gore-torn

So today I found a rip in my trail running shoes/hiking boots.  Not happy Jan!  I promptly phoned Kathmandu in Brisvegas asking what to do seeing as how they are less than 6 months old and were purchased in Canada.  After much searching and very little success on the Salomon website I enlisted the help of Kathmandu again.  Head to this number and speak to this guy; and good luck I was told.

No bother.  The chick was really lovely about it after I’d explained the situation and she promptly set up for me to return the shoes to have them assessed.

These shoes are one of my favourite pieces of kit.  The Salomon XA Pro 3D I have, purchased in Vancouver for the bargain price (we’ll call it good negotiating skills) of $125 CAD. I really should have written about these little foot rockets before this, but well, I guess I just took them for granted, and didn’t actually have to think about them.

They are light, waterproof and provide excellent grip, in all situations that I’ve encountered while wearing them.  Covered in Gore-Tex, and completely waterproof, I would have thought they’d weigh more than 390g – but they certainly don’t feel like it.  The shoe is, infact, completely waterproof.  Wearing them to the beach a couple of weeks ago, the got all mucky so I just washed them off under the tap – my foot, dry as a bone.  They’re comfortable, courtesy of the Orhtolite sockliner.  Although these don’t make it feel as though you’re walking on little pockets of cloud all day, they fit like a glove.  Something to do with Salomon’s ‘Sensifit’ that “works to cradle the food providing a precise and secure fit”.  It works.  I’ve never felt slippy or unstable in these shoes despite the pretty much elastic lacing system.  I also like the laces.  It literally takes about 3.5 seconds to do them up, and getting them off is just as quick – just release the clasp and you’re pretty much done.  Another thing I really like about these shoes is that they’ve included a rubber toe-cap to ward off any nasties that come your way when wearing them – we all stub our toes from time to time.  I really like these shoes.

I also love the fact that after a bit of searching someone on the end of the phone was actually helpful with my warranty questions.  No questioning or bitching at all – just help.  I like that

Today was an easier training day.  This morning, feeling motivated, I pumped out 15k on the bike in 25:50.  Not a bad way to start the day.  This afternoon I went for a more leisurely stroll down the beach.  It was a walk without a purpose.  I just wanted to get out and walk for a bit, and what better place than my local 800m stretch of beach.  It wasn’t so bad.  Took my little phone and made the little GPS gizmo in it do some work.  I quite liked the walk this afternoon – it wasn’t too stressful, but most of the time I was working in zone 2, where I find it hardest.  That might become a regular event.  The high MHR is due to a couple of little jog stretches that I did.  Just to see how I went.

15k – 25:50

27:44

365 cal, 15%

AHR: 169

MHR: 181

Walk

26:43

249 cal, 33%

AHR: 138

MHR: 171

Just as I’d turned to come back a couple that were walking in the opposite direction to me as I headed south were walking about knee deep in the water.  A smallish white was came up and nearly barrelled the chick.  She actually did the pre-fall stumble, but managed to regain her composure without getting her hair wet (not that she was a prima donna or the like).  She retreated to the other side of her husband, and to shallower waters after that little run in.

A chapter closing

Today feels like the end of another chapter in my life and I’m feeling somewhat apprehensive about it all.  Moving on is harder this time.  I’ve been here longer than I’ve been anywhere before in my life, well, since I’ve been on the move anyway.  My life is about this at the moment, it’s a path that I’ve chosen, and one that I’m not overly comfortable with at the moment.  It seems that this up and down lifestyle does in fact come with some down-sides. 

 

I’ve made better friends here than I have anywhere else overseas.  I’ve got closer to some of the people here than I have for a long time.  I’ve developed some friendships that could potentially rival the one that I have with Lex.  Although I do treasure with all my heart the friendship that I have with her, these ones are completely different. 

 

Mrs U said to me a couple of weeks ago “Am I ever going to see you again.”  I’d love to be able to say yes to that, but the complete truth is that I don’t actually know.  That, in itself, is a fairly scary concept.  Even more so with K-C.  We’ve become so close so quickly it’s pretty scary.  The big pink elephant is growing more and more obvious to anyone that looks on.  At Bushmills there was a photo taken of us, doing nothing, just standing, talking.  The photo appears to be an intimate moment when we’re just there being us.  That’s a lot how I feel about her.  I feel that I’ve a connection with her, a connection that is just about unrivalled by anyone else.  The ex maybe; but that’s gone now.  She’s just a feature of my past, and although I still respect and love her; K-C has made me forget about that. 

