Nik Nak Runs

  Week 3's post was overshadowed by the Wildheart x Rocket events post last week so I'll be combining the 2 weeks into this post. For more detail on the long run from week 3, see the post from last week! Now I have to have a think what happened at the start of week 3 as it feels like a while ago! Monday - S & C followed by a short walk. I must have wanted to get the step count up & walked the day off.  Tuesday - I've not forgot this one, intervals. 10 minute warm up & cool down with 1 x 1km, 90 second rest followed by 5 x 500m with 60 second rest. On paper it didn't sound as tough as the week before with 2 1km bursts. Well, I was humbled! I put on the vaporfly's for the fun factor again and managed 1s away from my km PB (which almost made me sick) and a half mile PB! I took it easier on the 1st 500m burst but the others that followed were decent. It was a good session and dare I say it? I almost now look forward to intervals. Also managed a yoga relaxati...

  This definitely deserves it's own post as although it wasn't a race, it was an event that for me turned out to be lots more about not just running. For those of you who don't know, a backyard ultra is where you run 4.167 miles (6.706km) in a loop. You have to run this within the hour and the next yard starts at every o'clock. If you aren't in the starting corral or back for the whistle blowing, you're out. Some of team Scotland were going to be there, and so was Keith Russell. Keith set the Irish record at 89 yards. Over 3 and a half days of running which is mind blowing to me. I've met Keith virtually while interviewing for the run till you're done podcast, same with Mike Raffan who I've been co-hosting the podcast with since last November. I was also really looking forward to meeting Karen Nicol who is someone that's really inspired me within the running community. She has this infectious smile on the socials and I love her sharing practicing...

I completed MOST of what was on the plan this week. Wednesday was adapted & I will explain why when we get to that. Here's the training round-up for the week...... Monday - Strength & Conditioning. I woke up & said to myself, 'I'll do a Vlad Ixel workout for 16 minutes then do Nic's programme later'. Then the other side of my brain told me 'you're a lying ba****d!'. So I broke it down. I done the 12 minutes of HIIT for the warm up then see how I get on with weights. I managed to do it all. Then felt really proud of myself I started the week strong. It helps psychologically for setting the week up therefore that will be the plan for me going forward. Tuesday - Intervals. Played a wee game of 'beat the Garmin'. When I set up the workout, this is what Garmin told me I would do it in..... This is the reason I didn't do this while A was at rugby last week as it would have took me past the hour. Here's what I managed to do it in.......

  Sunday 4th May 2025 This is a much more positive post since the last one! After I had wrote that last post I was pretty flat. The weather was good that day & I was desperate to get out for a run somewhere. I hadn't ran at all that week (or done anything else). John (my husband) could see I was getting annoyed at myself for wanting to take some time for a run but didn't want to waste the day not seeing them all. He suggested we go to Lowther hill where he works frequently. I wasn't ecstatic about the idea and hadn't realised it was on the Southern Upland Way (it's lit a fire that's worth it's own post). The idea was I could go for a jaunt up the hill and he would take the kids to the park at Wanlockhead. Win win. It was a great idea & I really enjoyed it. You'll probably be reading this from knowing me through Instagram but won't be shocked I'm mentioning the fact I took my 1st wild dump on this hill. It was coming at some stage & I...