Long day at work today, didnt finish till late, so it was a short easy run although that is the plan isnt it! 

10 mins xtrainer warm up level 6!

7 miles mostly on the beach and woodland trails, mostly at 8/8.10 pace slow and uncomfortable :(  when I got on the roads, the pace picked up naturally for the same effort, last 3miles 7.06 6.59 and 6.34mins nice easy run with a bit of progression :-)

10 mins warm down level 2 I was tired, didnt really stretch too much and no foam roller, didnt have time, very hungry today ate too much :-O

Oh and as I was rushing I took the wrong trainers, I wore my nike free's for all 7 miles, which was fine, as I do lots of walking in them although for some reason my toes kept hitting the end and hurting, the toenailless one is very sore i.e the big toe with no nail LOL very sore ouchie !

 I have become OCD with germs, LOL everyone has sniffles at my work and then I keep washing my hands and using germ gel ha ha ha I have always had a thing about it anyway like public door handles etc, It seems to have got worse now I have upped the mileage really dont need to be ill at the moment :-O

:-) 

10mins xtrainer level 6.

10.5 miles  1hr 31 mins  slow 8.5 miles in the sand dunes and trails.

I hit the road for the last 2 miles, 7.25 mins & 6.30 mins ouch the last one, I just couldnt resist some woman started cycling next to me, and got out of the saddle pedaling like mad, I just gave her that look LOL no way she was out of her saddle cycling like mad racing me, this was with half a mile to go, I looked at the garmin I was hitting 5.30 pace naughty girl..... I so hope this wont reflect in my mile reps tomorrow !

and no it wasnt some old person texting on their bike LOL

I hope this image doesnt freak anyone out ha ha ha 

10 mins xtrainer warm up level 5

2.5 miles at 8 min pace easy,  ahhhhh it started to snow how great is that huh!

started mile reps

1st 6.07

2nd 6.07

 3rd 6.07

4th 6.04

3 mins recovery jog inbetween 0.25 miles each making 1 mile. 

then 6 miles warm down by the time I was doing the mile reps the snow was coming down thick and fast so not much help, although I did feel a bit sluggish today and I am thinking its the higher mileage!

Hey hey hey I have an easy week next week.... so 2 more days of easy long runs then a rest day! an 18 miler on Sunday then its easy lower mileage next week..... at the moment I really feel as though I need this easy week as I am struggling to do everything at home and things are getting behind...... also last time I did this sort of mileage I was only working 3 days a week and not 5 days so I am really feeling it at the moment.

But hey I am happy with the mile reps although I am sure I can get them down more as it was cold today and with the  snow  fall!  and guess what It stopped snowing when I stopped running ??? the gods were not looking down on me today :-) but Happy days.

10 miles on the SWEATMILL level 8 so not too bad, but I didnt work the pace up till the last three miles, so 8 min pace then last three 7.24, 7.15, 6.45mins.

Well I saw my physio too, and had some pain OUCHIE<

and here are some piccies of my boney wrists, I dont think these photos show the boneyness of my wrists, that lumpy bit showing on the 2nd photo is what I am talking about, I used to hide my wrists with long sleeves but I dont care now LOL doesnt matter what I weigh I have boney wrists lol  

 IN comparison this picture below is someone elses wrist from the internet and they are citisized for having a big boney wrist LOL nought on my wrist eh ha haha ha

I am hoping to do 13 easy miles and the weather is hey ho nice today wooohoooo.

18 long run easy 

I may say it was an easy run but hey I felt pretty dang good, 2hrs 16 mins, for 18 miles, I went out at my 16 miles pace, increased the pace towards 15 miles, then ran 8 min pace for the remaining 3 miles, I did NOT fuel, yeah yeah your all gonna moan but hey I didnt need to.

I had a 16" pizza last night, tomato mozzarela Chicken lots of chicken last night, and garlic bread hmmmm I love garlic bread, although Hubby hates it, lol so I talked him in to one piece ha ha. 

