No more ifs and buts aim for medals and cups!

My running has been full of ifs and buts ...

If I hadn't run on that particular day in January I wouldn't have injured myself!

If I hadn't injured myself in January I would be in peak condition now and getting PB's (in my dreams)!

If I hadn't got my injury I would be a Triathlete by now!

If I had kept up with cross training and not slobbed out I wouldn't be so unfit now!

If I had kept to a healthy diet I wouldn't be feeling so heavy now!

BUT

I have thought of a new mantra: 

"no ifs, no buts just aim for medals and cups!"

I was extremely nervous going into the Wray Scarecrow 10K race yesterday and you can read how I got on here.

This morning I went to watch the Kendal Sprint Triathlon.  Well to be entirely honest due to the horrendous weather (wet, windy and cold) I actually only watched the swimming portion which was pool based (warm and dry!).  Watching even the very good swimmers looking exhausted at the end of it made me even more nervous about attempting a tri! On my way home I went on the roads that were part of the run and cycle route and it all seemed very scary to me (fast and furious!).

After a short 2.3 mile dog walk in the rain I went for a run, still in the rain.  My marathon training plan stated "an one hour easy run" where I do not have to worry about pace, it's just important to have the time on my legs! Its a good job pace wasn't important as my legs felt like lead and weren't feeling very cooperative.   I did enjoy running as my body dictated without the pressure of pace and I actually ran 5.95 miles in 1 hour 1 minute (hows that for accurate timing?!).  You can view this run here.

I have survived week one of my marathon training and my stats look like this:

Running : 19.09 Miles
Time on feet: 3:03:11

Cross Training-
Pilates: 1 hour
Circuit Training: 1 hour
Swimming: 1250 Metres
Walking: 3.57 Miles

Rest days: One

Bring on week 2 - I am ready for you!

Blonde Moment or Senior Moment?!

                              OR

                        ?

 
OMG I have been so lucky on 2 fronts! 


1.  I am lucky that the swimming technique course I booked was cancelled for Saturday.

2.  I am lucky I was checking the race start time for the Wray scarecrow 10K race I am running on Sunday!

Why?

... because it's NOT on Sunday ... it's on Saturday! YIKES! 

How did I manage to get that so wrong? As most races are on a Sunday I think I must have just assumed!  A lesson learnt for the future! 

If I hadn't checked I could have been running around the scarecrows on my own on Sunday! If the swimming hadn't been cancelled I would have had the dilemma of which to do!

I have had to cancel a run I was supposed to be doing with my friend Vicky this evening as I need to save my ankle for tomorrow AND I am going out tonight to a pie and pea quiz night, so instead of washing my pie down with copious amounts of alcohol I will have to be a little more disciplined! 

Eeeeeeee the things I do for running! 

It's still too soon after coming back to running to hope for a 10K PB tomorrow but I'm hoping to see some improvement in my pace from my last couple of races!

Disappointed!

I got an email today to inform me that due to lack of numbers the swimming technique course I was booked on for Saturday has been cancelled. The most annoying aspect is the fact they won't be running anymore until October!  A little too late for my Try-a-Tri in a few weeks time! Oh well I will just need to splash my way through it in my usual ungainly style! 

    BTW Marathon Training started on Monday!

Although it is now Wednesday, it slipped my mind earlier in the week to inform you that this is week one of me following my Marathon Training plan. Only 178 days to go until The Yorkshire marathon - the details can be read here.!

When I trained for Chester Marathon last year I bought an A4 book and wrote down my training plan and then added in my actual training miles, pace etc after each run.

This time I have bought myself a little black book!  I have been very excited filling it in! Each page has space for 2 runs each day but since I NEVER do 2 runs a day I am using the first run section to write down the proposed miles for that day taken from my training plan and use the second run section to record the actual miles run with pace, heart rate etc.  By the time the marathon comes around I will have a nice written record of all my runs, with whats gone right and whats gone wrong!  

My little black book "Runners Journal"

Inside my little black book!

Tonight I went to circuit training as part of the "strength training" in my plan.   This is the first time I have ventured back to circuits since my injury.  I took it fairly easy just to see how I got on but enjoyed being back!

Tomorrow its time to stretch at Pilates!

Whoops I forgot ...

