Recovery run?

After my 'long run' yesterday I wouldn't normally run today, but we pack up tomorrow morning so I decided it would make sense to run this morning and keep it steady.
A recovery run should be run at a lower HR, right? I've been trying to run at 135-142 recently so I needed to keep in that zone as a max. But every time I began to jog my HR zoomed up to 160+. After trying to slow down in line with my new approach, I found that the only way to get it back down was to walk - then it dropped fairly readily back to 125ish. Then a slow jog would send it shooting up again. This went on for the first two miles. Eventually I managed to keep it down while jogging slowly. And nearly 3 miles done.

Slowing down

In line with comments from Womble, I am trying to slow down! That may seem impossible but what I mean is that I am trying to keep running when my HR rises - trying to get it back down without having to walk. I have always said that I only have one running pace, so I am trying to find some variety.
Running here at CP is a good opportunity to try this out as it is not too undulating. So today's long run of 6 miles wasn't quick, bnt was enjoyable.
MrBeanz is improving gradually and hopes to be able to walk up to the restaurant tonight.
I am currently UNO champion, but languishing in third spot in the Scrabble league - after years of training them up the TeanBeanzes are providing real competition :))

Ups and downs

The weather still holds so I am sitting outside writing this.
Unfortunatly MrBeanz has done something to his back (an intermittent problem) so he is almost immobile. Poor chap.
But that is no excuse not to run. We woke late this morning so I didn't go out to run until 11. I feared it might be too warm but there's plenty of shade in the forest. 3.4 miles done. While I don't think I am a slave to my Garmin, I do like to know the numbers - so being able to just wander somewhere new and know that you've done the required miles is great.

Not many books read, but crosswords completed and several games of UNO and Scrabble played.

Holidays

First full day of our holidays :))

We've only travelled an hour up the road to Center Parcs but it is far enough ro make the break.

I didn't run yesterday so I must be running today. I woke at 7.30 and could hear the birds singing so decided I didn't want to miss the chance for an early run. The area is a maze of roads and tracks but apart from arrivals and departures no cars are allowed - just bikes, and as you know I don't do bikes. Anyway very peaceful at 8 am.
It was a very slow plod overall as there were many pauses to check my position on the map. Next time I shall go out without the map and just enjoy the peace.
What to do with the rest of my day? Breakfast then a wander up to the village to buy a paper. Then there will be the crosswords and kakuro to do. And books to read ....-

Hot and hilly

I really should know better - I woke at 6 and thought about having some breakfast but couldn't quite make the effort to get out of bed

So slept until 7.30 and then had a bowl of cereal

which had not properly digested by the time I went out at 9 so I had an uncomfortable run, got too hot and a bit dehydrated

whereas if I had had breakfast at 6 and run at 8 all would have been much better

I went out along the undulating main road, cos that's the way Teenbeanz wanted to go, but it was as awful as ever and I remembered why I prefer my other long run route. Will go back to that next week when we are back from holiday.

Anyway 6 miles done.

Good run; bad run

On Tuesday I went down to the gym - but it was too good to run on the tready so I ran along the river path (nice and level) and followed that with a swim. It was hot for running, even at 9.00 but I managed to keep going reasonably. I worked hard on trying to keep a steady pace that I could maintain.

This morning it is ideal running conditions, overcast slightly damp and cool. So I had the worst run I have had for a long time - I didn't know what people meant by 'heavy legs' until today. I just could not get them warmed up, my calves were like solid blocks for most of the time, an awful lot of walking :<(

Ah well, at least I did the required 3 miles - I was tempted to turn off for home at 2.5, but managed to jog for a bit and get past the corner.

Must see phyzz.

Back home

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

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

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

better this morning

Just back from a better run.

Cooler this morning, it will probably rain later.

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

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

no floods here :>)

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

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

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


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

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

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

a little longer

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

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

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

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

Will try to keep it going for another week.

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

keeping it going

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

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

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

Running on the flat

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

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

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

plodding in the rain

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

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

sugar free me?

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

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

So I am going to try this for a week.

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

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

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

So far so good ...

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

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

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

end of term!

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

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

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

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

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

last year

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

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

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

I am still slow and overweight.

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

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

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

struggling with target

I have struggled to get out twice a week before school - I seem to manage Tuesday but by Friday I've lost it.
I even set the alarm yesterday but then decided I needed the sleep more - I had had two long days at school and Friday turned out to be pretty grotty anyway, so just as well I had that extra hour.

I've spent today ferrying studentbeanz's stuff home from University - two car loads carried out to car, brought home and carried into house, plus some cleaning of the flat - now all that MUST be cross-training I think, certainly made me 'glow'.

Should manage to get out tomorrow morning - then there's only a week of school to go and I will have no excuses left.

bugs and things

About four years ago we put a pond in the garden - it looked like this.

The pond has become somewhat overgrown since then.

















A couple of weeks ago I had been pond dipping with the year 7s. We had found dragonfly nymphs and I knew we had them in our pond - they usually are found in the net when I am dredging the bottom.


Today I went to look at how things are since the storms of the last few days.
And the ugly nymphs have cast off their brown outer cases to reveal a beautiful new coat.


Oh and I went for a run this morning in the sunshine :>)

getting older?

Well its my birthday and I've moved into a new age group :>))

But it will not make me any faster!

I haven't managed to run since Sunday - should have been Tuesday but I had to get up very early to take the teenbeanzes to the station - they've started the University visit series (is it really four years since I did it with studentbeanz?) - I drew the line at a 4.00 am run - not that desperate yet!

and what is today's excuse?

well it IS my birthday - actually that would be a reason for going for a run, but domestic stuff got in the way again

I will get out on Friday morning - its school sports day, weather permitting, so going for a plod should get me in the mood.

plodding on

I missed Friday's run - it was persisting down - which wouldn't normally stop me, but I had reports to finish so decided to get up at run time and do an hour on reports instead.

So out this morning for a little plod and it was a lovely morning - bright blue sky and everything sparkly clean after the rain of the last three days.

I am trying new routes at the moment, investigating all the various side roads I don't normally need to go down, finding out what joins up to what - we've only lived here 15 years after all!

