It's hard to think that if I hadn't have had them ciggies last Thursday night, I would be 1 whole calendar month off the ciggies!
Now that one night hasn't bothered me in the way I thought. I thought I would be back on them full time, or would be craving like mad, but like I said in my last blog post, it is the complete opposite. Not one craving, and not even a thought about having a ciggie!
Now the running is still on the back burner. 2 weeks today since my last run, and I'm still suffering with a chesty cough and bunged up nose. 13 years of smoking and I was never this ill! The perks of quitting I guess.
I've also decided that enough is enough on the diet front, and I'll have to be tough on myself. I'm back to nearly 16.5 stone!!! The new year slimming world campaign will start on the 1st January. I WILL be 14 stone by this time next year!
As always, it's been a pleasure. Take care.
Wednesday 7 December 2011
Friday 2 December 2011
Gutted.......
Well last night did NOT go to plan!
It was probably the biggest party ever held in the squadron bar. Everyone was there and the beer was in full flow. So the setting was set, and to be honest with you all I ended up having 3 or 4 ciggies over the course of the night.
Today, not one craving, and not generally bothered, and as my memory slowly reveals the events of last night as if I've been connected to a slow releasing memory drip, the ciggies tasted awful and I can 100% state that I DID NOT enjoy them!
So for now, its a long drip down the imaginary snake, from 25 days to just about 11 hours (started the app from start of work this morning). Hopefully there is a ladder round the corner and I can win this game of snakes and ladders on the way to being smoke free.
So, in summary, a lesson learned. Cigarettes taste awful, and you will regret having one. I actually think I'm glad I had the experience last night, so that I know I don't ever want another one again.
Cheers.
Russ
It was probably the biggest party ever held in the squadron bar. Everyone was there and the beer was in full flow. So the setting was set, and to be honest with you all I ended up having 3 or 4 ciggies over the course of the night.
Today, not one craving, and not generally bothered, and as my memory slowly reveals the events of last night as if I've been connected to a slow releasing memory drip, the ciggies tasted awful and I can 100% state that I DID NOT enjoy them!
So for now, its a long drip down the imaginary snake, from 25 days to just about 11 hours (started the app from start of work this morning). Hopefully there is a ladder round the corner and I can win this game of snakes and ladders on the way to being smoke free.
So, in summary, a lesson learned. Cigarettes taste awful, and you will regret having one. I actually think I'm glad I had the experience last night, so that I know I don't ever want another one again.
Cheers.
Russ
Wednesday 30 November 2011
Day 25 and I'm feeling blue :(
Damn Man Flu!
Haven't been running for a week. My throat batters, my head aches, and to top it off, I have to attend some of the lads' leaving do tomorrow!!!
I'm missing the running, but hopefully I'll be out and about at the weekend and get myself back into it.
Well still no fags, and still no cravings. Tomorrows drinking session will be a challenge, but bring it on I say!
Later Peeps.
Haven't been running for a week. My throat batters, my head aches, and to top it off, I have to attend some of the lads' leaving do tomorrow!!!
I'm missing the running, but hopefully I'll be out and about at the weekend and get myself back into it.
Well still no fags, and still no cravings. Tomorrows drinking session will be a challenge, but bring it on I say!
Later Peeps.
Saturday 26 November 2011
End of Week 3....
So it's the end of week 3, the apparent 'attempt destroyer' and allegedly the hardest week of the campaign. To me it was nothing, I really can't believe how easy it has been on this occasion.
There is a few problems involved. I don't know how long they will last, or how to stop them, but I'm sure I can overcome/get rid of them.
The first one is the taste in my mouth. It is absolutely foul! Comparable to the morning after smoking 20 ciggies on a night out! Now I'm assuming it's coming up from my lungs, I don't know, but it's doing my head in. On the plus side, it's a harsh reminder of what life was like constantly just over 3 weeks ago, and if my mouth always tasted like this, I must have been a horrible person to be around!
The second problem is the diet/weight gain. I think I have figured out the reason, but have yet to find the cure or manage the situation! People say weight gain is a part of the quitting process as it substituting the hand to mouth action by using food. I say that is utter bollocks!
We are all conscious of what we eat in our own way, whether we know it or not. I think until I am not actively thinking of not smoking, the ability to think about what I'm eating is completely on the back burner. Therefore, where will this weight gain end! I went on a 5 week diet not long before my attempt to quit smoking, and lost nearly 21 pounds. In the last 3 weeks, I have gained nearly 14 pounds. As I sit watching the X Factor (again) with my take away pizza, I am slowly working out my plan!!!
As to the running, I think my legs have finally gotten over the aches and pains from Wednesday's 10k X-Country run, so it's back to the pavements tomorrow for a 6 mile LSR, although I'll probably stop outside my house and record 5.81 miles.
Until tomorrow.
Ciao!
There is a few problems involved. I don't know how long they will last, or how to stop them, but I'm sure I can overcome/get rid of them.
