A little lighter. A lot shapelier.

As i do not want to post pictures of my actual bottom, but wanted to pass on some good news, i tried to draw a picture in Paint.  I'm that sad yes, i photograph myself almost naked to see if there are ever any changes.

I know i'm a bit thinner, but i'm still in the same size clothes mostly, i'm almost the same weight too.  But thanks to these completely embarrassing pictures i can see the changes that my body has made. Or rather, that i have made to my body.

Proportionally the diagram above shows too much of a size difference, but the shape change is pretty spot on.  My butt is definitely more pert. I have a much nice shape to my inner thighs and i have significantly reduced my saddle bags.  You can see the fat i want to get rid of in the MRI.  This area was a lot bigger, i suffer from very distinct additional fat cells in that area.

Today helped me continue on the reshaping journey. I ran 8.58m in 1:19:57 an average pace of 9:19.  I'm really pleased with that.  And i got negative splits as i managed to keep it slow at first. Its the longest i have run in a long time and i managed a 9:20 pace!  I am training for a half marathon. I think i'm going to do the Lichfield one on May 1st so there is a bit of time to go, but id like to get to the double figure long runs pretty soon, so i can focus on making them faster. I want a sub 2 hour HM so that will require a (quick flip tabs to a pace calculator) 9:05 ave pace.  My September HM where i was only 7 weeks in to my 13 week training schedule averaged at 9:58 so i feel its achievable.

The Hip Thing.

I am still waiting on the radiologist report and the consultant appointment to discuss the results, but i think i have made a decision.  And that would be to not have surgery.  I was so excited at the prospect of eliminating the pain for good, my vision was blurred with a life of pain free driving.  But in the cold hard light of day, the risks of the surgery are quite great.

Arthrogram.  They inject anesthesia and contrast in to your joint cavity.  This is it happening to me.  So cool.

It's not an easy surgery and the fact that only one surgeon in one of the best orthopaedic hospitals in the UK does it, gives you an idea of its specialism.  I haven't yet found out how many surgery of this type he has done, that i would do before going ahead  It's a relatively new procedure.  The risk comes from then dislocating your hip and putting it under traction.  You can trap and/or stretch nerves causing damage and also arteries and veins.   You could loose function or sensation.  These could be temporary or permanent Those on top of the every day risks of surgery. Infection, allergic reaction to anaesthesia, you know, the usual suspects.

So i had to decide, if the potential for any of those things, is worse than the pain i get when driving.  It seems it is not.  I can not stand the idea that i will have to spend a life time of taking pain pills to drive anywhere of length, but lets face it, there are a lot of folks whose pain is a daily thing, who take pain meds all the time.  I have an aversion to pain meds and treatment in general.  I have never been one to take a paracetamol if i get a head ache. I don't even use plasters (band-aides) when i have a cut - unless it really needs it.

The contrast injected makes the MRI more successful. 

I got dumped by my American GP because i wouldn't go for his annual check up (i would have had to pay for it all due to my insurance policy)  I wrote him a letter telling him i was healthy, exercised 4 times a week, am aware that my range of motion in my joints was fine as i am medical staff (one of the listed tests!), that i had my follow up with my GI doc (for my coeliac) and i was doing fine.  That i had my life insurance medical and that it came back i was A* healthy - the top category.  He didn't care, he wanted to do tests, take blood, make money off me.  He wouldn't give my vaccines for work if i didn't do the annual check up. I complained to the ones up high and promptly got a letter from his surgery dumping me from his 'care'. Good riddance.

So, the most awesome thing about this decision is that i can continue training with gusto and enter some more triathlons this year.  Also, i want to do a half marathon and another couple 10Ks.  And, we can start to make babies when we planned.  Yippee.

Reviewing Goals

So i made these goals with no real time frame in mind.  But i was browsing my blog and thought that fresh ones would be nice.  That, and i have almost made the decision to loose some weight.  Like really try to loose weight. For this i really have to watch what i eat. And I. Don't. Diet!  But, I have proved that just exercise doesn't cut it.  I gained weight at Christmas and i was still running and such.   But that more to do with new goals than reviewing old ones.  Here is what i wrote in February 2010:


1. Make exercise a regular thing in my life.
2. Compete in a race, either running or cycling.
3. Loose some belly fat.
4. Cook more healthy meals.
5. Bake more. learn to make tasty gluten free breads and cake, and eat them in moderation.
6. Always, always take the steps.
7. Remember every little counts.


So, how did I do?


