Tag: running

The path less travelled

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Behold!  O wondrous sight!

I’ve decided to post a pic of my favourite path (which I think is the most beautiful in the world) because I’m not going to be seeing it for a few weeks.  Boo hoo!  Birch levels have been crazy for the past fortnight and, though I’m not directly allergic to the pollen, it’s been causing me no end of gip with my asthma.  And making my nose run like the proverbial tap.  (Not to mention making it rather red and blotchy – eek!)

So – as from next week – all (jogging) paths will lead to the beach!

Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend! πŸ™‚

Pushing through

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This morning we ran in the park.  As we always do – whatever the weather – three times a week.  For the last four months it’s either been raining, snowing, freezing, icy or windy.  We don’t really think about it – we just push through.  Today, when we approached the old palace building, my sweetie friend K said (in Danish), “Let’s sit down and enjoy the sun.”  So there we sat, for a whole five minutes.  Basking in it.  (Just remind me to take a rug next time, because my winter running tights weren’t designed for sitting on a frosty park bench.)

When I got home I sawο»Ώ these snowdrops in my garden.  They’re in a pebble border around the house.  They’ve been there for years and years.  Isn’t it amazing how they keep pushing through?  Despite the snow.  Despite the frozen ground.  Despite being weighed down by rocks.  Against all odds, they’ve survived the winter and are finally ready to bask in the sun again too… ;D

Have a marvelous Monday! πŸ™‚

Don't quote me on that!

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It’s Monday night and I’m lying in my wonderful new bath – here’s the view


and I’m thinking about the (numerous) times I’ve said those immortal words, “I’ll never do (dot, dot, dot)”.

I’m the world’s worst at admitting I’m wrong – just ask my two former bosses or DH, tee hee! But apparently the Flylady has succeeded in brainwashing me. Indeed several times recently I’ve caught myself apologising(!) to my children for having shouted at them without a very good reason…

So I’ve decided to fess up publicly as a form of therapy.

Here’s a chesnut from a year ago… “I’d never turn up at the schoolgates wearing running gear. I mean, really, who in their right minds would be seen in public in their running tights?”

And with that, folks, I must rise from my bath and look out my bright pink running togs for tomorrow’s early-morning-just-after-the-schoolrun-run-with-the-girls.


Did I mention I don’t care for horses either? πŸ˜›

Hope you have a marvelous Monday! πŸ™‚

Scaredy Cat Challenge – Running (Wo)man

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Ready for some more picture fun? Okay then. What’s the difference between this photo…

…and this one?

Give in? Answer: Half an hour and 5 kilometres! πŸ˜‰

I had a fan-flippin-tastic week of running thanks to a series of changes of plan. We ended up running 5k on Monday and another 5k on Tuesday! The sun shone down from a clear Copenhagen sky and we even felt warmth on our faces πŸ™‚ Thursday we were out running again. And – stone the crows – it’s now getting so mild that I even left my beanie hat at home. But we ‘only’ did our ‘old-faithful’ route through the park of 3k πŸ˜‰

So I’m feeling confident now that, if I keep up the good work, a 10k race this year will not only be feasible but maybe even enjoyable..?

Well folks, it seems like my Scaredy Cat Challenge to run the extra mile is well underway. What’s the next challenge? Hmmm, now that the snow has finally taken a hike, it’s time to get back on my bike! πŸ™‚ I attempted that challenge back in February (one of the earlier posts about it is here) without success and think it’s time for a rematch.

So this week I’m going to attempt to cycle to the next village. Wish me luck!

Good luck with your own challenge… Have your own blog and want to join in? Sign up with the McKlinky below…

Hope you have a simply super Sunday! πŸ™‚

Scaredy Cat Challenge – 14 March 2010 (On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!)

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You’ve heard that expression, “The best laid plans…”? Well, that’s what happened to last week’s running challenge to increase my running speed and distance. My plans didn’t only “go awry”. Or “gang agley” as it was originally written by Robert Burns, our Scottish national poet, in the poem “To a Mouse“. My plans came to a complete STOP.

