Happy 30s Progress Update

Back at the end of October I set myself some challenges for the year and I thought that now we are a quarter of the way through the year I would check in on my progress. I set myself a mission statement and five goals. You can see the original post here.

Mission Statement

I want to live life to the full every day and appreciate everything and everyone around me. I am determined to have more fun and success in my thirties than I had in my teens and twenties combined and to do this I need to continually challenge myself, even though it may be uncomfortable at times. Whilst I will learn from the past I will not dwell on it and will concentrate on moving forward and listen to advice that others are kind enough to give me. Rather than focusing on what I haven’t achieved, I will acknowledge what I have and will be proud but not cocky. I will learn how to build on and improve my achievements so that I can be the very best I can possibly be while being supportive and encouraging to those around me. Helping my friends and family to be happy will make me happy too.

Goal 1- Shape Up

I have been taking pictures of my body as it has changed over the last few months. I’m not quite brave enough to share them yet. However, what I have realised is that since I’ve shifted the focus from weight loss on the scales to increasing fitness I have seen more dramatic results. My clothes are most definitely looser and I feel fantastic! I’m no angel and I still have treats but I am doing more exercise than I have done before. I run with @rundemcrew, I train with @Chakabars #SpartanFamily and do my homework, I’ve been trying out the Sexy In The City Bootcamp Classes and I’ve even tried a pole dancing class. Variety is most definitely the spice of life! I think I can safely say that progress so far in goal number 1 is positive and I am hoping I continue to see some more changes. When I get a little braver I may even share some pictures.  I will be doing some separate posts on the other exercise I have tried in the last few months.



Spartan Family at work



Goal 2- Run Faster

Last weekend I had the most amazing time and completed my third half marathon with my @rundemcrew family in Berlin. I had set my sights on a sub-2 time and I had every intention of going for it. I even headed way out of my comfort zone and took part in a track session. However a month ago I was massively knocked off course with some news in my personal life. To say I was shocked was an understatement. I carried on with my training but my confidence took a bit of a knock and my healthy diet went out of the window. I didn’t start eating junk food but balance was not a word that could be used to describe the fuel I was providing my body with (or lack of).

In the lead up to Berlin I did move up a group into greyhounds. I’d been threatening to do it for a while and was glad I finally plucked up the courage. It wasn’t scary at all, I managed to keep up and I really enjoyed it. In fact, I always enjoy running on a Tuesday night. I put my target time to the back of my mind and when people asked if I had a time in mind I lied and said “not really”. In all honesty, it was still there hiding away but I wanted Berlin to be a positive experience and I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself.

The whole weekend was absolutely amazing. I enjoyed spending some time alone and I loved being with friends too, both old and new. The atmosphere before the run was electric. Nike had been kind enough to provide a pre and post-race location for us to meet. Alongside  70 @rundemcrew were running crews from all around the world, including the New York Bridge Runners.  Amongst the excitement it was easy to forget we had 13 miles to run but I just knew it was going to be a good day. Throughout my training there seemed to be a trend. On the days I saw a pug on my run I had a good run. Walking up the race start, I saw this little beauty.

The lucky pug

Race day

Me and Kaye

Me and Alski

The weather was perfect long run Sunday weather; crisp, blue skies and bright sunshine. I was going to go out there and do my absolute best for myself. Not to make anybody else proud but to make myself proud. I set off and I felt great. I started my stop watch and decided I wouldn’t look until I got to 10K.The crowds were fantastic and the long flat, straight roads were just what I needed to focus. I kept my head down and concentrated on the goal, looking up occasionally to admire the amazing landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the remains of the wall or a glimpse of a fellow RDC runner which was a guaranteed boost. As I crossed the 10k marker I reached into my belt and grabbed my phone. I glanced down and I was over 57 minutes. If I had any chance at all I needed to seriously pick up my pace so I stuffed my mouth with some Haribo teddy bears and set off determined to not let anything get in my way.

 I’m not going to lie. It hurt, there were times I wanted to stop and give up but I stayed positive and thought about how hard I had worked. As I passed clocks I was continually trying to work out how I was doing and I could see the 2 hour mark slipping away. At times I wanted to slow down but even if there was only a small chance I wanted to give it to myself. I normally run with water but decided not to on this occasion because I thought it would be best to leave my hands free. As the sun beamed down I felt myself getting thirsty. Drinking out of the plastic cups was tricky and I didn’t take in enough fluid but I was conscious I didn’t want to waste time at the water stops. Most of the cups of water ended up over my head and my mouth got more gloopy with the sugary sweetness of teddy bears.

By 16k my whole body hurt. My neck and back were aching and the blisters on my feet were burning but I knew that my friend Gemma, who I ran my first half marathon with, was going to be at 17k. She is one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and she flew to Berlin for one day just to cheer us on. Amazing girl!  The thought of her at 17k kept me going and it gave me a real boost as I heard her calling out my name and smiling at me.

