Week Thirty Four – Water Water Everywhere ……..

Christmas has long since been and gone, the last of the quality street have been devoured (yes even the coconut ones, I was desperate) and the serious training is now well underway with the mileage really ramping up.

My last two long runs have both been in excess of 2.5 hours, which leads me to wonder what else I could have done with my time and if I would have taken on fluids.

In 2.5 hours I can:

Drive from my house in Yardley Gobion to my old house in Essex and back again. Driving long journeys always requires multiple coffee stops (or tea in my case) and journey sweets accompanied by cries of “are we nearly there yet” (cue the final few miles last week’s Sunday run)

Listen to Justin Bieber’s ‘Love Yourself’ on repeat 34 times. Should you choose to do this (and I don’t recommend you do) you would certainly need a drink and somehow I don’t think water would cut it!

And if the Daily Mail is to be believed (again not something widely recommended) Virgin is busy building a galactic space craft that will fly from London to Sydney in 2.5 hours. I am fairly sure if this one ever comes off there will be drinks flowing!

The point being there aren’t many things you’d do without taking on fluids yet still I turned out last Sunday, ran 17.5 miles and didn’t think to take any water. Am I invincible (er no), was I starting to hallucinate envisaging ways to steal other people’s water? (er yes, sorry), will I take water this week? (hell yes).

After a bit of a demotivating week, putting a bit too much pressure on myself and my body I am hoping to remember why I have come to love running this Sunday with a nice easy paced long run sporting the new addition to my running wardrobe. Whether it’s full of water or I am on loop 33 of Justin Bieber and have hit the hard stuff is between me and the Camelbak!

Week Thirty Three – Sometimes you just do things!

So I read a Runners World article this week which highlighted the importance of keeping a training log. Smug face, straight to the top of the class she thinks …. Nope crashing straight back down to reality when it went on to say that pen and paper no longer has a place, and, whilst I totally disagree (I very much enjoy doodling in my journal), I decided I should get myself on Strava too so I can remain “down with the kids”. So far I don’t really get it, you can all see how far, how fast and who I have run with, what shoes I wore and how many times I stopped to wee in a bush! And, if you want to steal my oh so un-sexy earmuffs you can probably work out where I live and follow me home too!

This week I finished reading Scott Jurek’s ‘Eat & Run’. This guy is never going to win me over with his vegan diet, I like a rare steak more than I like a run BUT his approach to running, challenging your body and overcoming the impossible is certainly not to be sniffed at. Throughout his book Scott revisits a phrase spoken often by his dad “Sometimes you just do things” and this really stuck with me this week. Why did I get up and run 16 miles in the snow on Sunday morning? Why did my alarm go off at 5am on Wednesday morning for me to run when it was -5 outside? Why was I running mile repeats round Willen Lake on Thursday evening when I had poorly small people at home? Why? Because sometimes we just do things, sometimes we want the end result more than we ever imagined and sometimes we are prepared above all else to put the time in when it counts the most!

I have had some awesome runs this week with some amazing support. I couldn’t do this without some of you, long may it continue! 

Amanda

Week Thirty Two - Let’s Get Serious!

So, the gloves are off (well, in fact it’s quite the opposite, they are most definitely on, along with the hat, thermals and the double socks, as the cold weather has definitely arrived) but figuratively speaking the hard work has really started this week.

Sunday was my first long run since before Christmas and was amazing to see so many runners in green. I still can’t really believe I am voluntarily up and out of the house before 8am to do ‘early club’ and squeeze a few extra miles in before the main run!

The Zero’s were in for a real treat this week as we gathered like penguins on a cold Wednesday evening learning plenty of new techniques to help with our training. My particular favourite of course involved food, Pringles, and BBQ ones at that! Carrying the delicious snack in your hands whilst sprinting and trying not to tense up and crush it takes some effort, I think I need to practise more, luckily they are on offer at Tesco’s!

I managed two good tempo runs this week, finishing up with an introduction to Friday club. Yes, OK I did have to be massively persuaded to go along and I bailed out at the one-hour option but I will definitely go back for more!

