We all know you're soft cos we've all seen you dancin

We all know you're hard cos we've all seen you drinkin from noon until noon again.....

reliving the nineties this week and that lyric stuck, dunno why!

So this week, yeah been ok. Did my bike stuff which is actually preferable to running right now cos it's indoors! Missed my interval run, not even sure why now though it was a bit hectic at work so when I take stuff in to do a run at work there are a million reasons why it doesn't get done and then I am too tired. Roll on lighter evenings when my brain is tricked and each day has at least 4 more hours in it.

Was supposed to do the National XC champs yesterday, but woke not feeling great, bad headache that just got worse until I was feeling really sick and had to put my head under a pillow. As a teen I had proper problems with migraine but as an adult it is much improved, still doesn't make it any better when you get one! Went to bed early and almost got up to tell Mr H that I was really worried my head would break but then I pulled myself together. I'm a grown woman and he has no medical training so THAT would've been a pointless exercise :-D Anyway, I did wake up much to my surprise so I had no reason not to go to my second planned xc of the weekend at South Weald, the last fixture in the competition my club Barking Road Runners takes part in. Was still feeling quite sick but its only 7k and I would be first or second scorer for the ladies so I couldn't not go.

Anyway Mr H drove me and my friend Vicky there which was fine and then WE WAITED FOR AN HOUR IN THE FREEZING COLD. Really enjoyed that bit, obvs! but the course is actually really nice, actually Brentwood park run with 2k added. Wore spikes which were fine apart from the stupid laces coming undone twice. Yes of course I bloody double knotted them! Anyway I finished in a better position than any of the other races this season, which pleased me, we won the division which pleased me and I won the ladies club xc title for this year. Oh yes, that pleased me too :-)

Have spent the rest of the day trying to fight the headache away as it is still lurking. I may have won though now I think (fingers crossed)

Anyway, work was alright last week, got some stuff sorted as the boss was over. Always good to do face to face, no misunderstandings then, the next week should be good too. Got a day off on Tuesday to see friends, one of whom is just about to have heart surgery, it will be good to see him before he goes under the knife. Then a stats course on Wednesday, which I am DETERMINED to find useful :-D

That's the team there in case you wanted to see it. Always nice to break up the boring text I think.

Swim out to the ocean.....

drown your thoughts out at sea, dip your hands in the water, same deep water as me.

Oooh that's my calm me down song right now, chills me right out :-) And of course it mentions swimming so technically means I am actually doing some swim training even though I haven't been near a pool in months. BONUS! Although *whispers* I did take my cossie and goggles to the gym on Friday and left them in my locker just in case I get the urge.

I have swimathon 5k in April, I bloody had better get the urge soon :-O

It may be that I havent blogged in months, it may be that I have been insanely busy, it may be that actually I am less than happy with my running ... actually there is no maybe about that one. But there are undeniable facts to be faced.
1. I am too fat to run well
2. I am too fat to run well
3. I am too fat to run well.

Unanimous that really innit! I could be kinder to myself and say I weigh too much to run well but I really do need to kick myself up the bum and do something about it. Not diet, that's stupid and doesn't work, no, just eat properly, stop treating wine like water and stop raiding Mr H's chocolate drawer! (Heh, that's not funny AT ALL)

Anyway as always I have insight, just got to focus on wanting the athletic me to beat the alcoholic fat me! Actually as I say that Suzy our little barrel cat has walked in, she really needs to come running with me, but full kudos to her, she has the drinking under control. She can be my sponsor, I will work with her on the cat biscuit addiction.

Anyway, I am training, this year to do a half ironman which I start having actually trained on the bike, I know! Proper novelty. So it goes like this -

2 watt bike sessions - 1 with short max watt intervals, 1 with lower watts but still hard and longer. Whichever session it is I end up with a pool of sweat surrounding the bike. Luckily I am not at the gym to pull eh?

Then 2 or 3 runs. 1 interval session (love these, they make you feel properly alive) 1 tempo session which currently I have at 5min per k as half marathon pace. For some perspective here a couple of years ago I was looking at 4.35 as half mara pace, so I am way off. Last run usually some sort of race, currently xc which I am doing just cos it hurts, and I want to win the xc trophy at club this year :-D

Then I do a strength session and or see Russ for a coached session.

Obviously I listen to swimming songs too.

Ironically the half IM I had targetted actually wont take place this year so I need to have a think on it and choose another but I am in no rush, the training is enjoyable enough and in April I get to go to Majorca on a training camp with friends which is something I have always wanted to do so if that is what this year is about then that's fine!

I appear not to have mentioned work. GOOD! I am an AL today just so I dont have to be there because last week it drove me so nuts, so nuts that I found a flea on Suzie on Thursday and I had a complete meltdown. I briefly considered burning the flat down but wasn't sure what insurance we had so I have shelved that until I have my facts straight and all my trainers and bike and mac somewhere safe. Obviously the cats will be out and Chris will be at work. Obv!!!!

Better stop now before the evidence is too compelling :-)

It's been a while....

But I have a target so time to blog again.

I'm going to do Chelmsford marathon in October. My target? I want to run it well. That's woolly enough isn't it 😀

I've been mucking around for ages not really achieving anything with running, which isn't bad, I mean it's not my career or anything but still, it's important to me to do stuff well.

I think that work is going well, at least I couldn't be happier doing anything else right now (apart from rescuing all the animals, ALL of them) and I have been concentrating on that recently as it's been full on. This week was tha AAIC conference. I got the amazing opportunity to speak AND co-chair a session. I was a bag of stress in the week leading up to it, but once the session started I felt really calm. It occurred to me later it felt similar to getting in the lake at IMUK in 2009 having been in floods of tears cos I was so scared of what I was about to do, but once I was in I felt really calm, because there was nothing I could do except what I had trained for. And I did. Mind you when I finned the IM I didn't drink ALL the wine like I did at the welcome reception on Monday night 😂

Anyway I got really good feedback and had lots of good meetings, in contrast to my first visit to the conference in 2014 when I knew nobody and wandered around feeling like a complete fraud.

Did a bit of outreach stuff as well today meeting with an undergraduate student doing work experience who is possibly interested in what I do, though to be honest it is quite hard to describe what I do, as it's a team thing. So I invited her back to the lab in a few weeks when we have some other students in to do some wet work, should be fun! Or will scare them all away, one of those 😀

I'm working at home tomorrow to catch up with admin and go through all the projects I have promised things to, then off to Nottingham to do the 3.8k swim on Sunday for a relay team in the Outlaw. I was entered for the whole thing but reassessed earlier in the year because of work. I know I can do it on minimal training but I don't want to and I think that's fair enough. I will do another IM and I fancy Bolton but know that won't be next year. My dream would be wales. But sharks.

Anyway, shall report back on the weekend, which MUST include an 18k run which isn't even that long is it?

Shortest sportive ever, and Heslegraves on tour 😊

Last Sunday Andy P and myself travelled to somewhere in the Chilterns (I dunno where it was) for the Chilterns 100. I have done the medium route twice before and survived it, and we had decided that if we needed to turn off at the split point that was fine.

Much much bigger than it used to be, we eventually set off and I was in good spirits, it was going to be hard but that was a good thing. I was enjoying the scenery, and the weather was getting nicer all the time. We came to a fairly steep downhill, which was fine. At the bottom round a corner though the road was really bad and you couldn't avoid it so had a bone shaking few second going over that, thinking 'phew, nothing fell off my bike' and was freewheeling up the hill that went under a bridge glad that I had some help from the downhill. Then I needed to pedal again so stood up to pedal down and the chain came off and I was quickly on the floor. Andy and another guy stopped to get the bike off me and I got out from under it thinking, 'I'm going to be sick, need to get to the hedge' but I wasn't I was just shocked I think. My knee took most of the fall but my hip didn't do too badly either and I was so shaky I really didn't want to go on. The motorcycle marshals were ace and waited with me whilst Andy cycled back to HQ to get the car to pick me up. A few people stopped to ask the marshals when all these bikes would be gone so they could ride their horses 😊😊😊 one lady gave me her phone number in case I needed anything....or maybe she fancied me, not sure, I must have looked pretty damn ravishing 😂

Anyway, got seen by St. John's when I got back, or rather cleaned up and talked to as if I was 7 by the  old lady in a St. John's outfit, which was funny, then a bit annoying, then just....I need to go home.

