Tag: life

All Change

I am determined that I am going to keep up the blogging habit – even if it’s a bit old hat now and everyone has moved over to Tictok or whatever.

The origins of this blog came out of heartache and change- this year has had a portion of that and it’s been a reminder of what it can be like to be in a relationship (the utter calmness was next level). It also coincided with a bigger change in that I bought a house and was in process of moving in when I was dating.

Flying solo in my late 30s and I think I have managed to make this house a home. This doesn’t mean to say that I wish to stay forever singe – see previous comment!

With all the change, it’s been a bit of an odd year but I do feel more settled. Somethings are easier now I have my own space and coupled with the summer holidays and less tutoring, I have actually had time to do things I enjoy. It all kicks off again in September but we’ll worry about that when we get there.

I have found a routine, work is currently settled – though in the process of applying for another role (promotion would be nice). I have a swim routine and did Coniston End to End again but not as quickly as I know I am able to… Things are good and I am feeling grateful.

On the up coming to do list:

This week – back into swim/training routine. Last week went to pot as I was dog sitting. Work will be mixed as colleague is off all week and no idea who else will/won’t be in. Tutoring will be quiet. General life happenings. Lakes on Sunday for 1500m swim event in Windermere – should be a laugh but think I’m going to day trip it.

Longer term – few odds and sods to sort in the house, continue training, plan what September is going to look like (check diary!), try to blog and hopefully review some of the research I started during Covid on women’s time trialing and cycling. Before someone else writes the book! Oh and to stop buying bedding.

Trying to read more too. Ned Boulting’s recent book has been finished, managed to sneak in another book but I also have about 3 copies of Rouleur to catch up on. I think I could retire and still be busy!

Long time no blog

What’s been going on?! I’ve not blogged for a while – time to get back on it!

So it has been a LONG time since I wrote. Life has been busy. I was going to cancel my WordPress subscription and let the website go but then a couple of months ago the payment went out (misjudged that!). Thought I should maybe start blogging again? I’ve been keeping a diary again – that’s what heartbreak does to you! And it’s been a good reminder that I actually enjoy writing. Sixteen year old me would be having a field day at this….

So much has happened in the last year – can’t even remember the last time I put out a blog post? Definitely not the year!

I’ve bought a house! Admittedly with the help of Bank of Mum and Dad.

I’ve done the End to End Swim at Coniston again – honestly really should have blogged that whole experience after 4/5 years away from marathon swimming.

I’ve had a whirlwind romance – and well, still licking wounds and explains the dairy keeping. I appear to only write/keep a diary when I’m heartbroken or life is Not Good. Right bloke + wrong time = wrong relationship. Might write about it and my reflections. Might not.

So, it has been a long time since I wrote. Life is slowing settling into a routine, although summer holidays disrupt this in a good way, and hopefully I can find some time to share my ramblings with the world.

Next on the list – Epic Swim Windermere – 1500m thought- nothing mad!

Waving goodbye to Summer

Well it has been a rather mediocre summer really – the highlight being the two trips abroad cycling. Summer was late arriving and I feel I have wasted it a bit but on the plus side, I appear to be out of the funk I’ve been in for the last year or two.

I think a combination of factors has helped. I feel and am fitter than I have been for a while. More cycling will do that to you! A PB on the deadlift, my swim mojo coming back to life (slowly but surely….) and just generally being more active has lead me to actually ‘doing more’.

It’s been a long time coming. So in celebration of this new found enthusiasm for life – I’ve signed up to swim Coniston End to End again….

And apply for a new job.

I dislike winter and not enjoying the nights closing in, however hopefully there is enough enthusiasm to get me through to next spring…

Right – back to it

It’s been a while, and since a payment to WordPress has recently gone out of my account, I really should get back into writing a bit!

It’s been an odd 18 months really. I think i had over done the swimming and have barely swam in the last couple of years. Running has been a bit hit and miss. I’ve been cycling around the Netherlands too (I need to write a blog on this!).

Things are generally on the up though, in the general scheme of things. Work has settled into a routine and one of my Y11s has finished, finding some kind of balance is getting there and starting ‘Operation Buy a House’ has given me a new focus.

Fitness wise – I’m just trying to get plates spinning again but yesterday one of my mates and I did parkrun and considering i havent run for 4 weeks – I hadnt lost too much fitness but my calves are feeling it! I managed to swim twice last week and my sister has bought a bike. I’ll take these as wins.

Roll on summer (when it does actually arrive – maybe this week?!).

2023 and all that jazz

Well, 2023 was a bit of a wash out. It ended very much as it started – with the only real changes being I’m less fit, I currently only owe £31.32 on my credit card (supermarket shop) and I changed my job.

Hopefully 2024 will be a bit more productive.

I might even start blogging again! Pahahah

First things first, back to work, a velodrome trip and a trip north.

