Sunday, September 09, 2012

I did it!!!

I'm really pleased as I did it quicker than the practises! It was all very exciting too.

1hr 21m (and close to 20m!!)

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me too, I have yet to see if I make the £1500 target but am certainly very close. :)

Friday, September 07, 2012

Almost rest day

I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to just rest!! So I did a 330m swim first, then went to the spa and rested lots. And it was lovely.

Swim 330m in7m 45s

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Overall

I have worked out that since I started training 3 months ago I have swum 6.12 miles, cycled 182.86 miles and run 68.64 miles!

CLIC supports patients and their families affected by leukaemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers based in Cheltenham. You can find out more about their work here http://www.lincfund.org/

I am trying to raise £1500, but still have a long way to go! It would be great if I could get up to £1000 though.You can sponsor me here  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/SianG or if you'd rather not use online payment, please email me asI have a 'paper' sponsor form too and I can add you there.

Mini cycle

Cycle 4 miles in 22min (plus 3 miles on school run - untimed!).

Monday, September 03, 2012

Last full run through

Having done my first run through in pouring rain, my second one when it was very cold, I've now completed the set by doing it in sunshine!!!

Chain fell off and goggles were being silly but still made it round.

Whole thing... 1hr 26min.

Saturday, September 01, 2012

Night run

My first run at night, by the light of the moon with a hooting owl!!

Run 1.9 miles in 21m 19m (seeing / hearing strange sounds clearly makes me run faster!!)

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Tired

Very tired post camping but did all three today as planned. Bizarrely, in exactly the same time as before! Very cold wind so the run seemed quite slow because my legs had frozen.

Swim 500m, Cycle 9.3miles, Run 1.7miles in 1hr 25min.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Greenbelt

I have had 5 days of no training!! I've been at a festival in the rain and mud and was hoping to be able to train, but a combination of lack of time and tiredness meant that it just didn't happen. It was about half a mile from the tent to the office where I was working for the festival, and I seemed to spend a large amount of time walking around the festival which was spread over quite a large site. There was also a bit of dancing to the live bands most nights!!

It's getting close... 12 days to go.

So, back to training today. E cycled with me while I ran and despite still being incredibly tired, I did the best time I've ever done!!

Run 1.9miles in 21m 26s.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Camping holiday

I've been on a camping holiday for the past few days with friends, hence why no posts. We got back late afternoon to do some washing and are off again tomorrow morning for a few more days camping at a festival so there'll probably be no posts while we're away then either.

The down side to being away camping is that it's meant doing training has been really hard to do. We've eaten later than we would at home and it's getting dark much earlier too. I've tried to do something, although haven't always succeeded!! It's a shame it's getting so close to the event as it means I'll only have a week of being back in 'proper' training before the actual thing.

Sat 18/8 - Run 1.13miles in 15m57s (when I had to stop because I kept nearly getting hit by cars who couldn't see me as they came round the windy roads in the dusk!!)
Sun 19/8 - Swimming in the sea! Although I didn't do a distance or 'timed' swim, I did a reasonably decent swim made particularly hard by biggish waves and strong current!
Mon 20/8 - Erm... walking to the  beach and back, and swimming in the sea!! Oh, and walking to the toilets / washing up place throughout the day... it was 1/2km each time!
Tues 21/8 - Run 1.2miles in 15m 36s (before getting stung by stinging nettles trying to avoid the traffic!)

Weds 22 / 8 - Cycle 2.53miles in 12m 14s (I'm tired and figured it was better to have done something than nothing!).

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Cycling in the dark

It would appear that it's getting darker earlier, consequently the last bit of my ride tonight was in almost dark!! Oops!

Cycle 9.17miles in 41 mins.

15/8/12 The Whole Lot!

Today I did all three, around the actual route that the triathlon follows. I was utterly impressed and pleased with myself about how successful I was in doing it altogether!!! When people have asked me what time I'm going to complete the triathlon in I'd worked out that my aim was to do it in under 2 hours. Having totally thrashed this time, I appear to have set myself a rather harder target to beat!!

Swim 11m52, Cycle 48m, Run 20m - Overall time 1hr 25m!!!!

(I still seem a very long way from my sponsorship target though!)

Monday, August 13, 2012

Tired

We got back from holiday today  it I wanted to do something anyway. Having had a quick look on my phone, I decided on a cycle route which seemed shorter than my usual one. I decided that it would make more sense to go in the afternoon rather than the usual evening time as u was so tired that I'd be sleeping in the afternoon.

I was wrong about the distance!! It ended up being longer!! And I also decided that I don't want it to be sunny or windy on the actual day - both make it far too much like hard work!

