Sunny Bank Holiday Running!

I was amazed when I woke up this morning on a Bank Holiday Monday to the sun shining brightly!  

That is a very unusual thing to happen here in the Lake District!

I set off for my run before I got too comfortable sunning myself in the garden!  

My intention is to keep upping the miles and/or pace from here on in with the hope that I will eventually get back my fitness and start doing the pace I used to!

As it was such a hot morning I donned my shorts and vest top and took a bottle of water with me!

I found it really hard today!  I'm not sure whether it was the heat, the excess alcohol and junk food consumed this weekend or just general unfitness as I tried to push myself!  

I am so pleased I took water with me as it was desperately needed!

Despite feeling shattered I managed my longest run and my fastest pace since my injury!  Things are definitely looking up!

It is 2 weeks today since I did my first run after my holidays and I am a little disappointed that I am still carrying the excess pounds despite doing lots of exercise!

It took 2 weeks to put on 10 pounds, and it is obviously going to take a lot longer to lose it! 

I am nearly half way there, I have managed to lose 4 pounds - only 6 to go!

A wet wet wet one!

This morning when I set off for my run it was a cloudy but dry morning.

Within 10 minutes of me setting off it changed and started to rain!  

I must admit it was quite welcome as it was a warm and stuffy morning so the rain felt quite refreshing!  I actually really enjoyed running in the rain and I felt better than I have since I have started running again since my calf injury!

I felt like I could have run further but I don't want to do too much too soon and risk landing back on the injury bench!

I ended up doing 4 miles which is the furthest yet!

I am pleased with my calf!

Onwards and upwards!

It is still very blustery here which once again made my run this morning hard work ... or is that just because I am so unfit at the moment?


Although it was blowy it was still fairly warm.

Today I tried to pick a hillier route as all my previous runs since my injury have been fairly flat!

Despite still being slightly bunged up with cold and despite finding it hard work I still enjoyed it!

It's nice to blow the cobwebs away!

My longest post injury run to date so things are looking up!

I have decided that since my calf is now behaving itself and I have had 6 successful pain free runs that I shall start trying to increase the distance and pace slightly from now on. 

Here's hoping it all goes to plan!

Longest OW Swim yet!

I was amazed I made it this evening to swim in Lake Windermere.  

This morning I felt dreadful and was full of cold but my run must have cured me as by this afternoon I was feeling OK so decided to go and see how I felt.

Last week I had stupidly said to my swimming friend David that I would like to try and swim a little further than my usual 1 mile.  

Tonight, I regretted my words and he held me to it even though it was extremely choppy and cold!

When I first got in the water and the waves were swilling over me I was beginning to question my sanity.

To make matters worse we had an audience of Chinese tourists who were standing looking amazed videoing us!  

I must admit if it hadn't been for them I might have actually stopped and said I wasn't up for swimming in such rough conditions but felt too embarrassed - I had to live up to my film star status!

We swam from Millerground to Rough Holme Island, where we had to tread water to allow the "Jazz Boat" to pass us safely.  It was whilst waiting that David pointed out a tree house on the island!  One day I would like to get a canoe and investigate what is on the island further!

The way back felt much easier and not quite as rough!  We were swimming  much further away from the shore than I am used to for a sustained period of time and I felt quite vulnerable but I tried to keep any negative thoughts from creeping into my head and just focused on getting back to the boat house!

Thankfully the tourists had disappeared by the time we returned and we were extremely lucky as just as we stepped out the lake the heavens opened and we had a sudden burst of torrential rain.

Choppy and rain is not a combination I want to experience!

I was disappointed when I stopped my Garmin and it said I had only done 1.24 miles, it felt more like 2 miles but hey ho its still my longest OW swim to date!

You can view my swim here.

After a dreadful night's sleep and waking up full of cold I debated whether to go for a run or just to stay snuggled up in bed feeling sorry for myself.

When I first got up it was throwing it down which helped me make my decision, there was no way I was going run in the rain with a cold!  

However, half an hour later, as if to entice me out the house the rain stopped and the sun came out!

I decided to risk it in the hope that a run would sweat it out of me or at least clear my sinuses!

Kill or Cure!

... and it very nearly killed me!

I hadn't realised that although the rain had stopped there was a really strong wind which I ended up battling making it hard work.

I was feeling so weary and tired I opted to do a shorter run than the 3.5 miles I had planned.

I was pleased that I got back in one piece and without walking!

It wasn't very far but it was far enough in the circumstances!

Here's to better days ahead!

To end on a positive note there has been no grumblings from my calf at all, so fingers crossed that episode is behind me now!

There is always something though!

Choppy and Dusky

Adventure Lights

Tonight I went swimming with the tri club and I can understand now why we stopped swimming so early last year!  

We stopped at the beginning of September and I thought we were just being wimpy and thinking it was getting too cold but tonight by the time we had swam it was beginning to get dusky and the light was going!  Even the steamer had its lights on!

Perhaps I need to invest in a goggle light?  I have done some research and it appears a green Adventure Light is the best thing to wear to be seen!  I will wait and see if I decide to partake in night-time swimming!  You can't see a damn thing in Lake Windermere in daylight so swimming in the dark isn't going to be that much different I wouldn't of thought! 

Anyhow, I digress we went swimming and the water was much colder than it was on Sunday!  Its amazing how much it can fluctuate in a couple of days!

We did 0.97 of a mile in 36 minutes 58 seconds which is faster than I have done previously!  You can view the swim here.

Tonight I didn't stay to partake in coffee and cakes as I have too much going on elsewhere and had to get back.  

It's much healthier for me too!

Another Run!

It was another sunny morning so I took the opportunity to go for a run before the weather changed.

Determined not to be put off by my experience on Saturday I decided to face my demons and go on the same route!

Thankfully this time it was quiet and I didn't meet any abusive teenagers.  It must have been too early for them and they would probably still be in bed!

It was exceptionally hot but I tried to push on regardless of feeling hot and sweaty.  I hadn't taken a drink with me so I was suffering with the heat!

I managed to complete the route 26 seconds faster than I did on Saturday and that was without the aid of being chased!

Onwards and upwards!