In a previous blog I wrote about not looking like a runner (You can read that here), I do struggle with self image on a day to day basis (damn those media airbrushed images) but the thing I struggle with most is self image whilst exercising....and if you think about that it's crazy. Why should I worry about how I look when i'm doing something good for my body and my mind? There is absolutely no sense in it at all. I am an intelligent adult, I have 2 degrees, I am a qualified nurse, I understand the benefits of exercise and healthy eating so why do I feel like I shouldn't be out exercising????
That paragraph above would have been written by the old me, she was around before January this year. She was the person who would emotionally eat, she would eat when upset, she would eat when stressed, she would eat when tired, she would eat when bored....you get the picture! I am well aware that I am almost 40 now and little things that have happened over the last year have given me a wake up call, stuff I am way to embarrassed to admit to just now, maybe one day...but anyway, since January 1st I have been making positive changes, as a result I have lost the best part of two stone. I have not said much about this on social media because I dont want to look on it as a diet, because that to me means there is a beginning and an end. Instead I have looked on it as a lifestyle change, something that is long term, life long in fact. Its about changing my mindset which has been the hardest part of it all.
Today whilst out on a run I passed a white van parked in a layby half way up a long hill. I was focusing hard on getting up that hill, it was hard and it was hot and my bloody earphones had gone flat (grrrr). Anyway as I approached the van I looked up and noticed a very large bloke sat in the drivers seat with a cigarette in his hand that was perched on the window with a McDonald's burger in his other hand and various packaging all over his dashboard. As I ran passed the open window he poked his head out and with one of those punch me in the face smirks shouted "Run fatty run" whilst laughing to himself. I turned, smiled politely then flicked my middle finger at him and carried on running. This should have made me angry but instead I laughed, I laughed at the irony of the situation, I am half the size of him.....I was running, exercising, keeping fit, losing weight. I was and am still bemused. Anyway, the biggest triumph for me was not giving up, going home, feeling upset and stuffing my face to make myself feel better. Dont get me wrong, I did stuff myself after my run, but with a tuna salad! This signifies to me a huge shift in mindset.
I have been here before, the running, the diet, but the difference is the mindset. Dont get me wrong, I still enjoy a pizza now and then, and am a big fan of wine! The difference is I am not using them to fill an emotional void. That is now filled with endorphins and that feeling when you put on clothes you have not worn for a while because they didnt fit and now have to send to the charity shop because they are too big.
The only thing that man did today was make me realise how I have changed, not only physically but mentally.
Wednesday, 25 April 2018
Monday, 16 April 2018
A week of workouts
I have just returned from a lovely break away in the Forest of Dean. Traditionally our holidays involve days out to local towns and attractions, lots of doing not much and eating out a lot. I wanted this one to be different so we packed our bikes on the back of the car, packed my weights and trainers in my bag and off we went! To make sure I stayed accountable I set a little challenge to myself. If I could get our (yes our.....i'll come to that later on) sponsorship up to £250 before I went then I would workout every day. Sure enough, before i'd reached our accommodation, the target was met. There was no going back.
Day one
Our arrival day meant unpacking and exploring our surroundings, it was very wet and muddy around the area so a run was out of the question (I really am not sure footed!!) so just before bed I cracked out my weights and did a short weights/strength/core workout
Day Two
Still wet and muddy underfoot so we donned our walking boots and headed off to explore. From our cabin we would see people walking through the woods so we followed the path to see where it led. A few hours later we returned very muddy from a lovely 5 mile walk (The children were not impressed at this point!!)
Day Three
We visited the Dean Heritage Center which was lovely, we did the Gruffalo Trail and had some lunch. We stopped off on the way home at Mallards Pike Lake for a little wander round the lake.......yeah that didn't happen! Rich was in his "Lets see where this path leads" mood....
The only way to describe it was how I imagine a tough mudder run to be. Mud, mud and more mud. I had actually stamped a load of mud off before I took this photo otherwise the mess in the car would not have been pretty. The only saving grace on this walk was the beautiful lake and a trail of storyboards about the Easter Bunny and what appeared to be cuddly mice nailed to trees (!) for the children to follow the trail around the river. The kids got to leave a message at the end of the trail to say how much they enjoyed it, they were sure to mention that Daddy had made them walk MILES!
They were very glad to get back to the cabin and into the hot tub on our return, vowing never to come out for a day with us again...little did they know Mwahhh haaaa haaa haaaaaaaaaa.
Day four
Still smarting slightly from yesterdays muddy hike, my legs were feeling a little wobbly but none the less we loaded up our rucksacks, fastened our bike helmets and headed for the cycle path marked Symmonds Yat. I had read about the trail the day before, it was described as "not suitable for family cycling".....they were not wrong 😒I had not ridden a bike for the best part of 20 years and after all the running I had done figured it cant be that bad......yeah, I was wrong. Once I had remembered how to balance (balance and co-ordination do not come naturally to me!)and which was the front brake(the quiet one) and which was the back (the incredibly loud one which i'm sure sounded like I was murdering a flock of seagulls) I trundled along at a nice steady speed (think snail on a bike!). The uphills did not come naturally to me at all. For some reason I struggle with bike gears, no matter how much Rich tells me they are just like car gears, I just could not get into the right one! I decided the only way to tackle them was to get off and walk, that worked!