But I've come to the conclusion that another of the reasons (apart from slothfulness) I never seem to make much progress is that it is so undulating that I never manage to get into a rhythm, I plod along for a while quite happily and then here comes another hill.
Of course you can't read the scales so although it looks quite mountainous it isn't that bad really - but you can see what I mean about undulating!

plod plodded

another short plod done - I do like this getting up and plodding - makes me feel good for the rest of the day :>))

I am going to have to make them a bit longer though.

'long run'

Looking at my running log I realise that I have not run more than 4 miles since Christmas - that is a function of doing my long run with teenbeanz - I just don't get very far while he is doing a lot more!

Obviously this needs to change.

MrBeanz is going to try and do a Sunday run with TB and TB will also try and go to the other club on a Wednesday and do a long run then too.

This morning I went out early and did a short run - just trying to get back into it at the moment.

Then off to the Long Eaton 5 mile race where TB and BZ both ran PBs:



Now back to writing reports.

Much better!

That's more like it - up again early this morning and 30 minutes done.

I DO feel so much better for getting out early - but I do have to be disciplined about getting to bed at a sensible time the night before.

Anyway maybe a few weeks of running ahead :>O))

Just testing

I've had enough of this not running

My coccyx is feelingmuch better - I can almost get out of a chair without thinking about it.

I had a bit of a problem with my 'normal' lower back pain at the weekend - maybe due to changed posture from the other pain, I don't know.

Tigerrunner suggsted trying to get back to it on grass, as I said although the tready was ok I couldn't face the road.

I keep forgetting that we have a recc just around the corner.

So up early this morning and out onto the grass. It was a lovely morning, a bit cool but dry and the birds make it worth it. There is a flattish expanse of grass for the football pitch and another area for the cricket ground. I plodded for 20 minutes by which time my lower back was beginning to object so I called it a day.

Will try again later in the week.

back home

I've been on the road this week - first on Tuesday to my Mum's where I had great fun with the hedge trimmer - turning some ordinary bundles of box bushes into strange shapes - the rabbit was the most fun! Good cross training too.

And then on to Cambridge and a taste of the old job for a day, a chance to chat with former colleagues and remind myslef why I am well out of it there - the usual story of employees not valued by them higher up and them higher up wanting more for their pound of flesh.

Good to be home.

Exercise? Oh yes - I went to the gym again on Tuesday morning and I have done some good brisk walking in Cambridge too :>) With 2 weeks off with cold and then the bump I have not quite met last months mileage - but hope to move it on in the coming month as Amsterdam begins to loom - maybe Bedders will keep a count down of the weeks for me.

endorphins - you can't beat them

Sue suggested walking as that was not painful

and after thinking about it and looking at the torrential rain, I decided to go to the gym

so 15 minutes on the cross trainer to warm up

and then on to the treadmill - I started off walking and gradually increased the pace until it was at the 'this would be easier to jog than walk' pace and jogged for a bit then walked for a bit and so on for 30 minutes

when I went down to the changing rooms afterwards I couldn't believe how much better I felt!

and I didn't feel any pain while I was doing it - though it still feels uncomfortable when I am sitting and it is an effort to stand from sitting

I feel so much more optimistic - thanks, Sue

I am not the only one ....

CAD mentioned 4-6 weeks out if I have broken my coccyx - I can't believe it is broken, a sixth former at school HAS broken hers (a fall from her horse was involved) and is in MUCH more pain than I am

Paula has damaged her sacrum - and talks of 6 weeks off

I just worked out that if I were to do Amsterdam full, Shades 3 runs a week training starts the week after half term (not that I am you understand - would be a bit bonkers starting from with an injury wouldn't it?)

So just hope that it will be better asap - but surely not 6 weeks.

still no running

well, it is a week tomorrow since the bump

and I am feeling very frustrated - I've been waking early to lovely sunshine but just know running would be painful

it does seem to be getting slightly better but is still painful to rise from a sitting position

on the plus side it is more comfortable to sit straight up than slumped - that can only be a good thing


ah well I guess I haven't given up on teh idea yet

Oh, and please note those who mention Amsterdam - I am only doing the half!

still sore

well I can stand up ok

lie down ok

some seats are ok to sit on

but going from sitting to standing is PAINFUL

so no running :<(

just as it was all getting otgetehr again

I am doomed - maybe I should just give up and ....................





well maybe not

ouch

half awake

going downstairs this morning

fastening watch

suddenly oops!

bump

bump

bump

one shaken beanz with a sore coccyx

just as my cold was getting better too :<(

cold wet and happy

briefly

a great day out at Stratford Sprint Tri

no, silly, of course I didn't do it!

I went down to support some Waister forum friends who were doing their first tri

and found myself volunteering to marshall!

I was marsdhalling at the turnign poiint on the run - so had people coming at me from 3 directions and occasionally failed to spot someone going the wrong way (sorry Cath, I wondered why I didn't see you coming down for a second lap!)
the weather was a little damp to begin with

6 hours later .......

it was persisting down and VERY muddy too


but I stayed out until the last lady had finished


they'd packed away the t shirts by the time I came in - I hope the last lady got hers!


I came home to find that my computer had crashed beyond recovery and the system was being reinstalled

although I thought I had backed up everything, it was rather an old version of my Eudora address book - so if you are reading this and think I should have your email address, please email me!

(unless you don't want to hear from me ever again of course!)

Ups and downs

Friday - up
Up early to run (note to the Fast Asleep Club - I only get up early to run becuase otherwise I know it will not be done, not from any great vocation).

And then off to work where I had a mainly nonproductive day from a teaching point of view.

It was the school founders day as described in Wikipedia:

Perhaps one of the most enduring images of the school — and one of its most public manifestations — is that of its traditional Commemoration Day Procession, which takes place every Summer Term. The pupils process from the school to the Parish Church of St Nicholas, down the centre of the high street, in height order wearing white veils (officially called "hoods", unoficially called "tea - towels") fringed with light blue, carrying beautifully embroidered banners and singing (unaccompanied) the hymn "Jerusalem my happy home". Members of the school choir wear an additional ankle-length white veil (officially known as "cloaks" and unoficially as "tablecloths").

So the girls spent the morning practising and the afternoon doing it for real. As I was due to teach Y10s and Y11s all morning and most of them were in the choir I was left with a few nonmusical girls in each class.

