - her first half and she has not run for 4 weeks, she has a sore calf.
Also went up and sorted out an appointment for tigerrunner to have amassage before FLM
and then student beanz phoned to say what time her train is due
and I realise I don't have time to go as far as planned - so a loop around the gym site and then a plod home
so not quite 2 hours done, rather than 2:30 - ah well that's life
So 10 seconds slower than marathon pace and a HR that suggests something to spare
But a shame really - I had decided on a route with not to much undulation except for the climb coming home, a good day for running - bright blue sky, if a little breezy and I didn't have as good a run as I did last week in the pouring rain!
I had to get out by 8:30 to fit it all in as student beanz was due to be picked up from the station
but the gas man cometh -the road outside is being excavated and new gas pipes laid to all the houses - but we have two gas meters - owing to it originally being two houses - and this is 'illegal' - so much toing and froing with higher and higher levels of foremen and I have to agree that a new gas pipe will not be connected to our 'second' meter - so no heating or hot water in that half of the house - which inlcudes studentbeanz's bedroom and my study :o(
then phone calls to mrbeanz who explodes (well not literally) and wonders why they thought we have had two separate bills for the last 10 years! and to our patient heating engineer who promises to call by this evening
all this means I do not get out of the house until 9.15
I decided I could not face the A6 yet again so will go down river, past the gym - so I can call in there for a drink, and it saves using my bottle belt, and just use my bumbag for phone keys etc - as I will at FLM.
Off I go plodding gently, but my HR seems to rise rapidly every time I go above walking pace in the first couple of miles - maybe I just need to warm up more slowly - I was already doing 5 minutes walk at the start as that seems to ease my calves into it.
The walk from the station to Blackheath for FLM should help there.
Anyway, I plod to the gym -which is just 4 miles, and good timing for a drink and buy a lucozade sport, drink a third and add water to dilute it - too sweet at full concentration.
Meet my massueuse who is doing Reading on Sunday with Michelle from Run for Glory - her first half and she has not run for 4 weeks, she has a sore calf.
Also went up and sorted out an appointment for tigerrunner to have amassage before FLM
and then student beanz phoned to say what time her train is due
and I realise I don't have time to go as far as planned - so a loop around the gym site and then a plod home
so not quite 2 hours done, rather than 2:30 - ah well that's life
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 13:53 | 130 | downhill but HR erratic |
| 2 | 13:24 | 146 | downhill and level! |
| 3 | 13:47 | 137 | level |
| 4 | 13:51 | 133 | level |
| 5 | 12:49 | 132 | level |
| 6 | 13:20 | 137 | level |
| 7 | 14:35 | 136 | up |
| 8 | 14:46 | 130 | up |
| 0.43 | 16:17 | 129 | up! |
| 8.43 | 13:56 | 135 | 1:57:30 1108 Cal |
So 10 seconds slower than marathon pace and a HR that suggests something to spare
But a shame really - I had decided on a route with not to much undulation except for the climb coming home, a good day for running - bright blue sky, if a little breezy and I didn't have as good a run as I did last week in the pouring rain!
Saturday, 1 April 2006
home at last
back home after three days away:
Thursday
No run - not enough sleep on Wednesday night so too tired to do much by the time I got to the hotel in the evening after a long drive, a day's work and another drive.
Friday
An early start to the day when the hotel fire alarm went off at 4.00 am! Apparantly someone in a non smoking room set fire to their bedclothes!
At least the system seemed to work, and we were back inside in 15 minutes.
Up early for a run before our meeting - and I needed it - the meeting has the potential to be stressful, as some clashing personalities arriving. A great country park close to the hotel, so some good paths to run on and I did just over 4 miles. Was great to get past the toxic 20 and not think about running, but watch the wild life and relax.
Meetings went smoothly everybody behaved professionally and we acheived lots I think.
Finished work in time to put my feet up for 20 minutes and then go out for another plod. I thought I'd try a different route ands slightly misjudged the distance - only 2 miles, and although a running mate suggested I went out for another mile, I resisted.
Lovely relaxing dinner with three of the best colleagues - not too much shop but plenty of good chat - and also some reminders about why I don't want to go back in the classsroom.
Saturday
Up early for another plod and another route - just 3 miles this morning, but now I am getting a feel for how the paths join up, so next time we are here I will be able to add a little distance easily.
Meetings went well this morning with lots of productive work done, so we were able to finish at lunchtime :>)
And home.
And I do not go away again until FLM weekend - so that has to be good :>))
And studentbeanz is coming home for a few days this week, which is even better :>))
March mileage was the most ever :>))
Apart from not having run longer than 14 miles in training I am feeling fairly good about FLM at the moment.
Even feeling so good I can bear to have the countdown clock up there (thanks to Leon and computerbeanz!)
Thursday
No run - not enough sleep on Wednesday night so too tired to do much by the time I got to the hotel in the evening after a long drive, a day's work and another drive.
Friday
An early start to the day when the hotel fire alarm went off at 4.00 am! Apparantly someone in a non smoking room set fire to their bedclothes!
At least the system seemed to work, and we were back inside in 15 minutes.
Up early for a run before our meeting - and I needed it - the meeting has the potential to be stressful, as some clashing personalities arriving. A great country park close to the hotel, so some good paths to run on and I did just over 4 miles. Was great to get past the toxic 20 and not think about running, but watch the wild life and relax.
Meetings went smoothly everybody behaved professionally and we acheived lots I think.
Finished work in time to put my feet up for 20 minutes and then go out for another plod. I thought I'd try a different route ands slightly misjudged the distance - only 2 miles, and although a running mate suggested I went out for another mile, I resisted.
Lovely relaxing dinner with three of the best colleagues - not too much shop but plenty of good chat - and also some reminders about why I don't want to go back in the classsroom.
Saturday
Up early for another plod and another route - just 3 miles this morning, but now I am getting a feel for how the paths join up, so next time we are here I will be able to add a little distance easily.
Meetings went well this morning with lots of productive work done, so we were able to finish at lunchtime :>)
And home.
And I do not go away again until FLM weekend - so that has to be good :>))
And studentbeanz is coming home for a few days this week, which is even better :>))
March mileage was the most ever :>))
Apart from not having run longer than 14 miles in training I am feeling fairly good about FLM at the moment.
Even feeling so good I can bear to have the countdown clock up there (thanks to Leon and computerbeanz!)
Wednesday, 29 March 2006
club run
up early to clear room for decorator - and then make him cups of tea through the day!
a massage this afternoon - and a chance for a natter about the Run for Glory programme - masseuse gives me the inside story!
club run this evening - three of us this week, V69, ex lady sprinter and me. We deicde on a shorter run than last week as XLS tried to do a 5 miler at the weekend and blew up at 2 miles - went off too fast - and dropped back tothe fun run - she needs to rebuild her confidence.
so 3.4 miles, 43:33, 12:54 mm AHR 148
definitely a threshold run and just under a minute quicker than planned marathon pace :>)
after FLM, XLS and I will try and do a plod together in the week, when possible and V69 and I might also do some LSDs together - would be good to keep the long runs going
a massage this afternoon - and a chance for a natter about the Run for Glory programme - masseuse gives me the inside story!
club run this evening - three of us this week, V69, ex lady sprinter and me. We deicde on a shorter run than last week as XLS tried to do a 5 miler at the weekend and blew up at 2 miles - went off too fast - and dropped back tothe fun run - she needs to rebuild her confidence.
so 3.4 miles, 43:33, 12:54 mm AHR 148
definitely a threshold run and just under a minute quicker than planned marathon pace :>)
after FLM, XLS and I will try and do a plod together in the week, when possible and V69 and I might also do some LSDs together - would be good to keep the long runs going
Monday, 27 March 2006
Running long
It's a good job I didn't see the weather forecast this morning!
MrBeanz took me out to about 14 miles from home for me to run back.
It was drizzling when we set off so I decided on cap not woolly hat and Aldi gilet not Ron Hill fleecy gilet - good decisions both.
So out in Derbyshire and of course the route starts off UP. I decide a warm-up walk is in order! I plan to run at MHR 140 instead of 145 to see if that helps me survive better at the end.
All seems to be going ok though I seem to have hydrated too well and need to find a convenient hedge - which I do in mile 3.
Soon after that the valley opens out and I discover there's a strong wind from the south and I'm running into it and it is full of water!
Running to HR and walking at the end of each mile are soon abandoned - it's much better to run than walk in this weather.
So I plod along ticking off the miles, wringing out my gloves periodically and trying to keep energy levels up. With a mixture of lucozade, High 5 qels and glucose tablets.
13 miles happens as I reach killer hill so I decide to walk the last bit.
13.8 miles 3:11:46 AHR 137
I am on the road again so more numbers when I get home.
