Good long run...

A grey start but the geese were enjoying the view.

Shame they're not edible.

I always admire this garden and the setting is gorgeous.

Terrible photo of me - you really can't rely on passers-by these days! Still, it's proof that I was running and a view of the water spilling over the Derwent Dam which is not surprising after all the rain we've had!

The sun peeked through at the end

Shelagh loved her swim but Minty wouldn't dip a toe in!

I'm pleased to report that I managed to get out for a really good long run yesterday morning. I bottled it on a rainy Friday evening saying "I'll definitely go out for a proper run tomorrow"! In the past I might not have done so on Saturday but this weekend I did. I get dressed straight into my running gear when I got up and checked a few blogs which gave me some inspiration (particularly Shelley from Running My Life - thanks Shell).



I think one of the problems I've had recently is slight boredom with my running routes so I decided to to go somewhere totally different. I drove up to the Ladybower Dam (only a few miles from home) and then ran round the lower section. It' s about 6 or 7 miles or so and I took it nice and steadily. Stopped to take the odd photo, let the dogs say hi to other dogs, and have a swim and just generally didn't push myself too much to make sure that I enjoyed it.



And I did! Now I want to go out running again soon so I think my less pressured approach will pay off. A few months ago I was in serious training and had to pound out the miles; now I'm just running for fun and exercise and to help keep my weight under control. That's not to say that I won't take on another challenge some time in the future but for now I just need to get back to the place where regular exercise is a natural part of my life.



I never let it go completely, always did my personal training and the dogs walks and the odd run but it was definitely fading and now it's coming back in. Phew!



Anyway, I hope you're all having a good weekend and I'll catch up with you all soon.

Is it autumn?

Minty enjoying the view - don't jump you daft mare!

Very wet on Stanage Edge as it has only just stopped raining.

The sun was trying to peek through...but didn't quite make it.

We had to retrace our steps as we couldn't cross the stream at the stepping stones as there was so much water!

I've been feeling very willing to hibernate over the last few weeks. Maybe it's the rubbish weather. Maybe it's the change of seasons. Maybe it's the fact that I've been eating more carbs than usual. Who knows. I haven't been going mad foodwise but I haven't been dropping any lbs recently. Real balancing on the edge stuff.

I've been clawing my way back to exercise though which is a positive. I'm managing 2 sessions of personal training and 2 jogs per week on top of the usual dog walking duties. The jogs are painfully slow and don't involve much in the way of hills compared to my previous form but they're getting better. I've gone back to my 5 miler up to the dam wall but I retrace my route along the path now rather than going back along the road so that I can bring the dogs. I couldn't run properly with the 2 of them on a lead for any length of time. Minty would trip me up into the road and we'd all perish knowing her...!!

Minty is an absolute gem. So naughty and lively but really sweet. I was blowing bubbles for her for the first time this evening. I remembered that Shelagh used to love it so tried it with Minty. She was scared of them to start with but before long she and Shelagh were jumping up trying to catch them and barking and whining like crazy when they popped. They're such good company when D is away.

Anyway, my mate Nicola was up from London last weekend. We went out for a good long walk on Saturday afternoon despite the rain. It chucked it down for the first 40 minutes but cleared up after that. Lovely, but I'm really looking forward to the sunshine of South Africa!!!

Nicola has just come back from SA and had brought a selection of her best piccies from Kruger. They would blow your minds...they were so gorgeous. I doubt I'll get anything as good. She had a whole load of perfect shots of a family of lions sitting around a buffalo carcass in mid dining!! All blood stained maws and fat stomachs...simply stunning. I hope we're even a quarter as lucky as that. We aren't going to Kruger (this time) as it's just too tight timewise but we will go to Addo Elephant Reserve which is the next best thing. Not just elephants, loads of other game and much closer to Cape Town.

