Ali and Sally Run

I haven't posted for ages

2006-06-26T20:33:00.000Z

I haven't posted for ages but I have still been running.

I did a shorter lsr on saturday as I had Bexi ill all friday and friday night and had only got 5hours sleep. I was in Asda at 6am buying soluable paracetamol. I needed to get out there though to blow away the cob webs. I managed 6.5miles so not so bad.

It has been raining in Bristol all today but wanted to get out tonight so I went out intending to only run the 3mile route but once I got up the road I decided to go the other way and do the 4 mile route. then when I finished that I felt like I could keep going and I ended up doing just over 6miles in the end. I have to go to bed shortly as I am knackered lol. 12weeks to the half now.

Personal Best!

2006-06-11T22:15:00.000Z

I'd been having a good old whinge to Ali about how my times weren't improving and if anything, I was getting worse as running. On Friday I tried to go out and do a fartlek run around the rugby pitch; I had a brisk walk down, stretched, belted down the short side....and then jogged, gasping, around the rest of the pitch, and then went home and ate a flapjack. It wasn't good. Alright, it was hot; and it was still a triumph because it's the first time since I started tracking my workouts that I've done one on a Friday. But still. Not good.

So today, I tried to do everything right for my LSR. I left it until 7.30pm when it was cool. I ate a roll with honey 2 hours earlier. I drank lots of water beforehand so I was well-hydrated. I planned my route - 6 miles, from Warmley to Bitton and then back along the cycle track where it was flat and shady. I took a brisk walk to the petrol station, bought some water and stretched.

And I think a combination of all those things was why I was so successful! I managed to run the entire 6 miles, non-stop, in 1 hour and 14 minutes. I have blown my previous PB out of the water! I am SO proud of myself!! I was euphoric when I finished.

My body wasn't quite so happy, though. As soon as I slowed to a walk, my legs seized up and went really heavy, but after 5 minutes of walking that improved somewhat (although I'm pretty stiff now). But when my legs calmed down, I got the dreaded stomach cramps. I honestly didn't think I was going to make it home; it was horrible. I was really surprised because I have a stomach of steel and I never get problems with it, but I guess I never run for 75 minutes either.

But anyway....today's stats - 5.94 miles, 1 hour 14 minutes, 621 calories burned. Yey me!

Sal xx

What a glorious run!

2006-06-11T17:32:00.000Z

Well it has been a very hot week so I thought it would be good to be up bright and early on Saturday and get my LSR in before it got too hot. I was up by 7am and out by 7.30 :) it was still warm, even at that time, but there was a lovely breeze which kept me cool. I did my 8.5mile route again and it was great! I started off slowly and that really helped my legs keep going, infact I could have gone on a bit more at the end but I had already said that I didn't want to push myself too far and I want to get used to these longer runs so I stopped at 8.5miles. I had no tummy problems which was really great when I got home I felt so good. It was my best run in ages and I am now so positive about the half. BRING IT ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!

I didn't blog my thursday run so I will put a bit here now.

I ran 4.8miles but it was a very hot run. I went at 6pm but it was still too warm really. I also changed my route a bit and the last mile was up hill which didn't really help with the warmth lol. I think that it may have helped with my long run though.

I must get some new music on my MP3 as I am getting very bored of the stuff on there now. Infact I might pop off now and order the classic euphoria cd I was after.

Hot runnings

2006-06-07T13:44:00.000Z

I went running yesterday too! But I didn't do as well. I ran round the streets until I crossed my usual cycle path and then ran the last bit down there because it was very shady. I covered 2 miles in 23 minutes, but my outer thigh muscles were killing me from the circuits class I did on Monday and my feet started to hurt. I don't think I should delay my trainer shopping much longer. So, I walked home and had a really good stretch in the garden where it was cool!

I wish I could run in my Shock Absorber bra top and a pair of shorts. I am too shy about my stomach though. That is an incentive for sit ups if ever I heard one.

All those who think Ali should come to circuits with me on Mondays to improve her arm muscles, comment here!!

Sal xx

It's rather warm this evening.

2006-06-06T20:27:00.000Z

Bexi was poorly at school today so didn't dance this evening. This wasn't good for Bexi but was good for me as it meant I could run. I ran for 4.8miles this evening all with no tummy cramps, YAY! It was warm though and I was sooooo thirsty when I got back. I need to sort out some new music, I am looking at the classic euphoria CD as I think that would be good stuff to run to.

No press ups tonight as I am doing it on alternate nights, I will do it tomorrow :)

My guts are blugh!

