Cycling Anniversary

As of next week (Tuesday 14th September to be exact) I will have been cycling to work for 1 year.  This has been a huge change to my lifestyle and opinion of exercise not to mention a huge change to the size of my butt.  I used to struggle to fit any sort of activity into my daily life and dragged myself down to the gym, out jogging or slapped on a DVD at home with a mardy face and lots of grumbling.  It never lasted, I’d start each year, month, week, day with a resolution to get fit and may even have stuck to it for a while but I always reverted to my couch-potato self.

A new job and a cycle-to-work scheme (plus a rather over-active boyfriend) convinced me that I should get a bike and start to cycle the 4 miles to my local train station twice a day.  I got the bike in September (obviously) just when the summer had ended and the evenings (and eventually mornings) started getting darker which didn’t make the prospect of cycling up the massive hills an exciting one.  I used to dread cycling, I would think of any excuse not to pull on the lycra in the mornings.  I used to sit on the train home anxiously staring at the sky willing it not to rain.  This attitude didn’t get better as winter started. 

The icy roads and eventually heaps of snow stopped my cycling for 5 weeks over Christmas, but mid-January I braved the roads again.  This time around the mornings started getting lighter and warmer, the hills became easier and I started to enjoy my 20 minutes in the morning to see Spring waking everything up.  By the time summer came around I pulled on the old lycra without even thinking about it.  On the odd days when I did drive to the station I felt guilty and quite lardy and couldn’t wait to cycle again.

All this exercise (3 hours of cycling and 2 hours of running a week - ish) has toned me up and helped me to lose about a stone (6kgs) without really changing my diet.  I’m amazed that I’ve done it, I’m even more amazed that I enjoy it and I hope to carry it on with longer runs and maybe even a cycle or two at the weekends.  The moral of the story is, if I can do it anyone can :-)

Been bitten by the bug ...

... the running bug.

I started training for Race for Life at the end of March, giving myself a healthy 16 weeks to go from zero to 5km in a decent time.  I think I gave myself too much time, I missed sessions and took weeks off for no reason.  I finally got my head down and took it seriously a few weeks before.

Race day came around and I managed to only walk once for about a minute and ran the rest of the course, completing it in 31 minutes 30 seconds.  I was really pleased and after talking to people who know what they're talking about (Pete and Lisa) I signed up for my first 10km.  Feeling slightly mad, I found a 9 week training plan on the internet and started it last week, making myself (and Pete) and promise that I would do all the sessions. 

The first week was building up my running from 30 minutes non-stop to 40 minutes non-stop ... TICK!  Something has clicked, after I run for about 10 minutes my breathing settles down and it all becomes really easy.  Then, very gently, my legs start aching and joints start complaining until after 40 minutes I'm already planning where the ice packs are going first, but I can cope with that.  Previously it was my breathing that let me down, there is nothing worse than feeling like you're going to die whilst coughing your lungs up.  I think the cycling has helped a lot with cardiovascular stuff.

Week two of The Plan contained my first speed session (known as fartlek, incorporating faster running or sprints into the workout).  Two mile run, then 4 x 400 metres fast with 400 metres recovery inbetween each, then a two mile run.  My first problem is, how the heck do I know when I've run two miles?  Answer a rather nifty training route website which allows you to map out the route you run and it will tell you how far it is.  Second problem, where do I find a 400 metre route that I can go round again and again?  Answer, the next village has a village green which is handily about 400 metres around. 

To avoid this problem again and I can see myself trying to find a 600 metre circle for next weeks session, I have bought myself a GPS watch which does all sorts of funky stuff.  This will also help me to run 5 miles half at 70% and half at 85% effort (how the heck do I judge that without a heart rate monitor?).

As you can see, I have been truelly bitten by the bug and as I've just spent a stupid amount of money on a fancy watch, I REALLY do need to do all my training and complete my 10km in a superb time :-)

Booties, Clothes and Crochet

Wow, such a lot has happened over the past 6 weeks.  I've finally sold my flat and I mean sold, it's gone, I no longer own it, I am no longer a home owner.  It was a long slog filled with stupid questions from solicitors and waiting for other people to do things but it's over.  And what did I buy with the money I released?  A lovely new (used) car, I got rid of my 9 year old Seat Ibiza and bought a 1 year old Seat Ibiza, they are lovely cars and the new version is much more spangly.  I bought my car while visiting my family in Leeds, Isobel is growing so much and is quite a good baby (at least she was when I was around).

 

What a cutie!

I knitted some booties for her using Laughing Yaffle tiny temptation yarn.

The colour ranges from deep red to orange and will go really well with a red dress I bought her.

This afternoon while watching the British Grand Prix, I started a crochet granny square, my first ever!  I really want to make a ripple blanket with some lovely bright rainbow colours so I'm practising the basic stitches with some left over yarn.

Not bad for a first attempt.  This is basically a square of triple (UK) or double (US) stitch and it's kind of even and was quick to make.  I feel a yarn shopping trip coming along to buy some goregously coloured DK yarn.

Yesterday I had a fantastic day with House of Colour, I've already had my colours done (I'm a Spring, which means that bright, light colours look best on me and no black) and had a make-up class (using my colours and getting some tips of how to apply) so the final step was an Image Day.  My body shape was analysed and basically the consultant shows me what styles, cuts and clothes suit me using my personality as well as my proportions.  I have quite long legs and a narrow waist so should dress to emphasize them.  It was really good to have someone who knows how to dress people to flatter their body shape no matter what their size.  I analysed my lifestyle (how much time I spend doing things which require certain clothes) so I know what I need in my wardrobe to get the most wear out of everything.  I had a lightbulb moment when Alison (the consultant) asked me what it would be like to absolutely love every item in my wardrobe ... I said it would be like being on holiday every day.  Wow!  How wonderful would it to start each day with a wardrobe full of fabulous clothes for all occasions in colours and cuts which make me look great!  I can't wait to go shopping for clothes either!

Back to work tomorrow after a week off, not really looking forwards to that.  But it does mean I can shop during my lunch time ...

Isobel Skye McDonald

I spent this weekend in Leeds visiting my family, specifically the newest member of my family, my neice Isobel who was born on Tuesday 25th May 2010.

I gave my sister the baby blanket I finished in early May, she was delighted.  I also gave her the blanket bunny I knitted, she nearly split her stitches laughing so much (see the photos in my previous post to understand).

However Isobel seems to quite like horror bunny (note they placed him happy face up).

She's an absolute darling, very loud but lovely.  Karen and Magnus are doing really well apart from being rather dazed from lack of sleep, their house is very calm, they are going to be fabulous parents.