DD7 down at the beach last spring

I came down with a pesky cold last weekend and haven’t run since…boo hoo! I have been doing a quick strength train every day (just to keep myself “in the game”) but it’s been weird not getting my gear on and meeting up with the running chicks… But it’s Sunday night and a new week beckons. I’ve already looked out my running togs and have suggested a new route to the girls. It’s really beginning to feel like spring outside (even though we don’t put our clocks forward until later this month) so I thought it would be nice to run down to the beach. Here’s another pic of DD7 – or at least her long legs and her Flylady stainless steel water bottle – down at the same beach last summer, when the temperatures were slightly higher πŸ˜‰

So I’m signing off now. I want to get an early night and get a good start tomorrow. If you’d like to join me in a Scaredy Cat Challenge, sign up below. A problem shared is a problem halved…and isn’t it even more fun celebrating victories with friends?

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday! πŸ™‚

Pamper Monday – Top Gear 2

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In last Mondays’s pamper post, I announced I was on the hunt for some new running gear. Hey, I deserve to look good out there! πŸ˜‰

Not just any old thing. Some new stylish and flattering sports tops in my seasonal colours. Thanks to Missus Smarty Pants colour analysis, I know that I am a spring – guess what, it’s also my favourite season! πŸ™‚ So I went into town last week and trawled the major sports shops and department stores. And came up with…nothing! Who knew it would be so difficult?

I thought it might be easier finding something online. After all, there are plenty of Danish catalogue companies these days that sell major sports brands like Adidas, Nike etc. But then I did that old SHE thing of getting sidetracked by the computer and – several mouse clicks down the line – I was in the virtual nightwear department looking at new jimjams instead! Which, by the way, are another thing I have difficulty finding. Have you ever found stylish sleepwear? This big, old Danish house is too cold for wearing nighties (unless it’s high summer) and I refuse to walk around with Snoopy or any other cartoon character on my pyjama top. That’s something my children do! πŸ˜‰

So I’m back at square one and still wearing the same old, same old… I’m thinking that I probably need to change tack and cast my net a bit wider. Maybe look for flattering t-shirts in good colours first, and then make sure that they’re in a suitable fabric for running. (Or sleeping, for that matter.)

So the hunt is still very much ‘on’. And I haven’t given up hope! Hope you all have a marvelous Monday! πŸ™‚

Scaredy Cat Challenge – 7 March 2010 (On your marks, get set!)

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In last Sunday’s Scaredy Cat Challenge post, I told you that I’m currently trying to crank up my weekly running distance. Last year I ran two 5k races. This year I’m attempting going to run 10k. “10 in 2010”. Sounds catchy, doesn’t it? As regulars will already know, I run two to three times a week with my sweetie friends, H and V.

This past week V and I have been running with a new ‘chick’ called C. C is a friend of V and has done a spot of running before. More than a spot. A lot. She’s run 5k and 10k races. But she’s been out of action for a while due to a calf injury. She asked if she could join us and we’re delighted to have another member of our merry band of ‘running Mums’! πŸ˜‰

So we ran together for the first time on Monday. And V and I got our butts seriously kicked! πŸ˜‰ Five minutes into our run and we come to a small hill that leads up to the castle…

Now usually V and I slow down to a walking pace at this point. So we can chat properly πŸ™‚ But C increases her pace and bounds up the hill:

“Hey, what the dickens?! [I shout, in Danish. Or at least try to shout, because I’m already panting] “Are you completely mad?”

“If you run up the hills, you can have a breather when you get to the top!”, replies C [in Danish]. And disappears into the distance.

We managed to keep up with her for most of the rest of the run (she only had to stop a couple of times for us to catch up). And we were done and dusted with our usual route in 20 minutes – three minutes were shaved off our normal time. So you can see what we’re dealing with here… A serious runner who is going to whip us ‘fun runners’ well and truly into shape. Fantastic! πŸ™‚

So let’s see what the next week will bring. More speed AND longer distance? I’m already shaking in my running shoes! πŸ˜‰

Have you been wanting to try something new but fear is holding you back? Then join in my Scaredy Cat Challenge! Leave me a comment or, if you have your own blog, sign up below. We will all hold hands and be scared together!