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 13:56 | 127 | 5 min walk then run |
| 2 | 13:09 | 136 | uphill |
| 3 | 12:58 | 138 | phew more comfortable now! |
| 4 | 13:53 | 140 | |
| 5 | 13:33 | 144 | aagh into the wind and rain - got to keep running |
| 6 | 13:16 | 143 | |
| 7 | 14:06 | 138 | pause to wring out gloves - again |
| 8 | 13:13 | 139 | |
| 9 | 14:03 | 139 | |
| 10 | 14:12 | 136 | |
| 11 | 13:52 | 140 | |
| 12 | 13:57 | 138 | |
| 13 | 14:21 | 137 | |
| 0.8 | 16:32 | 130 | walking up the hill |
| 13.8 | 13:53 | 137 | 3:11:46 1763 Calories! |
Saturday, 25 March 2006
away again
After the euphoria of Wednesday night’s run I have been away from home – first a couple of days in London – including meeting up with a blogging buddy for a couple of hours – that was GOOD.
Then on Friday evening it was off to
I asked on the forums where might be safe to run in
So this morning I was up bright and early to explore
I ran up the River Taff, through a park along a cycle path, crossing the river a mile or so up and weaving my way back down the other side of the river.
Lots of wildlife – including zillions of squirrels, great tits, chaffinches, a cormorant on the river – and a jay, first one I’ve seen close to for years; and I heard a woodpecker – but couldn’t see it (I never can).
And I ran nearly 3 miles too – on the return half my HRM was registering crazy numbers – up to 222 – and these numbers did fall if I slowed down – and if I stopped to measure my pulse it did seem to be very high and fell rapidly – so I am not sure what was going on there?
A long working day with lots of walking and stairs leaves me feeling weary – but I would like to run down the river in the other direction tomorrow morning – to see the new developments around Cardiff Bay.
It probably depends on how long we take to eat dinner tonight and whether it is raining in the morning!
Wednesday, 22 March 2006
a double AND a PB!!
what a difference a day makes!
woke up to the most glorious morning - clear sky, light frost, just the weather for running - but it is club night on a Wednesday and it will be dark by then
but I had to run in this so I decided to run to WW - a mile each way over a seriously killer hill
I did it in 27:26 and it was not actually as steep as I anticipated - though I did walk a little as I didn't want to knacker myself for tonight
which was just as well, because there was there was just me and the Vet from our slow group - so we set off and he decided that since I was going so well we'd extend the route a bit
most of the route is off road on a cycle path, so well lit and a nice smooth surface - ok tarmac but it is bettter than cronky flagstones, of which there are lot on the footpaths around the club.
after about 3 miles I get into the groove and enjoy myelf - working hard but because it was flat, I am able to keep plodding without walking at all - and only pause to walk at a couple of road crossings :o))
woke up to the most glorious morning - clear sky, light frost, just the weather for running - but it is club night on a Wednesday and it will be dark by then
but I had to run in this so I decided to run to WW - a mile each way over a seriously killer hill
I did it in 27:26 and it was not actually as steep as I anticipated - though I did walk a little as I didn't want to knacker myself for tonight
which was just as well, because there was there was just me and the Vet from our slow group - so we set off and he decided that since I was going so well we'd extend the route a bit
most of the route is off road on a cycle path, so well lit and a nice smooth surface - ok tarmac but it is bettter than cronky flagstones, of which there are lot on the footpaths around the club.
after about 3 miles I get into the groove and enjoy myelf - working hard but because it was flat, I am able to keep plodding without walking at all - and only pause to walk at a couple of road crossings :o))
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 12:59 | 136 | includes stepped footbridge |
| 2 | 12:22 | 142 | best mile ever I think! |
| 3 | 12:27 | 142 | |
| 4 | 12:50 | 140 | |
| 5 | 12:47 | 140 | |
| 5.32 | 12:42 | 140 | 1:07 |
I think that would be classed as a threshold run probably.
So a PB? Well yes, my best ever mile, I think ,and also the furthest and quickest I've run without pausing - a very happy beanz tonight!
Tuesday, 21 March 2006
swimming to recover
legs were a bit achey yesterday afternoon, but OK this morning
mrbeanz has the day off today and was off to the gym early - what to do? gym? treadmill? recovery run along the river path? swim?
swimming won - haven't done that for ages and I plan to run Wednesday and Thursday at least this week, so a swim it was
on the way there I discovered my goggles had escaped from the bag, so it was back to the old days of swimming without goggles, and I now have sore eyes to prove it!
I had the same toxic 20 moment when I thought I'd stop, but decided 500 m was not enough so kept going for the full km.
mrbeanz has the day off today and was off to the gym early - what to do? gym? treadmill? recovery run along the river path? swim?
swimming won - haven't done that for ages and I plan to run Wednesday and Thursday at least this week, so a swim it was
on the way there I discovered my goggles had escaped from the bag, so it was back to the old days of swimming without goggles, and I now have sore eyes to prove it!
I had the same toxic 20 moment when I thought I'd stop, but decided 500 m was not enough so kept going for the full km.
So 1 km swum - in the time I would run 5 km!
A cup of coffee while I wait for mrbeanz and watch Dean Macey win gold - yay!
Monday, 20 March 2006
Can I change to the half please?
Dear Mr Bedford,
Please would you transfer my place in the FLM to the FLHM as I feel it would suit me better
Thanks
Beanz
later.....
Oh there ISN'T a half marathon on the same day? - well, I'll just have to try and run the whole way then ..
Seem to be recovering from the cold - and not feeling so miserable and tearful
However not sure about the running .....
Time for a long slow plod - 3 hours is due
mrbeanz was not going my way so it was an out and back, rather than the drop off and run back
So I ran out for 1½ hours and back.
Please would you transfer my place in the FLM to the FLHM as I feel it would suit me better
Thanks
Beanz
later.....
Oh there ISN'T a half marathon on the same day? - well, I'll just have to try and run the whole way then ..
Seem to be recovering from the cold - and not feeling so miserable and tearful
However not sure about the running .....
Time for a long slow plod - 3 hours is due
mrbeanz was not going my way so it was an out and back, rather than the drop off and run back
So I ran out for 1½ hours and back.
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 13:37 | 132 | warming up downhill |
| 2 | 13:20 | 136 | |
| 3 | 13:15 | 135 | |
| 4 | 13:17 | 137 | |
| 5 | 13:35 | 137 | try a gel - yuck |
| 6 | 13:47 | 135 | |
| 7 | 14:11 | 134 | |
| 8 | 13:30 | 133 | buy a lucozade |
| 9 | 13:33 | 138 | |
| 10 | 13:41 | 135 | |
| 11 | 14:16 | 135 | |
| 12 | 15:30 | 130 | heart OK legs struggling |
| 13 | 15:23 | 127 | this hill doesn't get easier! |
| 13.21 | 17:16 | 119 | 13:58 AHR 134 |
I have to say the prosepct of doing as much again daunts me at the moment - maybe I have to think about going a little slower - but then I'd be on my feet even longer!
The first 10 miles were done in 2:15:49 which is 13:35 rate - I need to do 13:45 rate for a 6 hour marathon - so ... without th ehills maybe I can keep goin on my run a mile make up the difference mode which I used today based on 14 mm - and ended up (including the slow stuff ) with 13:58 mm.
Hey Ho
Saturday, 18 March 2006
plodding in the park
I should have been doing a long slow run with Pixie today but we decided earlier in the week that the lurgy meant this was not a good idea
I plan to do the run on Monday, so I wanted a little plod today to see whether that is likely
So after a lie in and a cup of tea in bed (thanks mrbeanz) it was up and out to the park -with its undulations
But this was not about speed just about getting out there.
And off I went, realising after a mile or so that I was very hungry - this running before breakfast is all very well when I run at 6.30 but after a lie in it means 13 hours since I last ate!
Anyway 2.5 miles done, some of it walking up the steep bits but it was good to be out there and I wondered why I don't just get out there every day for a few miles instead of up the main road - oh, I remember it's those hills:
I plan to do the run on Monday, so I wanted a little plod today to see whether that is likely
So after a lie in and a cup of tea in bed (thanks mrbeanz) it was up and out to the park -with its undulations
But this was not about speed just about getting out there.
And off I went, realising after a mile or so that I was very hungry - this running before breakfast is all very well when I run at 6.30 but after a lie in it means 13 hours since I last ate!
Anyway 2.5 miles done, some of it walking up the steep bits but it was good to be out there and I wondered why I don't just get out there every day for a few miles instead of up the main road - oh, I remember it's those hills:
What impresses me about this is the accuracy of the plot - this is from memory-map and the symmetry of the elevations on teh out and back bits are pretty good.
oh, and it also shows there isn't much flat stuff around here!
