Yume No Chikara

Yes still no news on my car which is starting to annoy me a bit. The garage picked the car up last Tuesday. I just want to know what's happening so I can get on. Back to work next Monday and fortunately hubby is on holiday so I can us his car if the want the Ka back. If mine is written off it sounds like about 10days to get a new one as it is under a year old I don't get a cheque. Grrr Update It's not a definite but it does look like the car is a repair job. Only £5400 of work to be done. The report has to go to the engineers who will authorise repair etc. So watch this space but it does look like I have the Ka for another 3-4wks after all.

[Grins from ear to ear] 16m each way! Yep I drove!! Went to fizzio today ... drive there took 40mins 'cos I was scared witless! Slowed down when anyone got anywhere near me and even pulled over to let cars passed. Very nervous but I got there! The hour before leaving I was getting all worked up and clammy but I did it! Fizzio took lots of details and prodded my back then declared I was very very lucky! No damage at all just tense/sore muscles! Phew! So a bit of prodding with "Pain relieving gel" and I was off home. I forgot to ask about running! I did ask before he prodded me but forgot after! But given no damage I think I am safe!! Back in Tuesday so I will ask then!! The drive home was a lot better with my only problem being concentration. It was very hard. Back on the A42 I was a good 6car lengths behind a car (I was doing 50) when he braked - I screamed! Got home and feel asleep for the afternoon exhausted. Then I had the excitement of a MORI poll - yes I know I am s

Well I called up the Dr today and got another appointment with the lovely Dr Kenny. She's very nice and understanding. She confirmed that my list of "aliments!" are perfectly normal! (yeah I can hear you all laugh at the thought of me being normal!). She also said that a visit to the physio is an excellent idea! Which means I am off to see them tomorrow - 11AM appointment. I also have a relaxation tape to help to de-stress, calm down and relax my tense muscles. I also went swimming today - 40 lengths. Going swimming meant I had to drive. Driving meant a morning of stressing and clammy hands! I started off OK and felt in control enough to go on the A42 the 1 junction to get to the other end of Ashby. Then I started to stress and was shaking by the time I came off. Any junction saw me worry and by the time I got to the pool I was close to tears. Being in the pool wasn't much better as I was worried about being hit! Something I have never done before. Took 30 mins to ca

Well the car is in the garage and today I hope to be told it's a write off! Today I also woke up with and ouchy back! Today I am alive and that's what I have to remember! update ... Well the garage didn't call so I called e-sure. Firstly it seems that this accident is regarded as my fault! Great! I try to avoid a collision and it's my fault! I'm guessing they think this as they have no-one to claim the money off. This means that if the car is written off I can't claim the cost of a hire car. If the car is to be repaired the garage will call me and give me an idea of how long. Otherwise the "estimator" will call to negotiate! Personally my back has been niggly today but I still have some dicolfenac from last time so have been taking that. I've also noticed I seem to have a head ache most of the time and my concentration just doesn't exist! I'm also avoiding driving :-( Hey Ho! But as Wendy said that's one accident done and dusted and su

<- Leon sent me a hug! Just what I needed! Today I have had many "if"s going through my head and "thank god"s and "it could have been so much worse..." The forumites went to the pub post race and I declined wanting to get home. Now if I had gone I wouldn't have been on the stretch on the M1 when that car was there. If I hadn't got my entry in on time .... the list goes on. I keep on finding new aches and you start to wonder if they are real. I woke up this morning and it was a case of "right, aches below waist are running above waist are car ... now what hurts?!" My calves are tight and my left heel does seem to be bruised but I don't think the PB caused any further damage! The car is still outside the house - everytime I open the front door it's there. All lopsided and looking sorry for itself. I keep looking over it and thinking "I am so lucky" The pictures of the car below don't really show what happened. Ok so

Well I saw the Dr and she was lovely. BP back to normal and she watch my range of movement but that was about it. Conclusion is I have "muscle trauma" aka whiplash. Apparently 90% of whiplash cases are better within 2 weeks. Forgot to ask about running so Leon/Ruth etc please advise! She told me to take lots of drugs (so no drinking this week!) and take the week off work. Stay pain free and move, don't do neck collars anymore as they stop you moving and make things hurt! Today I have discovered by coughing that the sides of my abdomen hurt. My upper left arm hurts (probably held the wheel too long) and my neck is stiff, mainly left side. The seat belt burn is also very painful! I did snooze this afternoon but woke up as the car span round. Dr did advise that there may be flash backs etc. If I am still sore by the end of the week then go back! Still main thing is I am alive and mainly unhurt. Waiting for garage to collect the rather battered car. As it is under a year old

