11 Weeks Till GSR!!

We arrived back quite late on Saturday night after our trip to London but after a good night's sleep, I was up early on Sunday morning and dressed in running kit to head out for my long run.  It was 9.30am when I headed out but the sun was up and it was very warm even at that time of the morning.  I have this habit of being too obsessed with times on my runs and I had to keep telling myself that this run is supposed to be a long, slow one designed to build stamina.  So I managed to keep my pace steady on the run, however, we encountered 2 minor blips on the run - the effects of the cold!!!  With all the gunk (excuse the graphics) I have from this flippin' cold, I started to feel sick about the 2mile mark and need to stop to errrr - throw it up so to speak!!  Not nice.  Another stop about the 3m mark for the same thing and then I headed home.  The chest was feeling a bit heavy in the last mile as well.  4 miles completed and not my finest run :-(  I HATE HAVING THE COLD!!!!

Monday saw my first trip to the gym this week for my strength training sessions.  Evil PT came in and laughed when I told him I was hobbling about London after Wednesday's session but as he rightly pointed out, it must be working and the muscles will get used to it!! This is the 3rd session and I have to say that I am seeing minor improvements in my core.

 

Tuesday arrived and it was time for my next scheduled run of the week. I have moved forward in the plan as I need to start challenging myself on distance, so I aimed to do over 3.5 miles.  When I set off just after 7pm, there was a slight breeze which was keeping the heat at bay a bit but by the time I reached Fairlie this had disappeared and the heat built up.  I kept my pace steady and managed to plod through.  I had to stop at one point to re-do the laces on my shoes as I had done them up too tight - doh!  By the time I got to the main road at the marina, the heat had sapped my will to live and was making me feel a bit sick. I had to stop for a quick 30 second breather again as the humidity was crippling. 3.83m completed by the time I reached home. I vow I will get to the end of a run without stopping but this naffin cold has thrown everything out of kilter again.

Wednesday arrived.  Today was the Jogscotland 5k Challenge in Glasgow Green.  To be honest I hadn't been looking forward to it all day as I was a tired and I was worrying about who would be running in it.  These events tend to attract the running clubs who's members leave you trailing in their wake!!!   Certain other elements had drained my enthusiasm for this event and by the time I had actually arrived at Glasgow Green I was really in the mood to turn right round and head home!!!  But never let it be said that I am a quitter, so I headed off to collect my number and running chip.  The walk from the car had warmed me up and I had no need to do the warm up with Jog Scotty (the mascot) :-)  We started bang on 7.30pm and as usual the whippets were off and running.  It was actually a nice course to run and one you could do on your own with no racing involved.  The heat was actually quite bad and by 3k it had sapped my strength. I had to walk several times to catch my breath.  The smell from the whiskey distiller was awful as well.  You got a whiff of it at certain points along the route - bluerk!  OH was at the end of the 3k to let me know there was only 1k left to run (thank god).  The last ditch effort to the finish was horrendous and as I cross the line, the customary feeling of being sick returned.  I collected my goody bag with my medal inside, bottle of water and my t-shirt - which I may add is now a medium and not a large like previous ones :-)  Another nice thing about finishing was the Tunnocks caramel wafer in the goody bag - yum!  Official results show that I had completed in 29m 57s.  Not bad, but not a PB.  Oh well - chalk it up to experience and here's to the next one!!

NB: - I have just found out that the 5k race I ran last night was a Stewart's Grand Prix event which means it gathers points for those from Scottish Athletics competing in it, culminating in a monetary prize for the winner.  This explains the amount of club runners in the 7.30pm race, so I don't feel so bad about my time and the fact that the "whippets" were running :-D 

Thursday - after last night's efforts, I can safely say that I am pooped!!!  Today was the first time in months that I have had to take my inhaler as my chest was tight this morning and that is not good.  I hate relying on it! Tonight is another session at the gym to do program 2 of the strength training.  Thank goodness Friday is a rest day and Saturday is only a 40 min walk as part of cross-traning!!!!

Kimbles

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12 Weeks To Go - The Training Starts!!!