2006-06-05T19:58:00.000Z

Well I ran on Wednesday and I ran 5.2miles in 42minutes. Which was really good, according to map my run was 8.5mins per mile :0 However I had meant to run further but had to stop and get Scotty to pick me up because of the awful stomach cramps :S I then had a good running break until Sunday. I had my 8miler mapped but I got one turning wrong so I actually went for 8.5miles lol. I did it in 1h32mins at a speed of 10.5mins per mile, which I was happy with. I then walked home up that horrible hill and stretched outside. Then when inside I had a few cramps again....arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh This has to stop!!

I also found this good pace calculator.

http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/rununiv/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm

ooo forgot to say. I have started doing some arm work from tonight, I am going to try and do it every other night and I will blog it to make sure I do! I want my arms to be a bit more toned and it wouldn't take that long if I did a few things a couple of times a week.

Do I get 2 stickers?

2006-06-04T19:14:00.000Z

I have a sticker chart on my kitchen cupboard and I get a sticker every time I do a workout. Today I went swimming in the morning and running in the evening. I wonder if that means I can have 2 stickers. Each sticker is £1 towards a shopping spree. I reckon I get 2 today.

I haven't been so good with the runs this week. On Tuesday I had an abortive effort on the cycle path - I managed to reach my turning-back point in under 16 minutes, which was the fastest ever, but that was all I had and I had to walk all the way back, for fear of vomiting into a bush. I blame Pizza Hut; I ate their buffet at lunchtime and sometimes too much dairy makes me feel pretty ill. Then I did circuits as usual on Wednesday but I didn't run again until today. I should have run on Friday but I was too busy eating everything.

Today's text conversation -

Me: If I don't go for a run today, and that means I won't have run for a week, does that make me a bad person? I went swimming today and can do my LSR on Tuesday..
Ali: lol what do you want me to say?!
Me: Your silence speaks volumes. I'm putting my trainers on now.

And so I was out of the house, just as it started to rain, which was fab - I love the way the city smells when it has started to rain after a few days of sun. I avoided the cycle path tonight in the interests of...well, interest...and so I got some variation in incline which was good - one long steep hill and one short very steep hill, as well as the natural ups and downs of the pavement. I ran for 46 and a half minutes in total and covered nearly 4.5 miles. According to Map My Run, I was averaging 10 and a half minute miles and burned 600 calories. I am definitely getting faster.

I ran all the way up Orchard Road (the hill) and then down towards Hanham, and then turned right past the church and came out by the Co-op, and then I ran up to the ring road and along to Aspects, and crossed there, and ran up to Wraxall road and went under the underpass, up the hill and down Grimsbury Road and home. I had a few get-outs if I was really tired but if it hadn't been for the unpleasant thigh chafing brought on by wearing too-short shorts and the burn on my foot (from the heaters in church...perhaps it's the fires of hell reaching out for me) I would have gone on for another roundabout and done a circuit around the school - my old, old route.

I had to stop twice to stretch. The first time my legs had stopped before I knew what was happening; that was at 25 minutes, and then I stopped again at 38 minutes to stretch before the short steep hill. I paused the stopwatch for the stretches though, to get a clearer picture of how fast I was running. I wish I could go further, and longer, but must take it slow or I'll end up hurting myself.

I'm off to add the stickers to my chart!

Sal xx

A bank holiday run around!

2006-05-30T18:47:00.000Z

I did a 45min run on monday and when I mapped it it said I had done 4.7miles at an average of 9.5mins per mile and burned 499cals. Although I did a mini trail run on the trail which is at the back of my house so that was 10ish mins extra and must have taken cals burned over 500 lol!

It was a pretty good run and I have also mapped an 8mile run, which I will be trying this weekend.

And some other things...

2006-05-28T22:53:00.000Z

I had to rush off back then because I could feel my blood sugar dropping into my boots and didn't want to make myself unwell! I had my pears, and they didn't touch the sides, so then I had this absolutely delicious thing called a Nakd Bar - it's all raw stuff, just dates, oats, fruit and apple juice - and it re-energised me instantly, I was very impressed. I might have to buy a few more. I am considering buying a whole box off 'tinternet, but I have only tried the Berry Cheeky one and the other two also sound delectable, so I wouldn't know which one to choose.

An observation - my trainers must be OK really, because I did not feel anything other than heaviness in my legs at the end of my run. I'd imagine that, at my weight, if I wasn't wearing the right trainers, I would be injured by now. I looked them up on the web and they are running trainers, but I don't know if they are the right type for me. I am still going to buy some more.

