I kept up!!!!

Hurtbox Christmas social ride today 47k around the new forest 2:12 with 8k ride to get to meeting point. 

So 55k in 2:40

And I kept up.

It was really gentle but even so, I manage to keep up!!!!

Feeling so pleased and very positive for  2019 as my cycle in a half has to get quicker - at least 30-45mins quicker per the 56miles / 90km

An epiphany moment in the Box

Datum session this morning at Hurtbox - so 16 one minute sprints with 60seconds rest.

I always leave a bit in the tank - don't think I've ever completely gone all out in any event as usually thinking need to cycle home, mates have been waiting loads so need to finish then head off so no time for loads of recovery.

At HB - the sessions are designed for you to go all out as they've factored in recovery time within the session. With that in mind I went all out for each sprints then used the 60secs recovery to get on some fluids, bit of back peddling then back on. Then used the five mins recovery after every 8 sprints to lower the heart rate ready for the next block. Was awesome. 

I managed to stay peddling through every sprint. This feels like quite a momentous moment in my HB career :)

Also talking to coach Peter who's finally found his mojo - it was hiding under the 'qualify for the IM 70.3 worlds in NZ 2020' pile. If you've got an 'A' goal for your season which will enable you to have an 'A' goal for the following season - it's like your mojo is suddenly there!!

Mine of course is to go sub seven and a half hours at the lakesman half 16/6/19 so I can go long at the Outlaw 2020. 

I'm now fully focused for June 2019 and getting my 56mile / 90km bike leg to under three and a half hours. Weymouth it was 4:23.47 which is just not fast enough...

Oooh and finally got back in the pool yesterday after work. Approx 35mins or so. Bit of pull, bit of kick, bit of swim. Just good to be back in the water. 

Vuelio blog awards 2018 :)

Tamsyn's plus one this eve at the Big Top in Bloomsbury for the Vuelio blog awards. Brilliant fun. Was on such a fun table #7 

Blogs

Theatre full stop

A blog of two gardens

Criddle me this

Am smashing it at HB

Omg - talk about getting stronger :)

Photo session in the box Saturday 24/11 then Wedneaday and today. Each one I've got a best this or max that. 

I'm able to keep going. I'm really only resting during the recovery parts. Basically I am feeling so blinking strong!!!

Which means I really should start upping my ftp by 5% each three week block. Will start from Monday 3rd Dec

Ankle update 27/11

So I haven't run since Gosport.

While at HB S&C Lindsey suggested I should get it checked out sooner rather than later so I booked into Jonathan Clark physiotherapy at work.

It's okay.

I have sprained it but not badly. Have some exercises to do plus got one of their wobble blobs. 

So relieved as should be back to normal for January :) 

Gosport half - 2:49.16

Thought I'd be quicker... 

Ankle is a bit swollen so have some ice wrapped round it. Legs sore, hobbling round the flat like I'm 80 next bday not just 50. 

Other than that - what a fabulous day!!

Kelly gave me a lift, so many familiar faces - tri club / running club buddies. Bloody loved it.

Start line with Kelly, Kaz, Neil and Dawn then bumped into Debbie after about half a mile. We then ran together for the first half - non stop chatting and waving  at various mates. Loved it.

Then second half I went a tiny bit quicker (Debbie finished ten mins behind me). Absolutely beautiful day. Sunny, warm. One of those perfect autumnal days.

So many tri club and LRR mates out on the course. Love being a part of so many clubs!

Plus Ben from work was lead bike. 

Excellent goodie bags at the end - loads of cake, crisps, bananas, drink, chocolate. 

All in all a fab run.

But do I have another 13.1 miles in my legs? PCM in five weeks. I'm not feeling at all confident. Will be interesting to see how I do at Downton half next Sunday

...

Oops. Chocolate orange massacre

All I wanted was a freddo. What I consumed was a chocolate orange.

I really need to get a handle on managing my chocolate loving chimp...

I want to finish the PCM in under six hours. Chomping on Chocolate Oranges really won't help.

Operation managing Lizzie chimp has started!!!!!!

Gosport half tomorrow. Time for bed.

