Starting running training

Last week I was looking for a half marathon for Ali to run in her build up to the Kielder Marathon. I came across The Cross Bay Half Marathon which looked really interesting, next thing I know we've both entered. Which of course means I need to get running again, run regularly and build up my miles so that the race doesn't kill me. I've even wrote myself a rough training plan based on running twice a week, I think that is realistic as work is going to be busy and mean lots of commuting miles.

So today was the start. This week called for a 2.5mile and a 5mile run, as i'm only just getting back into exercising after my op I was only going to manage one run this week so I decided to do the 5miler, I also fancied running the Park Run so I decided to combine them. I jogged down to the start, then ran the Park Run, then jogged home. I took the Park Run easier than last time, but still spprinted a bit at the end. My time was 28:32 so nothing that will set the world alight but not as slow as expected. The jog home was very slow but all together I nearly covered 7miles.

Ali is in Cambridge this weekend so ran the Park Run there, she stormed round in 23:50. I don't think I'lll see much of her during the half marathon!

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Back pedalling

Making sure I don't get lost

I was back at work this week, a three day week so I commuted in three times and got the train home three times. That was me being sensible!

Today I took the chance to ride a 150k Audax, it started in Bredbury and I planned to get the train there and back so I set my alarm for 6am as the train was at 7:12 so I wanted to leave at about 6:50. Just after 6:30 I woke up to the radio, my alarm hadn't gone off! So it was jump out of bed, eat breakfast while Ali was a star and got my bike ready. I just made the train so got to the start in time.

We were on our way at 8:30 and I ended up on the front for a while as noone else seemed to want to be there. But then a fast group of about 8 went past me, I hung on for a while and then realised that I needed to be sensible and sat up. I stopped in Wilmslow to get some cash, I was swapping places with a guy who was on the 200k and for a while was near a couple of other guys on my ride but mainly I was riding on my own. I got to the cafe to be told I was first on the 150k, turns out the fast group went the wrong way somewhere round Wilmslow. I had beans and toast and then a huge slice of chocolate cake. I couldn't resist all the cakes looked great! I spent an hour at the cafe, taking it nice and easy.

Yummy Cake

On the bike again and into a headwind. I was riding on my own but bumped into some of the others at the other control. Back to the finish just before 4pm. Then it was back to the station for the train home, the headwind meant that I really didn't want to ride home so being sensible was easy!

My legs felt okay, but it felt hard anytime it went uphill and the wind made the second half hard. Next weekend is going to be really tough!

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Ali's rides to York

Cambridge were playing at York on Monday and Ali thought it would be nice for us to ride over their together, unfortunately I wasn't up for such a long ride so Ali decided to head off on her own. I plotted her a route which was slightly hillier and longer than the google maps route but involved much less main road. I waved her off at 8am and here is her tale....
 

I didn't sleep well on Sunday night - full of nerves about my big adventure on Monday - but I managed to get up ever-so-early for a non-work day and set off for York just before 8am after Amy helped me get all my food and tools ready.  I knew the first part of the route so wasn't too worried about navigating to start with...just more worried about the 2 big hills I knew were coming up.

I pootled along the road to Ramsbottom and then up towards Rawtenstall, taking it nice and easy to save my little legs before the first big climb out of Bacup.  I'd never done the climb on a bike before (just in the car) and had been dreading it, but it was ok and I even caught a group of boys who had overtaken me as I pootled along the flat!  My bike was going really well...the new rear wheel fitted by Cooksons made loads and loads of difference - if felt like I was flying!  Then down, down, down towards Todmorden - a few hairy moments on the descent, but nothing too scary, before heading along the valley to Hebden Bridge, where I got snapped by a paparazza.

Then up the second big climb of the day out of Hebden Bridge, through Peckett Well where I thought I'd reached the top!  Some spectacular views back towards Hebden, which looked glorious in the sunny weather.

More climbing followed before dropping down into Oxenhope.  At this point I was feeling pretty pleased with myself: the two big climbs that I remembered from my quick glance at the elevation profile had already been ticked off without too much bother...maybe I'd even cycle home after the football?

