As previously mentioned by Leon - Sunday is long run day! I haven't done a long run for a few weeks - my last proper one was 13th November (the High Peak Relay) and prior to that was the 31st October. The last 3 excuses have been, nose bleeds after 2.5m, nose bleed before I even started and a cold.
This weekend I was determined as BM is getting closer and closer that I would do a proper long run. I was not going to stop because of a stupid nose bleed (tissues located!) and I was not going to moan for the 1st 1-2m due to horrid tight half asleep legs!
The only snag was hubby is working weekends which meant I had to be home by 9:30 so I had to leave at 7:30 at the latest! Not something I was looking forward to due to lack of light at that time! Oh and not being that warm either!
Last night was restless as I was concerned I would sleep through my alarm, so when it went off a half asleep pixie dragged herself out of bed. I wandered into the spare room and sat on the floor yawning. After Caff's experiment with a hot shower I decided to massage my calves to see if that made a difference - and it did!
Calves done I stood up to blow my nose - you can guess where this is going can't you! Yep nose bleed! I haven't had a bleed for 2wks even with a week of a cold meaning loadsa blowing! Grr.
Anyway I wander down stairs, tissue to nose and sit down in running tights and nighty to drink some lucozade and eat a High 5 sports bar whilst waiting for the nose to behave. This was my breakfast!
By 7:05 I was out of the door! Wow!!
My planned route was down to the bottom of the village, back up then off to the woodland park, round there once and home. The 1st part was not nice! It was still dark and the morning dew laying on the tarmac was greasy from diesel fumes thanks to the lorries that pass this way. The camber is also really bad so I run on the wrong side of the road.
After 40mins I walked to take an energy gel on board. I don't normally take them but seeing as I was pushing to 2hrs and hadn't done a long run for a while I had 2 SIS gels to hand. I walked, gulped and blew my nose then off I went again, and as I did so I realised that the greasy road and adverse camber had made the old right leg a tad stiff. But after a couple of minutes I was fine again.
I knew I was slow and hit 4.5m at the hour. I was starting to notice that my longest run in a month had been 50mins! Somehow everywhere seemed hillier too!
I took a second gel at about 1hr 30 (cunningly worked out so I could walk up a short nasty hill!) and I knew I had about 2.5m to get home and that 30mins should be more than enough! By 1hr 45 I was shoot! Prior to this I had only walked for my gels and 2 shoe stops but now I was on the "run to the red car then walk to the lamp post" strategy.
Strangely despite being exhausted I had no further issues with my nose so I have no idea what so every as to why they happen! But I do have an ENT appointment on 19th December!
I staggered home, stretched for 15mins whilst forcing down 1pint of lucozade recovery drink and eating an Atkins Decadence bar which Fraggle had recommended. Tasty and loadsa protein! Then I was off for a bath, sorry a HOT bath! I was cold, on the verge of shivering, and a hot bath not only warmed me up but meant I could massage my aching and tight calves! Oh and this Pixie does NOT DO COLD BATHS!! :-P
The rest of the day has been uneventful basically because I am too knackered to do much! BM is in about 5wks. I have to get this body in the position that an extra 4m is achievable. I know that today it wouldn't have been! I can't believe I have done what 4 marathons now and here I am struggling with 9m! Still 9m it was and 9m is done! Better than my last few long runs so no complaining!
Today did allow be to work out some things. I will run with my runners aid bottle at BM and drink at the water stations, topping up the bottle if required. I will eat an energy bar before the start and take 3gels with me (SIS because they don't need water) and I will not bother with the GPS or HRM just stopwatch and run. Oh and high 5 belt will be worn because it is just the right size for a packet of handy andys!! Also I will now go and buy that "food flask" as my hot chunky soup for lunch was just what I needed to warm up and fuel up. Today I haven't suffered from my normal post long run munchies so the combination of bar, drink and then soup just over an hour later obviously worked! And now I am off to doze on the sofa again!!
