Living In The Moment

Yesterday I had a great day with a reminder of how good it feels to live in the moment. Paul and I packed a book each, a can of coke and some biscuits (essential supplies of course) and went to the ruins of St Mary's Abbey in the centre of York.

We found a quiet lettle spot and just spent time together watching the world go by and reading. For the first time in ages I felt totally content. Not in a rush to go somewhere, no plans, no list of things that I needed to get done.

Just to be there, enjoying the moment, content and happy.

"To be alive is to totally and openly participate 

in the simplicity and elegance of here and now."

Donald Altman

Being A Tourist At Home

I'm lucky enough to live in a beautiful city which is visited by over 7 million people every year, and though I often go into the city to shop and eat, I don't often go in to see the tourist attractions. This week Paul is visiting so I get the opportunity to do some of the things I don't seem to get around to by myself.

This week has started off being a tourist in my home city with a walk around the walls to see the daffodils. It's alwasys such a beautiful time here in spring but the daffodils are short lived so you have to make the most of them!

Source: Paul Noyola

Followed by a wander through town listening to some buskers playing on the streets

Sourcce: Paul Noyola

Friday was a slower day all round so we decided to get some fresh air in the evening walk along the riverside to the Millennium Bridge. It's been great to enjoy the city in spring, hopefully the next few weeks be like this so that we can continue to get out and explore more of Yorkshire and surrounding countryside :)

Resist The Urge (AKA Tunisian Crochet)

Yesterday I went to a Tunisian crochet class run by Katie from Ramshambles inYork.

Source York Press

Tunisian crochet is a bit of a mix of crochet and knitting. Instead of finishing each single stitch and turning at the end of a row you work your stitches onto a long crochet needle. First off is the forward, which is a bit like casting on in knitting. You create a row of loops onto your hook until you have the desired width, the whole time 'resisting the urge' to finish off the stitch in the normal way. This is the hardest thing about this technique as it goes against everything you usually do when crocheting and it has a habit of freezing your brain while you remember what to do!

Then on the return you finish the stitches off as you work back. You just repeat this process until you reach the length that you wanted.

As I'm sitting here I realise it's harder to describe than I would've imagined, but basically it's a great technique for making quite a dense and very regular stitch that's good for blankets, bags and accessories. Yesterday we learned three different stitches but there are lots more that you can do and it creates beautiful patterns in colour too. Last night I practised on this phone cover and did a really regular pattern of two rows in each colour though the effect is quite striking when you just do one of each. The effect is different on the front and back of the pattern...

I'm really pleased I've learned another element of crochet. The class was a lot of fun and was a great way to spend a winters day. I also learned a few other little tricks and techniques from Katie and some of the other lovely people on the course. Plus as a bonus I found a pattern of a gorgeous crochet top that I might try to make when I'm feeling brave! For now I think the Tunisian crochet might come in useful in making a bag... pics will follow

York and District Against Motor Neurone Disease

I've suddenly realised that the marathon is fast approaching so I thought I would talk about the charity that I'm running for. This year I'm raising money for York and District Against Motor Neurone Disease as they are providing my Godmother Sue with both the technology and support that she needs.

York and District against Motor Neurone Disease is an independent charity (#1000356) which was founded in 1989. They offer practical and emotional support for victims and their families and also provide information about MND. Operating in York and the surrounding area, YAMND can loan equipment such as light writers and electric reclining chairs, and make financial contributions towards some of the more expensive equipment that sufferers of this disease need to make day to day tasks possible. They employ a part time nurse to help the group provide an outstanding level of care for patients in the area. Doreen Foster, the nurse employed by YAMND, was awarded the Health Service Hero 2011 in the York Press Community Pride Awards for her outstanding work over the last 16 years, and for returning to work after her own serious health issues. All other members of the group volunteer their services.

