Day 38 - 29 June 2013 - A Funny Sort of Day

                                                     Today has been a funny sort of day

It should have been Julie and Andrew's wedding day, but Julie contracted an infection due to her blood count being so low and is in hospital for the next few days. Although bitterly disappointed that they have had to postpone the wedding, they really had no choice, and all that matters is that she is in the best place and is being well looked after.

 Jeannette has also got another infection and has also had to go to hospital.

It would be really nice if these two lovely ladies could be given a bit of a break.

So plans have had to be changed, and I need to carry on training. I haven't been doing too bad, but it is oh, so slow. I'm sticking to the running app, but the longest I've been able to run non stop is eight minutes....and it was the longest eight minutes of my life. So it came as a bit of a shock to find out that today, my friends, the app is telling me that I will be running for 20 whole minutes. NON STOP.

The app must be broken.

How in God's name does it expect me to be able to run for 20 whole minutes. NON STOP.

I must be on the wrong week. So I check it. And check it again. Then gave it a good shake, but no. It still wants me to run 20 minutes. NON STOP.

The person who designed this must really hate fat birds trying to run.

So I told Natalie that we have to run 20 minutes. NON STOP. She was sort of fine with it seeing as she had eaten 12 chocolate covered marshmallow gooey things on sticks at the kids prom last night. I had only eaten 4, so I don't really need as much exercise as her at this point, but if the app says we are going to have to run 20 minutes. NON STOP, then that is what we are going to have to do.

We planned it carefully. As we are not ones to shirk, we planned to walk 2 and a half miles first which brings us to the brow of a hilly bit, so we can start by running downhill, back home.

I feel sick. Natalie feels sick. But off we go. And go we did.

I can't pretend it was easy, cos it wasn't. But we kept going, and going and going. Despite not wanting to keep clock watching, I was obsessed with it, and the first 19 and a half minutes felt like forty and the last 30 seconds felt like another 40 minutes, but all I could think of was that if Julie and Jeannette can stay strong and fight this horrible disease than I can bloody well run for 20 minutes. NON STOP. And so

WE DID IT!!!!

I got home and cried and vomited. I'm not sure in what order.

We guessed that we ran for probably about 1 and a half miles. Very slow, but a HUGE achievement seeing as 6 weeks or so ago, I cried after running for 1 minute.

And I've only got to keep going for 4 times longer to complete the 10K!!!!!

Oh and Rhydd has designed our Team LOGO

I introduce to you Team.....

Day 34 - 25 June 2013 - Happy birthday, Jeannette!!!

                                   Today is Jeannette's birthday.

 I won't say how old she is or she'll have my plums on a skewer. Here she is pre-diagnosis...

The beautiful Jeannette

I thought today might be an opportune time to remind everyone, and myself for that matter, why we're all doing this.

Jeannette was originally diagnosed with breast cancer. In her first consultation with a surgeon she was told that it was not the most aggressive form of cancer and that they could shrink the lump first with chemotherapy and then perform a lumpectomy.

 Then, in the second consultation, we were told that it's more aggressive than they first thought and that they were going to perform a single mastectomy followed by six sessions of chemo.

      Oh, and by the way, we've found a shadow on one of your lungs.
  
The mastectomy was duly performed and was considered successful. 

Then we were told that the shadow in her lung was cancerous. 

It had spread through her lymph nodes and was incurable.

                                Treatable, but incurable.

So as things stand right now Jeannette is facing a lifetime of never being given the all-clear from this disease, of constant monitoring and treatment.

     But then, who knows what medical science is capable of.

 Once upon a time, smallpox, cholera and polio were all diseases which caused havoc across generations, but now they have all been more all less wiped off the face the face of the earth. So when it comes to cancer, who knows what medical science will be capable of in five or ten years time.

          And that right there is why we're doing this.

 So that in five or ten years time people like Jeannette won't have to sit in an office in tears with their hands being held by their loved ones while a doctor tells them they can't be cured. 

         That's what needs to be made a thing of the past. 

They did it with smallpox, cholera and polio, and they can do it again. 

        But without money there will be no research,  no breakthroughs. 

Since then of course, our good friend and colleague Julie, having already beaten breast cancer some years ago, has been diagnosed with something so rare you need a masters degree just to spell it!