Saturday night - as predicted no sleep! 4:50 Sunday and I'm up! Breakfast eaten and at 5.30 I decide to leave so I could get there early and put my head down! Open door and discover I need to clear some unexpected ice! Soon off and get petrol and I'm on my way! Only excitement going there was fog as there was only about 3 cars within view at any time! Arrive at 7.50! No one there! Shock! Soon they arrive and I meet up with the normal gang plus Stump from the shorties thread. Get ready and start planned warm up - panic left water in car. Jog back to car doing a few strides to "get blood pumping" as advised by coach. Back at start I think I have lost my phone so again back to the car. Find phone attached to back of my bum bag! Curse and back to start! Then we're off bang on time! As instructed I run the 1st mile then walk the 1st min of each mile. Also I walked through the water stations at 3.5 and 9.5m. The 1st 5m seemed to go too quick, I even checked the distance

New PB of 2:45:12 fantastic race well marshalled etc car crash on way home car a wreck I seem to be OK just very very shaken will report in properly tomorrow

That's right I am not allowed to wibble! No stress or worry or anything! Just nice calm positive thoughts because after all this is just a training run! Today at work it has been very quiet despite half the team not being in! Which has meant I've been bored and also thinking about Sunday! That be the training run I have on Sunday! Thank you all for your warm thoughts and encouragement! Tonight hubby had to be in work for 6 which has meant a long evening with Gnome. He's now in bed and I'm alone. I've just rechecked all my blog friends and Fraggle's tugged at my heart. I'm now sat down with my sketchpad trying to copy a photo. The photo was taken a good 20+ year ago. My parents had recently got married and it was Christmas. I had been a bridesmaid and was very proud of my parasol. Grandad had drunk a couple of Harvey Bristol Creams and had fallen asleep under my parasol! It's a wonderful happy picture with happy memories and I can see him now as if it was

I haven't been doing a proper fast persons taper this week but yes my mileage is down and my legs are feeling like lead weights! How come during a taper you get this sensation yet if you are off for a holiday or cold you don't!?! Is it purely in the mind? Is it the bodies way of making your rest because it knows what is coming? Is it fear?!! Most odd! Rest day today anyway with a mini cross training session to Sainsbury to get some 3kg bags of bread flour which I will need to carry the 10 or so mins walk back to the car! Early night tonight too (by 10:30 I hope!) as I know I won't sleep Saturday!! Who said racing was fun!?!

So we're done to what 3-4 days and unlike Leon I won't be running 13 miles today just 30mins!! So lunchtime to day will be a nice easy potter round town and back to work covering not much over 2m I guess but there we go I do have a half to run Sunday! Friday will be another rest day and Saturday looks like: Short 20mins run to waken up legs Library Airfix planes Swimming Sainsbury Not sure about the swimming though! Right off to work and school run! Will report back later! back nothing much to report. 2.6m done in the specified 30mins. Was actually quiet hard keeping to a steady pace as I am getting used to pushing it more. Still legs will hopefully apreciate it come Sunday!

Apparently I am a geek after spending some time chatting to a first line support person and comparing degrees!! I am also apparently an executive as I earn more than a certain sum of money! This I must point out is executive in the eyes of a Midlands person and not a southern!! I think I am a runner and a mother because I run and have a son! I don't think I have a career and would struggle to define what I really do! Talking of which I may change the address for this site to blog.html or similar because if I do go job hunting I am not sure if my made ramblings should be front page news!! hehe!! I currently work in IT doing support with a hint of customer service at second line. I run and I'm trying to learn to draw! So what or who are you!?!

Well I decided yesterday's belly problems were caused by too much fruit! See you do your best to get the 5-a-day and it back fires so to speak! Belly was doing summersaults until 9 so tea was toast and marmite at 9:30! Good news is I have now lost 3lb since Christmas, through a combination of maintaining my exercise and being more aware of my food intake. This has been mainly in a "will not stress and eat, will remain calm!" sense! If I can lose 1lb this week I will be at my lightest since moving (11st which I did for abut 1wk this time last year before I got injured!) and that would be fab! I want to be at 10st7lb for Reading which is less that 1lb a week so should be easy. Anyway today I will be trotting at lunchtown round the lovely (coughs loudly) Loughborough! Will report back to teacher later!! Sunday Legs Well I've been for my run and my legs reminded me of my longer run on Sunday but somehow they worked! HR was up because of Sunday too. Anyway good news .. use

