Upcycling

Toilet Roll packaging - who needs Paperchase?!

Awoke this morning having had a nightmare about not being organised for the craft activity stall - just what I needed! Is it not enough for it to be occupying my every waking moment?! I do however know why it happened - because I'm not organised. So the plan for the day was to do something about it. The plan for today was also to run five and a half miles.

Up and out my bed, looking out the window at the beautiful morning, it was without a doubt, perfect running weather but I decided not to go. Two reasons: my legs felt tight after yesterday and I didn't think running on them today would be the best move; and secondly it's Al's last day of his holiday and I wanted to spend as much of the day with him as possible so opted for a dog walk together instead of a run.

Back home and brunch eaten this just left the small matter of craft activities to get my head round.  I have sorted through the box of materials given to me by the lady at the pub, and have discovered there are over a hundred pill boxes for decoration - what more could anyone want? Small fiddly and time consuming got to be worth a pound?! I then made a couple of pillow boxes out of toilet roll tubes. I'm really rather pleased with these although there are significantly less of these to decorate (any local readers please save what you can between now and Saturday!).

What I'm less convinced about it my ability to find things to do with the pre-schoolers! Talking it over yesterday post parkrun (what will we find to talk about once this is all over?) the advice is to just give them some stuff and let them get on with it. I think this is why I didn't spend hours doing crafting activities with the boys when they were young - I'm fine as long as they were doing what I wanted them to do, but way too much of a control freak to cope when they wanted to do their own thing! I think I am in for a very rude awakening if I think anyone's going to follow my step by step instructions next weekend!

I have Etsy news! Someone unknown to me has 'favourited' my peg bag! Discussion over brunch as to where this sits in the list... the boys put it above a sale from someone I know but below a sale from someone I don't, Al puts it below a sale from someone I know, which is below a sale from someone I don't, because money hasn't actually changed hands.  He then squeezes a bit more air out of my already burst bubble by suggesting that perhaps she has 'favourited' it so that I will then go and look at her stuff and perhaps I should do the same with some random people.

I'm holding on to the hope that perhaps she was in fact looking for a peg bag and liked what she saw and maybe just maybe will come back to buy it later!

M - 618
HM - 175
Glasgow - 35
Total Distance covered  213.1 miles

And it's Hi Ho Silver Lining

... my sun is definitely shining today!

I was the second lady home at parkrun, all by myself, no help from anyone else, the silver medal is at last rightfully mine (at least for this week!).

I am not sure what made this morning different from the past few Saturday's, I didn't know when I started off that I was going to be able to knock over a minute off last week's time, to be fair I wasn't even that convinced whilst I was running, the only thing I can put it down to was the lure of metal!

I should point out to any new readers that this is entirely fictional and only in my head as there is no medal ceremony nor do I ever hear anyone else talk about it - but it was enough to spur me on once I'd realised it was within my sights.  Having worked out there were only two women in front of me and I was gaining on the nearer, I decided to go for it and overtake. Not recognising her I had no idea if she was going to come flying past at the end so I really tried to get some distance between us to limit her chances. Running up the hill for the last time I could hear some feet coming up fast and despite my best sprint finish I couldn't hold them off - but was ever so slightly relieved to discover they belonged to a male parkrunner and crossed the finish line ahead of my nearest female contender. She congratulated me afterwards on my run and said that she'd been trying but just couldn't catch me - I didn't tell her that that was the plan!

So for all my weeks of disappointment I am basking in the wonder of parkrun euphoria and have already decided not to run next week so it can last a fortnight!

This may have something to do with the fact that next week would be my fiftieth run and I'm not sure I want it to coincide with Gazebo Hell! There are also a couple of my close friends missing next week, so I think I might postpone the 'pleasure' of running round the parkrun course till the weekend after, when I will have the time to retire to the cafe afterwards for some much earned cake!

M - 619
HM - 176
Glasgow - 36
Distance covered              3.1 miles
Total Distance covered  213.1 miles

Pipe Cleaners and Pom Pom's

Let's hope it leads to another Blue Peter totaliser day! 

My new Garmin has arrived (or at least a newly refurbished one) I really want to get started setting myself some goals on my Garmin Connect page (and possibly even a training plan!), but so far all I've managed to do is put it on charge and at this rate I'll be lucky if I've even got it set up before parkrun in the morning.

I went to see the festival lady today - I don't think loom bands are going to cut it! Her colleague has brought in a huge box of craft stuff, they are busy collecting toilet roll tubes, and are - I think - expecting me to do something rather creative with them, oh dear! On my way home I call in to Tesco with C and am somewhat taken aback to find a 'Go Create' Eco Craft set making bugs out of egg boxes - perhaps my ideas aren't so off the boil after all!

The trouble is I need to order some other bits and pieces to turn my recycled items into something more interesting, but haven't as yet been able to bring myself to do this. I am so disillusioned and somewhat out of pocket by my failed attempt to make anything that people want to buy on Etsy (and they were things that I thought were nice) that I am reluctant to spend more money only to be left with a pile of pipe cleaners, pom poms and googly eyes if next week doesn't draw any interest from the festival goers. But I can delay no longer and so have placed a few tentative orders along with requests for speedy delivery as there is now a chance that they won't get here on time.

I sense a busy week ahead preparing - just as everyone goes back to school and I'm left without Al's help and the boys occasional company! I'm finding it all a little overwhelming and I just hope that it's worth it in the long run.

Talking of which (ha! ha!) five and a half mile route to find for Sunday - looks like I'd better stop writing this and get on with sorting my Garmin!

M - 620
HM - 177
Glasgow - 37
Total Distance covered  210 miles
Exercises fallen by the wayside along with my 'no exercises - no blog policy!

Loom Bands

Do I really have to go there?!


My energy levels don't seem to be improving! It's half past nine and I've just woken up from snoozing on the sofa in front of the TV. In my defense it's been a long day. Supermarket, back to school shopping, and a run - but thankfully no ice! The trouble is, I was supposed to be going to see the lady from the pub that is organising the music festival next weekend to discuss my crafty come and have a go stall.

I think I am in denial about it.  There are small signs that something is afoot - we have an egg box mountain in the kitchen and toilet roll tubes being stored in random places around the house.  What I haven't quite decided yet is what to do with them! Sitting outside the cafe after parkrun on Saturday the consensus of opinion seems to be that I should abandon all ideas of egg box caterpillars, ladybirds and spiders and just do loom bands.

I am very grateful that this whole craze has passed me by and I haven't had to have anything to do with it -yet! It is therefore somewhat reluctantly that I find myself buying a packet this morning with the intention of going on YouTube and seeing if I can work them out before next Saturday - but as yet the packet has remained unopened, discarded in the dining room and is just another visual clue that something's up.

Talking to the lady in the shop this morning, the craze is apparently on it's way out (which I guess is why everywhere is selling them off so cheaply) so perhaps I don't have to go there at all - maybe retro crafts and egg box animals is the way forward after all!

My run this afternoon was hard work, but I couldn't face any of the tidying up or other jobs that needed doing and the thought that I if I ran I wouldn't have to do my exercises was enough to get me out the door!

Just had an email to let me know that my replacement Garmin is on it's way, looking forward to getting to grips with the new website and planning some new routes - anything to avoid having to think about next weekend!

M - 621
HM - 178
Glasgow - 38
Distance covered           4.2 miles
Total Distance covered  210 miles

PS Happy Birthday G! And Happy Birthday yesterday parkrunfastfinisher!