Breakfast before the run was croissant tea cakes, and cereal mmmmmmm rub belly time LOL then a strong coffee and Chris no it wasnt Neros just my own strong instant I might add coffee.

I have to download the route and get the splits, I have been busy today so its gonna be later.

Missy sorry no pics, mostly 7.30 min miles so no time for pics, but its an easy week next week lots of time for some pictures he he and some easy (easy) swimming next week coach is wanting it to be so I am chomping on the bit by next weekend :-D

Okay average pace overall for 18 miles is 7.35 min pace

Mile 15 was half marathon pace well nearly! then last few miles as I say around 8 min pace recovery and warming down :-)   I am going to now look at all previous garmin runs over 18 miles, as I am so sure this is a pb for 18 miles in training.  WOOO HOOOO ;-D

Okay, last 2 days no run,

I know amazing or what,

but its just the way the cookie crumbles :)

My son is ill, and Sunday was a rest day anyway,

and then Monday well I just couldnt get out and the mill

at home well lets just say I was too tired HUH!

Okay, so Dylan is still not well but my hubby came

home early so I could get a run in outside, woooohoooo.......

the sun was setting, it wasnt too cold and I enjoyed it through

and over the sand dunes, trails etc in the woods... I must admit

I felt heavy and lethargic, my best way to describe it is

Michelin man LOL.

I had a conversation with my coach, he wants me

to re-adjust my Marathon goals based on the 10k pb

I have done, and the training I am doing now.....

he is thinking a marathon pace of 6.30/6.40 I was

alarmed to say the least I am so not sure I will be capable

of this, although that would ring true with most athletes

I think ????? anyone ?????/

My 1st thought is well lets see how I do in the half marathon

first, but then well I am not allowed to race this only the

last 5 miles I am allowed to race it .... so that wont ring

true of my fitness hmmmmm, maybe I will look for a

fast 10k maybe 3 weeks out from the marathon

My legs were not sore after the long run Saturday, but are

now feeling odd, just heavy but I know its the easy week

kicking in. so hey ho and I look forward to training hard

again next week..... but then my son is off School so I am

going to struggle with training, it will be early mornings

I think double days too start next week DOUBLE DAYS

<  E A R L Y  M O R N I N G S  ahhhhh :-O 

Burt has been on the photoshop again LOL ha ha ha  

Seven 7 Seven measley miles, so thats the way it crumbles, another easy run, I am bored I hate being off work I get cabin fever from being the house for more than 1 afternoon, I know my son Dylan is ill, yeah and it aint nice, but he will be okay, I just dont like being cooped up at all

did I tell you I did 7 miles early evening, sun was hitting the sea setting quickly whilst I was still in the woods, but it was still light enough to be safe well sort of, anyway I was on the road home soon enough.........

Quote BURT = 

" MY Kids Love rollercoasters but hey I just sneezed all over them and do you like my hair do it goes with my goatie LOL that also has green sludge on it ha ha "

ZERO Not feeling great, didnt run!

Ice bath, massaged and hot bath stretched legs still really sore, and I am whacked, ! did a late walk for a couple of miles, but the heart to go out run well its not there >>> 

easy slow 4.5 miles

Okay what a week last week was... My son was ill, so I was off work and couldnt really run till my husband came home, it was an easy week but I didnt want it that easy, effectively I ran every other day short and easy, did allot of stretching icing and warm baths with the odd ice bath thrown in.

I was sore all week and got more sore as the week went on, I have had easy weeks and taper weeks before but last week my legs felt hammered rather than rested, my shins were sore, I have had compartment syndrome over 12 years ago I had an operation on both legs for too, never had a problem since! THIS WEEK THEY HURT.... I PaNiCkEd thought omg thats about 2 years out like last time, with an operation ouch !

anyway the physio had a really good look at them, no it was congestion from the easy week, and a good hour of her working on my legs I felt awful LOL the legs felt great me I felt groggy and ill..... I rang the phsyio she basically said all the rubbish in my muscles from them repairing over a week well basically I need to drink allot of water to flush my system out so I did.

