Wednesday 31 October 2007

Ooh I put some new shoes on...

...and suddenly everythings right.

I popped out to post a package this morning, and came back with new gear and new trainers. Don't know how I do it, but I love it. New Saucony trainers. Shunning my usual Brooks Adrenaline for another specimen. And no, I didn't choose them because they were pink.

Well, they didn't make me go faster, but they definitely put a spring in my step. Went out for a 4-5 miles steady. No Wednesday tempo, as I'm "racing" on Sunday. Got a bit bored and started on 1min reps. I have been known to do sporadic non-effective things.

(Balloch-Park-Bonhill Bridge-home 36:40. Target sub 35 before Xmas).

Hilarious watching the "kids" out trick or treating. Overweight teenage girls in fairy outfits - complete with over-spilling midriffs - out feeding their sugar addiction.

Tuesday 30 October 2007

The beaten track

Decided to bow out of track session with the club tonight. Don't really see the fun (although I know it's effective) running in circles in Scotstoun. Marco and I opted for reps on the squinty bridge. Went to the gym at lunchtime, so my legs were a little heavy. Marco even joined me at the gym and gave his all on the rowing machine. His hand are now covered in blisters. Not that he moaned about it ;-) Hope the blistered hands don't reflect badly on our marriage ;-)

This is the second night in a row I've trained with Marco. We did the 7-mile Bonhill Bridge route last night - with a personal worse for me. Don't get me wrong, I love spending QT with my husband, but I simply can't run with him. He practically trots beside me whistling away and giving advice, whilst I'm verging losing a lung. Needless to say we've usually fallen out by mile one.

Anyhoo, he decided to put up with my dummy-throwing-tantrums one more time..

Easy run over to Squinty Bridge and 10 x reps. One day I'll work out the exact distance, but reps were 46, 42, 45, 41, 44, 40, 42, 40, 43, 38. Finally broke 40 seconds. Actually I'm too scared to work out the distance in case it's only like 100m.

Saturday 27 October 2007

Missed the national cross-country (woohoo!) as I was busy lunching with the gals. The hell that is my life. Got a bit of a hangover. Gawd, I'm such a lush. Marco and I managed to tank two bottles of Moet whilst watching Ugly Betty in our PJs. Eck, how does stuff like that happen? :)
Anyway, needs must, still went out for my run. It was supposed to be fartlek, but I opted for tempo. Took old route from work through the west end. Even managed a PB. Not bad for a gal who had her head down the toilet at 7am.

Thursday 25 October 2007

There's no time, like Consani time

I was late for training tonight, thanks to the Consani brothers ;-) In this world there is two time zones: the real time. And Consani time. Unfortunately,follow the latter and you will be late for EVERYTHING. OK, there was a legitimate reason about planes, trains and automobiles being late, but hey ho. I had to practically throw myself out of a moving car to meet up with pack as they embarked on a six mile training run...with me running to catch up behind. No warm up, so my legs were like led.
New boy in our pack tonight. He's out though, as he nearly ran the troops in to the ground. We were obviously a bit too slow for him.
My run was OK. Feeling Wednesday's tempo run though. Felt good until the last mile. The hill from Scaethorn up to Maryhill was a nightmare.
No stats as I messed up my Garmin. How did people cope without Garmins anyway?

Ps: Hi Paul. Get out for a run. There are only 170 days until London. Minus three weeks taper and there's only 159 training days ;-)

Wednesday 24 October 2007

Hour power

Did my usual seven-mile tempo run (Bonhill bridge to Dumbarton) and finally broke the one hour barrier. Actually I did 58.30. I don't know whether it's the training, the cooler temperatures or the fear of running in the pitch black through the back roads of the Vale ;-)
Don't think I'll be able to do that route at night anymore. I had to rely on passing cars to guide the way when I was on the back roads. I had enough reflectors to light up Manhattan, but drivers still insisted on blinding me with full beam. Running down the middle of empty roads (to avoid pavement potholes) defintely put a spring in my step.

So glad Autumn's here. Not a big fan of running in hot (ter) climates.

