Day 210: Setting a new PB for the treadmill 10k

RUN: 6.2 miles (10.1km)

The pavements are still an icy, slushy deathtrap, so I'm back in the gym on the treadmill today.
I wanted to make it count - and help to prepare myself for the big weekend runs coming up once marathon training begins next week - so I did 10K (six miles) again. I even managed to shave seven minutes off the time I did before Christmas, thanks to some good music and bagging a treadmill spot near the air-con unit!

Day 209: Treadmill is a right pain in the... leg

RUN: 2.3 miles (3.81km)

The icy/slushy pavements have forced me back into the gym today. I thought I'd better not risk it, because I'd be running nowhere with a broken neck!
Anyway, I got a really uncomfy feeling in my leg after about 20 minutes. The niggle from the other day has returned. Not sure what's going on, but I stretched it out then it turned into a real pain. I ended up literally limping along, so I gave it up as a bad job at almost half an hour. Ah well. Hopefully it will sort itself out with a little care and attention, and fingers crossed the pavements will clear soon and I won't have to come to the gym many more times.

No route link today... just a treadmill photo

Day 208: One mile in the fresh snow

RUN: 1.1 miles

The snow has really been coming down this afternoon/evening, so the pavements are thick with new snow.
As you'll probably know, fresh snow isn't really slippy or anything, so it's not too bad to run on. It is, however, pretty chilly running in a blizzard, so just the one mile tonight. I didn't see any other runners out... and that's very unusual around here, so that's when you know you must be mad. I did get a few funny looks from drivers struggling to get home in the snow. Here's my little snowy mile

Day 207: Late mile in the snow - and unsuitable clothing

RUN: 1.2 miles

Tonight I went for tea at my friend Carla's house in Wilsden. I had planned to squeeze in a run between work and tea, but ended up behind schedule and went straight to Carla's. It was quite late and quite snowy by the time I got home. So in a moment of madness I headed straight up the road - in my boots, dress, leggings and wool coat. I think this running business is sending me a bit loopy.

Luckily there was hardly anyone around to witness my one mile of bonkersness, so I took a video of the peaceful snowy scene (mainly to prove to boyfriend Andy that I really had just been running).

Day 206: Run to work in icy conditions

RUN: 7.6 miles

There is quite a bit of ice and slush around up in the hills, but down in the valley towards Bradford the pavements are pretty clear, so I was determined to do my second Wednesday run to work despite the conditions not being ideal. So I headed off (in -4C) towards Bradford, dodging all the patches of snow and ice. Another good run.  

Day 205: Safety first - into the gym from the cold

RUN: 2.2 miles (3.51km)

After last night's run, I was taking no risks this evening and decided to go back to the treadmill in the gym.

As you can see from the photo below, I watched a bit of The Polar Bear Family And Me as I ran along - just to remind me of the wintry conditions outside.

Day 204: Running on thin ice

RUN: 1.7 miles

I headed out on a three-mile route this evening, since the pavements seemed fine and safe when I looked out of the window. But I was wrong.
I not considered the possibility of black ice... and the pavements were like a skating rink.
Having braved it for a mile, I decided to cut the route short and head back.
Here's a little video I took to show the conditions. (Sorry if it makes you feel a bit sick - it's hard to hold the camera steady while running!)

Here's today's run

Day 203: Cyclo-cross inspiration and a dusting of slippery snow

RUN: 1.6 miles

This morning I went to Peel Park in Bradford to watch the national cyclo-cross championships as my cousin Annie Simpson was competing. It was absolutely freezing and so muddy in the park. The track was so churned up and boggy and there were huge hills to climb and obstacles to tackle. Watching the girls in the women's race powering through was really inspirational and showed just what can be acheived through hard work and dedication.

Here's Annie about to jump back on her bike after a huge hill

Having said that, there was quite a bit of snow on the ground by the time I got home, so I ended up tip-toeing around for just 1.6 miles. Apparently there is more snow on the way, so I might find myself back in the gym before long.

Here's today's run

Day 202: Pleasure and pain on a tarn run

RUN: 3.8 miles

A nice sunny day today, so a nice little trip to Yeadon Tarn was in order.
Quite a few people had the same idea, so it was a bit crowded.

The birds were out in force, too. It's a good, interesting run at the tarn because there's always something going on and something to look at, whether it's the birds lining up, a swan terrorising children or a plane taking off from the airport next door.

My legs really hurt today. It's the inside of my left leg near my ankle bone. It really pulls and gives me a stabbing sort of pain. I'll try to stretch it more.

Here's today's run

Day 201: Feeling sick and falling to bits

RUN: 1.1 miles

I didn't have time to grab any lunch at work today, so I decided to have some tea before going out for my Friday run. I think I went too soon after eating though, because I felt really sick.

My knee was behaving weirdly too, clicking and crunching all the way. My body was definitely protesting at having to move. So I turned back and headed home in the hope of avoiding seeing my dinner again.

