Hello, it's me!

Hello, it's been a while!

A lot has happened and changed in the last twelve months, and I think I ended up running slightly obsessively to cope! Which, ultimately ended up in me becoming completely burnt out. Twice. 

Once you can forgive, but twice, surely that's just stupid! 

I run to manage my stress levels, the more stress, the more I run. Until I break, and I can run no more. Then I become a tired, miserable, lump. Moping on the sofa. Fed up, because not only do I lack the energy to run, I also lack the energy to do anything other than go to work, eat and sleep. Totally convinced it's all everyone else's fault, and absolutely nothing to do with my inability S-L-O-W down. 

I'm sorry Mr Runner. I promise I'll try super hard not to do it again...

So I had to hang my trainers up for a little bit. Accept defeat, and allow my body the chance to recover. 

Before getting my trainers back out again, and trying not to be so silly next time! Fingers crossed....

Congratulations to me!

Miles I ran this week: 19.3 (tapering!)

Wine I have drunk: 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷😋 

Today I managed to knock 5 minutes and 26 seconds off my 10 km PB. Wooo! Go me! 

I've been waking up at 6am every morning for the last 3 months to go running, and averaging about 30 miles a week. I've worked so hard, so I'm over the moon to see my hard work pay off, and now i'm enjoying a nice glass of wine to celebrate 😊. Probably followed by a ridiculously early night, as I'm shattered. 

The last few months have been stupidly busy, and the only way I've been able to fit my training in is to get up early. However, I've discovered that this also has it's advantages. I can get up, put my kit and trainers on, and be out the door in 9 minutes. Which means that I don't really wake up until I'm half way down the road! Once I'm out, I don't see the point in talking myself out of it, so I've found it much easier to stick to my training plan this time round! 

Not that I haven't had my adventures; being chased by teenagers on bikes, cat calling me; falling my length miles away from home, calling Mr Runner in tears, and having to limp my way on to a train to get back; and running circles around Battersea for miles, because I have a crap sense of direction! All stories for another time I think! 

Next week, another 10km, this time along the coast in Aberdeen. Will it be another PB? Can I manage two 10km races in two weekends? Who knows. Right now I am celebrating this weekends achievement, so pass me the wine!  

2nd March 2017

Glasses of wine consumed: More than I should have....

Miles run: 10

My parents have been down for the last few days, and Mr Runner saw this as an excellent opportunity to need to go to New York for an urgent business trip. As my parents left yesterday, and I'd booked this whole week off as holiday, I realised I was going to have to occupy myself today. So I decided the best plan would be to get the train to Richmond and run home along the Thames Path. It's something I've always wanted to do, but when Mr Runner is home, I'm always conscious about being out of the house for as little time as possible, so I figured today was a perfect opportunity. 

The last time I ran 10 miles, I was pretty confident it was the perfect distance for me. So I was sure that this would be a lovely way to spend the morning. 

So what if I haven't run more than 5km since October.

The sun is shining, it'll be really nice. 

Nope. 

It was exhausting. I spent the last 3 miles distracting myself from my screaming muscles and dragged myself onwards by playing Pokemon. Yes. I was that desperate. 

When I got home I had a really long nap on the sofa, and felt slightly guilty that all the wedding organising and other jobs I was going to productively get done hadn't been touched...but then maybe that was my secret plan all along! 

Tomorrow is another day! 

4th December 2016

Number of miles run: 5

Tantrums thrown: 3 (not all by me)

I wasn't going to write about wedding planning. It's too risky, too many of the parties involved may read it. However, I'm at a point now where I don't care if nobody wants me round for Christmas. It'll save me money on presents.

Getting engaged is supposed to be one of the happiest times of your life. It's exciting, it's new, and you're disgustingly in love. Now it's happened to me, I've realised that that is a complete fantasy portrayed by the media and Disney. Either that, or everyone else in the world has sane, functioning families who appreciate that you are a grown up and able to make sensible decisions. 

My wedding planning is becoming some sort of ridiculous sitcom, only I'm the protagonist and I'm not finding it very funny. 

My mother in law would like to be a bridesmaid.

My father believes its his wedding, and is insisting I invite all 60 of his closest friends. 

My mother is being strangely silent on the whole subject, except for occasionally high pitched hysterical screeching in the background of phone calls with my father. However, I fear she is the brains behind my father's ridiculous demands.

While this is going on I suspect that my father in law is sitting back, watching the whole thing unfold and being slightly amused, and Mr Runner is playing Xbox. 

The icing on the cake was when my father called last Sunday wanting to know why the whole thing hasn't been booked and planned yet. We've only got 11 months and 2 weeks to go you know. 

