18 years after...

Yep... 18 years... it had been 18 years since I had seen the Waldrons. John and Tricia Waldron live in South Burlington, VT and they had au pairs as their children where growing up. I happened to be an au pair in Burlington and became really close to their au pair Holly, from Notthingham. I used to go to Holly's quite often. Well... time has passed and I've been in touch with the Waldrons. Julie, who was a toddler back in the day, is now taking a Semester at the University in León and Tricia and John have come over to visit. Their last part of the trip took them to Barcelona. Tricia asked me if I was anywhere near... near??? You bet I am near so... we arranged to meet and yesterday at 6:45 I got to give them a huge bear hug.

It had been 18 years but it was like time had never passed... we just took it where we left it, as if nothing had happened... it was so nice, so great, so precious, so special... I am so happy we got to meet. It was so nice of them to tell me they were coming and if we could meet and it was just magic to meet them after such a long time and even more magic was the fact that the time didn't seem to have passed. I just love that!

So, we went for dinner, which they really enjoyed :D and then it was time to say goodbye... precious, to say the least... a day to remember, for sure, to treasure. We'll see each other again soon, that's for sure!

Thank you Tricia, John and Julie!

Road to Leeds well on its way!

Today is Monday. Program called for a long run on the weekend but had a 9 miler race today in Canovelles, so I moved the 10 miler to today. I ended up not going to the race but decided to run closer to home, just my own route.

Gas is really expensive and being Easter Monday and having the "mona" tradition here, the race was interfering in the family schedule.

So, I had to do 10 miles. Out I went not really knowing where I'd go and decided the route as I went along :D It was cloudy and not hot so it was sort of perfect for running :D

Ended up doing 10.9miles or 17kms 550m. So happy and proud with what I did... amazing! That's actually the training next week called for :O Oh well... now I know I can do it... I think I will be able to do the Leeds half quite ok. I am feeling confident :d

I also tried the fueling. No sports drink, only an energy gummy from PowerBar before starting, another at km 6.5 and a Powergel at 9kms. A bit of water. Worked out fine for me. To my surprise my last kms were the fastest, LOL! The only, a part from another under 7 minutes, LOL!

Leeds... here I come!

Progress

Well... it is Saturday again so it is weigh in day... a bit nervous about it. I am being good and exercising but... I do feel less bloated but then again last week I saw a "gain" of +700gr so I was cautios. Being on holiday this week, I've been eating what the family eats but not overdoing it... well... I can report a -1.1kg loss this week! Woot! That puts me at -5.3kg lost... still ways to got but I will get there... slowly but surely which is probably the best way!

Anyway, 10:35am... time for breakfast and must fit my 3miler in today at some point.

Keep it going!

*New* bike :D

Finally! I finally got to get out there (although very briefly) to try out my *new* bike. And I say *new* because although it is new to me, it is a second hand bike.

This is my very first road bike and I am so excited! I sure hope I can tell in the triathlons I set out to do next Summer!

So I went out today just to try it outside the garage, LOL! I went to this little closed road where I wanted to try it but then decided to go around town as it is a holiday today and there hardly was any traffic!

So I went, very carefully as I have no control on this bike yet (obviously, being my first time... ) So I tried changing gears to see what felt most comfy, what to do and when. I only went a bit over 5.5kms so I didn't really have time to try it all but I got a good taste of it! Even my chain came off and to my surprise I was able to fix it on my own :D That was a proud moment for sure!

This is me and her after fixing the chain:

Oh yes, and after taking my jacket off and having my hair in a mess, etc. :p

It was a nice experience... so different to the mountain bike... so much lighter and faster. I hope to get used to it and be able to go on longer and longer rides... mind you... it isn't too safe to ride around here (or anywhere) so I'll have to think carefully where to go. With the mountain bike I just hit the bike path and that's it, but now I have to be on the road so that will take some planning!

Happy biking to me! Let the season begin!

Scary

Road to Leeds!!!

I managed my 8 miles on Sunday and it was great. It wasn't super fast but it was! I was so proud of myself too! I drove to Banyoles and went 2+ times around the lake to cover de distance, 8,5miles total!

Monday was rest day and yesterday I had to do a 3 miler so after I dropped the kids off at camp I got going. To my surprise, my 3 year long injury, haunted me back, or that pain, at least! I had to stop after having run a bit over 2kms. I did manage all 3 miles but combining walking and running but was upset.

I e-mailed my wonderful doc and told me to go see him and so I did. It happens to be a varicose vein on my ankle, ouch! He massaged it and boy oh boy was it painful! And all along the way too! All throughout the course of the vein. Still painful today but think I'll be able to pull my 5 miler tomorrow. If I can't run straight, I'll run-walk... no problem! I've been icing it and hope that does the trick!

Bad timing for this to happen. He did say I had bad flow return, from day one and now it's worse, specially now that the heat's arrived. Anyway, glad it wasn't an injury per se but hoping the pain goes away too!!!

So... road to Leeds it is!

The Jelly Bean Fun Run!

Hello April!!!!! Hello Spring! It is so nice out there... gotta love spring weather!

It is April 1st and time for the Jelly Bean Virtual Run... up at 7:15 and off to Banyoles (paradise!) for my run... Gosh, it was amazing! Such a beautiful day, lots of runners, walkers and bikers out there, rowers on the lake... simple amazing!

I run my 5 and my 10k and then I set off on the bike... so nice!

37:00 for the 5K... within my range... I run-walked at a 30:30 ratio the first km and then run the rest... very happy!
1:13:14 for the 10K... pretty good (for me, not that it is a great time, we all know it isn't)
And... 1:01:22 for the bike ride... have to admit I was pretty tired after the running, LOL!

All the training fits great in my half marathon training. I will be going to Leeds, in the UK to run the half marathon there, on May 13th... time to get serious! Amazing how it's made me be consistent with my training. I want to finish that half (will be my 3rd) in good condition, unlike the other 2 :p

Thanks Jess for setting up such a fun race. It sure was fun out there. My bib got "ruined" with all the water/sweat but took more photos at home with an extra bib I printed :D

Bummed

Yesterday was weigh in day. I have been so good with my eating. I eat sensibly. I eat very few carbs, I exercise... I passed on cakes on Monday at school. It was chocolate day and we, the teachers, were the judges. Didn't try one although the chocolate smell chased me all day. There was cake for snack on Friday. I never went near it. I haven't had fast food since January, when I started trying to control my eating... well... and the reading on the scales yesterday was +700gr (about 1 1/2lbs), WTH???? I was upset, of course! What am I doing wrong? I've only just started, it CAN'T be a plateau, can it???
So, a 9lbs loss for a total, when last week I was at 11lbs lost... oh well... time to stick to it and keep going. Hopefully the weight will end up coming off!!!!