Is it really that long since my last run???

Probably. Although in my head it was far more recent than June... 

Anyway - out I went, having put the kit out last night, which always seems to help. Nudging, it's called. And it was OK. I did stop a couple of times; once because my right calf was aching ominously but nothing came of it; and once because I was puffed out and psychologically predisposed to just walking for a bit (it was really hard to get going again, but I made it all the rest of the way round) 

5.39km

7m 23s per km.

I'm seriously not going to beat myself up about being slow. 

I've put on 2-3 lbs since I lost a load of weight last year, and that makes me annoyed with myself. There is no reason it's happened other than I eat and drink too much to keep the weight off. And so I'm now back on the intermittent fasting regime and trying not to over-indulge on the non-fasting days (which is where I come unstuck: in my head, a fasting day simply cancels out the overindulgence...)

So that is where I am today. 

Day Six

So far so good. No wine, being very disciplined with the intermittent fasting (it's actually very easy when you know you cannot eat anything because you don't have to decide how much or how little to eat of what) I feel a little bit lighter - the numbers aren't agreeing but if I'm feeling better in myself is the important thing.

5.11 km
6m 37s per km

Listening to Quanderhorn a very silly but quite clever sitcom on the BBC

Happy new year!

Yes - I have run every day this year so far.

Enough with the stupid cliches - other than 'new year, new me'

I am cutting my work days to 3 a week - therefore requiring a massive rethink in terms of spending. I'm not sure it's the right thing to do in many ways - other than needing to have a clear out of things which cause me stress - such as work. It's going to be more intense but then there will be more time to decompress - and that is a good thing.

Also, I have literally put on all the weight I lost over the past year or so - 8st 13.4lbs. And I was actually pleased I hadn't broken the 9st level.
Back on the intermittent fasting - and healthier eating - cutting right back on the wine (which has been my major downfall tbh)

So, all that's happening.

But I did run this morning - first time for a while and it felt like it. My hips are aching and the odd bit on the joint next to my buggered big toe joint is giving me cause for concern. Hey ho - there is a light on the toe joint horizon - well, 2 really. One is chasing the cortisol injection to make the thing less painful and the other is a new replacement cartilege treatment (cartiva) - private of course but it might just cure the thing.

3.14 miles
9m 56 pace
Barely average tbh but I am very glad I did it. if it wasn't for the odd toe thing I would mind less about running... 
I also have to keep going to the gym - limited to work days though - 3 days in a row? It's hardly impossible.

So - a plan...
running twice a week - once on Friday or Saturday  morning and Westbury on Monday evening
3 gyms
Yin every day - have done 8 mins today, quite hard work but I think it's a good thing to do. A class of actual yoga is probably good as well - but I don't want to do a full 90 mins - an hour is more than enough

So there you go.
It's 2018 already.
How did that happen..

Old

Well, I feel old. My left hip aches like a nasty thing and I can't run straight cos of my arthritic toe joint.

So, old

But not so old I didn't go for a run this morning - in the very leggings I bought in Jasper to run in Canada. Which was nice.

I did a run round the downs and realised today is when the Race For Life is on - I could have done that... Except I'm working today on a project which is frankly doing my head in so much I'm taking August off as unpaid leave to regain some level of sanity. Extreme I know but sometimes you have to take control of your life,

I found it slightly easier to run than I feared - possibly cos I have lost about 10lbs. It feels great but I know I won't be happy until I look and feel slimmer. There is a slight element of eating disorder about my thinking from time to time - but this week I have been eating better and have only lost 1/2 lb or so. That's OK. I've done it on intermittent fasting - the 16:8 not the 5:2 version (I can't stand the long days without food) This one is 16 hours fasting in 24, 5 times a week. And when you're eating you can have pretty much what you like - not too much obviously but as long as you're eating healthily you lose weight. It's to do with getting into the fat-burning zone once you've had 12 hours without eating - so after about 8am I spend the next 4 hours burning fat - which is then gone. If you eat enough calories to remain the same weight over the course of a day, you haven't spent 4 hours burning fat - so there is a net loss over the day despite eating maintenance levels of food.

It works