6 miles...how hard can it be...well it was very hard cause I was bursting to go for a pee pee from the minute I got out of the car...
About 15-20 of us turned out tonight,pelting rain (dirty rain) and cold...I always wear a t-shirt going running as I tend to boil up pretty quickly but my teeth were having a great chat tonight....tonight's route was the same as last weeks...left the aquadome,down to Fels point hotel,back up past the aquadome again,back out to Blennerville and back the bloody same long road again...
Rushed from work this evening...even-though I'm only a minute down the road I still like to be in the car park a bit early to settle my loola tendencies before I go running...my fear of being last is always there...but I am always last so I'm pretty used to it by now...the rest of the group thought they were in Cheltenham racing tonight because one minute they were there and the next they were gone racing out the road like race horses....and the poor ould donkey (me!) was still warming up enjoying the traffic and even admiring the doggie as I ran past...I will get faster one of these days but for now I'm happy out at my own pace...
Chatting away tonight with the two Catrionas,we were reminiscing on a cycle we did last year....wait for it...the distance was 16k....it was a charity cycle out in Castleisland ....there was a choice of doing 150k,100k,50k and 16k....of course the latter was my sporting choice...16k seemed massive and the thoughts were how the hell can I do that I'll be fecked tired! Loaded up the bike in the morning,headed out to Castleisland with all the gear on...I like my gadgets and gear so I had everything...I'd bought myself an expensive bike before that to coax myself into exercise...I remember being so nervous and to top it off I had a flaming puncture when I took it out of the car...threw a hissey fit...I'm not bloody going cycling! I'm the type where anything could throw me...everything has to be in place....nuthead I know...a nice man fixed my puncture...phew...I needed my strength for my cycle...with all my money spent on the bike i hadnt a clue how to fix a puncture...off we went very proud...pedalling along happy happy...I was knackered by the half way point with all the stress!got back to the hall delighted I'd completed my first big cycle...you should have seen us...pulled the bikes up outside the community centre like real pros...whipped off our helmets...shook the hair a bit...gave a few puffs like real athletes...fecked tired...shoulders back...heads up high very proud of what we achieved!! Walked into the community centre starved...gasping for food and fluids...and we were the first eejits back! the shame....the shame....the shame....the grannies serving the tea must have had a great giggle coz we ate the ham sandwiches like we never saw food! But we were two delighted eejits...
So in comparison i actually ran nearly 20 k at the weekend..so it shows the progression that can be made...there is hope for me yet...
Tonight all I thought about in my run was going for a pee...all the way round...when you know you can't do something your mind just focuses on that one thing..peeing...
All water factors included..it was raining..we ran by a river...and I was jumping over puddles...so pee pees were all that I could think of...I nearly stopped by a halting site But the smell of hose poo and the fear that my knickers wud be robbed off me helped me keep it in...oh the joys of running...
4 miles tomorrow night...
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Sat 12 miles....we conquered the bridge!
Well obviously I was going to be nervous...I can't not be a nuthead on long run days....I'm allowed that much!
12 miles....
Got up this smorning like a Duracell Bunny...nervous energy more like...ate my lumpy porridge..was starved...didn't cook my porridge properly but I still knocked it back..it was tough...
Was first into the aquadome this smorning...how am I going to do 12 bloody miles with Tonavane hill included I thought to myself...I can't be the only nervous loola in the group...rest of the group arrived...I'd say there was about 20 runners out today...Marcus was talking about our 'treat' after the marathon...3 weeks after limerick there's talk of a 50 mile JFK Walk down in Sneem....woohoo let's all go for a very long walk and just banjax up the legs even more! At the moment I can't even run up the stairs in work cause my legs are just in shock...I used to pounce up two steps at a time but now I'm holding onto the bannister and taking geriatric steps...but u know what,life is too short so why not do the 50miles in Sneem! It should be good craic....this time last year I was living a nursing home lifestyle...get up,work,eat,sleep...and that was groundhog day every day...
