Going to a Regular Gym

Thanks so much for the input on my last post. I was really interested to hear what you all had to say. There will definitely be some more food posts in the near future.. The blog is called box, run, eat.. should have more eating involved really hehe! I'll definitely be bringing more photos back when my laptop is fixed too.. Also there will hopefully be more boxing soon as we will be going back when Mike is fully healed. I was kind of worried that my running posts might be getting a bit boring as my blog used to be a bit more varied..

Frustratingly I've not trained much in the last week, I was struck down by yet another killer cold, I seem to get better for a few days and then get ill again this winter. I don't know if it's to do with the type of work I am doing now or if my immune system has been really low all I know is I'm really losing my patience with it haha

Back to the title, as most of you probably know I don't usually frequent a regular gym, I run, train at home or go boxing, but when a friend at work gave me a free weeks pass to her gym I certainly wasn't going to turn it down! I decided to try it out yesterday. Mike didn't come with me so I was a wimpy loner and I didn't know where to start or what to do!

I started off with something I always prefer to do outside, mainly because I got in the gym and was totally overwhelmed by all the choice... should have gone in with a plan!! I did a 1 mile warm up on the dreadmill with 5 incline, good for hills though which there aren't many of round here..

Then I attempted the stepper but for some unknown reason I couldn't get it working.. I decided to save embarrassment and hastily left the stepper for the cross trainer... I did 1 mile on the cross trainer, not sure what time I did it in, I must remember a notebook next time! By this point I had my eyes on the rowing machines but I would have had to row next to some men and I didn't really want to so I was willing them to get off soon!

Next I did 0.5 miles on this floaty trainer thing... yeah I'm not sure either... it just kept telling me to float with my knees?! I didn't spend long on there 'cause frankly, I wasn't sure what I was doing! It did seem to be working my leg muscles though...

Finally the rowing machines came free so I did 3 x 500m row intervals ala Alison! About 2.30 per interval with 1 min rest. Those intervals are tough!! Alison, you are hardcore!! Before I left I had a quick go on this arm machine..not sure what that was either!

I quite enjoyed going but I wished Mike had come, all the machines looked a bit daunting and the free weights section was full of beefy men so I chickened out of going in that bit! I was hoping it would have had an assisted pull up machine and one of those climbing treadmills, I really want to have a go on one of them!

Anyway, I'm hoping to persuade the girl from work to do a body pump class with me before the pass runs out as I'd like to try one of them out... If not I'm going to have to man up and go by myself!!

So, how do you like to train best? At home, at the gym, at a weights gym or any other kind of gym or sports club?

Some Fun Runs

I've got a lot of admiration for people who work full time and stick to a good exercise regime. It takes so much dedication to haul your arse out there for a run when all you really want to do is fall into the sofa and stay there! I'm still not fitting in as much as I used to when I was at uni/unemployed but I'm working on it!

After my early shift on Tuesday I definitely felt like slumping down into the sofa and staying there. Instead I quickly said hello to Mike and went upstairs to put my running gear on. I knew I'd feel better once I'd got out there.

6 miles in 54.17 avg 9.03
Mile 1 - 9.23
Mile 2 - 9.06
Mile 3 - 9.05
Mile 4 - 8.58
Mile 5 - 8.58
Mile 6 - 8.47

I wish I'd managed a slightly faster pace, would have been nice to see the average beginning with the number 8. I'm happy though.. I need to remember it's not all about going as fast as you can it's building endurance and getting time out there on my feet! I also managed a negative split... I'm getting better at those! It's just having the patience to go out slowly. I'm not a particularly patient person!

My legs felt mega sore at work on Wednesday but it was that good kind of soreness. The kind where you think yeah I ran x miles yesterday, go me! haha

I also did a music-less tempo this morning. Do you like to run with or without music or aren't you bothered? I cut the last mile as I really hate running without music and I was just getting bored! I was feeling surprisingly good during the tempo portion though, my legs and lungs felt pretty happy once I was finished with the first mile which seemed to shock the system a bit... Think my body was ambling along quite happily at my warm up pace then in the first tempo mile it was like errrm.. What's this? I thought we were takin' it easy, nah... I'm not playing.. Come the second tempo mile things eased up a bit and I was able to start pushing the pace a bit. And yay again for negative tempo splits! Huzzah!

4 miles, 3 miles at ST pace

4 in 35.46 8.57 avg
3 tempo miles in 25.22 8.27 avg

Mile 1 - 10.23
Mile 2 - 8.44
Mile 3 - 8.26
Mile 4 - 8.13

It feels so good to be running regularly again. Although I think I might have lost some speed the rest was probably needed if only to remind me how much I miss it when it's gone!