We set off home but via the Olympic park so I could get back on the bike on the road track, however Andy rode it up and down the car park and it seemed the chain didn't want to stay on, no way I was getting on it so we took it to cycle surgery in Romford and left it there for exploratory surgery and a service. I then went home and laid on the sofa having cycled all of 5 miles 😀 iron woman me!!!!

I didn't run Monday and Tuesday as my knee wasn't keen on bending, and since I don't like being told what to do I know my limbs don't either so I didn't force it (this is my favourite knee, don't tell the other one!). Then, WEDNESDAY 😊😊😊😊

We flew to Lisbon, a short break I had booked to see Bruce Springsteen at the Rock in Rio festival. Seeing Bruce this year has special meaning. When I first met Chris I was actually going out with someone else, we will call him, er, Loser to protect his identity. One work night out me and Chris were talking about Bruce and the fact he was playing Wembley soon, and he said (maybe half joking I dunno) that if I got bored of Loser then I could go with him to the gig. I pretty much ditched Loser the next day, well I say that, I just never contacted him again.....how bad is that! Then I got tickets to the gig and 28 years later we are still together , but more significantly this year is our 25th wedding anniversary, so seeing the man that made it all possible twice this year is ace! (We are going agin next month)

So we arrive in Lisbon, had a bit of a pickle getting metro tickets but eventually worked it out, then got out of the metro right in front of our hotel!!! The hotel was ok but there was no need for the frosted door on the toilet 'pod' being able to see out whilst you are ahem, on the loo is most off putting and I can say I was severely inhibited by this and it's as well we were only there 2 nights 😐.

First thing we did was go off to find the venue....it was about a 3 mile walk and Lisbon ain't flat! Also the pavements are like, those little tiles....I can't think of the bloody name, but slippery and uneven, so I decided I wouldn't run there. Anyway we found the park up the top of a bloody big hill and then walked back. Actually quite enough exercise for the one day. We sussed out a nice restaurant for dinner and chose a random wine which was lovely, and then went to bed shattered.

Gig day I laid in til 7.30 then left Chris with some privacy 😀 whilst I went and used the treadmill in the gym on the 9th floor. The view was awesome but also the treadmill was ace, you could watch anything on it and I ran round some lake with loads of dog owners waving at me. How nice! There was a pool but it was about 5 meters long, there was also a sauna and that but I wasn't sure if Portuguese people did the starkers thing so I gave that a swerve. We then went off to a lovely park we had found near the hotel and sunbathed for a few hours, was bliss and my resting heart rate for that day was 34bpm. Proper relaxed, or I'm in the sixth sense and I will find out soon......but only at the end of the film when everyone else knows 😀

The festival opened at 4 so we decided to walk there again and got there around 4.30. No queues, easy to get in, no queue at the bar and proper toilets, get in! Also loads of room to sit and get comfy. Sounds ace doesn't it? Well it was but that was because nothing happened til 7 when some Portuguese glee collective came on for an hour. No idea what they were acting out but the singing was not great, ok we can deal with this. Sure Bruce will be on by nine. Then a notice came up on screen showing timings. Bruce was due to come on at 11.45 😊 ha!!! We are so English we are used to being chucked out of concerts at 11. Also my bedtime is waaaaay before that. Ah well, not like we were going to leave. Stereophonics came on at 8.30 and they were ace, mind u I might have had a few beers by then. I'm not sure many people had gone to see them though judging by the funny looks me and Chris were getting for having a jump around to them. Or maybe they were thinking we are too old for that sort of thing....

At 10 some Portuguese heavy rock band came on to lots of crowd support....I didn't like them cos the lead singer looked sinister to me, I always have good reasons for stuff.

Finally Bruce came on, and it was as we knew it would be ace (though Wembley will be letter as its his own show). The time flew and by the time he went off at 2.30 my throat was raw and my legs were very tired. So we followed the sign s for the metro so we could get back to the hotel along with loads of other people....only to find it locked. Why they had signs out I don't know, maybe to taunt us? Anyway, we had maps on my phone so we were able to navigate back but boy that bit was hard work. We finally got to bed around 4 and so my planned gym session in the morning was binned in favour of sleep in order to make the journey home more bearable 😊 a fab few days though.

Was super tired this morning still though, so I didn't swim and I didn't parkrun. I did go and get my bike though which is looking all shiny, and then did some intervals in the park which felt slow but I did them.

Now my fingers are getting bored. I expect you are too if you got this far!!!

Every day's a school day......

Alternatively, will I ever fucking learn?

Did my 6th London marathon last week. Hated it. Which is in complete contrast to last year. Why? Hmm not sure, but I suppose a shaky few months training and no real idea of what I wanted to achieve were contributing factors.

Lesson 1........ Always have a plan and know why you are doing what you are doing.

I did finish it though, even though I could happily have walked off the course many times....well I say that, I would have had to be some sort of martial arts guru to break through the crowds but you know what I mean 😊

Didn't do much all week really, except go down to the leisure centre and run a tiny bit of 401 marathon challenge mans 230 somethingth marathon. Really nice guy, and a bit of a chat with some Dag 88s which made me miss being a member 😐

Oh I did work of course and have realised that if all the projects that are lined up got their shit together and wanted to start the next day I would just have to change my name, my appearance, and dissapear. Still I'm sure loads of people have jobs like that. You just juggle and try to appear competent until you can be promoted out of harms way 😝

Anyway, yesterday was a trip to the Isle of Wight with some mates for parkrun tourism and a ride round the Island. My alarm was set for 3.30 am so I woke at 2.15 and was unable to go back to sleep. Eventually Thundercat who was trying very hard to sleep on my legs which kept tossing and turning, told me to 'just fucking get up and feed me or something, you are doing my head in!' So I did. I was being picked up at 4.15 and the time just dragged! Seriously if I worked in the small hours I would get so much more done cos those hours are loooonnnnggggg.

But eventually I was picked up, bike racked and a little trip round Dagenham to pick up Paul and Mark who were along with Andy the driver, car buddies for the day.

Conversation was surprisingly lively for that time in the morning, though I had to intervene when the blokes started discussing whether a fish would use its gills or its fins to operate a walkie talkie.

Lesson 2....... If you give men long enough in an enclosed space they will start to talk complete bollocks very quickly. 

(Fins of course, it's bloody obvious isn't it?)

Anyway, arrive at the Isle of Wight and drive to Shanklin, where this weeks parkrun is, along the esplanade. It's a lovely venue in the sunshine, with toilets available and a sizeable crowd gathering. Mark introduced himself to all the locals 😃

What followed was the longest parkrun intro I've ever heard which included a warmup and me giving my name and address to a lady who knits erm, egg cosys for barcode scanners (nope, me neither) anyway, Barking should be getting 2 soon. 

The course was literally an out and back with a bizarre first 200m loop which meant you saw the leaders coming at you about 5 seconds after you started! But settled in nicely with Mark who said he thought 27 minutes but was actually running comfortably at 5.15 ks. Finished in 25.07 albeit a bit of a short course. We then got knitted up for bike and went back to the cafe we had been running past minutes before for brekkie.

It was fine but we waited ages for a couple of the orders and all the while I was looking up. Looking up at the hill we had to climb out of Shanklin. Now, I know hill climbing is hard, but I also know I can grind them out, what I was worried about was the new pedal/cleat combo and turning a corner then not being able to clip in when you've suddenly got a massive bloody hill in front of you.

Still, you won't know if you don't try. 

Got on my bike in the car park, clipped one foot in went to stomp the other one round and nearly fell off cos the chain wasn't on. Great start! Paul put it back on for me, he was carrying gloves just for that purpose 😀. 

