These Days are Made for Running...

It's a fine autumnal day here. Windy, and cold, but bright and sunny too. Perfect running weather, and much more seasonal then the odd global warming induced days then we have been having. Mind you, if global warming is happening, I can't say I mind too much, though it does mean the grass needs cutting. And isn't it just mealy-mouthed of our politicians to talk about taxing us because the sun is shining more? But that's Gordy for you. Never miss an opportunity to screw the people....

Anyway, I digress.

Last week being half term I didn't get much training in. I was going to go running with Mad Twin when we met last week, but alas three bottles of wine and a late night later, we both decided to give it a miss. I wish I could live a parallel life where I could indulge in all the wine drinking I want and then step across the void (ok, ok I have been watching Dr Who on DVD) into my parallel clean living life, where I wake up next morning without the hangover...

I did manage to get out to a running session with one of our local running groups. I can't normally go as it starts at 7pm and that's when the oldest goes to Guides. I have, inconveniently, had far too many children to allow me to train properly. Funnily enough, training for triathlons/marathons wasn't on my mind when I was having them...

After my debacle on Epsom Common in the summer, I have to confess to being rather nervous about this session, as I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. My Speedy Gonzales running partner, assured me I would be fine, and it turned out she was right.

We jogged about half a mile to a flat bit of road where there was a nice (flat) circular 1000m route, which we had to run four times.

First off, I miraculously found myself on the coat tails of the fast runners (a very unusual place for me to be) and managed to do it in 5:27, which was quite astonishing.

Even more astonishing this meant when we were split into two groups I was with the fast one. Ha. Me, fast? I don't think so...

We then had to do 2000 m on the trot, which really sorts the wheat from the chaff. First off I managed 5:46 - so I had gone out waaaay too fast first time around and by the time I was coming back for round two my legs were turning to lead. I was at the back of the fast group by a really long way, but I was overtaking some of the slow ones, which was a novel position for me.

My third lap was a fairly disastrous (but probably more realistic for me) 6:11.

So last time out, I politely declined the opportunity to go with the fast ones, and set off where I belong, with the slow runners.

Here I had another novel experience, I was one of the fastest of the slow lot. I nearly caught up with the leader at one point, but couldn't sustain the pace, so fell back. But I did come second, and was only caught by one of the fast ones. Wooo!!

My pace this time was 5:55. Double Woo!! In theory I could do a 10k in 55 mins on that speed. In practice I doubt very much I could keep it up.

However, it was a nice feeling not to be at the back of the pack for a change. And I came away thinking, perhaps I'm getting better at this.

Swimming is definitely getting better. I seemed to find myself leading there last night too. Though in fairness, most of the other people haven't been coming as long as me, and one was clearly much fitter then I am, but hadn't been for ages.

Still, I think I did about 40+ lengths, I can now swim lengths breathing every third stroke relatively easily (breathing every fifth is a bit more tricky and last night thanks to a slight cold I struggled a bit), but when I compare it to how I was when I started, it seems frankly miraculous. I do get knackered, but it is rare now for me to pause between lengths. Friendly Instructor even uttered the immortal words, when you are competing. What do you mean, when?? Although I still can't imagine I will ever be good enough, the dream doesn't seem quite so crazy anymore.

Memo to self - must get the bike mended...

This morning I had a glorious run across the downs. The sun was that steely bright that sums up this time of year, and the wind at my back certainly made me feel I was upping the pace. I did just over 3miles in 34 mins, which is slower then the other week with Speedy, but I did run up to the downs, my legs were fairly tired from swimming and I really wasn't pushing myself.

Memo to self - next time push harder....

Even if I don't get to do the marathon next year, I'm rediscovering why I fell in love with running in the first place.

And maybe that tri isn't quite so elusive anymore...

NOW I'VE GONE AND DONE IT...


Hmm. After much procrastinating I have finally put in for next year's FLM. Well of course I stand a cat in hell's chance of getting in via the ballot, but am upping my training and seriously considering a charity place. Haven't told the old man yet, oh dear.

Can't believe I can really be contemplating this. I ran six miles last week and thought ... ouch. That hurt more then I remembered. And my speed. Oh god, my speed is still pathetically slow.

So accordingly this week I set out to run circuits round the park across the road in order to work on my speed. My problem is that I just can't seem to do it - either mentally or physically. I think about speeding up and something just goes, Nope, I Don't Do Speed.

I wasn't helped first off by having a rather bad tempered encounter with a dog owner. Her pesky little pet came up to have a snuffle. I may have mentioned elsewhere to rather tedious length that dogs and me just don't get along. I find it particularly unnerving when they come up to me when I'm running, so always slow down. The owner paid no attention to her dog coming up to me and looked askance when I said I didn't like dogs. Well you've come to the wrong place then was her sarcy response. My rather more badtempered one (I am duly ashamed of it now, but forgive me, I was feeling hormonal) was to say Great, you're saying I shouldn't come to the park then? I was rather aggressive, but really, she got right up my nose.

