Hi everyone,
This is going to be a very brief blog because I have very little to report on the exercise front. I am ashamed to say that I have not been to yoga, I have not been swimming, I have not been to the gym and I have not walked Harvey as often as I should.
There is no real reason for the drop off in activity except for the fact that I have been working more than usual and I have been really tired. That sounds really pathetic but I am afraid it's true. This 53 year old 'lady' is starting to feel her years it seems.
Apart from work, I have had the chance to catch up with old friends over the past week which is always lovely. After a long weekend of work, I made several visits to my father in law, met up with very good friends and their mums (after I forgot about my yoga session!) and had lunch with them all, went to see ex clients who have remained friends for many years and had coffee with them (spent soooo much time chatting!), been to a carol evening, been to Oxford and been to the O2 to see Status Quo who were supported rather brilliantly by 10.cc. No wonder I'm tired!
Today saw me attend a first aid course at the school where I work and then on to a local electrical retailer in search of elusive Christmas gifts. The gifts remain elusive!
I have given myself a stern talking to regarding my exercise. I know, absolutely, that I will get back in the routine easily. However, I do think that I won't be able to commit to it fully again now until after the festive season. I think that, if I was able to run, then I would know that I would have to keep up my training. I will give myself the luxury of a couple of weeks of self indulgence and pick up again in the New Year.
I think I will continue to do the weekly blog even if I have little to report...mainly because I enjoy writing it but also because it keeps me focused on my goal.
So, apologies for the lack of news once again and I hope you are not disappointed with my lack of effort over the past week. Stay safe and take care.
A x
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Monday, 9 December 2013
The Wanderer
Hi everyone,
I hope all is well and you're not all super-stressed with Christmas planning and organisation. I am actually much more organised for the festive season than I have ever been at the moment but I think that will change. It's the calm before the storm! Actually, so many previous Christmases have been hijacked by sad events and family dramas that I have forgotten what 'normal' Decembers are like. I hope I haven't jinxed it by stating it so categorically.
So, back to what this blog is supposed to be about....exercise. This week there isn't a lot to report after last weekend's 10k. My knee has not been terrible but I have been aware that it's not happy with me for making it work so hard ;-) My hamstrings have been oh, so sore. It has taken the best part of a week for the aching to fade. However, I am still elated with the fact that I actually completed the 10 k at all.
On Tuesday I got to half way through the day when it suddenly struck me that I was supposed to have gone to yoga. I have no idea how I managed to forget about it but forget about it I did. It may have been for the best as so many bits of me were still stiff after the 10k but I did feel guilty for a while. I intend to go tomorrow morning instead. Lets hope I remember!
I have done lots of walking over the past week and making sure that Harvey and I walk 3 miles every other day is proving beneficial to us both. He gets lots of exercise and sniffing time and I get to clear my head and walk as fast as I like safe in the knowledge that he's not going to wander too far away from me, especially if there happen to be treats about. I aim to gradually increase my mileage over the coming weeks and I do have a training plan which is printed out and has pride of place among the magnets and photographs that are on my fridge. I am well aware that the festive season is likely to knock the plan out of sync for a while but I hope that the hard work that I have done up to now will stand me in good stead for a little time down time without too much damage being done.
We haven't signed up for any more runs/walks/events at the moment. There was a local Santa Dash that took place at the weekend but I was working and couldn't take part. Even more of a shame when you realise that the gorgeous Roger Black was also taking part! The Santa Dash really appeals to me so maybe next year I will be able to enter although with will be a Santa Stroll rather than a Dash in my case.
All of the poignant anniversaries that I mentioned in my last blog have been and gone. I took flowers to the crematorium for Mum and met Charlotte for coffee where we raised a cup to Jonathan and Nick before going on the the cemetery to put some flowers down for both boys. I cannot believe that a year has passed so quickly.
Of course, this week saw the passing of one of the icons of our time, the great Nelson Mandela. He was an inspirational figure to many and the tributes to him have been very moving. To me, in my usual basic way of thinking, he seemed like a lovely man, a man who did so much good. Whenever I saw images of him in his latter years he looked so gentle and serene and I always thought that he'd be a lovely grandad. The fact that he had such an impact on the world seems less important than the fact that he seemed lovely. Typical me!!