On a totally different note I wanted to ask everyone, is there anything you want to see more of on the blog? More boxing workouts, more food, healthy desserts, veggie stuff, anything you want to ask? I might do an 'ask me anything' post if people do have any questions you can find my email on the top right hand corner of the blog! I wouldn't ever start posting my daily eats I like reading those blogs but I would not like to have my daily food out there for scrutiny, it would make me way too nervous! But if people were interested I might post a sample day.... Interested in your ideas, I always want my workouts documented but would love to know what else if anything people want to see!

Hope you're all having a good week!

Unexpected Blogiversary

Earlier on today whilst reading Laura @ Keeping Slim and Getting Stylish's blogiversary post I wondered when I'd started my blog.. As it happens I started mine exactly a year ago today! What a coincidence! Unfortunately I've not been organised enough to organise a fab giveaway like Laura (go check it out!) but I felt it was definitely worth a blog post! I feel like so much has happened in a year. I've completed my first race, first half marathon, got engaged, bought a house, beaten my running times, had so many ups and downs with boxing, done some great sparring and tried out gymnastics. Although I started this blog as a way of documenting my workouts for myself it has become so much more than that. Thanks for being there with me, reading and commenting and giving me such a great community to be part of!

I had to go out and buy some new glasses on Friday, something way more stressful than it should be! My face is apparently very narrow and most glasses look too wide and weird on it.. After trawling round specsavers, trying on and disregarding half the shop then going to boots and doing the same I ended up with a pair a bit more expensive than I would have liked to spend and a cheap and nasty pair to wear to work (as a lot of the residents hit out I wanted some cheapo ones where it didn't matter if they got broke). While I was in specsavers getting my cheapo glasses ordered Mike popped to the bank and on his way back he got bit by a dog outside. Some idiot man had left his dog tied up outside there while he went for an eyetest and in less than 10 minutes it bit Mike and another man. The man whose dog it was was quite rude about it too. We didn't end up reporting him but I'm not sure if that was the right decision. I know the other couple called the police so I don't know if anything was done. It makes me so mad. The poor dog might end up being put down as it had an irresponsible owner who was not looking after it properly. Anyway, I digress!

When we got home Mike suggested doing some yoga and core to relax as I was a bit stressed and stroppy and he wasn't feeling too happy either. Even though Mike was ok we were upset about the dog incident and not sure we had done the right thing about it. I was also wishing I'd remembered the mans name when they called him out for his test, we were both a bit shocked by it all.. digressing again.. The yoga was nice and relaxing! Mike lit loads of candles in the lounge and we just chilled out doing it.. Who says exercise has to be tough all the time :P

I made up for an easy workout by doing a killer boxing and circuit workout which has left me unable to move without pain and desperate to get back in the boxing gym... I was dreaming of being in the ring the whole time and thinking about winning a fight... I hope that happens one day! I think we've made our decision about going back to the gym anyway... Time is a good healer!

Boxing x 20 rounds
30s heavy bag/30s rest

Circuit x 2 rounds
Burpees
Shrugs
Push-ups
Star Jumps
Upright Rows
High Knee DB Press
Chair Dips
Lunges
Mountain Climbers
DB Punches
Leg Raise
Clean and Push Press
V-Ups

That was tough!

Maria @ Running Cupcake tagged me in a little quiz which was fun to do...

Four TV shows I watch.

Glee

The Walking Dead (zombie series.. check it out)

Come Dine With Me

Not Going Out

Four things I am passionate about

Being healthy

Vegetarianism

Running

Promoting recovery from eating disorders and being against pro anorexia, an eating disorder is not a choice.

Four words/ phrases that I use too much;

I say 'like' a lot more than I should, in that annoying way.. 'and she was like....'

I swear more than I should..

I have no idea what else I can put for this one... unfortunately Mike is being no help! He did however just look over and said I don't say like very much.. that's a relief!

Four things I’ve learnt from the past;

What other people think about me doesn't matter if I'm happy about myself and my decisions

The number on the scale does not matter and the lower it is is not equatable to happiness or self worth

I'm very determined

If anyone tells me I won't be able to do something or won't be good at something I won't rest until I've proved them wrong. (I'm stubborn)

Four things I am looking forward to;

Running the Humber Bridge half again (hopefully beating last years time....)

Getting married (this won't happen until we can afford it)

Getting a promotion.. (the sooner the better please work.. it will help with the above item haha)

Going on holiday (also probably won't be for a while but never mind!)

