Club Run

 Hello blog readers.

Look at this, another blog, one that it is not too far from the other blog!  Wow..!  I almost didn't make it if truth be known.  It was club night last night, the second one since this second lockdown eased up.  I missed the first one, there was no dragging my ass out, and it was on a Wednesday!  The first time in PWR history, we had a club run on a Wednesday, such as the need for normality to start!  But still, that didn't get my ass back last week.  

This week I had one of the other leaders down to take the lead but she, unfortunately was unwell.  So I bit the bullet, didn't ask any of the other leaders to take it and decided that I will just have to get my shit together and get out there and do it.  So I did!  After work I came back and didn't even take a quick sit on my chair, I just knew if I cosied on down then I wouldn't move. I made myself a quick cuppa (caffeine has got to help, right?)  and sat on the end of the sofa.  It felt totally wrong, that wasn't my place and to make matters worse my son was sitting in my chair, no doubt making his own arse-dent in my cushions! 

Well as you've probably guessed, I did get out, I had to park on another road though and had to run back to the recreation ground where we meet.  I was already puffing out my backside what was I going to be like on the run?  My group was the last one there! Sorry guys, but I knew the route we were taking, it was my favourite route, mainly because it's the flattest one around, but just to make it interesting, we were going to be doing it in the opposite direction.  It's amazing just how different a route can feel if you change just that one thing.  All those little psychological miles stones will not be in the right place!  

After I caught my breath we started out, just five of us, so just one off from a full house for our COVID safe group, we ran towards Tudor way.  A least Kingsway's little bump won't kill me off before we have really started.  Beaumont road is that long road that we usually have at the end of our run, having it at the beginning felt kinda nice!  That road just sometimes gets to me, stretching out before you, with that bend just further up, you think you have reached the end of it and then realise there is still more to run!  Well, Beaumont, this time I got you! Well, that was what was going on in my head!  I really thought I had it sussed, just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  I didn't manage to run all of it!  It was blimmin cold out there, it was just zapping energy right out of me (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!) 

I promised myself that I would check out all the lights that we passed, just for seeing how a 'Woo Woo' run would go, but I was so puffed out, glasses were steaming up that I actually couldn't remember to take note, not that I could have seen them anyway!  I flipping hate being cold, give me warm and toastie any day!

Once we were finished with Beaumont, psychologically it felt like we were nearly done! Weird, right? All that was going through my mind was 'Blimey, not far now!"  So really, it is good to do your usualy loop route going in the opposite direction. 

One of the  things I love about our group 1 runners is we are the same, we all struggle to run fast or far. If we see someone struggling the encouragement that goes out to that individual is just amazing!  Guess who the 'individual' was last night, yup, me!  I was totally struggling, but from the group there was 'Just to the lamppost, we got this' and 'Look we are nearly at the end of the road, might as well just finish"  With just those thoughts going through my mind I made it to the next lamppost, in fact, I made it even further going an extra lamppost or two!  I got to the end of the road before taking a cheeky walking break!  Yeah, group 1'er's are a special group indeed!  

It was a great run, blimmin cold, blimmin hard, but a great run.  You never hear a runner saying 'I wish I never done that' What you might hear them say is "Shit run, but so glad I got out".  What does that tell you eh!  It's like one of those oxymoron type of sentence, 'I had a shit run, so glad I got out and done!  When we meeting up next'.  I think runners are all oxymoronic anyway, especially when then put run and fun together!

So my Geeky stats are here

Day 4,662

 Hello blog readers.

I had thought that this year my tormentors had all gone underground, but it appears not.  Since the beginning of March I have slowly started to remember where I had come from, although the brainwashing has left its mark when I continued to exercise on line, for my tormentors to see until the end of lockdown 1.  It seems there is no escape.  I am starting to have visions again, the couch seems a familiar and comfortable place to be, as if it is the only place to be.  Flash backs are coming from deep within the recesses of my mind.  Could it really be 10 years ago that I joined the 'PWR' Chapter of 'The Running Community'  Where has that time gone? 

Lockdown has seriously thrown a spanner in the works of 'The Running Community'.  My head hurts! What happened to me?  How have I gotten this far into running!  I loved being a couch potato.......didn't I?  I am remembering, yes, it's coming back now!  Watching the t.v.! It's the only way to live!  How I  miss the conversations over who Phil Mitchel is beating up and who else Ken Barlow has slept with. How I  miss the endless conversations over who is the father of Michelle's baby, blending with the cacophony that was a Friday night at the pub.  It did  happen, didn't it?  I did enjoy those things, didn't I?

I feel weak and confused. My tormentors made contact during the week to 'meet by the boxing club'!  Was that a gentle reminder to be there.....or else?  With the fear of 'Boxing Club' hanging over me I left this morning to meet two of my tormentors.  It was Pat and Paul, two of my oldest friends, and my pastor!  I remember now. I encouraged them to start running!  So deep within 'The running community' I had become, I was one of the chief encouragers.....and am still encouraging......am I?!  In fact, I am so involved in 'The PWR Chapter of Running Community' I am actually a leader!! How far have I become involved with the runners, is there anyway back to Couch Potatoism?!  I was the one who encouraged.....and lead Pat and Paul to become involved with the ' The Running Community'. Every Saturday morning, they were there learning, training, doing their homework to run 5k.....until second lockdown came.  Could it be that 'Lockdown is a cover for Couch Potatoism to regain some of their followers?   Will I again become a lover of Couch?

My tormentors were smiling as I pretended that I ran from home, I didn't want to raise suspicions that I thinking again of 'Couch', I know if I ever to mention Couch then I should add '2 5k' on the end of it. I can remember that much of my days of being a solo runner, how I slipped back to 'couch' after I attempted to do 'Couch 2 5K'  without the support of 'PWR Chaptor' It's a great disguise. My tormentors didn't waste anytime in getting me moving again, oh how I long to be tucked up under my duvet.  But my two tormentors were to strong for me.  They have remembered everything that I and the other leaders had shown them, the skipping, the high knees, even the side star jumps as they raised their heart rates and warmed their muscles.  I was behind them, walking, but ready to react with a skip if they turned around and looked at me.

The running started, all the tracking devices were switched on, just so 'The Running Community' can keep an eye on me.  There is no escape, Garmin, Jabra, Strava!   I was all ready exhausted, but I daren't take a walk, my tormentors were too close to me.  I will bide my time.  I realised that Pat has become one of the 'Top runners' known as 'Adrenalin Junkies!'  She is non stop running.  Occasionally she throws a comment my way "Just one foot in front of the other".  Where have I heard that before!  My mind is beginning to get weak again.  Why have I never been issued with 'Adrenalin'  Do they just hand that out to beginners to hook them in'?  I don't remember having it when I first went on a run.  All I can remember was the pain, the look of despair on my face, the look of pity of those that I passed by!

I was grateful that we had a lot of rain for the last couple of days 'It's too wet to go on the grass" PastorPaul had said.  Thank heavens for small mercies.  Maybe my tormentors would make their way to the end.  But no, they went in the opposite direction, back they way we had come, and then along the narrow path towards......what was that place called.....oh yes.....turn around lamppost! Surely now Pat the Adrenalin will run back.  But she didn't.  Still smiling at me, we ran along the fences of the school.  She informed that 'this bit she sprints on'.  In my frazzled tired mind I thought I would give her space! I realised I was wrong in that assumption, as she intended to run to the end, to the road, before turning back for the little sprinty section.

