I will not despair but ...

when I stepped on the scales this morning the numbers moved in the wrong direction and I am back to square one!  ARGHHHHHH!  

However, when I analyse the week I have had it really doesn't suprise me since I have eaten more than my body weight in cake, biscuits and junk washed down by copious amounts of the alcoholic stuff.  I had been hoping the increase in exercise would counteract this but evidently not! I could try and blame dodgy scales, hormones, fluid retension, lack of sleep blar blar blar for putting on weight but I won't because I know it's all due to pigerism! 

Oh well, so I have fallen off the wagon, I am going to pick myself up, dust myself down and get back on it!  This week I am going to try a different tack and keep a food and drink diary and hopefully shame myself into healthy living! I will leave blogging my food diary until I REALLY need to shame myself into healthy eating!

However, on a positive note the scales may have gone up but the numbers on the tape measure have mericulously come down!  I have lost half an inch off my waist, half an inch off my hips and half an inch off my thighs so the exercise is obviously doing some good!

It has been bitterly cold here today with horrendous winds. It has snowed all day but it has been that unpleasant "wet snow" which doesn't stick! However, after spending 2 playground duties and a dog walk outside I decided I had had enough of being cold and opted out of an outside run! Instead I managed a very short effort on the Treadmill, a pathetic 1.88 miles to go with the 0.81 dog walk miles. I decided to have an easy night in the hope that the weather will be better tomorrow and I can get outside for a proper run! After enduring my dreadmill session I did my Physio exercises too. 

Only 23 days to go until ...

Post injury miles and inch/weight loss since 9th March!

Running:  20.73 Miles

Walking:  22.37 Miles

Cycling:  27.87 Miles

Cross Trainer: 0.90 Miles

Rowing: 1.24 Miles

Swimming:

Pilate's total Time: 2 hours

Core Strength Total Time: 1 hour 36 minutes 34 seconds

Weight loss: 0 / 8 pounds

Hips: 0.5 inches

Waist: 1.5 inches

Thighs: 0.5 inches

Too tired to run ... too tired to care!

A couple of months ago I was in utter despair when I realised I would not be able to run for quite some time. Now that I am back to it, building up my miles nicely and fitness slowly it dawned on me tonight that ...

I was just too tired to run! 

So I threw off my Wonder Woman Cape and rebelled!

I WANTED to wallow on the sofa drinking coffee and stuffing my face with biscuits. I WANTED to watch crap on telly. I WANTED to go to bed and sleep! Usually I feel deprived if the weather or family life, work or injury stops me from running. But today I think the "I WILL run whatever life throws at me" me has been kidnapped and replaced with a "I DON'T WANT to run, and you can't make me" me.  

I am hoping the former "me" will be returned to earth in the very near future so I can get on with my half marathon training.

I haven't slept well for days, work is manic, my daughter is giving me grief and I think along with the additional exercise I am just exhausted.  

Going to the gym last night put more stress on my ankle than I anticipated and it has been niggling me all day. For once I am listening to my body! (any excuse really!) and I had a night off running even though it is a running day! How rebellious is that?!

I made a bargain with myself and said if I didn't run I would take the dog out for a long walk instead.  I set off with these good intentions in mind, but it was cold and windy and I was tired and before I realised it I was back home after walking less than a mile.I managed a miserly 0.75 miles which can be viewed here.

However, after surrendering to my "wallowing on the sofa" craving for a couple of hours I began to feel guilty for being lazy and not going for my run!  So instead to ease the guilt I went to a Pilate's class for some less energetic but probably more painful exercise! 

I was glad I did because I do feel better for it - both physically and mentally.  I am hoping being in a more relaxed state will help me to get a better nights sleep and I will be back and "up for it" tomorrow! 

A week today is the day I'm counting down to! 

What is happening a week today I hear you shout!  Well probably lots of exciting things for many people around the world but for me it signifies the start of the Easter Holidays!!  2 weeks off work and a Half Marathon to run!!!

Only 25 days to go until ...

Post injury miles and inch/weight loss since 9th March!

Running:  18.85 Miles

Walking:  21.56 Miles

Cycling:  27.87 Miles

Cross Trainer: 0.90 Miles

Rowing: 1.24 Miles

Swimming:

Pilate's total Time: 2 hours

Core Strength Total Time: 1 hour 36 minutes 34 seconds

Weight loss: 1.4 / 8 pounds

Hips: 0

Waist: 1 inch

Thighs: 0

Tomorrow is weigh in and measurement day -  I'm beginning to regret the wine, pizza and lack of running today!  

OH WELL, What will be will be!

hi ho hi ho it's off to the gym I go!

Today was a non-running day and the decision to go to the gym was forced upon me!  