After what felt like eternity we arrived at our destination Symmonds Yat. We ate our picnic and had a look at the views (as much as you could see in the mist and fog!!)
At this point we were absolutely freezing so decided to stop off at the cafe at the top for a hot chocolate...they only took cash.....we had £3 on us and one hot chocolate was £2.60!! We gave up on that idea and headed back. Thankfully it was mainly downhill on the way back and soon learnt to ease back on the brakes and enjoy zooming downhill at a dizzy 18mph 😆😆😆. We were all very glad to get home and peel off our muddy clothes....oh and water bottle! Who needs water during exercise anyway!
Day one
Our arrival day meant unpacking and exploring our surroundings, it was very wet and muddy around the area so a run was out of the question (I really am not sure footed!!) so just before bed I cracked out my weights and did a short weights/strength/core workout
Still wet and muddy underfoot so we donned our walking boots and headed off to explore. From our cabin we would see people walking through the woods so we followed the path to see where it led. A few hours later we returned very muddy from a lovely 5 mile walk (The children were not impressed at this point!!)
Day Three
We visited the Dean Heritage Center which was lovely, we did the Gruffalo Trail and had some lunch. We stopped off on the way home at Mallards Pike Lake for a little wander round the lake.......yeah that didn't happen! Rich was in his "Lets see where this path leads" mood....
The only way to describe it was how I imagine a tough mudder run to be. Mud, mud and more mud. I had actually stamped a load of mud off before I took this photo otherwise the mess in the car would not have been pretty. The only saving grace on this walk was the beautiful lake and a trail of storyboards about the Easter Bunny and what appeared to be cuddly mice nailed to trees (!) for the children to follow the trail around the river. The kids got to leave a message at the end of the trail to say how much they enjoyed it, they were sure to mention that Daddy had made them walk MILES!
They were very glad to get back to the cabin and into the hot tub on our return, vowing never to come out for a day with us again...little did they know Mwahhh haaaa haaa haaaaaaaaaa.
Day four
Still smarting slightly from yesterdays muddy hike, my legs were feeling a little wobbly but none the less we loaded up our rucksacks, fastened our bike helmets and headed for the cycle path marked Symmonds Yat. I had read about the trail the day before, it was described as "not suitable for family cycling".....they were not wrong 😒I had not ridden a bike for the best part of 20 years and after all the running I had done figured it cant be that bad......yeah, I was wrong. Once I had remembered how to balance (balance and co-ordination do not come naturally to me!)and which was the front brake(the quiet one) and which was the back (the incredibly loud one which i'm sure sounded like I was murdering a flock of seagulls) I trundled along at a nice steady speed (think snail on a bike!). The uphills did not come naturally to me at all. For some reason I struggle with bike gears, no matter how much Rich tells me they are just like car gears, I just could not get into the right one! I decided the only way to tackle them was to get off and walk, that worked!
After what felt like eternity we arrived at our destination Symmonds Yat. We ate our picnic and had a look at the views (as much as you could see in the mist and fog!!)
At this point we were absolutely freezing so decided to stop off at the cafe at the top for a hot chocolate...they only took cash.....we had £3 on us and one hot chocolate was £2.60!! We gave up on that idea and headed back. Thankfully it was mainly downhill on the way back and soon learnt to ease back on the brakes and enjoy zooming downhill at a dizzy 18mph 😆😆😆. We were all very glad to get home and peel off our muddy clothes....oh and water bottle! Who needs water during exercise anyway!
Day Five
Death was so close now I could almost smell it....so Rich decided to load up the bikes and take us on another family bike ride (yay!). We drove to a cycle centre called Pedalabikeaway, it boasted a family trail as well as some off road trails for the more adventurous (not me!). We headed off on our "Family" trail.....that is if you are Mr McFit from Mcfitville! There were those bloody hills again, although Mr Iron Legs kept telling me it was all flat (strava told me different) thankfully Mr Little Legs wanted to make sure his mummy was ok so he took a back seat and suggested regular walk breaks, although I think they were more for his benefit than mine. Towards the end we were left behind by Mr Iron Legs and Little Miss i'll cycle for hob nobs! This actually played to our advantage because whilst they sped off ahead, they missed the sign for the cycle centre and continued along the trail (again) whilst Richie and I rested on the benches waiting for them to notice a) we were missing and b) they were going round again....that took them an extra 2 miles. Slow and steady wins the race!
Looking back it probably wasn't that bad, it certainly wasn't as steep as the day before but I think the effort from the previous bike ride hampered my enjoyment (that's my excuse and im sticking to it!!)
