Off track

I need a stern talking to.

Somewhere along the lines I got a bit waylaid. The beginning of this year started in a tidal wave of motivation, but the fates have been against me of late.

A friend recently asked me how I fit it all in. My response, ‘I have no idea.’ But what I do know, is it is all held together by a fine string, which holds the balancing act precariously on the edge of a ledge. One wrong move, one extra burden thrown into the equation, the string snaps and the whole lot comes tumbling down. It’s a bit like an episode of Road Runner, and I land first with all the other shit falling on top of me. So I am now covered in crap and no longer balanced!

In this case, the great fall was set in place by a rather inconvenient running injury. It was enough to stop my running for a couple of months, which means less endorphines to keep me perky, less calories burned off to help with the weight loss and a slippery slide to self-destruction on the whole health and fitness front. I well and truly fell off the band wagon in the process and every attempt to clamber back on has been faced by a convenient bout of illness – a cold here, a chest infection there …. the list goes on, as do the excuses.

This morning I had to remind myself what this blog is all about. A constant reminder to stay on track to reach my goals. I haven’t completely lost the plot as far as all my challenges go – I’m currently ‘learning a new word every day for a month’ and we recently got a new addition to the family – our Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Choccie. But a large part of the challenges are related to fitness – and those ones have been sorely neglected of late. Not without good reason, but the longer I wallow in my self-neglect the harder it will be to regain my motivation. So the time has come to get back on track …. and I have an action plan ….

1. The rest of this week …. spend 10 minutes stretching every day (my muscles are still very tight)
2. Next week …. start some light yoga to aid stretching out my muscles AND START MY 5:2 DIET AGAIN
3. The week after … add some light pilates exercises into the mix
4. The following week …. go on holiday (and try not to fall off the wagon again!)
5. First week of May …. ease myself back into running again

… after all I only have 2 months until Summer Wolf Run (eeek!).

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Reading is dead!

I have been delaying picking up the phone, in a state of semi-denial. After a week of coughing up yellow phlegm and a stiff-backed awakening this morning, it started to sink in. The final nail in the coffin was my attempt at a little 3 km run (my first in a week), having to resign myself to a not fully recovered chest or muscles at the half way point. The split in my running trousers didn’t go far in improving my mood either. So, as I admitted defeat and walked the rest of the way home (via Tescos to cheer myself up – bang goes my fast day too!) I dug my mobile out and made the fateful call.

My friend has done Reading HM annually, without fail, for the best part of the last six years. Every year I have tentatively alluded to doing it with her, every time never quite making the commitment. This year, I committed! I had my place booked in December and I was working hard at training – I had even got my mileage up to 11 miles a couple of months ago. After slowly plodding my way round Mablethorpe HM last October, this was going to be a breeze in comparison. Then …. it all went to shit! Courtesy of my muscular aches and pains (the joys of a weak core) I have spent the last six weeks not doing very much running at all. Reading HM was starting to drift off out of my grasp. I was clinging on for dear life, hoping to make a full recovery – after all I HATE not achieving something I put my mind too. But alas, today I realised I needed to put my stubborn nature to one side and look at the longer term picture. I know if I go ahead with Sunday, I am going to cause myself a world of pain and set my running back a good couple of months again. When I put it all in perspective, I know I am making the right decision.

My friend was fine. She has her OH and sisters in tow. They are all feeling under trained and/or injured – so perhaps I would have been in good company after all. When I hung up the phone, I promised whole-heartedly to run with them next year. ‘You bloody well better,’ was my friends response. So I have a feeling she will be holding me to that promise!

I am off to drown my sorrows in chocolate – fasting can wait until tomorrow. I will then resign myself to a slower paced life of Pilates and the odd slow and short plod for the next couple of months! Alas, for slow recoveries! 😦

Bleurgh!!!!

BLEURGH – that’s how I feel about today! I’m not feeling very inspirational I’m afraid, in fact I think it’s safe to say that I am in need of a big kick up the bum! I know it’s natural to have the odd ‘off’ day, so I’m attempting to keep things in perspective and hoping to start tomorrow with a fresh burst of motivation. But for now, it’s time for a good old moan!! 😉

I think my over zealous run on Sunday has sent my body into protest! I had a couple of rest days afterwards, then headed out for a slow 5K yesterday. I felt fine at the time, but today I have been hobbling about like an old granny – aching all over!  So, a run today might not be the best idea! Saying that though, after half-an-hour of a screaming toddler in my ear I am seriously considering a short plod around the block just to get some ‘head space’!

I get very frustrated with myself if I can’t run, which then tends to manifest itself as a ‘low mood’ slump! Which inevitably means raiding my little boys goody cupboard! Oh dear – there were some remarkably yummy looking flapjacks (my favourite!) and an interesting looking Cadbury egg and spoon chocolate thingy (which I can highly recommend!). So with my Weightwatchers points pretty much blown out of the water for the week, I am on rations for the next couple of days! 😦 It’s also taking all the will-power I can muster not to mooch round to Tescos and invest in a nice bottle of white wine! I’m salivating at the thought! But I am exercising what self-control I have left and hanging onto my diet by a fine thread.

Oh, and while I’m on one, did I mention I’ve got a verruca on my heel as well?! I’ve not had one of them since I was a kid. The joys of children – they share literally everything with you! Thanks Jack! 😉 I’m attacking it early with some verruca treatment in the hope it will clear up nice and quick (famous last words!).

Right – that’s enough the whingeing for one day! 🙂

On a plus note, I came across this great gal on my internet travels. She’s made a video of her journey losing loads of weight. I think she’s fab and just what I need to remind myself to pull myself together and get back in the saddle! 🙂 Click on the picture below to check her video out….