Mellow Yellow

It started well, the glorious sun was shining. I was taking in the wonderful signs of spring, primroses, daffodils, dandelions, catkins, crocus, jasmine, all beautiful. It was warm, hot even, half way round and my jacket was off and I drank all of my water.

Then I ran out of energy and enthusiasm and I wanted to stop. I struggled home. Even running downhill was too hard.

Life is too busy. My work has got too busy. I want to stop.

I want to lie on a beach where the sun is just  hot enough, where the sea is still and just warm enough to get straight in. I want to sleep and read books and stroll along the sea front. I want to sit in a restaurant open to the elements and watch the moonlight flicker across the water.

I am going to be still and quiet for the rest of the day.  

Half Term Challenge

During the last week of the recently completed half term I was asked if I had plans for the holiday week. As I hadn't, I realised I had a complete week to focus upon my running. An idea entered my head  and I merrily told my work colleagues that I was going to see if I could run further than I ever had before. I meant that I wanted to see if  could run further than 11.11 km in one go. I also wanted to see if my running would improve if I ran every day. So, my week panned out as follows:

Monday - I ran for distance, a long run to set me off.
(10.51 km = 6.53 miles)

Tuesday - I ran for speed, knocking 2 minutes off a usual time for a route and finishing within an hour. (8.91 km = 5.53 miles)

Wednesday - I ran for pleasure with my four legged friend.
(7.51 km = 4.66 miles)

Thursday - I ran because the sun was shining, even though a third of the way round the sun had disappeared and it felt like I was wading through treacle.
(11.11 km= 6.9 miles)

Friday - I ran because I'm now more than half way through my challenge and I will not give in!
(8.05 km = 5 miles)

Saturday - I ran because I have a commitment to support a friend new to running in her running training and because she's mighty fine company for a jolly good natter.
(7.88 km - 4.89 miles)

Sunday - I ran because I wanted to - simple as :-)

I did not run further than my PB of 11.11 km, but I did run every day, my legs hurt like hell through Thursday, Friday and Saturday but they have recovered, I had to walk some of the time on some of the runs, I still hate hills but today I ran the whole route and I have a massive smile on my face as i add up my total miles for the 7 days:

61.22 KM = 38.04 MILES

Eddie Izzard I am not - Happy Bunny I am!

Running For Longer

This morning Ali and I ran for 12 minutes three times! What a difference a few weeks make. I am very proud of you Ali, you're doing a great job.

Park Run here we come.

New trainers here we come.

Shopping trip here we come.

Lunch and gossip, here we come!

Oxymoron?

Man in van.
Man in white van.
Nice man in van.
Nice man in white van.

Which one is the oxymoron?

Sorry Paul, you did say you wanted to be in my blog didn't you? Shame the word sounds so unkind!

Fuzzy Wuzzy

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.
Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.
So Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy was he!

Strange, the things that pop into your head whilst jogging away the miles!

Polly

Personal Trainer

"Polly, your personal trainer is here!"

This morning I was greeted with boundless enthusiasm from my running partner. She was delighted to be going running and she has really got the hang of it. She stayed right by my side and kept looking at me with love and enjoyment. She tore up the hills and was ahead of me for nearly the whole circular route of 4.5 miles. We didn't have too many stops and only walked for a very short spell whilst heading towards a flighty horse. My partner doesn't like horses. As a special treat we diverted across a couple of fields so we could just check if there were any bunnies or birds that needed a quick chase. We completed the route in 46 minutes so I was very happy.

When I left, Polly was fast asleep in her basket, no doubt dreaming about beating her personal best time for this run!

Target set...

I set myself  a 1 hour target for this morning's chosen route. Turning right out of my drive takes me on a 1 mile climb, slow and gentle to start, then two very steep sections with a welcome plateau between them and finishing with another slow and steady rise up to the woods. It is hard.

I am then rewarded with a downhill mile. The relief to the muscles in my legs as different ones take over is so pleasurable that I immediately remember why I do this. On this stretch I can see the lane in the distance and I particularly enjoy picking out landmarks knowing that shortly I will be passing that church, farm, and barn.

