Sugar & Time

Evening everyone :o) I hope you've all got mega bank holiday weekend plans - I know I have! So I've a few things to tell you about today and a little favour at the end too, but I'll leave that until the end.

The No Sugar Challenge - I am at the end of Day 3 of my 30 day no sugar challenge and to be honest, it's not too difficult just yet. My friend told me the first week will be the worst because of the withdrawl but I haven't had anything like that - although I never had sugar every day before this so perhaps the worst is still to come.

As you can see from the photo I took in the ladies toilets today, I have dyed my hair - which I have since dyed again because it was too unnatural looking. Now it's a very dark brown with red shine. Lucky for me, I only ever dye my hair with semi-permanent (no peroxide - much kinder on your hair!) so it will fade over the next month into a more natural colour then back to my natural brown :o) Isn't it annoying how your fringe always goes the darkest?

A guy at work today (I say guy, he's 18 so it's more accurate to call him a boy) confessed he doesn't eat breakfast or lunch because it's 'easier to count his abs that way' - I was horrified. I emailed him with tonnes of information about how his body will be suffering, eating his muscle and liver first, dehydrating, putting stress on his kidneys, finally eating fat stores and going into starvation mode (slowing metabolism and binge eating - which he already does, eating 2 12 inch pizzas last week on lunch) and he replied "but I still have my muscle! haaa" - there is no hope for the youth of today. at all.

Hopefully, if I'm not too exhausted tomorrow from emotions and excitement I will be able to write a short blog about my day (first day at Badminton Horse Trials for me! Dressage tomorrow!) but until then, I've a little 30 second favour to ask you...
My sister has EDS and when one of the two specialists for this rare condition retires this September they are going to close that department at the hospital she is treated at, meaning she'll be 400 miles from the nearest help. If you've a spare 30 seconds, could you sign the online petition to stop this closure? Remember to click the link they email you to verify your signature. It'd genuinely mean the absolute world to me if you could do it for my sister and everyone else who is treated by Prof. Bird. The link is:
http://www.hypermobility.org/capetition.php

...and keep an eye on my blog, because I am signing up for the Hull 10k in May to raise money for the EDS charity - my sponsorship forms are in the post so I'll be driving everyone I know mad hunting for sponsorship (not you guys though!)

Until tomorrow! x

Two Words

Afternoon from me and Frosty here :o)
I've been itching to get on here but I dashed home yesterday and crammed a super-quick workout in before blow-drying the sweat out of my hair, getting dressed and shooting back out to dinner with a friend. I was a full 30 minutes late too after driving halfway there then having a senior moment -doubting my conviction in the location - I drove nearly the entire way home before ringing home and finding out I'd been right all along. It was intensely frustrating!

In the last week or so I have seen a lot of runners out and about, which is probably due to the fair weather and lighter nights, and I have to say time and time again the same thought comes into my head, two little words:

SPORTS BRA

Seriously, if you're one of these women then promise me the next thing you purchase will be a well-fitted sports bra. These poor women are doing irrepairable damage to the fibres in their chests - causing their breasts to lose their natural support and therefore shape. I am still debating if they'd consider it a favour or an insult if I shouted sports bra from my car window.

I am just watching my favourite ever character, Melinda Gordon (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt) in The Ghost Whisperer, and I'm inspired by her lovely dark shiney hair so I think tonight it's time for an impulsive semi-permanent hair dye :o)

Back soon with a blog with more direction! :o) Ellie x

The Circle of Maltesers

I confessed a lunchtime misdemeanour to my boyfriend today; I had a huge bag of maltesers after suffering a sugar-crash at work. He said "you eat lots of sugar and then complain about feeling fat" and it got me thinking. I actually complained about feeling/looking fat the day previous and the "sod it I'm screwed anyway what's the point perhaps there's happiness/solice in the maltesers" feeling that let me eat a huge bag without feeling like I was letting myself down. Now I have the post-malteser guilt that motivates me to do a hard workout and then the bitterness of doing a poor effort because I was sugar-crashing from the maltesers earlier that day. The workout I did today is in the video attached: 11 exercises, 50 reps of each (or 25 on each side). It was absolutely killer and I desperately want to beat my time the next time I try this one. A lot of my workouts come from Zuzana and Freddy at bodyrock.tv - they're the best!