1.  Success in a MAJOR way.  Not a week has gone by without me doing something, not one. And i managed it in difficult circumstances - i.e. while travelling in really really hot-ass Asia for 10 weeks.
2. Success! I have run two 5Ks, two 10Ks and a Half Marathon. I love racing, this years list will be more extensive i hope.
3. I have done. I'm practically the same weight, but my belly is thinner fo sho'.
4. Mild success i'd say.  In general, i am using less butter.
5. But this is a success too, so i'm not sure if it counter acts number 4!  I have become muffin crazy.  In fact, i have told myself i can not bake more muffins until Jeff is here in Feb - simply to give me a date to aim for, and a helper to eat them instead of me eating them all!
6. Less relevant now, as work has no steps to choose not to go up. But in general, i still always do take the steps - like in malls and such.
7. Yes, i really do.  I knew that every little chocolate i ate at Christmas counted the the 3ish pounds i gained! And the reverse, walking to work, the 20 minute swim after the gym, it all counts to counter he occasional chocolate or fudge bar.


Go here to see my new goals

A little bit of sore...

.. is a good thing.  Monday i took thie night off to watch football. My team, the Green Bay Packers are now in the Superbowl. I can't tell you how excited i got watching it - on my own - i bet i was the only house on my street screaming with joy on monday night.  Oh what a wonderful feeling.

Tuesday i went to the spin class. Got there in plenty of time this time, then find out they have changed the times and its at 6:30 not 6pm.  I was a bit pissed off as its an hour class and i wanted to work hard.  I didn't think if i ran i would do as well in the class.  I got on the TM but decided no as soon as it started moving.  I ended up rowing for 10 minutes = 1850m then did upper body weights and got on my bike for 5 minutes before class started.  The hour class flew by just like the 45 minute one.  I must go to it more often. Over all, a great work out.

I semi planned going to the gym on Wednesday, but something stopped me, not sure, i wasn't motivated and it didn't even bother me. But i planned an early night so i could go swimming before work this morning.  I got there 5 minutes after it opened, had my cozzy on already, got my hat on and floats in hand hoping to get a lane with no problems.  Not so, it was busy already!  I joined a guy who said he was just doing drills, perfect, as so was i.  As i was getting in, to share the lane, a girl swam in to the middle and started doing breast stroke. I think its the same damn girl as before.  She is haunting me.  Again, so many lanes where folks are doing BS and she chooses this one.  Grr

So i thought with all my swimming paraphernalia that i would feel like a bit of an idiot.  Flippers, pull bouy and float, a bottle of water, its quite the pool side gear pile.  Well, i was happy to see that there were 2 other folks with stuff too.  The guy in my lane and one who turned up just a bit too late to grab a lane, and so courteously went in the jacuzzi for a while.  Folks left at 7am and it got quiet again.  I must remember that.  But that does then leave me less time to swim if i go later, think i'll just deal.

And tonight i went to the gym too.  I wanted to run and set the TM for a hill programme of 45 minutes.  A gradual incline then 4% for 25 minutes. Now that hurt.  But i didn't slow or reduce the incline. It was an exercise of the mind too tonight.  I then did the same upper body weights routine at Tuesday. All in all, a kick ass work out day.  For only 2 days on my DM account its 3.5 hours of exercise.

And tonight, i gave myself a mini facial, don't want to face to think i only care about my body.

1 year Anniversary

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of me running.  I signed up for the Great North Run then on 23 Jan 2010 i started my training for a the Blarney Run 5K.  In March 2010 i ran it in 30:30 and i was hooked.  Over the last year sticking to exercise has been no trouble at all.  Yes there are the occasional days when i don't want to go. Sometimes i don't go, others i force myself.  The days i force myself always feel better, but i am learning that i shouldn't beat myself up about skipped workouts as long as i am happy.  I'm far from addicted to working out. I'm still not one who will go crazy if i didn't run in a week, but if i do leave it for a while, it feels fantastic to be out on the road again, or even on the dreadmill.

Adding swimming and cycling - with a purpose - to my workout routine has been a lot of fun and i have found i do enjoy having three focuses.  At first i missed the running all the time and would prefer to go on a run than on a ride.  But now i feel like i enjoy them equally.  The three disciplines are very different and i enjoy them for different reasons.  I look forward to summer time cycling again, but am enjoying the spin classes.

