Another week gone and its now officially British Summer Time! Does that mean we’ve finally had the last of the snow?!
Monday night was back to Spin class, and after missing it last week because I had the cold I was glad to get back on the bike. Although once on I nearly fell of as my feet weren’t strapped in properly, but that’s another story! It was a different person taking it to the usual 2 people, meaning it was a slightly different style of spin, but it was good, it fun not having the same routines all the time.
I had a lot on this week, out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night so gave Tuesday night Body Balance a miss, both Spin and Body Balance are on 8-9pm, so by time I get back home, showered etc its 10pm at the earliest, fine when nothing else on during the week but thought it would have been a bit much this week! I had planned on going out a quick run when I got home from work but it was a terrible night, rain was chucking it down, so I ended up going my Tae Bo Abs and Glutes dvd instead. Got myself booked in for both Spin and Body Balance next week though!
That was me until Friday, as I said last week I’d taken the day off work (mainly to recover from the Metallica concert on Thursday night!). I went out a run in the morning, but it was a really windy day, and a bit sleety, so I only ran 2 miles. I managed it in 18mins 5secs, first mile 8m54secs, second mile 9m11s. Overall average speed was 10.7kph, not bad I think considering the wind! Saturday was a much nicer day, and I went out for a 5k run with the other half. He waited in the car, leaving for his run about 4 mins after I left, predicting with my head start that we would finish at about the same time. It was one of those runs where I just felt brilliant, first mile 8m 58s, second 8m 45s, and third 9m 2s, then as much of a sprint finish ending the 5k in 27mins 40secs! I was so happy with it, it’s the second fastest 5k I’ve ever done, and the fastest by far this year! My average speed was 10.8kph. The best part about the run however was that the other half didn’t catch me, although at 23m 10s he was just behind me! After that we went swimming at Glasgow Club Whitehill, for a cool down as much as it was a swim!
Sunday I went back out again for another run, but again it was pretty windy and I think going out for the third day in a row, which I’ve not been used to doing for a while, was starting to take its toll on me! I managed 4k in total, nearly stopped after the 3k mark though! My time was 22mins 44 secs, whereas the previous day I’d done the same distance in 22mins exactly (and managed a further kilometre after that!) I averaged 10.6kph, first mile was a good 8m 48s but I had a terrible second mile, at 9m 28s! But considering I did that after such a good run the day before, I am not too disappointed!
I now want to start working on trying to run longer distances, with the nights now lighter, I am planning on getting out a couple of nights a week as well as my weekend runs, and so definitely need to start doing more 6 or 7k’s soon so I can tackle the 10k in May without stopping at 5k as I’ve forgotten how to run beyond that distance!!
Monday, 30 March 2009
Monday, 23 March 2009
Week 11
How did it get to week 11 of my training already? That was quick!! Well wasn’t a bad week overall I guess, not brilliant either though!
I gave Monday night Spin a miss as I was still feeling a little run down from the cold, too much energy is required for it at the best of times! Was able to go to Body Balance on Tuesday though which I enjoyed.
By Wednesday night I was feeling much better and so able to go out for a run. I did 5k in 28mins 21secs, averaging 10.6kpm, which is the fastest 5k time I’ve done this year! Was very happy with it, it was one of those runs where I wasn’t thinking at all that I hope I can last to 5k, it was just a matter of how quick I could run it! My mile times were 9mins for the first, 9mins 25secs for the second and 9mins 3secs for the third, so I need to work on that second mile time! That was the one where I run back up the hill though….!
I wasn’t able to go anything Thursday or Friday night, so Saturday went out with the other half and ran round a loch that is near us, which is 2.78k long (to be exact!) As I run a bit slower than him, he was doing some Fartleking, sprinting ahead then jogging back and running with me for a bit then sprinting ahead again. I completed the lap in 15mins exactly, averaging 11.1kph. I was well impressed with myself, especially as I had been out the night before!! The other half did a second lap while I recovered, and I then jogged to meet him at the other side, doing another 1.3k, strangely averaging 10.3kph when I thought I was going really slow! This time last year that would have been fast for me! After that we did a couple of hill sprints, which apparently are great training, if not just a form of torture! The second hill sprint I was given a slight head start and other half was aiming to overtake me, I knew he was right on my shoulder as we were approaching the top and I suddenly got a burst of speed and broke away, reaching the top first! That was a fun moment! (He won’t thank me for saying that!) It is good if you are out training with someone who runs at a different pace than you add in such things as Fartleks and chases as it saves one person having to run slower and definitely brings a more competitive edge to the running!
