Handicap

As well as Janathon, my second new years resolution for 2011 is to get my work / life in balance. Being a bit of a workaholic I've got 2 things giving me that extra bit of motivation this year.

1. my Robbie is stuck at home all day (when he's not sneakily popping out on crutchathon training) with a broken leg, so I want to be getting home to spend a decent evening with him

2. running club is on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I've been missing this as I never get home in time, so must leave work on time to get in the runs

1st Tuesday of each month means Handicap.

Race: DPR January Handicap
Location: Dulwich
Distance: 2.1 miles
Time: not entirely sure so will update tomorrow once I find out times from Ian (our Handicapper!)

Already got a few more runs planned for the rest of the month, and looking forward to them:

• Ladies X country (Surrey League) in Ham - 15 January
• Bank of England X country - 22 January (cake!)
• Dartford 10 - 23 January

See you tomorrow!

Cross trainer

As part of Rob's recovery he has purchased a cross trainer.  I had good intentions to give this a test train today, especially since I was too tired to go running (as were jet lagged Chris and Penny).  However, I was also too tired even to drag it out of it's home in the corner of the dining room.

Activity...
The reason for being so tired is that there was more lifting today.  Lifting of antique bookcases:

• into the boot of the car
• out of the boot of the car
• across the driveway
• into the house
• twice (we got a bargain deal on them!)

So that wiped me out, as well as achy legs I am guessing I will also have achy arms in the morning...

If you fancy some more reading you have to check out these Janathon blogs:

• Gillian
• Astrid
• Katie
• and of course Robbie!

 Penny - where are you?!

Stretch and... lift

It didn't even take a day before I started to feel my sore muscles! After 5 weeks of rest I completely forgot to stretch after my new years day 10K, so feeling very stiff indeed.

Activity
Didn't quite make it out for a run, but as some of you may know we recently moved house and I spent most of the afternoon lifting boxes up and down the stairs, clearing the lounge to make room for my sisters and their partners who are coming round for dinner shortly.

Anyway, must dash as I need to pretend I've been slaving away in the kitchen...

Janathon

New year, new me... we'll see! 2010 was the year of NOT blogging, well I'm giving it another go...

After a lovely evening with Cheryl, Eric and the DPR gang seeing in 2011 to munch munch, rrrrr and sssss* I managed to get up and my act together for the first run of the year (and the first since the Beckenham Trail 10K with Robbie at the end of November)!

Race: Brooks Serpentine New Year's Day 10K
Location: Hyde Park, London
Distance: 10K
Time: 59.01

Not bad after a good 5 weeks of resting! It was a cold, fresh, grey morning with the sun shimmering through at times. I drove George and I through the quiet streets of London, no doubt most still asleep and soon to be nursing their hangovers, and parked up in Hyde Park. Met Gillian and Alan and a few other DPR crew and had a catch up on the whereabouts of Rob (find out more).

Before we knew it the race had begun. As I always do, took it easy and thoroughly enjoyed it! The first few km were a little crowded along the paths which soon lightened up as everyone found their pace. Saw Di and Susan Smith cheering on the sidelines which always gives a boost!

After collecting my finishers medal and new year mug I met up with the rest of the DPR crew. Gillian treated us to her delicious ginger chocolate brownies while Alan served up champagne (in proper glasses too!) which we all enjoyed - thank you!

New year's day run done and dusted - what next?! I present to you 'Janathon' courtesy of Gillian. Astrid and I will be trying this out too in prep for the Dartford 10 at the end of the month - oh yes!

So... let's see how I get on tomorrow!

*as well as snap snap, oo oo oo oo, d n d n and more...

I should be blonde

Woke up this morning and was disorientated for a few seconds, I had slept like a log and didn't know what day or where I was. Haven't experienced that for a while! Walking and running over 28 miles around Kent at the weekend certainly took it's toll!

Felt strangely relaxed though and clear headed... if you've been following my Twitter feed you'll know that I had an eventful morning getting into work. Luckily I had no meetings until the afternoon and it was a fresh morning pleasant enough to walk from London Bridge to Tower Gateway to catch the DLR to Canary Wharf.

Blonde moment 1...

Met Espen for lunch today. I gave him two options of which were either 241 or bogof offers. Being the gentleman he let me choose. So carbs it was and to Pizza Express we went.

While we were waiting I took out the voucher to show Espen. "I think you were supposed to print the voucher." On closer inspection it was the darn form I had to fill in before the voucher was presented - duh...

Blonde moment 2...

Mary gave me a good pummelling this evening. So much so she knocked sense right out of me. After turning over I was rubbing my dry itchy eyes and realised everything was a bit blurry... "Oh bugger, I think my contact lens has folded to the back of my eye again..."

