Catch up

Haven't been blogging because of lack of internet availability: no connection in the cottage and work does not view blogspot as a desirable web destination for its employees. So a quick catch up of training:

19 March
8 miles round Gartmorn dam in 70 minutes. Lovely route but got a bit lost and did further than I meant to, then had to sprint finish to get the car out before the gates locked.

22 March
In Ardfern for Easter with Al. Took Jake the black lab for a hill run and he acted as a sort of brake, adding the drag factor of five stones of bemused canine. Did 6.5 miles in 65 minutes up and down hills.

23 March
Long flat run down the peninsula and back: 15 miles in 2 hours 12 mins 30 secs. About 8 minute 50 second miles which was actually faster than I was aiming for.

25 March
Back at work, boo. Gym:

• 6 mins crtoss trainer
• 30 mins treadmill at 7 mph
• 2 x 12 reps on each of 2 grips chest press 20 kg
• 15 mins at 7 mph
• 2 x 12 reps on each of 3 grips back weights 20 kg
• 15 mins at 7mph

27 March
Lunchtime gym:

• 1 mile at 7 mph
• 32 mins hills at 6.5 mph (up to 6%)
• 1 mile at 7 mph

28 March
Lunchtime gym:

• 7.5 Yassos

29 March
Got up early for long run before Rachel's delightful and delicious birthday weekend. Did 16 miles (plus about a mile walk a the end as I misjudged my distance and went to far out). Took about 2 hours 30? Can't remember as I didn't write this one down. It was slower than I would have liked but hilly and I was trying to find a new route. Had a short but incredibly windy and rainy walk up one of the Falkland hills in the afternoon which ended with Rachel and I running down to stay warm - they say you're supposed to bathe your legs in ice cold water after a long run so hopefully that did the trick! Nice short recovery walk the next day too, when it was quite balmy. Great to see all the girls again. I wish there were two of me so I could see more of them and Al, who's weekends back always seem to coincide.

Last week was totally crap, training-wise. No excuse.

No, actually, lots of excuses. Too much on at work for lunchtime sessions and I took on a massive freelance proofreading job which has been taking all evening time not spent ferrying carloads of stuff. (My stuff seems to have expanded even more since the last move - or perhaps it's just because I can't be bothered to do more than 3 trips up and down in the lift.) I knew more work was a stupid idea, but the thought of it paying off my fridge freezer was too much to resist.

So I managed one measly hill run on Wednesday, or maybe it was Tuesday, up Dollar Glen. Very pretty. Got to the castle up the forest track and then ran down the road, running down for two grit bins and then back up for one so I got some more hills in. Probably nearly 5 miles altogether? Was sore the next day, which is unusual.

Productive and strangely relaxing weekend with Fi, taking a van to Ikea and spending up to my credit card limit on STUFF. Then she came out again yesterday to accompany me on bike for what was supposed to be a 17 mile run but was probably more like 16 again. Or maybe more, actually. I'll check on Map My Run. Anyway, we discovered where the mixed leisure route goes, which was very useful. I'm hoping to run to and from work a couple of times next week to up my mileage and make up for last week. And we'd definitely earned fish and chips at the Muckhart Inn.

Next week is to be spent running and assembling furniture. Both ultimately rewarding activities.