So, wow, another week has yet again flown by! I'm sure that I ask myself the same question on a week by week basis but, truly, where does the time go? It's been a hectic week to say the least. Less intense than last week but no less pressured, draining or busy to say the least! It has been the week where work has decided to be full on with report writing, training primary school maths teachers, after-school coursework assessments, marking and meetings galore. All I can say is, thank goodness that the end of term is nigh!
Having said that, I've been very fortunate that the girls have had a couple of days with their dad which has enabled me to work late and still focus on my running. Consequently, I have happily made up for the lack of distance from last week. I've been really tired and am typically on around 6 hours maximum sleep per night but have SO enjoyed my week and really feel tonight that things are coming together.
So, the week that was:
I hit the school treadmill on Monday straight after work to squeeze a steady 8 miles in (65mins 45 seconds) which is fine by me. Not my best but I wasn't trying to achieve that, it was as planned, just a happy and steady run. I had intended to run on Tuesday night but between work and going out, there simply wasn't the time (not good). Also not a great session on Wednesday night due to having such a late night out on Tuesday but did manage 5 miles of fartlekking at the gym (I could not have managed a single metre more if I tried) - so followed this up with a reasonably fast 4 miler first thing Thursday morning before work. I took Friday as a rest day as I had made the decision to sack the Joe Cox half on Sunday and put the distance in on Saturday instead. It was actually quite a tough decision to make as I know I'd have run better in race conditions and really wanted to don my Pacers vest but felt that I needed the miles and not the pace. So, with my sister-in-law Tara on the bike next to me to keep me sane, I ran 22 miles on Saturday. 22 VERY slow miles on Saturday. I'd set my pace at 9.15min/mile which felt horrendously slow for a very long time. I did, however, want to be in a position where my legs would recover quite quickly and that I could complete the route. On the positive, I DID complete it and whilst I had had enough (I SO had had enough), there was enough fuel in the tank to speed up for the last 3 miles or so. This is encouraging in itself and also knowing that I've spent 200 minutes on the go is, perhaps, the sign that I needed to be convinced that I can happily complete the Milan marathon. It is now Sunday and I've completed 39 miles this week. So, woo hoo! :o)
My plan for this week is to get some miles in still but to drop the LONG run slightly down again:
Monday - highly likely to be a rest day due to meetings and parenthood
Tuesday - I could probably get 8 miles in at some point, depending upon whether I have the girls at home or not.
I could probably get 10km in on Wednesday straight after work.
Thursday - rest day.
Friday - 10km perhaps
Saturday - 3 or 4 SLOW miles
Sunday - I would quite like to get 16 miles on the clock but time permitting may push for a fast half instead. I'll play it by ear as I have to with pretty much most things! Either way, I certainly anticipate on completing 35+ miles this week.
I also plan on getting some more sleep in which looks to be quite achievable as the workload this week is far less intense than in previous weeks! Also, given how 'fine' my legs are today, I'm certainly geared up for Milan and beyond. By the way, when I say 'fine' I really couldn't just knock out another 22 miles tomorrow but I'm walking fine, managed an afternoon of rollerskating with my daughters and am looking forward to my next (shorter) run. There's a lot to be said for slow running sometimes!
21 days until Milan, 63 until Edinburgh!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Sleep beckons...
Where do the days go?
4 weeks from now and I will have, or rather I hope to have completed my first Marathon of the year! I am genuinely so excited about it!
That said, I'm also shattered and am deliberately keeping this short tonight as I've promised myself some well needed sleep. I always knew that this was going to be a tough week work-wise/children wise and hence have little training time but didn't quite anticipate the severe lack of sleep!
I have however, really focused on my foods and in particular the protein/carb/water intake. I certainly don't drink enough and am genuinely trying to rectify this but really think that my conscious effort to eat protein/carb rich foods soon after running is helping. That and less running although the latter won't really aid me in the long term training plan!
So, in keeping it brief - my week that was.
A steady 5 miles on Monday directly after school which was ok given that I ran hard on Saturday and also ran on Sunday. I had the children on Tuesday, no training :o( Worked on Wednesday and then drove straight to Birmingham with work and was tied up with work until gone midnight. Again, no training :o(
5.45am get up on Thursday morning for a quick 4-miler before breakfast and a day spent on training other potential/existing Heads of Maths (tiring but good) before driving back to Suffolk for an evening with my daughters at the school's Rockestra concert at the Apex. Home at 10.15pm, worked until 12.30am... SO tired! I did however manage to squeeze 7.5miles in at the school gym before collecting the girls on Friday after work. I was playing mummy all weekend and visited some friends in Rochester, Kent for the evening - great fun but a late night/early morning (5.55am wake up call from my daughter who seems to have misinterpreted the whole Mothers' Day point). I did however manage a fast run to the local Marina and back, only 4 miles in total but the return leg was a killer hill! I actually managed 20.5 miles this week which was further than I had anticipated and the legs are feeling great!
This week however, the miles creep up again:
Monday - 8 miles directly after school I hope, time permitting!
Tuesday - 5 miles
Wednesday - if I'm able and don't have the girls, I could really push for a longer run on Wednesday (8+ miles) but I'll play that by ear and may even be able to run early on Thursday morning.
There WILL be a longer run this weekend, I'm just not sure when/where yet. I'm hoping to run the Joe Cox half but really wanted to get another 20 miler in! Decisions, decisions! Even so, I should easily get nearer the 40 mile mark somehow by the end of the week.
I just know that all the healthy eating and drinking will serve me well but without the sleep, I'm never going to feel great. Surely, others must sleep more than ever when they're in training? I know I need to and yet...
So, on that note, good night and have a great week!
4 weeks from now and I will have, or rather I hope to have completed my first Marathon of the year! I am genuinely so excited about it!
That said, I'm also shattered and am deliberately keeping this short tonight as I've promised myself some well needed sleep. I always knew that this was going to be a tough week work-wise/children wise and hence have little training time but didn't quite anticipate the severe lack of sleep!
I have however, really focused on my foods and in particular the protein/carb/water intake. I certainly don't drink enough and am genuinely trying to rectify this but really think that my conscious effort to eat protein/carb rich foods soon after running is helping. That and less running although the latter won't really aid me in the long term training plan!
