Cycle - NOT Spin....

And don't get the two mixed up peoples...

Matt from work said he was greatly enjoying the Cycle Class at his local gym in St Leonards, and asked me to come up and do a workout with him.  Well, people, do NOT get Spin and Cycle mixed up,  because Spin has nice pumped up music, pretend hills and a lot of getting your arse off out of the seat the pretending you are working hard, and Cycle on the other hand is just pure 45 minutes of fucking torture.  30 seconds of sprints sounds ok.  Except when you join lots of thirty seconds of sprints together.  And you have a butch looking muscly bird GLARING at you if your legs aren't going fast enough and you are not crying and hanging on to the handlebars and calling for your mother. 

False advertising people.  30 seconds x 6 = 3 minutes.  It is not a thirty second sprint.  I was waiting for the euphoric feeling of pushing up the resistance, getting out of the seat and going for it but oh no.  It is all about sitting down, pushing up the resistance and KEEPING THE FARKING SPEED UP.

Actually, after the class I was loving the thought of it.  And very glad that Matt made us go up the front so that the muscly lady could see whether I was working hard or not, so my ego was involved as well as my pride. 

It wasn't as euphoric as the Spin class at the time but man it was a damn good feeling afterwards.  Given that I'd cycled Sat and Sun and Sunday I found all the hills I could locally (with my new found bike setup, I reckoned I was ready to take them all on) - so the thighs were already destroyed, but god it felt good and honest and nice afterwards.  I will be back but I will be back with a knowledge of what to expect and hopefully fresher legs!!!!

I might add that Matt used to Cycle for a living and when she yelled out SPRINT!!! he went for it like a demon, and one, I was shamed into trying to keep up and two, I freaked out and tried to keep up.  Going along to such a class with someone who is totally mad and wants to up the ante every time is fun and a little scary.  But mostly fun.  No, scary.  

Mosquitoes....

The interest in Lady Gaga music continues.  You know she's not bad......!!!

This weeks training has been really enjoyable - but perhaps not terribly fruitful....

Sunday - Free weights with Yvonne (she smashed me, I smashed me!!!)
Monday - Spin Class
Tuesday - 7km walk
Wednesday - Spin Class
Friday - Pump class
Saturday - Ride (a bit social, not really a workout) around Homebush, 10km run / walk.  Ran first 5km, walked last 5km (to ensure Achilles not angered)

Is my arse smaller?  Is my stomach flat?  NO!!!  It is not!!

Todays run was lovely.  The plan was to do the half and half - half run half walk.  This was my first run for two weeks due to achilles problems.  So with all this rain, I knew the little creek at the bottom of Lovers Walk would be full.  So the plan was to sit there, bathe the angry ankle in the cool water with the added advantage of time to myself to think with no distractions.  The creek was perfect.. Bubbling and busy as only small creeks can be after a lot of rain.  I was planning a good sit down and a damn good think there.  That was until a mosquito the size of an eagle (ok. slight exaggeration) bit me on the arse.  Through my skins and through my knickers.  I jumped up from my contemplation quick smart.  Which was probably not a bad idea, given that eagle sized mosquitos probably harbour unwanted viruses.  Anyway, what started off as a beautifully warm almost sunny day started to get dark, overcast, rumbly and finally thunder, lightning, raindrops the size of golfballs (again, another huge exaggeration) and so the last half hour I was power walking up Mitchells Pass in the pouring rain, day dreaming about a nice glass of Sancerre and a dry towel. 

Pretty happy with this weeks training, even  if it doesn't seem to have made any massive difference to my arse, it has to my head.  I am loving being back at the gym, god knows why.  I loved the bike ride today and the run and the walk and being caught in the rain, and still loving Lady Gaga....!!

Side Effects....

Ok, so the side effects of running a lot (for me) are sheer exhaustion, sore hips, ankles and thighs.