Last week out the way, I was raring to go for my medium long run with tempo at the end, effectively near marathon pace.

So off I went, damp drizzly rain urghhhhh...... the idea was 10 easy miles, 5 tempo, then half a mile warm down.  Coach said out at 8 min pace, for a couple of miles pick it up to my long run comfort zone pace to 10 miles then stick to 7min pace maybe 6.50 but no faster.  here are the splits to follow in a while the garmin is playing up huh phhhhht!

Oh and chaffing is not a good luck LOL  

Oh dear, there is a stile we have to go through, and some cyclist went just ahead of us at the last minute so we were going to have to wait, now this is when my legs cramp up, so I thought done it loads of times, climb or half jump over the fence LOL well I bashed my shin as my foot got a little stuck, which in turn has made the back of my knee sore, huh stupid idea and stupid cyclist no fair! Not sure why I caught my foot or how, as i have jumped over these in races and training runs quite fine LOL  

 UPDATE ;;;;; WHY DID NOBODY READ MY SPLITS RIGHT INC ME LOL 

yeah its 6 miles tempo there at marathon pace, 6 miles with the last one faster OMG I am very happy now and I also know why my legs are shot but feeling much better :-)))) 

7.30 average overall for the 15.5 miles, but a good run tempo from mile 10 then I ended last tempo mile with a 6.40min mile.  :-) 

What a day, It started greeeaaaaattttt  Valentines day I had a single rose but on my pillow :) then 24 red roses a lovely card..... took out for breakfast and a Neros coffee, then Paul helped me with my run he's such a gent:)   then I was had a bath run for me, with oils and stuff LOVELY:) and to top it off whisked off for a lovely Indian Meal in my fav Restaurant Zyka double :) :)  ☙ ❧ ❦ 

8 miles easy, my legs were pretty sore, so I had a hot shower before going out to ease them up LOL anyways all good, with a good stretch, and grid roller my legs out, like a foam roller but better much better, well worth the pricey tag! :-O

 http://www.runners-edge.co.uk/

  I got the orange one so I can't lose it LOL  

I am running in the London Marathon as part of the Championship race for top uk Women runners, and gained an automatic entry on my previous marathon times.

fundraising for my chosen charity http://www.isaacshouse.org Our Vision here at Isaac's House is to build, establish and maintain a home in Uganda for Orphaned Children affected by war, HIV & poverty. We want to create a safe, sustainable environment in which health, education and growth can be achieved. So please donate for this great cause, as all the money goes towards the building of orphanage's this is a small run charity, run by people volunteering, there is no 

expenses accounts anyone that wants to go over and help the charity by building etc they have to buy their own flights etc.... so it is a 100% charity for any money donated :-) 

Thanks for reading this, even if you don't donate thats okay with me either way no pressure :)  

5.5 miles, 3.5 easy pace, 8 min pace, last 2 at 6.55 and 6.23 mins, good run had to do a short run as short on time, and then realised I was even shorter on time so I had to go faster LOL never mind, I will try do a double day tomorrow :-)

Not been sleeping very well at all either but hey ho I am hoping to sleep tonight :) 

Bad day at the office chasing pavements ! 8 miles slow, hard and I felt worse than michelin man urghhhh! just one of those days eh :(

and still not much sleep, I tried for a nap this afternoon no chance :((  so its the herbal sleeping tablets tonight, I dont like using them but I have to get some sleep or I am going to have some sort of accident, Im so spaced out all the time anyway due to lack of sleep

Session day consisting of mile reps, I went into this session with out any fuel since last night, and I started the session at 2pm, I did have a large warm milk drink on waking then a cappucino from Neros before work :)

 I didnt feel like this session I feel lethargic and michelin man like... ON speaking to coach Reg he said just go do it, and if need be cut it short, but if its how I feel and not injury etc then hang tough and get through it.

Okay I slept last night but still really tired, I woke about 3 times so a best night for about 6 days :O yawn! 