Day Six
We abandoned our bikes in favour for a bit of wild boar spotting. We headed to Nagshead Nature Reserve and headed off into the forest to see what we could find. It was a really lovely walk through the woods, again we hit the mud (seems to be the theme of the week!) but we carried on regardless. Not long into the walk a couple ahead of us beckoned the kids to come quickly and quietly. They had spotted some wild boar with their young just across the woodland. The kids were chuffed to bits to see the boar....by the time us oldies had got there the boar had gone. That was it, Rich was on a mission to find some, so we walked.....and we walked....and walked some more. We found boar foot prints, we found clumps of boar hair, we heard rustling in the bushes but no more boar were seen that day despite the fact we covered more or less the entire forest! The kids at this point were ready to leave us behind and go live with the wild boar!
Day Seven
Finally.....a day of what we normally do....nothing! It was raining and miserable so we chilled on the sofa, watched the closing of the Commonwealth Games and vegged in the hot tub for the very last time. I was so tempted not to do anything, after all no one would notice surely, we had done so much already this holiday....but no, I couldn't do it so after the kids had gone to bed and i'd packed my bags I got my weights out and did another half hour session of weights/strength/core training. I then collapsed into bed and slept like never before.
It was done....challenge complete. Thank you to everyone who has sponsored us so far....oh yes that reminds me....US!
There are now two of us signed up to stagger around the Cardiff Half Marathon...I have somehow roped my big brother into joining me again, he obviously did not learn last time.
This was us last time....
You can see the joy in our faces as we embark on our challenge! What will this one bring?
Thursday, 29 March 2018
Positive praise and Robins.
I am currently sat cwtched up in bed after a night shift, listening to the rain hitting the window and feeling ever so sleepy and sore!
Yesterday was a "push it and see how far you can go" run and that is exactly what I did. I had a route in mind but after my last run which was a pathetic and grueling 2 miles and a week of starting a new exercise thingy called The Body Boss, I wasn't very confident that I would get all the way round it, but off I went regardless.
As i've mentioned on previous posts I am very self conscious about running and always think that people are looking at me and judging me cos I run too slow or i'm not built for running etc, but sometimes (probably most of the time) it couldn't be further from the truth and yesterdays run showed me that.
That first mile seems to be getting a bit easier, so much so I actually ran it at a reasonable pace, i'd almost go so far as to say I enjoyed it! Mile 2 wasn't all that bad and that's when I thought ooooh I might be in for a good one today. I think I began to hit a little wall about half way through mile 3 when a bloke in a white van beeped his horn and gave me a thumbs up. I have no idea if I know this man or not, I don't wear my glasses when I run so cant see make out faces of people. A little while later 2 men on bikes passed me and shouted "Nice one, keep going" (I can only imagine the state of my face at that point!!) I also passed another jogger coming down the hill I was running up who commented that there was no way he would be running up the hill and well done for doing it. Just these chance meetings of people out and about who were all encouraging and supportive gave me that extra incentive to push that little bit harder. This might sound crazy, after all these people are strangers, they have no idea who I am, what i'm doing and why i'm doing it but they still took the time to send some positivity my way!
A random facebook conversation at 5am this morning with an old school friend also helped to boost my confidence. He is training for marathons this year and plans to do ironman in the near future. We've not spoken a lot since school, liked and commented on each others facebook but that's it really, so for him to take time to message me with words of encouragement and praise meant a lot! So if you are reading this, thanks Jams!
The other thing that struck me yesterday whilst I was running was the presence of a little feathered friend just at my most difficult parts, the bits where I was gritting my teeth and trying to talk myself into stopping. Every time I got to this stage a little robin would catch my eye in the hedgerow beside me, hopping from one leg to another, almost as if to mimic my running. Those of you who know me will know the symbolism our family associate with Robins. For those that don't, it was always mum's belief that people came back as Robins to watch other their loved ones. It's kinda stuck with me and the kids and every time we see a Robin we instantly think of mum. So every time i was struggling yesterday, this little Robin was there, hopping from foot to foot, saying to me "Come on, you can do it". It may be complete lunacy on my part but that little feathered friend helped to spur me on!
So yesterdays run ended at 6 miles!! Almost half way to where I need to be! It's a slow and steady pace but it's momentum and its going in the right direction. Funny how the little things make a big difference. So if you see me out jogging (you cant miss me, picture Mrs Blobby in the brightest orange running top you can imagine with the brightest of red faces) give me a shout, a beep of the horn or just a wave, in fact anyone who is out trying to get fit and maybe struggling a bit, give them a bit of positive praise, believe me it really makes the difference!
.....and on that note I shall bid you farewell as I pull the duvet up over my ear and enjoy a lovely recovery snooze!
Don't forget I still need your sponsorship!! Just click on the link below to go to my Justgiving page. Thanks xx
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/allyshalfmarathonmadness
Yesterday was a "push it and see how far you can go" run and that is exactly what I did. I had a route in mind but after my last run which was a pathetic and grueling 2 miles and a week of starting a new exercise thingy called The Body Boss, I wasn't very confident that I would get all the way round it, but off I went regardless.