The side effects of going to the gym are a real decline in your taste in music and a strange desire to download Lady Gaga songs.  And sing along to them.

There is nothing I HATE MORE than that shitty ner ner ner ner ner trancey shitty crappy dance music.  But turn off the lights, give me a spin bike and I am TOTALLY LOVING some remix of a 1990's "dance anthem"....

Yes.  I plucked up the courage to do a spin class today at the North Sydney gym.  Oh man.  That was fucking AWESOME and I came back to work with wild hair, red cheeks and feeling a lot bloody calmer thank you very much.  I was a bit worried, because the first time I did Spin I wanted to spew afterwards, but I guess having a real bike helps, and that ability to control the effort is great.  Until I started worrying about having a heart attack (because I am not young).  But I was having too much fun and I swear that dial could not have gone any further on the last track.  I will be BACK!!!!   Loved it!

So, now I have Pump, Spin and walking on my agenda.  It is not running, but it is releasing that much needed stuff into my brain to bring me back to normal.  It should also have some effect on my arse, which will be an added bonus. I still don't have the courage to go back to the pool after that damn Giardia episode.  It needs to be a much more distant memory than it currently is.  Anyway, I have something to keep me out of mischief, give me pimples and keep me fit.  So that will do for now.

Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-roma-mamaa! Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!

You get the idea.....

The Gym

Out of sheer frustration, and necessity, I have re-joined the gym.  And I am LOVING it!!  I have to admit to being a bit terrified of my first pump class in 700 years - especially as it was at North Sydney gym.  But North Sydney gym is no different from any other gym, so that was ok.  I don't know what I was expecting.  Anyway, I still haven't worked up the courage to do a spin class but have done two pump classes this week and a free weights work out with Yvonne. 
After the pump class my hand was shaking so much that I couldn't actually control the movement of my hand and had to put my makeup on in a sort of stabbing motion, which left me with very odd looking lipstick.  But I didnt really care because the excitement of doing something with my body again was just fantastic.  Today my tummy muscles are tight (who doesn't LOVE that feeling?) and my legs are a bit stiff, but I am feeling great.  Maybe when I get up out of this seat on the train, I will re-consider that statement! 

So whilst the Sydney summer is having an identity crisis, I will be indoors pumping iron, or out on the bike working on getting a more rounded bottom. 

I tried to run on the treadmill at the gym.  I had my bondi b's on, and that coupled with the bouncy treadmill surface felt very soft indeed.  I power walked for about ten minutes on an incline but then decided to test out the achilles.  Felt ok whilst I was doing it, not sooooo good afterwards.  I did stretch and nurture my ankles and calves last night, just to remind them I do love them and to come back to normal soon.  I've been told haemaroid cream is good for blood flow to that area, so might give that a go too.  I'll try anything!!!

 

Summertime, me and running just don't mix.  They never have.  After two weeks of keeping off my Achilles, I decided to have an easy run.  First 5km was either flat, or downhill.  Next 2km of bush steps and trail. Ok the bush steps are steep but not "achilles-busting steep" like a hill would be.  Final 3kms home gentle incline.  And by the final 3kms my achilles was WAILING again.  So. Fucking. Frustrating. 

Good things about the run were the feeling of freedom running downhill, the feel good stuff released into my brain at the start, the bubbling brook that is usually dry and the smell of the trails after the rain. 

However, I am just going to have to keep busy with "other things".  Last week was a 40km ride which was actually really good.  During the week I've been walking, which is ok, but it takes forever to do my "normal" run!!   This afternoon I am going somewhere I thought I would NEVER revisit - the gym!!!  After 15 years of gym junkyhood, I gave it all away when I started running.  So this afternoon me with my dicky achilles and Yvonne with her torn calf are going to hobble up the stairs and do some weights.  I've always viewed weights as an "easy" workout, and always considered cardio to be king.  Cardio, however has not been kind to me, so for now, weights it is. 

