Showing posts with label Mad March Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mad March Marathon. Show all posts

Thursday, 27 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Days 25-26

Day 25

Had a busy day trying to get things together for my sons birthday at the weekend, by the time I had a chance to get on my bike, it was bedtime, so had to do just a cycle to get some miles in!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                         32 km
Walked today -                         0 km
Total cycled/walked -      627.05 km
Left to go -                           681 km


Day 26

Today was much better, as well as taking Squiggle on a very quick trip to the park whilst dodging hailstones, I've managed to do just over 4 hours today and cycled 113 km / 70 miles, so am back on track again!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                       113 km
Walked today -                      1.5 km
Total cycled/walked -      741.55 km
Left to go -                         566.5 km

Monday, 24 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Days 21 - 24

Day 21

Just a quick update for today, I managed to do a quick 13 km in half an hour!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                         13 km
Walked today -                         0 km
Total cycled/walked -      523.05 km
Left to go -                           785 km


Day 22 & 23

Saturday didn't bring any cycling and nor did Sunday - why not - well it was my BIRTHDAY!!! and I for one am not going to exert myself on my birthday now am I?!?!?
On the plus side, I certainly managed to get fit for 35, and have a lot more energy. I've also manage to squeeze into my size 14 jeans, still can't quite fasten them, but hey I can get them on!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                          0 km
Walked today -                         0 km
Total cycled/walked -      523.05 km
Left to go -                           785 km


Day 24

So as the weekend wasn't fulfilled with miles I now need to crack on, catch up and finish my challenge. I've only got a week left to do it in.

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                         72 km
Walked today -                         0 km
Total cycled/walked -      595.05 km
Left to go -                           713 km

so arrrgghhh!! - I've now to do over 100 km a day! - which is at least 4 hours cycling! ouch my poor bottom! But I'm going to do it!



Thursday, 20 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon: Days 19 & 20

Day 19

So yesterday was another nice day, and again I put my bike in the garden to cycle on. Had no embarrassing moments like last week, it was recycling day today so the bins are kept out longer because it takes all day for the council to come and empty the various bins. I hope these little spells of sunshine are practise sessions for Summer, would be lovely to have some nice weather this year, and be able to take Squiddle on days out.
So I did 21.9 km in the morning sunshine and then another 25.56 km in the house!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                    47.46 km
Walked today -                         0 km
Total cycled/walked -      430.05 km
Left to go -                            878 km

Day 20

Today was International Day of Happiness and I spent it with the people who make me happy, Squiddle, my mum and grandma ( not saying that hubby doesn't make me happy but he had to go to work! ) We had a lovely day out at a garden centre and a craft/florist wholesalers, ooh I could have spent a fortune there - will have to return again another day without Squiddle as he just wanted to run around so we didn't get to see half of the stuff!

Anyway, I've managed to fit about 3 hours worth of cycling in today - as I woke in a good mood I did a bit this morning and then again tonight, and have done a whopping 80 km / 49.71 miles!!!!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                         80 km
Walked today -                         0 km
Total cycled/walked -      510.05 km
Left to go -                           798 km

Tuesday, 18 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Days 16 - 18

Oh dear everything's gone to pot this weekend, Squiddle has been feeling poorly, I'm hurting and hubby is just....well being hubby!  Meal Planning Monday has gone out of the window, Squiddle says he just wants bowls of custard and I'm just about managing to eat a sandwich, so there's hardly any planning involve in that, and I'm not designing a menu for one person i.e. hubby!

I have still done a few bits on the old exercise bike but not as much as I'd like, not sure if people want to read about this every day so might just do a couple of updates a week - plus it'll keep those of you who are reading guessing on how I'm doing!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                    31.30 km
Walked today -                         0 km
Total cycled/walked -      382.59 km
Left to go -                       925.46 km

Saturday, 15 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 15

Wow, I'm nearly halfway through the month and have certainly started lagging behind, it's going to be tough going, but I am determined to do it! -  quitters never win and winners never quit, so I am going to persevere with it.

I have been out most of the day in Harrogate at The Great Northern Papercraft Extravaganza and will post separately about this, yet again the GPS failed me, so on record I have only walked 0.52 miles! ( I know I did a lot more than this walking up and down aisles and aisles of craft stalls! )

Any way I've redeemed myself tonight by doing just over 28 miles on the exercise bike in a little over an hour and a half.

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                    45.55 km
Walked today -                    0.84 km
Total cycled/walked -      351.29 km
Left to go -                       956.76 km

Friday, 14 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Days 13 & 14 - mini update

The last 2 days I have been busy stripping the wallpaper off my living room walls. I have been up and down the ladder more times than I can remember! It's certainly good work for toning the bingo wings up, but has been detrimental to my challenge, yet again I've done no cycling for 2 days, I am starting to worry that I will fall so far behind that I might never be able to catch up!