Finally, I thought I would leave you with a few photos (with Charlotte's permission) of Jonathan and Nick as a gentle reminder to everyone of the reason we are doing this. We hope you boys are having fun up there!
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Have a good week.
A x
I hope all is well and you're not all super-stressed with Christmas planning and organisation. I am actually much more organised for the festive season than I have ever been at the moment but I think that will change. It's the calm before the storm! Actually, so many previous Christmases have been hijacked by sad events and family dramas that I have forgotten what 'normal' Decembers are like. I hope I haven't jinxed it by stating it so categorically.
So, back to what this blog is supposed to be about....exercise. This week there isn't a lot to report after last weekend's 10k. My knee has not been terrible but I have been aware that it's not happy with me for making it work so hard ;-) My hamstrings have been oh, so sore. It has taken the best part of a week for the aching to fade. However, I am still elated with the fact that I actually completed the 10 k at all.
On Tuesday I got to half way through the day when it suddenly struck me that I was supposed to have gone to yoga. I have no idea how I managed to forget about it but forget about it I did. It may have been for the best as so many bits of me were still stiff after the 10k but I did feel guilty for a while. I intend to go tomorrow morning instead. Lets hope I remember!
I have done lots of walking over the past week and making sure that Harvey and I walk 3 miles every other day is proving beneficial to us both. He gets lots of exercise and sniffing time and I get to clear my head and walk as fast as I like safe in the knowledge that he's not going to wander too far away from me, especially if there happen to be treats about. I aim to gradually increase my mileage over the coming weeks and I do have a training plan which is printed out and has pride of place among the magnets and photographs that are on my fridge. I am well aware that the festive season is likely to knock the plan out of sync for a while but I hope that the hard work that I have done up to now will stand me in good stead for a little time down time without too much damage being done.
We haven't signed up for any more runs/walks/events at the moment. There was a local Santa Dash that took place at the weekend but I was working and couldn't take part. Even more of a shame when you realise that the gorgeous Roger Black was also taking part! The Santa Dash really appeals to me so maybe next year I will be able to enter although with will be a Santa Stroll rather than a Dash in my case.
All of the poignant anniversaries that I mentioned in my last blog have been and gone. I took flowers to the crematorium for Mum and met Charlotte for coffee where we raised a cup to Jonathan and Nick before going on the the cemetery to put some flowers down for both boys. I cannot believe that a year has passed so quickly.
Of course, this week saw the passing of one of the icons of our time, the great Nelson Mandela. He was an inspirational figure to many and the tributes to him have been very moving. To me, in my usual basic way of thinking, he seemed like a lovely man, a man who did so much good. Whenever I saw images of him in his latter years he looked so gentle and serene and I always thought that he'd be a lovely grandad. The fact that he had such an impact on the world seems less important than the fact that he seemed lovely. Typical me!!
Finally, I thought I would leave you with a few photos (with Charlotte's permission) of Jonathan and Nick as a gentle reminder to everyone of the reason we are doing this. We hope you boys are having fun up there!
.jpg)
Have a good week.
A x
Sunday, 1 December 2013
Walk On By
Good afternoon from a weary but elated Mrs. Fish/ Nanny Fish/ Mum etc etc.
Yes, today was the day that Jack and I upped our game and took on the challenge of The Jigsaw 10k run. We both stayed in last night...not unusual for me but a rare event for Jack on a Saturday night, especially just after pay day....and woke refreshed and ready for the event. Well, I woke countless times in the night, worried that I was going to take too long to finish, as I had to be back to work for 2pm. Pressure indeed. Jack nonchalantly wandered downstairs later than we had agreed, didn't have any breakfast, put on his new trainers (courtesy of Grandad Fisher) and we set off for Dunsfold.
New trainers!
The race was taking place at Dunsfold aerodrome where the BBC film Top Gear. As usual, we got there early and spent a lot of time sitting about but soon it was time to gather at the start. There was a problem with the speaker system so no-one had a clue what the starter was trying to tell us but we did all hear the '3-2-1 Go!' instruction and that was the last I saw of Jack until after the race.
My plans to walk the whole event were scuppered when I realised that I was going to be the only entrant who was walking. I was very soon at the back of the group and I found that I really, really didn't like it. I thought about it for a moment and then, of course, I broke into a very slow trot. Nothing more, nothing less. I felt like a naughty girl. I was going against everything I knew that was sensible and against everything I had been told but it felt good!
