Up to Downe!

Hello blog watchers.

Sometimes I think I must be down right crazy. All of my 47 years on this planet and I choose now to do something which I should have been doing for 47 years! If there are any young us reading this, take heed, do something to keep fit now now, and don't ever stop. Its a lot lot harder, if not fool hardy when you get past 40 odd!

My adventures today are on my bike. I love being on my bike. Each time I go out I am more confident, still no faster, but I'm sure I will be getting there sometime. I decided to go to a lovely village called Downe, and have a bit of lunch at this lovely pub and say hi to the landlord and lady there.

When I set off it was lovely sunshine, there had been a tiny bit of rain earlier. So while the sun was out I thought it a great time to start out on my first ride to Downe Village. Soon as I get to Starts Hill though the 'heavy' mist started. I am hoping that like yesterday it will just pass on by, and not get any worse.

Hoping, and hoping, riding up Starts Hill, still hoping the heavy mist will go away. And today's silly ditty that is going through my head to help me focus on getting up the hill is........ wait for it.......... There's A Worm At The Bottom Of the Garden!! Yup, a silly nursery song, who would name their worm wiggly woo, eh, who would have a worm to call wiggly woo! But yet there was that song, #and his name is wiggly woo# I wanted my mantra in my head, because I knew I would need it if this rain didn't stop.

All the way to the top of the hill. Made it. Because of the rain I was seriously thinking about just going to Farnborough Village, but then my mantra popped into my head, "I am not a quitter" So I ride on pass the pub and on into the village.

The turnings that I needed to take seem to be a lot nearer that I thought, and I thought that this ride wasn't going to be as bad as I thought, but as I rode into the first right hand turn there was a road block. Cars just stopped in the middle of the road, picking up people from the church who have just attended a funeral there. There must have been about 30 or 40 cars parked along the road, and some had already tried to drive off, but were just sitting waiting. I had to get off my bike and weave in and around the cars, and at one point even had to lift my bike up so to didn't damage the mans wing mirrors. After that it was down hill. This is just a great ride.

But that was soon to change, because when I started to head for the golf course, this road was all up hill. One long, huge, long, steep in parts, long hill! Now my mantra really kicked in, "I am not a quitter, I am not a quitter" On and on, the road just seemed to stretch up into the heaves itself and tear open the clouds. So not only do I have this hill to contend with but the rain has started to come down heavier, I can hear it has it hits my cycle helmet!

I don't like cycling in the rain, I have decided. My hands were getting cold, and I had stupid jeans on (vanity prevented me from putting on my jog pants as I was going to the pub that I usually go to on Friday nights with the old boy) these were getting soaked and not moving with me, I was feeling miserable and yet this road seemed to go on and on forever.

Arrggghh!!! I couldn't quite make it up one particular steep bit and walked for about 2 minutes and then back on to the bike. On wards and up wards, always upwards, and the rain coming down. I was thinking that I am probably nearer to the village then I am to Shire lane now, so no point in turning and going home. I was really thinking that! Then I had to get off one more time to push the bike up for yet another minute or so.

I was so pleased to start to see civilisation! a park, some houses, road markings! I knew then that the pub was just a few minutes more. I must look an absolute site but I don't care. I have deserved my drink and my sandwich today, just for keeping on in the rain!

It was lovely to be back the dry, and had a lovely warm welcome from the land lord! I ordered my lunch and drink and the sat down and text the old boy that I had done it! I had made it, in the rain.

Obviously the ride home has just great, I didn't peddle for at least a mile and a half, just free wheeled all the way down. There were a few up hills on the way back, the one by the church of course, which I just could manage to get up, and then the beginning of Starts Hill, just the first bit, I had to walk up, but after that, non stop all the way home. 12.25 miles, in 2 and a half hours, including a stop for lunch. Not bad, for an oldie!

Mind you the landlord told me that if I had taken a different route to get there then there wouldn't have been so much hills to climb!!

Gonna Ride, Ride, Ride, Ride, Ride!

Hi bloggers

Its Thursday, a day with no children, so what did I do? I slept to at least 10 this morning! I'm blaming the slight cold that I have, I must have needed the sleep.

Anyway, it made me a bit late for my cycle route planning, so I decided to do the pub route again. And treat myself to a spot of lunch as I had missed breakfast!

By the time I eventually got out of the house, after doing the things that needed to be doing in the first, I headed up the road, thinking about my lunch, and also thinking about Starts Hill. "Why are you going up that way?" my brain was saying, "Take a right at the roundabout instead of left and go through the tunnel" For some reason I was thinking to myself that I wouldn't have to go up any hills at all.

