Tomorrow it will be exactly 3 months since I completed the Great Midlands Fun Run and so this feels like a good time to look back and take stock.
Here are the stats for the whole experience (AKA 'The Mother of All Stats):
Total distance covered (training and the fun run itself): 97.38K
Total number of training runs: 14
Total sponsorship money raised for Mencap: £360 (£442.36 including gift aid)
Total number of kind people who sponsored me: 30
It seems such a long time ago now that I staggered across the finishing line in Sutton Coldfield, panting and exhausted and on the verge of overwhelmed tears. Especially as I haven't gone on a single run since that day.
I don't feel bad about this. It's been hot and I can barely cope with *walking* in hot weather, let alone running around in it. Heatstroke would have inevitably ensued had I been foolish enough to attempt it...
So it's been the crosstrainer for me this summer (admittedly somewhat sporadically). I can't say I really enjoy it but it has at least maintained a semblance of my fomer fitness and it should hopefully make the reintroduction of regular runs less of a shock to the system.
Because, oh yes, I'm starting up again.
The crosstrainer may be functional and convenient but it can't really compare with fresh air, changing views and, you know, actually moving.
Roll on Autumn!
Sunday 4 September 2011
Monday 6 June 2011
I did it!
I still can't quite believe it but, against quite a few odds (general lack of fitness, a natural tendency towards laziness, the fact that I've actually always hated running - to name but a few), I completed the Great Midlands Fun Run yesterday.
Not only did I complete it but I *ran the whole way*.
Amazingly, I didn't collapse in a heap halfway through (which I was half-expecting to do and had already decided to blame on heat exhaustion).
Even more amazingly, I didn't start crying or whining or expressing exercise-related-distress vocally in any way at any point (I did 'exclaim' loudly when a bloke who I'm assuming had pulled a muscle hopped across the road right in front of me... but I don't think that counts).
I'm not saying it was easy because it really *really* wasn't (the intense aches and pains in my legs today are proof enough of that) but it certainly wasn't the kind of oxygen-depriving nightmare I might have envisaged had you told me this time last year that I would be taking part in an 8.5 mile race.
It didn't start that well though. Mark and I had sensibly decided to place ourselves reasonably close to the back, due to the fact that my average running speed is only slightly faster than walking. Naively (as it turns out) we assumed that other people would be organising themselves in this way as well so as to keep the road as clear as possible for the more serious runner types who wanted to go faster. However, within a few minutes of crossing the start line, I realised that this wasn't the case and I expended rather a lot of energy early on trying to side-step and weave and otherwise manoeuvre my way around groups of people who were already walking, all the while trying to make sure that I didn't inadvertantly lose Mark whilst doing so.
Thankfully, the further we got away from the start line, the more people spread out. I always seemed to have walkers ahead of me (unavoidable, I guess, when you run as slowly as I do) but at least the rest of the run was decidedly less claustrophobic than that first kilometre.
I had been worrying about how I would cope past the 10K mark (as this was the furthest distance I had ever run before this race) and was quailing slightly in the face of 'Cardiac Hill' (which seems to have achieved legendary status as a 'really bad hill'). Happily, though, both of these fears were unfounded. True, my legs were starting to hurt a bit after 10K but I didn't feel unendurably tired and as for the infamous 'Cardiac Hill'... well, that, if anything, was a bit of a disappointment. When we got to the top, I turned to Mark and said 'Was that it??'. Seriously, these people should try around here or, if they're really extreme, Mid Wales if they want *proper* hills!
Here are some things I learned from this run:
- It's a good idea to dress up as a banana if you want people to cheer you on (however it's not all positive: some people may make really bad puns/jokes as you run by and some small children may delight in spraying you with water pistols and then running away shrieking 'I got the banana! I got the banana!')
- If said person dressed as a banana keeps overtaking you and then being overtaken by you again in a continuous cycle of groundhog-day-esque overtaking, it can get quite annoying!
- Running and trying to drink water from a plastic cup simultaneously can only lead to disaster
- There are *loads* of rabbits in Sutton Coldfield (sorry: I know that's not running related but seriously, there were *loads*)
The most important thing I've learned, though, is that I am actually capable of doing something that I find difficult, of sticking at it and achieving the goals that I set for myself. And I've also learned that just because I was always rubbish at PE at school, that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy sport and exercise as an adult. No one cares that I'm slow (apart from me...sometimes) and I'm not in competition with anyone else.
I actually got quite emotional when, after six months of training and effort and pushing myself, I finally crossed the finish line.
However, this was promptly knocked out of me by a 'helpful' race volunteer who proceeded to spray me with a fire hose!
Thanks to everyone who sponsored me, everyone who said encouraging things about the race and everyone who stopped by to read this blog - you are all extremely fab and lovely :-).
Roll on the next challenge!!
Stats for this run:
Distance: 13.68K
Time: 1 hour 52 minutes and 42 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 14 seconds (fastest ever - random!)
***It's still not too late to sponsor me if you would like to! You can find my sponsorship page here***
Not only did I complete it but I *ran the whole way*.
Amazingly, I didn't collapse in a heap halfway through (which I was half-expecting to do and had already decided to blame on heat exhaustion).
Even more amazingly, I didn't start crying or whining or expressing exercise-related-distress vocally in any way at any point (I did 'exclaim' loudly when a bloke who I'm assuming had pulled a muscle hopped across the road right in front of me... but I don't think that counts).
I'm not saying it was easy because it really *really* wasn't (the intense aches and pains in my legs today are proof enough of that) but it certainly wasn't the kind of oxygen-depriving nightmare I might have envisaged had you told me this time last year that I would be taking part in an 8.5 mile race.
