Well hello there! I hope you have been doing well since the last time I posted. Lots has been going on behind the scenes here since October, so I thought I would catch you up. Some bloggers call these ‘catching up over coffee’ posts but I don’t drink coffee so grab a hot chocolate (feel free to add some Bailey’s) and let’s have a chat.
The biggest thing that has happened is my rebrand and new website. With the help of Think Marsh Studios, we have been working since the summer to give my brand a freshen up. Part of the delay is that Chris works days and I blog at night so it was hard to resolve issues quickly. But I am very happy with the result, a new logo inspired by 80s neon signs. I also switched from Blogger to WordPress as that’s where all the cool kids are. I am still deciding if that was a good idea or not as I am not a techy person but I am sure practice will make perfect.
A big change at our house was adopting a Crossbreed named Skipper at the end of September. She is 2 years old and we were told she is a Husky-Staffie mix but she also resembles a German Shepherd or Akita (but only weighs 15 kg). Her energy and intelligence levels are very different from Oldland, so we are all adjusting to the change. We are attending training classes with her on the weekends to improve her manners by Christmas when we head to my in-laws. She loves to run and play and was unofficial 4th dog last weekend at our local parkrun.
I also got the all-clear from my osteopath at Function360 to start running again. Tokyo Marathon is on 1st March 2020 and I officially started marathon training on 11th November. I did a few interval runs before that and some trail running in the Peak District with the Love Trails gang but am out of practice in terms of fitting all the miles in. Twice a week I teach spinning which I use as a substitute on my short run days. I am doing my physiotherapy twice a week too and checking in with my osteopath once a month to monitor my progress. The team at Function360 have always been supportive of my goals and I really appreciate that.
To compliment marathon training, I have (finally) hired a personal trainer named Sunni. I have seen her training clients at my gym for about a year and like how she encourages her clients and designs their programs. Many of the other trainers I see at my gym looked ridiculously bored when with clients, or spend more time chatting than training. I have met with Sunni twice now and it has been great refreshing my knowledge of all things PT. I should have started working with a personal training after my first marathon. I can’t wait to see how much stronger my body will be when I step up to the start line.
One thing I have talked about a bit on social media is how I am struggling with my mental health and weight. I have gained 15 pounds since March when Oldland passed away. 2019 has also been dominated by injury, which has limited the physical activity I can do. To help my body prepare for marathon training and reduce my calories, I have been doing a sober November. (Ultimately, I tried Sober October and was unsuccessful). To give me more incite into sober life and knowledge the benefits of this temporary change, I have been reading the Unexpected Joy of Being Sober too. As I would normally rather have dessert over a drink, it hasn’t been too challenging. There did seem to be a lot more social events this month (World Travel Market, camping in Peak District, leaving do’s, and birthday parties) but maybe my perspective is different because I am aware I cannot drink. I am quite happy with a Diet Coke or I discovered alcohol-free Kopparberg fruity cider. Sunday I can drink again and after the week I have had, I am looking forward to it!
Finally, I am working on my annual inspirational advent calendar and four gift guides for you. The advent calendar starts here on Sunday and the gift guides will go live on 2-5 December. Keep checking back every day in December through Christmas for a little hit of inspiration to keep you moving. Or you can join my team for Run Up To Christmas, which raises money for Mind charity. It is only £12, you get a medal, and it will be loads of fun. Our team target is 200km so the more people you get to join us, the less you have to run. 🙂
There is even more to share, but I hope to post a few more tales in December. It has been a crazy autumn, but also a good one. I am slowly getting into a routine and will soon settle in to a run/work/dog/sleep pattern of success. Bring on Christmas!
How has autumn been for you? Leave a comment and let me know.
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