Can I do it? Yes I can!

Well I have a child free morning and planned to run after dropping kids off.  I heard though it is meant to rain.  Well when I got up at 6am it was quite dark out so didn’t want to go straight away to miss the rain so made the lunches, folded laundry, made the bed etc.

At 7am I was out and running but very aware that Martin is due to be picked up at 7.30am although his ride arrived at 7.20 on Monday so I was concerned he may arrive early today. I kept running and this time just kept going straight rather than turning round and heading back home.  When I did stop and turned I carried on with my usual 2/2 walk run.  I did however make sure I ran the last part in case the ride was there.

Well now I am home I checked my distance on Map your Run and I did 1.1km again so that is a positive knowing my fitness is at the same place.  Just hopefully my next run will take me that little bit further.

I just heard some more of the applicants emails on the radio and they have similar stories so it will be interesting to see who they pick.

I have something funny or impressive to tell you.

One of the family friendly radio stations (The Breeze) are running a competition called Fit and Fabulous. They want people to apply to be a part of this.  The breakfast hosts will choose people to form 2 teams. They will compete over 6 weeks on nutrition and fitness and the best overall member will win a trip to Fiji and $1000.00 to a makeover and $1000.00 for a photo shoot and a gym membership.

To start with you get a free membership to the gym sponsoring the competition for the 6weeks and they are trying to get some clothes sponsored as well.

Well I applied last week via email and said how I had lost 8kg since August by watching what I eat and exercising and Ihave entered the Triwomen Duathlon but need help to loose the flabby tum and bingo wings, also I want to be a role model for the kids. Anyway they read out my email online this morning.  The lady host laughed at the bingo Wings comment and the male host sounded impressed with the role model comment.

I haven’t been accepted on the team yet but sounds like I could be a contender.  I just don’t know when they are announcing the winners.  It will be so exciting if I get chosen and I am so determined to win the Grand Prize.  Fiji here I come.

Will stay in touch with any outcome

I had all the good intentions of going to bed early but it ended up being 10.30pm after all.

Well I woke at 6.00am and was awake properly so 1st thought was.  Oh Martin has to work later today so won’t be home till 5pm which is awkward to go for a cycle then as it is dinner finalisation time as we eat at 5.30pm.  So I decided it was light enough outside so by 6.30am I was on the road.

It was a pleasant ride except my body still was asleep.  I can now do 5km in 19minutes so that is good as for the race I want to do 10km in 35mins so definitely on the way to achieving that.

Well must dash as Kindy and Mainly Music are on the schedule today.

Hope the day improves as quite cloudy and I have 3 loads of washing on the line.

Well it is Monday.  That means weigh day. 

I gained 100g so a bit bummed but I will carry on and hopefully next week will be a big loss to make up for it.  I stuck to my points for the week but somehow it happened.  Some people have been encouraging and saying it could be water retention or muscle.  I will take it and just believe that was the reason.

Anyway today we were back to routine.  Martin went to work and Isaiah at Kindy, Dayna and I will go to coffee group soon.  Getting up for 6am was a little tough and made doing Turbo Jam hard as took a bit to have that ‘feel alive feeling’.  I did it though and still at the higher intensity so hopefully that was a good amount of calories burnt.

Have a lovely day as we will with the sun out and shining.

So I was a misery guts yesterday morning.  Took some time to pass and meant I was a slow polk for the morning.  This got me down as had great goals of things to achieve before the day was out so we weren’t frantic on the last day of holidays.

We needed to finish tidying the garage and in doing this we got rid of a number of things that we had held onto that were broken or we only used once or twice.  So after I swept out the garage it looked great.  I sent Martin off to the Sallies to get rid of our junk for someone to make their treasure.  Actually some of it was pretty good and we should have sold it on Trade Me.  While he was out I made Omelettes for lunch.  The kids love them.  Dayna came searching for more.

After lunch it still took an hour of wasted time before we got out the door to pick up a few things from the shops.  A new rubbish bin for Dayna.  We needed to replace the line for the line trimmer which is getting a workout on Sunday and some food to replace that in our Emergency Kit.  When cleaning the garage we looked through our kit and noticed some items had just expired and the others with no expiry date we thought we should rotate like the cans so they aren’t 5years old or more before they NEED to be used.  Anyway I am impressed that we are prepared, are you?