The harder he pushes, the harder I am trying to run away. Which only makes him push harder to get things done. It's like I become a stubborn 14 year old all over again, and it's an argument about eating my peas. I resolved that one by running in to the middle of the street with no shoes on, in the rain, and threatened to call ChildLine, very loudly so that the whole street could hear. I didn't have to eat my peas that night. I fear a similar strategy isn't going to work here though. 

I get he's excited, and wants to show off. I'm just not sure I'm there yet. 

So instead, I'm going to sign up to run the Yorkshire Marathon in October next year so I can be too busy training. It's exactly one month before the wedding, so I feel it's an excellent avoidance/coping strategy.

27th November 2016

Miles run: 3.5

Boxes of tissues used: 2

Lemsips consumed: All of Them!

Urgh. The last few days I've been struck down in my prime with a nasty case of The Cold. Unable to leave my bed. Dying alone while Mr Runner fixed his motorbike. 

Luckily I woke up today feeling slightly more perky and went out for a short, but slow, run around the common. It was beautiful, all the trees with autumnal leaves, and not too chilly. 

Mr Runner however, has now developed Manbola. His Manbola is much worse than my Cold, much more debilitating, and his situation is far more dangerous. He may never be able to leave the sofa again. Plus it's all my fault. Apparently next time I'm ill, I'm being quarantined to Scotland, so he can't catch my germs. 

He wasn't very happy with me this morning, when I abandoned him to meet up with my friends for a run...

23rd November 2016

Nike Training Club Workout: Complete

Days without wine: 1

Urgh. I think I'm coming down with a cold!

In a fit of inspiration I decided to sign up to a "get fitter" training plan on Nike Run Club. I assumed that this would be a running training plan, however,  as I'm a self-proclaimed pro-runner now (I'm contemplating running a marathon you know) Nike decided I needed to do strength and conditioning workouts as well in order to get stronger and faster. Today's efforts involved lots of lunges, planks and burpees, which I completed not so enthusiastically in my pants* in front of an episode of The Crown. 

I have no idea how these workouts are supposed to help. I have no muscles, other than those in my legs, and so I spent most of the 30 minute workout lying on the floor, after my arms/core/bum muscles protested, and collapsed under me. I'm not sure I will ever be able to walk or laugh ever again. 

Stupid enthusiasm. 

Off to soak my tired muscles in the bath. 

*I'm at home, on my own, I'm not going to dirty more running kit unnecessarily! I don't need any more washing!

22nd November 2016

Number of glasses of wine consumed: Many

Number of miles run: 0

It's been a while. Getting engaged, followed my a new job, and then becoming horribly ill have got in the way of updating my blog. As has down right laziness! 

I completed the Amsterdam Half Marathon over a month ago. In the run up to the race I ended up with a chest infection, and 10 days before the race I could barely run for a bus, let alone run 13.1 miles! 

However, I managed it. In my slowest time ever, but I managed it. 

The race was amazing, and the atmosphere was fantastic, so I'm not too fussed about my shitty time. 

As well as being unwell in the run up to the race so my training plan went out of the window, I also managed to make a number of strategic errors.

1. I decided I was really thirsty just after I got in my starting pen, so ran the first 5km really fast, as I was desperate for a drink at the first aid station. 

2. The consequence of mistake number 1, was that I then ended up very tired and had a horrible stitch. Although that could also have been a warning sign for error number 3. 

3. Disaster stuck. 5 miles in I decided I needed a poo.

I eyed up every portaloo for the next 8 miles, trying to decide whether I should risk it or not. But I couldn't face it, and I was certainly not going to pull a Paula Radcliffe, and just squat in the street. So I kept going. Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, and trying to ignore every other sensation in my body. 

I made it through the finish line, and then had to just carry on running straight to my hotel. Much to the shock of Mr Runner, who was waiting for me at the end with another friend.

However, once I had been safely deposited at the hotel, and had found the toilet, I heard how they had enjoyed tracking me round the course on a handy app, while they sampled the local beer. Mr Runner enjoyed this immensely, and proceeded to enjoy the tour round the Carlsberg factory while I was having a post race nap. I was informed that I could do any race I wanted in the future as long as it involved a beer tent, at a minimum, for him. 

Since my adventure in Amsterdam I've not done very much running. I've popped out for the odd 3 miles round the block, telling myself it's all recovery, but I think I'm at a point now where there isn't an awful lot more recovery to do. So it's time to find a new goal to work towards, and I've heard a rumour that the Loch Ness Marathon is pretty good, just waiting for Mr Runner's approval...