Last day of Christmas

Went for a run with Fabulous Mother In Law this morning - neat route around St Marychurch. Her lungs weren't behaving so we kept to a 5K route. Following conversations on the run (literally!) I showed her the Runners World and Map My Run websites that might help her & her running buddies to find races and measure their running routes.
Back home now - to be fair, it's less dusty here than I expected! I feel that I've done Christmas now - roll on New Year....

Foggintor Granite Quarry

Another day where the wind came straight from Siberia - or that's how cold it seemed! Clear and crisp, brilliant blue sky. Fabulous In Laws suggested we head back towards Princetown & walked a little along some of the old trackways that we'd cycled along in November. And as this was the bit we weren't able to see in November courtesy of some very traditional Dartmoor fog, Husband & I liked the idea of actually being able to view the view....

The disused quarry at Foggintor was about a mile from where we parked. The granite sleepers on the track have visible holes where the rails were attached & there are still a few ruined buildings - which were sillhouetted against the bright winter sky. Through a gap & into the quarry its self - now a lake surrounded by the cliff like quarry walls. Some very pretty icicles and the lake reflected the blue sky. We scrambled around to rejoin the path closer to Princetown - Husband wasn't impressed with the elegance of my climbing! Bitterly cold wind - I lost feeling in my legs and bum towards the end of the walk.

Big Sur at Slapton

Strong easterlies today - which meant sunny skies but bitterly cold wind and huge waves on the South Devon coast. Fabulous Father In Law described the sea as churley today - I think that's a Devonish phrase!

Went to Slapton for a brief wander, looking at the waves crashing against the beach. I'm very lucky that Husband didn't have his camera ready to capture my acrobatics - I was frantically running backwards to avoid an unexpectedly big wave, fell over, but the wave was still coming - so I rolled away, finally resorting to lifting my legs (elegantly) into the air to avoid a drenching - successful, but not graceful.

Happy Christmas!

Ran with my Fabulous Mother in Law to the beach hut this morning - very proud of her for running all the way up Ilsham Marine Drive aka the B***h of a Hill - last time, she walked the last little bit. It didn't seem too chilly running - but at the hut, the easterly wind really made its self felt. You'll see some swimmers in the photo - who had a very brief dip before common sense/hypothermia kicked in! Met up with our husbands & J & E for bacon, sausage, hogs pudding and black pudding wraps, washed down with champagne. That's what I had - the others added egg and orange juice (not together!). Drinks at friends where I got to talk Running Network with a current member - really useful conversation.

Present unwrapping & I received many sports related gifts - new sports bra, fabulous little hydration pack for running (waist thing), new bike gloves, new waterproof socks and an Oregon 300 GPS so I should get lost in the woods less often!

Brief walk with my Fabulous Mother in Law before settling into the big blow out Christmas Dinner.

Catching up

I've been remiss on the blogging front recently - and remiss on the food front. Having a house full of builders and dust and only 1.5 usable rooms seems to inspire more trips to the chip shop and comforting chocolate/biscuits/rubbish! Never mind - we've got until the 5th as a holiday from the builders - and until the 28th as a break from our dust hole of a house.

Been to Body Combat every Wed this month apart from today (Christmas eve) and have been running with X - S joined us too! No more gym or swimming adventures to report. Lots of pedalling to work and a v.pleasant ride in the forest 2 weeks ago with Goldfish. Little bit of walking last weekend and some football with my nephews - we were in Northumberland doing my family. We're now in Torquay with my fabulous in-laws for Christmas.

Christmas and building work have definitely impacted on my desire to exercise (negatively) and on my desire to eat (positively bad). I've also been running around sorting out stuff for the Running Group - 5th Jan is looming which is when I launch!

Rempstone Roast Duathlon

I did my first ever Duathlon on Sunday. All the elements seemed to be within my capabilities when I signed up: 2 miles run, 10 miles mountain bike ride, 2 miles run - and I was originally going to be doing it with K. However, she had to pull out as she's struggled to get her fitness back following a nasty bike accident a couple of months ago.


I was really chuffed that Husband came along to support me - especially as it required getting out of bed at 7:30am on a Sunday! Freezing cold, crisp, bright day - minus 3 when we got there with a hard frost. No wind though.

With Husband's help, got my bike set into the stand ready for transition (see - I have the jargon!), dangling the helmet and my very-not-racer back pack with it - water, pump, inner tube, multi purpose repair tool.


Within a couple of seconds of starting, I realised my running was completely outclassed! So I stuck to the back of the group and did my best to keep to my pace. The running loop was partially off road - but it was the tarmac that scared me as it was so icy.


