Yep, that stage of training, the two-weeks-to-blitz.
In two weeks I'll have done my 8.5 mile fun run. With tutu. I'm on good form for 10k which is most of the way there, so it will be a bit of a jump from my current comfort zone, but I'm optimistic. It's my first repeat of an event, and this time last year I hasn't gone that far before, and still did it in a good time, and this year, I've got a better fitness base behind me.
This week saw my first pre-work run. I was prepared. Prepared as in substituting pajamas for fresh running clothes to cut my pre-run faffery. I'm chuffed to have got myself out of the house by 6:22 am. It was just a short one, a trip around the block, and my body wasn't really interested in waking up and shaking off my regular morning stiffness. But I did it. It counted as a run. I followed up the next morning with a short kettlebell DVD.
Saturday saw another deviation from my routines. 9am is my circuits slot which usually wins over Parkrun as it covers strength work and only involves a 4 minute walk to get there. This week I had an awkwardly timed osteopath appointment which made the location and timing more convenient. It's in the same park as Buggy Babes, so I'm used to the big hill on the course. As I slog the two laps up there, I remind myself that it's easier to run than lug the pram, 2 year old and 4 year old up it! The run went well, I followed my strategy from the 10k of keeping my watch displaying pace. I could feel my body working hard, but I reminded myself that it was only half the work of the 10k, and that I could do it. I ran all of it, and was cheered on near the end by my husband's colleague who had finished a few minutes earlier. Early indications showed a time of 29:15. The official time came in at 29:02. A PB shaving just over a minute off my first attempt of 30:13 in February. I think that counts as progress. According to Parkrun stats, I'm average for my age/sex rating- I'm happy with that! Given that 2 years ago I couldn't walk home from the local shops.
Sunday is my usual long run day. The youngest woke early, then mercifully went back to sleep after a light breakfast. I stayed up. I wanted to be out for the amount of time I want to run the fun run in. I wasn't so concerned about distance, just the stamina to be moving that long. Just as well, as my body wasn't on best form from it's endeavours the previous day. I used the Stamina track twice to help keep me moving, but I developed a twinge around my knee so adjusted my route to get me closer to home and walked to the beat to avoid aggravating it. I don't want an injury! It was still an enjoyable trip out. Lots of birds, startled squirrels, cats and a St Bernard and Irish Wolfhound. The bluebells are still out, and I got the best of the day's sunshine.
Next weekend... camping!
Sunday 17 May 2015
Saturday 2 May 2015
To add house arrest to injury
Yet another post race lull.
The recovery was short and sweet, a little stiffness the next day, but nothing to stop my usual Buggy Babes session. Other than that it was a fairly quiet week taking it easy.
Got up as usual for my Saturday Circuits class. Shortly after getting up, I found I had a sharp stitchy pain in my shoulder. I went to Circuits, but took it easy with some of the moves; it was more the jolting jumpy moves that made it moan rather than lifting. Later on I stiffened up, and got crampy around my neck. My initial thought was that I'd slept funny. I later realised that I wasn't far wrong, I'd fallen asleep in the chair, and curled around the wooden arm, something I usually get away with.
Sunday was little better, but at least any shot at running was off the agenda as my husband headed abroad with work for most of the week, eliminating any chance of a solo escape from the house. I managed Buggy Babes, even with a stint of 4 year old on my back, but my main focus of the week became yoga and pilates in a hope of trying to ease the remaining stiffness.
I headed out today with no agenda and few expectations. The weather wasn't inspiring, and I wasn't sure what my body would feel up to. It ended up being mostly a walk with some running intervals mixed in. I was in the kind of mood to pause and take pictures of the bluebells in the woods, and the fields behind. I'm getting better at accepting runs like this. I am a runner. I can perform on the day. Sometimes by brain and body aren't in the mood. I have found times like this frustrating. I want to run, but sometimes the mental battle of those first couple of miles is too much, and ultimately I need to enjoy my running. It shouldn't be an obligation or burden.
So onwards and upwards. Tomorrow is a new day.
The recovery was short and sweet, a little stiffness the next day, but nothing to stop my usual Buggy Babes session. Other than that it was a fairly quiet week taking it easy.
Got up as usual for my Saturday Circuits class. Shortly after getting up, I found I had a sharp stitchy pain in my shoulder. I went to Circuits, but took it easy with some of the moves; it was more the jolting jumpy moves that made it moan rather than lifting. Later on I stiffened up, and got crampy around my neck. My initial thought was that I'd slept funny. I later realised that I wasn't far wrong, I'd fallen asleep in the chair, and curled around the wooden arm, something I usually get away with.
Sunday was little better, but at least any shot at running was off the agenda as my husband headed abroad with work for most of the week, eliminating any chance of a solo escape from the house. I managed Buggy Babes, even with a stint of 4 year old on my back, but my main focus of the week became yoga and pilates in a hope of trying to ease the remaining stiffness.
I headed out today with no agenda and few expectations. The weather wasn't inspiring, and I wasn't sure what my body would feel up to. It ended up being mostly a walk with some running intervals mixed in. I was in the kind of mood to pause and take pictures of the bluebells in the woods, and the fields behind. I'm getting better at accepting runs like this. I am a runner. I can perform on the day. Sometimes by brain and body aren't in the mood. I have found times like this frustrating. I want to run, but sometimes the mental battle of those first couple of miles is too much, and ultimately I need to enjoy my running. It shouldn't be an obligation or burden.
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