Back in the Game

Getting back into a good exercise routine has proven difficult for me this year.  Work has been hectic, it's the middle of summer and about a million degrees most days (ok, that may be a slight exaggeration, but it's been crazy hot!), and I've been horribly ill on top of all that.

During my moments of doubt and desperation I figured out that an exercise buddy was what I needed.  During my 'Fat to Fit Challenge' last year, the girls on the whatsapp group were a god send!  You could moan on your bad days and someone would cheer you up, or tell them about an awesome work out and they would celebrate with you.  It really was a great motivational boost for getting out there.

The running season is well under way and all my "running friends" are in training for anything from half marathons to Comrades, and I'm just not there at the moment.  I know that attempting to join in would just leave me feeling despondent, let alone exhausted!  It's always tough getting back on the horse, so to speak, when you're remembering where you used to be.

With life going on and everyone carrying on in their own little worlds, it's been tough to get into a routine with anyone else, leaving me with very little options and no exercise buddy.  Sad, I know.

My solution?  You!  I figured that as long as I have someone (anyone) to share my stories with, I'll get out there for a run (or walk), or do an exercise routine at home, so that I do in fact have something to tell!

So, this is where I started, just last week.  After having suffered with a very nasty bug for almost a month, I finally felt well enough and brave enough to venture more than 50m away from a bathroom, and went out for a walk.  With tunes jamming on my iPod I set off.  From the road I live in there are two cul-de-sacs, I went down one, and then the other, and then decided I could venture a little further from home and did a little loop around the block.

The thing I love most about being out for a walk is everybody else out there too.  Very few people jog or walk by without a smile and a wave, and it's just nice to be out in the fresh air encountering friendly people.  Drivers are a whole other story all together, but that's for another post.

I have only walked twice since last week, but it's a start.  I'm not particularly fast, but I do choose harder routes that make me have to work for it!  In my weight loss journey I found that lower intensity training for a longer period was better than high intensity training for a short period.  There are many conflicting articles and arguments about the "fat-burning-zone" and what your heart rate should be for maximum results, but I'm doing what I found was best for me.  In a week where I did an 8km hike over 2.5 hours, I lost over 2kg's and a decent amount of centimetres.  Where as the week we did HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), I didn't lose much and actually gained centimetres!

Much needed refreshment

Other than the hills along the route, I live on top of a hill, a steep hill.  Before I used to drive to the bottom and park on a field to avoid having to get back up it at the end of a run/walk, but these days I'm choosing to challenge it.  And quite frankly, I think I'm smashing it!  It's such a sense of achievement getting to the top, and it's awesome!

Hot & Sweaty!

So there it is, my first walk was only 4.5km's and the second was about 1km more than that.  But I'm getting there.  Slowly, but surely I will get back out there and run another half marathon.  It really is my favourite distance, and I'm looking forward to it.  And as for the question in my last post about attempting Sani Stagger again... I have already made a deal with a friend of mine to do it together.  It's going to be epic!

Enjoy the week ahead, happy running, and be safe.

Peace, love and sunshine,

Claire
xx

It's been a while...

Hello and Happy Friday my beautiful friends!!

It has been far too long since a blog post and I have every excuse under the sun for the delay, but in reality I could have found the time.  But anyway, life happens!

Although it is so long overdue, I'm excited to post today about the Sani Stagger Half Marathon!!  After months of training and planning and stressing, I finally got to that start line.  My Mom, Dad and two brothers at my side.  I was nervous but felt prepared, and was excited for the run down the pass.

View from the top... Yes, we ran down that!

The weather forecast was cold and rainy with the slight possibility of snow (in November, in Africa, can you believe it??).  But we reached the top of Sani Pass, at the Lesotho border, to warm sunshine and very little wind.  Now, if you've ever done the half marathon Stagger, you will probably remember trying to huddle under a small marquee with about 300 other runners, trying to get out of the biting cold wind.  Or trying to use the porta-loos on a trailer, hoping you wont be blown over completely!  But, this time was different, and I felt it was a good sign.

At the top

We got to the top fairly early, and watched in awe and admiration as the front runners of the marathon reached the turn around point, which is the highest point of their run, and head back down the mountain.  And finally, we were called to our start line, in our red caps and striped socks (we were hard to miss).

