As Greenday said "wake me up when September ends" .......... Where have I been for the summer then?
I had grand plans for over the summer. We soaked up the sun in Portugal, we were cultured at
Edinburgh festival, enjoyed our summer (ha ha ha) and my running sort of ticked along ok with a few runs a week. Just little short distances but enough to maintain my fitness.
At the start of August in preparation of my up coming events the Jedi running master had entered me for I was about to up the mileage and then I received word I had to go into hospital for surgery at the end of August. That would wipe out my planned events - ggggggrrrrrrrr. For good measure and to rub salt into my running wounds - I had also just pledged my devotion at the feet of Duncan Bannantyne for at least the next twelve months. I was aware winter would soon be upon me and I would have to move indoors and there is one of his establishements close to where we live that I could use before work as well as evenings and weekends. Money well spent that month!
I am now six weeks post surgery and went for my first run today. Just a short three miler. I had to stop six times, pace was hhhmmmmmmm and the extra weight I am carrying following the surgery - wow did it wobble. As I am typing this I am SORE. I amazed that fitness disappears so quickly.
Really disheartening and disappointed to be where I am but on the plus side I can use this to move forward. I suppose six weeks of recovery and some weight gain is far better than the debilitating side effects of gall stones I suffered for over eighteen months. I am determined to get my fitness back and get the extra weight I am carrying and more back off again. Don't get me wrong it's not a huge amount of weight , but it is enough to ring alarm bells, but hey at least I can recognise that now. Two years ago it wouldn't.
Am now on the hunt for perhaps a 10k early next year.
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Doing it again......
Well I wouldnt say I have gotten the running bug but I am going to do it again.
I have signed up for the Great Scottish run in September. Another half marathon.
Some may say I was fairly positive when the entrance confirmation email arrived for this one. Well when I say positive, I didnt say bad words when I realised Jedi running master had entered us both for it. We had briefly discussed it but as he is one of life's doers (is that a word? -who cares?) he went away and sorted it before my Sauconys had time to recover from 13.1 miles of sweating.
I was fine.
Then someone said "oooooohhhhh yes thats a hilly one" - GREAT. If the heat didnt kill me in the first then the hills will in this.
So my summer will be spent training.
Dont get me wrong the feeling of clearing my head when out running is FAB, but hey I could potentially do that with a bubble bath (after spending at least 10 minutes removing the various plastic toys that now reside in my bath) and a good book (that may now be difficult as my Kindle specifically instructs me not to use it near water) I could perhaps pile up the toys in a beaver dam style fashion and perch the Kindle on top of it?
I have been out doing three or four miles a couple of times a week for the last month so its going to be a struggle getting my head around the longer runs again - bet born to run man will be pleased to see me again!!!!
I have signed up for the Great Scottish run in September. Another half marathon.
Some may say I was fairly positive when the entrance confirmation email arrived for this one. Well when I say positive, I didnt say bad words when I realised Jedi running master had entered us both for it. We had briefly discussed it but as he is one of life's doers (is that a word? -who cares?) he went away and sorted it before my Sauconys had time to recover from 13.1 miles of sweating.
I was fine.
Then someone said "oooooohhhhh yes thats a hilly one" - GREAT. If the heat didnt kill me in the first then the hills will in this.
So my summer will be spent training.
Dont get me wrong the feeling of clearing my head when out running is FAB, but hey I could potentially do that with a bubble bath (after spending at least 10 minutes removing the various plastic toys that now reside in my bath) and a good book (that may now be difficult as my Kindle specifically instructs me not to use it near water) I could perhaps pile up the toys in a beaver dam style fashion and perch the Kindle on top of it?
I have been out doing three or four miles a couple of times a week for the last month so its going to be a struggle getting my head around the longer runs again - bet born to run man will be pleased to see me again!!!!
Sunday, 27 May 2012
Reflection
Thoughts on this process.......
From that first raining very wet three mile run the weeks and miles have passed too very quickly. I have fallen in and out love with running so many times. At times Jedi running master has had to force me to run and on one particular occasion he sent me back out of the house when I hadnt run far enough (boo hiss). Other times I have looked forward to clearing my head and listening to my music away from everything that is my daily routine.
Running in the heat is an absolute killer.
There is a poor man out there who thinks I am crazy singing lady.
There is more to this running lark than just popping on a pair of trainers. I love the Jedi running master for imparting his knowledge and experience. Still wanted to kick his Jedi boy bits sometimes for being so flipping right all of the time, well most of the time ;-)
As with most things in life running is all about the putting the work in and just getting on and doing the preparation.
If someone had had told me eighteen months ago that I would have lost weight and have trained and ran the race I have completed today I would have laughed and called for more cake. Its taken a lot of work and a long time to break down a lifetime of negative attitudes I have built about and around myself. I still don't think I am fully there but know I can now recognise behaviours in myself and others that are negative and dont get me where I want be in life.
From that first raining very wet three mile run the weeks and miles have passed too very quickly. I have fallen in and out love with running so many times. At times Jedi running master has had to force me to run and on one particular occasion he sent me back out of the house when I hadnt run far enough (boo hiss). Other times I have looked forward to clearing my head and listening to my music away from everything that is my daily routine.
