Friday, December 29, 2006
My Cat's Using Me As A Scratching Post
Still feeling rough, it's gone to my chest now and I'm coughing up stuff- lovely!! I really don't think I ought to do the 10k I have entered on Sunday. A friend at work's husband know somebody who ran with a cold/ cough, and it permanently damaged his heart! (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it... no but seriously I have heard something about not running whilst you have a cough/ cold...)
I did fancy some fresh air tonight and went for a walk, ended up doing about 10 miles. It's really windy and blustery outside, I don't know why but I really enjoy walking when it's like that. I quite like walking in the rain too- not the lashing-down-like-billy-o type of rain, but there's something good and fresh about feeling rain on your skin. Or is that sad?
Walking helps me to think. I do all my best thinking when I'm walking. I can think better when I'm walking than when I'm running as I find I am too busy thinking about the fact that I'm out of breath, my legs are aching or I'm possibly about to be hit by a car. Walking is definately better for thinking.
I've been thinking about possible goals for 2007, and will post them on here when I've fully decided...
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Still Feeling Awful
I really really hope it's not going to go to my chest, as my colds always seem to do; I have a horrible feeling it is though, as I've been coughing a bit and my chest feels a little tight, always a bad sign.
Bu**er!
I have entered myself for a 10k on the 31st as well, I may have to scratch which will be £9 wasted- not a lot, but £9 is £9!!
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
I'm Back!
Instead I feel like cr*p with a head full of cotton wool and have about as much energy to lie on the settee watching telly. Unfortunately my appetite is still the same. I just can't taste anything. And I can't beleive that the human nose can produce so much snot!
As for training- that's completely out of the window!
My time in Blackpool was good, watching the nephews open their pressies. I got some good stuff, including a new black fleece from Mum and a book on Triathlons from my sis. She also booked me a riding lesson (she rides regularly, I used to) and arranged a jumping session at the end. She forgot I used to hate jumping!
My legs are still aching now, I think it was the trotting without stirrups! The jumping was ok, my horse did run out a few times and the instructor told me not to let him get away with it. Easy for her to say! She's not the one on top of half a ton of horse...
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Happy Christmas!
This week has been so hectic... finished work until 2nd Jan so no more work for me this year!!!
I will appreciate having time next week to evaluate how this year has gone and make my plans for 2007. So a very happy Christmas to all in Blogland- have a good one everybody xx
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Christmas Is Coming and We're All Getting Fat
I have another Christmas lunch with the team I am having to leave (last ever Christmas lunch with them...) then I am out Friday and we are eating in the pub, then going to Blackpool for Christmas and the never ending eating orgy that is Christmas day...
I am trying to not obsess over it too much. I know I don't have to 'go mad' on goodies, but my will power is not good. I have been known to buy edible gifts for people, wrap them up and then unwrap them myself before Christmas.
I think I will go to the gym tonight, try damage limitation through exercise! Seriously, I am used to my exercise routine now, and if I don't exercise for a few days, I feel flabby and can actually feel my butt spreading. I have the week between Christmas and New Year off, so when I return from Blackpool on 26th (Boxing Day) I will have time to reflect and plan my goals for 2007! Which will be the year in which I become a triathlete!!!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
There's Hope Yet
No left knee pain, and I can feel my Achilles, but it doesn’t actually hurt, and doesn’t get worse as I run, and doesn’t feel too tender now. Trouble is, I’d like to not be able to feel it at all; I am trying to do what this page suggests, but may have to see a specialist if it doesn’t go in the New Year.
I also suspect that my shoes need changing. But as I am an overpronater I need a good medial support which tends to be more expensive.
Once again, when I run, I am convinced that the local car drivers know, and make sure that whenever I come to a road I need to cross, they make sure they are turning into it just as I get there so I have to stop. Bah, I hate that!!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Aak More Injuries!!
To be honest, I have a feeling I maybe shouldn’t have tried 5 miles after a couple of weeks of not running. I think I will try swimming and building up distance slowly. I have just entered a 10K on New Year’s Eve though…blah!
Well, the last two days in New York… Thursday we had another carriage ride in Central Park as mum loved the first one so much. We took an amble into the park afterwards to see the skaters, mum bought candied nuts off a stall and we fed the birds and squirrels.
Central Park
We ambled on up 5th Avenue and went to the top of the Rockefeller Centre, or ‘Top of the Rock’ as it’s known. That was an experience! We were taken up to a Mezzanine floor where we had to change elevators. The elevator which was to take us to the top was large and black inside with a light in the roof. As the doors closed, the light dimmed, music started playing and the roof revealed itself to be a clear panel; we could see all the way up the shaft as we shot up 70 floors! Fun!!
What a view from the top- the whole of New York City, Central Park, the Empire States and even the Statue of Liberty, tiny on an island in the distance.