Four things I love about winter;

Feeling totally hardcore when I go running in the freezing weather! - (stealing this one from Maria I felt totally hardcore, and mental, running/trying to run in the knee deep snow)

Wrapping up in really warm clothes

Being inside in said warm clothes with a big cup of coffee snuggled up on the sofa

Christmas!

I think most of the blogs I read have already done this but if you haven't consider yourself TAGGED!

Lots of Runs

Goodness me, this post has been in the making for over a week now, please excuse any incorrect tenses I may have missed in the edit!! Plus, I hate his keyboard, it's as if someone moved all the letters so half the stuff I type is gobbledygook... Not good!

Good news on my laptop front, my clever dad had a brainwave last night! My brother has the same laptop so we're going to swap batteries, backup all my precious pictures then send it back to Dell so they can fix it again. It breaks every few months. I will NEVER buy Dell again. My laptop is a nightmare!

I went out for my second run of 2011 last Thursday, as Mike was coming we decided to do intervals. Totally flunked it.. in my third interval I felt really dizzy again and had to stop. I was so frustrated, sometimes it feels like my body just won't play ball.. I just jogged slowly until Mike was finished.. This cold I've got has really taken it out of me. That and I guess being tired from work..

I ate a bigger breakfast before my next run to see if it could be poor fuelling... I always want to know the reasoning behind why things don't work out. I did 5 miles and the breakfast seemed to make a difference as I was still tired and the cold was still being persistent haha!

5 miles in 44.30
Mile 1 - 9.19
Mile 2 - 9.04
Mile 3 - 8.47
Mile 4 - 8.39
Mile 5 - 8.42
Avg 8.54

Score!! Comfortably in my long tempo pace of 8.48-9.01. So happy to get a run which felt successful in! And almost all negative splits, double score!

After that successful 5 mile run I set out for a 6 mile run, rather stupidly on an empty stomach. I've been struggling with a few old demons lately.. guess it's the January weight loss kick and feeling like I should be losing some too. That's a whole post in itself though..

I took Roxie out with me and started off slow.. got to the bridge to find one side was closed and the other side had big flashing lights saying 'danger high wind' I promptly wimped out and changed my route.. I don't like wind at the best of times and strong wind on a bridge... not feeling hardcore enough for that!

We ended up covering a slow 3.5 miles in 34.32... I gave up partially due to my lack of fuelling and feeling really sluggish and partially due to the rain and fogged up glasses which was making it almost impossible to see.. It didn't really feel too safe and I just wasn't in the mood I guess.. Oh well.. it's still 3.5 miles more than nothing I guess ;-)

Ahhh finally I'm starting to get up to date!

Yesterday Mike and I went out for intervals. 5 x 800m 90s RI. They were so tough!! The odd pacing is due to them being run up and down one road which had a slight incline and wind resistance on intervals 2 and 4, meaning 1, 3, and 5 had a slight decline and a little wind help!
1 - 3.18 Oh my god, I'm going to be sick, I'm definitely going to be sick.. Why did Mike want to come out so close to breakfast.. stupid Mike... bleughhhhhhhhh...
2 - 3.46 OK don't feel quite so sick but I didn't realise the wind was going to be so horrible... please hurry up and end...
3 - 3.33 Back on the slight downhill... This should feel easier surely?? Oh well, over halfway now.. keep pushing!!
4 - 3.59 Nooo dizzy again. My legs feel like they're going to give way and I hit pause and sit on the pavement for 20 seconds. Think I'm not giving up now. Not again!! (reading this back I'm such a drama queen but that's what I felt like haha) And get up. Plod along to the end and think thank f*** that's over! I took an extra 30s rest before tackling number 5, figured it's better to have a slightly longer rest and finish than do the proper rest and bail halfway through.
5 - 3.38 Still dizzy but not quite as bad.. just trying to get to the end... Finally see Mike and Roxie in the distance and try to speed up... not terribly successful but did a little! Collapse into a heap on the pavement, unable to talk for a few minutes... Successful intervals!

When we were stretching afterwards I told Mike about having to stop in the 4th. He said I was just about to tell you the same thing!! So we both struggled in the fourth, how strange.. He said at least we both finished though, better to stop and carry on than stop and give up (unless you need to, of course).

It does get me thinking though, what should you push through? Should I have pushed through? At the time I felt like I couldn't so I guess I did the right thing but I always feel bad for stopping... I'm sure I've debated this on here before anyway! I guess we have to just trust our own judgements!

Hope everyone has had a good start to the year.. I hope to get my laptop fixed ASAP and resume regular posting! I miss blogging, both reading and writing!

