TRAINING UPDATE: Week 10 of half marathon training

I can't believe I am in the last days of my training. Wokingham is now only two weeks away and I have been in the final stages of race prep before I begin to wind down and taper. 

Week nine was an interesting one. I had ended week eight with a 10 mile training run. I luckily had my best friend join me and we tend to chat ALOT when we run together so the mile pace for this was a very casual 8.50. The following day, I didn't ache exactly but I did decide to give my body a rest from cardio and instead I did a small weights workout. I am now successfully using my 5KGs at least once a week which is huge progress given that I was struggling to lift them only weeks ago. 

(10 miles with my bestie!)

By Tuesday, I was starting to feel the familiar feeling of training fatigue. I always get this towards the end and I was also experiencing a very busy period in my job which doesn't help. Cycling home that evening, I couldn't be arsed to go out for my paced run and when I got in, I decided to skip it. However, as I started to get changed out of my cycling kit, guilt flooded over me and I fought the urge to slob on the sofa and told myself to get into my running kit and get out the front door. 

It was hard but I eventually was outside, Garmin set and starting off on a four mile paced run (it was meant to be five but sod it!). Despite feeling absolutely shattered, I decided to take a different route to  my normal one to change things up. This one turned out to be bloody hilly! My god it was so hard. Up and down, up and down. It was endless! Time managed to pass quickly though and I was super chuffed to see that I had finished with an average mile pace of 7.38 (faster than it should be!). I was ecstatic and so glad I had plucked up the courage to head out. 

Come the next day and elation had quickly turned to pain. I woke up with the most painful shins. Even to lightly touch them made me wince - it was horrid. Every step I took was agony and I found more comfort on my bike than actually putting my feet on the ground! By Thursday, it was even worse (it always is the second day isn't it?). I was worried I had come down with the dreaded shin splints but after much research, I think I had a bad case of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Still though, it was awful and I decided to skip training for three whole days. 

By Sunday, I was down to run 13 miles. Ugh the dreaded long run of my training plan. Luckily, my shins were feeling OK by this point but the weather outside was greatly putting me off. It was chucking it down with rain and I could see trees bending over backwards from the strong winds. Seeing my husband snuggled down in the duvet, I begrudgingly got out of bed and changed into my kit. I opted to wear my new Mizuno Breathe Thermo Wind Running Top (shop here). I got this for Christmas from the hubby and it is a beautiful piece of kit. It works to keep you dry and warm during the winter months as the yarns captures escaping heat. I was a little hesitant of its thickness and that I would overheat but it turned out to be an absolute lifesaver! The rain was awful and it kept me dry up until 7-8 miles before I started to feel slight dampness on my skin. I think that is good going though!

(wearing Mizuno Breathe Thermo Wind Running Top)

Going back to the actual run, I found myself going at quite a good pace. I was ranging between 8.10 - 8.40 mile pace and it felt comfortable and controlled. I ran all over North London and then ventured down to Angel and St Pauls, followed by running up the Southbank and over to Buckingham Palace. Doing 13 miles on my own was a bit lonely but I kept myself busy taking in some of London's wonderful sights. 

(Sunday morning practise for the Queen's guards)

By the final mile, I dug deep to try and do it at target half marathon pace (which I did) and found I finished the whole run in just over 1.48! To say I was chuffed is an understatement. I was surprised at this time as I did try to go at a pace that was casual and not overly strenuous. I'm pleased that this turned out to be faster than I expected. 

Coming into week 10, I didn't feel too tired from my long run. Again, I made Monday a weights day and headed out for a paced run on Tuesday. This did come out a lot slower than all my previous ones (and I mean ALOT - my average mile pace was 8.58) but I do think my legs were a bit heavy from the 13 miles two days previous. Due to social commitments, I skipped sessions on Wednesday and Thursday but switched them to Friday and Saturday. First up was my weekly swim session (which went well) and then early Saturday morning I headed out for a speed session.

I opted to carry out the pyramid session my club had done at training on the Thursday I missed. It involved started long and slow, then getting shorter and faster and going all the way back up to the top again:

1200m (half marathon pace)

800m (10K pace)

400m (5K pace)

200m (sprint!)

400m (5K pace)

800m (10K pace)

1200m (half marathon pace)

(60 seconds rest between each set)

I love doing these as at the time they feel bloody tough but you know you are pushing your body hard. If you decide to do these sessions, make sure you follow the correct pace. Try your best to go fast on the shorter distances but remember to reserve energy for when you are back up to 1200m. That last set burns! It totals just over 5K and I was happy with my average pace and mile splits:

The next day (today) it was my weekly long run. Now I was actually supposed to be doing the Regent's Park 10K race today but I felt like I needed to get another long run in for practise. So, I headed out on this gloriously sunny day to take on 10 miles. I managed to keep similar pace to last weeks 13 miles and again felt steady and controlled. Opted to do the last two miles at target half marathon pace and ended up doing them much fast than anticipated! Wahoo! The weather was so beautiful today too so London's sights were in their true glory. 

(Left: St Pauls, Right: Buckingham Palace)

So this brings me to the end of week 10! Looking back on my whole plan, I do feel pleased with where I am. Yes, I have missed a couple of sessions and maybe tweaked a few too many paced runs but overall, it isn't too shabby. Do I think I can secure that all important sub 1.45? At this time, I honestly don't know. Whilst I feel happy I can do the distance, I am a little fearful I will run out of steam at mile 9/10 and end up wilting away in the final stage. But, this could be mind over matter and I will need to ensure on race day my head in screwed on properly and ready to take on the challenge and reach my goals. 