Both PastorPaul and AdrenalinPat were in front of me, I could take a couple of walking breaks. As soon as they got to the end and they turned back, if I planned it carefully I could just turn around when they came back to me again.  I soon realised that was a mistake though, as we approached the 'sprint' bit.  "Sprint!" my tormentor shouted, I saw PastorPaul take off, she then turned on me "Sprint!"  The brainwashing must have kicked in again as I sprinted to the end of the path.  Jabra was talking in my ear as it said I was running at 8. something minute mileing!  I can't believe I ran that fast.  Surely know 'The Running Community' will allow me some of that Adrenaline!  But no, nothing, I just felt sick!

My tormentors were in front of me, I guess they felt safe for that to happen as they only way to go now was home.  I followed them, is the famous elusive mojo ready to show itself!  I wasn't sure!  I feel I am being lead back to the 'Running Community'  Already I am looking forward to next Saturday!  It's too late for me! 

There was a glimmer of hope for my tormentors and me, as they discussed breakfast while we started out stretching.  "A spoons breakfast, a full english"  I remember this!  It's a favourite meal of the original 'Couch Potatoes' It is usually enjoyed after a heavy drinking session and a curry the night before!  So keen were they to get to spoons before the deadline of 11:00 that we discontinued the stretching, opting instead to walk fast to the car!

My tormentor took a picture of our breakfast, was it because it stirred memories deep within her mind!?

Where Have I been!

 Hello blog readers.

Its been some time since I last blogged!  I have realised, not only is my running mojo virtually gone in to complete lockdown (apparently it's the lockdown is the latest most used word that's made it to the collins dictionary) but also my writing mojo!  

With a new laptop I am hoping at least my writing will pick up.  Of course I went running today, which is why I am writing.  But I have been running, prior to lockdown, there has been club runs and beginners, and some homework running with Pat and Paul during the school holidays.  I did miss the last club run before lockdown, my running mojo was just no where to be seen.  But it happens. I will not ever give up, that is one thing that I know for sure!  But it may just take some time to get back to doing just even slightly longer runs, more often.  Instead of finding reasons and excuses not to run, I shall find reasons to not do housework, or course work or whatever it is I have been using to keep me away from my running shoes.

So my run this morning, I thought about all the home from work, my first shift, this morning.  'Just get in, get changed and don't think about it' I kept saying to my self.  Work, washing up, housework can wait for an hour.  Just get out and do it.  I was almost scuppered by the first hurdle, I couldn't find my ear phones!  Oh my goodness, looking everywhere for those, I almost gave up.  I found my other ones, the ones where I had made to fit into my ears, perfectly, and not fall out when I run.  But then I realised they would not be compatible with my phone! I almost gave up, but then I remembered a place where I would have put them.  

Music on, shoes on, jog pants on!  What was stopping me? Nothing.  I just left the house and thought about which way to go first.  Through the parks first, just to enjoy a bit of emptiness, no cars, fresh air, thinking space, then hit the roads!  With that route once I am on the other side of the park it, with every step after that it feels like I am on the way back.  There were a couple of wobbly moments where I thought I could just do a short one, take the next road, or the one after that, but I talked myself out of it, 'You're out now Old girl, might as well make it count'.  I started to use the lampposts to keep me focused.  Run, one or two lampposts, maybe even three, then walk to the next one.  It kept my mind busy, helped me stay focused, I also noticed that I did a couple of sprints as well.  I really tried not to focus on that, just in case I stopped doing it!

When I gat back to my local park, I really tried to talk myself into going all the through the park, but I just wanted to get back home, look for the lampposts to keep me focused, get it done!  So I came out of the park by 'The Oaks' and carried on the rest of my run on the road.  

I felt good that I had done my run, in some lovely weather too, even though I found it tough, tough to get out and tough to run.  But I did it.  Some friends have asked if I would run with them, I might just start taking them up on their offer, maybe try and get one more solo run in, just for my own headspace again.  It felt good to think about nothing for a while.

Geeky stats.

View Route from here

On A Run And A Prayer!

 Hell blog readers.

Sometimes you do need to go out and just run.  At the moment that is one thing that I am really struggling with, getting out to run just for me!  You just know that a good run can clear your mind, just for a while.  But having a running club and all my running buddies and responsibilities in that club is such a great way of getting out there and doing it.  I lead so I run, simple!  At the moment we are in the middle of the beginners week, during this half term I have been able to do some running with Pat and Paul, my friends, who have being doing this years course.  Their homework is to do what they did the  Saturday just gone, the brisk walking, the drills and then the running of 6 minutes run, 2 minutes walking, times that 4 times!  It's a lot easier to lead the running in an enclosed space like Willet Rec, because there I can, slow down, go in the opposite direction and just take it a little bit easier than everyone else.  Running on a route with Pat and Paul, well, there is no hiding, no going in the opposite direction either.  

But I really do need it.  These past two weeks I have been watching a friend of mine slowly hit rock bottom.  Drinking and depression has taken her to the darkest place of her mind and I am absolutely helpless to stop her going there. Over the years I have watch her battle with her addiction.  I can't imagine having to live it or with someone who has an addiction and depression.  When all the things I have tried have failed to help my friend come to terms with it I just get angry.  Angry at her, angry at myself.  I felt I was doing more harm than good!  Mental health and addiction doesn't just affect the person going through it, it affects their partners and their children.  It also affects their friends.  I have come close to completely turning my back on my friend, just because she refused help that was given to her, time and time again!  But, I can't and won't do that, it's just not in me, too bloody soft! But fortunately I have had a group of friends that I can unload on too, to pray with and share with.  I pray that my friend gets the help, now that her partner has reached out as a last resort, maybe now is the time! 

Hopefully we will go running again, it's what helps me, even though I struggle to get out of the door, when I've done it I feel good again.  Lets see what each day brings, with lots of prayers for everyone I am sure this will come to a conclusion soon.

 Geeky stats, I have no idea why it's not coming up as it used to, my blog page has changed format (I quite like the old one) but since then it only gives the web address.  So copy and paste and I am sure you will see our run this evening.

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/5700484726' title='Bromley Running' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>

Beginners to Homework

 Hello readers

Saturday was a good day!  It wasn't raining!  We had our beginners class, we have lost some of them, sometimes life just gets in the way! It's a huge commitment and one that you really have to try and build into you daily or weekly schedules.  For instance, Tuesday evenings are known as Run Club nights, Saturdays are or were parkrun days, or as they are for most runners notaparkrun day!  At them moment my Saturdays are Beginners days!  

I really so enjoy doing the beginners course.  It inspires me all the time, it helps me to just keep on putting one foot in front of the other.  Watching all the smiling faces.....ok its usually at the end of the running, but still its brilliant.  And it does me a whole world of good too!

So that brings us today.  I really needed to get out at run, but at the moment I am in the 'if no one needs me then I'll sit and watch tv.' kind of mood.  Thankfully Pat and Paul had asked me to come with them at do their homework with them.  I jumped at the chance!  Just to get out, breath in some fresh air and think about nothing but running was just what I needed.  My watch is already set up for the 6 minutes of running and 2 minutes walking, but before we did that, we walked briskly for a few minutes did some drills....blimey that bit puffed me out!  And then we started our running.  Oh my goodness, that felt good.  Just to run in Gods own beautiful creation, the cool afternoon air, the tress still green with leaves, no cars about, just fresh air!  Yup, I needed that!

