As with most cats, Spats is inquisitive. This week, Spats decided that it would be fun to squeeze through a pretty slim drainage hole in the deck only to find she couldn't get out again. Cue deck disassembly. Of course as soon as she was out it was as if nothing had happened. "What, me! Get trapped? Nah. I could have got out any time I liked." Bah.
It's been half-term this week, so kids home from school and I took a couple of days off to herd them around. Not that this meant any holiday lie-ins of course as my youngest tends to get up between 7 and 7:30 so I try to get out running well before that to allow D more Zzzzz time.
On Monday, things were feeling pretty good so I set myself the 10K target I spoke of last week and set off. These longer runs are now starting to involve at least partial double-loops of my regular circuits and I now have a couple of these add-ins which put either a half or full mile on the end of a run, depending upon how well I've managed to estimate to mileage on the rest of my course.
Funny thing is that when I start the second loop, I feel so much better than when I go first time round. It's like, regardless of mileage, the second half always feels better than the first.
Anyway, I managed the 10K in 57 and a bit minutes and was quite pleased with myself, although my hips were feeling a bit sore. On Tuesday, we took the kids off into Wales to go climb a mountain. Well, walk up one anyway. This was Moel Famau, a 554 meter bump in the middle of a country park West of Wrexham, in the North East of Wales. From the top there were fantastic views over the coast and across to Mount Snowdon some 50 or so miles to the East. Snowdon is the highest peak in England and Wales, only Scotland having anything higher.
It was pretty blowy at the top with a couple of rain showers on the way up. However, we all had to alternate between T-shirts and 3 layers with waterproofs as we climbed, the weather being so changeable.
My eldest daughter was off at the Brighton Fringe Festival with her theatre group, so we had to get back for her being dropped off, and then got in a quick celebratory Chinese take-out; her successful show and our making it off the mountain alive. I should have learnt from last time though as my run on Wednesday morning was just rotten, and I struggled home after just 3.5 miles. It's time to cut out the junk!
On Friday, things were better and I got a second 10K in around the same route, although this too was more of a struggle than Monday. I'm considering now trying to run shorter distances more frequently, and having a longer run at the end of the week. Some juggling of schedules needed to achieve this though.
Yesterday, we all headed out into the countryside again, this time closer to home. I've found a website called Walking in Britain and dug out a walk near Harvington Hall, just outside Kidderminster, about half an hour's drive away. It said it was only 5.8 miles, but I think it was more like 8 and the kids (and wife) were all flagging after taking more than 5 hours to hack across some pretty overgrown countryside. Here's a few snaps from various parts of the trek.
Training for the week
Mon:6.21 miles, 58:20 minutes 9:24 pace. 10C HRAve:149 HRMax:155
Wed: 3.55 miles, 33:13 minutes 9:22 pace. 5C HRAve:150 HRMax:156
Fri: 6.21 miles, 59.06 minutes 9:32 pace. 10C HRAve:154 HRMax:158
All the best.
Mr Stumble.
5 comments:
you should be VERY pleased, your average mile speed has significantly improved, nice job, and cute cat! funny story, well not so funny in some ways :)
A training 10K in 57 minutes! You rock. I'd have trouble keeping up with you for the first few miles. I just can't believe how far you've come since we first met.
Congratulations and thanks for the great pictures.
Hi Andy, sounds like a good week with a few good runs (well Mondays 10k anyway) plus a couple of family hikes.
Sounds like you and me are at about the same level - that is just trying to build up our miles, stay fit and all going well contemplate some races.
I've been having some trouble with shin splints and Phil referred me to your blog mentioning that you had got over some injury?
What a great job! So is your hip still talking to you or is it feeling better. Stretch like crazy. It should help!
Cute cat. We have three. That is too many for me. They are always looking of ways to get into trouble.
So you have the IPOD Shuffle ordered. Very nice!
How do you get your kids to go on country walks? If there's a secret to it, you should write a book Andy. (Nice deck...in the photo behind the cat!)
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