December - eclectic

So I'm doing really well at weight watchers, lost 52.5 lbs this year and we had to set ourselves goals (okay, didn't have to, but I chose to), but I gave myself a gift each time I achieved a goal.  If I didn't achieve it, I had to give it away.

The biggest goal was to get a PB at the next Fireman's run.  The prize was a trio of Partylight Candles (the ones in jars).....no way was I giving them away!!!!  Blokes didn't really get it, but I smashed that PB!!!  My times were 23.17, 23.34....so imagine my face when I found out I did it in 21.44!!!!  When the fireman (from last month's tales) gave me my card - 36th out of 36 - I gave him a big hug!  I also hugged the lady who held the stopwatch and the guy who recorded the time!   According to the handicap system that I still don't understand, I'm now coming 1st!!!  and most importantly.... I get to keep the candles.

I had a lot of holiday time due, so I took a week off work, had loads planned, almost sucked into doin the New Years Day hill run up Slieu Whallian (900ft of upness), but on day 1 of holidays I went ice skating with some friends, doing really well until the last lap.  Crashed & burned.  Dislocated arm, chipped shoulder, fractured somwhere between elbos & shoulder.  A&E. 

Not impressed.  Very sorry for myself.  There were two hills I wanted to climb, friends I was going to see and trail walks to be done.  I was going to do swimming 4 mornings - at least I managed to get 56 laps swum that morning.

I missed one Christmas party, can't get into the dress I'd just finished making either!  I did go to my very first panto and two Christmas parties, a disco and get the lurghy big time. Every cough hurt my arm.  Did I mention feeling very sorry for myself?

The following week I went to my Monday run group, which kinda forced one friend to go - she couldn't be not turning up when someone with arm in sling still went!!  I also went to circuit training, but gave the hill runs a miss.

December 2013

December 2014

I'm on track for the January Fireman's run.  I won't be able to run it because of my arm, but I've worked out that as long as I can walk it faster that the slowest 3-lapper, then the marshals won't be out any longer because of me. 

So I have to beat 47 mins, which I can do, as long as the arm can cope!  I won't be in 1st place, but that tee is mine!

See you next year!!  Have a good one xxx

November - 2nd Fireman's Run

Apart from the run group, circuit training (yes, I signed up for second term) and hill runs (which I'm improving on), there was the second Fireman's run.  I may have forgotten to mention they're monthly.

Bit embarrassing, the Monday before I had to call the fire brigade out to a microwave fire (not mine), which was attended by one of my Monday night runners and the local firemen.  I was greeted with "You'll do anything for oxygen!" and at the Fireman's run, I was told I was only getting coffee from them this time!  I then saw them at the Remembrance Service and one said at coffee afterwards "We've got to stop meeting like this."  I'm pretty sure I'd never ever seen him round and about before this!

I really was hoping to get a PB this time, but it was chucking it down and even had to take my glasses off for the last bit! 

I was still pleased with my time - 23.34, and although I came 43rd out of 43 - and therefore announced to anyone who would listen, "I beat 20 people!!!" (well they didn't even get off the couch to turn up!) according to the handicap system that no one understands, I'm 39th.  I'll take that, but really only interested in beating myself next time (she says confidently).

October - Fireman's Run

This time round, I didn't get sucked into doing something with the athletics club.... I actually invited running friends from all over the Island to join in the local Fireman's Run for this season. 

It's basically 1.73 miles for the 1-lap run, round our town, or 3 laps for the big boys.  The Firemen marshal (and some run) and it's been going for years.  We decided we wanted to earn the tee shirt.  I say "earn" because you have to do all 6 runs to get the tee!  Doesn't sound hard?  Apparently January is only for the hardcore.

Anyhoooooo, here we are all 163 of us.  I proudly came 63rd out of 63 (which means 100 did the 3-laps) and in time of 23.17.  Which compares to my fastest 1-lap lake run in summer which was 23.37.  It doesn't count as a PB because it's a different race, but I know it is!

I carried on going to the Monday night run club, even had to get myself some dayglo and a head torch!  Splashed out and got myself one of those thermo undertop things (that's a technical term).

I'm on the wall, red stripe & glasses!

September - back to the running

Well guess what me and my mates went & did????  Thought we'd joined the local athletics club, but no.... this turns up in the post!

I also started to turn up to the circuit training, which replaces the lake runs (or so I thought) and plucked up the courage to turn up to the hill run practices.  It's basically run uphill (quite a steep one) for a minute, then 2 min cool down as you walk back down.  and do that 8 times.  I can now do over a mile running uphill and everyone in the group waits for me to work out how well I've done, and they know they've done further.  They also know I don't care that I come last.  I'm missing that lot while my arm is in a sling.

September is pretty much Monday run group, Wednesday circuit training, Saturday hill runs.

August - MGP marshalling

So it's racing time again.... this time I'm heading up the mountain, so no cycling for me this time.  It does mean that if there's an accident, the running will be uphill in one direction though.  It was a bit remote and some long days as well, but well worth it!

me, myself & I at Casey's Advance

the climb to Casey's Advance

visibility sometimes an issue

and sometimes not!

August - Marathon time

Well what's a girl to do?  Having successfully completed the 5k run and avoided doing the 10k by marshalling for it instead.... I was then asked if I was ready to do a half marathon in August?????  Not sure which part of NO! wasn't being understood, but I contacted the marshals organiser and put my name down for that instead.  A few people asked where I was going to be marshalling and commented that they'd be glad to see me...... curious, I got on my bike the day before and cycled the half marathon distance..... I would be about a mile from the finish posts, no wonder I'd be a sight for sore eyes!!!