Tough couple of HB sessions

In training you realise that you can keep going for longer than you realise.

Both HB sessions so far this week have been tough but I didn't stop as much as I thought i would need to. 

Tuesday running was sprints - managed about 20mins when PCM training plan said 30mins. But happy I went out and ran up and down Hoglands Park even though I didn't want to. 

I think I'm entering my "training while fatigued" phase of the PCM training plan x

Run Cuppa Run Shower Lunch Cake :) Sunday 11/11

Sunday was fun.

Late night Saturday - Helens 40th bday party at Wide Lane so didn't start much before midday on Sunday!

PCM training plan said 2.5hours. Wasn't going to manage that as I had "4pm afternoon tea at Vik's" in my diary.

What I did do was 47.29 run, 37.06 cuppa with Muts and Pete, 47.31 run.

Thought that was probably a good workout as the second run was on tired legs...

Then home for lunch, shower and off to Viks for cake.

Great week so far :)

A couple of tough but good HB sessions, XX's 16th birthday meal at Mangos, x3 Tudor House hill loops 40.40, cuppa tea with Tamsyn, Pilates, express HIIT, checked out Katherine's show at the civic, 51.27 run, haircut and meal out with Vik and Alison. Ooh and minus 2lbs at fat club. 

Week hasn't even finished and it's been awesome.

PCM training plan is till going strong. Be interesting to see how I do at Gosport in a couple of weeks.

Lean runner day 4, fat club tasting and lunchtime run

15mins of lunchtime sprints on the rubber crumb at Wide Lane. So glad I went out. Sprinted up and down the rubber crumb and around the tennis courts. Only 15mins but good to be out.

Made up some couscous and froze some grapes for fat club food tasting. Was amazing. 

Must make sure I run at least two more times this week...

Not listening to the chimp

Needless to say I'm very good at listening to my chimp when she says stop, walk, don't go for a run, go buy chocolate etc. 

I didn't run or do circuits yesterday as I got Lou's two tickets for Bohemian Rhapsody at the Showcase cinema as she wasn't very well. So I owed my PCM training plan a 40min hard run incorporating hills. 

No LRR training for me as decided to go for a run as soon as I got home. What a fab run. Ignored chimp when she was telling me to stop.

Three loops - Tudor house to bottom of town, run round the walls and through west gate, run bottom of town then up through blue anchor lane by Tudor house, run bottom of town then along the walls to the cut through from pub to quays. And repeat two more times. I just kept going and 39 mins just went. Really happy.

Let's see if I make it out tomorrow at all - lunchtime or evening :)

Breamore 10k then 5miles with Pam

Back on track :)

Breamore 10k with Jenny and Sue

Sprint finish

1:16 (well it was quicker but didn't stop watch till bit later) mabes 1:14...

Two cups of tea, some tiffin then chocolate brownie. Love the Braemore 10k!

Then over to Pam's for a lovely gentle recovery 5mile run 1:13

We chatted non stop, hardly walked at all, loved it.

Home, shower then over to the MackCooombes for a roast dinner.

What a fabulous Sunday :)

Third HB of the week - need to get running :)

I feel as if I've got back on it. 8 weeks till the PCM so still got plenty of time although that time will go in a blink of an eye.

It's getting back to running 3-4 times a week. That's got to be my focus for the next week. 

Fat club yesterday was a maintain so good, stopped the slide. 

13:1

Would like to get to 11:7 by the PCM 

Sprint HB session - face still pink :)

Can't believe how long it taken for my face to go from purple to pink to back to normal! Was a tough sprint session :)

Home for pasta but not to much as meeting Leanne for lunch before starting work at 2pm

Am def feeling as if I'm back on it after my week off at A's. Will be interesting to see how I get on at the breamore 10k on Sunday 

Starting to get my routine back

Training and losing weight is tough when your routine is shot to shed :)

This week just gone, I ran twice, ate loads of crap and put on 2.5lbs.

This week coming...

Well I'm back in my flat, got three hurtbox sessions booked, got a 10k on Sunday and will try and finally get back into the pool. 

