Self-fulfilling prophecy

On Sunday I ran in my 7th Standalone 10K, which is a 6.2 mile running event near where I live. I first ran it in 2011 and have done every year since, except twice when I was injured. Sunday was my worse ever showing, managing the distance in a slightly enjoyable 1 hour and 8 minutes. But, my best ever time was just under 50 minutes in 2011, and since then I've only managed one other race under 50 minutes and the rest under 1 hour.

My running history is quite sad and boring, and is detailed in depth on my New Trainers Please blog (that I've not looked at for years). Briefly, I started running in 2011 to lose weight and get fit, was surprisingly successful, set super-fast (for a nearly-40-year-old) PBs at 5K, 10K, and half marathon distance, then stupidly decided to run a marathon and injured myself, causing a slow decline in running ability, fitness, and mental health.

After getting a spot in the London Marathon in 2015, I got injured again (during the race), and I've not really run again regularly since. I have fits and starts. My most recent one began in March this year, with slow run-walks and lots of long distance walks to get my legs working again. After much trying, I finally managed a full 5K without stopping at the beginning of July, only to then stop training again because it was Summer and too hot to be outside.

Am I always destined to be rubbish at running now? Only if I say so! I am quite buoyed by my surprising achievement on Sunday, which although slow was actually 10 minutes quicker than I expected. Once I have got past this weekend (Cub camp), I will have brain space available to process the idea of training again. (At the moment it is full of risk assessments and schedules and worries about not having enough help.) But is this just another excuse for not training? Probably. I am a great procrastinator (for example, I have just written this blog post instead of doing any work or writing a plan for Cub camp).

Back to circuits

After a 6-week break I returned to circuits tonight for an hour of fun, laughter, and a bit of a workout. Apparently today is National Fitness Day and One-Hit Wonder day, so the music was all one-hit wonders. I never knew Eye of the Tiger was a one-hit wonder!  

We did 3 mins of exercise and 1 min rest before moving around the circuit. The 3 mins comprised 12 reps to start, 10 s rest, then as many reps as possible to failure followed by another 10 s rest, until the 3 mins were up. I managed a full 3 mins of throwing a medicine ball and running after it, trx rows, deep squats, and clean and press. Everything else I found hard, but I will get better.

Now I need to get back into running. Less than 2 weeks to my 10 K race and I still can't run 5 K, plus I've not run for 10 days.

Relaxing, Sog style

I've done quite a lot of Scouting this week, spending 3 of 5 weekday evenings in my uniform (2 Cub nights and the AGM). A friend asked me this week if I every slowed down or had time to relax, and I can see where she is coming from as I do seem to always be doing something! But it is better to be running around busy and meeting people than sat at home in front of the TV being unsociable and drinking wine alone.

Talking of drinking wine, I am off to see my parents later and I can't wait as the last time I saw them was at Easter for my birthday. Dad wasn't well after that visit, but his recent operation should have put him right again, so it will be good to catch up, over a couple of glasses of wine. It will also give me some much needed relaxation time, as mum and dad's house is so tranquil, with a lovely garden to sit out in. And I get to cuddle Holly cat, who secretly loves me because I feed her toast under the table. (Her love for me is secret because openly she pretends to hate me by running away and not letting me pick her up.)

This weekend I am also catching up with friends who live in New Zealand but are back for a few weeks to visit family and friends. We are all meeting up at my sister's house, which should be great fun with lots of chat and (more) wine.

I'll need a weekend to recover after all these visits!

Hurricane Humberto

This afternoon, our friends who live in Bermuda posted photos on social media of their preparations for Hurricane Humberto, which is gathering strength and heading their way. They have brought all the garden furrniture inside, closed all the shutters, and have started on the champagne. I guess if my home , and potentially life, were in danger I might decide to drink all the wine too. In solidarity with them, I went out and bought a bottle of cava to drink while catching up with Celebrity Masterchef.

I am enjoying tonight's episode of Celebrity Masterchef, because Greg Rutherford is being told off by Dillion Whyte for "going too big". I've never heard of this Dillion chap before but he seems really nice and a bit of a dark horse in the cooking department I reckon. Not too sure about Martha Reeves and the French lady, they do seem a bit inept (not seen the end yet!), although they were thrown in at the deep end and told to cook lobster and make fresh pasta, and I couldn't do that. I do want to make gnocchi though, and I think I might try next weekend when I have time spare.

I can't make gnocchi this weekend because we are visiting my parents. My dad should be well recovered from his operation and it will be lovely to catch up because we've not seen each other since my birthday at Easter. I'm also going to meet up with my friend Jo who lives in New Zealand but is visiting the UK for a few weeks. This will be our first of two get-togethers, which is a real treat!

R is away tonight in Wales, and I've just finished watching Celebrity Masterchef, so now I'm catching up with Taskmaster without him. I will be in trouble!