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Wednesday 29 February 2012

Tues 6 miles....my damn toe....

6 miles tonight...was thinking back to the days where I couldn't even run for ten minutes....the days I couldn't even get up Ballyard hill....my first long run was on New Years day-5 miles.... Which seemed massive back then and that was nearly 7 weeks ago...it's strange how things progress and you don't realise it...and the hurdles you have to overcome to get to the point of where the group is now...

Did 6 miles...no stress...well a tiny bit if I'm honest...I can't lose all my nuthead tendencies immediately but I handled tonight much better...I didn't stress today during work,normally I'd start stressing quite early on in the day and worry where Marcus was taking us...but horray...!!.... I didn't! All I thought to myself was that I'd be on my feet for more than an hour and a bit...easy peasy I became settled...sounds strange i know...but I just had to change the way I think about running and I come round it from a different angle...I don't care it works...loola...

The run tonight was actually lovely...6 miles very comfortable pace and if I'm honest I didn't want to stop once...my small toe starting hurting on the last mile so I stopped to give it a prod and a poke...had a few words with it not to feck up my last mile...it was sore but I kept going...

The one aspect of running I need to get right is the different food groups...McDonalds is out!...I'm messing ,  haven't had a take away since Xmas...which is fantastic for me as I loved crap comfort food...I think it's more my lunch aspect that I have to get right..normally by 5 I'm starved and that's not good for the longer runs...had a half a banana this evening but I was still bloody starved..there was a packet of Oreo biscuits waving at me in the kitchen in work but I chose to ignore them...


Will do some research on food...

Tomorrow night 4 miles...Saturday 12 miles...this week we will have run a full marathon mileage quota...26 of them! missing the .2 part but who cares! 

I ve stuck to my nut head declaration...didn't grind the teeth once! Woohoo felt great....

Monday 27 February 2012

Monday 4 miles...most enjoyable run yet

It is a miracle..

I actually enjoyed my run tonight! Woohoo,no mental head tendencies came to surface and the 'worry' factor vanished...I was going to say ' the worry factor has vanished for now... but from this evening....come 6.30...I am a mental head no more....I am now a positive mental head....

I sat myself down this evening and had a good chat...

I made a declaration:
I Annie Horgan will not grind my teeth whilst running,I will not tense up and go into rigor mortis at any sign of a route change.i will try and have a conversation whilst running even if it's abusive,I will not put myself under pressure and worry all night before the long runs and arrive the next morning at the run with a mad look on my face from all the worry,and finally....I will just go out there and run...and enjoy it for what it is....and be proud ....

The run tonight: fabulous evening for running...I'd say there was about 30 people out tonight which was a great turnout...thanks be to god the evenings are getting longer...i normally hibernate for the winter but this winter I didn't.. started off running around the car park and then headed out of the car park...up the road...and across...I really thought Marcus was changing our route and I did tense up but only for a brief moment...but relaxation techniques kicked in...went onto You tube today and watched a few breathing technique videos like a loola....if anyone saw me...I was copying the guy in the video....breath from the lower belly and not the chest...had to turn the volume down cause there were patients in the waiting room and they'd think what the feck is she doing inside! Heavy breathing like a donkey on helium.....but I must say it made sense...and I'm not into quackery but shorter breathing spans is not good...so tonight I tried to breath from my belly....it worked....felt much better...I am now a belly breather...

We were like the pied pier clan......
The group tonight was lively...very easy going...and we seem to gel really well...it good to have a bit of craic and it breaks up the run...normally I'd isolate myself and try and get to the back but tonight I said feck it I'll just run and see what happens...there was about ten in our group...including Fr jack at the back ( aka Jerry O Sullivan)...he was piping up all the way...educating us on the russian translation for grandmother! And everytime we saw a runner or walker he'd holler out loud ' runner runner runner'! And we'd all laugh...like a bunch of school kids on a day trip...but I must say I enjoyed it...i do realise its very important to run with other people and not be a lone runner...


I will stick to my runners declaration...6 miles tomorrow night....belly breathing it is....

P.S. I'm still of the sweet stuff...had sugar free jelly last night.....vom....tasteless...

Saturday 25 February 2012

Sat run- 11.46 miles....don't look to me to encourage new runners to start!

