Well, this week's 1.3kg loss has meant I've kept my average at very slightly over 1kg a week. Translated into cricketing terms, this would make my batting average better than all the Aussie batsmen in yesterday's underwhelming win over Sri Lanka, except Gilchrist.
This week I've been going through my annual build-up to Wellington Cup Day. I've got a new dress: white with red poppies, quite tight-fitting so it looks like I've still got reasonable sized boobs. Several days of fake tan applications have given my legs a golden glow. The nails have been painted bright metallic red. A small red satin handbag has been purchased - and will probably never get used again! The never-worn red lipstick has been dug out of the make-up kit.
Believe me, this day has nothing to do with the horses!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Keep at it!
In the blogs in the last couple of weeks, I've noticed a certain amount of disillusionment.
Most of us did pretty well at maintaining or only gaining a little over the festive season. On the whole, those who put on weight have since taken it off again.
But now some lethargy seems to be creeping in. I see lots of comments about how difficult weight loss is at the moment.
Everybody needs a good shot of OOMPH!
One of the questions in the tag that's going around is what you'd do if you were a millionaire. Well, I would visit each and everyone of you and appoint myself as your personal cheering squad and motivational expert.
But, I can't do that - at least not without selling the house! So it's up to you to do it for yourself.
And you've been doing a good job of it up till now. Most of you have come a very long way. Many of you don't actually have very far to go. You need to find that motivation again.
Motivation is different for each of us, but here are some general thoughts about it from me:
Most of us did pretty well at maintaining or only gaining a little over the festive season. On the whole, those who put on weight have since taken it off again.
But now some lethargy seems to be creeping in. I see lots of comments about how difficult weight loss is at the moment.
Everybody needs a good shot of OOMPH!
One of the questions in the tag that's going around is what you'd do if you were a millionaire. Well, I would visit each and everyone of you and appoint myself as your personal cheering squad and motivational expert.
But, I can't do that - at least not without selling the house! So it's up to you to do it for yourself.
And you've been doing a good job of it up till now. Most of you have come a very long way. Many of you don't actually have very far to go. You need to find that motivation again.
Motivation is different for each of us, but here are some general thoughts about it from me:
- Think about why you started losing weight and how you felt at that time. Many of you have these thoughts in writing - in diaries, in your WW books, on your blogs. Go back and read all this stuff again. Remember why you are doing this.
- Remember the first time you looked in the mirror and could see the difference? How great did that feel? How much better will it be when you look in the mirror and see what you look like at goal?
- Go back to some of the techniques we all used early on. Visualise what you'll look like, how you'll feel, what great clothes you'll buy, how much energy you'll have.
- Sit down today and write a Pollyanna list. Philippa has just written a great one. That list will help you remember how strong you are, how much you've achieved, what you are capable of doing.
- We've all used the 'back to basics' method at some time. No matter what plan you're using, go back and start all over again. Read the literature, follow the 'rules', track, weigh portions, plan your weeks food, the lot.
- There are lots of people - family, friends, colleagues and the blog-world - who are cheering for you. They all care and they're all important. But YOU are the most important person. You need to be doing this for yourself.
Maybe it's time for some more changes in your life. If you feel like you've been doing this forever and it's all a bit dreary, change some things to make the journey more interesting, rather than abandon it all together.
Try some new recipes - lots of people who are less lazy than me post their recipes, so they're easy to find. Try one or two new dishes every week. Try the 'rainbow' approach - there must be at least 3 vegetables of different colours on your plate for dinner every night. Next time you're buying produce, pick up something you've never tried and work out how to prepare it.
Change your exercise routine - and make sure you challenge yourself. If you go to the gym, tell your consultant you want a new programme. Add an extra 15 minutes or a couple of big hills to your daily walk. Become obsessed with the science of exercise (like me, I'm such a nerd), so you understand what works, why it works, when it works.
Do you think about it too much? Maybe you need to introduce something into your day or week that has nothing to do with your weight loss. Read books by authors you've never read before, repaint the spare room, go along to the kids' sports practices, help out at the local soup kitchen.
I've rambled about this for long enough. My main point is - you can do it!
