Last day of Run December



Charlie gets in da groove


Well, it's done. There were times there were I wasn't sure I was going to finish it, but my natural stubborness kicked in right when it was required and drove me on through the snow with gritted teeth and a complete lack of self-preservation.

The rest of Team #FitTwits have all completed with smiles on their faces and happy hearts. We are invincible guys!

The final total for the month is 68 miles. Not far, but then Run December for me was never about miles, it was about mindset.

I have spent the past few months, since the marathon with the words "I don't have time. I'll run tomorrow" firmly on my lips. Run December was about shaking that up and doing something drastic, before the marathon training started in earnest.

So has it worked? Not 'arf.

And what have I learnt?

1. You can always fit a run in. You just might have to give it a bit of planning.
2. You can always run. If wind, rain, sun, snow and ice haven't stopped me, nothing else will.
3. I love rest days. And I will appreciate every single last one of them in the next few months.

The celebration of finishing has begun with a pub lunch, a pint of cider and now the breakout of Charlie, my xmas ipod-playing, groovin' monkey friend. And tomorrow I get to have a rest day and cheer the lovely Hughesy on round a New Years Day 10k. Ahhhh rest days.

Take it away Charlie... "I'm livin' for the weeeeekeeeend...."

Run December - Day 31
Distance: 3.54miles
Time: 36.38mins
Weather: Warm and dry, for  change
Surface: Triumphant

Here's a tear in your eye.

Day 30 of Run December

I can't quite believe I'm almost at the end of Run December. I'll probably miss it.The past 2 days have seen me running the exact same route, but maybe not in the same way.

Wednesday is run-down-to-the-park-and-back-again night, so a man in camo can make me do sit ups in a muddy puddle. The run down to the park is (for obvious reasons) a lot quicker than the run back again.

Today was a run to the park again, but this time chasing Hughesy, who is considerably faster than I am. So the challenge tonight was to keep him in sight for the whole route. It seemed to work and he kept me a good 1min 40secs faster than last night. Might have to employ him as my pace setter.

So tomorrow is the last day of Run December. It's going to be another 3miler I think, chasing Hughesy again. Oh yeah, and then I've organised a celebration of finishing the challenge with a night of drinks and fireworks. Working title for the celebration is NYE. Join in if you like.

Run December - Day 29
Distance: 3.06miles
Time: 30.41mins
Weather: Awright
Surface:Looooooooong

Run December - Day 30
Distance: 3.01miles
Time: 29.04mins
Weather: 8C...cor phew, wot a scorcher
Surface: Pedestrian

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 28 of Run December

Hello all. 3 more days to go. Count 'em, 3. 3! 3!!!!

But enough of that, I'd better get a move on, as my Mum is impatient to read this and Upstairs Downstairs is coming on....

The post Christmas Crimbo Limbo period is causing a serious lack of motivation and the lack of a rest day is hitting home. But despite that, today's run was actually good. It was also massively faster than the previous few outings, mainly due to the 2 fruit pastilles I nommed down before heading out. All that has reignited my interest in nutrition and the knowledge that an evening meal of crackers and cheese probably isn't the best way to fuel a run. Ho hum.

So, my new year's resolution is to try to decrease the number of crisp-related dinners and increase the amount of pasta, rice and veggie related ones.

Now, that is a challenge.

Run December - Day 26
Distance: 1.41miles
Time: 18.08mins
Weather: Cooooooold
Surface: Frozen

Run December - Day 27
Distance: 1.03miles
Time: 10.25mins
Weather: Coooooolder
Surface: Frozenier

Run December - Day 28
Distance:  1.07miles
Time:  9.49mins
Weather: 0c... scorchio
Surface: Thawed

Here's (defrosted) mud in your eye.

Day 25 of Run December

Ho ho ho.

"And a jolly christmas to you to young lady!"

