My confession

I confess that today didn’t start quite as I had planned. I could lie but I am officially the world’s worst liar and always have a guilty conscious, so the truth it is. After writing last night’s post I carried on reading ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ on my Kindle and I just could not put it down. If you haven’t read it, you must. It takes a while to get in to but then it grabs you and just doesn’t let go. I ended up collapsing into bed at just after 3am. Not ideal, as I was due to be up at 7:30 to do parkrun as I mentioned in last night’s post.

My alarm did go off and I even got out of bed but I felt absolutely shattered. 17 days of exercise is definitely having an effect. I made a deal with myself that I would give the 5k parkrun a miss but I would definitely do my 6.5k loop after I had the chance to have a little more sleep. I went back to sleep and woke up at 10am feeling so much more refreshed and ready to go but I still had that guilty feeling  in the pit of my stomach. I pottered around, had breakfast, watched Saturday kitchen and then made a few family phone calls before pulling on my running gear.

Running along the river on a really windy day with rubbish music on your I-pod is bloody hard. The first half of my run up to Hammersmith Bridge was really tough. I crossed the river and although I was now running into the wind, which made running even tougher, my playlist had improved and a few old garage classics got me going. Although I was tired and my calf was still giving me pain I kept going and  I completed my 6.5k route in under 40 minutes. Definitely no athlete  but I'm pleased with my progress.

I’d made my mind up that I was going to have a good day after a little bit of a morning wobble so we headed to the gym. I spent 45 minutes focusing on core-strength exercises, free weights to strengthen my arms and then rolled around on a swiss ball for a bit.  I did 50 press-ups, 120 sit-ups and a few planks until I was shaking violently. I still had more left in me so I changed into my swimsuit and did 40 lengths before flopping into the sauna with an intensive hair treatment on. I was hot because I was sweating profusely in a sauna but I had that glowing, warm feeling of achievement inside. No matter how tough it is when you are training the great feeling of achievement you get when you finish cancels the bad feeling out.

Although I’m tired, I have been buzzing round the house all afternoon. Exercise, though it does hurt sometimes, definitely makes you feel good! Cleaning the kitchen and preparing dinner I was jigging round listening to Radio 1 Extra having a little party all of my own. I ran Jon a bath as he was a little worse for wear after hockey this morning and I think my hyper mode was making him dizzy.

 I’m confident that I redeemed myself today after failing miserably first thing ( So that means no need for hail Mary’s) but there is no risk of me missing parkrun next week. I have rounded up a few of the #TeamBangsontheRun ladies that live in London and we are doing the Richmond Park 5k next Saturday morning. @gemmakgraham and @alexandravasey have it in their diaries. Does anybody else fancy joining us? Check out http://www.parkrun.com/  to find out more info. It really is such a great organisation.

If you don’t want to join us in running then why not support us in another way. As you can see from my blog entries, I am really making an effort, as are the other girls in the team.  I am committed to completing the Paris Half mara and I am also committed to achieving our fundraising target of £10,000. We have raised lots of money so far and really are extremely grateful to all those that have donated but we would be even more grateful if those of you that haven’t managed to could consider making a donation. www.justgiving.com/teambangsontherun The donations, no matter how small, really help to motivate me and the rest of the TeamBangs girls. If you want to keep up with some of the other girls on the team that are training hard then check out their blogs. Both Gemma and Kaye are taking part in #Janathon and have been logging their exercise on a daily basis. http://www.kayesweeswee.blogspot.com/  and http://www.junglegg.com/  . Have a little nose and see just how well they are doing. Come on, you know want to sponsor us!

I’m off to finish my book now and as there is only 13% to go  so my Kindle tells me), there is little risk of reading until the early hours to give me an excuse to miss tomorrow’s long run. Damn!

How Friday's change.

What a week! I’ve worked hard and trained hard and was looking forward to a quiet night in with my sofa tonight… once I’d been to the gym. How times change! Friday was always the night that I would start with a few cheeky vinos at work and then continue on through the night but not at the moment, this lady is in training for the Paris Half Marathon. She is also on day 14 of Janathon and is feeling a little bit tender.

