I've been quite disheartened by my running abilities. Never seem to get any faster... always seems to hurt etc. etc. Since when did I ever thing running became easy???
Anyway, it's taken me all day to drag myself out for a run tonight. I was aiming to do 10 miles. I was also so annoyed with myself for leaving it until the last minute that I went out with the specific intention to do myself some damage or die trying. Clearly that attitude wasn't going to last but I did give it my all for the first few miles although it got pretty annoying stopping myself every time I wanted to faff. It's been some time since I ran fast so I had no idea how warm I would get.
I finally settled into a rhythm after the last of the sun had disapeared so I had to start picking my way in the light of the headtorch, along the top of the Rivelin crags. It felt tediously slow.
Running above the water treatment works, my light began to flicker to tell me that the batteries were running out. I set it to it's weakest beam, adjusted my eyes to the low level light and did quite a lot of walking until I reached the gravel and then paved trail. I admit to a sigh-of-relief upon reaching the car park.
As soon as I met the road, I turned my head torch off and ran in the road - recently resurfaced so I know there are no potholes.
I continued without a light along the A57, still running in the road which was catching more of whatever light was available than the pavement. I moved on to the pavement when a car came and only turned my light on when the car was oncoming - more so that they wouldn't dazzle me than to improve my own vision.
Down, finally, into the Rivelin valley where I continued my slow pace. I could see enough to dodge most of the puddles, rocks and tree roots but I didn't want to be caught out whilst travelling at speed.
Finally, back on the Rivelin Valley Road I decided not to risk the last stretch of uneven ground under my still-fading light and to stick to the road. The pavement, to be fair, along here is pretty soft on the feet so I kept my light on and hopped over tree-roots and leaves. My shoes probably stink of poop!
As soon as I engaged, finally!, with the streetlights, I turned off up 'our road' pretty fuckin pleased with the performance of my light.
I thought a lot about my friends who run a lot and run fast and my own long-distance, off-road, heavily hillied runs and I started to stabilise my thoughts. There's no way, with all the stop-starts of running up steep slopes, hopping from rock to rock and avoiding tripping over brambles that I will ever run a sub 20 minute 5k... or whatever it is the kids are doing nowadays.
What I can do is look at my own history and it just so happens that 12 days ago, I did a very flat run to work (still offroad) 7:16 faster (granted) but what price 162m of climbing? According to tonight's scores - around 20 minutes.
So I can go to bed (as soon as I've done the dishes) just a little happier that I am, despite my misconceptions, getting faster.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Tuesday, February 04, 2014
January 2014 Stats
Swim: 7 km 2:08/100m. Compares to 2013 8.7km 2:36/100m. Compares to last month: 8.9 km 3:01/100m.
Bike: 136.1 mile 13mph, 542m el. Compares to 2013: 191.5 mile 10.4 mph, 3370 m. Compares to last month: 142.66 mile 10.2 mph, 1869m el
Run: 44.6 miles, 4.9 mph, 1301m el. Compares to 2013: 33.5 miles, 5.1 mph, 923m el. Compares to last month: 32.58 miles, 5.1 mph, 737m el.
Completions
Week 1: 92%
2: 77%
3: 63%
4: 102%
Bike: 136.1 mile 13mph, 542m el. Compares to 2013: 191.5 mile 10.4 mph, 3370 m. Compares to last month: 142.66 mile 10.2 mph, 1869m el
Run: 44.6 miles, 4.9 mph, 1301m el. Compares to 2013: 33.5 miles, 5.1 mph, 923m el. Compares to last month: 32.58 miles, 5.1 mph, 737m el.
Completions
Week 1: 92%
2: 77%
3: 63%
4: 102%
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Statistical Splurge
June 2013 - Forestman Month
Swim: 20.72km 3kph. Compares to last month: 17.45km 3kph. Compares to 2010: 2.4km, 1.6km/hrBike: 350.2 mile, 12.2mph, 2095m el. Compares to last month: 303.4 mile, 12.2mph, 4425m el. Compares to 2010: 172mile, 13mph, 3772m el.
