We have finally passed that very important day...the winter solstice. Although it didn't bring the end of the world as predicted, I was much more excited about the fact that the days are now officially getting longer, minute by minute! But with sunrise currently at 8.05am and sunset at 3.55pm, there's still a long way to go.
Training report
Friday 21st December
8.3km run into work. Fast, easy, and fun! My fitness definitely has improved noticeably after the bootcamp - I'd have been pretty gutted if it hadn't after all that pain!
Saturday 22nd December
8km intervals around Tooting Common. Again my fitness is noticeably better but it was a treacherous run around the common which was pretty much completely waterlogged after all this rain and flooding. It was quite hard to keep up my sprint sections when I was going through 5cm deep puddles, muddy bogs and wed leaves. No faceplants but very soggy feet.
Coming up next
Monday 24th December
Long run home from work. Will try to do about 12/13km by going home via Putney.
Tuesday 25th December
A short run before the eating commences!
Wednesday 26th December
10km run locally
Monday 24 December 2012
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Boot Camp Analysis
Days: 2.5
Hours of exercise: 15
Hours of rain: 7.5 (approx)
Calories burned: 4300
Calories consumed: not enough
Pairs of running shoes used: 3
Items of gym kit muddied: all
Bruises incurred: still counting
Fingernails torn: 1
Toenails blackened: 1
Illegal fox hunts interrupted: 1
Insults regarding running gloves from fox hunters on horses: 1
Personal trainers: 4
Paratroopers: 1
Victims: 15
An indicative summary. It was WAY harder than I was expecting. The below picture, taken from Meg and my room, is highly misleading as it presents a picture of idyllic, sunny, Cotswolds fields. In reality, the majority of the time was spent running up and down that evil hill (with or without 60kg tractor tyres) in the mud and pouring rain.
On the plus side, Meg and I were in the top 4 or 5 out of the 15 participants in terms of ability, and they did really push us. Apparently my "three step run then drop to the floor" technique is second-to-none. We did loads and loads of intervals and circuits, and more push-ups and squats than I care to remember.
After the 3 hour drive back to London on Sunday night I was hobbling like an old granny, but a hot bath, a very painful massage yesterday, and a session on the elliptical this morning seem to have pretty much sorted me out. As to how I will go with a normal run tomorrow, we will see...!
Training report
Friday - Sunday 14th - 16th December
So much I can't even remember: circuits, intervals, hiking, running, hills, aerobics, Pilates, Tabata, Insanity, the cha cha, a mini-Olympics, boxing, core sessions, tug of wars...
Tuesday 18th December
30 mins at the gym - just on the elliptical quite slow, to make sure I didn't get any stiffer
Coming up next
Wednesday 19th December
Run home from work
Thursday 20th December
Run into work
Friday 21st December
Gym session
Saturday 22nd December
Long run
Hours of exercise: 15
Hours of rain: 7.5 (approx)
Calories burned: 4300
Calories consumed: not enough
Pairs of running shoes used: 3
Items of gym kit muddied: all
Bruises incurred: still counting
Fingernails torn: 1
Toenails blackened: 1
Illegal fox hunts interrupted: 1
Insults regarding running gloves from fox hunters on horses: 1
Personal trainers: 4
Paratroopers: 1
Victims: 15
An indicative summary. It was WAY harder than I was expecting. The below picture, taken from Meg and my room, is highly misleading as it presents a picture of idyllic, sunny, Cotswolds fields. In reality, the majority of the time was spent running up and down that evil hill (with or without 60kg tractor tyres) in the mud and pouring rain.
On the plus side, Meg and I were in the top 4 or 5 out of the 15 participants in terms of ability, and they did really push us. Apparently my "three step run then drop to the floor" technique is second-to-none. We did loads and loads of intervals and circuits, and more push-ups and squats than I care to remember.
After the 3 hour drive back to London on Sunday night I was hobbling like an old granny, but a hot bath, a very painful massage yesterday, and a session on the elliptical this morning seem to have pretty much sorted me out. As to how I will go with a normal run tomorrow, we will see...!
