Artlink 8th December

Met in Edinburgh with the Artlink tribe. They’d been to the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena the previous week, which I had missed due to illness. They were telling me how it was, and I saw the photos of their climbing experience. Was really disappointed to have missed it, and delighted when Annabel announced that we could go back for maybe 5 sessions in the new year for more climbing.

The main way they had documented the experience was through stills, though I wasn’t sure if perhaps Lee had been filming it too. Have got an idea in my head about a low fi animation I’d like to make of fineliner drawings of a person climbing a route. I’d edit out everything other than the person, and the drawings will be of each limb movement, as the climber ascends. Was wondering how I could get the photos to have enough info in them as the climber gets higher and higher and further and further away on the wall. Would be good but difficult for the photographer to ascend at a similar pace to the climber. Not sure how we could do that (on a cherry picker?).

I noticed (and remembered from climbing in the past) how important hands, knots and legs are in the ascent and then how scary it can feel leaning out and letting go of the face to abseil back down. Really want to go!

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Intervals, 7th December

Another Jog Scotland homework session with Hazel. Didn’t have my go faster wacky socks on though. Ran up at the loch for a total of 19 mins, so short session consisting of 5 mins jog 6x intervals of 30secs sprint, 1 min jog or brisk walk, 5 mins jog to cool down. Hazel had missed out on a few of the previous speed training homework we had done due to illness, so found it quite testing. I managed ok but could have maybe pushed a bit more. Was a mild day, and we went for a cup of tea afterwards at the Loch cafe.

Tested out a new bit of kit – a Fitbit Surge. Was quite handy and have been experimenting with it’s features this week. My friends Cal and Ali have one each too and we’ve connected so will be able to compare results. Will discuss as find out more about it.

HIIT the Spot 6th December

Was feeling much better by Tuesday and went to HIIT straight from school drop off. The session was intense, I would say harder than normal. 30 jump lunges, 60 press ups, 90 tricep extensions, 120 squats, 150 mountain climbers. Felt DOMs for 2 days after. Hoping it’ll have eased off by tomorrow. Exhausted by the end of it.

Monday 5th December

Ran with Rosie Schofield again on Monday. Was once again a cold frosty day, and the pavements were again a bit icy, so care was needed. Rosie took me on a similar route to last time which was mostly along cycle tracks in Dunfermline, and pretty relaxed. We ran about 6k, and then walked the last hill back up Coldingham Place. Was a little bit lacking in energy due to the remains of my cold, and my lungs were irritated by the cold air and I didn’t feel the benefit until after the run.

Was good getting out in the daylight though and felt like a battle against the icy conditions. Enjoyed it in retrospect. Also enjoying getting to know Rosie a bit better too.

 

5K Cramond Park run

Sooo I was still a bit under the weather with the cold, but gee-d myself up and was definitely not going to miss the Pitreavie Striders 5K graduation run on 3rd December! Complete with wacky knee high sports socks curtesy of Hazel C, we met up with the group and did the run. I had a chat with Hazel beforehand to warn her I wouldn’t be on fire, but would be taking it slightly easy. She was fine about that, and although we jogged the whole thing at a slower than normal pace, we still managed to get a time of 33:50. I was pretty happy with that as when we have timed our usual runs we have been around 36mins so not sure what happened there really! Maybe it was the socks.

Our other half’s and kids had been cheering us on outside the boardwalk cafe on Cramond’s promenade, so that was nice. Though Hazel said quite rightly that it’s not as if it was the furthest we’d ever run, having completed many 5k runs in the lead up to it. (And I have run up to 17k in the past). So their cheering seemed a bit pointless (though nice!). But we had a sense of achievement after the event.

But later that day, when the stats came out regarding the race, and we saw that we were in about the last 50 people of 400 runners we were both a bit deflated and I said I’d like to get under 30mins next time. And Hazel had had similar thoughts. So we agreed that we would work on speeding up over the next 10 weeks.

 

 

 

 

Jog Scotland 27/11/2016

Woke up with a bad cough and feeling a bit ropey. Was supposed to be going up to Townhill Loch for a training session with the Ready Steady Go Pitreavie! crowd part of Jog Scotland before our race next Saturday. I knew Hazel was planning on walking around, as she’s still rough with the lurgy so I thought I’d join her. However she texted to say she wasn’t well enough. So I called off too. Just as well – the cold air would have gone for my chest. But I really missed it. Saw the photos on the Facebook page this afternoon and wished I’d been well enough to go. It’s amazing how I miss exercising when I’m unable to participate. Really hope this bug will pass quickly. Next Saturday is our 5k race at the Crammond Park Run. Want to be on good form to get a decent time after all the training we’ve done.

Hazel said worst case if we had to jog/walk it she’d do it with me. That’s a friend that is.

Cancelling my run with Rosie tomorrow. Fed up.

Fartleks 23/11/2016

Short session of fartleks. Ran alone as Hazel is poorly. Another freezing cold day, the air was still, the sun was shining and the pavements were icy. Chose a route along a cycle path between the hospital and football ground to do this speed training. It consisted of jogging/running/sprinting between lampposts. I slipped on the ice a few times.  The cold air irritated my lungs a bit and I struggled with pace, going too fast and having to go down to a walk now and then. Didn’t give it 100%, and though it was a beautiful day and I enjoyed the experience aesthetically, I missed Hazel’s chat and the motivation we give each other to keep going. There were a few dog walkers out, as well as random men hanging around and I did feel slightly wary from time to time, being on my own on a quiet cycle path, all be it in full daylight. Went round to Hazel’s later with Iris and told her about the session over a hot chocolate after school. Hazel is feeling frustrated as she hasn’t been able to get out for over a week now.

Was wondering how I could document the freezing conditions. Stills would give part of the picture, but not enough. Words convey a bit too.