Mud, Sweat and Cheers

Hi all,
I am writing this blog from the comfort of my sofa after a challenging 5k event earlier this evening. Jack is playing FIFA on his PS3, Russ has gone to bed and I have just had 2 slices of Hawaiian pizza and some chocolate twisted doughballs as a treat. Harvey is in his bed and all is well.
This week has seen my walking training increase slightly. Last Sunday saw me do 6.27 miles, 3.0 miles were completed on Monday and 5 miles on Wednesday. This evening (Saturday) saw me do a 3.18 miles in an organised event and tomorrow I have a 7 mile walk to do.
 I'm really enjoying this challenge and the bonus of weight loss is an unexpected plus. I have never been a lightweight...I like my food too much and I'm a bit lazy...so I was delighted to find that I have lost half a stone over the last month or so without even trying. I was very surprised when I stepped onto the scales, held my breath and squinted down to read the measurement. I had to check and weighed myself twice more and the reading was the same so I had to accept it. Happy days!
Now to this evening's event which was a 5k/10k glow in the dark event which was held at the National Trust site at Polesden Lacey in Bookham. Jack was running the 10k and I was walking the 5k. I had already been out and purchased headlamps for us both which we had been told that we had to wear for the event.
I had been struggling with a migraine all day and I was worried about how I was going to compete at all. Jack came home from work, we both got changed, I took yet more painkillers and off we went.
We got to Polesden Lacey with time to spare. We registered and were given our race chips which we had to wear on our fingers. The weather was unpleasant. It was extremely wind and felt very cold but it was dry.
At 7.30pm we were under starters orders and away. Immediately it became clear that the conditions were treacherous in places. Most of the route was countryside and it was incredibly slippery and muddy underfoot throughout the whole course. Running with headlamps on our head was not something we were used to and it felt strange to be running in pitch black with just the light from your head to guide you.
The course was not only muddy and slippery but it was also hilly which we hadn't expected. It reminded me of the Devil Run but at least I did that in daylight. I found running in such conditions this evening very, very hard and at times it felt dangerous. Several competitors that I saw had lost their footing and had fallen over. I managed to stay upright, more by luck than judgement, and finally finished my 5k in 52 minutes which I was really happy with bearing in mind the conditions.
Jack found the 10k run the hardest one he has done to date. He agreed with me that trying to run in those conditions was really difficult and that the hills were shockers! His words to describe it after the event were 'exhausting', 'challenging' and  'draining'. I'll leave out the expletives!

We both finished, we both got medals!

                                                         My medal

                                                        Me and my boy

                                                      Race chip


We were very happy to get to the end of the race and were delighted to get our medals and get in the car and drive home to be honest.
So, that was the last of our planned events that we have used as part of our training for the main event in March...only a matter of  5 weeks away. It has been really good to try all these events and it's been good doing them with Jack. Memories and all that!
I hope to wake up headache-free in the morning and set about my 7 mile walk with enthusiasm. I'm off for a cuppa now and then off to bed.

Don't forget:    https://www.justgiving.com/teams/runjojo


A xx

Breaking the 10k barrier….

I've been a bit quiet recently…. lots on over Christmas and New Year and many of you who are on my Facebook will know, far too much time in the Onslow Arms. But everyone needs some respite.

Nick would have been 42 today, so I thought it would be a good birthday present to break the 10k barrier and kick start the final prep. 6k has been my wall for quite a while now and as it's only 5 weeks to go until needing to do 21k in one stint it's time to ramp things up a bit.

Hazards are many - rather deep puddles, mud and leaves, dog poo and this morning a selection of rodent entrails…. the delights of the Surrey pavements. It's too wet to run along the towpath, much of which is a foot under water at least for most of the time.

Today saw the second outing of the dayglo yellow running top, this time accompanied by the bright pink fleece ski snood, worn as a turban - I like to be vibrant. Gloves are now a must too.

10.3k was achieved - not a particularly impressive time but steady and consistent, and to be improved upon. the run, power walk, run strategy seems to be working well. Perhaps on Saturday I might try running to the Onslow….. with the return leg fuelled by Malbec?

Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far, and for those who haven't, this is all for a great cause - in memory of my boys with all money going to the White Lodge Centre in Chertsey.