So, in keeping it brief - my week that was.
A steady 5 miles on Monday directly after school which was ok given that I ran hard on Saturday and also ran on Sunday. I had the children on Tuesday, no training :o( Worked on Wednesday and then drove straight to Birmingham with work and was tied up with work until gone midnight. Again, no training :o(
5.45am get up on Thursday morning for a quick 4-miler before breakfast and a day spent on training other potential/existing Heads of Maths (tiring but good) before driving back to Suffolk for an evening with my daughters at the school's Rockestra concert at the Apex. Home at 10.15pm, worked until 12.30am... SO tired! I did however manage to squeeze 7.5miles in at the school gym before collecting the girls on Friday after work. I was playing mummy all weekend and visited some friends in Rochester, Kent for the evening - great fun but a late night/early morning (5.55am wake up call from my daughter who seems to have misinterpreted the whole Mothers' Day point). I did however manage a fast run to the local Marina and back, only 4 miles in total but the return leg was a killer hill! I actually managed 20.5 miles this week which was further than I had anticipated and the legs are feeling great!
This week however, the miles creep up again:
Monday - 8 miles directly after school I hope, time permitting!
Tuesday - 5 miles
Wednesday - if I'm able and don't have the girls, I could really push for a longer run on Wednesday (8+ miles) but I'll play that by ear and may even be able to run early on Thursday morning.
There WILL be a longer run this weekend, I'm just not sure when/where yet. I'm hoping to run the Joe Cox half but really wanted to get another 20 miler in! Decisions, decisions! Even so, I should easily get nearer the 40 mile mark somehow by the end of the week.
I just know that all the healthy eating and drinking will serve me well but without the sleep, I'm never going to feel great. Surely, others must sleep more than ever when they're in training? I know I need to and yet...
So, on that note, good night and have a great week!
Sunday, 11 March 2012
The belly rules the mind. ~Spanish Proverb
Wow, yet another week!
So, as I sit here on a Sunday evening, my typically tired self, I'm reflecting on the week that was. I'm amazed as to just how much has happened in the past 7 days. Work has been a constant grind, day and night and as much as I love my job (and I really do), the demand is tough sometimes. My children are rightly making their own demands on me, as children do. Not forgetting the birthday celebrations which, whilst fun, cut further into some well needed sleep... I think I may sleep tonight!
To add to this - this is the first week where I've really had to respond to my training by considering my diet. I love food - always have, always will! Food and I are friends, fact. I eat well: a varied diet with lots of vegetables. That said, in the midst of my working life, as the title of this post suggests, my belly rules my mind. I eat because I'm hungry and I eat because I like it but I don't necessarily eat the right things at the right times. More usually, I eat on the go because I need to and I eat what's accessible to me as it's easier. Consequently, I've really begun noticing how my leg muscles just don't seem to be recovering between runs. No wonder my times aren't improving when each run is begun with tired muscles. I know I'm perfectly able to cope with the miles I've been running and I know (know) that I'm able to cope with the demands of the training and improve... and yet, the legs remain tired! So, a brief conversation with my dietitian sister-in-law (It's not what you know.) and one long-and-blinding-by-science email later, I've made a concerted effort to up the protein, control WHEN I eat (as in recovery food) and avoid the craving for sugar fixes to fill gaps that exist through my poor eating habits/lack of sleep. The first two are manageable with a bit of careful planning (this is ok, I thrive when I have a plan) but the sugar fixes are less easy to manage: I also need more sleep. My current routine of a maximum of 5/6 hours per night just isn't working, hence the continued bouts of sugar to help keep me going.
It's only been a few days of careful eating - in particular the protein/carb intake soon after running, especially after the longer runs but already I feel some of the benefits.
My week that was, absolutely on target in terms of the mileage and training.
Monday - rest day (I had no choice about this)
Tuesday - 8 treadmill miles, fartlekking although my legs were still incredibly tired from the 20 miler just a couple of days previously ALONG with a dreadful night's sleep (1hour 15 mins max) that the fartlekking was more a case of trying to get faster but really just a matter of survival.
Wednesday - 5.45am run with my friend Charlotte. 5 miles. Fortunately, the mornings aren't quite as dark as they were a few weeks back.
Thursday saw a Parents Evening so I swapped nights in terms of the children so had a late night and SLOW 4 miler session on the treadmill.
Friday - rest day but FAR too late a night (silly Sarah)
Saturday - My birthday (37!!!!) but also a timed half-marathon at 9am with Tara on her bike, 1 hour 47. This is OK but would really have liked sub 1hr 44. That said, it was a really enjoyable run and a nice way to start the birthday celebrations. I'm hopeful that more sleep and a slightly more focused diet will help the times.
Sunday - Not exactly hungover (I hardly drank being the lightweight that I am) but yet another late night and early morning so there was suffering-a-plenty! I did however manage to survive (pure survival) some interval training at the gym. 5 miles on the treadmill mixed with 20 minutes on the step-machine. I did NOT enjoy today's session AT ALL! (Although I did enjoy reading the joys and delights of various people who competed in today's Cambridge Half-Marathon with some fantastic results.)
A grand total of 35 miles this week... How, HOW do people find the time to squeeze in any more miles than this?
This coming week is going to be a real challenge for me. A challenge to find opportunities to run for there will be few.
I may be able to squeeze a 30 minute session on the school field before collecting the children on Monday. Working and then meetings on Tuesday plus playing mum so no training.
Working all day and then driving straight to Birmingham for a meeting on Wednesday evening - no training again.
I'm hoping to get an early morning run in Birmingham before the world wakes and the working day commences. Driving home thereafter and playing mum again!
Friday, working all day but hoping to get 10km in before I collect the girls for the weekend. We're with friends on Sat night/Sunday so I'm also hoping that I may be able to esape for 30 minutes on Sunday morning but I'll play that by ear. In total, at best (!) I MAY be able to get 15-18 miles in this week. Hardly equipping me for the long distance training runs I need but also, perhaps, proving to be a week of recovery in preparation for a tougher week thereafter.