As i've mentioned on previous posts I am very self conscious about running and always think that people are looking at me and judging me cos I run too slow or i'm not built for running etc, but sometimes (probably most of the time) it couldn't be further from the truth and yesterdays run showed me that.
That first mile seems to be getting a bit easier, so much so I actually ran it at a reasonable pace, i'd almost go so far as to say I enjoyed it! Mile 2 wasn't all that bad and that's when I thought ooooh I might be in for a good one today. I think I began to hit a little wall about half way through mile 3 when a bloke in a white van beeped his horn and gave me a thumbs up. I have no idea if I know this man or not, I don't wear my glasses when I run so cant see make out faces of people. A little while later 2 men on bikes passed me and shouted "Nice one, keep going" (I can only imagine the state of my face at that point!!) I also passed another jogger coming down the hill I was running up who commented that there was no way he would be running up the hill and well done for doing it. Just these chance meetings of people out and about who were all encouraging and supportive gave me that extra incentive to push that little bit harder. This might sound crazy, after all these people are strangers, they have no idea who I am, what i'm doing and why i'm doing it but they still took the time to send some positivity my way!
A random facebook conversation at 5am this morning with an old school friend also helped to boost my confidence. He is training for marathons this year and plans to do ironman in the near future. We've not spoken a lot since school, liked and commented on each others facebook but that's it really, so for him to take time to message me with words of encouragement and praise meant a lot! So if you are reading this, thanks Jams!
The other thing that struck me yesterday whilst I was running was the presence of a little feathered friend just at my most difficult parts, the bits where I was gritting my teeth and trying to talk myself into stopping. Every time I got to this stage a little robin would catch my eye in the hedgerow beside me, hopping from one leg to another, almost as if to mimic my running. Those of you who know me will know the symbolism our family associate with Robins. For those that don't, it was always mum's belief that people came back as Robins to watch other their loved ones. It's kinda stuck with me and the kids and every time we see a Robin we instantly think of mum. So every time i was struggling yesterday, this little Robin was there, hopping from foot to foot, saying to me "Come on, you can do it". It may be complete lunacy on my part but that little feathered friend helped to spur me on!
So yesterdays run ended at 6 miles!! Almost half way to where I need to be! It's a slow and steady pace but it's momentum and its going in the right direction. Funny how the little things make a big difference. So if you see me out jogging (you cant miss me, picture Mrs Blobby in the brightest orange running top you can imagine with the brightest of red faces) give me a shout, a beep of the horn or just a wave, in fact anyone who is out trying to get fit and maybe struggling a bit, give them a bit of positive praise, believe me it really makes the difference!
.....and on that note I shall bid you farewell as I pull the duvet up over my ear and enjoy a lovely recovery snooze!
Don't forget I still need your sponsorship!! Just click on the link below to go to my Justgiving page. Thanks xx
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/allyshalfmarathonmadness
Monday, 19 March 2018
Self belief
I think the thing I struggle with most is self belief. I know I am my own worst critic and way too harsh on myself and it is something I am working on. I still struggle to see myself as a runner, i'm always worried that someone I know will see me. I am aware that I am not going to break any speed records and that my running pace is the same as some peoples walking pace! I still feel self conscious about being out in public. This is stuff I need to work on!
Last week I was looking through my Instagram stories and a personal trainer I follow called Pmac. He trains lots of celebs like Giovanna Fletcher, Marvin and Rochelle Humes and Reggie Yates. He regularly posts work out ideas and stories with little snippets of wisdom. It was one of these stories this week that caught my attention. I don't remember the exact words he used but basically the message was "Just because you didn't so something yesterday does not mean you can't do it tomorrow". This got me thinking, I've chosen my running routes carefully to avoid hills because I can't run up hills.
I had also posted about this in a group I belong to and other runners had given me some help and advice on how to approach hill running. I know I have done it previously but I had just totally lost confidence since I started running again. So today I planned a new route, one that involved a very long hill. It wasn't the steepest hill in town but it was a hill none the less.
After trying to talk myself out of the run 100 times (something else I also need to work on) I laced up my trainers, loaded up my best 90's cheesy dance music and hit the road. The first mile was hard (it always is isn't it!! Why is that?) but once I found my stride I felt great. The hill of death (as I have now renamed it) came just at the end of mile 2, like I said it is a long hill, the majority of which is a gentle slope but there are also some steep bits within it. I focused on the lay by half way up the hill and decided that would be my goal, if I could just get to there then I would be happy.....I got there. At the lay by I decided I would continue to the bench a bit further up, at least then I could collapse in a heap on the bench. Bench reached and I decided to push a bit further, after all I was more or less at the top now so pointless stopping. I got to the top of the hill and felt like Rocky at the top of those steps!!! (I may have even raised my hands in the air at this point). At the top I was surprised to find my legs were still capable of moving so I continued until I hit mile 4! This felt absolutely amazing. I actually felt I could have continued a bit further but i'm also conscious that I don't want to over do things and end up causing myself an injury and set back my training.