 

For the briefest of times I’ve felt like she’s my girlfriend.  I sometimes stop and think ‘what am I doing’.  I’ve noticed that I treat her like my girlfriend.  I talk to her like she’s my girlfriend.  I like that.  It was the other day in the car I asked the simplest of questions, or we had the simplest of conversations going; but it really felt like we were partners.  I can’t even remember what it was about and I don’t know how to explain it; it just felt that way at the time.

 

I was taken aback at the kindness and authenticity of feelings towards me shown at the gym tonight.  I was talking to everyone, said the same things a thousand times over and everyone was genuinely interested.  I was just standing about, talking to Linda when Cardio Girl arrived with a gift bag.  I tried to leave the gym; didn’t really want it done there, but it got done anyway.  An Ulster Rugby top.  Such a great gift, and such an unexpected surprise.  Two minutes later Harv came into the gym and was like ‘er, there’s a delivery here’.  I walked out to find flowers, a Thornton’s chocolate cake and another gift bag. 

 

I’m genuinely surprised by the gifts that I’ve received tonight.  I’m surprised at the emotion expressed by everyone.  It seems that there’s a little sadness in everyone at the moment…wishful thinking on my part maybe, but it certainly seems that the mood in the gym was different tonight.

 

It made me think that perhaps I really have had an influence, a positive one, on people’s lives.  Even people who I didn’t really think I would have had want to know what I’m doing and want to thank me for all that I’ve done.  One lady shook my hand and decided she wanted to hug me.  I wasn’t really up for it as I don’t feel particularly close to her; but she was having none of it.  I asked GI Joe if I could just say ‘I don’t want hugged’.  He said that would be rude; and also that that was going to be happening all day.  It didn’t, but there was certainly more hugs than I ever would have expected.  I’m really humbled by all the words that have been said to and about me over the last couple of weeks.  Everyone’s all we’re-going-to-miss-you and it’s really nice.

 

On the gay side of life, K-C brought a copy of DIVA for me today & read it before she managed to get it to the gym.  I was shocked by a text from her saying ‘I’ve to stop reading diva…making me think bad thoughts.’  In typical jovial fashion I replied with ‘are you reading about strap ons?’ but got one back saying ‘not reading.  Just flicking…pictures of girls kissing makes me want to.’  What do you say to that.  Despite the marriage & 4 kids I think there’s a lot of gay in her.  I do, at times, think that if the situation was different she’d be a lesbian.  I see a lot of qualities in her that makes me think that; not that I’m stereotyping, but she sets my gay-dar buzzing!  We’d an afternoon of ‘Martina Navratilova is my here…’, ‘another one I like…Ellen.  Am I gay?’ messages.  How does one respond to that?  Other than ‘sounds like it!’

 

Next week will be full of craic.  Wednesday is a day with the girls.  Belfast drinking probably.  There’s been some mention of Port Rush, but I’m not sure if that will happen.  Handy Andy wants to meet us in Belfast for a ‘get the load on’ session that night, but I’m not sure that’s the smartest thing to do considering Thursday is my day of love with K-C.  I do not want a hangover for that.  It’s not actually a day of love, but spending the day with her gives me warm fuzzies.  I’m such a girl at times.  Wednesday might have to be a scotch and soda day!

 

I’m pretty screwed for this ABBA party on Saturday.  K-C is chauffeuring me to party/dress up shops tomorrow in search of the perfect uniform; and I suspect a little in an effort to see my legs sticking out the bottom of a skirt…

Girly-ness

I really can not be arsed tonight. I’ve got in from work grumpy, irritable and exhausted; showered quickly and am now debating the wisdom of doning a vest for tonight’s birthday dinner, for Ms G, at the Ivory.  Somehow I think I’d be killed if I arrived in a vest, unless it was adorned with sequins or something similarly pretty & girly.  Polo shirt it is.