Run: 58.18 miles, 4.8 mph, 1391m el. Compares to last month: 75.77 miles, 5.6 mph, 1623m el. Compares to 2010: 37mile, 4.6m/hr, 1417m el
July 2013 - The demise
Swim: None!Bike: 136.02 mile 9.8mph, 995.4m el. Compares to last month: 350.2 mile, 12.2mph, 2095m el.
Run: 2.72 miles, 5.1 mph, 32m el. Compares to last month: 20.72 miles, 4.7 mph, 1623m el.
August 2013 - The rekindling
Swim: 1km 1:52/100mBike: . 202.46 mile 7mph, 2357m el Compares to last month: 136.02 mile 9.8mph, 995.4m el.
Run: 17.12 miles, 5.0 mph, 225m el. Compares to last month: 2.72 miles, 5.1 mph, 32m el.
September 2013 - The annual panic
Swim: NoneBike: 221.54 mile 8.6 mph, 2545m el. Compares to last month: 202.46 mile 7mph, 2357m el.
Run: 12.68 miles, 5.6 mph, 323m el. Compares to last month: 17.12 miles, 5.0 mph, 225m el.
October 2013 - Impending Mountain Adventures
Swim: NoneBike: 246.18 mile 9.4 mph, 3153m el. Compares to last month: 221.54 mile 8.6 mph, 2545m el.
Run: 17.66 miles, 5.2 mph, 727m el. Compares to last month: 12.68 miles, 5.6 mph, 323m el.
November 2013 - Brave New World of Mountain Adventures & still enjoying residual ironman benefits leading me to enter another.
Swim: 6.65km 2:38/100mBike: 145.52 mile 8.4 mph, 3198m el. Compares to last month: 246.18 mile 9.4 mph, 3153m el.
Run: 31.92 miles, 5.4 mph, 907m el. Compares to last month: 17.66 miles, 5.2 mph, 727m el.
December 2013 - Maintaining the base and prepping for CX nationals.
Swim: 8.9km 3:01/100m. Compares to last month: 6.65km 2:38/100mBike: 142.66 mile 10.2 mph, 1869m el. Compares to last month: 145.52 mile 8.4 mph, 3198m el.
Run: 32.58 miles, 5.1 mph, 737m el. Compares to last month: 31.92 miles, 5.4 mph, 907m el.
Saturday, January 04, 2014
This week's top moments
Realising the best thing about early Ironman training starts and your husband not working is coming home and finding your jammies are still on the sofa.
The reassuring glow of a headtorch in the early morning darkness of winter and the happy glow that the pain and bad weather I endure now will make Celtman pass much easier this summer, no matter how evil Scottish summers can be.
The reassuring glow of a headtorch in the early morning darkness of winter and the happy glow that the pain and bad weather I endure now will make Celtman pass much easier this summer, no matter how evil Scottish summers can be.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Day 1. No Excuses or... Using the Best Weather.
A carefree attitude to training. When you're stuck, just free your mind, be 11 again and just play at it.
decided it is going to be Day 1 of Ironman training today. It's still week -6 of my 20 week plan but with it being such a biggie, I figured I should start adaptation early. Actually I have been at it for a while but when better to say 'no more excuses than New Years week.
Of course the whole idea of Ironman training is to fit it in with every day life and holidays are not made of such things. I would have felt fraudulent going swimming without getting up at 5am. As the morning ploughed on and I occupied myself with the tech phone I just bought to make running, photography and staying in touch easier, I experienced a combination of guilt and justification that Mondays are supposed to be rest days anyway.
I couldn't face cleaning bikes in the torrential rain and howling wind so I satisfied myself with sorting out the tunes for training on the phone. Before I knew what had happened, TSK was back from his walk and I had done nothing. I felt bad.