Thursday, 16 March 2006
so it's true then
I am doing the London marathon - at least the mag has arrived this morning so I must be
but I feel blobby and stuffed up with cold
and difficulty in concentrating on anything
and I should be working
bleurgh
and I am finding it hard to believe that 3 hours is long enough for long runs for a 6 hour marathoner
and anyway I haven't done many long runs at all - in the past 6 weeks just a 2 hours, a 2½ hours and a 3¼ hours otherwise piffling things
and it's no good saying you've done a marathon so you know you can do it - I don't have any doubt that I will get round, but if I don't make a better fist of it than last time I will have wasted the last three months in not loosing weight and not training properly
bleurgh ....................
but I feel blobby and stuffed up with cold
and difficulty in concentrating on anything
and I should be working
bleurgh
and I am finding it hard to believe that 3 hours is long enough for long runs for a 6 hour marathoner
and anyway I haven't done many long runs at all - in the past 6 weeks just a 2 hours, a 2½ hours and a 3¼ hours otherwise piffling things
and it's no good saying you've done a marathon so you know you can do it - I don't have any doubt that I will get round, but if I don't make a better fist of it than last time I will have wasted the last three months in not loosing weight and not training properly
bleurgh ....................
Wednesday, 15 March 2006
I've got a cold - or is it manflu?
I am all stuffed up with a cold - but I don't do colds so its a bit of a shock to the system
I think it must be a result of getting over tired with all teh rushing around - and not taking the cod liver oil, vitamin C etc
Not gone to my chest yet so I will be off to the club tonight to plod.
A week at home with time to run I cannot afford to miss the chance for proper plods.
Later
Teenebanz wanted to go to the club again, so we went, and I did run - there was a very cold wind - in our faces as we went up the hill, so a tough start, a bit slower than last week, but I survived
what: club run 3.5 miles
time: 46:56
pace: 13:23
AHR: 143
I think it must be a result of getting over tired with all teh rushing around - and not taking the cod liver oil, vitamin C etc
Not gone to my chest yet so I will be off to the club tonight to plod.
A week at home with time to run I cannot afford to miss the chance for proper plods.
Later
Teenebanz wanted to go to the club again, so we went, and I did run - there was a very cold wind - in our faces as we went up the hill, so a tough start, a bit slower than last week, but I survived
what: club run 3.5 miles
time: 46:56
pace: 13:23
AHR: 143
Monday, 13 March 2006
better
managed to get to the gym this morning before catching the train
focused on the tready and keeping going - usually the toxic twenty gets to me, and I dip out but I was determined to stay with it and do some work
so took the speed up in 0.1 km/hr notches until my HR was up above 75% and then came down again ...and up again ... until 5 km done
then a mile or so walk in each direction in London - where the sun was shining
and home at last
Peterborough tomorrow and then home for the rest of the week
phew ..
focused on the tready and keeping going - usually the toxic twenty gets to me, and I dip out but I was determined to stay with it and do some work
so took the speed up in 0.1 km/hr notches until my HR was up above 75% and then came down again ...and up again ... until 5 km done
then a mile or so walk in each direction in London - where the sun was shining
and home at last
Peterborough tomorrow and then home for the rest of the week
phew ..
Sunday, 12 March 2006
worn out
absolutely shattered - did nto run this morning
its all a bit of a struggle
and a meeting in London tomorrow - will try to go and plod on the tready at the gym first
its all a bit of a struggle
and a meeting in London tomorrow - will try to go and plod on the tready at the gym first
Saturday, 11 March 2006
running away
away rather a lot at the moment, so having to fit running in when I can
Wednesday
Club night and teenbeanz came too :>))
I had expected that the girls I took out last week woudl be there but they weren't so a chance to go out with the other 'slow group' who drag me a long at a faster pace than I would do on my own - and prove to me that I can run a bit faster than feels comfortable!
This week the group is MV69 (most recent half marathon 2:30 but used to be much quicker) and a lady who sprinted as a school girl and only just getting back into running and loving it - call her ex lady sprinter XLS - she goes off quicker than me but each time we go a bit further with us she is running into the unknown, so at the moment I have the edge in endurance if not pace! Off we set, XLS at the front MV69 chatting away and me chugging at the back - wishing I had done some warm up before we started. MV69 congratulates me on the fact that I am getting quicker thanks to going out with them, which is true, but I do wonder whether he thinks I don't run from one week to the next!
After the usual toxic twenty I am beginning to enjoy it and keeping up with XLS much better - I think she is beginning to struggle once we get past about 2.5 miles, but we all keep going with no stopping - even the traffic lights don't allow a breather!
As we come into the home straight we pick up one of the quicker men who is warming down - so he drags us back rather quickly. I had planned to run a bit past the club to take me up to 4 miles but was rather out of breath and teenbeanz was just coming in so I called it a day.
what: club run 3.6 miles
time: 46:52
pace: 12:56
AHR: 145
No hanging around tonight, I took teenbeanz home and then had to drive to Peterborough for a three day meeting with an early start in the morning.
Oh and teenbeanz had a good run too - not too fast for him as a mid week run,but a good way of getting a long easy in to his week.
Thursday
Up early in Peterborough for a recovery run. I do wish they woudl send us to the same hotels more than once - yet again a different hotel and I have to suss out a run. I had printed off a bit of the OS from multimap and reckoned I could use a cycle track.
And out I went - heavy legs after last night, but it was good to be out in the fresh air and not cold at all. I soon foudn the cycle route and it was rather good - through a wood, but open enough to feel safe and a soft bit alongside the tarmacced path - presumably for horses, but good to run on to as it was mostly sandy rather than muddy. I saw a few dog walkers, cyclists and just one other runner - a rather fast lady.
Plodding at recovery HR meant a very slow plod, but good to be out.
what: recovery 2.6 miles
time: 36:49
pace: 14:26
AHR: 129
Friday
Did not run - had not slept well, anxious about the days ahead. As it turns out I probably should have run as my anxiety turned into stress and a not good day.
Resolved to have an early night and run on Saturday - so eat in my room - did not need the company.
Saturday
Up early to run, a light drizzle, but hey we don't mind running in the rain and snow is forecast!!
Started on the same route as Thursday, but took and option of a change in direction, and onto a muddy path by the river. A colleague had told me he had crossed the river in the village near the hotel, so I thought 'I must be abel to get back across the river later'. As I plodded further and there is no sign of anything but fields and woods, I thought 'at what point should I decide to turn back and retrace my steps?'
And then I cam to sluice gates and the feed to the canal - now I had river AND canal between me and my target! But soon there were bridges and all was well.
I must look at the OS to see where I went!
I felt SO much better for the plod - must do this more often. And get some off-road shoes for the mud.
what: steady 3.4 miles
time: 47:42
pace: 13:51
AHR: 138
At last I am home again.
Teenbeanz is off to race tomorrow, Fradley 10k - weather permitting, I plan a 1:30 plod.
Wednesday
Club night and teenbeanz came too :>))
I had expected that the girls I took out last week woudl be there but they weren't so a chance to go out with the other 'slow group' who drag me a long at a faster pace than I would do on my own - and prove to me that I can run a bit faster than feels comfortable!
This week the group is MV69 (most recent half marathon 2:30 but used to be much quicker) and a lady who sprinted as a school girl and only just getting back into running and loving it - call her ex lady sprinter XLS - she goes off quicker than me but each time we go a bit further with us she is running into the unknown, so at the moment I have the edge in endurance if not pace! Off we set, XLS at the front MV69 chatting away and me chugging at the back - wishing I had done some warm up before we started. MV69 congratulates me on the fact that I am getting quicker thanks to going out with them, which is true, but I do wonder whether he thinks I don't run from one week to the next!
After the usual toxic twenty I am beginning to enjoy it and keeping up with XLS much better - I think she is beginning to struggle once we get past about 2.5 miles, but we all keep going with no stopping - even the traffic lights don't allow a breather!
As we come into the home straight we pick up one of the quicker men who is warming down - so he drags us back rather quickly. I had planned to run a bit past the club to take me up to 4 miles but was rather out of breath and teenbeanz was just coming in so I called it a day.
what: club run 3.6 miles
time: 46:52
pace: 12:56
AHR: 145
No hanging around tonight, I took teenbeanz home and then had to drive to Peterborough for a three day meeting with an early start in the morning.
Oh and teenbeanz had a good run too - not too fast for him as a mid week run,but a good way of getting a long easy in to his week.
Thursday
Up early in Peterborough for a recovery run. I do wish they woudl send us to the same hotels more than once - yet again a different hotel and I have to suss out a run. I had printed off a bit of the OS from multimap and reckoned I could use a cycle track.