 Tomorrow is Park run day and I really want to go, especially as my leg stopped me running last weekend. I headed to the gym tonight with the intention of a gentle run and a wallowing session in the pool and sauna. My plans were scuppered when I realised that my freshly washed costume was still resting on the radiator. Up to the gym I went while Jon went to chill out in the Jacuzzi and yes I was green with envy.

I was really stroppy when I realised there was going to be no pampering reward for me tonight but I actually had a really great session and enjoyed myself. I didn’t want to run too far so instead I upped the pace and ran 3.5k in less than 20 minutes which for me is an achievement. I know it’s not fast in comparison to other runners but it’s all about me pushing myself and push myself I did.  My leg is still niggling me though and a sports massage is definitely in need.

I then went on to do a whole range of things that hurt a lot and made me pull really ugly faces; 50 press-ups, loads of sit-ups, planks, lunges, squats and various moves with free weights, all of which made me shake violently by the end. I could really feel that I have started to improve tonight and that makes me feel good. I’m crossing my fingers that my leg will hold out tomorrow now so that I can smash my Park Run time.  Just a short post tonight as I really need a rest but I promise that I will put lots of time and effort into tomorrow’s post and I will even write it before 10pm.

Swim Style

I opted for swimming tonight and it got me thinking about a condition I suffer from. I had a fair amount of time to think as I swam 80 lengths. I’m pretty pleased with that effort considering the state I have been in today. On Janathon day 13, I am certain that this is the most uncomfortable and stiff I have been so far. I even had trouble fastening the clasp on my bra and tying the belt around my waist this morning because my arms were so sore from the boxercise.

Since I joined my new gym Roko, I haven’t had a flare up of my condition which is otherwise known as swim rage. The pool at my gym is generally fairly quiet which is just how I like it and it’s great to prevent the rage. I’m sure some of you may also suffer from the condition. It can be triggered a number of ways but I find that particular swimming types are prone to setting it off.

I attended the running show at Olympia a few weeks back and sat in on a seminar by the running school which was really very interesting. The presenter talked through running techniques and different runner types. You’ve got the bouncer that travels further up with every stride than across, then you have the walker that runs at such a slow and painful speed that they could walk faster and you have the shuffler that is pretty self-explanatory. There are many more but you get the idea.

 While swimming my lengths tonight it got me thinking about categorising swimmers in the same way. At the pool you can identify a number of different swimmer types. Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely not a good swimmer and would identify myself in the first category but here are a few that I have come across in my time..

1.The Granny ( This is me)

You will spot this person swimming in a kind of breaststroke style but you won’t find them wearing goggles and they definitely won’t be ducking their head under water with every stroke. In fact, on many occasions the granny swimmer will have completely dry hair and maybe even a full face of make-up.

2.The splasher

This swimming type will splash you even if they are three lanes away. They splash their arms and legs against the water with such force that it must hurt.  It surely can’t be an efficient way of swimming and they can contribute to swim rage if the repeatedly splash you in the face.

3.The lurker

You don’t want to share a lane with this swimmer, especially if you know you are due a bikini wax. They will always wear goggles and you never quite know where they are as they spend most of their time gliding underwater from one side of the pool to the other. In my experience most lurkers are  male.

4.The cocky professional

This person usually looks smug as they slip into the pool in their Speedo budgie smugglers. They glide through the water like a fish and just before they reach the end of the pool they glide underwater before doing some kind of funky somersault manoeuvre. They then move off swiftly in the opposite direction before you’ve even swam half a length.  They are often seen wearing silly extension flippers on their hands to confirm their swimming status and to enable them to swim even faster. Personally, I think the hand flippers are cheating.

5. The non-swimming lane blocker

One of the most likely types to cause swim rage. Whilst you are trying hard to reach the other end of the pool, this joker will get in your way and if there are more than one of them in the pool, you can guarantee they will be chatting and giggling together exactly where you want to swim.