We had to complete two circuits of the track to reach 10 k and it was quite fun. It made a change to trot/walk on a flat surface and the weather was good. No rain, no frost, no sun.
Once the runners had all passed me by, I settled in with a couple of other ladies who were running at a very gentle pace and who were running the race as training for bigger events in the New Year. I walked a bit then trotted to catch them up and then walked again. That strategy seemed to work for me and the first circuit was completed in about 35 minutes I think which I was very impressed with. Obviously, the second lap was more of a challenge and it's always disheartening to be lapped by people about to finish the race! However, eventually the finish line was in sight and I managed to haul myself over it! My time, according to my trusty Nike app, was 1 hour 14 minutes. Go me!!
I got my medal but no goody bag. It had taken me so long to finish that all of the bags had long gone but the medal was what was important.
Back in the car, Jack was waiting patiently for me. He had managed to finish in about 48 minutes. He DID get a goody bag but it seems that I didn't miss out on much apart from a chocolate bar. He thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of running further. He said that his shoulders and upper arms ached which is probably down to his running style but otherwise he was fine. My knee held up pretty well. My right hip hurt....a lot! When we got home I took painkillers, had a cuppa and a bath and then went to work.
Mum, son and dog!
Now, this weeks sees several poignant anniversaries. Dec 2nd is the anniversary of my Mum's death, Dec 5th is the first anniversary of Grandma's passing and Dec 6th is the first anniversary for Jonathan too. Dec 6th would have been Mum's 74th birthday. Many memories will be stirred this week, some happy and some sad. On my trip around Dunsfold this morning I saw a white feather. My sister always says that a white feather is a sure sign that Mum is watching over us. I had a smile when I saw it. I thought of Mum, I thought of Grandma and I thought of Jonathan.......and I ran just a little bit faster....for them.
Byesy bye (as Dad used to say).
Have a great week everyone.
A xxx
Yes, today was the day that Jack and I upped our game and took on the challenge of The Jigsaw 10k run. We both stayed in last night...not unusual for me but a rare event for Jack on a Saturday night, especially just after pay day....and woke refreshed and ready for the event. Well, I woke countless times in the night, worried that I was going to take too long to finish, as I had to be back to work for 2pm. Pressure indeed. Jack nonchalantly wandered downstairs later than we had agreed, didn't have any breakfast, put on his new trainers (courtesy of Grandad Fisher) and we set off for Dunsfold.
The race was taking place at Dunsfold aerodrome where the BBC film Top Gear. As usual, we got there early and spent a lot of time sitting about but soon it was time to gather at the start. There was a problem with the speaker system so no-one had a clue what the starter was trying to tell us but we did all hear the '3-2-1 Go!' instruction and that was the last I saw of Jack until after the race.
My plans to walk the whole event were scuppered when I realised that I was going to be the only entrant who was walking. I was very soon at the back of the group and I found that I really, really didn't like it. I thought about it for a moment and then, of course, I broke into a very slow trot. Nothing more, nothing less. I felt like a naughty girl. I was going against everything I knew that was sensible and against everything I had been told but it felt good!
We had to complete two circuits of the track to reach 10 k and it was quite fun. It made a change to trot/walk on a flat surface and the weather was good. No rain, no frost, no sun.
Once the runners had all passed me by, I settled in with a couple of other ladies who were running at a very gentle pace and who were running the race as training for bigger events in the New Year. I walked a bit then trotted to catch them up and then walked again. That strategy seemed to work for me and the first circuit was completed in about 35 minutes I think which I was very impressed with. Obviously, the second lap was more of a challenge and it's always disheartening to be lapped by people about to finish the race! However, eventually the finish line was in sight and I managed to haul myself over it! My time, according to my trusty Nike app, was 1 hour 14 minutes. Go me!!
I got my medal but no goody bag. It had taken me so long to finish that all of the bags had long gone but the medal was what was important.
Back in the car, Jack was waiting patiently for me. He had managed to finish in about 48 minutes. He DID get a goody bag but it seems that I didn't miss out on much apart from a chocolate bar. He thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of running further. He said that his shoulders and upper arms ached which is probably down to his running style but otherwise he was fine. My knee held up pretty well. My right hip hurt....a lot! When we got home I took painkillers, had a cuppa and a bath and then went to work.
