So much catching up to do

So much that I haven't written about recently! So much has happened - good stuff, bad stuff and I'm sure I can squeeze in ugly somehow.

In no particular order, I'll start with Top 40 progress - and with a picture taken yesterday of my first home grown strawberry (#19 - grow something new to eat). I shared it with Husband & fortunately (as many more are developing), liked it!

Next is #16 - do a dance class. I enjoyed a fabulous weekend with my sisters near Stratford which included lots of opportunities to try classes. All 3 of us did Street Dance - out done by many older ladies! Middle Sister & I also giggled our way through a Bravo Broadway class - jazz hands and a fantastically camp instructor. Yoga was also been revisited and I didn't hate it. Middle sister revisited body Combat for the first time in years with me. V.grateful to Baby Sister for inviting us - memorable and so much fun.

We haven't been cycling much recently - not since South Downs Way. My bike is now sporting new wheels as it was the hubs that had bust, not the bottom bracket - and that takes it's repair bill for 2010 to around £500 - maybe I should have bought a new bike instead at the start of the year. We we did a 20K route from the house on dry tracks yesterday, enjoying a long sunny evening.

I did my first parkrun last Saturday. This is a weekly times 5K that now takes place in parks around the country - and Eastleigh started just a few weeks ago. It's free to register, free to do & is very well organised. It's also a great time of day - 9am means that I still get most of Saturday for other stuff. My time was not my best (29:43), but plenty of room for improvement.

One of my original runners L tripped whilst running with me on Tuesday and was unlucky enough to break her leg - so I spent Tuesday evening in A&E with her. This meant cancelling the 8pm beginners group - but everyone was more focussed on L's injury.

So it's been a mix these last few weeks. Hoping that L recovers soon.

Ride of 2 halves - and barbed wire

I have to confess that I let C down badly - she requested a non-strenuous ride and I deliverd a route of 37.3k, ascent 536m..... In my defence, it was very much a ride of 2 halves - the first half took 2 hours, the second 25mins! This was because part one was a mix of bridleways and lanes - the former being pretty muddy and included a walk up Old Winchester Hill (steps at start & very narrow single track meant we couldn't get any momentum to climb the steep gradient). Second half was a whizz down the disused railway that runs down the Meon Valley.

Other hold-ups in part one were a huge puncture for Husband (new tyre time) and a barbed wire/arm interface issue for me - my wounds are pictured here! I was very impressed with the spray on plaster Husband applied - the lower cut was deep enough to be able to see the fat layer (very yuck) but the plaster knitted it together very well. Accident was all my fault - I tried to power over a hummock that I could have cruised over if I'd opted instead for a high cadence/lower gear approach - toppled over onto wire. My lovely paramo top was not too badly torn - just a small hole.

I'm hoping that C recovered OK - I hadn't realised how uncomfortable shoulder problems are making her atm, so I am feeling guilty. She did say how good it was to be out in the countryside - weather was pretty good and we had lots of sunshine through woodland views. The exercise and fresh air helped me to cheer up - I'm letting stuff get on top of me at present. Husband's been incredibly supportive - which helps.

Went to the gym with Husband on Friday night where I continued with a non running mix of x trainer, stepper and weights. I had a good digging session on Saturday working over a bed.

Got very wet cycling home tonight & I must sort out my new bike light - struggled to see anything much on the way home! I had to take the path across the golf course at a sedentary pace - wet surface, dark & lots of slippery slidey leaves.

Tennis Elbow in my Wrist

Wounded! I have tennis elbow in my wrist - arm hurts whenever I move my hand & makes a lovely creaking noise/sensation (as the swollen tendon moves through its sheath). Most painful things are writing and cooking. Husband has decreed (autocratically) that I'm not mountain biking tomorrow.... lots of ibuprofen & back to doc in 10 days if no improvement. I was told that I should use it as usual - and as mountain biking is usual for me, I should be allowed to go. Never mind.

Road biking is kind of OK though so I cycled to work today & Wednesday. Gym last night - interval & x trainer.

The People of Kitzbuhel must be Relieved...

... to hear that Husband and I will now be gracing them with our presences in mid June. Replacement holiday is all booked and sorted - and is roughly the same price as the Crystal Active version. Good thing too as my new body armour arrived today - knee/shin pads. Seems to fit OK, but I won't know for sure until I start pedalling in it.




