Halloween 5K Dash

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With Halloween being on Saturday we took ourselves to Ennis for the Halloween 5k Dash. Fancy dress was optional and having painted my face and then deciding that I didn’t like it, I went to the race dressed as my normal self! I was glad because some of the other runners had gone to amazing effort with their costumes. I wouldn’t have had a hope of winning!

 

The Route

 

The 5k route was the same as the Resolution Run from last year’s Run Clare Series. Here is the link, if you want to see how I got on last year! The route started at the entrance to Lee’s Road Sports Complex in Ennis. We ran towards the town, taking the first right hand turn, running along this road for 2.5k. There were a number of inclines along this road. We turned left, on to the Lahinch Road, and ran up the slow steady incline, passing the 3k point. Once we reached the top of this incline we ran on wonderfully level ground towards the finish line. Just after the 4k point we turned left again, running along this road until we reached the finish line outside Lee’s Road Sports Complex. The day itself was beautiful. There was a low winter sun and a hint of warmth in the air. It was dry and perfect for running.

 

 

My 5K

 

I had to bring my 16 month old son with me as I had no babysitter but I was happy to do so as I felt that the fresh air would be great for him. I decided that I would run as much as I could, with the buggy, and walk when I needed to. I am very comfortable walking with a buggy but I have never ran with one. I knew that it would be hard, in particular running uphill, but I felt that it would be worth trying!

 

I ran the first 400 yards and walked up the first incline. I had then gotten a feel for running with a buggy and realised that it’s not easy at all! I ran and walked in rotation. I would push myself to run for as long as I could but without over doing it. The first half of the race was the easiest to manage with a buggy, as we were running on the ground so the surface was even, but from the 3k point we then came off the hard shoulder and on to the footpaths. Some of the footpaths were fine but others were quite uneven and I would have to manoeuvre the buggy up and down the kerbs, at certain points. I ran when I could but realistically I couldn’t run up and down the kerbs so this was a pain because it would break my momentum.

 

When I did run I actually enjoyed it, as hard as it was at times. I think it will definitely be included in my training routine from now on. Our buggy is brilliant for walking and running. We have the Uppababy Vista, bought from Mo Leanbh in Ennis (A beautiful nursery store and well worth a visit). The tyres are huge and are made of foam so little Colin had a ball during the run. He was waving at cars and pointing out birds and dogs and generally anything that caught his eye! The one good thing about running with a buggy is that I was able to put my jacket and drinking water into the basket underneath the seat, just in case I needed them.

 

Once the finish line was in sight I pushed the buggy up onto the final kerb and sprinted to the finish line. We had so many cheers and claps form the onlookers, it was lovely. I ran through the finish line so fast that I don’t know how I didn’t knock someone down with the buggy!

 

Once again Lorraine, Jason and all the team provided us with a fabulous race. The stewards and volunteers were at every corner and the distance markers were clearly visible. There was fruit, water and of course the spookiest medals being handed out to all participants at the finish line. My little man was give a race number bib also and was lucky enough to get number 1, thanks Jason! I was so impressed by the medals, they are so unusual, and definitely the spookiest medals that I’ve ever seen! Both Colin and I have our medals and race numbers hanging proudly at home. 

 

We got around the 5k in 38:38 which I am delighted about. I knew that I could easily walk the route in 45 mins so that was my aim but to get home in just over 38 minutes, is fantastic. I think the reason that I am so happy is because last year I ran that very same route and came in with a time of 34:51 and I managed to run/walk with a buggy in 38:38. It really shows that my fitness level has improved hugely and it’s definitely given me another lift and added to my positivity and motivation. Bring on Run Clare 2016!

 

 

What’s Up Next?

 

At the moment I have nothing planned, however I am open to suggestions so please let me know of anything that is coming up in your area. I am hoping to be able to participate in a Christmas 5k or 10k so hopefully I will find details of one. Other than that I am preparing myself for the Run Clare 2016. The first race will take place at the end of January and I cannot wait to beat all of last year’s times!

 

Thanks again to John O’Neill Photography for the fantastic images.