A quick stop at Oxenhope to refill my water and then up another bit of a climb to Leeming.  More descending...down and across to Bingley, still feeling full of beans and cheery.  But then, 3hours into the ride (which is often when I go through a bad patch) all of these extra hills seemed to appear, that I'm sure weren't on the profile that I'd looked at!  I stopped on the climb out of Bingley to take off my gillet and re-stock my little tri-bag of goodies, but I don't think I'd have made it up the climb without stopping.  It felt like it went on forever, each corner rounded revealed more uphill and I knew at this point that if I stopped to update Amy on where I was up to that I'd probably end up ringing for a lift!  So I kept going....

Finally, the climb was over and it was time for more descending down into Otley before heading over towards the outskirts of Wetherby where my morale was boosted by heading onto York Road! 14 almost totally flat miles followed - which was just what I needed (the tail-wind might just have helped too), and the surrounding fields were such a bright yellow with the oil seed rape in the sunshine.

The next thing I knew, I hit the outskirts of York and all that was left now was to make my way to Bootham Crescent for the football (their brief flirtation with the sponsorship "KitKat Crescent" thankfully being over with).

I made it with 45 minutes to spare, so plenty of time to lock up the bike and get changed into my all-important Cambridge shirt, before the traditional "yellow pages" ticker-tape welcome for the Mighty U's.


Then, after the football, all that was left was to cycle to the station to get the train back home to Bolton where a little Amy had ventured out on her bike to meet me for the short ride home.

All in all, a fantastic day's adventure - next year I'll be looking out for the York game to repeat it all over again! (so the hills can't have been that bad after all.....)

Ali's continuing adventure's

I'm still not doing anything but Ali is making up for it with lots of running and cycling. On Saturday she headed off to Heaton Park for the Park Run there. Her aim was a new PB and the Heaton Park course is faster (less hilly than Bolton), Lucazade were there giving out goodies to anyone wearing Orange and she needed to pick her bike up from Cooksons. She got herself out in the morning while I snoozed away, its like we've changed places! Then I was at home wondering where she was and she was chatting in Cooksons!

Anyway she came back with a big smile and PB of 24:43. I'd better get training if she is not going to be waiting a long time for me when we go running.

My bikes get to play

I'm still here and still feeling sorry for myself. I'm just constantly tired and swallowing is an effort. I was meant to be riding the Plains 300k Audax this weekend but obviously that's not happening now.

Today we decided to have a BBQ usually I would nip to the shops on my bike, today Ali nipped to the shops on my bike (her roadie is getting some love at Cooksons). It looked tiny with her riding it and it was her first time riding fixed on the roads. She got back in one piece so I guess she remembered to keep pedalling.

I hope the rest of you are making the most of the lovely weather.

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Slowly Recovering

This morning I felt a little less rubbish when I woke up which made me feel a lot more positive. I had my usual ice lolly to start the day but followed immediately by breakfast, I was hungry. I then managed to hang the washing out and reply to important emails.

Lunchtime and Mum took me to Freddies, they had no Fruits of the Forest Sobet that I have been finding so soothing so I had to try kiwi sorbet, it was nearly as nice.

This afternoon I headed out to get some Census work done, although its only 15hours a week having only done an hour at the weekend I have a lot to do by Friday. It was very tiring and by the end talking was hard but I got 4hours done.

Home and garlic bread and an ice lolly for tea, no idea why garlic bread seems to be working for me at the moment. Still struggling to get enough water in me. Managed three bottles (2.25l) today, going to aim for four tomorrow. I know it'll will help with healing.

Tonight was also the first time I could open my mouth just wide enough to see the lack of tonsils. I couldn't see much, looks like there is white gunk there.

But a positive day, i'll keep resting lots and hopefully slowly i'll improve. One thing worrying me at the moment is 24solo, less than three weeks away....i think it may be too much?

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Scary

Warning This post involves blood and self pitying, I won't be annoyed if you don't read it.