I am also toying with the idea of Daniel the Personal Trainer who comes to you.  He does the HIIT stuff.  On one hand I think it would be a challenge and fun, and on the other I don't want to take it up when I am not able to do it properly with the ankle behaving as it is. 

So, here is me learning the art of patience AGAIN.  A recurrent theme in my life.....and not one I have yet mastered.....!!

Giving up

Observations:  after a mint, a cold bottle of water is the coldest, most beautiful thing you could ever put in your mouth.  After a minty mouthful of chewy on a long run, it is even better.  The most thirst quenching thing you can have.

I am worried about Nicola, the unbalanced twin sister with issues.  She has taken to phoning me in the middle of the night and sending cryptic messages on facebook.  Being a twin, I get those "I know exactly what is going to happen next" feelings with her.  And I had a terrible feeling this morning that she will take her own life.  So I rang her.  I think she is ok today, but something is wrong, something other than all the other terrible things that are already wrong in her life.   Again I've got the guilts and am thinking I should go home.  But I hate the place - and I can't bear the thought of going back.  Time to bring the mountain to Mohammed. 



In other observations, I am crap.  I have no idea STILL about my future.  It keeps changing.  I do know now that you DO need to be careful what you wish for.  It can all go so horribly wrong so easily.  And it is amazing how you can not give a shit either.  And you can still have fun regardless.

I have two ideas that might work.  They both depend on waiting for news on something, one is quite a good idea and will address a few issues, so I suppose I need to wait and see.....!!

This is the year of the Water Dragon.  No idea what that means but my Chinese friend in work seems to think this is a good thing.  Given the last two years have been relatively shite, I am happy to welcome and embrace a good year, no matter what the beast, be it Water Dragon (it is) or a Fire Goat (that is me) or even an Air Head......

Glossary

Wabwador = dog
Buffy the Wonder Dog = dog
Wack Wussell = dog
Buffydog  = dog
Buffaloid Samuels = dog
The Buffster = dog
Buffy = dog (polite form)

What do you want for you anniversary?.....

Um, let's see - a $6m yacht.....?  WTF England?  The Euro is going down the toilet, half of Britain is on welfare, the queen has enough boats and whatnot to be going on with - but TAXPAYERS money can afford a $6m Yacht.  Has the world gone totally crazy?

Anyway, I just found that sad and totally misguided.  In other news, "training" (read "running") ain't happening, but consistently lifting weights every day (and my thighs know all about the 50 squats a day routine now).  Last night I took Buffy the Wonder Dog for a walk, and something was pulling me towards the bush, despite the fact is was after 7.30pm, getting dark and wildly stupid to be marching about on the trails in the twilight.  However it was BEAUTIFUL.  The day started off really wet, but by late afternoon the sun was shining and everything was drying up.  So the trails were damp, full of puddles and had that fantasic earthy smell happening.  All the birds and frogs and cicadas were very happy that the rain had stopped and the noise was DEAFENING, add in a few cockies and some bats and there was quite the little symphony happening and absolutely no need for Slayers "Raining Blood".  Buffy does this cute thing when we power walk, because for her its not a full blown run, greyhound style, but more a trot, so she puts her ears back (perhaps to be more aerodynamic) and has a very determined look about her gob.  Funny little dog, she is an awesome companion on the trails and one of these days she is going to get signed up for Six Foot Track.  So we ended up being out for nearly two hours and it was all good except for when a bat or some kind of large flying insect flew into the back of my hair and had me squealing and carrying on and wildly slapping myself on the back of my head.  All that thinking about wildlife and creepy crawlies and stuff must have been in my head because I had a wierd nights sleep dreaming about my own invented version of lice, which were like big cockroaches living in my twin sisters head and they infected everyone in the world and we all felt bad about that.  Like I say, it was a strange dream.....Anyway, I am consistently icing and stretching my ankle and I can feel it getting better bit by bit, so might even be able to do a little run at the weekend - which will be fab, I cannot remember looking forward so much to getting back out for a run, so that means the motivation is back! Reading the reports of the Narrabeen All Nighter and my friend Cathys awesome debut has made me want to go out and do something similar.....and I see there is a 24hr race in Blacktown in July.......evil laugh....!!!  And now that Simon is training for his marathon, I will have company again, which will keep me on my toes.  So - in summary, motivated!

