Yume No Chikara

Today I spent most of my time sulking. Feeling really low and fed up. I'm overweight, can't run and I just felt crap and the more I sulked the worse it got. Then I went swimming. Tonight was lengths. No drills just endurance. 100m breast stroke (yes I am the breast stroke mafia bear!) then after that I did loads of sets of 1 length breast stroke, 1 length front crawl. Dodging people the whole time as it was a public swim and no lanes. The men were chatting at the end of the pool, some dads were chucking kids about in the middle and some ladies were treading water whilst chatting at the other end. I even managed to do 50m of front crawl on 2-3 occassions which was a major achievement! Tonight felt a lot easier in that although things were not right I was better able to co-ordinate legs, arms and breathing. Length 39 saw my right calf twinge in a cramp like manor. So at the end of 40 I stopped and stretched. By this time I was not thinking lets do 40-50 lengths I was doing the 15

Friday as you know I went for a tired swim. To an extent this is a good thing because it made me work when tired a bit like the 20m long run helping you push when tired in a marafun. So my weekend plan was to do a long cycle and then go to the pool with Gnome. Saturday morning I get up, breakfast well on home made museli (good slow burning fuel ideal for long runs and cycles!) and then popped to the villiage with the intention of coming home and going straight out on my bike on my planned 20m+ ride. On my way to the village I soon noticed (as in by the time I got off the driveway!) that the wind was a tad strong. I was being blown down the hill and walking up the hill was a head down and fight it affair!! By the time I got home I was of the mind that cycling would be a bad thing as I am not the fittest of people and I am a slow cyclist! So that was abandoned. As I had also discovered that the cupboards where empty and that lunch was hot water and air I had to go shopping and by the ti

Ok so I have a few weeks training but last night 2500m seemed a very very very long way! I went to the sister pool of the one I go to and it was slightly bigger (wider not longer) but as it was a general public free for all swim it was busy and hard to do decent lengths. There was a splash pool attached (literally as in the water splashed over into the main pool!) where the under 8's (+ adult minder) could go too. So lots of bodies and noise. Friday afternoon I had felt slightly coldy (hubby has manflu and Gnome has been ill) and I almost cancelled my swim but I decided I was thinking of excuses so off I went! As I need to improve my front crawl that was my goal for the session. Not necessarily lots of lengths but lots of drills. In total I only did 1Km but I was shattered by the end. Spans had given me some drills last year and it was those I was practicing. I hate getting water in my eyes and ears and can't breath out of my nose (!) under water so I wear hat, goggles and a no

Right well the above title could mean anything and relate to anything and today it relates to work and exercise. I'm off to the pool in a minute, the sister pool to where I normally go only I've never been there before so I don't know where I am going! When I do get there it will be a straight forward normal swim and drills as I need to improve my front floundering called crawl! If I am to do this aquathon I need to do more than just breast stroke as that gives me a sore knee and also front crawl is faster, aparently!! So that's my plan. Today I also heard that the staff numbers of the building will be reducing from next Friday with all the temps and contract staff being given notice. So whilst swimming I will be pondering life!! This weekend will see me on me bike for abuot 2hrs and as I am slow this will be about 20m! This will be followed by a visit to the pool with Gnome who hopefully be happy to mess about and play in the training pool whilst I jog in the main pool

Well yesterday my aqua jogger arrived so I took it for a play! Got to the pool early so I could join which means I now have to swim at least twice a week or I will be wasting money! Fortunately it's a council pool so no joining fee and you can suspend/cancel easily too!! All for £21pm (haha Bear!) Anyway I faffed about trying to get the belt set up (still think I will tighten it next time) as the elastic belt is very long (I had a good 20+" spare!) it took ages to thread it through correctly. First I did 150m warm up normal swimming, then out the pool for a quick drink and on with the belt. Back in at the shallow end and a slow walk to the deeper end. I had the "method of standing" as such in my mind (slightly leaning back, tummy in) and then I was off ... well weird! You just go nowhere it seems!! The life guards were more interested than the swimmers, but hey I'm short sighted so couldn't see anyone laughing at me anyway! I tried the different exercises t