Cycle 9.93 miles in 47mins.

Thursday, August 09, 2012

Beach

Running on the beach is also great because it's so soft. Ran the opposite way today up the beach. I went faster than yesterday so ended up going slightly less far!!

Run 1.72 miles in 20m 32s

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Beach run

Lovely flat run along the beach tonight. Rather a slow one though, I think I was enjoying the view too much!!

Run 1.84 miles in 23m 27s.

7/8/12

Wasn't really convinced about going out today but since we're not going to be near a bike for a few days I thought I ought to!

Just like a couple of days ago, because it's so wet / rainy, there were hundreds of snails and slugs on the road. I'm sure I must've cycled extra just by avoiding riding over them!

Cycle 9.17 miles in 42m.

Monday, August 06, 2012

Swim with E

I only swam 250m today, I'd like to say it was because E was waiting for me to finish swimming before she could come in, but actually she was happy chatting to the lifeguard!!

Swim 250m in 5m 46s

Sunday, August 05, 2012

Run

Had my 'pacemaker' with me today. E rode her bike and wittered next to me. Or at least, she did until she got bored and cycled up and down the lane and stuff! Lol


Run 1.9 miles in 21m 36s (2s off my fastest!)

Saturday, August 04, 2012

:)

Rather pleasing ride and run tonight. Had lots to write about it but computer is broken so I'm having to use phone so it takes too long to type!!

Cycle 9.17 miles in 41m (fastest time for this route), followed by 1.9 mile run in 23m 31s.

Friday, August 03, 2012

Hurumph (2/8/12)

I can't, however, seem to beat my fastest run time!!

Run 1.9miles in 22m 24s.

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!!!

Went for a physiotherapy session today and got some exercises to do to try and lessen the pain in my shoulders. Evidently it's something to do with the tendon on the end of my biceps! Then because the shoulders were feeling less painful than normal (pure co-incidence!), and the hospital is fairly near the pool, I went swimming.

It felt like a really good swim and the water felt nice and smooth. And it evidently was!! I managed my best time, by a long way (not including the one where I stopped twice!). I found a way to turn at the ends more efficiently, which I'm sure also helped.

Yay!

Swim 500m in 11m 35s!!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Proper cycle route

I did the real cycle route today, although starting at a different starting point, about half way round. Having dropped E off at the in-laws, I rode just around the corner to start.

The first half involved a killer hill, which I didn't like at all!! It's also on quite a main road so the traffic wasn't helping. The middle bit (which, if I were starting in the right place would be the beginning and end) were fairly straightforward, again apart from traffic, which since I usually ride on country lanes, I'm not used to any more!

The final bit (which would be about a third of the way in usually) was surprisingly okay. I knew it went up another hill, but I couldn't picture how steep the hill was at that particular point and thought it was going to be quite hard. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't!! Which meant the ending for me was okay.

Doing it starting at the right place will defo be a bit harder as the killer bit is about three quarters of the way round.

I was quite pleased with the timing, even though I had to stop at 3 sets of traffic lights, one of which seemed like it was for ages!!

I've booked E in with in laws again on 2 of the only days we're actually around in August, so I can attempt all three bits together! Should be fun!

Cycle 15km in 49mins

Monday, July 30, 2012

Arms

Today's exercise observations:

Arms are good to use when running.
Bottles where the entire lid comes off when you try to 'pop' the top aren't good when running. You get wet and end up having to stop to pick up the top.
I don't like running up hills.
I do like running down hills.
I'm still paranoid about what I look like in my running clothes.

Run 1.9miles in 22m 45s.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

29/7/12

Cycle 9.86mile in 49 mins.

I'd meant to run after again, except I was wearing the wrong underwear! Lol

28/7/12

500m Swim 11m 35s with 2 stops (to change lane and because my goggles were leaking!)

Friday, July 27, 2012

Yay!!

I'm feeling decidedly proud of myself right now.

Tonight I did the longer cycle route I did last time, and half way round I decided I'd do the longer run afterwards to see how it felt. I decided that I might have to walk some of it if I couldn't manage to run it, but that I'd have a go to at least complete the distance. Someone who works at the Lido said to me that the crossover from cycle to run is always the hardest, and I know the one time previously I'd tried it, I barely ran any distance because it was so hard.

But I did it!! And not only did I do it, I ran the whole distance too!! :D

I also discovered today that the more people who sponsor me, the more determined I become. I'm not sure if this is because it's such a positive feeling that people are believing in me and that I can do it, or if it's the pressure of having to do it because people have sponsored me!!

Cycle 9.86miles in 47 mins, followed by Run 1.9 miles in 26m 20s.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

G'ah!

