Gone Mad!!!

I have gone a tad crazy with the old credit card and signed up for not one, not two but three races tonight!!

First off, the 1500m sea swim in Llandudno.  This is held on June 18th and is the same sea swim to the standard distance Sea Triathlon i also signed up for.  I am crazy.  At least that is the general consensus of opinion on facebook right now.  I'm inclined to agree.

Not entirely sure as to why i choose to do a sea swim Tri for my first standard distance, but the fact i get to practice the swim made it seem less crazy.  That and its not too far away and just the right time of year i guess.

But before then, i am doing the Pwllheli Sprint which is a 400m pool swim, 20k bike and 5k run. That's on March 27th.  Then on May 22nd I am doing the Cheshire Sprint.  Also a pool swim, but 500m then 20k bike and 5k run.  For this i have company, Katy is joining me and we may have a friend from London come up to support us, which would be superb.

So it really just seemed like the natural progression to do the next distance event.  What can i say. I need races to motivate me.  I now have races to do that.  My god do i have races planned.  I also have the Ellesmere half marathon in 4 weeks, and my knee is still bothering me a bit.  There is also a little 10k trail run on April 10th which i may do.

I haven't signed up for the Lichfield HM on May 1st.  I'm gonna wait to see how things go.  There are plenty of HMs i could do if i'm so desperate to do one.  I really want to get a sub 2hr, but my focus has just shifted. I'm sure you get why!

So right now, i am shitting bricks!! I know if i train hard, i can complete them all.  And hopefully even compete in them too, as opposed to just finishing.  Bring it on!

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.

Stepping out on Fit Milwaukee

I can't believe i forgot to post about my feature on FitMilwaukee.com.  I posted it to FB and it slipped my mind about here.  What can i say, i'm moving countries in three days, things are busy here.

I'm glad i reached out to FitMilwuakee when Tracy called out for readers to Speak Up!  Part of my new active lifestyle i kinda want to try and motivate people.  I know it sounds dead cheesy, but i'm trying to be subtle about it.  More like subliminal messages than  captain megaphone, if you know what i mean.  I considered stopping the 'post to facebook' feature on DM for i find posts about FB games annoying myself, but it did what i wanted it to, it made people think about exercise. A few people have told me its inspiring and that they enjoy reading them.  And really,  i'm only running a bit, thats all.  

But even the smallest nudge or slight breeze can change someone's course.  Alexis read the interview and chose to run two miles instead of doing the dishes. That just makes me smile.  And i have even more friends joining DM. They see the benefit of the site and are enjoying it.  

And as they say - Every little counts. Not only in blood sweat and tears, but also in motivation.

On a similar note.

I am glad i stepped out of my comfort zone and invited Kerri to join me on DM and do the The Blarney Run with me.  I'm not good at being the inviter, outside of my closest friends, and though i've know Kerri for 5 years now, we haven't got too close.  But step out i did, and i'm so pleased i did.  It was really nice to share my first 5K with her, i felt we bonded over a small* but significant accomplishment.  I think it will keep us in touch while i'm in the UK, as before, our friendship may have slipped away with the distance.  Its a first of many races and if i hadn't invited Kerri i would have done it alone**.  And that doesn't sound like much fun to me. So i am going to learn from this, and step out more often. It made my life better immediately and in the long term.

* small is only relative to the MASSIVE accomplishment of running a half marathon.  Coz really, I don't want to scare myself, as if 5K were massive, then what the hell would a marathon be?

** I doubt I would have been there alone really, as there are some really nice folks on DM and if i didn't have Kerri i would have tried to make some firm plans to meet the DM gang. 

collection of inspirational phrases found on blogs i read

"at the end of the day, it's a hobby for most of us. something we're supposed to actually enjoy. the physiological benefits of [running] is simply a by-product of breaking a sweat and getting the heart going. it should never be the other way around. remember that the next time you lace up."  billy   aka l.a.runner

"now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. you have to make the mind run the body. never let the body tell the mind what to do. the body will always give up. it is always tired in the morning, no...on, and night. but the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."   george s. patton, 1912 olympian

"let’s stop focusing on what we’ve done and focus on what we want to do."  tyler of 344pounds.com
 
most posts by Danica have a little inspirtaion, some a whole lot.  But if you really want to get an idea of who she is, and a feel of her blog, this post has it all.

inspiring reads

i find that reading about people that have lost weight or loosing weight, folks that exercise regulary, is inspiring to me, and helps me keep 'the healthy life' at the forefront of my brain. i subscribe to shape magazine, which i generally read cover to cover, in one or two sittings.  i love the tips, new exercises, recipes and most of all those weight loss stories.  i also read a few blogs about sports, as mentioned before chicrunner is very motivating.  yesterday i came across 344pounds.com in which tyler is tracking his 150pound weight loss. he lost 125lbs in the first year. he is so down to earth, and is very realistic in how he achieves and will maintain his weight loss. which is plain and simple, use more calories than you eat. he eats what he wants, but does the workout to counter balance it. he says that he naurally choses more healthy food now, but will still eat those fries is he wants to.  i like this guy.  i can't seem to change what i eat.  i did manage to change the portion size last year, but i think i reverted back.  need to start that again, as it did make a difference.  especially in my head, just knowing that i ate less was worth eating less for. portion control has always been a problem for me.