Ice Bucket Challenge Day

For Motor Neurone Disease and WaterAid.

What has happened to me?! First thing this morning I see a post from Fellow Parkrunner referencing some hill and speed work training she has done last night and I can't help myself but to feel envious!

I have not been able to leave my need for speed behind and I am really struggling with this. It is so hard watching my friends get stronger and faster and want to be going there with them. The fact that I ran five miles yesterday and have no pain as a result is a huge step forward, yet it isn't enough to override my feelings of wanting to chase down my PB over 5K.

Talking it over with Al (who wasn't able to run yesterday after sustaining a skateboarding injury on Monday - but is perhaps the coolest Uncle his nephew could hope for!), I have decided that it has been too long since I passed any kind of milestone and I need to set myself a new interim goal, something to aim for that is distance related.

I think it is time to revisit a desire I had way back at the beginning to run a particular seven mile route and set myself a reasonable time frame for doing it. So here goes -
Sunday 21 September is now Seven Miles Sunday!

Today however, was my Motor Neurone Disease Ice Bucket Challenge day! Thank you very much Mrs Motivator! It was very cold, and having delighted in pouring cold water over H a few days ago there was no way I was going to get away with anything less than the three buckets I subjected him to!

I spent a lot of the morning walk with Al this morning trying to see if there was anything I could do to tie this in with my fundraising for Water Aid.  We did consider the warm bucket challenge for Sid (he's too old for cold) he would have sat there no problem and not hated us forever (unlike Dougal) but decided in the end it was just too cruel, I then thought of some ice cream eating challenge for both dogs to see if they licked or wolfed down an ice cream cone down but weren't happy feeding them ice cream - besides which we already kind of know the answer - Dougal's would be a very short video! In the end we settled for Dougal's ice cube challenge, for which I will donate £1 to WaterAid for each catch! (thanks for the slo mo editing C)

Later on this afternoon we were watching various celebrity challenges on YouTube when we came across Matt Damon's. A co-founder of Water.org he took the opportunity to raise awareness of the fact that 800 million people don't have access to clean drinking water, and 2.4 billion people don't have adequate sanitation by tipping a bucket of water filled from his toilet to emphasis the point that our toilet water is cleaner than some people's drinking water.

Oh how glad am I that I didn't see this until after I'd done mine!

M - 622
HM - 179
Glasgow - 39
Total Distance covered  205.8 miles
Exercises done

Arpeggios

Even the word sounds nicer than squats!*

Determined to have a better day after feeling so lousy yesterday, I set the alarm and got out early for my run. Decided on a five mile route and am relatively happy with how it went, although marginally disappointed around the three mile mark when I really thought I had found my stride and was starting to pick up speed, only to discover when I turned the corner that it had had far more to do with the wind being behind me for once than anything I was doing, as without it I was back to my usual form!

Home, showered and riding high on an adrenaline rush it became apparent that my 'lets get up and get out early' plans had  been replaced with 'lets have a pyjama morning' by everyone but me - only one thing for it a four mile walk around the woods with the dogs.

Had a lovely time, and met a really nice woman who may just become my piano teacher! Eh?! Long story - the walk took us a while - but apparently it's on my list of things I'd like to do and not for the first time I'm left wondering why a) marathon running bubbled to the surface first and b) why I didn't try to compile an actual list and then prioritise them so that I could be sitting working my way through scales and arpeggios rather than squats and lunges!

It's isn't however until I'm driving home that the reality of my present predicament hits me. I have just run five miles and walked four. To reach half marathon distance I would have had to set off round the woods and do my entire walk again! This is too far! The second blow comes a while later (you'd think with the clue in the word half it might have hit me sooner) if one run and two circuits of the wood is a half marathon.... 

M - 623
HM - 180 (said in your best darts commentary voice)
Glasgow - 40
Distance covered              5.2 miles
Total Distance covered  205.8 miles

* (and the Italian for squats - accovacciarsi sounds too nice for something so hideous!)

Sleepy

But hoping for a change in fortune tomorrow!

Aside from having his company for six weeks, one of the major perks of Al having a long summer holiday is that I don't have to walk the dogs, that is until this morning.  I am therefore a little taken aback when I do venture out with them to discover that it feels more like winter than August Bank Holiday Monday!

It's a ghastly day, the sort that makes you want to stay indoors and light the fire, we've more or less managed the first but have stopped short of going as far as the second, if only because we think the logs need to stand a while longer and the chimney hasn't been swept (although in fairness if there was wood I'd have risked the chimney!).

Yesterday's post has resulted in words of encouragement from Fellow Parkrunner about hanging on in there and focusing on the positive. I can't help but think that would have been so much easier if the sun had been shining! I need to get back out there and run and give myself something to feel positive about, I think I'm about to talk myself into an early morning run.

I want to enjoy the freedom of running - especially as my Garmin has been sent back for repair so I won't be able to track my pace or time. It hasn't been a day for going out, but by the same token I'm feeling a little cooped up and I just want to head out on the open road and run.

I think that's decision made, and as a statement of intent I am going to go and sort my kit when I've finished writing this, before I talk myself out of it!

We've had a nice time with Al's brother and family although I'm not sure how impressed they are with the weather that Yorkshire has to offer today, or the energy levels of their hosts!

C's back! (More than a little bit pleased to have him home!).

M - 624
HM - 181
Glasgow - 41
Total Distance covered  200.6 miles
Exercises not done - but I didn't want to overdo it having walked the dogs!

200 miles

Maybe that's why I'm so tired!

Didn't have a good night sleep, I had pain shooting down my left leg making it feel like I had cramp and I just couldn't get comfortable, I was however a little slow to hear Dougal barking this morning (I think there may be times when being a little hard of hearing may be an advantage) consequently Al got up to see to him and I got another couple of hours in bed - result!

I didn't feel much better when I got up, and am just fed up feeling like a bag of bones! I also think it may be fair to say that I'm quite miserable company at the moment and Al (who was already of the long suffering variety of husband) is earning his stripes, although I think he may just prefer it if I cheered up a bit.

Sisterofmarathongirl750 is equally as unmotivated - it has transpired that we both thought we were doing the other a favour signing up for Glasgow, and that now we've ascertained the fact that neither of us are particularly fussed about running there is suggestion of going out for breakfast instead! Halfmarathongirl I think this makes you chief motivator! Which is a trifle mean given our current state of disenchantment!

Made it to the two hundred mile mark yesterday! Only another eight hundred to go on en route to my marathon. I have worked out that I'll get to the one thousand mile mark if, from here on in, I average around ten miles a week, and given my current mind set this also means I may be able to miss some weeks altogether as my distance increases.

Al and I were speaking to a man yesterday after parkrun who was telling us that he was perfecting his negative attitude, if he thought he was going to do rubbish and didn't have any aspirations to do better, he couldn't be disappointed! And for whilst I can see the attraction, far better instead to be inspired by Fellow Parkrunner's fabulous all time personal best yesterday over 5K, following a long and laborious road to recovery after being knocked off her bike a year ago...  way to go RLB!

Time to knuckle down and weather the storm.... better days are on their way.
Seven weeks til Glasgow - can't come soon enough sis x

M - 625
HM - 182
Glasgow - 42
Total Distance covered  200.6 miles
Exercises done!

Yo-Yo-ing

But it's not just my time over 5K...

My legs may have been itching to run, but dragging myself round the park this morning none of the rest of me seems to have been given the message!  I felt awful, slightly sick, achy back and all in all just a bit miserable. Not surprisingly then, my time (as predicted) yo-yo'd back by about half a minute from last week.

