Smug

The thing is... I had an excuse.  A pretty credible one, as mentioned in my last post.  So I stopped for a few days, I say a few days, perhaps three weeks.  I then got back to scaring the pheasants and squirrels in the early morning mist.  To my surprise it was nowhere near as difficult as I was expecting.  Smug.  And to add to my smugness I had not put any extra pounds on during my recuperation.  Smug.

Now the last month or so I have been more disciplined than my usual self and have managed to run at least three times a week, every week.  Smug.  I feel much fitter than I have been in a very long time and have lost over 21 pounds since I started all this malarkey back in August.  Smug.

I recently went through my wardrobe and found some jeans that have never really been big enough for me and now they are.  Smug.  In my final line of smugness over the last week I have not only played squash twice, I also managed to cycle the 7 mile round trip to the courts.  Super Smug.

I am very close to running for a full 30 minutes.  I hope to achieve this before New Years Day and then I can start improving my speed and distance ready for my next big goal.  More about that later.

FR

One

I've had a good couple of weeks since my travels. Firstly, I have kept up the running with few interruptions. Apart from a boys night out. Oh and the Sunday Roast - law in our house. But despite these minor distractions I have been running. Last week I managed to run before work a couple of times and got my last "post work" run in before the the clocks changed and the light prevents me from running in the scary woods. Okay, not that scary but in the dark I can't see a thing in the woods. Secondly, as well as my improving fitness, I have lost some weight. As of silly o'clock this morning I have lost about 3 ounces on the good side of one stone. One Stone. ONE STONE.

A big incentive for me to continue running is my children. I want to be there for my small people for as long as they need me and beyond. They are so wonderful, inspiring, bright, creative, funny, fantastic little grownups. I had a minor operation today to remove my chances of having any more. I better look after the ones I have. They are most definitely worth it.

 No running for a little while until I heal. Fingers crossed I don't forget how.

The Fat Man Travels

It has been a strange few weeks. I have been on my travels for both work and pleasure. Work travel is not something I do much of in recent years but threcent trip was to Gibraltar and we took, what has become, our annual trip down to St Ives in Cornwall for a family break with some very good friends.

 Gibraltar is unlike any place I have visited and is difficult to describe and for the sake of international relations, I will perhaps not go into any detail.

In contrast, St Ives is just perfect. Extended Indian Summer, warm water, lots of body boarding and the odd glass of wine. Our year is perhaps no longer complete without a trip down to Cornwall and a week being thrown about in the waves. The children just love their time here and without the company of our oldest and dearest friends the holiday would just not be possible.

© Peter F. Hamilton - He caught me mid run!

So why the reference to my travels? Well, its because I am a little smug that I managed to keep up my running/walking/C25K in both Gibraltar and St Ives. Although I have been a little excessive in the beer/food department over the last feew weeks, I have managed to not put on any pounds. Although I should be losing them, not putting pounds on and have a little evil excess of beer/cake/wine can't be a bad thing - now and then. I am finding the running a little easier but easier does not mean easy. I'm still on week 4 of C25K mainly due to laziness of putting my running track together and perhaps a little bit to do with week 5 being a little daunting.

Hot Stuff

Not me, the weather. Wonderfully balmy Indian summer. We went to the beach, had a lazy Sunday in the garden and barbecued with coals too hot to cook on.

Too hot for running and yet I run. Interrupted with a little walking. Before work. It will get cold and wet soon. I am not so sure I will be so keen then.

Note to self. Weekends are not a free ride. Beer and curry not helping. More run less sin. Keep going Fatty, keep going.

Cake

I love Cake. Especially Victoria Sponge Cake.With Raspberry Jam and fresh whipped cream. Last week was my Birthday and The Current Mrs FR always makes me a wonderful cake. But this year a colleague, who is practising for domestic goddess of the year, also made a sponge cake. How selfish are they? Here I am trying to get a little fitter, keeping up my running/walking and they go and make cake. I could not say no, that's just rude.

Started week 3 last week although it was my 5th week. It is getting a little easier. Just a little. I aslo mamanged to do a full week last week despite having a crazy week at work. That's too many weeks for one paragraph.


So on to week 4. Oh did I say, I was told there are no calories in food on birthdays. Fact.

The Noise of Running

Four weeks ago I looked for an app to prompt me with the run/walk changes that are needed with the C25K challenge. I'm a Blackberry user and the choices were limited especially compared to the iPhone. This then sent me on a path to a pre built podcast. Found Laura on the NHS website and I chose to start that day.

However, as much as it is a good start, the choice of music started to become, well, lets just say it was not my cup of tea. So after much procrastination, looking for alternatives, I just made my own. It helps I am in IT and merging a few MP3s and overlaying a bit of audio is pretty easy. So now I spend too much time trying to choose music for the next run. Maybe it would easier to just get an iPhone. Wait, what's that, the iPhone 5 is out soon... and my phone is out of contract... surely this is a sign? Almost compulsory? Perhaps.

Week four complete Repeated week two. New trainers/runners/pumps. Much better. My right knee is still not happy. Not happy at all. On to week five or week three of C25K.

The body says no

My third week started well, with good runs on Monday and Wednesday. Friday came and went. Pub. Saturday came and went. Family. Sunday came and went. Pub. But then finally I went for a run Monday. Pain. So much pain. Left it too long. My right knee was not happy.

I ran though the pain - apparently I have to do this, it's the law of getting fit. Not sure who wrote it. Perhaps it needs a review. Where does one go to request a review of made up laws?

So to try and keep my body from repeating the pain I took No 1 child and the young dog out for a quick 20 minutes on the bike tonight. I was amazed how easy it was compared to the last time I took the bike out on the same route. Maybe this personal challenge is working. Maybe.