Rode round the car park for a while trying to get clipped in before I turned up the road cos it was most definitely up, finally did it and slowly span up the hill only almost co pletely stopping when I change the front ring by accident 😳 so you get to the top of that hill then a relatively flat bit for about 100m to a set of traffic lights that of course turn red as I get to them. Unclipping is dicey mainly because with my old ones you turned your foot in, these are out and it's not wired in yet, but I get there.

Lights turn green and I turn left scrabbling to clip in only to see just what I feared, a hill. So I stop. Get off and walk up it. I'm thinking here, 'ffs is this what it will be like all day? ' I'm feeling incredibly anxious and this isn't helping. But I carry on, and it's ok, until a few miles later in going downhill fast and see a line of cars in front of me on a narrow road. Oh I think, they must be parked but. Realise as I get closer they aren't, and have to do an emergency unclip, which almost undoes me. It's a temporary traffic light, on a steep downhill around a bend that I can't see. At this point, Andy, who must be the most patient friend I have says 'do you want to go back and not do this?' And he's quite right, I'm done with this already, I can't cope with riding 50 more miles shaking like a leaf. I don't really argue much, I know when I'm making the right decision, I don't want to hold everyone up and if there a part of ironman Andy won't struggle with it's the bike. So he informs the others and we head back to Shanklin, plus David who also had decided he wasn't in the right place for the ride round the island. 

We ride back and have a tea in the cafe, then head out for a few loops, lots of clipping in and out practice which is what I need, with at times someone behind me telling me I need to flip the pedal 😅

So the afternoon was spent round that area cycling around and it was fun. Less fun was not being able to get any warm clothes because Andys car key was in Pauls rucksack but never mind. It meant we were super pleased to see the rest of the group return about 5.30 😊

Oh yes Lesson 3...... Putting new pedals and cleats on, and trying them once in a traffic free environment is not really prep for an ultra hilly ride round the Isle of Wight.

Anyway, it was still fun and I'm glad I went.

I learnt a new lesson today.

Lesson 4...... Always double knot your laces before a race you fucking idiot!!!!!

365 days......

That's how long 2015 has lasted. Thought it would though so I am not suprised :-D

Has it been good? Um, yeah, think so, lets see....

Work - been great actually. Co-ordinated and co-wrote a grant application (my first) for a new bit of equipment and we were successful yay! Been co-author on 4 papers that have been accepted and first author on one that should be accepted any day. Presented a poster at AAIC to a lot of interest...oh that meant I got to visit Washington DC which was great. Ended year with being asked to take on team leader role, got to redo CV and stuff for extra race tokens.

Running - bit mixed really. Started year a bit meh.....got GFA at London and then just ran rubbish for a while. But did a few tris that I really enjoyed including the new Stafford Half. Concentrated on shorter distances for second half of year and have really enjoyed 10k racing. Won v45 prize for the summer olympic park series and have got official PB to 43.55. Also doing xc again and yeah I am enjoying it even if I need to be careful of my knee for a few days after. From struggling to get my 5k under 23 in the summer I am now able to sub 22 again. Maybe because I have lost a bit of weight. Still want to lose a bit more.

Family - good! Had holiday with sister, her husband and my niece in Devon, was lovely, then my brother got back in contact after a long time and has visited a few times, he was here xmas day and is coming round tomorrow for dinner. Happy me. Mr H is well and happy and we now seem to have 3 cats. Mr Fluffy is an older gentleman who was so sick over the summer (stray) that we took it upon ourselves to see if we could make him better. Tbh I am not sure that we can but he now spends most of his time in the flat - he is currently in the wardrobe- at least he is fed and warm and he is soooo affectionate, well he likes to get on your lap and hump you............that's affection right? :-D

Friends - I still have some. Result! 

So yeah, all in all a good year. Lets see if I can live up to expectations in 2016, it should be a good year because it's an even number of course.

The best laid plans....

which are properly laid out and executed will give you the best results.

Which will be why I didn't PB on Saturday at Kent. I can't complain, I'm the only one that can do it there is no one else to blame. I'm not even upset about it. I think achieving the GFA at London made me not that bothered. PBs are nice but not the be all and end all.

Couple of points. About 4 laps in I got the most amazing pain low down on my right side. I think I know what it was but bloody hell I nearly stopped at the first aid place. It slowed me obv, and made me scared to pick it up again, but did pass off in a couple of laps. I could have picked it back up.

When I got to halfway in 1.50 I knew I wouldn't PB and kind of stopped caring. I will be honest I was looking around for someone to run walk with, but Caroline C told me to bugger of and start running again :-D

Then at 16 I got a stitch, I never get stitch. Made it hurt to breathe and pray for the end. Which did come, it always does if you keep moving forward :) 4.05.43 I think. Another one done. Ground out I suppose. Was a nice day though and saw lots of friends.

Oh and yeah, the pain in my calfs at the end. WTF was that about. I honestly didn't know what to do with myself, was horrible. Body certainly didn't like that one.

Anyway, Sunday I rode down to Barking and got on the district line to Sloane Sq, then cycled (wooohooooo) to Hyde Park. Was great hardly any traffic. Met up with Steve and Suze to be in their team for the Olympic tri. I was bike. Sadly I hadn't taken enough clothes and was freezing in the wind and rain but eventually Steve was off on the swim and I knew it wouldn't be too long. After 40 or so minutes I was off. I LOVE this course, it's so much fun with bits where you can push it, then corners where you have to practically stop. 5 laps round where I averaged 17.3 mph in pouring rain and came in 6 minutes quicker than last year, albeit without doing the swim first :) Suze who has been injured did a great job on the run and we finished around 3.05.

The journey back  seemed to take forever. I walked the bike to Sloane Sq. (me finding it is fucking awesome if you know anything of my navigational skills) was too scared to ride, so much traffic with millions of taxis just haring  about across red lights and pulling up unexpectedly to pick up rich people shopping in fancy shops with no price tags. Decided against a browse :-D

Got on tube no probs and it was quite quiet which was good. Only problem was I was desperate for a wee. Had to concentrate really hard for 45 minutes on other things, then do the ride home really carefully so I didn't jog everything about too much!

Made it though and then proceed to hoover all the food in the house up. Wanted food at the event but had only taken a tenner and after buying a tea and a coffee couldn't afford anything :-D

All in all a good weekend. I am of course deadly tired now but I will catch up during the week, and prob do a bit of swimming to give my legs a little rest before the weekend.

Me again!

Still here.

I did the Spartan race last week, and it was ace! I think that was because it was a little different in that it was in a stadium and so there was no mud to wade through which does I am afraid play havoc with my knee. It was a nice day too so that always helps. I did as many of the obstacles as I could, fell off halfway on the monkey bars, couldn't get up the rope and fell off the grab wall thing going round a corner, so I did a fair few burpees. Absolutely loved going up and down the stadium steps and running past people who obviously dont :-D

The next day I was supposed to do around 12 miles, managed 5 I was just so tired and achy. Decided to run home from work on the Monday but then realised that my samples that I absolutely had to get running that night were not going to dry down for ages. So I needed to run whilst they were doing that. I went off up the canal and ran as far as I could which was until I was actually on someones flat doorstep in limehouse, and back. That gave me 11.6 miles. It was a slog if I am honest and really didn't give me much confidence for Kent, but I guess we have them runs. I am sure I must've done some other stuff in the week but I dont know what!

On Friday I saw Russ. First part was the yoga flow flexibility thing. It hurts. I must do it every day. I guess if it can increase my flexibility and my stride length it will be worth it. Then we did some silly walks outside. Some of them were videoed and this has resulted in me falling out badly with my right foot. How DARE it flick out like that! It looks bloody ridiculous! Of course this is down to my wonky knee *sigh* that means rather than just glancing at the leg press when I am in the gym I have to get on the effing thing. I did mean to ask Russ something though, is it right do you think to do both legs....wont that end up with the good one looking like a superhero leg and the other just being an ordinary Clark Kent one? Seriously I couldn't sleep the other night thinking about that. Maybe if I put as much effort into doing the exercises as worrying about them I would be a better runner. What a novel idea!