My first minute of speed work was accordingly rather faster then I intended as the mood thing fired me right up. Consequently I ran out of steam before the minute was up and was puffing like an old steam train when it came to my walk. My two minutes was therefore a lot slower, and by the time I got to three minutes I was giving up totally on the idea of even attempting to run as fast as I could. I just ran the speed I can run, which was probably slower then normal. I was feeling totally pathetic about the whole thing frankly, so I decided for my four minute spurt I woudl try and do the second half faster then the first. When you go at snail's pace to start with, this is just about possible... However, never has four minutes seemed so long. How is it goes so fast on the walking bits?

I gave up at that point, as I really had had enough and I ran out of time, which was an even better excuse.

I was knackered, red in the face, and I had run probably slower then I do normally. I'm never going to get on with this speed thing.

However....

Woohoo!

A miracle happened.

Actually two have happened.

The swimming is coming together and I managed thirty lengths crawl in the pool last week. Yes I did say thirty. And I couldn't do two six months ago. Yay. And on Monday night I wasn't at the back of the pack for once. Double Yay. And I enjoyed it...


The second miracle was I went running on Tuesday morning with a friend who is a really fast runner.

We started off talking and running at a speed I didn't think I was capable of and still retain the ability to remain upright. The talking was a mistake. After less then a mile I was just about ready to drop and begged for a break, which she kindly gave me. Meanwhile, she wasn't even out of breath. The route we run bisects my road, and I was sooo tempted to cut off home, but decided that wasn't fair on my friend, who had generously slowed her pace a tad. By dint of not speaking much, I could just about keep up. I also practised breathing through my nose, a neat trick Friendly Instructor had taught me the previous night, which gets more oxygen into your lungs. It seems to work for running as well as swimming, so though we were running faster then I normally do I didn't quite feel as though I was going to keel over at any minute.

We got back and split up at the top of my road. Checking the time I realised we had been about thirty minutes. Wowee. I knew the run was about three miles. For once I had managed ten minute miles. Armed with such knowledge I raced back home, clocking 32 mins as my time as I came through the door.

I've just got an account with the Good Run Guide, which allows you to plot your routes and log times. To my amazement the run we did was 3.44 miles, which gave me a time of 9.5 minute miles.

Me run a nine and a half minute mile.

I don't believe it.

But it appears miraculously to be true...

Back in the Pool

Though I have been swimming every week since the sprogs have been at school, for one reason or another I keep not getting to the training sessions on a Monday night.

But last night I managed to brush aside the tempting demons who were whispering loudly in my ear, Stay, Stay, Spooks is on.... and forced myself to go swimming.

Actually I had been to the pool earlier in the day, but then I was poolside watching the sprogs in their lessons. This is not good for me. I know nos 1&2 are perfectly capable of getting themselves out of trouble in the water, but watching them bobbing up and down in the deep end still fills me with horror. Every fibre of my being is screaming that I should be in there with them, just in case, and yet reality is I would probably end up drowning saving them or something....

Anyway I digress. I actually managed to get some food down me in time to digest properly before my swim, and all the kids were in bed when I left. I actually had so much time for once, I was nearly late.

It has been over two months since I have been at a session, but I have been practising my drills. And to my amazement it seems to have paid off. There were only five of us last night - one who is soooo far ahead of the rest of us there is no point even trying to keep up. But the others are on a par with me. In fact, usually I'm struggling behind them.

But not last night. No sirree. For the first time since I embarked on this nutty triathlon thing, I actually found myself leading off, because when I didn't I caught up with people. Blimey.

Not only that but I managed six lengths fairly quickly without as long breaks as I normally take, and I wasn't totally knackered at the end.

Wooo! result.

I am still incapable of getting the stroke right - viz, I got (rightly) reprimanded for cheating when I did one drill called three point touch. The idea is you stretch your arm to your thigh, raise it to your shoulder and then stretch it out as far as possible, so you get the longest and most effective stroke. I can sort of do this now, but being totally uncoordinated it takes some thinking about. And if I think about it too much, I start sinking. So my way round this is to do the stroke on one side float for a little before coming up on the other side, instead of rolling from side to side as I do it. I also find it impossible still to do this snaking thing with my hand as it enters the water, or have my arm bent enough to push down properly through the water. But I am getting there, and what's more I am actually enjoying it...

Double Wooo!

It was only about twenty minutes before the end that I started counting down the time till the end of the lesson, which is pretty much a first for me.

It's always hard work remembering quite how many lengths you've done.

But last night I think it went like this:

Swimming on side dipping head in and out of water x 2 lengths
Superman x 2 " "
Shark x 2 " "
Double Shark x 2 " "
Swimming with one arm x 2 " "
Swimming left arm only x 2 " "
Left arm up/Right arm down x 2 " "
Using float and kicking x 4 " "
Fists only x 4 " "
catch up x 4 " "
three point touch x 4 " "
Three breaths up/Five breaths down x 4 " "
Bending arm through the water x 4
Doing a length in eighteen strokes x 2 " "
Five strokes front/five strokes back x 2 " "


So I think I did about forty lengths.... Which is the most I've ever done and amounts to swimming about 1000 metres. Well, ok, I didn't do it all at once ( I could do that easy peasy breast stroke) but it's a huge leap for me with the crawl. So

Triple Wooo!!!

I'm actually looking forward to next week....

The downside is I went for a run with another mum this morning and my legs felt like lead. But it was pleasant (if slow) and you can't have everything....