We teachers did not have to wear teatowels and tablecloths, thank goodness - we wore our gowns and hoods! I had to buy a gown - at no mean cost (showing that I intend to stay a bit longer I guess).

I've been looking on the tinternet for a picture of the girls but can't find one.

Saturday - down
Switched on this morning to find I have a 'well dodgy' computer - sabotaged by Windoze last attempt to do automatic updates which failed.

So after backing everything up I think the chaps in the household are going to give it a good seeing to.

And I have a stinky cold again - so no plodding today :<((

made it!

made it out this morning :>)

and so pleased I did

it had obviously rained pretty hard overnight and there was that fresh feeling

the scent of blossom

a pink sky

a fox who stood in the middle of the road watching me quizzically for a long time before moving on

and loads of birds singing - I wish I knew what they all were

so thanks to you lot I did it :>)

missed it :<(

I failed to set the alarm properly last night.

So despite getting my kit ready and really wanting to run I failed, because I did not wake up with enough time to go out.

Must try harder.

Sunday run

Tryin to get back into a routine of a Sunday run, which is going to get longer over the next few months.

Just over 3 miles this morning, with the aim of running to HR. However myHRM was not playing ball and was fairly intermittent. So I had to go on feel as well. Since starting my version of Shades 3-4 runs a week I have been running my easy runs at 125HR135 but this morning found that it was bettter to run at 130HR140 - so this will be the new 'easy' - with tempo runs pushing it up to 145ish I guess. Even allowing my HR to rise to 140, I walked much of the mile up killer hill coming home, with my HR still at 135+. Ah well as the weight falls off that will improve, I hope.

As its a holiday weekend I had a very lazy day yesterday, so now I need to get in the garden and prepare for the coming week at work.

and again ...

I was up and running on Tuesday morning - it helped that I had a virtual training partner - my waister friend Chuggy was getting up for her plod at 6.00 am and as she is across the water in the flat lands, we were able to run 'together'. (Other flatlanders seem to leave it to a more sensible hour)

And then I went down to the club last night - teenbeanz wanted to go and get in a long run and as it was such a fine evening went in my kit. We had some new lady beginners, and of course they were humiliatingly quicker than me. But it meant I did a tempo run, which is in Shades plan for the second of the shorter runs for the week. So I don't need to get up at a silly o'clock tomorrow.

Which is just as well as I have a slightly achey piriformis this evening. So another rest day will not do it any harm - must stretch though.

not QUITE so early ...

Had to get my run in early today, even though it is Sunday, as it is Derby 10k and I was due to marshal.

So up and out by 6.45 for a little 3 mile potter - aiming to run at 125 - HR -135. Now, we do live on 'Cornhill' so as I have said before, whichever way I go it is downhill out and uphill back, but I've been trying a new route this week. And it is still undulating but not quite such a killer steep uphill as my standard old route. But as I am running to HR and am so overweight and unfit there was quite a lot of walking on the uphill bits. But my AHR for the 3 miles was 130 - so that is spot on in the middle of the zone :>)

Then back for shower and breakfast and into town to marshall. Runnerbeanz was running, but was not very positive before we even left the house, he didn't feel well prepared, has not done many longer runs recently - just his track sessions. And in the end he blew up at 7.5 km :<(

We must get a better schedule for him, as he was SO disappointed.

Yes!!

In answer to bedders - yes I did do it this morning

30 minutes this time

I retrieved my garmin last night from Tigerrunner who had borrowed it for his FLM training - so now my running log has all these very fast training runs in it! He ran 2.51 on the day. The Sinfin peeps I went down to FLM with stopped over until Monday. Last year we walked the emabnkment - this year they went to Covent Garden and this is a picture they took:

Yep, they met the ladies winner and she was happy to have her pic taken with them :>)

Getting my Garmin back has been great - I am such a number geek, I really like to know how far how slow etc.

I been looking at Shades marathon training on three or four runs a week. It looks like a sensible approach - and seems to work at a 'get you round in a reasonable state/time' kind of way, given the miles run. So I am going to use the first half up to Robin Hood half (as I have done it for the past three years it seems a good idea to have another medal on the wall) and then pick up the last few weeks and repeat for Amsterdam half.

early birds

This is the week I am supposed to be starting my running before school. As I get up anyway at 6.00 it means getting up very early for a run first.

So today I did it. It was not a good day to start - lots else going on but I knew that if I didn't get up today I'd find another excuse tomorrow.

So I was awake before the alarm and out of the house by 5.20 - no visible sunrise but a very noisy dawn chorus.

I only went round the block once - 20 minutes run. It was not much but I felt better for it and I then had time ot get ready for the rest of the day without upsetting anyone else. I have decided on a run to HR approach. And will gradually build up the morning runs in time, and a longer run or two at the weekend.

The reason for needing extra morning time was that I took my first school trip out today. Pretty nerve racking (sp?) I have to say - we took 32 Year 9s to Alton Towers! Imagine the risk assessment!

Alll back in one piece apart from me - I stumbled going down the bus steps this morning, caught my back on the door handle and drew blood (did not discover that until this evening). I turned my ankle slightly but apart from stiffening u p a little after prolonged sitting, no long term damage there.

Can you tell that TOTM is nearly over and I am feeling perkier?

hot hot hot

Saturday
Off to London at the crack of dawn - well the 6.53 train anyway. Sinfin runners made their way to london for the marathon. First stop the Expo (after droppping our bags at the hotel).
Even before we got to the expo I told the club runners that I felt a fraud and wished I was running. Certainly once I felt the buzz I wanted to be there the next day. I managed to restrict my spending to a vest for runnerbeanz, a lovely (bargain) red top for me - and an essential cap for the next day. I met up with Hippo, Stickless and sundry other forumites on the RW stand, where i picked up two huge bags of supplies for Mile 17.

The SRC weekend has a standrd format, expo, pub, rest in the hotel and then out for pasta. As last year we went ot carluccios and had a good simple meal - foccaccia (sp) which was rather salty, spaghetti in tomato sauce and lots of water. Into Waitrose to collect supplies of water, milk and other essentials, and then back to the hotel for an early night.

Saddo that I am, I did some marking first!

