Continue the change and enjoy the journey!

fedupandskint

Boy, am I tired tonight

Well after I did the stepper this morning and planned to go out for a run tonight after work I thought I'd see what the 10k race route was like before Sunday.

So, was I tired with heavy tired legs from running, stepping and cycling or was the route harder. Who knows? I ran it nearly 10mins slower than my fastest time and 5 mins slower than usual.

Not good! Having tomorrow and Thursday off running and then its back out for a long run on Friday and then the race on Sunday. Of course I won't be racing, just taking part for the first time in a road race which I've never done before. Looking forward to it but expecting it to be quite hard going after today!

Happily got some time at work to finish the assignment off and its in and submitted now before the uni IT system goes down for a few days. Finger's crossed it passes this time.

So its a night off before cracking on with the next one tomorrow. Tackling the easiest first for Wed and see how far I get with this one this week

fedupandskint

Ok, ok ok. I take it back about the bike. It was the wrong size after all and by quite a bit as it turned out

I took the plunge after thinking over long and hard about what to do. Could it really be that wrong and dangerous? I rang today and straight away was told it sounded like it was the wrong size for me.

Took it in and was told straight away it was the wrong size and they could tell without even sitting on it.

Then found the right size by using a different bike. Told to look for one with the same spec, for example the one I had been fitted on today. Something put me off about it for some reason, the colour as it was bright red and I didn't really want a bike that colour.

Then as we were searching for a suitable bike, we came across my bike, in a completely different colour, no price tag and no label and it the correct frame size. It was my bike just smaller and in a different colour.

So after some checking it wasn't someone elses it was mine, made up and ready to go with a pump thrown in for free to make amends. So it has my wheels on which they swapped as I had been out on them once which was fine.

Talk about a fluke and a coincidence I went on this day and it was there.

So very pleased and happy about the result Restored my faith in the shop after wasn't looking forward to how it might go and how I could have ended up with a bike so a wrong size after all that sizing at the weekend.

Plus I like the colour much better too, much more me and not quite so bright and gleaming cycling princess as it was. Much more matte and blendable which is a good thing.

Well, once this half marathon is out of the way its onwards and upwards with the cycling!

fedupandskint

Weigh in day update - have STS again this week

No surprise really I guess considering the chocolate I've been eating over Easter while writing my assignment 1/4.

Shouldn't feel down about this at all. In fact I don't,, I feel a little slimmer bizzarely after doing the stepper this week. Anyway, stocked up on some treats for the weekend as its long run day tomorrow and wanted to get some more kcals in before and after and a few more today too.

Mapped out a long run of 13+ miles for tomorrow. Day off today as legs still a bit tired - will do the repair stretches tonight too.

Tomorrow is work - eat every hour, leave early, take dog out, long run, flop down and recover and eat tea. Must remember to prep tea so can cook an easy tea when I get back.

Then its 10k Race day on Sunday with a friend. Not aiming to race. Just to do it, take part, try it for the first time - remember TIFTFT! if I get back in a reasonable time of under an hour I'll be very happy.

Then next week its uni again for 3 days then assignment writing for 2 days as I've taken a couple of days off to make some headway on 2, 3 and 4/4 before the extension kicks in. Hoping to get 2/4 done at least now one is submitted.

What else? I've meal planned up to next Thursday to tackle some of the freezer again - fishcakes, well at least they'll be quick and easy after uni next week on long days!

Exercise wise - lots of walking on uni days, plus Mr dog walks too so no running until Thursday and then a short one before a long run on Friday again.

Bike wise - hoping to get out for a bit on sunday after the 10k and get out for ride! Then after Sunday it's 4 weeks until the half marathon and then its onto building the mileage up for cycling to work and back! Who'd have thought I would even consider this. I remember saying at work there was no way I would cycle there for this reason and that reason and so on............What a change and a turnaround and a good one too!

fedupandskint

Very nice tea tonight of sweet and sour quorn. Got mixed up with what was in the freezer so it turned into chicken nugget style sweet and sour. I think it turned out better though with plenty of veg as usual.

Tea prepped for tomorrow ready to cook after the long run. Hope I feel up to it as felt like I was coming down with a cold or something. Feel better now after getting caught in a very heavy downpour when out dog walking tonight. Must have been the freshness I needed!

Happily returned home to discover my half marathon pack had arrived. Exciting!

fedupandskint

Well decided to have a week off the long run as am coming down with a cold now. Trying to ward it off with a combo of 1st Defence and cold tablets generics. Thinking this combo works quite well. Felt a bit worse for wear today at work at times. Plus could feel it on my chest and after having had a runny nose for the last 4 weeks and a quite tight chest when running sometimes.

Thought it better to have some time off as don't want to make it worse by running 14 miles tonight. Plus its the big 10k race on Sunday and as I'm running this with a friend I need to make sure I can do it because I want to, firstly, and secondly don't feel bad enough to not do it either.

So tomorrow will be a walk up to town, around and back then off for a little ride on my bike to show it to my best friend then get ready for the race!

fedupandskint

A lovely day today

A walk up to town and back after a coffee and a scone and a little look around the shops. Picked up some much needed thicker socks in the sale at half price 2 pairs for £2.50 instead of £5 so now have 6 new pairs for £7.50 instead of £15 and have cleared out the sock drawer of old worn socks and odd socks. That's all drawers except old t-shirt drawer done now.

