In that I said I wasn't going to run for a while and I haven't (much).
So I've spent the last few weeks swimming and biking mainly and quite enjoying it. I will admit to timing those things with VLM last week. I wasn't that upset about not doing it, I'm not actually that keen on watching it. If I'm going to watch people running I much prefer it to be within my attention span. 100m is good :-D
Anyway, this weekend was swimathon yesterday, 5k. I must confess an hour before it started I tried to ring the pool to pull out. I'd had a bit of bad news that is best not shared on a blog, and had spent the day as I do when I get stressed. Headache, stomach ache and unable to eat :-/
No one picked up though, so I thought , fuck it! And went. The organiser was a really jolly jokey bloke and he must have wondered who died when I turned up! I wasn't at my most sparkling, but we got over it :D
I was in a lane with two others, both also doing the 5k but obviously swimming together. It was ok but they would breast stroke slower than me up the pool, then front crawl faster than me back down. I spent more time than I would like letting them pass me and then slowing down. However I decided that since my one training swim over 1k was 2k I should just chill out and take it as it came. I broke it down to 40,40, 40, 20,20,10,10,10,10. With a drink after each. I counted wrong a few times and always count back when I do that so it was a nice surprise when I asked at 10 to go how many left and they said 4 :) yay!!!!! I was tired at the end but not overly so and I felt I could have gone on. I think although I don't see it I am a better swimmer than when I started tri.
So fish and chips bought on way home...8.30pm by the time we left the pool, and tea and I went to bed at 10.30 with the alarm set for 6 so I could get up for a club tri.
Well, I woke at 1.30am or so cos the rain was so hard on the window, and once I was awake, that was it. I had things on my mind that would just not let me go back to sleep. I had tea, and read a bit and arsed on twitter until about 4 when a police helicopter started circling overhead. Great.
At this point I knew there would be no sleep and I couldn't do the tri. We still had to go though as Mr H was down to marshall, so I decided I'd Marshall with him. At 5 I started making lots of noise to wake him which is why he slept really well until 6.30 :-D how does he bloody do that?
Anyway I noted a number of events being cancelled and one tri being reduced to a swim run. Oooh I thought, I can't bike when I'm this tired and hungry, but surely I could do a swim run?
So I packed kit for just that and left my bike at home (I was advised by mr h that me on the bike in this weather was not something he would entertain) the drive down to ongar was a bit hairy with various roads flooded, but when we got there I got just the news I wanted, it was swim run. Yes!!!
So the swim was 20 lengths which was ok apart from getting out at the deepend. I always like to demonstrate just how much strength I don't have in my arms and then roll myself onto the tiles like a whale. Then a very fumbled transition at poolside and out for what was pretty much an open water 7.5k. Roads were flooded right across so nothing you could do but splash right through, was actually quite fun.
The plan was not let the guy just behind me pass, and catch up 2 ladies I could see in the distance (i was 2nd slowest swimmer in my wave :-/)
The guy didn't catch me, I caught one lady a mile from home, and I almost had the other one on the finish turn but she heard me and gave a kick I couldn't catch. Not unhappy with the run overall.
Spoke to a girl about buying my tri and run bike after. Hopefully that will be sorted soon, and chatted to other club members over a cup of tea. Next tri is 2 weeks but I am definitely down to Marshall that one so I intend to cycle there and back.
I've been really lazy since, waiting for reports from marathons and kipping a bit :))
Think that's it.
Seems funny not saying ooh I ran a marathon. Nice funny though.
Sunday 29 April 2012
Sunday 22 April 2012
Sunday 15 April 2012
You fit me better.....
Than my favourite sweater :-D
Now that's not quite true because the handlebars are a bit too far forward so tri bars would be too far of a stretch, but nonetheless I feel at home on this.
