I apologise for my somewhat incompetence over the last couple of weeks in posting any updates. I've been battling a bad sinus infection at the start of January (causing me to further out off training), then had to wing my January exams at university the other week and last week I was overwhelmed by introductory lectures and seminars for the start of the second semester as well as being offered a part time position as a follow on from my Christmas temp job- go me for the weekend!!! Gosh, it only seems like yesterday I was getting my GCSE results of 2012, never mind being that little bit more closer to (hopefully) graduating with a BA History in the summer of 2017! All the better if I would have already, by then, have completed my first marathon!
So, it's safe to say I've had a fairly jittery start to the year and with the Coventry Half Marathon, ain't nobody got time for this!
So my training roughly started on the 16th December whereby I went and smashed a 5k PB, it was hard, but the route compared to my others is fairly kind and flat. I was exceedingly happy. Then the dreaded sinus infection and cold virus erupted within me for- no lie all in all, about 3-4 weeks. I was devastated and in quite a lot of pain! :-(
In the new year. My training started again on January 4th. I'd stopped smoking for a New Years resolution (yeah, I kept that quiet. Not that I smoked much, but still. I feel I can now tell people due to it not being a thing I now persue anymore!) and started to Vape. Already I was feeling the difference in my lungs when running. The next couple of runs I'd partake seriously got me worried. I kept on getting a side stitch, I wasn't eating heavy before or drinking any caffeine or anything that could cause it! The pain was disgraceful. To the point whereby I just thought "why do I run. Maybe it's just not for me anymore". But I learnt some breathing techniques. The one whereby as your foot (the opposite one to the side stitch) contacts the floor you should aim to breathe out. Man, this worked wonders for me and made my running feel partially enjoyable again.
The weeks runs were steady and fairly de- motivating.
4th Jan. 3.1miles. 33:15
6th Jan 3.11 miles. 33:01
8th Jan 4.15 miles. 44:03.
I'm not going to lie. They were difficult and made me think. Omg. I actually can't do this half marathon in February! I was struggling. Badly.
This marks the last run on my Garmin Forerunner 10. My amazing little starter companion! I was due to say goodbye to it on the Sunday of that week. Luckily my Fiances present finally arrived having been meant for Christmas. So unorganised I know. Ordering it 2 days before Christmas. Then it being out of stock with no email from Amazon saying they'd placed the money back into his account. Finally ordered it off the TomTom website. And it arrived the Saturday I needed it. The day before my Garmin was being adopted. Happy days.
My new watch sparked a new motivational pull for this weeks training. I was itching to compare the two. So I ran my first run at 5 miles. Not really using the instruction manual I had no clue how to stop the activity. Haha. Again it felt like I was running at 60mph. Heart racing, lungs felt like they were just gonna die off. Aha.
Despite feeling like utter death, 18th January saw a new route PB at 53:03. The only thing I don't like about this new watch is that it doesn't have an auto pause and resume feature like the Garmin. This is great when you stop dead at the traffic lights. I found myself self having to stop and time the seconds I needed to knock off. Which was a pain. But apart from that. I downloaded the app, you put your Bluetooth on on your phone and it uploads your activity. As the Jackson 5 would say, it's easy as 1,2,3. The pedometer is a bit sensitive. For example just before sitting down after coming down stairs, having just awoke. I've apparently walked 90 steps, which I highly doubt. It tracked my sleep at 7hrs 37 mins. Sounded about right. But obviously you have to wear it at night, which I don't like doing as it's quite uncomfortable. The watch itself. Now I'm more familiar with, is so easy to use. One button function. And I love the idea that you put one hand over the display face and it activates the back light which is great on these late night runs.
19th January saw another route PB.
5k in 30:46 which is a whooping 9 seconds off my forerunner PB. I was feeling great for the first time in coming back to running. I felt I was getting faster and fitter more effectively!
20th January saw another route PB
4.16 miles = 41:26
Garmin route recent = 44:03 on the 8th January!
So with getting use to a 5 day week at uni and a Thursday overtime shift as well as working all weekend. I was feeling pretty drained. But I found it more effective running one day after the other oppose to running one day and resting the next.
I decided to go for a run on the Saturday before my shift as it was only going to be a 5k. I thought to myself. No looking at the watch until I was back home, having finished. The run was difficult. But I didn't think I was giving it too much effort. Which seems to be the case for this week. Was it an increase in striding which I've done automatically as a result of feeling fitter? I have no clue. But I got home panting and sweating, looked at my Garmin and got a...
Sub 30mins 5k!!!!!! One of my New Years running targets. I was over the moon. I'd done it in...
29:48. I love banging out these ??:48's.
I was extatic. But work was a killer I felt so fatigued towards the end. I'm just glad I wasn't on moping round the food court that night!
Sunday saw a 10am start at work till 4:30. My dad had Come back after a week skiing in France and I SO missed him. As a result he picked me up from work and we went for a well deserved Sunday lunch... (And a bowl of profitteroles) ;-). My 6 miles for Sunday was therefore put off as a result of feeling like one of those beached Whales that had washed up on a beach in Skegness. That was generally me.
My 6 miles was left for Monday. Ooo man. I forgot how bad the route was. I found it really difficult to find a rhythm to settle into. Breathing all over the place. Slight stitch, a stomach cramp half way through. I thought no way a route PB this time. So I just snailed along merrily. I came to find a whooping,
59:53. You've guessed it- ANOTHER route PB. At an average pace of 9:58. Woooow. But in dreading a 2 mile increase this week, putting my long run at 8 miles and frankly, this route is a hoe!!
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