Sunday is the long run day; seeing that I haven't done one of these for at least six weeks not sure how long this long run is going to be. Nevertheless, I aim for an hour. Decide to do a totally new route cause when you have to run for a long time you need all the entertainment you can get. Head for Central Park. No not Central Park New York, but Central Park, Chelmsford, Essex. Yep came to stay with Baby Boy's grandparents in the country for a rest.
Actually Central Park Chelmsford, with its quite varied flora and fauna, skateboarding ramp, lake complete with elegant swans and silky black feathered ducks, fishing river, bowling green, gypsy fun fair, is not half bad. Who needs NYC: me for a shopping spree. Urban life is not half bad. I pass several joggers, one woman who must be at least 70 running with one arm in the air - not sure why - I want to be her at 70 though, a ginger haired teen, a little round woman and a really long-legged man whose one stride was equal to ten of mine. We all say hi to each other as our paths cross. Runner's etiquette 2009. Twenty minutes into my run, I am feeling good - this hour is going to be a breeze. Pass a young couple going for a walk with their new born. Daddy is pushing the pram and mummy is lovingly stroking daddy's hair. Clearly her hormones are still on a high cause by now it would be more like menacingly pulling daddy's hair. At 30 minutes I pass a bowling club - all slender and nimble, silver haired geriatrics.
Pass a couple with a double buggy holding 2 little occupants. The bigger occupant is screaming: 'I want to get out! I want to get out!' Parents being parents: totally ignoring him. I laugh cause I've been there - no I AM there. Its 40 minutes now pain is setting in, and my gut and bottom are jiggling in protest. Head out the park and run on the main road for a little while before I head for the river bank. Got to run up a slope and now it really hurts. Pass a middle-aged woman sitting on a middle-aged man's lap on a park bench, crying her eyes out. Her pain is clearly greater than mine so I forget mine temporarily till I get to the really steep part of the slope and I don't give a shit about how bad she must feel, cause I definately feel worse but don't have the option of sitting on some man's lap to ease the agony. OK, head down, relax shoulders and just get to the top and it will be all over. Get to the top and it isn't all over - got at least 10 minutes till I get home. Chest is burning. Slow down some to catch my breath. Thank God it's all flat now. Remind myself I need new trainers - have had these for like 3 years now. Round the bend and home is in sight. Do my end of race sprint and damn my legs feel like lead.
Time : 1h 2 minutes.
Sunday 20 September 2009
Thursday 17 September 2009
Lula's Marathon Madness - Week 1 17 Sept
Missed 2 days training since the last - but actually don't even have a schedule so what am I talking about. Anyway, today couldn't do the morning session as meeting with my Big Boss at 830am. Meeting starts 1.5 hours late. Not a good start but I keep calm.
445pm head out for run. Start on the other side of the posh suburb which is even posher. Spot a lovely field through one of the houses but how the hell do I get there. Decide to ask a newspaper boy for directions - he is so polite with it as well. Teenagers get a bad name. Follow his directions but end up on a golf course - teenagers for you. Some caddy tells me to to keep running on and I will find what I am looking for. Get to Oaks Park - georgeous fields. Decide to run on the track though - not in the mood to dodge dog shit. A killer slope all the way for about 5 minutes - ugh. Get to the other side of the park to a main road but don't know which way to turn. Got about 1 hour till nursery shuts. Head back into park to ask this elderly couple sitting with their dogs, for directions. Actually I dont think it's a couple...maybe they just meet in the park with their dogs. Direct my question to the woman naturally; she looks at me shellshocked - like what is this little black woman saying. Want to tell her I am speaking English. The man steps in - he has a frightfully impeccable old boy accent. Asks me if I am running - I think 'but you saw me running towards you and I am all sweaty in running gear.. no I am flying' I want to say. Anyway he gives me some backroute direction which was actually fab as got in some fresh fume free country air and got back to base in good time to tidy up my desk a bit before heading for my 2nd full time job as Mummy.
