I hit a new milestone this weekend. A big one. I realised it when I said to my husband on Sunday "Can you watch the baby I want to map out a 5 miler". Ha! A 5 miler! Me? Only 8 months ago I couldn't run more than 3 or 4 minutes at a time without panting for breath or worrying about peeing myself (god bless pelvic floor exercises post baby) and now I'm casually throwing the term 5 miler around like it's a trip round Tescos. For me - that is big and something I am definitely very proud of. What's even better is that I really enjoyed my 5 milers and I'm really looking forward to my second 10k race, The London Cancer Research Winter Run Series, this weekend.
One of the things that I think has really helped me reach this mile stone is the realisation that running is about 40% physical and 60% mental. For me this means employing a lot of mind tricks when I run. These have been written about lots of times before so I won't drone on but of course things like positive mantras (my favourite is 'feet fast, legs strong, I can do this all day long!') and also focusing at something in the distance, particularly when running uphill.
One of my new favorite mind tricks though is one I made up and would love to share with you. I call it my body check. When I start feeling like it's getting tough I do a mental scan of my body, covering any niggles and the main running areas and I give them a score out of 10 as to how they are coping. 1 being fantastic and 10 being worst pain ever.
So on Sunday in my head it sounded a little like this:
Left ankle (a trouble spot for me) - 6
Knees - about a 4
Breathing - 6.5
Temperature - 5
Legs as a whole - 6
I do this until I have covered all my niggly areas and by the time I'm done I normally come to the conclusion that actually I can work a lot harder. If I do pinpoint an area and rate it as a 8 or above however I try to modify what I'm doing, perhaps by slowing my pace, or stopping briefly to stretch or indeed, accepting that actually I shouldn't be running on a joint I score as a 10 on the pain threshold.
Pretty much every time I do this I find it takes just enough time that I'm normally peaking again.
Would love to know if this works for anyone else - and also hear about any interesting time killing tips that get you through those long runs.
Happy running! :)
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Thursday, 21 January 2016
Running.... to the toilet!
I think today's title pretty much sums up what this blog is about and I should warn you, if you're squeamish, then back away right now. If not, and if you like a laugh at other people's misfortunes, then read on!
Now, many of us will have experienced the dreaded 'runner trots'. Not a topic oft spoken of but definitely one which plaques a high number of runners. My first experience of it was on the way home from my first Parkrun. I'd given a friend, who I hadn't known for that long, a lift back to her house when suddenly, sitting outside in the car, I felt like I was about to have a serious poop related accident. With most of my friends I'm pretty open about things like this but I hadn't known this lady for more than a couple of weeks so the last thing I felt like bringing to our budding friendship was "OMG I really need to empty my bowels in your house!" (We later discussed this incident and when I told her about my difficulty she said "oh wow! you know you really should have come in and pooed! It's just poo!" Good to know....) Anyway, I didn't go in, instead I drove frantically home and hid in the bathroom for about 20 minutes before emerging a good couple of lbs lighter. Since then I've been a little more careful to 'go' before runs in the morning or not eat too close to a run and I do have to be careful as I find anything over 3 miles can trigger it. However with careful planning I haven't had any particularly nasty episodes.
Until yesterday that is... although yesterday there was a slight difference as it wasn't induced by running but by laxatives because unfortunately I had to have a colonoscopy today which required 'clearing out' the entire bowel. And this, my friends, made runners trots feel like child's play.
To be fair, I think I may have brought it on myself a little. Half an hour after taking my second dose of Picolax (a heavy duty bowel stripper) I made the mistake of saying 'oh this isn't too bad'. Ten minutes later I'm gripping to the loo, poop like a high powered jet spray, yelling at my eldest 'mummy can't get off the toilet darling! please make sure the baby doesn't climb in the oven!'. I mean seriously, I'm sorry for the mental image, but talk about horrendous. To top it off I wasn't allowed to eat for 36 hours which wouldn't be so bad except that every five minutes one of the children wants something to eat. Have you ever had to prepare food when you're on a nil by mouth diet? It's just cruel. Porridge, cereal, bananas, more cereal, toast dripping with honey - and that was just breakfast.
