8 WEEKS TO GO!!!

To Paula.....




OK, so I know this blog is really late!! But I kinda have a reason... see I wanted to dedicate this weeks blog to a very special friend of mine, Paula. ( I am sure you got that from the title!!) Paula is getting married on Saturday (14/04/12) & seeing as her Wedding is about 15 hours away as I sit hear typing, I thought now would be the perfect  time to post! (That, and the fact she is unlikely to be anywhere near the Internet for the next few days, so cant give out to me!!) I've known Paula for a long time! Somewhere around 27years I believe!! (possibly a little more,but that makes us sound old, remember though ,we were practically babies when we met!!) Anyway, Paula has always been a great friend to me, she's beautiful, kind, thoughtful, a wonderful Mam to Little Miss Tia, she makes me laugh, gives me good advice (sometimes, depends on the wine levels!! (joking pal!!) listens & cares! But above all that, Paula is a great inspiration to me. Now Paula will contradict that I inspire her these days, but to me its always been the other way around. She was always fit, competing in triathlons, half iron-mans, you name it!! Admiring all her trophies & plaques one day about a year or so ago that help spur me onto my get fit buzz. If she could do it - why couldn't I one day!! Paula has been a rock for me from the time I started this journey about a year ago, and has been right there beside me, encouraging and pushing. Really, on the eve of her Wedding to Pete, I just wanted to say thank you. So thank you Paula, for everything, for being such an amazing friend, for just being you. I cant wait to see you in around 15 hours time as you walk into the church!! I'm sitting here in your Mams now writing this, your little baba upstairs sleeping, in the good hands of her favourite babysitter Aunty Av! Its funny sitting here listening out for Tia, when all them years ago we used to sit by the fire place here playing Barbies, then it was onto music and dancing and talking about how we could sneak out. Now we sit around that fire drinking wine after a night out, trying not to wake your Mam,which we inevitably do because, less face it, we both like to talk, a lot, loudly!! We've shared so much over the years, the last few months have been crazy with Hens, and Wedding prep, but I wouldn't have changed a minute of it for the world!! I love you loads pal, thanks again for everything, best of luck on your big day,.here's to a long and happy life for you Pete & Tia, and here's to many many more nights of drinking wine and chatting :) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx




Photo isnt the best, but a great memory of a very funny night me and Paula had about 6months ago, while on the hunt for a band for her Wedding!!





I am feeling a little emotional tonight, hugging your pal and wishing her well before her big day takes it outta you, as does sitting remembering all the fun you have shared!! And for that reason (well one of them, as you are about to find out) my blog is going to be a little short this week. See, I have been hectic with work and other things this week, (not making excuse, honest!!), so my Running programme got a little away from me!! Now I am not worried, its not like I have done nothing this week for training!! On Monday & Tuesday I ran 3k and Friday 4k, its just not my usual training standard!! I didn't get around to my big weekly run ( it was me and and friend Emma's birthday, and we celebrated. A lot!!) But as I said, I'm now worried about it, and I don't feel guilty, Well being honest, maybe I do a little, because I've not got much to report in my blog!! But sometimes, like not only will, but should get in the way. It needs to be fun, otherwise the training will seem a little bit too much like hard work!! I did promise a proper programme for this week, and to go and run lots of hills, so I really hope I haven't disappointed anyone reading this. I've still trained, the fitness and everything is up where it needs to be, thanks to all the dancing and the bit of running I did manage to squeeze in!! Promise I wont let anyone, and by that I mostly mean me!, on this training, and normal service shall resume next week!! My trainers are even packed in my case for the wedding, so I hope to report my weekly run from a fabulous location in Wexford!! And I 100% promise to focus on the hills!!


And thats it for this week folks, short and sweet I am afraid, but I had to be honest about the lack of training this week, I could easily lie on the blog, but sure what would that do? Nothing but make me feel really guilty!!