So after yesterday's efforts today is a rest day. Brass Monkey is this week and I have done all I can. Coach has reminded me that this is a training run for Reading!! My week will be as follows: Today : 20min walk at lunch time... brisk walking to shake the legs out Tues : 40 - 50 mins steady, pref with 1mile:1min @ HM pace... total 3miles (5min warm up) Wed : rest Thurs : 30min easy Fri : rest Sat : 20mins easy with 6 x 30secs strides (must be in morning) Sun : race (nb warm up!!) Today I have walked the 10mins from the garage (taken hubby's car for a service) to work which will be repeated tonight. I've walked round town at lunchtime and will be walking to/from Gnome's club tonight. That covers today nicely!! Legs have been fine today with no aches but they did remind me of my run after all my brisk walking round town! Sunday I will be running the 1st mile and then doing a 1min walk at the beginning of each mile thereafter. Running at approx 12mm pace. I'm looking

Ok so the last few days I've had this 10m run planned and I've gone over the map (well digital one!) 2-3 times planning my route. Due to having a larger meal out last night I only had some sports drink and a 200cal cereal bar before I left. I had planned to be out at 10:30-11AM but hubby didn't wake up (he's on nights!) until 12 so I didn't get out until 12:50. If I had known I was going to be this late I may have eaten something more! Anyway off I went. 1mile run then 1min walk at the beginning of each mile. I decided to run with my watch showing distance only and didn't wear my HRM. Mile one was possibly a tad fast! Well I suppose the same will happen next week! Mile one took 10:57! Mile 2 included 1min walk and took 11:43 so much better. Shortly after this the GPS died so I converted to 10:1. I tried to note the time at "landmarks" so I had an idea of pace. The bridge at end of the trail in 55mins was 4.4m which is 12:30 pace and about what I was ai

to say ... had a great day today which has been rounded off with the fabtastic news for Leon and Womble! Congrats Guys! Oh today I have been to ths Cavern and collect massive hugs from Tinks, Beth, Bear, PDW and V-Rap. Come home and been out for a Chinese. Now drinking wine! Will down water before bed. Bet up do Sainsbury then trot for 10m ish! That's all for today!

I am soooooo tired! This week seems to have taken ages too! So much has happened yet nothing at all if that makes sense. Yesterday I did nothing! Really nothing! In fact I did so little I can't remember what I did do! Today I am out running at lunch for 50mins. Tomorrow I am off to the Cavern for a mini social with Gnome so I am trying to do some baking tonight! I just hope it goes to plan as I have said I am making and I don't want to have to buy cakes! If they work well I may do some baking for the TrailWalker to raise money rather than asking for sponsorship as I hate doing that! Anyway I will report back on today's steady run later which will be about 3.5-4m as I don't want to flog it and mess up my energy levels for Sunday's long run of about 10m! Report: Well what can I say. Right yesterday afternoon I noticed my top outside edge of my right quad was tender. Was still there this morning but I put that down to beinghalf asleep. Was very busy this morning so did

Yesterday I was knackered before it even started. A few restless nights due to being cold, alone and TOTM had started to take their toll. Wednesday is speedwork day and I knew that if I saved it for the tready at home I either wouldn' t start or would give up due to being knackered and feeling pants. So I took my kit to work. First off I took the wrong shoes! I grabbed my off road ones. Now I did Abingdon (!!) in these so didn't think much of it. I went down the canal which is about 50:50 road and track. Today I am realising that if you were support shoes that changing and running on road does make a difference with a slight sore patch on my leg :-( Monday's run had been fab. Friday's had been great too. So I really should not have expected speedwork to be great! It wasn't. It was really hard. It was windy and the GPS wasn't happy. At one time I was running at 59mm pace! But I did improve, 5mins later I was doing 1:59mm pace! See I'm good!! Anyway that was

Most people have at sometime in their lives wanted to lose weight. Most women have been on a diet and at this time of year it seems that weight becomes even more highlighted as an issue not only by people themselves but also by the media. In fact I think that you can get a "TV diet fix" almost every weekday this week! The BBC reported that a recent study by Cancer Research UK found that 26% of obese people did not want to lose weight. More and more often now TV is showing weight/health related programs. The country has a large proportion of overweight people and more frighteningly overweight children. As runners we're almost seen as freaks! Most people can't understand why we would want to get out in the fresh air and run just because we can. Why do that when the heating is on and there is yet another reality TV show on? The bookshops are crammed with volumes on losing weight. Weight Watchers and similar classes are packed to the rafters with people wanting to lose we