Monday, January 23, 2006
Updated times
Over the last week, I've redone my time trials for all three of the triathlon disciplines. They are as follows:
300m swim 8:56 (was 9:53)
10km ride 28:32 (was 31:06)
3km jog/walk 21:12 (was 23:24)
I'm particularly proud of the last one, as it is only 2 weeks since I last tested it. In that time I've increased my intervals from jog 1 minute/walk 3 minutes, to jog 4 minutes/walk 2 minutes). I also feel my jog-style has improved from the trudge I was doing before!
So, pleased with my improvement and looking forward to the triathlon in 3 weeks. Who would have thought it!
Fridge pic coming soon...
300m swim 8:56 (was 9:53)
10km ride 28:32 (was 31:06)
3km jog/walk 21:12 (was 23:24)
I'm particularly proud of the last one, as it is only 2 weeks since I last tested it. In that time I've increased my intervals from jog 1 minute/walk 3 minutes, to jog 4 minutes/walk 2 minutes). I also feel my jog-style has improved from the trudge I was doing before!
So, pleased with my improvement and looking forward to the triathlon in 3 weeks. Who would have thought it!
Fridge pic coming soon...
Friday, January 20, 2006
Tag
Here's the stuff-about-me tag. Keep watching for the fridge pic as suggested by AGR - I think it might need a clean first!
1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
Estimator at a printing company, but about to stage a coup and take over as production manager.
Wearing size 20/22 clothes.
Suffering through Jake's '7 year old boy' stage. That's right girls, he wasn't always perfect!
2. What were you doing a year ago?
About to move into a brand new house (which we still haven't paid for because it still isn't quite finished).
Starting to plan for my 40th birthday bash.
Wearing size 24/26 clothes but hatching a plan to do something about it.
Skiting to everyone about my perfect teenager.
Selling over 600 of my books on the internet. Along with lots of furniture and other stuff - moving from a 5 bedroom house to 3 bedrooms required drastic action.
3. Five snacks I enjoy:
Answering this isn't as much fun as it would have been a year ago!
Vine-ripened tomatoes chopped up, sprinkled with lime juice and smothered in freshly ground salt and black pepper.
The divine coffee friands from the cafe round the corner from work (an occasional 2.5 point treat).
A mini Callipo ice block.
WW raspberry jelly with fresh strawberries set into it.
WW French Vanilla ice cream, with two of my home-made brandy apricots chopped over top.
4. Five songs to which I know all the lyrics:
Not counting the hundreds of show tunes I know!
Welcome Home - Dave Dobbyn
Slim Shady - Eminem
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynard (sp?)
The Rose - Bette Midler
Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
5. Five things I would do if I were a millionaire
Buy my man whatever motorbikes his heart desired.
Hold the next sisters' meeting in Prague instead of Noosa (my treat girls).
Shop. Tirelessly.
Help Jake set up a business when he qualifies in whatever he's going to do (still undecided between plumber, builder and personal trainer).
Take the 1st XV on tour to Japan.
6. Five Bad Habits:
Getting up at 5am, no matter what day it is.
Correcting people's grammar in conversation (usually only in my head, but it's still vile).
Not believing that someone else might know more than I do.
Talking too much about my weight loss.
Not taking my make-up off before bed.
7. Five Things I Enjoy Doing:
Going to the gym - sorry, that's sick.
Sex.
Having the house to myself, turning off all the TVs and stereos and lying on the couch reading a book (in the past there would have been a box of chocolates in this scene).
Organising sports trips, tournaments etc.
Having dinner at the table, all together as a family - even though there are only three of us, this is much harder to arrange than it sounds!
8. 5 Things I Would Never Wear
A hat to the races (still can't get over years of yelling at boys to take their hats off at the table).
White - I'm a dirt magnet.
Heels higher than 2cm - it cost years of pain and $3000 to get my feet fixed, not going there again.
Anything that shows the broken veins covering my thighs; a rule I have to break to swim.
Shoe string straps.
9. Five favourite toys:
ipod.
Laptop.
My home PC for playing Sims 2.
The kitchen.
Other people's minds.
1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
Estimator at a printing company, but about to stage a coup and take over as production manager.
Wearing size 20/22 clothes.
Suffering through Jake's '7 year old boy' stage. That's right girls, he wasn't always perfect!
2. What were you doing a year ago?
About to move into a brand new house (which we still haven't paid for because it still isn't quite finished).