It didn't start that well though. Mark and I had sensibly decided to place ourselves reasonably close to the back, due to the fact that my average running speed is only slightly faster than walking. Naively (as it turns out) we assumed that other people would be organising themselves in this way as well so as to keep the road as clear as possible for the more serious runner types who wanted to go faster. However, within a few minutes of crossing the start line, I realised that this wasn't the case and I expended rather a lot of energy early on trying to side-step and weave and otherwise manoeuvre my way around groups of people who were already walking, all the while trying to make sure that I didn't inadvertantly lose Mark whilst doing so.
Thankfully, the further we got away from the start line, the more people spread out. I always seemed to have walkers ahead of me (unavoidable, I guess, when you run as slowly as I do) but at least the rest of the run was decidedly less claustrophobic than that first kilometre.
I had been worrying about how I would cope past the 10K mark (as this was the furthest distance I had ever run before this race) and was quailing slightly in the face of 'Cardiac Hill' (which seems to have achieved legendary status as a 'really bad hill'). Happily, though, both of these fears were unfounded. True, my legs were starting to hurt a bit after 10K but I didn't feel unendurably tired and as for the infamous 'Cardiac Hill'... well, that, if anything, was a bit of a disappointment. When we got to the top, I turned to Mark and said 'Was that it??'. Seriously, these people should try around here or, if they're really extreme, Mid Wales if they want *proper* hills!
Here are some things I learned from this run:
- It's a good idea to dress up as a banana if you want people to cheer you on (however it's not all positive: some people may make really bad puns/jokes as you run by and some small children may delight in spraying you with water pistols and then running away shrieking 'I got the banana! I got the banana!')
- If said person dressed as a banana keeps overtaking you and then being overtaken by you again in a continuous cycle of groundhog-day-esque overtaking, it can get quite annoying!
- Running and trying to drink water from a plastic cup simultaneously can only lead to disaster
- There are *loads* of rabbits in Sutton Coldfield (sorry: I know that's not running related but seriously, there were *loads*)
The most important thing I've learned, though, is that I am actually capable of doing something that I find difficult, of sticking at it and achieving the goals that I set for myself. And I've also learned that just because I was always rubbish at PE at school, that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy sport and exercise as an adult. No one cares that I'm slow (apart from me...sometimes) and I'm not in competition with anyone else.
I actually got quite emotional when, after six months of training and effort and pushing myself, I finally crossed the finish line.
However, this was promptly knocked out of me by a 'helpful' race volunteer who proceeded to spray me with a fire hose!
Thanks to everyone who sponsored me, everyone who said encouraging things about the race and everyone who stopped by to read this blog - you are all extremely fab and lovely :-).
Roll on the next challenge!!
Stats for this run:
Distance: 13.68K
Time: 1 hour 52 minutes and 42 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 14 seconds (fastest ever - random!)
***It's still not too late to sponsor me if you would like to! You can find my sponsorship page here***
Monday 30 May 2011
Less than a week to go!
There are now only six days to go before The Big One (as I've taken to calling it). Eek!!
Yesterday, I took myself on a mini-run (roughly 3.5K - I didn't have the magic watch, though, so can't be sure) just to keep everything (hopefully) ticking along nicely.
I still ended up getting a stitch (stitches seem to be the story of my running life!) but, as it started a few yards away from my front door, I wasn't overly concerned. I did have a moment of feeling a bit panicked about how knackered I was after only 3K (only??) because, well, I'm going to have to run more than four times this distance on Sunday (!!). Then again, 3K generally is my moment of feeling that way no matter what distance I'm running so I probably shouldn't read too much into it. I always end up getting over it eventually and 'settling into' the run. Plus, I will have Mark with me next weekend and I'm sure he'll have no qualms about giving me a push if I start whining that I'm tired!
I don't really have stats for this run, as both the distance and time are approximations. I think I've got to the stage now that it doesn't really matter in any case!
By the way, if you haven't sponsored me and would like to, there is still time. You can find my sponsorship page here and any contributions would be hugely appreciated :-).
This *could* be my last blog post before the race...
Yesterday, I took myself on a mini-run (roughly 3.5K - I didn't have the magic watch, though, so can't be sure) just to keep everything (hopefully) ticking along nicely.
I still ended up getting a stitch (stitches seem to be the story of my running life!) but, as it started a few yards away from my front door, I wasn't overly concerned. I did have a moment of feeling a bit panicked about how knackered I was after only 3K (only??) because, well, I'm going to have to run more than four times this distance on Sunday (!!). Then again, 3K generally is my moment of feeling that way no matter what distance I'm running so I probably shouldn't read too much into it. I always end up getting over it eventually and 'settling into' the run. Plus, I will have Mark with me next weekend and I'm sure he'll have no qualms about giving me a push if I start whining that I'm tired!
I don't really have stats for this run, as both the distance and time are approximations. I think I've got to the stage now that it doesn't really matter in any case!
By the way, if you haven't sponsored me and would like to, there is still time. You can find my sponsorship page here and any contributions would be hugely appreciated :-).
This *could* be my last blog post before the race...
Wednesday 25 May 2011
You are what you eat
So I really must learn to stop eating dauphinois potatoes the night before a long run...
(Not that I *turn into* a creamy-potato-mush person or anything - I just get horrid indigestion).
The plan had been to attempt a 12K run, which would take me quite a distance away from home. However, about 2K in, I started experiencing that all too familiar sensation that feels like someone is slowly and carefully emptying a small mug of acid inside my stomach at sporadic intervals. Ouch.
As a result, the plan had to be revised a little and I ended up staying close to home, running through parks and housing estates and past allotments.
Despite the acidy-ouchiness, I still managed to run 10K and, by some insane miracle, I actually completed this distance in a considerably faster time than the previous weekend.
