The 18:15 from Newbury to Reading on Saturday was a little noisier and pinker than usual, as was the following link to Paddington - yes, it was the start of the journey to London ready for the Moonwalk.....and we were a little bit excitable!
Arriving in Hyde Park just after 8pm was also a LOT noisier and pinker - in fact the huge marquee to house all 17,000 participants and 2000 volunteers was the pinkest pink I have ever seen.....ok if you like pink (SS would have absolutely hated it!!)
We were blessed with the weather, the fact that it had finally stopped raining was incredible....probably the only time I had walked with the girls in the dry...but boy was it cold! We had to wait for the start time of 11pm, and the temperature just plummeted...by the time we started walking I had on a thermal long sleeved vest, my T-shirt, sweatshirt, coat, hat, gloves, knee-length compression socks, wind resistant trousers, and I was still cold!! Forget walking around in just a bra...that didn't see the light of day (or even the moon!)
Normally I would warm up nicely, but this wasn't a race as such, and as I was walking as part of a team of 9 I had to match my pace to the others....this I found incredibly hard!! It goes against SS and my normal races where you get ahead so that you haven't got the obstacle of people in front of you....also, being in the centre of a heaving city ( yes, even at 3am!!) you are still dodging traffic, and even though the police were fantastic, it does slow you enough to get cold.
BUT, apart from that, it was awesome! The atmosphere was great, real camaraderie, wolf-whistles, fantastic scenery, an excuse to eat four mars bars straight off, and all for a good cause....and we did it!!
Crossing the finishing line, in Hyde Park, in the sunshine on Sunday morning was amazing. We, as a team, all linked arms as we passed the Serpentine, and walked up the last .2 miles together, in a straight line, amidst cheers from the crowds! What a feeling, a tad overwhelming for a few of us.....actually, I think my eyes where running coz of my hay fever........
So....as a team, there are a few blisters in there, and achy legs a plenty, and lots of "never agains".....and I think to myself...yeah right...that's what I said to SS after my first race.....and here I am thinking to myself, my feet are fine, my legs are fine, I've got all my toe nails...what's next?......I'll give them a week......and then I'll invite them to Bornem...........
Monday, 14 May 2012
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Personal.......
I wouldn't normally consider a personal trainer......but there was Sam...sat outside the gym, touting for business, and the word 'free' caught my eye.....
(Plus his dad had asked me to keep an eye on him whilst he was out of the country, so I thought it would be rude not to!)
And that, dear reader, was very nearly the demise of moi!
I considered myself to be relatively fit, but after an hour with Sam I wasn't really fit for much!
He was, and I'm sure still is (!!) very, very good at what he does (not killing people, but training them that is!!) but I have never trained like that before, so have felt it ever since!
He did mention that he was 'DIFFERENT in his approach and that was evident when we approached machinery (sorry, I meant to say equipment!) that I hadn't looked at before.....the bike was ok.....but then came the 'summit machine' - (Everest in 10 minutes), actually I was pleased with that, as Sam told me that most clients flaked at 2.5 minutes and I did 10 (go girl!), then came the VPR (known as the viper, yep, got bitI) which I had to lift, then squat with, and chuck side to side, then came the TRX.....
Now this WAS interesting.....it was a metal frame with straps hanging from it's centre.....I honestly didn't know whether it was for exercise or to hang myself with.......
Firstly I dangled by hand and used body weight to row, then I dangled by feet and had to do crunches, then I had a little cry.........
And I wasn't even half way through......much, much more was to come....
I puffed, and panted, and sweated, and felt nauseated......and strangley enough, at the end of an hour, even though I felt I needed to lie down in a darkened room, there was a sense of satisfaction that I had done it!
Personal training? Yep, its good, I don't know that I would pay for that kind of torture....but it's very effective, and I have been back and followed the plan that Sam gave me ( Don't tell him but I skipped the VPR lunges - hate them!!!), and it's definately made me look at the gym in a new light - evil machines!!!
Not quite as evil as pilates however..........
SS and I are still going, at least twice a week, to a gentle fitness pilates on a Monday, then a mental functional pilates on a Wednesday!! This started with weighted soft balls...and now the instructor has us using 2kg weighted plates in nearly every exercise we do....honestly, I don't know how she does it, but I come home each week with a different muscle burning that I really didn't know existed!!
