Measurements galore !!

Second month fitness and healthy food challenge completed… a little slower in the measurement loss than last month but I am much fitter!

June 2016
4 1/2 inches across body
1.8kg in weight
Body fat down by 0.3
Bmi down by 0.5

Total over 2 months (May and June)
13 3/4 inches across body
2.6 kg kg in weight
Body fat down by 1.0
Bmi down by 0.9

Nearly forgot I had two arms and legs when measurements were taken!

So happy with progress! I am going to reduce the metafit to 3 times a week and add more runs to my programme.

Feeling happy…feeling fitter…. loving life! X

It’s been a while since I ran…

It’s been a while. ….

I have discovered I am not a winter run… I don’t run well in rain, cold, snow and especially not wind.

I more or less gave up running from November 2014 until end of March 2015…

Actually gave up any type of exercise … and slowly saw myself struggling mentally and eventually physically.  I had to get through a number of firsts of widowhood….mine and the kids birthdays, Xmas,  1st anniversary on 1st March, and late hubby’s inquest in March too.

Therefore a plan was hatched in March 2015 …. I needed to run and enter races …I needed a goal or 5! 

Running started end of March – 1st race was Southampton 10k on 25 April, late hubby’s home town was Southampton so that’s why I choose that race as the 1st one.

Just over three weeks training…. I love challenges!  It wouldn’t be my fastest time (I ran 3 10k and 2 hm last year). I managed 10k practice runs with 1hr 8 mins and 1hr 6 mins with a week to go.

Race day I achieved 1hr 3 mins…. considering the lack of training I was pleased with that… Very emotional run but so glad I did it.

So my running days have been restarted and I am back on track with the future races … 2 x HM and 2 x 10k so far… or am I???? Time will tell…

New pb in Half Marathon

I ran 2nd Half Marathons in three weeks and I managed a pb .. !

By the way I have only ran two HM, the Great North Run in 2h 17mins and the Redcar Half Marathon last Sunday in 2hrs 10 mins.

I was exhausted and enotional at the end and I even managed a sprint finish I think  … well it was a sprint finish in my head!

I ran for me, my kids, my late husband Nigel and Kidney Research UK.

Training started on 5 June 2014 and my first race was a 10k on 13 July in 59.51!

Next race is my 5th race overall and my 3rd 10k next weekend.

I love my running and at the moment,  my running is going well. How is your running?

Another Half Marathon, Another 10k

A few days after the Great North Run, I felt a huge downer… I’d completed 2 x 10k and the Great North Run Half Marathon – the goals I’d set for myself for me, my late husband and my children back in June and now there was is focus or goal to keep me going. I could see me drifting, drifting into a deep down spiral of no order, no functioning …  bearly existing!
So I find myself entering two races in the near future … a half marathon 28 September and a 10k on 4 October. I still have to figure out long term goals but I think they will be decided after the next two races…

Got to run, go to live life to the full …

How is your running going?

First recovery run after the half marathon

How on earth did I run a half marathon last weekend …  I have no idea!!!

My first recovery run after the HM was Wednesday. I started slowly I always do… granted it was warm. I looked at my watch and it read 8 minutes and I was strugglying so I took the pace down even further. Just over 10 mins for the first mile. I could not give up – I’d ran for 2 hrs 17 mins last Sunday in the Great North Run! In my head I was saying slow run slow but keep going… my legs felt heavy.

Once I ran past 15 minutes I felt better. In the end I managed 6 miles in 1 hr 3 minutes ..my slowest time for 6 miles but at least I’d ran. Not sure when my next training run will be but I have a 10k on 4 October and possibly another HM end of the month depending upon my next run.  I have to have a goal or two …otherwise I might stop and I don’t want to stop running just yet!

Half Marathon completed!

Great North Run completed 7 September 2014.

My first half marathon and it won’t be my last!

On a hot sunny day I did it in 2 hrs 17 minutes! A had a few sleepless nights before and a few tears during the race but I am so pleased I did it for me, my children, my late husband and for Kidney Research UK.

The day before my children did the Great North Mini (1.5km) and Junior (4km) runs. All in memory of Daddy/my husband, Nigel who died on 1 March 2014. 

It was an emotional weekend but we all loved it.