Yesterday was 'worry day'....all day and all night this run was on my mind...this running malarkey is seriously turning me into a nut head...and I'm definitely not a poster girl to encourage anyone to start running!...definitely not...

A couple of things added to my worry..new route, a few of my comfort slow crew would be missing, Marcus not being there, and it was going to be 10 miles...or so i thought...my first double digit run....

Got up this s'morning...nervous...what else would I be...nut head tendencies kicked in during my nights sleep and I didn't sleep a wink running the route even-though I didn't know the route!

Started off in the aquadome....wasn't in my usual comfortable form...just knew I didn't feel right...Brian was our coach for the run...he explained the route and to be honest I hadn't a clue where we were going...off we go round the back of the aquadome towards Fels points...went onto the main rd and swung a right into the playground near lidl...couldn't get my breathing levels right...probably due to the loola stress levels...the group kind of split at this stage...headed up towards caherwisheen...hadn't a clue where I was...never been up that road before...worry sets in...where the feck are we going and how long for...as you know I like to know my route and didn't recognise any land marks..can't help it really...but nuthead here started to tense...tried to calm myself but it wasn't working...just at the base of the short mountain panic sets in...got a panic attack! couldn't breath and just lost it really...felt sick...with worry...knew it was coming on as my breathing was getting quicker and quicker and finally I just was gasping for breath like a fecking nutter...

I only ever had one panic attack before and that was when I was out cycling doing a 90k stint and I on the way home I fell off the bike and got thrown over the handle bars right into the middle of the road! Hands banjaxed, handle bars bent and couldn't see my mobile phone...and was out in the middle of nowhere....took ten mins to bring myself round with shock!

So with this one...stopped,calmed myself and started off again quickly...Brian waited up ahead a little...still wasn't settled...he knew something was up...but kept going...the sun was out...was sweltered...next week I'm wearing my short pants!...to be honest the rest of the run was a blur....went up toonavane...I'd say today was Brian's toughest day running yet...I gave him and Catriona abuse a couple of times ( in a nice way!) took a break up Toonavane...some of the rest of the group went on ahead up the trail route...that would be my worst nightmare...think half of them went missing but we headed back down toonavane and retreated along Kearney's rd again...the long rd home...about 4/5 miles left....some took the shortcut home and took a left back the rugby club road...but I said to myself that even if I walk ran the rest of the route I'm doing the whole thing...stubbornness set in...

Must say fair deuce to Brian for sticking with me all the way...myself, Brian, Catriona and Hazel did the last 3 miles together...no drink left, parched,boiling hot and feet sore...kinda-of hobbled into the Aquadome...home at last...

it was by far my toughest day yet...and Brian's!...but I didn't give up...and I did every bit of it...and I never said once that ' I'm giving up running'...but one thing I do know is that because I had a bad long run this saturday that next week I will come back stronger.....

11.46 miles...to be exact

P.S. thanks Brian

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Wed night...4.3 miles...looking forward to Sat 10 miles

Well,Fat tuesday is over and I've a long couple of weeks to go without the sweet stuff...why am I doing it...well why not! I have to become more innovative with my food to compensate...

The run tonight... Well because Marcus ditched us tonight....the fecker...I like routine and it didn't feel the same...but I still ran it...

I was saying to Catriona tonight whilst running I will have to stop being so negative about running...even in the blog..I'm not a complainer in general...quite easygoing in fact...but I can't start fibbing and make up airy fairy stories about my running...such as follows
" oh my run tonight was fantastic! Yippee.., I bounced and skipped the 5 miles...chatted all the way about life in general and I didn't sweat once, I feel wonderful"

Feck that...

Tonight was tough like every other bloody night..I plodded all the way,grunted a few times to let people know I was still there,sweated ...was in fact sweltering because it was so dead out there tonight and was glad I made it home! That's my version...I feel comfortable at my pace...10/12 min miles...everyone else runs like they belong in a greyhound track with them chasing the hare round the ring! I'm the donkey...happy out...long distances suit me...if you put me out doing a 5 k race I'd probably freak out with the pressure...

The group is doing Ballybunion Half in a couple of weeks as a baseline race so am looking forward to that...not! there's my negativity again...it will be my first proper race where I'll be running all the way home to the finish line...I'll have done two 16 milers before that so it should be fine...toes crossed

Roll on sat 10 miles or so...

