It's been a busy few days. On Friday we had a team-build event at the Martlets Hospice Shop, where we sorted toys and clothes to sell in their shops. It was nice to get out of the office and do something different for a change. And of course, after we finished up, we went to the pub (The George Payne) for a few pints and a rest. It was tiring doing something physically different, even though it wasn't demanding, but it was a change from sitting in a chair for seven hours. I wasn't intending to drink much, as we were planning to go to the Park Run again on Saturday morning, but I ended up having about four pints, before heading home. What can I say? The Timmy Taylor Landlord was a nice drop to savour.
Despite feeling hungover we did the Park Run on Saturday morning; TW and TE both got PBs, but I stopped because TY was crying, because she couldn't do it. So I walked with her for a bit and came in at about 31 and a half minutes. I probably wasn't going to go sub-30 anyway, and I figured the mental well-being of my child was more important than a timed run.
After that we came home, and TW & I showered. In the afternoon we went to see H&I's new trailer tent, which was very impressive. It started to rain, so we helped to take it down and it was pretty quick to pack away. They offered to have all three of the kids for a sleepover, which was very nice of them, so we ended up having another child-free night.
We were planning to go and see Rob Beckett at the Connaught anyway, so the fact that the kids were having a sleepover meant that we could relax and take our time getting ready, and we didn't feel that we had to rush back after the gig. We ended up in the Corner House again, which was nice, sharing a bottle of wine. Rob was very funny, as expected, and his support, Tom Lucy, was very good too. TW & I laughed a lot, both during and after the gig.
On Sunday TW picked up the girls, and we (the girls and I) baked while TW painted TY's room. I made my coffee and walnut cake - again - and the butter icing curdled - again. I didn't actually get to taste any of it as it was for TW's open house on the Monday. TY made gingerbread men, TE made a very nice rocky road, and TMO made some very crisp flapjacks. It was quite a busy day in the end. I was glad to get to bed by the end of the day :) .
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Friday, September 30, 2016
Thursday 16-09-29 Cake
Yesterday I worked from home because TMO (The Middle One) wasn't well. She complained that she was dizzy when she woke up, and so TW let her stay at home. I didn't have my laptop with me, so I had to go into the office to get it. Which meant a journey in by train, and then home again immediately. Except it wasn't immediate, because Southern had screwed the trains again, and I ended up waiting for half an hour at Hove for any kind of westbound train. I am seriously considering buying a car just to get away from those bloody trains. It used to be a pleasant experience, where I could read a comic or an e-book, or catch up on a podcast, and while away the 25 minutes between Worthing and Hove. But now, if the trains do run on time, which is less often than it should be, they are often crowded, or delayed, and the whole process is an anxious mess more often than not.
Once I got back to Worthing, I popped into the Co-Op and stocked up on comfort foods - Reese's chocolate bars, pork pies and a third thing that I can't quite remember. I was hoping to score a maple pecan Danish, but unfortunately they had either run out, or not got any in stock to begin with.
I spent the morning (what was left of it), up to about 1pm, trying to refine the parameters on a datapull I was looking at, and then the afternoon on several bits and pieces.
TW & I went out for a run together after work, which neither of us had thought would ever happen. Her pace was slower than mine, and so when we got to the mile mark I went a bit further to stretch out. Maybe in a couple of weeks we can properly run together, who knows? The Park Run beckons again this Saturday, so we'll have to see how that goes.
After the run, I made another coffee and walnut cake for the Macmillan Coffee morning we were having at work. TW made the icing and put it together, and then we sat down to relax. We watched a bit more Tyrant (maybe we didn't on Weds?) and I had a few beers, and then it was bedtime.
Once I got back to Worthing, I popped into the Co-Op and stocked up on comfort foods - Reese's chocolate bars, pork pies and a third thing that I can't quite remember. I was hoping to score a maple pecan Danish, but unfortunately they had either run out, or not got any in stock to begin with.