Call me strange, but I recorded the sound of my knee for you to hear as it was clicking so loudly!

listen to ‘Click click’ on Audioboo

Here's today's run

Day 199: A tiring way to commute

RUN: 7.7 miles

I've put myself down to work late shifts every Wednesday from now until the end of May, so for the next 19 weeks I'll be running to work midweek as part of my marathon training.

Today was the first run into work. After the initial uphill section, the next mile is downhill from Guiseley to Baildon. I thought that would be the easiest part, but it was rather painful to do so much downhill. At one point I was worried I'd have to think of a plan B to get to work, but the pain ran off eventually and it was quite a nice run in the end.

Still quite pleased to get to work, though (and it's not often I say that!)

Oh, and I've made it past the 500-mile mark!!

Here's my first run into Bradford

Day 198: just missed 500 miles

RUN: 2.0 miles

Before today's run, I did a quick calculation in my head to work out how far I'd need to go to make 500 miles today. So I did the two-mile route.

On getting back I added the route to my total and somehow I'd managed to miscalculate! So my running total is 499.5 miles. So close to the half-way point!

Here's today's run

Day 194: You can run, but you can't hide from hills!

RUN: 2.1 miles

We went for tea at my mum and dad's house tonight, so I fit in a run beforehand, from their house in Wilsden. I ran down the hill to my grandma's house in Harden and back up the hill to Wilsden.

I complain that I live in a hilly area over in the next valley in Wharfedale, but I would definitely know about hills if I lived here again! It would be really hard to run from here all the time - which is probably why I see hundreds of runners in Guiseley and relatively few in Wilsden.

Very glad to be back to a home-cooked tea after my little run out.

Here's today's run

Day 193: Back on the road alone

RUN: 2.1 miles

It's back to running solo again today - and it's really warm!
Just two miles in 9C and I'm a horrible sweaty mess, totally shattered.
I hope marathon day in May isn't too warm - I'll melt if I can't even cope with 9C!

Here's today's run

Day 192: Back home with a sponsorship boost

RUN: 2.9 miles

Back on home soil, boyfriend Andy joined me for the fourth run in a row - I think he's getting used to the company and the slower (for him) pace! Here's our run today.

It's our last day off work today, so it's back down to earth with a bump tomorrow.

We're missing beautiful Ireland and the lovely people there. As well as putting us up, putting up with us and being a very kind host for our few days in Ireland, Kevin Byrne, our friend Donna's dad, even added very generously to my sponsorship total. Check him out at Kevin Byrne Coach Hire.
A huge thank you, too, to the lovely Shauna Mullin for her very kind sponsorship.

People's generosity never fails to touch and amaze me.

 

 Me, Kevin and Andy as we left Ireland yesterday

Day 191: First run of 2013, last run in Ireland

RUN: 2.0 miles

A couple of miles was all we could manage the day after our Irish New Year. To be fair, it wasn't a hugely wild night, but wine plus an early morning equals a short run for me.

Despite the fuzzy heads, it seemed a shame to do just the bare minimum on our last run in the lovely Irish countryside, so we doubled up and did two to help blow away the cobwebs.

I couldn't connect to the WiFi when we got back, so couldn't save the route unfortunately. Luckily, boyfriend Andy came with me and used hos posh Garmin watch to record the run. So here's today's run on Andy's Garmin

Happy New Year everyone! Goodbye, Ireland!

Day 190: A pretty place for a New Year's Eve run

RUN: 5.0 miles

The Irish weather is being kinder to us today - although it's still quite windy and cold - so Boyfriend Andy and I took to the picturesque lanes to make the most of it.

The indulgence of the last few weeks - eating too much food and not putting in enough miles -  seems to be taking its toll as the run was quite a struggle, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. And to be fair it was pretty hilly.
The Byrnes' home is set in lovely Donegal countryside close to the border with Northern Ireland, and there are very few people around to spoil the peace and quiet. We ran five miles and only passed the postman.
Looking at the map after our run, we missed crossing the border by about 100 yard - I could have made N Ireland the fourth country I've run in during my challenge! Ah well.
Here's our countryside run.

This is us among the lovely greenery (the countryside, not Andy's garish hi-vis gear)

Day 189: Four take to the Irish clifftops

RUN: 2.2 miles

We have arrived in a very windy and wet Ireland for the New Year break.
Even though the weather wasn't up to much, the four of us - me, Boyfriend Andy and our friends Tim and Donna - took a trip to the beach at Bundoran, close to Ballyshannon, Donegal, where we are staying with Donna's family.

We realised the tide was on its way in, so rather than risk getting washed away, we took a route over Rougey cliff. Even though the weather was really miserable, it was a beauty of a running spot. Luckily my GPS works here and I can commect to WiFi to save my runs. Here's today's clifftop run.

Here I am heading up over the cliff, with Andy and Tim up ahead

 

The scene from our start/finish point. Lovely