Another observation - this one is a bit yuck! I had some water with me today - took my running belt with me for a change - and after my stretch and before I started running again, I splashed some of it on my face; a little went in my mouth, since I was breathing quite heavily. It was like tasting the sea! I thought, "Euw! Saltlick!" and wiped my face off with my vest top, and then splashed again, and again, and got salt, and more salt. That must have been a lot of salt!

A final observation - I had the fruit and the Nakd bar, an then I had chilli and rice with some cheese, and a yogurt, and some cherry tomatoes, and a little bag of animal biscuits. And I am STILL hungry. Hurrah for the temporary rise in metabolism. I am totally hooked.

Sally xx

New horizons

2006-05-28T16:34:00.000Z

It's been a week since I did a proper run (I'm not counting that debacle in the mud on Tuesday) and a long time since I ran on my old familiar cycle path....a couple of weeks, in fact. Today I resolved to run until I reached the next station on the old train track, which is in the Willsbridge/Bitton area, and I did. I went all the way there and back; it took me an hour, and I didn't run the whole thing - I stopped to stretch just after I started back, and did a little walking to let my legs recharged themselves a little before starting back. But I've just "Mapped My Run" as best I can - the cycle path isn't marked on the map and the satellite image isn't a high enough res to be able to follow it - and I covered 4.56 miles, averaged 13 minutes a mile (the walking bits and stretching time have thrown my average out a little) and burned 508 calories.

I am pretty chuffed with myself for several reasons -
1. It is almost half the distance of the Great South Run
2. I managed to walk for part of the distance and then start running again, and run for as long as I had before the walk (normally running is fatal to me)
3. I did my 100m sprint at the end, and in a record 21.05 seconds - nearly 2 seconds faster than my previous PB!

I am a little light-headed now and very hungry, so I am off for a tin of pears.

Sally xx

A tad damp

2006-05-27T18:33:00.000Z

Did my LSR today. I did 1h20mins as planned, which I am very pleased with. The last ten mins were tough but I did it. My right knee started twinging after an hour and it really doesn't like the downhills. I will speak to the people at the running shop about my trainers next week incase it is that. Also the arch on my right foot hurt a little too.

It rained the whole way round and buy the end I was soaked through. It actually was quite nice though as I didn't get too hot. The shower after was heaven lol.

I am now enjoying some well deserved hotel chocolat chocolates.

Rest day tomorrow.

Circuits

2006-05-25T08:42:00.000Z

I went to circuits again tonight with my muddy muddy trainers. I was a bit late and missed the warm up, so just rushed in and joined a man on an exercise near the door. It didn't take long for me to realise it was his first time - boy, did he suffer!

It was really good to partner him for two reasons. Firstly, it made me realise how far I've come - I kept my form and sustained the cardio intervals for much longer than he did; that must be the running. Secondly, every time we swapped over, he gave me his weights, which were much heavier than the ones I would normally choose for myself. Not wanting to seem churlish, I used the same ones he had, and ended up pushing my muscles further than I would if I was partnered up with a woman.

I think I'm going to start going to circuits on Mondays, as well. The class is a bit easier, and only an hour instead of 80 minutes, but it's still very effective.

Quick run tonight...something like "fartlek" I suppose. I am so tired; but I know it's only 20 minutes so I'll be OK. My exercise sticker chart is nice and full this week, after 2 or 3 weeks of only 2 exercise sessions a week.

Sally xx

I'm not happy! (Accidental trail run)

2006-05-23T21:19:00.000Z

Now let's get one thing straight. I am a city girl. I get a bit nervous if there isn't a 24 hour shop within a 2 mile radius. I get a bit pissy if there isn't a late bus home. And I don't even like getting pavement dust on my trainers...the last time they got a bit muddy, on the rugby field nearby, I banished them to the porch for a whole day until they dried out and I could bang them clean. And I haven't run on the field since.

So, you can imagine my HORROR at these, the trainers I saw before me after my run this afternoon.

Grasping the bull by the horns, I changed into my running gear at work today and then ran on the cycle path I found, from Midford. I didn't get far before I found a signpost. "Wellow - 2 and a half miles" said the right fork. "Wellow - 2 and a half miles (rough track)" said the left fork. Naturally, being a city girl, I plumped for the right fork. When I reached the path, I thought, "This is very well paved, and very wide...nice cycle path!" Then I saw the national speed limit sign, and decided that running on a twisty B road with no pavements was not a good idea; so I retraced my steps and took the left fork.

