I’ve got a bumper post for you today as I was on holiday in Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) last weekend and did some runs there, and I don’t tend to advertise that I’m away on the blog. So here’s a quick rundown of the last two lovely weeks of running.
Week 1 – 11-17 March
Monday – I did a recovery run with Claire (she’d done a half marathon the day before), after my long run of 16.1 messy miles the day before. Nice to unwind a bit and I feel these are really helping. I also had an appointment with my physio and he was pleased with my progress, with everything seeming both stronger and looser. Hooray! I have more of the same to do.
3.1 miles, 12:01 mins per mile
Wednesday – I was really pushed for time and had to choose between running and yoga. I chose running but did extra stretching and yoga moves afterwards. I did a section with Ruth then made up a decent distance so I could cut down my long run on Sunday as much as possible. I don’t seem to have taken any local photos this week!
6 miles, 12:33 mins per mile
Saturday – Walked 9 miles up towards a salt museum and back in Fuerteventura with my husband Matthew.
Sunday – I got up ready for dawn (having had breakfast VERY early) and went out for a lovely long run. I took the road we walked yesterday, but a bit longer, then went and explored the nice promenade around the sea front (note to anyone planning to visit Caleta de Fuste: the promenade is mainly hard concrete paving stones and the road to Las Salinas has a brick and paving stone section before the nice springy walking path so maybe best not to wear your oldest, most knackered shoes).
You can see where the comfortable path was and where the concrete didn’t give me anything back.
11 miles, 12:20 mins per mile
Miles this week: 20.1
Week 2 – 18-24 March
Wednesday – We flew home Wednesday afternoon and I was able to get a run in in the early morning, this time before breakfast. I dried off my clothes on the airer! I concentrated on just the port area this time, running down and around the coastline as far as I could go one way then as far as I needed the other (a bit further than we’d walked on the Monday).
It was pretty windy so I was glad yet again of my hat-under-buff combo.
5.2 miles, 11:35 mins per mile
Friday – Managed to fit in a run and yoga – just went out myself before breakfast and zipped around as fast as I could. Yoga was hard with lots of hip opening but good for us!
3.1 miles, 11:07 mins per mile (super speedy for me)
Saturday – Having got up super early to finish a job for a client (I did get the rest of Sat and all of Sun “off”) I was picked up by running club captain Barbara and her husband, along with Mike, the cross-country captain, to go to the Midlands 12 and 6 stage road relays in Sutton Park (also featuring the Midlands under 13, 15 and 17s 5k championships). Barbara and I were officiating and met a lot of familiar faces – this time last year, however, it was SNOWING!
Barbara and I were helping with the start for the 5ks, making sure everyone was lined up then jumping aside to let the gun go off. Then I and another official held up the finish tape for the under-13 winner (my first time doing that and letting go at the right time to allow for a good photo!). Then we were on to the men’s then women’s relays (Barbara helped start the men and I helped with the women). We rotated through pen management and changeover management in pairs, with three teams so one always resting.
Here, Barbara in orange is listening for the announcement of the number coming in (each relay team has a number with consecutive letters for each leg, so A1, followed by B1, C1, etc.) and then calling into the waiting runners in the pen to bring the next runner forward. Two officials stand on the start line looking for the incoming runner to run over the finish line (under the arch). They then release their waiting runner, who stands looking forward, trusting the official (usually!). It’s hard, concentrated work and we had a couple start at the wrong time and have to be called back, but it went smoothly. When 6 men’s teams had completed, we did a Mass Start (decided by the referee) where all runners who hadn’t yet run started off together. They still got times, but all ran together, so you might get the 10th, 11th and 12th legs of a team all running together if they’d only got up to number 9 (well, letter M) being out on the course already). We then helped our lead, Terry, record those all coming in, having got their front numbers off them and made a list so we knew who was still out there.
Sunday – I mixed up my running partners a bit and ran with Sarah, who I’ve known through running club for ages; she’s doing the London Marathon and needed an 18, which is what I was looking for, too. We set out a bit later than I normally do (lie-in!!!) and she’d organised a canal-based route that we went round one way, then the other way, then we did some bimbling around the area until we were done. Trudie came with us for the first 7 miles then we trotted round quite happily. It was quite warm and we walked up the hills, but I felt OK and was really pleased (I didn’t even cry which I normally do at 16.5 miles) ESPECIALLY because just a couple of miles in we popped to the toilet in a supermarket and the toilet roll dispenser dropped open and hit me on the head. It hurt a lot but didn’t bleed or swell, but I had to spend a while filling in an accident report (NOT what you want at the start of a long run). Given that and being tired from Thursday/Friday and yesterday, I was really pleased with the run, and very proud of Sarah. She’s running for Diabetes UK and I’ve added her fundraising link below.
Sarah’s fundraising page for Diabetes UK is here.
18 miles, 13:43 mins per mile (still just under 6 hour marathon pace for the win)
Miles this week: 26.3 Miles this year: 254.8 (target miles in March 250)
There’s a new Weekly Run Down run by two wonderful running women and joined by lots of other inspirational women. Kim’s weekly wrap is here and Deborah’s is here.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Mar 24, 2019 @ 20:15:46
Oooh, jealous – sun and sea, wonderful running companions. It must have been a real shock to the system coming back to an English spring (which doesn’t seem that warm to me….)
