Day 6: dysfunctional water bottles and excuses for mid-run rests

Had to go out for my run without my water bottle today - don't what it is with me and dysfunctional bottles but they always seem to end up dripping or leaking. Cheap or expensive ones, makes no difference.

As I went back to leave it at home, it occurred to me that I don't really need a water bottle on a short-ish run. Anything over 5miles I would say take one but anything under that I should manage ok. But I like having one as it gives me an excuse to slow down/walk or stop during my run. That lead me on a line of thought that results in the 'theme' of this blog. I actually have a kind of collection of excuses I use to have short breathers on my runs, both long and short, and I figured - excellent a 'lets make a list' blog. nice and easy and I like to have one for every Janathon. so here it is! :)

1. Stopping to take a sip of water (see above)
2. Re-tying of laces - if you really need a break, just pretend they need re-tied
3. Stopping to look at scenery - doesn't really work on a 'route round the crappy estate' run but great if you are near the country side or other 'nice place'
4. Mid-run stretches - one of my favs and it's probably good for you
5. Changing iTunes playlist. Fiddling with garmin/other electronic devices also works
6. Navigating over muddy bits - not a very good one but I'm running out of ideas. Kind of works on off-road runs though, I think

Ok, I've run out of ideas here. But the above can be repeated throughout your run so that's really plenty.  Also, for a bit of balance thought I would include a good reason to not take a break an KEEP ON GOING: Spotting a hot, fit fellow runner and not wanting to feel like a overweight, unfit heifer - pick up the pace and look nonchalant.

Oh, and my run - not very interesting. a bit off-road muddiness and of course - bloody steep hills.

Stats:
distance: 2.7
time: 27mins55secs
dysfunctional water bottles: 1
mid-run breaks: oh, a few

day 5: the holidays are over

I don't like when things go back to normal this time of year. All the decorations are coming down, people are realising the shadow of doom looming as they ready to go back to work. But one of the saddest reminders that we are returning to normality is the discarded Xmas trees lying out ready to be taken by the bin men. I saw about 6 on my run today. They look all forlorn without their lights and baubles and with half their pine needles gone :(

It was a slow 2.5miles today as I went through Blackford park and the Hermitage where the paths were now reassembling muddy rivers with all the recent rain. Its a hilly route so had to walk it parts. I could have extended it by a mile or so but really don't want to push my luck with my ankle so kept to a short circle. After all the activity yesterday and a fairly late night (still very much a party atmosphere in the pubs - good to see not everyone is having a fun-free January!) this was plenty. I'm now spending the rest of the weekend tempting to read some more of Anna Karenina which I have been plodding slowly through for months.

Stats:

distance: 2.55miles
time: 29mins6secs
push ups: 10 (slowing coming less weakling-like but still rather pathetic
discarded xmas trees:6

day 4: where I clean the flat

I felt like I'd done my Janathon effort without even leaving my flat today. I chose my last day of real holiday to do a winter clean of my flat.

I don't like housework. Hate would be more appropriate so I really do as little as possible, mainly to stave off rats (may not be that bad but you get the idea).  Anyway, I thought enough is enough, and as I have a friend coming over, who hasn't seen my flat I figured I'd better give it a good going over.

Anyway, got to lunchtime and as I put out the recycling and took in the fresh air and hint of sunshine I got an overwhelming need to stop the cleaning and go for a run. I'm already feeling a slight improvement and didn't need to stop and walk so much and even inched up the distance. Though I was tired the fresh air actually readied me for tackling the last hours' worth of cleaning.

Absolutely knackered doesn't cover how I felt after all that. If I made new year's resolutions, I should probably make one about cleaning more regularly so I don't have to have these mammoth sessions but it would no doubt last about 2 weeks before I reverted to my old untidy lazy ways.

Anyway, am blogging from my sparkly living room with a well deserved beer, feeling rather pleased with myself...wonder how long that will last?

Stats:

distance: 4.1miles
time: 43mins
weakling-style press-ups: 10
flats all clean and tidy: 1

Day 3: Feeling like a newbie

Oh dear, what a struggle it was to get myself out and running today. Another unintended late night meant I really wanted to stay in bed rather than donning my running gear.  At least I wasn't as hungover as I was on day 1!  However, thanks to @BadWabbitTales and @runningman856 giving me a well-needed kick up the backside, I managed to roll out of bed and do a circuit of Holyrood Park.

I am still only managing to do run/walking, especially considering the steep hills in the park but happy with getting to the 5km marker. I do feel like a newbie all over again, especially seeing all the other seasoned runners out being all fast and impressive. My muscles are all starting to hurt after doing nothing other than raising a wine glass and watching TV but that means they are starting on their journey to being strong and toned again :)

So here's to it all getting that bit easier!

