Nanako works like a horse and lives like a saint

[nanako]

I love that saying: "to pull yourself out of poverty, you have to work like a horse, and live like a saint." So true !

 

For me - thankfully - it's not poverty that I'm stuck in but just a work-related rut, and I have to work extra hard for three weeks to get myself out of it.

 

So my main quest is actually my life goal: 

 

A I have to finish a paper by August 12th. It's something that I should have done months ago, but you know how it goes. It's not part of my current job, but lots of good things will happen if I manage to finish it, and lots of not-so-nice things and hard-to-repair difficulties will follow if I don't. 

 

 

So to do this,

1. I will get up at 6 in the morning and work on it for three quarters of an hour every day (except Sunday). That should actually do the trick. I've been doing that for three days now and it works a treat.

 

(BTW I think I should mention that this is actually an major effort for me, since I will of course continue to work full time, and be a mum-of-two full time, the rest of the time, at the same time.   So this will be on top of everthing else that need to be done each day. Hence, work like a horse. I wouldn't want to be doing this for more than 3 weeks. )

 

B I'm doing a half-marathon in September and I'd like to improve my pace A LOT. Right now I can only just do a 10.30 min/mile pace on a 10K, which is kind of pitiful. I'd like to scrape at least 1.5 min (.5 min for this challenge) off my pace in the long run. 

 

To achieve this, I will

 

1. keep to my running plan
   • go running with the club twice a week
   • do speed training on Saturdays (tempo runs one week / intervals the next)
   • get my miles in on Sunday for the half
2. continue my BW training - slimmed down a bit - with push-ups, planks, squats, and pull-up progressions in lieu of strength/cross training
3. lose a bit of mass eating mostly paleo (with some dairy and beans)

 

As you may have noticed my main quest / life goal is only three weeks away and I'll go on a (hopefully well-deserved) holiday after that - so I've decided to treat myself to surfing lessons if I achieve goal A. Obviously I won't go running with the club while I'm away, but I'll try and get my miles in anyway. 

 

So that's it ! Only two easy goals ! Yay for simplicity !

 

EDIT: I have adjusted this a little ... Everybody's cutting this challenge so why can't I, right ? Join in the misery ! Let's see how this goes.

 

Stats:

Weight 73kg / 159 lbs

Waist 73 cm

[Nymeria]

A half marathon?!  Wow.    That's about 10 miles longer than I would want to run, but I'm so not into endurance sports.  The holiday, rest, and surfing lessons seem like they'll be well deserved. 

[livingfortheblue]

You're going to do great! That sounds like a great way to finish that paper, and surfing lessons are an excellent reward (why do you think my name is livingfortheblue? ) Good luck with your half-marathon training - that's a lot longer than I can run!

[nanako]

A half marathon?!  Wow.    That's about 10 miles longer than I would want to run, but I'm so not into endurance sports.  The holiday, rest, and surfing lessons seem like they'll be well deserved. 

 

You know how I came over here from the scouts last challenge ? The running bug must have bit me again ...

Don't want to do too much guildhopping though, and I kinda like you lot, so I'll just stay put here for now and bore you all with my minute/miles.

[vengefulpear]

Well I think a half marathon is an awesome goal! I did a 10 mile run last october and that might be about it for me

 

I'm curious about your paper, what's it about/for?

[Everstorm]

Half marathons are the "it" thing this challenge, apparantly.  Everybody's doing it.  Looking forward to hearing how your training goes!

[Nuala]

I would love to be able to run a half one day! For now I'll try to reach a 5k without hurting myself, that's quite a challenge! Good luck for this awesome goal

[Wolverine]

I would love to be able to run a half one day! For now I'll try to reach a 5k without hurting myself, that's quite a challenge! Good luck for this awesome goal

 

Ditto.  

 

Great challenge, N.  I think it's really cool to have your life challenge as your main quest.  I haven't seen that before.  Trailblazing!

[Otaku_Wanna_Fly]

Ahh! A fellow Nana fan?!  *Squee*

 

I like your goals, and really dig the reward you're offering yourself.  (Surfing seems like it'd be such fun!)  Good luck with everything, I'm following your thread, so I'll try to drop in as time progresses to see how you're doing.

[nanako]

Well I think a half marathon is an awesome goal! I did a 10 mile run last october and that might be about it for me

 

I'm curious about your paper, what's it about/for?

 

Oh it's some collaboration with other scientists (I'm an Earth scientist) and it's about atmospheric excitation of earth rotation. A bit odd. But I'd like to work with them again so I'd better finish it.  

 

Half marathons are the "it" thing this challenge, apparantly.  Everybody's doing it.  Looking forward to hearing how your training goes!

 

 

 

I would love to be able to run a half one day! For now I'll try to reach a 5k without hurting myself, that's quite a challenge! Good luck for this awesome goal

 

Yeah, I think the half will definitely be the furthest distance I'll ever do. I usually lose interest from mile 6 and get really hungry and grumpy from mile 10.

I have 12K training run scheduled on Sunday and I'm dreading it ... 

 

Ditto.  

 

Great challenge, N.  I think it's really cool to have your life challenge as your main quest.  I haven't seen that before.  Trailblazing!

 

Thanks Wolverine. I don't think it's allowed, strictly - so don't tell - I just have to do it this way because else I'd never get it done.

