Guest Post | #IrishBlogCollab

Hi everyone!

This week for the #IrishBlogCollab we will each be doing a guest post on someone else’s blog. I was lucky to be paired with Sharon from behindgreeneyes.com. Thanks Sharon for having me! Here is Sharons post:

This week for the #IrishBlogCollab, everyone taking part gets to guest post on someone else's blog. I'm Sharon, I blog at Behind Green Eyes, and I was delighted to be paired with Denise.

I want to talk to you about books – I have five great holiday reads (none with the word 'Girl' in the title) that would be worthy of a space in your suitcase if you're looking for a new read this Summer, or perfect for relaxing with at home.

 

1. Elizabeth is Missing - Emma Healey.
   Maud is struggling with the onset of dementia, and is sure that her friend Elizabeth has gone missing. But who will believe her when she can't remember anything some days? Something happened to Elizabeth's sister Sukey when they were younger, and Elizabeth is determined to do something to find out what happened Sukey and Elizabeth. A great read with a touch of mystery and a lot of heart.
2. Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel.
   What do you get when you cross a travelling symphony and the Georgia flu? A fantastic dystopian read in which several people cross paths while struggling to survive in a world that has lost 90% of its population to a deadly disease. This isn't nearly as bleak as it sounds – it's a real page turner.
3. The Lake - Sheena Lambert.
   Ireland, 1975, All – Ireland weekend. Detective Frank Ryan is called to a small sleepy town when a body is found. Though the locals are helpful, nobody seems to know anything about the dead person – but one resident knows, and it will mean upheaval for another. This was brilliant, really atmospheric and I loved the characters. I wanted it to be longer!
4. The Ice Twins - S.K. Tremayne.
   A couple inherit a lighthouse keeper's cottage on a small Scottish island. They think it will be the perfect new start after losing one of their twin daughters in a devastating accident – but when they start to prepare for the move, their other daughter begins to behave strangely, claiming she is Lydia, the twin who died. This was brilliant, full of twists and full of atmosphere with brilliant characters.
5. Dear Lizzie - Annie Lyons.
   Lizzie has lost her lovely sister Bea. When she goes to her funeral, she is given a box of letters left to her by Bea with instructions on how to straighten her life out. Over the course of a year, Lizzie follows Bea's instructions – and finds herself coming face-to-face with some past ghosts and some home truths. A brilliant holiday read that could have been predictable but is saved by great writing.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and that you find something new to read. Thank you for having me at Dee-termined to Glam and Glow, and please check out Denise's post at behindgreeneyes.com.

Thanks so much Sharon for taking the time to write such a great piece for Dee-Termined to Glam and Glow.

Catherine of Breathing Silver Linings
Eimear of Chirps From A Little Red Hen
Cat of Mentally Beautiful
Lara of The Love Song of Fashion
Maeve of Thrift O'Clock
Marie of The Beaut mum
Sharon of Behind Green Eyes
Zoe of I Believe In Romeo

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

I am the Mum who......

Hi everyone!!

I'm the Mum who......

• Loves when people say that my son looks like me
• Craves sleep but somehow manages to live without it
• Will sneak a few minute of sleep in my car during my lunch break at work 
• Melts every evening when I see the welcome that my son has for me
• Loves that my son is such an active baby
• Knows every cartoon and song on Baby TV
• Gets stressed and overwhelemed at times
• Loves that my husband will give ma a "night off" by letting me sleep in the spare room while he looks after our son
• Loves my cup of tea and some "me time" when the babba has gone to bed
• Sometimes gets so overwhelmed with love for my son that I will shed a tear
• Loves how my son reacts when his grandad sings "Home on the Range" to him
• Constantly runs down the battery on my phone looking at photos and videos
• Has maxed out the storage on my phone, from taking so many photos, on more than one occasion
• Loves that people tell me that my son is such a happy baby
• Enjoys watching reality tv
• Loves family time
• Doesn't go out much anymore
• Doesn't wear much makeup anymore
• Enjoys running and hiking
• Enjoys being in the outdoors
• Wishes we could win the lotto!!!
• Hopes that the summer will be nice
• Works fulltime
• Hates seeing my son get sick
• Loves watching the giggles from my son when he plays with his dad 
• Wants to be as fit and healthy as possible 
• Wants only the best in life for my son
• Would go without food, clothes and shelter so that my son could have them
• Thinks my son is the cutest, best, nicest, cleverest, bravest little boy in the world
• Loves my husband to pieces
• Feels blessed to have such a great family

This post was a real fun one for me and I'd like to thank Eimear of Chirps From A Little Red Hen for the nomination. Now I'd like to nominate:

Sharon from Behind Green Eyes

Marie from The Beaut Mom

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

#3LittleWords

Hi everyone!