On a plus point I had no car today so I had to walk Squiddle to nursery and back, so I am going to count my walking miles in my challenge - see first post for the rules - plus as its my first ever Mad March Challenge I'll make it up as I go along, so the next time we shall all know the rules!!!

Monthly target -            1308.05 km
Cycled today -                          0 km
Walked today -                  4.35  km
Total cycled/walked -      304.90 km
Left to go -                      1003.15 km

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon: Days 10, 11 & 12

Wow, I cannot believe it's Wednesday already. Where is this week going? I think all this exercise is finally catching me up, all I've done for the last 2 nights is sleep!

Had quite a few miles to cover today to make up for the last few days, and as the day was nice and sunny I decided to put my bike in the garden and peddle away. It seemed a good idea until I remembered it was bin day and then had to suffer the embarrassment of the neighbours looking and giggling at me as they wheeled their wheelie bins back into their own gardens!

Evil Goose is coming!
This afternoon I took Squiddle up to the reservoir to the feed the ducks, all was going well until the Evil Goose came along and started honking at us. There's lots of geese up there but there's only one that flies in and starts making a racket until he is stuffed full.
Now I am scared of geese after an encounter I had when I was a little girl with a flock of them. My mum had taken me to the park to feed the ducks, but we were cornered by at least a dozen geese and attacked and chased by them. It has made both of us petrified of geese ever since, so I had to put on a brave face as I didn't want my fear to come across to Squiddle, he picks up on things too easy and then starts to copy, so the last thing I need is to make him frightened of geese.

After tea, I had another session on the bike, but had to bring it inside because it had gone cold and dark in the garden!
And now I am already tucked up in bed ready to drop off to sleep. Everything hurts tonight, my legs feel rock hard, my shoulders ache but I can nearly get back into my size 14 jeans so will keep chanting the mantra - no pain - no gain!

I have done a total of 3 hours on my bike today and covered 47.28 miles / 76.10 km

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -       76.10 km
Total cycled -        300.55 km
Left to go -          1007.5 km


Sunday, 9 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Days 8 & 9

To start off with I'll just do a quick update about yesterday, I thought I'd set my GPS tracker off  whilst I wandered around the Cake International Show at Event City and try to rack up some miles by foot, unfortunately this was an epic fail as my GPS failed to track me!, so despite being on my feet for well over 5 hours it only tracked the distance from the car to the event hall and back again!

So today I have had to make up the miles on my bike again.
I had a vigorous session this morning clocking up 25.65 km / 15.97 miles in an hour and tonight I've done a further 26.80 km / 16.65 miles in an hour.

Pleasantly on the weight side of things since starting this last Saturday I've lost 4lbs and 2cm off my waist, hips and boobs! My tight fitting jeans are fitting a lot better today but best off all on the BMI chart I'm no longer classed as obese - I'm just overweight now!

Property of No One's Homer
After my illness!
My weight has always been a bother to me, I was an active child but during a short stay in hospital I was spoiled by milkshakes and chocolate and soon became hooked on them. My weight went up and down over the years till I eventually ballooned to a whopping 18 stone when I was pregnant. ( I only actually gained 5lbs during my pregnancy! )  I then lost over 10 stone through being ill with pancreatitis and could stand in one leg of my old jeans!

 I was put on a high calorie diet to try and gain some weight back and it worked but over the last 3 years I have gained more than I needed to and actually ended up being classed as obese again! My mission is to try and change my eating habits and cut out the high calorie eating and start exercising again. ( Even though I was extremely overweight I was always active ) I have a couple of apps on my phone which are helping me to record my calorie intake and this challenge is helping me kick-start the exercise regime. It's all going in the right direction for me to be fit for 35!


Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -        52.45 km
Total cycled -        224.45 km
Left to go -          1083.60 km

Friday, 7 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 7 ( a micro blog of somesorts )

Just a very quick post because today was another non starter. I spent the morning at playgroup with Squiggle and whilst tidying the toys away I bent over and something twinged behind my scar, so I didn't fancy aggravating things by peddling too hard.

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -                0 km
Total cycled -        172.00 km
Left to go -          1136.05 km

Thursday, 6 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 6

Just a short update today, as I'm off out for a curry for my tea!
Spent today playing with Squiggle so not much time for peddling and I doubt I'll be doing much when I get home so I'm going to call it a day.
Did 22.10 km / 13.73 miles today in 50 minutes.

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -         22.10 km
Total cycled -        172.00 km
Left to go -          1136.05 km

Wednesday, 5 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 5

Had a quiet day at home today, Squiggle was certainly full of beans this morning but he has been asleep all afternoon, I think he must be going through a growing phase. All he does these days is eat and sleep ( must be getting practice for when he is a teenager! ) So today has been perfect for me to get back on my exercise bike, catch up on my peddling and also on one or two programmes that I had recorded.