A positive note, at this moment in time, I'm not in the least bit nervous of running a Marathon within my own busy world and am willing Milan on with each passing day. Today, despite the tiredness and aching-legs, I'm really enjoying the training schedule and remain excited about the weeks/months ahead. I'm also extremely grateful to the friends who are keeping me company on the basis that I've been unable to make any of the scheduled Pacers' meetings. Hopefully this will be rectified at some point soon!
One last thought for the week, in the words of the Scientist, Martin H. Fischer, "Life goes faster on protein". (Although, I'm rather hoping that races will go faster as opposed to life going faster!)
So, as I sit here on a Sunday evening, my typically tired self, I'm reflecting on the week that was. I'm amazed as to just how much has happened in the past 7 days. Work has been a constant grind, day and night and as much as I love my job (and I really do), the demand is tough sometimes. My children are rightly making their own demands on me, as children do. Not forgetting the birthday celebrations which, whilst fun, cut further into some well needed sleep... I think I may sleep tonight!
To add to this - this is the first week where I've really had to respond to my training by considering my diet. I love food - always have, always will! Food and I are friends, fact. I eat well: a varied diet with lots of vegetables. That said, in the midst of my working life, as the title of this post suggests, my belly rules my mind. I eat because I'm hungry and I eat because I like it but I don't necessarily eat the right things at the right times. More usually, I eat on the go because I need to and I eat what's accessible to me as it's easier. Consequently, I've really begun noticing how my leg muscles just don't seem to be recovering between runs. No wonder my times aren't improving when each run is begun with tired muscles. I know I'm perfectly able to cope with the miles I've been running and I know (know) that I'm able to cope with the demands of the training and improve... and yet, the legs remain tired! So, a brief conversation with my dietitian sister-in-law (It's not what you know.) and one long-and-blinding-by-science email later, I've made a concerted effort to up the protein, control WHEN I eat (as in recovery food) and avoid the craving for sugar fixes to fill gaps that exist through my poor eating habits/lack of sleep. The first two are manageable with a bit of careful planning (this is ok, I thrive when I have a plan) but the sugar fixes are less easy to manage: I also need more sleep. My current routine of a maximum of 5/6 hours per night just isn't working, hence the continued bouts of sugar to help keep me going.
It's only been a few days of careful eating - in particular the protein/carb intake soon after running, especially after the longer runs but already I feel some of the benefits.
My week that was, absolutely on target in terms of the mileage and training.
Monday - rest day (I had no choice about this)
Tuesday - 8 treadmill miles, fartlekking although my legs were still incredibly tired from the 20 miler just a couple of days previously ALONG with a dreadful night's sleep (1hour 15 mins max) that the fartlekking was more a case of trying to get faster but really just a matter of survival.
Wednesday - 5.45am run with my friend Charlotte. 5 miles. Fortunately, the mornings aren't quite as dark as they were a few weeks back.
Thursday saw a Parents Evening so I swapped nights in terms of the children so had a late night and SLOW 4 miler session on the treadmill.
Friday - rest day but FAR too late a night (silly Sarah)
Saturday - My birthday (37!!!!) but also a timed half-marathon at 9am with Tara on her bike, 1 hour 47. This is OK but would really have liked sub 1hr 44. That said, it was a really enjoyable run and a nice way to start the birthday celebrations. I'm hopeful that more sleep and a slightly more focused diet will help the times.
Sunday - Not exactly hungover (I hardly drank being the lightweight that I am) but yet another late night and early morning so there was suffering-a-plenty! I did however manage to survive (pure survival) some interval training at the gym. 5 miles on the treadmill mixed with 20 minutes on the step-machine. I did NOT enjoy today's session AT ALL! (Although I did enjoy reading the joys and delights of various people who competed in today's Cambridge Half-Marathon with some fantastic results.)
A grand total of 35 miles this week... How, HOW do people find the time to squeeze in any more miles than this?
This coming week is going to be a real challenge for me. A challenge to find opportunities to run for there will be few.
I may be able to squeeze a 30 minute session on the school field before collecting the children on Monday. Working and then meetings on Tuesday plus playing mum so no training.
Working all day and then driving straight to Birmingham for a meeting on Wednesday evening - no training again.
I'm hoping to get an early morning run in Birmingham before the world wakes and the working day commences. Driving home thereafter and playing mum again!
Friday, working all day but hoping to get 10km in before I collect the girls for the weekend. We're with friends on Sat night/Sunday so I'm also hoping that I may be able to esape for 30 minutes on Sunday morning but I'll play that by ear. In total, at best (!) I MAY be able to get 15-18 miles in this week. Hardly equipping me for the long distance training runs I need but also, perhaps, proving to be a week of recovery in preparation for a tougher week thereafter.
A positive note, at this moment in time, I'm not in the least bit nervous of running a Marathon within my own busy world and am willing Milan on with each passing day. Today, despite the tiredness and aching-legs, I'm really enjoying the training schedule and remain excited about the weeks/months ahead. I'm also extremely grateful to the friends who are keeping me company on the basis that I've been unable to make any of the scheduled Pacers' meetings. Hopefully this will be rectified at some point soon!
One last thought for the week, in the words of the Scientist, Martin H. Fischer, "Life goes faster on protein". (Although, I'm rather hoping that races will go faster as opposed to life going faster!)
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Remind Me Again Why I'm Doing This!
Another week down - that's 10 weeks into my 50 week training plan. But that means there's STILL approximately another 40 weeks to go! Remind me again why I'm doing this!
This week I've felt tired, stressed and slightly drowning. An incredibly busy week with work - report writing; twilight training; getting ready for a week of middle school maths roadshows and having tired legs that don't want to seem to move for me. Not to mention the children! So in many ways the running has been THE perfect escape from it all but on the same token, it has depleted my energy levels somewhat too.
I do think that my constant thinking about running, times, schedules, pace and juggling it all are proving to be a focus as well as the actual physical running in itself but - as these things do over time - it has all started to embed itself into some sort of routine. I like routines!
So my week as was:
Pretty much on target - woo hoo!
Monday - zip!
