Janathon Day 12 - First outdoor ride of 2013!

My Tri training plan states that today is a bike day. I had decided yesterday that weather permitting I would definitely try an outdoor bike ride - my first of 2013, instead of wussing out and staying warm indoors on the turbo trainer.

I was delighted when I woke up this morning  and threw back the curtains to see a bright dry morning. YES! I thought I will get to go outside for a change.

I'm usually a summer cyclist as I get really painful hands and fingers, which go numb and white if they get too cold.  Many people have told me I have Raynaud’s Syndrome but I have never had this confirmed.  I tend just to try and avoid situations where my hands get too cold. The main problem with cycling once my hands have gone cold and numb is I am unable to "feel" the brakes and gears making it very tricky as well as excruciatingly painful.

However, Santa brought me a very nice surprise present (obviously sick of hearing me whinging about painful hands!).  This present meant I was willing to give cycling in the cold a go today! A fabulous invention although ever so slightly bulky to wear! What? I can hear you shouting ...

... heated glove liners which before today I have only worn during playground duty at school but thought I would try them out on the bike. 

They consist of thin gloves that fit under your normal outer gloves and have a wire connecting to a bulky battery box that has a Velcro strap that attaches to your wrist.  I was worried the Velcro wouldn't hold them securely enough for me to relax cycling in them.  However, I felt more comfortable wearing them for cycling than I do walking and actually forgot I was wearing them!!  I would 100% recommend to anyone with a cold hand problem!!! I didn't even wear my normal cycling gloves with them today and my hands were still toasty warm!

As it was a chilly one I got layered up before venturing out and ended up feeling a little bit like a Michelin man! I saw loads of other cyclists out on the road - obviously everyone taking advantage of the dry day before the snow comes tomorrow!! 

I was delighted that after cycling 20 miles I was still toasty warm and so were my fingers!  SUCCESS!!  My hands weren't hot and sweaty just comfortably warm. I have finally found the answer that lets me cycle in the winter (No more excuses)!!  Good job really as I have booked 'The Endurance Store Eden Valley Epic Cycle Sportive' taking place on Sunday March 3rd, 2013. I need a lot more miles in my legs before I tackle this 60 mile route! You can view today's cycle route here.

After getting home, showering and having lunch we went for a walk.  We decided to tackle another Wainwrights fell as the weather was so nice albeit cold. We climbed our 18th Wainwright fell Wansfell (Baystones), then continued to Wansfell Pike before climbing back down to Troutbeck. 5.18 miles in total. we had fabulous views towards Lake Windermere, but were slightly concerned that the snow would arrive early as the sky looked very dubious!. You can view this walk here! 

Cycling miles today: 21.02

Time: 1 hour 32 minutes 33 seconds
Average speed: 13.5 MPH

Walking miles today: 5.18

Total Janathon Running miles: 34.02  / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 19.46 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 44.41/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 2.74 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 100.63

Whoo Hoo I have hit the Century mark on day 12 of Janathon!

Janathon Day 11 - S.L.I.F!

I have survived the first week back at work and it has gone surprisingly quickly! 

....and now it's FRIDAY!! That means wine time and junk food as a treat!

I have had a busy day (the norm when working with 4 year olds!) and I had to dash out of work the minute I had kicked the last little darling out the door into the loving arms of whoever was collecting them! The reason?  I was picking up my son from the train station at 3.30pm home from Uni!  Yes I know he has only just gone back but apparently that was for exams and now the exams are over he has no lectures until ... well I dunno, seems like forever!. (Oh to be a student!).  He has obviously sussed out that it is cheaper to live at home and there is even a good little fairy who cooks, cleans and irons whilst he is here! WOW! Amazing! 


My timing was perfect! Just as I was pulling into the station he appeared out the exit! Once home I walked the dog then set about doing the ironing before delving for my son's washing! I did just a short 1.49 mile walk with the dog which can be viewed here.

After sorting tea out I headed out for my Janathon run, and my Jantastic contribution.  It was a bright clear but very cold evening. I really enjoyed my run but nothing out the ordinary happened. I did 6.19 miles which can be viewed here.

I was amazed to discover today that the York Marathon I booked on Wednesday has been sold out in 4 days- that is 5,500 places! They are trying to get the go ahead to increase numbers further. I am so glad I didn't consider it for too long and just booked it!

