10 years of running... That's a lot of miles

This event was a special one for me as it will not only be the last one for me for a while, it also marks 10 years of running for me. Rather fittingly it was also the Lakeland Trails 10 year anniversary.

Thanks to various injuries I have decided to not to sign up to any more runs for a while (we'll see how long that lasts!). Anyhow, as it is 10 years to the month, I felt that this would a great opportunity for a wee race report/reminiscence on my running 'career' (haha!!) so far. 

I have come to proper trail races quite late on, but was lucky enough to come across Lakeland trails shortly after my folks bought  wee holiday house down that way a few years ago. The first one I signed up to was the Coniston half marathon which was hands down the best event I've done (having a lovely sunny day for it helped greatly!). Nothing helps the miles go by than stunning scenery.

The Derwent Water (or Keswick 10/15km) trail challenge was indeed that - a challenge. It  starts off rather tame - running along an old railway line out of Keswick. However, it soon takes a turn into the hill and then its all uphill...for what seems like a long way but is apparently only around 5km. But not only is it uphill but uphill through very boggy land - almost lost my right trainer at one point!

The course sort of skirts round one of the hills and you can see Skiddaw (3rd highest peak in England, in the distance. You can see all the dots of the runners ahead of you. Due to the narrow tracks we are pretty much going in single file in parts!

The views are the best thing about this run - you really don't notice the mile passing by (though the blister developing on my arch was noticing for me). My only little disappointment was that there was only one water station which was about 4km from the end of the race. If I had known this was going to be the case I would have brought my own water. To be fair because of the remoteness of the course it would have been difficult situating it anywhere! 

There was a pro photographer taking photos for this event. Now my run photos never come out well - I always look like I'm walking rather than running and I was hoping this time it I would get one that looked like I was zooming along. No such luck - the photographer had placed himself in a section of very rocky track so you had to really watch where you put your feet. However, the pic actually came out ok..ish..I certainly look like I'm concentrating!

I was thankful when I came to the downhill bit, though by this time my mud-covered laces kept coming undone so I lost time having to keep re-tieing them. (on a side-note, I discovered recently that I have been tying my shoes wrong ALL MY LIFE...I blame whoever taught me...).

Stunning view of Derwent water as you descend. 

My one other disappointment was that as I came speeding to the finish line expecting the MC to be calling out my name and number (while being in awe of my extreme speed) I arrived to noone, even my mum didn't manage to get her phone out to take a finishing photo! Apparently the power had gone off so my grand finish went unrecoreded :( though, someone did shout "I love your hair!" so thank you, random person!

So looking back over 10 years of running I have done 1 marathon, 7 half marathons, 2 10kms, a 15km and 2 Tough Mudders (I would have liked to do one more marathon but I just don't think I can be bothered with the training. 

And this is what that looks like in bling (note, I didn't receive a t-shirt for my marathon due to the bad organisation of the finish area, which is still a sore point for me!) 

Day 20: Did a fractured elbow, cold and headache stop me doing Tough Mudder - Hell No!!

I know I have totally failed for this year's Juneathon but I felt I had to do a blog for this. I reckon managing a 12 mile mud-soaked obstacle course with a fractured elbow and a thumping headache makes up for all the missed days where I totally slacked.

I was told by the nurse at the minor injuries clinic that I would not be doing Tough Mudder...and already by then a little bit of my brain was holding onto hope. The thought of just spectating at the event was just too depressing as was the though that I wouldn't get my special 2-tough mudder headband!. 3 weeks down the line and I had managed to do climb a couple of peaks hill walking in the Highlands and had got a bit of movement back in the arm so I thought I could just run the event and not do any of the obstacles...but then on the run up to the event I was like...well, I could just do the obstacles that I don't really need two working arms for...

In the end I calculated I did over half of all the obstacles. I absolutely couldn't do any of the climbing over wall/monkey-bar style obstacles or anything that would risk me smacking my elbow off something - The Everest obstacle was definitely out...this was updated and looked way harder and steeper than last time!

Now, as if a fractured elbow wasn't enough, I was just getting over a week-long nasty head cold AND I had a thumping headache for the entire day (only abating after a good few glasses of wine in the evening). To say this was a challenge is putting it mild. However, having said that we saw and heard that there was a 71 year old doing it which kind of puts most people to shame!

