Running again

It really does make me feel better.
Today was 3.1 miles (the beloved 5k) in 30.15 which felt a litter better than usual.
Getting there. Improving. Slowly.

Had one of those incredible sleeps where you could sleep forever. But today had important things to get done... a new lead for the gold dog- her squirrel hunting habit has shredded the old one. Hilarious when running and she heads into the undergrowth at high speed.

So, a run, some work done, orders taken; and now off to the British Museum to see 100 objects that define the world. Sounds like heaven when followed by nooodles.

I thought a quick blog was better than nothing. Bye for now.

Monthly update!

If any of you are still reading, congratulations on almost endless patience!

The real news is that I went for a run, a 4 mile run... read it and weep fellow runners... 4 miles. Go me.

The fact I'm so excited about a 4 mile run suggests that I'm still a bit behind on the whole idea of a schedule at the moment. Although, living on the 3rd floor I am generally walking far more than I ever have for the last 10 years. And carrying stuff a lot more too. Not that I really feel any fitter - but then I was fit through running for a while... must get back to that level of fitness.

4miles - 39minutes 9.53/9.31/9.47/9.47

I'm not over the moon that I'm still slow - but this time my 5k time was 30.15 which is about 30 seconds faster than last time; despite it being a pathetic improvement, I'll take it.

Lovely London sums up the last month. Has been great to discover new bits south of the river, and to go and see some shows (BP Portrait Award), enjoy the parks & The Heath.

Also made it to The Island to see the nephews; this was wonderful. A new house to visit and 3 very excited small boys who were DELIGHTED by their modest Go-Go gifts. At first you think, "what is this plastic shite that entices them?"; then you realise that the plastic shite is really cheap. Brilliant. Fresh Mackrel & fantastic beach walks were a real highlight, that, and the company.

First trip to Manchester to see Tigger & Badger. Great, great hosts; incredible food; and a lovely place to put us all up. I think Tigger enjoyed her birthday and HH enjoyed her dress shopping.

After all this madness I'm back in the big smoke, and loving the change. Managed to make my first stock & some soup... if I post again it means it was edible.

Off to grab a drink and rest my aching legs. ('Cos god, they do ache after 4 miles, last time I did that was July 19th.. v shabby.)

So, it really has been a while.

It's not that I stopped running - but I sort of did for a bit. (I'm back in the saddle now - one run on Monday and I'm *just about* to go out for another.)

Life got a little bit hectic. A little bit different. And a lot better.

I'll start by saying that I met someone (CHG) - and it's all good. But that's all the detail you'll get about that.

The last 3 MONTHS - (3 months - holy christ! how did that happen) have been quite sociable and included the following: (Any details missed out are purely accidental and if I've missed anything vital - screw it.)

1. Sometime in the summer RF & Wheeler had a BBQ - this involved the police (due to a crash down the road, not our antics) and drinking whisky all night... yes, all night. I went to bed at 6am. It was a great party... I think.

2. I discovered the joy that is Acoustic Dave. I had help in this discovery from a psychic Australian... this sounds like the start of a bad joke - all true I swear.

3.Very kind friends who hold BBQs (see above) lent me an incredible pad in Edinburgh on the basis that I did a little light painting. They are forever blessed. In fact, that might be why the Pope is visiting.

4. Managed to catch up with a visiting friend from the states. He was hale, happy, and flashing his new iPad and iPhone 4 - we didn't talk much, there were gadgets to drool over.

5. MaYa and brood descended for a lovely few days in Perthshire. 'Phews were fantastic company and I think all had a good time (including me).

6. I carried my dog into a ceramics class in a bag for 3 days and she behaved impeccably! They still miss her (more than they miss me). I still have to go and finish some pieces... one of which is a fancy dog bowl...

7. I was treated to an incredible spa day and lunch at 21212 in Edinburgh. Many thanks go out to Meeper and Ceegar.

8. I finally saw a new continent by going to Marrakesh with RF & HH for 5 days. A better trip could not have been had. Thanks to HH for all the planning & organising.

9. Lots of good times, and good food, with friends old a new. This sounds quite general but they did all make it a great summer.

