Girl on a Mission

2012 :: The year I thought would NEVER end

2012-12-31T18:22:00.001+00:00

2012 was a truly Olympic Year in every possible way: 3 jobs. 3 homes. 12 challenges for 2012. One big charity fundraiser. The Queen's Golden Jubilee and the ACTUAL Olympics and Paralympics right here in London!

January

My memories of January are of the Boris Bike Challenge, freeeeeeezing fingers and desperately holding my nerve as I swerved London traffic and one-way networks on a hired bicycle (more often than not with dodgy breaks or semi-deflated tyres). Cycling in London was something I promised myself NEVER to do in the pursuit of actually reaching my 30th Buffday: Over the years reading dozens of articles about cyclists – mostly women - tragically killed cycling in London traffic, I’d associated woman + cycling + London = Not on your Nelly. But I did it and I actually enjoyed it once I was assured I didn’t have frost bite. Acquainted with all 350 Boris Bike Stations and still able to dock, unlock, adjust the seat height, be saddle bound and escaping a hoard of tourists asking directions in under 3.2 seconds is an invaluable life skill in London – I tell you.

February

The first of the flat moves of the year as I swapped West Hampstead for the beautiful flat in Barnes. After years of dodgy flats, some slightly dodgy flatmates and some of the dodgiest of landlords possible, overnight I literally WON the flat lottery, even if only temporarily. Oh happy days.

March

Still saddlebound – this time for a 45 mile cycle ride on supposedly flat route around Cambridgeshire. I can still VIVIDLY REMEMBER THE EPIC HILLS which on Monty – the slightly rusty, beloved Mountain Bike I borrowed - was probably not quite the tool for the job. This became obvious when I was overtaken on one such epic hill by a cyclist riding low wearing one of those futuristic cone areaodynamic helmets whilst in contrast I swerved my merry way across the road with every huff and puff. I learned that day just HOW seriously people take their cycling! Oh the Mountain Bike shame, the butt pain BUT the UTTER delight of completing my first ever long distance Cycletta. Let’s just not talk times mmmkay!

March was also the month of the Beast – the Jurassic Coast Challenge; 3 marathons in 3 days.

As a seasoned marathon power walker I really didn’t appreciate what I was letting myself in for with this (I actually thought this would be one of the easier challenges of 2012 – hahahahhahahahah!). Being dropped off by the mini-bus on the first day in front of the biggest, steepest hill imaginable for Britain essentially set the tone of the next three days. Up and down hills with alarming and heart-attack inducing frequency, scrambling along the coast – sometimes literally holding on for dear life and limb, whispering my last will and testament to AJ. Delightful pit stops at the fuelling stations. Hopeless map reading. Numerous checks to ensure you were carrying everything including the kitchen sink. But my resounding memory is of walking/hobbling in GLORIOUS sunshine for three days straight – in hindsight – those three days were sunnier and warmer than June! Bliss(ters)! We didn’t quite vanquish the Beast in the end but we accomplished so much in three exhausting days.

April

Joined in the Do Life: UK Edition Run followed by Charity Frock Shop Event frenzy. Definitely stepped out of my comfort zone with this one – says the girl who owns more drifit lycra than dresses. But somehow the frock donations flooded in from near and far, the plan for the day came together, I BUILT A WEBSITE!!! and I cashed in a lifetime supply of favours: Cue an AMAZING team of brilliant volunteers who made the day totally glorious. Dresses were bought, much delicious cake was inhaled, calamity was avoided and we raised £1000 for HOPEHIV. Huzzah!

May

Drawing a blank for Mighty May but waaaaaaaaait just a tutti fruity nanosecond. Wasn’t this the month I donned the glorious wetsuit, bumped into my High School Biology Teacher just as I was looking my most fabulous self (as you do), and then proceeded to force my wobbly kneed self into the Thames (in hindsight for the first time that year – for my sins)? Why yes, yes it was:

I crawled my way through the choppy waters to the one mile finish line and literally crawled out hallucinating with exhaustion. May was the month I killed the front crawl and swam 1 mile non-stop (in the pool): Front crawling in the Thames was a whole other experience I learned as I fought not to suffocate mid swim in a giant plastic sheet that I’d become wrapped in. The wavvvvvvves, the complete lack of visibility and the cooooooold were bonus highlights. Personally I still believe Tooting Bec Lido was colder than the Thames in May. I have never experienced cold water like it. I feel like a bonafide Artic Explorer just thinking about surviving the 11 degree Tooting Bec Lido water acclimitisation exercise. Utterly horrendous.

June

Started a new Job. Became bikeless as the beloved Monty was returned to his owner. Faced up to my ‘slight’ food obsession.

Moving on quickly…..

July

Ahhhh July. After running the British 10km in 1 hour 8 mins despite zero run training (seriously not recommended). This month I headed North to brave the thrills and spills of Fort William, accompanied by my rocket lilo – as you do. First up was climbing Ben Nevis solo (we’ll pretend for a second that there wasn’t a bonafide trail and about 100 other climbers ascending that day). Climbing Ben Nevis is one of my absolute favourite highlights of 2012, if not my life. I truly tested what I was capable of that day and came out on top. :-) Heights are not my thing, map-reading isn’t my forte and being up a mountain in fast-changing weather on your own (when you're essentially a total wuss) is not to be taken lightly. After a really fast non-stop climb for 3.5 hours to beat the incoming weather I was the highest up a mountain I’d ever been without the assistance of a ski-lift – 1334 meters high to be exact and I felt on top of the world. A truly amazing feeling and view – I can totally comprehend the fascination with climbing Mountains. Everest here I come!! There were parts that we’re spine tingling close to a sheer drop in high winds and moments where I really didn’t think I could go on especially as the weather turned and the clouds dropped – but I did. Overcoming moments like this, for me is what these challenges are all about. I LOVED the feeling of utterly exhausted, 100% shaking legs when I finally reached sea level again. I have complete and utter respect for my 12in12 teammates who went on to complete 3 peaks in 24 hours later this year. One (albeit the highest peak) was quite enough for me.

The following day it was time to put the lilo to use and descend those rapids. Unfortunately despite flooding in many parts of the UK – Fort William was experiencing a ‘dry spell’ and the water level was almost dangerously low. Lucky old me was given the number one race position (Seriously HOOOOOOOWWWWW?!?!) so it was my job to jump off the cliff top first. The girl who’s beyond petrified of plunging to her death also had to cope with the peer pressure of 100 or so other River Racers waiting for me to kick off proceedings chanting Jump.Jump.Jump. I still have no idea how I managed to leap off that rocky outcrop. No. Idea. (The power of peer pressure is mighty indeed!) This race was a) death defying and b) an arm killer. There were some great rapids and spine chilling ‘will I/will the lilo make it drops’ up top but my resounding memory is launching off one rock sans lilo only to be marooned 0.00001 second later on another rock and scrabbling on my knees through 3 inches of water. It was completely hilarious if it hadn’t been totally exhausting, not to mention soul destroying to travel approximately 5 meters a minute. A race that should have taken 20 mins ended up taking 2 hours as I became one with being a pooh stick bobbing helplessly along on my raft, like a 3 day old ship marooned sailor. Definitely an experience!

But wait there's more, unbelievable July brought EVEN MORE excitement as I made my Olympic Torch Running debut. A 100% AMAZING DAY. The sheer excitement, the attention to detail from the organisers, the contagion of their delight in just being involved, the crowds all wanting a photo with the torch (and me) (the one and only time I am papped is whilst I’m wearing a polyester white and gold tracksuit – go figure!!) and the experience of carrying the Olympic Flame for what felt like an age – thankfully I narrowly avoided having to run the flame up Blackheath Hill. Phew! Literally I have never smiled so much in my life as I did that day. I get major jaw ache even just reminiscing about the experience! Thanks to everyone who nominated me to run and for my family and friends who came from near and far to cheer me on. Such an honour.

August

Back on the bike again this month (and this time a bike of my very own and a hybrid racer!!) and averaging 70miles a week in order to prep for the mammoth 100km cycle around Brittany (yup my first International Race!!!) despite being saddled ;-) with the mother of all chest infections, I went ahead with the race (very ill advised).

It was slightly mad and unbelievably tough and that’s if I’d been able to breathe normally. With a chest infection it was bordering on lunacy. The number of insane climbs and the wind factor of the coast road made for an interesting 6.5 hour cycle ride. Completely and utterly bonkers.

We also had the most memorable Sunday Run Club of the year this month – running in absolutely torrential rain and refusing to quit despite all of us agreeing we would and should!!

September

An eventastravaganza and the month I became a Triathlete (twice)!! The month started off sanely enough running Iron Girl around Richmond Park on the hottest day of the year.

Then I completed my first ever Triathlon – the BananaMan Tri and relished in swimming in something other than the Thames. Dorney Lake is mermaid swimming heaven with 100% visibility :-). LOVED my first Tri experience.

Practise Triathlon complete, then came the real deal: The London Triathlon and whoa what a shock. Such a mammoth impersonal event and once again I found myself jumping back into the Thames, this time complete with bleeding hand. Yikes! This was probably my least favourite event of 2012 - it’s ambition to be a profit-making machine rather than a fun fitness endurance event was a bit too overt for my liking. Plus doing laps of a carpark on bike and then on foot was totally uninspiring. A Trial rather than a Triathlon!

Fortunately September ended on a high as I accompanied Laura (Marathon Virgin) in the Shine Marathon. So I may not have done quite enough training for this and my lower back gave out at the 18 mile mark but it was a fun and inspiring night and we both made it over the finish line despite some very sore legs. Shine On!

October

Real Life slightly overtook my events calendar this month: My Dad got remarried with just two weeks’ notice. Surprise!! Plus the job hunting and flat hunting began in earnest as I was realised that my flat contract and job contract both concluded the following month and within the same 48 hours. Simultaneously Homeless and Jobless = slightly knicker-twisting prospect if you’re not secretly a Millionaire (I wish!), otherwise I’d have been off to explore South America like a shot. One day soon though (fingers crossed).

Despite the chaos, in an attempt to keep up with the 12in12 mission, I plunged once again into……. (yup you guessed it) the Thames, this time for a two mile swim. My main recollection was the absolute freezing cold. I was shivering with cold and my feet were blue even before I’d climbed into the Thames and I was legit scared, totally unsure how much harder it would be to swim two miles as the furthest I’d ever swam was a mile. However it was easier than I expected (thanks to a helpful current) and I was rewarded with a delightful ‘brown Thames beard’ and a lovely warming drink at the finish line for my efforts.