Mum, son and dog!
Now, this weeks sees several poignant anniversaries. Dec 2nd is the anniversary of my Mum's death, Dec 5th is the first anniversary of Grandma's passing and Dec 6th is the first anniversary for Jonathan too. Dec 6th would have been Mum's 74th birthday. Many memories will be stirred this week, some happy and some sad. On my trip around Dunsfold this morning I saw a white feather. My sister always says that a white feather is a sure sign that Mum is watching over us. I had a smile when I saw it. I thought of Mum, I thought of Grandma and I thought of Jonathan.......and I ran just a little bit faster....for them.
Byesy bye (as Dad used to say).
Have a great week everyone.
A xxx
Sunday, 24 November 2013
Let's Get Physical
Greetings one and all and welcome to yet another blog update. I shall have to dig deep to find anything interesting to blog about but lets start with this....
14 weeks!
Yes, in 14 weeks time we shall be in the midst of our challenge to complete the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon 2014 and, hopefully, raise some funds for www.whitelodgecentre.co.uk.
Now,14 weeks = 3 and a bit months or 98 days which may sound like a long time but, by the time Christmas
and New Year have been celebrated along with various birthdays and anniversaries, I know the time is going
to fly by and I will be in panic mode but until that time arrives I intend to keep plodding on with my various
exercises and to keep focused on my goal.
Exercise has been fairly basic this week. I returned to my yoga class on Tuesday, survived my 2nd lesson
and lived to tell the tale. While I am still finding the poses difficult, even in the space of a week I can feel a
difference how my body is responding to each position and stretch. I felt invigorated when the lesson was
over and I am really looking forward to returning this week.
I have also been to the gym and incorporated my yoga stretches in my general warm up routine. I then did a
leisurely 5 km on the elliptical trainer and similar on the bike. I felt it was a good workout and I have not had
any ill effects to my knee or anywhere else which is great!
I have also continued with the dog walking which doesn't really seem like exercise but which definitely counts
in my book. I intend to walk further and further with the dog as I implement a walking regime in a couple of
weeks so we will hopefully have a fitter me and a fitter doggy too.
Hubby and I have had a week of trying to only eat three times a day. This is really to try to stop me from
snacking at any given time of the day whether I'm hungry or not. I've found it quite a struggle if I'm honest!
I don't think biscuits have ever lasted so long in our house! I haven't had a baking session at all this week
which is deliberate because I always lick the bowls and spoons after I've finished with them and I also eat
the majority of what I bake. I hope to see a result the next time I step on the scales. Fingers crossed!
The 'no snacking' theme was blown apart last night as we were invited to a 50th birthday party where there
was a lot of fabulous food and drink provided. Although we stood as far away from the buffet table as we
could, we were enticed by the beef in Yorkshire pud with horseradish sauce and the ham and cheese in
particular. We did avoid the pizza but we did have cake. It would have been rude not to! The party was to
celebrate the birthday of one of the nicest men I know. Happy birthday for Tuesday Peter.
The evening before had seen another birthday celebration....the 84th birthday of my dear old father in law
David. Various family members joined us for a lovely meal in an Italian eatery in West Byfleet. David's
sister and brother in law were down for the night and we spent a very pleasant evening talking about
allsorts. Father in law ate really well which is always nice to see and we were all safely back to our
various abodes by 11pm. We are gettting old!!!
Last night was also the big night for the BBC and their Doctor Who 50th birthday celebrations. There was
a special programme featuring all 12 Doctors and I'm looking forward to seeing it. When I do, I shall be
reminded of two people. My Dad was a big Tom Baker fan and I'm always reminded of Dad
whenever I see Mr. Baker as The Doctor. The other person, the main man as far as all things Doctor Who
is concerned, was Thomas. I worked with Thomas for several years and, during my time with him I learned
an awful lot about The Doctor in his various guises. I now know that TARDIS stands for Time And
Relative Dimension In Space and that Torchwood is an anagram of Doctor Who. I learned so, so much
more from Thomas and his family about so many things and therefore Doctor Who has a very special
place in my heart and always will have.
Looking ahead to this week, apart from work, I have little planned apart from preparing for The Jigsaw 10k
which takes place a week today at Dunsfold where they film Top Gear. I'm looking forward to it already!
I hope you all have a fabulous week and I shall update the blog after the 10k next Sunday if possible.
