Category: Training

And we’re back

Jess Guth1 Comment

So, flu. Is that nature’s way of telling me to stay in bed for two weeks? I could have done without it. I didn’t have time to be off work ill. The thing about academia is, if you’re off sick, your work just waits for you and piles up and you get back and there’s all the work there just going ‘hello, welcome back. You were 2 weeks behind already, you’re now 4 weeks behind and the week you had planned this week was always totally unrealistic, so make that 5 weeks’. But it is  what it is, it’s just that without running I am not very good at the ‘it is what it is’ mindset. I knew running was helping me keep a level head and I’ve blogged about my mental health and my little black labrador puppy (my symbol of depression) before but I didn’t quite realise how much it makes a difference to the little day to day niggles and stresses that we all have. So while I was getting more stressed about being off work and generally feeling crap the three things I do to destress and make sense of the world around me where all out of the question: reading – couldn’t see the page without inducing a major headache, writing – ditto and running – I could barely walk upstairs. That mix made for a particularly grumpy and gloomy me.

I started feeling much better on Wednesday and went back to work Thursday. By Friday I was looking forward to trying a run. We had talked about possibly Saturday. Kath’s knee is much better and she is keen to get going on it and start getting back into things and luckily the flu didn’t hit her quite as hard as me and she is recovering well. However, we had to move our sheep from one field to another – sounds simple, it’s only 200 metres or so along a track but add in 7 perfect, experienced and willing sheep and 7 inexperienced, highly strung and skittish ones and you end up with quite a lot of running around, then there was the 5.30am start to avoid dog walkers etc and then the work to get the field and shed tidied up and sorted… We were really quite wiped out after that. Run postponed until this morning.

I woke up and was quite surprised to see it was 8am. Not sure why I was surprised, I’ve been sleeping at least 10 hours a night for the last week or so. I got up and was even more surprised to find that Kath had only been up an hour or so – she’s usually up really early. We had a cup of tea and then did 15 minutes of flexibility yoga. We drove down the hill just in case Kath’s knee relapsed and we’d need the car to get back up the hill. Then we tried running along the canal..

The autumn colours along the canal are stunning at the moment. We’re clearly not the only ones who think so – it was quite busy with walkers, runners, cyclists and dogs. We had set the intervals to one minute running/ 30 seconds walking and planned to be out for 45 minutes. It felt so good to be out. As I was trying to suck the oxygen into slightly unwilling lungs I also made a conscious effort to look around, take in the colours, watch the ducks, watch the dogs – some excited to be out, some plodding along in the slight drizzle; same as their owners really.

It would be wrong to say that the 45 minutes were easy. That’s not quite it. Running for a minute at times felt about all I could manage (but that’s because I knew it was all I had to manage!) and my body didn’t really quite agree that this running things is a good idea. It felt like I had accumulated a load of crap in my lungs, it felt like my legs were a mixture of concrete and jelly – heavy and wobbly at the same time, I felt slightly uncorordinated and not very sure-footed but I also felt a sense of being able to do it. Maybe my ‘I can’t do this’ voice still has flu, or maybe it’s gone on holiday – whatever, it wasn’t there today. Eventhough the run was hard physically it was probably the easiest run I have had mentally. I was excited to be out, running, doing, getting back on track.

We didn’t worry about pace at all. We didn’t look until we had finished. We were at just over 13 minutes per mile. It may sound slightly ridiculous but I am really quite happy about that – we used to work hard to get to 13 minutes per mile and now this was just a first jog after weeks out. I really do think we are making progress and the training is working!

Kath’s knee held up. She said it is a little achey now and she’ll be careful and get some ice on it etc but there is no pain.We came home and did 15 minutes of yoga for runners. Then Kath made pancakes but not before we got on the scales for our weigh in – I have lost a pound, Kath stayed the same. Happy Sunday.

We’re back!