Marcus rounded up his slow troops (the nervous bunch!)Brian took the fast group and Maeve took the middle group...
Off we go...trotted along the walkway behind Fels point....steady pace...hit the playground near Lidl and Marcus makes us walk over the wooden bridge...makes us sup our drinks whilst walking over it...if anyone saw us theyd think we'd just run a marathon...great idea tho as it settled me completely...off we go up the road near lidl...the lads couldn't think of the name of this road so now we've renamed it as ' the road up by Lidl'! How inventive are we...kept the pace all the way up towards Caherwisheen....last week my loola tendencies kicked in at this point but today I was ready for it...started pelting rain....great will have soggy knickers and soggy socks for the rest of my run...but as Marcus points out it could be raining on the day of the marathon...toes crossed it won't...
Hit Kearneys rd,feel brilliant...two girlie runners passed us out on the way...they sped past like true runners...then we see them at the top of the road walking! Ha ha! Apologies I'm not a vengeful person but good enough for them! pacing,pacing,pacing...that's our motto...
One of the group went for a pee...because she went for a pee i wanted to go for a pee! But didn't...haven't overcome my fear of falling behind in the group so I held it in...met some of the other group passing the cul de sac near Tonavane hill...the feckers passed us out...u know the game of Red Rover that u'd play as a child where u create a line of people and then one would try and burst through it...well that came to mind...block the feckers!! Ok ok ok I didn't do it but I wanted to...
Hit base of Tonavane..the dreaded hill..but today I was much more relaxed.. no grinding of the teeth and no nut head thoughts...kept focused and just listened to Marcus... Slowly but surely we made it up...hit the top and I was waiting for my minute break...just to celebrate our achievement....the fecker keeps running! Oh my god where is my well deserved break u fecker- that's what I thought to myself! we keep going...up the other hill past the bridge..hit the top and back down...no break..but I put the head down and got over my inner hissey fit....met a lady on a horse outside the equestrian centre...even-though I'm not a horsey fan I wouldn't have minded hitching a lift on the back..they smell...
Woohoo we were on the long road home! Fantastic...
Knocked back a gel...they are vile...needed something to get me home...6 miles to go....chatting away..I've never chatted whilst running but today I did! it feld good..one thing I have noticed in the past was that if I stressed,my breathing went haywire like a gasping donkey, then I'd be all tense and it was a vicious circle...but today was different...
Retreated back Kearney's road...legs were stiffening a bit but that was expected...never once did I want to stop...today was my day...and the group were fantastic...toe was sore on my right foot..but I wasn't going to let that little piggy ruin my run so I blocked it out....put a toe foam on it this smorning to protect it...my second toe is longer than my first...so my trainers are two sizes too big but it works! Only use them for the longer runs....loola...
Hit the back ' road up by Lidl'...it's strange how the mind plays tricks but the minute I saw Lidl my whole body started to seize!my arse was numb,my toe was about to fall off,my runners scoliosis kicked in,hunchback,and a painful scrunched look appeared on my face! It was pelting rain and at this stage I wanted to make it home without stopping....started chatting again to distract myself...the topic of conversation was ' we so wanted to stop'! But it worked...didn't stop once...
Saw the Aquadome...I was never so happy to see the carpark....I wanted to give an ould star jump but physically if I jumped up in the air,my legs wudnt hold me on the way down and I'd probably slump on the ground like a drunk! Marcus makes us run around the car park....that was torture....and I'd just done 12 miles!
We all finish....stand around in a circle and he tells us to pat the persons shoulder on our right....mad but it felt good!
12.1.....well done to everyone and the group were brilliant today...I couldn't have done it without ye...simple as...and thanks Marcus..
14 miles next sat...
12 miles....
Got up this smorning like a Duracell Bunny...nervous energy more like...ate my lumpy porridge..was starved...didn't cook my porridge properly but I still knocked it back..it was tough...