Then had a cycle up to my lovely lovely friends to double check the bike was ok for me. I love riding it. It's much easier to control than the massive one I had last week and the frame is the correct size now for me meaning my leg isn't pulled in the wrong way like it was last week. The new bike is the same as last weeks apart from in a smaller frame size and much nicer colour. I love it!

Had a great ride up and back and can feel my confidence has improved so much from last week.

So what about tomorrow then?

Tomorrow is the 10k race with a friend first thing in the morning. My first race! Have pinned my number onto my top ready to go and got some treaty snacks for us afterwards. Should go ok, hoping for under an hour. I'll report back tomorrow with an update but I don't think I'll have a time until later.

Then its a few hours of study, a bit of cleaning, a bit of dog cleaning who stinks then finish the bathroom cleaning afterwards. If I have time I hope to take the bike out again down and around the waterpark and see how long that takes me and also to get used to riding it.

Then its onto getting uni stuff ready and maybe a well deserved bath!

fedupandskint

What a great morning! Really enjoyed the 10k race it was a brilliant experience. The first one I've ever done and really pleased I did it.

Ran 10k in 52mins - the usual time so pleased with it, especially as I nearly ran out of steam right at the end and it was only the crowd that kept me going as I thought, I can't stop now with all these people here.

A bright sunny and very chilly morning with 1500 people lining up to run at 9am. What a great start to the day! Buzzing away now after that!

Anyway have rewarded me and my friend with several treats afterwards purely for energy purposes of jelly babies, chocolate and tea and so on! Well deserved I reckon.

Feeling quite tired now so think I'll have an early lunch, don't really feel like studying now, too giddy after the race. Better put it off till later.

See if I can summon up enough energy to clean the floors and bathroom after dinner and at least get something done!

fedupandskint

Well go me eh!

Did tons today after lunch and refuelled energy levels - plus a creme egg after the bike ride, well its allowed today!

Bathed the dog, washed all his stuff and out on the line, more washing out to dry too. Swept and mopped floors. Then walked up to the shop to collect a few more bits for lunches - fruit and salad.

Oh yes, of course just had to pick up 2 x creme egg easter eggs for 90p each with a chocolate egg and 2 creme eggs in each. I've told myself they're part of my long run treat afterwards. Let's see if I can keep them for that.

Could seriously do with a few days off the chocolate and have meal planned to the nth degree for the next few days and haven't made any allowances for chocolate. Will allow myself a hot chocolate though

Then took the dog out for his walk and then took myself out on my bike for 25mins round the water park trail which went really well and I'm getting used to riding a bike again

Think its time for a nice repairing bath as I'm feeling pretty tired now, in a good way tired though, not drained and exhausted, just nice and tired from being active. What a great weekend of activity - love it!

Obviously I'll pay for not studying at the end of the week as I attempt to squeeze an awful lot into 2 days but hey, just sometimes you have to do what you want to at the weekend after a week at work!

Still buzzing with energy from that run this morning - hope that bath calms me down a bit before bed!

fedupandskint

2 days at uni completed and the module is going ok so far. 3rd day tomorrow and then back in 3 weeks to finish the final 2 days of teaching. The 2 years have flown by and this year has gone even quicker. Then next year its onto the dissertation but lots to get done before this point.

What else? 2hrs walking for the 3 days plus 20mins on the stepper today to try and build up some upper body toning and stomach muscle toning. Aiming for 3 days a week on this and do for 4 weeks so its onto week 2 now as did it 3 times last week and plan for 2 more times this week.

Proper chocoholic at the moment for some reason. Oh well, try to keep it within the kcal limit. not doing to bad with that either. Plus the long days at uni do make me very hungry and tired.

Well one more day to go and then its on with assignment writing for the next 4 days - woo hoo!

Lets see if I can squeeze some long dog walks in, cycling, running, cleaning, washing and ironing and still get 2 productive hours a day at the very least. If they're productive I'll get closer to the finish line and that's where I'm aiming to cross.

fedupandskint

Stepper completed for today on a more difficult setting. Went well though and one more session to complete this week

Considering going for a run early tomorrow morning as the weather looks better then. Also it would mean its done for the day too early doors!

A good day at uni today - only 2 more taught days left to go in a few weeks time. I feel quite sad its coming to an end with seeing my friends and collegues on the course and then next academic year its on my own plowing my way through my disseration. Mind you there's quite a few of us who have chosen this route as its hard going and lots of pressure trying to squeeze everything into 2 years and work FT

Had a nice chat with one of the girls about SD and how I'd lost weight and the celebration of getting into a size 12 Miss Selfridge skirt. And she also very kindly commented she did not think I was the age I am. I've had a few nice comments about my skin over the last few weeks and about not looking my age. A little bizarre really however I have decided to stick with my skincare routine as it seems to be working a treat! One new moisturiser on payday and then the following month replace the night cream. The redness is disappearing and fading which is my primary concern and the mineral make up must be doing a good job of giving me some radiance back from all the comments! At least its a good way of using my endless stocks of make up!

Talking of which, used up a shampoo today, not much left in the stock drawer which is not refilling back up to its previous levels. Think I've cracked it and onto a new phase with toiletries. No longer buying endlessly or mindlessly from shops or from TV. I've got there at last. It's taken some time and I've done it in stages and I'm here shouting it loud and proud. My demon is gone for good.