Tag: Running

Janathon day fifteen: Sooty

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Well I survived yesterday with the help of an emergency sandwich, which is somewhat better than the old days when I would rely on a post-beer refuelling of a bacon butty, roast chicken crisps, a mars bar and a can of full fat coke to see me return to action.

When I finished work at eight, I had to de-ice my car, the roads and pavements glittered with frost and I nearly fell on my arse several times whilst crossing the car park. There was a sense of inevitablility that I wouldn’t be getting out for a 6am run this morning. I didn’t even bother trying.

Today saw me get into a discussion with JogBlog debating the relative properties of fairy wands versus magician wands via the tangent of Sooty (I’ve storified the whole conversation here if you were lucky enough to miss it on twitter). This lead to the revelation that, not only had JogBlog gone to see The Sooty Show LIVE, but runningman856 had been backstage to shake Sooty by the paw.

Which reminded me of this rather wonderful (but slightly disturbing) song by Jay Foreman (who I saw supporting Dave Gorman last year).

And also Sooty and Sweep’s appearance on Radio Four’s Today programme, which was somewhat surreal when heard live on my way to work.

Tonight was a post-shopping 3 miler in the freezing cold.

 

Janathon day thirteen: frosty

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A cold and frosty morning required the incentive of breakfast to get me out on today’s run, which turned into a seven miler with Ginge.

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We abandoned the planned route in favour of a run of unknown length that took us through the fields that we had splashed through last weekend.

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Today they were a bit crunchier under foot (with the exception of several incidents where my heavy footedness took me through the ice accompanied by shrieks of “FREEZING MUD!!!”).

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The fields run alongside the M6, which gave the odd sensation of running along the hard shoulder (which I often think would be a brilliant thing to be able to do – although clearly illegal and stupid, so don’t go getting ideas).

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I got into a bit of a staring contest with these woolly lovelies. They won.

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My legs took a bit of time to find some kind of stride (but continued to complain bitterly) and weren’t happy to be reminded of the gentle but long and gruelling incline that I normally run the opposite way.

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We did see this al fresco ice bath, but I decided that it was neither the time nor the place to start experimenting with that kind of recovery programme…

SAM_2094All in all it was a fairly steady plod, although when I consulted Miles I was impressed to see that the final half mile was run a minute/mile faster than the rest – it’s amazing the effect that the promise of a sausage barmcake can have on my legs!

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Janathon day twelve: parkrun

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Forget the Bermuda triangle, forget the rhubarb triangle, I live in the middle of a parkrun triangle. You would have thought that means that I’m a regular Saturday morning parkrunner wouldn’t you? Well no. I have done three, two of which were during Athons and the third being to meet up with abradyus, an Athoner and parkrun tourist extraordinaire.

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I always think of Pennington as being my ‘home’ parkrun (because I have been twice and it’s near where I work so I can navigate there without thinking, whereas I always get lost in Bolton). Twitter had told me that as usual all of the cool kids were running a parkrun this morning, so it seemed a good a time as any to add on the third point of my triangle – Preston; Avenham Park to be precise. Preston also fitted nicely with our plans for the day, so poor Ginge was forced out of bed at an unreasonable hour in order to act as driver and photographer. Sorry Ginge.

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All of the three local parkruns involve a hill of some sort – Preston’s is a short, steep one at the start of each lap, the course then meanders downhill, under the railway, tantalisingly close to a pub with very good beer and alongside the River Ribble (across which blew a chilly wind) – repeat x 3. Or as I described it to JogBlog (who, along with I Like to Count, has lost her parkrun virginity at Whitstable this morning) “Mine was flat STEEP HILL gentle downhill flat flat STEEP HILL gentle downhill flat flat STEEP HILL gentle downhill flat”.

Hill - my elbow to left of shot

Hill – my elbow to left of shot

Despite the hill, I really enjoyed it and Pennington now has a fierce competitor for my annual affections.

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Janathon day ten: stretched

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Regular readers may remember that Wednesday night is yoga night. I’ve never used yoga as an Athon activity because it feels like cheating seeing as I normally do it anyway (having said that, it’s nice to have in the bag for an emergency) but recently I’ve had to have a few months off because work was getting in the way of life again.

I would love to pass myself off as a swishy-haired, glossy looking, serene yoga bunny, but too many people have met me for me to be able to get away with that. Wednesday nights currently see me in emergency yoga kit (an old pair of running tights and a Carter USM t-shirt) after I discovered (five minutes before going back to my first class, of course) that my usual leggings had thinned somewhat and my downward facing dog was showing off a clear outline of Marks and Sparks’ finest…

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There were two weeks back on the mat before Christmas and last night was the first session after a two-week festive break.  I was hoping for a chance to give my poor Janathon-worn legs a lovely relaxing stretch. Fat chance. Our teacher went back to basics with form and posture and what I actually got was a really good strong leg session; I have spent today increasingly feeling like someone has set about my thighs with a lump hammer.

When I was putting on my warm layers for our nap at the end relaxation, I realised that running every day during Janathon is taking its toll. Nothing to do with sore limbs, merely the fact that I checked my socks for L and R as I put them on…

Anyway, that was yesterday. Today’s run had the promise of company, only for vanity to snatch that promise away (Ginge forgot that he was off to have his hair cut). My routes around the village are wearing a bit thin so we came up with an idea to vary things a little. A bit like the shop and drop of the other night, this time Ginge drove off into town while I ran after him (I couldn’t keep up) – in competition with JogBlog’s punning today, he has christened this a ‘Cass and carry’.

Janathon day eight: efficient

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I am a natural born procrastinator. I am easily distrac….ooh, look pigeons…. Sorry, distracted. I will always find something to do that isn’t the thing that I’m supposed to be doing and running is no exception this. I’ve accepted that there has to be a minimum of 20-30 minutes between getting up and going for an early run (but that’s more, ahem, intestinal than anything) but later runs can take hours to actually happen. Janathon is an enabler in all there as there is always someone to tweet or a blog to read and I can pass off “faffing around on my phone” as camaraderie and offering peer support.

Tonight I was determined not to get caught by the faff monster. Home 10 minutes early, I followed JogBlog’s 3G Mantra(TM) and I was changed and ready to go by half five. Once again I was joined by Ginge opening up a whole world of not-safe-for-ladies-on-their-own routes, this time one that took us down deserted alleyways and lonely unlit paths. Unfortunately we only have one set of hi-vis so himself wore it and ran alongside me like a ginger guide dog. It was a 4.5ish mile loop that was rounded up to 5 with a little add on at the end. The first couple of miles felt harder (and were slower) than the last two runs I have done – my legs are definitely feeling the effects of Janathon at the moment.

When I got home I was checking twitter (obviously) and spotted that abradypus had posted “If I’d gone for a run when I first mentioned it, I’d be home showered and tucked up on the sofa again by now” which is pretty much one of my favourite running quotes that I’ve seen on twitter (I forget who I should hat tip for this photo – if it’s you, tell me for full credit!). This should be my mantra….

It's true. It really is. I still ignore it most of the time mind.

It’s true. It really is. I still ignore it most of the time mind.