So until the day there is a cure, people like Deb, Bethan, Ange, Sharon, Nigel, Marc, Jason, Sian and me, not to mention Karen and Dean will continue to run, jump, shave our heads and generally make fools of ourselves.

               Anything just to keep the money coming in.

   So happy birthday Jeannette, and here's to many more!

Day 29 - 20th June 2013 - my mummy

  I'd like to introduce you to Pam, my lovely Mum. Mum had cancer 11 years ago, and this is her story. We wanted to show that cancer doesn't have to be a death sentence , that you CAN beat it, but it is important to have Cancer Research so that it can be detected early and have to correct treatment  administered.....

Oh I do like a nice cuppa tea!

                                                   The word is cancer. 

            I have written it like that because we are bigger than cancer.   

Actually I am quite large for my 5ft. height but that’s because I eat so many cakes and chocolate and chocolate and chocolate! (dont take any notice, she's tiny :)

                                  Anyway back to the subject in hand. 

 I was given the news of my breast cancer in October 2002 and was in hospital for a mastectomy at the end of November 2002.  I could have had a reconstruction at the same time (yippee!) but declined as it was traumatic enough having major surgery on one side of me without having to contend with having bits cut off from elsewhere and being stuck back on the front. I was told that it was the ‘best sort of cancer to have’ (yippee again!), it made me feel so ‘special’ (not!).

I valued the support of my family who were all there for me, as were some most unexpected friends, one of whom came to see me in hospital but hadn’t been shopping and she had routed in her car and found a can of coke and a crumpled up kit-kat which she proudly presented to me.  I really appreciated the gesture!  I felt sorry for my family as I had told them that I would be okay, but they didn’t seem to be reassured and I actually felt guilty that I had put them through it.

In my hey day

To cut a long story short, I duly recovered. The cancer had not spread so I was spared chemotherapy, etc.  I spent the next few months feeling guilty that I had got away so lightly and also slightly peeved that I couldn’t take up my friend’s offer of her bobble hat to wear if I lost my hair.  I often forget to put in my prosthesis (false booby for those that don’t know) and hubby (that’s Debbie’s Daddy) has a stock of kitchen roll in the car so I can stuff away until both sides look the same.  I had to give up swimming as I was afraid my booby would extract itself and go swanning off without me and without it I would be likely (thus being side heavy) to wobble over and possibly drown! 

                              I jest because it was a coping strategy. 

 We all have our own way of dealing with the crap we are dealt with and I have the utmost respect for everyone who has to suffer this. It may all seem macabre but laughing is a good medicine.  

they can't take me anywhere!

Something that helped me enormously was two things that hubby (that’s Debbie’s Daddy) promised me when I was better.  A craft room and a trip to the NEC for a craft fair.  I’ve had both.  The one thing I would say is 

                                              NEVER GIVE UP! 

 Anyway, I want to do my bit without building up a sweat.  My passion is papercraft and I will give a box of greetings cards to Debbie and if you buy one or two, the money will go to Cancer Research.

                  ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!!

Day 25 - 16 June 2013 - See how far we've come!

I can't quite believe how far we've all come in this process. What started as a bit of joke to support our friends has gathered tremendous momentum and completely taken over our lives in more way than one. I thought I'd reflect on our progress in the last 3 and a half weeks.

Bug eater

Nigel - Mr Nigel 'Man Mountain' Howells, is embracing the training, gritting his teeth through the pain, and has now progressed to running a straight 2 miles. He has, however gained 5 stone through all the insects he has swallowed in the process. Nige is going on holiday soon and has promised to carry on with his training and eat salad for the full 2 weeks he is away.

Superhero

  Rhydd and Jeannette - Jeannette has completed her second course of chemo, and is doing well, despite feeling as sick as a dog and picking up a bit of a virus. Rhydd in the meantime is busy designing his next Superhero costume in time for the race in September. He is a bit perterbed that there are no telephone boxes along the route as he feels that emerging from a portaloo would not have the effect he was aiming for.

Bethan

Bethan - Has been a trooper- she looks the part in her matching running gear, and can now run for 20 minutes, I said 20 MINUTES!!!.  She does, however look like a representative of the dogs trust with her millions of Jack Russells in tow.

