Filofax Cosy And Good Swimming

As you know, I have a new filofax, but as it's a light coloured patterned canvas, I've been worrying about it getting dirty, so I knitted it a little cosy. As I was tucking it into it's new little home, it crossed my mind that this wasn't necessarily a normal way to feel about one's diary. However, it will stop it getting manky in my bag, and although I could have just put it in a Tesco bag, that's not exactly attractive.

Today was a day off, and from the crack of dawn has been full of errands to run, and I began to fear I wouldn't get my swim in. In the end I decided some was better than none, and so did half a mile in 28 minutes. That's actually quite good for me, especially as I haven't been swimming for a fortnight.

However, the best thing is how I felt. I wasn't swimming as fast as I can. I took it steady, and continuous, and although I often get a little headache (which I think is due to dehydration and possibly lack of oxygen), and I did this time, too,  I felt great. When I came out I was nowhere near tired. My goal for this year is to swim a mile in 40 mins, and as I can swim a mile in the same pace as half a mile, that would mean I have a 56 min mile, and so need to remove 16 minutes over the next 12 months, which seems very do-able.
This also makes me less worried about any open water swimming, as I always swim faster and better in a wetsuit. I generally cut ten minutes off a mile when I'm outside.

I think it's down to the fuel. I've noticed something that has happened during other spells of eating healthily, which is that I could go without deodorant. I'm just not smelly when I eat clean. Not that I take the risk, of course, but still, it's interesting. My body is running better.
And although I have had a few things that aren't so de-toxy, such as one brown bread roll and I am having protein powder everyday, I'm still not eating nearly as much sugar and wheat as I was. And I am eating a ton of oats and green stuff. I still had one hell of a nose-blowing session as I have the remnants of a cold, but all in all, it's going well, and I feel optimistic as to what I can do. When I weighed less but still ate crap, I reached a ceiling I couldn't get past. I honestly think this time, with wiser eating and more structured training, it will be different.

Smelly Gloves

After a morning at work where I went above and beyond and was actually busy, I had some odd back twinges. Running often makes my back sore and in recent months I have neglected core work.

Much ooh-ing and loud aahhh-ing occurred when I got home, and got out the car. My plan had been to cycle 20 miles off road, but it was raining, and I had the school ironing to do, the house to clean, and the beds to change. However, after all that, and managing to peel some veg, I thought 'Sod it' and went out for 12.4 miles ( a nice round 20k). I got completely covered in mud and it was dark when I got home, but I averaged 10.5 miles per hour, and felt better for going. I needed to get back on my bike as my car played up on the way to work this morning. The temperature is dancing about. Curses. I have to be bike fit, I may well need it soon.

Although, my bike gloves stank. It was as if someone sneaked in to the shed/container thing and secretly vomited in them over Christmas. I gave them a wash, but they still smell weird. I have a nasty suspicion a mouse may have peed in them, too.
They are cheap ones. I want some Sealskinz. I need some more work (ie. people to die) and I'll get myself some for my birthday.

More Oats!!

I was a bit quicker with my running today, averaging 10.37 min miles. Towards the end I went onto the road to have a go on concrete, and my lap speed for that was 10.22. Running on tarmac rocks!

I'm not going to cycle to work tomorrow. I don't think I'm ready, and I'd be starving and would buy a multipack of Fry's Chocolate Creams. And inhale them before 9am.
 I'll be home at 1.30pm, so I'll go out and do 20 miles off-road then. I gave my bike a wash today, I'd put it away muddy and the chain was seized solid. Has to scrub it and lube it and manipulate each link by hand to get it moving. So before a work commute I'll make sure my bike is in good working order, that I'm bike fit, and that I have a backpack of bananas and flapjacks ready. I reckon that will be a fortnight away, and hopefully there will be a little more daylight then, too.

Speaking of flapjacks, I made some banana ones with goji berries, blueberries, cranberries and green raisins. Very nice indeed, and a good way of using up Graze boxes that no one can be bothered to eat.

Entering Stuff

I did my four miles, although not at 10.30 min miles, it was windy and I wanted to blow my nose from start to finish, so it was 10.42. I will do the same again tomorrow afternoon, and bike to work on Sunday (unless it's storm force conditions), making it a 10 mile run week (it's actually 14, but I don't count the run before the January) and 30 mile bike week. However, next week is when I start proper training. I'm still not sure how to structure it.

I weighed myself this morning, and after nearly a week of being very good, I am back down to what I was at the beginning of December, which was the last time I weighed myself. I'm not sure if that's really good, or not. I know I over ate, especially fruitcake and marzipan, but to what extent I really don't want to know.

