Yume No Chikara

Yep that's me! Today I've had an e-mail chat with new work mate and I have so much to learn! Yet I am not scared I'm excited! So many new things to find out about and play with and ... Wow!! I so expect to come home knackered and brain dead every day for weeks!How cool will that be!! Oh and err no running!

Trains and storm troopers!!! Today Gnome and I went to Snibston Discovery Park which is on the site of a former coal mine. It's full of science related hands-on experiments, things to see/read/do and play on! Great fun! There was a train to ride on and a play area with water science "fun" as well as a huge indoor activity area! We also went on a coalliery tour by one of the old workers. The chap was brilliant! Full of passion about the mines whilst telling a very informative tale. I can report that Gnome lifted a mini and a 1/4 tonne weight! (so full weights workout for him!) we started a fire, electric lights, "made" a human body, saw old wheels and computer parts and everything! I highly recommend it for any parents in the Midlands - it's for all the family as it's not just the kids who learn whilst having fun. The best shock of the day was when we arrived and standing at the entrance was a couple of storm troopers! They also had a "heroes and vi...

Right then ... as previously discussed (haha sounds like I'm in a board meeting!) ... Yesterday I went a plodding. Walking warm up (up hill!) then 5 sets of 2 run 4 walk. Felt odd walking so soon and for so long but as I was running properly (10mm pace or below) I realised that RW do actually know what they are talking about!! 2mins is long enough to maintain the pace and form which is a good thing (as a bee might say!) Having had a long time off proper running and faster running this walk run is perfect! It is allowing me to run at a proper pace and maintain that pace knowing I have a walk break! So far the plan is working and I am maintaining the pace. I hope that by the end of 6 weeks I won't be far off a 30mins 5K and then I will see what to do next as I would like a good PB at Brass Monkey in January! Edit... Missed today's run due to playing systems administrator, IT repairs and then being dragged to the pool for a 1hr splash. Only managed to get about 200m of swimmin...

Hmmm well that didn't go exactly to plan! Only ran twice and ate far to much!! Didn't get to see Fraggle (mum feel over and hit her head on a stone table). Grandma is losing her care thanks to the Social Services and YES she really does need care. This means mum is even more stressed out! Went to BIG Waterstones to look at Unix books ... they had none! In fact there were no Unix books in Reading! Bit like Loughborough! So Amazon it is. 1st run was a short 2m "I'm tired don't want to get out of bed but a run will make you feel better" affair. Ran the 1st mile and walk ran the 2nd. Not to plan but I was not expecting to do more than 1m so not too bad. 2nd run was up on the Berkshire Downs. Dad and Gnome were up there to fly their model plans so I trotted down the path then turned back and trotted down the gallops. This time I did stick to the 1r 1w plan but because I already run I did more than the 10sets, it was a nice day etc etc etc! :-D Whilst on the track I...

Off down south tomorrow .. to get my boy and spend a few days catching up with friends. Hope to spend a day with Fraggle and her boys and see a college mate and new baby. Running kit will be coming and given I will be busy the new plan which is 30mins max will fit in well. It says only 3 runs a week but given I already run I will increase and either do 4 or 5 so do week 1 and 2/3 of week 2 in the 1st week. Hope to run tomorrow before I go too, if I can get up in time!!! Also need to watch my ankle. It's been playing up a bit, think it is a post PF thing as it's tight 1st thing then loosens. Possibly due to starting to use it again and running properly instead of protecting heel??? We will see! Being down south also means I won't be online much so don't be surprised if I am quiet!! Oh and today's big news is ... I resigned! Roll on the new motivated, happy Pixie! I'm really looking forward to my new job, new challenge and learning new skills (will be popping into...

Just back from Drs and I now have an inhaler for exercise induced asthma. I have a peak flow of 380 whatever that is! Going back in a fortnight for a reversibility test then a review 2 weeks later. Oh and I walk/ran there and back ... total 4.5m Going to start my walk run program next week rather than waiting. Did some today and yep I can run fast so lets see if I can make it a habit!

