The Joy of Running ;-)

One of the fantastic photos by Shona Bradley - we are both smiling!

Wow, the weather has changed a bit since my last blog post about swimming 
the dog due to the heat we experienced this summer! It's currently threatening to snow and we are firmly into two layer territory!

I take sprint finishes seriously!

100km ride on the Isle of Wight

Last Autumn, I mentioned my forays into the world of century riding with my Velo Birmingham 100 mile sportive experience.  I did the ride on behalf of Totally Active Magazine and my article has been featured in this months digital edition which you can read here.  I actually quite enjoyed reading it back having forgotten much of the detail I recalled in the article.  This year has been very different in terms of my cycling efforts.  My longest ride was the 60 mile circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight on our summer holiday, and I found that tough!  The main reason for my lack of road (and MTB) miles is my return from a hip injury back into running.  



After the school holidays, I started up my RunTogether groups again with my Monday 10km improvers - which continues to be popular and a Thursday 0-5km group for beginners.  Most of the ladies who have started with me over the past couple of years have continued to run and some have progressed to the 10km group - I love leading them and continuing to encourage new people to take up running.  



My own running has been mixed this year.  I started off well with the Whitehall Wiggle, Herod Farm fell race, Rainow 5 and Shining Tor but it was at the Lantern Pike Dash - a brutal 1.2 mile up and back  race, where I injured my calf.  I then missed a load of planned races over the next couple of months and stuck to strengthening through pilates, swimming and walking the dog.  I just managed to do enough fell races to qualify for the Goyt Valley Striders (GVS) fell series and have secured 2nd overall in the ladies championship so that was a positive.  



In September, Aggie (my vizsla dog) turned 1 and I started to run properly with her, including in harness canicross style (canicross is trail running with the dog attached to you via a harness).  She is quite a natural puller so this has been a relatively easy process, including teaching her directional commands and 'LEAVE IT' when she spots a wayward squirrel!  Since then I have got her to around 12km and we are beginning to work well as a team.  I am yet to fall on my arse but expect it every run!  My long term plans are to become a canicross leader and possibly to start a High Peak running group for canicrossers.  In the spring I am going to a cani-fit course to be trained in all things canicross so watch this space!

10km Group at Windgather Rocks

Stretching after a Monday run

Another new sport I have taken up is boxing!  In September I went to a local boxing class (Smurfitness) which includes conditioning exercises and Hatton Academy boxing technique and sparring.  I started going in an attempt to strengthen my pathetically weak core and improve my arm muscle tone.  I was dubious at first (I thought I would hit like a girl! - it turns out I do - a bloody tough one!) but I absolutely love it! Apart from the teething problems of not being able to walk or sit down properly for 5 days after the first class, I have continued to go and it has made a big difference to my strength and confidence.  It's a brilliant and cathartic way to burn calories!

Jingle Jog ready!

As far as form and PBs go, I have managed to get within a minute of my 5km PB with a 21:59 at the SEMMS relief road race (this is not official as it was an inaccurately measured race, I clocked my 5km time on my Garmin), but I did manage a 22:08 at Clumber parkrun so I am there or thereabouts.  I trained for weeks for the Wilmslow 10km and managed a new PB in training of 45:34 but my daughter was ill on race day so I have yet to make the official 45 minute 10km target.  My most recent race was the Jingle bell Jog for Blythe House Hospice - I was 1st lady overall and 2nd person over the line so that was a boost although it wasn't really a race. 



My future aims are the 2019 Goyt Valley Striders Championship, there are lots of interesting races to enter, and to take part in some canicross races. I have had a photo shoot with my friend Shona in preparation for writing about my canicross adventures, I am so pleased with the photos!  

I think that's all for now!  If you want any advice on running or canicross please drop me a message!

Happy Running!

TLF x

Tentative Times!

Thanks to Frank Golden for letting me use these images - they are great! Find him here on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Frankgoldenphotography/ 

It's been a while since my last blog post, apologies for that.  I have been hibernating and feeling grumpy at the most hideous winter for a long time - muddy, wet, cold and snow besieged - I am so looking forward to winter 18/19 (said no English person ever).  Yesterday somebody mentioned Christmas and it put me in a bad mood for ages!

Looking back at my last post on the last day of January, I can update the goals I spoke of and fill you in on progress so far in 2018...

The #doggoals are coming along nicely.  I have done two lots of puppy training classes and Aggie is doing well.  Today she is exactly 7 months old and I have just returned from the best walk yet! She is coming back to me rather than just going off to play with every dog we meet, and I am really enjoying walking everyday.  It lessens the guilt on non-running days.  I am really looking forward to doing canicross with her, I think it's going to be a lot of fun and I have got some ideas about developing a High Peak Canicross Club so watch this space (I don't do things by halves you know!).

