I Did It !!

I did it !  I ran the 15km race yesterday morning - in 2:10.  I think I would have finished closer to 2hrs if my right foot had played along - but it didn't - it mis-behaved - so I am going back to the podiatrist on Wednesday after work to see if he can sort it out.

I was up at 4am and ready to leave by 4.30.  A said he would come with me despite me telling him to rather wait at home instead of hanging around for too many hours waiting for me to finish.  But, being my biggest supporter, he was not about to stay at home.  So he came with.  And followed me along the route there and back - not in a creepy way - just driving ahead and waiting on the side of the road to check I was OK and encourage me along.  At one point he had a bottle of water for me which was great because although the water tables were supposed to be every 2.5km - they weren't actually that well spaced.  The next time I saw him I gave him the bottle back because it was awkward running while holding a bottle and it had got me through a dry patch so that was great. 

I caught up with Kate and Rachel from Operation Move.  Zoey had left by the time I got to the start - she ran the 50km in an amazing 5:50.  Kate ran the 15km in 1:29 and Rachel finished about 2mins ahead of me.  It was lovely to meet these amazing ladies in person.

I figure that if I can run 15km, I can run a half marathon so, I am now looking at entering some more races - an 11km race in January from Riverstage called the Resolution Run, the Convicts and Wenches half marathon at the end of January and then a half marathon at the Twilight Festival around UQ in March - but this all depends on what my coach says she thinks is reasonable for me to achieve.  I was telling a friend about the races I want to enter and she has said she would like to run with me so that is great - the parts of the race that I ran with Rachel on Sunday were really good.

Some other great news is I booked our tickets to go and visit K next year.  When we facetimed her to tell her, I thought her face was going to split in half her smile was so big !!! Then the tears came in her eyes and I asked if she was sad about us coming over - she laughed and said "No Mom, they are tears of joy." (I think she is pleased she is going to see us and not have to wait until she gets home again !!!)

I don't think I will be posting again before the new year. I am so looking forward to the break over Christmas - a break from the day to day grind of going to work - a chance to sleep in - run when I want - potter around the house - work in the garden - spend time with A and my folks.  Dad has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time - so far he has managed to fight it successfully twice.  Tomorrow he is going for another PET scan and then has an appointment with the surgeon so hopefully we will have some more answers by the end of the day.

For those with great plans for Christmas - I hope that they come off for you and that you have a wonderful time.  For anyone like us, with no children at home, and no plans for Christmas - enjoy your day whatever you may land up doing - I know that we are looking forward to a really quiet day at home.

And, because it is Tuesday, it's time to join in with Jess from Essentially Jess for #IBOT.

What are your plans for Christmas ?

Do you like having big plans ?

Would you rather have a quiet day at home ?

 

 TFTD : Accept this moment, without judgement or needless worry.  Remind yourself that all is well, and that you can handle whatever comes along.

 

I Can See The Improvement

This coming Sunday at 5.30am I am going to be down at Kurrawa waiting to run 15km - yes, you read that right, 15km !!!  I hadn't realised that when I signed up that I wasn't going to get in the amount of training that I would need to be able to run 15km but I'm going to give it a try anyway.  I certainly will be walking some of the way but I have learned that there is no shame in walking - in fact, there are times when, although I have included some walking, I have actually landed up doing a faster time than when I ran the whole way.

I can see the improvements in my 5km and 7km times which is certainly encouraging.  Like Zoey says - I can't compare one run to the next because there are so many factors that will change how I run and the pace that I run but, over a period of time, I can look back and see the improvements that I've made which is what really counts (so long as I don't look all the way back to 2009 when I was running heaps faster than I am now !!)  At some point I will get back there - I'm just not there right now.

I have changed a few things - I got new running orthotics, I got new running shoes, I started using bodyglide on my feet, I got toe socks and I started to strap my knee - OK, so I changed more than a few things but at my age, I need all the help I can get when it comes to exercise !!!!  The main thing is that whatever it was that needed to be changed, has been changed and is working.

I want to thank A for his support and encouragement - there is no time that is not a good time for me to run according to him !!!  Whenever I say "I need to go for a run" - the answer is always - "Have fun" - to him, running is about having fun.  I am not quite of the same belief, I run because I like how it makes me feel, I run because I know it's good for me to exercise, I run because I want to get healthy but, at the moment, I don't run because it's fun.

I also want to thank my village - the amazing ladies at Operation Move - who are there, every step with me - who help to hold me accountable on the days I think I will get home and try to get out of running.  When I'm home from running, I go on FaceBook and let everyone know that I didn't dip out of running in favour of sitting on the couch / deck crocheting - the support and encouragement from them is just great and it certainly helps to keep me going some nights when I am plodding along the road.

A is away this week.  He has changed the division he is working in and will, in all likelihood, be spending more time away from home BUT that is OK.  I am getting used to spending time by myself - it's a pity that the time difference with K isn't more favourable because I could probably spend a lot of time chatting to her !!!  She is doing so well and is having such a great time over there.  She is certainly getting out and about and seeing the country.  I think Christmas will be a little difficult not having her around but, as parents, we have to let our children go and if it means that they live in a different country - so be it.  I think the fact that she is doing well is a testament to how we brought her up - and I will be taking some of the credit for that !!!! LOL

It's Tuesday which means it's #IBOT time with Jess at EssentiallyJess - I know that I haven't been linking in every week but sometimes life becomes more important than blogging.

Have the best day !!!

TFTD :  Your problems, weaknesses, setbacks, regrets and mistakes will teach you if you're willing to learn.  Or, they will punish you if you're not.

Another Week

This was another busy week for us starting with a meeting with one of the builders on Monday night which went really well.  All four of us liked him and he had some great suggestions for us on where we could save some money without putting up some cr*ppy little place for the old people.  We are waiting for his final quote after we made a few changes on the night.

What didn't go so well was the phone call from Council advising that, despite a meeting with them and a few phone calls to confirm overlay maps etc, the application that we submitted would result in us having to pay $19k in infrastructure charges.  This all despite the fact that we had been advised to get the size of the house/garage under 100m2 to avoid infrastructure charges !!!  This meant that we had to redo the whole application - a trying task that we finished at 11.45pm that night - and, we went to the bottom of the pile again.  That was the worst thing about it because basically now we are 12 days behind where we were and, given we are trying to get the retainer wall at the back of the house and the retainer wall for the slab built before the Christmas break, we are cutting it really fine now.  But, I'm of the opinion that things will get built when they get built and stressing about it isn't going to make them get done any quicker.

Yesterday after work I went to see my podiatrist to see if he could help with the pains I am getting in the balls of my feet when I run.  The body glide has definitely helped HEAPS with the burning but the pain has still been there.

He has recommended I get a different pair of orthotics for running because there is not enough cushioning in my current pair which are fine for every day wear (although I only really wear them in winter when I wear shoes - in summer I spend most days in thongs or barefoot in the office).  He said that I am suffering from capsulitis where the nerves and tendons on the bones of the balls of my feet are inflammed from the added pressure of running on them. I said that I knew that my weight was not helping but, at the moment, there wasn't anything that I did that was moving it so I am trying to increase my exercise to burn more calories in the hope of creating a calorie deficit which would have to result in some weight loss at some point in time.

He also said that he wouldn't recommend the running shoes that I am using as they are over correcting my problem.  I have run about 850kms in them and they will be fine for walking in - just not to run in.  He gave me the names of two pairs of shoes so I am going to see how much they cost and look into buying one of those pairs.  Hopefully I will be able to sell the second pair that I have at home (same as the original pair I bought) that I have run exactly 2km in !!!!  He also adapted my current orthotics to spread the load under the balls of my feet better so, hopefully, that will help until I get my running orthotics.