The first part of the run is pretty steep, with lots of sharp corners and large loose stones, and is my absolute favourite part of the race.  I grew up in the bush, in forests to be precise, and remember running over rocks and branches to get to a river or dam, or whatever adventure we happened to be on that day.  Those are good memories (even the one of a friend and I getting horribly lost for hours!) and I love to think of them as I channel my inner mountain goat and trundle down the hill.

The plan was to go slow over the first few kilometers.  It's easy to let it get away with you, leaving you with sore legs and no energy when you reach the flatter sections and the uphills lower down.  It's not always easy for a group to stay together, particularly in a crowd and when you haven't trained together.  But although there were gaps between us all along the way, we would meet up at water points and for photo ops as we went.

Photo courtesy of underbergdiary.co.za

There's a little saying amongst runners that goes: "Never try anything new on race day."  I've heard it a thousand times, said it a few hundred and I know it to be true.  But now I have proof!  To go with our red caps, we got the red and white striped socks from McDonalds to wear for the race.  And while everybody else was smart enough to wear a pair of running socks underneath, this tough cookie did not!  Massive fail!  As the socks were a little big for me, one of the seams sat squarely across each heal, and around 6km's in, I started to feel a burn in my feet with every step.  At the next water table I took a seat and turned the socks upside down (so the seam would be on the top of my foot), but it was too late.  If I got into a good rhythm, I could run for a while without any pain, but as soon as I stepped on a stone or uneven ground (pretty much everywhere on an off-road race), my feet would start to burn.  Each time we got to a river, I would soak my feet in the icy water for momentary relief, but the rest of the way down Sani Pass was slow and torturous.  For the rest of my family I think waiting for me constantly was the torturous part, but hey, they'd agreed to stick with me, and I am very happy that they did.  My poor Dad got many an earful at stages, but just carried on his merry way.

The new joke in our family is that if any one of us takes a Biral (herbal calming meds), it makes my Mom happy.  I think she managed to get us all to take two at some point along the way when she felt we weren't having enough fun.

This must have been after some Biral - looking happy!  Photo courtesy of underbergdiary.co.za

Despite all this, we managed to stick to a good pace, the planned pace in fact.  And finished the race in just under 3 hours.  The 5 of us together for the first time in over two years, completed this awesome journey together!  It was fun, it was agonising, and it was very hot!  But we did it, as a family and we finished strong!  Although if you look at the photo below you cannot see my face because I had to concentrate so hard to run that last hundred metres or so.  And I'm told I was the one pulling everyone else along in the end - I think I was just so desperate to stop!

I finally got to collapse, and had my shoes taken off to reveal that both heals had become massive blisters, with a few extra blood blisters on toes and other parts of my feet (which are a size four!  There's not a lot of space down there!).  But I can happily report that all signs of my neuroma, and the operation had to remove it were gone!  I ran a half marathon after not being able to walk just a few months before.  And that, is my own little miracle.

Having my shoes removed, looking super classy!

Exhausted and Ecstatic!

The reason for all this?  It was my mom's fifth time running the half marathon, which is a pretty big deal and you get an awesome badge for it.  And if you have a good friend (of over 30 years), you also get sprayed with champagne as you cross over the finish line!!

Just two more and I'll be completing my fifth race too, if I live to get there.  Sani Pass has caused me roasties, blisters, pain, sweat and tears, but for some reason calls me back every year.  Come August I'll be sitting at my computer in the race just to get a spot.  Hoping that this year will be different.  That this year will be the one, the time I conquer the mountain!  This year...   We'll see.

You can hardly tell that I'm being held up by Daryn in this picture ;)

Time to chill!

Have a brilliant weekend, and always be kinder than necessary.

Peace, love and cupcakes.

Claire
xx

My Yoga Practice

After a little searching, I finally found a yoga class in Pietermaritzburg that didn't require a gym membership to sign up.  That was at the beginning of this year.

Up until a few weeks before my op, when my foot was in too much pain to put any pressure at all on the ball of it, I went to classes religiously every week.

I loved the challenge, I loved feeling I was getting stronger and better and most of all, I loved the feeling of calm and being present in the moment that each class gave me.

Some classes were difficult, some things I couldn't do at first, even the easier stuff.  But we all have to start somewhere, and thankfully our class had a lot of beginners, so we were all in the same boat.

