On the run again - yahoo!

It's happened.
Yesterday I ran and oh, how good it felt.
We were on the Te Henui walkway and heading back down a gentle slope, when I felt the urge to stride out a little.
"I'll run to that seat," I said out loud to Warren, my husband.
But it was so easy I kept going.
And going.
I ran for about five minutes, which may not seem a lot, but it's just the start.
In fact, that's how everything starts - just one step, one stride, one rotation, one stroke at a time.
If I do five minutes of running during each long walk this week, I can up it to 10 next week, then 15, 20, 25, 30... you get the idea.
However, I won't be pounding the walkway because that's concrete, so it'll be streets and Pukekura Park. Even writing this, I feel the desire to get out there again.
When I was younger, running and skateboarding were the two activities that made me feel like I was flying.
For years now I have had vivid dreams of skateboarding and flying.
I also had these nightmares about not being able to run away from something or someone chasing me. My legs simply wouldn't work.
Other times I'd have horrible dreams about being in a race on sand and not being able to lift my feet.
It's only five minutes, I know, but my living nightmare is over.
A few hours later I went for a swim, but only managed 30 lengths. Not because I was tired, but because I ran out of time!
Several years ago a dear friend died of breast cancer and this weekend would have been her 50th birthday. We had dinner with her parents and friends, lit 50 candles all over the garden and remembered this beautiful woman with love and tears.
She's one of the reasons why I've got a fundraising page for breast cancer research as part of my misison to complete the Tri-Woman race on January 29.
I always wanted to be running that race and now I think I will be. My aim was to be down to 100kg by the end of November and I'm on target. I also wanted to be running by then and I am - just.
As this journey has continued I have realised that more and more, my aim is to be an athlete again.
Another friend of mine says she's having a midlife crisis, so has returned to her love of speed - the fast pace not the drug.
When I was young, sport was everything.
So yes, triathlon training is the result of my own midlife crisis.
One that also aims for balance in work and life.
On Friday and Saturday I was totally out of balance.
After a lovely lunch with a friend (a healthy salad), I felt out of kilter and realised it was my ears.
When I got home, I put my head down and the world tilted - confirmation that swimming without earplugs for a week, days of walking in strong winds and nights of being plugged into audio books had affected my inner ear. I've had it before you see.
That's why Friday and Saturday ended up as rest days - hence no blogs.
My big aim this week is to get on my bike!

Yesterday, I:
Walked for 1 hour 40
Ran for 5 minutes
Swam 30 lengths of 50m pool
This wasn't a wonderful food day - I grazed, mostly wisely, and then ate home-made sponge with cream at a potluck dinner. Mmm it was good though.
Drank lots of water
Drank 3 cups of coffee
Drank 1 cup of tea

The joy of dancing wildly

By Virginia Winder
It's been two weeks since going public about my health, fitness and life-balance quest.
Not a long time in the scheme of things, but I've definitely come a long way.
I am now beginning to relax and have fun. Went out to a band last night - the John Butler Trio - and danced wildly. Wow, is that good for the soul!
Have also laughed, felt great joy and been ridiculous. I'm also reading again. For months now I've been unable to settle and so have been listening solely to audio books.
My sleep is still disturbed, but it's getting better. Before I would wake up every couple of hours, but now I have five-hour stretches of pure-bliss sleep.
The exercise is coming on well. I swam 30 lengths of the local indoor 25-metre pool tonight and even did some sprints. My muscles are feeling sore tonight, but it's that good sore when you know you've worked yourself hard.
So, have managed 14 days in a row of exercise and have not had even the slightest twinge of not wanting to go. Quite simply there is no out. Even bought new running shoes today because my old ones are getting, well, old.
Went to the USA versus Russia Rugby World Cup match at Stadium Taranaki tonight and it was great fun. The USA won 13-6 in a so-so match, but the crowd was fantastic. Heaps of people dressed up as Cossacks and sporting the red for Russia and even more decked out in Stars 'n' Stripes and some crazy outfits, like Wonder Woman and Uncle Sam.
Even spotted our former Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, sporting an Uncle Sam hat. He was sitting in the crowd a couple of rows up and getting into the spirit of things.
Now, some great news. I weighed myself today and I have lost 7kg, so am down to 113kg (249 pounds). Just another 53kg to go!
Seriously though, I do feel good about it, but refuse to become obssessed with my weight or food. But I am being mindful about what I eat and am only choosing healthy options. That's low-fat, low sugar (but no artificial sweetners) and food that sustains me.
I adore my muesli every morning and add different fruits to it, like an orange from our tree and/or blueberries. Have also been having a scattering of walnuts and am now including two brazil nuts to get the selenium not available in our soil. I soak the untoasted muesli over night in water and then pour a bit of manuka honey Biofarm yoghurt on top. It's so delicious!
Best of all is the support from people.
My sister, nieces, husband and kids are my loudest cheerleaders, albeit two of them from afar. It's great to have my whanau (family in Maori) 100% behind me.
People have stopped me in shops and in the street, written emails and texted me to offer encouragement. Once again, I have been humbled and amazed by the kindness of people.
Arohanui (big love) to you all.

Today, I:
Swam 30 lengths of a 25m pool
Lost 7kg (in two weeks)
Slept for 7 hours
Worked for 5 hours
Ate three healthy meals
Scoffed 5 pieces of dark chocolate (2 would have been wiser)

Need to:
Drink more water!