Category: Running

Hey

So, today started fine, with me having breakfast, checking my route and downloading marathon talk. I set off, hoping to beat the rain, and aiming for 12 miles. Soon after I set off I started having a pain in my stomach, but decided to run gently and hope that it went away. I was reading a Runners’ World article about the power of positive thinking, and was hoping it might rub off on me. I got to the lakes and saw loads of goslings with the geese (got a bit scary at one point at the geese were too close for my liking) and also some baby moorhens (they are the little black water birds with the red bit on their beaks)- very cute. But my stomach was still sore, and I saw an empty bench so I sat down as I was feeling really shaky. I did wonder if I had left it too long since breakfast, so while I sat there I had one energy blok and some drink, but I still felt bad. At that point I was thinking of doing 9 miles instead of 12. After about 10 mins I got up with the view of continuing, but then realised I was still shaky and had forgotten my phone. Grr. The one time I could do with it. Anyway, I ended up going back home- I did manage to run home, but I felt so fed up. On the run home I was trying to decide whether I actually could have run the entire distance, which is silly as I know I do not try to get out of them normally. I tried to convince myself I was doing the sensible thing, but I was pretty upset when I got home. I was also freezing- it was actually really cold out there, and as I only ran about 3 miles, then 2 miles, I did not get up much of a speed. Anyway, after a hot shower I felt a little better, but then I had a mini panic that I might be getting some kind of infection again.

After that I had some lunch (but not much) and then we went to the garden centre for a bit, and by the time we got home I felt shattered. I ended up having some rice pudding and a slice of toast as I realised at that point I had not had enough lunch, and felt the need for some sugar. I had a couple of hours of work ahead of me (and to wait for shopping) before we could make dinner, but it took a while for the food to kick in. I think I did not eat very well on Friday- it was a rushed day, we ate dinner pretty late and I didn’t have my usual snack later in the evening. And again today I did not eat enough in the morning/ at lunch.  Work has been busy and is getting a bit stressful, so I think I was probably more tired than I realised, a little underfuelled and stuff like that. The stomach ache has gone now anyway,so not sure what it was but I have been drinking loads of water to help too!

So tomorrow I will see how I am in the morning and maybe attempt another run (but maybe 8 miles or so, not the 12). Sounds ok?

I did have a nice dinner (by the time it came around!)- I fancied those carrot pancake bake things that I made last week, but I had no carrots. I did however have some courgettes.

So enter courgette pancakes-but-cooked-in-the-oven. Batter:

Green! 1/2 grated courgette, 35g chickpea flour, 15g apple sauce, 30ml rice milk, rosemary, baking powder and enough water to make it runny. Baked for 25 mins.

Yummy! Topped with tahini and served with Food Doctor easy grains with tomato and spinach, and some Food Doctor dry roasted bean mix (crunch)- I felt the need for some protein to help me out!

Anyway, I did have some good points from the day. I started my marathon list. It is a long one already! I ordered a food processor (I was given money for this for my birthday, and get to pick it up tomorrow! Hooray what to make??), and got some lovely plants at the garden centre- hanging basket of strawberries, some oriental poppies, 2 different pumpkin plants and one squash (the pumpkin seeds I planted earlier this year have not made it), and a few other bits. 🙂 Andy will be out planting while I am (hopefully) out running tomorrow!

Fingers crossed anyway.

And this time I feel more like I was in the boxing ring!

After work I had a 3 mile run- I did some intervals, and I thought I was going fast, but 3 miles took me 31 mins  (not my slowest, but not my fastest either)- I felt like I was going quicker. Oh well.

Then it was off to a sports massage- as I am just over 2 weeks out she decided on some deep tissue massage, lots more on my neck and shoulders (which were getting stiff again) and loads of weird stuff on my legs (I have no idea of the feeling, sort of like burning, sort of like things popping)- but she did tell me it was the deepest massage I would have. I did not feel too bad, but then during it I was realising how tight my muscles actually are. So, feeling a little tender now- I may need to ice tomorrow!

I also feel totally shattered now (although I have had a couple of late nights so it could just be that).

Time for tea I think 🙂

Hey

So I think you are going to see a lot of this panic from me over the coming weeks, so be warned!

I must say thanks for the good advice from Alison, Jessica and Rob regarding the running. I know that I have done all the training so far (well, pretty much) and that I can’t change anything now. I was going to do an 8 miler, and even mapped out a route, but then when I read the comments I cut it back- I ended up doing the 6.7 mile route from last week. I did do some tempo in the middle- when I was looking at my watch when running I was around 9.40 ish pace, but then I had to stop so many times to cross roads that the recorded pace is slower. But anyway, it keeps the legs ticking over. So I promise to be sensible and stick to my plan. If not you can all come around and bop me on the head, rabbit foo foo style.

Also thanks Lara- you are right about body pump- I will cut back on the weights for these next couple of weeks (and I am not going on the Thursday before as often I still ache on a Saturday and I don’t want to be sore for the actual run).

Great advice peeps!

I have booked my next massage for this Wednesday- they said to have one 2 weeks before, but she is away then, so it was either this week (2 1/2 weeks before) or in the final week, only a few days before. So I went for this week. Not long to get nervous for it!