The gorgeous Gemma...look at that smile!

I kept going and as I glanced at the next clock I knew there was still a teeny tiny chance that I could beat my Paris time. I’m not really sure how I did it but I managed to cut 10 minutes off my Paris PB coming in at 2:01. Ok, I know it was 1 minute over my ultimate goal but I am still extremely proud. It seems to be a bit of a trend. The first time I ran a half marathon I was aiming for 2:10 and achieved 2:11. At the end of the day, it was one minute and I am still absolutely thrilled that I ran the race 10 minutes faster than my last. I have also managed to improve my Parkrun time by a total of seven minutes.  I consider Goal 2 to also be progressing well. I’m not done with this goal yet and will be frequenting the track this summer.

It feels right to mention @rundemcrew here too. Without the support of @daddydark the @rundemcrew founder and my amazing @rundemcrew friends there is no way I would have been able to achieve what I did so thank you for all of the kind words and encouragement. Just look how happy I was to cross the line.

Happy!

Look what we 'spotted' at the Brandenburg Gate

Goal 3- Swim better and faster

The less said about this the better at the moment but it is the next thing on the agenda. For those that are wondering, yes, I am terrified at the prospect of a traiathlon!

Goal 4- Run longer

I decided that 2012 would be the year I run a marathon and I now have a place in the Amsterdam marathon. This scares me but I am willing to rise to the challenge. I researched a number of races and Amsterdam felt right. It is also flat which is a definite attractive feature for me. Even more excitingly, it seems that Amsterdam is going to be the next @rundemcrew destination. The rest if the crew will be doing the half that takes place on the same day but I know there are a couple taking part in the full. When I applied Amsterdam wasn’t even a thing but the thought of an RDC cheers squad is exciting me a lot!

Goal 5- Speak even more than I do already

The German practice didn’t start until late but I did get a chance to speak quite a bit when I was there last weekend and I loved it. I love Germany  but I have to say, when I arrived late Friday night on my own, I did feel a little like a woman out of a German text book as I asked for directions at the huge Hauptbahnhof train station. Being on my own all day on Saturday forced me to speak German and I loved it. I even indulged in German TV and watched Superstar, Undercover boss and some strange breakfast TV all without subtitles and generally understood what was going on. I guess being greeted in German wherever I went (because I do look quite Deutsch) was a good thing and encouraged me to respond in German. I’m going to try and keep it up and I’m also keen to visit more places in Germany. I’m also really keen to pick up my Spanish again. I love the freedom it gives you when you learn a foreign language and it’s also great to show that you are making an effort when talking to the locals. Goal 5 is also going well but there is definite room for improvement.

I can honestly say that I have stayed true to my words in my mission statement above. I have had some serious obstacles come my way in the last few months but I have learned a lot about myself and I am a stronger woman as a result. The biggest lesson I have learnt is that in life we have a choice.  Bad things happen but it is essential to stay positive and take control to turn things around. Sometimes it is scary to stray out of your comfort zone but it will always be worth it and doing scary things opens up so many opportunities. Life is there to be lived and I know I don’t want to look back with regrets because I have been afraid.

I’m pretty pleased with my progress so far and despite a number of obstacles that have come my way, I am actually in a really good place and feel content.  I think it is a really good idea to jot down your goals as it makes it harder to back out but is also a benchmark to demonstrate just how much you have achieved. People don’t always remember to tell you when you are doing something well but if other people aren’t going to, it is especially important to stop and take a moment to acknowledge you are doing a good job. And if you’re not then there is always time to make things right. My Happy 30s challenge is well on track!

You are not welcome!

Last Tuesday I completed Janathon and I was on a huge high. This Tuesday I was ill in bed and miserable. After a three day rest from running, which I felt my body deserved, I came down with a stinker of a cold and I have still got it. As the snow began to arrive so did my high temperature, blocked sinuses, conjunctivitis and  cough. Yum!

I made it very clear that illness was not welcome in January but it is also not welcome in February, March or April. I am going to have to sit this out and wait for my body to recover and then I am going to get back out there and work twice as hard. I’m ready to hit the track and to give the hills a go too because I mean business in Berlin. I just need to listen to my body, eat healthily and wait until I’m well enough to go hard again.  

Janathon day 31: Crossing the finish line and the 100 mile mark

I made it! Last night I completed Janathon with no breaks but I just couldn’t muster enough energy to blog. I set out to exercise every day and if possible, I wanted to run every day. I managed to run 28 days out of a possible 31 and even though there were days I really didn’t want to exercise, I am really pleased that I did it.

I haven’t really experienced any negative comments on my blog before but on Monday night this comment was left.

