Gone Camping.......

This is where my family and I will be for next few days. We're off on a teeny weeny lil' holiday at our favourite camp site. C U when we're back......

Thank you all for your support up until now. When I get back I will have loads to tell you, especially about falling of 'so called wagons', climbing back on 'said wagons' etc, etc.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Have a good one.

Love and hugs

Michelle

This weeks exercise plan: 23 Nov - 29 Nov 2009

Getting back into routine.... * Monday : Cycling @ Kyalami Race Track * Tuesday : Rowing + Strength Training at Gym (having a difficult time returning to gym - hmmmm) * Wednesday : Cycling @ Kyalami Race Track * Thursday : Spinning + Strength Training at Gym * Friday : Yoga * Saturday : * Sunday : Rowing + Strength Training at Gym Following week : (needs some tweeking :-)) ) * Monday : Rowing + Strength Training at Gym * Tuesday : Cycling @ Kyalami Race Track * Wednesday : Cycling @ Kayalmi Race Track + Belly Dancing * Thursday : Rowing + Strength Training at Gym * Friday : Yoga * Saturday : Rowing + Strength Training at Gym * Sunday : Water Aerobics + Squash

It was sinful, it was evil but OH was it YUMMY!!

Getting back on track today was not a problem and I'm back on plan!! woohoooo... It took a few days but hey - I'm loving me!! It was a bad week as far as sticking to plan goes - I could give a million and zillion excuses like the weather (we had winter days - brrrrrrrrr), or not planning properly or, or, or..... I found myself in a bit of a hole. For months I had been working, training and planning for the 94.7, it was my main focus. Big Mistake!! Come Monday I was 'well what now' and feeling lost and directionless!! By Wednesday I was kicking myself thinking if only I had pushed myself further I could have finished the race...if only, if only, if only. Not good either!! By Friday I had found my next big race but with a promise to approach it differently and not make it my one and only point of focus. But I have set a goal for myself. I want to be 10kg's lighter - I know if I am strict with myself this goal is achievable. I have missed gym and I'll be heading back and focusing again on some strength training, yoga and rowing. I'm also hoping my schedule will allow some Belly Dancing once a week. Zumba, sadly is not what it used to be - only in SA could the instructors lose the plot and ruin it. The weather has cleared up and hopefully summer has returned - I'm sure we'll be groaning about the heat soon enough. My body is healing - less aches and pains - yoga really helped on Friday but it was also a gentle reminder that I need to stretch and far more regularly. I have not been good with that and with all my cycling it needs to be priority. This week I'll be back on my bike - yippeeeeee!! Have a super week everyone!! Hugs Mich

Shaking up the D*I*E*T

The past few months I've been on one mission - the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge Mission. The race is now over and I'm feeling lost. :-)) Whatz with that - huh??? Anyway I am sure that once I have found my next big cycling challenge or rather entered it I'll feel like I'm on a mission again. LOL For now I'm back to square one - resting + training and working on the D*I*E*T. The cold weather and it is really cold. Bbbrrrrrrrr, has been a GOOD excuse to take it easy and rest!! But I'm getting restless - thankfully tomorrow is Friday and I think I'll drag hubby and me to Yoga for a good stretch. This weekend might also be the perfect opportunity to try out that Belly Dancing class and get into it. There will be no cycling races until the end of January 2010 - so the perfect time to fill my Saturdays with something I have always wanted to try. :-)) So just over a month ago I found myself at a loss regarding what to eat, when to eat and possibly how to eat!! Weight Watchers although great is just too far from home and the meeting time is not convenient. The Dietician was on a 'High Protein' kick and that wasn't for me. Been there and done that - didn't work!! This approach also has me wondering about dieticians but enough of that. I did something I swore I'd never do and WHY?? I just don't like weighing my food but it has worked. I signed up with Weigh Less (discounted due to our Medical Aid choice) and close to home. Meetings are on Saturday mornings another added bonus, I don't need to drag the boys along - they get to stay at home with dad and I get to do something that I need to do with no added stress. I have lost 3.9 kg's in the past 4/5 weeks - I hope it continues on in this fashion. So this is where I am at. I haven't quit - I haven't stopped - I've refocused!! And most importantly I am having FUN!! Back soon... Mich

