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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