I run, therefore I am... But am I an athlete?

I sometimes like to pretend to be better at running than I am. There, I said it. I don't intentionally lie, but when I tell my work colleagues, friends or family that I'm going out running or entering an event, they seem to assume that I'm actually quite good. I'm not. But I don't always correct them. In my own little world, I am an athlete.

What qualifies someone as an athlete? Is it being world class; being better than your competitors; or simply being the best you can be? If it's the latter, this year I'm really going to try.

The reason I'm thinking about this is that my favourite yoga teacher (a definite athlete) recently came back from her travels. My husband (also an athlete - as evidenced by the 3 hour marathon and amazing cycling ability) isn't very flexible. As we've vowed to spend a bit more time together next year, I thought it would be a good idea to sign up for some classes.

I noticed a new "Yoga for Athletes" class, aimed at cyclists and runners, and thought it would be perfect. For him anyway. So I signed us up. I can't wait to get back to it - it's been over a year and I'm missing the sun salutations and willing my hamstrings to streeeeeeeetchhh. Ahhh. It should really help with the marathon training and, for once, I'll be able to do it beside my hubby. When we're out running or mountain biking, I can't see him for dust.

It's been a while!

Okay so I know it's been a very, very long time since my last post. It may seem that my dedication to writing this blog has waned but the truth is I've just been too busy. I see that it was back in September that I last wrote - where did the last few months go?

Well, I managed to complete the Loch Ness Marathon. Huffing and puffing my way round in 4 hours and 11 minutes. A whole hour and 9 minutes behind my husband. Even though I'd been much more religious and structured about my training than him. Natural athletes - grrr! The hills were horrendous - apparently the scenery is beautiful but I can't remember seeing anything at all after about 15 or 16 miles. No Loch Ness monster. No castles. Not even the loch! I recovered much more quickly than after my last marathon attempt 4 years ago and have even now signed up for the Edinburgh one in May 2010. Less than 5 months to go so I'm now starting to think about a training plan again.

I'm absolutely determined to break 4 hours this time. It should be do-able because the course is really flat compared to Loch Ness. We'll see. In the past I've tended to use a 3-days-a-week schedule (like the FIRST ones), but I think I'm going old-school this time and aiming for 4 or 5 runs a week. Since I last posted, we've moved office (far, far away!) and I've started studying for a Masters, but I think I can just about fit in a lunchtime run 3 or 4 times a week and then go for the big one on a Saturday. That should still leave me time to fit in one or two evening weights or yoga sessions and a Sunday bike ride. I'm going to be a busy bee. Even so, I'll try to be a bit better and update this once a month.

Anyway, it's still Christmas, so I'll sign off for now. The chocolates and cheese and biccies are calling. After all, I need to have something to run off in the New Year!

26 days to 26 miles

The countdown is progressing and I'm starting to feel like I actually will be able to complete the dreaded 26.2 in less than four weeks time. I surprised myself with a better than expected 1 hour and 52 minutes at Sunday's Glasgow Half Marathon. How I managed to knock 9 minutes off last month's effort I'll never know. I didn't even train last week at all. Could that be the secret? Hmm, or maybe it was because it was pouring with rain and the scenery was grey and grim - I just got my head down, my I-pod on and got it over with as quickly as I could!

In complete contrast to the last time I ran a marathon, I'm now doing okay with the weekend long runs but not so well with the mid-week tempo and interval sessions. Work has been a wee bit stressful and the weather has been terrible so, instead of getting out in the evenings, I've been working later than usual and then collapsing in front of the TV. Lunchtime gym sessions have been replaced by eating in front of my computer. This is not good because I know that running de-stresses me better than anything else. When things are getting on top of you it's even more important to make that commitment to yourself. So, this week got off to a good start with a hill reps/circuits session with the girls in the park. Even though my legs are still a bit stiff from Sunday, I feel so much better.

Whose idea was this anyway?

Five and a bit weeks to go 'til the big M and I'm nowhere near prepared. Where did the summer go? It only seems like days since I was meticulously planning my 16-week training schedule - dreaming about reaching peak fitness and slashing 30 minutes off my time. Ha!

My initial enthusiasm for the running club soon wore off, because:

• Tuesday night long runs were too long and I didn't like leaving the dog at home - she likes running too but the beach is so much more fun than the road and she hates being on the lead
• Thursdays were great but the boys were just too fast for me - why was I the only girl? I thought this was a good challenge at first, but the novelty of playing catch up didn't last and I started to feel demotivated.

I haven't given up on the club completely, but twice-weekly is now more like once-a-month. I am still sticking to three runs a week - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - but have replaced Tuesday's club run with a circuit/hill reps session in the park straight after work. The beauty of this is that it gives me the chance to catch up with a couple of the girls and still get home in time to take the dog out. Thursdays are either running club or 5-6 miles with the dog, and Saturday is the long run.

Ah, the long run. My nemesis. Try as I might I could not get past 9 miles. It always felt like there was so long to go until the marathon that there was no hurry to go longer. I got bored and took a short cut home. Then two weeks ago I did the Haddington Half Marathon and was shocked into action. Another personal worst! It was a warm and sunny afternoon and I was tired, but that's really no excuse. I just hadn't put in the training and I had no one to blame but myself. It didn't bode well for the marathon.

