Mountains

Saturday 7km 46 mins (inc hills)
Monday (BH) 10 miles 1.48 (inc hills).

I’ve hit a strange wall with my running in the last week, one I wasn’t expecting to hit, every run last week was completed with the thought, ‘why am I doing this again?’.  I’ve got this sort of meh feeling about it.  I think it’s partly because I don’t feel my runs aren’t progressing, I’m not getting any faster or better at anything, it’s purely for the consistency that I’m running (because my schedule tells me to run).  I also think that I don’t get that lovely achy leg feeling anymore, or runners high (noooh).  And it is a bit frustrating that I’m not getting faster.  It’s a bit frustrating.  But I am winning at dedication and consistency, especially during another heatwave week.

Yesterday as I post run reflected, I had to remind myself how far I’ve come in just one month (4 weeks).   A month ago I was in Scotland, and it was the first time I managed two miles without stopping, and that was tough.  Sunday I ran 10 miles without stopping (except for traffic lights and tourists).  That’s quite a progression in one month.  So if I stick with consistency what can I achieve in another month before the half.  Maybe I’ll get faster, maybe I’ll achieve that allusive sub 30 min 5km.  Who knows, but for now I’m going to ignore the meh, and see where consistency takes me.

One other thing I’m including in my runs (well depending on where I’m running) is throwing in some hills.  I’ve always been terrified of hills (walking, hiking, running, an incline is a mountain and knackers me out big time, I just don’t have the lungs for it).  But I need to learn not to fear hills.  I also know that on the half marathon route there is a dip which I ran once before (in a heatwave as it happened) and it almost killed me (I don’t think many people realise about the Hyde park mountain).  So I have been throwing in the Regents Park mountain (otherwise known as primrose peak! – actually to be honest, I run up the side of it, but that is still quite an incline).  I’m hoping by talking the big mountains, the Hyde park peak won’t seem so daunting on the day.  Fingers crossed.  

10 Miles Marker

10 miles 1.47 mins

Yesterday I hit a landmark in my training 10 whole miles.

I was a little nervous because for me it was a biggie in my half marathon training plan, it was also a big one in my running journey.  Back when I first started out (this time and last year) when I could barely run for 5 minutes, and would be bright red and soaked in sweat in those first 5 mins, I used to be really paranoid and think everyone was staring at me, when I felt like this, I used to say in my head ‘for all they know I could just have run 10 miles’.  So it was with great pleasure as I finished up my run yesterday, red and soaked with sweat I could actually say, I HAVE actually just run 10 miles.  It felt good.

It was a good run, I’m not going to say it was easy, it wasn’t but it wasn’t agnosing, there were no tears, and any discomfort I saw as a lesson.  About half way (Camden market, which annoyingly you have to walk through to get back to the tow path) I did have a wobble I was very hungry (not helped by running past the food stalls in Camden market I might add) but like Forrest I just kept going.  The last two miles, I found myself lagging, my legs were tired, and I realised my posture was all saggy so I pulled myself up and put in a bit of sprint to assist that seemed to work.

The best bit was the end (not because it was the end) I had set Mr Nike to let me know every 2miles, and he told me I had two miles left, by this point I was back in Regents Park, and trying to work out which way to go to finish at my favourite finishing spot.  After a while I checked the distance and I had 1.2 miles left.  So I figured out a route that would take me to my finish line, except (I’m not the best at judging distance) before I was  even close to that finish line, I heard Mr Nike say ‘congratulations!’ I almost jumped out of my skin, I was so happy. 

What’s more, the end came much sooner than I had estimated (10 minutes sooner in fact), I was so happy. Although my long run pace is slow, I seem to speed up the further I go.  So this was 147mintes.  My only concern is that I try to work towards running times rather than miles (building endurance) so I should have gone another 10 minutes.  Still one more long run to go, there’s still time.

Yay, I’m so chuffed with myself, only another 5km to add to that.  I’ll 12 miles next week, then wind down to 10, 8 etc.  I hope that is enough to get me through.

