Name Change

Seeing as the title of my blog is now outdated, as I very rarely run with Ruby these days (or indeed at all!), I thought it was time for a name change.  I’m going to run the blog as it is until the end of the year as, at that point, I will the have been doing it for exactly three years.  After that, I’m thinking of changing the name to ‘My Mad Fit Diary’. 

You’ve probably all heard of the TV show My Mad Fat Diary and, although I haven’t spent any time in an institution like the main character in the TV series, we can all agree that I’m not right in the head, so I thought this title would be appropriate. 

I’m not sure what exactly will be in it but I think it will be more of a weekly round-up than a blog of each and every run or MTB ride. 

It will, of course, still be from the heart so I apologise in advance for the negativity which will undoubtedly be in most posts.  I’m working on that one though!

Thanks for reading!

Thinking of Hanging up my Running Shoes - No, Seriously!

Tonight I decided to have an easy run/walk with Ruby, just because I haven't run for over two weeks now.

I'm just falling out of love with it, if truth be told.  I'm sick of being in pain all the time and just think it might be time for me to admit that my biomechanics are not suited to running and I should just knock it on the head.

I'm pretty certain that there'll be no more competitive running, at least not for the foreseeable future as I simply don't enjoy it.  If I have a race planned for a weekend then I'll dread the weekend and it shouldn't be like that so why do something I don't want to do?

Running itself has never been something I love, which I know some of you will find that hard to believe.  Don't get me wrong, I love being out in the countryside and the company of my running buddies, but the actual running part is something I do simply to stay in shape and as an excuse to eat what I want, but I don't actually love it like most of my running friends do.  If I could be fit and slim and eat what I like without running, then I wouldn't do it.

Of course, it's not all doom and gloom, there are times when I do really enjoy it (especially when I run on some lovely fast descents) but those times are getting less and less frequent and most of the time the thought of going for a run just doesn't appeal to me.  I'm finding it really hard to get out the door.

Tonight's 'easy' jog, for example, was just filled with pain.  My calves were throbbing and I had to keep stopping to stretch them out and my right ankle was hurting with sharp shooting pain and I have no idea why as I haven't done anything to it.  Things like this happen to me all the time though, my body is just a mess and I think running has a lot to answer for.  I just don't have the biomechanics for it.  I'm sick of getting home and having to plunge my feet into buckets of cold water and having to roll around on a foam roller or pay to have sports massages.  Is it really worth it?  Am I going to mess myself up completely and not be able to even walk very well by the time I'm 50?

Sorry for the depressive nature of this post, but it's just from the heart and the way I'm feeling at the minute.

Total distance - 3.6 miles

Getting Quicker on Gym Ride

My fourth time of riding to the gym and back this morning for my strength and conditioning workout.
According to Strava, I'm getting much quicker at this, having taken 5 minutes off my outward journey and 4 minutes off my homeward bound journey since the first time I did it two weeks ago.

I'm still struggling to climb the hill out of Limbrick on the way home though, but I'm always so tired from the weights workout I've just done.  It's funny because, when I did this hill on my old Sunn bike during the summer, it was much easier.  In fact, climbing hills in general seemed much easier on my old crappy bike.  Duncan keeps telling me my new bike is miles better and, it probably is on descents, but on ascents I'm pretty sure my Sunn was better.  It was built as a race bike though and it has skinnier wheels than my Saracen.

I'm really enjoying my rides to and from the gym, especially the ride there.  Because it's so early and dark, I see all sorts of wildlife like foxes, owls and deer.  Love it!

Total distance - 15 miles

Making Progress on the MTB

It was lovely out this morning and I decided to head off for a ride on my mountain bike but Duncan was already going out with Barry, so I had to go on my own.

I only really have one route I do around here on a weekend because I'm finding it hard to find other routes which aren't too technical for me and which don't involve riding where I shouldn't be.  I don't mind keep doing the same route for the time being though, as it is helping me to see my progression.

From home, I rode along to Rivington, turning off at the Bowling Club and heading up to Yarrow Reservoir.  At the end of the trail, I turned right onto the road and along into Lead Mines Clough.

Now was time to face my demons - the hill out of Lead Mines Clough heading towards Jepsons Gate.  It's only a short hill but it's pretty steep and is full of loose stones and so far I have never managed to get to the top without slipping and having to put my foot down and not being able to get going again.

Today however, I made it!!!  I nearly killed myself doing it but I was so pleased when I reached the gate.  I did slip a few times, but I managed to keep the bike going and not put my foot down and eventually I got there.  Obviously I had to then stop to take a photo of this momentous occasion.

