Yume No Chikara

just 1162 to go! Yes I've started the Loch Ness Challenge which is to do 1226 lengths of the outdoor pool whilst it is open!! Well 64 is a start! Longer pool than the indoors one at 30 meters instead of 25 and lovely and warm until the shadow appeared when it was cold! Just warmed up with a nice bowl of homemade veggie soup and toast! Now off to make some more for tomorrow's swim!!

With the sound of a complaining Pixie!! OMG!! Duck is a BITCH!!! Let me explain my weekend. Saturday I drove down to Dorset with the rain clouds above me all the way! When it stopped raining the traffic jams started! I got there about 2.30 I guess! Then that afternoon we took the dogs out for a walk. Suzy went to Win Green the highest point in Dorset and showed us Madonna's house (well the roof!) and the grass! Bless her! Lovely terrier who thought it was great to sit on my lap watching out the window! She also took us to Wardour Castle which is where they filmed part of "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves". So very nice! Scamp, the nutty black lab, then took us round the villiage for a stroll! Between the 2 we did about 2-3hrs walking Sunday - Bacon and Egg sarnie! Heaven! This was then followed by almost 13hrs of walking! Duck took me up and down loads of hills, across 2 wild life reserves and a couple of roads. At 10m we started up an Ox Drove that took us up and down and up

height 5ft 1 weight (this morning) 10st 13 Blood pressure 108/60 (was told this was ridiculously low as expected!) RHR 52 (seen by me!) MHR 206 (seen by me) Blood sugar 4.5 (after 10hr fast at christmas!) Verdict I am very healthy, don't worry about the weight and keep running marathons!! How cool is that! That was from the nurse at my surgery! The 1st medical person (not including forum folk) to not say I need to lose weight! Also: She looked at me and said "so how much overweight do you think you are?" I said "I'm 10st 13 (BMI of 29) at least 1st maybe 2st, been near enough the same weight since I started running 4yrs ago!" She said "You may be the same weight but have a lot more muscle, I wouldn't be too worried! Keep running the marathons" Walked out beaming!

Ok so I've trained 4 times this week (2 runs 2 swims) so today I will rest! It's raining. It's cold and I have lots of walking to do this bank holiday so I'm not worried! Last night I mowed the lawn (cross training!) and then went for a walk with Gnome. Just 2.4m but took ages (57mins!) as he kept on stopping and looking at stones and flowers and his laces came undone etc! During this walk he declared he wanted an all day walk after the half term! When we got home he declared his legs were tired!! LOL! So today I am resting! I may do a short 2-3m walk later but that depends on the weather! I have my kit to pack for the weekend!! Tomorrow I drive to Dorset to see Duck, we may do a short walk with the dogs (read as expect!). Sunday is the 35m ISH walk and Monday we may do another 10m. Tuesday I drive home having missed all the holiday traffic!!

Oh Yes! I did it! I've been and exercised again ! Gosh this is getting a habit! Better put an end to that smartish! Today I woke up and went for a splash! I was planning a nice easy one. Just swimming, no pressure, no goals. I was in the pool for 7:05 (thud) so had an hour. I swam a bit, stopped for a drink, said hello to the fast bloke, swam a bit more. Cleared my misted goggles, drank and swam some more. I used Hollywood's finger watch thing to count my lengths and paused the time when I stopped. Total swim time about 53mins and distance (drum roll please!) 1.8km! Yes I did 72 lengths! Long gone are the days of a quick 30mins in the pool doing say 30 lengths, maybe more if I get in early! In Febuary 50 lengths was 50 minutes and in March the mile was taking an hour (including breaks) so when I look back (thanks Fetch !) I am improving! Problem is I seem to have lost the front crawl bit! It kills me! back to 1-2 lengths max but at least I keep going rather than stopping for a

Ok so I went out for my munchtime potter ... with a huge beam thanks to Adele and her inspiration comment! I was going to run, it would be a great run, I would be inspired and write wonderful things about it and be inspiring! Mile One - nice and steady. Warm up mile. Just keep trotting no fancy speedwork stuff. Nice easy even pace. Quick stop/walk to take off coat (I'm not convinced about my ability to do a whole run and it had been raining!) and the time was 12.48. Mile Two - I carried on, nice even pace, nothing speedy just trotting along, brushing against a tonne of wild flowers happy that I was nice and steady as I wasn't breathing heavy! Get to 1.8m and BANG! Legs gone! It's that "I'm sooo tired, knackered slightly giddy wobbly legged" feeling you get at the end of a hard race or speedwork session when you know you have to keep going. I walked, then tried again. Fit speedy god like runner passed and said "keep going" I tried again (yes ladies I

Yep! Monday run, Tuesday swim and today I will run again! No really I will! The rain is here (again!) and it's cold but I have my kit and soup to warm me up afterwards! Ok so it may not be a long run or fast or pretty but I will get out and do something!! I hope!! Tomorrow is staff lunch so I will swim before work again!

