Weekly running round up - 3 runs 10 miles - tempo runs and intervals

Last weeks runs were quite varied.



10 miles in total.



I introduced a tempo running for the first time. More on that in a moment.



Tuesday Run - 2.05 miles.



Quick lunch time run. It was a bit of a weird one in that it felt like a bit more effort. I kept looking at my watch and it seemed I was going a minute mile faster than normal, and I kept trying to slow down, but couldn't! The result is I knocked a minute of my usual mile time on this run.









Thursday 2.35 miles - TEMPO RUN!



I really enjoyed this one!



Tempo runs are where you vary the running pace.



The benefits of tempo running, as with intervals, is that it will improve your running pace.



So I thought I would experiment. I didn't follow any particular formula, though I am sure there are lots of detailed tempo run guides that you can follow if you like something more structured.



I started off with my normal (slow) pace and warmed up. When I felt I was ready I picked up the pace. Not a full speed sprint but a good effort at about 6/10. When I felt I had enough of that, I slowed down to a walk to catch my breath. Then it was run, fast run and walk repeated over 2.35 miles.



What did I enjoy about the tempo run?



I liked the variety of paces. Allowing myself to pick up speed and also slow down when I wanted to. Even though I took walk breaks whilst I recovered from the harder pace, I still covered the distance in my usual time.



I liked picking up my feet higher and the fuller range of moment, even if it was for a short time that energy burst is quite reviving!



It gave me something else to think about. Checking on how I was feeling and breathing, recovering and planning when I was going to pick things up again.



I'll definitely do more tempo runs. Not for every run, but maybe once a week or so.

Sunday 6.6miles - though I didn't clock it all on my watch.

Another great run with my friend Ben.

We agreed to do some intervals this time. Now my last experience with interval running wasn't the best one. I loved it so much I tried to do 3 in a week and ended up with a sore muscle. It was too much too soon.

We did a warm up walk, a slow run down to Cannon Hill Park, a loop around the park and then selected a nice stretch of path to aim for - about 100 metres long or so.

Then it was Ready, Steady, GO! And off we sprinted!

Again, what I love about this type of running is that it is short and intense and there's the full range of movement, really picking my legs and feet up and powering my arms!

We did that about 4 times and then ran a loop around the park again. My legs were telling me that they had a really good work out and I had to slow down and walk (and pop a jelly baby!) at times. When we reached the interval path again, off we went, another 4 times.

Ben is good to run with. Even though he has a lot of running experience and is much faster than me, he keeps to my pace, which I am really grateful for. There is nothing more disheartening than running with someone who shoots off ahead of you and leaves you behind! I've also discovered that I can kind of maintain a conversation whilst running, even if it's short burst of words and not full sentences!

I was so pleased with this run! It was hard in places, and I pushed myself on the sprints. And I well and truly earned my hearty roast dinner later in the day!

Thanks for a great run Ben!

AND I've been totting up the miles this year so far.

63 miles so far! They add up fast. And I've spent about 14 hours on my feet, OUTSIDE! That's more than I did for the whole of last year. And the year before come to that!

Here's my GPS map of the miles so far! Go me!

Hula Hooping! I can't forget the hula hooping! I spent 90 mins in total this week practicing my hula. Unfortunately I had to miss my hula class on Wednesday as I've got quite a lot on at the moment, but did a 30 min session at home instead to make up for it.

I'm feeling and seeing all sorts of benefits since I started exercising this year. I lost 30lbs without any exercise, but have lost another 10lbs this year so far and I've reached the goal I set myself last August of losing 40lbs!

Now this running 'bug' seems to be sticking I'm going to treat myself to some new trainers soon. Trainers have a life span of about 500 miles and although I haven't run that far in my current trainers, they do cause me blisters - I have to tape my feet up before each run, not ideal! And although I'm looking forward to purchasing some new shoes(!), it's with some intrepidation as I have such sensitive blister prone feet, I hope that the new trainers don't just cause blisters somewhere else!

That's me over and out for this weeks running report :)

Weekly running round up - 4 runs, 11 miles and a few tears of elation

Today is a biggie. I've just completed a 5 mile run (5.5m including warm up walk)!!!

I like to acknowledge the big and small achievements and I've just got to note this one.

I hadn't done a long run since my 4.5m run two weeks ago. As it seems to go, I get excited about the prospect of a long run, then as the time gets closer, I get a little nervous. It didn't help when I woke up at 5am and started worrying that I hadn't got enough sleep and I wouldn't have enough energy to run.

After initial panic, I did get back to sleep...until 10am. Then I was worrying I wouldn't be able to fit everything AND a run into the day!

I made sure I ate enough in the morning to get me through the run in the afternoon. I didn't want to not complete the 5 miles just because I hadn't fueled up enough!