Momentum 94.7 (96.5Km's) Cycle Challenge

I thought I had worked and trained hard for this day but at the end of the day not hard enough!! I came up short. The hopes of a 05:30:00 finish was not to be and a finish in the end did not happen at all. Not long into the start and the people we were cycling with had shot forward - Sandi and I had agreed we would cycle our own race should this happen. We knew their pace was just too much for us and later on our pace was going to prove not enough. We never walked - this I am very proud of. We got up each and every hill but the N14 (highway) with it's rolling hills was proving to be too much. By the last hill on this stretch my back was aching and my arms had had enough - surprisingly my legs could have taken more. Early in the race I had lost all my energy goos/gels as well as my cell phone. I was more upset about my gels - losing them that early in the race had me worried. Luckily I had a couple extra in my water pack on my back.

Batch MM just before the start

Me, and other cyclists riding for the Sunflower Fund - Alex Jay from Highveld radio had just acknowledged the Sunflowers as we were heading over the start line.

Another DNF to my name - in the arms of the man I love

In hindsight riding a new bike and only having less than 10 days to aquaint myself with my new road bike was probably not the best idea but I'm still glad I did. Losing more weight has now become TOP focus again. I'm proud to say that the month leading up to this race I lost another 3.9 kg's. I am now sitting at 90.2 kg's (198.85 lbs) - a total loss of 14.2 kg's (31.30 Lbs). I will be returning to my regular gym programming and focusing on some of my weaker points. These being my lower and upper back, hands as well as my arms. I will keep training at the Kyalami Race track (safest place to cycle) and when I feel I can keep up with a Club Ride I'll join them on Sunday mornings. The next cycle race I'll be taking part in will be at the end of Jan 2010 - this will be my 3rd attempt at a longer race - 103 km's.

Training @ the Kyalami Race Track

You've seen me say often in my exercise plans that I'm training at the Kyalami Race Track. Yesterday I decided to take the Kodak along so that you can get a glimpse of what I get up too. I'm glad I went yesterday evening - I'm not sure if I mentioned in an earlier post that I'd like to join a cycling club. I got to speaking to Angie who is involved with Club 100 - and she's had me hooked ever since. Last night we found out that we will be in the same starting group for the 94.7 and she invited me to join them - they are raising funds for the Sunflower Fund - I didn't hesitate. It's going to be fun raising awareness for the cause and funds. We'll be wearing tutu's and sunflowers. You can read more about the organisation here : http://www.sunflowerfund.org.za/ This is what they are about : "This is why The Sunflower Fund (Friends of the South African Bone Marrow Registry) was formed in 1999. The Sunflower Fund is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa, with a vision to give all South Africans diagnosed with leukaemia and other life-threatening blood disorders the chance of life, irrespective of their race and financial circumstances. The Sunflower Fund’s core purpose is to educate, recruit and raise funds to build and sustain an effective SABMR as a viable source of well informed ethnically-diverse potential bone marrow donors so as to meet the national and international requirements and improve the chances of life-saving transplants for serious blood disorder sufferers." Enjoy the pics......

in front of the pits

Going up the steep tough hill

At the top - the view can be very rewarding if you take the time to look.

Around the bend and then a steep downhill - woohoooooooooooo.....brakes, baby, brakes.....

The stretch in front of the Pit area again....

Back soon.....

Michelle

aka Puncture Girl

This weeks exercise plan: 19th Oct - 25th Oct 2009

The weather is throwling a few 'fruit loops' at me, so we'll see how it goes. * Monday : Cycling @ the Kyalami Race Track (training for the 94.7km) * Tuesday : Cycling @ the Kyalami Race Track (training for the 94.7km) * Wednesday : Belly Dancing + Final decision to be made about race on Saturday :-)) * Thursday : Cycling @ the Kyalami Race Track (training for the 94.7km) * Friday : Yoga / Rest Day * Saturday : Possibly an 85 Km cycle race (still deciding....hmmmmm) or Belly Dancing * Sunday : Rest Day / Squash