November

After 10 months of events I decided that it was probably time to do some ACTUAL training and with a mammoth 120km run challenge finale planned for December, I took the plunge and signed up for my first ever course of Personal Training. Oh and I got myself a run coach as well. Mostly to distract me from the prospect of actual homelessness as I packed all my worldly and not-so worldly goods into storage and said a sad goodbye to Barnes.

But I started a new job this month = proof I’m not a totally hopeless case. :-)

December

Finally moved into a new flat :-) but sadly no big 12in12 120km run finale happened. This month was a slight disaster as I was totally preoccupied fighting stomach plague and keeping abreast of the official Hope Tour: 12 Marathons in 12 Days via FB. Really emotional times. In more time than it took 4 hardy souls to run 314 miles each, I finally won the fight – and recovered my appetite just in time to eat Christmas Dinner. But I missed out on ALLLL the Christmas festivities and long awaited Paris was viewed only from my hotel room. Sadness personified.

2012 In Review

Although I may not have got discernibly fitter, trimmer or completed the much lusted after half-marathon this year (Me + Running + 2012 = SHAMBOLIC) as I was desperate to do – oops, I did get on a bicycle and into cycling in a big way, not to mention swimming in OPEN WATER and doing some crazy events that I never imagined I’d ever have the nerve to do. All seemed to involve cliff tops!

So my 12in12 plan wasn’t a total success BUT I ended up undertaking:

a massive 14 events this year!!!!
running with the Olympic Torch
pulling off my first ever Charity Fundraiser
raising over £1200 towards the 12in12 total for HopeHIV

Not too shabby. Other than my hair in evvvvvvery single photo this year. Whoops.

**Plus if you’ve been meaning to donate and just haven’t got round to it over the last 364 days (totally understandable) – Nil Desperandum – there’s still time: Just one day left before my 12in12 JustGiving page closes and we say goodbye to the thrills and spills of 2012 forever**

Plus my 12in12 hard work isn’t quite complete yet – since I was totally out of action in December - I'll be completing my 120km running mileage in January. Just bring on the snow!! Then seriously. I'm done. At least until March 2013 ;-)

Thanks to everyone who’s helped me survive what has personally been my toughest year to date – there were many occasions even despite, or maybe because of the pressures of 12in12 when I felt more than a bit stupid, more than a bit purposeless and mentally debilitated by the challenges (fitness and otherwise) I was faced with. But with the immense support and kindness of friends old and new, internet buddies and strangers, I somehow kept dusting myself off and going headlong into the fray once more.

Somehow I survived EVERYTHING that 2012 threw at me. I truly, truly cannot believe it.
So long 2012 xx

I've been bad

2012-12-30T22:08:00.000+00:00

YIKEDOOODLE. No blogging for a whole month. Shock. Horror.

If it's any consolation it's been a sllllllooooooow death for me:

New flat = new internet contract. Internet and I will not be officially partying for another 19 days. Boo. Internet companies are sooooo (insert a descriptive adjective of your choice)
I have been sick to my stomach lining for 3.5 of the last 4 weeks. So sick that I completely missed my long anticipated trip to Paris as I lay in the hotel room dying (literally). So sick that Christmas was a total write off (you know it's bad when your Dad has to coordinate your Christmas present buying and present wrapping whilst you can barely muster the energy to consume your body weight in Malteasers). So sick that I only unpacked the boxes from my BIG move (cue drumroll.....) Today. A whole 30 days after moving in.

So whilst I attempt to post a non-suicidal Review of 2012 and reduce my 2013 New Year's Resolutions list to a manageable 56 goals for the year ahead ;-) before my 'borrowed' internet connection dies, I just wanted to say a MASSIVE HELLO and WISH YOU ALL a SUPERFABULOUS NEW YEAR wherever you are and whatever you're doing. I'VE MISSED YOU SO SOOOOO MUCH.

2013 is going to be FITABULOUS if it kills me!! xx

p.s. I'd love to hear your New Year's Resolutions if you feel like sharing. I LIVE for New Year's Resolutions as much as I live for chocolate, anything that sparkles and embarking on new missions. Reminder I'm a girl who had a 3.5 week long near death experience hanging out in bathrooms trying to hang onto my stomach lining (TMI?!) so go ahead, spoil me and share your innermost wishes and aspirations for the year ahead.

One happy Fitmas coming up!

2012-11-30T19:35:00.001+00:00

Survived the first two weeks in my new job and **chorus of angels** I’m loving it. It’s been too tooooo long since I had a job that was the right amount of diverting/interesting/engaging and stretching and with a decent manager to boot. Seriously HALLE*fricking*LUIA!! No job’s perfect but so far this is scoring a very, very nice 8.5/10 on the ‘if I have to work I may as well be doing this’ scale.

First Training Session last night after the can’t breathe debacle of the last fortnight. It was tough going *cue me defiantly refusing to do another 1 minute 7mph interval run irrespective of how entertaining PT was being*. Although cardio wise I’m struggling a bit more than I’d like, I was helped massively by the fact that for the last week or so I’ve had a mile walk between my office and the campus where I have all my meetings so I’ve been doing 2-6 x 1 mile brisk walk intervals during my work days! Fingers crossed they only get around to locating me a desk on campus after December ;-)

Tomorrow is the 1^st December – aka THE BIG DAY I’ve been waiting for for agggggggges:

1. I move into my new flat tomorrow and fingers crossed my lovely jubbily bed gets delivered tomorrow too. I get my stuff and life backkkkkkkkkkkkkk :-)) Homeless no more :-)

2. It’s the final month of 12in12 and I have three challenges of my twelve left to complete:

Challenge 10: To go 31 days with no sugar aka stick 100% to paleo (minus 5 glasses of champagne/wine I’m factoring in to get me through my Holiday Celebrations). Totally inspired by 125’s progress on her paleo challenge.

Challenge 11: Complete 120km of running between the 12^th and 23^rdDecember to coinside with the Official Hope Tour (I say this despite having zero confidence I’m ready for this – PT thinks differently but then again he’s paid to be optimistic in my abilities! Plus -20 degree weather plus ice and snow forecasts for December – doooooooooooooooooom!)

Challenge 12: Do 12 insanely good *anonymous* deeds for unsupectings but shhhhh very hush hush on this – mmmmkay

Here's to a very happy Fitmas :-)

MIA :: 2 Week Hiatus

2012-11-18T21:22:00.001+00:00

It's been two whole weeks since I posted!!!!! I am actually slightly in awe of this fact (that me the oversharer has stayed schtum so long) but mostly I've been keeping a low profile to save you all from my none-too-happy drivel as I struggle with this and that and just try to stay afloat. Believe it or not I try to keep this blog as my happy place.

But to update since I just now tried to go to sleep at 6.30pm (my watch was on Paris time - as if going to bed at 7.30pm is somehow better!), here are my notable 14 moments of the last 14 days:

I am currently between flats for the next two weeks. *A tad STRESSFUL for a homebody like me* Tonight I am typing this from a room that's 6ft by 7ft and feels more like a coffin than a room. But I have somewhere to stay (for which I am UTTERLY GRATEFUL and if I ignore the suspicious stain on the linen which prompted me to leave my slippers on before climbing under the sheets, I am UTTERLY delirious to have a duvet to sleep under again. Last night I was without a duvet since it was packed up into storage with the rest of my belongings and subsequently I spent probably the coldest, most miserable night I've had in a loooooooong time, despite a fleecy blanket (Heater was also packed up in storage) and I even went to bed with my slippers, jumper and coat on. It reaffirms my belief that being homeless must be one of the hardest experiences on the planet and one I would not wish on anyone.
I completed three weeks of thrice-weekly Personal Training Sessions and absolutely LOVED the discipline and routine of the early morning starts and the feeling of accomplishment of of getting the training done by 7.30am. Even managed to start feeling fitter - my training highlight was completing 400 skipping jumps non-stop and a two minute plank!!
PT accompanied *understand dragged* me around a gorgeous Thames 6km loop last Saturday. We started off with the intention of keeping to a 6 min kilometre pace but quickly descended into just completing the route. It was a tough 40 mins for PT and I!! PT summised that we need to practise this more.
I attempted a rather disastrous Boutique Run After Dark Club 7km Session Monday evening. The girls are ABSOLUTELY LOVELY but dear god, the pace. Let's just say that the 3hr20min marathon pace set by the lead runner was not ideal for nervous beginners and I was quickly stressed by holding up the sweeper runners. Even the enticement of the delicious post-run popchips may have me running for the hills in future.
The running technique is not going well. Every time I run my calves immediately start killing me. Apparently this is because I am now toe-striking rather than heel striking (apparently due to all the sparkly babies vibram wearing). If I heel-strike (land on my heels) I knacker my knees, but if I toe-strike (land on my toes) my calves kill. I either have to try and land flatter (which still knackers my knees), get fitted with new trainers and hope that solves the striking problem or just build up calve strength to cope with the pain. Good mind to ask for a refund from the Running School. Very disappointing experience this time around. No consistent advice or structured lessons.
To run or not to run this weekend's 10km Mo-Run?!?! That is the question. My current homeless situation, running issues and other complications is making this look unlikely. But I'm still 3 challenges short of 12in12.
I'm three challenges short of completing 12in12. As one friend suggested perhaps it is time to call it a day?
I am almost an official co-renter of a new flat that *fingers crossed* had better be available from 1st December. Otherwise I will start losing my mind. Plus after scouting what feels like 500 bedframes, divans and mattresses I've finally decided what bed combination to buy. But oh holy gracious. Furniture is SOOOOO EXPENSIVE. I had no idea! It's looking like £800 for a bed and £400 for a sofa as a minimum - so much for my £600 all in budget. Who needs curtains and storage units! Thankfully, I have a great friend moving in to share the flat with me and I am genuinely SO excited about this move. This has the potential to be a proper little home and hopefully it'll mean I won't need to move again for at least a year.
After a slightly stressful previous few days - parents! - my lungs went on strike and my breathing went from being able to run 6km to not being able to walk more than 100yrds before needing to stop to catch my breath. It hasn't been anything like that bad in ages and it's truly terrifying being that incapacitated and unable to do anything about it. Apparently killing your parents is not culturally acceptable! ;-) So cue another course of steroids and hoping this does the trick and fast.
Becoming completely breathless occurred the day before a mammoth flat packing and removals day involving climbing up and down 50 stairs a dozen or so times and obvs. carrying heavy boxes and bags. Climbing the stairs once took all my effort and required a two minute rest half way up and then again up at the top. Such a disaster. I felt completely helpless, stupid and alone. Thankfully Shoshana - my beyond incredible moving house buddy - 3rd move this year! - saw me turning blue and suggested I not climb any stairs. So Shoshana and Gemma - one of my lovely now ex-flatmates - transported all my possessions down all those stairs and really went above and beyond when all I could do was try not to cry. Stage one of flat moving and removal operations is now complete. Hopefully in three weeks time all the 'where to live, planning new routes to get places, what furniture to buy and van rental, storage etc' logistics will be completed and my brain will be my own again.
Storage Manager was very excited to hear that he is now the temporary custodian of an Olympic Torch. There were many pictures. It was nice to make someone's day even though I looked and felt like crap.
WOW. Consistently sticking to under 1800 kcals a day is proving very hard work. I've been trying to use MyFitnessPal more but I always seem to hit 2300 kcals a day then just feel rubbish at my incompetence. It wasn't until I was staying with my Mother last week that I realised that I am too generous with letting myself eat anything I want whenever I want. Eating to someone else's schedule and fridge contents was a bit of an eye-opener for me - particularly as my Mother now typically only eats one meal a day and her fridge was empty. For the next couple of weeks I'm going to try and keep going with MyFitnessPal but having no home means lots of meals out. Today for example I unintentionally ate two brunches - one at 11am and one at 3pm - mainly to have somewhere warm to sit for an hour. Staying out all day in November is hard work.
Since I last posted I turned 29. Let's just say my plan for my Birthday did not go quite as I planned. But I cancelled early enough to avoid another solo party experience and instead I celebrated watching lovely fireworks with my soon-to-be flatmate. I have 353 days to work on a better plan for my 30th!
I start my new job tomorrow. How I am hoping this will be captivating and brain-engaging (or if not let there be some cute eye-candy in the vicinity of my new desk ;-) As a precaution I am going to be uber passionate about this gig until *fingers crossed* actual passion kicks in again. Thankfully I am genuinely excited about joining this (by all accounts) dynamic and world-class organisation and being part of a team again.