Starting to plan for my 40th birthday bash.
Wearing size 24/26 clothes but hatching a plan to do something about it.
Skiting to everyone about my perfect teenager.
Selling over 600 of my books on the internet. Along with lots of furniture and other stuff - moving from a 5 bedroom house to 3 bedrooms required drastic action.
3. Five snacks I enjoy:
Answering this isn't as much fun as it would have been a year ago!
Vine-ripened tomatoes chopped up, sprinkled with lime juice and smothered in freshly ground salt and black pepper.
The divine coffee friands from the cafe round the corner from work (an occasional 2.5 point treat).
A mini Callipo ice block.
WW raspberry jelly with fresh strawberries set into it.
WW French Vanilla ice cream, with two of my home-made brandy apricots chopped over top.
4. Five songs to which I know all the lyrics:
Not counting the hundreds of show tunes I know!
Welcome Home - Dave Dobbyn
Slim Shady - Eminem
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynard (sp?)
The Rose - Bette Midler
Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
5. Five things I would do if I were a millionaire
Buy my man whatever motorbikes his heart desired.
Hold the next sisters' meeting in Prague instead of Noosa (my treat girls).
Shop. Tirelessly.
Help Jake set up a business when he qualifies in whatever he's going to do (still undecided between plumber, builder and personal trainer).
Take the 1st XV on tour to Japan.
6. Five Bad Habits:
Getting up at 5am, no matter what day it is.
Correcting people's grammar in conversation (usually only in my head, but it's still vile).
Not believing that someone else might know more than I do.
Talking too much about my weight loss.
Not taking my make-up off before bed.
7. Five Things I Enjoy Doing:
Going to the gym - sorry, that's sick.
Sex.
Having the house to myself, turning off all the TVs and stereos and lying on the couch reading a book (in the past there would have been a box of chocolates in this scene).
Organising sports trips, tournaments etc.
Having dinner at the table, all together as a family - even though there are only three of us, this is much harder to arrange than it sounds!
8. 5 Things I Would Never Wear
A hat to the races (still can't get over years of yelling at boys to take their hats off at the table).
White - I'm a dirt magnet.
Heels higher than 2cm - it cost years of pain and $3000 to get my feet fixed, not going there again.
Anything that shows the broken veins covering my thighs; a rule I have to break to swim.
Shoe string straps.
9. Five favourite toys:
ipod.
Laptop.
My home PC for playing Sims 2.
The kitchen.
Other people's minds.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Just some stuff
Thanks for all the compliments you've been giving me on the look of my blog - it's certainly my favourite so far.
Racing didn't come about for Mark on Sunday, although he watched plenty of action out at the track (I stuck that out for about 10 minutes - absolutely not interested if my man's not involved!).
Instead I had brunch with our dear friends who came over from Hawkes Bay for the day, followed by a visit to Mark at the racetrack, then a bottle of wine at a lovely hotel in the hills, overlooking the lake.
In response to a couple of questions I've had about how I look after myself with all this training...
Lots and lots of stretching! Obsessively. But only ever of warm muscles. So far I've managed to survive a small Achilles twinge, but I definitely don't want to get an injury at this stage. I do have the occasional massage, but that's more treat than therapy. I have quite a bit of trouble with the toenails on my little toes, so I'd better get in to the podiatrist in the next week and get those tidied up.
I went to the Zebrano sale on Monday. Zebrano is a big girls' shop with fabulous clothes. I have bought almost all my clothes there for the last 12 years and eagerly anticipate the two sales each year. This will be my last sale there - I bought two things off the size 16 rack, which is their smallest size. Soon I'll be too small to be allowed in!
I don't want to became addicted to events, but I am concerned that I'll do the triathlon and then just stop and get lazy.
So now I've signed up for the Special K duathlon as well. It's on Easter Sunday, 8 weeks after the triathlon, which will give me 2 recovery weeks, then back into training. This one is 1.5km run/10km ride/3.5km run - all on the flat, so an easier event.
The only possible sticking point is that we haven't yet decided which week we're taking the 1st XV on their pre-season tour - that will be in the school holidays, so might coincide with Easter. Have to see how that goes.