Now, I'm confused. Does this mean that I *should* give myself indigestion???
Anyway, stats for this run:
Distance: 10.27K
Time: 1 hour 26 minutes 27 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 25 seconds
p.s. My next big run is probably going to be the Big Day itself - wish me luck!!!!
(Not that I *turn into* a creamy-potato-mush person or anything - I just get horrid indigestion).
The plan had been to attempt a 12K run, which would take me quite a distance away from home. However, about 2K in, I started experiencing that all too familiar sensation that feels like someone is slowly and carefully emptying a small mug of acid inside my stomach at sporadic intervals. Ouch.
As a result, the plan had to be revised a little and I ended up staying close to home, running through parks and housing estates and past allotments.
Despite the acidy-ouchiness, I still managed to run 10K and, by some insane miracle, I actually completed this distance in a considerably faster time than the previous weekend.
Now, I'm confused. Does this mean that I *should* give myself indigestion???
Anyway, stats for this run:
Distance: 10.27K
Time: 1 hour 26 minutes 27 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 25 seconds
p.s. My next big run is probably going to be the Big Day itself - wish me luck!!!!
Monday 16 May 2011
The original aspiration
When I first decided to take part in a sponsored run for charity, my original plan was to run the Walsall 10K.
10K, I thought then, was far enough. Plenty far enough. Any further than that was just being silly...
In the end, however, I abandoned that plan. The Walsall 10K is, I learned, run for the most part by 'serious' runners and people who have joined running clubs: in short, the sort of running people who are the exact opposite of me.
I wanted to challenge myself and set myself a goal that would push me but, at the same time, I didn't want to put myself into a situation that would leave me feeling humiliated. And finishing way behind everyone else in a race would, in all probability, leave me feeling humiliated.
So Mark, in his infinite wisdom, suggested entering the Great Midlands Fun Run. True, this is actually further than the 10K race but the 'fun run' aspect takes the pressure off a little. There are likely to be people who are dressed up, people who want to walk a lot of the way and the chances of me finishing absolutely last are (I hope!) relatively slim.
So the plan may have changed... but that didn't make me feel any less proud yesterday when I finally ran a full 10K. It still feels like a landmark, a milestone: proof to myself that I can achieve something, even if at first it's a challenge that seems insurmountable.
This time last year, I would have told you that there was no way I could ever run 10K. To be honest, I would have been sceptical that I could even run 5K.
And now, in 20 days time, I'm going to be running over 13K.
Mad...
Stats for this run:
Distance: 10.27K
Time: 1 hour 33 minutes and 1 second
Average K pace: 9 minutes and 3 seconds
10K, I thought then, was far enough. Plenty far enough. Any further than that was just being silly...
In the end, however, I abandoned that plan. The Walsall 10K is, I learned, run for the most part by 'serious' runners and people who have joined running clubs: in short, the sort of running people who are the exact opposite of me.
I wanted to challenge myself and set myself a goal that would push me but, at the same time, I didn't want to put myself into a situation that would leave me feeling humiliated. And finishing way behind everyone else in a race would, in all probability, leave me feeling humiliated.
So Mark, in his infinite wisdom, suggested entering the Great Midlands Fun Run. True, this is actually further than the 10K race but the 'fun run' aspect takes the pressure off a little. There are likely to be people who are dressed up, people who want to walk a lot of the way and the chances of me finishing absolutely last are (I hope!) relatively slim.
So the plan may have changed... but that didn't make me feel any less proud yesterday when I finally ran a full 10K. It still feels like a landmark, a milestone: proof to myself that I can achieve something, even if at first it's a challenge that seems insurmountable.
This time last year, I would have told you that there was no way I could ever run 10K. To be honest, I would have been sceptical that I could even run 5K.
And now, in 20 days time, I'm going to be running over 13K.
Mad...
Stats for this run:
Distance: 10.27K
Time: 1 hour 33 minutes and 1 second
Average K pace: 9 minutes and 3 seconds
Sunday 8 May 2011
Woohoo!
I am officially back on track!
Ran 8.55 K this morning and actually felt like I was running the whole time (as opposed to jogging/shuffling).
And no flies flew into my mouth. Yay!
Next time - 10K!!!
Stats for this run:
Distance: 8.55K
Time: 1 hour 16 minutes and 45 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 59 seconds
Ran 8.55 K this morning and actually felt like I was running the whole time (as opposed to jogging/shuffling).
And no flies flew into my mouth. Yay!
Next time - 10K!!!
Stats for this run:
Distance: 8.55K
Time: 1 hour 16 minutes and 45 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 59 seconds
Sunday 24 April 2011
There was a (young) lady who swallowed a fly
If you're wondering why she swallowed that fly...
...it's because that fly decided to fly into her mouth while she was running today.
Mark (as I spat it out on horror): You'll have to get used to that. That happens a lot while you're running. Just swallow 'em down: it's all protein.
Me: Bleurghhh!!!
Happy as I am that Spring (or, hey, we could even call it Summer at the moment) has arrived, it brings with it certain conditions that are making running training a bit more difficult. The first, as I discovered this morning to my cost, is the sudden appearance of buzzing hoards of flies who seem to want to set up residence in my mouth. The second is the heat. Running in hot, bright sunlight is not fun for solar-phobes like me. I like shade! Shade!!
Still, with much encouragement from Mark, I managed to drag myself out in it this morning. It wasn't easy. My health still isn't really 100% and there were a few moments where I felt like I couldn't go on. Luckily for me, I had Mark there to chivvy me along and offer words of advice and encouragement where necessary.