At least that's what I think the harrassed looking grumpy sod said as I breezed past today with a "Merry Christmas!" on my lips. In reality his response was more along the lines of "What?!? Bugger off you mental woman."

But despite this slight set back the run today was fun. I headed out from my parents house down to the beach and a deserted sea front. With a smattering of snow falling and the odd (some very odd) santa hat, it was a nice break from the endless eating, drinking and cracker jokes.

So that's day 25 done, and christmas day to boot. I'm off to smugly watch Doctor Who and eat 3 times more calories than I've burnt off in the past year.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Run December - Day 22
Distance: 1.9 miles
Time: 20:29 mins
Weather: All cold and icy
Surface: hilly and pavements

Run December - Day 23
Distance: 1.4 miles
Time: 14.53 mins
Weather: Cooooold
Surface: Icy

Run December - Day 24
Distance: 1.02 miles
Time: 9.39 mins
Weather: Sunny
Surface: snowy

Run December - Day 25
Distance: 2.2 miles
Time: 20.42 mins
Weather: Xmassy
Surface: Snowy

Here's christmas pud in your eye.

Day 21 of Run December

So, only 10 more days to go. I'm a bit sad about it, but let's not cry and instead take a look at what this week has thrown at me so far. There are sub-zero temperatures, cameras, celebrities and small dogs. All that and it's only just Tuesday. Phew.

Day 20 (known to most people by the name of Monday) saw me heading back to the running club. I was looking forward to the run with my usual group of newbies, even though the temperature has been firmly below zero for days and the countryside was swathed in a blanket of frost. However, I knew there was a problem when I was greeted by only the fastest 6 runners in the club. These are the kind of runners who say 'let's go for a little 6 miler' and then 6 miles later you find yourself on the other side of the city with a 3 mile long hill between you and your car. Now, I am a tortoise, not a hare. Actually I am an arthritic tortoise carry some rather heavy shopping. So the only thought to cross my mind was "I'm actually going to die". Luckily another slower runner came along and we headed out together for a nice hour-long jog along the canal into town. Colette on the other hand headed off with the speedy lot and 6 miles later found herself on the other side of the city...

Today was an interesting day, mainly because I became a bit of a girl and went to watch Gok Wan put on a catwalk show for his Fashion Fix Roadshow. Iiiiiiiits ffffffff-ashion. Me and about 799 others cheered, clapped and wooooohooooo'd for 2 hours while watching models who looked like their legs would snap if someone sneezed in their general direction waddle strangely up a catwalk in ridiculous shoes. Oh yeah, and I'm going late night shopping tomorrow for the skirt on the fourth outfit. Then on the way home I spotted Stephen Mulhern heading into the Theatre Royal to do his evening stint in the panto. Oh yes I did!* But I digress, the late home-coming resulted in a little mile, so I could eat a homemade meal for a change instead of cheese and crackers.

What? The small dogs? I got chased by them. I'd rather not talk about it *shudder*.

Run December - Day 20
Distance: 6.38 miles
Time: 65.46 mins
Weather: Frosty the Snowman
Surface: Canal towpaths

Run December - Day 21
Distance: 1.07 miles
Time: 10.33 mins
Weather: Baltic
Surface: Moonlit

Here's mud in your eye.

*I apologise for the quality of this post. But frankly if you are upset by it, you really shouldn't be on the internet, it only gets worse.

Day 19 of Run December

Oh lordy, we are on day 19 and don't I just know it.

The last few days have been a mess of parties, classes, shopping and work. As a result most of the runs have been fitted in around a hectic schedule of hair straightening, present wrapping and gingerbread baking.

The only odd day was Saturday, when the run was brought to you by the colour Camoflague and the letters B, M & F. The usual British Military Fitness session was turned into a running session, taking us 2.5miles around Wollaton Park with a few sit ups, press ups, burpees and hill sprints mixed in for good measure.

So there we go. 19 days down and the worst week over. Time to start upping my mileage in prep for marathon training in the new year.

