Theresas training

Well, ok then, didn't quite manage to keep up the good intentions of writing in my diary more regularly. Brian went away for a week so I filled my social calendar up and then because the computer wasn't on 24/7 I couldn't be bothered writing.....
Anyway Steve (previously nice man from Musselburgh, now not sure about the "nice" and running for Dunbar) told me I needed to spice up my diary a bit - not sure he gets the point that this is my TRAINING diary - not putting the juicy stuff in here............

Lots of running - again....

13 June - Wednesday. Sheila,Val and I set out from Belhaven to run along the Tyne to Haddington for some tea. Some of you might ask why not just drive but that's not so much fun, and you def can't eat as much on arrival without burning some calories first. Val showed us the crossing of the Tyne from the race on Saturday - doesn't look much fun to me - imagine steep slop upwards of well worn path, that looks like quite slippy mud, where you could be running hard to get to the top, slip, fall flat on your face and slip back down towards the river. Shame for any runners behind you at that point....anyway think I will remain in the support crew for that race. It was a hard run to Haddington - you can always tell a hard run as you'd rather sleep after than eat (which as you'll know is very bizarre for me&Sheila - none of us could finish our main course!) Fantastic food as ever at Poldrates.

14 June - Thursday. Madness of Portabello 4 mile race. Weather was like a winter day - raining and very windy along the prom. Pleased with my time though (and obviously - a pb - first race of that distance). Bet Sheila - but not by much - 22 seconds or something. I ran 33.48 which was less than 8min30sec miles so good enough for me. Fiona is my new best friend - she swapped a banana for a mars bar - mad - a mars bar is worth way more than a banana. Good to see her out running again, after the terrible chest infection.

17 June - Sunday. Learnt a few things today.
1. don't run the day after you've been out on a hen night.
2. drink plenty of water on the day before and on the day of the race - more if you are on a hen night and also rushing around before the hen night trying to find something suitable to wear and failing miserably.
3. get more sleep than about 3 hours - probably something to do with the very drunken hens arriving back with their nutritious snacks (aka chips and curry sauce) at 3.am.
4. running in muggy heat is crap (ok so I already knew this)
5. if you are going out the day before (not necessarily just on hen nights) with a lot of meat eaters, and you are a veggie, take some spare carbohydrate snacks to ensure you are not starving and are fuelled appropriately for the race.
My stomach was actually rumbling at then end (again unusual for me...............)

19 June - ELSS race 2 at Musselburgh. Steve back from his honeymoon - seems to be very cheeky following getting married (or maybe just because he was out with a whole lot of women and his wife was back at home..........)
Hoping the run was longer than last years otherwise I'm in big big trouble - almost running backwards in comparison.
For some reason I told Sheila where to buy her trainers cheap so she was really bouncing along in her new ones. She went wooshing past (like a wotsit) just before the 4km point - seems like she's figured out the whole point to racing is actually to run fast. Damn.
Stuart's birthday so Dunbar club sang to him in the "Levenhall Arms" and Anne provided yummy chocolate cake. Sheila was probably right though when she said our singing was even worse than our running....

21 June - meant to be at intervals. But thought, been doing a lot of short/fastist running sessions recently. Really need to run slowly. So headed out through John Muir Country Park. So hazy couldn't even see the sea....

22 June - went out for further slow trot with Sheila. Round John Muir again - still hazy.

Sheila is busy trialling a new breathable shorts method - although think it would be best if she just bought some new ones or got out her needle and thread. Don't ask her to show you...........

Other exciting facts not very forthcoming at the moment - will need to think of something interesting for the next installment.

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I guess I've been bad at updating again. No wonder. All this running, so little time. Better take a tip from Stuart and just update more regularly (although not daily) rather than less regularly. (oh yeah and will only take a tip from Stuart re how reg to update blog, not re how long/far/fast to run....) Wont be able to remember all the funny little witticisms now that time has passed. Will give it a go tho....

28 May - Bank holiday. Thought about doing the rigg race. Many times. But knackered. So went for run with Sheila M instead - good job I didn't go for the rigg race. Couldn't make it far with enthusiasm, kinda dying off on hills (and flat bits....and grassy bits....) Ran from Belhaven to Eweford and alongside A1 to Spott roundabout. From there went up road to Spott, turned at closed rd up to Wester Broomhouse, ran along the grass to Pleasance, back to Eweford and then on into West Barns. From West Barns ran along Biel burn and back to Belhaven via the dump road. Legs dead, sore and I had no energy. Alround great run then.

29 May - club. From Halhill through the trees and straight ahead round Eweford and into West Barns. We ran along the burn and into John Muir, round the trees and back to Halhill via the road (shortest route home at that point, still knackered).