After Thursday I was feeling quite positive, yes my throat was still sore but I was eating and although tired feeling like I could do stuff. Yesterday morning I had my hair cut and then came home and had some cereal for breakfast. Half an hour later and I felt like I was choking, I found my mouth full of blood. On my own and no idea what to do, feeling a little dizzy and ill. I rang NHS and it stopped bleeding, they told me to eat soft food and if it happens again and continues go to hospital.

My mum came round and took me out for ice cream, I then went back to bed and slept the afternoon away. I was very scared, I thought I was doing really well but now i'm anxious. Hopefully it was a blip and i'll find my positivety back.

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Just a short ride

I am rubbish at staying off the bike. Especially as the last few months have felt like a great month, rubbish month with illness, great month, repeat. I have on the whole being sensible and having my tonsils out should help the illness. I've not been feeling too bad in my recovery just a really sore throat and not swallowing easily. So after lunch with my mum, involving ice cream I pedalled down to Cookson Cycles. I took it easy and then rode bacl easy on ruby. Chris came back for pizza which was a perfect end to a nice day.

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Tonsils gone

Yesterday I went to the hospital at 11:30am to have my tonsils removed. The instructions I had were not to eat after 7:30am so I had got up early to have a big breakfast. Just hanging round at home waiting for the call from the hospital I kept nearly snacking...i'm used to eating constantly! I was at least allowed to drink water till 11:30.

Ali took me down and I was a little nervous, she couldn't stay and I put in a little dayroom with others to wait. I was glad i'd brought my book and was in and out to talk to various medical peeps. They organised some cream for my hands as I was worried about the needle which was nice of them.

I was first on the list so was taken down just after 1:30, the nurse taking me down had her tonsils out and made me feel a lot better about how i'd feel afterwards. I don't remember much else, we were chatting while they put drugs in me and that was it. I woke up in a recovery ward feeling thirsty with a very sore throat but otherwise that was it. They took me up onto the ward and I was able to change into my PJ's. I felt hungry, thirsty and very tired. I was able to sip water but it was too noisy to sleep. Dinner came, sausage and mash, I managed two bits of sausage and about a tablespoon of mash. Eating was just too hard, I was struggling to swallow, I also found it hard to keep my eyes open.

My mum and Ali arrived at 6:30pm for visiting hours and were allowed to take me home at about 8ish. I. Felt a bit nauseous walking at first, but a sit down and I was fine. Straight to bed and sleep. I woke up loads in the night but this morning managed a couple of weetabix and all bran for breakfast. Trying to keep sipping water now.

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Bolton Park Run

After doing the Heaton Park Run twice all my good intentions disappeared and I never did it again. Some of the time it was because I was working saturdays but there was a lot of laziness involved as well. Back in February a new run started in Bolton and I kept meaning to go, but lost barcodes, work, etc got in the way. This morning Ali and I both decided to go, it's only 1.6miles from our house so we just rode down and locked the bikes up. The course is a little hilly, suppose that is to be expected in Bolton. I finished in just under 27minutes which I was very happy about seeing as i've hardly run recently. Legs are a little sore now though! I'm not going to leave it so long till my next park run.

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Not a fashion show

Last night I headed out with Chris and Shaun into the hills. They both had rode to work inn winter gear so Shaun was wearing shorts with winter boots and Chris his bib tights....neither of them is ever going to be a fashion guru.

Anyway the ride was fab, if windy. Up onto Rooley Moor Road then a lap of Crag Quarry, which involved me struggling to stay on the bike in the wind, still it was fun. We went up the Rake and across Holmecolme Moor before heading back to mine.

32miles and very tired.

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March Miles

So March was the start of a new job, doing the same as I had been doing but without the worry of is there any work that comes from being freelance. The rota has been kind sending me on some long commutes and the mountain bike was out at least once a week.

So the numbers:

Mountain Bike: 193miles (24miles SS)
Cyclocross Bike: 31miles
Road Bike: 920miles (776miles fixed)

Total Cycling: 1044miles
Running: 3.8miles

Running hasn't been great but hopefully I've started again and now its lighter early morning runs are an option.

This month I have my tonsils opp so its about maintaining fitness. Guessing totals will be down.