Feeling Fitter and more Vampire Running

February has been quieter on the running front, but I've added a little walking and even got back on the bike (only once, but its a start).

I've only been out for 6 runs but including the walking am starting to feel fitter.  I'm down a few pounds and even, when taking the boys (mine & my sisters) out to Howth for a hill walk managed to carry my 6 year old back up to the summit, even engaging the other boys in a few races while carrying him!



 Vampire Running

I still prefer running at night, after the kids have gone to bed.     There is something about running on deserted roads after 10 pm listening only to your own footfalls.   It is probably as close to solitude as one can get in the city.   There is also the sense of satisfaction in lying in bed for those extra few minutes the following morning knowing you don't have to feel guilty....

After getting back into the running in January distances are also increasing.   I went out with M, my wife, this evening (for her second ever run - she is trying to get into it & I'm hoping she sticks with it) and did 3k doing a run for 40 seconds followed by a walk for 60 seconds.   I told her the best piece of advice I ever heard when getting into running - you have to persevere for two months until your body learns how to breathe and run at the same time - she says she believes me, but didn't look convinced!

After M headed back in I went for a 6k run making 9 in total; the longest distance in quite a long time...and all in the glorious quiet of the night.

 

January okay so far

I promised myself I'd try to run every day in January.

Is that really a promise - only to try?

Anyway, I failed, what a surprise....

But i'm not too upset.   I'm not really even angry with myself and I have managed to keep the guilt and self-recrimination to a minimum.

I've gotten out semi-consistently during January.  13 days out of 21.

Mainly short 4 to 5 k runs, but I got one 5 mile in and a couple of 6 ks.

I'm already feeling better for the returning fitness.   And I've also done a fair few of the runs late at night, going out at 9 or 10pm.

I love something about the quiet and the dark of late night running.   I love the peace and solitude of running along the Coast Road on my own.   I've never been great at running with others, I like to go slowly and change pace as the mood (or the pain levels) take me.   And running thru darkened, sleeping streets generally suits my mood.

Todays run was different though.   An early morning run with the dog along Howth's cliff walk.   The day was drizzly and not noticeably windy at sea level.   However the conditions were much rougher when I ran along the cliff path (I was glad I didn't have the kids with me!).

5.15km took 45 mins. But there was a lot of walking along the slippier parts of the path.

Looking back at the port

The Bailey Lighthouse

 

Bloody, mucky post run legs

 

Trying to get back to it

Firstly, the excuse....

I have just finished a 3 year project in work...it went live in November and meant 7 day weeks, working thru the night etc. for a couple of months.

And the horrible reality....

I stepped on the scales this evening after a very gluttinous Christmas and weighed 15st8.5lbs.   I am now well over any weight I have been since i took up running.      I am also the unfittest I've been in years, in fact since I started running 4 years ago.

I stopped cycling in August, did very little exercise in September, ran a bit in October, but only went out once in November & once in December!!

So, no more 'I must lose weight', now its moving on to 'I am going to lose weight'.     I've noticed how the lack of fitness has slowed me down when   I bring the kids to the park.

After another heavy carb day(dinner in my sisters house with cakes & nibbles afterwards) I decided to go out for my first run in a month.

I went for 5km (well 4.9 really) down to the Coast Road and back. Lovely run.

It felt good but hip still sore (pretty much always sore actually, ahh, the joys of middle age).

 

Strava KOM

Went for a cycle this morning.

A quick jaunt into town & back.

And guess what - a Strava KOM!!!

I pegged along from Dawson Street to Lincoln Place - and while i was flying along due to a bus following behind, i'm not sure i hit the 49kmph that the phone clocked, i would have thought 40kmph.

But....whatever....i'll take it.

Back to almost the start

I haven't blogged here in quite some time (is this linked to me gaining weight again? although i'm keeping fit i've been very lax re eating and am back up to almost 15st (94kgs). 

In September i signed up for a half marathon (in a very strange way, see last post)- and,  on 15/9/2012, in the weirdest result ever i managed to do a PB of 1hr56min....weird, maybe not properly training and doing a lot of cycling helped in leg strength and left me un-wrecked.

But since September running has been hit and miss, being taken over by cycling (and too much time spent in work!!).

