Well, that felt like my first really proper winter run. It was barely above freezing and it was actually snowing!! I had planned to go to the gym today but I don't really like the gym unless its for a proper class. I find the treadmill/bikes/cross-trainer extremely tedious and really struggle through a proper session. I also wanted to get my exercise over and done with today and the gym doesn't open til 10a m (I was up rather early). In my head the outside run was the lazy option. Going to the gym means packing a bag, putting on coat, walking to gym, coat off, onto machines, trying to do more than 5mins on treadmill and repeat for return journey home. In my head, that sounds like a lot of hassle. Getting in the car, driving 2 miles and running outside in the snow, to my mind, seemed simpler. Overall probably not but that's my mind for you...
Was surprisingly busy for 9:30am in Portobello on a very grey Sunday but I suppose dogs need their exercise too. I like this run as it is nice an flat - I would normally do it from my flat but that would be about a 6-7mile run there and back and I'm far from being ready to do that mileage so it was a 5km out and back run. I found the return journey hard and struggled to not slow down to a walk. I didn't but my pace went down from around 6.6 to 5.8. Finding it quite frustrating slowly getting my fitness back. My mum says I'm doing well to get from doing 1mile with difficulty to 4.5 in a few weeks but all I can do is remember how easy it was about 9 months ago. Just need to be less hard on myself I suppose.
I was going to post a rare photo but the upload thing isn't working...it was one of the beach with a dog on it. It wasn't very good. It makes Portobello look rather grim and it isn't.
stats:
distance: 3.1miles
time: 29mins8secs
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Day 12: how not to be a stylish runner
Brrrrr...its gone all cold and wintry again, but here in Edinburgh it was actually rather beautifully sunny (though as I type, the nasty clouds are starting to take over again). Still getting out the door about 11am I still managed to catch some of the sun. But it was freezing so all my winter-themed running gear came out. Now, I have quite a bit of gym/running related clothes but I never seem to look that good, especially not in winter.
I would love it if I could run all in black all the time - it took me a while to find decently priced black trainers - but I also like a bargain so my exercisy clothes come in various colours that appear in the sales. In winter I also tend to layer up things. This ends up with a colour clashing problem. Today for instance I had on black Nike tights on with pink panels (you generally can't avoid pink women's running gear, especially in the discounted sections), a purple long-sleeved Karimoor running top and an old System of a Down T-shirt that had red writing on the front, which clashed rather badly with both the pink and the purple, and to round it all off some e-gloves with neon green bits on them. The catwalk was definitely not calling me. But hey, its not how you look that counts (thankfully) its the running part and I've had a pretty good couple of days. Still having to walk in places, especially up hills but in total today and yesterday I have mustered about 9miles.
Stats!:
distance: 4.6miles
time: 46mins 55secs
clashing running outfit: 1
I would love it if I could run all in black all the time - it took me a while to find decently priced black trainers - but I also like a bargain so my exercisy clothes come in various colours that appear in the sales. In winter I also tend to layer up things. This ends up with a colour clashing problem. Today for instance I had on black Nike tights on with pink panels (you generally can't avoid pink women's running gear, especially in the discounted sections), a purple long-sleeved Karimoor running top and an old System of a Down T-shirt that had red writing on the front, which clashed rather badly with both the pink and the purple, and to round it all off some e-gloves with neon green bits on them. The catwalk was definitely not calling me. But hey, its not how you look that counts (thankfully) its the running part and I've had a pretty good couple of days. Still having to walk in places, especially up hills but in total today and yesterday I have mustered about 9miles.
Stats!:
distance: 4.6miles
time: 46mins 55secs
clashing running outfit: 1
Friday, 11 January 2013
Day 11: TFIF!!
Well, don't know about you but sooo glad its Friday...It's been a loooong week being the first week back to work, which mainly consisted of me chasing people for project updates and them ignoring me. Not that I have much to look forward to this weekend other than resisting the temptations of wine-drinking, running and some reading of Anna Karenina. I could be going to an 'alternative' club night but really want to try for a quiet one and focus on my healthy goals.
Friday night running and was pretty impressed that I managed just over 4 miles. I had the usual 'urrrgh...really can't be bothered' Friday feeling but once I got out felt good. A rather uneventful run around the meadows except for some hoodie 'yoofs' getting rather dramatically picked up by the police. Not sure what they were doing that warranted the OTT arrival of 2 police van but the guy (who looked about 15) look rather pleased with himself in his own 'I-have-half-a-brain' way.