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:35:04
Yes, it was lovely, although there was some work involved in making sure I didn’t run when it was too hot (not a problem I often have here!). It was lovely and bright on Sunday and although I had two tops on, not cold as such!
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Deborah Brooks
Mar 24, 2019 @ 20:29:38
Oh wow the Canary Islands sounds just fantastic right about now! I’ve never been but have heard it’s beautiful. Great job getting those runs in while on travel. Thanks so much for linking up
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:35:39
The good thing about the Canaries is they have the same climate pretty well all year round so you’re guaranteed sunshine. I missed updating last week, though!
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Kimberly Hatting
Mar 24, 2019 @ 20:48:16
Great pace on that long run! Well done 😉 You walked 9 miles…did I read that right? That’s impressive! And, more volunteer work…you are my idol 😉 WE all should follow your example. Thanks for linking with us 😉
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:37:00
Yes, walked 9 miles. We often walk quite a lot on holiday, birdwatching or just exploring – we did about 5 miles on the Monday up in a nature reserve, too. I do enjoy officiating and I’m trying to encourage others to get into it, too: it’s rewarding and I got a lot of thank yous on the day and from friends in club and our sister club who we helped along the way.
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Chocolaterunsjudy
Mar 24, 2019 @ 23:25:26
Beautiful photos! I bet you just soaked up all that sunshine.
Nice job getting in 18 miles despite being attacked in the toilet — I think that would rattle anyone.
And now I know why I couldn’t find your post last week . . . I thought it was just me. 🙂
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:38:24
Yes, one of my FB friends asked where it was, I think I posted a book review last Sunday instead! I never advertise the fact I’m away; I often schedule review posts so it looks like I’m there. And thank you – it was nice to get some sun and dry warmth for a few days and spring seems to have sprung here a bit while we were away (well, hay fever season has kicked in!).
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Chocolaterunsjudy
Mar 26, 2019 @ 19:08:44
I rarely let on on the blog, although I’m usually traveling for a race so most followers should know. IG is a different story.
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Wendy
Mar 25, 2019 @ 00:51:50
Glad you got to enjoy a tropical getaway too! The Canary Islands–that’s not a place we hear much about over here in the US!
Nice job on that long run! Yikes for getting hit on the head with the toilet paper dispenser! Geez.
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:40:02
I have to say I didn’t hear any American voices while we were there – I don’t think the airports can take the very big planes for a start. It’s a good reliable sunny place to go in the winter.
I’ve still got a sore place on my head and I was very startled, so I’m slightly amazed I got round the rest of the run – I’m glad it was a routine training campaign component, not a new distance as it was for Sarah!
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Coco
Mar 25, 2019 @ 01:19:26
Wow the Canary Islands look lovely! What a great week. I tend to share about vacations after the fact too, although usually we’ve got someone at the house dog-sitting.
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:40:46
Sometimes we have a cat-sitter although he went to his holiday home this time (he loves the cattery he goes to and they all love him). It was a lovely place and good to get some sun and dry warmth!
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Organic Runner Mom
Mar 25, 2019 @ 18:05:35
Such a beautiful place to run! You are so lucky! And here’s to having wonderful running companions to run with!
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Liz Dexter
Mar 25, 2019 @ 18:07:15
Thank you! It’s not all beautiful – some of it’s graffiti’d bridges and 1930s semi detatched and Edwardian terraced houses but it’s a nice varied city to run in and yes, I usually have a variety of running companions which does help!
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:41:24
Oh, I’m stupid – the Canaraies is indeed a beautiful place to run; Birmingham not quite so much!
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Michelle @ Running with Attitude
Mar 25, 2019 @ 18:42:45
So glad you had a nice getaway! And, great job on your runs – you’ve really been cranking out the miles!
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:41:52
Thank you and yes, feels nice to be doing some extra miles on the usual weeks now.
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runswithpugs
Mar 25, 2019 @ 20:04:42
I would love to visit the Canary Islands! They sound (and look) beautiful!
Solid miles this week! You always manage to get it done!
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:42:37
They are lovely and a good reliable source of sun for chilly Brits! I am glad I managed to get it done, my training plan has changed over the weeks but I’m still managing to get the long ones in OK.
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Hannah
Mar 26, 2019 @ 00:23:48
Sounds like you had a lovely holiday! Good job getting your runs in while you were there too – I’ve never really managed to do that while on vacation.
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Liz Dexter
Mar 26, 2019 @ 06:43:15
It was really nice, thank you. I try to go away by the sea and I LOVE running by the sea, so it’s not too hard. Yoga, stretching and, indeed, my physio exercises, maybe not so much ..!
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Zenaida Arroyo
Mar 26, 2019 @ 11:12:22
The Canary Islands sounds like a wonderful place to visit! I have never been there.
Great job on your runs. I try to run while on vacation but rarely do so.
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Liz Dexter
Mar 27, 2019 @ 21:36:05
It’s a nice place to go, and yes, always able to get runs in, yoga and physio not to much!
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Cari
Mar 27, 2019 @ 02:03:36
Love the distance sign
Canary Islands are mega bucket list. One day!
Way to go getting the runs in on holiday — me too on all the walking!
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Liz Dexter
Mar 27, 2019 @ 21:36:53
I only realised later that it was sponsored by the much closer restaurant but they were cute. It’s a cheap and cheerful place for us to go but you’d have to change in Europe to get there. A nice place, though. And hooray for runcations!
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