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Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Another year nearly over
This year I ran my first ever half marathon... And then went on to run another 3 ! During that time I have knocked 24 minutes off my PB.... I have run several 10k races, again with a new PB and several other shorter races as well.
I have gained a few t-shirts from races, as well as a shot glass, microfibre cloth and a collection of medals :)
The highs ?? Well, I think one of them was finishing the Surrey Badger, a wonderful HM and when the chap who finished just in front of me turned round and shook my hand (we had taken it in turns passing each other all through the race) it made me realise how in general runners are a really friendly bunch.
The lows ?? Well, as far as running is concerned there haven't really been any low points, I suppose my attitude towards running isn't all out competitive and even if I don't reach my own target time I have never seen that as a failure, just a "not this time"
Looking ahead next years challenge is Brighton marathon; I have another couple of halves lined up before then but I'm planning on treating them more as part of the training rather than races if that makes sense.....
I don't know if I will run any other marathons after Brighton, it really does depend on how I recover afterwards..... I would like to.... I have one or two that I have been looking at for the end of 2012 and in to 2013.... but I'm not going to make any real commitments yet... but I am tempted !
I'm going to carry forward my goals from this year to next year.... I want to run a sub 2hr half (I'm only 3 minutes out at the moment) and a sub 50 minute 10k.... That one may prove slightly harder... I need to knock 2:25 off my current best.....
So, hears to a good 2012, may the snow stay away and everyone enjoy their running :)
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Friday, 23 December 2011
Updated Marathon Route
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Being visible....
So, I put some thought in to this and have "customised" my favourite running jacket to make it a bit more visible... this is the first customisation and I have a few more tops lined up for the treatment.
I looked online and bought some iron on reflective patches from Cyberglow. I emailed them first to find out how hot an iron I needed to use, and checked the washing instructions on the jacket to make sure it was safe to use an iron on and wouldn't melt !
So, after spending about £8 I now have a jacket that is unique as well as being far more reflective.
These are the before and after photos....
There is also the added advantage in that no-one else will have a jacket like it so it will be very easy to identify at the end of a club training session !
Sunday, 18 December 2011
The mud is back !
Some of the puddles were frozen over, and some of the mud had a "crunchy" top coat..... I had also forgotten how much harder running through mud can be, the first four miles are not only all up hill but are also the muddiest section of the route...
I stopped to take a few photos on my phone of the views....
These views make it all worth while :)
So, that is week 3 of a 20 week marathon training plan done... I'm a bit above my mileage this week but my plan is a bit flexible... for the next two weeks I have Christmas and the New Year so I'm not quite sure how I will fit in the running. I also need to mark on my plan the dates when I know I'm working away and may very well not be able to get out running; hopefully it won't impact things too much...
So in 17 weeks time the marathon will be over... strange though that...
Thursday, 15 December 2011
One from today's run
the wind but there is something about winter sunshine that is really
quite nice:)
Monday, 12 December 2011
Diet and Weight Loss
This isn't just through running but from a few other changes to my diet as well... Over the years I have tried just abut every sort of diet going, from diets that you mean you seem to leave off milk shakes and other meal replacement "stuff" to weight watchers, low fat diets etc etc.
On each of them I have lost weight only to gradually put it all back on again over the coming months. For me this has been the main problem with "diets" in that yes, they do help you lose weight but unless you change your underlying eating and exercise patterns you WILL put the weight back on again.
There are many reasons that people eat too much or the "wrong" things.... I tended to eat as a reward to myself... or to cheer myself up if I was feeling fed up... there are so many reasons, the list could go on and on.... including not enough time to cook "proper" food etc, etc. But a basic fact is that if you want to lose weight you need to consume less calories than you use. You can do this by either changing the food you eat to versions that contain less calories, cut down on the amount you eat or by increasing the number of calories you use through exercise (or a mix of all three).
There is no magic answer. The real downside is that you have to keep up with these changes to keep the weight off. You have to make lifestyle changes.
When I started running I did this because I wanted to lose weight. I also started looking at what I was eating.. as well as what I was drinking ! I kept a food diary and wrote down literally everything that I ate and drank. To be honest I scared myself a bit, I wasn't aware of how many calories were in the snacks I was having or in the alcohol I was consuming.
Did you know that a large (250ml) glass of average strength red wine is approx 214 calories ? or that one pint of "premium" larger is 330 calories ?? Did you also know that you need to burn 3,500 calories to lose 1lb of fat. Yes, when you start a diet you may lose far more than that to start with but that may just be extra fluid that you are losing and not just fat......
The main changes I have made are as follows (in no particular order !):
1. Drastically reduce my alcohol intake
2. Eat more fruit and veg
3. Change to wholemeal pasta and brown rice
4. Reduce portion sizes
5. Cut out snacks or switch to a healthy option (dried fruit rather than biscuits)
6. Cook healthier versions of meals
These aren't just changes for the time that I am "dieting" these are permanent changes. They have to be or I will start putting the weight back on... So what is different for me this time ? Well, this time I am far more committed to the weight loss being permanent. It has taken me 18 months to get where I am today, I have seen the differences it has made in my day to day life. I am far fitter now than I have been at any time in my life. I don't worry that I won't be able to keep up with friends if we go for a walk (yet alone hire bikes and go for a ride !) Work has become easier, being fitter has had some real advantages.... I still eat chocolate, biscuits, cakes etc... just nowhere near the amount or frequency that I used to. It is a "treat" rather than the "norm" in my day... It hasn't always been easy, to start with I did feel hungry between meals but that has gradually gone.. but it has been worth the effort. I'm now training for a marathon, something that I would have though impossible 18 months ago.
Week 2 - done ! (only 18 to go...)
Sunday's run was a bit wet and windy.... We ran up to Devils Dyke and back, it is quite good running as part of a group, there is always someone to talk to and many of the people have run marathons before so there is a whole knowledge bank I can tap in to.
I have met some really interesting people that I wouldn't have met any other way and it is wonderful to see such a wide variety of people all with one common goal.
This weeks mileage is a bit less than last week, my plan is to build up for a few weeks followed by a recovery week....
I will be updating my training plan with my total miles run each week rather than posting them on each blog post.
Anyway, this is a photo of everyone's muddy trainers at the end of Sundays run :)
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Friday, 9 December 2011
All Change !
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Brighton Marathon Route changed....
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Week 1 - Done !
Monday - 2.5 (2.48)
Tuesday - 5 (6.01)
Wednesday - 3 (0)
Thursday - 4 (2.92 recorded on my Garmin but I forgot to start it on one lap... So closer to 4)
Friday - 2.5 (5.18)
Saturday - 0 (0)
Sunday - 8 (13.09)
So, all in all not a bad week.
One thing I did find out this week is that my nice white Nike t-shirt really is see through when wet ! Quite glad I had a high vis jacket on top....
I am also quite glad I have started a couple of weeks early, I know I'm going to be missing some weeks so this does help a bit...
Next week I know I'm going to miss Mondays easy run. One thing I like about my plan is that it is ok to skip the Monday and Friday runs if either I just can't make it or if I need some extra rest. I'm now thinking ahead about Christmas, not necessarily the shopping but how to fit some running in ! (Am I becoming obsessive ??)
I met someone this morning who had been training for the Brighton Marathon last year until she injured herself in training in January. She went along to watch the marathon and said it was one of the most bitter sweet things she had ever done and gave her the added incentive to try again... I that come the end of march/ beginning of April I'm going to become a bit paranoid about injury, I can only imagine how heart breaking it must be to but so much work in to the training only to miss out at the last hurdle...
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Friday, 2 December 2011
And here it is !
Thursday, 1 December 2011
I have a plan !
I have typed it out, added it all up and pinned it to the wall next to me desk....
It contains a lot of running.... But part of me is worried that it is still not enough because, if I'm honest, it isn't an awful lot more than I've been running some weeks over the summer anyway; the main difference is how the runs are split up.
Everyone tells me to trust The Plan because it isn't just having a plan, and sticking to it that will get me round this marathon, it is Believing in the plan... Believing that the plan will be plenty.... Apparently this is as important as the actual training.....
Do I believe ? It is a bit like asking me if I believe in Father Christmas.... I would love to believe... I really would, but I'm not sure that I do... yet....
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Sunday, 27 November 2011
Sports Bra Fitting
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Wednesday, 23 November 2011
My thought process during last weekends race....
Miles 0 - 1 - "we're off ! Well, at least the walk to the start, does this count as a warm up ? It's still pretty crowded here... Hope I don't trip over anyone.... Why is the first mile so narrow.... I wonder when the front runners will come back past... Can I keep this pace up ?"
Miles 1-2 - "why is it still so crowded ? All I want is a little bit of space...I know I'm warmed up... Can I go just a bit faster ??"
Miles 2-3 - " right, I can see the half way point in the distance... I wonder if it is the theory of relativity in that the faster you run the slower you seem to cover a mile... The sun is lovely, but it's getting a bit warm... I wonder if my mascara is starting to run...."
