A fresh start

Well, wow. Long time no hear, let me try to bring you up to date, briefly.  2011 kind of collapsed running-wise. It was clear from some of my diary entries that the asthma was getting the better of me, and this continued through the rest of that summer. A few changes of medication later, and at the start of 2012 I signed up for a half in April, and did my best to stick to a 12 WK training plan for it. Didn't manage 100% to follow it, but not bad, and on race day all went well up to mile 6 and a bit when my leg turned into a steel rod as I was gripped my cramp which had pursued me all winter. I thought I would not be able to continue and limped the next mile. Then the cramp cleared and I was able to run the rest of the course. Needless to say, my target time went out of the window and I think I finished in 2:27 or something, but I was delighted to even have finished it, and knew my running was back in business.

Or so I thought. I had trouble the next few months with PF, sometimes so severe I couldn't even walk, and the rest of my running year was a goner. Instead I signed up for cycling and thoroughly enjoyed getting back into that. Inside I was desperate to run again, but the Loch2loch 150 mile charity ride for Asthma UK kept the focus on the wheels and gave my heel plenty time to mend.

And slowly, slowly I had started running again and now the realisation that if I'm gonna do 26.2 before I'm 50 then its gotta be next spring. So I entered the ballot for the VLM (London) whilst expecting not to get lucky, and it will be Edinburgh in May 2014.

So, the plan at the moment is training for July 12 HM,  then there's a 10k on Sept 7th, another Half on Sept 29th and then its 2014. Gulp.

Results of the VLM ballot are out in October, think its first week of October, but until then we don't know if its London or Edinburgh. But it will be one of em!!

Watch this space.

13 weeks to go

Monday 20th June

I had packed my running kit into the car intending to stop off on my way home from work for a run. It seems to save time after work if I do this - otherwise I get in, have a coffee, get changed, go out, then I have to get back home again, change again, take Jasper out.... there just aren't enough hours in the day! This way I get changed before leaving work and then when I get home Jasper doesn't get all upset at me going back out without him, I can just take him straight out. Much better. Oh, and I enjoyed the run very much too. Been a very bad start to the week at work so this was an excellent antedote!



Wednesday 22nd June

Rest day Tuesday - it is always a tiring day for me as my early shifts are very long and getting up at 4am takes it's toll. Wednesday sees a switch to backshift (lates) so I get a lie in normally, although this morning I was back at the docs for a review of my new medication. I was itching to get out for a run, which really says it all. We are keeping with the meds I have as they are clearly working so far. So, four miles up and down the loop road before work - very pleased with this. The outward journey is steady - flat or slightly downhill but then it's back up the same way and of course that is a little harder. But I felt good and managed it pretty well. Pleased.



Friday 24th June

Should have been a running day, but I am on the fells with Marion today. I intended to get up early enough to sneak in a half hour run, but I overslept in the event so it was shelved for today. Never mind, the climbing was a good workout anyway!



Saturday morning, and after a day on Blencathra my legs felt pretty tight. to be honest the last thing they wanted to do was run, but I had promised myself a 6 miler today and if I wanna be up to the Great North in September then I really do need to get back on track. And let's face it - I am thrilled to bits to be able to get back into this at long last.

As expected, walked bits and had to stop once or twice for some stretches, but it's looking as though we are heading in the right direction and I am a very happy bunny this week.

Moresby Parks and Back

Decided on a four miler today to start the 13 weeks of training for the Great North Run. That which started off this blog in the first place. I feel almost as though I am starting from scratch, although because I am not really I have the added obstacle of frustration to contend with, and so I am going to employ any and every trick in the book to keep myself going and that includes some good music to run to.

Back in 2007 when I first discovered Nike+ and rushed out to buy my first iPod Nano, one of the first tracks I uploaded to it was Beverley Knight's 'Keep this fire burning'. It's always been a great song to run to and I find it very motivating. If you're reading this, help me out by sharing your favourite running songs and I will bang them on my ipod and you can help me round. While you're thinking about it, here's Bev.



So the run went well today, although it was not steady and i did have a few walking breaks, but I made it and most important of all - I enjoyed it.

