Up on the Downs

Now I have a car again (well, it's not quite mine, but I have custody of it until next June) I drove into work to do a 1/2 shift, leaving me plenty of time to scoot up to the Downs and go for a run. It feels good being back up there: flat, not too much traffic, scenic - what's not to like? I did feel tired which I hope was due to the lack of food (nothing since supper yesterday) rather than being dismally unfit.

I was happy enough - but the whole unfit thing is annoying. I know it doesn't just happen while sitting on the sofa, that it requires effort, but I'm still taking it personally and would rather not have to work at it. But there I am - pushing 60 (9 weeks to go) and I'm running. A bit.

5.44 km (it's quite flat so I go further...) 

6m 42s per km (again - it is quite flat!)

Well done me. 

Well, that went better...

It was a lovely morning - crisp, high pressure - and I'd promised I'd go running. No pressure.

And it was fine. Just the usual stuff of aching legs, a tiny niggle in my right calf (didn't amount to anything, yay) and the knowledge that I'm getting older and this will never get easier.  (Is that true though? I mean, if I train more it will get easier - or at least not harder. And psychologically now I've had a good run I feel more likely to go again soon... So, I take it back) (But not the bit about getting older)

My Sweaty Betty (bum-sculpting and expensive, but I got them off Ebay so not so pricey) leggings have gone a bit loose. I'm putting it down to the elastic perishing as they're quite old - but the other reason is I've lost enough weight to make a difference. A stone. From just over 9 to just over 8 stone. I know it's on my scales, first thing in the morning etc etc, but the objective fact is I've lost a stone and it feels great. I will never have what could be subjectively judged to have a good figure - but I am happier with the way I look now than I have been for a long time. 

And that makes me happy.

As I hurtle towards my 60th birthday I will take the time to appreciate my good fortune in life and make sure I don't fritter it away by putting the weight back on and spending even longer on the sofa watching Suits... 

Today's run

4.94 km (so annoyed I didn't make it to 5km...)

7m 01s per km (not unhappy with that)

Mistake

Well - there is no joy in running with a hangover. I had hoped I could run it off, but there was no way that was going to happen. I had to walk several times and I felt awful.

Lesson learned.

4.80 km

7m 29 per km

Summer running...

No. of runs since seeing a badger: 1 

It was a glorious morning - the first balloons in ages drifted over the garden and I had my kit out ready to jog off into the sun.

Nice.

Apart from the effort and the general pain and out of breathness. But hey ho.

5.02 km

6m 54s per km

I'm definitely getting better and losing 11 lbs has helped enormously - a few more to go and perhaps I will up my pace and distance even more. It doesn't really matter though - getting out there and doing it is what counts. 

I had a pizza with extra chorizo and a whole bar of chocolate last night with the thought that I'd run it off this morning - but I am very well aware of that fallacy. The rule of thumb is that a mile of running burns off 100 calories - I must have had 1500 minimum and didn't run 15 miles. But I feel good this morning, so well done me. 

Badgers

For some reason my last post didn't include the episode with the badger. I was 1/2 way around the Tesco's path when I saw an RSPCA officer. Someone had called them to see a badger. I've never seen a badger before - this one was sadly in the throes of dying, it was fitting and looked very wrong. 

That's badger #1. Today's badger was dead on the pavement outside 133 Bishop Road. At first I thought it was a cat warming its tummy in the sun, but no, it was stone cold dead, on its back, attracting the attention of schoolchildren. I've reported it to the council who have promised it'll be cleared within 2 days. So.

Anyway, I have lost another few pounds, about 11 in total - well done me - and I think it's made running a little bit easier. Not much - I haven't exactly been pounding the pavements so there is little to compare it with, but I didn't stop to walk so I'm pleased about that. 

3.63km

7m 11 sec per km

Short because I didn't want to overdo it (lol) and I stopped for the badger.

So that's all good. 

Imperative

Long time no run. It was time to get back out there and see how I get on. No pressure. And I've been on holiday for 10 days so there was no running and no holding back on the food and wine. 

When does the feeling of 'I need to go for a run' kick in? There are people who go for a quick run whenever they can fit one in, who feel wrong if they don't run, who run to help them relax. Who are these people?

I run because exercise is essential to healthy living, it's free, you can take it with you. 

It's also awful: the pain, the inclement weather, the expense of decent kit (that last one is more of an option...) 

Weight loss - now there is something I'm getting good at. So far, the 5:2 diet has lost me about 1/2 a stone with about 5 lbs still to go. It's not that easy being hungry all the time during the fasting days but there is always the knowledge that the next day you can have what you want (within reason). The difficulty is always in keeping it off - but if I stick with the regime, I can cut back on the fasting days and it will be fine, right? That will be the test.

So I'm on a fasting day today which means I had enough to eat yesterday and so have a little bit more energy for a run than I did last time: shall we see how I did?

4.27km

7m 19s per km

Pretty poor in truth - but I'm ok with that. 

Not sure about this lark

So I'm being very sensible and actually taking weight-loss seriously rather than hoping for the best. I've done 2 days in a 5:2 diet regime which I am pretty sure works (as long as you don't go mad on your non-fasting days which could prove my downfall...

Yesterday was a fasting day (well, 400 calories) and it was fine. I told myself last night that I would be  running this morning and sure enough I did; first thing after the usual exercises I headed out into the beautiful sunny morning. 

It was ok. Can I blame fasting for my lack of energy forcing me to walk for a bit? It would make sense I guess but I do think I should have been able to keep going. Once the idea of walking comes into my head, I come over all feeble and just slow right down. 