We did the homework, Pat and Paul did really well indeed.  I did a couple of walking bits when I should have been running!  But it was really what I needed!  I felt so much better afterwards

So here is mine or I should say, our geeky stats.

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/5700484726' title='Bromley Running' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>

Club Running

 Hello blog readers.

Well, it has been quite a while!  Every time I run I keep saying "I need to write about this"  But anyway, I have been running.  Some solo's and some not.  

The beginners course has started up again, albeit in a different format!  There are now 3 leaders leading at the same time!  Confusing? No not really, we all have a group of runners and we have split the park, each of us has a bit of the park where we take our group of beginners.  Mind you, last Saturday it was absolutely dreadful weather and we had to cancel!  That's a first in a long while! We have around 25 ish people that have joined in the course this time, so not too bad.  I shall let you know how it all goes.

There has been some solo running, some good, some ok is, but as I said to myself (yes, I still talk to myself) "No run is a bad run, it's just good to get out!"  

So thats kind of what I have been doing in the shortest, briefest discriptions that I could have ever done.....ever! 

Which brings us to yesterdays running.  It was a club run.  We have this system where we have extra leaders on most groups to accomodate as many runners as we can.  We have a booking system so that you can book on with your leader, there is a choice of two times, 19:00 or 19:15,  so that we have a staggered start and finish.  It works as well as we can, it means that we can have at least 12 members from each group going out running in two groups per group!  Makes perfect sense, eh?

We didn't need two leaders for my group 1 last night as there was only 3 of us!  Robbie and Angela were running with me and thankfully(?0 both of them said they were totally unfit.  Although Angela was probably the fittest of us all!  This Covid shit really has affected people, whether physically, actually getting it, or just with the whole lockdown, isolating, shielding and just down right feeling scared to go out!  Of course when people do get back out to it, it's when you notice that fitness levels have dropped a bit.  But they best way to deal with that is to just embrace it! So you can't run as fast, so you can't run at all, so you're breathing is all over the place, so (in my case) my rolls of fat look like the mitchelin man!  Let's just embrace it!  Get back to it when we can, do as much as we can and don't beat ourselves up if we can't do it or we are slower!  It don't matter. I am speaking to myself just as much as everyone else too!  The fact that we are still willing and able to do it is a huge blessing, especially the willing bit!  Oh my goodness, the willing bit is the most important bit, in my opinion!  If there is a willing there will be a way!  If you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then exercise at home!  If there is a will then there will be a way!

Oh blimey, don't I go on!  That was just a pre-amble to say that our run yesterday wasn't the fastest that we have every been but my word it feels good(???) Can you actually say that it feels good to have your lungs leave your body and walk home, your legs saying 'stuff you I'm just staying here, all stiff and not moving" then yes you can say it feels good!  Just because we did it!

So, short and brief blog!  Is this the new me!  Who knows!

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/5641377980' title='Club run (Leading)' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>

Furlough Coming To An end!

Hello readers.

So my time prancing about in front of my tv watching Team Body Project and all the other fitness kings and queens out there is coming to an end!  I am going back to work this time next week!  Nervous.....yes, pleased to be going back.......yes!  It has been fun doing my workouts with Janice, my workout buddy! 

I started doing the workouts because of the restrictions, stay home, protect the NHS and all that.  I tried to do the one bit of exercise that the government said we could do but, looking back, I don't think my head was in it.  Finding every excuse to stay home, no need to go out!   Then of course it was the anxiety of going out!  A few times of running by myself, it just felt so weird!  People moving away from you, giving you looks as if you shouldn't be out.  Mums hugging children to their legs as you get closer to them for you to pass with the obligatory 2 meters! Eerily empty roads and just an overwhelming sense of WTF!  That about explains how it felt to run in the beginning of lockdown.  But the longer I stayed away from running the harder it seemed to get back out their.  Which is why doing my exercising using YouTube, watching Team Body Project, Jordan burns, Adele Murrell and PopSugar really help to keep me active.  it was just as well, because apart from those 30-60 minutues I was mainly sedentary!  Apart from when I was hanging out of the fridge!

So for the last few weeks I have been doing my exercises, running with PWR a couple of times on Thursday mornings and of course there was the Fitness in the park with PWR too.  There has been a couple of solo runs too, but I struggled with them, blaming heat, technology, anything really.  But what prompted me to write this evening was about my run today.

Today I exercises in front of my t.v. going live on Facebook, ready to workout with my workout buddy.  I had to few things to do, phone calls to make before hand, including one to SMF to find a part for my car, they had it!  So I decided to run their after my workout!  The workout I chose was TBP with Alex leading, usually she is a machine!  But I wanted to do a hard one, to just get hot, sweaty, get those endorphins running through my body, push as hard as I could!  Well I did that! It was a great workout and I tried as hard as I could! I was satisfied.  In fact I was so satisfied I really didn't fancy walking or running to the car parts shop, so I called my daughter to give me a lift!  Fortunately she was heading out somewhere so I had to go by myself.

So I went!  I got ready, my money for the car part (which was very small by the way) and went out!  The route I took is one that I usually go with Naggy, through the park, and up the road!  So I did it, I only put on my Garmin to track me, no Jabra, no Peloton, well, I knew I was going to have to pause everything when I go into the shop, pausing my Garmin was the easiest.  I do like to listen to something though, so I put on spotify and started running.  The sounds of the 70's filled my ears, that's what I had chosen, just to take me back to a time when I didn't have too many cares and woes!  It was brilliant!  I was loving the tunes, I was smiling and singing along.  I found I was enjoying my run, I mean really enjoying it! I ignored the buzzing going on from my Garmin to tell me to walk for a minute and just carried on running!  I had no agenda, no one to keep up with, no app telling me my pace or to speed up!  Not that I don't like that, I like geeky stats, I like to listen to peloton to tell me to try just that little bit harder, but right at that minute I didn't want it nor need it!  I was enjoying my run!

Sometimes I ran pretty fast, sometimes I just plodded along other times I walked and the ran again when I felt like it, not because my Garmin told me too.  I got to the shop and pause my Garmin, bought my park and then continued my running! Originally I thought I was just going to go back the same way that I got here, instead I opted to just continue on my run, do the 5k, the 3 miles, just do it as I have done it so far.

As I ran along I joined in with the songs that filled my ears.  Lord knows what I must have sounded like as I am sure I was singing out loud!  But it was too good not to sing along!  As I got to Trinity Estates, the new estate on the corner of Crown Lane Spur 'Grease' came on!  I as actually doing the arm movements! Still smiling, still singing!  Loving it!

So yes, the love of running is still there, I just need to remember that, I need to ease the pressures of of keeping up!  When we get back to club running again there is going to be so many people that will have their post COVID fears, bodys and thoughts with them, we are all going to be in the same boat, only some of us will have had the cheap tickets, down in the bow of the boat no desire to run in, others will have had the dearer tickets, up top with the running track around the deck!  But still, we have all been avoiding the COVID sea, we still all have had to deal with isolation and the anxieties that can come with it!

