My lovely friend Lisa set me the following challenge...... 3 x 0.45 laps as fast as I can with a short recovery. I thought yep, I can do this.
So off I went to the little park down the road. When I actually measured the outside of the small cricket pitch it didn't even cover 0.45 miles but though as long as I have markers this will be fine. I started by doing a few warm up laps when the cricket team descended upon the pitch!!
This was going to make it nigh on impossible so I had to abandon that idea. I thought about going straight home my tired head saying , your on a taper, your tired.....GO HOME but my training head said YOU LAZY BITCH you have to do something at least.
So I did a mere 9 Min's of training hidden away at the top of the pitch where I hoped I wouldn't be in the way......the width of the pitch was a bout a tenth of a mile so i jogged slowly up and down until the fourth time when I hammered it as fast as I could, no recovery as such. I did this 5 times without stopping and that was me done. These were my lap times 1.48, 1.45, 1.48, 1.52, 1.51
I am feeling incredibly tired and I had a big meal at 2pm so it probably wasn't the best situation but I really must learn that recovery and rest is as good as a workout and I mustn't feel guilty about not training.
So swimming tomorrow then rest Friday and Saturday.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
I am tapering honest.....
Well it's 5 days to my first tri and I am in taper week... Taper is so hard, plays with your mind. Well seeing it's 5 days that means technically if I rest Friday and Saturday, I'll be fine.....
Moderation is the key so a quick 6.5 miler on bike in 26.55 followed by a quick 8.36 mile run.. Gotta get my jelly legs used to the transition..
Bike ride incorporated a nice steep hill and then when I got to the top I wanted to see if I could beat my 27.3 mph so I hammered it down. I was doing very well 26.8 but had to stop suddenly due to country traffic. It's actually very scarey going that fast down hills and corners and I'm not sure I have the same nerve I'm used to.
Quick mile run straight after and that's it today's training.
Just off to do my push up challenge
Moderation is the key so a quick 6.5 miler on bike in 26.55 followed by a quick 8.36 mile run.. Gotta get my jelly legs used to the transition..
Bike ride incorporated a nice steep hill and then when I got to the top I wanted to see if I could beat my 27.3 mph so I hammered it down. I was doing very well 26.8 but had to stop suddenly due to country traffic. It's actually very scarey going that fast down hills and corners and I'm not sure I have the same nerve I'm used to.
Quick mile run straight after and that's it today's training.
Just off to do my push up challenge
Monday, June 28, 2010
The beginning of iron lady
So here it starts...... my journal of attempting some pretty mental stuff......
Let me bring you up to scratch.... after a rugby injury I needed an ACL reconstruction and on the first operation, my knee cap was broken and my hamstring severed. Finally they put it right and so began my road to recovery. I wont dwell on this, I am looking to the future.....
So my first challenge was a half marathon which lead to a marathon which I completed in April 2010. So what could I possibly do that could top that?? Well first it starts with a super sprint triathlon ( in less than a week now). I have had a few swimming lessons to get the breathing right but its been dog eared determination that's made me confident to attempt front crawl on my first triathlon. Ive bought a bike and have been cycling everywhere. I feel guilty that my running has taken a step back and I am only getting about 18 miles in a week. I must say I have found it incredibly difficult to find time to get these extra disciplines in.
Next month I have a sprint triathlon, I've entered an extreme x country race and entered Brighton marathon again, but there is a possibility that I will do 2 marathon's in 1 week. But my ultimate goal is HALF IRON MAN UK next Aug.......... That's a 1.2 mile swim followed by 56 miles on a bike followed by 13.1 miles running.
I have been feeling pretty despondent with my swimming, struggling to complete 1 length at a time, I crash and burn at 3/4 of a length. I did tell myself for a while that it was ok as it was a long pool 33.3 m but last Sat something clicked and for every length of breast stroke I matched it with a length of front crawl. One length of front crawl really makes me breathless and i have to have a small recovery even if I am going to do breast stroke next. This is something I really need to work on.
I have only had my new shiny bike for 3 weeks so have been trying to get as many miles in the saddle as possible.