Things I Learnt at Last Friday’s Race

  • My hip/groin strain is still not right – 5k running and my hip goes no.
  • Swimming is easier.
  • I am not quite as unfit as I thought I was considering time off running (again).
  • Curry is NOT an ideal race fuel, even korma. At one point I felt a bit sick from pushing so hard – the thought of being sick after curry for tea wasn’t great.
  • Runners are chatty pre-race. Went on my own, found people to talk to. Even spotted people I knew at the end and had a good catch up.
  • But racing when friends are racing is a bit more enjoyable overall.
  • Running 10k in nearly new, no drop trainers wasn’t my best idea really. More practice needed. Calves feeling it.
  • Socks that worked great in my Speedcross, do not work in my new Altras. I do have a great pair that do work with the altras though.
  • Club run/organised 10k races are some of the best races.
  • That particular trail race is one of my favourites.
  • Week day evening races in summer free up the weekend!
  • Running is less faffy than cycling but still not as fun (to be honest – this is NOT something I learnt last night – more it was reinforced).
  • I like NOT getting a t-shirt at the end – medal is a bit take or leave but nice momento.
  • Races never have enough toilets.
  • Cycling is more fun.

So even after many years of running/races, there is always something to learn!

After a long respite….

About a week ago I got a notification that my hosting and web domain needed renewing – which has, it part, prompted me to write again. I have been reflecting.

I’ve wanted to write but equally not wanted to write as well but life has a funny way of getting in the way of things.

I’ve already mentioned it to a few friends, but in all honest, I suspect I have spent the last 18 months with a mild, low level kind of depression. Just going through the motions, knowing I should be looking forward to something and being excited while at the same time not actually feeling anything, almost flatlining emotionally through life. It’s taken me a long time to actually realise and properly notice it too and it’s only looking back, and the fact that I am feeling more excited about things that I know something was amiss.

I’m not going to compare it to the level of depression that I know some people have to deal with. It’s been a low lying, sitting in the background for me, that i suspect has been brought on partly from longer last impact of covid and shift of routine as a result and but from also working too hard and trying to do too much.

Anyway, coupled with a new job, and a determination NOT to over work myself – I have purposely not booked in lots of races, cut back on training for a bit and generally cut down on trying to write ‘to do’ lists I feel like I might be coming out the otherside. I’ve also done things I fancy, and not done things I don’t want to and refused point blank to feel guilty about it. I suspect I have been demanding too much of myself and trying to fit too much in.

I have spent the last two weekends away and this weekend just gone I actually felt a bit excited for – and I am actually genuinely starting to feel excite again about things. This bodes well.

I’m looking at races again – and with my Y11s going, and starting to find a routine with the new job -well. Things are looking much more rosy than they have for a while.

May normal(ish) service commence.

The ‘Perfect’ man…

So I am dabbling a little bit again on Ye Olde Dating Apps again (possibly not too seriously and wondering if that’s key?!). It’s not that I’m unhappy single – I love being single and the thought of being coupled up again at some point is a little unnerving – especially as I don’t fancy making same mistakes as before. This, coupled with being at a close friends wedding yesterday, had me thinking about ‘the perfect man’. Nowt quite like a wedding to trigger such thoughts I suppose!

It’s a thought process I’ve had before. I have a close bunch of mates I adore. They know it (or should) and are essentially my Tri wives/husbands. They are all quite different but I love them, even when we are doing each others heads in. Thinking more particularly about the menfolk (Tri husbands haha) in my life – the ‘perfect’ man is basically the best of each of them – like a bit of each them. I suppose the ‘right’ bloke for me is someone who would have an element of each to some extent maybe?

Or maybe I’ve just struck gold with my circle of friends?

Lost Mojo

It’s January since I last wrote anything. Simply because I have/had lost complete mojo for most things. It’s been a bit of an odd eight months really – and not in a good way. General lack of energy or enthusiasm for anything really and I am sure there are numerous factors, some symptoms of mild depression in there too I think but that’s by the by. Things feel marginally better than they did and I want to actually train and do stuff. I feel more like me than I have for a while. Somethings still aren’t right but it’s going in the right direction. I took the decision to try not to be too hard on myself and just ride it out but it has been frustrating.

Trying to train consistently or even wanting to train has been lacking. I managed to lighten some of my workload (partly) and lighter nights are definitely helping. The fact I am writing this now is a positive sign that things are possibly getting better. Hopefully… we will see.

I just have to stop procrastinating.

Apparently I am running tomorrow. Might even swim too.

Famous. Last. Words.

Life getting in the way!

Not that I am complaining at all!

Twitter reminded me it was my 3 year anniversary for my Twitter account linked to this blog. I’ve been meaning to write for ages and I have really missed it.

The 3 years thing coincides with how this blog originated – dealing with a break up and concentrating on me. The problem now isn’t the heartbreak or even the issue of dating. It has almost gone to another extreme. I am so busy doing ‘stuff’ and working that things I enjoy have, to an extent, fallen by the wayside. With changes in lockdown rules and other bits and pieces, life has really kicked off at full pelt again meaning I am busier than ever and not all of it is fun!

Hopefully the summer holidays will see a temporary pause in the workload and a return to fun! Starting with a trip to Norfolk and the small matter of a 70.3 in relay! (and no – I am not doing the swim leg!).