I spent the morning (what was left of it), up to about 1pm, trying to refine the parameters on a datapull I was looking at, and then the afternoon on several bits and pieces.
TW & I went out for a run together after work, which neither of us had thought would ever happen. Her pace was slower than mine, and so when we got to the mile mark I went a bit further to stretch out. Maybe in a couple of weeks we can properly run together, who knows? The Park Run beckons again this Saturday, so we'll have to see how that goes.
After the run, I made another coffee and walnut cake for the Macmillan Coffee morning we were having at work. TW made the icing and put it together, and then we sat down to relax. We watched a bit more Tyrant (maybe we didn't on Weds?) and I had a few beers, and then it was bedtime.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
First Park Run
Yesterday we attended our first Park Run in Worthing. Park Runs are organised all around the country, they are five kilometres in length and they start at 9am on a Saturday morning.
I had exchanged a couple of texts with our friend and neighbour, D, on Friday night, and he had asked if we (as a family) wanted to join him and his on the Saturday morning, and I had considered it. I was the best part of a bottle of wine down by that time, as TW was babysitting elsewhere, and I thought that probably I wouldn't be in any fit state to run 5k (that's 3.1 miles in old money). I was up and about on Saturday morning making a cup of tea at about 8.30am when I heard activity, so I looked out of the window and there he was, heading to his car. He asked whether I was going to join them on the run, and I was up for it individually, the girls weren't really bothered. But then TW chatted to M, his partner, and all of a sudden we were all going.
We got dressed in double quick time and took swimming stuff for the kids for afterwards, and drove down to the start point, which is at Splashpoint. We got there just as the race organiser was addressing the assembled runners, and there were a number, about 200 or so. We walked then to the start point and set off. The Middle Child was on a scooter, D's kids had a bike and a scooter too, and between them they managed to make their way around most of the course. I say "course", the run is west along the seafront and then back east along the seafront to the start point. So it's nice and flat, although if the wind were stronger, I can see that it may be a challenge.
I was running slowly at the back, and was comfortable. I stopped a few times, and walked, but ran most of the way. My average time at the end was just over 11 minutes per mile, which considering the last time I ran was June last year, I'm quite pleased with. I was 173rd out of 202, and my time was between 34:48 and 35:48. I recorded it on Runkeeper as well, and I reckon, according to that, that my time was 35:19. I could also when I stopped, as my minutes per mile average spiked then. So I stopped five times, apparently, and walked.
TW and The Eldest ran together, and managed to complete the course in about 40 minutes, which they were both happy with. D, being a more committed runner, managed it in about 25 minutes, but then he is due to be running a half-marathon soon, so he needs to be up with the real runners.
Unfortunately one of our other friends and neighbours, C, didn't make it, which was a shame, since she was the one who started the whole thing by suggesting it last week. Still, hopefully we will be able to run as a street next time..?
So I ran unofficially yesterday, but I've signed up on the Park Run website and next time I will have my barcode to register my time properly. Of course, this means that I will have to run mid-week to improve my times on Saturdays. Damnit. But I did think that was coming...
After the run, we sent the girls unaccompanied into the swimming pool - that was no problem, as they are good swimmers. The problem was that they were still in there an hour and three quarters later, at 11:45am. We'd had a coffee and were beginning to cool down, and I wanted to get home. But at least they had a good time. And today I don't ache as badly as I thought I would - result!
TTFN.
I had exchanged a couple of texts with our friend and neighbour, D, on Friday night, and he had asked if we (as a family) wanted to join him and his on the Saturday morning, and I had considered it. I was the best part of a bottle of wine down by that time, as TW was babysitting elsewhere, and I thought that probably I wouldn't be in any fit state to run 5k (that's 3.1 miles in old money). I was up and about on Saturday morning making a cup of tea at about 8.30am when I heard activity, so I looked out of the window and there he was, heading to his car. He asked whether I was going to join them on the run, and I was up for it individually, the girls weren't really bothered. But then TW chatted to M, his partner, and all of a sudden we were all going.