Today has definitely been about mind over matter, I took Pmac's words on board and thought just because I couldn't do a hill last time I was out running did not mean I couldn't do it today, and I did!
I have read lots about how a positive mindset and how people can get so far in their training and push through their mental barriers but I have never been able to harness this within my own training...until today. It felt amazing to run up that hill and it felt amazing to hit that 4 mile mark, I cannot wait to make more progress in my future runs!
Last week I was looking through my Instagram stories and a personal trainer I follow called Pmac. He trains lots of celebs like Giovanna Fletcher, Marvin and Rochelle Humes and Reggie Yates. He regularly posts work out ideas and stories with little snippets of wisdom. It was one of these stories this week that caught my attention. I don't remember the exact words he used but basically the message was "Just because you didn't so something yesterday does not mean you can't do it tomorrow". This got me thinking, I've chosen my running routes carefully to avoid hills because I can't run up hills.
I had also posted about this in a group I belong to and other runners had given me some help and advice on how to approach hill running. I know I have done it previously but I had just totally lost confidence since I started running again. So today I planned a new route, one that involved a very long hill. It wasn't the steepest hill in town but it was a hill none the less.
After trying to talk myself out of the run 100 times (something else I also need to work on) I laced up my trainers, loaded up my best 90's cheesy dance music and hit the road. The first mile was hard (it always is isn't it!! Why is that?) but once I found my stride I felt great. The hill of death (as I have now renamed it) came just at the end of mile 2, like I said it is a long hill, the majority of which is a gentle slope but there are also some steep bits within it. I focused on the lay by half way up the hill and decided that would be my goal, if I could just get to there then I would be happy.....I got there. At the lay by I decided I would continue to the bench a bit further up, at least then I could collapse in a heap on the bench. Bench reached and I decided to push a bit further, after all I was more or less at the top now so pointless stopping. I got to the top of the hill and felt like Rocky at the top of those steps!!! (I may have even raised my hands in the air at this point). At the top I was surprised to find my legs were still capable of moving so I continued until I hit mile 4! This felt absolutely amazing. I actually felt I could have continued a bit further but i'm also conscious that I don't want to over do things and end up causing myself an injury and set back my training.
Today has definitely been about mind over matter, I took Pmac's words on board and thought just because I couldn't do a hill last time I was out running did not mean I couldn't do it today, and I did!
I have read lots about how a positive mindset and how people can get so far in their training and push through their mental barriers but I have never been able to harness this within my own training...until today. It felt amazing to run up that hill and it felt amazing to hit that 4 mile mark, I cannot wait to make more progress in my future runs!
Wednesday, 28 February 2018
I didn't die!!!!
So in my last blog post I mentioned this week was about hard work, I wasn't kidding and it's only Wednesday!
Monday morning I came home from my night shift and for some strange reason whilst driving home I had the urge to go for a run...yeah I know, what's with that?? Anyway I got home, changed and informed a very bemused Rich I was off for a run. My last outside run (and my first training run) I managed 2.57 miles in 38:29 minutes, 1 mile of that was non stop running and my overall pace was 14:56. I was pleased with that as my pace for the last half marathon I ran was 15:21 so I was already feeling chuffed. I remember when I started training last time, I couldn't even make it 100 yards without collapsing in a heap gasping for breath! Monday's run was 2.73 miles, post night shift so no sleep, in the snow and I managed a pace of 14.08! Sure, it's not going to brake any world records but it's improvement and that is what i'm striving for. I managed to run 1.5 miles this time without stopping, that felt great, made up for the slightly frostbitten fingers 😂😂😂.
Another major step this week was contacting a personal trainer. You may remember my previous post about jumping my first hurdle? Read it here. Well last week I put on my big girl pants and contacted her again, after all I first made contact with her because I was impressed with her results and her clients raved about her. Out of all the trainers I looked out, she was the one that stood out. I arranged a PT session for this afternoon and off I went. It was cold, about -2 when I arrived at the park but I think I was sweating from nerves! Half 4 came and she arrived as arranged, that was a relief, well for a short while anyway!! It was tough, it was cold and I may have forgotten how to breathe a few times but I survived. Again it's not the biggest achievement in the world but more me it's huge progress and taking steps to not just improve my fitness for the half marathon but just in general. So an hour of running to collect cones, making waves with stupidly heavy ropes, slamming medicine balls into the floor (I liked this haha) and squats. I completed each task set, have always been a stubborn bugger!
The work does not end there though, when i'm not running or having training sessions I am working at home. The focus, drive and determination is there, I CAN DO THIS!