What a beautiful day outside! I hope you all enjoyed the weekend?

This weeks #3LittleWords we're happy ones! They were:

"See You Soon"

These are words that we hear all the time but I had a lovely weekend being visited by family! 

It started yesterday when my sister-in-law and 2 lovely nieces called for a DVD day that I had promised them for ages. It was quite miserable outside yesterday so we all got into our PJ's and let the fun begin.

The girls and their mom spent all day lounging around with Colin and I and we had an absolute ball. So much so that by 8.30 last night I was shatterred. I just don't know where they get their energy from?! Colin was fascinated watch them play and I know that once he's a little bit older he will be following them around all the time.

Today I heard those magic #3LittleWords again from my fabulous sister and her fiancé. They decided to call down to spend the day with us, which doesn't happen as often as we'd all like. We live 10 mins from my husbands family and over an hour from my family so it's not as easy to drop in for a cup of tea. 

We had lunch and chatted and spent a relaxing day having some family time. My sister is getting married in September so she is very busy with wedding plans so the "time-out" was a well deserved break for her and gave Colin some bonding time with his wonderful godmother.

It was so lovely having some family time. Thanks Mary, Ciara, Lauren, Orla and Darren for making my week! I'm full of positivity after a lovely weekend, it's a great feeling!!!

Have a great week everyone.

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Bringing The Glow Back to My Skin Week 4

Hi everyone

So it's week 4 of my little skin experiment and so far so good, apart from 2 blemishes (oh the joys of having oily, problematic skin). 

I developed Adult Acne at 23 and now, in my 30's, I still suffer from acne breakouts. Looking after my skin is a priority at the moment so I'm drinking 2L of water each day but I know that I'm probably not as strict on my diet at the moment so that's definitely affecting my skin (I'm going to make a huge effort to correct this). 

The main reason for my breakouts is stress. I've had a rough few weeks and the stress has definitely shown on my skin. My breakouts are always around my nose and chin areas and at the moment I have 2 horrible blemishes on my chin. 

Here are the comparison photos and an overall image:

My freckles are out in force, thanks to the beautiful weather that we're having at the moment! The redness has calmed which is great. The one thing that I haven't been able to change during this experiment is the size of my pores. Having naturally oily skin my pores are large and realistically I'd need to go for regular facials to improve this. I do use the Catrice Primer, with or without makeup, which I find fantastic. It evens out the texture of my skin.

Overall I have to say that I'm happy with the results of my skin experiment. I will be doing a home facial this weekend and every month after that. I'll have details on the blog next Thursday of my facial routine.

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

My Playlist | #IrishBlogCollab

Hi everyone!

It's Wednesday again so that means another post as part of the #IrishBlogCollab. This week we are talking about our favorite playlists/albums. Growing up my mother always said that I knew every song on the radio! I love music and I think that a good song can really lift your mood. I don't have any particular favorite genre, my cd collection/iPod songs are so varied but if I had to make a choice I think that rock ballads would be my favourites and more often than not you can hear these types of songs blaring out of my car. I tend to listen to different types of music depending on the situation or mood that I'm in. I've decided that in going to list 2 playlists and I'll explain a little as to why.

Over the last few months, anyone that reads my blog will know that I have increased my running training significantly as I am training for The Great Limerick Run Half Marathon in May. As a result I like to listen to dance tracks when Im running because I find it much more motivating than listening to something that has a slower beat. Now I'm not talking about hard core dance tunes, more like pop/dance songs. So here is a sample playlist of songs that I like to listen to when running:

1.  Avicii - Wake Me Up
2. Sunblock - First Time
3. Pitbull ft Ke$ha - Timber
4. Calvin Harris ft Kelis - Bounce
5. MGMT - Kids
6. Konshens - Jamican Dance
7. Avicii - Levels
8. Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)
9. Labrinth - Let The Sunshine
10. Bingo Players - Get Up (Rattle)

With me being a sucker for a good power ballad or anthem I had to list some of my all time favourite songs:

1.  Queen - I Want It All (I play this when I want to give myself a lift!)
2. Brandon Flowers - Crossfire
3. Roxy Music - Jealous Guy
4. Def Leppard - Long Long Way To Go
5. Dire Straits - Romeo & Juliet
6. The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues
7. Londonbeat - I've Been Thinking About You
8. Cold Chisel - Khe Sanh (An Australian hit that always reminds me of our 2 years over there)
9. Roxette - Listen To Your Heart
10. Ella Henderson - Ghost (This was No 1 when Colin was born)
11. Orleans - Still The One
12. Bon Jovi - Livin On A Prayer
13. Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name
14. Jessica Simpson - For Your Love
15. Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights
16. Elton John - Tiny Dancer
17. Bryan Adams - Heaven
18. The Pogues - Thousands Are Sailing
19. Def Leppard - Love Bites
20. Luka Bloom - You Couldn't Have Come At A Better Time (This was our first Dance at our wedding, a little different I know but we loved it!!)