Although this weeks blog was dedicated to Paula, I just want to point out that every single one of you,my amazing family and friend, my old friends, new friends, work colleagues  and even some strangers via the blog have been absolutely amazing to me. There are far too many people to call out right now but I love you all and I am entirely thankful for the ongoing support and love & encouragement.You know how much I appreciate it, please keep the support coming, I need it now more than ever!!


Right, better get me off to bed, I have a Wedding to get to in the morning!! 




Av xxx




7) Delerium - Silence ( the full 10minute version - absolute cracker for an early morn run!!) 



6) - Stereophonics - Dakota! (this came on my playlist randomly the other day,surprisingly good to train to!!) 


5) - Nalin and Kane - On the beach (couldn't think of a more appropriate running tune this week - really good to run to!!0 


4) – Flo Rida … Good Feeling (this is my feel good song, you may have noticed my cheeky use of some of the lyrics in my blog today... it’s also my favourite song to dance to! (Quick Emma, play my song for me!!) haha)


3) - Rui da Silva... Touch me - (yep, Spawell days anyone!!??)

2) - Boney M - Gotta Go Home (you may feel the urge to do a little dance whilst running to this one!)


1) - Energy 52 - Cafe Del Mar 

9 WEEKS TO GO!!!!

I won, I won, I won!!

This blog has become as important to me as getting fit has! As you all know by now, I started writing this because I wanted a little pressure on myself to keep a promise I made to myself. But the interest I've gotten in this has given me a greater pressure than I ever could have imagined. I start thinking somewhere around Thursday what the following weeks blog will be about. When I started out writing the first one, it never dawned on me I was gonna need to think of at least 14 different topics to keep the attention of you all! I find myself keeping mental notes of random things as the week goes on....'Oh that could go in my blog' is a frequent thing I hear myself say! I do find it difficult to start off sometimes, this weeks edition has, in the past hour, had 5 different titles, and even as I write this I am not too sure what its gonna be, guess I will have to wait until the end to find out!! I really am enjoying writing it though, its become my new little side-line hobby! I enjoy watching a blank page fill with words, and then all of a sudden this I have 2 pages of a blog wrote and I am ready to post! Its funny how I can be nervous about starting it, and then all of a sudden find I'm done.
Saying that makes me think about all the things we are all nervous about starting, but once we do, we get into it and end up really loving. Take my Zumba classes. I'd wanted to try them for so so long, I thought it looked like a really fun exercise. Only I didn't have the nerve/time/energy/you name it, I had every excuse under the sun. For about 6 months!! So one cold December evening last year, I decided to give it a go finally. So what if no one would come with me, or the fact that I was only starting to get fit, I'd danced for years as a teen, it couldn't be that hard to pick up right? You know what, it wasn't, from that first class I was hooked. I started of hiding down the back of the class, doing one class a week. 3 months later, I am a regular 3 nights a weeker, front row centre is where you'll find me Monday Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm!! I'd do 4 or 5 nights a week if it was on! This week I gave 2 back to back classes a go, thinking I'd die, but I just got such a buzz from it! Its great finding something you love to do,even better when its an exercise that you come away from feeling great and don't dread going to! Its become a social thing now too, after me trying it I convinced my friend Emma to give it a go to, and now she is hooked! I've a network of new dancing pals, and that makes it even more enjoyable! Never felt anywhere near as good coming out of the gym as I do after Zumba... if you are trying to find an exercise to suit you, give Zumba a go, everyone I know doing it loves it, and the weight is falling off all my little Zumba pals!! We've all got our own little goals/reasons for being in the class and its paying off! Exercise fun?You bet!! Just asking any of my Zumba buddies!
Running?Fun?Eek.. you know what, i really am enjoying it. As I've said loads of times, this blog started out as a way to pressure myself into training for the 10k run, and to ensure I didn't back out or just walk it. Because i dreaded starting to run so much, I knew (me being me!!) there was a decent chance of me giving up. But 5 weeks into training, I have to say, i really am loving it. Yeah its a pain in the ass sometimes, both literally and figuratively,  its hard some mornings or evenings to get moving, and I end up with aches that have aches of their own, but I am getting such joy from seeing how fit I am getting! I am toning up like nobodys business! I am sure the toning is from a combination of the dancing and the running, but I ain't gonna give up one to see which it is :). I'm also enjoying seeing how far I can run on each new training session.I surprise myself all of the time, I'm in a race all by myself, and I have to win every time! My other new favourite habit when out training is trying to beat randomers. So I pick a walker or slow jogger in the distance, and set my targets on over taking them. I'm like a lurker seeking out someone to beat or catch up with! I've lost a few such 'races' but won more, so I'm happy! Love passing someone by knowing how much  I pushed to catch up with them. OK so they have no idea they were part of my race, and i do fear that one of these days I am gonna pass someone and stick out my tongue and say 'nah-nah-nah-nahnahna - I won I  won I won' hahaha, now I know this may make me sound a little crazy, but those of you who know me well know I am all about the crazy. And the fun! Crazy Fun! And sure training on your own can be a little boring, gotta keep entertained somehow!! In all seriousness though, I really am loving running, and the toned legs its giving me! Your mission this month is to find an exercise and give it 4 weeks, you'll be surprised how quick you get into it, and before you know it, it'll May and you'll be winning your own race :)



