The Mock Turtle

That's the best way

We've just been for our walk, managing to miss the rain. Hardly anyone about which was nice Just under 6km.

As they say in yoga (or at least my old teacher did), there’s no competition, except with yourself and you should do what your body says is right for you.

My body says to fill it with wine & cheese though, not fart about trying to do press ups. That said, I did an AMRAP & some weights this morning.

My body agrees with your body, Pip, and would like to mention the benefits of nice bread and many naps in addition.

First month of my online PT programme is done. It was hard, but I do feel better for having some proper structure and guidance again. I’m slightly nervously about what he has planned for next month; he basically has me following a basic fight-camp style metabolic conditioning programme and as he cheerily remarked, “there’s only one way to progress this”

Today I have a day off so will do the usual 10k steps and some mobility-movementy stuff for my weary legs.

I did three miles today, it was hot, hilly and slow but I'm definitely improving already.

Nice work, Alan.

I just did Zoom yoga. The teacher is finally mixing poses up and it’s really nice to have variety.

We walked last night. A different route as we had to go to the tip so walked near the canal and my parkrun route.

A 26km bike ride this morning and I'm dragging Gannet out for a walk later.

5K at a decent pace this afternoon. The cooler weather really made a difference, it felt much easier than it has for a while.

You're flying, Tex. I saw that earlier. Bloody well done.

Did a two mile loop this evening and it went well, better than it has done so far. Although only short, each run is a reasonably large improvement on the last. Rest day tomorrow, before I do the three and two mile loop on Thursday and Friday.

Then I'll lose the two miler and up it to a four mile and a three mile loop on Monday and Tuesday.

I want my Friday trail running sessions back.

Thanks TC. Well done on your progress, it must have been so demoralising to go back that far.

Thank you. It's amazing what consistent running does for you, like I said earlier, you're flying most of the time at the minute.

My situation is rubbish but I've been here before and the improvements so far are encouraging enough to help keep me going.

I've had two big trail events postponed (Bristol Epic 3 Peak 16 miler, and Mendip Marauder 50k), and I am determined to absolutely nail them both next year. I also want to run the North Devon Coastal Path at some point, which is bloody hard so having all of that in mind is helping. I can't push it too much too soon, and I have plenty of time to be well prepared for everything.

MrTex and L are walking the SW coast path in short stages, running any of those hills is ambitious!

It's a way, way off yet but it's also a reaosnably regular (maybe five or six times a year) that the really big trail runners in the group do do. I will never be as good as they are and will never do it in one hit, but I fancy a go at it in stages.

The pictures that they post, which you will know doubt know about are incredible.

I'm also just quite happy that I can set these stupid goals for myself again.

Topcat I think those look like amazing goals to aim for. I know how mentally difficult it is to get injured and then slowly come back from injury as a runner. I've been running on and off for about 10 years and I've probably spent more time on a break than not. You'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now and accepted that perhaps running isn't for me, but the problem is, I love it.

Currently doing 3 x per week, one short, one medium, one long run. I recently bought a Garmin, having given away my old one years ago, and am a bit gutted that I'm a solid minute per mile slower than when I was at my speediest. Partly I think that's down to the relative hilliness of where I live now, and also I'm surely a bit heavier these days. Currently nursing some sort of vague niggle in my left knee, don't think it's meniscus, not ITB, but I think it's slowly getting better. I bought some Brooks Ghost after years of wearing the cheapest Asics I could find and they are so lovely, like running on gently bouncing clouds.

My lockdown fitness regime has been alternating running and yoga - I do ashtanga. I was following an online Youtube video of the half primary series (Laruga Glaser, who appears to be some sort of immortal being of light) but now I know the sequence well enough I can do it without, which I prefer. It takes longer but I feel I can focus better somehow, and I can take my time with the more difficult poses. I do loads of modifications, my hips are hella tight so even half lotus is probably years away, but I am feeling a difference. And it suits my obsessive nature, much like the running does.

26km again on the bike this morning.

Me and D are going running tonight...that'll be fun* . We are starting again (again), so have a plan for 5mins run x 6 with 1min walks in between.


*She has prewarmed me that she may whinge a bit

We did just over 5km very slowly! It was so nice to run with her again and she didn't moan much at all

7km done. A PB for that route but still had to walk on the hill.

PT virtual session, with a bonus greeting from his very cute dog. Nice light session, just kettlebells and shadow boxing (a squirrel ran across the park while I was dancing about, I'm sure it was sniggering). I'm also slowly getting to grips with high pulls

It is a ballache, Penny. I'm sorry for the yappy dog too, there isn't much worse, especially when you're shifting and don't want to get tangled up with the little fucker.

Another 3 in the bag tonight and another considerable improvement on my last lap of that circuit. Still a long, long way to go but it's all good so far.

It is a ballache, Penny. I'm sorry for the yappy dog too, there isn't much worse, especially when you're shifting and don't want to get tangled up with the little fucker.

Another 3 in the bag tonight and another considerable improvement on my last lap of that circuit. Still a long, long way to go but it's all good so far.