Her back yard

We got some photos this morning from K showing the first snow fall in the garden.  They did have some snow on Halloween but it melted as soon as it landed on the ground.  When I FaceTimed a little while later she had to keep changing her hand holding the phone as she doesn't have gloves and it was too cold to keep one hand out her jacket longer than about 25-30 seconds !  She said that getting gloves was the last thing she needed and then she should be set for winter.  When the wind doesn't blow she said it's amazing but when the wind blows - it goes right through you if you don't have the right clothes.

Another view

This weekend we are expecting temps in the mid to high 30s so I think we are going to spend lots of time inside with the aircon on as I doubt there will be much in the way of breezes around.  Plus, they started digging for the deck on the little veranda on Wednesday so there is sand e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e - the dogs haven't been allowed inside because they are just covered in dust and think it's great to be able to run up and down these huge sand banks.  I do hope that all that they have dug out will be used to support the floor when they do eventually throw the slab otherwise we are going to have a continual layer of dust over everything in the house which will drive me to drink quicker than you can say Jack Flash !  They are supposed to be pouring the concrete today for the foundations and the footings.  Then they have to build the supporting walls and then they can throw the slab - the quicker the better is all I can say !!

I have a 9km run planned for tonight - I hope that it will have cooled down a little by the time I leave work this afternoon !!!!

Have the best weekend !

TFTD :  Love and kindness can move mountains.  Learn to give without any reason.  Today, be someone who helps someone else look forward to tomorrow.

Things I Know

It's Friday, my favourite day of the working week and time to link in with Ann from Help I'm Stuck with the easiest linky of all because we all know 'stuff' !!!

Yesterday I finally lodged the building application - and within a couple of hours had two phone calls about things that we had answered in the wrong places !!!!  When the lady told me she was from GCCC I just started to laugh and there was just silence from the other side of the phone - I explained to her that I had called my husband once I had lodged the paperwork (all done online) and said that I was sure I was going to get more than a few calls about the application.  She just laughed and said that it was fine and she would help me through what she could.  About 5 mins later she called back to tell me about something else that I needed to change, so went back, changed that, PDF'd the files and then sent them through to her again.  I haven't heard back from her since then so I'm going with the fact that they are processing the application and they haven't just thrown it away !!!

It was my Mom's birthday yesterday and we had arranged to take my folks out for dinner but my Mom got ill earlier on in the week with chest pains and the shakes.  Apparently her kidneys are not behaving and giving her some trouble.  So we decided to take dinner around to their house to save her having to go out.  I am worried about her - especially because she tends to say "I'm fine" when she isn't.  I suppose at least my Dad is there to keep an eye on her.  The sooner we get them close to us the better.

Tomorrow night will see A and I at a hotel (not sure of it's name or exactly where it is but it's somewhere on the coast).  K won it as one of her prizes when she kicked 4/4 at the pre-game entertainment when the Suns played Collingwood earlier this year.  Unfortunately she wasn't able to use it before she left so A and I will be using it tomorrow night - it's one nights accommodation and buffet breakfast the next morning !!!

We will be skyping K tonight.  We didn't get to talk on Monday night (our normally weekly skype session) as she was having the best time in Washington DC.  She certainly has been out and about since she got over there.  Nine weeks into her stay she had been to eight states !!!!

I'm off to the knee guy after work today and then have a 5km run planned this evening.  Last run I didn't do any hills and managed so much better so I've made the decision to concede the hills ....... for now.  They will not beat me totally but I will just give them a miss until I am fitter and more able to tackle them.

Have the best weekend that you can !!

What do you know this week ?

Have you linked in ?

If you have, I'll be around to see

what you know this week.

TFTD : Go as far as you can see and you will see further.

Need To Change My Head Space

I have signed up for Far & Fast with Operation Move and got my training plan on the weekend.  I know that it is doable and I love that I am now being held accountable because, for me, accountability is what counts.  Accountability is what gets me out the door - especially in the early stages where I am trying to fake it until I make it in terms of loving what I'm doing.  Don't get me wrong - there are some days I can't wait to get home, pull on my runners and get out there but there are still too many days when I get home and force myself to get out there BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S WHAT I NEED TO DO not because I want to.

But, having been down this path before, I know that there will come a point in time when I run because I want to - as well as because I need to !!  I just need to keep going until that switch is flicked.  Once it's flicked, that's me - I'm on my way to a half marathon (well that's my goal at the moment - I'll have to wait and see how it goes)

I am used to running on the flat.  I have times in my head of how fast I ran - on the flat.  Now I am running some flat but some hills as well and I can't get my head around how slow I am.  Yes, I know I've only just started running again but I still feel that by now I should be running faster than I am.

Last night I ran - in tears - because I was just too slow.  Too slow for what - I have no idea - just too slow.  I spoke to A about it and he suggested *shock horror* running without technology - just running and either having a good run, a not so good run or even possibly a bad run.  I told him I didn't think I could do that because I use the technology to spur me on to the next km or for the next minute.  There was a post recently by the amazing Zoey about taking some ego out of your running and I think that is what I need to do - I need to get my head around the fact that I am not the same person I was when I used to run.  I am me now and I am different and I have other issues to deal with that I didn't have back then.  And that it's OK - so long as I am moving, I am making a difference to my body.

As we all know - sometimes our hearts over-rule our heads - and I really need to have my head over-rule my heart on this one.  I accept that I will never win a race - I've never expected to so that isn't a shock.  I accept that I may never run a marathon - I can't say I've ever thought I would, so that isn't a shock either.  But I won't accept that I may never run a 10km or a half marathon race - because those are my goals and, if I can get my head to over-rule my heart, I may just achieve them !!!!

Have the best day that you can !

Does your head or your heart rule you ?

What have you done to change 

which one rules ?

TFTD : Focus your conscious mind on things you desire not things you fear.  Doing so brings dreams to life.

Things I Know

I'll have to check if Ann of Help ! I'm Stuck fame is still hosting the Things I Know linky - if not, then this is just a post about things I know - otherwise I'll be linking in with her.

This week :

- I know that I am enjoying my running

- I know that while I'm not running as far or as fast as I would like, I'm slowly getting there (and I'm sure that if it wasn't for the hills I would be a lot closer !!!)

- I know that falling asleep at 7pm in front of the TV is not something that usually happens to me

- I know that getting up, showering and going to bed after above sleep, has left me feeling drugged the next morning - in fact, if I didn't know better, I would think that I had been drugged

- I know that I am SO happy it's Friday

- I know that I am so happy that the carpeting is finally finished and that it is only one set of shutters and changing the security screens that still has to happen

- I know that the council was put here to take my hard earned money and make me miserable

- I know that if you have a driveway on a plan in order to get into a property, you have to pay another $298 in order to get a licence to build the driveway

- I know that this p*sses me off because how else would you get onto the property ?

What do you know today ?

Have you linked in yet ?

Have the best weekend possible !!

TFTD :  No amount of money will make you happy if you aren't happy with yourself.

Back Running .............. Sort Of

Thank you to everyone for the condolence messages you sent.  I really appreciate them.  I am really happy that I could make my aunt's funeral and even more so that I managed to get up and speak - until the last two sentences when I sort of lost it a little and had to take a little longer than a moment to regroup and get those last two sentences out - but I did it and, for me, given how much I hate public speaking - or any speaking involving more than a group of about 5 or 6 people, I was very happy - or at least as happy as you can be at the funeral of a favourite aunt !