Once we got back I was determined to wash the car which was on the list of to do’s.  We got that done so we now have a clean garage and clean car.  I’m sure that is a workout too.

Anyway by the end of the day I realised I had not consumed anything unnecessary or naughty.      Porridge for breakfast, Omelette with ham and cheese for lunch and a salad, banana for afternoon tea, a healthy frozen meal for dinner (Saturday’s we have frozen meals as usually out and about) I had mine with a salad.  For a treat I had a mini Perky Nana.  This kept me under my designated points and I even had 7 glasses of water.  So I went to bed feeling good and accomplished.

We also watched a movie to wind down last night that we had videoed last week.  Ned Kelly.  It was good.  I folded washing during it though as had a bit since it was lovely and hung it on the line.

Well I got up and checked my weight and I am no longer over but the same as last week, so lets see what official weigh day says.  I had a headache so took panadol and folded a few more clothes that hadn’t dried properly on the line.  I thought this gave the drugs time to set in before a run.

I went with some goals.  I knew where the turn was to get there and back home to do the 1500m, so wanted to attempt this not putting everything in one basket of completing this, as I only just completed 1000m.  Off I went and I noticed my breathing is getting better and nearly natural so that is a good feeling.  I got to the turn and it felt strange nearly like running on the spot to turn just to keep the pace.  Well I headed back and eventually stopped and walked.  I got to the end of the block and turned around and ran back and then walked again my calf was tight and sore so didn’t want to push it to much.  Home I came after my 20mins run/walk to find it was only a 15min session. oh well.

I looked online to this website which tells me distances by me putting the route in and it calculates it.  I love it, well I ran 1.1km so 100m more than last run session.  Still a good effort.

So lawns to mow and weeds to pull and house to clean.  Then we will have a tidy and clean house inside and out thanks to a Spring Clean.  Just in time for another term of working and running round like a mad mum.        

I got up this morning, I won’t say woke up I think you have to sleep first before waking up.  I put some towels on (washing that is) and got dressed to go on my cycle ride.  The day is just beautiful, sunny and still.  I thought I should be able to whip through the ride easy.

Well boy was I mistaken.  I started cycling and 1 block up I was ready to come home.  I was having a tough time my body just protested.  I felt tired and unfit, like when I started this journey.  Let me take you back a bit before we progress to the tired and unfit comment.

Being the holidays the routines are all out and we try to do things with the kids so take them to the park or to some event.  Anyway as we are out we might grab an ice cream or even a meal.  Due to this my eating has not been as diligent as it should and my water consumption has been real low.  Well not as bad as it could be only because I realise I have only had two glasses for the day so make it up in the late afternoon and evening.  Being the holidays too we have been going to bed later and I mean late last night was close to 12am which you will have seen from last nights blog.  The kids have not slept well so keep getting into our bed.  Dayna wriggles and kicks and Isaiah snuggles so I get disturbed and hot.  I also have to wake for the loo due to drinking lots of water late in the day.

Anyway yesterday was a shocker for food so after my late night Jam I weighed myself knowing it would be high but wanted to compare for the morning.  I have gained 100g from last Monday.  This made me want to cry.  I am tired and have PMS (sorry TMI).  So all in all my mind is not in a good place.

I was cycling away and could just feel the strain of it all.  It was as tough as the day I cycled with the 150kmh winds.  Even the thought of our $24million (they just announced it is now $25mil) win in lotto tonight didn’t help the ride.  I wanted to give up so many times. Well at least cut it short.  It was only a 30min ride and yet at 20mins I was ready to go home.

Well I hate failing so kept going and then tried to think through it and find some reason to keep going.  Well I started thinking of my sister.  She was to race in the Crater Rim triathlon tomorrow but had a sports injury and has been told by the physio she can’t do it or will cause some damage that could take months to repair.  I know this was the big race she has been training for and is really ‘gutted’ she can’t follow through.  She is now looking ahead and changing focus to something she can now train for.  Well here I am wanting to quit because I can’t be bothered and here my sister is having to rest due injury.  No comparison really.  I just have to keep going or I would be a wimp in comparison (my words). This is food for the soul.