Tried to became a hood ornament for a bus while doing my 10km time trial the other day - misread his signal at a roundabout. Luckily I was on the mountain bike, so it was fairly easy to chuck the bike (and myself) out of the way, not a manoeuvre I would have been capable of a couple of months back. Nearly went from fat to flat! I'll post all my trial times at the end of the week.
The search is on for a frock to wear to the Wellington Cup next weekend. We always go with Mark's work and some of their clients. I'm not doing the hat thing though - I just can't get over that it's bad manners to wear a hat when you are indoors and eating, even though I know it's acceptable at the races and in church!
Anybody seen a couple of hints in your comments that I'm coming to Sydney (good spotting Jodie). We're planning a sisters' meeting in Noosa in May, so I'm hoping to do a few days in Sydney on the way back. I'll keep you posted on that. Perhaps I'll be at goal...
Have a great day everyone!
Racing didn't come about for Mark on Sunday, although he watched plenty of action out at the track (I stuck that out for about 10 minutes - absolutely not interested if my man's not involved!).
Instead I had brunch with our dear friends who came over from Hawkes Bay for the day, followed by a visit to Mark at the racetrack, then a bottle of wine at a lovely hotel in the hills, overlooking the lake.
In response to a couple of questions I've had about how I look after myself with all this training...
Lots and lots of stretching! Obsessively. But only ever of warm muscles. So far I've managed to survive a small Achilles twinge, but I definitely don't want to get an injury at this stage. I do have the occasional massage, but that's more treat than therapy. I have quite a bit of trouble with the toenails on my little toes, so I'd better get in to the podiatrist in the next week and get those tidied up.
I went to the Zebrano sale on Monday. Zebrano is a big girls' shop with fabulous clothes. I have bought almost all my clothes there for the last 12 years and eagerly anticipate the two sales each year. This will be my last sale there - I bought two things off the size 16 rack, which is their smallest size. Soon I'll be too small to be allowed in!
I don't want to became addicted to events, but I am concerned that I'll do the triathlon and then just stop and get lazy.
So now I've signed up for the Special K duathlon as well. It's on Easter Sunday, 8 weeks after the triathlon, which will give me 2 recovery weeks, then back into training. This one is 1.5km run/10km ride/3.5km run - all on the flat, so an easier event.
The only possible sticking point is that we haven't yet decided which week we're taking the 1st XV on their pre-season tour - that will be in the school holidays, so might coincide with Easter. Have to see how that goes.
Tried to became a hood ornament for a bus while doing my 10km time trial the other day - misread his signal at a roundabout. Luckily I was on the mountain bike, so it was fairly easy to chuck the bike (and myself) out of the way, not a manoeuvre I would have been capable of a couple of months back. Nearly went from fat to flat! I'll post all my trial times at the end of the week.
The search is on for a frock to wear to the Wellington Cup next weekend. We always go with Mark's work and some of their clients. I'm not doing the hat thing though - I just can't get over that it's bad manners to wear a hat when you are indoors and eating, even though I know it's acceptable at the races and in church!
Anybody seen a couple of hints in your comments that I'm coming to Sydney (good spotting Jodie). We're planning a sisters' meeting in Noosa in May, so I'm hoping to do a few days in Sydney on the way back. I'll keep you posted on that. Perhaps I'll be at goal...
Have a great day everyone!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Training times
Twofold meaning to this heading:
What time of day is best to train?
In Taupo, it is best not to train to 5.30pm on a day when it is 28 degrees!
I decided I couldn't fit in the gym AND 90 minutes riding before I left Wellington yesterday morning, so I juggled my schedule. Went to the gym in the morning and was left with a 45 minute walk/run to do when I got to Taupo.
It was so hot. Even though I got to go around the lake front on the lovely path from Kaiwaka Point to Wharewaka Point, there was no breeze at all. I really struggled to keep up my 3 minute walk/1 minute run intervals for half an hour. When Mark arrived 45 minutes after I got back, I still looked like a fluorescent beetroot!
By contrast, I went out again this morning at 7am. Overcast, cool and a gentle breeze off the lake! Ran intervals for a full 50 minutes and now I feel great.
Shaping up to be another scorcher here in Taupo today.
How do my training times look?
As part of my training in the last few weeks, there have been time trials for the race distances. The different disciplines are tested on different days.
