Sunday morning

Ran on Sunday with Laura and Rhona. Rhona is just getting back into it and Laura had a busy day ahead, so we planned to take it easy and run for about an hour. The weather was good and it was a very enjoyable run.

I’ve been having a play with my Garmin and can work out a few extra things on it. I’ve splashed out and upgraded my membership to Motionbased which means I can analyse my runs more thoroughly – in reality it means I can have a bit more fun with the stats. I am now able to see how fast (or slow) I ran each mile – particularly useful when it comes to races.

I’m getting a bit worried about Wednesday’s 5K race. It’s the first in a series of 5 and I’ve managed to convince Laura and Sheila to run them as well. We know it will be a good speed training session and that’s the reason we are doing them, but I’ve got an awful feeling I shall be left standing on the starting line. These 5K races draw in the very fast runners who take it incredibly seriously but hey, what the heck, I’ve as much right as them to be there. Let’s hope they don’t start packing up before I’ve even made it back!

Thursday Evening

In typical great British weather, it absolutely poured on Thursday night's run. What a change from Tuesday with the sun full out! I must say, I much preferred Thursday's run - I just can't take the heat.

I decided to take it much easier on Thursday. After seeing that I ran 9.10 pace on Tuesday, I realised why it seemed such a hard run! That's very close to my race pace!

I turned my Garmin on while we were huddled outside waiting to start but it took ages to track the satellites. By the time they were found, everyone had started. I had to put in a bit of an effort to catch my little group up but eventually did so about 1/2 mile down the road but I took it easy from then on.

I think maybe it took so long to track the satellites because I was stood sheltering under a building rather than being in the open? Bit silly really sheltering as I was soon out in the open getting very wet!

Time: 58:30
Distance: 5.96
Pace: 9:49

It's arrived, my Garmin Forernner 205!

Got it charged up, had a play and then took it out for its first run last night.

It felt a bit strange at first, after all, even though it is neat and sleek, it's still quite a hefty thing to have around the wrist.

It was a big turn out for our running club and yet again another couple of new members. It was a very warm, muggy evening and most of us had turned up in shorts and vest. I took my water bottle along, and it was much needed.

The pace was pretty zippy and I hung in there as usually I am a much slower starter. After a while I settled down and for the next couple of miles it was good. I then found it quite hard going, the sun was draining me of all energy and I longed for the shade of the woods.

I just hung on in there and was so pleased when we got to the finishing straight.

I was keen to get home and upload my run to the MotionBased Agent software that I had previously downloaded. Once done, I was able to see that I had run a total time of 55:07 at 9:12 pace. However, I had a moving time of 55:00 at 9.10 pace (must have been the traffic lights)and I ran a distance of 5.99 miles. Brilliant, no more guesswork.

There are lots of other things you can find out and various ways of seeing the run on satellite maps, street maps, etc. I'm not sure whether these maps can be exported to a blog and would be very interested if anyone else knows the answer to that.

Now, if only it could actually do the run for me......

Time: 55:00
Distance: 5.99 miles
Pace: 9.10

Saturday morning

It seemed to be pretty warm out there and I was going out a bit later than normal, so I planned to do a nice and easy run at a very comfortable pace. I thought about 8 miles would be a good distance and chose my favourite run which I discovered last year. I put it on You Tube and I am excited to say it has even been commented on!



All was going well, I was right about the weather and was very pleased I had taken my water bottle with me, I had to stop at the Golf Club half way round and do a refill. I was enjoying the run until about a mile from home.

As I was running up a long track a woman with her three children and dog were just ahead of me. As I drew close her dog bounded up to me barking. I stopped and she called him back, saying sorry. I started to run off when the dog came after me again. She called him back saying that he was usually so friendly she couldn't understand why he was barking at me. I was beginning to lose my cool by now. I asked her to put the dog on its lead or at least hold on to it, so I could get away. As I was saying this a cyclist came past, and grinning said to her, "Don't worry, he's alright".

Well, I exploded! I shouted after him asking whether he would like to be chased by a barking dog on his cycle. He turned back to look at me and I said "Yes, YOU! How would you like it?"

The lady by this time had hold of her dog, still saying how friendly he is!

Ggggrrrhhhh....

At least it pumped through enough adrenalin to keep me going to the end of my run, lol.

Time: 1:20:56
Distance: 8 miles

Eye Charity 5

The Eye Charity 5 Road Race was an excellently run (lol) event. The money raised goes towards Eye Running Club's chosen charity, hence the title. The organisation of this event was excellent, there were plenty of marshals, water provided half way round and loads of support. The course itself is a bit of a blurry memory. I don’t really take too much notice of what’s around me, most of my concentration is on the person in front of me and whether I can catch them up! From what I do remember it was mainly on the flat with one or two little hills interspersed along the way.

