Another week flies by and yet more miles ticked off the training plan, well I haven't actually done a plan yet but it all counts.
Tuesday evening I went for the 5.5 miler around Knaphill and back to a mixed pace of sprints and jogs. The idea is to break up my pace and hopefully make it a bit faster ultimately...who knows. No aches or pains this day so quite happy.
Thursday evening and I hit the Knaphill circuit again and yet this time the old knees hurt all the way, so frustrating. My mind was occupied throughout the run though, as just as I was about to leave Nigel called me with an invitation to go out with him on Saturday this week for a bit of cross country training.
I think this is why my knees hurt on Thursday, they were trying to tell me something.
Well now here's the thing, because on Saturday I usually go to breakfast with two good friends and fill my belly with lots of fine food. A lot of conscious wresting went on and I lost, so it was up to Newlands Corner on Saturday with the only consolation that at least this week I could have a lay in on Sunday.
8.30 a.m Saturday morning I meet Nigel at the car park Newlands Corner. I say meet him because he declined a lift saying he would run up there from home, as a sort of warm up, he lives in Guildford. You may remember Nigel from my London marathon training...........he hasn't changed, still off his box, no concept of pain. Well let me tell you it was 1.5 degrees celsius when I left home but by the time I got to the meeting place it was -1 yes MINUS 1. The sky was clear on arrival and the sun was just rising, Nigel said it looked fantastic, I said it was ~@"!%$ cold. In the distance 1 significantly innocent looking cloud loomed as we set off with me trying to locate satellites, [The android app still playing up and I desperately wanted proof of this one], they had obviously thought better and hid themselves away.
I must say after the first mile I was beginning to enjoy the softness underfoot opposed to my normal road routes but that enjoyment wasn't to last. I recognised the terrain from a past nightmare, St.Marthas hill loomed ahead of us and I thought, no I said, a lot of bad things. Totally oblivious to my own description of the shape of things, Nigel wittered on about how great it was to be out enjoying the country and how nice it was, I substituted nice for my own 4 letter word. After an eternity we rounded a corner at Chantry wood where I was informed we weren't that far from Guildford town now...Oh how nice I thought and how I wished I was sitting in a cafe drinking a coffee like normal people. It was at this point I noticed wet stuff falling on me through a gap in the trees, Oh bugger it had started to snow and we were miles from my car. It all went grey and horrible from here as that innocent distant cloud had got all his mates to come and see me, and they started to drop big flakes of snow on us. As we went back along the muddy trails I recognised a piece of road and was lifted by the thought of nearly being back, only to find one bit of road looks like the next in the middle of nowhwere and were miles from the end, my heart sank and I uttered more descriptive words.
Finally Nigel decided to end my nightmare and we emerged into the open and I could see the end..........it was at the top of a big long hill that stretched across an open field, an icy track cutting though the stubble, ''look there's your car, its not far''. I pointed out to Nigel that on a good day I could stand on a hill in Guildford and see the Wembley arch, but I wouldn't want to run there.
That hill was a killer, I couldnt get a grip neither on the surface or reallity by now, I wanted to go home.
Well I made it eventually and my reward for such an effort was the best bacon roll and cup of tea that I have ever tasted.
The Jogtracker had not tracked me but I welcome anyone along to witness the route in the New Year.
Nigel again declined a lift saying he would jog back home, it would be quicker!
Sarah you do have a lot to endure with that bloke, I take my hat off to you, well if I had one I would. Nigel you are lacking in a vocabulary that I have hopefully helped you out with, I can't thank you enough mate I did enjoy it you're a top bloke.
I cant help thinking he had a point that a swear box would have easily raised my target amount on that run.
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems
If I only could
Be running up that hill
With no problems...
Kate bush - Running up that hill.
[From her 1985 album Hounds of Love]
I had a nice lay in on Sunday morning this week.
Alan.xxx
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Sunday 18 December 2011
Sunday 11 December 2011
Progress - 11th December 2011
Well it certainly doesn't get any easier!
Keep forgetting to do the knee exercises which isn't good as they make all sorts of funny noises - oh dear.
Tuesday evening I sorted out the phone app and set off for the first of the mid week sessions. All went okay as you can see by clicking the following link.
Clever stuff this and more accurate than I'd hoped as it shows how slow I've got.
Thursday evening did the same again, with strange weather going on. Very cold out there and although I could only see stars and clear sky, I got rained on, which was nice.
