#Janathon day 31, and that's it for another year

Today's training was walk for 2 hours keeping heartrate over 100 bpm,  followed by a 3 hour run with heartrate below 130 bpm.

I Set off in the dark, it had snowed overnight, not much but a smattering.

So the walk was on slushy paths at first. It was also very windy with really strong gusts.

By 3 miles the sun was up.

I headed away from Ripon towards Studley and saw a heron standing in the River Laver at Bishopton Bridge. You have to look closely to see it.

Chilly, snowy and muddy, I laughed as I listened to "Hot in the City" by Billy Idol on my mp3.

Back to my favourite stomping ground, Studley Deer Park.

I was being passed now by Parkrunners in their cars, heading for Fountains Abbey.

Love the little footprints in the snow

Snowdrops peeping through in the woodland.

At the back of Fountains Abbey as I came towards the end of my walk section, I could hear the Parkrunners gathering.

On the run section I got that childish joy of first prints in the snow except for the birds. 

Looking back over Fountains Abbey, I could see the odd fluorescent jacket winding it's way through the trees to the cafe.

The Folly was the highest point of my run today. I couldn't go right up to it as a young an informed me that there were shooters in the area. I've had enough of people firing my direction whist out running, so I took some pics of the views and got out of there.

The shooters were somewhere over that hill. Today is the last day of the winter shooting season.

I struggled against the wind getting down Howe Hill, where I met a group of Ripon Runners running up.

Somehow as I fought the wind I managed to turn my Garmin off, and didn't realise until I was nearly back at Fountains Abbey.

I had brought my National Trust card and went into Fountains Abbey to do a lone parkrun. The paths were a bit slushy still.

We are so lucky to have this World Heritage Site a couple of miles from home. I ran the Parkrun route on slushy slippy paths and as I was not racing it was lovely to look around me and enjoy the scenery.

I got soaked running over the bridge as the wind was blowing the water up the weir and over the bridge.

I had long given up trying to keep my heartrate in zone. After 3 hours on my watch I had covered over 12 miles and had about a mile and a half to get home.

I got home after 5 hours and 18 minutes, 7.7 miles walked and 14.1 miles run with a fair bit of elevation too.

I have just taken Jed out for his afternoon walk and seen my first crocus of the year, it's bitterly cold outside today but the crocus made me think that spring is on it's way.

And so that is it here are my totals for the month and I'm pleased to say that I did manage to Jog, Log and blog every day.

 

#Janathon 31, over for the fifth year

January challenges make the month pass quickly.

All weather exercise, indoors or out.

No slacking.

And don't forget to blog.

Try it and see what you can achieve

How far can you travel...

On you own human power?

Now it's over, What's your next challenge?

#Janathon 30, Penultimate Poem

Friday, rest day, but need to run so,

Early to rise and run

That's it's done

1 on my own and 

2 with the dog, 

None very fast but this

Runstreak WILL last.

#Janathon 29, Tempo Thursday

Thursday is Running club training day so no morning run, just a dog walk, a gentle start to the day.

I ran to training tonight as a warm up. Actual training was a half mile group jog, then it was 3 x 10 minute efforts, 5 minutes out, turn and run back. The outward leg  was slightly uphill so it was quite tough, but it made running back nice. We then ran back to club and stretched. Then I ran home and stretched again.

The session was tough but I did better than I thought I would at the beginning of the session so I am pleased with that.

#Janathon Day 28, keeping the runstreak going

I woke up tired this morning, but I needed to do a run, so I got ready and went out, gosh it was tough, my legs were unresponsive and it was fairly breezy. Some runs are just not great and today's run was one of those. After breakfast I took Jed for a Dogjog and it seems that he was not gagging a good run day either. Oh well, put it down to experience and move on.

After work it was swim time, I thought that the pool may be quiet because the weather has been cold and snowy, though the snow has not settled, but it was busy, so I gad to swim around people. I spent the session focusing on the efficiency of my stroke. 