Limerick Women's Mini Marathon

Sunday of the bank holiday weekend my lovely sister, Orla, and I headed into The University of limerick for the Limerick Women’s Mini Marathon. I didn’t feel in any way prepared for the run but I still wanted to take part as I missed getting out and running in races. The buzz, excitement, anticipation and nervousness are just some of the things that I had missed. This race was my first since August. It’s hard to believe that I had let myself slip so much but life just has a way of passing you by, without even realising.

The Route

The conditions for the race were perfect, in my mind anyway. The day was cool but not cold and there was a slight breeze. At one point I felt a very light mist. The sun was out but it didn’t over heat us.

The race started at the side of the Sports Arena within the grounds of UL. We then ran back down past the Library, out the main entrance, at the 1km mark then taking a left onto the main road. We ran along this road, with 2 inclines, for 2km, until we reached the Vistakon entrance, turning around and running back in the same direction up until the 6km mark. There was a water station at the 5k mark and just after this the 5k merged with the 10k.

At this point we turned right, onto a laneway, running around to the back of UL. We ran over and back the river Shannon, passing the student buildings along with the Science and Irish buildings. Weaving our way through the buildings, all the time being directed by very encouraging stewards, we eventually made our way back onto the main entrance. The 9km mark was just outside the UL library. Running back towards the Sports Arena, we turned left and ran around the back of the building before turning into the track. The last 200m was ran on the running track. 

My 10K

The 10K race was due to start a 12pm with the 5k kicking off at 12.30pm. Registration was open from 9.30am so Orla and I met at 10.45 and went to collect our race packs, with personalised numbers (Unfortunately mine has disappeared, which I am disappointed about) and our t-shirts. The race pack was filled with goodies including water, an isotonic drink, a galaxy bar, a cereal bar, and vitamin C sachets, as well as lots of leaflets. Once we had this sorted we headed back to the car to get ready. The t-shirts are probably the nicest ones that I have received so far, as you can see from the images.

As usual, before the race began, we discussed our thoughts. I was nervous as I was feeling under-prepared, so was Orla. We both decided that we would only do what we felt was right. We walked down to the Sport Arena, where there was a group warm-up taking place. We stretched and prepared ourselves for the race. We ran together at a slow and steady pace, chatting occasionally. I am not one for chatting when I run as I find that it messes up my breathing. I know that in time, with more training, I will figure this out but for now I like to pop on my headphones and run to the beat of the music.

When we passed the 2k mark and it was at this point that the front runners were already running back towards the 5k mark, in the opposite direction. We both agreed that it would be fantastic to be as fit and fast as these runners. Their running seemed to be effortless, although I’m sure that it wasn’t. Upon reaching Vistakon at the 3.5k mark we turned around and headed back in the same direction. It was at this point that I really began to struggle. I ran until the 5k mark, just after the water station, saying goodbye to Orla, as she ran on, and I walked the next 1km.

I walked to the 1k mark ran to the 7k and then walked until the 8.5k mark and ran the last 1.5k. I honestly didn’t feel that I could have ran the full 10k. I just wasn’t prepared. Orla did run the full 10k and was waiting for me at the finish line. I honestly thought I would be disappointed with my effort and timing (1 hour 13 mins, my worst yet for a 10k race), I’m not. I am happy that I participated and completed the race. I am happy that I ran a full 5k before walking. I am genuinely happy that I got up on the bank holiday Sunday and took part in a 10k race. This time last year I would never have believed that I could have done this. I would have rolled over in bed and allowed myself to be lazy for the day.

This race was exactly what I needed. I don’t know what has changed but I feel like I have gotten my motivation back. Maybe it was the buzz but also it may be from seeing 3 people that I know, complete the Dublin City Marathon. I feel like my running is definitely going to improve and that my motivation and drive is exactly where it should be. My hunger to do well, get fit and improve my times is back and it feels like its stronger than ever. For one race, that I didn’t do particularly well in, to give me this much motivation, I can only imagine what each new race will do for my confidence and self belief. I am loving this feeling and this is why I run, my positivity is back up and I want it to stay that way.