If I lose 2lbs this week, I will have lost a stone since last Autumn, which is slow but better than nothing. I know I'll be able to do it, not having wheat is really limiting my options for pigging out, as is refined sugar, although a little of that does creep in. I got some organic cocoa and I have it with rice milk and a a squeeze of agave nectar, which although it isn't as processed, I've been reading about how it's very high in fructose and so not good, as it's processed differently by the body. When fructose comes with fruit, the fibre involved slows things down, but in a pure syrup it's worse for the body than glucose. Bummer.

I have entered a half marathon in March (Run Garioch). They do nice medals. AND you get a T-shirt AND a banana (free food!). I know cos I did the 10k last year. It was on mother's day. The toy guinea pig was my present, and we went for a picnic with Lucy and Charlotte afterwards and I tried a green olive for the first (and last) time, and spat it out. Then discovered later I have been sitting on it, and had an oily olive stain on my bum.

I don't have a wetsuit yet and not sue about travel and accommodation, but as soon as I get the leave approved from work, I'll enter the half iron distance at Aberfeldy. I'm sure once I've entered it will all come together.

Oats!

All I eat all day, are oats.
Porridge for breakfast, oatcakes with hummus for lunch. Flapjacks. Any time I'm hungry, I reach for oats. I should have zero cholesterol at this rate. I can cope without wheat if I have oats.

I worked at both my jobs today, so was out from 6.30am, dealing with the dead people then off to work with old ones. I got up quite easily, though, which was good.

But this evening has been scuppered by my parents (they are talented at distracting me) and I ended up being held hostage on the phone, whilst boiling my dinner dry and setting the smoke alarm off. I ruined three saucepans, and will making my morning porridge in the wok.
They were nice pans, too. Bugger.

I did my yoga today, and will get out and run 4 miles tomorrow morning at a pace of 10.30 min miles. The amount of rage I'm filled with right now, I should find it easy. I might even go faster.
On a nicer note, I have a new red and blue sports bra .
New things always motivate me.
My gamin is charged. Bring on the running.

 

Cup Of Tea, Anyone?

These are a few of the teas I am drinking at the moment, Lucy brought me three more boxes yesterday, too. It's been a few days now without black tea, so I have been downing the herbal stuff like there's no tomorrow, as a substitute. I have lemon and hot water when I get up in the morning, but it's after something like a trip to the supermarket that I want normal black tea. But the urge is diminishing. I will have it again, just not during this de-tox.

I was spurred on today by someone at work. I do like embalming Asian people, nine times out of ten, they have good quality vessels. I think it's the lack of sugar and general junk in their diets, and they also don't smell bed, and they decay slowly. He was a little Chinese old man, and he was a walk in the park compared to all the tubby people I have to embalm. Eat clean and leave a clean corpse, amen.

I also made some little biscuits. They are in cup cake cases as I wasn't sure if they would spread. They are made from rice flour, dairy-free margarine, organic cocoa, agave nectar and flaked almonds.

They need some tweaking, but the cocoa/almond combination is a good one.

I didn't get out and run, but did do my 15 mins of yoga, and went on my cross trainer for half an hour. I will be out from early till late tomorrow, but even if I have to go out with my head torch on, I need to run.
My plan for this week is to get back into the swing of things. I'll cycle to work one day, and get at least 4 runs in, even if they are short. Next week will be more about structured training.

I can taste EVERYTHING!

I made a curry for dinner and it tasted really, really salty (although I didn't put any in, just a little stock). I think my taste buds are changing, becoming more sensitive.

I went for a 2 mile run first thing, to blow the cobwebs away. I aimed for between 10.30 and 10.45 min miles, and it came out at 10.37, so not bad, really. I'm building up again, and want to do really, really well at this half marathon in March. I wasn't prepared for the last one. I ended up limping the last couple of miles and it took a horrific 2 hours 43 minutes. I would like to be a good 30 minutes quicker, and to not come out of it injured. I need to practice running on concrete, and I think I'll buy some decent trainers.

Still not eating junk, but not really craving it, either.
I'm going to try some baking with rice flour, using agave to sweeten as well as dried fruit.
I will be very careful for the whole of January when it comes to processed food, and I will make sure I have juices and green stuff everyday. I'm hoping it will be enough to break some habits.

We went for a walk along the beach with the other Lucy and Charlotte today. Lucy shares my enthusiasm for all things kooky and healthy, as opposed to most people I know who sneer at drinking green juices and such.

And I'm swearing off men for the six weeks up until my birthday. I want to be make some big improvements regarding my fitness and weight, and dating is a distraction. By my birthday I should have re-established good habits, and they won't be so easily broken.