10. The beginnings of festival madness: Nina Conti, Phil Kay, Dead Cat Bounce.

11. An incredible trip round Scotland. Stopping points: Lunan Bay, Secret Location near Inverness, Dunnett Head - THEN ON TO ORKNEY* - Across Sutherland, down the west to Ullapool (not Unapool which is substantially closer when driving!), back to Inverness, then Fort William, then back to Edinburgh to finish festival madness with:

12. Henry Rollins & Chris Addison. (Not together - that would be quite something.)

I'll pause my list here to say that Orkney was incredible. Not only was it beautiful but new acquaintances were kind, generous, funny, and loved the gold dog (again, far more than me). It could not have been a more spectacular trip. Particularly heading out to a far flung island to find stunning weather, white sand beaches, and Caribbean blue seas! Felt privileged to have seen it all.

13. Then, just to top off this madness I moved house. It was a little more stressful than anticipated. Advice: Never let anyone give you a moving quote over the phone, insist they come and see it! It was a shitty experience and one I hope not to repeat. However, it was one day. And I am delighted with how the new place turned out. Still got to unpack the workshop - but I'm getting there. Managed to feed friends 48h after moving in ... not bad, I think. Optimism was rewarded.

14. After moving I then loaded the wee car with CHG's stuff and headed to London. As it's only right that the week I move to Edinburgh, she moves to London... c'est la vie!

15. I'm now enjoying London life in small bursts. EXPOSED exhibition at the Tate was the first cultural highlight (although it's bloody depressing).

Now I'm off for my second run of the week. The first being 5k in 30.40 - I was unimpressed with myself - but that's what you get for not having run in about a month (the fact I don't even know disturbs me). All I know is it was along the water of Leith and it was before going to a festival show as I was trying to exercise the gold dog...

So, once more into the breech. Good to be back - lets hope I can keep up this blogging malarkey after such a long hiatus.

Every year..

I suck at Juneathon. And yet every year I keep coming back for more. It is the great unfinished race for me. The blot on my landscape.

I keep 'doing stuff' (summarised below) but life keeps taking the sodding piss and distracting me. No kidding.

However Wednesday:
2.2m dog walk
And I'm pretty sure I went to the gym and ran 5K. How flaky is that - I can't even remember... but I'm sure I did...
Thursday: a shocking 1.5m dog walk.
Friday: Improvement - a 2m dog walk then in the gym a hilly 2m run in 17.48; then the fully tummy series and the full arms series. (Proper exercise!)

So really, I'm not doing that badly, but I'm also not doing too well. Will try and get better - but life is v hectic.

Although, despite the Juneathon thing it is nice to be back in the habit of blogging. Even if it's just drivel. Even if I'm not running far enough and I have to get into training for the Coll Half marathon. Bugger - should start planning that now. Eeek.

Messing with perfection

Well after the delight that was Sunday's exercise regime ...

Monday included a 4mile dog walk round Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh - seriously hilly...
Tuesday was a 2.2mile dog walk.

So I am managing some exercise - but not enough!
Will try and rectify this tomorrow. (And tomorrow, and tomorrow).

But I have lots of work to catch up on. Damn, might have to go to bed early and make a sharp-ish start tomorrow....

Sounds hideous.

Got it all worked out.

So - it's a day where I have both exercised (properly) and am blogging before midnight. Who knew I was capable of this feat? (Not me.)

The exercise:
A 2mile dog walk in the pouring rain (shows commitment) followed IMMEDIATELY by -

1m in 8.48 (Aerobic setting 1) on the treadmill
2.2m on the bike (took 10min) - exercise score '46' - whatever that means
1m on the arm bike in 5.25 (resistance level 5)
Full tummy series
1 mile on the elliptical, crossramp 19 - 11.50 time
Full arm series

Did work hard, but did also take it slowly moving between exercises - this could not have been called 'circuits'; more like 'ambles'. Had lunch too late (and too close to exercise) to make my body happy about doing any sustained distance running. But feel better for working the whole body out. My muscles will ache tomorrow. Sunday exercise feels like an act of worship, so quiet in the gym, and Friday Night Comedy (from Radio4) on the ipod makes the time scoot past.

Off to make myself a little less skanky - and dry some v wet dogs... it's an exciting life.

ps If I lived close enough I'd bribe jogblog with wine too - lets hope Juneathon isn't fixed! :-)

Right day (for posting) Wrong Exercise

It was hot - I was pathetic.
2 mile "jog" no time, no watch, not much bloody effort. Pathetic.

Also 2m dog walk.

I'm a rubbish Junathoner - but tomorrow I'm going to do LOADS... just you wait and see.