Anyway Saturday was Raphaels parkrun (The park IS named after a ninja turtle, how cool is that!) a really nice park with a suprisingly sweary hill in it 3 bastard times! Did a mediocre time, with pretty much destroyed glutes :)

Sunday rode off to the Velopark in Stratford with Andy and Claire to do a duathlon. 3 miles 15 miles 2 miles all on a 1 mile roadbike track. Suprisingly hard but a really good workout and by virtue of being old got second lady vet. Much to my very obvious suprise :-D It does spur me on though to be better.

Then Monday met up again with Andy, Claire and her boyfriend Paul and led them all to Ongar, then twice round the TSE loop. Then tea and childrens cake in Onfar before we cycled home. I clocked 43 miles and really enjoyed myself. I am starting to love the bike again :) Was going to try OW in the afternoon but there are certain days when swimming makes me want to throw myself off a bridge - though not a bridge over water, obv.

Thats it really, spent today working at home rejigging loads of data to meet different criteria ready to cry if I lost significance (I didnt) The best thing was no cat tried to kill themself. A good day!

The more that you want it.....

the more that you need it....

(Noel Gallaghers HFB are very much a current favourite)

It would seem the mojo is properly back :-)

Decided this weekend just gone to swap a long run with......a marathon. As you do, and why wouldn't you.

I have done Halstead before and it is a lovely race, in nice surroundings. And, you can enter on the day. (£10 more but hey I have wasted so much more than that on races I havent done) The last time I went there I DNF after haring off much too fast, running my second fastest half and then breaking down. So I actually had a demon to bury, or face, or stab to death or something.

Went down there with my friend Andy with a vague agreement to follow my plan to halfway. That plan was 5.25ks.

Got there signed up, SAW EVERYBODY I HAVE EVER SEEN AT A MARATHON BEFORE, probably as I was trying to do this off radar :-D

As soon as we started although we were running the right pace, well a bit quick actually, I knew I wouldn't keep it up and I was right, but then as soon as I started I knew that finishing this race happy was my aim. So we kept it up at an alright but not spectactular pace until halfway, chatting and just enjoying it. At 13 miles Andy puched on, he had saud he would and I was fine with it, I did speed up a bit after he legged it but soon settled down again! Not long after that Ian another friend pulled along side me and asked if I was going to tab it in at this pace. He hadnt been over 16 in training so this was a long training run for him too. We soon decided that after 20 we would do a few walks too and thats just what we did making sure we stopped for a drink etc at the marvellous support station of Jenny and Caroline. We did the #handinhand thing at the end cos I didn't at London. So a finish of 4.24 something.

I felt ok next day really just bone crushingly tired and not inclined to exercise. On Tuesday I wanted to do the first ELVIS race, but I had been running about up and down stairs and corridors all day and my knee was singing songs to me, and they weren't love ones! So ditched it. Wednesday Chris got up for work around 4 at which point Bolt came to wake me up and I never got back to sleep until I had a brainwave at 6.45 and locked them both out for an hour. Bliss. Now I am asking Mr H to let them out when he goes and they can wait to come back in when I am awake. 2 days later I already feel better for this plan. Losing sleep doesnt fit with me I am not a hero who can survive on 4 hours a night, I need the full 8! Still I managed a swiss ball workout when I got in on wednesday which was bloody hard because I havent got much gym type stuff done whilst these marathons have been happening.

Last night I was supposed to do club HC. Left on time to go central line, district line, but Holborn was shut.............well, I think it was I couldn't actually get anywhere near it and couldn't join the mass that was spilling out into the road for fear I would actually lose it and stab someone with my 4 colour biro.

I walked to St Pancras and got a met line thinking I would change at Liverpool st for a H&C line to Barking. I couldve waitied for one of those at St Pancras but the first train that pulled up was empty and really I 'm not not getting on that! Then at Liverpool st I just waited, and waited and waited and thought 'oh bugger this!' I wasn't going to get there in time so I just went home. Just as well as it turned out as Mr H was really late having had 'the most rubbish birthday ever' that was an actual quote. Obviously it got miles better when he saw me. Obviously. So no exercise again, but, tbh in the week after a mara I feel not too much need to go for it.

Today I have my kit, I could if I wished run some of the home journey, but I dont know if I will. I am completely frozen and have been all day, and my rhr was 71 this morning which for me is at least 15 above where it normally is. Maybe I am coming down with something.

I do hope not as it is Spartan race tomorrow at the Allianz stadium :-) I am only going for the t shirt.

When I am sad and weary.....

and all my hope is gone,
and I can't put my finger
on the time things first went wrong
I have a little secret, I like to tell myself,
and until now I havent told anybody else......

BUT I'M NOT TELLING YOU!
That song came on my ipod this morning and cheered me right up. God I was in a bad mood.

First Mr H left at 4.30am, the last time he left that early both cats snuggled up on the bed and went back to sleep. However they have been getting up about 5.30 ish lately as he has been leaving about six, so today Bolt repeatedly jumped on the bed next to me and meowed in my face and Thunder wandered around all the bedroom surfaces knocking anything she could off. Aaaarrrgggghhh.

At 5.15 I let them out. Then I had a small run in with a man I could barely understand at the polling place and then somebody went under a train causing all trains to be held wherever they were. Which is never somewhere you can get off.

Oh yes, and I knew I needed to speak to someone at work without losing it (I have, I didnt)

Bah!

Anyway, I took Tuesday as a rest day. I'm not sure why now! Yesterday was Tri Club duathlon one of 5 which are club champs. Only 3 count and if you can you should direct one.

Well 3 of us competed last night, me and 2 guys. The original plan was 1 lap of park (3.2k) 20 laps of track on bike (8k) the small lap of park (2.5k) but there was football going on in the middle of the track that should have finished at 7 but they insisted they were on til 7.30.......there are always scheduling problems here due to it it being run by the council who are are bunch of incompetent fuckwits (only 20 more days til the bin strike ends cos our already overflowing bins arent causing a hazard are they).

New plan, 1 big lap of park 1 small lap of park then the bike.

Set off feeling like I'd been hobbled because I hadnt warmed up :-D but soon got into my stride. Had to check back at one point cos I didnt really know the route as it went through off into wood for a little bit, but was ok and on the second smaller lap I was pretty happy even though it was throwing it down with rain. Got back to the stadium and had done 3 laps before next bloke got back, he did over take me once but I took him back and then the 2nd bloke who started 4 laps behind me overtook me twice so he was obviously stronger on the bike but I was strong enough to not lose all my lead, despite the wind on one side of the track, and finished first.

Happy me :-) I am directing next month, it's easy enough.

Today a swim as I am knackered, but that will do.

And yes I did vote. Labour FWIW.

It's been a while!

Thought I would resurect this, is that spelt right? Anyway.....

It's good to have this here where I can look back and see how I am doing against how I was doing. See?

Been a busy past few weeks, preceeded by a few months of feeling a bit meh about the whole racing thing. I think I am over that now. I think it took some good experiences to do that.

Manchester marathon 5.30. Ran with Emma from club, relaxed, easy run for me and fun too because in a race like that I wouldn't normally see that end of the field (no no I am not that quick, just running fast enough to be focused) and the support was bonkers!

Also I got to go on a tram. And I got off at a stop called Oldham Mumps. Ha!

Then the following Sunday it was the BIG ONE!

No it bloody wasn't. It was the London marathon which is the same length as all other marathons, it's just a lot more lucrative for charities and sponsors. You almost had to do a marathon distance walk through Adidas branded clothing to get to the expo proper. I bought nothing on prinicpal. I didn't really have any money so that made it easier :-D.

I did no running between manchester and London ( apart from running through Liverpool St station after Manchester because I was soooo desperate to not miss that train home) so had fresh legs.