The time went fairly quickly - I'm learning not to keep checking my watch for time/miles! A new challenge was the wind. It was pretty strong today and at times I really had to push against it. I ran mainly on the paths that were more sheltered from the wind this time.

When I first checked my watch I had completed 2.3miles. Almost half way there! When I checked again it was 3.7miles - only 1.3 miles to go, less than 15 minutes. And when I got to 4.7miles I knew I was going to do this for sure! That's when I started getting really excited - I'm actually going to complete 5 miles.

I did keep an eye on my watch at this point....4.7 miles, 4.8 miles, 4.9 miles......5 MILES! And I promptly burst into tears. I wasn't expecting that to happen! Where did that come from?! I just felt a big surge of pride at my achievement. I wish there was someone there I could have shared that moment with. I was elated! From being pretty much sedentary for the last few years to being able to run 5 miles....that's no small achievement. They say self praise is no praise...I don't always think that's true - you've gotta give yourself a pat on the back from time to time!

Of course as soon as I got home I had to send a tweet out. Twitter, well, my twitter friends to be precise, play a big part in my life and to have friends there to celebrate with really means a lot. Thank you so guys and girls! xx

So here's today's map and stats. I didn't record the .5 mile warm up walk as it took that long for my gps watch to pick up a signal -boooo.









I had a couple of great questions from my twitter friends which made me think about today's run and running in general.

Fiona asked, Was it more of a mental struggle or physical?



Hmmm.... Physically it was of a battle against the wind. That was a new experience and presented a different type of challenge of pushing through it and not letting it blow me around! There's always the Toxic Ten minutes at the start of any run so I know I just have to run through that and I'll start to feel better. At 3 miles I felt the beginning of a blister, but although I was aware of that, it wasn't enough to slow me down (only a tiny blister upon post run examination).

Mentally, I always have a positive talk with myself as I go around. Lots of "you can do this! you've done 1 mile before, just do that 5 times! You have eaten enough - you have go enough energy for this. It's not a hill, it's a slight incline!" That type of thing. I also let my mind and imagination wander....I tune into my music and think about the week ahead, plans to make, blogging to do, work, friends, and the big dinner I'm going to have when I get home! lol


Libby asked, So what was the turning point that made you get - and keep - the motivation to crack it this time? What is your secret?

I had to think about this for a few minutes. Great question!

What made me get going? I'd made a new years goal of doing more physically. Due to working for myself the last few years I've pretty much been in front of the computer screen. I've been aware that this isn't healthy but always made the excuse that I didn't have enough time - work comes first. Which I know sounds absurd - health comes first of course! I didn't have my priorities right. And if I don't look after my health a bit better, then I will make myself ill and definitely won't be able to do my work and follow my passions and achieve my dreams.

What's keeping me going? A few things. For a start I know I'll feel worse if I start skipping on exercise and making excuses. I'll be on a slippy slope back to square one again.

Then there's the personal challenge and the achievements, and I really believe you have to acknowledge even the smallest of achievements - even if that's just putting your trainers on and seeing what happens when you get past the front door.

As this is my personal challenge. I only have to answer to myself. Though I must admit that making myself accountable in public on this blog does help! But I set my own goals and I'm not doing this for anyone other than me. I haven't entered any races as I simply don't want to, certainly at the moment.

I'm enjoying see what my body and mind can do! It's easy to underestimate what we can achieve. I think this is a mental challenge as much as a physical one. I go through a range of mental 'states' with running. When I think about the runs I have planned for the week, I get excited. As the time comes closer to getting ready to go out, I have to push myself at times. When I am out there, I'm already doing it. And when I get home, I never regret making the effort.

Tracking my progress is a great motivator too. When you can see achievements, however small they may seem, they all add up. Whether someone has never run before and completes 30 seconds of running non stop to someone who can run for miles and miles, every step counts.

I'm not sure I have a 'secret', but a combination of the above keeps me going. And if I ever have any doubts I'll make sure I come back to this page and remind myself!

Thank you for the questions!

Here are the maps and stats for this week. 11 miles in total.

Hula Hooping news!

I've ordered my OWN hula hoop! Julia, the teacher, is going to customise it for me in my favourite colours, red/silver/black. I can't wait to get my hands on it and have the option of practising at home when the hula mood strikes!

My friend Fiona pointed me to these amazing (and different!) hula videos. I think you'll enjoy them!

Fat Boy Slim - That old pair of jeans

Hula Hoop song - it's a bit mental!

And now it's time to chill out for the rest of the night! :)

Weekly weight loss report - week 3

I'll keep this neat and brief as I have a roast duck dinner in the oven. It's nearly ready and I can't wait for it!



Another week, another loss



Week 3 weight loss - 1.2lbs

Total weight loss - 37.4lb (2 stone 9.4lbs)



That's good enough!