After swimming it was my second watt bike session of the week. I already knew what was ahead of me, 8 lots of 4 minute efforts with 90 seconds recovery, hard work, and I would gave to try and keep my watts at above 204 because on a Monday my average foe 7 x 5 mins was 203.9 and the idea is to try and increase watts as the sets get shorter. I have been dreading it.

It was really hard work but I managed to end up with an average of 210 after the 8 sets. 

So the day didn't start too great with a rubbish run, but ended well with a very successful watt bike session.

#Janathon day 27, Run Run Run

Well the runstreak continues, 27 days now. Today was running club, no juniors this week, It was a field session and I was not on rota this week. So I had time for some tea today before running to club as a warm up. So just the adult run tonight.

 The group was large but only 1 newbi so most people know the route. We generally run the same route in winter, one direction one week, and in reverse the next. This way we all know the regroup points and there are opportunities for people to cut back when they've had enough. We have a system where front runners jog to the back of the group once they get to the regroup point. This helps prevent them stiffening up and then possibly getting an injury, stop starting all the time. This system helps to keep the group together which us important with such a big group of mixed ability, everyone is trying hard and pushing themselves, so the back runners get a chance to recover a bit as well as the front runners.  Today most of us did 7 1/2 miles, only a few cut it short tonight.

I felt quite good tonight, I ran a good pace but in my absence because of my sciatica, everyone else has improved, so I was middle to back of pack. Threats a good thing because I will now push hard to get nearer to the front of the group again.

After the run, I ran home as a cooldown, I went past home to go to the shop to get milk for my recovery chocolate milk.

I have stretched but my muscles are tender and I have the all too familiar electrical storm occurring in my Piriformis and half my left foot I has reduced sensation.but I had a great run and hopefully it will settle back down overnight.

 

#Janathon day 26.

Today has been a reflective day, This morning's run was dedicated to a lost friend. A friend who helped me set up a running club at school.

She loved her sports, badminton was her favourite but she also liked to run, do circuits and netball. Life can be cruel and her last 8 months were spent fighting, and like a true sports person she never gave up that fight, but eventually she was beaten. Cancer it could be any of us at any time. 

We should all live every day as if it is our last, but remember that may not be.

I have also done my usual trainng today

#Janathon day 25, some days are tougher than others

I am normally very self motivated but today I procrastinated about my bike ride. The plan said 3 hours 45 min at 130-140 bpm. It was drizzly and a bit breezy so I considered a turbo session. But I wanted to go out, I just didn't want to get soaked through.

In the end I went out, way later than I normally would. I set off and my brakes were sticking, I sorted them and there was a click in the back wheel when peddling but not when just spinning the wheel, I stopped twice to try and sort it, bug then carried on anyway. I set off to Masham, where I stopped for a comfort break. Fortunately the loos in Masham will fit a bike in too. I then headed for Bedale, practicing increasing cadence, but I couldn't get my Heartrate up so I stopped trying, From Bedale I headed to Northallerton and then turned for home. The road from Northallerton to Busby Stoop is quite flat, but if went on forever and there was nothing much to look at, by the time I reached Busby Stoop I was getting a big fed up. It was breezy but not rainy but the landscape is very flat and apart from seeing a couple of heron and some swans in fields, there was nowt to really look at.

I did notice something that I often see when out running and cycling along country roads, it's something that worries me.

Discarded alcohol containers, today without looking hard I saw beer/lager/cider cans, and wine, vodka and whiskey bottles. I worry why there are so many discarded alcohol containers on quiet country roads. Are people literally drinking and driving? Are there car loads of drinkers on our roads? The roads that I and many others walk, run and cycle.

The cider can above worried me today, in the space of a mile there were 10 of these cans and they were reasonably new looking, I wonder if there is someone in that area who regularly has cider in the car, to be discarding so many cans so far from habitation.

Any way I manage to avoid any altercation with inebriated car occupants and cycled 45 miles on mucky roads.

I also completed a mike for my runstreak, after Id cleaned my very mucky bike.

#Janathon day 24 Long weekend session

Ah! Saturday, the day for a lie-in NOT.

