Which Head Am I Wearing This Week?

No running stats for me this week as I've got nothing to report!

My Frustrated Head is sitting on my shoulders right now, carrying my getting Smarter Brain!   At least I suspect it's getting smarter because said Smarter Brain has decided that next time I'm running and I feel a pain that doesn't go away after a half mile or so it will send the STOP signal to my feet - and the RING HOME FOR A LIFT signal to my fingers and all might be better than it is right now!

So, as I've mentioned - this week I've dusted down my Frustrated Head. I've also dusted down my Anxious Head - and I'm wearing both of these - mostly at alternate times but now and again they both appear on my shoulders at the same time  - which must look rather odd!!

My Frustrated Head is one that I don't wear too often as I'm usually on a fairly even keel and nothing much really phases me in my day to day life.  I tend to take things in my stride - only now and again getting frustrated. This week I'm feeling utterly frustrated at the apparent lack of healing that's going on with my foot.  Even walking my dogs in the morning is a struggle, although I'm finding that it feels ok during the day when I'm working even though I'm on my feet all the time. This is probably because I'm trying to walk faster when I'm out with my dogs. Pottering about doing housework for people is a nice slow moving job - no strain there!

As for my Anxious Head - well this one usually (but not exclusively) comes out of the cupboard when things are going on in my life that I feel I have no control over or things that involve authority! Anxious Head carries Stressed Brain in it! This week my Anxious Head is out for an airing because I'm probably consuming more calories than is good for me - not only that but I'm craving chocolate and sweet stuff!  Anxious Head keeps whispering about putting on weight - something that I don't really need to worry too much about when I'm running.  So I'm feeling very anxious about when I'll be running again!

As I've stated numerous times before. I run so I can eat cake, drink beer and not get fat! 

I'm not keen on this non-running state that I'm in at the moment!  Not keen at all!   Stressed Brain has decided to send signals to my back/shoulder - this always happens when Stressed Brain is in control!  So not only do I have a foot that's playing up, I'm now suffering pain in my left shoulder. I think I might have to bite the bullet and pay another £32 to go and get Nichole at the Newland Chiropractic Clinic to torture me again this week to see if she can put things right!   I think running takes away a great deal of my stress as I've not been troubled with my back/shoulder for months.   What an utterly crap state of affairs!

So, currently I have BOTH HEADS out - but I'm mainly wearing the Frustrated one!




My friend Adrian, who isn't allowed to run because of injury at the moment  has my full and complete sympathy!

Hopefully I'll be able to start 13:1 Week  6 soon!

Thank you dear reader for taking the time to view my moaning groaning blog this week.  Fingers crossed for a more upbeat report next week!

The Morning After The Day Before

 Sunday 10th July 2011



He-Who-Must-Be-Ignored was smirking at me yesterday afternoon because I was reporting that my legs felt fine after my efforts doing the Race For Life.

"Hahaha - just wait until morning - I bet you wont be saying that then" he chuckled  

Well, I'm pleased to report that my legs feel just fine today!  I do feel a little bit dehydrated - but that's down the the take away pizza we had for dinner!  Can't blame that on the race. 

He-Who-Must-Be-Ignored seemed a bit disappointed that I have no aches and pains and asked - how come I always ache after I've worked out?  Well, that's because you go for it hell for leather my dear and I follow a strict program so I don't over-do it!  I thought..... (smug look)       

I said nothing - just smiled :)

Directly after the race He-Who-Must-Be-Ignored took us to Daisy Made (a local ice cream parlour) for a huge dollop of real dairy ice cream in a chocolate cone.  Just to get our sugar levels up, you understand.   I felt very proud to walk in there with my race day outfit on and my race number showing.  As we were telling  the girls behind the counter what we'd been up to an old face from the past came wandering round the corner - our old friend Dave "Arnie" Walster who we've not seen for several years.  He didn't actually bat an  eye lid at the outfit (shows you how strange he thinks I normally am?!)    As we were leaving he did ask what all the names on my ribbons were all about so I took a strand and told him exactly who the names on that strand were - Bessie Gunner, my sister in laws mum who fell to cancer, Wendy, her sister, a survivor, Teresa, my friends daughter, currently fighting breast cancer, Gordon, an elderly gentleman I work for -  a survivor of testicular, bowel and prostate cancer, Joyce Chetwyn, my nana who fell to cancer in 1977.  At this point he reached into his wallet and produced a tenner.  I'm amazed at how generous people can be - even when you're NOT asking them to dig into their pockets for a donation!