Cycled today (and yesterday) but I am injured. My lower arm started aching at the allotment on Monday evening (planting out tomatoes - could be rash given that we're not necessarily frost free yet). Pedalling up the final hill today, it hurt even more. It's not a big deal, I just need to adopt the "sit down, change down and pedal like a hamster on a wheel" approach to hills as opposed to my standing on the pedals & pushing down hard technique.

I'm also sporting some lovely bites on my face - something was trying to eat us when we went to sow carrots and beetroot on Sunday. I don't think the allotment is good for me - it was responsible for hurting my back a couple of months ago too.

My bike is injured too! Goldfish & Husband finally ascertained what was really happening when I whined about it not engaging after freewheeling, stopping or changing gear - a thing called a freewheel hub is bust. So bike is currently being pampered at the bike shop - it's also getting its bottom bracket replaced (I now know what that is), brakes tweaked & something with the gears too (I lost concentration at this point in Husband's explaination & nodded alot).

The problems with the bike didn't help on the really muddy bit of Sunday's ride - 32K from the house. I did whine and sulk quite a bit. However, it was a gorgeous day and bluebells are out. The photo is of our Wedding Wood (one of our wedding gifts was sponsorship of a patch of Crowd Hill Copse).

It was also good weather today so Husband & I went for a run after work - I was slow (5K in 30:30, 5.5K in total) but I was nattering a lot. Good to be out - more biophilia!

Carrots hurt my back

Kind of! Went to the allotment yesterday with Husband to sow carrot seeds. Sifting the soil is compulsory if we are to end up with good looking carrots - something Husband has appreciated in the past (but this time, I was wearing many layers and a sports bra - less fun for him!). Despite recent dry weather, the soil was quite claggy, making sieving hard work.

My back was kind of hurting as I was leaning over awkwardly & moving around from side to side. Worked 3 metres then tried to stand up - painful, but got there. Then tried to move a mini polytunnel (over the prepared bed and was hit with lots of pain - the bit of muscle that's where my hip joins with my spine. The polytunnel's really light - it was more the bending. I must have looked like a pained flamingo for a bit as I couldn't put my left foot down on the ground. Very painful journey home. Spent the afternoon flat on my back. It eased off enough in the evening to be able to cook (B&J came over for dinner) and later, to be able to sit down to eat.

This morning, it's OK but still feels delicate so we have scrapped bike ride plans. Might go for a gentle wander later on - depending on Husband's ankles (we are such invalids!).

Still, it's motivation to actually try out the pilates DVD I bought last week - my core muscles are obviously in a shabby condition atm. Might leave it for a couple of days to recover!

So behind

I've been neglecting both my blog and exercise of late - so here's some of the stuff I've been up to and an early resolution to not let it slip again!

• Skating - lots of! Failed level 6 again on the three turn. Skated in a paddling pool at Winchester. Skated with Baby Sister and fabulously slidy Nephew at Marwell - both did really well although Husband rescued Nephew from the ice after a few chaotic circuits.


• Running - none except on the treadmill a couple of times


• Body Combat - Instructor fell off the back of the stage but heroically carried on with a bashed knee.

• Cycling to work - some - pleased coz I've been getting into work for 8 which means leaving home in the dark. Husband has been heroically keeping the bike roadworthy - I didn't realised my rear brakes had seized....


• New Forest bike ride with Husband & M for his first post hand op ride (he'd damaged his hands saving orphans from a burning building - at least that was what he was saying down the pub). Vale Views - M came off and I rode down all the scary bits for the first time. Very cold day.


• Pseudo exercise - oodles! Boogying at the office party [incurring weird scratches on my arms courtesy of my short sleeved sequin encrusted dress], walking from Oxford Street to Covent Garden & back again laden with Christmas shopping, housework - getting home straight enough for guests on Saturday night.

Running again - yeh!

I was delighted to run 5K in the New Forest tonight without even a hint of ankle pain - my first proper run sice hurting my ankle ages ago. It was almost sunny - which given the weather atm is the equivalent to a barmy summers evening! Good company as well - V ran the full 5K despite having stitch twice on different sides. Our time was 35 mins - but this did include climbing over a stile and edging gingerly around boggy bits. I guess a "real" trail runner would have just stomped through.