A xx
14 weeks!
Yes, in 14 weeks time we shall be in the midst of our challenge to complete the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon 2014 and, hopefully, raise some funds for www.whitelodgecentre.co.uk.
Now,14 weeks = 3 and a bit months or 98 days which may sound like a long time but, by the time Christmas
and New Year have been celebrated along with various birthdays and anniversaries, I know the time is going
to fly by and I will be in panic mode but until that time arrives I intend to keep plodding on with my various
exercises and to keep focused on my goal.
Exercise has been fairly basic this week. I returned to my yoga class on Tuesday, survived my 2nd lesson
and lived to tell the tale. While I am still finding the poses difficult, even in the space of a week I can feel a
difference how my body is responding to each position and stretch. I felt invigorated when the lesson was
over and I am really looking forward to returning this week.
I have also been to the gym and incorporated my yoga stretches in my general warm up routine. I then did a
leisurely 5 km on the elliptical trainer and similar on the bike. I felt it was a good workout and I have not had
any ill effects to my knee or anywhere else which is great!
I have also continued with the dog walking which doesn't really seem like exercise but which definitely counts
in my book. I intend to walk further and further with the dog as I implement a walking regime in a couple of
weeks so we will hopefully have a fitter me and a fitter doggy too.
Hubby and I have had a week of trying to only eat three times a day. This is really to try to stop me from
snacking at any given time of the day whether I'm hungry or not. I've found it quite a struggle if I'm honest!
I don't think biscuits have ever lasted so long in our house! I haven't had a baking session at all this week
which is deliberate because I always lick the bowls and spoons after I've finished with them and I also eat
the majority of what I bake. I hope to see a result the next time I step on the scales. Fingers crossed!
The 'no snacking' theme was blown apart last night as we were invited to a 50th birthday party where there
was a lot of fabulous food and drink provided. Although we stood as far away from the buffet table as we
could, we were enticed by the beef in Yorkshire pud with horseradish sauce and the ham and cheese in
particular. We did avoid the pizza but we did have cake. It would have been rude not to! The party was to
celebrate the birthday of one of the nicest men I know. Happy birthday for Tuesday Peter.
The evening before had seen another birthday celebration....the 84th birthday of my dear old father in law
David. Various family members joined us for a lovely meal in an Italian eatery in West Byfleet. David's
sister and brother in law were down for the night and we spent a very pleasant evening talking about
allsorts. Father in law ate really well which is always nice to see and we were all safely back to our
various abodes by 11pm. We are gettting old!!!
Last night was also the big night for the BBC and their Doctor Who 50th birthday celebrations. There was
a special programme featuring all 12 Doctors and I'm looking forward to seeing it. When I do, I shall be
reminded of two people. My Dad was a big Tom Baker fan and I'm always reminded of Dad
whenever I see Mr. Baker as The Doctor. The other person, the main man as far as all things Doctor Who
is concerned, was Thomas. I worked with Thomas for several years and, during my time with him I learned
an awful lot about The Doctor in his various guises. I now know that TARDIS stands for Time And
Relative Dimension In Space and that Torchwood is an anagram of Doctor Who. I learned so, so much
more from Thomas and his family about so many things and therefore Doctor Who has a very special
place in my heart and always will have.
Looking ahead to this week, apart from work, I have little planned apart from preparing for The Jigsaw 10k
which takes place a week today at Dunsfold where they film Top Gear. I'm looking forward to it already!
I hope you all have a fabulous week and I shall update the blog after the 10k next Sunday if possible.
A xx
Saturday, 16 November 2013
Take It Easy
Good day folks,
This will be a short and sweet update mainly because I have been very lazy and done next to no proper exercise this week! This was not for any particular reason, it's just how things panned out. I haven't been particularly busy, I have no terrible injuries to stop me. In fact, I have no excuse at all.
The dog has had some good walks though including a trip to Winkworth Arboretum on a stunning Friday morning. The colours of the autumnal leaves on the trees there are quite spectacular. Unfortunately, although dogs are welcome there, they have to be kept on a lead at all times which did make negotiating the slippery steps quite an adventure.
I also took the doggy down to our newly acquired beach hut. I've been to it 4 times now and every time that I have been the weather has been good. This time was no exception. It was windy but wonderfully invigorating. I envisage many happy memories being made there over the coming years. We enjoyed chips and hot chocolate...daughter and I, not dog and I!
