Day 31, leaps like a salmon, with arms, and punches the air!

Last day, so am sad, happy and shocked when I look at my totals. Thanks Cathy, have had a great time and sorry I can’t come to the meal on Saturday but work calls. As I have worked my botty off every day, blogged and logged on Running Free and I am eligible for the trainer voucher. I only have 2 pairs, one with holes in and one out of date, well worn out, 2012 Brookes specials, let it be me!

Today it’s a planned power walking, biking and power plates sort of day. Had a few routes planned, one going over to Kent but Kim and I went local and for a 10km big one. How did I know something was going to happen today? Maybe I am a witch, although people tend to say bitch. 

First view, Four weddings and a funeral Chrurch, the funeral

Thames is out

Before I left I had a feeling and asked Mike to track us just in case we needed picking up. Poor Kim gets a call from the school to pick up her son who is sick, but we were at our furthest point and luckily Granddad is able to pick him up and we sped up a gear to get back as fast as we can.

I didn't do this but am happy as they look like yesterday Trollies

It really is a nice walk!

St Clements, West Thurrock

Local employer

As it’s my late night work day and pouring down and windy I’m not going to cycle to work so went gym biking. To make a change I go for a low speed so my legs are speeding round for 25 minutes. I had a power plate session, legs, arms, planking and dips and that is it, the month is technically over.  

I have that end of the month feeling and have just looked on the leader board, why? It’s a bit of fun, well it was until I saw that I was 5^th on the number of hours. 86 hours, that’s like a part time job I spent doing  my own stuff, no wonder the housework is so in need. Yay I am top of something and that is cross, which is mainly in the gym and am on 45 hours, wow, most spent on weights and power plates. I changed the settings to distance run and I’m not even on the first page and maybe 36^th ish with 120km. I looked back at Junathon and I had done 107 km for the month and was 16^th, I am happy as I have done more. In June I was top of the bike with 194 km and now I have beaten my mileage 208km but am 4^th, I blame the snow for that and not being able to commute to work but actually the 1^st and 2^nd have double and quadruple my mileage so good on them. Even walking, and I spend a lot of time out and about with the dog, I have beaten my mileage as I am on 84km, but again I was 2^nd and now I am 4^th. The moral of this story is that more people are -athoning but that’s sent me down the table.

Thanks all for reading I’ve had a great, if not tiring, time and enjoyed blogging, must catch up with all the people I owe emails.

Totals

Weight loss, none!

loads of fun, snow, slipped disk buddy. 

Run 120 KM

Bike 208 KM

Gym  45 hours

Swim 7 KM

Day 30, What will I do next week? No celb Big Bro and blog in the evenings

Today I am running alone and owh how I suffer without a buddy, firstly I am as slow as a cart horse on the way to the knackers yard and this was partly due to the wind, it was so blowy that my eyes were not just watering but crying and the tears were running into my ear and secondly I stopped to take 8 photos, look at 4 phone messages, have a scuffle with some big boys, dance with 2 trolleys and a wheelie bin, auto pause didn’t work, just one more think the route I took is 14 km and today it came out as 13.15km and when I zoomed into the route there were sections missing so not good Endomondo tracking today. 

Ready to run!

Route today is unplanned, that’s a surprise but running for an hour and a quarter, run until the voice of the phone says 40 minutes and turn around and come back. As the sun was shining even the wind wasn’t too bad on Chafford but as soon as I get going it’s head on the whole way.

Tour includes the house that has had a huge denehole appear in the drive,  

Is that a holein place of a drive?

Off street parking?

Yes there is a Yatch club 

view

the yacht club, Thames and QE2 bridge,   

QE2 Bridge

sounds good, that’s not all I passed a house we nearly bought back in 1994,four big boys going late into school, I know everyone is taller than me but big boys in uniform looking at their phones, probably a photo of my nephew, and didn’t see me and I have to raise my voice and give them an “oi, oi chaps” what a knobby thing to say but sometimes a posh teacher voice does it all and boys disperse with a sorry Miss. I am sure it was them who put a spell on me as after that I was assaulted by 2 trollies blowing across the pavement by the high bridge; 

