New to Triathlons, New to Shropshire. An Orthotist tracks her training with a love of spreadsheets, graphs, photos and prose.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Five Things Friday

1. This is the first time, perhaps ever that i have exercised 5 days in a row, which inspired 'five things friday'. I love looking at this graph on DM

5 days in a row!
2. I plan to make this 7 days, so there maybe a new graph on sunday.

3. I hope that I enjoy swimming as much as i do running when i get started.  I am thoroughly loving riding my bike.  I love the speed, the distance i can travel, the freedom it provides. Even though i don't get off at anypoint, i just like being able to get somewhere far away and fast (i have no car).  I really have become a lover of running. The escaping mind wandering nature of it.  As they say, just me and the pavement. Or at least what I say!
More wasting of time

4. Count down to seeing my husband has really begun, only 6 days to go. He is living in America till i get a job and boy do i miss him.  I miss leaving him in bed in the morning. Making him coffee.  Kissing him when i come home and snugling on the sofa with him.  I miss the random information he gives me while reading on the web.  I miss his sarcastic comments and loving jests. And his cooking.

5. Think i'm going to enjoy a nice bottle of wine with my sister tonight.  We have a lot of catching up to do. I haven't seen her in over a year.

Happy Friday everyone.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Aspiring to Negative Splits

I tried to have negative splits on my 10K the other week but with the excitement of the race i started out way too fast. First mile was 9:10.  Thankfully it didn't stop me from pushing it at the end, though i have to consider how much better i could have been if i hadn't gone out too fast.  The second lap of the race not one person passed me, i passed plenty and that is a really good feeling.  I looked at the race results and i came in 93rd of 153 females. The first female was about 20 mins faster and the last female 20 minutes slower.  So i'm pretty much middle of the pack, and in all honesty, i'm pretty pleased with that.
My splits out of interest were 9:10, 10:10, 10:14, 9:33, 9:48, 9:35 the last bit at 8:43pace Avg pace 9:36

So, today as per usual i set out with no plan.  This only seems to occur me about 4 minutes in, when i think 'What is my goal today?'  I have been running a regular route for my short 3 milers which is up Olivers Mount. I like it as it involves lots of hills, there is barely any flat in it. But have also been enjoying just running around Scarborough, my home town, seeing it in a different light, through runners eyes.

Elevation chart for Olivers Mount


So today i fancied a change and ran a completely new route, out to Newby.  Its not an area i know well, in fact, just that its the way to the Hospital. I set out easy and again, thought, whats my goal today? Speed, distance? i realised i hadn't done a longer run recently and decided on running 5 and to try to get negative splits, preferably without looking at Sally every 5 meters! It took a bit of concentration but i did it.  I put my race head on in the second half and pushed it all the way till the end.  The very last 200m is up hill and i really wanted to keep the pace up.
Result = Awesomeness.

9:58, 9:37, 9:27, 9:10, 8:42
5.2mils 47:07 Avg pace 9.03

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

I'm back, and I've been busy!

Ok, so it been a while.....

But in that time i have:

Lost 10lbs
Moved to England
Bought a road bike
Kept up on my Tri /running blogs reading
Bought a swimming suit - yet to swim, still haven't got a bike lock and cant get to pool without bike.
Decided on my Triathlon - but can't afford to sign up yet.

I have been running regularly.  I ran a 10K the other week and i was really pleased with the time.  It was actually 10.48K and i ran it in 1:02:20 (9.37 pace) It was a bit hilly, in the Castle Howard grounds. They are hosting a triathlon for the first time this year. It looks like a nice course, I'm considering it for next year.

Been wasting my time making posters.
I have been on three bike rides, the first being quite eventful as i was hit by an SUV. Not knocked off thankfully but i do have a friction burn on my knuckle from the car.  Still my ass huts, but i suppose that will be an issue for a few more weeks.

I think that's it.  Gonna keep this updated again, i have been slack as i was unsure if anyone really read this. But i like the idea of returning to it at a later date, so having no readers is less of a concern. Though of course, some is always nice. But whatever....