2018 Events – UPDATED JUNE 25TH 2018

As some of you may know, I am challenging myself this year to do events that put me out of my comfort zone, also to fundraise 🙂 Here is a short post with events I am doing this year (This will be edited throughout the year if I take part in additional events) They say exercise is good for chronic pain and mental health, so this is another reason I am doing events this year also 🙂

If you would like links for my fundraising pages, please let me know below and I will provide the link.

Completed Events or Events that I am Booked onto.

RED January 2018 [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – January 2018 [Completed]

MedalMad Mirror Mirror 5k Challange [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – February 2018 [Completed]

MedalMad Run Like a Beast 5K [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – March 2018[Completed]

MedalMad Before Midnight 5k Challenge [Completed]

Kicks count Bunnies for Babies Event 2018 [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – April 2018 [Completed]

April 30th – Joined the Gym [Completed]

MedalMad Once Upon a Run 5k Challenge [Completed]

Runr Miles 4 Mind (25 Miles) – May 2018 [Completed]

10k Great Run Manchester – May 2018 [Unable to Attend due to illness]

Booband Virtual Race – 10k – May 2018 [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – May 2018 [Completed]

5k Race For Life – July 2018

Cardiff Half Marathon – October 2018

Want to Complete But not yet Booked onto (Pending Finances/Ballot Places)

Virgin London Marathon 2019 – Ballot Entry Placed

Race at your pace 25 Miles – July 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – August 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – September 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – October 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – November 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – December 2018

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Fitness Update

TRIGGER WARNING

Please be warned this post will include details about my health journey, including weight loss.

I have been trying to get out and do some exercise including walking and running to build myself up (I will do the London Marathon One Day!!)

I would also like to point out at this point I do see Medical Professionals on a regular basis and my weight loss is monitored – it is also advised by doctors due to my health conditions and in order for me to get certain hospital treatment I have to me the NHS BMI requirements ( do not get me started on my opinions on BMI!!)

But here is my progress:

The fitness scores at the bottom involve using a piece of machinery at the gym I visit to measure certain strengths, I believe the idea is to increase those scores. My goals are to reduce fat % and increase muscle % as well as lose some weight (kg).

Please don’t judge me, I know my weight is very high.

14/05/2018 05/06/2018
Body Composition
Weight (kg) 122 121.85
Fat (%) 45.22 44.04
Muscle (%) 26.6 27.42
Hydration (%) 41.89 42.67
Fitness Test Results
Overall 81 99
Lower Body Strength 1 3
Lower Body Endurance 108 200
Upper Body Strength 150 180
Upper Body Endurance 200 200
Explosive Muscle Power 41 103
Balance 70 104
Speed Ability N/A N/A
Heart Rate Recovery N/A 6

Update on my Running

Hi everyone!!

I have been quiet over the last few days and I do have a reason why.

I am so upset and sad with myself. I feel like I have let myself and several other people down. As you may be aware I was due to be in Manchester today, running my 10k for Mind. On a run a few days ago I felt so unwell and turned the workout into a short walk as I could not physically run (I could barely walk!!) By that afternoon I had seen the Doctor and had been sent straight to the hospital to see the surgical team.

I felt so unwell, but luckily I did not need to stay in hospital (plus they had no beds!!) and I went home in the early hours after waiting there for several hours. I am still not 100% now and am waiting for an emergency scan which will hopefully take place tomorrow. Due to the pain, fever and dizziness along with tachycardia (fast heart rate), it was not a good idea to run a 10k race, as well as travel the distance to take part. So I had to make the decision to not take part on this occasion.

I will still run a 10k to raise awareness for Mind, I am currently waiting to hear if I can take part later in the year at a different event or whether I will be deferred to next year. I am due to run both the 5k and 10k Race for Life runs in the next few months as well as other runs.

“I am not defeated, I am inspired!!”

I had to take some time away as I felt like such a failure, but like everyone else, sometimes we need to be reminded that failing to do something does not necessarily make us a failure – we learn from these events and it allows us to heal and build upon life experience.

So I need to take my own advice and not take the negatives from this experience but turn them into positives.

 

Visiting Manchester Next Week

MCR Bee

I was in Norway in 2011 when a ‘Man’ Decided to launch an attack. I mourned with Norway as a country and a last-minute change of mind and deciding not to take some time off potentially saved my life!!