The first one is the taste in my mouth. It is absolutely foul! Comparable to the morning after smoking 20 ciggies on a night out! Now I'm assuming it's coming up from my lungs, I don't know, but it's doing my head in. On the plus side, it's a harsh reminder of what life was like constantly just over 3 weeks ago, and if my mouth always tasted like this, I must have been a horrible person to be around!
The second problem is the diet/weight gain. I think I have figured out the reason, but have yet to find the cure or manage the situation! People say weight gain is a part of the quitting process as it substituting the hand to mouth action by using food. I say that is utter bollocks!
We are all conscious of what we eat in our own way, whether we know it or not. I think until I am not actively thinking of not smoking, the ability to think about what I'm eating is completely on the back burner. Therefore, where will this weight gain end! I went on a 5 week diet not long before my attempt to quit smoking, and lost nearly 21 pounds. In the last 3 weeks, I have gained nearly 14 pounds. As I sit watching the X Factor (again) with my take away pizza, I am slowly working out my plan!!!
As to the running, I think my legs have finally gotten over the aches and pains from Wednesday's 10k X-Country run, so it's back to the pavements tomorrow for a 6 mile LSR, although I'll probably stop outside my house and record 5.81 miles.
Until tomorrow.
Ciao!
Friday 25 November 2011
My First Race and The Lincolnshire Mountains!
Morning campers!
It's been a while since I last posted on here, not because I haven't wanted to, but I've been so busy at work I actually forgot about my blog. But hey ho, I'm here!
It's now day 19 or something like that of my quest to stop smoking, and I'm still going strong. It has got to the point where smoking isn't even an after thought. I just hope it stays this easy!
I had my first cross country race on Wednesday of this week. It was part of the Lincolnshire Services XC League series, and the race was a 10k off road course in Grantham.
It was a brilliant day for running. Not too hot, not too cold, and hardly any wind. It had rained a little over the last few days, but not enough to worry me.
The race started off with an air horn, and every man and his dog sped off leaving me at the tail end. Not to worry, I wasn't there to win!
The first 11 minutes went really well; Averaging a pace around 08:00 to 08:15, fast for me, but felt really good for some reason. The start of the 12 minute was the beginning of hell, and a swift reminder of why cross country is so much more difficult than road running!
As I turned a corner I was faced with a mountain! Now I may be exaggerating on this bit, but this 'mountain' was huge! It took me two minutes to get up it, with a relatively short distance climb of 100 ft! I managed to get to the top without stopping, passing a few people on the way, but my pace was suffering.
As I got to the ridge on the top of the 'mountain', I was faced with a fast downhill section. As about 90 odd people had gone before me, this was a nightmare. A rocky, muddy, and slippery trail with normal running shoes was not ideal! But alas, I got to the bottom unscathed and continued to run.
It now all started to go wrong. After the downhill section, there was a flat section of about 100 - 200 yards, followed by a 90 degree turn through a turnstile. What I saw after this was horrific! Now I mentioned the 'moutain' early on in the report, but I can tell you now, what I was faced with made that mountain look like a mole hill! This hill was muddy, twice as long as the previous uphill section and involved an increase in height of approximately 200 ft! I tried; I really did, but I wasn't getting up it without walking. My pace slowed to 18 minute miles as I struggled to even walk up the hill.
My pace suffered for a while after this with a bit of stop starting as I tried to get feeling in my legs. By this point, I was quite far back in the field, but like I said before, I was never going to even attempt to win the race, for me the taking part and the experience was enough for my Wednesday afternoon!
2.75 miles into the race, I finally got feeling back into my legs and felt good again, but knowing I still had about 3.4/3.5 miles to go, I held back on the speed, and just aimed to complete the race.
The rest of the course was relatively flat, with a few ups and downs, but nothing like the first 2.5 miles! I maintained a pace of approximately 09:45 minute miles, and managed to push a bit towards the end and actually overtake someone!
I came 106th in the men's race, out of 108, but I was happy. I had done my first 10k cross country race (6.14 miles according to my garmin) in bang on 60 minutes! The crazy thing about it was the friendliness and encouragement towards the end of the race, from all those that had already finished. It was strangely surreal!
Anyways here the data:
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/29533177
Distance - 6.14 Miles
Time - 01:00:00
Mile 1 - 08:00
Mile 2 - 09:32
Mile 3 - 12:23
Mile 4 - 09:45
Mile 5 - 09:50
Mile 6 - 09:21
Last Little Bit - 01:16
Overall a great day. I'm happy with the time, and I have a gut feeling, on a dry road course, I could smash my target of 55 minutes for a 10k!
Thanks for reading my long winded race report and my latest blog update. I have the day off today! No work and no running! So, I'm off to relax for the day!
Have a good weekend!
It's been a while since I last posted on here, not because I haven't wanted to, but I've been so busy at work I actually forgot about my blog. But hey ho, I'm here!