Miles 3-4 -" ok, over half way now, why did I think this race was a good idea ?? I could be having a nice easy run over the downs, no crowds of other runners, a gentle breeze and great views.... Or I could still be in bed, yes, that's it, on a Sunday morning I should still be in bed"
Miles 4-5 -" right, that's it, I'm never running this race again. Why I ever thought it would be a good idea I don't know. I can see the pier, it's near the finish, but it isn't getting any closer.... Can I keep this pace up ? The faster I run the sooner it will be over....I hate running on roads. It is all too flat, hills are nice, you get a breather downhill... This is all too....... constant....... And I'm expected to run the whole thing ! There are people watching, and cheering, so I can't walk a bit... Of god, why did I ever take up running !"
Miles 5-6 - " I think I'm going to be sick. Think breathing, concentrate on the breathing, don't think about being sick.... Look at the sea, it's all..... blue.... And sea like..... and the pier is getting a bit closer.... Just don't think about being sick..."
Miles 6-6.2 - " I can see the finish ! Can I push just that little bit harder... A few sounds may make a difference.... Of god, I really feel sick now......deep breath, concentrate, yay, it's over !"
10 minutes later..... Great ! A new PB ! What a wonderful race.... If I train a bit harder I wonder what time I can get next year...... I wonder if I'm going to look as though I wanted to throw up in the photos.....
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Monday, 21 November 2011
Data junkie
I find it fascinating to see the changes over time. One useful thing is to be able to look at split times to see how well I have managed to pace myself. Before I start a race I have worked out the pace I need to run at to achieve any target time I have. During a race I tend not to look at the total elapsed time, but I do look at my split time for each mile (my watch beeps each mile to make it easy to check) this lets me know how I am doing compared to my target.... I also try and run on feel.... So I know what the pace feels like (aka quite how knackered it is making me feel....) and carry on running on that "feel" I can tell if I am slowing down or speeding up on how out of breath I am, is it making my lungs burn... and am I about to throw up....
The other thing I have learnt is that it gradually gets harder to knock the same amount of time off your pace because proportionally it becomes far more..... To improve by 30 secs a mile from a 10 min/mile pace is a 5% improvement.... To improve by 30 secs a mile from a 5 min/mile pace is a 10% improvement. So the seconds really start to count...
I now have no races planned until Brighton marathon, I may enter something between now and then but my training will be geared to getting round the marathon. I have no time target and I will be running with Holly so our aim is to finish rather than race. If it goes well I may run another marathon, if I don't enjoy it I won't. I really quite enjoy running half marathons so I may just work at improving my time for these events... But, at this point in time who knows what I will do :)
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Sunday, 20 November 2011
Brooks Brighton 10k
There were a total of 2700 runners that started the race, and a few of them were other runners from Steyning AC...
I haven't done much running this week since last weekends HM... A mix of recovery and "taper" all in one week :)
Last year I ran this race in 60:15, in May I ran the Bupa London 10k in 55:40 and today I finished in 52:25.
I think a big part of this improvement has been down to me joining Steyning AC and running with them regularly, I know I would never push myself as hard on my own as I do at their coaching sessions, so thank you Steyning AC :)
Anyway, these are a couple of photos before the start...
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Sunday, 13 November 2011
Poppy Half Marathon
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Running in the dark....
I have tried different gels, jelly babies etc whilst running but I'm still trying to find something that I get on with. I find most gels a bit strange in that they seem to stick to the inside of your mouth... And I don't get on with chewing jelly babies (or jelly beans) whilst running. Shotbloks seem like a good compromise...
Anyway, back to the run.... We didn't see another person whilst on the Downs, not surprising really ! We did however scare several pheasants and other birds.
On the last downhill section they have cattle grazing as part of a downland scheme; this means that the paths have been really churned up and were incredibly muddy. We did walk part of this section, a mixture of mud, rain and chalk is not good to run on especially without spikes... I still ended up on my bum in the mud at one point, no serious damage done though !
Anyway, this is a photo of me, complete with head torch in the dark. The photo was taken on an iPhone and the only light available was from our head torches :)
Would I do it again ? Yes :)
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Sunday, 6 November 2011
Makeup and running
But not any longer ! I have found (totally by accident) some makeup that stays put..... I went out running with the club straight after seeing clients, in such a rush that I forgot to take my makeup off... And at the end of the run it was still in place ! I was still a bit pink in the face and dishevelled but at least my makeup wasn't smeared over my face :)
So, the magic makeup is by Lancôme; they make a waterproof eyeliner ( kohl pencil) and mascara that really is waterproof, and sweat proof :)
So, at the end of my next race the finishing photo may just show a hint of mascara ;)
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Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Food Hospital - Channel 4
One person they followed was a 7 year old boy who suffers from really bad migraines; just by changing his diet they were able to stop his migraines... And this child has been on medication for them for years..
It really does make me wonder what we eat without realising it.... I know from my own experiences with my son as soon as we took food colourings out of his diet then he wasn't anywhere near as hyperactive as he used to be, he is still sensitive to caffeine and needs to avoid it if he wants to get a good nights sleep ! When you start reading the back of food packets it is surprising what is actually in them (have you ever wondered how some shop bought cakes stay fresh for weeks ??)
I'm trying to avoid as much processed food as possible. I still like the odd bar of chocolate and cake from the bakers but with our everyday food I do try and make sure that where possible the list of ingredients is something that you don't need a chemistry degree to understand !
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Monday, 31 October 2011
End of another month....
I went out for a 13.1 mile run today, extending a route that I've run before and arranged a lift home :) I was really pleased to complete this in 2:14 especially as part of it is really uneven and I have to take it slowly to avoid tripping on something and falling in to a river (that really wouldn't be a good look !). The 2:14 also included one toilet stop and a phone call stop to make sure my husband was on his way to collect me ! I didn't push it with the pace, just quite a relaxed pace keeping my HR at about 65% so I'm kind of hoping that this puts me in a good place for my next half marathon.. The next one is flat (rather than the hilly off road things I normally do), I guess I'll just have to wait and see, if I break the 2 hr barrier that would be great, if I don't I won't be heartbroken; if I know I have tried my best then what will be will be.
One thing I did notice today was that the closer I get to towns when running the more surprised people seem when you say good morning.... Maybe it is because on the Downs you tend to meet other people that have gone out to enjoy the scenery, on today's run I was meeting people just walking to get somewhere (work, home etc)
Running also gives you plenty of time to think, today was really quite peaceful, running along by the water, watching the waves and the seagulls.....
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Sunday, 23 October 2011
1,011 miles....
Well, I have broken the thousand miles mark today. To be precise I have now run a total of 1,011.13 miles so far this year, and there are still a couple of months left in the year !
So, that is approx 101,100 calories, or, to look at it another way 401 jam doughnuts. That is a lot of doughnuts.....
I thought it would be fun to work out how many of a few other things it equates to...
2,247 Jaffa Cakes
555 pints of beer
1,108 glasses of champagne
594 Cadburys creme eggs...
Have I eaten or drunk all of these ? No, I've had some of each.... But obviously less than the quantities here because over this year I have still lost weight..
There is something about running that doesn't mix well with a hangover..... And something about running that does kind of encourage you to eat a bit more healthily....
Anyway, this photo was taken on today's run at the thousand mile mark. I stopped for a moment and thought about how far that thousand miles has been... and wonder what the next thousand miles holds...
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Friday, 21 October 2011
Road ID
Why have I bought one ? Well, I do a lot of running on my own. Yes, I normally carry my phone but if anything does happen to me (trip over a tree root etc) then it will hopefully make it a bit easier for anyone that stops to help.
The website has lots of useful info to help you order the right size etc. This is a photo of my Road ID :)
As you can see it is quite bright, you'll have to excuse the angle but I didn't want to publish all my personal details on the Internet :)
I've also been doing some thinking about the race I was meant to be doing on Sunday. I won't be running it. There are a few reasons for this and to be honest I don't think my heart has ever been in this one.
Instead I will be going for a long run on my own, something that I really enjoy doing :) and something that fits in with my training plan for my next half marathon.... After this weekend I only have one more long run scheduled before my next half marathon, so to skip Sundays long run for a short race does seem a bit daft. After all as I have been told the best training plan is the one that makes you feel prepared for the race. If I skip Sundays run then I won't feel prepared and will start the HM mentally in the wrong place.....
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Sunday, 16 October 2011
A feeling of dejavu ??
Well, here I am again, with 4 weeks to go until the next half marathon wondering how I'm going to fit the running that I want to do to achieve my target with what looks like a busy time at work.....
I still feel as though my legs are still recovering from last weekend, although I did go out for a 10 mile run along the river with Holly today.
It is strange the things that I think about while I'm running to pass the time. I find myself having conversations with the sheep and cows in the fields, and, when I'm finding it tough I just count in my head. From 0 to 300 and then over again. I look at the scenery, other people out walking dogs and riding bikes... I really prefer it when I'm not running a long straight stretch where the path just seems endless...
But, at some point during the next 7 days I am going to hit the thousand mile mark for this year. That is quite a long way really, if you had told me a couple of years ago that I would run more than a thousand miles in a year I would have laughed. Inside I might have wished it could be true but I think I was always too scared to try, to worried about failing....
To a degree I am still worried about failing, I set myself different targets for each race and want to achieve them although funnily enough I'm not really disappointed if I don't so long as I can see the reason why.