Monday morning I came home from my night shift and for some strange reason whilst driving home I had the urge to go for a run...yeah I know, what's with that?? Anyway I got home, changed and informed a very bemused Rich I was off for a run. My last outside run (and my first training run) I managed 2.57 miles in 38:29 minutes, 1 mile of that was non stop running and my overall pace was 14:56. I was pleased with that as my pace for the last half marathon I ran was 15:21 so I was already feeling chuffed. I remember when I started training last time, I couldn't even make it 100 yards without collapsing in a heap gasping for breath! Monday's run was 2.73 miles, post night shift so no sleep, in the snow and I managed a pace of 14.08! Sure, it's not going to brake any world records but it's improvement and that is what i'm striving for. I managed to run 1.5 miles this time without stopping, that felt great, made up for the slightly frostbitten fingers 😂😂😂.
Another major step this week was contacting a personal trainer. You may remember my previous post about jumping my first hurdle? Read it here. Well last week I put on my big girl pants and contacted her again, after all I first made contact with her because I was impressed with her results and her clients raved about her. Out of all the trainers I looked out, she was the one that stood out. I arranged a PT session for this afternoon and off I went. It was cold, about -2 when I arrived at the park but I think I was sweating from nerves! Half 4 came and she arrived as arranged, that was a relief, well for a short while anyway!! It was tough, it was cold and I may have forgotten how to breathe a few times but I survived. Again it's not the biggest achievement in the world but more me it's huge progress and taking steps to not just improve my fitness for the half marathon but just in general. So an hour of running to collect cones, making waves with stupidly heavy ropes, slamming medicine balls into the floor (I liked this haha) and squats. I completed each task set, have always been a stubborn bugger!
The work does not end there though, when i'm not running or having training sessions I am working at home. The focus, drive and determination is there, I CAN DO THIS!
Saturday, 24 February 2018
Why Paul Satori?
It is a beautiful sunny day here in Pembrokeshire today, the perfect day to go out for a run but alas I am stuck indoors looking after my poorly man who has a nasty dose of flu, still, its the perfect time for me to sit and write this blog post.
When I have previously asked for sponsorship for my crazy ideas it has usually been for a well known national charity such as Cancer Research or the Lymphoma Association. Charities that are foremost in our minds and have huge media campaigns behind them in order to keep them there.
When mum was diagnosed with cancer I looked to all the different charities to see what help and support they could offer our family. Macmillan had a specialist nurse who was available to offer help and guidance when I could get hold of her, Marie Curie didn't offer any help in our area, there are no local hospice service to help when with respite care when things were getting tough. That left us with one option, Paul Satori.
Having spent time with the charity during my nurse training I was aware they offered a "Hospice at home" service. I contacted them when mum was ready to come home from hospital and within days they had delivered and set up a hospital style bed for mum to use when she came home, a listening device, similar to those you use with babies when they go into their own rooms and a 24 hour number for help, support and advice. They also offered a sleep in service, this has to be one of the most invaluable services ever provided by a charity. For 2 nights (sometimes more) a nurse or health care assistant would stay overnight meaning I could go home, sleep in my own bed, get a full nights sleep without worrying that I wouldn't wake if I was needed. I cant begin to tell you how amazing that was, especially when running on empty. The staff were amazing, they would always be on time, were keen to help in any way they could. Each time they came they would sit and have a chat with me so I could "handover" anything they needed to know, discuss medication with them, offer solutions to any problems we were having and just listen to my worries. They would send me off home with a smile and a wave and I knew that mum was safe and well looked after. She would enjoy having someone new to chat to and soon became very fond of her "ladies" as she called them. It also gave her someone to confide in. We knew that she had worries that she didn't want to burden her family with, perhaps she thought talking about her final wishes would upset us or she just simply couldn't face it. She knew the ladies who came to her had experience in these matters and would be able to sit and listen without judgement or emotion, this was just what mum needed.
Whilst the statutory 2 nights were a life saver, there were often times when I would need perhaps an extra night like when I was floored by a cold and needed that night of unbroken sleep, or when the kids had something on and I needed to be home. I only had to pick up the phone and ask for help, if they had someone available then they came, no hesitation. There were also nights where they had a cancellation and I would get a phone call asking if I would like someone that night, it was always gratefully accepted. I can honestly say without Paul Satori there is no way we could have managed to keep mum at home as long as we did.
I am however aware that we only used a small amount of the resources this charity has to offer. A brief look at their website HERE shows that as well as home care and equipment loans, the charity offers a clinical nurse specialist in palliative care, a physiotherapist to enable palliative patients to maintain independence and dignity in their own home, complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, massage, Reiki and reflexology for both patients and their families, bereavement counselling, advanced care planning and education and training for medical professionals. Best of all, all this is offered for FREE!!! So how much does this all cost? Their website informs me that in 2016 the cost of running their clinicaal service was £900,000. That is a pretty astounding figure and must be quite a daunting task for their fundraising team, can you imagine having to raise that amount of money each year? This is why, in a fleeting moment of madness, I decided to do the Cardiff Half Marathon and raise as much money as I could for this fantastic charity.
But don't just take my word for it, here are some comments from other people who have been supported by Paul Satori:
Vicky: When dad had pancreatic cancer they provided all the equipment from bath hoist to bed, wheelchair etc. Not to mention emotional support they offered.