It's now day 19 or something like that of my quest to stop smoking, and I'm still going strong. It has got to the point where smoking isn't even an after thought. I just hope it stays this easy!
I had my first cross country race on Wednesday of this week. It was part of the Lincolnshire Services XC League series, and the race was a 10k off road course in Grantham.
It was a brilliant day for running. Not too hot, not too cold, and hardly any wind. It had rained a little over the last few days, but not enough to worry me.
The race started off with an air horn, and every man and his dog sped off leaving me at the tail end. Not to worry, I wasn't there to win!
The first 11 minutes went really well; Averaging a pace around 08:00 to 08:15, fast for me, but felt really good for some reason. The start of the 12 minute was the beginning of hell, and a swift reminder of why cross country is so much more difficult than road running!
As I turned a corner I was faced with a mountain! Now I may be exaggerating on this bit, but this 'mountain' was huge! It took me two minutes to get up it, with a relatively short distance climb of 100 ft! I managed to get to the top without stopping, passing a few people on the way, but my pace was suffering.
As I got to the ridge on the top of the 'mountain', I was faced with a fast downhill section. As about 90 odd people had gone before me, this was a nightmare. A rocky, muddy, and slippery trail with normal running shoes was not ideal! But alas, I got to the bottom unscathed and continued to run.
It now all started to go wrong. After the downhill section, there was a flat section of about 100 - 200 yards, followed by a 90 degree turn through a turnstile. What I saw after this was horrific! Now I mentioned the 'moutain' early on in the report, but I can tell you now, what I was faced with made that mountain look like a mole hill! This hill was muddy, twice as long as the previous uphill section and involved an increase in height of approximately 200 ft! I tried; I really did, but I wasn't getting up it without walking. My pace slowed to 18 minute miles as I struggled to even walk up the hill.
My pace suffered for a while after this with a bit of stop starting as I tried to get feeling in my legs. By this point, I was quite far back in the field, but like I said before, I was never going to even attempt to win the race, for me the taking part and the experience was enough for my Wednesday afternoon!
2.75 miles into the race, I finally got feeling back into my legs and felt good again, but knowing I still had about 3.4/3.5 miles to go, I held back on the speed, and just aimed to complete the race.
The rest of the course was relatively flat, with a few ups and downs, but nothing like the first 2.5 miles! I maintained a pace of approximately 09:45 minute miles, and managed to push a bit towards the end and actually overtake someone!
I came 106th in the men's race, out of 108, but I was happy. I had done my first 10k cross country race (6.14 miles according to my garmin) in bang on 60 minutes! The crazy thing about it was the friendliness and encouragement towards the end of the race, from all those that had already finished. It was strangely surreal!
Anyways here the data:
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/29533177
Distance - 6.14 Miles
Time - 01:00:00
Mile 1 - 08:00
Mile 2 - 09:32
Mile 3 - 12:23
Mile 4 - 09:45
Mile 5 - 09:50
Mile 6 - 09:21
Last Little Bit - 01:16
Overall a great day. I'm happy with the time, and I have a gut feeling, on a dry road course, I could smash my target of 55 minutes for a 10k!
Thanks for reading my long winded race report and my latest blog update. I have the day off today! No work and no running! So, I'm off to relax for the day!
Have a good weekend!
Sunday 20 November 2011
Toast Sandwiches?!?!?!?!
14 Days, 336 Hours, 20160 Seconds, or 5.0400000000000005e+26 Helium Half-Lives. However its written down, I have done it!
Smoke free for 2 weeks, and it's fair to say the cravings have faded to the point I don't even notice them at the moment. So forget the celebrations and all that soppy crud, I'm gonna focus today's blog entry on the running and the diet (or lack of)!
Got up today, and thought 'sod it', if I don't go now, it will end up like yesterday, and I won't bother. So I donned my shoes, put on my watch, had a quick stretch, and headed out for a 6 mile LSR. Was aiming for 10 minute miles, but ended up with approximately a 09:54 average, a little faster than planned.
New shoes are feeling good, no rubbing and no aches, so that problem seems to have been solved by two £20 notes in Sports Direct.
I'm really starting to get into the running now, but since I started 3 or 4 weeks ago, I have gained over half a stone! I don't know if this is me substituting the ciggies for snacks, or just the general idea of, 'I'll eat what I want, cos I'm training'. For example, I saw an article in the news about the cheapest lunch idea. It was a toast sandwich, literally what the title suggests, 2 slices of buttered bread with a slice of dry toast in between. Now I thought it sounded a bit weird, and probably not to my liking, however, I was in the kitchen preparing some mince for a lasagne, when I decided to try it, and I'll be having it more often!
It was amazing! How I had never thought about it before I don't know and the possibilities are endless! I may even push the boundaries and add cheese to the mix tomorrow!
Well, best go and finish cooking this lasagne, oh and did I mention its been over 2 weeks since my last ciggy!!!!!