Now, the next dilemma... I had been planning on running a 5 mile race next weekend but, with the next half marathon I'm training for I really need to be running 11+ miles.... and with my work schedule I can't fit a long run in any other day. Looking at the next few weeks ahead it is going to be difficult for me to fit in the long runs I need to do so, do I miss the long run and potentially miss my HM target, or do I run the shorter 5 mile race ? I guess I just need to think about what is more important to me.... and will I really curse myself if I think I miss my target through a lack of long runs and endurance....
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Surrey Badger HM
As I said previously I don't think I did quite as many long runs prior to the HM as I would have liked, but running the hills round here did have some benefits !
If I'm honest the hills weren't quite as bad as I had thought..... but some of them just seemed to go on forever...
I was conscious that I didn't want to start out too fast. It is always very easy to get carried away and run the first couple of miles far faster than intended and run out of juice later in the race... so I followed my normal plan and started near the back of the field. I'm also not the fastest runner around and don't want to get crushed by the pack.. this race was chip timed so it really didn't matter that it took me a minute or so to cross the start line. I started my Garmin when the gun went so that is also a few minutes out..
I have included the Garmin data at the bottom of this post, as you can see it is either uphill or downhill with nothing on the flat.....
The first and last couple of miles were along the A24... not my favourite part of the run but only gently undulating, something I was quite grateful for towards the end of the race. After running alongside the A24 we turned in to Norbury Park and then I saw the line of runners ahead snaking uphill.... and the hill just seemed to go on and on..... It was on this hill that I met the runner that I crossed the line just behind... we were overtaking people going uphill and I offered to let him past first (I thought he would be faster than me..) but he let me go through and followed me up the hill. For the rest of the race I seemed to overtake him uphill and he passed me again on the way down... I finally caught up with him just before the finish and we had a sprint finish, he crossed the line just ahead of me and then turned and shook my hand; this is why I like running....
Anyway, back to the main race.. I decided to carry my own water with me even though I knew there would be five water stops... I guess it is my comfort blanket.. I'm quite glad I did because it was so nice to be able to have a drink when I got to the top of the hills, just a few sips but enough to take that dry, dusty taste out of your mouth. I did also stop at the water stops and WALK while drinking; I still havent managed to master the art of drinking adequately from a cup whilst running and personally I think getting adequate water was worth the few seconds I lost by walking.
I did walk some bits of the hills (you will be able to see where on the details below) two days later I am beginning to think I could have pushed harder uphill than I did but at the time I didn't know how much more hill I had to go up !
Running this race did make me realise how much I enjoy running on trails compared to roads and I think where possible I will keep my racing off road.. (this is coming from the person who is planning on running her first, and possibly last, marathon on the roads..)
About half way I had a gel at one of the water stations, this isn't something I normally do but I was aware that I had been running faster than planned for the first few miles to make sure I had a few minutes "in the bank" and I thought I may need the added oomph.. I hadn't tried this make of gel before and was aware of the advice of never try anything new in a race but ignored that and took it anyway. This has to be my least favourite gel that I have had to date... at least I know now before I start marathon training in earnest not to buy this particular make..
During the race I kept an eye on my time per mile but didn't look at the elapsed time. I knew that to achieve a time of 2:15 I needed an average pace of 10:18 per mile. I also knew that this race had hills and that I am slower uphill, I also know that on very steep downhill sections I'm also a bit slower so when possible tried to run faster than my average pace on the easier sections to compensate for the hills. I took a conscious decision not to look at the elapsed time for two reasons, the first that if I could see that I wasn't going to achieve my target I may stop trying... the second that if I knew I was inside my target time I may slow up a bit and stop trying.... so this way I wasn't sure how close it was going to be so I kept pushing right to the end.
I knew that I would be close to the 2:15 target but I had no idea that I had beaten it by quite such a margin until I saw the finish gantry. I cannot explain quite how I felt, but the word WOW just kept going through my head. Suddenly the feeling knackered, painful legs and aching lungs seemed to vanish.
I had my tag cut off my trainers, collected my beer, chocolate, t-shirt and training diary... and then finally remembered to stop my Garmin.... I then took the time to stretch, drink lots of water and eat the chocolate.
At the finish I met up with another woman that I had been chatting to at the start of the race and compared notes.
Would I do it again, yes, unfortunately it looks as though next years race will clash with work commitments but it is one I hope to run again in the future.
My chip time was 2:08:34 - a new personal best :)
Sunday, 9 October 2011
I did it !!!
Anyway, I will write a bit more about this later when I'm not so sweaty and smelly :)
Friday, 7 October 2011
Now Autumn is really here......
I never thought that I would get so excited about a torch but hopefully it will mean I don't just have to run on the roads over the winter :)
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Last nights run
Saturday, 1 October 2011
One week tomorrow.....
I haven't managed to fit in much running this week, mainly due to work but also a mix of tiredness and maybe a glass of wine or two too many... So, after a week like that I know I should have done more preparation than I have... And I know it is too late so I'll just have to dig deep, take a deep breath and see what I can do.
The plan for this week is a few shorter runs (5-7 miles) and the club session on Thursday with lots of healthy eating, early nights and NO alcohol.
The good news is when I finish the half marathon I will get a t-shirt, bar of chocolate and a bottle of beer :) all of which will be gratefully received... The chocolate won't survive the drive home and I know someone who will be quite keen on relieving me of the beer... So, the only real surviving momento will be the t-shirt.
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Monday, 19 September 2011
3 weeks and counting
Well, it is now just under 3 weeks until my next half marathon.
I am beginning to think that I may have been a bit over optimistic with my target of 2:15 based on the size of the hills involved in this one !
Someone very kindly sent me a link to the route http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110787087 and to me this looks hilly without any real flat sections at all. I have been doing as much of my training on the Downs as possible, so I have been running up and down hills but I'm not sure how much faster I can push myself on the day.
I completed a long training run of 13.7 mile this morning in 2:38. Yes, I was taking it fairly easy (is is called a long SLOW run for a reason !) but I still felt quite shattered at the end of it. Maybe if I can start getting the early nights that I keep promising myself that will help.... Hopefully the scenery will be quite nice, something to take my mind off how much I think this one might hurt..
Realistically if I can beat my time of 2:26:59 for the Steyning Stinger then I will be happy; I know I am faster now than I was then, in training in March I had been running 13.5 miles in 2:45.... ok, so I'm not THAT much faster...
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Running on the South Downs
Monday, 12 September 2011
Wet & Windy !
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Bits & Pieces
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Fittleworth Flyers 5
It was a lovely run, a bit hilly in places, but after the hill training I have been doing I did manage to run up all the hills and quite often overtook people going uphill :)
This is the first run in the local fun run league that I have taken part in with the club, I have always felt I would be too slow up to now...
I'm not sure what my official time is yet but I recorded 45:53 on my garmin. My slowest mile was the first one, I started at the back..... But my overall average was 9:09, this is getting close to my target HM speed for November although I am now thinking that may be a bit optimistic but the November race is flat and on roads, this was primarily on trails and hilly. But it dies show that I really need to keep up with the training !
Another thing I learnt today is that when you have run the tread off your trainers they really do lose grip..... A shopping trip is on the cards....
A slightly different gift at the finishing line.... A smallish microfibre towel, certainly not big enough to dry me out after today though !
Friday, 2 September 2011
Catch up.....
So, back to the running I have been doing..... Last Thursday was a club night that involved hill training, I still find hill training a bit of a killer but this did have the plus side of an amazing sunset over the downs.... I think my face was the same colour as the sky though !
Because I was working all weekend I switched my long run to Monday morning and ran 10.5 miles, trying to push a bit harder up the hills !
Realistically I am hoping this month to maintain my current level of fitness, with the time I have available I really don't think I will see much of an improvement. This then leaves me a month and a bit before the two races I have targeted in November..... I know it may be a bit early to say this but I am thinking that my target times are now looking a bit optimistic...
I guess it will be a case of wait and see.....
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Thursday, 25 August 2011
Why I run....
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Running through the mist
The route is over the South Downs and yesterday much of it was shrouded in mist. Running through mist like this is quite eerie at times, it deadens sound and visibility is limited to a few meters. You can also feel it on your skin and it has a very gentle cooling effect that was rather welcome yesterday. Although the temperature has dropped a bit from the weekend it is still quite warm and really quite nice to run through.
This particular route includes a couple of killer hills, they haven't actually killed me yet but sometimes it does feel like it ! This route is going to be one of my regular ones while I'm training for the next half marathon, I have a feeling the hill profile is similar.... Even some of the downhill sections are so steep I have trouble even maintaing a jog going down and last night ended up walking sections of the downhill because the chalk was wet and very slippery...
It was a good run though, you know how you have some runs where everything just seems to come together, yesterday evening was one of those :)
I still have a bit of a twinge in the back of my leg but neither last nights run or the half marathon at the weekend have made it worse so I'll carry on running for now..
So, yesterday evenings run was a total of 8.3 miles in 1:35, my previous best time for this route was 1:55 and the last time I ran this route in March it took me 2:05 so I think it is fair to say I have improved a bit :)
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Monday, 22 August 2011
Henfield Half Marathon
The route is primarily off road with one very rutted section along a river bank, none of the hills are too bad but there are a number of gates and stiles to cross and in general I have found that running through longish grass always slows me down a bit... Some parts were in full sun and in 20+ degrees it made it feel very hot...