From there, I rode along to Jepsons Gate then down the road to Watermans Cottage and then headed into White Coppice.  The trail into White Coppice was really icy and muddy and it was hard working getting through it all.  From White Coppice I rode up the road and headed for the bridleway through Healey Nab.

I came down through the nab pretty quickly (for me) and looking at my Strava trace later on, I had vastly improved since the first time I did it.  In fact, I had improved on practically everything.  There were loads of segment PRs so that's really pleasing to see.

After Healey Nab, I rode along Back Lane to the Yew Tree and then rode up the cascade back towards Yarrow and down to the bowling club.  I then headed home via Rivington feeling very pleased with my little self.

Total distance - 12 miles

Achy Back Ride

My Wednesday morning rides to the gym are in darkness at the minute as I'm leaving home just after 6am so am having to use lights on my bike.  The weird thing is, not being able to see very well is actually helping my MTB skills because not being able to see how rocky the trail is makes me fear it less.

The ride out was pretty uneventful but the ride back almost had me in tears.  My back was killing me and I had to keep stopping to stretch it out. I don't know why though and whether I have my bike set up badly, or whether I'm doing something wrong when I'm climbing hills as that's where the pain starts.

Also, on my way back home, I was coming down a bumpy section near the top barn and couldn't understand why my bike felt so rigid as the suspension wasn't locked out but it really felt like it.  It wasn't until I was speaking with my brother later about it that he told me it was because when Duncan borrowed my bike on Sunday he had adjusted the air in the suspension so that it was right for his weight, meaning that for my weight it was as good as useless so I had to let a load of air back out. Thanks Duncan, that's you never borrowing my bike again.  He also brought it back to me filthy and with the seat post clasp thing sticking out (I have no idea how to name technical parts of my bike yet, please excuse my ignorance).

Duncan has adjusted my seat for me and brought it forward a bit so I'll see next time I ride whether this helps with my back ache.

Total distance - 15 miles

Boxing!

Given my lack of running lately, I'm trying to mix it up a bit and try new things and a boxing class has just started at my gym so I decided to give it a whirl as I quite like the idea of taking my aggression out on a punch bag.

I must admit I was really nervous.  I have absolutely no co-ordination of which to speak so was terrified of making a complete arse of myself.

When I got there, I found that I was the only one in the class so I got a one to one session.  The instructor's name is Scott Mitchell and he's an ex pro so really knows his stuff.

First of all, he took me though how to stand properly so as to keep a stable posture and we then went through how to move around whilst staying in this stable position.

After that, we moved onto the jab, firstly with the left arm and, once I got the hang of that, with the right.  We then moved onto the left hook, followed by the right upper cut, left upper cut and, finally, the right hook.

Once I had got the hang of it all a bit more, Scott put on some pads and we did some pad work, which I really enjoyed.  The bit I was struggling with the most, was moving my hands back to my face after throwing the punches.

After a bit of pad work, he moved me onto the punching bag.  It's harder work than it looks jumping around it and punching the hell out of it.  I had to do this for a minute, and then do a minute of either star jumps or burpees, both made harder by the use of an aerobic step.  It really did make me feel unfit.  I started off the burpees thinking they were easy but by the end of the minute, I was basically just stepping off the step, rather than jumping off it.

We finished the session off with some core work and I must admit I was dying by the end of it.  Can't wait to go back though, it was a great workout and was actually proper boxing rather than the boxercise classes you see in most gyms.

Icy Ride to Gym and Back

My new riding to the gym thing is supposed to be just for Wednesdays because I usually go shopping on a Saturday morning after the gym but I wasn't doing today as I had already been yesterday so I decided to ride there and back again.

I went the same route out as I did on Wednesday but coming back I made a slight alteration and went up the cascade instead of along The Street just because I'm on a mountain bike so I'd rather be off road and the reason I don't do this on a Wednesday is because I'm rushing to get back home to log on for work and the road is obviously quicker.

I'm getting much better at riding now, although I know that going up the cascade and down the side of Yarrow is hardly technical but it can still be quite scary to a newbie like me when you're going over uneven ground at speed and you know it will hurt if you fall off.

It was pretty icy this morning so when I was going down the steep road hill under the motorway before coming into Limbrick I was quite frightened because I didn't want to brake and skid but was going too fast not to brake.  I wonder when I'll stop being afraid altogether of going downhill at speed?  I'm getting there, slowly but surely.

Total distance - 15 miles