Laters.
Smoke free for 2 weeks, and it's fair to say the cravings have faded to the point I don't even notice them at the moment. So forget the celebrations and all that soppy crud, I'm gonna focus today's blog entry on the running and the diet (or lack of)!
Got up today, and thought 'sod it', if I don't go now, it will end up like yesterday, and I won't bother. So I donned my shoes, put on my watch, had a quick stretch, and headed out for a 6 mile LSR. Was aiming for 10 minute miles, but ended up with approximately a 09:54 average, a little faster than planned.
New shoes are feeling good, no rubbing and no aches, so that problem seems to have been solved by two £20 notes in Sports Direct.
I'm really starting to get into the running now, but since I started 3 or 4 weeks ago, I have gained over half a stone! I don't know if this is me substituting the ciggies for snacks, or just the general idea of, 'I'll eat what I want, cos I'm training'. For example, I saw an article in the news about the cheapest lunch idea. It was a toast sandwich, literally what the title suggests, 2 slices of buttered bread with a slice of dry toast in between. Now I thought it sounded a bit weird, and probably not to my liking, however, I was in the kitchen preparing some mince for a lasagne, when I decided to try it, and I'll be having it more often!
It was amazing! How I had never thought about it before I don't know and the possibilities are endless! I may even push the boundaries and add cheese to the mix tomorrow!
Well, best go and finish cooking this lasagne, oh and did I mention its been over 2 weeks since my last ciggy!!!!!
Laters.
Saturday 19 November 2011
A Moment of Sheer Laziness....
Evening campers!
I was supposed to have gone for a run today. My training schedule says I was supposed to of done a 6 mile LSR today, but that never happened. My body didn't feel up to going today. I could come up with a mixture of excuses - poor hydration, bad diet yesterday, lack of sleep, football on television; but I'll be completely honest with you all: I just couldn't be arsed!
The smoking thing is still under control. No ciggies in 13 and a half days! When I get up tomorrow its 2 weeks, but I'll save the celebration for another blog entry!
The last 2 days have been a breeze. I've been far too busy at work to even acknowledge that a craving is happening, that considering going for smoke hasn't happened. I'm getting too good for this! <¬¬ (Famous last words!).
I suppose the hardest thing about this non smoking lark is getting used to not using my hands. During periods of work its easy. As an aircraft electrical technician my hands are always doing fiddly tasks, so when I'm not actively working, it is difficult to not physically use my hands. Maybe that's why I smoked all the time, or maybe I just liked the feeling, either way it is still the hardest thing to get used to, but I'm getting there all the while.
I've just had to endure the X-Factor again. Apparently there is only a few weeks left so my Saturdays will be back to normal in no time!
So from me its good night to you all, and good bye to week 2 of non smoking!
I was supposed to have gone for a run today. My training schedule says I was supposed to of done a 6 mile LSR today, but that never happened. My body didn't feel up to going today. I could come up with a mixture of excuses - poor hydration, bad diet yesterday, lack of sleep, football on television; but I'll be completely honest with you all: I just couldn't be arsed!
The smoking thing is still under control. No ciggies in 13 and a half days! When I get up tomorrow its 2 weeks, but I'll save the celebration for another blog entry!
The last 2 days have been a breeze. I've been far too busy at work to even acknowledge that a craving is happening, that considering going for smoke hasn't happened. I'm getting too good for this! <¬¬ (Famous last words!).
I suppose the hardest thing about this non smoking lark is getting used to not using my hands. During periods of work its easy. As an aircraft electrical technician my hands are always doing fiddly tasks, so when I'm not actively working, it is difficult to not physically use my hands. Maybe that's why I smoked all the time, or maybe I just liked the feeling, either way it is still the hardest thing to get used to, but I'm getting there all the while.
I've just had to endure the X-Factor again. Apparently there is only a few weeks left so my Saturdays will be back to normal in no time!
So from me its good night to you all, and good bye to week 2 of non smoking!
Wednesday 16 November 2011
The Frustrations of A Modern Fighter........
Work has been busy as hell! There are definitely down sides to working on modern technology. The thought processes can absolutely destroy your day, but the pros far outweigh the cons. How I've managed to survive 3 full shifts at work without a tab, I will never know, the weird thing is, I've not been tempted once!
It's strange how one relatively small book can change one's outlook, and I don't mean the bible!
Well, I've managed a full 10 days of the ciggies now, and accumulated a massive saving of £56 in the process. Take off the £39.99 for a new pair of running shoes, and I suppose it can be viewed as a profit of £16.01. I more than likely won't see a penny of this, but hey ho, I know I earned it!
Managed to blag an hour off work to go do some training:
4 x 800m @ 08:20 - 08:40, with 200m recoveries @ 10:00 - 10:30
With the warm up and cool down, a total of 4.2 miles.
I'm tired now, and should probably go to bed early, but probably won't! There is far too much idiotic information to obtain from the television this time of the evening!
