Endurance Adventures

A very happy New Year to everybody! Here's to 2010- a brand new decade! Personally I have decided that it's going to be a fantastic New Year for me, and I hope it's the same for all of you and that you achieve all your goals and aspirations.

I went to a 1970's party last night hosted by my little sister's boyfriend's family- it was really good, lots of food, games and dancing- me and mum danced for ages, and when the Can Can came on all of us ladies got into a line and got straight into the leg kicking... only it went on for ages- I swear it was on a repeat loop- and we were all knackered by the end! good exercise though I suppose!


Me in 1970's Gear!

I slept on my sister's settee and woke up quite early (I usually do- getting older robsme of my ability to lie in). There was no sign of life from my sis and her boyfriend's room so I got up and drove to Beacon Hill, which is only just down the road from them. It was a gorgeously crisp, clear day;


Views From The Top Of Beacon Hill



It was quite busy- other folks obviously had the same idea. I followed the path down to the bottom car park and an alternative path back up- only about 3 miles but a lovely walk and a good start to the New Year.


Rock Formation On Beacon Hill


The 'Old Man Of The Beacon'

I have also set my Wii Fit up and it's great- there are workouts for jogging on there and all kinds of balance and strength training workouts. I am going to try to commit to using it regularly to supplement the gym and running.

Right, goals for 2010- I suppose I had better set some so here we go...

1.) Lose weight and tone up- I have put on some weight since MdS and feel flabby, so my number one goal is to lose this and feel more toned

2.) I am not planning on major trips this year due to being skint, so am planning on doing lots of LDWA events- ones I have in mind (but may change) are;
Belvoir Challenge
Charnwood Marathon
Dave Lewis Challenge and Spires & Steeples in the SAME weekend
Ponton Plod
Waltham Winder (if it's on)

3.) I will also successfully complete the Bullock Smithy!

4.) I will participate in some road races, including the Robin Hood Marathon at a better time than last year.

Overall I am quite please with my progress last year- highlights were the MdS (of course!) and the Robin Hood Marathon. Lowlights were the lack of motivation following said MdS and susequent weight gain, plus living further away from the countryside.

Of course, this is the year I turn 40- f***!

Feel free to share your goals- here's to achieving them!

Labels: beacon hill, goals, New Year, New Year's Resolutions

A very happy 2008 to one and all!! I must admit, my very first thought of the New Year was "Sh*t, I am doing the MdS NEXT year!!!"

Now is a good a time as any to review progress over the last year... my goals for 2007 were as follows, with my comments in red;

I will have undertaken the Belvoir Challenge in a faster time than before (I took 10 minutes longer... but it is a different route each year, plus several folks reported that their GPS said the route was more like 28 miles than 26... that's my excuse...)

I will have undertaken the Charnwood Challenge in a faster time than before (Yes- took nearly an hour off my time!)

I will have undertaken at least one Triathlon. There is a local sprint Triathlon around May I might aim for (no- mainly due to the fact that I can't swim!!)

Will have undertaken the Barrow Classic 10 in a faster time than before (No- this race wasn't organised this year, plus I was injured)

To run a sub 60 minutes 10K! (Yes!! Every 10k this year has been a sub 60 minutes!)

Will have undertaken a half marathon race, not sure which one yet though (Yes! I have done two!!)

I will undertake the 56 mile Bullock Smithy Hike this year- had to withdraw last year due to a chest infection (No- decided this would be too far, this year though...)

Will have undertaken a trekking holiday in Morocco, and climbed Mount Toukbal; this is booked for June this year!!! (Yes!!!)

I will keep a training log, something I have never done before. I will also try to work out how to link to other blogs down the side of the screen- I can’t do it! (I did manage to link to the blogs, but have been less than successful in keeping the training journal apart from on here)

I will get to a weight I am happy with, and tone my body. Rather than have a specific weight in mind, I will see how I feel, after all muscle weighs more than fat. (This is kind of ongoing. Despite all the training I don't actually feel well toned).

2007 Review

When I started this blog, I originally intended to do triathlons with the possibility of building up to an Ironman, but the MdS kind of overtook that!