Run December - Day 16
Distance: 1.00 miles
Time: 8.59 mins
Weather: Cooooold
Surface: Pavement

Run December - Day 17
Distance: 4.13 miles
Time: 42.59 mins
Weather: Baltic
Surface: hills and crossings

Run December - Day 18
Distance: 2.56 miles
Time: 50.00 mins
Weather: Icy
Surface: Parklife

Run December - Day 19
Distance: 1.04 miles
Time: 10.36 mins
Weather: Is it ever going to warm up?
Surface: My favourite pavement slabs.

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 15 of Run December

This week was always going to be a challenge for The Challenge, and it has not let me down. We're half way through and my body is starting to rebel. Let me take you through my day (I'll be quick).

If you read yesterday's blog post you'll remember that I was a tad tired. Well I managed to prove just how tired, by sleeping right through 2 alarm clocks and waking up at 8.53am. The odd expletive may have been used. This also meant that I didn't have time to sort out my kit for the run home from work.

The day continued to go downhill by including a missed delivery note from the postie to deal with *sigh* and a manic lunchtime shopping session which I returned from extremely pleased with myself for finding a cracking Secret Santa pressie, only to then realise that I had forgotten to buy any lunch *facepalm*.

So after work I had to:

1. Pick up the package from the Royal Mail Delivery Office
2. Make a pasta salad for 30 people
3. Wrap a load of pressies
4. Pack a bag with more outfits than Cheryl Cole uses in a week for tomorrow's Work/Run/Xmas party extravaganza
5. Do my hour BritMilFit session
6. Squeeze in a run for the challenge

Now, I am not a fool. I knew I couldn't fit all that in before 9pm, so I did the only thing I could do. I cheated.

The pasta salad came from Sainsburys. The pressies have gone into ready made boxes and bags. And I ran to and from the BritMilFit session. Badda bing. I AM INVINCIBLE!

(PS check out the pace of the homeward run after an hour of being beasted with the Advanced group. Think I could have walked it faster)

Run December - Day 15 (to BritMilFit)
Distance: 1.51 miles
Time: 14.46 mins
Weather: Quite nice
Surface: Hard.

Run December - Day 15 (back home)
Distance: 1.52 miles
Time: 15.48 mins
Weather: No change there
Surface: hilly pavement slabs

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 14 of Run December

Yes, yes, I know. I missed another blogging day. Well blog off, I was tired. Dog tired.

Yesterday I went back to the running club for the first time since the snows hit. And boy, did I know about it. I really like being part of the club. They push me much faster and further than I would push myself and you get to chat to that type of 'mature' runner, who never runs fast, but never seems to stop. Last night I ran with one of these runners. He could keep a conversation going no matter what the speed, and when I and another new member were seriously starting to flag, he was endlessly encouraging and never missed a step. I'm starting to feel like I am getting to know a few of the members I'm running regularly with as well, which is always a major plus point. All I need is a couple of pub meets and I'll be well in there!

Of course the downside of the running club is that it gives me such a huge high that I can't sleep for hours. Hence the tiredness. So today I eased off with a strength session at the gym and a quick mile on the dreadmill. Day 14 down, 17 more to go!

Run December - Day 13
Distance: 5.59 miles
Time: 53:44 mins
Weather: Dark, but nice and cool
Surface: Pavementy

Run December - Day 14
Distance: 1.24 miles
Time: 11:29 mins
Weather: Air conditioned
Surface: Plastic

Here's sleep in your eye.

Day 12 of Run December

Go on, admit it. You missed me yesterday didn't you?  Well don't panic, I did my run, I just didn't get time to blog about it.

Yesterday was a hectic kinda day, with a killer supersets (aka pyramids) British Military Fitness session before breakfast, a shopping session and a Fake Christmas Day at my mate's, I just about had time to fit a quick mile in somewhere.

