Juneathon – Page 8 – Black and Tabby Runs

Juneathon – a Final Thought

So now that Juneathon 2013 is well and truly over, I’ve just a few final thoughts on the month. My aims for the month were to do some work on my abs, to help me write blog posts quicker, and to find some lovely running peeps to follow on my new running Twitter account, @BandTruns .

It was a busy month, and as someone who spends hours crafting her blog posts (no. honestly!) the hardest part of Juneathon was the blogging every day. Mind you, I obviously found something to talk about, as I didn’t use two of the ‘Emergency’ blog posts I started just in case I ran out of things to say. I did my best to read lots of other people’s blogs and comment on as many as I could, but there were hundreds of blogs so I ended up just picking out a few that I’d enjoyed reading previously and tried to follow them. I have found some lovely runners to follow on Twitter and have enjoyed Tweeting with them. Funnily enough, most of the people whose blogs I now read, or that I follow on Twitter seem to have cats and / or enjoy wine and / or are vegetarian. Strange that!

So did I manage to exercise every day? Yes I did. Some days I did have to stretch the definition a little, whereby I counted ‘allotmenteering’ as my Juneathon exercise. Our village allotments are truly rural allotments which are squeezed in at the far end of the village cricket field meaning you have to carry everything – water, compost, flask of tea – across the pitch. The two 5 litre water containers are quite heavy on the second trip across, and I often swing them around imagining I’m doing a kettle bell workout. Good job I’m usually on my own up there! I think that counts as exercise so Iogged it and therefore it counted!

One thing I did want to work on was my core muscles, particularly my abs. Partly because I have so many race photos of me running ‘crumpled’ by the end of a race, and also because hopefully summer is nearly here and I can no longer hide my mummy-tummy under large jumpers. I dug out my abs DVDs and did them a couple of times, although both have presenters with VERY irritating voices, so my abs might be tighter but sadly so are my jaw muscles.

I also made it out on my bike a few times, which was something else I wanted to get back into the routine of. Now that I’m organised and have tools and water bottles at the allotment it was as easy to pop up on the bike as it was to get the car out. As I swear my bike is made of lead its a good workout just getting it out of the garage!

And now for the stats:-

Running – made it out 16 times for a total of 71.8 Miles in 12.9 hours
Cycling – got on teh saddle 5 times for 21.9 Miles in 1.8 miles
Walked once for 1.4 miles in 0.4 hours
Cross training 13 times for a total of 5.8 hours (included, allotmenteering, abs DVDs and Planking)

So – Juneathon – job done! Thanks so much to Cathy at Jog Blog for running the whole she-bang,and for answering my Tweets such as “Does getting into, and then back out of, compression socks count as exercise for Juneathon?”

Roll on Janathon …

Juneathon Day 30. It’s the Final Countdown…

Sorry for that ear worm, but it had to be done! The final day of Juneathon. 30 days of exercise, blogging, excuses, and occasional creative definitions of exercise. (I still think getting into, and out of, compression socks really should count as exercise).

After resting my tired ’10k PB’ legs on Friday and Saturday I decided it was only right to get out and run today to celebrate the last day of Juneathon. A lovely slow 3 miles around my usual 3 mile loop proved to me the wisdom of not running either of the previous two days. Wow my legs were stiff. My calf muscles I knew would be stiff, however I wasn’t expecting my thighs to feel as tight as they did.

Anyway, enough moaning. Juneathon is done, I just need to have a think over the month and then I’ll do a blog post summing it up. Not tomorrow though -I expect I’ll be doing some form of exercise, but I’ll enjoy not *having* to blog!

Juneathon day 29. DOMS.

So much for thinking about finishing Juneathon on a high. So much for idly planning to maybe attend my first ever Parkrun this weekend. No, today DOMS has hit with a vengeance after Thursday’s 10K PB. In particular my shins are sore, probably caused by tight calves from running in the cold.

So as I have an eye on my annual 5K race next week I decided to be sensible and not run today. Instead I worked in the garden for an hour and a half, and by worked I mean heavy work (digging out the back of the pond) rather than flitting around in a summery dress with a trug and a pair of secateurs. I also ‘planked’ for a minute and 10 seconds.