What I did notice is that my training runs in the heat have helped to acclimatise me to it, Holly hadn't had the chance to do the same runs due to her sailing commitments and the heat really did hit her, throw in to the mix her asthma and I think she did really well to finish, there were points during the run that I thought she may not make it, especially when she was feeling very sick, giddy and seeing stars...... So Holly now has a HM PB to beat on her next race in November. Although we are entering the same race I will be racing it rather than running together as we did for Henfield.
So, my next HM targets are :
October - I am running a very hilly trail HM, similar terrain to the Steyning Stinger, my target time for this one is 2:15 (I completed the Steyning Stinger in 2:26:59 so I really want to improve on this time)
November - This will be my first road HM, it is meant to be flat and certainly shouldn't be 20+ degrees, my target time for this is 2:00
Between now and October I will be running more hills to improve my speed going up them, this is one area that I think will make a big difference to my HM time for the October race, then I will switch to more road running to work on my speed for the flat road race.
With the club we are focusing our training on a flat 10k race so I'm hoping this will also help towards my 2hr HM goal for November.
I'll let you know how it goes !
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Location:Henfield Half Marathon
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Run is a bit of an exaggeration for yesterday's outing, more of a gentle bimble interspersed with periods of walking. My leg is still playing up a bit so I will be taking a break from running for a bit to give it a chance to recover.
Monday, 15 August 2011
The delights of Deep Freeze
The niggle in my knee had gone, the sun was shining and it wasn't too hot.... The first couple of miles I always find tough, not only is my body getting used to running but it is all uphill. Then, when I came to the first steeper hill I felt a twinge in the back of my right thigh... I slowed down a bit ( I was fairly knackered anyway) but the twinge continued... It didn't seem quite as bad on the flat but it came back and started to get worse on the next steep hill. It stayed at about the same twinge level on the downhill section but definitely didn't feel right. I slowed down to a walk and walked the next 1.5 miles.... I decided to cut the run short and had a gentle jog home. This didn't make it feel worse but I think if I had continued it would have been worse.
I think the best way to describe it is like bad cramp in the back of my thigh... I have tried some gentle stretching and then I remembered a freebie I received in a goody bag after a race... Deep Freeze..
I have never used anything like this before so was not sure what to expect. It was great. The cold was so soothing and a lot easier than holding ice on the back of your leg. I left the patch on overnight last night and this morning it felt quite a bit better, just bruised inside....
I haven't been running today but I am hoping to try a very gentle run tomorrow, then I'm planning on just resting it to see how it is before Sunday. I have some very long days at work this week so I think that a week primarily resting will (hopefully) sort it out.
I guess time will tell.....
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Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Sundays run
Friday, 5 August 2011
Club run
As part of it we ran a 4km time trial last night to see where we all are at the moment. This was on a route I know well, Mouse Lane. If you know it then you will know it is uphill !
I was pleased to complete it in 20:14, a time that *should* equate to an approx 50 min 10k. We will be repeating this every 6 weeks or so to see how we are progressing. So, hopefully by the end of November I should be on track to break the 50 min 10k barrier, one of my personal targets for the year :)
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Tuesday, 2 August 2011
An eventful run...
Why is it some runs are far more eventful than others ?? This mornings run has to be one the more eventful....
Normally our runs are quiet, plodding type runs, especially the longer runs of 12+ miles... Over the first few miles we both try and ignore the fact that our bodies are complaining bitterly that they are having to do more running. I know this phase passes after the first couple of miles.. It is though my body gives up the fight and says ok, if you are insisting on doing this then I'll just get on with it.
This morning, less than a mile in to the run, a dog spotted us across the road. Now I don't know if it was the colour of my top he didn't like but he was distinctly unhappy about something and while his owner chatted to friends this dog bounded across the road (missed by the traffic) and showed us that he had nice big teeth as he started barking, growling and snarling at us... Apparently he hasn't had a problem with runners before, maybe he normally swallows them whole, anyway, we did the stand still and make encouraging but hopefully not terrified noises at this dog while his owner crossed the road (putting less effort in to it than the dog did) to retrieve her dog and put it on a lead.
I wasn't wearing my heart rate monitor ( something else I forgot whilst trying to get out early before it got too hot...) but Holly was and it was interesting to see the "spike" created by the dog !
Anyway we continued.... The next thing we came across was a stray dog, not the first time.... But this one was quite old, wearing a collar, but still faster than us.. I think it is fair to say he seemed to know where he was going, even though we were in the middle of nowhere, and eventually disappeared from sight.
We continued our run, saw the normal mix of rabbits, birds and squirrels.... Followed by a weasel running across the path. I see quite a bit of wildlife when running but this is a first for a weasel...
When we were about 3 miles from home we came across a group of mountain bikers. They looked lost.
They were lost.
We were running from Southwater to Steyning along the Downs Link. They were riding from Eastbourne to Winchester along the South Downs Way, they really shouldn't have been heading North !
We stopped for a chat and to show them where they were on their map. The only problem being they didn't have a proper map with them and had gone so far north they were off the "map" they did have ! I pulled out my trusty iPhone with the memory map app and showed them on an o/s map where they were...
We then directed them back the way they came and explained the easiest way to pick up the Downs Link.... They carried on.... A bit later we caught up with them again and point out the clump of trees in the distance on the Downs that they needed to head for....
I do wonder if they made it to Winchester... To be honest covering a journey of that distance without proper maps, a compass or a gps unit does at the best seem a bit daft. Their detour would have added about 6 miles on to their journey, they already looked very hot and tired and they still had a long way to go....
Anyway, today's run was 12.38 miles in a total of 2:39:59 including the time that we were stood still waiting for a dog owner to retrieve her dog, time spent chasing a stray dog and the time chatting and directing lost mountain bikers. It was also very hot (well over 20 deg C) and very humid.....
All in all not a bad run.
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Running Manifesto
Running is…such a feeling of freedom.
Running is not…a chore.
I run…in all weather, all year.
I run for…me.
I run because…I love to run.
I run when…I'm happy and when I need to clear my head.
I run with…a smile, it may be hidden inside behind the rather knackered looking exterior.
I have never run…and regretted it after.
I have always run…and felt thankful that I can, and appreciate the area in which I live.
I run in spite of…the voice in my head telling me I can't do it.
I don't run…with people I don't like, I run to relax :).
I should run… faster if I keep up the training.
I might run… an ultra one day, then again I might not....
I will run…a sub-2 half marathon, I'm just not sure when !
Monday, 1 August 2011
New Gadget !
I am also quite interested in what proportion of me is fat. I must admit that this is a lot lower than it was a year ago !
So, I have bought myself some new scales. Not just any scales, but "Body Composition Monitor" scales. These don't just weigh you, they will give you your fat percentage, tell you how well (or not) you are hydrated, they measure your visceral fat (the dangerous bit) and tell you how many calories you need every day.
I have only just started using them and I'm not exactly ready to post the readings here ! they were easy to setup, you can set them up for four different people to use, and they are quite easy to use.
All I need now is to have a pen and paper handy when I weigh myself to write the results down. I then plan to keep track of these in a spreadsheet and see how they change as I train for the marathon...
Anyway, this is a photo of the scales (complete with my reflection in them whilst taking the photo)....
If you are interested then you can find more about them (or buy them for yourself) by clicking on this image.
Monday, 25 July 2011
Quite a good week really :)
The other good thing was that overall I came in dead on my 70% heart rate target. This has given me confidence that I may be able to break the 2hr half marathon target in November. Even if I don't break the 2hrs I should be able to get pretty close to it.
The last time I ran this route I had a really bad run. I seriously considered giving up at 4 miles..... And hated it for most of the route. Yesterday was a really good run, I have started using some of the mental training techniques from the book I'm reading and kept repeating positive phrases over and over in my head, interspersed with lines of songs that I could remember ( and the odd hymn from my childhood ! )
The last 6 miles of the run yesterday was in to a force 5/6 head wind. I just kept telling myself that this was a Good Thing because it was keeping me cool rather than a Bad Thing because it made the running harder.
I also tried having fixed water breaks, the first at 3 miles, to get used to drinking more water in one go and simulating the water stops on next years marathon. The only difference was that I had to carry all my water with me rather than having someone hand it to me ! It will take a bit of getting used to drinking more in one go and it doesn't necessarily make running the first half mile pleasant with water sloshing inside you but it wasnt as much of a problem as I thought it might be.
So, in total last week I ran 32.47 miles split over 4 runs :)
Thursday, 21 July 2011
I even cut back the miles I was running to see if that made much of a difference but it didn't.
I ended up keeping a food diary and using some software to analyse what I was eating and found out that although what I am eating is relatively healthy and providing the right mix of carbohydrates, fat and protein it was not providing nearly enough Iron (only about 10% of the RDA).
So, I have started taking a daily multivitamin tablet with Iron that should provide me with my RDA not just of Iron but a whole host of other vitamins and minerals.
I have been taking them for about a week now and havent felt as tired as I have been feeling... I also don't feel quite as cold all the time as I have been feeling (despite the rather wintry summer weather !)
So, I'll keep taking the tablets and rattle round my runs :)
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Southwater to Steyning
It is only just over 4 weeks now until the Henfield Half Marathon.. so we need to start increasing the distances a bit..
