One week of my marathon cram it all in at the last minuite training programme done and so far so good, I think.
Monday I ached a little but as it was my last day off work I wanted to feel I had got something done and so spent the day in the garden attacking the weeds with weed killer. My garden and drive now looks overgrown and dead instead of overgrown and green! Time well spent then!
Although two weeks at home with the kids had driven me potty I wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of returning to work. I was also a little cross with TSR and as I chuntterd to myself and waited for my phone to ring I was very tempted to go get a bottle of wine. I thought about my training and resisted. but mostly because I was feeling too lazy to go to the shop.
Tuesday was back to work, I wanted to get up early and go for a swim before work, but I couldn’t motivate myself feeling more tired than yesterday. But after a morning sat going through emails I actually took a lunch break and went for a swim, 30 lengths, just loosened up my achy legs. I popped home after work to find that (as expected) the kids had not washed up, I text them saying next time I got home to find a sink full of pots when they had been at home and I had been working all day I would leave home. Danny replied with a text that simply said “You best pack your bags then”
By the time I arrived at run club I was a little irritable, my eyes and head ached from a day full of emailing and I really felt I was struggling to motivate myself never mind the runners in my group that stood round me waiting to hear what I had planned. So I was thankful when Liz Jones said she had a little route she would like to try!
However some 15 minutes in and I was no longer thanking Liz, I shan’t repeat what I muttered under my breath as she took us up and down a series of rather steep hills/streets just off Meanwood Road. At the top of one of these streets some people were having a celebration and hearing the moaning that I was making to Liz Green offered us a glass of wine. I’m still not sure what it was that Liz J shouted at me as I raised my glass and called cheers to her as she reached the bottom of the hill!
30 length swim
5.5 mile run
Wednesday- I wasn’t looking forward to it but I went to the gym to do an interval session on the tread mill after work. Not my best effort by a long way, but I am where I am and that is not where I was! I got home to find that Danny had washed up (I suspect only because he wanted clean pots for his lunch) but the U bend on the kitchen sink had come off again and my cupboard was flooded!
Intervals – total distance 6k
Thursday – I was feeling tired, but I had Ricks boot camp session on my training programme and popped home after work. I had forgotten about the broken U bend and got home to a kitchen full of dirty pots and a bowl of smelly water. Danny who normally fixes my U bend (with a little help from Mum) was nowhere to be seen. So although TSR was still in the dog house I text and asked if he had time to come round and sort it. He brought me a bottle of wine that I have being fancy a glass of but it will sit in the fridge now till the 9th October. He fixed my u bend sink and stayed a while and dont tell him but I didnt stay cross for long, but as I rushed off to pick Adele up at 6.50 he said I guess your not training tonight. Wrong I made it there for 5 past and Rick as usual gave a great session, working us hard but somehow making the pain fun at the same time. this week he had us running around, jumping, press ups, core work and plenty of other things all finished of with silly walks!
I put my garmin on to see what picture it would draw you can see th epretty picture here http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111334249
2.2 miles run
Friday – was rest day, thought about swimming but didn’t make it. I had a sports massage booked for after work with http://www.sport-fix.com/. Nasty Ned has moved back home so instead Richard came and tried to bring life back into my legs. He spent an age on a spot just below the back of knee which has niggled since last year and worked on my gammy hip as well as giving my calf’s and hamstrings an all round good going over. I said there may be bruising and I could barely stand up after and wondered if I would be able to run on the Saturday!
Saturday was parkrun day and a championship handicap race for the club. I still don’t really understand how the handicap system works but apparently I was the 2nd lady HPH. This was due to Kathryn who is currently in training for her first half marathon at the GNR. I was aware that Kathryn was just on my shoulder and then we fell in to running together. We weren’t racing each other but I think we both knew we wanted a good run and we settled into a great pace and rhythm, we were unable to say anything more than “Ok?” “Uh” “U” “Urgh” but stayed together pulling one another along, that is till we turned the last corner and Kathryn’s fiancée Joe was there shouting her on, which obviously gave Kathryn an even bigger boost as I couldn’t keep with her and she crossed the line a few seconds in front of me. Kathryn got a PB and I got my first sub 30 in weeks. Thank you Kathryn, but watch out, I’ll get you on that finish line next time!
4 mile
Sunday –Long Slow Run day! 20 miler, I wasn’t looking forward to this bearing in mind when I did 18 last week I could not have managed another step. I ran 6 miles on my own to Kirkstall Abbey I had said to the girls that I’d aim to get there for 8.30 which, as anyone who knows me knows, that would normally means 8.45. However for some reason, maybe it’s my new commitment to this 6 weeks training I was there for 8.30 but the only other person that had arrived was Bev (who in fairness doesn’t know well enough yet to know to expect me late) I ran back and forth along a road till my Garmin said almost 7 miles before everyone arrived, kitted up and we set off.
I had planned a route from the Abbey of about 12 miles for Jaz, Sue and Bev with Linda doing a couple miles extra with me to make it 14 for Linda and 20 for me all meeting up in the Abbey House Cafe.
I felt strong and so as Linda and Bev pushed on in front I kept up with them. Bev was new to our Sunday morning group and I always like a good chinwag about running with someone new. Bev had never run further than about 7 miles before but she kept a strong fast pace going, we circled back a few times to Jaz and Sue and I welcomed the slightly slower pace before I found myself being pulled along again by Linda and Bev. At about mile 12 my legs began to feel heavy and so I introduced my first running mantra of the day.
I am Kay, I am a marathon runner and my legs are light and strong!
Once again I was thankful that I had someone to run with and almost felt guilty about the hill I was about to make them run up from Apperlybridge to Rawdon Crematorium. I started to have a craving for a bottle of Fentimans Dandelion and Burdock which I knew they sold at Abbey Museum Cafe. As we tackled the hill my mantra in my head was replaced with “Dandelion and Burdock, Dandelion and Burdock” there was walking from some of us on the hill and even a little dance from Sue as she spotted a butterfly. But together, with talk of houses and what can only be described as smut and my inner voice repeating over and over again “Dandelion and Burdock” we dragged ourselves to the top of the hill!
As we reached the museum, Bev finished, Jaz and Sue had another half mile and Linda and I had to keep going for another 1.5 mile. Now I love my Garmin watch, I like the feedback I get on my speed and distance but at the end of a long run like this I hate it, I can’t stop looking at it and the miles seem to go so slowly and I would say that for the last mile I just stopped dead every 10th of a mile, wishing it to be done and only the internal chat of Dandelion and Burdock got me going again!. As we passed the front of the cafe I longed to just go sit down but the Garmin read 19.85, Dandelion and Burdock, Dandelion and Burdock, Dandelion and burdock, dandelion and Burdock Dande . .BEEP . .finally after what seemed an eternity the Garmin announced 20 miles, DONE. I stopped, turned and shuffled back to the cafe as the rest of the girls meet up in the car park. I found a table outside and plonked myself down. I took my sweaty phone out of my pocket and tried to call TSR but I’m glad he didn’t answer as I’m not sure he would have understood me as I sobbed “I want Dandelion and Burdock!”
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