I'd really love to beat my only other marathon attempt (4 hours 20 minutes, 4 years ago) so I'm now pulling out all the stops. I did 14 miles last Saturday - 7 out and 7 back so I couldn't cheat - and intend to add on 2 a week until I hit 20. I'll also add in some cross-trainer and bike sessions on my non-running days, to try to get my fitness up without over-training.

Can I reach my best-ever fitness in less than 6 weeks? Watch this space!

In the footsteps of champions

I've just come back from an incredible weekend at the ITU World Triathlon Championships in London, where I was treated to a five-star lifestyle without breaking my budget of pennies, courtesy of Dextro Energy and my friend Mo.

I took my bike down on the train, which was an experience in itself, and emerged from King's Cross station to brave the crazy London traffic on two wheels. I made it to Hyde Park just in time to catch the end of the women's elite race. I've never seen a championship event like this up close before and knowing that the same course will be used for the 2012 Olympics made it all the more exhilirating.

I stuck around to watch the start of the men's race - the swim was amazing, they just zipped through the water like they were jet-powered - but witnessing a couple of crashes on the bike section started to give me the heebie-jeebies for the next day so I headed off to investigate the hotel.

Dextro Energy looked after me (and the 50 other competition winners from around Europe) very well. We were put up in a beautiful hotel in the heart of Mayfair, treated to a 3 course dinner and given a fetching red and black tri suit to make sure we looked the part. Before dinner, there was just enough time to sneak in another weekend treat - a lavish afternoon tea courtesy of my friend, who was reviewing it for the magazine she works for. Amazing! I'm sure there must be a scientific study somewhere that says that vanilla cupcakes and rose champagne are perfect pre-race fuel. No? Oh well, I was only there for the fun of it so wouldn't be taking my nutrition strategy too seriously.

Sunday morning was an early start - 7.30am breakfast (more sensible - berries, cereal and yoghurt, mmm) then a short cycle to the start area to prepare. After a group photo we were left to rack our bikes and get ourselves ready for our 10am start wave. This gave me just enough time to freak myself out watching some of the earlier waves take to the murky waters of the Serpentine. The water was a tropical 21 degrees C so I'd taken the brave / stupid decision to forego the optional wetsuit. It was my first open water event and I had visions of writing around on the ground beside my bike trying to break free. Better to put up with the cold and save myself a few minutes. I'd need it - as I've said before, swimming is not my strong point. Neither is cycling or running, come to think of it.

Before long, we were ushered along the plank / pontoon and plunged into the lake. We had to swim a couple of minutes to get to the start point and that's where I really started to panic. It was so strange to look through my goggles and see nothing but brown water. I tried closing my eyes but couldn't get it out of my head that my face was submerged in bird poo, feathers and pond weed. Get it together, I told myself. Breathe slowly. We had a few minutes to gather our thoughts before the horn sounded and this was just long enough for me to convince myself that I did want to do this.

Fortunately the dark water was soon lifted by bubbles from the feet in front of me. Slow and steady, I made my way round the 750m course. I still can't swim front crawl so was surprised to find I wasn't last out of the water.

I thought I'd make up some time on the bike but it wasn't to be. My legs are usually pretty strong but the water had left me feeling queasy and it took a while for me to feel like pushing it. It was a really flat course with some tight corners and, strange as it may sound, I think I'm better on hills. There was quite a high proportion of serious-looking competitors, sporting time-trial helmets, tri bars, disc wheels or, at the very least, a proper racing bike, so I didn't feel too bad on my little hybrid.

My one brick session last week must have paid off - I finally made it onto the run section without experiencing jelly-legs. Again, the course was flat and easy - a simple two loops on a section of paths. I felt like I was pushing it but going fairly slow, so I was surpised to see my final time as only 24 minutes for the 5k. Encouraged by someone on my tail in the last minute, I even managed a sprint finish. That's not like me at all - usually I've got nothing left in the tank at the end and hobble along the last few minutes looking like I might need a paramedic!

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole event. My time won't be setting the record books on fire but it was much better than I expected (1 hour 36 minutes - I thought I'd be getting picked up by the stragglers bus). With a bit of training, I might even break out of the bottom half of the results table.

Be careful what you wish for!

A few weeks back I went into a competition-entering frenzy. It started with an offer on the front of Runner's World to win a brand new car. A quick bit of mental arithmetic and I figured my chances had to be pretty high. Not that many people read UK Runner's World and, of those that do, how many actually enter the competitions? It didn't end there... what else could I enter? I came across a few holiday competitions and then one in the SportSister newsletter for a place in the Dextro Energy Triathlon. I entered them all then thought nothing more of it. Until last Monday...

I was a bit taken aback when an email arrived in my inbox say that I'd won the triathlon competition. Amazing - I never win anything! But, hang on a minute, it's a place in a TRIATHLON. In 2 weeks. I'm struggling enough with my marathon and half-marathon training and haven't actually been in a pool since the last triathlon at the beginning of May. I'd planned to just run and do the odd gym session or bike ride through the summer, before launching into a swimming programme over the winter. Oops.

I briefly considered saying 'thanks, but no thanks' before it occurred to me that the prize included:

• Travel costs to London
• A night in a 5 star hotel, with dinner and breakfast
• An undoubtedly very fetching 'high end competition outfit'

Two of my best friends live in London and I can never afford to visit them so that was enough to persuade me that it would be worth the pain.