Camera shy

Ang - is starting her training sensibly and going for long walks to build up her stamina. She will soon be attempting her first run on the road, and I look forward to hearing about her progess.

Jase

Jason - after relentless nagging from us all went for his first run. Unfortunally, his knee went ping so had to rest it for a few days. His next run happened without incident, but I'm secretly relieved that its highly likely that I now wont be last across the finishing line.

Rain forest

Andrew and Julie

Julie and Andrew -Julie is starting her Chemo on Thursday and is looking forward to her wedding the following weekend although she is worried about how well she will feel on the day. Andrew went missing for a while but was returned safely by a Japanese sniper who didn't realise that the war was over, once his front lawn was finally mown.

me

Me - well what can I say, the impossible became possible and I have gone from struggling to run 10 yards to being able to walk and sometimes run for 10k. It hurts like nothing has ever hurt before, but it now feels achievable, thanks to the support of everyone involved. And maybe a bit of ridiculing but, hey, who cares.

Deano

Dean - Still a pain in the arse, he's never going to change ;)













You lovely people - have been so encouraging and supportive and I wanted to say THANKS for reading and sharing this blog. We have had a massive 3195 views on the blog since I first started it and we have raised £290 in such a short period of time.
   
      Thank you thank you thank you and please keep sharing xxx

Day 24- 15 June 2013 - Julie

It's only been a short nine months since Andrew Hamnett and I first met, introduced by mutual friends Deb and Dean.

We both brought our own individual "issues" to the relationship but far from forcing barriers, they seemed to bind us together.

Together we are strong, happy and completely compatible even though we really know very little about one another.

Having "escaped" a 20 year plus , domineering and mentally abusive relationship I really wasn't looking for a  "serious relationship"at all but after our first date I couldn't imagine ever being without Andrew and this feeling for him has remained.

I was spending more time at Andrew's than in my own home in Swansea so I decided in March,  "what the hell, move to Pyle!"
                                       I moved all my worldly goods to CF33!! 

No regrets and looking forward to a happy new lease of life with Andrew, we'd talk for hours over glasses of wine about our plans for the future. We're not getting any younger and even talked about how we'd retire together enjoying long holidays in lovely remote corners of the world.

           A bit silly and romantic? Probably but these were our dreams and what we both wanted.

Shortly afterwards my health started to suffer.  It was like a bolt out of the blue. I knew there was something wrong but never suspected how very serious it was and how frighteningly quickly things could change from me being a bit congested and tired to facially looking like a grotesque, elephant woman, bloated and swollen, going deaf with protruding eyes and breathless all the time.

The congestion feels like I'm drowning, my face constantly numbed, unable to eat properly.
I could go on all night like this but that would be whinging!!

When my initial diagnosis of a sinus cancer was identified I asked Andrew to marry me. I wanted the doctors to be able to talk to him as my husband and not just my "partner". Seems a bit of a rash act I suppose but marriage was what we planned a little way into the future so it was just bringing our plans ahead to suit our needs for now.

He said "Yes" and has never wavered on that decision but I want him to know that he can change his mind.
I could not take on a challenge like Andrew is about to.

                                                           Not after nine months.


That original diagnosis has now been updated to a Rhabdomyosarcoma, an extremely rare cancer. At this stage the treatment options are still being discussed but my condition is causing a lot of excitement within medical circles because of its rarity and it would seem that far from wanting to send me home with a "Macmillan Nurse" to die, they want to save me and write all about it in their medical journals to tell people how they did it!!!
                                                               Pretty cool, eh! 

Anyway, back to where I started. It's only been 9 short months and I've gone from being Andrew's "Sex Kitten" to being his "Elephant Woman"!!
I look at myself in the mirror and no longer see anything which resembles "Julie".

                                                               Nothing at all. 

Just grotesque, dead eyes, tumours on my neck, swellings and frankly I feel disgusted by it.

But.......

             When Andrew looks at me he never makes me feel ugly. 

When he gently takes a tissue and wipes away the snot that I am no longer able to feel running from my nose, he doesn't make me feel dirty.