not one but 3 wheelie bins one with its lid open like it was coming to eat me munching and then at the last minute though, too much for one 4 foot bin and it swerved. I also, don’t ask me how, oh jeez Kim you would have so protected me, hit my elbow on the never funny bone, on a green BT box at the side of the road as I passed a queue of people at a bus stop. Sounds extra stupid but they all moved forward as the bus came and seemed to feel that I was actually running for the bus and was going to jump the queue and leap aboard. I was ambushed and moved right and into an invisible green box. Please don’t laugh it was all too much for me, I nearly did jump on the bus but Chris has my Oyster card and I was on the last 3km. I popped into the gym for a power plates cool down and home for dog walkies with Mum. That was lovely, the sun was bright and warm but the wind was so strong although she tripped over her laces within the first 20 yards and I caught her and threw her across the pavement with way too much force. Pongo just looked on. Wind was still really strong but even with Mum we made good times and stayed in 11 minutes a km for most of the walk. Nice to see the horses back in the flooded field and stupid swans a couple of fields away.  

Just seen the news, that poor London Marathon runner Claire, then the married couple on a tandem both died, so very sad. When we did the Great East Swim a young woman swimmer died and we think we saw her dragged out and go off in an ambulance. I always say if I do die please tell people I died doing something I loved. Saying that when the married couple were killed on their tandem, I reiterated this to Mike, as we have a tandem, and I do always badger him to come out on it, but today he said yeah I bet that’s not what he thinks.

yummy

Its Orange Wednesday so I treating Mr T to a night at the flicks, Movie 43, let’s just say I won’t be buying him an i-babe for his Birthday and if it was on the TV I’d have turned it over.

Total

Run, I think 14km,but phone says less.

Walkies 6km

Crap film and a cinnabon

Day 29 and need to get running, even if on a wheel

Today is my hurry, hurry, hurry day. I spend it like a hamster running on its wheel, or a chubby runner on the treadmill. The day starts with doggy walkies and today the swans are playing Pongo and seek, unfortunately I forget I have a camera phone, sometimes when I walk down the lane I seem to go back in time and only have a distance shot of Mr and Mrs Swan saying why don’t you and your dog go play on the motorway.

First glimpse, the small white dots

Can’t be bothered you enjoy the field and stay over there!

It was a little strange as I very rarely see anyone and today a man followed us, I was wondering if it was the dog warden and as soon as Pongo went off the lead he would be arrested for crimes against swans and running with his ears inside out, the Dalmatian Society don’t like that sort of thing! But actually I now think I have a stalker, he has no dog and a hat pulled low and an anorak, maybe he was a flasher and I walked too fast or a Janathon official following me as can one woman walk this amount and has she even got a dog? 

Today my favourite puddle has changed shape and is now looking like Australia, what do you think, it’s also a little less slippy and more the texture of guacamole.

From walkies  it’s gym time and I am going open minded, no plan other than go gym! I did a big lot of weights, pully arm thing, pushy leg thing, waisty twist thing, low row, legs out, legs in and tip toe legs arms punchy down. Did a good row, went a little further in ten minutes, not much about 150 metres and cross trainer, a short brick session run and bike, run, bike but as time was sneaking past me I had an arms and legs cool down on the power plates. Shower and back on the wheel, I have my work bag ready for the next stage of miserable existence and shower, dry hair and drive into work. I even get a top manager bay right by the door, which was great until I came out and my car is blocked in by an unknown on the 7^th floor. I felt shattered and came home had 2 tablets and went to bed which seemed like just for 5 minutes but must have been an hour as I was rudely awoken by the door bell ringing and in my sleepy state tried to turn the digital alarm clock off. Dog was going mental and by the time I got downstairs he was in such a state if I was outside would have walked away. It was actually baby T back from college so been in bed a little longer than I thought and Pongo was so excited because he knew it was her and felt the doorwoman service was terrible; as did Amber.

Tries to make up for nap and starts doing 6 jobs, washing on, out, and needs to be hung up, dishwasher unloaded and reloaded, cooking tea, looking at Facebook, all the necessities to make it look like I was a good mum/wife, but lands up burning the palm of my hand, putting the dog in the garden and washing in a basket just dumped like a stolen car! So everything stops for football and hopefully our game will be on tonight so it’s an early blog from me. 

Totals

Nap time, oh yes an hour or more, get in there!