Friday we ambled around the shops and lunched in Planet Hollywood again. I left mum, step dad and Katie to walk up Broadway and see the Flatiron building, so called as it is the shape of an early 20th Century Iron- narrow at the front and wider at the back. Quite impressive! We had another limo to the airport and tried to sleep through the flight with varying degrees of success. We said our
goodbyes to Tony and crew at the airport as typically my case came through half an hour later than everybody else’s. Well, not really but it sure felt like it!!
The Empire States
New York… I think it is a must-see, but don’t think I would like to spend a lot of time there, it’s so manic! Like being inside a washing machine… I would dearly love to see other parts of America, especially mountains! Ahh, one day…
Rockefeller Centre and view from the 'Top of the Rock'
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
New York Part Deux
Ground Zero and MumThere is a shopping complex opposite the site- Century 21, so once again Katie was in her element. I like clothes shopping in America, I am a size 10 over there!
We had a walk around Times Square again in the evening, it takes on a whole new dimension in the dark. Katie wanted to visit the huge Toys ‘R’ Us, which had an impressive Jurassic Park display. I took mum’s photo here and threatened to call it “The Dinosaur… and the T Rex from Jurassic Park!”
Times Square at Night
The 'Toys 'R' Us' Dinosaur
Wednesday we had a bit more of a wander around Bryant Park, there are lots of craft stalls here. We ate chocolate dipped strawberries and watched the skaters. I have noticed that there is a lot more choice in energy and sports bars than we get in the UK. They seem to be sold widely alongside Chocolate (candy) bars, whereas we can only get them in specialist shops. Also discovered that Snickers do a range of energy bars which look delicious, I have brought one back with me to try! Why can’t we get these in the UK?!?!?
I may end this now as I want to go for a run! Well no, I don’t actually really want to… but I think I ought to… it’s so near Christmas I am starting to slip into the ‘stuff yourself silly’ mode, which is not good…
Reflections...Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Need A Job...
But hey, I haven’t written about my trip yet so I may do this in stages…I travelled down to Heathrow with mum, step dad Bob and little sis Katie, and we stayed in a Holiday Inn overnight. After breakfast the next morning, we met Tony Blackburn and the radio crew, I must say he is a great bloke, very down to earth. Our flight was fairly uneventful, but it was quite nerve wracking asking Tony to move so that I could visit the loo!
One of the guys was really fit and a keen marathon runner so I was kind of angling for tips. He told us about running the London Marathon, then mentioned he’d also ran the New York Marathon. “Oh”, said mum, “How far’s that one?” Bless…
We stayed in a family room in the Grand Hyatt, New York, just next door to the Grand Central Station which is lovely- really ornate. A special light show is put on every half hour this time of year. The first day, Sunday, mum and Bob joined the radio crew for breakfast in the Waldorf Astoria hotel whilst me and Katie found McDonalds!
Our hotel and the Chrysler BuildingWhen they rejoined us we spent the rest of the day exploring. New York is maaad! It’s like walking inside a washing machine on full spin! And the buildings… I got a crick in the neck from staring upwards at the skyscrapers. The streets of Manhattan are all in shade as the sun can’t penetrate past them. We found the solace of Bryant Park with it’s ice rink (no I didn’t have a go? Have you seen me skate? Let’s just say- Bambi!) then immersed ourselves in the frantic, people rushing, yellow cab tooting, billboard flashing mayhem that it Times Square. We had lunch in Planet Hollywood, an amazing place filled with film artefacts.
After that we had a walk up 5th Avenue to Macey’s, the largest department store in the world! That was pretty manic, but Katie bought some stuff (mind you she did everywhere we went!)
Katz Deli
Macys!
Times Square
Monday it was me and Katie’s turn to do the radio show, which was pretty nerve wracking but kind of fun, as we got to talk about what we had done Sunday. We had breakfast in Katz Deli- where the famous ‘fake orgasm’ scene was filmed in ‘When Harry Met Sally’- in fact we sat at THE table, marked by a swinging plaque! I have to admit, I did do a sort of impression, quietly, when me and Katie were on our own, until she threatened to disown me!
In the afternoon we went for a carriage ride in Central Park but it was bloody freezing!! We walked up 5th Avenue and I bought a long coat (“This? Oh, just a little something I picked up in New York…”).
Right…that’s it for now! More tomorrow… I’m off for a soothing glass of red…
Sunday, December 10, 2006
I'm Back!!
Friday, December 01, 2006
New York, Here I Come!!!
We are going down to Heathrow on the National Express Coach service, and staying overnight at the Holiday Inn near the airport.
I am so excited, or will be when I get over taking Lucky! I will take lots of pics and try not to buy too much stuff! And yep- the hotel does have a gym, sorry fitness suite, so will hopefully be able to burn off all the fast food!
Seriously... I am going to try to not stress too much... I am in control now, hopefully, so should be able to relax a little... if I do put on a couple of pounds next week, it won't be the end of the world- I will just start again from Monday and aim to lose them before Christmas. Laters!
