fairweatherrunner

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Lucky dip

Juneathon day 25.

My Lego assistant tells me my blogs are getting boring and I don’t do anything or see anything interesting on my runs anymore. I tend to agree after 25 days!  Also for no apparent reason I’ve been busier and more frantic this year and have found less time for Juneathon activities nor for amazing creative thourghts whilst running!  I also apologise that I have read and commented on less blogs than I’d like to.  (So do bear with me and understand if you end up with a random out of context comment in July or August!). I blame it all on the later half term for the Jubilee and the fact that I’ve playing catch up ever since!

Anyway, I wasn’t aching after my longest day runs today , but I didn’t go to BMF to give my legs a break and because I was busy getting youngest up, pack lunched and off to Kings Cross (Warning! he’s gone to Yorkshire for a week with school!) and elder son who is on a trip nearer to home. But basically I really couldn’t be bothered today.

So  this evening in the face of my son’s critisism of my boring Blogs I said, fine, challenge me for today’s Juneathon…. He wasn’t interested, but was moaning after a days windsurfing, kayaking and sailing that his arms and shoulders (unaccustomed to any effort) were agony.  Eventually a plot was hatched.  I would run to get him some neurophen for his aches and pains and at the same time get some new random Lego mini figures. Whatever I brought home he had to make an amusing scene with!

So I ran up the hill to the nearest Lego shop and chemist.  Actually there are both a lot closer in Westfield but I would have looked a proper idiot running round a shopping mall!  It wasn’t fast, I had a conversation with my brother on the mile out and OH rang me on my way home. (Maybe why I don’t normally take my phone!)  All the same it was 2.06 miles ‘running’  and 2.06 miles for Juneathon

Juneathon running total…  110.76 miles


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Pants at downhill!

Juneathon day 21.

It took much effort to muster my motivation and get myself out for a run this evening.

I’d had a busy day, losing the morning because my plans ended up an hour later than expected and then having to go shopping this afternoon to get essentials for my younger son who is going away with school next week. The little darling, at 13 has decided that he is no longer willing to wear pants with labels 7-8 or 9-10 years so chucked them all out!  Go commando? or Mum go to M&S? (other pants retailers are available).

But going shopping in new sandals was a bad idea.  Not because of my white feet, nor the weather, but because after an hour my feet were killing me.  So I hobbled home before it rained and I totally ruined my feet. By then it was 4pm and I needed a cup of tea and a good sit down to recover before I could contemplate running!

Much procrastination later, and choice of running shoes for sore feet, at almost 6.30, and my best time for running (now or never time) I fell out the door for a quick loop around the block.

In the end I decided to vary my route and cut up into Holland Park where I realised that I don’t need to go too far to find trails to practice on for Thunder Run.  There is at least a half mile loop in the park on rough ground through the trees with a couple of decent inclines.  So I went up and down to get some hill practice and noticed that I probably need more practice for the down hills than for the ups!

Honestly I’m glad no one was filming me because I was very aware how much of a wuss I am running downhill especially on uneven surfaces. My speed slows, I get tense and run a bit like a tight arsed duck with my feet turned outwards!  So this evening I started to practice relaxing and trying to run keeping my legs loose and not being afraid to keep up my pace down hill.

 

 

3.03 miles

Juneathon running totals…  85.32 miles

9 days to go!


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A little sun at last

Juneathon day 19.

A taste of summer today!  Well it was warmer, dry and sunny.  I was a bit worried while I was out shopping with my mother this morning, who was in London overnight , that I was leaving my run until this afternoon and the hottest part of the day.

I need not have worried because it had cooled a little by the time I set out this afternoon.  A lovely day to give my new running sunglasses from Polaroid a good road test.  I’ve waited all Juneathon for a great sunny day to test them properly and guessed that today might be as good as it gets!  Although I’ve worn them on and off since I got them at the end of May (as has my son) and have to report that I was very grateful for them during the very hot and sunny Bupa London 10K!

I’m very pleased with my new sunglasses, they are light weight, look good and don’t fog up (even after I’ve pushed them up onto my head for a while when its cloudy).  They give me very clear vision over my contact lenses, clearer than my old sunglasses.  I’m not sure if this is because they are polarised?  I’m sure the technical of you will explain.  Or maybe I should ask one of my ‘know it all’ sons!  Talking of whom the younger one, who likes wearing sunglasses, is very keen on these too!  Fortunately the nice people at Polaroid had the good sense to put some small touches of pink on  the black frames of their women’s glasses so they are (hopefully) safely mine.