With regards to weight, i'm actually about the same, maybe 5lbs lighter (i have no scales right now) but i am infinitely fitter and my body shape has changed a bit.  My bum is a better shape and my thighs a little different, there is a bit of  gap that i have never had before.  But that isn't my focus. If i am never any lighter or thinner than i am right now, i'm okay with that - i suppose - but if i were to loose my fitness, then i'd be pissed.  I enjoy the fact i can climb stairs for ages without catching my breath. I love that if someone were to chase me, i may be able to out run them (don't really know who would be chasing me but i have thought of it a few times!) I love that running a 10K feels like nothing (well, not nothing, but i could do it any day of the week, in fact i could do it every day if i wanted to).

In fact, since Sunday and my PB i really want to train for a half marathon again. I want a sub 2 hour HM. So i plan to get some longer runs in over the next couple of months.  Gonna make them out doors runs on a weekend and look in to a HM that i may be able to join.  I'm happy where i'm getting with my swimming and cycling for my Triathlon so it won't take the focus away from that.

So all in all, with regards to exercise, this past year has been the best of my life. The only time in my life i have continuously exercised.  I have totally enjoyed it.  It has given me moments to be proud of. Gave me a better body.  Given me experiences i have shared with friends and family that i wouldn't have found in other places.

And it all started with a spontaneous act of signing up for a half marathon.

Telford 10K Photo

Telford 10K and Personal Best!

Today was the Telford 10K which is just under an hour from me here in Oswestry. My mum was visiting this weekend so it was super nice to have company for the ride there, the waiting around before and for someone to congratulate me at the end.

The weather was just fine. Cold and dry.  I wore my Underarmour tights, Sugoi skirt, an sleeveless top under an Underarmour cold weather long sleeved top. Hat and gloves too.

There was a decent crowd and a narrow start.  I sneaked in to a potentially selfish spot not very far from the front.  Its hard to judge the speed of a crowd and they had an elite sub 40 minute race earlier on so as i was aiming for 56 minutes i didn’t want to be too far back.  And I also didn’t want to walk for ages up to the start as i wanted to start my clock on the gun start to see what i could get, rather than on the start line.  What i actually did was press lap at the start line – or what i assumed it to be as there really wasn’t a defined line anywhere.

 

The start was signalled and i was carried along with the crowds. Feeling good and knowing i wasn’t sticking to my 9 minute mile pace – my race plan so to speak, i just went with it.  There was a big down hill at the start then two laps to the finish. My fist mile was 8:05 and i panicked a bit. I knew i couldn’t sustain this for another 5 miles.  I was being passed continuously and found it hard to slow down.  The second mile 8:23 and the third mile at 8:37 made me realise that perhaps i could maintain this pace till the end.  Mum was there about half way and took some photos. Its nice to have supporters on the side lines. 

I was feeling pretty good. I knew it was a flat course as i was coming to the second lap.  I really wanted a negative split and so i pushed. Mile four 8:25 and only 2 to go.  I picked it up some more. Now i was passing others steadily. Mile five 8:13 and i turned it up another notch.  Mile six 8:01 and running in for the last 200m – i LOVE this part as i speed up the whole way, i am running in long strides, faster than any other time i run, this is when i feel like a real racer, a real runner, an athlete .2miles @7:16 pace. 

FINISH    51:46 

Avg pace 8:16

Excellent, awesome, thrilled, stoked, joyous and surprised. I was hoping to beat the 56 minute as i knew it was a flat course, but i never thought i would get so close to the average pace of my 5K PB which was 8:11.

Good days in a good week.

Monday Wednesday and Friday this week i went spinning, if that is the correct term.  Monday and Wednesday were at the gym.  After Wednesdays spin class i ran for 20 minutes - 3.37km and then did 10 minutes of arm weights.  That was a good day. Friday i got up to go swimming before work.  I managed 34 minutes in the pool. I wish i had longer as 35 minutes is just not long enough in the pool. I felt like i was cooling down right after i had warmed up. This was my session,

250m swim warm up

5x50    15sec rest

5x100  15sec rest

450 swim /cool down

 But i suppose something is better than nothing. 

On Friday night i felt i needed to still do something, given the short swim, so i got my bike out in to the living room and set up the virtual ride on my pc and did a hard 54 minutes of cycling.  It was really nice, as when i got hot, i took my top off, can't do that in class.  Well, i probably could, but won't!  I then fished out my hand weights and did some arm stuff too.  I seriously need heavier hand weights though. 4lbs just don't cut it.