I’ve found a shirt that looks sufficiently girly/nice, threw some moisturiser on my face, no make up – can not be arsed, some wax in my hair and some Davidoff Cool, for women & I’m ready for the off. Is it terrible of me that I can not be arsed going to one of my friends’ birthday dinners? Or just a sign of how tired I feel today?! Not getting enough sleep; that’s all.  Aside from that I do feel quite fat at the moment.  I know that it’s booze.  I know that if I stopped drinking there wouldn’t be a pick on me; but I love it!  Not to the alcoholic point, but I love it.  I can feel it round my waist, and it feels fucking disgusting.  I’ve been thrown off my training by the sister getting up here; and by the wind down of work; but it’s no excuse.  I do not want to get fat and lazy again.  Yet even as I write this I feel as though I’m not sure if I want to go and train tonight.  How do fatties cope with the feeling of rolls around them all day?  Ugh, disgusting!

On the up-side I’ve only 16 hours left to work.  Being out, alone & unemployed in the world is a pretty scary prospect, yet again.  But I wouldn’t have signed up for the adventure if it wasn’t what I wanted to do.

It seems the seasons, they have a-changed.  Yesterday was absolutely beautiful.  The sun was out, it was mild, when I say mild I mean thermal under Ping shirt for golfing, and the world seemed so much brighter.  Today I noticed the length of the afternoons more than I have before.  Although it is only 5pm I really felt a bit weird showering and getting ready to go out when it’s still light outside.  You really have no concept of the time here, and I think it’s a lot due to the amount of light in the summer, and the darkness in winter.  Also it’s so noticable cause of the speed at which it seems to change.  Dublin I think is said to change at about 3 minutes per day.  Up here I think, heard somewhere, and probably unreliably, that it’s more like 5.  5 minutes out of a day doesn’t seem like much, but it does make a difference.

My head is filled with all sorts of randomness today. First, I believe I may be starting to miss K-C when I even think about leaving.  Second, just as I am sat here I found myself wondering if Jillian was heading to the gym tonight. I’ve spoken to her via messenger since the incident; but haven’t seen her.  Sort of wonder if we need to talk about this. The compassionate side of me; especially seeing as how she said she’s having a little trouble wrapping her head around the whole issue.  Over the last couple of days I’ve caught myself wondering if I could be with her.  I’m not sure I could, but then I really don’t know her from outside the gym setting.  Or enough to know that anyway.

After my performance on Friday night, and Mrs U & I deciding that we were getting married, I happened to mention it to Jillian; saying that I’m not really the marrying type.  It was all in fun until I began to wonder, given my track record, and my inability to be 100% sure that I won’t cheat again, am I really not the marrying type?  Do I have the ability to remain faithful?  I really like to think that I could…but I’m just not sure.  Sad, isn’t it?

Chavs, big-mouthed D-Listers & a marriage.

That media-hungry slapper Jade Goody is back in the spotlight again. Granted, it’s not overly spectacular that she’s got cancer and is going to kick it pretty soon, but one would think that anyone reasonable would want to go out with a bit of dignity; not bloody splashing their ‘poor me’ sob story all over the papers. No, not the big-mouthed-racist-chav I’m-famous-for-being-famous Jade-bloody-Goody. I can not stand her. She’s a big-mouthed slapper, who really is the chav of chavs who just happened to be accepted into D-list ‘fame’ when she was on Big Brother. Her ensuing success is nothing to do with her talent (or what would appear to be lack of) – pure publicity. Today her publicist got on the radio; and I would have thought that Radio One would have had better things to broadcast; saying she wanted to make as much money as possible for her boys. Fair enough. I can see her point. But then in the same breath this numpty said she’s being so open about her illness to promote awareness to other women & that her stories have prompted an increase in women & teenage girls having smears. My arse she is concerned about that. It’s all about the money and the celebrity status for her. And it’s sad that people have so little in their lives they’re increasingly interested in this sort of bollocks. But that’s the reality of the celebrity obsessed culture that is Britain. Not that I’m knocking Britain…I wouldn’t dream of doing that. Just; you know.

Speaking of chavs, Rushmere was full of them today. I actually saw three girls walking along the side walk in those god-awful velor tracksuit bottoms. Purple and Hot Pink no less. Chavs. They sit about the shopping centre drinking cider from the can, & smoking giant splifs while looking generally raggedy, untidy and trying to look intimidating; all the while free loading off the public system. It might be completely inaccurate & big-headed, but I feel increasingly ‘better’ (for lack of a more apt word) than a lot of people I see about on the street – maybe just cause I actually look in the mirror before I go out, even just to the shops; and cause I get around to brushing my teeth more than once a week. Is that me having standards? Or is it that I do have standards, but they may be too high (say brushing your teeth twice a day – credit crunch & all) and henceforth I’m just plain judgemental if people can not meet said expectations and standards of dress and behaviour? Are we at finishing school?