Have a spiffy Sunday! πŸ™‚

Pamper Monday – Top Gear

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Mondays are all about finding new ways to pamper… What’s pampering? That’s looking after Number One, doing something nice for yourself, recharging your batteries πŸ™‚ It’s a major part – nay, keystone – of the Flylady programme. If you’re nice to yourself, then you’re better equipped to look after your home and your family. It’s been one of the most difficult things to get my ahead around. Simple in theory but takes practice!

Last week my mission was to download some new tunes (did I mention we get them from our internet provider and it costs nada?) as music is a big motivator for me.  The kids are now thoroughly enjoying some classic Michael Jackson and I’ve been listening to various Danish stuff: I’ve Got You on Tape, Kasper BjΓΆrke, Kashmir and When Saints Go Machine. All good! Glad I finally took 15 minutes to sit down and make it happen… πŸ™‚

Anway, what’s new pussycat? πŸ˜‰ Well, this may not sound like a conventional pamper, but it’s something that will make me feel g-o-o-d. Regular readers will know that I run two or three times a week. In the very beginning I just ran in the old aerobics gear that I had. Then when I started to feel that I was a ‘real’ runner I treated myself to ‘proper’ running shoes and a running jacket, leggings etc. But the only two sports t-shirts I possess – you know, not ordinary cotton ones but the other kind that don’t get so smelly – are official race t-shirts I got for free last year. Not exactly my colour choice or a good fit. So I’ve decided that I’m ‘worth it’ and am now on the hunt for some flattering ones. Today is, after all, the first day of March. Officially the first day of spring in Denmark. Wish me luck!

Hope you have a marvelous Monday! πŸ™‚

Scaredy Cat Challenge – 28 February 2010 (On your marks!)

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Last week I wrote that I was (in the words of ‘NEWO’ Jonathan Roche) going to ‘crank up’ my weekly running distance in preparation for this year’s 10k race. (Last year I took up running – yes, me, the non-sporty girl – and ran a 5k for the very first time.)

My running buddies (two female friends, H and V) and I run two or three times a week and our usual distance is 2.5 to 3.5k… Or so I thought! Because when I checked the RunKeeper application on my telephone (it uses GPS to work out actual distance run, speed etc) I found out that it was actually over 3k – woo hoo! On Monday, when we ran a new route that we thought was a shortcut, we actually ran 3.5k! On Tuesday I ran our newest training route and it measured…4k! Double woo hoo! πŸ˜‰ So, surprise, surprise, we have actually been running longer distances than we thought…

On a side note, my sweetie friend Krista in Nova Scotia (she of The Moistest Brownie Ever fame) sent out a siren call on http://www.twitter.com/ for help getting started with exercising. She was interested in trying the NEWO approach to exercise. It’s very much like the Flylady‘s system of using babysteps – ditching the ‘all or nothing’ mentality. So we are now doing the 6 minute NEWO strength exercises ‘together’ on http://www.twitter.com/ ! πŸ˜‰ Which is great for me because, as I’ve usually already done some strength exercises earlier in the day, I’m getting some extra workouts in… πŸ™‚

Remember…if you’d like to join in the Scaredy Cat Challenge, sign up below! Candace is about to do a ‘reveal’ on her challenge – can’t wait!

Have a fabulous ‘the-days-are-finally-getting-longer’ Sunday! πŸ™‚

Scaredy Cat Challenge – 21 February 2010 (Get on Yer Bike! 2)

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Another week has passed. And still no success with the bike challenge… I’ve got good excuses – family has been here, I’ve been ill with a bad cold. But, once again, the killer has been the weather. Snow, snow and more snow. And ice πŸ™ Oh well, at least the back garden looks pretty!

So I’m putting the Bike Challenge on hold (until the Great Danish Thaw) and moving onwards and upwards. And a bit further. I’m going to raise the bar on my weekly runs. I run with my sweet friends – V and H – three times a week. Rain, snow or shine. We normally always take the same paths through the park and it works out at roughly between 2.5 and 3.5k.