Now as this was my second Tough Mudder I was allowed to forgo the Electroshock Therapy...however, the special 'Tough Mudder Legion' obstacle for everyone who had aready earned their first headband. This was a monkey-bar style thing which I could do...instead of just going the finish line I decided to brave the Electorshock Therapy again! Now when we arrived there was no breeze and I figured it would be possible to get through without being hit...to my horror when we arrived the evil hanging tentacles were now happily diagonally floating in the now very present breeze! I got shocked once, remembered what a horrible sensation it was and ducked out the side.

So, I may not have done half of the obstacles but I feel I totally earned my green headband and bottle of cider. And it helped soo much having a great team (that is, after all, what it's all about) who helped me round and grabbed my (good) arm to help me out of the mud - thanks guys!!

NEXT year I plan to do ALL the obstacles - the training starts...well, whenever my arm is in fully working order I suppose!

Stats!
time: between 3 and 4 hours
distance: 12 miles
obstacles successfully completed: about 14
Tough Mudder headbands: 2
celebratory drinks consumed: many

All the donated trainer...including mine :)

war wounds

Day 3: not going well...

Didn't manage to go running yesterday, but in the true spirit of Juneathon, I have a very good excuse!

I went to the Minor Injuries Clinic to get my elbow checked out after being facebook nagged. And lucky I did as it appears I have a radial head fracture. This in NOT what I wanted to hear Even though I kind of knew what the answer would be, ever hopeful I asked, "and the likelyhood of doing Tough Mudder?" You can guess the answer...

Am beyond gutted. I have worked really hard the last few months to get my fitness up so to hear that I will have to stand in the spectator area while others get muddy makes my heart sink...

I will say my exercise for the day can probably be claimed by my navigating round trying to find the corect building at the hospital which probably clocked up a few miles. Came in and out of about 3 different entrances before I found the correct place!

Got home and needed much cheering up so went to a comedy night set up and featuring a very talented lady called Bonnie who is putting on her first fringe show in August.

So, apologies for what looks to be a rather limited effort for this years Juneathon but I'll do what I can.

Day 2: walking is about I can manage

At least I managed to achieve my pedometer goal of 10000 steps today. My arm is still too sore to even go running and besides, I had to break in my new walking shoes before Saturday when I will be climbing Suliven (a big hill in the highlands). Also supposed to be doing a bit of cycling which I reeeeally hope my arm is better for...

I had a wee day off work today so myself and my mum walked into town and around the shops. I amounted to about 4.5 miles which isn't too bad. Way more tired than I should be though!

I bought a plasitc funnel to decant stuff from big bottles into wee bottles and some cheep walking trousers - How glamorous am I?!?

I also spotted Amanda Palmer walking past me in Princes Street, not sure if I smiled at her first but she smiled at me, only then did I realize I had the t-shirt I bought at her gig last night (which has a photo of her on it).  Was a strange moment...

Going to try to do a run tomorrow...wish me luck!

Stats:

steps taken 11105

exciting things bought at the shops: 0

Day 1: Injured again

Its becoming a tradition of mine to make sure I get at least one bad injury on the run up to an event. I've had ankle problems and countless knee problems when training for any race I've ever entered.

This year I'm doing tough mudder with 3 weeks of training time to go,
I manage to fall off my bike and now I can't straighten my arm...it fucking hurts :( so my aim of doing lots of push-ups and pull ups are obliterated as I can barely hold up a pint!

So, Juneathon is not off to a particularly auspicious beginning. That, though is not why the blog is late. It is late as last night I was out at an Amanda Palmer gig. Which was awesome by the way.

I did manage to do a (one-handed) balcony pushup though, which I have been told by Jogblog herself, is a perfectly valid Juneathon effort. 

We didn't have much space but this is a photo of me doing my balcony push-up!

And here are a few pics of the gig. There was even a guest slot from Janey Godley. A strange but great addition to an Amanda Palmer gig.

stats!

Balcony push-ups: 2

working arms: 1

gigs attended: 1

 

Day 31: Ending with less of a bang and more of an "aaachoo! "

Yes, I've had a rather less than auspicious ending to Janathon this year, with a rare fail yesterday to even blog, tho I did do my usual 1 mile walk to /from work.  But the onset of a horrible head cold has meant the day spent mainly on the couch reading or sneezing (or more often than not, failing to sneeze). I've even had to give up a trip to the cinema as I figured folk wouldn't appreciate me adding my own tissue - related sound effects.