Well apart from allowing coach Spans to persuade me to enter a swimathon the news for today is as follows: Heel felt fine!! Yippee! Got caught in rain at lunch and did the 100m dash to the office with no niggles!! Yippee!! Collecting Gnome from school, and hubby gets home declaring he has a cold. :-( This evening heel has been nudging me and waving with the "I haven't left you!" evil cackle. :-( Also lower back has been niggling the last couple of days :-( so ordered support for work. Now here is my problem. (Hint - Coach I need help!) Reading is 6.5wks away. Swimathon is 3.5wks away. Do I ignore any atempts to run and remove the temptation by saying no running just swim, aqua jogging and loooooong bike rides until after the swimathon. This would give the heel plenty of time to heal(!) and I should maintain fitness. Or do I try to do little jogs as soon as I go a day without noticing anything? Would that delay recovery? Oh and incase anyone is wondering .... 5K is aprox 3

NO I AM NOT DOING A TRI! But coach Spans has talked me into a Swimathon! A whole 2500m or 100 lengths! Well it was that or give up chocolate! So I guess I need to do some training as this is 24th March and the most I have done was half the distance and I was shattered!!

I got an Aqua Jogger! Why you may ask .... well following a long chat with Aim High! which included me mailing pictures of my foot (!) and sitting down prodding foot as we chatted. As well as seeing the ladies in Running Fox. As well as surfing the net. As well as calling fizzio. As well as searching RW it seems that I have to admit I do have PF. Reading is in 7wks so I have to maintain my fitness and not sulk! Having already missed 3mths on sofa watch after BM I have already lost fitness and my sub 2:30 seems to be slipping away before I got to give it a chance! I've decided it it the FLM Demon. 1St proper running injury was training for FLM04. Second proper running injury was training for FLM05. Now I say I am aiming for a GFA and that this year is my base to that plan and I get PF. So No More FLM! I am not even going to mention it and then maybe I can train injury free! I may also stop running in Jan/Feb as that has been when I have been injured each time!! Hope to get new toy W

You know that bruised like heel pain I mentioned? The one that was there for a few days before BM then went whilst I was off for 3wks? Well I am worried it's plantar facilitis. Whilst at camp I noticed it so ruled out the "must have trodden on something" conclusion but it wasn't bad so I didn't worry about it. Well I mentioned it to the massage lady and she mentioned tight calves and stretching. Yesterday I noticed it a bit at the start of my run but not really after the first 1-2m, but once I was home, showered and changed it was hurting and worse than I have had before (note after BM was fine!). Last night was worse still as I was sat down watching TV. It's like a muscle that tightens when not moved then loosens with use. Having had 3wks off and NSAIDS and it coming back I don't think rest and drugs is the cure. It's still with me today (so no recovery run) but not as bad as last night. So I have been trawling through some threads on RW etc to find a

Today's weather forecast was better than tomorrow's so off a plodding I went. Preparation was awful! Up and breakfast by 9am. Walk to village for paper and meat (fab local butcher!), walk home and off to Sainsbury. Home and out of the door by about 12:15. Yes you are right there was no extra food or drink in there. So off I went at 12 with no fuel and just my runner's aid water bottle. By 5.5m I was shattered and struggling but my route meant I had to do the full 8m run from door to door, there was no short cuts. From just before 5m I was constantly on a hill and that made my back niggle a bit so this was followed by a huge chunk of walking and it just went down from there! The last 1/2m was a cool down and again mainly walking (flat bits and down hills!) as by then I was exhausted and thirsty. Home and I went straight to the kitchen, poured a glass of fruit juice and drank that whilst eating 3 mini bagels and making up 500ml of Rego. This food and drink did make me feel be

Ok so I go to camp a snacking overweight pixie who drinks squash at work (no added sugar of course) when she remembers to drink and never thinks before or during eating. As for stretches, yeah right as if I would consider doing them!! Since Monday I have had a 750ml water bottle on my desk and drunk at least 2 a day. I've snacked less, stretched more in fact I stretched when I hadn't even run! and I even noticed not being hungry but wanting to eat! And I didn't eat! Could this be the beginning of a new me? Oh I do hope so I really do. Today I will be running at lunch. I had kit with me yesterday but did not run as my legs were really tired and a bad run is not what you want, you don't gain anything. I'm hoping to do 40-50mins and depending on what my legs say when I get out there, I will either do another slow recovery run or ideally a warm up then some 10K paced bursts and a cool down. The weekend will see a long run on Saturday so I can do a recovery run Sunday. A

So today was my 1st run since camp and as such was a recovery run which according to the instructions is 60-65% of MHR. As the boys are still away I went out as soon as I got home. It was dark and trying to rain but I had my headlight and hot water when I came back so off I went. I ran as normal, the HRM was on but I wasn't paying attention to it partly because the route was up, down, up, down and up! I felt like I was running faster and the HR was lower than the much slower long run on Sunday (just proves that 4 runs within 24hrs does not make for a good long run!). The tragic news is that 40mins saw just 2.9m!! but the average HR was 64% which is 1-2mins per mile faster and 5-10% lower HR than Sunday's long run. It started off fine then by 1/2m the legs started to mention camp! I did stop just after 1m to remove a stone from my shoe and by 2.5m the legs had accepted the run but I was tired and my route had come to an end so although the distance was short I really couldn'

who will be the 1st to notice!