Lipstick Runner.

TRAINING UPDATE: Week 5 of half marathon training

The Christmas break is over and we are all back into our everyday routines. Mine hit me like a ton of bricks! After two full weeks off work, I am on struggle street this week trying to get my body back into life mode. Over the holidays though, I did have a strict workout plan in place to ensure I stay on track for my half marathon training.

It all kicked off with a parkrun on my first day of the Christmas break. The previous fortnight had been, to be quite frank, boozy and the night before this particular workout, I did opt for a few too many gins. I did feel quite rough come morning but I dragged my ass out of bed and trotted down to my local parkrun. I felt really queasy jogging there and did wonder whether I would be able to do it! Despite how I felt, it was punishment for all the endless G&Ts I had recently and whilst every step of the way hurt, I was impressed to finish in 23.41. No where near a PB but definitely faster than I expected! I also got to see my tri buddy for a catch up which was nice.

In the first week of the holidays, I was visiting my in-laws and I had three runs to squeeze in. I decided to do two before Christmas and one after. They live in the hilly countryside so these runs are tough. Everytime I run there my calves are in agony! I managed to bosh out successful paced and tempo runs pre Christmas Day but by the time it came for my weekly long run (this one in particular was seven miles), I was so full of mince pies and food, I was dreading it.

I had every right to dread it. I felt like a slug crawling through treacle on this run. Combine this with the hills and I was in agony! It felt like it went on forever and when I reached the last mile, I was so relieved for it to all be over. I managed a pace of 8.24. Not great but not too shabby either.

I feel like after this long run, everything went downhill in the second week of my break. By this point I had travelled over to my parents in Wiltshire (again countryside setting) but the weather was absolutely awful all week that I dreaded going outside.

Luckily Monday was spent doing a swim session so I was indoors in the luxury of a heated pool. My first run however was my weekly paced run. On this day, we were experiencing the gales from Storm Frank and I don't think I have ever ran in winds so strong. At one point, running up a hill, I had to stop for a moment as it took my breath away! On a positive note, I decided to run through the local park which does have some wonderful places to run...

The next day I was back out, this time doing a speed session of 8x 400ms. My legs ached from the pace run but I trooped on (again in gale force winds) and managed a pace of 6.42. This was a lot quicker than needed as 5K pace was required (which for me is 7.20s). Come the weekend though and it was a different story. As I woke up, I could hear the wind and rain whilst I was snuggled in bed. It was so bad I thought the window pane was going to smash!

Did I want to go out for a run? No fricking way! I had to do eight miles and judging by the weather conditions outside, I did not pack the right clothing for it. I knew I couldn't miss this run though - the distance sessions for me are super important. So I forced myself to get dressed and luckily my sister let me borrow a thin windproof jacket (every little helps!). Setting off, the rain was so bad I felt utterly miserable. Weaving around the country lanes, I felt so isolated and had no enthusiasm what so ever. Two miles in I had to stop to check GoogleMaps as I got a bit lost. Getting my phone out from my bumbag, it was damp from the rain. In fact, I was soaked through to my pants and I could feel the shivers coming on. By this point, I thought 'sod it!' and turned around to head home. I didn't care about the eight miles, all I cared about was getting home. I did however take a slightly different route home, extending it slightly to finish at five miles. Appalling I know but I have never felt so happy to be back home and in my dressing down.

Coming back to London, I felt mixed about my training over the holidays. I hadn't had a great success in the sessions and I know this was down to my body being out of sync and drugged on endless mince pies. However, I had stuck (almost) to my plan. That surely is better than nothing right?

I am now back in the working routine and already feel good getting back into my daily schedules. I am back on the cycling commute and already completed two training sessions. Now I just need to stay focussed and avoid any minor slip ups before the big race on the 21st Feb.

Lipstick Runner.

2016 Race Calendar

With 2015 shortly coming to an end (where has this year gone!?) and Christmas out of the way, I have been busy accessing my goals and lining up races for 2016. I must admit, I have been a rather chaotic decision maker which has caused me to self evaluate realistically what I want to do. 

My problem is that I get over excited too quickly and take action upon things I haven't really, really thought through. For example, back in April, I decided I was going to bite the bullet and do a marathon. After spending another year watching London Marathon take place, I got that urge to give the distance a go (as I do every year) and decided to enter Brighton Marathon 2016. At the time I was so excited that I was finally going to be doing a marathon. I had succumbed to taking on the challenge. Yet by June, after completing my first triathlon, my train of thought was starting to take a different direction.

I had done better than I thought in the tri and never have I enjoyed a sport so much! The thought of switching back to a sole running focussed challenge didn't seem so exciting now. Instead, I wanted to do more tri's. By this point, I also didn't like the sound of doing 20 mile training runs in the cold winter months of February. However, I hadn't yet made a decision to proceed or not. Instead, I put it down to being on a post tri high and decided to sit it out and wait for the marathon urge to return. 

It is now late December and the urge has not returned - it has barely made a slight noise. What's worse, is that I have entered two more triathlon events, plus a potential duathlon in 2016. I haven't even thought about how I am going to fit all these around a marathon but in all honestly, I'm not sure I even want the worry of trying to make it all work. Truth is - deep down I have already resided to the fact that I don't want to do a marathon next year and I have been feeling really guilty about it. Goodness knows why I feel guilt as it doesn't effect anyone but me. I guess what I am feeling is slightly ashamed at my over eagerness to enter one. A very valuable lesson has been learnt here and one that comes to all of us at several points in our lives - think before acting. 