I felt quite down on myself during the run and a little despairing that I will ever be able to make the 8.5 miles of the Great Midlands Fun Run without stopping (especially as there are now only a few weeks to go). However, despite all this negativity and hopelessness, I actually managed to run just over 7K and in a pretty good time as well.
I think I may need to step up my training a bit over the next few weeks if I want to fulfil my goal of running the whole 8.5 miles without stopping to walk. Happily, though, that goal doesn't seem quite as unattainable as it did earlier today. I think I just need to try and build up some momentum.
Anyway, stats for this run:
Distance: 7.25K
Time: 1 hour 3 minutes and 24 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 44 seconds
...it's because that fly decided to fly into her mouth while she was running today.
Mark (as I spat it out on horror): You'll have to get used to that. That happens a lot while you're running. Just swallow 'em down: it's all protein.
Me: Bleurghhh!!!
Happy as I am that Spring (or, hey, we could even call it Summer at the moment) has arrived, it brings with it certain conditions that are making running training a bit more difficult. The first, as I discovered this morning to my cost, is the sudden appearance of buzzing hoards of flies who seem to want to set up residence in my mouth. The second is the heat. Running in hot, bright sunlight is not fun for solar-phobes like me. I like shade! Shade!!
Still, with much encouragement from Mark, I managed to drag myself out in it this morning. It wasn't easy. My health still isn't really 100% and there were a few moments where I felt like I couldn't go on. Luckily for me, I had Mark there to chivvy me along and offer words of advice and encouragement where necessary.
I felt quite down on myself during the run and a little despairing that I will ever be able to make the 8.5 miles of the Great Midlands Fun Run without stopping (especially as there are now only a few weeks to go). However, despite all this negativity and hopelessness, I actually managed to run just over 7K and in a pretty good time as well.
I think I may need to step up my training a bit over the next few weeks if I want to fulfil my goal of running the whole 8.5 miles without stopping to walk. Happily, though, that goal doesn't seem quite as unattainable as it did earlier today. I think I just need to try and build up some momentum.
Anyway, stats for this run:
Distance: 7.25K
Time: 1 hour 3 minutes and 24 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 44 seconds
Saturday 16 April 2011
One step at a time
Things seemed to have stalled a little these past few weeks.
I think this is because I'd sort of lost my confidence after my last training run. So much so in fact, that it has taken me until today - 20 whole days - to attempt another one.
I haven't been being *completely* lazy in all that time and have done a bit of cross-training to try and 'keep my hand in' (for want of a better phrase) but I have felt quite guilty that I have effectively been neglecting my training. Especially since so many lovely, kind people have gone to the trouble and expense of sponsoring me.
There has been the odd opportunity to go out and run but I have kept finding reasons - it's raining, I think I'm coming down with a cold, it'll be getting dark soon (to name but a few) - to talk myself out of going.
Today, however, I figured that enough was enough. My lovely boys had gone off to watch the football, leaving me a few hours alone and providing me with an excellent opportunity to take myself off for a 'getting-myself-back-into-the-swing-of-things' training run.
If I'm honest, I wasn't feeling hugely enthusiastic or confident and I set off with a bit of an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. I think I was worried a) that I would feel ill again and be forced to stop *again* and b) that I would feel stupid/embarrassed running on my own without Mark and that the whole experience would just be an exercise in public humiliation*.
In the end, it wasn't bad at all. I don't know how far I went, as I didn't take Mark's magic stop-watch with me, but I would guess it was around the 3K mark. I was back home within half an hour and, apart from my face going bright red and my head feeling like it was full of fast-flowing lava, I don't seem to have suffered any ill effects.
True, this sort of distance is hardly making the same sort of headway as my 5-miler a few weeks back but that wasn't really the point. I did this run as a way of getting over my anxiety and lack of confidence and proving to myself that I could carry on even when things get tough.
Happily, I think it might have worked :-).
*Yes, I can be pretty melodramatic about these things sometimes!
I think this is because I'd sort of lost my confidence after my last training run. So much so in fact, that it has taken me until today - 20 whole days - to attempt another one.
I haven't been being *completely* lazy in all that time and have done a bit of cross-training to try and 'keep my hand in' (for want of a better phrase) but I have felt quite guilty that I have effectively been neglecting my training. Especially since so many lovely, kind people have gone to the trouble and expense of sponsoring me.
There has been the odd opportunity to go out and run but I have kept finding reasons - it's raining, I think I'm coming down with a cold, it'll be getting dark soon (to name but a few) - to talk myself out of going.
Today, however, I figured that enough was enough. My lovely boys had gone off to watch the football, leaving me a few hours alone and providing me with an excellent opportunity to take myself off for a 'getting-myself-back-into-the-swing-of-things' training run.
If I'm honest, I wasn't feeling hugely enthusiastic or confident and I set off with a bit of an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. I think I was worried a) that I would feel ill again and be forced to stop *again* and b) that I would feel stupid/embarrassed running on my own without Mark and that the whole experience would just be an exercise in public humiliation*.
In the end, it wasn't bad at all. I don't know how far I went, as I didn't take Mark's magic stop-watch with me, but I would guess it was around the 3K mark. I was back home within half an hour and, apart from my face going bright red and my head feeling like it was full of fast-flowing lava, I don't seem to have suffered any ill effects.
True, this sort of distance is hardly making the same sort of headway as my 5-miler a few weeks back but that wasn't really the point. I did this run as a way of getting over my anxiety and lack of confidence and proving to myself that I could carry on even when things get tough.
Happily, I think it might have worked :-).
*Yes, I can be pretty melodramatic about these things sometimes!
Sunday 27 March 2011
Ow ow ow ow ow!
Oh dear, it was all going so well...
This morning I set out with the intention of doing another 5-miler, hoping (in vain, as it turns out) to recreate the dizzy success of a fortnight ago.