Was out a bit later on Sunday as had been visiting my mum, being Mother’s Day of course! It was a really windy day and I was feeing a bit bored, so ran a mile in 8mins 52s, averaging 10.9kph, then did 5 hill sprints, up the usual bit I struggle with on the way back up my usual route. I then ran a fast kilometre back home, at 5mins 29s. It was nice to do something a little different for a change, it does get a bit repetitive just going out running the same route all the time!
This week I have quite a lot on at night, got Spin on Monday night again though, and I’m taking a day off work on Friday so would really like to try do a 7 or 8k run…..will let you know next week how I get on!
Training song of the week – Gonna Fly Now from the Rocky soundtrack, got me through the hill sprints!
I gave Monday night Spin a miss as I was still feeling a little run down from the cold, too much energy is required for it at the best of times! Was able to go to Body Balance on Tuesday though which I enjoyed.
By Wednesday night I was feeling much better and so able to go out for a run. I did 5k in 28mins 21secs, averaging 10.6kpm, which is the fastest 5k time I’ve done this year! Was very happy with it, it was one of those runs where I wasn’t thinking at all that I hope I can last to 5k, it was just a matter of how quick I could run it! My mile times were 9mins for the first, 9mins 25secs for the second and 9mins 3secs for the third, so I need to work on that second mile time! That was the one where I run back up the hill though….!
I wasn’t able to go anything Thursday or Friday night, so Saturday went out with the other half and ran round a loch that is near us, which is 2.78k long (to be exact!) As I run a bit slower than him, he was doing some Fartleking, sprinting ahead then jogging back and running with me for a bit then sprinting ahead again. I completed the lap in 15mins exactly, averaging 11.1kph. I was well impressed with myself, especially as I had been out the night before!! The other half did a second lap while I recovered, and I then jogged to meet him at the other side, doing another 1.3k, strangely averaging 10.3kph when I thought I was going really slow! This time last year that would have been fast for me! After that we did a couple of hill sprints, which apparently are great training, if not just a form of torture! The second hill sprint I was given a slight head start and other half was aiming to overtake me, I knew he was right on my shoulder as we were approaching the top and I suddenly got a burst of speed and broke away, reaching the top first! That was a fun moment! (He won’t thank me for saying that!) It is good if you are out training with someone who runs at a different pace than you add in such things as Fartleks and chases as it saves one person having to run slower and definitely brings a more competitive edge to the running!
Was out a bit later on Sunday as had been visiting my mum, being Mother’s Day of course! It was a really windy day and I was feeing a bit bored, so ran a mile in 8mins 52s, averaging 10.9kph, then did 5 hill sprints, up the usual bit I struggle with on the way back up my usual route. I then ran a fast kilometre back home, at 5mins 29s. It was nice to do something a little different for a change, it does get a bit repetitive just going out running the same route all the time!
This week I have quite a lot on at night, got Spin on Monday night again though, and I’m taking a day off work on Friday so would really like to try do a 7 or 8k run…..will let you know next week how I get on!
Training song of the week – Gonna Fly Now from the Rocky soundtrack, got me through the hill sprints!
Monday, 16 March 2009
Week 10
Another mixed week, the first half of the week was great but then it ended really disappointing…the highs and lows of running I guess!
Monday and Tuesday night was my usual Spin and Body Balance classes, enjoyed them as usual, although I felt at Spin as though my legs were working independently of my brain! I always come out of Spin knowing I’ve had a good workout, but Monday was even more so than usual! I think I spun too hard…..! Going to Body Balance the following night is definitely a nice contrast after the hard work out of the day before!