Of course, a full on Christmas meal, plus the odd bottle (or 3) of wine and a late finish, meant today was a veeeery late run. It was meant to be a mile, up the top of the hill and back, but as I topped out I felt good, so decided to keep going and add a few hills in as well. It felt good.

Run December - Day 11
Distance: 1.01miles
Time: 9.27 mins
Weather: Cold
Surface: Tarmac - finally!

Run December - Day 12
Distance: 3.1 miles
Time: 32:25mins
Weather: Not too bad
Surface: Up, down, up, down, up (repeat to fade)

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 10 of Run December

Well the ice and snow is finally on its way out. But a combination of my leg feeling a bit stiff, the oven having a malfunction and my contacts playing up all conspired to make today really difficult for a run. I didn't manage to get out until 9pm, got a stitch almost immediately and only did the minimum in the hope that the leg will be fully recovered for British Military Fitness and a longer run tomorrow. Ho hum, there's always another day to run better.

Run December - Day 10
Distance: 1.14 miles
Time: 11.06 mins
Weather: Warmer
Surface: Melty

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 9 of Run December

Tired.
Leg better.
That is all.

Run December - Day 9
Distance: 2.15 miles
Time: 22:22 mins
Weather: Cold and a tad damp
Surface: Half clear road, half packed ice.

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 8 of Run December

I got the run over and done with early today, by running home from work. Badda bing. Job's a good 'un. And why? So I could pile into the car and barrel down to Britsh Military Fitness. That turned out to be bad idea.

Halfway through the warm up my foot found a rut hidden under an inch of icy slush. My foot and knee went one way. My hip went the other way. I felt the muscles in my thigh tighten and knew that it was going to hurt. The muscles tightened further over the rest of the session, until even runnng was difficult.

So I am spending the night with a heat pack and crossed fingers that tomorrow it will just be a dull ache.

Run December - Day 8
Distance: 1.76 miles
Time: 19.29 mins
Weather: Cold and dark
Surface: Icy pavements and little hills

Here's mud in your eye

Day 7 of Run December

Thought of the day - it's a hell of a lot easier to run on ice than it is to walk.

This thought hit me as I was jogging round the city streets tonight, getting a quick mile in after work and before going to dinner with friends. There are a couple of smaller back streets which still have icy pavements and due to the scrum of shoppers in the main streets, that's were I headed. I'd avoid these pavements like the plague normally, but when I'm running, my feet can slip and slide all over the place and I still continue heading forward like a particularly slow-moving missile. I'll be jogging to work until the ice melts*.

It was a nice run tonight and the first one I have taken around the city centre for a year. I headed through the Market Square, past the xmas market and the ice rink. I was even proud of myself for not stopping for a gluhwein en route. All the twinkly lights and xmas trees made the run so much more festive than my usual depressingly dark ring road or bus-packed main streets.

So, quick change in the office toilets and then I'm off to stuff my face at Bistro Pierre. Yummmmmm.

Run December - Day 7
Distance: 1.2 miles
Time: 12:03 mins
Weather: -2C
Surface: Running on the bodies of xmas shoppers who got in my way. Grrr.

Here's mud in your eye.

* If you believe that, you'll also believe that Elvis works in my local chip shop and Michael Jackson was actually a russian spy recruited to collate blackmail material on Liz Taylor. Fact.

Day 6 of Run December

Today the weatherman said it would be a minimum of -8C. Liar, liar, pants of fire. It was at least -72C when I walked home from work (give or take a degree or 5), so the freezing fog and the fact that I had a vouchery thingy from the Council to use the gym and pool free for the next 12 days, meant that I was a namby-pamby and retreated to the sweaty hell of the gym.

It was actually quite weird to be in the gym again after soo long, and I enjoyed a 3k slog on the rower as well as an eye-popping leg press session. I was especially pleased when the gentlemen using the leg-press after me had to lower the weight by 20kg. Bloomin' southerners. Anyway, the mileage is completed for day 6 and I'm feeling good.