Let's just hope I'm not last this time...

FOMO

This month, I've been struck by a massive case of FOMO. I'm not usually a fan of acronyms, but that one strikes a chord. I first heard it in the car on the way home from work, listening to the Scott Mills show on Radio One. FOMO, or 'fear of missing out' is that horrible feeling you get when everyone else is doing something and, even if you don't really want to do whatever it is they're doing, you don't want to be the only one who's not doing it.

Earlier this year I tried to get a team together for the Corrieyairack Challenge, no mean feat when you're rubbish at mountain biking and everyone else you know is either (a)brilliant at it or (b)not interested. Then, in a flurry of excitement, a group of friends decided to put in a few teams and I thought I was going to get the chance to give it a go. The 'Corrie' is a 43 mile race done on either mountain bike or as a duathlon. No one wanted to do the duathlon except me, so it was mountain biking all the way.

We went out for a training ride in May and that's where the gap between me and the rest became apparent. It was all off the beaten track and I turned into a gibbering wreck. I came off and landed head-first in a pile of heather, resulting in a heather burned face and a mouthful of the herby stuff. I got so upset about my inability to keep up that I started to cry and said I hated it. No wonder no one wanted me in their team!

So, I volunteered myself as the team marshal - donning a high vis vest and lollipop to help direct the traffic on the route. It sounded fun on paper but the reality was that I was JEALOUS and couldn't get over the fact that I wasn't taking part. Even if I'd entered the race and been last, I would have loved just getting over the finish line. Even if I'd hated every minute of it. You just can't beat the satisfaction of getting there and accomplishing something, especially when it's really difficult. I felt so left out of the post-race chat that I went into a proper sulk. And then got even more mad because my hubby is doing ANOTHER race this weekend and I'm not invited. It's brought back horrible memories... I'm back at school and no one wants me in their netball team.

Stop! I'm not going to feel sorry for myself for a minute longer. I'm so proud of B for doing really well in the race and know that I just need to work really hard, be brave, and not let myself get left out again.

Peace

A moment of relaxation? No, me trying to figure out which direction we should be going in. Navigation never was my strong point.

Marathon sleeps to marathon plan

I'm back from holidays and finally over my jet lag after 3 days of feeling like the walking dead at work. I slept for nearly 12 hours last night and almost feel human again.

I managed to keep my training coasting along over the holiday. I fitted in a few runs, hikes and bike rides and even 2 gym sessions. If nothing else, it counterbalanced the massive amounts of food I was putting away and I actually came back a couple of pounds lighter. I tried my best to be healthy but had a few lapses and developed a new found love of peanut butter cups. Mmm.

The cupboards have been bare since we got back so I'm just about to head off to the supermarket to stock up on healthy provisions.  I'll need them because my 16-week marathon preparation plan kicks off in earnest on Monday...

Don't forget to pack your running shoes

We're off on holiday on Monday for two weeks and my running kit is at the top of my packing list.  I'm still feeling tired and struggling to get out after work so I hope that the holiday will give me a good chance to re-charge and energise.

I did manage to drag my sorry self along to both running club sessions this week.  The journey home from work was spent with a small demon on one shoulder whispering 'put your feet up, have a cup of tea, eat chocolate' and a virtuous little angel on the other saying 'you'll feel so much better if you make the effort'.  

In the end I compromised - I went along, did my best, then came home and had tea and chocolate!

 

Lost in transition

The past two weeks I've done virtually no exercise, except for taking part in another triathlon last Sunday. This one was a novice but I found it hard! I'm back to finishing in the bottom third, which could be for one of two reasons:

• inadequate training - given that I have no natural athletic ability at all, when my training isn't intense and specific I really struggle to make improvements 
• over-training - I worked really hard for the 10k and might have burned myself out a little bit - added to this I'm mentally drained from starting my new job, so maybe I just needed a rest.
  

Either way, I decided it would be a good idea to take a wee break and let my body and mind recover before I throw myself into marathon preparation.

I really enjoyed taking part in the triathlon. The first section was a 250m swim in the pool, which went much better than the one in March.  The difference here was that everyone was sent off at 15 second intervals, based on their predicted time, and we had to swim up and down the lanes in a snake-like formation. This meant that if you'd predicted your time wrong, you'd end up in a traffic jam.  I managed to overtake one person but found the whole 'tapping on the feet' thing very confusing so just slowed down and stayed behind the person in front for the last couple of lanes.  From here, we went straight out to the bikes.

I have a habit of taking ages to get ready. I don't wear loads of make up or blow dry my hair but I tend to faff and I like to be dry and comfy.  As a result, my first transition took over 3 minutes!  Heaps of people were overtaking me to head out onto the bike course, so I panicked and went for it without having a proper drink.

The bike section was good - just under 10k on undulating roads and the weather was lovely. I pushed as hard as I could but didn't make any significant progress. The run was the same but only 4k - I hadn't done any 'brick' sessions this time so my legs really did feel like jelly at the start, but I got round in 22 mins, even though by the time I finished my shins were starting to cramp.

My worst mistakes this time were not doing any swim or 'brick' training and hardly spending any time training on the bike, not practicing the swim transition, and not drinking enough.  Hmm, that's quite a few mistakes.  Why didn't I pay any attention to the idiots guides in Triathletes World. Ah well, I'll hopefully remember for next time.