The new normal is coming and I am glad I have had the desire to still want to go running (even though for quite some time I have struggled with it) and I am grateful that my running club is still there ready to welcome back all members, with social distancing of course.

What Have I Been Up To?

Hello Blog readers.

Well, quite a bit since the last blog!  The for a start, I have finished my One Year No Beer challenge!  A challenge I decided to set by myself, for no particular reason other than I thought I could do it, and I wrote a blog about it, which I started just about a week after I started the challenge and added to over the year!

What else, well, I have done some running! Woo Hoo, some actual running rather than just me working out in my sitting room. I have also been meeting up with my PWR buddies to do Fitness In The Park, our usual summer sessions that we do with out club!  Of course it's all been totally different!  For a start, we have had to split everybody over two parks and then have 1 leader per 5 members.  We have had to have a booking system because of numbers, leaders, and spaces in the two parks.  It works, ok, it's not our usual speed and core sessions but it still feels great to be doing club stuff.

What else, hmm!  The only problem about not writing everything down on the day I do things is that I forget what I have done! Oh yes,  I have done maybe one or two solo runs but also a couple of Thursday morning runs with my run buddies at PWR!  Oh my goodness, totally mixed feelings about the running!  For a start, working out in my sitting room and running are two completely different animals!  Before Covid I was fairly active, I had a regular routine of running, moving, walking. After Covid I have had a regular route of doing half hour workout and sitting on my arse for the rest of the day! Well, maybe some housework thrown in, but yeah, mainly not moving much from my front door! My first run on a Thursday was not last Thursday but the Thursday before that, Illustrious Leader was leading group 1, there were 6 of us in a group!  I am sure that most of them have been running solo throughout Covid!  Anyway, I thought I should be ok, I was so looking forward to going through the woods.  Starting off, of course is always hard, when I was at my fittest it took me at least the first 10 to 15 minutes to get into my stride, and the breathing right!  But if you had seen me trying to keep up with Illustrious leader and everyone you would have thought I had never ran before!

When I have been doing my solo running and have been 'Jeffing' all the way, 1 minute run, 1 minute walk, even then I have been struggling!  But Illustrious Leader and all the rest in the group I was running in completely understand my situation because they are all the same......they are just a tad run fitter than me! "Don't worry, Old Girl" says Illustrious Leader "We can wait or we can turn around and run back to you, just go at your own pace"  That's the best thing about our club, we don't leave people to struggle by themselves (even though I had said to her to just carry on and I will take my time as see them back at the rec!) But there were quite a few times they had to run back to me that I began to feel sorry for them, I kept imagining them thinking "Oh blimey back again"  Of course they wasn't, but I still felt like 'Private Pile' from 'Full metal Jacket' 

I kept checking they all had their socks on was they were heading back to me! It's amazing how much I 'beat myself up' something I had learned to stop doing and just enjoy running, but getting back to club running I felt I have to be just as I was, able to keep up, not dragging my ass or getting others to my ass around, but really, everyone is in the same boat as me, we've all struggled through this Covid time and we all need encouragement, we certainly don't need to beat ourselves up that's.  But its funny the things that come into you mind when your struggling!

The second time I went with them, we had run a little further, taking a little bit longer, but I felt I was a little bit quicker than the week before, I was still way behind but definitely not as bad as the week before.

Of course, every weekday I have been working out in my sitting room, going live on Facebook for all to see and working out with Janice! Every day she is working out with me too, even after she has done a 3 miler first thing in the morning!  Having Janice there has really kept my motivation to keep pressing play on Team Body Project you tube videos!

Also I have been working out with the neighbours still, Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings!  That has been fun, but until park run or PWR activities begin again I shall be doing that!  September though, I will have to rethink the Wednesday evening sessions because I shall be back at work!

Today I did a very short run, I had a club meeting to find out what and how things will look for club members when we meet up again soon, I walked there, (only because I didn't want to look completely all hot and sweaty and breathing heavy) and then I ran/walked home!

So that about sums it all up!  The new norm is coming, until they find a vaccine for this damned virus, things will be different but I will be so glad to get back to the (new)routine of club running!

P.s.

I got back on my bike too!  I shall write in my cycling blog about that! Very pleased about that!

It's been a while!

Hello blog readers.

Its me again!

So Two weeks worth of exercising and running shoved into one!  Lets see if I can do it!

Well, I have been prancing around in my sitting room doing my exercises in my sitting room! Mainly it's been Team Body Project!  I just love those guys!  I have joined the facebook group and actually joined on the members portal on the web too!  I've not done too much with the web page as yet, but I will get around to it soon.  I'm just having fun(?) doing the workouts from youtube and going live with it!  Janice is still with me and now Tracy is working out with me too!  My sisters both seem to be working now! Darn it!  

I have also been working out on the green with the neighbours and friends too!  That's been a lot of fun, dodging the rain, I think I have only canceled twice because of the the rain. So I am really pleased about that.  Fiona from the close is loving it, and Dawn opposite me is enjoying it too! There has been a couple of friends that are not neighbours that have come along too! I am loving it!  We are all just working out together trying to keep as fit and as active as we can. I think if we just keep on working and moving then we can get through this COVID and come out the other side not as thick around the middle as we thought we would!

I did Adele Murrell class as well!  I am sure I am doing better at her classes, it seems like I am getting up and down from the mat a bit quicker than the first time I did her class!  I shall have to go and have a look at my videos (a great suggestion from Janice)  which is a blimmin great idea actually!  After all, the proof is actually seeing the difference.  My weight hasn't blimmin shifted at all! Not one flaming ounce!  But my clothes still fit!  Well, my black trousers don't or my black dress that I needed!  By my stretchy jeans all fit!   Also someone said that I have a waist again!  Which is good!  I knew it was in there some where,  so I took these pictures from my workout videos, what do you think, is there a slightly less thickening around the middle? Let me know in a postcard! Oh my goodness, I am showing my age now!

Jordan Burns workout was another one I did.  I have sent him my email address and I am going to try and do one of his HIIT classes via zoom!  I am not sure how I will do with that!  It'll be interesting!  But I think I am looking forward to it!  We shall see!

My running clubs fitness in the Rec is still going strong.  Although we have had a couple of wet offerings, we still kept going!  Groups of 6 doing running exercises and core exercises.  There four groups in Willet Rec and there are a few more groups in Eynsford Park.  It looks like it's all working well.  I have been taking my.....ooops my hubbys speaker along, we do our core exercises to music.  It seems to hurt less and feels like we are on a night out!

Oh, yes, of course.  I went running too!  I went running just this Saturday gone.  I am doing 'Jeffing' to get me around, staying focused on the whole timed running bits.  I am running 1 minute, walking 1 minute, Jeff Galloways style of running.  Anything to look for that darn mojo of mine that seems to have gone into total isolation!  The discipline of counting the seconds on each minute, making sure that I run every second of the minute, and making sure that I don't blend my walking seconds into my running seconds is doing me good I think.  I am going to up my running to 90 seconds running 60 seconds walking. probably after I come back from my holiday!  I am totally aching after my running, which means that I must be working all sorts of other muscles while running than I am when I am doing the workouts!  Strange.  