Meditation

So - I've decided to learn to meditate.  Apparently it will make me happier.

Willing to give anything a try, I've read about the benefits of meditation and decided to give it a go.  Well, planning is everything. 

Firstly, I don't think a good loud dose of heavy metal is the BEST precursor to a nice calm zen meditation session.

Secondly, the caffeine in the second cup of coffee was helping my heart pound just a little bit more than normal, so "concentrating" on the natural process of breathing was hard when the heart is jumping around somewhat unnaturally.

Ok ok, concentrate on breathing.  Clear the mind of everything else.  Wow!  I have an INORDINATE amount of background noise in my head.  About twenty different concepts all at once, each vying for a spot in my frontal lobe, or wherever it is that thoughts get the most attention.

Clearly I have a strong need for a good meditation session, especially given my lack of running at the moment.  Normally that sorts me out.

A friend mentioned today that the time spent on my commute could be devoted to learning another language.  Yes, it could, but becoming fluent in mandarin is not top priority right now, however, a little more clarity, peace, and inner balance would be just lovely thank you.

So I have a 8 week financial plan, and  a general fitness / health plan in place, perhaps I can add to that an 8 week plan to inner balance, focusing on a bit of meditation and lots of selfish ME activities, like healthy food, good exercise, plenty of sleep and surrounding  myself with only the most positive, funny and interesting people I can find.  Oh and I forgot - enjoying being in nice places - 

• The National Pass very early in the morning in summer - all those birds!
• Nepean Lookout on a sunny day - the blue haze
• Milsons Point - with a view of the water and a day dream about living there
• Over Cliff Walk at Wentworth Falls - heaven on a stick!
• Any beach.  
• My yummy scrummy bed
• The back deck with friends....currently getting a bit of a makeover - who needs an exercise regime when you've got a wooden home?!

So, that's the plan Stan.   Tonight, we start with a visit to a Brazilian Restaurant with the beyoooooteeefoool Yvonne and Peter.  Tick - interesting, positive and funny people off that list!

Friday 13th.........

Drumroll......Twilight Zone music.......what will Friday 13th have in store for me?

Last night got home with mood definately GRUMPY on account of the fact that my achilles went NUP NOT PLAYING in the middle of a run where I was thinking to myself, gee I"m clever, all this sore achilles needs is a little bit of blood flow.  WRONG!  It needed a good stretch and some ice and some compression and some massage but not a bloody run with a hill thrown in......so literally had to hop about 3km back to the PT class. 
However, woke up this morning, daily ritual of taking everything off, drying feet to ensure no extra weight is registered from, god forbid, a bit of water on my feet from the bathroom floor and VOILA!!!  3 kilos since the start of the new year.  FANFUCKINGTASTIC!!!!!  One happy camperooney.  So, the mix of weights, high protein low carb, and "'almost" (but not quite) no alcohol appears to be working. (Yep another rip snorting success for Dry January).....

Running, whilst being the thing that I love to do most, despite being absolutely crap at it, will have to take a little back seat whilst I sort out the achilles.  I have devised a little circuit of high intensity exercises coupled with heavy weights which appears to work nicely for me.  And I can still swim (except I will be keeping my mouth closed - I firmly believe my nasty virus was something lurking in Glenbrook Pool) and go cycling and do my intervals and treat each set of stairs at the train station as a stair master and do my pelvic floor excercises on the train and run up and down the stairs at work and - well you get the drift......  So mood from yesterday has definately improved.  I am yearning to get back out on the trails and I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I dearly want to do the Knapsack 3 hour race with last years dream team, except I would be hoping for a more dignified finish this year that did not involve projectile vomiting for what felt like an eternity in the transition area, but that seems unlikely too (the race, not the dignified finish).  Anyway I am feeling happy and positive about everything DESPITE dicky ankle, so - life is good.  And I am enjoying it.  I think that's the idea.