6. The selfish swimmer

When sharing a lane, the selfish swimmer will never move over when swimming towards you. You end up with half of your body under the lane rope going one way and scraping your shoulder against the wall the other. The selfish swimmer just keeps on going, totally oblivious to you. Definite swim rage trigger point!

7. The complete show off

Everybody knows that nobody really uses butterfly stroke. Well, everybody except this guy who takes up the whole lane and splashes as he goes. Annoying!

8. The wonky back stroker

Minding their own business, chilling out doing a bit of back stroke. Head back and eyes closed, the only problem is, they are so relaxed they are totally unaware that that they are seriously veering off course and are about to crash into you.

These are just a few swimmer styles that I have come across. Are there any other swimmer types that stick out like a sore thumb at your pool?

13...unlucky for some.

This is my 13^th blog post and it’s been a number 13 kind of day where everything that could have gone wrong has. I left my house at just after 7:00 this morning with sore arms and legs from last night’s boxing and I came hobbling home at just before 9:00 after a long day at work and delays on the tube. It was the third day in a row that the email system was not working properly at work. Do you know just how annoying it is when you can’t access your email folders? Let me tell you, it is a massive pain and slows you down hugely. In all honesty a run was the last thing on my wish list tonight but a run was on my schedule so it was a run I had to do.

My boyfriend is really sporty but he hates running. I guess the effect of me running out the door has rubbed off though as I even managed to drag him along tonight. He ran with me on my regular weekday loop which is 4.75km and it was lovely to have some company but funny to have no music to run to. I was really stiff when I started and could barely lift my arms to put my sports bra on but I pushed on through and managed my 5k. Despite this niggle in my calf that just won’t go away I am actually feeling pretty good on Janathon day 12. However, speaking as a sports massage therapist I think it’s about time I sorted out a sports massage for myself before I do myself some damage.It really is a great way to keep your body in good condition and help to prevent injuries. That’s my post for tonight because my dinner is getting cold.   

Hit me baby one more time!

Tonight is going to be a short post because day 11 of Janathon is actually the 13^th day of exercise for me and I am exhausted! I opted for trying something new tonight and went along to a Boxercise class at the gym. My hands are still shaking and I can barely type.

I knew the class was going to be hardcore and I felt sick with nerves beforehand but I was keen to do something new to mix my training up. I had a bit of a killer day at work with back to back meetings all day and would have been quite happy to collapse on the sofa when I got in from work. I didn’t get a chance to eat lunch because I’d been too busy and I stupidly hadn’t eaten breakfast either so I was starving. I came home to change into my gym gear but before I shot straight back out I shovelled down a piece of toast, a go ahead snack bar and a couple of energy jelly beans designed to be used as food on long runs. I was in need of some energy to get me through.

The boxercise class lasted an hour and I was already sweating and knackered 10 minutes into the session. Halfway through I was regretting the energy snacks and was convinced I was going to be seeing them again but I managed to keep them down and make it to the end of the class with a smile on my face even though there were a few grimaces throughout. I even managed a bit of hoola action in the lounge when I got home as I enjoyed it so much last night.

I’m used to working out alone and I really enjoyed being in a group in the boxercise class. Although it was tough I think I’m going to make it a regular part of my fitness routine. I am aching in places that I didn’t know existed right now and I have a sneaking suspicion that I am going to have some difficulty with everyday tasks tomorrow. If you see a blonde girl on the Hammersmith and City or Circle line in the morning massively struggling to pick up her handbag because her arms are no longer working, it’s probably me so please offer to help me out.  I really have to go now as my eyes are closing as I am typing. See you in the same place again tomorrow to talk about Janathon day 12!

Hoola Fun

Even with a banging headache, I had every intention of heading to the gym tonight. I came in from work, exchanged my handbag for my gym bag and shot straight back out the door before I was even tempted to go anywhere near the sofa. My parents live on the way to the gym so I planned to drop a little treat off to cheer up my Mum as she’s been poorly with the flu. Leaving my bag in the car, I ran in explaining that I wasn’t going to stay but by the time the length of a football match had passed I was still there chatting away. It was now too late to go the gym. Damn! A drastic change of plan was needed to make sure I didn’t mess up on Janathon day 10.

