I am BACK!

With a vengeance! I thought I'd probably be okay to start week 9 of the couch to 10k programme. If I stick with that then start Hal Higson's half marathon programme for novices I should be able to run all the races :) Man it was hard work though. It was 2 x 20 minute runs. I took it fairly easy and the first run was gorgeous - I felt amazing. Then there was a three minute walk break which I appreciated but could probably have lived without if necessary. The second run was harder - my chest was achy from almost the first minute in, breathing was harder, but it was doable. Definitely psychological not physical - good music really helped, and a different route. I am bright pink. I haven't looked this colour after a run for ages! It was 20 degrees with a slight breeze. Runkeeper tells me it was 3.38 miles/5.4 kilometres and that my speed was 12.25 - I can live with that. Feel like I am back on track after a couple of weeks of dicking about ;)

Intervalen

So tried out Zombies, Run! again today and didn't get eaten this time, which is reassuring. But what I have learned is that it will be great for interval training when I am fitter or for fun on short runs - I did about four intervals of sprinting (my version thereof anyway). Whilst this is great and certainly made me hot and sweaty, it also meant I had a couple of short walk breaks, which is annoying. I did 8 - 9 - 6 today with probably no more than 1.5 first time and 1 the second time, followed by a 20 minute walk. Really felt like I'd had a workout at the end of it though, much more so than normal because I am sweating like a pig. That might have something to do with the fact it's super-humid and even though overcast, is 25 degrees. I went running in 25 degrees! At two in the afternoon! Madness.

Anyway, after 6 weeks diligent training, 1 week enjoyably doing my own running thang, a week off and a week of zombie-induced silliness (well, two runs) I need to knuckle down again and get on with my training. I have a half marathon to run in 16 weeks and I need to be fit enough to start doing the proper training in 4. Yikes.

Zombies, Run!

First day back after my one week hiatus following nasty run and poorly knees last Saturday (although I did manage 1250m in the pool yesterday, swimming with someone else which made a change). I'm back in my reliable old Nike Airs and ran a reasonable 15 mins with 25 speedwalking on top, which I'm fairly comfy with. I took a different route (through West Norwood rather than Dulwich this time) which was nice in terms of a change but pretty traffic heavy, so I might try it again but maybe not so late (was about 7.10 when I left the house).

I also tried out my first Zombies, Run! mission which was fun - I got "caught" when I started working so it definitely tracks you on GPS - must log in and have a look at how it logs the runs. It told me I was running a 7.40 minute km, or a 11.84 minute mile - which I can kind of believe because I did get puffed out after 15- 16 minutes - this was a cardio issue not a legs issue. Anyway, good to be back in the saddle :)

Disappointing but instructive

So, I bought some shiny new Asics Gel Nimbus 13s yesterday and went out for my three miler. I had to stop running after a mile - so stretched, and then tried to carry on. Managed about another half a mile before pretty much quitting completely. Running in these shoes is horrible - it's like having two sofas strapped to my feet. I can't feel what my feet are doing (apart from sliding around), I can't feel what the pavement is doing, my feet feel achy and numb and to make matters worse it's not helping my knees at all. So I'm going to write today off as a bust, chalk up an expensive mistake and carry on with my old Nike Zoom Airs and shop around to try and find something similar.

I also bought a Gore singlet and it kept riding up. Also my new HotPants came and there is no earthly way I can do any exercise in them at all as they don't reach my waist. Gah! That's £200 worth of expensive kit I can't send back but can't use.

Achy but smiley

No running today. No swimming today. In fact, just a day spent largely on my behind in an office.

My hips are quite achy today, knees were more so last night - but only when I sit down, feeling a-ok when walking about. A happy piece of news is that I am formally back into a size 16 after a long, long absence. In fact, it might be worth writing down a bit of a weight history.

Previous largest weight: 196lbs - when living in Essex in 2004, and miserable.

Lost three stone in three months with weight watchers, down to 159lbs. I looked great at this weight and fit into size 12 clothes comfortably. I still have a really nice skirt or two from this era.

Stayed at between 159 and 163 for quite a while; once up at 163 a really stressful period at work took me back down to 155 in December 2007.  I'd maintained my lower weight for three years, even though I wasn't exercising that much.