All this as well as walking miles with SS! We did a muddy 22 this morning, around Greenham Common (twice), along the canal, and through Enbourne cornfields. I was escaping the teenagers at home who were 'sleeping over', SS was escaping Jim's decorating skills, or lack of them...and it was also my 'last blast' before the Moonwalk marathon next week.
I've been out with the 'Moonwalk gals' from work, we're trained up, bra's at the ready, and this time next week, we'll be heading to Hyde Park ready to start......so, if you haven't sponsored me...c'mon, c'mon, c'mon....it's for a darn good cause - look at the website and leave us some pennies!!
www.walkthewalkfundraising.org/eastfieldangels
(Plus his dad had asked me to keep an eye on him whilst he was out of the country, so I thought it would be rude not to!)
And that, dear reader, was very nearly the demise of moi!
I considered myself to be relatively fit, but after an hour with Sam I wasn't really fit for much!
He was, and I'm sure still is (!!) very, very good at what he does (not killing people, but training them that is!!) but I have never trained like that before, so have felt it ever since!
He did mention that he was 'DIFFERENT in his approach and that was evident when we approached machinery (sorry, I meant to say equipment!) that I hadn't looked at before.....the bike was ok.....but then came the 'summit machine' - (Everest in 10 minutes), actually I was pleased with that, as Sam told me that most clients flaked at 2.5 minutes and I did 10 (go girl!), then came the VPR (known as the viper, yep, got bitI) which I had to lift, then squat with, and chuck side to side, then came the TRX.....
Now this WAS interesting.....it was a metal frame with straps hanging from it's centre.....I honestly didn't know whether it was for exercise or to hang myself with.......
Firstly I dangled by hand and used body weight to row, then I dangled by feet and had to do crunches, then I had a little cry.........
And I wasn't even half way through......much, much more was to come....
I puffed, and panted, and sweated, and felt nauseated......and strangley enough, at the end of an hour, even though I felt I needed to lie down in a darkened room, there was a sense of satisfaction that I had done it!
Personal training? Yep, its good, I don't know that I would pay for that kind of torture....but it's very effective, and I have been back and followed the plan that Sam gave me ( Don't tell him but I skipped the VPR lunges - hate them!!!), and it's definately made me look at the gym in a new light - evil machines!!!
Not quite as evil as pilates however..........
SS and I are still going, at least twice a week, to a gentle fitness pilates on a Monday, then a mental functional pilates on a Wednesday!! This started with weighted soft balls...and now the instructor has us using 2kg weighted plates in nearly every exercise we do....honestly, I don't know how she does it, but I come home each week with a different muscle burning that I really didn't know existed!!
All this as well as walking miles with SS! We did a muddy 22 this morning, around Greenham Common (twice), along the canal, and through Enbourne cornfields. I was escaping the teenagers at home who were 'sleeping over', SS was escaping Jim's decorating skills, or lack of them...and it was also my 'last blast' before the Moonwalk marathon next week.
I've been out with the 'Moonwalk gals' from work, we're trained up, bra's at the ready, and this time next week, we'll be heading to Hyde Park ready to start......so, if you haven't sponsored me...c'mon, c'mon, c'mon....it's for a darn good cause - look at the website and leave us some pennies!!
www.walkthewalkfundraising.org/eastfieldangels
Monday, 9 April 2012
Dodentocht!
Yes, I know I have already blogged today...but I just wanted to tell somebody.....guess what....??
I've signed up ( and paid for!!) my next challenge!!
As mentioned, I'm doing the London Moonwalk next month, well in about 4 weeks, so I needed another challenge after that to look forward (??!!) to.....
SS and I had toyed with the idea of doing the Dodentocht....and after visiting Bornem, here in Belgium, I have just signed up, and got Steve to cough up some euros via his Belgium bank account for me, so I'm pay'ed up too......so roll on August 10th!!
Hang on a mo I hear you ask....what exactly IS the Dodentocht??
Well, translated from the Flemish, it means 'Death March' and it's an annual event (since 1971) in Bornem, walking or jogging 100km in 10 - 24 hrs....check out the website.......but SS and I think it sounds like fun.....and it passes through the Duvel beer factory grounds.....it would be rude not to.........