And out I went - heavy legs after last night, but it was good to be out in the fresh air and not cold at all. I soon foudn the cycle route and it was rather good - through a wood, but open enough to feel safe and a soft bit alongside the tarmacced path - presumably for horses, but good to run on to as it was mostly sandy rather than muddy. I saw a few dog walkers, cyclists and just one other runner - a rather fast lady.
Plodding at recovery HR meant a very slow plod, but good to be out.
what: recovery 2.6 miles
time: 36:49
pace: 14:26
AHR: 129
Friday
Did not run - had not slept well, anxious about the days ahead. As it turns out I probably should have run as my anxiety turned into stress and a not good day.
Resolved to have an early night and run on Saturday - so eat in my room - did not need the company.
Saturday
Up early to run, a light drizzle, but hey we don't mind running in the rain and snow is forecast!!
Started on the same route as Thursday, but took and option of a change in direction, and onto a muddy path by the river. A colleague had told me he had crossed the river in the village near the hotel, so I thought 'I must be abel to get back across the river later'. As I plodded further and there is no sign of anything but fields and woods, I thought 'at what point should I decide to turn back and retrace my steps?'
And then I cam to sluice gates and the feed to the canal - now I had river AND canal between me and my target! But soon there were bridges and all was well.
I must look at the OS to see where I went!
I felt SO much better for the plod - must do this more often. And get some off-road shoes for the mud.
what: steady 3.4 miles
time: 47:42
pace: 13:51
AHR: 138
At last I am home again.
Teenbeanz is off to race tomorrow, Fradley 10k - weather permitting, I plan a 1:30 plod.
Monday, 6 March 2006
a longer run at last
Sunday
Club hosting the last of the Sunday league XC runs today, so teenbeanz and I went down to marshall. I took the camera as it was a beautiful snowy morning. Failed to take any pics inthe park or of the race, but sad physicist that I am I had to take this one of the 'frost shadow'.
Monday
I haven't done anything longer than 6 miles for a month, and most of the runs in the last month have been around 3 miles as I have had to squeez them in before work.
So it was time to just get out there and do it.
So a 2:30 run was on the schedule so @ 14 mm that was about 11 miles, so I got up very earl;y for porridge and then was ready to go out with MrBeanz when he went to work - dropping me off just under 11 miles from home meant I HAD to run home. After the usual warm up 20 minutes and plenty of stretching it felt good and the planned 14 mm were not materialising - trying to keep my HR at 135-145, which is reasonably comfortable, I was running rather quicker than I expected. Ah well, I seem to be getting fitter at last!
So the numbers:
Club hosting the last of the Sunday league XC runs today, so teenbeanz and I went down to marshall. I took the camera as it was a beautiful snowy morning. Failed to take any pics inthe park or of the race, but sad physicist that I am I had to take this one of the 'frost shadow'.
Monday
I haven't done anything longer than 6 miles for a month, and most of the runs in the last month have been around 3 miles as I have had to squeez them in before work.
So it was time to just get out there and do it.
So a 2:30 run was on the schedule so @ 14 mm that was about 11 miles, so I got up very earl;y for porridge and then was ready to go out with MrBeanz when he went to work - dropping me off just under 11 miles from home meant I HAD to run home. After the usual warm up 20 minutes and plenty of stretching it felt good and the planned 14 mm were not materialising - trying to keep my HR at 135-145, which is reasonably comfortable, I was running rather quicker than I expected. Ah well, I seem to be getting fitter at last!
So the numbers:
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 13:11 | 137 | |
| 2 | 13:23 | 138 | |
| 3 | 12:33 | 140 | |
| 4 | 12:44 | 140 | |
| 5 | 13:05 | 139 | |
| 6 | 12:43 | 141 | |
| 7 | 12:37 | 138 | |
| 8 | 12:41 | 137 | |
| 9 | 12:57 | 135 | |
| 10 | 13:29 | 139 | start of killer hill |
| 11 | 16:12 | 128 | walked most of this mile |
| 11 | 13:14 | 137 | 2:25:45 |
I have not done that pace on a long run before, so wonder whether I was going too fast? The elevation looked like this :
Perhaps not as undulating as my other recent long runs over this route:
see what I mean about undulating and killer hill?
and the average paces for those were :
14 miles at 13:53 AHR 134
9 miles at 13:36 and AHR 135
Perhaps I am getting fitter if I can run for longer and faster at a slightly higher HR?
Saturday, 4 March 2006
Doh!
Friday
Currently working in Coventry.
Up early this morning to run. Kit on ready to go - but no shoes :-(
How stupid can I be?
Had my new copy of RW in my bag and lo and behold - there's a running shop 10 minutes away (actually the ad. says 2 minutes but that must be at 3 a.m.)
A phone call confirmed that they have Asics 2110s in my size, so I sneak off at lunch time and buy them. Well you can never have too many running shoes can you?
Unfortunately I couldn't take advantage of the lovely day to run, as the meeting ran on until very late.
But I will be up in the morning to run before work.
later on Saturday ......
I managed to get up and run at 6.30 - very frosty and not much time as we wanted to start the meeting early so we could all get home at a reasonable time.
2.3 miles done and arrived back with a frosty hat and gilet!
But I felt soo much better for it - and a colleague told me he could tell I had run because I was much more relaxed and less inclined to crabbiness!!!
Its the club home XC race tomorrow so teenbeanz and I will go and marshall - he isn't a member and I am not running XC - yet.
It would be nice to jog down there and back, but that would mean standing around for an hour or two in just running kit and getting cold, so will go out and run first.
Wednesday, 1 March 2006
great club running!
how could I have thought of not keeping going to my club?
great run this evening
arrived to find one of the fast ladies had brought her teenage daughter and friend to run - TD has asthma and consultant has suggested that running would help, so please could she plod round with me?
Of course a real pleasure - wasn't in my plan but that doesn't matter
It turned out really well
a couple of the other slower ladies were there and one wanted to do one lap of the 2 mile course, the other to do two
so we set off together and TD and friend and I did a run walk - ie we ran for a minute, then we walked briskly til TD had a enough breath to gossip, then we ran for a minute then ... for 2 miles, the girls went to sit in the warm until Mum had finished and I went and did a speedier 2 miles
So I had done a proper warm up instead of zooming off too fast and having tight calves and the second lap was the fastest I've ever done it - a real result!
great run this evening
arrived to find one of the fast ladies had brought her teenage daughter and friend to run - TD has asthma and consultant has suggested that running would help, so please could she plod round with me?
Of course a real pleasure - wasn't in my plan but that doesn't matter
It turned out really well
a couple of the other slower ladies were there and one wanted to do one lap of the 2 mile course, the other to do two
so we set off together and TD and friend and I did a run walk - ie we ran for a minute, then we walked briskly til TD had a enough breath to gossip, then we ran for a minute then ... for 2 miles, the girls went to sit in the warm until Mum had finished and I went and did a speedier 2 miles
So I had done a proper warm up instead of zooming off too fast and having tight calves and the second lap was the fastest I've ever done it - a real result!
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 14:11 | 130 | downhill |
| 2 | 14:38 | 131 | back up |
| 3 | 12:22 | 147 | down again |
| 4 | 12:25 | 153 | up again - keeping each other from walking! |
| 4.20 | 13:24 | 140 | 53:50 |
Tuesday, 28 February 2006
flying visit ....
Back from Cambridge this evening and off to Coventry on Thursday (via Aldi!!)
so what's been going on
Saturday
National XC Champs - Parliament Hill
Up at 6.00 to make sandwiches, get it all together and get teenbeanz organised
Off on the Club coach to London - a good bus full mostly teenagers and a few parents
Arrive in time for a good wander round before the first race
It's a glorious day, blue sky, scudding clouds and a cold northerly wind - not too bad if you are wrapped up well - a bit chilly when you are down to your vest and shorts to run!
I've never been here before and there are fantastic views across the London skyline.
Teenbeanz ran in the Under 17 race - 5 from the club first 4 to count. I saw them off at the start and then was walking over to cheer themon their first lap when one of them appeaed walking back to the club tent - a cold and asthma had got the better of him - so now teenbeanz would count! As he came in for the last ¼ mile there were runners behind him and I told him he was not counting - it gave him an extra impetus to keep going. And he finished well, with several behind; a definite improvement on last year - up an age group and further up the field :>)))
Down to the registration tent to look for the runners from my other club - Tigerrunner is snotty and hasn't come, so I go to meet the others and sort out numbers etc. They all turn up and we have a natter.
Now it's the men's race and I go down to the start to collect their warm gear and then we cheer them on - an awesome sight - over 1000 men charging up the hill!
At teh end of the races there is pub food before we go home - and very welcome after stanidn gup and walking all day. I had switched my garmin on in my rucksack at the start of the day and find I have walked a little over 6 miles during the day.
Sunday
Up early again to be in Cambridge for a 9.00 am meeting - a smooth journey wihtout incident i am in plenty of time.