Sunday
Up early for breakfast and then off to catch the DLR to Greenwich. The train was VERY crowded and it was a struggle for me to get off at Mudchute!

I was disoriented when I got off the train and it took me a while to work out which way the runners would be coming and where the RW cheering point would be - but I worked it out in the end.

I was on my own for quite some time and wondered what had happened to everyone else. Then I found out. A train full of runners ground to a halt at Mudchute and did not restart - so everyone offloaded and had to walk to Greenwich - maybe 2 or 3 miles? The train then blocked the line so nobody could travel in either direction. Soon more runners were walking past - from further back on the line. And the other RW supporters were having to walk with their bags of goodies - gosh was I pleased we got up so early.

And then we got ready for the day:

packed pounds of jelly babies:




blew up balloons


well you can't really miss us now can you?



but these two Brits didn't stop for a chat :<(



I had a great time, met some more forumites and Miniwomble and managed to convince myself (easily) that I was pleased I wasn't running ......

On the train on the way home I set myself some preconditions for entering the ballot next year.

I shall let you know if I meet them.

back to work

Back to work today and the cold is marginally better,

but I had forgotten how tiring being on my feet all day can be - and I've only been off 3 weeks.

Anyway, it was a good day back at the chalk face.

It's going to be hectic up until Whit - exam groups wanting to do lots of revision ( I hope), which will need marking. The colleague who left at Easter has been replaced by a mishmash of supply cover, so we three remaining members of the department will be picking up lots of the admin that was shared by 4 and will now be shared by 3 - not to mention reports, school exams etc

And as the cold retreats I need to find time to run. I am seriously considering getting up half an hour early and going out in the morning, its just no good at the end of a long day. But that will mean going to bed early - difficult to do!

huh

Why is it that every time I begin to formulate a plan I am stimied by circumstances?

Tuesday is Runnerbeanz's club night so my night for running with the Mums. I wrote on the Waister thread about my frustration with the group that night - not sticking together and not coming back the agreed route meant two of us hung around for ages waiting for one person who had just gone off and done her own thing. So we did a couple of slow miles of run with a lot of walking and hanging around - just when I had made a decision that as we had an out and back route I could run to HR. And then she wondered why we waited for her!

Wednesday I woke with the stinker of all colds, I used the time off work to see the sports therapist whilst RB saw the fizz, I had a good deep masssage and have not been able take advantage of the looser calves because I can't breathe let alone run

The cold lingers on and it has also made concentrating on work difficult and I have wasted a lot of time surfing the forums when I should be getting ahead in my preparation so I can go to support at FLM without worrying about work.

nearly giving up ....

I'm pretty fed up with running at the moment - and said to Mrbeanz this morning that maybe I should give up trying

he pointed out that I have entered a race in October so maybe I should keep at it

the trouble is that I am back at square one - still overweight and now no running fitness - I've not run consistently for a year now - since I finished FLM last April

so I went out and tried but without any plan - do I try Run-Walk or running to HR - and if so what HR?

I just don't know


so I have just posted this on RW training thread

the question
I can't decide whether to go back to basics and start with run 1 walk 1

or base train at 70% HR

I think I tend to mix them both and end up with worst of all possible worlds!


An added problem, not mentioned on the thread, is that on Tuesdays and Wednesdays I run with other folk - who don't understand schedules - and certainly not structured run-walking, so I tend to just huff and puff and struggle to keep up on those days. And I don't have the courage to say 'this is what I am doing' for all sorts of reasons.

Help????

back home

well, I walked a lot, ran a couple of times

had some good wine

really relaxed

and took some pix too

A day out to Lake Garda

this path is in fact level - it just looks undulating close to - the lines in the distance are also wavy!



I just couldn't resist the tree trunk


Lake Garda on a sunny day in March (it was raining back in the home town)


back to the home town across the mountains


Up the hill
Another day and a walk on the local highpoint (I'm afraid we went most of the way up in the car!)



The sinking city
the last day and a morning in Venice before the flight home:

in Venice everything is delivered by water - even the water!


yes the sky really was this blue

I just love the variety of styles and colours ....



one of my favourite views


and now its back to everyday life - but at least I lost a pound while I was there :>))

maybe it was all the fresh veg:

from Italy ...

This is weird - blogger is in Italian and its an Italian keyboard too - so punctuation is tricky! And the mouse is on the left - something to do with RSI I think.

My sister works as a translator of technical documents, I am using her computer whilst she is at her gymnastics class - no chance of me doing that I am so uncoordinated and I wouldn't understand the instructions anyway.

I just thought I might blog as I have been exercising as well as eating and drinking well.

My sister tries to go for a 30 minute walk each day so we did that on Tuesday evening after supper and yesterday morning after our cappuccino (sp?)- including a hill!

I have been getting lots of sleep - this morning I had planned to get up at 7.30 to go for a run and set the alarm on my phone - but had forgotten to move it on an hour when I arrived- so did not wake until 8.15. But I still went for a run - just a couple of miles but there is a good fitness trail that is about a mile long, I only did it once today and my calves were SO tight. Maybe another day I will do it twice.

Tomorrow is swimming.

So I am feeling very rested and relaxed - doing lots of reading too.

that's better

Finished school on Friday for three whole weeks - feel better already!

Its not that I don't like the job - no regrets about the change but it has been a tottering end of term - got worse last week, but I found I was not alone .... so some small consolation there that it may be them and not me!

So a plodette on Saturday whilst Runnerbeanz pounded the hills - and also some standing around in the fresh air - definitely made me feel better

And another plodette this morning and a couple of hours in teh garden this afetrnoon - we filled the brown bin and my back said 'no more' - will have another blast when I get back from Italy

And I have entered Amsterdam half - so had better get in the groove of running again.

bleurgh - moan warning

I'm supposed to be entering Amsterdam Half - I've bought the air ticket and committed to the hotel room

but I'm fatter than I've ever been (truly - the scales do not lie) and seem to have no will power to do anything about it

I haven't run for a week and my sore back is morphing into an excuse not to run

its spring and I should be getting out in the garden - but said back is putting me off risking doing any bending or digging

I have almost no social life - the highlight of my week is chatting to A whilst our lads train and afterwards with the coach - the fact that we are parents and have running sons is about the limit of what we have in common

work is tough at the moment, there is a general feeling of lack of support from the top on discipline issues - and I am concerned that if I refer upwards and get no support I am in a worse situation than ever - it is sad how a few girls can spoil an otherwise pleasurable job

ok so all that is the tip of the iceberg moan - I can think of three good things, though they don't really keep me going very well:

• I have a healthy family
• I have some good friends out there in the ether
• only a week to go to the end of term (sorry state school peeps) and then I am off to Italy to see my sister (wishing I was not so blobby)

PS I suspect all this is TOTM related so can be ignored really

a week on ..

thanks for the support


Had a nice day out yesterday - went up to Sunderland to the National XC champs.