Today has been a good day. Today I have felt tired in the "I've worked hard" way but not achy ouch so good! I've started drinking more water which I hope to keep up, I guess I drank a good 1.5l at work today. Tonight I went for a swim as I didn't want to run (after all I did at the weekend!) but didn't want to do nothing!! So 20 lengths (no more as right knee was niggly - will tell this to fizzio tomorrow) and then 20mins of shallow end jogging with a few squats thrown in just to watch the faces of those around! During this time I did also ponder the purchase of an aquajogger for times of injury, cross training etc. After a visit to Tesco and food I then found myself not only doing the fizzio exercises but all the stretches from camp! Problem is I am now a tad tired so off to bed I go! Oh one final thing - I'm not sure if I have mentioned it but my left heal has been tender in a bruised like fashion. Having done some reading (and yes I will check with fizz

Long Post Warning!Ok Lets take it from the start .... Friday: Left work at 12, dashed home and collected the boys so that hubby could collect the Ka. He then wanted me to stay "just in case there are any problems". This meant I left MotorPoint at 1.50. Stopped for petrol and left Derby about 2 at the latest I guess. Motorway driving was fine apart from the fact that I was convinced someone would pull out in front of me so I was clocking every car and their plate before I passed. The A42 was slow and the M42 slower with twat in white van dodging and weaving between cars (which included him pulling out in front of me). Then as we got toward the NEC it slowed again. Thick traffic and 50-60mph. I was slightly nervous but mainly fine. I stayed within the speed limit and the road was moving nicely and I soon hit the M5. I looked at the time and was well impressed! Shortly everything slowed again. This time it was the curse of the rubber neckers. 2 Crashes the other way had closed t

All I can say is start saving now! That has to be the best value for money £180 worth of running/holiday/food/knowledge I have ever had! I've return absolutely exhausted but happy, motivate, determined and "an athlete in training" My mind is buzzing too much to say much now but brilliant!

Last night I was frantically packing and unpacking and packing again for camp! Today I am doing the "what have I forgotten" panic! The drive to camp includes lots of motorway and I am a tad apprehensive so plan 2-3 stops on route and have some Rescue Remedy (don't know if it works!) too. The body today is pleased I didn't get up for a swim! My arm muscles ache a little and my right knee is a little sore (must have "twisted" it thanks to my wonky right side whilst swimming!). I finish work at 12 (maybe a little earlier!) then it is home, pick up the boys, drive to Derby to get new Ka then off to camp! All this means - See you all Sunday!!!!

Yes I was back at the pool this morning! Why? Well I want to get my heart and lungs back working and ready for exercise even if my legs aren't! Also swimming does not require running kit so therefore no last minute panic washing as I need to pack tonight! Today I dragged my butt out a little earlier so I was in the pool about 7:25 so had a slightly longer swim. 39mins today and a grand total of 50 lengths! That's 1250m! No wonder I am shattered! All that was before breakfast too, well I had a 500ml bottle of High 5 drink at the pool side and then had a high 5 sports bar on my way to work but by the time I got to work I did feel a little light headed! Hopefully my body will now be happy to play ball at camp! Mind you I don't think 4 runs between Friday PM and Sunday PM is ever going to be easy!!

Yes with the RW TrailPlus camp this weekend I decided I really should do soem exercise! Not wanting to do too much running or indeed cause last minute kit washing frenzy I opted to drag my butt out of bed and get to the pool. I was in the water at 7:30 and my body was still asleep and stiff. Today I decided not to do my normal up and down and up and down 30-40 lengths style of swim, today I would do some drills of sorts. I had my goggles, nose clip and kick board (small!). So I did a couple of warm up lengths of my normal breast stroke which took about 40 secs each - the pool is (I asked before hand!) 25m long. Then I decided to do my front crawl arm drills which Spans had told me about .... trying to get my breathing correct with 1 hand on the board and the other doing the stroke. That lasted about 4 lengths! I was exhausted! My back was stiff too so I stopped and did some stretches. Pixie's don't do mornings!! Next I did some 4 or so lengths of just kicking. Followed by more

