A Greater Me To Become A Lesser Me!

Dearest Readers!

I am so sorry I have left you for so long, things didn't quite go to plan since my last post... did you expect any different from the Fatty Boom Boom that is me?!.... Well did you?? Really??

If I was you I would get a cuppa and get comfy, this is going to be a long one!





So before I start today's post I would like to share a picture with you that I stole from a friend on Twitter... I think it sums me up perfectly, and I am guessing most of you, if not now, then very soon :)

A year a go I could run/walk 5K, had never attempted anything further than about 7k.  Yet here I am today, having run/walked many 5Ks, 2 10ks, 1 Half Marathon and 1 full Marathon!

I feel blessed to have been introduced to running.

While you were away.....

So I left you last post having taken a day off sick, and to be honest most of that week I lacked in sleep due to chest feeling like I had swallowed a dust mound! Needless to say no running and mounds of bad eating.

Bank Holiday Weekend
Rob had a marathon on Saturday in Kent, and as he doesn't drive, it was an early night Friday and no Wine as I had to drive him there at an ungodly hour. (He is learning and taking test in July... please keep your fingers crossed!).

Kent RoadRunner (TZ Runs)

One of my edited pictures of the start.

So we left home about 6.20am, had to make a quick stop at the garage to put some air in my tyres, and then it was full speed ahead....

Until we reached the M25 and my bonnet popped, the catch seems to be a bit dodgy, it still keeps hold but it isn't closed properly.  So I had to stop on the hard shoulder of the M25 to close it again.  I had never done this before, I try not driving on the M25 at all as I hate it. I was just about to open my door when Rob said, 'don't you think you need to pull in a bit more,' as a bloomin great lorry came flying past me and shook the car. (Had Rob not of said anything, it wouldn't just be a dodgy catch that was a problem!)

We set off again, and got to the part of the M25 I hate even more than the road itself, the Dartford Bridge.  I suffer with vertigo, normally it only bothers me when I am standing straight looking straight down, or straight up.  I am not scared of heights and have jumped from a plane, and it didn't bother me then, I have sat looking out from tall buildings and it doesn't bother me then. But put me on the Dartford bridge, and I go dizzy, I feel sick and I have to close my eyes, not really helpful when you are driving!  Last year it was slow moving traffic and by the time I had finished it, I had sunk my nails into Rob's Leg.  This year it was free flowing and I concentrated on looking at the number plate of the car in front of me the whole way.

Rob - Having Just finished with his medal and free beer!

Once off the M25, you are only minutes away from the cyclopark, one of the great things about this marathon is free parking (charity donations accepted) meters from the track.  It is a relatively small event in as much as they only allow 500 participants, however there is nothing small about the event on the day and especially the medals.

This year the race was 1 half mile lap and then 20 equal laps of the cyclopark, it is my favorite marathon to spectate at as you only have to stand in one place and you can see your friends 21 times! You also get to know the other runners and shout for them too.

Cathy finishing with a PB

As always when I go to support Rob in races now I take a camera and take lots of pictures of the whole event and publish them online free of charge.  (This race also provide participants with free photos.)  So I spent the day snap happy, the weather wasn't particularly great for us spectators, but was perfect for the runners as it was cold and there was a few sprinkles of rain.

I was also supporting Cathy, Rob's friend from the Runners World Forum, and Jacqui, my fellow Big Marathon Challenge friend.

Amazing Jacqui, always smiling even
though this was her 53rd marathon!

I have to say that the whole event is brilliantly managed, and I really want to run it one day, and would suggest it as a good marathon to anyone, beginner or championship.

Rob finished in 3:46:30, Cathy 4:06:59 and Jacqui 4:39:34.  Amazing times for all, I was so proud of all of them, as it cant be easy running round 21 loops, especially as there is a nasty hill in every one of them!  (Although Rob would have you believe the course is flat, and that someone planted the hills in after they started the race lol)

So that was pretty much it for my Bank Holiday Weekend, we rested mainly Saturday night, me with lots of alcohol and bad food, and again Sunday.  On BHM Rob decided enough was enough and started his healthier eating, but I wanted to enjoy my BH so I didn't, and happily sat there munching away on chocolate and popcorn and sweets and washing it all down with Gin and Pink Grapefruit in front of him.

So why the title?
So as the title states, 'A Greater Me To Become A Lesser Me!' started on Tuesday this week, where I weighed in at 15 stone 2!  So I too have started my eating healthier, you can follow this here: My Fitness Pal and my training starts again on Monday with Richard, but I have started in preparation this week.

A couple of reasons I wanted to start my training this week:

• When ever I start training up again, my face becomes a dot to to (spots) and I get a horrible cold.  Due to the change in my diet and exercise, I don't really understand it, as I was useless at science, but am guessing it has something to do with the body wanting to get rid of all the bad stuff. 
• It is always quite hard that first week, getting back into training and your body getting used to doing 5/7 sessions a week.  I want to be ready for what ever Richard throws at me so I can do it to my best ability.

Core Warm Up:

I found this video on You Tube for helping with the lower back, core and glutes, for the purpose of this blog I will call it the Core Warm Up, and each time I use it I will let you know how many sets I do, and for how long.  You can see the video here.

Tuesday am:

Core Warm up, 1 set at 30 seconds.

Then went for a run, 1.9 miles in 24:22, 12;12/mi, 96ft elevation.  I know that Richard will be adding hills into my work out so I ran up my road, which is a very slight incline (barely noticeable to the eye, but noticeable to my breathing!) then along the main road which follows down a very steep hill, then humps over a bridge. Then back into Hartham which is where I normally run and back up the cycle path, which is quite a hill in itself.  It felt so good to be back out again.  The first mile was 11.40, and the second 12.43.... I really hope I can curb this one day for even splits!

Calories consumed: 1402

Wednesday pm:

I did 30 minutes of various dance/aerobic style videos from You tube.

Calories consumed: 1577

Thursday am:
Core Warm up,  sets at 30 seconds.

Then went for a run, 2 miles 24:39, 12:02/mi, 65ft elevation, this time I went down the cycle path, around hartham, along the river and then up the sheep field, an easier route than Tuesday, but it felt harder.  I was tired. Mile 1 - 11.40, Mile 2 - 12.24.


So this week is going better by far, I am very hungry all of the time, but I am trying to beat the pain!

Enjoy running this week, and I will post again real soon!

Much Love
FBB xx