V wasn't happy afterwards as her car's roof is playing up. Again. After repeated visits to the garage.

Link between grumpiness and exercise?

I’ve turned into an exercise junky. I’ve been ludicrously irritable since turning my ankle & I think it must be primarily because I’m not doing much exercise atm as well as worrying about slow recovery.

Take yesterday – we were due to go to the gym but as ankle was aching from simply shopping for nephew’s birthday pressie & starting project “Clear Out the Loft”, I didn’t go. And as the day progressed, I transformed into the b***h troll from hell…..

So I need to do more – or risk being single and buddy-free shortly!

Skating tonight may be interesting – I’m taking a paperback so that even if I can’t skate (and I won’t know until I try) I won’t impede on G’s skating fun. I’ve planned in a bike ride with husband after work on Wed and will try & get on the exercise bike at the gym a couple of times this week. And my mood will (hopefully!) lift ready for a weekend at the seaside.

I can still cycle

30km-ish ride yesterday from Eastleigh with Husband, M and C&M.

I feel guilty suggesting so many "meet at our house" rides on days when we want to ride locally, but it is annoying having to do so much busy road stuff at the start & end of a ride. Husband & I are spoilt by having bridlepaths so close to the house, whereas for buddies based in Eastleigh, they have to face 2-3 miles of dull busy road just to get started - whether that's to our house or to somewhere else.

Lowlight of the ride was a moron in a white hatchback squirting me & Husband with water pistols - so tempted to type up the number plate here.... I'd feel stupid reporting it to the police - but it's potentially really dangerous to shock a cyclist like that - as well as rude.

Highlight was my ankle behaving for the full route! Aching a bit on a more challenging downhill (Water Lane) where I was up on the pedals, but the only bit where it hurt properly was walking up a little section of St Catherine's hill.

M came off - but was OK. Good to chat with C - missing A though. I was guilty of whingeing to M about not having my Forerunner to be able to answer his "how far" questions - which was very unfair of me as I hadn't actually asked A to bring it along (or give to M to bring)......

Ankle woes

It’s still not right – and I think I managed to make it worse last night at the gym.

I’m paranoid about gaining fat as I struggle to keep my food intake at a weight loss level without exercising. Also paranoid about losing fitness levels & not managing my sub 30 min race for life objective. Had a big grump about it (Husband was very tolerant and helpful!) & have decided on the following:

1. Rest it properly – cycling only for next 2 weeks. Focus on doing some much needed abs work in the gym and upper body weights machines.
2. Keep my calorie intake at the maintain level as opposed to weight loss level.
3. Weigh myself once a week to check that I’m not gaining – very scared about this as I hate, hate, hate weighing myself!

So, I’m currently 77 kilos (2kg less than 2 months ago which is good). Just need to ensure I don’t fluctuate & will stop grumping.

Anyway, 50 mins on the x trainer and the shoulder press last night.

Slug

Feeling sluggish and sluglike. Ankle has prevented me from doing anything resembling activity since Wednesday – all I managed at the weekend was some gardening at the allotment. Convinced I’m morphing into Jabba the Hut.
Still, Husband & I have been spring cleaning – so at least the house looks good atm!
I've bought new trainers for cross training - which should reduce the chance of this happening again.

First Proper Injury!

I've turned my ankle - not on the 5.5K off road run on Tuesday in the Forest, but on the smooth sprung studio floor of the gym! It was during the last CV track so I was able to get through the abs & stretch bit OK before limping back to the car. Instructor reckons I might need another pair of trainers - my Brooks are excellent for running but don't give the right kind of support for jumping/twisting/kicking/boucing around.

So I am blogging with my foot up on a cushion on the coffee table! Will not be running for a few days, but from previous experience, I think I shoud be OK for some cycling & nil impact stuff soon....

Anyway, back to the run - gorgeous route from a carpark 5 mins from the office - all off road with lots of trees to shade us. Went with LT, LC & V from work - LT is an ace trainer! We averaged 9kph even with a few walking breaks and....... overtook boys!!!!

Only LT was organised enough to remember to have some water in her car to guzzle afterwards - dehydration hit me later on - Husband made me drink evian in Sainsburys when I started acting woozy.