Hot, sweaty run which felt faster than normal and so I really pushed myself towards the end to make sure it was a really good time.

Then I pressed the wrong piggin button on my watch and when I saw 21.12 thought that it seemed like an okay time.

It wasn't until a while later while putting the chickens away I wondered what the time was and pressed the button to go back to 'time' on my watch and realised that I hadn't pressed the stop button, it was just that 21.12 was the time!!!!!!!! Which means I'll never know if it actually was a good run or not!!!

Run 1.9 miles in... who knows!!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Cooling waters

Swum tonight and the water felt lovely and cool on my slightly 'overdone' skin!!

Swim 500m (and a bit... it was a very wide lane!!) in12m27s

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Hot

After a very hot day which included lots of playing with the strimmer in the garden, I managed a run. It was really hard to get going, but did get easier the further I went. It still felt slow though and it was slow! First time I've done the longer run in a couple of weeks too, and I didn't end up coughing lots which made a nice change.

Run 1.9miles in 25m16s.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Flies

I ate hundreds of flies tonight. It was a lovely evening for a ride, except for the sun being at just the angle where you can't actually see the road, and also the millions of little flies! I did a new route, which is slightly longer than the old one, and really enjoyed it. I went slightly the wrong way, but only just! It just added a tiny bit more.

Cycle 9.86miles in 47mins.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Swimming and Sun bathing!

I went over to the Lido to swim and run today. Mid way through the swim I was beginning to feel worn out so decided that I probably wouldn't run. I was also on the sound desk at church and had to make sure I was there on time, and it would be cutting it fine if I ran, so I decided not to. I had a lovely sunbathe instead!!

Sponsorship is still going fairly slowly.A few people tell me that they're going to sponsor me online very soon, when they remember / have time!!!

Swim 500m 12m 18s.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

coughing

I thought this exercise thing was meant to be healthy. It certainly doesn't sound like it to hear me coughing now I've just got back from a run!! I was feeling slightly wheezy so only did the half run again.

Run 1.2miles in 14m ?s (need to check)

Friday, July 20, 2012

Snot is going

It felt so much better going out today with lessening amounts of snot!!

Cycle 9.17miles in 44 mins.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Short run

Due to a lack of time, I did a quick short run yesterday, and nothing today (it's hubby's birthday!).

Run 1.2miles in 13m 49s

[I've just looked back at the time I did this in for the first time I ran, as it's the same distance, and it was 18min!]

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Lost count

Whenever I swim I lose count. I lost count today. So ended up doing 22 lengths instead of 20. Which then meant I had to do another 2 so I could time them and subtract the time!!

Swim 13m17s (22 lengths) - 1m5s (2 lengths) = 500m in 12m 12s ish!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Evening ride

Busy day so I went for a ride this evening. It was quite nice cos I didn't see any cars for the whole ride!

I'd not realised how much my bottom and legs ache from yesterday, until I started riding!! And when I got home and off the bike I could barely walk. It'll be interesting to see if I can move in the morning.

I didn't push myself very hard tonight because I've also got a bit of a cold, so my time is a minute more than my previous time.

Cycle 9.17miles in 45mins.

Race for Life Yesterday

Forgot to post yesterday.

E and I did the Race for Life yesterday. We weren't sure if we were going to make it because she'd been ill, but she was dosed up with medicine and we managed it!! We did a mix of jogging and walking.

Jog / walk 5km in 44mins.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Carpet tape

I just found this as a blank post with the title, which I'd meant to finish.

K and I have been discussing what I'll wear for the actual triathlon. I'm finding that it's usually people substantially smaller than me who do triathlons, so I've been finding it difficult to find a swimming costume with enough support to run in. K's suggestion was carpet tape. It might yet come to that!!

Time

Life seems busy at the mo... which makes finding time so much harder!

I had intended on doing a ride yesterday, but ended up playing instruments for my daughters school production. The transposing then performing took up most of the day, so the cycle didn't happen.

Today was going to be a day off because it was another busy day. But, very strangely, this morning I felt the need to go for a run!! Because E was around and I was out without her in the afternoon, I asked her if she wanted to run with me. She didn't. However, she did want to cycle with me so we went out. It felt like a good run and the first half almost felt easy. I think I have the beginnings of a cold, so towards the second half of it, breathing was slightly less easy. It was quite nice having my wittering daughter with me rather than my music, although the music requires less of a response!!

