Catch Up

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post, I've had a few problems with my computer.   Finally here is a catch up on what I've been doing.

 I've made more cakes.  This one's another chocolate one that I made for Mother's Day, and there's a banana one just come out of the oven.  I bought banana's as they are supposed to be good for runner's, but I kept forgetting to eat them!!

 I made my mum a lovely lilac bag for Mother's Day. She came up to visit my nan on the train and so taking flower's back with her on the train wasn't very practical - also a bag lasts longer.

Remember the fabric from the last post, I made myself a gypsy style top from it.

Finally, I have been running - a lot.  After my last race I (stupidly) decided that I would aim for a Half Marathon and my mum's always saying that she never sees me race as she is in Devon and I usually race near my home in Buckinghamshire.  So I entered the Great West Run, which is on 6 May.  I've got my mileage up to 9 miles now, very slowly.  Nest weekend I'm running a race called 'Brill Hilly'. 

I've also ordered some lovely fabric to make some summer shirts.  I'm hoping that with the bank holidays that are coming up, I will be able to find some time to sew properly rather than just running up something quick.

Running, Sewing and Plans

 The first part of this blog is a bit late.  Last Sunday I ran my second 10K as part of the festival of running.  The race went much better than the last one, although the time (56 min 52 sec) was still a bit slower than I would like.  I feel like I am making no progress with improving the time and am thinking of training for a half marathon distance.  With is in mind I have just returned from running club where I opted for hill repeats and I plan a 4 mile run with my friend tomorrow lunchtime and a 7 mile run on Sunday.

And I have been finding some time to sew.  I made a vest top last week and plan a cardi to match, ready for Mother's Day next week.  I also have this gorgeous fabric and I plan to make a blouse from it tomorrow evening.  There's loads of it so I might well make a dress later in the year as well.

On top of all this, I am planning to redecorate my bedroom.  My bedroom is south facing and very light and I have a vision of a very pale room with toile, gingham and ticking bedding, curtains, blind and other soft furnishings in blue.  I am busy finding the fabrics and working out what should go where for best effect.  Unfortunately the actual decorating can't take place until after Easter, but I need to have all the fabrics ready.

First Race of the Year

Yesterday I had my first 10K race of this year.  After my training I did have high hopes for a good time, but I wasn't feeling too well and I have been experiencing problems with my calf muscles (probably due to overtraining running up hills too fast!!), so I was very disappointed.  I only managed 59 minutes which is slower than this time last year.

However, all our entrance fees, plus money put in collecting buckets on the day and proceeds from the sale of bacon rolls and cakes (very scrummy) goes to charity so it does have a positive side - about £2000 was raised.  Also I got this lovely bright orange T-shirt as a momento of the event.

I didn't run with the club tonight, I thought a fast 5 miles might be too much for my legs.  I did manage a slow 2 1/2 mile run with the dog.  I have to get my legs in good working order as I have another 10K race this Sunday.  I'm contemplating an ice bath for my muscles but can't quite face it!! This next race is a totally different type of race, its part of the Milton Keynes Festival of Running event and is a huge event with a very competitive atmosphere.

I've also signed up for a race on 1st April, aptly named 'Brill Hilly'.  I ran this one last year and it is a killer but rather fun.  It starts at the top of a hill by an old windmill, you run down the hill and round on the relative flat for a few miles and then back up the very steep hill.  My aim is to run a 10K race every month for the rest of  this year.

Running

I've managed to increase my mileage.  In December, I was barely clocking up 3 miles a week, this week I've managed 16 miles and Thursday evening's club session was one of the fastest 5 miles I have ever run.  At 46 minutes it was about 1 minute/mile faster than I usually train.  So it seems that things are going in the right direction.  I have entered a 10K race on 26 February, and this will test how far I have really come.  

Then I need to work towards a longer race, but I can't understand how people manage to fit in the mileage.  Some people at club run 30+ miles a week, but I have no idea how I could fit this amount in.  I have hardly done any crafting this week and I'm not prepared to give this up.  I started to crochet a beret, and I'm planning some sewing as well but I just haven't been able to fit it all in.  I just need to plan better particularly at the weekends.  Now I have to do the weekly shop on a Sunday, by the time I have run as well there is not enough time left (before cooking dinner) to do sewing, I just had enough time to make banana bread (from banana's that I didn't take to work this week as I had to go on a course).  Next week I'm going to swap the Sunday run to Saturday and assuming I'm not too tired I will have more time for sewing.

Running.......

Did I mention that I run?  Well perhaps running is an optimistc description, more like puffing along rather slowly.  Last year I was injured from about May onwards and struggled to run further than a couple of miles.  With the addition of yoga and swimming to the trianing schedule, I got over the injury and have now started a half marathon training schedule.

I haven't actually booked to run a half marathon yet, there's a local one in March, but I'm not sure that I will be ready by then.  I ran seven and a half miles this morning and that was just about ok and I ran four miles yesterday.  I am on schedule but I'm really tired now and I have to go to the shop to get milk and walk the dog and cook the dinner etc, etc... I really don't know if I can keep this up.