A day on the sofa is not for active people. I did so little last week I decided to pan the rest day. First hurdle, hunger. I did toast and read my new swim smooth book to get motivated. Whilst I knew toast wasn't a great idea, I wouldn't have made it through the lengthy process that is packing and dressing for a mid winter night time run, never mind finish the run.
Second step was to convince myself that this run has a purpose. After doing a 'cross race yesterday, I didn't think it would be a long run so I resigned myself to training on a stomach full of toast and testing out the breathability of my new coat when it had actually stopped raining. As it is, I left the house at 7pm in the best weather of the day. I took the coat off because I was so warm. The toast was an issue. I had to adjust the heart rate monitor alarm as my body was trying to do too many things at once.
Otherwise I spent the entire evening watching the glistening rocks in the light of my head torch and listening to the Rivelin River churning by in the periphery of the beam. I could not have been happier. I got home at 8.20 pm. Now that's what I call making the most of a bad day.
Of course the whole idea of Ironman training is to fit it in with every day life and holidays are not made of such things. I would have felt fraudulent going swimming without getting up at 5am. As the morning ploughed on and I occupied myself with the tech phone I just bought to make running, photography and staying in touch easier, I experienced a combination of guilt and justification that Mondays are supposed to be rest days anyway.
I couldn't face cleaning bikes in the torrential rain and howling wind so I satisfied myself with sorting out the tunes for training on the phone. Before I knew what had happened, TSK was back from his walk and I had done nothing. I felt bad.
A day on the sofa is not for active people. I did so little last week I decided to pan the rest day. First hurdle, hunger. I did toast and read my new swim smooth book to get motivated. Whilst I knew toast wasn't a great idea, I wouldn't have made it through the lengthy process that is packing and dressing for a mid winter night time run, never mind finish the run.
Second step was to convince myself that this run has a purpose. After doing a 'cross race yesterday, I didn't think it would be a long run so I resigned myself to training on a stomach full of toast and testing out the breathability of my new coat when it had actually stopped raining. As it is, I left the house at 7pm in the best weather of the day. I took the coat off because I was so warm. The toast was an issue. I had to adjust the heart rate monitor alarm as my body was trying to do too many things at once.
Otherwise I spent the entire evening watching the glistening rocks in the light of my head torch and listening to the Rivelin River churning by in the periphery of the beam. I could not have been happier. I got home at 8.20 pm. Now that's what I call making the most of a bad day.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Staying in and feeling positive vibes
Just for the record, since my last post, my cat got very sick.
Last Monday we had to put him down. It was very sad since he'd been our first family pet and was still too young to go to sleep.
On Thursday, my dog was put to sleep. He hadn't lived with me since 2002 but he was still my dog. When we visited, he didn't leave my side and when my mum got up in the morning he would come and sit by my bedroom door until I got up. He was very poorly and of a suitable age to go. Whilst it wasn't such a great surprise (let's face it, I had already got a hunch this was going to be a shit December), it still made me sad and as I cycled to work on my mountain bike, I could feel him running along the canal bank next to me like he used to when we lived in Altrincham and I balled my eyes out.
How I didn't crash into the water I don't know.
Then followed the two most intense work days of the year. The annual get-together of our teams followed by a Christmas meal, just when I really wasn't in the mood for celebrating anything.
On Saturday we did Christmas shopping followed by the polo dinner where, despite being the only teatotal vegetarian, I got sick and spent Saturday night throwing up.
On Sunday, instead of doing any of the excercise that I wanted, it was more Christmas shopping. I wrapped half of the presents before going to Norfolk for work on Monday morning where I was yelled at by the client including more crying and a deep-seated temptation to just leave. Instead I pulled myself together and got my work done despite everyone's best efforts to the contrary (they didn't want to work late as they had Christmas presents to collect from the post office whilst I pointed out that I still had presents to wrap and get in the post but I'd travelled hundreds of miles instead).