Despite this glitch in my event calendar, I feel I have planned a relatively busy and challenging race calendar for 2016. It involves a mixture of events to give all areas of my training a good workout in the bid to help improve my running, cycling, swimming and core fitness. 

First up, are two 10Ks in January and February to whip my body back into shape post Christmas and New Year. These are also vital elements of my training for Wokingham Half Marathon in February. I am really looking forward to this as I am desperate for a PB in this distance. I also see this as good base training as I start to increase my distances in triathlon. 

Following the HM, I am planning on entering a duathlon in April and currently have my eye on Newbury Duathlon again as it's such a wonderful, intimate event (you can read my review here). This will be a great exercise to practise transitions and will also offer me a solid brick training session. Plus, the views make for a lovely bike ride. 

By May, I will be in full swing with triathlon training, yet have decided to squeeze in a Tough Mudder, which I recently posted about here. This event is to offer me a fun, team building day but also offer something different to break up my pattern of training. I think (hope) it will also really help me to 'buff up' my core strength - an area that is currently rather weak. 

Come Summer, I will be in full triathlon mode, starting the season off with the Cotswold's Women Only Triathlon in June. I have opted for the Sprint distance here and hoping to improve on my time from Blenheim in 2015. This event will also be a part of my training plan for my last and probably most important event of the year - Hever Castle Triathlon. Here I will be racing in the Olympic distance and it will be my biggest challenge to date. With the big day coming in September, I am hoping all my previous events will put me in excellent shape to complete this distance confidently.  

So in all, a busy 2016 so far! Let's just hope I get through it all injury free and with a big smile on my face :).

Lipstick Runner. 

TRAINING UPDATE: Extreme exhaustion yet running improvements!

(source: Quickmeme)

The last couple of weeks can only be described as exhausting. There has been a sudden drop in temperature, daylight hours have decreased and the sudden need for piping hot soup and Horlicks has returned.

I like to follow a pattern - its merely organisation. When it becomes challenging to follow that pattern, it does slightly irritate me. You will have seen that I love a good training plan (read here) and when it becomes hard to follow this regime, I automatically panic that I will lose everything I have trained for. I always wonder if this is a common concern for runners, or whether it's just me being paranoid..?

It has been mostly weekday training that has been hard to squeeze in. Due to a manic work schedule currently, finding the time (and energy) to squeeze in a run at the end of the day has been tough. Come 8pm, when I am ready to head out, my mind and body lacks the boost to go pound the streets. The pitch black outdoors is also incredibly uninviting. In my mind, I know as soon as I am out running, endorphins will kick in and I will find my running mojo but it is initially getting the foot out of the front door that I am finding hard to do.

So whilst weekday training has been in dribs and drabs, I have made sure I make the most of my weekends to work towards increasing my mileage and I am pleased to say that my goal to reach 13 miles by Christmas is looking very achievable.

I first started to see progress when I ran to Tower Bridge (read about this here) and reached eight miles. I found it tough but stuck to a controlled, steady pace of 8.27 per mile. I was happy with this but wanted to increase my threshold pace. So I followed this with a couple of fartlek sessions and hill runs in a bid to improve strength and speed.

Next up a couple of weeks later was The Mornington Chasers Regents Park 10K. Sticking to my plan to complete two 10Ks by the end of the year, this was the first. I decided to pick this race as it is my clubs own and it offers a slightly challenging, undulating course. I have done this race many times (my PB is 45.45) but my aim for this fixture was to get a sub 50. This event was to test exactly where my race pace was at.

Turns out, my race pace is faster than expected! Seems those speed sessions paid off. At times during the race, I did wonder if I was holding back. I am well aware of how easy it is to overdo it on a 10K. I wanted to remain strong with even splits and that is exactly what I achieved, plus a finish of 46.54! Each mile ranged between 7.22 and 7.42 which I am super pleased with as it shows I am starting to control and own my pace.

Following my 10K high, I decided to up the distance to 10 miles. For this, I ended up being back in my home town and took the opportunity to enjoy a relatively flat route for this. I opted for the towpath, which I thought would be nice and scenic with fresh country air when in fact I found it incredibly dull and continuous. I couldn't wait until I reached five miles as I knew I could turn round and come back! Despite my lack of interest on the route, I again felt good, despite having another awful week of missed training sessions. I completed the run in 1.22.16 which is only four minutes off my PB for this distance!

By seeing this progress, I have really started to enjoy running again. Post triathlon, I really struggled to get back into distance running. I missed my 5Ks and HIIT sessions but these last few weeks, I have reignited my passion for road running.

To finish off this post on an even bigger high, today I woke up and headed out on an eight mile run. I took a similar course to my Tower Bridge route but decided to head west when I reached Southbank towards Big Ben. As I hit eight miles by the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben struck 10am and I was so, SO happy to see that I had ran this distance four minutes quicker than last time and hit an average pace of 7.55.

I AM FINALLY BACK IN THE SUB 8 CLUB!

Lipstick Runner.

TRAINING UPDATE: Countryside cycling, travelator giggles and ramping up the speed

September has been a pretty active month. I've managed to squeeze a lot into the last four weeks which has been tricky to work around longer working hours and weekends away. What's been great is that I have been able to mix up my training and enjoy it with others.

At the start of the month, I headed back to my in-laws for a weekend break in the countryside. Their house is literally surrounded by fields and sheep and I was itching to get out and about on a rural run. It turned out to be a rather interesting one, where I got lost (twice) and came face to face a with a herd of cows. But I did get to enjoy gorgeous views, some hefty hills and a decent lungful of fresh air.