I've been for a run!!! Well went down the canal thinking less fumes easier breathing and with this cough thing lingering easier breathing was what I needed! It seems it was national walk down the canal smoking day and bonfire day! So every time I passed someone I got a lung full of smoke and had a splutter! I did an unstructured walk run making sure runs were good form and therefore faster than my normal plod. My breathing was very laboured and there was a few cough splutters (Mr Swan and his 3 cygnets didn’t like me doing that!) but I wanted to be out there! I knew it wasn't going to be a good run so wasn't put off or fed up by having to walk run, the time or pace. Still when I was running it was good … GPS foolishly thinks my runs were sub 10:30 pace best pace 8:51! LOL! So wrong! Maybe sub 11 but that’s not the point I wasn't there for pace I was there to get moving! Anyway got out, got moving, (2.2m) and blew away some cobwebs and work stresses which was the plan. M...

Well that didn't go to plan! Still coughing, sore belly muscles from coughing now too! Still eating too much! Well bad habits die hard and all that! Did make some home-made soup for lunch so better than it could have been!! Also lots of work today so now study! So I basically failed on all 3 challenges today! Hmm well start again tomorrow! Did get my race infor through for the 5k ... no. 702 and what 3 weeks to go? Lets just get round and have fun!

Right so I have some work to do! Why? Well lets explain!! 1) 3rd September is my 5K and running has been minimal due to TW (that was a great excuse!) and then when I did start back I got a cough/cold! So this means I must get out and back on the roads! Otherwise I will suffer and although my aim is now just to have fun I won't have run if my legs ache and I have to walk lots! 2) I need to lose weight ...got to look my best! Why? .... 3) Need to study and improve my UNIX knowledge and SQL etc cos well the reason for Friday's grin was this ... the escape route has been constructed and ready for use! Friday I am off down to Berkshire ... friends to catch up with, long weekend and to bring Gnome home. Also just taken delivery of a nice shiny new wireless router .. I may also trash Windoze and install Linux as our OS so researching that to find a distro I like and to see what apps I need! ALl good fun!

Well I've got to have an impromptu half day ... deliver scheduled for 2:30 now 12! Still this means I can do 2 things: 1) I can try a run and if I start coughing I can change it into a walk without stressing about time as I will have all afternoon! 2) I can mess about with my Linux box! May need to re-install as I am not sure I can remember the password! Also it will need updating too! I may even potter in the garden a bit! Who knows!! Either way I'm off in 10!! I have run!!!! Yes it's true!!! Once the delivery had been and gone and hubby was home I went for a potter! Wasn't sure for how long due to cough/cold but I went out anyway. I now have tired legs and a dry throat but I did 6m!!! And I ran 3.16m without walking!! Very pleased! Ok it was slow but I don't care!! Will fill in more details later as I now need a bath! Additional update! Right so I missed my run this morning as I was tired and still not 100% but having got home and being faced with a free afternoon...

>gulps loudly Today is the day ... wish me luck!

So last week I re-commenced my running in a bid to do a semi decent 5K in Brum. Well it seems that my body is conspiring against me! Or it could just be I need a break! Still have this cough which rules out running or any exercise as it makes me cough! Not good! So I have to wait until that clears before I can start running again! I think I will need to re-consider my targets for this event! Lets just run and have fun (like I did at Reading!) and see what happens rather than setting high targets and failing then sulking! I've also been having great fun with UNIX ... I definatly need to re-install my Linux box and play! Mind you actually having some code to work with makes it easier than thinking "err now what!" I've also been listening to coach Spans organise her wedding! Yes she's soon to be Mrs Godzilla! I am so pleased for them both! She is thrilled and it's great talking about it all! Oh and Dr V-Rap has suggested I see a Dr re the possibility of me having...