Very windy but at least it was dry.

TB ran well, despite a sore achilles he kept going and improved his relative time compared to last year in the same age group - shame there were 100 fewer runners in the group - all those soft southerners who couldn't make the journey.

He'll be moving up a group next year to Junior men so it will be a 10k race - which might suit him better if he can keep building the endurance between now and then.

Must have walked at least 5 km yesterday.

Got up this morning to run, but as I was getting dressed something went in my back and I am now walking and sitting as though my spine is a pile of bricks that might topple if I don't keep it straight. I really should do my core strength even though I am not finding much opportunity to run.

what was there to say?

Haven't posted for a while - life has just been difficult

Work continues to be all consuming - I know it should get a bit better next year - but there will still be new stuff to be taught, so the preparation load will not ease that much

and I haven't done all that well recently - too much busking it to be comfortable

on other fronts, very little running of any description

not enough healthy eating to make a difference

so all that adds up to feeling low and not very sociable

so no blogging

no forumming

but thanks for the emails of concern

take this as a reply

pushing it on

My beginner wasn't at the club tonight, so there was nothing for it but to run with the quicker peeps - ok some of them have never run for more than 25 minutes, but they are slimmer, younger and quicker than me.
Off we went round the block - 2½ miles in 35 minutes - including warm up and warm down. In the middle we did 1½ miles in 19 minutes, at a pretty steady pace - so that's about 12:40 minute miling - it felt like work to me, but I kept going - HR up at a steady 156 too! I was pretty pleased with that, considering how little running I have managed recently.

Off away for a couple of days now (it is half term, but it's not away on holiday), but will take my kit.

thanks

thanks for the support

well this week I have managed 4 miles so far!

At the Tuesday club - where Runnerbeanz trains , we now have a group of up to 10 ladies - spread between Tuesdays and Thursdays. Varying paces and experience, but we are managing to group people together.
I have the slowest group of real beginners, and there were just the two of us this week, so we did R3:W1 - which she managed for most of the way, and we'll repeat that next week to try and get another rep or two before we move on.
Then Wednesday I ran with the friendly club, where V69 and I did three miniloops to make just over 2 miles. Since he broke his shoulder in the summer, he has aged rather and lost confidence about running in urban areas with the hoodies in abundance, so he likes to stay close to home - no R:W here, he just goes out, no warm up, slowly but steadily. So we did that, and I only stopped running for kerbs but it WAS a very slow pace overall.

I think I shall aim to take my Tuesday lady to R4L in May, and for us to run it continuously if possible, given the crowds.

No forecasts as to when I plan to run again, but I have plans, just daren't write them here for fear of that putting the hex on them.

Crumbs no blog for 10 days

seems much longer actually

thanks to those who enquired - I just have not had the time or energy to blog or forum recently - I KNOW that it takes too much of my time in surfing around, so I decided I had to do without completely for a while

I have missed my friends having some ups and downs and I regret that - but I am sorry, I just didn't have any capacity at all to cope with anything outside my tiny little world

so on emerging today I suspect part of the problem was exhaustion, and part was TOTM - so much for that disapeparing as you get older - seems to be worth than ever both before and during

anyway, I did get to the club last night and we had two new recruits to our mini running group - both beginners, so I am back to R2W1! I will have to try for something more sustained at the weekend.

this is now officially my lowest mileage month ever - I really need to find a race to focus my training, if I had been doing FLM I would have gone out when I got home tonight and squeezed out a few miles but as it was I just gave in and cooked tea instead

but I can't actually face the idea of any kind of race at the moment, so inspiration is needed


please

never write a positive blog

every time I write a positive optimistic blog something happens to blow it out of the water

a week ago I twisted my back, which was then sore for several days and although I went to the club in kit on Tuesday, a gentle shuffle across the carpark confirmed it was to be a walk not run evening.

This was followed by a current stinky cold - which feels sore across my chest - so no running for over a week :<(

keeping it going

I didn't manage to run on Tuesday - I had a dentist appointment at the time we run and it left me with a rubber mouth.

Wednesday was the teenbeeanzes' 17th birthday so didn't go to the other club

Thursday's run with the club plodpals went well - we are up to R12:W1 x 2 and the one who hasn't run (NewRunner) before was not convinced she could do it - but she did:>) I hadn't realised she has never run before - she is slim and trim and MrNewRunner is a prize-winning vet whippet and her lad is the speediest in the training group all our boys belong to.

Saturday (today) is usually a training day for Runnerbeanz so I would run while he trains, but today he has the last of the league XC race series, so I needed to get out early if I was going to run.

I don't have any short term races planned so it is hard to keep the training going. But I am in discussion with Coach about an Autumn half or two - and one of them has a 3 hour time limit so I really do have to get some serious continuous running in place. I was lying in bed thinking about possible races and then it occurred to me that I'd better get out of bed and train!

Another W5 then R12:W1 x 2 done - in the park with an undulating route. I struggled on the first rep as I was not really warmd up, but by the second rep I was going better - timed it so that I had finished the session before the serious climb at the end!

I am not sure whether I have actually stuck to a RW schedule properly before but we are keeping ot this one pretty well and it does all seem possible at the moment. Next week is R15 W1 and after that it leaps to R30. NR said she thought that would be an impossible leap, but I said (and nearly believed myself) that the W1 is so small you could miss it and hardly notice.

Not sure what we do after that the next RW schedule has speed work and stuff but I think we need to consolidate first, maybe increasing the time of one of the runs each week.

humph

Back to work and immediately into the knackeredness, can't get my act together feeling.

