Lazy week

Yeah, couldn't really be arsed this week. Went to the gym on Tuesday, having waved goodbye to Al who came back for a fleeting visit, only to bore myself into submission. Was supposed to do an hour (probably split 45 mins / 15 mins) at 6.7 mph. Actually did 10 mins at 6.7 mph, 10 mins at 6.8 mph, got bored, went and did some weights (the usual, all at 20 kg). Then approached the treadmill again and did 3 miles in 30 minutes - a mixture of 6.7 mph and fast walking on a steep gradient. It wasn't that I was tired so much as just bored...And hot. It does get hot in the gym. Can't wait to be able to run outside in the evenings. Oh, did a bit of bike at the end too.

Anyway, I have also reached that 'must have chocolate' time of the month, during which I have learnt better than to deny myself. It's not every month my body decides I need chips and the sofa, but this time it was quite clear and I duly abandoned plans for my speed session both yesterday and today (not that I was planning two - I vaguely told myself I'd reschedule) and spent the time productively sitting in traffic jams instead. Well, it is the first speed session I've missed so far in all my training. Trying not to think about next week when I will be somewhere steep and snowy without running facilities.

Luckily I have agreed to run with Matt tomorrow which will get me back in the game. Have to come up with a 13 mile route for us. He didn't look happy when I mentioned it.

Quick catch up

Had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday which left me in Edinburgh at 5pm - still light enough for an outside run. I went up Easter Road, round Queens Drive and back, a total of 7.2 miles. Tried to keep the pace up and finished it in 1 hour 4 mins, which I was pleased with. About 6.7 mph.

That was my tempo run for the week. Did my speed session at Friday lunchtime (having remembered to take my own hairdryer to the gym so I could go back to work without wet hair):

• 3 mins step machine at 5.5 floors per minute
• 3 mins cross trainer, level 11, above 10 mets
• 5 x 0.5 mile in 3 mins 45 secs, with 0.15 mile at 4 mph in between.
• About 0.7 miles at 6.6 mph

Couldn't do more as I had to get back to work, but completed a 7 mile walk on Saturday and a 12 mile run on Sunday. The run was slow on the way back as it was uphill and there was a strong headwind, but it was a bright day and good to be outside. The smell of Fi's roast pork as I entered the home straight also kept me going! The walk was lovely - good company and lots of lovely scenery and interesting things to see along the way, including a folly and a 300 year old oak.

This week, planning tempo run and speed work tomorrow and Wednesday. Long run with Matt Friday night and the duathlon as my hill session on Sunday.

Newcastle trip

Did my long run as planned on Friday night, with Matt gamely agreeing to come and defend me from muggers. Though frankly I don't think he would have been much use towards the end when he stopped chatting and started to look a bit peaky. The furthest he'd ever run before was 10km, so the step up to 11 miles was a big ask! However, he finished strongly and we agreed to run together again the Friday before our next duathlon. We also completed the flatish course (Easter Road, Willobrae Road, park, Meadows, Queen Street, Easter Road) in 1 hour 35: very respectable.

Then off to Newcastle for Helen's early birthday present - a surprise trip to the X Factor concert! It was a really nice break after a frantic few weeks as we chilled out on the train, kept Helen guessing till the last minute and were suitably entertained. Some of the singers were quite good, though not, sadly, Leon the actual winner. The songs were mostly old favourites though, which got the party going.

I was also completely won over by Newcastle. In the bright clear sunshine it seemed lovely, only an hour and a half from Edinburgh, with great shops! I was very excited by my first visit to Primark and got a great winter coat for £10 and a dress for £12 - though since Jenny has told me they were made in Chinese sweat shops I have decided to donate an equal amount to charity to assuage my guilt...A star find came on Sunday morning when Hilary remembered a nice area from an episode of Location, Location, Location and we went there on the metro and found a lovely place for brunch.

Unfortunately I couldn't continue the chilling out on our return as I had to give the flat a final clean - its new tenants will have moved in tonight. I hope they like it and take good care of it - it was quite emotional shutting the door for the last time. Was supposed to run as well but it was nearly 8 by the time I was done so I went to the gym after work today instead. This was last week's belated hill session:

• 6 mins cross trainer, level 11, staying above 10 mets
• 25 mins treadmill at 6.5 mph
• 10 mins bike, hills
• 1 x 12 reps chest press at 15kg and 3 x 12 at 20kg
• 35 mins treadmill, cross country 1 setting (inclines up to 8%), at 5.9 mph
• 2 x 12 reps each of all three settings on back machine at 20kg

Felt like I wasn't pushing it much. Will set the hills up another 0.5% on the inclines next week I think. Although I was probably fresh as a result of two days off and energised by a multitude of mini M&S flapjacks.

Slowly improving...