This last week I have swam 72 lengths, ran 24 miles and biked 49.18 miles. This week I am supposed to be on a taper and I will have a few days rest as I feel I have done sooo much training lately. I feel silly having a rest and I feel I should keep pushing because ultimately that's what you will need to do during a triathlon.
Let me bring you up to scratch.... after a rugby injury I needed an ACL reconstruction and on the first operation, my knee cap was broken and my hamstring severed. Finally they put it right and so began my road to recovery. I wont dwell on this, I am looking to the future.....
So my first challenge was a half marathon which lead to a marathon which I completed in April 2010. So what could I possibly do that could top that?? Well first it starts with a super sprint triathlon ( in less than a week now). I have had a few swimming lessons to get the breathing right but its been dog eared determination that's made me confident to attempt front crawl on my first triathlon. Ive bought a bike and have been cycling everywhere. I feel guilty that my running has taken a step back and I am only getting about 18 miles in a week. I must say I have found it incredibly difficult to find time to get these extra disciplines in.
Next month I have a sprint triathlon, I've entered an extreme x country race and entered Brighton marathon again, but there is a possibility that I will do 2 marathon's in 1 week. But my ultimate goal is HALF IRON MAN UK next Aug.......... That's a 1.2 mile swim followed by 56 miles on a bike followed by 13.1 miles running.
I have been feeling pretty despondent with my swimming, struggling to complete 1 length at a time, I crash and burn at 3/4 of a length. I did tell myself for a while that it was ok as it was a long pool 33.3 m but last Sat something clicked and for every length of breast stroke I matched it with a length of front crawl. One length of front crawl really makes me breathless and i have to have a small recovery even if I am going to do breast stroke next. This is something I really need to work on.
I have only had my new shiny bike for 3 weeks so have been trying to get as many miles in the saddle as possible.
This last week I have swam 72 lengths, ran 24 miles and biked 49.18 miles. This week I am supposed to be on a taper and I will have a few days rest as I feel I have done sooo much training lately. I feel silly having a rest and I feel I should keep pushing because ultimately that's what you will need to do during a triathlon.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
why do i do it
Forgive me blog for I have sinned, I have not blogged for ages, there is no races to report. I have to say my fellow tweeters, or friends( I promoted them recently )have inspired me and engaged my mind. After reading about Rays ultra training run( 54 bloody hot miles, what a legend) and seeing the beautiful trio race their little hearts out in the blazing heat (you know who you are) made me think about why do we do it, why do I do it?
I am about to enter a very extreme 10 k multi terrain race, on which they test tanks!!( maybe they should test my head at the same time) I do my first triathlon next Sunday ( which I hasten to add that Ive entered 2 already and haven't even done one yet) and here I am browsing 100 mile local bike rides and I haven't even cycled more than 30. To top it all I have talked at least 3 of my triathlete friends into doing half ironman UK next August, only the hardest half iron man EVER!!!! Oh and I almost forgot that there is a possibility that I could run " marathons in one week next year.
So am i insane? What is going on? Did I just wake up one morning and say "OK bird lets go mental"or has it always been in me all along? I liked keeping fit before my knee injury and I had always said I would do a marathon before I'm 40 but I never entered races or competitions. Did something snap inside me when that stupid surgeon broke my kneecap and severed my hamstring or was it always lurking in my personality? Could I be like Eddie Izzard always looking for approval as I have no father figure in my life or am I a stubborn bitch who wants to constantly challenge myself. Am I addicted to the fitness buzz, always looking for the next adrenalin hit.
If I look back I've always tried to do things out of the ordinary, parachute jumps, ab sailing off buildings for charity, talking to dead people...... Could I be just a quirky Aquarian striving to be different? Or could it just be that I have a fear of failure and I am driven to succeed.
I could spend hours searching into the depth of my personality but you know what......... what ever drives me I don't care..........I like the training, I like the discipline. I like pushing myself and seeing what happens. I like to wake up and say "what crazy thing can I do today?" I also like to eat a lot of cake!!!!!
I read a quote once which said " there are people who sit on the sidewalk of life and clap and there people who run" I think they prob forgot that last bit " that there are people who run, jump skip and dance pulling stupid faces all the way" ...... which one are you?
