Friday...Ran with JOY

Out there in the distance is where I run while living here....such a beautiful place but full of hills...and all road running which I am not used to anymore as I do mainly trail running in Germany...

Today I gave myself permission to walk...with a little running....So when I headed out the door this morning I felt happy as I knew I had taken the pressure off myself and was going to run with JOY....

I ran when I felt good and walked when I felt I needed to...it was wonderful not having to prove something to myself....I know I can run....I've been running all of summer and for two years in total now...so what if I need to slow down for a while, I'll soon get back to my running self...

So while running today I felt the JOY in my heart, I loved every step I took. I did interval running from lamp post to lamp post, from tree to tree...anything...kept myself entertained all the way...

Running home for the last km ~ I wanted to jump up and down ....all of a sudden I thought

OM Word...I am feeling good, I have my rhythm again...this feels like ME

I could feel the biggest smile on my face...I was filled with the JOY of running...

Today I ran 6.1km

In 46 mins

Burned 575 calories

35% fat

HR ~ 121-174

After my run I slipped into tights and a top and drove my daughter down to the shops

She is finding it too difficult to drive as she gets lower pain...as baby comes on Monday

I walked into the shop and soon noticed this man just standing looking at me...

I carried on doing my thing...

The next thing he is standing next to me and in Afrikaans asks me what sport I do...

I spoke back in English so he asked * Are you a cyclist? *

I told him no...I was a dancer all my life and now a runner

He said * Oh a runner, its nice to be fit hey? *

I smiled nodded and walked away.

Its these big calves of mine that made him think I was a cyclist I'm sure....hehe

Friday Quick Update

I wanted to do a quick update this morning to let you know today for the first time in a while I feel good...I feel my energy has returned, I did not wake up feeling ill nor exhausted...

I plan to do a walk/run later today after helping the cleaner with the housework..

It feels great to feel like * ME * again, and I wanted to share it with you....

Have a good Friday..Will update my blog once I have been out for my walk/Run and do plan on taking it easy....like I said yesterday, I give myself permission to take it slowly...

Thursday ~ lack of energy

Found this spider in my bedroom the other day.....sitting on the ceiling ~ I hate spiders and seems there are many here as the next day we found another one...

I have taken two days off from training since my last run where I felt so bad.

I read everyone's comments and see that this is not unusual at all...

So am feeling a lot more positive about the next run as I was fearing it...fearing feeling bad and then throwing in the towel and losing something I have been so passionate about.

The next time I run I will make sure I walk and run...start over again....its okay...I am going to give myself permission to start all over again if that is what my body is asking for.

My eating has been Clean....no problems in that department...

I do miss my food routine that I had created for myself back in Germany...

Here I have to try and test products...

and then some cost such a lot i am leaving them out of my diet.

My skin is bad...pimples are breaking out on my chin...put it down to hormones

Its that time....the dreaded time which could be why I lack so much energy as well...

Oh I could think of a million things as to why I am feeling this way,but don't really know what it is...so I keep looking for what is making me feel this way.

I am going to walk run tomorrow....

Check up on me!!!

Wednesday ~ A struggle

Yesterday I took the day off....I was exhausted.....spent the whole morning in bed sleeping...I got up...tried to do a few things, but landed up back in bed....by the afternoon I felt a lot better...I did wake up with a sore throat in the morning, feel as if I am still struggling with this * virus * which started a month ago.

I am still tracking my foods and eating clean...

I bought flaxseeds and Omega 3 mixed....shew, what a horrible smell and taste...

Will finish it as it cost a fortune...but yuck!!!

Today I went out for a run....I felt I needed to run again as my last run was on Sunday

I started off ~ all down hill...

Then flat...

Then all uphill.....

uphill, uphill and more uphill...

I started running from lamp post to lamp post ~ then walking from lamp post to lamp post

anything to keep me running...

while out there today my head told myself

* Marcelle, enough, its time to stop running *

I feel like a new runner, like I did when I started running over two years ago..

My body feels so out of sync ~ my legs, feet and body are not working together...

I have no idea what is going on, if this is normal...

I'm feeling so despondent right now

I want to throw in the towel...but am fighting it...

I want the love for running to return...

I want to run and love it, I want to feel good and not that each step I take is a struggle.

Today I ran 5.7km in 40 mins

I did 5km in 33 mins...then walked up the very steep hills home....that took up a lot of my time.

Burned 605 calories, which is a lot for me for the time, as I usually burn 500 calories in an hour.

My HR was 134 - 151 and only 25% fat...

My results the last month compared to the last 6 months shows me that something is up....my HR is much higher when I run and also I am burning a lot more calories for a shorter period...and gaining weight.

