Tonight was Women on the Run Club night and it was a foggy one!
We are now up to 8 minutes running and 1 minute walking and the group are totally A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
They are doing all the runs set for them in the week and due to this are progressing fantastically well!
Tonight we did a 4.57 mile run at an average 13.46 minute mile pace.
Here's some of the Ladies sporting the Reflective Bands kindly donated by Pete Bland Sports to keep us safe whilst running in Winter! Some opted to wear them on their ankle and others on their arm!
We were very visible - even in the fog!
This morning when I woke up my chest felt slightly better so I set off with the intention of running the Kendal Mountain Festival 10K Trail route!
It sets off with the first mile being on the old black stuff before going onto Scout Scar! The first mile was constantly uphill but I was feeling quite chuffed with myself that I managed to keep on running!
However, although I knew where I was heading by the time I got on to the top of the Scar it was incredibly foggy.
Then I came upon a herd of cows so went off track to try and avoid them - this is where my problems began! By the time I got round them the fog was so dense I couldn't find my way back on track!
My Garmin watch has a "live tracker" facility on it so I wasn't too stressed as I knew I could phone home and get directions! After running a little further I decided that there wasn't anything else for it I would have to phone home just to see if I was actually going in the right direction! Alas, this wasn't any help as the link hadn't loaded properly so I was on my own!
In the end I decided to keep running and when I heard traffic I headed in that direction knowing that once I hit a road I was safer than being stuck up a mountain! I was beginning to feel ever so slightly stressed about being lost in the fog when I finally came to a road and I knew where I was!
I ended up doing 6.71 miles which can be viewed here!
Note to self - don't run in the fog and if I do don't go off track to avoid cows - BE BRAVE!
This afternoon I had a relaxing time watching The New York Marathon on TV! It was very strange seeing the places I had just been to a few days ago, especially the finish line as I had actually run through it earlier in the week whilst on holiday!
This has left me feeling very unsettled and I feel the urge to book some challenging event for 2016 - I just don't know what!
After having a good nights sleep and a lie in until 10.30am I woke up this morning feeling extremely chesty! When I was on the plane coming home from New York I was surrounded by people coughing and spluttering so I expected to catch some lurgy! The joys of travelling!
Anyhow, when I first set off I sounded like I had a 40 a day habit and I wasn't really feeling the love! However, I pushed on and after the first mile my chest cleared slightly and I no longer felt like I had a heard of elephants sitting on me!
For the 31st October it was amazingly warm and although I only had cropped tights and a T Shirt on I was feeling incredibly hot - unless that was more to do with me feeling under the weather rather than the actual weather!
I pushed on and actually really enjoyed my run doing 4.51 miles at an average 9.03 minute mile pace! You can view my route here.
A perfect way to get rid of that jet-lagged feeling!
Well I am back from my few days away in New York and feel absolutely shattered!
We had a fab time and I even managed to squeeze in a run round Central Park!
It wasn't very good planning as when I decided to go I had just had a huge Burger for lunch washed down with a beer but hey-ho I seized the moment and survived! I ran whilst my husband cycled alongside me!
It was an amazing experience with a lane on the road marked out especially for runners, and what a lot of runners there was too! We had to stick to this main cycle/run route as bikes weren't allowed on the paths, but we did actually do a walk as well to see the rest of the park!
Towards the end of the run we went through the part of the park that will be the finish for the New York Marathon on Sunday.
They had all the finishers posts and everything up so I actually felt like I was in it!
It made me feel very jealous and I wished that I was actually was doing it.
Anyhow I managed 5.36 miles and really enjoyed it! You can view my run here!
Now just the small matter of recovering from the jet lag before I go back to work on Monday!
Hopefully I will feel a little more human tomorrow and actually get out for a run!
I didn't expect to have time to go for a run this morning but the clocks changing worked in my favour! I was awake earlier than expected, so the jobs I had to do got done which enabled me to lace up my trainers and hit the road!
The only problem was my head was more than willing but my legs weren't keen at all!
I think after the parkrun and lake swim yesterday they were keen to have a day of rest!
However, I pushed on and managed 4.20 miles at a 9.15 minute mile pace!
Now its time for me to leave for my travels!
Trainers are packed - I AM going run in Central Park! Watch this space!
