Liz's Blog

Decided to just get on and do a 10k as I have a 10k race on the 2nd November and I may as well get this unfit body used to the idea. Ran to Bramley Station and back.

1st lap 30:30, 2nd lap 29:15
10km in 59:46

This is mightily embarrassing as well as the fact I nearly passed out trying to catch my breath at the end. I was so grumpy during the run that my time was so shockingly slow I ran like blazers in the last 8 minutes knowing I had to, in order to get below 60 minutes. My knee held up and so did my IT band so have to say I am pleased about that at least although it does mean I need to take the next two runs rather carefully.
It is frustrating that when one FINALLY gets ones head right, the body is not as keen to follow the same mental targets. Slowly slowly does it. Thoughts of the MdS in 2011 scared the living daylights out of me and at this stage I just cannot FATHOM how I am going to achieve it....

Getting a spinning bike from my dearest brother Tim tomorrow so am seriously pleased I can do some determined cardio and FATOFF sessions : )

Skinny Zola Budd here we come...

Same winter road route, around 52 minutes as opposed to my 47 best when I weighed far less. Feeling hideous, heavy as though my cells are filled with lead. Late night, eating at 10pm (and on top of that, the consumption of alcohol) just doesn't do well with waking for an early run.

In order to be as successful as possible, sacrifices have to be made in other areas....and so be it.

Still, I ran this morning for just under an hour. This in itself is good.

SIXTEEN DAYS LATER. TWO WEEKS AND TWO DAYS...there is no time for pausing. Focus is lost.

What an awful run. Heavy, heartburn and hot. Nevertheless, a run. 44.04 along my winter (yes it is dark once again at 5:30am) flat, road route. The strange pain I have had just above my right knee cap for a few days bothered me a little towards the end of the run. Will ice it and stretch throughout the day. Walked down the last fairly steep part of the hill as I am just not prepared to take the risk of this IT band starting up again. It felt strong so I am thrilled.

Then home to do Callanetics - WU+S.

Oh, started Gillian McKeith personal profile as from today....

Happy.

Had a great run along the canal. Decided to take a risk off road and went really slowly to begin with and built up slowly watching where I placed my left foot. No niggles at all so the quad exercises are really doing the trick. 38 minutes and it felt good. Did a lot of stretching afterwards and knee feeling strong.

Happy day.

42:05 minute run with only the slight, odd niggle from the IT band. Knee feeling strong as I have been doing some 'strengthening of the quad' exercises and following through with the old ice trick....

Happy day.

I cannot believe this Blog was set up a year ago! I live in the same house as this extremely organised and determined software man who has quietly and patiently been trying to get us all going with our MdS 2011 Blogs, even set them all up for us and yet have only managed to start now. Well ML (Richard), here we are. My mind is set. It is the 8th of the 8th of the 8th and I pathetically see this as a very good omen to start proper and focussed MdS training with great determination TODAY!

This all borders on the slightly hysterical if I think about it too much as my 'Garmin' run (wore Richard's Garmin watch 3 weeks ago and couldn't BELIEVE I was so slow at 6:50 so pushed it, experimenting with it more than anything) started my left IT band problem all over again. How frustrating and demoralising after months and months of slow and gently does it building up. I was up to 1 hour 10 min, (simply getting from A to B was my aim so I was RUNNING) but am now back to the very basics of something which merely resembles exercise. I only managed a miserable 8 minutes last week and ended up walking home with a very foul look on my face and feeling like thunder. After some 'ice on the knee' treatment and stretching I was encouraged last Saturday with a 40 minute run-but with having to stop to stretch the band at 11, 20 and 30 minutes because of IT niggles starting up. I am back to running on the road (no canal runs for a while) and doing the exercises I have from Nam and all that goes with getting back to where I was about a month ago. This of course is all hysterical as I have 151 miles to cover in only 32 months....! Typically I do not 'just want to finish' either but enough said on this for now.

Managed a 24 minute run this morning with only the odd niggle (stretched at 16 minutes) and will be taking it really slowly in the next few weeks. I have a 10k race set for the 2nd November and I am pretty determined to do a sub 50 (how terribly sad) weighing a WHOLE LOT LESS by then too. Clocked in at a whopping 74.4kg's after some seriously good food lately and have absolutely no doubt the additional adipose just does not help with this knee problem. Bruce Fordyce skinny as he is running so far in such short and brilliant times...its the way to go, unlike fatty-boom-boom here..

So, we have started.... watching the 2008 MdS DVD they sent Richard the other night I couldnt help wondering what all this fuss is about running through the desert for 6 days, doing 152 miles. I mean, it looks pretty straight forward, easy going. No one was dying! Hey? Anyone should be able to do it? WHAAAAAA HA HA HA HA ha ha ha ha as I hear you all falling off your chairs. At times I think I am insane for entering this race because I am going to die out there and never see my children again at other times I know I can do it well. The latter though has to start with some serious lifestyle changes and its all action as from now.

The 8th of the 8th of the 8th........