Training: Spiders attack!

I'll admit up front that there's been no running. There hasn't been much exercise at all really, but I do seem to have developed a bit of a running phobia. I'm not entirely sure what to do about this, but since I disapprove of such ridiculousness, I rather suspect that there will have to be a "return to running" plan in my near future. *sigh*

Speaking of phobias... I have been spending some time doing some much-needed house-tidying, house-cleaning and house-repair in the past few weeks (for once, it's not exercise I'm avoiding, but studying. Quite successfully, too). Last week, I finally got around to buying some paint for my front door, which has really needed re-painting for about a year. Or two. Anyway, paint bought Saturday. Weather since then? Persistent rain, often torrential. It's a sign...

The thing is, not only is my door not being painted, but my house seems to be under siege. From spiders. The weather turns rainy, and suddenly everywhere I turn there are spiders. First the little ones (which are escorted without much fuss to the front door), then the bigger ones (trickier to trap as they move very quickly), and then... Then you stagger down the stairs in the morning half asleep but talking yourself into going to work anyway, and you are confronted by a huge spider just sitting on the front door and giving you attitude. In the way that they do. It's enough to drive a person to drink (which, at a time well before noon, is not a good thing)!

I have no evidence to suggest that painting the front door will stop the spider incursions... But it can't hurt. I'd be praying for a few warm, dry and sunny days, but I'm a realist. A few hours - half a day - would probably be enough.

Fingers crossed!

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (too hot... Er, too wet... Er, couldn't be bothered...)

Half-Marathon: Kneewatch Day 4

Update on the knee situation (I know that you were worried).

Pain is over. Thankfully, because it really was quite painful.

Stiffness in knees remains, however. It seems to be slowly easing... However this just means that I've gone from walking like C3PO on Hoth to walking like C3PO just after an oil bath. Not exactly a lean, mean running machine, I think you'd agree. Although, on reflection, I do actually run somewhat like C3PO does. Hmmm...

What this means is that I shall gracefully declining the great privilege of taking part in the half-marathon at the weekend. The risk of finding myself crippled and alone far from home is too great... (OK, the alone thing might be an exaggeration.) And, for once, this isn't even because there's rain forecast on Sunday!

Gosh, a silver lining for my cloud - who says I'm not upbeat and positive, eh?!

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (recovery days are so important)

5x50: Revenge of the Knees

Before I started training for the marathon (2.5 years ago now!), my main concern was my knees. They were known for being dodgy and problematic, and were not to be trusted. So I consulted both the medical profession and the Evil Podiatrist in order to avoid any issues with said joints. And all was well.

But... But it would now appear that my knees were just being sneaky. Biding their time, letting the issues with the Traitor Toes distract me, lulling me into a false sense of security. For yesterday my knees finally came into their own and effectively downed tools. No more bending (without quite excruciating agony), limited standing, and as for lying down... Well, let's just say it's not supported and leave it at that.

Which leaves me popping Ibuprofen and slapping on Biofreeze and trying to broker some sort of deal with my own joints (a tricky endeavour at the best of times). It also leaves my participation in the half-marathon this Sunday looking rather unlikely (*gasp* No! Let it not be so!!).

Now, some might say that the remarkable lack of running in my recent training regime would rule out participation anyway, but I had hopes 50 continuous days of exercise would mitigate against that. However, there's not much even I can do about recalcitrant joints, and since I am fond of being able to move in a pain-free manner I may have to withdraw from the run to be on the safe side.

I know, I know - all quite traumatic. And I was soooo looking forward to it too... Hey, ho, there's always next year!

In other positive news, notwithstanding the recent injury the 5x50 Challenge has been successfully completed. In total. On a daily and every-day basis. And once my knees give over with the pain thing, I shall be celebrating this, I'm sure.

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles ('ave a 'eart, guv'nor, me knees are giving me gyp)

5x50: Weather warning

'Tis spring, and the weather is taking a turn for the warmer and sunnier. In general. As such, I had strong plans this week to actually go out and do some running.