And tomorrow is the postponed 10k from December.  So for only 4 days of working out, i have done a pretty good job this week. Totalling about 4.5 hours is actually good for me.  But, knowing that only amounts to under 5 hours, and i was thinking i could do 10hours a week to Olympic distance train slightly worries me.  I'm not sure that i could ever do 10 hours a week. Unless i do a 3hour bike ride and a long run on the weekend.  In the summer that might happen, but i'm guessing not regularly.  

But i think the most important thing is that i am enjoying what i do and not stressing over what i don't.  I'm never going to be first in a race, i'm never going pro, i'm only ever racing myself and i am the only one i have to answer to.

My Best Bits

We all have parts of our bodies we don't like and i hope we all have parts we do.  My problem areas are my bum and thighs. typical women areas. My belly gets fat too, but i have felt ok about it in the past, in fact right now, it doesn't bother me too much, but never in my life have i been okay with my thighs.  Not once have i looked at them and thought, you're not so bad.

But lets not dwell on those parts today. Today was a good day.  Today i noticed definition in my deltoids and triceps. Like real clear definition.  It was during spin class and we were stood up on our bikes. There are mirrors in front of us and there they were, flaunting themselves at me, all defined and shit. I could hardly take my eyes off them!

I have always liked my upper body. I have strong square shoulders, actually a little broad, but they don't look too big or anything.  And i have always admired that area on other women and men. I like basketball players and swimmers, those are body types i swoon over. Long lean arms, long torsos.  So to have actual definition, to see what i have always longed for was joyous.  I'm totally stoked.  The weird thing is, i still have that slight under arm wobble, you know the bingo wing wobble, but to a much lesser degree.  Does that ever go away? What are your best bits?

Wipe the dust off…

unpack and set up the unused bike trainer.

Today was the first time i used my bike trainer properly since i bought it. It wouldn’t have happened if i had never done a spin class, or if i didn’t have a dvd to follow.  Before attending a spin class i hated stationary cycling. I would never use the stationary bikes in the gym and when i first got the trainer, it was because i had been cycling a lot and thought as i had a good base then i would be able to use it and not hate it. I was totally wrong. I still hated the trainer. It sat unused in the spare room for a year. It got packed up and shipped here.

Thankfully, i tried the spin class and fell in love.  It’s such a great workout and I find it a lot of fun too.  Brutal fun, if there is such a thing.  So i decided that i should get the trainer out and see if i like it. This time, i set up the laptop with the dvd i got with my Triathlon220 magazine. It’s a ride through Orange County of 18 miles, a 54 minute workout. Its focus was hill endurance and efficiency.

I got all set up yesterday and this morning was the day. Lets see if i can stick this out, and enjoying it would be a bonus. It would also have to be a necessity if I am to do it more than once.  I have to enjoy my exercise.  54 minutes later, a pool of sweat on the floor, burning thighs and over all euphoria at accomplishing a brutal spinning session the verdict – Score!  I LOVED it!  And yeah, i felt those hills.

Best of all, no drive home, i could take me shirt off to mop the floor with and immediately hop in the shower.

Please ignore the patio furniture wrapped in brown paper and cling film in the garden.  One day, when it’s closer the the days of using it, it will get unwrapped.  Just imagine, your whole house wrapped like that. That is what we had to contend with.  The reason i have a total of 4 trips to the recycling plant with a car that looks like this:

Just a bit of muffin baking today.

Today I had my arthrogram and MRI, if you want to know more, click here.

I tired to make the day more productive by baking too.

Yummie muffins – my favourite thing to bake right now.

Ah-hoy Pool-Matey!

Tonight was swim night.  I decided to have my dinner early and head to the pool when i thought it would be quieter at 8pm.  The changing rooms were busy and there were a few girls in dry bikinis.  I was hoping they were there for the sauna, not a swim.  As i got changed i hoped for the best, that being an empty pool, but when i entered i was sorely disappointed. It was busy. Not a portion of a lane free.  I hung about and looked for folks doing front crawl. There were two. One guy was in the designated lane.  The pool being a hotel pool has only one lane roped off. Its just off centre and divides the pool in to a fat lane to its left, a normal lane between the ropes and a super fat lane the other side. How i see it, you can have 2 swimmers one side 2 inside and 4 the other side.  There were no lanes left.
I intended to hop in with the front crawl guy but make sure he know i was getting in. I sat on the lane end, waiting till he saw me.  Right as i got in someone from the super fat lane left and i took may chance. Ahh, a ‘lane’ all for me.  I did a warm up and by the time i was warm the lady in the outer edge got out.  I’m kind of thinking it was coz of me swimming faster than everyone else (doing breast stroke) and she was big and slow, but there was space, and i don't kick too much and certainly don’t splash, so i didn't force her out or anything.  Well her leaving then gave me my preferred position – against the wall.  As there are no lines on the floor i find it hard to stay in a straight line, so i like to use the wall as a guide.
I had brought my swim book with me, but when i saw the packed pool i just left it by the edge, and when i had managed to claim a lane, i didn’t dare get out to grab it so i could follow a work out. This left me to make one up – for the first time.  I made my decision pretty quick while i was warming up and decided on this:
3x100 30s rest
2x200 30 sec rest
4x100 30s rest
2x400 30s rest
CD 75 bs 50 fs
For a total of 2325m in 58 minutes.