Stats:
distance: 3.2miles
time: 38mins
impressive other runners that weren't me: LOADS

Day 2: from a walk to a jog...

...with a few pathetic attempts at some press ups thrown in. All in all though, I shouldn't have expected much today, this is my first venture out jogging for about a month and I think I may still be feeling the after effects of new years! It was a bit of a struggle to do my 2.3 route around the estate and I needed to walk in places (up any sort of hilly bits). Really felt it in my chest which is still recovering from illness. I knew I was not going to be contending for any kind of record for mileage for this year's Janathon, just want to give my running the kick start it badly needs!

It is going to be a hard journey to my half marathon in April but I am pretty determined to at least try to get my goal of a 2hour half marathon PB. I had meant to reach that goal last year but injury thwarted that...3rd time lucky I hope!

Onward and upwards!

Stats:
distance: 2.3miles
time: 21mins
pathetic press ups: 10 (if half ones count?!)

Janathon Day 1: Starting as I don't mean to carry on

So, not the best start to the Janathon year...as usual, after waaaay to much fun (and wine) at hogmanay I'm starting Janathon with a horrendous hangover. All possibilities of actually running properly were non-existent by 3pm but I did manage to go for a very muddy walk with my mum through the woods at the back of the house - I even did a concessionary 400m run on the downhill bit. Even that was a struggle.

Trying to look non-hungovery and energetic

I do plan to do lots more proper running this month though. After a 2012 plagued with injury and illness (tendonitis, whooping cough, pleurisy and a variety of colds) I am determined to get back to proper fitness. My goals for this are the Rock 'n Roll Edinburgh half marathon in April, which last year I crossed, or rather limped, the finish line then spent the next month on crutches and the Tough Mudder in August, which will most definitely need some major training for.

Anyway, hope everyone has a fantastic Janathon. Look forward to readying as many blogs as I can and hope to chat with some of you on twitter :)


Stats:
distance: 1.2 (ish) (with about 400m of jogging)
time: 40 mins
horrendous hangovers: 1

Rock n Roll Edinburgh half marathon race report

finally - almost 2 weeks after the event...which I am still recovering from thanks to acute tendonitis:

This half-marathon was going to be my big one. Having done the Glasgow half-marathon twice, both times having suffered injuries and subsequent lost of training time and getting the same times of 2hours 15, I was determined this time to achieve a sub-2 hours. I had competed a full marathon last year and stayed injury free (though still managing to lose out to illness) and had a good training plan all ready and was sticking to it. 2 weeks before the big day I noticed soreness in my ankle but thought it was just routine tiredness from a 10k run, but it got worse. SO it was that I rolled up to the inaugural Edinburgh ‘Rock n Roll’ half-marathon with my ankle all taped up with fittingly goth-like kinesiology tape (winged skulls if you were wondering, no girly pink for me!!) and feeling more nervous than usual and not sure if I would get past mile 5 let alone finish.

I actually got off to a good start even managing around a 7mph pace and reached the 5km mark in 27 minutes. The sun was out and the music was suitably rock n roll. One of the draws of this event was the promise of local bands/DJs playing at every mile and I had left my iPod at home to enjoy the atmosphere – I wasn’t counting on running past the majority of the band stands when the bands were in-between songs – unlucky or what!!! At one of them the lead singer was ‘encouraging’ participants by shouting ‘run!’ and ‘faster’ I reciprocated by shouting back – ‘don’t shout, PLAY!’

Despite my good start the pain in my right ankle was starting to worsen by mile 7 and due to putting more weight on my other leg my left hip was beginning to ache severely. But I told myself – I am pretty much half-way, just the same again and I’m there! Popped two paracetamol and soldiered on! Unfortunately the second half of the run was harder – there were some tough hills which I could only walk through. The downhill was the worst and I was reduced to a pathetic limp. The crowd’s well-meaning shouts of ‘keep going – its downhill now!!’ were of no comfort at all but their encouragement really did help. Mile 8 was really hard – lots of downhill-uphill and the painkillers were not working and I had moments where I had to suppress tears.

I found I had to really concentrate on blanking out all thoughts of how far I still had to go and how much worse the pain would get (very difficult as it turned out!) The last 2 miles consisted off a long downhill stretch – coming down the mound into Princes Street – the very heart of Edinburgh. One other girl came to an abrupt stop with a cramp – I really felt for her being so near the end and having to surrender. I was determined not to.




Close-up I look very unhappy!

I limped past the finish line at 2hours 14 mins33 second, and broke down into tears…of pain, relief, amazement at actually finishing, and exhaustion.



Once I sat down, getting up turned out to be close to impossible and am even now walking with a crutch…I don’t regret running it when I really shouldn’t have. And perversely, despite the agony it was one of my best races. Runner are a strange bunch…I still plan on getting that sub 2 hour PB J 



Actually looking happy with my medal (my mum in the background!)