About 2 months after my op I returned to yoga, and although was no where near where I left off, I could still feel strength in my body, and I have worked hard to maintain it.

Yesterday I did a shoulder stand without using momentum to get my legs up in the air.  I used my core and slowly lifted them from the floor to having my knees bent in front of my face, and finally to straight up in the air.  It felt good, awesome in fact, that I trusted my body could get there and it did.

We have also been playing around with some headstand preparation, and I can now get my torso up with my legs bent, balancing on my own (it's best to start out by a wall so not to injure yourself).  It's incredible to be upside down and not leaning against anything!  When I lift my legs I fall over backwards, but that's besides the point.  I'll get there!

That second step is where I'm at right now.
Image: source

At the start of each practice we are told to set an intention, for the practice itself and also for going out into the world afterwards.  I like to always include "to have fun" or "to enjoy myself" into this intention, because that is what I am there for really.  I spend a lot of the class smiling away to myself like a mad woman, but that's ok.

Yesterday was a particularly good class for me.  A lot of hip work, which for some reason I'm pretty good at, but it gave me a lot of reasons to smile, and a few reasons to giggle silently to myself. Bare in mind that yoga is a practice for clearing your mind and focusing on each pose and being in the present, while I share with you:

Thoughts I Have in Yoga Class

1.  "What should I have for dinner?  I wonder if that lettuce in the fridge is still ok, or should I go to the supermarket on the way home?"

2.  "Oh hey, my back just clicked!  That felt good :)"

3.  "Wow!  That chick is really good at that.  I wonder how long she's been doing yoga"

4.  "I could actually bite my toenails if I really wanted to.  Not that I want to... But if I did, I could totally reach"

5.  "I wonder if I bit my toenails as a kid.  I don't remember doing it, and damn, I hope not!  Gross!"

6.  "Ow!  That hurts!  Ok, just breath, she can't make us hold this pose for much longer... surely... come on!  Please can we relax now?  Ahh... finally!  Thank you!!"

7. " That's a nice shirt/shoes/*insert random clothing article*, I wonder where she got it"

8.  "If I keep my running pace under 8 minute per kilometer, I could easily finish a half marathon in under 3 hours."

9.  "I wonder what everyone else is thinking about."

10.  "Ok, focus on the present, just be in the moment... Perhaps I should make plans for Friday night... No, concentrate!  Focus on your breathing... In... Out... In... Out... I wonder what other people are doing this weekend?  Dammit!!"

Needless to say, my mind doesn't really do quiet.  And when there is a brief moment when I get it all to shut down, it's like there's just space for more thoughts and they come flooding back.  It's a losing battle really!

Source

Wishing you a happy weekend, with perhaps just a few peaceful moments in your own mind.

Namaste

Claire

xx

The Last Leg of Recovery

In the last 6 months I have shared my weight loss story, my surgery and recovery progress, and my plans and goals for the upcoming months.  That was all easy.

It's when things are not going great, that they're not so easy to share with the world.  But this is it.  This is the story of my struggles after weight loss, after surgery.  Struggles that, until yesterday morning, I didn't think I could overcome.

After my surgery, I was off work for two weeks.  After being back for only a week, I came down with terrible bronchitis and was off for another week.  This was still within the 6 weeks expected for full recovery, so it didn't bother me too much, but did set me back a little.  The real problem was that I could hardly talk for three full days!  Can you imagine?!

Once that was over I started cycling again, doing toning exercises and walking a little.  Then, 10 weeks after my neuroma removal I got an infection in my foot.  After two days of excruciating shooting pains in my foot, I saw a friend of mine who is an excellent chiropractor, and amazing friend who has helped me immensely from the moment I discovered my neuroma.  She confirmed my fears and told me that it was not my muscles or bones causing the pain, and that I very likely had low-grade septicemia.

The next day I saw my G.P. who added to the mix that I had contracted bronchitis again as my body was battling to deal with the infection in my foot and wasn't able to fight off anything else at the same time.  I was put onto very strong antibiotics that made my heart pound and head spin.  Booked off work again, with strict instructions to rest and keep my foot up as much as possible.

