Aargh! a rogue blister upset my training plans!
This little beauty between my toes went septic. My foot ballooned up into a blue puff ball and I couldn't wriggle or feel my toes!
Whizzed off to the doctors on Monday evening. Poor woman went green and squealed!
Extra strong anti biotics prescribed and some lamisil cream!

I have been bathing the foot in salty water 4 times a day, drying it with a hairdryer then applying lamisil and popping the antibiotics.

Today the swelling is down, and I can put most of my weight on the foot, the grim smell has gone and the "wet look" has gone.

I have slept very well over the last 2 days. Not sure if that is the tablets or catch up from last week!

So a quiet couple of days for me with some sensible eating. Although, chocolate has been devoured and shown no mercy.


I shall commence training for the 24 hour dreadmill waddle on Wednesday 6th June. I am just grateful that I have really got off quite lightly without any really longlasting injuries, aches and strains from the Forces March!

Wow! I have just completed 5 marathons in 5 days and no broken bones, torn ligaments, muscle strain .. a big thankyou to all the people who look out for me and help me piece together my training and recovery plan! Without it, and my training of the last 2 years, and especially last 3 months, I would have been a very broken and lame duck!

I have written a blog specifically on the Forces March. Now the focus shifts towards my next challenge! My 24 hour Dreadmill Waddle for Whizzkidz, The Longest Day Challenge.

As I write this I do have my feet up as they are feeling tender with some bruising across the soles from my Forces March. It's day 2 and major DOMs day now that that adrenalin has left the body. I shall enjoy a second day of rest to maximise on a speedy full recovery. I shall use the time to diary date the training schedule for the next 4 weeks.

I did go to weight watchers yesterday and gained a half pound depsite last week's mammoth activity session!! Water retention probally after drinking 10l of fluids each day!

I have just wrestled the duct tape off me!

To say I have been excited today is an understatement.

I have sensibley hydrated up on special hydration drinks (Obana), enjoyed chicken, chips, peas and sweetcorn for dinner. Plus some of yesterday's cold left over roast potatoes. Carbing up yo understand!

I have only eaten clean,lean food - food I have prepared and no chocolates, cakes, biscuits, crisps!

Had a few distractions in place to get me out of the house such as coffee with friends, last minute shopping for the family, dog walks, and sunshine.

I had a few texts from Sarah (@surzy) who is a volunteer helper for the duration of the Forces March; she has a 3 man tent and happy to share. Hurrah, the tent is one thing I can ditch and make my bag lighter. She is also bringing an extra sleeping mat and a pillow. Oh, such luxury!

The sunshine and warmth predicted has me now questioning if I have overpacked on long sleeves and long tights! I have 12 hours to reconsider "the wardrobe"!

My wonderful news is that I have lost 7lbs at my first weigh in at Weight Watchers today. Good news as I have seriously sensibly chosen right foods and exercised sensibly. The online point tracker has already been used and abused to make sure I am eating the right foods during the Forces March and not overdoing the refueling.

This is my last training blog until I return next Monday. I am travelling to Ilfracombe tomorrow. I shall bestaying in a B & B overngiht. Then the Forces march starts at 10am on Wednesday! See you all at the finish on Sunday around 5pm!

A big thankyou for your support!
A quack out for a quid or me please!
Text Donation 70070 DUCK65 £5 , or
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Thankyou!

8 hours sleep? check
lie in? check
slow dog walk? check
roast chicken dinner? check
pack? check
Ducksuit? bugger..
Do zip up on 100litre bag? bugger..

Took things back to Decathlon and exchanged for smaller size so now I have comfy sports knickers and spare running tights.

Dear friend bought me a new buff for next week - I shall wear my Union Jacks with pride!

Apart from a dog walk I haven't done any training.
I have just enjoyed some quality family time.

Only 3 more sleeps before we set off on the Forces march and the Country File long term weather forecast says it will be warm and dry! Eek! I shall be a roast duck! bag packed to cater for all seasons so I shall not fret.

What a beaut of a day!
Had a miserable start at 4am as the dogs all seem to have poorly tums and conga'd around the garden a few times!
Eventually I got up at 7am to get porridged and ready for Park Run.I was tired and not in the mood. But as I had a real CBA day yesterday I knew I had to go. Besides, something fun was happening!
We were going to have pace runners in to help people.
I knew I was going to have to take the run slow and easy to avoid injury and strain so that I do not hamper myself for next week's Forces March. So I opted to join Kerri and Martin at the back as the Sweepers, I mean Back pacers for those beyond 40+ mins.
As it was also the start of the Olympic Flame journey I took my inflatable one along just to add a little more humour and poignancy to mark this auspicious occasion.

And indeed it was. The high light of my run was being able to help a new Park Runner complete her first ever 5km, despite asthma hampering her efforts, initially. Well done Arna!
Plus a thankyou to Martin and Kerri who were a joy to run and chat with.
This is why I love Park Run. This is why it doesn't matter if i haven't slept or feel rubbish! I am quickly snapped out of that negative malaise and set up for a real beaut of a day!

