If you've lost your exercise/running mojo, come on in for a Christmas countdown .....

[lechatnoir]

I've not done any significant exercise for the past 9 months, have put on 1.5 stone, taken up smoking again after years away and feel like shit as a result plus add peri-menopausal symptoms Working from home , lack of money and general feeling of negativity everywhere hasn't helped and I'm sure I'm not alone.

In a fit of madness I signed up for a HM for next March but need a kick up the arse and a serious overhaul before I can even start to think about following a running plan. Ive got 7 weeks before I start training but think 8 weeks is more realistic and will also tie in nicely with the festive season (right now I just want to hibernate not party).

So aims are:
Get basic fitness levels up and gently resume running
Build some strength and flexibility
Stop smoking (day 3 and counting)
Include some proper self-care - early nights, hair colouring more regularly, just a bit of pampering occasionally.

Get back in the habit of regular exercise with some sort of weekly timetable.

Anyone want to join me and post for support, encouragement, ideas and give each other a proverbial kick up the arse along way?

Keep going @SydneyCarton!

Thanks @illiterato. I have a gym routine/rehabilitation scheme for a serious leg fracture I sustained last year. Lots of focus on strengthening the legs, so things like presses, squats, deadlifts etc. Plus cycling aka punishment as some cardio and range-of-motion. Hard to believe in some ways that this time last year I was in a wheelchair… 💪

I would like to develop it into a whole-body routine over time though, once my physio team are happy with progress. Then I could do a few leg days but also more upper body stuff (since I also swim).

@illiterato , @FlySwimmer @londonmummy1966 Pleased to report I’ve achieved my goal with a 5K this morning which brings me to 36.75 miles! It’s been a real help to log the progress here and get encouragement so thank you. It sounds like we’re all doing really well

Well done - enjoy the skin care!!

@SydneyCarton yay! enjoy!

@FlySwimmer Gosh- that does sound serious. Glad you managed to come back from it so well. My DC are always breaking things (rugby and general stupidity) but I've only had one fractured foot that I got during a trail race- I was v upset as the hospital had to cut me out of my brand new compression leggings that cost 80 quid!

Went out with run friend today. We did 16k but took the pace down a bit as we were both a bit wiped out by last week's effort. Felt much better just 10 secs/km slower. Tomorrow I'm going to do another long one, but v slowly. Just need to see how I go with higher mileage ahead of this race in May. Also, the ferry across the harbour has finally reopened (got damaged in a storm) which means I can get out on the SW coastal pathway which I need for hills and off road training. I'm kind of enjoying the tarmac but I've got to face the trails!

Did 20k at a snail’s pace into a massive headwind with horizontal rain coming in from the side but 20k is 20k. V proud of myself - at 10k I was contemplating getting the bus back but just walked the next 1km and then got my mojo back and plodded home. Avocado and halloumi on toast to celebrate! Rest day tomorrow.

@illiterato Well done, that sounds very tough. I have wimped out of running yesterday because of the snow and today because of the rain . In fairness I don't have a waterproof running jacket and would have been soaked after 5 minutes, plus glasses all fogged up, but it is a bit of an excuse.

Skincare arrived this morning, plus a couple of other treats via some rediscovered gift vouchers from work - new loungewear set from John Lewis and some books from Waterstones. Can't wait to dive in!

Just yoga today. Back to running tomorrow.

Dragged myself out this morning and did 4 miles. Was regretting it for the first mile as it was raining and blowy and I was running right into it. Also the Tesco delivery driver arrived early and phoned me during the run so I answered the call all panting and out of breath like an obscene caller 😳. But when the rain let up and I got out of the wind a bit it ended up being a pretty good one.

@FlySwimmer - that must have been incredibly tough were you able to swim or did everything go? DD is currently on enforced rest following spinal surgery and finds the mental side of no exercise as tough as the physical.

@SydneyCarton hope you are enjoying the skin care

Well done everyone on the exercise sessions this week. I managed 5 miles and S&C on Wednesday and ran 7 miles with a friend yesterday - it is so much nicer with company. Today I've been sniffly and feverish and feeling really under the weather so I awarded myself a day off (it is what I started my training plan early to permit). Debating whether to try and get the long run in tomorrow rather than Sunday as it is only 14 miles this week and 19 next so an extra day to prepare might be good.

@londonmummy1966 I am, thank you. The hyluronic acid stuff is a bit tacky and seems to take a while to sink in but I’ve had similar issues with the Beauty Pie HA products so I assume it’s a feature of the product.

No Saturday run for the first time in a while. Feel like I should go tomorrow but not sure if I’ll have time as the children have activities.

Finished the week off with a 25:42 Parkrun - whoo-hoo! So much faster than expected. Really pleased. Was originally meant to be doing it with dd but she was still asleep at 8:30 so I went by myself and decided just to test myself. First km felt so bad! Second and third were ok. Fourth started to hurt a bit but then I saw, up ahead of me, the guy who huffily barged past me in the first in and I thought “ I will hunt you down!!”. 🤣. Then had a break and then went for another 9km while dc at climbing. So just nudged over 70km for the week. Feeling v smug and eating some homemade rocky road.

@londonmummy1966 hope you feel better soon but as you say you are well up on your training. Are you excited yet?