Note to Brian: please please please take it easy on us for sat! Marcus is like a security blanket and it's hard to leave him go! But I know ul look after us...I won't give you any guff...




Tuesday 21 February 2012

Tues 5 miles...today is Fat Tuesday!

Normally I'd run on a Monday but The Boss ( aka Marcus) told me not to come...I should rest after my flu etc...finished work yesterday evening and I was thinking to myself what the feck will I do to occupy myself...no running...

what did I do before I starting running...tv,ate,tv,taytos,shower,tv,bed ( knackered normally)....now everything is different...as I've said in a previous blog since I've started this running malarkey I have not started any fad diets or normally Mondays would be Diet Day...I'd go all out-starve myself,pissey soup,water,pee all day and come 6 o clock I'd be ravishing and ate all round me...then the guilt would set in...a vicious circle really...but alas I am a changed nuthead....I have a routine caused by running and an added bonus is that it's a social thing also...and it's free...

So bored out of my tree last night, thumbs twiddling....I thought ' what can I do to make this running malarkey better'...well so far I've given up smoking,my daily intake of 5 cans of diet coke is a distant memory,I eat lumpy porridge and I prepare all my food for the day ahead ( stops me frothing about McDonalds!)....so me being a runner with a bit of a screw loose,Lent is my next challenge...and no I'm not a holy joe...I just like my food too much and sweet stuff...

I've come up with a new meaning to the word Lent....

Let's Eat No Treats...that took me ages!

So like a loola,.. Fat Tuesday (today) was my indulgence day... Pancakes galore! Woohoo ive probably put on a stone overnight but who cares I'll be sugar starved for the next forty days....well its actually 46...a child patient informed me today that it includes Sunday's...never knew that...when I was younger I'd bore holes in the back of my Easter eggs and sneakily eat the back half to get a head start...and then head into confession...stuffed may I add... and lie through my teeth...I'm sure every kid lied in confession!!

Might try this trick to keep me away from the sweet stuff.....
So I'm cutting out all sweet stuff....

The shakes are setting in already...but I've my final bag of Taytos to munch through tonight and then I'll be T-total....

I can do this...

If I can do it anyone can do it...I've just emptied my sweet cupboard out...looks very bare and lonely...sad day...and my lunch for tomorrow looks very bare...sandwich, apple, banana, kiwi,water and that's bloody it!

Ran 5 miles tonight...pissing rain, windy, and paddy last....but I did it...it was tough after missing so much over the last two weeks and I wasn't sleeping properly over the coughing with the chest infection...Mags and Sheila were with Catriona and myself tonight.....not used to running with real people...nuthead...

4 miles tomorrow...1st day of ' Let's Eat No Treats Campaign'....tough....



Saturday 18 February 2012

Back from the flu...9 miles saturday run...feck!

Chest infection really knocked it out of me for the last two weeks...am a very bad patient and didn't go to see the GP until tues last...pig headed and self medication wasn't working...went back to work Monday and still felt shite...so took tues off and went to see the doc...had no choice as I was never going to make the sat run if I didn't go...

So off I trot...pleaded for an appt and it worked..went in , explained that I needed a quick fix with a tormented look on my face...coughed and splurted like a nuthead...told me I was too stubborn for my own good... I agreed...

So he put me on a nebuliser for 15 mins...never in my life have I had any breathing problems but this made me feel like ' puff the magic dragon'! had a plastic mask over my face and everytime I breathed steam comes out... Christ all I needed was the rocking chair and my dressing gown to fullfill the ould granny picture! But I felt so much better...armed with my prescription, i gleefully popped into the pharmacy for some proper drugs...woohoo am on the way to running my 9 miles! he asked me was I allergic to penicillin, me; not that I know of...on Thursday my face broke out like chicken pox! feck i was an absolute disgrace...if I drew lines linking every spot I could have played a game of join the dots!! It's bad when a patient asks me "am I feeling alright and you don't look too well"! Talk about ruining my day! Changed antibiotic and toes crossed its calmed down a good bit...

Join the dots will have to wait...

Marcus told me to come back running wed...he was 100% right that I wouldn't be ready till then..of course he was right as usual!