I am finding it really tough, and don't know if I'm clutching at straws when I hope that some of this current lack of form is because I'm working new muscle groups that aren't quite up to speed, or if this is a perfectly reasonable explanation of what's going on. All I know is that it's hard work at the moment and doesn't seem to be getting any easier.

Al's time is a lot more consistent but he's not finding it easy going either, a week to go until he goes back to work and with no opportunity left to do anything about it I'm loathed to make the observation that we need a holiday!

I don't feel well and consequently everything seems like more of an effort than usual and all I want to do is curl up in a corner somewhere warm and sleep, fat chance! Al's brother and family are due tomorrow so we've got tidying and cleaning to do, which we've been meaning to get round to all week but somehow it's Saturday and we haven't started yet so it's our own fault really but doesn't make me feel any better when the world is already just a bit rubbish!

Sometime around six I get a text from C, his team have just won silver medals at the World Alternative Games. I am sooooooo proud of him, and it seems it's not just my parkrun time that is yo-yo-ing today as my mood swings upwards at the news!

I have a lovely hour or so texting him and having a laugh, I'm happy and suddenly the world is an altogether different place, when he texts to say there's a problem.  His bag has inadvertently not made it onto the minibus and is currently winging it's way to Somerset leaving him with only the clothes he's wearing, to last until Monday and somehow see him compete in the Bog Snorkelling Championships tomorrow.  It isn't the end of the world, and will all get sorted in the long run, but my good mood plummets at the injustice of it all, poor C. Not being exactly well off for clothes practically everything he owned was in that bag... a fun trip to the shopping centre on Tuesday then! We both hate shopping which is why he doesn't have many clothes in the first place, but hey at least he'll look good for the start of sixth form!

M - 626
HM - 183
Glasgow - 43
Distance covered 3.1 miles
Total Distance covered  200.6 miles

Seven Years with Sid

Or Happy Birthday Al!

Today is Al's birthday, he's forty-four.  By the time we get up sometime after nine (clearly even the dogs are exhausted after their excursion yesterday) and come downstairs for breakfast it is obvious that I feel more like sixty-four this morning! Or if this is how forty-four feels I can't imagine what I'll feel like in another twenty years!

But thankfully our minds are more retrospective than future focused today because seven years ago we left our holiday in Balnakeil with the newest member of our family sitting on Al's lap looking out of the window to see where he was off to! Sid the Dog. Who would have thought when you came to spend your retirement with us, that you'd still be here enjoying it!

Al and I also spent some of the day talking about the time we spent together at 11, 22, and 33 and how glad we are to be where we are at 44. It's been a good but incredibly inactive day, and I can't help but wonder what our lives will be like at 55 and how long it will be since I put on a pair of running shoes! A week, a month, a year, or the whole nine years since I crossed the finishing line at the marathon?!

Another Saturday, another parkrun looms, and I'm looking forward to it, I am so exhausted I can't imagine that it's going to be a particularly quick one but after two days of such limited activity my legs are actually feeling like they are itching to run! Not sure that Al feels the same - but then he did walk the dogs for an hour and a half this morning!

M - 627
HM - 183
Glasgow - 44
Total Distance covered  197.5 miles
What exercises?!

Too Old

I am exhausted just by travelling!

When we planned our day to take C's GCSE results to him in Newport and watch him play for GB, I don't think I really took on board how long the day was going to be - but it was worth it! He has done really well in his exams and we are exceptionally proud of him - but four hours driving to get there and four ours back have taken their toll! It appears that I have turned into an old woman and I can't sit for that long without my legs and joints starting to ache, especially when you've to share the passenger footwell with Sid (in fairness at least it wasn't Dougal!).

I haven't been to watch C play underwater hockey for a while - what a difference! Admittedly there isn't a lot to see from the spectators gallery but it was obvious that the games were faster, lasted longer, and were just on a completely different level to what I've seen before.  I am in awe of the level of fitness required to play - no wonder C can beat me so comfortably at parkrun!

Yes he has youth on his side, but he also trains hard.  I need to get over my frustration at the time it is taking me to feel any stronger and just knuckle down with my training and exercise programme. If I do, then it will come, and I will start to feel like it's getting easier - hopefully without the need for me to don a snorkel and fins and have a go at underwater hockey - I don't do swimming at the best of times!

It has been a privilege to watch C grow into the young man we went to see today, although emerging from the car tired and achy on our arrival home at half past midnight, I couldn't help but think that perhaps H is the sensible one among us - left at home alone for the day, he did venture outside long enough to go and pick up his tea from the fish and chip shop before taking it upstairs to eat in his bedroom! Sometimes I really wish that was my idea of heaven!

M - 628
HM - 184
Glasgow - 45
Total Distance covered  197.5 miles
Exercises not done - clearly not knuckling down to do them today!

Rain

on wet canvas - what was I thinking!

Haven't had the best of days today.  I've had a really strange headache that I can't seem to shift and fell asleep on the sofa for an hour and a half this afternoon (actually that bit was quite nice!).

There has been no improvement in my ear overnight, despite taking three of the new tablets yesterday and no improvement today although I am now up to six (in a packet of 84!). I have a suspicion that they may take slightly longer to work, but am also wondering if they are to blame for my headache - I guess only time will tell on both counts.

All however is not lost if they don't work. C very kindly suggested yesterday, that in time I may either a) loose all of my hearing in my ear at which point the tinnitus will cease to be an issue, or slightly less severe b) have a further reduction in the range I can hear so that I can no longer hear noise at the pitch of my tinnitus. Such a lovely son!

In return I have threatened to change his A Level choices to include Biology, when I go into school tomorrow to collect his GCSE results, so that he can pursue a career in medical science and dedicate his life to finding a cure for his mother's plight.

A cunning plan but doesn't bring any immediate relief so I have resorted to putting on some 'rain' noise whilst typing this in an attempt to block out the hiss, but I'm not overly impressed and despite the sales pitch I am not finding it 'extremely relaxing'!

Busy day tomorrow, picking up the aforementioned GCSE results, not opening them (I promise C), then driving the three and half hours or so down to Newport to give them to him, staying to watch him play Underwater Hockey for Great Britain! (v proud mum) and then driving back again! With a slight detour en route to drop Dougal and Sid off to spend the afternoon with Dougal's mum, sister and aunt! (I'm not sure the breeders really know what they've let themselves in for - but lets just say Dougal will sleep on the way home!).

Legs, feet and ankles in better shape today that I thought they would be after yesterday's 5 miler, but by the same token I'm glad that I won't have the opportunity to run tomorrow! I also won't have the opportunity to blog, but will make amends on Friday!

Switched to 'Rain on a Canvas Tent' supposedly a 'tinnitus masker' and there's eight hours of it so I can play it when I go to sleep! It's not masking anything just making me feel cold and slightly damp and in need of going to the loo! I hate camping! Perhaps I should look for a tropical beach one instead!

M - 629
HM - 185
Glasgow - 46
Total Distance covered  197.5 miles
Exercises Done!

Mutton

As in deaf - NOT as in dressed!

I have been to the hospital to get my results and it's mixed news. I am called in to see the doctor and am momentarily thrown by the head mirror he is wearing - I've only ever seen pretend ones in children's doctor's kits, or in pictures that look like they've come from the 1950s, but yet here I am in 2014 and he is definitely sitting there with a head band on talking to me like it's not! 