With 2013 starting disastrously (as far as my fitness is concerned!) I totally forgot about my aim of "doing" 2013 miles in 2013. 

By "doing" I mean any exercise I can calculate in mileage - swimming, running, walking, cycling, rowing etc!

So as we are fast approaching the end of the 4th month of the year I thought I had best do a little bit of totting up and see how far off the mark I really am! 

It makes depressing reading!

Running: 151.60 miles
Walking: 142.82 miles
Cycling:  117.42 miles
Swimming: 5.27 miles
Rowing:      1.24 miles
Elipitical:     0.90 miles
_____________________
Total:       419.25 miles
_____________________

= 1593.75 miles remaining

This time last year I was way ahead of this with a total mileage of 733 miles, so as you can see I have some miles to make up!


But lets be positive - I still have 8 months left - so I only have to hit 200 miles a month to hit target! 

Included in the above totals is tonight's run.  I managed to run 6.91 fairly hilly miles which can be seen here. I am trying to gently increase my speed without hurting my ankle so I was pleased to see my pace had increased to an average 9.31 minute miles tonight.  One day soon I hope to be back to running under 9 minute miles.

I took this photo at the top of a hill because it was such a lovely view and I needed a photo for my 365 challenge - it also gave me an excuse to have a breather!

View of Kendal Town from Queens Road!

When will I be fit?

I only managed to watch half the London Marathon on television yesterday as I had the TV remote wrestled from me in favour of the Grand Prix!  I was not impressed!  Motor Racing is on most weekends (or so it seems) whilst The London Marathon is just once a year!  I tried fighting my corner saying I never ask to watch anything but I was outvoted!

So after having a hissy fit I stropped off upstairs and headed out for a run to work off my aggression despite the weather being atrocious!  It was blowing a gale and chucking it down but I was going out come what may!  

I was beginning to regret my decision about a mile down the road when I realised (after getting griping stomach pains) that I hadn't left enough time for my lunch to be digested!  However I gritted my teeth and kept going!  I can honestly say I hated every step in the cold, wet and wind but I was too mad to go back home! I was chuffed with myself that I managed to run 4.47 miles given the circumstances even if it was slowly!  You can view my run here! 

This evening I decided that as I am having a swimming analysis consultation on Saturday I had best get some swimming done before then! So tonight armed with my new goggles I went to the pool and managed to swim 50 lengths (1250 metres).  Although the pool was very busy I enjoyed it.  I will be interested to find out what is said about my stroke and style on Saturday! Yikes! 


My new goggles didn't leave me looking like a scary scream mask like my other ones, so that is a positive! The only negative that remains is I am still sneezing after swimming - must be the chlorine irritating my nasal passages! 


However, I feel much better about myself and I am definitely on the way back up!

Motivated and excited!

Good Luck to everyone running in The London Marathon today! 

I'm so excited watching The London Marathon on TV and tracking all my friends running that I have just gone and booked a hotel for the 2014 Marathon!  Now the hard bit - getting in the ballot!! 

Trying to get back into it!

After running Edinburgh Rock n Roll Half Marathon last weekend I have felt exhausted (probably a mix of running and being back at school after Easter!) and my ankle has felt sore.

All week I have used the "resting my ankle" excuse for not moving off the sofa!  Last night I dragged myself to Pilate's and had a good stretch and although it was hard work I enjoyed it!  Today has been a glorious sunny day and when I got home from work I fleetingly thought about running ... but it soon passed! 

Isn't it funny when I couldn't run all I could think about is running and became quite severely depressed about the fact I couldn't run... now I can run I have no motivation and all I want to do is drink coffee and eat biscuits!  

Anyhow by 5 O' Clock I started to feel guilty for missing such a  wonderful opportunity to run in the sun (and for devouring half a packet of chocolate digestives) and told myself to get a grip and get out there!

Before I could change my mind I was in my running gear and heading out the door.

Once the incredibly hard first mile was done I started to enjoy being out running and managed 5.62 miles in 54 minutes - the route can be seen here. 

I feel fantastic for forcing myself to go!  I will get back to being a runner!  My ankle didn't bother me at all whilst running and fingers crossed it won't bother me later either!

I have a glass of wine and ice as my reward! 

Well I have a glass of wine down my throat and ice on my foot -  in my opinion its a crime to dilute wine with ice!

Here's to my next run on Sunday!

