Cork Mini Marathon 2014 & Weigh In

I mentioned last month that I had registered to do the Cork Mini Marathon 2014 on Sunday 28th September 2014.... This was something that I had planned to do since the New Year, although to be honest, I had hoped that I would be running it! But running doesn't seem to be working out for me at the moment! 

So I decided that I would still do it, but I would walk it...

Start Line

Start Line looking ahead

Start Line still but it went waaaaay back

I turned up to the start line on Sunday along with 10,500 other ladies, all ready to go. It seemed that the majority were in groups and walking/ running for charities. I felt a little lost in the big crowd if I'm honest.
At 1pm, we were off, they let both runners and walkers off together and so the first 10/15 mins were mayhem!! We started off at a crawl with everyone bumping off each other, trying to get around each other and runners trying to get through the groups of walkers so they could get going!!
When we hit the 1 mile mark around the Marina, the crowd was a little more sparse and I felt that I had a little more breathing room and space in general. I put on my iPod and just pretended that I was out for my normal walk and not Vicki- no - mates!!
The temperature was rising also as the race got goings, so when it rained, it was a little bit of a relief. Everyone was in high spirits anyway, so a rain shower wasn't going to change that.

When we turned off the Marina and onto the Blackrock road (which is longer & hillier when walking rather than driving) it was lovely to see all the residents out cheering on all the walkers, local shops had set up tables with water, so they could be grabbed along the way. it was very warm, so a lot of people were stopping for a quick sup.  I didn't, I was afraid that if I stopped I wouldn't "start" again (yip like a battered old car!!)

Its fair to say that I haven't been making exercise a priority and I felt it on this walk!!
The relief I felt when I passed the 3 mile mark :) Only 1 more mile to go I told myself, I could do this!!  I was feeling the affects of walking in the heat with no training and no water in me at this stage! I was also very aware that I was completely on my own! But I kept going, I was determined to finish.  The final half mile was on a fairly straight road, so once I caught site of the end, I was happy.. people say that once they see the finish line, they get a new spurt of energy and run to finish.
This did not happen me!! I just about managed to take my phone out to take a photo of the finish line!! (my fingers felt like they'd turned in to sausages!!)

Seeing the finish line was such a relief

I was so relieved to finish!! you wouldn't have thought it had you seen me tho!! I was fit to cry with the relief, not smile and laugh!! My time was taken, I handed in my number, got my medal and grabbed a bottle of water!!

I bumped into my work friend Jen, she had run the 4 miles in 44 mins (Go Jen)
Below is a photo of us taken with our medals

Me & Jen

I wasn't feeling great from the heat to be honest and right after that photo was taken, I was sick.. on the grass.. in front of EVERYONE!! I was more embarrassed than anything else, but I couldn't stop!
I went to sit on the wall and a lovely lady from St Johns Ambulance came over to check on me and told me to sip my water. I think I over heated (like an old car) and was dehydrated from the heat of the day; that's why I was sick!

So with all the drama I never took a pic of me with my medal!! oops!! so this was taken later when I got home...

I did it

So yes, I did complete this years mini marathon but it wasn't the best of times for me!!

In good news, I was down 3 lbs this week.. so I'll take that :)

I hope you've had a good week


Weight lost to date: 6lbs
Onwards and Downwards, the Slimming World way :)

Week 15 Weigh-in 2013‏

Hello hello,
Its that time of the week again  and I've good news to report thankfully :) I was down 2lbs on the scales, down 4lbs in Fat and up 2lbs in muscle... So I'm happy with that result.


I  think the effects of Rip60 last week showed on this weeks scale reading. But I did work extra hard all week ,I made sure that my portions sizes were correct. I stuck to my food plan 98%
And that’s only because I went to give blood and you have to have sugars before you can leave so I had a cup of club orange and a bag of Taytos on Tuesday evening!


During the week I went to Spinning, Spin & Abs and I faced another Rip60 class. I also managed 2 x lunch time walks, so combine moving my ass everyday with eating 98% good and you get a good result on the scales.


The scales did dither between two numbers when I stepped on and it stuck on the higher one, so I’ve taking that to mean that I’m already 1lb down before this week has even started J which can only be a good thing really J

This week I have booked in for 3 x Spinning classes and I’m thinking about trying a Kettle bell class also (little afraid for my back with regards kettle bells, but I won’t know until I try)
I’m back on track and fighting my urges and I’m not feeling deprived, the weather is also starting to improve and with that comes the prospect of brighter and tighter clothes for the summer.

So that thought is spurring me along and keeping me away from the biscuit tin. Work had my favourite biscuits in the kitchen last week and I did not eat one! I may have had a sniff or two, but I did not eat one and they still disappeared just a quickly from the kitchen without my help. And I was happy once they were gone. Cuz the temptation had left the building and I had not given in J


For me it’s the little things that I applaud myself for. I’m delighted that I didn’t break for a biscuit last week! Had that been the week previous, I would have had 3!! I feel like I’m back on the right track and getting a good result on the scales proves that I can do this. I just need to keep putting one good day in front of another and the days will turn to weeks and the pounds will hopefully melt away.


I hope your weight loss journey is going well..