Well you would think that wouldn't you. I sat looking at them on the train on the way to the green start wondering if they would work for me. I had worn my adizero boost so I at least looked like I belonged in the GFA area. I wondered if they would screw me up without enough cushioning but sometimes you really do have to just try, and what did I have to lose?

Saw Russ just as I was about to go which was nice and I think I said this before, settled me on my strategy, the best result of which would be a good for age time. I knew what the k's had to be done in, and I also knew if it really really felt wrong I could slow down, have a smell the roses run. No one would die.

I think this relaxed attitude saw the first half of the run with k splits all well inside what I needed. I knew it would get tricky soon after as I just didn't have the endurance in me. Seeing Mr H at 14 really picked me up but I did get slower and slower. However not enough to not do what I wanted, and I remember thinking as I ran down the finishing bit.....wow, I feel all right really, that wasn't too hard. (3.48.43)

10 minutes later I was lying on the floor, head propped up on the fence behind me wondering how on earth I would get dressed with the cramp that consumed me eveytime I moved my legs. A lad walked past me and said 'left it all out there did you?' and I suppose I did, but not in a bad way, I think I ran a good race, I just lacked what those long runs in training would have given me, had I done any :-D

Anyway, that was a good day. Was a bit on autopilot for a few days though after. Then Bolt got bitten on Wednesday by an unknown assailant. I did hear his scream but he was too far away for me to see who did it, but he is loads better now, if a bit wary of going round the back on his own, which makes me think if the possibility of it being a fox because he's not worried about hanging out with the other cats at the front. Anyway long story short no exercise last week either!

Until Saturday morning. Then it was the QEOP 10K. Ideally I didn't want to be racing  10k a week after a marathon, but, I want to do the whole series so I had to. (You can just guess when the next one is)

Getting to this race is a breeze for me me so it's not at all stressful. It's also not so big so quite chilled out registration then off for a little jog to loosen legs. The laps are 3.33k each and for the first one I am 1st lady til 3k. Feeling ok. The next lady overtakes me at about 4k, it's ok I didn't expect to be doing so well. Then at 6k I started to feel awful, that feeling where you are really hungry but feel really sick and my legs turned to jelly. I considered stopping at the lap, but then thought....you are third, just KEEP GOING. Which I did.

Sadly at 9k I was overtaken, but I was just hanging in there, nothing I could do so ended up 4th lady. 46.41, but 1st V45 again. Also won some more Orbit tickets. I have 6 now, I suppose I better go at some point ;-D

Sunday I planned an easy short run cos my legs were trashed. Then I got an email advising me I should do 12 miles so I could do 20 next week. Bugger!

Sorted that by running to Valentines Park, meeting up with Andy to do a few laps and then doing a few with him and Vicky and Richard until the 12 mile mark was met. Then tea in the cafe and a welcome lift home.

Sunday I met Andy and we rode down to Ongar and did a lap of the tri course round Moreton and Fyfield. Really enjoyed it, it's been ages since I rode down there so will go again soon. Need the bike sorted cos it is squeaking a bit......................no idea, I am too useless to fiddle with it so I will take it to a professional, or at least someone who wont break it.

So looking at that lot, one mojo would appear to have been refound. I have been back on iron for a few weeks now and I know that helps. I found a company that make something called Proferrin sport, iron supplements that apparently dont give the stomach distress that some forms can.

Well I have tried 3 now, and 3 times I have ended up doubled up with stomach cramps. At work we accept an n of 3. BUT, what I really think I need is a blinded test. I think I need to get Mr H to put one in my food and disguise it, like we do with the cats. Because when I was researching the tabs although most of the reviews were really good there were 2 that said the tablets made them ill. Maybe I am expecting to be ill and so am???? I really wouldn't put it past me, I can be a proper twat!

But the fire inside keeps burning burning out....

Walking like a zombie.

I did do that half mara. 1.45.48. I knew, but at least I did it.

Then I went and did the womans 10k in Finsbury Park. 48.47. Blimey.

Then I did VP 5k the next day 23.01. Good god.

That afternoon I swam a k in 4 x 250m segments in the British Gas relay. That was ok, I don't expect to be good at swimming.

I then did nothing for 2 days. Too tired. 

Then I did Grit on Wednesday.

Then I did intervals on Thursday. Rubbish.

Then on Friday I had lots of meetings.

On Saturday I did the Olympic Park 10k 48.09

This morning I did 15 miles to Copped Hall 5 mile. I ran the race in 41.30. I called Chris to get me I was done in I couldn't cycle home.

I'm telling myself this, because I need to.

Boxes....

I've got loads. I have a box for everything. Dyou know what I mean?

Perhaps if I said compartment it would be clearer.

Ever since I can remember it has been this way. I succeeded as a child by separating everything. If I hadn't I wouldn't be here. Sounds quite dramatic I guess but if you were there you would know. I believe my brother has done it so well that's why I haven't heard from him in years. Pity, but I do understand.

Anyway, I can do it with running too. I can be competitive, if you know me you will know that. But, I can also just run. I mean it's not my job. I can train hard, I can also be distracted with life....actually that's rubbish, I can be distracted by a leaf floating past the window!

So yesterday I did the JW Ultra, for I think the 6th time? 4th time the full ultra. I will be honest I have been happy enough doing the relay the last 2 years, and 30 miles is a long way, but during this running career of mine I have made some bloody good friends and none better than the RD of this race. I mean I have run 262 miles with him in the space of 10 days. After that you either kill each other or become firm friends. So when Mr JW said he was going to run this for the first time (as the race, not the first time ever) I didn't really have to think twice.

I spose long runs as training would have helped but really I've been doing other stuff so they didn't happen. Never mind, it is just running.

I wasn't nervous before this, I have been before but that's when I was trying to PB or beat someone else. Today was just about getting from a to b. A being Stratford racecourse, b being Bournville. 

And right, it was fun..... Letting everyone run off and then Trotting behind with the dog. Chatting and catching up. Taking pictures at the viaduct.....

And just having fun.

CP 1 was passed without any drama, but someone mentioned a cut off. I will be honest I can't have read the race notes as I had no idea! Apparently we needed to get to CP2 by 4.5 hours. This sent me into proper stress mode. I don't normally worry about cut offs. So I will admit, during that section I was a bit of a pain in the arse. Sorry Mark!

Anyway, we made it with 3 minutes to spare and then basically walked the last section! My knee was v sore, and no wonder and my foot was painful to put on the floor. Dunno what's up with it, it is swollen today with lots of red spots on it. Maybe I was bitten?

So we finished in just under seven hours, and you know what, that's cool, I spent the day running with my friend, and I'm lucky to be able to do that.

At the end someone asked me if I'm worried that doing that off of no proper training would affect my other races coming up. No, I'm not, that's all in another box.

And that's the way it is.

Meanwhile, I have 2 happy cats. How good is that!

Next weekend I have a half mara. Don't think I will do it, it doesn't mean anything to me and running an average time at it would be pointless. I should go out on my bike and do some hills. Yeah!

How good it was.....

Even if it's over :-}

Did you know the Courteeners are playing Brixton Academy the night before the Winter Ballbuster. Gits! Anyway it's sold out now so I can't waver. I proper like them, that's all ;)

Anyway, I will need to get my gig fix another way. Elbow are playing Hammersmith Apollo next year, maybe I will get me some of them.

So, this weekend just gone I did two Spartan Races with my OCR partner in crime, and it was ace :)

Travelled down to Pippingford Park (note to SpartanRace UK, this is no fucking where near London, in fact I think it is closer to France. There were many French racers there) and met up with my team. We registered with no bother and were given a headband number....how cool! A chip and a wristband that served absolutely no purpose :-D.....except maybe to identify you if you died??? Maybe.

We then trekked back to leave our gear in the car cos the bag drop q was mahoosive! Well, maybe I moaned a bit and someone else took the stuff and I stayed and got a drink :-D

We were due off at 1 but were watching the 12.30 wave go off when I suggested joining it as there was no one stopping you. So we set off. Shortly after this Mark commented that now we prob wouldn't get a time. 