Through all this, I was still paying off the last bills from the hospital and my surgeon, add the doctor's bill and prescription meds, and there's not an awful lot left over.  With little money and less inclination to go shopping or do any cooking, all food become what was cheapest and most convenient.  Unfortunately these are very rarely the healthy options.  While my weight has not drastically increased, it has gone up slightly and has stayed constant since then.  Essentially this is not the end of the world, but isn't really ideal either.

Last week, things started to look up.  I did some grocery shopping and included only lean protein, fresh fruit and vegetables.  I went to my regular yoga class on Monday, and ran 5km's three days in a row.  The first run was awful.  My chest burned with every exhale, my legs felt heavy and tired, I could hardly run 500m before having to stop to walk.  The second and the third got easier, and I'm very impressed with the way my body seemed to ease back into training mode.

Yesterday was a great test for my body and my mind as I entered my first race in over a year.  10km would have been a breeze before, but I was terrified!  My mind was not as quick as my body to make the adjustments needed to get through it.

I was very lucky to have the youngest of my two brothers to run with me, and while he has done little to no training, he is light and agile and would probably kick my ass in a race.  But he said staying with me was better otherwise he would have no one to talk to.  And man, did he talk!  We chatted away the entire 10km's, which took us about 1 hour 15mins.  Not too bad, since I was looking at between 1 hour 20 and 1 hour 30 minutes.  While we chatted I didn't think about my foot, or my breathing or how tired my legs were. We kept a good pace, and walked when we needed to.  There was no pressure.

I remembered why I've always enjoyed running.  I received praise and cheer from old running club friends, even though I no longer run in their colours.  I guess it's true that "Once a Carb, Always a Carb!"  It didn't matter how long it took me  or who I beat, it mattered that I was out there, that I enjoyed myself and that I did it.

As it turns out, I'm achieving my goals despite the odds against me.  Through infection and illness and bad eating, I'm getting there anyway.  Possibly a little slower, a little later, and a little heavier than expected.  But in the end I've learned to be patient with my body and my mind, and gently encourage them to do the things I want and need them to do.  And more importantly, I have a new goal to add to the list, not one that can ever be checked off, but must stay there as a constant reminder:

-  Enjoy yourself out there!

No matter what!  None of this means anything if I'm going to be miserable, or terrified, or unhappy.  I enjoy running, I love the challenge, the race against myself and the camaraderie of everyone else out there attempting the same thing, just to get to that finish line.  This may be the most important thing I've learnt through this whole experience, and I am so grateful for that.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.

Peace, Love and Running Shoes.

Claire
xx

Birthday Box!

It seems like ages ago I last posted anything!  Not because there's nothing going on, but perhaps too much! 

A lot going on at work these days.  We've just celebrated our company's 10th Anniversary with a very snazzy black tie affair.  It really was a night to be remembered and a special occasion for our staff, clients and associates.

By the end of this week we will finally be in our new offices.  Thursday and Friday are set aside for moving days, and hopefully come Monday I'll remember take the right route to get there!

Now that we're all caught up on that side, this post is about a Birthday Box!  I got this wonderful idea from A Bubbly Life, and thought it was the perfect idea for a very special friend.  So here is my take on it:

Firstly, gather your special person's favourite things.  For girls this should be fairly easy, some bubbly, nail polish, lip ice and just some all round pretty things.

I suppose the colours don't ultimately matter that much, but I tried to stick to a theme of pink, black and gold to keep it all tied together.

When in doubt, champagne will always do.

I found some Christmas decorations that I butchered to get the gold strands, and added a packet of brightly coloured confetti just for fun.  The candles add some extra birthday excitement.

I wish I had taken photo's of these little banners before rolling them up, but lesson learned for next time.  I cut strips off a large piece of homemade paper from a local craft shop.  Each one had a different little message for the birthday girl in gold pen: "Happy Freakin' Birthday," "You're Awesome!" "Make a Wish..." etc.

And finally I stuck a balloon onto the inside of the lid with some washi tape.  And that's it.  Fairly simple and so effective.  This one was very well received, and I'm sure most people would enjoy getting a box full of birthday fun and cheer.  I think this may become my signature gift for 2015 ;)

All wrapped up, crown included.  That, by the way, was super easy to make.  I'm not sure where I got the idea, probably somewhere on Pinterest, but when I saw some gold paper cups, I knew I had to give it a try.  I just measured even spaces for the amount of points I wanted and cut them out. The crown was attached to the alice band with some double sided tape and black insulation tape.  Done in 10 minutes!!