The whole thing took me 55 minutes (87th overall out of 125; 16th female).  After a proper drink and some food I got my energy back, so I decided to go mountain biking in the afternoon.  My legs could only manage about an hour but I had to make the most of the nice weather.  After that, I was so shattered that I needed to take a few days off training.

This week I've concentrated on work stuff in the evenings but I wonder if my tiredness is as much mental, from the stress of changing jobs, than physical.  I know that exercise normally helps me to gather my thoughts and work through any worries.  Now I still feel tired, even though I've had a rest, so I'm off for a run to see if that sorts me out.

PW to PB in 4 weeks

Just a quickie today as it's my second day in my brand new job tomorrow (hence the lack of postings).  I ran a 10k this morning and managed to make a PB (50 min 46) in spite of my relatively rubbish performance in the half marathon last month.

One contributing factor could be the fact that I joined the local running club a couple of weeks ago and went out running with the big boys on the track on Thursday.  Okay so it's not really long enough to make a massive difference to my fitness but I think it made me realise that I can push myself harder than I have been.

To celebrate, I've now entered two more half marathons this summer and... wait for it... a marathon in October.  I'll keep you posted with the progress (after I've got my head around my new job).

Planning moves into the 21st century

At last! I'm finally getting to grips with all the websites and technologies that are available to help me with my training. Like twitter, I signed up for Fetch everyone a good 18 months before I actually started to use it. I just didn't have the motivation to figure out how it worked.

Until now, my training log was strictly low-tech - scribbled in diaries or on bits of paper. Not any more! This week I finally succumbed to the lure of Fetch everyone's gadgets and gizmos and put it all online. The site is great - I've mapped out a few runs that I do regularly, uploaded some recent runs from my Garmin, logged recent race times and prepared a plan for the next four weeks training.

The trouble is, I'm now addicted. Between Fetch Everyone, Facebook, emails and this blog, not to mention work, I've been sitting on my bum for an unhealthy number of hours every day. How do you know when to stop?

To compensate, this week I joined my local running club and I've also started daydreaming about entering a marathon later in the year. I swore I'd never do another one after being unable to walk for days after the last time, but it's been four years now and I'm in the mood for a challenge. I think I'll get next week's 10k out of the way first though.

Are carbs evil?

Whilst browsing B's cycling magazines, I came across an(other) article about the potential benefites of a reduced carbohydrate diet. Apparently, Team Garmin-Slipstream are following a modified version of The Zone, designed to reduce inflammation and promote recovery. This is controversial given that for years athletes have been advised to get most of their energy from carbohydrate. Brands like Lucozade and Gatorade have been built on a mountain of scientific evidence that backs the importance of carbohydrate for athletic performance.

The people at Cycling Weekly seem to have really bought into the idea that a different way of eating - focusing on protein, vegetables, fruit and nuts for most of the day whilst continuing to use sports drinks immediately before, after and during training - could be optimal for reducing inflammation and promoting recovery. I'm not convinced by Dr Loren Cordain and Joe Friel's Paleo Diet - eat like our ancestors, who foraged for seeds and berries, barbecued the occasional buffalo... then popped down to their local supplement store for a few energy gels and a jumbo tub of whey protein(?) -but I can see the potential benefit of limiting refined carbohydrates like white bread, cereals and processed sugary drinks in favour of whole-grains, lean protein, essential fats and, of course, lots of fruit and vegetables.

Surely it's all about balance. It has got me thinking though - a quick scan of our cupboards flagged up our over-reliance on carbs: bread, bagels, cereal, oat bars, potatoes, pasta and juice. I've spoken before about not eating enough protein and wonder if my carb (over)loading could be one of the reasons why my injuries seem to take so long to recover from. Could it be possible that a move away from the traditional focus on carbohydrate could be beneficial for sport? I guess the jury is still out - until now, much of the research on reduced-carbohydrate diets has focused on treating obesity.

A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that over 2 years, diets containing a range of proportions of carbohydrate versus protein were all similarly effective in reducing weight and risk factors for diabetes and heart disease - they key appeared to be limiting overall energy intake. The authors suggest that diet composition should be tailored to suit individual and cultural preferences.

I could never cut out carbohydrates completely. I couldn't even ban them after 5pm (what's that all about?). But I'm starting to think about experimenting with shifting the balance a bit. I'll certainly be watching how Team Garmin-Slipstream get on in this year's Tour de France.

Personal worst

It's not often you hear anyone saying they've achieved a PW. I'm really happy to say that's what I did this morning. The Edinburgh Half Marathon was my first for two years and the first road running race that I've done since I fractured my ankle. Part of me hoped that I'd finish close to the time I'd achieved two years ago but my main focus was just making it to the end.

My whole leg has been bothering me for the last couple of weeks so I went for a much needed massage on Monday (more ££ - eek!). Apparently my ankle ligaments haven't 'forgiven' me yet and it will take a while longer to get back to full fitness.

In the meantime, I plan to train and race as much as I can but listen to my body and take rest when I need to.

So today was very much about just getting round the course, seeing how long it took me, and giving myself a benchmark - a time that my body can currently manage - to work on and improve from.