My current times are:
300m swim - 9:53
10km ride - 31:06
3km run (walk) - 23:25
Some of these times are quite old - the swim especially, timed on the 8th of December. This week I am going to re-do all my time trials.
These are the times I used to set my triathlon goal of 75 minutes, taking into account transition times and the fact that I have to do all these things one after another!
I still think my goal will be quite hard to reach, but it is better to aim high and fall short, than to be aimless!
Racing update: while track-testing at Manfield yesterday, the bike suddenly stopped! Appears to be an electrical fault that Mark hasn't managed to pinpoint yet. Barring miracles (in the guise of some clever motorbike man), it looks like he'll spend today as a spectator.
What time of day is best to train?
In Taupo, it is best not to train to 5.30pm on a day when it is 28 degrees!
I decided I couldn't fit in the gym AND 90 minutes riding before I left Wellington yesterday morning, so I juggled my schedule. Went to the gym in the morning and was left with a 45 minute walk/run to do when I got to Taupo.
It was so hot. Even though I got to go around the lake front on the lovely path from Kaiwaka Point to Wharewaka Point, there was no breeze at all. I really struggled to keep up my 3 minute walk/1 minute run intervals for half an hour. When Mark arrived 45 minutes after I got back, I still looked like a fluorescent beetroot!
By contrast, I went out again this morning at 7am. Overcast, cool and a gentle breeze off the lake! Ran intervals for a full 50 minutes and now I feel great.
Shaping up to be another scorcher here in Taupo today.
How do my training times look?
As part of my training in the last few weeks, there have been time trials for the race distances. The different disciplines are tested on different days.
My current times are:
300m swim - 9:53
10km ride - 31:06
3km run (walk) - 23:25
Some of these times are quite old - the swim especially, timed on the 8th of December. This week I am going to re-do all my time trials.
These are the times I used to set my triathlon goal of 75 minutes, taking into account transition times and the fact that I have to do all these things one after another!
I still think my goal will be quite hard to reach, but it is better to aim high and fall short, than to be aimless!
Racing update: while track-testing at Manfield yesterday, the bike suddenly stopped! Appears to be an electrical fault that Mark hasn't managed to pinpoint yet. Barring miracles (in the guise of some clever motorbike man), it looks like he'll spend today as a spectator.
Friday, January 13, 2006
I didn't mean to mislead you!
Some of you may have taken the inference from my last post that Mark and I were off to Taupo for a romantic weekend. Ha ha! Wrong!
The weekend itinerary goes something like this...
Tonight Mark will load the race motorbike in the van, drive to the Kapiti Coast and stay with a friend - to cut some time off his journey in the morning. Saturday he will drive to Manfield (racetrack near Palmerston North). A group of them have booked the track out for a 'fun day'.
The definition of a fun day: not structured racing, but lots of testosterone-fuelled competition against your mates, riding round the track and trying new lines etc. Plenty of the usual standing around, drinking coffee, telling lies and smoking. Oh, and making essential adjustments to the bikes.
Saturday morning I will - go to the gym, go for a 90 minute bike ride, then drive to Manfield. I will stay for the shortest time possible - make sure Mark sees me, give him a fresh Thermos of coffee and try not to get hugged by too many greasy motorbike men. Then I'll drive to Taupo.
Mark will drive to Taupo after they've finished at Manfield, so I don't expect to see him before 7pm. This is where the spa bath comes in - he'll be tired from a day on the track, and that 48-year-old body will need easing back into shape for the real racing the next day.
Mark will get up early Sunday morning and head to the track for the second in the summer racing series (3 events). He is currently lying third on the table in the hybrid section - fascinating, I know!
I will get up a bit later and go for my 50 minute walk/run. I'm then catching up with friends for brunch. After that I'll go to the racetrack, watch a couple of races and then drive 5 hours home. Mark will drive home either later that night or on Monday morning.
So, not many opportunities for romance there. But we'll have had a bit of time away together and I will have shown sufficient interest in Mark's racing that I can safely ignore it for another six months. And Jake will have had the house to himself on Saturday night for the boys' gambling night.
If you look at my weight record on the sidebar, you'll see I've lost another 1.1kg this week. Good going, but I'm actually a bit annoyed about it. My eating discipline has been poor, with far too much sneaky eating and too many sugar points. Because I'm training so hard, the weight continues to come off, so I need to make a conscious effort to curb the bad eating before it becomes a bad habit.
