Tag: running

Today just is!

Jess GuthLeave a comment

Well everything is hard fought today. After a lovely chilled weekend with our friends that was filled with wonderful cuddles and giggles from the kids and just easy togetherness, my brain started misfiring at some point last night. I went to bed. I slept in that uneasy way you sleep when you don’t quite trust your brain to get things right.

We were going to run 11 miles today. After a cup of tea in bed I got up and put running gear on and then I couldn’t move. I was quite clear in my mind that I could not possibly go outside. I could not, under any circumstances leave the house. Yes I do realise that’s ridiculous and not exactly a healthy response to anything but there I was, rooted to the spot. The 11 mile run was quickly abandoned and I managed to persuade my grey matter to shut up for long enough to go downstairs and make some breakfast. Then I set about the slow and so often futile task of having a conversation with myself about how this is all a little silly and the world is no scarier and fucked up today than it was yesterday and that sitting on the sofa is not going to solve anything, it won’t get shit done and it won’t allow me to just be and enjoy the bank holiday either. I wasn’t really listening

To try and do something useful at least Kath and I compared diaries, planned meals for the week, wrote a shopping list and then Kath went shopping. I stayed on the sofa. Where it’s safe. I read posts on the #run1000miles facebook group and enjoyed the photos people had posted of their runs. Other people’s adventures big and small distracted me enough for the chemicals to settle a little and I began to really like the idea of a run. But then there was the door to negotiate with, you know actually leaving the house. I’d also posted about how I was feeling and the comments I got back where so lovely and supportive and I began to feel a little less scared of the world.

When Kath got back we got changed. Then I stood in the kitchen a while pretending I wasn’t really putting off going OUTSIDE. Eventually Kath gently nudged me towards the door and then through it and then stood on the step between me and the door while I figured out if I really wanted to go back in and hide. Once outside I was ok. We didn’t linger for both watches to find the GPS but set off as soon as one had it. I left my run/walk intervals on so I could drop into them if I wanted to. We ran easy. I didn’t want to find out if I had any mental strength to push – it didn’t feel like I had anything at all mentally. Physically though I felt fine. We ran our sheep loop. I slowed off even more than usual on the downhill not wanting to give my persistent black pup any excuse at all to get involved. I still felt physically good so we extended the loop by turning right across the canal and going to the stone bridge and turning round there.

We were talking on and off and Kath had just finished saying ‘We haven’t seen the kingfisher for a while’ when we saw a flash of blue and orange and a kingfisher flew out on the opposite side of the canal just in front of us. You can’t not smile when you see a kingfisher. A little further along there was a heron on the edge of the towpath and we ran past it slowly, hoping not to scare it off – I could have touched it if I’d stretched my arm out. A little while after that it got tough. Probably not actually physically tough but mentally I was beginning to really want to stop. We went post to canal boat to tree to patch of nettles to bush to bench to post….. Before I knew it we’d reached a tarmac section and then the bridge towards home. 3.75 miles run and another just over half a mile walked home on a day where it looked like making it downstairs might be a win. I’ll take that and I’ll celebrate it.

I have no idea why today is like today is. There are no obvious triggers. Sometimes there is no reason, sometimes it just is and that’s ok and most importantly it doesn’t mean that the rest of today has to be like that or tomorrow or the rest of the week.

Happy Running, or just running or not – whatever you need today

A Run in Numbers

Jess Guth2 Comments

9 miles

2 minute running intervals

30 second walk interval

7 heron sightings

3 individual herons – at least

1 mole

1 plucky ducky and lots of ducks

1 proud swan

1 sleepy cygnet

2.5 ish miles of resurfaced canal towpath x 2

9 dogs

4 bikes

7 canal bridges (counting each only once), 2 crossed

1.53.57 moving time

12.39 minutes per mile pace

0 tantrums, 5 times I swore under my breath

1 huge hole in my sock so 1 pair of socks binned

0.5 x 2cm patch of chafing under my right boob that really stings in the bath

500ml of Tailwind recovery drink

 

 

Period Running

Jess GuthLeave a comment

About a year ago I wrote about running with my period. It’ really not at all one of my favourite things to do and this month I think my womb has actually decided it will inflict the maximum amount of pain possible. I have no idea what I have done to piss it off but I obviously have. Yesterday wasn’t too bad, my back was niggly, my tummy was sore and I felt heavy but I felt like I could still vaguely move. Kath wanted to make an apple and blackberry pie so we agreed to meet by our old sheep fields and I would run there the long way round and Kath would walk there direct. I managed a decent run but it didn’t go to plan. I set off plodding down the hill to the canal and along the towpath. I was psyching myself up to run up as much of the uphill up the old golf course as I could manage, maybe even all of it and had got into my head that I was nearly nearly there, just one last big push…. The bridge across the canal was stuck open. Hmph. I stopped and stared at it for a few seconds, turned and started running back.