It's strange how one relatively small book can change one's outlook, and I don't mean the bible!
Well, I've managed a full 10 days of the ciggies now, and accumulated a massive saving of £56 in the process. Take off the £39.99 for a new pair of running shoes, and I suppose it can be viewed as a profit of £16.01. I more than likely won't see a penny of this, but hey ho, I know I earned it!
Managed to blag an hour off work to go do some training:
4 x 800m @ 08:20 - 08:40, with 200m recoveries @ 10:00 - 10:30
With the warm up and cool down, a total of 4.2 miles.
I'm tired now, and should probably go to bed early, but probably won't! There is far too much idiotic information to obtain from the television this time of the evening!
Tuesday 15 November 2011
I'm Sorry To Disappoint....
The Doubters!
Two days into a busy week at work, and I am still smoke free. I'm not saying it was easy at all, it has been far from it, but somehow, the cravings have been nearly non existant.
I also have to thank the lads at work for being so supportive. No careless offers of a cigarette or snide comments about how long I'd last. It's been quite an experience.
However, as all things in life, there is the odd doubter, who from the start questioned my ability, will power and drive to succeed in my mission to stop smoking. I say to them now....
I may have only been a non smoker for 9 Days, 9 Hours, and 48 minutes, but I am still a non smoker, I'm still going strong, and I am still fully focused on achieving my goal!
Now on to the running....
Not too much over the last 2 days. Just a 2 mile easy run on Monday at a nice and slow 00:10:00 pace before work. I say before, 04:30 in the morning actually exists! I didn't really know this for sure until I pulled up my shorts, tied my laces, and hit the tarmac.
When I got home, I was cold, but awake!
Tomorrow's run should be fun. I nice little interval session during work's time! Can't beat that!
Until then, Good Night!
Two days into a busy week at work, and I am still smoke free. I'm not saying it was easy at all, it has been far from it, but somehow, the cravings have been nearly non existant.
I also have to thank the lads at work for being so supportive. No careless offers of a cigarette or snide comments about how long I'd last. It's been quite an experience.
However, as all things in life, there is the odd doubter, who from the start questioned my ability, will power and drive to succeed in my mission to stop smoking. I say to them now....
I may have only been a non smoker for 9 Days, 9 Hours, and 48 minutes, but I am still a non smoker, I'm still going strong, and I am still fully focused on achieving my goal!
Now on to the running....
Not too much over the last 2 days. Just a 2 mile easy run on Monday at a nice and slow 00:10:00 pace before work. I say before, 04:30 in the morning actually exists! I didn't really know this for sure until I pulled up my shorts, tied my laces, and hit the tarmac.
When I got home, I was cold, but awake!
Tomorrow's run should be fun. I nice little interval session during work's time! Can't beat that!
Until then, Good Night!
Sunday 13 November 2011
A New Week, A New Era........
Well the first week is well and truly over with, and boy do I feel good! I suppose the feeling is comparable to getting over a severe hangover on a Sunday afternoon, when a Maccy's breakfast and a full fat coke didn't even dent the sides!
On a side note, I would like this opportunity to apologise to my wife and kids for their patience in dealing with the mood swings and general disgruntled nature of my attempt to stay of the ciggies. You guys are my rock, and I have dedicate this crusade to you guys as well as myself. I really do appreciate your support.
On a lighter note, I went running today and nearly damn near killed myself. I thought I'd slip my gear on and attempt the monthly 1 mile time trial challenge on the running forum. In my naive head, I thought, 'I'll do the mile, then I'll slow down a bit and smash my 2 mile PB, then if I'm feeling good, I'll go on and smash my 5k PB'. In reality, I was incredibly wrong. I had a quick stretch and a few hundred metre warm up, set up my watch (which incidentally was fully charged!), and hit the tarmac. Within quarter of a mile, I knew I wasn't doing more than 1 mile, my watch displaying an erratic pace range of 05:27 to 10:19 per mile. I completed the first half mile quickly, and knew I was going to suffer on the remainder of the time trial. Well blow me down, I was nearly dead. It literally took me fifteen minutes to regain my breath and stop coughing up crap! But 07:05 was a good result, and maybe with a bit more regulation of my pace, I can hammer my goal of 07:00 for this year.
The real training starts tomorrow, I have a training schedule ready. I'll be up at half 4 for a 2 mile easy run, then off to work, where the challenge of not smoking will be truly tested!
Well, I was hoping this entry would last the length of the X Factor, but unfortunately I have run out of things to write about and there is still ages left, so on that note, I'm off to sit through the rest of the worst karaoke night in England!
On a side note, I would like this opportunity to apologise to my wife and kids for their patience in dealing with the mood swings and general disgruntled nature of my attempt to stay of the ciggies. You guys are my rock, and I have dedicate this crusade to you guys as well as myself. I really do appreciate your support.