Emotional Running

Friday 19^th August  5 (emotional) miles (Written on Saturday)

Last night was an emotional run for me, five flying miles, I enjoyed them, didn't stop (except to blow my nose a couple of times). It was good, but what made it emotional was being reminded how far I've come, even in the last few short months. 

I was back in lovely Regent's Park where my training began. 

Back then only in July I committed to running 3 times a week in prep for this half, after flapping about with running attempts all year.  Back then I still could barely run 4 minutes! I was doing the time & milage but punctuated with 1min walks, that was all I could manage. And each minute was tough, longing for Mr Nike to tell me I’d survived another minute. 

As I ran last night I remembered all the agonising struggles at particular parts on the route, even those first 4mins, from the door to the gate of primrose, promising myself every minute through gritted teeth that this first one I would let myself walk two mins.  

Then running past Tiger Territory that path, was pretty but always felt like agony, I would always look for the Tigers to distract myself, but in the back of my head I’d be thinking this is way to far. That was when I tried to change my perspective choosing to be in the minute & love the minute.  But last night I sailed past with ease.

Then there was another spot over by the boat lake, I remember one night (when I was up to running 8 minutes) I did think I was going to die, I collapsed in agony at not breathing (well not physically collapse you know what I mean).  I would question if this would every get better would I every just be able to run, I’d done it before I knew that but it seemed so impossible.  Last night I sailed past that spot about 5km in no stops, there was a BIG smile on my face.

Even just a few weeks ago when I struggled with a terrible that terrible 5km on the outer ring stopping every to catch my breath, beating myself up mentally as to why I just couldn’t manage it.  Last night I sailed past those spots beaming! 

I'm so glad I kept it up & forced myself to run 3x a week, I'm so happy now I've achieved a comfortable run pace, that's what I always wanted, and there I was last night sailing through Regent's Park.  

There are countless more spots in Regent's Park where a battle has taken place for me & Friday I sailed past them all. I was so grateful & felt a little emotional to remember them all.  You may have seen me there on Friday, I was the one with a big smile on my face & a tear in my eye. 

Incidentally, breaking free from the run walk thing was a pure mental thing, I first did it on that beach run I managed to run 2 miles before a rest walk (which wasn’t even a minute as by then I didn’t have the counter).  It was only my freestyling night when I ran without the help of Mr Nike, that I decided to run for as long as I could before feeling the need to stop, and that happened to be just under 6km.

Incidentally (part 2) some of those most strugglesome runs, (the 5km a few weeks ago, and my river run) I now realise these occurred on really hot days, I’m now mindful of that, I chose to run when it is cooler. I’m learning!!

A turn in the weather.

You know running has taken over your life when...

..the weather man shakes his umbrella and announces a turn in the weather!

Yay! Here's to training in cooler weather!!!

I will always be a slowbee

5km 32mins

Last night I was in the mood to attempt to break my 5km PB, it might have been a mistake. I included a 10 min warm up jog in preparation (I normally use my first km as a sort of warm up) then walked for 10 then set off (starting with a down incline for good measure).  I’m not going to lie I didn’t enjoy it, I ran fast, then faster, then fast, then gasping for breath then faster, trying to sprint fast for a 30 seconds then faster for 30 seconds.  But not it wasn’t pretty it wasn’t enjoyable and what’s worse I didn’t even break my speed record. All I did was trash my very precious weekly run (if I’d have paced it I could have done my usual 5 miles).  I felt very grumpy at the end and was only consoled by a beautiful almost full moon.

I don’t need to be fast, except that I would love to join a running group at some point, but I don’t see any around that run at my measly pace.  I do think part of it (maybe I’m making excuses here) is because I’m so short, I mean my little legs can only stride so far, and how many 5.1’ers have you seen on the Olympic podiums the last few weeks EXACTLY!!. 

Reflecting on my efforts I have decided to stick with a healthy Enjoy Pace, which is slower than most people out there, but it keeps me happy healthy and not wanting to give up on running, and that’s how it should be.