I can't remember if it was Jan 2006 or 2007 that I bought my bike. I do remember it sat looking at me in the hall for some months before I got the courage up to actually ride it. With foot cage things on the pedals, which I hated. Getting your foot in was a complete lottery as they would swing downwards as soon as you removed your foot. That was if you remembered to. I can remember a nasty trying to cut myself in half incident whilst cycling round Hainault park in the early days :-/
So I got clipless pretty quick and gave Mr H the best laugh ever on the day I taught myself to use them. But I learnt pretty quick and haven't had THAT many failing to unclip incidents :)
The first tri it was going to be used at was the tri sport try a tri. Until I broke the valve off the inner tube the morning of the race and didn't have a spare or tbh a pump that would work on it or any idea how to do it. That's how much I knew :-/ I did that one on my hybrid.
So it's first real outing was stratford tri. I'd had a computer fitted the week before which helpfully flew off as I was going down the dual carriageway :-D I decided stopping would not be a good idea.
Since then we've done lots of sprints, a couple of Olympic distances, 3 half IMs and 2 IMs. We've done a few sportives including the one where we crashed into a parked car :-/ and countless training miles.
This week we started going out together again.
And you know what. I love it :)
That's a really long way to say I'm not running, but I've not stopped. Oh no.
Now that's not quite true because the handlebars are a bit too far forward so tri bars would be too far of a stretch, but nonetheless I feel at home on this.
I can't remember if it was Jan 2006 or 2007 that I bought my bike. I do remember it sat looking at me in the hall for some months before I got the courage up to actually ride it. With foot cage things on the pedals, which I hated. Getting your foot in was a complete lottery as they would swing downwards as soon as you removed your foot. That was if you remembered to. I can remember a nasty trying to cut myself in half incident whilst cycling round Hainault park in the early days :-/
So I got clipless pretty quick and gave Mr H the best laugh ever on the day I taught myself to use them. But I learnt pretty quick and haven't had THAT many failing to unclip incidents :)
The first tri it was going to be used at was the tri sport try a tri. Until I broke the valve off the inner tube the morning of the race and didn't have a spare or tbh a pump that would work on it or any idea how to do it. That's how much I knew :-/ I did that one on my hybrid.
So it's first real outing was stratford tri. I'd had a computer fitted the week before which helpfully flew off as I was going down the dual carriageway :-D I decided stopping would not be a good idea.
Since then we've done lots of sprints, a couple of Olympic distances, 3 half IMs and 2 IMs. We've done a few sportives including the one where we crashed into a parked car :-/ and countless training miles.
This week we started going out together again.
And you know what. I love it :)
That's a really long way to say I'm not running, but I've not stopped. Oh no.
Tuesday 10 April 2012
My head says.....
Enough is enough.
Please don't think this is a miserable blog, it's far from it.
This is a blog where I finally admit that things aren't right and I tell you what I'm going to do about it.
Now regular readers will realise I haven't been running well for a while. My legs have been tired for ages. That's ok though, you can get through that.
In feb I ran the Nat XC and loved it. Now obv I wasnt the fastest but I ran as hard as I was able on the day. All good so far. The thing that I don't think I have said to anybody is how sore my right knee was after.
It hurts going upstairs, it hurts going downstairs and if I accidentally heel strike whilst running it can stop me in my tracks. Running on my forefoot is essential. That's good running form isn't it? Well yes, but I suspect putting your heel on the floor isn't supposed to make you feel like your knee is going to explode.
Ok, so that's the knee. Bit boring really and as far as non runners are concerned its FINE. If anyone wants to tell me how running ruins your knees I will punch them.
It would be alright if that was all. But I think I have changed my running style to accommodate this and as a result have damaged my left achilles. It's starting to hurt all the time. And it's so bloody stiff.
Solution? A complete break from running. We will start with 2 weeks and see how that goes. I will swim, and cycle, and tbh the prospect of 2 weeks without worrying that I will not be able to complete a run will be a relief.
Gosh, I feel like an alcoholic who has finally admitted she has a problem :-D
The letter to VLM goes tomorrow.
