Eaton Park efforts

10 x 1 min / 1 min around Eaton Park. Andy, Anita and Lorraine did 12 or 13, but I'd had enough. Cold and dreary, but as always, glad I went out. I do feel quite tired and slow at the moment, but that's not going to change unless I get out there.

Hard going

Earlham Rd - Waterworks Road - Drayton Rd - Grapes Hill - Avenues: just over 6 miles, 58:40 by Lorraine's watch. Tough going all the way :(

Tri-anglia 10k #2

A repeat of last time's triumph would have been nice, but I added 5 minutes (!!) on to my time. The riverside parts of the route were sticky/slippery with mud and it just wasn't worth breaking/spraining something or drowning! 58:22. Still glad I got out for a run though.

Quick swim

Could just about squeeze 30 minutes in, so I spent the time concentrating on a "proper" arm stroke - quite a difference, having a spacious, calm Sportspark lane to myself, compared to Wednesday! It's making a lot more sense now, although I still have to concentrate on each stroke (and, occasionally, remember to breathe) but it feels strong so I'm much more encouraged now.

Guardian Road hills

15 mins each way out and back, then 4 reps each of Winchcomb, Wheatley and Guardian Roads. Because I'm slow, I only did 3 reps on the last one. The fact it was raining may have had something to do with it too... good session though. And I wore thin socks (1000 Mile Tri) and my feet didn't hurt!

Unlearning

Swimming was going reasonably well - apart from the pool temperature (32C - should have brought a rubber duck and some bubble bath) - until Kerry informed me that my arm stroke is all wrong. I keep my arm straight on the pull, and I should be bending it so that I can exert more force all the way through (a straight arm is not pulling much after 90 degrees). So I tried... wow. It's so difficult to unlearn something that is completely habitual, and I was swimming like a snail (can snails swim?) trying to get to grips with it. Nothing else for it but a practice at the SportsPark on Friday. Tonight's session was:

400m warm up
50m of 6 x L arm, 6 x R arm, 6/remainder x full stroke
50m kick
Repeat x 4; 20s rest after each 50

25m "normal"
25m "fast"
25m "faster"
25m recovery
Repeat x 4; 40s rest after each 100

cool down

Crap run

Out with the back of the Tuesday group, another Dereham Road route, this time with the added delights of Bowthorpe. Between my shoes giving me grief and Marie's new orthotics, plus the need for a loo stop at the pub at the Norwich Road junction, we both had a rubbish run. For me, it was an effort all the way, and after we started walking (Bowthorpe Rd/Guardian Rd) we didn't really run again. And I got cramp in my calves while walking. My new shoes are ladies', while the last pairs have been men's (all Saucony Triumphs and size 8 though), and I could feel them a bit tight around the side of my foot above the arch, mostly on the inside of the right foot. Hopefully it can be cured by swapping the thick socks I had on tonight for some thinner ones - if not I wasted £80 :(

Back to it this week... really...

4 miles ish with the improvers, a Dereham Road route. A few vocal chavs out, ignoring them seemed to work though. Not sure my new shoes are 100% - hopefully they will break in well, and soon.

This week I'm going to get back into the old routine:

Mon - short run
Tue - longer run
Wed - swim
Thu - efforts
Fri - swim or gym
Sat - working at FD
Sun - Tri-Anglia 10k

Excuses, excuses

Tuesday - no long run, recovering from Hereward.
Wednesday - no swim, clearing the lounge for electrical work on Friday.
Thursday - too busy at work to run at lunchtime; gave blood in evening.
Friday - too busy/knackered to run at work.
Sat & Sun - helping with the Half Marathon. But I did buy some new shoes...


The colour is listed as "white/frosted almond" - hmmm.
Sadly there was no choice! Still, they'll be "grey/mud" before long.

Begginers' "graduation"

Aim: 30 mins or 3 miles non-stop. We did this route around South Park and Christchurch; I ran at the back with (a different) Hannah, coming back from a nasty chest infection so she had to walk a bit but she still did really well. Good luck to her for the Race for Each 5k at the weekend.

Onward and Hereward

Hereward Relay: leg 2, Whittlesey to March, 11.6 miles, 1:46:45, 9:12 per mile. Tough going underfoot in places, lots of mud and rough ground, although some good stretches of road in the middle. I'd probably do it again now I know what to expect!

Stage 2 results (118th of 127)
Overall (last, but someone's got to be!)

Posh tea and a bike ride

Out to the old stomping ground, Hingham, with Marie and Kate and Clare, where we splashed out on tea in Lincoln's cafe instead of a 50p cake from the bakery. Yum!

Out: 17 miles, 1:14, 13.6 mph
Back: 14.5 miles, 0:56, 15.6 mph

Faster on the way back thanks to (a) being warmed up, (b) consuming cake, or (c) wanting to get home before it rained any more?

Such an effort

Over to Eaton (too close to home) for hill efforts tonight, 3 on the start of Ebbisham Drive, and another 6 on Buckland Rise. The running wasn't too bad, but the squealing of someone's ultrasonic pest repellent was pretty grim.

Swim

Not bad, not exactly swimming like a fish, but getting better. No cramp, just a little tiny twinge.