Back on Track

Hello Fudgey Friends,

How are you all? Yes it is true I really am back writing my blog. Back & with a refreshed look thanks to fantastic Mr Fudgey - though the pinkness is all me!

2011

As many of you know the second half of 2011 was pretty tough for me & my family for a variety of reasons. Mr Fudgey & I took the decision to simply get to the end of 2011 wave the year goodbye & move onto a new year & hopefully happier times. However I shouldn't forget that there were some good times too.
I ran my first marathon......& my second
The medal haul in the photo is just for 2011 = Great Winter Run 5k, Kilomathon 26.2k Race for Life 10k, Edinburgh Marathon & Dublin Marathon & The Santa Run & not forgetting the Meadows half marathon but there was no medal for that one.
Mr Fudgey & I also finally went on honeymoon to Italy & Switzerland & had a fudgeytastic time:-)

2012
So here I am back & certainly happier than I have been in about 6 months. I've gained a few more pounds than I would have liked & haven't really run properly since Dublin at Halloween but January has seen me refind my focus & my determination. We've expanded the Fudgey gym as I bought some kettlebells with Christmas money from my Mum & Dad - Thank you, & I also bought a bench & a swiss ball (not yet inflated though). Mr Fudgey put down some flooring & built the bench which was a marathon workout in itself - Thank you babe. So no excuses now at all. I'm also back on the healthy eating and have lost 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks. I'm feeling so much better.
I've signed up for the Kilomathon on 1st April - but a little gutted that there is no full distance this year so I'm doing the 13.1k - a distance I have never raced but am certainly capable of running and I've also signed up for The Edinburgh Rock & Roll Half Marathon also in April - so training has started already. No Marathons for me this year as I never got a place in the London Marathon but I certainly hope to run another - maybe in 2013.
I also plan this year to raise some money for the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice who took such good care of my Gran & of us.

So that's my plans for this year so far, my plans now for the rest of the evening are to snuggle up with Mr Fudgey, watch a movie & enjoy an options wicked white hot chocolate.

Take care everyone I'll be back soon

lots of love
Fudgey
xxxxx

I DID IT :-D Dublin Marathon 2011

Hello Fudgey Friends,

Just a quick post to let you all know I'm now a 2 time Marathon finisher.
I completed the Dublin Marathon on Monday in 5 hours, 34 minutes & 17 seconds according to Mr Garmin.



I'll be back as soon as I can will a full race review but right now I'm trying to recover a little - it was a really tough day. My IT Band decided to start playing up at around 11 miles so I had run & then run / walk the last 15.5 miles (Garmin says 42.71 km / 26.54 miles) carrying an injury. I also got soaked to the skin in the torrential rain between miles 20 & 24 which I'm sure has developped the existing sore throat I had into a full blown cold.
Giving up was never an option though & I was so happy to receive my medal at the end - I feel I really earned this one.



Thank you to everyone for their Good Luck wishes & Well Done messages - it really means a lot to me.

Take Care Everyone
lots of love
Fudgey xxx

I'm Still Here

Hello Fudgey Friends,

I am so so sorry for the lack of blog action - I can't believe my last post was about 6 weeks ago.

I just wanted to write a quick post & explain my absence & to let yu all know I'm still here & I'm OK.

The last 3 months have been pretty stressful for me and my family.

After the elation of finishing my first marathon in Edinburgh in May, Mr Fudgey & I were surprised but delighted to find out at the end of June that we were pregnant. Heartbreakingly in August we lost our baby. On top of this we received the news that my Gran's cancer was terminal & over August & September we tried to see her as often as we could, though each time knowing it could be the last.
My Gran died about 3 weeks ago and we are all very sad but know she is no longer suffering & that through her illness she was surrounded by people who love her. She inspired so many of us with her strength and her dignity and she will never be forgotten.

I hope you understand why my blog had to take a break during this difficult time. I'm doing good now & it's Thanks to my amazing husband and great family & friends who helped me get through everything.

It hasn't all been bad news, Mr Fudgey & I finally did get to go on our honeymoon & had a brilliant week based at Lake Como, with visits to Bergamo, St Moritz, Lugano & Lake Maggiore.

I started a running challenge on 30th September to run everyday through October & so far have stuck with it. I'm not in the shape I was but I am feeling strong. On Monday I'll be running the Dublin Marathon. It may not be a better time than Edinburgh & I know it's going to hurt afterwards but I will do it, spurred on by the fact that I'm raising money for the miscarriage association. If anyone would like to sponsor me please let me know & I'll send on a link.

