My Awesome 2015, The Story So Far...

Recently I was told by 2 people that my story has inspired them to start working out and get fit again. I was gobsmacked and so damn happy. I started this blog hoping that someone might read it and it would help them in some way, so for 2 people to say this to me within a few months of me starting the blog is just amazing!

We've just passed the middle of February so I thought it was time to do an update on my awesome start to 2015:

1) Have more fun

I'm still climbing each week at Boulders and recently I passed my belay test so can climb without supervision and don't need to be signed it. I'm a proper climber now and loving it! It challenges me mentally and physically plus I get to see my climbing partners a lot more often.

I have been introduced to the awesomeness of red wine and am enjoying receiving my education, plus it's a good excuse to have a cheeky glass or 2 at the weekend.

Now that's my kind of relationship

2) Eat a bit healthier

Well the healthy eating isn't going exactly to plan. I have only just finished working my way through the Christmas goodies and all the cake I've been baking but I've bought more fruit to snack on so my intentions are good.

Pretty much

This definitely counts!

3) Spend more time with the people I care about and dump the time wasters

A few weekends ago I went to visit my good friends Andria and Ian. Winston was very excited about this as he got to see his pal Scrappy and meet his little brother Duncan. It was a great weekend and I need to make more effort to visit friends this year as I always have an amazing time.

The 3 musketeers

I've also been catching up with my friends more often, we've promised each other that this year we'll make more effort to hang out as we enjoy it so much.

I started my new job and have been on some training courses which have been great. I also swapped numbers and emails with 3 of the other attendees so I'm hoping we'll stay in contact and meet up again. Usually I would avoid exchanging numbers etc as my ex didn't like me having friends but I actually suggested we keep in contact and they seemed really pleased. 2 of them are also runners!

Dating has gone a bit quiet because I've come off online dating, I want to give meeting someone in the real world a chance plus I found it to be a tad frustrating and a bit too much pressure. I met some great guys and have made a couple of friends along the way so it definitely had it's good points.

I ditched 2 of my non-negotiables as I realised that they were aimed at the situation I was in with my ex and that I would do things completely differently next time around. I had to keep my rule of 6 foot and above though, I like my high heels too much!

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the future holds for my love life but want to take things slowly and just have a lot of fun with 'him'. I've worked really hard to build a new life for myself and sometimes I get a bit scared that I'll lose it all again.

4) Exercise harder

I have started doing the Cardiff Parkrun 5K on a Saturday morning and they're really good. I've beaten my personal best (PB) a couple of times and met a few new running friends. I've been chatting to some runners who belong to running clubs and will definitely join one in a couple of months. I think the training will help me become a stronger runner plus I'll enjoy the social side of the club too.

The running community is massive and so welcoming, I feel connect to another runner straight away. It's like we have a common bond and automatically feel supportive of each other.

Smiling even though it was freezing!

I'm also doing the Runkeeper sub 60 10K goal training plan which is quite challenging but I can't wait for the weather to warm up and the nights to get lighter so I can hit the road again. The treadmill is not fun anymore!

5) Take part in more races

I found a brilliant 5K race to do with my Besty Lynn and we'll hopefully rope some other fabulous ladies in too. It's the Race for Life Pretty Muddy 5K Obstacle Course and it's going to be amazing!

Mud... pink... obstacles... YAY!

Lynn and I are also going to do the 5K colour run. You basically run 5K while people throw colour powder at you. It's going to be epic!!

Hit me with as much colour as possible!

I also signed up for the Cardiff 10K in September, I love Cardiff so running around it will be great.

6) New job

I started my new job at the beginning of February and I had the best first day ever, they cheered and hugged me when I arrived!

I am very nearly this happy at work!

So far I am rocking 2015 and loving every day of it! My life seems to be on the right path (finally!) and I feel so happy and content. When I first started this journey in October 2014, I never imagined how quickly I would pick myself up, dust myself off and kick life's ass. I am so proud of myself and all that I have achieved so far.

#PushingBackHarder

Dating in the 'Diff Part 2

Well I'm 2 months on from my last Dating in the 'Diff blog, it's been a good couple of months but I've decided to come off online dating for a while and just see what happens in 'real-life'. 

Online dating was a lot of fun, I chatted with some really great guys and met up with some too but it can also be a tad frustrating for many reasons

Not sure which is the best option!

I think that's only fair!

There are the guys who are actually too busy to date and just like to message, the guys who don't seem to know what they want or whether they actually want to date anyone, the guys who don't give you chance to reply and message you 3 more times asking why you haven't replied yet and then there's the guy who put "no hook-ups please" on his profile but that's clearly all he is actually after because he throws a tantrum when you won't drop everything to go over to his place and, well, drop everything!

And then there are the stalkers!

They are the gems who 'wink' at you, who 'wink' at you again... and again... and again. Seriously mate take the hint. You winked at me and I looked at your profile but you weren't for me so I didn't wink back. That's not an invitation to continuously wink at me and then message me asking why I haven't winked back or messaged you. No offence but you're just not my cup of tea.

*blocked*

There have also been some conversations which have turned a bit creepy, these usually involve the guy making suggestive comments very early on. One guy asked me if I liked to 'wrestle' so I told him about my 3rd Dan in Taekwondo and that I'd happily spar with him and try not to hurt him. Didn't hear from him again... I wonder why?!