I went swimbling! I got up early and popped on my cossie to gain an extra minute or two at the pool. I was in the pool for about 50-55mins. I did 1m (64 lengths) and swimming time was 47.29. The finger counter/watch thing I got offf Hollywood also gives me lovely stats! Best length (always the 1st however hard I try to swim it slow!) was 1min 15. When I say length I means 2 lengths or 50m. Worse 1mins 40 Average 1min 29 which is my best I think which is excellent! The goggles make a lot of difference! It's nice to be able to see others and the time and everything! The times look good but it felt hard, which was either the fact I am getting slightly faster or that it's because I am swimming on a glass of low cal no sugar (lots of sweetners) fruit juice which gives about 10cals per 250ml! When I go swimming I make a travel mug of tea up and by the time I have finished my swim it's perfect to drink. Boy did today's tea taste lovely! It was then as I changed that I realise

A few weeks ago I signed up for Audible.co.uk and got a few I-Pod Shuffle! So far I have listened to my all time favourite book "Pride and Prejudience" and I am currently listening to "confessions of a reformed dieter" which is funny as well as good! I then have the Da Vinci Code to listen too! Last month I also had the BBC New Hour to listen to every day and this month I have The Times to listen to. Both programs are about 1hr and ease me into the day!

Wednesday, September 21 Research to be done ... Well I decided to recruit the folks on the RW forums for some help and ideas about the beginners course/group at club. Well it's kinda evolved and I ended up talking to Shades and sending a mail to the folks at the Womens Running Network .I'm going to seriously look at starting my own group. It would give me some training either through them on a UKA approved course or indeed a UKA course. It would also give me something positive to do and allow me to get to know more people were I am too whilst helping and encouraging others to take up the sport we love. I remember so clearly the time I finished my 1st 5K. It was also a race and although it was in my villiage I knew no-one. When I finished I was so happy and proud that I called my mum! She thought I was about to collapse as I could barely talk! Then when I finished my 2nd race (the Flora Light in London) I was soooo happy and hyped up I immediately declared a love of running and

I had a great heading for today! Watched a children's art program with Gnome yesterday and they were making wet pictures and added a word to enhance the wet look! It was a great word and sounded nice and wet and defined what the picture was like! Out of interested I did a define in Google and found out that this innocent word is infact relating to being wet but not in the rain! Think more of the err smutty side of damp and wet!! I won't say anymore!! Anyway the heading was to imply that it was wet and damp out side and I was going puddle jumping at lunch! It also linked into the 90mins Gnome swim yesterday which involbed us both trying to dive in! Lunchtime Edit..... Unstructured Structured Speedwork! Totally unstructured speedwork session and also totally unexpected! 1st mile was slow but too fast for a 1st mile after not much running meaning my calves ached and hurt! then I just start running allowed the GPS time to work out pace looked at pace stay within that bracket until

We are now week 20 of 2006! I'm about 4lb lighter than in Jan (having been 7-8lb down at one time) I've run 154m (331 logged last year) Have an average of about 7m pw!! (best is 24m twice) Not run at all 6 weeks! Total run time 34hrs Total swim time 19hrs Two races. Both halves. Both PBs. Not bad! Need to get back to running mind! Maintain the swimming and get more consistency in there!

Warning - this post made perfect sense when I wrote it in my head on my run! Today was one of those thoughtful runs. It wasn't pretty or fast or anything like that but I was thinking a lot. I started out .... then walked to take my jacket off, trotted then walked and stopped to cross the road (wasn't bother by any of this) and carried on. It was now my mind started to wander. My legs .... from waist to toes were, at first, muttering and then shouting! "Stop you fool!" It took a good 1.5-2m for them to give in! My heart and lungs on the other hand were saying "well come on, get on with it!" and mind was saying "come on to the next tree then you can walk!" You see as runners we expect a whole lot of our body to work together to achieve what we want, yet it's only when we get injured that we really notice things! As I ran along I had this image in my head ... it was a cartoon race. I was lined up at the start and the gun went. Head went charging

I don't do sulking very well so I'm making an effort! As such I have a race to enter: Long Eaton 5m on 11th June Only 5m so I can get home in time to cook the Sunday roast and not mess up family life too much! So running kit to the fore ... just need to shift this lurgy like thing that is lingering!

when work upsets your plans! We have a client coming into the office today so no munchtime run which in hindsight is probably a good thing! Got up for my swim today, about 15mins late. So in the pool later than hoped. Sat on pool side to sort out new goggles and OMG I can see! It's amazing! I can tell the time and see the other people in the pool! Amazing! When I first started to run I always went off too fast. I've slowly learnt to do the first mile slower. Seems that this habit needs to be learnt in the pool too! I had noticed my first 50m seemed faster and today was no different. Which meant that the first 16lengths (400m) became a time trial. Time: 10:45! Was amazed! Was knackered! I total today I was in the pool for about 40mins, but only swam for about 30mins. Part of the reason for this was I kept on stopping to adjust goggles (altering straps!) and partly because I was tired. The last few lengths were awful! I had aimed to do a mile seeing as I wasn't running but 1k

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) You may not have a practical or structured plan of what your next move or indeed moves should be. When you look ahead you still feel unclear about what you want or indeed how to reach your goals. Maybe it is a time to drift a little. When in doubt, as the old saying goes, do nothing at all.

