What a Year!

It was a great one in many different areas :)

In January I set the following:

Professional:

To take the studios to a new level. TICK

To cut back my hours – realistically I cannot work 14hour days forever. TICK!

To take more time out. TICK as above.

To implement some different training sessions I’ve been working on. TICK!

Personal:

Smash my running PB'S. TICK

To do my first triathlon!! TICK

To get my shoulder sorted out for good. TICK

To respect my body, feed it nutritious fuel, and it will perform better and stronger TICK

What an awesome year!!! That would have to be the first time I have ever achieved all my goals that I set to do!

So for 2009....

Professional - few things on the agenda; including cutting back training hours to concentrate more in the managing of the business! It's currently 2 full-time jobs. Having a business is a never-ending responsibility, and one can only hope for continual growth as well, so that's the goal!

Personal

About 6 months ago I set the goal for my first marathon in July 2009. It's still in my head but I'm not quite sure if I will go through with it... (don't tell my training partners!). I had a massive year of running last year, full-on training and competing, so I'm keen to take it a bit easier, like halves instead of full marathons will be fine thanks ;) That goal is pending - watch this space ;)

Triathlon - I do not want to embarass myself with my lack of swimming skills again! But I will promise myself right here and now, when an event is announced in memory of Laura, I will definitely be in that one. (as long as the swim is not in the ocean!). I did get all excited seeing all the events Liz is planning to do in 2009 though. That competitive spark in me is still firing!

To drop more body fat so I can see my muscles - and keep them growing :)

To live life like its your last day - deep and meaningful explanation coming up -

One of the most tragic things that I experienced this year was Laura's death. I have been fortunate in my life that, apart from when my grandpa died when I was 14, no one extremely close has passed away. I've been touched by friends and other people's sadness and been to many funerals when their loved ones have died, so I can only imagine the pain they're going through. I've never had to say good-bye to someone so like myself - age, interests, personality. It hit so bloody hard. After going back to work after Laura's memorial service I thought "what the hell am I doing here". The little office tasks that were so important before felt so insignificant. In the overall scheme of things, it means nothing. If I was the one taken what would those tasks matter now? And I could be taken the same way next time I go cycling. Who knows? Why do I stress over what at the end of the day, is unimportant? My whole view felt like it shifted. Of course this stuff still needs attention, but ALL of it?

So much to the disgust of everyone around me ;), my excuse for everything is "you only live once!". I'm not planning on throwing myself out of a plane just yet, but trying to LIVE more!! My sis and I and our other halves were planning a weekend away at the reef, which happened to be only 2 weeks after I returned from the Gold Coast. The little voice said "but you've just gotten back, you can't go away again!!". Who bloody says!??!?! "You should really be saving money". It's only money and one weekend, who cares!! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!!

Jeh's mentioned The Bucket List movie before - that's a classic example, why wait till you're dying to start to LIVE and do the things you've always wanted? Within reason of course - I'm not flying first class around the world but we all work bloody hard for our money, we should take more time out to enjoy it (where and when possible).

So that's my 2008 done - and didn't it go soooo damn fast.

Here's to 2009 - and at the risk of sounding like a broken record:

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, SO DO IT WITH FEELING!!!

Gorgeous picture courtesy of my sis' honeymoon photos in Tahiti.

It's All over for 2008 :(

We had an awesome Christmas. Ate well, and drank well. I was at mum's house all day so no harm was done. I started with my traditional early morning run, it always sets me up well for the day. Came across a little snake all curled up - that was a nice 'surprise'. It is the season for them too though! We spent time in the pool, had various visitors, it was a great day :)



Some of the things I scored:
Shoes
Blingy earrings
Blingy watch - I picked all those things out. A girl needs her bling! ;)
$$$ for my many trips this year!
LJ Gym Bag
Myer gift voucher for when I'm on hols
Clutch bag
Kate Moss perfume
A lamp!