I found the last few miles really, really difficult. My hamstring was stinging, my achilles ached and I could even feel it in my knee. This wasn't helped by a fairly strong breeze in my face! But I made it to the end in 2 hours and 1 minute and still felt that familiar surge of adrenaline and achievement that you get from crossing a finish line. It was a full 12 minutes slower than my PB but, if I've done that once, I can do it again.

I've reached the end of my training plan too so, after a well-deserved couple of days rest, I'll set myself some new goals and figure out how to work towards getting that time down.

Diet dilemmas

Looking back over my posts, I realise I haven't got very far with my 'looking better in jeans' goal.  That may have something to do with the fact that, although I eat really healthily, I love food. A lot.

I have never, ever been on a 'diet' that I could stick to. Every week I look at magazines that contain a 2 page spread entitled something like 7 lb in 7 days, Weight loss made easy or 4 weeks to your dream body, with a chart of banned items and a meal plan for the week. Prescriptive diets work for some people but not me. I'm a vegetarian who could be described as fussy (I can eat anything except smelly cheese but I'm not a big fan of mushrooms or aubergines) so that rules out a fair few menu options.

Anyway, diets are usually only a short term fix. They can be great for kick-starting weight loss or a change of eating habits, but they get really tedious over time. That's not to say I haven't tried a few fads in my time. Here are two of the most ridiculous:

• Dr Joshi's Holistic Detox I was tempted by this one after eating too many chocolates over Christmas one year, mainly because it's veggie. The principles of eating lots of green vegetables, tofu and rice were great but I got bored after a couple of days and just wanted to eat a red pepper. It banned 'nightshade' vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes, claiming that they're acid-forming, but there were far too many contradictions about what this actually meant and too many healthy foods were forbidden.
• The Master Cleanse Against all my better judgement I gave this a go. I'm generally willing to give most things a chance to see if they work, even if they do sound ridiculous.  And at the time, Beyonce had popularised this one. Basically it involves nothing but maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper in hot water. I think I lasted three-quarters of a day on it before I gave up. I didn't feel hungry, but my teeth really hurt from all the sugar!

The challenge for me is that, although I know plenty about nutrition, I have a weakness for cakes and chocolate and a habit of eating man-sized portions when I'm with my husband. If I'm ever going to be a decent cyclist, I need to be in great shape. So, my focus for the next few weeks will be to simply trim my portions slightly and limit unhealthy snacks. Let's see how it goes...

The Mighty Deerstalker

A 10k (and a bit) hill race involving obstacles probably isn't the best idea for a clumsy, accident-prone person like me. This dawned on me at about 8pm on Friday, when I managed to go over on my already dodgy ankle by slipping on another innocuous object - a chip (a.k.a french fry). I wasn't even drunk or wearing heels. An hour of frantic icing later I decided I'd be okay and wasn't giving up on Saturday's race: The Mighty Deerstalker.

I think you'd call the Mighty Deerstalker an adventure run. I'd read the race reports and seen last year's photos so was prepared for a scary experience. This didn't stop me from making a mess of it though.

Mistake #1

'Slow and steady' was my mantra for the first 20 minutes. Last year's finishers ranged from 90 minutes to 4 hours so I saw no need to rush off at the start like most of the crowd. My friends sped off whilst I plodded gleefully along, feeling rather pleased with my new found sensible approach. I've burnt myself out early on in races before and this time my mission was to be the tortoise. Wrong move. Before long the trails narrowed and the crowd was forced into single file, getting slower and slower until it stopped to queue for the first obstacle. From that point, the 'race' became a slow-moving conveyer belt, with little scope for overtaking. Grr, if I'd sprinted at the start there would have been plenty of time to catch my breath. Oh well, I'll know for next year.

Mistake #2

Dodgy ankles and downhill running in the dark really don't mix. Last year I tore all my ankle ligaments and fractured my fibula in a freak dog-walking accident. Since then I've been really nervous about slippy slopes, and this race was full of them. I went over on my ankle a few more times, especially during the river crossings, and spent a lot of time shuffling nervously along in a semi-squat position. If I do this race again, I'll definitely strap my ankle up. In fact, I might just mummify myself and bounce down the hill!

Highs and lows

The course itself was great fun - really technical but not too physically challenging, well not at the pace I was going at anyway. The highlights for me were the sight of hundreds of head torches making their way up and down the hills, actually managing to overtake some people at the sheer scree slope and, most of all, the 'disco' section in the woods, complete with fairy lights, disco ball and thumping music.

The lowlights? Getting sent on a 10 minute detour by some friendly local youths.

I finished in a reasonably respectable 2 and a half hours, half an hour behind my friends but far from last. The true distance was apparently closer to 14k, with some serious ascent. I felt a bit bad that I'd left the others waiting in the cold (I had the car key), but not that bad, they could have waited for me!

All about the money

This week's training went well. My legs felt okay on Monday but I took a rest day anyway. Tuesday was a bit of a rubbish day at work and I was tempted just to have a bath and shop online for new running shoes to cheer me up. I realised last week that my weather beaten shoes definitely need to be replaced but I put them on anyway and decided to do what I could. Once I got out on the road, I felt much better and ended up doing my planned 4 miles after all.