Plus food wise I don't have a treat draw in my flat full of yummy sweet things for teenagers to choose from and a Lizzie to scoff from!!

Such a lovely run/walk around the uni and onto the common this afternoon after work. 

1:20 run/walk. 

Missed my running buddy though :(

Pammie was smashing it instead at The Great South Run!!

Crushed it :)

TP = 40mins non stop quite hard.

Actual = 40.24 mins of fairly hard running round the common 

I stopped to tighten my shoe laces but that was it. Very pleased. In the past I'd look at the training plan and maybe follow it. This time round I'm determined to follow it. Or at the very least make sure I go out when it tells me to. 

SW though not going so well this week. I think on Thursday I'll get weighed at Weston 11:30am and then regardless of the results get back on it from Friday. 

Meeting Debs, Ruthie, Ingie and hopefully Jules Thursday eve in the Cork and Bottle Leicester Square. Not convinced how fat club SW on point I'll be :)

Has temp fallen off the wagon...

Ran this afternoon. First time since Wednesday eve.

Approx 6/7km 56.15

So happy to be outside with Pammie. Usual route through sports centre then around the common.

Haven't done fat club since getting to A's.

Decided to chill and not worry about the weekend and just see how the next three days pan out. Back to flat on Thursday so back to my routines. I am though loving my time with XX.

So far

Lie in Saturday.

Walked holly

Drove to IV visit, cycled / sea then Tescos.

TV with XX plus IMWC at Kona from about 7:30/8pm through to 2:30am. Loved it.

Sunday 

XX to stables

Rosie's for impromptu second breakfast.

Walked/lost/found Holly

56.15 run

Shower.

Collected XX, popped into hobby craft.

Tea

Amazingstoke for Joan Armatrading 

Fabulous weekend.

Packed loads in :)

But need to do a lot more running and a lot less eating chocolate 

Day 1 = 40 syns, day 2 = 29

I've finished the tescos magnums and nearly finished the mini rolls. I haven't run since Wednesday and I'm not setting my alarm for tomorrow so I may miss Parkrun. 

There's a lot to be said for sticking to a routine when training!!

However, I am running Sunday and I've nearly finished all the treats so I should be fine by Monday :)

A challenging week for fat club ahead...

Am responsible adult for XX this week so I'm not staying at mine. Instead I'm at A's. I've already scoffed some mini rolls, bread and a pretend magnum. 4.5 syns up till 6pm. Grand total today is 35. So that's 31.5 syns in 4 hours. Eeeeep.

These last three weeks I've lost 10lbs.

I'll be happy with a maintain this week!!!!

Hopefully I'll smash the PCM training plan to help offset all this non fat club scoffing I'm currently doing :)

47k bike ride, 10k run all done by 1pm :)

What a fabulous morning. 

Had the girls round last night for food, wine and catch up then this morning a 47k bike ride with Jenny followed by 10k run with Pam

The bike ride was amazing - out to Hursley, Farleys Mount, King Somborne, Braishfield then back to Soton through Romsey. The views were amazing, a beautiful sunny perfect Autumnal morning.

47k 2:40 hours.

Then off to Pam's after collecting pannier from Jenny's

Lovely steady run from Pam's through the Sports Centre, around the common then back to Pam's. 

Just over 10k. 1:20

Cups of tea then home to watch TV and chill. 

Didn't take any pics of the bike ride. Real shame because there was one moment with Jenny ahead in red with an amazing view of the countryside. Was really special :)

However, here's a pic of me and Pammie just after our run xx

Throwing a dinner party in week 3 of fat club :)

Eating and drinking with friends has got to be one of my favourite things to do. This evening the coven are coming over for a dinner party and I'm so looking forward to it!

Knowing there would be lots of food and drink I was thinking of going for a run today but the weather is fowl and my PCM training plan does say rest day so I've decided to rest. NB I was going to run because on Thursday I didn't run even though TP said run. But, from what I've read and talking to friends and coaches if you miss a run don't try and make it up just move on to the next day. 