Not long after we left Daisy Made my mum and dad phoned to congratulate me which I thought was so sweet - bless their hearts.  As they live so far away I didn't really expect them to remember that I was doing this race, never mind remember the day correctly! Dad rarely comes on the phone - he usually leaves all the chatting to mum (I think that's fairly typical of dads, isn't it?!) but he swiped the phone off my mum and we had a little chat.  He pledged a tenner to my fund raising and good as his word when my sister popped round to visit them later in the day they went online and my dad donated a tenner - Ted Lee - thank  you so much for your donation.  Having your support means so much to me!

So that's it.

My first Race For Life is done and dusted and is now fading into memory, becoming part of my history, part of what makes me who I am. 

I feel great today. My medal will take pride of place on my running board where I put items of interest to keep me occupied while I'm on my treadmill.

Next stop, I have to do Week 6 of the Bridge 2:10k -
5 minute warm up walk
60 minute jog
5 minute cool down walk
Then a graduation run where I just keep on going until I reach the 10k mark.
No time to sit on my laurels after that Janet and I are going to launch ourselves into 13.1 training.  (Half marathon)  To be honest, I don't think I've got a hope in hell of finishing a 10k run outdoors, never mind a half marathon but this is all about keeping me fit, keeping me healthy and having some fun. If I never progress beyond running 5k outdoors and have to do 10k and 13.1 on my treadmill then so be it.

Thanks for reading.


You'll find my full Race For Life Race Day Report in my menu of "Netty's Other Pages" on the right hand side of my blog. I've popped it there so that it doesn't get swallowed up by future posts and archived along with the rest. I felt it was such an achievement I wanted it to be where I could lay my hands on it easily! 

If you'd like to leave a comment about my Race For Life report please feel free to do so here as the other page doesn't support leaving  comments.   :)

Bridge 2:10k - Week 2

Somehow I always manage to get myself stressed about day one of any of my workouts!  I started to do that after I got out of my comfort zone on C25K and I'm doing it now on B2:10k!   Sometimes I infuriate myself with it!   Last week on day one I was stressing because my ipod wouldn't pick up the running podcast from my laptop - so I was having to time my intervals on my phone - no big deal, I know, but the playlist sounded good and I just thought it'd be easier if it was all on my ipod and all I had to do was follow instructions!

My Race For Life Back-Card!

 Week 2 Day 1 dawns and I do my usual dog walk before jumping on the treadmill - stressed as usual! This time I know the running podcast is on my  ipod however, I'm a bit pushed for time (Monday is my day to start work early) but I know that I really do need to make a start on week 2 - and I'm also thinking that the jump from 10 minutes of jogging which I did last week to 15 minutes of jogging this week is quite large. Now, that's a silly thing to worry about because I graduated C25K - so I know I can run! Even before I've hit the start button I'm thinking of reasons why I might fail!   My friend Janet said that psychologically she felt better about there being just 3 reps of 15 minutes (last weeks running involved 4 reps of 10 minutes)  I have to say that I wasn't convinced!
Podcast started, 5 minute warm up walk was done and then - Boy oh boy what a HUGE disappointment that long awaited for podcast was!   Now, don't get me wrong - the music was good - and somebody has taken the time and trouble to put it together and make it available for us to download - but it was NOT music to run to - the beat just wasn't heavy enough nor at the right tempo (in my humble opinion)   So, I found the run on day 1 rather monotonous to say the least!   The good news is  I got through the workout! I had a bit of a twinge going on right at the bottom of my right shin/ankle/foot but I chose to ignore that! Mind over matter and all that! I found the workout was not as bad as I'd built it up in my mind to be!
NOTE TO SELF: Delete Bridge2:10k podcast  - it's doing you no favours!

