Sunday 22 September 2013

Time to Run 2013 :: part 3

Hello lovelies,
After my fab short run on Wednesday I woke up with the start of a cold on Thursday.
It always seems to be the case that I get a cold at this time of year...it's not a problem , unless you are training for a specific goal. Then it's very frustrating and can set you back for a couple of weeks if it turns out to be the sort that goes to your chest .
 Desperate to get in my long run, before it got any worse, I headed out anyway..........


I knew this week my training plan told me that I needed to do a ten mile run, not so much further than my 8.75 mile run last week, but psychologically a big leap into double figures .....and a big distance to keep your legs going . I haven't run this far at all in 2013.

Music is always good to give me a much needed boost on a long run. At home I really don't listen to music much at all these days, preferring the sound of silence when I get the chance. But an upbeat tune can really make a difference when I'm running.I do find the need to ring the changes with my playlist or I simply don't listen to it most of the time.
  I uploaded a few tracks from the boys CD to my old MP3 ( now 85!....I remember the very first one....shhhh don't tell anyone).
This week THIS track grabbed my attention and lifted my spirits when the going was getting tough.Yes I AM loving every second, minute, hour....Really I am :0)



Other songs I have on this tiny machine that I always love hear for various reasons are :-
(There is a sample of the songs you can listen to in these link pages if you like.)
VALERIE....because Amy's voice is just wonderful..... brings a lump to my throat

THE LAZY SONG because it reminds me of my first ever half marathon in 2011.It was a local race that I did with the support of a good friend, giving me lots of advice in training then running beside me and encouraging me all the way. I loved the irony of running 13 miles while listening to a song about doing nothing and when this song came on we were outside the hospital where my boys were born and where my eldest had recovered from a torn spleen a couple of years before .
 I have so much to thank the people who work there for.

DANCE WITH ME TONIGHT because it reminds me of my second half marathon. It was the first time I had run one by myself and this track came on about half way through . It was May last year and  I was running past masses of bluebells. I finally relaxed and started enjoying myself instead of worrying I wasn't going be be able to do this without my friend for support.

So how did this weeks long training run go?
Well fine really. I ran along local streets then around a lake. I loved seeing lots of swallows darting past and swans flying low over the shimmering water. It's a long straight boating lake and the outward side was so easy, then when I started heading back along the opposite bank I realised I had had a a good tail wind....the return journey was much tougher !
 I didn't notice my cold at all and even the heavy rain that began at mile seven didn't bother me too much. It's quite refreshing when you are hot. I had a water bottle with me and my usual wine gums for a bit of energy. I also had an old energy gel  but it tasted funny so I only had a bit , then dropped it in the nearest bin. I must get some new ones as I do think they help on long runs.


This is  a GPS watch.... It's amazing the technology you can wear on your wrist these days.

It's new and I'm quite excited about being able to track my progress in this way.
The top figure is distance....10 miles exactly....whoop :0) it's great to know accurately just how far you went.
The big numbers are time taken.....not really the most important thing to me.
 The bottom figure is pace in minute miles. I don't know why it shows 8.04....I can't run that fast. My  pace for this run was 10.31 ( which means it took me 10 minutes 31 seconds to run a mile on average )
It connects up to your computer and tells you loads more information , like a map of your route and the gradients you ran up and down.
It's a luxury you don't really need but I'm certainly loving mine....it even has pretty leaves and a touch of pink :0)

By Friday my cold had really kicked in , I'm refusing to believe I've made it worse by running in the rain.
My weekend runs will have to be missed but as I've already run 17 and a half miles this week  it's not a disaster. I just hope this flippin cold goes away soon.....it's only 4 short weeks till my next half marathon.