Not too bad a blog, a short one considering I have been working out 6 days a week, for the last 2 weeks, sometimes two or three times a day!  I'm impressed with me! Just for the sheer staying power, sticking with the whole of the workouts every day!  That's only because I'm working out with my mates on line!  Thanks ladies!  You don't know how much you help me to stay focused! 

I just got to get myself back on that bike and I shall be all hunky dory again!

Some comparison photos.  Hmm, is there a difference?

April 2020

July 2020

Hmmm Maybe!

Games, Workouts and Running!

Hello blog readers.

I've not been idle, I've been up to all sorts! It's been over a week since the last blog.  So, what have I been doing!  Well, I've been prancing in front of the telly, doing my Team Body Project workouts with Janice.  I had last wednesday off, family friends funeral, but since then hard work!  You would think that I would show, somewhere in my body! Somewhere, there is a very hard worked, lean, strong muscle that is hidden by blubber and what ever!  Because I really do work hard, but then, of course, the eating.....the eating does get a bit in the way of progress!  All I keep thinking is that 'If I didn't exercise, prance in front of the telly then I could be a blob by now, trying to rock myself of my chair each night......or to go to the loo, which is about as much exercise I would do!

So Monday, TBP, with Jan, Tuesday, TPB with Jan, Thursday TPB with Jan,  those three days we were doing a TBP programme that I found on YouTube, it's called Two Week Transformation, Day 1 called Sweat Slinger, Day 2 was called Warrior.  Wednesday of course I didn't exercise at all, not even in the evening with the neighbours, Thursday it was TWT day 3.  I also did my clubs Speed and core work on at the rec.  With a bubble of 6 of us on one park of the rec, three other bubbles taking up other parts of the rec and yet more bubbles of 6 at a difference location all together!  You can tell that we have all missed our club meets, because we have to book these sessions and they fill up pretty darn quick!  I was leading again, so of course I brought along the things I've been learning on YouTube, a nice 15 minute session of core and leg work done to music! I think my group quite liked the disco effect! Then was Friday, I looked for TWT day 4, but I couldn't find it on YouTube, so I checked the website that I am free member on and it was there!  Unfortunately to do that one I needed to upgrade my membership!  Well, that is not going to happen, maybe at some point, but not just yet.  So I looked at what sort of thing it looked to be, and by the description it was mainly cardio. I looked for a TBP class that was all cardio, of course that is all Alex style!  She loves the cardio.  I found the free one called Blaze!  Oh my goodness!  It was tough!  But we smashed it! We did it, I moaned all the way through!

On the Saturday it was back to working out with the neighbours in front of my house!  We used the weights!  It also started raining! Grrr.  At that lovely summer weather seems to have finished now that we have started summer!  I managed to get through most of the exercises that I had planned, cutting some down to 30 seconds instead of 40 seconds.  The rain remained at just a drizzle until we had finished!  Brilliant.

I also went for a run, by myself, all alone, solo run!  I haven't ran for ages!  I been kidding myself that as long as I am exercising my fitness level will stat!  Wrong!  I just the nice route that Naggy does with the dog, up the path that goes to turn around lamppost, but turn left half way along, through the park turn right up to the bus depo and then run along the A21 heading towards Bromley.  Left at the roundabout and then head on home via Greenway, Magpie Hall lane and through the park.  Oh My fecking goodness!  I felt like I was going to die!  I had to do a 'Jeffing' all the way around!  But I did it!  It really is totally different sort of fitness, the running, the workouts, swimming, cycling!    I tell you what I admire those that do triathlons!  Oh my goodness, to be able to do all three with a smile on your face is amazing!

So on that Saturday I have decided that I really do need to pick up my running again.  I had a rest day on Sunday, well...I say rest, as I had a completely empty house I did the whole house top to bottom, clearned, polished, hoovered, washed, you name it I did it.  Most of the day it took me!  I was totally sweating, it felt like I was doing a whole day long workout!

Which brings us to this week.  Yesterday it was back to TBP with resistance and cardio, a good workout with the weights!  Today, well I thought I would do something different and looked through YouTube and came up with 'PopSugar'.  What the feck did I do that!

When you see tiny skinny fit looking girls, full make up, that cutesy tutesy little giggle they do, you know it's gonna be hard!  So, I forewarned Jan what we were going to be doing, didn't even look through the video myself, I just needed it to be another surprise bag of fun!  Fun!  Now there's a word you just wouldn't put with hard work, sweat inducing exercises, is it!  It was tough, and then to watch the instructor do burpees, well!  There is no way in this world will I ever be able to do that!  Way to acrobatic!  I must have looked like I was dying because Dexter, my daughters dog, came over while I was lying on the floor ready to do some exercises and attempted to give me the kiss of life!  Not a pleasant thing really! Bless him! He seemed to have me at a disadvantage as I had my hands full with the weights!

So up to date, we're there!  Still fat and frumpy, but underneath it all are muscles that are turning into steel!  Oh, yes, just one other thing!  Instead of sitting on my arse, sweating, waiting for my heart to get back from panic mode, I changed my shoes and went out for a run!  I didn't push it, I just wanted to get out and run, a very short route along the main road and back through the park, about 1.75 miles!  Again, I did 'Jeffing'  1 minute running, 1 minute walking!

So, until next time bloggers! Stay safe.

A Whole Week of Exercising

Hello blog readers.

So I left my blogging for a while! Well, you don't want me sprouting off everytime I lift a blimmin weight up do you.  It was pretty tough getting back to it again....you know....after the accident!  Two weeks off and I was feeling fecking sluggish, lazy, a little thicker around the middle....and top....and bottom, in fact, everywhere!  I was so looking forward to getting back to doing some sort of exercises, if a little apprehensive. 

Getting back to exercising was a bit like washing my hair for the first time in a week, when the stitch came out.  I was expecting stinging and pain and just general yuckyness, but, thankfully when I did wash my hair it didn't sting at all.  It was like that when I did the first Team Body Project two weeks post accident.  It wasn't that bad!  Ok, it hurt, but it hurt anyway.  My shoulder complained, but I just didn't use the weights.  Through out that first week all I did was the beginners TBP video, I put in as much as I could. On one day I had my own 'backing crew' but they didn't to much, they just layed on the sofa and chair and snoozed, it was my daughters two dogs, Dexter and Chico!

Then on the Thursday it was my running clubs second Fitness In Th Park!  I had missed the previous one, obviously, but I was leading last Thursday!  My running club had come up with measures that we could keep in 6 people bubbles, as recommended by the government, keeping out two meter distances and all do some fitness and running exercises in the park!  You can't imagine how I felt being back meeting up with some of my buddies in the park.  It was good to see everyone.  What wasn't good was the fact the park was almost full to busting!  There was a kids football thing going on, and no doubt that was the parents that were standing around on the grass watching.  There were loads of dog walkers and people just enjoying the park!  I was thinking that maybe we were going to have to abandon at least one of our groups, maybe just go for a 3 mile run through the woods instead!

As it was our club was spread over two parks, there were four groups in Willet rec with a further 4 in Eynsford park, which is actually a bigger park! Thankfully though, the football crew had just finished their time in the park and it soon emptied enough for the four groups to have a piece of the park to do some running and some exercises in.