Going back to South Africa was an eye-opener for me as well as confirmation that, when we made the decision and left nearly 15 years ago, it was the right decision for our family.  I phoned A when we had got to where we were staying and said "If there had ever been any teeny tiny inclination about whether we made the right decision to leave - we did."  Not that there has been ANY moments when we questioned our decision but it was good to know that we had made the right decision.

I was going to post about my 4 days in SA but, out of respect for the people who still live there, I'm not.  While I loved the country when I lived there, for me, my 4 day trip was 3 days too long.  And, as much as I LOVED catching up with my 'adopted' sister and seeing friends and neighbours I haven't seen for 15-20 years, I couldn't wait to get home.  Australia is definitely my home and to those people who don't like it here, there are plenty of airports - go somewhere else - and, once you are there, maybe you will appreciate just how good we have it here.

But, back to my running.  It starts.  And stops.  And starts again.  And stops again.  And this is doing my head in.  I am a few weeks behind other ladies in our LTR group but I'm not the only one who isn't keeping up (pun intended) with everyone else.  Between the trip to SA where I thought I would go for at least 1 or 2 runs and didn't go for any, and head colds and coughs, it's not going as well as I want it to but I am committed to keep on with what I can do.  I had thought I would enter a 5km run this Sunday but, having woken up with another head cold on Saturday and, despite stuffing armmo force and cold and flu tablets down my throat, I'm still feeling yucky, I may save my $35 and enter another one after I have actually managed to keep going for 5km !!!!!!

I am loving my Garmin 220 for keeping track of what I am doing - although it would be heaps better if I could figure out exactly how it works before I start my intervals so that they are all recorded instead of only part of them being recorded !!!!  Last night I read that it could sync it to my phone so I am going to try to do that tonight - even if I don't manage to get out and run myself given I am barking worse than all the dogs in our neighbourhood put together and my chest is soooooooo sore.

I have another appointment with my hormone fairy later this week so that will be good because (a) my toche taking has been iffy at best which is probably the reason I am suffering with hot flushes, the itches and sleeping badly although, to be fair to menopause, I probably can't blame the poor sleep on it, I have been a bad sleeper for a lot longer than I have been going through menopause and (b) I have run out of medication so even on the nights I did remember to take it, I didn't have any to take.

Thankfully the renovation of the bathroom and WIR are FINISHED !!!!!  The only thing left to do in the house is - carpets in the other rooms bar the study and security screens if we decide to change those.  There is heaps that A wants to do outside but it will all depend on how much money we have available.  We think we are getting closer to finalising a builder and getting council approval for 'the little house' - I just wish there was a step by step guide somewhere about how to go about building a granny flat so we would know that before we go to council we have to get the waster management system guy in or the soil tests done etc etc.  The delays in moving forward because 'Oh, have you got XYZ or have you done ABC - no ? - oh well you need to do this or that before you come to us' is doing my head in !!!!

On that note - I am off to read other blogs joining in with Jess for #IBOT.

Have a fantastic week !

TFTD : Nobody who ever gave their very best regretted it.

Quick Post

To all those amazing people who left comments on my last post - THANK YOU !!!!!  I will try to get to answer your questions as soon as I can.

Life has got in the way of blogging and, unfortunately, after this post, life is going to get in the way again causing another lack of posts.

This evening my folks and I are flying to South Africa as my aunt died on Sunday.  While she was incredibly sick 6 years ago and spent 9 months in intensive care, she pulled through and has been doing really well.

She was admitted to hospital on Saturday with a blood infection and died early on Sunday morning.  I feel really sorry for my folks, they already had their tickets booked to go there to visit next month.  On Saturday after we got the news she had been admitted to hospital, I asked if they were going to see if they could change their tickets (without having to pay a fortune to do so) and they said they would see how she progressed.  We certainly never expected to hear that she had passed away the next day - she wasn't that sick !!!!  (or maybe that is just my brain that doesn't want to accept that she isn't here anymore.)

I am flying home on Wednesday night and my folks arrive about 10 days later.

The stresses this week of trying to get a passport renewed in quicksmart time all the while waiting to hear about funeral arrangements to ensure we get flights booked that see us arriving before the funeral has been awful.  I do want to give a whole hand of high fives to DFAT - 90mins after dropping my renewal form with them, my passport was ready.  The only thing that would have improved the service is if they had told me there was a person at the back, anxiously waiting for my paperwork to cross their desk.  Had I known that someone would pounce on my renewal and get it processed that quickly, I would have taken my folks to lunch, picked up my passport and driven back down to the coast !!

And riddle me this - why, oh why, are passport photos so awful ????????????????????????

On to happier news - my interval running is going really well.  On Tuesday night I was doing a 5min warm up, 5 x 3 min run 90 sec walk, 5 min warm down.  During the run intervals of 2, 3 and 4 - I felt like I could run forever - it was amazing.  And then I started the 5th interval and I realised that, while I would love to run forever, I still need to work a little bit harder on that.

I have packed two sets of running clothes, my runners and my Garmin because I would hate to want to run and not be able to because I don't have the right equipment !!!!  A suggested taking the charger etc for my Garmin because if my 'sister' doesn't have a 'running' watch, I could leave that with her and buy another one when I get home.  I will see what she has and whether or not she likes it.

I caught up with some beautiful people at the QT Hotel on Sunday - it was so good to meet fellow bloggers for real.  It sounds like most people had a great time at ProBlogger and certainly a lot was learned by those who attended if the tweets and FB posts are anything to go by.

I promise to be back as soon as I can !

Have the best day everyone !!

My Dad Ran 160km in 18.5hrs

This weekend saw the Kokoda Challenge take place on our door step - well just about our door step.  A saw lots of participants when he went to Masters to get what he needed to finish the railing for the party on Saturday night.

While he was gone I was thinking about exercise and what I am currently doing (nothing now that I haven't been to PT for 2 weeks because of my back) and what I have signed up to do (Learn To Run with Operation Move) and what my Dad has done w.r.t. running in his life.

He has run 10 Comrades Marathons - this is not a 42.2km marathon - this is a 90km marathon that is run every year between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.  The run from Dbn -Pmb is an up run and the run from Pmb-Dbn is a down run based on the height above sea level that the two towns are.  Of the 10 races that he ran, I think it was 3 occasions he broke 7.5hrs and so won a silver medal.  The first 5 finishers get gold medals, anyone who finishes in under 7.5hrs get silver and anyone who finishes within the alloted 11hrs gets bronze.  Not only did he run this race which is not only an endurance race that puts considerable strain on your body but managed to stay mentally sane through all the races, but he also ran the 100 Miler.  Yes, 100 miles (160km) in about 18.5hrs.   This is a completely different race because it was run around an athletics track - so, for 18.5hrs, he basically ran in circles.  If nothing else, how he managed to stay on track mentally, I have no idea and I asked him about it after dinner last night but he didn't say too much.  He said that his brother was marking off the laps and would let him know when he had reached miles stones but clearly you have to be bloody strong mentally and extremely fit to be able to run for that length of time.

Now, I am not about to go out there and try to run the Comrades, nor am I going to attempt the 100 miler, but I am going to get out there and get working on my exercise so that eventually I can be running the 10km races that I ran a few years ago.  I am going to get myself healthy and fit for when I turn the Big 50 next year.   I don't want to be over-weight and unfit heading off to my 60's !!!!

Together with cutting out sugar and increasing my exercise, you would have to think that I will achieve my goal - time will tell !!!!

Linking in with Jess from Essentially Jess because it's been to long since #IBOT !!!!!

Have the best week !

TFTD : It's much easier to love yourself when you're being yourself.