Tuesday - 10km on the treadmill (I had intended this to be slow and it was at just under 51 minutes, but my legs weren't happy at all. They felt so very tired.) Plus side was that I then spent the evening at a pudding night devouring pretty much everything in sight! Down side - too much rich food and sugar that I couldn't sleep and felt ill on Weds morning! A short rest before exercising Wednesday evening: A slow-ish run to the athletics track (this was longer than I had anticipated, 3.5 miles), 5.25 miles of interval training at a very constant 7 minute miling followed by the 3.5 miles home again. I loved the track session but felt that I should have pushed myself harder at the track and yet, knew that I needed the reserve energy to get me home again having also ran the day before!
I did however manage to run a WHOLE 2 miles on Thursday morning before work! Legs weren't best pleased but they didn't fight too much! Friday - well needed rest and an even more well needed deep tissue sports massage by the lovely Sheryl. I hadn't realised just HOW much I needed this maintenance!
Saturday - long run day, 20 miles on a lovely route around the Norfolk/Suffolk border. This is the first time I've ventured into anything over 16 miles since 2005. My goodness did the legs know it! Surprisingly enough the second half was actually faster than the first 10 miles but even so, the final 4 miles felt a real punishment. My lovely friend Tara gave me some well needed cycle support - I'd forgotten just how much mind-over-matter is needed when you push yourself at a faster pace/longer distance. (I ask again, 'Why am I doing this?') It took me 2hrs 55 which was, I felt, disappointing. I'd have quite liked 2 hours 50 (well, let's be honest, I would have quite liked 2 hours 30 but I need to be realistic) so I'm not a million miles away but 7 years ago, I was running this in 2 hours 45. That's a drop of 10 minutes! (TEN minutes!). Bigger picture - I'm getting the miles in AND I'm interval training so the times will improve I'm sure... and if they don't, I'm getting the miles in regardless.
Sunday - Children at home, rest day. No Wymondham 20 for me.
In total 40.25 miles which on balance, I'm really pleased with.
I know the next few weeks are going to be difficult as I have Parents Evenings and such like but am still planning on getting a few good runs in. The plan for Week 11 of training is:
Monday - working and then being mum, no miles
Tuesday - 10km (minimum) hard running at the gym
Wednesday - I've madly (!) agreed to run with my friend Charlotte, a dedicated morning runner, at 5.45am before work (4-5 miles)
Thursday - Work, Parents Evening, being mum - no miles. :o(
Friday - 4-5 VERY slow miles!
Saturday - half marathon although no race entry. Will try to up the speed as it'll do me the power of good!
Sunday - Although the children are with their dad, I plan on nursing a hangover after my birthday celebrations (Easily done, I'm no drinker!) so I may get a few slow miles in but I think I'll play that one by ear. I suspect in total, there'll be only 30 miles covered this week but I'm hoping that at least two of those will be intensive and fruitful.
On my final note for the week, I did spend Saturday afternoon/evening trying to coax my legs into being my friend again. I truly believe that they disowned for me a spell (Exactly why AM I doing this?)! Today, leg muscles are slightly sore; appetite is ravenous (every cloud and all that); mental attitude and positivity are restored and I'm ready for the week ahead. Bring the challenges on! Milan is now only 6 weeks away and Edinburgh thereafter. NB - I'm still trying to climb my ladder one rung at a time.
This week I've felt tired, stressed and slightly drowning. An incredibly busy week with work - report writing; twilight training; getting ready for a week of middle school maths roadshows and having tired legs that don't want to seem to move for me. Not to mention the children! So in many ways the running has been THE perfect escape from it all but on the same token, it has depleted my energy levels somewhat too.
I do think that my constant thinking about running, times, schedules, pace and juggling it all are proving to be a focus as well as the actual physical running in itself but - as these things do over time - it has all started to embed itself into some sort of routine. I like routines!
So my week as was:
Pretty much on target - woo hoo!
Monday - zip!
Tuesday - 10km on the treadmill (I had intended this to be slow and it was at just under 51 minutes, but my legs weren't happy at all. They felt so very tired.) Plus side was that I then spent the evening at a pudding night devouring pretty much everything in sight! Down side - too much rich food and sugar that I couldn't sleep and felt ill on Weds morning! A short rest before exercising Wednesday evening: A slow-ish run to the athletics track (this was longer than I had anticipated, 3.5 miles), 5.25 miles of interval training at a very constant 7 minute miling followed by the 3.5 miles home again. I loved the track session but felt that I should have pushed myself harder at the track and yet, knew that I needed the reserve energy to get me home again having also ran the day before!
I did however manage to run a WHOLE 2 miles on Thursday morning before work! Legs weren't best pleased but they didn't fight too much! Friday - well needed rest and an even more well needed deep tissue sports massage by the lovely Sheryl. I hadn't realised just HOW much I needed this maintenance!
Saturday - long run day, 20 miles on a lovely route around the Norfolk/Suffolk border. This is the first time I've ventured into anything over 16 miles since 2005. My goodness did the legs know it! Surprisingly enough the second half was actually faster than the first 10 miles but even so, the final 4 miles felt a real punishment. My lovely friend Tara gave me some well needed cycle support - I'd forgotten just how much mind-over-matter is needed when you push yourself at a faster pace/longer distance. (I ask again, 'Why am I doing this?') It took me 2hrs 55 which was, I felt, disappointing. I'd have quite liked 2 hours 50 (well, let's be honest, I would have quite liked 2 hours 30 but I need to be realistic) so I'm not a million miles away but 7 years ago, I was running this in 2 hours 45. That's a drop of 10 minutes! (TEN minutes!). Bigger picture - I'm getting the miles in AND I'm interval training so the times will improve I'm sure... and if they don't, I'm getting the miles in regardless.
Sunday - Children at home, rest day. No Wymondham 20 for me.
In total 40.25 miles which on balance, I'm really pleased with.
I know the next few weeks are going to be difficult as I have Parents Evenings and such like but am still planning on getting a few good runs in. The plan for Week 11 of training is:
Monday - working and then being mum, no miles
Tuesday - 10km (minimum) hard running at the gym
Wednesday - I've madly (!) agreed to run with my friend Charlotte, a dedicated morning runner, at 5.45am before work (4-5 miles)
Thursday - Work, Parents Evening, being mum - no miles. :o(
Friday - 4-5 VERY slow miles!