Race Organisation

The race time was changed at some stage after I originally registered, however this was not an issue as the organisers posted regular updates on the facebook page and emailed on numerous occasions. The correspondence was always very clear and we were never in any doubt as to where we needed to go on the morning of the race itself.

The process of collecting our numbers, t-shirts and race packs was extremely fast and very well organised. Firstly we collected our numbers. I forgot to print out my ticket but the girl that assisted me was so helpful. She told me to open up my emails and give her my race number and then she was able to give me my race number. Next we were given our race packs and then our t-shirts. It was like a conveyor belt and a well organised one too! I can’t speak for everyone as I don’t know if it all ran as smoothly as that but my experience was good. Overall there were so many people along the route cheering us on and also guiding us on the correct route to take.

Thumbs up from me, to the organisers, on a well organised and executed event.

Event images are available here.

Event times are available here.

What’s up Next

I am so excited for this coming Saturdayas I will be taking part in the Halloween 5K Dash in Ennis, link here. This event is being organised by the organisers of the Run Clare Series, so I have no doubt that it will be amazing! As it will be Halloween fancy dress is optional. I haven’t yet decided whether I will dress up or not but I know that it will be a great race regardless.

Before I sign off I just want to say a huge congratulations to Mary Folan-Ryan, Marie Barry-Murphy and John Quinlivan on successfully completing the Dublin City Marathon. Well done to you all and to every other participant, you should be so proud of such an amazing achievement!

Post Baby | Weight Battle

Whether it has affected you or not, post baby weight is always a topic of conversation. Some women bounce back immediately after having a baby while others struggle, for years, with post baby weight. For those of us who struggle it can be very disheartening to see celebrity mothers showing images of their perfect post baby figures, literally within a week of having a baby. The post baby weight is a very different issue for each mother. What will work for one mother will not work for another.

Since having my son 16 months ago I have seen how well the marketing gurus are able to tap into the mind of a new mother and convince her that their product or service is a miracle worker and unless they make the purchase, they will be stuck with the baby weight forever. I suppose I never really noticed any of this before having my son but now it is all relevant to me and it irritates me to see ad after ad and celebrity after celebrity talking about how easy it is to lose baby weight.

For me I have always had weight issues. I’ve never been obese but I have been approx 1 stone over weight for a number of years. I was at my best when I fell pregnant. I was going to the gym 3 days per week and walking and running 2 days per week. I was fit and healthy and was in a great position health wise. While pregnant I was “all bump”, only putting on weight in the last 2 months of the pregnancy, approx 1 stone. Following my son’s birth I began breastfeeding and I immediately saw the weight drop off. Within 2 weeks I was back to where I had been prior to the pregnancy, aside from the loose skin around my stomach. I actually looked well and a number of people would tell me so.

Unfortunately I took all of this for granted because I would eat whatever I liked and it eventually took its toll. My son’s birth was very tough. It was slow, long and extremely painful but that is a story for another day. I ended up  being in severe pain for a number of weeks afterwards and it took 2 full months before I could comfortable sit on a hard surface without crying in pain. I assumed that because he was born naturally, that I would have a fast recovery period and within no time I would be back pounding the roads again. This was not to be. As a result of being in so much pain, my exercise was nonexistent. I went to my first fitness class when my son was almost 4 months old and even at that stage lying on the ground to do sit-ups was torture!

Having such a slow recovery period has taken an effect on my weight and my self confidence. I remember hearing the phrase “You are allergic to yourself at the moment” and I just thought that it was so true. I hated shopping and I hated looking at myself in the mirror. I hated that my nice clothes either didn’t fit me or I looked like I was poured into them.

When I felt up for it, I began back at running and it was like starting from scratch all over again. I began going to more fitness class and watching what I ate. Since January I have lost track of the number of 5K and 10K races that I have taken part in. I run 3 days per week and attend a fitness class one night each week. I am still trying to lose 2 stone and to tone up but it is a constant battle. I have now stopped allowing myself to get sucked in by marketing and advertising and have realised that a quick fix is not an option. The main thing that is helping me to keep my focus is to have a support. My husband encourages me all of the time and my friends will go running or go to a fitness class with me. It’s lovely to get out of the house for an hour, even though it’s for exercise. Getting out with a friend and having a chat is also great for my mind and mental state. It builds up my positivity and is encouraging to see that I am making progress.