So I turned right and headed towards the tunnel. Through there and to the end of the road, that will be the first roundabout on the A21. But before I got to the there the rain started.

Now I don't like riding in the rain, so I looked for a suitable place to shelter till it subsided. A bus stop was just coming up so I stopped there. As I was sitting there a bus came and dropped off a passenger, it was a lady with her baby in a buggy. She pushed the buggy under the shelter and rummaged around for the raincovers for the buggy and then headed off. I sat there for a half a minute more when I noticed that the lady had left her handbag on the seat! I tried shouting at the lady but she didn't hear me, her mobile phone was glued to her ear!, probably why she forgot her handbag. Only one thing for it, I have to go out in the rain and take it to her. I pushed my bike up to the lady just as she turned the corner, she was very grateful.

By this time the rain had stopped, I was just thinking to myself, If He didn't send that sprinkle of rain down then I wouldn't have been under that shelter waiting to take the lady her handbag!! He does look after us all.

Anyway, I digress again, this route was way harder than Starts Hill! It seemed a longer hilly bit of the route, and it was like a roller coaster, only with out down bits just flat bits, and not nice long flat bits either! Every time another hill came up I was thinking, "Starts Hill don't seem that bad now. Eventually I got to the roundabout and from then onwards it was a very pleasant journey to the pub.

It is not the quickest of service at this pub for this time of day, everybody and his Mrs seemed to here today, and a rather noisy child, I was thinking If only they would answer her, she wouldn't say the same thing over and over and over again!!

Lunch over and not on my way home. It is a fairly easy ride home as you can probably guess, I went up hills to get here so there it makes sense that there are only downward hills to get. Any reasonable person would think that, any logical person would think that, if you go uphills to get to a place then you go down hills to get back.

Of course it doesn't happen like that on my way home. Most of the ride home is uneventful, and easy going, all the way through to Orpington High Street. And then that hill! The hill that I couldn't get up last time, Perry Hall Lane! Its a monster of a hill, so head down, first gears and spin like made............. ooops far too early, I was thinking so much about the hill I changed gear while still on the flatish bit my foot slipped off the peddle, thought I was going to fall off.

All to soon enough it was looming up like a great mountain in front of me. I went for it, trying not to think about the pain in my legs now, keep spinning, keep spinning. Darn it! couldn't do it. But I did get further up the hill than last time. I think I should take pictures of each "get of my bike" stop and use that to see how fitter I am getting.

The rest of the journey home was very pleasant indeed. After attempting the climb up mount Everest I was warmed up again and had to remove my shrunken hoody! So that's toady's cycle ride, lets see how well I do next time.

I forgot to do the timings today, but that doesn't matter, I was out there doing it, I shall even jog again this evening to feed my friends cats, this fitness bug has me in its grip now.

Extra Workout!

Hi blog watchers.

Just a quickie with these extras.

A quick run up to my mates house to feed her cats. Well, no point in taking the car is there? the alternator on the car wouldn't have put back the energy it took from the battery starting the car and I would be parking up by then.

Feeling good, might as well get out there and do something. It was only a 10 minute jog to her house, feed the cats, look for the other one, it never shows itself to me that one, and then 10 minute run back, job done!

1.49 miles extra for the next 10 days.

Running Test - Passed!

Hi blogees,

Naggy Neighbour said to me yesterday that I have to try and run around the 2 mile route, without her pulling, pushing, encouraging, nagging me the whole way by myself. Well, I didn't exactly go by myself today, I called for our other neighbour, you remember her, Happy Neighbour. When I called her on the telephone it seemed she was still finishing her dinner!, but she was keen to go, so we waited for half an hour or so, let her dinner go down. A dinner, mind, that would suit a runner, pasta!

I informed Happy Neighbour of my 'orders' from Naggy Neighbour about running non stop for two miles, even if I go slower that yesterday, as long as I don't stop. This is a test for me to do something on my own, so to speak, I know that Happy Neighbour is with me, but I know that she is not going to nag me, not yet at least!

Happy Neighbour is of course happy with this, she even said, "You carry on running even if I don't" "OK," I said, "but stop anytime, and if you feel you can't run the second one, don't worry about it"

On our way now, her boys giving her lots of encouragement as we head off up the path, I have my IPOD with me, but no earphones in, as I want to be able to listen and encourage Happy Neighbour just as I get encouraged to get on and do it. I just need it for the timer. We are soon to the first part of the park, in less then 2 minutes if you are jogging, and it's quite pleasant to jog in the cooler evening air. In fact I thought it might have been a bit cooler and put a jacket on! Just as we reached the first half mile I encouraged Happy Neighbour by telling her this. She made noise that same as I did in my head yesterday!! Only I was to scared to let out anything then, I didn't want a telling from Naggy Neighbour!