Tuesday 23 October 2007

Squinty reps

That's rep across the squinty bridge, not sprinting in diagonal directions.
Marco had to pick up his car from the garage, so we didn't make it to club training. Opted for steady run out to the bridge, reps and then on to the garage. Of course Marco's steady run (well, recovery) was my tempo pace. When we got there, he was warmed up, whilst I was gubbed.
10 x reps (approx 200m over the bridge). Times 41-43 seconds. Entertainment and abuse from passing Rangers supporters. Choosing a night that Rangers were playing at home wasn't the best idea.
Another 2.5miles on to the Honda Garage. The waiting room had a fridge full of Calypo Cups. You can tell I'm now a Consani, as I tanked four of them.

Sunday 21 October 2007

Hangover heid

After a night on the tiles with Sharon and Amanda...and my good friend Jack Daniels, I figured today's run was going to be a real treat. Especially when I woke up still wearing my clothes and shoes ;-) Hey, there's no party without punch. Sharon called off as she was having trouble digesting the post-pub kebab shop murder. So it was just me, my ipod and the pulse in my head. Opted for a hilly 14-miler over the Glen Lora. The first few miles, which were uphill, were a bit of a struggle. Once the cobwebs were blasted away, I got more it to it. It wasn't my best performance, but I managed to up the pace, survive and get rid of the hangover.

Saturday 20 October 2007

X-country debut

I'm managed to wriggle my way out of it for years, but this winter I decided to bite the bullet and go for it. Actually, it was more of a reason to buy new shoes.
One purchase of brand new bright yellow spikes - complete with black laces - I lined up for the Dunbartonshire relays looking like a bumble bee.
One lap round the Garscube estate. I think I was broken in gently, as it was more of a trail run. The only difficult bit was when the route crossed over roads. Not so easy with spike on.

Thursday 18 October 2007

This IS my 10K pace!

My legs are so stiff, I'm walking like a Thunderbird puppet. In vain attempt to rescue them, I booked myself in for a lunch time sports message. OMG! Why don't those tables come with handles? Or at least something to bite down on. After 1/2hr of needing and squealing, my legs are feeling much better.

Five mile "hard" run with Garscube, was probably not as hard as I should have done. Legs feel better than they had done on Tuesday and Wednesday. Still feeling a bit bunged up, so snortered and spat my way round the course. Yep, you can't buy class.

Wednesday 17 October 2007

Kili Killed me

I never thought I'd see the day when I'd say "I've still got Kili in my legs". Jeez the trek wasn't really that bad, but it's really taken it toll. I think it's more to do with the lack of running and the long journey home though. I relieved to hear that Jill and Sara are suffering too.

Decided to go to the gym before work. Hey, got get back into it some time. Rowing was a bit of a chore. 5830 in 30 minutes. My PB run is over.

Went out for a 9-miler after work. It was intended as a 7-miler - even though my plan said 9 - but I thought I'd break myself in general. Anyhoo I ended up on a slight detour, as the river path was closed.

I don't know whether my legs were heavy or my shoes are dones, but I felt every strike of my foot. But hey, I put nine miles in my legs. And I even enjoyed it. Decided against trying for my usual Wednesday tempo, and opted for just getting round. And maybe even enjoy it.

Tuesday 16 October 2007

Post-holiday Garscube blues

OK here goes my first run after Kili. And there goes my hope of the break doing me some good. Wow the 800m reps were worse than I've ever experiences/imagined. I'm sure I could breath better at Uhura Peak. Got I bit of a stuffed nose, so snot rockets were the order of the day. And my legs were gubbed. My stride was even shorted than normal. Marco told me I looked like I was doing my half-marathon pace. In hindsight, that was probably a compliment.

Wednesday 10 October 2007

Do summit really tough


Finally reached the summit of Kilimanjaro

Wednesday 3 October 2007

I'm off to Africa

But before I go...I managed to squeeze in a wee four mile recovery. What a complete waste of time that was. My heart wasn't in it. By the time I realised, I was too far out. So I just trodded on back...in the rain.

Kilimanjaro here I come.

Tuesday 2 October 2007

Out and back

Don't quite understand the reasoning behind this session. Apparently it's about pacing. The idea is you run out for a give time and run back in the same time. Anyone with half a brain works out you run a little lighter on the way out, as not to make the return too hard.
Anyway, the route was a dull as the project. Out the main gate and along great western road. After 22.5 minutes, turn around and run back. There was a lot a sneaky wee inclines on the way back, so even though I thought I was upping the pace, I finished in 44.55. Five seconds ahead of schedule. Not bad, considering last time I was about two minutes ahead.