Yes I am 16 months on from having a baby but I will always struggle with my weight. I think it must be in my genes! I know that there are plenty of other mothers who are or have been in the same position as me and its ok. Dealing with a weight issue is hard at any stage in life and having a child does not help but I think that there is a lot to be said for the advertisements and marketing campaigns surrounding the weight loss industry. To me they portray the negative side of weight loss as they sell unrealistic ideals to new mothers and indeed to anyone trying to lose weight. In my experience the best option is to watch what you eat and drink and to get out and exercise. Being fit and healthy is not about being a stick figure who only eats 1 slice of lettuce each day, it’s about being confident and happy and being able to do what is right for you!

(All images thanks to Pinterest and Google)

Our Cottage Ambitions

If you follow me on Instagram (@deeglamglow) you will have seen a photo that I recently uploaded of our teeny tiny cottage. That has been our home for the last 3 ½ years. All along it had been fine for just the two of us and we had plans of renovating the cottage and adding an extension. The plan was, that within 2 years of moving in that we would start the upgrade. This was all knocked on its head by the arrival of our beautiful son 14 months ago. It was the best surprise that anyone could have asked for but it did mean that our extension plans were put on the back burner.

At the time we decided to make the most of what we had and it was fine until the little man began to walk. It’s now that we really find the house small. All he wants to do is run around and play but the space inside is very limited. It’s hard going but we try to make it work. This has only fuelled our desire to extend, even more. I find that I spend any spare time, aside from blogging, trawling through daft.ie, Pinterest and even just google, looking for cottage extension ideas and beautiful home décor ideas. Check out my recently uploaded a post, as part of the #irishblogcollab, on my Recent Pinterest Finds, link here.

Cottage History

The cottage has its own history. It has 5 rooms in total:

1.       Sitting Room

2.       Downstairs Bedroom

3.       Upstairs Bedroom

4.       Bathroom

5.       Kitchen

There is no hallway in the house, the sitting room acts as the hallway! Both bedrooms are small but they are still functional. The walls hare approx 2 ft thick, which is a typical feature of a traditional cottage, and the front door is a half door with a window on each side. The stairs is small but very steep and is located in the sitting room, beside the window.

The cottage was built in the 1920’s, along with a number of other cottages on the road that we live on. Originally there was a river flowing directly beside the back door and I have heard so many stories of how the river would over flow after heavy rain fall and would gush in the back door of the house. I didn’t believe this at first as the river now flows down at the very back of the site. Apparently the course of the river was changed. As strange as it sounds this is actually true, we checked the ordinance survey maps from 1945 and the river is running directly beside the house, whereas in the maps from the 1960’s the river is at the back of the site!

(Our Sitting Room)

Inside the house itself, there is a huge old fireplace, however there is a stove there now in place of the open fire. It’s one of those features that I would hate to lose because it adds to the character. The ceiling above has timer boards and if you look closely you can see strategically placed holes along a straight line, in front of the fire place. A bachelor owned the house, long before we were born, and he used to make home cured bacon. He would hang the bacon in front of the fire to cure, hence the holes along the ceiling. I love telling people these stories because it adds to the character of the house and I suppose this is one thing that I will be afraid that we will lose by extending and renovating.

Worries & Fears

With any construction work there are always worries that a minor or indeed, major issue may arise and our project is no different. Because the cottage is so old we have fears that the foundations may not be sound and that the house may need to be underpinned. This would be disastrous to our budget as the cost for this can be huge but it’s something that we will deal with if it happens.

With it being an old cottage I would be lying if I said that it wasn’t damp in places. It’s a nuisance but that’s the joys of living in an old cottage. My main concern is that once we dry line the cottage, that it won’t work. I’m probably over thinking it here because I’ve seen this done plenty of times before and it worked a treat.

I suppose my main fear with a project like this is that the charm and character of the old cottage will be lost. When we choose an architect we are going to be very careful because we want to keep the old feel but also modernise what we have. I don’t want people to drive up to the house and think “Wow they ruined that beautiful cottage”. That is a fear and I am hoping that with plenty of careful consideration and planning, we will manage to keep everything that gives the cottage its personality.