Gym, cardio 50 mins  and weights 35 mins 

walking with dog some

Day 28-It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

In celebration of 200 years since publication of Pride and Prejudice and as a secret bookie with a First class honours in English Literature, also working in a library I feel today I will sneak in a few Austen quotes. I am not an Elizabeth Bennett fan, even though Bennett was my maiden name and have always preferred Fanny Price as my ideal heroine, or maybe wonder woman, so Austen quotes will be all encompassing tonight.

Jemma's Breakfast smile

I pull into the gym and I can see Kim, looking slimmer and as elegant as ever in black, is there to greet me for run time. “Run mad as long as you choose, but do not faint” (Pride and Prejudice). Poor Kim’s back is unhealed and to run could be classed as “Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.” (Emma). Naughtily, after running Kim goes back to the Doctor and after an MRI scan may have to have surgery, our hearts sink but we can still power walk “I walk: I prefer walking.” (Persuasion). I hate running alone but no buddy makes me think I won’t want to run, but maybe people will say “She was stronger alone…” (Sense and Sensibility). Poor Kim “Her mind was all disorder. The past, present, future, everything was terrible.” (Mansfield Park). I know one thing that run breeze socks don’t last very long as the seam has come undone.
I had a bit of stability ball work and some arm weights and rushed home as Jemma and Liam were packing to go back to Devon after spending a lovely weekend with us. “It was a delightful visit; perfect, in being much too short.” (Emma)

Cats at 1.00pm

Cats at 6.30pm

Time was not on my side and as soon as they depart I got ready for work “Oh! Do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch” (Mansfield Park). I was going for the train, then Mike was giving me a lift but no “You must be the best judge of
your own happiness. “ (Emma) on the bike I went and rode to work. Not my best move as it was so windy I almost had to dismount on the do not ride across the bridge and cyclists dismount here sign, how amusing to be blown into the actual sign, so glad no one could see me. To top it all it started to fine rain at 5km so I sped up and arrived at work flushed and sticky. The cats knew this was coming and when I came in from work they remained unmoved.
It was like a storm come the end of the working day. “to hope was to expect” (Sense and Sensibility) and lucky for me Mr. T had arrived and put my bike in the back of the Galaxy for a lift home. It was home for a pasta tea “I am very strong. Nothing ever fatigues me, but doing what I do not like.” (Mansfield Park) and I like pasta, I made a veggie sauce “It’s been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable.” (Pride and Prejudice). As the weather was just so bad it was a quick dog walk and home flop in the sofa and blog “One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.” (Emma).
Let’s finish with one last quote “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” (Northanger Abbey)


Todays totals
Balls and weights
Run 7.75km
Bike ride 7.25 kms
Sadness at Jemma and Liam going back to Devon, mega

Day 27, and the sun is shining, we should be making hay, but, Catatonia

Well I never, can you believe it but I only had 2 glasses of wine, a huge amount of food and even cheesecake, didn’t even dance that much but had a super evening out last night mainly chatting, as did all the rest of the family, Jemma and Liam were at Wembley for TNA wrestling, Amber was in Southend at a gig and Chris swapped his shift and finished work early. The party ended at midnight which tied in excellently as it was pouring down so we picked up our own Devon wrestling tag team from the station. Had a sneaky Southern Comfort and then at about 2am re-heated left over Indian take away, not a great idea and went to bed feeling like this picture.

Is this the new me?

I have the get up and go and intend the 1^st Feb to be my new year and start the diet for sure, book a few events and think about having a thinner summer.

As I hadn't over done the vino I could have got up and run but it’s just nice to have one day lay in together so we read the papers and once the rain stopped this morning off we went on a Pongo walk. His leg is much better and he was having a really good frolic about. With the snow melting it’s bringing the flooding back, well it never really left us, and Pongo loved the fresh smells coming up. 

The day was so warm and sunny but a beastly windy one. Even the boot campers on the green were out doing their thing, I was tempted to shout out where was they last week in the snow but then remembered I spent the day in the pub and on we walked.  

Had a little more Lakeside shopping and then popped into Costco for a fruit sundae,

 OK I said 1^st Feb and am having a bit of a naughty time until then. I managed to fit in a lovely swim this afternoon, I had about an hour to spare and couldn’t be bothered to get changed into gym wear, not a good start but a swim was the only solution. It was pretty empty and I had a lane to myself to rack up the lengths and time went quickly but then dragged and 40 minutes was the most I can manage. I actually had a bit of a pain in one elbow, still as I said to Mike yesterday, you’ve had good life!  