The best bits were;

• increasing my weekly running/ walking distances from around 10/ 12 miles per week to 25 miles plus
• building up runs to half marathon distance
• taking more than 4 minutes off my 10k PB
• undertaking 33 mile walk in one day
• shaving time off a lot of the challenge events I had completed in 2006

The not so good bits;

• injuring my Achilles in the Belvoir Half Marathon and having to stop running for several weeks. However (touch wood) this appears to have completely healed
• having one swimming lesson and giving up
• meaning to replace my bike tyres and not getting round to it. I have hardly been out on the bike at all

Plans/ Goals/ Aims for 2008

Obviously the Mds is going to dominate 2008 training plans. I am going to have to increase the distances covered each week, but gradually so as to avoid injury. I will start with 30 miles a week and build up slowly from there. I am going to keep up the long walks as well as build up the length of my runs. I will need to introduce consistent pack training, gradually increasing the weight of the pack. I will also need to introduce back to back runs.

By this time next year I would like to be covering 50- 60 miles per week, and be training with full pack weight. This will set the scen for the final push to peak at 70 miles some weeks before tapering for the event itself.

I will have indertaken some 50 mile events, including, finally, the Bullock Smithy Hike.

I would like to sub 2 hours for a half marathon, and maybe sub 55 minutes for a 10k. However, I won't be doing many 10ks. Like Lloyd, I have found that training to run these distances is counter productive, as the need to taper before the even means that weekly mileage for that week is compromised. I think the training needs to go beyond the 10k distance and I will need to concentrate on slower, longer mileage events such as 10 miles and over. I will still probably do a few 10k's though.

I'd like to beat my time for the Belvoir Half, Grindleford Gallop, Valleys 'n' Views etc.

This year I will also need to test equipment/ clothing for the MdS. By this time next year I will need to have a clear idea of what I am going to take and how to use it!

I am also going to get back to the swimming lessons and get my bike in working order; I'd like to have a bash at a triathlon or duathlon, besides I think the cross training will help with overall fitness and avoiding injury.

I should also add eating much more healthily as I have been eating far too much crap lately and need to fuel my body properly if it is to function under the increased training!! (Isn't chocolate one of the major food groups though??) Oh, suppose I should try to limit my coffee intake...

I would like to lose more weight and tone up but am not going to obsess over it as it may well happen naturally as I increase the mileage (we can hope!!)

I would also like to undertake a long distance path- there is one called the Leicestershire Round circling Leicestershire, it's 100 miles long and I was toying with the idea of doing it over 4 days, say 25 miles a day, which would also be good back to back training.

Phew!! Think I will have to get out for a run now after all that!

Hope 2008 is a great year for us all, especially those doing the MdS this year!!

Labels: New Year's Resolutions, training plans

... I know it's a bit late, but I just thought it would be interesting to look at the goals I set for this year and see how they're going... Here they are...

• Complete the Belvoir Challenge in a faster time than last year. Well, I did complete it, but 10 minutes slower than last year... but it is a different route each year, and loads of people said this year's was tougher, plus a lot of folks with GPS had measured the route at 28-9 miles instead of 26, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!


• Complete the Charnwood Forest Marathon in a faster time than last year. Done! I completed it in 7 hours, 56 minutes. Can't remember last year's time but it was definately around 8 hours 15 mins.


• Complete the Barrow Classic in a faster time than last year. This was a 10 mile road race, and I couldn't do this- mainly due to the fact that the event was discontinued. Plus my Achilles would have been too bad.


• Complete a half marathon. Done! I completed the Belvoir Half Marathon on Easter Sunday (and knackered my achilles into the bargain...)


• Complete the Bullock Smithy Hike. Having second thoughts on this one... I really think I am not ready at this stage and don't want to injure myself. This could be one for next year, I think I will find a 30 miler to do instead.


• Complete a sub hour 10k. Done! All the 10k's I've done this year have been under an hour.


• Trek in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and climb Jebel Toukbal. Done!


• Undertake a triathlon. Erm. This was one of my major goals, until the MdS kind of snuck in there and took over... I also have one major reason for not doing this...

...... I can't bloody swim!!

But I am planning on getting Katie to give me lessons, and I will undertake a triathlon next year... next stop, Ironman ha ha.

• Find a weight I'm happy with. Not sure on this one, I would like to lose more if I can or at least tone up. I certainly don't look as though I spend a lot of time in the gym! Maybe this will naturally happen as I up my mileage for the MdS.

Actually, that's not too bad. Things to do; start swimming! Gradually increase my mileage now my heel is better. Look for a 30 mile route to walk in the next few weeks.

The way this year's going, it won't be too long before I'm thinking up next year's resolutions!

Labels: New Year's Resolutions