Pink Dress Run

Today I participated in Fran's Virtual blog run...the only rule was ~ Wear Pink.

It was so very windy out....I sat indoors wondering if I should or just leave it, but felt I had committed to this challenge and was going to see it through...

I ran 5km within the complex I am staying...

Over sand dunes and up steep hills...

With crazy windy blowing from all directions.

I did 5km in 36 mins....considering everything I am happy with that time

Burned 557 calories

HR 125-145

Saturday...Home Workout

I didn't get out for my run today....

My daughter said this morning early she wanted to do a 5km ~so said I would join her.

She then got back into bed and watched movies and series on her laptop till 4pm...

After lunch I decided to do a home workout again like I did yesterday but without the run...

I've posted pictures of the weights area ( upstairs ) where I do the weights workout and the stairs where I do the cardio workout....

Today I did 30 mins of cardio using the steps and added lunges

As I am a step instructor I can do magic on steps and get a good workout

I then went upstairs to do the weights....then back down to do skipping

Ended off with Abs and a stretch.

I did an hours workout

Burned 700 calories

35% fat

HR 120 - 175

I had a 10 km run planned tomorrow morning up Chapman's Peak with my sister, but earlier this evening I got a text message saying she was off to a party this evening so would not be up to it tomorrow morning...

So if the weather is good enough, I shall be heading out on my own for a 8km run....

I'm participating in the Blog run this weekend....

Due to the different foods I am eating I'm having stomach problems!!!

I know it will settle down ~ My body has to get used to different foods again

I am still tracking...Bekki, using the booklet you sent me...

Friday ~ My baby turns 24 today

Today my baby turned 24!!

I am so happy that I'm in Cape Town to celebrate this milestone with her....she is growing up so fast...When I left Cape Town to start my new life in Germany she was only 18....she has done so much growing up since I've been away...so much of her life I have missed out on...The first two photo's of her and her best friend I took this evening...at 11pm....yes, this is the time you go out in Cape Town to the clubs....so have no idea what time to expect her home....

When we went out to a beautiful outdoor restaurant this afternoon for lunch with my family my daughter was presented with this hot fudge pudding with ice cream and a sparkler after she finished her lunch.....I thought it was very sweet of them to give her this * on the house * present for her birthday ~ I did have a taste...was very sweet, but good, my daughter asked me if I wanted to share it with her, I said ~ NO, one teaspoon was enough to satisfy me.

I ate the most divine salad made of butternut, goats cheese and pumpkin seeds with lettuce...was huge ~ ate it all as it was so very tasty....I felt so bloated and full afterwards....I wondered how I was still going to eat dinner...my sister in law had planned a lasagna dinner for the family later that evening.

I decided not to train today...to take the day off and enjoy my daughters birthday with her....but once I got home I knew I had to do something as was feeling terribly full and uncomfortable...an hour later I put my gym gear on and started working out in the house....I did 10 mins warm up using the steps in the dinning room...lots of space ~ my HR shot up as I was working hard...then I started to skip and in between the skips I did lunges...then skip again...then more lunges...after 25 mins I headed out for a run in the complex my family live in...run the flats and downhills and walk the hills...I ran to the sand dunes and went up and over them 2x and headed back home to do 150 sit ups...finished off with biceps and triceps with 4kg hand held weights....

My total workout was for one hour....

I ran 3.40 km

I burned 786 calories

30% fat

HR 128 -150

I'm doing a 6kl run with my sister in law tomorrow morning

Sunday will be doing a 10 kl walk/run with my sister up and down Chapman's Peak

( if u live in the USA...google Chapman's Peak and see that crazy route )

Today I met a blogger friend....MEL...we have been reading each others blogs for over a year now and are also Facebook friends....finally we got to meet this visit....

Was lovely to meet her in person....she is as lovely in person as she is on her blogs...

Wednesday In Cape Town

Yesterday was my first full day in Cape Town....

The day I arrived I will put behind me as my eating was not the way I would have liked to have had it...

I did end up eating the plane food for breakfast and lunch.

That evening I ate two slices of pizza....something I haven't touched in over a year....

So yesterday was back to tracking my meals and eating well....

But then...went to the Chris Daughtry concert ( which was FANTASTIC )

and ate a chicken pita before the show.....it was a white pita...no other choice.

Yesterday when I woke up it was so windy....a gale force wind.....but I wanted to run so no matter what...I was going to run!!!

And that is what I did...woke my daughter up to come run with me, she took forever to get ready...when we headed out she complained that she was not feeling well as her breakfast had not settled and she had a side stitch...so I left her and ran on my own...met up with her on my return where we ran the last kilometer home together.