The weekend itinerary goes something like this...
Tonight Mark will load the race motorbike in the van, drive to the Kapiti Coast and stay with a friend - to cut some time off his journey in the morning. Saturday he will drive to Manfield (racetrack near Palmerston North). A group of them have booked the track out for a 'fun day'.
The definition of a fun day: not structured racing, but lots of testosterone-fuelled competition against your mates, riding round the track and trying new lines etc. Plenty of the usual standing around, drinking coffee, telling lies and smoking. Oh, and making essential adjustments to the bikes.
Saturday morning I will - go to the gym, go for a 90 minute bike ride, then drive to Manfield. I will stay for the shortest time possible - make sure Mark sees me, give him a fresh Thermos of coffee and try not to get hugged by too many greasy motorbike men. Then I'll drive to Taupo.
Mark will drive to Taupo after they've finished at Manfield, so I don't expect to see him before 7pm. This is where the spa bath comes in - he'll be tired from a day on the track, and that 48-year-old body will need easing back into shape for the real racing the next day.
Mark will get up early Sunday morning and head to the track for the second in the summer racing series (3 events). He is currently lying third on the table in the hybrid section - fascinating, I know!
I will get up a bit later and go for my 50 minute walk/run. I'm then catching up with friends for brunch. After that I'll go to the racetrack, watch a couple of races and then drive 5 hours home. Mark will drive home either later that night or on Monday morning.
So, not many opportunities for romance there. But we'll have had a bit of time away together and I will have shown sufficient interest in Mark's racing that I can safely ignore it for another six months. And Jake will have had the house to himself on Saturday night for the boys' gambling night.
If you look at my weight record on the sidebar, you'll see I've lost another 1.1kg this week. Good going, but I'm actually a bit annoyed about it. My eating discipline has been poor, with far too much sneaky eating and too many sugar points. Because I'm training so hard, the weight continues to come off, so I need to make a conscious effort to curb the bad eating before it becomes a bad habit.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
In hot water
Another of those strange side effects...
I've always liked my showers and baths really HOT. If Mark used the shower after me he always complained I was trying to scald him!
Now, however, I can't handle the water hot at all - it's more like tepid.
So, did all those layers of blubber used to insulate me against the heat? Illogical, when you consider the nerve-endings are in the skin. Maybe it's related to my fitness or some other physiological change?
At least we won't squabble over the temperature in the spa bath at the motel in Taupo this weekend!
I've always liked my showers and baths really HOT. If Mark used the shower after me he always complained I was trying to scald him!
Now, however, I can't handle the water hot at all - it's more like tepid.
So, did all those layers of blubber used to insulate me against the heat? Illogical, when you consider the nerve-endings are in the skin. Maybe it's related to my fitness or some other physiological change?
At least we won't squabble over the temperature in the spa bath at the motel in Taupo this weekend!
Monday, January 09, 2006
Life in the slow lane
Well, I'm still the slowest person in the swimming lanes in the morning, but not by much. I've definitely got faster since that rude cow tried to kick me out. Unfortunately the other people who swim slower than me don't seem to have returned from their holidays yet.
I have got over my need to cut through the water like a silver arrow (for those of you with kids, that reference is from a Margaret Mahy book called 'The Great White Man Eating Shark: A Cautionary Tale'. It's about a strangely-shaped boy called Norvin and a great story to read to your kids). I have decided I will be quite happy to breast stroke the 300m of the triathlon - particularly because it will be in the sea.
My main reason for this is when I do manage to freestyle 300m, I'm completely stuffed at the end - not a good way to be with the ride and run still to come.
Just four weeks to go till the triathlon, so I figure it's about time to front up with a goal time. Here goes:
My aim (apart from just finishing) is to do the 300m swim, the 10km ride and the 3km run/walk in under 1 hour and 15 minutes, including transition times.
There, I've said it now!
I have got over my need to cut through the water like a silver arrow (for those of you with kids, that reference is from a Margaret Mahy book called 'The Great White Man Eating Shark: A Cautionary Tale'. It's about a strangely-shaped boy called Norvin and a great story to read to your kids). I have decided I will be quite happy to breast stroke the 300m of the triathlon - particularly because it will be in the sea.