I ran as fast as I could back to the bridge I’d come from because I knew that Kath was waiting for me and was likely to start getting worried. I crossed the bridge and had to walk up the slope and the hills to get to our old first field. My tummy felt heavy and I felt slightly sick but I jogged along until I found Kath and we walked home with a big box of blackberries. What was supposed to be a gentle, slow just under 2 miles run ended up a a stupid negatives split 3.1 miles with a one mile walk back home.

Today I was meant to run 9 miles but when I woke up my back was really sore and I felt really tired from a restless night sleep. We abandoned the 9 miles. Later this afternoon I thought moving would maybe actually do some good so we went out for a run/walk round the sheep loop. We didn’t make it round the sheep loop because it just wasn’t that much fun. We turned round after a mile and came home but it was good to be out and nice to move even if I felt like an ungainly overweight baby hippo. Tomorrow should be much better and we’ll see about that 9 miler!

 

 

Mid July to Mid August Round-Up

Jess GuthLeave a comment

Wow, nearly a month without writing about running. That usually means I have fallen off the running wagon. Not this time really. I’ve been ticking over nicely. So here’s a summary with links to the more detailed posts about recent running.IMG_1952 2

So our Australia running adventures continued in Brisbane after a few days of not running as we completely relaxed in the rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands. We walked a lot but no running.

In Brisbane we had several plods along the Southbank and into the Botanic Gardens including a lovely parkrun meet up with our friend Jenny.

After Brisbane we had another stint of not running as we joined an Uluru tour out of Alice Springs although we did manage a plod in Alice Springs itself and did some walking during the trip.

Our final stop in Australia was Sydney where we managed a bit of running including one stunning 6 mile loop of Manly North Head before my ankles went a bit niggly and I mostly left Kath to it.

39515394_265814414237648_2206717328685531136_nSince we’ve got back we’ve not done too badly at all. We have managed to keep to a pretty good routine for both running and cross-training to support our running. We are on track with our Dopey Training (oh yeah – we signed up for that little 4 day adventure again) and getting sort of ready for the Great North Run which is scarily soon.

I’ve even managed to speed session last week – the trusted fartlek I’ve done before and then we had a lovely little adventure on Ilkley Moor where we tried out a new path which made a lovely little 6 mile loop and is certainly one we’ll do again. I also thought it was about time I ran 45 minutes continuously rather than stopping for photos etc so I tried last week but didn’t quite make it on the hills. Yesterday though I ran it all.

So it’s all going pretty well and we’ll just keep plodding along.

Warning: running may lead to Yoga, Pilates, Gym….

Jess Guth2 Comments

I don’t actually like the gym. We have been doing yoga at home – sometimes more and sometimes less consistently. However, its not really enough. I very occasionally popped into the gym at work but I often don’t get there because work stuff side tracks me or I want to get home…. So after much deliberations we joined the local council gym for a month in June to try out the classes and have another go at doing some useful cross training.

June was pretty good and we decided it was sensible to come back and get into a good exercise/cross training routine. So far we’re doing pretty well. One of the guys at the gym did us a short programme designed to support our running. It consists of some step ups with weights and then lots of stuff to strengthen core and glutes. I like it because it’s short and should work fine if done twice a week. In fact we have been doing this a little while now so it is probably time to go see him again and get a new one.

In addition we have done a fitness pilates class which I find quite hard but good and I enjoy it. Again the work on core strength helps and I think I am probably getting better even with only having done it twice since we’ve been back (and twice in June before we went). Last week we also tried a yoga class which I loved. The instructor was fabulous and very focused on form and technique coming round and putting us all in the right positions. I could most definitely feel that! We also tried a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) class in June which I sort of hated but loved having done. We are having another go on Thursday next week. So with 2 gym sessions, 1 pilates, 1 yoga and 1 HIIT class as well as the running we’re pretty busy getting fitter. We might not be able to do all of this every week and if I’m honest, the HIIT class might prove too much for me, but we’ll see how we go.

I lost 2 pounds in the first week back from Australia, I’m sticking to Sunday weigh in just to keep track and eating is focused on fuel and eating yummy things that are overall healthy without going over the top. I feel quite content with all of that at the moment and I am getting stronger. It feels different not going to the gym for the sake of going to the gym or to lose weight or tone up but to go to support my running. It feels like there’s a good reason and somehow that makes it more enjoyable.