Training plan says, walk 1 hour 50 minutes with Heartrate above 100 bpm, then run for 2 hours 50 minutes keeping heartrate below 130 bpm.  Jed likes Saturday because it means a longer walk for him. So after a breakfast of a banana and a yogurt washed down with a couple of cups of coffee we set off in darkness to walk by the river. The weather was cold but clear and not too frosty and the sun soon woke up to join us. It was very peaceful, we never saw anyone else for the first 20 minutes, in fact we hardly saw anyone else on today's walk. Billy has a sore calf and as time went on it got more sore, so at an hour and 10 mins he decided to go home and take Jed. Jed was reluctant he doesn't like it if we split up. 

I continued onto a route I've not done before, it was a bit further than I thought and I had walked 6.9 miles in 1 hour 50 but I wasn't at home so I ended up walking 7.76 miles in 2 hours 3 minutes with an average HR of 99 bpm and I was starving.

Transition comprised of swapping my hiking boots for road trainers and of eating a couple of digestives whilst packing and putting my hydration vest on.

10 min later I was out the door and heading for West Tanfield, a 6 and a half mile route that is mainly road and not hilly. I picked an easy route for a change. This is a nice quiet route. I found it difficult so keep my heartrate low! But I didn't have to walk too often. There were some muddy sections. I took the advantage of one of these sections to take the gel that I'd packed, as I set off back towards home. The 6.5 miles home seemed to pass quickly and the 2 hours 50 were up at the half marathon point. So I stopped my watch and walked the last few yards home. 

My average HR was 129.

So today I have covered over 20 miles in under 5 hours without busting a gut. 

It's been a good day to be out today, sunny, cool and peaceful. 

I also took Jed for a short walk this afternoon.

#Janathon day 23, the runstreak continues

Working hard at running last night meant that my sciatica was literally a pain in the butt this morning when I set off on my run, but it gradually eased and I managed 2.8 mikes and than a jog with Jed. It was nice not to contend with ice, it was cold but just wet.

So that's how my rest day started. 

I have walked as well today, giving me lots of time to plan tomorrow's run.

The rest of today has been as restful as my days ever are. 

#Janathon 22, this Janathon is flying by

Normally at this point of Janathon, I am already counting down the days, but this year, I can't believe how quick it is going.

I have passed 100 miles of running so I am happy with that, I never made that many last year due to having a couple of weeks of minimal after my 2013 miles in 2013. The other Janathons though I ran well over 100 miles, I even made 200 once.

 Never had to do it with my new companion, sciatica before though. Way back on November 25 when Sciatica came to visit I thought I may never run again, but mind over matter got me through a 34 mile trail race in December, it did take 9 hours though. I rested, I carried on as normal but nothing would sort it out. Libby my sports masseur has released it enough to get me back to running, and I have run every day this year at least a mile a day. Every mile I run is precious to me.

Tonight's training was efforts of mixed distance and I found them tough but I got them done.

#Janathon day 21, wicked Wednesday

I was very pleased with myself yesterday and my performance with Ripon Runners, 10 miles run between juniors and adults. My Piriformis wasn't, nor were my legs. This morning's runstreak was a real effort, my legs were tired and I certainly knew where my Piriformis was, But I managed a slow mile and a Dogjog too, but that wax definitely enough running for me today.

After work I went swimming and reached my target of 50 lengths in under half an hour before going to Ripon Cycle Studio for watt bikes. I didn't push the swim as I was feeling a little tired. Watt bikes was 6 x 6 minute efforts at above 200 watts with 2 minutes active recovery, this was a really tough session, my legs were on strike and it was a real effort as the lactic burned in my legs. I fought through though and reached my target. That was a wicked (evil) workout.

Tired now

#Janathon day 20, terrific Tuesday

A gentle start to the day, lots of stretching and roller work, before breakfast and walking the dog. It was nice not having icy paths to deal with.

After work it was running club juniors, I jogged down to warm my muscles, then after warming the juniors up it was a swift 5 km with regroups.

