Dear Katie,

I promised I’d check in and hold myself accountable for my 2018 New Year Goals, so here I am.

It’s been a week, and a pretty good one at that, but then I guess most people come out of the gates strong in the first week of January only for it to head south rapidly after that. I suppose only time will tell. Anyway, this is the summary of this my efforts this past week for your delectation:

Goal One: Run a half marathon

• I still hate running. But we’re signed up to the Reading Half so I’m committed. Was delighted not to massively embarrass myself at the training day on Saturday…
• …however, some of the photographs that were taken that day have hammered home my need to reduce my waistline. Motivation!
• I have a new found respect for people who run. It’s hard! My fitbit tells me it gets my heart rate up better than any other exercise I do and my legs are in tatters after two days of training!
• Realising recovery is key means I’m actually using my foam roller and stretching more!

Goal Two: Be less fat

	Weight	Waist
Starting (02/01/18)	79kg	33.5″
Current (09/01/18)	77.5kg	33.2″
Goal	63kg	28.5

My efforts here (other than beginning to tentatively run) are getting back on my bike and diet. Here are my thoughts:

• Bloody hell, I’ve just published my weight on the internet. I feel so exposed.
• Since moving house in September, I’ve stopped cycling to work because it’s much further (8.5miles or there abouts, each way), I now live at the top of an enormous hill, and frankly I’ve just gotten lazy. So, I have started cycling my commute again. I’ve cycled four out of seven days so far. If I can average three cycling commutes (both ways) every working week, I’ll be pretty happy with that.
• Why is it that when you return from a lengthy break from cycling your lady bits hurt? But pretty quickly you get used to it and it isn’t sore any more? Is it just that we become numb to it? Like a guitar player has really sore fingers when they start out but eventually they get calluses so their beautiful music no longer causes them pain? Anyway, my hoo-ha doesn’t hurt anymore, you’ll be glad to hear.
• I’ve decided to do Dry January because it’s so popular now that there’s far less peer pressure and temptation, so it’s waaaaay easier to actually do it.
• My mother suggested I cut down on refined sugar. Her helpful advice when asked for tips was “just don’t eat it”. So I haven’t. Except for two Cream Eggs on Thursday.

Goal Three: Learn to love reading again

This hasn’t been high on the list of priorities this week. Next week I’m going to make a list of books I have to read this year.

Goal Four: Try at least two new sports

I’d love to count running in this, so I could make a dent in this one but I feel like that would be cheating myself.

Think I’ll ask our readers and friends for some suggestions for super-fun and perhaps slightly more unusual sports to try out? Brace yourself, I’ll be dragging you along with me!

In all, a good start I feel! Stay tuned for more updates!

Kate O’C x

 

P.S. if anyone would like to join us in running the Reading Half Marathon there are still places available – you can sign up at readinghalfmarathon.com