Running miles today: 6.19

Time: 1 hour 00 minutes 28 seconds
Average pace: 9:43 min/miles

Walking miles today: 1.49

Total Janathon Running miles: 34.02  / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 14.28 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 23.39/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 2.74 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 74.43

Weather permitting its a Bike ride tomorrow!

Janathon Day 10 - getting faster slowly!

Tonight's contribution to Janathon was swimming! 

For the first time EVER I wasn't the slowest swimmer in the zoned off swimming lanes. I am usually fairly uncomfortable in the lanes unless it's quiet as I feel like I am holding people up behind me. I then try and go faster, panic, start swallowing water and everything goes to pot!  

I did 4 slow warm-up lengths doing breaststroke in the main pool, but it was busy again so I braved the lanes. I struggled initially with my goggles to get that happy medium between being so slack they leak to being too tight they cause nasal problems! Eventually after lots of adjustments I got sorted and started swimming front crawl. I was delighted to discover that for the first time ever there were 2 young men who were actually slower than me!  I obviously unintentionally did the intimidating bit other people do to me as when I got too close to them they let me go ahead at the end of each length.  It felt good!  However there are still lots of other swimmers swimming much faster than me but I finally feel like I am improving slowly!  

I swam a further 66 lengths front crawl. So I swam a total of 70 lengths which is 1750 meters or 1.09 miles - WHOOPEE that's the furthest I have swum EVER! 

I feel really chuffed with myself!

Perhaps by April I WILL be good enough to enter a triathlon!

Swimming  miles today: 1.09
Time: 1 hour 04 minutes 43 seconds

Average pace: 3.44 minutes per 100 metres 

Total Janathon Running miles: 27.83  / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 12.79 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 23.39/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 2.74 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 66.75

Tomorrow's contribution will be a run!

Janathon Day 9 - Janathon has gone to my head!

 For some inexplicable reason I woke up this morning and decided I was going to book a Marathon. 

I have been considering various races for quite some time but have been very indecisive.  

The Cumbrian Run is a half marathon I have always wanted to do but I have never been able to fit it in - I always seem to be doing something else on that day.  Chester marathon which is the marathon I did last year falls on the same date this year as The Cumbrian Run, so I decided against Chester mainly due to this but also I've done that route and  if I am going to suffer yet again for 26.2 miles I would like the route to be a surprise!! It's not always good knowing what's ahead - especially when there is a hill at 25 miles! Another option (which was my favoured one) is Dublin marathon.  However, the Lottery have pulled out of sponsoring the event - they say it will still go ahead but with a new sponsor. I am loath to book it because I will also have to book flights and hotel accommodation which I will still be tied to should it be cancelled nearer the time. 

After considering all these points the Yorkshire Marathon seems to fit my plans well being 2 weeks after The Cumbrian Run which will be a good training run for the marathon, and even if I still get into the GNR this is a month before and can also be used as a training run.


So this morning I thought enough - just get on with it! So that's exactly what I did!  

York here we come! 

I'm very excited about it and ever so slightly nervous too - I will have to start scouring the internet for training plans to suit!  One problem will be the fact we are going on holiday to America for 3 weeks  and I will get back 10 weeks before the marathon.  My training will have a gaping big gap in it but hey-ho good recovery time!!

How's Janathon going I here you ask, that is why we are here!

Today's allotted exercise was a run, and with renewed enthusiasm for running (after committing myself to a marathon) I decided to do some hills. It was a dry night for a change but extremely cold and frosty.  I set off towards the hill I always run up and down (like a lunatic), but initially I struggled. Not long after setting off I came across a woman pedaling a bike very very slowly on the pavement pulling a wide cart full of Asda shopping! (has she not heard of a taxi?).  The cart was too wide to get past without going on the road and the traffic was too heavy to risk this, which is probably why she was on the pavement to start with! I did some huffing and puffing behind her until she finally got the hint and stopped to let me squeeze past! Once past her I tried to up my speed but the cold air made my chest feel really tight and I struggled breathing correctly.  I told myself that once I got to my hill I would only do a couple of hill reps before heading home but strangely once I got into the zone and was running continuously up and down said hill I felt invincible!  The more I ran the more I enjoyed it - I only headed home because of the time! I arrived home on a high and was informed by my daughter that I was weird! Tell me something new!


I did 6.24 hilly miles which can be viewed here. 