(Our Huge Garden and River)

Ideas, Hopes & Dreams

I find myself constantly looking at houses. I could be in the car and might see a nice house so I will stop to take a picture, I’m sure I look like a freak doing this though!!! If there is nothing on TV or if I have a spare few minutes I love sitting down with a cup of tea and googling home décor or cottage extensions. I often trawl through Pinterest and daft.ie or myhome.ie. I just feel that I could find a gem of a house that would give me ideas and inspiration.

I love vintage home décor but I also like some modern/contemporary décor so I think that a good mix of both will compliment each other and the character of the cottage. It would be a shame to modernise the cottage completely and lose everything that we fell in love with, when we bought it.

It will be so great to actually have a hallway and a landing, instead of using the sitting room as our hallway. Another thing that I cannot wait to have is a utility room so that I don’t have to keep running to the shed, in the middle of winter, to do the laundry. Ideally I’d love a 4 bedroom home, with one bedroom downstairs, so that I would have the option of finally being able to work from home as a Beauty Therapist, if I wished. Having space to hang all of the pictures, which are stored away in boxes, will be so wonderful and I know that it will make me smile looking at them every day.

I can’t wait to have proper storage, instead of having an overcrowded house and using our kitchen table as a dumping ground! I look forward to, and dream, of having a WOW kitchen, one that I love going into each day. To have a sitting room that is so comfy and cosy that you just don’t want to get up off the couch to face the outside world. I think though, more than anything, I cannot wait to walk into my bedroom and not have to duck down to avoid the sloping ceiling. Our room at the moment is the upstairs room and the ceiling height is fine in the middle of the room but if you stretch your hands out, you will touch the ceiling at either side!

We know what we want but realistically we need an architect to tell us how to correctly lay the extension out in order to make the best use of space. We have lived in a number of houses over the years and it has given us a better idea of what we want and don’t want. We are hoping to speak to an architect in the coming months and hopefully that will be the start of our dream home planning. I’m constantly dreaming of this perfect house and it gives me a lift because I know that it symbolises a happy future, filled with beautiful memories for our little family. I feel such a sense of excitement and happiness because it’s now our turn to make our mark on the world and we are building a great future for our son. Having such a strong sense of positivity about this project, which I know will not be easy all of the time, is a lovely feeling and I cannot wait to get our plans drawn up so that it can all start to feel real.

I will keep you updated on the happenings with our cottage!

I've Hit A Wall

Hi Everyone!

In recent times I genuinely feel that I have hit a wall as far as the blog is concerned. I don't know why but I just cannot seem to find the motivation to sit down brainstorm and attempt to put a blog post together. I have several completed posts sitting in my drafts folder but yet that's where they remain. 

 

Blogging is something that I enjoy so I'm not really sure why I am feeling this way. It's frustrating because I see other bloggers upload blog posts on a daily basis and I am finding it so difficult to upload one blog post weekly. I know that "Writers block" happens to everyone but I don't feel that this is "Writers Block", it's more likely to be a loss of motivation due to a lack of confidence.

 

My lack of confidence has stemmed from a recent analysis of my blog statistics. I constantly see other bloggers thanking their readers and followers for their support, having reached a big milestone, and I am genuinely so thrilled to see them doing well. I do also feel thankful to have supporters, readers and followers but the statistics don't lie. I often find that I will pour my whole heart and soul into a blog post and the feedback is either nil or very minimal. Quite recently a blog post, that I spent a lot of time on, only managed to gain 12 views. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Seeing stats like that really make me question whether I should keep blogging or not. I have questioned as to whether I am good enough to keep blogging. Is my blog good enough to last and to gain readers?  It's something that I am trying to figure out at the moment as I feel that there are plenty other blogs that are more interesting or relevant, than mine.

