Week 4/17

Day 22/119

2014: 
It was an early night last night for me - a day of inactivity is much more knackering than I thought

The morning brought a 40 minute jog and, to be quite honest, I didn't really fancy it

The weight loss did give me a bit of a boost though so off to the gym I went

There was only one treadmill free, second from the right, with a small woman running on the far right

I joined and within 30 seconds of starting the 6 runners to my left were clearly only warming up for a class as they all left simultaneously, making me look like a right treadmill idiot as it was just us 2 left

But what could I do? If I stopped and moved along one it would be like me saying she stank  - there was nothing for it but to keep on running with an apologetic look on my face

Legs and heels still hurt but as usual they both eased after a few minutes - this is starting to be the norm which is a shame but as long as it doesn't get worse, I'll keep on going

Start Weight - 84.4 kg
Last week Weight - 82.5 kg
Current Weight - 81.2 kg
Weekly Loss - 1.3 kg
Overall Loss - 3.2 kg

2011:
It's official - I've hurt my foot. To be fair it wasn't bad through today's 40 min jog but this evening the top of my left foot is aching. I do admit that sitting through AFCB nervously winning today as both feet froze over may have had something to do with it but it's worth it for a win. At the gym 2 women started to cycle in front of me and for the 20 minutes they were there, not a bead of sweat was shed between them and I was thankful my audio book drowned out their constant chatting. If you want to get fit, go to the gym, if you want to catch up, get off to the coffee shop.

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Day 23/119

2014:
Another early wake up makes me wonder if I'll ever have a proper night's sleep - maybe I'm excited to be going to work?

Unlikely - probably just wind.............

It's Kieren's birthday today so for my cross training I decided to do 30 minutes of pilates down in the squash court at lunch time

When you are down there with other people doing the same thing you feel stupid but you're bullet - proof as there is safety in numbers

Today, on my own, I did feel very vulnerable as this was a new routine and I was even more hopeless than before

It didn't help that I kept jumping at the sound of voices - desperately hoping no-one went to the viewing gallery for a laugh

To be fair having finished, I did feel better for doing it

That didn't last long though as afterwards I had to get changed next to the guy representing England in the Commonwealth games in the Marathon

Physique wise I think I have a better appreciation of why I'm so slow - just another 10 kg to lose then.....

2011:
So last night was the last night of my holiday. The kids were going to school today though so it meant a 6:30 rise. The only sensible way forward would be an early night....but the cricket's on, surely watching an over or so wouldn't harm? So, at 2 am I figure now's the time to get to bed and after an hour of getting to sleep and 3.5 hours solid sleep I awoke thoroughly exhausted. Just the right condition for the 30 minute cycle. I waded through treacle for the full 30 minutes and after Joss woke me up on the stretching mats I was glad I had done it. Hopefully tomorrow's sprints will involve more sweating and less snoring....

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Day 24/119

2014:
After a fantastic Belgium v USA game last night it meant I was completely shattered this morning

Today it was 12 x 400m sprints at the gym - not the news I was looking for

To be honest, half way through I started to wonder whether I'm just getting better at this or whether the pain I'm in is just accepted and now ignored

I'm going to be positive and say it's the former because the cardio work genuinely IS starting to feel easier

Lugging a bit less weight must be helping and sticking to the plan is the other not so secret ingredient

Or maybe it is the pilates kicking in - although I'm not seeing much improvement in those sessions

Best of all - it's my turn for an early night tonight - I'm so rock and roll......

2011:
It's surprising what 8 hours of uninterrupted alcohol - free sleep can do for you - I woke up feeling almost human - I did say almost.... Today was my first day of the year back at work so it came as an even greater pleasure to leave early to go to the gym. Today was interval speed runs - 12 x 400m with a 2 minute gap between each run. Much harder than yesterday - I must have looked a right fool though because at the end of each run I had to write the time down the time because by the time I'd downed some water I'd forget what time I had to start again. A mixture of adrenalin and old age I guess. The age theory was confirmed as I pulled a calf muscle whilst doing the stretching exercises designed to stop me pulling muscles. I don't think it's too bad though and tomorrow is a rest day so should be ok

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Day 25/119

2014:
Woke up this morning feeling better than I'd felt for ages - surprising what a decent night's sleep can do for you

Today was a 30 minute jog and we had to experience the always fun "changing room swap" day

No fewer than 2 women were caught by surprise by going into the wrong one although one of them looked a little too pleased with herself for me to view it as a total accident

I wasn't in the changing room at the time by the way - just as well, I wouldn't wish that on anyone

The  jog went the usual way of hurting initially then getting better - I guess it's better that it's that way rather than the other way but I do wish I could just exercise without pain, just to make a pleasant change

2011:
REST DAY! REST DAY! REST DAY! How I look forward to Thursdays. I even managed to eat a running book-recommended bagel for lunch - life doesn't get much better than this!