So you will see that walking...on pebbles, on sand, on trails...has been the exercise of choice this week and it has been very enjoyable but not at all taxing which makes me feel a bit of a fraud to be honest. However, I DID finally get to yoga. I have been to several yoga groups over the years and have always enjoyed it but it has always been one off classes here and there and nothing consistent. Tuesday's yoga class was a real eye opener. I found it really difficult! There were obviously poses that I couldn't do because of my knee but I found even the basic holds hard. It really made me realise how unfit I really am. I think I have been kidding myself that because I have been basically fairly physically robust and strong throughout my life that that equates to fitness. Couldn't be more wrong! I worked muscles that I haven't worked in years, if ever. By the end of the hour long class I was exhausted and shocked at how much I struggled. The following morning I had very sore shoulders and upper arms but I actually felt pretty good. In fact I felt that my ongoing shoulder problem felt improved and has continued to feel that way throughout the week. So, I am looking forward to returning to the class next Tuesday and see how I get on. I know that yoga and I are meant to be together!
Another exciting step on the road to Silverstone was receiving the official email from the organisers which contained lots of information and tips for training and so on. It also gave suggestions for fund raising including setting up a blog!! Jack received his email as well so we both have official confirmation of our places. Exciting/challenging/scary/etc etc etc.
Of course, Friday was Children In Need day. As usual, I made Pudsey cakes. I only made a dozen as I wasn't going to sell them. In previous years I have organised cake sales and raised lots of pennies for Pudsey's piggy bank. This year I ate about half of what I baked and gave the rest to family who made donations which was great. Jack and I had already made individual donations after watching DIYSOS and being moved to tears by the bravery and inspiration of the children and their families.
This will be a short and sweet update mainly because I have been very lazy and done next to no proper exercise this week! This was not for any particular reason, it's just how things panned out. I haven't been particularly busy, I have no terrible injuries to stop me. In fact, I have no excuse at all.
The dog has had some good walks though including a trip to Winkworth Arboretum on a stunning Friday morning. The colours of the autumnal leaves on the trees there are quite spectacular. Unfortunately, although dogs are welcome there, they have to be kept on a lead at all times which did make negotiating the slippery steps quite an adventure.
Another exciting step on the road to Silverstone was receiving the official email from the organisers which contained lots of information and tips for training and so on. It also gave suggestions for fund raising including setting up a blog!! Jack received his email as well so we both have official confirmation of our places. Exciting/challenging/scary/etc etc etc.
Of course, Friday was Children In Need day. As usual, I made Pudsey cakes. I only made a dozen as I wasn't going to sell them. In previous years I have organised cake sales and raised lots of pennies for Pudsey's piggy bank. This year I ate about half of what I baked and gave the rest to family who made donations which was great. Jack and I had already made individual donations after watching DIYSOS and being moved to tears by the bravery and inspiration of the children and their families.
That's about it for this week. I hope that you all have a wonderful week and I promise I will attempt to make next week's entry a little more interesting. No promises though!!
A xx
Sunday, 10 November 2013
I Walk The Line
Hello people,
As I type this I am in the same room as the three males in my life...hubby, son and dog. Hubby and son are watching the Man Utd v Arsenal game and dog is desperately seeking attention by dropping a very smelly, wet mini tennis ball onto various laps in the hope that someone might just throw it for him. He will give up eventually. It is quite likely, therefore, that I am going to be continually distracted and annoyed by any one of them! I will attempt to stay focused but I can't promise anything.
After last Sunday's walk/run at Loseley, my knee, which was fine at the time, became a bit stiff and uncomfortable so I have been taking it easy and being a good girl. I have not been to the gym at all but I did go for a swim with eldest daughter and have been walking the dog fairly regularly.
We swam at The Surrey Sports Park which is a fantastic facility about 2 minutes from our house. The water felt a bit on the chilly side to me but it was fine once I got moving. Unfortunately for me, the only stroke I have ever been able to do in the pool is breaststroke which is notoriously bad for someone with knee problems. I attempted my usual swim and found that it was, indeed, bad for my knee. It was also painful for my shoulder. In the end I decided that swimming on my back was the way forward (!) so that's what I did. I mixed up the swimming with some water exercise such as jogging and stretching and I felt that I had done myself some good by the time I climbed out of the pool.
