Thank you

To all my fabulously fudgey friends, family and followers,

I am often asked how I manage to pack so much in, a full time job, a home and family and train for a marathon, blog and all the other bits and bobs I get up to. Honestly sometimes I ask myself that very same question. But the reality is that I couldn't do it alone.

I am so blessed to ge surrounded by people who love, support and encourage me.

Yes that's you guys. Hubby, both Mums and Dads, Sister, Brother and Sister in law, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, good friends and my lovely team and other work colleagues. And some people who sadly are no longer here but inspire me so much.

Special mention to poor long suffering Mr Fudgey, he really is a star. 'Bullying' me out of the door when I procrastinate, patiently hanging around at running events, going to the running shop in his lunch hour to buy energy gels for my long runs. Taking photos, wiping my tears, celebrating my achievements and so much more.

We are also very fortunate to have Granny and Papa who Miss Bug adores - they do so much for us and I really hope they know just how much we appreciate them.

Thank you each and everyone of you I couldn't do it without you

Lots of love

Fudgey xxxx

Official Marathon Training Week 10

Hello Fudgey friends

How are you all?

Just a quick post tonight, per my week 9 post not much running action in week 10.....but I did get a long run in..........

16.28 miles 

Marathon training well and truly back on track. 

It was slow but everything felt good, my stomach even behaved. My calves started to seize  when I came in but an ice bath and my compression leggings soon eased that.

Today feeling really good....certainly not like I ran 16 miles....and it has done my spirit the world of good too :-)

Running conditioning class at lunchtime today should help stretch out all those worked muscles and a nice soak in a dead sea bath tonight = bliss.

I have the Great Edinburgh Run this weekend....10 miles....and very excited for Little Miss Bug to come spectate and cheer.

That's all from me for now. Have a great week everyone

Lots of love

Fudgey xxxx

Official Marathon Training Week 9

Hello all

Hope you are all having a lovely Friday evening and are looking forward to the weekend.

Life has kind of overtaken me again and I find myself playing catch up. This week is week 10 but I haven't written a week 9 post. I seem to have completely lost control this week....back to work and still catching up from 17 days off, my stomach is playing up again making me pretty miserable, I haven't run this week, I've done no laundry, not started my Asda shop, no blogging and still no half marathon race report and this doesn't sit well with me.

So here is last weeks update. Running wise I had an amazing week, my first 30 mile week since 2011....last time I was marathon training 

Monday...It was wet wild and windy here but I managed a bracing 3.22 miles

Tuesday...took the wee one to Bookbug in the morning at the library which she loved now she is big enough to join in all the words and actions of the nursery ryhmes. Time to fit in a quick 30 minutes 2.61 miles after dropping Bug at nursery and before getting my hair cut in the afternoon.

Wednesday.... A rest day! Trip to the shops in the morning, post office and bank. Laundry, cleaning in the kitchen and gutted the ensuite.

Thursday.....an amazing 11.06 miles.... Feel like training back on track

Friday...another rest day

Saturday ....a lung busting 3.51 miles....ran faster than I have all of March....it was also hot and sunny :-)

Sunday....another 10.07 miles....this was a total slog, really struggled but job done.

This week saw the end of March so I totalled my monthly mileage....43.63 miles for March....down on Jan and Feb but long runs getting longer.

Unfortunately week 10 hasn't been as great running wise but I will get a long run in this weekend.

I am slowly regaining control, have cleared my 500+ emails at work and hope to be back on track with everything next week. Darks load washed tonight and in dryer, whites loaded in machine and will get my wee laundry assistant to put on in the morning. Fruit and vegetables cleared out of Fridge and drawers washed, Asda shop booked and half done, and this blog post written.

Time to head upstairs and get the swimming kit ready for tomorrow and then into bed....hopefully for a lie in beyond 6am

Take Care everyone 

Lots of love

Fudgey xxxx

Official Marathon Training Week 8

Hello again everyone

Well no blog action for over 3 weeks and then 2 posts in less than 24 hours! 

I have also been getting organised to write my race report from the half marathon by getting the photos  sorted out so I will hopefully get that written soon too.

So this is my official marathon training for week 8, this is last week, the week beginning 23rd March, not where I hoped I would be, but slowly returning to running from illness and better than no running

First full week of my time of work and looking forward to spending some time with Bug and had a plan for lots of running amongst other things.