 

I suppose I am feeling a little disheartened at the moment and I envy those other amazing bloggers that are natural born writers and can gather the attention of hundreds of readers through one good image or title. Blogging is something that I enjoy and it's something that I started to do for myself but the lack of readers makes me wonder if my blog will survive.  I am not a writer and have never claimed to be and maybe my lack of confidence is partly because I feel that my writing is not as good as other bloggers. 

 

Hitting this low has made me not want to interact on social media either, which I know is so important for any blogger. I had planned to attend the recent blogger conference in Cork but unfortunately due to various reasons I was unable to attend. It's a shame really as I think that an event like this may have given me inspiration and may have helped in my quest to gain back my confidence and motivation.

 

I know that I will figure this out and I will decide where to go with the blog and what to do but for now I felt it important to update you on why I have been so absent recently.

 

Thanks for reading!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Twitter: @deeglamglow

Instagram: @deeglamglow

Facebook:www.facebook.com/deeterminedtoglamandglow

 

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers

Hi Everyone!

I am delighted to say that I have been nominated for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers! Thank you so much to Catherine from Breathing Silver Linings.

- Thank the blogger who nominated you & share their link.

- Answer the 10 questions you've been given.

- Come up with 10 questions of your own.

- Nominate up to 10 bloggers & spread the love!

THE QUESTIONS

1 What is your favourite pass time, aside from blogging?

I love to walk or run, just to get out in the fresh air and to do something productive. My little son is the same, even at only 14 months. He loves being outside so we often go for walks or go to the swings or just playing in the garden. Hiking is also something that I have gotten into within the last year and I love the feeling when I reach the top of the hill or mountain. On a clear fine clear day, there is nothing better to do!

2 Who/what do you draw inspiration from?

I don't have any one thing or person that I draw inspiration from, I find my inspiration all around me in life. I like to draw from personal experiences and use these to learn from and t better myself.

3 What saying/quote do you live by?

My all-time favourite saying is one by St Augustine "The World is a Book and those who do not travel, read only one page"

4 Finish this sentence: "In 10 years' time I hope..."

To have at least 1 if not 2 other children. I hope that we will all be healthy and happy and enjoying life. Ideally I'd love for my blog to be a success.

5 3 things you would change "in a perfect world"?

Child and animal cruelty

Equality for all

No more mental illness

6 Do you find it easy/difficult when making decisions?

Oh yes I definitely find decisions difficult! I am the worst. If I'm going to the shop for a bar of chocolate I would need to have made up my mind 4-5 hours before actually getting there. I think it’s the Libra in me, always weighing up my options and not wanting to make a decision until I am absolutely 100% sure. it drives my husband mad!

7 Something you feel is most misunderstood about you.

My being shy makes a lot of people think that I am snobby. It's not the case at all. I hate that people think this about me and it is said to me so often "I used to think you were such a snob". Trust me you can never get used to hearing things like that. Once I get to know people I can become much more comfortable and will come out of my shell but when I meet new people I feel very intimidated and become very much an introvert. It’s the one thing that I dislike about myself.

8 What were/was something you were afraid of when you were younger?

I cant think of anything in particular that I was very scared of. Nothing stands out for me aside from the usual things that children are afraid of.

9 Do you have any quirky talent?

Not that I can think of!

10 5 things that complete the perfect night in.

Wine, munchies, a good film, a nice dinner and great company!

Chirps From A Little Red Hen

Rachs Beautique

Tres-Belle

The Simply Homemade Mum

The Beaut Mum

Lilliwhiterose

YOUR QUESTIONS

Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

What does your ideal night out involve?

What is your earliest childhood memory?

What is your all-time favourite piece of clothing and why?

If you could pick anyone in the world, dead or alive, to feature on your blog, who would it be and why?

If your friends and family could describe you in 3 words, what would they be?

What was the name of your first childhood pet?

Did you have a nickname growing up and what was it?

What is your favourite TV programme?

Which came first the chicken or the egg????

Thanks again to Catherine from Breathing Silver Linings, it was a fun one, hope you enjoyed reading it!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Twitter: @deeglamglow

Instagram: @deeglamglow

Facebook:www.facebook.com/deeterminedtoglamandglow

Monday Motivation

 Hi Everyone!

