It makes no sense

I've not been feeling great today - headache bad enough that stringing sentences together was difficult up until about 3pm and tired - but can I sleep now?? No sense.

X was talked into going running with S this morning - but rather than cancel this evening's scheduled WRN run, she still ran 10K with me. No sense.

Pedalled home with laptop on Monday night, decided I couldn't face carrying it to the station on Tuesday & pedalled in with it today - untouched since Monday. No sense.

And despite this being an exercise blog, I feel the urge to wax lyrical about our new sandwich wrappers (washable, made in Scotland and mark the end of our petrochemical based cling film dependency). Husband's is the skull & crossbones version, mine is the minnie mouse-esque polka dot one. Haven't tested them with wraps, but they cover rolls and sandwiches very well. I will require a second for Husband as he tends to have 2 rolls/wraps, whatever. No sense.

Anyway, back to exercise. X did brilliantly tonight - esp considering that she ran 5.5k this morning. We did the full 10K route in 68 minutes - and that included walking a kilometre at the halfway point - so a respectable pace is possible! I am really not enjoing the bumbag that holds the water I never drink, first aid gubbins, keys and a mobile - esp as I filled it with too much water tonight and it bounces as I run. My only consolation is that I'm sure I'll run faster without it come race day!

Getting tougher now

We sped up the standard group run this week - and did some lamppost intervals - I am a mean coach! Its getting tougher for the beginners now as they are up to 6 mins running. I was extolling the virtues of being able to find a rythm easier than with shorter running spells but not sure if they believed me. Tougher for me too as I go out twice in one night.

I had a London work thing today so walked to station and then from Waterloo to Bloomsbury - walking home too when this train gets to Eastleigh. Glad that I don't do this daily!

Ellisfield

I got very bored with the Ellisfield HCC route over the last couple of years - can't remember how many times we did it, but it felt like squillions! It has redeeming features of having enough tricky bits to be interesting but plenty of virtually weatherproof tracks. Downside is that it's a little short at 19.6km.

Anyway, we rode it today with Goldfish & very satisfying it was too - I'd had enough of a break! My regular spring problem did arise - every winter I get too used to the easy peasey forest tracks & it takes a while for my brain to compute that my bike is capable of rolling over mud/logs/loose stuff.

I've been staring at maps this evening & I've worked up a 31km version of it that could be worth a go.

Weather's been glorious this weekend - spring is in the air & snowdrops are out on the banks. Mystery crocuses have materialised in our front garden - very pretty.

Husband was a hero today - he gave my road bike a much needed service. I've not been using my front brake this week as it didn't seem to be working. He pointed out that the brake pads were completely worn through & I was driving metal onto metal rims - so rather than just new pads, I needed a whole new front wheel! He's put more air in the tyres which might speed me up a bit.

Gym on Friday evening - I'm taking my own advice on the treadmill (for once) and restricted intervals to a couple of 1 minute blasts in between 25 and 30 minutes.

Does pumping up balloons count?

My arms don't love me anymore. I went to Body Combat last night (great to see Sassy back on form) & then to help with a work thing which required 4 hours of balloon pumping! It took 30 pumps per balloon to achieve perfect inflation - my job is so glam! So arm aching & general tiredness shouldn't be a surprise today!
Cycled every day so far this week - it's definitely getting lighter in the evenings now and it's now "dimpsy" when I leave for home.
I enjoyed running group on Monday - I'm getting a bit more confident at introducing proper coach stuff to the standard group and numbers seem to settling down. And the amazing beginners can now run 5 minutes!

High Speed Milkham Pedal

I'm starting to pine for my life. Haven't been to the pub for about a month (actually not true - went last weekend for Husband's ex boss' retirement beer & skittles - and had a late night boogie with S a couple of weeks ago but wasn't drinking so that doesn't count), have neglected to organise anything fun for ages (saved by Kitty & Baby Sister organising stuff that I was able to schedule in), gym's been sporadic..... work, running club, role playing and decorating seem to be all encompassing!

Yesterday for example was absorbed by shopping for our 3rd bathroom light (not an interesting story) and trips to the tip. I was really hoping to get the house inside finished by the end of Feb - we'll be struggling to complete by end March at this rate.


Anyway, quick scoot of 26K from Milkham in the Forest on a route I describe as Kitty's northern circuit. A joined Husband, me and Goldfish. We did it in 1 hour 50mins of riding - and given that my impossible model (kind of Naismith) describes it as 1 hour 45mins, that's speedy. Dry and puncture-free. The fresh air was very welcome, as was the stress busting level of exercise.

