DAY 3 JANATHON - ADDED RESISTANCE

Well as I struggled to sleep last night due to the swirling winds around the house, I took comfort in the fact that I was not planning an early morning run and that I would be going to the club (Bude RATS) later this evening for a Tuesday night social run. There was I, smug, thinking the weather would change and it did this afternoon. It became fairly pleasant in comparison and I was looking forward to getting out there with the usual bunch.
The problem being was that 3 hours ensued and the winds decided to pick back up. The meeting point for the club is only a few hundred metres from Crooklets Beach and the wind was coming straight off the Atlantic. Just walking to the hut was effort enough.
Had a good 5.49 mile run taking in some hills, can't really get around here without them and ensuring I came back home with a whole new hairstyle. I personally think the La Roux look could be the way forward for me. Need to lose the head torch but I'm pretty much there tonight with the look.


La Roux - I was working this look!

Another day of running accomplished, tomorrow I'm back in the pool for a little cross training. Swim lessons start again on Monday so best get my swimming head on.
I don't know about anyone else but I am enjoying this Janathon idea, this is the time of year when it is oh so easy to duck out of club runs, early morning runs, etc. With motivation and support from all the Janathoners & Running Tweeps it helps to know that others are working just as hard as you with a common goal in sight.

Here's to all you Janathoners.

Day 3 Janathon - club run by lara37 at Garmin Connect - Details

JANATHON DAY 2 - REGRESSION SESSION

The magnificent Cornish coastline

An earlier start this morning (7.30am pick up) enabled me to make sure I focused on my run the night before. Getting my kit ready so as not to have to fumble around for various pieces in the darkness. Head torch, gloves (to ensure minimal freaky fingers!),carry pack (jelly babies, iTouch, etc) then the basics - L/S top, capris, Skins calf support socks. I was ready for the next instalment.
Mrs D, she becomes a regular feature here me thinks, had text me with a route the night before. Needless to say it was a muddy affair!!! The route took in the most wonderful part of our coast line as well as some wooded trails which we did in semi darkness - a little spooky but we are big girls now so we were cool.

I must just explain the freaky fingers reference. I suffer with raynaud's syndrome, finding an extreme in temperatures especially warm to cold, renders my fingers numb, tingly and "freakishly" white - enhance the freaky fingers reference. I digressed.
At more than a few points on our initial 2.5 miles we were unable to run in places due to the sheer lack of grip we were having on the ground, this enabled many chances for me to use my new gadget ( my iTouch) to capture some of the snapshots from the run.

Once we hit Woodford we became slightly more unsure of our route, even though I had actually run this section in our club's relay run in the autumn, I had clearly not taken enough notice of stiles and exits within fields to help us navigate to an exact location. Hence we made up a few extra miles by detouring ever so slightly in places!!! Adds to the fun.
At one point Mrs D commented on the fact that she would never have done anything like this in her 20's, I agreed. This is still a fairly new pursuit for me ( 3 years of consistent weekly running) with off road running being an even more recent acquisition to my running repertoire, I am still a novice when it comes to downhill running on slippy, muddy paths.
I am sure at points I am regressing! It may be something in my subconscious to do with a big birthday ahead or it may just mean that running and doing so with a like minded group of individuals helps you to shake off some inhibitions and let's you enjoy the activity to it's fullest.

Mrs www.thedaytodavis.co.uk

Another fantastic run, no mud fights but plenty of mud. Sunshine and beautiful skies alongside bleakness and a short, sharp hailstorm. The best part as always is the company and the friendship I share with Mrs D and the ability to feel so much excitement from such a primeval activity.
Definition of psychological regression: Reversion to an earlier or less mature pattern of feeling or behaviour.
For those who may have witnessed us on our recent mud runs, they would not hesitate to agree with the above statement from the dictionary.

And so it goes on............

JOLLY START TO JANATHON

DrDoo - Google images

Well here we are, the beginning of a new year and the beginning of Janathon. Jog & blog each day in January, day 1, done.
What a wonderfully, exhilarating, muddy, hilarious run I had. For starters I had the best running buddy next to me www.thedaytodavis.co.uk who takes to mud like a pig in... well you know what! Only 400m into the run she jumped straight into a puddle of oozy (love that word) mud in order to plaster me in the stuff. The bar was raised and I knew I would take my revenge.
We weaved our way through wooded paths, streams and took on particularly slippy, muddy hills. Many stiles and gates later we came upon an area of path that was covered in the brown stuff with numerous puddles - well, as detailed previously Mrs D can't resist it, so again I am plastered but this time I failed to close my mouth in time for the soaking. Yes, mud straight in my moosh, I'm ashamed to say, inevitably a mud fight ensued. We were in stitches and managed to run the remaining mile and half looking less than desirable.

The run itself was only 4.3 miles but felt a whole heap longer, at points we were unable to run sections as they were too slippy to gain any footing on. My average pace per mile took a drastic tumble but my spirits were sky high.
If you ever need to ask me why I love running, just read this post, come for a mud run with me and then you will have your answer.

Running has been part of my life for the last 3 years and runs like these help to keep it fresh and exciting. Thank you Mrs D, thank you janathon and thank you to my body for enabling me to do this.

I'll see you tomorrow........

The mud runner Mrs D.