V and I are running a 10k race this summer (we did a 5k last year), so we need to push ourselves a bit further with our training. Which is scary. But exciting. And I know we can do it. Just have to believe we can! πŸ˜‰

So this week’s challenge is to run the extra mile, if you excuse the pun πŸ™‚

Candace is also participating in the Scaredy Cat Challenge. Go see what she’s up to! And if you want to join in the fun, we can hold hands and be scared together! Just add your blog below… πŸ™‚

Have a simply super snowy Sunday! πŸ™‚

High Five Meme

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My nice (and very blog-savvy) friend Pippa at http://www.amothersramblings.com/ has ‘tagged’ me with a ‘High Five Meme”. Thank you, Pippa! πŸ™‚ Pippa’s name will be very familiar to regular readers…we were Christmas planning partners-in-crime! Aside being an excellent blogger, she is also a great tweeter. I only surround myself with positive people and she is definitely right-up-there in that category. You can find her on twitter at www.twitter.com/pippad or by following @pippad  πŸ™‚

I’m still very new (read: naive) at this blogging lark. Just keeping my head down and working on posting every day (which I have – hooray!) since I started on 1 August 2009. Don’t know the first thing about headers, HTML or how to add ‘buttons’. I’m just enjoying the writing process, using my blog as a Happy File and a diary, a way to keep me focused on Flylady routines and force myself to take time for crafts. So I’m not quite au fait with tags etc, etc but – as usual – I digress! πŸ™‚

I’m about to list my five highlights of the old year. Which has caused a lot of hard thought because I honestly have so many of them. No kidding.

But before that, here are the five people I, in turn, would like to ‘tag’ – and hope that they will share their highlights. I present to you my lovely…. Twisters …twitter sisters!

And here are my personal highlights of 2009 out of all those worthy nominees:

  • I’ve run two 5k races this year. Nobody saw that coming. I truly feel like a NEWO rockstar. Me, the person who isn’t sporty. At. All.
  • This is going to sound really daft but, just before Christmas, I got the chance to speak LIVE to my twisters Candace (@C_Joy), Lynn (@lynnnein) and Monika (@flybabymoni). It was 1.30 pm Copenhagen time and 6.30 am for them. We sang a song Candace had written for the Flylady on my radio programme. A magical 15 minutes for me and, yes, I even had a ‘Mum tear’! πŸ˜‰ It was my best Christmas present.

  • Christmas – you probably realise from all the blog posts that I can’t get enough of Christmas planning, but this year the journey AND the destination were fantastic. If you don’t believe me, go back and read any of my posts from 20 to 31 December.  
  • The Stranglers concert, last January. A perfect evening, felt like I was 16 again. Goosebumps at their pre-stage anthem (“Meninblack”) and they played my favourites “Tank” and “5 minutes”. I could still sing all the words, even that funny bit at the end of “Nuclear Device” – go me! It also made my Top 10 Gigs post. And I got the set list πŸ˜‰

  • Writing the blog. Which has taken me very much by surprise. It’s opened up a whole new world for me and – strangely enough – has given me my old spark back. Go figure!

Now go and have a happy Friday! πŸ™‚

Resolution Time Again

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OK, not going to dilly dally about, going to make this short and sweet. Resolutions for 2010? Did pretty well with those for 2009:

  • bake more bread (done, done and done!)
  • eat the fruit in the fruit bowl instead of letting it be decorative for a week then letting it rot (did VERY well in that department but always room for improvement, n’est-ce pas?)
  • run (ha!) 5k (ran TWO, count ’em, 5k races and improved time from 36 to 30.5 minutes. Which is pretty funny, sitting here now, to be even mentioning the times, because this time last year I wasn’t even exercising and the thought of me running was an in-joke amongst friends) Jonathan Roche of NEWO fame is my hero.

That’s me in purple πŸ˜‰

Anyways, moving swiftly on to 2010:

  • going to organise even more outings and nights out with friends (did quite well in 2009 and my friends/girlfriends were more than delighted to be dragged out occasionally to rock concerts, cinemas, theatres, restaurants etc and, even though we are all tired, a change is as always good as a rest)
  • run (ha ha!) 10k (there, I said it and wrote it, no turning back for this very competitive, though definitely not athletic, person) Jonathan Roche (with the Flylady firmly in tow) is yet again responsible
  • going to banish paperclutter once and for all (have done marvelously in most respects thanks to the Flylady, but paper is the final frontier and, as the new Flylady motto says, my timer is my friend in 2010)

Good luck to us all! πŸ˜‰