After inquiring as to whether or not I can hear him, to which I answered yes, I am given the good news that my MRI scan has come back clear and he is ready to discharge me. When I then tell him that there has been no change in my ear it becomes clear that I haven't heard his initial question at all (although I'm not sure if it's the head mirror or my hearing loss that's to blame!).

At which point the news is less promising. They don't know what caused it and they don't know how to cure it, and he isn't hopeful that the hearing loss can be reversed.  But I've some tablets to take that may help with the tinnitus, had some blood tests taken to rule out infection and the dentist to visit for an x-ray in case it's something to do with my teeth or jaw, before going back in five weeks to see if there's any change.

Feeling a little sorry for myself there is only one thing for it when I get home - a cup of tea and a Tunnock's Caramel Wafer left over from sisterofmarathongirl750s visit! I managed almost a fortnight without any biscuits or cake or bread but today is not a day for diets.

I am fortunate enough to get an appointment at the dentist this afternoon, and skeptical enough to think this may have something to do with how much it is going to cost me! It is a very odd experience sitting there hoping to hear the words "wisdom tooth extraction", but again it's 'good' news - the fancy new digital x-ray (if that's possible - it was an Xray and came up on a computer!) shows nothing wrong.

Somewhat exhausted by the days events I get home to find Al talking about going for a run - I'd forgotten it was Tuesday! Really not in the mood but also knowing I'll feel better for it we set off to run the route I'd run on Sunday (I knew it would be like laying down a gauntlet!). Legs definitely know they've been and I've a nice blister on my big toe but it was OK, although Al had to leave me to catch him up as his legs were starting to ache trying to run as slow as I was going!

A very quick search on the NHS website this evening to read up on tinnitus and the treatment thereof. A lot of it seems to be about learning how to live with it, there are counsellors and cognitive behaviour therapy courses and a suggestion that surrounding myself with other sources of noise might help distract me from it. At which point I would like to thank everyone who wished that my afternoon crafting in the gazebo would turn into a gift horse but it's not quite what I had in mind!

M - 630
HM - 186
Glasgow - 47
Distance covered               5.2 miles
Total Distance covered  197.5 miles

Retribution

Laugh - and then keep your fingers crossed that it's a gift horse!

(What have I? What have I? What have I done to deserve this?)


Several years ago whilst I was toying with the idea of retraining as a teacher, mainly because it would have given me the same holidays as both Al and the boys, I went along to the boys school to help with their Christmas activity day. Shell shocked by the noise and intensity I retreated home at the end of the day longing for a lie down in a darkened room and put any such ideas of doing it for a living out of my head.

It was then, close on my worst nightmare when I hear back from the music and beer festival woman today and am offered, not a stall from which to sell my wares, but a table under a gazebo from which to provide crafting activities for children for which their parents will make a donation to my fundraising efforts.

Somewhat taken aback (or knocked sideways) by this turn in events, I tell her I'll have to think about it!  I'm talking it over with Al, who can't help but laugh at the thought of me coping with the noise and the children and the mess, when I get a text with further suggestions for how it will work and how the staff are all willing to save me model making equipment, and for whilst it's enough to make my hair curl I find myself ringing back and saying I'll do it!

What am I thinking?! And to think they were worried about death by my baking or greeting card.  I am now searching for clever things to do with egg boxes and paper plates that don't require scissors - just to be on the safe side!

I have tried to enlist the help of H, who was the model making king of his nursery school, but apparently he's left those days behind and is less than willing to have anything to do with it (be warned Etsy Favouriter you may want to find something to do the first weekend in September before I next see you!).

M - 631
HM - 187
Glasgow - 48
Total Distance covered  192.3 miles
Exercised Done!

The boys are back in town...

and it's awfully nice to have them home.

Resisted the temptation to switch the alarm off this morning, roll over and go back to sleep, and instead stumbled into the bathroom at around quarter past seven trying to psyche myself up to go for a run. A quick check at the weather on my ipod and we're still good to go. However when I am able to focus for long enough to look out of the window I see a somewhat different picture - it's raining albeit fairly lightly but the sky is very dark.  Nevertheless I have said I'm going to run so decide to stick with my plan.

By the time I'm downstairs and ready to go it's sunny, by the time I'm out running I'm wondering why it didn't dawn on me earlier that the only way the weather can change that quickly is if it is accompanied by a strong wind - which never seems to be blowing in the right direction to help me up the hills! Ran 5.2 miles in 52 minutes though which I'm happy with although my calf muscles are a little tight now and I know I've run today! Which I think means I'm heading upstairs for a date with the foam roller before bedtime! Oh joy!

When I last went to see the Biomechanics Man and I was all pleased with myself for the progress I'd made with my leg strengthening exercises he swiftly put it into perspective by moving on to some exercises that showed the complete lack of strength in my stomach muscles! Running today, checking in every so often with my posture and trying in vain to straighten up I can see that more effort is definitely required on improving my core strength.

It's been quite a while since I've run so far and it was a really good reminder of what I'm trying to achieve. I won't be able to do the longer distances if I don't put the work in now to improve my strength, it really is that simple.  I haven't had a choice but to keep my distance down post Edinburgh but because of it I seem to have lost sight of what the point is.  I need to get to grips with the new Garmin Connect website and get it working as a training tool, instead of fixating about Etsy, or page views, or anything else I've forgotten about already!

FINALLY I've got there! But that's not to say that it won't all go oot the windae if I hear about my stall tomorrow! Then you'll know all about my indecisiveness Halfmarathongirl as I try to work out how many cards to make!

M - 632
HM - 188
Glasgow - 49
Distance covered 5.2 miles
Total Distance covered  192.3 miles

Run?

What run?!

Having spent yesterday cutting out fabric, pressing it, and sticking on bits to applique (sew on a patch to the uninitiated!) I was up and at the sewing machine by half seven! It was then, a little disappointing that by quarter past eight my head seemed to have turned to mush and it was about all I could do to gather my bits together for parkrun! (No bar code drama however - it has been safely tied on my shoelaces since the last time I forgot it).

It seems about par for the course however when we get to the park and I discover that my ipod has run out of charge. I don't like running without music for two reasons, firstly it keeps me going, secondly it blocks out the other noises around me. I found the sound of other runners feet coming up behind me rather off putting (I'd really rather not know), a lap or so in and the noise of feet is replaced by the somewhat less than pleasant sound of people huffing and puffing as the going gets tough... what however is so much worse is when I try to screen it out and become aware of quite how much noise I'M making! My ipod WILL be charged for next week!

Ran a fairly steady race and was quicker than last week but I'm not convinced that it won't yo-yo back the other way next week. I don't feel like I'm getting stronger, or that it's getting any easier which is frustrating, but I guess what I should be focusing on is the fact that I don't feel like I went for a run this morning and that really IS progress!

I'm even tempted to get up and run early tomorrow morning, to the extent that I've just looked at the weather forecast to check that it's not going to be raining before I talk myself into this...

But for now we've got Sky Sports free for the weekend and the football's about to start - time to decamp into the back room and get on with those peg bags!

Football over and sewing done - thanks for your help in choosing the fabric Etsy Favouriter and LT (if you're reading) I'm rather pleased with the result. But list on Etsy or save for my potential stall... decisions decisions!

M - 633
HM - 189
Distance covered 3.1 miles
Total Distance covered  187.1 miles

Going Home

Farewell Oxford - Hello Glasgow!