When he prepares my morphine, steroids and other tablets ready in case I forget what I need to take, he keeps it all light hearted not to make me feel useless.

When we talk alone and he listens to my fears and cries with me, he makes me feel safe and loved and I know he will never let anything hurt me if he can prevent it.

When he prepares food for me, he is constantly aware of my eating problems.
Even after just finishing another twelve hour shift. If I want baby food, all mashed up and easy to swallow, he sorts it for me.
                                                       No fuss or complaining.

Just a few of the many things which Andrew does for me without complaint or question.
Yet these small things have stopped me from tipping the full contents of my medicine cabinet followed by a good few glugs of strong alcohol down my neck!!
I kid you not. This man has saved my life by simply showing me a love which I had no idea was possible. I didn't know that such unselfish people existed.
That is until I met Andrew.

Andrew has shown me care, compassion, respect, love and I will not let him down.

I WILL get better and we will get our wonderful, if still very short relationship back to where it's supposed to be.

He has stood by me where many men would have walked away.
He is my strength but I wish I knew from where he gets his strength to do what he does for me everyday we are together.

 I love you Andrew Hamnett and I cannot wait to be Mrs Julie Hamnett .

                                                                   Julie x

Day 22 - 13 June 2013 - my mate Rhydd (again)

Rhydd says :

"If there's one thing I learnt when I was running marathons, it's the importance of diet. 

  When faced with a 26 mile run, you have to make sure your body has the fuel to make it from the start line to the finish line.

                             What you don't  want is for your body to run out of fuel and start digesting itself.

                                                     That's known as THE WALL. 

                                                      You may have heard of it.

  In marathon running, the order of the day is what's known as  carbo-loading. Carbs are what provides the energy for you to start  running and keep running you past the finish line. You'd load up on carbs for a few days before, eating pasta, baked potatoes, bagels, natural honey, porridge, natural cane sugar, isotonic sports drinks,  brown rice, chicken breast, wholegrain bread, eggs and so on.

Good Carbs v Bad Carbs

  The evening before a race my dinner would consist of a large bowl of  pasta and bread, yogurt with natural honey. For supper some toast and  jam. Then for breakfast I'd have a cinnamon and raisin bagel with  natural honey on the top and porridge with a banana and unrefined cane sugar in it. Lastly, immediately before the race, I'd down a bottle of  Lucozade isotonic.  

 But not only is this diet important for race-day itself, it's also  important for the training leading up to it.

 So, for my nine-mile run  this morning, I started preparing last night by having an enormous curry with a Yorkie bar for afters. And then, when I completed my run,  I had a bloody great barbecue in the garden!

                       Well, you can't be good all the time, can you?

  So there you have it. Another informative and enlightening update from  me. but before I go, let's once again dip into the archives and celebrate my glory years as a veritable superman.

 Here's a pic of me  and Jeannette after I'd just completed the 2005 London Marathon... 

 

  Rhydd. 

-- 

Day 21 - 12 Jun 2013 -Watch out, watch out theres a camel about

            I'm struggling a bit, but I'm not going to dwell.

So I thought I'd do a bit of research into ways a big fat bird like myself could help herself with the pain barrier I am struggling to get through.

But as always when googling, I got myself a little bit distracted.

When typing such searches as 'can fat girls run', and 'running when you are carrying a shed load of lard around your middle', I kid you not, I came across some pretty disturbing images...images that should carry a 'do not look at this if you've just had your tea' warning,

but none that disturbed me as much as this one :-

"Really??" I hear you cry in disbelieve, "you googled images of  'can a lardy arsed middle age woman run more than 15 yards without crying tears of pain and frustration' and THIS is the image you chose to share with the world?"

Well yes it is, and if you hold your horses I will explain.

This may not be an image of a fat girl running, as clearly she is neither fat, nor indeed running, and I've no idea how this image appeared on my screen after googling 'help me, I've committed to a 10k run, but I feel like someone has kneecapped me', but it did, and it hit me in the face like a brick that 

 tight lycra = camel toe.

Oh my god

I wear tight lycra when I run.

I don't think I need to spell it out.

Off I shoot up the stairs to try on tight lycra and force myself to look in the mirror, something that I have managed to avoid  doing since starting this.