I had managed to reach seven miles on this run and by the following weekend, I subtly cranked the distance up to eight. I was back in London for this one and to make the run as scenic and interesting as possible, I opted to take in my favourite city sights. Starting from North London, the first few miles is a slog, running all the way down Holloway Road (not the most scenic start) and then down through Angel and Farringdon. These are really busy, smoggy areas so you do spend a lot of your time weaving in and out of people however, by mile five I had reached St Paul's Cathedral - the first hotspot on my run.

From here, I head over Millennium Bridge and onto the Southbank towards London Bridge. In the early mornings, I find running alongside the Thames so peaceful and with so much to look at, these final few miles normally fly by. When I reached Tower Bridge, I was on 7.95 miles (typical) so I had to run over the bridge. For the first time in my life though, as I reached the centre, the guards closed the gates as the bridge was being raised! This was at 7.98 miles. Still, it was nice to watch and once the suspensions were brought back down, I ran to the other end to complete the full eight miles. Overall, I managed an average pace of 8.27. Not as fast as I would have liked but I'll take it.

After this run, I realised that I had been lacking speed sessions. In fact, I hadn't really done a proper one in weeks! I decided to spend the week that followed focussing my normal training runs on speed work and fartleks. For one workout, I surreptitiously headed over to my local athletics track to carry out a session with my running club, something I have not been able to do in ages. I was really nervous as I had not run with others in quite a while. It annoyed me that I had actually reached this point of being unfamiliar and out of place. I was worried how fast I was going to be and when the coach read out the session, I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to complete it. It was as followed:

1x 1600m (threshold pace)

5x 600m (5-10K pace)

5x 200m (running hard)

I started off easy, making sure I actually did stick to threshold for the 1600m. I even found the first few 600m sets really tough and I savoured the 200m walk recoveries. However, by the 4th 600m, I had found my feet and felt strong and fast. I finished the session with an average pace of 6.32. My final 200m was also at a mile pace of 5.20 and I really couldn't be happier with that!

By the weekend, my legs were feeling pretty achey from these tailored sessions I had done but I wasn't too concerned as my training for the weekend wasn't your normal run in the park. It was an obstacle run in the park! I had entered my best friend and I into Rough Runners, a gladiator style obastacle race set on Clapham Common. You may be wondering why and I can explain...

...This race had a travelator!

We adored Gladiators growing up and I always used to love the finale course where the contestants would sprint up the travelator at the end. So when I saw this advertised, I had to enter just for this reason. It was such a laugh too. It was a mere 5K run with around 12 obstacles, including zip lines, punch bag walls, hanging beams (this hurt!) and a hilarious one called Swept Off Your Feet (inspired by Total Wipeout's, Crash Mountain).

By the time I got to the travelator, I was ready and raring to go. I opted for the fast lane (who wouldn't) but was gutted to have not made it up the first time. Its harder than it looks! Second attempt though, I sprinted as hard as I could and hopped up to the platform and finished with a little celebratory dance.

I had a bit of a messy recovery from Rough Runners as I had experienced a swollen and bruised ankle, which caused quite a lot of pain. Luckily though, I was back up and running three days later and managed to complete a strong fartlek session, which I adapted from a workout I read in Running Fitness magazine. I call it the five 5s:

5 minutes warm up jog

5 minutes @ 10K pace

5 minutes @ 5K pace

5 minutes @ 10K pace

5 minutes cool down jog

I find fartlek sessions really tough as the urge to stop for a rest is hard to resist. I especially found the 5K pace really hard and was counting down the minutes to the cool down jog. I managed to complete over 5K with an average mile pace of 7.55.

Come the final weekend of the month and I was off on my travels again, this time with my beloved bike in tow. I was heading to The Cotswolds to spend the weekend cycling with my friend from University. I was sooo excited for this as I haven't ridden my bike properly since the triathlon. It has only been used for my commute to work and I was really looking forward to going out for more than five miles.

The Cotswolds is simply stunning. We managed to complete 30 glorious miles in the sunshine, heading through little hamlets and villages and even stopping off in Stratford Upon Avon for a pit stop in a quaint pub. We managed to dodge some of the really steep inclines but we were faced with some unexpected hills along the way and it was great to be back in the saddle climbing up them! It made me realise how much I miss cycling and I will greatly miss being able to go out at weekend on my bike during marathon training. The thought of having to spend these running 20 miles still frightens me...

Anyway, that's an overview of September complete! Here's to a successful month of training. Lets hope October turns out to be the same (or better!).


Lipstick Runner.

TRAINING UPDATE: Achieving small goals

It's strange when you aren't training for a race. You almost feel in limbo, unsure what you are contributing to when you go out running. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to just go out for a run without any strings attached, to not follow any strict nutritional plans and to not feel guilty when you move your run to a different day so you can go to the pub. Despite these positives, I do slightly miss the discipline of training.

However, even though I am not training specifically for anything, these last couple of weeks I have seen only improvement. Running is at the forefront of my mind and whilst I have found it hard going back to three runs a week (during triathlon training I only did two), it is incredibly satisfying racking up the miles again.

In my last post, I set some mini goals to help me get to a fit running state by Christmas. One was to enter two 10K races. I really need to get these booked in so I have headed out twice now to try and run the distance at a strong pace. The first was tough and it felt like it went on forever. By mile five my ITB pain had kicked in but I still managed to finish in just over 50 minutes. The next weekend, I headed out again this time taking on a new, slightly hilly route. By mile five, I was chuffed to have no pain at all and instead of stopping at 10K, I carried on to complete seven miles. All in just under one hour!