Saturday - half marathon although no race entry. Will try to up the speed as it'll do me the power of good!
Sunday - Although the children are with their dad, I plan on nursing a hangover after my birthday celebrations (Easily done, I'm no drinker!) so I may get a few slow miles in but I think I'll play that one by ear. I suspect in total, there'll be only 30 miles covered this week but I'm hoping that at least two of those will be intensive and fruitful.
On my final note for the week, I did spend Saturday afternoon/evening trying to coax my legs into being my friend again. I truly believe that they disowned for me a spell (Exactly why AM I doing this?)! Today, leg muscles are slightly sore; appetite is ravenous (every cloud and all that); mental attitude and positivity are restored and I'm ready for the week ahead. Bring the challenges on! Milan is now only 6 weeks away and Edinburgh thereafter. NB - I'm still trying to climb my ladder one rung at a time.
Sunday, 26 February 2012
A Long Ladder, One Rung at a Time!
And another week is over - where do they keep going?
So, I've spent the first few days of the week ruminating and trying to figure out how I can manage what, for me, is such a daunting experience of a 50 week training plan. I guess, quite simply, that it very much needs to be a case of taking things one step at a time. One Marathon at a time. One week at a time. One run at a time! Now that I've managed to convince myself that this is the way forward, I'm feeling pretty good about things. My mother on the other hand actually questioned whether I should be really doing this! (Incidentally, my mother will also be the first person to cry with pride after each hurdle has been jumped, so to speak.)
This has also been helped by the fact that I randomly bumped into an old colleague from over a decade ago on Saturday who amazingly runs what I call ULTRA-ultra races (100 milers) at least twice if not thrice a year! Such an inspiration and well, if he can do what he does, then why can't I manage a year of marathons? With this in mind, I'm SO excited for Milan and am suddenly wishing the next 7 weeks away!
I've been really good this week and have managed to clock up 24.5 miles on what is my down time week as I have the children at home with me (except for Thursday) and hence have limited training time.
Monday - 3 easy (very easy) miles just to keep my legs moving after the 16 mile run the day before.
Tuesday - Work, meetings and then being mummy.
Wednesday - All on the treadmill but a nicely controlled 5 mile run in 37.45 mins (this is pretty fast by my standards so I'm really pleased with this) directly after work and before collecting the girls at 5.30pm.
Thursday - I ran with my friend Sheryl, a very simple route just short of 9 miles to and from work via Westley Estate, Fornham All Saints and Fornham St Martin. I really enjoyed this. We only averaged 8.45/mile but it was a decent run that put some 'junk' miles in and enabled me to run again on Friday straight after work. I planned on running for an hour solid and managed to get 7.8 miles completed in this time (really pleased given that I'd had decent runs for 3 nights running). I suspect that so many of you see this is hardly an achievement at all but I can assure you, my legs were absolutely shattered on Saturday! Fortunately it was a weekend of no running whatsoever although the girls and I did marshal at the Tarpley 10/20 event this morning. A superb event which saw some amazing finishing times! Despite the tired legs, to say I was itching to compete was somewhat of an understatement! All in all, I've been very lucky to manage my workload in the evenings this week and still get a few miles in.
HOWEVER, I'm now needing a longer run at some point this week but still need to work around the children/work. My plan for the week:
Monday - meetings after work, zero miles! :o(
Tuesday (no children) - I'm working until 6pm and then am out but hoping to get a 10km gym run in.
Wednesday (no children) - 10-11 miles on the road
Thursday morning - if my legs are awake and moving, I may be able to get a couple of miles in before work. We'll see!
Friday - zero miles, just hoping for a well needed maintenance massage!
Saturday - this is my big run day! My schedule says that I should be running 16 miles but I'd quite like to get a longer one in to compensate for my lack of distance over the past 7 days. There is another local 20 mile race this coming Sunday but playing mum again so I'm limited to running on Saturday instead... I think I need to convince people that they may wish to give me some cycle support just to keep my mind occupied!
I'm hoping that I may be able to total 35-40 miles this week; hoping be the operative word!
So, in my own geeky way, I've been playing with my excel spreadsheet that has my year mapped out on it on two sheets: the 'ideal' and the 'reality'. So far, the reality is mirroring the ideal quite nicely. I suspect that as this term progresses, this may not stay true for that much longer but I remain forever hopeful!
I also know that there's a slight inferiority complex in place when I consider the exceptional times of many of today's race finishers. I just need to remind myself that (a) I've only ever been a mediocre runner and (b) I don't have the innate gift for running that some have and (c) I choose to fit my running around the children and home whereby I cannot just 'pop out for a run' on most days... so inferior as my accomplishments may be, they're still my accomplishments and that's what I'm holding onto but will remain in absolute awe of those that want to, can do and do.
So, I've spent the first few days of the week ruminating and trying to figure out how I can manage what, for me, is such a daunting experience of a 50 week training plan. I guess, quite simply, that it very much needs to be a case of taking things one step at a time. One Marathon at a time. One week at a time. One run at a time! Now that I've managed to convince myself that this is the way forward, I'm feeling pretty good about things. My mother on the other hand actually questioned whether I should be really doing this! (Incidentally, my mother will also be the first person to cry with pride after each hurdle has been jumped, so to speak.)
This has also been helped by the fact that I randomly bumped into an old colleague from over a decade ago on Saturday who amazingly runs what I call ULTRA-ultra races (100 milers) at least twice if not thrice a year! Such an inspiration and well, if he can do what he does, then why can't I manage a year of marathons? With this in mind, I'm SO excited for Milan and am suddenly wishing the next 7 weeks away!
I've been really good this week and have managed to clock up 24.5 miles on what is my down time week as I have the children at home with me (except for Thursday) and hence have limited training time.
Monday - 3 easy (very easy) miles just to keep my legs moving after the 16 mile run the day before.
Tuesday - Work, meetings and then being mummy.
Wednesday - All on the treadmill but a nicely controlled 5 mile run in 37.45 mins (this is pretty fast by my standards so I'm really pleased with this) directly after work and before collecting the girls at 5.30pm.