Thankfully it's all over now and the silver lining is I've lost 3 lbs in less than 2 days (which I will -probably put straight back on tonight when I chow down on my own body weight in fish and rice).
The other benefit is that I now finally have a diagnosis for symptoms which have plagued me for years and although that means accepting a life of living with colitis I'm determined that now I can tackle it head on. It also means you'll be seeing lots of 'coping with colitis as a runner' posts as obviously it effects everything from diet to distance and quite frankly I think it's something we should be far more open about.
In the meantime here are some handy websites with tips for those of us who do suffer with runners trots:
Tips for fixing runner's trots you've never heard of
Avoiding runners trots
Now, many of us will have experienced the dreaded 'runner trots'. Not a topic oft spoken of but definitely one which plaques a high number of runners. My first experience of it was on the way home from my first Parkrun. I'd given a friend, who I hadn't known for that long, a lift back to her house when suddenly, sitting outside in the car, I felt like I was about to have a serious poop related accident. With most of my friends I'm pretty open about things like this but I hadn't known this lady for more than a couple of weeks so the last thing I felt like bringing to our budding friendship was "OMG I really need to empty my bowels in your house!" (We later discussed this incident and when I told her about my difficulty she said "oh wow! you know you really should have come in and pooed! It's just poo!" Good to know....) Anyway, I didn't go in, instead I drove frantically home and hid in the bathroom for about 20 minutes before emerging a good couple of lbs lighter. Since then I've been a little more careful to 'go' before runs in the morning or not eat too close to a run and I do have to be careful as I find anything over 3 miles can trigger it. However with careful planning I haven't had any particularly nasty episodes.
Until yesterday that is... although yesterday there was a slight difference as it wasn't induced by running but by laxatives because unfortunately I had to have a colonoscopy today which required 'clearing out' the entire bowel. And this, my friends, made runners trots feel like child's play.
To be fair, I think I may have brought it on myself a little. Half an hour after taking my second dose of Picolax (a heavy duty bowel stripper) I made the mistake of saying 'oh this isn't too bad'. Ten minutes later I'm gripping to the loo, poop like a high powered jet spray, yelling at my eldest 'mummy can't get off the toilet darling! please make sure the baby doesn't climb in the oven!'. I mean seriously, I'm sorry for the mental image, but talk about horrendous. To top it off I wasn't allowed to eat for 36 hours which wouldn't be so bad except that every five minutes one of the children wants something to eat. Have you ever had to prepare food when you're on a nil by mouth diet? It's just cruel. Porridge, cereal, bananas, more cereal, toast dripping with honey - and that was just breakfast.
Thankfully it's all over now and the silver lining is I've lost 3 lbs in less than 2 days (which I will -probably put straight back on tonight when I chow down on my own body weight in fish and rice).
The other benefit is that I now finally have a diagnosis for symptoms which have plagued me for years and although that means accepting a life of living with colitis I'm determined that now I can tackle it head on. It also means you'll be seeing lots of 'coping with colitis as a runner' posts as obviously it effects everything from diet to distance and quite frankly I think it's something we should be far more open about.
In the meantime here are some handy websites with tips for those of us who do suffer with runners trots:
Tips for fixing runner's trots you've never heard of
Avoiding runners trots
Friday, 15 January 2016
Finding the time??
A good week for running so far, despite the chilly weather. 4.3 miles with the club on Tuesday with group 1.5 (or 3 as we will be called soon) - beginning to think it will soon be time to step up a group again. Will wait for 'move up' week though as then they go a little easier on us!
Had another successful run to school too - baby girl loves these runs and I must say I'm quite enjoying them too. It will be lovely when we get some nice weather!
The only downside this week, and last, has been trying to fit in some cross training - I just about manage to squeeze in my 3 runs a week without inconveniencing the family too much but trying to squash in a fourth session for some cross training is really tough! Ideally I would do it in the afternoons but baby girl likes to sleep then and although I can do a DVD at home in all honesty it's the only chance I have to get housework done. Alternatively I could go to the gym on the weekend but I feel my poor hubby already puts up with me off and running over the weekend so not sure he'd be too happy if I flitted off again for a gym session.... not sure what to do about that. Do I give up and accept 3 sessions of running is quite a lot with a busy family and a job to hold down? or keep trying to find another spare hour somewhere? all suggestions welcome please! How do you squeeze your extra sessions in??