I started off at a "just a little bit faster than normal comfortable pace" and was quickly left towards the back of the field – everyone else just seemed to zoom off! I held back and gradually increased my pace once I had settled into my stride. I remember passing through Mile 1 at 8:30 and feeling very pleased with that. I could see a couple of our club members up ahead and could tell that I was very gradually gaining on them. I passed through Mile 2 at about 17.30. I felt ok, legs felt strong but I had to concentrate on my breathing, taking deep breaths every now and again.

The field had really spread out by now and I was running down a very long track with a loop out to the right and then going left up on the road. This meant that when I came to the end of the track I could see runners the other side of the track running the other way, it could have been a little bit disheartening but I didn't mind, it was good to see some familiar faces. I was now at Mile 3. I can’t remember the rest of the split times, I just knew that I was doing ok. I caught up with the two club guys in front and managed to push on ahead of them. There was a little bit of a hill between 3 ½ mile and 4 ½ miles which I struggled with, but I had enough left in me to push it hard for the last ½ mile to the finish. It was very uplifting, coming in and hearing my fellow club runners cheering me on. Thanks guys!

I'm quite pleased with my time - I'm still on the mend and hopefully my times throughout the year will steadily improve.

Here are the positions.

Time: 43:29
Distance 5 miles

PS. I have some very exciting news! My Forerunner 205 is ordered!!

The next day following the very hilly Corby 5, my legs weren't aching as much as I thought they might be. However, the aching kicked in the day after that (Friday) - all up the front part of my leg (shin?). I think it must have been from the downhill section!

I went out for a little jog that evening to try to stretch them out and it seemed to work. I didn't go far nor too fast - just round the big lake at Ferry Meadows and through the Nature Reserve - about 3.5 miles.

I was away over the weekend in London so no long run but it felt like I must have walked a marathon the amount of walking we did!

Went along to the club last night and just did a 5 mile run, we have a race coming up on Thursday so we decided to save ourselves for then!

Time: 48:56
Distance: 5 miles

Corby 5 Road Race

Laura, Sheila and myself decided that we must have been having an adrenaline rush when we had arranged to run the Corby 5!

The weather forecast was not good - dark clouds threatened and we wondered what we were letting ourselves in for! However, we needn't have worried, the sky cleared and the sun peeped through. It was warm enough to wear shorts and vest.



The scenery on the way to East Carlton was terrific - we passed through some lovely quaint villages and the landscape was breath-taking. I didn't know that there were so many BIG hills within an hour's drive of Peterborough!

The race start was at East Carlton Countryside Park which is
situated on the edge of the beautiful Welland Valley. The park offers splendid views over the Welland Valley, and is a haven for wildlife, with its variety of habitats. The open parkland has a children's play area, a picnic area, a garden for the visually impaired, and an Alpine garden.

There are three nature trails around the park, which pass through woods and meadows, and by the water gardens and ponds. Britain's largest Boled Lime Tree can be found in the park.

Contained within a former coach house is the Heritage Centre, containing a permanent exhibition covering the history of steelmaking in Corby, craft workshops, and a cafe which provides hot and cold snacks throughout the year.

When we arrived we tried not to feel intimidated by all the other runners there - they seemed to be very keen and looked so very fit. We registered and collected our numbers and set off for the start. Laura's dad was also running and we met Matt and Hailey from our running club at the start line, as well.

The gun went and that was the last we saw of Laura's dad, Sheila, Matt and Hailey until the finish. Laura and I set off at a more comfortable pace and managed to keep it going, even up and down the hills. The hills were very hard work and took their toll on the legs but the views more than made up for it - it really was one of the loveliest runs I have done. A superb hilly 5 mile race, one I will definitely be marking it down in my calender for next year!

Time: 48:56
Distance 5 miles

Monday morning recovery run

As was to be expected, I was fairly stiff and aching over the weekened after my looong Saturday morning run!

I had arranged with Sheila and Laura that if I was around I would meet up with them on Monday morning to run a short 45 minute recovery run.

I set the alarm and on waking looked out the window to check on the weather; not too wet and windy so, as agreed, met up with them. We ran around the lake at Ferry Meadows and went up into the woods and then made our way back. It was a good morning, my legs felt quite heavy but not too bad. There were one or two little hills and I could really feel it there but knowing it was only going to be about 45 minutes was enough to keep me going.

We ran along and made arrangements for our next run - Wednesday - Corby 5. We know this to be a very hilly race. Now, I'm not good on hills - so, I'm going to treat this as a training run and just be happy to finish it!