I'm focusing mainly on running for the next few weeks but treated myself to a trial subscription to Triathlete's World to start planning for later in the year. I've realised that triathlon can be a very expensive hobby. It's so easy to get sucked into buying the latest 'must have' gadget. I've been there and have the Garmin Forerunner to prove it. Don't get me wrong, many of these products are fantastic but they don't get you fit... you do!

It can also be tempting to pin your hopes on a flashy new bike, so I was delighted that my second hand Rocky Mountain attracted a few admiring glances and 'nice bike' comments last weekend.

One thing that you can't economise on, however, is race fees. This week, a group of work colleagues agreed to enter the Great Edinburgh Run. £26.00 for the priviledge of running 10k and only a too-big t-shirt to show for it! So far, my races are adding up to be almost as expensive as my old private gym membership. I'm living without fad diets and fitness crazes but my bank account isn't feeling the benefit. I've got 3 more races coming up between now and May but really want to enter a couple more triathlons too. At this rate, I'd better choose them wisely.

First triathlon - in the snow

Yay! I've completed my first triathlon and I wasn't last!

At least I've been better at training than I have been at writing on this blog. It looks like it's just going to be a weekly thing, until I get a new job anyway. I love writing but usually it's the last thing on my mind when I get home after a day at my computer.

Last week's training
I stuck religiously to my programme with just a few minor blips. I couldn't convince my hubby to go mountain biking last weekend so we went road biking instead, which resulted in me having a hissy fit and going home early. On Thursday, my training buddy cancelled on me so I did another session on the indoor bike trainer by myself. On Friday, I went for drinks after work. On Saturday, I suffered the consequences of 2 for 1 red wine and could barely manage to walk the dog without keeling over.

The wee triathlon
On Sunday morning, bright as a button and fully recovered from Friday's excesses, I tucked into the breakfast of champions - porridge with yoghurt, raisins and seeds, washed down with copious amounts of apple juice and coffee. Perhaps just a tad too much coffee - before long the excitement and nerves really kicked in and I'm sure the extra caffeine didn't help.

The Wee Triathlon is the first event of the season from No Fuss Events, whose main focus seems to be gruelling and epic mountain bike races. I'd travelled to the event with 3 fellow triathlon 'newbies' and over breakfast we fretted over exactly what a 'technical descent' might be. More on that shortly.

The swim
The event began with a series of 400m swim heats in the pool. I had no idea what to say whan I was asked to estimate my swim time. The last time I'd donned a bathing suit was on holiday in December, and that was to go snorkelling. "Hmm, the slowest?" I predicted. After much deliberating, I settled on 13 minutes, and was put in the slowest heat.

Looking quite the part in my swimming cap and goggles, I got into my allocated lane. On the shout of "Go!" I felt the adrenaline surge and pushed off with all my might. I can't really remember the first length but recall gasping for breath about halfway through the second and swallowing a gulp of water. By the end of the second length, I was experiencing what I can only describe as a minor panic attack. I think the excitement must have caused me to over-breathe really badly. I actually had to stop after the fourth length to regulate my breathing and went on to finish the last 12 lengths with my head out of the water, swimming breaststroke in the style of a drowning hippo. How I wish I'd done some swimming training.

Miraculously, I wasn't the slowest person out of the pool and finished with a time of 10 minutes and 32 seconds.

The bike
As I watched the faster heats from the warmth and comfort of the poolside, I looked out the window to see the snow blizzard getting steadily worse. By the time we got outside, it had turned into an eye-watering sleety hail.

As a result of my rubbish swim time, I had to wait 5 minutes at the start line before I could head off on the bike. By then, my two pairs of gloves were soaked through. I'd learnt my lesson in the pool and decided to set off at a comfortable pace. The first section was on road and we were splashed by more than a few cars. By the time I reached the trail I was completely drenched. I managed to overtake a few people (the turbo trainer sessions had paid off) and was doing really well until I reached the downhill section. It was really steep, with a mesh of tree roots, wooden steps and rocks, all mashed up into a muddy mess. I fell a couple of times and my chain came off so I decided the best strategy was to pick up my bike and run for it. I am not a technical mountain biker at all. I did get back on just in time to smile for the photographer though. I had to save face after the swimming spectacle!

After that, it was back down the road at a pace. I got up into my biggest gear and powered along as fast as I could. Just as I thought I was reaching the end, we were diverted back up a narrower, steeper trail. "Nooooo" cried my legs, but I dug deep and made it to the top. The faster, flowier (is that a word?) descent was much more fun and I felt totally elated as I flew into the transition, taking just over an hour for the 10 miles.

The run
All that was left was a relatively quick 3 mile blast. Again it was half on road and half on trail, but it wasn't quite as hilly as the bike section. Initially, despite being unable to feel my feet, I felt fine and focused on plodding along at a comfortable pace. After about 10 minutes though the pain really kicked in. My lower legs were bright red after being blasted by the icy cold water and my feet were truly sodden. I had visions of ending the day with frostbite, or even trench foot. A searing pain was rushing through the muscles in front of my shins, even though I've never experienced shin splints in the past. I stopped to stretch and walk a couple of times and eventually the pain subsided. After 38 minutes I reached the finish line!

Although it was a huge challenge, I absolutely loved it! I was expecting to be one of the last finishers but as it turned out I was faster than most of the other girls. I'll definitely be entering some more triathlons this year and I loved the off-road format. In the meantime, I'll definitely think about going for a few swimming lessons.