Another guy asked me if I liked to dress up... it turns out he participates in cowboy themed re-enactment weekends and wanted to know if I was up for it.

Tinder was very entertaining for a while but it ended up being a lot of men posting photos (known as Moments) of themselves topless in the gym changing rooms.

*yawns* So not impressed!

Now don't get me wrong, I've met some really great guys online and had some brilliant dates but it all just feels too forced and pressurised. I want to meet someone and have fun with them, just get together and have a giggle without the added pressure of 'where is this going?'. I have no plans to settle down for a long time. At the same time though I do have morals and know my self-worth so if you want to date me then you have to just date me.

I went on a couple of dates recently with one guy who made me laugh constantly and I realised that it was the first date where I was actually 100% myself. There was no trying to impress, no nerves and I didn't have to try to hide my slightly (very!) inappropriate sense of humour, I was just me and I loved it. So I'm taking that lesson with me on future dates, if I don't feel like I can be myself then he clearly isn't for me!

The next person I start dating might be someone I've met before, he may already be in my life or he might be a complete stranger so I'm just going to carry on having fun, meeting people and see what happens.

In the meantime, you'll find me out running (well in the gym until this weather warms up a bit), walking my dog, getting my yoga on, catching up with my awesome friends or hanging off the top of a wall by a piece of rope in my harness at Boulders. Don't be shy, come and say hello, I don't bite... well, unless you like that kind of thing.

#PushingBackHarder

My Session with a Personal Trainer

On Tuesday I had my free session with a personal trainer at my gym, DW Fitness Club. My PT is called Dave and he managed to kill me in less than an hour *high 5s Dave*

I love my gym... I never thought I'd say that!

Dave sat down with me and we discussed my goals and how I want to train to achieve them. My main goal is being ready for the Cardiff Half Marathon on 4th October this year!

Sorry, have I already mentioned once or twice that I'm running a half marathon??!!

I'm already doing a lot of treadmill time and know to do short runs, medium runs, long runs, interval training, hill training etc but I knew I had to do some strength training to stay injury free.

Dave had me doing squats, press-ups, more squats with a heavy ball that I had to lift over my head and some arm exercises with a giant elastic band... yes, these are the technical names obviously!

Amen!

Dave warned me that if I didn't do the exercises correctly then he would also make me do burpees... Dave is evil!

Luckily I am awesome and didn't have to do a single burpee! *high 5s self*

I really enjoyed the PT session but somehow I lost the ability to use my legs afterwards. For the last few days I have had a lot of trouble with sitting down, standing up and using stairs. Those squats killed me but I LOVED them! 

I am slowly recovering the use of my legs without wincing every time I do anything and the weird thing is that I'm missing the pain! I know, crazy!

Gotta love workout pain!

The strength workout is all exercises that I can do at home so I am emptying out my spare room and turning it into my workout room. I've got my yoga mat, weights, foam roller, resistance bands, bling board and I'm getting a gym ball.

This is what I plan to use it for...

 This is probably what I'll do while sitting on it...

#PushingBackHarder

2015 Is Going To Be Awesome!

Happy New Year everyone!

2014 is finally done and I'm going to have an awesome 2015. This year is my year and I am going to rock it!

I know this is easy to say and not actually put a plan in place to help myself then whinge about it

And I know I can achieve pretty much anything that I put my mind to

So here's the plan...

1) Have more fun and take life less seriously (not that I take it very seriously now but there is always room for improvement and more giggles)

2) Eat a bit healthier - try to eat little and often instead of a big meal and then snacking until I explode

3) Spend more time with the people I care about and dump the time wasters

4) Exercise harder and push myself beyond my limits

5) Take part in more races to challenge and motivate myself

And hopefully do some races with friends (yes Lynn, I mean you!)

6) Start my new job with the confidence and knowledge that I can do my job extremely well and I will be awesome!

Basically I need to

And remember...

#PushingBackHarder

Bring on 2015!

I hope everyone is having a great Christmas so far and that Santa has been good to you!

Merry Christmas from Winston-Claws

I drove to Bournemouth on Christmas Eve with Winston to spend 4 days with my parents. On Christmas Day I started a new tradition, I went out for a run. There were 2 main reasons for this. The first was so that I could eat my body weight in food and not feel guilty for it and the second was to get those happy hormones pumping around my body so that I didn't end up like this...

The run was my first one outdoors in about 3 months, it felt great and was only 1 min and 4 seconds slower than my personal best on a treadmill!

This year I decided that Christmas could suck it! As you will know, this is not like me at all but it's been a year of ups and downs and I haven't been feeling very festive.

I have tried to get into the Christmas mood but I wouldn't exactly call it a success.

Yep... not happening!

My besty and I went to see The Nutcracker the day before Christmas Eve and it was amazing. I have never sat so still or been so quiet before! My new career choice is to be a ballerina... I'm sure I haven't left it too late. 

Wow!

Even that didn't get me into the Christmas mood though. I know it could've been worse, for example this weirdo could've turned up at my window with a candle, present and creepy ass look on his face.

*gags*

I've decided to write this year off. 

2015 is going to be my year. I'm starting a new job, I've got a few races to take part in, new hobbies to enjoy and lots of dating to do!

Planning to avoid him!

So goodbye 2014...

#PushingBackHarder