Yes, slowly getting there. Went back to Runfinder and worked out the weekend long run was actually 10.8 miles, so 1 hour 40 mins feels more respectable. Nearly 9 minute miling it.

Gym yesterday, did:

• 6 mins cross trainer level 11, staying above 10 mets
• 45 mins treadmill at 6.5 mph
• 2 x 12 reps chest press at 15kg and 1 x12 at 20kg
• 2 x 12 each of biceps, triceps and latimus dorsi (finally remembered to check what it was), all at 15kg except the last biceps, which was 20kg
• 10 mins bike, hills
• 15 mins treadmill at 6.5 mph

Then today did:

• 6 mins step machine (was in the girlie gym and the only cross trainer is always busy), 5.5 floors per min
• 4 x 0.5 mile in 3 min 45 sec, with 0.15 mile walking in between (at 4mph)
• 1 x 0.25 mile in half time
• 2 x 12 reps pull down at 30kg, 1 x 12 at 35kg
• 3 x 12 reps tricep push down at 25kg
• 1 mile treadmill at 6.5 mph
• 10 mins step machine at 5.5 floors per min

Have to do my long run tomorrow after work as I'm away over the weekend so can't fit it in otherwise. I'm trying to work out an 11 mile route round Edinburgh that I can do after dark - surprisingly difficult, and it looks as though I'll have to either brave Windy Gap or stick to really boring, busy, fume-filled roads. I think I'll take the Gap and just hope potential muggers and rapists can't run very fast. There's only a short stretch that's mildly scary. Maybe I can get Matt to come with me. Or actually, I could go down Seafield Road to Portobello. That's only two thirds on boring roads, and Porty is quite nice early evening. Although it will be Friday. So it may be full of drunken chavs. Oh, I don't know. I wish it would hurry up and get light.

That leaves one more run - my hill session - to fit in. I had told myself I'd get up at 8 on Saturday to do it before leaving but I think it's more realistic to leave it till Sunday night and go to Meadowbank.

Anyway, the jeans are getting looser and there is starting to be a difference when I look in the mirror. I swear blokes find it easier to put on muscle. Al barely has to walk down the road and back to turn into a lean, mean, running machine. I've been training consistently for nearly two months and have just got to the stage where the barest glimpse of stomach muscle can be seen emerging from the flab. Hey ho.

Doh!

That should be 1 hour 40 minutes, for the 10 miler yesterday, obviously. I'm not THAT slow.

Still slow though.

On the plus side, to make up for eating nothing but chips and doughnuts yesterday, I've been on a fruit and veg binge. Today I've had loads of dried fruit, an apple, a salad with olives and avocado, a stir fry with courgette, onion and peppers and blueberries with yoghurt. At least seven portions. I feel healthy just thinking about it.

Hills, hills, hills

Long run today. I actually did the hideous hilly loop I'd been contemplating. Realised belatedly that to run it from Al's would add an extra three miles so drove to Rossie Place, ran it from there and and then picked up a clothes airer, clothes hangers and some utensils from the flat on the way back. Realised even more belatedly that I could have run it from Al's and added three miles of fairly flat Easter Road instead of three miles of hilly Queens Drive, but it was too late by then.

Felt pretty good as I was doing it, pushing it on the downhill and steady on the up. It was good running weather - cool and still and misty after a really mild springlike day yesterday. And on Radical Road I ran almost the whole second half of the uphill section. So I was disappointed to find it took me a whole 140 minutes to do the 10.2ish miles. Bloody hills.

TFI Friday

Gave my self yesterday off to just go home, watch Top Gear (the one where they drive across Botswana - superb) and eat an entire family pack of mini eggs.

Then made myself go to the gym today and feel extremely virtuous that I did and have thus had a proper four sessions this week.

Did:

• 6 mins cross trainer at level 10, staying above 10 mets
• 3 miles treadmill, 6.5 mph
• 2 x 12 reps chest press at 15 kg and 1 x 12 at 20 kg
• 3 miles treadmill 'cross country 1' setting, which was hills up to 8% at 5.8 mph
• 2 x 12 reps each of biceps, triceps and the other one on the back machine, all 15 kgs except last biceps at 20 kgs
  

Then drove home. It's pretty much exactly a 40 mile drive which has had me musing that I could run it in a weekend, perhaps for charity? Could cross the FRB and run along the river rather than get squished on the motorway. Or maybe bike it in a day.

Another musing is to make Sunday's long run the evil radical road loop from a couple of weeks back with - get this - an extra three mile loop round Queen's Drive! Which would make it 10 miles. Hmm. I'm not sure that planning runs while driving is the best way forward.

Right. Got another bag of mini eggs needing attention here. Bye.

PS - anyone else having trouble with Blogger's spell check? Doesn't seem to want to check my blogs at all.