Tomorrow I have a lunch and an evening date, so the mileage has to be done post-work and pre-dinner. Which means I'm off to pack a bag for a cold run, a shower and going out. Think I might need a bigger rucksack...

Run December - Day 6
Distance: 3.12 miles
Time: 28:53
Weather: Baby, it's cold outside
Surface: Bouncy

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 5 of Run December

Hangover, achy legs and icy slush. Ahhh the joys of this challenge.

*groan*

Run December - Day 5
Distance: 1.02 miles
Time: 10:56mins
Weather: 3C... Scorchio
Surface: Frozen icy slush

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 4 of Run December

One good thing about snow is that the mean and nasty instructors at British Military Fitness give you less press ups and sit ups. They do, however give you almost a full hour of running, squatting, lunging and hopping. My legs have been silently screaming at me every time I have tried to sit down or stand up for the past 3 days, so today's Run December challenge is veeeeeeeeery small and slow. But at least I did it.

Righty ho then. I'm off for a xmas party, so expect tomorrow's run to be a recovery one, in every sense of the word.


Run December - Day 4
Distance: 1.01 miles
Time: 11:10mins
Weather: Warmer but sleety
Surface: Slushy

Here's mud in your eye.

Day 3 of Run December

The snow has finally stopped and the sun has finally come out (altogether now... praise the lord, hallaluah). As a result, the hard packed snow has started to melt a bit and refreeze into ice. So for the first time in 2 years, I have retreated into the air conditioned hell of the gym.

I've done the induction, where a nice lady who looked incredibly bored demonstrated random machinery, most of which I'll never use in my life and then let me just get on with it. It's a council gym, so I can PAYG and only use it when the roads are too bad. And I have to admit the gym equipment is rather flash. Ipod compatible, with TV and radio screens on all cardio machines. They even have a games setting, so you can play mah jong while you work out (surely you should be working too hard to do that, right??).

Hopefully I'll be back on the road tomorrow though.

Run December - Day 3

Distance: 3.12 miles
Time: 31:13
Weather: Air conditional hell
Surface: Moving

Here's mud in your eye.
 

Day 2 of Run December

Running in snow is a novel experience. Every footfall means a slip or a slide this way or that and every push off the toes results in a complete lack of momentum as your foot disappears backwards before your body even starts going forward. If you are lucky enough to hit a dry patch of pavement, the sudden traction propels you forward like Usain Bolt off the blocks. Oh yes, and through all of this you are greeted by looks of mingled pity and awe.

Despite that, I enjoyed tonight's run. Only a short one, but it felt good to be out on the road again after so long. Roll on tomorrow!

Run December - Day 2
Distance: 2.07 miles
Time: 24:36
Weather: Light snow
Surface: Packed snow and slushiness

Here's a look of pity in your eye.

Day 1 of Run December

I know. I've been a naughty blogger and been a bit absent on here for a while. But that is alllllll about to change.

My #FitTwit friends have inspired a new challenge - Run December. A group of them, including non-runner Alan Selby, managed to run every day in November and it has inspired a few others of us to attempt the same feat in December. So today was the first day of #RunDecember!

The challenge:
1. Run every day in December (although you are allowed Christmas Day off at a push)
2. Runs have to be at least 1 mile.
3. You do not quit (grrrr, yeah).

Today, after 4 days of snow blizzards, I rustled up the Flatmate and forced her into 3 fleeces and a hat for the run to the Forest Rec Park and the first British Military Fitness session of the month. It was a slow, shuffley run in slush, ice and packed snow. But it was a run. I even kept Fast Eddie (my shiny new garmin) on for the BMF session just to see how far we ran.

Run December - Day 1
Distance: 1.46 miles
Time: 19:10
Weather: Baltic
Surface: SNOOOOOOW!

Here's snow in your eye