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Day 26/119

2014:
Last night I went to the pub with a mate and sat there drinking diet coke as he quaffed Amstel then rum - this had better all be worth it

It was cross training for 30 minutes today and I decided to have a go at swimming

It's something that I've never been good at and it was reassuring to know that I'd not got better......

What I hadn't counted on is a group of octogenarians (4 to be precise) deciding to swim in formation, one to the side of the other

I'd already adjudged that I was too slow even for the slow lane so I had no choice but to swim in the slipstream of this wrinkly man made barrier - all along thinking "just how wrong would it be for me to tell them to get out of the bleeding way"

My manners wouldn't allow that to happen though so had to wait until the coronation street conversation was so riveting they decided against the swimming part altogether and huddled in the corner of the pool

As I fear putting my head in the water (I know, girl) and I can't do crawl I had to perform the awkward looking breast-stroke which resulted in a crick in the neck that took until lunchtime to shake off

Still, at least it wasn't my legs that were hurting ......

2011:
It takes all different sorts of things to wake different people in the morning. We've all got our preferences. Some people like the smell of coffee, some the sound of rain against the window. For me, it is the eye popping smell of an old man exercising next to me. That unmistakeable heady combination of tobacco, cumin and a trace of wee is just the sort of cocktail I need when I'm gasping for air whilst doing some weights. Difficult as it was through the tears in my eyes, I wished him a good workout as I hurried away to be sick. The only consolation was that he didn't follow me to the mats because my stretching takes ages and had he joined me at the start of it, it may well have finished me off. May have to rethink what I do on these Cross - Training days.....

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Day 27/119

2014:
Another 5am Saturday alarm and the weather was cool and cloudy which is perfect for a 13 mile run

I added a banana to my painkiller pre-run routine to see if that gave me any extra energy and had tropical flavour gels instead of orange for the run so it really was all change :-)

The coolness certainly brought out the runners this morning - I think I spent as much energy waving and nodding politely as I did running

Running is a good stress reliever and I spent the first 5 miles going over EXACTLY what I'd like to say to a few "colleagues" so the miles just flew

By the time I'd reinacted a few choice arguments and noticed the distance, I realised that I hadn't really been in any pain - you know what, this was all coming together

That epiphany was short-lived however as it was clear my anger had just distracted me sufficiently not to notice

I had a full mile of feeling I could run all day and wish I was allowed to run faster before this time BOTH thighs started to hurt and I went from wishing to run quicker to wondering how I was running as fast as I was

Conditions were great, I had plenty of water but I just felt rubbish - I'm hoping that the lack of sleep was the cause

The last 5 miles were really tough and I was so pleased to have made it

How I am going to run that distance 90 seconds per mile quicker then do it all again for the full marathon Lord alone knows

I'm putting all my faith in the plan that says this is where I should be after 4 weeks - I finished the run and it was 2 miles longer than last week so if I say it often enough, I'm still on track :-)

2011:
So, today was the first outing for my new running pants and utiltiy holster style belt to carry my drink and energy gels. If I keep going at this rate I'll look like robocop by the time the race starts. The belt was a huge success and has given me confidence that I'll be able to carry all the stuff I'll need on race day. The pants were rather less successful - but you really don't want to know why. Maybe their first outing should have been on a lesser run that the 13 miles of today!!! I started off quicker than last week with the thought that I'd probably slow down to a reasonable pace which would stop me speeding up at the finish. The wind didn't help but the moans from Joss as she rode into its teeth served to buck me up. Again the last 2 miles were very painful and I wish that I didn't live on a hill because   all roads leading home are uphill and that is the last thing you need. Nothing quite matches that feeling of elation / relief when the 13 mile counter finally ticks over. The time was good but I was completely spent at the end. Stretching afterwards produced a level of tears / wimpering that really doesn't befit any one other than a six year old girl. A bath seemed to ease the pain it's just a shame that the batchroom is upstairs because it took me 20 minutes to negotiate the 15 steps downstairs. At this moment I simply can't envisage me running that far, turning around and running back. These next 13 weeks of training must be miracle workers

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Day 28/119

2014:
Today has NOT been a good day

I went out last night with friends we haven't seen for a while and sensible, healthy choices were not made

That and a paltry few hours sleep means I just don't know whether the pain and tiredness I've felt today was from training or from last night

I'm hoping for the latter, as this is temporary but fear it might be the former

Never have I needed a rest day more than today and my weigh in tomorrow should be the kick up the backside I need to start taking this a bit more seriously - I'm no spring chicken, after all............

2011:
Spent last night celebrating the run with chips and wine. That was the mantra Joss and I chanted as we faced each hill or headwind. The true secret of my success. As a result, feeling a little sluggish today and grateful for the rest day that is a Sunday