I did good :)

Round the pool :)

Only a few hours later - my sis and I crashed while watching a DVD. Can't have been too good ;)

Boxing day I went to my grandparents beach house - it's always relaxing down there.

Gym Saturday in attempt to make a dent in the damage I caused!


Saturday night I had to take my cousin and his gf from Brisbane out. We did dinner (which conveniently had happy hour cocktails...) and I don't think I need to say anymore. Nothing that a stint in rehab won't fix.


So I'm feeling like the michelin man, but nothing that cleaning up my act won't fix so no point wallowing.


I'd like to see that nice number on the scales again before I go away in 14 more sleeps to the Gold Coast :) I'm heading up to Brisbane on the Wednesday for a session with the boss lady, Liz. I'm a little scared :)


My best friend is bringing her three kidlets over for a swim now, so I'm off to play godmother!!!

SANTA VISITS TONITE!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so spoilt - I got sooo many more pressies from clients today, and they weren't all food!! A bottle of wine ;) , a beauty/body pack, a smelly candle along with more chocolates and rum balls. These ones are going to be given away - that's not rude is it?!

I also received a lovely card that gave me an "awwwww" moment. I don't mention work too much (other than to whinge LOL!) but it was so nice:

"My turn to tell you how fabulous you are. Thank-you for all you have done for me. You have changed my life as others have not achieved. I have re-discovered the athlete in myself - a little older but still more 'me' than the non-athlete."

We finished with bookings at midday and I did all the closing down stuff and was gone by 12.30pm :) YAY!! And did I mention - for ELEVEN days, and so not counting! ;)

Scooted to the gym for my last workout - I can tell Santa will be leaving me some severe DOMS tomorrow! :)

I'm off to mass tonite with the family, then to nan's house for her traditional Christmas Eve party :) First thing tomorrow morning will be a run (it's my tradition, I do it EVERY year) or if dad's keen for a cycle I'll do that :)

All the best to everyone for a very very happy and healthy Christmas. Stay safe and enjoy being surrounded by your loved ones. I hope Santa visits - if you've deserved it this year ;)

Three Sleeps to go...

Can't ruin the pattern and not blog tonite! Only three more sleeps till Santa's here :) I survived my mega day - which didn't end up being that bad after all. Or maybe it was just the Christmas shirt, earrings and reindeer antlers I had on all day. Much to the other trainer's disgust. He wouldn't even wear his Santa hat. What a grinch ;)

Thanks guys for the nice comments on my pics, if I had taken it seriously maybe there'd be some really good ones :) And errr hello to anyone who may have come via the link on Liz's blog ;)

I'm outtie, early to bed, early to rise!

FOUR more sleeps :)

I've been receiving gifts from clients, and they all happen to be food gifts. And I happen to eat them all ;) Home made banana bread, rum balls, mini fruit mince pies, and all that other stuff, I've received it. Shame is, I love that stuff, of course I want it! I just don't like what it does to me :P Scales were a bit wobbly - Friday's weight stayed the same, Saturday dropped .2. I'm only .6 above the lowest I hit last week, but I don't care! I'm certainly not depriving myself, quite the opposite ;), but still training hard to minimise the damage!

My boy and I took some fun training pics on Saturday morning! I had another spray tan (yes tanorexic I've become!) and thought we'd have a play around - inspired by the other hot training pics some of the girls have done recently.

My very minimal make-up was done in 5 mins, if that, zero effort was made with the hair; and I'd had a day full of the aforementioned food the day prior. Yes I'm trying to pose, yes I'm trying to look 'sexy' but natural (lol), and YES I look like an idiot!!!!!!!!!!! You can look, but can't laugh!! Miss Lyndsay has explained to me how to pose, but I can't get it. Figure girl I am NOT!! hee hee

And that's with the darkest spray tan...

Still waking up maybe?! LoL!

And gee didn't we do well with the lighting round the pool!