Monday - I still felt rubbish so phoned for a doctor's appointment to be told no appointments till 7th April! Unless it was an emergency...so I explained that I didn't think it was but that that I also couldn't wait over 2 weeks, thankfully the nurse practitioner called me back and saw me later that morning and prescribed an antibiotic that seems to have sorted me out :-)

 

Managed to get a lot scored off my to do list, called the hairdresser and rearranged my hair appointment from when I was ill, called the joiner and arranged for him to come and get a few things done. Moo got a good scrub after being run over by the buggy on Sunday unfortunately though no sooner was Moo clean but Moo 2 suffered the same fate and needs a bath. I handed in Bug's Giant Wiggle sponsor money at the nursery and spoke to the manager about her funded place. I also bought, wrote and posted some birthday cards and gifts. I also got a few chores like laundry etc done so a very productive day, though no running.

Tuesday - less productive and we just stayed home in the morning. I indulged in a sneaky afternoon nap once Bug was dropped at nursery.

Wednesday - WOO HOO first run in 17 days, aspired for 2 miles, felt good so revised goal to 3 miles, still feeling good......5.1 miles done....very very happy.

 

Thursday - Pru health vitality health check in Edinburgh at 10.20am so a quick 1.56 miles before heading into town. Health check mostly good, great blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol but the negative...being overweight....well not anything I wasn't expecting and know that I need to get back on track with my weight loss too. 

Lovely lunch with Lyndsey Esland at All Bar One, some shopping and got my glasses adjusted at Boots before heading home.  Running kit on and ran another 2.05 miles to nursery to pick up the little lady, but bus back home.

Friday - Mr Fudgey had a day off and it was lovely for us all to spend the day at home together.

Saturday...A visit to the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh meeting up with my amazing sister and Bug's 3 big cousins. A fabulous day was had by all and we will definitely be taking Bug again

Sunday - another run :-) 3.48 miles

So 4 small runs in week 8, as I said not where I would hope to be but hoping to increase it over the next few weeks....watch this space.

Take Care everyone and I will post again soon

Love

Fudgey xxx

Official Marathon Training Weeks 6 & 7

Hello all

How are you all?

Firstly an apology, i didn't intend to leave it so long to post after the half marathon and I haven't forgotten that I have a race report to write, please bear wirh me and I will try to get back on track.

Week 6 & 7 involved no running, not a single step :-(

No gym either for weeks :-(

After the half marathon I was pretty tired an planned to take a couple of days to recover and then get back on with marathon training maybe on the Wednesday or Thursday....

Wednesday night .....sore stomach getting increasingly worse so went off to bed....

4am up being violently sick....

Got up at 6am, got ready for work, got wee one ready for nursery....sick on attempting to leave house....

So a day in bed being sick right through till the afternoon.

Decided on the Friday to go into work around lunchtime as had lots to do, maybe not one of my brightest ideas....felt rotten

Managed the wee one's swimming lesson on Saturday morning but spent the afternoon back in bed with a sore stomach

So feeling pretty miserable no running in week 6

Week 7 and Monday saw me off to London for work, my hotel was right beside Hyde Park and I packed my kit hoping to run round The Serpentine before breakfast and my day at TSAM Congress and Expo, but sadly it was not to be. I still felt rubbish and though I managed to eat with a colleague on Monday evening I was in my room and tucked up by 9.30pm.

The congress and expo on Tuesday was interesting and I made some good connections with some of our vendors, it was a long day though and I was very careful about what I ate and drank as my stomach was still not happy. Unfortunately I also received a message from hubby that he had started being sick too. Straight from the event to the airport and home. Hubby was still off Wednesday too, and I was still not back to 100%.

Thursday was my last day in the office for 17 days.

Friday my first day off and a trip into Edinburgh 

Saturday a visit from my Uncle Kenneth and he got to meet Miss Bug, she loved him

Unfortunately I still wasn't feeling great and still no running :-( but being sensible and napping at the same time as the wee munchkin.

Good news is that I am now back running and week 8 does include some running. Not panicking yet about the marathon.

I will be back soon with a week 8 post and I will get a race report done as soon as possible 

Take care all

Love

Fudgey xxx

Official Marathon Training Week 5

Hello lovely people

How are you all?

I apologise in advance if this is a bit of a random rambling post. I haven't been feeling at my best and incredibly tired so please bear with me.

So it occurred to me that it's now March - where is this year going? So I decided to look back at my February mileage and after 62 miles in January was delighted to see I had logged 68 miles for February and some pretty decent consistent running :-)

Now onto March.....

So I never actually ran last week apart from the half marathon on Sunday. I had planned to but circumstances just conspired against me.

Monday - lunchtime running conditioning class. 