I started doing the usual lounge rug routine of sit-ups, press-ups, a few token star jumps and lunges but it just wasn’t doing it for me tonight and then I remembered my hoola hoop. I haven’t had it out since the summer and I wasn’t entirely sure I wasn’t going to end up wrecking my lounge as I haven’t used it in here before. I bought the Hoola hoop two years ago and even did a couple of classes at the gym with it. I really liked the idea of some fun exercise but it wasn’t so fun when I met the instructor Erika and then realised that the Hoola class at 7:00 on a Tuesday morning consisted of just me and Erika. You don’t want to hear the line “Brilliant, just the two of us then. Let’s Hoola!”.

It was an hour of pure humiliation where Erika snaked her hips and I struggled to keep the hoop going. Before I’d even mastered one hoop she was throwing another round my waist.It all got pretty messy throwing hoops around in the air, over my arms and a few got flung across the hall. The arm type exercises are definitely not advisable in small living areas judging by the distance the hoop travelled. Hoola-ing did get my heart racing and despite the humiliation and giant bruises on my hips, it was pretty fun. I went to the class a few more times but it was always a private session with Erika and me, the beginner Hoola Hooper. In the end I opted for hoola-ing my way around the garden at home to avoid further humiliation when the routine’s got too complicated.  

When we moved into the flat in May, I went down on the towpath a few times to spin my hoop as we don't have a garden anymore. Me and my giant hoop got a few funny looks but I didn’t care as it got me moving which has got to be a good thing and it made me smile.

I asked my boyfriend to take some snaps mid-hoola and they are probably some of the most unflattering pictures of me I have ever seen but if they make just one more person get up off their sofa and do just a little bit of exercise this week I will be happy. Believe it or not, the shots below are the good ones. I have saved you from the others by immediately deleting.  I wouldn't put you all through that.

In case you’re interested, I didn’t wreck my lounge tonight. I stuck to keeping the hoop spinning around my waist rather than flinging over my arm to avoid the chances of any damage being caused. I think the only damage is to my street-cred after putting the photos below up on my blog.

Is it bedtime yet?

This weekend has been tiring but I have loved every minute, spending time with some of the people that I love (minus the few little episodes where my darling nieces bickered about whatever they could find to bicker about).

Yesterday was Auntie K’s PJ party with my two little nieces and after some housework the little horrors arrived. Mia (the four year old) has been counting down the days since Tuesday. My poor sister has been greeted by her every morning to be told how many days left until she was going to Auntie Karleen’s. The pressure on Jon and I to give those little girls a good time was great and children are honest little creatures. I think we did ok as Ciana ( the two year old) told her mum that Auntie Karleen is fun. Mission accomplished I think.

We started off with a lunch time feast of mini fish and chips, mini burgers and hotdogs before we embarked on a mammoth cutting and sticking session. I have been complimented via facebook on my ‘amazing cutting and sticking apparatus’ provided. Well, of course! Any excuse to buy an array of coloured feathers, glitter, wobbly eyes and furry pom poms and I’m there. Mr Maker might have a Mr Maker-mobile and a TV show but he has nothing on me. Fact!

Arts and crafts packed away and PJ’s on the next game begins. We played game after game all night and we all giggled apart from a couple of minor episodes where the girls got stroppy with each other. One minute the best of friends, the next they are declaring the classic  “you’re not coming to my party” line. In little girl speak this is pretty serious (especially as neither have a birthday for at least 3 months) but it is forgotten in minutes and before you’ve even blinked they are best cousins again.

I promised them a yummy breakfast and that is exactly what they demanded when they came bounding into our bedroom early this morning. They also reminded me how we were going to feed the ducks before their Mum’s were coming to pick them up. Moral of the story: Children remember everything that you promise!

