5x50 Day 19

[swanscot]

I started off today with good intentions by getting dressed in my cycling clothes as soon as I got up. But after an hour or so of faffing about - cleaning out the wood burning stove and fetching and carrying logs, cleaning and tidying, then breakfast, I felt cold and thought I'd change into jeans and boots for a walk in the woods.

But I looked at my 10K training plan and it said "Cross Train" today and a wee walk in the woods is not really pushing myself! Heck, I'd just ordered a new high-vis waterproof cycle jacket last night, so better stop being such a wimp and get out there on my bike!

Marathon-running and mountain bike-cycling son was around and he decided to come with me - on the understanding that I was going as slowly as I wished.

Once I got going, I loved it. The first 1km from the house is downhill and is a wee bit cold when not warmed up, but that is followed by plenty of uphill.

We explored a privately-owned wood that I'd not walked or cycled in for years and it was great. A nice. bumpy track for part of the way, followed by a surfaced private road that leads to the 'Big House' (think Monarch of the Glen stylee big house), but this one is on an island in the middle of the river. Oh, and it's for sale if you have a spare few million lying around (£15 million to be precise).

I did 15.3 km in just over an hour: runkeeper.com/user/59524307...

[Angel108 Graduate]

My heel doesn't hurt as much as I was told it would so I walked for 7km. I wouldn't be daft enough to run yet (maybe tomorrow? Ok maybe not) but thought a walk was better than nothing. I think I will do the gym bike tomorrow. Hoping a slow run by Monday all going well. For me this challenge is about doing something everyday so it gets to be a life changing habit, rather than going hell for leather and wearing myself out for the 50 days. I know me and I know my weaknesses, and I've done kick boxing classes 3 nights a week while doing dance classes 3 nights a week. I did this in my early 40s and loved it, but eventually it wore me out. Took a couple of weeks off and never returned. So this time I am approaching it differently and so far it's working for me.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Angel108]

Well done walking 7km the day after your procedure.

I, too, am keen for this challenge to be something I can keep up with afterwards and I know I'll enjoy more walks after October. At the moment I stretching myself more because I've entered a 10K race at the end of October - actually the last day of the challenge. This is why I'm getting out on my bike more on the non-running days and running 5K+ every second day.

[Pelephant Graduate]

15.3k! Well done. That still sounds absolutely amazing to me! Sounds like you had a great time. Now I'm off to see if I can scrape £15 million together so I can wave at you from my island next time you fly past. Oh yes.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Pelephant]

This was in my bike, so 15 km would be 'next-to-nothing' on the level and on road, but the hills around here are, well, quite hilly!

BTW This is the property - complete with private island (we didn't cross onto the island, but saw the house across the river): vladi-private-islands.de/en...

[swanscot Graduate in reply to swanscot]

*on* my bike, not in it! Wish we could correct typos here!

[Hidden]

Another great achievement for the 5x50, beautiful surroundings I expect

[George42 Graduate]

This has been a bad day, struggled with everything. Ran for the bus this morning and my ankle was killing me all day. Managed to walk and cycle but my knee Started to really hurt out of the blue as I got out of the bus coming home and it took a bit of walking for it to ease off enough for me to get going on the excercise bike.

My total is up to 217k but somehow today I feel like I am not doing enough, although I don't know what else I could do.

Well done angel108 and Swancot, I think I wouldn't feel so down if I wasn't having to fit so much in around work just now,

[swanscot Graduate in reply to George42]

Oh dear, your knee come out in sympathy with your ankle?

As someone else mentioned on another blog on this site, the one positive of currently not being in paid employment is having time to indulge in running and other activities.

[Angel108 Graduate]

Not so good George42 but 217k is brilliant. Aches and pains can really get us down and slow us down but I think we all deserve a massive pat on the back. Don't know about you but before June 4 (the day I started c25k) I couldn't have run for a bus!

[George42 Graduate]

Before I started the 5x50 I was running regularly, I am going the wrong way!