I was supposed to be going to my usual circuit training class tonight too but after all the hill reps my legs and bum weren't feeling very up for it so I decided to give them a rest! 

Back to swimming tomorrow!

Running miles today: 6.24

Time: 1 hour 02 minutes 43 seconds
Average pace: 9:53 min/miles

Total Janathon Running miles: 27.83  / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 12.79 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 23.39/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 1.65 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 65.66

Janathon Day 8 - Bricking it!

I have survived the first week of Janathon and today I did a brick (ish) session (that's Tri speak for a bike/run combo).

Its all been happening today!  It's my daughter's 17th Birthday so I have had the mayhem that comes with birthdays, as well as a busy day at work.  I'm not sure the world is ready for my daughter in a car but that's another story!!!

My Tri training plan stated that today was a cycling day but to satisfy my Jantastic commitment I needed to squeeze a run in somewhere too. Yet again it has rained non-stop today (now there's a surprise), so instead of risking life and limb on the dark, wet, windy roads with my bike I wussed out and opted for a session on the Turbo Trainer with Coach Troy instead! I managed 13.34 miles and then jumped on the treadmill to run!  Well, that's a slight exaggeration, I went to sort out dinner and changed into my running shoes before jumping on the treadmill.  Not quite a true brick session but the intention was still there! I still felt tired running even with recovery time off the bike! I managed 2.01 miles!

According to the bible that is Tri Training tomorrow's main activity is running!

Running Miles today: 2.01

Time: 18 minutes 07 seconds
Average pace: 8:57 min/miles

Cycling miles today : 13.34

Time: 1 hour 16 seconds

Average pace: 13 MPH 

Total Janathon Running miles: 21.59 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 12.79 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 23.39/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 1.65 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 59.42

Janathon Day 7 - an orange blob for me!

First day back to school for me after 2 weeks Christmas Holidays! It was a bit of an effort to get up when the alarm rang loudly at 7 am, I just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep!!  I still wasn't fully awake when I was greeted by thirty 4 and 5 year old's all wanting to tell me what Father Christmas brought them, and so followed a very tiring but enjoyable day!

I now want to go and hide behind the sofa and cry ... I have just found out that I have an "orange blob" on my Great North Run entry form which basically means I've been rejected ... again!  There's still a glimmer of hope that I will get in as this was only for the first Daily Mirror ballot and the main one is still to be drawn, so with fingers, toes and everything else crossed  I will have to sit and wait it out until that ballot takes place in February!! I'm not hopeful as I have entered and been rejected for the last 2 years (although I have still  run for a charity both times) and I was rejected for the London Marathon too.  Obviously I'm not a lucky ducky! It gets really difficult to keep running these events for charities and pestering people for money, it will get to the point where all my family and friends will start to avoid me when they know its "that" time of year again! 

So back to Janathon and stop my whinging!  

Today was day one back to school, day one of Jantastic and day one of my Triathlon training!  OOhhh so much to think about and so little time! I survived the first day back at school and since my triathlon plan says its "swimming" tonight (and there's no arguing with the plan!) I  have had to put my running mileage contribution to Janatastic on hold until tomorrow! I have set my own January goal as running 4 times a week - could be tricky when I have cycling and swimming to fit in too! I am part of the Run for Fun Jantastic Team which is the largest team entered so I mustn't let them down!! More Jantastic information can be found here! 

I went swimming as per plan!  

When I first got there it was packed out!  I went to the zoned off lanes part as there was no hope of swimming uninterrupted in the main pool.  However even this area was busy and I felt like I was swimming in the sea,  there were so many waves being created by the passing swimmers!  I was beginning to feel quite despondent as I was exhausted fairly early on and was ready to erase my triathlon dream! I persevered and I'm not sure whether I got second wind or whether it got easier as it got quieter, I just feel very much out my comfort zone with swimming! If its the latter I had best get used to swimming in crowds for race day (if I actually make it to a race!).

I managed to swim 56 lengths of the 25 metre pool, making a total of 1400 metres in 1 hour 36 seconds.  This gives me 0.87 miles to add to my Janathon totals.

Total Janathon Running miles: 19.58 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 12.79 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 10.05/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 1.65 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 44.07

Cycling day tomorrow, with a little run thrown in too!

Janathon Day 6 - A Man, a man...?!!

The last day of the Christmas Holidays, so I made the most of it and stayed in bed until half 10 this morning! 