This weekend I was determined as BM is getting closer and closer that I would do a proper long run. I was not going to stop because of a stupid nose bleed (tissues located!) and I was not going to moan for the 1st 1-2m due to horrid tight half asleep legs!
The only snag was hubby is working weekends which meant I had to be home by 9:30 so I had to leave at 7:30 at the latest! Not something I was looking forward to due to lack of light at that time! Oh and not being that warm either!
Last night was restless as I was concerned I would sleep through my alarm, so when it went off a half asleep pixie dragged herself out of bed. I wandered into the spare room and sat on the floor yawning. After Caff's experiment with a hot shower I decided to massage my calves to see if that made a difference - and it did!
Calves done I stood up to blow my nose - you can guess where this is going can't you! Yep nose bleed! I haven't had a bleed for 2wks even with a week of a cold meaning loadsa blowing! Grr.
Anyway I wander down stairs, tissue to nose and sit down in running tights and nighty to drink some lucozade and eat a High 5 sports bar whilst waiting for the nose to behave. This was my breakfast!
By 7:05 I was out of the door! Wow!!
My planned route was down to the bottom of the village, back up then off to the woodland park, round there once and home. The 1st part was not nice! It was still dark and the morning dew laying on the tarmac was greasy from diesel fumes thanks to the lorries that pass this way. The camber is also really bad so I run on the wrong side of the road.
After 40mins I walked to take an energy gel on board. I don't normally take them but seeing as I was pushing to 2hrs and hadn't done a long run for a while I had 2 SIS gels to hand. I walked, gulped and blew my nose then off I went again, and as I did so I realised that the greasy road and adverse camber had made the old right leg a tad stiff. But after a couple of minutes I was fine again.
I knew I was slow and hit 4.5m at the hour. I was starting to notice that my longest run in a month had been 50mins! Somehow everywhere seemed hillier too!
I took a second gel at about 1hr 30 (cunningly worked out so I could walk up a short nasty hill!) and I knew I had about 2.5m to get home and that 30mins should be more than enough! By 1hr 45 I was shoot! Prior to this I had only walked for my gels and 2 shoe stops but now I was on the "run to the red car then walk to the lamp post" strategy.
Strangely despite being exhausted I had no further issues with my nose so I have no idea what so every as to why they happen! But I do have an ENT appointment on 19th December!
I staggered home, stretched for 15mins whilst forcing down 1pint of lucozade recovery drink and eating an Atkins Decadence bar which Fraggle had recommended. Tasty and loadsa protein! Then I was off for a bath, sorry a HOT bath! I was cold, on the verge of shivering, and a hot bath not only warmed me up but meant I could massage my aching and tight calves! Oh and this Pixie does NOT DO COLD BATHS!! :-P
The rest of the day has been uneventful basically because I am too knackered to do much! BM is in about 5wks. I have to get this body in the position that an extra 4m is achievable. I know that today it wouldn't have been! I can't believe I have done what 4 marathons now and here I am struggling with 9m! Still 9m it was and 9m is done! Better than my last few long runs so no complaining!
Today did allow be to work out some things. I will run with my runners aid bottle at BM and drink at the water stations, topping up the bottle if required. I will eat an energy bar before the start and take 3gels with me (SIS because they don't need water) and I will not bother with the GPS or HRM just stopwatch and run. Oh and high 5 belt will be worn because it is just the right size for a packet of handy andys!! Also I will now go and buy that "food flask" as my hot chunky soup for lunch was just what I needed to warm up and fuel up. Today I haven't suffered from my normal post long run munchies so the combination of bar, drink and then soup just over an hour later obviously worked! And now I am off to doze on the sofa again!!
Comments
and running so far
well done
Well done you
:o)
Social was a very pleasent evening - the chocolate brownie thing was just what I needed for my run! OK it was 24hrs too early but it was close enough to justify it!!
Legs are OK today too - I think that was the massage!