Third time lucky this week. Got to take Baby Boy's Daddy's car to the garage for a service and MOT. Means I can try another route today. New routes are great cause it makes the time go by faster. I head off for Crystal Palace. Never been there before, now is my chance. Got to get up a goddamn hill first though and these hills here are VICIOUS. I mean NASTY! Halfway up, I am literally at snail's pace but I dont want to stop cause I would never start again. Make it to the top by Grangewood Park - no relief cause there is another slope in sight. God please help me. He obviously did cause I get to the other side and can now safely make my way to the Palace. Run through some trendy shops first then I see the entrance to the park. Oh my God - it is a GEM this place. Why haven't I been here before! Aaah I see why it is called Crystal Palace; the remains of a palace and its walls are still visible, complete with statues of sphinxes copie. The views across South London are amazing. The grounds are vast. This must have been some residence back in the day. I must research the story on this when I get back if I don't get caught up in something which of course I will... I could run in here forever but I can't 'cause I would still have to negotiate the hills on the way back home. I am going to come here again and really explore, but I may drive the car and park it here then run. NO, in fact I WILL drive the car here! And I must bring Baby Boy - he will go crazy here when he sees he can run ad infinitum!
Nothing interesting on the way back. Stop by a carwash place to find out how much to valet my car which needs fumigating really. £10 not bad considering...Will bring it next week.
Home at 1h 4 mins
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Marathon Madness Week 4 - Tues Sept 29th
Spurred on by the fact that I did that impossible slope yesterday - I am on a roll. Today I head back home after the nursery run cause I need a change of scenery. Head off from my house. I feel slow today, check my timer to see how long I have been running, and see it is only 5 minutes when it feels like 15. Ugh. Head towards Lloyds Park - probably the biggest green space in Croydon. Oooh I love this park. Getting to my favourite part of running her: a big open space with no one in sight, so I start dancing to Akon's 'You're so beautiful' on my ipod - the house remix. Feel happy. Stop dancing when I see an old woman coming towards me with her dog - don't want to give the mongrel an excuse to bite me. Run through a path under some thick bush. Meet a man with a walking stick - probably had a stroke and rehabing himself - good on you. He says a big hi - I say hi back - he looks happy too, just like me. Pass a lady walking her dog. It's about 45 minutes now and decide to head back home. Pass by this mansion which has been under construction for about year now. It is nearly done and looks soooo glorious. My house can fit in there at least 20 times. LOL!
Green space behind me now and grey slabs bekon me home. That's the contrast that is London! Do my usual sprint at the end - and it feels alright!
Time 57 minutes.
Green space behind me now and grey slabs bekon me home. That's the contrast that is London! Do my usual sprint at the end - and it feels alright!
Time 57 minutes.
Marathon Madness Week 4 - Mon Sept 28th
Get off to a great start this week. Monday, not at work, sun is shining.. in Sept at that! Drop Baby Boy off at nursery, leave car in car park and set off round the neighbourhood. Go through a huge park running round the edge to avoid any encounters with dogs and their owners. Today I am avoiding the hills cause it hurt last time and I dont want to hurt today. I love the world at this time of day - everyone is cooped up in the offices, kiddies are in school, housewives at home so the streets are all MINE! Oh God, I took a wrong turn and to get back to the car I MUST go up a STEEP hill. Whichever way I try to avoid this one, will still have to go up another. OK, either I walk or like Nike said, just do it. 5 minutes later, I am at the top but I can't feel my legs. A driver passing by is just staring at me - I must look a sight. LOL! Thank god its down hill all the way now.
Time - 46 minutes
Time - 46 minutes
Marathon Madness Week 3 - 24th Sept
My first (and at it turned out) my only run of the week. Dropped Baby Boy off at nursery, left the car in the car park and set off. Ran past a Granny walking her presumed grand-daughter to nursery with 2 Peppa Pig Bags in tow - why she needs 2 who knows, cause she has a way to go till she is a woman; guess the madness starts early. Grandparents are soooo necessary. I am not in the mood to run today and on top of that I do a hilly route. Pass a sister walking a dog. Hardly see any one else - guess everyone is at work. I'm not - ha, ha!
At last run is finished. Legs feel heavy.
Time 41 minutes
At last run is finished. Legs feel heavy.
Time 41 minutes
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Lula's Marathon Madness Day 3 20 Sept
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.
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.
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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