I will however be going out for dinner later as it is a close friend's birthday celebration and we're going to a very good Vietnamese restaurant and all the chilli etc. will  obviously be good for my cold along with some medicinal wine :). I will walk to and from the bus stop for my exercise

Well done to my fellow Janathon-ers, who I'm sure have managed way more exercising than I have this month. However, be sure that my training has only just begun... For June this year my goal is to be able to manage at least one proper pull up in time for Tough Mudder!

Stats!
Preemptive miles : 1-2miles
Times I've sneezed today : about 30
Tissues got thru: lots

Day 29: walking for wine counts!

So I was supposed to be doing circuits round 2 buuuut,  and as always,  I blame Ian,  I am having to claim walking as my exercise for today. However  it's not easy walking thanks to icy compacted snow. So I walked from the bus stop to our friends house then to the shop to get wine.

Not quite as strenuous as planned but managed to clock up around 3 miles all in.

Day 28: no longer a circuit newbie

Got a feeling of making progress today. I managed to get through a circuits class without feeling like the most unfit person there. Don't get me wrong,  it is still mainly full of proper gym-bunny types who can no doubt do proper chin ups and don't take a sneaky break at the exercises they don't like, but at least I wasn't at the bottom of the performance scale tonight.

No outside running on the horizon for the time being as the thermometer is still the wrong side of 'no chance, I'm not freezing my ass off in that!'

So its the last few days of Janathon, I  hope fellow -athoners are feeling they have mad a bit of progress over the last month. I have made some but its only the tip of the training iceberg for Tough Mudder-ing in June!


Stats!
distance: on x-trainer- 2kms
time: 1hour circuits
number of newbies making me feel better about myself: 2
Janathon days left: only 3!!!

Day 27: Plank PB!!

Another no run day I'm afraid. I did have a good walk home though - in fact I almost skipped. Was good to have a busy day and get a few things that needed moving along sorted so was in a better mood than yesterday.

I think I actually made better use of my time and did more strength exercises at home, proving that I don't need evil gym woman shouting at me to work hard. I even timed myself properly and did a WHOLE MINUTE plank after my mum slagged me off for not managing to do more than 30 seconds.

I also did some compound exercises, one-legged squats lifting the weights too - and believe me,  its not easy to do this, attempt to take a non-blurry photo of yourself and not fall down. It took a few trys!

Also did more abs stuff, more squats and upper body stuff with resistance bands. I got sweaty and everything, all in the comfort of a warm house!

stats!
time: 30 mins
Plank time: 1 MINUTE!!!
attempts at taking non-blurry photo: about 8

Day 26: Getting gym-class rage

Exercise is a great stress reliever. I always feel better after a bad day getting out and running off some steam. If its rubbish outside, the gym has to do but this evening it did nothing for my mood. I had wanted to do a double whammy and run today but I just couldn't be bothered numbing my bum in the on-going sub-zero temperatures up here, the walk to and from work was enough to put me off

Yes, I know I have moaned about Monday-night evil gym instructor before but tonight I was close to throwing one of my weights at her. If she uses the phrase, "if I see anyone coming up before me the more we are doing" when doing the squat track I may go insane. She says the same thing every week. The least she could do is find a new way of patronizing us, you know, mix it up a bit. So yeah, was stuffing a bit of gym class rage this evening.

On the upside I'm still managing to edge the weights up so progress is being made :)

Stats:
urges to throw weights at the instructor: quite a few
extra squats completed cause people aren't looking at the gym instruction: at least 10

Day 25: Not even trying

Its not like I didn't do anything today but it was close. Not sure if you can count dancing a bit at a metal club night in the early hours and walking to and from the bus stop as proper exercise. It would actually have been less if Ian hadn't insisted of repeatedly walking to the next bus stop instead of waiting for the bus from town. So we ended up walking 1.5 miles along Princes Street then another half mile from the bus stop to the house. And also note that all my walking this weekend was completed in my heavy new rock boots! And Ian walks really fast!

I made unrealistic plans in my head of actually going out for a run later on today but a combination of the on-coming rain and wind and the prospects of a cosy sofa meant this never happened.

Look on it as a rest weekend after a couple of tough gym classes and a few more scheduled in for next week. :)

Now, back to the sofa-lounging...

Stats!
distance: 2miles
time 23 mins

Day 24: Don't mess up the hair!!!