Unfortunately, my malfunctioning body had other ideas.
I'd gone about 5K and was feeling fine and, dare I say it, fairly comfortable when I was struck with this horrible griping pain just under my ribs on both sides of my torso. It was sort of like a bad stitch, but not, and I slowed right down to a ridiculously slow pace while I waited for it to go away (poor Mark was just walking alongside me at this point, freezing half to death).
But annoyingly it didn't go away: it just got worse.
So at just 5.98K (rather than the 8K I was going for), I realised that it wasn't going to get any better and that it was time to stop being so blinking stubborn about it. Feeling pretty hard done by (and really cold!), I walked the last 2K home.
I don't know what the problem was. Mark says that sometimes everyone just has bad running days (like bad hair days!) and that I shouldn't worry about it.
Oh well, hopefully things will work out better next time :-).
Here are the stats for this run:
Distance: 5.98K
Time: 56 minutes 27 seconds
Average K pace: 9 minutes 26 seconds
This morning I set out with the intention of doing another 5-miler, hoping (in vain, as it turns out) to recreate the dizzy success of a fortnight ago.
Unfortunately, my malfunctioning body had other ideas.
I'd gone about 5K and was feeling fine and, dare I say it, fairly comfortable when I was struck with this horrible griping pain just under my ribs on both sides of my torso. It was sort of like a bad stitch, but not, and I slowed right down to a ridiculously slow pace while I waited for it to go away (poor Mark was just walking alongside me at this point, freezing half to death).
But annoyingly it didn't go away: it just got worse.
So at just 5.98K (rather than the 8K I was going for), I realised that it wasn't going to get any better and that it was time to stop being so blinking stubborn about it. Feeling pretty hard done by (and really cold!), I walked the last 2K home.
I don't know what the problem was. Mark says that sometimes everyone just has bad running days (like bad hair days!) and that I shouldn't worry about it.
Oh well, hopefully things will work out better next time :-).
Here are the stats for this run:
Distance: 5.98K
Time: 56 minutes 27 seconds
Average K pace: 9 minutes 26 seconds
Saturday 12 March 2011
5 whole miles!!!
Today I ran the longest distance I've ever run ever - just over 5 miles!
I feel very proud :-).
It was actually a really lovely course - all winding rural roads and big posh houses and spring sunshine - and it was somewhere near where I live that I've never seen before (which is always nice :-) ).
Mark did embarrass me by taking various photos and film clips of me as I went (well, I needed a 'running'-y picture of me for my sponsorship page, after all) but in all other respects it was really fab. I didn't at any point feel sick or like I needed to stop or like I wanted to collapse on the nearest patch of vaguely flat earth. I just felt... fine. I even managed to have non-huffing-and-puffing conversations with Mark about things that actually made sense.
Yay :-).
In other good news, my sponsorship page is now live! Should you wish to sponsor me, you can find my page here .
Or should you wish to provide support in a more esoteric fashion by sending me good vibes and/or encouraging thoughts, please feel free to go ahead and start sending them this way.
Or even better, leave me a comment. I love getting comments!
Aaanyway... back to business.
Stats for this run:
Distance: 8.2 K
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes and 2 seconds
Average K pace: 9 minutes 9 seconds
I feel very proud :-).
It was actually a really lovely course - all winding rural roads and big posh houses and spring sunshine - and it was somewhere near where I live that I've never seen before (which is always nice :-) ).
Mark did embarrass me by taking various photos and film clips of me as I went (well, I needed a 'running'-y picture of me for my sponsorship page, after all) but in all other respects it was really fab. I didn't at any point feel sick or like I needed to stop or like I wanted to collapse on the nearest patch of vaguely flat earth. I just felt... fine. I even managed to have non-huffing-and-puffing conversations with Mark about things that actually made sense.
Yay :-).
In other good news, my sponsorship page is now live! Should you wish to sponsor me, you can find my page here .
Or should you wish to provide support in a more esoteric fashion by sending me good vibes and/or encouraging thoughts, please feel free to go ahead and start sending them this way.
Or even better, leave me a comment. I love getting comments!
Aaanyway... back to business.
Stats for this run:
Distance: 8.2 K
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes and 2 seconds
Average K pace: 9 minutes 9 seconds
Monday 28 February 2011
Stitch in the mud
Apologies for the lack of a post last week. Various visiting and half term-ery got in the way of me doing a training run (although I did at least manage to fit in a cross-training session to make up for it a little) and I haven't really had much time for writing blogs recently.
As a result, I jumped at the opportunity to go for another run in the forest yesterday afternoon. Especially as Mark was around to come with me :-).
We planned to do the 3.5 K path again, as I've been a bit ill recently and didn't want to push myself too much. However, we ended up being foiled by all the mud everywhere (the 3.5K path takes a lot of detours along little dirt tracks through the trees). After one particularly slow and squelchy trek along one of these paths, we decided that we'd better just stick to the main track for the rest of the run.
And so, instead of a gentle, manageable, getting-back-into-the-swing-of-things 3.5K run, I ended up running for 5.2K instead.
It actually wasn't too bad: my legs were holding up pretty well and I wasn't getting too out of breath. The only real problem I experienced was almost continual stitches.
Now, I know why this is. Mark and I had friends to stay on Saturday night and we had a rather heavy (but totally lush) three-course meal. As I discovered to my cost, your body doesn't much like it when you start running after having eaten a huge amount of rich food (not that I'm complaining too much, you understand: sweet potato soup + roasted pheasant, dauphinois potatoes and veg + homemade apple tart and clotted cream = yum yum yum yum yum!). We also then compounded the problem by having bacon and eggs for breakfast the next morning (and no, having a smoothie with it doesn't automatically make it 'healthy'!). So it's no surprise, really, that my poor body was protesting rather a lot as I forced it to run along such a long (and hilly!) course.
