Snowy Saturday

It seems that most of us awoke today to find snow. For me, a couple of inches was all of it, and it was that really powdery stuff so not very good for building snowmen.

Anyway, there is something about waking to find snow that seems to make us all leap out of bed and get out in it asap! I have never seen so many Marras up so early, lol.

I decided to head for the bike path at Cleator Moor for safety reasons, and the intent was there to do 8 miles. I really need to get in a longer run after not making it last week. Trouble is that my run yesterday seemed to really mess up my lungs and I had spent half the night coughing, coughing, coughing. Grrr. I am wheezing like mad and can't manage to shift it, and so no surprise really that despite my mind and most of my body being more than willing to bang out the miles on such a beautiful and picturesque morning, the old lungs simply refused to allow enough oxygen in.


I'm very frustrated, but I know I really couldn't manage any more than this feeble 3. I have not had a good time these past few weeks, and now when I start to feel healthy again, I go and get this bloomin' cold. Sigh. Never mind, I will get there.

Whelpside Wheezing

I am supposed to run 4 today and 8 tomorrow and I toyed with the idea of doing a switch around to take advantage of the fact that it is dry today. It doesn't look as if it will last into tomorrow! My forecasting is based on two things. Firstly, the town is full of seagulls, and secondly there are some ominous clouds building up on the horizon out to sea. Fairly sound clues, one feels!

I didn't manage to get out first thing, as I had some other things to deal with - primarily taking Jasper to visit Harry the butcher, and running up and down the shore with him like a total loon. With Jasper, that is - not the butcher.

So, as I have no desire to run in the dark if I don't have to, I have dumped the idea of a switcheroo and am gonna settle for 4. If I had remember to switch the GPS back on after the bike ride then the 405 would have confirmed that I did a bit over 4.


Had a little trouble partway round as my lungs seemed to seize up with the cold air and I had a fair old coughing fit, very much the same as the one I had when I returned to the warm air when I arrived back home. The smell of freshly baked bread soon helped my recovery there though. Me like my breadmaker.

Soup and bread it is then. See ya!

Indoor Cycling

Okay, should have been a short run today but the ice put me off. I was slipping and sliding enough on it last night walking Jasper, so just didn't want to risk it today. We have severe snow forecast for tomorrow, but that's easier to run on!

Decided to do a half hour on the bike instead, and here it is. Nothing majorm didn't push too hard as I am still feeling less than 100%, but I'm happy to have done something!

Looking forward to the weekend, whatever the weather.



PS The toenail has come off :-(

Whelpside

Gorgeous sunshine this morning, although a heavy frost has left the ground very slippery in places which the sun hasn't yet reached!

Set off with a view to zooming round Whelpside and then up through Moresby for an 8 miler, but I felt as though I was struggling even on the downhill section heading out of town and as I came back up the hill at Whelpside I began to relaise that 8 miles was an ambitious hope.

I could have carried on and done it, I'm sure, but I was struggling with coughing and spluttering and to be honest, I figured it wasn't worth it, so I turned back and settled for three miles. Legs feeling a little heavy stillm, but a bit better than yesterday so I think I am on the way up at last.

Have taken some tests using the 405 of my heart rate at rest and it's definitely higher than usual so no surprise that I am feeling it when I get out.

Really don't like these 'Bing' maps that Garmin are now using - I mean, it says the Solway Firth runs across the front of my house and across Whitehaven Golf course it helpfully says England. Hey flippin' ho.

Friday at last!

you may have noticed that I have not been for a run since Monday, this is cearly not planned! Furstratingly I still seem to be struggling to feel fully well and have now picked up a horrible cold just to make sure I feel reaaaaallllly bad. But today I am not at work, so have had a good lie in, and the rain and wind have given way to - dare I say it - yes, a little sunshine, so I am hoping this will all help for a run along the bike path.

I chose this route today as I feel I am probably not up to too many hills! (Feeling feeble, in other words!)

Incidentally, I can't pin down why this is happening, but I am getting a lot of problems with cramp in my legs. All times of day, doesn't matter if I have run or not run, and this is over the past fortnight really. I know this can be a symptom of dehydration, so maybe the stomach bug has something to answer for there - how shall I put this, I am definitely not having trouble 'going' of late!

Anyway, this is how I got on.


Incidentally, I don't think I like these new maps that Garmin Connect are using. They don't seem as clear.

The run went okay, although I stopped a couple of times to stretch and massage my right calf which was sore from a cramp attack yesterday. Eventually it eased off and other than that everything was fine except that I felt low on energy reserves!

I shall see how I feel tomorrow. I don't expect wonders but hopefully I will feel a little better again, I'm beginning to get fed up with it! Think I will go back to having fresh vegetable juice for breakfast, that always seemed to make me feel great all day!

Golf Course 4 miler

Well, torrential rain and some impressive lightning did not put me off. Oh no, not me! Fair zoomed round the old 4 mile circuit of Whitehaven Golf Course in record time...


Okay, well maybe a wee exaggeration, but I'm happy to report no problems with the run tonight beyond blind drivers and flooding! Hey ho.

Felt really tight in my calves going up School Brow, but felt fine after reaching the top. Gonna get in the shower now to dry off!

Not a very long long run

Today is 'long run' day and it is an 8 miler. My planned route is a double circuit of the golf course - I don't think I have ever run in laps before, so I'm not sure how I will find it, but having consulted the map, it is the obvious route for clocking up an 8 without having to travel. I don't really want to be running along the main road on a Saturday morning!

The gales have eased although it is still fairly windy, but I'm very happy to see the sun has found it's way through and the rain looks to be having a day off at last.

And so with all this positive thinking I set off but in the event it was all a bit of a disaster.