Didn't do enough work in the 'holidays' so now am paying for it with having to work when I might be running. Lovely day out the window today but I am cooped up at my desk.

So didn't run Thursday - as blogged below.

Didn't run Friday because left early for an all day conference in Brum - but did walk lots.

Saturday should have been take runnerbeanz to County XC champs, but he has had a niggly achilles all week and decided not to run. Just as well because I didn't wake until 9.15 and was not much use then - went back to bed at lunch time for a couple of hours.
Wasted the rest of the day pootling on the computer and not doing much work.

So that brings us to today, when again I didn't get up and run but am trying to catch up on my slothfulness of the past month.

Why am I such a procrastinator?

friends :>)

didn't manage to plod tonight after work - rushed to get there and instead of saying 'hang on can I just have five minutes to wind down before we go out', I said 'I'm too knackered, go without me'
so they did and when they got back, I'd had a mug of tea and relaxed, and I felt like I could go for a run

nice kind TP said 'next week we will wait for you to recover, cos it wasn't the same without you'

Club night

Made it down to the club - and V69 was there ready to run, but he has begun to lose confidence in running the streets in the dark, so wanted to do a little minilap close to the club - which is fine, it has a little rise and fall to it, which is good for me.

And he goes a little quicker, which keeps me going, and I almost didn't walk for the two and a bit miles we did.

keeping to the schedule

Been out for a plod with A - and now we are four!

Our sons are all in the same training group so we are all hanging around together several times a week, and the two newbies have been persuaded to join us (both their husbands run quickly).

We are up to R8:W2 x 3 - was a bit anxious as I am really bad at keeping going but I did all three reps without walking and even up inclines - not quick but definitely not walking :>))

I think I am beginning to gain confidence in my ability to keep going when it hurts.

New Year, New Target

Now this is not a weight loss blog, but having weighed and measured myself this morning I know that I am officially obese - well I knew anyway but just had to confirm the figures for the start of the year!

So while trying not to obsess about food and weight and all that stuff, I DO have to lose weight for the sake of my health and longevity - heck there is too much I want to do to keel over now.

So the targets for the year are not an amount of weight to lose, but running targets which will not be acheived without weight loss, and working on the running targets should also help the weight loss. (Does that make sense?)

So targets:

• run a 10k race without walking
• run a cross country race next winter season
  

finishing off the year nicely

up early with the intention of running 4 miles to top up the total for the year

I set off on the R5W2 schedule as it seems to be working, Iwent on my old out and back route, which is mainly downhill going, making it easier to warm up. By the time I turned after the fourth R5 I was getting into the groove and past my toxic 25 stage.
Running back up the hill, I didn't want to give into the hills as I normally do. I decided that I would stick to the R5W2 schedule but also watch my HR - if it went above 150 when I checked at each lampost, I would allow myself a walk to the next lampost, but I didn't need to walk; it didn't go above 145 on the first incline and then after the next W2 and getting steeper again it didn't go above 147 - a triumph!!

By the time I got home it was 4.4 miles done :>) total for the year 653.7.

I shall have to concentrate if I am to get near that next year, as I don't have any half or full marathons planned. It means I need to target 14 miles / week. At the moment my runs with A are just around 2 miles, but they will ease up to 3 and even 4 over the next few months I guess. We can make the Saturday run a bit longer, though we don't always get to do that together as the boys have races some weeks. It would be good to make my Sunday runs a bit longer, but normally they are determined partly by RB's training needs.

another run done

Out into the park again with A

RB was doing hills so we went along the river bank - and very muddy in places too - that slowed us down!

A has been having calf and achilles problems, so we stopped during each W2 to stretch, but did NOT stop at all during the R5 bits

last of the scheduled R5 W2 runs - though I plan to do another tomorrow - need to do 4 miles to bring my total for the year to 100 miles more than last year!


will we be able to do R8 W2 x 3 next week?

more plodding

I think I am getting the hang of this running business

A, my new TP is quicker than me but happy to be slowed down by me cos every time she has tried running in recent years she has gone too fast and then been injured

We are now up to R5:W2 x 4 - and did it fairly comfortably this evening - even up the little grinding inclines
Having A to run with makes me keep plodding even when things begin to hurt, and I know that it is not for long, hopefully as we increase the R bits I will still be able to keep going

:>))

its all over then ...

well studentbeanz and BF have gone, so its back to normal life now - just a bit of turkey to eat tonight and the cake and the mince pies ........

it was our Boxing Day race yesterday - not an official race but lots of local club runners do it - about 200 turned up this year
runningbeanz and I decided to warm up by walking / jogging the 2 miles to the start; mrbeanz drove part of the way and then walked, he still has problems with his achilles so wasn't running but was willing to be bag carrier
met up with lots of clubmates from both clubs and we separated to take our starting positions near the front (RB) at the back (me)
I started off with V69 but he zoomed off too quickly and I knew it was no good me going to fast, I'd just be miserable, so I plodded along, the race starts off flat but soon reaches the bank where RB does his hills training, we were to go diagonally up the bank, and I managed most of the way before needing a short walk, passing various teenagers who were not runners, but had been inveigled into coming, including our minister's son, whose dad was way ahead somewhere

and then it's down into the village
after about a mile I am running with another lady of about my age (or maybe older) who tells me how she has been running for 20+ years but never gets any faster because she always takes the beginnners at her club (but maybe she wouldn't get faster anyway)
we chat and plod together intermittently for the rest of the race - this really helps me get round, with only a few paces of walking when an incline gets the better of me
as we come back into the park mrbeanz and RB are there to cheer me on and again after a final loop to make up to 5k we are nearly there and we decide to plod in together rather than go for the 'sprint' finish - so we are joint 190 with at least 5 behind us (I was last, last year) although my time was slightly slower than last year I enjoyed it more and felt better throughout - I suspect the warm up did help

Oh and teenbeanz is 20th in 19:30 ish, having been paced for part of the run by a quick chap from his club. An excellent result for him, especially when I think about the quality of some of the other runners there

after the fog .....