Training report
Friday - Sunday 14th - 16th December
So much I can't even remember: circuits, intervals, hiking, running, hills, aerobics, Pilates, Tabata, Insanity, the cha cha, a mini-Olympics, boxing, core sessions, tug of wars...
Tuesday 18th December
30 mins at the gym - just on the elliptical quite slow, to make sure I didn't get any stiffer
Coming up next
Wednesday 19th December
Run home from work
Thursday 20th December
Run into work
Friday 21st December
Gym session
Saturday 22nd December
Long run
Tuesday 11 December 2012
A first dose of the white stuff...
A fairly quiet week on the running front due to a weekend in Paris and various Christmas parties, but I award bonus points to myself for running to work last week in minus 2 degrees and SNOW. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come as it would be just my luck to get an abnormally snowy winter!
I've definitely decided that running home then back to work the next morning is the way forward, easy logistically and a good way to get in 16.5km without really noticing. My only issue now is with my poor old iPod shuffle which is dying a long, slow death. It's had a good 5 year life with plenty of km's and a lot of sweat absorbed, I think this could be a factor in its passing. Odd though that the way it has died is that the music sounds distorted, like a stretched cassette tape - an effect I wouldn't have thought that you could get from a hi-tech digital flash drive!
Gearing up for this weekend's "Fitness Retreat".
http://www.hillmotts.co.uk/UK-Wide-Bootcamps/About-Us.aspx
I have NO idea what to expect but am very much hoping for zero rain or snow as I think most of it is outside. Hopefully they can push me hard enough as it should be a good kick start for the dreaded official 16 week training program which starts straight after Christmas.
Training report
Monday 3rd December
8.3km run home from work - quite uneventful although a work colleague did report that she was on a bus driving at a similar speed to me for about 20 minutes. Good to know I can run faster than the 137 in London traffic.
Wednesday 5th December
8.3km run into work - SNOW! Argh. Just frosty when I left the house but 2 minutes later it was big old fat snow. 20 mins of that was actually ok as it doesn't soak through, it was when it turned into freezing rain/sleet closer to central London that things got really nasty. Not fun.
Monday 10th December
8.3km run home from work - huge helicopters hovering over the Thames with giant spotlights so was trying to see what they were looking at. Only my second run over about 5k run in my new shoes, they definitely make my calves tight and feel less stable for the ankle. I think I need to look at tightening the laces.
Tuesday 11th December
8.3km run into work - despite another full charge for the iPod it's just distorted cassette tape music. It's definitely gone. Running on frosty ground was a bit slippery but was nice and sunny this morning so at least I could see where I was going.
Coming up next
Wednesday 12th December
Gym session - maybe some spin?
Friday - Sunday 13th - 15th December
Three days of bootcamp pain - and a massage booked for Monday evening
I've definitely decided that running home then back to work the next morning is the way forward, easy logistically and a good way to get in 16.5km without really noticing. My only issue now is with my poor old iPod shuffle which is dying a long, slow death. It's had a good 5 year life with plenty of km's and a lot of sweat absorbed, I think this could be a factor in its passing. Odd though that the way it has died is that the music sounds distorted, like a stretched cassette tape - an effect I wouldn't have thought that you could get from a hi-tech digital flash drive!
Gearing up for this weekend's "Fitness Retreat".
http://www.hillmotts.co.uk/UK-Wide-Bootcamps/About-Us.aspx
I have NO idea what to expect but am very much hoping for zero rain or snow as I think most of it is outside. Hopefully they can push me hard enough as it should be a good kick start for the dreaded official 16 week training program which starts straight after Christmas.
Training report
Monday 3rd December
8.3km run home from work - quite uneventful although a work colleague did report that she was on a bus driving at a similar speed to me for about 20 minutes. Good to know I can run faster than the 137 in London traffic.
