Sunday 9 March 2008

Crap blogger needs kick up the arse.

It's been a long time since I felt like blogging; luckily life still rolls onwards even when not diaried online. Generally all is well - I'm just about to get snowed under with work so this week has been a flurry of small events before I knuckle down/under.

It was amazing to get home - just what I needed.
Was off again (albeit briefly) on Sunday (2nd) to see yet another crap house. This one was both in a bog and up a steep rutted track - how that was possible simultaneously amazes me. Before we headed off for our 'nice drive' (as we both knew the house would be useless) I managed to get a quick 5k in. Went up past the quarry to practice some hills and made it back in 29.30. I didn't give myself enough time to digest brekkie however and it made me feel more than a bit queasy - yet another lesson learnt in disgusting manner.

Monday 3rd saw me try a new form of cross training. The gym bike. It was sore on the arse and a bit boring but it gets the job done. A tough 30min hill session covering 8.1 miles - I was v pleased. Did a few weights too: tricep, tummy machine, and really dodgy shoulder press. Then I ran away like a girl.

Tuesday (4th): I was meant to really be getting back into the swing of things but was quite unsettled and grumpy and bored. TheO had a magical answer - we decided quite whimsically to walk West Lomond. It was bloody brilliant. The dogs were delighted and so were we. It's a nice gentle walk with a bit of a hill at the end and takes around 2h. The sort of walk that makes you feel like you've achieved more than you really have! Beautiful weather too, as we chased the sunshine back down the hill and got back to the car before dusk.

In between getting a fair amount of work done (lots of little things to get sorted out) I did my last long run (6th) before the Edinburgh Half (on the 16th). TheO (bless, bless, bless) came with me on her bike and provided a cheering presence as we battled the weather. It was a lovely day (a tad warm for me, but I like it frosty) and things were going really well until at mile 8 we turned into the full force of the wind. It was so damn hard and really sapped my strength. Having been at least a minute ahead of my desired time the pace just slipped away from me in the last few miles.

Upside:
I ran my furthest ever at 13.5 miles.
My pace was 10.21 - which was good for a training run.
My cardio-system held up well.
Downside:
It was meant to be 14miles and my brain and legs refused to head up the final hill (slight rise).
It was the first run that made me seriously question "what the fuck I am doing" entered into a marathon - am I even capable?
I also felt crappy that I've not really improved much since last year's Half time.
It really hurt my legs.
I know that my weight is holding me back, and I lack the appropriate amount of willpower at present.

Luckily I couldn't dwell on that for too long. We were booked to go to my favouritest hotel with Tigger and Saki on Saturday (8th). We spent a relaxing time at home, then high tailed it to Glasgow (a city that v begrudgingly grows on me ... like mould) and headed to the hotel gym. Sounds like madness? Made me feel much better about the fabulousness of dinner and drinks that followed. Mostly did cardio - 12min on the rower and 18min on the bike, enough to burn a few calories and get a real sweat up. Made the huge hotel shower feel even better; I want every day to be filled with fluffy towels and endless amounts of hot water.

The meal really was sublime. I don't want to take forgranted how great the grub is - I want to savour it and relish every single mouthful. I finally had the soft boiled egg all to myself - it was worth the wait. TheO and I went halfers on the main course so I had some exquisite beef and the most incredible pigeon imaginable. It was a really lovely night and my favourite whisky really topped everything off.


With reg to the ever present house hunting there are some phrases I like:
Former Manse
Detached Rural dwelling
Excellent Views
Potential
Ensuite

And there are some that fill me with dread:
Part of an exclusive development
Easy access to the ... (name a really noisy main road that you knew it's just beside)

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