Holy bedclothes batman!

Holy bedclothes batman, what was that? Been in bed for what seems like an ETERNITY and is most of 2012, but given there have only been three or four days of 2012, this is not as dramatic as it sounds...!


The nasty, nasty, nasty virus knocked me flat on my back for a few days, but hurrah for fabularse doctors and drugs that would skin a badger, should you immerse a badger in them. In fact, I have absolutely no knowledge of the drugs' badger skinning powers, but if it kills a little parasite that creates a little pod to live in so that things can't kill it, sort of, teenage mutuant ninja turtle style, then it must be strong.


   Anyway, still tired and dopey (what's new?) (here I am looking tired and dopey) but certainly feeling a million times better than the last few days - phew! Everyone here has had a great time making poo jokes at my expense and generally taking the mickey. 

So, might even get back to work tomorrow, depending on how I wake up. Hence, I declare 2012 officially OPEN!!  Let's go!

New Years Day - 2012

So, New Years Day 2012 was a cracker of a day - warm, sunny, hangover free.  I thought about all the things I wanted to achieve this year.  It all got too big and complicated, so I quickly directed my thoughts to more worthwhile pursuits, like looking for my bike helmet and cleaning out under the stairs.  

The Boot Camp had been going well.  Each day I have been doing something and trying to mix up the swimming, riding and running, because, as usual, calves and achilles are carrying on.  So, Thursday I did another 1.5km swim and weights (100 squats with the bar again) and Saturday was a 32km bike ride.

Despite the exercise, good food and generally looking after myself as well as getting to bed early, I had been feeling a bit off colour, and before the bike ride I really questioned if it was a good idea, but once out there, it was fine.  So I wasn't all that worried about going into the National Park for a run with Kel and a hike down to the Erskine Creek.  The plan was to swim in the creek then hike back out.  We did that, although the run felt just wierd and uncomfortable.  

On the climb down, there was lots of discussions about snakes, as the hot sunny conditions were perfect snake sunbaking weather, and there was a bit of squealing and carrying on when we saw something serpent like crawling through the undergrowth.  On closer inspection, it was just a little blue tongue lizard, but it reminded me of the famous Goanna Sighting of 2011 on Six Foot Track with Monica and I thinking some kind of modern day dinosaurs were living in Katoomba.  No matter, we got safely down the the creek and we were very brave and once we had established that there were no eels, snakes or other living creatures in the river, we got in.  Perfect spot for a swim, perfectly clear water, just beautiful.  Lots of giggling when we touched rocks or each others foot and mistaking it for a snake.  Well, giggling after the initial gasping and shrieking.....

The climb back up, whilst reasonably steep, is really not that hard, so before we knew it we were back up on the top of the world again.  

This is when new years day went all wierd on me.  Got home, had a shower and felt really bizarre, cold and shivery.  Wrapped myself up in about seven hundred towels and lay on the bed.  Felt really odd.  Tried to stand up.  Everything went black and got that feeling of blood rushing from your head to somewhere it is not supposed to go, so lay back down.  Lying down hurt, every bit of me was sore, so tried to get up again, only to have to lie down.  Continued this routine on and off for most of the night, and lets face it, most of today.  Telling myself this is NOT an omen for 2012 and it WILL be a good year for me.  Plus, it is an amazing kick start to the 2012 diet......so all is good.....or it will be just as soon as I can get out of bed....

Getting Better....