So in conclusion: I have decided to take on the 30 day NO SUGAR challenge. I am not going to lie to you, my blogs from tomorrow onwards might be on the scarier side of grumpy.

Ellie x

you'd laugh if it weren't so tragic

After that killer 12 mile run yesterday I decided taking it easy today wasn't an option so I walked the dogs (twice, morning and evening) and did a beasty workout in between. So now I am sat, sleepy and with my legs up on heat packs, and I thought I'd share a thought with you that I'm sure I'm not the first to notice: a lot of the great comedians come from extremely painful backgrounds.

Take Billy Connolly, for instance. Born "on the linoleum" in Glasgow to a hospital cafeteria worker (mother) and instrument technician (father), Billy had a rough start. His mum left when he was only four years old, whilst his dad was away at war. Between the ages of 10 and 15 he was abused by his dad, which makes his decision to go into stand up comedy at the tender age of 12, with this backdrop of turmoil, all the more astounding.

"my parents used to take me to the pet department and tell me it was the zoo"

But Billy isn't alone in tough beginnings; Eddie Izzard, most recently in the public eye for raising money running 43 marathons in 51 days for Sport Relief, lost his mother to cancer when he was only 6 years old.

"I wana live until I die: no more, no less"

British comedienne Dawn French knows of great loss, when her dad's long-standing severe depression caught up with him when his suicide attempts were finally successful when she was 17.

"It was my father who taught me to value myself. He told me I was uncommonly beautiful and that I was the most precious thing in his life"

Michael McIntyre, often recognised from his appearances on Mock the Week, endured his parents' divorce at the age of 7, which saw his father re-marrying and moving to Los Angeles before dying of a heart attack when Michael was 17.

"I still love you. See last year's card for details" [talking on Valentines Day cards]

Bill Hicks was sent to a psychoanalyst by his parents at 17 due to his unusual and strong opinions and was told "it's them, not you". He openly discussed his drug and chronic smoking habits in his stand up and in 1993, whilst on tour in Australia he complained of a pain in his side; this led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer which had already spread to his liver. He called friends to say goodbye, moved back in with his parents and re-read The Fellowship of the Ring and in Feb 1998, aged 32 years old, he died with his parents at his bedside.

"They proved that if you quit smoking, it will prolong your life. What they haven't proved is that a prolonged life is a good thing. I haven't seen the stats on that yet" [Dark Poet, 1991]

And finally, Kelsey Grammer, the famed Frasier in the American TV show. Plagued with bad luck, Kelsey has suffered the divorce of his parents and when he was just 13 - the sudden and violent death of his father, whom he had only seen twice since the divorce, who was shot dead in is front garden. His sister was raped and murdered, and Kelsey has tirelessly fought her killer being given parole. He also lost his twin brothers in a scuba accident.

"I think it's your duty to overcome what you inherit in life"

So all these people, who have brought and continue to bring such laughter and jovial amusement into our lives, come from such sadness, loss and despair.

I wonder if they feel the same as me, when I laugh at funerals and joke about the black things that've happened to me. We're all in the same game, and it seems it's one of human natures' to jest and joke - and long may it continue, as there are much more destructive ways to cope.
"If I didn't laugh; I'd cry"

12 miles

So this morning I got up early and had a banana and then headed out on a long run. My previous longest route has been 10 miles about 3 weeks ago and I always go with the potential to go further if I'm feeling good. Today I took another route home and added another 2 miles. I have to say, those last 2 miles were hideous; every step (be it jogging or walking by this point) was awful, as you can see from my post-run photo I took to prove the suffering (on my knees because I couldn't get to my feet!)