Then I started with a different company - after few months my weight had gone up to 173, which is what it was when I met the fiance in June 2008.

Weight piled on slowly, and on our trip to India in February 2009 I'd hit 177 - and the spare tyre was making itself known, judging by the old snaps. Even, gasp, the trace of a double chin...

However, much more serious was the trip to the States that autumn, September 2009. In the meantime, I'd added another 5lbs, up to 182, but whilst we were away I put on 11lbs in three weeks - up to 193lbs, partially thanks to American portions, and partially thanks to no exercise - roadtrips not great for that!

I was around 197lbs when we arrived in the Gambia in February 2010, and stayed at that weight for quite a while - including during our trip to Japan in April 2010. It was starting with my last employer though which was the real killer. With 1200 miles of travel per week, enforced work meals and drinks and 'treating' myself on the way home, I made it all the way up to 212lbs. One of the things that made me more miserable than anything else was seeing a picture of me last August (2011) at Chris and Becs' wedding - I didn't help myself by dressing in turquoise but oh, my, how can I have let myself go to that extent? I was wearing 20s (and probably should have been wearing 22s). Shiny-faced and treble-chinned.

So I have some very clear milestones to get back down to:

196lbs - weight I am today - the weight I was in Japan (the photos from there are significantly less awful than the ones from the summer wedding). I am no longer obese :-)

193lbs - the weight I was returning from the States; the tail end of those photos shows a woman with quite a few extra pounds, it's true, but also with still some shape. This weight is probably around two weeks away.

182lbs - the weight I was on going out to the States. Actually, the start of those photos show me when I'm chubby but with proper definition around my cheekbones. Two thirds of the way to goal... in around three months, say mid-September.

175lbs - this is the weight I was when Jonno and I went out to Delft to visit Phil and at this weight, my face looks fantastic. The spare tyre is merely suggested rather than taking over my lap. I have tons of energy. I hope to be this weight by the time I run the London half-marathon at the end of October 2012.

168lbs - Another half a stone down and I'm in skinny jeans, size 12 - 14s and looking great. If I was here by mid-December I'd be a happy girl!

164lbs - at this weight, I stop being overweight and officially start being a healthy weight for my height. And if I weigh in at 164 on my 35th birthday, I'd be delighted.

159lbs - at this weight, I'm officially back into the size 12s for good. Going drink-free for most of January should get me there by the end of the month...

36lbs to go, 16lbs down already, or one-third of the way there. Sounds great to say it that way!

Swimming cross-training

I finished work quite early in Edgware Road so headed over to Seymour Place for a swim. I spent most of it being a bit grumpy about the lack of lane swimming, spending much of my workout ducking around Mums teaching their kids to swim and a girl dicking about diving after her locker key. Ho hum. Anyway, probably not surpisingly as it's been a couple of weeks since my last swim, and after a hard run this morning, I took longer to do my normal 40 laps and took a few recovery breaks. Not many, though, and I did all 40 breaststroke without needing to resort to back crawl, so my arms must be strengthening up slowly. My legs felt a bit wobbly but no cramp and no stitch. Even better, I realised when I got home that the pool is 30m not 25m - so I managed to up my swim to 1200m without even noticing. Ideally, I'd like my weekly swim to be 1600m (a mile) so will up by 200m per week until I've got it nailed. Time for lardy tea!

Running whilst hungover

Whilst possible, is not as fun as it should be.

Weather: sunny, windy

Run: just under 3 miles around regular Dulwich route

Pace: According to Runkeeper (which adds an extra little bit near Belair Park which I don't actually run) was about 10:56 per mile today, down from the 10:44 on Tuesday.

Report: The first mile was really nice, good fun, and it was an effort to pace myself back a bit so I wouldn't expire later. The second mile was also pretty good, but I hit an energy dip just as I'm about to run through Belair Park - this happened on Tuesday too. From there on in it's hard work, I can feel it in my lungs and legs. I made it to West Dulwich shops before uncharacteristically throwing in the towel. I feel like I've exercised today, but it wasn't pretty. I'm going to go for a swim at lunchtime to get rid of the last of the calories from yesterday's wine binge and take it a bit easier next time! TOMD1