On Wednesday night I managed to take advantage of the nice weather when I got home from work and go out for a run…except by time I got all my running clothes on and back outside the rain had started!! I was motivated by that point anyway, so still went out for a quick run. I think I’ve mentioned before that once round my block is 1.25k, I went round twice, so 2.5k in total, and did it in 13mins 46secs, an average of 10.9kph. So that’s a quarter of the race done at the target pace….just need to do that a further 3 times in a row! Felt really good from it though, I’d forgotten how much better I run at night!
I managed to get back out again on Thursday night, this time I’d aimed to run 3 times round the block, so about 3.75k, however I was feeling pretty good again so ended up doing 4k in total. My time was 22mins 21secs, averaging 10.8kph, so was pretty pleased with that. Hopefully I can get back in a routine of going out for a run after work a couple of times a week as I really think it will help my running. The one piece of advice I’d say to anyone is that you need to get your running clothes on as soon as you get in the house, I find that if I sit down its very hard to get back up again! And unlike the Glasgow Club you can’t book to go out running so the only motivation is yourself! (Or your other half kicking you out the door….! At least he had a lovely meal waiting on me when I got back from my run on Wednesday thought so he’s not all bad!)
By that point I was feeling pretty good about Sunday, and was going to give myself Friday off, then go for another run on Saturday before my 6k race on Sunday, but Friday I started coming down with the cold. A few people in my office had been feeling ill with it during the week so I guess not altogether surprising that I caught it also, and as the day went on I was getting more and more blocked up! I completely rested on Saturday, still hoping to be able to run Sunday, but I woke up on Sunday feeling really run down so I decided not to go. I knew I didn’t have the energy to run it, and no point forcing myself and perhaps making my cold worse. It’s really annoying to not be able to take part in a run that you have signed up for, but I have found another 6k at Strathclyde Park in April on the Jog Scotland website. I check out their events page regularly incase there are any runs coming up that I’m interested in doing, so I am going to sign up to that as another training race before May. It’s a 6k and a 10mile, think the 6k will be plenty though for me! Hopefully I won’t be floored with the cold too long and can get back into my routine soon!
Monday and Tuesday night was my usual Spin and Body Balance classes, enjoyed them as usual, although I felt at Spin as though my legs were working independently of my brain! I always come out of Spin knowing I’ve had a good workout, but Monday was even more so than usual! I think I spun too hard…..! Going to Body Balance the following night is definitely a nice contrast after the hard work out of the day before!
On Wednesday night I managed to take advantage of the nice weather when I got home from work and go out for a run…except by time I got all my running clothes on and back outside the rain had started!! I was motivated by that point anyway, so still went out for a quick run. I think I’ve mentioned before that once round my block is 1.25k, I went round twice, so 2.5k in total, and did it in 13mins 46secs, an average of 10.9kph. So that’s a quarter of the race done at the target pace….just need to do that a further 3 times in a row! Felt really good from it though, I’d forgotten how much better I run at night!
I managed to get back out again on Thursday night, this time I’d aimed to run 3 times round the block, so about 3.75k, however I was feeling pretty good again so ended up doing 4k in total. My time was 22mins 21secs, averaging 10.8kph, so was pretty pleased with that. Hopefully I can get back in a routine of going out for a run after work a couple of times a week as I really think it will help my running. The one piece of advice I’d say to anyone is that you need to get your running clothes on as soon as you get in the house, I find that if I sit down its very hard to get back up again! And unlike the Glasgow Club you can’t book to go out running so the only motivation is yourself! (Or your other half kicking you out the door….! At least he had a lovely meal waiting on me when I got back from my run on Wednesday thought so he’s not all bad!)