With the adults, I ran with my old group again, I dud a bit better this week, I managed to stay mid group for about 5 miles then quickly worked myself to the back of the group, but I did manage 7 mikes tonight, even after 3 with the kids I'm very happy with that. 

I do have a stiff calf and Achilles but nothing a good stretch won't sort.

#Janathon day 19. Another manic Monday

I woke early so decided to head out for my run, I looked out of the window and saw the snow, so put on my YakTrax. I was just going to do my runstreak mile, but I set off and just auto piloted onto an old favourite winter route, I never looked at my watch, I just ran, it was great, I felt so free. When I got home I had run 3.95 miles, if I'd looked at my watch I would have run to 4 miles.

After breakfast I took Jed out, I jogged with him since I had my running gear on, 

I walked to and from work. 

I made it to the pool when the lane was in, there were 4 of us in tonight, it was good, I had people to chase and swim away from, when they took the lane out at 6 pm I had done 92 lengths so I did another 8 before getting out.

Watt bikes tonight was 5 lots of 7 minute efforts with 2 mins recovery. My target was to stay above 192      Watts. It was tough, but I managed it. Sometimes I am too competitive with myself.

#Janathon day 18. Chrissie Wellington trained me today

I had a lie in before going for my runstreak mile today, I didn't go out until 7 am and had to come back for my YakTrax, otherwise I would not have been able to run or could have hurt myself, the pavements were so icy.    <a href="https://www.yaktrax.co.uk"></a>       The YakTrax I have are the Pro variety. I have had them for about 5 years now and as we do not get a lot of snow in Ripon I use them on icy pavements. I don't need them often but when I do, they are invaluable.

Whilst walking the dog, Billy and I discussed routes for cycling today. I felt the Vale of York would be the best bet as it would thaw first. By 10:30 it was obvious that the thaw would not be quick enough so we set up the indoor trainers. I decided to do a Chrissie Wellington workout                 <a href="http://audiofuel.co.uk/chrissie-wellington/"></a>      These Audio fuel workouts are great, the beat keeps you on track. I chose Ride harder 3, a pyramid session, it was a beast. It is a 90 min session and apparently equates to around a 2 hour session outdoors.

As I opened the bedroom window for some cooler air I could see it was snowing, so turbo was the right choice. The session did not disappoint, it was tough and afterwards, dripping in sweat I knew that I had had a good work out.

This afternoon was another dog walk in the chilly afternoon on ground still hard from the frost as the snow stated to fall again. It has not as yet settled though.

Recommended Items to ensure the weather does not hinder your training.

YakTrax snow and ice grips

Audio fuel cycling workouts 

#Janathon day 17, not gonna let it slip away now

This week my training plan was to do Parkrun to create a benchmark of where my running is at, then again every 6 weeks, do it again to measure progress. The weather had different plans. As forcast last night it rained loads on frozen ground and this morning that froze. The parkrun organisers made the decision to cancel for safety reasons. I thought they would. The dog walk this morning was a bit tricky in places.

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/fountainsabbey/  is great, it's 5km like all the others, but it is in the grounds of a World Heritage site. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fountains-abbey/ The 2 lap course takes you around the Abbey twice and the beautiful water gardens. Afterwards lots of runners meet at the visitor centre for coffee.  So it is a shame that the weather caused it to be cancelled today. I think I might do it next week. (Weather permitting)

I still had a timed 5 km to do, so this afternoon I set off for Studley Royal, with the intention of running to the church as a warm up, then running home as the timed 5 km.  I set off and everything was going to plan, well for the first mile anyway, as I headed off road onto the public footpath every step was hard, sticky, slippy mud and puddles made going forwards difficult. I stated to formulates new plan, run up to the church as the original plan, then run down the drive to the cattle grid, then back to the church and back down to the cattle grid, that should be about 5 km. 

as I was running up to the church the first time, the cars coming towards me had their lights on and I realised how much the light was fading. The deer were by the road and cars were stopping to look, I had to run around the cars. I got to the gate by the church and waited for my heartrate to drop a bit before running as hard as I could the mile down to the cattle grid before turning and heading back up the deer started crossing and I worried they d stampede but the split whilst I ran past and I heard the rest of them crossing behind me, multiple hooves pattering on the tarmac. 