Tuesday it was sunny all day until early evening, when the torrential rain started. And then it was sunny again. And then it rained again. It rained when I arrived at the supermarket; stopped by the time I got to the tills; and started again as I left the supermarket. Frankly, it was all a bit stressful and confusing for me.

As we know, there are clear health and safety reasons for my not running when it rains (i.e. I might melt) and so once I got home I sat down and had a cup of tea before making any firm decisions on the running front. A perhaps less well known fact is that "sitting down and having a cup of tea" is a tried and tested path to my deciding not to do any running: and so it proved on Tuesday.

Today, the weather took itself through a very similar cycle and I began to suspect that I was receiving unsubtle messages from above... So no running today either.

In fact, running has now been shelved as an exercise option until the weekend. Normal people look forward to weekends and have lots of nice things planned for them. I schedule all the stuff I hate (running, housework, admin) for the weekend as otherwise it definitely doesn't happen due to frequent use of the "I'm too tired from me very long day at work" card. As opposed to the fact that it probably won't happen at the weekend due to similarly frequent use of the "but it's the weekend!" card...

My life is a mess. *sigh*

:o}

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (it was too hot.. I was too jet-lagged... Blah, blah, blah...)

Cross-trainer time/distance: 30 mins, 4.2 miles (Level 5 - Sunday)

5x50: Goodness gracious me!

So last week I was languishing in the Dubai heat and complaining that it was too hot to exercise. Particularly run. This week I'm back home in the, uh, temperate weather which we usually enjoy at this time of year (yes, that's right, it's been raining) and complaining that it's too cold to exercise. It's not that I'm hard to please - it's just that I think that in this day and age a temperature-controlled living environment isn't too much to ask for. Is it?

Anyway, a triumphant return to my own sweet gym was called for. Although, it has to be said, it's all gone a bit strange. Last night I went into the gym assuming that it was empty as half the lights were off. But no - in the half of the gym without lights, The Terminator was cross-training away. (Oookay.) and in the other half of the gym he had the TV playing Kiss FM Old Skool Anthems (no, really, that was the official title) at full volume. (Ooooookay.) Frankly, this was not only odd, but it was rather disappointing. Kiss FM? Old Skool Anthems (with, frankly, no real indication what it was about the pounding unending discordant noise that made it "Old Skool". And don't get me started on the spelling...)?? Oh, how do I long for the innocent days when The Terminator brought his iPod to the gym...

And that's before you notice the fact that The Terminator does his relentless cross-training with his jacket over the console - so how does he know when to stop? How does he know how long or how far or IT MAKES NO SENSE!!??!! I try not to think too long on that one...

There's more... But, then again, there's still just over a week of the 5x50 Challenge to go and so I shouldn't peak too soon...

;oD

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (it was too hot.. I was too jet-lagged... Blah, blah, blah...)

Cross-trainer time/distance: 37 mins, 5 miles (Level 5 - Thursday)
Cross-trainer time/distance: 31 mins, 4 miles ("Level 6" - last Tuesday)
Cross-trainer time/distance: 30 mins, 4 miles ("Level 6" - last Wednesday) 

5x50: Operational success

Well, operation "actually do some running" has been a success! Ish...

Finally took a dance with Darth this evening - although it was a new Darth (who deals in kilometres - I checked) which caused some problems. Also, the gym was very hot and so I was not feeling the love for strenuous activity. Assuming that I ever do... and, if I'm honest, my "running" was constrained to the odd 2-minute burst between ever-increasing sections of fast walking. Yes, that's right, the jowalk is back!

Apart from actually doing some "running", I didn't achieve a lot this evening. Not the most earth-shattering time for a 5k run (you'll have noticed that by the fact that the earth did not shatter). And very hot. [I have other excuses, but I'm saving them for tomorrow.]

Nonetheless (warning - outburst of positivity approaching), I am still on track with the 5x50 tosh. However, many weeks in (and officially over half-way), I am still getting through 5k every day. Every single blessed day... Go me!

And to celebrate, I'm off for some vodka. This may not feature in many training manuals, but trust me, as a coping mechanism it works just fine...