Langdale Trail 20k

Well, there have been a few uploaded runs along the way, but generally since I last updated this I have just kept the walk/run 8/2's going and it's been okay. Somedays better than others, and I have been knocked for six by the neighbour cutting his grass, or the weather taking a turn toward damp and windy... I have come to learn that some days simply are not running days - but in between I am kind of keeping in there.

And so today it's off to Langdale for a trail run. Might seem ambitious to tackle a 20k, but the organisers have bent over backwards to stress that you can take your time so its my thinking that I can walk/run this and kickstart myself again with a feeling of actually achieving something.


My spirit (and legs) are certainly willing but my lungs just don't seem able to keep up and so although I have resolved that I am not going to give up running, I still have moments when I feel I am deluding myself.



And so the Langdale 20k became the Langdale 2k... I think I probabbly could have continued and risked it but if I'm gonna need an ambulance I don't really wanna be in central lakeland at the time. I hate helicopter rides :-\

Very kindly, the race organisers have given me a free entry for next year, isn't that lovely of them?

Dunno what went wrong really...although it was very close and there is a lot of grass cutting going on at the mo. Who knows - anyway, maybe I should have employed the trick of run for 15 mins to bring on the asthma BEFORE the race and then run. A number of people swear by it, and it is true that I stopped the car on the way home and did a little three mile trail run on the back of Thirlmere. I just needed to - and it was a nice day and I felt absolutely fine as I was driving!



Trails suit my lungs better than roads definitely. Slowing right down to negotiate dodgy terrain or to do a bit of balancing on a log to cross a stream is all good for taking the demand off my lungs briefly. The steady plodding of road running is the most challenging it seems.

Disappointed though not surprised about the Langdale run, but thoroughly enjoyed my 3 miler at Thirlmere and came home suitably muddy and wet to make me feel better!!

Thanks Davy for the free pass in 2012 I will endeavour to get a bit further than this year!!

Now back to the plod-plod of the roads as there are only 13 weeks to the Great North Run. How the year has flown by!!

Bank Robber Run

Well, normally when I have a week off work I get plenty of runs in, but this week just didn't work out that way. The weather has been poor all week really (windy every day and wet most of the time too) and it just was not on the cards, but I got plenty of work done in the garden, spent some great time with friends and with Jasper Badun, treated myself a little and got out on the fells once or twice too.

Friday I ventured up Striding Edge on my own and I don't think I would want to do it again without company. It was a bit hairy at times and I would have much preferred having someone else to be scared with! Enjoyed it though, like a funfair ride - it wouldn't be as much fun if it didn't scare the hell out of you at least a bit.



Anyway, back to today and my legs are still feeling it - ten mile walk in itself is not biggie, but the clambering and scrambling has made it's presence known in my quads ever since! Despite this, it is my last day of the hols and so I am going to get a run in. It will be a run/walk affair, but I don't care. It's still more than a lot of people do, and it makes me feel so much better.

Gimme all the munny.

Decided to take a different route - well, an old route but done in reverse so I run downhill first half mile, which is a good warm up and then up through Hensingham and back down onto the Highlands. Had to walk up Hensingham, mainly due to my legs not wanting to play rather than anything else. No real lung trouble as I had taken the precaution of wearing a bandana - apparently making me look like a bank robber. Do I care? Not particularly. I know I look a plonker, but I also don't care about getting my legs out even though I have appalling knees! Haha!

Happy days. Now I gotta take Jasper out and do some more gardening despite the howling winds and heavy rain. Gotta love Summer....where the heck is it??!

My Marathon

Okay, so it's been a while...but I'm still here.

Today is the day of the Edinburgh Marathon, so I had resolved to go for a 26.2 mile bike ride today and here it is. What stupid weather we are having - at one point the rain was sooooo heavy I took shelter under some trees at Kirkland and waited for it to blow over, and then not very long afterwards I was cursing myself for not having any sun cream in my kit! Originally planned to go out to Ennerdale Water and back but changed plans at Kirkland and invented a circuit instead, mixing in the end portion of that 18 mile I did back then.... Anyway, very tiring ride, but thoroughly enjoyed it, and as with running, the greatest pleasure is that feeling you get afterwards that you have actually done something worthwhile with the time.



