Theresas training

i had a very very frustrating run today - for a different reason than it felt it was crap. Bloody dog followed me. I stopped frustrated after 5 minutes of it running in front of me, jumping up at me and generally just frustrating me. For most people it would be annoying......but I really really don't like dogs! I'm ok with them if I know them or their owners, or their owners are present but not me and dog on my own. Aaaaargh. I kept trying to tell it that I didn't like it, and to go home, but no - so dopey are dogs it thought I was trying to play with it!!!!!!!!!

A few years back, in between our old hoose in west lothian, and our new hoose near Dunbar, we rented some accommodation in East Lothian while looking for our new abode. And they had dogs. And the dog followed me. And one day it followed me so far it decided pastures were greener were I had gone (ok only about 2 miles away) but it got lost for about 2 days chasing rabbits. So I also have a fear of leading dog astray so far that it won't return.

I had to stop at 5 mins as I said above, then thought about running back home (I was pretty pi##ed off) and then thought sod it and carried on up the hill. I then had to stop again for a couple of minutes halfway up the hill so it would run back home.

Run got better after the dog pi##ed off home.....

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Its been sooooo cold recently.. don't know what possessed me but got all my hair chopped off. Seems that every ounce counts as a runner, so this is quite a pain free and easily achievable way to lose a bit of weight. Wonder if it'll help me go faster? Wonder if that's why Stuart always keeps his hair about a millimetre long????? I'm guessing I'll make up for whatever minute weight loss it was by having to use many more hair clips to keep it out of my eyes. I hate having hair flopping about when running - it always amazes me that some women just run with it all lose and blowing all over the place. Some even manage to look quite glamarous when doing so. (not me though - don't think I've ever looked glamarous when running......it's a push when I'm not running! you should see some of the recent group club photos we've had taken - i look horrendous......)

Any the past week....

Last Sunday I did one of these get up, get ready and go runs. Essentially as I'd had a bit of lie-in and wanted to do something with the rest of the day and didn't want to have to wait until breakfast had settled. So just did an easy 6 miler from mine to Dunbar and down to East Links to be met by Brian, before we went and bought loads of lovely vegetables (oh yeah, and I seem to remember a couple of scones sneaked their way in there too)

Tuesday - club. Jenny got chatted up by one of the boys in West Barns (lucky lucky Jenny). We thought we were doing well (did the full route) until Fiona and Christina overtook us (when I had to retie my lace). We just couldn't keep up. Hmmph. At least Jenny has the excuse of not really having run for the last 6 weeks. And not cleverly she had had her tea before she came out, and was thinking it might revisit at any point on the run.

Thursday - intervals. I did 800m. Good plan I think when I saw how little rest Ann and Karen were having after their 1km. Freezing cold and pretty windy. Stuart showed me his new running specs. Interesting - have a wee look at his blog if you want to see them......defo worth a look.

Today - long run. Headed out with Sheila and Val. Not long into the run Val had whooshed off (just like a wotsit) so Sheila and I ambled along. Through John Muir, up Tynefield way and over to Biel house, up through what I refer to as "the secret garden" and out at pitcox. Straight on towards Eweford, turning up to Wester Broomhouse at the Pleasance. From their straight down and through the trees and on back to Belhaven. Clever planning meant we were quite sheltered most of the way out as in John Muir, with the wind behind us most of the way back. Clever huh?

Then this afternoon Sheila, Fiona and I ran at the orienteering at Yellowcraigs. We did the long course (about 4.2km apparently but takes way longer than running 4.2km would). We were very pleased with ourselves. It was a fab afternoon. And we had an electronic dibber thingy. Hannah is going to be soooooo jealous that she didn't get a go of that. After we finished we even got a print out of how long it took us between each checkpoint and our running total time at each checkpoint and the end. T'was very impressive - would be good if they did that for running races - would make a lot more sense sometimes than some of the chips or timing systems in place.......Now I need to nap.

