After my chest infection (started in Rome on the Europe Tour, June 2008 – well, at least it was somewhere exotic), my fitness has deteriorated massively, so in November I was prescribed “exercise” (I asked if it was possible, give me that little push back to the gym that I used to love going to!), so I have been making it down twice a week, excepting skiing/cold/snowbound over the last 3 weeks. Back in today (I walked, my car is snowed in again!), met with GP-Referral lovely Lydia, and said I’d been trying to run again, but that about 1.5 minutes was my limit… so she ‘prescribed’ trying a slower speed (7.5, rather than 9.5, I used to get up to 11.5) for 2 mins, then walk for 1-2 – and with that I managed 6 minutes + the intervals, and then decided I needed a target to aim for! Karen gave me this book for my birthday last year, as she knows I have run before (and we did the Moonwalk together) and once I’m out there, find it really helps my mindset!

So, there we are, 2nd May 2010, I shall be running 4 miles around London dressed as a nun (so that’s going to be an early start for me too!) – apparently Barnardos are likely to be in touch re-fund-raising, but I’d love your encouragement

I was intrigued by the idea that the choices you make about eating burnt toast say so much about how you value yourself (or not) [big ideas that interest me are valuing, engagement, expectations, choice, learning!]. She questions whether you try to scrape off the black, smother it with jam to hide the taste, throw it away or eat it “because you’re willing to settle for less? Maybe you don’t want to be wasteful, but if you go ahead and eat that blackened square of bread, then what you’re really saying – to yourself and to the world – is that the piece of bread is worth more than your own satisfaction.”

Found the book really interesting, if over-emphatic in its desire to demonstrate that Teri is an ordinary woman… well, I guess she is, but there’s certain stories in the press that she’s taken the opportunity to squash! Found a lot to empathise with, and some practical ideas for moving forward! Don’t be prepared to spend another 10 years eating burnt toast…

Women & Cycling
I went for a beautiful walk in my favourite weather – sunny and breezy – and thought through some of what I’d read in the book, then generally emptied my mind! No chance to cycle as my bike is back in Winchester and I’m currently in Suffolk, but going through Monday’s Guardian (finally), and seen a big story which is pushing forward cycling as a new ‘fashion’ for women… even Top Shop are coming out with a range of cycling accessories! Sustrans has recently launched bikebelles.org.uk, to encourage women on bikes, and Bird on Bikes had it’s inaugural event earlier this year. The Guardian has definitely got people talking!