I find it increasingly difficult to work out what I should be doing exercise-wise to benefit me. Am I supposed to be painfree before I start, in which case I wouldn't do any exercise at all, or do I give things a go and stop if the pain gets worse? The latter of the two options is what I have decided on. It will be interesting to see how I get on.
Hold on......just going to eat my roast dinner. BRB as they say!
You can't beat a good roast and that was a good roast.
Anyway, some good news on the old knee front was received via a letter from the consultant. In the letter he confirmed that I have a lot of arthritis in all parts of my knee but not grade 4. The most badly affected part of my knee is grade 3 which is under my patella. That is good news to me. In the letter he also referred to me as 'a very nice lady' (hooray) and wrote that for me to attempt any kind of jogging 'is completely and utterly wrong' (boo).
So, walking it will be from now on.
The other piece of good news is that I contacted the organisers of The Silverstone Half Marathon and asked if I would be able to take part in the event if I could not run and could only walk and they said yes!! That is a big relief to me and it means that I can, knee permitting, put a training plan into place and gradually build up my distance. I am still waiting to hear from the organisers of the upcoming 10k which takes place at the beginning of December. I really hope to be able to take part but I won't if I can't walk it. I hope to hear from them soon.
As I type this I am in the same room as the three males in my life...hubby, son and dog. Hubby and son are watching the Man Utd v Arsenal game and dog is desperately seeking attention by dropping a very smelly, wet mini tennis ball onto various laps in the hope that someone might just throw it for him. He will give up eventually. It is quite likely, therefore, that I am going to be continually distracted and annoyed by any one of them! I will attempt to stay focused but I can't promise anything.
After last Sunday's walk/run at Loseley, my knee, which was fine at the time, became a bit stiff and uncomfortable so I have been taking it easy and being a good girl. I have not been to the gym at all but I did go for a swim with eldest daughter and have been walking the dog fairly regularly.
We swam at The Surrey Sports Park which is a fantastic facility about 2 minutes from our house. The water felt a bit on the chilly side to me but it was fine once I got moving. Unfortunately for me, the only stroke I have ever been able to do in the pool is breaststroke which is notoriously bad for someone with knee problems. I attempted my usual swim and found that it was, indeed, bad for my knee. It was also painful for my shoulder. In the end I decided that swimming on my back was the way forward (!) so that's what I did. I mixed up the swimming with some water exercise such as jogging and stretching and I felt that I had done myself some good by the time I climbed out of the pool.
I find it increasingly difficult to work out what I should be doing exercise-wise to benefit me. Am I supposed to be painfree before I start, in which case I wouldn't do any exercise at all, or do I give things a go and stop if the pain gets worse? The latter of the two options is what I have decided on. It will be interesting to see how I get on.
Hold on......just going to eat my roast dinner. BRB as they say!
You can't beat a good roast and that was a good roast.
Anyway, some good news on the old knee front was received via a letter from the consultant. In the letter he confirmed that I have a lot of arthritis in all parts of my knee but not grade 4. The most badly affected part of my knee is grade 3 which is under my patella. That is good news to me. In the letter he also referred to me as 'a very nice lady' (hooray) and wrote that for me to attempt any kind of jogging 'is completely and utterly wrong' (boo).
The other piece of good news is that I contacted the organisers of The Silverstone Half Marathon and asked if I would be able to take part in the event if I could not run and could only walk and they said yes!! That is a big relief to me and it means that I can, knee permitting, put a training plan into place and gradually build up my distance. I am still waiting to hear from the organisers of the upcoming 10k which takes place at the beginning of December. I really hope to be able to take part but I won't if I can't walk it. I hope to hear from them soon.
Jack at The Loseley...note shoes and carrying his t shirt and sweatshirt. He finished 4th! I still think that's not fair.
Today is Remembrance Sunday which is always a poignant occasion. The sun has been shining all day and it has been a bit chilly. My Dad was born on November 11th and poppies and Remembrance Sunday always remind me of him so I popped over to the cemetery and placed a poppy on his headstone and then went over to the crematorium to place a poppy for my Mum as she always supported the buying and wearing of poppies.
Tomorrow would have been Dad's birthday. He would have been 78. I cannot imagine that he would have been much different at 78 than he was and 62!