They say you learn something new everyday; well today I learnt not to do almost a half marathon on a small banana.

Anyway, the rest of today is going to be spent laying in the sun and, thanks to those painful 2 hours 2 minutes and 2 seconds (10.09 minute mile average), I can sunbathe guiltless :o) HOORAY!

Smokie

Here's one of the three baby finches, called Smokie (his siblings are called Chaz and Dave) who popped out of the nest in the aviary, sunning himself on a branch and after a collared dove scared the life out of him by crashing about nearby!

Ultra-cute!

The one in which I am not a Victoria's Secret Model

What a day! This morning I felt sick as a dog from eating something my body just doesn't tolerate (about a year ago after endlessly being told I had IBS and hating going out because I constantly felt nauseous, I went to see a lady who did weird things with little bottles - ask me if you want me to elaborate further - and we discovered I am intolerant to a vast array of foods - a fact which I sometimes forget) and then in the afternoon I drove to Bath (the place, not the porcelain) for an appointment only to discover what they should've been testing me for was early onset dementia because my appointment isn't until next Monday. That was fairly embarrassing, throwing bashful 'happens to everyone' expressions at the much-sharper white-haired lady in the waiting room who had been capable of distinguishing between 7 different days of the week. Coming out of the hospital building I rang my bf to despair, seek sympathy and speculate if I'm losing my marbles. Whilst I whined, he reassured; I walked around the sun-lit streets and was once again struck with the sheer beauty of Bath. The characteristic sandy-brick buildings that are the dead-giveaway of your location in Bath are just stunning; if you've never been I recommend it and if you're not able to visit then at the very least give it a google (or bing...or any other search engine). Don't be sad if you only get to look at the beautiful views online because that does mean you miss out on the residents of Bath, who have an unnerving habit of bashing into you and almost knocking you clean off your feet: I was even barged off the pavement today by a pigeon in Bath. Absolutely no-one gives way.
Bath is home to two of my favourite places: the Roman Baths, which are absolutely staggering and mind-blowing, with the original lead pipework (the Romans being the ancestors from which all plumbers descend); and the Bath Thermae Spa, which is in essence the greatest place to max out in a bikini bubbling around in a hot swimming pool on a roof terrace. Unfortunately, even though I found myself in Bath on a hot, sunny day I didn't have the funds or company for either of my favourite activities in Bath so instead I wandered around the shops (the bf had said if I could find a dress for £20 he'd buy me it for our meal out next week). I didn't find a dress, and quite frankly the few attempts to try clothes did for my self esteem what Hitler did for the jews. It was hideous. Why do all mirrors hate me? I want nothing more than to look like a Victoria's Secret Model. Actually, sack that, I'd like to be a VS model. Unfortunately for me, I am about a foot too short and a foot too wide. This thought depresses me daily and doesn't stop my endless efforts to improve my body.
Anyway, I didn't buy a dress but I did try a new look (£6 for new thin silver hoop earrings) and a double chocolate chip cookie for the bf :o)and even better, I found a dress online for £21 so I'll be ordering that soon! I might post a blog to show you if it looks half decent :o)

another workout video

Afternoon :o) This short blog is just to show you a new workout exercise that was part of my workout today; it's called the side step up and I don't mind admitting that my knees were burning. There's not a lot to say about this one apart from try to keep your body upright and tight, move your arms alternate to the legs and keep breathing.

Back tomorrow with another blog (and I promise it won't be a workout exercise!)

Ellie

My Nana makes the Roman Catholic Church look light-hearted

This blog comes with a caveat: it's family.
Now, to start on a much lighter note, I have prefixed this story with a delightfully unrelated image of me meeting a really nice cow (unlike Dr's receptionists) at the Somerset Show in 2009. I like how my hair matches and she had this huge soft warm drippy nose that made my heart melt. Remind me of this next time we have steak.

