aquaphobia

Yesterday we did our usual Monday tough guy training (although running was bit painful on the old ankles after the hike on Sunday!). The climax of yesterdays training was a 50m swim in the Serpentine, a stretch of water in Hyde Park which the lads all took in their stride but which I bottled out of. For as long as I can remember I have always been a bit anxious in water, although am normally am ok in a swimming pool. Yesterday however, I was not prepared to go in the water.

So, all in all was not very tough girl of me so next time I think will at least give it a go!

tough guy circuits

You remember how I was saying in a previous blog entry about entering Tough Guy? Well, training has commenced! Twice a week the Tough Guy's and I make our way into Hyde Park, no matter what the weather, to roll in mud, brave the rain, strain those muscles all in the name of Tough Guy. It is hoped that after all of this the actual event will not be as bad… however this may just be wishful thinking! Here is the motley bunch that turned up for the first ever training session… Too much smiling obviously not working hard enough!

morning hills

This morning I managed to crawl out of bed (no small feat) at 6 to go for a jog. Around where I live it is impossible to avoid the hills, but it was really great! No pain in my knee, the quite of the morning, sweet smells, and birds singing! Plus now I can feel smug all day for getting up early and for running :)

injured

I am properly injured... Again... Earlier this year I pulled my achillies tendon and have slowly managed to get it back on track. My latest injury is worse as I have no idea what is causing it!

It only hurts during or after running. It feels like a kind of sharpe cramp at the back of my knee and it really hurts. As soon as I slow and walk it goes away. Then after running I get some cramps too... This is not good for ultra running at all!

I think I have to stop running totally for the next two weeks and just do things like spinning and aerobics... Bummer

running around

I feel like I should say something about my training… Basically, I am no good at following any kind of training plan and so, being the flexible person that I am (doesn't mean I can touch my toes) I approach the whole thing in a very casual way! There are two events that I have signed up to:

CCC Ultra marathon, August 2007
Tough Guy, February 2008

Even as I write this I am thinking "what have I got myself into" but as they say: what doesn't kill you, will at least make you think twice before entering certain events!

For the ultra marathon I have been training mostly by running! In May I ran my first marathon, the Three Forts Marathon. This entailed 1000m of ascent and was actually 27miles trail! So am currently trying to fit in 3-4 runs a week including 1 easy jog, 1 set of interval training, and 1 long run. Think I need to do a bit more about running up and down hills too. On top of this I do a couple of aerobics classes a week to work on core strength.

Yesterday I decided to do my interval training at lunch time in the full glare of the sun, what a plonker! I staggered around Hyde Park doing 6x30second sprints with jogging rests, next time will wait till its cooler!