I'm sorry but I couldnt resist adding in some notes beside the songs because they just bring back some great memories!!!! I also apologise for listing the songs and not putting them on a Spotify, etc, playlist but I dont actually have an account on these websites (I'm still old fashioned in some ways!!!!). So now you have an insight into my musical tastes. I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my favourite songs, I know that I certainly enjoyed compiling the list.

Below are links to the other members of the #IrishBlogCollab:

Catherine of Breathing Silver Linings
Eimear of Chirps From A Little Red Hen
Cat of Mentally Beautiful
Lara of The Love Song of Fashion
Maeve of Thrift O'Clock
Marie of The Beaut mum
Sharon of Behind Green Eyes
Zoe of I Believe In Romeo

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

#3LittleWords

This weeks #3LittleWords were positive. We had a rough few weeks with illness and being off work so it's nice to bring some positivity back into our lives. It helps that the weather has been glorious and I think everyone is in better from when the weather is good!

This weeks #3LittleWords are:

"Strong Healthy Boy"

Colin has always been a solid baby. He was 9lbs 10oz when he was born and I think it helped him so much because he was never a fragile newborn. He was always strong, not fat, just strong and healthy. He hasn't really been sick, apart from the odd sniffle so it was upsetting that I had to take him to the doctors last Monday. I was told that he had the same illness that I had picked up and that he was to be taken out if crèche and rest at home for a week. 

For a little boy that was sick, he got over it so fast! He was only really miserable for 3 days at most but I still had to keep him out if crèche, under strict doctors orders. We'll be heading back to the doctor tomorrow and we're both hoping for a clean bill if health!

My #3LittleWords reflect how strong Colin is because instantly when people see him they almost always say that he is a fine "strong healthy boy". I love hearing it because I know that I went through torture delivering him but the fact that he was a big baby has definitely helped him! 

What are your #3LittleWords, I'd love to hear them!!!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Bringing The Glow Back to My Skin Week 3

Another week down and another week of wearing little or no makeup. My skin has had a real chance to breathe and let's just hope that this weeks photo comparison will reflect that!

My Skin

Below are the comparison photos and I apologies because I actually took this weeks photo of the opposite side of my face but you can still see how my skin has improved again.

Again the redness has gone down even further. The tone of my skin needs work and to be honest I really don't think I could reverse any sun damage with my little experiment. Realistically I need to go for regular facials that have a particular focus on sun damaged skin. Although so far so good and I am happy with how my skin is improving! Let's hope that I will be as happy with next weeks results!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

9 Things My Family Taught Me | #IrishBlogCollab

 

As part of the #IrishBlogCollab Series our next post is all about things our parents, grandparents and family have taught us. Like most of us my parents and family have taught me so much and it's because of them that I am here today. So here is my take on "Things Our Parents Thought Me".

Educate Yourself: this was a big one in our family and I'm not just talking about going to college and getting a degree or apprentice, yes this was hugely important but my parents always said that you need to educate yourself on life. Read books, travel, speak to and listen to your elders!

Respect Your Elders: I totally agree with this one. It's amazing the stories that elderly people have and love to have someone to share these stories. On my dads side my Nana passed away when she was just shy of her 90th birthday and, unfortunately, I never met my granddad. On my mothers side my grandfather passed away exactly 1 week before my wedding at 91 years old! My granny is still alive, she's 87, and has so many stories that would fascinate people. She has the most amazing memory for details. I only hope I can have a long and healthy life like my grandparents. Growing up we spend lots of time with our grandparents and loved every second of it. Each of them were and are so special to us and I think my parents were so right to raise us to respect them as much as we do.

Travel: see what you can of Ireland and of the world while you still can. It educates the mind and will give you invaluable life experience.

Never be Cruel to Animals: This was a no no. It hurts so much to see stories in the news each day about different animals being tortured for personal pleasure. Respect for animals was and is so important.

Work Hard: Nothing comes easy and it's important to work for all that you have or want. 

Appreciate Others: appreciate others around you and what they do to help you in life. I know that, like a lot of people, I have taken my parents and grandparents for granted at times but in getting older and having my own child I now see why it is so important to appreciate others and to say thank you or I'm sorry when required.