By that point I was feeling pretty good about Sunday, and was going to give myself Friday off, then go for another run on Saturday before my 6k race on Sunday, but Friday I started coming down with the cold. A few people in my office had been feeling ill with it during the week so I guess not altogether surprising that I caught it also, and as the day went on I was getting more and more blocked up! I completely rested on Saturday, still hoping to be able to run Sunday, but I woke up on Sunday feeling really run down so I decided not to go. I knew I didn’t have the energy to run it, and no point forcing myself and perhaps making my cold worse. It’s really annoying to not be able to take part in a run that you have signed up for, but I have found another 6k at Strathclyde Park in April on the Jog Scotland website. I check out their events page regularly incase there are any runs coming up that I’m interested in doing, so I am going to sign up to that as another training race before May. It’s a 6k and a 10mile, think the 6k will be plenty though for me! Hopefully I won’t be floored with the cold too long and can get back into my routine soon!
Monday, 9 March 2009
Week 9
What a week!! At one stage I thought I wasn’t going to be able to run on Saturday! I was at Spin class on Monday night as usual, however it was a different person taking the class this time. That instructor and the usual one are going to be taking alternative Monday nights from now on. They have quite different styles to each other, so it will be good not doing exactly the same routine every week. However as is was the first time with someone new, I was really feeling the burn in my thighs by the end! Actually I felt the burn after about 10 mins in if I’m honest!!
Tuesday however my left leg was really painful. I’d injured my groin about a year and a half ago. Every so often I feel a twinge in the area but it usually disappears quickly. It was quite tight on Tuesday though and I was finding walking a struggle. I went to body balance at night and realised I couldn’t do some of the stretches as it was just a bit too painful. I did what I could, and then got myself home and didn’t move for the rest of the night! I took it really easy the rest of the week, didn’t do any exercise and walked pretty slowly everywhere to avoid making it worse so by Saturday I was feeling ok for the run.
It was another terrible day on Saturday, when will this bad weather end?! We got down to Glasgow Green and did a warm up jog to keep the muscles warm, and also so I could test my leg out! Luckily it didn’t hurt! Just before the race was due to start a group warm up took place. At this point there was still no sign of a start line though, with everyone was just gathered together on the grass. Then suddenly the girl doing the warm up shouted “go” pointing to the left, and we were all looking around confused, and then some people started running so we all ended up following them! After about 750 metres however we realised the people at the front had stopped and were walking back. Turns out it was a false start, we shouldn’t have been told to go! So we all had to go back up to where we started, by this point there was an actually start tape up, and then do it all over again! Anyway, we got going (a second time!) and it was a fairly decent course with just a couple of small hills but mainly flat. However I think the confusion over the start, lack of training over the last week plus being wary about my leg put paid to a fast time and I finally got myself over the finish line at exactly 30 minutes (incidentally still the fastest 5k I’ve done in race conditions but much slower than I know I can do it!) The other half would like me to add that he did it in 22 and a half minutes. Show off!
After the run, we went to Glasgow Club Easterhouse Pool for a soak in the pool and then went into the Steam Room to relax. You can get into any of the Glasgow Clubs “Sauna, Steam and Spas” for free if you are a Fitness Unlimited member and it is a great way to wind down after any exercise!
I was down at a friend’s house on Sunday so had a break from running, although with the heavy snow showers I might not have got out anyway! I did do my Tae Bo Abs and Glutes dvd once I got back home though so I was still doing some exercise!
This week I have a 6k for St Andrews Hospice round Strathclyde Park on Sunday. I have my usual Spin and Body Balance classes on but I am hoping to get out running a couple of nights after work as well. I feel I did my best running last year when I was in a good routine of going out about 4 or 5 times a week, at nights going short fast runs with longer slower runs at the weekend, but at the moment as I am just going out at the weekend but trying to run faster, I’m not getting the mileage I need. Got a couple of months till the Women’s 10k now so if I can get out more I really think it will make a difference. One positive I can take from this week anyway is that April last year I did the North Glasgow 5k in 31 and an half minutes, this year, a month earlier, I am already doing it much quicker, so I am at least ahead of where I was at this point last year!
Tuesday however my left leg was really painful. I’d injured my groin about a year and a half ago. Every so often I feel a twinge in the area but it usually disappears quickly. It was quite tight on Tuesday though and I was finding walking a struggle. I went to body balance at night and realised I couldn’t do some of the stretches as it was just a bit too painful. I did what I could, and then got myself home and didn’t move for the rest of the night! I took it really easy the rest of the week, didn’t do any exercise and walked pretty slowly everywhere to avoid making it worse so by Saturday I was feeling ok for the run.
