day 7- sun rising to sounds of the prodigy

It wasn't quite sun rise as I spend the earlier part of the morning trying to finish my book (The Distant Hours by Kate Morton since you asked - it made very good winter holiday reading), but it was kind of rising over the peaks of the braid hills. It was a very beautiful morning today on one of my favourite runs in Edinburgh cause you can see over the firth of forth and the countryside and the city. If this run was put to music in a film it would be something to tug at the emotions, perhaps with some synths and strings...sadly my ipod playlist would not have made a good soundtrack, instead I had the Prodigy's 'Smack my Bitch Up'. A very good song, one to keep the pace up on a run but maybe more suited to a more urban run.

Anyway...yay to me as I managed my longest run of Janathon so far! It was a bit stop and start due to my ongoing coughing bouts and the fact I am in the land of windy hills. But a pretty good effort overall.

Highlight of run: beautiful views over Edinburgh and seeing a man with a funny walk akin to monty python's ministry with a cane AND an eye patch - awesome

distance: 5.6miles
time: 55m25secs
calories: 652

the one with the cyber bullies

OK, so bullies is probably putting it strongly. Putting it in a more postive way. Fellow janathon-ers can be like having a bunch of your very own personal trainers who won't let you not do your exercises when you are feeling poorly. You may hate them for this as you go out onto the cold dark streets but you will ultimately thank them for the nice feeling of achievement when you return to your snug home.

This is how I felt today when I had earlier in the day decided to give running a miss as I was feeling pretty crap. I had a nice soothing bath instead. However, after receiving tweets from @jogblog and @runningman856 I caved and decided that I could not let my cold defeat my janathon-ing efforts. Unfortunately by this time the fairly okay weather had reverted to being cold windy and drizzly - that's what I get for putting off the inevitable! This did make me run fast though and so far 6 out of 6 janathon days done! I know I keep saying this but my mileage is going to increase....soon.

distance: 1.26
time 10m55secs
calories: 170

day 5: another rubbish running day

Destined to be bottom of the class if I don't get my mileage up soon...I am still trying to cough up my internal organs and didn't manage a full day at work (only by an hour so not too bad) but I was determined not to miss out a day of Janathon. Funny that I would be totally fine with missing a day of work though!

It was very cold outside so thought it best not to go too far so did a sort-of reverse route of my new year's day hungover plod. Happy to report I was faster than that day :) To combat the cold I wore my hoodie hood up, Rocky/boxer style, though with my running top on underneath I ended up being way too hot. Always think it funny how in winter weather you get hats/gloves to keep you warm but I find that my face is the thing that gets coldest - running balaclava anyone?? Probably not a good look, especially if running past any jewelry shops/banks...anyway, I'm rambling again.

So it was a very cautious 1.23 miles for me today and plenty of hot lemon and honey drinks for after.
Determined to do a proper run tomorrow!

distance: 1.23miles
time: 11m25secs
calories: not enough to mention!

day 4: if it's not the weather, it's a cold

With the weather first trying to thwart my efforts in this year's janathon its now my second cold of the winter that's out to confound me. I started last year's month of running with a nasty cold and really thought that when I had and got rid of one before xmas I had had a lucky escape but it was not to be. I went out early this morning - before the seeming endless rain and wind returned - accompanied with a cough that was threatening to help me rid myself of a lung on the way round. Still, amazingly I managed a not-very-speedy 2.6 miles. After which I struggled through most of a day at work before giving up just after 3pm and retired to my bed.

Really hoping a very early night and copious amounts of ginger/lemon/honey drinks will kill this thing so I can get out running properly though the weather is still plotting against me!

distance: 2.64miles
time: 25.48
hot lemon drinks consumed: lost count

day 3 - oooh, isn't it windy!!

So windy in fact that I didn't want to risk going out and getting hit by tree branches or rampent wheelie bins. Glasgow and the west in general seems to be alot worse but it is bad enough for me to want to stay firmly indoors. Also, as it is a bank holiday in Scotland my gym was closed so that option was also out. Instead I ran up and down the stairs in my parents house 10 times, which was actually rather hard and I was really quite breathless afterwards. Followed this up by doing 10 press-ups, 2 and a half of which were full press-ups opposed to my usual on the knees ones.

Again rather a pathetic janathon effort but hopefully normal service will resume tomorrow - at least the gym should be open!

distance: no idea but did 10 laps of the stairs!
time: not really that long
press-ups: 10 (with 2 full ones - yay me!)

ice, mud and a scull splitting headache

Day 2

Well, certainly a better attempt than yesterday but still not a very pleasant run I have to say. On putting the bins out this morning, I saw that it was rather icy outside so would have to be a jaunt into the muddy woods and hills to avoid falling on my arse. Did have a near miss on going out to the back garden and forgetting that the decking would be slippery and almost fell flat on my back.

Even parts of the woods were icy so it was a rather slow pace today. After about a mile a headache started up and just got worse as I went along. I blame the extreme cold (there was very icy winds up on the braids) for this headache rather than the extended after effects of new year's partying.

Needless to say I was grateful to return home to thaw out my extremities and get some painkillers.
Tomorrow looks even worse weather-wise so may have to resort to driving to the gym.

distance: 3 miles
time: 32mins45secs
calories: 311

off to a wobbly start

Well, not the best start but it was never going to be!  Unlike last year where I had a very quiet hogmanay, I was out with friends to do the Edinburgh street party (which was brill though a little crowded!) and much drinking was done and I got in around 4:30am.

So, with a still pounding head at 3pm today I managed to stagger out to do a rather short lap of the estate which only equated to a mile. But I got out at least and it a counts. There were a few hungover runs in Juneathon but as of today I am having a dry January so this will be my one and only hungover Janathon day. Will get the mileage up.

Hope all fellow Janathoners have had a good start or at least a better one than me :)

distance: 1.17miles
time: 11mins48sec
hangovers: 1