The time flew by. I didn't look at the clock at all in fact. I had my new Poolmate watch on and simply went through what i had planned.  I love the watch. Numbers really motivate me. I am terrible at keeping count too, so its great for that.  As there is no real pool clock, i never really had any way to measure myself. I didn’t know how long anything took me to do. Now though, i know it all. every bit of info i could possible need is recorded. This is the programme interface screen. This is the total page

And this is the info for todays workout.

In my book – Swim Workouts for Triathletes, there is a test session you do to work out your T1 time which you then base some of the set upon.  This consists of a warm up them 3 x100 ensuring that the three times are with in 5 seconds of each other. The average is then your T1 time.  I did this last week and my T1 time is 1:54.  As you can see from this my fist set averaged at 1:50 (1:48, 1:49, 1:53) and my second set averaged at 1:53/4 (1:52, 1:53, 1:54, 1:55) I love that i know this! This is the number i am aiming to bring down.  With my running i have noticed recently that i am running in the 8:50s area. I remember when hitting the 9min mark was exciting a short while ago, so to see 8:50s a few times is super cool.  I can’t wait to see the 1:54 number drop as i swim more, become more efficient and fitter.

So tomorrow i may just go and eat one of those cupcakes i burnt off today!

Cream Crackered

After a lazy weekend with regards to exercise – i only ran 3.8 miles on Saturday, it was about time to get to the gym and work hard.  I did work hard all weekend but in a different maner.  I busted ass on my house and its finally looking respectable, homely and not like a cardboard recycling plant.  I actually barely sat down all weekend, even in to the evening. I was unpacking pictures at 11.30 at night.  It was like i had ants in my pants. But worth the effort i can tell you.

Banana coconut muffins

I have been battling with this a bit.  Working out or setting up house.  I’m the kinda girl that likes the house neat, tidy, homely and cosy. I prefer it with a husband in it, but if i can’t have that, then i at least want my pictures hung up and books on shelves.  I told myself as i was on my run, that if i only ran the short loop (3.8miles) then i would go for a swim later on in the day.  But i got carried away with the house. I did put my swim stuff in the car planning on going on the way back from Wrexham, where i was going to B+Q and Tesco’s.  But it was 6pm by my return trip, i was getting hungry and wanted to cook a nice dinner so it just didn’t happen. 

Sardines, leafy greens with avocado in

French style dressing and pan-fried pak choi

Sunday i thought that if i don’t get dressed properly; as dressing often hinders me wanting to workout for some reason, don’t ask as i can’t tell you why, then i would stand a better chance of going swimming.  So i just pulled on jogger bottoms and a zipped hoodie over my pjs, not even a bra.  But again, i got so involved with sorting the house, baking muffins and cooking a delicious lunch i just didn't get there.  I couldn’t pull myself away from what i was doing. Getting ready for bed was easy!

Mackerel Thai Curry from River Cottage Every Day – Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall

So i had to change my attitude a bit.  I have to say, that if i am enjoying what i am doing, or if what i am doing will make me happy, then its ok to miss an occasional workout.  The pleasure i get from walking in to a clean tidy sweet little home is immeasurable.  Having the time to cook a lovely lunch and dinner was superb – as were both meals.  It is worth the cost of a skipped work out.

 

And tonight, i totally made up for it.  The spin class was brutal. I really like the instructors style.  It was the first time I've had him and i like it!  Then i went straight to a run.  I still haven't memorised the km rather than miles pace so put it on 11 thinking that was 9:?? pace; and a 1% incline.  It was hard at first and i thought it would get better, once my wobbly legs went away, but it didn’t. In fact it got worse.  I wanted to slow down or reduce that slight incline from 2 minutes in.  It was hard. But i was determined to prove that its all mind over matter.  I battled my will for 18 more minutes and won.  And did so in style. The last minute, even though i had been puffing and panting the whole way through, i increased the speed to 12. It was a bloody tough work out but i was super pleased with myself. My mind won.  Then i find out 11 is actually 8:50 pace – bloody yee-haa, that's fast for me!!

