Workouts and a Walk!

 Hello blog readers.

It was pretty hard getting out my bed this morning, but having Tracy waiting for 'the call' is a great incentive to get moving.  I think that is why I kept going 'live' on Facebook last year, knowing that people were waiting to either watch or join me in getting fit.  

We worked out together yesterday too, I just didn't blog about it, was to engrossed in doing.....um......I am sure I was doing something! I did the same one again, and tomorrow will be the last time for this particular session.  I will try another one, maybe a cardio and resistance on Monday, step it up for both of us!

I really do get a good old sweat on, it's hard work.  I just hope it starts showing results soon.  I am desperately watching what I eat, taking note of everything....well most things.  The occasional biscuit goes under the radar.  Also easing up at the weekend, after all, during this lockdown we need to have some things that are fun and have the 'feel good' factor in there.  Mapmyfitness has all my eating habits, as well as all my workout info.

The pictures today were from yesterday, if you look carefully, the bottom right hand corner, you can see Tracy!  It's more interactive when I video call her, that way I can keep an eye on what shes doing too! 

A walk today as well.  Walking with Little buddy and his brother Benji with my daughter.  It's blimmin treacherous out there, isn't it?  If I got a pound for the amount of times I said 'Whoops" I would have been quids in after that.  We walked for about 3 miles, maybe a little less.  I forgot to start up my Garmin, I hate it when that happens, but my vivoactive 3 does recognise that I am going for a walk, phew, but only after I have started. It also stops by itself if it thinks I have stopped walking!  But at least I have some of my walk logged!  

I felt so sorry for little Buddy being so close to the ground. Benji is a bigger dog and loves to roll about in the snow, but little Budbud, bless him, I was almost tempted to carry him, but I guess that is not the idea of a walking the dogs!

So another short blog about not much!  I am so looking forward to when I can get out for a run.  I seem to waffle on a bit more about that!  Until tomorrow dear readers for another riveting read of the antics of the Old Girls attempt to lose the pounds!

Earlier Start!

 Hello blog readers.

Two sessions in a row! I shouldn't say anything really, I don't want to put the 'mockers' on it!  But there I was this morning, up early......well, earlier than I have been doing during the week.  I said I would call Tracy so that we could work out together.  She said that she has not been doing anything much, maybe the odd walk here and there! 

Although I was doing a few exercises pre-covid isolation, as Tracy was joining me I chose to do the beginners TBP class again, the one with Wade and his wife Angie, and Daniel.  I could make it a little harder for myself with my weights, if I wanted to.  

Both Tracy and I were ready, not sure we were looking forward to it, but I knew, once we had finished we would be pleased with ourselves.  It's that initial starting that gets me, but once you're in the swing of things it soon passes quickly. You should have heard the moans and groans though! From me and Tracy!  I did enjoy it though.  We are going to do the same one for the rest of the week, just to loosen up before I start delving in to all those other ones!  The ones with Alex working out too!

I forgot to take pictures, I just about remembered to switch my Garmin on though, we were about 7 or 8 minutes into the workout! So, looking forward to tomorrow ....!

Fecking Covid!

 Hello blog readers.

The last time I blogged was the 18th January! I was thinking that, that's it, I'm back, mojo or no mojo!  I did a couple of runs after that, plus some walking, little doggie walks etc, but then COVID struck!  Feck knows how! From the local shops, picking up milk and....beer! Walking about?  That's a scary thought, picking it up just by taking your daily constitutionals!  Or maybe from my son, who is a key worker and needs to go into work.  Any hoo, there was the Old Boy and me on the 26th January at the local drive though COVID  Testing, after my son told us that his test came up positive!  As it happened the Old Boy managed to escape the dreaded virus so me and my son were confined to quarters!  Actual solitary confinement!  It wasn't all bad, the Old Boy was keeping us well fed and watered, plus I had all my gadgets, technology, books pencils and games that I could possible want!

Confinement finished on Friday night!  The rain started Saturday afternoon, snow on Sunday! Just my actual luck!  I formulated (ish) a plan, just let this weekend go, recover some more from the covid thing fortunately I had it extremely mildly, only a cough, ever so slight breathlessness, which I think maybe was more stress related.  Then, come today I would start my exercises up again, running, when I can, apparently according to my running pals out there running some places are treacherous!  I don't fancy trying to run or even walk with the ice and stuff.

YouTube and Peloton it is!  Just a gently break into it, a nice twenty minutes of Team Body Project and another twenty minute Peloton session.  Not bad!  I didn't work as hard as I usually do, but it was a great 'head' start to trying to get back to some sort of fitness and hopefully work off the Lockdown weight gain!  It's not been good for my weight all this staying at home!  At least I am hoping that is all it is, because if it comes to the fact that it's all due to hormones I won't have a clue what to do to shift it!