Run 1.9miles in 21m 34s

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Lido

I swam at the Lido today, where the triathlon is happening. I then went for a run around the actual route immediately after the swim. I can still move and even still stand up!! In fact, I feel surprisingly okay considering I did that! Timings weren't too bad either. I intentionally didn't push myself too hard on the swim so that I had energy to run (Though I missed the extra turns in the pool to push off from the wall - this pool is a 50m and I usually swim in a 25m). The hill at the beginning of the run didn't feel too steep. Most of the run is very slightly downhill which made it much easier than my training route!!

Swim 500m in 12m 28s then Run 1.4miles in16m53s.


Edit: I just checked the route and it would appear that I missed a bit of it out!! I didn't think it was far enough!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Broken and closed

I got to the pool today and the computer system is down so they couldn't swipe my card. They just had to write it down instead. Then when I got to the pool it was totally packed! There was the large group of disabled people who are often there, with all their 'carers' sat by the side of the pool. And then there were, what seemed like, hundreds of mums and baby's.

There were consequently only two swimming lanes - insanely slow and quite slow with the odd fast person! I asked one of the 'swimmers' why it was so busy and regretted it. She told me that the small pool is closed for 24 hours because someone had diarrhea in it!!

I did sort of time, but had decided not to particularly take notice as I was often having to either wait or try to overtake, but then I also pressed the wrong button at the end too so it's only an approx time!

Swim 500m in 12m17s ish.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Ooops forgot to post

I knew what I was going to post yesterday, in fact so much so that I thought I had posted it, but it would appear not!!

Wore my new shoes for the first time yesterday, without the posh insoles because they're a bit too tight with them. I'm hoping / assuming the shoes will stretch / loosen a bit and then I can use the insoles too. I know I like the insoles as they're the same as a pair I already have.

(Yesterday) Run 1.9miles in 21m 48s.

Today I went straight off after dropping E at school again. Quite an uneventful ride really. I think I may have to try another route so I can vary it a bit. I have, however, managed to turn 'repeat' off my phone so I can listen to a whole album rather than just one track!!! Any suggestions for music to listen to while training would be gratefully received too - I need some inspiration!

Cycle 8.3miles in 40m 51s.

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Swim

Had my day off yesterday.

Today I went swimming but took E with me. I told her that over the school holidays I will need to continue training and that I'll happily take her swimming if she doesn't mind sitting out of the pool, on the side, for the first 12ish minutes. She was happy to do that so we tried it today. Just over half way through she came to the edge of the pool to get my attention, so I paused my time to see what it was. She needed a wee!! I told her to go on her own and come and sit back down again after and I got my 20 lengths done.

It was also really busy in the lanes, so I had issues with people getting in the way again!! So not good when I want to go  relatively fast!

Swim 500m in 12m 17s.

Friday, July 06, 2012

Sponsorship

Nearly wore my new shoes for a run today but decided that I should wear them inside to check they're okay first! (Not because I didn't want to get them wet and muddy. Really!)

Actually begun properly to get some sponsorship today. Still don't like asking for money though so it's going to be slow going!!

Run 1.9 miles in 22m 52s.

Thursday, July 05, 2012

Old man and new shoes

Pool was nice and quiet today and since the 'fast' lane was empty I swum in that one. I managed to do 18 of my lengths reasonably fast before a slow, old man decided to join me in the lane and make it so I couldn't get past him!! Having trod water behind him I decided not to bother waiting, since we were nearly at the end, so I just turned around and swum my final length. Hence today's time is 'ish' because it's about right balancing out the waiting time with the cutting the length short!

In other news, my in laws kindly gave me a pair of 'free' shoes a couple of weeks ago (from a buy two get one free offer they had) which didn't fit when they arrived. So they said I could buy a pair and give them the bill. Since I was thinking of getting some proper running shoes anyway, this meant I didn't have to worry so much about the price. So I went to get them today and went on a funky machine that filmed me running and then said what type of shoe I needed! The assistant was really helpful and knowledgeable too. I am now the proud owner of a shiny new pair of running shoes. So how much faster will they make me?! ;)

Swim 500m in 12mins 2s.

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Forever raining

Managed to do a ride in between the showers today! I wasn't really in the mood, but that worked well because it clearly made me go faster because I wanted to get home!

Cycle 9.17 miles in 44mins

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Timetables

I really need to start remembering to look at timetables! Yet again, it didn't occur to me to look at one until too late, so I had to potter around doing nothing until after the 'over 60's' session had finished.

I got into a good rhythm once I got going, but it didn't feel particularly fast. It still managed to knock time off my last swim though! :D

Swim 500m in12m 14s.

Monday, July 02, 2012

Busy!