Sisterofmarathongirl750 is not one for allowing me to wallow in any self pity! By the time I went to bed last night (after posting at half eleven) she is already watering a seed she planted earlier in the week about running in Glasgow if I didn't get Oxford. By half ten this morning Halfmarathongirl has accepted her invitation to join us (that'll teach you to 'like' one of my sister's FB posts!) although it makes me smile that they both felt the need to check that it was the 10K we were committing to and not the half marathon!

More than a little excited to be going home and much happier with the prospect of 10K, it fits much better with our training plan and will hopefully give us the impetus to a) get started and b) stick with it afterwards as we get ready for Brighton. So perhaps all things do happen for a reason....

In which case I'm looking forward to the day when I work out what I'm clearly not getting yet about online selling! Although it has been suggested that perhaps it's patience!

The baking stall is a no go. I would need public liability insurance and possibly a hygiene certificate which I might be able to get the kitchen clean enough for, but the minute they met Dougal and realised he can reach the work surface I think it would be game over. Which is a real shame because baking sells.  I did find myself saying "I also make cards" at one point and am now waiting to hear if I can have a card stall without insurance! Death by greeting card? I think the only person this is likely to kill is me!

Lovely day with Al, great evening watching the European Championships and a bit of hope in the form of athletes wearing go faster stripes on their stomachs, admittedly they haven't got anything to tape, but I think it might be worth a go!

M - 634
HM - 190
Total Distance covered  184 miles
Exercises exempt - but things looking hopeful ankle wise for the morning!

Maimed

By a dog lead!

It has been a day of mixed emotions. The boys have gone to their cousins for a few days and for whilst it's lovely for Al and I to have some time on our own, I miss them.

After dropping them off at the station we took the dogs for a walk at Temple Newsam in Leeds a place full of wonderful memories for us as it's where we got married. It's ages since we've been and was good to be back. What I could have done without however was the complete lack of co-ordination between Al and I when he let Sid off the lead, I didn't lock the extendable lead, he let go, the lead recoiled and the metal clip found my ankle bone with force - ouch! It's bruised and sore and I've given myself a guilt free evening off exercising tonight - but I think I'll live (and hopefully run again on Saturday!).

There is excitement on our return home. After sending her my 'Twitter handle' yesterday (had to ask Al what this was!) the lovely lady I was speaking to at WaterAid has tweeted about me including a link to my Etsy shop and Brighton Half Marathon have re-tweeted it (and apparently they have just short of five thousand followers!)  This is great news - surely now I'll get a 'proper' sale! Rush onto my Etsy page to see how many views I've had since I last looked this morning  - ten. C's not here to work out the conversion rate for me (Got an A in Additional Maths today - congratulations C! But thankfully Al's here to check my maths!) 0.2 percent! This is not good and proving far harder than I EVER thought it would be.

Not to be deterred however I have requested further information on a stall that's available for someone selling cup cakes at a local event in September (thanks SC) maybe I'll fair better there - keep your fingers crossed (got to get the pitch first though!).

Already feeling like I've been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster today, I find out at tea time that I am not The Face of Vitality Oxford Half Marathon (although sitting with my feet up on the settee typing this and having just looked up a definition of 'vitality' to find it described as 'energy and strength' I'm not sure I am all that surprised!) I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed but by the same token it was always a long shot.

The email telling me I'd been unsuccessful came with the offer of free entry into the race because they want "to help me achieve my goal". Churning this over I had a quick look at the parkrun newsletter and discover that they have made this offer to all applicants and I think perhaps I've come to the end of the road with Oxford. I had to apply to see where it took me, but running a half marathon in October was never really my goal, my goal is Brighton in the company of sisterofmarathongirl750 and Halfmarathongirl, and training with them both in spirit and in person over the winter not embarking on a intensive eight week training plan starting now - especially with my poorly ankle!

M - 635
HM - 191
Total Distance covered  184 miles
Exercises Exempt Day!

Amphibians Beware!

You're not safe around here today...

Al and I had already decided that we were going to run first thing this morning, when in response to yesterday's post sisterofmarathongirl750 announced it was time to take some of her own advice and run before our morning catch up...

I was a little way into our run this morning, congratulating myself on having got up and eaten that 'frog' before breakfast when the penny dropped - the 'frog' is supposed to be the thing you really don't want to do, and err running is supposed to be the antithesis of this... so for whilst I could be pleased that we had got out and run, it did mean that the 'frog' would have to wait until after breakfast!

Had a good run on the Greenway with Al and Dougal. Al running faster than I wanted to go, Dougal wanting to run faster than Al! But we made it, and I even managed to sneak three quarters of a mile onto the extra mile Al had already agreed to! Ankles not overly thrilled but 4.75 miles is the farthest they've been in a while so I'm allowing them a little grumble and a rest tomorrow me thinks!

I have received a letter regarding my follow up appointment about my ear on the 23 September - this is not the go getting kind of action I was hoping for today! A call to the hospital and I've managed to change it to Tuesday instead - that's more like it!

Next up the job list - the Christmas Cards are on Etsy! (shop name Marathongirl750 just in case you've forgotten), I've ordered my next consignment of blank cards (thinking positively), I'm awaiting a call back from one of the fundraising team at WaterAid to see if she can help me generate some interest for my shop, and I'm getting my blog written early because I'm off out for tea! Go Girl!

But it's Al who devoured the toad by cleaning, polishing and sorting out all the shoes that didn't make it onto Ebay, ready for putting in the Charity Bin on my way out this evening! I like it when my job list becomes a joint one!

M - 636
HM - 192
Distance covered           4.7 miles
Total Distance covered  184 miles

Carpe Diem

RIP Robin Williams

If I'm lucky my morning often starts with a quick chat across the internet with sisterofmarathongirl750, she's been away for the past few days so it was good to have her back in her normal routine earlier today.  Pleasantries exchanged it was down to business - apparently I have to pick the most important task of the day, do it first and not stop until it's finished, followed by a suggestion that I Google "Eat That Frog" for twenty one tips on procrastination. Sometime later (!) I am happy enough to be diverted from what I am doing, and have a look

"One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not to be done at all"

Oh dear! This is me all over, I am however somewhat horrified to see that first in the list of tags, before 'procrastination' and 'time wasting' is 'laziness'. Time waster was bad enough, but lazy?! Even when I've worked out that the list was alphabetical and it may not necessarily be the most important point it's still grating! But will at least give me a new topic to ruminate over for a while. A dog walk round the park with Halfmarathongirl discussing rewarding yourself for getting jobs done and I've got even more to think about!

But by the time I get home my new hotfix rhinestones have arrived in the post and suddenly I'm well and truly back on with Christmas and doing a very good job (if I do say so myself) of making some rather lovely sparkly cards that I clearly didn't need to be doing today at all!

Switching the internet on this morning, I learned the sad news that Robin Williams lost his battle with depression yesterday. It's twenty five years since I watched Dead Poets Society whilst spending the summer in America scooping ice creams -  I was nineteen, the world was my oyster and I was going to seize the day.

Not quite sure what happened - I think I've spent a lot of the intervening quarter century letting the days drift by untouched, thankfully though there are others I've squeezed the living daylights out of!
(love you dearly Al, C and H).

Already awash with emotion and in the middle of telling my sister that I love her loads too, Jo Pavey wins Gold at the European Championships in the 10,000m and I'm in tears! She's forty and just had a baby which puts my feeble efforts to get fit into perspective before she's even stepped up to the start line let alone won!