Was first into the aquadome this smorning...how am I going to do 12 bloody miles with Tonavane hill included I thought to myself...I can't be the only nervous loola in the group...rest of the group arrived...I'd say there was about 20 runners out today...Marcus was talking about our 'treat' after the marathon...3 weeks after limerick there's talk of a 50 mile JFK Walk down in Sneem....woohoo let's all go for a very long walk and just banjax up the legs even more! At the moment I can't even run up the stairs in work cause my legs are just in shock...I used to pounce up two steps at a time but now I'm holding onto the bannister and taking geriatric steps...but u know what,life is too short so why not do the 50miles in Sneem! It should be good craic....this time last year I was living a nursing home lifestyle...get up,work,eat,sleep...and that was groundhog day every day...
Marcus rounded up his slow troops (the nervous bunch!)Brian took the fast group and Maeve took the middle group...
Off we go...trotted along the walkway behind Fels point....steady pace...hit the playground near Lidl and Marcus makes us walk over the wooden bridge...makes us sup our drinks whilst walking over it...if anyone saw us theyd think we'd just run a marathon...great idea tho as it settled me completely...off we go up the road near lidl...the lads couldn't think of the name of this road so now we've renamed it as ' the road up by Lidl'! How inventive are we...kept the pace all the way up towards Caherwisheen....last week my loola tendencies kicked in at this point but today I was ready for it...started pelting rain....great will have soggy knickers and soggy socks for the rest of my run...but as Marcus points out it could be raining on the day of the marathon...toes crossed it won't...
Hit Kearneys rd,feel brilliant...two girlie runners passed us out on the way...they sped past like true runners...then we see them at the top of the road walking! Ha ha! Apologies I'm not a vengeful person but good enough for them! pacing,pacing,pacing...that's our motto...
One of the group went for a pee...because she went for a pee i wanted to go for a pee! But didn't...haven't overcome my fear of falling behind in the group so I held it in...met some of the other group passing the cul de sac near Tonavane hill...the feckers passed us out...u know the game of Red Rover that u'd play as a child where u create a line of people and then one would try and burst through it...well that came to mind...block the feckers!! Ok ok ok I didn't do it but I wanted to...
Hit base of Tonavane..the dreaded hill..but today I was much more relaxed.. no grinding of the teeth and no nut head thoughts...kept focused and just listened to Marcus... Slowly but surely we made it up...hit the top and I was waiting for my minute break...just to celebrate our achievement....the fecker keeps running! Oh my god where is my well deserved break u fecker- that's what I thought to myself! we keep going...up the other hill past the bridge..hit the top and back down...no break..but I put the head down and got over my inner hissey fit....met a lady on a horse outside the equestrian centre...even-though I'm not a horsey fan I wouldn't have minded hitching a lift on the back..they smell...
Woohoo we were on the long road home! Fantastic...
Knocked back a gel...they are vile...needed something to get me home...6 miles to go....chatting away..I've never chatted whilst running but today I did! it feld good..one thing I have noticed in the past was that if I stressed,my breathing went haywire like a gasping donkey, then I'd be all tense and it was a vicious circle...but today was different...
Retreated back Kearney's road...legs were stiffening a bit but that was expected...never once did I want to stop...today was my day...and the group were fantastic...toe was sore on my right foot..but I wasn't going to let that little piggy ruin my run so I blocked it out....put a toe foam on it this smorning to protect it...my second toe is longer than my first...so my trainers are two sizes too big but it works! Only use them for the longer runs....loola...
Hit the back ' road up by Lidl'...it's strange how the mind plays tricks but the minute I saw Lidl my whole body started to seize!my arse was numb,my toe was about to fall off,my runners scoliosis kicked in,hunchback,and a painful scrunched look appeared on my face! It was pelting rain and at this stage I wanted to make it home without stopping....started chatting again to distract myself...the topic of conversation was ' we so wanted to stop'! But it worked...didn't stop once...