On a lighter note, I went running today and nearly damn near killed myself. I thought I'd slip my gear on and attempt the monthly 1 mile time trial challenge on the running forum. In my naive head, I thought, 'I'll do the mile, then I'll slow down a bit and smash my 2 mile PB, then if I'm feeling good, I'll go on and smash my 5k PB'. In reality, I was incredibly wrong. I had a quick stretch and a few hundred metre warm up, set up my watch (which incidentally was fully charged!), and hit the tarmac. Within quarter of a mile, I knew I wasn't doing more than 1 mile, my watch displaying an erratic pace range of 05:27 to 10:19 per mile. I completed the first half mile quickly, and knew I was going to suffer on the remainder of the time trial. Well blow me down, I was nearly dead. It literally took me fifteen minutes to regain my breath and stop coughing up crap! But 07:05 was a good result, and maybe with a bit more regulation of my pace, I can hammer my goal of 07:00 for this year.
The real training starts tomorrow, I have a training schedule ready. I'll be up at half 4 for a 2 mile easy run, then off to work, where the challenge of not smoking will be truly tested!
Well, I was hoping this entry would last the length of the X Factor, but unfortunately I have run out of things to write about and there is still ages left, so on that note, I'm off to sit through the rest of the worst karaoke night in England!
Saturday 12 November 2011
The first week is nearly over!
As I sit here, beer in hand, pizza en route, awaiting the start of the X Factor?!?!?!, I am reflecting on the week gone by.
The smoking - non existent, the cravings - oh my f**king god! Since Tuesday, I have had one major craving on Thursday which lasted at least 90 minutes and nearly had me ripping my own hair out. Somehow, most probably through advice on a running forum, and helpful words from my wife (eg. "Don't even think about going to that shop....." - She loves me really!), I managed to refrain from sourcing a ciggy. The one plus side of that craving, and I see this as a major moment of my first week, is that I know I can get through the worst of the cravings. If that's as bad as it's gonna get, then bring it on!
I am so pleased to say to my readers, my family, my friends, that I am still a non smoker, and I am doing it with your support and kind words. Bring on week 2!
Since Tuesday's 10k run, I've had to wait a few days to run again, so my foot could heal after realising my previous pair of running shoes were kaput to say the least. Naturally, I had to take my limping body to town and try on various pairs of shoes to find ones that fit nice and snugly.
Now, this process of buying shoes was made considerably easier by the blister on my right foot. Any shoes that were the slightest bit tight hurt like hell, which led me to buying the New Balance 765 wide running shoe. They were priced at £39.99 at Sports Direct, which made me a little bit sceptical about how they would feel running.
So today, after putting it off for 3 days, I decided enough was enough and went out for a run. Ill prepared hydration and energy wise, I thought I'd take myself out for a bit of hard interval work. I wish I didn't! The run itself, was not too bad, I did what I aimed for, up to a point. My Garmin stopped working 2.65 miles into my run, so I got in a grump and walked home!!! 28 years old and still throw a tantrum like the best 3 year old tantrum thrower in England!!!
Plan was 1 mile warm up, (800m @ 07:45 - 08:00, 200m @ 10:00-10:30 recovery - x4), 1 mile cool down.
My times:
1 mile warm up - 09:16
Interval 1 (800m) - 07:49 pace
Recovery 1 (200m) - 10:08 pace
Interval 2 (800m) - 07:59 pace
Recovery 2 (200m) - 09:54 pace
Interval 3 (0.15 mile) - 08:10 pace (watch died at this point)
Then I walked home like a spoilt child. But on the plus side, the shoes were great! No rubbing, no blisters and no aches or pains. A well recommended pair of running shoes for those who like a bit of cushioning!
Well on that note, tomorrow is the start of another week, and another run.
I'll face it with a smile on my face, a great fitting pair of running shoes, and a fully charged Garmin!!!
Its great to end the week saying - I am still a non smoker!
The smoking - non existent, the cravings - oh my f**king god! Since Tuesday, I have had one major craving on Thursday which lasted at least 90 minutes and nearly had me ripping my own hair out. Somehow, most probably through advice on a running forum, and helpful words from my wife (eg. "Don't even think about going to that shop....." - She loves me really!), I managed to refrain from sourcing a ciggy. The one plus side of that craving, and I see this as a major moment of my first week, is that I know I can get through the worst of the cravings. If that's as bad as it's gonna get, then bring it on!
I am so pleased to say to my readers, my family, my friends, that I am still a non smoker, and I am doing it with your support and kind words. Bring on week 2!
Since Tuesday's 10k run, I've had to wait a few days to run again, so my foot could heal after realising my previous pair of running shoes were kaput to say the least. Naturally, I had to take my limping body to town and try on various pairs of shoes to find ones that fit nice and snugly.
Now, this process of buying shoes was made considerably easier by the blister on my right foot. Any shoes that were the slightest bit tight hurt like hell, which led me to buying the New Balance 765 wide running shoe. They were priced at £39.99 at Sports Direct, which made me a little bit sceptical about how they would feel running.
