EIGHT WEEKS TO GO
Neighbours! GAHHH. Had to dispute the location of the new fence my neighbour put up on Saturday, and ended up having a barney outside in the dark last night. This morning more or less patched it up with his wife, but I will be checking my legal situation. I'm reasonably happy with what I've agreed because I don't feel strongly enough to ruin their flower beds just because their fence has been in my garden for the last 23 years.
Anyway, Sunday was an active day, went out on the river and it was rather gusty at some points and also the water was really choppy but it was a bit like being out in the sea so that was kinda fun. However, my brachioradialii (hahaha, my forearm musles) are sore because I had to paddle like mad to keep up with the rest of the gang.
After that went for a run by the Thames and ran just past Hammersmith bridge etc - lots of people running and walking there - rather quaint. Did 29.30 out and 28 back - I said if I got back to the start point in less time I would treat myself and stop at that point. Ankle was playing up after 45 mins, but not too drastic.
Met up with Sari and Dani at a Tapas bar in Ealing, and managed to do some quick retail therapy in 2 shops in Ealinge before (particularly at Tchibo).
Scoffed loads of tapas, then walking up to Ealing station the smell of waffles tempted me to a waffle with cream which I had to hold all the way to the car because I didn't want to pay any more that I needed to for parking, so after paying, romantically ate my waffle just past the barrier in the carpark....
Then got back to drop a bomb on the neighbours but hopefully I have tidied up the aftermath this morning. My neighbours mind their own business but I think that the husband thinks that he rules the roost because they've been there for over 20 years - but then again, I don't think the previous owners of the downstairs flat ever cared much. Things like - oh you've got a leak in your bathroom? In 20 years no one has ever told me that....hmmm. Anyway, they can have the extra 6 inches for their flower bed as long as they fix the squiffy fence - his wife did admit that he didn't have a "very straight eye" as she put it. STRAIGHT? more bend than bendy buses...plus also they stood and damaged 2 foot of the lawn in my garden and their flower beds are perfect. ARRRRGGGGGH.
Well when i get back home, grumpy penguin is in order...will post that later.
Next run - this evening at the gym - that is if my shins recover - i think it is partly because I ran on concrete and partly because of the way you have to hold your legs in a shorter kayak...anyway the fitter I get the longer the list of medical conditions I have - but the good news is, that I can now fit into that Nike 10k long tee which in November made me look like a fluroescent sumo. So perhaps there is karma after all...except that the scientist in me just says - well what you do you think... if you exercise for 3.5 hours and eat goo and soup it's no wonder you've going to trim up. The goo I am referring to is the energy gel I am experimenting with for race day - well it's better that the Power (bar) vanilla gel anyday, that just made everyone really ill (in the Great North Run) and loads half used packets were scattered all over the road so that when you ran over it, you stuck to the floor.
Anyway, you know the score about raining and pouring - 24 failed to record, I argued with my neighbour, work is boring...yada yada yada...perhaps I should just meditate to take my minds off things completely....
Where was I? Ah yes...off to speak to the lawyer...
Abyssinia.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Phew...made it - nearly 13 miles...
I decided to do my long run in the gym last night. Plonked myself in front of MTV hits and got going.
Of COURSE, I wanted to go to the loo after 30 mins so had to pause, when I got back the machine had reset itself, just as well I had the forethought to record what I had done. Anyway that was good practice for the race day when I take a break.
Anyway, plodded on again - fell into 1 min 30 secs walking 1 min running 5.3 kmh/7.5 kmh. However, discovered that machines only run for 60 mins...GAAAAAHHHH...so had to record my distance and time, and start AGAIN.
However...after 4.4k more my ankle that had been playing up, finally gave up the ghost so I decided to walk the rest of the hour...
So my dilemma was...should I stop or should I finish the 3.5 hours...I reasoned with myself and if the MTV Hits wasn't blaring and it wasn't a darkened room, I guess my shiatsu colleagues would have thought I had a disturbed spirit. Others would have just thought I had overexercised and gone nuts...
Anyway, I was looking that the clock, 8.30pm...hmmm bugger! Ok, I wrestled with myself - walk, stop, walk, stop...I decided that I agreed with my inner self that I should just walk the hour to complete the time....
Those last 30 mins went SOOOOO slowly and the last 20 mins pulled out all the tricks to get me to the end of 60 mins.....that included listening to Dizzie Rascal's words plus looking closely at the women who were gyrating in Will Smith's video. I'm telling you if I do all this training for the next 10 weeks I'm gonna be able to enter Mastermind with my specialist subject "MTV Hits - urban lyrics" - because that is what seems to be on when I run. Oh, yesterday it was Britney versus JLo. Again lots of gyration and dark makeup around the eyes.