I've already been swimming more than usual and my bike is begging me to ride it.
It will all be good.
:-)
Please don't think this is a miserable blog, it's far from it.
This is a blog where I finally admit that things aren't right and I tell you what I'm going to do about it.
Now regular readers will realise I haven't been running well for a while. My legs have been tired for ages. That's ok though, you can get through that.
In feb I ran the Nat XC and loved it. Now obv I wasnt the fastest but I ran as hard as I was able on the day. All good so far. The thing that I don't think I have said to anybody is how sore my right knee was after.
It hurts going upstairs, it hurts going downstairs and if I accidentally heel strike whilst running it can stop me in my tracks. Running on my forefoot is essential. That's good running form isn't it? Well yes, but I suspect putting your heel on the floor isn't supposed to make you feel like your knee is going to explode.
Ok, so that's the knee. Bit boring really and as far as non runners are concerned its FINE. If anyone wants to tell me how running ruins your knees I will punch them.
It would be alright if that was all. But I think I have changed my running style to accommodate this and as a result have damaged my left achilles. It's starting to hurt all the time. And it's so bloody stiff.
Solution? A complete break from running. We will start with 2 weeks and see how that goes. I will swim, and cycle, and tbh the prospect of 2 weeks without worrying that I will not be able to complete a run will be a relief.
Gosh, I feel like an alcoholic who has finally admitted she has a problem :-D
The letter to VLM goes tomorrow.
I've already been swimming more than usual and my bike is begging me to ride it.
It will all be good.
:-)
Sunday 8 April 2012
Bipolar......
That's what I am about running at the moment.
One day I love it, let's say Friday, meeting up with friends and doing a completely new route to me.
One day I'm excited by it (bear with me) lets say Saturday when I decide to push it a bit and end with a sub 8 mile.(I've still got it mate).
One day I hate it, let's say today when I have 20 on my plan. I wake up feeling neutral about it, I've run 20 on my own lots of times, I know how to do it. But then I start. And my knee hurts, and my Achilles is beyond stiff. My bum hurts too. I can deal with all of these cos it's always like that now, but when at 4 miles my shin starts to hurt I think FUCK THIS STUPID RUNNING SHIT and run home.
On the way I'm thinking, I wish I'd never seen RW, or Fetch or heard of the 10 in 10 or any of the people who think running marathons is fun and that running a half isn't worth it and counting up til they can say they have run 100 and ooh did you only run 1 this weekend? I ran a double and then an ultra while I was asleep....
And breathe.
It made me think that VLM is not a good place for me to go to. So many people so happy to be running the event and me ungrateful because I know I won't do myself justice. And the only person that is important to is me. I know this.
So that's another one off the list and maybe it is a relief. I think Mr H wants to go support but I don't. Probably that makes me seem bad but if I go I will be miserable not to be doing it, and I do my utmost to try not to make myself miserable, it's really not worth the bother :-D
Anyway years ago I watched some bbc programme about psychiatrists and one of them was bi polar, he spent most of his time getting wrecked, taking drugs and shagging random strangers. Looked like good fun to me*
I have swum 2k since binning my run as I don't seem to have cancelled the 5 k swimathon in 3 weeks.
You can expect a massive swimming related strop anytime :)))))
*Obv mental illness isn't funny, but if you're going to have one you may as well have one that makes you a right laugh 50% of the time.
One day I love it, let's say Friday, meeting up with friends and doing a completely new route to me.
One day I'm excited by it (bear with me) lets say Saturday when I decide to push it a bit and end with a sub 8 mile.(I've still got it mate).
One day I hate it, let's say today when I have 20 on my plan. I wake up feeling neutral about it, I've run 20 on my own lots of times, I know how to do it. But then I start. And my knee hurts, and my Achilles is beyond stiff. My bum hurts too. I can deal with all of these cos it's always like that now, but when at 4 miles my shin starts to hurt I think FUCK THIS STUPID RUNNING SHIT and run home.