The Run That Nearly Didn't Happen

Sunday was D-Day for the Brisbane Twilight Run.  The race that I had entered so many months ago when I was really motivated and committed to a healthy me, was happening.  The main problem was, I was not the same lady who entered and I wasn't sure I wanted to do it !

We went up on Saturday (thank goodness) to collect my 'race pack' (read 'racing number, vest (which doesn't fit given my weight gain) and pages of advertising gumph') which was great because an accident along Coronation Drive on Sunday ate into the extra time that we had allowed ourselves to get there with plenty of time to spare.

We left home at 3pm for an event that was just on an hour away at 5pm.  At 4.56pm I think I made it to the starting area - I can tell you that I was not in a great frame of mind at that point !!!!!!

We had the brain wave to go via town seeing as Coronation Drive was a parking lot - what we had forgotten about was Brisbane Roar were playing at Suncorp Stadium - soooooooooooooooo the quicker way we thought we were going, was not that quick.  I don't know if it would have  been quicker to stay on Coronation Drive or not - we didn't find out.

We were apparently '5 mins - UQ is just around the corner' away when three corners later and streams of cars at each turn did nothing to slow down my heart.  A 'suggestion' (by the driver of the car) of maybe trying to go another way saw A (the driver) cop a heap of abuse from me - totally unfairly - it was my race I should have known where we had to go but because he has done so much work at the uni lately, I expected him to know what I had to be for my race !!!!

The race started and off I set - not very comfortable because I knew I hadn't done enough training and not only that, I am carrying 15kgs more than I was the last time I ran a 10km race.  There were plenty of water tables which was great.  I stopped and drank at each table - mainly to get my breath back but also because I am totally clumsy and cannot, if my life depended on it, drink out of silly little plastic cups while I am running !

Apparently I missed A the first time he saw me and was shouting to get my attention (I have tried to explain to him that when I am running there is very little that will distract me but clearly he thinks he has a greater pull for me than just 'any' distraction !!!!!!)  I did see him as I rounded the corner to go onto the bridge - mainly because there wasn't anyone close to me and he was standing on the railing, waving his arms and shouting my name !!!  That gave me a little oomph to get over the bridge.  At that point it had started to spit a little - but it was all good.

Fast forward another 2kms to just after the 4km mark - and the rain starts to come down.  By 5.5km, the wind is blowing so much I am having trouble just trying to walk into the wind, never mind trying to run into the wind.  The rain is hitting us horizontally and stinging like hell.  I spend a couple of steps trying to decide whether I can see better with my glasses on, with the rain on them or without them.  I finally decide that maybe without them is better so take them off and shove them in my bra.  They last about 6 steps in there and then I lose them - into the river that is now running along the road where we are trying very  hard to run, ankle deep in water, in the dark.  Some very kind lady behind me stops and helps me feel around for them and she eventually finds them - uncrushed thank goodness - so now I have to run the last 4kms carrying my glasses.  Not a major issue - just a pain in the jack.

At about 7km my legs felt so good, I even managed to speed up a little - well as much as you can when you are running in a river !!!  7km-9km were great !  My phone rang at 8.3km - it was A to say that the race had been called off (he forgot to mention that it was the 21km race that had been called off not the 10km as we still had to get to the end anyway) - anyway, I carried on and nearly missed him waiting at another spot along the way, cheering me on and bringing tears to my eyes (not that anyone could see thank goodness because of the rain still p*ssing down.)  At one point I wondered if the race was ever going to end - the 10km turned into 10.2km - still no end in sight (mainly because it is so bloody dark and still raining !!!) - turned into 10.4km - finally I could see the end.  Onto the athletics track and through the finish post (10.57km).  A must have sprinted from where he saw me last to the finish line as he was there as I came out the other side.

We walked up to the car and he opened the boot of the car and stood with the brolly over me to allow me to get out of my soaking wet clothes to put on the painting clothes that I had thrown into the car at the last minute before we left.  He suggested taking clothes to change into after the race, I was all "Na, can't be bothered - will just put a towel on the seat and change when I get home" - but I have been caught out a few times before when he has suggested something and I haven't done it when I should have.  So again, thank you Love for suggesting I take spare clothes to change into once the race was finished.

We left - I have no idea how long it took us to get out of the uni or to get home, when we got home I did see that A had stopped to buy some KFC, but I slept most of the way. Sleeping seems to be my most favoured past time over the past few weeks

Honestly, that man deserves a sainthood (I don't know if non-Catholics can get it but he certainly deserves it) - he has put up with the biggest amount of cr*p from me recently - the tears and the tantrums, the mood swings and the irritability, the tiredness and the weight gain, the pimples and the night sweats - he truly must love me because I have thought recently that, if I was him, I would have kicked me out already.

This is my last run until I lose this weight.  I will walk and I will cycle (only because we have entered a bloody event and I have to train for that !!) but I won't be running for a while.  The chaffing on the top of both of my arms is agonising today. 

While this wasn't the best run I have ever had, I did finish, and I wasn't last - so I was happy about that.  20 mins slower than my previous 10km run but I figured that carrying an extra 15kgs will probably do that to my time - add in the cr*ppy weather, the rivers we had to run through and the dark and I should probably be really happy that I finished at all !!!!!!

To my very dear, long suffering husband - you will never know just how important you are in my life.  I honestly don't know what I would do without you.  Your love, patience, understanding, support and strength are just amazing.  I know we promised to love each other for better or worse, in sickness and in health but I truly never imagined that I would give you the hard time that I have been giving you because of what my body is going through.  You are my rock and I love you more than words can say.

Because it is Tuesday it is time to link in with Essentially Jess for IBOT !

TFTD : I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

(PS - during the night I was lying in bed and realised that A would have to die in order to be made a saint so I think that maybe, for now, he shouldn't be made a saint, he should stay exactly as he is !!!)

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday which means that it is Thankful Thursday over with Leigh at Six By The Bay.

- I am thankful that I remembered to make some notes during the week so that I didn't have to sit here trying to remember what made me thankful over the past week !!!!

- I am thankful for the sun that shone on Saturday - what a mood lifter that was.  Unfortunately we haven't seen the sun since then except for maybe one, no at least two minutes, this morning before it went back to hide behind the clouds again :(

- I am thankful for the clients that I have had this week.  On Monday I had a 90 minute massage to do and it was just lovely.  I know that my client enjoyed it but I wonder if she enjoyed it more than I did ?  Last night after running and eating dinner I had a 60 min massage with a gentleman who has issues with his legs, and the challenge to make someone feel better is always good.  I have another hour massage to do tonight - looking forward to it after I have been to training and had dinner.

- I am thankful for the coloured pens that I bought and have been using at work - I LOVE COLOURED PENS !!!

- I am thankful that A paused the TV last night so that I could watch the last 4 overs of the Ryobi Cup Final between QLD and VIC - what an exciting finish made even better by the fact that we won by 2 runs !!!  It was an amazing finish and I was so glad our boys managed to pull it off in the end.  So, we hold the Sheffield Cup, Big Bash League and now the Ryobi Cup - go Queensland !!!!!

- I am thankful for the fact that I had made up my mind that I was going to run last night unless it was absolutely p*ssing down with rain.  I have really wanted to get out there but the weather hasn't been playing along nicely at all - in fact it's just been bloody miserable.  I got home and it was drizzling so I got changed and set off, sans glasses as I hate water on my glasses.  About 1.5km into the run it started to rain a little harder but I kept going.  It let up not long after that and 5.69km later I was back home again SOOOOO pleased that I had got out there and run.  I then planked for a minute and was ready for dinner !!!!

- I am thankful for entering events which help to keep me motivated to exercise.  I am sure that if I didn't have events in the future to work towards, it would be too easy to come up with excuses for not exercising.

