Time just seems to pass me by without me having the time to blog!
So what have I been doing in the last 9 days?
I have found my mojo and have been keeping myself busy and out of mischief!
On Monday last week I decided it was time to get some cycling miles in and got on my turbo trainer set up in the garage. I decided to go for it big time and put my Spinervals DVD into my laptop. I had wiped out the memories of have difficult this was but the title "Have Mercy" should have given me a clue!
However I did manage the first 2 workouts equalling 30 minutes out of the 2 hours programme! This was a total of 8 very difficult but thoroughly enjoyable miles which definitely saw my heart rate rise!
My plan is to continue doing 2 workouts each session until I have completed the full programme and then when I am feeling stronger I will start it again and try to do more each session! I don't want to push too hard and get injured at this point in the year!
On Tuesday it was the Tri Club Road Running session and the focus was on technique and breathing. We experimented with lots of different body positions and breathing techniques to highlight to us which actually makes running easier! I really struggled to do belly breathing which apparently is the way forward! Looks like I'm going to have many a session lying on the floor practising the art before trying to add running into the mix! We did 3.77 miles including a few sprint intervals.
On Wednesday it was the Tri Club Swimming session where the focus was on body position and kick and this was a eureka moment for me! I finally understood where my body was supposed to be! I'm not saying I will be able to maintain it but at least I now know what I am aiming for! Altogether we covered a total distance of 1100 metres or 0.68 mile.
Thursday was Adventure Thursday with the Tri Club which equals a trail run in the dark! Our adventure took us up and around Arnside Knott and I loved this adventure! It was a lovely clear evening and it was great running with 12 like minded people! We ran a slow but enjoyable 5.55 miles.
I've not had a good week exercise wise! I think the cold dark evenings and busy days at work have dampened my enthusiasm for getting out there! It was raining on Monday so I decided to go swimming instead of braving the elements. I didn't do very much compared with my usual swim session as I really couldn't be bothered! I managed 3 sets of 20 lengths and just in case your maths is no good that totals 60 lengthsor 0.75 mile. Thankfully I had already signed up for the Tri Club Running Session on Tuesday or I wouldn't of made it out the door as I wasn't feeling it at all! We ran a easy 2 miles then did 8 x 200 metres sprints with jogging 200 metres in between before finishing off with a cool down jog! I really enjoyed this session despite the idiot teenager's who tried to spoil it for us by being abusive! I was really pleased I was in a group with a couple of sturdy fellas! Altogether we ran 5 miles. Wednesday was another swim session with the Tri Club this time focusing on breathing and exhalation. I did 1500 metres or 0.93 mile made up of drills and swimming front crawl! Thursday got the better of me and I did absolutely nothing then regretted it later! On Friday I was determined to do something as I was feeling l I had let myself down the day before! However, it was cold, dark and rainy so I opted to go to the Gym! A big mistake! I'm not a gym sort of girl and I hate to see all the smelly sweaty men prancing around thinking they are hero's! Anyhow I managed to survive for an hour and 10 minutes and did 6 miles on the bike, 2 miles on the treadmill, a mile rowing, a mile arm pedalling as well as some weights.I came out feeling thoroughly fed up and wishing I had braved the elements instead! The only exercise I managed on Saturday was walking around the Trafford Centre Christmas Shopping! That brings us to today! I woke up determined that whatever the weather I was going go for a run! When I got up it was dry but very foggy! I had set my heart on going for a trail run and a little bit of fog wasn't going to stop me! As I got in the car and drove to my chosen destination the fog got denser and I started to rethink my plan! I wasn't going to risk running off the side of a hill in the fog! However, miraculously the fog suddenly disappeared! It was like driving into another world! My planned route was safe after all! I managed 6.38 very hilly, muddy, chilly miles but loved it! It reminded me why I run! I wish I could bottle this feeling for the next time I am doubting whether I will ever run again!
I felt a little apprehensive about it as I'm not confident with my footing off road in the daytime without adding the extra hindrance of darkness but the tri club were going so I thought I would give it a go - safety in numbers and all that!
We met at around 6.50pm just as the torrential rain started, but luckily by the time everyone had arrived and we set off at 7pm the rain had stopped but the trails were nice and wet, muddy and slippery, just to add to the adventure!
My prosafe head torch!
With having a fairly bright head torch and being surrounded by numerous other head torches the dark wasn't an issue at all!
My path was lit quite well!
The only heart stopping moment was when I jumped over a stile and my head torch caught sight of loads of luminous eyes looking at me - we had entered a field of cows! Panic rose up my body but no one else in the group seemed fazed by it at all and nestled safely in the middle of the pack I bravely ran through them! Never in a month of Sundays would I have done that alone!