Cx

The Way We Were

Hello folks,

I've just come in from a 5 mile walk which was fantastic. Yes, of course, it rained but it really was good. I enjoyed it immensely. I had decided to do a local walk and stick to footpaths and roadways. I have also decided not to take Harvey with me on the longer training walks because he does tend to stop and sniff every other blade of grass and I have a time schedule to meet. I do take him when I do my 3 mile walk when I can let him off the lead but that's it.
Those of you who have known me for many years will know that I still live in the same area that I was born and grew up in. Onslow Village was my childhood playground and so, today, I thought I would do my 5 mile walk around the village and walk past some of my old haunts and see if much has changed.
A mile into my walk, with my headphones blasting out Breathe by  Prodigy, I had already walked past my Uncle Phil and Aunty Ivy's old houses in Elmbank Avenue and The Chase. Memories of childhood Christmas visits came flooding back very clearly and one particular episode in their back garden when we had a bonfire and I fell forward and put my hand into hot ashes! Then on down past The Astolat, the local pub and scene of quiz victories, darts matches and a place that appeared in a wonderful dream that I had about my Dad and his brothers after he had died. Across the road and back up to Stag Hill where Mum and Les lived for many years and again loads of happy memories of parties, music, food, laughter and fun. Dot, Les' mum, also lived in Stag Hill and I have very fond memories of her. Then I walked into Onslow Village and past Queen Eleanors, my primary school, along Orchard Road and Bannisters Road, my old paper round route, and then into Curling Vale and Thorn Bank where The Ashtons lived and where we spent summers in their paddling pool and bonfire nights in their garden. Curling Vale was also home to the Arlott family, the Wright family and the Challen family. Jan Challen went on to become my Dad's wife!
Then I walked into Vicarage Gate and along to All Saints church where we used to attend Brownie and Guide church parades and where my brother was in the choir.
The church was actually at the top of our garden in the house that we lived in in Hedgeway and that's where I found myself next. Hedgeway....the road that I was brought up in, the home of my childhood. The houses all look the same. I remembered who lived where as I walked down the road. The Porters, the Sanders, the Makepeaces, the Browns, the Chapmans and the Brockmans to name a few. So many memories in one little road.
On my walk I saw my sister who was sitting in her car between calls so I had a quick chat with her and organised to meet up with her this weekend. We are going to see Anton du Beck at GLive for her birthday which should be fun.
By this time the rain was falling quite heavily. I wasn't wearing a coat but it didn't bother me and I wasn't cold.
The last part of my walk took me around Raymond Crescent and past house number 109 where my best friend used to live. From there it was a short 5 minute walk back home. 5 miles done in 1 hour 19 minutes. I was happy with the time and really happy with my walk down memory lane. I think it's good for the soul now and again to revisit the past. Not all memories will be good but the good definitely outweighed the bad for me today.
I know that this is a very self indulgent post and probably of little interest to anyone who wants to read about my training but there you go. I enjoyed my session today and I wanted you all to know!
Last Sunday I walked 5.5 miles, Monday saw me walk 3 miles in the rain and that was uncomfortable to say the least.I really ached for a couple of days after that and I think it was because I was walking hunched up and bent forward as it was so windy and slippery underfoot. Today was another 5 miler and I tried to concentrate on my posture throughout the walk. I'm hopeful that I won't be achey tomorrow.
I have had an email today about the Glow in the Dark event that Jack and I are taking part in next Saturday. We have to wear head torches, it's compulsory apparently, so we will need to  get a couple of those in the next few days. I thought we would be able to  run with torches and that would suffice but apparently not. It will be another new experience which is great.

                                                           

Today's route and info

I hope you all have a good week. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I won't apologise for the personal aspect of this entry, I only hope it has not been too boring for you.

A x

https://www.justgiving.com/teams/runjojo

Happy New Year and all that jazz!

Hi everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope you all saw the new year in in the way that you wanted to and with the people you wanted to be with. I saw it in with my hubby at our beach hut. I know its not everyone's cup of tea but I loved it. We took a bottle of prosecco, a hot water bottle and a duvet and we were fine. It was a bit windy/rainy but nothing that put us off. At midnight we stepped outside the hut and watched the fireworks that were going off in Portsmouth and along the south coast and across on the Isle of Wight. Previous new years eves have seen us either watching TV (Jools Holland's Hootenanay) or going to bed early and we were determined that we weren't going to do that again. As it happened, we got back about 1.20 am and Jules was still on so we saw the end of it and went to bed.

January 1st brought the usual thoughts of resolutions, diets and healthy living changes. I haven't made any resolutions this year. I usually break them by the end of the month anyway to be honest so it's a waste of time. I just aim to enjoy my life and live it to the full while I can.

The Silverstone Half Marathon is now less than 8 weeks away and I am now back in the zone. I have a training schedule printed out and in prime position on my fridge. I am cranking up my walking and making plans to swim again. I'm happy to try anything that isn't too harsh on my joints. I am still investigating Nordic walking which sounds like excellent exercise for someone with my issues. Alas, yoga has taken a back seat again. I intended to go on Tuesday morning but didn't make it. Hey ho! Life is for living and we can't do everything.

The hideous weather has made the usual dog walking more of a challenge. Most of the places that we walk are either completely flooded and out of bounds or knee deep in mud. I'm quite happy to walk in the mud but I'm worried that I'm going to slip and hurt myself so i take it carefully and try to go around the mud and not through it. Harvey, on the other hand, is happy to plough through it with no problem...he just needs hosing down when we get home!

Charlotte has returned to training with a vengeance and has kitted herself out with a dayglo hi-vis running jacket. Jack and I have signed up to to a night run/walk at the end of the month at Polesden Lacey. He is doing the 10k run and I'm doing the 5k walk. We have to compete with torches, headlamps, etc. It should be fun and we're both looking forward to it. Jack is also abstaining from alcohol for January and he's doing well so far.

                                                             Training plan

So, that's it for now. Hopefully there will be more to report as our training increases and we have more tales to tell. The next 8 weeks are going to be a challenge and we are ready to take it on!

Oh, and by the way, Charlotte and I have individual justgiving pages that are linked to the team page. All of the money we raise on our pages will go to the team page. Click on the link:

https://www.justgiving.com/teams/runjojo


A x