ran 2.4 miles with A in thick fog last night so I couldn't believe it when we woke to bright blue skies today, with the fog frozen out onto the plants:

good day overall

so starting with the good news - all clear at the hospital - benign calcification I believe the technical term was

routine recall in 3 years for another mammogram

after some shopping in a very crowded Sainsbury's I nearly made it home when I managed to bump the car in front - silly really, approaching the roundabout he set off to go, stopped because a motorbike was being indecisive about lane, I didn't stop :<(
nobody hurt, and not much done to his car but my front crumple zone took a suitable crumple and is going to take some fixing, so the logisitics of getting it into repair, hire car meanwhile .... to sort

ho hum


but a good evening followed up - met A at the club and went for a R3W1 x 6 session from the RW beginner's schedule - I was just warming up as we finished - perhaps should have jogged on but that seemed mean, 1.83 miles done

by the time we had finished it was very cold and quite foggy and the skinny lads in RB's squad all had very cold hands which were quite painful as they warmed up - even thought they had been wearing gloves (I think Santa needs to go shopping)

long run

a run with the ultra queen today - which was lovely - long for me but all in a days plodding for her

seriously, it was really good to run with someone who is willing to plod nice and slowly with me

the last mile or so was hard going but 9.34 miles completed - she's a hard taskmistress!

and it was off road along a canal so no serious inclines - just suited me well

I'm a bit stiff now but I am sure will be fine tomorrow

back to the hospital tomorrow - fingers crossed

running weekend ....

Friday
Well no run, but it was the RW East Midlands Christmas social.





mrbeanz, Steady, LFV, Mr Jars, MrsJars, mark*w, Denmeg and LMH were there.




Much fun was had with the contents of the party boxes which included squeakers and 'rocket balloons' which when inflated would whizz round the room with much noise.
MrJars was the most accomplished inflater - something to do with keeping control of a workshop full of 14 year olds I suspect.



















Saturday
Runnerbeanz had Hill Reps, so after a lie-in (the first of the hols) and breakfast it is off to the park. I met up with one of the other Mums (A) who used to be a sprinter but has not run for a long time. She would like to get going again so we went for a run-walk, 2.3 miles done. We could have gone further but A's husband and younger son turned up and we stopped to talk to them and marvel at these lads who just ran up, along and down the hill in continuous reps. A is also overweight (but not as much as me I suspect) so we are going to try and support each other to a healthier 2007.

Sunday
A beautiful morning for a run so off we went for our Sunday morning shared run - RB has 50 minutes on the schedule so its out for 25 and then turn. Up to 20 minutes I was hating it and thinking that there is no point in going down to b-z tomorrow - I will not make 2 miles let alone 10. However the third R4:W2 rep begain feel better (ok it was mostly downhill) and on the return I actually managed R6 cos I didn't want to walk after R4! I am afraid I did walk up the last hill with RB who had caught me up by then and had a sore lower calf - just hope its not a dreaded achilles problem. 3.6 miles done.
Still not sure about 10 miles tomorrow, though that slave driver might make me do it.

the best laid plans ...............

Monday
early Doc's appointment to follow up blood tests - a low blood count - not anaemic but low iron reserves (not sure what that means?)
then Dentist for the usual scarpe and polish
then town to try and break the back of the pressie shopping, after a slow start I managed quite well - but was knackered when I got home

Tuesday
a recall appointment at the breast clinic to follow up the mammogram from last week, I was not too worried as they called me back 3 years ago too
but the little bits of 'very probably' calcium have got a bit bigger since last time and a few more of them, so they wanted to be sure
which meant a core biopsy - which I had not been expecting, so it was a bit of a shock

although the nurses were very good and the whole process was fascinating and can be added to my store of 'physics in action' stories it has left me a bit drained of energy - rather achey and not wanting to run

tomorrow I am on a course but hopefully by Friday I shall feel like going out for a shuffle

after all I am doing a long run with ultra runner extraordinaire b-z on Monday!

(results of biopsy appointment on Tuesday so fingers crossed)

running ( and walking) again

Wednesday
A tiring day on Wednesday - teaching all morning, Christmas Lunch with the girls - very noisy - then crowd control during the staff panto.
When I got in the car to drive home the last thing I felt like was going to run at the club. But runnerbeanz was all changed ready to run when I arrived home (good for him) so I had to go.

When I got there V69, who I have not seen for a long time was there and suggested we went for a walk, since I was not dressed or shod for running. Of course after a couple of miles I wished I was in my kit and could run. Still, 3.8 brisk miles walked.

Thursday
A tottering day at school, definitely no energy to run - and a really wild night too, but RB did his club session well.

Friday
End of term! At school until 7.00 though, for end of term staff do - rather hampered by no drinking as I had to drive home.

Saturday
RB has a track session, so I took him down and went in my kit - walked at first with another Mum and her younger lad. After he had had enough I went for a little plod - another lap of the grounds. I had forgotten my garmin but 2-2.5 miles done.
Meanwhile RB was doing 1000m reps - hard.

Sunday
Now that RB has a written down schedule from the coach he is more focussed onsticking to it. So for today it said 45-50 minutes easy. His original plan was to get up early for breakfast so we could go out at 8.00. (Sound familiar?)
However when I went in to his room at 7.30 he had not eaten. Now in the past he would have turned over and gone back to sleep. But he didn't - he got up and came out, sleepily and slowly to begin with.

And we used our new strategy of run out for 25 minutes and turn, and he caught up with me on the way back and then loped on home while I staggered up killer hill. So I did 3.5 miles at R4W2- he did rather more. (And agreed he could run without eating first.)