But today's not about winning, it's about a wake up call, a stark reminder that we're all facing our own daemons and some are struggling harder with that than others. I'm lucky the daily fight in my head over getting organised or motivated isn't life threatening and it doesn't really matter whether I do or not (although Al did suggest this morning that whilst he wouldn't swap me for our clean freak neighbour at least the bin would get put out!). But if I've been moved at all by the events of yesterday then perhaps tomorrow it's time that I got on with eating that frog and seizing the rest of the day!

M - 637
HM - 193
Total Distance covered  179.3 miles
Exercises done!

Sidetracked

But in a most enjoyable way!

With my 'to do' list from Friday still not done, I had more than enough to be getting on with today, particularly sorting the car insurance which I think runs out on the 17th but might be worth looking up. No time like the present (ha! ha!), I've just checked - it ran out today! Thankfully it's on auto renew which is never the cheapest option but at least it's done and I can tick it off my list.

Unfortunately none of the other list entries are going to happen by themselves, but this doesn't seem to register with me as I take full advantage of there being female company in the house to factor in a trip to the fabric shop for peg bag supplies. (Not sure what happened to focusing on Christmas, clearly one day was enough to send me off at a complete tangent!).

It was quite a nifty manoeuvre really - C and his two friends (one of whom is Etsy Favouriter, both of whom are female) needed driving round to a few places and I devised a route past the fabric shop on the off chance that the girls wouldn't mind accompanying me. They didn't, we (as in me and the girls) had a lovely time and bought some nice material, none of it however really from the budget range so I'm not sure how successful a fundraising venture it is going to be - but at least they'll look nice!

Trouble is I've now got a pile of fabric I want to 'play' with, half a dozen half finished Christmas cards, some sketchy ideas for special occasion cards, my knitting back on the needles ready to go and a thousand other things I'm supposed to be doing. Somehow I don't think the point of a 'to do' list is to write down what needs doing and then add the bits that you'd rather do onto the bottom and do those instead!

In my current state of flux I can't really blame the girls presence for not doing my exercises, although the sight of their friend's mother attempting to groan her way through 60 squats would probably be enough to ensure they never came round again and I'm not sure what it would have done to C! I know, I could have gone upstairs to the privacy of my own room and no one would have been any the wiser but somehow there just wasn't the time - which means it's now or never if I want to hit 'publish' tonight!

M - 638
HM - 194
Total Distance covered  179.3 miles
Exercises done!

Happy Birthday Halfmarathongirl! x

Just hear

those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too*

* or for the hearing afflicted ones amongst us tinnitus jingling, ring ting tingling....

I have seriously overestimated what I thought I could get done this weekend, and consequently have gone from being proud of myself for writing my 'to do' list on Friday to horribly frustrated this afternoon. C left at quarter to seven this morning to go Basingstoke for GB training and I have been working through my list ever since, I haven't even had to stop to get on with any domestic chores as Al has very kindly done all of them... but I've still run out of time.

I did however submit my application form to run Oxford! Eek! Worked and reworked Al made me hit send before I spent any more of my day making alterations, although thinking about it - perhaps that's where my morning went! Two hundred and fifty words - I don't know how to be that succinct! Oh well - out of my hands now!

I have spent the majority of the rest of the day desperately trying to get some more cards onto my Etsy shop ahead of my final big push for August - in an attempt to raise as much of the remaining one hundred and twenty one pounds for WaterAid before the end of the Government incentive on the 9th September.  Despite the weather doing it's best to help me out by removing any traces of summer and the lovely smell of plum and mulled wine jam coming from the kitchen (as Al gets cooking for team marathongirl750) to add to the ambience, it's still hard to make Christmas Cards in August! But I'm making headway and fingers crossed they'll be on there by the end of the week at the latest.

And for whilst my thoughts may have turned to Christmas, it appears that the rest of the world is still on, or just returning from holiday! New feet photo in from halfmarathongirl's brother in law who is cruising around Alaska (thank you RM) meanwhile fellow parkrunner has made it back from France, spurned the washing mountain and unpacking and decided to catch up on my blog instead! (No contest really! But good to have you back xx)


M - 639
HM - 195
Total Distance covered  179.3 miles
Exercises done!

U Turn

Apparently I am prepared to run Oxford!

Definite autumnal feel to the air this morning at parkrun, which saw me coveting my friends jumper and thinking about trying to find the time to get the knitting needles out again to finish mine! Nursing an injury through most of last winter it was a shame to see her back on the injury bench, with a hopefully temporary niggle in her knee, but it was lovely to have her back in her usual spot cheering us on, and for that and what's still to come she has earned the title Mrs Motivator!

Although a relatively small turnout this morning it was good to have Halfmarathongirl and parkrunfastfinisher back off their holidays. Ran a fairly steady race, my stomach complaining louder than my feet and knees which made for a change (although I'd stop short of calling it pleasant!). What was nice however was the banter as those overtaking me tried to get me to run faster! Living up to his pseudonym parkrunfastfinisher appeared just before the turn up the final hill and tried to get me to run with him, I managed for a short while but in the end had to let him go. Coming into the final straight it was my turn to shout encouragement, gaining on my friend who had run a very strong race I had no desire to beat her on the finishing line and chose instead to yell at her from behind in an attempt to make her run faster! It worked, she knocked a huge chunk off her seasons best and I didn't put myself through the unnecessary pain of trying to sprint past her only to find out I couldn't have made it anyway!

But the real reward of all of this came later when it was announced that I ran the 8000th run at Dewsbury Parkrun! Finally a parkrun title that can never be taken away from me, and for once complete contentment with my run today, albeit retrospectively!

Sitting in the café afterwards, talking over my plans for submitting an application to the Oxford Half Marathon competition but suggesting I do it for Brighton instead, I mistakenly thought I had the support of my friends.  Turns out Mrs M didn't agree with me at all and thought I should be applying to run Oxford! A marathon runner herself in the not too distant past she managed to make the transition up to a half marathon from where I am now sound almost easy, or at least achievable. So I left pondering this new dilemma, although she knows me well enough to advise me not to ponder too long or I may talk myself out of it!

It's been a busy day, but my submission is written, ready for sending in the morning - provided I don't change my mind overnight!

M - 640
HM - 196
Distance covered              3.1 miles
Total Distance covered  179.3 miles
(Exercises not done - sshhhhh don't tell anyone)

Quandary

which I think is subtly different to being indecisive!

The parkrun newsletter has been published and with it details of how to apply to be the Face of the Vitality Oxford Half Marathon. I haven't had an awful lot of time to think about it today although I have reached a decision over what I am not going to do but I am in two minds over what I might!

What I have decided is that I am not going to run at Oxford this October. It's too soon, and goes against everything I've been trying to achieve in terms of taking things slowly and trying to up my distance without sustaining any injury. BUT do I apply and suggest an alternative Face of Brighton Half instead?

Looking at the terms and conditions for their current competition, it will require

• 1 x 250 word blog per week - nae problem! (apart from the fact that it's to be about how my training is progressing!)
• 3 x photographs of me partaking in physical activity per week (not so keen, but they don't actually say 'running' so dog walking, hoovering, ironing, maybe even knitting at a push?)
• 1 x video blog entry per fortnight again showing me partaking in physical exercise (REALLY not so keen, and I'm not sure who is supposed to film this, but again doesn't actually say 'running'!)

What I can't decide is whether I want to do anything that may lead to a change in what I'm doing at the moment. I know that that was fundamentally the reason behind starting this in the first place, but it's remarkable how quickly it has become the norm and my new found comfort zone!

