Fuse-iversary

The 25th March sees me at one year post fusion and I think we can all agree that I have been struggling mentally recently. I realise some would say I am mental and struggle generally, but even I would admit to some fusion related anger recently.

On Saturday I spent the afternoon with my amazing friend Emma, amongst other parts if our friendship, she is my long missed cycling partner.. We went to a vintage fayre at the weekend, hoping for chintz, tea pots, cake stands and tea pots.. Instead we got shell suits and a cream tea.. One out of three isn't bad!!

After a lovely afternoon, and some tears on my part (apologies once again Emma, I didn't intend to cry at you! Even though I do admit to being one of life's cryers!) I realised that whilst I have spent the last year healing, I have also spent the last year resenting everything about healing.

Clearly it's time to take action Sarah, muster some heave ho and crack on. 

So I've booked a sportive. It's nothing compared to what I have achieved in the past, but given then I have only ridden my bike 6 times in the last year.. It's a challenge and that's what I need.

It's a 38 mile trip around Winchester and looks like a lovely gentle route. Perfect for my first foray back into the world of sportive cycling. And best of all, I get to do it with Emma, with my Dad and with Paul. A whole team of supporters!

I miss this!! I miss my bike!!

A New Forest sportive with Paul in 2012

A sky ride with Emma and Chez in 2012

A woodcote sportive with my Dad in 2012.

I'm ready to get back on my bike and have a bit of fun!! Man I've got some work ahead of me if I want to cycle 38 miles in 9 weeks time..!

Womb blessing

My glorious, life affirming day, in pictures.

This week

Clanettes! Its The Bers! SeptemBER has arrived! 2 more days til school starts back, and we look forward to the crisp mornings of autumn - YAY!

This week we have

Turbo'd together in the shed

Been out and eaten ice cream

Made scones for my parents who kindly came for the day to babysit so I could work - thank you xxx

Been inspired

Started clearing the veg patch in order to get it straight for next spring - before..

After the first 45 min session - I have to be strict with how much bending up and down with weeds I do in one go, but I'll get there!
Afterwards -

Lochie went to his karate summer course - he was nervous on the first day, but LOVED the second day!

And I have completed the first week of C25K and feel GREAT!! I've done a teeny bit further each time and I'm pretty pleased with myself - given I ran 5.6 miles in the last week of August, I'd like to see if I can run at least 20 miles in Sept.. this should be massively achievable because the C25K app now ups my running and lowers my walking intervals..

 

Here's to being active and inspired!

Thanks for reading xxx

Yoga

I have 'dabbled' in the concept of Yoga in the past. I have been to classes here and there, I even took a 10 week intro class with the Yoga Sanctuary and discovered that their 'religious' approach to yoga didn't suit me - I appreciate that yoga is in  fact a religion, but I like to think you can practice it and appreciate it without joining, what felt like to me, a beautifully presented, softly softly, in essence 'cult' at the Sanctuary!

I have been suffering with stiffness now that I am post-op and back to exercise - I don't know how to stretch any more and I have been floundering. Anyone who knows Lucy (and Dave) will know that they embrace Yoga as a way of life and they are now on a teacher training course to enable them to teach Yoga to others - so when Lucy suggested that I try a 1-2-1 with Sharon, a lady who Lucy does a weekly class with, I was sold. Perfect! Sharon is lovely lady, very practical, very easy to talk to - right up my street and I have enjoyed my first two meetings with her.

In our first meeting we talked about my life style, my daily routine, my surgery, life pre and post op, when I fit things in that are just for me, what I want to gain, and then she went away and wrote me a 'posture set', which we went through in our second meeting. It is a very easy, gentle set to get me started on the road to greater stretch - and I guess Yoga knowledge.

And so I am enjoying spending 15 minutes on myself early in the morning - not everyday, Sharon and I agreed that 3 times a week is enough to start, and if I can do it 4 times all the better.

Spending time on myself involved a new yoga mat, and some candles - obviously - just because I'm not particularly interested in the religion of Yoga, doesn't mean I don't like to honour the divine feminine. Lucy replaced my broken Yoni ('female') statue when we were in Glasto last week and I am thrilled to be able to burn votive candles again. I treat myself to the large candle - brand new just for Yoga. Love a little bit of quiet time! Love a little bit of magic in the morning.

I go back to see Sharon in 3 weeks, then we'll 'tweak' what I'm doing and talk about my breathing. Then if I'm happy, I'll see her every 5 weeks and we'll move onto meditation in Yoga.

In addition, I have also embarked on some cranial osteo and am considering a juice detox - more on those in posts to come. Needless to say, I am very excited, I feel like I am taking postive action over my body - limits in the months to come will be gently pushed and anything I can't do going forward, won't be because I didn't try!

Thanks for reading Clanettes, thanks for your continued support x x

MoJo

Being on my bike briefly at the weekend was such a boost for me. I feel like it restored a bit of my missing Mojo. Since posting about re-evaluating my goals too, I have taken some pressure off myself and given myself a little room to breathe.

By the time we reach this coming Saturday, I will have completed a 14 day stretch that will have seen me work 7 of those 14 days, in 2 blocks of 3 and 4 days, I will have been to the gym on average every 2 days and mixed it up by agreeing to handfast (marry) friends of ours in August, looked after a poorly Bebe (bronchitis), spent a lovely visit from my fabulous parents and been on a night out.. Not so hardcore for many of you, sure, but that's a busy old time for me. Further proof of my continuing return to form.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe I don't need to be able to swim, bike and run in a specific order to have a sense of myself. Giving myself permission to go to the gym and sweat profusely just for an endorphin high, and to burn off indulgent puddings doesn't seem so hard. I want to maintain this ideal weight that I've found AND eat my cake. The gym allows me that. I want to work over time and buy fake tan. Work allows me that. I want to Mummy my children, cook and sew and pretend I'm an old fashioned house wife. My family allows me that.

I think I'm in a good place to hang out for a while. Maybe I'll stop and smell the roses a bit. Worrying that I'll never be able to run again can wait for another day.

Thanks for reading xxx