YAY this blog post got me to a decent bedtime! Sweet dreams xx

p.s. Forgive me if I'm Missing In Action for another week or so. If anything truly exciting pops up I will post. Cross my heart. If more than two weeks pass, assume I won the lottery, eloped and emigrated to a tropical island and have taken up deep-sea diving and san-dune racing. xx

Poetry Corner

2012-11-04T23:29:00.001+00:00

Still on the wagon as far as tracking my daily food intake goes.
Hopelessly off the wagon as far as resisting chocolate goes!
I did manage one entirely non-chocolate day though.
Guess which one that was! Baby steps. No?!
Perhaps this week I will manage two entirely non-chocolate days.
So long as chocolate cakes are banned and so too, my gluttonous ways.

On the fitness front: 5 PT sessions and 2 Running School lessons later,
I feel stronger and the sore back's abated :-)
Climbing the six flights of stairs to my flat is starting to feel (dare I say it) easy
Although resistance sprints dragging PT 200yrds still leaves me feeling utterly queasy.
(Improving your anaerobic threshold does that apparently).
What the local private school's parents and kids thought we were up to goodness knows!
But another 5.45am wake up call, here I go xx

Life Update

2012-10-30T13:29:00.003+00:00

Between flat hunting, feeding my Netflix addiction, recovering from a sore back and keeping an eye on Hurricane Sandy developments - the past week seems to have flown by in a nanosecond. However in the midst of all that I did complete two more PT sessions - pretty much the same routines as before but with the addition of resistance sprint runs, aka pulling your PT behind you as you sprint 30m and try not to collaspe. After 5 repeats of this I was basically ready for the knackers yard. My stability and core strength is starting to improve though :-)

That was the good news. On the less good news front: I haven't done either of the two walk run sessions I was schedule to do by my Running Coach and I fall into a narcopletic trance after one set of each of the conditioning exercises, never mind three sets. I daren't turn up for my next running lesson without at least doing one of the 60min walk/run sessions so somehow between tonight's 3 flat viewings, cooking a healthy dinner and getting to bed by 10.30pm - I'm going to magically fit a walk/run session in the cold and dark.

Even as I type this I'm not convinced.

But keeping busy in the evenings is the missing part of my get fitter puzzle. Yesterday when I was filling in my weekly sleep/diet/exercise etc monitoring sheet for my Running Coach, I realised over the course of the last six evenings I've unconsciously snaffled over 5000 calories IN SNACKS. Yikeydoodle.

For some unfathomable reason, as soon as I attempt to record what I'm eating or I'm asked to keep a food diary, I automatically go into self-destruct mode: My sweet tooth becomes impossible to control and my appetite becomes totally unruly. It wasn't till I sat down and inputted the last week's meals into myfitnesspal that I realised just how bad the self-sabotage was.

Over the past 5 days I've averaged 2400 calories a day compared to a target of 1700 calories daily. Some days I hit 3000 calories.But the biggest eye-opening shock was that I've been eating 1000 calories in snacks EVERY DAY. This was the damage of the last 6 days:

All this amounts to 5100kcals or 1.5lbs of body fat

Individually it didn't seem that much but en masse - it's a little bit shocking. Even more shocking is the thought of my Running Coach's expression when he reviews my weekly monitoring sheet tomorrow evening.

It's been nice knowing you xx

I have a Running Coach

2012-10-24T15:12:00.001+01:00

As of last night I have a running coach!! It feels very weird saying this out loud considering I do everything I can to shun running and it feels a tad illogical to seek out the expertise of a top running coach when I can’t run more than a few hundred meters. However since I don’t have a second of time to waste struggling to get off the starting blocks if I actually want to complete 120km, I sent out an SOS to one of the best local running coaches I know. Thankfully my 120km December running goal and my current abysmal fitness and running ability weren't completely laughed out of the room; at the same time Running Coach (RC) highlighted that my success right now is faaaaarrrrr from guaranteed.

Following some video analysis of my running (imagine a slightly chunkier version of this):

Good points: I land lightly and completely flat footed (most probably due to all my 5 finger-wearing)

Bad points: I overstride and land my feet in front, rather than underneath me, I drop my left hip when I land and I rotate my upper body a lot when I run

the following 8 week programme was prescribed:

One part accountability:RC highlighted that success in December really depends on how much I achieve in the next four weeks. Furthermore competing in SotF is now banned (it’s too soon and likely to result in injury). Plus for the next two weeks, I’m restricted to just running 1 minute intervals interspersed with 1 min walking breaks (albeit for 25 reps at a time) twice a week and then walking at 4mph pace with proper arm swings for 50 mins every other day. There are no days off. To further ensure I stay accountable, I have a weekly monitoring template to complete and bring to each weekly run school session – details include resting hrt, sleep quality, energy pre and post exercise, food details, hydration, exercise session details, maximum hrt and slightly embarrassingly; menstrual cycle ?!?!

One part honesty:Cue the conversation about diet *major squirm*. No alcohol. No processed food. No excuses. The first is no problemo, the second is a little tougher, the third is really tough as I innately think of self-justifying excuses. But seriously unless I get much lighter my knees and back are just not going to cope with anything close to running 120km. Fortunately RC is kindly but scary enough for me not to want to see his bad side so I have a high chance of complying with the eating programme. Plus I’m really hoping I can get my weight down to just under 11 stone in time for my final 12in12 challenge so I'm committing to limiting intake of cheese, pasta/bread and my major vice chocolate to just once a week for the next eight weeks.

Two parts instruction: Running and Strengthening. My weak lower back is my biggest problem right now, compounded by my sore left knee (mainly caused by poor running form - helloooo lazy glutes). Until my lower back and glutes strengthen sufficiently – it’s all about quality not quantity on the running front: ‘cycle those legs and stop overstriding’ being the key focus for this week.

To get my glutes and back stronger, I've also been assigned the following daily mandatory exercises (note to self – take a video of the next week’s exercises as my memory is rubbbbbish!)

3 sets of 12 reps on each leg of ‘modified good mornings’ {standing in front of a mirror with feet in the ‘taking a step forward’ position, but with feet aligned perfectly straight, arms outstretched overhead in line with your ears, bend from the hip – the aim is to keep hips perfectly straight, front-facing and level all throughout as you bend from the hip down and up}
3 sets of 12 reps on each leg of single leg raises {standing in front of a chair, holding onto the seat base of the chair on either side, keeping a flat back, extend one leg behind you and raise until it is level with your butt and bring it back down. This is not a ‘donkey kick’ movement but much more controlled. Take care to lead with your heel, and watch that you keep your foot straight throughout – i.e. don’t let your hip open out to accommodate the movement. Ensure you lift your leg to the height of your butt.}

One part motivation:Last November, RC took on a client who was 10 stone overweight, who couldn't run for more than 30 seconds but who had the ambition and a place to run in the London Marathon in the Spring. In six months RC ensured she got to a sub-5-hour marathon, despite starting off with an 8 week walking programme. THAT’S INCREDIBLE - not many people would have taken on this individual and been fully supportive of her ambition and not many individuals in that situation would be that determined.

Between PT and Run Schooling, I’m feeling much more encouraged albeit a bit battered (my back literally doesn’t know what’s hit it!) xx

I survived :: 1st PT Session

2012-10-22T13:44:00.002+01:00

First PT session EVER this morning - cue me at 6.20am falling over bikes in a pitch black bike shed trying to unlock and disentangle my bike from it's overly friendly two-wheeled neighbours. What a moment to discover a busted front bike light! (I daren't switch the shed light on as the roof has major leaks and the shed light casing is full of water. No-one needs that sort of early morning wake up call! #onetimethrill) With no time to find a replacement bike light. I said a prayer and a gracious thank you that at least my rear bike light was still working and hopped on. I arrived 10 mins late but importantly I arrived in one piece.