I am about to enter a very extreme 10 k multi terrain race, on which they test tanks!!( maybe they should test my head at the same time) I do my first triathlon next Sunday ( which I hasten to add that Ive entered 2 already and haven't even done one yet) and here I am browsing 100 mile local bike rides and I haven't even cycled more than 30. To top it all I have talked at least 3 of my triathlete friends into doing half ironman UK next August, only the hardest half iron man EVER!!!! Oh and I almost forgot that there is a possibility that I could run " marathons in one week next year.
So am i insane? What is going on? Did I just wake up one morning and say "OK bird lets go mental"or has it always been in me all along? I liked keeping fit before my knee injury and I had always said I would do a marathon before I'm 40 but I never entered races or competitions. Did something snap inside me when that stupid surgeon broke my kneecap and severed my hamstring or was it always lurking in my personality? Could I be like Eddie Izzard always looking for approval as I have no father figure in my life or am I a stubborn bitch who wants to constantly challenge myself. Am I addicted to the fitness buzz, always looking for the next adrenalin hit.
If I look back I've always tried to do things out of the ordinary, parachute jumps, ab sailing off buildings for charity, talking to dead people...... Could I be just a quirky Aquarian striving to be different? Or could it just be that I have a fear of failure and I am driven to succeed.
I could spend hours searching into the depth of my personality but you know what......... what ever drives me I don't care..........I like the training, I like the discipline. I like pushing myself and seeing what happens. I like to wake up and say "what crazy thing can I do today?" I also like to eat a lot of cake!!!!!
I read a quote once which said " there are people who sit on the sidewalk of life and clap and there people who run" I think they prob forgot that last bit " that there are people who run, jump skip and dance pulling stupid faces all the way" ...... which one are you?
Sunday, June 6, 2010
run in the wild 10 k by meschee at Garmin Connect - Details
run in the wild 10 k by meschee at Garmin Connect - Details: "Share"
I was excited about this race, my first complete x country race. It was to be held in a local wildlife park within beautiful grounds. I had read the reviews, I knew it was going to be challenging but the views would be outtta this world. Barry had entered last minute and the race was on again esp after beating him last week. The start was a tiny little steep hill which immediatly went into a humdinger of a hill with some nasty twists and turns. Its hard to start a race with such a steep hill and you were gasping for breath before you even warmed up. When that first hill finished you were running downhill but the way the land lay meant you were running on a slant on very uneven ground. We then turned into a wood filled with massive puddles and deep ruts. I tried to keep in the middle of the path but then diaster struck. I think I hit a stump hidden by grass and over I went well crashing to a undignifed lump is probably closer to the truth. The only trouble being the track was quite narrow and people were up close behind me so I took down 3 people with me and sat there a bit dazed whilst people jumped over me and ran past. I remember a lady asking if I was ok but no one offered to help..... which i thought was a bit weird, normally runners are such helpful people, maybe I was being scorned for taking the others out to but hey hands up I didnt mean to fall over.
I got back up and started running again ( now if people ask this is where I lost the 4 minutes that Barry beat me by ok!!) my legs felt bit battered, knee bit scrapped but I was ok. I had been really worried about damaging my knees but they were good. It wasnt until a few minutes later that I realised my big toe was throbbing, the uneven ground was making me whince. I thought theres no way I'm walking so just kept going. More hills appeared one that was sooo steep and long that I didnt see anyone at all running up it, it was hard enough to walk up it. I just kept going admiring the views, walking up the really steep hills, well it was my toe you see it bloody hurt. It was a challenge running down the hills, ground uneven, sliding around on sheep poo. My running gait changed dramatically couldnt put weight down on front of foot. Up and down, up and down we went, you could see the people in the distance struggling up( did I mention all the ups and downs?).
At one point after a very very steep hill I tried to start running again but the field was on a rightward lean so to speak and this killed my foot, I actually was close to tears and even thought of grabbing some more marshall ( I'm an injured runner GET ME OUTTA HERE).