But anyway, that's the current ME :) I've got heaps I want to improve, especially getting the body fat down - my legs and butt lag a bit... :) (notice there's no back shots!! hee hee, actually we didn't even take any!)

And for good measure... here's my big chunk of a boy ;)

And I thought I needed a tan!! LOL!!! He looks good (well maybe I'm biased!!!!) considering he was only playing photographer till I said he had to have a go too! He's never posed before but he looks way more of a 'natural' than me!! :P

**********

I finally finished my Christmas shopping!! It wasn't fun being one of the last minute people, but you gotta do what you gotta do! I have no chance of getting near a shopping centre this week, so it's a relief to be done.

Usually I have an easy run into Christmas with work; start getting into holiday mode early. Not this week, the next three days my other trainer and I are getting SMASHED! The third one has the week off - so taking her clients as well as fitting 5 days into 3 means I've got a MASSIVE day tomorrow, I'm scared! :P At least all the clients know that consistency is the key - just because it's holidays doesn't mean your fitness and health need a holiday :) It's the best Christmas present you can give yourself.

So only three more working days for me, then 10 days off. I will totally need it by then! The other trainer is back and she's keen to cover the following week. We're a good team. I left them Christmas pressies on Friday and I got the nicest text - "Did I ever tell you you're the most awesome boss. Thanks for the card and the gift, Merry Christmas to you and your family". Awww I felt special :)

Anywho, I'm tired, gotta be mentally prepared for the onslaught, so to dreamland I go!!

Have a very special week!!

A Nice Little Surprise...

Earlier today I was concentrating on training a client when the normally quiet lady shrieks "Oh My God, THERE'S A SNAKE". Her reaction made me scream! My back was towards it but as I whipped around I just saw a brown slithery thing in the reception area slide off. Oh.My.God. I've come across snakes before but not ones that ME and ME only have to deal with!!!

I just panicked and said to her "What do I do?!?!" Of course this poor girl's hugest fear in life is - snakes. Enough said. Now there's no men in this building so I went next door and they just laughed at me.
"Oh is it about this big" (demonstrates with hands). Yep, that's him. "Oh, it was in here yesterday and we chased it away". WHY THANK YOU BOYS, you chased it right into my studio!! "It didn't look like a good (ie - less deadly) one. Ring RSPCA" was all the help they could offer....

So my poor client had one eye on the sucker to ensure it didn't slide away, and I called a snake-handler. I sat on a box, keeping an eye on the fridge it decided to hide under. Phone was ringing, but I couldn't get up to answer it - couldn't take my eye off the fridge, plus the closest phone was also close to the snake. But what if it was the snake-handler and they couldn't find the building? I had to be brave and answer it.

He got here half hour later (which is quite good really!) but do you think he could find the sucker. And there was no bloody way I would have been able to work knowing that somewhere was a little slithery animal. After almost destroying the place, he found it. All curled up sleepy. What the hell is a snake doing in the CBD anyway?! He's now gone to some bush.

I am SO glad she saw it; imagine if I unknowingly went to the back area and it appeared.

We worked it up to be some deadly animal, but for all the efforts, it was only a snarky little tree snake.

But they can still bite!

ONE WEEK LEFT!

Now the countdown's getting little :P

Weight: up .8 - we're playing see-saw are we?!

Managed to get everything done yesterday including RPM and chest/shoulder training. I even had a unplanned last minute chat with a trainer who's looking for work - all very exciting, she's keen as, and we're really needing a 4th team member.

Mum's b'day yesterday so dinner last night was Thai - unplanned but I chose the bestest stuff and it was gooood. No doubt the evil scales will be right back where they belong tomorrow...

Hanging for the weekend - was even contemplating chucking a sickie tomorrow, but conscience has already got the better of me! Can't wait to relax with my boy; we hardly see each other anymore as he works out of town. We're planning a date night - the movies and much to his disgust, I want to do a drive-by of some of the houses with Christmas lights on display. (I really am a big kid when it comes to Christmas). That's the plan anyway... usually we both fall in a head and are in bed by 9pm on Fridays! Old codgers aren't we :P

Wednesday 17th December 2008

Weight - back down .8.