And amazingly I survived the next 50 mins unbroken too. Or at least I was too busy to notice. I literally had no time to think or pause for a second - I just did what I was told. Time flies by when you're having fun right?! Essentially it was a guided gym session:

1 mile on the bike, maintaining 95+ rmp
8 mins on the running machine: 4 mins at 5.5mph, 4 mins at 6.5mph
1 min full plank (amazed I can do this as I *ALWAYS* automatically default to half plank)
1 min double leg raise
2 mins skipping (only whipped myself a trillion or so times!)
10 mins of sprint work - shuttleruns etc
100m walking lunges (activating my glutes and core rather than my quads)
40 kettlebell swings - 8kg weight (again working the glutes)
40 squats on a wobbly thing* (strengthening the ankles and core balance)
1 min full side plank - 30 secs each side
LOTS of leg stretching manhandling (as I currently have the flexibility of an oak plank)

*technical term

Aside from the kettlebells and the wobble board, it was all exercises I know well. But all exercises I have been neglecting for ages and as a result my technique has got laaaaaazzzy - eh lunges! On the cycle home, I definitely felt like I had a workout: I was feeling suitably fragile. Though to be honest I was feeling fragile pre-PT session: I was still feeling the effects of Saturday's PT consultation where my glutes got a short but severe wake-up call and of Sunday's Bounceathon where I spent more than 60 mins on a trampoline. Considering I haven't trampolined in over 4 years - it came back to me surprisingly quickly and I found that I was fitter than I thought I was. YAY! Still very scared of heights though and it's going to be a while til my back and shoulder muscles stop jumping in protest everytime I move.

Here's hoping today's workout wasn't just a gentle re-intro! xx

Calling in the Calvary

2012-10-21T10:54:00.002+01:00

A couple of nights ago I was reminded about the privilege of freedom and the power of self-determination. I was reminded that I have the freedom to change my circumstance for the better and other peoples' too if I so choose. I just have to want it.

Hearing, among others, an account of a boy having to make a home under a bridge by a sewer and working his way up to a better situation for himself and his siblings was a stark reminder that I am so so fortunate in my current situation but also that I am squandering opportunities I have to improve my personal situation.

Over the last few weeks I've been feeling trapped. Stuck in limbo. Waiting for a new job to start. Waiting for family dramas to settle. Waiting for a flat move to fall into place. Waiting til I can join a new fitness training group. But most of all waiting for 12in12 to reach it's conclusion.

A 12 month challenge has been a mammoth mental, never mind, physical test and I'd reached that place where the burden of 12in12 has simply become too much. Too hard. Too isolating. Too inconsequential. Too frustrating. The mental resolve to keep battling on as I have been has been MIA for a while. My self-devised training schedule - an attempt to sync with the mother of all complicated event schedules!! that I've had this year - has had no real rhyme or reason. It shows. I'm weaker, slower, heavier, more demotivated and almost as unfit as was when I started Girl on a Mission blog. I'm mentally and physically out of shape. In this state I'm accomplishing nothing for myself or anyone else.

WHOA!

So since I can't make time speed up until I'm in a better time and place :-), I decided to seek a more practical option and push myself on the one thing I can do to make things better for myself at the moment, while I wait as patiently as possible for everything else to play out. I still want to finish what I started, I've battled too long and put myself through too much not to hit the twelve tally and ensure my Dad does actually sponsor me ;-) but to have any hope of completing my 12in12 challenge I need other people's energy, enthusiasm and expertise to help light the way. My self-motivation 'can-do' tank is e.m.p.t.y.

So I did what I coulda, shoulda, woulda done months ago if I had been thinking clearly - I reached out for help. I set up a Personal Training consultation and I've signed up to 12 training sessions. For the next four weeks, it's someone else's job to encourage me to get my trainers on and get up and out, to push me, to ensure I sort out my weak lower back; tight hamstrings and hip flexors, to help me sort out my breathing whilst running and to get me activating my muscles when I move so I get off my joints and achy knees. To get me over the 12in12 finish line.

Honestly the relief I feel is palpable. Finally. I'm not battling on my own anymore.

It's not an inexpensive decision or one I took lightly considering it quashes any hope I have of paying off my Visa Bill by the end of October now, but compared to staying stuck, feeling demoralised and increasingly miserable, it's a very small price to pay.

THIS sense of hope, empowerment and renewed self-determination is utterly, utterly priceless xx

Final 12in12 Challenge: DECEMBER TEAMSTERS NEEDED

2012-10-11T13:37:00.000+01:00

hehe!

I’ve been mulling over my 12in12 Challenge Finale for so long, December's almost here! In particular I’ve been figuring out a way I can support the 12in12 HopeToursters who are running 12 marathons in 12 days – AMAZE!!!! - BUT without actually committing to running 12 marathons in 12 days as I. wouldn’t. make. it. in. a. million. gazillion. years.

Zero surprises there: Dodgy knees x *cough* very dodgy lungs *cough* x Hatred of running = a Non-Marathoner Marathoner. Capische?!

Originally I was thinking maybe I could walk the last 5 marathons instead i.e. complete 120 miles. But getting the extra time off work in December is tricky (especially as I’m off to Paris in December – ooooh la la)but also I wanted to commit to running as that’s the point of the Tour after all and running, even slowly, will allow me to keep up with the main action, rather than be 2-4 hours behind everyone else.

Finally I hit upon a solution to end my 12in12 adventure with the high octane 'will I, won't I make it' ending it demands. But it is only possible if I can persuade 10-12 of the loveliest bundles of strength, stamina and willing adventurers to join in too. THAT MEANS YOU!! This is 100% a team challenge.

The FINAL 12in12 Challenge:

To complete 12 marathons AS A TEAM, including joining the 12in12 Toursters on 5 days of their Official 12in12 Tour. Personally I’m committing to running 120 miles in December!!!! 120% BONKERS as this is probably triple the total amount of running I've done in 2012 so far! To make the running manageable for those of us not built like Mo Farah, Paula Radcliffe or Sarah O'Neill ;-) the plan is to alternate 6-7mile run sections with 6-7mile bike sections. (One person riding alongside whilst the other is running with the aim of completing each marathon in under 5 hours and having a cheer captain /gossip queen alongside throughout – WIN-WIN)

The Schedule:

I know how busy December is for everyone so I wanted to get the schedule out early with a pretty, pretty please plea to help fill in the blanks. If you can commit to run and cycle just one section of the 12 Marathon schedule, i.e. donate just 2 hours of your time during December, I would be beyond delighted. Seriously.

Access Schedule (Google Doc) and nab your slot here

How to get involved:

There are 5 options - feel free to pick one / pick all!!

Commit to running one 6-7 mile section and cycling one 6-7mile section on a day that suits you (2 hours duration) – 8 AMAZING people needed if I can kindly twist your arms to join in for just one of these sections. You can do more than one run/bike section if the fancy takes you and if lots of people want to get involved we can sort more bike-run pairs. Secure your slot here
Run AND cycle a marathon in one weekend 15-16^th December - Ideally I'm looking for one person to commit to join in for two complete days because of the travel & hotel arrangements. Costs for train travel from and back to London and overnight hotel accommodation (at a Premier Inn) is £60 all in. DEALIO. Plus I promise to help to plan all your Christmas Pressie Shopping whilst we run/ cycle. SUPERDEALIO!
Join in for a 10km section of the final marathon on Sunday 23^rd December to Central London – I’m more than slightly boldly attempting to run all of this – I have ZERO idea whether I can actually pull this off. At best this is going to be a slow attempt with a few walking breaks between 10km sections. I’m not a marathon runner and really have no ambitions ever to be so I don’t expect this to be a breeze but I’d love to find 4 people to take turns joining me in the various 6-7mile sections of the route to ensure that I don’t give up and curl up in a ditch in a sobbing ball. Again you can run more or less – it’s totally up to you.
Running just really not your thing? – well come and cheer/eat mince pies and drink eggnog or donate a few pennies to the HOPE Tour JustGiving Page – This is without a doubt the hardest thing I’ll do all year as part of 12in12 (have I EVER mentioned running is seriously not my thing and I’ve been successfully avoiding it like the plague to date?!). My ambition is that our 12 Marathoning Team will collectively raise £1000 for HopeHIV. Who's in?
Everyone’s welcome to get involved in the Official Hope Tour and join in as much or as little as they’d like. For the full details of the Official Hope Tour – check here.

P.S. If running is 1,000,000% completely not your thing – I'm organising a totally unique and unmissable Adventure Quest fundraiser for HopeHIV (run by a bunch of crazy, mischievous 'secret double agent' professionals) happening on Saturday 1^st December in Central London:

Fancy yourself as James Bond? Love a bit of intrigue and mystery? Think you have what it takes to solve a kidnap or a heist? Plus want to complete your own 12in12 challenges in just one afternoon? Well BELIEVE ME – you really won’t want to miss this! (Tickets will be strictly limited so if you want in on the first dibs VIP list - drop me an email with ‘Quest for Hope’ in the subject line).

Training for the 12in12 Tour:

There’s no need to elaborate on just how much I suck at running so I’ll be calling in some much needed professional support in training for this event – specifically The Running School. If anyone wants to join in on the preparation and become a SUPERawesome runner in the process – just holler.

On the Hunt!

2012-10-09T18:08:00.001+01:00

Pinterest has RUINED flat hunting for me ;-)

There's a serious lack of gorgeous properties to let in real life

Now that I’ve got a bit more head-space, I’ve been upping the ante on my flat hunt since my current living arrangement comes to an end next month.

What I’m looking for:

A room that fits double bed, wardrobe, dresser and desk without the walls closing in on you
Decent amount of natural light, ideally able to see a tree from the window (I like to see the changing seasons)
Somewhere that isn’t freezing between now and April
Max 3 miles from a Crossfit Gym and a park
Ideally in SW11 and in Zone 2 if poss
Near public transport links into the epicentre of london
Sharing with normal mid-late working twenty-somethings – max 3 others
Ideally bathroom ratio of 1 bathroom between two people
Somewhere to store a bike
Decent wireless broadband package, preferably Sky or Virgin
Shower with good water pressure
Reasonable quality furnishings
Living room with a good ratio of sofa space to tenants
Decent sized kitchen – i.e. bigger than a corridor
No rodents be they pets or unwanted visitors
Minimum 6 month let

Bonus items: dishwasher, dining area with a table and chairs, separate washer and dryer, ensuite bathroom, cleaner, great local amenities i.e. shops, restaurants, cocktail bar and cinema within a 20min walk

All for £600-£850 per month budget, inclusive of bills.