(the trails have been calling me these last few weeks)

So in all, running is good. Pace is slowly creeping up (I've gone from 8.50s to 8.10s for 10K) and I have also started to get back into HIIT and speed work. Boy, do these sessions hurt though! Especially when you have taken a few weeks off from it. 

Along with my two 10K races, I set myself another challenge. This one non running related but a goal I very much wanted to achieve - to swim 1500m open water. I recently got a reminder saying my wet suit needs to be sent back soon (I opted to hire it for my first triathlon) and so I wasted no time in trying to hit this target. At 6.30am on Saturday morning I was up and cycling to my local reservoir to see if I could manage it.

(super keen in my kit)

I haven't been in open water for a few weeks now and I was actually a little nervous getting back in. Hovering on the jetty, I faffed around for a couple of minutes, getting my goggles comfy and asking fellow swimmers what the water temperature was. One lady, who was maybe late 60's, turned to me and said 'no news on the water temperature but sod it, lets just get in!'. With that, she pranced down the jetty and flung herself in the water. That was my lesson in manning up right there...

(West Reservoir, Stoke Newington)

The water was bloody cold but I took inspiration from this lady and just cracked on with it. I needed to do three laps of the reservoir and I was surprised at how fast it went. By the time I entered my final lap, my stroke and alignment was fluid and smooth and I was so chuffed to reach the end feeling pretty good. I don't have a time recorded for this but it was great to finish my triathlon season on a high, achieving this small goal. 

Next step for me is to enter these two 10Ks. I am going to research into race options this week, aiming to do one in October and the other November. Suggestions are very much welcome!

Lipstick Runner. 

A running rut

(credit: Cafe Press)

Reflecting on my training calendar, these last couple of weeks have been a bit odd. Not just physically but mentally too...

It all started post Adidas Thunder Run (you can read my race rundown here). My right ITB was really stiff and sore and I found I was very restricted to what exercise I could do. Running was a total no go, even cycling in the first few days so I made it my mission to rest up, blitz the foam roller and keep stretching. By Sunday, exactly one week after the race, I ventured out for a jog. It was slow and painful but I managed 5K. I didn't enjoy, it dragged and I was exhausted. 

It seemed in the space of a few weeks, I had gone from the fittest I had ever been, smashing Blenheim Palace Triathlon, to being what felt like a battered and bruised beached whale. By the following week, I was suppose to start training for the St Neots Sprint Triathlon in Sept but with my leg buggered, I was really worried I wouldn't be able to commit to the training plan I had devised. I've been told many a time that training hard on an injury is pointless. It will only get worse and the time it takes to heal will increase. So with a heavy heart, I decided to not proceed with the triathlon and instead focus on recovery and retrieving lost strength. 

The week following my meek 5K run, things did ever so slightly improve. I managed two short runs and whilst these were still slow, the pain had eased. The week after, I was back at my running club and evening managed 10K across Hampstead Heath! All these runs I had chosen to not go with my Garmin as they were more about focussing on distance rather than speed. However, by last Thursday, I was curious to see where I had ended up speed wise. So, I joined the 6am club and headed out on a 5K. First mile was a drag (8.48 minutes to be exact) but I did start to speed up, ending my last mile on a sub 8. My finishing time was 25.38. 

Seeing this flash up on my watch was disappointing. Whilst in my head I know I have had a) time off getting married and b) an injured leg, I really thought I was going to be faster. I am addicted to pace and speed and to see it all lost was upsetting.

Reaching this point has made me realise there is a lot of work to do. With my ITB looking to slowly be on the mend (fingers crossed!), there is no reason for excuses. I have let my training slip and I have now made it my aim to build up my running strength again. It is time for an overhaul and an opportunity to almost start fresh.

To keep on the right path, I have made a little action list which needs to be completed by Christmas:

Overcome injury

Run 13 miles comfortably

Enter two 10K races

Complete one cross country race 

Swim 1500m front crawl open water

These pointers are all positive steps to getting marathon ready for the start of 2016, taking into account cross training and decent recovery. With Brighton Marathon on the horizon, my focus now is to become physically and mentally ready to take on the big 26.2!

I'll keep you posted!

Lipstick Runner.

RACE RUNDOWN: Adidas Thunder Run

You may have seen on my Twitter and Instagram channels that I have recently been out in the sticks of the great British countryside running for 24 hours (well running as part of team).

Last year, when my running club decided to enter a team into the Adidas Thunder Run, I was there, hand in air like 'pick me, pick me!'. After taking part in Mizuno Endure24 (which you can read about here) and loving it, I was super keen for the Thunder Run. It seemed I wasn't the only one interested in giving it a go to as we ended up signing up two teams of 8!

However, come late June this year when our team captain sent out a reminder email about the event, my reaction was 'Oh f**k'. Since entering it yonks ago, I had completely forgotten about it. Months had passed where it was all about the triathlon training, wedding planning, new job etc that the fact that I was down to attend Thunder Run had slipped my mind entirely. It wasn't even written in my diary!

Despite not having actually trained for this sort of running, nor run over 5K for months, I wasn't one to be a drop out. So I kept to my word and decided to attend, aiming to do four 10K laps, totalling 40K overall. It sounded totally doable in my head...

Arriving on the Friday night after a five and a half hour car journey (damn traffic jams!) it was pouring it down and we had to set up camp. Never have I been so grateful for a pop up tent, yet despite the ease in building my den the weather was putting a huge dampener on my feelings about what lay ahead. I did not want to be out in the woods for 24 hours whilst it rained cats and dogs.

(the night before!)