 

I had to adjust my normal 10K loop to take into account all the blocked off bits for the building of stands for the olympics, otherwise a regular loop of Holland Park, Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park to make the most of the nice day. I spent some of my run working out the maths for an exact mileage to bring me to a suitably rounded number and round-up my Juneathon total at the same time and therefore keep my fellow Juneathoners (who like tidy round numbers) happy.

Near home I glanced at my garmin, while pausing to cross the road, and was sure that I was exactly at one of the required totals.  But I couldn’t stop it then.. (and walk home? or even worse run when it’s not counted?!!) so I carried on to my front door regardless.

Long live non rounded mileage!  I run my loop and STOP at my front door!

6.46 miles

Juneathon running totals…  79.29 miles


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Staying in the game

Juneathon day 17.

Todays run was about staying in Juneathon and not letting my Sunday laziness scupper my progress having run everyday so far and clocked up 67 miles.

I was having a lovely lazy day watching movies with the boys who were both home with no plans or exam revision and fitting in a few chores in between and during the adverts.  I did get changed into my running kit after lunch but never quite mustered the motivation to get away from the cheesy sunday family movies and out for a run.

Then it was 6pm the ‘Oh dear, now or never run time’ but I was even more reluctant to go out because Dirty Dancing had come on!  But no excuses for  Juneathon so I got dinner cooking and dashed out for a loop around the block.

I was only planning a mile or so around the block, but as usual however reluctant I am to get out the door a few minutes in I feel good and am happy to be out running. This evening I felt I was flying along at a decent pace (must be the 80’s music) so decided to extend it to 2 miles and then 3. Although when I got to the front door it was 2.92,  near enough. I wasn’t mad enough to keep going past to round it up!

Dirty Dancing was still on the TV when I got in, even though the boys were moaning about it being “even worse than Twighlight” and OH had remembered to drain and mash the spuds.

I’m glad I did my longer run last Thursday. I find it much easier to get the motivation to get good runs done midweek.  I think I will organise myself to keep Thursday mornings free during my marathon training so I can get those long runs done either then or on Saturday mornings and keep Sundays as my day of rest and sofa surfing.

Next weekend however I can’t slob out.  It’s the Longest Day Run (have you signed up?) so I will challenge myself to run an appropriately long distance between noon on Saturday and noon on Sunday as my Longest Day Run.

Cheesy Movies 3

2.92 miles run.

Juneathon running total…  69.83 miles


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Writers block

Juneathon day 16

Didn’t know what to blog about today..

But I did finally drag my lazy bum out for 4 miles of plodding around Hyde Park, at uninspiring pace, late this afternoon.

Excuses?  had a late night (teenagers grrr) , been a busy day (domesticity grrr), Achilles hurts (nuff said, grrr), it was windy (brrr) and our trellis fell down pulling all the ivy off the garden walls,.. Aghhh!

Now enjoying a bottle of red.. ahhh!

4.08 miles

Juneathon running totals…   66.91 miles

Normal service to be resumed… soon!


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Recovery run

Juneathon day 15

Half way! Yay!

I decided against BMF this morning, my legs had taken enough battering from Wednesday’s class and yesterday’s longer run so I expected them to ache today.  In fact they felt fine this morning but I went for a coffee and a chat and then got stuck into ‘being domestic’ planning to run at lunchtime.

Many distractions, much procrastination (and actual housework completed) later I found myself at 5pm and with younger son’s friends coming over for pizza and DVDs at 6 it was then or never.  A quick 5k round the block.  I found after half a mile my legs did actually ache and were heavy.  I soldiered on to get it done only to find as I headed towards home that my legs had stopped aching and were feeling looser and lighter.  Must be why they call them recovery runs!

Apologies for lack of excitement in my blog but I was watching the football which was far too distracting to blog during!

3.05 miles

Juneathon running total…  62.83 miles


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I Ran

Juneathon day 14.

I left. I ran. I collapsed on the sofa.

8.42 miles

Juneathon running total… 59.78 miles.

