Friday, October 31, 2008

Back in the pool

Being unable to walk yesterday, and having a cold coming on, I stuck with the Conac plan of envelope stuffing and failed to go for an alternative run. Today it was back to normal with a lunchtime swim with Jenna. Warm up, then 10 x 25m on 35s, and 10 x 100m on 70s, and a bit of a cool down.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Setting the tone

Having a full evening and free lunchtime, I went back to aerobics for the first time in ages. "Yogalates" or "Legs Bums & Tums" on offer - I chose the latter. Feeling OK at the moment but I have the feeling I may pay tomorrow!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Getting chilly

Had a rest day yesterday - that and went to the beer festival :)

Tonight was a club run but as I had to run home (no bike lights, duh) I parted company with them at Trinity St and cut back along Unthank. Distance was 9.8km / 6 miles and I finished in 55:30 (9:15/mile). I probably sped up a bit when I was on my own, and had a strong finish up Church Lane and to home.

It's getting really chilly, was threatening to rain (and likely to turn to snow if it does), but I think the rest of the country is supposed to get it worse than us.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Grey 10k

Today's 10k in Great Yarmouth was grey, in terms of my performance and in terms of the weather and surroundings. It used to be (I think) the Promenade 10k - at least, that's the 10k run I have done in Yarmouth before. That was maybe somewhat dull in that it was a 2-lap course, but while running through the industrial wasteland of the dock area today, I kind of missed the smell of donuts and the random wandering pedestrians.

I was gunning for a PB - totally up for it, having scored 52:22 last week at Whitlingham. Surely the lack of hills and off-road sections would see me beat 51:49? I went out pretty well, but after 4km couldn't sustain the pace I had set myself. After that I had patches where I felt OK, but patches where I just had nothing. My legs might as well have been in a different time zone. Came over the line in 53:09. Hmph.

Splits: 5:15 5:00 5:04 5:02 5:22 5:40 5:18 5:34 5.30 5.21

The best thing I can take home is that at least I went out on target pace, and held that for 4k. That and the "interesting" ceramic medal... :)

Edit: I lied. Turns out I also ended up with £15 for my part in the second-placed Senior Ladies team! So that's paid for my pub lunch :)

Friday, October 24, 2008

Lapsed again

Not on the training, but definitely on the blog! So, another one of those quick summary posts, and then back to normal.

Over a month to cover - eek.

Time out: the Round Norfolk Relay weekend (20/21 Sept), during which my support team and I (as team manager) saw the CoNAC ladies' team round the 17 stages/198 miles in 24h31:42, lopping 21 minutes off the ladies' record and claiming 7 stage wins including 4 new stage records. Well done team!

Then 10 days' holiday in Devon. Took the running gear, but... well, there were hills! To a girl who runs in Norfolk, it might as well have been the Alps! So did a bit of walking and a lot of eating and drinking instead.

Since then:

Running is going well. I'm getting quicker and feeling more comfortable. Most immediate goal is the Yarmouth 10k this Sunday, and then getting up to 10 miles ready for the Hereward Relay in November. Did a Tri-Anglia 10k last weekend (first of the club series) and got in at 52:22. Yarmouth is flatter and on-road, so maybe I could be looking at a new PB...

Cycling has taken a bit of a back seat - actually I haven't been on the bike since Waveney. I need to rectify that but am finding it hard to get together with anyone at the weekends (and I am rubbish at cycling on my own!).

Swimming is OK but I have given up the evening sessions after a couple of bouts of really painful cramp (as in can't move, almost crying with pain!). I'm still getting at least one daytime swim in on a Friday and need to get in another, maybe Tues or Sat.