Only 26 weeks to go until my next Marathon!

Scrapbooking!

My scrapbook page for Edinburgh Rock n Roll Half Marathon.

You can see the rest of my scrapbook here!

I did it!

On Sunday I managed to complete the Edinburgh Rock n Roll Half Marathon even though the odds were stacked against me doing it! My ankle is grumbling about it now but I am sure with a few more days rest it will be fine!  You can read about this wet and wild experience here. 

Ankle Exercises

I believe the Physio sessions and exercises I have done since injurying my ankle have helped me enormously to get back to running relatively quickly.

If anyone out there is currently injured and are looking for ankle strengthening exercises these are the first set I was given.  I did them religiously every other day and really think they work.  Anything is worth a try surely!  




To do every other day:

• Standing calf raises: Using bottom step of your staircase, put one hand on banister and drop heels off the edge of step before going up onto your toes (start with 2x6, progress to 3x10):

• Foot rolling on a football: Sit down on a chair with your foot on a football. Roll ankle from side to side over the football without losing contact. (3x1minute)

• Eversion using a Resistance Band: Tie band to a chair leg and loop around the outside of your foot. Then evert foot against the pull of the band and repeat. (start 2x8, progress to 3x12).

• Dorsiflexion using Resistance band: Same as above but this time pulling toes towards you (2x8, progress to 3x10):

• Single leg balancing: Stand on one leg on a folded towel and balance for 10 seconds. (3x10 seconds, progress to 3x1 min)

PERSEVERE WITH THIS, IT WILL IMPROVE!!!!

Back in the saddle!

Yesterday I managed to run my first race in 2013!  The best bit is I can still walk today which I was very worried about!! You can read my race report here.

Tomorrow is the first one!

Tomorrow is the day I have been waiting for!  The day I had previously thought would never come!  My FIRST race of 2013 and my first race since my ankle injury! In the 12 weeks since that fateful day when I ruptured my tendon and damaged my ligaments I have had some seriously down moments when I thought I would never run again never mind enter a race!  I have missed two running races plus a cycling sportive during my rehabilitation so it's nice to be back in the game!

After my period of no running then the super slow return to upping my mileage,  I am now having severe pre-race jitters! 

I am always nervous before a race but that is usually because I have trained hard and I desperately want to achieve a PB for that distance.  This time it is different! My running and exercise regime has been so restricted that I am praying there is something in the "less is more" training philosophy. I have missed weeks of long runs with my ankle injury and have only got in one other longish run recently, so I'm feeling very apprehensive going into this race. On top of not being as fit and prepared as I would like to be I am also anxious because it is a very small race so there is a very high possibility in the current circumstances that I may be LAST! But hey, someone has to be!

I have told myself that I will just treat it as a training run for the Edinburgh Rock n Roll Half Marathon next week and not go for a PB. At the same time, I know it will be really hard for me to be in a race and not push myself. I actually almost pulled out of the race yesterday for that very reason. I don't want to further injure myself by pushing too hard and don't really trust myself to take it slow if that is what my body needs. However, I will do my best to be sensible tomorrow and hope the occasion doesn't overcome my instincts!

This isn't even a race I had planned to do.  Originally I had entered the Carlisle 10K which was on the 20th January 2013 but I had to cancel my place in that due to my injury.  Sport in Action (the race organisers) very kindly offered to transfer my entry fee from that race to the Longtown 10. At the time I was very optimistic and thought I would have been back running strong by the time 6th April came, it seemed such a long way off ... and then all of a sudden here I am and it's tomorrow!  YIKES!  Unfortunately for me the Longtown 10 is actually 10 miles not 10K!  I would be much happier if it was a 10K! 

I have been saving myself physically this week especially for the occasion!  I haven't run since I did my practice 10 miler on Tuesday. 

 Check back tomorrow to see how I get on!

As I was saying I have been resting this week, which mixed together with the school holidays is quite a dangerous combination for the credit card!  Whilst perusing the internet I came across a swimming course locally which caught my interest. Apparently this course is designed for swimmers looking to improve their front crawl technique and become more efficient and swim ultimately faster with less effort. 

Sounds good if it works as that is exactly what I want to do! 

Its a day course and during the session you are videoed swimming (Yikes!) and then you watch it back with the coach so he can explain your stroke problems and how to improve it. You then have the opportunity to put it all into practice with another swim session with the coach! 

