Happy new week everyone! How's things? I'm riffing on Ju's majestic panther theme here, with an appropriately snowy equivalent...
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. Please join in the discussion 😊
If you're new or a lurker this is a great place to say a little hi without the pressure of a full post.
Happy running, gang!
Ju-Ju, Sqkr, and roseabi
XXX
That photo could be me tomorrow! But maybe not - another heavy snowfall should be starting soon, and should keep on until tomorrow morning. This week's plan is basically the winter challenge run plus parkrun plus 1 ski trip. I don't think I'll have time for any long runs this week.
it's incredible how you can run in the condition you run! I was looking at your post /report in the crazy snow and cold... I am running at -1 and still feel like I cannot /should not do it... enjoy the ski trip 
Beautiful pussy cat 💗 He has the look of a polar explorer, but no doubt he's only searching for a chicken snack and a warm radiator 😊
I'm not having the best time of things right now. I got a Lulu of a migraine on Saturday after my 'pace' run, and am still not feeling well. It's hard to say why I get migraines because I have them only once or twice a year on average, but the two I had in the past couple of weeks happened after hard runs on bright days. So annoying as things have been getting interesting with my HM training! Ah well 😊
So I'll probably not do much this week, trying to keep up my strength for my husband's 50th birthday (tomorrow, and all week!). Well, actually I'll probably do some extra strength training 😄 And my long run on an overcast day...
Happy running all! xx
Poor you - I hope you’re feeling better soon. I get migraines 3-4 times a year also and they seem to last me 3 days.. I hope you enjoy the Birthday celebrations and long run tomorrow 👍 😊
Sorry to hear about the migraines. Could they be a reaction to the bright light? I've only had a few migraines during my life, but two of them happened after skiing, and they were probably caused by the glare. I'm on strict instructions to wear sunglasses when skiing.
hope you feel better soon and enjoy the week long husband's birthday 
Ach Abi migraines are the worst. I get one a month like clockwork, but if I'm stressed or dehydrated I am likely to get a bonus one as a surprise... I'm lucky (?) that mine are motion sensitive and not light sensitive, so if I take a triptan and stare at a screen at work for an hour I can usually survive till it kicks in, though if it comes on when I'm on my bus commute everyone better watch out 🤮 They take it right out of me for days, I get mad postdrome/hangover afterwards, so no wonder you feel a bit unwell still. Glad you're still up for a bit of strength work though 😄 And happy birthday Mr roseabi too!
Sorry to hear about your migraines. I get them - much less than I used to thankfully. Cocoa used to set me off. Soon as I drank it. Wonder if yours could be triggered by food. Just a thought
Thanks, and sorry to hear about yours! Mine are too infrequent to investigate for triggers really, although I can say they always happen after strenuous exercise, unfortunately!
Morning all
Just got back from my speed run thingy It was much warmer out there today 😎, well for me at least. C3PO is up to the neck in snow poor gal 🥶
Learning to waist hoop. Started for real yesters At home to my music🎵 😁
Have a fab week y’all 💪😃👍
I have never been able to do that hoop thing. 😄
I could do it when I was younger as we actually had hoops at school. Wooden ones! The only thing sports wise we actually got to use. I don't think they trusted us with pointy things or bats etc. I suppose it's like anything else, you gotta practice. I hurt like hell today, round my ribs! I'll have another whirl tomorrow
I’m in one of those periods at the moment where I’m loving my runs. Today was an easy 10km, although the rain made it a little less easy! But I actually love running in the rain, as long as it’s not too cold. And I love running in the cold even more, if it’s dry and clear and crisp. Beautiful.
My local parkrun on Saturday was cancelled due to the snow, so I drove to Grovelands. The volunteers did a fantastic job getting it on safely, and were so cheery depite the biting cold and a snow flurry. They’d had to alter the course to be mainly on grass to avoid the ice patches, and re-routed it significantly. Which made it Interesting as a first timer as I was following people who weren’t entirely confident of the route either! Still, I didn’t slip over, and I didn’t see any other fallers....the sun even came out towards the end.
Looking forward to my first proper HM on Sunday! My knee niggles have cleared up at just the right time - that’s the one thing I do find tricky, knowing when is the right time to rest and when to trust my body.
Sounds like an ideal position to be in pre-hm! Have an easy week and smash that hm but most of all enjoy the experience! 😀 have fun! Expect some soreness after the hm (I did my second hm race yesterday) but with some rest / walking today I’m feeling a lot better already. Good luck!
Thanks Macmac. I usually take a couple of days to get fully over a full HM training run, but more just the general fatigue than muscular pain. Funnily enough I think a sports massage was responsible for my recent knee niggle - it came on the day after one, and took a good few days to settle down.
Hope your race went well (will check for a report!)
