47 Days and counting...

...and today is nearly over.

So in less than 7 weeks me and +Beccy Fairbank  are doing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. Yikes!

Preparation, preparation, preparation!

So back in November we decided that on my birthday this year we were going to climb the Yorkshire 3 peaks. Now at the time it seemed like a lifetime away (one of my first posts was titled "222 days to go") but now it is getting close. Very close. Too close.

We have been building fitness and stamina by jogging 3 times a week and walking every couple of weeks through the winter months. I've had several 'injuries' on the way - see previous blogs - but keep bouncing back. However at the moment I have not done a good jog for nearly 2 weeks - lots of aches and pains preventing this. And after an 8 mile walk on flat ground yesterday, my knee is giving me great pain today.

Part of me wants to go back to November and start again, knowing what I do now about doing too much exercise, not having the right trainers, warming up / cooling down etc. But its too late. We're here and the day is approaching rapidly.

My current plan is to try jogging again this week with the goal of reaching 5k a couple of weeks before we go (I was up to around 4.5k just before Easter, but it has been nearly 3 weeks since I've run anything more than about 2k)

Plan B, if jogging is still hurting too much in a week, is to give up!

Not the whole thing, just the jogging. But I really think the stamina of running 5k on the flat will help us getting up those 3 peaks.

We're still looking for more sponsorship - whatever you can afford. Please click the link below.

Bye for now

M

One step forward, two steps back...

So at the beginning of December I was running Week 3 of the C25K schedule, and running it quite well. So well in fact I think I pushed myself too far by running a couple of days without rest, and trying to move on to the next phase too soon.

After nearly 3 weeks of calf, ankle, foot, knee pains I cannot run the week 3 schedule! Week 3 is 90 seconds run, 90 seconds rest, 3 mins run, 3 mins rest, then repeat (with 5 min warm up / cool down at each end). I did the first 90 seconds, but after 2 minutes of the 3 I was shattered and in pain. After the rest I managed 90 seconds again, but only about a minute of the final 3.

And as I sit here writing this, my ankle is throbbing! Not a happy bunny.

+Beccy Fairbank is sprinting (well jogging) ahead. She managed 8 mins jog, 5 rest, and 8 jog a couple of times this week. Well done!

Plan of action is to be able to do the week 3 plan - hopefully on Sunday and Tuesday, before moving back onto week 4 - which I was 90% capable of doing 2 weeks ago!

Despite this set back, we are still on track to be able to do the Yorkshire 3 Peaks in the summer of 2014, as long as I get get rid of these aches ASAP.

Pain is so close to more pain (and this week's progress)

The pain

I think I might have over done it last weekend. As we were at the coast visiting the in-laws, we made the most of the change of scenery and the sea air and did jogging sessions on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, back at home, we did an early morning jog (Day 1 of week 4 of the couch to 5K). I barely got started and my calf was aching. After the first three minute session it was starting to hurt and during the five minute session it got worse. I ended up walking most of the rest of the way.

I think 3 days with no rest days was too much. I was in pain all of Monday, and it was still aching on Tuesday.

By Wednesday morning it was just a dull pain so I went for a jog. Did the 3 mins, the 5 mins, the 3 mins and about 4 minutes of the final 5 before I had to stop. My calf was very painful all of Wednesday and into Thursday. So on Friday morning I decided not to do the C25K plan, but did an interval training session. 10 times 1 minutes jogs with alternate 60 and 90 seconds rests. I managed it, but the calf started to hurt during the 8th jogging time. As soon as I got back home I applied ice and that seemed to relive the pain. However it was stiff and painful of through the day.

I've just been out and walked about a mile and a half delivering Christmas Cards for our Church. The calf is very stiff and has a dull ache, but not too bad. I have to go out again tomorrow to deliver a few more - probably only half a mile though.

I'm hoping that with 2 days of rest, I will be fighting fit for Monday mornings jog. I intend to do week 4 of the C25K program again this week, to become comfortable with it before moving on.


196 days to go...

According to the widget on my phone there are 196 days until the big day. Yikes, it only seems a few days since I wrote the 222 days to go post. Where did those 26 days go?

In terms of jogging progress, see above. Not good, but hopefully I can make progress this week if I do not over do it.

No real walking this week. Hoping that the rest will heal my calf. If all goes to plan, and no further injuries occur, I aim to go for a long walk next weekend.

In terms of weight, I weighed in at 78kg yesterday - the lowest I've been for a very long time - so feeling very pleased.

M