Janathon has most definitely not been about torturing my body or being virtuous about it. For me it was about setting myself a challenge. I knew it would be tough but I wanted to prove to myself that even when things get tough, you can succeed and surprise yourself. I was so determined to succeed because I wasn’t able to complete Janathon last year.

It was also about kick starting my training for the Berlin Half Marathon on 1^st April. I want to complete the course in under 2 hours and I am prepared to work hard to achieve my goal. There are going to be days that I don’t want to train but if I’m serious I need to learn to get over that feeling and get out there no matter what.

Throughout January I ran over 100 miles and I was ecstatic that the last day of January fell on a Tuesday so that I could run my final Janathon run with my Run Dem Crew friends. I was grinning the whole way to Nike Town and back and when we arrived back to the arches at 1948, I was greeted by this. What an inspiration! I'm done with just dreaming and this year I'm willing to work hard and train for what I want to achieve.

Janathon has been great. I have had the chance to follow some really inspirational and determined people as they ran and blogged their way through the month and I have really enjoyed the group training mentality. Thank you to every single person that tweeted or posted a message of support. It may be the end of Janathon but it is only the beginning of a long road of training. I am determined to work hard and be the absolute best I can be but I am definitely looking fowarrd to a sports massage and some rest days.

Janathon days 29 & 30: One more day to go

I was planning a long run yesterday morning and I was also planning a surprise baby shower for my best friend. I decided the least stressful plan was to bake in the morning and get everything ready for the baby shower to then pick my heavily pregnant friend up at 1:30. Trying to squeeze in a long run before was just not going to work so I planned to do it in the afternoon. The baking was a success and we managed to suitably surprise the mummy to be.

By the time I got home it was late, dark and I was tired. I was still feeling sore and Janathon had really started to take its toll. I could have happily snuggled on the sofa but I wasn’t giving up this late in the day. I headed out of the door and did my 5k route. I was tired and thirsty as amongst the excitement I had managed to forget to drink but I didn’t do too badly and felt really good once I’d been for a run. However my legs were throbbing when I got home. I am really in need of a sports massage and a rest.

RDC West was starting tonight and I had set my heart on going but when I woke up this morning, I knew it wasn’t a good idea. I made a decision before I left for work and left my kit at home so that I wouldn’t be tempted. When I started my training on 1^st January I was clear that I wanted to exercise every day and I was going to try and run every day but only if my body would allow. My body needed a break tonight. I thought it was the best option to have a day off from the running and head to the pool instead so that’s what I did. I swam 40 lengths (1000m) and felt great and I’m now more excited than ever about RDC tomorrow.

I have enjoyed Janathon but if I’m being honest, I am looking forward to finishing tomorrow and having rest days. My body feels like it needs a break and so does my brain. I have managed to blog most days but there have been a couple of double whammies when I have just run out of hours in the day.  I am proud that I have managed to exercise every single day, although I swam on two days and walked on one. It still means that I have run for 27 out of 30 days so far. I am thrilled that day 31 has landed on a Tuesday and I can finish in style with my friends running by my side.

Janathon day 28: Can I call myself a runner yet?

As planned this morning I decided not to run today, but I didn’t slack off and walked 11.5km instead. 6.5km of that was with way too many shopping bags and my arms were ready to drop off when I got home. It was the first day that I haven’t changed into my kit to do my exercise and it felt strange so I’m looking forward to my long run tomorrow now. I did get the urge to just go out and run but it really is important to listen to your body. For me, Janathon has been a great way to kick start my training, but I want to stay healthy and injury free so I vowed at the start I would be sensible.

I got a pleasant surprise today when I found out that I’m in the March issue of Runner’s World magazine. A few months ago I volunteered myself as a case study for a feature on how to get your running mojo back. I sent this blog post and spoke to the journalist about how difficult I found it to get back to running once my first half marathon was complete. My solution was joining Run Dem Crew and running with friends. I never received any confirmation of when the feature was going to run so it was a good start to the weekend to hear that I made it in. I’ve always had a bit of an issue with calling myself a runner but I guess I’m a little step closer if I’m in a running magazine, right!(That’s what I’ll keep telling myself.)

Running can be solitary and although I enjoy my own company, I found running with friends to be really inspiring and motivating. It helped me to get back in the swing of things and to keep up the training too. Throughout Janathon, I think the most important thing that I have discovered is to not overthink and to just do things. The more you ponder, the more chance you will actually end up not going to the gym or out for that run. We are all different but I like the balance between running on my own and running with my friends. Agreeing to meet with friends commits you to the cause and it is much harder to back out.