Had a real fun afternoon, got down a suitcase of old photos and spent a couple of hours laughing and the odd she’s dead, they’re divorced and whatever happened to them. Now having a wine and watching the box, had a scrummy tea and made dough balls and nibbles food, assorted chicken bits, wedges,  mushroom, chilli prawns, pizza, homemade veggie pesto tart bit like a Christmas Eve picky party session. Roll on Feb xxx 

Totals

Overeating, all last night and today.

Dogga walking in the sun, nice.

Swimming like a Shamu was hunting me down, 40 mins

  

Day 26 and it's still daylight at 5 pm

Firstly let's say Happy 60th Birthday to Martin, we are so looking forward to a hot buffet and paid bar celebrating with you that I am writing my blog the earliest I have ever done so that we can get maximum enjoyment out of the evening. Pongo and Mr T have even gone long walkies so that I can blog but I am really going to shower and I have a lot of shaving and exfoliation to do before I turn from middle aged mother of three to sexy dancing queen MILF.
Lets get Janathon blogging and today the three bears are reunited, a big yay as Kissable Kim and sweet pea Jackie made my morning run a joyous occasion. I just love that we can gossip and run, it's like a coffee morning on the go with no coffee, maybe I could patent it, maybe not. Run was lovely as it was almost daylight at 7.30am and we all felt, even with a couple of patches of left over ice and a cold wind, that it was like a spring time run. Not much to report about the actual run other than we saw a fox run across the road and a high number of other joggers out and about. On the way home I saw our alter egos, 3 male runners. Now they are older than us and obviously not outstanding athletes but I see them and think good on you, you're out and about and doing your best. Their Daddy Bear is actually pretty grey but he's at the head and leads his team as they conquer Chafford and Davy Down. I've seen them out a few times but I can't imagine their gossip is as good as ours. They are also not as dedicated as us because they are out at 10 and we have been out, ran, cycled showered and prepared porridge for the rest of the bear's family before they get going.
From running went into the gym and went indoor mountain biking. I had in my mind 10 miles but my maths isn't great and I did 18 km which was 11.25 miles, also had a power plates session, top work I felt. Had another gossip in the changing room and came home and went out with Jemma and Liam window shopping.

Now in Jacqui World we had a lovely walk and picnic but in reality we went to the shops and had Subway for lunch. Joke of the day: Richard "Dick" Turner. Oh no look at the time, I need to be morphing, can I count dancing the night away as part of my Janathon activities?

Totals
Run 7.7km
Bike 18 km
Day of not cooking, yes another one.

Day 25, was Christmas a month ago?

The fridge of  Leftovers

Was it all a month ago? Yup and still over-eating and preparing for a diet, so after yesterday's Chinese it was a take away curry today, but all I had today was porridge and a 70 calories bar for lunch. In my head that means I haven't blown it completely this week, but now having home cooked cookies and mixed ice creams, as in strawberry cheesecake, pistachio and cookies and cream, yummy.

Ocados been!

Today was the day of lateness for all at Tongue Towers. Firstly Mike turned his alarm off and luckily he was working from home so just ambled down the stairs and logged on in his bathrobe. An hour later Amber missed the college bus so I drove our car to chase it, yes I overtook it but ended up arriving at college at the same time. She told me tonight that her first lesson was cancelled so there was no rush after our mini tour of Essex. I flew back for yoga and just made it but somehow I misjudged my time and was late for work, so Mike dropped me at the station as it was zero degrees and I didn't have time to check the tyres and cycle to work. Chris was late for work as well as he turned his alarm off instead of hitting snooze so Mike also gave him a lift after dropping me at the station. Haven't got much other news as did the shortest dog walk ever, partly as Jemma was only 11 minutes away so as soon as doggy had pooed we turned back and came home and partly as it was take away tea, again.
Am really excited about running tomorrow as the 3 bears are going out to run as the porridge cools, let's hope we don't get any more snow, we did have a little in the air today and it had been freezing all day but I will be gutted with a capital G if we can't go out and run or worse if I wake up at 6.45 and get ready to run and it's all slippy but looks fine.