Grippy Things!

I started work later yesterday so went for a run with the grippy things as they had arrived, hurrah!

It was only a brief few kms as I was short of time, and I went to the park again as there is less snow there, I think the amount of trees helps. Here where it's more exposed it's welly territory. I didn't cycle as the roads were really icy. However, my car misbehaved and I think the thermostat is stuck open, so I may well have to cycle to work this weekend if it doesn't behave.

This is them-

And this is where I ran. And as tempting as it was to see if the ice would hold my weight, I didn't try.

Going out with the Speedy Pixie tonight. I need to see if I can make him understand how important it is to be quiet in the cinema. I can't go and see the Hobbit with anyone who doesn't have good cinema skills.
This film is too important. If he doesn't grasp this I cannot go with him.

My Phone Is Ringing!

My swimming plan for yesterday was to just swim a slow and steady mile. I've been doing a lot of drills recently, and just wanted to swim continuously without stopping at all, and so made sure I crawled along and did a mile in an hour.
I felt nice when I came out, my hips were nice and loose, (in an Elvis type of way) and I felt I could have easily done more.

I also did my Turbo Fire, and hung from my bar.

Not sure if I'll bike to work today, the weather is a bit mental and I don't want to slip off. However, my grippy feet things have arrived, so I'll be running or cycling today no matter what!

I have decided not to see either of the Biker Boys again.
I found myself trying to ignore things and convince myself that they were ok, but you can't force these things. It would be wasting my time and theirs.

A different bloke has asked me to see the Hobbit next weekend, and I don't know him well enough to give him a name so we shall see how that goes, nothing concrete has been arranged, and I'm wondering if I should take my kid instead. I also have mild dating fatigue.
However, he is a sporty running/cyclist type, so we have stuff to talk about, and his best marathon time is 2.52! Bloody hell! I know too many superfast men.
He reminds me of a tall pixie/gnome. I mean that in a good way.
He rings me, on the phone. To speak to me in person.
Clearly he hasn't been warped by life to fear the telephone as much as I do.

I Need An Ark.

Ice, snow, and floods. One minute I was sliding, the next my feet were buried in snow. At one point I thought I saw where the path went through the trees, but it was actually a ditch covered with ice and snow and I ended up standing in freezing muddy water halfway up my legs.

The worst part was I had to keep detouring, in places the flood was too deep to cross, so I would turn around and try and find another route, so was never able to settle into running, and constantly scared of slipping over.
I have planned 15k, and was going to aim at steady 11 min miles, which I managed, but gave up and went home after 7.6 km (it was the ditch incident that sealed it). At one point I was just going up and down a 200 metre length if path to try and get the distance it, it was like swimming.

However, it was a nice warm up for the week of running. I'm swimming and turbo firing tomorrow, and if I look back a few weeks ago, I'd have been happy to do nearly 5 miles in any weather at all at a steady pace, so not terrible really.

Whilst contemplating looking for the Christmas tree in the lorry container next to my house, I was distracted by a pair of wetsuit gloves, and wondered if they would be any good for cycling? They don't have any padding, but should be warm. In fact warm to the point of sweaty. I shall try them when going to work on Thursday, and I will also have super warm arms as lovely Anneke sent me some arm warmers from Wiggle, which will be perfect as my body is usually warm enough, it's my arms and legs that freeze.
I am proper happy with my set up :)

Although I didn't find the Christmas tree, but nevermind, plenty of time for that.

Turtle Attack!!

Oh, jeepers!

First off, no exercise, driving about the countryside in the snow looking at dead people, didn't get home till late, and so on, blah..

But!

