Back to Brighton

It was back in February 2010 when we took the drive to Brighton for my first half marathon.  The closer we got to the coast, the more apocalyptic the weather.  By the time we arrived, the wind was so strong we were walking at a 45 degree angle to simply stay upright, and the torrential rain howling in off the sea was sideways, upways, and downways.  It's the only time I've ever seen real surf in Brighton!  I nearly didn't start, but after all the hard work I'd put into my training I couldn't bear not to, but fully expected that I'd probably pull out part way due to the weather.  It was horrendous and I felt as though I was carring an extra 5kg in water weight in each shoe, but I got there in the end and was glad to be running with a friend from work for the extra moral support especially at about the 15km mark.  In reality, I think Linc drew the short straw having to stand outside in the freezing rain, at least I was running to keep myself warm! The forecast is looking much better this year so fingers crossed it holds out.

I finished that first race in 2 hours 12 minutes and my other two half marathons have been both just over 2 hours, so I'm determined to break the barrier on Sunday.  With good weather and a flat course I should be on track, fingers crossed!

The only hurdle may be my sore hip - it's not bad but I'm very aware of being careful with it.  I have been resting it since Wednesday and doing lots of stretching, it feels much better today than it did earlier in the week so I hope it's fine.  I have a massage and a physio appointment booked next week so I'm looking foward to some advice on that.

Training Report
Tuesday 5th February
30 mins hills - level 10 at 10km/hr on the treadmill hill pattern - it was tough!! A really really good workout for such a short time.  Hated it but loved it at the same time.

Wednesday 6th February
13km fartlek run to work.  Didn't do as much fartleking as I intended as I was a bit stiff from hills the day before, but added 5km onto my normal run to work by going around Hyde Park.  Had some flashbacks to watching the Olympics and Dan's London ITU races, although unfortunately at 7.30am on a Wednesday morning there wasn't many people out cheering me on.   There was, however, a runaway horse galloping down the horse path, complete with saddle but no rider, I took the precaution of hiding behind a tree so I didn't alarm it any more than it already was! No sign of the rider, and it was going like a bat out of hell so who knows where it ended up, if it kept going the way it did it would have very soon arrived on Kensington High Street which I'm sure would have caused quite a stir.

Friday 8th February
8.2km run to work. Absolutely freezing at minus 1, but the sun was out and the days are getting longer.

Saturday 9th February
16.5km run along the river.  Longest I've done in quite a long time, the weather was quite good and not too cold.  Popped into a servo halfway to buy a bottle of water to have with my disgusting energy slime, they're so feral and I hate eating them but I must say I did feel great in the second half of the run when usually on a run that long by the end of it I'm shattered. Ran along the road where the helicopter crashed the other week and they were putting up a new crane.  You could see where the footpath had melted where the jet fuel had burned.

Tuesday 12th February
8.2km run home.  Horrible run, I was uncomfortable, blocked nose, sore legs, just really hated it. Worst run I've had in ages.

Wednesday 13th February
10km run into work via Battersea Park. Cold again but sunny.  My hip was a bit sore especially at the start of the run so I didn't do the intervals I was intending to do.  And skipped the rest of the week's training before Brighton, to try to let it rest a bit.

Coming up next
Sunday 17th February
Brighton Half Marathon

Next week
3 x 45 minute runs, a 60 min massage and a physio appointment. Hopefully all goes well as then it's a 23k run on Saturday.

11 weeks to go...

It's only really this week that things have stepped up a notch where I've really had to work hard to be organised and plan ahead to fit things in.   It's easy to fit in a gym session or a 45 min run before or after work but when you have to squeeze in 13km as well as having to be at work for 8am and probably not finishing til 7pm, things are getting harder!

Despite the best laid plans (and carrying my shoes all over the country with me) I didn't run in Cuba.   Running in the cities was definitely not an option due to the risk of getting lost, the state of the roads, let alone the heat and knowing where on earth to run to.  The beaches would have been an option but the water and the pina coladas were much more enticing!  Linc did see someone roller-blading down the left lane of a four lane highway, so maybe I just needed to be more creative with my excercise methods.  Anyway, we walked for miles most days we were there, so surprisingly, my runs last week which I were expecting to be tough, were fine.

I picked up a pair of shoes yesterday which I have for a week's trial, they are Brooks PureConnect and are lightweight type ones part of the craze for barefoot running I guess.