Ok, enough digression: I relocated a few years ago for uni and never returned. Not unusual, but then I left it over 3 years before I went back to Yorkshire and there were a few disgruntled relatives to put the hours in with. I did try to pre-arrange seeing my nana and grandad (so often nana misinterpreted my harrasment as requesting a place to stay, which it certainly wasn't - I had every intention of going out and coming in in the early hours and had accommodation sorted!); they were very "any weekend is fine" about it and made it hard to pin them down to a time and date so I figured I'd just call when I got there. The rest of the day and a half I had at home was crammed with visiting people so I tried to arrange to meet n&g at my auntie's house; when I arrived she said G-dad had had a bad turn and so he wasn't even out of bed yet. I appreciate that's a long-winded part to the story but it's necessary.

So, long story short, I returned back to the West Country to receive a guilt-ridden letter from my nana saying how I'd missed G-dad and how he took a bad turn after I left and had I bothered to visit I'd have found him well (technically lies, but I see her angle). I replied with a carefully drafted (and re-drafted, and proof read) letter apologising and explaining I had tried. I also, after a brief discussion with ym mum, put in a passive-aggresive "I hope you managed to see all the family who live close by over Easter" -since I know full well the other G-kids don't visit, or write every other week for the past 6 years like I have (get in).

Mum phoned last night: G-dad was taken into hospital after collapsing with pneumonia and another infection. I can't get home again until mid-May :( I'll keep you posted.

In other news: I had an eye test today. There are many things wrong with me but as it turns out my eyes are not one of them 8)

Tuck Jump

So I do a lot of working out and I thought I might start making little short videos of different moves and how to do them... Not that I'm remotely qualified, but my bf is so I will repeat his advice to me here:

The Tuck Jump
- warm up before you start (high impact)
- keep your head up
- short dip (don't crouch too low) and jump directly upwards (unlike me here, who seems to jump forward slightly!)
- pull the knees to the chest without letting your chest fall forward
- land on a slightly bended knee (if you land on a straight leg you can jar your joints)

The tuck jump is a brutal self-weight plyometric/cardio exercise that is good for getting your heart rate up and develop the fast-twitch fibres used in sprinting. Best used in a tabatta or interval routine.

Surgery Receptionists are largely Bitches

I have used this little picture of Barry the Llama from Exmoor Zoo to add a touch of comedy to an otherwise quite angry blog today.
I was late to my dr's appointment today: 10 minutes. Not bad in the horrific traffic there had been. Firstly, the receptionist said I was 15 minutes late. I pulled out my phone "ten minutes". Then it was a sharp instruction to sit down and it'd be up to the Dr if they wanted to see me. My excessively polite and grovelling apologies met a deadpan face and a puckered expression. When my name was called (30 minutes later; 40 minutes after my appointment) my Dr apologised with a smile for being late. The receptionist will have known the Dr was running late. Where do these pea-brained power-hungry women get the misaprehension that they are right to treat people this way? They have a hard job. Right. OK. So do a lot of people. What happened to manners, service, humanity?

This came at the end of a day filled with absences of humanity: in the office I had left a window open after I left and a manager guy suggested reporting me to HR. I am normally the sort of person who worries something chronic if I think I've done something wrong but this time I was hugely amused. Why not just speak to me rather than report it to someone about 400 miles away?

Looking forward to polite conversation (because I'm an optomist; it must be out there somewhere), Ellie x

old dog

After a self-indulgent Sunday spent sunbathing in the garden, a brief curse with connected dash to wash work clothes, and a brutal 20 minute workout in the sunshine, I decided to take Jessie for a short walk because the weekend had been so nice I didn't really want it to end.
We were walking home and we met another dog walker and she looked all smitten with Jessie (not an unfamiliar reaction and one Jessie takes in her little stride). She turned to me and, more than a touch unexpectedly, asked "Is she old?". Jessie is by no means an old dog (2) and looks like a teddy bear/puppy. In the dog world, she's a total hottie. So I was a bit taken aback, replying that she'd had a really long walk earlier that day (which she did, with the infamous molly). The woman, who hadn't taken her foot out from the last time she put it in it, carried on "Ahhh. She looks knackered!"