Time: 46:28
Distance: 4-5 miles

Saturday morning long run

Laura and Sheila had planned to run the Brandon Half Marathon this weekend but, somehow, their entries to the race never got through. By the time they realised this, the race was full! So, not wanting their training efforts to be wasted, they decided to run their very own half marathon!

I decided to tag along and do part of the run with them and also Marianne and Lisa wanted to give it a go aswell, so a grey, drab and drizzly (my perfect running conditions!) Saturday morning saw the five of us, up and out the door at 8.00 am.

We decided on a route which would give plenty of opportunity to break off when either one of us felt we had had enough. It was part of my 8 mile run that I ran last year when training for the Great Eastern Half Marathon, with an extra bit in the middle.

I started off feeling comfortable, my legs felt strong and breathing was good. It was a comfortable pace being able to chat as we went along. Not long into the run the rain stopped but the weather remained perfect for running.

After about an hour Marianne and Lisa split off and headed back but as I still felt ok I decided to hang on in there and see how much further I could go. At about 1:15 my legs started to feel a bit tired - I hadn't run this far since last year and I could definitely start to feel it.

We kept the pace going and we were already on our way back. The miles slipped by and before I knew it we had been running for 1:45. I had packed a sports bag with my swimming kit and change of clothing and my husband had taken it with him when he went to the gym, so at the nature reserve bridge I left Sheila and Laura and carried on up to the gym. There is a bit of a hill on this last stretch and my legs were so very heavy at this point. I pushed on knowing that I only had a couple of hundred metres left and arrived at the gym tired but completely elated! I couldn't believe it - I had just run over 11 miles!

Distance: 11.5 miles
Time: 2:00:52

Tuesday evening

I went along to the jogging club on Tuesday evening, not quite sure how my legs would feel after Sunday's run.

I needn't have worried - they felt fine.

I started off at the back of the pack but soon got into my stride and pulled away with Matt. We kept a good pace going, even though it was still a very warm and muggy evening.

We ran a route over to Alwalton meadow, to the railway line and back through FM and up Cherry Orton hill back to the sports centre.

It was great, my legs felt really strong. Can't understand it because I was sure they would feel a bit heavy. Never mind, not going to complain, lol.

I checked my time for when I last ran this run with Ann, and I did it 4 minutes faster this time! Good to see some improvement. I put it down as 6 miles last time, but after running it today, I felt I was running as fast as or nearly as fast as Sunday's 10K pace, so I'm guessing it's a bit more than 6 miles.

Time: 1:03:24
Distance: 6+

Deeping 10K

Yes, a 10 k race!!

Not at all sure I was ready for a 10K race, I decided to approach it as my usual weekend training run. Rhona wasn't able to come running on Saturday morning due to her participating in the Moonwalk on Saturday night, Well Done Rhona!

So, Sunday morning saw me, Sheila, Laura and Mandy runnning in the Deeping 10K.

Well, whatever happened to the weather! If you have been following me in my quest for mid-life fitness, you will know that I like nothing more than a cool, drizzly weatherfront! Oh no, not today. The "good" weather decided to return - the sun was out with a vengeance.

Great if I had a BBQ to look forward to, but a 10K race?

So, we set off. Didn't see Sheila again until the end! Mandy and Laura were with me for the first 1K. I ran with Ron, good ol' Ron. We had a nice comfortable pace, all looking good. We started off steady, catching and overtaking when we could. At about 4K Ron's shins started playing up. I felt ok and he encouraged me to go on, keeping the pace steady.

I could see Mandy and Laura ahead of me. I kept the same distance between us for the next couple of K's. I could see Mandy pulling ahead of Laura.

I thought I could catch Laura by 8K. At 8K I was just a little behind. I put in a bit of an effort and caught her at 9K. Stayed with her a bit but she was looking to beat her previous 10K time and put in a spurt for the last 1/2 K. I wasn't going to go with her - I had promised myself to not do anything silly - I wanted to fnish this run with a bit extra left and not completely knackered!

I came in just 30 seconds or so behind her. I was pleased with my run. I was able to carry on this afternoon with my usual routine rather than being completely zonked out, which is how I usually feel after a race!

Time: 57:02
Distance: 10K (6 miles)

****

When I went to bed last night, I was very surprised to see I had caught the sun! I knew it was hot, but not that hot!

Thursday evening was a "Club Pub Run".

To explain: Our club hosted the event. A few years ago, a member of the club organised the event. Unfortunately he died and not long after his wife died aswell. Our Club Chairman was a very good friend and has continued honouring his friend, by continuing to organise the run each year.