Got my first Christmas pressie this morning from a company I do corporate training for. Gifts are never expected but it feels good to be appreciated!

Got stacks on today, I'll be happy simply to survive :)

Tuesday.......

Scale weight - up 1kg from Friday.

Care factor - zero.

Had a massively busy weekend - my boy had his cousin up from Brisvegas and I'd never met her before so it was a BBQ Friday night. I did the Christmas shopping thang with my sis (and NO dammit, I'm still not finished), then I had an 11.30am appointment for a 'make-up lesson'. I've never had my make-up professionally done (except for when I've been a bridesmaid), and never had colours matched properly. The colours she mixed and matched looked hot! (in my eyes anyway) ;) The cost was fully redeemable for products, so spend up I did. Now to see if I can re-create the look on myself...

Saturday nite was our 'unofficial' staff party - we took out my boy's cousin and her friend, so I told my 2 staff to come along for a few drinks. They also happened to ask every client they came into contact with after we arranged it! It was fun having a few drinkies with them, and letting them see us as humans! Late night that one ended up.

Sunday I had our annual Christmas lunch with my 2 best friends - without their kids - much to their delight. Sunday nite was a BBQ at mum's for her birthday!

So it was a big weekend of stuff on for me. I ate well, I drank well, I had a ball, and I'll get that scale back down in no time :)

Only 6 more work days till a 10 day break. I so so sooooooo need it.

And only 9 more sleeps till Santa's here!!!

It's Friday!

The week has whooshed!!!

Scales today read down another 200g. I'm just waiting for the spike upward, I can't have this much luck in a week! ;)

Just returned from gym from a leg smashing - did a PB to boot! Go Super-Legs! ;) Last time I was sore for days, so I may not be walking tomorrow... but I have to suck it up, I'm planning a 5am run! It will be fun in my heels tomorrow nite - I won't be walking all that sexy ;P

Enjoy the weekend peoples!

Two weeks to go

Two weeks to go, hey ho the dairy-o, two weeks to go.

I bet you can't guess till what?! :P

Little Miss Anally Organised is disgusted at this year's efforts - I've done no Christmas shopping. None. NADDA. I keep putting it off now coz I know how busy the shopping centres are... but silly girl, they're only going to get busier. I have crowd-phobia. I hate crowds. I hate heaps of people. Especially ones that stop their trolley in the middle of a jam-packed aisle just to have a chat. GRR. But more annoying are the ones that walk so bloody slow. I'm on a mission alright?! M-O-V-E! (....Well that little sentence just took on a life of it's own didn't it! :P)

**********************

Laura's memorial service was held yesterday. It was incredibly sad. A memorial bike ride was held before it which ended at the church service. Laura's mum and her younger brother rode in it on her bikes. I thought that was so so so special, and incredibly courageous of them. It would have been so challenging. She was only living here for 2 years, but the church was packed to capacity and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. The cyclist she did her final ride with last Saturday (and also performed CPR until the ambulance arrived) paid tribute to her at the service. She was in hardcore training for the Hawaii ironman, and he said her final ascent up that mountain (in which the tragedy happened on, on Saturday) was incredible - she was visibly stoked with her effort and he was in awe as well. Her training was paying off. He finished with, "I did my best Laura". That set me off. There were many, many more tributes to her. It's such a terrible, terrible tragedy; it's just not fair for someone so full of life to be taken so young. Sleep well Laura, I'll miss seeing the back of you getting further and further away from me in every race. (I never did beat you like I said I one day would) xx

*************************

I'm feeling 'healthy' with the spray tan I got last night. Although it was just a little intimidating having 2 people seeing all my bits. Ah well, the girl has to practise on someone, I don't mind donating my body. The first thing she said was "Ok, so you won't have to lift up your boobs for us". LoL. I was stunned - people have to lift up their boobies?!?! To get underneath in the crease of course. Silly me :P

************************

Looking forward to the weekend - got a few social events, but don't tell the boss. I expect that the scales will NOT be in my favour early next week, but whateverrrrrrrrrr. Tis the season :P

PS: I saw a 4 on the silver devils again this morning :P 49.8, to be exact ;)

Down Down Down Down....