Sunday

12 weeks to go till race day. Today was a scheduled long run of 4 miles.  Woke up this morning to drizzle and cooler conditions.  "Great" I though - "cooler weather to run in".  No such luck! By afternoon the sun had come out and it was starting to get very warm. Headed out about 4pm for my usual route.  Again another hard run.  Chest was still tight which is very annoying and is making the running a bit difficult.  Getting a bit fed up of it.  6.59km completed with a major struggle.  Lets hope it changes as the week goes on :-/

Monday
Gym night tonight and "program 1" devised by devil PT lol.  The gym was quiet when I turned up which was good. Found the program easier tonight than last week (hhhmmm maybe I'm not doing it properly lol). Its  nice to have the structure back and it took 40 mins all in to do which wasn't bad.

Tuesday
Tonight was my scheduled 3 mile run according to the plan.  I woke up this morning with a niggling minor sore throat but wasn't enough to stop me going out. The run was tough as obviously the cold is playing havoc right now with my breathing, even though its not coming to anything. Why is it these types of things always strike at the wrong time!!  12 weeks of training and I can't afford to miss any because of a stupid cold!!!!  Anyway - 5.35k completed and home to rest :-)

Wednesday
Well that "minor" sore throat escalated overnight - bah!!!!  Had a rough night sleeping last night until I eventually gave in and took painkillers!  I managed a few hours before I dragged myself up for work.  I hate sore throats.  Sniffles and aches and pains I can handle but sore throats?  Noooooo!!! Tonight was also the night that I would go through "program 2" devised by the devil PT.  It was hard going but I managed that and a 2 mile run.  The "dreadmill" is sooooo boring!!!  I'm hoping to report that I will have done my next run from London!! I would like to run in Regents Park but looking at the weather forcast its going to be scorchio and hard going!!  Watch this space lol

Thursday/Friday
Never made it for a run in Regents Park as it was too late to head out on Thursday and by Friday, the effects of evil PT session had kicked in and my glutes and hamstrings were aching.  I was shuffling along like John Wayne!!!  Still there will be another time I am sure :-)


Kimbles
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Parkrun - #5

Day dawned warm again for my 5th Parkrun at Pollock Park - this was going to be hard going.  The only reason I say this is that my quads still ached from Wednesdays weighted squats with a twist and the rest of the core work!!  I had also done a 5.35km run on the Friday night.  I was still undecided on Friday night whether I was going to go or not and decided to leave it until the morning when my alarm went off.

My alarm went off at the usual time and I lay in bed mulling over what I should do.  After 30 mins of this, I decided to get up, get ready and head off to Parkrun - if I didn't go, I would spend the rest of the day beating myself up for not going, even though I was tired and my OH phoned just before I was leaving to check if I was going!!!.  Arrived at Pollock and it was a beautiful morning and very warm.  Waiting for the start, I just wasnt feeling in my "happy" place so to speak and was beginning to wonder if I had made the right decision.  The run started and my question was answered.  It was tough going!!!  My chest felt tight as well which threw my breathing out and made for a pretty horrible run, along with the fact that my legs felt heavy and tired as well.  I managed to pick a runner in front of me who I kept pace with, which helped.  I had to speed walk a few times and felt as if I was cheating but decided I could view it as my cross-training day!!! Last hill and the final downhill and I was at the finish line - thank goodness. Finish time - 31m 11s.  No PB this week, which is not surprising.  

Note to self - listen to tired body before trying to do too much :-D


Kimbles
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13 Weeks To Go!

Tuesday
One week to go until I official start my training plan for the half.  That is when it will become serious - gulp!  I re-activated my gym membership today as the plan to do weights and core work at home just wasn't working.  So I needed to put some structure back and going to the gym will do this.  After the race on Sunday, I entered the JogScotland 5k challenge race on 23rd June.  I am a glutton for punishment lol.

Bit disappointed today as I had planned to go out for a 4 miler but never made it out! It was blowin' a hooley and raining - one of those really dank, miserable nights!!  If I had went out, I could have been blown across to Millport lol.  Oh well - going to have to do a run tomorrow before my appointment at the gym.


Wednesday
Gym night tonight!!!  I went for my session with the PT tonight.  This is to add strength workouts to my training plan.  He has created 2 plans which get done alternatively in a week.  Did program 1 tonight - ouch!!  Should be good and I hope I will see improvements.  A few exercises with the swiss ball, squat exercise and chest presses.  No idea what next week will hold as we are going over program 2!!! 