Still, it was nice to get out under the (momentarily!) blue sky and hear the birds singing and suchlike :-).
I'm now looking forward to spring and blossoms and (hopefully!) an absence of mud...
Stats for this run:
Distance: 5.2K
Time: 44 minutes 57 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 38 seconds
As a result, I jumped at the opportunity to go for another run in the forest yesterday afternoon. Especially as Mark was around to come with me :-).
We planned to do the 3.5 K path again, as I've been a bit ill recently and didn't want to push myself too much. However, we ended up being foiled by all the mud everywhere (the 3.5K path takes a lot of detours along little dirt tracks through the trees). After one particularly slow and squelchy trek along one of these paths, we decided that we'd better just stick to the main track for the rest of the run.
And so, instead of a gentle, manageable, getting-back-into-the-swing-of-things 3.5K run, I ended up running for 5.2K instead.
It actually wasn't too bad: my legs were holding up pretty well and I wasn't getting too out of breath. The only real problem I experienced was almost continual stitches.
Now, I know why this is. Mark and I had friends to stay on Saturday night and we had a rather heavy (but totally lush) three-course meal. As I discovered to my cost, your body doesn't much like it when you start running after having eaten a huge amount of rich food (not that I'm complaining too much, you understand: sweet potato soup + roasted pheasant, dauphinois potatoes and veg + homemade apple tart and clotted cream = yum yum yum yum yum!). We also then compounded the problem by having bacon and eggs for breakfast the next morning (and no, having a smoothie with it doesn't automatically make it 'healthy'!). So it's no surprise, really, that my poor body was protesting rather a lot as I forced it to run along such a long (and hilly!) course.
Still, it was nice to get out under the (momentarily!) blue sky and hear the birds singing and suchlike :-).
I'm now looking forward to spring and blossoms and (hopefully!) an absence of mud...
Stats for this run:
Distance: 5.2K
Time: 44 minutes 57 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 38 seconds
Sunday 13 February 2011
The Lone Runner
Yesterday I went for my first ever run *all by myself*.
Mark was at the football and I'm going to have to drive to Wales today so I decided to bite the bullet and just take myself out for a run.
I settled on the forest again, same route as last time.
The mud was even worse this time and I actually had to stop twice because I couldn't physically run in the stuff.
Despite this, however, I somehow managed to beat last week's time! Even getting distracted by a falcon at one point didn't slow me up too much (?!).
The final hill really was a killer though. Halfway up, I suddenly decided to take a look at my watch and see how I was doing time-wise. After the muddy-walking-saga, I was fully expecting to be way over 30 mins. Imagine my surprise, then, to find that I was actually making better time than last week.
Immediately I took things up a notch (despite being unbelievably knackered and halfway up an almost vertical slope) and the last few (steep!) yards of the run were like torture.
As soon as I reached the end, I collapsed onto a nearby wall. I felt sick. Really sick. In fact, I was genuinely concerned that I was going to throw up all over a passing family walking their dog.
But a few deep breaths later, the feeling had passed and I just felt my usual post-run-knackered self.
As I was trying to motivate myself to stand up, a woman walked past me and I heard her say to her friend 'Oh my God, she's just run up that hill...!'
For some reason, this made me feel rather proud of myself!
Stats
Distance: 3.4K
Time: 28 minutes 50 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 28 seconds
Mark was at the football and I'm going to have to drive to Wales today so I decided to bite the bullet and just take myself out for a run.
I settled on the forest again, same route as last time.
The mud was even worse this time and I actually had to stop twice because I couldn't physically run in the stuff.
Despite this, however, I somehow managed to beat last week's time! Even getting distracted by a falcon at one point didn't slow me up too much (?!).
The final hill really was a killer though. Halfway up, I suddenly decided to take a look at my watch and see how I was doing time-wise. After the muddy-walking-saga, I was fully expecting to be way over 30 mins. Imagine my surprise, then, to find that I was actually making better time than last week.
Immediately I took things up a notch (despite being unbelievably knackered and halfway up an almost vertical slope) and the last few (steep!) yards of the run were like torture.
As soon as I reached the end, I collapsed onto a nearby wall. I felt sick. Really sick. In fact, I was genuinely concerned that I was going to throw up all over a passing family walking their dog.
But a few deep breaths later, the feeling had passed and I just felt my usual post-run-knackered self.
As I was trying to motivate myself to stand up, a woman walked past me and I heard her say to her friend 'Oh my God, she's just run up that hill...!'
For some reason, this made me feel rather proud of myself!
Stats
Distance: 3.4K
Time: 28 minutes 50 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 28 seconds
Saturday 12 February 2011
Comments issue
Morning :-)
Have just realised that my blog was only allowing people registered with Google to comment on my posts... so I have now fixed this (go me!) so that anyone can comment.
Obviously, I am now expecting a positive deluge of new comments... ;-)
Have just realised that my blog was only allowing people registered with Google to comment on my posts... so I have now fixed this (go me!) so that anyone can comment.
Obviously, I am now expecting a positive deluge of new comments... ;-)
Wednesday 9 February 2011
If you go down to the woods today
Well, 3 days ago actually (illness has prevented me from writing up this run sooner).
After another lovely (flat!) run along the railway track last Friday, I decided that I should push myself a bit and go for a run in the forest.
Now don't get me wrong, the forest is very beautiful and idyllic and I like it very much. However, it is also extremely hilly, there are muddy patches you could sink a landrover in (ok, slight exaggeration) and many of the paths are so riddled with tree roots that I'm amazed I emerged without, at the very least, a twisted ankle.
