Last Christmas.........

I went for a run, and the very next day, I did it again, this year because I'm a bore, I'm going to do it some more :-))))

This time last year I was looking towards what I guess has been my biggest challenge to date, the 10 in 10. That really was all the motivation I needed to get out there. I'll be honest, and this may sound arrogant but I never doubted barring bad injury that I would do it. The thing that worried me was the fundraising, and I never knew I would make the total until I did it thanks to the generosity of friends mainly.

This year I am facing a different challenge, this is just me, no one is relying on me doing it, I won't fail to make a monetary target because I don't have one. I'll admit it is harder to get motivated, and so I've entered Jantastic, I figure this will help me through what is generally a pretty drab month, because generally the way I work, if I've said I will do something I bloody well will. Even unfortunately, if it is to my detriment. Ask Mr H he can tell you aaalll about that :-D

If she were here you could ask my nan. She would tell you I would cut off my own nose to spite my face. She was right.

Anyway, looking back I have had a good running year. I counted up today 21 marathons, 4 of which were ultras. No PBs but then that wasn't what this year was about.

My last marathon was yesterday. 17 and a bit laps round Furzton Lake Mk. I felt for the first time in a while that I could run a decent time if I put my mind to it, that made me happy. I was also pleased to do another of Foxys events as they are really quite nice. Not too many people and a real sort of running family feel. These are the sort of events I want to keep doing with the odd flashy one thrown in just because. I guess I will get to 100 at some point ;)

It is also nice to see other 10 in 10 ers, yesterday I saw and ran with Noel, Liz was there, and obviously Foxy........also a guy who spoke to me at the start is a 2012 contender I think....I'll have to look on his Facebook. It does feel like a special (!) club and yeah ok I am proud to be a part of it.

I'm not doing Windermere next year though, it will be a while before I want to go back.

Anyway, motivation, just do what works for you. Don't listen to any voices but the one in your own head......it's more right than you know.....because it knows YOU! And it knows what YOU can do. Take advice by all means but then ignore it if you think it's bollocks. Works for me.

Here is my medal from yesterday cos it's proper festive and this is a Christmas eve eve eve blog :)

Actually you have to imagine it cos I don't know how to get it on here on the iPad!!!!!

There is no I in team.............

Don't you bloody hate that saying? I do, I am also not a particular fan of team games.

I like I best.

When I was a small child I absolutely refused to take part in team games at school, and would throw a fit if anyone tried to make me. I was incredibly shy and terrified of letting other people down. If you are told you are useless you eventually believe it. A really nice teacher though, (really sorry but I dont remember her name) obviously saw what was wrong and would spend time with me at playtime throwing a ball to me convincing me that a) I could catch it, I wasn't that clumsy and b) if I did drop it the world wouldn't end. She convinced me that I could take part in that rounders game at lunchtime and that I should try out for the netball team. She was right about the rounders, I played for the school all through seniors and discovered a talent for hockey too. I never enjoyed netball really, something to do with bloody hard ball and frozen fingers. Give me a whack round the shins with a hockey stick any day :-0 Or crack my ribs with a rounders ball....thats fine :D

But where I came into my own was cross country. As much as I could now be in a team, running on my own was what I was made for, and I could do it for as long as you wanted too......sometimes in the wrong direction admittedly but I had discovered the thing that I was best at, and that made me happiest. And best of all I could run for me but be part of a bigger team.........everyone wins!

As an adult I have been on more team building courses than I care to mention, Barclays PLC was dead keen on them. I discovered that the best way to get through them was to be as loud as possible on day 1, take part in everything and get pissed in the evenings :0) Sitting around being quiet and unhappy to be there just led to being really miserable.

I guess I have gained from them and appreciate the need at work for an element of teamwork and sometimes I am that loud noisy person from those courses because you need to be to get stuff done.

I still need to run on my own though :)

I had a bit of a tantrum at tri club swimming last night :( I am sooooo embarrassed that I can still act like I'm 7. But it was team games you see............and whilst I dont mind when I'm confident at what I'm doing I am hyper aware of my rubbishness at swimming. They also had a game where you had to grab feet and someone has to grab yours......I nearly had a coronary when they described that one............NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

On the other hand, I had a truly fab day on Saturday and one of my twitter friends sent me these reindeer antlers ................thanks Farnie :))) I look happy dont I ....thank you Fosters :-D

I AM THE ANSWER!!!!

Life, the universe and everything innit.

I haven't blogged for a bit. I have been going to and then each time I realised I had something or other on my mind that would make it too honest....too much me. I know a blog is where you can do that but I was a bit surprised at how much I said in my Brathay blog and I don't want to do it again :-)

Anyhow, running, yeah I have been but nothing massive. But I am well aware of what I have to do and you can rely on the fact I won't be resting over Xmas. I'm just busy with other stuff too. I decided today not to do Bedford Half, when I entered I thought right, little bit of speed work and I'll get a PB, no bother.

Yeah, right. Real world.......speed work tweaked my piriformis, cue depression about whether I can actually run fast anymore, sports massage and swimming and the realisation that if I am not sure I can run my best I don't want to do it. Since Chris has to drive me I can't make him go if I'm not sure I even want to. So my birthday run will be on my own. That's cool I do that really well :)

I did think about running it slower as a fun run but I don't know it just wouldn't fit right.


Then a week next weds I will run another mara somewhere in bletchley I am hoping that this will kick start some decent long runs, I am sure it will.

Anyway, I've had a really nice day today, massage, run, nice pressie and a bit of doing not much, good cos I reckon next 2weeks at work are a bit full on. I found out Friday I need to update my cv and do a personal statement to apply for a travel grant by Wednesday, which is a pain but I guess a trip to Philadelphia will be worth it :) then I have to get through the work Xmas do without making a tit of myself..... Never that easy when my natural state tends towards tit!!!

Then Shed Seven next Saturday....woooohoooooooooooooooo :o)

This blog was written on my iPad ( ner ner Jules)