I know this will sound like an excuse but I didn't go running today due to my hair. Seriously! I'm not going to waste a £30 hair appointment by getting sweating and windswept :) My bob is starting to even out and don't worry, the colour will be changing again soon!

I did walk practically everywhere today  so I figured that amounted to a decent amount of exercise for a Saturday. Ian even put the GPS on to measure it properly :)

So 5 miles worth of walking done and my hair is still looking good enough for a night out tonight!

 Stats:
distance: 5miles
time: 1hour30mins
haircuts: 1

Day 23: Muscles say 'No'

Ahh, fuck it, its Friday and after the brutal circuits class last night I deserve a bit of a rest day. I still did my physio exercises for my knee - as am feeling like an elderly lady with joints that get achy in the cold weather.

I also struggled through 10 press-ups but quickly gave up on a plank. My whole body feels like its doing what in computer terms would be the swirly circle of doom - "thinking about it, but naaahhh".

Reboot in 24 hours, now powering down....


Stats:
press-ups: 10
plank duration: barely registered
aching muscles: all of them!

Day 22: In the form of a Haiku

So, today I feel like being all creative and arty, like. So here is today's Janathon exercise in the form of a haiku. It's not because I'm being lazy and finding an excuse for a short blog, ooooh, no. Its Art, innit.

Oh, dreaded circuits
all get sweaty and work hard
and now for Pizza!!

Day 21: Doing it backwards

I realise that the idea is to jog, log and blog. But today I'm rebelling and doing it all topsy turvey. Blog, log and jogging it is (well, its a body blitz class today, though I may go early and do a short jog on the treadmill)!

Its a laziness thing. I know I'll get back from the gym late and I'll want my tea then I'll not want to bother blogging though I actually enjoy that part, unlike some. So I'm getting it out the way now.

And you'll just have to trust me that I'll actually go to the gym and not slack off instead, though I proably will as if you are a no-show to classses you have booked you get banned from them...not forever but for a while.

So there you go. I've blogged speculatively like sending a CV for a 'theoretical' job, though not quite the same as this class does actually exist...aaaand I am waffling...

Stats:
classes completed: 1 (in the future!)
time: 50mins as that's how long the class is
distance: no idea. may jog, may not!

Day 20: walking when noone's looking

I don't know about you but sometimes I get a bit self-conscious when I'm out running. - not just of being overtaken by super-fit 'proper runner' types, and occasionally small children, but of being judged in general. I realise this is stupid and irrational but there you go. I think this is why I try to take wee walking breaks when I think there's no-one around to think "oh look at her, how unfit is she". As soon as I see someone I start running again. Obviously this doesn't really work in more populated places but I've got into the habit running in a mainly quiet residential area.

It got so bad that whilst running up a steep hill I refused to stop and walk while there were cars passing me, which led to me getting a stitch by the time I reached the top. I don't think all this freezing air is helping me either.

Only time for the short 'estate' loop this evening due to being unable to do a longer run at lunchtime because of stupid meetings.

Stats!
distance: 2.3miles
time: 20mins
number of people judging my running ability: probably 0 but in my head: all of them!!

Day 19: Apparently you can head-bang to Folk music!

A little late in posting for day 19. Due to the fact I didn’t take my running kit to work and the walk home determined that I would suffer frostbite it I went out for an early evening run. Instead I did some strength/weights stuff that amounted to about 20 mins.

Another reason this is late is I was at a gig last night; I went to see First Aid Kit at the Usher Hall.  They are a Swedish folk /pop/country tinged sister-singer/songwriter duo. And I had wondered how they would fair in a venue like the Usher Hall, which is biggish and tends to host more towards the classical music side of things. But wow, they pretty much rocked. It was a very mixed crowd and I have to say, I’ve never seen so many people happily bobbing around. I would say you usually get many people standing still or at more rocky things doing a mosh-type thing.

I have to say you don’t get much moshing at folk/pop music gigs but First Aid Kit did put in what looked very much like a head-banging dance – which I caught I little bit of here…

First Aid Kit head-banging

It was a brilliant gig with some really good support from Kimberly Anne someone I will be checking out more of… and who quirkily was giving out a free download of one of her songs on a tea bag label….awww

Stats!
Time doing weight/core stuff: 20 mins. Can’t be bothered breaking it down cause I would bore myself as well as you!
temperature outside: minus enough to freeze my car door off!
Swedish  singers headbanging: 2 (one shown)

Day 18: Double Hoodie Running

There comes to a point where it doesn't matter how many clothes you have on, your thighs and arse will still lose all feeling. The addition of an extra hoody and some (albeit, short) shorts over my running tights were never going to be a match for the seaside wind. This time my mum came along for a windy walk along the beach at North Berwick. I ran on ahead, had a little go at clambering over the rocks before I decided the tide was getting a little to close for comfort (as you can see in the pic) before heading back to meet her at the seabird centre.

the tide is coming in quickly!! Ruuuun!