- I am thankful to Lisa from Random Acts of Zen for her generosity - I smile every time I see my bell.

- I am thankful to Leigh for hosting Thankful Thursday - it truly is one of my favourite linkies !!

- My BIGGEST and BESTEST thankful for today is that I am feeling sooooooooo much better.  This past week I have had more good days than bad.  I am in a much better head space than I have been for a long time.  My weight is still an issue BUT I know that I will get on top of it when the time is right - in the meantime I am working on being kind to myself.

Have the most amazing week !

TFTD : The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.  What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly - Thomas Paine

Things I Know

Linking in with the awesome Miss Cinders from Saturday Morning Ogre Mum for what I know this week :

I know that it was probably unrealistic of me to think that because I felt so good on Sunday the medication was working and everything had turned the corner - it definitely hasn't but I'll take one or two good days a week over no good days a week !

I know that I am loving the Kettle Sweet Potato chips but at $4 for 90g they really are a little too exepnsive for me to have as often as I would like.  (Note : If any PR people from Kettle are reading this and would like to sponsor me some, that would be very well received and most appreciated !!!!)

I know that I have less than 6 weeks to fit in enough training for a 10km event.  My trainer doesn't think it will be a problem so maybe I need to listen to him.

I know that I am going to win a Personal Planner sometime soon because I have entered that many giveways my name has to come up just now.

I know that tonight we are going out to dinner with BIL and SIL and we are going to have so much fun and lots of laughs - 'cos that is what happens whenever we get together.

I know that I need to get some decent sleep this weekend - I can't keep nearly falling asleep at work because I can't sleep at night.

I know that cooler nights make going to bed more pleasant - if only I could sleep when I was in bed. Having said that, A has had his teeth sorted out (no more being married to a bogan looking guy - yay !!!) and went and had the mold (sorry this is the right spelling but it just looks so wrong !!) taken for the mandibular splint TO STOP HIS SNORING !!!! It is driving me nuts again - and that will be ready on 7th March - for this reason alone I want the next three weeks to fly.  With reference to point #3 above I hope that the next 3 weeks takes forever to go by (sometimes there is just no pleasing me - and I am taking total responsibility for that and not blaming menopause - well not this time anyway !!!)

I know that I need to get back to the no sugar mentality - I don't like what sugar, even the small amounts that I have had lately, do to me.

I know that I am not very good at keeping a gratitude journal - I need to work harder on this !!!

Have the best weekend ever and, if you haven't linked in, why not post a blog about what you know and link in with Miss Cinders ?

TFTD : Opportunities multiply as they are seized - Sun Tzu

Three Events Entered

This morning I realised - I have less than 6 weeks until the first event I have entered for the year !!!!! EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK !!!! When I entered the Brisbane Twilight 10km event - I had so much time - how come I have less than 6 weeks now ? Oh yes, that would be because I got into a rut of being lazy and didn't do any training !!!!

Well, with that realisation firmly in the front of my head, I got home from work and went for a walk/run - just to see how I would go. For a start - it was slow. I can live with that. Next it was hot. I can live with that. Then I started the poncy style of running that my physio has assured me will stop my knee pain. I can probably live with that, at a push, if it means that my knees won't be sore. What I am not sure I can live with is my calves after getting home from doing said poncy running / shuffling !! My calves are absolutely killing me. BUT, I did feel a lot lighter on my feet and less of a plodder which may be an up-side for this style of running. I am sure once I get used to this style of running my calves will be fine but how long will that take I wonder ?

I got home and did the couple of calf stretches that I know and then popped around to see my PT and ask him others he could recommend. He showed me a couple more and suggested sitting with them in the pool if the water wasn't too warm and icing them. So I did that - sat with them in the pool. Then came inside and cooked dinner and after dinner sat with ice-packs on them. Man it is killing me to walk - what am I going to be like tomorrow - and even worse, the next day when DOMS really sets in ???????????

But, I got out there and did that first run - the one that always scares the cr*p out of me for some reason - hopefully they will get better.

My BIL has invited me to join a running group that he goes to on Wednesday and Saturday morning at 6am - I can't make a Wednesday as I have to leave home by 7am to get to work and I am really not keen on an early start on a Saturday morning BUT I thought I would give it a try for a couple of weeks to see if it is worth it for me - if not, at least I will have tried.

The next event that I have entered is The Colour Run which is happening on the coast on 14th April. Judging from the photos that I have seen of the run in Sydney this past weekend - it looks like it is going to be heaps of fun. It is only 5km so I am sure that I will be fine with that given I did 4.2km tonight albeit a lot slower than I would have liked but given how long it has been since I was actually running and the change to my running style, I can't complain too much.

The third event I entered is the 50km Brisbane to the Bay cycle on 23 June. A and I had spoken about entering but didn't get around to doing anything about it. Early bird entries closed at 5pm on Friday and we missed it so we thought we would leave it for this year. Then I got an sms today to say that they had extended the early bird offer to 5pm today so I called A to see if he was still interested and he said yes and that his brother (BIL from above) may also be interested. So, I called him and he said yes - we have entered the Morris Gang team. The event is about fund raising for MS so if you are interested / connected in anyway to MS and would like to make a donation - I can send you my page link for easy access.

I don't know how long it normally takes for hormones to start working but I am starting to feel better emotionally / mentally. This weekend gone we made a start on fixing up the garden - not the project that we had planned to do - but it was good to have a look on Sunday afternoon and see what we had accomplished. Now that the emotions are starting to return to some sort of normalcy, it is time for me to concentrate on the fuel that I am putting into my body. I am not sure that I can keep to the quantity of food that Dr Maxine advised me (given I am now one of the old ladies of the tribe !!!!) but I am back to cutting out sugar, dairy and wheat and trying to eat as healthily as possible. This combined with exercise HAS to see my weight go the way it should.

This weekend I asked A to get my bigger clothes out. It broke my heart to have to do this but I have realised that I am better off wearing clothes that actually fit me and are comfortable to sit in all day rather than trying to continue to squish myself into clothes that are too small for me. The bottom line is I have put on weight - whether I like it or not - whether it was something I did or not - or, whether it is just my body doing whatever it wants to - the weight is back and I need to learn to live with it rather than continue to beat myself up over something that I can't seem to control. I am hoping that my acceptance of this will mean that it won't want to hang around any longer and bugger off to the land where fat loss goes to.

Wishing everyone a great week - if you are interested in joining me or sponsoring me in any of the above events - send me an email and I will send you the details.

As always, (OK maybe not always but at least for this year) - it is Tuesday so it is time to link in with Jess from Essentially Jess for #IBOT. Unfortunately I didn't get around to as many blogs last week as I normally do - hopefully this week I can get to more.

TFTD : The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that that situation is over, you cannot move forward.

Brisbane Twilight Run

Calling bloggers in the greater Brisbane / Gold Coast / Sunshine Coast area (and anyone inter-state if you are interested).  Are you interested in walking / running ?  Would you like to do the Brisbane Twilight Marathon ?

It is on Sunday, 24th March 2013.  Their website is here for all the details.  They have a training program as well (which starts today) so I will have a good look at that and print it off if I feel that it is something that would work in with my exercise program.

I am going to enter the 10km run - not because I can run 10kms (well not at the moment anyway) but because I want to have a goal to aim for.  I want to be training for a reason.  I want to have a purpose behind what I am doing.

I have to go to see my dr, again, about the symptoms I am exhibiting and I want to make an appointment to see a different physio about my knees.  Between the two of them and whatever I have to do, I am going to get on top of how I am feeling and, come out the other side with a healthy body and a great outlook on life.