However, a little further along our journey we came across another field of cows and these ones were a little more frisky! Scared doesn't even describe how I felt as they started to gallop (do cows gallop?!) alongside us! Thankfully we made it to the gate safely - its amazing how we all turned into Mo Farrah when required. The field was very churned up with the mix of rain and cows and I was fearful I would get my trainer stuck in the mud! If it had there is no way I would have stopped to retrieve it - I would have had to run home shoeless!
Anyhow, despite this I loved this adventure and running on the trails in the dark! I am sure it will make me a more confident trail runner in the long run!
We ran 6.5 very muddy but enjoyable miles!
I can't wait for my next off-road night time adventure!
After a very busy day at work I went to laughter yoga for the very first time!
I was a little apprehensive as I had absolutely no idea what I was letting myself in for - except a laugh!
Anyhow, there was 8 of us in total and we were all nervous beginners!
At beginner of the session our tutor explained the history and benefits of laughter yoga and explained that a lot of the practise was about eye contact! At first I felt very self-conscious and uncomfortable forcing myself to laugh but I was amazed how quickly the forced laughter became real! Before long it became difficult NOT to laugh! It was both hilarious and stupid rolled into one! I would definitely recommend it as a way of team building and de-stressing. After the relaxation part at the end we all felt revived and relaxed! I would definitely recommend!
Straight after this I felt so energised that I went swimming! The pool was amazingly quiet and I had a swimming lane all to myself! I managed to swim 2050 metres (1.27 miles) and felt like I could have kept going! Perhaps there is something in this laughter lark after all!
One of the lads at my Tri Club is working towards his coaching qualification and needed 6 willing volunteers to do some swim, bike and run coaching with!
Luckily (I think) I was selected and tonight was the first swim session.
However, he wasn't coaching us this evening but observing to see what our technique was like and what we needed to work on over the coming weeks to improve our speed and technique.
We did a 400 metre warm up followed by various drills which I hate and struggle with but I know I must persevere! Unfortunately I am the slowest swimmer he has selected to coach so it's going be hard work for me each week but hopefully that means I will improve the most! I hope he realises what he has taken on!
Towards the end of the session we did a 400 metres timed swim followed by a 200 metre timed swim in order to get our CSS time so we can see if we improve with the extra coaching!
My 400m (16 lengths) time was 8.31.1. My 200m (8 lengths) time was 4.11.6.
The coach is going do the Maths and tell us next week what this equates to in terms of a CSS time!
Altogether I did 1450 metres or 0.90 miles!
Looking forward to getting feedback on how to improve!
Tonight it was raining ... tonight it was cold ... tonight it was dark ... but I had agreed to go to the Tri Club running session and there was no getting out of it...Arghhhhh!
However, once I got over the thought of it and got out there wrapped up in my jacket and gloves (for the first time this year) I really enjoyed myself!
We started off with a warm up jog before doing some technique drills and then went on to some hill repeats. It's a while since I have made myself do hill repeats and despite it feeling like my lungs were going to explode I really enjoyed the challenge!
Then on the first descent I was taken totally by surprise by a photographer who popped out of nowhere! Apparently he was taking some photographs for some promotional material for the Tri Club. He kept making us go back up the hill to get more shots! Eventually after 4.6 miles he was happy with his lot! This is one of the photo's taken which I am quite happy with as I look like a proper runner with both feet off the ground!
Today I was back at work after the half term holidays and back to routine!
With no training plan to follow I need to sort out some sort of routine. My goal for the Winter is to try and dedicate equal time to swimming, cycling and running so that come the Summer I hope to be fairly fit in all disciplines ready to smash the Triathlons planned!
This evening I went to the Tri Club Swim Training session and the focus was on speed intervals! Whether it's swimming or running I'm really no good at speed, but I must persevere and one day I might just surprise myself and everyone else around!
We started off the session with drills - another thing I am particularly bad at but if I can nail the drills my swimming WILL improve!
It was a tiring session and I was disappointed to see that I had done less than a mile in total - it felt far further! I had swum 1475 metres or 0.92 mile!
OK I've wallowed around eating and drinking far too much for far too long so today I gave myself a shake actually went for a run!
It was such a beautiful Autumnal morning that it would have been criminal not to take advantage!
This is my playground!
I decided that I would go off road and have a gentle jog up Scout Scar. I didn't worry about pace or mileage and I really enjoyed it!
It was a lovely sunny morning although once I got up on the top it was a little breezy and chilly but on a positive note I only saw one cow! I kept expecting them to be hiding somewhere but thankfully if they were they were hiding well!
I ran 3.9 miles and loved it!
When you see the photo's what's not to love about running here!
Now that I am back on the programme I have even set up my turbo trainer in the garage! No excuses now!
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On Monday last week I decided it was time to get some cycling miles in and got on my turbo trainer set up in the garage. I decided to go for it big time and put my Spinervals DVD into my laptop. I had wiped out the memories of have difficult this was but the title "Have Mercy" should have given me a clue! 
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