Apart from the irrational shock on Jessie's behalf (I don't think she was too concerned about looking knackered - she was otherwise occupied trying to stop the woman's little scruffy dog from sniffy her butt), it got me thinking. How many times have I been into work having done a brutal workout the day before and being thoroughly knackered and the people have work have thought how old I look? More often than Jessie gets it, I'd bet. This is not the first time, at 26, I have felt really old. The worst bit is largely I see myself as early twenties, fresh-faced, young and quite attractive (grudgingly admitted on 'good' days) and then something happens that makes that carefully-constructed little disillusion come crashing down. It makes me panic that my entire view of where I am in life is completely warped and that in reality I should be dying to move into a place with my boyfriend (instead of desperately dreaming of moving in with my friend) and getting ready to have kids (the other week at my older sister's house seeing the little tooth brushes of my two adorable nieces I almost had a full-on panic attack). I don't think it's that I am immature (quite the opposite; I once overheard my mum calling me Saffy from the TV show AbFab) but that I am having a mid-twenties crisis.

Poor old dog.

I'd like to introduce you to a couple of friends of mine. Molly (left) and Jessie (right). Molly lives with our American friend, Pam and Jessie lives with us.
These two are the best fun and a lot of my adventures involve these guys so I thought you should be able to put a face to the names.

(There are also a large number of zebra finches in our family too, but that's too many names to remember at once so I'll save those guys for another day)

Molly is the doggie-dog of the two: she loves chasing squees (squirrels) and gets really excited to go running with me. Jessie is the human-dog: she loves hogging the sofa, acquiring expensive woollen blankets for herself and slinking away when I even reach for my running trainers.

These are our gruffies.

Horseplay 5k

Last month I took part in the 5k horseplay run in Hemley-on-Thames (that's me wearing the bright orange and a cringe). The dress code was country attire so me and Hannah went as 2 foxes and Dave (who decided to participate last minute; I've never seen anyone so embarrassed NOT to be in a ridiculous costume). The course was fun, scrambling over the horse jumps was my favourite bit (especially ones that needed a leap of faith) and my least favourite bit was probably right after getting soaked - those first few squeltchy steps!

The organisers also do other running events (including the Rat Race that we're doing in Bristol :) www.horseplay10k.com and www.ratraceadventure.com

I can't advocate silly exciting exercise enough - you don't even realise how much you're working because of all the laughter and distraction :o)

Leave me a comment and let me know of any other funny events you think I might be interested in or you might be interested to challenge me to do!

Badminton Horse Trials

Welcome to my first blog and I want to get straight into the exciting stuff :) This year's BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS media passes came through in the post today! I don't know if you even know what Badminton Horse Trials is, but I have been watching this event on TV since I was 5 years old and finally went for the first time last year on nothing less than a MEDIA PASS! This meant wearing an embarrassing fluorescent jacket and carrying a huge camera around and getting so close I nearly got trampled (which my loving boyfriend kindly took a photo of). This is a huge deal for me and I am just as excited and just as likely to tear up as last year. It's been about 3 years since I had to put down my horse, Butterly, and I haven't really ridden since but my heart is still there :) and one day, when I can afford it, I'll get back on the horse :)

So here's to Badminton Horse Trials 2010! And the sneaky opportunity attending this year will give me to scope out the track for the ROLEX HORSELESS TEAM EVENT later in the year (a team running event we're entering - if you're going, see you there:)

Feel free to share any sporting event you're looking forward to this year :)love Ellie x