Had a busy day on Saturday, which included a sleepover with 12 girls aged 5-7, consequently I didn't train then. I planned to go swimming yesterday, but when I got to the pool discovered that it was shut for a water polo tournament. Due to it being another busy day, I didn't have time to do anything else.

So even though I am exhausted today (from the sleepover, and from having been ill in the night) I went for a run in the rain. It was surprisingly refreshing. Well, at the time it was. I now just feel even more tired! Lol.

Run 1.9miles in 26m44s

Friday, June 29, 2012

It felt good

I ran about the correct distance for the triathlon for the first time today and it actually felt good! I enjoyed the run and it was easier to do than previously.

It won't last! Lol.

Run 1.9miles in 26m 20s

:D

28th June

Oops, I forgot to post yesterday!

Yesterday (28th) I did the same cycle route as I did earlier in the week (and was quicker than before), and then dropped my bike at the house and did an incredibly short run immediately after.

You know that feeling you get after you've been swimming where you feel all light in the water and when you get out you suddenly feel really really heavy? Well it's the same when you go from bike to running! It was a really strange feeling being like a lead weight. Consequently, I turned round and came back very soon after going out. Frustratingly though, as I was getting nearer the house the feeling was going and it was more like normal running. Maybe next time I try it I'll push myself a bit harder, now I know what to expect, and see if I can do a more 'worthwhile' run after!

Cycle 8.3 miles in 41m 45s, followed by 0.64mile run in 9m 15s.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Feeling Good

Someone came round this morning so I asked him to sponsor me. He asked what for and when I told him he laughed at me (but in a nice way!) and thought I was joking!! I've so got to do this to prove to others that I can.

I was really in the mood for a swim today and it shows. I a minute and a half faster than last time!

500m Swim in 12min 37secs.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Gnomes

Yet again I didn't do any proper training yesterday. I left the house at 9am and got back (apart from dropping E back) at 8.30pm. We did do a Gnome hunt during the day though, so we got some exercise!

Today I decided to swim so went to the pool this afternoon. Unfortunately, I didn't bother looking at the timetable and the pool was closed!! So I ran this evening instead.

Run 1.65 miles in 23m 30s.

Not a particularly good time and I really wanted to go faster (and felt I could've done) but I'm getting painful shinsplints which I'm not sure how to stop. I made sure I stretched before I went out, but still got them quite bad today. :(

Saturday, June 23, 2012

220

My number came through today so, despite having had a busy day, I went for a run this evening. It actually even felt quite good!! Knowing my number is rather scary though - another reminder of how real it is and that I'm actually going to do it!

Run, 1.5miles, 19m 25s

So far each time I've done the same distance again (run, cycle or swim), it's been a bit quicker.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Oh dear

Not had a very successful couple of days. I was in London yesterday and by the time I got home it was too late to do anything. Today I feel totally exhausted so haven't managed to either. I must make sure I get out tomorrow!!

0

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Life was too hot and tiring today. But I went out anyway!


I ran 1.2miles (the same as my starting distance) in 15m 52s.


When I came back last week, my husband told me I looked like an Oompa Loompa because I was so red. Today I looked at myself in the mirror when I got in and thought I looked so incredibly like an Oompa Loompa too. Let's hope that effect goes before September and other people see me after exercise!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The beginning

I used to be very fit and do lots of sports when I was at school and university. It's gone downhill ever since. I do a reasonable amount of walking but it tends to be slow ambling while Geocaching.

Since teenage years, I have always wanted to do a triathlon and found the Cheltenham triathlon recently.

Training for potentially completing the triathlon began last week. I'd entered myself and my daughter to do a Race for Life in July as a half way point, and was going to leave it until fairly late to enter the triathlon, depending on whether my enthusiasm for fitness continued!! I knew I wanted to, also spurred on by the fact that someone laughed at me when I said I wanted to do it.

I told a lovely friend this, and today I received the entry fee and the instructions to send off the form. She did a half marathon not that long ago, something completely new for her so she has 'been' there. So the form has gone and I need to make sure my fitness drive does continue!!

The distances are:
Swim 500m 
Cycle 15 Km (9.3 miles) 
Run 2.7 Km (1.7 miles) 


The theory is that I can blog what I'm doing. So, here's what's happened last week and this week...
Mon 11th - Run 1.2mile, 18min
Tues 12th - Cycle 7.7mile, 43 min
Weds 13th - Swim 500m, 15min
Thur 14th - Run 1.2mile, 16m 43s
Fri 15th - Cycle 11.5mile, Geocaching so no time
Sat 16th - none

Sun 17th Run 1.5mile, 22min
Mon 18th Swim 500m, 14min
Tues 18th Cycle 11mile, 68min

 Feedback and / or encouragement welcome!!