What to read?

I'm turning to you, the imaginary people that live in my computer, for some help.

I love to read but since I came back to England I've hardly turned a page (or clicked the > button on my kindle). I'm hoping you can help me find something to change that.

To be a little bit more specific, I'm not one for soppy romances or very girly books that are about gossip or shopping (or whatever it is that girly books are about). Similarly though I'm not into very blokey books (I'm stereotyping here!) like war stuff. I'm not great at things that are set too far back in history (sorry if that's not very cultured of me but it's just not my type of thing!). Enough of what I don't like, what I do like are crime, mystery and courtroom dramas. I've enjoyed a lot of books by Michael Connelly and I also really liked the Stieg Larrson Millennium Trilogy as I could hardly put those books down!

So I'm looking for some inspiration to start reading again in the form of an exciting, gripping book! Please help and leave a comment with any recommendations you have of books and/or authors

Thank you

mmmm shopping and running....

I'm a sucker for shopping and running stuff so a couple of weeks ago I got to mix the two and treat myself. I was looking for something to wear in these months where it's too chilly for shorts and a t-shirt but it's not cold enough to break out the thermals! One of the items I've bought has really surprised me! It is the Nike Element Half-Zip Women's running top:

The main reason I bought it was because it felt like a really big hug the first time I touched it and I knew that it would feel great to wear either during or after a run. It's fitted to be flattering but is not tight, it has lovely long arms with thumb holes to keep you extra warm and it's made of Nike Dri-FIT material. I've worn it a few times and it really is much warmer than I had expected it to be!

If you're on the look out for something warm as the temperatures start to cool, I'd definitely recommend this!

Every wall....

Missing Someone

Learn A New Skill

Time can sometimes run away with us... I mean, it's almost October already and for most of us the last year will have passed by in the blink of an eye.

Since I met Paul he's helped me realise what it means to find the time to do things you love. For him it can be anything from writing music to building motorbikes. I learned that I should pursue some of my own interests and learn some new skills too. I started off with running, and more recently have turned my hand to crochet. I had never crocheted anything before but YouTube is a great teacher!

I've had some delays while the (awesome) ladies at Ramshambles have been locating some final balls of yarn for me (the sort I'm using has been discontinued). This is the *almost* finished result... I still have one more row to attach then the border to complete around the outside.

I have to admit, I'm quite proud of how it's turned out! I can't wait to finish it and snuggle under it while creating some more masterpieces ;) 

When I look back at my year and consider what I have achieved, at least I know I learned at least one new skill

Challenge Yourself

RACES!!!

If there's one thing I've learned in the last two years it's that I LOVE TO RACE! I'm never going to be a world beater but I love to challenge myself and to have the opportunity to run with others. However as you will probably know from my rantings on here, between the injury I picked up early in the year and the surgery I had a couple of months ago, training and racing has been impossible.

If I'm honest I really wanted to run the Bridlington half marathon again. Unfortunately it's on the 21st October which is less than 4 weeks away and I'm just not on form for the distance. However much I'd love to run it, I'm worried that I could injure myself by pushing up the distance training too quickly.

I was feeling a bit down about the whole thing until I looked online and found that there are LOADS of races in Yorkshire over the next couple of months

Here are some that I get to chose from....

Sutton Park 10k

Bramham Park 10k

Pickering and Moors 10k

Wistow 10k

Boroughbridge 10 mile

Harewood Trail 10mile

Guy Fawkes 10mile

Dalby Dash 10k

Leeds Abbey 10k

So with all those options in mind, I've decided that this should be my season of 10k-ers and 10 milers including some mixed terrain races. Several of them have the option to register on the day which is great, though I do plan to sign up for a couple in advance just to make sure I have the focus that an impending race gives me. For some reason I fancy the Dolby Dash even though I've heard it's a monster with a HUGE hill to start off. I think I should give that one a bit more consideration before signing up :D

oh yeah... and how could I forget the Skipton Santa run to finish them all off :)

'Strive for excellence, not perfection'

H. Jackson Brown Jr .

I don't know...

...where I got this picture from, (I saved it to my phone without noting the source, sorry)... but I like it!

That bbbrrrr time of year already

It's that time of year where running isn't just about putting on a pair of shorts and a tshirt... winter seems to be approaching way too fast. I'm just getting back into training and loving it, but already I've noticed the nights drawing in and the mornings staying dark later. I'm not a big fan of running in the dark by myself so this is massively reducing my 'time to run' window! 

Secondly it's cold already. Now I struggle with the cold pretty much all the time, that is except for while I'm running when, as long as my hands and feet are warm, I'm fine. What I learned tonight is never to listen to anyone else about how many layers I need! I usually go by the rule, wear what I think I need...then take something off (obviously not in the summer when I'm down to minimum layers...that could end up being embarrassing!) I had opted tonight for a tshirt and gloves instead of a top with full length arms.. However on the way out of the door I got told I'd 'need a jumper' (!!!) because it was freezing outside. I didn't believe for a second that I needed a-whole-nother layer on but I did put on my arm warmers just in case... and of course folded them down before I'd even gone a mile!
So here's to winter running again.... layers, hats, gloves, thermals, rain, mud, ice and wind. There's one thing I know for sure... it'll take a lot more than some adverse weather to stop me ;)

Trust Yourself

"You will find that you don't need to trust others as much as you need to trust yourself to make the right choices"

Don Miguel Ruiz

The Four Agreements 

Japanese Proverb

WAHOOOOOO....

.... Today I ran!

In the scale of things I may be a bit too excited about it considering it was just 5km, but that little 5km signifies a return to running for me after a long stretch of injury and illness. To make it even better, it was a beautiful evening (although to be honest I would have loved it whatever the weather).

So everyone, please cross your fingers that this is the end of the injuries and illness and that I can have a new beginning in running and the blog inspiration that seems to go hand in hand with training!

Granny squares everywhere!

With all this time to rest and recover I've made some good progress with my granny square blanket.

As I've done more and more I feel like I've speeded up quite a bit.

Middles!

This photo below shows all my completed squares so far. I plan to braid them together with the black yarn once I have them all ready to join

I think I'm just under half way, though I'm back at work next week so unfortunately I think it could take a little bit longer to do the second half! I hope it's not 6 months before I'm updating you with the finished product!

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I am a runner... Just not at the moment

I'm afraid to say that I've hit another hurdle. Just as I was getting back into running after my knee injury, I hit another set back shortly after returning to England and ended up in hospital having surgery. I'm on the mend, though it will take some time.

The other day I was encouraged by a friend, they reminded me that I am a runner and I will get back into it. I just need to keep that in mind and focus on getting back to full fitness (and resist the urge to do too much too soon!)

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