I had to leave quickly as I was working so I missed out on celebration cakes for Peter Cook's 50th park Run and Ainsley's 71st brithday.

Work was fairly relaxed. Another visit to Decathlon to get sports knickers and a spare pair of running capris. After work I made a start on sorting clothes I need for the Forces March. This is when I discovered that I had dropped a size in a week, and a lot of the purchases I had made from Decathlon were going to have to go back! For a start they were too big, but also I found a heap of running technical t-shirts I had bought last year, that now fit! Result!

So that was another positive wonderful thing to happen today! Weight Watchers and my "tapered" training is having an effect already. Big cheesy grin from me!

I have gone 6 points over my 29 daily points. I haven't had anything terrible but I have chosen steak and rice noodles for dinner, plus I had extra hummus in my wrap. It is quite amazing how those points quickly add up. No wonder I was getting bigger! I was giving myself too mcuh "refueling"!

I have made a point to stay off alcohol. Wine was still making wheeze, and the points are not worth it! I need to continue with sensible rehydrating for next week. The long term forecast is looking good - warm and dry! I am also being extra extra vigilant and careful to have no wheat at all. Can't afford a poorly tum. Will affect performance, health and hydration.

Photos courtesy of Peter Cook and the full album from today can be seen here.

Ah yes...about that friday feeling... it feel's goooood!

In fact I have abused it all day and done nothing!
I have stuck to my Weight Watchers Propoints Plan, and only walked the dogs.
I have been a very lazy duck. A sort of can't be arsed duck. That's ok though isn't it?

I shall spare you a long blog.

No wine though as now in serious hydration and sensible carbing up mode.

It tickled me that I felt quite sleepy and groggy this morning! yet I had a fairly light day yesterday! Unlike Monday and Tuesday where I had powerwalked a half marathon each day!

Good news is that there are no aches,etc so I am more than ready.

Bought the food and kit supplies so my bag is packed ready! Am I excited? Oh yes!

Only 1 disaster today. Dear Daughter's Pesky Pony trod on my foot. Luckily I had hiking boots so the damage was minimal. I was able to slap on aloe vera with arnica gel straight on to my big toe. After 3 hours the swelling went down, and my wincing subsided. Just a beautiful purple crescent shaped bruise that shows off the fuschia pink painted toes nails beautifully!

Only did dog walks today. Was actually quite busy with work, shopping and chores. A domesticated day! How did I ever fit trianing in? I did have the fun of stocking freezer and cupboards so that the family can survive without me next week.

A beautiful day and perfect to slow things down in.
Yes, you heard me, I had a sloooooow day!

In the last two days I have done 2 power walking half marathons, so to speak. This was not just to test my body was strong enough for the Forces March next week but to gauge the recovery, and check out what might need tweaking. Essential after 3 weeks off with the lurgey. Plus peace of mind for my family.

The stamina is at 90% and the recovery was at 100%. Only melt down was on the soles so remedied that with surgical spirits.

Today's walk was a slow ramble in Swinley Forest with a good friend. We enjoyed the scenery, company and chattering, something not always done if running through, head in the "zone".

This was classed as a recovery walk to keep the joints moving and also slow paced so that I didn't try and cover maximum ground in minimum time, which is my usual challenge! Only achieved 13,275 steps today. Didn't make my 20k step challenge but it wasn't essential. I was moving, burning calories and gained some Weight Watcher Pro points!

5 marathons in 5 days isn't just about stamina it is also about the mindset. I am now more than 100% confident with both so really can relax and enjoy the taper over the next 6 days!

This time next week I will be dining with new friends made after our first day on the Forces March!

Wahoooohooooohoooo!


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This time next week I shall be in Ilfracombe, the night before the start of the Forces March!
To say I am excited is an understatement!

So to quieten myself down I went off for a brisk walk. Initially I took the dogs around the woods for 8km. Took them home, and then set off to do some pavement pounding. Need the reassurance that body can take the beating next week after 3 weeks of no training due to the lurgey.

I knew I would have at least 4 hours before work so I just kept on walking! I totalled up 22km in 4 hours. By the end of the day that worked out to 31832. I think I made my 20k step challenge! I also enjoyed the entire weather system thrown at me today! I was so prepared for it with my lovely old faithful Paramo! Also oiled up the face so that I wouldn't look like tough old leather; a good idea as that wind was quite a force!

Weight Watcher Propoint tracker completed with my food intake. despite eating sensibly I did go over to 31 points so that eats into my weeekly treat allowance. I did earn an extra 24 points with the walking but I shan't touch those!

Must now do my stretches and soak feet in surgical spirits. I do seem to have soft soles after losing a few layers when an old blister peeled off. Nothing hurts so I am looking good for go next week. Wahoohoo!

Relaxation time!

Wahoohoohoo! I woke up feeling like a tightly coiled spring. I could feel the urge and need to run!

My patience has paid off by resting and recovering properly from the lurgey!

I had some ideas to put in place and write down. I needed a radical overhaul on my training, eating, my whole mental approach to food.

