Yume No Chikara

Well the festive season is upon us! Work Christmas do this week (no I am not going!), RW East Midlands Social next Friday (yes I am going!), Snow this week and the decorations are starting to be seen! Due to husbands shift pattern I have to take some time off at Christmas to look after Gnome which means I have almost 3 weeks off, and the week before that I am collecting him from school. So I am going to take advantage of this and try to kick in some cross training and also work on my healthy eating and hopefully lose some weight and get some good habits formed (well they say it takes 21 times to create a habit don't they!) So I have drawn up a short of plan . Spans is currently on the bench due to an eye injury so I am assuming levels as they have been! With just 52 days until Brass Monkey I need to get as much fitness in as possible and seeing as I have the exercise bike and the tready in the garage I should use them! Tonight I have tready hills .... Warm up 4 sets of 90 secs at 3

Saw the Dr yesterday and well .... She can't see anything, commenting that if it bleed yesterday (as in Sunday) there should be a scab which either means she doesn't believe me (!) or that the bleed point is lower down that she can see. I now have an ENT referral which BUPA will pay for (as long as the consultant is BUPA registered!!!), NHS referral would take 2-3 months. I'm starting to worry about BM too as I keep on missing long runs and apart from that 9m at the relay I've not done passed 7m (and I don't think I could have done another 4m then). Anyway kit is by my desk here, and I will plod at lunchtime. It's chilly but not icy or cold so I have no excuse. As for BM, well anything under 2hr 59:34 is a PB and although I wanted 2:30 it is seeming more and more unlikely. So I will run and enjoy it and hope for a nice new shiny PB. Been plodding: 3.7m in about 45 mins (48mins including 2 shoe stops, road crossing stops and 1 long stretch stop) Started off bad (

To say I feel a bit down and depressed today would be an understatement. I'm totally and utterly pissed off and fed up and annoyed and crap. Just crap. Utterly fecked off to be honest. Those who know me will realise that this is so not me and therefore realise how fecked off I must be. This morning. Get up. Have breakfast ready for long run. Walk to paper shop to A) check out weather and B) stretch legs. I walk down the hill working out what to wear as it isn't that cold actually. I ponder when my next hill work will be (this is the hill I use) and work out which week of my plan I am on (do I need to hassle Spans for a new plan!). Then I carry on happily "running through" today's planned run. New route so no expectations of time. It's a good day for a long run. I've been 5mins and yes you guessed it my fecking nose starts to bleed. I've only got 2 manky old torn tissues in my pocket so decided to get the paper from the Tesco express (and some tissues)

1) just because it is really cold outside does not mean you need to run faster 2) do not pay attention to road side adverts 3) maybe, just maybe it's worth paying attention to hints from your body Shall I explain?? 1) Ok so the weather man said 3, wind chill -3. I plan ahead and layer up. Get outside and think "hmmm slight chill in the air" and off I go ..... 10:30-11mm pace. 5mins in and schedule says 1min walk, walk to traffic lights and stretch against them. Cross road and carry on. Stretch again (remind myself about slower warm up to wake legs up preventing sore shins/calves thanks to tight muscles.) Cross next road. Stop stretch. Look up ... 2) see road side advert for some beer .... "Go that Extra Mile!" was the wording. So off I go again. Again I go off at 11mm pace ish. 5mins later I'm stopping for another stretch and a walk and changing steady run into a walk/run/trot/thump "at least I got out there" session. Finally no.3 This week I ran T

Yesterday and today I seem to have been taken over by some kind of head hugger from Aliens! The rest of my body is fine (well I didn't eat any tea last night so not fine as such!) but my head is awful! Tender throat, snotty stuffed up nose (and yes I have taken sudafed!) and my head feels like someone has a vice on it with tightness and ache from my eyes up. Last night I must have had 2hours sleep max! My head was just all over the place. I watch Rome on the BBC last night (as I have the last 4 wks) and then did some sudoku to relax (not unusual). Whilst trying to get to sleep I was having visions of Romans doing sudoku and I was working it out myself yet every time I moved I lost the numbers! Then I was up at 4 taking drugs as my head was hurting too much and my throat was sore. I put on my Paul McKenna CD (usually relaxes me so much I fall asleep listening to it) and I was still awake. Then I started hearing songs in my head and trying to work out if they were suitable for 11-12m