When I eventually got up and dressed we went for a walk with the dog! It was dry for once but there was a lot of mist hanging around in the air. We decided to go up Arnside Knott as it is fairly close to home and we haven't been there for a while. Usually there are spectacular views from the top across Morecambe bay and the fells but not today ... a low cloud hung around spoiling the view!  It was a nice 3.35 mile walk which can be viewed here.

After the walk we had Sunday Roast at lunch time (usually we have it later in the day) so that our son James could eat his last proper meal with us before he got the train back to Uni and back to Pot Noodles!

Once James had been packed off on the train I came home and decided to go for a run before I got too settled on the sofa. It had gone really cold but it was still dry so life was good! I set off and had only been running about 5 minutes when I bumped into 3 friends,  I felt obligated to stop and chat but forgot to pause my Garmin so my times will be all to pot! Never mind! At one point I was running along a pavement towards a mother with a small child on a trike and she said to him "Be careful of the man running!" - MAN?!! Does she need to go to specsavers or do I need to start wearing gels in my running bra!!!  Charming! 

I saw lots of other runners today but nothing interesting happened, and I did 6.47 miles! You can view my run here.

I start following my Triathlon Training plan tomorrow - I'm not sure if I am feeling excited or daunted! 

Running Miles today: 6.47

Time: 1 hour 1 minute 58 seconds

Average pace: 9.26

Walking miles today : 3.35 

Total Janathon Running miles: 19.58 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 12.79 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 10.05/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 0.78 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 43.20

Janathon Day 5 - Do shopping miles count?

After a lazy start to the day we headed off to Carlisle for a shopping trip to buy some presents for my daughter's 17th Birthday on Tuesday!  It was very inconsiderate of her to be born so near to Christmas as it makes birthday present ideas very difficult! Luckily for us we only needed some little things for her to open as her main pressie is driving lessons!  Not sure if the world is ready for my daughter being behind the wheel of a car! BEWARE!

Anyhow after traipsing around the shops trying to find something anything to wrap up, and a pit stop for lunch and coffee I am sure I would have added an extra 3 miles onto my mileage total!!!  If only I had worn my Garmin ...

After all the miles I did yesterday, followed by a shopping trip today I was feeling rather tired and within 5 minutes of getting in the car for the 50 minute journey home I was asleep!  Am I going to have the energy for this Janathon lark?

I convinced myself I would feel better after exercise and got changed into my cycling gear to do a Spinervals session on the Turbo Trainer!  Coach Troy shouted encouraged me through the session and I managed 10.05 miles. I have a lot more pedalling to do as Troy reckoned by the end that I had done 17 miles but according to my bike computer I had only done 10, but I had kept the cadence and gears at the correct level!  I don't understand this! The stats can be viewed here.

I would like to get more of these training DVD's as I find this one very motivational!

So I'm off the mark now for all activities and Janathon now looks like this ...

Total Janathon Running miles: 13.11 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 9.44 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: 10.05/ 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 0.78 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 33.38

Panic off!

Panic off - defibrillator worked - its little heart is beating again!!!! PHEW my Garmin has eventually reset so I can make an accurate recording now!  Instead of an estimated 2.2 mile walk it was actually 2.44 miles! It can be viewed here!

UPDATE:

Total Janathon Running miles:  13.11 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 9.44 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: Zero / 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 0.78 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 23.33

Janathon Day 4 - Feeling smug but exhausted!

Well after yesterday when I struggled to get up and go today I have never stopped!

When I woke up this morning I was determined not to fall into the lazing around the house all day trap that I seemed to fall into yesterday.

So as soon as I had had my breakfast (Muesli and a banana) I went to get dressed into my running gear! I did the same as yesterday and viewed Janathons day 4 route from last year and did virtually the same route! Certainly takes any decision making away! Yet again it was raining - I think I should rename this challenge rainathon, but hey ho I was on my way and it had only just gone 10 O' clock! I was proud of this accomplishment!  I found the run quite difficult, not sure if it was the wind, rain, my breakfast sloshing around or just having tired legs that did it but I suffered and kept running! It was a  uneventful run although my earphones kept slipping out and annoying me, reminding me why I don't listen to music very often when I run! I saw numerous other runners on my travels, and it did pass through my mind whether they were fellow janathoners. I ran 4.29 miles which can be viewed here. I was pleased to make it home to dry out and felt quite smug that I had done Janathon before lunchtime!

