running | Anna Bright designs

Tag Archives: running

04/07

little

A little update on my running progress, for those of you who are interested.

I started running in January this year, following the brilliant Couch to 5k plan. I can’t recommend this plan highly enough if you are a non-runner who wants to start. In May I took part in the the Race for Life 5k, and since then I have been gradually increasing how much running I do each week.

I am currently running 3-4 times a week:

Once a week I do a long, slow run, that I have made a bit longer each time. Last week, for the first time, I ran a full 10K, a feat that I am proud to say I repeated yesterday. My aim is to keep this distance but try and increase the speed.
One run a week is faster, but shorter (about 3k, in about 20 minutes). This is the one I find hardest to do!
Once a week I do interval training in the gym, which consists of sprinting for 60-90 seconds and then walking for 90 seconds. I repeat this 8 times.
The fourth run, when we can, is with my new running buddy, and is definitely the most fun – chatting makes the time go so much more quickly!

And the little group of beanie babies in the photo? I came across them yesterday morning running in a deserted park at 6.30 in the morning. They looked so cute that I just had to stop and photograph them!

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09/05

results…

… of the Race for Life:

The Iknit team of which I was a part have raised over £3,700 for Cancer Research. Thank you so much to everybody who donated to this cause.
It was lovely finally to put faces to some familiar names!
I managed to achieve my target of running the whole 5k without stopping to walk at all. Hooray!
I also achieved my fastest time so far: 36 minutes. (Technically I crossed the finish line at 38 minutes, but didn’t get over the start until 2 minutes were already on the clock. Just saying.)
This might just be the next one…

… of the Yarn Raffle:

Steve pulled two names out of the hat to see who would win the yarn.
Heather B – you have won 1 skein of Sundara Fingering Silky Merino.
Shelley G – you have won the Posh Yarn Charlotte.
If you both drop me a line with your addresses I will get your prizes sent off to you!

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02/05

deer!

My local park is one of London’s Royal Parks, and is home to more than three hundred deer. The deer were brought in when Henry VIII moved into the neighbouring Hampton Court Palace, turning it into Henry’s backdoor hunting ground.

The deer are amazingly tame. Yesterday, I was in the park on a perfect Spring day, and there were deer everywhere, wandering around amongst the people and dogs. It was truly picturesque.

Hope you’re having a good weekend too!

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09/02

steps forward, back, forward, a milestone and a leap of faith…

Last year, I signed up for the Sock(topus) Sock Club. It’s the first sock club I’ve joined, and I have been looking forward to experimenting with new yarns and patterns. The first package came a couple of weeks ago, complete with some deliciously minty feet-pampering products.

The pattern is Om Shanti Bed Socks, and the yarn, Chameleon Colorworks Evolution, is fabulously girlie and pink. You may recall that I’m a bit anal when it comes to variegated yarns – I get bothered by the unpredictability of how the colours knit up. However, I do like variegated socks when they are contrasted with plain heels and toes, so I cast these on with white toes.

Steps forward, back, forward

All was going well at first. I decided to knit both socks at once on two circular needles to avoid second sock syndrome, but after a while I realised that one sock was significantly bigger than the other. It turns out that one skein of yarn was actually quite a bit thicker than the other. But, all is now well. Alice from S0cktopus has graciously sent me another skein of thinner yarn, so now I can start the second sock again.

A milestone

I mentioned a while ago that I was following the Couch to 5k running programme. Well, on Saturday I reached a milestone that I am really proud of – I ran for twenty minutes without stopping! To put this in perspective, in December I could not run for more than one minute, and even that made me feel like my lungs would burst. Yay me!

A leap of faith

I have joined Iknit London‘s team to run a 5k Race for Life in Battersea Park in May. It feels pretty scary to commit to doing something like this, but I’m sure that by then I will be able to run at least 5k. At least, I hope so!

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