Woke up feeling "coldy" ... tender throat, tired and headache. Decided the headache was due to lack of drink the night before as I was talking to Duck for 90mins! So had some paracetomol and drink and packed my kit! My reasoning being that even if it was a cold it was not "on my chest" so no harm in running and anyway the fresh air would do my head good! Spent most of the morning feeling pants too. Headache has still there despite drink and drugs but I had my kit so off I went.1.2m in and the batteries on my GPS died! This meant it was me and the smog filled roads and my watch. As I alter my route slightly every run (so I don't compare splits!) I didn't really know the distance or pace. I did know that when I got to the Ford garage that the office was just over 1m away and I had about 13mins left when I got there. Problem was that it wasn't much further before my legs said "you are having a laugh!" and I started to flag. As I knew I was having

Having had yet another shite day at work I decided to slip in a quick speedwork session today seeing as hubby was off to work early, Gnome was at BB and I wanted to watch Rome on Wednesday! Problem was time was short! So ... dead quick (too quick) warm up 400m @8.5 2mins walk/jog 600m @8.5 2mins walk/jog 800m @8.5 STOP stick on extra layer, woollen hat, gloves, put away tready and put on ruck sack (containing another layer and fleece!) run 1/2m to BB by doing farlek on ice and an effort up nasty short steep hill. STOP at BB scare little girl by looking like a weirdo and then putting down bag and starting to add layers! cool down by walking home with Gnome! So a varied session! But a good one that finished off rather chilled! Plan is to do 40mins at work tomorrow. Rest Wednesday and then wrap up for a longer run at work (possibly in the snow!) on Thursday. Oh and I have a Dr appointment for next Monday 9.10. Yes I know it's a week away but I asked to see ths same doc who I saw befo

Spent 5hrs shopping today and I can now say that Christmas is 90-95% done but I also can say I'm was knackered! My legs ached My right hip flexor (?) area at the front of my hip hurt Slight twinge in top of right quad (had this a couple of times running long runs) Then this evening I'm noticing my hip more and my right knee. As it's all down the right side I'm guessing something is wrong. Also wondering if this is anything to do with that back problem I had as the massage lady said I had had a spasm on the right side of my back. I think I will be calling the Dr and saying Fix me nose please! Physio appointment please! I did mention on the forums the other day that I had been having a pain in my right butt some nights too! Thank god for BUPA is all I can say! I'm a bit down about this as things were coming together nicely and yesterday I was really up for a good long run and I was starting to re-gain some confidence. Now I'm getting fed up and down again. Anyway

Plan : Long Run - 90mins 7.5-8m Actual : 2m - total 27mins Due to hubby being asleep (working nights) I didn't venture out until 12:30. It was crisp and clear with some pavements still covered in frost. Still cold but good running weather. Dressed in capri legs and long sleeved top with gloves and my standard baseball hat and sweat bands (a must for any of my runs whatever the weather - unless I need to wear my wool hat!) I ventured out happy that although I was cold I was running so would warm up and be fine. So off I went, the plan being, up to Oakthorpe, back to Measham, down to Snarestone and back round to Measham through the back roads making about 8m. Originally I was going to do this the other was round finishing in Oakthorpe. But for some reason I decided on this route. Literally 4-5mins into my run having already slipped up a couple of times on the pavement (!) I went to wipe my nose with my hand due to cold weather nose drip. Only it wasn't cold weather nose drip, it

It was -2 when I left home at 8:45 this morning (school run!) which was a tad cold! It was 2 when I got to town! I can't see it being much about 5-6 by lunchtime. So today I have a long sleeved top packed again! I used tights yesterday and they felt welll tight! So I'm back to my capri legs today. I will be running a new route today so I don't know what time I will do or indeed the distance but over 4m. I will report back this afternoon after I have thawed out! >>shivering pixie sits down at keyboard<< very very cold 12.22, 12.01, 11.50, 13.09 (1min trying to cross the road!), 4.13 av pace 12:25 av hr 172 (78%)