So, this week I shall be mostly working and trying to do some suitable exercise. I have booked a few yoga classes and I hope to get in another swim with my daughter. It's good for both of us. I also need to get down to the gym and get my act together there.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Have a happy and safe week everyone.
A x
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Walking On Sunshine
Hi again everyone.
I hope you've all had a good week and that this blog update finds you well.
My week has involved a 2nd week off as school is still on holiday, a long overdue trip to see my daughter and my grandchildren (with Halloween goodies in tow), a couple of trips to Hayling Island, the delight of actually becoming the owners of a beach hut, a planned trip to London with another daughter that I had to cancel as I was feeling poorly, the scattering of mother in laws ashes and the challenge of a 4km fun run that took place today. Crikey, I feel exhausted just reading that!
I had booked for Jack and I to take part in The Loseley a couple of months ago and, as it was a fun run, I decided that I would try and take part in it. My thinking was that 4km is a reasonable distance but not too far and the event was advertised as being suitable for families so there were bound to be people walking and jogging and just being happy to take part.
Now, on the Friday evening I had been working with Sam and had started to feel decidedly queasy shortly after I had settled him for the night. By the time I got home I felt rough. I felt sick, shaky and ached all over. I was also feeling hot one minute and cold the next. I fell into bed and had a sleepless night and, as a consequence, spent all of yesterday (Saturday) in bed. I decided that I would have to wait and see how I felt this morning (Sunday) before making any decisions about taking part in The Loseley today.
When I woke up I felt back to normal, the sun was shining and the sky was blue. I think that if it had been pouring with rain I may have made a different choice but I decided that it would be foolish to not at least turn up to the event and give it a go. I attempted to wake Jack up....never an easy thing to do at the best of times and certainly not any easier when he is nursing a hangover. When he finally rolled out of bed we got our things together and set off to Loseley House where the event was being staged.
The Loseley is arranged as a fundraiser for Chase Children's Hospice which is situated between Guildford and Godalming. The hospice is a wonderful place and I have been fortunate to work there. I have seen at first hand the tremendous job that the staff do and I have seen how much the children and their families benefit from the care and attention that they receive. My short spell of working at Chase made me realise how very lucky I am to have never had to use its services.
Anyway, Jack and I arrived at the venue, parked up and made our way to the reception area where we collected our numbers, our t-shirts and our timing devices. We went back to the car to sort ourselves out because it was chilly in the wind and we were feeling the cold. Pathetic really!! Then it was off to the start and we dutifully took part in the warm up which I quite enjoy but Jack doesn't. He's way too cool for warm ups obviously.
As we were both taking part in the same distance this time we set off together but that is as far as our joint running venture went. I know I am not advised to run anymore and Jack is a competitive person so we were
soon separated and in our own musical headspace thanks to our playlists and our trusty i phones.
Despite my best efforts I found it impossible to not run. I promise I did try to walk but I just couldn't! However, I mixed up my light jogging with good spells of walking and I managed quite well. I took on all of the obstacles which included a cargo net, hay bales, muddy puddles, tree trunks and rubber tyres. I was overtaken many times by children and their parents but I just kept going. I'm sure the fact that it was sunny helped immensely and the atmosphere throughout was one of fun. Having said that, I was very relieved to see the finish signs.
I completed the course in a very average time of 33.34 and finished 152nd out of 223 so I didn't disgrace myself. Jack, of course, did really well. I don't know how he does it with his rubbish diet and his 'hectic' social life but he finished 4th in a time of 19.28. Just think how well he would do if he did some training or, at least, didn't run when he's hungover!
I met Jack back at the car and we set of for home, via Godalming, and got ready to go to Normandy cricket club where we had arranged to scatter Grandma's ashes alongside a bench that we have erected in her memory. It seemed very apt that the sun continued to shine while we carried out the proceedings. I like to think that Grandma would have been smiling if she had been able to see me trotting along earlier in the day and she would have been very proud that Jack did so well. I know that she would have been really happy that all of her family were able to get together for a little while to remember her for the lovely wife, Mum and Grandma that she was.
Now, a few hours later, all is back to normal. Rosie is on her way back to Oxford with Harry, Jack is recovering, Russ is relaxing and I have a dog that needs a walk. My knee is feeling okay which is a fantastic
relief. Let's hope it still feels alright in the morning.
Until we meet again...
A xx
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