I've signed up ( and paid for!!) my next challenge!!
As mentioned, I'm doing the London Moonwalk next month, well in about 4 weeks, so I needed another challenge after that to look forward (??!!) to.....
SS and I had toyed with the idea of doing the Dodentocht....and after visiting Bornem, here in Belgium, I have just signed up, and got Steve to cough up some euros via his Belgium bank account for me, so I'm pay'ed up too......so roll on August 10th!!
Hang on a mo I hear you ask....what exactly IS the Dodentocht??
Well, translated from the Flemish, it means 'Death March' and it's an annual event (since 1971) in Bornem, walking or jogging 100km in 10 - 24 hrs....check out the website.......but SS and I think it sounds like fun.....and it passes through the Duvel beer factory grounds.....it would be rude not to.........
Bonjour!
It's been a while (again!) since I blogged, but I have some good excuses....work has been busy, I've covered extra shifts..I've been training for the London Moonwalk, more about that in a mo, and, oh yeah, Tim and SarahJane got married!
Now that was one good day! Perfect weather, perfect venue, food, wine, company, SJ looked beautiful, and Tim scrubbed up ok too..in fact, to pinch one of Tim's phrases, it was 'pretty awesome'!
It was, quite simply, a beautiful, beautiful day.
(Flippin hard work, but worth it!!, I don't want to see cheesecakes or pecan pies for a while, or large blocks of cheese, or count cherry tomatoes......)
Anyways, the Moonwalk.....a marathon around London, in aid of Breast Cancer, wearing a decorated bra (yes, and pants!)...on 12th/13th May is my next venture! I'm doing this with a bunch of work colleagues, and we have been plodding the streets of Newbury in preparation for this, not wearing the bra's though!
In fact, as part of the 'package', the moonwalk company provide you with a bra to decorate, to wear on the evening. Now, I know that I haven't got much in THAT department, but this bra they have sent me is HUGE, and is mostly padding....If I wear that on the night, I am going to cause a serious injury to myself as a) I can't see the pavement, and b) the padding is soooo heavy I'm going to topple over!!
Anyways, for anyone wishing to sponsor my colleagues and I, I will be posting a justgiving page soon, so please do...it is a good cause, and even though SS and I are doing other challenges this year, WE won't be asking for any other sponsor money....
Talking of SS, we are still both training....I'm doing no where near as much as SS, work tends to get in the way a bit, but I still get along to Pilates with her x2 a week, a gym session, body attack, zumba and our walks when we can, I also fit in kettle bells when possible, now that is some exercise!
20 minutes of that and I feel absolutely battered, and I feel it for the next few days as well..must be doing some good eh!
SS is feeling battered too, she has started seeing a racewalker at a walking club...just when I thought she couldn't walk any faster......honestly, if she does walk any faster, I swear there will be sparks flying off her thighs and her knickers will catch fire....!
Anyways, this is a weekend off, as it's Easter, and Chris, Cassia, Withers (that's one of Cass's friends who is called Jaimie, but as there is about 100 Jaimie's we have to call her Withers, or something like that...)and myself headed over to Belgium to see Steve, and I'm..at the moment, eating my way through Belgium and Paris!!
The food is just so scrummy here, I've already had to loosen my belt a notch....
The cappuccino's are amazing...you get a shot of espresso, topped with not steamed milk, but chantilly cream....there are literally 100's of pastries and biscuits to choose from, 1000's of cheeses, chocolates.....I could go on....but everytime I do, I miss a bite!
Au revoir!
Now that was one good day! Perfect weather, perfect venue, food, wine, company, SJ looked beautiful, and Tim scrubbed up ok too..in fact, to pinch one of Tim's phrases, it was 'pretty awesome'!
It was, quite simply, a beautiful, beautiful day.
(Flippin hard work, but worth it!!, I don't want to see cheesecakes or pecan pies for a while, or large blocks of cheese, or count cherry tomatoes......)
Anyways, the Moonwalk.....a marathon around London, in aid of Breast Cancer, wearing a decorated bra (yes, and pants!)...on 12th/13th May is my next venture! I'm doing this with a bunch of work colleagues, and we have been plodding the streets of Newbury in preparation for this, not wearing the bra's though!