Giving off done…I’ve spent the majority of the evening playing on my latest acquisition. A brand spanking new Advent 4211C netbook. It seems to be quite class, and I can confidently say that, with some adjustment & getting used to the smaller screen size, my fingers being more mashed together when I type and having a single control button for the finger panel, I could love the thing. It’s all very dinky and quite a sexy piece of kit. At 120G memory I‘m hoping that it stores enough of my photos and files to get me home. It seems quite handy, and relatively speedy, compared to the brick of a laptop I’ve had before. Here’s hoping the little thing lives up to my expectations.  I can not wait to see what it can do on the fly!

In other news, Mrs U & I are getting married. Decided over pints at Mary’s and only out of a her getting me to stay. ‘This is going to sound so gay…’ was the most common statement of the night coming out of her mouth and was frequently followed by some comment along the lines of ‘I cried this morning in the shower when I thought about you leaving’ or ‘I’m going to be heart broken when you leave’. So I simply suggested that for me to stay she’d have to marry me. Apparently would be no bother whatsoever, despite her already being married to Mr U. Although there would be none of the business…just a marriage of convenience. Would suit me down to the ground, just as long as I had the Army girl to keep me company on cold, lonely nights. Mrs U is now referred to as ‘Wifey’ or “Alpha Wife”. Clearly I should recognise my place and stay put.

Bender

I’ve had the most huge weekend ever this one just gone.  It was great fun though – excellent!  Friday I was knackered so opted not to go out on E’s (one of Mrs U’s friends) last night in Belfast as a single woman, so they went on ahead without me.  She found out I was sitting in so she brought me round to hers & we just watched some telly & then sat in the hot tub with beers all night.  It was class, very relaxing and all together good.
 
 Saturday was golf again, in the morning.  I don’t usually win on Saturday due to Pretty Mary, or just someone else playing better than me.  I’ve been having trouble on Saturdays recently, but this one just gone was alright.  I don’t think I won though.  15 points just.  After golf I have been going to watch hockey which is quite entertaining, especially when some little whipper-snapper runs in to her (who is massive) & bounces off her while she remains still, and standing.  Mrs U has sort of given golf the arse in favour of hockey on a Saturday, but it was cancelled this weekend as the pitch was frozen, so she came to play golf and then we just went back to hers straight after.  K came round after we’d had a delicious stuffed chicken dinner and we watched that new movie of Will Smith’s. 
 
Seven Pounds I think it was called.  It was utterly bizarre.  I really think there are better things to spend money on!  It was about a guy who just randomly was doing nice stuff for people, like donating bone marrow to one bloke, donating some of his liver to another one (god knows mine would be no use to anyone at the moment) and he gave one lung to someone else.  Then he signed over his house to this other lady who needed it.  We were all sitting there making up what we thought would happen, but in the end we were all wrong.  It was a little bit like Momento with Guy Pearce, but even more weird.  In the end he ended up falling in love with someone he was helping but she needed a heart transplant & guess what he gave to her – yes!  His heart.  Most bizarre.  We found out that he was driving along one night and he had a massive smash & his wife and 6 other people died in it – so he set about finding 7 people to help.  It was a nice story, but utterly bizarre.
 
We end up having about a million beers & loads of crisps to eat, but it was very fun.  I normally stay at my own house on Saturdays but we played at Down Royal on Sunday and it was leave the house at half 8, if I’d not stayed there they would have had to collect me at 8 – blerk!  Golf on Sunday was alright.  We, Mrs U & I, were invited to I’s bachelor’s day, so we went out and had to play against a million men.  It was absolutely baltic, windy and there was loads of sleet initially, but the rain stopped about the 4th and it was all good from there.  The sun even came out for a bit!  I had 34 points and came third, even though I felt I played badly.  
 
