20 minutes RUN

Ideally I wanted to do this run yesterday but my lower back was hurting and affecting my left leg. Deep Freeze pack and gel, and it was fine this morning. I think I hurt it twisting around to watch the TV whilst studying. 

The run felt good mostly, slight discomfort in my right ankle/shin. I was trying to keep my pace faster than usual so I was pleased to see that the pace was faster on Strava and the run was nearly all in the yellow zone in MyZone.

My pace has gradually been increasing but I'm not sure I will ever get back to 10:00/mi again. Not in time for the Marathon anyway.  I must not give up running again after. 

26/01  3.42 mi  12:54/mi   45 minutes

24/01  2.75 mi  12:44/mi   35 minutes

22/01  1.64 mi  12:34/mi   20 minutes *

20/01  3.00 mi  13:14/mi   40 minutes 

17/01  1.93 mi  12:57/mi   25 minutes

*recorded - was a 30 minute run but forgot to press start. 

Body Balance tonight.

Next run is 55 minutes. Hoping to do this tomorrow as I am working from home due to the train strike. Otherwise I will need to get really early on Thursday after Body Pump and Body Balance the night before!

60 minutes run

I ran 4.75 miles this morning. I'm so pleased. I decided to start away from home and run back. The first 15-20 minutes still really hurt.  I'm hoping that this will reduce but my legs have always ached. It was scheduled as 60 minutes running and walking. I chose a route that was mostly flat and downhill to make it easy and run the whole time.

Next week:

Runs: 

20 minutes (so I will try and go faster)

55 minutes 

10K run

Classes: 

Tuesday: Body Balance

Wednesday: Body Pump and Body Balance 

and now to put my feet up. 

87 days!!

I ran for 45 minutes this morning. Aching now though. I cannot believe that I ran 2.75 miles on Tuesday and 3.4 miles this morning. On either Saturday or Sunday, 60 minutes. It says running and walking but the following week is the 10K Battersea run so I will try for the whole hour.  I need to think of a route. 

Birthday Run and Balance

35 minute run this morning. Felt good after the first 25 minutes! Calves and left ankle were hurting before then. 

Body Balance with Jules after work. Managed to get into Swan pose on my right leg but not the right. Then Nandos! 

I can't believe that I have raised £550 plus gift aid! So lucky. 

30 minutes run and Wildwood Trust

The day started with a 30 minute run. As I have started to record only the actual running, instead of the warm before and after, I forgot to press start on my Strava and missed the first 10 minutes! 

Thankfully MyZone was recording it all.  My legs felt heavy as I could feel the hills we climbed at Knole Park.

Found a cool down video that I like. It is by James Dunne who I have been using the last few times on my warm up. He has a lot of useful other videos as well. 

Warm up:

Ankle Rocks × 10 

Hip Mobility × 10 

Ankle Pumps × 30s

Trunk Rotation Knee Drives × 20

https://youtu.be/sfF4f-QGRn8

Cool down: 

Cool down after running

How to stretch after running - Quads Stretch x 30 secs

Hip Flexor Stretch (with Adductor variation) x 30 secs

Hamstring Stretch x 30 secs

Glute and Piriformis Stretch x 30 secs

Lower Back Rotation Stretch x 30 secs

Cobra Stretch & Childs Pose for Lower Back Stiffness x 30 secs

https://youtu.be/GerCJ1gBbLw 

I missed Body Pump, Balance and Circuits but I had a lovely weekend.  Tommy and I went to Wildwood Trust. We were lucky as we got to see all three bears, two were meant to be hibernating but could smell the food for the bear cub, who was moved from Port Lympne because his mum rejected him. Unfortunately I couldn't get any good photographs of the bears.

This week's plan: 

Monday: Rest Day

Tuesday: 35 minutes run

                 Body balance 

Wednesday: Body pump and body balance

Thursday: 45 minutes run

Friday: Rest day

Saturday: 35 minutes (optional)

Sunday: 60 minutes (walking and jogging) 

Knole Park

Went to Knole Park with my friend Roger. It was such a beautiful morning and we arrived about 8.30am. It was a 2 mile uphill walk to the park and the grounds were hilly too.  

3 miles run

For years I have been watching Joggers as I have passed them, thinking I must start again. Day after day I thought this. Well I ran 3 miles this morning, before getting ready for work. I feel like a runner again. More than that, friends and family think I can do this. I know I have a long way to go but with each run I feel more relaxed and confident. 

Wednesday night

Body Pump and Body Balance. Vicki's covering Balance until the end of the month. Body Pump lunges kill me! Body Balance helped my back which is not hurting but it is letting me know it is working. During the Tai Chi, we move an imaginary ball in a circle and I felt my back loosen up. 

My sister ruining my shot 😀

New Toesoxs. Fit much better and no twisting. 

Yesterday turned into a rest day and I ran this morning instead as it was icy yesterday and I had stayed up until 12am working on my TMA. 

Looking forward to the weekend. 