Thursday - I ran with my friend Sheryl, a very simple route just short of 9 miles to and from work via Westley Estate, Fornham All Saints and Fornham St Martin. I really enjoyed this. We only averaged 8.45/mile but it was a decent run that put some 'junk' miles in and enabled me to run again on Friday straight after work. I planned on running for an hour solid and managed to get 7.8 miles completed in this time (really pleased given that I'd had decent runs for 3 nights running). I suspect that so many of you see this is hardly an achievement at all but I can assure you, my legs were absolutely shattered on Saturday! Fortunately it was a weekend of no running whatsoever although the girls and I did marshal at the Tarpley 10/20 event this morning. A superb event which saw some amazing finishing times! Despite the tired legs, to say I was itching to compete was somewhat of an understatement! All in all, I've been very lucky to manage my workload in the evenings this week and still get a few miles in.
HOWEVER, I'm now needing a longer run at some point this week but still need to work around the children/work. My plan for the week:
Monday - meetings after work, zero miles! :o(
Tuesday (no children) - I'm working until 6pm and then am out but hoping to get a 10km gym run in.
Wednesday (no children) - 10-11 miles on the road
Thursday morning - if my legs are awake and moving, I may be able to get a couple of miles in before work. We'll see!
Friday - zero miles, just hoping for a well needed maintenance massage!
Saturday - this is my big run day! My schedule says that I should be running 16 miles but I'd quite like to get a longer one in to compensate for my lack of distance over the past 7 days. There is another local 20 mile race this coming Sunday but playing mum again so I'm limited to running on Saturday instead... I think I need to convince people that they may wish to give me some cycle support just to keep my mind occupied!
I'm hoping that I may be able to total 35-40 miles this week; hoping be the operative word!
So, in my own geeky way, I've been playing with my excel spreadsheet that has my year mapped out on it on two sheets: the 'ideal' and the 'reality'. So far, the reality is mirroring the ideal quite nicely. I suspect that as this term progresses, this may not stay true for that much longer but I remain forever hopeful!
I also know that there's a slight inferiority complex in place when I consider the exceptional times of many of today's race finishers. I just need to remind myself that (a) I've only ever been a mediocre runner and (b) I don't have the innate gift for running that some have and (c) I choose to fit my running around the children and home whereby I cannot just 'pop out for a run' on most days... so inferior as my accomplishments may be, they're still my accomplishments and that's what I'm holding onto but will remain in absolute awe of those that want to, can do and do.
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Update 2 and I'm already fretting!
Good evening! So, Sunday night and the end of my half-term has been reached! Back to the madness of military motherhood/work routines as of 6am on Monday morning. I say this however knowing that the 'daily grind' so to speak enables me and my world to function at a happy and productive pace with familiar and welcomed routines.
Anyway, my week as was:
I've been pretty lucky this week and have been able to work to the schedule that I had wanted and could knowingly fit into my life.
Monday @7am, 2 mile slow jog after a long run the day before - before collecting the children at 8am.
Tuesday morning when the girls were at a club - some intense interval treadmill training.
1 mile slow (8.30 pace), 10 x 800m at 7.30 reducing to 7.20 pace followed by 200m jogs (10 min miles), 1 mile slow (8.45 pace). Felt good! The gym is definitely the preferred option here as it enables me to control my the pace in a way that I never really manage on the road.
I didn't have the girls on Tuesday evening so hit the gym at 6am on Wednesday morning for a solid 5 miler at an overall average of 7.45 pace... for those of you who are about to shoot me down for using the gym for a simple run - I'm scared of the dark, end of story! Ready and finished to collect the girls at 8am for a day of motherly fun! :o)
I didn't do anything on Thursday... oh it was so nice!
As I said in my last post, this has been an easy week for me and the children in that they get a couple of full days with their dad by spending their weekend with him. As much as I miss them, it also enabled me to focus on the miles. So on Friday evening (just as it was getting dark) and again on Saturday morning, I ran a simple 4 mile loop around Moreton Hall. Slow, short and easy. Average of around 8.30 min/mile - quite hard to keep it this slow for such a short run as my natural pace is faster but wanted to save my legs for Sunday.
And the grand finale of my week was the added bonus of being able to run with a few of the Pacers from the Leisure Centre on Sunday morning. When so many Pacers had taken to the Bungay XC for the day, I just wanted to put miles in on the road. Several of us were turned up today running anything between 12 and 19 miles - I had wanted to run 16 and managed 16.1 (special thanks goes to Peter for going over the 14 mile mark and running just over 15 - this extra few minutes of company was great for my own mind set. I only then had to run just under a mile on my own to complete my own personal target for the day). My average pace today was 8min48/mile. This is ok and what I had planned. I know I'm capable of so much better than this but I need to keep reminding myself that it's about the distance on these long runs and to concentrate only on the miles for now.
A well loved cup of tea, flap-jack at the leisure centre followed by what felt like my own body weight in food: Mars milk drink, cheese on toast, fruit, jaffa-cakes and a lots of fluid were all taken within minutes of arriving home - then b*gger to the ice bath, I had a lovely hot one! Girls arrived home this afternoon - nice to see them and just enjoy them! Tonight once they were in bed was a focus on getting ready for the week ahead at work.
So, I've totalled 38 miles of running this week which was what I had hoped for. I definitely have deadlegs.com and a realisation that in 8 weeks from now I'll be running 26.2 miles which is more than 10 miles longer than today's little effort. Worse still, that's just the opening gambit for a full year of this! So, this dawning of what is to be has hit me and the fretting has begun. That said - I've said I'm doing it, I've committed pen to paper in the computerised metaphorical sense and bring it on! Only 8 weeks to Milan, my first of the year of running but am also thinking beyond Milan and the next adventures - more to follow on that one.
This week is going to be particularly difficult: Back at work with lots of evening work including a parents' open evening on the one night that I don't have the girls for the next 7 days (Thursday). My plan therefore is as follows:
Monday after work before collecting the girls - to try and get 2 slow miles by running around the school field. I'll probably be at the track but only in the capacity of taking my eldest there (youngest is still too young to join. I've well and truly primed her for joining when she turns 6).
Tuesday - Nothing, meetings dictate this... although if the energy levels are up, I'll try to get some Sky TV yoga in once the chidren are in bed.