Good News .... Gnome is starting to improve - a day of eye drops every 2hrs and lots of calpol did work. He still isn't eating much mind (3 crackers yesterday) which is a worry but he is happier than he was. Physio says I have been a good pixie and worked on my exercises! No need to do the basic one any more but he has given me 3 new ones to do, one of which was made harder 'cos I "got it" too easily!! I didn't get up for my swim today :-( as the alarm went off, I turned it off then fell back to sleep!! Hope to swim at least once this week if possible. Then next week I will start doing some 20mins runs (hopefully 3-4 during the week) and have a 1.5m circle plotted at work. As for camp, well the sample schedule says: FRIDAY » Arrival from 4pm. Optional evening jog. » Drinks » Group introduction and camp outline objectives. » Open discussion with Q & A forum. » Relaxed evening meal and social time. SATURDAY » Early optional 5K trail run. » Buffet style breakfas

Yep today I have been back at work. Was late in as I had to take Gnome to the Dr 1st - having only 1 car means I had to drive him to the Dr then the chemist then home before I could go to work (he's not fit to walk!). Work has been a bore and I had my 1st "shout at screen" moment before I had been in an hour! Back hasn't been too impressed with sitting up either! Tomorrow I have the fizzio at lunch so will try to get up for a swim before work but I ain't promising anything!

Gnome is poorly ick and it's not a pretty sight. Poor lad has red swollen eyes, puffy face and snotty nose. Is hardly eating and can only drink water. He's temperature is up and he is also sleeping a lot. There is no way he is at school tomorrow! Good job daddy is on holiday! He may even be taken to see the Dr tomorrow as there is a flu bug hitting kids in the Midlands just now. All this means I have done bugger and all this weekend well this week actually! I've done 1 5K run and that's it! I think the 80m for Feb needs to be revised because A I ain't done nowt and B Feb is a short month! I have, however, done the fizzio's exercises! Next Friday I am off to camp which means I can't do loads this week otherwise I will be exhausted at camp. So what I will do is 1-2 30 mins runs at work and a few walks too. Friday I will also be taking hubby to collect the Ka which he hopes to drive on Saturday with Gnome to see the family. Here's hoping Gnome is alright fo

Last year I had a stress fracture and one thing that was highlighted was a weak right hip which may have caused the knee to twist, causing tension on the bone etc. Last year I also suffered from a muscle spasm in my lower back (Dr said it was the gardening and DOMS). Then last month I crashed the car. Physio prodded me and declared I was a very lucky pixie and no damage. He "worked on" some tense muscles in the upper back, then the middle back and I went back today for another review and some back strengthening exercises. Yesterday with the lengthy sitting down whilst driving and sorting cars my lower back hurt and today I told physio this. Physio was confused and looked at back and the area where I said it hurt. After some leg lifting/raising and prodding and inspection it seems we have an answer to the lower back problem and it's all connected! Right here goes ... basically the crash has highlighted a stability issue with my right hand section of my lower back. Science

Wow that is COLD out there! Today I had to take the Ka back to the garage. This took me into more traffic than my last journeys and also some of the M1. To say I was nervous is an understatement. I was bricking it and did nearly start to cry at one time. Anyway car returned, then looked at the old car and waved good bye. Next off to get a new car. 4 hours later and we have agreed to get 2 cars. Both low mileage and under 1yr old. A Ka for hubby which we will collect next week and then a normal Ford Focus for me once we have cleared funds from the insurance. I did try a C-Max but nope I just wasn't happy driving it. I loved my C-Max but the crash means I couldn't face getting another. This means that I will now have a car for camp next week! I will however be using the old Mondeo not the new Ka as hubby says he will feel happier with me in the Mondeo! And now for tea! Cya!

Distance - 68.68m Races - 1 PB - 1 Car crash - 1! Days running - 16 1 week @ zero miles Average pace normal running 12:14 Average pace racing 12:31 Average pace intervals 11:50 Average pace long run 13:04 Average weekly run 15.8 Longest week in 2006 (week starts on a Sunday) - 19m Don't you just love Fetch/David Hays! Weight down 2.5lb (was 3.5 but gained this week doing sofa work!) Best month in 2005 was Jan too but at 58.51m I've smashed that even with 1wk off! Febuary targets: Distance - 80m No races so no PB. Weight down 4lb Average normal pace to be 12mm Long run average pace nearer 12:30 Next racing goal is Reading where I hope to get sub 2:30 if possible! Roll on Febuary! Update Car has been written off - something to do with faulty air bag sensor me finks as it was reapirable before I asked why they didn't go off. Also it seems we were not the 1st registered owners like we thought so a cheque will be the order of the day rather than a new car. All this means the K