My main reason for this is when I do manage to freestyle 300m, I'm completely stuffed at the end - not a good way to be with the ride and run still to come.
Just four weeks to go till the triathlon, so I figure it's about time to front up with a goal time. Here goes:
My aim (apart from just finishing) is to do the 300m swim, the 10km ride and the 3km run/walk in under 1 hour and 15 minutes, including transition times.
There, I've said it now!
Friday, January 06, 2006
80's girl!
At this point I should write a deep, introspective post reflecting on how far I've come, how this milestone makes me feel and what is to come in the rest of my weight-loss journey.
Sod that. I'm just going to shout:
Yippee, I'm an 80's girl!
Sod that. I'm just going to shout:
Yippee, I'm an 80's girl!
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
The worst thing about being back at work?
Having to wear shoes!
And make-up. And girlie clothes. And waking up to an alarm again - took me a while even to work out what that strange noise was.
It doesn't help that that Mark isn't back at work until next week, and that Jake doesn't go back to school until 7 February.
But at least it's only a 3 day week.
And make-up. And girlie clothes. And waking up to an alarm again - took me a while even to work out what that strange noise was.
It doesn't help that that Mark isn't back at work until next week, and that Jake doesn't go back to school until 7 February.
But at least it's only a 3 day week.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Resolve
As I've got back into wandering through people's blogs, I see lots of comments about New Year's resolutions. Lots of people are making them; many also comment on how they think they're a waste of time, or have never been able to keep them in the past.
I've never been big on resolutions myself - if asked I'll usually reply 'This year I resolve to take up a new vice' or 'My resolution is to never make resolutions'.
But something is different this year. Most of the blogs I read show their authors have no need for New Year's resolutions. These people have shown enormous reslove already in the last year - losing weight, getting fit, improving their lifestyle.
I'd like to applaud you all for what you achieved in 2005 and encourage you to keep going in 2006. I'm certainly proud of myself, and you should all be proud of yourselves too.
I've never been big on resolutions myself - if asked I'll usually reply 'This year I resolve to take up a new vice' or 'My resolution is to never make resolutions'.
But something is different this year. Most of the blogs I read show their authors have no need for New Year's resolutions. These people have shown enormous reslove already in the last year - losing weight, getting fit, improving their lifestyle.
I'd like to applaud you all for what you achieved in 2005 and encourage you to keep going in 2006. I'm certainly proud of myself, and you should all be proud of yourselves too.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year, everyone!
Well, 2006 has dawned, and it's going to be another great year.
Mark and I had a fairly quiet New Year's Eve - went to King Kong with friends and then out for dinner.
That left the house free for Jake to have 20 or so friends round for drinks. They all took off into town about 11, so when we got home the house was empty - and not too much of a mess.
Just picked up all the cans and bottles, wiped a few benches down and left the floors etc for Jake to do today. I heard him come home around 4am, so I don't expect the cleaning will be done too soon! There was a bottle of spray and wipe and a cleaning cloth left in our bathroom. I'm figuring someone was a bit the worse for wear - but at least it got cleaned up!
I'm just easing into the day - the gym doesn't open until 9am, so I have an excuse. It's going to be another gorgeous day here.
Best wishes for the New Year, everyone!
I'll probably got shot for being unpatriotic, but I think King Kong is one of the stupidest movies I've ever seen.
Mark and I had a fairly quiet New Year's Eve - went to King Kong with friends and then out for dinner.
That left the house free for Jake to have 20 or so friends round for drinks. They all took off into town about 11, so when we got home the house was empty - and not too much of a mess.
Just picked up all the cans and bottles, wiped a few benches down and left the floors etc for Jake to do today. I heard him come home around 4am, so I don't expect the cleaning will be done too soon! There was a bottle of spray and wipe and a cleaning cloth left in our bathroom. I'm figuring someone was a bit the worse for wear - but at least it got cleaned up!
I'm just easing into the day - the gym doesn't open until 9am, so I have an excuse. It's going to be another gorgeous day here.
Best wishes for the New Year, everyone!
I'll probably got shot for being unpatriotic, but I think King Kong is one of the stupidest movies I've ever seen.
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