Those that know me well will know I have a constant battle with food. I love it and sometimes  struggle to get  the right balance of exercising and refueling so that the weight comes off. I also comfort eat when miserable. I do not have any support at home and so I try to battle on by myself.

Today I signed up for my first Weight Watchers meeting. I walked the 3km to the Church Hall.
I got weighed and signed up for the 4 week pass. There. Committed.

Julia Berry is the "Leader" and very enthusiastic. Can't say I learned anything new but it was good to be reminded of some positive motivating ways to stay focused and on track. The first exercise was to list the negatives I experience and that would cause harm or stop being successful. I actually wrote out the truths.I didn't have to share or declare. But I need to be honest with myself and rid myself of those demons.

• Secret Binge Eater
• Imposed Stress
• Imposed Dilemas
• Wrong balance of food v fuel
• Kitchen battle with family (different likes/dislikes)
• Wheat Intolerance
• People say I look OK
• No support

That piece of paper will be kept as a reminder but I have done the shredding of it in my head, as instructed!

I have now set up my online Weight Watcher account with my weight, measurements logged, my goal weight plotted in and I have plotted in today's in take so far. As discussed with Julia I often make the mistake of eating more than I should for refueling after training. It has been suggested that I do not eat the weekly allowance extra points. Nor do I eat any of the points I get back for exercise. I shall be in calorie deficit. But, if I feel hungry then I must eat the extra. Listen to my body, and make sensible choices, using the tools provided. I should add here that there is no calorie counting, it is all about POINTS. The points are scientifically calculated units of energy for specific foods and include carbohydrate and protein. Layman terminology! My meal plans are divided into recomended points for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snacks. I write down everything I eat, and hopefully keep them within the 29 points I am allowed each day. So far I have 2 points left and I may treat myself to a glass of wine! I shan't bore you with my food choices of the day but I kept it varied with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

My 2nd goal is to challenge my activity.

Yes, I know I am training for a variety of events but I need to overhaul the plan. Mix it and make it fun! I read some blogs by Julia and it made me rethink the whole weight loss v exercise v effort v fatblast v cardio ...

Something I enjoyed before was my personal challenge to reach 20,000 steps a day. Government recommends 10,000. I am in training for marathons so I have no excuse to reach 20k daily steps! However I have been poorly so I shouldn't over do it. However my energy levels are soaring today I may need to expell the energy levels! I shall wear my pedometer every day and no matter what training I do it will and must exceed 20,000. I wak the dogs twice a day for starters!!

Weather was poor this morning and I had to walk to WW. Plus go and sort horses. I was free for training after lunch and went for a 10km brisk walk with the dogs. Actually did 11.13km as per Mapmyrun. I then felt up for more so I left the dogs at home, put on my trail shoes and went for a run in the woods. I put my phone away (so couldn't see time, distance, messages etc), turned up the music and just ran, listening to body. I just felt so alive I could have run for miles. But that would be silly. I was almost home when I looked to see what I had done and it was 7km so I ran a little more to make it up to 8km and in just under an hour. What a blast of a day. Stretches done, then had a warm bath to relax. I am glad I chose the woods to run in - I really do love being among the trees and mud.

In total I have done 26,682 steps! Woohoo! The Duck is Back!

I have plans to swim, do zumba and do some more light running. Have to remember the Forces March is in 9 days! So I should be tapering!

My 3rd goal is to relax!

I shall relax this evening, reading up on some recipes so I can plan some fun meals for the rest of the week.

My 4th Goal is Honesty.

Reasons for weight loss -
Reduce weight on joints
Reduce strain on heart and help improve my blood pressure and cholestral risks currently       medicated for.
Educate myself to stop eating crap when I am down

I have got 2st 10lbs to lose and I won't be weighing myself at home!

*Apart from writing and using WW meetings I have no other support. I may have to get used to that. Thinking about my negative list this is how I can try to overcome -

*I need to stop getting myself into stressful situations and learn to relax more! Running helps me forget, and so does swimming. The word No will have to be used more. Often these problems are self imposed, possibly because of my controlling ways? Or my assumption no other help available? I shan't be specific, but suffice to say when I get to the point I need to write it down and the triggers.

*The kitchen battle can be reduced but suggesting folks at home cook for themselves occasionally. Good life skills! I can then cook myself a favourite missed dish like stuffd mushrooms!

*Wheat intolerance - getting a handle on it!

*Refueling after training will take awhile but I have some useful cook books and great Twitter people to help and pick their brains.

*Secret Binge eating? well, I have to learn to not do it! When I get to that point I need to call a friend, or write it down..think about why am I doing it? What was the trigger. Often it is tiredness, anger and unhappiness. Life, eh!

Oh, and another thing I am doing is deleting all the old dieting things that were succesful before because that was then, when I was a different person! We are now talking about the Me today! Older and wiser and it's a whole heap harder to get rid of bhudda belly aka middle age spread.
I also do not need picture of what I looked like, or skinny women to motivate me! It's not about looks but about being a lean mean waddling machine!

Thankyou for reading another one of my epic training notes.