It's been a fairly hectic week domestically and socially.
Brunch and Dim Sum to celebrate with Teech. Oh, the glory of msg and weird gloop with 1000 yr old egg. Mmmmm.
Blarney and Babybelle came for a visit, my child holding skills are still standing firm. As is my love for the little tyke. She gets bonus points for not giving me her cold.
We got a new freezer for outside to finally hold the vast amounts of meat we keep being given by neighbours. Also stores extra supermarket offers! And, the cherry on the domestic cake, a new Hoover. I could wax on for hours about hoovers, but finally I decided I could live with the current arrangement no more. Despite having good 'suck' I would not drag our 8.5kg upright dyson around a house with a large surface area which is all hard floors. As soon as you start to kick an appliance hoping it will DIE you know the time has come to move on. Found a great wee, cheap, hoover that got a Which Best Buy in April 2009 - it's bloody marvellous. (But enough about that - and I haven't even mentioned the search for a spray mop... oh what an exciting time I've been having.. TheO found me researching the options and practically wept with laughter... it is only a mop after all.)
I've also been trying to 'up' the running this week. And sort of managed. Early in the week I set out to do my 9 mile run. After 5 miles (in 49min) I just gave in. It wasn't working, in any way. I did then follow it up directly afterwards with a 2 mile dog walk... but this doesn't really add to the running.
We then went to circuits, having missed out for several weeks. It was being taken by Springbok who can give a fairly half-arsed workout. Not this time. Oh god. 3 days later I'm still wincing when I laugh. We did the usual circuits for 1min each, but between each one was another 1min of core torture. Sit ups, plank, leg raises - the works. Then do it all again with the core torture between every second exercise. All v v hard work but made me feel all endorphiny.
A lovely dinner with some semi-distant relatives of TheO's on Friday rounded out the week. Why do people keep making us 2 puds at dinner? It's happened a few times now and I just can't say no to sweet food.
The following w/end was packed. We met up with the Cheese Board in Harvey Nicks to have lunch and discuss quilt making... I know, sounds a little odd, but worked v well. After a lovely lunch we discussed designs, plans and themes for our own squares. Much discussion and decision making was done. A result all round.
On the way home we then popped in on Meeper and Ceegar who were on fine fettle, and the dogs appreciated a long walk around the school grounds. More plans were made for further catch-ups and we finally wended our way home.
Just before we got back we discovered a tree down across our road. Too big too move, and too precarious to get under. Luckily Dotty filled us in with a secret back road which led us round to home, we met Farmer (the clue really is in the name!) and told him about the tree. By the time we got back and changed in anticipation of having to move the sodding thing, all had been done. Nothing like a team of people with a tractor and the desire to scavenge wood.
That takes us to today:
I awoke at 8.30am; a time I know is laughable to many, but which I will refer to as DAWN. I stumbled downstairs, made my porridge, ate it, and went back to bed. At 9.45 I made it up, and started to dress and prepare for the run. Finally I managed to have some coffee -this improved the day immensely.
I did 9 miles in 1.28.50 avg 9.53
9.16 - flat
9.39 - short climb
10.16 - generally up but gentle gradient
9.43 - flatish/ down slightly
9.58 - flat
9.31 - slightly down
9.50 - flat
10.16 - half mile climb
10.18 - flat one very short rise
This was quite momentous as it really cleared my mind of the crap distance runs that have occurred recently. I needed to know that I could do it - I needed to know that it was all as possible as it can seem on a good day. I was very lucky with the weather. Quite cold, but not nippy, some breeze but not too much, and perfect sunshine. A great day for running.
It gives me far more hope for the run in a few weeks. I think I might, once again, be ready for the half marathon distance.
Now I wasn't overly excited by my time for the 9 miler as in the gym recently I've been so much faster and averaging just under 10min/miles seems like a bit of a back step. But my carefully kept records tell me that it's a 9 mile training run record. A good 5 min shaved off the old record. This gives me even greater hope for racing as I always get a bit of a boost from knowing it's all or nothing.
But the 9 miler wasn't the highlight of the day. We got to celebrate Tigger's birthday. Her delightful otherhalf had baked an enormous mountian of various and delicious cakes. It was lovely to celebrate, laugh with friends, eat great cake, and chill out. Although the sugarhigh after the run did almost do for me. I'm just coming down now.
But that's it - I'm off, it's late and the family descend next week - need to get that hoover into action sharpish.
xx
Brunch and Dim Sum to celebrate with Teech. Oh, the glory of msg and weird gloop with 1000 yr old egg. Mmmmm.