Enjoy Life: Yes it's important to work hard but it's just as important to enjoy life. My dad is still saying this to me. I tend to get very stressed and he will often remind me, not in a bad way, that I need to relax more and enjoy being healthy and happy.

Save for a Rainy Day: We opened our Post Office account when we were in Primary School and would put money in each month. Our parents always said that it's important to be able to save money so that it was there when we needed it! I am still a regular saver and that's not going to change any time soon.

Look After Your Health: If you feel that something isn't right then get it checked out. Keep yourself fit and healthy.

Honestly I could have went on and on and on because I have learned so much from my family. It's very hard to pick out just a few little bits. A lot of the points that I just mentioned interlink but yet I still think that each point was as important and I wanted to mention them all. I only hope that I can pass on some of that wisdom to my little boy (and hopefully, in the future, his sibling(s)!!!).

You can follow the other members of the #IrishBlogCollab by checking out their blogs (Listed Below) or by searching the hashtag on Twitter.

Catherine of Breathing Silver Linings
Eimear of Chirps From A Little Red Hen
Cat of Mentally Beautiful

Cathryn of What Kate Loves
Lara of The Love Song of Fashion
Maeve of Thrift O'Clock
Marie of The Beaut mum
Sharon of Behind Green Eyes
Zoe of I Believe In Romeo

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Twitter: @deeglamglow
Instagram: @deeglamglow
Facebook: www.facebook.com/deeterminedtoglamandglow

Sonny Murphy 10 Mile

Last Sunday saw Race 4 of the Run Clare Series, the Sonny Murphy Memorial 10 mile race in Kilnaboy Co Clare (to those of you who don't know where Kilnaboy is, it's the home of Fr Ted's house!).

Race Route





The morning of the race was very wet and generally miserable, but the day turned out to be a beautiful one. It was a sunny blue sky kind of day and so was perfect for the final event in such a brilliant series.


The pre-race atmosphere was electric. Everyone was so excited to be competing in the final race of the series. It was also bittersweet knowing that the series was over. None of that distracted from the craic though. The music was pumping and a local lady had the crowd fully warmed up with a brilliant routine.

The race started, and finished, at Kilnaboy church and took us down towards The Burren National Park. The views were fab and a bit distracting, which is a good thing as it stops you from thinking about actually getting over the finish line in one piece! I'm not too familiar with the roads that we took but we ended up running along some lovely quiet country roads into Corofin and then back to Kilnaboy. There were 4 water. Stations, which were needed because it ended up getting quite warm.


There were a few inclines but nothing too bad, that was until the last 600M when we had to run up the hill and take a right into Kilnaboy. That hill was tough and for me it's the only one that I remember!


At every house and crossroads,and just randomly along the road, there were supporters cheering us on. One little girl in Corofin had even made little banners to cheer the race participants. It was a hugely supported race by locals, tourists and passers by.


My 10 Miles





If you have been reading my blog posts you will know that I was quite sick the week leading up to the race. I was actually off work so needless to say I didnt get any training runs done prior to the race. Following my disastrous attempt at The Abbey Run in Quin the Saturday prior I was on bed rest for a week. By Friday I felt somewhat good again and by Saturday I had made up my mind to participate in the 10 mile (plus me being so stubborn I couldn't not do it, especially after training so hard and building myself up for it!). I decided that I would run as much as possible and when I felt weak I would walk and that's exactly what I did!

Orla said that she would stay with me for the whole race, as she was worried that I might get weak and faint or collapse but I made a deal with her that when I started to walk that she was to keep running. In fairness to her she pushed me without upsetting me or my rhythm.


I ran slow and steady until just after the 4 mile marker and I then began to walk for 1/2 mile before running again for 1 mile. I repeated this pattern until the 9 mile marker, where I ran steadily until the finish line. I crossed the line in 2hours 0 mins 59secs. I can't but be happy, even though I didn't run the full race, I did damn well considering how sick I was all week!










I did feel that I could've ran on to the 5 mile mark but I was so worried that I would get a weakness. Orla had warned me to ring if I got into any trouble but luckily I was fine. My energy levels were very low, due to being on bed rest and not having eaten as normal all week so Orla's concern was well warranted.


As normal we met the lovely Mary and Christina before and after the race. Both ladies completed all 4 races with us and it was so nice meeting them at each race.










Well done to all involved in the organization of another great, successful race. Thank you to John O'Neill, Ennis Injury Clinic and Kilnaboy AC for the photographs.