Mary paused mid-petrissage and looked at me bewildered. "Haven't you got your glasses with you?" I followed Mary's gaze across the table and there they were neatly folded (albeit a little blurred) just as I'd left them...

Night night.

Lamb skewers

Run with the club this evening, I was feeling pretty tired after work so had a powernap when I got home, they are the way to go!

Woke: 07:11 PM
Snooze: nil
Up: 07:20 PM
Fuel: a big portion of shepherds pie and sweetcorn followed at a creme caramel type dessert with summer fruits at lunchtime
Out: 07:35 PM
Weather: very mild! Amazing it was snowing and icy just 2 weeks ago
Will have to start wearing my summer running kit soon!
Thoughts:

• got my membership!
  
• oh my gosh, I really need not have donned my fleece, headwarmer or gloves - it's not even been 30 seconds and I'm sweating like there's no tomnorrow!

Mornings!: er nil - I went running with the club in the evening time, did manage to say 'hello' to a couple walking their dog though!
Distance: 6 miles
Route: Gipsy Hill
Back: 09:05 PM
Refuel: Ginger Ale, orange juice and my favourite kebab - seriously good - I never used to eat or like lamb before Hisars!

Kuzu shish at Hisars - my favourite kebab restaurant!

Alcoholic beverage treats: again, didn't really fancy any, had a mint tea to help with digestion
Alcoholic beverages not consumed: a glass of red
What next: a teeny bit of me had let the though of a morning run tomorrow but I'm going to give it a miss and just do yoga in the evening, so next running is going to be on Thursday with the club - I think we're doing hill training...
Notes: Ade called just before I left the house, I'm staying at his on Saturday so we can drive down to Brighton together to do the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon. He's going to cook pasta so we can carbo load the evening before and we'll probably chill out watching DVD's or something- can't wait!

Spring

Woke: 4:38 AM and went back to sleep...
Snooze: nil, full of beans this morning! I could hear the birds singing outside which is a first - must be springtime!
Up: 06:08 AM
Fuel: water
Out: 06:27 AM, I was pottering - should I make my bed now or when I get back?
Weather: mild, probably would've managed without my gloves. Sky was a dark light blue purple-y shade of pink...
Thoughts:

• Wonder if the pavement on Croxted Road will sparkle today... it did!
• Gee, I could feel and smell the car fumes during the last leg. Dulwich Common was busy this morning - thought it'd be quiet with it being half term, then again it should't have had any bearing since it was a little before the school run
• I once read that Maggie Thatcher lives in a gated estate in Dulwich, I wonder if it's Hambledon Place?
  
• Yes! I knew why I'd brought my iPhone with me this morning...
  
  
  To take advantage call Dulwich Riding School

Mornings!: Was feeling a bit shy today... I had 2 opportunities:

• the silverfox getting into his Merc on Croxted Road
• the senior runner in a bright florescent yellow mac crossing Dulwich Common at College Road

Distance: 3 miles
Route: Court Lane, Turney Lane, Croxted Road, Dulwich Common... I'll map it later
Back: 07:02 AM
Refuel: daddy portion of porridge and decaf earl grey
Alcoholic beverage treats: didn't fancy anything, green tea for me
Alcoholic beverages not consumed: saki - went for Japanese with Geoff this evening
What next: 6 miles with the club on Tuesday evening
Notes:

• Had to tell Sarah that I wasn't running with her this lunchtime, was feeling pretty stiff and a little tight from Saturday so probably not a good idea to do speedwork
• The salesman who sold me my car sponsored me today, am touched. I love my Mazda and if you want one just like mine, get in touch with Phil Hodgson at Peoples in Bootle - he's the man!

Race crazy

I had a really nice lie in this morning, just what I needed after a restless week. Pottered about doing chores and then decided to be very organised and enter a load of races in an attempt to keep me motivated and on track after a pitiful fortnight of basically slacking off, not necessarily all my fault of course, blame the snow...

Anyway, if you're at a loose end why not come and support me, here's what I've now got in the diary for all my Sundays in March...

1st - Cloud Nine Hill Race
8th - Banbury 15
15th - well, I'll be in Austria visiting Silke with Jen, so somewhere around Gotzis or maybe Bregenz (interesting fact: Quantum of Solace was filmed here!)

Pic from my 2006 visit... Seebuhne (Lake Stage), Bregenz

22nd - A20 Pathway 17.3
29th - Cranleigh 21

I really wanted to enter the Haweswater Half Marathon but it was fully booked :( Definitely on the cards for next year, scenery looks absolutely amazing!

What next: back on track and starting with a nice 3 mile Monday morning run