It certainly wasn't restful, meditative, I'll-just-switch-off-my-brain-for-next-half-an-hour-so type running. I had to be vigilant.
I was especially worried about the hills, as I've struggled with hills in the past and there are some ultra-steep ones in the forest. However, even though I did find it a struggle to regain a decent pace after I'd dragged myself up the first hill, I didn't at any point feel that I needed to stop and I managed to keep going right until the end.
So yay!
I'm going to aim for the longer forest route next time (just over 5K and scarier hills): wish me luck :-).
Stats
Distance: 3.4K
Time: 29 minutes 56 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 48 seconds
After another lovely (flat!) run along the railway track last Friday, I decided that I should push myself a bit and go for a run in the forest.
Now don't get me wrong, the forest is very beautiful and idyllic and I like it very much. However, it is also extremely hilly, there are muddy patches you could sink a landrover in (ok, slight exaggeration) and many of the paths are so riddled with tree roots that I'm amazed I emerged without, at the very least, a twisted ankle.
It certainly wasn't restful, meditative, I'll-just-switch-off-my-brain-for-next-half-an-hour-so type running. I had to be vigilant.
I was especially worried about the hills, as I've struggled with hills in the past and there are some ultra-steep ones in the forest. However, even though I did find it a struggle to regain a decent pace after I'd dragged myself up the first hill, I didn't at any point feel that I needed to stop and I managed to keep going right until the end.
So yay!
I'm going to aim for the longer forest route next time (just over 5K and scarier hills): wish me luck :-).
Stats
Distance: 3.4K
Time: 29 minutes 56 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 48 seconds
Friday 4 February 2011
On the right track
I've had the day off work today so have taken the opportunity to sneak in another training run (oh yes, I really know how to live ;-) ).
As lovely Mark was off work as well, he obligingly came along with me again and we revisited my first route: the old railway line (just as before: relatively flat... picturesque... lots of people walking dogs).
This time I set myself the challenge of running right to the end of the track before turning back and, despite the usual feeling about 1K in that 'Ugh! This is too hard!', I made it there and back again without too much trouble.
If I'm honest, when I first started out I was expecting this blog to be a bit of a whinge-fest. I was expecting to be constantly complaining about how difficult all this running malarkey is and needing huge amounts of encouragement to keep me on track. Bizarrely, though, this doesn't seem to be the case in reality. I'm actually (and this is the really really surprising thing) quite enjoying myself.
But hey, we're still only three runs in... ;-)
Stats
Distance: 5.9K
Time: 52 minutes 35 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 54 seconds
As lovely Mark was off work as well, he obligingly came along with me again and we revisited my first route: the old railway line (just as before: relatively flat... picturesque... lots of people walking dogs).
This time I set myself the challenge of running right to the end of the track before turning back and, despite the usual feeling about 1K in that 'Ugh! This is too hard!', I made it there and back again without too much trouble.
If I'm honest, when I first started out I was expecting this blog to be a bit of a whinge-fest. I was expecting to be constantly complaining about how difficult all this running malarkey is and needing huge amounts of encouragement to keep me on track. Bizarrely, though, this doesn't seem to be the case in reality. I'm actually (and this is the really really surprising thing) quite enjoying myself.
But hey, we're still only three runs in... ;-)
Stats
Distance: 5.9K
Time: 52 minutes 35 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 54 seconds
Sunday 30 January 2011
Running or sleeping? How to choose...
Well, not that long ago, the choice would have been simple enough: S L E E P I N G.
But oh how times have changed...
Yesterday was a pretty tiring day (which involved me driving on the M25 for the first time ever - and I didn't crash or anything! Woo!) so this morning, sleeping in seemed like the sensible option.
I'm certainly not the kind of girl to say no to extra sleep :-).
Yes, I was planning to fit in a training run before I needed to leave to collect Jake. But hey, that wasn't 'til midday - I had loads of time.
At least that's what I thought, until Mark and I properly woke up and saw that the time was now fast approaching 11.00 am.
Oops...
There was a moment there where I had a very clear choice to make: part of me was thinking 'oh, forget it - just stay in bed. You can go running some other time. Ooh, it's so warm in here... mmm lovely... why do you want to go out in the cold, you silly thing??', whereas the other part of me was thinking 'Get up now, while you still have time! You can't waste this opportunity to go for a training run - you might not get the chance again for a while. Come on come on come on!'
And, surprisingly, I actually did get up.
Admittedly, I was fairly reluctant and whingey about it but I got up all the same.
This run felt far more difficult than my first training run. First of all, this run was on roads/pavements rather than a lovely, squidgy woodland path. Secondly, there were quite a few hills to tackle (not least the ridiculously steep slope that leads up to my house). And thirdly, within a few minutes I started to suffer from a horrible running-induced headache.
As a result of all this, I found it harder to maintain the cheery outlook I had cultivated during last week's run. Plus it seemed to take more effort to keep my shoulders relaxed and to stop my feet from dragging.
Still, our imminent departure for Wales kept the run relatively short and I at least now have a little bit of experience of running on roads.
And, you know, I could have just stayed in bed :-).
Stats for this run:
Distance: 3.78K
Time: 32.06
Average pace per K: 8.29
But oh how times have changed...
Yesterday was a pretty tiring day (which involved me driving on the M25 for the first time ever - and I didn't crash or anything! Woo!) so this morning, sleeping in seemed like the sensible option.
I'm certainly not the kind of girl to say no to extra sleep :-).
Yes, I was planning to fit in a training run before I needed to leave to collect Jake. But hey, that wasn't 'til midday - I had loads of time.
At least that's what I thought, until Mark and I properly woke up and saw that the time was now fast approaching 11.00 am.
Oops...