So I think knowing that we were only a quarter of the way round is just a little daunting! By this time tho my jacket came off just as we passed this half mile, and was duly tied around my waist. I should have left it really and picked it up the next lap! But thinking about anything else other that getting round a route seems too difficult for me.

Happy neighbour found the mile marker a more encouraging comment, I could feel she was smiling! Where as me I was really feeling it, fresh legs yesterday, helped me get round a 2 mile non stop route, as well as Naggy Neighbour constantly looking at her gizmos and saying that I'm doing well. Today, however, I am in front, I can hear Happy Neighbour behind me, all I have is my IPOD telling me that time is running out! And my legs feel like lead! So from the beginning of the second mile it was sheer will power getting me around.

My mantra going around my head "I am not a quitter, I am not a quitter, I AM NOT A QUITTER!" I needed to do this non stop, for me, to show ME that I CAN DO IT It seems harder doing laps, rather than a route, I'm not sure why, but I have only done 2 laps and I am not liking turning my back to the way home, and rest, and dinner. I hold my hat up the CRAZY MMR RUNNER for running 24 hours around a track in Belfast just a few days ago, and he was running through the night in the rain!

Coming down the last half mile is just so wonderful, knowing it's not long now, but also knowing that there is no way I can possibly do any walking because I a nearly home. A quick check on Happy neighbour, and can you believe it, she is still with me! She is still jogging, although now shes says 'feeling it!" Yes I would feel it if I just go jogging once a week!.

On to road now, so close, both of us are not going to quit now, we are so close, just keep on jogging, we can hear the boys playing footie on the green, keep going, "Happy Neighbour, lets finish in style" and with that I put a sprint on, turn the corner and the boys clapping as we run up the path!

Stop the timer on the IPOD! 23 minutes 17 seconds, FASTER THAN YESTERDAY BY 5 SECONDS! Well pleased with myself, and so impressed with Happy Neighbour for staying with me!

I Beat The Block!

Hi Blog lovers.

I am so flipping pleased with myself today!! Very Pleased. I said to naggy neighbour that I wanted to do a short run today of two miles only. I can feel you all looking at this blog feeling disappointed with me, but don't be. I wanted to do the two miles without stopping! Its a sticking point in my head. I know I can do this, I know I can!

Yup that's right NO STOPPING!. I am presuming that you are all guessing why I am pleased with myself now! And those apologies please.....for the disappointed eye raises.....thank you.

I told the old boy today what I am planning to do, and he said, "Yeah, you can do that", with out a hint of doubt in is mind. So I just agreed, but there was just a slight doubt in my mind, only a very tiny bit, just in case I didn't do it, then I wouldn't be so hard on myself.

I knocked on naggy neighbours door, all ready and psyched up, 2 miles, none stop, around the park. Psychological it seems just around the corner, the park is just two mins walk from us, so with that in mind, it seems just running around it twice it wont feel like it, because our houses were just on the other side of the houses that we are running next too!

Naggy neighbour was very encouraging and very insistent that we are jogging this whole two miles non stop "Even if you slow your pace down, you are not stopping" she says.

We start out from her house, just opposite mine! and the pace is good. Not too fast, not too slow, and naggy neighbour says that its a good pace and to keep this up all the way. "Yeah, right" were the words going though my mind, but I am trying not to be negative, its only 2 miles, around a park, 2 mins from my house!

Coming up to the first half mile, and a "Quarter of the way" from naggy neighbour. I'm wasn't sure then, whether to feel good, because already done a quarter, or bad because there is still 3 quarters to go!

But I'm keeping up the pace, I am trying to run in sinc with naggy neighbour, so that we sound like a well disciplined troop, I should start singing the song "We can run 2 miles non stop" and the response should be "And I will run until I drop!. Sound Off," etc etc. But I couldn't keep the pace going, I didn't want to not keep up with naggy so I just opened up my pace a bit and sort of did less steps. Why I haven't tried that before I don't know. It seems I was kind of running less steps that her, but still keeping up! Its amazing how 'Couch Potato' head comes in useful occasionally.

First lap completed! "You're doing well" says naggy neighbour, looking at her gizmos on her arms, she has these fantastic gizmos, they are so going on my Christmas list, its a watch that tells you how fast you are running, with stop watch, and the other thing on her arm is really cool, it uses the satellites in space to track your movements, it tells you how far you have run, averages out your minutes per mile.