I wasn't really sure what to expect weight loss wise this week. My appetite has been unusually subdued, which is a new experience. There have been times when I've just not felt hungry and even faced with some of my favourites foods, I've just thought - meh. Also, a few times, I've felt full up sooner than normal and have even left dinner on my plate! I reckon I ate approx 20% less last week than I normally would. Perhaps now I weigh less, my appetite is catching up and adjusting? Just something I wanted to note. Oh, and I've discovered the joy of roasted butternut squash - where has that been all my life?!



I've done 2 x 2.5 mile runs this week and I'm aiming for my longest run tomorrow which will be 5 miles - this will be made up out of .5m warm up walk and 4.5m run. I'm looking forward to it, but a little nervous too! Let's see how it goes.



I also went back to hula hooping again! Great fun. I think I laughed all the way through it. And I even stayed for the zumba class afterwards, which was another first. I'll do a quick blog about that shortly.



It was time I cleared out my wardrobe. I tried everything on and it took hours! I've taken out 30+ items that are too big. I couldn't see the point in hanging onto them any longer, so they are going to a charity shop. I've reserved about 6 of my best/favourite items that are too big to eventually be taken in. And I must admit to holding onto a size 10 (US size I think) Anna Sui Python Print dress that has always been too small. I've never worn it, but it's so beautiful I can't bare to part with it yet!











Here's my before and after wardrobe make over! I think the rail is relieved to be a bit lighter. I feel much better knowing that everything in there now fits me (for the time being at least) so it will be easier and quicker to make clothing choices for the day.

I treated myself to a cute black lacy dress. A £15 bargain for Primark! The pictures are a bit rubbish, but it is very pretty. I'm not going to go too mad buying new clothes at the moment. I'm planning on waiting a while before investing in too many new items as I still have a way to go weight loss wise.

So! That's this week's weight loss update. Wish me luck for my run tomorrow! And if you are thinking of putting your trainers on too - have a great time! :)

Well, that was different! My first hula hooping class

I've tried 'getting into' hula hooping for a few years now. Kinda half hearted attempts.

I read that you could make your own once, so off I went to the DIY store and bought some tubing and tape. Needless to say, that didn't work!

Last year I bought an Argos weighted hula hoop. That didn't work either - it kept falling on the floor! I was convinced it was the hoops fault and not mine.

Then, via twitter, I heard about the Birmingham Hula Hoopers! AND the classes were held in Moseley just down the road from me. I had to try it out and satisfy my hula hooping curiosity.

I asked my friend Nicky (whose birthday party I went to last weekend) to come along and so we both ventured into unknown exercise territory together. We met Julia who takes the class and she was very welcoming. There were 5 hula students altogether, and a huge array of hula hoops to chose from in every colour and different sizes.




I love this iPhone photo of Nicky!

Julia put some music on and we all started off with the basic hula hooping move with it around our waists. Well, I say basic, it's not that basic for a beginner, but much to my delight I was able to keep the hoop going for longer than I thought - although it still feel to the ground a lot!

It was quite funny at times as we lost control of our hoops and they went flying across the room. No one was injured, but I did managed to whack my nose in an over ambitious over the head move!

We learnt how to twirl the hoop in front of us, and over the head to, which used our arms muscles more. Also we learnt the 'step through' (video) and I accidentally didn't the booty bump (video) in an effort to keep the hula hoop from dropping on the ground!





I found that hooping does require effort, and it's said it is great for toning which I can well imagine. The class was a lot of fun, and at only £3 for an hour it's really good value. Julia also runs a Zumba class afterwards too. Hula hooping starts at 6pm and Zumba 7pm on Weds. Both are held at St Columba's Hall in Moseley.

With a 2 mile run that day (which I'll blog about soon) plus the hula hooping, I managed 90 minutes of exercise that day, which is unheard of for me. I'll definitely give hula hooping another try!

2011 gets off to a running start! 10 miles under this week's belt

This year has started with me picking up my feet and picking up the running bug!

I'm not a complete novice to running, but it's been over 3 years since I ran. I've blogged a little about my running history and mulled over whether attempting the London Marathon (in 2007)was the worse thing I could have done for my running as I didn't take another step after that, until last November/December.

I did a few tentative runs around November/December time and made an audio boo after my first 1 mile run in November.

One week into the new year, and I've got 10 miles under my running belt! Which seems a bit hard to believe. I mean, that's quite far really isn't it?

This has been over 3 runs. The first two I teamed up with my friend Rachel Simmo who lives nearby and who also has caught the running bug!

We ran when we felt like it and walked when we were tired, and then picked up the pace again.