I'm on my pre-Christmas blitz. Since I pulled my finger out a few months back my weight has dropped from 53.8kgs over winter - might I add a very uncomfortable 53.8kgs. Remember I'm vertically challenged. That's with all the half marathon training - hey if I worked it off it meant I could eat more right...? Not quite...

The day before I left for my boy's Christmas Party I acheived my goal of sub 50 - sneaking in at 49.8kgs. YEEEHA! Since then it's crept back up with the indulgences as well as going 10 straight days of no cardio. Isn't that disgusting. I was busy, OK?! :P

Back to scheduled programming this week and this is what's happened:
Monday weight: 50.8kgs
Tuesday weight: 50.4kgs
Today: 50.0kgs.

Bring on the naughty forties again!!!!!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEHA! I'll be logging daily to keep myself accountable... if I slip up you all have permission for a virtual butt-kicking :P

I know there's some good muscle happening in there as well. I was a smarty pants last week and just 'had' to test myself with chin-ups. I really had no idea of how many I could do. There was 2 other people in the gym - enough to try hard so I don't look like a sook, but not too many to look like a doofus in front of if I fail miserably!!! LOL! See I had it all planned ;)

Started, pumped them out, got to 10! YEEHA!
Had a rest did another set of 8. Had a rest did another set of 6.

I was so excited! I never knew if I could properly do any, let alone many. My god I knew about it the next day, especially in my abba dabbas :)

Stronger, yet smaller than I've ever been! YAY! I would never have achieved so many of these good things without my boss. I need the accountability just as much as my clients need it. I'm training with purpose and to not let someone else down. And look what it's done for me!!! :)))

-------------------------------------------------------------

Reading Jeh's post about the compliments she's been receiving lately, and rightly so, reminded me of a few things that have been said to me lately. Call me a boast but more than anything I'm stoked that others can see the result of my bloody hard work.

I have a gorgeous little client who trains 4x per week - he's a machine - once a chubba now a buffster. His friends are jealous of his chest (and he loves to take his shirt off, rightly so!). I was in a singlet, as opposed to polo and pants, and he was chatting to me as I was tying my hair back. (Has anyone seen how good your biceps look as you're tying back your hair? lol) He wasn't talking to me... he was talking to my arms. hee hee. "Some big guns you got there! You can't tell under your uniform." I told him I was trying to keep up with him ;) He proceeded with "you don't want to get any bigger though, that's just right for a girl...". Why thanks for your concern Jayden!!! LoL

I trained 3 ladies in the park so again had my casual uniform on. I was told a few days later that one of them wanted my arms, the other wanted my legs. LOL. My legs that I've always disliked for being too chunky; someone likes them! My golly gosh. Maybe they aren't that bad after all :P

Although I've always trained, I know I'm looking like it now :) Just to work on that tan... ;)

------------------------------------------------------------------

And speaking of tans, I'm donating my body tonight for a spray tan! My IPL chick also does spray tanning and she's training her staff and needs bodies to colour in. Pick me pick me!!! I have some good friends :)

------------------------------------------------------------------

Today is a memorial service for Laura. A LOT of people are going to be there, it's going to be extremely sad, but a great celebration of her life and the zest she had for it.

Enjoy hump day peoples.

ONLY 15 more sleeps till Santa's here!!!!!!!!!!

Star Mackay Athlete Killed in Cycling Accident

Newspaper report is here.