Short and sweet blog, just to help me more than anything, to get back to it!  Come on!!! 

What? Am I Back!?

 Hello blog readers

Can you believe it's been a bloody age since my last blog!  And a bleedin bloody age since a last ran!

I have been extremely lacking in the old exercise dept as well as the running dept!  Lockdown hasn't helped in the slightest.  You would think that it would, wouldn't you.  All this long days doing nothing!  It's been blimmin horrible.  Of course I am not taking anything away from all those that have to go out and work, all the doctors and nurses, delivery men, transport chaps etc.  They have to go out too.  If my school had enough of our breakfast and afterschool club kids to attend I would be there!  But alas furloughed again.  Again, I know there are so many that would love to be in my position, and I am extremely grateful that I have this option.  But there are other little demons that work on they old grey matter in the the old noggin.  Little demons that say "Just don't worry about setting an alarm to get up, what's the point?" and things like "Do it tomorrow, it will give you something to do!"

You think like that it soon turns in to getting up at 11:30 am, or you end up doing nothing because you're saving things to do tomorrow!  Well that's how I have been, add that together with having hurt my back on Christmas day to the extent that I had to start getting up from bed or chair half hour before I needed the loo just so that I could make it to the toilet on time!  Being sedent.......scedent.......sedanttary......being still in a house for 2 weeks solid was not good.  I was looking forward to getting back to work......I was still hoping it was going to happen on January 5th.  But Boris said no, I had to go in for the first day as we had a couple of kids booked in, we just didn't know if they were key worker kids or not!  As it happened they didn't come in!  So there was nothing to do but close down, empty freezers and get rid of opened packets of cereals.

So that is where I was, beginning of January.  I went for walks to help my back get stronger, Naggy has got herself this adorable gorgeous little Dachshound, one that I can keep up with walking and possible running with, when he's older.  I have been going with my daughter as she walks both dogs while Naggy is working, and sometimes I have been with Naggy as well!   

On the 7th January I did my first TBP for the year!  Why oh why did I not continue to do these!  I promised my self I would continue to do it after the first lockdown, when I went back to school in September.  I was flying though those routines, I was helping all the others that watched me on Facebook and came to workouts on the green.  But to see me now! Feck!  I was puffing and panting like I had just done a marathon....and that was just pulling my jog pants on!  They first class I did when I came back, was the one with the weights!  Well, I had bought them, might as well use them!  Oh my goodness, I really couldn't keep up at all!  I had quite a few 'Little breaks' as Daniel Bartlett calls them.  I flew through these last year!  I just goes to show, if you don't use it you lose it!  Of course the running was few and far between as well!  

From 7th January I have tried to do as much as I did during the summer months, but my head is not quite there!  I have done something most days, whether it's a walk, a short walk or a Team Body Project class by myself.  I have got a bit better at them now, not quite up to Augusts standard, but getter better.  

Today I attempted to go for a run!  My first run since....8th December! Tut tut!  It's deffo been quite a while!  I thought I would need all the encouragement going, of course I procrastinated!  I procrastinated for England!  I thought my earphones needed charging, my phone needed charging, my house needed cleaning.  I HAD to have a cup of tea, I really needed to see.......oh I don't know.....anything but get out of the house and run.  I even decided not to do a TBP workout before or after my run, just to make it easier for myself to think that that would be it for the day!  Eventually I got out of the house, I put Peloton on, to talk to me all the way through! It was a beginners interval run.  I knew I wouldn't be able to do all he asked but at least he will tell me that 'I am doing well, keep going!'  

My usual route of down the path and across the park, the A21 and then back home via Southborough lane.  I listened to Andy Speer, especially the bits when he said ''Ok back to a nice easy jog" because that meant I just walked a little slower....!  Of course I did run some, and I knew I was well out of shape and so much slower that I used to be because when Andy said that we were half way through, if it's an out and back then I should turn around, usually I was up by the Crown Lane Spur, the pub there on there corner! Not this time though, I was still on the new path by the new builds that is on the A21, I really need to pull my self together!

I got back thinking that it was a really bad run!  But as us runners always say, 'There is no such thing as a bad run!' A slower run, shorter run, even one that was abandoned after a mile, yes deffo, but never a bad run.  I got out there!  I did it!  My back grumbled again, which I not surprised in the least as my weight is just disgusting!  Getting out there doing it, I've started.  I just need to keep it going now!  

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.

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