The end finally came...YIPPEEE...I staggered off the treadmill only to find I could bearly walk because I wore the wrong socks - i.e. not double layered....I limped to a mat and sat down and nursed my grazed soles....arrrgh...
The air-con was quite cold so I was able to place my hands on my sore feet to cool them off. AAAAHHHH... anyway 10 mins later, I gingerly crept downstairs to the shower and stood under it thinking....not bad...BUT WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS ANKLE? Last week I faltered at 7 miles this week at 9 miles...even with Chi Running...
Chris has suggested I skip or use the rebounder to strengthen my ankles - I was looking at that trampoline and I think I will use it....however, I need to ensure that I don't end up with boobs hanging down to my knees - they won't ever give me black eyes but they aren't pimples either...(very inconvenient).
Massage, ibuprofen, legs up the wall, all applied - today I feel great, with very little aching. My shiatsu class was fantastic. Lots of jocularity combined with quite a lot of difficult pressure points to learn. Got a prone position massage which was coool and poor old Geoff only got one leg treated because we had to finish off.
Ok here's the boring running geek stuff.
3k in 30 mins
6.2k in 60 mins
At next 4.4k had to walk after that
5.97 at 60 mins
5.46 in 65 mins
total 20.63k (12.9 miles) in 3 hours 35 mins.
Tomorrow, kayaking I think...and then a "short" 1 hour run...
p.s. my inner self is posted below...
Of COURSE, I wanted to go to the loo after 30 mins so had to pause, when I got back the machine had reset itself, just as well I had the forethought to record what I had done. Anyway that was good practice for the race day when I take a break.
Anyway, plodded on again - fell into 1 min 30 secs walking 1 min running 5.3 kmh/7.5 kmh. However, discovered that machines only run for 60 mins...GAAAAAHHHH...so had to record my distance and time, and start AGAIN.
However...after 4.4k more my ankle that had been playing up, finally gave up the ghost so I decided to walk the rest of the hour...
So my dilemma was...should I stop or should I finish the 3.5 hours...I reasoned with myself and if the MTV Hits wasn't blaring and it wasn't a darkened room, I guess my shiatsu colleagues would have thought I had a disturbed spirit. Others would have just thought I had overexercised and gone nuts...
Anyway, I was looking that the clock, 8.30pm...hmmm bugger! Ok, I wrestled with myself - walk, stop, walk, stop...I decided that I agreed with my inner self that I should just walk the hour to complete the time....
Those last 30 mins went SOOOOO slowly and the last 20 mins pulled out all the tricks to get me to the end of 60 mins.....that included listening to Dizzie Rascal's words plus looking closely at the women who were gyrating in Will Smith's video. I'm telling you if I do all this training for the next 10 weeks I'm gonna be able to enter Mastermind with my specialist subject "MTV Hits - urban lyrics" - because that is what seems to be on when I run. Oh, yesterday it was Britney versus JLo. Again lots of gyration and dark makeup around the eyes.
The end finally came...YIPPEEE...I staggered off the treadmill only to find I could bearly walk because I wore the wrong socks - i.e. not double layered....I limped to a mat and sat down and nursed my grazed soles....arrrgh...
The air-con was quite cold so I was able to place my hands on my sore feet to cool them off. AAAAHHHH... anyway 10 mins later, I gingerly crept downstairs to the shower and stood under it thinking....not bad...BUT WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS ANKLE? Last week I faltered at 7 miles this week at 9 miles...even with Chi Running...
Chris has suggested I skip or use the rebounder to strengthen my ankles - I was looking at that trampoline and I think I will use it....however, I need to ensure that I don't end up with boobs hanging down to my knees - they won't ever give me black eyes but they aren't pimples either...(very inconvenient).
Massage, ibuprofen, legs up the wall, all applied - today I feel great, with very little aching. My shiatsu class was fantastic. Lots of jocularity combined with quite a lot of difficult pressure points to learn. Got a prone position massage which was coool and poor old Geoff only got one leg treated because we had to finish off.
Ok here's the boring running geek stuff.
3k in 30 mins
6.2k in 60 mins
At next 4.4k had to walk after that
5.97 at 60 mins
5.46 in 65 mins
total 20.63k (12.9 miles) in 3 hours 35 mins.
Tomorrow, kayaking I think...and then a "short" 1 hour run...
p.s. my inner self is posted below...
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Friday, February 25, 2005
Slad slad slad. lads, dsal, dals
Yes today is whittering s(a)lad day.
Tonight will hide myself in Power Zone of Topnotch, to do my 3.5 hour run. Will be trying to simulate race conditions by eating some goo half way through. YEACK. Well if I put up with it, it will be a convenient thing to carry around on race day.
Will report back if I haven't expired.
Tonight will hide myself in Power Zone of Topnotch, to do my 3.5 hour run. Will be trying to simulate race conditions by eating some goo half way through. YEACK. Well if I put up with it, it will be a convenient thing to carry around on race day.