I hadn't thought of that, what if our chips didn't work til 1??? 

I did stress on this the whole race. The goal here is the trifecta medal for doing the Sprint, Super and Beast. We need a time for all of them.

Still we are on the course now. A congested jog/shuffle to the first obstacle. A wall. Over with some help and then some under overs, then off onto the course proper. Lots of mud and water, running up and down hills and steep banks were a big feature. Obstacles were cargo net climb, atlas ball carrying (rolling), monkey bars, parallel bars, ropes, rope pull, slippery wall, sandbag carry, water carry, spear throwing, another wall, crawling under barbed wire and jumping over the fire at the end. Around 7k of running made up the event.

I will admit that a number of the obstacles were beyond me. I can't climb a rope, and I took one look at the monkey bar height and just couldn't (they had to lower them the next day as too many people injured themselves on them) and parallel bars....hmmmm.

But I do aspire to :-D

When you finished you got a big medal, t shirt and vouchers for free stuff including a beer. Nice!

Showering all the mud off was a long arduous task so I won't go into that.

Next day it was same again but with an added 5k and 6 more obstacles. I would've enjoyed this more but for twisting my knee in the mud, a spectacular fail of the parallel bars and being the world biggest wuss whilst doing the log carry through what was a frankly dangerous water obstacle with rocks and logs in the water that you couldn't see :-/ obviously they realised this after we had been through because they roped it off and made the log carry dry land only. My Olympic Rings though were a sight to behold though ;-D

So, sprint and super done, thank you so much to Mr JW without whom I would probably be still trying to get over the first wall.

Just the Beast to go then.

Not been myself since but that is something else entirely. Just a sprint tri next weekend. Let's see how that goes.

Now you might think the world's black or white....

And you're dirty or you're clean,

You better watch out you don't slip,

Down them places in between.

Kind of sums up what I feel about things after this week. Maybe things were better before the internet, before people could comment about things about which they have no idea. That includes me no doubt.

So for various reasons (I'm thinking churning up a muddy lake) this week has left me feeling a bit flat. Not helped I guess by being very tired at the start of the week and my legs feeling crap. I have had a week off from work this week and of course you always imagine training like an elite when that happens. Yeah right, everything I have done has hurt, and left me wondering why I'm doing it. And anyway I had a big race on Saturday night, The Midnight man half iron distance.

This race starts at 6 in the evening, and has a quarter, half and full iron option. I never got my head round full this year but I thought yeah, I will give the half a go.

Let's be honest I never got my head round half either. You know what my bike training has been like. The thing I was most prepared for was the swim. That is saying something.

Still, normally I just plough through regardless.

The race started well for me, I felt confident and comfortable on the swim, I think my new wetsuit was a good investment and I am enjoying ow swimming. Not sure of time but I don't think it was too bad.

Out into transition for a change into socks and a cycle top over mt pirate Monaco. Then out. The bike course was 10 laps. Much of this down and back a dual carriage way, then various twists and turns on a industrial estate to make up the 9k. First lap was ok, working it out, bit rubbish at the turns but ok. Was aware of headwind on dual carriageway, didn't like that but that's the way it was. 2nd lap I'm aware of my knee starting to complain, it didn't do this til around 60 miles last week, come to the headwind bit I'm fighting the pedals round already. That does really hurt.

I tell myself it will get better. At one of the turnarounds the Marshall tells me to smile......this is not normally necessary. Spend lap 3 mulling things over. Spend lap 4 knowing that I won't be able to run off the bike. This would kill me. That's the bit I'm good at. Decide quite calmly really to give up.

And so that was that. Packed up quickly and came home, it was getting dark and cold and I wasn't in the best mood.

Now back to where I started this. It will make sense to me. I think of depression as being a big empty space. A hole inside you. You can fill it in different ways. Traditional ways include drugs and alcohol, however I find these have a risk of making you do things that makes the hole even bigger. There is food too,but I can't say that has ever done it for me. Or you can exercise. That's a good one. Gives you the good tired rather than the anxious brain flitting everywhere tired. But to make you feel really real, I find entering events (and completing them) is by far the best. Everytime you finish one you are saying 'I'm here, look, here I am, I'm solid, I won't fly into a million pieces if you touch me' you can look on the results and see yourself and prove it.

I'm not that bothered by medals and goody bags.

So when I see people saying 'oh I must be mad I've entered...(insert whatever event you like here from 5k to cartwheeling the Alps) I think to myself, really? I'd be mad if I didn't.

So that's it really. I CANT stop entering events. This means taking the risk of what happened last night happening I guess. And then wrapping myself up tight again. Because it's what I do.

What's 14 miles between friends?

So yesterday I did the Ride London 100.

I need to level with you first.

Last year I didn't train, so deferred. In 2014 I'm going to be a bike demon. Yeah, I'll never get off it, I will be so good they'll let me on the Tour de France.

Yeah right! That was bollocks.

I did do one thing though. I bought a bike. Who needs to train when you have a new bike? :-D.

So build up to the Ride 100.

37 or odd miles on a training ride in April or May.

Pru tri, 40k (prob was a bit less)

Blenheim tri- 20k

Cycle to Brentwood 10k and back about 36 miles.

Bridge tri another 40k ish

London tri 20k

I cycled about 12 miles to Hainault and back to do a hill run.

That's it. Tour de France representatives never called.

So for the last couple of weeks I've been a bit concerned. Not least because the good weather we've been having which would be ideal for training in was going to end just in time for this event. Bum!

Thought about pulling out, don't think I could defer again, and anyway I had now already paid twice for this event, so decided I should do it.

Only realised on the weds before I had to go to ExCel to register, then realised I'd lost my form, no bother though, I went on Friday morning and it was really easy. Bought a ride london cycle shirt and event t shirt to make sure I didn't back out :-D I also bought one of them clear rain jacket things, this was the best selling item of the whole expo!!! You had to fight to get near them.

Meanwhile we were getting emails from the organisers warning us about the forecast with lots of advice on precautions.

Saturday got up and did parkrun in what for me is a proper shite time. But it's all I had, need to be more on the speed work for sure. I won't worry though I've been doing lots of other stuff I can't expect it all to be good.

Saturday night I. Got all my stuff together, ate pasta and had an early night. I don't know why, I just couldn't sleep. Cat playing with a golf ball was part of it, and bringing me her squeaky mouse and jumping on it repeatedly. The other was bad dreams. Mainly about getting to the start. I had a map but if you know me you know maps stress me out! 

My alarm was set for 5.30. Wide awake at 4. Got up. Couldn't eat, my stomach was churning too much. Put 3 mini flap jacks and 2 small bags of mini cheddars in my bag. Because that's ace nutrition for a hard days riding innit!

I left about 6 and rode to Goodmayes. Waited for 20 minutes for train cos I always like to be far too early :-D got to Stratford fine, and there were other cyclists on the train too so I also got to the start fine too :)

One thing though, I had seen a tweet which was announcing that the route was to be shortened to 86 miles, removing Box Hill and Leith Hill.

I can only say I was relieved. I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, but I'm not an idiot. Cycling up the hills doesn't scare me, it's down in bad weather that does!

Anyway, after getting chilled at the start by the rain for about 30 minutes we were off, closed roads in London, an actual joy! I had been a bit apprehensive about lots of cyclists near me but it wasn't as bad as I thought. One thing I did note even half a mile from the start was how many punctures were occurring. I prayed I wouldn't get one. I can change an inner tube, but with cold wet hands in the rain I wouldn't relish the prospect.

Anyway, out past the Tower onto Chiswick on way to Richmond park. Not sure where but there was a burst water main somewhere here which meant cycling through floods. Nice.

Richmond park was my worst bit, I hated it, especially when we all had to get off our bikes and walk as the weather was at its worst for about 20 minutes. Soaked to the skin and freezing :-/ I heard it was because of an accident though I saw nothing.

Finally out of there and through lots of flooding now. On the downstroke your foot was submerged in some places. All very slow thought you needed to be quicker to avoid just falling off!