2.5 miles easy overall average is 8 min pace, but it was through the pinewoods undulating and for about half a mile its really hilly !

I hit the coast road for My mile reps, the idea was run 5x 1 mile out then see what pace I can do back!

with 3.30 min recovery between each mile rep of jogging approx 0.25 miles each one. 1.25 miles of recovery jogging

mile 1  6.04

Mile 2 6.15 breezy head on 

Mile 3 6.24 breezy again head on, I am feeling it on this one.

so I turned around to do the last two the other way

mile 4 6.04

Mile 5 6.04

I had a short recovery jog here I didnt press the garmin watch so approx another 0.25 miles jogging 10 min pace.

I went into Marathon pace for

0.5 miles  3.40

0.5 miles  (800ms) 3.01 mins 6 min pace again

0.5 miles  3.59 mins more like 8 min pace feeling tired

0.5 miles (800ms)  3.05 mins  6 min pace again 

a short recovery now of 2 mins 

0.5 miles (800)   3.07 mins  6 min pace again

a short recovery jogging about for 2 mins

0.5 miles (800) 3.08 mins died on this one so thats another 2miles at vo2 max pace

1 mile mp ....then marathon pace straight into this for 1mile, well it was a slow mp mile 7mins 18 secs

then I jogged in at easy pace 8/8.30 mins for  

 So pretty good hanging tough and added on more than coach said so Happy Bunny here 

:-) 

Good session I wasnt too please with the mile reps, I thought they would have been faster, and they felt pretty hard into that wind so hence the half mile's at the same pace, at Least this will help when I come to add another mile to make it 6 miles reps I am pretty darn tired......  porridge for recovery with some honey.

Chicken salad with rice on the side for tea mmmmm 

9.5 miles, took me 1hr 17 mins omg thats along time, I ran with my son and I decided it would be funny to make Dylan Laugh enroute, bad idea that was it all the way around the whole 9.5 miles we kept making each other laugh at the most stupid things......... 3 times I had to stop bend over and just laugh, the worst time was I sat down on a log in the woods and I fell off it for laughter.....LOL

great run I used so much energy up my diaphragm is more sore than my legs now ha ha ha.

And now I just keep laughing for no reason just  out of the blue, then Dylan starts laughing its tooo infectious LMAO

Happy Days to all the American fanny pack lovers ha ha ha ;-)  (that ones for Burt and Walter, oh and Chris M )  

Woooo HOOOO I slept for 8 hrs last night now thats more like it, apparently I was snoring and talking   ha ha Is it possible to do both at the same time LOL  

Paul Cycled with me today Dylan was bmxing ! 

1. 7.49

2. 7.39  this is through a hilly route of the woods, on the way out towards the coastal road.

3. 7.35 again still slightly undulating but nice scenery!

4. 7.32   Along the by-pass past Woodvale an airplane  landed right over ourselves this was good!

5. 7.40

6. 7.24

7. 7.36

8. 7.41

9. 7.32     

10. 7.36

11. 7.30

12. 7.34

13. 7.30

14. 7.26

15. 7.28

16. 7.23

17 7.21 its hurting here, and Paul kept cycling slightly ahead of me, now my brain goes into auto race when he does this argghhhhh!  I ended up shouting at him, I dont think he was impressed, he replied with something but I had my music, up so I just shouted is hard for you or me! please please just stay beside me not ahead :-O   

18 7.23  on this mile I started to feel tight for shouting at Paul.....ooops, really I was just taking my frustration of the run hurting me I think out on him ooops

19 7.07   ooh just wanted to finnish and Paul went slightly ahead again urghhh race mode :-O

20. 7.33 back on a decent pace!

2 hrs 30 and 28 secs   average 7.31 miles per minute.

Weather well what can I say, the snow had melted, but paths were wet ....... So rain, sleet, hail stone, flutter of snow, a bit windy and some more rain, all in all crappy weather but hey I felt okay.