Had another successful run to school too - baby girl loves these runs and I must say I'm quite enjoying them too. It will be lovely when we get some nice weather!
The only downside this week, and last, has been trying to fit in some cross training - I just about manage to squeeze in my 3 runs a week without inconveniencing the family too much but trying to squash in a fourth session for some cross training is really tough! Ideally I would do it in the afternoons but baby girl likes to sleep then and although I can do a DVD at home in all honesty it's the only chance I have to get housework done. Alternatively I could go to the gym on the weekend but I feel my poor hubby already puts up with me off and running over the weekend so not sure he'd be too happy if I flitted off again for a gym session.... not sure what to do about that. Do I give up and accept 3 sessions of running is quite a lot with a busy family and a job to hold down? or keep trying to find another spare hour somewhere? all suggestions welcome please! How do you squeeze your extra sessions in??
Friday, 8 January 2016
Meet BOB
One of the hardest things about trying to run when you have kids is simply finding the time. Yes, yes, I know - run before they get up, or when they go to bed, or on a treadmill - well that's all very well and good but my hubby leaves for work at 5.30 am so that's just a stupid idea and we although I love our house we certainly don't have any where to plonk a treadmill! Now, that said, my son does go to nursery in the afternoons so to try and make squeezing a run in more doable I recently invested in a running buggy - and here he is... meet BOB!
Now, finding BOB was a bit of a nightmare. I'm pretty skint so buying a new running buggy wasn't an option and finding a second hand one proved to be tricky - they are so in demand they weren't going for much less than new ones - often going for £150-200. Luckily for me I'm part of a fantastic running group and once I put a message out that I was looking someone soon came back with this little bad boy and at a really reasonable price too. The prior owner also mentioned she'd run her best ever 10k with it at 45 minutes (I can't run 10k in 45 minutes WITHOUT a buggy so er... no pressure....).
The next obstacle then is to actually run with it. Initially I did wonder if it was a silly idea, I'm only a beginner as it is and throwing a buggy in the mix might be a recipe for disaster, injury and more walking than running. Thankfully, on the two runs I've done so far I've been pleasantly surprised - turns out it's not that much harder (although definitely an added challenge). Yesterday we ran the 1.8 miles to pick up my eldest in a little under 22 mins - clocking a pace of 11.25. Not bad given the extra weight load and best of all baby girl loved it - chatting away in baby talk the whole way round!
I do have these tips for anyone considering buying a running buggy:
1) Do it.
2) Definitely do it.
3) Try running with one hand on while the other arm continues you're usual swinging motion - remember to swap arms though!
4) Accept you'll be slower at first
5) Find a route with wide pavements/running space - it's tricky to steer round people!
6) Never forget to keep your safety strap on
These are really just my first time thoughts - at some point I'll review the BOB in full, although I will say that so far so good. Very steady, streamlined and safe.
Would love to hear stories and tips from other buggy running mummies - there don't seem to be that many out there and I got some odd looks from passers by!
This is a great article about running with babies: http://www.active.com/parenting-and-family/articles/5-tips-for-running-with-a-stroller
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
2016 miles?! Must be mental....
As if I haven't set myself enough targets for the year I've added another to the list: walking/running 2016 miles by the end of the year! The website sells the challenge like this:
Welcome to Run The Year 2016 – We’re challenging you to run, walk, or crawl 2,016 miles in 2016. We want you to use your feet to get you to the finish line. Run The Year with us and an amazing community of like-minded people who will encourage you, celebrate your accomplishments, and (most importantly) keep you running and walking as you cover 2,016 miles in a single year - See more at: http://www.runtheyear2016.com/#sthash.lB7czEho.dpuf
Well, figured I.... that's only 5.5 miles a day - or apprx 40 miles a week - I'm running 10 miles a week anyway - give or take - and I'm sure I walk enough to cover the rest what with running around after the kids! So I signed up....