Berwick Law in the background. Too cold and windy to go up there today!

Some sort of big rock in the water out there...

We then walked along the other side of the beach for a while. Usually at a low tide we would walk right along for miles but not today and more to the point we were getting hungry and ticking off more body parts that had gone numb.

I am going to also add an extra mile onto my walking today as me and Ian went for a wander though the muddy woods up to the pub - which I have discovered serves Twisted Thistle which is a lovely (and rather strong) IPA beer.

A pretty good Sunday all in all :)

Stats!
running: 2.5miles
walking: 2 miles

Day17: Who's Idea Was this??

Ok, so it was kind of mine. We both have our bikes up at my parents so I thought Ian and I could go for a cycle today. Though I have to say mountain biking over the Pentland hills wasn't quite what I had in mind but somehow I was talked into it.

It was already seeming like a bad idea once I have trussed myself up into several layers, feeling rather uncomfortable but knowing I would need it in sub-zero temperatures.  Being already tired before we had actually arrived on the Pentlands didn't help. Onward from there it was generally a schedule of slushy mud under ice, with some rivers inbetween. I may have enjoyed some parts of it but generally it was plagued by feelings of numbness, aches and being cocooned in too many clothes. We ended up cutting our jaunt a little short.

I would have to say I am very much a fair weather cyclist and just don't have the constitution to get wet, cold and exhausted on 2 wheels. There were some lovely views though...

Having tracked our progress with endomondo it stranspired that with all our stopping off and slow struggles up hill we averaged about 5mph. I actually could have ran that quicker (and probably had a better time).

I think my next mountain biking trip will have to wait till the better weather appears! Even after a hot shower I still had goose-bumps for a couple of hours after!

Stats!
distance: 15.8 miles
time: 2 hours 30 mins
layers of clothes worn: 4

Day 16: the No-Diet January

Yep, at last the sun came out to play for a bit - look - blue skies!. But it's still freezing so I wrapped up for a (still rather short) lunchtime run. I seem to be finding it harder rather than easier - I'm blaming the weather - getting old and get achy joints in the cold! Though I'm thinking it is the fact I've put on a bit of weight recently. I reckon I'm the only person who instead of going on a new year diet has seemed to manage to carry on the holiday eating habits. I'm mainly blaming the fact my normal life has been suspended while I stay with my parents. Spring!! I promise I'll get into proper uber-healthy, super-training mode. Easing myself into it...

So another run round the estate. Always annoys me when there is better weather during the week rather than the weekend as I don't like running too far when I'm at work as I have to stay later to make up for it and on the usual, 'everyone leaves early' Friday afternoon, that is a challenge.

Half way through Janathon though - hope everyone is still persevering!!

Stats!
distance: 2.6 miles
time: 24mins50secs
average temperture: -4 (brrr)
January days of healthy eating: not very many!

Day 15: The art of distraction

What can I do to gloss over the fact that I was I did today barely qualifies as exercise...Oh look a picture of a cute cat!!! It may be a case of spot the cat as she is curled up way in a corner. Am pleased to say that after a trip to the vet she is back to her old self after her UTI.

I didn't even change out of my work clothes to do my Janathon effort today, which made it feel like even more like slacking. If the weather didn't continue to be a total dick I would have at least gone for a short run. As it was I didn't feel the need to try to get blown into on-coming traffic. So instead I did my physio exercises, a short lived plank and a few press-up. Is it possible to get worse with practise?

Anyway, tomorrow will be another challenge to squeeze some valid exercise in - more shitty weather is forecast and I have builders coming to the flat to survey the damage and hopefully give me some idea of timescales for getting things back to normal!

Stats!
time: 10 mins
press-ups :10
sit-ups:20
plank duration: 20 secs (just)
cute cat pictures: 1

Day 14: "All by myself, don't wanna be all by myse-e-elf!"