 My theory is that if I cant see what I look like then I cant look that bad really., and quite frankly, when I'm gasping for air I've discovered that I don't really care what I look like.

And who says women are illogical, eh?

So there I am in tight black running leggings, peering gingerly through my fingers repeating to myself,

                                                   'please no, please no!'

                    

                       and all of a sudden

                                          

                                                                 I care.

Cos there it is in all its glory

                                                    a big fat camel toe.

                  I feel sick.

I no longer feel the pain in my knees and the shin splints that feel like open wounds, no longer do I care that I possibly may damage knees so badly I'll have to have my legs amputated after I've staggered round the course. No longer do I care that I may have to be permanently strapped to an oxygen tank for the rest of my life.

                                            All I care about is, I've got a camel toe.

Back to google.

                              'anti camel toe devices'

how about this, girls 

I give you the Smooth Groove

or what about these 

Camel, not Camel inserts

but this has to be my favourite 

Cuchini - Our lips are sealed

Oh I guess what I found out?? I bet you didn't know that the male equivalent of a camel toe is a 'moose knuckle'?

 I bet you are googling it now ;)

Day 21 - 11 June 2013 - Nigel - RAISING THE TITANIC

                             by Mr Nigel Howells

Tuesday 4^th June, possibly a day that will change my life
                                      forever.

    A day that could quite possibly be the day that was the beginning of the end of life as I know it.

 That was the day that somehow, God only knows how, that two workmates (she devils) persuaded me to run in the Swansea Bay 10k run.

Now for most of you guy’s reading this blog you may think

                                       “so what?”, 
     

                                           10k........ that’s nothing!!!

                             but for a 19 stone unfit decrepit civil servant,

                                                       it’s massive.

 For me to run this 10k to the end, is the equivalent of them raising the Titanic, giving her a full refit  and resailing her from Southampton to New York,
                                                                   a massive task.

 And no doubt along the way I’ll hit more massive obstacles than the Titanic ever did on its fateful journey back in 1912.

So with the help of my trusty training partner Jack the Dog, I've begun “Raising the Titanic”, bit by bit we are going to winch that baby out the North Atlantic,
                     paint her up and get her sailing again.

The first 4 days training, when I say training, I mean walking the Dog 5 miles, have been tough, list of injuries below…

• Bad Right Knee
• Strained Right Calf
• Chaffing of the inner thighs
• Chaffing of the Bollocks
• Frozen Right Shoulder
• Blisters (even got one under my armpit??????)
• Chaffing of the Bola Ridge(where the belly overhang meets the whatever is below it)
• Hay Fever

  

But I've battled on, and Day 5 was going to be my biggest challenge yet, YES I was going to attempt to RUN, JOG, SPRINT, WOBBLE, please delete as you feel appropriate. 

So with Jack The Dog unleashed and nobody in sight I started to get 19 stone of rusty, decrepit body mass into forward motion. You could hear bones and joints creaking that have not creaked in 25 years, it was a noise to behold,.
              The Titanic was off the seabed and was on its way up.

10yds,

          25yds 

                  50 yds, 

                             this was going way better than I expected, 

                                                                                         100yds had gone by and I was still breathing, hey this ain't too bad I thought. 

posed by model

Now, when 19 stone is at full speed it must develop it’s own Gravital Pull, there were all sorts of insects orbiting around my mass, midges, flies, even Jack The Dog was getting involved and then after around 120yds and about 40 seconds it was all over, whilst  gasping for air a Daddy Longlegs crashed into my mouth and instantly began wrestling with my tonsils, choking and spluttering I stopped and after 5 mins continued walking. 

Raising the Titanic will have to wait another day, but we will raise her and we will get around that 10k course.

                                             

                                           That is a promise.

Day 20 - 10 June 2013 - Ang

Next I would like to introduce you to Ang.

Weeble

Now Ang has rather foolishly neglected to send me over some photographs, so I have had to trawl through Facebook.

 Tut, tut, she should know me better by now, although as Ang is my boss, I suppose I'd better be kind!!

Hmmm, so Deb wants to add a bit about "me" to the blog....oh dear...I'm not naturally funny, well not funny "haha" anyway...as my dear mum likes to tell me!