I pushed hard to the gate before running hard back down, the deer were now all across the road, it was getting dark and I was racing the light. I reached the cattle grid and my watch hadn't buzzed to mark 5 km so I turned and ran 100 m or so up the drive and back, it didn't buzz so I thought it wasn't working and set off over the cattle grids towards home, then it buzzed. I then walked a bit, it was properly dark now, I was glad I had a fantastic head torch, in a drawer at home, but because there was little or no light pollution my night vision was quite good. I set off down the muddy footpath through the fields and was surprised that I was still managing to run at a reasonable pace except where it was really slippery, it was sleeting now, but I was soon back at the road and heading for town and the lights. 

Running in the dark off road works as good training for Equinox24 in September.

I'm really happy to have run my 5km in under 30 minutes, it's the best that I have run since my back went in November. 

17 runs, streaked.

#Janathon day 16, over half way

Gosh this month is going fast, can't believe it's Friday again. Friday is 'rest' day, so I got my run in early to ensure 24 hr of not running swimming or biking. Can't do that with walking, I walk all the time, it's my mode of transport. Often when I am walking somewhere, I race people. They don't know they're in a race but I spot people ahead and challenge myself to catch and overtake them just by speedwalking.

This afternoon was another session with Libby for a not her sports massage to work out the knots in my left hand side caused by the sciatica. She has given me more stretches to try whilst I await my physio appointment. 

So now I'm all done for the day. Exercise done, work done, sports massage done, Jog, Log and Blog done. Feet up now before a busy weekend.

#Janathon day 15,

Today I say the "This girl can" video. It's great, well I like it anyway. It is a Sport England  video  to encourage more women to exercise. I have posted a link to the full advert if you haven't seen it yet, on my Paintedrunner FB page.  https://www.facebook.com/paintedrunnerIUPO?ref=aymt_homepage_panel Here is the behind the scenes http://youtu.be/5OeQjEGM12M .

I like the way it shows real women in sport, not slim, leggy youngsters.

As most of you know, I was 40 when I took up running and as a pear shaped, 5 ft 10 in 12 and a half stone athlete, I am aware that I do not look like a stereotypical athlete but look at what I have achieved over the past 9 years and continue to achieve. 

When I was younger I would have been more self conscious of my Lycra clad cellulite, but I just accept it now, I must admit, the first time I went out in public in my tri suit was a bit nerve wracking. But the best thing I wear is my smile. I love what I do and hope I inspire a few people too.

So I think this ad campaign is great.

Any how, today I gave walked and been to running club training, I jogged down, the weather was horrific, rain and gales, but glad I went, I soon warmed up. Then I jogged home. So my runstreak continues too.

#Janathon day 14 Workout Wednesday

Today started with a slip slide run, the pavements had frozen overnight and a flurry of snow had laid on top of it, so today's runstreak mile was pretty slow, but I did run a mile in tough conditions. 

I went home, had breakfast and did a few chores, in the meantime the outside temperature had risen and it had started to snow. So an hour later Jed's Dogjog was easier going than the runstreak mile. Most the ice had gone and the fresh snow was easy to jog on. Jed just wanted to stay out and play in it. 

After work it was dog walk and swim and Watt bikes. The swim was tough as the pool was busy. I was quite tired by the time I got to the cycle studio. I was given my session, 4 lots of 8 minute efforts with 2 minute recovery. The target was 185 watts or more. Gosh that's a tough one, on Monday I struggled to stay over 184 watts on the 3x9 minute efforts. The first effort was 186 av, then I managed a 192 av, then I fought hard to achieve 2 lots of 190 watts average. I was well chuffed. I didn't think I could do that.

Tomorrow is lie in day as Running club training tomorrow evening will tick the runstreak box.