Well, not really that bad I suppose, at least I haven't got an injury or anything like that, but I just couldn't get going, or keep going and at one point I didn't even feel like I had the energy to even walk back home.

Oh, not good.



Not really sure what the problem is, although I wasn't feeling well yesterday and woke this morning full of cold and with a bit of a headache. Maybe the ol' bod just needs a rest. It is true that I have not felt 100% all week, but this was unexpected.

Anyway, I am going to try to put the disappointment behind me rather than let it bog me down. After all, at least I did get out for a run, albeit a short one. Back tomorrow, hopefully will do better.

Golf Course Circuit

Originally planned as a rest day, I have four miles to do, as I took Tuesday off instead. Great weather for it - I don't think! Gales and downpours again. Hey ho, at least the ice and snow have gone.

Usual four mile route then, and it was somewhat more comfortable than yesterdays run. I do feel tired, but not from the running, just in general really. Stopped before the climb up School Brow to observe the two minutes silence for Armistice Day, and so, refreshed, I had no reason to not run up it without problem today.


Turning the corner for the homeward mile was the hardest it has ever been, as the wind was full in my face. Normally this is the easiest mile of the route, but definitely not so today.

Made it in one piece and only got drenched twice. Not bad going!

5 Miler

When I set up my training plan I incorporated two rest days per week as the norm, always with the thought that I could easily exchange mid week rest days if necessary. This week that is exactly what I have done.

Three very long days at work meant that when I eventually returned home last night, I was just too tired to run, so I have nudged back a day and will run on Thursday as well instead of resting.

So a five miler today is on the cards, reckon another minor variation to the standard circuit of the golf course should clock up the required distance.

Weather today is gorgeous - lovely sunshine, crisp frost on the ground. Much better than all that rain and snow of the last few days. Of course the puddles that remain have turned to solid ice!

Here it is.


I had a bit of difficulty staying motivated and my legs felt a bit heavy at times. Stopped partway to stretch a bit, particularly my left leg which I had a bit of a cramp attack in yesterday afternoon. (Too much sitting at a desk!)

Then came the assault on School Brow, stopped for no apparent reason just before the top. But I absolutely refused to walk up it and managed to bully myself in to continuing on. Turning the corner at the top, however, I was forced to stop again to catch my breath. I had that feeling that I just couldn't get enough air in to my lungs. Haven't had that for a while!

As soon as I had recovered I carried on and the rest of the run went without any hiccups.

I think maybe I was too hot - the sun was actually rather warm despite the air being cold and I did have quite a heavy shirt on today. Dunno, but it may have been that.

Golf Course Circuit 4 miler

Ooh. what wicked weather today!! Through the night it was gales and torrential rain, then the wind eased a little and the rain turned to snow on the higher bits of Cumbria. Rain through most of the day turned back to snow again just in time for this run. Oh joy. Actually, I thought it felt too cold for snow, but obviously not!


If it had not been part of my long term plan to do this run today, I definitely would have passed, it really was an atrocious night, but I told myself to think myself lucky it was just 4 miles and got on with it. Felt fine, nothing really to report.  I would like to say that School Brow is getting easier, but it would be something of a fib, so I will save it for another time!

I have finally started to shed my toenail which was a victim of the Great North Run. The top most part crumbled away and it looks a bit manky now really, as well as being the wrong colour. No more pain from it though so I'm not going to grumble, it really was very sore for a while back there!

That's it. Gonna grab a scotch and hit the hay now. Purely medicinal, gotta keep those winter germs at bay!

Saturday Seven

Good weather this morning for the weekly 'long' run, so it's a seven miler. I had discovered a two mile add on to the usual 4 mile route, which would take me via Whelpside, and then I figured I would only need to detour about half a mile off the route and back to tot up to the required distance.

Doing the maths in your head when you're on the go is always a good way of distracting you if you're feeling weary, I find!

As it happened, I found this run quite enjoyable. The trudge up Whelpside was okay, not too steep or too long to make it tiring, and I was pleased that I pretty much took it in my stride. Similarly with the notorious climb up School Brow.

I did feel slightly tired on the last quarter of a mile, but I always do - I think it's just cos I know I'm nearly finished. Anyway, overall, very pleased with this after having lost a week. Definitely back on track now.

The postman had been while I was running, and he has delivered the bumpf for the Great Langdale Christmas Pudding 10k, in about a months time. Very pleased with my race number - this is my lucky number. A friend once suggested that I should name my house "222", but as it is actually number 26, I thought this might confuse people!

Joe McBain 3 miler

A day off yesterday and back to the training plan this afternoon with this three miler in the wind and rain.

I'm pleased to find that I feel fully recovered from the bug I had last week (at last) and I enjoyed this little outing. I have apparently picked up an ear infection along the way, seemingly while my defences were taking a battering last week. Never mind, I have some nasty squirty stuff that should sort that out in no time.



Back on track I hope, longer run due tomorrow...

Joe McBain

I felt better yesterday but decided to be sensible and let myself rest another day before trying to run. So this morning I decided just a trip out to Joe McBain Ave and back would do nicely to gauge how I felt. Round trip a nice little 3 miles.



Had to stop a couple of times to throw up. Not good. Legs and all felt fine, but my heart rate was high and I just didn't feel right. Managed to run past the copper with the radar gun without him feeling it necessary to stop me, so I don't think I broke any records.

On balance I'm glad I went out as I was feeling stressed about not running, but it proved to me that I was right to have not tried and I did kind of manage a short run today after all. I will not run tomorrow, anyway, so next outing will be Friday by which time I hope to be fully recovered from the bug.

I am of course, now a full 19 miles short of hitting my 1000 miles by end of January.