Wednesday 5th December
8.3km run into work - SNOW! Argh. Just frosty when I left the house but 2 minutes later it was big old fat snow. 20 mins of that was actually ok as it doesn't soak through, it was when it turned into freezing rain/sleet closer to central London that things got really nasty. Not fun.
Monday 10th December
8.3km run home from work - huge helicopters hovering over the Thames with giant spotlights so was trying to see what they were looking at. Only my second run over about 5k run in my new shoes, they definitely make my calves tight and feel less stable for the ankle. I think I need to look at tightening the laces.
Tuesday 11th December
8.3km run into work - despite another full charge for the iPod it's just distorted cassette tape music. It's definitely gone. Running on frosty ground was a bit slippery but was nice and sunny this morning so at least I could see where I was going.
Coming up next
Wednesday 12th December
Gym session - maybe some spin?
Friday - Sunday 13th - 15th December
Three days of bootcamp pain - and a massage booked for Monday evening
Sunday 2 December 2012
A "Fizz-eye" view
Come on a run with me around Tooting Bec Common...it's the autumn installment, stay tuned for the winter run coming soon.
After the crazy rain and flooding I must admit that I didn't run at all last weekend...oops...but made up for it this week and did 13k yesterday which is my longest run in ages. Was quite easy at 5.30min kilometres but I didn't enjoy waiting for 20 mins outside the post office to collect Linc's Christmas present in 3 degree weather. Freezing!
Only zero degrees this morning but gorgeous and sunny so I didn't mind the cold at all!
Training report
Tuesday 27th Nov
8.2km run home from work - nothing exciting to report just another run in the dark!
Wednesday 28th Nov
8.2km run into work - really loving this as it's basically the only daylight I ever get during the week (if the sun is out, that is).
Friday 30th Nov
Gym session - 20 mins elliptical and 20 mins on the bike, random settings with lots of hills and high resistance. Did some weights, push ups and planks. Would like to get someone to show me how to do some more stuff with the weights as I don't really know what I'm doing.
Saturday 1st Dec
13km run around Wandsworth and Tooting Commons. Felt quite easy but my pace was quite fast, so that's always a good sign! A little bit of rain but it was mostly ok, but quite cold. The gloves are definitely a must wear these days!
Sunday 2nd Dec
5km intervals around Wandsworth Common. Freezing zero degrees, frost everywhere, gorgeous and sunny, but really tough doing these intervals as the deep breathing when running fast hurts as the air is so cold.
Coming up next
Not sure! A few runs in and out of work and maybe a class at the gym. Will be away in Paris next weekend so I need to make sure I get in a lot during the week.
After the crazy rain and flooding I must admit that I didn't run at all last weekend...oops...but made up for it this week and did 13k yesterday which is my longest run in ages. Was quite easy at 5.30min kilometres but I didn't enjoy waiting for 20 mins outside the post office to collect Linc's Christmas present in 3 degree weather. Freezing!
Only zero degrees this morning but gorgeous and sunny so I didn't mind the cold at all!
Training report
Tuesday 27th Nov
8.2km run home from work - nothing exciting to report just another run in the dark!
Wednesday 28th Nov
8.2km run into work - really loving this as it's basically the only daylight I ever get during the week (if the sun is out, that is).
Friday 30th Nov
Gym session - 20 mins elliptical and 20 mins on the bike, random settings with lots of hills and high resistance. Did some weights, push ups and planks. Would like to get someone to show me how to do some more stuff with the weights as I don't really know what I'm doing.
Saturday 1st Dec
13km run around Wandsworth and Tooting Commons. Felt quite easy but my pace was quite fast, so that's always a good sign! A little bit of rain but it was mostly ok, but quite cold. The gloves are definitely a must wear these days!
Sunday 2nd Dec
5km intervals around Wandsworth Common. Freezing zero degrees, frost everywhere, gorgeous and sunny, but really tough doing these intervals as the deep breathing when running fast hurts as the air is so cold.
Coming up next
Not sure! A few runs in and out of work and maybe a class at the gym. Will be away in Paris next weekend so I need to make sure I get in a lot during the week.
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