96 days....

Donations have started to come in and I'm truly grateful for each and every one. The money for the charity and the belief in the comments that I can do this. I can do this!!

Circuits on Sunday with my lovely sister. 

The sets changed last week to: 

Forward lunge, shoulder press

Back lunge, bicep curl

Front X lunge, front raise

Rotator raise

Upright row

Rear deltoids - row and fly

Bicycle 

Toe tap to reverse curl

Planks - leg taps or jacks

Press ups

Chest press

Tricep dips 

Narrow squat, back lunge

Wide squats

Wide triple row

25 minute run in -3 degrees

I didn't run yesterday morning is it was snowing / sleeting and did not want to risk injury.

Delayed this morning thanks to Moomin wanting cuddles!

Found a new warm up on YouTube. 

Second time I have used it and have found it to be the best so far.

Enjoyed the run this morning. Just set out and didn't look at the time.  First time I looked and was at 21 minutes but I was feeling fine. Could have gone longer but need to stick to the plan.

Usually I take off my gloves after the warm up warm but they stayed on for 29 minutes. Jacket usually unzipped half way was over my chin today.

Body Balance

New Toesoxs. Lovely fit and they didn't twist around as I moved. Best fit yet.

Tomorrow:

Body Pump and Body Balance

New book

My Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law sent me the following book from DJ Chris Evans. I love it. My plan is different on some days so I need to put my plan in.

30 minute run and going well

Thursday was a rest day after the 35 minutes run Wednesday morning and then Body Balance and Body Pump in the evening.  I'm loving the routinues but I don't think the music is as good as the last releases. 

Was meant to run this yesterday but I didn't sleep very well. I also had a meeting at work first thing and couldn't risk being late as the trains are unreliable at this moment. 

It was a very windy run this morning. I changed the route as I wasn't running in the dark. 

It doesn't look it now but this field is very pretty in the Summer....

It was a planned 30 minute run, struggled slightly between 20-25 minutes and then I was fine again, I could have gone a little bit further I think which is good as next week I have a 40 minute run.

Even though I saved the workout and named it, My Zone kept recording!

Tomorrow: circuits!! 

35 minutes run completed!

Yesterday, I hurt my back due to a combination of carrying my pilates mat, work bag and gym clothes to and from work. I had to stand 30 minutes on a jerky bus and then had to walk 25 minutes due to the trains.  

Body Balance - yesterday

I went to Body Balance yesterday with my back covered in 'Deep Freeze' as I thought stretching it out would be good. Tuesday night is Jules's classes and we did the new release. I did well considering putting Toesoxs on hurt before and after the class!

35 minute run - this morning

My back was still hurting when I woke up so I thought 'just give it ago'. I gave myself permission to just stop, shorten the run or walk and run if it hurt. I extended the route by what I thought would be 10 minutes longer and just plodded on. I went the opposite way as well so although it was still windy the road is more built up so less windy. 

It felt good, really good. I didn't look at my watch until about 20 minutes. Usually my mind starts getting antsy about this time, however with a different route and giving myself options, it felt okay. Next time I checked, it was 30 minutes gone and although I had the small incline to go up, it still felt good. I can't believe that I have done it. The last run on Couch to 5K is 30 minutes and I have done more!

Before committing to run for HHHO, I would have just stayed in bed but I don't have the option to do that. Just working out the balance between getting an injury or just feeling sore. 

Whilst I was running, it was my calves that were hurting. Sitting on a late train (new timetable is not working smoothly yet), my back is aching slightly but my thighs are starting to complain!

I have Body Pump and Body Balance planned for night with a rest day tomorrow. I will see how I feel later today. 

Next run is 30 minutes, either Friday or Saturday morning. 

3 months, 1 week and 6 days

After messaging Rich, who is also running the Marathon for HHHO, I have decided to follow Runner's World Beginner Marathon plan (which the option of dropping Saturday's run) so I started Week 2 today. 

Although I miss Jo Whiley's encouragement, I don't miss the reminder of time every 2.5 minutes which I felt was not helping me. Still struggled with the last 5 minutes, mainly due to the wind and uphill but also because I'm near home.

I felt much better than last Monday. I was not aching all over as I ran. I'm not sure if this is down to the Deep Freeze I have been putting on, Magnesium gel, only 2 classes instead of 3 at the weekend, my body is getting used to it, a change in warm up or a mixture!

I haven't felt comfortable with my warm up since I have starting this. So I'm continously looking for new ideas. Yesterday, I found the following three new dynamic stretches in Runner's World:

1. Low Lunge with Twist (variation of it for me)

2. Supine Heel Tap

3. Glute Bridge

which I tried today.

https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a30624180/warmup-exercises-to-do-before-a-run/  

This week:

Tuesday - Body Balance 

Wednesday - 35 minute run

Body Pump (possible Body Balance for the stretching)

Thursday - Rest

Friday - 30 minute run

Saturday - no classes as I'm watching the school football team play

Sunday - circuits 

Weekend classes

Only the one class yesterday as I couldn't get into Body Pump - new release. My body was probably grateful as I ran the day before. I did try to get a space but I kept snoozing. My sister messaged me to say there was a space but by the time I read the message and refreshed it had gone.