On other news, I've set up a new blog!! Nothing exciting, just a bit of a bit of fluff about our local play area which me and few mums from the village are trying to raise funds for. It would be really helpful if any of you could pop in and leave a comment or so just so it doesn't look so fake! The only reason I set it up is to "evidence the community suport for the project" or some such blather from the Lottery application form! I swear, it is easier for me at work to apply for over £4 million for a town centre redevelopment project than it is for us to apply for £40k for a new playground. The hoops they have made us jump through - 250 signatures on a petition; 80 questionnaires; a 40 page application form; a blog; a stand at the local carnival; smarming up to the local Recreational Ground committee (believe me, a fate worse than death which I did NOT do...) and God knows what else. We had better get the money now!

Anyway, the addess is http://www.friendsofbamfordplayarea.blogspot.com/ and any droppers-in would be much appreciated. My pals from the village are not very au fait with blogs and stuff so I'm having trouble getting them to leave a comment or post something so it's all on me...

It's good to be back talk to you all soon. Kiss kiss

The prodigal returns

I've not been on holiday just very busy at work and doing other things. I've been meaning to come up here and get back to the blog for ages but somehow it never happens. Anyway, this is not going to be a long post as I'm expecting a friend to arrive any minute but I thought I would just put fngers to keyboard and say hi! Diet mosying along whith only marginal sucess but not gaining so that's not too bad. We're off on holiday to South Africa at the end of the month so that is still a target.

I hope all are well and I'll be checking you all out and posting properly very soon.

Love and hugs and stuff.

Feeling better

But, work very very busy and I'm struggling to get back to packs after a day and a half off over the weekend (trip to the parents).

Still, I did pretty well today and have my class tomorrow which should re-motivate me (one way or another...!).

Absolutely LOVING the Olympics!! How fantastic are those athletes....all of them....

Will post more later when I am not falling asleep at 9.30pm!!!

PS - Minty had her first haircut yesterday and looks JUST like Shelagh now! Both devil dogs in the flash of course - I'll try and get some decent ones showing off their new looks at the weekend.

What a day

I didn't want to go back to work...knew I wasn't better....but felt the pressure of the job and my boss had given very heavy hints that he needed me to hold his hand...he's pretty ineffectual at times! So, I went back for a short day....not short....left at nearly 6pm and am v tired now.

Still, it was a good day's work and hopefully this damn deal will be done next week.

Dropped a good few lbs last week. now just have to keep it up and not weaken. A few bits and bobs have started to slide their way in but not too bad. It will be better when I feel well enough to exercise again. I love my walks but need to get running, especially as the lovely Huw is away doing some ridiculous bike race for a fortnight!! These fit boys eh? It had better not be the Olympics!

Keep well everyone and be good!

I got me another ticker(but have since reconfigured it and it's above in my next post!!). It's amazing what being bored and sick at home will prompt you to do. I can do stuff but not for long before feeling knackered; can't really concentrate on a book and have watched just about as much Olympics as even I can take (especially as it wasn't a particularly good day for the Brits today) so this is what I have resorted to!

It's quite an ambitious target but good to have something to aim for.

I have my LL weigh-in tonight so will update it then. I'll go but not stay for the class as don't think it's fair to spread the joy in the form of my germs.

I've been hungry today and bored so have wanted to stray from the path of righteousness. I have twice told myself that I can, if I REALLY want to, buy something to eat (there is nothing nice in the house). And twice I've managed to leave the shop with nothing. I have, however, already eaten all 4 packs for the day! Still, if I end up having 5 packs today but not cheating, I will count that as a sucess.

Nothing else to report so I'll go and take the dogs for an amble before class. Bye all.

I sick.....

I succumbed to a nasty head cold yesterday afternoon. You know how you suddenly feel it coming on, to the minute? Well, that was me. It coincided with having 2 teeth taken out so I felt fab yesterday afternoon/evening as you can imagine.

Still, I did good on the food front and have not troughed at all despite feeling as though I want to "to make me feel better"!! I think the cold itself is suppressing my hunger though so that helps.

I'm off work today but monitoring emails and doing telecons with the solicitors as we're at a crucial stage on a job so don't feel too guilty about watching the Olympics for the rest of the time! Also, I'm fairly confident work won't think I'm skiving for the weather as it has been chucking it down most of the day!!

Anyway, I snapped this greedy little bugger yesterday evening (through the glass which is why it's not very sharp). It made me smile as I think I'd go to those sort of lengths for food too....