The next day was my 40th birthday. I had a nice breakfast in the hotel then drove home... well, back to the office to the welcome of cards and presents from my colleagues. How lovely.
At home, we literally rushed back out to the post office to post those kids pressies and were rewarded with my present from Mother Nature - a harvest moon over the Rivelin Valley.
I was whisked back out for a beautiful meal at my new favourite veggie cafe before going to watch "The Hobbit" at the cinema. An amazing evening with TSK which gave me hope for the decade ahead.
On Wednesday morning I went back down into the Rivelin Valley for a run. It was so nice to be back on my feet but I just couldn't get my heart rate to stay normal and practically shuffled along the flats and walked up all the hill climbs. Clearly I had picked up the cold that was hammering around the office in Norfolk.
On Thursday I was in denial and persevered with a trip to the pool. The swim went OK but as soon as I tried to ride my bike my legs suggested that there was nothing there. I sneezed my way back up the hill and got back to working on the quotation I had to finish by lunchtime from the comfort of my own sofa.
So that has been the end of my 30s and the begining of my 40s. For days I have had a dull head but I'm tired of being down now and, with my last day of 2013 work being a sickie, I can finally settle in to sit on the sofa, do nothing and think positive thoughts for 2014 through a snotty nose.
Last Monday we had to put him down. It was very sad since he'd been our first family pet and was still too young to go to sleep.
 |
| This is Lenny, helping with bicycle maintenance |
How I didn't crash into the water I don't know.
Then followed the two most intense work days of the year. The annual get-together of our teams followed by a Christmas meal, just when I really wasn't in the mood for celebrating anything.
On Saturday we did Christmas shopping followed by the polo dinner where, despite being the only teatotal vegetarian, I got sick and spent Saturday night throwing up.
On Sunday, instead of doing any of the excercise that I wanted, it was more Christmas shopping. I wrapped half of the presents before going to Norfolk for work on Monday morning where I was yelled at by the client including more crying and a deep-seated temptation to just leave. Instead I pulled myself together and got my work done despite everyone's best efforts to the contrary (they didn't want to work late as they had Christmas presents to collect from the post office whilst I pointed out that I still had presents to wrap and get in the post but I'd travelled hundreds of miles instead).
The next day was my 40th birthday. I had a nice breakfast in the hotel then drove home... well, back to the office to the welcome of cards and presents from my colleagues. How lovely.
At home, we literally rushed back out to the post office to post those kids pressies and were rewarded with my present from Mother Nature - a harvest moon over the Rivelin Valley.
I was whisked back out for a beautiful meal at my new favourite veggie cafe before going to watch "The Hobbit" at the cinema. An amazing evening with TSK which gave me hope for the decade ahead.
On Wednesday morning I went back down into the Rivelin Valley for a run. It was so nice to be back on my feet but I just couldn't get my heart rate to stay normal and practically shuffled along the flats and walked up all the hill climbs. Clearly I had picked up the cold that was hammering around the office in Norfolk.
On Thursday I was in denial and persevered with a trip to the pool. The swim went OK but as soon as I tried to ride my bike my legs suggested that there was nothing there. I sneezed my way back up the hill and got back to working on the quotation I had to finish by lunchtime from the comfort of my own sofa.
So that has been the end of my 30s and the begining of my 40s. For days I have had a dull head but I'm tired of being down now and, with my last day of 2013 work being a sickie, I can finally settle in to sit on the sofa, do nothing and think positive thoughts for 2014 through a snotty nose.
Monday, December 02, 2013
Running Baselines - Rivelin
Rivelin valley bottom 28:21.46
Straight up Black Brook 6:10.6
Descent of Black Brook 45:59.14
Rivelin Tops flat 9:42.00
Descent to Hagg Lane 6:57.27
Straight up Black Brook 6:10.6
Descent of Black Brook 45:59.14
Rivelin Tops flat 9:42.00
Descent to Hagg Lane 6:57.27
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