 

I love this! (Credits: motivationblog.org)

 

It’s Monday and I feel as if I’ve been completely off the radar over the past 2 weeks. My beautiful sister got married last Friday week so to say it’s been crazy around here is an understatement! I feel like I’ve been floating around the place. If I’m feeling like that then I can’t even imagine what my lovely sister has been going through although she is now relaxing and enjoying her time on their honeymoon to Sri Lanka.

 

So really the main reason for this post has been to update you all on what has been going on with me health and fitness wise. To be honest it hasn’t been a huge amount, which is disappointing. I had finally decided to sign myself up for personal training and to say that I was excited about it was an understatement. I went for my fitness test, click here if you want to see how I got on, but nothing has happened since then.

 

Due to a clash of schedules and some major miscommunication both I and the trainer have not been able to arrange suitable times for the training to commence. I am disappointed as I really felt that this would be the challenge that I needed in order to push me to where I need to get. The life of a full time working mother is not easy and my time is precious but I have no doubt that I will manage something that will suit my own schedule, whether it is personal training or not. When undertaking personal training sessions I want to give 100% commitment so I need to ensure that I received the same in return otherwise it’s a waste of my precious time.

 

I am going to give myself this week to figure out what I will do but I will start back my running training tonight (I may have managed to gain a training buddy too, which always helps!). I have signed up for the Limerick Women’s Mini Marathon and also the Ennis Halloween 5K Dash, both in October so I will aim to get back into my routine of running 3 days per week and let everything else fall into place alongside that.

 

So even with such a let down on the personal training I am staying positive and looking forward to beating my 5K and 10K times in the two upcoming races. Getting out in the fresh air and exercising is something that I have missed and I cannot wait to start back again. It amazing how one lazy day can lead into another and another and another!

 

 

That is where I am at currently but I will give a full update next week and each Monday after that.

Thanks for reading!

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Twitter: @deeglamglow

Instagram: @deeglamglow

Facebook:www.facebook.com/deeterminedtoglamandglow

 

Weird Dreams Anonymous | #irishblogcollab

Hi Everyone!

 

You may remember, at the start of the year, that a number of other fellow bloggers and myself, took part in a 9 week blogger collaboration, #irishblogcollab. It was a lovely way of getting to know other bloggers and also to write about topics that we may not normally write about on our own blogs. It was all organised by the lovely Catherine from Breathing Silver Linings. We have now come back together for another collab, but this time it’s just one post all about our dreams.

 

I was hugely interested in this one because my dreams can be a little crazy at times. They range from nice and sweet to panic filled and terrifying and sometimes I can go for weeks on end without remembering my dream. Recently they have been a mix of all 3. This particular collab is based on our dreams over the past 2 weeks.

 

With my dreams being such a mixed bag, I haven’t done a night by night diary type recording of my dreams. I will go through the types of dreams that I have been having over the past 2 weeks:

 

Reoccurring Dreams

 

A few months back I started a new job and since then my dreams have been a bit crazy. I have been having an ongoing reoccurring dream and it sends panic through my veins at night when I wake up in a cold sweat.

 

What usually happens, in my dream, is that I leave for work and when I arrive I realise that I have left my small man at home. I have just forgotten him and then the panic sets in as I try to work out how I managed to forget him, how I will get to him and whether he is ok? Other times I dream that I have left him in the car when I have gone into work and realise half way through the day what has happened.

 

Even just typing these words is sending a chill down my spine and a lump forms in my throat. Luckily this has never happened to me and I am certain that it never will but it scares and upsets me. I actually woke up one morning recently in floods of tears until I looked at the baby monitor and realised that my little man was safe and sound all snug in his cot.

 

These reoccurring dreams are definitely down to my stress levels and the worry about the unknown. Starting a new job was a huge change for my little family and the worry of it all is showing in my dreams. Luckily these dreams are happening less and less and probably only happened twice in the past 2 weeks but they are terrifying, when they do happen.