Any was I digress, its because by now, 1.5 miles into today's run I was running on pure "Get your ass running girl" will power! I really wanted to stop, and I kept saying to myself "Why, whats hurting?" Because by this stage my legs are not going to hurt any more than what they are right now, at least I'm fairly sure of that by now, and my breathing is not going to worsen, I can even talk to naggy neighbour at this stage! So this is where the psyche comes in. Ignore any reasonable request from my mind to stop jogging and just keep by backside moving!

I'm listening to naggy neighbour saying "come on, your doing well and I'm thinking of all the quotes that I been reading, like pain doesn't last for ever, and limitations are set by man, so don't set any! and my mantra that I borrowed from a MMR member "I am not a quitter"

We go through the "Kissing gates" as naggy neighbour called them, and she said something about we got 400 metres to run and 3 minutes to do it in, or something like that, "It's do-able" she says encouragingly, "pick up the pace a bit........ and so she does" says naggy neighbour as I start to edge slightly in front of her. And then amazingly she tells me to slow down slightly, or I could "burn out" which I don't want to do.

I have noticed, in this 2 mile stretch, that I haven't once said "UUGGHH" or "OOOOMPH" I have kept it together so far. I feel I want to smile but I don't want to lose concentration, "300 metres, your doing so well, we're nearly home" Don't smile yet old girl, still got to get up this path, keep it together, keep the pace going, nearly there.

We are on our road now, the road that nagging sister used to make me sprint to my door. I'm not doing that now!! No way! but just as we were nearing the path to her house, she said "Race you to the door" and my last mantra came in mind "Finish in style"

So............I raced her! I sprinted all the way up the path to her door, "Wow you still got energy, that's great" she say, I just wanted to finish it in style.

So the time on her super dooper gizmo watch is 23.22 mins with the average pace of 11.22 seconds per mile! Blinding!!

Of course now naggy neighbour says that the interval running is totally out of the question!, and next Monday we are running 3 times around the park!!!!

Rain Rain Go Away!

Hi blog lovers.

Bet you didn't expect this today!

Well, I didn't go out running yesterday, I'm still getting used to the new routine of the baby being here, so I made sure I went out today. Its evening time, I had finished work with the little girl, and the old boy is cooking dinner today, so I have time to run.

I am only planning on doing a short run today, because of the rain, and because I am getting myself psyched up to run in the rain, and all sorts of weather.

The rain came down in bucket loads, and I was still sat on the sofa telling my self that "I am going to jog today, I have to, I need to! I WANT TO!,..... just in a minute".

The old boy was busy out side in his shed with his new toy, a beat up old motor bike that he had just managed to kick start into life again, (well, using the ignition key, but same thing) something it hasn't done in 15 years! He was well pleased. I was busy watching him run to his bike, which is getting soaked, and all the electrics were exposed as he was working on it, and he is desperately trying to get his it back into the shed.

I know, I know,I was stalling. Ok this is it. Ran upstairs got changed, I told the old boy that I was going out for a jog, as there seems to be a break in the rain, and he informs its still raining! "That's fine, its ok, its only raining a little," The old boy says "Ok, go on then, lets see how dedicated you are to your new sport" And with that I openws the door and he virtually kicked me out.

I ran up the path and I could hear the old boy saying some encouraging words about how well I'm running and something about wet tee shirts! Wow ok, praises indeed. The rain was coming down, but not as heavy as it was earlier, which I was some what relieved about.

Turning the corner I was thinking, "I am going to enjoy this, I can feel it" I'm not sure if it was the fact that I didn't put pressure on myself to do the regular route, or whether it is because I was mixing things up slightly again, or I had no music playing (I had forgotten to charge up my IPOD), probably a good thing it would only get wrecked in the rain, but I felt this is going to be a good run. Its about 2.68 miles long nothing too spectacular, just something to stretch my legs.

By the time I got about half a mile on the route the rain stopped. I was just thinking, again, that Him upstairs was looking out for me. Yes it was raining when I left, it was just a test to see if I was dedicated or not, and now I passed that test I am almost a runner.

All the way round I am thoroughly enjoying this evenings short run. The mixing it up bit is working well again, I am just running for a long as I want (no pressure to push myself) and then I chose trees to walk to and then run again. I found that I only had two walking sections before I got to the 1 mile mark just by the pub. So, there not bad. I even had a sneaky look at my phone to check how long that took and it was about 12 minutes.