And now I feel knackered. The bursitis, if that's what it is, keeps hurting (but doesn't get any worse) and my feet are aching now, 5 hours later. But my calfs and Achilles are ok - yay, whoop whoop etc

4.99 km

7m 14 per km

Unbuttered Parsnips

That wasn't a great experience to be honest. Perhaps my attitude of 'well at least I got out for a run' doesn't butter any parsnips... 

I'm overweight and unfit. I don't have the body strength to see me through the run - I had to walk about 4 times. 

5.04km

7m 28s per km

Don't know how I managed over 5km, but apparently I did. And the pace reflects how much I had to walk. It's horrible trying to get back into running after a walk - there is a huge hike in effort required. Mentally as well as physically

So, there it is: a run done - well done me - but unbuttered parsnips. 

pain and effort

More effort than pain to be honest. As usual, the hardest part was getting going. Well, that and the effort of getting up the hills with no breath. But hey ho. Another run under my belt. A very long belt as I have lost no weight. 

I was listening to BBC Radio 6 Music and it was good. They played a fantastic track from the new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album: I feel a Spotify playlist coming on. 

4.5km

6m 54s per km 

It's my own fault

Putting on weight and not doing enough exercise: and I wonder why I felt so exhausted today. I had to walk. I had no breath. I was barely jogging at times. 

But I went for a run.

Now I'm wondering if the achievement of 'going for a run' is really enough to make me feel good about myself. I don't feel good about myself. Time is taking its toll, but I am grateful I've got this far and haven't totally given up. 

4.2km

7m 7s per km

It's a mystery

I'm currently with car: it's a rare occurrence and one I'm taking full advantage of. Today's treat was to drive up to the Downs for a run. Always good to have a change of scene, plus it's mostly flat, so it's all good. 

I can't believe I used to run up there from home, go all the way round - at times even up to the observatory for goodness' sake - and be back in time to go to work. 

But not today. 

The mystery about this morning's effort was that I felt just as knackered as I did the last time I went up there - and that was really weirdly tough. I had to walk a couple of times just because I felt so rough. I did have quite a lot of wine last night which is probably the main reason... 

And then - I look at the stats and they're not even that bad. TF?

4.73km

6m 52s per km

Mildly Disappointing

So I did get new shoes and they felt good. 

I have even been for a run in them. 

Well - the mild disappointment is that they're not as padded as I'd hoped. My right foot was still achy like before but perhaps not quite so bad. And now I have new shoes I am obliged to run more. 

it was a struggle getting going this morning - for one thing, it's cold and for another, I am lazy and fearful about putting any effort into exercise. But that's a me issue.

I also walloped my knuckle on a wheelie bin - it wasn't painful then but now it's all swollen up and hurty.

Oh, poor, poor me.

it was also muddy... 

5.01km

7m 13s per km 

I walked for a while so I could find the next episode of the podcast...

Also I am a very slow runner

how it started.. 

how it's going... 

Stupid foot

I think my foot issue might be more limiting than I hoped. It's hurting near the bottom of my second toe - I guess there is a lot of pressure on there. So any new shoes will have to have the padding rather than the off-road (ha!) capability. 

But there I was, bravely running through the pain, and almost got to the 5k mark but stopped cos it was getting too hurty, like it might cause damage. 

4.81km

7m 02s per km

and I'm not disappointed by being slow - there are plenty of people slower and I'm just doing me. 

Foot

I wore my old shoes to see if they fit better than the off-road ones and indeed they do. My toes don't ram into the end, which is nice. But they are too hard: I think the padding gets compacted or just perishes over time. The main effect of this is that my poor arthritic right foot is really aching now. No matter how much I try to convince myself that not having a functioning joint isn't a big problem, it is, nevertheless, a problem. One I just have to live with as there is no actual cure. Pain-killers, cutting back on the ballet, and flat shoes all should help.

'You never see a fat runner', I thought. Then I looked in the mirror. 

short: 4.29km (didn't want to push it too far: I was huffing and puffing like a fat runner anyway)

not quite so slow: 6m 54s per km which is a little pleasing but could have done without the foot pain and the tiny niggle of calf ache.

Oh woe is me.

But also, well done me for going for a run. 

One day I won't make such a song and dance about it... 

Even slower

I think this is the last morning before some new storm comes in and I'll be staying firmly indoors. 

As for how slow I was, well, new records are being set:

5.03km (small cheer for going over 5km) (by 3m but who's counting)

7min 13s per km.

But I'm ok with it - the point of this is doing exercise and all the benefits that brings, and if I'm barely moving then so what? Plus it was over 36 mins and I believe the peak benefit of cardio comes at about the 45 min mark so there is that to aim for. 

But well done me: a win for today

Cold and oh so sunny

Definitely a good start to the day when it's about freezing but the sun is out, not a cloud in the sky.  No excuse - and in truth it wasn't a hard decision to head out, so well done me. 

Slow though. But I thought to myself that this is jogging and that's perfectly OK. It's good for me and I'm not going to beat myself up about it.  And I still put in sufficient effort to make my calfs hurt enough to find me now resting on ice doing this... 

There are loads of curly dogs out and about these days - I imagine them being lockdown dogs, the cute teddy bear types that don't shed. It's the kind of dog I would go for if I ever did, but I know there are so many rescues that need a home and it's a bad thing to encourage breeding... But I'm never going to get a dog, so...

Anyhoo - the stats:

4.43km

7m 2s per km

I'm OK with that. 

Jury's out

I gave myself no choice this morning. Just did my usual selection of moves and then went out. No big deal. Listened to 'This Thing of Darkness' on BBC Sounds - it's about a prison psychologist working with long-term prisoners. Not a barrel of laughs but interesting enough to distract me.

So - does my theory of lb-for-lb correlation stand?

4.3 km - so further

7m 06s per km - faster

But have I lost weight? Nope.