Unexpected tales » anne

Snow

anne — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:43:30 +0000

Ran in the snow – just enough came down overnight to make it reasonably safe underfoot, covering the ice that’s formed from a million feet churning in the freeze.

The first 10 minutes were hideous – but then it all eased up and sorted itself out (possibly because I finished the mostly uphill part, although the later uphill bit was fine). May be the point in the cycle.

Also 5BX level D+.

5BX

anne — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:27:09 +0000

5BX – Chart 1/D-. Easy, step up to D tomorrow.

Back again

anne — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:20:36 +0000

Ran on New Year’s Day in the snow – and then again – and again – and again, this time on snow. Ran today, in the gym with a million resolutions on the treadmills next to me (after a twenty minute wait for a free treadmill). I’ll take my chances with the snow next time, I think. The air conditioning couldn’t cope, and it was hellishly hot. I may be the only person to have cancelled a gym membership in January, but I’ve given up on them – hot, annoying to get to, and expensive. I’ll use the money to get a decent set of weights and a bench to keep at home, and run for cardio – plus there’s always the local council gym and pool not too far away if I decide I want to use a gym occasionally.

Following the “Get Running” app on the iPhone – so far, so useful. Easier than looking at a watch, I don’t keep looking to see that only a second has passed since the last time I checked.

15/45

anne — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:44:43 +0000

Sunny Sunday afternoon, I ended up cycling rather more than anticipated.

5/30

anne — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:28:39 +0000

Cycling: woke up, having planned to run, and hobbled to the bathroom (dramatic licence; I walked normally, but my ankles were definitely making their presence felt). I remembered a conversation I had with K, about not doing things that we don’t enjoy, and wondered why I was planning on doing something that made me hurt. I’m not a masochist. I do like running, but my joints don’t – at least, not at the moment.

I had to go out anyway, to run an errand of sorts, so I decided to take the bike and make a short ride out of it. Five miles later, I’m home and I don’t ache (well, not much and not as acutely as I do after running – this is muscles protesting, not joints protesting. Muscles sort themselves out, more or less). Not a breeze of a ride (too many hills around here) and I was overtaken by one cyclist who was clearly drifting along merrily where I was working up a hill (ok, slight incline). And the fast bit where I cranked up the gears and just went for it was a blast.

2/25

anne — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:44:43 +0000

Away for a week, back to walk/run the dog; tried an experiment, with shorter running intervals and shorter walking intervals: run for 10 seconds, walk for 50 seconds. Rinse & repeat for 20 minutes, and repeat three times during the week. Then increase the running intervals by 5 seconds and reduce the walking intervals by the same amount. The trick … run the 10 seconds fast, not at the jog that I usually run intervals at. Theoretically, this should ease my slightly unhappy ankle back into running properly, and also bring me up to actually running for 30 minutes, not just jogging.

The dog was a bit bemused by the speed, though. Wet feet again, as well.

2/23

anne — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:14:07 +0000

Short brisk walk with the dog; discovered the virtue of the phone being down two flights of stairs – if it had been closer, I would have txt’d an apology and gone back to sleep. Tired, but woke up on the walk: blue chilly summer morning, glad I wore the waterproof walking shoes (one reason why I walked rather than ran, they aren’t made for running). Dog was bouncy, perhaps because this is the first time I’ve let him off the lead that he hasn’t had a ball in his mouth.

3.5/21

anne — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:35:42 +0000

Walking the dog yesterday, running with the dog this morning – reverting to brisk walking for the second half, which didn’t affect my average pace. Contemplating cutting back to brisk walking for now, keeping up a steady average pace, then trying to add running to that: so that I don’t run then walk slowly, run then walk slowly. Intervals are all well and good, but still …

Dew on the grass this morning and my feet were soaking wet. The dog responds well to being off the lead, though, which definitely makes the running/walking easier.

Yesterday’s variation on fetch: throw the stick, dog runs to the stick and stands and waits. No way he’s going to drop the ball in his mouth just for a lousy stick. But he will chase it.

2/17.5

anne — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:06:06 +0000

Crusing reasonably comfortably; wet but unbowed.

5.5/15.5

anne — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:39:57 +0000

Not all at once. Three trips out with the dog, over the past week. Right knee has been swollen and sore; possibly sitting too much at the computer. Trying now to remember to get up and walk about a bit more.

Wet feet, wet everything this morning as the rain came down. The blackberries are ripening on the paths, though – maybe another week or so and they’ll be ready for breakfast.