Rachel: we used Paul Satori when my mum was ill, they were fantastic. If we needed anything we only had to phone and they would deliver it straight away. We nursed mum at home which was hard work and at night she would become very restless because she was scared to sleep so Paul Satori sent someone out to us to stay at the house overnight so that my dad could get some rest.. I don't think we could have kept mum at home with us to die her own home if it wasn't for the brilliant ladies.
Sam: When I lost mum I had nowhere to turn. Being an only child and losing dad many years ago meant everything was down to me. With their help and support I was able to provide first class care to mum when she needed it the most. Whats more they helped me come to terms with my loss through their amazing counselling service. It was such a relief to have someone to talk to who understood how I felt and didn't try and tell me how I should feel. They really made a difference.
So there you have it, whilst Paul Satori isn't one of the "big boys" in the charity world, they are certainly one of the best. Any dent I can make in their own target will be a huge help and I know will go towards providing care for a family just like me or yours.... If you would like to sponsor me please pop across to my Justgiving page HERE GO ON! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!
When I have previously asked for sponsorship for my crazy ideas it has usually been for a well known national charity such as Cancer Research or the Lymphoma Association. Charities that are foremost in our minds and have huge media campaigns behind them in order to keep them there.
When mum was diagnosed with cancer I looked to all the different charities to see what help and support they could offer our family. Macmillan had a specialist nurse who was available to offer help and guidance when I could get hold of her, Marie Curie didn't offer any help in our area, there are no local hospice service to help when with respite care when things were getting tough. That left us with one option, Paul Satori.
Having spent time with the charity during my nurse training I was aware they offered a "Hospice at home" service. I contacted them when mum was ready to come home from hospital and within days they had delivered and set up a hospital style bed for mum to use when she came home, a listening device, similar to those you use with babies when they go into their own rooms and a 24 hour number for help, support and advice. They also offered a sleep in service, this has to be one of the most invaluable services ever provided by a charity. For 2 nights (sometimes more) a nurse or health care assistant would stay overnight meaning I could go home, sleep in my own bed, get a full nights sleep without worrying that I wouldn't wake if I was needed. I cant begin to tell you how amazing that was, especially when running on empty. The staff were amazing, they would always be on time, were keen to help in any way they could. Each time they came they would sit and have a chat with me so I could "handover" anything they needed to know, discuss medication with them, offer solutions to any problems we were having and just listen to my worries. They would send me off home with a smile and a wave and I knew that mum was safe and well looked after. She would enjoy having someone new to chat to and soon became very fond of her "ladies" as she called them. It also gave her someone to confide in. We knew that she had worries that she didn't want to burden her family with, perhaps she thought talking about her final wishes would upset us or she just simply couldn't face it. She knew the ladies who came to her had experience in these matters and would be able to sit and listen without judgement or emotion, this was just what mum needed.
Whilst the statutory 2 nights were a life saver, there were often times when I would need perhaps an extra night like when I was floored by a cold and needed that night of unbroken sleep, or when the kids had something on and I needed to be home. I only had to pick up the phone and ask for help, if they had someone available then they came, no hesitation. There were also nights where they had a cancellation and I would get a phone call asking if I would like someone that night, it was always gratefully accepted. I can honestly say without Paul Satori there is no way we could have managed to keep mum at home as long as we did.
I am however aware that we only used a small amount of the resources this charity has to offer. A brief look at their website HERE shows that as well as home care and equipment loans, the charity offers a clinical nurse specialist in palliative care, a physiotherapist to enable palliative patients to maintain independence and dignity in their own home, complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, massage, Reiki and reflexology for both patients and their families, bereavement counselling, advanced care planning and education and training for medical professionals. Best of all, all this is offered for FREE!!! So how much does this all cost? Their website informs me that in 2016 the cost of running their clinicaal service was £900,000. That is a pretty astounding figure and must be quite a daunting task for their fundraising team, can you imagine having to raise that amount of money each year? This is why, in a fleeting moment of madness, I decided to do the Cardiff Half Marathon and raise as much money as I could for this fantastic charity.
But don't just take my word for it, here are some comments from other people who have been supported by Paul Satori:
Vicky: When dad had pancreatic cancer they provided all the equipment from bath hoist to bed, wheelchair etc. Not to mention emotional support they offered.
Rachel: we used Paul Satori when my mum was ill, they were fantastic. If we needed anything we only had to phone and they would deliver it straight away. We nursed mum at home which was hard work and at night she would become very restless because she was scared to sleep so Paul Satori sent someone out to us to stay at the house overnight so that my dad could get some rest.. I don't think we could have kept mum at home with us to die her own home if it wasn't for the brilliant ladies.
Sam: When I lost mum I had nowhere to turn. Being an only child and losing dad many years ago meant everything was down to me. With their help and support I was able to provide first class care to mum when she needed it the most. Whats more they helped me come to terms with my loss through their amazing counselling service. It was such a relief to have someone to talk to who understood how I felt and didn't try and tell me how I should feel. They really made a difference.
