The wonder of waterproofs!!

At last, a longer bike ride, granted it was a long way from the 25+ miles hubby and I used to do, but 14.2 miles is a start and this year I will not be letting Uni or work get in my way ( well that’s the plan!!!). Another plus side to today’s ride was my very dry bottom – despite the copious amounts of mud and huge puddles my shiny new mega waterproof shorts did the trick – for the first time in 9 days my backside was just as dry when I got home as when I left – its only taken 4 pairs to find some that actually work.

My new cycling gear

14.2 miles logged
A short run tomorrow
Bring it on 😊

Dry January

Day five of Janathon and ‘dry January’ took on a whole new meaning – nothing to do with giving up alcohol and more to do with finally completing some Janathon exercise without getting soaked, covered in mud or both it felt strange arriving home as dry and clean as when I’d set off!!!  I’d like to say I’d stayed clean all day – alas no!!! The  joys of turning the class room into a Greek temple saw me covered in white paint and PVA – the temples looking good – wish I could say the same for my new work dress.

6 Greek columns painted
1.1 miles run
The knees holding up
Bring it on!!!!

Watch out there’s a swamp monster about …………maybe not!!!!

So I’d just kissed the hubby goodnight and then the alarm went off, at least that’s what it felt like – the 5:45am starts were back. Yep school term has started again, it’s like we’ve never been away. Still, all in all, it wasn’t a bad first day back, I even managed to cycle to work and back – I’d forgotten how heavy a rucksack containing a laptap, Hudl, portable memory, work clothes,  shoes, PE kit and packed lunch was!! I’d also forgotten how much the rain turned my cycle route into a mud bath – I arrived at work splattered, but on the plus side it wasn’t raining and I’d only had to detour twice due to flooding. Coming home was a different story, for one thing it was raining – heavily, secondly it was dark and my route home is unlit, thirdly the rain had turned my already muddy route into a quagmire and even with my mega bike lights I didn’t see the muddy puddles till I was knee deep in them – I arrived home looking like a swamp monster and once he’s stopped laughing hubby offered to spray me down with the hose pipe – I declined!!!
7 miles cycled -The bikes drying out
Short run in the morning
Bring it on

Janathon day 3 and the amazing waterproof shoes!!

OK, so maybe going out for a bike ride after 24 hours of non-stop rain wasn’t one of my better ideas, but what’s a girl to do when there’s a Janathon to complete? I knew there would be some puddles but did they really have to be THAT deep, a canoe would have been more use. Still at least I had my mega waterproof shoes to keep my feet dry……
You’ve got it, they didn’t work, but to be fair it was the deepness of the puddles rather than the shoes that caused the problems. They do usually work, but then I’m not usually knee deep in water while trying to cycle (slight exaggeration, but if the rain continues who knows). Today, however, I discovered my shoes had other capabilities – like keeping the water in – yep once my feet were swimming – they stayed that way. It was like cycling in water filled wellies,and as for my wooly socks!!! Still that’s another six miles in the Janathon bag – I’m sure the shoes will dry out eventually.
Day 3 done
Work and Janathon tomorrow
Bring it on

Running in the Rain

So I had planned a bike ride today, but then I slept in!! Typical!!! I’ve been trying to have a sleep in for the last fortnight with little success, I finally manage it when I don’t want to. On the plus side the changed plans meant going for another run, a run in the rain. Ive been stuck in the gym so long I’d forgotten just how enjoyable running in the rain was. Another mile logged and the knees holding up, fingers crossed it lasts.

A mile run

Slightly faster than yesterday

Bring it on!!!

 

Better Late Than Never and lost!!!

So much for me starting Juneathon 8 days late, if only I’d realised just how ill food poisoning can actually make you. Not really what you want when you’re in the process of taking exams. Still I survived, just, and after two and a half weeks off work things finally got back to normal. Twenty one days later than planned I was back on the bike, Juneathon had finally started. Shame we got lost on the first ride back (nothing changes) but on the plus side we pedaled a lot further than planned, fast forward a week and we were lost again. It’s all well and good taking new routes but it would be extremely helpful if the arrows on the route actually pointed the way you’re meant to go. Still we were one step ahead this week -we took a map-great help that turned out to be. It was wanging it down, the map didn’t like the rain, it’s now in bits on the kitchen table. I know how it feels!!