I've been wearing my Garmin GPS watch thingy which tracks all the data and maps the route, so I've been downloading this information. It's really good to have actually. Before I had my Garmin I had to plot my route and distance online first and more or less stick to that route. Now, I can go in any direction I want which gives much more freedom to running. And I think it can even take you back to where you started your run from should you get lost! Clever eh!

So, here are the stats for my first two runs with Rachel.





I had planned a run for today and had marked it in my diary. When I plan a run a few days in advance I look forward to it, but come the time to actually get out of the door, well that's another matter! I kind of start thinking, "Have I got to go out? What will happen if I give it a miss today? Hmm, looks a bit cold out there. Yeah, but you'll feel ok once you get going. And you never regret it. And you'll enjoy it. Okay, well I'll get my running gear on then. Come on, stop tweeting and get out of the door. Now get going!"

This morning I woke up with my body feeling really sloth-like, it didn't really want to move. And my brain didn't help. It seemed a bit foggy.





I had some breakfast and waited for some energy to kick in. Hmm, that helped. A bit. But I still wasn't rushing to get ready for my run.








Dressed for my run at last, I started feeling a bit more positive about it.



And then.....runners high!!



4 miles. FOUR MILES!

With running, as with a lot of things, you celebrate the small and the big things and this was a biggy for me, especially as I had run 3.3 miles WITHOUT STOPPING! I was not expecting that to happen!

Before I went for my run I thought it might be a good idea to amuse myself on my warm up walk and try and write something using my Garmin GPS thingy. There's a nice big open space in Cannon Hill park, so I thought I would make use of it. There was a thin layer of snow covering the grass, which proved quite useful in trying to keep track of my steps. After a wobbly start, I kinda got the hang of it. What do you think?



So that took .7 miles and then I couldn't put it off any longer, it was time to run. I got myself off the grass and onto a path and off I went. I have some new music that I LOVE to listen to. I can't stay still when I hear it and it's perfect for running to. I love the pace, and the attitude. It's by Girl Talk and it's called Allday and you can download it FREE! I defy you to be able to sit still ;)




Luckily Cannon Hill park is practically flat, but for the novice runner even a slight incline can feel like a challenge. I had only just started running and I began planning my next walk break...

And then somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered a running tip from years ago! Slow down, take smaller strides. So I adjusted my running and that simple bit of advice worked. I actually didn't feel like stopping now and my breathing was ok, I could keep going for a bit longer before I took my walk break. This was working!

I carried on and to my surprise I didn't feel like I needed a walk break. My pace was slow, but what's the rush? This is my own little race, no one elses. I've got nothing to prove to anyone. I'll just do what feels right, listen to my body and just enjoy this run.

I began thinking about the 3 miles I had set myself and re-set the challenge to 4 miles. It just felt achievable today. I was in the mood for it now. I practically had the park to myself and it was looking pretty with a bit of snow and fog, even the rain was welcome on this run. I passed a handful of people, some walkers and folks out with their dogs, another runner over took me and gave me a friendly wave. After my first mile without stopping I punched the air and if I could have I would have given myself a high five too!

It felt great realising that I could run longer just by slowing down my pace. It seems to obvious, but it was like a light bulb moment. And so I continued running until I had completed exactly 4 miles. I still can't quite believe I've run 3.3 miles without stopping, I really didn't think I was capable of that.



And I feel great for it. My mind is more alert compared to the groggy start it had in the morning and I'm on a bit of a natural high. My body knows it's moved and is feeling relaxed.

I've marked my diary with 3 more runs for next week. I've got to be careful not to over do it and proceed to quickly, as there lies the road to injury. Which reminds me, I have got 3 blisters from today's run. I'd forgotten how blister prone my delicate feet are and remembered that I used to have to tape up the sensitive areas when I used to run, so I'll be putting tape and blister plasters on my shopping list this weekend.

If you are thinking about taking your first steps towards running here are my top tips:

Ladies - don't even think about it without a sports bra!! You don't want any distractions when running and you need to keep those beauties under control! Any sports shop, or big department store should be able to kit out you including Marks & Spencer. Make sure you try it on before you buy and even do a little run on the spot to assess things.

Shoes - Get yourself fitted for some proper running shoes. There are shops that are dedicated to running and sports and they offer an assessment service. They will measure your gait and how you run and suggest the best shoe for you. For example, I'm an overpronator.



Running shoes will be one of the best investments you can make and will help you to avoid injury too.

Starting out - take it easy. Walk when you feel like it, run when you want to. I really recommend Runners World. It's got TONS of advice for beginners as well as more advanced runners and there is a very active forum there where you can chat with other runners at all levels, ask for help and tips, and make some running buddies too.

Right! I've promised myself a nice hearty spag bol for dinner! Oh and tomorrow I'll be weighing myself to see what the scales say this week. Fingers crossed they will go in the right direction (especially after a big bowl of spag bol!), but I think 10 miles should help things along in that area :)