Well I got home still not feeling better and still tired and wanting to let the flood gates open but can’t for some reason.  Spoke to soon. lol.  Don’t know where my head is but I have a small achievement and completed my training programme for today and have had 3 glasses of water.  So all in the right direction.

The crazy thing.  I was all keen on my rest day to work but wasn’t meant to and today I would have loved the rest day but didn’t.

Well the car needs washing, need to finish tidying the garage, that will complete the Spring Clean.  Unfortunately there are things to give people we know but won’t see them till next week so the garage isn’t as tidy as we would like.  Due to others bit and pieces.

Tomorrow is a run day and the lawns need mowing.  I have 22hours to fix the mind and hopefully the body will follow.  Thanks Anita for the soul food.  My best wishes are with you as the regroup.

Well it is 11.07pm and I am tired.  I just wanted to get on here with an update.

Yesterday was my rest day and boy did it screw me up.  All day I felt lost for not having done any exercise and it then affected my eating, the junk food slipped in more than usual.  Then today was bedlam and the day just disappeared.  I was panicking that today would be the 1st day I would not have completed my scheduled exercise.

We watched Top Chef and were planning to watch a DVD but knew that would mean a late night.  But I said let me do Turbo Jam and then watch a small movie.  So at 8.50pm I was working hard at Turbo Jam and even did the intense option for the skipping.  So yes I managed to squeeze it in to the day phew.

If you are wondering what DVD we watched it was High School Musical 2 at 107minutes.  Some thing light and easy to wind down to.

One of our kids is wriggling lots in bed not sure which.  Might be Isaiah as he went to bed with a temp.

Tomorrow (yes still can say tomorrow) is a cycle day.  Will be back to tell you about that and about a new map distance thing my sister put me on to which I think is ‘fab’.

Got up at 7am and ready to go.  We had to be at day-care at 8am supposedly.  Anyway the weather was lovely so I knew to take the chance and go for a run.

Of course last time I ran I didn’t get to the end of a block so that was my goal, complete the block.  Well I ran and ran some more.  Got to the end of my original block my thought ‘passed goal 1’ then I got to the 700m mark that I achieved on Sunday and kept going (no I’m not Forrest Gump).  I got to the end of the block,  this is the block with the Holly Hobby gate I mentioned a while back as a cycling mini goal.  Anyway I still had energy and air in the right places so kept going.  I got to the bus stop at the dairy which is my turning point normally.  I couldn’t believe I got there running all the way.

I turned for home and ran my usual 2/2 lamp posts.  I felt so good that I had run the extra distance and was trying to work out how long it was.  When I got home it was time to change and get out the door for day-care.  Also I was getting a cut and colour later in the morning.

After dropping Dayna off we drove the route I had ran.  It is exactly 1km, yay for me.  We also worked out where 1.5km is as eventually I want to run to that point and home as 3km is the longest run portion of the Duathlon.  We also worked out where to run to and turn around for 1.5km run to make home the final point in preparation for the 1st leg of the race.

Based on the last few weeks each run I do which is every 3/4days I am increasing the distance by 300m.  That means at the end of next week I should be able to run 1.5km, oh how exciting.  The other thing is the 1km I ran today took 8mins so that impressed and surprised me too.

I won’t talk about the rest of the day as wasn’t the best.  Had a new hairdresser and hated the cut I cried and called the manager (my friend).  She is seeing me tomorrow to tidy it up.  It is too short so that can’t be fixed for 6weeks or so.  Also I will book in to see another stylist for the next cut.

Oh well I guess a bonus is today at day-care there were photographers to capture the kids in their natural environment.  These photos will be used for brochures and pamphlets for Ministry of Social Development.  We had to sign an authority to allow our child be a part of this.  The last line of the letter said we would get a  $50.00 Warehouse voucher.  Well I picked up Dayna and the photographer just got there as was late.  So Dayna got no photos taken, but still got the voucher.