It was another terrible day on Saturday, when will this bad weather end?! We got down to Glasgow Green and did a warm up jog to keep the muscles warm, and also so I could test my leg out! Luckily it didn’t hurt! Just before the race was due to start a group warm up took place. At this point there was still no sign of a start line though, with everyone was just gathered together on the grass. Then suddenly the girl doing the warm up shouted “go” pointing to the left, and we were all looking around confused, and then some people started running so we all ended up following them! After about 750 metres however we realised the people at the front had stopped and were walking back. Turns out it was a false start, we shouldn’t have been told to go! So we all had to go back up to where we started, by this point there was an actually start tape up, and then do it all over again! Anyway, we got going (a second time!) and it was a fairly decent course with just a couple of small hills but mainly flat. However I think the confusion over the start, lack of training over the last week plus being wary about my leg put paid to a fast time and I finally got myself over the finish line at exactly 30 minutes (incidentally still the fastest 5k I’ve done in race conditions but much slower than I know I can do it!) The other half would like me to add that he did it in 22 and a half minutes. Show off!
After the run, we went to Glasgow Club Easterhouse Pool for a soak in the pool and then went into the Steam Room to relax. You can get into any of the Glasgow Clubs “Sauna, Steam and Spas” for free if you are a Fitness Unlimited member and it is a great way to wind down after any exercise!
I was down at a friend’s house on Sunday so had a break from running, although with the heavy snow showers I might not have got out anyway! I did do my Tae Bo Abs and Glutes dvd once I got back home though so I was still doing some exercise!
This week I have a 6k for St Andrews Hospice round Strathclyde Park on Sunday. I have my usual Spin and Body Balance classes on but I am hoping to get out running a couple of nights after work as well. I feel I did my best running last year when I was in a good routine of going out about 4 or 5 times a week, at nights going short fast runs with longer slower runs at the weekend, but at the moment as I am just going out at the weekend but trying to run faster, I’m not getting the mileage I need. Got a couple of months till the Women’s 10k now so if I can get out more I really think it will make a difference. One positive I can take from this week anyway is that April last year I did the North Glasgow 5k in 31 and an half minutes, this year, a month earlier, I am already doing it much quicker, so I am at least ahead of where I was at this point last year!
Monday, 2 March 2009
Week 8
Well I’m pleased to report that this last week of training went much better than the previous week! I have definitely learned my lesson, never again will I go out running without at least eating breakfast first!
Monday night was back to Spin class again, was pretty challenging this week, the good thing about Spin is that you have some control over how hard a work out you actually do, as you can up the resistance on the bike more to make it harder, or easing off on it if you are struggling. I was feeling the thighs burning on Monday so I must have been using the resistance quite high, or I’m just very unfit! Tuesday night I went to Body Balance again, I definitely do feel my balance has improved since I started going! Not quite as wobbly as I was to begin with!!
Wednesday night I decided to do a fitness dvd in the house. I have recently got Billy Blanks Tae Bo dvds and there are various different programmes on them. I did “abs and glutes” that night. Now that was an intense workout! It only lasts about 25 mins, then 5 mins warm down, but it is very high tempo! I definitely felt it working immediately, and walking was a little difficult on Thursday! My butt muscles were agony, probably as they’ve never been used before!!
Thursday night I went to the hairdressers, oh wait this is just a training diary isn’t it?! Moving on…..! Saturday we went to Broadwood Loch for a run. The other half spotted his mate up ahead and so sprinted off to catch him up, I took off at a more leisurely pace. Had decided I wanted to do a 6k, as all my running recently I’ve stopped as soon as I reach 5k (if I’ve even made it that far!). I’m pleased to say I did do 6k without stopping, although my time was pretty slow, 35 mins 54 seconds! I was only just over 10kph! However I realised that this time last year if I was able to do a 6k without stopping it would have taken me about 40 mins! I am glad anyway that I managed to get beyond the 5k point, especially as I’m doing a 6k race in a couple of weeks!