If there is anyone interested in meeting up after the run - please let me know.  I am more than happy for you to run with me if you want but, I am warning you up front, I don't run quickly.  I did the GC 10km race in 63 mins - can I do it again ?  I have no idea.  Am I going to try to beat that time ?  Not on your life !  Why ?  Because I am not that competitive.  I just want to run because I enjoy it.  And, because there are more hills than the GC run which was completely flat - as are all the roads that I train on around my home.

Have the best day and take care !

TFTD : When you are no longer able to change a situation, you are challenged and still perfectly capable of changing yourself.

My Run !

Today I am linking in with Dorothy from Singular Insanity for Things I Know - about things I now know that I didn't know yesterday morning !  (And I am going to cheat and link this in with Team Friday at bbeingcool because I cannot get a post written that is going to be worth reading)

Anyone who has been reading this blog will know that I have been training for the C 10km race for the past couple of months.  (After talking to my Dad I learned that he used to train for 2 months for an 89km race - I trained for 2 months for a 10km race - maybe the difference in our ages when we ran said races had something to do with it !!!!  Or maybe our level of fitness before we started training - I don't know !!!)  Anyway, a back injury last week played havoc with my head as I had planned another 25-30km of training which I didn't get done and eventually I had to accept that the training I had done would have to be enough.  Everyone said that it was enough.  My brain said maybe not !!!

The weather on the Gold Coast last week left a lot to be desired - rain poured down for hours at a time, the wind blew at a million miles an hour and the cold that was felt in our home chilled me to the bone.  If this was the weather that I was going to have to run in, I wasn't sure that I was even going to bother.  So, on top of the weather issue, was the early morning issue.  I don't do early mornings.  And I definitely don't do early morning runs.  I knew this when I entered but I thought it would be OK.  It wasn't that OK - I hated going to sleep at 11pm knowing that I would be up in 4.5hrs time.  Then waking up and wondering, even though I had set two alarms, if they would work.  It messed with my mind big time !!!!

On Friday afternoon I had popped into the Salvos store to buy a throw away jumper for the morning - picked one up for $4 which I was very happy with.  Got home and we went to Charlie's to carbo load - not sure that it was totally necessary, or even whether it makes a difference or not - but we did.  And I finished my meal with a chocolate pizza - so good !!!!

At 4.30am when the alarms both went off I lay there and wondered what on earth I was thinking about ?  Who was I kidding ?  I am not a runner - why did I think I could run 10km.  I wondered whether I should just curl up under the doona and just sleep the day away ?  No such luck - Al got me up and I got dresssed, had my protein bar and half a glass of OJ to take my tablets and we set off at about 5.15am.  Got there waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to early but it did mean we got a good parking !!  Walked through and found where the start was and then did some stretching and went and waited in the starting area.  A stayed with me until about 3 mins before the start of the race so I gave him my throw away jacket with the thought that I would be able to use it for the next time I ran (holy cr*p - at that point I was already thinking about the next race I was going to run !!!!).  The starter gun went off and we started shuffling forward.  I got near the start line only to find that I couldn't switch Runkeeper on on my phone so had to step aside to sort that out.  No panic - yet !

We headed south over Sunningdale Bridge - not a lot of running happening as we were still quite close together.  A fair bit of pushing and shoving which annoyed the cr*p out of me - we are all here to run the race people - just hold on for everyone ahead of you to move !!!!   I did manage to go the whole race without getting tripped up or tripping anyone up so I thought that was a good win !

One guy pushed past me and at that point I had had enough of the pushing and shoving and so said "Really" quite loudly - he turned and I just held my hands up as if to say "What - you think it is OK to push people out the way" and off he went.  We turned at the end of the bridge and headed north.  The leaders had passed me when I was less than 1km from the start !!!  I went up and over the little hillock in front of CQU (where I used to work) and then saw A just in front of the chemist opposite the swimming pool.  I struggled a little from 3-4km and then before I knew it I saw my first sign - 8km - holy moley - how did I get to 8km without seeing a sign !!!!!!  I could feel my legs were tiring but I knew that I had less than 2kms to go to the end and I seemed to get some strength from somewhere and keep going.  I had said to myself that I would like to run the whole 10km without walking BUT if I had to walk I would.

I didn't - I ran the whole 10kms in a PB time of 1:03:21 (was aiming for 1:10-1:20) - and, I never thought I would say this, but I really enjoyed the run.  I don't know if it was because it seemed to go so fast, whether it was because I just got into the zone and ran, whether it was because my legs felt good for most of the race - I don't know what it was but I wish I could bottle it up to use for future races.  Yes, there are going to be future races - and, despite me saying I would never do a half marathon, I think that might be the next goal AFTER I have been to someone to get my knees checked out (as requested by A who is worried I may be doing more damage than can be fixed if I carry on running without getting them looked at).  My right knee twinged at about 7km and I told it to suck it up and hang on until I had finished before it decided to do anything horrible on me - and it did (Thank you right knee !!).  Both knees were sore once I had stopped running but after icing them yesterday afternoon they pulled up fine today.  I have also got a big blister near the ball of my right foot - very strange as I have never got a blister there before on any of my training runs. 

If only I had the confidence in myself that everyone else seems to have in me I would save myself a lot of angst !!!!  I hope I haven't put the hoodoo on myself with this first run being so good and that runs will only go downhill from here !!!  Maybe because I didn't over think it, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.  Hopefully I will be able to under think all future races.

To my family who have been amazing in helping me train - either by riding with me or not nagging for meals when I have been out training and couldn't be arsed bothered to cook dinner or entering the MDC to keep me company and then running ahead because I told her to or just telling me that of course I am going to finish it even if I have to walk, to my virtual cheering squad who cheered me on during my training runs when I felt like I had no more to give and who were there with me yesterday cheering me on finish and to finish strongly, A HUGE BIG THANK YOU because, for sure, without your support and encouragement, I don't think I could have accomplished what I did.  So, while it may have been me out there running, it wasn't without help from all of you !

My legs were a little tired last night and a little tight this morning.  But they felt good - they feel good provided I don't sit for too long in one position !!!!!  I am thinking of having a rest week this week - except for the normal 2 x PT sessions - but no running - and then starting again next week.  I think I am going to enter the 5km Bridge to Brisbane - we get back from NZ the week before the race so if I can get enough kms done before we leave, I will be happy to enter that race.  The following week we have The Stampede so I will have to look for which races there are after that is over provided my knees are OK !!!!

Have the best week ever - for anyone involved in financial year end - good luck !!!!

TFTD : Without pain there would be no change.  But pain, just like everything in life, is meant to be learned from and then released.

15kms - Done and Dusted !!!!

Last weekend I planned to do a longer run - I didn't because of the crappy weather and I felt bad, I felt like I was always saying I was going to do this longer run but it just never happened.  I had done a 12km run the Wednesday before but, for me I wanted more.

I knew A and K were working today and so had planned to go to work as well - but only after I had run.  A left at about 7am and I got up and got dressed.  Thought about what to eat / drink before I left - this is a dilemma for me because I always run at night and have something to eat at about 3pm.  Anyway, I had a couple of sips of water to take my tablets and had a protein bar - worked like a charm which is great because now I know what I can have before the race on 30th June which starts at 6.30 am !!!!  Bloody hell - how am I going to manage to get up for that !! Sorry I digress - again !