So, where to begin.  I've done some running before, not like our Rhydd, no marathons, but I've done a few 5ks to raise money for charity.  What you have to bear in mind with me is I'm short, and fat, and unlike Weebles, when I wobble I do fall down...a lot!! 

Ang

So a couple of years ago, I bought snazzy new trainers which support my feet and help me to stay upright - you have to admire them for working so hard in the face of such adversity - and they have helped. 

 I happen to like running, but, well it's been a couple of years now so I know it's going to hurt...which is why my first few training sessions will be confined to the safety of the treadmill..in the gym..


Thus far, my training has been confined to some limb limbering walks - but, with only a little over 3 months to go, my first "run" is tomorrow, the phone is charged, playlist ready and mini dictator downloaded and ready to bark orders at me..suppose I'd better try and remember the more amusing bits for Deb so she can blog away....maybe for my first session I'll just try and remember to stay upright...

Day 19 - 9th June 2013 - Bethan

Today I have spent a lovely afternoon with Bethan and her mischievous boys.

Bethan

Bethan is one of my teammates who is also running with me in the
 Swansea, 10k, and like me, is handicapped by arthritis and stupidly big boobies.

Here is her story so far.

Hello, this is Bethan.

For all those that know me well enough, it will come as a very big surprise that I have volunteered to RUN!! 

The last time I ran anywhere, was to catch my school bus and I fell over because of certain assets I possess got in the way!!! (I was talking about my weak ankles!!!) 

However, I have been coerced into Running the Swansea Bay 10K....AND ITS ALL DEB's FAULT!!! 

Now I'm sure that I'm not the only person who thought that running around with the kids, walking the dog, occasionally swimming, etc. is enough to keep fit, and with a little more effort in the exercise department, could soon be running around like a pro! 

                                       WRONG!!!

blister

sunburn

It didn't start very well because I didn't possess ANY of the required gear, (my brother even commented on the lack of trainers belonging to me in the shoe cupboard) and after sun-burn and blisters,I have now purchased the required necessities for running! 

(The lovely lady in the sports shop said that people don't look at you feet when your running, but everything matches, so if I end up a heap on the floor, I will at least look as if I was intending to run a race!)

Snoopy

 My unofficial training pal is Snoopy!


He can run 10k and still wants to play fetch so is probably the best running buddie! (and he doesn't answer back or laugh at me when I look like I've been hit with a sledge hammer after my run/walk!)

I've had a  lot of encouragement from all my friends and family (and Snoopy)

 I can officially run for 3 minutes, which may not sound like much to the marathon master, Rhydderch Wilson but it's certainly better then the 23 seconds I managed on my maiden run!

I will keep everyone updated as long as you all promise to sponsor us when the time comes!
xxx

Day 17 - 7 June 2013 - JULIE

The reason this ridiculous run is happening.

         

                                                           My friend Julie


Julie is, as everyone who knows her will agree, is probably one of the most decent, kindest and thoughtful people I have had the pleasure of meeting.

So it doesn't seem at all fair that she should have to fight Cancer not once, but twice in her lifetime.

The first time, she had and beat Breast Cancer. It was a complete shock, then when she was diagnosed with a potentially aggressive and advanced Cancer in her nasal passages and lymph nodes less than 3 weeks ago.

She became ill very quickly and has had to endure a very painful and invasive biopsy and has been managing the pain and pressure in her head with a plethora of steroids and morphine. During the three weeks since her diagnosis, she has had to face the very bleak prospect that she may in fact not survive this horrible disease and has been using the time to put her affairs in order. I can't imagine how this must feel, it would be so easy to wallow in self pity, but not our Julie. Julie has consistently kept chirpy and entertained us all with her witticisms, so that only the ones who are very close to her can read between the lines and realise how very scared and desperate she really is.

During this time, her and her partner, Andrew have decided to get married. They had been talking about this before the diagnosis, but now can see no point in waiting and have set the date for 29 June 2013 at 1.30pm.

She has asked me to tell everyone that ALL her friends are welcome to join them at the service and afterwards at their home. Please don't worry about new frocks or wedding presents, they just want everyone to share in their happiness.

