WEEK ONE – DONE

That’s the first week of training done and considering the weather I’m more happy with both my effort and my outcomes!
Highlights – being first lady in my age category across the finish line at Park Run
Low lights – Losing my new shiny pink iPod shuffle at Park Run
Next week – Improve my Nutrition in terms of what I eat and when!

Below is a day by day diary!

Day 7 Sun 10th Jan 2010 – The Long One

Had a good night sleep and was thankful to find it had not snowed anymore over night! Ran 12 miles with Sue and Harp joined us at mile 3. Although it wasn’t as cold or slippy as last weeks run we all felt it was harder or maybe we just worked harder, evident by the lack of conversation between us! I struggled running up hill through Horsforth and have to say walked a little, but other than that and a 10min loo stop i ran the rest of the way till the last half mile when i started to feel a slight twinge at the back of my knee again, so i slowed and ran walked the last half mile. As i sit here now my legs ache but in that nice had a good work out way! Looking forward to a recovery swim tomorrow!

Day 6 Sat 9th Jan 2010 – First Lady in age category / Lost iPod

More snow last night but i was determined i was going to make Park Run, I have a little wager on with Russell to see who gets their 50 t shirt first and so i will go to all that i can!

And so armed with Vikki’s Garmin and my new i pod shuffle off i went. I arrived in time to do a warm up and the first song that came on was Snow Patrol, very apt! I ran steady and un plugged my shuffle to chat to Andy, i couldn’t keep up with him though! I came in 49th position but more importantly i was the first lady in my age category over the line (I was also the only and therefore last lady in my age category) But once i crossed the line i discovered id lost my shuffle :-( and had a cool down lap to look for it but no joy! After coffee with the park runners i went to the gym for Body Pump. Strangely i didn’t feel like doing much for the rest of the day

Day 5 Fri 8th Jan 2010 – Inspiration comes from any places

I set my alarm for 5.20am to give myself time to throw on my Gym Kit, grab an apple and then clear the car of ice and get to the gym for spin at 6.15. I was a little disappointed at first that it wasn’t Kelly teaching, the instructor covering gave a good class thought. I didn’t work as hard as i could have done but I was feeling proud and smug with myself that i had got up in such weather to go to a 6.15 spin. But when at the end of the class the instructor said she had walked from Bradford to Kirkstall because she couldn’t get her car out i felt guilty that i hadn’t given her 100% effort.

I don’t know her name but remembering the effort and commitment she made to ensure we had a spin class will give me motivation and inspiration over the coming weeks!

Day 4 Thurs 7th Jan 2010 – First Rest Day

Had a really bad night probably got about 3 hours sleep i got up and had some cereals in the early hours but was still starving when i got up in the morning, surley its too early to have my Marathon Hungry Munchies!

I was frustrated today as the weather eased a little and i wanted to run outside but i could still feel the niggle behind my knee and when i got up from my desk i found myself limping a little. Toms words echoed in my ears “Smart Training is as much about what you DON’T do as what you do do” and so I rested!

A Big Thank you to Vikki today who has kindly lent me her Garmin to help me train!! I will have to work out how to change the settings though otherwise it will constantly be beeping at me to say i am going to slow!

Day 3 Wed 6th Jan 2010 – First Niggle!

Slept in today by an hour and half, add to that the snow snow snow and how it slowed everything up it was going to be hard to catch up with myself today! Wanted to make sure i got a run in today with doing yesterday’s session on the cross trainer but also wanted to do body pump as really missed classes over the Xmas period and feel losing some of my strength already!

Got to the gym in time to do a tread session before pump but was feeling a little tired and didn’t feel confident to do the Interval session Tom has suggested and so I used the programmed on my key. 21 minutes (1 min walk 2 min run) gradually increasing my speed! I didn’t warm up first and my legs felt heavy and tight but after a couple of rounds i decided to extend the session with a further 5 rounds and adjust my run speed manually to a consistent 11kph for each 2 min run, which would have reflected Toms suggestion a bit more.

But as i reached the end of my key programme i got my first Marathon training Niggle, a slight twinge/ pull just below the back of my left knee. So i decided not to do any more and stopped after 21min and a little 3.09km. But if I’m honest it was probably my mind rather than my body that gave up . I did go to Body Pump, which i enjoyed but it seemed to hurt more than it should even though i dropped my weights a little!

I picked the Kids up on my way home and they both needed some time to chat about their exciting and unexpected day off school so i grabbed a slice of bread and peanut butter but by the time i got round to eating properly I was absolutely starving and later to bed than i would have liked and then had a really bad night sleep.