This afternoon and this evening I have been looking at some UNIX code! Now I remember why I loved the idea of UNIX/Linux and how fun it can be and why I wanted to learn about computers!! SOOOO much fun!

Well Friday I drove down south ... Gnome is staying with my parents for 2 weeks so I was dropping him off! Boy the south seems hot! OK so everywhere is hot but it's hotter than the Midlands!! Saturday I decided it was too hot to run! But we did a visit to Toys R Us and err well that was it really! Sunday we did the family meal out with my Grandmother too! So I felt I should run to allow for pudding!! It didn't look too hot but I was wrong! Very wrong! Managed an hour and a sad 3.7m. Hardly ran as I have gained a cough too! Dad gave me the "you had whooping cough and were in an oxygen tent" along with the "you should see someone about coughs" lecture. I err ignored him! I was 2 when I was ill! Ok so I always get a cough with a cold, and breath really heavy when I run, and hyperventilate if I work too hard (race end!) but I am sure that's not related!! Parents hey! As a result - today I am resting!

Yes really! I've been out again! I know it's a shock but it's true! Still regretting leaving it so long before I ran properly! Those 2months have made a difference! I mean the TW training and stuff did maintain my CV fitness but the little old legs don't think much of this running! So lets see ... started off with HR much lower today which is a good thing! Off I trotted and like Wednesday I had this weird hip pain for the first 5mins (may look at Piriformis Syndrome in more detail) and tight calves. Again I had to stop for a stretch in the 1st mile (twice today) which highlights the importance of warming up! Something I MUST remember at the 5k in a few weeks! Anyway mile 1 was slow! Mile 2 didn't feel great but I was detirmined to keep going as long as I could. I swapped to running on grass where I could and although I could still feel my calves I carried on and managed to run the whole mile!! I know it's tragic that I am pleased at this! The last mile again w...

The waiting game is a funny old thing. It occurred to me today that whatever we do we always seem to be waiting for something. Human beings don't seem to be very good at waiting yet we wait for so many things. From Day 1 the waiting game starts... as parents we wait to conceive, then for the baby to arrive, to take baby home, for baby's first words and steps. We wait for the time when baby isn't so dependent on us having "only 5minutes ago" been desperate to have a baby there who needed us to love and care for it, who needed to be dependent on us! We grow up, going through school, waiting for school to finish, to be grown up! To leave home, go to uni or get a job and "freedom". There's the wait for driving lessons, a car, a legal drink(!), the vote and even a mortgage! As runners we continue to wait ... we wait for races, for training plans, for injuries to heel, for speeds to increase! It seems as if there is always something we need to wait for! W...

I hate waiting :-(

I have my kit! Honest! It's here by my side! Shoes and all! Sometime later - after lunch ..... [pixie crawls in] OMG Help!! Will someone please tell me why I left it almost 2mths since my last proper (non mini brick or TW) run? Will someone please also tell me why I leave myself 4wks to get back to running and race a 5k? Oh and why did I think I can get a PB at that 5k race?? If today's potter is anything to go by I have 3mins per mile to lose if I want a PB! ROFLMAO!!! Ok So 1st mile was slowest .. try to start slow to allow for legs to wake up. Had to stop after 3mins (stopped watch too!) to stretch calves (they said we no run in ages we no like!). Soon realised that I was pottering and pottering slowly and that pottering means shuffling. So I started to "run". This saw my HR go up to 193! My max in 206 and I wasn't even trying to work hard to doing any speedwork! So I decided to run properly (made style and form better) then hold the 192/193 for a couple of min...

I've put my running kit in my kit bag! Tomorrow I intend to bring that bag to work! Tomorrow I intend to run!! [gasps] Unless of course I am can't!! Afterall I do have a 5K to train for! Want to get back and do 2-3 sessions this week and then the next 2 weeks when hubby is up early for work I hope to run before work! Lets see what happens!