January Stato

 Fanfare.....

January saw me halting running AGAIN for the right niggly calf... I wasn't impressed and have now wholly blamed my asics gel cumulus shoes... I turned back to these in late 2023 as New Balance, my sted fast running shoe brand from my training in the 2010s no longer did what I used to wear and everything I read felt like I didn't like any of their new versions (too tall, too squishy or too expensive). So I turned back to the brand previous to that and got my self some asics cumulus (as asics still did that, just version 561... ok maybe just 20 something), and then also got myself a pair of asics tri noosa.... now I won't go into all the specifics but one point of difference is the heal to toe drop - the old new balance were about 6mm, the tri noosa are about the same and the cumulus a whopping 10mm... so basically I'm blaming my calf strain issue on that 4mm difference - as I only get the strain after running in the cumulus - which I've happened to do slightly more of this winter because the noosa are a bit chilly (ie colder in cold weather - poor toes).

Anyway - long story short, I got less running in during January then ideal given I have a 10mile run coming up mid March... but at least by the end of the month I was running again AND I think I've found a new trainer to go alongside my Noosa's which, after one run, I already love (fingers crossed).. 

... Hello pretty 😍 

Anyway - the top of the post said stats - so here they are for Jan

December Stats and Happy New Year

It’s already 11th Jan (and bloody freezing I may add!)…. So high time I posted the December stats! 

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	2	2.8	94
Bike	1	20.0	51
Run	7	37.0	254
Strength	8	-	247
Yoga	7	-	180
Walk	11	36.84	433

….. the good being the yoga and strength training…. The bad being the one solitary bike ride!! No real excuse other than the older I get the more I’m a fair weather and warm environment cyclist!…. Although having seen the stats I attempted to sign up for club rides the last two Saturdays but the weather has had other plans for us! Last weekend it was forecasting lashing rain and possible snow this weekend it’s not got above 0 and an ice rink outside! Whilst I phaffed about last weekend I did actually manage to get on my bike in the garage for a 2 hour turbo (with buff, gloves, thermal top and full legs I may add!)

I also actually managed a couple of swims in December, still not entirely sure what’s going on with my shoulder it’s not quite right but no worse ….. and pleased to report this far I’ve swam more then I did in January the last few years (I’ve been to the pool once so far this year,… ohwl!)

Now whilst I had already got my Olympic distance race in the diary for may I thought I’d find something beforehand to keep me interested…. I contemplated a half marathon but I think that’s a bit far at the moment …. But found a local 10miler in the middle of March….. suggested it to my friend leanne and before I knew it she had entered us…. She should have read the small print though as she thought I’d said 10k … ha ha… anyway the aim is to have fun, it’s a nice looking route on country lanes and bridle paths. Somewhat hilly in places so my plan is to walk them. I’d like to do the event in under 2hours …. And I’d like to give myself a local flatter 10miler (ie home made!) to see if I can do a time between 1.40-1.50…. But in order to do that I have to look after myself better as I’m currently nursing a calf strain…. This started last weekend when I went out for a run and had to high knee leg it through a big puddle (why the high knees I don’t know - my feet still got soaked!) anyway I think that was maybe the first niggle…. I irritated it last night doing the same whilst running through what I thought was frozen tundra but was a crusty bog (I managed to avoid wet feet somehow with this time!)… anyway I’m an idiot and currently it’s sore. So I need to rehab that before running in the cold again (ie once I can do some calf raises!)… sigh… 

Anyway! Life is good, the new year is here and I’m excited for the year ahead, let’s go 2025!

W y

Belated November Stats

 Late but here are the rather random November stats…. I didn’t get back to the pool because of that shoulder problem I manifested when during/ after Covid. Despite a visit to the osteo then chiro neither helped, my clavicle was oddly feeling in the wrong place. So I tried a yoga session I’ve done before years ago and despite the pain I actually felt a nice glide and thunk and what felt like my clavicle back in the right place. But it took a while then I kind of lost the desire I dunno.

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	0	0	0
Bike	5	218	550
Run	5	30.6	215
Strength	5	-	166
Yoga	5	-	169
Walk	10	28.97	416

Longest bike was a tidy 83.9k, longest run not so tidy but ok 8.8k

I did get back on the strength bus in November which kind of made up for lack of swimming (cough maybe)… overall time was pretty much the same as October just spread differently.

December thus far has been a really, I don’t know what the best word is, I’ll settle for “weird” month. Somethings have gone great but my heart has been heavy as well…. At the start of the month the sudden death of my Uncle Pete, a family stalwart, a protector and my Godfather who not only stood in for my Dad a few times but also taught me so much in my formative years…. I was blessed in my 1970s / 80s childhood to have had Uncle Pete and Auntie Penny so influential in my life. Rest in peace both of you now you are back together. I still can’t quite believe you are not both up the road and I often hear your voices in my head calling me Kaz …. 

The same week Uncle Pete died a neighbour also sadly passed away suddenly overnight. Whilst I didn’t know her terribly well, we mainly only exchanged messages about our lunatic cats, it was a really shock. She was only in her early 40s and such a brilliant mum, lovely neighbour and overall good ‘un. There is no sense to life and death sometimes. 

In a weird way I think grief is a blessing for a life lived well, I don’t know if that makes sense.

Sigh

Anyway Christmas season is now upon us and already next week we will be greeting the new year 2025 seems a nice number (both 20 and 25 being divisible by 5 just feels nice)…. So I’ve got some days to get my December stats in slightly better order as they are quite shocking at the moment barely been on the bike, not swam yet  …. But I do have a cunning plan brewing… well at least a rough “training plan” to get me to the start line of my first triathlon in 8 years! Onwards!