We got dressed in double quick time and took swimming stuff for the kids for afterwards, and drove down to the start point, which is at Splashpoint. We got there just as the race organiser was addressing the assembled runners, and there were a number, about 200 or so. We walked then to the start point and set off. The Middle Child was on a scooter, D's kids had a bike and a scooter too, and between them they managed to make their way around most of the course. I say "course", the run is west along the seafront and then back east along the seafront to the start point. So it's nice and flat, although if the wind were stronger, I can see that it may be a challenge.
I was running slowly at the back, and was comfortable. I stopped a few times, and walked, but ran most of the way. My average time at the end was just over 11 minutes per mile, which considering the last time I ran was June last year, I'm quite pleased with. I was 173rd out of 202, and my time was between 34:48 and 35:48. I recorded it on Runkeeper as well, and I reckon, according to that, that my time was 35:19. I could also when I stopped, as my minutes per mile average spiked then. So I stopped five times, apparently, and walked.
TW and The Eldest ran together, and managed to complete the course in about 40 minutes, which they were both happy with. D, being a more committed runner, managed it in about 25 minutes, but then he is due to be running a half-marathon soon, so he needs to be up with the real runners.
Unfortunately one of our other friends and neighbours, C, didn't make it, which was a shame, since she was the one who started the whole thing by suggesting it last week. Still, hopefully we will be able to run as a street next time..?
So I ran unofficially yesterday, but I've signed up on the Park Run website and next time I will have my barcode to register my time properly. Of course, this means that I will have to run mid-week to improve my times on Saturdays. Damnit. But I did think that was coming...
After the run, we sent the girls unaccompanied into the swimming pool - that was no problem, as they are good swimmers. The problem was that they were still in there an hour and three quarters later, at 11:45am. We'd had a coffee and were beginning to cool down, and I wanted to get home. But at least they had a good time. And today I don't ache as badly as I thought I would - result!
TTFN.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Running IV
Woo hoo! I managed a sub-10 minute mile this morning, I'm quite chuffed. Obviously not on a par with any serious runners, but it's good for me...
I was almost sprinting at the end - or that's what it felt like, anyway. Probably not very nice to watch, but I did it!
I was almost sprinting at the end - or that's what it felt like, anyway. Probably not very nice to watch, but I did it!
Thursday, August 09, 2012
Running III
So I continue to amaze myself. We stayed up until 23:30 last night, And I was up at 05:45 ready to go for a run. I'd had a bit of drink taken, but not overly so (and I reckon my unit intake was lower than The Wife's), but I was still surprised to be awake and ready to go.
And this time I decided to extend my run, to a whole 1.24 miles. Again, I ran the entire distance (except for a short stop while crossing the road, to let a car past). I maintained my average running speed at 10m19s per mile; a bit slow, I know, but I'm hoping this will come down as the weeks go on.
In addition, I'm hoping to push out the distance I run, slowly so that I don't stop or have to take breaks. I may even get up to 20 or 25 minutes running - we'll have to see.
But tomorrow I'm off to the in-laws for a long weekend, so I won't get to run until Weds. Boo!
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Running II
So today I went for my third run in eight days. If I'm not careful, this could be habit-forming. Still just over 10 minutes for a mile, but at one stage today I felt like I was actually running, if that makes any sense?
Normally it's a case of putting one foot in front of the other and trying not to fall over or stop.
Today I realised I could stretch out my pace and run. I'm hoping for a bit more of that when I run again on Thursday.
Normally it's a case of putting one foot in front of the other and trying not to fall over or stop.
Today I realised I could stretch out my pace and run. I'm hoping for a bit more of that when I run again on Thursday.
Again?
Monday, July 30, 2012
Running
First run in years. I think the last time was with Caroline while we lived in Kemptown, so pre-2003.
One mile in eleven minutes, not great. Room for improvement. And if I'm less wheezy next time, that would be good...
One mile in eleven minutes, not great. Room for improvement. And if I'm less wheezy next time, that would be good...
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