Obviously I don’t expect to get the full list but this is what I'm faced with:

We’re a gay, bi and straight household (really, that's what you're opening with)
Looking for someone who’s out every evening and has a packed weekend
We’re a couple…
It’s a cute/cozy room (anything where the bed touches three walls and/or the ceiling)
Room is in a separate part of the house
Cupboard and dresser are situated on the landing
The photo may not do this room justice (piles of laundry depicted everywhere)
Light, airy room (impossible to distinguish any features of the room from the photos it’s so dark)
90% are 'available now' (meaning 80% of which are likely to have remained vacant/ become suddenly vacant for a particularly ominous reason i.e. the flatmates/ landlord are not regular folk or there’s something wrong with the flat/ neighbourhood)

After separating out the crazy and weird, and sifting through the remaining hopefuls, there’s nothing that’s an immediate winner. Cue 4 weeks of increasingly more depressing flat hunting, standards lowering, budget inflating and my favourite: garment wringing.

Seriously, who has time to exercise ;-) xx

9th 12in12 Challenge :: Sink or Swim

2012-10-07T22:17:00.001+01:00

The look of fear - I did seriously think that could be my last self-portrait as I tucked my iphone into my rucksac. Bonkers!

Plus you know it's a tad chilly when you resort to wearing clothes OVER your wetsuit to attempt to keep warm!

I feel remarkably light and happy. As of this morning I'm 75% of my way through the 12in12 mission!!

I can't actually believe it. Just three remaining challenges to go with three months left of 2012. With the end in sight, completing 12in12 is starting to actually feel possible.

Best of all my next event isn't for three whole weeks!!!! - something I'm DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY about because:

It means I actually have time to do a reasonable amount of training for the next challenge :-) Three weeks is a long time in 12in12 terms
I also get a much needed breather: Five events, five weekends in a row has been hard going. Especially since they were all quite different events and I'm about as fit as a slug.

My ninth challenge was supposed to be today's Royal Parks Half Marathon, but on Monday I took an executive decision and signed up for the Thames 2.2 mile swim - the last open water swim of the season. I've never swum more than a mile ever and I had no idea if I could actually swim that far but I definitively knew that I couldn't run 13.1 miles on zero run training, whereas a 2.2 mile swim was an unknown quantity. With those odds in my favour, I committed myself to this new challenge and happily was able to give my borrowed half-marathon place to a very deserving and very accomplished runner (who coincidentally ACED the race in 1hour 58mins despite just getting over a chest infection - well done PT!!)

With 5 days to prepare I intended to get to the pool and at least attempt an hour of front crawl but a hectic week at work prepping two business cases for the Board, securing a new job and getting ready for my Dad's wedding put paid to that.

At 5am this morning I didn't need my alarm, I was already awake, quietly panicking. But despite wanting to pretend I'd overslept, I got up and headed out and before I knew it was 7.30am and I was standing wet-suit clad and barefoot in a muddy wet field, ABSOLUTELY FREEZING and waiting for our wave to be called to our doom. I still haven't learnt to hide my feelings as I randomly received lots of reassuring hugs off some very kind fellow swimmers (else they were equally cold and mistook me for a teddy bear?!) My feet were so completely numb that climbing into the Thames felt a little like climbing into a hot bath. Strange experience! Even during the safety briefing I was still thinking of ways I could pull out with some dignity except all my belongings had already departed 2 miles down the river to the finish line and I don't rock the wetsuit look well on dry land.

During the safety briefing, we were given these gems:
The good news: The water was warmer than the air temperature.
The bad news: The water temperature was only 12 degrees.

When it was finally our time, I had an out-of-body experience as I saw myself climbing into the Thames when I really wanted to keep both feet on the freezing land. But before I came to my senses, we were off crossing the boat lane. Despite splashing my face with the water to acclimatise prior to kick-off, I couldn't bring myself to put my face in the water and see what horrors lurked beneath (people had been telling me too many horror stories about Thames water), so I started with breast-stroke with the intention of warming up to front-crawl. But the longer it got and the more things my fingers got tangled with (which I'm still pretending were all leaves), the harder it got to submerge my head. So I ended up breast stroking the whole distance. Not my strongest or fastest stroke but it got the job done and 1hour 1minute later I was climbing out at the finish line feeling very euphoric despite a disgusting brown water tide mark beard on my face. Again due to the leaves obvs!?!

Amazingly the current was on our side and gently helped us on the way. I reckon it took c.15 mins off my time. Thank you current. Much appreciated. There were two points when the current went against us and oh how I realised just how strong the current was; fighting it was a battle and a half and no-one was beating Mother Nature by much at these intersections. But mercifully the majority of the way we were given the sort of helping hand that would have made the July's Glen Nevis River Race AhhhhhMAZING. Where's your lilo when you need it huh?!

In some ways this was the easiest of my 12in12 challenges: I didn't finish completely knackered and I wasn't compelled to snuggle in my duvet for the rest of the day to recuperate (I did anyway but by choice - it's been a long week!) I'm just soooooo happy that after nine long months, I won the not-actually-designed-to-kill-me challenge lottery!

Three to go. Three to go. Just three lovely jubbly challenges left to go xx

p.s. Proof that just VERY occasionally I don't look a horrible scared/wet/sweaty/~~tired~~ mess:

Shine Marathon 2012 :: Meet Laura, the Amazasaurous!

2012-10-02T08:05:00.000+01:00

Laura (aka Instagraming Star @sillypitty) and some randomer ;-) pre Shine Marathon 2012 kick off.

I started this blog three years ago with the express intention of part motivating, part shaming me into training for the Edinburgh Moonwalk 2010: A 26.2 mile power walk starting at midnight and wearing just your bra (and joggers and trainers). Three years ago I had never done anything remotely like it in my life - I couldn't even run a 1000km or do a press-up and I spent eight months shocking my body training for this event and getting into some semblance of shape. That undertaking and this blog has changed my outlook on my life and on fitness and put me on the beginning of a huge learning curve. I'll openly admit that my focus and my fitness has gone slightly adrift in recent months but the special place in my heart for the overnight Marathon powerwalk remains. Even more so when last year I was asked to be a last minute stand-in at the London Moonwalk 2011, for a friend who had broken her toe.

Saturday night I did my third overnight power walk marathon - it's now becoming a yearly GOAM tradition! - this time I was walking with a sweet new friend on her own EPIC weight loss and fitness mission. It was such an honour to be asked to join in this event by Laura and personally I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate three years of fitness blogging.

It was SUCH a fun night because I had the privilege of seeing it through eventing newbie Laura's eyes - her excitement, her equal anticipation and nerves of what was to come was so refreshing. Plus I had the sheer delight of Laura's highly entertaining companionship for 10 hours. Bonus! Plus this girl is more of a social media aficionado /photo-taking junkie than me so I knew I was in good company!!!! Icing on the cake - this walk was in aid of Cancer Research UK so I got to keep all my clothes on :-)) just as well as it was a chilly night. Autumn has VERY definitely arrived in London.

It may have been cold and a long, tiring night but it was a boooootiful night and the route took us past ALL the classic London sights - Houses of Parliament (times four!!), Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, random grabby guy, really crude drunk guy (as Laura said: No girl could resist that offer) and of course the below gems:

Tower Bridge, The Globe Theatre, The London Eye and a Thames Sunrise with the Battersea Power Station (aka Finish Line!!!) just coming into view at 7am Sunday morning

Unlike my previous Marathon attempts, by comparison, I was a tad unprepared for this challenge - although Laura and I did manage to squeeze in a 15-18mile training walk last Sunday even though it involving being out in the non-stop torrential downpour for 5 hours. You know you've found a great walking buddy when despite being wet through to your underwear, not too mention cold and secretly miserable; a) you keep giggling (maybe a little from hysteria) and b) you just keep on walking. At mile 15, I finally had to withdraw as I was shivering and had images of dying of pneumonia (plus I had completed my first ever Sprint Triathlon the day before so I felt I could justifiably give myself a break :-) but Laura, determined powerhouse that she is, went for Gold and made it to the 18 mile finish line. She's one Amazasaurous!!!

Sunday's Training Walk

Saturday night proved that one 15 mile training walk wasn't quite the ideal preparation for a marathon: My lower back/ core really suffered and the last 5 miles were a killer: Even now I'm still feeling slightly crippled and did not leave my snuggly bed all day Sunday = Best.Day.Ever!!! But sometimes no matter how much preparation you do - the unexpected happens - and it's how you deal with that that matters: In this case, in the middle of the Shine Marathon Laura was hit with some calf cramps but after some stretching, she just kept on walking even despite ongoing discomfort. Told you. Amazasaurous!

We set off on Saturday evening at 9.45pm and after many twists, turns and an impressive, but slightly nerve-wracking, SEVEN!! trip-ups from Laura en-route (she definitely kept me on the alert - to ensure I wasn't sleep walking my way around London???), 27 miles later we VERY happily crossed the finish line at 7.30am (Laura even managed a sprint finish!! I hobbled over the finish line (oh so dignified!). All in all 9 hours and 46 mins spent on the go (although less than 8 hours was actually spent walking. The remaining time was spent queuing for loos. At pit stop 5 c.4am, I held up proceedings for nearly an hour, having to join a 300 people long queue for just 10 portaloos. Not my finest hour!)

A fun event, GREAT company but even third time around, walking 26 miles really isn't a shoe-in.

Happy 3rd Anniversary little blog xx

8th 12in12 Challenge :: Sprint Triathlon

2012-09-29T18:21:00.001+01:00

A week has passed and I can finally get out from under my rock and blog on. Literally.

Saturday was the much-talked about, much-feared Virgin Sprint London Triathlon. My 8th 12in12 Challenge. It was an experience for sure but one I still have very mixed feelings about it.