On the other hand I can't help but think that there is an opportunity out there that has to be worth investigating. It's already a long shot as I don't meet the criteria they are looking for and it will be solely dependant on whether or not I can convince them (in 250 words or less) of the merits of taking marathongirl750 on board!

OK I've decided! If, when I find the time to actually write my submission it flows and becomes something that I'm happy with I'll hit send, if it doesn't and feels laboured I won't. (Perhaps there was something in the daily journal top tip for curing procrastination after all!)

The newsletter also came with the disappointing news that due to a backlog and an untenable process for sending out parkrun club runners T-shirts, they are being put on hold for the foreseeable future. I'm five runs away from the elusive 50 shirt I've been coveting since I discovered somewhere around run 6 that the 10 T-shirts were only for juniors! Thankfully in the intervening year parkrun has become about so much more than reaching my 50th run, so I can wait - no really I can - but I might make my own in the meantime!

M - 641
HM - 197
Total Distance covered  176.2 miles
Exercises Done!

Croissants

Croissants with jam and butter, or just jam, or just butter, or plain, or best of all drizzled with chocolate Cocoa Mountain style....

This morning didn't quite go to plan and I did think at one point that I was going to have to submit a "no exercises - no blog" subject title and leave it at that.  The threat of doing so was however enough to spur me into action at the first opportunity - two days in and I think the system's working!

The exercises aren't difficult and there aren't that many of them but there are a number of them that are designed to work on my balance and I am really really bad at them. I can't stand on one foot without my ankle moving all over the place, close my eyes (like I'm supposed to do) and it's near on impossible! But at least it will be very obvious when I'm starting to improve  - although I think it's a little too early to expect any signs yet! The idea is that eventually I will be able to do a pistol squat, which for the uninitiated is a squat where you go right down to the floor but with one leg stretched out in front of you (a bit like a Cossack Dancer) - I can't even hold the position if I try to get into it from sitting on the floor let alone standing! It will be interesting to see which comes first - but hmmm parkrun to pistol squat a journey of 643 days (I started yesterday) sounds a bit pathetic, even if they are hard! (But may answer the question of what happens to my blog after the marathon!).

No Esty sales to dance over today and following on from my comments yesterday I can report that my gorgeous children whom I love so dearly and have nurtured and cared for selflessly for all of their lives are merciless in maintaining their stance that repeat purchase from someone I know does not trump unknown customer! But surely even they can't fail to be impressed with the fact that by the end of today I will have reached 3000 page views (smiley smiley smiley face!).

Really nice run this evening, beautiful sunshine and not too warm. Got to the point where we usually turn round and I decided to let Al and Dougal head for home without me as I added a further mile to the route. Slow and steady but knees and ankles feeling good!

Cocoa Mountain - it's the stuff of dreams!

Unfortunately all of this has not been enough to stop my head from fixating on food, and as you may have gathered croissants in particular. They must have been baking them in the supermarket this morning because they are all I can think about - and why if I knew I was hitting my diet hard as of yesterday did I not spend all last week eating them for breakfast?!

M - 642
HM - 198
Distance covered              4.1 miles
Total Distance covered  176.2 miles
Exercises Done!

Postive Action

But it was touch and go first thing!

I'm writing, which means one of two things - either I've done my exercises or I didn't mean what I said yesterday. It's the former! I've done them - TWICE! I have also hardly eaten a thing today, or at least that's how it feels!

Got up full of good intentions, and almost fell at the first hurdle but there wasn't enough biscuits left for both of us so with a long drive home ahead of her I very graciously let sisterofmarathongirl750 eat them, but I think the fact that I'm mentioning it may belie my true feelings!

It's always sad when she goes, but have kept myself busy all day so as not to dwell on it. Not sure if I exercised enough decision making behaviour to not be considered a time waster but I have at least been productive!

Last of the Ebay purchases packaged up and posted, I gingerly had a look to see if anyone had left any feedback yet - I am apparently a "perfect seller" which is lovely, but until it comes from the person who bought both pairs of C's trainers I am still feeling somewhat apprehensive about it.
However starting to think of other random things we may have hidden in various cupboards that could be sold - the mind-numbingly boring job of listing forgotten in a wave of post sale euphoria!

Whilst at the post office I sent off another Etsy order (C&H's first question is still "a proper one?!" Alas no! But better than that a repeat customer so I must be doing something right!).

Groupon have sent me an email this morning offering an accredited online marketing course for the princely sum of forty nine pounds - instead of eight hundred and forty nine which makes me a little sceptical as to it's value but nevertheless I spend a fair proportion of the day pondering it's merits.  Part of me thinks it's a sign, a golden opportunity that has been laid before me and it would be remiss of me to let it pass.  The other part of me thinks that one day in to my resolve to exercise daily and I'm already finding something else to compete for my time....

What was the phrase from yesterday again? Oh yes 'avoider'! Well, I have decided to decline their offer for the time being, but am viewing this as positive action rather than procrastination!

M - 643
HM - 199
Total Distance covered  172.1 miles
Exercises Done!

Time Waster

Sounds so horrid it may have just spurred me into action!

My facebook friend and fellow blogger Murph has posted a link on FB about procrastination asking "what type of time waster are you?" (Time waster?! - sounds so much worse in it's raw form!) On reading the article it appears that I am 'an avoider' this much I think we already knew!

It recommends keeping a daily journal (not sure a public blog counts) and talks about the fact that I am prone to 'decision fatigue' because I don't exercise my 'decision-making muscle' enough, before going on to suggest that the key is to practice making simple decisions and then progress to making more complex ones to build my mulithinking strength - just as someone training for a marathon does, I need to get my mulithinking muscle in shape by frequently making decisions.

What it doesn't cover however, is what to do if it's the marathon training that you're procrastinating over in the first place!

I finished my antibiotics yesterday, this is as good as it's going to get in terms of a starting point to improve my eating habits and get in shape, but my sister is still here and the pull of tea and biscuits is too great!

So I've said I'll start tomorrow when she's not here but it's hard not to feel that I am just putting it off - although I did make a token gesture by having salad instead of egg and chips for lunch (actually it felt like more than a token gesture when I was sat at the table watching everyone else tuck in - but less of one by the time I'd eaten my way through a naan bread with our curry this evening!).

I did think that perhaps I should try and impose some sort of 'no exercises - no blog' rule as clearly writing this is the only bit of the entire process that I've managed to maintain any motivation for... perhaps I should have given greater thought to what it was I wanted at the start and I could have just found something else to waffle on about on a daily basis without the need to exercise!

But marathon running it is and only two hundred days to Brighton, so here goes 'no exercises - no blog' - it may be a while till you hear from me!

M - 644
HM - 200
Total Distance covered  172.1 miles

Mojito Monday

Freedom parkrun is the way forward!

It was a beautiful morning for a run today. Blue sky, sunshine and a fresh feel to the air, perfect running weather for what became the perfect run!

Running round the parkrun course when it isn't at parkrun is classed as a Freedom run, when we go the wrong way on the first lap (I've only done it 44 times before) we decide to take it to a whole new level and devise our own route which entails far less hills and several laps of the duck pond instead - thoroughly recommend it, and thoroughly liberating to be in Crow Nest Park but doing our own thing! Sisterofmarathongirl750 has messaged the run director suggesting her new alternative route but he's not convinced - although her miss-typing of the word duck (change the second letter) causes much hilarity here, and I'm guessing there also. Already reknowned for once asking how many more times she had to run up the hill (but with a swear word in the sentence) her infiltration into our parkrun family has just gone up a gear.

