Hello everybody. I hope you are having a good new year?
Sometimes we don't feel like putting a whole post up but just want to share something small, so this is a great place for doing that during the week.
If youre a lurker it is a great place to say a little hi without the pressure of a full post.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy week,
Juju, Realfoodieclub, Oldfloss, Millsie-J and Jan-now-runs
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I've been falling into the comparison trap this past week, but only comparing my own speed now, with this time last year. Unfavourably. I'm feeling more positive now, though - I remembered that the plan is completely different this year! Think I had a bit of a cold, they always seem to fill me with dread and thoughts of impending doom 
Plodding on 
Have a super week!
Happy new Ju 😃👍
Training going well. Got another 16k tomorrow. My third in three weeks 🙄
Bit fed up of doing them in the dark, the pouring rain and freezing cold. Roll on lighter nights 🙂
I think,I added another race to my schedule. My niece wants me to do a race with her over in Lincs in June. It depends on if she’s ready. i think it’ll be a goer.
I have a trio of local races booked and they’ve decided to join forces and offer a Triple Race Memento for those running all three 😃👍
My training's not going as well as I'd like. After my long ski trip last week, I managed two runs. Those snow ploughs keep trying to get me!
I'm really swamped at work as well, and have been working around the clock for the past few weeks. Anybody want to proofread academic articles on CO2 storage? I was really depressed about not getting any exercise done yesterday, but I had a lightbulb moment. I usually proofread for 30 minutes at a time, then take a 10-minute break. So yesterday, I would do some of my strength training exercise during each break, and eventually got through my whole program. It was also a good way to clear my head.
My plan for the week is an interval session on my treadmill today, hopefully get out tomorrow, and do two runs in London at the weekend.
The bad: did a Carsington run which of course wasn't as long as it should have been (that place 
) Still flapping about the 10 miler and HM, although of course flapping doesn't get the miles in.
The good: had a fantastic and inspirational session at my new(-ish) gym last night with the owner who is a PT who has given me a programme for upper body and core. We will meet again in two weeks when he will check to make sure I'm doing it right and give me another programme for legs. Brilliant!
Blimey! Last week was a bit of a disaster in my HM plan ... needed a 16k but barely managed two 8ks which really knocked me. Have done some 13s to this point and was due a 16 last week but both days I set out (yes, the 3rd one is missing due to work getting in the way) it just wasn't happening. Hubs is a distance runner, said we'd go together Sunday but although he's my world, sometimes running with him makes it harder. He always looks like he's pootling along beside me, looking at the birds, the trees, chatting away whilst I'm barely breathing and struggling to see the joy in much so it feels like I'm lumbering next to his effortless jog! Physically though I'm not completely over this flippin' heavy cold everyone has had , my legs felt wrong, my breathing was a nightmare and then I couldn't catch my breath at all a bit like an asthma attack so it was a write off. Today however, best foot forward and despite cultivating several sore bits an blisters along the way, the 16k was done so I am redeemed! Hoping it was a blip, 4th March is D-Day for the Cambridge HM so the goal is in sight. Happy running everyone
I. am. just. so. tired......
After an incredibly busy and stressful January, I still managed to get my 16k run in last week but can't seem to shake my exhaustion right now. My husband and I travelled north to meet up with an old family friend to go snowmobiling and were blessed with a dumping of beautiful new powder. However our fearless leader decided to break Trail down an abandoned trail. It was a much more physical,technically demanding ride than I am accustomed to. My machine is a 2 passenger since I usually have my son with me, who fortunately decided to spend the weekend with his Grandfather. i have the longest, heaviest machine and was the lightest rider so I ended up high-centered on a log which took a lot of work to get back on trail. by the end of the ride I was just so tired I missed a turn and ended up dumping my machine in a snow bank. Fortunately, my husband was incredibly conscientious of my skill level and stayed behind me the whole time. He could tell I was getting exhausted and was quick to rescue me when needed. So, although a great trip, not quite the relaxing trip I expected. So, long story short, I was planning on running 8k today and 12k Friday followed by another weekend on call. I Decided my exhaustion is telling me something. We're in another deep freeze (-20C and windy 😞) so have spent the day relaxing, getting household chores done. If I feel up to it tonight, I may do a short run on the treadmill or get on the elliptical instead. Will hopefully still get a run in Friday, but will decide the distance that day. I think I just need to take a bit of a break.
Been under some client stresses lately and really busy, but I’ve been trying to get the runs in as I seem to need them mentally too. Sat morn was 18k and today was back to a short, easier 7k. Got onto and then promptly fell off Ringold’s Squaats wagon :). Started doing smaller workout sessions on off days too cuz I know I need em. Nothing too serious right now.
Getting into my Asics HM plan routine now, with a 12k jog done, a faster 8km "run" planned today at 6:20 min/km and then the first build-up 8km at end of the week which will need to be a 5:30 min 8km and the first time I have combined any "pace" with distance. Interested to see how the 5:30 min/km run goes as that will be 90s above my run-all-day gear/pace I've recently found (touch under 7:00). I ran a 4:30 pace 1km a few weeks back to to test whether I still had the legs for any imitation of "speed" so that was encouraging (although beetroot-faced).
Encouragingly I've had to put a few spurts of speed on recently to avoid cars and other obstacles, and even at the end of a 12km jog I was pleasantly surprised that I could shift up to a sort of sprint quite effortlessly (well may not have look like a sprint or effortless to the casual observer!) but it felt good. Seems like I am getting fitter and the potential for more speed is there. Feel good.
Still running down in my batcave (underground parking cavern/bunker) as Finland is all blizzardy at the moment. When I get outside in the sunshine to run next I'll probably be like one of those indoor over-wintered cattle let loose on a fresh grass meadow in the spring!
Weekly chat 5 - 11 February 