So back to the training - how did I get on this week! All's good, as I am sure you have gathered from the above! With such amazing weather last week, I made myself go training loads, morning and evening too... with sunshine like this,how could you not want to be out in it!!


Yeah, i upped my game a little last week, and it paid off - on Friday i ran a full 5k,non stop. That was to be my half way mark, I was hoping to do it this week or next, so I guess I beat myself!! ( i also beat 2 girls walking waaayyyyyyy ahead of me, and a couple strolling around the lakes, but they were an easy target!!) Now the only thing I am falling down on is the hills. Those I really do hate, but I cant bank on the 10K being on perfectly flat ground!! I've done some hill work, just no where near enough. So my mission for next week is it get a hill run in on every training session! If you happen to see me out and about this week, feel free to shout HILLS HILLS HILLS at me, its just the kind of pressure I need!! (in fact, I think Hills Hills Hills will be next weeks title, see how ahead I am!!, haha)

And i am done for another week.. (wasnt too bad was it!!). I promised a few blogs back that once I was running 5K I would start a serious training programme that  I would post weekly on here, so from next week I will honour that promise!! And if you see someone lurking behind you this week tryna catch you, dont worry, its probably just me. Either that or I have started a new crazy :) Lurk-running? hmm i'll get back to you on that name!!

Thanks as always for your support on this, its keeping me going. Do feel free to share the link so your own friends can have a read, thanks so much to those of you who have been doing so, I am getting great feedback, and a good bit from randomers!
Thanks to Caroline for my running is a pain pic, it made it smile, so had to be part of my blog!!

And finally, while chatting to someone this week about training, they gave me this little motivation quote, which I love so much I just have to share and end on....

'To win and be number one, you have to train from the start like you are already number 2'

See you next week...
Av xxx


Running Track of the Week;


6) - Queen - Stereophonics - Dakota! (this came on my playlist randomly the other day,surprisingly good to train to!!) 


5) - Nalin and Kane - On the beach (couldn't think of a more appropriate running tune this week - really good to run to!!0 


4) – Flo Rida … Good Feeling (this is my feel good song, you may have noticed my cheeky use of some of the lyrics in my blog today... it’s also my favourite song to dance to! (Quick Emma, play my song for me!!) haha)


3) - Rui da Silva... Touch me - (yep, Spawell days anyone!!??)

2) - Boney M - Gotta Go Home (you may feel the urge to do a little dance whilst running to this one!)


1) - Energy 52 - Cafe Del Mar