The next mile was downhill, we had done 4 miles and sudddenly I gained something, divine intervention, alien abduction, hell knows or maybe I just warmed up but it was downhill and I got a major sprint on. I went rushing through a cold river that numbed my foot ... 5.5 miles nearly there......... there was a few little cheeky steep hills thrown in and as you came out of the woodland again, I could see the finish. The finish was were we started so it was a steep little hill sprint to the line. There was Barry waiting to see me across the finish line where he greeted me 'LOSER'. Ill let him have this one..... just remember I lost those four minutes whilst I was in a coma somewhere in a bottomless pitt with crocodiles.........oh and the giant man eating meerkats!!
Wedy came in soon after that, well done Wendy running across the line with Al.
I took my shoe off half expecting a toe nail to come off and thats when it really started hurting, the adrenlian was gone and shock set in. After people commenting on how my toe was a funny colour I went into the ambulance and as I walked in had a little tearful outburst, but dont tell anyone. Armed with an icepack it went numb and everything was ok.
Again big shout out to all the wonderful, beautiful people on twitter offering their support. I thought off you all cheering me on in my darkest minutes.
So to sum it all up, if you want a challenging but beautiful race then go for it...remember its the moments that challenge us that define us!!
Thank you and good night!
I was excited about this race, my first complete x country race. It was to be held in a local wildlife park within beautiful grounds. I had read the reviews, I knew it was going to be challenging but the views would be outtta this world. Barry had entered last minute and the race was on again esp after beating him last week. The start was a tiny little steep hill which immediatly went into a humdinger of a hill with some nasty twists and turns. Its hard to start a race with such a steep hill and you were gasping for breath before you even warmed up. When that first hill finished you were running downhill but the way the land lay meant you were running on a slant on very uneven ground. We then turned into a wood filled with massive puddles and deep ruts. I tried to keep in the middle of the path but then diaster struck. I think I hit a stump hidden by grass and over I went well crashing to a undignifed lump is probably closer to the truth. The only trouble being the track was quite narrow and people were up close behind me so I took down 3 people with me and sat there a bit dazed whilst people jumped over me and ran past. I remember a lady asking if I was ok but no one offered to help..... which i thought was a bit weird, normally runners are such helpful people, maybe I was being scorned for taking the others out to but hey hands up I didnt mean to fall over.
I got back up and started running again ( now if people ask this is where I lost the 4 minutes that Barry beat me by ok!!) my legs felt bit battered, knee bit scrapped but I was ok. I had been really worried about damaging my knees but they were good. It wasnt until a few minutes later that I realised my big toe was throbbing, the uneven ground was making me whince. I thought theres no way I'm walking so just kept going. More hills appeared one that was sooo steep and long that I didnt see anyone at all running up it, it was hard enough to walk up it. I just kept going admiring the views, walking up the really steep hills, well it was my toe you see it bloody hurt. It was a challenge running down the hills, ground uneven, sliding around on sheep poo. My running gait changed dramatically couldnt put weight down on front of foot. Up and down, up and down we went, you could see the people in the distance struggling up( did I mention all the ups and downs?).
At one point after a very very steep hill I tried to start running again but the field was on a rightward lean so to speak and this killed my foot, I actually was close to tears and even thought of grabbing some more marshall ( I'm an injured runner GET ME OUTTA HERE).
The next mile was downhill, we had done 4 miles and sudddenly I gained something, divine intervention, alien abduction, hell knows or maybe I just warmed up but it was downhill and I got a major sprint on. I went rushing through a cold river that numbed my foot ... 5.5 miles nearly there......... there was a few little cheeky steep hills thrown in and as you came out of the woodland again, I could see the finish. The finish was were we started so it was a steep little hill sprint to the line. There was Barry waiting to see me across the finish line where he greeted me 'LOSER'. Ill let him have this one..... just remember I lost those four minutes whilst I was in a coma somewhere in a bottomless pitt with crocodiles.........oh and the giant man eating meerkats!!
Wedy came in soon after that, well done Wendy running across the line with Al.
I took my shoe off half expecting a toe nail to come off and thats when it really started hurting, the adrenlian was gone and shock set in. After people commenting on how my toe was a funny colour I went into the ambulance and as I walked in had a little tearful outburst, but dont tell anyone. Armed with an icepack it went numb and everything was ok.
Again big shout out to all the wonderful, beautiful people on twitter offering their support. I thought off you all cheering me on in my darkest minutes.
So to sum it all up, if you want a challenging but beautiful race then go for it...remember its the moments that challenge us that define us!!