Ha ha! Sorry Aidan!

As far as #coachgoals are concerned, I am delighted with the progress of my RunTogether Run for the Hills groups!  My first group has completed their 5km goal and recce'd Lyme Park parkrun and some of those ladies (plus more from my groups last summer) are now joining me in our improvers group which meets every Monday at 9am for a 5-10km run route.  If you, or anyone you know would like to join us, just sign up here.

That's more like it!

My #racegoals are also in full swing. 
10th Feb 18 - York parkrun - 23:07
10th Mar 18 - Buxton AC 5km - 23:05 (1st lady! For the first time ever!)
15th Apr 18 - Thomas Theyer Whitehall Wiggle (10.8km)  - 1:03:46 (3rd lady for the second time here)

The Thomas Theyer race (where all the images for this post are from) was the first proper fell type race I have done since I injured my hip.  With nearly 400m of ascent and quite a bit of fast downhill it was a real tester but I seem to have got away with it! I chatted and ran with my friend and fellow GVS Aidan, we became those annoying people who chat during races!  To be fair he was doing most of the chatting, I was puffing away next to him!  I really enjoyed it and it pushed my fitness levels to the limit so I need to work on stamina especially with a 9 miler coming up next week!

She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes!

I am quite happy with my pace, but hills are not as easy as they were due to all the flat hip rehab, so I need to focus on hill strength and technique in my training sessions.  Tomorrow night is the Herod Farm Fell Race (AKA Horrid Farm) it's a very short and very steep 3 miler, I may do it but I also have Kinder Downfall (9 miler) on Sunday so will have to see how I feel tomorrow and if I can get childcare...

My #cyclinggoals are off to a very sluggish start, mainly due to the increase in running and the poor weather.  I have done a couple of muddy MTB rides recently and as we are promised 20 degrees plus this week I have grand ambitions to dust off Ladybird and get out road biking again.  I certainly feel un-bikefit at the moment.  I am hoping to fit some sportives in this year, I'm just not sure when or how yet!

Grinning and bearing...

Another sport I have totally neglected since I got Aggie is swimming.  I went a couple of weeks ago to try and rekindle my regular weekly "tickover" swim but it didn't go well as I ended up with another migraine.  I am going to go today and try again. I am very slow and resembling a whale at the moment but hey, you've got to start somewhere right!?

I think that's all for now, My Inov-8 X Claws are brilliant, I love the cushioning/grip combo!

Happy running - especially to all the London Marathoners! (please sponsor my friend Helen here for Leonard Cheshire Disability if you can!) and I will update again soon!

TLF x

Goal Keeping

No, not of the football kind but the importance of challenging yourself and setting personal goals.  This blog, my first of 2018, is all about my aims for this year.  

#doggoals
The biggest change to the Aspinall household is the addition of Aggie our (now) 19 week Hungarian Vizsla.  Apart from the difficulties facing all new puppy owners - shark attacks, zoomies, toilet training... her actual basic training is coming along well.  Daily walks have brought another social dimension to my life - I talk to all manner of folk whilst Aggie assaults their canine companion and I love that she gives us family bonding time especially at weekends - we are loving getting out in the fresh air when previously we may have stayed in.  Obviously my long term goals are to run with her and train her to run with my MTB, I have been taking her to Sheffield for Gundog training which is paving the foundations of her directional commands and obedience and I have let her loose on my 8 year old as he bikes along the reservoir paths - so far so good (bar the occasional emergency stop as she runs directly in front of the wheels!).

#coachgoals

My new RunTogether group is proving to be a big success! I have 15 ladies on my books  all doing really well and even meeting up outside of sessions.  I feel really proud seeing my two groups of ladies - summer and winter cohorts all running from the school car park, meeting outside of sessions and making life changes - it's brilliant to see!  As far as coaching goals go, I am hoping to complete the Fell Coach in Run Fitness Qualification this summer, which would enable me to offer more in depth coaching to individuals and groups.

#racegoals 
Since my hip injury and slow rehabilitation into running I have finally started racing again and it feels great!
In January I completed three runs which offer a race atmosphere without the pressure of a real race.  I cannot stress enough how useful parkruns are as a training tool.  we are very lucky to have Lyme Park on our doorstep which is basically a fell race in parkrun packaging.  Here are my times so far...
Buxton AC 5km park run - 4th lady, 24:03
Lyme Park parkrun 20/1/18 - 2nd lady, 25:53
Lyme Park parkrun 27/1/18 - 3rd lady, 25:48
Racing encourages me to try harder, it increases my fitness and fulfills the mantra of "train to race, race to train".  
I feel so much better mentally now I have more focus, I have really missed it.  