Until the next time, always remember to be:

 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow


Dee x

#3LittleWords

Another week of words to break my week. The #3LittleWords that made my broke my week were: 

"A week out"

So I'm sure if you read my blog you will know that I have been off sick all week. Following last weeks Abbey Run 10K I was miserable. With last week being a bank holiday it was Tuesday when I got to the doctors. My doctor is the best! She really is an amazing health professional and I trust her judgement 100%. She told me that I needed to take a week off work, I'm not going to go into the reasons why but there was no other option only to listen to what she said. It was extremely hard because I couldn't even pick up Colin to change his nappy or to give him a cuddle. I was confined to a seperate room and this was so difficult. Physically I felt fine but I know that internally my body needed the rest. I did rest all week long and began to suffer from "cabin fever" because I couldn't even leave the house!

Today I felt fine and decided I would walk the final race in the Run Clare Series, the Sonny Murphy 10 mile race in Kilnaboy. It probably wasn't my wisest decision but stubbornness wouldn't allow me to stay in bed! My husband didn't want me to participate because he knew that I wasn't 100% but I knew that even if I walked the 10 mile circuit, I'd be happy and that's exactly what I did!

So that's it, I'm off to bed to complete my recovery and hopefully I'll be back to full health as soon as possible!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Bringing The Glow Back To My Skin

Week 1 of my Skincare Challenge is now down and as luck would have it I am off work for the next week, due to illness. Needless to say it's frustrating being sick and it definitely does not help with my skin but I want to look at the positives and one such positive is that I have not worn any makeup on my skin for 6 days. My skin has really had a good chance to breathe.


Even though I've been ill I have still managed to keep up my daily routine. It's important to have consistency when it comes to your skin, no matter how lazy you feel. Regardless of whether you have to take your makeup off or not, your skin still needs to be cleaned twice daily. The skin produces natural oils every day and even more during the night. If these oils are not properly cleaned off the skin they can clog pores causing blockages and leading to blemishes.


With the weather being so nice, at the moment, it's a great excuse to get out into the sunshine and boost our levels of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced by the skin under direct sunlight and is beneficial for healthy bones and teeth.


My Skin

So as I mentioned I have been off work due to illness. As a result my skin has not seen any huge changes. I am looking after it and I am drinking my 2L water each day but I do expect that it will take another week or so to see improvements. Below is a close up of the same area last week and this week!

Although there have been no major changes and I look a little pale (due to being sick), the one change is that the redness has toned down. This may be because haven't been wearing makeup so my skin has had a chance to breathe! Who knows what next weeks photo will be like but I'm hoping that there will be more improvements, now that I'm finally on the mend!


Just to let you know I will now be posting this feature on Thursdays on future!


Until the next time, always remember to be:


Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow


Dee x

Spring Essentials | #IrishBlogCollab

So I am delighted to let you all know that I am part of the #IrishBlogCollab which is a collaboration between a great group of Irish Bloggers. Over the course of 9 weeks we will be posting our take on different topics. Each post in the series will be live on Wednesday. I'm so excited about this because I'm relatively new to the blogging world so this is a fantastic new challenge me.

In the first post of the #IrishBlogCollab series we will talk about out Spring Essentials. 

Here is a list of my Spring Essentials (it's a mixed bag really!):

Walking/running shoes - now that the clocks have gone forward and the evenings are getting longer it's great to get out into the fresh air. Having good shoes are essential,in my opinion, to prevent injury. I go between 2 pairs of runners at any one time. At the moment it's my Asics, which look a bit worse for wear, and my Skechers! I run 3 days a week so I need good runners that will support my feet and I think that both pairs of runners do that for me!

Bobble Water Bottle - I have made myself a promise that I would drink at least 2L of water each day and I have been good so far but that's because I am never without my bottle of water. I love the refillable Bobble Water Bottles. The idea of the bottle is that it filters the water as your drink it, using a replaceable carbon filter. Mine is the 1L size but they also come in a smaller size and also a water jug. I bought mine for approx. €5 in Tesco but you can get them in a number of stores or indeed online. Each refill lasts approx. 2 months and costs €5, which isn't bad considering I use mine e very day! 

 


Portable iPhone Charger - the battery on my phone is so bad. It is constantly going dead so I always like to have my portable charger with me at all times! Its just so compact and handy.

Essence Longlasting Lipstick in 05 Cool Nude - I just love love love this lipstick. It's not a concealer type nude it's more of a natural shade. It just finishes off my daily look so perfectly! It's not a drying lipstick which is perfect for me as I constantly feel like my lips are dry. I like to wear it with Essence Lipliner 06 Satin Mauve. The Essence range is great for anyone on a tight budget, most products are well under €10. Considering the price I think that the quality is fantastic! (I'm not posting a photo of myself wearing the lipstick as I am currently off sick from work and let's just say that my face isn't a pretty sight at the moment!!!!)