As I have set myself mileage goals for different types of exercise I decided that since my swimming was still standing at zero I would go swimming and get in some much needed practise. I was feeling slightly apprehensive as the last few times I have been swimming I have been ill afterwards with flu-like allergy symptoms. After researching on the Internet it appears that wearing goggles too tightly can cause nasal irritation resulting in these symptoms.  Today was the first day I was going to experiment with my goggles, trying to hit that spot where they successfully keep the water out without compressing my nasal ducts!  After a couple of lengths I managed to get them comfortably tight!  I was amazed that even with it being during the school holidays the pool was fairly quiet and I had one of the zoned off swimming lanes to  myself! I managed 50 lengths (25 metre pool) in total (4 warm up doing breast stroke and 46 doing front crawl). So I now have 1250 metres (0.78 miles) to add to my totals!

I found it tiring but then again it has been nearly 4 weeks since I last went and with all the over-indulging over Christmas what do I expect?!! I got home, had lunch and waited ... and waited ... and waited for the sneezing to begin! Hey Presto it's a miracle!  It seems the advice on the Internet was actually correct!  Although I won't get too smug about it until I have been several more times with no adverse reactions!

Later in the afternoon it had stopped raining so I took the opportunity to take the dog for a walk. Unfortunately it appears that my Garmin can't cope with Janathon and has gone blank on me! I don't have the exact walk miles I did until I can get (if indeed I can) the Garmin reset, but it was about 2.2 miles.

So all in all a good Janathon day! It's Friday ...

Running Miles today: 4.29

Time: 41 minutes 47 seconds

Average pace: 9.32

Walking miles today : 2.2 (To be confirmed)

Swimming miles today : 0.78

Total Janathon Running miles:  13.11 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 9.20 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: Zero / 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: 0.78 / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Total Janathon mileage: 23.09

Janathon Day 3 - Excuses, excuses, excuses!

I got a feeling (that's a song!) that this Janathon blog is going to be full of excuses! I'm still on holiday from where I work in a school.  It's funny as I find it more difficult to get out and run when I've got the whole day looming out ahead of me then when I'm rushing around like an idiot trying to fit it in between work, cooking, ironing and general chores!

I can't even use the excuse that I spent most of the day in bed, because unfortunately I didn't!  I got up at 8 am and after having breakfast and coffee I set about tackling the Mount Everest sized pile of ironing, still dressed in my PJ's (I like to be comfy when I iron!).  I was just finishing the last shirt when my neighbour and friend popped in for coffee - good job she knows me well as I don't generally greet people in my PJ's! Her words were "What you doing not dressed at this time of day - thought you would have been for a run by now!".  So made me feel guilty and lots of excuses leapt out my mouth, and after coffee and putting the world to rights she disappeared off leaving me to put my nicely ironed piles of clothes away and to muster some enthusiasm to run!

Clothes away and then it was lunch-time!  

After lunch it was too soon to run after eating (well, that's the excuse I used as it was raining rather heavily) so set about doing exciting  mundane things such as paying bills, sorting statements etc. and before I knew it it was time to walk the dog!


It had rained persistently all day and it was still persisting it down but the dogs bladder doesn't understand that I would prefer it to wait for the rain to stop, so donned in my wet weather gear and wellies off I went for a swift walk around a nearby wood with the hope the trees would give me some shelter! On the way there a woman stopped her car and asked me directions to a local street.  I confidently directly her and off I went on my merry way ... then it dawned on me ... I had sent her to the completely wrong place! Whoops, if by some trillion to one chance that the person looking for Hayclose Road is reading this, please accept my sincere apologies, I didn't do it on purpose I think my brain must have started to rust with all the rain! I was a little worried after that that I would see this irate driver looking for me to yell at me that I was an idiot! Anyhow, she didn't find me if she did come looking and I survived! It was a bit of a pathetic attempt of a walk- just over one mile but it was cold, very muddy and wet and I couldn't be ar**d! You can view this here.

Once home, I did the stupid thing of sitting down with a coffee and my book and the rest of the afternoon disappeared and before I knew it it was time to make dinner! "Oh dear", I thought looks like another run in the dark or on the dreadmill! As I was saying earlier I don't have these motivational issues when I'm at work - I just do it at the first window of opportunity!