So didn't feel like it as I had been hibernating for the week and early bed nights made me even more tired but I had to go do I did...did 3 miles but stopped a couple of times...think mentally I was lazy..

How the hell am I going to do 9 miles on Saturday! fear, imaginary pains and mental despair set it...

Got back to my porridge breakfasts and benecol and in general proper food to build me up...drank plenty of fluid, peeing like a trooper I was going to be ready for Saturday if it kills me...

Friday night came...nervous...woke up at half three mid sleep dreaming of the route...shite..needed my sleep..took me ages to conk again...eyes rolling like a nuthead...

Got up Saturday morning...D-Day has arrived...my longest run ever...

Ate my lumpy porridge, benecol and tea..looked at my face in the mirror and I could still play join the dots so put on some make up to cover the rash, stupid really as I'd be sweating it all off anyway..but who cares it made me feel better! wore a hat...

Arrived into the aquadome shitting myself to be brutally honest! will I be able for this?, am I ready?haven't a bloody clue but I'll try...

The group has gotten so much smaller...I was going to put my heart and soul into this run...if I didn't I'd give up..

Off we go...10 sharp...down the beloved canal...hate the canal..normally I'd count the potholes but today we were jumping over big puddles like happy kids on a day out...1 mile down woohoo...

cross over at the bridge...towards the barge..new part of the route was to carry on towards the cockleshells..rough terrain..pain in the arse to be honest wanted to save my legs...jumping up and down and worrying would I fall flat on my arse...I didn't...thank god..

Hit Blennerville Bridge...nose flapping..I was worrying all the way back the bank was my nose dribbling and I didn't want to stop to blow my nose incase I fell behind..loola.. but had a blow coming up Blennerville...felt so much better! nose, clear, breathing controlled, sweating, hat felt comfortable,felt good.....

Trotted along...Catriona offered me a drink..told her to feck off I need to focus..Marcus was pacing us all the way..hit Blennerville pitch...sun was out..hate heat...so I started to swelter..couldn't rub my forehead as I was worried I'd smudge the makeup off and knowing me I'd have a big streaky makeup line across my face like a pavee! found that road tough...long...

Kept the head down.... I so wanted to stop, even for 30 secs...but didn't...

Hit the bend at the equestrian sign, turned right towards Toonavane...how the f$¥k am I going to make it up the dreaded hill....focus focus focus...tried to console myself..."c'mon you mental head you can do it"...had a good chat with myself...if anyone heard the conversation going on in my head, I would definitely be admitted with the white coats...

Hit the start of Toonavane hill... C'mon scitzo u can do it...poor Marcus has to put up with a lot...pole to pole...woohoo...fine smell of manure to coax us on...was tired and the smile on my face was weaning v quickly...up...and up....and up...and up....and bloody up...hit the top woohoo! kiss my fat ass goodbye,we got there!

Break?...no bloody break! I was expecting a camp fire and some sandwiches for the journey home....nothing! Feck Marcus anyway! Torture...not really, if I stopped running I think Rigor Mortis would have set in...

Trotted down the hill... Loved it no pressure on the legs... Meet a lovely doggie outside a house... Beagle I think... I'd swear he was smiling at us, he looked happy to see us...i was smiling like a delirious nut head...

Marcus gets chatting...get talking about the group... he tells us look behind...I saw no-one..." yeah, they're all at home and not running anymore"... smartarse...but a true smartarse! We are without a doubt the luckiest group out there...for all those reading this who have given up...it was very easy for me to give up running, but I didn't...the Born To Run Group led my Marcus and the group are the reasons I didn't...from this smorning with people asking how I was and the closeness of the group,these are the reasons why I got through today...running is probably the hardest thing I've done...got through university, worked deliriously long hours, climbed carrountouhill ( that was a bitch!)got through the recession...But running has been the toughest...but most rewarding...

Retreated back home...2 miles to go...hit just before the canal... No drink left! was bloody parched...started to faulter...fell behind a little bit but I was nearly home...happy happy...delirious...walked for ten secs to blow the nose...stiff... oh god it was the longest ten minutes ever... The rest of the group were a bit ahead...kept plodding along... hit the Marina apartments and I see Marcus coming back for us...thank f$¥k am nearly home...losing the plot at that stage..told Marcus that " that was the longest fecking mile ever and I hate the fecking canal!"... he didnt take any notice of me...could u not blame him...

oh my god...