To celebrate the start of Half-Term, instead of having a lie in I went to Fell Foot Parkrun! It's been quite a while since I did a Parkrun and I really don't know why as once I am there I really enjoy it!
Well actually that's a lie I do know why I don't go more often ... It starts 9am on a Saturday morning ... and Friday night is always Wine O'Clock!
Anyhow, this morning I set my alarm had some porridge and was out the house by 8.15am, despite having more than enough wine last night as well as the torrential rain pelting down making me wish I was still in bed!
I stayed in the car keeping dry until the last minute then at 8.55am I made a quick dash to the start line, although it was 5 minutes late starting so I could have stayed dry longer!
I had decided to test out my new Inov-8 trail running shoes, which was a wise decision with the ground being so wet and muddy underfoot!
I haven't done much serious training recently so wasn't running with a time in mind, I just wanted to enjoy the experience. It was wet, cold and windy so enjoying the experience was a tricky one, however I DID! By the time we were running the second lap it was extremely muddy and slippy and I was worried about landing on my bum but I somehow managed to stay upright!
I was delighted with my result as I finished in 26 minutes 36 seconds, not far off my 26:14 PB! I was 13th female and 4th in my age category so very pleased with myself!
Straight after finishing I trudged back to the car and stripped off my soggy clothes to put some dry ones on! Hopefully no one could see through the steamed up car windows at what I was actually doing!
I then set off to meet my friend David to have a swim in Lake Windermere. Thankfully by the time I got to where we swim from the rain had stopped, although it was still cold and windy!
Another quick change into my wet suit followed before bravely going into the lake! The rain had made the lake much colder than it had been on Tuesday evening when I swam! It was also fairly choppy so we didn't swim far, altogether we managed just over half a mile.
Whilst swimming back to the jetty I got the fright of my life! I was in my own little world then when I breathed to the right I came face to face with a big black thing! I very nearly drowned on the spot until I realised it wasn't Bownessie but a Black Lab wanting to play! The owners were highly amused by my reaction - I was less amused!
So this morning I have run 3 miles along Lake Windermere and then swam half a mile in Lake Windermere!
Feeling good about myself now!
Time to pack!
View my run here!
View my swim here!
I have so much going on in my life at the moment I am really struggling to keep on top of everything!
So what have I been doing in the last 10 days?
Well I have only managed to fit 3 runs in and 3 swims in Lake Windermere!
I am very proud that I am still swimming in the lake and despite the dark and the cold I am not freaking out!
I went last night and it was exceptionally dark and I was feeling slightly scared and apprehensive but my swimming friend said "Remember there's nothing down there that isn't there in the light!".
This didn't really help much as it only reminded me that there WAS stuff down there!
It really is becoming a case of mental strength and determination!
Surprisingly its the dark rather than the cold that is proving to be the most testing!
My "Women on The Run" running club is making me proud, or should I say my ladies are making me exceptionally proud!
In the 4 weeks we have been running they have come on in leaps and bounds and have made progress beyond my wildest expectations! I think they are all amazed too and are all exceptionally keen each week and are religiously doing the homework I set them! They have gone from barely being able to run for a minute and walk for a minute to running for 7 minutes and walking for 1 minute continuously for an hour! The first week we managed 2.48 miles in the hour and this week we did 4.06 miles!
It just goes to show that with a little bit of hard work and determination things happen!
On Saturday I did a 3.69 miles road run! Due to work pressures this was my first run in 5 days so I was well and truly ready to run off my pent up stress! I was amazed when I stopped my Garmin to see I had run an average 8.40 minute miles! This is the fastest run I have done since my injury!
On Sunday I did a 4.7 mile trail run up Scout Scar and found myself in the middle of an orienteering race! I had the urge to move a flag or 2 to add to the excitement but I resisted! There was people running round a usually fairly deserted fell like stupid people! It was a very odd experience!
Tonight I found myself back up Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar and did a 5.56 mile run. However, today I didn't see a soul! I started my run at around 4.30pm and it was dry and light but by the time I had got to the top it was drizzly and foggy!
I was slightly concerned about being up there alone in the fog so didn't really enjoy my run ... unless that was just because I was absolutely exhausted after a busy day at work!
Only 2 more days to survive at work before I have a week off for Half Term!
I'm not just excited about having a week off work but I am very very excited about going to New York!