A spring in my step

Today I'm full of the joys of spring, even though it's still only February. I really enjoyed my long run this morning. It was sunny and fresh, which makes such a difference from the miserable, dark and cold evenings of winter.

I definitely prefer running in daylight. It's not long now until the clocks go forward and I for one can't wait. Take Thursday night, for example. I had the smart idea of doing some hill reps on a grassy slope in the dark. Big mistake. The running part, although challenging, was fun. The 'scraping hard-packed dog poo off my shoe with a toothbrush' part was not.

This morning the miles (6 and a half) flew past as I took the time to admire the early flowers and returning greenery in the sunshine. Mind you, I had to avert my eyes as I ran past the pond. It's clearly frog mating season. Ah, the wonders of nature!

Now, if only I could get my diet sorted out. A cup of tea with a Creme Egg is just too tempting.

The Office

I've done really well this week, in terms of sticking to the programme. A big gold star for me. But is it enough?

I was at a conference earlier in the week, where I learnt that sedentary behaviour is an independent risk factor for health problems like obesity and cardiovascular disease. In essence this means that even if you do your 30 minutes plus on most days of the week, the time you spend sitting around in between could be bad for your health.

I easily exceed the recommended minimum, as I do an hour of exercise 4 or 5 times a week. I also try to walk wherever I can. Even so, I'd say I'm either asleep, sitting down or chained to my desk for a good 20 hours each day.

I think I need a new job.

Plan B

Most of the last week or so has been a write-off on account of my cold. This got me thinking about my usual approach to a training 'blip'. I realised that I'm a lot better at entering races and designing training plans than I am at actually training. When things go off track I:

1. Get a little bit annoyed at myself for failing to stick to the plan.
2. Make a cup of tea.
3. Crumple up my training plan.
4. Sit down and start concocting a new one.

I'm definitely a natural organiser. When I used to work as a personal trainer, my favourite part was tailoring exercise plans to suit my clients perfectly. I used to spend hours on it. Now that I'm working full time, I'm my own 'project'. I thought about what I would advise someone else to do if they'd missed a week. Just adapt the plan a little bit and move on. So that's what I'll do.
I spent one more evening putting together a proper plan that would see me through my three upcoming races. It's on a spreadsheet so that I can easily tweak it if anything major comes up but I've factored in lots of flexibility and left spaces to log what I've actually done, so I should be able to stick with it as it is. I pinned the finished product on the kitchen wall and vowed not to take it down and crumple it up until at least April.
It goes something like this:

• MONDAY - Exercise DVD or rest
• TUESDAY - An hour on the bike or turbo trainer plus a short run
• WEDNESDAY - Yoga or just a stretch
• THURSDAY - Interval or tempo run
• FRIDAY - Exercise DVD or rest
• SATURDAY - Longish bike ride
• SUNDAY - Long run

Let's see how it goes...

Oops

Hmm so maybe I overdid it on Wednesday or perhaps it's just a coincidence but I feel AWFUL. My throat hurts and I can't stop sneezing. I had to cancel Thursday night's training run and only managed a feeble stretch yesterday. Seeing as it's Valentine's day, my husband has kindly volunteered to take care of me and has prescribed a day of rest. Grr, I was really looking forward to getting out on my mountain bike. I know it's for the best though and just hope I can start next week feeling fresh and bouncy...

Rocky style

I got my heart rate monitor back yesterday - it ran out of batteries about 6 months ago and I only just got round to getting it fixed. I had forgotten what a great motivator it is. I can tell if I'm slacking (or working too hard) because it beeps furiously at me and I can set a calorie-burning goal to work towards. But by the time it arrived, I'd already done my David Kirsch Ultimate Bootcamp DVD, which I LOVE, and been for a 3 mile run with the dog. I put it back in it's box and started planning this morning's training...Rocky style!

After a 15 minute yoga blast I fuelled up with some peanut butter on toast and gave it an hour to settle. I got the bike trainer set up and put on a race simulation DVD from CTS - it's like having a private spin class in your own living room, but even more challenging. I was just looking at their website now and see that they also do audio downloads for interval running, so I'll have to try some of those soon. After an hour on the bike, I practiced my triathlon 'transistion', which was laughable, and went straight out for a run. My legs were jelly for the first 10 minutes but I got into my stride and really enjoyed it. The best bit was getting home to see from my watch that I'd burned over 800 calories. Rocky would be proud.

Of course, this warranted a proper refuel, so I made my favourite recovery shake:

• 1 small banana
• 1 scoop protein powder
  
• 1 handful frozen berries
• Milk

Yum!

Bootcamp week

I'm on holiday by myself this week and on a serious fitness mission. For a brief moment in early January, I had considered booking myself on a bootcamp holiday for the week. But I wasn't sure about spending £1000+ of my hard-earned cash to run around the hills being shouted at by a scary-looking ex-army trainer. Ok, I'll admit it, that actually does sound like fun to me, but I really couldn't justify spending the money. So I decided to put together my own home-made bootcamp fitness regime. I started on Saturday with a 6 mile run and yesterday went for a big walk with the dog and another 5 mile run. I could really feel it in my legs this morning so I took it fairly easy today. Another big walk and a good stretch out with my Tracy Anderson DVD. I took the opportunity to set up a makeshift spa retreat and had a lovely long bath, did a body scrub and detox mud wrap. By the end of all that I was shattered and needed a sleep. What a lovely way to spend a Monday!