9.36 bloody miles I ran...am delighted...over the moon...went to the Grand Hotel for my lunch...starved..but when I went to get back up the legs just seized!

Didn't care, I've just ran 9.36 miles to be exact...

( apologies for long blog but I haven't blogged for nearly a week and a half!)










Saturday 11 February 2012

sat run 8 miles...might have to wait till next week

Friday came...the day before my long run...

Got up Friday morning, no work today woohoo! decided to eat my porridge as I hadn't eaten properly in 3 days.... didn't want to go back to bed as I'd already spent the previous day in bed so I decided to watch daytime tv... What a load of crap...mind boggling tv... I was already delirious from all the cold and flu tablets but watching jerry springer just tipped me over the edge...im not really a person for sitting down but what else could I do...then I watched Dr. Phil...then Sean The Sheep ( don't ask, it was quite deliriously funny...flu funny)...then another programme about doctors...at this stage I needed to be admitted to the psychiatric ward as I've never rolled my eyes so much and said ' what!' out loud...talking to myself at this stage was a bad sign so off I go into town to do my weekly shop...

Bad idea as I was parched and starved...was like a bunny rabbit with a trolley, my arms never got so much exercise, just fecked everything into the trolley...got a wave of tiredness and legged it home...tried to fight the tiredness but just conked...feck I've running tomorrow so it might do me good..got up at 7, ate a proper dinner and watched more tv...I hate being sick as I'm very bad at being sick...I constantly fight it and will only drop when physically I can't keep my eyes open...call it a stubborn streak or just mad cow disease....

Saturday morning..8 miles...woohoo...how bad can it be, did 7 last week so 1 more can't be that bad...

Got up at 7.30...ate my lumpy porridge...blew my nose a couple of times...surprised I didn't blow a blood vessel with all the blowing...drank 2 cups of tea...thoughts to myself ' must buck up if I'm going to run 8 miles'.....normally I get nervous before running but this time I didn't...

Roll on ten o clock... pulled into the aquadome car park..knocked back a gel for energy...mentally I was ready for it but the physical side was still deciding...missed 2 runs during the week and I had this notion that I would have to start from scratch...one minute walk one minute run ... that's if I missed the sat run so at this stage I had myself fully convinced that I could do it...loola...

Off we trot in swallow formation....head down..breathing was heavy...needed to blow my nose again but forgot my bloody tissues..plodded along...not my usual bouncy self...had new trainers on so it wasn't them...tried to focus but that mental trick wasn't working...got a mile down the canal,stopped to cross over the bridge....f$¥k felt dizzy... got going again and just knew that if I kept going I probably would be found in a ditch somewhere frothing at the mouth muttering ' have to do 8 miles,8 miles, 8 miles'.....

So I stopped....and at this stage I was so tormented cause I fought with myself all the way up the canal that I'll be fine...bottom lip gave way and the face went into bawling mode...nose dribbling...hiccups included....Catriona came up to me and rescued me with a tissue....thank god cause if anyone saw me they'd think what the hell!....the rest of the group carried on and I retreated to walk back to the car...the longest mile ever...I bawled again when I saw everyone's car in the car park...cause I should be out there running with the group-it's my bloody long run!

Just bawled all the way home....like a big baby....was delirious

my focus for the past few weeks has been toonavane hill and today was my day for getting up it...or so i thought...

The flu took a lot out of me and I chose to ignore it...I seriously did think that I could hurry up my flu by knocking back tablets galore but in actual fact it had to ride it own course...stupid really...

but wait for it....It gets better...

To cheer me up Catriona said she'll drive me up it just to get the feel for it in the afternoon...like a light bulb glowing over my head huh hmmm sher we could skip the 7 miles and just run up the hill...fantastic idea by moi! the nut-head....so off we go like fecking nutters.... armed with water belt to attack toonavane hill...we decide to park at the top and run down...and then run back up...2.4km up and down....

Mad I know but I needed a confidence boost... running up was tough and I only stopped once...I was so determined that hail rain or snow was I going up without a hitch...