So today I have done 46.30 km / 28.77 miles in just over 2 hours, not bad. Even though I've only been at this for 5 days ( or 4 if you count yesterdays non effort ) my jeans did feel a bit looser today. I'm eager to weigh and measure myself but don't want to until I've done a week. I've been obsessed in the past weighing myself every day and it's not a good idea at all because weight differs every day so one day you could be up and the other be down.

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -         46.30 km
Total cycled -        149.90 km
Left to go -          1158.15 km

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 4

Not one to shy away away from mistakes or failures, I'll hold my hand up and admit to doing to naff all today! I had a slow wander round town this morning, bought a bacon butty and a hot chocolate and retired back home to my settee where I sat and watched TV whilst contemplating where to start with packing up my living room. I want to get it decorated before my birthday, I've lived in this house for 8 and a half years and the only thing I've done in this room is change the curtains! so it's about time it got decorated.

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -         0.00 km
Total cycled -        103.60 km
Left to go -          1204.45 km

Must try harder and will do better tomorrow!

Monday, 3 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 3 - card making & hospital visit

Well 3 days in and I'm already falling behind! Not wanting to make excuses but it was my last visit to the hospital to see my surgeon and I really wanted to make a thank you card for him, which took up most of the day, because it had to be just right! I made him a cut out card, to thank him for doing my surgery by keyhole, it really made him laugh!

Aww sweet!, but appearances can be deceiving,

The inside isn't as cute!
So for those of you curious what the inside is all about, that is a gallbladder peeping out from behind the hole! I had a lot of problems from my pancreatitis surgery and my surgeon said he couldn't guarantee keyhole but would try his best, and try his best he did, so I had to make him this!

Anyway back on with the challenge, only managed to cycle 24 km / 14.91 miles, tonight, but I did this in 1 hour and 1 minute. Will be back on track tomorrow as

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -         24.00 km
Total cycled -        103.60 km
Left to go -          1204.45 km

Sunday, 2 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 2

After yesterdays effort I was really looking forward to going to bed and falling fast asleep. I could feel my eyes drooping as I wrote last night's blog. I got settled into bed and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. Unfortunately it didn't last long as I was woken by Squiggle crying because he had been sick in the night. So thanks to the 4 am wake up call and struggle to get back to sleep afterwards, myself and Mr H have been walking around like zombies.

That said, I did make an effort to get back on my bike, in fact I made quite a few efforts, each attempt was interrupted by someone wanting something or other, but finally after getting Squiggle to bed tonight I've had a good peddling session - not as good as yesterday, but still enough to feel proud of myself.

So today's outcome is 35.50 km / 22.12 miles in 1 hour 35 mins and a bit of a sore bottom! - I think I might need to invest in a cushioned saddle because mine is just not comfy!

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -         35.50 km
Total cycled -          79.60 km
Left to go -         1228.45 km

Saturday, 1 March 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge: Day 1

OK, so I woke up this morning bright and early at 7.30 am and promptly went back to sleep!

After a fun filled family day I finally got home and dusted off the exercise bike ready to begin my challenge.
I checked my weight and vital statistics*, put my favourite programme on the telly and then set off peddling.

I was so busy watching the TV I hardly paid any attention to what I was doing and managed to cycle 44.10 km ( 27.402 miles )** in 2 hours 12 mins 32 secs. - yay go me!

Monthly target - 1308.05 km
Cycled today -         44.10 km
Total cycled -           44.10 km
Left to go -          1263.95 km

*I am keeping my vitals a secret at the moment, depending on how well I do I might share them with you later in the month!
** My total calculations are in km because that is what my bike registers, but I will post the miles and km cycled in my main write up.

Friday, 28 February 2014

My Mad March Marathon Challenge

OK, so last June I took part in Juneathon, a fitness challenge where you jogged, logged and blogged every day for the month of June. The challenge also ran in January under the name of Janathon, unfortunately I wasn't able to take part due to my operation, so in order to make up for this I have decided to do a challenge of my own and call it Mad March Marathon.

Entering the spirit of the aforementioned challenge my aim is to cover 26 miles a day by foot or bike, log my miles, and blog about what I've done.

My ulterior motive behind doing this is to get fit for 35, which I will be in 23 days.

So tomorrow morning, I will weigh and measure myself, get my exercise bike out and attempt to cover 26 miles a day on it. Allowing for the possibility of getting saddle sore, I will take into account any miles I've walked and if I can do more on one day to have a rest on the next then I'll allow that too - my challenge - my rules right?

So as my bike only works in km let's do some maths,

marathon = 26 miles 385 yards = 42.195 km
31 days in March = 31 x 42.195 km = 1308.045 km , ( might as well make it 1308.05 km )

Best get to bed then, I've got a lot of peddling to do tomorrow!