I don't do down very well so I'm trying to get back into the groove. Been swimming again today, pre-work and breakfast! Managed 2km which was good but I started to flag at about 50lengths so the last 30 were a lot slower than they should have been. Took about 1hr. My breast stroke and front crawl are almost the same pace, but crawl takes a lot more effort and leaves me shagged! So, just like my running, I'm a bit one paced so need to work on pace. I think if I can do some weights this will work as my upper body strength is pathetic really!! Also will try to do some drills with a float or pull bouy as I am sure that will make a difference. Plan this week: long swim today short swim tomorrow + munchtime plod long swim Wednesday munchtime plod Thursday and/or Friday Will continue to read my book on weights and try to get a routine in and do that a couple of times a week. May even get on my exercise/bike!

Ran Friday .. very slow 2.5m that was surprisingly hard but I wasn't bothered! Was quiet happy to walk and enjoy the sunshine! Went to town yesterday .. Gnome had to have his eyes tested and needs glasses. Just like me, short sighted. Took 2 hrs to choose glasses! Once we got them home we realised they are almost identical to mine! He's also made comments about how much clearer things are which is good! Been swimming today with Gnome. 1 hr in the pool messing about! Did a few odd lengths including one at 29 secs! Well impressed! Several in 32-33secs too! BTW this is just 1 25metre length!! But hey normally I take 35-40secs and when I started back swimming earlier in the year it was 50-55 secs a length!! Well pleased! Wanted to run but CBA! Did do a few bicep curls etc and already noticing more strength in my swim stroke thanks to the occasional "weights" and already noticing them feeling lighter as such. Having now located the hubby's weights I will try to plan a

I can/have/have done .... swam over 2.5km in one go (more than once!) cycled over 50m in one go walked over 40m in one go completed 4 marathons completed 4 half marathons (2 new PBs this year) a wonderful, happy contented and well mannered son a loving,caring husband great friends all over the country a self funded, degree done part time whilst maintaining a full time job raised money for needy causes good customer service skills loyal friend survived a car crash! This Year I will: Lose some more weight become a better runner improve my swimming (goal of 5k swimathon 2007) FINISH the trailwalker change jobs learn another skill enter FLM2007 do an off road event for a laugh do a "splash and dash" for fun do a triathlon for a laugh! (maybe!) swim 1m at least once a week tell my son and husband I love them every day learn to paint and draw teach Gnome to swim properly do more family stuff Think that will do for now!

I've lost my way! My walk with Duck proved I can't read a map and it's the same with life! I'm fine ... just lost. I'm fed up (which you might have noticed!) and there are a few reasons for this. Fed up with work - being treated like a PA for a start Fed up with being overweight and unhappy with myself Fed up with the lack of security or direction in work Fed up with some staff at work I've lost my running mojo and I need a challenge and new direction And that's where I am. The work links to the weight because I am an emotional eater. I've lost my confidence in me and my ability to do jobs because there is no challenge or direction at work. I've already spoken about the exercise - so I'm just doing stuff when the feeling takes me whilst looking for a challenge. In an odd way the TW does not meet the challenge criteria! I know I will do that, its a fact. So I'm lost and trying to find a map I can read!

Head needs some serious sorting ... don't worry if I go quiet!

I've been running for some 4yrs now ... well in July! Strangly I have never felt like I do now ... it's a serious "wanna run but CBA" thing. It's a bit annoying as well which makes it rather odd! anyway I am not going to sulk about it! Just accept it and let my head work it's way through it! I think I spotted something in Jan as, after the crash, I wasn't too bothered about not running for the 2-3wks! Anyway I'm looking at adding some variety to overcome this! I'm currently seriously looking at adding some weight training into my life. I have some light dumbells and hubby has some weights (never used them since I've known him!) and I have the gym ball and various resistence bands from beginners (green) to experienced (grey!) I've recently got this book out of the library and it's really good! In fact it's that good that I will be trying to locate said weights and looking to use them! So my "plan" (coughs) for the next per