So today, after putting it off for 3 days, I decided enough was enough and went out for a run. Ill prepared hydration and energy wise, I thought I'd take myself out for a bit of hard interval work. I wish I didn't! The run itself, was not too bad, I did what I aimed for, up to a point. My Garmin stopped working 2.65 miles into my run, so I got in a grump and walked home!!! 28 years old and still throw a tantrum like the best 3 year old tantrum thrower in England!!!
Plan was 1 mile warm up, (800m @ 07:45 - 08:00, 200m @ 10:00-10:30 recovery - x4), 1 mile cool down.
My times:
1 mile warm up - 09:16
Interval 1 (800m) - 07:49 pace
Recovery 1 (200m) - 10:08 pace
Interval 2 (800m) - 07:59 pace
Recovery 2 (200m) - 09:54 pace
Interval 3 (0.15 mile) - 08:10 pace (watch died at this point)
Then I walked home like a spoilt child. But on the plus side, the shoes were great! No rubbing, no blisters and no aches or pains. A well recommended pair of running shoes for those who like a bit of cushioning!
Well on that note, tomorrow is the start of another week, and another run.
I'll face it with a smile on my face, a great fitting pair of running shoes, and a fully charged Garmin!!!
Its great to end the week saying - I am still a non smoker!
Tuesday 8 November 2011
Day 3: Still going strong.....
09:34
Well over the 48 hour mark now, so it is technically day 3. Plan was to have a day off the running today, but the way I'm feeling, I need to get out on the road to take my mind of the ciggies. Cravings havent been to bad to be honest, but I'm in no doubt they will get stronger over the next few weeks, but hey ho, the joys of getting clean!
If I go for a run, I'll update this post, and to be honest, I'll probably update this post at some point today for a general moan about something!
11:02
Well that niggling feeling is starting to win...... that's that little niggling feeling about wanting to go for a run when you are on a rest day, not the cravings!
I still haven't decided if I will go for a run or not yet, but I did get as far as planning a 10k route, setting it as a course on my Garmin, and setting the tiny little man on my watch to run it in exactly an hour..... He will probably win, but at least I would have run 10k, and figured out how to use some of the features on my relatively new gadget! Boys and their toys!
11:55
About to get ready for that run. Finally decided that I needed to do something with my day!
Wow, OMG, I dont believe it, etc, etc, etc..........
Now I know people go on about the benefits of stopping smoking, but come on, get serious!
I just went out for a 10k training run (TO SEE IF I COULD DO THE DISTANCE), and not only did I finish it, I actually beat my target time for the year on a training run! Dont get me wrong, I'm pooped, but the benefits of 51 hours off the smokes cant be that evident already!
Breakdown:
Mile 1 - 00:08:53
Mile 2 - 00:09:05
Mile 3 - 00:09:09
Mile 4 - 00:09:23
Mile 5 - 00:08:56
Mile 6 - 00:08:32
Extra Wee Bit - 00:01:51
Total Time - 00:55:49
Avg Pace: 00:08:59 ish
That is 4 SECONDS off my target time!!!
Wooooo Hoooooo!
Sorry, therunningruss is a little excited!
Well over the 48 hour mark now, so it is technically day 3. Plan was to have a day off the running today, but the way I'm feeling, I need to get out on the road to take my mind of the ciggies. Cravings havent been to bad to be honest, but I'm in no doubt they will get stronger over the next few weeks, but hey ho, the joys of getting clean!
If I go for a run, I'll update this post, and to be honest, I'll probably update this post at some point today for a general moan about something!
11:02
Well that niggling feeling is starting to win...... that's that little niggling feeling about wanting to go for a run when you are on a rest day, not the cravings!
I still haven't decided if I will go for a run or not yet, but I did get as far as planning a 10k route, setting it as a course on my Garmin, and setting the tiny little man on my watch to run it in exactly an hour..... He will probably win, but at least I would have run 10k, and figured out how to use some of the features on my relatively new gadget! Boys and their toys!
11:55
About to get ready for that run. Finally decided that I needed to do something with my day!
Wow, OMG, I dont believe it, etc, etc, etc..........
Now I know people go on about the benefits of stopping smoking, but come on, get serious!
I just went out for a 10k training run (TO SEE IF I COULD DO THE DISTANCE), and not only did I finish it, I actually beat my target time for the year on a training run! Dont get me wrong, I'm pooped, but the benefits of 51 hours off the smokes cant be that evident already!
Breakdown:
Mile 1 - 00:08:53
Mile 2 - 00:09:05
Mile 3 - 00:09:09
Mile 4 - 00:09:23
Mile 5 - 00:08:56
Mile 6 - 00:08:32
Extra Wee Bit - 00:01:51
Total Time - 00:55:49
Avg Pace: 00:08:59 ish
That is 4 SECONDS off my target time!!!
