Day 76: Running on a full tummy (again!)

RUN: 3.6 miles

Well, you'll never guess where I ended up today. Pizza Express! What am I thinking?!
I did opt for a salad though (which is no healthier than the pizza I had the other day, actually - it just sounds that way). We had a lovely sunny day out in Ilkley and I threw caution to the wind and thought it would be nice to eat outside and make the most of the Indian summer.
Anyway, that was all lovely, but it did not do me any favours for my run later.
I set out to do a respectable four miles (because I have a feeling I have a big run coming up tomorrow when I go running with the girls from Day 73 again).
I ended up cutting the run short by 0.4 miles. I've had quite a good run of runs recently, so I won't be too harsh on myself. I'm feeling pretty tired. I'll try to eat better, slow the pace and hopefully regain my energy levels.

Here's my run map from today

Day 75: Food 2, Will power 0

RUN: 1.0 miles

More pigging out today, I'm afraid.
Just one mile - again squeezed in between work and a social engagement - which felt like much longer. Very tiring for a tiny little run.
I had pizza for lunch and a lovely big meal for dinner made by my boyfriend Andy's mum and dad, John and Una, for the four of us plus my mum and dad. Delicious!
So rather than making amends for the excesses of yesterday I've just built on my calorie collection - worth every one. Yum yum.
Bad run tomorrow here we come...

Here's my bare-minimum one-miler from today

Day 74: Calories out, calories in

RUN: 1.3 miles

I met my friend Emma for dinner this evening at Pizza Express. Having only been able to squeeze a quick run in between work and our catch-up, I just did the short route I've been doing quite a bit lately.
According to MapMyRun I burned 134 calories.

Then, according to the Pizza Express website, I ate 1,100 calories. I'd have to run 11 miles to run that off. How depressing! Ah well, it was well worth it. Very tasty. I even had three courses.
If I eat badly or excessively, my run is invariably bad the next day. But I can't be good all the time, so I'll just take the punishment tomorrow.

Here's my dessert. And my wine (forgot to include that in the calorie count!)

Find out about my little familiar run here

Day 73: All girls together for a big Chevin trip

RUN: 7.4 miles

Yes, 7.4 miles! This evening I joined friends Donna, Amy and Zoe for a girls' run from High Royds, up Otley Chevin, over to Yeadon and back through Guiseley to Menston.

I'm always too much of a wuss to head straight up the Chevin when I'm on my own, so group enthusiasm was just what I needed. We ran 7.4 miles (have I mentioned that part?) and it wasn't even excruciatingly difficult. Well, it wasn't easy, but I didn't ever feel the overwhelming urge to stop (well, except on the first bit, the big climb up - I might make it one day).

Amy, Donna and Zoe at the top of the big hill - go girls!

So thanks to the three ladies I was shown what can be achieved. Aim big and every mile needn't be a struggle. The company and chat helped a lot, of course.

In other news, my toes and ankles are hurting a lot after tonight's run. I've got some beauty blisters from these big runs - first blisters in ages - and I'm fairly sure I'm going to be parting with my big toenail pretty soon. Yeesh!

Here's our big map and info

Day 72: Ow... my feet hurt!

RUN: 4.0 miles

My feet are very sore today. Particularly where my big toenail is on my left foot. Ouch!
Google says I'm going to get 'black toenail'. Which sounds pretty grim. Let's hope for a quick recovery.
Also my ankles have been feeling quite weak (although not when I run, funnily enough) so I might get the pink tape out again this week for a bit of support.

My boyfriend Andy was kind enough to massage my achey feet, tonight too - he's a good 'un!

Tonight I did the same four-mile run as I did the other day on my 'best-ever' run (Day 67). I didn't feel as good today, but maybe it was all in my head because I did a similar time (well, 41mins 31s - eight seconds slower than last week!) So that's definitely a favourite route.

Here's all the details for the route around Menston

Day 71: Racing myself on a little rest-day run

RUN: 1.2 miles

My legs are a little bit achey today and my toes feel kind of bruised after yesterday's 10K, but I feel quite good, considering.
So I just did a little 1.2-miler today. I tried to do it as fast as I could - although speed isn't my strong point.
I managed to shave one minute off my best time for that little route. A little bit of competition with myself will help me see improvements, I think.
There will have to be a lot of improvement before May 26, 2013 - Edinburgh Marathon day!

Here's my route and stuff from today

Day 70: Bupa Great Yorkshire Run 10K day!

RUN: 6.4 miles

Today we went to Sheffield to do the Bupa 10K - along with about 9,000 other people!
The three of us - me, my boyfriend Andy and his friend Luke - did rather well and we're all pleased with our times, I think. Andy did it in 52 mins, Luke in 55 mins and me in 1 hour 3 minutes.

Here are my official results

About half way round I realised I'd never run that far before. I've done six-mile runs before, but they've been along the canal to Saltaire and I've had a nice little rest in Roberts Park half way!

No rests today, though. Well, I stopped for about 15 seconds about 7.5km in. Ah well. There was a big hill at the end and I didn't stop on that. Hooray! It was rather a warm day, too.

This picture shows some of the little cheerleaders and spectators lending support along the route. (I took it on the go, so it's not the best photo ever!) It also shows some people running with blind partners. The man on the right of the picture was attached to another man by the wrist and they were running together. The other man was blind. Amazing.

I wish there were cheerleaders and people encouraging me along the way every time I run!

Altogether, a great day and a good run. Under an hour would have been ideal, but this was my first official 10K and I tried really hard. Plus I've got something to aim for with the next one.

This is me and Andy after the run

Here's my map and info from the Bupa Sheffield 10K. I forgot to stop my MapMyRun until I'd got right to the meeting point, so the numbers are a bit out. I'm logging 6.4 miles for this one.