Saturday, December 10, 2011

Finding My Way Out of The Maze

What a week! It's hard to know where to start but this week has felt like the tide has turned. It's like I've been walking through a maze for years and I've finally found the exit. I have had such a dramatic turn around in my health - not that I was sick per se, I just felt tired all the time. I felt tired when I woke up. Tired after I exercised. Tried after I had lunch (and sometimes I had a little lie down in my workroom). By late afternoon I had picked up but after dinner I was tired again and when it came to bed time I found it hard to sleep and woke up a few times during the night.

It didn't seem to matter if I exercised or not. I had a week off after the Melbourne half and felt just as bad the following week. So I didn't give up exercising. But adding the strength training to my schedule plus (and I think this has helped the most) changing my diet to increase my protein intake seems to have made me a new woman. I am sleeping better. I'm running better. I'm not dragging through the day. I haven't felt the need to nap in my workroom for a few weeks. And I'm feeling so positive about next year. The only thing I'm not totally thrilled with is that I've put on a little weight but I have to remind myself that the whole purpose of what I'm doing is to increase muscle and you can't do that without gaining weight.

After Melbourne I'd almost decided to take a year off racing. Not that I really count any of the events I ran in this year as races. I felt like a participant not a competitor. I ran two 5ks, one ten k and 3 half marathons. I wanted to do more but my body just kept holding me back and I can't tell you how frustrating that was. Most frustrating, though, was after races with the group when everyone was sharing their triumphs and I just didn't want to tell them my time. And knowing I'm training as hard and as much as I can without making any improvements was doing my head in if I thought about it too much.

So it's nice to know that I'm still going to get a lot of enjoyment out of my running and if this improvement continues, who knows what's ahead in 2012?!

Feeling so good wasn't the only thing that's made me feel so happy this week. It's been a series of surprises. I received flowers from the girl I'd made cakes for. I NEVER get flowers so that made me feel so important.



Then I got a phone call from my phone provider telling me that I'd been a really good customer (ie paid my bills?) and would I like the new iPhone 4S for free? Hell, yeah!

I found out that I won a blogger give-away. And I got all bar one on my Christmas to-buy-for list ticked off. In JUST ONE WEEK.

I finished three leotards and got a fourth well under way.



And today I filled my pantry with these yummy little morsels.



Triple Choc Chip Cookies


Hearts Of Gold Cupcakes (Caramel mud cake with a centre of gooey caramel)

I must say the new iPhone's camera is way superior to the last one's. (Note how well I stacked the dish drainer in the background. It takes superior talent and years of practice to fit that much stuff in the drainer without having a disaster.)

12 comments:

  1. What a beautiful photo of those yummy little morsels! I wouldeat those morsels as pre-race breakfast or the night before the race :)

    I'm glad you're feeling better, Char! Of course, you can't increase your strenght without putting on a little weight.

    Enjoy your runs!

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  2. I'm excited for you that you are feeling so much better! 2012 will be a great year!

    Those cupcakes look too amazing for words. I need some of those right now please!!

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  3. Happy to hear you are doing so well while drooling over your yummy creations.
    Muscle weight is good for ya.
    It looks like your are going to have awesome 2012!

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  4. First--the new layout of your blog looks fantastic!

    And I am so glad you are feeling good and energized..that comes through the words quite clearly. And how great about the iphone! It does take nice pics if those were taken by that. My regular iphone 4 takes awful pics.

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  5. Great post! Beautiful flowers, such a treat. The morsels look delicious - your posts so often send me to the kitchen to bake or eat! The cupcakes make me puckish :-)
    Best for 2012!

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  6. Oh great. Your blog is once again interfering with my diet. I know you are laughing right now...

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  7. Jamoosh it was less of a laugh and more of a snigger.

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  8. You had quite a week! Yeah! I have all your tiredness right now! I'm ready to pass it on!

    Love the looks of those desserts and the flowers are gorgeous!

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  9. I love this post - it's great to hear that you are feeling well and really enjoying life. I love the new layout too - I can always find the best looking cakes on your blog.

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  10. I'm impressed with the dish drainer! Glad you are feeling so much better and had such a great week. Those cupcakes look & sound DELECTABLE!

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  11. Hooray for feeling better Char! I hope protein is the key for you.
    Those morsels look divine and those flowers are beautiful. Glad she appreciated that cake!

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  12. Love the look of your blog! Such good and positive news all round, awesome! I will post the peeing on the leopard story soon.

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Thanks for taking the time to comment. I love hearing from you.