:o)

Running time/distance: 40 mins, 5.13 km (aaargh! Aaargh! Aaaargh!)

5x50: Variety is the spice of life

Tried out a new cross-trainer today (it was there...) in a new gym (about twice the size of my normal teeny tiny gym). It was quite fun (as far as these things go) as it had a tilt function which meant that you could cross-train uphill basically (and choose your muscle groups to focus on). I chose a tilt level to work on all muscle groups (why make one lot complain over the others) and cracked on. I'm not sure that my knees enjoyed it, but it was at least different.

As usual I had to guess at the distance unit of choice (I'm assuming miles - I'm hoping miles, anyway!) and the meaning of the degree of difficulty (I went for "5" - but is that the same "5" as on the other cross-trainer? Who knows....??!).

It has to be said that the time seemed to pass more quickly, but that might have been due to the newness of the whole event. It's not like I actually got any faster, after all.

The good news is that this gym comes with free juice (and apples, oddly) - I can tell you that iced tea remains something of a mystery to me 9unless its Liptons, preferably mint) and so we'll be trying one of the other options in future... Oh, and I managed to blister the soles of my feet during Friday's heroic walk (inconvenient to say the least) but that didn't seem to bother my feet once they were in my trusty trainers. The magic of appropriate footwear is a joy to behold...

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (I feel an Annie outbreak coming on...)

Cross-trainer time/distance: 31 mins, 4 miles (Level 5 - Wednesday)
Cross-trainer time/distance: 30 mins, 3.85 miles (Level 5 - Saturday) 

5x50: It's all about the timing

My front door is in desperate need of a lick of paint. If there were a prize being given for the picture that best defined "weather-beaten" then I would enter right now and win. I have been waiting (patiently) for a nice sunny day to get this work done - it shouldn't really take that long. Although, having just gone through 4 back-to-back sunny and relatively warm days, I regret to announce that I have yet to buy the paint, let alone apply it to the door. Obviously, I am waiting for the RIGHT sunny day, not just anyone one (or four) that happen along...

And it rained today. So back to waiting for a sunny day for me.

In other timing-related news, I would appear to have returned to the weight that I was at the time of completing the RideLondon 100 (last August - ah, the memories... The exhaustion... The difficulties in sitting comfortably...). I doubt that I am as fit, but still, good news! I celebrated this in my normal manner by eating my bodyweight in toasted cheese, and so shall probably now have put right back on the weight that I appear to have lost... Still, it's always good to have a goal to aim at, as I find myself saying annoyingly often.

In running-related news... Well, there is none, as yet. But as I'm now getting through 5 miles on the cross-trainer and 7 miles on the bike (in the gym) I should really be able to jowalk my way through 3 miles or so on the treadmill. Although I don't want to rush into anything...

The anticipation is quite exciting, eh?!

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (well, yes, definitely probably some later this week)

Cross-trainer time/distance: 38 mins, 5 miles (Level 4 - stepping up a, er, mile)

5x50: Speeeeed!

Go to work. Work, work, work.

Come home. Go to gym. Work, work, work.

Come home again. Think about doing baking (must do, for tomorrow). Decide to have a seat first. Then eat dinner. Then whine a bit and start baking.

Finish actively baking. Sit down to write blog while actually baking is in progress.

At some point (eventually, I'm sure), go to bed...

Never let it be said that I don't know how to have fun of an evening!

Things I've learnt:
- The Terminator STILL isn't using the cross-trainer properly. But he is apparently a Heart of Midlothian fan and so perhaps we should cut the lambkin some slack...
- It is possible to hit the preparation times written in baking books - which I would not have believed before today...
-I need more sleep if I'm going to keep up with this 5x50 lark...

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (well, yes, definitely probably some running next week)

Cross-trainer time/distance: 29 mins, 4 miles (Level 4 - *gasp*)

5x50: Motivational advice

This is now week 3 of this year's 5x50 Challenge. Only, um, 4 weeks to go after this one (*sigh*).

