How is it nearly the end of June?
Since getting back from holiday the month seems to have flown by. My running has been a bit erratic, with no particular training plan to follow.
Week 1: 3 mile run with OH ladies, 3.1 mile run on my own, Body Pump, 3.1 mile parkrun with my brother, and then the fun Whipsnade 10k.
We bought some Strawberry Lemonade tea from The Bluebird tea co, and have been enjoying it iced.
Week 2: 8 mile run (I ran to and from the OH club run), that pretty much tired me out so I didn’t run the next day. (I also missed Body Pump that week to go to see Ash in London- I love seeing them live, and it was a trip down memory lane for the two of us as we went to see them when we first started going out, all those 16+ years ago!). I did parkrun on the Saturday as a lot of the OH ladies were going, and seeing as I go on about how great it is so much, I felt I should be there! Then I did the St Albans half on the Sunday, which was fairly tough due to the heat, middle hilly section and just generally half marathons are hard!
Blurry Blur
Week 3: 4.2 mile OH run, 3.8 mile run on my own (this didn’t go too well- I went to the fields, and at one point I was running along a track with deep grass on either side. I caught up to a man who was walking- he said hello to me as I overtook him- I said hi back- but then as I ran past, he started running too. I tried to run a bit faster, and when I looked back he was walking again. At that point I chose to go through the cow fields, where I probably should have gone back the other way to the roads. Anyway as I stopped to open the cow gates I could see him running again, and so I basically did a bit of interval training where I sprinted as hard as I could, considered hiding in the woods, kept looking back to see where he was, hid behind big piles of sand, and then got the door key out of my pocket to hold. It sounds silly now, but I really got panicked- normally there are lots of dog walkers about, but I didn’t see anyone else and it really seems fairly isolated. Anyway I made it home in one piece but have avoided that part of the fields since). Back to the recap. I went to Body Pump, but not parkrun because we were meeting friends for breakfast, early because then I was helping out at the summer fete, and then heading into London to see Blur at Hyde Park. Did an 8 mile run on Sunday. Saw a huge mushroom.
Huge-mush-rous!
Then I went into London for afternoon tea.
The bonus of being veggie is that I get a stand all to myself!
Such a lovely way to spend several hours- I don’t think I got home until nearly 9pm!
Week 4: 5.6 mile OH run, 3.1 mile on my own (which was really tough- I kept getting a stitch and having to stop), Body Pump (new release- argh so tough!), parkrun in the heat, and then no long run because we were off to London.
So, onto the missing out. On Friday I had a training day, which finished earlier than the normal school day. I had booked a haircut (if you saw the photos from the parkrun the other week you would understand why it is driving me so mad!) but a lorry had broken down, blocking 3 lanes of the dual carriageway exit, meaning that a 5 minute section of my journey took over 45 minutes- I was too late so have had to re-book.
Then, on Friday evening the club were launching their website. (It is here if you fancy having a look). I hadn’t officially said I would go, as a while back we thought we might go away for the weekend to take advantage of my early finish, but in the end we didn’t. Anyway it was only when I looked at facebook later on that I saw the launch photos- I had forgotten to go- missing out number 2.
Then, on Sunday, we went into London to see Dave Gorman’s TV show being filmed. The tickets said 5pm, so we got there just after 4, waited about 20 minutes in the queue, and were then told it was full. It was disappointing. Although at least we were not the first to not get in- that would be worse to get so near to it. Never mind, we still had a wander around Westfields (which reminded me why I don’t so much like shopping!), and I did buy a new shower cap. So, silver linings and all that.
I also had lovely pancakes on Saturday, so the weekend wasn’t a total disaster!
How are you coping running in the heat? I had a 3 mile run today, and all was fine until about 2.5 miles in, when I suddenly felt like I had massively overheated and just could not cool down for ages after I had got home. I switched my runs over so this Wednesday (which will be the hottest apparently) is now a rest day because I just can’t face it.
No you were right to kick down and get the hell away from the dog walker, always trust your instinct. Totally understand being too nervous to go back, I’d probably run at gym only for weeks. Don’t let it rule your life though x
I hate running in the heat, not sure how I grew up in South Africa because for Wednesdays run I’m getting up before 6 to run before the real heat kicks in otherwise my tummy gets dodgy & I feel nauseous.
No, I will be back there, although probably not that part of the fields for a bit!
Westfield is always a reminder to me that I hate shopping. It’s like a small town in there and it’s full of crazed shoppers.
I am not coping with running in the heat very well and I have my first ever 10km race next week. Eeek.
Just take the race nice and slow- if it is your first then any time is a pb anyway!
Oh god that sounds so scary about that man!! I totally understand your fear there, that does not sound like normal behaviour at all for his part. Weird.
I was meant to do a 5k race this Wednesday evening but it’s going to be so hot so I’m throwing the towel in (it’s a small race and super flat so I wanted to try for a sub-20 but if it’s too hot I can’t be bothered to drive there after work and fail miserably. Too much faff over little reward I think!)
Afternoon tea…ahh it looks good! I haven’t done that in a few weeks…
I found Westfield so overwhelming! Just too many shops! I find Southampton’s West Quay a bit too big for me haha.
I find West Quay huge too- our local town (Welwyn) has a shopping centre but it is tiny and I like that- it’s a couple of minutes from one end to the other and is never rammed full.
Ditching the 5K sounds sensible – especially having to get there after work etc.
I freak out constantly when I see other people around while I’m running. I do try to go through the most remote areas that I can, but that rather backfires if you come across just one person and you’re stuck out there on your own with them.
The heat is killing me. It’s even too hot at 6am now! I’m never going to get any proper long runs in unless it cools down…I seem to get worse and worse in terms of heat tolerance every year :/
Strawberry lemonade tea sounds absolutely gorgeous and I could really do with a glass (or six…) now to cool me down!
Well, they do online deliveries 😉
Yes, that is the problem with trail running or off road in general- I much prefer it but I feel much safer by busy roads with cars.
I’d definitely have been freaked out by the guy in the field too.
I am struggling with exercising in the heat too. It doesn’t feel like there’s been a gradual increase of warmth, it’s been a big jump and I’ve not been able to get acclimatised to it!
Yes, it does seem to have suddenly got so hot- I am sure this time last week I wore a t-shirt on one run as the air felt a bit cool.
I’d be exactly the same with the man on the run, you can’t be too careful. I often change routes with Henry if it feels too isolated.
Annoying about the haircut, launch night and TV show! I find it hard not to get mega stressed in those situations.
Well done on your runs girl – Kudos to people like you that actually have the strength and motivation to run in this heat! Your high tea in London looked so cute also!
Running in the heat is really tough, I ran on those really hot days last week (I think it was 36) and I had to stop about 6 times over 4 miles, it was so tough!
Gosh I can’t imagine running in that heat! Well done.