Hello 2011 and 2010 in Review.

Hope everyone's had a great christmas and new year!

My laptop is well and truly broken so I'm pretty much unable to blog, or read many blogs very often at the moment. I'm hoping to get it fixed soon... Unfortunately I fear I may have lost all my photos, including all Tia's kitten pictures and Roxie's puppy pictures and pictures of my four hamsters who have all sadly died now... I'm so sad. It should teach me to back my stuff up though. I've also lost my electronic copy of my masters dissertation and all my uni work... I feel pretty silly, everyone knows you should back your stuff up. Do it now if you haven't already!

Anyway, back to the post.. How did I do with my 2010 goals... Well, not too bad in running but not too good in other news!!

2010 Review and 2011 Goals.
Running/conditioning
Complete half marathon Done 2.25.21. At the beginning of 2010 the furthest I'd ever run was 4 miles, that seems insane now! Distance PB is 13.8 miles.
One mile in >7.30 This one I'm really proud of, my current fastest mile is 6.43 which I did in October. at the beginning of the year my fastest time was 7.55!
Two miles in >15.30 minutes Done in 15.24 back in March (16.23 in 2009).
Three miles in >24.30 minutes 3 miles done in 24.04 (25.25 in 2009), 5k in 24.51, done in September.
Four miles in >35 minutes 32.48 (from 37.50 in 2009) done in September too.

Running goals for 2011..
Beat my half marathon time on the same course.
Fit running in around work and other commitments.. You all know I've struggled transitioning into full time work, I hope to get my balance right in 2011.
Keep working on, and improving speed and endurance.
Improve on pacing and ability to get negative splits.
Get my 1 mile time under 6.30.
I did 468.6 miles in 2010. I would like to do 621 in 2011 which is 1000km.

Strength
Hold a plank for 3.30 minutes 3.53 - acheived in May from 2.30 in 2009.
3 pull-ups in a row Never managed to do 1 from dead hang. Flunked this goal. Best try again this year...
5 chin-ups in a row Managed 5 but not from dead hang..
30 push-ups in a row (current 10) I got up to 30.

Strength goals for 2011..
Do the 100 push-up challenge in its entirity.
Work on chin-ups from dead-hang, do 2 in a row
Keep on top of core work. Get plank back up to where it was and up to 4 minutes.

Boxing
Improve hooks and uppercuts – practice in sparring
Improve stance so weight is spread more evenly
Win my first fight!

My boxing goals still stand, I've definately made improvements on them but still not had my first fight due to many things which you're probably bored of hearing about! Maybe this year?

New Years Resolutions
Do core workouts twice a week I lost motivation with this with the boxing drama(s) and didn't acheive it.
Neck exercises once a week Same. I stopped these hated exercises when we stopped boxing.
Wrist curls once a week Same as other boxing ones.
Isometric punches once a week Same as other boxing ones.
Boxing three times a week Same... did well at first though, like the others!
Running three times a week (distance, sprints and intervals) I've pretty much stuck to this one barring the last three months when I wanted a break. Then the snow ice came and lack of treadmill forced a break!
Follow pull-up/chin-up plan This kind of dropped off when we stopped boxing too..

New years resolutions for 2011..
Looking realistically at last year I want to set goals I can reach.
Core at least once a week
Running three times a week
Follow 100 push-up plan three times a week. If I reach 100, maintain strength.
Do chin-ups every week.

Weekly Totals back for motivation!

I've already done my first run... The snow came back today (It's not too bad though) I'm hoping it doesn't freeze overnight, I have 5 miles planned for tomorrow and I intend on doing them!

My first run back was a tempo run. It was not a great run to be honest. The first mile I was like hell yeahhhhhh I'm running yippeeeeee.. Then the second mile which was my first tempo mile I was thinking ok, I can do this I'm on pace and it isn't too bad... Third mile (2nd tempo mile) was just awful. I was really slow compared to what I was supposed to be running and I'm just not sure what happened. I got really dizzy and had to stop three times to regain myself. I think it's 'cause I've had a stonking cold and sore throat since New Years Eve and I've been working a lot.. Guess it's just took it out of me a bit. I'm hoping tomorrow is more successful!

Mile 1 (warm-up) - 9.16
Mile 2 (tempo) - 8.29
Mile 3 (tempo) - 9.01
Mile 4 (cool-down) - 10.06

36.52 average pace 9.13

I'm following the 5k plan from Run Less Run Faster until mid February when half marathon training begins eeeeeeeeeeee!!

I hope I'm back sooner next time, I miss reading blogs and blogging!