Apprehensive about going for my MRI scan this afternoon but I needn't have worried. My friend who runs the radiography department (but isn't at work today) has clearly phoned in and told them I'm on my way! They know that I'm running a marathon and I got the opportunity to thank someone in person who sponsored me last year, which was lovely and all helped towards diverting my attention away from the task in hand! Eyes shut and ear phones on, in I go......
It's very noisy with a repetitive bzzz bzzz bzzz bzzz - perfect time to do some breathing exercises but is it tummy in on your in breath or in on your out?! I STILL can't remember but it gives me something to focus on, especially when Classic FM's choose that precise moment to play Carl Orff's 'O Fortuna' - the music from The Omen!*


It's a beautiful afternoon when I get home, perfect weather for mojitos in the garden. An occasional drinker (as opposed to the two well seasoned ones I'm drinking with) it doesn't take long for me to be feeling slightly more jovial than usual, a state apparently preferred by my present company, but perhaps not by C when I arrive in his bedroom for a wee chat and end up sitting with my cheek resting on his knee  - he has a lot to contend with, but copes admirably and obviously decided it was a case of if you can't beat 'em join 'em later on after swimming training when he grabs himself a beer and comes sits on the bench with us, although he did draw the line at a blanket to put over his knees - his day will come!

I love sisterofmarthongirl750 being here.

M - 645
HM - 201
Distance covered              3.1 miles
Total Distance covered  172.1 miles

* Just looked the music up and it isn't actually from the film but referenced whenever Rodney looked at his nephew Damien in Only Fools and Horses and I'd been so impressed with my horror movie knowledge - oh well!

Pure Dead Brilliant

and I'm thinking about home...

Biscuits (oh and trainers) packed sisterofmarathongirl750 set off early and arrived just in time to help with the washing up after we'd had our brunch - no standing on ceremony here!

But there is in Glasgow. The Commonwealth Games have finished and I'm going to miss having athletics, cycling and scenes of Glasgow to watch from the comfort of the settee, but hmm perhaps not the closing ceremony which rather than inspiring is leaving me somewhat underwhelmed, which is a shame after Glasgow did such a good job of hosting them. But it was good to see Deacon Blue on stage and hey Ricky Ross once lent off the stage at Strathclyde Student Union and ruffled my hair! But we have been having a good laugh - nothing like a bit of female company to make things more pass remarkable!

I do however get rather emotional watching sporting events and am hoping that I can channel this into some sort of action as I have been really poor at doing my exercises recently. I find myself making excuses after excuses and am cross that two weeks of the summer holidays have gone already and I've done nothing especially as I had so many great plans for being really motivated and making the most of Al being at home to find the time to do them.

I seem to have got side tracked with my fundraising - although there is good news in from Ebay our old shoes have sold! I am a bit mortified that a pair of C's trainers have gone for sixteen pounds and the same person bought a second pair for fourteen... can't help but worry that I've inadvertently put something in the description that makes them something they're not!

There is talk about doing a freedom parkrun at Dewsbury tomorrow morning at half past seven (admittedly this was before the wine was opened) theory being if we don't go early we won't go at all but I can't help but wonder what happened to pre-breakfast tea and biscuits I was promised!

M - 646
HM - 202
Total Distance covered  169 miles

PS Nothing like a bit of Dougie MacLean's Caledonia and Auld Lang Syne to restore my national pride but The Proclaimers were sorely missed.

A Thousand Pounds!

(said in your best Jasmine and Pru voice*)

Our parkrun course is three and a half laps of the park, or four times past the monument or four times up the hill or as was the case this morning four times past the toilets! It was a close call but I managed to resist the temptation to pop in on the way past and finished faster than last week but not as fast as the week before! I seem to be maintaining my speed around the twenty five minute mark which I'm pleased about but my run of 23.44 from the middle of May seems unattainable on present form!  Today's weather was damp and humid and certainly not a day for breaking records, besides which Al has pointed out that we were just finishing the 5x50 challenge when we got our PB's so were definitely fitter than we are at the moment - looks like it's back to two runs mid week (I think I'm supposed to be more excited at this prospect than I am!).

But irrespective of what time I ran - my legs feel better than they have in ages! No pain in my knees, or my right ankle and substantially less pain in my left - finally it looks like I might be in a place where I can start to nudge the distance up a bit (again I think I'm supposed to be more excited about this than I am - we drove along some of our five mile route during the week and it looked like a LONG way!).

However what I am excited about - REALLY excited about is reaching the ONE THOUSAND POUND mark (although I'm just a little bit too tired for this to manifest itself in any outward behaviour!).  Nine hundred for Barnardo's, one hundred for WaterAid in a little over three months! For all those who have helped me make this milestone, thank you, it wouldn't have happened without you, for those who are waiting for something they actually like to appear in my shop - I'm hoping to get some new stuff on there next week!

Sisterofmarthongirl750 due tomorrow - trainers packed I hope?! Although as our days together usually kick off with tea and chocolate biscuits before breakfast I have a feeling that even if they are packed they may stay in the case! Be rude to start training without you HM!!

M - 647
HM - 203
Distance covered           3.1 miles
Total Distance covered  169 miles

* The meaning of which is entirely dependent on your age or the age of your children and their television viewing habits!
http://youtu.be/wY6oDAzZUqQ

Hello

is it me you're looking for?!

I've made another sale on Etsy! Still not a 'proper' one, but dance done all the same! Made, packaged and in the post within a couple of hours it is the only thing I've managed to see through to completion all day. It's been a bit of an odd one. I'm all over the place, flitting from one thing to another, half finishing sentences and jobs as I go... oh and I'm grouchy too "like a bear with a sore ear" apparently!

News in from parkrun HQ has done nothing to settle my head... they have teamed up with PruHealth Vitality and are looking for two parkrunners to step up from 5K to a half marathon in Oxford this October, and they are going to keep in touch with a blog.

Details of how to apply aren't being released until next week, but it's set my mind in turmoil! I don't think I could get myself half marathon fit in the time given.... but Brighton is a Vitality event too and I can't help but feel that if I don't try to take advantage of the opportunity I'll always wonder if it could have been me - perhaps I should make a pitch on behalf of a veteran woman parkrunner for whom being able to run an additional ten miles is a bigger challenge than the nine weeks that will be available, although I'm not sure how impressed they'd be with the tortoise training plan so maybe I won't!

Spent the evening watching the athletics from the Commonwealth Games - used to love running the 4x100 relay. In fact I used to love any type of sprint and despise what was loosely called cross country but usually entailed running down the road from school to where the PE teacher had driven in her car and was handing out tokens which you had to carry back with you to prove that you'd completed the distance.  I have a vague memory of some story about sisterofmarthongirl750 and her friends being so slow they had to get a lift back to school - or perhaps it was a plan well executed... I'll have to ask her when she's here on Sunday!

More than looking forward to seeing her, and more than a little jealous that she's going to be at Hampden tomorrow evening watching the relay finals. Glasgow you've done yourself proud - a week on and I'm still homesick especially with almost every one of our parkrun family away on their holidays or helping elsewhere tomorrow (JM) it's feeling a bit lonely around here - come back Halfmarathongirl, Fellow parkrunner, Team Diskin and parkrun fast finisher all is forgiven (just as long as you don't beat us up the hill!).

M - 648
HM - 204
Total Distance covered  165.9 miles