Once out into the Surrey countryside it was nicer. Couple of climbs, I think it wasNewlands corner where I wondered if I would have to walk, plenty were, but no I ground it out. I think it was Dorking where I stopped for a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea which was heaven! 

Then the way back to london, with support in the towns which was ace. I stopped somewhere to take my rain jacket off with about 20 miles to go, so of course 10 minutes later the whole sky fell on us :-D

I was definitely hurting now, quad aching, bum really sore but getting back into London was great and the encouragement up Wimbledon hill was really good. I counted down the miles from 10 to go and continued praying to the God of robust tyres because I really didn't want to stop now.

Seeing the Mall I front of me was pretty special and I grinned all the way down it thinking YES!!! I did it :)

Baggage pick up was easy, though I stopped to chat to D88s who were doing baggage on another truck. Picked up my bag and put my hoody on, then sorted through the goody bafpgwe had been given.....not all that tbh and please stop giving me coconut water. It mings!

I had my bike booked on transport back to QEOP but couldn't be bothered with that, so walked to Victoria and got on the District line which goes all the way to Barking. Then it's a 3 mile ride home. That was harder than the previous 86! If anyone saw me grimacing my way down Longbridge road, that was why.

Am I sad they cut the route? Today maybe, yesterday definitely not. Would I go back to do the full route? Yes.

I had pie for tea. Thundercat keeps biting my knees and Achilles. She's a bitch!

Feeling a bit....

Burnt out, tbh.

Trying to think where I left this....oh yeah, had a triathlon in Dartford. Went really well, well had a bit of a direction problem on the swim but apart from that was good. Did my best Oly time :)

Bumbled  through the next week doing this and that....ie can't remember.....why don't I have a training diary?

Saturday did a parkrun at VP, was ok, sub 22 always the aim, then off to Crossfit in Bethnal Green for first ever try. Loved it, lots of squats, push ups, pull ups and ring dips. My arms were trashed. I going back. Afterwards I tried onmy lovely new wetsuit. How. Fucking. Hard. Was that.

Well, not as hard as getting it off I can tell you!

Then Sunday Horndon on the Hill 10k. A lovely race in an Essex village. Cycled there, around 18 miles all told then ran. Did about 45.14, got third lady. Bonus! Cycled home on trashed legs.

Tuesday saw Russ for some pretty hard PT, which is always good.

Wednesday did LBT at the gym then after work popped to Hyde Park for the aquathlon. Was tired going I know that. Getting changed I broke the zip on my tri suit. And I cried. I bloody cried! Then stomped home :-/ not a good sign for me. 

Still, onwards.

Thursday morning I did an interval session before work, then GRIT class at lunchtime.

I booked Friday off because suddenly it seemed that nothing I wanted could be found because I've been running around too much,I needed a day of life laundry.

Life laundry done we travelled to Dorney Lake on Saturday for the Bananaman tri. I won a place in a draw so why not :)

800m swim, 31.5k bike, 7.5k run.

I was worried about the wetsuit but figuredf I couldn't get it on it was warm enough to swim without. However I needn't have been so het up. Turns out that when I'm not already sweaty and exhausted from racing a 5k and doing a crossfit class it goes on easy! 

And.....

It slipped off pretty damn quick too. It's my slut wetsuit :-D

Bike on the looks of it should be easy. Flat 5k ish loops. 

Bloody isn't cos of the crosswind by the lake, wind is my nemesis, ever since my first ever 20mile run where it made me cry lots. Also my shorts choice was all wrong. I may have mentioned that on face book :-/

Anyway, it got done. Run was good, I've calculated around a 45, 46 minute 10k pace, I can't argue with that. All in all I wasn't unhappy.

Sunday was another 10k. 2 years ago I was First Lady with 45.34. This year I was 6th with 45.29.

Tbh, I was rubbish. At 5k I just lost all speed and suddenly realised how tired I was, my legs just would not turn over any quicker. On a 10k I look for the k splits to be less than 4.30. K 5 was 4 47, k 6 was 5.01. I picked it back up after that but the damage was done. 

Yeah I know I'm racing on tired legs.

Today I had another day off. To cycle to meet friends and then cycle to Epping for the tour. I worried overnight about how much cycling I was up for. I knew today would not be a feel good day for me.

Anyway, I cycled to Abridge, about 8 miles and met my friends and also a other group of cyclist from nearby. We had some drinks at the cafe. I realised why I'm not part of a cycling club, or that I am just the most grumpy antisocial person ever, one of those.

We set off from the cafe on what was to be a very circuitous route to where we would watch the tour. I realised almost immediately my legs had nothing in them. I was going to be hanging off the back all day. I didn't want that. I saw a pub I knew that I could get home from and said to Mark who was hanging back with me that he should go on and I'd go home.

Got home at 11, promptly slept for 2 hours. 

Woke up, watched the tour on tv :)

I think I needed to just chill out a bit. I can't race for 2 weeks as I'm going away next Saturday on a conference.

This is a Very. Good. Thing.

Woods, obstacles, lakes and fields.....

That's a Wolf run that is. But hang on, I'm peaking too soon there.

Is peaking a word? I don't even know now. Still I will follow the lead of my friend who makes up words and insists they are real.

Since KRR I have done quite a lot. But not as much as I intended. In brief.....(as I would describe methods in a paper when I couldn't be bothered to write the whole thing making it incredibly difficult for anyone else to recreate my experiments....)

Did the Silverfit aquathlon in Hyde Park the weds after the mara. 500m swim, 5k run. I didn't realise it was a pilot event and there were just 4 competitors......guess where I came :-D in all honestly although I am glad I went I had a horrid race. I had that thing in the water where I couldn't seem to get enough breath in ...... Not a panic thing, different to that. Was all wheezy. I think it is down to the time of day and amount of pollen. Anyway, to then get out and run a 5k when you are in debt is hard. I stopped at a Marshall point to rally myself, hands on knees til I could breathe properly again and carried on more sedately, that's fine I finished. 

Then I've gone blank, I must have done something for the rest of the week. God only knows what! I know on the Sunday I did Blenhiem Palace tri. Sprint distance.

I'd got a free place via Virgin Active so thought why not :) was a huge event with waves off every 20 minutes but very well organised. I loved the swim and for me had a good one. Then a long uphill transition to T1. Bike was 3 laps. Not flat, not sure why I thought it would be so on the first lap I had a mare, but did eventually get I to it. Run was fine, but I did post what for me is a shocking 5k time, still, another tri in the bag.

Once again I would have trained in the following week..... But don't know what! I know on the Thursday I went to the gym and did a. Class. Was advertised as Insanity but was actually a new class called Grit strength. Basically HIIT training with weights. Loved it.

Couldn't move on Friday :-D

That was ok though it was a rest day and I travelled up to Rugby in the evening and stayed in a hotel where I ate pasta salad in my room and drank wine. How sad is that! (Loved it). Decided after I'd drank enough wine that I wasn't doing Coventry parkrun I the morning.

Woke at 6am. Decided I would.

Found it. That's a win for me. Did it. Went back to hotel, showered and waited to be picked up by Mr and Mrs JW Ultra.

We then went somewhere or other to take part in the Wolf Run. We were joining a back of 20 or so running for Team Abbi, a little girl suffering from a rare form of muscular dystrophy. It affects 1 in a million, and from what I have heard she really is one in a million :)

Many of us were in fancy dress, I was Batgirl, and I quite enjoyed that to be honest!

I will let you decide what Mark was.

Anyway it was a blast, over walls through mud through water, monkey bars, tyres, you name it. Time is irrelevant in these races, finishing is key, and you can see we finished happy. Even though I look a bit scared there. You would, wouldn't you :-D

Anyway a pint of beer after and I got dropped off at Birmingham international for the train home which was quite nice as a got loads of room cos I smelled like a swamp!

Left Mr H to watch the footie as I had an early ish  start the next day for the Great Easton 5. If I tell you it used to be called the Tilty Hilly 5 you will understand why I e never entered before. 