Up until the 15th September my running total for the year was 714km and biking was 587km.  But since then the running has only increased to an annual total of 772km while cycling in the last 3 months increased to 1477km, and that includes a fortnight when i stopped cycling due to winter weather (i didnt start running again at that stage due to an injury (over developed sense of laziness) so i started back cycling to work in the dark & wet).

So, it being the turn of the year i need to re-order my goals - and they are two - lose weigth (hopefully 10-12kgs) and get a lot fitter.

Motivation has been a problem recently - i just amn't enjoying the running.  So the plan is to do a virtual tour during 2013 - between running and cycling i want to cover 5,000km or so.

Cycling to work is the main contributor to this distance coverage, about 12.5km each way, assuming 4 days cycling a week gives about 100km each week.

I was off work last week but still have gotten to 118km so far in January.

There is some talk of doing the Belfast Marathon in May.....i've indicated yes but i dont know if i have it in me to do another marathon - the training is just such a drag....

anyway time will tell - the positive is that i went out for my first run in almost a month - a measly 5k but better than nothing.

Roll on 2013.....

The Weirdest Way to sign up for a Half Marathon...Ever

I'm tipsy.......i'm not blotto.... i'm far from hammered.....although i'm definitely under the influence...

But this is definitely the weirdest way to commit to an athletic event that i'm, at least, aware of.

The background: Last Saturday i completed a slow running of the Dublin 10 miler in Phoenix Park.

Yippee..i thought; i'll prob. do the half marathon (and a deep down, barely acknowledged, voice whispered in my mind 'And maybe the marathon too?').

So Saturdays wave of enthusiasm washed over me, then passed by  me and left me floundering without a run to my name until i received a text on wednesday from Big E....'Fancy a 16miler on Saturday, 7a.m. along the DART line?'

Ummmm 'Yeah, although i dont have 16 miles in the legs, i'll join you for the first 12'...

Thursday morning...still no running, better bring the gear to work for a lunchtime run.

Thursday lunchtime brought a fast (for the first half anyway...and isnt fast relative?) 6km.

Then Thursday night, still feeling like i should be doing more i went out at 10:30p.m. for a 7 mile run.
It was a beautiful night.    Dublin Bay was like glass.    I passed a number of fishermen on the Coast Road.

(----------Normal service has now resumed - I wrote the above on Friday night and sleep was more interesting than continuing on with the post----------------------)

The reason I though my commitment to the Half Marathon was weird was the manner in which i signed up.    Friday Big E suggested a few gentle pints.  At approx 11:40p.m. Big E asked me if i had signed up for the Half; yikes, i hadn't, so out with the smartphone and start typing (did i mention close of entries was at midnight?).

Finding, focusing and typing my entry was a bit hard but i got signed up with minutes to go.

After cramming 2 runs into Thursday, and a wash out on Saturday morning (due to after-effects of enjoyable Friday night) I went out for 17km late Sunday night.

So i'm back to semi-regular running.     I would prefer to not need the discipline of a planned race in order to make myself get out and run, but for the moment i amn't enjoying myself enough to force myself out.

I'll run the half on 15th September.    I know in my heart of hearts that i wont have enough running to do the Dublin marathon at the end of October, but maybe a late November or December  marathon??.

Dublin 10 mile road race

For me to call this (or any organised run I'm involved in) a race is a misnomer - i'm definitely on the jogger end of the spectrum.

I decided i needed motivation to get out and run, so 3 weeks ago i signed up for the 10 miler portion of the Dublin Race Series.

It still took another week to get out and run - so a few 5ks, 5 milers and two 7.5 milers i lined up (at the back of the pack naturally) in the Phoenix Park at 10a.m. this morning.

After a lot of bad rain during the week there was a window of grey but dry weather while we actually ran.

It was interesting to run this with no level of anticipation, no attempt for a PB, no sense of anything but forcing myself to get out and run.   What was interesting was being an observer of the camaraderie all around; that sense of excitement for first timers.

The run took me 1hr39min39secs (still waiting for the chip time, gun time was circa 1hr45, but had garmin on, chip time doesn't seem to have registered).

The run was as well organised as usual, however when the slower runners were finishing there was a lot of congestion on the final bit of road; it was very inconsiderate of people to be crossing in front of runners (a couple of women even stopped for for a chat , causing a female runner to nearly crash into them).

The half marathon is on in a few weeks, and i reckon i might give it a whirl, its a pity i dont have the miles in my legs for the Dublin marathon, but who knows, maybe one in November or December....Clonakilty looks nice.