8km run.  Ankles hurt.  They are taking it in turns to torture me.  But I expect that from them at this time of year, so I persevere. Not one snake sighting, except on the floor of my laundry, which was a blue sweetie snake that fell out of my camelbak, so no worries there.  Except I did get tangled in a twig on the trails and kinda got all panicked that I was being attacked by a snake or a mongoose or something.  Muttering to myself about being attacked by a farking snake / twig at precisely the same time as the only other people I saw on the trail walked past me.  Subdued sniggers from them.  More muttering from me. Then a leaf got caught on the toe of my shoe and I was convinced it was some kind of creature.  These are all good ways of forgetting about a throbbing toothache that I am TELLING myself will go away.  Soon.

1.5km swim with the Pool Nazi's.  I'm in the farking slow lane people.  You don't have to swim over the top of me....shoulders very sore, as that is 1.5km two days in a row now.  But felt totally awesome afterwards.

Some weights.  Well, 100 squats with the bar loaded up as much I could get it.  And some dicky arm movements to try and get rid of my bingo wings.  All eating going according to plan.  So it's all good.

Boot Camp Fail

Back from holidays today.  The idea was to treat it as a mini boot camp with lots of activities (and resulting increased fitness, and of course, the ever sought after weight loss).  But this is me we are talking about and of course that didn't really happen.  I did run three days out of the holiday, and managed a couple of bike rides, but I also did an inordinate amount of lying around reading and generally contemplating my navel.  Which, as we know, is not the fat blasting workout of the serious athlete.  And whilst I ate healthily (except for that fresh cream laden Irish Coffee) I came home thinking there was a bit of a wasted opportunity.  Anyway, off to Glenbrook Pool this afternoon for a "work out some frustration" 1.5km swim.   Came home to find the boys had purchased a new concoction - this thing looked for all intents and purposes like pizza (it was round, in a box and had stuff on the top) but upon closer inspection, the stuff on the top was kebab meat.  Urrrrghhhh!  Isn't that why kebabs are all wrapped up, so you don't have to SEE the meat?  Blerrrgh! 

So I have now realised I have five more days off until I go back to work.  This is indeed good news and means I can commence boot camp properly.  There, I said it, so I have to do it.  And also (insert loud drumroll here) - I am going to attempt Dry January again, after last years rip snorter of a success. Yes, January has 31 days and yes I managed to go 16 of them without drinking, and yes it was all easy and I was feeling very smug until faced with the cocktail menu on a tropical island in the pacific ocean.  No likelihood of my current role taking me to a tropical island with endless free cocktails, so now is as good a time as any to start.  And yes I know December hasn't finished yet, but as far as I am concerned it has.  Lets get on with this new year business and forget 2011.

Which reminds me.  I got a "present" in the mail today, and I am not quite sure what to do with it.  My mum has sent me a cd (or perhaps it is a dvd) of dads funeral.  I was a bit shocked when I opened it.  I am not sure if it is a listening thing, or a watching thing.  Given that everyone uses iPods these days, not only would I recommend funeral parlours doing a handy podcast, but I just can't think of where all the cd players in the house have gone.  Into that black vortex of Curtis' bedroom, never to be seen again.  So I have an image in my head of me flying around in my little car, roof down, listening to..... a funeral service.  I dunno, but the idea of it just makes me want to giggle and then be very cross at myself for being so politically incorrect.

I need to move to the beach

Today was just fab.  It is Christmas Eve and I woke up in the beach house to the sound of birds and boats. 

I lay on Terrigal Beach and alternated between languishing in the sun and reading my book, and frolicking in the surf.  My ultimate dream Xmas Eve is frolicking in the surf, so hey, guess what, I got my ultimate Xmas Eve dream come true. 

I am starting to think that perhaps Thursdays downer was silly.  All is fine.  All is going to be fine.  It is just going to take time.  And effort.  And patience. 

One minute a rooster....

....the next a feather duster.

