Day 117: logging the last few days

Well, life's been pretty hectic this week, what with a ton of time and energy spent developing Caille Consulting Ltd and also looking at job openings all around. So, I've logged fewer of my running efforts, and here are the latest events in my journey towards the Bath Half.

Two days ago - skipped the 45 min Fartlek. With Stephen still struggling with a moody ankle, I'm running solo, and this kind of more 'complex' training is a little out of the question. I guess I don't have it in my heart to find the motivation :) I did intend to have a run during the day, but got caught up in service definition activities for my business and therefore didn't stick to that. So, I decided that I should stick to the morning runs from now on, as I'm less likely to skip them...

Yesterday - 10 min jog, 10 run, 10 min jog. The first jog was sweet: there was a heron standing lonely and perfectly motionless, knee-deep in the Canal on my way to the park. No one else around. The run was good and fast. I didn't try the two laps of the Shadwell Basin, so couldn't compare distances with the last 10-min session I had, but I reckon I was rather swift.

Today - didn't do the scheduled interval training, but did treat myself to a gorgeous jog punctuated by two sprints. I was alone and had the North Bank of the river for myself all the way to Blackfriars Bridge. From that point I started to see a few more runners, but nowhere near as many as in the last few days (Friday laziness?), and I feasted my eyes on one of the most incredibly beautiful sunrises I have seen over Tower Bridge in a long while (and they are usually stunning). Canary Wharf towers bathed in a light mist, soft pink sky, swollen waters, a couple of lonely little boats patrolling on the Thames, and the contours of the dolphin-and-woman statue near the bridge darkening against the sky. Sweet!

I also received my number for the Ashford & District 10K race (I am number 195!), which is next week, and sent my exepected-time form to Shelter for the Bath Half. I'm excited!

Have a wonderful weekend y'all.

Day 47: no more :)

This morning's supposedly-easy 25-min jog was actually rather dire. My legs have had enough! As coach Stephen pointed out, we've been exercising intensely for 6 days straight, 3 of them being either running, interval or extensive Fartlek sessions. So this morning, it was just a struggle to put one foot in front of the other! But no more, no more! Today comes the satisfaction of being done with it, and tomorrow the pleasure of some well-deserved rest. Have a good weekend y'all! K x

Day 40, otherwise known as *Friday*

Tough one this morning as the weather was very muggy and we were both tired, stiff and heavy after yesterday's run as well. But, we did manage our planned 30-min run, even though poor Stephen was gasping for air because of his cold. Tomorrow, we lie in!

Day 26: :) :) :)

Great session this morning - my first interval training one! 3 series of the following: run like a maniac for 70 seconds, walk-jog 3 min, run like a lunatic for 45 seconds, walk-jog 2 min, run like a raving psycho for 30 seconds, walk-jog 3 min. and you know what? I felt great, the weather was ideal, and I still feel rather elated...

The first 70 seconds run was a bit of a challenge, what with the ankle mobility issue I've been experiencing lately, but by the second run everything was nice and warmed up and loose. I did however feel some weird flush of pain in my legs during the walking stages, as if my body was flushing blood in the area all of a sudden. I've no idea what it is - it doesn't feel wrong, just like something the body is in a hurry to do to repair you, somehow.

Oh, and one more thing: it was cooold this morning!!!

And, just for the sake of it, yet one more thing: it's *f*r*i*d*a*y* !!! :) tomorrow, rest, waffles smothered in syrup, a tour of Camden Town with Cyril who is visiting us from Paris, and a post-Halloween party at Arnaud and Rob's...

Enjoy your weekend y'all!

Day 12: cold in more ways than one

Relatively easy 30-min jog this morning, as a genle-ish closure to the week (I've not yet decided if the Sunday run should count as the end of a week or the beginning of one......).

The weather has become much cooler all of a sudden, and I tried on my new long-sleeve tops -- they have some kind of thin fleecy lining which got me to think I wouldn't use them until the full-on winter, but obviously I was wrong there.

We're so busy during the week we have both run out of running socks and underwear for failing to deal with our laundry...

Coach Stephen was rather poorly this morning, and I was amazed that he still got himself out of bed to jog with me, despite his nasty cold. You know when you are dealing with somebody who did competitive sports before...

Day 5: it's **F*R*I*D*A*Y** :D

Fridays have taken on a whole new meaning for me apparently: not only is it the end of the working week (which I'm sure you'll all agree, is great even if you love your job), but it's also my last day of training before my beloved lazy Saturday!

Today was a 35 min Fartlek session which turned out to be quite a bit longer (possibly 45 min) as our timer somehow fell asleep during the session. We thought it was strange that, as days are becoming shorter, the sun was a little higher in the sky than usual when we started to run our way back home...... I also realised that the Millenium Bridge is *much* longer than London Bridge when you sprint across it (and makes strange RAF-plane noises at each end - why is that??). By the end I was dribbling like a rabid dog.

Last night's yoga session turned out to be tough, as most of my leg and shoulder muscles had gone a little tight, but it was useful in the sense that it helped me strech a little better today. I am actually thinking of signing up for another 9-week course, just for the sake of the few minutes of pure relaxation provided in the end of the session (or, as my teacher puts it, the "surrendering into Shavasnah"...).

All's good, and I am looking forward to a relaxing evening and long sleep-in tomorrow, followed by a gigantic plate of waffles smothered in galons of maple syrup.