The great 5x50 organisers sent round a spiffy e-mail congratulating us all for getting through week 2 and then, rather bizarrely, informing us that it all got harder in week 3. Well, colour me buoyed up by that little piece of advice. I mean, its all been plain sailing to date (*ahem*) and so I'm glad to hear that there will be something a little challenging ahead or I might get bored... Hmph.

Still haven't actually done any running. Still thinking about it. Still coping with the withdrawal symptoms admirably: it's like they don't even exist...

Other than that I have to actually try to spend some time thinking about going on holiday (really, some people do this quite easily, but I find everything else quite distracting... Which probably means that I should have had a whole course of jags by now... Hey, ho...). The trauma never ends...

;oD

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (hmm, bit off-topic for the blog this...)

Cross-trainer time/distance: 31 mins, 4 miles (Level 4 - Sunday)

5x50: Tempus has gone and fugitted

At my age (as we remember from a previous blog I am apparently middle-aged now. Possibly have been for some time - I may have to consult on that one...) the recovery times seem to be quite lengthy. You have one late-finishing party, and suddenly even the simplest of things is still exceedingly tricky nearly a week later.

So my great return to training has been a bit of a long, slow trudge this week. I'd really rather have spent most of the week sitting quietly in a corner sipping tea and making the occasional sarcastic comment. But, no. I seem to have placed myself in the role of team leader for our 5x50 team and so I must lead. From the front. And by example.

Dammit!

This year, no lovely, lovely rest days full of inactivity. No, this year I have to slog my way through every single 5km every single day. No excuses! (For anyone wondering, much action is captured on the other blog.) Although, I do have some coming up which I consider to be doozies... I am mistaken, I am informed, and they are just "leadership challenges" - which is nice. I mean, I might get bored without sufficient challenges heaping up concurrently. Bored or joyfully happy - hard to tell sometimes.

Still, any day now (no, really, any day) I shall have to bite the bullet and return to the land of mental that is running. Not today, obviously (let's not rush things), but soon... Hmm, that has a bit of a déjà vu ring to it, for some reason....

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (yes, well, you see, I don't want to rush things...)
Cross-trainer time/distance: 30 mins, 4 miles (Level 4 - a little faster...)

5x50: Are you sitting comfortably?

When you start training from absolute zero your muscles sort of don't exist. Fitness professionals say things to you like "keep bending your knee until you feel the stretch in your calf", and you could have your knee on the floor and still not be feeling any of this stretching lark. You kind of have to go on faith that there are indeed muscles there in need of stretching.

Having returned to the training lark from a lovely 7-month hiatus, I rather expected to be returning to this situation. But no! Once more the world of health and fitness confounds me! I not only still have discernible muscles, but they have no compunction about making themselves known. Calves are in definite and almost desperate need of stretching, quads running a close second. And as for my glutes...

Well, the glutes are not happy. The last muscle group to "appear" when I was training previously are the first to start grumping at length. Want to walk around? Glutes ache. Sit down? Glutes ache. Stand up? Glutes ache. I mean, really, I'd have more sympathy (can one have sympathy for a muscle group) if they'd been getting a particularly focused or hard working over, but they've not had to do any more work than any of my other muscles.

Malingering, that's what it is. And if you'll excuse me, I can take no more of the current malingering and am off to try a different seating position in the hope that my glutes can be appeased...

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (Bliss! It's cold AND wet, you know...)
Cross-trainer time/distance: 32 mins, 4 miles (Level 4 - easing into things...)

Jantastic: Epic fail

And, so, we return once more to the thorny issue of running. And me.

Jantastic is now (presumably) at an end. And not a single mile did I even so much as jog whilst it was live. Ooops...

So that would be a 7-month-long vacation from the sporting life. And I have to say - not really much missing of said exercise going on.

Nonetheless... Nonetheless! The 5x50 Challenge started on Sunday 30th March and I am once more taking part. And this year, I have to do it properly. None of this "day off" nonsense - every day, for 50 days, 5km (or 30 mins min.) of exercise to be done by yours truly.

And I suppose there might even be some running. Probably. But not this week - weather is cold and wet all week - I remain quite worried about the possibility of melting...