Airports and strange ideas

Jess Guth1 Comment

I’ve been quiet – sorry. It has been a crazy crazy crazy week. Work was not fun at all but I can’t and don’t really want to go into that here. Then I was quite excited to be heading to Warsaw on Friday to teach a unit on an English Law course for Polish Lawyers. Well Friday was just a travel nightmare. My first flight was delayed by 3 hours, I missed my connection, I was rebooked and that flight was 3 hours delayed. I didn’t get to Warsaw in time to teach in the evening… The teaching on Saturday was great – a long day which was then followed with a little legal/political/historical walking tour of Warsaw and dinner with my host. I am now back at Warsaw airport waiting for yet another delayed flight….

While I have been sitting here watching people go by I have had several rather unfamiliar and totally strange ideas and thoughts – all about running. The first was a compeltely sudden ‘I wish I could go for a run’ thought. I have never had that before. I have never actually really wanted to go for a run. Mostly I look forward to the sense of achievement afterwards and am indifferent about the actual doing of it at best.  Sometimes I look forward to it in the abstract when I know I have to go later and I try and trick myself into thinking that I really want to do it. Often I don’t want to go and have to remind myself why I’m doing this but today, sitting here I actually want to run just for the sake of running. Weird.

I woke up this morning with a stinking cold. My eyes and nose are constantly streaming so running wouldn’t be a good idea anyway. That is a perfect excuse, right? Well I am actuall kind of gutted. We have the Scarborough 10km race coming up next weekend and so I wondered if maybe I am gutted because I am concerned about the training for that etc but as I sit here and let my slightly foggy brain drift, I really don’t think that’s it. I think I miss running. I haven’t been since Tuesday, nearly a week. I actually think I miss it and that is not something I ever ever ever expected to feel. I always hoped that I might manage to keep running after the marathon but I always thought it was something that was more about discipline and just doing it and one day maybe not acually hating it. Now I wonder whether I might actually just keep going because maybe, just maybe there is something about it I actually do enjoy.

I have also been reflecting on my running. I never think that I am doing anything special at all. I always think I am stupidly slow and crap at it. However, the reaction people have when I talk to them about running suggests otherwise. People seem impressed. I guess most people do not run long distance. And maybe it’s time I gave this wobbly, slightly creaky body of mine a bit more credit. It can do stuff most people never even attempt. I’m not sure how I feel about that, it’s a strange thought.

Running is also having an impact on body image and how I look at myself and others. No that’s not quite right actually. I just don’t bother with the mirror. I used to cringe a bit sometimes looking in the mirror and think I really ought to shift a few pounds (and a few more). I don’t remember the last time I’ve done that. I just don’t give my shape or look a second thought really. Of course I still have my self conscious moments but they’re slightly different. I may need the fog to clear from my brain before I can articulate that better.

Kath tried a little run while I was away. She said just 1 minute runs and just home from our sheep but the knee held up. I am quite excited about the prospect of having my running partner back. It would be amazing to have her with me at Scarborough and I like the idea of just taking it really easy and taking in the stunning sea-front as we go round. Fingers crossed. Kath has also been notified that she hasn’t got a place for the London Marathon. I presume I haven’t either but I haven’t been told yet. I’d like to have something lined up post Florida to make sure we keep running. So I have just spent the best part of an hour sitting here looking at races for next spring/early summer. Any sugestions? I have looked at the Hamburg marathon but am a little scared at the cut off time there. I have also looked at Edinburgh – Maybe the half? I am looking at races! That’s just crazy.

Post half marathon run and stupid little dogs

Jess Guth3 Comments

I have had a bit of time to reflect on the half marathon now. I can’t quite believe that I actually did it. I’m annoyed at myself for walking as much as I did and it somehow feels like life should somehow be different. I mean, hello people, I ran a half marathon, you can’t just carry on as normal.

So here’s what I think I could have done better: Not run the first mile at a stupid pace; settle into the intervals sooner and stick to them, have a banana – the potassium in them is good for avoiding cramp; being a bit tougher mentally when the running got hard – I need to work on those mantras!