Anyway, its Friday so I have TV to slob in front of (Avengers Assemble DVD just arrived from Love Film!).
Stats:
distance: 4.2 miles
time: 42mins
Friday night running and was pretty impressed that I managed just over 4 miles. I had the usual 'urrrgh...really can't be bothered' Friday feeling but once I got out felt good. A rather uneventful run around the meadows except for some hoodie 'yoofs' getting rather dramatically picked up by the police. Not sure what they were doing that warranted the OTT arrival of 2 police van but the guy (who looked about 15) look rather pleased with himself in his own 'I-have-half-a-brain' way.
Anyway, its Friday so I have TV to slob in front of (Avengers Assemble DVD just arrived from Love Film!).
Stats:
distance: 4.2 miles
time: 42mins
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Day 10: Too tyre-d to run
Blame JogBlog for the rubbish pun in the title :) I wasn't particularly tired really but the weather was cold and drizzly and just couldn't face running in it. My ankle is also feeling a little sore again so a day off the running is probably sensible. And once again I needed to go to the supermarket as after cat-sitting for my parent, I am back at my bare-cupboard flat. So a bike-ride it was. It also meant that I could try out my expensive new catseye bike light. It is VERY bright so does the job though still think £30 for one light is pretty expensive.
It was a fairly quick, easy bike ride through the park to Morrisons and very uneventful. You will also be pleased to know that I managed to resist the temptations of the crisps isle and limited myself to very healthy food. Was still a struggle to fit it all in my rucksack, forgetting I still needed to fit in my rather heavy bike lock.
Hopefully back the the running and pun-free blog titles tomorrow.
Stats:
distance: 4miles
time: 15mins (ish) - I forgot to take note of the time so its an estimate
bad puns: 1
It was a fairly quick, easy bike ride through the park to Morrisons and very uneventful. You will also be pleased to know that I managed to resist the temptations of the crisps isle and limited myself to very healthy food. Was still a struggle to fit it all in my rucksack, forgetting I still needed to fit in my rather heavy bike lock.
Hopefully back the the running and pun-free blog titles tomorrow.
Stats:
distance: 4miles
time: 15mins (ish) - I forgot to take note of the time so its an estimate
bad puns: 1
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
Day 9: back to running with (or behind anyway) the boyss
I’m back running with the boys again....which translates as
our running collective has started up at work again, and since one of the only
other girls to regularly come along has moved offices, I have become the sole
regular lady-runner.
As I predicted post-last night’s yoga class a variety of muscles hurt so was actually looking forward to easing them off with a run at lunchtime. Was heartened to get a email say that as it was our first outing after the xmas break that it would be an easy run....liars. As it was the regular more seasoned runners (I don’t include myself in that category at the moment) that turned up we ended up doing a fairly non-gentle run up along to the Pentland hills. Yes, this meant even more hills, with me struggling to keep up with the boys. Don’t worry though, they did wait for me at the top. There was also a very muddy bit along back to the road, didn’t’ want to fall and damage myself with early on in Janathon so once again fell behind. Need to get myself some trail shoes methinks!
On the up side, it was a lovely sunny day and the views
around the Pentlands are rather nice. It was also great to be running in the
daylight again.
End note: JogBlog kindly mentioned that having tried to read my
blog she couldn’t get past a splash screen asking to take part in a survey…if
anyone has similar issues, can you let me know and I will compose a disgruntled
email to the powers-that-be.
Stats!
distance: 2.6miles
distance: 2.6miles
time: 28mins
sole lady-runners: 1 (obviously, though some may dispute the
title of‘lady’ for me.
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Day 8: yoga 'n' all that hippie shit
Not really. I don't think yoga is hippie at all, though I do think a few hippies are into it (I have nothing against hippies by the way, just saying...have even been called one in my time...'hippiegoth' to be precise...but, I digress...
Today's post is a little rushed as I have Yoga in about 30 mins and I really wanted to go for a run after work as well, as yoga can't really be classed as exercise (though I may eat my words when my muscles hurt to buggery tomorrow!). So anyway, in between running, showering and yoga-ing, I am trying to cram in logging, blogging, twittering and facebooking...phew!!
I also realllly wanted to try and get more that 2-something miles in so I managed 3 and no more. Unfortunately to reach my 3 miles I had to run up more bloody hills. But thanks to 'get your ass up there' song of the day Korn's 'Here to Stay', and especially the 'Gonna break it down, gonna break it down bit, I managed to get to the top of the hill without stopping - Yay me!! Thankfully, as right at the top my iTunes playlist came to an end.
