Peggy's Blog

Posts Tagged ‘running’

So if you were to think about the most superstar, world-class middle and long distance runners, I reckon you would think of Paula Radcliffe and Haile Gebrselassie, but you’d be wrong , very very wrong. The two bestest, wooffiest and fastest runners in the world are MY MUM & DAD!!! (Of course I could kick both their arses in a race, but we will let that go for now )

My dad has been training SOOOOOO hard as he is taking part in a trail race in the Lake District on the 5th September which is a week on Sunday…. In fact, mum & I even went to surprise him the other week on one of his long runs..we laid in wait with a milky way and a big cheer….

Here I am cheering – I think he was made up:

I always go running with dad & mum in the winter as the weather is cooler and I don’t get too hot. In fact for the Manchester 10k they did in 2009, I trained with them nearly all the time - Woof Woof. You see the thing is too, my dad is a dead good runner and even when he decides not to go out running for a while, he just picks it straight back up and can run 3 miles without even catching his breath - how ace is that?!?!

Anyway, dad’s training starting informally whilst we were on holiday in Anglesey as  he went for a run around Cefni Reservoir. But, since then he has STEAMED ahead and been running 3-4 times a week and is now like woofing lightening and as fit as a fiddle (or me). He has had poorly shins and had to cut back slightly at one point, but his ice packs and human medicine has meant he is race fit again and raring to go – I love my dad I do. ♥ So I am sure all you dogbloggers will help me wish him GOOD LUCK for his race which is just over 1 week away and I just hope we can contain our excitement till then…

Before I go though, its only fair to mention that my mum has been training too for a race both her and dad are doing on October 17th. Is a 10k race at Victoria Park in Southport for Cancer Research. She has been using something called MiCoach which she discovered after seeing this advert…

She figured that if it’s good enough for Jess Ennis, then it’s good enough for her. Woof Woof. She seems to be enjoying it too, so good on ya mum!

But dogbloggers, thats enough about them two, back to me……. erm….. I’ve done nowt…..erm….. I had a sleep……twice……erm…..

Night night then. xxxxxxxx

oh dog biscuits, I nearly forgot…. if you would be so lovely as to sponsor my mum to run, I would be very grateful and would give you a very special Peggy lick and I may even give you my paw – just click on this button – thank you xxx

Hello there dogbloggers, how is your Saturday going? Pretty good I hope! I am a little tired at the moment as we have just come back from a 3.67 mile run. It was AWESOME!!!! Woof Woof. It was a brilliant mix of being on the lead and then lots of off lead running around and sniffing! Bring it on I woof. We were so pleased with ourselves, that we made a video – wanna see?

Then, as if that wasn’t enough excitement, we then had a visit from my Auntie Jenny and my two cousins Tilly & Lola. They had my den looking a messy within minutes…..
     

But it was loads of fun having them over and as you can se from the photos, I tend to just keep of of the way. Time for a zzzz I think xxx

Well dogbloggers, what an exciting day we have all had. Firstly, mum & dad went to the Chill Factore in Manchester to start Lola’s Birthday celebrations and as usual, mum took one or two photos, some of which are here:

& dad took some videos, all of which are here:

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Mum said that they all had a brilliant time at the party – Lola got a bit too cold in the snow, but she came out to play with mum, followed closely by her friend Ellie. We actually can’t believe Lola-Mai is 4 do you remember her birthday last year? How exciting – Woof Woof.

Then tonight, mum, dad and I all went on a brilliant 40 minute run… click here to see where we went

I am really tired now and declare it officially time for a zzzzzz. Night all xxx

p.s. this is where the Chill Factore is…

 

 I’m shattered! I’ve been for a run this morning with the pack. We did a huntsman loop (about 2.2 miles) and mum was dead chuffed as it’s her first time out since she injured her Achilles tendon in the summer.

Dad always attaches my lead to his belt and off we go. He says I can’t go off lead on runs as we are too near something called “the road” – which I presume is a type of bad doggy?!

Anyway, off for a zzzzz

Hello everyone, I’m back with my first post on Dog Blog for a long time. There’s been a lot going on with Peggy and her mum and I wanted to give you my view on what’s been happening.

The biggest thing this year has been my “employment” as Gill’s running coach for the Manchester 10k in May.  I’ve been running semi-regularly since 2003, and having trained for a marathon and a number of other races I decided it was time I helped Gill with her training: I just had to wait until she asked so she thought it was her idea.

I think we had about 16 weeks in total to prepare when we started and the first thing I had to do was fill Gill’s “stamina bank” with, well with stamina.  The idea of the stamina bank is that you fill it with lots of low-intensity miles, and they get your heart and other muscles ready for the harder training to follow.

The low-intensity means keeping a steady, but easy pace, and never becoming out of breath.  This helps make the heart stronger and prepares all the other muscles for the rigours of training.  Every part of your body needs to adjust to running, and this is what the stamina bank training helps with.  We also decided to take Peggy on as many training runs as we could and this has had great side effects as we’ll see later.