Now its seems strange, and a complete turn around, but I had another voice telling me to just do the usual route, as I was enjoying myself so much. Now this was a new experience for me, and it was a voice I chose to ignore. I put it down to a double bluff by the old couch potato me.

Think about it. Old couch potato me wants to rule the roost again. Obviously, the new wanna be fit me is not going to allow that to happen. So old couchspud encourages me to go further, mess with my head that I am actually doing worse than usual, maybe even injure myself because I was only really psyched up for short run, and then I'm laid up for weeks. Couchspud face rules the roost again!!!

Well, I didn't let that happen. I had the route planned in my mind, run as much, walk just till breath has settled more or less and then run again.

It worked a treat, I was even smiling on one part of the route, heading towards home. I had already decided that I was going to run straight up hill to the next Oxhawth Crescent, just to add a bit of hill work, before I left home and that's exactly what I did.

Home again, in the cool damp evening air, and I'm sure I can smell my dinner cooking as I ran up the road to the path.

I made a grab for my phone to check on the time, I had left my house when my clock said 18.29 and I was ringing on the door bell at 19.03, 34 mins for 2.64 miles. I don't know if that is a personal best or if its way below but I don't care about that today, today was a good run. And, my facebook running mate, I ran in the rain!!

A New Week, A New Month, A New Job!

Hi blog lovers.

New, new, new! This is the first official full day with the new baby, so no jogging in the mornings or afternoons any more.

I have to make sure I am totally organised and ready to go out more or less as soon as baby has been picked up. Didn't quite happen like that this time, but had a fairly busy day today, so as soon as as I was free, I slung together some ingredients into a pot for a chilli for the family and called Happy Neighbour to see if she was coming along too.

About 6:30 pm we were ready to run. We are doing the shorter run today, and I am thinking about mixing it up a bit, still doing interval running, just slightly different, shake things up a bit.

We ran for 5 minutes and then we walked for 1 minute, then we ran for 4 and walked for 1, and then from then onwards it was running for 3 and walking for 1. I had already decided that we are going to do the shorter run today, just the time factor, both me and happy neighbour had our dinner busy on a slow burner, but we both just need to get out there and do something.

When we reached Greenway, it was walking for the beginning of it, then when the running section came I ran for 2 minutes and the slowed to the walking for 1 minute. "Was that 3 minutes," said a puffed surprised Happy neighbour, "No, that was only 2 minutes" I said, puffed out myself. But, I knew it was only 2 minutues, and I knew that we were still only going to walk for 1 minute, because now, after that then we would have reached my nemesis. THAT HILL. The very hill that Happy Neighbour says "I probably will walk up the Hill" So after I told her that I kinda cut short the running section so that we could have a go at running up it, I'm not sure if she was trying very hard to keep that smile on her face or whether it was a pained look she was trying to hide. "Oh" is all she said.

The walking section finished perfectly at the beginning of the hill. "Now, shoulders back, head up, use your arms to propel yourself forward, attack the hill, attack the hill!"

I blooming done it!! Got to the top of the hill, IN YOUR FACE hill. I turned around to check on Happy Neighbour and she was still jogging on up it, "Come on Happy, nearly there" Oh, it felt so good to have finally conquered it, and still be able to turn around and encourage Happy Neighbour up it.

I could have gone on through and do the usual route today, but I thought I would stick to my game plan and just have fun running, and not try and beat any PB, although that is always on your mind. As we got to the park we both decided to forgo the 1 walking and just see how far we can run on this last section home. From the moment we entered the park we had the notion for running non stop now till we get home. No waiting for each other, and if we need to walk then do it, for 1 minute only, and then run again and don't stop till the door.

I was in front of Happy Neighbour but I could hear her footsteps behind me, the park is safe, just go for it now, all the way home. I managed to get through the park, something I couldn't ever do a few weeks ago, I manged to go through the exit, up the short road and then......... walk. I was pleased with that, because I know that no matter what route I took in the beginning, whether it was 1.75 miles or 2.75 miles, I have never been able to run from the entrance of the park to the exit without stopping.

Now, 1 minute up, Happy Neighbour had already overtaken and I was ready to run again, this time not stopping till I reached the the door. With this in mind I just picked up my pace, the pace that Naggy Neighbour has me running at, and just ran. I passed Happy Neighbour, encouraging her as I did, and ran and ran. I was feeling good, almost guilty that I didn't run the usual route, but that is not what this run is about today. This is to just do something slightly different.

I reached the door, check on the stopwatch and took note of my time, 34 mins 30 seconds, looking behind me for Happy Neighbour. "come on Happy, nearly there" she rolled in at 34.45 Not bad for someone who who seems only to run once a month!