Will report back if I haven't expired.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
MTV Hits so far no repeats - 38 mins
Ok, so went to gym tonight to run, warm up 5, run/walk 28, cooldown 5.
Did negative splits again, plus was trying out the treadmill speeds...how come people next door to me can run for 10 mins on speed 11? I would just roll off the back of the treadmill at that speed. EVERYONE has longer legs than me ;-Þ
Lots of hip hop on MTV, gyrating Britney and Christina Aguilera. After my shower, dashed off to Jane's for a shiatsu practice. Received a nice seated position shiatsu...the good thing about learning is that you get to be practised on!
A bit weary this morning, and so should really head for the sack early...but no, feel the need to have some snackie thang...hmm hmm hmm.....what shall i have....mmmmm
Ok enough whittering...I'll be off now, thanks for reading... x
Did negative splits again, plus was trying out the treadmill speeds...how come people next door to me can run for 10 mins on speed 11? I would just roll off the back of the treadmill at that speed. EVERYONE has longer legs than me ;-Þ
Lots of hip hop on MTV, gyrating Britney and Christina Aguilera. After my shower, dashed off to Jane's for a shiatsu practice. Received a nice seated position shiatsu...the good thing about learning is that you get to be practised on!
A bit weary this morning, and so should really head for the sack early...but no, feel the need to have some snackie thang...hmm hmm hmm.....what shall i have....mmmmm
Ok enough whittering...I'll be off now, thanks for reading... x
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Topnotch scored - 45 mins
After some deliberation decided to join Topnotch gym near work rather than the company gym due to the time restrictions. I will try and do a long run on Wednesday evenings when I can, to help free up the weekend.
Yesterday went on the Thames kayaking, was pretty cold, but still loads of fun and no rain! I got to use the Dagger GTX again but it was really hard work trying to paddle in a straight line and not topple over! Still better than the Sierra river boat any day. Will be toning my torso and arms!
Today joined the gym and ran in the Power Zone for 45 mins. The Power Zone is a darkened room with a huge screen and non-stop MTV hits plays. I hate the sound of the treadmill so that sort of drowns it out...plus I keep up with the latest pop news and videos....result.
Succeeded in negative splits, last laps were faster than the first. Left ankle a little achy but trying to relax my foot completely (following Chi Running principles) to minimise damage, but was able to run strongly in the run periods (2 mins walk, 1 min run). Had treadmill at 1% incline to make it closer to running outside...
Anyway, nuf boring running geek comments. Thanks for reading and don't forget you can add comments!
Yesterday went on the Thames kayaking, was pretty cold, but still loads of fun and no rain! I got to use the Dagger GTX again but it was really hard work trying to paddle in a straight line and not topple over! Still better than the Sierra river boat any day. Will be toning my torso and arms!
Today joined the gym and ran in the Power Zone for 45 mins. The Power Zone is a darkened room with a huge screen and non-stop MTV hits plays. I hate the sound of the treadmill so that sort of drowns it out...plus I keep up with the latest pop news and videos....result.
Succeeded in negative splits, last laps were faster than the first. Left ankle a little achy but trying to relax my foot completely (following Chi Running principles) to minimise damage, but was able to run strongly in the run periods (2 mins walk, 1 min run). Had treadmill at 1% incline to make it closer to running outside...
Anyway, nuf boring running geek comments. Thanks for reading and don't forget you can add comments!
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Bedfont Country Park - thumbs up
NINE WEEKS TO GO...
OK...Total running/walking time 2 hours 48 mins. Distance run 11 miles.
After fumbling round the longer trail route I opted to run 10 times round the 0.75 mile trail.
Splits
1) 25:18 (includes getting lost, avoiding dogs) 1.5 miles
2) 24:08 (better but I didn't really like the trail) 1.3 miles
3) 10:12 (ooops took a shortcut so probably only 0.6 mile)
all the following are 0.75 mile track
4) 10:27 (got on the track, but this lap was too fast)
5) 11:01
6) 11:57
7) 11:53
8) 11:44
9)51:33 - ok this was a collection of 4 laps because my mobile ran out of lap recorders after 9! bah - 51:33 / 4 = 12:53 average - reason - left ankle playing up, decided to walk most of these laps - hmmm typical operated ankle NO problem, other one dodgy.
After about lap 7 feet started to ache...just imagine what they will be like after twice the time....Anyway, despite dodgy ankle could probably have gone round at least another 5 times - need to work on having negative splits - i.e. getting faster and faster...which means that I need to slow down at the beginning.