Here’s what I think worked well: porridge pot roughly 2 hours before the run, drinking stupid amounts of water the day before so that I am really hydrated and don’t need to worry about it on the day, the little date/dried fruit energy balls that Kath made me; trusting the process – I can run for much longer than I think I can; having amazing friends screaming at me to run in the last 200 metres or so.

I haven’t been too sore. I am stiff and my right foot has a funny little niggle in the arch today but calf muscles and knees are behaving. If I stay in one position too long it takes me a little while to get going but it’s all ok. Still the idea of going for a run today was a little daunting. It is so easy to think ‘ah it’s fine, I ran a half marathon, I don’t need to go today…’ but I do. Training doesn’t stop just because I ran a stupid distance! I am gearing up for an even more stupid distance.

So, with a little proud smile I pulled on my Robin Hood Half Marathon top and headed out with the aim of completing a slow 45 minute plod. I planned to go past our sheep, down the golf course and along the canal. I didn’t take the Garmin because I didn’t want to do battle with it. I took my stopwatch for the timing thinking that I might drop to 2.5 minutes run and 30 sec walk just to take it easy. I felt ok though so I sort of forgot to walk. In fact I ended up just running for 47 minutes without a walk break because I felt comfortable slowly plodding along. My legs were tired so I really was going slow but it was sort of nice.

Nothing to report for the first mile. I waved at the sheep and then focused on the slope which I always find tough. It came and it went. I’d like to say I enjoyed the downhill down the golf course but I really didn’t. I didn’t feel very balanced going down on my tired legs but I got down in one piece. I turned right on the canal and after just a few strides a little dog came bounding up to me and nearly tripped me up. The owner didn’t call it back until I looked directly at her and said ‘Really?!’

I carried on and ran past a woman who had a Westie with her which saw me, growled, showed its teeth and then launched at my ankles as I ran past (no harm done, its aim wasn’t great and it bounced off me). I turned to shout at the woman but she was just bent double laughing. I carried on. It wasn’t long before I had to turn round and therefore run past her again. As I approached she laughed and said ‘If you run faster he won’t get you this time’. I told her to fuck off. I’m scared of dogs (no idea why) and incidents like this make me a little worried about running along the canal on my own.

I wasn’t sure how far the woman was walking and if she was turning round but I wasn’t going to risk her seeing me walking so I just kept plodding along. It was a slow plod because when 45 minutes came I wasn’t at the bridge I was aiming for yet. I just thought I might as well keep going to the bridge and tried to speed up a little. I managed a little mini sprint and got to the bridge in 47 minutes dead. I ran all the way without stopping (well other than tripping over the dog). That might be the longest time I have ever run continuously

Oh I also just remembered- we missed the Sunday weigh-in because of the half marathon so I got on the scales on Monday instead and I have lost 1.5 pounds. Getting closer to the next stone marker!

More solo running

Jess Guth4 Comments

Back at home and there are gaps on our training schedule. I don’t like gaps. Having gaps makes me feel unprepared and being unprepared gives my ‘I can’t do this’ voice an excuse to shout louder. I decided I would go for another run this morning and clear one of the gaps. Kath said she’d help me get my butt out this morning and she did gently nudge me out the door.

Kath showed me how to use her Garmin  – she’d programmed it so all I had to do was hit start when I set off and then save the data after my run. I needed to do 45 minutes and decided to do the 45 minute loop from home, past our sheep fields, down the golf course and along the canal. I wanted to run with the Garmin just in case I need to run the half marathon next weekend on my own (looks likely) where I will need to  run intervals and I was also vaguely intrigued how much slower I was running on my own.

I set off, the first stretch is slightly downhill so I’d planned to keep going for more than the 3 minutes because in an organised race it is usually too chaotic to take the first walk break without really pissing people around you off! Howver, I hadn’t tied my pants tight enough and my belly was in danger of escaping so that needed sorting. I took the first walk break. Then I kept going and felt ok really. I was a bit puffed as I got to the sheep which is roughly a mile and decided to take the walk break there. I then managed the slope up to the little wood before the golf course and then made my way down the golf course carefully. I still don’t like downhill and there were a few golfers around on the path blocking the route I would normally take. It was spectacular though because it was quite a misty morning and I’d set off from home above the mist and ran down into it as I headed down the golf course to the canal.