The route we ran yesterday was down the Downs Link. For most of the way this follows the disused railway line. This has one big advantage in that most of it is flat ! There is still the old station at West Grinstead and it did seem a bit odd to be running below platform level... There are some great views in places, I didn't have my camera with me yesterday. I opted to take a bit more water in my bum bag and didn't really want the extra weight of the camera as well.
We are also using these runs to test various refuelling strategies that we will use for the Brighton marathon next year.
My aim for the marathon is to finish. That is it. Nothing more complicated than that, just get round the whole 26.2 miles.
Yesterday we tried running for two miles and then walking while we drank water, on the marathon the first drinks stop is at 3 miles and then every two miles after that. I know from experience that I find it very difficult to drink from bottles whilst running so I will need to walk to make sure that I drink properly.
I'm reading a very good book at the moment "The Non-Runners Marathon Trainer" that has loads of useful advice on preparing for the marathon mentally as well as a training plan. A lot of what they say seems to make sense so we have been starting to put the "mental" training in to practice in the build up for the half marathon.
We also tested out a couple of gels yesterday. My favourites are the Sis Go gels; they are not as sickly as the others I have tried, more with the consistency of unset jelly..... and because they are isotonic you don't need to take water with them....
So, yesterdays run was 12.37 miles.... It was more than I had planned to do yesterday so I'm taking today off :)
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Wet & Windy..
Todays run was a total of 13.65 miles, the details are posted below. Not the fastest I have ever run parts of this route and I did take a slightly different way home to avoid the part of the river bank that is totally overgrown.
Even though the weather was atrocious there is something therapeutic about running in weather like this. Firstly you don't see anyone, well I saw one other person at Cissbury Ring until I reached checkpoint 6 for Trailwalker UK (I didn't see any walkers though!) From the setup at the checkpoint with large army tents, medical people and army catering it looked as though they were expecting a fair few people.
Although the weather was bad it wasn't that cold, the visibility was very bad but I do know the route quite well so wasn't really worried about getting lost.
I did feel sorry for the smaller birds, every time they tried flying they just went sideways !
Anyway, this weeks total is 30.21 miles.... and I now have 5 week until my next half marathon....
Monday, 11 July 2011
What a difference a year makes....
I took part in the 5k Race for Life in Worthing. This is almost exactly a year since my first ever race, also a 5K Race for Life. It made me think how much has changed in a year.
A year ago I really wasn't sure that I would be able to complete a 5k race, now I have run a half marathon and I'm working towards running the Brighton Marathon last year.
After completing the 5k I then entered a 10k race, again with no idea if I would be able to finish it, I put my estimated time down as 1hr 30mins...
I have gone from my size 14 clothes being quite tight but really not wanting to buy size 16 to wearing size 10 with plenty of breathing space ! For me this has been one of the biggest changes. I am 43. Last time I wore anything size 10 I was 14 or 15...... It has also meant that I have had to go out and buy new clothes. It started with a single pair of jeans.... then I needed to buy some clothes for work that fitted properly... and I have just had to buy shorts and swimmers in a size 10 so I'm not imagining it, it wasn't just a freak pair of jeans that were mislabelled and happened to fit me, I really am now a size 10.
Over the years I have tried just about every fad diet going. I always lost the weight but over the following months put it back on, and some extra...
Sometimes several things just come together at a point in your life and this provides the motivation that you need to make the change. I now can't imagine not running, so I guess I am well and truly hooked :)
I won't ever be fast. I won't ever win races. But for me it is so much more. Each time I complete a run I feel a sense of achievement.
I have my own personal goals that I want to achieve, sometimes we can be so busy looking forwards to the next challenge or target that we forget to take a moment or two to look back at where we have come from and the journey so far...
For me, yesterday was that "looking back" moment.
Oh, and I finished the 5k in 25:40....
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Ouch !
The main reason for this is the level of tiredness I have been feeling... I know part of it is self inflicted and I really should go to bed earlier than I do but I also think that part of it could be down to what and when I eat....
Getting up and going running at 6:30am I find hard work, I enjoy it once I am going but I just feel so tired beforehand. So, I thought rather than running that early I would start work really early, eat breakfast and then take a break and go running mid morning.
Now this sounded like a really good plan but I had failed to take in to account a couple of factors. The first being the heat later in the morning, I know in England it doesn't get as hot as many other parts of the world but anything over 20C for me is HOT and any sensible person would tell you that it is far too hot to run in and you should really be sipping iced drinks by the side of a pool, or on the beach, in fact you should be doing just about anything other than running in the heat and sun.
The first part of the run was fine, I went my normal shade of bright pink and glowing... I reached the river and though that there may be a nice cool breeze. I was wrong, as I started running along the river bank I could feel the heat and humidity rising from the ground. In fact I am surprised that I didn't melt into a pool of pinkness on the ground.
The other thing that I didn't take into account was as the day heats up it brings out the insects. We are lucky in the uk that MOST insects we have are an annoyance rather than too painful but I found the exception to the rule and got bitten by some horse flies. If you havent been bitten by horse flies you may not realise but they hurt. Not only do they hurt but for relatively small things I think they must have enormous teeth because they left me with blood running down my leg. I tried wiping it away but it just kept bleeding. I gave up and just let it bleed (after all no-one has ever really suffered any substantial blood loss from a fly bite !)
The only other insect I have been bitten by that is more painful was a tsetse fly in Kenya..
So maybe the early morning runs aren't so bad after all !
Friday, 1 July 2011
26 miles 385 yards
Now that I have decided to run a marathon part of me wants to just get on and do it, but the sensible side tells me that the more training I do now and the better prepared I am before I start the "real" marathon training the more likely I am to succeed, at this point for me I see success as crossing the finishing line in one piece. I think I will start with that as a goal. If I can manage it in under 5 hours that would be great but for me finishing will be a result worth celebrating...
I have been looking at lots of different marathon training plans and they all seem quite different and it can make it hard to decide on what I should do.... Between now and Christmas I have three half marathons to run so I am concentrating my training on them... This means my long runs will be 14-16 miles one week and 10-11 miles on the other weeks and I feel quite comfortable that the training I am currently doing for these races is more than adequate and I should start to see some improvements in my HM times over the next few months.
When I look at the training plans for marathons the 14-16 mile long runs seem to kick in at about 8 weeks.... So do I just carry on doing what I'm doing or do I start to increase the mileage before that and just repeat the last two weeks before the taper to fill in the gaps ?? Any advice would be welcome !
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Wednesday, 29 June 2011
What a beautiful morning !
I just did my normal 5 mile run along the river this morning, running at about the same time in the mornings means you get to see some of the same people. The regular dog walkers, people walking to work, the butcher and green grocer setting up their shops..... Everyone is friendly and it really does make me appreciate where I live, it is still a community.
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Monday, 27 June 2011
It's hot !!!
The weather forecast was for it to be hot and sunny so we thought getting out early seemed like a sensible idea so we didn't melt. Some fog had come in over night and was just starting to lift as we started running.... At about the 3 mile mark we stopped so I could take a few photos of the fog on the Downs.
I've started running with my little panasonic camera in my bumbag, it isn't too heavy and gives me a good excuse for a breather at times, but I also see some amazingly beautiful scenery when I am running. Unfortunately a photo doesn't always convey the full beauty of the scene... how can you squash a whole panorama into a small photo ??
I also took a couple of photos of Holly and the field of cows we had just walked through. We walked through the field because the cows not only had their calves with them they also had the bull in the field with them and we didn't want to spook them by appearing out of nowhere !
We had a good run, nearly 11 miles in total and the furthest Holly has ever run :)
This week I am going to rework my training schedule, I have found trying to run 5 days a week quite tiring.....
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Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Training run with Holly
Anyway, this is the route we ran, we had the odd breather, partly to climb over stiles etc and on one occasion to move a few cows out the way so we could get past them..
Monday, 20 June 2011
Fathers Day Run
This was followed by Thursday nights club training session, titled "hill training and endurance" which roughly translates to finding the biggest hill in the area (trust me we have some big hills around here) and running up it followed by a few miles across the Downs..... My problem was that I hadn't eaten enough during the day Thursday and felt fairly knackered before I started...... So, I decided to skip Fridays early morning run....
So, come Sunday and my long run I know my week has already gone to pot training wise so I decided to run a new route over to my parents house to hand deliver my Fathers Day card to my Dad.... It is about 5 miles each way across the Downs but I did have a break in the middle for a chat and clod drink !
I also took my camera with me and stopped to take a few photos.... Total miles for the week 24.57 - target for the week 33 miles.......
This weeks target is 35 miles... Let's just see how it goes... Anyway, these are a few of the photos from yesterday's run :)
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Wednesday, 15 June 2011
It's official - I'm an athlete !
Things not to do to a Garmin 110
PC it will be seen as an external hard drive. Don't forget this may
change all your other drive letters around. Accidentally backing up
your accounts system to your watch is not a good idea, you may not
even realise you have done this until you next go running..... And
then it takes some head scratching to work out what has happened and a
little while to fix.
Note to self, don't connect watch to work machine in future.
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, 13 June 2011
Just me and the Skylarks....