So what about the running? Someone said 'once a runner, always a runner' and at the time I wasn't sure she was right, but now I see that she was. I can't give up running because there simply isn't anything I can replace it with. Nothing else makes me feel quite as good. So, with my asthma now much more controlled than it was - helped by changes in my diet and a heavy limit on alcohol (although have had a coupla glasses of wine since being on holiday) - I have revisited the Runners World beginners schedule.

When I first started running I used this, and I found that it worked pretty well, so I started off with it at week 4, as I am obviously not a total newbie, and am finding the run/walk process to be working okay for me. Additionally I use a face mask to warm and moisten the air that I breathe in, and this also helps.

I have three half marathons planned for the year - one in June (this is on the fells so will not be expecting to run all of it anyway) and then two later in the year (Great North Run in September, and Great Cumbrian Run in October). Both of these I hope to run well. Looking back, the problems I encountered in last years Great North were probably due to asthma. Two weeks later I ran the Cumbrian without any issues - the weather was awful in Newcastle, but a fine day for the Cumbrian. This year I will be ready for that.

It was the poor run in Newcastle that started this blog really, and was intended to follow my training for the year til the next Great North, and that is most definitely the focus for me now.

Not running today as I feel the legs have worked hard enough, but I must take Jasper for a walk yet. First up though - definitely earned a coffee.

PS Thanks to Adele for "Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements"...

Morebsy Parks Loop

Decided to try a run today.

The only way to find out what works for me with running is to try stuff out, but it is difficult to control such experiments as there are simply so many variables. Something may work one day but not another and it is hard to identify what the differences are and even harder to control them as they are mainly 'external factors'.

Anyway, an increase in heart rate makes it more likely for me to have an issue so for the sake of getting some training into my legs, this must be avoided. I set the cut off at 175bpm and promised to stick to it absolutely.

Second, experimentally, I have read of many runners who swear by using a buff over their mouth until they have fully warmed up. This, theoretically, keeps the air you breathe in both warm and moist and reduces the risk of a flare up. Not quite sure why you only need to use it until warmed up, but I decided to give it a try. I'm sure I looked a bit of a knob, but quite frankly I couldn't care less if it works!

I employed the normal procedure of two puffs of Salbutamol before the run, and set off feeling like a cowboy with my bright red buff over my nose and mouth. It seemed to help though, and I kept it on until I felt it was starting to restrict my breathing somewhat, this was after about 8 minutes so I would be fairly warmed up by then, although I normally start to experience problems (if I am going to) around 15 minutes in.



The next issue was heart-rate. As I started up the the hill towards School Brow I was able to keep it down by slowing off but as the hill steepened there was nothing for it but to walk. No problem - I am still breathing fine, and I am still getting round. Used the buff again on the downhill stretch just as I felt the air colder on this side of the hill, but then pulled it off again along the straight through the village.

Once again, walking up the hill when my heartrate tipped 174, and picking up the running again when it had dropped back down.

So, a run/walk then, but I got round with no ill-effects and still felt fine afterwards too, apart from a slight feeling of tightening. Stats show that my lung function is good post run, and it's a while since that occurred!

So, the buff is in the kit bag for the time being at least. I am really not sure how I am going to get on in Lincoln with this 10k, but I am heartened by the fact that it is flat, so I hope to be able to run all the way round. My legs are feeling the lack of running so I really do need to do some cross-training to keep them moving, and I think the bike ride yesterday helped. I was a bit congested after that, but it went off relatively quickly.

All things considered, I am happy with this mornings effort.

Joe & Back again!

Today was not supposed to be a running day but the sunshine was so gorgeous and the sea a sparkling blue and the fells - snow free at last - so awesome... well, you get the idea. Who would want to stay indoors on a day like today.

As Jasper has hurt his foot, a long walk with him was out of the question, so I thought I would pop in another run.