I ended up standing in the pissing rain with my next door neighbour for 6 hours, while my friends either competed or drove round in the St John's Ambulance car.  Not sure which would have been worse.  Ok, I do, but when you're cold & wet & stationary, you do start to wonder....

a competitor for the half marathon (there was also a blind runner)

the cyclist leading the first marathon runner

July - mostly running

Well our local athletics club has well and truly got their grip on me!  I even went to their fun day, as the newest member :-)

I was minding my own business doing my lake laps one evening, when they started getting ready for the 10k race.  I was still in my work uniform and a couple of marshal friends asked if I was marshalling for them.  I quickly went home, got changed, ran back to find out they wanted me at the end of my road!  (wish they'd told me that earlier!)  I like stopping traffic anyway!

I did the second 1-lap lake run, VERY nervous this time, because we all expected something, instead of not knowing what I'd be able to do.  No pressure, but it was a really hot evening, and they were running late, I'd forgotten to cancel a work shift, so I was starting to say that if they didn't let me go, I couldn't start - I had to do about 25 min run, walk up the hill, get washed and changed and back down the hill and ready to start work at 8pm.... it was about 20 past 7 and I was pushing my luck!!!  To top it off, it was a handicapped race, so we set off in groups of same speed.....the other two in my group didn't turn up.  I had to lead the race on my own!!!!  Just shoot me now.  I was so embarrassed.

But I did it.  and I did it well.  and I got to work on time.  My time for June was 23.37.  In the July heat I did it in 24.29, but others were about 6-10 mins slower than their previous time.  I guess I would have been too, but I had to get to work!

I also got sucked into doing the 5k run, in an embarrassing 44.51.   I was most definitely last and a friend of mine asked for permission to goround the last lap with me.  It's not like she would be pacing me or anything by this time.  Two other friends had started to go home and decided to walk the last bit with me, but they all stepped away to let me do my sprint finish (which I can always find in me).  Even the kids were cheering!

a bit worn out after 5k!

June

Finishing off the second part of the IronMay competition, just because I'd done 61% of it, might as well do the rest of the swimming and cycling!

2 June -
TT roads not closing till at least 12pm because of fog. Might as well move around (well it's either that, or housework!)
1st lap of lake - walking - 11 mins 16.
I drove to Glen Duff because if they kept the racing going, it was forecast bad weather in the evening and I could be cycling in the rain, at 9.30pm.

3 June -
Extra race day due to opening the roads early yesterday & not all racing got finished.  This was a bummer for me because I was working and had to leave my car on the outside of the course, walk 1 mile up the hill for an hour's work, then run down the hill, up and over a walk bridge across the track, get to the car and do my (usually 13 mins) drive to my next job, while the road I was using would be the only road out of town that was open, and within 30 mins!  I made it in 24 mins!  Which means I ran down the hill, up and over the bridge and to the car in 11 mins!

4 June -
I cycled to Kerrowmoar and back today, there was bad weather due in the afternoon, so only one race was completed.  When they said "afternoon", they should have said immediately, I got totally drenched on the way home!

6 June -
Senior Race Day for the TT - on the 6th lap Horst Seiger had a crash just before our marshalling post and we ran to assist.  I grabbed the first aid kit and ran about twice as far as have done since joining the running group, without stopping, didn't get out of breath, then joined the stretcher crew to get Horst onto the stretcher, carried across the road to the pavement, seen to by the Paramedic, then carried back across the road, into a field and onto the helicopter.  I don't think I'd've been fit enough to do this at the start of the year!

8 June -
1st lap jogged half lengths of the lake, walked the other halves.  2nd lap walking 10 mins 37!  3rd lap I did the exercise machines, walking between.

13 June -
Well I plucked up the courage to join our local athletics club on their lake-lap run with a couple of friends.  One ended up not going, but I met my neighbour down there.  It's not the 1-lap that I'm used to doing, OH NO!  It's a lake lap, then up the hill, down the hill and another lake lap to the finish....or I can choose to do the 3 lap course.  It was handicapped, so when I went to register, they asked my handicap & I said "you're looking at it!"  I looked at the course and working on my best ever time (which they said was "quite good, actually") I guestimated that it would take me half an hour.  I was put in the first group and very proud that I wasn't overtaken until I got to the hill!  Lots of people were very supportive as they overtook me, with words of encouragement and I didn't stop once.  I did slow to my fast walk, but no stopping.  Very proud of myself, I now await my time, which was definitely less than 30 mins, and my friends (old and new) think it was most likely in the vicinity of 20 mins!  BTW - it was 1.7 miles!.... 23.37 mins very pleased!

June 2014 - It's all about the TT

Wow!  Has it really beren half a year since I filled this in?????  Honestly, it's because I was spending the time getting fitter!!

I've now fractured my arm ice skating in December, so ignore any mistakes please!  It'll mostly be a photo diary, cos I can't remember everything in great detail!

I did complete the IronMay competition, but forgot to send off for the tee shirt.

Finished 13 days early!!!!

Final position, very happy with it!

action shot on the bike!!!

Then came TT races, I cycled to and from my marshalling spots, up to 25 mins away, closest was about 10 mins away.  It was really embarrassing having to cycle (with my flask & lunch in the wicker basket) past the spectators along the road, but wearing a marshals jacket got me some cheers!











I had to deal with an accident, on the last lap of the Senior Race, the rider was fine (how's my bike?), but I had to run, carrying the large first aid kit to the accident, then help roll the rider onto the stretcher, lift the stretcher with 5 others, carry rider across the road, down into a field and onto a helicopter.

paramedic with big motorbike wanted to try mine!

Now you see why I needed to get fitter this year!!!

The Purple Helmets display - a pole dancer....