The meeting goes on until after lunch and then I check in to the hotel. I plan to put my feet up for a while and then go for a plod - 3 hours later I wake up and its getting dark. And I don't plod :<( But I needed the sleep.
A good friend turns up for tomorrow's meeting so we go out for a drink and a bite to eat - so much better thanlast week's room serivce very night.
Monday
Up for a plod - hooray! It takes 20 minutes to start enjoying it but then I do and 3.2 miles done at 70-75% HR
Tuesday
Up early but decide to do the core strength stuff instead of plodding - and am surprised to discover that if I do it properly - strength and stretch it takes nearly 45 minutes.
Must do it more often.
and so home at last, if briefly
so what's been going on
Saturday
National XC Champs - Parliament Hill
Up at 6.00 to make sandwiches, get it all together and get teenbeanz organised
Off on the Club coach to London - a good bus full mostly teenagers and a few parents
Arrive in time for a good wander round before the first race
It's a glorious day, blue sky, scudding clouds and a cold northerly wind - not too bad if you are wrapped up well - a bit chilly when you are down to your vest and shorts to run!
I've never been here before and there are fantastic views across the London skyline.
Teenbeanz ran in the Under 17 race - 5 from the club first 4 to count. I saw them off at the start and then was walking over to cheer themon their first lap when one of them appeaed walking back to the club tent - a cold and asthma had got the better of him - so now teenbeanz would count! As he came in for the last ¼ mile there were runners behind him and I told him he was not counting - it gave him an extra impetus to keep going. And he finished well, with several behind; a definite improvement on last year - up an age group and further up the field :>)))
Down to the registration tent to look for the runners from my other club - Tigerrunner is snotty and hasn't come, so I go to meet the others and sort out numbers etc. They all turn up and we have a natter.
Now it's the men's race and I go down to the start to collect their warm gear and then we cheer them on - an awesome sight - over 1000 men charging up the hill!
At teh end of the races there is pub food before we go home - and very welcome after stanidn gup and walking all day. I had switched my garmin on in my rucksack at the start of the day and find I have walked a little over 6 miles during the day.
Sunday
Up early again to be in Cambridge for a 9.00 am meeting - a smooth journey wihtout incident i am in plenty of time.
The meeting goes on until after lunch and then I check in to the hotel. I plan to put my feet up for a while and then go for a plod - 3 hours later I wake up and its getting dark. And I don't plod :<( But I needed the sleep.
A good friend turns up for tomorrow's meeting so we go out for a drink and a bite to eat - so much better thanlast week's room serivce very night.
Monday
Up for a plod - hooray! It takes 20 minutes to start enjoying it but then I do and 3.2 miles done at 70-75% HR
Tuesday
Up early but decide to do the core strength stuff instead of plodding - and am surprised to discover that if I do it properly - strength and stretch it takes nearly 45 minutes.
Must do it more often.
and so home at last, if briefly
Friday, 24 February 2006
missing runs
mmm haven't blogged since Sunday
something to do with being feeble I think
anyway it went like this:
Sunday - ran early, meetings all day, work to do in the evening, late to bed
Monday - couldn't get up early to run, needed sleep; worked late into the evening
Tuesday - had to get up early to get early into the office to email work from Monday
Wednesday - at last the energy to get up and run - 2½ miles in 31:31 ok so not that far but it was 12:49 mm so quick for me
Thursday - snowing, so I was persuaded to go to the gym - so I could give the teenbeanzes a lift to school on the way - so cross-trainer and then tready 2½ miles done
Friday - and its long run day - more snow, cold wind but eventually I get myself out the door, snow has stopped and it is thawing slightly - though I cannot imgaine why, it is FREEZING
plod the first mile mostly downhill, but as soon as I reach an uphill bit my back aches - and this is the route that is best described as hilly - so with this back ache there is no way I am going to cope with all the hills an dI decide to turn back :<( and a pathetic 2 miles completed
back home I phone the phyzz who miraculously has had a cancellation and I have been down there for a prod - she agrees the back is tight and going into spasma and says that I need to do the core strength stuff more carefully and regularly
so that is me told
I MUST do it
tomorrow's another day
and its National XC Champs at Parliament Hills - is it a year since I met Ruth at the Brum races?
so teenbeanz is running and various other forumites - its looking to be a cold muddy day out
something to do with being feeble I think
anyway it went like this:
Sunday - ran early, meetings all day, work to do in the evening, late to bed
Monday - couldn't get up early to run, needed sleep; worked late into the evening
Tuesday - had to get up early to get early into the office to email work from Monday
Wednesday - at last the energy to get up and run - 2½ miles in 31:31 ok so not that far but it was 12:49 mm so quick for me
Thursday - snowing, so I was persuaded to go to the gym - so I could give the teenbeanzes a lift to school on the way - so cross-trainer and then tready 2½ miles done
Friday - and its long run day - more snow, cold wind but eventually I get myself out the door, snow has stopped and it is thawing slightly - though I cannot imgaine why, it is FREEZING
plod the first mile mostly downhill, but as soon as I reach an uphill bit my back aches - and this is the route that is best described as hilly - so with this back ache there is no way I am going to cope with all the hills an dI decide to turn back :<( and a pathetic 2 miles completed
back home I phone the phyzz who miraculously has had a cancellation and I have been down there for a prod - she agrees the back is tight and going into spasma and says that I need to do the core strength stuff more carefully and regularly
so that is me told
I MUST do it
tomorrow's another day
and its National XC Champs at Parliament Hills - is it a year since I met Ruth at the Brum races?
so teenbeanz is running and various other forumites - its looking to be a cold muddy day out
Sunday, 19 February 2006
Plodding on
Blogging by email this week so no fancy formatting or tables.
Saturday
After a lie-in and some work I made it out for a short plod in the park. Aimed for a steady run, not easy given some of the gradients. However I did keep going in the last half mile up the hill.
What: plod in the park
distance : 2.6 miles
Time:37:17
Pace: 14:34
AHR: 136
Sunday
In Cambridge and up in time to start the day with a plod. It's good to run on a level route again. It was time for a threshold run and I set the Garmin up :
5 mins @ 60% AHR
5 mins @ 70% AHR
2 mins @ 80%; 1 min @ 70%; x 5
5 mins @ 70% AHR
5 mins @ 60% AHR
It was hard work without TP Jackie to keep me going - but I managed at least 1.5 minutes of 80% in each rep. And as I wasn't back at the hotel by the end I plodded back at about 70%
Overall:
What: threshold run
distance : 3.2 miles
Time:40:40
Pace: 12:41
AHR: 139
MHR: 180
Fastest rep :10:15 mm for 2 minutes
Pretty pleased with the numbers.
Friday, 17 February 2006
struggling this week
plodded Tuesday
prodded Wednesday
travelled Thursday
worked Friday
now knackered with nothing to show for it
masseuse did a brilliant prod on Wednesday really hit the spots that made my shin sore - and, after some icing, it is sore no more :>))
however I should have done a long run with Ruth today, but didn't - coudln't make our diaries fit
and I have let the work pile up so didn't even go out on my own - at all
there's no wonder the teenbeanzes are struggling to finish all their coursework - I do nto set a good example and I am struggling too - too much time forumming, reading blogs and generally messing around
not enough work done each day to keep the deadlines at bay
so then I have to stay up late to finish things and am worn out next day
aagh!
still if I can get through the next 24 hours and get stuff done, it is off to Cambridge - stay in a hotel - plods before breakfast alternating threshold, base and recovery I think
and early nights
maybe I can recover some of my get up and go
and not get myself in this mess again
maybe
or maybe not ..................
prodded Wednesday
travelled Thursday
worked Friday
now knackered with nothing to show for it
masseuse did a brilliant prod on Wednesday really hit the spots that made my shin sore - and, after some icing, it is sore no more :>))
however I should have done a long run with Ruth today, but didn't - coudln't make our diaries fit
and I have let the work pile up so didn't even go out on my own - at all
there's no wonder the teenbeanzes are struggling to finish all their coursework - I do nto set a good example and I am struggling too - too much time forumming, reading blogs and generally messing around
not enough work done each day to keep the deadlines at bay
so then I have to stay up late to finish things and am worn out next day
aagh!
still if I can get through the next 24 hours and get stuff done, it is off to Cambridge - stay in a hotel - plods before breakfast alternating threshold, base and recovery I think
and early nights
maybe I can recover some of my get up and go
and not get myself in this mess again
maybe
or maybe not ..................
Tuesday, 14 February 2006
a plod in the park
what a great plod!
