Monday Run 1 – 3/5/20
I like starting the week as I mean to go on, I find it gives me a good motivation for the week ahead.
The sky was overcast and rain was in the air this morning.
Decided to head down the trail to Rothervalley and do round both lakes this morning aiming for a steady 5 miles.
I’d only been going ten minutes and sure enough the rain started, however it was quiet refreshing. If you’ve never embraced running in the rain and always avoided going out, you really should give it a go it’s not as scary as it may seem.
The park was fairly quiet this morning, so not much people dodging requires and my run a steady one, just the way I like it 
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Wednesday 6/5/20 Strengthening
Alarm was set last night and up I got at 7am this morning determined to fit in a beginners Pilate session off U Tube before anyone got up so I could use the living room. I grabbed a quick small glass of orange juice no time for 20 cups of tea this morning they would have to wait till after my class 🤣🤣.
Using the TV in the lounge rather than the laptop made it so much easier to see and follow the instructions and meant I didn’t need to move the screen round with me. Getting up early is definitely the way forward for these classes.
Today’s session was so much easier to follow compared with last week’s body balance session, I still knew I’d worked and stretched areas but it wasn’t as complicated and I spent more time doing the stretches as oppose to working out what I was suppose to be doing.
Think I’ll try and give this another go next week at some point then look at sessions I can progress to as the weeks go, but now I’ve started I know need to keep it going.
Thursday Walk Day 7/5/20
Walk day today. I do enjoy taking Suzie round Rothervalley for a walk. There not the most energetic of walks but it’s still movement and I know how much every time I leave the house for a run she wants to come along with me, which is nice.
Watching her little face light up when I told her we were going for a walk made my day alone but the smile when I showed her the treat I’d bought was even greater, Care bear Tikkiaboos!
I know what some of you may be thinking what sane 39 year old wants leggings with care bears on, answer is I do! although I think many would question the sane part.
They are hopefully going to be my running trousers for the Great North Run when I run for Tommy’s charity. Although if I am a being honest every week I feel like both my remaining events of the year are not going to be taking place, but that is something out of my hands and I will continue my training as its keeping me focused, healthy and sane during these times.
Today’s walk I think has to be the longest so far and we didn’t even stop for a picnic. However, Suzie did walk around both lakes today a major achievement for her as normally the larger lake is more than enough, but we do stop to investigate every flower and rock hence the time it takes. It’s nice just to get out sometimes with no goals or pressures and just enjoy the surroundings with family and I know how much she enjoys it.
Friday Run 2 Long Run – 8/5/20
Decided to make today long run day. I do like being able to pick and choose the days I do long runs on at the moment.
With treats of home made scones, home made bread rolls and slow cooker homemade fudge planned for afternoon tea in the garden this afternoon I thought it would be wise to burn off some calories prior 
. I don’t normally run for food as I know it doesn’t work like that but I was also thinking if I’m overloading today with nice food I’m not going to want to run a longer length at the weekend and I intended to enjoy the goodies before returning to back to healthy eating at the weekend.
So alarm set early and I actually got up at 6.45am that’s a first in awhile. My usual pre run breakfast of porridge and a banana along with a couple cups of tea. Not impressed with my porridge making skills this morning as half of it ended up erupting from the bowl like a volcano in the microwave.
Whilst finishing off my second cuppa I debated which route to go to get me 8 miles. I could go 4 miles down trail then turn round but the thought of running down the trail and back without hitting Poolsbrook or the canal felt boring and if I continued to Poolsbrook I knew I’d run back, because i’m stubborn like that, which would be way too many miles at this point in my training. Last thing I wanted was for my HITT band to flare up issues again when things were going so well.
So I decided to head towards Rothervally and run two loops, I know not the most exciting of routes either and I have to be honest I do lose interest in loop routes, but I thought it would be a bit more to look at than just the tunnel vision of the trail.
In fairness it wasn’t as tough as I was expecting, being able to look at the lakes and take int he view was nice, something I have found Jeffing has enabled me to do more than continuous running ever did.
I set my pace trying not to go too fast to start with and off I went.
The weather was nice and cool at this time so I was pleased I’d chosen to get up and out.
As I did my first lap of Rothervalley I was surprised to see so many out this early, maybe they’d all got the same idea as me.
I passed a gentleman searching for his cat 
and spent a few seconds talking with him (socially distanced of course). I do hope his cat returns home soon. It’s quiet sad to think at a time like this he may be sat at home alone. I
got to say hello to a friends hubby as well, noticed him today unlike the other day when it didn’t register till i’d passed who it was so I just looked like I was being ignorant. It was quiet nice to speak to others feels like an eternity since I spoke to people whilst out on runs apart from the odd good morning and with the sun starting to come through it just felt like a good day.
I started the second lap feeling quiet strong. When I hit the start of the smaller lake I decided to put a twist in and run up past the park going anti clockwise round the smaller lake before running back past the play area onto the bigger lake, around and back up the trail home. It just added a bit of a difference to the route.
Once home I stretched for five minutes before enjoying a Tailwind chocolate recovery drink.
Pleased with today’s run 8 miles, it’s the most I’ve Jeffed so far and I felt like I could give more. One of Jeffs sayings in his book rang in my head. I recall it being something like, If you finish a training run with more to give then its been a good training run.
Family time now making the baked goods before a short scarecrow hunt walk then afternoon tea in the garden
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addition: It wasn’t till after afternoon tea I realised I’d been out on two exercise trips today. (Currently rules are 1 exercise a day) My run and the local scarecrow hunt around the village with Stu and Suzie. It was all done keeping inline with social distancing but my apologies for sneaking in a extra walk. I didn’t even realise or think about it till after.
Sunday run 3 – 10/5/20
With the task of taking down a metal shed today, I’d set my alarm for a short early run this morning.
Alarm went off at 6.45 and to my dismay the weather was miserable, it was throwing it down and windy so I decided to turn over. No chance of high temperatures today so if need be I’d go out later.
I finally surfaced at 8.30am! I am getting so lazy, and after my usual pre run breakfast and numerous cups of tea decided to stop debating it and brave it.
I knew if I left it till this evening after taking down the shed I’d not want to go out and their was more chance of me skiving off. My inner training mode pipped up and told me to get my butt off the sofa and get out.
It was definitely long trousers and long sleeved top day today 
. Not sure where yesterdays lovely weather had gone? Bring it back!
I took the trail down to Rothervalley and carried on down the track to the second entrance, instead of going round the lakes i’d already decided to go onto the lake but turn right following the lake back along to my usual entrance and exit back onto the trail for home. A nice steady 3 miles to finish the week off.
I have to be honest today I felt heavy, the extra treats and lack of movement compared to pre lock down steps really was starting to take it’s toll and I could feel the extra stone of weight starting to take it’s toll. I’d already decided that Monday was back to basics planning my weekly meals, focusing on filling up on healthier choices and cutting down the treats with the aim to have that stone gone by end of June.
I’ve never really lost weight whilst training if I am honest but i have always been able to maintain my healthy goal weight, although I am not overweight yet I know I need to take control now. I also don’t like how eating high sugar foods etc makes me feel so know it will all be of benefit to my training. Here is to Monday!!