 

What I didn’t tell you in today’s blog, because I’m collapsed on the sofa with a glass of rose, is that I went to Hyde Park for a (long time needed) bit of a longer run to make the most of a lovely day.  I was wearing a few more clothes (well, a vest) than yesterday however I still felt a little under dressed when I huffed and puffed past a marquee full of very well dressed people having afternoon tea at an antiques show.

That marquee is not the only thing thats been built in Hyde Park recently. I was very put out by the building of all the stands for the Olympics which has started at the side of the serpentine which meant I can’t run my usual loop of the Serpentine and had to take a big detour (up a slope) and then run past lots of fences and porta-cabins.  Just as well I had the Bee Gees in my ears to sing along to and keep me chilled!


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Pain in the backside

Juneathon day 12

Since my parkrun on Saturday I’ve been getting a few niggles in my glute muscles similar to the start of my hip/glutes injury problems last summer.  My glutes ached a bit during my run on Sunday morning and didn’t ease after that run and I had a pain in the bum on Sunday evening!

I stretched and foam rolled well before going to BMF yesterday but still had twinges when running especially when I pushed the pace.  So afterwards I had another good stretch and session with the foam roller but still couldn’t ease the painful trigger point deep in my left glute muscle.

All a bit worrying and disappointing as I was looking forward to some longer runs now half-term is over and I’m back in London.  But last night I had an idea and made myself do a full set of all the hip and glute exercises I’ve ever been given from various Physios and Podiatrists plus the ones we’ve done at BMF recently. Jane Fonda would have been so proud!  All with maximum reps so I could feel the burn and everything ached as much as the left glute!  Then I did all the stretches I’ve been given.

It worked!  The painful knot deep in my glute muscle had gone!  And it was still ache free this morning.  I ran 4 miles at average pace and it was much better.  More exercises and stretching on the agenda tonight and I’ll see how I cope at BMF tomorrow particularly when running at full pelt.  Fingers crossed.

I wanted (glutes willing) to run 6 miles today but was short of time after driving my lazy sons to school before going out.  OH had taken a day off so we could visit a family friend in Harpenden for lunch.  I thought about doing a second daily run this evening but after a nice lunch with half a bottle of very good red wine I saw sense and have postponed my experiment with twice daily running to another day!

4.36 miles

Juneathon running total….  48.36miles


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An ‘athon run

An ‘anthon run… A run which would not happen if it was not for the obligations of taking part in an ‘athon (a mad running challenge which requires running, logging and blogging everyday, such as Juneathon).

Juneathon day 10.

I didn’t want to run today, I wanted a lie-in.

I really didn’t want to run today, it’s our last day on the Isle of wight and I had lots to do.

I really really didn’t want to run today, I was planning a family roast dinner with my parents.

I definitely didn’t want to run today, its raining!

But Its Juneathon. So after the lie in, before the packing, when the roast went in the oven and it was still raining I went out for a quick run. The shortest loop of the village. It turned out to be under a mile and a half so feeling guilty I forced myself round for a second loop.

2.73 miles

Juneathon running total.. 41 miles


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Blue skies from pain

Juneathon day 9. Medina (IOW) parkrun

I was listening to these lyrics in the car on the way home from parkrun this morning and I decided they were very apt. After a week of rain and cloud the sun was shining and there was a beautiful blue sky.

They also kind of sum up my feelings about racing 5K’s. Do I try to keep up a slightly uncomfortable pace and reap the rewards of a good time and maybe the elation of a pb? or give in to my lazy side, relax and enjoy the sunshine, scenery and the run!

I met with Alma, who was visiting the IOW this weekend, for parkrun. I’m always grateful for friends coming to run parkruns near me because it means that I actually get there. I love parkruns but I don’t love the alarm going off at 7am on Saturdays which means I don’t get to them as often as I’d like unless I have the obligation of a pre-arranged meet up.

A fairly typical 5K run for me. Took off for a fast first mile, regretted it running into the wind in mile two and got the nearly there feeling for mile three. It’s a very friendly well attended parkrun. I do like the course, it’s fairly flat and fast. I ran my fastest parkrun here last year and today was second fastest (by a whole second!)

3.08 miles

Juneathon running total…. 38.27

AND…. today I crossed the 500 mile mark! 501 miles run in 2012 so far

Oh… Lego… …erm… …just one second…

..Hey! Is that a tapdancing gorilla?!