Theresas training

Can't believe the last update was on the 16th - where does all my time go? Managed to get tree, put tree up and tidy up before Christmas but Brian thought I was going a bit cleaning mad. One day later and the washing basket is full again and the house looks like a bomb's hit it! How does it happen? is it better to live in a big mess all the time and never tidy up? who knows. Any way the amount of books Brian got, looks like we might need to rethink our bookcases/furniture layout etc etc......

anyway back to the running (briefly). On the 18th did 5 miles roond toon in the dark. Ran with Lindsay. Vicky off and never saw her again, and the rest did the full route so only saw them when we got back. On the 20th twas intervals but I had a half day to get on with the delights that are Christmas shopping. Got back to Dunbar a bit early so went out for a slip about town (it was frosty) with Fiona, finishing back at Halhill - sadly missing the delights that Ian R had dreamt up as a Christmas treat and just trotting round a few times to keep ourselves warm. Gave Ian R his usual Christmas pressie from Sheila M and myself - he got amazing book, beer, light up fluffy pen and pair of fishnets (all to help out in his new role as secretary). Got him a large pair of tights as he has very long legs.......

Out on the 21st (after a day of drinking at work too) - there's a surprise. Mainly food and little drink in the pm. Freezing cold. And then on 22nd only went out for 5 in the dimming light after being out Christmas shopping again.
On the 23rd went out with Sheila and Val - a bit of a tempo run for me then! Basically did the Doon Hill race route but starting and ending at Val's rather than Halhill. Twas hard - I was not so hot on the hilly bits - forgot to take my inhaler in the morning and there was a good strong headwind up in the hills.

Had a couple of days off and then did the Ayr Turkey Trot on Boxing Day. Quite good to get yourself out there when normally all you want to do is curl up on the sofa and polish off some more chocolate coins. Was about a minute and a half slower than last year - but it was windier than last year. The first 3km where into head on wind - very blustery. Those kilometres took about 6 mins which is slow in a race. The head wind is also not great for breathing - very hard to catch a breathe. So overall pretty pleased with how I did as managed to pull it back a bit in the later stages - did 56.42 which is not great but not bad either......faster than I managed in Norham anyway.....and only about a minute slower than Dunbar and Glasgow had been. Anyway I know I ran as hard as a I could - heart rate sat above 170 (about 172/173) for most of the way which was about 90% of max, going up to 180 towards the end. Haven't sustained higher than that for that
period of time before so was pleased.

On Thursday 27th Sheila and I went for a wee slow jog about toon again in the dark - to try to keep burning off a few of the extra calories we keep adding in. We were also working out a plan for a long one soon.....something interesting ahead I think.....bought some new socks so will give them a try. An inspired black pair - can shove in the wash with other stuff and not wait for a white was, and probably a better plan having black sock for the messier runs! (Sheila's master plan) and a marathon fresh pair - in the hope they help you to run a marathon and finish fresh as a daisy. I'm thinking that's a big ask for a pair of socks I paid £6 for.....

Got an OMM running rucksack from Santa - plan is to use it to weigh down the others and try to slow them down a bit.....

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well no written much recently - mad with Christmas parties and work. and trying to dry out from my run last Sunday! what on earth possesses so many normally quite clever and sensible people to run 13 miles, with about 8-9 of those being through John Muir Country Park, in the complete p###ing rain that was last Sunday? Anyway, a number of miracles occurred -
1 - I managed to run the whole way (don't think I've manage that on the festive half in the past)
2 - I managed to run the whole way in less than the handicap time I set myself (haven't managed that before either)
3 - I nearly managed to keep up with Fiona (she somehow gets full of energy half way through and wants to run faster, luckily for me she's a very supportive and encouraging running companion as.....
4 - we managed to come first (yee - ha!)

so more than 10 minutes faster than 2006 (and about 3? mins faster than 2005) I'm quite pleased! Sheila M did very well - I think she is more suited to mad small races, with muddy slippy bits and big hills than a nice flat road race. Mad really. She should take up cross country!

anyway guess I should try to remember what I've been up to in between my last entry and now......

Tues 27th - ran around toon in the dark
Thurs 29th - think I did painful interval session - making it up as I go along
Sat 1st - went to Alnwick so Brian could spend ridiculous amounts of cash on fishing stuff at a warehouse sale, then headed out for a wee run in the afternoon. Discovered Goats cheese salad could possibly be the worst pre run lunch I've ever tried. Run was a bit hopelous. Went to a pals wedding that night,
Sun 2nd - marshalled cross country and then went for 9 miler with Fiona and Bessie (Fiona's dog). Bessie was great - about 10 times a better runner than me! She ran about twice the distance of Fiona and I. It was hard work. I'd like to blame it on the wedding the night before but don't think I drank that much.....
Tues 4rd - wee run aboot toon in the dark - had a meeting
Thurs 6th - longer run aboot toon. Didn't do the handicap as had big run on Sunday and needed to get mileage up as only running 3 times that week
Fri/Sat 7th/8th - went to see ma & pa & gran and other folks. Went to Glasgow on the Saturday - big mistake. Still no Christmas shopping done - I'm not doing so well this year.....
Sun 9th - as above - run in pi##ing rain
Tues 11th - just back from Manchester, arrived a wee bit late but my fabby running compadres waited for me and still got in about 5 miles
Thurs 13th - intervals (what with the excellent running club ladies night out the night before. tiredness getting worse and worse this week. food at Lauderdale amazing though.....great stuff. Not sure same could be said of my interval session)
Sat 15th - (again night out last night - work this time). Did about 10 - trying to keep it easy. To be honest don't think anything would have been able to go any faster even if I tried
Sun 16th - (again a night out last night - that's 4 in a week now! guaranteed I won't have that many in the next 6 months!) did about 6 or so miles - in the hills same as yesterday. Brian met me to go and get the tree - although unlike Stuart and Ann we didn't take pity on the last tree left, we're going back tomorrow to see if a more well rounded, less bald number is available.....

so this week, I think I may catch up on some sleep. Also need to do some Christmas shopping.....and tidy the house.....and put the tree up.......aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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