1,2,3...GO!

I'm not feeling particularly motivated today and I haven't done any exercise. Actually, I'm sitting in the warmth with a scarf and fluffy slippers on, drinking a glass of red wine. The weather is supposed to be awful this weekend but I'm definitely going to power through it. Only a few weeks to go 'til my first race of the year! This is what I've entered so far:

1. A triathlon. My first. In March. Am I insane?
2. An adventure run. In March. In the dark. Definitely!
3. A half marathon in April. A jog in the park in comparison.

I've constructed a very vague training plan, based around a few I downloaded from the excellent Runner's World Smart Coach, but I'm not going to take it too seriously. I've had too many injuries in the past and know to take it easy until my fitness is better. I'll just do these for fun and see how I go.

I started with a first training run with my team-mate for race number 2 last night. We jogged, we chatted and we tried not to slip on the ice. It took us about 40 minutes and was apparently only 3.67 miles. I refuelled with a skinny hot chocolate on my way home. The perfect mix of protein and carbohydrate!

Braving the weather

Yesterday got off to a good start. B was on an early shift so I got up at ten to six and braved the snow to go for a quick jog with the dog. It was only a 20 minute blast up the road and back but it certainly woke me up. Feeling virtuous, I put some porridge on and had a good stretch. I was still feeling pleased with myself when, shivering and snowman-like, I arrived at work, only to be lured by the temptation of the cafe downstairs. 20 minutes jogging doesn't quite justify a buttered fruit scone and a latte, so I resolved to continue the good work later.

In the evening, I resisted snuggling up on the sofa and instead warmed myself up with an exercise DVD. A few weeks ago, intrigued by yet another clever marketing ploy, I bought myself The Tracy Anderson Method Mat Workout, by Madonna and Gwyneth's Personal Trainer. Tracy tells me that, if I want a "teeny tiny dancer's body", I need to do her DVD at least 4 times a week and nothing else. I don't think so! I'd describe it as a bizarre mix of pilates, yoga, ballet and Madonna-style dance moves. It's hard to follow but seems to be quite good for opening up my tight shoulders and I certainly feel it working my hips. I'll stick with it once a week or so but, for me, variety is definitely key so I won't be giving up my running or anything else.

This morning, I hit the snooze button and saved the exercise for later. It's icy outside so, once my feet thaw, I'm setting up the bike trainer and doing a home-style spin class. Who needs the gym?

The plan

Today I started by looking at my goals and what my new plan will involve. The list so far:

Goals/motivators:
(in no particular order)

• Vanity: I'd like to fit into my jeans better and feel more toned and confident.
• Fitness: My husband is a great cyclist. I'd like to be able to keep up.
• Competitive streak: In 2005, I completed my first (and only) marathon in a respectable 4 hours and 20 minutes. My most recent race was a duathlon. Although it involved running up an enormous hill in gale force winds, I'm ashamed to admit that only 2 people saved me from finishing last! Okay, I'll never be an athlete, but finishing somewhere in the middle would make me very happy.
• Health: Long and short-term. I know that exercise is the best way for me to relieve stress. As well as the immediate feel-good effect, I want to do everything I can to keep me well in the future.

The plan:
There are no rules.

1. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables.
2. Eat plenty of protein (as a vegetarian, I know this can sometimes be a challenge).
3. Stick to wholegrains and avoid processed foods.
4. Vary training and eating habits, so I don't get bored.
5. Schedule exercise in my diary, most days.
6. Do a couple of resistance-training sessions every week.
7. Remember to stretch.
8. Walk as much as possible.
9. Sign up for at least 4 races this year, so I have something to work towards.
10. Take a day off every week.

Tools:
Essential: Bike, running shoes, hand weights.
Useful: A big pile of exercise DVDs, skipping rope, indoor bike trainer (in case it's just too cold to go out), heart rate monitor, stability ball.

Fad free fitness

I picked up my new issue of Runner's World and had a skim through a couple of the nutrition articles. I started to think, if I were to follow every piece of advice in this and all the other magazines and newspapers I buy, what would I end up eating? Well, in week 1 of my "Perfect running month", I might try supplementing my diet with spirulina powder, co-enzyme Q10, asian ginseng and glutamine. I'd snack on baked potatoes instead of bananas, spread Marmite on my porridge and include some fresh marjoram in all my salads. Hmm. Not very realistic, is it? The thing is, although I have a degree in nutrition and I'm qualified as a personal trainer, I still feel tempted to follow every month's revolutionary new diet or fitness plan. Not any more! This year, I'm inventing my own plan. There will be no detoxes, superfoods, exoticly-named supplements or expensive classes. Just plain old healthy eating and exercise.

Day -3

I'm starting this blog as a motivational tool for myself. A former self-confessed 'gym bunny', my fitness levels have nose-dived since I moved out of the city and away from my beloved gym. I recently started thinking that I'm probably not the only one in this position; with the economy seemingly in free-fall I imagine many are sacrificing expensive private gym memberships to look for new (or old-fashioned) ways to stay fit. So, my plan officially launches on Sunday 1st Feb, when I'll begin chronicling my quest to move more, eat well and be healthy and happy.