Shiny new toys!

I'd clearly offended the running gods in my last blog when I said that my first running set was gradually increasing, as my next couple of runs were back down to starting with a somewhat pitiful three and a half minutes. But no matter, because I had some shiny new toys that I'm confident are going to improve my running dramatically (let's face it, they're probably not but I'm doing my best to remain optimistic here).

Realising that I need to be doing more cardio work than my little legs are capable of running, my first new toy was a rowing machine, and an abundance of nectar points meant this bundle of joy cost me a very reasonable £5!

Easier to stow than a canoe I guess

So far, for the price, it seems like a pretty good little machine. Pretty much no frills but it has 3 levels of resistance, was pretty easy to put together (of course I put the seat on back to front at first), not too noisy, and not too big. The blurb claims it folds up for 'easy' stowage but really it just becomes a very tall V shape, which is far from inconspicuous unless you've got a big cupboard you can store it in. 

So far I've been using it on non-running days (apart from Friday's which have been total rest days) building up to 25mins, and occasionally doubling-up if it's been a short run. Ok, it's only been two weeks so I shouldn't be too impatient, but I can't say I've seen much benefit yet, although I can definitely feel my thighs working.




My second, and considerably more expensive, new toy is my somewhat inconspicuous GPS watch. Yeah, inconspicuous it's not, and having been blessed with skinny wrists (and yet decidedly chubby ankles - how does that work!?!) I was concerned that this was going to be too big for me, but no fear because obviously this watch - despite being huge - is designed for people with significantly less body fat than me, so I could probably still lose half an inch on my wrist and still be able to fasten it. And although it feels quite heavy when you first pick it up, it's surprising just how quickly you forget that you're wearing it. Or you would, if it wasn't for the constant bleeps every time you reach a kilometre, or pass somewhere you've previously pressed the lap button, or pass somebody wearing a heart rate monitor. Along with the accompanying vibration - which really is good enough to warrant this little watch it's own episode of Sex And The City -  it certainly manages to stop me from falling asleep. 

Forerunner 310XT (glamour shot)

I'm gradually working out all the settings, and maybe it's because I'm a little OCD but I think the instructions - when you finally manage to find them to download -  could be clearer, and possibly in a language I can understand, because this little watch is more complicated than your average clock radio (and every single one of them I have come across you've needed a degree in rocket science to operate). It does amazing things, but so far getting it to do, or stop doing them, has been trial and error.

The fantastic thing for me is that it will tell me as I'm running, how fast I'm running. Unfortunately it has no means as yet of actually making me slow down (maybe that vibration could be extended to a small electric shock), and as yet I am still unable to find that elusive 14 mins/mile that I'm meant to start training at. What I'm less impressed with is the amount of problems I have getting it to download to Garmin Connect, which again seems to be a process of trial and error, and swapping browsers - every single time. Because it's pretty much meant to do it itself once you bring the watch within 3m of the computer, there's very little in terms of instructions in case it doesn't quite seem to be doing what it should. At first I thought it was a problem with the watch but apparently Scott also has to close and reopen the browser to get his garmin to download so I'm hoping it's not just me, but I am surprised that none of the Amazon reviews I read mentioned this.

So only time will tell if these can help my running (and I've just received instruction that our next parkrun is the 5th Oct so only two weeks to go).

WEEK 10

Monday 9 September (evening)
16m 38s. 1.35 miles. Average Speed 4.86 mph. Average Pace 12:20 min/mile
3:38r / 2:00w / 0:59r / 1:46w / 1:25r / 1:30w / 1:30r / 1:31w / 1:08r / 1:11w

A disappointing little jaunt through Morris Wood. From the outset everything just felt wrong, even my trainers didn't feel like they fit me. Trying to keep telling myself that there is no such thing as a bad run, but to be honest this felt like a bad run.


Wednesday 11 September (evening)
26m 03s. 2.07 miles. Average Speed 4.8 mph. Average Pace 12:30 min/mile
3:39r / 1:42w / 1:23r / 1:59w / 2:03r / 1:03w / 1:46r / 5:23w / 2:35r / 1:11w / 0:57r / 0:43w / 0:51r / 0:40w

Dark damp run round the Abbey, finishing up at the chinese takeaway as a treat. It was also the first run out for the garmin, and I wish I'd known that you don't have to wait for it to locate satellites before altering the settings, because it would have been nice to have done that from the comfort of my sofa rather than out in the rain. It wasn't a great run, my calves feel tight, and the guy in the takeaway seemed concerned until he worked out I'd been running.

Despite the issues setting the watch up, and the fact it seems to think I clambered over the top of a fair amount of Kirkstall Abbey, I'm really pleased with it, and I'm sure that will increase the more I get to know the watch.







