Hangs head in shame…..

……..*blows of dust*

Herm…anyone out there, Oh My, I have been naughty (No Mr Grey references!) Time sure disappears so quickly, I can not believe its been May since my last entry. Honestly, I was getting fed up with trolls, and the constant spamming, but thankfully its set up so it doesn’t post directly to my blog, but the troll messages where beginning to irritate them, so hopefully by not feeding them for a while, they would starve and move off or just die!

Anyway, what is going on with me, well back in June I completed the Nairnshire challenge, which consisted of a horrific 12.2 mile hike through the most horrendous terrain, then a 17.7 cycle through the Scottish Countryside, wasnt as bad but the rain was coming ‘down’ in a horizontal fashion (As it does in the Highlands!) making the enjoyable ride not so enjoyable.

I have 2 more races in the pipeline, and this is one of the reasons why I am dusting off the blog.  Firstly, which I signed up for months ago, is the  Baxters Loch Ness 10k, my nemesis, only because last year I ran it, I was in a lot of pain with flares from my lupus and just started medication which hadn’t kicked into my blood stream.  So the 10k was hell on earth, painful and distressing resulting me finishing with a poor 1hr 17mins.  My hopes are to knock that 17mins off my time.

The next one I am signed up for after the Baxters is the biggie and the one I am so so so excited about.

VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON 2013

wohoooooo!!!! I am so beyond excited and nervous about this one! I entered the ballot for my charity Lupus UK, not expecting to be successful, but I, along with my good friend both found out last week we got in.  We need to raise at least £2,000 for them, and I am pretty sure we will do it.  I am starting a sensible training plan which hopefully will prevent injury and also not push myself to far which will result in me flaring.

So, I thought, because of the support of my friends and family that are supporting me, I will dust down my blog and start blogging my training.  And, hopefully inspire other lupus patients to get out there, you dont have to run a marathon, but a brisk walk even, makes you feel tons better, and personally I LOVE sticking a finger up to lupus.

Take today for example, today is day 1 of my training plan, gorgeous day, I am following the London Marathon training plan, and day 1 suggest a 10 min jog and a 10 min run.

Just over 2 miles,  and I am actually happy with that, before Lupus I would have done 3 miles in that time, but instead of beating myself up with it, I am repeating my new mantra…..’I am doing something that some healthy people wont do’

Oh, and we have a JustGiving Page 

Training is a struggle!

So I have started my training, and I have to say its been a struggle.  I retired from running  7 months ago, I ran the Loch Ness 10k last year in the wrong frame of mind, was deflated and depressed after my diagnosis was confirmed, and not to mention I was flaring, and mile 4 just about killed me, the only reason that I kept on was the simple fact I didn’t want to let my kids down, and I hobbled over the line nearly 30mins after my PB.

I decided to run with my puppy, a 10 month old working strain cocker spaniel who likes to stop and sniff everything in his way, which is fabulous for me as he stops me from pushing myself, which I know I would do.  I, by nature, am very competitive.

So the challenge for me is to reign it in…As I said, its been 7 months since I ran, and boy did my legs scream at me.  I felt like a beginner again, walking in parts that were busy, running on quiet stretches, all the while reminding myself what I preached to beginner runners, walk and run, you are doing more than some people are doing..but coming down to the crunch, I could feel the frustration that I could not run the 2 miles solidly.

However, my jelly legs at the front door of my house, although in a complete state of shock that I was running on them again, felt fabulous.  And I have to admit I was slightly emotional.  The reason as to why I am doing it is what will keep me going.

And of course that reason is for raising as much money as possible for Lupus UK, please consider sponsoring my 10k run, which is September 30th link is over there <- to the left

So today, run 1 (after 7 months break)

distance; 1.88 miles

moving time: 23.29 mins

Avg moving pace: 12.28 min/ml

Best Pace; 8:14 mi/ml

As I have said from the beginning, it’s not about times anymore, but the Garmin  watch has to come out with when running, a habit I can’t break

Getting my Run on for Lupus UK

Seems I am going to be back to my regular training for running.  And I have a purpose now.  Last year I ran the Loch Ness Marathon, 10k River Ness just after I received my Lupus diagnosis.  I applied early on the year and signed myself up for my PB time of 57 mins.  Unfortunately,I finished at 1:19 deflated and frustrated.  I ran that race unaware of what Lupus was, but, 4 miles into the race my right knee, which was badly flared, gave up, which really upset me, I ended up limping the last 2 miles, in pain and in tears.  From that point on, I was retiring from racing, never again was I going to run again, it was too painful and upsetting for me.

For me, my sports is what spurs me on, so not being able to continue threw me into a vault of depression.  I still did kickboxing and Taekwondo, my sensei is very supportive and if I am struggling with exercises he alters them for me.  But I really miss running.

I could run round the hall as a warm up, and really wish to myself I was outside.  And it then dawned on me, why can’t I run outside? who says I can’t? Lupus?

I knew what the problem was, I was a runner, I run not walk, but now I  just have to rethink about how I apply myself, I can run and I can walk, the point is, I do have lupus yes, and I am a ‘lupie’ that enjoys physical exercise.   I  am most likely doing something that abled body people don’t do.  The fact is, there will be a day that I can no longer run, but today I can still do it, I am not going to allow Lupus to take it away from me yet.