Blarney and Babybelle came for a visit, my child holding skills are still standing firm. As is my love for the little tyke. She gets bonus points for not giving me her cold.
We got a new freezer for outside to finally hold the vast amounts of meat we keep being given by neighbours. Also stores extra supermarket offers! And, the cherry on the domestic cake, a new Hoover. I could wax on for hours about hoovers, but finally I decided I could live with the current arrangement no more. Despite having good 'suck' I would not drag our 8.5kg upright dyson around a house with a large surface area which is all hard floors. As soon as you start to kick an appliance hoping it will DIE you know the time has come to move on. Found a great wee, cheap, hoover that got a Which Best Buy in April 2009 - it's bloody marvellous. (But enough about that - and I haven't even mentioned the search for a spray mop... oh what an exciting time I've been having.. TheO found me researching the options and practically wept with laughter... it is only a mop after all.)
I've also been trying to 'up' the running this week. And sort of managed. Early in the week I set out to do my 9 mile run. After 5 miles (in 49min) I just gave in. It wasn't working, in any way. I did then follow it up directly afterwards with a 2 mile dog walk... but this doesn't really add to the running.
We then went to circuits, having missed out for several weeks. It was being taken by Springbok who can give a fairly half-arsed workout. Not this time. Oh god. 3 days later I'm still wincing when I laugh. We did the usual circuits for 1min each, but between each one was another 1min of core torture. Sit ups, plank, leg raises - the works. Then do it all again with the core torture between every second exercise. All v v hard work but made me feel all endorphiny.
A lovely dinner with some semi-distant relatives of TheO's on Friday rounded out the week. Why do people keep making us 2 puds at dinner? It's happened a few times now and I just can't say no to sweet food.
The following w/end was packed. We met up with the Cheese Board in Harvey Nicks to have lunch and discuss quilt making... I know, sounds a little odd, but worked v well. After a lovely lunch we discussed designs, plans and themes for our own squares. Much discussion and decision making was done. A result all round.
On the way home we then popped in on Meeper and Ceegar who were on fine fettle, and the dogs appreciated a long walk around the school grounds. More plans were made for further catch-ups and we finally wended our way home.
Just before we got back we discovered a tree down across our road. Too big too move, and too precarious to get under. Luckily Dotty filled us in with a secret back road which led us round to home, we met Farmer (the clue really is in the name!) and told him about the tree. By the time we got back and changed in anticipation of having to move the sodding thing, all had been done. Nothing like a team of people with a tractor and the desire to scavenge wood.
That takes us to today:
I awoke at 8.30am; a time I know is laughable to many, but which I will refer to as DAWN. I stumbled downstairs, made my porridge, ate it, and went back to bed. At 9.45 I made it up, and started to dress and prepare for the run. Finally I managed to have some coffee -this improved the day immensely.
I did 9 miles in 1.28.50 avg 9.53
9.16 - flat
9.39 - short climb
10.16 - generally up but gentle gradient
9.43 - flatish/ down slightly
9.58 - flat
9.31 - slightly down
9.50 - flat
10.16 - half mile climb
10.18 - flat one very short rise
This was quite momentous as it really cleared my mind of the crap distance runs that have occurred recently. I needed to know that I could do it - I needed to know that it was all as possible as it can seem on a good day. I was very lucky with the weather. Quite cold, but not nippy, some breeze but not too much, and perfect sunshine. A great day for running.
It gives me far more hope for the run in a few weeks. I think I might, once again, be ready for the half marathon distance.
Now I wasn't overly excited by my time for the 9 miler as in the gym recently I've been so much faster and averaging just under 10min/miles seems like a bit of a back step. But my carefully kept records tell me that it's a 9 mile training run record. A good 5 min shaved off the old record. This gives me even greater hope for racing as I always get a bit of a boost from knowing it's all or nothing.
But the 9 miler wasn't the highlight of the day. We got to celebrate Tigger's birthday. Her delightful otherhalf had baked an enormous mountian of various and delicious cakes. It was lovely to celebrate, laugh with friends, eat great cake, and chill out. Although the sugarhigh after the run did almost do for me. I'm just coming down now.
But that's it - I'm off, it's late and the family descend next week - need to get that hoover into action sharpish.
xx
3 comments:
Need to know more about the hoover - I need a new one for the new house.
Need to know more about the hoover - I'm a sad freak who also gets excited about such things. ;P
We have a Henry that we love to bits - I now wouldn't have any other hoover.
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