So, stamina bank: Has it worked?

Yes, it’s worked amazingly well.  Gill is now very fit and able to run 5 miles without getting out of breath.  This means she can still hold a conversation with me so the search for the thing that shuts up a woman continues.  Peggy can now comfortably handle 5 miles too, and over the weeks her behaviour has changed so that she is an even more calm, better behaved dog than before.

What next then?  Well, the three-times-a-week stamina bank training gives way to a combination of training runs that are designed to increase strength, speed, and the all important stamina.

Once a week is the long run.  Currently at five miles, this will be pushed to six and then seven miles before training finishes.  The long runs are all done at easy pace.  The main purpose of these runs is to train the body to withstand running for over sixty minutes and to enable it to do so comfortably.

One of my favourite running sessions is hill training.  The basics are: run up a hill for sixty seconds, jog back down, and repeat as many times as you can manage without killing yourself.  It’s an excellent session for building running strength and stamina and also mental strength.  Hill training is deceptive, because the first thirty seconds seem easy, but keeping that same pace for the last ten seconds when your legs are on fire is torture.

So, I’ll be torturing Gill most weeks from now on

The last session we’ll be doing each week is what we call a tempo/interval run.  This will consist of a 1-mile warm up at easy pace, followed by two miles at a faster pace, followed by a 1-mile warm down at easy pace.  This run is designed to train the body to run at higher speeds, but we only use short(ish) distances so as not to exhaust the body.  Over time what happens is that the easy pace on the long runs will become faster without any increase in effort, i.e. heart rate will remain the same.

We’ve done a lot of training now, so it’s about time I did a report.

Gill’s Half-term report

Attendance: Gill has not missed any training sessions yet except where the trainer (me) called them off.

Attitude: Gill has shown an excellent attitude throughout training and her perseverance through “stamina bank” training has paid off.

Effort: Gill has put in a tremendous amount of effort so far and has taken to hill training and tempo training with gusto.  She does, on occasion, lie down in the middle of the street when it all gets a bit much, but that’s because of her effort not due to a lack of it.

Overall: 9/10

I’m absolutely delighted with the training because now I know things about Gill’s running that she doesn’t know I know.

For example, I know she is capable of running 6 miles – despite not having done the distance in training yet – and will be able to do it without getting out of breath or so uncomfortable she wants to stop.

I know she has an irrational fear of hills, despite always being able to manage them and getting back to normal pace in minutes.

I know that her biggest fear is the demons in her mind, but if she could only see how she repeatedly vanquishes them on every single run she wouldn’t have the fear anymore.

And our wonderful Peggy-Dog has become such a good runner too.  The look of excitement on her face when the running shoes, waist-belt, and lead come out is lovely to see.

In fact, my new favourite thing is for the three of us to go running together.  

Onwards and upwards!

Michael (Peggy’s Dad)

Hello there! Well then, you know I said yesterday that we would be going for a run, well guess what – we didn’t go!!!!! Mum was just too tired from all the training, she has run Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this last week, so is understandably a little stiff and sleepy! 

Well anyway, we have been today and mum & I have been on the Coke and Crunchie run whilst dad went to train with Auntie Alison. Have I told you about Auntie Alison? She is running the London Marathon in a few weeks and is like a running machine – MUCH better than that Paula Radcliffe  

I am pretty tired now so I think I will go and take up my usual Sunday afternoon position next to the radiator. I always wait patiently for it to come on so I can have a sleep! 

So it’s only  a little over 8 weeks before mum & dad run the Manchester 10k  and I am going to ask all you lovely dog blog readers to sponsor mum for as little or as much as you can afford. You can either click on the just giving button on the right hand side of this post, or go to this website http://www.justgiving.com/gillibobs 

 

Thank you very much and have a very woofly day xxxx

 I am deeeeppressed….  I miss the forest My chin has been dragging the floor since we got home. Dad has taken me out for a run this afternoon, but it just wasn’t the same. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE running with dad, but there were no squizzers, just cars and pavements.

Still, it’s not all bad, I got lots of turkey from mum when she was making dad’s tea and I got to sleep next the lovely, warm radiator (which has been on for most of the day). Mum & dad are both going back to work tomorrow after we have all been off for 2 weeks together. I am going to miss them loads…  but I guess I will get lots of tickles when they come back YAY!!!

What a lovely day today, mummy & daddy took me to the forest today. Dad is doing the Derwent Water Trail Race next month so he did a 7 mile run around the white route. Mum took me around the red route which is about 3 miles. It was great and we did a video….

We both had a lovely run around and I was dead hot when I got back. I had a sleep in the car on the way home and now I am ready to go again!

I also had an exciting time last Thursday as for the first time ever, Gran and Grandad Dixon babysat for me whilst mum & dad when out for tea. I did my usual 5-minute whinge, but I was fine after that and spent the rest of the time sniffing in the garden.

Anyway, I am off now to do my stuff. Have a good one

Peggy x