You can read about how I started running three years ago  HERE

I've also added a couple of running blogs I'm enjoying reading at the moment to my blog roll for anyone who is looking for more inspiration. They are Mile Posts and Hungry Runner Girl

Jacquie x

19 comments:

  1. Well done you.......I haven't been for a run in the longest time. I feel so lazy and unfit recently......I'm going to research your watch, it looks amazing and inspirational to the task at hand. It's something that would get me off my butt and out enjoying that 'killer first run'

    Emma

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  2. Good effort Jacquie - I'm not sure I would have had your determination to go out with a cold. Nice to get a glimpse behind your running songs - do shout if you want more ideas for your playlist (Kate Bush 'running up that hill' springs to mind!).

    Really hope you are feeling better soon - only a week til Yarndale :)

    Jones x

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  3. Well done to you....I do admire you...but for now I will have another biscuit with my coffee and get back to my sewing....I would be dead if I ran that far!!!! one of the things on my to do list.....one day!
    bestest daisy j x

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  4. Well done on the 10 miles....... tired reading this post...lol

    Luv Jane XX

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  5. Well done to you! My goal is to get to half marathon distance. In my youth I was a sprinter. I can walk all day, but run; it's a special discipline.
    I do hope you are taking care of your cold and making sure you get extra nutrients in. It's too easy to end up in deficit.
    Take care and well done again! BTW, love the very clever watch/GPS/timing/training thing. It's awesome! :)

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  6. Well done Jacquie! Load of tosh that being out in bad weather gives or makes a cold worse. Being fit means you fight it better. However, it's also good to rest more when ill, very sensible. I started cycling in April, 10 mile round trip to work 3-5 times a week. I work in a very busy coffee shop and I think I'm the only staff to have not had sick leave since I started in April, and I'm fulltime and most are part time!! It's helped my back and knee a lot too, which is why I'm not allowed to run. Keep it up and all the best for the half. Fiona x

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  7. Good job! I remember the first CD too...in fact, I was just thinking about them yesterday and wondering what number they were up to by now, so I'm glad you enlightened me because I was very curious. :)

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  8. I remember the first Now Music too - not even a CD but an LP!
    Well done in your running, I'm thinking I'm more a pilates girl (and a using the rowing machine)
    Hope you've had a great weekend, and you've beaten your cold. x

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  9. Well done! A great run! I did my first Half marathon today. It was a bit of a thrill when I had finished!!

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  10. well done Jacquie, you are really going for it! I'm sure the cold will only be a couple of days, take care now, Heather x

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  11. Well done you, it's hard to motivate yourself to go for a run when you're getting a cold! Hope you get over it soon, but you're right, it's not a disaster to miss a run or two just now, you're at 10 miles with 4 weeks to go, you'll be absolutely fine :) Running a half in two weeks' time, really looking forward to it now! :)

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  12. A great achievement Jacquie, well done!! I think determination is the key and it seems that you have buckets of the stuff, so keep going dear. Music is a must. Enjoy xoxo

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  13. Well done on keeping going! I always panic when someone has a cold around me as when I get a cold it does go straight to my chest and that means horse tablets from the doctor! Just make sure you are fighting fit and your music keeps you motivated! Take care. xx

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  14. Music is such a great motivator! Helps me walk but you clever bunny run ☺

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  15. I started a few years ago doing some very slow jogging. I'm not anywhere near a margay hon, maybe a 5 k. I've just signed up for a cancer fund raiser in a few weeks.
    I'm on disability and have a lot of arthritis so that's the most I could do. Also, I dealt with a soft tissue injury all summer which seems to be finally getting better.
    I like music when I run too and I got a HPS watch this summer too! I even subscribe to a running magazine even though I'll never do much more than 5k if that.
    It's good to have something to strive for though. I enjoy reading about your experiences. I too get chest colds, so I know how you feel and hope this one passes quickly. I'm sure the rain won't have made it worse.

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  16. Brilliant. I've just started running, and am finding it quite tough. I am at the run/walk/run/walk stage at the moment. I hope to run a race for life next year.

    leanne xx

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  17. Wow, very amazing! Well done!!! :)
    Kisses
    Tabea

    http://wolkedrei.blogspot.de/

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  18. I hope that you are doing well this weekend with the running, you are doing so well, and I know that the actual big run will go really well for you!!

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