*UPDATE*

Julie has FINALLY received some good news and that is that the tumour is operable. She has been officially diagnosed with an Olfactory Neuroblastoma. This is a very rare form of cancer, in fact only 1 in 1 million will have it.

This is why Cancer Research is so very important, so that quicker diagnosis are made and appropriate treatment is given. The more they know, the more people can survive this horrible disease.

So there you have it.

       My friend Julie, is truly one in a million!!

Days 13 and 14 3-4th June 2013 - A Chink of light

I've got to be honest with you. I'm not feeling too good about this now.

                        It's too hard.

                                    And I'm in too much pain.

 Despite all the bravado at work and on here, I'm really starting to doubt myself. Managed to complete my allotted training,  only once this time,

                                                        and I struggled.

But then all of a sudden there's light at the end of the tunnel.

And that, my friends comes in the shape of Mr Nigel Howells.

This is Nigel.

Hey, good lookin'

Fine figure of a man, as you can clearly see.

Nigel, bless him has been sharing my blog and when I saw him Monday to thank him, he told me that if he got 20 likes on Facebook, then he would join us.

                                                                 Hallelluja!!

                                                      I'm not going to come last!!

No mention of it on Facebook though.

                                                                 CHICKEN!!

"Well you see, the thing is, Deb, I had a good think about it when I got to my car, and you know, my knee was hurting and I'm going to Mexico for two weeks."

                                                                 PATHETIC

Clearly Nigel doesn't want to be beaten by two girlies (me and Bethan).

"Chicken", I sneered, "you clearly don't want to be beaten by two girlies!"....

                                  by this time we had an audience.

"Oh is that a challenge then , Deb?"

                                                 Umm, well, yes, it sure is!!!

So after 57 likes on Facebook, Mr Nigel Howell, Mr Lean Mean Running machine will be joining Team Amber's 10k quest.

Yay!!! They'll all be laughing at him, not me :)
  

Who's eaten all the pies?

           

                                                  Mojo returned!!

DAYS 11 AND 12 - 1-2 JUNE 2013

This is my friend Natalie, my new running partner.

 Natalie started cycling, walking and running about a year ago, but lost a bit of motivation when her daughter got bored with going out with her. She figures that as I've committed to this lunacy, then it will give her the motivation to start up again.

So I've sacked Dean, aka Mr Demotivator.

Natalie is a lot fitter than me, which isn't hard seeing a sloth is fitter than me, but she was very kind and stayed at my pace. We were doing so well, that after we finished the days course, we turned around and
                                                      did it again!

I'm feeling like this could actually be possible. OK a serious runner lapped us twice, but then again we managed to overtake a young boy who was walking backwards, so hey, we weren't the slowest people out this morning, and hey, dont forget we did the course twice...4.6 miles to be precise.

 And I'm feeeeeling good  !!! (Da dum...da dum...da dum).

So we planned a 10k walk for the next morning.

 You see I need to know what a 10k feels like, even if I just start by walking it. I've promised that I will try and walk 'fast'. Mr Demotivator planned the course, and him and the girls came along too, with Natalie and her daughter.

Weather great, sunnies on, off we go....fast walking pace...by 200 yards I'm huffing and puffing like a steam engine.

                                                 I don't understand.

 I ran/walked 4.6 miles yesterday and was feeeeling good (da dum..da dum..da dum). Now I'm shattered and we've only just began walking. Dean and Natalie are striding ahead..Rosie is trotting along behind, Chloe and Kelcy are strolling and chatting at their own pace. And then there's me. Gasping for air like a beached whale.
              Legs like lead..
                                     .then it became all so clear.

                                          I've only got little legs.

 I may look quite tall, but my height is in my back. They may be sturdy legs, but they arent very long.

                                          Even Rosie's legs are longer than mine.

 Some peoples legs are said to go right up to their armpits. Mine in comparison only go up to my knees.

                        Therefore I'm having to work twice as hard as everyone else to keep up.

 So when everyone else is doing a 10k run, I will actually be doing a 20k one. So there we go. Makes so much sense now. My disadvantage is not my weight or my arthritis. Its my legs. And there is not much I can do about that except this...leg lengthening operation . Ouch...kind of make your eyes water a bit!

I think I'll stick to working twice as hard as everyone else!