I decided to get to bed for around 11pm and despite the rain crashing down on my little tent, I managed to drift off into an okish sleep. Come morning, I was awake at 4am and believe it or not, the sun was shining! Our little camp was very relieved to have this glorious weather shine down on us.

Come half 11, we were all walking up to the start line to see off our first runners. I was in the first team for the club and scheduled in for 4th leg. The predicted start time for my first lap was around 2.30pm so I had a couple of hours watching some running action from the side lines before I needed to enter the handover pen.

(team Chasers!)

(some of the team out on the course)

Due to Saturday being so hot and sunny, runners were coming off the trail course looking rather clean, reporting that all the mud had dried up from the heavy rain. I loathe cross country so this was music to my ears! By 2.30pm, I was ready and raring to go!

Earlier on in the week, I had bought some brand new Mizuno Wave Rider 17s to test run on the course but I was a little fearful of getting them muddy (vain I know) so I opted for my old pair for the first lap. As I started off I was bouncing along the field feeling fresh and vibrant but all that abruptly came to an end when 500m in, the course turned off into the woods straight into a long steep hill. Now you know me - hills aren't my friend and I soon realised 1K in that I was in for a very undulating ride. I kept steady, around 8.45 per mile and it felt good. The only thing holding me back was the heat. I could feel my scalp burning and theres only one water stop on the course so I was lacking in fluids. Coming through to the end of the lap, my crew were cheering at the sides as I came in to hand over to my friend, Nicola. I finished in 53 minutes and was very happy with that.

I'd got some super nasty blisters on the inside of my feet and after slapping a couple of band aids over them, I decided to switch to my new trainers. My old ones were knackered (they had holes in them!) and I don't think they were fit for the terrain of the course. 

My second lap was around 8.30pm and I went out feeling pretty good. No aches from my last run and I actually found myself going faster. My GPS wasn't working for this one, so I was running to a stop watch but I definitely felt a lot faster. Half way in I was bounding along but did reach a point of discomfort where the right side of my leg, around the knee area was aching. A pounding, dull ache. I knew exactly what it is - it was the return of my dreaded ITB injury. Stupidly, instead of slowing down, I carried on at the same pace and crossed the finish line in 52 minutes.

Hobbling out of the pen, I knew I had done something bad. Bending my right leg hurt. Instinct kicked in and I headed straight for the sports massage tent. After a 20 minute wait, I was assigned Jamie who confirmed that I had a lot of tension in the muscles around my ITB. To add to this I had cramp in my calf. After a very painful rub down, I asked him if it was OK to carry on. His response: 'With the pain your in, it might be best to call it day but it is totally up to you.' Hmm ok then...

By this point it was coming up to 11pm and I was starving. All I had eaten all day was snacks and junk food. So I went and got myself a cup of tea and a big cone of chips and headed back to camp. By midnight I was in my tent, determined to get some shut eye until my next lap at 5am. Sorry Jamie, but I didn't come here to do half the job. I am going to be foolish and carry on.

Come 4am, I had barely slept. It was impossible to with all the hubbub of people coming back to their tents, giving reports to fellow team mates. I groggily put on my clothes and went for a little walk near my camp to see how my leg was. Not going to lie, it was stiff. The ache strong. But I had to carry on. I'd never forgive myself if I gave up on my team. So I popped some paracetamol and headed over to the change over pen. 

Going out on lap three, I was hobbling quite a bit. It took a while but I finally found a rhythm where I could step lighter on my right leg, allowing me to run at a steady speed of around 10 minute miles. The hills were agonising and so I opted to do a brisk walk up these but I actually preferred being in the woods on the softer surface, compared to the open fields where the ground was really hard and uneven. I was determined to get through this lap and speaking to some of the solo runners out on the course made me realise that what I was doing compared to them was very little. Some of these guys were going to complete 20 or so laps. If they can do 20, I can bloody do four!

I came back in just over an hour - a time I was actually really chuffed with considering my ITB. 

By this point, I was on the brink of tears. My leg was, to put it bluntly, buggered. So it was back to the sports massage tent where this time I met with a lady called Nicola who worked to flush out the lactic acid in my thigh. It was painful but worth it. 

By the way, to give you an idea on how you look after no sleep and 30K, this gives you an idea:

Heading back to camp, I was seriously questioning whether I could go through with lap four. I was down as the last runner of the 24 hours and the thought of bringing it home for the team was pressurising. To add to this, the heavens had opened and the rain was back pelting down on our tents. I sat in my little den and waited until the time had come for me to head out for the fourth and final lap. The morning dragged and my team mates were coming back from their final runs looking absolutely shattered. I was worried how I would make it round.

By 11.45am, the runner before me had returned and I was back out for the final time. The rain was so heavy by this point, I was dressed in leggings with a high vis jacket zipped up with my hood pulled over my head. The run was miserable. The woodland areas were so muddy and boggy, my brand spanking new trainers were ruined and where the hilly bits had turned into a mud slide, I was struggling to hobble up them with my injury. 

Not going to lie, at 2K I stopped and had a little cry. Lame I know but I had honestly hit what I've heard people call 'the wall'. I'm not a marathon runner, or an Ironman, so doing this level of exercise for me is a huge deal. I just felt utterly shattered, in so much pain, stuck in the middle of the woods in the pissing rain. 

Watching all the other runners pelt past me made me feel a little embarrassed so I did eventually man up and get going again. In my head, I just needed to reach 8K. Once I got here, I knew I was on the home straight through the fields. It honestly came round quicker than I thought and despite my brisk walk/light jog, I found myself overtaking quite a few people which gave me a much needed boost. 