I was fuelled from a very fullfilling meal last night, a light carb high breakfast, an extra strong 3 shot Nero Coffee LOL....... no fuel or water during the run woooohooooo

Ice bath after a short stretch, re-fuel for recovery then a hot bath and a stretch again...... now I am tired, as my garmin usb stick is broke and I had to manually put the splits up etc tiresome stuff you know...... Happy bunny  this is the fastest 20 miler I have done in training and I feel okay, no stopping no stretching and no fuel or water during the run is like unheard of for me on such a long run.   mwwwwwahhhhhhhhhhhhh ;-D     secret now is not to let it go to my head and train too hard or too much and get injured eh! just swell

;-)  hope you all had a good Sunday run too ;-) 

Hmmmm went to do 9 miles, but on returning to the gym it was 8.75, my legs started to hurt so I let it go for now, maybe do that 0.25 miles extra another day eh!

Not much to report except I am absolutely KNACKERED my legs are not as sore as last monday which I think was more the easy week !   I got some lunar glide Nike trainers Saturday and will slowly break them in as I am so used to vomero's but they feel just as comfy but lighter so we will see......

Urgghhh my phone is not holding much charge and its driving me nutz having to charge it all the time and keep turning it back on.... it ran out on my run too so no music when Im tired huh proper bummer :(  so thats the garmin usb stick and now the phone playing up urghhh....

But me happy still and looking forward to tomorrow allot like a allot allot ha  ;-)  and this one is for all those facebookers poking me like huge

POKE POKE POKETY POKE   

9 miles all off road all through trails and trails of sandy and sand dunes, woodlands 

1hr 12 mins 

now to the real word of the day chocolate why am I craving it so badly huh ?????

must have something to do with the local craze of peopls images on their blogs of such nice goodies 

So enjoy my pictures of the day thanks for reading Im off to stuff my face with chocolate again and again and again.......ooooooooooh no I cant gotta keep thinking of that marathon time I want and the finish line then I will resist the chocolate think woman think ahhhhhhhhh chocolate noooo no no no sub 3 sub 3 ha ha I am a looney bin today honestly all BURTS and Chris Ms Fault  oh and no bunny rabbits round here Burt its too cold for the bunnies to come out :-(

but happy days for happy nutz :-)

ooops. p.s I forgot I did 10 mins xtrainer warm up and warm down, like I did yesterday too but forgot to blog.  and Most days I do

plank for 45 secs then 5 press ups straight in to it, 10 secs rest and repeat  3 times also do side plank with one leg in the air, each side, x 3 the twisty plank I call and the medicine ball crunches like legs up in the air straight and crunches with med ball, then go into twists same thing but twist side to side. stretch and roll out I always forget to blog these things but I do do them all the time, like the vibro gym at home I use this mostly for massage terrrahhhhhh :)  

NO session till tomorrow as my sacrum has been sore and I havent seen the physio yet, Its allot better than Monday so hoping to do a good big session tomorrow :) yay

10mins xtrainer warming those calves up

calf stretches and one legged calf thingies LOL brain is empty ha ha

12 miles very windy out for about 3 miles, when I turned out the wind so it was side on, I went from 8 min pace to 7min pace nearly instantly and felt like I was flying that shows how much wind can take out of you, 1 min per slower due to the wind ha I knew I was probably going too fast against that wind its so hard to get it right on an easy run :-O

For the chocoholics, My son had a bad day at school or so he says and you know the way to a mans heart is by their bellies, well My son loves his food like his mum so I took him to Neros for one of these and yes I SAT and watched HIM EAT IT ALL AND DIDNT HAVE AN OUNCE I AM SUCH A GOOD GIRL I AM SO PROUD LOL

okay so through some trails and mud uuuurggggghhh I dont usually pansy around mud but I had my knew Nike Lunar glides on and theyre a lovley grey with bright pink and I didnt want to get them muddy  so I pansied around the mud LOL

1hr 33 mins.  I had to make up 0.2 of a mile running up and down the road outside the gym very silly when I do that but my mind is happier with a WHOLE number.

heres the lunar glides Yes you see some mud on them tooo huh gonna go and clean them me thinks    and for BURT I saw 2 bunny rabbits yay for the bunnies spring must be near :)

10 mins xtrainer warm up level 5

warmed up for 4 miles, 8 min pace, I felt lethargic going into this session

1 mile reps with 3.30 mins rest inbetween jogging of 0.25 miles

1st 6.01

2nd 6.04

3rd 5.58

4th 6.02

5th 6.02

6th  3.03 half way only did 0.5 of this mile, I hit the wall BONK!