Have a happy week.

Peace, Love & Birthday Cheer!

Claire

xx

Motivation

What motivates you?

Whether it's to get out of bed an hour earlier to work out, not eat that slice of cheesecake, hop on the bike straight after work, head to the gym when everybody else you know is heading to the pub.

Is it that function you have in a few weeks?  The dress you've been eyeing out in the store window?  Is it just the wondrous feeling of being fit and healthy, or are you trying to impress someone?

I have to admit I'm lacking a bit in the department of motivation at the moment, and while I'm going through the motions: going to yoga classes, riding the stationary bike, doing toning exercises... My heart is just not in it.  

I used to live for the burn in my muscles, the feeling of strength during a work out.  The feeling of having used up every last bit of energy I had, to end up lying on the floor after a run, catching my breath, feeling my heart race.

It is worth it!!

Now, although I do it, I don't give it my all.  The very worst thing has happened and exercise has become a chore, another thing to get out of the way before getting back on that damn couch!  Man, I hate that couch!

Every few days I climb on that scale, with dread instead of enthusiasm.  And while, I'm happy to report the numbers are not increasing, they're not decreasing either.  I still have around 8 or 9 kilo's to reach my goal weight, and they're just not budging.  Every time those numbers are the same any conviction I had just drains from my entire being.

I am trying, I swear I am!

I sneak in a cheat here and there, because "what difference does it make?"  And even though I know that it does make a difference, and before I know it, those flashing red numbers on the scale will be increasing if I'm not careful.  

People still comment about my weight loss so far, and it makes me feel good.  I must add that it has taught me to humbly accept a compliment when I get one, and also to dish compliments out like they're candy.  I love telling someone they look good, or that I love their hair colour (I did this just the other night after scaring the daylights out of a girl when I burst into the bathroom at a restaurant - I like to think the compliment slowed her heartbeat down just a smidge).  But isn't it wonderful to hear nice things about yourself?  I'm not talking complete narcissism or vanity here, but when you put some effort in to look good, it's nice to hear that you do! 

Anyway, I digress.  So, help me out here, if you will, what motivates you?   

Have a great weekend.  And no matter what it is that gets you out there, go out there and be AWESOME!

Peace, Love and Kittens

Claire

xx

Sweet Treats

This weekend was a very busy one in my little kitchen, and rather successful (if I do say so myself).

First up, I had an order for two dozen cupcakes.  The brief:  vanilla cupcakes, lime green and lemon yellow icing, with little decorations appropriate for a kitchen tea.

The outcome: these beauties right here.

I'm so in love with the pale shades of green and yellow, along with the pastels of the decorations and chocolate hearts.  Very happy with the outcome, and have had great feedback from the Kitchen Tea.

My second mission for the weekend: a Dinosaur Cake!

I was contacted by a mom for a dinosaur inspired birthday cake for a little boy turning 5.  So I sent her some pictures of cakes that I could make, and which she showed her son and let him choose which one he liked best.  I just love this approach, as my brothers and I were always allowed to choose our own cakes as kids.  I still remember going through the books and pictures with such thought and deliberation.  They were such special times.  The little boy chose the simplest of the cakes, but for good reason, this one had toy dinosaurs on it, which he could keep and play with afterwards... Clever little chap!

I was rather excited to make this cake, as there were lots of elements to it, and I love to play around with different textures and icing techniques.  And I must say, I was thrilled with the result.

This just shows how with a little effort, a simple, roughly iced cake, can become a dinosaur heaven.  I was thankful to have most of Saturday to work on this cake.  Often I end up working late into a Friday night to have cakes ready by the morning.  I get tired, and frustrated so much more quickly, and this makes me clumsy.  But  I had a really relaxed day, getting all the bits and pieces ready, while allowing the cakes to cool so I could work with them easily.  Trust me, I've had a simple two layer cake completely collapse on me because I tried to work with it too soon!

Volcano, trees and lots of stones ready to go onto the cake.

Different sections up close.

The view from the top.

I love baking and decorating, even more so when everything goes to plan and everybody is happy with the result.  I put a lot of love and effort into everything I make, and when people appreciate that, it means a lot to me.

Have a happy Monday and a great week ahead.

Peace & Gypsy Love

Claire

xx