I write this sat on my own in a freezing flat eating pizza. Due to early work commitments and tonight's gym commitment I am spending my night all on my lonesome in our building site flat. Leaving Ian earlier this evenign, eating a steak dinner and drinking wine, looking forward to a night without me and playing computer games. I'm not bitter at all...

Gym class was fairly uneventful. I did Body Blitz which is our gym's version of Body Pump. You'll be glad to know that I worked hard (but not too hard, I have no shower at home!) and even uped my weights on a couple of the tracks (squats and chest).

I shall be having an early night as i\ have an early start tomorrow which I'm not too bothered about as not liking spending too much time here at the moment. The picture will explain why - this is what the bathroom currently looks like!

stats
duration: 50mins
heaviest weight: 10kg (not including the bar) for squats)
compulsions to watch Bridget Jones: a very very brief one

Day 13: First came the bar press-up, then came the Bass Box press-up!

So yeah, a bit late but still within the 24 hour window. It was a bit of a crap one anyway. No time for proper exercise but instead I did some walking and my first ever club bass box press up.

My walk was to and from work then to and from the bus stop. To make this more of a workout I wore my new rock boots which is basically like having 2lb ankles weights on. As you can see, they are pretty hefty!

Didn't go to the gym as we were going to see Birdman at the cinema instead - I hightly recommend this, it was brilliant.

Then I walked to our local haunt Opium. On a Tuesday our friends run a Industrial club night. We didn't stay long but was long enough for me to get a Bass Box press-up done.  I got my friend Tom to take a photo of it which I will post up when I get a copy! We then walked back to get the bus in the snow, it was cold.

I also feel that I continued my exercise through the night as I continualy wrestled to get the covers back off a snoring Ian who was determined to steal them from me.

Stats:
distance: 3.3 miles
time: 55mins total
bass box pressups: 2
time spent wrestling duvet covers: not sure but too much!

Day 12: Where I realise that I'm too unfit for P90X

Well, at least I can say I didn't slack off today! I was due to go to Body Blitz at the gym today but due to my cat not being very well, it got so I was going to be too late to get to my class on time. I was just going to do some more press-ups/core work but the ever-helpful (please note the sarcasm)  Ian suggested that I do one of his P90X videos... Now the last time I did one of these was in the run up to Tough Mudder, so I was way fitter then than I am now - something I really need to remedy soon.

I chose to do the Plyometrics session which, stupidly on my part, is one of the hardest one (apparently, though I found the ones with loads of pull-ups way harder!). If you have ever done Insanity or Metafit, you will have some idea what this was like.

The session is an hour long - I was about to throw up around the 30 minute mark. But still a pretty good workout and a little reminder how much work I have ahead of me before I attempt Tough Mudder (for the 2nd time, I must be mad!!) again come June.

Not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow...sooo sick of this weather!!

Stats!
distance: 0miles
time: 30 mins
P90X sessions completed: Half

Day 11: Don't say the 'S' word

Blame the weather (which is beyond disgusting), blame the desire for a lazy, quiet Sunday reading my book - the rather good crime novel Natural Causes by James Oswald, which is set in my home town, Edinburgh. Blame all these things for my slacking today. Though I didn't slack completely. I did some press ups, sit-ups a 25 second plank. It only amounted to about 10 mins, but my book was getting quite exciting and I wanted to get back to it.

I aim to get back to some proper stuff tomorrow as I'm back to the gym and the fitness instructor from hell will be on duty so I'll be making up for the wee bit of slacking today.

Stats!
time: 10mins
pressups: 10
sit ups:20
plank time: 25 secs (a 5 second improvement!!)
time spent reading my book: 4 hours and counting

Day 10 Where I do a Dressing Gown Dash!

Despite the insane weather I still managed to get out for a run. And as per usual it was blue skies and sun before I went out and then started actual blizzarding when I got out there. I missed the worst of it but still got cold and wet!

This is what it looked like by the time I got home:

Thankfully it wasn't nearly as bad when I did my Dressing Gown Dash. I don't own a onesie (thank fuck!) so had to make do with my spotty fleece pj bottoms and Ian donated his dressing down for the occasion.

I didn't go very far as, as you can see the back garden is not exactly very big, so I went to the end of the street and back. Thankfully noone was out (though they may still have seen me through their windows) and I also managed not to fall on my arse - win!

So here it is, it won't win any prizes but it's done! - maybe I'll be more creative next year.