XB commented at the weekend how the Garmin liberates you to go off route and still have all the geeky (my word not his) numbers to look at afterwards
so off for a plod in the park - recovery run is the technical term
now it is not totally possible to keep your HR under control in my park but still I'll try
so a standard loop of the lake and field, listening to the birds thinking it's spring already
but still 20 minutes to do, so off across the golf course, just wandering in places I don't normally venture; some plodding, some walking up steep bits until eventually I get home
almost 44 minutes done, no tarmac and loads of fresh air
must do this more often!
and I realised that I could do my threshold runs around the lake where it is reasonably flat
the best bit?
seeing our retired GP walking her dog - she used to have two dodgy hips, but after two ops she is striding out across the golf course, like a woman half her age :>)
oh, numbers:
what: recovery run
where: the park
distance: 2.83 m
time: 44:42
pace: 15:47
AHR: 128
XB commented at the weekend how the Garmin liberates you to go off route and still have all the geeky (my word not his) numbers to look at afterwards
so off for a plod in the park - recovery run is the technical term
now it is not totally possible to keep your HR under control in my park but still I'll try
so a standard loop of the lake and field, listening to the birds thinking it's spring already
but still 20 minutes to do, so off across the golf course, just wandering in places I don't normally venture; some plodding, some walking up steep bits until eventually I get home
almost 44 minutes done, no tarmac and loads of fresh air
must do this more often!
and I realised that I could do my threshold runs around the lake where it is reasonably flat
the best bit?
seeing our retired GP walking her dog - she used to have two dodgy hips, but after two ops she is striding out across the golf course, like a woman half her age :>)
oh, numbers:
what: recovery run
where: the park
distance: 2.83 m
time: 44:42
pace: 15:47
AHR: 128
Monday, 13 February 2006
a new me?
Monday
later that day ...................
I have been doing the sugar free me challenge for 6 days now and enjoying the need to think before I eat only a few transgressions:
a glass of wine and a half of beer at TP (well the sugar has all been converted to alcohol hasn't it?)
and a home made bread roll left over from the weekend that was calling out to be toasted with some nice sharp fair trade marmalade
and has it had any effect?
no noticeable headaches, which some folk forecast - but then if not bingeing on sweet stuff which DID give me a headache I did not eat that much really
I HAVE been eating more fruit instead - so a good thing all round
and 1½lbs lost at WW this evening :>))
later that day ...................
I have been doing the sugar free me challenge for 6 days now and enjoying the need to think before I eat only a few transgressions:
a glass of wine and a half of beer at TP (well the sugar has all been converted to alcohol hasn't it?)
and a home made bread roll left over from the weekend that was calling out to be toasted with some nice sharp fair trade marmalade
and has it had any effect?
no noticeable headaches, which some folk forecast - but then if not bingeing on sweet stuff which DID give me a headache I did not eat that much really
I HAVE been eating more fruit instead - so a good thing all round
and 1½lbs lost at WW this evening :>))
Trailplus weekend
A great weekend again.
Lots of forumites - and, especially, lots of waisters, who really are the best friends you could ask for.
Friday
The drive down was enlivened by travelling with XB (driver), daffy and EF, and RB following and then meeting up with Pix at the services, so a convoy of three proceeded to the Forest of Dean.
It had been a hard week, so I passed on the evening run, knowing the legs would be doing plenty of work over the weekend.
The weekend consisted of a mixture of talks and practical sessions, with the aim of enabling you to put together a tranining programme to sut your needs. And as they work on time on feet, rather than distance run, the advice given can apply to everybody.
The people there were targeting everything from 2:30-2:45 times to 6 hours (me) - there were also people there who do not currently have a marathon on the horizon and some might never, but the advice was good for all runners, particularly endurance runners.
Saturday
So an early morning pre-breakfast 'recovery' run to get the metabolism going and theoretically raise your metabolism for the rest of the day - and help fat burning (sounds good to me)
A talk on the elements of an endurance programme:
Sunday: long run at 65-75% MRH
Monday: Rest or Recovery run (40 minutes @ 60-65%) or cross train 60 minutes
Tuesday: Kenyan Hills - steady up and down starting with 20s up and 10 reps and then increasing length and reps
Wednesday: Rest or Recovery or cross train
Thursday: Threshold run at 80-85%
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: Fartlek/marathon pace run/threshold run
have a step back week every fourth week, build up slowly, include plenty of stretching and core strength
every session starts with a warm up walk and jog for 10 minutes and warm down jog at the end
Then out to practice threshold running - splitting into groups our plodders group did 5 x 2 minutes at 80% HR - looks good on the garmin data!
shower and lunch
digest lunch whilst listening to a talk on nutrition - nothing new really, just reinforcing good habits
out to practice Kenyan Hills - which are not several reps of Mount Kilimanjaro but steady running up and down hills, rather than traditional eyeballs out stuff
the hill looked much like my killer hill that goes on for a mile! I cannot imagine doing reps up and down the A6 though
and back for a practical session on stretching
and a talk on personal training plans
and a good dinner - unless you were a garlic-hating vegetarian!
Sunday
no early run so breakfast then a talk about the long run - and a clearly stated belief that no one should be doing more than 3 hours running in training - more marathons are ruined by peaking with a long run that is not is done too hard and does not allow time for recovery
so on this theory I crashed at mile 18 because I ran 18 miles in 4 hours with Ruth three weeks out, not because I did not run 20 miles
so having ignored the advice last year to not run more than 3 hours, this year I am going to take it!
and then the long run - out for 1:38 , lots of pauses to regroup; some walking because our legs were feeling the effects of threshold and hills, we had a lovely damp morning in the forest
a final shower, lunch and then a talk about tapering and The Last Week - how to run perfect marathons!
and its time to go home
a great weekend - 13 miles plodded, some of it quickly!
and a new schedule sorted
Lots of forumites - and, especially, lots of waisters, who really are the best friends you could ask for.
Friday
The drive down was enlivened by travelling with XB (driver), daffy and EF, and RB following and then meeting up with Pix at the services, so a convoy of three proceeded to the Forest of Dean.
It had been a hard week, so I passed on the evening run, knowing the legs would be doing plenty of work over the weekend.
The weekend consisted of a mixture of talks and practical sessions, with the aim of enabling you to put together a tranining programme to sut your needs. And as they work on time on feet, rather than distance run, the advice given can apply to everybody.
The people there were targeting everything from 2:30-2:45 times to 6 hours (me) - there were also people there who do not currently have a marathon on the horizon and some might never, but the advice was good for all runners, particularly endurance runners.
Saturday
So an early morning pre-breakfast 'recovery' run to get the metabolism going and theoretically raise your metabolism for the rest of the day - and help fat burning (sounds good to me)
A talk on the elements of an endurance programme:
Sunday: long run at 65-75% MRH
Monday: Rest or Recovery run (40 minutes @ 60-65%) or cross train 60 minutes
Tuesday: Kenyan Hills - steady up and down starting with 20s up and 10 reps and then increasing length and reps
Wednesday: Rest or Recovery or cross train
Thursday: Threshold run at 80-85%
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: Fartlek/marathon pace run/threshold run
have a step back week every fourth week, build up slowly, include plenty of stretching and core strength
every session starts with a warm up walk and jog for 10 minutes and warm down jog at the end
Then out to practice threshold running - splitting into groups our plodders group did 5 x 2 minutes at 80% HR - looks good on the garmin data!
shower and lunch
digest lunch whilst listening to a talk on nutrition - nothing new really, just reinforcing good habits
out to practice Kenyan Hills - which are not several reps of Mount Kilimanjaro but steady running up and down hills, rather than traditional eyeballs out stuff
the hill looked much like my killer hill that goes on for a mile! I cannot imagine doing reps up and down the A6 though
and back for a practical session on stretching
and a talk on personal training plans
and a good dinner - unless you were a garlic-hating vegetarian!
Sunday
no early run so breakfast then a talk about the long run - and a clearly stated belief that no one should be doing more than 3 hours running in training - more marathons are ruined by peaking with a long run that is not is done too hard and does not allow time for recovery
so on this theory I crashed at mile 18 because I ran 18 miles in 4 hours with Ruth three weeks out, not because I did not run 20 miles
so having ignored the advice last year to not run more than 3 hours, this year I am going to take it!
and then the long run - out for 1:38 , lots of pauses to regroup; some walking because our legs were feeling the effects of threshold and hills, we had a lovely damp morning in the forest
a final shower, lunch and then a talk about tapering and The Last Week - how to run perfect marathons!
and its time to go home
a great weekend - 13 miles plodded, some of it quickly!
and a new schedule sorted
Thursday, 9 February 2006
Good Wednesday
A good day
- another pound gone missing at WW - some progress at last on that front
- a good run at the club - 3 miles, no walking and my best ever time for the route (by 3½ minutes) - including several roads to cross
what: 3.2 miles
pace: 12:50 mm
AHR: 148
- sugarfreeme - stuck with it all day and feel better for it
Monday, 6 February 2006
running longer
long run day and the traget is 14 miles at less than 14 mmm overall.
