Feels like a new term

Autumn.  It still has that back to school feeling.  A time to start afresh.  

To open up the blog, that has been neglected.  But, like a succulent, with just a little attention, it can be brought back to life.  

To start running again, after a year off.  But, inspired by watching this year's half marathon in the city centre, and by my falling fitness levels, this morning I pulled on my running gear and running shoes, put Laura back on the ipod, and ran.  I'm not aiming for another half marathon, just to be able to run for half an hour, three times a week.

There's still plenty going on around here, and it's time to get on with it.

Before I go, do you want to see one of the reasons for this quiet blogging time?

 

This is Bailey.  Under all that fur he's a Miniature Schnauzer.  He's sure to make future appearances around here.

13.1 miles

I did it.

On Sunday I completed the Great Birmingham Run. It was hard, really hard. But, it was a huge achievement, and I've raised over £400 for Macmillan Cancer Support, who do a brilliant job in the UK supprting people with cancer. 

I sort of aimed to complete in about 3 hours, and my official time was 3 hours 10 minutes.  Not too bad for a short, overweight, forty-something who only started running 8 months ago specifically with this goal in mind.  All of the people mentioned in this post ran as well, including my brother - who is happy and healthy, and ran a very respectable  2 hours 20 minutes.

I feel so much fitter now that I run, and I plan to carry on.  But only for a couple of miles a couple of times a week.  And, that last sentence still amazes me - I still can't quite believe that I'm a runner!

I'm a Winner!

 A couple of weeks ago, I was having a little blog hop - as you do.  I was visiting the lovely, creative blog
Efemera Ink when I was invited to hop on over to another blog.  So, off I went, to yet another inspiring blog, Scattered Scarlet .  Where I was invited to leave a comment, which I did.  And in return, I am now the very happy owner of "this little bit of nonsense".

 

Thank you, Effie.  It's so lovely, and is inspiring me to do something creative.

I'm missing my makings - but, I have less than a week now, until I run my half marathon - and then I can return to real life, and the long list of ideas I've gathered over the past few weeks and months.

One of the first things on the list is that  header, up there...

Hello, anybody there?

Hello, anybody there? I know, I know, you thought I'd fallen off the edge of the blogosphere, didn't you?

Well, not quite.  I've been busy, busy, busy.  Getting used to working full time, and then when I get home it's all train,train, train for the half-marathon.  Which is in just four weeks... eek.  

Oh, and we're also looking at Universities for Luu for next year.  We just came back from Chichester this afternoon, then out for a 4km run, and now about to have dinner.

The pictures?  It's against my self-imposed blogging rules to post without any.  And I'd uploaded these to blogger in May (!) so, I thought you may as well see them.  Back in May we were very busy in the garden, and re-vamping the shed for Mark to go and "play" in.

a running update

I've just found this post, that I actually wrote on the 12th April - and then left it floundering, as I had no photo to go with it.  So, I thought I'll let you have this, and then I'll update you a little more...

I haven't told you about my running lately, have I?  To remind you, I'm training to do a half-marathon later in the year - gulp...

At the moment I'm following these podcasts, and they're really, really good.  I'm just about to start week seven.  Which means that I start with a 5 minute brisk walk - followed by 25 minutes of running and then another 5 minute walk to cool down.  I did the same session on Sunday, with Mark and Phoebe along with me - on their bikes, and I did it!  I amazed myself when Laura, who talks you through the podcasts, said at 24 minutes - you've got a minute left, if you can, why not run a bit faster... and I did.  From my quite ploddy jog, I upped the speed - and ran.

So, with Laura's help - I should be able to do 5km in another couple of weeks, at the moment I'm doing about 4.2km.

Anyway, since then, I've been building on my time and distance, and last week completed my first 5km, in about 40 minutes.  I was SO pleased.  To be fair, I did it along our local cycle path and canal, so it was fairly flat.  But I wanted to achieve that milestone. I'm now back on the footpaths, so that means some hills are involved, and I'm working my way back up to 5km, and beyond...

Since I've started running, at least two people I know have started running, using these podcasts.  Because, if I can do this, anyone can.

…and another hobby

So, I have another hobby that I haven’t told you about.  This one is totally outside my comfort zone.  It doesn’t involve a creative bone in my body.  There’s no paper, no glue, no fabric, no wool, no paint… and definitely no scissors.
I’ve started running.  Those of you that have seen me in real life, or perhaps just had a tiny glimpse of a blogged photo, will know that I don’t have a runner’s physique.  I have been heard to say in the last few weeks, that the last time I probably ran, was for a bus, in 1989, and I probably missed it…
So why have I started?  Well, I had a conversation at a family birthday celebration at the end of January that, briefly, followed this train of ideas

• my brother’s two brother-in-laws both ran the Birmingham Half Marathon last year
• my brother, while he was in hospital,  said that he would run it this year
• he thought that they would forget this conversation
• they didn’t
• Paul’s sister-in-law also got roped in
• then they asked me

Obviously I dismissed the idea, and had another slice of cake.  But, after I got home, the idea played in my mind.
Could I? 
I did a bit of googling, and decided that it is do-able.  I have until October to go from sitting on my lardy bum, to running 13 miles.  The next morning, I put my trainers on, went to our local cycle route, and walk-jogged for half an hour – as suggested.  And, you know what?  I did it!  it was –3.5 that morning, with a beautiful thick frost, and I managed to go faster than my usual gentle stroll.
I’ve since found a series of podcasts, called C25K, that are really helping.  I have an intermediate goal of a 5k run in June, and then the biggie, the half-marathon in October.  I’ve registered my interest in it, and I’m telling more people that I’m going to do it, and you’re next on my list of telling people… 
I will be asking for sponsorship closer to the time, probably for Macmillan Nurses, but I’ll do what Paul wants – because that’s why I’m doing it, to raise money for the cancer charity of his choice.  And, don’t worry, I won’t be in anybody’s face asking for money, that’s not my style.  But, if you think you might sponsor me, let me know, and I’ll get back to you later in the year…