We all have to get to know how we tick and what works for us individually but reading the feature in Runner's World today made me realise just how important my friends have been. Not only my friends at RDC, but my Twitter friends too. Throughout January I have received so much support and encouragement and although I am stubborn and giving up has not been an option, having so many people knowing what I have vowed to do has really helped me to knuckle down. I know it’s not over yet but I wanted to say thank you for every tweet, every comment on my blog and every word of support. Janathon day 29, I can’t wait to see you. The same goes for Janathon day 30 and Janathon day 31, I’m even more excited to see you. I think I will feel even closer to calling myself a runner if I can go out with a bang on Tuesday!

Janathon day 27: My guardian angel

After the track session on Thursday night I was feeling sore but if I was going to stay in the Janathon game on day 27, I needed to go running in the morning as I had plans for the evening. I reluctantly squeezed myself into my kit and forced myself out of the door before work. It hurt!

Whenever I am having a really tough run and I want to give up, I seem to have a little guardian angel that appears and snaps me back into reality just in time. I have seen this man in numerous different places and it’s always on days that I am struggling. On one occasion I was ready to give up in Richmond Park and I saw him and it made me determined to carry on. The same thing happened along the towpath in Putney. He has a prosthetic leg bladelike Oscar Pistorious to allow him to run as he only has one leg. I was struggling and hurting but he was looking strong and absolutely determined. He wasn’t letting his so called disability stop him as he sped past me, so I gritted my teeth and decided I wasn’t going to let my sore muscles stop me. Thank you to my running guardian angel that always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and helped me complete my short 3.5k morning run yesterday.

One thing I have learned this week is that track hurts. My muscles are more sore than they have been throughout the whole of Janathon and my legs feel tender in places that they never usually do. As for my poor glutes, sitting down and getting back up again is proving to be a challenge. I'm not giving up though, I will be seeing a track again in the next week or so.

I was originally planning to run today but I am going to see how I feel. I have a long run scheduled for tomorrow and I'm going to Run Dem Crew on both Monday and Tuesday as there is a new West crew starting this week. I want to finish Janathon in style, not in a limping mess, so it may make sense to take it a little easier today and skip my run and opt for some brisk walking instead. I will just wait and see as that little Janathon devil will probably start nagging me and I may just have to give in to the trainers.

Janathon day 25 & 26: The only way is up!

This time last year Janathon was over for me. This year I am still feeling strong and I’m looking forward to completing Janathon on a high. I have run every day except one, where I chose to swim as my leg wasn’t feeling great. I headed to the gym last night to battle with the treadmill again. My music helped a lot last time, so I opted for some loud old school tunes.

I put my headphones in and started to run but my music was quiet, so I adjusted the volume to the max. Still the volume was pretty pathetic but I kept running. Soon after, my boyfriend was tapping me on the back frantically waving his hand at me. Oh yes, it seems the reason my music was quiet was because I had pulled the headphones out and the whole gym was in for a treat with my speed garage compilation on loudspeaker. Shame!

I wanted to do 5km and wanted to improve my time. I had 27:30 in my head but I was tired and I was struggling at 1.5km. I decide 3km would be my lot but as 3km neared, another good song came on, I got an extra energy burst, so I carried on. I was making good time, so despite feeling tired I just kept going. I had to slow down a couple of times as I had severe heartburn, caused by ramming crisp bread and jalapenos down my throat whilst heading out of the door. I would definitely not recommend this. I am pleased to say, I finished my run exactly on target with a big smile on my face.

Tonight was track night and I’m not going to lie, I was scared. I did say recently though that it is good to be scared and also that I need to take my own advice more. I travelled 18 stops on the tube so that some of my lovely @rundemcrew friends could show me the ropes. I arrived and as a complete beginner I felt out of my depth but you sometimes  have to do things that are a little uncomfortable.

Everybody made me feel extremely welcome, giving me advice and helping me out during the group drill session before the track laps started. I did 3 x 400m warm up laps before the session really started. I then did 6 x 400m laps, with small walking rests in between each lap. I knew immediately that I hadn’t hydrated enough so after lap 3 I grabbed my bottle of water and felt much better. I ran at a speed that it was difficult to talk at and though it wasn’t fast compared to some of those speedy people whizzing around the track, it was faster than what I am used to. The warm down lap felt surprisingly easy after the fast laps. I'm hoping that a few mnore regualar track sessions will make my half marathin feel easy.

I finished, I survived and I was still smiling. I am determined to get quicker and I am happy to commit myself to track. I may not go all the way to Mile End every week (which really felt like Mile End on the journey home when I was ready to chew my own arm off) but I am going to venture along to my local track on the weeks  I don’t get to train with the RDC guys. It was great running with some really experienced people tonight  that were happy to share their knowledge. Thank you to @BangsandaBun and @RunUrb who encouraged me to come along and thank you to each and every person that took time out tonight to help me. Berlin Sub two hours, you will be mine!