Parkrun and pondering

Hey peeps! How are we all doing? This week has dragged for some reason, but I am feeling totally recovered from the half marathon last week so that is good.

On Wednesday I went to Sweatshop as usual, and we went around the fields. When I left home it was drizzling, but by the time I got there the rain had turned very heavy (I had to go to the toilets to clean the rain off my glasses). It stopped for the start of our run, but half way around it started again. It was windy, and I started off slowly as I wasn’t sure how I would manage, but I picked up speed at the end and felt OK.

Thursday I went to pump and I could tell I had missed 2 weeks of it! I didn’t do the jumps in the lunges track (at the moment there is a bit where you stand with your legs either side of the step, then squat, and jump up onto the step- super tough- although usually I just about manage it)- I knew my legs would not manage it.

My post pump snack was some lovely vanilla alpro with cocoa nibs and a little trail mix.

I also had a lovely hot chocolate.

Soya milk goes so frothy- love it!

Think that is the first time I used my new cup 🙂

On Friday after work I went on a run to help get rid of the aches- I went around the fields again- getting a bit addicted!

But who could resist running when the weather was like that?

Although that is my least favourite path as most of it is twisty but this path seems to go on forever.

There are lovely patches of lupins to be seen (you can see the pink ones in front of that little tree, and there is a huge patch of purple ones too). We heard cuckoos again last week.

When I got home I had some of this mango coconut water. I really like this brand’s plain coconut, so thought I would give the mango variety a go, but I wasn’t so keen. It tasted more like orange squash than mango (but had no actual mango, just flavours). Think I will stick to the Vita coco mango and peach.

I saved the rest for Saturday, as I was off to Parkrun! Hooray! I normally like a long run on a Saturday morning, but I also have really enjoyed the Parkruns, and I think the shorter runs are helping me with my speed. I wasn’t sure how I would manage after last weekend, and I left a bit late so was a bit stressed by the time I got there. I just had time to say a quick “hi ” to the peeps from Sweatshop before the guy was counting us down- we didn’t start right on “go” as it started before the church bells. I felt like I was going fast, but I also had a good rhythm going with my breathing. Each time I glanced at my watch I could see 8.50 ish miles which I was pleased with, just not sure if I could hold it for the entire time. The run goes along a path, 3 laps of the lake, and then back along the path again. Of course the faster runners always lap the “normal” runners, but I was surprised to see when I finished my 3rd lap people heading off for theirs- it made me doubt myself for a second but the distance on my watch confirmed I was right! The last bit was tough but I kept going and tried to not get overtaken! As I was given my chip I felt a bit sick (but knew I couldn’t be sick seeing as I hadn’t had breakfast)- think I pushed pretty hard.

When I helped out the other week I realised how the chip system works, so actually looked at my number this week (number 153- think the first one I did there weren’t even that many runners) to have an idea of where I had finished. After a minute I felt totally fine though, and ready for some pancakes!

I made the batter on Friday night- 20g wholegrain spelt, 20g peanut flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 5g chia seeds, soya milk (100 ml or a little more) and a drop of almond extract. I added the blueberries in when they were cooking for nutty blueberry pancakes, plus melon and mango, and a tea.

In the afternoon we headed over to Ware as Sweatshop were having a clearance sale at a gym there. I got some capris and a headband for £5! They gave me the gloves because they were not matching- so kind of them. My winter gloves are coming apart at the seams a bit.

After a wander around the shops we came home for some lovely black bean and avocado wraps- we bought Wenslydale cheese especially for this as it goes so well, plus I added some cherry tomatoes to mine.

Then I found my Parkrun email. I think that is one of my favourite parts of the whole thing! It’s a bit like getting your official chip time from a race, and it is satisfying to see all the other people who ran, all their times, how many women ran etc etc. So, the boring bit! I was 153 out of 229 runners, I was 30 out of 77 women, and 10th in my age category. My time was 27.25- I am very pleased with that as my fastest is 27.12 so I was pretty close.

As for the pondering part, I have been thinking about another race. I have a 10K and a 5 mile coming up in the summer, and then a half marathon in October. There is a local 10 mile race the week after the half marathon, so I have been trying to see if I feel I could manage 10 miles this weekend, to gauge how I might feel. I think I would be fine- that Parkrun time shows me I was basically up to speed, so I think I am going to go for it.

What have you been up to this weekend?