I began with a warm up jog and some skipping to warm up the legs, and then we had a pyramid style running.  the only bit of running I could think of that has not contact at all.  Then it came to the core training, this is where all those weeks or doing core training in my home came in handy!  I apologised in advance to the 5 ladies that were in my group to what I was about to put them through!  I have been learning a lot!  It's been hard work during all those weeks locked down.  It's a blimmin pity my body don't look like I've been working out, but then, as I keep telling myself, eating chocs and crips and delicious shit like that is not going to help slim me down!

I think I got a few daggers from the ladies as I put them through their paces!  After that we had a relay running section. It was shorter than our usual circuit that we had done in previous years but sharing the green with three other groups you just have to make do.  It was brilliant though, it felt good to be back doing stuff with my running club.

I also have been working out with the neighbours, last Wednesday and Saturday.  Fiona from the close is really keen and just loves coming along.  So all the while I am furloughed I will keep it going!

Today I decided to just go a little harder with the workout!  I did the TBP with Daniel and his wife Alex, fecking nora!  She is one tough lady!  Even Daniel says his wife is trying to kill him!  But I just wanted to see if I could do it.  I found this route just before my accident, I did it the first time and found it hard then!  Why on earth I decided to do it today after only a week 'recuperating exercises' I don't know!  Anyway, I did it, it was flipping tough, even to the stage of 'almost feeling' nauseous, you know that feeling, when you think if you carry on doing something you are likely to start to feel sick, but not quite!  Well, I reached that point today!  I did feel good that I did it, my body just wanted to crawl back upstairs and go to sleep!  I wish I had some of those endorphins or adrenaline or what ever it is that make people feel on fire after a good work out!

So there were are, all up to date.  Back to exercises, flying the flag for wearing helmets on bikes!  I still haven't gotten back on my bike yet, but I will! Honest!  Just got to find the time!

Did I Tell You I Had An Accident

Hello readers.

It's my first day back to regaining my fitness level to pre accident state.  Oh, did I not say, well I had a bit of a fall from my bike!  A big old husky dog ran in front of my bike and I came off!  No helmet, I landed probably head first! I am not sure as I can't remember much! Oh, oh ok I have told you, well that's good.  If you want to read about it all it will be on my cycling blog, complete with graphic pictures.  And if it just makes one other person to put on a helmet before riding, then my job is done!

So today, first day back, 14 days after the fall.  bruises still healing, cuts still healing and my should is definitely on the mend although it is still sore.  I was in a bit of a dilemma, do I go back to the TPB that has no weights or do I stick with where I left off from two weeks ago.  Well, being me, being bloody minded, I thought I would stick with where I left off!  Fool!  How many times have I moaned that people should come back and just take it easy!  Ok, so I thought I was going to take it easy anyway, if any pain happens other than then muscles groaning, then I would stop.  But I was a bit of a stubborn bugger and I didn't want to 'go back'.  It's not going back, honest, it's just warming up!  Anyway, I had bought my weights, my dumbbells and I was going to use them!  I was thinking of doing the harder version, where I would have needed my mate, but decided to just do the first one I did.  All standing, working out, with the weights and with out.  It's going to be tough anyway, so lets just see how it goes.

I announced to all the world......ok to my Facebook friends that I would be back prancing in front of my t.v. again, trying to get fitter.  At 11 in the morning I was there, poised, ready.  Weights ready, drink ready, youtube ready!  It really did feel good to say hi to everyone!  Jan was there, she was going to be joining in! Not sure who else joined in or just watched, but there was a few people that I said hi to!  So, beginners Team Body Project with resistance, all standing and it's something that I was able to do......and almost look like it was easy.....almost!  Two weeks off and a sore shoulder might make this look the michelin man trying to run a marathon without any training! 

The first few minutes, the warm up, was going really well, I couldn't even feel any niggling pain in my shoulder, I know I have been moving it about a lot more in the last 3 or 4 days, so I knew it would be ok.  Even after the workout began, still I wouldn't have known I fell of my bike, just felt good.  But then as the workout progressed, the weights, the squats, more weights, arms up, arms down, squats!  Boy did I feel it then.  Not pain, just aches and moans and groans in my muscles.  My shoulder did crumble a bit more and on the odd occasion I had to stop before the official break!  It was hard work, I got a bit of a sweat on, not like I usually do, but then I didn't work as hard as I usually do!  My muscles were just not letting me! 

So, tomorrow, I will push pass the pain!  I will not stop, once I press play then it's full on!  I have two weeks to catch up on!  This furlough business is not going to last much longer surely!  Mind you, I think once I am back at work, my working out are going to continue!  I am loving it!

Oh, I must introduce Jan's workout buddy, her granddaughter, she even used some weights!  How cool is that!

It's good to be back but don't worry, I won't be blogging everyday, but I just wanted to blog today to say 'Hi I am back, thank you all for your kind messages, flowers, chocolates and that lovely lillie plant, thank you all, I've missed you all"

A Whole Week of No Blogging?

Hello Readers

A whole week of nothing from me!  Well, it doesn't mean that I have been doing nothing!  I have been busy doing all sorts.  Not much running though! I am so finding that a hard thing to get going again, not sure why.  But keeping myself busy with the work outs with my pals has been a life saver!

I can't imagine what I would be like if I didn't do at least 30 minutes of exercises every day, just getting my heart rate above that of a sloth is a bonus!  I have been doing mainly Team Body Project workouts, an absolutely brill programme of  exercises and routines to get the heart going, get the fat burning, and now that I have my weights and mat, I should start to get stronger, my arms are just so weak!  I can just about hold a plank for 30 seconds.

My sister Bims has gone back to work, so she's not been joining me via facetime working out together, but Jan has been there most days and LouLou joining in.  My other sister, hmmm, well I need to kick her arse to get herself moving and sweating!  She does a lot of getting around, but just not enough time spent on herself!  Are you reading this Mrs, I am talking about you! Anyway, it seems that as long as I am out their with my mates I get on and do my exercises, it's gotta be doing me so good right!

Yesterday and today I used my new dumbbells, oh my goodness, I can't tell you how excited I was to use these, lets just hope that the excitement stays for quite a while!  But oh my goodness, I was thinking than maybe I should have got the slightly lighter weights!  There was a choice between .75kg, 1kg, 1.5kg, 3kg and even heavier, but I went with the 1.5kg, its not to light, slightly challenging than the 1kg, plus not showing off by going for the 3kg (and possibly never using them again) I think I chose the right ones. There was a point when I first got them and tried them out that maybe I should have got the lighter ones, but now, I think I made the right choice!  By the way, when I got my stuff from Sports Direct, they sent me a free gift......its the most humongous mug with their logo imblazed on it!  It's almost swimming pool size.  Not only that but because of my....um.....lack of attention to detail, (I ordered a yoga mat bag rather than the yoga mat itself, I now have two of these delightful mugs! 

So yes, I have been busy, honest, Ive been walking with the Old Boy, I've even done a bike ride, I shall write that up on my other blog. I just don't want to  blog every day, especially as I am boring the pants of people by going live on my FaceBook page doing my workouts! 

So until next time blog readers

Bike Rides, Walks and Workouts!

Hello blog readers.