You are in a good place to taper towards the race and enjoy it Good luck!!! Let us know how it goes
Cheers Marco, will do.
I've had a chest cold for a few weeks and now I suspect it is on the verge of a sinus infection. On some meds now which seems to be knocking it back, and missed last weeks outdoor group runs, so did them alone indoor instead for my own sanity. Weather turned much warmer yesterday, around 0 degrees and I got out for a slower 21k which was nice, though it was a slog, feeling like wooden legs - esp the last 5k. Got a bit lost on the run too which was nice. I've never had the best sense of direction. This time of year and its weather usually brings me down mentally, so I am trying to be consistent with the runs as much as I can.
I sympathize about your lows. Starting to run outside in the winter 3 years ago made it much easier to handle the long winters.
Planning a HM, 10k and Parkrun as normal.
A HM, 10k and Parkrun as normal
we are redefining normal here
Strike that. Skipped the HM planned for today. Lurgy alert. Let's see what's what tomorrow.
Was expecting to wake up with the flu today* but it looks like I'll be getting away with just a common cold ( thanks flu jabs ! ) ... so I did put in the planned HM but a day late and indoors away from the blizzardy weather. I Don't feel too great right this minute though 
* Aching skin, like having mild sunburn. Anyone else get this right before a bad cold or flu? And painful to take a pee! I'm the only one in the family to have such symptoms. Also, my temperature often goes DOWN before a fever. I must be an alien according to Mrs Lordie.
This week I am trying to recover a bit (still aiming for more than 60 miles) from the last week of what became by far the month (January) in which I ran the most miles, with 261!!! (I have never been above 210, and only twice above 200). The past week also included an interesting interval training and a good 20 miles. And I say good because it is probably the first time that I feel as I really got a 20 mile run in a Full marathon preparation right. I started about 20% slower than the pace I think I can get to in the marathon (9'), ran the first 10 miles in 1h 29' and then accelerated to about 8' per mile (I aim for 7'30'' but I am not ready yet...). I managed 6 miles at 8' mile and then I was completely done! I felt like I was at the end of a marathon (but without cramps...). I wanted to stop, I felt I was lowing down a lot... but I managed to keep running and I finished with the last 4 mile just above 8' (brain was probably lying to me as I thought I was almost walking, but I kept a good pace!). finished my 20.14 miles (to be precise as it was 2 loops of 10.07) in 2h 50' - Not bad!
This is all good experience ( and I will try to remember while running the marathon). Monday I was almost out, I ran 4 miles to get blood to the muscles... and today I managed 8 miles, running probably at 8' / mile, but I didn't push in the 4 miles fast training (sorry roseabi ). I'll see if i can get some acceleration tomorrow.
have a good week everybody!!!
I'm having a mare of a week as ever 😄 I had planned a speedy run this lunchtime but I'll have to work through to get back home to Edinburgh for a second viewing on a potential new home...crossed fingers I like it as much as I did first time round. Generally I'd not worry so much about missing a run but it's occurred to me there are just a few weeks left to my first HM of the year and I'm sooooooo not prepped for it, and am working pretty much constantly till the day before so no opportunity for long runs at all 😂 Suffice to say I'm going to use this first HM as a casual training exercise for the following ones!
Dreadful start to the week on Saturday as I returned to the HM plan after two weeks holiday. It was supposed to be a 'HM pace' run but I barely reached 'easy'! Confidence took a huge knock and I was ready to give up (such a drama queen!). Thigh was sore again too. Having had two days off ,it felt much improved today. Speed intervals on the plan - didn't think I was up to it, but couldn't decide what else to do so ploughed on 
What a difference! It was slightly faster than my previous two attempts and I even managed to get uphill in the cool down without slowing too much (faster than Saturday's average 'HM pace' pace!). So pleased. Just need to see how my thigh is tomorrow. Sports massage booked for Fri morning, which will delay my long run by a day. So, 20k now planned for Saturday morning (furthest todate is 19k); excited for it so long as my leg is good
finding running really hard at the moment, saturdays long was pretty terrible I have been finding it hard to have any appetite a few days before so wasn't really fuelled right. It didnt go well slow sluggish and run out of steam at 19km. Anyway onwards and upwards.
Last night I did a 5k at the local sweatshop run, first half is downhill then goes uphill for the 2nd half. the downhill was ok and the uphill I was struggling again but had a word with myself stood up straight, tried to keep to a good form and breathing. Guess what I actually went ok after that all the way up the hill!
So need to try for 25km for my long run on Friday happily my appetite has come back so will try flat route along the river i think
After the snow pussy photo this US news caught my eye about a runner attacked by a big cat - bbc.com/news/world-us-canad...
Other humans (drivers, nutters) are still more dangerous than animals unless you try to run across the Serengeti!