I'll let you know as soon as I can after the Marathon how I got on.

I'm not sure what the next challenge will be yet. I'm going to take a little time to rest & recover - but watch this space......

lots of love
Fudgey
xxxxx

Hello Again Blog World

Hi Fudgey Friends,

How is everyone? What have you all been up to?

I apologise for being away for so long it's been a emotionally difficult time for Mr & Mrs Fudgey & our family & we have needed some time to deal with what has been happening & to grieve for a recent loss. I've also needed some time to heal physically as well as emotionally. On top of our immediate personal issues some of you may know that my Gran is very poorly and we are all trying to cope as best we can. I took some time away from blogging as I needed to focus my energy elsewhere and also I don't want to burden others with sadness too. I hope you will all understand.

The good news is though that September has seen me getting back to 'normal' & Dublin Marathon is very much back on the agenda. This is one tough challenge as I only have 7 weeks to get somewhere close to fit, but as many of you know my middle name should be Determined. I CAN DO THIS!

Hopefully regular blogging will return very soon.

Take Care everyone
lots of love
Fudgey xxxx

Time Out

Hello Fudgey Friends,

Sorry to have left you blogless for the last couple of weeks I know I promised to return, but sometimes when life gets in the way we need to take a step back & take some time out. There is a lot going on in Fudgey World right now and mostly I can't write about it - partly because it's too emotional and partly as it's not about me so not for me to blog about.

On top of this work is busy as ever but good and I feel like I've refound my confidence that was lacking this time last year and that I'm making progress.

I think I'm pretty much fully recovered from the yucky virus but Mr Fudgey is still coping with the tail end of it - think we will both be ecstatic when neither one of us is coughing anymore.

I am still training - not as much as I'd like but it's fairly consistent, I'm running, having my weekly PT & trying to do my gym programme once a week. It really helps me deal with all the other not so great stuff that is going on around me.

Hopefully I will get back to some more frequent blogging soon but I'm not going to promise too much - but fingers crossed.

Take Care Everyone
lots of love
Fudgey
xxxxx

Bliss Edinburgh Marathon Festival Team - Well done!

Hello Fudgey Friends,

Remember me? Yes I know I'm sorry it's been a while - nearly 3 weeks to be precise since my last post. As this blog is meant to be about my training & there has been a distinct lack of that recently due to this grotty virus thing I haven't a) had the energy or inclination to post & b) had virtually no training to really talk about.

However the good news is that I am finally finally feeling much more Fudgey. This week I've managed my PT session, 2 short runs & a cycle & hope to fit in my weights programme today :-)

I do have some non training stuff such as couple of days in Glasgow & some foody posts to share & will do so soon - watch this space.





















I wanted to post today though to say an ENORMOUS THANK YOU to everyone for their support & sponsorship for the Edinburgh Marathon. I raised £982.48 so am delighted.
If anyone didn't get round to sponsoring me & would still like to my page is still open for another 3 weeks.
Sponsor Link


I've had an email today from Bliss to say Thank you which prompted this post, as I couldn't have done this without all of you.

"Thank you all so much for sending your funds in for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. I can reveal that the Bliss Edinburgh team has overall raised a truly fantastic:

£11,000

We’re so grateful for all of your incredible hard work fundraising for Bliss and for you all choosing to support our work for special care babies in such an amazing way. Thank you for being part of the team!

Thank you all again so much for your wonderful fundraising. We really couldn't continue our work without the support of fundraisers like you and we are so grateful for all your hard work!

The funds you have all raised will make a real difference to the lives of special care babies and their families- these monies could fund 22 Bliss support groups for a whole year, or go towards funding one of our major research projects, making sure that more tiny babies have the very best start in life. Because of you we will be able to help even more sick and premature babies and support their families, so a huge THANK YOU!"

I'll be back soon - I promise

Take Care all
Lots of Love
Fudgey
xxxx

Finally Feeling Better

Hello Fudgey Friends,

Last week was another almost non existent training week. After Monday's 2 mini runs, I had PT on Tuesday afternoon & then didn't manage anything else all week.

However I pleased to say that today I finally feel much much much better and am hoping to get to the gym this afternoon.

I'm going to take it easy as after nearly 3 weeks of practically nothing I know I can't expect to return to normal immediately but fingers crossed that this will be the start of a return to normality & some form of consistent training.

Will let you know how I get on

lots of love
Fudgey
xxxx