Saw the Aquadome...I was never so happy to see the carpark....I wanted to give an ould star jump but physically if I jumped up in the air,my legs wudnt hold me on the way down and I'd probably slump on the ground like a drunk! Marcus makes us run around the car park....that was torture....and I'd just done 12 miles!
We all finish....stand around in a circle and he tells us to pat the persons shoulder on our right....mad but it felt good!
12.1.....well done to everyone and the group were brilliant today...I couldn't have done it without ye...simple as...and thanks Marcus..
14 miles next sat...
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Tues 6 miles....my damn toe....
6 miles tonight...was thinking back to the days where I couldn't even run
for ten minutes....the days I couldn't even get up Ballyard hill....my
first long run was on New Years day-5 miles.... Which seemed massive
back then and that was nearly 7 weeks ago...it's strange how things
progress and you don't realise it...and the hurdles you have to
overcome to get to the point of where the group is now...
Did 6 miles...no stress...well a tiny bit if I'm honest...I can't
lose all my nuthead tendencies immediately but I handled tonight much
better...I didn't stress today during work,normally I'd start stressing
quite early on in the day and worry where Marcus was taking us...but
horray...!!.... I didn't! All I thought to myself was that I'd be on my
feet for more than an hour and a bit...easy peasy I became
settled...sounds strange i know...but I just had to change the way I
think about running and I come round it from a different angle...I
don't care it works...loola...
The run tonight
was actually lovely...6 miles very comfortable pace and if I'm honest I
didn't want to stop once...my small toe starting hurting on the last
mile so I stopped to give it a prod and a poke...had a few words with
it not to feck up my last mile...it was sore but I kept going...
The
one aspect of running I need to get right is the different food
groups...McDonalds is out!...I'm messing , haven't had a take away
since Xmas...which is fantastic for me as I loved crap comfort food...I
think it's more my lunch aspect that I have to get right..normally by 5
I'm starved and that's not good for the longer runs...had a half a
banana this evening but I was still bloody starved..there was a packet
of Oreo biscuits waving at me in the kitchen in work but I chose to
ignore them...
Will do some research on food...
Tomorrow
night 4 miles...Saturday 12 miles...this week we will have run a full
marathon mileage quota...26 of them! missing the .2 part but who cares!
I ve stuck to my nut head declaration...didn't grind the teeth once! Woohoo felt great....
Monday, 27 February 2012
Monday 4 miles...most enjoyable run yet
It is a miracle..
I actually enjoyed my run tonight! Woohoo,no mental head tendencies came to surface and the 'worry' factor vanished...I was going to say ' the worry factor has vanished for now... but from this evening....come 6.30...I am a mental head no more....I am now a positive mental head....
I sat myself down this evening and had a good chat...
I made a declaration:
I Annie Horgan will not grind my teeth whilst running,I will not tense up and go into rigor mortis at any sign of a route change.i will try and have a conversation whilst running even if it's abusive,I will not put myself under pressure and worry all night before the long runs and arrive the next morning at the run with a mad look on my face from all the worry,and finally....I will just go out there and run...and enjoy it for what it is....and be proud ....
The run tonight: fabulous evening for running...I'd say there was about 30 people out tonight which was a great turnout...thanks be to god the evenings are getting longer...i normally hibernate for the winter but this winter I didn't.. started off running around the car park and then headed out of the car park...up the road...and across...I really thought Marcus was changing our route and I did tense up but only for a brief moment...but relaxation techniques kicked in...went onto You tube today and watched a few breathing technique videos like a loola....if anyone saw me...I was copying the guy in the video....breath from the lower belly and not the chest...had to turn the volume down cause there were patients in the waiting room and they'd think what the feck is she doing inside! Heavy breathing like a donkey on helium.....but I must say it made sense...and I'm not into quackery but shorter breathing spans is not good...so tonight I tried to breath from my belly....it worked....felt much better...I am now a belly breather...
