I ran away!

well, not quite 'away' - but I figured it must be getting very boring, my constant running posts and not much of anything else posts - and so stopped posting. For a bit. Now, its catch up time.

So last time I had completed W6.1 of the Couch to 5K running plan and was looking forward to doing 6.2. Week 6 is a blur now - I remember I did it and I have the logs on Nike+ showing me that it was Wednesday, a sunny day and I had a big smiley face - but can I remember the actual run?? nope! I guess it was uneventful and went ok then!! For the record it was 2 x 10 min runs with a 3 min walk in the middle. Simples. 6.3 though - theres another kettle of fish - remember that one quite clearly! It was a 25min run - no walking *GASP* it was also a cold day and the rain started a bit and blew sideways at me resulting in a very cold and painful ear. I decided during this run that I needed new kit and needed it fast. I completed the run fine by the way *high five*

So - shopping spree at the weekend followed. Trying to be good and not overspend, I went to Sports Direct to buy a pair of long tights and a jacket. I got them - and also a long sleeved top and a new cap.... slightly more than went for but very nice kit. The jacket is Addidas Climastorm so is windproof as well as showerproof. And its blue, not stupid girly PINK! like everything else in sports direct womens running dept was. I bought a mans hat so I could have the black and blue one instead of PINK! on it (really hideous Barbie pink....) and the long tights only have the PINK! inside the waistband so no one will see it, and are black with a reflective trim everywhere else. The long sleeved top unfortunately was only available it either ALL Barbie PINK! with 2 black side panels - or black with PINK! side panels - went for the black one with the least PINK! Its only going to show when I run wearing only the long sleeved top - put the jacket over the top and hideous PINK! is gone.

So - after a re-jig of the coming weeks schedule to accommodate a haircut on Wed afternoon (cant run after having my hair done!! never get it to look that nice myself so have to make the most of it LOL) I planned my week 7 to run on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday.

Sunday I got up, set off and did week 7.1. In my new jacket and cap, but with my usual cropped joggers and Tshirt on. Jacket brill - in fact I got too warm, might not be cold enough for that yet! Cap also brill, although am going to have to think about adding flaps to stop the wind blowing in my ears - it hurts a bit!! 7.1 run was a 25min non stop run - again managed it fine, although was quite tired by the end.

As I wasn't working Tuesday this week, on Sunday night I decided I was booking myself a cinema ticket and going to Newcastle on an early bus Tuesday morning, returning in time for Tom finishing school at 3.45pm - so my run was put off till Tuesday afternoon about 4pm, and I went to class to be weighed on the Monday evening instead of on Tues morning as I have been doing. After what I know was a good week where I counted my syns carefully and ate only free foods - I weighed in at 2lb heavier than last week! I really wasn't a happy bunny. In fact I'd go so far as to say I was pissed off. Every other time I've had a gain I have known there was a reason. This time there isn't one. I might have weighed heavier because it was later in the day and not 9.30am, I may have been retaining fluid, who knows - but I was pissed off. And a bit grumpy. Actually a LOT grumpy!

Tuesday morning I'm up and at 'em and on the 8.30am bus to Newcastle armed with a list of shops to visit and my booking reference for the cinema. Its only 3.50 a seat on Tuesdays at The Gate in Newcastle - I had booked for The Inbetweeners movie at 11.30am.

Bus journey was uneventful but busy, full of students. I arrived in the town at 9.30 - only to be greeted with a text from my mam saying she was poorly and needed me to collect a prescription for her..... I rang and explained I was in Newcastle and had cinema tickets booked and wouldnt be back till after 3 was that ok, it was. So i then rushed around the shops to get everything I needed before the film as now there wouldnt be time afterwards to do anything but get a bus straight back to Blyth. I went to start Fitness - which is Petes fave shop - and was only wanting a pair of shorts to wear OVER my running tights because they are - well - tight!! and I felt a bit exposed.... I got a lovely pair in the sale. trouble is I also got a short sleved top (turquoise - LUSH!) and a pair of running gloves (essential really) and a new sports bra..... ooops. Still - I did really need a new bra - the one I was wearing was a cup size too small and only a level 3, and so required the wearing of a second bra under it! NOW I only need the one - its the correct size, and its a level 4 - and was billed as the top selling bra for running. It also wasnt as expensive as other places.

So the movie was fabulous and I laughed so hard I snorted more than once - sitting on my own in the premiere seats at the back...anyway - after the movie I dashed back to Lakeland and bought a box of jam jars (on the list!!) and then leapt on the first bus back to Blyth. On arrival back in Blyth I leapt off the bus and briskly walked to the doctors - it was now 10 to 3 and I had to get prescription, fill it, and deliver it to Mam and be home by 3.45. Queue in docs - 5 mins later have script and am dashing across to chemist by mams. Queue in chemist - 10 mins later they tell me they DONT HAVE the medication on the script and if its needed today I have to go to main Boots store... I take the script back and dash across Blyth to Lloyds (nearer to mams than other Boots!) - queue in Lloyds.... 10 mins later they give me filled prescription yay! So its now 20 past 3 - so i dash back across Blyth to mams, deliver prescription, mix her one of the rehydration sachets, make sure she has the anti sickness meds - and have to dash right across to the other side of Blyth to be home for Tom - I arrive home at 3.44! knackered and with sore feet and achey legs. And of course NOW I have to go for a run..... well as you can imagine - even a warm calm day, wearing my nice new turquoise short sleeved top and level 4 bra, and even running a totally new route couldn't make me go faster or indeed keep me going right to the end - I managed 20 mins of the 25 running and walked the rest. I also think that choosing that moment to actually run a different route was a bad idea as I couldn't really pace myself very well and went off to fast - and was concerned about crossing roads, and trying to decide where to go in my head etc and so not really concentrating on my breathing. I also stupidly routed it so I was running uphill back home - and it killed me. But at least I did go - and did try!! and was pleased with the new sports bra and top!!!

So today was 7.3. Another 25min run. Weather isn't wonderful today, bit windy and quite cool - so decided to try out the long running tights and shorts combo with my long sleeved top (aka PINK!) Wasn't feeling too bad this morning despite have a couple of Amarettos last night (thats another story - bet theres no weight loss for me on monday *sigh*) I took my phone as well and used the runkeeper app again - as long as I have somewhere to safely keep my phone it works great and I like having the accuracy of the GPS tracking my speed and distance. It was tough going I have to admit - I wasn't at all sure I was going to make it to the 25 mins again - but gave myself a stern talking too and pushed on till the voice said it was over. I got waaaaay too hot with the long tights and long sleeved top on, but it was too cold to go out in a short sleeved one before you were running - cant win!! I could however have easily managed with cropped pants on.

So - here I am at the end of week 7 with only 2 more weeks to go till the end of the program  - very tired, quite confused over how much/little to wear at this time of year, and looking forward to week 8 and it being stress free. Yeah right....