It was great to have the sun against my skin again...sweat running into my eyes...Oh how I have forgotten how good it feels after my last few runs in the freezing cold Europe weather.

Yesterday I ran 6km in 43 mins

Burned 400 calories

HR 134 - 171

Went to the shops the day I arrived for my foods....bought Flaxseeds, organic peanut butter and oats...tuna, rooibos tea and a few other things....need to keep to my Clean Eating plan while on holiday as much as possible...

Off for a run now.....till later...

Sunday...Last Entry From DE

Today ( Sunday ) was my last training session in Germany till December as tomorrow I head off home....

Cape Town, South Africa for 56 days ~

I will be home for the Chris Daugherty concert on the 27th

My youngest daughters 24th birthday on the 29th

Halloween with my grandchildren on the 31st

My oldest daughters baby is due on the 8th November

So I'm going home to help her with her 19 month old son while she settles in with her new baby.

A little girl..

The first week of December I have a planned photo shoot with a photographer I love in Cape Town, she will take photo's of myself with my 5 grandchildren...capturing memories is very important to me.

Of course while home I want to catch up with all my family and friends...

I plan to run at least once a day....for 5/6 days a week

I plan to visit the beach

I plan to lie in the sun...

I plan to have a good relaxing time back home.

Today I ran with my neighbors for the last time till my return....

I'm still not feeling well, been 3 weeks now that I've been struggling with my breathing and runny nose while running....I so miss the way I used to feel when I ran...I feel so weak...

Today we ran 8.06 km's ( 5 miles ) in 1 hr 1 min

I burned 724 calories

40% fat

HR 120 - 203 ( really....)

Am now looking forward to summer runs again...no more long sleeves, gloves etc that I've had to wear the last month...

I will be keeping both my blogs updated while in Cape Town, the only problem I will have is visiting everyone as often as I do here....firstly my life will be very busy compared to here so I wont have as much time, and then the internet is very expensive as I have to buy pay as you go internet connection. I am able to read blogs via my feedreader and if I see something interesting I will of course pop in and leave my comment....or try read and visit you once a week and leave a comment...

Please know this would be the only reason I am not visiting your blog!!

Time and money!!

My next blog entry will be from beautiful Cape Town...

Till then ~ look after yourself and stick to your plan...its so worth it.

Saturday ~ Looking back

Its so important while on the weight loss journey to photography yourself...I know we hate seeing how big we are and try stand in ways that its less noticeable, put pillows and other people in front of us to semi hide from the camera...trust me I had mastered how to stand, sit etc when having a photo taken....I will share a few of them with you...

The photo below I am standing with my arm across my stomach, that way I felt I could hide it away...

The next photo reminds me how big my breasts got when I gained weight...they became huge...I was buying size 38 H bra's not my normal 36 C which I was falling out of...Here my arms are tucked under my breasts so that the jersey I was wearing would hang closer to my body and not make my tummy look even bigger....

Its not very often I would stand in the middle of two people for a photo...I know from the jeans I am wearing on this photo I was having * a slimmer moment * I was able to fit into a these jeans which were a little smaller than the other jeans, so here I felt * thin * and confident to pose this way...I know today that I was far from slim!!!!

It was Autumn 2006 and my parents were visiting ~ was such a lovely time for me...

Here once again I was feeling slimmer ~ My weight was around 78 kg's ( 172 lbs ) so about 4kg's ( 8.8lbs ) lighter ~ I see how podge my stomach looks on this photo...

Two South African and myself....all of us lived in Germany...they have gone back to South Africa now...These girls knew me to lose a little and then gain it all back...to eat nothing ~ then to eat everything..when I said I was going on a diet they would all think * oh again * and they were right I was on and off diets for all the time they lived here....I lost all my weight once I was the only South African left here....none of them have seen the new me....

The photo below is a typical photo of me hiding....they will tell you as well,whenever I had a photo with them I always made them sit or stand in front of me as I wanted to hide my boobs...well that was what I told them...I wanted to hide my big boobs and fat....

Today I went to the shops to buy new running shoes...could not find the color I liked so will stop at a sports shop on the way to the airport and see if I can find a pair there.....for Cape Town!!!

This afternoon my neighbor and I went for a 7.6 km run...( 4.7 miles )

WE walked the first hills on the first 5km and ran the flats and downhills

Then ran the last 2.6km home.

Did it in 56.23 mins

Burned 637 calories

30% fat

HR 127 - 164

Was freezing out...

Am still struggling with my breathing so not there yet...

Am hoping once in Cape Town and the sunshine I will start enjoying my runs again.