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (Oops!)
Cross-trainer time/distance: 32 mins, 4 miles (Level 4 - don't want to push too far too soon...)

Jantastic: The Tomorrow People

Well, week 2 of Jantastic went well, didn't it?

Hmmm?

Well, yes, it is true, no actual running took place... But, from a certain point of view (that would be mine) that's actually quite a good thing. And, anyway, I'm off for a run tomorrow, and so all is good.

*ahem*

There is actually a bit of a perfect storm brewing on the running front. Firstly, the organisers of the first official run scheduled for this year (yes, when you truly hate something the only thing to do is to pay people money to do it!) have pointed out that there are only 8 weeks to go! 8 weeks! Must start training. No, really, tomorrow, that's it, training started.

Plus, secondly, well, 5 months of joyous sloth and inactivity does have an effect. Particularly when aligned with nearly unrestrained doughnut eating. And so if I don't start doing some regular exercise again soon I'll effectively have completely wasted the last 2 years (2 years!) of trauma pain and expense.

For running might be free, but the kit required to do so safely remains reassuringly expensive. Which reminds me - need to check down the back of the sofa again (high finance money-saving initiatives continue!).

:o)

PS No doughnuts were harmed during the making of this post. Some were savaged to death in advance, and at least one will not live to see the sun rise... But none were actually harmed during the writing of the above. Just thought that you'd want to know.

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (Oops!)

Jantastic: Tomorrow never comes

Did I say tomorrow? Ah, I meant Tuesday. Well, Wednesday. Yes, tomorrow. Indeed, tomorrow. As I said...

I'm a little behind this year (and not just because we're into week 2 of Jantastic without me having done a single run). Finances need squared away, plans for the new year need to be made, theme for the new year (in place of any pesky resolutions) decided upon. Lots to do! Which, as ever, should have been done weeks ago (but there were books. And chocolate. And TV to watch from the comfort of various lovely sofas.).

I have spent the last few days floundering in a financially traumatic spiral. Several days of carefully seeking out better deals, saving a good £25 or so per month. Followed by a day of discovering that my car insurance might very well double or even triple this year (discussions on-going). Which is all a bit "why am I bothering?", really.

So I am drained, and my jaw hurts from all the clenching and grinding that my teeth have been doing quietly while I wasn't looking. And while I am sure that the calming stress-relieving power of slogging my way round and about at an above-walking pace would help... I simply don't have any energy left today to give it a try.

And anyway it's cold. And dark. And raining by God! And, uh, they gym's shut! [Well, it probably is now - wouldn't really know, haven't been there in several months. Ahem.]

Yes, well, fine. Dancing with Darth it is. Tomorrow. Assuming nothing falls on my car while commuting tomorrow and compounds the misery...

(@_@)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (but this will all soon change... Sadly... Honest!)

Jantastic: The arrival of "soon"

Soooooo...

We are now into year 2 of this blog. 2 years!! Is there anyone still out there??

Been a bit quiet of late (as in, for the last 5 months). This is because I have been so busy that I've not had time to write. Or because I've not been doing any running. Or because I've been doing no exercise at all and enjoying every minute of this general sloth and self-indulgence.

You decide...

Nonetheless, the time of happiness and joy is now over (it is January after all) and the running is beginning again. To which end I find that I have signed up to the hated Jantastic again. Why? Well, that's a good question... I think that it has something to do with the fact that I enjoy cycling more but am currently having to save up for the degree in engineering required to keep Boris the bike functioning (once he's been released from his box...). Therefore, whilst we wait, I must force myself from the sofa and begin hobbling around the place praying for an early death. To improve my health.

Makes perfect sense when you think about it!

Week 1 of Jantastic (for that is where we are) is going terribly well. I have to fit in 3 runs before the end of Sunday. It's currently Friday and I've done none. Bringing back so many happy memories from last year, let me tell you...

Which I probably will. At length. Tomorrow or so.

:o)

Running time/distance: 0 mins, 0 miles (but this will all soon change... Sadly...)