Wednesday - Meeting/work dependent, I may be able to get 5 miles in on the school treadmill/school field. Not sure whether I can make this interval training as I need some good reserves for Thursday night.
Thursday - I may be able to get to the gym for about 8pm and run for 8 miles - I hope.
Friday - I could probably squeeze 5 miles/10km in straight after work before collecting the girls.
Saturday - Mum day!
Sunday - Mum day and marshalling for the Tarpley 10/20 with the girls.
All in all this is going to be an absolute maximum of 20 or so miles,highly likely to be less. This is, however the worst week in every 3 and perhaps this 'down time' will be good for my overall recovery.
I genuinely wonder how people who, like me, are not professional athletes are physically able to put in 70-80 miles each week when training. Where do they find the hours to do so? Full credit to them and to anyone who is training for any Marathon - it's no mean feat to actually commit yourself to a training schedule. :o)
Anyway, my week as was:
I've been pretty lucky this week and have been able to work to the schedule that I had wanted and could knowingly fit into my life.
Monday @7am, 2 mile slow jog after a long run the day before - before collecting the children at 8am.
Tuesday morning when the girls were at a club - some intense interval treadmill training.
1 mile slow (8.30 pace), 10 x 800m at 7.30 reducing to 7.20 pace followed by 200m jogs (10 min miles), 1 mile slow (8.45 pace). Felt good! The gym is definitely the preferred option here as it enables me to control my the pace in a way that I never really manage on the road.
I didn't have the girls on Tuesday evening so hit the gym at 6am on Wednesday morning for a solid 5 miler at an overall average of 7.45 pace... for those of you who are about to shoot me down for using the gym for a simple run - I'm scared of the dark, end of story! Ready and finished to collect the girls at 8am for a day of motherly fun! :o)
I didn't do anything on Thursday... oh it was so nice!
As I said in my last post, this has been an easy week for me and the children in that they get a couple of full days with their dad by spending their weekend with him. As much as I miss them, it also enabled me to focus on the miles. So on Friday evening (just as it was getting dark) and again on Saturday morning, I ran a simple 4 mile loop around Moreton Hall. Slow, short and easy. Average of around 8.30 min/mile - quite hard to keep it this slow for such a short run as my natural pace is faster but wanted to save my legs for Sunday.
And the grand finale of my week was the added bonus of being able to run with a few of the Pacers from the Leisure Centre on Sunday morning. When so many Pacers had taken to the Bungay XC for the day, I just wanted to put miles in on the road. Several of us were turned up today running anything between 12 and 19 miles - I had wanted to run 16 and managed 16.1 (special thanks goes to Peter for going over the 14 mile mark and running just over 15 - this extra few minutes of company was great for my own mind set. I only then had to run just under a mile on my own to complete my own personal target for the day). My average pace today was 8min48/mile. This is ok and what I had planned. I know I'm capable of so much better than this but I need to keep reminding myself that it's about the distance on these long runs and to concentrate only on the miles for now.
A well loved cup of tea, flap-jack at the leisure centre followed by what felt like my own body weight in food: Mars milk drink, cheese on toast, fruit, jaffa-cakes and a lots of fluid were all taken within minutes of arriving home - then b*gger to the ice bath, I had a lovely hot one! Girls arrived home this afternoon - nice to see them and just enjoy them! Tonight once they were in bed was a focus on getting ready for the week ahead at work.
So, I've totalled 38 miles of running this week which was what I had hoped for. I definitely have deadlegs.com and a realisation that in 8 weeks from now I'll be running 26.2 miles which is more than 10 miles longer than today's little effort. Worse still, that's just the opening gambit for a full year of this! So, this dawning of what is to be has hit me and the fretting has begun. That said - I've said I'm doing it, I've committed pen to paper in the computerised metaphorical sense and bring it on! Only 8 weeks to Milan, my first of the year of running but am also thinking beyond Milan and the next adventures - more to follow on that one.
This week is going to be particularly difficult: Back at work with lots of evening work including a parents' open evening on the one night that I don't have the girls for the next 7 days (Thursday). My plan therefore is as follows:
Monday after work before collecting the girls - to try and get 2 slow miles by running around the school field. I'll probably be at the track but only in the capacity of taking my eldest there (youngest is still too young to join. I've well and truly primed her for joining when she turns 6).
Tuesday - Nothing, meetings dictate this... although if the energy levels are up, I'll try to get some Sky TV yoga in once the chidren are in bed.
Wednesday - Meeting/work dependent, I may be able to get 5 miles in on the school treadmill/school field. Not sure whether I can make this interval training as I need some good reserves for Thursday night.
Thursday - I may be able to get to the gym for about 8pm and run for 8 miles - I hope.
Friday - I could probably squeeze 5 miles/10km in straight after work before collecting the girls.
Saturday - Mum day!
Sunday - Mum day and marshalling for the Tarpley 10/20 with the girls.
All in all this is going to be an absolute maximum of 20 or so miles,highly likely to be less. This is, however the worst week in every 3 and perhaps this 'down time' will be good for my overall recovery.
I genuinely wonder how people who, like me, are not professional athletes are physically able to put in 70-80 miles each week when training. Where do they find the hours to do so? Full credit to them and to anyone who is training for any Marathon - it's no mean feat to actually commit yourself to a training schedule. :o)
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
I'm just getting started!
Right, so, now it's February and my plan for the year is underway or rather THE plan is underway!
After a difficult 2011, me being me, I needed a focus. Something to distract me from my over active imagination and thoughts; something for me to look forward to; something that will challenge me at a level that I haven't tackled before and something for me. What to do? What to do? Well, I guess the reality is that all I can do is run.
You see, I'm a mediocre middle to long distance runner. I run. Usually 2-3 times per week, anything from 4-7 miles if I'm not in training and a little more often, longer and harder if I am. I've ran a marathon before (back in 2005, survived it), several half-marathons over the years including a couple towards the back end of 2011 but I'm by no means a manic runner who lives for the next race. Running IS however the one thing that I can honestly say puts my world into perspective. It IS the only thing that turns my fuzzy, stressed and irrational woman's head into a grateful, pleasant and understanding mind!