I look tired here, I think
I didn't sleep too well the night
before

I am afraid I have left it way too long between blogging and exercising!  I can't remember what I done on what day.  But I have been busy that's for sure!  I decided that I wouldn't write up every single day about my exercising because that would just become bloody boring, I don't want to bore the pants of you guys!  I expect I am doing that with my viewer on my live feeds on FaceBook!  But all the while I have at least one person that pops in then, in my mind, they are there with me, for the whole 30 minutes or so, which means that I have to keep on going. I must be fair, usually Jan is working out with me, reminding me each time to put my watch on!  Oh yes, I put my Garmin on to record my exercises!  If it's not recorded then it didn't happen! (except on facebook..... but you know!)

I have done a lot of Team Body Project workouts, I have now subscribed to his channel on youtube.  There are a lot of videos on there!  I thought I would 'step it up' again this week, on Monday, I chose one of theirs on the channel with Alex taking the lead, the wife/partner of......blimey I really need to find out his name, but anyway, she is evil!  Oh my goodness, I really thought I was ready for it, after all, I have been doing exercises now for five weeks, six weeks?  It's a bimmin long time.  But I am not!  I am thinking to myself, we live in an world that wants things done quicker faster, done yesterday!  We want things to be smaller, lighter, that includes ourselves!  But things like fitness does not come in an instance.  It's also not all about exercises too!  Unfortunately!  It's about healthy eating as well!  That is what I need to work on as well, but, well, I just don't want too!  It's too much like hard work!  Yes I know working out, running, cycling and all forms of exercises is hard work, but doing that and then denying yourself the sweet tasty, fattening things in life just seem to be too much!  I think I must be grateful for the fact that at least I am working out, burning off some of those calories that I seemed to insist I stick down my neck!  I can't imagine what I would look like after lockdown has been lifted if I didn't workout, run and cycle!

Shalinis handiwork, she even
had her own personal
postal workers, her
husband and Daughter!

Did I mention that I have been working out on the green in front of my house?  Shalini was very keen to get this underway after I said "We should get our neighbours to do a workout on our green"  Why did I say that, I hear you say.  Because J.J.'s street have all been coming out on a Saturday morning to all workout together!  Well it is a brilliant idea, isn't it!?  Neighbourly, kindness, helpful, encouraging!  All the things that we should be, this week especially! Anyway, Shalini got the ball rolling and straight away got on with letting the neighbours know!This was the first week

My second cycle out was a lot better by the way......I pumped up the tyres!  I can't believe I didn't really check them, Anyway, more about cycling in my other blog!  So I have worked out with Joanna Soh and with the Peloton guys, Cody and Hannah! I have worked out with Adele Murrell and I have done numerous Body Project.  Some have been pretty tough going!  But I am not going stop, that's for sure!  I have to keep going! Even if it's for my own piece of mind, just doing something is better than not doing something!  It's mental Health Awareness week, and I tell you, exercise does help with your whole 'feeling ok' with things!  I am sure when people are really feeling totally shitty the last thing they want to do is to go out for a run, or pick up some dumbbells and throw those skywards!  I know there has been many a time I haven't been arsed to go for a run, knowing that it would probably do me good! I know that because there have been a few times when I've gone running when I didn't feel like it and had a bloody good run! Something to do with endorphins or some such thing.  I was certain I have never had such things, I was never issued any when I was in the queue to be born!  Well that's what I thought!  That's only because when I expecting this huge high, this euphoria, unmistakingly like nothing else!  When generally it's all just about your head space, me time, that feeling of.....'Yes I fecking done it'! Sometimes that is all you need.

What else did I do! Oh yes, I went for a bike ride yesterday, with my sons girlfriend.  She borrowed my white Giant and I took my Specialized!  It was the first time this year!, but more about that in my cycling blog!

Today, well today I went back to Adeles facebook page to do another one of her classes.  One that I have not done before!  It was filmed in 2017, so sometime ago, it looked like it was a lovely day, she had a vest top on all set for summer, at least that is what I thought!  Adele herself had asked if I had done this one before, and I said I hadn't.

So doing it today, all by myself, in the beginning, not even Jan was on line.  Bims is of course working, so no banter!  The video started, the nice gentle warm up, slowing just awakening those muscles! Nope!  It was start jumps and jogging on the spot.  It was like a cold flannel wake up call for your body!  We started the exercises, So far so good, and then.....well......then she said it!  "Burpees are next"  I fecking hate burpees! I just can't do them, my legs don't seem to want to jump forward or backwards once I have touched down with my hands.......or so I thought!"  My first burpee was, almost, a perfect burpee!  I am only sorry that I didn't bring the camera down lower so that all.....one of my.....viewers could see it!  Ok, I still hate burpees, but I did it!  I only did about 3 or 4 to Adele's 6 or 7 or however many she managed to do in 30 seconds!  But yeah, impressed my self!  I think the workouts are..working out! I am still not ready to got continually to the intermediate classes!  During my live workout today Bims came on line!  I she was working from home, or had the day off, whatever, but she came as my 'guest' on my live recording and we had BANTER!  Oh how I have missed that.  At the end of my record I went and had a look at it, I could see me as I popped up and down doing those blimmin burpees!  I can't believe I screamed out 'Burpees' everytime I jumped up!  What a crazy lady!

Was that all I did today? Hmmm, no!  No it wasn't because at 5:30 this evening the neighbours came on to the green for some more socially distance work out!  I did another workout with the neighbours.  I chose to do the very first class we did last week as it was not so much of jumping about as the weather was ridiculously warm!  I seriously didn't think anybody would show up this evening, but Shalini came, my neighbour opposite who lives next door to NaggyNeighbour and one of the ladies from the close!  They all had water with them, thankfully!  I think they all do workout pretty hard, they are all fed up of not moving, or getting around.

So up today date.  A lot to read, a lot missing too, I expect you are pleased about that! 

There's Exercise Galore!

Hello all

I did two lots of exercises on Wednesday, but only got one on Garmin!  So I had to go and add the first one manually!  As it was my first 'class'  that I went live with on facebook, I think it's acceptable.

Jan said that it looked as if  I was finding it a bit easier! Oh if only!  Maybe I was just working harder at it, I knew the moves he was going to be doing next and so I was ready for it!  I did the Body Project one again, I do like that one, repetition, I guess that's the best thing, work harder as you know what's coming!  I think now,  all the classes I have found on youtube so far, I will stick with the few favourite ones during the week, maybe try out a new one once a week, and then have fun on the Friday with the dancing ones!  I like ending the week on a high!

Anyway back to Wednesdays.  The first was the Body Project (I know I just said mentioned that)  deffo on my top three fav vids so far.  Even for the fact that the two people he has with him, doing the class with the instructor (I must try and get the instructors name!) well, they are just ordinary, not so skinny people!  It just makes you feel that you are not wasting your time doing classes.  Because if these guys are there, on youtube for all to see then it's gotta be worth it, right!?  Facebook was playing up again today, with the whole 'invite someone to your live show' button thing!  It was there yesterday afternoon, but this morning, when I wanted it, it was gone!  Not only that my my sister Hayley was late! Tut tut, so in the end, Bims was on facetime and watching me on live too!  We worked hard, there were a few people who popped in and said hi, which was nice.  I love to see the comments, it feels like I am with my pals when I am working out!

I think I worked really hard, I felt the burn in my thighs, I was sweating, I think I only stopped short a couple of times!  Tut, but mainly I worked it!  Bims had her weights with her.  I think that is what I am going to get now, along with a mat, because I know when I do the floor exercises, (not that there were any in todays reps) I always slip on the floor.  A little treat for myself I think.  Anyway, we did it, we smashed it, we got the sweat for doing it!  Loved it!

