Rantings of an emotionally drained amateur runner...

Today again was a tough day, I'm starting to see a pattern here. 


Finished work and straight to the gym, in honesty I really wasn't feeling up to it but needs must. After the day I had had a work, and work getting increasingly on my last nerve I wasn't in the best frame of mind. So I headed to the gym and did my usual stretches and hit the treadmill for my 5k run in my grumpus mood and low and behold I found it a massive struggle. I think I'm starting to set unrealistic goals for my running progress in my head as I really hoped that by now I would be loving it and not feeling so tired/dizzy/breathless by the 3.5k point, heck I think I even hoped I'd feel good at the end of the 5k but not such luck. I'm finding it just as tough as when I started.


I made the decision last night I was going to pop back to my parents' house and I'm glad I did, coming home to my Mom and Dad is sometimes just what I need, cried it all out whilst they said supportive parent things like 'you're doing very well' 'I wish I could run like you' etc etc whilst listening to me moan about work/running/money/the vat increase/dinner - I think I just started getting petty. I was feeling really rubbish about my progress and v. worried I won't be able to do the half in March, then I called Alex and he reminded me I've been back at running for only 6 days... 6 days... it's so true. I really need to remind myself that progress isn't easy, if it was then it would be progression. Duh.


I'm getting fed up with running at the gym, for one there are too many people I know that go to my gym and I really don't see it as a place to socialise, two I find running on a treadmill ridiculously boring and three running next to people on the treadmill who put their incline to highest then hold on to the bars as they walk drive me mad. So I'm really looking forward to the weekend cause it means me and Alex can run together outside again, I think I'm embracing the cold it's so much better than feeling hot and sweaty.


Lessons learnt today: My mood seriously effects my running ability. My parents are the most supportive people in the entire world and I take them for granted all too easily. I need to be realistic when it comes to running progression. I really need a good nights sleep.


So amongst all the negativity tomorrows a new day and heres hoping for a better run! Sending good vibes to all Janathoners!! Day 7 here were come.

Running again...

Finished work at 4.30 again and got my microsim to make my iPhone work again (yay!) and off for a shift 5k at the gym.. Swift?!!

I managed it in 46mins today with only a .5k walk- v proud but my body hates me. It hates me so much that for the first time in a while I even braved the lift up to the flat which I have avoided since Alex made me watch "devil" m
Nighshamamalamalala which ok isn't the scariest film but I think I've painted a prett clear image of how much of a pussy I am!! So you can imagine my body was complaining a fair bit to risk a lift journey!!

I'm now currently at villa game, I prepared for the cold with 4 layers and two pairs of gloves - I am toasty, let's hope second half is better than the first or it'll be a long grumpy ride home with two boys!!

Day 5 done and happy birthday to an old dear friend!

Just to make the most of this I am blogging on my iPhone - such luxury!!

Loooonng day

Back to work properly today, eurgh, that's all I can say. Had to run chores after work, pick up my new iPhone (yay!) and fix car - I now have working screenwash again after 4 weeks of dirty screen, then straight to gym.


I actually managed to run again today, 5k. YES! So proud of myself, I did a 2.5k at quite a fast pace for me then .5k at a fast walk when my ankle started twingeing then finished the 2k at an even faster pace. I'm starting to think that the issue with my ankle comes from being too reliant on treadmill running, my ankle isn't used to it, so that may be something I have to work on. Still, so proud of myself for just getting through the run with a dodgy ankle.


Ridiculously long day though, started work at 8.30am and finished at 4.30, after all my chores, the gym and then a trip to Sainsburys and Tesco (Sainsburys had nothing... come on people get it together!) I've finally gotten home at 7.45 to clean the kitchen whilst Alex cooks me dinner... Needless to say, I long for bedtime, only to do it all again tomorrow minus the chores and shopping PLUS my first ever premiership (?) football match -Villa, hope I enjoy it.

Oh and..

Anyone else having trouble logging exercise on freerunning? My page just doesn't ever load, am I being thick? I've signed up to dailymile.com to keep track but freerunningonline is driving me mad.

And on the third day she didn't run :(

With my ankle not feeling great we decided to give it a slight rest and walk the route this evening but we cut it short and only did 3.8k in about an hour. I think this too may have been a bad idea as my left leg is trying to compensate and not put my entire weight on the right side as now I have pain in my left shin. Left shin, right ankle down... third day.. not good! However, as my ever encouraging boyfriend pointed out I probably should have worn more appropriate footwear for the walk, so I'm hoping the shin pain could be down to this!


Hoping tomorrow is more successful on the run front though it maybe a gym/treadmill jobby as we're both back to work now and I think Alex wants to have some proper training sometime this century and with me as his exercise partner it's not looking too hopeful.. positively speaking though I am beginning to see that this could have been a big ask of my body and I may have been putting quite a bit of pressure on myself. I'm never going to learn to love running if I keep putting such high expectations on myself. A mantra I need to keep telling myself, without it turning into an excuse not to push myself though!!


Another day of shopping today, more successful than previous trips resulting in new professional running gear, if thats not a reason to get out and running again I don't know what is! Hopefully these minor aches and pains are just par of the course and nothing too serious, probably just the initial shock to the system after not running for a while - fingers crossed.


Thanks to all for the continued support :) - I am now going to start commenting on fellow janathoners blogs - and for the audiofuel explanations, definitely something to look into!

It gets harder before it gets easier?

Just done another 5k, not very happy about how it went to be honest. As mentioned yesterday there was a disconcerting feeling in my right ankle, today it wasn't good at all. Alex as ever is the most supportive running partner :) but I know I'm ruining his training. Nonetheless I am vehement in seeing this out to the bitter end, even if it means crawling by the end of January :) and the entire 13.1 miles of the Bath Half.


Having a quick look on other janathoners blogs has actually made me feel a little better, as have the comments that have been left (thanks!!!), when I read some of the blogs prior to 1/1/11 I was feeling quite coy about the run, everyone seemed so pro with no problems dragging themselves out of bed to run a swift 1500000 miles but now its started and I've read others' progress its nice to kinda see everyone not finding it as easy as I thought they would! I am intrigued by others' use of audiofuel - sponsers of the Janathon - but I'm confused as to how it works/what it does. I am looking for more running motivation and it seems to be getting great reviews so it maybe worth me looking into it abit more, if not for running use but to at least find out about the Janathon sponsers!


However, the 2nd Jan doesn't live up to yesterdays escapades as I lost my iPhone :( good thing I took the insurance (let that be a lesson to you kids!!) on the plus side Alex got us tv - it's not been working for about a month now - what a guy!!  

Let's Run This Run!

MERRY NEW YEAR!!

First 5k done. Not gonna lie it wasn't the easiest but (and I guess this is why the Janathon is known as the festival of activity & excuses...) having not run a "proper" outdoor run since the end of November and having only started this whole running thing 8 weeks previous I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into. 

I actually feel ok, but almost as soon as I started running the left side of my right ankle started pulling, I persevered but it's disconcerting to say the least. I'm determined to continue and get to that point when I love the feeling of running.

On the upside, I didn't have a bitchfit and I didn't complain that I'm rubbish at the end... WIN! 

First one down though, it can only get better :) 

Oh, and on a slight tangent saw Christopher Biggins.. 2011 is already turning out to be awesome :)