"Me-Time" - this is a bit of a strange one but for me I love to have some "me-time". Whether it's getting outside for a walk or run or sitting in the garden with the dogs or just spending an hour to myself reading or painting my nails, I love some time to myself (When little Colin goes to bed is usually the best time). I think it's also great for my own peace of mind too, it allows me to unwind and relax after a long day! I'm off work due to illness so my "me-time" consists of staring out the window, but I'll take what I can because it's not a bad view to look at!!!!

(The view from my bedroom window today!)

Below are links to the other members of the #IrishBlogCollab:

Catherine of Breathing Silver Linings
Eimear of Chirps From A Little Red Hen
Cat of Mentally Beautiful
Lara of The Love Song of Fashion
Maeve of Thrift O'Clock
Marie of The Beaut mum
Sharon of Behind Green Eyes
Zoe of I Believe In Romeo



I hope you enjoyed my take on Spring Essentials, I know I enjoyed putting it together!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

#3LittleWords

Firstly I need to apologise for being a day late with this post. I have been quite unwell all weekend (typical that it would happen at the long weekend!!). This weeks #3LittleWords are a reflection of that.

The #3LittleWords that broke my week were:

"You look terrible"

I'm actually not too sure who said those words to me but they mirrored how I felt! 

I have been feeling miserable ever since Saturday. It's a long weekend this weekend and instead of enjoying the extra day at home I am spending it in bed! The worst part about being sick, apart from feeling sorry for myself, is that I have to stay away from little Colin. I know it's for his own good and it's only for a short space of time but it's still a pain!

Anyway that's this weeks #3LittleWords. I'm off to bed to try to get over this sickness! Let me know your #3LittleWords, I'd love to hear them!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Abbey Run - 3rd 10K in 3 Weeks

Yesterday I headed up to Quin in Co Clare for The Abbey Run 10K. Orla, Caroline and I were joined by 173 other 10K runners and 7K walkers.


Abbey Run 10K

The run itself was extremely well signposted and stewarded. There was never a question which direction the route would take us. The route was quite tough. There was a lot of slow steady inclines, which I found extremely hard. I did know the route but I had forgotten how many hills that I would have to deal with!

There were 2 water stations and it was such a treat that the lovely people handing out the water had the bottles already opened for us! The 7K walkers joined the 10K runners, at the second water station and we all ran/walked to the finish line outside Quin Post Office.

My 10K

Yesterday was my 3rd 10K in 3 weeks and I have to be honest I found it very very tough. I had went for a training run on Thursday (I only managed 3K) but when I got home I said to Aiden that I felt really sluggish. I just shrugged it off because I knew that I would need to keep my focus for yesterday's run. 

As it turned out I woke up yesterday morning feeling like I had a 10 stone weight on top of my head. I didn't sleep great and I just felt like I was coming down with a flu or something so I rang Orla to check if she had us registered or if she was waiting until before the race. I had decided that I felt so unwell that I wouldn't run if she hadn't registered us but if she had then I would run. Unfortunately for me Orla is super organised so she had us registered since the night before so I had to run!

I was delighted to be cheered on my Aiden and Colin and my sisters fiancé, Darren. When I passed them, at only 1/2K I felt so lazy and by 1K I knew I was in trouble. When I say trouble I don't mean that I was going to collapse or anything, I just knew that the run wouldn't go as well as last week.

As I mentioned above there were a lot of inclines and I found them so tough. At one point, just before the 4K marker, we had to run up over the railway bridge, this was a short steep incline and the downhill was lovely at the other side but even at that stage I was shattered!

I ran slow and steady until the 4K marker and by then I just felt like I had to walk. I ran and walked until the 7k and I then ran slow and steady, again, until the finish line. Again I had my supporters to cheer me to the finish but it was a bit upsetting that I finished in 1 hour and 10mins (the time on the clock, when I crossed the finish line was 1 hour and 10mins but my "official time" was 1 hour and 13 mins! Go figure!!!!). By that time the majority of runners had finished and were either walking back to their cars or were already in their cars on their way home. As a result the cheer at the finish had died down and for me I really needed it to push me on. There is nothing better than some random stranger clapping and cheering and telling you to keep running because you are almost there! Don't get me wrong there were people there to cheer me to the finish, all I'm saying is that the crowd had started to go home! (I think that's my hint to up my training and finish in a much better time!)