When I came up the 9K mark, one of my fellow team mates was there waiting for me. I have never been so grateful for this kind of support before. He joined me by my side and ran with me up the home straight. At the very end for the final 400m, the rest of my team were there, who also joined me running up the hill and round the back to cross the finish line as a team. I have never felt on such a high as I did at this moment. Rather ironic as 45 minutes previously I was crying like a baby in the woods. 

(my team bringing me home)

I crossed the finish line in 1.06. Considering I could barely walk, this time was good going I think. But just so you know, by this point, I really couldn't walk. I had ran 20K on an battered leg and I was getting my karma. Just bending it slightly was excruciating! My team had packed up all the tents whilst I was out running, so all I had to do was drag myself to the car where a much needed cider was waiting for me...

By the time I got back to London, all I wanted was a bath and my bed. Never have I felt so knackered. This was a much tougher experience than Mizuno Endure24, but one I am definitely very proud to be a part of.

Would I do it again? Maybe. But I would definitely make sure I had trained a little bit for it. It really is a fabulous event! Along with a beautiful (yet hilly course), Adidas provided great camping facilities and a pretty hefty medal at the end. My only comment would be to consider another water station out on the course, especially when it is such hot conditions as it was on Saturday. Oh, and for the fish and chip van to stay open for the whole 24 hours. 

RACE OVERVIEW

Course: 4/5

Scenery: 5/5 

Facilities: 4/5

Water Stations: 2/5

Goody bag: N/A (but all participants receive a medal, t-shirt and an Adidas shower gel)

LIPSTICK RUNNER'S OVERALL RATING: 3.5/5

To learn more about Adidas Thunder Run, visit the website here.


Lipstick Runner.

Finding my feet again

I'm back! After two weeks away getting married and holidaying in Italy I have landed back into the reality of work with a bang. 

Taking such a long break was absolute bliss. The wedding was a dream and the holiday a much needed break from work, London and training. My body was shattered and by the time I arrived at my hotel in Sorrento, I was snoozing on a sun lounger in minutes. It was heavenly. 

The holiday itself was a mix of relaxing and exploring. We spent three days endlessly walking - around Pompeii, climbing Mount Vesuvius and roaming around Capri. It all seemed pretty active and I even managed to squeeze in two small swim sessions in the pool at the hotel (other holiday makers gawped at me like I was a bit odd though). Its strange because after three days not training, I was itching to do something. I guess that is when you know you are addicted to sport. 

Now I am back, I have been dilly dallying around trying to get back into the routine of working and training. My first full week was last week and I realised I actually did some form of exercise 7 days straight. After landing late Sunday night, I forced myself out of bed 6am Monday morning to go for a run. It was really tiring at first but by the end of it, it felt good to be out again.

I must have felt really keen last week as on Thursday, I opted to make my return to track for a heavy speed session with my club. I haven't done drills or intervals in weeks and I was a little apprehensive. The session seemed long when it was read out to us: 2x 1200m (90 secs rest), 4x 400m (75 secs rest), 4x 200m (200m jog recovery between). However, once I got stuck in, I was on a roll. My legs felt fresh, ready to go fast and it was brilliant!

By the end of the weekend, I had also boshed out an open water swimming session and even dabbled in an Insanity workout (although I don't think I'll be trying it out again any time soon. It killed me!).

So in all, a successful first week back and I can't wait to get stuck into triathlon training again. I already have my eye on another sprint distance early September so I will be building a plan for that and looking to improve my times across all three disciplines. 

Lipstick Runner. 

TRAINING UPDATE: Countdown to Blenheim Palace Triathlon

My first triathlon is 14 weeks away. Wahh! Where has the time gone from when I entered back in August!? If I look back at my training, I oddly feel like I have progressed a lot but at the same time feel like I am flagging a bit behind schedule.

Truth is, I can't really gage how well I am doing because I have never done a triathlon before. My problem at the moment is that I am looking at each discipline and criticising myself, especially for running. A lot of my fellow club members are all half or marathon training so are clocking up lots of miles whilst little me over here is popping in a couple of short runs each week. It almost feels inferior but at the end of the day, I don't need to be out doing 10 mile training runs at this time. The run of my Sprint distance is 5.8K and I know I can cover this with ease. What I need to do is cover this with ease off the back of a 13 mile bike ride.

So this is where the introduction to brick sessions comes in. To this date, I have attempted mini versions after work on a Tuesday evening - cycling home 4.5 miles and then going straight into a three mile run. It doesn't seem a lot but starting off this small is really important. If I can nail this, I can slowly add on the miles and build up to Sprint distance standard (or near enough). My first brick session was interesting. I battled through rush hour traffic to get home and then I lobbed my bike in the hallway, quickly stripped down to my running gear and heading straight back outside. For the first 200m, my legs felt like jelly as they didn't have a clue what was going on. The first half of the route I take is also all uphill so they really didn't like the situation I was putting them through. However, by the final mile, it was a nice downhill slope, my legs had awakened and pace was on top form!

I felt fantastic when I walked through the door with this time in the bag. Not bad for a first timer and I must say, I slept soundly that night so it must have exhausted my body. The couple of sessions that followed this have been just as successful and slowly my body is learning to cope with back to back multi sport challenges.

To top off the success of my running, I have also been very fortunate to bag a course PB at my local parkrun. I attended not even expecting a new and improved time (at that point my PB was 23.30). I had also spent the night previous to this guzzling gin punch and dining on Indian tapas at Dishoom so my body sure didn't feel on top form. Yet, out of nowhere, I pulled off what is probably my best ever 5K run. Taking on the deadly steep incline of the two lap course, I still managed to hold an average pace of 7.13 per mile and crossed the finish line in a gobsmacking 22.26. 