The next dilemma was what to wear - I have long sleeve tops which are great but I thought they would be too hot by the time I was 5 or 6km into my run and the weather got warmer. I found two short sleeve tops that I had bought when we were doing a lot of bush walking and it worked so well - warm enough when I started but not too hot later in the run.  The only problem was my hands - they were bloody cold for most of the run and have got so fat I battled to get my rings on when I left home a little while ago.  It's been a long time since my rings have been so uncomfortable on my fingers !!!

I got to half way and stopped to stretch my gastrocs, hamstrings and quads - they were getting tight and tired.  I turned around and headed home -  I had run 7.5km away from home knowing that when I got there I had no option but to turn and go home - no short cuts - no way to get home except put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

Up until I stopped to stretch I was still averaging 6:32/km which I was extremely happy with.  At about 11km my legs were getting really tired - I considered giving up. I thought about phoning someone to come and fetch me.  I thought about what I was doing and why.  I thought about my village of cheerleaders and I put my big girl undies on, sucked it up and go on with it.  At 12kms my pace had dropped to 6:42 - still good and still acceptable for me.  At 13km I had tears running down my face - why was I doing this ?  Why didn't I just stop ?  Why didn't I call someone to come and fetch me ?  What was I trying to prove ?  What did it matter if I didn't finish these last 2 kms ?  Would it be the end of the world ?  No, it wouldn't be the end of the world but it would be one more goal that I set for myself that I didn't manage to achieve.  In any case, who could I phone - A was at work and I thought that K would have left for work already. I could call my BIL - how to explain I was 2 kms from home and just couldn't go on.  I could call my folks - no explanation required - just could you please come and pick me up and they would be there faster than I could say Jack Flash. 

And then I heard the voices (no I am not going off my head - they were virtual voices) - Aroha, Lyndal, Jane, B and Lee - cheering me on those last 2kms - telling me I could do it and to just keep putting one foot in front of the other - cheering me with every step that I took - cheering me to keep going - not for any reason other than to help me on my way.  1.25km from home K called to say she was leaving for work (I COULD have called her at 13kms to come and collect me - I am SO FRIGGIN' HAPPY I didn't !!!) - I waved as she drove past and I knew that I would make it all the way home - and I did !!! 

This morning I ran 15kms in under 7min/km (because 6 mins 59 secs is under 7mins isn't it ????) - and, right now, I would have to be one of the happiest ladies on the planet (even though I am about to start working for a couple of hours !!!) - my legs are tired and aching (not helped because I didn't stretch) but I can live with them like this - they tell me I am alive and I have achieved something I NEVER thought I would - never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would RUN (plod ?) 15kms.  Rhianna asked the question yesterday - when does jogging become running ? If anyone knows I would love to know the answer.

Tonight may be a different story when I have to walk up the steps at Metricon Stadium to get to my seat but I will deal with that when it happens !!

For those who think they can't run - you can - you so can do it because if I can do it - ANYONE can do it !!!

Have the best weekend ever - and thank you again for your support, encouragement and motivation - I can't tell you how much it means to me !!   This TFTD is for all of you who are on this journey with me - A HUGE BIG THANK YOU !!

TFTD : Never forget where you have been.  Never lose sight of where you are going.  And never take for granted the people who travel the journey with you.

Fitness Friday (one day late)

This is a rainbow that I saw on my way to work during the week.  I have been seeing the most amazing rainbows lately but haven't always been able to take a photo of them which is rather sad.

Anyway, linking in with bbeingcool for Fitness Friday (albeit a day late !!!) - this is what I have managed to accomplish this week with regard to my exercising :

Friday - 4.12km run (26:28)
Sunday - 10.05km run (1:08:11)
Monday - 5.97km run (33.57)
Tuesday - matrix 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 push ups, sit ups, squats, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 push ups, sit ups, squats
Wednesday - 5.14km run (35:19)

Some runs were better than others.  I was really pleased with my 10km run on Sunday - need to try to up this to 16-18kms so that I know I can finish the 10km run on 30 June (figure if I can manage 16-18km run, a 10km run will feel so much easier on the day) - I may be wrong on this but I can only try.

On Saturday I bought a couple of long sleeve tops to run in - saw some at Lululemon for $89 but couldn't justify spending that amount of money on a shirt to run in.  Went to KMart - they didn't have any.  Went to Target and got one there for $17.  Then Mountain Detail had another one for $24.  My run on Sunday was in the top from Target and it worked so well I went and bought another one - they have really made a difference to how much warmer I am when I run now !!

While we were at Helensvale, Al made me try on some new jeans saying that the ones I was wearing were too big for me - I bought two pairs of size 10 jeans - I reckon their sizing is wrong because there is no way that I am a size 10 - but it was a nice feeling when I did they up and they fitted !!!

Of late my eating has not been good - nor has my drinking - unless Pepsi Max and Amarula count as good drinking - well they do in one sense but not from a health point of view !!!  Fruit and veg have been non-existent and junk food has crept into my eating plan which is a little sad given how well I was eating up until a few weeks ago. I really need to get more organised and plan my meals better than I have been.  I will try to do that this week.

Yesterday there was a multiple car accident on the motorway home so, as I only had 1/4 tank of petrol, I thought I had better fill up as I was going to take the back roads to get home from where I was working at Inala.  When I went to pay for the petrol, I also bought a packed of Pods, just in case I got stranded somewhere !!!!  Yeah right !!!!  About 15 mins later, the pods had all been eaten scoffed down and the evidence hidden in my bag !!!  I only had a couple of hot chips for dinner but I did manage to make headway with a bottle of Amarula.  The drive over Mt Tamborine in the rain and mist on narrow winding roads with a drop down the mountain on one side of me was enough to send me to the bottle !!!!  (I must add that I did do a 5km run before I hit the bottle !!)

Today has been a rather relaxing day - washing done, catch up with a friend, watching some movies (Dolphin Tale and Red Dog) and catching up on recorded TV shows.  K is baby sitting and A is stuck out at Warwick - hopefully it will be raining tomorrow and they will come home early as the work they have to do is all outside and they won't be able to do any of it !!!!

On that note, I am going to watch Iron Lady.  Have a great Sunday everyone and take care !

TFTD : Improvisation is the first step to improvement.

Our Long Weekend in Yamba

This is an aerial shot of the resort where we stayed - Angourie Rainforest Resort (calling it a rainforest resort was a bit of a stretch but it was in a big wooded area).  The rainbow was one we saw as we were crossing a brigde on our way just outside of Yamba.  The swamp lagoon was outside our unit !

The bikes on the back of the car - ready to exercise over the weekend. 

Our balcony overlooking the lagoon.

Our unit at Angourie Rainforest Resort

When we arrived at Yamba we unpacked and then went for a drive down to the beach where I took this photo.  Someone that works with A told him about a really good Italian restaurant but couldn't remember the name - not a problem as it wasn't difficult to find.  Had a great meal there before going back and having a good sleep.


Woke up at about 6am (as you do when you are away and can sleep in !!!) - I thought A might go back to sleep but when I said I was going to go for a run he said he would cycle with me so off we went.  Out the resort and turned left for 3kms and then 3kms back - the 'hills' were unpleasant - where I run on the Coast there are no hills - no inclines - nothing - it is absolutely flat !!!  Anyway, made it back to the unit, showered and off to breakfast.  I felt really good about being able to run while we were away - for me, the key is to keep the momentum and motivation going - I am always scared that if I stop I won't start again (having said that, this is the first time I have been away and actually exercised while we have been away !!!)


After that we jumped into the car and went exploring.  Got to McLean (about 10km from Yamba !!!) and saw all the lamp posts were painted with Scottish surnames and in the relevant tartans.  Found MacLaughlin and took a pic of it (that is our family name although spelled a little differently).