And I did.... but skipped the 7 mile part....loola...had to get it out of my system...

what have I learnt? well flu pills don't bloody work and don't be so pig headed....oink...

P.S. and it hard to make me bawl...this running malarkey is taking over my life..in a good way...

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Have the flu...feel like crap...

Well, the aches and pains started in work yesterday....got up yesterday morning feeling a bit under the weather...knew something was up so I knocked back some Berrocca Boost...double dose...I thought to myself I can't afford to miss running or let the aches get one over me so I added some neurofen for good measure...roll on lunch time and I could barley swallow....what the hell I can't bloody miss running...decide to dose up again with Berrocca boost and more neurofen..I was desperate......toes crossed I prayed they would kick in...

Bob hope and no hope...a patient said to me I was very quiet...i could barely talk woman! normally I'd be chatting away but I could barely say hello not a mind have a full blown conversation...and I was trying to preserve my energy for the run that evening....

I was fighting with myself all day as to whether I was going running...I was a tormented ould soul....didn't want to miss running as I needed the mileage and I made the effort to eat my lumpy porridge in preparation...tried to swallow my sandwich...it was tough...and I love my food... still thinking il be grand for running...drank 4 cups of tea...normally I'd knock back 2 pints of water but just couldn't face it....I wanted my bed...tis rare I'm absent from clinic but my legs would have to be falling off for me to miss work...

Txt Marcus very disheartened...was a bit delirious at that stage...didn't want to give in....surprisingly enough it killed me to txt Marcus because I felt like a dosser...I haven't missed a day since November....very proud of that as the norm was to quit with every other exercise bout that I've had....

Retreated to my leaba all drugged up and very disheartened...remember I said i never miss work? Well I'm off for the next two days to recover...normally I'd go into work if I was sick...But this time i have to shake this flu off or ill lose the plot...sudafed,cold and flu pills and berrocca boost are my drug habits for the next 2 days...have to be ready for my 8 mile run and nothing is going to stop me...not even the big hill Marcus has planned.....

But at least Ive gotten my bloody flu out of the way before the marathon...:-(

Monday 6 February 2012

Week 4 marathon training...wrong knickers nearly set me off...

Tired after Saturday...I've had to sacrifice my Sunday cycles for the running... I used to go swimming on Monday nights and that's gone out the window also... Run run run...Eat run...pee run...sleep run...think run...shop run...blah blah blah...

3 miles tonight...Marcus makes us do 'the victory lap' around the Aquadome carpark after our run....sometimes I feel like jumping up and down like a nut-head and maybe throw in a few star jumps for variation but I don't think the rest of the group would see the funny side....

I nearly jeopardised my run tonite....freak attack inside at work...I finish at half five normally...routine includes tidy up, empty my bag and lay out my running gear just to settle myself... One by one ...out comes the trainers...my socks(have to have the same pair of socks every-time obviously washed!),fuzzy hair headband...then my running top and pants.....holy shit where are my fecking running knickers!

F$¥k... shite...feck...I'm a creature of habit and routine...i like to everything set out beforehand....oh my god how am I going to run without my ' special knickers'....anything could off set me....that's the problem..

what's so special about them?!well I bought them specifically for running in Nov..I'll probably have holes in my knickers by the time the marathon comes but who cares!......loola I know but everyone has their quirks...probably a bit of OCD I'd say...everything has to be right...I've a mild version of it! I had to settle myself and convince myself the 'knicker' saga won't ruin my run...i had to develop knicker amnesia for the duration of the run so I decided to push my lazy ass tonite and run faster...it distracted me...no ' comfy knicker thoughts or no ' can't run tonight cause I don't have my running knickers....it worked thank god because I have a history of looking for excuses not to exercise...running has deleted those thoughts .....nearly....

5 miles tomorrow night...ask Marcus the route...always like to know where I'm going just to feel secure...he smiles at me and says he'll decide tomorrow nite...the fecker!I think he knows I freak out a bit....coz I'm always asking him the route like a nuthead...still don't know the route....roll on the mystery 5 miles tour....with the comfy knickers ....


Sunday 5 February 2012

7 miles Saturday long run...how the hell am I going to do this?!