Heading home in the evening and just about to get off the bus when the snow started....from clear to this in 2 minutes

So I was very excited to run up the hill and get my footprints first in the virgin snow

Tuesday morning I had planned to have a short run pre work but this is what we woke up to

If it hadn't been for the half marathon on Sunday I would still have run but no way was I risking any mishaps

Lovely sky on way to work

Not the best prep pre half marathon, Friday night Miss Bug was sick all over her cot then all over me and then Saturday I had a terrible headache that I couldn't clear and had to go to bed in the afternoon when Miss Bug was sleeping too, though she was unsettled too and ended up cuddled in with me.

Sunday = Meadows half marathon = @&#%€$#% hard! A personal worst for me....But I did it :-)

I am going to write a race report asap.

But that is where I am leaving you for tonight, apart from a wee photo of Miss Bug, especially for my followers who haven't seen how grown up she is getting. 

So goodnight all, take care and I will be back soon

Lots of love

Bug's Mum xxxx

Official Marathon Training Week 4

Hello Fudgey Friends,

How are you all? Who has snow? I can't believe it is March! It's been pretty cold here all week, but also mostly bright & sunny.

It has been a mixed week of training for me with ups & downs.

Monday - Running conditioning class at lunchtime. These classes have been organised through my work with a company called Total Health I am very lucky that I work somewhere where we have these kind of opportunities and I have been fortunate to take part in a number of different classes and workshops through a programme that my company runs called Fit for the Future. At the moment there is a running conditioning class on a Monday lunchtime which is absolutely perfect in conjunction with my marathon training & great on the back of a long run over the weekend.

Tuesday - I had hoped to get in my long run early this week, but really wasn't feeling great, I have had a very sore tummy on & off all week. Initially I thought it was stress, then I was concerned it was a recurrence of my diverticulitis but I think it has simply been a wee tummy bug as Mr Fudgey also felt pretty bleugh on Saturday evening.  So no running on Tuesday :-(

Wednesday - Decided I'd attempt my run pre work & managed 7.23 miles but I really wasn't in the right head space, my tummy was not happy with me, it was very icy underfoot and I felt constrained for time so cut it short at just over 7 miles - not a bad effort though. A view of part of my route especially for Liz...more scenic ones next week hopefully :-)
Feeling much better and energised as the day went on I decided that I would also run part of the way home. I opted to get the bus part of the way & then get off about 4 miles from home....a big mental hurdle as it would have been so easy to just stay on the bus, especially as it was starting to get dark, cold & a bit rainy, but I did it & ran 4.04 miles home much to Mr Fudgey's surprise when he stepped of the bus to see me running past up the hill. The run home was better than the morning & on average 24 seconds faster per mile....such a data geek! Delighted with a total of 11.27 miles for the day & my first double run session since the arrival of Miss Bug.

Thursday - quite rightly a rest day.

Friday -  I had a lovely days holiday from work & took Miss Bug into Edinburgh, we started with a visit to Bannatynes for a swim & Miss Bug loved splashing and checking out the facilities including the lockers. She had so much fun that she had a power nap on the way to Marks & Spencer  so I managed to get something to eat & drink without sharing. We then visited my work & Miss Bug shared her Peppa Pig cakes. She also paid special visits to Maggie, pretending she was shy!, Eileen & Jackie - Thank you Jackie for the chocolate & the pennies. Then we went along to Daddy Bug's work & picked him up for cake & coffee at Debenhams. The highlight at Debenhams was going down the escalator with Daddy Bug while I took the buggy in the lift. Home & an afternoon nap for both of us. My stomach was really sore in the evening & I ended up having to go to bed.




Saturday - I really didn't feel great & was gutted as I had hoped to do 11 to 13 miles but I knew that physically it wasn't the right thing to do, even though mentally I was prepared. We took Miss Bug to her weekly swimming class & then to visit Granny & Papa. When we came home & she had her afternoon sleep so did I. Unfortunately when we got up Daddy Bug was feeling poorly so he had to lie down too.

Sunday  - feeling much better but not 100% I didn't want to venture too far from home so decided I'd go for a treadmill session & could do as much or as little as I liked. Absolutely astounded myself 12.49 miles and I never walked or stopped once, feeling immensely proud. I find running on the treadmill so much tougher than running outside and I'd opt for outdoors at any chance I can, but it's a useful training tool especially have the little one & living in Scotland. It means I have no excuses what so ever. I think the new running music hubby bought me really helped - Thank you. I only ever listen to music when running on the treadmill, never outdoors for safety reasons but also I have learned to love the awareness of my breathing & feet on the ground and the clearing of my mind.

So somehow I managed to rescue week 4, still mange 3 runs, log 23.76 miles - pretty good effort in my opinion.

Lighter training week for week 5 as I have a half marathon at the end of the week....Eeeek :-$

Have a great week all

Lots of love
Bug's Mum