After yesterday's outstanding run (even if I say so myself!) my legs are achy today. Not sore or stiff just that good "You've worked" ache. So today I rest! Instead of a lunchtime run I am off to have my eyes tested - not quiet so athletic!! Plan for rest of week is: Tuesday - Rest Wednesday - Speed work on tready. This will be warm up then a pyramid with 1 min recoveries of 3,5,7,5,3 followed by 4 sets of 30secs hard 30 recovery and a cool down. Isn't my coach just lovely to me!! Thursday will be rest again! Friday will be a 50mins run at lunchtime and hopefully I can continue with the recent form and do another 4m! Saturday I'm off to see the lovely V-Rap and a gaggle of other forumites and associated children with Gnome! So that will be total chaos but fun! Then Saturday evening we are off out for a meal as it is hubby's birthday on Monday. That leaves just Sunday and what are Sundays for .... yep long runs! Last long run before BM!! But today I

As mentioned earlier I finally decided to bring my kit in today, but by 11:50 I was seriously considering dropping today's run as I just felt bleurgh. As the clock hit 12 I thought bollox to it! I would go out and if I felt no better or worse and wanted to stop then my route had plenty of opportunity to turn back. I started off thinking COLD followed by "This is hard". I then realised it felt hard as I was running faster than I would normally. Quickly I suddenly decided "hey I feel like I am actually running not plodding! Lets make this a tempo 1m!" So as I hit the 1m mark I carried on with the increased pace and actually started to enjoy working hard! Just before the end of this mile I almost got run over as I went to cross a round about and realised White Van Man was turning off but not indicating. I hit the end of the mile, checked my watch and smiled. I slowed for a few yards then realised I wasn't dead! Maybe I would carry on! So I did! As I hit 2.75m

I was going to run today but having had what I felt physically was a crap run yesterday I decided against it. This morning I woke up to find body back to normal and legs fine so kit packed! Again this morning I've had a small bleed and a nose bleed too! Makes me wonder if there is a link. Feeling grog and a bit hea achey and bleurgh but I will run to try and clear my head and make me feel better. Brass Monkey isn't far off and although I agree that race conditions are different to training I still believe that 13.1m will be very hard work. My longest run has been 9m and done just once at the beginning of December. Not a lot will make a difference to the outcome now to be honest so I will just try and do my best and enjoy the whole thing! I won't taper as I haven't trained hard enough to taper and I wil treat it as a training run for Reading! Oh and on the bright side ... post Christmas I weighed 11st 4lb and now I weigh 11st 1.5lb so I haven't done as well as Bear b

Well today was "long" run day. It started off by my getting out of bed late! Then I had some cereal and did a trip to the tip (recycling) and the nursery (Gnome likes to look at the fish and we were interested in apple trees!). So when we got home I was starting to feel hungry but I was also aware of the time, the cold weather and the roast dinner I had to cook! So I downed some lucozade and a sports bar and got ready for my run. Yesterday and this morning I had had some mild period like pains. It wasn't TOTM so I ignored them so when I changed for my run to discover some unexpected bleeding I was shocked. I almost cancelled my run but BM is looming and I need the runs. This, needless to say, played on my mind and ruined my run! Off I went anyway. I cut of one corner (which I had earlier mentally added to increase the distance) as I wanted to do this run properly and was aware that a longer run may kill me off! I plodded on and stopped in mile two and three to take a phot

Well yesterday and today were rest days and tomorrow is long run day and yep 'tis cold damp miserable and trying to snow! I so hope tomorrow is warmer as I don't fancy a freezing cold run but know I have to do it! With BM just 2 weeks away (number arrived yesterday so it's a bit real now!) I need to get the legs used to it! I am aiming for about 1hr 45mins tomorrow and have a route planned which I think is about 8m so should be about right. Coach Spans has suggested a 10mins run 1 min walk approach to tomorrow's run and 1m run 1 min walk next weekend. Whichever works best will be used at BM! Yesterday I spent some money on ME!! Hubby didn't get me a Christmas pressie as he thought I could get whatever I wanted. So over the last couple of days I have done that. The picture and teddy and last year's cushion were so gratefully received and appreciated that I thought I would try a picture for this year! The original plan was to do a picture for Grandma's birthd