This will be the longest run since FLM05
After an early start, porage and seeing everyone off to school/work I had time to mark a few scripts before setting out.
I decided to pursue my water + glucose tablets regimne and see if it will be ok.
The weather is as it has been for days - grey - but at least not too cold and it is dry.
The route is my nearly9 mile route plus my nearly6 mile route, without actually coming right home. As the 6 miles is a sort of subset of the 9, this will involve most of killer hill twice, but that is difficult to avoid starting from home.
Usual tight calves for the first few miles, together with a slightly sore shin, but nothing to worry about once I was warmed up - about 3 miles!!
I'm getting to know the out route better now and there is enough traffic and other people about to feel safe but much better than all main road.
Passing a field of sheep I spotted the first lambs I've seen this year - it was quite cold so they were all snuggled up with their mums.
Coming up killer hill for the first time my back was really aching and there was a slight temptation to cut this short and come home, rather than start the second loop, but I gritted my teeth, thought of my waister pals and on I went.
This was a tough few miles - I struggled to run at all on some of the upwards bits and parts were miserable, but then I'd come to a level bit and find myself plodding along at 13:20 pace again!
When I arrived at Killer Hill the second time I remembered Highway Kind's advice from a year ago and just used the walk as a warm down and didn't even attempt to run it.
So its done!
This will be the longest run since FLM05
After an early start, porage and seeing everyone off to school/work I had time to mark a few scripts before setting out.
I decided to pursue my water + glucose tablets regimne and see if it will be ok.
The weather is as it has been for days - grey - but at least not too cold and it is dry.
The route is my nearly9 mile route plus my nearly6 mile route, without actually coming right home. As the 6 miles is a sort of subset of the 9, this will involve most of killer hill twice, but that is difficult to avoid starting from home.
Usual tight calves for the first few miles, together with a slightly sore shin, but nothing to worry about once I was warmed up - about 3 miles!!
I'm getting to know the out route better now and there is enough traffic and other people about to feel safe but much better than all main road.
Passing a field of sheep I spotted the first lambs I've seen this year - it was quite cold so they were all snuggled up with their mums.
Coming up killer hill for the first time my back was really aching and there was a slight temptation to cut this short and come home, rather than start the second loop, but I gritted my teeth, thought of my waister pals and on I went.
This was a tough few miles - I struggled to run at all on some of the upwards bits and parts were miserable, but then I'd come to a level bit and find myself plodding along at 13:20 pace again!
When I arrived at Killer Hill the second time I remembered Highway Kind's advice from a year ago and just used the walk as a warm down and didn't even attempt to run it.
So its done!
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 12:41 | 131 | downhill |
| 2 | 13:23 | 133 | stretching |
| 3 | 14:14 | 133 | more stretching |
| 4 | 14:31 | 134 | uphill |
| 5 | 13:00 | 136 | feeling good |
| 6 | 13:09 | 135 | |
| 7 | 13:06 | 137 | stopped watch to buy water |
| 8 | 13:17 | 138 | killer hill first time |
| 9 | 14:04 | 134 | back on the second loop |
| 10 | 13:53 | 134 | not so quick this time! |
| 11 | 14:23 | 135 | back aching really struggling |
| 12 | 13:56 | 133 | |
| 13 | 14:17 | 134 | |
| 0.97 | 16:33 | 126 | walked most of killer hill |
| 13.97 | 13:53 | 134 | 3:14:01 |
Wednesday, 1 February 2006
a good day
Starting with WW and weigh in - lost 2 lbs this week - getting intot he groove at last.
Mrbeanz had the day off so after he had been to the phyzz with his sore calf (torn muscle) we went out for lunch - a very rare event as we never seem to be at home together on a weekday when the teenbeanzes are at school. So we went to the pub around the corner and had a pensioners' lunch - bargain week day lunches - the few other people in there were all much greyer haired than us! It had much improved since last time we went, must go again some time.
And then club run this evening - was cold probably around about 0C - has not crept much above that today.
Just a couple of miles as it was sooo cold, and we had our beginner with us; but they were good miles:
distance: 2.04 miles
time: 26:26 minutes
pace: 12:57 mm
AHR: 144
Rest day tomorrow - working away tomorrow.
Mrbeanz had the day off so after he had been to the phyzz with his sore calf (torn muscle) we went out for lunch - a very rare event as we never seem to be at home together on a weekday when the teenbeanzes are at school. So we went to the pub around the corner and had a pensioners' lunch - bargain week day lunches - the few other people in there were all much greyer haired than us! It had much improved since last time we went, must go again some time.
And then club run this evening - was cold probably around about 0C - has not crept much above that today.
Just a couple of miles as it was sooo cold, and we had our beginner with us; but they were good miles:
distance: 2.04 miles
time: 26:26 minutes
pace: 12:57 mm
AHR: 144
Rest day tomorrow - working away tomorrow.
Tuesday, 31 January 2006
Feeling better
Its the long run - not done anything serious since BM, so need to get this one out of the way.
A cool grey morning, just the weather for plodding.
As a result of BM where my average pace was 13:04 with AHR 146, my plan is to continue to do my training at 140, (apart from my club runs which will be quicker - around race pace) and aim to run at an average pace of around 14 mm - that is to use the Trinity method - make up any spare time at the end of the mile, in walking.
So to try it out. As usual the first few miles were painful - tight calves again, stopped to stretch a couple of times.
Just took water in my hilly bottle carrier and dextrose tablets, rather than gels, which I hate. I failed to push the stopper back down on the bottle after the first slurp and so had a damp back for a while - which made it cold.
But after that it was going pretty steadily up until the killer hill at the end - and I decided to not even try to run that, just to walk up the steeper bits and plod when it levelled off a bit - my back was aching at this point, probably partly because it was cold..
So the numbers
so pretty pleased again, managed to keep going even on the hills unless the HR said slow down, and tried to keep running and not walking by decreasing stride, keeping cadence (sounds techy doesn't it!), but sometimes I just have to walk I am afraid.
End of the month
So 68 miles plodded this month, in spite of a week off last week. That is 13 miles more than I did last January - so a bit further on in my training. Just looked back at the spreadsheet for last year, and I missed quite a few of my long runs for various reasons - will really try to make the long runs and the 'kinda long' runs stick this time.
A cool grey morning, just the weather for plodding.
As a result of BM where my average pace was 13:04 with AHR 146, my plan is to continue to do my training at 140, (apart from my club runs which will be quicker - around race pace) and aim to run at an average pace of around 14 mm - that is to use the Trinity method - make up any spare time at the end of the mile, in walking.
So to try it out. As usual the first few miles were painful - tight calves again, stopped to stretch a couple of times.
Just took water in my hilly bottle carrier and dextrose tablets, rather than gels, which I hate. I failed to push the stopper back down on the bottle after the first slurp and so had a damp back for a while - which made it cold.
But after that it was going pretty steadily up until the killer hill at the end - and I decided to not even try to run that, just to walk up the steeper bits and plod when it levelled off a bit - my back was aching at this point, probably partly because it was cold..
So the numbers
| Mile | AHR | Last time | today's pace | today's AHR | |
| 1 | 132 | 12:29 | 12:22 | 131 | downhill, looks a bit quick but HR low |
| 2 | 137 | 13:25 | 13:35 | 132 | pretty level |
| 3 | 139 | 13:41 | 13:59 | 137 | rising |
| 4 | 138 | 14:33 | 14:13 | 136 | climbing |
| 5 | 137 | 11:29 | 13:11 | 134 | someone moved the mile markers last time! |
| 6 | 137 | 13:29 | 13:09 | 138 | coming home |
| 7 | 133 | 13:57 | 13:22 | 136 | |
| 8 | 139 | 13:52 | 13:28 | 137 | this is uphill |
| 9 | 136 | 14:56 | 15:05 | 133 | main road to cross and killer hill warm down |
| 9.0 | 136 | 13:33 | 13:36 | 135 | 2:01:56 2:02:27 |
End of the month
So 68 miles plodded this month, in spite of a week off last week. That is 13 miles more than I did last January - so a bit further on in my training. Just looked back at the spreadsheet for last year, and I missed quite a few of my long runs for various reasons - will really try to make the long runs and the 'kinda long' runs stick this time.
Monday, 30 January 2006
looking better
thanks for all the positive support guys'n'gals
Saturday
Northern Cross Country Camps today, so it's off on the club bus to Blackburn with teenbeanz.
Team manager says he reckons teenbeanz may be a counting memwber of the team today, as only four U17s on the bus.
Arrive in plenty of time to frozen puddles in the car park but a glorious blue sky - and a cold wind.