Sunday I went out for a run just at the rain came pouring down! Thinking I wanted back in the house quickly, I ran what must be the fastest first mile I’ve ever done (without stopping at the end!), 8 mins 41 secs! I had planned to run out to the end of the road and back, which is exactly 4k. However at about the 3k mark you are running back up a hill…at 2.5k I was averaging 10.9kph, perfect pace, but my earlier exertions had by then taken their toll on me and by time I had got up the hill my pace had seriously dropped! In the end I made it back to the house having done 4k in about 22mins 34 secs, an average of 10.6kph! I am pretty pleased with that as it’s the fastest I’ve ran over that distance this year, as although I’ve ran faster over 2 miles (3.2k) I had stopped at that point so don’t know if I could have kept it up for longer! Plus I ran such a fast first mile, and the weather conditions were dreadful! (I was getting funny looks from passing drivers in cars for being out running in the pouring rain!)
This weekend I have the Stress Combat 5k at Glasgow Green on Saturday. Any previous 5k I’ve done as an organised race I’ve always been over 30 mins, I am not putting too much pressure on myself for a time for this one but would love to be around the 28minute mark….will let you know how I get on in next weeks blog!
Favourite Training Song This Week: Linkin Park/Jay Z = Points of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer
Monday night was back to Spin class again, was pretty challenging this week, the good thing about Spin is that you have some control over how hard a work out you actually do, as you can up the resistance on the bike more to make it harder, or easing off on it if you are struggling. I was feeling the thighs burning on Monday so I must have been using the resistance quite high, or I’m just very unfit! Tuesday night I went to Body Balance again, I definitely do feel my balance has improved since I started going! Not quite as wobbly as I was to begin with!!
Wednesday night I decided to do a fitness dvd in the house. I have recently got Billy Blanks Tae Bo dvds and there are various different programmes on them. I did “abs and glutes” that night. Now that was an intense workout! It only lasts about 25 mins, then 5 mins warm down, but it is very high tempo! I definitely felt it working immediately, and walking was a little difficult on Thursday! My butt muscles were agony, probably as they’ve never been used before!!
Thursday night I went to the hairdressers, oh wait this is just a training diary isn’t it?! Moving on…..! Saturday we went to Broadwood Loch for a run. The other half spotted his mate up ahead and so sprinted off to catch him up, I took off at a more leisurely pace. Had decided I wanted to do a 6k, as all my running recently I’ve stopped as soon as I reach 5k (if I’ve even made it that far!). I’m pleased to say I did do 6k without stopping, although my time was pretty slow, 35 mins 54 seconds! I was only just over 10kph! However I realised that this time last year if I was able to do a 6k without stopping it would have taken me about 40 mins! I am glad anyway that I managed to get beyond the 5k point, especially as I’m doing a 6k race in a couple of weeks!
Sunday I went out for a run just at the rain came pouring down! Thinking I wanted back in the house quickly, I ran what must be the fastest first mile I’ve ever done (without stopping at the end!), 8 mins 41 secs! I had planned to run out to the end of the road and back, which is exactly 4k. However at about the 3k mark you are running back up a hill…at 2.5k I was averaging 10.9kph, perfect pace, but my earlier exertions had by then taken their toll on me and by time I had got up the hill my pace had seriously dropped! In the end I made it back to the house having done 4k in about 22mins 34 secs, an average of 10.6kph! I am pretty pleased with that as it’s the fastest I’ve ran over that distance this year, as although I’ve ran faster over 2 miles (3.2k) I had stopped at that point so don’t know if I could have kept it up for longer! Plus I ran such a fast first mile, and the weather conditions were dreadful! (I was getting funny looks from passing drivers in cars for being out running in the pouring rain!)
This weekend I have the Stress Combat 5k at Glasgow Green on Saturday. Any previous 5k I’ve done as an organised race I’ve always been over 30 mins, I am not putting too much pressure on myself for a time for this one but would love to be around the 28minute mark….will let you know how I get on in next weeks blog!
Favourite Training Song This Week: Linkin Park/Jay Z = Points of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer
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