After golf we came back to Mrs U’s to get ready to go to Four Trees (across the road from Mary’s).  We were sat in the house (after contemplating just having a nap in the car) all wanting to sleep.  Mrs U & I sitting saying ‘I want to shower but can’t be arsed’ and Mr U being all mutey.  We ended up getting ready and got to Four Trees at about 3.  Everyone was there so we had a meal before E & K arrived.  After being totally knackered and planning to be home for 6 we ended up being there till about half 11.  E, K & D (Ian’s sister) showed up not long after then the party really started.  Bad Mrs U was out to play on Sunday night and it ended in a lemon wedge & ice fight between us.  I’m not sure who won, but it definately wasn’t the guy, who got hit in the head by a stray lemon wedge, even though he was just sitting quietly having a pint and had nothing at all to do with us.  She also (as Mrs U said) broke her neck to get out and see us (or as Mrs U said, me) that night.  Ma & Da who were fresh off the plane from Portugal & heading to the Ivory for dinner, saw me standing on the street talking to her, before she came out obviously, and they ended up in the bar after their dinner.  It was a completely spontaneous, random night but it was hilarious!  Mrs U’s so funny when she’s on the lash.  Mr U was taking the piss on Monday night about their utility room looking like a bottling plant.  He also said told Mrs U that just cause we were drinking pints (on Sunday night) didn’t mean we had to neck them & that he had to sit out a couple of rounds or he would have been sick.  Although with all our training of late, our drinking is getting very expensive as we can have about 15 beers and still be grand. 

Top Gear

Sad. Depressed. All alone. That’s me. Still hurt by the ex lying to me – took it out on the treadmill and felt great after a banging workout.

0945 – Thermobol, Detox
1000 – Training – 15 x 35:25 Run intervals – 12.0kph, 2% (6), 3% (9). 3 x 10 DB Bench (16s), VT (37.5) DB Lat Raise (5s), Cable Straight arm pulldown (12.5), Leg Press (70, 80, 70). 15 mins bike. Stretch – Hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, calves, quads (by GI Joe). 1 lit water
11:30 – Thermobol, Promax Diet shake on 250ml Water
12:00 – Hot tub – stretch whole body + some hot/cold shower stuff. 1 lit water
12:40 – I’m knackered!
1530 – Oats, 2 scoops natural yoghurt, 1 plum, 1/2 nectarine. Coffee.
1600 – Coffee. 4 x 2 finger kit kat
1730 – 2 small packets of crisps
1830 – Golf – walked 11 holes – 2 hours. Approx 800cal.
2130 – Small packet of crisps, 150ml skim milk.
2200 – Grilled chicken & green veg, 1/8 avocado, 3 tsp balsamic dressing.

Cracking workout. Really pleased with my run intervals. Feel a lot stronger now running at 12. I think I will max out the speed there for a bit, work on volume – longer intervals and more of them. Sweat was pouring out of me today. After my run I was sitting on the end of a bench, composing myself (“come on, you’ve got to lift this weight”) & a puddle accumulated under where I was hanging my head. Was fair roasting in the gym this morning though. Worked hard, pushed through. Can definitely do more weight on a lot of the exercises I feel. Grip strength is the main issue with VT I think; but my shoulder is giving a little curry at the moment. Feels uncomfortable when I’m at full abduction, elbow just about above my head. Leg press I felt my lower back form giving a little at 80, which is why I dropped the weight for the last set – form over load.

Went out for a bit more of FLOG. I went round the back 9 in 41 shots, which got me 25 points. Absolutely astounding considering the crap I’ve been producing on the last couple of occasions. I did really well…focused on shots, concentrated. Putting was much better. I’ve no idea what the fuck is going on. It pisses me off that I can’t be as good as I want to be. Fucking shit! Why am I swearing so much?

Bit of a headache. Should probably come up with some meat & veg for dinner. I’ve some chicken thawed – just about getting the motivation up to cook it. After Top Gear. Right after Top Gear.

Things that have made me laugh this week:
1. Fies (feesh). Irish dancing competition. Hmmm.
2. NU’s Ireland jumper. Worn to Carnalea. I’d forgotten if I’d given it back to Mrs U. This was mentioned in the gym; to which she replied “We have it at home. I’ve washed it and all”. For a couple of moments there was sheer terror – I didn’t undress in the carpark did I? Finally remembered I wore my pink shirt home – phew. Terror over.
3. Radio Quiz. Q. “What’s the capital of Hungary?”. A. “Germany”. Enough said.
4. African children. HF kindly offered that I should give my curry stained clothes to SW to have washed. “She’s washing everyone’s clothes”. “Why”. “She’s African children”. “What; to wash her clothes?”.

Train relentlessly – never quit, never cheat and never give up.