My shins are still sore now, but hopefully I’ll manage a little plod tomorrow to celebrate (commiserate?) the end of Juneathon.

Juneathon Day 28. Great Chalfield 10K Race Report

So one of the secrets of a good result is good preparation. In this house that usually means good food. So good race preparation means a good carb load. Cue the ultimate triple carb meal. Pasta, potatoes AND bread! And jolly tasty too

It’s actually Minestrone Soup with Focaccia bread. All home made, and even eaten outside because it was a lovely evening. It was so good I even had some more for race day lunch (I find evening races really weird to get myself organised for – wot no porridge?)

Thursday dawned warm and sunny again, so with a line full of washing drying I spent the day gardening and allotmenteering. Maybe not as good race prep as the meal. I was worried about the heat though, as running in the sun tends to push my heart rate sky high, meaning I feel shattered and have to slow down. My rain dance must have worked, because bang on 4 pm the rain started.

By the time I made it to the race it was pouring down, chilly and quite miserable.

This is a great little race run with, and raising funds for, the local Scout group. Last year there were 97 runners, the sun shone, and everyone was cheerful and friendly. (See last year’s race report here, with some much prettier photos!) This year, there were 71 runners, the sun was nowhere to be seen but everyone was still cheerful. Bless the marshals who had to stand out in the rain until we’d run past. One was heard to cry defiantly that he didn’t need an umbrella, he was a Scout Leader!

It was freezing standing around waiting for the off, I dutifully listened to the pre-race briefing and was most amused to hear that each kilometre would be marked by a big sign. Apart from Kilometre 6, because they couldn’t find the sign. You’ve got to love these little races!

Great Chalfield 10K 2013 Start — The start. Already soaked

Eventually we were off, and i was amazed to find that, as I’d hoped, by the 1Km sign i was already warm. I was wishing I’d worn my compression socks to keep my calves and shins warm though, because I could feel my right shin just feeling a little sore. I did a Jens Voigt, told it to shut up, and ignored it. I was aiming to keep as close to 9 minute miles as I could, which I duly did. With a small field, once we were off the Common we quickly separated and I found myself running on my own. I did overtake one man, but after that there were long sections where I couldn’t even see any other runners.

It was all feeling good, but as I got to the 5K marker I did question if I could keep this pace up for another 5K. My legs just kept on going though, so I told my head to shut up and pushed on. As last year, Great Chalfield Manor surprised me by suddenly appearing and then disappearing at around 8K. After this I had memories of a long hill back up to the Common (and the finish line) from last year where I overtook a couple of people who had slowed to a walk. Maybe they’ve taken a steamroller to the course since last year, or maybe I’m a bit fitter, because there was a just small incline there this year. No walkers to overtake either. Curses – always an ego boost!

I splashed my way back along the Common and as I crossed the finish line I heard them shout out my time, 55:21. Wow, wow and wow!

Great Chalfield 10K 2013 Finish — The End is Nigh!

A new PB! To put it in context, my time for the same race last year (but in the warm sunshine) was 59:26. My previous 10K PB, from 2011, was set on the pancake flat Castle Combe Circuit and was 58:35. How lovely to see this as I uploaded my times to Garmin Connect:-

Okay – so I take it ‘resting on my laurels’ will count as an activity for the rest of Juneathon??! (Just in case it doesn’t I’ll do my Abs DVD again later).

Juneathon Day 27. A new 10K PB!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so to save on the typing, here’s a picture:-

Accept this new PB? Oh, alright then, if you insist!

Juneathon Day 26. “We’ve dropped Mum. Again!”

Cycling around the Castle Combe circuit last night I was a little ( Oh all right, a LOT) disappointed to see my husband and son sailing off into the distance without me. On one occasion I distinctly heard “We’ve dropped Mum. Again.” I mean, I know my husband does lots of cycling, and his bike weighs about a quarter what mine does, but I would have hoped to keep up with my son, who does as little exercise as possible.

When we got home my husband heaved my bike up onto his bike maintenance stand to have a ‘tinker’ with it (that’s a technical term, apparently). Later he was very pleased to announce that, despite the fact my bike has only recently had a service*, he found that both brake blocks were rubbing on the wheels. Effectively I had been pedalling with the brakes on all the way around. That would explain why it felt so hard!