No one told me they. Changed the name and it wasn't flat. Bastards!

Anyway it was an Essex champs so loads of quick ladies. I had an average race, 36 50 something but it was a beautiful course. My first mile was something like 6.19. That will tell you it was downhill. You had to come up that on the way back. Now if Garmin express hadn't eaten my garmin data I could look at that data. I am sure it didn't start with a six and maybe not even a seven!

Anyway, a pleasant morning.

This week I have done 2 classes, VIPR and Grit plyo. Both gave me DOMS. Good. I also cycled to Hainault and back for a good fun hill session with the D88s.

Did parkrun today in 21.30. Most pleased with that. Olympic distance tri tomorrow. Let's see what I can do :)

If Carlsberg made weekends.....

I probably wouldn't be blogging on an iPad cos I'd be a hopeless homeless alcoholic :-D

But seriously. Wow!

A few months ago it became apparent to me that I REALLY wanted to run London next year.

All I needed was a place. My old GFAs had run out due to my semi retirement from marathon running and let's face it ballot isn't really an option. So I looked about for an option that would actually fit in with all my plans but still before the July cut off for GFA applications. TBH there wasn't much but Kent Road Runner caught my eye. But it was full. I requested to be put on the wait list and was very fortunate to be offered a place very quickly. (Thanks Ian, you are a star).

So, I had a place. But, I was gearing all my training to a 5k at the end of April, and I didn't stop doing that. All my training was 1k intervals and the like. I really want that sub 20. Sadly it didn't happen, and anyway the we all went wrong so the course was short, I think I blogged it.

Whatever, I now couldn't afford to waste any more time on short stuff I had to go longer. All I wanted was sub 3.50 though, so actually the pace per K was a lot less than I had been previously going for. Russ basically did me a new plan with longer runs at that pace. So the meat of it was, an 18 miler, a 21 miler and a couple of 13 miler. Last Sunday I did a hilly half at mara pace and raced a 10k on the Monday after. That was marathon training :) (much better than 16 weeks I can tell you) 

All the runs suggested 3.45-3.50 was possible, I just had to go and do it.

So yesterday we took a drive to the cyclo park in Gravesend. I know this venue as I have raced a couple of 10ks here, it isn't easy as it's designed with hills in it, but the laps are short so aid is frequent. 

On arrival I pretty much met every runner I have ever known, most of whom were suprised to see me. That's ok I hadn't wanted to advertise what I was doing, I put enough pressure on myself, and sometimes people saying to you ' oh yeah you will easily do that' is not what you want to hear. I don't care what you say, it's still 26 miles, anything can happen. I bet the guy who I saw laid out on the floor with agonising carmps on his last lap didn't think it would happen, but it did :-/

Anyway, soon enough we were off. Eeeek! In the opposite direction to when I have run the 10ks, bit of a head fuck! I had 4 bands on my arm so I could discard one every 4 laps. I love the number 4. Then I would run one lap with no band. Sorted. 1st k, 4.30. Oops. Slow down. 2nd k 4.30. Mand!!!! Stop it. 3rd I think was 4.57, but that included the long drag up to the finish where the mats were. Ok go with it. And I did. Anything around 5 mins a k was fine, my upper limit was 5.25 and I think there were only about 4 that went over that, but I obviously made up a lot of time on others.

I spent loads of time saying hi to other runners I knew. I ran past a crocodile about 4 times without realising. I ran past mr h 16 times I think. Once I got a gel off him, once I got brufen, 3 times in that last 4 laps I got coke...mmmmmm. 

I think I knew from halfway 1.46 something that I was going to be ok. I know also that I did a positive split but that's how I run whatever the distance.

In any case I was delighted to finish in 3.39.37 a good PB and V40 prize to boot. How cool is that!

Got an amazing medal and trophy and was supported brilliantly by Mr H and Andy and Cristina who popped up halfway through. Also by all the Dag 88s who were running and supporting. An ace day.

I then got on the train to go to Hyde Park to register for today's Olympic tri in Hyde park, which I did with only one near tears incident :-D then home, pizza and bed.

My alarm was set for 4.30am, I woke at 3.30am having nightmares about all the things that can go wrong in a tri. Drank 3 cups of tea. That's better :)

Drove into town and parked near Marble Arch. Walked bike to transition and got it in no probs......this tri is well organised I will certainly give it that. That left about 30 minutes before my start time, so had another tea and heaved myself into my suit. Damn that pizza! 

Soon I'm sat on the pontoon thinking ' Christ that water looks murky and cold, but at least I can wee in it' anyway, we are allowed to drop in and hang on to the pontoon until the hooter. It goes. I swim. I stop and adjust my goggles. I start again. I stop. I adjust my goggles. I start, I have a minor tight chested panic attack. I stop. I order myself to calm down and start again. That's it. got it now. I'm last but it doesn't matter. I've done what I wanted this weekend this is the icing on the cake. I swim, and swim, and swim. I'm passed by people in the next wave but no one bothers me. It's remarkably civilised I guess because I was second wave off.

I get out up the ramp and try to run. My legs tell me to fuck off. I actually heard them :-D.

I shuffle to transition. See Mike L officiating, say good morning :) find my bike no probs and get changed.

Bike. 5 laps pretty flat with a couple of turns to beware of and a hairpin lap turnaround to be very careful of.i basically keep it as steady as I can. I am not out to beat anyone, not even me, I just want to complete the bike in one piece. This means I love it! I see Mr H twice each lap and give him a big smile and a wave each time so he knows I'm fine. I love my new bike! This is it's first test and it passed big time! No incidents at all of note and I am back in transition. As I run out I hear Mike behind me saying ' now for the best bit!' And I'm thinking 'help I can't feel my feet and my arse is broken' but I smile and wave and jog out for lap one. I didn't enjoy this lap. My feet stop being numb and just plain hurt. That's yesterday's legacy, however, at almost the lap end they are giving out energy drink and I have some and I suddenly realise I haven't had any breakfast. I'm starving! But the drink makes me feel better and I start talking to the supporters. As we turn away from transition I say to the guy next to me ' oooh we will get a medal soon' but he doesn't seem that impressed, he is on lap one I'm on lap two, but I carry on talking to him because it helps me to not focus on the run which I would normally hope to smash. We pass a very happy next three laps discovering we have a friend in common and I get to meet his wife and little boy. Made me happy :) obv I had to leave him when I veered off to finish but I sat in the grandstand so I could cheer him in :). 

Anyhow, a finish of about 3.05 which I'm delighted with. I DID IT.

I set out to do something and it worked, I knew today would be hard but that's the way it worked outand actually, I know doing stuff like this ultimately makes me stronger. 

NEXT!!!!

Come back to what you know.....

Sometimes it's good to remember why you do the things you do. I've said this before and that's cos it's true!

So this weekend I had a weekend away to run the Shakespeare half.

Not for a time, not so I could post all over the place what a great runner I am (!) but just to finish and enjoy the company of a good friend.

Mission accomplished then, thank you Mark, running with you is always a pleasure and I love our banter, especially when it confuses the other runners. They should get out the bloody way shouldn't they :-D

Also nice to catch up with Lesley, looking good on that personal training girl! That Dave fella must be alright!

Prior to this, I raced Friday, a 5k. I had been building up to this and it was supposed to be a PB. Training suggests it, but buggered if I can translate this. Saw 21.02 on watch when I finished which is only one second over, but I knew, I just knew the course was short. 

Sure enough when the results were published they said that all the a racers had gone wrong and cut of 110-150m off. So I guess really if I had PBd I would have been gutted. Small mercies.

Did 21.31 at parkrun on sat.....this is more where I am right now I guess.

In other exercise news I did 40miles on the bike on bank holiday Monday. I love it!!!!! Must get out on it again soon, though I seem to be quite busy. Still, I have an oly tri on 1st June so I do need to get on with it.

The fact that that is the day after a marathon is completely irrelevant. Right! :-D

That's it for now I'm too tired to think anymore :)