If anyone wants to donate a £1 or 2 to Kidney Research UK, my page is

http://www.justgiving.com/sandra-whitefield1

I’m hoping to raise £1,650 to celebrate 16.5 years of marriage.

Ps selfie at finish is not great but it is at the finish and I was still standing just!

A new goal/run is needed. I already have a 10k booked on 4 October but I’m also looking for another half marathon.

From good to bad …to good?!

Saturday – 8pm and I could not wait!  I had decided to go for a run that night instead of Sunday so the kids were taken to the Grandparents (yet another little reminder that you are a widow as your late husband could have looked after the kids while you ran!).

At 8.30pm, I ran 6.03 miles in 57:52. At the beginning, I felt a little nervous as I had forgotten to take my water bottle! I always took my water bottle no matter what! How would I cope? Then I calmly talked to myself (in my head!).. I did not need water on this run!!

Afterwards I felt great that I had run a new route with a couple of hills thrown in on Saturday but slightly disappointed it wasn’t longer and the kids were put to bed very late…! Hopefully the late night would not matter?!?!

Sunday – At 10.15 am, my daughter stated that we were meant to be going to McDonald’s for breakfast. Breakfast finishes at 10.30am and McDonald’s is 10-12 mins away. It was going to be tight! We arrived at McDonald’s in the queue by 10.30am just and I went to the counter smiled sweetly and asked for 2 pancakes. ‘Sorry you are too late but we have a sausage muffin left’ was the reply from the lady but alas my kids wanted pancakes…

My fault we got there too late and the kids were tired from a late night! However the kids had a meltdown…. so we went to buy loom bands instead! The first two shops had run out! The third shop had the wrong colours apparently. The fourth shop had the right colours!

So with old and new bands in tow, we returned to McDonald’s for Happy Meals an hour later… that was the bribe for no McDonald’s pancakes!   It was bliss… kids happily eating and playing with the loom bands then my daughter wasn’t happy, she didn’t want chicken nuggets. ‘Don’t be silly’ was my reply. ‘I ordered fish fingers for you.’   As I looked into her bag, I saw chicken nuggets. So off to the service point I went and the lady said,  ‘You were wanting fish fingers…here you go’ without me even saying anything! She knew the wrong order had been given but didn’t come and find me! So glad I hadn’t gone through the drive-through otherwise we would have been home before we discovered their error and another meltdown would have happened!

Then as I carried the shopping home (we bought more than just loom bands!), I put the bag over my shoulder and immediately felt my shoulder and neck tighten! Ouch! As the day has continued, my shoulder and neck have been getting worse. I had hoped to do another run on Monday but I think a rest day is needed and possible treatment for my shoulder!

So my positive thoughts for this week are:

Got to get better.
Got to keep running.
Got to increase the distance, the hill  training and the speed.
Have to give my all!

The reason why? I’m running for Nigel (late hubby) to celebrate his love of life and sport …and also for Kidney Research UK.

My training started 5 June 2014

Completed race so far was on 13 July a 10k in Gateshead. The time was 59:51!

My next races:
– 10k on 16 August Gateshead
– Half Marathon Great North Run on 7 September.

Training continues for the Great North Run

Gateshead Race Day 13 July is truely over! I was exhausted, overjoyed and and an emotional wreck all at the same time in the evening of the race.

I allowed myself 1 day rest and then ran another 10k (just a normal run and not a race) on the Tuesday…and I managed to do it in  just over 58 mins. The race was completed in 59:51 so I had improved my 10k time unofficially! And that’s when I decided I would enter another 10k b4 the Great North Run Half Marathon! So on 16 August I will be competing in The Gateshead Trail!

I ran 7.02 miles in 1hr 15 minutes in the heat today with a few slight inclines which was hard work and while on holiday at the weekend I ran 7.86 in 1hr 13 mins and 5.6 miles in I think c.53 mins.

I have a training plan but it’s hard to stick to it when you are jugglying your time with holidays, kids, work, childcare especially when you have been recently widowed. But I am getting there…. slowly!

I love the feeling when I run. I tottally switch off! It’s my only me time.

So I must keep on running…. it’s also on  Nigel’s and Daddy’s Bucket List ..Mummy to get fit and stay fit.