Weight Watchers Wine

Another fabulous weekend has whizzed past.  This is how I've managed to get old without even noticing, seems I've been having such a good time I haven't noticed that I am now officially ancient. 

Anyway, Mr B (not Mr Bentley, the other Mr B) came down on Saturday and we went out for dinner.  So that was nice.  Then we drank a lot of good red wine.  And talked a load of nonsense.  So that was nice too. *Beams in a slightly retarded way*

Sunday was the replacement run since Woodford to Glenbrook was cancelled, so 8 eager individuals left my place at the ungodly hour (ungodly after drinking red wine and talking shite until almost midnight) of 6.30am and set off for a nice hilly 20km run.  The run consisted of two laps of 10km and I seriously doubted my ability to do both laps but surprised myself by bouncing up and down at the halfway mark BEGGING the girls not to leave me with the boys and come and do another lap.  They agreed and I think we all surprised ourselves this morning.  Very very nice run, great company, challenging little route, I just loved it and I love how I am feeling stronger and stronger with every run.  This week I did Pump class on Monday but ran every other day except Wednesday.  So I managed 52km and a few faster runs for me, one with Summit Sisters and the other with Bentley man.  So feeling good about the week and the running but not the bloody weight!  Over the last three weeks I've been running on average 5 days a week - and I've put on two kilos!!!!  I hate that!  Am I watching what I eat?  Yes!  Am I eating junk?  No!!  Am I drinking heaps?  No!  Am I hungry all the time?  Hell, yes!!!  Anyway, I can see another couple of days of meat looming (thank you Dr Dukan) to fix that, and I am currently imbibing a Weight Watchers accredited wiine.  Yep, you read that right.  No carbs and 70 cals per glass.  And it is LOVELY. 

So in other news, I did a reverse park today.  And I was going back to my car and saw this lady pointing at my rather ineffectual attempt at parking and laughing and clearly pointing out to her partner that the owners parking skills were up her arse.  So I did what any proud person who totally lacks the reverse parking gene would do, and walked past, pretending it wasn't my car.  Furtively hanging about waiting for them to leave so I could get out of the rain and get into my car.  So that was good as well.

Anyway. This WW wine is fab so I might sign off now and go drink some more :)

Protein Balls Take Two

Today I decided to try again with the protein ball idea.  Total success!  They were yummy.  Here is my made up recipe which just seemed to work.

Small bag almond meal
About three tablespoons of LSA
A good whack of cocoa powder  (the unsweetened kind)
Coffee flavoured low carb protein powder
Citrus rind (comes in a bag from the cooking section) - but only a wee bit
Cinnamon - I used lots and it tasted like one of those yummy cinnamon buns
Water
Teeny wee bit of rice bran oil to bring it all together.

Form into balls, sprinkle with cinnamon - seriously - heaven!!


Then in a ball kind of a mood, I made lamb balls:

Lamb cut into cubes, in blender with yoghurt, mint and garlic cloves.  Form into balls, bake in over.  Die with the garlicky lamby gorgeousy goodness of it all.

Finally, I went chicken balls:

Chicken thigh cut into cubes, in blender with lemongrass, ginger and chilli and a little bit of almond meal to bind it all together.  Form into balls and bake.

So, that is the weekend food sorted, got my exciting visitor coming tomorrow, a group run on Sunday morning, I've done a good little week of training and I am a happy camper:

Monday - Pump.  Arrrghhh.  Can't sit down, getting up from my desk hurts, brushing my teeth hurts, raising my eyebrows hurt!
Tuesday - my first run with the Summit Sisters - awesome!!  Pissing rain, puddles, trails, bush and fabulous company - came home soaked, tired and happy.  This will be a regular Tuesday night thing now.
Wednesday - ok I lied.  It wasnt THAT great a training week...
Thursday - 7km in the dark with Bentley Man.  This too is going to be a regular thing and we are working towards a goal that is a little bit challenging and a lot exciting.  Plus he is great company. 
Friday - Laps of the Sack of Knap.
Saturday - don't know yet!!  Might google and see whats on - B Man coming to visit - FARKKK!!!
Sunday - group run - 20km - W2G cancelled so we are doing two laps of the local 10km Saturday morning run.  Looking forward to seeing my running buddies.

All in all, so far has been a wicked week, really enjoying this night time running business.  All is really well in my world. 

Glow Worm Trail Run

Today was just fabulous.  Great company, beautiful scenery, fantastic course, great organisation - seriously - it had it all.  Except for heat.  It was SERIOUSLY cold - we got out of the car at Lithgow and it just hit us.  Can't ever remember feeling so cold.  God, Lithgow is one bleak place.  Ugly landscape, unattractive people, cold weather, the only thing the town has going for it is McDonalds and that's saying something.

Anyway. Enough being cheeky.

We got there a full two hours early so it was all about leaping about from foot to foot to keep warm.  Finally it was time to run and to strip off.  That was vey unpleasant.  Then we got running.  Within 500 m there was a water crossing.  Take your time and go over the stepping stones and stay dry (and warm) or balls out and dive in, running through the river (and it wasn't a little piddly one) in absolutely freezing water.  Yep, guess what I did?  I ran the heck across that water - yep and that felt GOOD!

Off we took and it was such a relief to get running and get warm.  What a beautiful beautiful run.  Really really loved it, loved the tunnel and the having to use the headlamps although I was kinda on my own and little scared but then people started appearing out of nowhere and it was good.  After the gradual 10km uphill to the tunnel it was a sweet downhill 10km to the finish, although my lack of much training since Japan apart from a spurt this week meant I wasn't race fit, although my legs felt strong.  I guess all that walking makes you fit for WALKING!  Not running!  But it was a gorgeous day and I don't get hung up on times or placings or any of that shit that shouldn't concern anyone except the top three, maybe four.

So, next week is the next Sydney Trail Series with Chris, week after is Woodford to Glenbrook and an exciting day beforehand which I am SO LOOKING FORWARD TO but in order to protect the innocent and keep myself nice I will keep to myself. 

All in all, it's been a very interesting week, and I have another one coming up, then two nice races over the next two weekends.  Need to sort my shit out for July - talk of Gold Coast and of course Adelaide, but if I don't get my act together I will be going nowhere and racing nothing.....!!!

Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device

Best band I have ever seen live full stop....

this is them in their early (tracksuit wearing) days.....

I'm loving this delve into the past....

Thanks Andrea for the memories....xxx

Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster (Rockpalast '80)

Tough day.

Andrea's birthday.

She'd be wanting me to listen to some Stiff Little Fingers and jump around my bedroom.

So,

Living Colour - Back in Black - Arguably better than the original - awesome to run to!