 

Life Relevant Dreams

 

I often have dreams that are relevant to current situations in my life. For example: I went to A Stella & Dot Party recently and ordered a beautiful necklace. The party was organised by a colleague at work so in order to reduce the delivery charge we all decided to have the jewellery delivered to work. It was due to take 7 working days. On the 5^th day I dreamt that the jewellery had indeed been delivered but that everyone had just helped themselves and my necklace was gone! I thought nothing of the dream, because a dream is just a dream isn’t it? But when I went into work the next morning, a courier arrived with our jewellery delivery. I got my beautiful necklace, no one else had taken it, as in my dream!

 

I love nothing more than, at the end of the week, to watch some reality TV. I just find it entertaining and it’s a great way to unwind but like last Friday, for example, I came home from work and once I had put the small man to bed and gotten everything done, my husband and I sat down to watch some Deadliest Catch. It’s one of his favourite programs and I have gotten into it now too! This all seems fine, until I get up the following morning and realise that I was after dreaming that I was working on one of the fishing trawlers, with the whole cast alongside me!

 

Dreams like these make me laugh so hard because they are so vivid and feel so real but they are also so funny because the chances of these dreams becoming reality are so slim. Seriously could you ever imagine me working on a trawler on the Bering Sea fishing for crab? Not a hope, this would be my idea of torture!

 

 

Random Dreams

 

This is where the crazy comes into my dreams. I find that from time to time I will have a crazy, random dream that makes no sense and doesn’t seem to have any meaning. They don’t freak me out but they often do make me wonder why I am having them. My crazy dreams don’t scare me, they make me laugh and I always wake up laughing at the ridiculousness of them!

 

An example of one of these dreams is from 2 nights ago. I dreamt that I was out shopping, I'm not sure exactly where but in my dream I knew where I was. In the dream I was happily shopping, my arms were loaded down by shopping bags. I was totally minding my own business when all of a sudden I began getting chases by fairies, Yes FARIES! I seriously have to question my mind to think that it can dream about getting chased by fairies! 

Needless to say I was fine and I woke up shortly afterwards but I woke up in fits of laughter at the thought of the fairies chasing me and my shopping bags! 

So that's it, that's me and my crazy dreams. Here are the links to the other bloggers who took part in this #irishblogcollab, check them out:

Breathing Silver Linings

Thrift O'Clock

Until the next time, always remember to be: 

Dee-Termined To Glam & Glow

Dee x

Twitter: @deeglamglow

Instagram: @deeglamglow

Facebook:www.facebook.com/deeterminedtoglamandglow

 

My Tears Won't Help but I Can't Stop Them

Hi everyone

I've been trying to put into words all week, how I'm feeling about the migrant crisis but I just can't seem to make sense of it all. I haven't been able to express myself verbally but yet I can't read and article or look at an image without feeling such a huge overwhelming sense of emotion. The lump in my throat is getting bigger and bigger with every news bulletin and my tears are on the surface ready to flood my face like a river breaking it's banks.

I have such an ache in my heart. I'm filled with sadness, grief and sorrow but why? I don't know these people so why do I feel the need to mourn their deaths and grieve and to cry for the pain and hardship that they are feeling? 

Who am I though? Really? I'm just another person out of thousands of others who have been so upset by images shown throughout the media. I'm human and I have a sense of right and wrong. I have a conscience and feel so powerless at what is happening. I feel angry at the world for letting this happen.

My husband has a theory that we are actually living in hell right now. At times I think yes you are so right but realistically for me this isn't hell, I have never known real suffering and I'm lucky. I feel selfish for having a good life. I feel it's so unjust for others to suffer so needlessly. 

Images of bodies washed up on beautiful Turkish beaches are flooding my head and I feel powerless to help. I want to help. I want all the suffering and death to stop but I don't know how. What I do know is that I will do what I can, whatever that may be.

Taking a step back I need to fully appreciate the good life that I have. A happy life filled with love and health. Do we ever fully appreciate what we have? I don't think so but we should do.

Tonight and every day I'm going to hug my son a little longer and tell both he and my husband more often how much I love them and how greatful and honoured that I am to be sharing my life with them. 

Please appreciate what you have and live in the present. Life is too short and precious and can be gone in the blink of an eye. I'm so overwhelmed now but I know that I need to do something, anything, to help. 

Thank you for reading

Dee x