On the way I'm thinking, I wish I'd never seen RW, or Fetch or heard of the 10 in 10 or any of the people who think running marathons is fun and that running a half isn't worth it and counting up til they can say they have run 100 and ooh did you only run 1 this weekend? I ran a double and then an ultra while I was asleep....
And breathe.
It made me think that VLM is not a good place for me to go to. So many people so happy to be running the event and me ungrateful because I know I won't do myself justice. And the only person that is important to is me. I know this.
So that's another one off the list and maybe it is a relief. I think Mr H wants to go support but I don't. Probably that makes me seem bad but if I go I will be miserable not to be doing it, and I do my utmost to try not to make myself miserable, it's really not worth the bother :-D
Anyway years ago I watched some bbc programme about psychiatrists and one of them was bi polar, he spent most of his time getting wrecked, taking drugs and shagging random strangers. Looked like good fun to me*
I have swum 2k since binning my run as I don't seem to have cancelled the 5 k swimathon in 3 weeks.
You can expect a massive swimming related strop anytime :)))))
*Obv mental illness isn't funny, but if you're going to have one you may as well have one that makes you a right laugh 50% of the time.
Friday 6 April 2012
I remember now ......
What it is I love about running.
It's running with friends :)))
Don't worry about how far, don't care how long, just have a good old chat and wear yourself out a bit.
Thank you @JWUltra, @Madlot, @JulesPerox,@Sidowski,@RunCoachGus and @Oscar for starting my Easter break so well.
It's running with friends :)))
Don't worry about how far, don't care how long, just have a good old chat and wear yourself out a bit.
Thank you @JWUltra, @Madlot, @JulesPerox,@Sidowski,@RunCoachGus and @Oscar for starting my Easter break so well.
Sunday 1 April 2012
No good advice...
Good a title as any isn't it? I'm just listening to girl groups on TOTP2 and it's Girls Aloud. I feel no shame in admitting I love them. Along with All Saints and Spice girls.
All Saints remind me of The Beach, you know that Alex Garland book, there was a time when whole tube carriages seemed to be reading it. I enjoyed it, I can't remember an awful lot about it now but I remember it left me feeling a bit on edge. Prob cos of the shark. Anyway, I loved the soundtrack......was it William Orbit that produced it? Think so, I liked the sound and played it to death.
That would be the soundtrack to the film. There was no soundtrack to the book, just me singing to myself :-D
Anyway, moving on.......a decent weeks training. I have run 6 times, swum twice and biked once. A decent amount of hours and consistency.
Did a long one yesterday, 15 miles, I would have liked it warmer but you get what you get don't you. I do think that heat equals quicker for me. So shall I pray for a scorcher at London? He he he, yes I will!! I then swam just the 1k again but it does me good and I'm enjoying it. I will add a few quick (er) bits now as I have a tri in 4 weeks.
And my first duathlon since, erm, well this time last year. I haven't been out on my bike since *****************+************* I can't even tell you so I was a bit apprehensive.
I was right to be, it was effing freezing and the first lap I though my ears and feet were going to fall off. I was seriously going to give up.
But then I did that talking to myself bit, and as I cycled up the long drag to the end of the first lap I decided that since death wasn't imminent I would start to enjoy it. And I did!
I will not be called up for the road racing team for the Olympics but I don't think I embarrassed myself. The run was ok, my lack of running off the bike lately really showed, and the fact I really don't have speed but I wasn't unhappy with it. It was nice to do something other than a marathon :)
So, basically I'm just training. At the moment I'm intending to do London, but it isn't 100%. I find the whole experience quite stressful so if I think it will make me unhappy I won't do it. I'm quite aware that in terms of running I am being quite antisocial at the moment to the point where I'm wondering if being in a club is worth it. But I don't have to decide right now.
Right I'm off now. 3 days at work then 7 days off. Wooohoooo!!!!!!
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