An auntie of my word, breakfast was prepared for the two little madams and then off we went to the duck pond. As much as they loved it, I have a sneaking suspicion I may have loved it just a little bit more. Just before lunchtime, we packed their bags for the umpteenth time and off they went with their mum’s and their bag of modern artworks. I was sad to see them go but I couldn’t help but breathe an incy wincy sigh of relief. Job well done by Auntie Karleen and Uncle Jon and no cuts, bruises or tears to send them home with. Judging by how tired I felt I think this should have gone down as exercise. Talking of exercise, I gave the swim on Saturday a miss and opted for some core strength work on my lounge rug while the girls looked on and giggled. My leg was still playing up and I really don’t want to get a serious injury.

No sooner had the girls gone home, my friend Louisa was here ready for our wholesome Sunday afternoon. While the shoulder of lamb sizzled in the oven, Jon recovered on the sofa and we went off for a brisk Sunday walk to Richmond Park. I have to say, Jon is a saint. After his weekend was hi-jacked by Auntie K inviting the girls over I then go and invite my friend too. He helped out with the girls and helped cook dinner too. Thank you Jon.

What an amazing afternoon Lou and I had. I love a fresh, crisp winter’s day with bright blue sky and sparkling sunshine. We started in Richmond Park and then headed along the river to Richmond. Looking at the pictures you wouldn’t believe we were in London. It’s only when you show somebody else around that you realise how special Richmond is. No wonder the Royals used to holiday here.

We indulged in a little afternoon tea and cake at the quaint Tea Box in Richmond Town Centre. If you like your tea then this little secret find is a must-have. Every detail has been taken care of from the seriously cute teaspoons with teapot detail on the handle, the timers on the table so that you can ensure your tea is brewed to perfection, the mini tongs with hands on the end to pick up your lumps of sugar, the extremely knowledgeable staff and the treasure chest that your bill is presented to you in. Everything about Tea Box is totally adorable. www.theteabox.co.uk . If you love tea you just have to go.

A brisk walk followed as the sun set and we had to play ‘beat the gate warden’. Time flies when you’re having fun and before we knew it, there was only 20 minutes until the park gates were closing and my car was still inside. I’m normally very sensible but Louisa has this special effect on me. She leads me astray and brings out my naughty side. We got back in the nick of time and made it home to enjoy a truly indulgent Sunday roast before Lou headed back to the faraway land of North of London.

With Lou gone there was nothing for it. I had to go out and run. After skipping both Parkrun yesterday and my scheduled long run today because of my niggling calf, I was desperate to get out and pound the pavement, even with a ton of Sunday roast and tea & cake in me.  Running gear on  and away I went with a little nervous anticipation. I felt I should include a picture of me heading out. It was tought tonight and I could have quite happily lazed about on the sofa.

Observations after Janathon day 9

·         Running after a massive Sunday roast is not a good idea. I spent most of the run tonight concentrating on keeping my food down

·         Running past restaurants when you are feeling slightly queasy following an indulgent Sunday roast is also not a good idea. The normally welcoming aromas of the delicious food nearly sent me over the edge

·         Running past a blocked drain when you are breathing heavily is definitely not a good idea especially after the above two observations. I was seriously close to chundering on tonight’s run

·         Having a blog to keep note of your training is a great distraction and gives you something to think about while you are running.

·         No matter how bad you feel on your run, that feeling of achievement you get when you finish always overrides the negative emotion

·         Tomorrow must be recycling collection day in Barnes as I had to dodge a truckload of Christmas trees on the pavement

·         Judging by the size of the Christmas trees on the pavement, there are lots of people in Barnes with way more money than me. Some of the badboys that I saw could rival the Griswold family Christmas tree in ‘ National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’.

I did my run tonight and it went better than I thought. My leg was ok while running and only really played up when I stopped, so I spent longer than normal stretching then gave it a bit of R.I.C.E treatment. I managed 100 sit-ups, 50 press-ups and 4 planks held for 20 seconds. The good news is that after mapping my run properly, I am pleased to note that the route that I have been recording as 4k is actually 4.75k. Although I didn’t manage to beat my Parkrun time this weekend or accomplish my long run, I am pleased with what I have achieved and my injury  isn't getting worse. Anyway, tomorrow is a new day.