Duration	Calories	Av. ♥	Max ♥	Distance	Walk Speed	Running Speed	*
57 mins	426	137	152	4.47	3.7	5.0	*

My Ribbons of Remembrance

Week 2 Day 2 and I was feeling pretty confident.  I dumped the podcast for my own choice of music (Queen, Simply Red, Annie Lenox, Police, G4, Billy Idol, Sisqo, to name but a few) and off I went with a "done it once can do it again" attitude!   My final 15 minute rep was done at 5.1mph but the first 2 were just at 5mph.  I stuck to walking at 3.7 which is comfortable for me. The twinge in my shin didn't return today, however I did get a bit of discomfort in the left groin area and after my run I found that my left hip was feeling a bit achy. I did all my warm up stretches and had been on a good walk before hand so I should have been ok.  I think I might have to do more before my runs.  Trouble is, the intervals take 57 minutes of my day and time is precious just before I go to work - still, I'm on week 2 of 6 so this isn't forever.    I'm considering setting up a yoga workout on my wii to give me some extra stretches... I have to MAKE THE TIME to do more stretches!       Not too long ago I was glued to my xbox sat on my idle little arse playing games whenever I had chance - now all I want to do is run or walk!    Not a bad thing I suppose!  I wonder if He-Who-Must-Be-Ignored would consider allowing me to become a housewife again so I can pursue my hobbies and have all the time in the world.......



Day 2

Duration	Calories	Av. ♥	Max ♥	Distance	Walk Speed	Running Speed	*
57 mins	411	135	174*	4.5	3.7	5.0-5.1

*Max heart rate of 174 seems pretty drastic doesn't it?  Well, in my defence I would like to say that while I was jogging I was thinking about what I was going to write on my Race For Life Back-Card and when I thought about my mum (who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year) I got all choked up and upset.  I love my mum so much and the thought of her being ill scares me to death!   My heart rate dropped back to normal really quickly once I told myself to get a grip and stop being silly!   :)


Week 2 Day3: I had a really bad night sleep last night last night - concern about my dads health (he was taken to hospital last night - released later but it still caused me to worry) followed by restless dogs who wanted me to get up at stupid o'clock - these events conspired to make me feel very tired and grumpy when I got out of bed!   My usual 3 to 4 mile dog walked turned into a strut of 1.4 miles (I was very annoyed with my dogs and didn't feel charitable enough to take them for a long walk!)   I have to say I now feel like a bad mummy - it's not their fault but it's just not what I needed!     

Looking on the bright side -  My B2:10k workout went very well today.  When my timer went off to indicate the end of my first 15 minute jog I really couldn't believe it and had to check my watch and still didn't believe it!   The middle 15 minute jog I did at a slightly faster pace and felt pretty good through that too but during my final 15 minutes I was feeling some discomfort in my left hip area again - but I ignored that - I can't afford to let a bit of discomfort stop me from getting on with this.  I am considering visiting my chiropractor, Nichole, though - maybe the week before Race For Life just to make sure I'm in good condition.

I was really looking forward to doing an outside run again tomorrow morning but I've decided that I'll probably make tomorrow a rest day and will try to push on with week 3 on Sunday - I'm really looking forward to week 3!

Watch this space!!

Duration	Calories	Av. ♥	Max ♥	Distance	Walk Speed	Running Speed	*
57.00	447	140	156	4.63	3.7	5.0-5.3mph	*

Full stats for all my weeks can be found by clicking the link on the right - Bridge to 10k Weekly Torture Stats.

THANKS FOR DROPPING BY - please feel free to leave a comment to let me know you've been. Have a fantastic day