Yesterday was Wednesday which meant speedwork day. I had to do some shopping at lunch which meant a tready run. Unfortunatly I didn't get to do my run when I got home. So I thought "I'll run when hubby goes to work tonight!" but Duck called and didn't put the phone down until 11pm and NO I was not running then! I got up today and the car is white with frost. So tights packed for a lunchtime session but not sure about top ... tee or sleeves??? I will report back later! Take 1 cold day and 1 very crap morning at work and you get a dodgy speedwork session! Started off fine but I was running far to hard - I looked at my watch and saw 9.XX 2-3 times within my 1st 3 sets meaning that after the 3rd set I needed to stop and stretch! Overall thought it was fairly good though. The legs really ache in the "damn hard session" way which is good! Was a bit up and down pace wise but that's what comes from a stressy run! Anyway 3.8m done! Due to carp day at work tod

Yesterday the leg were most displeased with me. They spent all day complaining about the hills from Sunday and the hard work which they had to do. Every time I stood up they screamed and I was not a happy pixie! My mind wandered back to long runs of 10+ miles for marafun training and it seemed hard to recall and impossible to consider! Today I got up and yes they legs were sore but I could move! So the kit was packed and put in the car for a munchtime run. Goal today was 3m in 40mins! Pathetically slow but I knew the legs would complain so I wanted to set a goal I felt I could achieve!! Lunchtime came and off I went. I think I managed 3 maybe 4 mins before I felt the tired burning leg sensation that follows a hard session (how does Benz do all those marafuns and long runs!?!). Me being me I carried on very slowly and 40:13 later I ground to a halt. Mission accomplanised! Time: 40:13 Distance: 3.238m Av. Pace :12.26 Splits: 12.32,12.44,12.19,2.38 Result - happy pixie and sore legs!! Sh

When you work hard you achieve your dreams.

just recieved this by mail from a fellow blogger. I want to share it so everyone can benefit as I have. I've wiped my tears away and I've printed this up so when I am getting sulky and down I will read this and remember .... Aim High! (how appropriate is that name!) Don't EVER think that you any any less of a runner than anyone else Kim, You show a dedication and determination that puts many people to shame. You have a goal for your marathon time which is truly amazing - and I am inspired by it..We all have our dream peaks (sorry about the mountain reference again - I'm a mountaineer too!) - and they are a reflection of who we are and what we are able to acheive - for ourselves - and anyone who can't see the value of that endeavour is blind indeed.When you run your next pb - to me that is as phenomenal an achievement as any world record..and I will bounce up and down like a mad thing at the thought of it - and I get pretty animated when I'm excited about somethi

But a great day! Last night I went to bed at 10:30 which would give me 8hrs sleep. Last night I woke up at least 5 times and turned my alarm off and started to get dressed at 3:10! At which point I realised it was pitch black outside as it wasn't time to get up! So I was tired! Anyway when I did get up it was breakie and final sort of kit then off at 8. The journey there was fine and traffic free and I didn't get lost once! What I did notice was that the country around was somewhat undulating! Anyway got there in one piece and it wasn't quiet as cold as expecting! The next 30 mins or so was taken up with team manager Beanz sorting us all out. I was to do Leg 2. Looking around I noticed several Ivanhoe Runners (my club) and I got a few glares! One lady (Eve the former Ladies Captain) did say hello and ask how I was doing and I took the opportunity to explain I wasn't down at the club as I was 12mm just now and too slow for them! She pointed out she had hardly run and had

I'm strangely nervous about tomorrow. I know it's only 2.5m (x2!) but there will only be a max of 50 runners per leg (only 45 teams last year I think). I'm sure my 12mm pace will be last. I have a lovely casserole (loadsa spuds!) for tea tonight and 2 glasses of wine. I'm now on the non-alcoholic fluids. The lucozade is ready to make and I'm still not sure what to wear! I was going for shorts and vest. Then capri legs and crop top/vest but I'm not sure! If I'm cold/cool I will run faster! But then I don't want to burn up and crash or freeze waiting for the start. If I wear layers will I be too hot .... blah blah blah. Help!! Still not sure what to do "gadget wise". Just watch and guess extra mileage, GPS and stop/start with each warm up, race and cool down, HRM and GPS or just HRM and watch!??!! I'm thinking that I will do leg 1 (1.5m) as a warm up leaving before the race to make sure I am ready. Then stop for some stretches and strides. Th