Stats!
distance: 2.4miles
time: 22mins
Dressing Gown Dashes completed: 1

Day 9: Did someone mention the weather?

You may be aware that its a little windy at the moment. Enough to fell trees and knock over lorries. This is no match for me doing Janathon though!

As I was out for dinner with friends last night and due to the fact that I am currently living in the suburbs I decided to take the car, leave it and get a taxi home. This meant going on my bike to collect the car today. Lying in bed this morning listening to the trees getting tortured by the wind made me worry that I would get blown off into a moving car or something. But it wasn't forecast to get any better anytime soon so with a little encouragement from Ian, who amazingly offered to come with me (aww, bless) we braved the storm and....well, it wasn't that bad! I little wobble going down the hill but fairly ok for the rest of it.

I left my physio exercises for when I got home from work. And Ian made absolutely sure I did them before anything else, including getting a beer (its been a long week and its Friday!).

I had asked for wine but was denied, so then asked for a beer. I was told if I had a beer I wasn't allowed wine and he would drink all of it. The negotiation went on till we agreed I was allowed a beer after my exercises. He was just winding me up. As he always done. And I always fall for it. Bah!

Stats!
distance cycled: 3.5 miles
time: 18mins 25secs
times Ian has wound me up: too many to count!

Day 8: Tiny towel problems

I do like my lunchtime runs at work honest. But I do have to talk myself into it every time. Its all the faff that is involved. The talking of kit to work, the changing and showering after. And the fact I have to work late to make up for a long lunch.

The worst bit is the showering/changing afterwards. The facilities at my work are not that great. There is one 'cubicle' shower - and it aint big. I always bash my elbows maneuvering myself around. and you always have to suffer the freezing water at the beginning. The only other option is the communal section. There's never usually anyone else showering so I usually use this. Then there's the getting dressed part again. there are always people coming and going as there is also a toilet in the changing rooms. So I have to do the ritual dance of covering myself up when I hear footsteps approaching outside. Yes, yes, I shouldn't be so coy but there you go. At the moment I have a tiny towel (I should have made more effort in the selection process really) and even getting it around me sufficiently is difficult so I had to resort to a high speed drying/getting dressed dance today. And no, noone came in when the towel dropped in my efforts to put on underwear and hold it up at the same time.

Needless to say, I will be changing this towel as soon as I get a chance.

Another thing I hate about the whole work-lunchtime run is the need to re-apply makeup to my bright red face. To be honest I have started to not bother with it at all. In kind of keeps with my scruffy look I've been developing recently anyway.

So, the run - was a rather boring short loop round the estate. Not much else to report.

Stats!
distance: 2.1 miles
time: 21mins
too small towels used: 1
time spent trying to keep said towel around me: too long

Day 7: excuses excuses

'Cause what would Janathon be without an excuses day!. I feel there are always a few days where you just can't face a full on exercise session and need to think up a really good excuse...

I'm not sure if its good but quite frankly my brain is as non-compliant as my body today. Basically my body hurts. A lot. So a combination of DOMS from Monday, cramps and truely disgusting weather meant no running and the return of knee twinges led me to limit myself to some physio exercises. To help me feel like I had made a bit more of an effort, I also did a few crunches, a pitiful 10 second plank and a few upper body exercises with my resistance bands.

I had planned to do my dressing gown dash today but there was no way I was going out again into the rain and high winds once I had got home from work. So folk will just have to wait for that delightful sight ;)

So, there you go. A bit of a crap one. But tomorrow is another day!

stats!
distance: 0
time: 15mins
leg raises: 30 (in various forms)
plank: 10 seconds
mini pressups: 10
crunches: 10

Day 6: more running with an extra helping of cycling

Yesterday it was evil gym lady making me do things I didn't like and today it was Ian's turn. After a day at work with my Janathon lunchtime run, I came home to the usual greeting of 'What we going to have for dinner?'  This usually also ends with us needing to go to the shops for ingredients that aren't in the already not-too-badly-stocked fridge.

I didn't want to take the car as it was rush hour and its only less than  2miles away and as Ian had been doing not very much I reckoned he could easily have managed to go to the supermarket on his own. But no...I get bullied into going out into the cold dark night to do an extra helping of exercise.

It's was actually ok though it was hard not to buy hunger-induced junk food. And we rewarded ourselves with a lovely bottle of (rather expensive, for us) wine. I know! Drinking again, but we are celebrating a quiet night to ourselves while my folks are away for a few days to give us some space. For those who don't know, our flat got flooded just before Christmas leaving us without a bathroom and a new kitchen that now needs to be ripped out and dried out. So, yeah, justifying all the wine drinking on that!.