In fact, as part of the 'package', the moonwalk company provide you with a bra to decorate, to wear on the evening. Now, I know that I haven't got much in THAT department, but this bra they have sent me is HUGE, and is mostly padding....If I wear that on the night, I am going to cause a serious injury to myself as a) I can't see the pavement, and b) the padding is soooo heavy I'm going to topple over!!
Anyways, for anyone wishing to sponsor my colleagues and I, I will be posting a justgiving page soon, so please do...it is a good cause, and even though SS and I are doing other challenges this year, WE won't be asking for any other sponsor money....
Talking of SS, we are still both training....I'm doing no where near as much as SS, work tends to get in the way a bit, but I still get along to Pilates with her x2 a week, a gym session, body attack, zumba and our walks when we can, I also fit in kettle bells when possible, now that is some exercise!
20 minutes of that and I feel absolutely battered, and I feel it for the next few days as well..must be doing some good eh!
SS is feeling battered too, she has started seeing a racewalker at a walking club...just when I thought she couldn't walk any faster......honestly, if she does walk any faster, I swear there will be sparks flying off her thighs and her knickers will catch fire....!
Anyways, this is a weekend off, as it's Easter, and Chris, Cassia, Withers (that's one of Cass's friends who is called Jaimie, but as there is about 100 Jaimie's we have to call her Withers, or something like that...)and myself headed over to Belgium to see Steve, and I'm..at the moment, eating my way through Belgium and Paris!!
The food is just so scrummy here, I've already had to loosen my belt a notch....
The cappuccino's are amazing...you get a shot of espresso, topped with not steamed milk, but chantilly cream....there are literally 100's of pastries and biscuits to choose from, 1000's of cheeses, chocolates.....I could go on....but everytime I do, I miss a bite!
Au revoir!
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Older...not wiser!!
March 7th saw SS become another year older! (She has been kidding me for years that she is only 29...yeah right!)
Anyway, following on the tradition from last year, she didn't want a party, or a spa day, or shopping....she wanted a walk......
So, at 7am, we hit the common on the start of SS's birthday trek! Last year we walked just under 41 miles...the goal was to beat that distance.....(yep, she's older, not wiser....)
It was cold, and windy, and by the time we had done 9 miles and got to the 'Tea shop by the Canal', it was also wet! A pot of tea and scrambled eggs on toast very nearly broke our resolve, tempting us to stay by the open fire all day.....but as Jim (SS's partner) had the day off too, and was also sat in the tea shop, she thought it better to get out and put some miles between us......
The next stretch took us along the canal in the direction of Hungerford..the lunch time rendezvous point being at Cobbs Farm shop, at 21 miles and our half way point. This section was cold, wet, windy and extremely muddy...in fact, I felt like I had skied there as I constantly slipped from side to side the whole way. At Marsh Benham, 4 miles out of Newbury, the rain was torrential....at this point I was walking behind SS and thinking of ways to push her into the canal........
Anyways..we reached Cobbs Farm..and fortunately the goats cheese and onion marmalade paninis were still on the menu, as well as steaming cups of cappuccino!
Just when you think it might be nice to stroll home...birthday girl has a plan....the next walk was not to return to Newbury (far too easy((AND sensible)) )....so we carried on towards Great Bedwyn...fortunately the sun had decided to put in an appearance and the wind dropped so walking conditions were near perfect. Great Bedwyn was reached, and here we turned and retraced our steps back towards Hungerford.
Just as things were going so well, disaster struck! Well, it wasn't really disaster, but the story sounds really boring if I tell it as it is....... After 28 miles I was begining to daydream a bit...truthfully, I was planning what I was going to have to eat at the Tutti Pole coffee shop in Hungerford, when SS disappeared through a gap in the hedge saying "I'm sure this is where we cut through..." so I followed, still in my daydream.....and before I could say 'cream tea' I had gone flying!
There was a stretch of barbed wire, about an inch above the ground, which I had tripped over, and, as anyone who knows me will verify, when I fall over I lack a certain grace....it was a real 'arse over elbow' kind of moment!!
My kneecaps took full force, and ouch! did that hurt!