(Above: Dinner at Dishoom. Below: new 5K time for Finsbury parkrun)

The realisation of this fancy new time didn't hit me at first - my initial thought was that my Garmin must had lost signal at some point. I really couldn't believe I had done it. When the results from the race came through later that day (confirming my time), I was also chuffed to see I placed 3rd lady. I must say I did feel slightly smug and the celebratory Nandos for lunch that day was totally deserved.

As I have been so busy with work lately and travelling to lots of different parts of the country, finding time to fit in speed and hill sessions has been tricky so to bag myself this parkrun time, I really have to thank these mini brick sessions. They have really built up my strength and stamina and when I run, my body does feel stronger and firmer.

Along with my brick sessions, I have also incorporated daily sit-ups and crunches into the mix. I took on the 30 Day Abs Challenge throughout February and whilst I must admit I can't psychically see a huge difference, I can feel it. My core engages with the rest of my body so much better now and I have especially noticed this benefit when cycling uphill or running at quicker paces. I plan to continue with the sit-ups, switching to doing them every other day. Now I know I can bosh out 50 sets, it is a workout that barely takes up any time. I tend to do mine whilst my dinner is cooking in the oven!

So, what's next for me in the final weeks of training? Well, if you read my latest Operation Bridal Bod post (see here), you will notice my rather attractive wetsuit has arrived. This can only mean one thing - time for open water practise! The days are getting lighter and the air is a tad milder so it will soon be an appropriate time to don the suit and get used to swimming in a lake. I have definitely nailed the front crawl technique in the pool, now I need to hold it up in open water without the security of sides to push off every 30m. I hope to carry out a few sessions in my local lido first before moving onto the Serpentine. I'll also be cycling to this location so can attempt a brick session of swim then cycle which will be extremely beneficial!

Along with this next phase in my swimming, I am also taking on my first duathlon in April which I have purposely positioned as intense brick training in the lead up to the big race. This is approaching really fast so I need to stay focussed on my current brick sessions in order to complete the run-bike-run course. Inside, I am hoping to pull it out of the bag come race day - luckily I have never done a duathlon before so whatever time I get will be a huge achievement for me.

Are you training for your first triathlon? What training are you doing to prepare for race day?

Lipstick Runner.

My favourite North London running spots

I'm a North London girl. Always have been and probably always will be for the duration I call this city home. I must admit, I'm not a fan of living in the Capital and I would in a heartbeat pack up my apartment to move out into the suburbs.

That said though, when it comes to going for a run, I am fortunate to have some lovely hot spots surrounding me, meaning I am never without choice when it comes to a great run!

Alexandra Palace

Looks quite small when you first enter but Alexandra Palace has some well hidden mini trails and is a go-to destination for hill training. I like to head here as there is a great straight of around 400m which is ideal for speed work. This also sits alongside a really steep hill up to the palace, so you can combine hill reps with flat sprints.

In the summer, Alexandra Palace (or as some might call it 'Ally Pally') is thriving with sunbathers (including myself) so it's best to get your run in the bag early. The parkrun here is actually a really lovely, intimate sized race to try out too and whilst involving a couple of short steep hills, it can be a speedy one for some. Come winter, it however gets quite muddy but there are still plenty of paths to stick too!

Hampstead Heath

I've been running here ever sinced I moved to London. I love the Heath. It is my escape from the never-ending crowds, pollution and noise. A safe haven I guess you could say. Hampstead boasts acres of undulating land with beautiful woodland patches and the most serene secret gardens (I recommend you visit the Pergola & Hill Top Gardens in the summer months). There is also the famous Parliament Hill which offers the most stunning landscape views of London.

I used to live pretty close to the Heath and would find myself here every other day. Now I live a little further out, it is somewhere I go to for my longer, more challenging runs. You are guaranteed a hilly one when you head here that's for sure! The route I take is around seven miles and, like many other runners that descend here, I find my runs here the most relaxing. The tranquil setting and interesting little detours that you can make allow run routes to be mixed up and I always come back feeling like I have been out in the countryside. 

Another great aspect about Hampstead Heath is the variety of sports you can do. With tennis courts, an athletic track, lido and swimming ponds, there is plenty to do! Very soon I will be making this place my destination for open water swimming as I take to the waters donning my wet suit for triathlon training!

Finsbury Park 

My local for running. Finsbury Park is popular for runners as its just one large, simple loop. A great place to go for speed work and due to lots of tarmac roads, its a suitable destination to train all year round. Its parkrun is also very popular here. A two lap route that includes a cheeky, killer hill I have taken part many times, even though I fear that dreaded incline. 

There is also a lovely scenic path that connects Finsbury Park and Highgate. It was once a rail line many years ago but has since become deserted and over time has grown into a really pretty trail route. Lots of runners, cyclists and dog walkers wander down here so its nice and safe during daylight hours and is a really quick way to get to the park.

In the centre of Finsbury Park, hidden amongst the bushes and trees I have located a little flat loop (it's situated right by the athletic track) which measures around 350m. At the peak of summer, when daylight hours are longer, I like to go here in the evenings to bosh out some sprint reps, treating it almost like an athletic track and then I will work my way back via the trail path running to a specific pace for whatever I am training for at that time. 

So there you have it, my three go-to running destinations. Where are your running hotspots? Are there any I am missing out on in North London?

Lipstick Runner.

(I probably should have done this sort of post in the summer when the pictures would have been less mud and more sun. Still though, It's good to see what these places become over winter - who doesn't love a bit of mud after all?)