Sedate lady running 14-20 Oct 2019 #amrunning #running

Continuing trying to get my steps in and have recorded that and my aim for five fruit and veg portions a day (in an effort to keep my immunity boosted) in my new wellness journal I’m reviewing. Quite a good week for distance as I front-weighted it with a good solid run on Monday.

Monday – A lovely canal run with Claire, there was a weather warning so we tried to get round before the torrential rain, and just about managed. We noticed how amazing the construction of the Brandwood Tunnel is for the first time.

Brandwood Tunnel entrance

7 miles, 13:04 mins per mile. Steps: 16,829

Tuesday – I met up with my best friend Emma in Birmingham and we went for lunch then a look round the Ikon Gallery and a short walk along the canal in town, up and over and back the other side. We both like to get our steps in so I planned for the gallery trip to be across town!

Steps: 13,274

Wednesday – I met Jenny in Moseley at what turned out to be a slightly tricky time when people were taking their kids to school / older children were pouring along the streets. Then we went down a very slippery, leafy hill gingerly and up some steep hills before she went to yoga and I ran home.  I did very varying paces especially for the last mile and a bit where I pushed it because I had a sudden need to get home quickly! Then I got showered and changed and went creakily to yoga.

4.3 miles, 12:31 mins per mile. Steps: 10,814

Thursday – Supporting our 5k and beyond runners is always a privilege and I enjoyed quite a tricky set of runs and walks (thank you Lee for the laminated cheat sheet showing total minutes to help decide when to run and walk) with two nice women at the back. I always provide a back marker when I volunteer, and will do so even when I cover leading the run later in November! Ran back a wiggly way to get some more distance in. And steps.

It was so dark when I got home. I was wearing a flourescent tabard and headlamp round my waist so all good.

0.7 miles, 11:31 mins per mile / 1.5 miles, 14:25 mins per mile / 1.4 miles, 12:18 mins per mile. Steps: 10,290

Friday – I went to yoga then dropped my yoga mat at home and walked the long (very long, round the park) way to Iceland to buy some bread.

Caught the park in a spell of sun!

I didn’t have enough steps so went to meet my husband, Matthew, as he walked from the bus stop, and round the supermarket. Still at 9,000, I discovered a circuit round the block was nearly 1,000 steps, which is useful to know!

Steps: 10,361

Saturday – Officiating for the day at the Cross-Country Relays in Wolverhampton, even though I was on funnel management and judge recorder (recording athletes’ numbers in order and making sure they stayed in order and moving briskly through the finish funnel) and was on my feet from 11 to 4.30, I only did 2,500 steps. But I was running and then going to a meetup on Sunday so let myself off.

Steps: 2,620

Sunday – Not such a long run needed to make up my miles for the week. Trudie, Mary Ellen and I met up and ran up to meet Jenny. We did about three miles together, including a loop through Cannon Hill Park.

Trudie, Liz, Jenny, Mary Ellen, by Trudie, posted with her permission.

We then decided to run up the brutal Park Hill (I predicted I’d get my 3rd best time on it, as it was the third time I’d run up it in all my years of running, and yes), but were rewarded by the pretty and frilly St Anne’s church at the top.

St Anne’s Church, Park Hill, can you see the Moon?

We then ran back down and through the forested part that Mary Ellen and I did last weekend, so Trudie and I could learn where it started.

Sun in the trees in Cannon Hill Park

Up the hill to home and I did a bit of running around to make things up to a round number (of course I did). Quick shower, drink and snack and I got the bus to town to meet five other members of my photo-a-day group at the tea rooms in the art gallery. This got me the rest of my steps to make up for yesterday.

8.1 miles, 13:16 mins per mile. Steps: 21,055 (as of 6pm)

Weekly total 23.00 miles. Total this year 824.1 (I need 833.33 at the end of this month to be on track for my 1,000 miles in a year total, and I’m now down just 10 miles on this time last year).

The Weekly Run Down is 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.