Dog ate all my chocolates.  Probs a good thing as chocolate makes you fat and gives you pimples and I've got enough of both.  She unwrapped the wrapping paper, got the cellophane off and unwrapped the silver paper all whilst I was in the shower.  I came back to find her up on my bed, licking her chops, looking a little sheepish and a little satisfied.  Buffy the Brave.  She'll probably be Buffy the Very Fecking Sick tomorrow.  Which bodes well for a two hour car journey.  I'm predicting watery poos.

Anyway all my positive vibes have disappeared down the toilet.  I am not sure what happened really.  Still, I have a week at the beach, with a bike, the surf, and two legs to run.  Wee bit of sun, the company of young Curtis and of course Buffy the wonder dog and it will all be ok.  It always is. 

Our deepest fears.....

....are like dragons guarding our deepest treasures.

And that is so true.

I am just thankful for all the good things that have happened lately and I am so positive about the future.

And that isn't even post run euphoria talking.  Or even vodka.  My Saturday run angered Mr Achilles to the point I couldn't risk it Sunday.  So Sunday I managed 1.6km in the pool.  Yeah me.  Swimming.  1.6km.  In one go.  Without stopping.  hahahahaha.

Then I was still jumping from foot to foot so I took the bike out for 20km.  It took about 45 mins and probably about a thousand calories and countless back muscles to pump up the tyres, despite my new fangled pump I bought in the winter, once used.  Problem was, I forgot the key aspect of UNSCREWING the wee lid thing on the poky out bit of the tyre.  No wonder my face was getting red, I was panting and the tyre was staying flat.  But no matter, it is in the long term memory now, no need to remind myself.  Except I was reminded about the time, not that long ago, that I forgot how my gears worked and I rode for 10.8km in a really hard gear, thinking, "this bike riding lark is harder than I remember" until I remembered that thing that looks like a break is actually a gear changing thingy and you can drop down a gear, and yeah, well ....most normal people know this shit....

Anyway.  I liked the weeekends activities.  Last night I had to work till 10pm standing in the rain watching fecking eejits tell me they couldn't read a number plate when it would have been clear to fecking Stevie Wonder what was on the plate.  So no running Monday.

Clarity

Went for a run today in the rain.  Love running in the rain, and today I had a moment of total clarity.  Suddenly everything made sense, and to the sounds of "Killing in the Name Of" I realised something that explains so much in my life.  See, I knew I ran for a reason.  I suppose the first step is understanding yourself and your behaviours and then working out what you want to do about it.  I guess grief makes you think about things in your life you otherwise wouldn't normally explore.  It's been a really odd month, my life seems to be taking a new direction, which I am not entirely unhappy with.  We'll see where it ends up.... :)

In terms of running, I am back running regularly over the last two weeks and I cannot describe how much better it has been making me feel.  Mentally and physically.  This week I have managed four runs, which I am fine with, plus a couple of weights sessions.  Feeling good although the achilles is a wee bit upset and needs some TLC.  At least now I know how to manage it and know it will take a few weeks of nurturing and it will get better.

I have proved to myself over the last few weeks that despite the travel I do, and the hours I work, I can still train.  So no excuses me!!

Now off to get gussied up for a dinner with my gorgeous and funny girlfriend!

Lots to be grateful for....

This week was GREAT! 

Made an effort to get out and do things, so getting back into the swing of fitness once more (I've had more comebacks than someone who has had a lot of comebacks.  I can't think of anyone appropriate right now.  Well, Gary Glitter springs to mind, but the least said about him the better). 

Anyway, Monday - I got on the biggest DIY manual in the world, YouTube and looked up "fast efficient workouts" and got some  man doing a ten minute workout that looked like fun.  Lots of burpees, squat jumps and the like.  Gave it a go and did some weights too.

Wednesday we ran around the river with Yvonne and Kelly and did some weights together in the park like a pack of eejits.  Thankfully by the time the run was over it was dark so we didn't have anyone watching us doing our thang.