I give SS full credit for not laughing too long and too much, and for helping me up, and I'm glad I didn't push her in the canal earlier (not!)...and we hobbled to Hungereford and the coffee shop.
First Aid was in the form of the biggest creamiest meringue you have ever seen...honestly, it was like eating a pillow, but it was healthy as it had a strawberry on....and the sugar rush definately made me feel better.....well enough to walk the last 10 or so miles home.......
So...32 miles down, 10 to go......
The last stretch along the canal between Hungerford and Newbury was uneventful, apart from the odd cyclist we were tempted to push into the canal, and the workmen who were dredging sludge from the bottom of the canal and for some reason just patting it onto the banks of the canal...this they were doing by spotlight as daylight was fading fast.
SS and I finshed the last 2 miles in the dark, which was fun when you are walking through the copse at the bottom of the cornfields and up through said cornfields, with no torch ...having just watched 'The woman in Black' at the cinema..!!
Anyways, 42 miles later, and we had completed SS's 29th birthday walk!!
Happy birthday matey ;-)
Anyway, following on the tradition from last year, she didn't want a party, or a spa day, or shopping....she wanted a walk......
So, at 7am, we hit the common on the start of SS's birthday trek! Last year we walked just under 41 miles...the goal was to beat that distance.....(yep, she's older, not wiser....)
It was cold, and windy, and by the time we had done 9 miles and got to the 'Tea shop by the Canal', it was also wet! A pot of tea and scrambled eggs on toast very nearly broke our resolve, tempting us to stay by the open fire all day.....but as Jim (SS's partner) had the day off too, and was also sat in the tea shop, she thought it better to get out and put some miles between us......
The next stretch took us along the canal in the direction of Hungerford..the lunch time rendezvous point being at Cobbs Farm shop, at 21 miles and our half way point. This section was cold, wet, windy and extremely muddy...in fact, I felt like I had skied there as I constantly slipped from side to side the whole way. At Marsh Benham, 4 miles out of Newbury, the rain was torrential....at this point I was walking behind SS and thinking of ways to push her into the canal........
Anyways..we reached Cobbs Farm..and fortunately the goats cheese and onion marmalade paninis were still on the menu, as well as steaming cups of cappuccino!
Just when you think it might be nice to stroll home...birthday girl has a plan....the next walk was not to return to Newbury (far too easy((AND sensible)) )....so we carried on towards Great Bedwyn...fortunately the sun had decided to put in an appearance and the wind dropped so walking conditions were near perfect. Great Bedwyn was reached, and here we turned and retraced our steps back towards Hungerford.
Just as things were going so well, disaster struck! Well, it wasn't really disaster, but the story sounds really boring if I tell it as it is....... After 28 miles I was begining to daydream a bit...truthfully, I was planning what I was going to have to eat at the Tutti Pole coffee shop in Hungerford, when SS disappeared through a gap in the hedge saying "I'm sure this is where we cut through..." so I followed, still in my daydream.....and before I could say 'cream tea' I had gone flying!
There was a stretch of barbed wire, about an inch above the ground, which I had tripped over, and, as anyone who knows me will verify, when I fall over I lack a certain grace....it was a real 'arse over elbow' kind of moment!!
My kneecaps took full force, and ouch! did that hurt!
I give SS full credit for not laughing too long and too much, and for helping me up, and I'm glad I didn't push her in the canal earlier (not!)...and we hobbled to Hungereford and the coffee shop.
First Aid was in the form of the biggest creamiest meringue you have ever seen...honestly, it was like eating a pillow, but it was healthy as it had a strawberry on....and the sugar rush definately made me feel better.....well enough to walk the last 10 or so miles home.......
So...32 miles down, 10 to go......
The last stretch along the canal between Hungerford and Newbury was uneventful, apart from the odd cyclist we were tempted to push into the canal, and the workmen who were dredging sludge from the bottom of the canal and for some reason just patting it onto the banks of the canal...this they were doing by spotlight as daylight was fading fast.
SS and I finshed the last 2 miles in the dark, which was fun when you are walking through the copse at the bottom of the cornfields and up through said cornfields, with no torch ...having just watched 'The woman in Black' at the cinema..!!