[nanako]

Ahh! A fellow Nana fan?!  *Squee*

 

 

 

Hehe yes ! 

[nanako]

So guys, I've been really good this week so far.

Went out with the club both Tue and Thu, and worked on the paper 4 out of 5 days. 

 

Tue was rubbish - couldn't even do 3 miles in that heat - but did a nice 10K yesterday - lovely hilly one with 850ft elevation gain and loss - and though I was slow as per usual my pace is steadily improving and I bet 8 other runners (which is not so bad - these small events usually only draw other club runners, not "joggers"). 

 

Doing fine so far, have to be careful (as ever) to not get ill ... wary of all the cortisol now with all the running.

My blood test came back ok today - no diabetes, no pre-diabetes - I wasn't worried but doc wanted a check. But it seems I'm just a person whose mood is very sensitive to sugar and who has a rubbish immune system. 

 

Schedule says tempo run tomorrow, 12K on Sunday - I might actually take an Ipod on that 12K run, the only acceptable flat route of this length is deadly boring and I'm dreading it already.  Let's see how it goes then !

[Nuala]

Even if I'm in a overall good health, seeing written black on white that there is nothing abnormal in a blood or whatever test is always a relief for me. Good luck for the dreaded 12km run!

[18ck]

*chuckle* So funny that you're doing a half marathon too. *everyone* in Scouts is doing one this time. Don't tell the mods I said this but...

Sure we can't lure you back? The challenge hasn't officially started yet!

 

 

It sounds like you are doing a lot of the same things I'm doing and doing them well. How did that tempo run work out today? It's hard to keep going at that pace isn't it? And in this heat...

 

I like the get-up-at-6 thing too. Great idea!

[Nuala]

*coughs*

[18ck]

*coughs*

 

Oh dear, and there's some sort of 'flu going around in this conference too apparently. Seriously, you're better off in Scouts. We're all fighting fit!

[nanako]

*stands in front of 18ck, arms outstretched protectively*

He doesn't know what he's saying !!! He's joking ! Please ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooo ....

 

No, seriously, I need to stay here. At least for one more challenge ... I love running and I love you guys, and I know this challenge is extremely scouty, but I need to keep it in my head that BW training is better for me. Flicks all the happiness switches. Probably hormones or something. Running, I keep doing it because I've done it forever, and the guys at the running club know where I live, and because it burns all those calories whenever there's been a Green-and-Black crisis here, again.

But BW's important. Maybe next time. *waves sadly*   

[nanako]

Erm, so, I chickened out today ... I decided I would do the "beginner's" plan after all *cough* which is probably more fitting for me so I did a 7K instead of the 12K I was dreading. 

 

Anyway, at least I did go out, very pleased with myself seeing that I actually went out running three times a week - I usually only ever manage in theory.

Coming back, I did a couple of sets of chin-ups (those were quite hard actually) and a 1mm pull-up.  

[nanako]

So as the day went on, I ended up doing 

 

pistol squats progressions 10,10 (getting up off a chair )

push-ups 5-5

plank 1min

 

and then, I went rowing in a Cornish pilot gig for 15 minutes at the Harbour Festival ! They were having taster sessions and bless 'em, they let me take the kids as pilots so I could have a go.

Such fun ! But quite tired now.

 

I've always wanted to take up rowing but the local rowing club is oversubscribed and the fees are much too high.

 

So maybe gig rowing ? They seem to have places and it's only 7.50£ a month which is a bargain. Even I could afford that (on top of my £1/week running club fees.) Excited ! Have always considered myself a bit of a pirate sailor at heart.

[Sifter]

Love the quote and the goals! Good luck on the paper. I'm running a half on Sept 28th! When is yours? On Friday I ran 7 miles and week before 6. I'm right at a 10min pace. I would like to shave some time off to bc I get bored after the 6th mile lol. But I need to drop some weight before I can go faster. Cutting more sugar this go around and trying to get back to strength training the way I should. Best of luck! I'll pop in from time to time to see how you are doing!

[18ck]

Oh OK I'll stop trying to lure you back. The rowing sounds interesting. And cheap. And another scout activi...

Sorry *zips lips*

[thatgirljj]

Good luck.  Paperwriting is tough!

[KB Girl]

Half a marathon, pfeew. Very impressive.

Let's paper-writing buddies, I'm working on one aswell. Ofcourse I often hide from it by focusing on all other things in my life

[nanako]

 Let's paper-writing buddies, I'm working on one aswell. Ofcourse I often hide from it by focusing on all other things in my life

 

Great, let's ! Always grateful for a buddy in this. 

[nanako]

Today I started the challenge off with a holiday - no seriously, I took a day off because I was feeling a bit rubbish-y and had had too little time over the weekend.

 

Turned out that was a good idea, because I ended up sleeping for a couple of hours in the afternoon, waking up with a bit of a temperature and the feeling of having escaped a cold. 

 

So no work or paper-writing today. 

I did push ups (5-3-3-2-2-5), chin-ups (4-3-3-2-2-1-1), and I did a 1inch pull-up ! Yay ! As in, I jumped up, held the 90 degrees and managed to pull me up by 1inch from there. 

8 weeks ago I couldn't even hold the negative ! And now it's not going to be long. If it's anything like the chin-up, it's only going to take another week or two.