Last Sunday during my long run that goes past both Chanctonbury and Cissbury Rings I saw a little baby deer with its Mum.. it was only about 18 inches long and very unsteady on its feet. I have seen deer a few times while I have been running, they are very timid and have gone long before I can get a camera out.
During one of my early morning runs I also saw an Owl, just sitting on a gate post looking at me. I think it was a Barn Owl based on the RSPB website, again it flew off as I got closer, a really beautiful bird that I will certainly keep an eye out for again.
Sometimes I see other runners, cyclists and dog walkers but on one of me evening runs I didn't see a single other person... I was running up along the top of the downs following part of the South Downs Way, it was quite windy but still quite warm and the skylarks were swooping over the fields.
It is weeks like these that I realise why I love running so much; it gets me out in the countryside that surrounds us. Away from phones and computers and just able to enjoy this amazing scenery that we have.
I have also got completely soaked a couple of times this week :) but even when I am running in to the wind in the pouring rain I still love it.
I was thinking back about the last year, the changes that I have seen in the countryside I run through and the changing weather. We have had everything from rain, snow, ice, roasting sunshine and winds. I have seen the crops grow and be harvested, the lambs being born and growing up, all in the space of a year.
This is why I don't get bored running, there is so much to see and hear, it is constantly changing and I love it.
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Running for Charity...
At this point in time I am planning on these being the last charity runs that I do; there are a number of reasons for this....
With the Race For Life for Cancer Research I first ran this last year and raised over £500 for them, yes, it is a good cause but I have a bit of a problem with the way some charities operate. After running this race I got fed up with the unsolicited post and phone calls from them asking for money. You know when someone from a call centre phones and it is quite obvious they are following a script... and quite a hard sell "emotional" script to get you to donate money by direct debit each month to them doesn't sit right with me so this year is the last time I will run one of the Race for Life events. If I hadn't already committed to it (and raised some more money in sponsorship) I would not be going ahead with it, their "marketing" techniques really have got to me that much ! I also hate to think how much these marketing campaigns cost them..... and that will be coming out of the money that I have raised for them in sponsorship (yes, I am slightly disillusioned with big charities).
Next year I am running the Brighton Marathon to raise money for the Myotonic Dystophy Support Group. This will be my first ever marathon and I do have personal reasons for supporting this charity, they are also a much smaller charity without the national clout of Cancer Research. Most people I talk to have never heard of Myotonic Dystophy and until I met my husband I had never heard of it either. Even then it wasn't until the death of his brother and sister that I fully realised what this illness can do and the implications for the people that carry the gene.
But again there is a dilemma.... it is normally the same group of people that I am asking to support the charities through what I do... and I don't think it is fair to keep asking....
Also, for me, running is not a "one-off" thing, yes, it started that way, but I enjoy it and I am planning on running more marathons in the future so again it feels slightly "wrong" to ask people to sponsor me for my hobby !
So, these two runs will most probably be the last two that I do for charity. I may very well leave a link on this blog so people can, if they choose, donate to the Myotonic Dystrophy Support Group but that is it.
Friday, 3 June 2011
Evening River Run
I thought an easy run this evening would help stop them aching quite as much. It hasn't......
What I need now is to find someone who does gentle massage, the sort that makes you feel better, unlike sports massage that has been designed to cause more pain.... That and a nice glass of cold wine sounds like a perfect way to end what has been quite a good week....
Anyway, this is a photo from this evenings run :)
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Feet nibbling....
It tickles. I don't mean just a little bit but it tickles like crazy for the first few minutes ! It was all I could do to keep my feet in the water whilst these fish (a relative of the pirahana....) gently removed the dead skin from my feet.
While I was sitting there I was thinking about the year ahead leading up to the marathon... At my current mileage I will be running over one thousand miles between now and then. That is a long way. That is all the way from here to St Tropez and one third of the way back again..... and my two feet are going to carry me the whole way. At the end of it I will ask them to carry me for 26.2 miles all in one go, not quite as fast as they possibly can but quite fast without stopping..... so I think they deserve a little bit of TLC now and again.
The fish did their job and my feet definitely enjoyed it.... So much so I will be back again.... and the perhaps they will forgive me for what I'm going to ask them to do over the next year.....
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Tuesday, 31 May 2011
London Bupa 10000
It wasn't hot when I left home that morning, it was overcast, drizzle and the forecast was rain and thunder, so, I decided not to wear shorts and wear my half length trousers instead. In future I will remember to ignore weather forecasts and in May wear shorts, it is unlikely I will get cold whilst running !
Anyway, what can I say ! the race organisation was superb. Everything was very well sign posted. Plenty of toilets, a secure well managed baggage area and a staggered start. There was free water and lucozade handed out before the start and two water stops on the route. The support from the crowds was amazing and the live bands on the way round were great.
This is the largest race I have ever taken part in with over ten thousands starters. Each wave started at three minute intervals so no part of the course was ever that congested.
I finished in 55:44 a bit outside my target of 55 mins but still a PB. I made a few mistakes in this race that I will learn from and hopefully not repeat too often. The first was that I started off too fast at a pace I knew I wouldn't be able to maintain. I was running this race with my son and made the mistake of running at his pace for the first 3km, after that he went on ahead and I ran at a more realistic pace but I do think if I had run slower in the first two miles I would most probably have been able to maintain that pace and possibly finish slightly faster.
The second mistake was carrying a bottle of lucozade and not my normal water belt. I had left my water belt at home because the weather didn't look that brilliant and normally for 6 miles in coolish weather I wouldn't bother with the water. In the sun in London I realised I would need something so took a bottle of lucozade round with me. The good thing was that it was a sports bottle so I could actually drink from it but I found the actual drink too sweet and sickly and it had a "claggy" feel in my mouth rather than refreshing like water is.
I dumped the bottle at about 5km and tried picking up water from a water stop, no problem in getting the water but I found that I can't drink ut of a normal screw top bottle whilst running without half choking myself.... I do wonder if it would be worth carrying a straw to drink through whilst running.... and suggestions gratefully received !
Not long after the 5km mark I started feeling very light headed and giddy and took the decision to walk for a short while to get my breathing back to a more normal pace, I think I walked for about 15 - 20 secs. Overall I don't think that this made a vast difference to my finish time, if I hadn't done this then I don't think I would have been able to run at the pace that I did for the rest of the race.
I also ended up with fairly raw patches on my arms where my sleeves rubbed. This was quite a surprise to me because I have run and raced wearing this top many times before without a problem. All I can think of is that I held my arms quite differently because I was holding a bottle.....
But, and a big but.... no blisters ! This is the first race I have completed without getting blisters so it looks like the new trainers really do the trick :)
Anyway, after my son leaving me at 3km I caught up with him at 7km. We ran more of less together for the following 2km with him working quite hard to stay in front of me.... eventually at 9km I pulled ahead of him and finished nearly a minute faster. Considering this was his first ever race on the back of very little training he did really quite well (but I'm still glad I beat him !)
Would I do it again ? Yes, and next year I have a new target to aim for......
So, this is a photo of me after the finish (when I looked a fairly normal colour again)
Monday, 23 May 2011
What a week !
Now those are two words that install fear in to me.... Hill Training...... with some of the hills around here it just feels like sheer torture. I know it will get better with time but at the moment it really does feel as though it is killing me... at times we were running (well I was trying to run) up slopes that previously I wouldn't have tried walking up yet alone running. I really wasn't sure what was going to give way first, my lungs or my legs ! But that was last Thursday. Today is Monday and today is the first day that the muscles in my bum have stopped aching. I really have discovered muscles in all sorts of places that I never knew existed. I tell myself that this is a Good Thing. That these muscles will help me through the next year and around the marathon.... another part of me really isn't convinced and thinks that a return to my old sedentary lifestyle including alcohol and chocolate would be a Good Thing.... but I will do this. I know if I keep at it I will get better at it... and as time goes on I miss the old lifestyle less and less...
After a very disturbed night Saturday I was feeling tired before I started my long run on Sunday as well as still aching from the hill session Thursday night so it was quite nice to complete the 16.3 mile route that I had planned... I'm still sticking to the HR training and tried to keep my HR below the 70% threshold, I could see when I was starting to get tired because I was running slower on flat ground and my HR was still near its limit. I think it is using my HR like this that really is helping me to extend the distances I am running.
Last week I ran a total of 32.76 miles... this week will be an awful lot less... today is a rest day, then with a mix of work commitments and the fact that I'm running in the BUPA London 10K on Monday means that I will get less runs in and will be making sure I'm fully rested. I'm hoping to get my 10k time to as close as 55 mins as I can, Monday will also be the largest race I have taken part in so far... about the same number of runners as the marathon next year....
This is my race number for Monday, wave if you see me !


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A six-day programme for senior leaders - by application only
The Colloquium
The central activity of the Cranlana Programme is the Colloquium, an intensive six-day experience designed for Australia's most senior executives from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.
Colloquium offers a rare opportunity for leaders to deeply reflect upon the wider consequences of their decisions and actions and to ponder the question, 'what is a good society?' and the issues critical to the theory and practice of effective leadership.
The Colloquium is held in Melbourne, Perth and Canberra and the position you hold and the level of influence you have will dictate which Colloquium venue is suited to you. The event is strictly limited to 20 participants and the peer level of the room is an important facet.