I didn't get far before I came across a group of middle aged cyclists by a gate. I nodded at them as I passed by, and they looked at me a bit oddly, but I wasn't surprised because I get that a lot. So I carried on....and then the road ran out, and became a muddy track. I spent the rest of my run picking my way through puddles and trying not to slip over in the mud. I held up a landrover and almost got mauled by a yappy puppy. I gave up after a pathetic 11 minutes and turned back, and it started raining at that point. Just perfect.

Look at my SHOOOEEESSS! They are ruined. I will have to get a new pair now. I was so dirty that I had to have a shower just to wash the mud off my legs before my bath.

On the plus side, I did see another runner on my way back, and we nodded at each other. He was doubtless thinking, "Look at that urbane pansy picking her way through the puddles, get some mud on yer, lass! You're not Sarah Jessica Parker!" but it was nice to have a moment of solidarity.

I think the track would be a wicked run any time it hasn't rained for 5 consecutive days. It's a very gentle uphill slope and has fabulous views. I got quite excited because I could see the road I have driven on every school day for the past 3 years; it was fab to see it from a new point of view. I can't wait until after half term when it will (hopefully) be dry and I can give it a proper go. I reckon a run to Wellow and back - 5 miles - wouldn't be such a bad goal, and it'll give me a taste of off-roading to boot.

I still don't trust the country, though. There were things lurking in the bushes, mark my words.

Sally xx

Bit of a damp run

2006-05-23T12:37:00.000Z

Ran last night for 50mins. Ran 7.6km. It was quite a nice run really, it was a bit drizzly but that kept me quite cool so that was good. I should have wrapped up better after my shower though as I was very cold in the night last night and i think I let myself get too cold but didn't realize because I was having too much of a laugh.

Still haven't heard from CLIC...Perhaps I could send her a little email. hmmm

Annajack sent me though the most fabulous wrist warmers I have ever seen!! I am so pleased with them. The wool she used is so soft too. I will have to take a piccy of them.

A well earned night off tonight, I will be lying in front of the telly and getting in an early night. Not sure what is going to happen with tomorrows run as Mum can't look after James as she has Sue there with the kids. I might have to postpone until thursday. Perhaps that wouldn't be a bad thing with me feeling so tired today.

Next week Sal and I will go on a trainer/gear hunt!

A wet and windy Monday

2006-05-22T15:31:00.000Z

Well what a lovely weekend it has been! Yesterday was truely vile, I am so glad I got my LSR (long slow run) in on Saturday. I am off out with my ladeezzzz tonight so I need to get my run in before I go. I have spoken to Scotty and he assures me he will be home promptly (yea right lol). I would like to get 45mins in tonight. If he gets home before 6pm then this is possible. I am going to go up the kingsway, down to the fountain, back up the other side, up the hill then down towards Hanham and round past Bexis school, round the block and stop when I get to the co-op. This is usually a 45min run for me. It also gives me a little cool down walk home. All we have to hope for is that the rain holds off until 7pm.

I spent some time today thinking about my training program. I then realised after that it would be a little different as the children are off for about the last 6 weeks of the program. This should, hopefully, work in my favour as I can pursuade people (my mum lol) to come and watch the kids for an hour in the day and I can get my running in then. It also means my Wednesday run isn't restricted because of Owens dance lesson. I think I may up my 2 week day runs until I get them to an hour and then up my weekend runs till I have done one or two of 2hours 20mins (how long I predict my half will take). If I manage a 4th run in the week I will probably keep that one to a 30min (5k) run. Perhaps just try to up my speed each time I do it.

I still haven't heard back from CLIC. I am no patience whatsoever though. How long should I wait until I give them a ring? It has been a week now. Perhaps midweek this week I could give them a ring just to make sure they got my forms ok.

I am off now to finish cooking dinner for the masses.

Race For Life banana runner

2006-05-22T09:20:00.000Z

My boyfriend is a school network manager and used a picture of me in a MovieMaker presentation he created for his boss to help demonstrate the program to his pupils.

Imagine his boss's surprise this morning when a pupil piped up, "Look! Sir! That lady from the video is on the web!"

I didn't realise the images would be uploaded, or I might have made an effort to wear something a little more flattering. Oh well.

I felt pretty euphoric when this picture was taken and you can see my faithful banana (which I carried all the way around with me and then didn't eat anyway, because it was warm and squishy) so I would probably buy it if it didn't cost £9 for the smallest size.