So far its day 6 and I do seem to be on track and I have to say the facebook group is great with lots of enthusiastic friendly people all on their own unique journeys; some running the lot (mentalists!) and some doing what I'm doing and including their daily walking.
So hey - If you are looking for a great group to join and feel like adding an extra challenge to your year - sign up and let me know so we can spur each other on!
http://www.runtheyear2016.com/
ps - Club run was great last night! Ran with group 3 and covered 4 miles. Great start to the week!
pps - If anyone from my club reads this you'll be thinking - you didn't run with group 3! All our groups are being renumbered this month so it's actually group 1.5 but will soon be called group 3...
pps - If anyone from my club reads this you'll be thinking - you didn't run with group 3! All our groups are being renumbered this month so it's actually group 1.5 but will soon be called group 3...
Monday, 4 January 2016
Goal!
Was desperate to get out for a run today but with a hospital appointment that ran over from 9am-12noon, followed by an arduous afternoon at work and then the usual hustle and bustle of being mum until, well, now, I haven't squeezed one in. Luckily tomorrow is club night as I'm itching to burn off some steam!
In the meantime I've been thinking about my weekly goals as year long goals are rather large and with it being the 4th Jan - difficult to actually fathom right now!
This week then I make a runners pledge to:
1. Do at least one cross training session - preferably spin
2. Foam roll my legs daily again as my shins have been tight (an on-going issue for me and most beginners - helped MASSIVELY by the foam rolling!)
3. Clock in 8-10 miles
4. Run with group 3 tomorrow
I do feel I should probably have a think about monthly goals too as then it should all come together over the year. I'm a self confessed list maker and routine setter so I have to say I do love a good goal! I'm interested to hear how other are breaking down their bigger goals? Do you prefer weekly, monthly or yearly targets? Or a mixture?
Happy running!
In the meantime I've been thinking about my weekly goals as year long goals are rather large and with it being the 4th Jan - difficult to actually fathom right now!
This week then I make a runners pledge to:
1. Do at least one cross training session - preferably spin
2. Foam roll my legs daily again as my shins have been tight (an on-going issue for me and most beginners - helped MASSIVELY by the foam rolling!)
3. Clock in 8-10 miles
4. Run with group 3 tomorrow
I do feel I should probably have a think about monthly goals too as then it should all come together over the year. I'm a self confessed list maker and routine setter so I have to say I do love a good goal! I'm interested to hear how other are breaking down their bigger goals? Do you prefer weekly, monthly or yearly targets? Or a mixture?
Happy running!
Saturday, 2 January 2016
A new year and a new PB
Well a big Happy New Year to you! I've been rubbish at blogging - in fact I had decided not to bother after all as I figured no one would read it anyway and I'm too busy... but I've recently been inspired to make the effort as a New Years resolution as a fellow blogger said 'if one person reads it then it's worth it' (This fellow blogger is a EPIC hero btw... taking on a marathon this year when she's only just started running - you can find and support her here http://elvaaron.blogspot.co.uk/). So, thanks to Elle I'm going to give this a go until June and see if anyone does actually read it...
So anyway, the year has started off pretty well - I've set myself a few goals:
1) Exceed 500 miles in running this year (Last year I clocked up 213 from June-Dec )
2) Get my sub 30 5k (last year's best time was 34.18)
3) Get my 10k under 1.05
4) Enter a half marathon
5) Run with group 4 with my club (I've just graduated to running with group 3 although I do go with group 1 when I'm tired...)
Happily for me I seem to be on track as I managed a PB this morning at Parkrun - clocking in at 32.41 - a big improvement already!
Better sign out - two crazy kids need bathing.... happy running!
So anyway, the year has started off pretty well - I've set myself a few goals:
1) Exceed 500 miles in running this year (Last year I clocked up 213 from June-Dec )
2) Get my sub 30 5k (last year's best time was 34.18)
3) Get my 10k under 1.05
4) Enter a half marathon
5) Run with group 4 with my club (I've just graduated to running with group 3 although I do go with group 1 when I'm tired...)
Happily for me I seem to be on track as I managed a PB this morning at Parkrun - clocking in at 32.41 - a big improvement already!
Better sign out - two crazy kids need bathing.... happy running!
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