I have set my target to £1000 though understand this could be difficult as many people waited until very late last year to sponsor my last challenge and seem hesitant to donate again. However I will definitely do my best for them.
If you would like to support my race and donate to YAMND please go to my justgiving page . Every little (or lot) helps! Thank you :)

Battling my Brain

Running hasn't always been easy for me. I only started a couple of years ago and the initial difficulties were in the physical pain, from injured knees to general fitness issues that manifested in aching limbs and fiery lungs. However I persevered and grew stronger physically and since then my regular training runs have been (fairly) easy... until now.

For a long time running was the thing that helped me deal with challenges and gave me time to think. But right now everything is going my way in life and I'm happy....
....and for some reason this seems to be making my running more difficult. I have nothing to fight though, nothing is making me so angry that I need to sprint through it and conquer my mind with burning lungs and heavy legs. On long runs I used to plan things and think through conversations and strategies. I'd think about friendships that were in turmoil and go through my options of saving them or letting them go. Basically the reason I started running was that I had a lot to think about.

I'm thankful that my life has settled down a lot since then, but it left my head with a lot less to contemplate. During that time the 2011 challenge became part of my mentality, something to strive towards and focus on. As a result my weekly running target was always a set total but I could regularly do more, and that in itself was a positive influence on my life.
This year however I'm in marathon training and I've never done anything like it. The requirements of the plan I chose are steep to say the least and, although I don't think I chose a particularly difficult plan, the km/week requirement makes my 2011 challenge seem like a walk in the park! Not being able to keep up with the plan in itself is having a negative affect on my mindset.
Then there's the 'Long Slow Run'..... Oh my word!!!

The long slow run has increased through the course of my training, however as it turns out, it's not the distance that's doing me in right now. I started off my LSRs in the company of the Sweatshop running club on a Sunday morning by running to them, with them, and then back home to make up the distance I needed. Then I started running with Lou who is a great running partner! She runs long distance, naturally on a negative split (which is awesome), and is great company all the way. But now, here I am in hilly Texas which feels like a million miles away from Lou and our random adventures along the flat city streets, muddy riverside trails and the York-Selby cycle path.

The long run is becoming a nemesis that has started to get the better me. Without the company of fellow runners it is becoming increasingly difficult, especially as (in order to stay safe) my route is either 2 or 3 loops of the same road, and the same big hills again and again. I seem to be talking myself out of everything and losing confidence, often within the first few miles and it's as if the foundations I've built aren't even there right now.
However part of me understands that these runs are supposed to challenge me, and no-one ever said this was going to be easy! On the day I'm hoping that the race environment will keep me going and that I'll be distracted by other runners and spectators, but I need to be ready to run the distance alone. These training runs are designed to prepare me. They will challenge me to be strong both physically and mentally, and to be able to do the distance without encouragement from spectators, friends or family.
The challenge now is both to be strong, and to grow stronger...

Facing My Fears

Yesterday I had to face one of my biggest fears.... I'm not someone that puts themselves on the spot in front of lots of people. I'm the sort of person that usually tries to hide from cameras (especially video cameras or anything that can record my voice) and I tend to turn into a trembling wreck if asked to speak to even a small group of people. I remember being nervous speaking at meetings for the Yorkshire bank and Cedar Court Hotel, even though it was to people I knew and saw everyday! 
So you can imagine my thoughts when I got a call from BBC Radio York on Monday asking me to go and chat to them on their Drive Time show about my fundraising for the MNDA. My instinct was to decline but I knew that I really can't shy away from opportunities like this, so I agreed before my brain had time to think about it!

Trying to stay calm before the show

Yesterday I made my way to the radio station with Paul. I'd only told my Mum and Dad and had asked them not to go telling everyone they knew as that would just make me more nervous! However I surprised myself at how calm I felt before and I felt comfortable all the way through.

Elly Fiorentini

Elly was a great person to be interviewed by as she's very bubbly and chatty (I guess that's a basic requirement for radio though eh?!). I didn't think I'd like the result as much as I do and I've been pleased with the feedback that people have given me too. The interview lasted about 10 minutes and is 10 minutes into the show. Click here  if you would like to listen ... it's on until Wednesday 18th January :)