Reasons I liked this event:

Amazingly I crossed the finish line
The lines of supporters and the cheers
The Maxifuel guys were hilarious
It did eventually end
I got a medal

Reasons I didn't like this event:

Getting to the event was a mission in itself involving 5 trains, a four mile cycle and a mammoth trek through a crowded convention centre.
My race pack never turned up so I ended up with a crappy handwritten race number and an even crappier race anklet (which appeared to have been a chew toy of a canine-tooth beast in a previous life)
The event is hugely impersonal. I felt like I'd been abandoned on the Moon left to fend for my own survival.
I whacked my hand slipping off the jetty on my way to the mid-dock start line and started gushing blood in unclean water. Oh joy.
I got penned in behind a vicious breast-stroker for the first 200m.
The water was the exact colour that you find dead bodies floating in
I am incapable of swimming in a straight line when I can't see any markers and I'm thinking about dead bodies.
No-one should have to get out of a wetsuit in full public glare and be captured on video doing so. My blood curdled with shame when I watched the race play back peeking out between my fingers. It's utterly, utterly gruesome.
Running a kilometre along rough Hessian matting in bare feet getting from the dock to the transition area really hurt.
The transition area had all the sexiness of a multi-story car park and zero security. Cue spending 20 mins consoling a fellow Triathlete over her stolen brand new wetsuit.
It was a pretty desolate bike ride - essentially just up and over the same bridges/ round carparks multiple times.
Oh. Dear. God. The run. There was only one distance marker - 1km - and when we reached the 1km sign I swear I must have already run nearly 2 miles by that point. Talk about a kick in the teeth.
I wasn't remotely capable of a sprint finish.
Out of 1800 people in my class, I came 1759.
I failed my estimated race time (1 hour 50mins) by a massive 20 mins
On the video playback, I don't even appear to be moving, let alone moving at a rate which the term 'race' would suggest.
I was conned into paying TWICE for a race video (I forgot it was part of my original race entry way back in January) and despite paying TWICE for it the company - MySports/ Virgin are too incompetent to release the actually video file to me, rather they just keep demanding even more money. Three emails later and nada. Deep breath.
{Six days later} my eyes have finally stopped being losing-my-mind-ITCHY

If you're interested, you can get a little glimpse into what my Tri attempt looked like then compare that with how a Triathlon should actually be attempted - the footage is still available online here.

'Messing up is a way to get better at something, to grow, to get stronger'
Oh I really hope so. xx

Life: Not-so-purrrrfect

2012-09-20T19:18:00.003+01:00

Unless you're this guy that is!

This week has felt sooooooooooo long: I've been audibly groaning as I get out of bed each day. I want time to speed up. I want time to slow down. I want to just enjoy the moment as it is. All simultaneously.

???? Cuckoo right ????

Coming up I have three more consecutive weekends of races - BIG ones at that - Triathlon, Overnight Marathon Powerwalk and a Half-Marathon. Added to that my Dad's getting remarried (total shock announcement a couple of weeks ago. Take it from me nothing makes you feel more like a dried up old spinster than your father asking you to give him away) so there's a wedding one weekend and a 'meet your new extended family' party the following weekend, then there's a meet up with my Mother (please Lord let her not be announcing she's getting remarried too), a new job to sort FAST, the existing job to pull off with some panache and no associate death toll ;-) , a new home to source and the remainder of my humoungeous Visa Bill to pay off ALL before my Buffday in 7 weeks time.

When I have something amazing planned.

Keeping this secret alone for 7 weeks will kill me, let alone managing to do everything else without my head exploding.

So right now I'm just going to get off my butt and go do my 1000m swim session ahead of Saturday's Triathlon and stick to my policy of worrying about exactly one thing at any one time. Effective multi-tasking is a myth.

xx

Bananarama: A TRI-UMPH!!

2012-09-16T15:46:00.002+01:00

Yesterday was my first foray into Triathlons with the Banana Man Half Banana. I literally had no idea how it would go. I've swum. I've cycled. I've run (albeit badly!). But I've never done all three back to back. I was VERY nervous. (Plus I arrived a little pissed off*)

The nerves showed. A fellow triathlete stopped me as I was half way into my wetsuit to point out I was putting it on backwards. Ooops!!

The purpose of yesterday's triathlon was just to put the three pieces of the puzzle together and see how it played out. No pressure. This was just a dress-rehearsal for next weekend's Virgin London Sprint Tri - THE event I've been looking forward to allllllllll year.

By contrast, this truly was a Baby Triathlon: A 400m swim, a 10.6km cycle and a 2.5km run (half the distances of the next weekend's Sprint) Simple ;-)

The SWIM:

Apart from a mild panic a few minutes into the swim when I lifted my head and couldn't figure out where I was, where land was and where everyone else was either and then spotted someone else being lifted out to safety as they'd reacted badly to the cold - the swim section was SUCH a revelation. Compared to the 1 mile open water swim I did in May when I battled non-stop with the tides and the scary darkness of the rat-infested Thames, in Dorney Lake - I truly felt like a mermaid, seeing all the vegetation dancing 2 meters below me through the sun-strewn water. So magical and a total joy just to be able to put your head down and front crawl in your own little world.

I actually slightly overswam the course and had to be shouted back to reality and veer back to the left and the exit funnel. Ooops.

Getting out of the water and running immediately was so so odd. Something I've never done before since running by swimming pools is a TOTAL No, No.

I got back to my bike, rolled the wetsuit off me. Got the swim hat and googles off. Put on my tee with my race number pre-pinned to it. Put my hairband on. Then my socks and then had to sit down and untie my laces. The whole just slip my trainers on pre-tied was not going to work. Helmet on. Sunglasses on. Blow my nose and unhook my bike. Run out of the transition area and hop on the bike and the bike section began.

The BIKE:

I really enjoyed this section too. The sun was out. It was breezy. The course was flat. It was odd cycling non-stop for 30 mins and not having to stop at traffic lights but it was a lot of fun too. With the set up of lots of different waves kicking off at 15 min intervals and different waves doing different distances, there's always people around which is way mooooooooore fun than the typical everyone starts at the same time and you gradually get left way waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind. I definitely don't have as much leg strength as I should. Getting beyond 27km per hour speed on the flat on a bike is impossible for me right now. Something to work on over the next few months. After two laps of the lake I was funnelling back into the transition area, hopping off the bike, running to my stand, hooking the bike up, taking my helmet off, downing a couple of gulps of water and running out of transition area to the start of the run section.

The RUN:

This was the bit I was most dreading, but the benefits of the Tri set-up is that everyone is pretty tired by this point and miraculously I found a pack of girls going my speed and we played tag, I even overtook a number of people!!!!!! I kept the run really slow as I'm pretty out of shape and also I hadn't practised any BRICK (Bike Run ICK) runs so I didn't know how my body would cope. It was a really long 2.5km to the bottom of the lake and back. A realllllly long 2.5km. Knowing that I was two sections down and on the last leg AND on track for a 1 hour time was psychological GOLD for me. I did end up walking some of last kilometer of the run section but I ran at least 80% of it.

Then I was crossing the finish line. I had really pushed myself. It showed. It took downing a bottle of water and eating the requisite victory banana before I felt human again and for the shaking to stop.

My unofficial timings by my stopwatch were: 12min swim, 4 min transition, 29min cycle, 2 min transition, 16min run = 103min Baby (Half Banana) Tri. Oooh just found my official race timings:

Despite having the worst post-triathlon-hair photosnap on the planet ;-) I'm definitely walking taller today after yesterday's performance. Very chuffed.

Best of all racing on Saturday has meant that I have a day to catch up on my life and chores before the week starts: So, laundry = done. Food shop = done. FANTABULOUS 5km Sunday Run = done (legs are getting stronger!!). Blog post = done. Off to read the Sunday Papers, complete a 1000m frontcrawl training session, try out a new recipe and be in bed by 10pm. SUCCESS xx

*Due to post-Olympic seating deconstruction, the Organisers had blocked off the last section of the cycle path access between Winsdor and Dorney Lake (totally unnecessarily in my view) and without any pre-warning so I had to cycle the entire perimeter of the fence at Dorney Lake cross-country style to get in, just to cycle all the way back again to the start line (a 7 mile detour on top of a 5 mile cycle from Windsor) when I had been literally 20 yards from the registration point 40 mins previously). On the way home - I snuck out the side gate as two Thames Path walkers were complaining and distracting Dorney Security Staff of the ridiculous detour of enforced circumnavigation of the fence line. I was back in Windsor 20 mins later! BOOYAH!

Transition Set-Up Tips:

Things to remember for my BIG Triathlon next weekend:

You are literally inches from your fellow triathletes. There is no room for extra stuff or elbows. Pray that your neighbours are faster/slower than you so you're not transitioning at the same time or you'll end up with a black eye.
Untie my laces.
Bring a small towel - wiping your feet on your running jacket is probably against tri-rules ;-)
Finished your swim section - hang your wetsuit over the rail you hook your bike too. Saves lugging a very drenched wetsuit home!
Drink some water pre-bike section and pre-run section. Personally I can't drink whilst biking hard and whilst doing any sort of running.
Invest in a race belt for attaching my race number too (pretty often given away in race goody bags) - although pre-pinning it to my race tee worked pretty well too especially as I am not quite comfortable rocking the all-in-onesie Tri-suit look yet.
Don't forget your bike/transition location. There are rows and rows of bikes!!

Oh Krista, Oh Canada!!

2012-09-12T12:12:00.001+01:00

Whilst I'm finding my running feet and a great running app to keep me motivated that doesn't involve fleeing from zombies :-) I wanted to share an brilliantly inspirational running story with you, from a fellow Girl on a Mission in Canada!!!

Let me introduce you to Krista from Canada. Hello Krista! (She's probably wanting to kill me right about now. Soz)

On the 30th July I received a very sweet email from Krista, after my shout out for fellow 10km Iron Girl participants:

.....Since I'm not in London I can't participate in your IronGirl 10km. However, I'll commit to run 10k myself that day... for morale support (and to kick-start an action plan to get myself in better shape too)....

Over the next six weeks, delightful little emails have been popping up in my inbox from Krista confirming her various run training sessions, in her words:

'Every time I run (it won't be every single day, but hopefully 4-5x's a week), I'm going to send you a "subject line" email stating the distance and/or time that I ran. I realize this is a little brash of me, to just say I'm going to do it and not politely ask if it is ok (this is very un-Canadian, I know). But, I'm going to hope you'll be fine with it. There is no expectation of ever getting a response - that's not the point (and really, I'd rather you use your time for something else anyway). It is just for me. I thought of doing it while I was on the treadmill today and wanted to stop before I hit the 2 mile mark (which was my original intention)... I kept running because I said to myself "Well Krista, you've got to report in to Justine on how far you went today, and you don't want it to be under 2 miles!". This kind of self-talk and silly accountability system tends to work for me... so I'm going to stick with it. If I go days and days with no subject line emails and you notice, it means I haven't been running, and then if you want/feel like it/have time, feel free to call me out on it :)

Not silly at all Krista. AMAZING! I even created a dedicated folder in my inbox for me to save all your running emails and track how you were doing. This is how you did:

I love how this captures that not all training plans are 3 sessions every week for x weeks, even despite our very best intentions. Thank goodness I'm not the only exercising non-robot out there! But despite not doing as much training as she might have wanted, Kirsta stuck to her 10km run goal and then blew that OUT. OF. THE. WATER :-) Drum roll please:

...... - On Friday night I was talking to a friend and we were discussing fitness/weight loss/etc... so I asked if she wanted to run 10km with me on Sunday. Sunday didn't work for her, but Saturday would. I thought that would still be ok, and maybe better, because I didn't know if I could do 10k, especially knowing with the time difference you would have completed your run already. Doing it before would at least give me the feeling I would be sending you good vibes pre-race. The other thing about my friend is that she said she'd only be able to do run/walk... probably 35 mins of that, and then just walking. I knew I was terribly unprepared for attempting 10k, so I thought don't stress out about it, do it this way with a friend I really needed catch up time with anyway. Well.... Saturday morning my friend did awesome! We ran/walked the entire way in 1:25. This was a HUGE accomplishment for her and she felt awesome. We both felt great and have decided we'll continue to do 10k's every (or every second) Saturday morning (at least until it gets too cold)!!! Yay!!! So thanks to you, I now that some dedicated running time set every week - I'm *really* happy about this.