I am a member at a "pay as you go" Gym (which evidently I don't go to very often!) and I received an email stating that if I didn't go by the end of this week I would be erased from the system and I would then have to undergo another induction process (at a cost!) to recommence my membership. 

So, for purely monetary reasons I found myself at the gym tonight. 

As this was a prescribed non-running day I didn't want to go on the treadmill (because that's running!!) which I found very hard to resist!  Usually the treadmill is my favoured machine, but variety is the spice of life or so they say! 

I went on the rowing machine for 10 minutes and rowed 1.24 miles (not exactly across the channel, more across a paddling pool!). After this I went on the cross trainer as a good alternative to pounding the treadmill and I thought it was a good low impact exercise for my ankle (wrong!). 

I set a 30 minute program on it but only managed to do 15 minutes (a pathetic 0.90 miles) before my ankle started to grumble.  Not wanting to risk any set-backs I immediately stopped and opted for the stationary bike instead! The cross trainers, bikes and treadmills are lined up in front of a glass wall which over looks the swimming pool.  Usually it's entertaining to watch all the various swimming abilities, styles, shapes and sizes in the pool, but alas tonight it was full of children having lessons! 

I managed the full 30 minute programme (and 3.73 miles) on the bike with no ill-effects, so was pleased. 

I forgot to take my head phones with me tonight so I ended up music-less (except for the dodgy choice of music played over the speakers!) and noticed (I don't normally hear as I'm deafening myself with my own music through headphones) how many beeps, bleeps and pips occur from all the various machines either finishing programmes, changing speeds or changing intensity etc. I felt like I was surrounded by an invasion of micro-waves! I wanted to yell "WILL YOU STOP BEEPING!"

At least I am now free to avoid the Gym for a while again until I receive another threat!! I must admit I did actually quite enjoy the experience! 

As well as the Gym experience I have also been on several short walks - all these miles count and add up to a grand total of 3.15 miles.

Miles = Smiles!

Only 26 days to go until ...

Post injury miles and inch/weight loss since 9th March!

Running:  18.85 Miles

Walking:  20.81 Miles

Cycling:  27.87 Miles

Cross Trainer: 0.90 Miles

Rowing: 1.24 Miles

Swimming:

Pilate's total Time: 1 hour

Core Strength Total Time: 1 hour 36 minutes 34 seconds

Weight loss: 1.4 / 8 pounds

Hips: 0

Waist: 1 inch

Thighs: 0

Upping the Miles!

Yesterday was a non-running day and I opted for a 30 minute "Spinervals" session on the Turbo Trainer. This felt like a hard session but I think this was because the main part was done in a harder gear than the previous sessions! My legs moaned and my heart groaned but we pulled through it together!! I had cycled 7.01miles by the finish, but I'm sure it had recorded incorrectly and it was really 70.1 miles! 

After this I did the Core Challenge (although I am officially finished) and managed my fastest ever time at 10 minutes 25 seconds!! WHOOP WHOOP. I finished off by doing my ankle exercises prescribed by the Physio (He, who must be obeyed!). After all this exercise I had a shower, got ready and went to a Pampered Chef Cooking Party, where I proceeded to undo all my good work by knocking back a few too many wines!! Shocking behaviour - especially on a school night but good fun!

Today was a running day with a prescribed distance of 5 miles.  I felt a bit daunted at this distance but was determined to do it!  I set off and felt fantastic for the first 3 miles! I finally felt I had rediscovered the joy of running and that I wasn't going to have a heart attack! However, this feeling didn't last and I had the "I'm going to die" feeling for the last 2 miles!  I felt exhausted and I'm sure someone must have been running behind me pulling me back as I really didn't feel I was covering any ground! 

I was delighted to have made it home without stopping or walking and even more pleased with the fact I had covered 5.39 miles at an average pace of 9:51 minute miles. You can view this run here.  

When I got back I did my ankle exercises. Although I felt tired and unfit the best thing is I had absolutely NO PAIN from my ankle.Things are slowly beginning to come back together!

I am really pleased with how far I have progressed - this time 2 weeks ago I was running 1.25 miles and didn't feel I had much hope of increasing this distance anytime soon! Amazing what can be done with a little determination and lots of ice!

As well as my running miles I have 1.18 walking miles to add to my total.

Only 27 days to go until ...

Post injury miles and inch/weight loss since 9th March!

Running:  18.85 Miles

Walking:  17.66 Miles

Cycling: 24.14 Miles

Swimming:

Pilate's total Time: 1 hour

Core Strength Total Time: 1 hour 36 minutes 34 seconds

Weight loss: 1.4 / 8 pounds

Hips: 0

Waist: 1 inch

Thighs: 0