Transition to cycling - and I started to catch the others up a little. Two 5 mile loops - and I was lapped towards the end of my first. Little technical uphill at the start, but it was mostly tracks across the Studland heath. Crunching through sections of icy mud holes proved to be the biggest obstacle on the course - fun but messy. There were great views over Poole Harbour - whetting my appetite for a return visit!

On the second lap, I overtook 2 blokes - very satisfying! I aslo passed a few riders who ere having bike problems and 1 accident. To be honest, I felt my performance was very much down to Husband prepping my bike well. A marshall called out to me towards the end to keep my legs spinning as would help to keep them fresher for the run, but I was focussing on the black ice on the road.


Final run and my legs felt like frozen lumps - I wasn't sure I could run at all. My feet were drenched and I was feeling cold. For the first kilometre, I just focussed on getting up to the next gatepost, the next bend, the next hedge and ignored my time. I was really expecting the blokes I passed earlier to pelt past me. Final track section and I managed a very slow lolloping "sprint" - and was chuffed to see people still at the finish to cheer me back! Very surprised not to come in last.


The winner completed the course in 55mins - my time was 1 hour 35 mins 6 seconds - 20th woman out of 23. but I'm really chuffed to have finished. I'd love to do another mountain bike based
duathlon sometime - maybe not the next Rempstone Roast in Jan 09, but poss Dec 09. Might try & persuade C & M to give it a go - I can imagine M especially enjoying the event.

Pleasantly surprised that my cycling was OK - not surprised that it's my running that needs work. Given how athletic everybody looked, I did feel a bit intimidated initially, but soon found that people were friendly and chatty - and very supportive of my efforts! Husband found some people to chat to whilst waiting for me, but I'm very conscious that he was amazing to come out & freeze just to support me.


Went to G's for lunch on the way back - yummy burgers and a very appreciated hot shower.


Cycled home today with my colleague B who's just moved to the area - he's definitely a road cyclist - he got a bit frustrated with my traffic free route!

Pedal in the forest

26k in the New Forest with Goldfish and Husband. Sunny but a bit nippy (or nippley as the boys insisted - they are strange) and we did the route Kitty devised from Milksham to Burley. Quite a few cyclists out today plus some redwings and horses - no deer today. Sad to report that our flask is no longer as thermal as it should be.

Gym last night - 30mins x trainer, 15mins stepper & some weights machines.

Eastleigh Womens Running Network

X & I should have gone for a run tonight - but I called it off at the last minute as it was starting to rain - and I wasn't sure I was ready to subject us to a full downpour like we had first thing today.

Come 5th January though, I'll have to be more hardy because......[drum roll]......[cheerleaders with pompoms]...... Eastleigh Womens Running Network will be extant! I've done the leadership course, the coaching course, I'm an Activity First Aider, venue is sorted (The Hub sports pavilion in Eastleigh) as is the start date.

http://womensrunningnetwork.co.uk/southeast/eastleigh.htm - and there's a facebook page too. It's being advertised on the e-classified board at work, my posters will be going up soon - all systems go.

Back to exercise for now. Gym on Tuesday where I did 10mins X training, 17mins running and 20mins stepper. Yesterday, a London trip meant a little walking - but less than usual as I was heaving 2 exhibition stands around. I'm sure I expended a few calories through nervous energy - I presented at an event and managed to shake all the way through! Only cycled to work on Mon & Tue - due to the London trip & transport of stands.

Swimming not drowning

I had another attempt at swimming last night. Again, I didn't even count lengths & just focussed on my breathing - and it went OK. I'm getting better at sorting out anti-drowning strategies (e.g. closing my mouth as I come out of water to breathe seems to help avoid swallowing half the pool). Husband joined me in the slow lane after he'd pelted his 50 lengths for a spot of coaching - just us left in the lane which was convenient.


First task was to convince me that I am going faster than I think. I can't check this alone as I don't have prescription goggles (or surgically enhanced eyesight!) and can't read the clock. I did the 20m length in:

• 37 seconds swimming with my old head out of water style (and this lenght took the most effort)
• 35 seconds swimming with head dipping in & out every stroke

Second task was to get me to pull & breathe before my glide slowed - so more than focussing on the breathing alone:

• 30 seconds! Husband maintains a pace of 27 secs for his 50 lengths - so maybe there is hope for me - although atm, I don't think I could keep this up.

I'm very lucky to be married to a good swimmer. I think he may have been a sea otter in a former life (love of shellfish - check, good at swimming - check, plays constantly in the water - check, covered in dense lush fur - check......).

Gym on Saturday - slow run, but did my 30mins. 30 mins x trainer too. No cycling on Sunday as I was doing the second half of the St Johns first aid course.

Cycled to work today & regretted wearing just 2 layers - bitterly cold today.