The next one I did on the same day was with my work colleagues.  It was suggested that we come along and have fun doing a zumba class!  I have checked out the Zumba classes on youtube, to be honest, it's not entirely my thing, mainly because  I need verbal  instruction, just before each exercise, as well as just seeing how it's done.  My brain seems to go to mush when I try and decided which way to go, with which hand or knee going up, down or sideways!  I have noticed that on all the Zumba classes on youtube they are all the same, the instructor in front, just pointing out which way or which leg she/he is going to use and then does it!  So by the time I have worked out what to do they are on the next move.   I can't get those the hand signals, the count down with the fingers letting me know when the next 'move' is going to happen.  I was only too glad that my camera decided to pack up before we started the class as I was just so uncoordinated, I was all arms and legs going in different directions.  Still I just kind of wiggled my hips in the right places, I still managed to get a sweat on, and it was fun (ish)!  But Zumba, hmm, maybe it's not quite the right classes for me! Stick to my discuiplined exercises and core training!

Thursday, well that was done with Adele Murrell a friend of mine.  I think I have told you all before.  I am a creature of habit, I like to do things that I have done before and get it right! This would be the third time I had done this same class with Adele, I still enjoyed it just as much!  My muscles, I am sure, enjoyed it too!  Bims was with me on facebook live! We finally managed to get it together!  That was fun, seeing her with me on the same screen!  I have yet to get organised where I can 'see' both of my sisters while exercising!  It will come, I know!

I kept having to pause Adele, just while I picked myself up off the floor, and then to start the next exercises!  There is no rest for the wicked!  Maybe when she goes 'live' next time on facebook she can 'invite' one or her clients on screen, someone who is not quite as subtle as her, and takes just a little bit longer to get up off the floor!  No rest for the wicked (chocolate, cheescake, chicken flavour crisp munchers to you!)

There were spotty dogs, planks and all other sorts of exercises thrown in there, down on the floor, up on our feet, back down on the floor.  It deffo worked us all.. I say 'us' because sometimes it is not just me, or me and my sister, my other pals join in too!  Jan and Lou often come and join me!  It's so much fun when there are more of you.  The banter, even if I can only see after I have finished, I can see the chat as it happens on my live feed. 

Of course after that, both me and Bims went for a bike ride!  I forgot to take my Garmin with me,

anyway, I have written about that in my cycling blog!  Feck knows how you find it from here, but I think if you click buttons you will be able to find it!  Either that or just check out my facebook page, I usually post it on there, showing off how marvelous I am doing all this exercise!

It was a very special weekend, our bank Holiday Monday was moved to the Friday, it was VE day, 75 years!  Amazing!  Amazing to think that there are still some old soldiers left that was in WW2.  Captain...Colonel Tom Moore, for instance!  At a 100 year old, he walked around his nursing home 100 times raising an astonishing 32 million pounds for the NHS!  He was in the war. Such an inspirational man!  Other elder people also do amazing things for people their age.  Walking up and down stairs, to equal the height of Mount Everest, or it may have been another huge mountain!  Anyway, it's going up, it's stairs!  It kills me going up my one flight of stairs! let along going up them to equal a mountain!

Saturday of course I lazed again! Doing nothing by laying in my garden topping up my freckles. But then Sunday, well Sunday me and Naggyneighbour went for a nice social distancing run through Jubilee park and beyond.  Naggy wanted to do slightly more than the usual 3.5 miles, at least, the very least get to 4 miles distance.  I had a route planned to run to Jubilee, in through the gate, an head left. 

When we left our road Naggy was well and truly so socially distanced from me that I couldn't see her!  I struggled just on that first road, my breathing was all over the place.  I know my diet has a lot to do with the way my body is working right now, totally the wrong things.  But giving up booze (just for the year, July 22nd, here I come!) and giving up the fags only this year, there is no way I am giving up my chocolate and sweet stuff just yet!  I am enjoying my crips and sherbers, my shortbread biscuits with my tea!  No, I need to keep those going, just for a while longer.  But I am sure, in fact I know it's what makes me sluggish, a bloated, full up feeling while trying to run!

I sort of ran walked all the way to the park where Naggy was waiting for me!  We went into the park, dodging people, trying to keep 2m away and then headed for The Manor at Bickley!  From there it was that blimmin hill!  Oh how I hate that hill!  I had a bit of time to think about it as we ran past the hotel, then turning right to run down towards the two bridges! 

There were many people about, there was going to be many a stopping to let people go, or running/walking slowly past them, trying not to breath on them a I pass.  That Hill soon was before me!  I could almost feel it taunting me "Hello Old Girl, where have you been"  It almost speaks loudly to me "Let's see how you do this time, dodging all those sensible people walking up the hill"  You just know, if hills could talk, that's exactly what it would say!  Especially as I did have to dodge a few people going up there!  Naggy seemed to fly up there!

When I got to the top she seem well rested while I was ready to puke up my shortbread biscuits!  This next bit of path is just enough to go along single file.  There will be no 2m distance if there is anyone coming from the other side!.....And yet there was!  A family, with a little girl.  I thanked them as I passed them, the mother holding in her child, almost shielding her daughters face from this monster jogger who is breathing heavily all over the place!  Just then, just as I passed them I cried.  I mean a big huge sob welled up in side and came out!  I had just about composed my self by the time I got to the end where yet more people were waiting.  This virus has got everyone feeling just about like paranoid nutcase or a mutated germ breathing monster.  At that point, I felt like the monster!  I felt horrible!

We ran down Botany Bay Lane, again so filled with families, enjoying the last of the sunshine for the day, well, it was forecasted to rain all day on Sunday.  Naggy stood up on a kerb, by the sheep field, waiting for the families to walk slowly past her.  She said not one of them said thank you, it seemed as if they had forgotten all about social distancing because they were not moving to the other side either!  If we could have, Naggy wanted to leave the park there and then, but we were kind of in the middle.  We decided to not go back through Jubilee park, but once we were over the three bridges we would come out via Tent Peg Lane and then go back home from there.

Just over 4 miles we covered on Sunday.  The longest run I have done in a while!  I enjoyed it, it was slow, but it was good to be out!

And so there's today!  Today was exercise in front of the tv again.  I found another Body Project video to follow. The instructor said it was no.4!  His first one was done 6 years prior to this one, and this one was filmed in 2019!  I would love to know if the that was the one I did first, you know, with Wayne the big guy and Angie.  I would love to see if the programme worked for him.  He looked to be well into to, I hope so!

This one had the instructors wife/partner there too, well I think it was as they were talking about their child!  I was just hoping it was going to be just as good as the first one, really give us a good work out!  And do you know what!  We were not disappointed!  I had both my sisters working out with me, although I could only watch one of them, but Hayley said she was doing it.  I will watch her one day! make sure she's doing it right!  Old Bims there had the weights again!  I must treat myself to some!  And a mat!  Instead of watching telly I should go on amazon or whatever it is and buy some things for me!

I had remembered to start my watch, thanks Jan!  And remember to turn it off with in a couple of minutes of finishing too!  Not ba for an Old Girl! 

So enough of my ramblings,  heres to the next fun packed week of exercises with a blog at the end!