This did not go well, but taking the positive from it, I learn from these days. The problems, as usual, start to occur around the 15 minute mark. I have read many runners with asthma will warm up to bring this on, as once this has settled you can often continue relatively problem free. I think there is something in this. Reviewing my own running over the past months, on longer runs I have remarked that the first couple of miles were awful but then I got into it. This is much more than just finding your rhythm, or warming up.

I'm not quite sure how to go about trying this out though - I guess it is just a case of plugging on, but it is a tricky call as I don't wanna go off too far if I am going to have problems. Hmm, will have to give this some thought. Wonder if warming up indoors is the answer, although I haven't managed to set off the asthma through indoor exercise so far, so probably not.

Anyway, I am not going to get disheartened by this - after all, it wasn't even a running day!

A woman passed me as I was using my inhaler whilst sitting on the road side, she kindly checked if I was okay, I told her I would be okay and thanked her, adding 'I shouldn't run up hills', she replied 'you shouldn't be running at all with asthma, dear'.

She is kind, but wrong.

Joe & Back

Okay, okay - I know I can't make my mind up!

I have had a few days off work this week and the rest seems to be helping, a throat infection kind of knocked me for six and I now have some treatment for that and all is mending well. So this morning I decided to try a run, promising myself that even if I felt okay I was strictly only gonna do a three miler.

It seems to me that it is important for me to simply be able to complete a run at the moment without having any major problems with my breathing.

Big Sis has persuaded me that I should go to Lincoln for the weekend of the 10k - she is quite right too, Reece is in the kids run, and she is doing the buggy push with Poppy. Anyway, if I am going to be there I need to decide whether I am going to take part in the 10k or just spectate. This was the tester.



Took this run at a very very steady pace with a close eye on my heart rate. Of course hills are the problem, running uphill is really a challenge for me, and the bit of an incline towards the end of the route pushed by heart rate up to 184 and I was forced to stop momentarily to bring it back down. My own fault, I saw it increasing and didn't react to it thinking I could battle it out. I can't at the moment.

So I think as long as I take it steady and don't let my HR go above 180 I will probably be okay for Lincoln - it's supposedly a flat course. Well, I will find out!!

It will be great for me if I can manage it as this is the first of the runs I had planned for 2011. There is a second 10k two weeks later in Langdale which I will think about after Lincoln. and then I have nothing until mid June.

So I am planning to use a lot more cross training in my preparations for the half marathons I have planned, this keeps me on track on days when I can't go out cos of weather or just when my breathing is poor.

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”- Jimmy Dean

Just been sussing out the route for the 10k, and it does look pretty harmless. Lots of long straight roads, so hope there's lots to distract me!! Mapmyrun used to be so useless, but it is actually pretty good these days...

Back to the start

Two weeks since my last run, although I have been out with Jasper a few times to keep my legs moving. Seems crazy that just two weeks ago I had slogged out those 18 miles and was feeling fine, and now here I am struggling to get out of the door.

The doc was very pleased with how we are bringing the asthma under control but he feels it is too soon for me to be attempting a marathon, and I did not this time protest. I know he is right. It would be too much for me and it is not worth the risk. I think as far as the asthma goes I need time to get used to how it feels and what certain feelings mean - to recognise when all is well in the breathing factory and when I am at risk. At the moment I am at the start of that learning process, but I am learning fast!!

My goal being removed I found I had absolutely no desire to run. This in turn made me pretty miserable, although it was good medicine to have a few days away last weekend with my cousins Emily & Christina down in Leeds. Had a great time away from running and all running related things (although I did go for a run with Jasper!)

Since returning home I have reset my sights and have signed up for a half marathon in mid June here in Cumbria, and I still have the two 10k's already booked for April. Lincoln on 3rd and Langdale on 17th or something. So I really needed to pull on the Asics and get on with it.

Decided to hit a route which is on my way home from work. Tallentire.

When I first took up running I lived in Cockermouth and I didn't want people to see me huffing and puffing through the town so I went just up the road and ran round these lovely quiet villages, well hamlets really of Bridekirk and Tallentire. I remember using my first HRM here - a polar which I loved, and it was here that I pushed myself like mad to run for a whole two minutes before the respite of a walk for one minute! I was hooked.