It was a fairly nice day with a brisk breeze (sun and clouds) and there were lots of people out walking...including a few groups of teenagers. In one group of 4, one boy shouted a few words of abuse at me...when I ran round and met them again, I thought ohhh here we go again...the same boy was trying to make the other three laugh at me...but interestingly as I passed them the lad closest to me in a hoodie over his face gave me the thumbs up - and made me think - that there is still hope for the youth of Ashford.
Anyway, next weekend long run is 13-14 miles - the trail is pretty good because it is on compacted soil, but I'm not sure I could bear running round it 18 times....probably time to work out a more interesting route.
Bye for now my friends, will update after next run on Monday.
OK...Total running/walking time 2 hours 48 mins. Distance run 11 miles.
After fumbling round the longer trail route I opted to run 10 times round the 0.75 mile trail.
Splits
1) 25:18 (includes getting lost, avoiding dogs) 1.5 miles
2) 24:08 (better but I didn't really like the trail) 1.3 miles
3) 10:12 (ooops took a shortcut so probably only 0.6 mile)
all the following are 0.75 mile track
4) 10:27 (got on the track, but this lap was too fast)
5) 11:01
6) 11:57
7) 11:53
8) 11:44
9)51:33 - ok this was a collection of 4 laps because my mobile ran out of lap recorders after 9! bah - 51:33 / 4 = 12:53 average - reason - left ankle playing up, decided to walk most of these laps - hmmm typical operated ankle NO problem, other one dodgy.
After about lap 7 feet started to ache...just imagine what they will be like after twice the time....Anyway, despite dodgy ankle could probably have gone round at least another 5 times - need to work on having negative splits - i.e. getting faster and faster...which means that I need to slow down at the beginning.
It was a fairly nice day with a brisk breeze (sun and clouds) and there were lots of people out walking...including a few groups of teenagers. In one group of 4, one boy shouted a few words of abuse at me...when I ran round and met them again, I thought ohhh here we go again...the same boy was trying to make the other three laugh at me...but interestingly as I passed them the lad closest to me in a hoodie over his face gave me the thumbs up - and made me think - that there is still hope for the youth of Ashford.
Anyway, next weekend long run is 13-14 miles - the trail is pretty good because it is on compacted soil, but I'm not sure I could bear running round it 18 times....probably time to work out a more interesting route.
Bye for now my friends, will update after next run on Monday.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Back from oop North
Hmph! pc bit slow
The Peak District Rocks...and Mud and Snow and Stiles!
Will post a pic or two for you to view...must to the bed to rest weary limbs.
Ran twice in the hols...Sunday morning and Tuesday morning....probably no more than a jog of 2 miles each...however, walks made up for it, yesterday's 9 miles...
okydoky...more laters...
The Peak District Rocks...and Mud and Snow and Stiles!
Will post a pic or two for you to view...must to the bed to rest weary limbs.
Ran twice in the hols...Sunday morning and Tuesday morning....probably no more than a jog of 2 miles each...however, walks made up for it, yesterday's 9 miles...
okydoky...more laters...
Friday, February 11, 2005
The grind begins
Countdown to April 17 - the London Marathon. Left it a bit late, but I'm sure I can do it.
This is what I started running for in 2001. After this, what next? Probably a rest! My aching joints!
Today ran to Hatton X, tubed it, then will tube back to Hatton X and run/walk back. 8 miles. Only 16 miles to go.
Aim to run/walk 26 miles by 3rd April. Yes I know I know. It will be a hard slog...BUT WORTH IT YES?
Not too bad today, bit hot because I was wearing two jackets - next time I'll know not to overdress. This could be a good way to get in the shorter runs....run time 55:08 - door to door, but I need to take off about 2 or 3 minutes since I started the clock in the kitchen before I put my rucksack on...hmmm even better that I thought! Yippee...on track for at least 6 hours 30 mins. The thought of being on the road for that long...well I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, better pack a lunch.
Perhaps you all think I'm mad...yep, that's right I AM! But madness would be lonely without me...
More next week, after the Peaks... Mam Tor here I come!!!!!!
This is what I started running for in 2001. After this, what next? Probably a rest! My aching joints!
Today ran to Hatton X, tubed it, then will tube back to Hatton X and run/walk back. 8 miles. Only 16 miles to go.
Aim to run/walk 26 miles by 3rd April. Yes I know I know. It will be a hard slog...BUT WORTH IT YES?
Not too bad today, bit hot because I was wearing two jackets - next time I'll know not to overdress. This could be a good way to get in the shorter runs....run time 55:08 - door to door, but I need to take off about 2 or 3 minutes since I started the clock in the kitchen before I put my rucksack on...hmmm even better that I thought! Yippee...on track for at least 6 hours 30 mins. The thought of being on the road for that long...well I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, better pack a lunch.
Perhaps you all think I'm mad...yep, that's right I AM! But madness would be lonely without me...
More next week, after the Peaks... Mam Tor here I come!!!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)