7 miles...equals 11.26km to be exact...couldn't leave out the .26 part....cause my legs were falling off and scoliosis was kicking in at that stage....

It was a long ould week this week... work,run ,zzzzz, work,run zzzz, work run zzzz...but I'm committed.To set myself up for the week ahead I always do my shopping on a friday night in Tesco's...If I don't, I'll binge eat over the weekend in protest for no food being in the fridge...so I always head straight from work , starved may I add, and shop...pull out my family trolley ( need a big one for all the bloody veg and water that I buy) and stomp into Manor West like a starved animal...would have loved a dairy milk for the way round but 'no!'...I am a runner...a starved runner...

What do I buy?...well I always make a pre-list of my dinners...the ideal list would be as follows:
1)monday night: abracadabra- chips and burger...
2)tuesday night: Bella Biia -bruschetta and pizza...frothing at the mouth...
3)Wednesday night: might cut back a bit and have a kebab...

Those were the days...not any more.

I load up the trolley with veg(loads of it),Spuds,fruit,benecol,porridge,pasta,chicken,lucozade sport(for my longer runs),water ( 10 by 2lt bottles), miwadi sugar free of course,sesame sticks(my snack), I bypass the Diet Coke section ( I'm sure I heard voices saying 'pick me pick me!' when I passed the diet coke!) yazoo( I'll explain later)....Madeira cake is the only sweet thing that I buy...trying to steer the trolley into the car park with all the water is tough...might bang into the odd car or two but its a workout in itself...

But one thing I have learnt in regards to food is that if I don't do a proper shop for the week I won't eat properly...and I'll pig out...

Before every run I prepare myself the night before...get my clothes ready, fill up my fuel belt ( sounds good doesn't it!),fire in some Barley sweets and that's when the mind starts to go into overdrive...7 feckin miles...oh sweet jesus...I'll be counting sheep again to coo myself to sleep...doesn't work...start muttering ' I'm a lean mean running machine' with a bit of pillow dribble...what a load of crap...I'm definately not lean,I'm not a meanie,I'm barely a runner and I am turning into a machine...Marcus keeps telling us to drill that line into us but the problem is it doesn't feel right...so I've come up with my own version....'left right left right left right c'mon bitch run' ....simple...yep that feels right...

Started out in the Aquadome...standing in the car park frozen...big turnout..off up the beloved hill we go...the worry just lifts when we start running..say my hellos and put the head down...Marcus gathers his slow crew and he paces us...woohoo nice...past the rugby could feel my hair bobble bobbing up and down..feck I can't stop cause I'll be last again... So I decide to redo it at the top of the road before we turn...bob along like a horse with his tail flicking..very annoying! Stop at the top..quickly redo it and Catriona turns round and gives out to me for stopping! Feck u bitch I can stop if I want to... like a bold child!...but she didn't realise I was stopping to put a French plait in....loola

The first 5 miles flew...felt good..farmer joe wasn't out this week...the legs started to drag once we hit Blennerville bridge..Marcus took us down the to the Lough gates for the extra mile..wind was facing us and it was tough...u know when u see people jumping out of a plane and their mouths are flapping with the wind..well I felt like that but I had an added bonus...fuzzy hair and dry lips from the dribble...turned round at the end and retreated back towards the canal...I am now beginning to hate the canal...the longest bloody mile of my life...counted the puddles...counted the amount of dogs...counted anything just to get me home...crossing the road coming into the aquadome I decided to do my geriatric spurt to the finish...I passed two out! Result!

Sat into the car afterwards...brought a yazoo drink to knock back...it is recommended to drink this afterwards by running magazines for muscle repair ...but to be honest I wouldn't recommend it...vom...wretch...

8 miles next week up toonavane...plus the fact that the runs are getting bloody longer during next week...next weeks total will be 21 miles...what's's Marcus trying to do to me...make me a marathon runner! Mad....

Thanks Marcus....


Friday 3 February 2012

The weight issue.....Episode 1 season 1....

I always say ' I've been on a diet since the day I was born'.....it has always been a pain in the arse and it affects everything.....put on the weight when I was 12/13yrs old and it went up from there....and up and up...