So this was the place for me to start again. All those massive hills I had remembered were now just inclines! Ha ha, I loved it being back on these quiet tracks with the beautiful view of the snow capped fells around, and lambs springing along in every field. Lovely. And the running? Started off great, felt fab and was going at a reasonable pace too, lovely. This is exactly what I hoped to take from this run today and it would put me back in the game and I can start training again with a fresh perspective.

But then I started wheezing and by heart rate elevated and I weakened and weakened and it got harder and harder. Ventolin required. Oh dear. It was VERY cold and maybe that was the issue but I had a lot of problems and had to stop-start a bit. I confess to finding this very upsetting but I pushed on to 4 and a half from the original 6 I had intended. It would have been folly to have gone farther. Back at the car and driving on home I started to get very congested and when I got to the house I required a few further hits of my inhaler before it came back under control.

Depressing, but as I said, a learning curve. I am not going to run tomorrow but will hope to on Tuesday, just a short one. I need to get the feel of this, as I think I should have been able to identify signs that today was not a run day. I will get there, but I beleive it would be sensible of me to withdraw from the 10k in 3 weeks time. In the words of my doctors, it's just too soon Sarah.

Ullock Eighteen

Ouch. Have had really bad problems with leg cramps past two days, and consequently even walking is an ordeal at the moment. It has been suggested that the steroid for the asthma may cause this and that it's something to do with Potassium levels... I dunno, but I will have to look into it, cos this was really painful so if I can fix it by eating a few sultanas it will be well worth it!

As if it was ever gonna be easy anyway!! Drew my little map out as usual and set off in sunshine once again. The hills were particularly brutal on my already hurting muscles, but I did the best I could - walked some bits but ran most of it. Hah. Good job I took my map with me, nearly went the wrong way in Ullock (oo er that would have added on a few miles, gulp)




Never once had to reach for the inhaler, breathing absolutely fine, even on the hard work bits. Will it last? I hope so, I'm not squirting this stuff down my throat every morning and night for nothing y'know.

Well, now I shall apply some after sun cream before taking Jasper out for his walk (helps to keep my legs from seizing up too). definitely gained a fair few freckles on the way today (try saying that after a few) and then I am gonna watch the Rugby and have a few beers. Cos I reckon I earned it today.

:-)

Eight miler

After the long run on Saturday it took a full 24 hours for my breathing to recover, although otherwise I felt great - particularly in my spirit!! The knock on from that was that I was concerned at how I would be after my next run and with having to consider work as well I became a little wary of running in the week. On top of this I was very very tired too and in the event I had lots and lots of sleep instead!

It's pretty unusual for me to lie in but I did so on both of my late shifts this week, so this morning, my third and final late shift of the week, I decided to go for the 8 miler and test the water. I felt fine and my lungs felt fully functional, the steroids have had two full weeks to kick in, so this is the moment of truth.



The only problem I had on the whole run was with tightness in my calves, I guess due to the lack of running over the past fortnight really, so I stopped a few times to do some quality stretches in the hope that would help for a longer run this weekend. I had taken some Ventolin prior to the run as a preventative measure but I never even thought about using it during the run or afterwards. I think that's a first, so I am very pleased.

Also I was able to allow my HR to increase a little so that at times (the uphill bits) I was breathing quite hard, but I still had no problems whatsoever.

Verrrrrry pleased. If this keeps up then I may yet be able to climb back into my training schedule. We shall see how I get on with a long run this weekend, I am a bit worried at having missed some of the shorter runs, but I'll try to tackle it with the same frame of mind as last weekends 16 and see how I get on.

Sweet Sixteen

Okay, so the doc told me I am not to run, but he also gave me some new medication to help me. Now I know the steroids take time to build up and have an effect, and I rather stupidly thought that I could try a little run on Wednesday morning. It was a disaster and left me feeling that I had absolutely no chance of being able to make the marathon in May. I think I still feel that really.

I was a little subdued.

But then I woke up this morning and I felt fine and strong and the sun was shining and, and, and oh well - you get the picture.

With it firmly in my head that the long runs are the most important I decided to go for it and see how I got on.