Thank you and good night!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
hill sprint at Garmin Connect - Details
Untitled by meschee at Garmin Connect - Details: "Share"
Well today Ihad good intentions, there was some really steep x country routes that I wanted to check out in preparation for my hilly 10 k cross country race on sunday. I parked in the nature reserve so I knew I had a good mile to warm up before I went to find the hills I had chosen. I am always running past lots public footpaths that look like they could be quite challenging so today I would explore. Its just typical isn't that today there were animals in, well horses to be exact. Ahhh I thought, I know horses they will be fine, they wont even notice me...........It wasnt until I got half way up the hill that I noticed lots foals in the field and then a very pregnant mare. They had seen me and started running towards me and I do know that mares can be very protective of their young so I wasnt going to stay around to find out. This was a chance to do some speed work with vaulting a gate at the end...... now where? Oooo I know just down the road theres another steep public footpath, lets check that one out. I was up the road and over the next gate, there were cows in the field with calves but the path was protected by an electric fence.....yes up the hill I went then again stopped. The path turned into a sea of stinging nettles unpassable, arent they supposed to keep the paths free? so again back down the hill. I wanted to do at least 5 miles so I ran back the way I came up to what is now know as "boobie hill". I ran up it once and back down, now last time I ran up this hill I did it 3 times creating a rather nice picture of boobies on the elevation chart. I wanted to do something bit more intense what could I do. Tthe words of Kate entered my head " go on you know you want to hill sprint" Damn you Baker.
So I stayed on the steep bit and started at a telegraph pole and then I sprinted up to the next pole giving it everything i had. Now you might think that telegraph poles are quite close together but here in Meare they aint not when you giving it your all up a steep hill, let me tell you. I then walked back down and started again. I did this 5 times ( on the elevation chart it looks sooo tiny). It just so happened that as I was walking down one of the locals drove past shouting " come on you should be running up not walking down" that really really annoyed me had he not seen me sprinting up with my heart poking out of my chest?? So with an angry head I turned back round and jogged right to the very top of the hill. There I had done it, maybe I didnt sprint far enough but it was a start and next time I would do it more timesw or for a longer distance. I love hills
Well today Ihad good intentions, there was some really steep x country routes that I wanted to check out in preparation for my hilly 10 k cross country race on sunday. I parked in the nature reserve so I knew I had a good mile to warm up before I went to find the hills I had chosen. I am always running past lots public footpaths that look like they could be quite challenging so today I would explore. Its just typical isn't that today there were animals in, well horses to be exact. Ahhh I thought, I know horses they will be fine, they wont even notice me...........It wasnt until I got half way up the hill that I noticed lots foals in the field and then a very pregnant mare. They had seen me and started running towards me and I do know that mares can be very protective of their young so I wasnt going to stay around to find out. This was a chance to do some speed work with vaulting a gate at the end...... now where? Oooo I know just down the road theres another steep public footpath, lets check that one out. I was up the road and over the next gate, there were cows in the field with calves but the path was protected by an electric fence.....yes up the hill I went then again stopped. The path turned into a sea of stinging nettles unpassable, arent they supposed to keep the paths free? so again back down the hill. I wanted to do at least 5 miles so I ran back the way I came up to what is now know as "boobie hill". I ran up it once and back down, now last time I ran up this hill I did it 3 times creating a rather nice picture of boobies on the elevation chart. I wanted to do something bit more intense what could I do. Tthe words of Kate entered my head " go on you know you want to hill sprint" Damn you Baker.
So I stayed on the steep bit and started at a telegraph pole and then I sprinted up to the next pole giving it everything i had. Now you might think that telegraph poles are quite close together but here in Meare they aint not when you giving it your all up a steep hill, let me tell you. I then walked back down and started again. I did this 5 times ( on the elevation chart it looks sooo tiny). It just so happened that as I was walking down one of the locals drove past shouting " come on you should be running up not walking down" that really really annoyed me had he not seen me sprinting up with my heart poking out of my chest?? So with an angry head I turned back round and jogged right to the very top of the hill. There I had done it, maybe I didnt sprint far enough but it was a start and next time I would do it more timesw or for a longer distance. I love hills
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