Nearly seventy miles done in the last seven days

Feeling Human again (just)

Bring it on

 

Bank Holiday Sunday in the Land of the Giants………

 

 

Look Tommy you can put your Tree Here……

oh look a diagram showing ‘sod all’

 

 

So another bank holiday weekend over, not long until the next one, no really it’s not long -try 3 weeks!! Not that we’ve done anything special. I’ve spent most of my extra day off washing, cleaning, ironing and studying, it’s my own fault really. Having spent Saturday cycling (no mishaps this week – we didn’t even get lost)  sunbathing and reading the papers, it was my intention to get all my jobs done on Sunday while Jack was over in Hull playing rugby -the lure of a trip out to East Hull proved too tempting though. Christ knows why. There were some right sights, and I don’t mean the docks and the Humber Bridge!! Why women wander around in nightie and dressing gowns beyond , but at quarter two in the afternoon complete with saggy knockers trailing on the floor -still it takes all sorts!!! Just to add to the ‘why have I come feeling’ Jack’s team lost. To be honest they never stood much of a chance, the opposition had clearly spent the winter break sat in a grow bag, and there was I thinking my son was finally catching up. They were huge, one had a beard (these are U14’s) and most were taller than two of the U16’s who had come to watch -it’s going to be a long season!!!

With the jobs done it was time to get my head in the maths books again, Construction Loci-always a favourite of mine (never bleeding heard of it!) Still now I know where Tommy can plant his tree, how far a dog can wa

nder on a lead and how to draw some random diagram that means absolutely sod all! Measures tomorrow, I can’t wait, hopefully it will be a measure of something alcoholic!!

had a lovely weekend

looks like a soggy sprint in the morning (the Bank Holiday weather has arrived)

Bring it on!

Back to work In The Morning……….Nooooooooooo!

Just a little bit of mud…..

So that’s it, the holidays are over, just where did those two weeks go? The list of holiday jobs is still a list of jobs, I didn’t really do any of them. It’s the weathers fault, I’m not going to stay inside when the sun is shining, I didn’t stay inside on the days it wasn’t shinning either but I’ve got to blame something. On the plus side the cars clean, the garden walls are painted, the fence is painted, the windows are washed, the bird feeders are re-stocked, the lawn is re-seeded, well it was until the birds ate the seed, they clearly didn’t understand me as I pointed to the feeder! It’s fair to say that I’ve been busy. I still managed to find time to get the bike out but what a difference a couple of days can make.

Thursday it was a sunny day by the canal/river, a lovely, if somewhat muddy, ride out to Dewsbury, except I took the wrong turn and ended up near Mirfield. Never the less I did, as I always do, and found my way back. twenty miles done. I then, not on a purpose honest, ended up running 8 miles with my friend, we just sort of forgot that adding a different bit on would make it a longer run -whoops!! Still I was pretty chuffed, I haven’t run that far in a long long time. Friday I couldn’t walk, my legs felt like they weren’t mine, I had no control over them, I gave them a day off. Yesterday, in complete contrast to Thursday, it wanged it down, back to cycling in a mudbath. Two and a quarter hours of splashing through freezing cold puddles, not another cyclist to be seen (can’t think why) and just as we got back the sun came out!!

Today, in-between trying to pretend I haven’t got a hangover, I’ve been getting the work/school stuff sorted -boo! why can’t the holidays last forever? Can’t complain though -its only 3 weeks and 3 days until the next one. Is it worth going back………..

Over 1oo miles cycled

20 miles run

Going back to work for a rest

Bring it on!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep On Running -Wish the Car Would Do the Same!!!

So although my car is nick named Archie (I name all my things!) I had never actually thought of it as a man -until tonight!! It clearly is a man, it can’t multi task. All I asked it to do was wipe its wipers and blow the heater ( and play the C.D, put the lights on and de-mist the back window -though they were all turned off if hubby asks !!)and it died, it didn’t even go anywhere -you can’t count the two inches I reversed out of my spot. It’s not really what you want at the best of times, it’s definitely not what you want when you’ve just run 6 miles in the pouring down rain, are soaked to the skin and want to get home as fast as you can -brill!

Thankfully hubby came to the rescue with his jump leads, but not before I’d lost all feelings in my hands, feet,knees, well just about everywhere really, But who cares. I’ve run SIX POINT ONE MILES, and in a half decent time too. Not bad to say it’s the first time I’ve run that far in nearly eighteen months. I’m happy,happy, happy. Still can’t feel my fingers. But happy all the same.

6.1 miles in 59 minutes

Hopefully the car starts tomorrow

Bring it on!!

 

The Janathon Rap…. And a Plank

So Janathon ended the way it begun

Out in the pouring rain having a run.

The good news is I’m  getting so much faster,

This come back plan I’m starting to master.

I’ve sweat blood  and tears and got covered in mud

I’ve been out in all weathers, like a true runner should.

I’ve cycled, squatted, pushed up and crunched

I’ve walked and I’ve planked, and boy have I munched!!!

So now Janathons ending and now I’m so much fitter,                    

And I’ve blogged about it all with a moan and a witter.

I’m recovering from the surgery and over the moon.

So many thanks Janthon -I’ll see you in June!!!

1 mile in 8:20 minutes -wahoo!!!

160 crunches

90 seconds planking

Off for a vino to celebrate

Bring it on!!!

A 90 second Giraffe Plank!!!