Teenbeanz goes off to investigate the course, while I investigate the clothing stalls ands buy a new fleecy hat and some more magic £1 gloves - I thnk the magic bit is that they get lost easily but at least as they are even handed, odd ones will always match.
Teenbeanz is in the first race and another U17 turns up with his dad, so maybe teenbeanz will not count after all. I go down to the start with the lads to collect their outer layers in a bin bag before the start
and they are off! I find somewhere to cheer him on at the end of the first lap - and he has at least two behind him
and the finishers begin to come in - but where is Tom our No1 runner? not to be seen - and here comes teenbeanz with someone close behind - we yell as he comes in and he stays ahead - so not last !
it turns out that Tom dropped out after the first lap - and TB saw him walking back, so knew he had to do as well as possible to count, and several others dropped out too so TB was even further up the field than it appeared - he was pleased
we went over to teh stalls and did some spending - a hoody with the race date on, and a fridge magnet with his pic - and one for grandma.
then a bonus - XB and the xbettes turned up to support Bobbis - so a natter with them and we had to collect the senior ladies' kit too
then U17 girls, so we walked out to one of the hills to watch and encourage them - a tough hill too - rather rutted with tracks and muddy in places
Collected the kit for the senior men and then walked up the hill to watch them and take a few pics - got very confusing, because the men passed our point 4 times on their 12 km race, so there was multiple lapping going on!
and soon it is time to go home - full of fresh air and some exericse, if not running, for me
Sunday
Another early start as tigerrunner picks me up to go to Tough Guy - we get there with time to look at some of the course - eek the ice on the pools is ¼ inch thick!!
Met up with Meldy, cougie, Annaspanna, oxymoron, jj and the count's lady and a good time was had by all as we wandered through the course watching the crazy people struggle through freezing cold water, over enormous obstacles and electric fences - mad all of them!
Back at the finish I wondered what time TR would do as I had only managed to see him at the first obstacle and then I lost track of the order of the fences and did not see him again. And then he was there - showered and cleabn but VERY cold - shakign so much that he coould not put on his gloves or hold a cup to drink the hot chocolate. So it was back to the car and warm up. Then off to the pub for Sunday lunch and home to my long suffering family.
Another day of fresh air and some walking but no running for me.
Monday - and a run!
Was supposedotbe my 'long' run today - but I knew I had so much work to get done and a meeting at 2 pm so I changedto a short 3 miler to turn over my legs and the long one tomrrow.
As it turned out I was pleased I did a short one as my calves were SO tight - never really loosened up in the whole run - lack of use and no stretching over the last week I guess.
So just my normal route out and back up the main road, with the killer hill on the return and keeping my HR under control.
Saturday
Northern Cross Country Camps today, so it's off on the club bus to Blackburn with teenbeanz.
Team manager says he reckons teenbeanz may be a counting memwber of the team today, as only four U17s on the bus.
Arrive in plenty of time to frozen puddles in the car park but a glorious blue sky - and a cold wind.
Teenbeanz goes off to investigate the course, while I investigate the clothing stalls ands buy a new fleecy hat and some more magic £1 gloves - I thnk the magic bit is that they get lost easily but at least as they are even handed, odd ones will always match.
Teenbeanz is in the first race and another U17 turns up with his dad, so maybe teenbeanz will not count after all. I go down to the start with the lads to collect their outer layers in a bin bag before the start
and they are off! I find somewhere to cheer him on at the end of the first lap - and he has at least two behind him
and the finishers begin to come in - but where is Tom our No1 runner? not to be seen - and here comes teenbeanz with someone close behind - we yell as he comes in and he stays ahead - so not last !
it turns out that Tom dropped out after the first lap - and TB saw him walking back, so knew he had to do as well as possible to count, and several others dropped out too so TB was even further up the field than it appeared - he was pleased
we went over to teh stalls and did some spending - a hoody with the race date on, and a fridge magnet with his pic - and one for grandma.
then a bonus - XB and the xbettes turned up to support Bobbis - so a natter with them and we had to collect the senior ladies' kit too
then U17 girls, so we walked out to one of the hills to watch and encourage them - a tough hill too - rather rutted with tracks and muddy in places
Collected the kit for the senior men and then walked up the hill to watch them and take a few pics - got very confusing, because the men passed our point 4 times on their 12 km race, so there was multiple lapping going on!
and soon it is time to go home - full of fresh air and some exericse, if not running, for me
Sunday
Another early start as tigerrunner picks me up to go to Tough Guy - we get there with time to look at some of the course - eek the ice on the pools is ¼ inch thick!!
Met up with Meldy, cougie, Annaspanna, oxymoron, jj and the count's lady and a good time was had by all as we wandered through the course watching the crazy people struggle through freezing cold water, over enormous obstacles and electric fences - mad all of them!
Back at the finish I wondered what time TR would do as I had only managed to see him at the first obstacle and then I lost track of the order of the fences and did not see him again. And then he was there - showered and cleabn but VERY cold - shakign so much that he coould not put on his gloves or hold a cup to drink the hot chocolate. So it was back to the car and warm up. Then off to the pub for Sunday lunch and home to my long suffering family.
Another day of fresh air and some walking but no running for me.
Monday - and a run!
Was supposedotbe my 'long' run today - but I knew I had so much work to get done and a meeting at 2 pm so I changedto a short 3 miler to turn over my legs and the long one tomrrow.
As it turned out I was pleased I did a short one as my calves were SO tight - never really loosened up in the whole run - lack of use and no stretching over the last week I guess.
So just my normal route out and back up the main road, with the killer hill on the return and keeping my HR under control.
| Mile | Pace | AHR | |
| 1 | 13:12 | 133 | main road to cross and then mostly downhill |
| 2 | 13:51 | 135 | downhill to the turn |
| 3 | 14:13 | 138 | really must get this under 14:00 |
| 0.25 | 14:55 | 137 | road to cross and uphill |
| 3.25 | 13:51 | 136 | 45:00 |
It was good to be back running - even if it was not very pretty.
Friday, 27 January 2006
humph :<(
well I seem to have acheived nothing this week, let alone today
today:
today:
- defrosted freezer
- been school governor for an hour or so
- responded to a few work emails
- not run
- not done the work I was supposed to do
- eaten too much bready stuff
feel very disatisfied with myself
I've plodded 2 miles this week
off to Northern XC champs with teenbeanz tomorrow so standing in a cold field in Blackburn for an hour or five
then off to another cold field on Sunday for TG
I want to do both those things, but they don't do much for my FLM training :<((
Thursday, 26 January 2006
Thursday wash out
last night was club run, just a couple of miles because we had another beginner - may be a beginner but she was quick enough to keep me at current race pace!!
and I also did it without any walking breaks - so chuffed with that!
so that was fewer miles than the schedule said yesterday
2 miles
25:46
144
and today?
I was planning on doing my 5 miles when it had got light, but a rush job for work came in, then a hair appointment, so it has not been done - can't see it being done now, will try and fit it in tomorrow, btu waiting in for plumber, appointment at school and waiting in for a delivery, mean it may be a shorter plodette that is squeezed in
and I also did it without any walking breaks - so chuffed with that!
so that was fewer miles than the schedule said yesterday
2 miles
25:46
144
and today?
I was planning on doing my 5 miles when it had got light, but a rush job for work came in, then a hair appointment, so it has not been done - can't see it being done now, will try and fit it in tomorrow, btu waiting in for plumber, appointment at school and waiting in for a delivery, mean it may be a shorter plodette that is squeezed in
Wednesday, 25 January 2006
keeping going
recovered from BM with no ill effects - but no time to run on Monday - w*rk does get in the way sometimes
mrbeanz has not recovered - his sore calf is letting him know that he shold have pulled up at 3 miles, rather than carry on! lots of icing at the moment
went to the gym yesterday - the teenbeanzes are now 16 so are allowed to use all the equipment so they had an induction last week and nonrunningteenbeanz wants to start going regularly, so this must be encouraged
I went on the cross trainer and did some resistance stuff - - and the ITB roller OUCH
teenbeanz did some of his stuff, but as is usual the PT did not give enough detail on the card, so he could not not remember which machine a couple of the exercises were four - I made suggestions, but it didn't match his memory!
ah well
mrbeanz has not recovered - his sore calf is letting him know that he shold have pulled up at 3 miles, rather than carry on! lots of icing at the moment
went to the gym yesterday - the teenbeanzes are now 16 so are allowed to use all the equipment so they had an induction last week and nonrunningteenbeanz wants to start going regularly, so this must be encouraged
I went on the cross trainer and did some resistance stuff - - and the ITB roller OUCH
teenbeanz did some of his stuff, but as is usual the PT did not give enough detail on the card, so he could not not remember which machine a couple of the exercises were four - I made suggestions, but it didn't match his memory!
ah well
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)