Sunday morning arrives yet again and have to get up fairly early because once the frost clears apparently the rain is going to come down, what a choice. I managed to judge it just right as it goes and had fairly warm and dry run. Wish the knees didn't give so much grief, they hurt less the further I go so that's good I think. Again I took the tracker along and you can see the outcome below.
http://www.jogtracker.com/HistoryDetails.aspx?SyncID=32e3182c-7fd5-47fe-8e78-67ce5e73603d&UserName=alannellessOnward and upwards, I might try some speed up training in the week.
The Beatles - Help
Alan.xxx
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See my sponsorship page at
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Sunday 4 December 2011
Progress - 4th December 2011
Well where did that week go to?
Tuesday night saw the return of midweek training and what a struggle that is. The thought of coming home all warm and dry, slipping into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt to venture out into the dark cold wet evening isn't very enticing but you have to do it, 19 weeks isn't long really not to prepare for 26 miles, not if you don't want to look a complete doughnut on the day.That was it then, out into the dark, but at this stage, only 2.5 miles - with a steep hill mind.
Thursday night saw the same run but this time I was accompanied by loads of rain, which was nice! I had thought of staying dry and using the old faithful cross-trainer but that's cheating, if a jobs worth doing - you may aswell get soaking wet and cold doing it.
I looked back at last years progress for this stage and I had been going further but realise this was due to the Great South run in October and trying to keep that mileage up. I now realise that probably was too much and when I get round to filling out my plan for this year, I want to make it more of a progression up rather than sustain a level.
So here we are on Sunday and I tried out a new gadget app for my android, it is supposed to track my route and tell me how far I've been and how many calories I've burnt - it didn't. Not enough scatterlites could see me apparently, not surprising, at silly O'clock on a Sunday morning I reckon even they have more sense than to be up. I can tell you though that I did my old route out through Brookwood into Pirbright village and back for 8.5 miles of rain free, fun on the run.
Funny thing though, 'cause later when I popped into B.K to recharge my belly and I played around with the settings, it manged to track me home from there. [It didn't know what I had eaten though.]
Saw my friend Jill today, who is doing the London Marathon again next year. She is suffering from torn muscle and despair that she cannot run at all at the moment - why do we do it, it surely is a form of madness. Hope it gets better sooner than expected and you have a rest in the meantime Jill.
Happy birthday to my Grandaughter, Grace Megan Rosemary, who on Saturday will be 4 years old. xxxx
Why Why Why
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - 'Delilah'
Alan.xxx
http://www.facebook.com/
See my sponsorship page at
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/alannelless
Tuesday night saw the return of midweek training and what a struggle that is. The thought of coming home all warm and dry, slipping into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt to venture out into the dark cold wet evening isn't very enticing but you have to do it, 19 weeks isn't long really not to prepare for 26 miles, not if you don't want to look a complete doughnut on the day.That was it then, out into the dark, but at this stage, only 2.5 miles - with a steep hill mind.
Thursday night saw the same run but this time I was accompanied by loads of rain, which was nice! I had thought of staying dry and using the old faithful cross-trainer but that's cheating, if a jobs worth doing - you may aswell get soaking wet and cold doing it.
I looked back at last years progress for this stage and I had been going further but realise this was due to the Great South run in October and trying to keep that mileage up. I now realise that probably was too much and when I get round to filling out my plan for this year, I want to make it more of a progression up rather than sustain a level.
So here we are on Sunday and I tried out a new gadget app for my android, it is supposed to track my route and tell me how far I've been and how many calories I've burnt - it didn't. Not enough scatterlites could see me apparently, not surprising, at silly O'clock on a Sunday morning I reckon even they have more sense than to be up. I can tell you though that I did my old route out through Brookwood into Pirbright village and back for 8.5 miles of rain free, fun on the run.
Funny thing though, 'cause later when I popped into B.K to recharge my belly and I played around with the settings, it manged to track me home from there. [It didn't know what I had eaten though.]
Saw my friend Jill today, who is doing the London Marathon again next year. She is suffering from torn muscle and despair that she cannot run at all at the moment - why do we do it, it surely is a form of madness. Hope it gets better sooner than expected and you have a rest in the meantime Jill.
Happy birthday to my Grandaughter, Grace Megan Rosemary, who on Saturday will be 4 years old. xxxx
Why Why Why
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - 'Delilah'
Alan.xxx
http://www.facebook.com/
See my sponsorship page at
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/alannelless
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