My racing aims for 2018 are to compete in the Hayfield Fell Championship (2 races have already been run) where I will complete at least 4 races, with 1 of each distance...

1. Kinder Downfall - Sun, 22nd Apr (Medium)
2. May Queen - Fri, 18th May (Short)
3. Mount Famine - Sat, 19th May (Short)
4. Lantern Pike Dash - Sun, 20th May (Short)
5. Kinder Trog - Sun, 24th Jun (Long)
6. Cracken Edge - Wed, 1st Aug (Medium)
7. Lantern Pike - Sat, 15th Sep (Short)

I am hoping to do a couple of sprint triathlons and some local duathlons as well.

#cyclinggoals
I really utilised my bike last year what with my hip injury, and I am keen to complete a few sportives again this year including the Manchester to Blackpool and the Grindleford Goat, plus some longer flatter rides to challenge myself.  
I will continue to have MTB training with Charlie Evans which is really useful and most importantly fun to hopefully develop my confidence and skills on the trails.

All in all I seem to have many goals, but I believe everyone needs to have something to aim for - so what are you waiting for - challenge yourself!

#geargoals
I have been saving up for a running vest backpack and after 2 failed attempts I have finally got myself the right model and size!  I have bought the Ultimate Direction PB 3.0 - it is fabulous (if not a bit pricey) and I cant wait to test it at Kinder Downfall in April.  
I have also bought some Inov-8 X-Claw 275s which are so far very cushioned but with a mudclaw-esque sole.  I will review both products in my next blog.  



Happy Running!
TLF

Highlights,Lowlights and Aims - Hello 2017!

Firstly, I apologise for lack of blog action recently, One of my New Years Resolutions is to update it more frequently (but not too often, I don't want to bore you all to death!). Secondly, here is a brief round up of 2016 followed by my aims for 2017.

Highlights of 2016
There have been loads of highlights, when reading back through my blog posts I find myself going - ooh I loved that and I want to do it again!  Here is a (very) condensed list of my favourites...

• OMM Ambassadorship
• Running Snowdon
• 5k, 10k and half marathon PBs
• Hathersage Hilly
• This blog!
• Biking ladies - making new friends and (hopefully encouraging others)
• Learning to front crawl - thanks to Super Suzie!
• Equinox 24
• 2nd Place in the GVS Championship (Ladies category)
• GVS Fell Series Champion (Ladies)

Lowlights..
There haven't been many, but if you asked me during any of the races I would probably tell you it is hard and I am hating it! But these were the actual lows...

• Falling off my road bike - self explanatory! (although improved my riding no end)
• Cheadle 4 - just not a great race, reinforced my dislike of road racing - won't do it again
• Ankle injury and weakness - Went over on it at Longshaw Trust 10k, created a weakness - bugger
• Winter stomach bug preventing me doing the 3rd MACCL race and kiboshing my training!

Some 2017 Aims..
This is not an exhaustive list!

• GVS Fell series - defend my title (eek, I wanted a no pressure year!)
• Some of the Hayfield series fell races (short, hilly ones!)
• The Slateman (as part of a mixed team "The High Peaky Blinders")
• Grindleford Gallop - OK so I said this year I wasn't going to do any races I didn't enjoy - i.e. anything over 10 miles, road races, etc.  I then took the challenge of entering the GG (it is notoriously hard to get a space and fills up quickly) damn my competitive streak - got a place in the first 6 mins, now committed to do the race.  Balls.
• Another triathlon (sprint distance) and definitely the Hathersage Hilly again
• The Grindleford Goat (the longer "Billy" course this year)
• Improve my Mountain Bike Orienteering skills!

And I think that's it, although more will be added frequently no doubt!


In the meantime, I have the 2nd Trailquest event with Dark and White Peak events this Sunday, with teammate Caz, followed by XCountry at Kenworthy Woods on Saturday 14th January.

Perhaps the most exciting thing happening in 2017 will be the introduction of a new family member/running partner, a four-legged kind!  She hasn't even been conceived yet but, if all goes to plan I will have a canine training buddy to run with in 2018/19! Canicross here we come!

Training will now be aimed at the Grindleford Gallop with longer hilly runs in the fells and testing out my new Garmin watch and turbo trainer!

Happy New Running Year!


TLF