Eat, Sleep, Run, Repeat

That's what it's felt like for the start of this year and all of a sudden my big event is getting closer. I'm still not ready to announce it to everyone but I know the Press Release will have to go out soon. Oh my!

In the meantime I've been doing plenty of long runs and lots of cross-training to try and be in the best possible shape. I did a virtual 30 Day challenge last month with some chums on Facebook where we had to do a certain number of squats each day for a month. This month we've added more squats, tricep dips & more core work. Plus I'm still going to Bootcamp at The Hub in Bodiam on Fridays with the lovely Sarah and although it's tough I'm enjoying it very much.

Sarah, our instructor. She makes us work hard but adapts an exercise if you struggle with - I can't do Burpees 'cos they hurt my wrists so when others are doing them I do squats instead.

A welcome rest break!

Today we did circuits of 1 minute at each station followed by ever-increasing numbers of burpees (or in my case, squats) then moving straight onto the next mat for another 1 minute activity. After we'd completed one round we had a 2 minute break before doing the whole thing again. I'll try to remember all the activities; all were 1 minute each: I started with the 5kg ball (which you can see on the right of the photo) which you had to hold with both arms above your head and walk forward and return, then it was squats, the plank (centre bottom in the photo), skipping, press-ups, walking lunges, out and back jogging, tricep dips and finally 2 jumps forward/1 jump back.

That's me with the skipping rope looking very PINK. I found skipping quite difficult but got into the rhythm eventually.

It's much nicer doing a workout outside rather than in the gym and the added bonus is that I can run there and back.

Last weekend I didn't have any formal events so I had to do back-to-back long runs on Saturday & Sunday. I deliberately didn't take my camera with me but really wished I had as I saw some amazing views. I chose 2 equally hilly but different routes of just over 20 miles each to test my legs and I was delighted that I managed both days in almost exactly the same time. There was a point on Sunday when my heart sank as I was going downhill for a couple of miles and it suddenly dawned on me that it was an out-and-back route and that I would have to go back up the afore-mentioned hill! Still, it was a great test of mental and physical stamina.

During the week I did a few 10 milers, one of which was in heavy rain and I saw this little fellow floating around at the side of the road but I didn't have my camera again so went back the next day to snap him (although the rain had drained away by then):

Having had some dreary and very wet/windy days it was a joy to run around the lanes as everywhere looked beautiful.

The cowls on the Oast house stood out against the blue sky

I loved the bright yellow ochre of the twigs on this willow set against the coppery leaves of the Beech hedge

The climbing ivy formed wonderful patterns and reminded me of Pre-Raphaelite paintings

The Woodmans log pile is maturing nicely and yielded some wonderfully frilly fungi:

I shall be doing the same again this weekend, on different routes though, and will definitely take my camera with me even though it means I'll take longer.

In other news I got a lovely card from Lily the vet who attended Esther. She wanted to reassure me that I'd done the right thing in having her put to sleep. She also sent me some Forget Me Not seeds which I'll sew into the planters by the garage. What a lovely and thoughtful thing to do.

Knitting-wise I was up to the collar when my game of yarn-chicken came to an abrupt end as my last ball ran out. Bother! As Artesano cased trading in 2016 I thought it would be easy to find an extra ball but it took and awful lot of of searching before I found one. Phew! It will now be finished in an evening.

Soon as the Seville oranges appeared in the shops I bought enough to make marmalade with some extras for a special cake I make each year. Their bitterness makes the most divine marmalade. Plus, the juice makes a fabulous marinade for pork chops which Mike enjoys (not that I've ever tasted them as I'm vegetarian).