All too soon I'm at the bottom and turning right once more. Another slow and steady climb and now I'm rewarded with bright blue sky and fluffy clouds. A buzzard watches me pass as he surveys his kingdom atop a telegraph pole, I'm no threat and he barely blinks his eyelid. Mud everywhere on this lane, at least it diverts my attention from my aching limbs.

Another right turn, this time into a headwind and more incline. I can do this. I will not walk. I really want to do this circuit within the hour. I can see the house at the top of this section. It's downhill all the way home after this. And, breathe, oh the joyous feeling of downhill, I love it. I have one more obstacle to beat, although the road is now kind there is one small gentle rise and it beats me nearly every time. In a car you would not even notice it, but it's there and I hate it. Today I win!

Last turn and it's one last glorious mile, I have always run this section, I have never walked it, I know I can do it, I know I can beat my target, push, push, push, sprint into the drive and a quick glance at my watch shows I have 25 seconds to spare.

Target set, target met.  

Road Safety

The Highway Code

Rules for pedestrians (1-35)

This Highway Code applies to England, Scotland and Wales. The Highway
Code is essential reading for everyone.

General guidance

1

Pavements (including any path along the side of a road) should be used if provided.
Where possible, avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic. If you
have to step into the road, look both ways first. Always show due care and
consideration for others.

2

If there is no pavement keep to the right-hand side of the road so that you can see
oncoming traffic. You should take extra care and

• be prepared to walk in single file, especially on narrow roads or in poor light
• keep close to the side of the road

It may be safer to cross the road well before a sharp right-hand bend so that
oncoming traffic has a better chance of seeing you. Cross back after the bend.

3

Help other road users to see you. Wear or carry something light-coloured, bright or
fluorescent in poor daylight conditions. When it is dark, use reflective materials (e.g.
armbands, sashes, waistcoats, jackets, footwear), which can be seen by drivers using
headlights up to three times as far away as non-reflective materials.

I follow ALL of the advice given above but apparently if you are a young male in a
hurry in a souped up boy racer car you can ignore me, miss me by inches, scare the
life out of me and force other road users to stop and wait for you to speed through a
road not wide enough to take us all.

That's all 8(

Don't want to do it 8(

This has been a long week. I have been very tired and I am really looking forward to half term. All day i kept thinking I would say to Gill I didn't want to run after work. Yesterday my vision was not good and i was desperately trying to get a big order to the office (on top of my normal day) I couldn't see the figures properly so I probably added it up wrong! This morning's lessons weren't so bad and at lunchtime I had to pop into town to get some more Kilner jars for my lovely oak kitchen shelves and as I walked past Macdonalds I noticed there was a distinct lack of a queue. I went in. I had a burger and fries and a diet coke, naughty, naughty, scrummy, yummy. I'm easily pleased! So come 3.30 there I was, trainers on and out we went. 5k later and I feel so much better. It's always worth the effort, always.

I have plans to run lots this coming week, I'm going to try and run a little further each time, I'll let you know how I get on but first I have 8 to dinner tomorrow night, we're off to The Imperial Hotel Saturday night and we're having lunch with very good friends on Sunday.

Happy half term 8)

The Sounds of Silence

Traffic - engines, M5, horn, aeroplanes x 2

Birds - crows, garden birds, cockerel crowing

Me - huffing, puffing, footsteps, greeting people - 5 dog walkers & 2 runners

Trees & hedges - leaves rustling, rabbits darting through

Water bottle sloshing, sheep baaing, builder sweeping

All during my 6.6 miles in beautiful sunshine with the bonus of knocking one and a half minutes of my time for this route and without my iPod  :-)

Mad Dogs and Englishmen...

Run in -4 temperatures. Ali and Lyn do too!

Cold but invigorating.

Loved every minute of it 8)

I will survive

My faithful friend has been packaged up and heads out on a solo journey tomorrow. We've been together about 6 years. I am lost. It's always there in my pocket, counting the miles, working out the calories burned, tracking my pace, shuffling songs and always playing the right ones on the tough bits. Nike+ will think I'm shirking.

Instead there will be silence.

Instead there will be guess work.

It might return. It might not.

It might be replaced with a new iPod. It might not.

Come back soon my trusty friend. I love you. I miss you.