It was a hard run, for me, and I was so delighted to see the finish line but I did have some comfort in knowing that Orla and Caroline (both more seasoned runners than me) had to walk and found the run difficult too! We were all so exhausted after it but at the same time we were delighted to have finished in one piece!

Even last night sitting in my parents house, all showered and warm, in front of a glowing fire, I still felt wrecked! Did I do too much in the past 3 weeks (considering that the Run Clare Series 10mile is next weekend and my fitness level is not yet where it needs to be)? I can honestly say that: YES I did. It's a huge lesson learned and I'm going to have to be more careful before the Great Limerick Run Half Marathon.

Pulling out the Positives 

At the end of the day if I can take away anything from yesterday it's that I finished the 10K. Regardless of how it I did and how I felt I still got out there and walked/ran and finished! And I managed to get another medal, to add to my ever growing collection! Roll on the 10 mile next week in Kilnaboy!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Bringing The Glow Back To My Skin

 

Anyone who reads my blog will know that I run at least 3 times a week outdoors, as we are not lucky enough to own a treadmill. I love getting out because it gives me some time to myself and I find that it is very calming. I’m sure that my skin does not agree though!

I began to up my running training during the winter so temperatures were often at 0 degrees or below and I’ve more than once ran in rain, snow, hail and sleet. There have been days where the wind would cut through you and I’d often feel like my ears would fall off! Because of all this my skin needs to be looked after properly but unfortunately, due to my own lack of prioritisation, it is getting a little bit neglected, I should know better considering that I am a qualified Beauty Therapist! I decided that I would do a weekly feature on my skin to see if I can improve its appearance over the next month. Considering that it is spring and summer is approaching fast (As too is my sisters hen and wedding, which I am the chief bridesmaid!!!), I couldn’t think of a better time to start.

Exercise and Your Skin

Yes the harsh winter weather can play havoc with your skin but exercising in general has so many benefits to your skin. I’m not going to bore you with lots of jargon and waffle but the main reasons that exercise is so good for your skin are:

1.       Sweat: Increased sweat rids the body of toxins but you need to shower after exercise to ensure that these toxins do not block your pores

2.       Increased Blood Flow: The increase in blood flow carries oxygen to the skin cells which increases skin health

3.       Reduced Stress: Stress can have a negative effect on skin, often causing breakouts and affecting complexion

4.       Increased Water Consumption: Increased consumption of water helps to flush out the toxins within the body.

My Skin Type

There's a huge difference between skin types and skin conditions and more often than not we are treating a skin condition rather than our skin type so we never really see improvements in our skin.

To explain a little more a - skin type is what you were born with e.g. dry, normal, oily or combination, whereas a skin condition is developed i.e. dehydration and sensitivity. I have a very oily t-zone and my skin is more normal on my cheeks therefore I have a combination skin type. It's important that we know the difference in order to treat our skin effectively. Everyone has a skin type but may not have a skin condition.

 

Because I have oily skin I have quite large pores and these can become infected so I suffer from breakouts regularly. I suffered from adult acne in my early 20’s and as a result, underneath my freckles, I have some redness and a few acne scars. I am extremely pale as well and people often tell me that I look pale or “Sick in myself” when I do not wear make up! Luckily one good thing about oily skin is that I do not have many fine lines and wrinkles.

Here is a photo of me without makeup:

And below is a close up (aghhhhhhhhh!) of acne scars, blemishes, redness and enlarged pores.

Skin Care Aims

My aim with this renewed focus on my skin is to build a quick and easy routine to follow. My time in the evening is very limited because I work full time and, as you probably know by now, I have a small baby at home. My time in the evenings is very precious so the last thing I need is my whole night to be taken up by a full routine. I also want glowing skin. I want to be able to confidently leave the house with no makeup on and not have people comment on how pale and tired I look!

Unfortunately I am not a millionaire so I cannot afford the most expensive skincare treatments, lotions and potions, so I have to buy all of my skincare products on a strict budget. As much as I would love to go for monthly facials, at the moment it’s not an option for me. BUT the good thing is that I and you can still look after your skin on a tight budget and hopefully this weekly feature will help with that! I use the Lidl or Aldi skincare ranges, which have received rave reviews from numerous bloggers and skin consultants (Just Google and you will see for yourself)!

Just so you know I am by no means expecting a miracle. There is only so much you can do on a right budget but I just want to show that with a little bit if extra care, you can improve the appearance of your skin.

