Three months since my last post, and I’ve been trying to keep turning up for myself. It’s started to feel much more enjoyable again. I’ve been out for a run this evening at one of my old stomping grounds just because it’s where I wanted to be, rather than feeling that I should. It wasn’t far, I would guess about 2.5M (still not wearing a watch!), but I’m definitely running further before needing a breather and it feels good to be able to just put my trainers on and go out, knowing I’ll finish what I start.
Bounce attendance has been patchy the last few months, both due to cancelled classes and stuff coming up I have to deal with, but I have been more consistently attending the gym for Lift weight classes usually one evening a week. This week I went for an early morning class before work just to finish the month off, and what a difference in how much I can do and how I feel between an evening and a morning session. I am definitely a morning person – for exercise and everything else, as long as I’ve had breakfast!
I changed jobs at the back end of last year, and both being on a site instead of stuck at a desk all the time and not having to drive 1hr each way to the office twice a week is a double-blessing for both my fitness and my mental sanity. My new workplace is just over 2 miles from home, and it has been my intention as the weather improves into Spring to try and start cycling to work once or twice a week. My car failing its MOT and not being booked in for the needed repairs for a week gave me a push rather sooner than I was intending to have a go at this, so I duly got ye olde bicycle out the garage, gave it a wash and an oiling and pumped up the tyres. I think it’s been unused for possibly four years…
I have to wear a hi-vis from the carpark, so donned this most flattering garment from home – which in combination with my gloves, shorts and helmet made me look like a fresh-faced 11 year old going out to do their cycling proficiency test. I suspect I would have failed… my bike has ZERO suspension, and as such kerbs were very scary and I walked my bike when crossing roads, made it all the way to the end of the track passing the work entrance and caught my clip, which I was not using, in the pedal and went down into the gravel. I had to walk into work with a badly grazed and dripping knee, but because it was outside the premises I did not at least have to do any paperwork. Having tripped and fallen on something in work the week before, I really did not want two incidents in such a short window.
I’ve completed another couple of parkruns off my North-East map – Chopwell, Denton Dene and Durham – and have seen a continued improvement in both how far I’m running at once and my times. At Durham I actually ran the whole thing! (Albeit extremely slow and steady) I’ve also now had two parkruns come in as sub-40 mins, which given one of them was the moderately hilly Denton I’m rather pleased about. Another nice milestone to progress. I’ve also snuck in a volunteering session just to try and support the Saturday morning routine I want to have when I wasn’t able to run. We’ll see where I end up next weekend.
All in all, things feel like they’re picking up this year. I’ve offically hit two stone lost this week, which I’m really pleased about having stagnated since the start of the year. I even did a month without chocolate, which is unheard of for me! Probably another stone to go, but I’m more focused on getting the lifestyle I want back than the numbers on the scale – losing that first stone made such an enormous difference in being able to exercise again, it was unbelievable. I’m trying to skew things back towards running again – I feel like I’ve been doing the odd run amongst the other exercise sessions, and I’d like to get back to the other exercise supporting the running again! I’ve even booked a few shorter (5k – 5M) races over the next few months in the hopes of motivating myself, and having something to write about again! I am however gutted the Willow Miner’s is not going ahead this year – I’d been keeping an eye out for that one being open to registrations, however tough I’ve found it the last few times. As I do every year, I’m not enjoying the hot days, but with the days being longer it’s possible for me to get out in the mornings and evenings when it’s cooled off, which makes for some early or late starts but means I am very slightly less drippy. Bring on the ice creams!
See you out there!
Sarah
x
Blue Runnings 
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