Another week

Not much to report this week. Cycled every day apart from Thursday when I walked a fair bit - at times I thought it might have been quicker to walk back from New Malden than catch the train.
We made it to the gym last night but I was truly rubbish on the treadmill - I think I need to accept that I haven't been often enough to be able to do 30 minutes interval work at my old pace & slow down for now. That's the advice I'd be giving myself if in running coach mode anyway!
Frustrating day today as we seemed to have hitch after hitch that meant that we got through a fraction of the DIY we hoped to get through. Cheered myself up by purchasing much needed new long short/capri type leggings for gym/running/body combat - just need to get my legs waxed now though coz if I wear them now, it might look as if I'm wearing furry knee length socks....

Running swimmingly

X sent me an email today explaining that as she is in Vienna at, she wouldn't be joining us on our "swimming/running combination" - I had prewarned the Eastleigh WRN-ers that they'd need snorkels and flippers tonight. It was raining. Just a bit!

I was chuffed that L joined me at half 6 - and amazed to have a nearly full beginners group later on. We all got a bit damp - but to be fair, the rain did actually stop.

I threw a hissy fit when I got home from work today - builders have replaced our driveway with a muddy lake and as I attempted to balance across the plank they's left, I managed to drop my bike into the mire! I was very not impressed. So I stropped! The running put my mood back in order though - CV for mood enhancement seems to be my theme atm.

Crunching through ice & snow

"Snow Bikes" was Husband's response to my suggestion that we cycle today. The snow is pretty much gone from Eastleigh, but we figured there'd still be some around. As there's been so much snow, we opted for the Burley/Brockenhusrt circuit in the Forest - the tracks are weather proof & drain quickly.

Starting on the old railwayline, we crunched our way through icy puddles, with enough liquid water to drench our legs & feel grateful for sealskinz socks (my toes still froze though). It was just a little warmer in Brockenhurst - so much so that there was no snow visible & all puddles were ice free. As we climbed Bolderwood Drive, the temperature dropped - and more snow left. Turning onto the forest track, we worked our way through fairly chunky patches of snow. I was nervous - I don't even drive through snow... Remembered the "control roll control" adage & used the patches where there was a little gravel visible to keep my speed right down & focused on my line - weirdly exhausting! Had a puncture just before we reached the final stretch of road.

Back home, both of us felt much more worked than we have done in the past on this route. Heavy going on the muddy bits & not being able to fly down hills as we were having to negotiate the snow both meant more exertion overall. We went into "must eat carbs" mode!

Cycling home yesterday was great as it wasn't completely pitch black - roll on summer.

I feel so much better than I did on Thursday evening! CV is much better for my happiness than resistance.

Stress Relief needed

I was feeling very aggravated today - and my pedal home wasn't enough of a stretch to restore my mood. I'd booked a new class - and was hoping that it would help me to de-stress - Body Pump which is part of the same franchise/development family as Body Combat. Certainly different - it took the class about 5 minute to get fully kitted up with:

• Step with 6 risers to act as a bench
• Mat
• Hand Weights
• Barbell with multitudes of weights. Most participants had 3 sizes!

I confessed to the instructor that I was a novice & she sorted me out with my barbell - setting it with 2 of the smallest weights. The routines were all weight/strength based - I didn't actually break into a sweat! And I was saved the weights shuffling that seemed to occupy everyone between tracks as i only had the one size. More importantly, lack of bouncing around seemed to mean zero endorphins - so I remained very out of sorts! Body Combat last night was much more my thing. Still, if I can persuade myself that I like the class, I should repeat the experience as I'm sure that an hour of free weights would help my fitness along.

Today was my first cycle to work this week as it was the first snow/ice free day. Rainy, but not completely unpleasant.

Anyway, I hope to cheer up ready for the weekend.....

Walking not Running

I'm really not good at driving in snow - it scares me! Combined with the fact than Monday is a park-2miles-from-office-then-wait-for-bus day for me when I use the car, I opted to walk to work. Which enabled me to risk assess for running tonight en route - concluded it was too dodgy as even if the snow eased off/thawed, a freeze would mean slippery surfaces. So once I actually got to work, emailed, texted & telephoned to cancel running.

Very pretty walk - nearly 3 hours there & back. I saw an innovative BMX-er towing a sledge, a kid using his skateboarder without the wheels. What amazed me was walking past the yoof of Eastleigh and not getting snowballed!

More walking on Sunday - D came over with S & the kids & we had a very chilly wander around Lakeside together.

Cycled to work on Friday & one way on Thursday.

Not much other exercise to report as DIY rules our lives still! Apart from Saturday night when I had a late text from S inviting me for a boogie at the Dungeon with M & K - bouncing around the dancefloor for a couple of hours should count for something!