I had been thinking to myself maybe it was best not to see the Turtle. Although having my spark plugs done for cost price was very tempting, I thought it might be a bit weird.
But on the way home tonight I stopped at Tesco, and saw what I thought might be his car in the car park, a distinctive Land Rover.
I entered the supermarket gingerly, and down the first aisle I saw what looked like his younger brother.
Fine.
Cool.
Breathe out.
His brother has his car. That's fine.
Then off I go to get rabbit food and washing powder and there he is!!
Over a year since we split up and not seen him once! Anywhere! Ever!
I had been working all day and looked like crap, and it was weird and awkward.
In my weirdness I 'high fived' him, as it seemed like the thing to do. He looked confused as I held my hand up and I had to explain to him what I was doing, then he high-fived me back.
Then I agreed to him doing my spark plugs some time soon, said I'd be in touch, and I will.
The other Lucy is reading this and thinking 'Hmmm...I predicted this.....' and probably glowing with her psychic powers ;)

Then I came home to an awesome present from the lovely Rhonwhen 

The universe is telling me to get out there and have lots of (safe) sex.

Week 9

The weather is really messing things up, and my planned run was cancelled.
The paths were again just a sheet of ice, so I put my wellies on and dragged a reluctant teenager out for a bracing walk.

Went to see Biker/Boxer Boy.
He's nice to be with. He worried about me driving in the snow, and he is a very entertaining friend.
He's an engineer that's done a huge amount of travelling, as well as during university he was a bouncer, so he has lots of stories that involve riots, ladyboys, 'this one time in Texas', etc.
And he loves his dog and is a few years younger than me.
However, I don't know if we are friend-zoned, and so this could well rumble on a bit.....

And I also got a phone call from a different funeral director, he'll pay me almost double but he wants to see my work, so I have to get there this morning and actually do a good job and do everything properly.
Eek.
It's a little backwater place. I bet they have the sort of equipment you find in a field hospital.

My plan for this week is this-

Monday - Whatever I can fit in, gonna be a manic day.

Tuesday - 15k run

Wednesday - swim + Turbo Fire

Thursday - 30 mile bike

Friday - 10k run + Turbo Fire

Saturday - 10k run

Sunday - 30 mile bike

A Proper Grown Up Man.

Well Biker Boy number one is is very much Biker Man.
Very grown up. I bet he has a pension plan and votes in a careful, considered fashion.
I arrived 10 mins early and he was already there, and meal was nice and there was never a quiet moment, and he paid while I was in the loo, but not entirely sure if I really like him of if he really likes me.

He put his hand out to shake at the end and then used that to pull me in for a small-ish kiss, but then maybe that means nothing. Maybe he just kisses everyone. Like a person who is secretly French.
However, he gets major points for not laughing at me when I said I love the Golden Girls.

The DOMS from my attempted chin ups was ridiculous yesterday. The first part of the move, the 'dead hang' bit is what I'm mainly working on right now.
There was still a lot of ice and snow, so until my crampons arrive, I was stuck with the cross trainer, on which I managed an hour, grimacing bitterly with each arm movement. Which I love.

Dental Ambush

So I get up and walk my daughter to school, but it takes forever as there is a thick layer of ice all over everything. I slipped up on gravel, people, GRAVEL.

So I think, 'Nevermind, I'll run this afternoon when it's melted'
Then I toddle off to the dentist for a harmless check up.
'You have a crack in a filling,' he says 'I'll fix that now'

Then so I stumble home, talking like a stroke victim with a big smear of blood on my chin.
And the ice hadn't melted.

But the Turbo Fire discs had arrived, whoo!
So I did the first session, or rather, had an unco-ordinated flail/seizure along to it.

I also ordered these as chances are this ice and snow situation will get worse before it gets better, and I want a solid winter of training with minimal weather disruption.

Next week will be a good week of training, as I am only working 3 days. One thing I will do is put a longer run in there, as I want next week to be running-based. My legs have had plenty of rest recently, so a 4 runs next week, two 5k, one 10, and a 15k will be just fine, along with one long work commute bike and one swim. And lots of TURBO FIRE!
And there will be a weigh in at the end of the week, for added motivation.
My clothes are feeling looser so I have the courage to get on the scales.