I need to write this somewhere......

[Beads]

....just to keep track of what I've done, so feel free not to read it.

It's been a funny week, with no Laura urging me on and no structure, possibly post graduation blues.

W9R3 was last Saturday morning along with the celebrations that followed.

Sunday normally being a run day off I went with Grace and Alex for a short trot round the aerodrome (I've already told you this).

Followed by Monday being a run day if Sunday wasn't so that ended up with 30 minutes at slow speed on the treadmill after the gym.

Tuesday was a 'proper' rest day and Wednesday saw me attempt 'Speed' (back to Laura, I can't cope without her structure).

Thursday should have been a rest day but Alex rang and said was I going, so I went. This was the second attempt at 'Speed' and was not a total success, my poor legs and lungs needed me to walk the first half of the last 3 slow runs so they could recover. I really shouldn't have gone out 2 days in a row.

Friday was a proper rest day, all I did was go to the gym.

Saturday. Well I was going to get up early and go for a run round the roads, either my route from graduation or to complete the circle rather than doing the horseshoe shape of last week. Bed called though and I only managed to drag myself as far as the shed. I did a variation on either Stamina or Steppingstones on the treadmill. 10 minutes on 7 lights (about 6.7Kph), 20 minutes on 8 lights (7.7Kph) and a final 5 minutes on 9 lights (can't remember how fast that's meant to be), that's where I was going to finish but there was the the rebel in me saying, go on I know you can do it, so there was a final minute on 10 lights (9.8Kph) before slowing to 7 lights for a final few minutes and a cool down walk. All done listening to my audiobook (why can't they see who the baddie is?!).

Sunday. It's been a good day so far. Hubby said he was taking the dog for a walk so I went with him, we were out for about an hour and 20 minutes and covered about 3.5 miles, in the cold crisp sun over in Happy Valley, nice, except when I found out my wellies had split! Then as I'd promised myself a short run I got changed and headed back to the shed (for some reason I really don't fancy hills at the moment). Back to the audiobook, there was only a minute of warm up walk (as I'd just been out for over an hour), a minute on 7 lights, 8 minutes on 8 lights followed by 6 repetitions of a minute on 10 lights and a minute on 7 lights (successfully) with the final minute on 10 lights being extended to 2 minutes. All followed by 5 minutes back on 8 lights and the final 3 minutes slowing down walking.

I know I've been a bad girl with not resting properly but I will try to improve next week and get back to a proper structure. Tues/Thurs/Sat/Sun I think, going out when I have time and just short runs if I don't.

Now all I need to do is persuade myself to go get dressed after my shower, to put the last batch of washing in the machine, have lunch, do the ironing and then I can go and melt glass. And if I manage that it would have been an almost perfect day!

[shelleymcb Graduate]

sounds like youve been a busy girl & deserve a glass of wine

can I ask though, 7 lights? is this effort? & if so, how can you tell how many lights are on???

if I was to use lights I think all mine would have 9 lights on, even the slow runs.

~X~

[Beads Graduate in reply to shelleymcb]

The treadmill has 12 lights, each light being a bit faster than the previous one. Max speed is 12kph so each light = about 1kph but the speed readout is slightly different. I don't know how accurate the speed readout is, I did 5K in about 35 minutes on my graduation run (outside), so overall about 8.5kph (which is probably about 9 lights) but it seems to be much faster and require more effort on the treadmill.

[shelleymcb Graduate in reply to Beads]

thats a brilliant way of measuring your effort. makes sense now! x