- Saturday night before bed I sent you the good luck email. I thought of sending you an update on the Saturday run, but since there hadn't been recent blogs and I knew you were sick before I wasn't 100% you were still on for the race and I didn't want you to feel bad or guilty with an update from me. So I decided just on sending the good luck email and I'd update you on my weekend once I found out how yours went (I was keeping my fingers crossed everything was ok... and clearly it was!!).

- On Sunday I woke up early and thought I could give the 10k another go by myself. I had some terrible chafing on Saturday because I didn't prep myself properly when I thought we'd be walking after 35 mins. I lathered myself in sport glide and got creative with the band-aids, and off I went. I did/was feeling way better on Saturday than I thought I would, so it had boosted my confidence. Well, Sunday I ended up doing 8.65 km of straight running (1:02) - I didn't even have to stop for one traffic light which has *never* happened on the route I took. I fell short only because I had a 2nd area of chaffing start that I knew if I wasn't going to turn around would stop me from doing most exercises for a week or so. I was really disappointed since I was less than a km away from the 1/2 way mark and I knew my legs and lungs would have been able to do it... but it was a smart decision to turn around early, I know that (sigh).

THANK-YOU for asking people to join you on your run (so beneficial for me!), and I'm thrilled about the results you and your friends had (both with the running and the fundraising!). A great mental boost all around this weekend :)

Congratulations Krista. THANK YOU for inspiring and motivating me over the past six weeks too. I was absolutely over the moon THRILLED to read your 10km run account. AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING!

Now let's all join in for a rousing chorus of Oh Canada in honour of Krista, after three: 1...2...3.. xx

A little less blogging, a little more action

2012-09-11T22:21:00.000+01:00

I got an email today jubilantly announcing that the Virgin Tri is just 10 days away and that there's time to squeeze in just one more tough workout session before tapering.

My heart sank. As silly as it sounds, in the middle of my afternoon - battling with two presentation docs, I'd kinda forgotten all about this non-stop hectic race schedule I'm in the middle of. I had to eat a Mars Bar and a scone just to stop me crawling under my desk and sobbing.

One more tough workout session is the least of my problems. I have the baby tri this Saturday and before that I need to get cycling to and from work again (I haven't been able to face the back to school manic traffic the last couple of days), get to the swimming pool for another 800m crawl session, try to pull off two more 2 mile runs, oh and have an icebath (I was too tired after the 5km on Sunday to make it to Tooting Bec Lido and I need to get cold-water acclimatised again before Saturday - especially if wetsuits are banned, which they're threatening).

But truthfully I'm not too worried about Saturday either. It's a tri rehearsal. If I suck. I suck. I've sucked at way worse things. This afternoon's presentations for starters ;-)

But my biggest, nightmarish headache is the half-marathon in four week's time. I seriously have no idea how I can pull this off. Every training plan and running forum I've studied laughs at the mention of anything less than eight-twelve weeks training for a first-time half-marathon (and that's being able to run continuously for 30 mins pre-plan).

I can't run for 30 mins continuously.

Really I should have been seriously training for this event since June.

Every variation of crazy training plan I mentally conjure has me running - 8km by the end of this week, 12km by the end of next week and 16km by the end of week 3 to arrive at 20km for race day.

My heart plummets at this. Then my insides curl up. This sort of ambitious run schedule is more than a bit brutal and likely to result in injury and knackered knees, triply so if you're all sorts of rubbish and scared of running like this none-too-fit fitness blogger.

I'm starting to struggle to justify why I'm doing all this at all. My corresponding 12in12 fundraising efforts - the point of all this - just feels like another noose around my neck, going absolutely no-where and suffocating me. Most telling for me is that fact that I'm yet to cross a race finish line this year with a grin on my face knowing that I did good.

Foolish, overambitious and unfit I may be, but one to give up, I AM NOT! Not quite this early in the proceedings anyways. But if all is quiet on the blog front for the next few weeks it's because I'm running, running, running OR more probably because I've frozen my ass to the bathtub and am awaiting a rescue party. Warning you now ;-)

Here's too a little less blogging and a little more run action xx

An Electrifying Weekend: Grease & IronGirl

2012-09-09T21:55:00.000+01:00

SERIOUSLY THE BEST NIGHT OUT IN THE HISTORY OF TIME! 100% no contest.

Just coming to the end of an ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT weekend. So privileged. So happy. So humbled. Lots of PINK-wearing, singing, cocktail drinking, disco-dancing, hand-jiving and celebrating. Smiling til my jaws ached. Incredible weather - 28 degrees and sunny!!!! Staying in my neighbourhood ALL weekend!!! Oh the joy! Two consecutive days of running. New and gloriously enthusiastic racing buddies - hello Emma! Cheering Vivi on to her first race finish line and a really tough race at that. Then to top it off - an IronGirl medal, finisher's T-shirt and bracelet - really don't feel like EVER taking them off!!!!

Vivi was INCREDIBLE today and ran the full 10km very hilly route. MAJOR kudos!

I felt like an anxious parent waiting for Vivi to come into sight

Plus Vivi's raised over £200 in sponsorship for HopeHIV #AMAZE

Got to wear IronMan anklet timing chips today as well #scary

I just completed the 5km route today rather than the 10km. With a cocktail hangover, in 28 degree heat and blazing sunshine and only pulling off one training session pre-race - a 17 min jog on Saturday morning (I really need to stop being intimidated by running), 5km was MORE than I could have hoped for. As it was I very, very nearly hurled as I crossed the finish line in 34 mins!!

Krista - I think your Good Luck email was magic. THANKS xx

Right now I'm balling my eyes out with happiness re-watching the Paralympic highlights and the closing ceremony :: These definitive champions of ability NOT disability.

These athletes and their achievements are truly ELECTRIFYING

It doesn't get better than this. xx

Hello September

2012-09-03T16:32:00.001+01:00

Friday: Dug out and collected all of the HopeHIV carboot items. Rewarded with a cuppa and baby Charlotte snuggles though - AMAZE. Bed 11pm

Saturday: Swam 800m (Tri-prep) and walked 11miles (ShineMarathon prep). Had about 100 crinks in my shoulders and back ~~massaged out~~ obliterated - worth the pain to get rid off the accumulated stress from the last few weeks (Heart stress pains gone :-). Sorted all the carboot preps - including making an epic batch of cookies. Baking for 2012 well and truly done and dusted (the kitchen and myself with oodles of flour). Saw a straight13mins of Paralympic Coverage. Fail. Bed: 00:25am

Sunday: Carboot aka World Record Weight Lifting Session. Lots of heaving heavy stuff quite long distances considering you're meant to be selling stuff out the back of your car ;-) Thankfully despite a fairly low turnout we sold most of our stock - c.100 frocks, jackets and other misc items found new homes and we made £200 for HopeHIV. People actually haggle over £2 bids - err it's silk, it's designer and IT'S FOR CHARITY and we both know you're going to ebay this for a profit. Go away very cheapskate. Fortunately there were some lovely carbooters too and the cookies went done a treat. (Thank goodness. I was too tired to even taste test them prior to giving them to strangers. Yikes!) 4pm I got round to eating brunch and after a quick weekly food shop detour. At 6pm I finally sat down for the first time all weekend and for a full two hours I ignored all the left over carboot stuff and laundry etc piled all over my room that desperately required sorting. Success! Bed 11pm

Monday: Have to admit the ongoing lack of internet access at home got me to work today ;-) job application finalised and submitted in the nick of time.

Only another 5 similar weekends before the non-stop craziness calms down.

Will I survive September? Maybe. Baby. xx

Proof I very occasionally train!!

2012-08-31T15:34:00.002+01:00

So I finally compiled with my training plan for the week :-) Post dinner I headed out for a swim.

I know. WOW!

The plan called for 800m front crawl which equates to 32 lengths.

After faffing around for the first 8 lengths - trying to remind myself of what front crawl entails and what speed is possible without passing out/ drowning/ upsetting my fellow lane swimmers but finding myself stopping for a quick 5 sec breather after each length.

After that I got into the groove - I just put my head down, stopped worrying about fellow lane swimmers and getting in their way, slowed my stroke down and just kept swimming = 10 lengths done continuously with no kicking off walls. BOOM.

After a quick breather and another 8 lengths, I lifted my head to discover I had the mother of all headaches. But I kicked off the wall again and 6 lengths later I finished the job.

Considering I haven't swum since May's 1 mile Open Water Swim. Not too shabby.

We'll ignore the fact that I literally staggered from the pool to the changing room feeling completely spaced out and clutching a pounding head. There's NO way I'd have managed to hop on a bike for 20km and then run 5km after that swim.

Slightly Tri-worried - I've just signed myself up for a mini-Triathlon (half the distances of the Sprint Tri) as a wet/dry run rehearsal before the mammoth Virgin Tri. So I now have an event EVERY weekend in September.

Bananarama. xx

Lunchtime blues

2012-08-30T15:13:00.002+01:00

I think I've reached the point where I need to switch up my lunchtime salads. Actually I reached that point a few days ago. Today marks Day 21 of essentially the same salad for lunch (oh Pret how I miss you) - and it shows - I've had leftovers every day this week so far despite force-feeding myself. A big shift from when I was the hungriest gremlin on the planet a few months ago.

Typically I eat pretty much the same foods day in and out, week in and out. It makes food shopping more economical and less brain-intensive and the what's for dinner/lunch conundrum becomes a done deal.