Last year I said, no more, today I said, oh yes I am and yes I can.  Therefore I have signed up to run the Baxters 10k again, the race that buckled me last year, the last race I did and it devastated me.  This year I am running it with a purpose.

May 10th is World Lupus Day, and that day it is about raising awareness the awareness of Lupus. I have become a member of Lupus UK and have received so much support from the charity and also fellow Lupus patients.  And because of them, I have decided to bring my running shoes out of retirement.  I have never run for charity before, it’s always been about bettering my time, getting that PB.  Of course I would still love a PB, but my personal challenge is to be able to cross the start line and the finish line.

My running shoes are coming out again to help raise funds for Lupus UK to continue to provide the vital support for patients.

If you would like to help, please consider a small donation, thank you.

My fundraising page for LUPUS UK

And I hope you will continue to follow my journey in my training.  I am hopeful that I will be accepted to run for Lupus UK in the 2013 London Marathon.  This is going to be a tough journey for me, so I hope you can join me

World Lupus Day

Do you know, my blog has been running for 2yrs and today, Calum (CEO of Ionic Balance) called me out that I have had the header of my blog spelt wrong!!!! I had Litertray instead of Littertray! anyway, Mr Liptrot, I have it fixed now  I actually can not belive for 2yrs it had sat there with an obvious spelling mistake and no-one either noticed or told me LOL…slap on wrists for all of you *grrr*

I hope everyone is feeling good…I am bearing (somewhat) with the school easter break…counting down to Tuesday (5 sleeps) until they get back to school….I wouldnt have minded but the weather has been horrendous so hardly getting out.

I had a horrible chest infection the last 2wks too, which hasn’t helped matters.  Not to mention sinusitis and an inflamed jaw apparently a flare.

I recently joined Lupus UK became a member, and also purchased a Lupus Awareness band (you can see it in the pic with my new Lupus tattoo in my last post) and also a Lupus Awareness Shopping tote.  It’s often a conversational starter with the lady at the checkout who spots both and wants to know what Lupus is.  I usually start with, Have you heard of Rheumatoid Arthritis (As I know most people have, but again most are misinformed about the disease) well its similar except it attacks organs and skin as well as the joints.  Usually I am met with, but you are so young to get that…yes, yes I am! But again, its down to misinformation, or just pure ignorance, and the annoying fact that RA is not arthritis as we know it (why do they not drop that word!) There is no age limit as to when you get an autoimmune disease, you can be 1 month or 100yrs it can strike at anytime, no reason, no warning, it just happens.

So obviously on my quest to read all thing spoonie, I discovered there is a World Lupus Day on May 10th 2012, I have made the pledge to raise awareness, so come May 12th I will facebooking, twittering  and blogging all things Lupus. I am lucky I have friends and family who understand…LOL they have no choice, but I am often met with people who question why my hands are deformed (when in flares state) whey I limp, in flare state, and these are complete strangers.  But I dont get upset by the questions, they may not be touched by Lupus now, but who is to say they wont be in the future.

Keeping Active, Keeping Good.

Wow…its been a while hasn’t it.  I never intended my blog to be purely about living with Lupus, but, it has unintentionally worked out to be so, so, when I feel good I honestly feel there is nothing worth writing about.  I do feel good (apart from an annoying cough!) still training hard with kickboxing, but also training for the Nairnshire Challenge.  This is a challenge my beloved husband thought we should do, which involves a 12.2 mile run and a 17.7 cycle!  I know what you are thinking…Why is she married to him…hmmmm I am seriously thinking that same thing!

Also, last month was an exciting time with my Kickboxing and Taekwondo. I graded to green tag, it was so difficult as I actually had a flare in my knees and the ball of my right foot, I also came over my ankle when I was doing repetitive roundhouse kicks, but I pushed myself through as I was so determined to do it.  I am now literally halfway to my black belt now.  Granted it gets harder from now and I am no longer classed as a beginner

Other new was I competed in my first Kickboxing competition at the end of March, it was a charity event raising funds for Breast Cancer Awareness and Help The Heroes fund.  I was attending the event anyway with my kids and my instructor was keen for me to compete, if anything for experience, I was actually adamant that I was not competing up to the point I was registering my kids.  I had started Kickboxing and Taekwondo purely for fun and fitness, I am committed to the sport for my illness too, it makes me be active and also through the sport I found a job that I love, so I am doing what I enjoy I don’t need to compete.  However, I ended up registering as I was put on the spot, but I could always pull out…I have an aunt who is fighting breast cancer right now, so just putting in money for that charity was enough for me.  But the more I watched the competitions the more I got the bug.

My daughter did really well, it was also her first time, first of many by the looks of it, she came away with 3rd place in her category and I was just bursting with pride.  I did decide to enter my category, I lost my fight by 1 point, I was delighted, yes I lost but my opponent was one belt of black belt, but I was delighted I did do, I really do think I would have regretted it had I not.  Before the competition my left wrist was slightly puffy and had a bit of pain in it, but the adrenaline I was going through was like a pain-killer and from that point on the swelling and pain disappeared and I have been in a good place since then *touches wood*

I also took the big step and got myself a new tattoo

 

Its my lupus butterfly with the lupus awareness ribbon as the body, I left it uncoloured so I could decide it I wanted to leave it black…I have decided to go back when its finished healing to get the purple added And it looks good with my Lupus Awareness Band, which you can get from  http://www.lupusuk.org.uk/ and of course my faithful Ionic Balance Band