By the time I got myself organised to run my Day 3 Janathon run it had gone 6 o'clock! How did that happen?  I still wasn't keen - it was still raining, it was still cold but now it was dark and misty too! I was wasting time trying to decide where to go when I had a brainwave (it must have been oiled). I decided to go on the same route as I did for Janathon Day 3 2012! So I looked it up on my Garmin, I gave myself a stern talking to and off I went! I really enjoyed the run as it was a route I probably haven't done since last year - perhaps this is the way forward - copy last years runs to motivate me! You can view this run here.

So after a slow start I managed 5.41 miles which was slightly longer than last years route as I went home a different way unintentionally! I was chuffed to see that my pace in a year had increased substantially even though I felt slow today! My pace last year was 10:12 minute miles whereas today it was 9:38 minute miles.

Running Miles today: 5.41

Time: 52 minutes 16 seconds

Average pace: 9.38

Walking miles today : 1.17

Total Janathon Running miles:  8.82 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 7.00 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: Zero / 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: Zero / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

Swimming, Cycling or BOTH tomorrow!

I can do this!

Janathon Day 2

Although its not the twelfth night and all that today I de-Christmassed my house!  

We have had the tree up since the 1st December and I was getting sick of the mess - so down it came!

It sounds such a simple task but by the time everything was taken down, packed away, put back in the loft, tree removed and millions of pine needles hoovered up from every crevice in the house several hours had passed! Whilst I was doing this depressing job I kept getting email updates informing me how wonderful everyone else was and how they had all managed to do day 2 of Janathon and I was feeling a bit of a failure! 

Anyhow,  I had a late lunch then as it had stopped raining momentarily we opted to take the dog out for a walk.  We did a nice 3.97 mile walk through the woods and back along the river, and very unusually we didn't get wet - muddy yes but at least we were still dry! You can view this walk here! 

Once home before I could come up with any excuses or get comfy on the sofa with the chocolates I headed upstairs to get changed into my running gear and headed out the door for my Janathon run! 

It had started to drizzle ever so slightly but it wasn't cold, although it was just starting to get dark! I had a route in mind, and I felt fairly good running today compared with the awful run I had on New Years Eve! I felt for the first time in ages that I was actually running at a decent pace, not just plodding. Unfortunately, at one point an elderly gentleman nearly took me out (and I don't mean to dinner)! He was chatting on the pavement to another elderly person and just as I was running past he took a step sideways right into me! Luckily there was no cars coming as he barged me into the road but one positive was I did manage to stay on my feet - just - and so did he!  PHEW! There was no apology from him, just a dirty look as if I had been doing something wrong! Anyhow, I managed to get home without any further incidents, and felt chuffed with myself for going when I really didn't feel like it!  I had a quick shower and change and in no time at all I was yet again heading out the door - this time to my usual Circuit Training class!  

Running Miles today: 3.41

Time: 31 minutes 56 seconds

Average pace: 9.18

You can view this run here.

Walking miles today : 3.97

View my walk  here.

Total Janathon Running miles:  3.41 / 80 running miles

Total Janathan Walking miles: 5.83 / 30 walking miles

Total Janathan Cycling miles: Zero / 130 cycling miles

Total Janathon Swimming miles: Zero / 10 swimming miles

Total Janathon non-mileage exercise: 1 hour Circuits

So far so good, bring on Day 3!

Day 1 - Janathon!

Happy New Year!  I can't believe its the 1st of January and I am starting Janathon for the second year running!

After a heavy night celebrating last night with my family I opted for a walk today as my exercise rather than brave a run! It was a very cold, windy and drizzly start to the New Year and we had a very short trot around Tarn Hows, before heading to Keswick for a sedate wander around the shops and a coffee in the lakeside cafe!


Tarn Hows,  is one of the most visited spots in the Lake District, and today being New Years Day it was literally packed with people. The Tarn is surrounded by thick woodland, with views towards Wetherlam, the Helvellyn range and the Langdale Pikes, with a path running around the outside. A beautiful start to the New Year!!


Janathon starts seriously tomorrow and I will be running, cycling or swimming!

You can view this rather pathetic start here!

Tarn Hows

My Janathon mileage goals are: 

                          

                            250 + TOTAL Janathon Miles

 80 running miles

10 swimming miles

130 cycling miles

30 walking miles

As well as starting the Janathon challenge today I also started the project 365 challenge.  This is a totally different sort of challenge where you have to take and upload a photograph everyday for a year to tell the story of your life! 

You can view my album here!