As I chugged out the first mile I can't tell you how great I felt. Of course, my legs were fresh from not running in the week, but just everything felt really great. I promised myself I would try to keep my heart rate at a sensible level and to walk if necesssary, take ventolin if necessary, but get round if I felt I could.


So I did walk bits now and then and I stopped once or twice to regroup, take a couple of puffs, or to take a layer off when the sun got really strong... but I made it and I feel bloody marvellous. I am still struggling with my breathing a bit and I am wheezing quite a bit while I am typing this, but it's manageable and I am hoping that the steroids will continue to build up an it will get easier.

Guess I'll just have to wait and see how it goes, but I'm not totally discounting Edinburgh for another week. At least its flatter than this...

Dog Tired!

Okay, so here's the story...

I visited the doctor yesterday regarding the asthma thingy and he has decided that I need to also take a steroid inhaler as a preventative - this was because I have been waking up with breathing difficulties and the issue seems to be occuring irrespective of whether I run or not, which is not how it seemed before.

Because he is concerned that my symptoms are worsening he has insisted that I must not run until he has had the opportunity to consult with his colleagues over the best course of action. Despite my pleas he would absolutely not budge on this, and has told me that I should consider that the marathon may not be a possibility for me.

Uh huh.

Unfortunately it is the weekend and I am due a long run...

So I woke up this morning feeling okay and thought, knickers to it, I'm gonna give it a try and if I get into trouble I will walk. Hmmph. So I got my kit out and made a pre-run coffee....and then I realised that the doc was right. I really don't want to get into the sort of difficulties I was having last week and the steroid inhaler will not take effect immediately, so I am in danger of being in the middle of nowhere having an asthma attack which the Ventolin won't clear and okay, so I have a phone but I can't bloody speak!!!!!

Change of plan. Jasper....'Get your lead'



The poor dog enjoyed the long walk up til about mile 11 and then he asked for food and I knew he was out of energy. Bless him, but he knows me well enough to know I would have supplies with me, so I fed him up a little and we continued.

It's harder walking this sort of distance than it is running it - my feet are killing me, and I couldn't wait to sit down as soon as I came in the door!! I know you can't train to run a marathon by walking, but in my mind it allows me to keep the faith and that's all I can ask at the moment.



I did take this opportunity to try out the Camelbak which I have acquired for my long runs (!) and I was quite pleased with it. Very comfortable, no wobble or slosh and the mouthpiece doesn't dribble at all, even though my own may do from time to time. Very impressed. I have used a hydration back pack before but it was a cheaper version - this one is the real thing and I was very impressed with it. It also had room for Jaspers bits and pieces including his water bottle. I tried out the High 5 zero tabs that MuN recommended and found that to be very refreshing, although I do think I should have taken food with me on this venture as I started to feel a little light headed in the last two miles.

On the review note, a quick mention about the 305 now that I have used it a few times. A few people have criticised the way it 'moves round' on your wrist so you can't see the face easily... I used to thave that problem with the 405 as well, and I think to be fair it's just to do with gravity really. If anything the bulk of the 305 lessens this issue, but I would agree that the thing is uncomfortable to wear. If you wear the strap tight enough to stop it slipping round it feels like you are in handcuffs, well cuff then, but it really isn't anything particularly worth writing home about. I am still pleased with it, although I still wish they did them in something other than red....

Zero miles

Okay, here's the story...

The weather up until today has been not very good at all and this seems to have given me some pretty serious problems breathing-wise. I really shouldn't have pushed the 4 miles out on Tuesday as it knocked me up really badly and I had problems through the night and all of yesterday.

Today, while I have woken up with just a bit of wheezing, rather than gasping for air like yesterday, I know it would be ridiculous to even think about running. I am only firing on a couple of cylinders at the mo, and I can't risk it worsening. On the bright side - I have actually only missed one four miler so far, on the less than bright side... well, a lot depends on the weather.

We shall see, but I remain optimistic!!

Four Miler....

Okay, so I skipped the routine 4 miler last night, knowing I could sneak it back in tonight instead as this was otherwise gonna be a rest day, but I dithered about whether or not to leave it again as I had been having a bit of trouble through the day with my breathing...