As I got to the canal bridge I was briefly tempted to turn left and just do a short run – but I’d committed to 45 minutes so I turned right. Shortly after that I passed a guy on a canal boat going in the opposite direction who shouted ‘Bloody hell lass, well done!’ and waved. I waved back and kept going. I was just wondering about taking the next walk break when another runner coming the other way said hi and smiled without any hint of sarcasm or ridicule. I could have hugged him (but he was long gone!). I kept plodding along forcing myself not to look at the watch. I ran to the next bridge and turned round. I met another runner who also said a cheerful hello and also didn’t seem to think I shouldn’t be doing this. So onwards. When I got back to the bridge where I had first crossed the canal  I met the first runner I’d seen again. We were now both sweatier and a bit more puffed than we had been first time we’d passed. We both managed a smile and a thumbs up. Thank you whoever you are – I hope my little nod and thumbs up helped you as much as yours did me!

Then I passed the canal boat again and as I drew parallel I called out ‘any chance of a lift?’ The bloke laughed and said ‘You’re doing well aren’t you – I’m doing 3 miles an hour on this what are you – about 6?’ I just waved and then he was behind me. Then I passed a cyclist who said hello as he whizzed past and then a runner who looked utterly miserable. He had his earphones in and a look of intense concentration on his face. He was motoring but he just seemed so unhappy. He didn’t acknowledge me inspite of my smile and ‘hello’. ‘Sod him’ I thought as the bridge that I thought would be my finish line came into view. Nearly there! I glanced at the watch as I got to the bridge thinking that surely the beeps for the last 30 seconds must be imminent. No, there were still just over 2 minutes left. I kept going. I found the next 20 seconds or so really really hard  – probably because I had presumed I would be stopping at the bridge. I kept going though. There was a bloke walking a little dog a little way ahead of me. He was walking fast but I was determined to catch up with him. I did and made some comment about him walking faster than I was running which made him laugh. I just got past him and then it was over. I felt pretty good, I saw people on my run, I interacted with people and everybody I met didn’t seem to think that me running was utterly ridiculous!

I just hit save on the watch without really looking but I knew I’d come quite far. Once at home I got Kath to show me how to check the data (well actually she did it for me!) and it turns out my average pace was 11.28 minutes per mile. I was surprised at that. I was fairly sure that I must be plodding along far more slowly than if I was running with Kath and really I was just hoping it wasn’t too much over 13 minutes…

I phoned Kath to tell her I was done and starting to walk back home and she promised me pancakes when I got back (they were really yummy!). The problem with living up a hill is that after a run, to get home I have to get up this (well I could walk along way round to avoid it but that’s also up hill, just not as steep):

Unity street

And annoyingly it doesn’t look that bad on the photo but it is, it is really steep. I do wonder whether one day maybe I’ll be able to run it. For now though I’ll aim for a 3 miler tomorrow and then all my gaps are gone and I am back to 45 minutes Tuesday, 45 minutes Thursday, a 4 mile walk on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday

Oh and it is Sunday so weigh-in time. I’ve lost about half a pound which given my 3 meals out and 2 bottles of wine this week is pretty good going!.

London Running

Jess Guth4 Comments

I was in London for a work meeting. I travelled down yesterday and stayed overnight. The big question was: would I be brave enough to try and run on my own in a place I didn’t know  and where there would inevitably be loads of people? The answer is yes. I was. And it really wasn’t that hard!

I had decided I needed to run while away. I didn’t run Thursday, deciding to go out for dinner with the still injured Kath instead. I didn’t have time to squeeze a run in yesterday so I have gaps on the schedule and a very very fast approaching half marathon. I just had to get my butt out there. In a rather brave moment on Thursday evening I printed out a Regent’s Park Running Map and decided that the 4.45km outer circle route would be a good one to go for. Nothing much to worry about, just a slow, not quite 3 mile plod around the outer edge of the park. Simple. Hotel to where I wanted to start in Regent’s Park was, according to google maps, almost exactly a mile.