As you can see, this image (which has turned out a little grainy thanks to the editing I did - my legs don't really look THAT bad) is copyright SportCam; if you go to their website, find the Bristol Sunday Race For Life section and do a search on my run number, you will see a range of others, some also featuring Ali (but I won't include one of the pair of us yet in case she doesn't want me to).

Sally xx

A little cross-training

2006-05-21T10:34:00.000Z

My intention this weekend was to run along the seafront and then follow it up with a sea bathe, but the heavy wind and frankly dirge-inspiring weather put me off, so I went to the pool with my mum instead, at 8am this morning (smug!).

I did six warm up lengths of breast stroke, then eight lengths of backstroke, and then a mishmash of another four lengths (I try to do front crawl but I almost drown, I can't get the breathing right) and two lengths of breast stroke to cool down. I also ran two lengths in the water, as best I could, but it was a bit deep at one end and I couldn't get much traction in the shallow end so it wasn't as good as it might have been.

I may follow this up tonight with a little Davina toning workout. I have noticed a hint of definition in my arms which definitely wasn't there a few weeks ago, so I am going to try and improve it. I am tempted to increase my circuits classes to two a week, just until my wedding, but I don't want to be too tired to run.

I am actively looking for a new pair of running shoes, as well as a variety of other pieces of kit. Ali may have to take me to a running shop and protect me from the snooty assistants when I ask if they have running gear in a size 18.

Sal xx

Windy running

2006-05-20T21:23:00.000Z

I went for a run along Southsea seafront tonight. I made it from Eastney swimming baths at one end to South Parade Pier, and back. It was 3 miles exactly and I did it in 33 minutes and 35 seconds. I felt I could have kept going for longer - perhaps even done the distance again, after a good stretch, as per my program - but it was starting to get dark and the wind was relentless!

I remember doing a sponsored walk of some 6 miles along the seafront when I was a pre-teen, and crying most of the way back because the wind was whipping the spray and rain into my face. It wasn't raining tonight, and I didn't cry, but the wind was full against me all the way out. My pace was quite slow! Also I couldn't hear my MP3 player too well because of the whistling wind.

Then I got to the pier and turned, and it was like something had enclosed me and I felt no wind at all. This was good because I really picked up the pace on the way back. It made for some quite spectacular breakers and a very cool run (though not too cold, once I'd got going); however, the bit I ran from the pool to the pier is the final leg of the Great South Run, so I will have to save something for the last mile and a half on the day.

When I got in I mapped my run with Map My Run. Unlike the one I have used before, this one allows me to put in my time, weight and height and calculates my calorie count and average pace in minutes per mile, and miles per hour. I am impressed! Tonight's run...
* I burned 431 calories
* I averaged a mile every 11 minutes and 9 seconds
* I was running an average speed of 5.38 miles per hour

Impressive stuff!

I am coming back to Portsmouth for my 10 year school reunion in June, so I will aim to go a bit further then.

Sally xx

Saturday

2006-05-20T16:34:00.000Z

Well I have been up since the crack today. I was in Sainsburys by 8am doing my shopping. Best time to go though as it is lovely and quiet then (until I get there with the kids lol)

Scott had to work this morning and it really bugs when he works saturday. One, because I miss him and two, because by 10.30 i am sat doing nothing but surfing the web when I could be getting my lovely weekend run under my belt.

Anyhoo I managed to run as soon as Scott got home. I did 1h10m and in that time covered 10.7KM. I am quite pleased with that as it was very windy out. I thought I had run further and I must be slowing down a bit as that is just over 10min miles. I did make an effort not to start out too fast as i knew I was doing a long run today but perhaps I started out too slow lol. It wasn't too bad going for that long, I think I could have gone on for a little longer. 10 more mins on next weeks run.

I will have a nice break tomorrow and then back to it monday. Last monday I ran for 45mins so if I am going to add 5mins as planned it should be a 50min one. I am a bit worried I might be pushing myself too quickly though........

I am hoping all is going well for Sally this weekend xxx

ali x

Yay I have worked out how to log in lol!!

2006-05-19T09:38:00.000Z

On the 17th of Sept this year I will be running the Bristol half marathon for CLIC sargent. I haven't heard back from them yet but the lady on the phone did say they had spaces left so I should be ok. I really want to know for sure though.....I posted the form through their door on Sunday so they would have received it on Monday morning. Perhaps if I haven't heard by this Monday I will call them.

Anyway I need to think about training now. I have ran twice since RFL. 45mins on Monday and 35mins on Wednesday. I am hoping to extend my long run this weekend to 1h 10m. Which also should have me running 7miles if I keep up my 10 min mile pace.