I am so useless! Speedwork today and I did my best to be consistent but I failed: Mile 1 11:54:11 Mile 2 11:54:09 How crap is that! Totals: 2.66m 30.50mins av HR180 av pace 12.02 So tell me ... today 2.6m in 30 mins but last night was 3.5m in 54mins! Go figure that one out! Weekend goals are Leg 2 sub 35mins (uphill!) and Leg 9 sub 30 (downhill). I will report back Sunday night!!

[stomps feet loudly in a paddy] Yes I'm miffed and for two reasons. Sunday : I asked work mate if he would like to run a leg of the High Peak Relay. I didn't expect and answer then but 30mins later he said yes! I tell Beanz and we now have a team of 10. Today he says he may not be there, wife has other plans, probably note be there, let me know Saturday. Oh you're going to get really cold Sunday! (That will be 8C max and poss rain! Oh lovely!) We'll take that as a No then shall we! Back to me doing Leg 2 and Leg 9 it seems! Running : Of late my runs have been fab by my standards and I've loved them and felt great. I guess it was only a mater of time but today's tready run was the pits. I mean 3.5m but in 54mins. Awful. Legs were "tired" and didn't want to work, mind was wandering and bored, I was boiling hot and it was just horrendous. I just hope this isn't a sign of things to come on Sunday! Tomorrow : Speed-work in my lunch-break and Chinese

Looks like I've now managed to talk my way out of 2 legs by being nice to work mate and letting him do a leg! So I'm now doing leg 2 - 2.5m upward incline which leaves me with the old long run question again! I can't do it tomorrow as I have so stuff to do at work and Gnome to collect. I can do 53mins on the tready but 90 is a no! So this means I will run Leg 2 then add another 60mins on after! Unless mate chickens out in which case I will do Leg 9 again! Or if David R doesn't run and Mr Beanz isn't up to it I would be pre-pared to do that leg too if logistics allowed it! Whoever said this was easy lied! I'm exhausted just trying to work out what's happening! Poor Beanz! She is brave! Todays planned speedwork has been pushed to Friday as I forgot I was working late tonight. By the time I got home it was 7. Gnome goes to bed at 8. A run would have been 1hr including changing time and Gnome would have been murder if I ignored him, went for a run and then put h

So I went to work with my kit, but by 11:30 I had talked myself out of running due to the wind! At 12 I went for a run due to coach Spans and Beanz! Both told me it was fine and it would be good for me! So off I went, and indeed it seemed to be OK apart from the pedestrians who were carrying umbrellas (it was barely raining!) that were getting battered in the wind (and into my face!) oh and the students walking 4 abreast! As I said last week my 1st mile is now a slower mile to warm up. I wasn't clock watching but I wasn't pushing it. Mile 1 finishes by the Uni and then turns off into an estate and the wind! I then turned again into more wind and followed that wind all the way back to the office!! So 40mins after leaving the office I had done 3.3m (40mins also included 3 shoe stops (tight laces hurty foot), 1 nose blowing walking period and several traffic lights which probably acounts for 1-2mins all told). My legs were convinced I had done about 5m and I was exhausted! When I

Sunday's High Peak Relay ... looks like this little Pixie has managed to talk herself into 2 legs! Leg 2 is up hill (2.5m in distance) and Leg 9 over the same course but down hill. So this is my Sunday Long run .... warm up (0.5-1m), race Leg 2, cool down,warm up (0.5-1m), race Leg 9, run/jog Leg 10 to the finish and cool down. Should be a total of about 7.5-8m I think!