Wooooo Hoooooo!
Sorry, therunningruss is a little excited!
Monday 7 November 2011
24 Hours In And Feeling Good!
So, woke up this morning with not even the slightest urge to have a smoke. Made myself some egg on toast and a brew, then took the little 'un to school, then made the first mistake of the day...... went for a run.
I learnt a few things today....
1. Just because you have quit smoking for the last 24 hours, does not give you super human power and speed! Trying to run at a 07:30 is stupidity, especially when you can't run a 07:30 pace!
2. Running less than half hour after eating egg on toast is a bad idea and your run is doomed from the start! Chronic stich after 2 miles. Tasted nice though.
3. All dogs should be kept on leads! I'm not a great fan of big dogs, unless I know them well. About a mile into today's run I was surrounded by two massive dogs which in turn made me freeze. By the time the owner had rounded up her herd, my legs had gotten stiff and setting off again was a struggle.
Anyway, I planned to do 5k today and only achieved 2.28 miles - legs were stiff, got a stich, etc, etc...
1st mile - 07:48
2nd mile - 09:15, but I was stationary for 24 seconds due to horrible dogs according to garmin..
Altogether managed 2.28 miles in 19:36, avg pace 08:36.
Lets hope Wednesday's run is better. Aiming for a slow paced 10k.
Thanks for reading.
Russ
I learnt a few things today....
1. Just because you have quit smoking for the last 24 hours, does not give you super human power and speed! Trying to run at a 07:30 is stupidity, especially when you can't run a 07:30 pace!
2. Running less than half hour after eating egg on toast is a bad idea and your run is doomed from the start! Chronic stich after 2 miles. Tasted nice though.
3. All dogs should be kept on leads! I'm not a great fan of big dogs, unless I know them well. About a mile into today's run I was surrounded by two massive dogs which in turn made me freeze. By the time the owner had rounded up her herd, my legs had gotten stiff and setting off again was a struggle.
Anyway, I planned to do 5k today and only achieved 2.28 miles - legs were stiff, got a stich, etc, etc...
1st mile - 07:48
2nd mile - 09:15, but I was stationary for 24 seconds due to horrible dogs according to garmin..
Altogether managed 2.28 miles in 19:36, avg pace 08:36.
Lets hope Wednesday's run is better. Aiming for a slow paced 10k.
Thanks for reading.
Russ
Sunday 6 November 2011
My 2011 Running Goals
There is only 55 days left of 2011, but goals are an important part of any training.
So here are my goals for the rest of 2011, and my progress in these goals so far.....
1 Mile: Target: 00:07:00; Not yet attempted;
5k: Target: 00:25:00; 26:51 (28/10/11); Time to shave off: 01:51
5 Mile: Target: 00:43:00; 47:26 (02/11/11); Time to shave off: 04:26
10k: Target: 00:55:53; Not yet attempted;
I have started small for this year, as I am only just coming back into training, but I am also already thinking of future long term goals, and goals for 2012.
Thanks for spending the time reading my blog, and feel free to comment!
Russ
I AM A NON SMOKER!
So here are my goals for the rest of 2011, and my progress in these goals so far.....
1 Mile: Target: 00:07:00; Not yet attempted;
5k: Target: 00:25:00; 26:51 (28/10/11); Time to shave off: 01:51
5 Mile: Target: 00:43:00; 47:26 (02/11/11); Time to shave off: 04:26
10k: Target: 00:55:53; Not yet attempted;
I have started small for this year, as I am only just coming back into training, but I am also already thinking of future long term goals, and goals for 2012.
Thanks for spending the time reading my blog, and feel free to comment!
Russ
I AM A NON SMOKER!
I AM A NON SMOKER.....
At 08:55 this morning, (6th November, 2011), I lit my final cigarette. By 09:00 my final cigarette was finished. I am now a non smoker.
A powerful statement to make I know, but having read Allen Carr's 'Easy way to stop smoking', I am full of confidence that I can finally kick this addiction.
Having tried many times in the past to quit smoking, I have never felt the confidence that I will actually succeed that I currently have. I'm not saying it is going to be easy, that would be foolish of me, but I can 100% say I am quietly confident that I will not smoke again.
I have set myself many running goals, and targeted some future running events so I have things in life to look forward to.
It's going to be a great challenge, but I am confident in the fact that...
I AM A NON SMOKER!
A powerful statement to make I know, but having read Allen Carr's 'Easy way to stop smoking', I am full of confidence that I can finally kick this addiction.
Having tried many times in the past to quit smoking, I have never felt the confidence that I will actually succeed that I currently have. I'm not saying it is going to be easy, that would be foolish of me, but I can 100% say I am quietly confident that I will not smoke again.
I have set myself many running goals, and targeted some future running events so I have things in life to look forward to.
It's going to be a great challenge, but I am confident in the fact that...
I AM A NON SMOKER!
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