As does this blog. Sorry for any non-sensical sentences, and typos...no time for spell-checking/proof-reading!!
Stats:
distance: 3.08miles (round that up to 3.1 for tidyness)
time: 31mins 31 secs
yoga-related sore muscles tomorrow: lots
Today's post is a little rushed as I have Yoga in about 30 mins and I really wanted to go for a run after work as well, as yoga can't really be classed as exercise (though I may eat my words when my muscles hurt to buggery tomorrow!). So anyway, in between running, showering and yoga-ing, I am trying to cram in logging, blogging, twittering and facebooking...phew!!
I also realllly wanted to try and get more that 2-something miles in so I managed 3 and no more. Unfortunately to reach my 3 miles I had to run up more bloody hills. But thanks to 'get your ass up there' song of the day Korn's 'Here to Stay', and especially the 'Gonna break it down, gonna break it down bit, I managed to get to the top of the hill without stopping - Yay me!! Thankfully, as right at the top my iTunes playlist came to an end.
As does this blog. Sorry for any non-sensical sentences, and typos...no time for spell-checking/proof-reading!!
Stats:
distance: 3.08miles (round that up to 3.1 for tidyness)
time: 31mins 31 secs
yoga-related sore muscles tomorrow: lots
Monday, 7 January 2013
Day 7: Grocery shopping and running don't really mix
Urrrgh. First day back at work - Yuck. But first full week of Janathon successfully completed - YAY!
As I was back at work today, it was the first run to be done in the dark (and cold and wet). There was no danger in me running before work as just getting to make the half mile walk to the office was struggle enough. So a post work jaunt was on the books.
When I got home, I was in a dilemma - I also needed to go to the supermarket for a few things, I was also hungry. My first inclination was to do a short run then drive to Morrison. But this would have meant running, showering, then going out again. Idea!! I could run TO the shops with backpack and run back with groceries. Two birds, one stone and no rush hour traffic. It would mean running a tiny bit further than I had planned and running with a backpack of groceries which didn't appeal, and I would have to do my shopping slightly sweaty and red faced... BUT it meant it would be quicker in the end and being lazy by nature, the quicker I could get back to sitting on the sofa is always good.
Getting there was fine - the tricky bit was the return journey. I probably got more than I envisaged so my backpack was rather heavy and once I started upping the pace, discovered my bag sounded like an over-sized maraca. Think it was the big bag of crisps (healthy eating plan starts tomorrow, honest!!), so felt ridiculous every time I passed another pedestrian. Didn't stop a tourist asking me for directions and despite growing up in the area I still wasn't 100% sure, so there might be a random Chinese person wandering the outskirts of Edinburgh.
Anyway, made it home without collapsing under the weight of not entirely unhealthy groceries.
Bring on Week 2!!
Stats!
Distance: 2.6miles
time: 26mins
Lost Chinese tourists: 1
As I was back at work today, it was the first run to be done in the dark (and cold and wet). There was no danger in me running before work as just getting to make the half mile walk to the office was struggle enough. So a post work jaunt was on the books.
When I got home, I was in a dilemma - I also needed to go to the supermarket for a few things, I was also hungry. My first inclination was to do a short run then drive to Morrison. But this would have meant running, showering, then going out again. Idea!! I could run TO the shops with backpack and run back with groceries. Two birds, one stone and no rush hour traffic. It would mean running a tiny bit further than I had planned and running with a backpack of groceries which didn't appeal, and I would have to do my shopping slightly sweaty and red faced... BUT it meant it would be quicker in the end and being lazy by nature, the quicker I could get back to sitting on the sofa is always good.
Getting there was fine - the tricky bit was the return journey. I probably got more than I envisaged so my backpack was rather heavy and once I started upping the pace, discovered my bag sounded like an over-sized maraca. Think it was the big bag of crisps (healthy eating plan starts tomorrow, honest!!), so felt ridiculous every time I passed another pedestrian. Didn't stop a tourist asking me for directions and despite growing up in the area I still wasn't 100% sure, so there might be a random Chinese person wandering the outskirts of Edinburgh.
Anyway, made it home without collapsing under the weight of not entirely unhealthy groceries.
Bring on Week 2!!
Stats!
Distance: 2.6miles
time: 26mins
Lost Chinese tourists: 1
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