Daily Routine

The first step to achieving glowing skin is to ensure that I stick to a daily routine. This routine will be:

1. Drink 2L of water. I always notice a difference in my skin when I do not drink 2L of water. It becomes sluggish


2. Clean my skin in the morning using a mild facial wash for combination skin


3. Moisturise using my Lidl Vitamin E Day creamApply an SPF 15, regardless of the weather 


4. At night I will cleanse/tone my skintone using the Garnier Micellular Water 


5. Apply the Lidl Vitamin E Night Cream 


6. Twice a week I will use the Lidl exfoliating facial wash

(Some of my skin care products)

At the end of the month, and each month after this, I am going to perform a home facial on myself! I will provide details of this home facial routine in another blog post! I hope you will join me in giving your skin back its natural glow.

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Eamon Moloney Memorial 10K

The town of Ennis came to a complete standstill at 11am yesterday morning for Stage 3 of The Run Clare Series, the Eamon Moloney Memorial 10K. This was my second attempt at a 10K and I was hoping that I would have a better result than the previous week.

Event Background

The event itself was set up in remembrance of local Man Eamon Moloney. He was an athlete himself and spent much time coaching young athletes. The event raises money for local causes and charities.

This particular race was Stage 3 of the Run Clare Series. This series involves 4 races and sees participants going from running 5k up to 10 miles within 4 months.

I met one of the race organisers, Jason (Son of Eamon Moloney), after the race yesterday. Thanks to all of the committee for such a great day and event.

My 10K 

At this point I have to make mention to a fellow blogger, John From 19st to 10K blog, for his words of encouragement. I was so down after last weeks run and John said to hold my head up high and "go kick ass". He also said that my time of 1 hour and 10 mins beats everyone who did not run the race. To be honest I was so consumed by my own negativity that I hadn't stopped to really think about my personal achievement of participating in the race. Thanks John I really appreciate your support and motivation!

Orla and I decided from the start that we would run our own race. I didn't want her to feel that she had to run with me for a certain period of time so we said our best wishes at the start line and off we went at our own pace. And can I just saw that my stomach was twisting and turning in all directions from nerves but, at the same time, I had a huge sense of positivity within me.

I like to start at a steady pace because I like to conserve energy. It's happened in past events that I have taken off at a very fast pace, to keep up with the crowd, and ended up almost ready to drop by the 2K marker! I don't care if I run as slow as a snail and hundreds of people pass me out, I just want to run from the start to finish without having to walk.

The course itself was relatively flat except for the 2-5k markers, where we had a number of hills. There was nothing that I felt I couldn't manage though. As I have mentioned before, I struggle with hitting my "wall" too early and yesterday was no different. By the 2-3K markers Mr Negativity was screaming in my head to stop and walk! I pushed on, however, even though this was the part of the course with all the hills!

I ran on, playing tag team with a number of people. As I have said I like to keep a steady pace but there were a number of people walking and running so I would pass them when they walked and in turn they would pass me when they ran again. Everyone has their own way of getting round but for me, having now done 2 10K's I think running at a steady pace suits me better. 

There was a water station at the 5k mark but I just passed it out, I was petrified of getting a stitch like last week and having to walk! When I saw the 6k marker I couldn't help but smile because I knew I'd be able to run to the finish line! At the 9k mark I decided that wasn't going to let 1k get the better if me so I upped my pace . Once I rounded the corner at the Courthouse and saw the finish line, outside Rice College, I just started sprinting! I don't know where I got the energy from but i just sprinted on! I had such a smile on my face when I reached the finish line!

I beat last weeks time by 3 minutes! My official time was 1 hour 7 mins 22 sec. That was the icing on the cake for me!

Immediately after the race our times were available. I thought this was great as we were anxious to see how we actually go on!

Pacemakers

Yesterday's race had pacemakers available to those who wished to aim for a particular time. They were for 40 mins, 45 mins, 50 mins, 55 mins and 60 mins. I did not stay with any pacemaker because I knew that the pace would be too much for me but Orla stayed with the 55 min pacemaker and came in just under 55 mins. Congratulations and well done Orla!

I want to make special mention to the 55 min pacemaker from yesterday's race. Orla said that he was very motivating and entertaining. He Really pushed everyone forward and generally had the craic! She felt that a lot of people wouldn't have come in at 55mins if it wasn't for him!

Thanks again to John O'Neill and Eamonmoloney10k.ie for photographs. Next week I'm taking on the Abbey Run 10k in Quin Co Clare and I'm going to aim to beat yesterday's time by 2 mins. I think that's a realistic aim!

 

Congratulations to all of the 800 participants in the 10k run and 350 in the 5k walk. And to the committee well done on a fantastic and successful event. Thanks to you I can now say that I have stopped traffic on the streets of Ennis!!!!! 

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x