The group tonight was lively...very easy going...and we seem to gel really well...it good to have a bit of craic and it breaks up the run...normally I'd isolate myself and try and get to the back but tonight I said feck it I'll just run and see what happens...there was about ten in our group...including Fr jack at the back ( aka Jerry O Sullivan)...he was piping up all the way...educating us on the russian translation for grandmother! And everytime we saw a runner or walker he'd holler out loud ' runner runner runner'! And we'd all laugh...like a bunch of school kids on a day trip...but I must say I enjoyed it...i do realise its very important to run with other people and not be a lone runner...
I will stick to my runners declaration...6 miles tomorrow night....belly breathing it is....
P.S. I'm still of the sweet stuff...had sugar free jelly last night.....vom....tasteless...
I actually enjoyed my run tonight! Woohoo,no mental head tendencies came to surface and the 'worry' factor vanished...I was going to say ' the worry factor has vanished for now... but from this evening....come 6.30...I am a mental head no more....I am now a positive mental head....
I sat myself down this evening and had a good chat...
I made a declaration:
I Annie Horgan will not grind my teeth whilst running,I will not tense up and go into rigor mortis at any sign of a route change.i will try and have a conversation whilst running even if it's abusive,I will not put myself under pressure and worry all night before the long runs and arrive the next morning at the run with a mad look on my face from all the worry,and finally....I will just go out there and run...and enjoy it for what it is....and be proud ....
The run tonight: fabulous evening for running...I'd say there was about 30 people out tonight which was a great turnout...thanks be to god the evenings are getting longer...i normally hibernate for the winter but this winter I didn't.. started off running around the car park and then headed out of the car park...up the road...and across...I really thought Marcus was changing our route and I did tense up but only for a brief moment...but relaxation techniques kicked in...went onto You tube today and watched a few breathing technique videos like a loola....if anyone saw me...I was copying the guy in the video....breath from the lower belly and not the chest...had to turn the volume down cause there were patients in the waiting room and they'd think what the feck is she doing inside! Heavy breathing like a donkey on helium.....but I must say it made sense...and I'm not into quackery but shorter breathing spans is not good...so tonight I tried to breath from my belly....it worked....felt much better...I am now a belly breather...
 |
| We were like the pied pier clan...... |
I will stick to my runners declaration...6 miles tomorrow night....belly breathing it is....
P.S. I'm still of the sweet stuff...had sugar free jelly last night.....vom....tasteless...
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Sat run- 11.46 miles....don't look to me to encourage new runners to start!
Yesterday was 'worry day'....all day and all night this run was on my mind...this running malarkey is seriously turning me into a nut head...and I'm definitely not a poster girl to encourage anyone to start running!...definitely not...
A couple of things added to my worry..new route, a few of my comfort slow crew would be missing, Marcus not being there, and it was going to be 10 miles...or so i thought...my first double digit run....
Got up this s'morning...nervous...what else would I be...nut head tendencies kicked in during my nights sleep and I didn't sleep a wink running the route even-though I didn't know the route!
Started off in the aquadome....wasn't in my usual comfortable form...just knew I didn't feel right...Brian was our coach for the run...he explained the route and to be honest I hadn't a clue where we were going...off we go round the back of the aquadome towards Fels points...went onto the main rd and swung a right into the playground near lidl...couldn't get my breathing levels right...probably due to the loola stress levels...the group kind of split at this stage...headed up towards caherwisheen...hadn't a clue where I was...never been up that road before...worry sets in...where the feck are we going and how long for...as you know I like to know my route and didn't recognise any land marks..can't help it really...but nuthead here started to tense...tried to calm myself but it wasn't working...just at the base of the short mountain panic sets in...got a panic attack! couldn't breath and just lost it really...felt sick...with worry...knew it was coming on as my breathing was getting quicker and quicker and finally I just was gasping for breath like a fecking nutter...
I only ever had one panic attack before and that was when I was out cycling doing a 90k stint and I on the way home I fell off the bike and got thrown over the handle bars right into the middle of the road! Hands banjaxed, handle bars bent and couldn't see my mobile phone...and was out in the middle of nowhere....took ten mins to bring myself round with shock!