 

House photos to come soon. xx

Is There Any Point?

I have my new computer at last. I had been hankering for a new one for a while, my old one being so sloooow.  I love that my hubby considers computers as necessities, so i don’t have to wait for it to be a birthday gift or the like.  He bought me it months ago in the States and it was shipped over.  Its at least a year in the waiting, we were putting the purchase off till we were moving.

So i plug it in and BANG PUFF it blows up! Oops! Yes, it seems that i had forgotten to switch the Voltage to UK, as it had being bought in the USA.  In all honesty, i didn’t even turn it on, i simply flipped the wall switch that allows power to travel to the computer (you don’t have those on USA wall plates) so i didn’t think i would need to flip the switch until i was going to power the actual computer on. Shows how much i know about electricity and electrical goods.

So,  i purchase a new power brick thing for inside the pc, at a hefty price of 35 quid!  And now have it all working.  I installed that myself too, i may add.  Its a beautifully quiet pc. I don’t real know its on and i sit literally right next to it –  as you tend to do with pc’s i know, but its at ear height with no obstruction either.
I have never used any Windows online products, live messenger and the like, but its set to pop up when the pc is turned on.  So annoying, so i went to uninstall it all.  As i was uninstalling it it asked me about Windows live writer, do i really want to uninstall it?  It made me think, do I?

I’m a blogger user (obviously) but sometimes it bugs me when adding photos and stuff, so thought i would give Windows Live Writer a chance.  So this, unintentionally long and involved blog, nothing to do with Trainers or my bike, is the test post to see what i think. Is there any point in changing?

So to maintain the theme of being totally unrelated to trainers or a bike or in fact healthiness in any respect. For the photo test, i will use food photos, my baking.


SO far so bloody good!!  Loving all the things you can do with photos. Kudos Windows!

View Full Album

I can’t seem to title individual photos, but maybe i just haven’t found that yet.  But  the sequence above is when i stayed in the capsule hotel in Tokyo.  They do actually provide lockers for your bags, but i thought that given the price of the locker and the fact that you get no other secure place, you would be able to open and close the locker at will. But no, so i paid about 6 quid for 30 minutes, and annoyingly i was sitting round the corner from it the whole time.  So i decided to just leave it in my tube. It didn’t really bother me when i slept.  And the hotel doesn’t cater to many women, so i felt confident that it would be ok in the tube in the daytime, i just pulled the blind down over it.  Those are the pj’s they give you to wear, and i even used the communal showers and bath – though again, not many women, so i communed with only myself.  It was a really cool experience. I love sleeping in cozy spaces, and this was a high tech cozy space – very me.  I like sleeping in tents for the same reason, though quite the opposite: low tech.

Okay, so i’m convinced.  There is a point. Yes!

Random Thoughts

• Felt the burn of Spinning tonight - 3 weeks off will do that.
• Used my Poolmate yesterday. Its sweet though i need to get used to the buttons.
• I am totally protective of my pool space.  I hate a busy pool. Not having my own portion of a lane is horrible.  I'd rather not swim. Like tonight. I did 400m and got out.
• Yesterday there was a girl who joined our lane (a guy doing front crawl too) and swam breast stroke up the middle. The cheek!  My lane mate also had a Poolmate - i think new too, and was kind enough to move over a lane to allow her to do slow ass breast stroke, she was lucky someone got out. The whole pool was doing BS and she chose the lane that the two of use were doing FC to join in to.  Clearly this bothers me!
• I wore a skirt today at work, it was so nice to do. My job is much easier in trousers, i knee a lot, need to crouch and stuff, so typically wear trousers.  Skirt, boots and tights were a nice change.
• I have my new PC working here now, its super sweet, it has windows 7 which take a bit of learning but i like it.  It is the quietest computer i have ever known. I don't know its on and i'm sat right next to it - 

Shuush, do you hear that?  No? Well you wouldn't!

• I'm home alone again. hubby is back in America. There is only one advantage to this. I don't have to listen to his jet engine loud computer droning in the background.
• Well that and i really never miss a work out, there is nothing to stay home for.
• I have got the unpacking to a point where i can actually sort things out.  I tidied the storage closet last night. Made it much more functional. 
• I filled a huge box with clothes and shoes for charity.  Pleased with my ruthlessness - especially in the shoe department.
• Okay, i need to write some thank you notes. Ciao xx