Was never an exercise person...hated it and I mean hated it...my mother used to drag me around Rossbeigh beach like a deadweight...dragging the two legs behind me swealtering and pissed off at the fact that she thought walking the legs off me would slim me down somewhat...I just went slower to piss her off! Great Craic...the walk used to be the 7 mile stretch around past the shipwreck and then onto the back beach...sher I'd go home and scoff niceties in protest for the torture that I'd gone through....nightmare

Ross Castle was another favourite of hers...the minute we pulled into the car park the aches and pains started.... 'oh my leg is sore,my arse is tired....anything that came to mind...I was desperate!! We'd do the Coal Miners ring and then head back towards the car...thank god its over...she keeps walking and walking .... and walking....past the feckin car...and she's heading towards the Demense! The cheek of her....c'mon woman,get your eyesight checked,, did you not see the car back in the bloody car park!!!I was so far behind that a cry for help with my slow legs would have been wasted....

Always always hated clothes shopping....I do remember one particular incident when I was younger....was shopping in Cork. Always loved cords and I still do... went into Diesel in Merchants Quay... Saw the cords...brown Levi ones....fantastic woohoo!....I wanted them.... go up to the lady... She asks my size... Ahhh haven't got a clue...that's your job woman! was probably more conscious of the fact that I didn't want to admit my size to myself....gives me a pair to try on ...I toddle along with a spring in my step... I distinctly remember the changing room doors were like the ones you see in a wild west bar... they flapped back and forward...fecking brilliant cords at last!! Off with the pants.....I was like someone standing on hot coal- all excited.Pull up the cords... Feck... They won't go past my hips...Christ that can't be right...surely not...try some suction techniques...Not a hope in hell did that work... called my mother over...'maw (thats her nickname) need a bigger size..' she says 'are you sure they won't fit,maybe you might grow into them' ..... What!!!!! she was probably planning more blooming torture walks... The lady comes over and starts chatting to Maw.... Afraid they don't come in a bigger size....bang...run me over with a steam roller....and a JCB while your at it.... deflated (pity that didn't apply to my waistline)....

Still haven't got the brown cords but I will....

Poser......as you can see ive had the ears done.....

Current thought: running requires an effort every time.What I enjoy about it is, not the run itself but merely what running has made me change in my everyday life.I've lost count of how many mondays I've spent starving myself...gobble back rice cakes, pissy soup, and vom green tea...haven't had a Monday like that since I've started running...

The pleasure I get from running is from the fact that I've actually gotten up off my chubby ass and ran....tis now I only realise it.

To be continued....



Thursday 2 February 2012

Goodbye to my last 3 miles....mileage going up next week...

It all started in November, nearly quit  back then but am delighted I didn't...

Will have done 17 miles this week inclusive of this coming Saturday...mad! But the real running starts next week...

Wednesday's are my toughest running days...half the group are always missing on a Wednesday and I completely understand why...I'd love a doss day and I do have many the argument with myself as to why I deserve a doss day..'ah sher I'm shagged tired so I won't go: response:I can't afford to miss a day as I'll fall behind even more...and I need to build up the stamina in my legs...but I haven't missed a days training yet which is a good sign...

For the shorter midweek runs I always feel under pressure...I do prefer longer distances which is strange but I feel a lot more confident about the Saturday runs...there is something about them that sets u up for the rest of the week...maybe they are a confidence booster...

Tonight...3 miles...did 4 miles last night...it was bitter cold and I thought my fingers were going to drop off...my calfs wouldn't warm up and I felt like faking an injury just to stop...my legs were frozen...but who was I going to fake my injury to?! the rest of the group were gone ahead! Maybe if I screeched like nutter it might have worked but who's doing the running?me...this was going on in my head all the way round...I have fought the breathing battle: never out of breath now only going up ' the dreaded hill', fitness has shockingly improved...but the mental battle is the toughest..why? Haven't a bloody clue...I've tried counting sheep, counting cars passing,counting anything to be honest...one night I counted potholes...I was desperate! ( lost count on the pothole one, there were too many! Typical...)

Maybe I should just try and enjoy myself...and maybe crack a smile! might try it Saturday rather than being so tense...smiles all round for Saturday it is...  :) ...loola

Thank god thur and frid are rest days...need the break and can't face lumpy porridge in the morning...plain ould toast...just for one morning....

Roll on Saturday...7 miles...woohoo!