So with this one...stopped,calmed myself and started off again quickly...Brian waited up ahead a little...still wasn't settled...he knew something was up...but kept going...the sun was out...was sweltered...next week I'm wearing my short pants!...to be honest the rest of the run was a blur....went up toonavane...I'd say today was Brian's toughest day running yet...I gave him and Catriona abuse a couple of times ( in a nice way!) took a break up Toonavane...some of the rest of the group went on ahead up the trail route...that would be my worst nightmare...think half of them went missing but we headed back down toonavane and retreated along Kearney's rd again...the long rd home...about 4/5 miles left....some took the shortcut home and took a left back the rugby club road...but I said to myself that even if I walk ran the rest of the route I'm doing the whole thing...stubbornness set in...
Must say fair deuce to Brian for sticking with me all the way...myself, Brian, Catriona and Hazel did the last 3 miles together...no drink left, parched,boiling hot and feet sore...kinda-of hobbled into the Aquadome...home at last...
it was by far my toughest day yet...and Brian's!...but I didn't give up...and I did every bit of it...and I never said once that ' I'm giving up running'...but one thing I do know is that because I had a bad long run this saturday that next week I will come back stronger.....
11.46 miles...to be exact
P.S. thanks Brian
A couple of things added to my worry..new route, a few of my comfort slow crew would be missing, Marcus not being there, and it was going to be 10 miles...or so i thought...my first double digit run....
Got up this s'morning...nervous...what else would I be...nut head tendencies kicked in during my nights sleep and I didn't sleep a wink running the route even-though I didn't know the route!
Started off in the aquadome....wasn't in my usual comfortable form...just knew I didn't feel right...Brian was our coach for the run...he explained the route and to be honest I hadn't a clue where we were going...off we go round the back of the aquadome towards Fels points...went onto the main rd and swung a right into the playground near lidl...couldn't get my breathing levels right...probably due to the loola stress levels...the group kind of split at this stage...headed up towards caherwisheen...hadn't a clue where I was...never been up that road before...worry sets in...where the feck are we going and how long for...as you know I like to know my route and didn't recognise any land marks..can't help it really...but nuthead here started to tense...tried to calm myself but it wasn't working...just at the base of the short mountain panic sets in...got a panic attack! couldn't breath and just lost it really...felt sick...with worry...knew it was coming on as my breathing was getting quicker and quicker and finally I just was gasping for breath like a fecking nutter...
I only ever had one panic attack before and that was when I was out cycling doing a 90k stint and I on the way home I fell off the bike and got thrown over the handle bars right into the middle of the road! Hands banjaxed, handle bars bent and couldn't see my mobile phone...and was out in the middle of nowhere....took ten mins to bring myself round with shock!
So with this one...stopped,calmed myself and started off again quickly...Brian waited up ahead a little...still wasn't settled...he knew something was up...but kept going...the sun was out...was sweltered...next week I'm wearing my short pants!...to be honest the rest of the run was a blur....went up toonavane...I'd say today was Brian's toughest day running yet...I gave him and Catriona abuse a couple of times ( in a nice way!) took a break up Toonavane...some of the rest of the group went on ahead up the trail route...that would be my worst nightmare...think half of them went missing but we headed back down toonavane and retreated along Kearney's rd again...the long rd home...about 4/5 miles left....some took the shortcut home and took a left back the rugby club road...but I said to myself that even if I walk ran the rest of the route I'm doing the whole thing...stubbornness set in...
Must say fair deuce to Brian for sticking with me all the way...myself, Brian, Catriona and Hazel did the last 3 miles together...no drink left, parched,boiling hot and feet sore...kinda-of hobbled into the Aquadome...home at last...
it was by far my toughest day yet...and Brian's!...but I didn't give up...and I did every bit of it...and I never said once that ' I'm giving up running'...but one thing I do know is that because I had a bad long run this saturday that next week I will come back stronger.....
11.46 miles...to be exact
P.S. thanks Brian
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