This morning, when trying to decide what I should do for Juneathon today, I was reminded by @weegjs over on Twitter that I’m racing tomorrow, and so should keep it gentle today. I decided I would try out my new souped up bike and see how much of a difference the non-permanent brakes made. The addition of my lovely basket on the front could only put me in a good mood as well.

I set off to the local Farm Shop to pick up a few things, then back to the village and out to the allotment for some watering and pottering, then back home for lunch.

6.17 miles in 34:38. Wish I could run that fast!

* I’ll not name the shop that serviced it, but equally I won’t go back there again.

Juneathon Day 25. An unexpected double day

So the plan was to go up to Castle Combe circuit tonight and take part in their Midsummer Bike Ride. This is an annual event when you can cycle on the motor racing circuit (no cars allowed!) and the idea is to ride as many laps as possible to raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Great plan, and a chance to do something different for Juneathon.

Then my daughter wasn’t well and had the day off school so I figured I wouldn’t get to the bike ride. In order to get my Juneathon exercise in I decided to pop out for an easy 3 mile run. I even managed a plank for 90 seconds as well when I got back home.

By the evening my daughter was feeling much better and was happy to be left at home whilst the rest of us went and cycled. So in an amazing double day I also cycled 10.4 miles.

Tired now and only just remembered to blog!

Juneathon day 24. Race prep, and having my knees licked

So after the weekend’s excesses (of which an excess of exercise did not, sadly, feature) I knew I’d enjoy a run today. I was feeling as keen as a young pup that hears the magic word “Walkies!” This enthusiasm was balanced by my sensible side which pointed out to the puppy that was lacing up her trainers and bouncing up and down with excitement that she actually has a 10K race on Thursday and so needs to just take it steady, if not gently this week.

The sensible head won, and I set off for a 3 mile loop. I took the first mile very gently as a warm-up, and then speeded up for a mile and a half, then a half mile cool down. Oddest moment of the run was meeting a couple of black labradors that rushed up to me, tails wagging, asking for a pat. Whilst I gave them some attention, they both licked my knees. Urgh!

I also managed a minute’s plank when I got home. Much better effort than the weekend!

Oh – and a late entry to add to Juneathon day 23. I just remembered, my young tabby cat brought a live froglet in through the cat flap last night. I then spent at least 5 minutes chasing the cat, and the froglet, around and under the kitchen table trying to drop a towel over the froglet whilst keeping over-excited tabby away with my foot. Must have burnt a few calories, certainly got my heart rate up, and happily I managed to get the froglet back outside by the pond whilst locking the tabby in the house. I do so love a happy ending!

Juneathon Day 23. Not hungover at all.

Well my parent’s anniversary dinner last night was wonderful. I think everyone enjoyed themselves – I know I did!

So today I wasn’t hungover at all. Not at all – no. Nope. I was just a little … tired. My daughter had a friend over so I didn’t feel I could go out for a run, so me and my son cycled up to the allotment instead. We had a quick breath of fresh air, had a little potter about, and then cycled home again.

In total, just over a mile cycled. Yes I know this is quite pathetic, but if it wasn’t Juneathon I wouldn’t have gone out at all, so I’m happy with that. This is extra pathetic consisting Mr B&T spent yesterday on a 100 mile cycle ride, the Bike Bath Sportive. He then spent today on the secondday ofthe sportive cycling another 100 miles, thus earning the title ‘Gladiator’. Now that’s impressive!

Juneathon Day 22. Golden Wedding Anniversary

Too late to blog, but to keep up my Juneathon postings I’ll just post a quick one.

It was my parent’s Golden Wedding Anniversary today, and to be happily married for 50 years deserves a celebration. They’d arranged a fanatic dinner at a lovely restaurant for family and friends so most of today was spent getting ready for this evening. Delivering their present, going shopping for a belt to fit my son’s new suit, then attempting to make myself look presentable took most of the day.

I managed to fit in a plank for 1:30 just before I put on my glad rags (and high heeled sandals) then it was off to party.

Tired now – having fun is hard work!