First run at home

I set off this evening on my first run at home. Its tricky plotting routes when you're used to doing several/many miles for a short quick run! Picking a route thats only about a mile feels very unnatural. Anyway, pick a route I did of just over a mile. P took J out in the sling for a walk in the opposite direction to me on the same loop, so we met up along the way. It was lovely to be out running over the tracks again instead of walking.

All went well again, although I can feel the impatience already starting to build. I'm making every effort to contain it as I have to concentrate on frequency of runs, form and steady running before time, distance and speed. I had several niggles this time last year of which the achilles was the worst, and if I want to keep running into old age I do need to address these first and not just pound the miles etc.

So happy to be running again though. It really has made me feel great.

Run number 2

We stopped off on the way between parents today, at Parsley Hay, near Buxton in Derbyshire. P took J for a walk in the sling carrier and I ran up and down the Tissington/High Peak Trail, again concentrating on running in good form, smoothly and not on speed or distance.  It probably totalled about 15 minutes running in 4 bursts. It almost felt harder than earlier in the week, which I loved so much, just being out again, probably because I was expecting it all to come back easily. It hurt to be honest - in that unfit way.

My achilles is quiet and I've not felt anything from it. Long may that continue.

life with a baby

Well, its been a while and my life has changed beyond all recognition. I am now the proud mother of a lovely cute baby boy, and enjoying every minute of it (well nearly every minute!). This blog is about my running, biking and climbing and I think it will continue to be so, as I am now turning my thoughts towards getting fitter again. I'm not going to talk about my baby, how the labour was (although I think being fit made the world of difference!), all the ins and outs of being a parent, but what I do want to do is use this as a motivation much like it was in the beginning to get my self fit and active.

So I've made a return to running. I have been very sensible and waited till after my 6 week check up for a run. Meanwhile I had been getting out for almost daily short walks, from very soon after the birth. I've also had to go in search of a sports bra or two!! I am also very aware that I'm 'coming back from injury' as I had stopped running just before I got pregnant for 6 weeks to rest my achilles which was suffering from tendonitis. So its back to running but not as I know it.

Today was my first 'run'. We've been down at my parents for a few days so I took advantage of flat cycle tracks and my mum, who was on pram duties, and did a few shuttle runs around their estate to get used to running again. In total I ran for about 10 minutes but for no more than 2 minutes at a time, all very slowly. We shall see how the achilles responds....

Counting Down ....

I wasn't sure whether I'd keep this blog going once I found out I was expecting, as life was in for a big change, and then I thought that it might be good to keep a record of what I did manage to get up to with a growing bump.

Either way, the blog is still here but I haven't been posting.

I am now counting down to d-day. Its strange, I guess I'm able to still do more than a lot of women at the latter stages of their pregnancy and I'm really grateful for that,  but also I'm not doing what I secretly hoped I might still be able to do. Mostly its just been tiredness that has stopped me! An unrelenting tiredness which I couldn't get away from - quite hard to deal with when you're normally a bit of a duracell bunny. It also meant that work had to come first, and everything else second, unless I pulled a huge sickie..

So, I'm still getting out walking albeit very slowly now and for short distances. A good thing about living where I do it that there's no shortage of beautiful scenery, but I have to gaze longingly up the fell tops for now. I've also been doing aqua-natal, not something I'd normally touch with a barge pole, but have found it fun. I've also been spending more time doing yoga and our pilates ball has been getting much more use!

So, its with some excitement that I'm looking forward to the next step. I know its going to be very hard, but to be able to get out with the baby in the summer will be great - if we get a summer that is!

Lurgy-fied

Last Wednesday I started feeling like a cold was coming on and a week later I'm absolutely poleaxed by it! I'd tried to fight it and keep going but I guess being pregnant means that's not always on! Still now I've stopped I realised just how run down I am, so lots of duvet time, hot ribena and good books. The weather changed today too which has made it easier to stay curled up and warm.

Blakes Heaven and Harter Fell

Didn’t manage much during the week for one reason or another. At the weekend I helped out at the Blakes Heaven Fell race, on registration and finishing funnel. It was a bit frustrating not to toe the starting line with so many of my club mates and fellow runners, but equally satisfying to help out for once! All went well, we had a record entry of 104 runners, and counted them all back in again. Conditions were near perfect for a winter’s day, with blue skies, light snow of the fell tops, hardened ground and amazing views.

On Sunday, it was a bit cloudy, and cold again. P and I went for a walk up over Harter Fell from Jubilee Bridge and back down to Hardknott Fort. There was a good covering of snow even on this lowly fell, and the higher fells looked stunning. Great cloud formations too, due to the Easterlies that were blowing. This wasn’t a long walk – as I may have learnt my lesson, but enjoyable to stretch the legs and keep the blood flowing! The bump is growing more and more now! Its all good weight training!

Evening Ride to Hardknott

Popped out after work on the bike with P to ride up the valley to Hardknott and back. Its not a strenuous or long ride, but it felt good. We kept an eye out for the Aurora but it was pretty early in the evening and the Milky Way was so bright anyway! It’s a very dark place up the top of the valley and it was an amazing experience to turn the lights off and watch the sky! We got caught in a vicious little hail storm when nearly back to the house which was a bit unfair!

distance

P fancied a good session at Kendal Wall on Saturday and as I still have no full body harness I couldn’t join him and would have cramped his style too!! So I took myself off for a walk in the strong winds and blustery sleety showers, from Kendal down the river Kent to near Sedgwick, round through the grounds of Sizergh Castle and back over Scout Scar. It was a good brisk walk out – about thirteen miles I think. I may have to start limiting and measuring my walks before hand as physically I’m fine doing these walks and loving them to, but I have to admit that I am pretty tired for a few days after!!