This week I am feeling really positive about the challenge ahead and as I sit with my feet up and a good old Disney film I am looking forward to tomorrows Sunday run which hopefully will be my longest run yet!! 

Amanda 

Week Thirty One – Welcome to 2016, the year of the Zero’s!

So after a few weeks off, it’s January 2016 and much has occurred since the Zero’s conquered the MK Winter Half. Many, many (tins of) Quality Street have been consumed, far too many wine bottles have been emptied and I have successfully seen in the New Year Skiing in Andorra without breaking any bones!

Despite the best of intentions I only managed one very short run whilst out on holiday. The hills and the mountain air made for a tough affair but still, it’s a nice record to have on the Garmin!

I hit the ground running Monday evening with the club run followed by Stuart’s interval session on Thursday. “Long Hills” should hereby be renamed as “Long and painful, make you want to cry hills”, my face was not a pretty sight (I know this no change from the norm). Remind me to be washing my hair the next time that one rolls round!

I finished off my running week reunited with my old friend Tweedle. Thank goodness for Facebook or we may not have survived being parted for a whole 2 weeks! What better way to spend a Saturday morning than 7 miles round Caldecotte in the pouring rain! At least we blagged a free muffin in the pub afterwards making it all worthwhile!

There’s no doubt that the next few months are going to be tough, I’ve seen the mileage increasing on my training plan to levels I never thought possible but having come this far there’s no way I am stopping now. Bring it on!!

Amanda 

Week Twenty Eight – Can you believe it!

Ahhhhhh for the first time in Twenty Eight weeks I FORGOT TO WRITE MY BLOG!!! Must be all the excitement of finally getting to that Winter Half milestone along with the fact it’s nearly Christmas, I haven’t finished my shopping and we’ve had in the inlaws to stay!

So the wet and muddy big day finally arrived and it seems we all lived to face another day, I found race day tough. I got the time I wanted but came away feeling like I should have pushed harder or it should have hurt less, either way I am looking forward to having another go!

The next few weeks for me are all about ticking over, enjoying Christmas and a holiday away before the hard work starts again in January.

I have loved the second half of this year, I have met so many new friends and challenged myself more than ever. This time next week I’ll be skiing in the mountains (or getting drunk at the bar) so I will wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I will see you on the other side in 2016 ready to face a marathon! 

Week Twenty Seven – Woooahhh we’re half way (almost) there!!

The weekend has arrived, the countdown has begun and whilst Tweedle is hyperventilating in the corner with a brown paper bag I am looking back over the last 27 weeks and bringing you my highlights:

In Week 1 I was immediately facing my fears at Sgt Mack’s obstacle course, I decided then and there that I wasn’t going to let anything beat me, I went over that wall (even the big one) and I never looked back.

Week 6 was my first taste of being an ‘injured runner’ with a strained Achilles which taught me that I am not in fact superwoman (worse luck).

In Week 12 I got my parkrun PB 22:47, it still stands today and I am hoping to tackle that in the new year!

Week 14 saw me in total awe of four of the Z2H team who victoriously succeeded in taking on the Tour of MK. These guys have formed such a tight unit and its awesome to see the support they give each other.

Week 16 was the 10k graduation and another PB for me, a brilliant morning out with lots of happy Zero’s.

My happy journey took a nose dive in Week 19 with a fractured foot. I apologise profusely to anyone that had to speak to me during those few weeks, it was emotional.

Week 23 and I was back out there testing the foot and making up for lost time, the foot rehabilitated well and with only a few slight niggles brings us to today, the eve of the winter half and our biggest milestone yet.

Have we all been through a lot to get here? Yes, are we feeling confident? No, not always. Can we do this? Hell Yeah! Deep breath now, watch out MK ……

THE ZERO’S ARE COMING!!

Amanda 

Week Twenty Six – A picture paints a thousand words!

They say a picture paints a thousand words, in certain circumstances I am not sure that’s such a good thing!

Running has gone well this week, a nice speedy one gave the foot a bit of a niggle but a rest and a gentle jog with tweedle seemed to sort things out so all that’s left to say this week is …….

Thanks for the party Redway’s, it was fun! (I think)!

Amanda