Today I have my kit bag beside me at work which means I can't stress eat or I will get a sore belly when I run! I also have a new HRM strap!!! Plus a flask of hot soup (with left over pasta mixed in) for a post freezing cold lunchtime run meal - I think it will be required as it was damn cold out there when I walked into the office!! I will report back later, 50mins so hopefully 3.5-4m if legs are playing ball!! Lunchtime Update Well run is down, jumper on, heating on, soup consummed and I'm freezing cold!!!! It was a tad cold out there to say the least! I very nearly didn't go out as it was cold when I walked in and I really wasn't feeling inspired but I thought I should really run so I did. Amazingly I did over 4m!! Yep 4.25m in 51:26 (includes time to cross roads) so I am delighted! Exhausted and I know I couldn't keep that pace up beyond an hour but given my lack of training of late I am delighted! I did also notice my lower back was aching .... so had to concio

I didn't want that running to become habit did I!! So today was a rest day ... and I slept funny last night so have a slight twinge at the front of my hip so not a bad thing! Back at work today after a long break over Christmas and within 30mins I was annoyed, before lunchtime I was threatening to murder someone and doing my best to resist a food pig out! So at lunch I went shopping: scales - free thanks to Nectar learn to draw box set - my Christmas present to me! Want to do a picture for Grandma's birthday or Christmas!! RW - cos I'm famous! 90 Day Success Diary - probably a waste of money! McKenna again but I WILL use it to lose at least 1st in the 3mths! AND no nibbles no other mags with free stuff on the front (put 2 down!) been to the bank too (paid in Christmas money that almost pays for my camp!!) Am calmer now! For lunch I had my veggie bean stew (that's was just the right temperature having been nuked at 8!) using my new food flask I bought before Christmas -

Yes I was out running again today! That's 3 times in 4 days and twice this year! I did 3.4m in 40min so slightly faster than Saturday (about 12mm pace) which is great but no HRM due to knackered strap (Mailed the shop today and NO reply again!) Rest again tomorrow but brisk walk about town where I intend to get some new bathroom scales! Today mine told me I was between 10st1lb and 12st13lb!! Hmmmm!! Oh and it looks like this site is famous thanks to Runners World! Cool!!!

All good plans and all that! A few weeks ago I detailed my planned races as follows: Jan - Brass Monkey Half Feb - Trail Plus Training Camp Feb - Bramley 10m (poss) April - Reading Half April - FLM Support May - Moonwalk Marafun (if I get in!) Sept - Robinhood Half Oct - Great South Run (poss) This is now Jan - Brass Monkey Half Feb - Trail Plus Training Camp April - Reading Half April - FLM Support GSR is only a vague poss now as hubby is working nights so won't get home until the early hours of Saturday so I can't leave Gnome! Which means I would have to travel down Saturday afternoon which isn't the best preparation for a race and PB attempt! So it now looks like I will need to either make this another mainly training year (not a bad thing!) or look for some local races! At this rate it won't be worth joining club in March as I will have nothing to enter and save money off entry fees!! Hey Ho and all that!! Now tomorrow ... hope to do a quick shop 1st thing (new sca

Morning! Yes it's 2nd Jan already! Where does the year go!! hehe Anyway I have an extra task for this year that I forgot to mention yesterday, and that is to complete my training log regardless as to how pathetic it looks! I've missed about 3-4mths on my Fetch one for 2005 due to injury etc and stopped using the David Hays excel one too so I don't have a very good or clear idea as to what I did last year! So this year it will be done! My main aim is to lose weight hence the link below each post! I want to track my calorie intake and this free tool looks good only I haven't actually used it in anger yet! But the calorie usage is good as that makes me feel better when I've done hardly anything! I'm going to be much more aware of what I eat and aim to eat less (haha). Thought I would start the new year with a formal weigh in yesterday and the result was .... 10st 13lb or 11st 6lb or 11st 4lb or indeed just 6lb! I think 11st4lb is about right! Will be buying new s

Well it's a new year and I hope everyone has a fantastic one! I've been out running to celebrate the new year too! Total distance 6.6m but only ran 5.2m due to grit induced blister on my heal so I walked the rest of the way home. Which annoyed me a bit as I wanted to get a longer run in (knew it wouldn't be that long as I have hardly run in the last 3 weeks!). I'm very aware that BM is just 3 wks away and although it will be a "get round in one piece" affair I would like to be able to walk the next day! So brief run down of 2006 goals: Lose weight - minimum 1.5st Run consistently - average 20mpw Complete TrailWalker Fast half - between 2.15 and 2 will revise this as the year progresses! Stay injury free! Enjoy running! Let the year begin!