@SydneyCarton . I hear you. I keep meaning to take my trainers and run round the pitches while the dc are training but the clubhouse and a coffee tend to win out. And then of course they both want me to watch them.

Thanks @illiterato. Hope you’re enjoying your treats @SydneyCarton 😁

@londonmummy1966 I was completely non-weightbearing for 8 weeks. So could do nothing at all; DH had to help me to the bathroom in the initial weeks as I got used to the crutches & the massive brace I had to wear. I learned to walk again, and went from there. It was incredibly tough but an exercise in resilience and bloody mindedness

@FlySwimmer - what a nightmare - I hope that you are nearly fully recovered now.

How are we all doing this week?

Monday - did a 17k hike along the beach and the SW coast path. Unbelievably windy. Was like being in the Sahara but colder! Gave up on the planned jog almost immediately and focused on just not getting pushed backwards. Of course, by the time I turned around the wind had come about so didnt even get the benefit of the tailwind. Bah.

6k run on Tuesday and then 18k this morning. Feeling pretty good. The higher mileage of the last few weeks is definitely starting to pay off.

Well done on the 18k @illiterato - glad that you are starting to see the benefit of the longer runs.

I managed the 14 miles at pace on Sunday - quite pleased with myself as it seemed quite a high hurdle. I think taking the day off when I felt lousy was a good shout. Physio is pleased with progress (although that didn't stop the torture session on Monday...). Swim on Monday, walk for active rest yesterday, 5 miles tonight at a minute a mile under race pace and 2 S&C sessions in the bag so far this week. 5 miles at race pace, and an elliptical session to lead into 19 miles on Sunday which is really daunting. The DC got their father to book a table for dinner at Cote on Sunday so I can have steak to protein up after the long run. I will have earned the frites that go with it.....

Brilliant @londonmummy1966 . Do you have a target time for London? It's such a brilliant marathon. You'll have an amazing day. Do get your name on your shirt (even if it feels a bit silly) as people do shout out personal encouragement. The 19 miler will be fine- you've done all the groundwork. Sometimes for longer runs I prefer a podcast to music as feels like I have company. Not sure if you're a podcast fan.

10k for me this morning. Lots of strava medals - I'm such a strava medal 'ho. I really need to learn not to crave it's faceless validation

@londonmummy1966 Steak frites sounds just the ticket after a 19 miler, especially on Mother's Day! Two of my DC have a birthday party and football session for Sunday, so much for a break

@illiterato You will pry my Local Legend status from my cold dead hands

Did 1.5 miles of cross country practice yesterday with DD and her cousin as they have a race on Sunday - lots of mud - and another 3.5 miles this morning. The temperature has suddenly jumped about 5 degrees and I was boiling in long sleeves and full length tights. Might be time to crack out the shorts....

@SydneyCarton i love Local Legend- don’t even need to run fast, just be a creature of habit!

just yoga for me today. Walked SIL’s dogs for her too but not counting that as they are old and arthritic and was only out for about 30 mins of v slow walking.

5k parkrun in 25:09 ( so close). Then another 12k but at a more sedate pace. Quite tired now. Thinking of @londonmummy1966 and her 19 miler.

@illiterato - I'm thinking of it too - and not fondly......

Overdid the 5 miles on Thursday as I started fast and kept going so a bit of a niggly leg afterwards. The elliptical helped with that strangely and by the time I'd done an S&C session and a quick swim it felt a lot better. I will need to be very disciplined about pace when I start tomorrow.

I bought myself a new pair of running shoes yesterday - had another gait analysis and the girl in the shop was really thorough and suggested a pair of new balance - I've never had their shoes before so am keen to take them out for a quick trot early next week to see how they run.

Two gym sessions for me this week. And physio one day. I’ve a bit of a niggle in my lower back so I’ve decided to skip the gym today in favour of some stretchy yoga and foam rolling. I think it’s tight hip flexors that are the problem: cycling and lower-body weights put them under pressure and I’m not always the most diligent about stretching

@FlySwimmer all my issues are hip and ankle related. I am so bad at yoga as a result. Have to use blocks for everything.

@londonmummy1966 dont keep us hanging! How was the 19 miler?

20k today. Last 10 into a huge headwind. Feeling quite chuffed with myself for pressing on.

@illiterato - well done for the 20k.

The 19 miles were every bit as gruelling as expected and probably all that kept me going was the thought of mothers' day steak and champagne at the end of it. I got it done and a bit faster than I'd expected (marathon pace rather than 1-2 minutes less). But I am so bored of my own company!!!

I was quite achy this morning so decided to switch todays swim and tomorrows rest day. Mercifully the long run this week is just a half marathon and I've booked to go on a really nice one that has the best bling in the business!

Hope everyone has a good and niggle free week!

Well done @londonmummy1966 ! I bet that steak and champagne tasted all the better for having done the run.

Meant to do a run today but got a text from the GP saying a phone appointment had been scheduled for “this morning” so I was hanging around all morning waiting. It only lasted three minutes in the end 🙄 In the office tomorrow so won’t get a chance to run but will try to squeeze something in on Wednesday….

Fuelled by a 9.30 meeting I managed a rather quick (for me) 5K this morning and got a Strava 3rd fastest 5K time plus a couple of PR segments, so pretty pleased with that. Trying to make a dent in last night's Five Guys 😬