Hellvelyn and then North Yorks.

Friday was forecast to be such a gorgeous day after all the rain that’s fallen up here we quickly organised a day off work and drove around to Glenridding to go for a walk. Our route took us up towards the Hole in the Wall, visiting Birkhouse Moor on the way, down past Red Tarn and up the north-eastern ridge of Catsycam on to Swirral Edge and Hellvelyn Summit. Last time I was on Hellvelyn was my BG! It was a very good day, clear visibility, snow patches in places including one at the top of Striding Edge. We then turned for the van and descended over Whiteside Bank and Glenridding Common past the YHA. A great walk out, I was still one of the fastest walkers on the fell despite taking it very easy!!

We then spent the weekend with family over in North Yorkshire visiting Sutton Bank and Brimham Rocks.

Mid Winter BG

Not me!! Supported at Wasdale for a friend on his attempt. He had a great run finishing in 23:03.

Christmas and New Year

A very lazy Christmas followed by a sickly new year meant that nothing really got done! Still I feel very rested and over the cold. Ready for this years excitement!

Local walking

Energy levels have returned, not to my ‘normal’ levels but much, much better than before! I’m also feeling very unfit (probably more mind than matter this one). Anyways we got out for a lovely long walk up Miterdale, staying close to the river then up past Burnmoor Lodge, down the White Cross Path to the Woolpack, lunch at Dalegarth station and a nice amble through the valley woods and fields on the Eskdale Trail back home. In all I think it was about 11 miles, and did me the world of good!

Burnmoor Tarn with Wasdale Fells beyond

Harter Fell

Life change

All Change! Life is taking on a completely different challenge for us now as we will become parents in June. Things have already changed for me as I’ve been very, very tired and a bit nauseous. So I’ve had to cut back on a lot of exercise. Most things can still be done but there’s no more bouldering for me now as the risk of landing badly is too much and I’m not going to try and get back into running now either, as it all feels a bit uncomfortable and I'd have to start where I should have started recovering from the Achilles injury i.e. ½ mile runs and if all went well an increase of only 10% max. per week.

But I can still ride the bike, climb routes, do yoga and of course walk! ….when I have the energy…..

Not sure where this blog will go so we shall see.

Spain!

Just come back from a week in Southern Spain staying with friends and climbing most days. We were staying in the village of Colmenar about 40 minutes drive north of Malaga. The climbing near here was amazing and that’s not including El Chorro, the famous gorge about an hour’s drive away and the normal destination of Brits who climb in this area. We had one day at El Chorro, and also climbed at Villaneuva de Cauche, Archidona and El Torcal. It was all over to quickly but we always have free accommodation when we want it!

Dent Night Ride

Cracking night ride last Tuesday after work with a bunch of work colleagues around the Dent area, although the final long run back from Cold Fell road down Nannycatch was made a bit interesting for me as my seat post bolt broke, so I couldn’t attach my saddle. Luckily I found all the bits when it went!! Its amazing how hard even easy riding becomes with the threat of a seatpost up your rear end!! Climbing at the wall on Wednesday night in final preparation for Spain (!) as well as a really good long hard session down at Warwick wall on Sunday, while visiting my parents. I haven’t felt that tired from a wall session for a long while, lead consistently 6a-6b+ onsite which made me think their grades are a bit high!

quiet

A quiet couple of weeks, with a bit less getting done than recently. Partly as I lost my granddad and then got ill, probably due to grief more than anything else. I have done some exercise as I know it makes me feel better but it’s been tough. This has amounted to several Yoga sessions, short walks in the forest and fells at home, a couple of sessions on the wall in the garage and a couple of commute rides. Spent the weekend resting and at Kendal wall in the new bouldering room.

Pitlochry

Brilliant weekend despite the less than perfect weather. P and I had treated our selves to a self catering cottage for the weekend despite taking the van with our bikes etc in. It was just south of Pitlochry, buried up in the hills there and was brilliant for us.

On Friday it was a bit damp so we headed out from the door on our mountain bikes for a ride around the estate land to the east of the cottage. Lovely riding, nothing technical but lots of tracks, double track and single track, not to muddy and boggy and found this amazing bothy.

On Saturday, again it was wet so we rode from Pitlochry town centre up and over the shoulder of Ben Vrackie in the clag, and down to drop under the A9 and back to the town. Some good riding again, and nothing like what I’ve got used to recently.

On Sunday the forecast promised at worst a fleeting shower and at best some sunshine, so we drove to Weem to check out the climbing there. Unfortunately as we arrived at the crag the heavens opened soaking the crag! It was not to be. We dallied a while but it was not going to dry up quickly so after a must do stop at the Watermill Bookshop we headed southwards finding drier conditions near Stirling so stopped and checked out the bouldering at a scrotty little quarry. The climbing was OK, at least to provide some exercise and was very fingery – definitely a locals place. 

Scotland here we come!

Started the week well with a couple of days commute on the bike, but nothing today. We’re off to the Pitlochry area for a long weekend to celebrate our first wedding anniversary so a. I need a rest after the last 10 days or so, b. have got packing and sorting to do. Excited!

decent weekend

Saturday we went bouldering indoors at Kendal as the weather was poor and today got out for a local mountain bike ride round the tracks n trails of Eskdale and the coast. 

busy busy...

Busy week: Monday, Tuesday and Friday commuted to work and back on the bike, on Tuesday this was on the Santa Cruz as P and I joined up with some mates for an after work ride. Got some climbing in on Wednesday evening at a local crag and a good Yoga session in on Thursday. Time to rest at the weekend?  Probably not….