Running in the heat is an absolute killer.
There is a poor man out there who thinks I am crazy singing lady.
There is more to this running lark than just popping on a pair of trainers. I love the Jedi running master for imparting his knowledge and experience. Still wanted to kick his Jedi boy bits sometimes for being so flipping right all of the time, well most of the time ;-)
As with most things in life running is all about the putting the work in and just getting on and doing the preparation.
If someone had had told me eighteen months ago that I would have lost weight and have trained and ran the race I have completed today I would have laughed and called for more cake. Its taken a lot of work and a long time to break down a lifetime of negative attitudes I have built about and around myself. I still don't think I am fully there but know I can now recognise behaviours in myself and others that are negative and dont get me where I want be in life.
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| Me in Feb 2011 |
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| Me in May 2012
Will I carry on running? hhhhhhhmmmmmmmm - keep tuned.
|
Pics of the big day
12.9 miles in and my head was down just wanting to finish
My time
Forgot to report on my time........
Well I had set my target of 2 hours 30 mins (well beyond the target of finishing) and I was slightly outside that at 2 hours 35 mins.....am I disappointed?
I finished, it was HOT and it was my first race -EVER - I think I will focus on what I have achieved rather than
worry about five minutes here or there..........
Will I do it again???? Well pre registration opens tomorrow - let me sleep on it, I'll give you answer in the morning........................
Well I had set my target of 2 hours 30 mins (well beyond the target of finishing) and I was slightly outside that at 2 hours 35 mins.....am I disappointed?
I finished, it was HOT and it was my first race -EVER - I think I will focus on what I have achieved rather than
worry about five minutes here or there..........
Will I do it again???? Well pre registration opens tomorrow - let me sleep on it, I'll give you answer in the morning........................
27 May - EMF!!!!!!!
What a flippin day!
Today was THE day - the EMF half.
I had went to bed relatively early although I have to admit I had one small glass of wine (ignoring that particular paragraph in my book). I had a pretty restless night sleep and was awake before the 6am alarm call.
After the Jedi running master force fed me porridge; energy drink we made what seemed like a very long 13 mile journey to the start line.
I was nervous to say the least and it was very overwhelming to see THOUSANDS of other people all waiting to start. I also had to pee in the most disgusting portaloo in the world. It reminded me of a stunt once performed on Jackass eeeeeeewwwwwww! I was thankful however that although it was warm the sun was having a lazy sunday lie in behind the clouds.
The nerves really got the better of me and I could have cried but we eventually all got going. I was nervous and it wasn't helped seeing people pulling out at only 1.5 miles in and by 2 miles there was people walking. However the first five miles were ok. I found a surrogate Jedi running master and although she didnt know it I followed her most of the way for all those miles. Does that technically make me a stalker?
Then - BAM - The sun got his hat on - hip hip hip hooray. Wow - hot hot hot. I kept running and met a couple of nice ladies along the way and we passed some of the miles talking about how the sun could have waited another hour before its appearance.
By mile 9 I was beginning to struggle thanks to the heat. I no longer could keep up with my surrogate Jedi running master and just began to focus on every half mile. Even my much coveted training music couldnt keep me going. It was very hot and my legs were hurting.
I tried my best and I kept going and I am glad to say I ran and kept running for 13.1 miles. Seeing my boys near the end really spurred me on and its hard to describe the feeling of achievement when I actually crossed the line.
I've only gone and bloody done it Rodney..........
Today was THE day - the EMF half.
I had went to bed relatively early although I have to admit I had one small glass of wine (ignoring that particular paragraph in my book). I had a pretty restless night sleep and was awake before the 6am alarm call.
After the Jedi running master force fed me porridge; energy drink we made what seemed like a very long 13 mile journey to the start line.
I was nervous to say the least and it was very overwhelming to see THOUSANDS of other people all waiting to start. I also had to pee in the most disgusting portaloo in the world. It reminded me of a stunt once performed on Jackass eeeeeeewwwwwww! I was thankful however that although it was warm the sun was having a lazy sunday lie in behind the clouds.
The nerves really got the better of me and I could have cried but we eventually all got going. I was nervous and it wasn't helped seeing people pulling out at only 1.5 miles in and by 2 miles there was people walking. However the first five miles were ok. I found a surrogate Jedi running master and although she didnt know it I followed her most of the way for all those miles. Does that technically make me a stalker?
Then - BAM - The sun got his hat on - hip hip hip hooray. Wow - hot hot hot. I kept running and met a couple of nice ladies along the way and we passed some of the miles talking about how the sun could have waited another hour before its appearance.
By mile 9 I was beginning to struggle thanks to the heat. I no longer could keep up with my surrogate Jedi running master and just began to focus on every half mile. Even my much coveted training music couldnt keep me going. It was very hot and my legs were hurting.
I tried my best and I kept going and I am glad to say I ran and kept running for 13.1 miles. Seeing my boys near the end really spurred me on and its hard to describe the feeling of achievement when I actually crossed the line.
I've only gone and bloody done it Rodney..........
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
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