Well this week I am racing. It's my 1st race since FLM (well 1st offical race, I did do the Fetch 1Mile but that wasn't a real race was it! More of a time trial really!) and I hope to race rather than just run. I'll still be slow but hey! So what about the rest of the week? Well 2 runs I can confirm are: 40mins steady run (no walks) - tomorrow ??? Speedwork - pyramid session - Wednesday Which leaves my steady run of 53mins and my 90mins long run (circa 7m) but these depend on what is happening on Sunday! If I do just one leg (which I believe is leg 9 @2.5m) then I will race that and trot to the finish (leg 10 @1.5m) which when adding a 1m warm up would give my steady run. This would mean I would then need to find time to do my long run! If I did 2 legs (+ warm up(s) and trot to the finish) then this would be my long run! I would prefer this actually! Quite fancy the challenge of 2 runs! But I will see what team captain Beanz comes up with! Hopefully I will have an answer be

This week has been really good running wise. 4 great runs with better speed than of late and feeling good! I've done more miles this week than since FLM as well. As always though there is a but. It's like this. Monday's long run was because I felt guilty not running last weekend which means that I would be doing 2 long runs this weekend, something that at the time seemed a little significance! Seven days later and I'm tired. I have things to do and the weather is nasty horrid wet and windy. I've already done 4 runs this week and 4 good runs. I've done more miles as well so to do another long run would mean I would be an extra 8m over my previous longest week and to be honest with all the things I have to do and with the weather being so rank (and I still have the tail end of that bliddy cold!) plus 2 restless nights thanks to multiple fireworks going on around us I just don't have the energy or desire to go out and get cold and wet for 90mins. I could go on

What a run! Lets set the scene .... Windy, cold and trying to rain. Me - shorts and vest! oose bumps on goose bumps! Plan was to run on the streets for 2 reasons ... I'm building up my road exposure (legs seem to be happy running on roads now! Phew!) and also I thought that the houses would provide some shelter! 53mins - 5/1/40/1/5/1 So off I go, freezing cold and remembering not to run too fast to start with so I crashed before the end. Every corner seemed to bring the wind! It was either hitting me from the side or head on. Hardly ever a tail wind! I kept away from the school as that was A) hilly and B) old concrete paving slabs. Last time I rain round there I came back limping (2 wks before my physio visit in Feb!) This meant that the route I did was fairly flat but also nearer the main roads so lots of traffic and fumes. I was, however really lucky with road crossings! I only once nearly crossed as the lights changed and only had to stop twice (it takes 15seconds for lights to

Tonight I have hill work!! OK so Spans is being nice to me to ease me into the suffering but it still sounds painful! Warm up 4 sets of 90s uphill jog back Cool Down Bath and Relax! Not going to worry about any gadgets, just me and the watch! Watch this space! Wind swept Pixie .... Tad windy when I got home! Trees kind of bent and lots of leaves blowing about! warm up started off well except the council have decided to bloke an unofficial footparg between 2 roads with a small fence and a line of trees! So I had to hop over the fence! Then I turned the corner and hit a wall of wind! Fortunatly my hill was sheltered! Phew! So I only got wind swept on the warm up and cool down, but it was windy enough to make me cold in my tee and capri legs. I had worked out that I should do about 0.1m in 90secs and that from the front lip of the bottom speed bump and the bottom of the hill, to the house at the top was 0.12m. So I used that as my marker! It took 1.21 -1.22 mins each time so a consistent

Lunchtime run through Loughborough for me today, just because I could! Oh and the canal path would be wet and muddy and I didn't want to get my new shoes dirty!! So offf I went with a planned route in mind and a planned stratergy to run. I decided that the 1st mile would be deliberatly slower as a warm up and that I would then see how I felt. The result?? A FABTASTIC RUN!!! I loved it! Stats showed 3.3m (longest 40mins run this year!) with an average pace of 12:06mm so well pleased! So as you can see the legs seem to be improving. HR was higher than normal but I was also faster so I guess they are related! Looks like each mile was getting faster too so the legs were warming up! My long run was also a lot better on Monday so I am guessing that the old legs really do need a warm up now. This means that I now know how to approach next weeks Relay ... I must do a good 15mins warm up trot before I race. Also if things carry on this way then I will be doing warm ups at both Brass Monkey