Still a little shocked at what's happened this weekend. It's another sad wake-up call to live each day like it's your last, because you just never know what's around the corner. My prayers and thoughts are with her family as they travel home. No parent should have to go through a tradegy like that. A memorial event in her name will be the best way to honour her memory.

RIP Mate

Our small yet very close-knit communities of the Road Runners, Cycling and Triathlon clubs are in a state of shock and disbelief this weekend. One of our most talented girls was killed yesterday in a cycling accident. I found out this morning and after getting over my initial state of shock, burst into tears. We weren't training partners - she was way too good for me - but we always had time for each other and had a chat at races.

When I found out she was in my age group my initial thought, all in fun. was "oh crap, why do I have to be against HER!" She wooped my butt in every race, but still always encouraged me... She got second to me at the Road Runners Presentation Dinner for our age group 18-34, but by default - she flogged me, but I did more races than her therefore accrued more points! Her triathlon committments didn't allow her to race every road run.

There was one road race a few months back on the same day as a triathlon. Our race course had us running past the marshalling area for the triathlon at the beach. I was struggling and tried to sneak past the tri guys (with a sudden burst of speed I might add) until she yelled out "GO SELINA" as she saw me struggling, and therefore drew the attention of all the competitors to me!

She did the King of the Mountain race for the first time this year and won the female division, wiping out the previous multiple winner. It was just another training run for her.

She was overall female duathlon champion. She was in training for her first Ironman next April. One extremely talented and dedicated girl. Nothing got in the way of her training.

She's from NSW and her parents are here to take her home for her funeral. The triathlon club is hoping to hold a memorial service, which will be a very sad event. So young - early twenties, so dedicated and taken way way way too soon.

RIP mate. We won't ever forget you or your dedication to this sport.

You Know You're Tired when...

1. You have to give your work phone number and you cannot remember it. I thought it sounded right, till I came back and checked. Oops.

2. You lock yourself out of your workplace. Keys inside a locked studio are no good.

3. You go straight instead of turning right at a major intersection and have to travel way up the road to the next major intersection to turn back around to go right. What was I thinking!

GAH GAH GAH!

Tired - or maybe just going INSANE! ;)

If it comes in threes, my three stoopid things are done for today! :)

Today did have a few emo moments... Which ended up in frustrated tears.

But nothing that pumping some weights didn't fix. Why didn't I do that 6 hours earlier?! :P

GAH!

That's how I feel. I'm so tired of being tired and busy. I need to curl up in a corner and hibernate for a few weeks.

Had stupidly late nights last week getting some things done for Christmas that myself and a friend who has her own business are doing as Chrissy gifts. I have wrapped over 500 gifts up; and that is by no means an exaggeration, it's probably closer to 700. I had to have them all done by last weekend as I was away all weekend so no chance to catch up. I.am.never.wrapping.another.gift.again.EVER. GAH.

My boy and I both worked stupid hours last week and we were buggered, BUT we went out on Friday night (stoooooooopid idea). Ministry of Sound DJ was in town and we really wanted to go. 1pm was the curfew so we would have been OK for a 7am wake-up. Yea, right - got home at 3am, it was really good, we didn't want to leave. Woke up at 8am thanks to his mate calling us.

Drove up to Airlie, jumped on the boat and we were on the island :) It was overcast and not the best day. Drinks were on the company; I only had 2 cocktails and that was enough for then. Had a few more drinkies at dinner that night and we were in bed by 11.30am. Exhausted. Up early again Sunday, so unfortunately it wasn't a weekend of relaxation, we were on the go the whole time.

On the upside, the silver devils (aka scales) are in my favour, I came in yesterday at only .2 above my lowest weight which I hit last week. YAY! Still doing my best to power through training although my head isn't totally there, the muscles sure are. My back is sooooooore today.
Onward and upward. 2 more early starts then a sleep-in. Zzzzzzzzz