But my masterplan has become a little unstuck lately. There a couple of foodstuffs I really need a break from, namely:

Celery - I've only just been a very recent convert to celery (after years of finding it completely indigestible/ nasty tasting) - it's great at bulking up a salad for minimal kcals! but after 21 days I just can't force any more down
Blueberries - not sure I can stomach many more of these already
Turkey slices - begone already - except they're so affordable and lean hmmmm

Becoming a really light lunchtime eater isn't ideal for me as lunch is typically my first food intake of the day other than a mid-morning banana. I try and do the breakfast thing - but after three years of not eating before 10am due to various early morning exercise routines, I'm finding it an almost impossible habit to reintroduce. Cycling to work for an hour on a cereal-laden stomach is not fun.

So yesterday having only eaten a banana and half a salad, I got home a little ravenous. Cue a packet of crisps (courtesy of some change I had in my rucksac to last me whilst dinner cooked), two of these delicious chicken breasts (I forgot to cook the veggies I planned to have with the chicken) and a bowl of oats and macadamia nuts with almond milk and a yoghurt. Slight overeating but I'm not especially worried as I've been a bit too light on calorie intake lately, even for someone who has 20+lbs to lose. ;-) But the problem is I inhaled tonight's chicken breast last night and a similar thing happened on Tuesday night when I essentially ate tomorrow night's dinner too.

As my comeuppance, in order to stick to my weekly budget and not use my bank card unnecessarily, tonight's dinner consists of a packet of cubed butternut squash & carrot and a leek that's been in the fridge a couple of weeks - roasted I'm thinking and topped with some grated left over parmesan husk (hopefully more cheese than rind). Tomorrow night's fare is better with scrambled eggs, a banana and a yoghurt.

A culinary genius I am not! xx

Fit in Fifteen - Week 4

2012-08-29T15:19:00.001+01:00

Feeling a million times better - YABBADABBADOO! Shortness of breath has gone and so has the epic wheeziness. Just as well, given these fast approaching deadlines:

2 weeks time = 10km IronGirl race
4 weeks time = Virgin Sprint Triathlon (800m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run) - aiming for a sub 2 hour time
5 weeks time = Shine Marathon Power Walk
6 weeks time = Royal Parks Half Marathon Run - aiming for a sub 2 hour 15 mins time

I have my work cut out to accomplish all this in the next six weeks.

To date my biggest issue has been motivating myself to go out again once I'm home for the evening - so I've simplified the schedule this week with the aim of making it easier to achieve everything on the schedule.

As I've effectively axed the conditioning sessions and I'm conscious that my leg and core strength is sorely lacking atm, I'm challenging myself to complete 140 lunges, squats, push-ups, sit-ups and a 140 sec plank before Sunday evening.

The Six Year Life Plan

2012-08-28T15:26:00.001+01:00

who doesn't LOVE an excel life plan ;-)

I'm on top of the world excited about publishing this post. This is a biggie. Something I've been mulling over for a week - not my usual slapdap blog fest!! Not to overstate things BUT finally my life is taking on some real direction, some purpose to take the edge off even the crappiest day at work. This post is my public declaration that theoretically I'm FINALLY getting my s*** together :-)

If you're anything like me, your FB feed is a perpetual whirl of engagements, weddings, babies etc - long gone are the days of just posting drunken escapades and stalking fanciable guys on FB! {A little scarily my FB timeline goes all the way back to 2003. Hello Twitter and the engagement announcement free zone!!} Additionally I've been thinking a lot about turning thirty next year. Thirty feels massive (though for the sake of older and much wiser lovely friends, I play down the inner Munch Scream). For me the notion of turning 30 is starkily abrasive because my life situation is no different from me at 25. I'm still single, in debt, renting and have no risk of being promoted/ head-hunted any time soon!

Have you come across this comforting nugget yet?! From the book categorially NOT to buy your friend turning 30 on pain of death!:

"30 is not the new 20. 80% of life's most defining decisions are made by age 35. 70% of lifetime wage growth happens in the first ten years of a career. More than half of Americans are married, or are dating or living with their future partner by age 30. The brain caps off its last growth spurt in our 20s. Personality changes more in our 20s than any time before or after. Female fertility peaks at 28. Whatever you want to change about yourself, now is the time to change it."
The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter-And How to Make the Most of Them Now by Meg Jay, PhD

But in truth, 35 is and has always been my absolute scary age. It's the outside age when, as a teen, I was 1,000,000% convinced I'd be happily married with toddlers causing riots, co-owning a decent property (ie. something with a roof and 4 walls) and working part-time in a gig I loved. Living the dream. BOOM!

Other than that generic romantic notion, I've NEVER had a lifeplan. When I was at school I had no idea what to study at Uni or which Uni I wanted to go to - aside from Cambridge, I literally stuck a pin in the UCAS listings 5 times and went with names I liked the sound of (Geography was never my strong point - hello St A!), at Uni I had no idea what I wanted to do post-Uni - I just applied to every grad scheme under the sun and got accepted by two. Ever the indecisive - I actually worked both grad schemes for a month, despite them being 600miles apart location-wise. Car-azy! Then up until a couple of years ago I had no real convictions about my own identity - my likes and dislikes on basically anything. I was just a one-dimensional workaholic that just felt and acted like an two-dimensional empty husk rather than a three-D vivacious person. I've always just laboured under the hope that things always work out in the end.

A chance encounter .......

But on reflection and considering:

I meet about 12.5 new people on average a year - 4 of those being male and 0 of them being eligible bachelors
The brilliant, decisive and deliberate accomplishments of those around me
The challenged posed by NerdFitness and the like, to level up my life

At 29, I'm not giving up on a fairy tale ending but I'm taking a lot more responsibility for engineering the fairy tale I want. The clock's a'ticking! ;-) and I'm no Cinders so I sat down and engineered a plan.

My starting point: Where I want to be at 35. What I want to have accomplished. What's non-negotiable.
After that it's just a question of working out how I get myself there.

For me, the comfort and security of having own front door by the time I'm 35 is the biggest non-negotiable milestone. Over the last 10 years I've rented dozens of properties and renting with strangers is so hit and miss, with all manner of tantrums in between. In another five years, I DEFINITELY want out of the renting cycle. I've done my time and I've contributed enough to other people's rent to buy mortgages/ pension pots! I want to have pets, a family, a growbag and dinner parties where people don't have to supply their own chairs and cutlery. I want to decorate a home to reflect my personality. I want to be able to spend more time in my PJs if I so choose without having to field questions from flatmates about the state of my health! I would LOVE to be able to watch TV in the bath ;-) For this to be possible a flat of my very own is a must. Sadly when it comes to real estate, I live in the World's most expensive city, after New York. A two bed flat, with no outside space or parking even in a less desirable area of London will likely cost £200,000 minimum and more like £250,000 just for something very basic. YEOUCH.

On a single income with no family money - that's a painful aspiration. But no pain, no gain right.

I also have a number of non-negotiable milestones I want to hit over the next few years pre-35 (as with anything, things change over time but these are the big life goals I really truly want to do as my life currently stands):

2013: Crossfit PT course, long-lusted after Trip to Italy, complete an Olympic Triathlon - Time to get properly ripped and complete my behomoth of my fitness aspirations (this is my marathon equivalent! For me there is no higher ambition. The Olympic Tri is my GoaM pinnacle) then go ruin the abs by eating genuine Italian pizza, pasta and ice-cream.
2014: Hire the services of a Dating Coach. Internet dating is 100% NOT for me. My brain just completely disengages and turns to pathetic indecisive mush whenever I try. At 31 if I haven't somehow ignited the very latent dating gene - I'm calling in the services of a professional matchmaker.
2015: Travel :: Country Music Festival and a road trip between San Francisco and Seattle. These are the two places I really wanted to visit when I was in America last year but I let myself get talked out of going and I let my financial situ dictate the rest. But a brilliant opportunity to go back and make amends.
2016: Travel :: South America. Africa, Asia and Australasia have never really held that much appeal for me but South America is my big dream exotic destination. I'd love to spend 4-6 weeks travelling in South America. Time to make it real. Plus finishing up in Rio for 2016 Olympics. Yes please!
2017: Become a property owner. Over the next 5 years I'm hoping to get to my goal of hitting a £50k deposit and somehow be eligible for a mortgage that even on a single income will stretch to a two-bed property in London. Here's hoping for a property crash in 2016!
2018: At the grand age of 35 - start thinking babies! Meg Jay would have a heart attack!

Whilst it's an ambitious and challenging plan - I feel 1,000,000% happier than I did pre-plan knowing that I have milestones and a target trajectory to get me to my dream of NOT having a nervous breakdown on my 35th Birthday! Anyone else have a life plan or any life plan tips? All wisdom happily received. xx

Just some AWESOME Housekeeping

2012-08-26T20:05:00.001+01:00

Can we check out this AWESOMENESS?!?!

This is what I now see when I open my laptop to blog.

Not bad huh. Finally after some SERIOUS neglect; everything - all 2000 photos and images plus ALL my docs are happily ensconced in their proper place. All sorted. All filed. All colour coded. All duplicates deleted. The newly created folders even have sub-folders and those folders have sub-folders. *SWOON* I even added a fancy smancy new desktop image to boot. Talk about the perfect sentiment to remind me to stay focused on the end game! Just looking at my desktop makes me happy.

This is the first time I've got around to changing the desktop from the default factory Aurora background setting and I've had my laptop 18 months!! Actually I should say this is the first time I've had no internet connection for more than a day and there's been the most almighty 6+hour rain/hail shower happening outside so my usual procrastination options were out of bounds.

That's how I became an Organisational Ninja. Honestly you should see my wardrobe:

Before: A landslide of shoeboxes hurled themselves at me every time I opened my wardrobe door.

Now:

Haha - if only! That wardrobe is bigger than my room! Wait - it's probably bigger than the flat I live in. But fortunately my actual (mucho smaller) wardrobe is now equally a thing of organised beauty and best of all doesn't leap into my arms to greet me when I open the door. Plus my fabulous flatmate categorically insisted that NO-ONE, not even me, needs four identical skirts - so clearing out two of my four skirts along with some other fashion crimes past and present - yup totally GUILTY! - I've also managed to free up some hanging space too.

Paying off that Visa Bill now can't come soon enough ;-) xx

p.s. Yes - to those of you who are incredibly eagle-eyed - I have also been watching Footloose - the remake is AWESOME. Although I keep looking at Julianne Hough and seeing Jennifer Aniston. Is it wrong that I want Footloose as my first dance at my (obvs totally theoretical at this stage but hopefully some day) wedding?!