Body Balance - Saturday 

New release - 98

I really enjoyed the release even if my legs didn't!  I like the flow of the Tai Chi better and the balance tracks.

Vicki is covering Wednesday's Body Balance so I will try and get into that as it is after Body Pump. I couldn't hear if it was for two weeks or two months!  

Unfortunately I will miss pump and balance next Saturday as the school football team is playing.  Also Park Runs are Saturday mornings. 

Circuits - Sunday

First time I had to do Circuits on my own as my sister was feeling poorly. Managed it but I did miss her so, she makes it seem fun! Some of the exercises changed on a couple of stations but I didn't get a chance to note them. 

Sadly, I will have to give this up very soon as my longer runs will be on Sundays.  

Running

I was looking at Runner's World Marathon plan compared to the planner on the London Marathon site. Runner's World is 4 times a week instead of 3 times (again including a longer run at the weekend). I will have a proper look later today and make a decision which will suit me better. 

I think I will have to stop Coach to 5K plan as the two will not be compatible. It is a shame but I need to be running more on at least one session a week. 

20th run!

Ideally, I was meant to run yesterday but my knee was hurting and I didn't want to aggravate it. It was a much better run this morning but it is still a mind battle at the end. Even though I was thinking that this time in the last run I was really struggling, as soon as Jo Whiley says '5 mins to go' and especially 'next time I speak to you it will be 60 secs' my mind starts telling my body that it is hard work and then the final minute is over before I know it! So I need to work on that becuase it is a mind thing as I was comfortable running before then.

Picture for my sister. I was telling her that my face is still red 30 minutes after running. Apparently it is because my body is still trying to cool down. Even after washing my hair and showering my face is bright red. My face is quite red anyway so I have to put on redness corrector. When I put on the foundation and power, I'm just hoping that it is covered okay because as the temporary redness is still showing.

I have always been lucky with my skin in terms of lack of spots but as I'm getting older I'm taking more care and have started using Beauty Pie products, especially after running. I have learnt not to put moisturiser on before circuits and running though because it just drips off!

       Forgot to switch it off straightaway

Tomorrow: 

Body Pump (if I can get a place)

Body Balance (booked)

Train strikes and student loans!

Frustrating couple of days as I didn't manage to get to Body Balance yesterday due to the train strikes I had to take 3 bus rides instead. Disappointing as I really needed to stretch out my legs after yesterday's run. The good news was that I managed to study productively on the bus. Which is just as well as after mistakes from both Student Finance and the Open University I'm being deregistered from my course tomorrow (a week before my TMA02 is due) until my Student Loan has been approved. 

Today I was able to leave earlier and I made Body Pump in time. Vicki felt sorry for me as my legs were hurting so she did dynamic lunges instead of static. You are welcome Body Pump class.  

I have been trying to go to bed at 10pm but as I may not be able to access the OU website tomorrow, I have had to complete my Forum work tonight.  I need to get up early tomorrow morning to be able to run before my 3 or 4 bus journey to work tomorrow.  

Tough run this morning

Another 25 minute run and my lower back and thighs were hurting. A real mind battle but another run done.

Tried a water bottle in a waist belt today and it could also hold my phone.  The last couple of runs, my hands have gone numb holding a water bottle and phone and today no problems. 

One foot in front of the other....  

First run of 2023 and Port Lympne Park

Went to Port Lympne Park today. Like Howletts, it is always hit and miss over which animals you see at this time of year, especially when you don't realise that you need to book the Safari Tour in advance. It has had a change around since our last visit before Covid. Big area for a pride of lions and a big area for a new Brown Bear, which unfortunately stayed in his indoor enclosure. It is the price you pay to keep the animals' needs before the visitors. 

Windy but not rainy run this morning. My first 25 minutes run for a long while. Rewarded with a cuddle from my Brother-in-law's cat. 🐈 

The run felt okay, just tried to keep steady and keep running. Shoulder was hurting from yesterday, so I put on cooling cream first.

Next week: train strike every day! 

Monday- rest day 

Tuesday - Couch to 5K, Week 7 Run 1

Body Balance booked

Wednesday - Body Pump booked

Thursday - Couch to 5K, Week 7 Run 2

Friday - rest day

Saturday - Body Pump - not booked yet

Body Balance - booked

Sunday - Couch to 5K, Week 7 Run 3

Possibly Circuits, booked  

Each run is 25 minutes next week. However, it is the first week of the Marathon Plan so first run should be 10 walk, 20 easy and 10 walk; second run, 10 walk, 30 easy run and 10 walk; third run, 10 walk, 10 run x 2 so undecided what to do. I want to finish Couch to 5K but don't want to fall behind.