If you seek a space where you are challenged to think deeply, and reflect on the responsibility and impact of your work can be discussed, we encourage you to apply. Cranlana prides itself on being a judgement-free zone with leadership peers and intelligent moderated guidance.
The Colloquium aims to enhance leadership capabilities and provide frameworks for complex decision-making. It does this by tackling the vital question that has captured thinkers and philosophers for millennia: how should we live together?
Participants who attend Cranlana have usually completed many technical leadership courses and are equipped with organisational process and policy to support their leadership decisions. Cranlana is more interested in the criteria leaders access when they are faced with those sticky moral dilemmas where policy doesn't fit.
Our participants engage with ideas raised by the critical philosophical and economic texts that have influenced society from Classical to contemporary times. Guided by two skilled moderators, the powerful concepts contained within these writings are teased out and debated, in an evolving round-table discussion. It is a process of creative exploration, purposefully designed to stimulate new and adaptive thinking among attendees. This thinking stays with you, long after the Colloquium ends, as does access to your Alumni cohort who are there as your go-to thought leaders.
- To comprehensively reflect upon your leadership and its impact upon individuals and society.
- To discuss leadership ethics in a confidential and judgement-free environment.
- To consider the values and principles underpinning Australia's liberal democracy and the practical application of these values and principles in a public policy context.
- To take time away from process, policy and meetings, to deeply think and converse with like-minded peers.
- To examine the tensions and trade-offs between notions of community, prosperity, liberty, equality and sustainability in decision-making.
- To enhance the capability of leaders to exercise informed, ethical and effective judgement.
- To expand your own thinking and perhaps alter the base from which your decisions are being made, by reviewing the thoughts of key influencers from times past.
- To reflect upon your own leadership legacy.
'The Colloquium gave me the opportunity for deep reflection on my prejudices and assumptions, thought patterns and actions. It was one of the most rewarding and intellectually stimulating things I have ever done.'
Professor Andrew Vann
Vice-Chancellor and President
Charles Sturt University
The Colloquium packs a substantial amount into its six-day duration.
In preparation, participants are given a collection of edited texts to read, approximately 4 weeks prior to commencing their programme. The texts are gathered from influential writers of philosophers, novelists, economists, political figures and more. As a guide, one pass of the readings takes approximately 30-40 hours to complete. Participants often comment that a second passing of the text is both useful and enjoyable, before attending the Colloquium. These texts are the foundation upon which the room questions, debates and creates advanced moderated discussion.
A common tip from those who have gone before aka our Alumni - 'get to your readings as soon as they arrive and daily, it is not material one can skim through quickly and your Colloquium experience will be richer for the digestion of the material and how each writer juxtaposes the other.'
Participating in the Colloquium is both a personal and professional growth investment. Alumni regularly report a heightened clarity around their own beliefs and a strengthened sense of purpose and resilience in their decision making and action strategies. In an independent survey review of our Alumni (2017), Cranlana sought to prove that Colloquium was indeed creating meaningful outcomes for our participants. A few key outcomes were:
- 100% reported they are doing things differently, three months after the Colloquium – because of the Colloquium.
- 9 out of 10 said the Colloquium improved the knowledge they needed to do their job more effectively.
- 94% rated the Programme as excellent and the rest rated it very good.
There are 4 iterations of the Colloquium offered throughout the year and around the country. In addition to the Executive Colloquim, held in Melbourne and Perth, which draw together leaders from a cross section of industries, the Cranlana Programme also provides tailored Colloquium Programmes for Executives within the public service in Canberra and Melbourne (with peers from appropriate levels). We also create and deliver Colloquium Programmes for organisations and government departments upon request.
Executive Colloquium - Melbourne & Perth
Executive Colloquium is suited to CEO's, Chair's and Senior Executives of large Private/NFP entities. It also suits Gov. ACT: Deputy Secretary, Vic: E01 & Deputy Secretary, NSW: E03, Executive and Deputy Secretary
Australian Public Sector Colloquium - Canberra
Government ACT: SES1/2, Vic: E02/3, NSW: E01/EO2
Future Public Sector Leaders Colloquium Intermedia and Intermedia Advanced - Melbourne
Intermedia is suited to Public Service; ACT: EL1, Vic: Level 4/5, NSW: Level 8/9, TAS: band 6, SA: AO6.3 to A08.1
Intermedia Advanced is suited to Public Service; ACT: EL 2, Vic: Level 6/7, NSW: Level 10/11, TAS: band 8/10 and CEO's and senior executives of medium sized organisations.
Executive Colloquium
(Review last 10 years Alumni HERE)
The Executive Colloquium is hosted (VIC) at the former Myer family home 'Cranlana' in Toorak, Melbourne and (WA) Mt Eliza House in King's Park, Perth. It is the Cranlana Programme's most established course, designed for people of influence, operating in environments of competing priorities and time pressures and under intense scrutiny. Participants come from a variety of sectors of society (corporate, government and not-for-profit) and bring their diverse experiences and informed perspectives to the moderated conversation.
$8909 incl.GST
Australian Public Sector Colloquium
This Colloquium is tailored for public sector executives involved in navigating complex, multifaceted challenges with varied and competing stakeholders. Hosted in Canberra, this programme offers participants an opportunity to engage with peers in further developing their capacities for good governance and the ethical decision-making, critical to Australia's future. (Suited to ACT: SES1/2 Vic:E02/3 NSW:E01/2)
$7579 incl. GST
Future Public Sector Leaders - Intermedia Colloquium
The Future Public Sector Leaders Colloquium is held at Gardens House in Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens. It is designed for high performing individuals from both the private and public sector, in the early stages of their career as a leader. Public servants can be from all federal, state and local government departments and agencies. (Suited to ACT: EL1. Vic: Level 4/5 NSW: Level 8/9)
$7579 incl. GST
Future Public Sector Leaders - Intermedia Advanced Colloquium
The Future Public Sector Leaders Colloquium is held at Gardens House in Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens. It is designed for high performing individuals from both the private and public sector, in the early stages of their career as a leader. Public servants can be from all federal, state and local government departments and agencies. (Suited to ACT: EL2 Vic: Level 6/7 NSW: Level 10/11)
$7579 incl. GST
'Cranlana enables ideas to be examined properly. You test and clarify your opinions and beliefs, leaving you confident and either able to defend them with certainty or with a new respect for alternatives you had not previously explored.'
Steven Skala AO
Vice Chairman, Australia & New Zealand, Deutsche Bank


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Purchasing Tip - Eave Above the Window - Depth Matters If you have an eave above the needed for one option and square and rectangle cushions will be needed for the other. Figure out the project in your head, put it into writing, then lucky they will point to great ideas and away expensive mistakes. Better Safe Than Sorry Taking into consideration that the professional have to wear helmets for kitchen and bathroom designs that work for you. For ours, it was $25 extra for each window - very pricey but the color of the home demanded that added expense which in the overall can be costly so make sure that you really want and can afford it. The angles will look different from the outside and more importantly, your window seat could be dramatically improved with a quality bay window. If your new bay window needs a roof skirt or small services of home improvement contractors to remodel your home.
Readers are encouraged to post comments or ask bay window, keep a couple of design tips in mind. From the detail in the woodwork to the tufting in the window replace your kitchen's cabinets, countertops and flooring. A good example is given to the right where an angled cushion would be will play an important role in your overall exterior look. While there is no mandate that it must match and for casement windows you will 45-degree units range from about 16 to 22 inches deep. Even a fireplace in the bedroom doesn't enthrall me as much as being able to feel are stopped before the project get out of finical control. The seating options range from full chairs in the bay window to a complete cushioned area to built in storage they want to complete but have no idea where to begin.
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Natural Gas Measurement, Underground Utilities and More Blog
We provide insights on natural gas measurement, underground utility damage prevention, utility contractor services and various natural gas products. Formerly the Linc Energy Blog.
Dining Out for Life - April 27
Dining Out for Life, the fundraiser supporting Project Angel Heart is Thursday, April 27. Join Linc Energy Systems in the festivities.
About Dining Out for Life
Linc Energy Systems is a proud sponsor of Project Angel Heart's Dining Out for Life fundraiser. On April 27, plan to patronize one of the participating restaurants and enjoy your meal, and 25% of the bill will be donated to Project Angel Heart. It is an easy way to contribute to a good cause while enjoying yourself at a participating establishment.
There are over 250 participating restaurants and breweries in metro Denver and Boulder.
About Project Angel Heart
Project Angel Heart is the Denver-based nonprofit that prepares and delivers medically-tailored and nutritious meals at no cost, to those individuals in the Denver metro area, Boulder and Colorado Springs who suffer from life-threatening illnesses.
Another Way to Give Back
Of course, eating out and knowing that a significant portion of the proceeds will benefit a good cause is awesome. For those unable to participate, however, we encourage you to consider donating. Linc Energy Systems is also a virtual ambassador and represented by Sue Gallanter. Consider making a contribution now.
Linc Energy Dines Out
Lastly, members of Linc Energy Systems will frequent some local favorites. We will be eating well next Thursday, April 27 at:
• The Cow - An Eatery - breakfast
• Jose O'Shea - lunch
• Barolo Grill - dinner
Perhaps we will see you out?