31 May - club - intervals. Managed to do a good warm up, followed by 8x600m in 4.5 mins. Managed then all in quite good time (although a couple crept above 3 mins). Legs still dead. Thank goodness Val was there as I'm not sure I would have completed the whole session.

2 June - Haddington 5 mile race. Oh my - weather was sooooo warm, but no breeze. Horrible, close, nasty warmth. Can't breathe very well in that. Anyway had managed to persuade Brian to run so we headed over and joined the other Dunbar runners in the line up. Brian was off after the hooter went so that was the last I saw of him. A tough race - fast from the start (I hate that) and a lot of good club runners. Eeek. Anyway got a pb (hard not to given the run I had last year). Bit disappointed as wanted to run 8.5min miles all the way - 1,2 and 5 were. Shame about 3 & 4.

3 June - Sheila M and Theresa have another expedition. This time from Belhaved to Dirleton (for lunch, open arms hotel). We ran through John Muir Country Park, along the Tyne and up towards Lawhead. Then ran through a path in the woods. Then lost the path and ran through lots of nettles in a field. Worse even that the nettle escapades of the week before. I had to climb up a wooden shooting post and then find the shortest way to the road. But we did find it. And we kept on going, all the way to Dirleton. Not the flatest route, and possibly not the best plan to run it the day after we had both run a race, but Sheila cleverly took some money with her and we had ice lollies and fizzy juice on the lawn prior to our meal. And guess what? Ivan was late.....at least he turned up! and he remember the bags!

5 June - club. AGM night so shorter run required. We ran from Halhill to Eweford, up to Wester Broomhouse, down the closed road, down to Spott roundabout and through the trees back to Halhill. Meetings will never be the same again - I got promoted to membership secretary (Bob) with Ian Rowlands being minutes secretary (Sheila is going to get him the skirt and fishnets required) and Hannah is on the committee too (along with a few others who are still serving....) should be interesting.....

6 June - first race of ELSS. Haddington 5km ish - couldn't remember my time from last year, but funnily was aware that I had been slower. Ran round a grassy loop before running on a path along the road round the golf course, then a path off road round the golf course, cross the river a couple of times and finish. (that'll make sense to anyone who has run it, and mean nothing to those who haven't) communal shower followed by drink in pub. Alright way to spend the evening really - shame about the run first!

7 June - intervals. So so so slow. I'm not good with this lack of rest. Just about managed to drag myself around. New concept 4 blocks of 5x200m - so 20x200m in total. first 4 out of the 5 in 1min15 and last one in 4 mins so a longer rest in between the blocks. I should have just kept running - legs sore, weather crap (raining pretty heavily) and feeling tired. Luckily just me, Karen and Anne running. Think Stuart went about as far just running between the start and finish points!

9 June - long run. Sheila M and I decided to stick to the roads today (well sort of) as getting bored of nettle stings (although think Sheila know has some in very interesting places!). Ran from Belhaven, up to Eweford, Wester Broomhouse, closed road, Spott and along to the second ford. Turned and headed towards Pitcox but cut across a path on the way that takes you through some trees (and a few nettles), out by a farm on the road from Stenton to Pressmennan. In Stenton we headed on through and then turned right and ran along by a nicely fragrant pig farm before turning back right again as a loop to the road that runs down to Biel. Sheila seemed to have forgotten about all the undulations but we made it from Bield down towards A1 and then along to Knowes where we had strategically planned a recovery vehicle. Think it was longer and hillier than expected, and had a slight drought problem on route - need to plan a bit better next time!

Then home for shower and bite to eat before taking up the very important role as chief support squad for Dunbar runners at Trapain Law race. Mad mad people, all paying money to run through a river, up a very large hill and back again. Anyway hope the photos worked but not convinced. Give me a normal camera over digital any day. All the excitement is in putting your film in 6 months after you took the photos and the element of surprise as you get the prints back, as you don't have a clue what you've photographed!

10 June - Dechmont Law race. Sheila beat me (about time) although I was in the lead for about 10 mins of the race! A tough one - smallish field (over 100) and run mainly on track and trail - nice running surface a bit like John Muir without all the knobbly tree routes. Really please with performance (although think heart rate monitor nearly exploded - only spent 20% of time in zone 4 and the rest I think in the top zone peaking above my max again at 196 - oops!) anyway legs dead, heart going some and breathing hard all the way so don't think I could've gone much faster. First time I've raced the day after running, especially the day after a long hilly one! Anyway clearly the long one didn't tire Sheila at all! Quite cute seeing the wee ones (and not so wee) running the 2.5km fun run first. Worringly saw some of those who had been at East Linton yesterday. No official results yet but think I was about 53.36 with Sheila under 53 minutes somewhere. No bad considering
hills, trails, big long runs the day before etc etc - 3rd fastest 10km ever and still faster than I managed in Dunbar on a really flat route. And it was roasting - horribly clammy and muggy again. Will update once the official results are in.....promise!

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