A few local clubs are invited to join in and we all start off at the designated spot, obviously just a few yards away from the pub, "The Plough". The course is 6 miles, across beautiful scenic countryside with lots of local wildlife. It's not a race as such, just something a run to enjoy.

Afterwards, we all have a meal and a raffle is held. Each club has brought along some gifts for the raffle. At the end of the evening, each club's name is put into the hat and the winning club decides which charity the money goes to which was raised by the raffle - just over £100.

BTW: I didn't actually run the 6 miles - What the Heck, I wasn't going to sit there all evening red faced (which is what I usually look like after running 6 miles) so myself and a couple of others, just ran a couple of miles out and then turned back again.

It was a lovely evening, a group of people coming together through their love of running.

Tuesday evening

Got drenched again last night!

Good news is that my trainers seemed to be okay. No blisters or bruised toes.

We ran the Frostbite route which is 5 miles. I ran with Ron again, and we had a good pace going. Not too pushy but enough to make me feel like I had worked!

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 52:00

Saturday morning

Someone please remind me not to have wine on the night before a run!

I woke up with the feeling of having one glass too many the night before.....

Still, it was a nice morning, no rain, and Rhona and I ran the same run as last week. It was a good run, we caught up on our news and the run seemed to go by pretty quickly. My legs felt good. I see we did practically the same time as last week. Very consistent, lol.

I went into town in the afternoon and bought a new pair of running shoes, something I had been promising myself for ages. I didn't splash out, just bought a basic pair. Hopefully, at my ability, they will serve me well.

Time: 5 ?
Distance: 52:47

Thursday Evening

Another run with the running club. Not such a good run tonight - the weather wasn't so good, not that it bothered me. I don't mind the rain, I'd rather it was raining than the sun out, if truth be told. No, it was more the legs, the poor ol' legs.....

I don't know, for some reason, they just didn't want to play. It was really hard going, especially the first couple of miles. My hamstrings felt really tight and my legs were heavy.

I stopped and stretched a bit, and I guess they felt a bit better after that. The rain was coming down a bit harder and I felt like cutting it short and heading back, but after another mile I started to loosen up a bit.

I hung on in there and managed to do the full course: 1 mile out to the business park, 4 laps round it (one mile each lap) and then a mile back to the start.

The group this evening was a bit segmented, I eventually ended up running with Ron. It was a nice, easy pace and a comfortable run, eventually!

Distance: a short 6 - (we took a bit of a shortcut back)
Time: 61:29

Tuesday evening

Last night I nearly got carried away, nearly, but got drawn back in by Ron, our club chairman.

We started out from the club and split into our little groups. I hung back from my former running friends and ran with Ann again. Just behind us were a group of 3, Ron included. After a mile or so, Ann wanted to drop back but as I felt ok, I decided to go on.

I hadn't gone very far when Ron called me back. I thought he had something to say, but when he joined me, he reminded me that I had said I was pushing myself too much, too soon. Aaahh, those words of wisdom.

I duly hung back and ran the rest of the run with this small group.

It was a good decision - I really, really enjoyed the run. The weather was perfect, the company great and the scenery beautiful - and - it wasn't a struggle, it was a joy to be out running. Cheers Ron!

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 61:48

Saturday morning

A bit dull this morning - no sign of the sun yet. But, for me, great running weather.

Met with Rhona at 8.00 am and we ran along the path by the train track taking us into Castor Heights and then along the road into the back of Ferry Meadows. We then carried on round the lake and through the nature reserve.

Great weather for running and a chance for us to catch up on our news!

Distance: 5?
Time: 52:30

Thursday morning

Considering I had run a long run on Tuesday evening, I wasn't aching too much on Wednesday.

I got up early on Thursday and went to the gym. The weather wasn't too great so I decided to go on the Treadmill, also I was a bit short on time.

So, I did 25 minutes on the treadmill and then 10-15 minutes swimming.

Tuesday evening

Last Friday I had been discharged from the Hospital so it was with confidence that I returned to the Running Club on Tuesday evening. It was a beautiful evening, the sun was out and there was a cool gentle breeze.

On this return, I was determined not to get carried away and run with my usual group of runners. I hung back at the start and let them get ahead. I was then able to go at my own pace and another runner called Ann joined me. We stuck together for the duration of the run. It was a comfortable pace for most of the way, but a lot longer than I had been running for a while. Towards the end I was finding it a struggle, but we stuck in there and kept it going.

It was a lovely run, going down to the River and across the meadows. We then ran towards Castor but cut off the road and went down the track by the railway line. We then ran around the small lake and then on back to the start.

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 1:07