As I have a "try-a-tri" looming in the near future I thought it would be a good idea to get some swimming advice and have booked myself on this course for the 27th April!  

This is what I have let myself in for!


COURSE AGENDA:

•  10–11am – Introduction & swimming theory session 1 
•  11–12pm – Swim technique session (1) including video analysis
•  12.10–1pm – Lunch & 1-2-1 video analysis & swim theory session 2
•  1–2pm – Core stability & stretch core strength session
•  2.15–3.15pm – Swim technique session (2) including drills
•  3.30–4pm – Q & A & close.



I had best get to the swimming pool in the not so distant future to get some lengths in - I don't want to totally embarrass myself!

Will I ever be fit again? Of course I will!

First,  I will start with an apology!  The last time I posted I was feeling very low and didn't have many positive thoughts to share! Well I have had a busy weekend and I intend to reinvent myself as Mrs Positive. I will get fit again and lose some weight - it will just take time!

On Saturday, after I posted about my weight I decided to go on the Turbo Trainer for a "Spinervals" session with Troy.  I cycled for 40 minutes and managed to cover 8.52 miles. After which I jumped in the shower before heading off to the hairdressers!  I had absolutely no intention of having a change but as I sat in the hairdressers chair I was amazed to hear myself say "Chop it off!" Perhaps it was my subconscious finding an alternative way for me to lose weight!  I would like to introduce you to the "new" me!

                                                                     

It has taken some getting used to a cold neck!  

I had a very sociable Saturday evening at a friends party, then on Easter Sunday we visited "both sides" of the family for more food and alcohol and absolutely no exercise! However on Easter Monday we decided to tackle some more Wainwright Fells and managed to do 8.21 miles in cold, windy and very snowy conditions!  I don't think I have ever experienced such a cold walk, however the views were spectacular and we actually climbed 2 "Wainwrights" which were Arthur's Pike and Bonscale Pike. You can see the route we took here.

This morning I decided to go for a run.  It was still cold and windy (when is it anything else?) but I wanted to do another 10 mile run in preparation for the "Longtown 10" I have on Saturday. I decided to run with "Zombies, Run!" for the first time post injury!  Zombies, Run! is an i phone app that encourages you to do interval training! You can read more about it in a previous blog post which can be viewed here.

The slogan says:  Get Fit. Escape Zombies. Become a Hero. 

I certainly didn't become a hero!  I was useless. The Zombies managed to catch me 10 times and I only actually managed to escape once!! It's a good job it's only a game and not real life! It just goes to show how much my speed has slowed since returning to running, but it gives me something to work on! You can view my run here, I managed 10.49 miles in 1 hour 47 minutes! It was hard work and the wind seemed to keep me from running forward but I perservered and didn't walk at all!  One problem I have discovered with having "short hair" is my running hairband just seems to "ping" off the back of my head now there isn't a ponytail bobble to keep it in place.  Perhaps I need to see if I can squeeze a teeny tiny ponytail in just to keep my hairband from going awal! 

It is now 6 hours since I ran this morning and I ache from head to foot!  Every muscle in every part of my body hurts!  I'm not sure whether it's the run that has been too much for me or whether it's the combination of a hard walk yesterday (which was very hilly and extremely hard going in the snow) and then a windy long run today. I am most definitely feeling crispy at this very moment in time!

I will have a fairly easy few days from now so my legs are as fresh as possible on Saturday!  I am not going to get despondent about my recent runs as I have been reading my blog about my last 10 mile race in November which you can read here. The training runs prior to that weren't very good but on the day I still managed to pull it out the bag!  I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself - I just want to start, finish and enjoy! Only 3 days to go until the Longtown 10 and ...

Only 12 days to go until ...

Post injury miles and inch/weight loss since 9th March!

Running:  46.18 Miles

Walking:  40.27 Miles

Cycling:   43.39 Miles

Cross Trainer: 0.90 Miles

Rowing: 1.24 Miles

Swimming: 0.67 Miles or 43 lengths

Pilate's total Time: 2 hours

Core Strength Total Time: 1 hour 36 minutes 34 seconds

Weight loss: 0 / 8 pounds

Hips: 0.5 inches

Waist: 1.5 inches

Thighs: 0.5 inches