Training report

Thursday 17th January
8.2k threshold run home from work. Did it in about 4-5 mins faster than I usually would.  Was tough though breathing in such cold air - is it possible to get an oesophagus injury?

Friday 18th January
8.2k run into work.  The snow was predicted to start early so it was convenient that I had to get up early to give Linc his 30th bday pressies! Managed to make it in about 10 minutes before the heavy snow started.

30th, 31st and 1st
3 x 8.2k runs to and from work.  Not too hard after Cuba, surprisingly.  Really, really windy, though! Which made certain sections like the river part, very hard. 

Sunday 3rd February
13.7k run, along the river and through Battersea Park and Clapham Common.  Quite a nice day but again very windy, running along Clapham Common I felt like I was going nowhere fast! There are SO many people out and about running, all training for the marathon I think, it's really noticable how many more people there are than usual.

Monday 4th Feburary
50 minute gym session.  With the new Brooks shoes, hard to tell what they are like just on a treadmill but they seem really comfy and quite cushiony.  15 mins treadmill, 15 mins elliptical, 10 mins bike, 5 mins step.

Coming up next

Tuesday 5th February
30 min hill session - on a treadmill as London is so flat!

Wednesday 6th February
13k intervals

Friday 8th February
8k easy

Saturday 9th February
16k...longest run for a while!

It's official...

1)      That I haven’t updated the blog in a long time! (doesn’t mean I haven’t been training)

2)      That I’m now on the Intermediate Marathon Training Program.

Going well so far although the distances aren’t much longer than I’ve already been doing anyway, taking 10 days off to Cuba is probably not ideal but I can do some runs on the beach and our hotel in Varadero where we stay for two days apparently has a running track…!  After minus 2 degrees this morning, I don’t know how I will handle a 32 degree rise increase in running conditions.

Get back with only a couple of weeks til the Brighton Half Mara so no doubt it will be a tough couple of weeks post-rum and cigars.

Training report (yes, it’s a long one)

Monday 24^th December

11.5k run home from work, taking the long route via Putney. Was a bit disappointed as I thought it was going to be longer, had been aiming to do about 14k in order to earn my Christmas pudding.

Wednesday 26th December

9k around Clapham and Wandsworth Commons.  Worked off probably a tenth of what I consumed the day before.

Sunday 30th December

12.7k along the Thames and back across Battersea Park and Clapham Common.  Lots of people around and quite a nice day.  Wore my new running top (thanks mum and dad!) which was really nice and warm but not too hot.

Saturday 5^th January

9k threshold run on Tooting Common managing to hold about 5 min/km pace for most of the way. Tough!!!

Sunday 6^th January

12.8k Clapham Common and Tooting Common. Went backwards from my usual route to try to keep things interesting. Didn’t really work.  So muddy after all the rain!

Tuesday 8^th January

8.2k run home from work. Wish I could say the days are getting noticeably longer, but I can’t.

Wednesday 9^th January

8.2k run into work with 3 min intervals.  Surprisingly hard with a backpack and pedestrian crossings to negotiate!

Thursday 10^th January

45 minute body combat class at the gym.  Didn’t seem too hard at the time but my arms were a bit sore afterwards.

Friday 10^th January

7k on the treadmill at the gym.  Booooorrrriinnnnng……

Saturday 11^th January

12.5k Tooting Common and Clapham Common.  Seems to be loads of people running at the moment.  Either other people starting their marathon training programs or the usual new years’ resolutions.

Tuesday 15^th January

8.2k run home from work.  Freezing at zero degrees, the first time I’ve run in a beanie.  Attempted to listen to some French lessons on my iPod but I don’t know how well that’s going to work.

Wednesday 16^th January

8.2k run into work. Even colder at minus 2!  My whole body was bright red by the time I got to work.  A helicopter crashed less than a kilometre away from my run and I didn’t even hear or see it. Maybe I need to turn my music down.

Coming up next

Thursday 17th January

Run home from work – the cold snap continues so hopefully the snow holds off.

Friday 18^th January

Run into work – Linc’s birthday so will be up early to give him his pressies!

Saturday 19^th – Tuesday 29^th January

Cuba!  Meant to be doing about 6 sessions while we’re away so will be happy to get in 3 or 4.

Minute by minute...

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

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

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

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.