Friday
Due to sore muscles after Wednesday's gym session (youch), I had to give my run a miss last night!!  I was still swithering as to whether I should drag my sorry backside out tonight but I gritted my teeth, got ready and headed out.  Usual route and 5.35km completed.  Not sure whether to do a Parkrun tomorrow morning ;-)


Kimbles
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RFL - Glasgow Green (6th June '10)

It was supposed to rain overnight but when I rose at 6:30am (what an ungodly hour to get up on a Sunday), it was a bit overcast but muggy.  A shower and breakfast and by 7:45am we were on the road.  My mate Lynn had come down for a visit and was coming to spectate at the race as well.  When we arrived in Glasgow, a few of the roads had been closed off which made parking a bit of a challenge (and expensive!!).  Cars parked and we headed to Glasgow Green to be met with a sea of pink!!!  Lynn seen this and wished she could run but she had already done her RFL in May down south lol  The tannoy announced that those who were going to run under 30 minutes were to make their way to the start - this was at 9:05 and the race started at 9:30!!! Of course you had the customary people who walk/jog making their way to the front which causes congestion - sheesh! But hey, its for charity so what the hell!

The atmosphere was great and we started off at bang on 9.30am.  Darius Campbell was the celeb starting the race and he piled on the flattering patter :-D Off we headed up Saltmarket and there was a lot of congestion which meant more of a shuffle walk until we could get a clear path.  As we turned into Trongate, it began to thin out a bit and then I was off like a linty.  Couldn't believe the pace I was shifting along at.  At 3k though the humidity was becoming a problem and at that point I could have thankfully done with a downpour to cool me down.  The last km as we entered back into Glasgow Green was completed at a slower pace due to the weather and as I crossed the line, I had the urge to throw up but I restrained myself lol.  Collected my medal, goody bag and bottle of water and headed to the grassy area to wait on hubby and Lynn.  When they reached me, I checked my watch to discover that I had achieved one of my goals - I had broke the 30 minute mark!!!!!!!  I had completed the run in 28m 51s - fantastic!!!  My previous PB at Parkrun had been 31:05 :-)  

The other fantastic thing about today was that I had managed to raise £190 for Cancer Research and it was all worth it. My race today was dedicated to Pat Hanley who is currently fighting cancer.  Keep up the fight Pat!

Hubby duly did his David Bailey and took the customary post race photos - bless him :-)

Next race will be the Jogscotland 5k, which is again at Glasgow Green but will be run at night and hopefully in cooler conditions :-)  After that, its the half marathon - eeeekkk!!!

Kimbles
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14 Weeks To Go!!

Sunday

14 weeks to go till race day.  After a rocky week due to illness, I managed to go for a run today.  I was worried due to the jippy tummy carry on but I was okay.  The run was surprisingly good.  I took my time and managed a 5.35km (3.3m) run and in a pretty decent time.  Lets hope that this bug has final passed and that I can settle into my training!!  I also managed to calibrate my new Nike+ Sportsband after the other one went on the fritz due to the updated software.  Nike were super swift in replacing it - 2 days, so good customer service there!!

Tuesday

Day started out pretty blah.  Still had the lingerings of the tummy bug but nothing dramatic but it was dragging me down.  I suppose the jist of it was that I just couldn't be bothered today. However by 6.30pm I was starting to perk up to the idea of going for a run.  So I duly trotted off, got ready and headed out.  Glad I did as the weather had picked up and it was lovely on my usual route.  Had a 3 course meal while out due to the amount of midgies about - at least I didnt have to have protein when I got home lol.  I was surprised that my run went so well considering my mood throughout the day and I managed my usual 5.35km.  Tomorrow is another day :-D

Wednesday

Today was a good day ;-)  The sun was shining, my head was in the right place and I managed to do 2 miles with some speed intervals mixed in.  It was quite muggy when I was out running tonight but it was still enjoyable.  Not quite as many midgies tonight - they must have been in hiding in fear of being eaten!!  I seemed to have a dose of the munchies today for some reason and was craving carbs (and not midgies)!! So lots of toast and nutella was on the menu tonight - yum! Maybe after last week's problems with food, it was catching up with me :-)

Thursday

3 mile run tonight but it was a struggle on the way back.  My quad muscles felt really tired for some reason and my chest felt tight.  Forgot to take my olbus inhaler before I went out, so my breathing was off :-(  Added to that was the heat - another muggy night outside.  Still, I managed the 5.35k in roughly my usual time, maybe a minute or 2 slower than Tuesday.  My diet has been off this week and I havent been eating properly (the wrong foods) so that may have something to do with the no energy! Rest day on Friday and Saturday in prep for the Race For Life on Sunday :-)