445pm head out for run. Start on the other side of the posh suburb which is even posher. Spot a lovely field through one of the houses but how the hell do I get there. Decide to ask a newspaper boy for directions - he is so polite with it as well. Teenagers get a bad name. Follow his directions but end up on a golf course - teenagers for you. Some caddy tells me to to keep running on and I will find what I am looking for. Get to Oaks Park - georgeous fields. Decide to run on the track though - not in the mood to dodge dog shit. A killer slope all the way for about 5 minutes - ugh. Get to the other side of the park to a main road but don't know which way to turn. Got about 1 hour till nursery shuts. Head back into park to ask this elderly couple sitting with their dogs, for directions. Actually I dont think it's a couple...maybe they just meet in the park with their dogs. Direct my question to the woman naturally; she looks at me shellshocked - like what is this little black woman saying. Want to tell her I am speaking English. The man steps in - he has a frightfully impeccable old boy accent. Asks me if I am running - I think 'but you saw me running towards you and I am all sweaty in running gear.. no I am flying' I want to say. Anyway he gives me some backroute direction which was actually fab as got in some fresh fume free country air and got back to base in good time to tidy up my desk a bit before heading for my 2nd full time job as Mummy.
Lula's Marathon Madness - Week 1 14 Sept
So this week I start training yet again for my first ever marathon to be. Was supposed to run last year, but I think I was one of the 1st victims of pig flu cause I was sick as a dog for all of march, one month before the event. Had to pull out - had no intentions of running for 5 hours or some ridiculous time.
Actually I was more motivated to start this week as my gut is bulging over my belt and my clothes all feel rather tight round the tum and bum area. I guess I have been overdoing the chocolate and cake of late with not enough activity.
First day did not start well. The plan was to get to work earlyish, run then use the gym at work. But got up late, Baby Boy got up before I was ready for him, so really ran behind schedule. Then on the way to nursery drop off, sit in loads of traffic as a bus broke down at the roundabout just before nursery. Then Baby Boy screams his head off when I drop him off so I can't just dash off. I miss the days when he didn't give a hoot when I left but cried when I came to pick him up.
Anyway leave him at nursery and head into more traffic: this time school traffic as I am seriously late. Get to work at about 9am when really I should have been tucking into my 50 emails. But I am determined to start today come hell or high water. Eventually start my run at 910am. Do a hill route in the posh suburb near the office. Got to get me into one of these neighbourhoods in the next 5 years or so. Bump into some skinny cow jogging carefree down the hill whilst I am huffing and puffing up - clearly she is not training like I am. Get a cheery good morning from a bin man. Try to run on a country road but give up fearing for my life. I do maybe about 3 miles. Got to get a pedometer some time soon as guess work on my distance will not be much use for much longer.
Get back to gym at 945, do 20 mins in gym then head for shower. See notice outside changing room saying 'closed between 10-11 for cleaning' which I ignore - I have work to do. But apparently it is true, cleaning lady comes in as I am about to go to shower and tells me I need to leave or 'I get in trouble with my boss'. I beg for 5 minutes which is not too much to ask seeing that my tits are hanging out already - she says 'OK 5 minutes'. I think I do it all in 7 - not bad.
Actually I was more motivated to start this week as my gut is bulging over my belt and my clothes all feel rather tight round the tum and bum area. I guess I have been overdoing the chocolate and cake of late with not enough activity.
First day did not start well. The plan was to get to work earlyish, run then use the gym at work. But got up late, Baby Boy got up before I was ready for him, so really ran behind schedule. Then on the way to nursery drop off, sit in loads of traffic as a bus broke down at the roundabout just before nursery. Then Baby Boy screams his head off when I drop him off so I can't just dash off. I miss the days when he didn't give a hoot when I left but cried when I came to pick him up.
Anyway leave him at nursery and head into more traffic: this time school traffic as I am seriously late. Get to work at about 9am when really I should have been tucking into my 50 emails. But I am determined to start today come hell or high water. Eventually start my run at 910am. Do a hill route in the posh suburb near the office. Got to get me into one of these neighbourhoods in the next 5 years or so. Bump into some skinny cow jogging carefree down the hill whilst I am huffing and puffing up - clearly she is not training like I am. Get a cheery good morning from a bin man. Try to run on a country road but give up fearing for my life. I do maybe about 3 miles. Got to get a pedometer some time soon as guess work on my distance will not be much use for much longer.
Get back to gym at 945, do 20 mins in gym then head for shower. See notice outside changing room saying 'closed between 10-11 for cleaning' which I ignore - I have work to do. But apparently it is true, cleaning lady comes in as I am about to go to shower and tells me I need to leave or 'I get in trouble with my boss'. I beg for 5 minutes which is not too much to ask seeing that my tits are hanging out already - she says 'OK 5 minutes'. I think I do it all in 7 - not bad.
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