So there you have it, whilst Paul Satori isn't one of the "big boys" in the charity world, they are certainly one of the best. Any dent I can make in their own target will be a huge help and I know will go towards providing care for a family just like me or yours.... If you would like to sponsor me please pop across to my Justgiving page HERE GO ON! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!
Tuesday, 20 February 2018
Half Term Lurgy
You know how it goes, it's half term, lots of things planned with the kids, runs scheduled and BANG.....the half term lurgy hits. I can cope with a runny nose and a headache but the inhalers have been working hard this week just in order for me to breathe so running has been out of the question. I am also struggling with my jaw pain which has meant taking extra Dihydrocodeine which in turn makes me sleepy and lethargic, not a great mix when you are already feeling rubbish!
I'm also happy to admit that this has been a tough week mentally. The 18th marked a whole year since mum passed away. I cannot begin to understand where the last year has gone. It's been busy, i'll grant you that, April I had my hysterectomy, June we went to Glastonbury, Jade had GCSE exams, summer holidays, Panto, Christmas and Jades 16th birthday, all things mum would have relished, although I remember the eye rolling and exasperated gasps when I told mum I had secured Glastonbury tickets 😜😜😜. I have tried to fill my time with as much as possible so that my mind is occupied but im often caught off guard when I go to pick up the phone to tell mum exciting news or when we picked postcards when we were on holiday. There is a definite void in all our lives that no matter what we do we are not going to fill.
However, as much as I would like to just sit and veg on the sofa and wallow in self pity, I know this is not going to help me in October so I dusted off the yoga mat, cleared a space on the bedroom floor and invested in resistance bands and 3kg dumbbells. I've managed to get an hour in most days so far which im pleased about. I must admit I was dubious about the resistance bands and wondered if they were a faddy thing but as they were only a couple of quid from Aldi I figured I didn't have much to lose. I printed off a chart from the internet and off I went. It took a while to get the tension right and I did almost decapitate myself a few times 😟but with persistence and a few naughty words I got there in the end. I woke the next day feeling like id been run over by a bus!! I think its fair to say they do the job.
I have also spent the week looking up different stretches to help with shin splints. I developed these last time I ran and did HIIT training so i'm mindful I dont want to repeat this as they are sooooo bloody painful! I have been working on these before and after workouts to try and stave off any pain, so far so good. If anyone has any other ideas on preventing and treating shin splints i'd love to hear them.
Fundraising wise, I am half way towards my first target of £100. I have a bigger target in mind but im trying to work in small chunks so it does not seem such a giant leap. I would dearly love to make as much money as possible for Paul Satori so I can play my part in helping more families to experience the help and support that was afforded to us. If you are reading this then please consider donating, click on the tab at the top if you want to know more about them. Donations can be as little as £1 (less than a Costa!!) by text and its very simple, you just text SATO47 then the amount (e.g.£1) to 70070, SIMPLES!!
I'm also happy to admit that this has been a tough week mentally. The 18th marked a whole year since mum passed away. I cannot begin to understand where the last year has gone. It's been busy, i'll grant you that, April I had my hysterectomy, June we went to Glastonbury, Jade had GCSE exams, summer holidays, Panto, Christmas and Jades 16th birthday, all things mum would have relished, although I remember the eye rolling and exasperated gasps when I told mum I had secured Glastonbury tickets 😜😜😜. I have tried to fill my time with as much as possible so that my mind is occupied but im often caught off guard when I go to pick up the phone to tell mum exciting news or when we picked postcards when we were on holiday. There is a definite void in all our lives that no matter what we do we are not going to fill.
However, as much as I would like to just sit and veg on the sofa and wallow in self pity, I know this is not going to help me in October so I dusted off the yoga mat, cleared a space on the bedroom floor and invested in resistance bands and 3kg dumbbells. I've managed to get an hour in most days so far which im pleased about. I must admit I was dubious about the resistance bands and wondered if they were a faddy thing but as they were only a couple of quid from Aldi I figured I didn't have much to lose. I printed off a chart from the internet and off I went. It took a while to get the tension right and I did almost decapitate myself a few times 😟but with persistence and a few naughty words I got there in the end. I woke the next day feeling like id been run over by a bus!! I think its fair to say they do the job.
I have also spent the week looking up different stretches to help with shin splints. I developed these last time I ran and did HIIT training so i'm mindful I dont want to repeat this as they are sooooo bloody painful! I have been working on these before and after workouts to try and stave off any pain, so far so good. If anyone has any other ideas on preventing and treating shin splints i'd love to hear them.
Fundraising wise, I am half way towards my first target of £100. I have a bigger target in mind but im trying to work in small chunks so it does not seem such a giant leap. I would dearly love to make as much money as possible for Paul Satori so I can play my part in helping more families to experience the help and support that was afforded to us. If you are reading this then please consider donating, click on the tab at the top if you want to know more about them. Donations can be as little as £1 (less than a Costa!!) by text and its very simple, you just text SATO47 then the amount (e.g.£1) to 70070, SIMPLES!!
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