Thanks to all those butts kicks (followed by hugs!)! Following yesterday's awful trot I swam today! My heel was and is still "there" and flares up every now and then (taken brufen tonight) so I didn't want to push it by running again today. On my way to the pool 2 love struck birdies flew into sight ... 1 flew away. It was awful. I almost went straight home. But no I carried on and got into the pool ... they've turned the temperature down!! I had my drink with me and I had downed 500ml of squash before leaving work! So no dehydration issues today! I checked the time as I started as I knew I had to be out by 7 to collect Gnome! Then off I went. I like goggles and nose clip now ... allows me to swim better and people watch! It's great! Yes I was counting lengths (noticed how much easier that finger watch makes life!) but I was having a great laugh! Loads of people swim with their legs at 45 degrees to the surface or worse! Now I know I am not perfect but??? Oh

Today I managed to drag myself out for a plod. It's about 3wks since my last plod - how awful is that! That's what this post is about! I decided that I would go for a plod and just enjoy it. I have a digital OS map so left the GPS and HRM at home and just went off with my watch. I had grand plans of a long enjoyable run where the sun was out but not too hot, the sky was blue and my legs played ball! In reality I was plodding along thinking "wonder what pace this is? How far is this? what time?" and by 20mins I was walking. This was followed by "20mins and walking? No! awful! Bad!" and then I went through all the advice I have given newbies over the months, years about slowing down and enjoying themselves and I continued to struggle on finding it hard to keep running. It was now that I started thinking about how long it was since my last plod. Why was it so long? Why was I such a slob? How could I expect to get better when I do bugger all!?!?! Then I realised

Well I went to bed and slept like a log and woke up determined to be a happy pixie and not the sulking stroppy pixie I was yesterday. For some reason I was really low which is so unlike me I'm never down so it was a bit of a shock and, bless him, Leon was there on SkyPe to pick me up. Thanks Anyway I considered a lunchtime potter and decided instead to go for an evening swim (boys could have sausages that way). It was a glorious day and my drive to work was sunnies on, window down, music too loud and singing (see I WOULD be happy!) By about 10 I was think "why didn't I bring my kit!" and by 12 I had decided to actually go and buy some kit so I could have a run before my swim! That's were it all went wrong. Five shops later and nothing. I couldn't find a sports bra supportive enough (or big enough!) and the shorts/tee/Capri's I did find went on but looked awful. I stood in the changing room and stared at the mirror close to tears. All I could see was massiv

I feel like a fat slob. I'm doing no exercise apart from long walks and they are every 10-14 days. I swam last Friday then walked Sunday and that's it. I'm tired and fat and know that a run will make me feel better yet I can't get my arse in gear. All I've managed is a bit of gardening and even that is half hearted and just 30-45mins. I form great plans but CBA. This TW training is doing me no good. The 1st walk knocked me for 6 having only just got over the shock of Reading and doing nothing is turning into a habit. It seems much better to veg in front of the TV and finish my Easter Egg. The sad thing is I can see it happening yet can't seem to stop it! It's like my diet ... I see myself eating when I don't need to or really want to yet carry on. I feel fat, frumpy, grumpy and tired and just CBA! It's not good and doesn't feel good either. I need a serious arse kicking [offers up humungous backside for kicking]

Here's my "plan" which allows for the acceptance that running is taking a back seat as the walking is making me tired! 1) More walking and cross traing at least 3 sessions a week 2) Eat to fuel 3) Drop 7lb + 4) Learn stuff at work instead of eating! So for this week: 1 set upper 10 bicep curls 1 set lower 10 squats next 2 weeks: 1 set upper 10 bicep curls 10 tricep curls 1 set lower 10 squats 10 lunges 1 set abbs 10 sit ups Final week: 1 set upper 10 bicep curls 10 tricep curls 10 upright rows 1 set lower 10 squats 10 lunges 10 calf raises off stairs 1 set abbs 10 sit ups X 2 + 1 extra one of choice The plan is to do these sessions over the week not all on 1 day! I know they aren't much but I hope to get the habit going as such!! In addition I will run and swim as much as I can ideally 3 times during the working week and 1 longer weekend session!

Trail Walker training with Duck! Well we started off an hour later than we/I had planned which was OK as we expected about 8hrs so still time to get home for hubby to leave for work. Problem 1 - Leon had lent my his 201 .... I put it on the charger but couldn't work out how to take it off! Doh! So returned to my clumpy Timex. Problem 2 - GPS watch battery dying meant the display went so ended up with just a watch :-( The 1st section of the walk was great! The Ivanhoe Way is very clearly marked and the path was good. No real problems or excitement until we did a complete circle at about 13m! This added about 1m. After that the next section (up to about 17m) was again uneventful but we looked at the time and map and started to think of going home. That's when the fun started! We followed the path and ended up in a different place to expected! Found where we were and carried on. Passed a restored windmill and across a few fields ... yet somehow that windmill was always in sight! W