Skinny

Almost a year ago I wrote about my red dress and the illusions I held about my weight. Another item of clothing I have owned for a few years now are a pair of skinny jeans. Since moving north they've been a bit of a benchmark for where my weight is - if easy to put on I'm happy, a struggle means I need to work harder in my training. I bought them in the last year I lived in London, so they're maybe 3 years old now. I hardly wore them. Mostly because they really were a tight fit - and as skinny jeans should be, I suppose.

Well no more.

Here's the result of a couple of years of training sessions plus recovery practices (sports massage, soft tissue therapy, foam rollering, stretching, hydration and better nutrition).

12cm less than I used to measure judging by this belt

I have a few people to thank for helping me achieve the baggy skinny jeans look. First up is Tim, my partner. He's a rock. Too many reasons to list why he's top of the list. The guys down at S&P gym in Stockport, without the training programme written for me there my strength and conditioning sessions would be adhoc and inefficient to say the least. Nik Cook, for planning the running programme I do. I'm sure I'm not his easiest customer with my random and competing goals, but the hard work is paying off. Without the running programme I just would not get half as much running done. I'm motivated to get out there, but I'm also really good at finding reasons not to. What I have discovered over the past year or so is that I am very good at complying with what people tell me to do. I'd also say thank you to all the folk in Glossopdale Harriers - a great bunch who have definitely motivated me to get out there on good and rubbish weather days over the past year. So, thank you guys and galls. Couldn't have done it without you all.

ps. the title of this blog has nothing to do with me believing I'm skinny....just the name sewn into the back of the jeans. With 25% body fat I've a way to go before I count myself as skinny. I am however very happy with my weight :)

Beast Mode Engaged

That's right folks. I have a new running programme and a new strength & conditioning programme so beast mode is engaged. After successfully conquering and completing my handstands last month I'm more motivated than ever to keep up the hard work. If I can do something that for years gripped me with fear then I can lift a few weights and push myself up a few hills. For the first time my running programme includes me building up some serious hill fitness - so lots of hill reps and some tabata work. I asked for it...let's hope the lungs and legs behave themselves.

Here's the strength work I'll be doing over the next month, three sessions per week:

Did the first session yesterday, managed 3/3/2/2/2 on the chins so room for improvement over the coming month

B2 looks...interesting....building on my handstand work. I may need help to start with.

I'll be doing this session at home, either on Fridays or Saturdays

Working on form with RDL's

In with the weekly training schedule I'll be doing plenty of recovery work too, including daily sessions with the foam roller, having plenty of sports massage, staying hydrated and ensuring I get quality sleep. I've been fairly disciplined this year in going to bed at 10.30pm and getting up at 6.30am. So far, with the exception of about 3 days, I've managed to stick to that schedule and it is certainly helping me feel more alert.

Catch up

It feels like I've been playing catch up with everything since coming back from the Olympics...and writing blogs has just slipped out of the net! I can't believe it's been nearly 2 months since my last post! So what's been happening...lots of training (running and strength work), lots of work, lots of reading, lots of blackberry picking and jelly/jam/chutney/sauce making, just lots of stuff. The blackberry picking was brilliant - I still have about 2.5kg in the freezer for use later and lots of jars of various delights to sample once they've matured.

blackberries starting to simmer

blackberry jelly being jarred up!

I've also made red onion chutney that should be matured enough to tuck into over the festive Christmas period...along with our jointly made blackberry vodka, gin and whiskey. After dabbling with blackberry vodka last year we realised we'd not made anywhere near enough to last until this year...so we've remedied that this year, and some. The pantry is well stocked.

My running is going well. I'm still following a training programme designed to build up my endurance and I am currently enjoying a recovery week. I was amazed to look at my stats the other day and see that I've totted up 1,160km, ascended 26,292m (that was the shocking one for me) and spent about 160hrs out running. I've never really stuck at running so consistently before moving to Glossop so seeing some facts like that has helped me realise I have achieved quite a bit. My last long run was on Saturday - a lovely 24km route on Derwent edge and around the reservoirs. Good to see the water flowing over the dam walls, a true reflection of the wet weather we've had.

So what is coming up in the next few months...I have another month of building my fitness which is going to include specific hill training. I'm torn between looking forward to getting better at ascending and fear of the pain that it will bring in the short term. There's a few events coming up for work but those will be written about over on the Global Therapies blog.

RockTape in action

I've been having mild knee twinges on and off for a few weeks now (attributed to poor muscle activation in my glutes and further aggravated by a very mild ankle sprain a week ago), so before my long run last Sunday I got Tim to apply some RockTape - he's been trained and is a Certified RocDoc, so he knows what he's doing with this tape which we see on all the top level and international athletes. To prevent fatigue, and help the biomechanics of my left leg be more efficient, tape was applied from under my foot, twisting round my leg and ending on my glutes.  It was amazing, I really could feel my glutes activating when I walked, so knew it was going to help me stay on track during my planned run of about 25km.

This is about 4km into the run, under Crowden Tower on the southern edge of the Kinder Plateau

Kinderlow trig point

An impromptu ballet lesson!!!

Resting at Fairbrook Naze - northern edge of Kinder and about 12km, halfway

Finished! 24km in about 3hrs 50mins.

The tape around my foot was frequently dunked into rivers - either deliberately or otherwise - to cool me down. I then had a good 10 minutes sitting in a cool river at the end where all of my legs were submerged. The RockTape didn't come off at all - even under my foot where you would imagine it would rub up and roll with the friction inside my fell shoe. It definitely helped to keep my knee alignment at it's optimal and ensuring my glutes were activated properly. The RockTape really complimented the strengthening exercises I'm doing and the soft tissue therapy sessions, and certainly helped me achieve my longest ever run. I even felt good enough to run the final kilometre or so after my river recovery - on previous long runs once I've stopped that's in - no getting going again!

