Jo

Training this week has felt a lot more comfortable as I swam (3000m) on Monday, tempo run on Tuesday, 25m bike ride on Wednesday and intervals yesterday. Today is a rest day. My legs don’t feel as heavy as they have been recently.

The bike ride on Wednesday was great. I was good to be back on the bike in the sunshine altough rain was threatening for most of the afternoon. Bike computer battery was flat so don’t know exact distance. The traffic was terrible though as the A14 was closed all day and the traffic was coming through the villages.

Yesterday’s interval session was a race against time! I planned to do 8 x 600/700m reps off 1 minute, off road. Halfway through I spotted the sky was totally black in the distance and it was heading my way. After the 7th rep I lost my nerve as I could now hear the thunder and decided to head for home. It was a mile back along the road and getting darker and darker with lightening and thunder indicating the storm was only about 2 miles away. Well, I practically sprinted that mile – not exactly a cool down jog but I made it to the front door just as the rain came. And it came! Rained for about an hour and flooded several houses in the village and the road was a river.

Still no news from Oz except they have confirmed receipt of our medicals and PCC’s.

Phew – what a scorcher this week has been and as a result my running has suffered. I lost all momentum with it this week as it’s been so hot and humid. I’m now getting worried about running in Australia! I have been assured that it’s a dry heat and not the humid type we get here. I hope so otherwise I’m going to suffer Everyone seems to be feeling the same though so that made me feel a bit better.

As the mercuty hit 37 degrees on Wednesday, a merry band of Royston girls set off for Hatfield for the Birchfield 5 x 1 mile relays. It was bloody hot so I didn’t really bother with much of a warm up. Leesa went first with a good steady leg, then Wendy stormed us into 3rd with a 5.57 leg and then passed over to me. I ran steadily but lost 1 place towards the end to a track runner which put Royston in 4th. I passed over to Carol with Kate on the ‘glory’ leg and we finished 5th. I couldn’t have run any harder but considering I do mile reps in 6.48’s and only managed 6.38 in the relays I was a bit disappointed. I was doing 6.20’s in 5′k last year too!!

After a wonky moment last week, the results have inspired me to get my training back on track now. I think I need to knock back on the mileage a little, replace a couple of easy runs with some cross training, and make sure I do some tempo and/or interval sessions each week. Leesa took me out for a long run this morning and we ended up doing about 14 miles!!!!! I’ve NEVER run that far – at this rate I’ll be doing a marathon. Just kidding – never!! I’m knackered but it was a great run though – thanks Leesa

I also had a riding lesson on Friday! I was so crap that the teacher said I should go on the lunge next week Oh well, I want to learn properly as it’s been years since I rode regularly so that’s not a bad thing. The horse was trying on a bit with me too by wandering into the middle of the ring, knowing I couldn’t do anything about it! I got it sorted in the end though and she started to behave :0 Explained why my hipflexors felt so tight on the run this morning though. Lesson 2 tomorrow!!

No visa news yet and we haven’t been able to contact the immigration department by phone yet. Hope it comes soon. We want to start planning………………………….

I didn’t make it to Peterborough for the 5k due to lack of motivation! Maybe too many races in too many weeks so turned this week into an easy week instead. If I do a long run tomorrow then I hit the grand total of 27 miles this week! Someone motivate me – maybe ‘cos the weather’s gone back to the usual British summer (grey)
Got myself signed up for the Birchwood Relays (5 x 1mile) in a couple of weeks. I think races are much more fun when the club is involved and your friends are there. Turning up at races on my own, where I don’t know anyone, reminds me too much of the triathlon days. I’m looking forward to the relays though as we should have a good team

Got some new running shorts this week in an attempt to try to motivate myself! They are Adidas baggy ones and soooooooooo comfortable – recommended

Still thinking about my plans if/when we get to Australia. Maybe I should work for myself? I’ve been trying to research the Internet mail order market over there and there doesn’t seem to be much of one. Why is that? High import duty? High sales tax? A lot of people seem to buy stuff from Europe and pay the postage costs. Hmmm, need to explore this a bit more. If anyone one with experience of living and running in Australia has any thoughts on this I would love to hear them.

The 5k was OK – warm evening,slight breeze and mainly flat. However I could only manage 21.04, more than a minute slower than this time last year. Not sure where I’m going wrong but something is not happening. How long does is take to recover from a 6 month lay off? I got pretty unfit last year when I couldn’t cycle or run but training has been consistent since December. At least I was 3rd and 1st vet Results are here . Oh well – I put it behind me this morning with a great run with Julio, Leesa and Alan. A nice easy 12 miles which is the farthest I’ve run for a very long time and the morning was beautiful.

I’m doing another 5k in Peterborough next week. I wonder how that will go!

Welcome to my blog – can’t believe anyone would be interested in anything I have to say but if you are, then hi
Well, I created this blog on the advice of my man, the IT Manager! We are hoping to emigrate to Australia next year so ‘g’day’ to any running Aussies out there. We are going to Victoria, probably Melbourne and I can’t wait!! I’m really looking forward to the adventure of exploring a new place and getting to know new people.
Apart from running and general sportiness I don’t know what I’m going to do when we get there. I really don’t want to do the same kind of thing there that I’m doing here (office admin) and would love to take the opportunity to do something completely different. New life! Maybe shark tamer or professional boomerang thrower – I bet there is such a thing too!
Anyway, off to Milton Keynes tonight for a women only 5k around Willen Lake. Just hope I can improve from the last 2 10k’s and run around 20.00.
Will let you know how I go.