I now need to work out a plan for the next three weeks in this window of opportunity to run - as well as get ahead with the planning for next term, so that I am not so knackered and can face running in the week.

not running blog

So a hectic week at school (only 4 more working days to go now) which included:

Course on Wenesday after school - great to meet some other physcis teachers and be inspired again
Late night Thursday with Fair Trade group
runnerbeanz racing XC on Saturday 25 miles away
Christmas Concert on Sunday evening at school

and no running again - but I am not beating myself up about it, just telling you that as this is supposed to be a running blog - so I'll put in some running pics:

RB warming up,




















tigerrunner, finishing well,


















RB in the woods

a good plod

It's been a hectic week again - finishing with parent's evening on Friday, school bazaar on Saturday morning with my Fair Trade stall, followed by my stint with the boarders on Saturday afternoon - making Christmas cards

runnerbeanz is trying to stick to his coach's schedule so was due to do 45 minutes 'long run' today

so we got up and went out the door together and then he plodded off into the distance while I did my R4:W2 bit

we both 'turned' at 22 minutes and then he caught me up (and passed me) on the way back - and was back before me of course

the advantage of the out and back route is that we could go out together and each do our own thing (if he does loops it is a little disatisfying as he will not know how far he has gone)

so 3 miles done for me and 4 for him - on a lovely fresh but sunny morning :>)


oh, RB points out that I didn't put his time on the race report - 41:29

worth it!

all the ferrrying runnerbeanz around for training is paying off - yesterday he ran a storming PB in a 10km - and not on a straightforward course - twists and turns, hills, mud ....

I was really proud of him!

dress to impress..

no running this week

usual lame excuses - work work work


Children in Need day yesterday and the girls were asked to 'dress to impress' or dress to distress' i.e. it was dress up or dress down Friday

I dressed to impress and wore my usual blacks but an FLM fleece - just to remind myself I can do it (sometimes)

and now its the wrong day in the month for venturing far - typical ....

will go for a walk in the park when my M&S delivery of new black clothes for the winter has arrived


Later the same day ....................

Thanks for the suggestions on my last post below. I've also had a very supportive email from a WAISter pal - who is in the same position as me - juggling family and profession and trying it fit in the running.

I have decided that as it is only three weeks to the end of term (some compensation for the long working week), I am going to not worry about the running at all - do it if the opportunity arises and not worry about not doing it. And then when we break up I will have space to plod in daylight for a few weeks.

However in the mean time I will really concentrate on eating sensibly - however don't worry this is not going to turn into a dieting blog - mainly because I will not be dieting! Not running means no excuses for eating stuff in the hope of running it off later!

when do I run?

I am writing this because I just can’t see what to do.

At the weekend I had a great run with b-z and I talked about how to fit in another run during the week.

But now I am back at the chalk face I just can’t see how to do it.

So this was my day yesterday – and it was typical of a weekday.

6.00 alarm rings and I get out of bed, shower and wash hair, dress. Come downstairs, complete packing of bag, print off something I forgot last night, breakfast, empty dishwasher, have brief conversation with emerging runnerbeanz about this evening clean teeth.

7.00 pack car, taking bottle of water, letters to post, scrape outside of car condensation

7.05 set off for school

7.45 arrive at school – up the stairs; mark books, talk with HoD about week ahead, sort out stuff for first lesson

8.25 registration of form

8.35 assembly but I chase around to try to find student who did not turn up to registration – discuss how we improve her timekeeping with Boarding mistress

8.50 up the stairs: teach Y9, discuss the class with PGCE student who will be teaching them next week; they have done a test – so now I have that to mark

10.00 down the stairs - ‘free period’ put in order for Traidcraft stuff for school Bazaar stall; sort out paper for mock exams for Y11;

11.10 morning break – have to go to this includes staff briefing

11.30 up the stairs; return to prep room to find chaos as men have come to take down cupboard and build shelves above my workspace – but no warning so I have not cleared space for them to work. Teach U6

12.45 lunch – down the stairs need to get in straightway as I have a lunch time meeting – but join the queue

1.00 up different stairs; meeting for new form tutors (only 9 weeks into term) to learn what the job is about – it is useful

1.40 sit down in staff room for 5 minutes with deputy head to discuss my late girl

1.45 afternoon registration – have words with girl I did not see this morning

1.55 up the stairs teach Y11 – they are a difficult class – mainly because they have not learned to stop talking!

3.05 send them on their way and breath sigh of relief; return to prep room to sort out chaos of stuff; at least shelves provide me with more storage space but it takes me all of my time to sort stuff out – including standing on chair to reach the top shelf!

5.20 down the stairs to sign out; up the stairs to collect bag and then up the hill to car park;

drive home through dark lanes

6.10 arrive home meet mrbeanz and discuss eating arrangements – no family meal on Mondays

6.30 drive back round Derby with runnerbeanz who has circuit training with his squad (I can’t join in) normally I sit on the floor outside the gym in the corridor and do some low level marking, but now some of the other Mums have realised I do this and have come in too so I can’t mark, have to chat inanely

8.45 arrive back home and get something to eat for RB and me

9.30 sit down to do lesson preparation after a brief visit to other blogs and forums

12.15 go to bed

Having written that, I realise that I don’t want anyone to suggest running at lunch time, I need the breathing space in my lab to sort out after morning session and set up afternoon session; or after school (very dark lanes) before I come home.

I think I just need to settle for a run or two at the weekends and with the club on a Wednesday and not keep apologising and making excuses for not running more.

I ran today!

b-z came to the East Mids Social last night - a good evening at the curry house

she stayed the night and we were up early for a run

it was a good morning for running - cool and bright and we did my standard long run along the river to the gym and back - making it up the grinding hill by a kind of fartlek between lamp posts and passers-by

by the time we got home we hadn't quite done the required 8 miles so we went down into the park and ran until the Garmin beeped for 8 miles, and then we were allowed to make our way back - by which time we had done about 8.8 miles - the furthest I have done since Robin Hood.

There were some good bits in it and it was great to run with b-z - someone to natter to and I definitely walked less than I would have done if I had been on my own

I feel like maybe I will carry on with this running malarkey - and maybe even get up (very) early once a week to run before work

not much to report

Not much running to report unfortunately

Lots of good excuses though - but they are excuses, I should have got out there more

so just a little plod in the park on Sunday with runnerbeanz

but just to show you what a tough environment I work in these pics are taken from my lab window

one step forward ....

last night I made it onto the treadmill - I'd been debating as I drove home whether to go to the gym or just drop into the athletics club and sit and mark while runnerbeanz ran
but decided there was time to have a worthwhile plod, though with the traffic I only managed 35 minutes

So tried to work har on the tready - doing a speed pyramid but did not manage much of the down side of the pyramid, cos I was enjoying pushing myself to go (relatively) fast

so I didn't cool down nor stretch properly and unfortunately the outcome is that I now have an aching back, and there is no way I could have gone to the club and run this evening :<(