I have decided to train by time at the moment. I will add 5 mins to one of my weekday runs and 10 mins to my weekend long run. I will do the thing with the sunday long run where once a month I pull back to where I was three weeks ago to give my body a rest week. I don't want to train too hard and get injured.

I have 17 weeks to train and so I think I need to have done a couple of about 2 and a half hour runs before that time. I think that should be possible.

I am going to have to sit down and work out my run timetable and then get it on here to help me follow it. I will be aiming for 1h10m this weekend. I will always run 3 times a week but sometimes add a fourth if I am feeling up to it. I was thinking of going for a run tonight but the weather is awful and I do have a cold so I think I might save myself for the long run which I am going to try to do tomorrow and then it means I will have a break between that and mondays run.

I need to get some more running gear. I have seen lots I like online but I am not sure of sizes, I think I will have to go to a running shop and try some things on for size. I need shorts, a top, and perhaps a shower proof jacket. I think I may have to try to win the jacket on ebay though as they are quite expensive.

Thanks for setting this blog up Sal, its fab :)

A new training program

2006-05-17T22:07:00.000Z

I have been looking at the training program I downloaded from greatrun.org, the official website (due to lame frames, you'll need to click on the 10 mile beginners program to see what I'm faced with) and I am not so happy about it. For a start, I am already on at least week 4; I reckon I could probably do the week 5 schedule next week without too much difficulty. The other issue I have is that they expect me to run 5 times a week, and I can't realistically commit to 5 times a week.

So, I am making up my own training program, for the next few weeks at least. The Great South Run is 23 weeks away; I figure I have enough time to follow my own program, and still squeeze in 12 weeks of the official one if mine isn't working so well.

Here is my plan -

Run 1 - Monday/Tuesday - Endurance
I will start out running for 35 minutes, which is my PB. Every week, I will aim to run for 5 minutes longer, until I get to an hour. I've found a new cycle path that I drive under every day on my way to and from work; I have heard it is quite hilly, so I am going to take my kit to work and stop for my run on the way home.

Run 2 - Thursday/Friday - Intervals
This is going to be a short run, because I can never fit in a long workout at the end of the week (I don't usually have the energy for it, either). I'm going to aim to cover 2.5km, but I'll intersperse 100m sprints with 100m of easy running.

Run 3 - Saturday/Sunday - Distance
I have no clue how far 10 miles is, so I am going to build up to covering 10 miles. I won't be aiming to run for the whole time, but every week I'm going to go a bit further. I'm going to see if I can find some trails to run, so that I experience different terrain.

As well as this, I'm going to keep going to circuits every Wednesday (toned arms for my wedding...essential) and do one more toning workout at home, either one I devise, or Davina, or a Yourself! Fitness one if I can face going back to Maya after ignoring her for months. Hopefully this will do the trick for me, and by the summer I should know if I'm on the right track for the 10 miler.

I don't know where Ali has got to; she's probably gone out for a run

Sally xx

It's a yes from Traidcraft!

2006-05-16T19:46:00.000Z

I just got an email from Traidcraft guaranteeing my place to run for them in Portsmouth in October! It's very exciting. I've found a map of the route and it doesn't really look too far - and a large chunk of it is along the sea front. Perhaps I will have a go at that part of it when I visit my mum this weekend.

I was looking at maps of cycle paths over the weekend and realised that I drive under one on my way home every day. It looks like it would be a lush place to run. I am going to start keeping my stuff in the car so that I can get changed at work and run on my way home. Then I won't get in and flop!

I have also been looking at the Badwater Ultramarathon which is a 135 mile trek across Death Valley. It looks amazing - but I can't believe these crazy fools run it in July! And they have to complete it in under 60 hours! I think that should be my ultimate goal. I can just imagine the relief at crossing that finish line - and picture myself, shrivelled like a prune, and pouring water over my head and rehydrating like a piece of Smash rofl!

Sally xx

Race Day 1!

2006-05-14T20:02:00.000Z

Welcome to our blog!

Ali and I started running in February and today we ran our very first race - the 5km Race For Life on the Downs in Bristol. It was very exciting and we ran it in 34 and a half minutes, with a very slow, jostly start - so probably we'd have been a bit quicker without that. This was a PB for me!

We have both entered longer races in the autumn - Ali is running the Bristol half marathon for CLIC, and I'm hoping to run the Great South Run for Traidcraft. Keep up with our progress here!

Sally xx