10.5 so far  

ran back  for 3 miles splits  were 8.45, 6.50 7.01

at mile 11.5 after that slow one, I stopped at my mums to get a sugar drink and off I went so it was deffo a bonk LOL

10 mins warm down xtrainer foam roller and stretch.....home to eat eat eat I need to fuel better before this sessions now as i was going to do 15 in total but I was out for quite some time :-O   no bunny rabbits to see as I didnt hit the woods too much but i did for some reason get my legs covered in mud ha ha ha typical me or what. 

15 mins xtrainer calves are sore so gave it 5 mins more warm up 

the Mill....... it was raining and I was being a wimp did 6kms on the mill, at 7.30 pace then a phone call interruption wasnt going to run and talk today not in the mood ha ha so then it was back on the mill after a nice long talk finished off to make upto 7 miles  but at 8 min pace.

10 mins xtrainer warm down.

15 mins swim crawl with a last length under water with 3 lengths straight into full speed crawl. I always do this at the end of swimming its like a ritual to me LOL.

So No bunnies seen during the mill run it was warm though silly gym needs to put air con on not warm air blowing out !

Okay my question of the day is to follow and is due to me not having as much confidence in my training......I know I am getting fitter and doing well in my sessions..... I am considering a vo2 max and lactate threshold lab test, as I read in a running mag recently about it and helping to guide you to the correct paces.

 Its mainly as I havent done training like this before and I am not feeling as good as I usually do no my sessions.... also my coach is thinking my marathon pace should be faster than I think....... my physio thinks I am just lacking confidence which I agree with so I kinda think the lab tests will help they arent bad priced and in St Helens which is 30 mins drive from home..... Husband thinks its a good idea, coach is interested in what the results will bring etc but your thoughts as I have never done a lab test before and if any of you have any tips or pointers do I ease of training etc ?????????

thanks for any help Sammy (my knew nickname apparently LOL) 

I have been ill with a tummy bug since Friday night, my calves were sore too, but by Sunday morning I was actually feeling okay and I had fuelled Sat night for the long run just in case I felt okay.

5°C | °F

Current: Cloudy
Wind: NW at 23 km/h
Humidity: 76%

Sun

6°C | 3°C

Went out allot easier than the last time I did the 15.5 miles with tempo run for 6 of the last miles.

This time round I went out at 8 min pace with the odd slightly faster miles within the 8 miles out then 7 miles at tempo marathon pace and a half mile warm down. here are the splilts;

8.02

7.38

8.13

7.57

7.53

7.54

7.37

7.46 cross wind

mile 9 7.11 started but it was a strong cross wind

 10= 6.58

11=7.00  this was a hard mile, more like a fartlek mile some was at 6.30 pace then at 8 min pace I ended up having to stop as well with 0.10 miles to go for a road I did stop the stop watch though! 

12= 7.05  I sheltered by the side of my husband he was cycling strong cross winds 

13= 6.55   I sheltered by the side of my husband he was cycling  v strong cross winds

14=6.52 head on wind   couldnt shelter  

15=6.57 head on wind   couldnt shelter 

All in all it was a mile further at pace although my tempo pace should be faster more 6.50 pace for the marathon..... although this should be more how I feel near the end of the marathon as I had done 8 miles before going into the tempo run.

I am happy but feeling lethargic and heavy running I am sure its the high mileage catching up with me and I may cut my recovery runs slightly next week but hoping to do doubles instead...... so thats either early morning runs or evening runs we will see as I am not a morning person ha ha :)