I have a hilly, muddy, “through woods open to the public for the first time”(i.e. untamed) race on Sunday. Weather forecast is pants so it’s fair to say I’m feeling a little nervous. In the interests of preserving my legs I decided to just head out for a very gentle 3 mile plod today.
Whilst plodding (and shivering) I considered what this kind of run should be called. A gentle run after a race is a recovery run, but does a run beforehand have a special name? A preparation run? A prequel? An excuse for a very slow and short run? Hmm – I think we all know which of these is closest to the truth!
We woke to snow this morning. I got up and put my running gear on determined to find a route that wasn’t too snowy, icy or wet. Then our boiler stopped working. Hardcore running in the snow is one thing, doing it when you won’t be able to have a hot bath afterwards is quite another.
So I took most of my running kit back off again and rang British Gas.
Rockin’ the Compression socks with jeans look
Brilliantly by eleven o’clock I was back in all my running gear, ready to set off with the promise of heating and hot water on my return.
Ten miles I managed today. Ten long, hard, tired, slow miles. I would have said “ten miles in the snow” except the snow petered out just outside the village and most of my run was on wet roads in sunshine. Fortunately I managed to capture photographic evidence so I could claim my hardocre “running in the snow” points.
Hardly surprising that on the 13th day of Janathon I very nearly failed. I had planned to do something, then put it off, and then (basically) forgot. I forgot right up until the moment I was about to get into bed. Deep sigh – time for another emergency plank on the bedroom floor.
Just at this point, Mr B&T appeared at the bedroom door also wanting to get ready for bed. “It’s just Janathon!” I gasped, arms and abs quivering. He sighed, stepped over me and proclaimed “Janathon? More like Faff-about-athon”.
After yesterday’s epic effort, I woke this morning feeling tired. Not stiff or achey, but generally physically tired. In order to avoid stiffening up as the day went on I set off for a recovery plod.
It was windy out there and very muddy underfoot, so it was genuinely a 3 mile plod rather than a run. I did feel better afterwards though!
Before you get too impressed, this was a cycle ride and not a run. However it’s still pretty impressive for me, because I’ve only ever cycled further than this once, back in June last year (see my blog post about the Wrong Way Round And Round Ride) .
An Audax ride is sort of like orienteering on bikes, as you’re given direction to follow, and check points you have to get to, to prove you’ve ridden the route. Route Instructions. I just followed Mr B&T
Although this was a long ride for me, it is the first (and shortest) of the series our cycling club put on. The only control point is in a village hall where tea and cake is provided. Tea stop. That's me, looking like I've not been cycling
Today I learnt:-
– it’s flipping hard cycling into a head wind;
– winter cycling involves many more layers of clothing than winter running;
– sporting events that involve a stop for tea and cake get a thumbs up from me
– and that cyclists are a nice bunch of people.
I was also reminded of a couple of things that I already know, but sometimes forget. Mainly that running, and especially marathon training, has taught me that even if I’m cold and tired I have the strength and stamina (and stubbornness?!) to carry on. Also that I’m married to a lovely chap, who cycled the whole way with me at my slow pace instead of zooming off with his mates. He also magically produced a couple of my favourite tea bags when we reached the tea stop. Thank you!
It was bound to happen sooner rather than later – the last minute emergency plank. In my defence my abs were still embarrassingly sore from the DVD I did two days ago, so a minute’s plank was harder work than it sounds. Honestly.
Nevertheless, 8 miles were run today. By me. In the wind. It felt hard, but the last time I ran this far was early November, so that was hardly surprising.
Wind blown waves on the muddy puddles
Another big tick was that I managed to avoid the wheelie bin killers as well.
So it had to happen sooner or later, the fitness DVD. Full of chilli after my dinner, I rummaged in the DVD cupboard whilst the cat turned his back in disgust.
The woman with the voice
10 minutes of Pilates Abs workout – done. Listening to the woman with the annoying voice – done. Giving the cat the living room floor back – done.
It’s the end of the first week of Janathon. We’re all still full of enthusiasm and pep aren’t we? Still loving the New Year and all the new hope and challenges it’s bringing, yes? Hmm? Not at all bogged down by the dark mornings and general back to school-ness of this week, no. Not troubled by the jobs we said we’d get done over the holidays, but somehow didn’t find time for <cough cough>.
That might just be why I decided not to complete any traditional forms of exercise today, but instead painted for over 3 hours. By painting I don’t mean delicate watercolours or exciting Jackson Pollock style abstracts, I mean rollering white emusion onto walls of our loft conversion. I am finally realising how much extra space we have up there – three is still many more hours of rollering to do. My arms are now tired (and my glasses are covered in paint spots), and I’m worried I’ll have arms like Popeye* before I’m finished.