I left the tape on for three days in total, running with it still on (an easy 11km) the following Tuesday and with the exception of some of the tape rolling back around my foot it stayed stuck. I think most of the tape peeling on my foot was due to my carelessness putting on and taking off socks! So that's 24km and 11km fell runs, numerous dips into water on the first run, 4 showers and 3 nights - brilliant.

If you want to see how RockTape can benefit you in whatever sport you play then get in touch with me or Tim at Global Therapies.

Wonderously Tame

What a wonderful day today is. I went out for my first run in way too long. There's been a few days of snow in Glossop, beautiful white hills just above town. This morning brought us slushy wet white stuff on the roads and pavements down here. I had a run planned for today and as it's been about 5 weeks since I last went out I just wanted an easy road run, so before venturing out I waited on the weather. Not being chicken, just realistic for the sake of my health. By lunchtime the pavements were clear of slush and the sky looked promising for a dry half hour. Perfect.

Shoes on. Garmin on. Gloves on. Buff on. Leggings on. Extra layer on top on. Montane smock on. Inhaler in a pocket. Phone in another. Key attached to bra strap. And I'm ready.

I really wasn't under any illusion that the run would be far in either distance or time - that was the point - keep it short, wake my legs and lungs up gently. I opted for a fairly flat run too. I am recovering from a chest infection after all and my tonsils are still not 100% (how annoying is that eh!?). But cabin fever and feeling strong after an almost full on training session at S&P yesterday won the day.

And it was just a little run, 20 minutes and 3.34km with about 38m elevation gain. Tame to say the least. But great to get out and move. I kept about 6min/km pace and ran the whole way. Now that's brilliant news. My pace hasn't dropped. I sense it won't take long until I'm back up to full fitness.

The lungs played up for a while once back at home, the pesky cough returning temporarily (I hope). I'll review how I feel in the morning - I feel positive all will be well - and then I'll plan my training for the rest of the month - returning to regular runs, full training at S&P and getting fitter fitter fitter.

Saturday run

Eventually got myself into the right frame of mind to go running tonight. The weekends are long runs, so focus on keeping going for longer run sections and shorter walk breaks. I was aiming for about 8km, with some of the route off-road to get my legs/ankles back into fell running. The route took me past Mossy Lea farm...up to this point my garmin was telling me I was running at 2:06/km - just not possible so I hoped it would calm down so I could have stats of my run later on (it did thankfully).

Turning right after the farm I head up hill. To this point I'd stuck to 1 min walk, 3-3.5mins running and I felt good. This is where my lungs start to complain about going up. I just don't seem to be able to use the air that I get inside me. Air is going in, but I don't feel like the oxygen is getting around my body. I push on, trying to keep to 1 min run, 1 min walk and do this up to turning left rather than continuing down Doctor's Gate. Now the hill is going up more and I aim to walk to the left turn in the track then run/walk as far as possible. Between the farm building and Spring Cabin I manage a couple of 30 second bursts running but I'm immediately gasping for air and unable to recover at all...not even after walking for 3-4 minutes. I try to keep my walking pace under 12min/km but as I head up through the gap in Shelf Benches I just get slower. Somewhere along the way I take yet another puff on my inhaler, in the hope that it will relax my lungs but it doesn't appear to have any effect at all.

Reaching the high point of the run after about 4km I head over to a well worn trod. I could just bash across in a vaguely south direction but that's on tufty grass and my legs aren't ready for off-path terrain just yet. Slowly slowly is my build up to that sort of underfoot ground. Reaching the trod I turn downhill back towards Mossy Lea. I saw a couple of walkers on the track as I was heading up and I wonder if I can pass them or whether they'll be long gone. I'm fairly recovered now from the uphill section and head into the wind, taking care with foot placement but gaining some momentum as I descend. My speed picks up when I hit the grassy hard packed wide path, quickly through the gate and I spot the walkers down by the stream. Determined to keep running and get my average pace up I keep running, but not before a 30 second walk break. They're important to keep legs fresh.

I easily pass the walkers before the first stile on the way towards Old Glossop and keep running until about half way down the track where I take another very short walk break after the metal gate (bottom of Lightside). Onwards...and onwards....the track seems longer than it should. My lungs are into a steady rhythm now but the legs are feeling it a little. I contemplate going through Old Glossop and back along the road but dismiss it - too much road and maybe a bit too much distance today. Nothing for it but left, over the bridge and up over Shire Hill.....wow that steep bit is Steep!! Legs really feeling it at this point I get to the grassy track and am off again running. One panicky moment as a small dog is quite undecided whether it wants to run through me or round me, and on I go back down to tarmac and the final half km or so back home.

I get home and immediately jump on the turbo - I didn't walk at the end to cool down and that's an important part of exercising. I knew if I wandered around outside today to cool down I would have got cold, so the inside turbo option is great.

Writing this later on I feel a slight sense of congestion in my left calf, gratefully Zephr is on hand to massage it and release the toxins back into circulation to be cleaned. I do some foam rollering too as part of the recovery process, noting my left ITB is particularly tight about two thirds the way down. More rollering tomorrow for me. If it hurts it needs more attention!

Total distance: 8.10km
Time: 56:49
Average pace: 7:01 min/km

I'm pleased when I compare this run to a similar one in May. The May run took me down Doctors Gate a little then left up the steep grass - but overall ascent was the same. However, my May run took me 1:07:31 with an average pace of  8:06 min/km. It appears I am faster now. I hope that's down to the training and rehab programme I've been doing. I'm sure it must be.