Other news;

More scrummy yoghurt and muesli and apple for brekkie- getting a bit obsessed at the moment 🙂

Also I think I am about to give up on reading a book. I borrowed the book “Too big to Fail” about the banking crisis on Wall Street, and it is taking me so long to read- seriously I read about 2 pages a night and I am not finding it interesting. The subject is interesting, but the book just goes on about how different people got to be CEO’s and stuff, and I am 200 pages in and not at the interesting bits! Anyone read it? How do you feel about not finishing a book? It irritates me so much- normally I read books quickly as I love to read. I am defeated.

Also, can I ask a question for Andy? He needs to change his trainers- I kind of feel he needs to wait until the marathon is done now, as I think it is too close (no more long runs left to try them out- he is doing 13 miles this weekend)- but then I also have heard that trainers should not need breaking in, and they should be comfy right away. So, ideas? Cheers me dears 🙂

First of all, thanks for all the comments about the run last weekend and so on. Each time I read a new one it really helps with my confidence, and also makes me smile.

So I keep meaning to say on here- you know a while back I got that lovely parcel from Meridian? Well the guy who sent it also let me know about a race, and I said I would put a link on here. It is called the cake race (great name to start with, yes?) and it is a 5k multi-terrain race. It is on the 22nd May, in the Bristol area, and is in aid of a local school. I would love to do it, but the timing does not quite fit with my training, and Bristol is a bit of a way to travel for a 5K. But anyway, if anyone fancies checking it out, look here.

So, back to the usual. I have been a bit busy these last few days. Thursday was body pump- again kept higher weights- hooray. Friday I had a lovely day after work- visited my Nan, went to the Waffle house with some friends (for belated birthday celebrations) and then out for dinner with some other friends (more birthday stuff). So no posts. I did have a lovely breakfast on Friday-

An apple, some rude health muesli and some apple and elderflower yoghurt (which is totally gorgeous). This was just so summery and perfect for a sunny morning.

Today my plan was 15 miles. I actually was really delaying my departure this morning- partly due to the weather (we had a few bouts of torrential rain and I did not fancy ruining my shoes) and partly due to being tired. Anyway, I planned my route (a boring out and back in the end as I could not work out another one, plus I wanted to avoid the lakes as they would be muddy and sometimes get underwater). It did not rain, and after a bit the sun came out, and it was just so muggy and hot. There was an occasional breeze, but it was warm and damp air so I was just so sticky. It was very slow (took me 2 hours 53) but there was stopping, and by the end my toe was hurting. I think I might need to get some kind of padded plaster thing as there is definitely something on the bottom. Once home I was in need of more liquid!

2 glasses of water and some lovely coconut water with pineapple- I had forgotten how lovely this is! I had loads of it last year when I was training for my half, but chocolate milk got in the way this year. I should have had an ice bath, but I forgot to make any ice, so made do with a cold shower.

My lunch was my take on a bakewell pitta (we never had a bakewell tart last weekend, and I never liked them when I was little, but now I do like almonds, although not pastry still, anyway, get off this tangent)- food doctor pitta with lovely meridian almond butter and cherry spread.

Yum it was so good! I am loving the almond butter, and the sweet cherry spread went very well indeed.

This afternoon was set aside for report writing, although I did pause in the middle for a toffee rice pudding.

Yum! I do like the plain one as you can then add pb, chocolate, or other stuff (I like dried figs in it) but this toffee one was good.

Then things went downhill- basically I was waiting for the shopping to be delivered (5-6) and was then going to stop work and make dinner. I had a call to say they were running late, so decided to keep on with the work. Bad idea, as then I got very tired and a bit shaky. Also I got very stiff from sitting down all afternoon, so my legs are more sore now. When the shopping finally came, I was starving, so made a cup of tea to drink while I cooked (not easy)- and in the end had a shortcut dinner.

Some carrot pancakes turned into carrot mix being cooked in a tray in the oven and topped with meridian tahini, and I used the other packet of Food Doctor easy grains (these ones are made of quinoa, lentils, spelt, kidney beans) with some tinned tomatoes, spinach, and topped with some Food Doctor seeds.

This was good, but I could have done with it an hour earlier! I love the way the tahini melts over hot things, and those seeds add such a good crunch to any meal. I am getting a bit obsessed 🙂

Right, I am off to elevate my legs! I have not washed my compression socks after last weekend, so we shall see if that adds to the after effects too. Night 🙂

Evening all

Today started off fab- with some porridge and delicious smooth meridian pb.

And at work someone made me chuckle as I was saying how much I love pb, and they went “is it just peanuts and butter mixed together?” Hmm. I did correct them!

Before my run I had an Eat Natural bar- normally I don’t go for these, but I had it in a Boots meal deal (from the day I flew to Italy- it is well travelled) and decided it might give me a boost.

It was delicious anyway. Then I went for my run. I measured out a 6.7 mile route (was supposed to be 6 miles with some tempo in there) and headed out. I managed some decent speeds at times, but my leg is still a bit sore, when going down steep hills, and as the route has some underpasses and things like that, I had to take those slowly. I had a couple of miles at 9.52 and 9.54, but the rest was rather slower. Plus I had loads of waiting as I was running at rush hour (you know, to cross roads).

Dinner was rather random- some chickpea stew with extra veg and sprinkled with some Food Doctor seeds.

The seeds added a lovely crunch, and they are great for protein- 28% (so a little 15g serving has 4.2g which is pretty good.

So my toe nail has not fallen off, and now I think maybe there is some kind of blister/ hard patch thing on the bottom. But who knows. I am sure it is something to do with the pressure- maybe I did my shoes up too tight or something. But anyway, until my actual toe falls off I don’t need to worry!

Bye