We used the voucher on some toys the kids wanted that we lay-by’d.  So paid off the lay by and also bought the DVD ‘Cat in the Hat’.  Cool reward for signing a piece of paper.

Well we woke up to what seemed like a storm.  Martin looked up the weather to see if it was ever going to die down.  Only to read Wellington has 150kmh winds and flooding due to the rain.  I thought I would hold off on the bike ride till the afternoon hoping the rain at least would stop.

We took off to the library today as the kids love getting DVD’s and books out.  They are only to take out as many books as they are old.  Somehow Dayna has 5. lol

We then went to the mall to buy a baby present for my hairdresser who is also a friend (prior to being my hairdresser).  In saying that she is not working tomorrow (when I have my appointment) anymore as baby is breech and needs turning as due in two weeks.  I bought a gorgeous hat and booties from JK and a toy that our kids liked as babies from the House of W.  By now if was lunch time.  We went to the food-court.  I decided to have a roast chicken roll, Martin had a Roast Lamb roll, while the kids had McD’s.  While the staff prepared the roll I was constantly saying just a little cheese and just a little mayo etc.  I got home to see just how bad a Roast meat roll is.  It is close to 1/2 my daily allowance and I haven’t had tea yet.

As we were driving home we were stopped on one road next to the river due to the flooding.  We could only drive single file in the centre (over the centre lines) of the road as there was flooding on each side.  Just as well every motorist had their polite hat on.  This road has now been closed.

No time to delay as was nearly 4.30pm so time to go cycle in the wind.  On a side note while typing this I just heard Wellington winds were so bad there were flying trampolines.  Just watch the news tonight.  Not only is it windy but my training programme says that at this week in the training on a Tuesday you are aiming to ride them a bit quicker.  Crikey, what can I achieve with the wind.  Off I went, pedalling the whole way and faster each time the wind died down a bit.  The gears were being altered constantly to help.  Riding the suburban street I normally am lucky and have a back wind but not today it felt like a head wind.  One hopes that means travelling back will be the back wind, but I know Welly winds to well now and didn’t count on it.

Turning onto the exposed stop bank track I use, I really experienced the head wind.  My thigh muscles were stinging with the effort I was needing to put in.  I still pedalled faster each break there was.  I had 12mins to get home from the start of the stop bank.  This is if I did this ride in 20mins which was taking 25mins.  The training called for 20mins so I wanted to achieve this so desperately.

As you leave the track there is a slight decline on the street and I didn’t have the time to consider a glide.  In saying that my legs couldn’t keep up with the speed of decline.  I pedalled real hard as looked like I had 1min to complete this circuit.  I was home with 10seconds to spare.

150kmh winds can not scare me, I will continue to battle through them.  Well I guess this is a good form of Endurance training which is what this block is about.

So today is weigh day.  Now I do something I am not supposed to.  I weigh myself daily at night and in the morning just to see where I am at, and see what I lost over night.  I only take the weigh day weight as gospel though.  It is interesting to see how you weight can fluctuate if you check it regularly.  Now this is a confession that is crazy but it is funny so I want you all to try this when you need a laugh.

Weigh yourself when you need to go to the toilet.  Go do what you need to and then go back and weigh yourself again.  The difference is what your wees weigh.  Are you laughing just reading this, I hope so. 

Anyway I digress. I have lost 1kg this week yipee.  I only need to loose 800g to have a new starting number.  Phew I can’t wait I will feel that much closer to my goal.  I will have to do my measurements in a fortnight to see where it has gone from.

Today was a Turbo Jam day .  I got up and did my session and increased the intensity.  There is one part where I follow the low intensity version but tried the higher version and I felt it.  I sweated more and felt puffed more.  There are 3 more sections I follow the low so will slowly move up to the higher intensity.

Off to walk to the train station today to take the kids on the train and have an ice cream and a play at McDonald’s and then bus home.  We take the kids on a different mode of transport each school holiday.  They love it.  This time Isaiah wanted the train and Dayna a bus hence taking one each way.  It is a lovely day too so makes the walk even easier.