Slacker!!

Started to draft this entry on Thursday.

As G has mentioned my blog has stood still!! (Last Tuesday was my last entry)

Since then I've not been putting in enough training as I would have liked. Idea is to run 3 times a week in addition to my weights. Walking too if body or feet didn't feel tired!

Run

Thursday 30th June

Last Thursday Dobby and I went for a run/walk up The Cloud. Car was parked just down from Acorn Lane. Sun was out and it was a pleasant summers evening. We both said at the top we started off a little too fast running along Gosberryhole Lane. Reaching the National Trust sign was a nice relief to catch my breath as we walked for a bit.

At the point where you decide which of the 3 ways to the top you want to take, the running commenced again. Took the left path to the top. Got about two thirds along the section to the trig and I had to stop again!

So with two sections of running and two walking we covered a mile in 15 minutes 31 seconds.

As my challenge is 3 miles, simple! maths would say it'll take approx 45 minutes in total. Walking it took 53 minutes, so combination of running and walking is faster!!!

In the coming weeks I'll time how long it takes to do the other 2 miles of the course broken down into mile sections (first mile is from the start to the canal; second is from canal to top of Acorn Lane).

Let's see if all 3 sections do  tally to 45 minutes?! I'm aware it's not a flat course!

Had good intentions of running at the weekend but re-set my alarm and went back to sleep!!

Saturday 9th July

Should have done 2 runs this week, but straight to an easy run for 20 minutes.

That’s what the plan was! Up around 6am and was walking through an empty Congleton Park.

Congleton Park 6:30am

Still not learnt from walking about wearing too many layers when I set off! Weather initially was cloudy so had my shell on! Also on the previous run we had set off at too fast a pace.

So once again my pace was too fast! Didn't have my heart rate monitor on but could easily hear my breathing so knew I wasn't running at an easy pace. Say it was either a steady pace or possibly a hard pace!! Find it hard to 

Passed a lady walking 3 dogs along the way and managed to say morning! 

Knew I'd be better without the shell on but didn't want to stop! so kept going. Soon approached the turn off to the canal. Looked at my watch and knew still had a while to go before 20 minutes was up. So crossed over the canal and through a small wooded section.

It was now time to take my shell off, once in rucksack I set off again. Carried on along the field but not for long!! 

My body now told me it was time to stop for a proper breath!! 

So after 13 minutes and 5 seconds I'd covered 1.14 miles.

Hadn't been able to keep going for the full 20 minutes but was pleased to cover the first mile of the challenge course. It took 11 minutes and 10 seconds.

Rather than walking up The Cloud I decided to head home via the canal.

Decided to snap a pic of one of the trees in the small wooded section after the canal bridge. As you can see something's been eating away at it!!

The canal paths were nice and muddy from all the previous rain we've been having.

As it was still fairly early the sun was still rising.

Stopped at the Co-op which hadn't been open for long and bought a nicely chilled Strawberry Yop drink, very nice indeed!!

Bike

Monday

Monday was a good day for training to do 53k in one session! Have done a few 20ks at different resistance levels on my bike I've decided to use level 2.

Plan is to add 2k each week to gradually build up the distance and amount of time on the bike to reach my goal!!

So Monday I did 26k in 52 minutes 51 seconds.­

Simple maths example two!! It should take under 2 hours to cover 53k.

Thursday

On Thursday bike training switched to the shorter distance of 8k using resistance level 1.

Last week took 10 minutes 31 seconds.

This week took 10 minutes, guess how many seconds?!!........  11 seconds.

So pleased with a 20 second improvement  (did find towards the end being motivated by remaining time to go quicker!!)

Overview

Bike training is going well, running not so! No walking last week too! Definitely been a Slacker!!

So from next week going to change training week around a bit to motivate myself.

Will get up early doors Monday, Wednesday and Friday to go running and do the weights in the afternoon.

Then Tuesday and Thursday continue with the 53k training and 8k training.

Gives me weekends to recover and walk if the mood takes me!!

Will try to get in to doing a weekly summary each Friday to note my progress!