There was a moment there where I had a very clear choice to make: part of me was thinking 'oh, forget it - just stay in bed. You can go running some other time. Ooh, it's so warm in here... mmm lovely... why do you want to go out in the cold, you silly thing??', whereas the other part of me was thinking 'Get up now, while you still have time! You can't waste this opportunity to go for a training run - you might not get the chance again for a while. Come on come on come on!'
And, surprisingly, I actually did get up.
Admittedly, I was fairly reluctant and whingey about it but I got up all the same.
This run felt far more difficult than my first training run. First of all, this run was on roads/pavements rather than a lovely, squidgy woodland path. Secondly, there were quite a few hills to tackle (not least the ridiculously steep slope that leads up to my house). And thirdly, within a few minutes I started to suffer from a horrible running-induced headache.
As a result of all this, I found it harder to maintain the cheery outlook I had cultivated during last week's run. Plus it seemed to take more effort to keep my shoulders relaxed and to stop my feet from dragging.
Still, our imminent departure for Wales kept the run relatively short and I at least now have a little bit of experience of running on roads.
And, you know, I could have just stayed in bed :-).
Stats for this run:
Distance: 3.78K
Time: 32.06
Average pace per K: 8.29
Sunday 23 January 2011
We have lift-off!
I am happy to report that Operation Fun Run Training is now underway!
Yesterday I went on my first training run and, to my rather surprised delight, I managed to run non-stop for 5 whole K without too much trauma or difficulty.
Yay :-)
The lovely Mark came with me (although, to him, it was less of a run and more of a brisk walk!) and we ran along the disused railway (which is actually far prettier than it sounds).
The path was almost entirely flat (which figures, I suppose, given the whole railway thing) and, although it was a tiny bit muddy and squishy, it was pretty easy to run along. Having endured a few runs in the forest last summer, where there are twisted tree roots waiting to trip you up at every turn and a horrendously steep hill to scale right before you finish, I really did appreciate just running along a flat, non-treacherous surface. I have a feeling that this may become a regular route :-).
My legs are aching like mad this morning and I've ended up with a blister on the inner arch of my left foot, but over all I'm very happy with how things went. I didn't once reach the point of whining pathetically that it's too hard (which has happened more than once in the past!) and the initial feeling of being painfully out of breath passed far more quickly than I was expecting.
So, to summarise, here are the stats for my first training run:
Distance = 5K
Time = 45 minutes 18 seconds
Average K Pace = 9 minutes 3 seconds
This is now my starting point, which I will (hopefully!) build on.
All in all, I can say that I am feeling far more confident about Operation Fun Run Training than I was this time yesterday :-).
Yesterday I went on my first training run and, to my rather surprised delight, I managed to run non-stop for 5 whole K without too much trauma or difficulty.
Yay :-)
The lovely Mark came with me (although, to him, it was less of a run and more of a brisk walk!) and we ran along the disused railway (which is actually far prettier than it sounds).
The path was almost entirely flat (which figures, I suppose, given the whole railway thing) and, although it was a tiny bit muddy and squishy, it was pretty easy to run along. Having endured a few runs in the forest last summer, where there are twisted tree roots waiting to trip you up at every turn and a horrendously steep hill to scale right before you finish, I really did appreciate just running along a flat, non-treacherous surface. I have a feeling that this may become a regular route :-).
My legs are aching like mad this morning and I've ended up with a blister on the inner arch of my left foot, but over all I'm very happy with how things went. I didn't once reach the point of whining pathetically that it's too hard (which has happened more than once in the past!) and the initial feeling of being painfully out of breath passed far more quickly than I was expecting.
So, to summarise, here are the stats for my first training run:
Distance = 5K
Time = 45 minutes 18 seconds
Average K Pace = 9 minutes 3 seconds
This is now my starting point, which I will (hopefully!) build on.
All in all, I can say that I am feeling far more confident about Operation Fun Run Training than I was this time yesterday :-).
Saturday 15 January 2011
Behold my Master Plan!
Ok, so I know I gave 2 January 2011 as my estimated ‘going live’ date and that today is clearly not 2 January 2011. It’s not even that close to 2 January 2011.
But, in my defence, I was in bed with the flu on 2 January 2011, along with the days before and after it, and physical exercise was the last thing on my mind. In fact, the only thing that seemed to be on my mind at all was Peep Show, which I kept having weird, feverish deliriums about.
Anyway, dragging myself back on topic…
I may not have achieved my desired launch date but this is by no means an indication that I have fallen at the first hurdle. No indeed. The Plan is still in place and I am fully committed to seeing it through (even if I’m not feeling wholly enthusiastic at this stage).
Right, to summarise: The Plan is to train for the Great Midlands Fun Run (an 8 mile course), which is taking place on Sunday 5 June 2011. Along the way, I hope to raise some money for Mencap, which will go towards helping to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families. That, in short, is The Plan.
Now 8 miles might not seem like a particularly colossal distance (especially not to someone like Mark (my partner) who regularly goes on longer runs than that just for ‘fun’ (?)) but if you’re me (and I am), it really is, trust me. Which means I’m going to have to put in a correspondingly colossal effort if I’m going to have any hope of seeing this through.
My life circumstances don’t really allow me a huge amount of free time for scampering about the countryside in running shoes, so my current plan is to go on at least one training run a week (probably during weekends and hopefully with Mark in tow to drag, I mean encourage, me). I can then use the cross trainer at home during the week to keep my general fitness levels up.
That, at least, is my aspiration. Whether or not this will actually be reflected in reality remains to be seen.
At the moment, I am still recovering from the last remnants of the flu so have been holding off getting started.
Hopefully by the next time I post here, I will have some progress (however minimal) to report.
Wish me luck!
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