When it came to it, I decided it really was best if I did the run today, rather than put it back again, but it was an error of judgement and I really had a lot of problems on the way round, having to stop for a lengthy period at one point to regain some control over my breathing. I should have turned back but I refused to and instead bullied myself round. When I got home my breathing was as a level which warranted a call to the out of hours doc, but I promised myself if it got ANY worse I would ring... and eventually it began to ease.



This is not good. Not good at all, but I see the doc on Friday so will see what he has to say.

Of course, the inevitable question was 'Why on Earth did you not just turn back' but my fellow runners will understand even if they too cannot actually put together the words to make an answer. I'm concerned, but determined to not be defeated by this, I really think the weather is just not good at the mo....

:-|

Wind free ten

Okay, well just in case you didn't notice, I was supposed to run 4 miles yesterday and 6 today, but the weather was dreadful yesterday - very very windy - and I decided it was not safe to go out in it. Truly it wasn't, branches and other stuff flying everywhere, so then my plan became to run the 4 this morning and then push out another run of 6 in the evening.... and then I thought, well, why not do it all in one go and put in another ten miler instead. After all, I missed a few long runs over November/December so it won't hurt.

And so it came to pass....



I struggled to get warmed up really, troubled by a tight right calf again and also with my breathing, but settled into it eventually and thoroughly enjoyed this run.

Next week I am starting to be a bit more strict on my diet as it has kind of gone up the swannee and I really could use shifting a few pounds. Other news... I am back at the doc on Friday to review my progress with the asthma, and I have entered the St George's 10k again at Langdale. (It was only a fiver as they had to cancel the Christmas Pud one, so thought it would be churlish to not enter. I have adjusted the training plan to slot that in) and I did post this news on Facebook, but haven't mentioned here that I have already got a ballot place for this years Great North Run, which is my birthday weekend. OMG will I really be THAT old this year :-(

Just a six miler...

This felt a lot easier going than last nights run, not having been on my feet all day beforehand seemed to make quite a lot of difference!



Weather could only be described as atrocious though, gales and horizontal rain.... very cold with it. Wasn't tooooo bad until turning out onto the A595 to return home and the wind was full on in my face and besides making it hard graft, I couldn't see a darned thing! Had to stop for breath once or twice and found it difficult to even stand in it, so I wasn't too hard on myself for feeling like I was struggling over the last mile and a half.

The legs felt fine today, much more relaxed and comfortable, so I am pleased with that. Rest day tomorrow, but for now - must dash, gotta take Jasper for a walk before I dry out too much!

An Arduous Eight

It was a long eleven hour day at work, with an hour's drive either end and then just time for a coffee before going straight out for this 8 miler. A big ask on tired legs and I had one or two discussions with myself along the way, but eventually settled into it.

Heck, I got there one way or another! This is the longest run this week, and next week is an easy week til the Saturday, so I can relax now and have a bit of a breather (!) My main issue tonight seemed to be with a bit of tightness in my calves, so once I had got thoroughly warmed up and done some stretches it went a lot easier. Maybe I should make a point of remember to do some stretching post run, I guess it might be helpful.

Anyway, here it is.

I was clearly jammy with the weather last week for my annual leave - a whole week of sunny clear days, not a breath of wind - ah, heavenly. But today it's back to the real world with gusty wind and rain and brrrrrrr coldth (that's a technical term which means it was well chilly).

Anyway, the first run of this week is a six, so I set off knowing exactly where I was going and then went wrong by turning right instead of left at the top of my road, then turned right too soon.... oh blinky bonky, what the...? Fortunately I was able to read my mileage much easier on the 305's bigger display screen to tell me that I just needed to make a tiny detour to make up the missing yards!



I am pretty sure that it was this sort of weather that I found before gave me the most problems with my breathing, and I certainly struggled tonight too. Had to stop a few times and take a puff or two, and had to take recovery time afterwards as well, so not good at all, but I managed to get round okay and apart from in the lung department everything felt good. This felt like I was taking it easy, which was my intention, so that's okay.

I'm very pleased to be still on track, and feeling strong, so February - bring her on.

:-)