I love Tuesdays!
One of the great benefits of working from home on a Tuesday is that I have time for a lunchtime parkrun freedom run.
It may not be the nicest weather today in Coventry. It's overcast and damp with every chance that it is going to rain later, but I just can't wait to get out in War Memorial park for a nice gentle freedom parkrun.
I think that is probably the key, with "gentle" being the all important word. Since my breakthrough moment last Tuesday, where I realised that I really wasn't up for hard training sessions at the moment, I am starting to look forward to my runs again.
Today I am just going to head off for my parkrun freedom run, with no intentions other than running it at whatever pace feels comfortable. And if, after one parkrun freedom run, I feel that I want to carry on, then I may just do a second one.
So rain or shine (looks unlikely glancing out of the window) I will be heading up to War Memorial park for a lunchtime parkrun freedom run and I hope to enjoy it.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
parkrun Training log: 13th November 2012
Today's training session in brief....
On the plus side:
- parkrun freedom runs: Intended: 2 Achieved: 2 Result: SUCCESS
- Interval training:
- 1km Intervals (at 3:30 each): Intended: 4 Achieved: Only 1! Result: FAILURE
- 500m Intervals (at 1:45 each): Intended: 4 Achieved: Only 2 Result: FAILURE
On the plus side:
- I did manage my 196th and 197th freedom parkruns.
- I ran for over an hour in total.
- I ran 7.8 miles in total.
- I got out in the fresh air in the park.
Friday, 9 November 2012
Cross-country or not?
It must be roughly 23 years since I last did a cross-country race. I represented my school in the district cross-country championship and did pretty well to be honest. But I can't think of a single occasion in those last 23 years, where I thought "I really must get back into cross-country running!". Not once!
So why on earth am I considering it now?
Well I joined a running club (Sphinx AC) this year and running clubs do cross-country, or so I'm told. The first race of the year is this Saturday (10th November) and it just sounds like great fun.
Back in my school days I was one of the better cross-country runners in my year group. But being a footballer at heart, I only did the cross-country because I was told I had to. No cross-country, no football I was repeatedly told. I was always trying to get out of the training and the races, but never managed it.
Jump forward to now and I am actually looking forward to it. I can't wait to see what it's like. I'm looking forward to being part of a team again. It's been about 5 years since my competitive football days came to an end and I suppose that was my last team sport event. I really like the idea of all the club runners trying our best to beat runners from other clubs and all of our efforts counting towards the same result. Should be a great team bonding event.
Apparently it's going to get a bit muddy and messy. No great surprise there. Not quite what I'm used to. I suppose I'll just have to get over the fact that the brand spanking new pair of Saucony Grid Cohesion Trail shoes that have been sitting in their box under my bed for the last 2 months are not going to brand spanking new come Saturday afternoon.
The only other real question is whether I can risk doing parkrun in the morning and cross-country in the afternoon. At training on Thursday evening, the club coach for the men's team suggested that doing both would be a bad idea. I can't help but agree, but now that I am closing in on my 100 club top, I don't want to miss any at all.
Anyway, looking forward to it, so bring it on and lets see just how cross-country now compares to my school days. Somehow I think it's going to be a lot more fun!
So why on earth am I considering it now?
Well I joined a running club (Sphinx AC) this year and running clubs do cross-country, or so I'm told. The first race of the year is this Saturday (10th November) and it just sounds like great fun.
Back in my school days I was one of the better cross-country runners in my year group. But being a footballer at heart, I only did the cross-country because I was told I had to. No cross-country, no football I was repeatedly told. I was always trying to get out of the training and the races, but never managed it.
Jump forward to now and I am actually looking forward to it. I can't wait to see what it's like. I'm looking forward to being part of a team again. It's been about 5 years since my competitive football days came to an end and I suppose that was my last team sport event. I really like the idea of all the club runners trying our best to beat runners from other clubs and all of our efforts counting towards the same result. Should be a great team bonding event.
Apparently it's going to get a bit muddy and messy. No great surprise there. Not quite what I'm used to. I suppose I'll just have to get over the fact that the brand spanking new pair of Saucony Grid Cohesion Trail shoes that have been sitting in their box under my bed for the last 2 months are not going to brand spanking new come Saturday afternoon.
The only other real question is whether I can risk doing parkrun in the morning and cross-country in the afternoon. At training on Thursday evening, the club coach for the men's team suggested that doing both would be a bad idea. I can't help but agree, but now that I am closing in on my 100 club top, I don't want to miss any at all.
Anyway, looking forward to it, so bring it on and lets see just how cross-country now compares to my school days. Somehow I think it's going to be a lot more fun!
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Freedom parkrun in the rain
Off for my freedom parkrun......Well it wasn't supposed to rain!
A least I didn't think it was. But right on cue, just as I had squeezed myself into the various obligatory lycra running garments (not easy when you ae as inflexible as me!) required to stop my muscles from pulling themselves to pieces in the cold, it started raining.
"I am a fair weather runner and I am NOT going!" - that was the first strop my inner child pulled (nothing dodgy - it was just my brain was being particularly rebelious at the time).
But then I told myself (quite sternly) "Yes you are. Now get out there and run man!". So run I did.
I headed out into the cold and the rain, dressed all in black (I've not yet managed to bring myself to buy Hi-Viz - I know I should), looking like the milk tray man (see below).
Ok, so I admit it, a slightly shorter, balder, less well shaven version of the milk tray man. Yes, the only thing I had in common was the all black kit. Let's move on.
How shall I run it today? I had no plan. I always have a plan when I go running. But today I did not.
I ended up doing a fairly brisk (but slightly comfortable) 19:56 on the Coventry parkrun course. My 195th freedom parkrun, if you are not bored of my stats yet. Not a bad start! Some fool (it was me) then decided I should do some hills. Granted its not a big hill, as sprinting up it only takes 30 seconds. But after 7 reps I had had enough. Truth be told I had had enough after 3 reps, but I somehow pushed myself on to 7 in the end.
So considering I am still (mentally at least) a fair weather runner, I didn't do too bad considering the conditions.
A least I didn't think it was. But right on cue, just as I had squeezed myself into the various obligatory lycra running garments (not easy when you ae as inflexible as me!) required to stop my muscles from pulling themselves to pieces in the cold, it started raining.
"I am a fair weather runner and I am NOT going!" - that was the first strop my inner child pulled (nothing dodgy - it was just my brain was being particularly rebelious at the time).
But then I told myself (quite sternly) "Yes you are. Now get out there and run man!". So run I did.
I headed out into the cold and the rain, dressed all in black (I've not yet managed to bring myself to buy Hi-Viz - I know I should), looking like the milk tray man (see below).
Ok, so I admit it, a slightly shorter, balder, less well shaven version of the milk tray man. Yes, the only thing I had in common was the all black kit. Let's move on.
How shall I run it today? I had no plan. I always have a plan when I go running. But today I did not.
I ended up doing a fairly brisk (but slightly comfortable) 19:56 on the Coventry parkrun course. My 195th freedom parkrun, if you are not bored of my stats yet. Not a bad start! Some fool (it was me) then decided I should do some hills. Granted its not a big hill, as sprinting up it only takes 30 seconds. But after 7 reps I had had enough. Truth be told I had had enough after 3 reps, but I somehow pushed myself on to 7 in the end.
So considering I am still (mentally at least) a fair weather runner, I didn't do too bad considering the conditions.
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