I was in London on March 22nd 2017 during the Westminster attack ( We were evacuated from St James Palace and the Duke of Edinburgh Presentation was cancelled).

I was not in Manchester during the events of 2017 and after the events in London last year I decided to avoid big cities but why should I?

I will be going to Manchester next week to run for the Charity Mind . I have not been to Manchester before and I do look forward to going, even if it will be short – I’m sure I will visit again when the financial situation (and anxiety) is better.

When reading about the events that occurred almost a year ago, my heart sank. Not only with fear but with grief. We should share love and peace, not hate and war. This is one reason why I decided to run in Manchester, it is over 200 miles away from my home and there are definitely runs closer to me but I felt it would be right for me to experience such a heartfelt moment for me in a strong and vibrant city that I had not been to before. There will be a silence held to remember those lost last year and I feel honoured that I can partake in this silence. I also hope we can visit the Trees of Hope Trail and leave a message for those lost. If you have not heard of this Click Here.

You may only say that it is ‘only a 10k’ it isn’t a marathon, but to me:

  • It is a marathon
  • It will be hard
  • I will struggle
  • There is a chance I will be limping for a while after

and I WILL CRY. Not only because of the atmosphere and the reason for being in Manchester, but for me. Over recent weeks I have wished I had not been born, wished I was dead and my anxiety and depression have gotten so bad I have not been leaving the house. Crossing that finish line will be a triumph for me and my mental health.

It may not be much to you, but it is to me. One step closer to my dream of the london Marathon.

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to be amazing and help me reach my fundraising target then please visit my fundraising page (and remember to tick the giftaid box if you are a tax payer)

My Virgin Money Giving Page for Manchester 10k 2018

2018 Events – UPDATED JUNE 25TH 2018

As some of you may know, I am challenging myself this year to do events that put me out of my comfort zone, also to fundraise 🙂 Here is a short post with events I am doing this year (This will be edited throughout the year if I take part in additional events) They say exercise is good for chronic pain and mental health, so this is another reason I am doing events this year also 🙂

If you would like links for my fundraising pages, please let me know below and I will provide the link.

Completed Events or Events that I am Booked onto.

RED January 2018 [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – January 2018 [Completed]

MedalMad Mirror Mirror 5k Challange [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – February 2018 [Completed]

MedalMad Run Like a Beast 5K [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – March 2018[Completed]

MedalMad Before Midnight 5k Challenge [Completed]

Kicks count Bunnies for Babies Event 2018 [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – April 2018 [Completed]

April 30th – Joined the Gym [Completed]

MedalMad Once Upon a Run 5k Challenge [Completed]

Runr Miles 4 Mind (25 Miles) – May 2018 [Completed]

10k Great Run Manchester – May 2018 [Unable to Attend due to illness]

Booband Virtual Race – 10k – May 2018 [Completed]

Race at your pace 25 Miles – May 2018 [Completed]

5k Race For Life – July 2018

Cardiff Half Marathon – October 2018

Want to Complete But not yet Booked onto (Pending Finances/Ballot Places)

Virgin London Marathon 2019 – Ballot Entry Placed

Race at your pace 25 Miles – July 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – August 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – September 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – October 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – November 2018

Race at your pace 25 Miles – December 2018

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

From the 14th to the 20th of May, Mental Health awareness week is shared across several areas. But the whole month of May is also known as Mental Health Awareness Month.  The idea of an awareness month is to allow people to share time together and talk about mental health, as well as identifying factors that can contribute to negative mental health, such as stress and to find ways to talk about it and find ways to improve the negatives and turn them into positives.

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I am taking part in a virtual event this month with ‘runr’- called ‘Miles For Mind’ to help raise money for Mind and spread the word about mental health.

Mind is a Mental Health Charity with the ultimate goal of ‘support and respect for everyone with a mental health problem’ (Mind). Check out their website to see the amazing work they do!! 

I had a plan for this month to write a letter a day to a person or people who have impacted my own personal health. they are currently in the drafting stage and as of today I am 7 days/letters behind-I will work on that to get them live asap!!

I hope you read them and support my honesty, vulnerability and true experiences.