For some reason A wanted to look in all the second hand / antique stores so we were in and out the car numerous times !!!!  This is not something he is normally interested in and eventually I had to ask why - he didn't know except that we could !  So I then said he have 4 more stops he could make - we laughed so much.  Went to Grafton - really not much to see and while I would LOVE to live in Yamba, I wouldn't give you thank you to live in Grafton.



We caught the ferry across the Clarence River.



Got back to the unit and tried to find the Suns/Freemantle game on the TV but it wasn't being broadcast in NSW.  K called with updates every now and again and were following them on Twitter - such an exciting game.  Got changed quickly and tried to find the local tavern to see if we could catch the game there but couldn't find it so went to the Bowls Club - still couldn't see it there so stayed and had dinner - such good value for money and great food (if you are ever in the area try to make sure you go there at least once !).

Sunday morning we woke up and had breakfast before getting on our bikes and cycling down to the ferry across to Iluka.  Arrived there and cycled about 30kms all up - went to Woody Point.

Some of the beaches at Iluka / Woody Point and sunsets at Yamba



More beaches and another sunset

Cycling around there was great although our butts really felt it as it has been ages since we have cycled - the weather was magnificent which helped as well.  Actually I got quite a nice tan on my shoulders (and of course A's face got quite red as he didn't put block out on !!!)

Sunset at Yamba



We loved having the spa bath - a great way to finish each day.  We went back to the Bowls Club for dinner it had been that good the night before.

On Monday morning we woke up, had breakfast and packed the car.  Then we drove into McLean and had a wander up and down the main street.  They had a shop called Pot Belly Pies and we couldn't resist getting pies from there.  I am not a pie person - in fact I can't remember when last I ate a pie - I really don't like them - but these looked so good.  We bought them for lunch.  Left McLean and drove home as K was at home and we thought it would be good to spend the afternoon with her.  We had the pies for lunch when we got home - thank goodness we didn't have them any earlier when we were there as I would have bought a whole heap of them and put them in the freezer for another time - they were the nicest pies I have ever had !!!!  Again, if you are ever down that way, give them a try.

We looked at property down there (we were that taken with it) but then, on the way home, we spoke about it - K wouldn't move because she is at uni, my Dad starts his radiation treatment and would need to stay here and given that we have all moved half way around the world, we really want to be able to see each other and be there in need, so it doesn't make sense to move - for now.  But, give me a couple of years, maybe we can turn this dream into a reality.

It was a great weekend away - just what we needed - time to be together and reconnect.  It has been difficult with A working away so much.  I am really glad that we went on that weekend because the following week they were called into the office to be told that the company had been bought out and the buyers didn't want their division.  So A is working today on stuff that they need to take with them when they leave on Monday.  He will be away for about a month but luckily will be home a couple of times in that month and I will go up one weekend when they are working so that we can at least have the evenings together.

Have a fantastic weekend - I am having a great time even though A and K are both working today !!!!

Fitness Friday

Linking up with B from bbeingcool for Fitness Friday and Dorothy from Singular Insanity for Things I Know.

This is what I managed to get done this week starting with the MDC on Sunday :
MDC 4.2km in 24:27
Monday 5.6km run in 38:23
Tuesday 30 mins personal training
Wednesday 5.6km 36:57
Thursday 30 mins personal training

The start of the week was bloody cold and I so didn't want to run but I knew that if I didn't get out there one day could become two days could become the end of my training.  So I braved the cold and the sore chest from breathing in the cold air and just ran.  The good thing about the cold is that I tend to run more than I walk because it is too cold to walk !!!!!

I am really happy with how my training is going.  Three people this week have asked how much more weight I have lost and I haven't lost any more weight - I have maintained my weight for about 7 weeks now and I am happy about that. I have strategies for dealing with small gains.  I have strategies for dealing with a run of making bad choices - I know I can do this and I am going to keep on doing it because it is working for me.  I think that if I stopped training I would have to change my eating habits but for now it is working so I am going to stick with it.

Onto something more uncomfortable - I am sick and tired of these bloody hot flushes that I keep having !  Even taking the wild yam, I am still getting them - although I think they would be worse if I wasn't taking the wild yam.  How long are they going to go on for ?  My research on the internet says 2 - 10 years - I cannot do this for that long.  I am tired of having to strip down to the bare essentials multiple times during the evening/night and then having to get dressed again.  If anyone has any suggestions for combating these, I would love to hear from you.

Wishing you all the best weekend ever !

TFTD : You will not find fulfillment where you have been taught to look for it.  You will only find it where it lives, right where you stand - Alan Cohen

Mothers Day Classic

Last night I had a dreadful nights sleep - even after taking a sleeping tablet - but, as Murphy would have it, it felt like I had just fallen asleep when the alarm went off and we had to get up and get down to Main Beach for the 2012 Mothers Day Classic.  We had had a great evening last night - organised a surprise for K at dinner by inviting her best friend from Brisbane - what a fantastic time we had - everyone laughing and joking - my Dad was on form and K's friend T couldn't stop laughing with us !

Anyway, K wasn't too keen to get up until I told her the time and then off we went. Managed to get a parking reasonably close by and then the waiting - oh the waiting - I just wanted to get started !!!!  We didn't go the route on the piece of paper they sent us but that was OK.  I started running and after the first km, my pace was 5 mins 35 secs and I knew that I couldn't sustain that pace but it was so hard to slow down because everyone was running past me.   I also realised that if I am going to run in the morning, I need to have something to drink before I run - not a lot, just small sips of something - big leasson learned !!!  I did manage to slow down - a little - not enough to slow down to what I had planned to run - but enough that more people over took me.  I think I was only just past the 2km mark when the leaders were already on their way back !!!!  Anyway, I didn't worry about them because there is NO WAY I am ever going to run at that pace which is about double my pace on a good day !  I turned, had some water and headed for the finish line.

My breathing was good.  My legs felt good.  The weather was great.  And I posted a personal best time for me - according to my phone 24:32.  Then I got the sms from MDC advising that I had come 374 (out of I don't know how many as the results are only going to be posted on Tuesday) in a time of 24:27 - either way, they are great times for me and I have a lot of confidence to enter another race.  I didn't come last. I didn't collapse along the way.  I wasn't the slowest on the day - not that that would have mattered but I really didn't want to be the last person across the finish line !!

Thank you to A and K for their support and encouragement.  K ran in just over 22mins.  Thank you also to all my wonderful blogger and twitter friends who have been encouraging and movitivating  and supporting me while I was training for this (coloursof sunset, lyndal, kate, jane) - you were all there every step of the way with me and I loved 'hearing' you encourage me to keep going.  I only walked about 3 or 4 lamp posts throughout the race when I needed a breather instead of my normal walk 250m run 750m. 

Last night we had an amazing dinner for K's birthday down at Alto Broadbeach.  We surprised her by inviting her best friend from Brisbane to join us - if you could have seen her face when T walked in - I'm just sorry we didn't take any photos - they would have been priceless !!!  We had such a good time - so much laughing and joking and the food was fantastic. I had a mushroom risotto and finished with a trio of creme brulee (my absolute favourite favourite dessert !!).

I have had a great Mothers Day today - starting with the race this morning, then dropping K at work, coming home and showering and then off to Mt Tamborine to take morning tea to my folks who were at the market there today.  Then a mosey around the shops while we waited for K to finish work so we could pick her up and come home for a leisurely dinner of nibblies and home made pizza minus the home made pizza because we had too many nibblies !!!!!

Have the best week ever - the first 5 day week - I hope I survive.  I have a longer run planned for tomorrow night.  I think I will have a 'steak day' tomorrow as my weight is starting to creep up a little and this successfully gets my weight down.