Thursday I ran round the river before PT class and Friday I ran with the Cool Running Twilight gang. 

Saturday morning I went on an "adventure date" and swam 30 laps of Parramatta Pool (50 metre pool, that's 1.5km for those with the calculators out) and then had a gorgeous breakfast in a Cuban style cafe.

And finally this morning we hiked for three hours in the National Park and climbed down from Glenbrook to Erskine Creek via Jack Evans Track, something I had wanted to do for a long time, and was rewarded with gorgeous views and the most gorgeous morning out.  I didn't do anything crazy or over strenuous so my body feels good and more importantly my head feels good too. 

The boys in work have been at me to come with them for a run and to some stairs they like to run up and down.  Sounds like a challenge so I'll bring my stuff next week.  I am amazed and disappointed at how porky I have become after a few weeks of unenthusiastic running.  Well, try two months of unenthusiastic running.  However I am now enthused again, both for my mental state and to ensure my impressive dress collection does not become redundant. 

Resuming Life in General

Things got a wee bit ugly there for a while, Lord,  life can be difficult.  However I am now trying to be "normal" again.  I think I am getting there.  Some days I do better than others.  In summary, all the stuff that was happening over the last few months seemed to come to a head at once, and lots of sad things happened too.  My dad got really sick and sadly passed away 2 weeks ago.  That was difficult, in my previous life as someone charmed where nothing bad had ever happened (until Saturn came to visit, or 2010 happened, whichever way you chose to look at it) I had never known anyone close to me to die.  Except, like, my one eared cat.  So being so far away was awful.  At first, he got really sick and we all thought it was serious.  Then he got better and we all (niaively) thought it was all going to be ok.  By the time we realised it wasn't, it was close to the end.  So we spent about three weeks pretty much waiting.  So for about three weeks I had at least three middle of the night conversations every night.  Not all good, you know how familes get.  There was all that guilt trip stuff about not coming home (I had my reasons not to) and all those updates where our hopes were raised but we knew in our hearts that this was it.  And besides, dad told me the last time I spoke to him that he didn't want to live like this any more.  He suffered for over two years after his heart operation and he is now at peace.  So - you gotta move on from these things.  At first it was a terrible shock, despite the fact we knew it was coming.  I took some time off work but didn't know what had hit me.  I slept and slept and slept.  I did make an effort to get out one day.  Dad loved the ocean and as kids he had a speedboat and took us all around Strangford Lough in it, he scuba dived and collected stuff and we bobbed around in our life jackets.  He had the oldest skool surfboard I have ever seen, it was wooden, and torquoise.  We eventually put some kitchen handles on it and made it into a makeshift sleigh.  We saw more snow than surf in those days.  It was so light it went like a rocket and was a bit of a danger to man and beast.  Anyway, prior to getting the news of dads passing, I had organised a day taking surf lessons with a friend.  At first I cancelled it.  But then I thought, what am I going to do all day at home?  So I went and it was absolutely freezing and to me the waves were massive but it was fun and silly and the sort of thing dad used to do and would have encouraged. 

Anyway I am back at work now.  My plan is simple.  At least three runs a week.  More if I can.  As much other stuff as I can fit in.  Back to the PT class.  Try to make as much effort as possible to do positive things.  Example.  Tomorrow night is the Twilight Cool Running 5km at the Regatta Centre.  Tomorrow night a friend has invited me for a few drinks and dinner.  Twilight wins, it does not involve late nights, alcohol or missing the last train because I wanted one more glass of champagne and getting stuck in the city, then waking up in her house, hungover and wasting Saturday too.  (Not that I would do all that of course, but well, I might....).  Saturday - swimming laps with a friend who is a good influence in terms of fitness and then breakky with him.  Sunday, long hike in National Park with the gorgeous Jen, our PT class leader.  All good clean pursuits that will keep me busy, stop me thinking negatively and help get my fitness back to where it was what seems like light years ago.