Cycling with Jenny and running with Pam tomorrow so I'm hoping they will help offset this evening as well as getting me back on track with my PCM TP

Just made the jelly - 28syns for the entire bowl. I'll probably have a couple of scoops so I'm thinking mabes 4-5syns tops. Hoorah. Fat club dinner party here we come xx

Training plans work :)

Sat in my armchair, wrapped in a towel after a lovely hot shower. 

Just been for a run. 

It felt great. Not tired, nice and easy.

43.17 easy minutes of running around the old town here in Southampton saying hello to various tourists who've come off the cruise ship for a day trip in  the city. 

Dripping with sweat. 

Decided that's my main sign of exertion :)

Half stone award :)

Fat club tourist to Weston as working till 10:15pm tonight so unable to go to my usual group at Atherly Bowling Club.  I wasn't expecting to lose 7lbs!! In fact I don't trust those scales... However, I did stick my new shiny sticker to my book so I guess we'll know next Thursday is I have actually lost half a stone. 

My belt is looser though...

Haven't run today. 

13.5 Syns - Wahoooo Wednesday 3rd October :)

My first sub 16 Syn day since rejoining fat club SW :) absolutely delighted. Baby steps but I'm feeling very positive about the PCM and going sub six.

Also HB this morning was good. Tough. A lot of sweat. But not that many stops. Feeling as if I'm getting stronger x

Pic of me just back from HB and feeling tired yet epic. And the other pic is the little flower I spotted on my balcony that really caught my eye :)

Feeling epic Tuesday morning :)

My PCM training plan said 35mins hard. I so didn't want to run.

But I got into my PE kit as soon as I woke up and out I went. After three minutes I really wanted to stop. Kept wanting to stop and just go home or at the very least just walk instead of run. But I didn't stop. 

I kept goingz

Kept checking my watch.

35.05 :)

Did it.

So pleased. 

So sweaty - like after a really tough HB session when I'm dripping with sweat. In fact my legs were sopping. 

There's still eleven weeks to go until the PCM but I'm so pleased to be sticking to my TP x

Start of week five :)

PCM training plan day one week five is rest. So I did a HB session. Great session - we're in a recovery week 

Shower and now sprawled in my armchair watching Lucy 

Fat club update week 2

Syn count so far is 39, 25, 33

My biggie is the bread - had a cheeky pitta last night when I seemed to be eating anything that wasn't tied down!

Also this time three years ago I flew to the twin cities to not run the twin cities marathon. Fabulous ten days with my mpls/st.paul family xx

End of week 4 - going well.

My training plan said 1:45 - 2 hours gentle run/walk. I did 1:15

Bit hungry but bored bit needed the loo = time to get home. But seeing as I didn't really want to go I'm absolutely delighted I changed into my PE kit and made it out the door!

Got to keep telling myself that it's only end of week 4. Only 25% done. Loads to play for. Loads of training time to go until Braemore 10k, Gosport half and PCM 

Also spent a lot of today athlete tracking Suzanne and the Collins doing CousCous Portugal 70.3 - all three smashed it 

PCM training plan - rest day

Lovely rest day.

Early shift at work then met K&S in the new Cuban restaurant. They ate, I drank water and had a few chips. 

We then enjoyed seven maybe eight Music in the City acts as we meandered down to the bottom of town.

Evening spent cooking, eating, chilling. Hoping to be asleep by 10:45pm

And, fabulous news. Fat club down to 23 Syns :)

Excellent morning - training and socialising

Today has been excellent.

A tough HB session which I managed to complete without to many stops / back peddling.

Then Sue and I went to the Cove for an hour of tea/coffee, training talk and catch up. Was fabulous. 

On my training plan it had 40mins very easy run so when I got home I dropped off my bike and went out for a run. What a beautiful day. Perfect autumnal early afternoon - brilliant blue sky, gorgeous red/orange leaves everywhere. Plus the run felt okay. No running through treacle, just easy breathing, running tall, good arms. 

Shower then a great fat club luncheon of salmon with a cucumber/tomatoes and sweet potato in lime juice salad. I was going to have couscous but the packet was "best before April 2013" and you know what it didn't taste that good!!!