Stats!
distance: 2.8miles running. 2.7miles cycling.
Total: 5.5miles
Total time: 47 mins

Day 5: My gym instructor is EVIL!!!

Evil I tell you!!! I mean, who, on the first Monday back to the horrific regime of getting up in the dark for work and coming home in the dark to exercise, makes you do 10 WHOLE MINUTES of abs?!?! My evil fitness instructor or 'Mel' as she's known.

Yeah, the first Monday back to work after Xmas is never easy - I may have cried a little when I had to get up this morning. And it didn't get much better.

Body pump on Monday is always the hardest one. Evil Mel is one of those instructors that shouts at you if you come up out of a swat too fast. Don't get me wrong, its usually a good workout but I have never liked the military style of instructing. And anyone who does 10 mins of abs at the end of the torture is just plan mean.

So, I will be hurting tomorrow. I may try to go to a circuits class but I may take the 'easy' option of a lunch time run with only the voices in my head shouting at me...

distance: 0 - it was a body pump class
time: 50 mins (ten of which were nasty abs)
evil instructors: 1

day 4: (Maybe) the last hungover run of the month...

Well...I'll at least try. While everyone, so we are led to believe, is starting their detox/whatever-the-latest-fad-dietey kind of thing, me and Ian were out getting drunk...again. Well, it was 2  birthdays and a leaving do, it would be rude not to :)

The place we were in is a Geek's paradise, with Star Wars, Doctor Who and Marvel comics memorabilia everywhere - Ian was dissuaded from stealing one of the cushions.





So today saw me miss all the lovely sunshine as I put off going for my run until I could put it off no more. Here is my cat Dylan taunting me with her cosy sleeping pose while I get my gear on.

I managed a slow 2.4 miles round the estate. Its back to the horror of normal working life tomorrow and the gym. I'm guessing it will be overrun by new year nubies out for their annual week of disciplined exercise.

stats:
distance 2.4 miles
time: 23 mins 50 secs
hangovers: 1
cushions not stolen: 1

day 3: doing it proper like

Well, I finally did it properly. I admit my first couple of days have been rather slacker like - though not nearly as bad as Cathy who thinks sitting up in bed is a form of exercise (! though I think I'll be using that one at some point myself hehe) but today I have gone out and done proper exercise.

In desperate need of exercise themselves my folks came out for a walk in the Pentlands while I ran up and met them back on the way down.. It was a beautifully sunny day but egads it was cold! For most of the run my torso was numb.

 Didn't do right up to Logan Lea as there was a rather slippery hill to go up which I could easily see me falling rather than running done on the way back.

Overall a good run and as the holiday period isn 't properly over I awarded myself with a beer on my return home.

distance: 5 miles
time: 51mins

Day 2: running in sub-zero temeratures is not a cure for a headache

It was probably a delayed hangover but I've had a headache for most of the day. The plan was a long walk in the Pentlands this morning but as my mum and me got our boots on it started blizzarding  so we stayed in and opened a bottle of cava instead. And as usual, after top up no. 1, the sun came out!

After more wine, too much mashed potato and the watching of a film, it was dark and getting colder so there was no more putting it off - I donned my running gear for a circuit of the estate. Not far but I was actually running (as slow as it was).

I got to the end of it with headache still in place and a stitch. But then, noone said it was going to be easy. I'm now going to have a lie down on my cute cushion that Ian gave me for xmas - its huge, and has horns!!

distance: 1.2 miles
time: a rather tortoise like 12mins

Day 1: The traditional start to Janathon

Well, it was inevitable. There's was a Hogmanay party and lots of wine and I find myself staggering home at 3pm in the afternoon.  There was never a good chance that any kind of proper exercise would take place today.

However, after consulting with the Janathon leader I'm told that my 2mile walk home from my party qualifies as my Janathon effort,so I'm happy with that. There's was extra effort needed due to windy conditions and a heavy rucksack to carry.

I'm also pretty sure I spent some of the early hours of the days dancing so I'm going to let that' be my contribution for my first day.

I Will make more of an effort tomorrow,promise!,

Stats:
Distance:2 miles, roughly
Time: 30mins
Hangovers expected tomorrow:1 very large one