…although on double reflecting today, I realised my time was exactly my fastest 5km time that I achieved last year in my 10km race, so maybe I’m better than I think I am?!?

Long Runs

1hr32 – 13km

My last few attempts at long runs have not been the best, last week even my short runs were suffering.  I managed a lousy 5miles kicking and screaming (with many pauses) the week before , then on my Sunday long run I went to one of my favourite places (somewhere  I’d always wanted to run) in an attempt to do a scheduled 8 miles, but only managed a tough 6.5 miles (with many pauses and a few tears).  The week just gone my short runs were better but my confidence wasn’t high for a long run.

A tough 5 miles, but at least I ran a pretty flower.

I perceive long runs to be super important as, you (I) need to know how my body is going to react over a long distance, edging the mileage up slowly definitely helps ease it into it.

So I headed out last night on an attempted long run.  The first 20 minutes my legs were like lead, and my shins ached a little more than normal.  I normally always struggle in the first 20 mins so I try to not give up in the first 20 mins, if I’m still struggling after that I worry.  Thankfully it was much better after 20 mins.  I kept the pace super slow. 

I know I can manage 5 km, but the question is always, at the end of 5 km can I do it all over again?  When I finally looked at my phone, I’d done 6km, and after a brief text message length pause I set off for the second half, and my question was answered, Yes I can do it all over again. In fact the second half of the run was so enjoyable I felt like I was flying.  I made it to an hour 25, and even pushed on another 5 mins to hit the 13km.

Sooooo proud of myself, and now I’ve made it past the half way mark, I feel like this thing is doable.

I’ve also realised that every time I’ve struggled with a run, it’s usually been a super-hot day, here’s hoping the summer will be over soon!

Freestylin

So after two (really) bad runs in the last week, yesterday eve the last thing in the world I wanted to do was run, I didn't feel like it and almost didn't put foot out the door, justifying that a week off would do me the world of good (I've been there before).  I'm so determined to do my three times a week in the run up to my half marathon, I decided I would just attempt a very easy 3km.

As I left I switched on Nike, which I'd set to minute and pace notifications.  However one song in, I hadn't heard from Mr Nike, aghh, what had I done, I realised I must have switched off the voice over by accident.

So I decided I would just freestyle it, go with the flow instead, and keep going until I felt like I needed to stop.  I vaguely knew where 3k was (I change my route every time so its not exact) so I thought I'd see how I felt when I got there.

I felt ok, my pace was comfortable, so I kept going, and kept going, and kept going.  when I finally stopped to check the app, I had done 5.5km!!! Then what's more I kept going to 5.5 miles (59 minutes to be exact!)

That's the first time I've run 5k (without stopping).  I think sometimes Mr Nike can be really useful it does push me mentally, I run that bit faster to get to that Km/mile, or I'll keep going another 5 minutes.  But there's something to be said for freestylin and running for enjoyment.  I feel like I can't quite relax with my running too much yet with the impending half marathon (exactly 2 months away) but a good run always encourages me.

I will try this method again, and hopefully it will encourage me to relax my pace and enjoy it a little more.  There is plenty of time for pushing myself.

Running Holiday

One thing I love (in theory) about running, is that you can run anywhere.  The world is your gym (at no extortionate prices).

Last week on holiday I hoped I would be able to catch a few miles, and was so glad I did.  My first run was a gorgeous (enjoyable) 6 miles along the Edinburgh coast, the views were stunning, as the coast sort of curves you could see for miles with hills and more coast in the distance, and a gentle sea breeze to cool you down, no wonder it was as enjoyable as it was.

The other run was a tougher 5 miles,  I picked a route I thought was flat (as flat as you can get in the Scottish Highlands, along a cycle path through a wood.  I struggled through to 5km, then turned to head back, it was only on the way back that I realised there had been an incline for 5k, but the 3km back was wonderfully downhill, and catching glimpses of those mountains made it all worthwhile.  Now if I’d been really clever, I’d have run around the lake (or loch) and met my friends at the end for a quick cool down swim at the end. 

Yes holiday running is the best!