I set my alarm for just before 6am. It went off. I turned over a few times and went through my possible excuses. The conversation in my head went something like this

  1. Too tired – No, not really. I’d had a good night’s sleep
  2. I didn’t bring a cap so my hair will fall across my face (I know!) – I did bring my washbag, I have hairbands in there!
  3. I didn’t bring my running belt, nowhere for room key – I did bring my new running pants which have a little pocket which fits a credit card sized room key
  4. I don’t have time – Yes I do, I’m not meeting Chris for another 2 hours 45 minutes
  5. There will be people – what kind of bloody excuse is that – get your arse out there

I got dressed. I went downstaris into the hotel lobby and out the door. I walked from the hotel to the park. I walked quite fast to treat it as a bit of a warm up and because London streets are remarkably busy even at 6.10am on a Saturday morning! I felt anything but confident as I walked down the street in my running pants and ‘Leeds 10km Glory Achieved’ T-shirt. It was a huge relief to duck into the park. I set my little stopwatch and set off. The first couple of minutes were a bit huffy and puffy and I felt a bit rubbish but a minute or so of counting in my head sorted that out and I settled in. The path was easy to find and follow and before I knew it I’d run 5 minutes. Ooops, there was supposed to be a walk break after 3 minutes on my run/walk interval training. I kept going until I hit 6 minutes and 30 seconds and then stopped to sort my laces out. I’d tied my right shoe tigther than my left and it was annoying me. Then I set off again.

After another 5 minutes or so of following the path I got bored with the idea of running round the edge of the park – there were so many paths going off here, there and everywhere and I wanted to take them instead – so I did. I zig-zagged my way to the Zoo and waved at a couple of camels eating their breakfast as I ran past their enclosure. I didn’t pay that much attention to the route, I just took whatever path I fancied really and tried to keep a vague sense of direction (not a strength of mine at the best of times). I planned to run for roughly 20 minutes that way and then start heading back to my starting point using a fairly direct route. My plan was to run for 30 minutes total. I enjoyed the open space as I turned away from the zoo. I didn’t see anothe person, just gulls, crows and a few geese. I then weaved my way in and out of what, looking at the map now, must be Queen Mary’s Gardens and was just in the middle of another random little loop when I realised I’d been running for 29 minutes. I felt pretty good still. I wasn’t sure where I was exactly so ran past one of the information boards that seemed to be everywhere. Helpfully they mark the ‘you are here’ point with a big red dot so I didn’t even have to slow off to see. I figured that it would take me roughly 3-4 minutes to get back to where I started and that if it then took me somewhere between 12 and 13 minutes to run the mile back to the hotel I would actually make the 45 minutes of a normal maintenance training run.

So I went for it. I got back to my starting point and my watch said 33.46 – so I had another 11 minutes and 14 seconds to go to make up the 45 minutes. Perfect I thought. I’ll get to just before the hotel and can just walk a few steps and get my breath back before walking into the lobby. I left the park and got back onto the main road. After the total quiet of the park it seemed horribly noisy and busy. I didn’t like it at all. I had to stop twice at traffic lights but otherwise I just kept running. I just wanted to get away from the hussle and bussle. I stopped my watch when I stopped right outside the hotel. I hadn’t checked it at all since leaving the park. It said 43.25. That is a very fast mile for me (presuming of course that google maps is accurate – it might not be a mile at all!), particularly given that I actually had to stop and wait at some traffic lights twice. I wasn’t conscious of trying to run fast. I didn’t feel like I’d just run fast although I was a sweaty mess. I was just relieved to have turned off from the main road!

So, second ever solo run: One walk break, not a clue on overall distance or pace, 2 traffic light stops and a quick last mile. My ‘I can do this’ voice is getting louder and it is being cheered on by colleagues and friends being fantastically supportive. Thank you.