2013 A Fresh Start - Operation SkinnieMinnie

Hey Guys,

As the title says, today is my fresh start to the new year and I'm happy that Christmas is now behind me, I really enjoyed it, but I've also eaten my way through the season and now I've got the jolly belly to prove it!! YIKES!!

I'm not back to face the post Christmas scales until this Saturday, but I've had enough of eating poorly and making the wrong choices!! So I started fresh today. I had a chat on twitter with a few fellow bloggers and they motivated me, it was the kick up the backside that I needed.




So today is my first day sugar free in a good few weeks and already my belly is already thankful :)
I was sick over the weekend, thanks to our lovely weather! Its just a head cold, so leaky nose, headache and sore throat.
Instead of turning into my usual Moaning Myrtle, I used it to my advantage, Oh YEAH :) 3 litres of water and 3 cups of herbal tea, soothed my throat and in the process started my detox of my insides that have been suffocated by rich and bold foods lately.



So I'm off to a good start, I brought pears to work to snack on and avoided the left over sweeties in the kitchen all day.
I'm ever so proud of myself!! I know its silly and only been 13 hours, but I'm an all or nothing kind of dieter and I can say that I've had a totally clean day today *high five for me* Once I get 3 good days in a row, that'll keep me good and the cravings should vamoose.



The weather in Cork today has been rotten, so I've not had any exercise, but that's OK, today was good eating , tomorrow I'll add in exercise. I'm booked in for 40minutes Ab & 20mins tone tomorrow night and if it dries up, I'll  walk at lunch time.



So I'm feeling very positive and motivated today. My goal for this year is to reach my target weight.
I want to loose 60lbs in the coming months.

I took these photos of myself last week before spinning. (Apologies for the quality, they were taken on my phone) I can't look at these without cringing, but this is the what I need to do.
I will post photos of myself monthly and you can tell me can you see a difference as I go back on my weight loss journey to be a slimmer and trimmer me.


Are you planning a healthy change for the new year??

WALKS, WATER & WEE'S‏

Hey Guys,

Happy Hump DayJ The weekend is once more in sight, which is a good thing, but it also means for me that my weigh in is looming.

As you’ve guessed from the title of this post my week so fair has been full of walks, water and wee’s!! All the “W’s”

Are any of ye experiencing the same?

Walks – I must admit that I’m enjoying my 20 minute walk at lunch time. It breaks the day, gets me out, wakes me up, gets me moving and I walk extra fast because I’m always in a hurry to get back to feed my bellyJ I’ve been using an APP on my phone called “Map My Walk” it times your walk and your distance, it even marks your route in red so you can look at the distance, Anyhu I really like it, I tend to walk the same 2 or 3 routes regularly, so what I do is I try to beat my times on this app. Yes I know I’m in completion with myself, but everyday I walk the same mile a little bit faster, which is a good thing right? Today my walk took me 18 mins 40sec and I walked 1.08miles. So tomorrow I’ll try to do it in under 18 minutes. It’s the little things that keep me goingJ

Monday night I went back to Spinning, I hadn’t been to a class in nearly 5 months, so I’m happy to tell you that my back held out and I’ve had no back pain this week! The class was tough I must say, but enjoyable. It has shown me tho that I’ve become pretty unfit!! I guess walking myself at my own pace doesn’t give you much to compare yourself too!! Whereas in a class of 11 there’s no where to hide. I got thru the class and sweated buckets. So I’ll defo be going back and I hope that my fitness levels will gradually build back up in the coming months.

I was also extra good last night and went for a two mile walk with the boy in the dark. (eeeeek) It was grand tho, we stuck to well lit area’s and he laughed at my hi-vis jacket… but as I said to him, least they’ll see me, it’ll be him that’s doomed :P (joke)

I must say I’ve slept like a baby the last two nights after all the exercise, that makes me a very happy bunnyJ

Water - I’ve always drank a lot of water, so this is one of the easier things for me to do, especially when I’m sitting at my desk most of the day, I can sup away. I fill my litre bottle at 9am and again at 2pm. I then go home and drink a pint of water with my dinner. That’s usually my water done unless I go to a class in the venin, in that case I would drink another litre of water. So I drink at least 2 litres a day if not more

Wee’s – As you’ve probably guessed because of all the water that I drink (that’s excluding my 3 x herbal teas and 4/5 real teas) The bathroom has become my second home!! But this week for some reason I’m going waaaay more than usual!! I don’t know if its because its chilly or because my water is too cold from the cooler rather than being at room temperature!! But its flying through me and sending me running every 30 minutes or so! I’m not a fan of this side affect I must say and my work colleagues are probably wondering what the heck is wrong with me!!

But I will say that my system seems to be detoxed and flushed out (hard not to be at this stage) my stomach is feeling less bloated and my skin is starting to appreciate the water and is starting to clear up (huraaah) I’m definitely feeling the benefits of all the water, as I’m a very thirsty person in general) But 10 trips to the loo in the day is not suiting me at all!!

I dunno should another “W” for whinge be added to the subject line after that!! But over all I’m feeling pretty positive this week. I just hope that all the exercise won’t go against me on the scales on Saturday.

I hope your having a good week xxx



*Pic's are from Mr Google Images