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Did a bit of a long run last sat - 10.5 miles I think. Over the top of Doon Hill and round Spott, up Daniel's Brae (I made it up - I'm sure all of Dunbar could hear the effort I was making by the huge noisey breaths I was taking but I did it - it's been a while.....) down towards Eweford, up to Wester Broomhouse and then back over Doon Hill. Was lacking in energy and enthusiasm from about 9 onwards. Yet again. Was then browsing through the runners world website and read a wee bit about caffeine crashes. Got me thinking about whether or not that was my problem. I never used to drink much caffeinated coffee - mostly decaf - and certainly didn't used to drink coffee before a race. Decided at some point this year to change this in order to get the much publicised benefits coffee is s'posed to give you, especially when racing. Info on the website sounded very familiar - have coffee, have loads of energy at start of race, crash and burn mid way
through, feel that you have absolutely nothing left in legs. Will try to give up on the coffee for a while - well reduce dramatically and go for decaff where poss. See if that makes any difference. It can also make very funny things happen to your heart rate apparently - no where near as funny as what my heart rate monitor was telling me. I started running at 30 bpm - so nearly not beating at all then - and it didn't seem to rise much from there. I was going up hill at 79 bpm and down at 133?????? Safe to say I think it needs to take a wee trip back to the running shop - again. Didn't seem to do so well with it did I? only bought it in May and changed battery twice before taking back to the shop - they changed battery and still it doesn't work. Man. Hope they give me a new one this time!

Sunday was the annual Goat's Gallop with Haddington Club. Well it's always good fun running this one when there are other's there that have not ever run it. It's good to see their faces when faced with the downhill section! Left early and took it easy - walked quite a bit of the way but defo think heart was working.

Monday - took HRM back - they'd better get it back to me a bit faster than last time.....

Tuesday had train trauma - couldn't make it to club on time. I hate trains.

Thursday felt the need to make up for Tuesday so didn't attend intervals but went for a run with Sheila, Val and Fiona instead. Val and Sheila were on form - although they did keep taking the shortcuts. Fiona and I dropped back after about 30-35 mins but managed to get about 7 miles in.

And today - no coffee pre run and not sure if it's a fluke and I would have had a good run anyway, but managed to do about 13 miles, feeling quite good most of the way (both physically and mentally). Went over doon hill, round spott farm and down to Spott, along to the second ford (near turning to Pathhead etc) up over to Pitcox, back along to little spott, down Daniel's Brae and up to Spott again and attempted to go over doon hill but had to make a last minute alteration due to cooos having a drink in the field I was going to go through. Ran round the bottom and via Pinkerton instead. Managed all the hills except had to stop on my nemisis hill (the one from house with red chimney through field to Spott farm - defo walked it more than have run it). I still ran up but had breathing breaks. Also allowed myself to walk the final hill - if the coos hadn't been in the way I would have been down hill not up hill to home. Was a bit windy too so pleased
with the run. Hope it keeps on going like this......

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well even more inspiration for me after watching the New York Marathon on Sunday - twas fab! Paula returns, first marathon in 2 years and she wins, and not only that she ran a better time than she did 2 years ago on 11 weeks of running training. So what's the excuse for not managing to do as well then? I guess I forgot to say that she did a bit of cross training, and her mileage is probably the same in a week as I do in a month, so guess 11 weeks training is like 11 months of my training! that puts things in perspective a bit....

well we are back to the depressing town runs - actually ok in November and December as they are a novelty and you get to spot the first house to put up the christmas lights...the best christmas decorations....the most over the top christmas decorations.....the christmas decorations that are having the biggest impact on the national grid.....the most tasteful decorations....keeps us going through December anyway. Unfortunate for those kids in West Barns that feel the need to torment us as we run past. Guess it gives us the chase to try out some plyometrics and do some sprint work......

last Thursday was the 5km handicap - wasn't a great time but didn't do the worst time ever either. would have been better if someone hadn't felt the need to put me off my stride by asking me for directions mid run. unfortunately didn't quite manage to catch Sheila - I got close at one point but not close enough.

on Sat I headed out with Sheila and Val to do the Festive half route, starting at Belhaven and doing it the other way round. We tried to stay off the North Berwick road as much as possible, but even for the short bit we did run on the road it was horrendous. Too many cars - that don't move out of the way and don't slow down. Scarey. The run itself was fine although Val just shot off when we went back into John Muir - luckily Sheila wasn't feeling as good as Val or I would have been left for dust. It's odd - felt that I ran that one better than some of my recent races.....

on Sun I persuaded Brian to go out from Belhaven. There were tonnes of surfers there and we wanted to run along the beach but tide was in so headed through John Muir for a bit and headed back out along the beach. We cut back over to John Muir though as we weren't sure if we would be able to get over the bridge at Belhaven. Brian stopped to inspect the fish in the Biel burn, I ran on up to Winterfield where Brian picked me up and guess what? we picked up our post run scones. Fabby.

and then watched the marathon...........

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