Anyways, 42 miles later, and we had completed SS's 29th birthday walk!!
Happy birthday matey ;-)
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Resolutions?
C'mon then... Who has made a New Years resolution? I can happily say I didn't.......I made a resolution back in the summer.
C'mon then....Who has broken their resolution? I can happily say it has taken me until now to break mine!!
I resolved to never (ever, ever, ever) do a STUPID challenge again (remember the centurion?!!)...little 'here and there' ones maybe, the odd marathon....the Moonwalk with my work colleagues....but...SS has got me hooked.....
She mentioned the 'Dodentocht', in Belgium. A nice, ramble. It's '60 miles' she said...but 'there is no time limit' she said, 'you go at your own pace'.......this sounded great! An amble kind of ramble, through great beer and croissant and chocolate country.....in sunny August.....what more could I want......resolution?? this was one to definitely break....yes please SS, take me with you!
And today.....I'm looking at the website, and good old wikipedia....
'Dodentocht' - literally translated into English as 'death march'...."the gruelling march is worthy of it's name due to the length of the march and the rough and forested terrain...."
Perhaps my New years resolution should be not to kill SS.......!!!
Will I do the challenge?.......probably.
C'mon then....Who has broken their resolution? I can happily say it has taken me until now to break mine!!
I resolved to never (ever, ever, ever) do a STUPID challenge again (remember the centurion?!!)...little 'here and there' ones maybe, the odd marathon....the Moonwalk with my work colleagues....but...SS has got me hooked.....
She mentioned the 'Dodentocht', in Belgium. A nice, ramble. It's '60 miles' she said...but 'there is no time limit' she said, 'you go at your own pace'.......this sounded great! An amble kind of ramble, through great beer and croissant and chocolate country.....in sunny August.....what more could I want......resolution?? this was one to definitely break....yes please SS, take me with you!
And today.....I'm looking at the website, and good old wikipedia....
'Dodentocht' - literally translated into English as 'death march'...."the gruelling march is worthy of it's name due to the length of the march and the rough and forested terrain...."
Perhaps my New years resolution should be not to kill SS.......!!!
Will I do the challenge?.......probably.
Monday, 26 December 2011
Nearly done....
 |
| Christmas bonnet!! |
So much to say, but where to start....first things first...Merry Christmas everyone! This computer is balancing on my lap, and considering I have just eaten my second massive roast dinner in two days, the typing is a bit ropey as I can't really see past my stomach...sorry for any typo's!!
 |
| Just Dance!! |
Presents were good......and followed a bit of a theme...Chris, Cass and I all had new hats....I wouldn't normally mind, but I have just spent £58 having my hi-lights done.....why do I want to cover them up..........
Cass's hat is fab, unfortunately, Mali, our springer spaniel has a taste for chasing squirrels, so has a particular liking for Cass's new head wear - see photo!!
The best Christmas news however, was the announcement from Tim and SarahJane, that they are engaged!! Yay!! Or as Chris says, 'mental'.........
 |
| The Future Mr and Mrs Homer Simpson |
 |
| ...you try wearing a hat like this and your face will go funny too.... |
 |
| ...squirrel in the tree..... |
I have five months until I am expected to powerwalk around London in my BRA for breast cancer, and I don't want my goose fat showing...goosebumps maybe, goose fat not! SS and I are still doing our Pilate's twice a week - so dedicated are we, we now have our own mats (thanks SS, love you x) and our own fitness weighted balls (thanks scary Heather, love you, not)....and we are still walking....I just need to do a little more...SS packs the miles in each week...I have to go to work...Bah!
Mind you, I have been good, and have started dragging myself out to body attack on a Tuesday evening...which is exactly what it says on the tin.....I really feel like I have been attacked.......and when I can I go to body pump...which I think should be renamed body attack.....and SS and I still do the gym faithfully every Wednesday morning where we do half and hour on the treadmill and half an hour of weight training. One thing I have discovered though, is that the button that says 'random' on the treadmill is lying.......it's not 'random'...every week I press it, expecting something different, and something, well, random, and instead....every week I get the biggest, steepest hill known to treadmills....
Well .....tomorrow is another day off, so I may do a bit of training......I'm nearly done......on these Ferrero Rocher........
Merry Christmas!
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