Let's also be clear that in addition to being a runner, I'm also a bl**dy busy woman! I'm first and foremost a mother and a single mother at that. Two wonderful girls, aged 5 and 10. Old enough to be able to dress themselves and young enough to demand (sap?) my attention and energy. I am also a full time teacher and head of department at a large and successful high school (I love my job!). I have a large (massive in fact) family with lots of brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces who all, in their own lovely ways, also manage to take up my thoughts and attention from time to time... as families should do! SO, in between mothering, teaching, the seemingly endless list of clubs that my children throw themselves into and actually keeping my home looking lovely in the anal-fashion that I'm used to, there's very little time left over.
Anyway, back to the plan! Amongst all of the above, I need a running plan... which is.... lots and lots of running, all ultimately aiming at an ultra-race at the end of November. This year I plan on running 5-6 full marathons throughout Europe and the UK and finishing with the Hereward Relays (Cambridgeshire) although I won't be taking part in the relay, merely running the entire 40-odd mile distance on my tod.
The first of the Marathons take place on 15th April: the Milano City Marathon, Milan, Italy. Now that I've entered, I'm too excited for words! (Although slighly cr*pping myself too!). I only entered this last week which gave me 10 weeks of training (this is ok, I've been running like a nutter throughout January!) just to get me through the first Marathon hurdle.
My schedule for this week:
I ran 14.5 miles on Sunday (VERY slowly, 9 minute miles, a good minute or so slower than my usual pace) with the wonderful help from my sister-in-law who kept my company by riding her bike next to me. The girls stayed with their gran for a couple of hours and drew me pictures! After a lazy afternoon with a DVD (thank goodness that the girls were tired after a busy half-term, I didn't have much in me to run around with them), I had recovered reasonably well. They stayed at their dad's last night but I had to collect them at 8am as he's a farmer and needed to tend to the pigs... so I ran TWO (I'm so rock and roll) slow miles at 7am this morning - my legs liked it less than my tired head did!
It's also half-term this week so I have a couple of hours in the morning where the girls are at a club, I plan on trying to run on the treadmill a good 7-8 miles tomorrow... I'll see how my legs go! I'm also quite lucky that this is an easy week in terms of the farm so the girls get a few evenings with their dad... I'll milk this in terms of running at every opportunity. Always so much harder during my working week and/or their dad's busy farming weeks. In addition to Tuesday's longer run, I'll also try to run for 30 minutes on Weds morning before collecting the girls again, 30-35 slow minutes on Saturday followed by a 15/16 miler on Sunday. I've recently started running with a local team but can only really make it once every 3 or so weeks as I have the children at home with me but it's SO much easier when in the company of others. It's lonely being a long distance runner sometimes.
Anyway, so my plan for the week will probably amount to approximately 35-40 miles between Monday and Sunday. This is, as is everything in my world, subject to change at the very last minute but it's my goal and my short term aim - as part of my longer term (which is, in turn, part of my VERY long term) plan.
If you're interested... Wish me luck!
After a difficult 2011, me being me, I needed a focus. Something to distract me from my over active imagination and thoughts; something for me to look forward to; something that will challenge me at a level that I haven't tackled before and something for me. What to do? What to do? Well, I guess the reality is that all I can do is run.
Let's also be clear that in addition to being a runner, I'm also a bl**dy busy woman! I'm first and foremost a mother and a single mother at that. Two wonderful girls, aged 5 and 10. Old enough to be able to dress themselves and young enough to demand (sap?) my attention and energy. I am also a full time teacher and head of department at a large and successful high school (I love my job!). I have a large (massive in fact) family with lots of brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces who all, in their own lovely ways, also manage to take up my thoughts and attention from time to time... as families should do! SO, in between mothering, teaching, the seemingly endless list of clubs that my children throw themselves into and actually keeping my home looking lovely in the anal-fashion that I'm used to, there's very little time left over.
Anyway, back to the plan! Amongst all of the above, I need a running plan... which is.... lots and lots of running, all ultimately aiming at an ultra-race at the end of November. This year I plan on running 5-6 full marathons throughout Europe and the UK and finishing with the Hereward Relays (Cambridgeshire) although I won't be taking part in the relay, merely running the entire 40-odd mile distance on my tod.
The first of the Marathons take place on 15th April: the Milano City Marathon, Milan, Italy. Now that I've entered, I'm too excited for words! (Although slighly cr*pping myself too!). I only entered this last week which gave me 10 weeks of training (this is ok, I've been running like a nutter throughout January!) just to get me through the first Marathon hurdle.
My schedule for this week:
I ran 14.5 miles on Sunday (VERY slowly, 9 minute miles, a good minute or so slower than my usual pace) with the wonderful help from my sister-in-law who kept my company by riding her bike next to me. The girls stayed with their gran for a couple of hours and drew me pictures! After a lazy afternoon with a DVD (thank goodness that the girls were tired after a busy half-term, I didn't have much in me to run around with them), I had recovered reasonably well. They stayed at their dad's last night but I had to collect them at 8am as he's a farmer and needed to tend to the pigs... so I ran TWO (I'm so rock and roll) slow miles at 7am this morning - my legs liked it less than my tired head did!
It's also half-term this week so I have a couple of hours in the morning where the girls are at a club, I plan on trying to run on the treadmill a good 7-8 miles tomorrow... I'll see how my legs go! I'm also quite lucky that this is an easy week in terms of the farm so the girls get a few evenings with their dad... I'll milk this in terms of running at every opportunity. Always so much harder during my working week and/or their dad's busy farming weeks. In addition to Tuesday's longer run, I'll also try to run for 30 minutes on Weds morning before collecting the girls again, 30-35 slow minutes on Saturday followed by a 15/16 miler on Sunday. I've recently started running with a local team but can only really make it once every 3 or so weeks as I have the children at home with me but it's SO much easier when in the company of others. It's lonely being a long distance runner sometimes.
Anyway, so my plan for the week will probably amount to approximately 35-40 miles between Monday and Sunday. This is, as is everything in my world, subject to change at the very last minute but it's my goal and my short term aim - as part of my longer term (which is, in turn, part of my VERY long term) plan.
If you're interested... Wish me luck!
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