Saturday 14 September (afternoon)
36m 29s. 3.1 miles. Average Speed 5.1 mph. Average Pace 11:43 min/mile
7:44r / 2:01w / 2:47r / 2:58w / 1:45r / 2:01w / 2:04r / 2:01w / 1:35r / 1:20w / 1:27r / 3:01w / 1:20r / 2:01w / 2:15r

Decided to continue what is becoming a routine Saturday afternoon run down the canal, only this time, instead of running in a loop I chose to just run out half-way and then run back. Can't say I was particularly looking forward to it but once I got out there it was ok. As I wasn't running on the road I opted to wear my trail Merrells and quickly realised during the walk to the canal just how sticky the sole feels on tarmac. Nothing much to note on the run, my right achilles hurt on and off throughout, not content with swallowing the local insect population I managed to get a midge in my eye, and the garmin managed to pick up a passing runner's heart rate monitor. I also succeeded in getting an "Look daddy, a jogger", which I guess is an improvement on last week's "If that's a runner, why is she walking". In my defence I had finished my run and was cooling down.

WEEK 11

Monday 16 September (afternoon)
35m 40s. 2.82 miles. Average Speed 4.7 mph. Average Pace 12:54 min/mile
3:03r / 1:36w / 1:50r / 1:04w / 1:22r / 5:01w / 1:13r / 2:05w / 1:11r / 3:41w / 3:10r / 2:11w / 0:51r / 4:10w / 1:20r / 1:44w

I love running with Scott, having the company is great and he has been immensely helpful with my running. He's also remarkably patient when, despite his protests, he must find 'running' with me very frustrating. So when he invited me for lunch followed by a bimble round the chevin as a recovery run following his new half-marathan PB setting run at the Great North Run the day before (and before going on to set a new marathon PB in Oslo the following Saturday - the mad fool), I jumped at the chance.

Company aside, this was not a great run. The minute we set off nothing felt good, my legs felt heavy, I struggled to get a rhythm going, and just generally felt very off-kilter. Very quickly I became worried that I was going to be enforced to embark on my first bear impression. No I don't mean scaring the dog walkers or stealing marmalade sandwiches from random picnickers , no I mean in terms of the great philosophical questions such as 'Is the Pope Catholic?' You get my drift. Anyway, it wasn't pleasant, nearly impossible to concentrate on breathing, pace and monitoring the stomach at the same time. In the end it proved to be a very stop-start affair, until I was very glad to get back to the car.


Wednesday 18 September (evening)
15m 50s. 1.4 miles. Average Speed 5.3 mph. Average Pace 11:18 min/mile
6:52r / 1:31w / 1:42r / 1:31w / 2:39r / 1:01w / 0:34r 

Another short lap through Morris Wood. Having learnt from Monday's experience I made sure it was a good couple of hours after I'd eaten before I headed out. Unfortunately it had also been a couple of hours since I'd had anything to drink, and I don't think that helped much. It wasn't a great run but I did manage a final, slightly uphill sprint home at 7:49 min/mile pace (ok, so that's a sprint for me) and that felt surprisingly good. It was only much later that it occurred to me that I didn't have to stop just because I'd reached home, I could have just have kept on going. I think I've become too fixed in taking set routes.




Thursday 19 September (late afternoon)

37m 42s. 2.87 miles. Average Speed 4.6 mph. Average Pace 13:09 min/mile
6:08r / 2:03w / 1:55r / 1:35w / 2:01r / 2:42w / 1:30r / 4:21w / 2:46r / 1:31w / 1:01r / 1:01w / 1:04r / 2:00w / 0:36r / 1:48w / 0:22r / 0:30w

Felt lethargic all day and the weather was a bit grim so I wasn't desperately looking forward to heading out, and set off without knowing where I was going. It ended up being a bit of a dark and dismal affair around the Abbey (hmmm, I'm getting a sense of deja vu). It was also the first time since slipping on a twig that ended up with me at the physio that I became worried about slipping on wet leaves and other general tree detritus that was littering the pavements. I'd much rather take my chances with mud and tree roots!

Yet another not-great run. My running pace is still far too fast for me to maintain

Saturday 21 September (afternoon)

37m 37s. 3.11 miles. Average Speed 5 mph. Average Pace 12:00 min/mile
6:41r / 2:01w / 1:01r / 2:01w / 2:32r / 1:33w / 0:32r / 1:31w / 1:44r / 2:01w / 1:48r / 1:46w / 1:43r / 1:45w / 2:01r / 2:01w / 2:01r / 1:16w / 1:26r

Another non-eventful bimble out-and-back along the canal (apart from receiving a nod of thanks from a cyclist whose way I'd skipped out of - sadly my experience is that you can already be crammed into the edge and they will still barely give you room let alone slow down or even acknowledge your presence). It was surprisingly warm, certainly too warm for the full-length running leggings I was wearing and I wish I'd taken some water with me. I maybe lost 30 seconds stopping a couple of times to try and stretch out my calves, but it was a long way from being a brilliant run. I did ratch up my battle with the local insect population and instead of my usual swallowing of midges I managed to headbutt a wasp or bee instead.

Another uninspiring couple of weeks all-in-all.