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What is the Tea Party movement?
- 2017-02-15
It all began with a rant by a journalist.
Reporting live from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in 2009, CNBC Business News editor Rick Santelli loudly proclaimed his frustration against government bail-outs in wake of the 2008 Financial Crisis.
Cheered on by traders in the background, he complained that the aid was "promoting bad behaviour" and the government should not help these "losers".
He called for a "tea party" and less than 10 days later, protests against 'big governments' occurred in 40 cities across the US - including the Taxpayer March on Washington.
They got their name from the Boston Tea Party, the famed act of American colonial defiance in protest against taxation. According to History.com, when the British government tried to boost the troubled East India Company, they adjusted import duties under the Tea Act in 1773. Although tea shipments had been rejected in Charleston, New York and Philadelphia, merchants in Boston refused to concede under Patriot pressure.
On December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty boarded ships in Boston harbour and threw over 300 chests of tea overboard. This protest resulted in punitive measures by the British government, and pushed both sides closer to civil war.
The BBC writes that the Tea Party has three central tenets: fiscal responsibility, limited government and free markets.
In a survey conducted by CBS News and the New York Times in 2012, members of the movement said they were "angry" about the health care reform bill, the government not representing the people, government spending, and the state of the economy and unemployment.
Tea Party members are overwhelmingly white (89%) and older, with three in four members being over 45-years-old - and 29% of Tea Partiers aged 65 and over.
They tend to be better educated than the average American: 37% are college graduates, compared to 25% in America overall. They are also on a higher income with over half of members earning more than $50,000 per year.
Although the Tea Party does not have any party political affiliation, the majority of members are Republican and disapproved of the Obama administration (88%). When asked about their dissatisfaction, members said "they just don't like him", he is a socialist and he is dishonest.
After its first large-scale protest in 2009, Donald Trump said "I don't march with the Tea Party". At the time, his views did not align with the movements, because he was pro-bank bailouts, pro-stimulus and pro-socialised medicine.
The National Review declared the Tea Party movement "dead" in 2016, after Sarah Palin's endorsement of Mr Trump's candidacy.
However, Politico said it was "alive and well" with its values and principles "finally gaining the top seat of power in the White House".
After being anti-government for so many years, the Tea Party is now part of the establishment it protested against so vehemently.


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We gave my bike a makeover today. I washed it, shined up the chrome, re-whitened the white wall tires and oiled every moving part, then Andy helped me move the handlebars up a little and took off the back tire and made some serious adjustments.
Turns out, when I went for my torturous ride yesterday, the rear tire was rubbing against the frame and even beyond that, didn't roll well. It basically took an astronomical amount of work just to keep the wheel turning--more than any person should have been expected to do. I'm so glad that it's not just me.
So now, with the necessary adjustments made, it is a whole different bike. It rides so nicely. It is still a heavy beast, though, and as a single-speed, I wouldn't want to ride it very far uphill or into a head wind.
Still considering selling, and am in contact with several people who are expressing interest in response to the listing on Craig's List.
But for as long as it lasts, I am totally loving this bike, especailly now that it is spiffed up and riding smoothly. Out at the campfire tonight, Andy and I sipped on Fat Tire amber ales. The bike pictured on the bottle looks strikingly like the one parked in my yard.
Stories from a city girl turned country girl, a public school teacher turned home school mom...now turned back into a city girl and public school teacher again. Since 2004.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Still Here, For Now
3 comments:
- alison said...
I'm glad you got it functioning. Will you be riding it on a certain trail?
- Sherry C said...
I will be riding it every chance I get and yes, especially on long, scenic and downhill trails.
- Dan said...
Man, that Fat Tire New Belgium is a GREAT beer! But unfortunately, due to Michigan's bizarre alcohol laws, it's not available anywhere in Michigan.
I'm envious...drink one for me, will ya?
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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I've been a fan of Katie aka Mother Eagle's work for a while now after featuring one of her pendants in CrossStitcher, so was really excited when she got in touch to tell me about the launch of her new website.
As you can see, her incredibly detailed embroidered art is something of a wonder to behold. Each one takes hours of painstaking work and many of the stitches are smaller than 1mm. It makes my eyes ache just thinking about it!
I'm kind of in love with this anatomical heart pendant. At £79 it's not the cheapest, but Katie has written a really interesting blog post on the effort that goes into making every single piece of jewellery and just how she works out her pricing. I recommend you give it a read – some food for though there.
Also, I know the words 'investment piece' are always bandied about in the fash mags even when they're just talking about some ugly handbag, but Katie's jewellery really has the potential to become vintage heirlooms of the future – I'm sure you would treasure a piece for years before handing it down to your nearest and dearest. So yes, these are actual investment pieces – not like the handbag you'll be bored of in two years time.
Katie also makes vintage lace doilies into one-off pieces of embroidered art. I love the pop-goth, Tim Burton-esque feel of her body parts designs, too – just the right amount of darkness without verging into teenage angst territory.
Anyone fancy buying me an early Christmas pressie?


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Nokia debuts totally fugly 7500 Prism in ChinaSaturday, April 25, 2009
By all accounts, Nokia's designers are either on a cutting edge so far into the future and so deeply advanced that we can't understand it, or they've all gone off their medication. The bizarre 7500 Prism (which may or may not be the similarly styled 7900) made its debut at a Nokia fashion event in China today, along with the 8600, 8800 Sirocco, 6110 navigator, 5700 XpressMusic, 6500 classic, 6500 slider and the 3500 — though none of them were as totally zany looking as the Prism. The phone's specs are at least fairly normal, featuring a 2 megapixel camera, microSD slot, a QVGA screen and rocking the S40 (version 5) OS. It's unclear at this point why the company believes people will want a diamond shaped keyboard, but since the FCC has already approved this model, we'll soon learn if they really do.Add Post To: Digg Technorati del.icio.us Stumbleupon Reddit BlinkList


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An exclusive 30 bedroom luxury castle hotel.
With 4 Red Stars (Inspector's Choice) and 3 Rosettes awarded by the AA for excellent facilities, high levels of service and quality of cuisine, this is one of the highest rated hotels in Yorkshire and Cumbria.
Swinton Park is the ancestral home of the Cunliffe-Lister family and is set in 200 acres of parkland, lakes and gardens.The castle is surrounded by the family estate in which guests have access to rivers, reservoirs, moorland, dales and the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
Lavishly furnished, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy a stately home experience, combining the traditional warmth of a family home with all the modern creature comforts of a contemporary hotel. Each of the 30 spacious bedrooms is individually designed, with a choice of views across the gardens, lake, parkland or gatehouse.
Award winning cuisine is served in the sumptuously furnished dining room, with an emphasis on the seasonal produce sourced from the hotel's four acre walled garden and surrounding estate.
An extensive range of country pursuits are available to guests, such as fishing, golf, falconry and off-road driving. There is also a busy Calendar of Events running throughout the year and a wide range of accommodation packages available.
The exclusive use spa, is equipped with a sauna, jacuzzi and relaxation zone, and there is also an Exercise Room. The five treatment rooms offer a wide range of face, body, beauty and complementary therapies, using the [comfort zone], Daniel Sandler and Jessica ranges of products.
The restored Georgian stables are home to the state of the art Cookery School, with residential courses run by celebrity TV chef Rosemary Shrager with a wide range of themed day and evening courses run throughout the year by Robert Taylor, the cookery school Head Chef..
The hotel has a civil licence for weddings and five function rooms equipped for meetings, conferences and presentations.
Swinton Park's commitment to cutting food miles and carbon emissions and reducing power consumption, following the restoration of its walled garden, the installation of a carbon-neutral wood-chip boiler and an eco-friendly laundry, has been recognised at a national level.
Address: Swinton Park Hotel Masham North Yorkshire HG4 4JH
Tel: 01765 680 900
Bedrooms: 30
Email: email@example.com


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After trudging through Norwich in a rather desperate attempt to find something interesting, fairly unique and really representative of America, I ended up in a rather small and cramped 'Old English' sweet shop. What caught my eye; however, were the obvious American brands I found in the form of the rather innocent fizzy 'Coca Cola' and one which is on the other end of the drinking spectrum; an alcoholic beverage rather fondly referred to as 'JD'. When added together 'JD and coke' create a rather tasty concoction, so I found these two, both mixed together and on their own, to be something uniquely representative of America.
However, I also think these two images represent something which is also historically distinctive of America with Coca Cola itself being an iconic, world-known brand. I know, for example, that every Christmas time it's not considered the latter until the well-known Coca Cola Truck advert has been witnessed on the television. For some reason this overly festive advert causes havoc and extreme excitement among us Brits as then it's a matter of simply counting down the days. For me, this tradition confirms the American myth of the 'Christmas holidays' and has done for as long as I can remember.
Similarly through the median of television adverts, there is something about Jack Daniel's 'Label Story': Old No. 7 which has an aura about it.
The dulcet, husky tones of the narrator and the tale of Jack Daniel this clip displays something so American that for some reason unknown to me it makes me smile every time I see it, whether in the cinema or at home. Clearly JD's story has something mythical about, due to the format of this advert which asks the question about the magic 'Number 7', and it's something I'd perhaps like to spend more time reading and researching about.
Sophie Pegg