A little bit about me

Saturday 14^th April

Distance: 3.01 mile
Time: 38:50 min
Avg Speed: 4:65 mph                            
Avg Pace: 12:54min/mile
Calories Burned: 408

Back home now from the glories of North Wales, I was up at 6.20am and out of the house by 6.45am. From the start I was sluggish and just could not get going. My legs were leaden and my runny nose still troubling me, so I found myself really struggling. I managed to run out as far as West Park and then sat on a bollard for a while pondering whether to go on and if so how far. In the end I decided to turn round and go home, I simply did not have either the energy or the inclination.

What I write in my blog often come to me as I saunter through the streets of Headingley, regular readers of this blog will know that I have taken inspiration from any number of things from the  birds of nature to the people or places I pass. You will also know that ultimately my incentive is my Raison D’etre. However, today writing is also hard as I truly am lacking in all motivation or inspiration. So as a consequence I have decided to tell you a little more about me. You already know about my Raison D’etre, yet all you know about me is that I am fat, unfit and fifty. Those three alliterative words do kind of sum me up.. to a point but they do not give you the whole picture.

Yes I am fat, not to the point of obesity, and not to the point of having it being a huge concern. I am over weight, or as I prefer to say ‘under tall’ if I was only a few inches taller, then I would not be overweight! I keep an eye on the scales and try to keep within a sensible range, a battle that is some days harder than others.

Although I refer to myself as unfit if I was asked honestly I would probably actually admit to being quite fit. It is only recently (last August to be truthful) that I finally passed my driving test. Prior to this I was happy to walk everywhere or nip on and off busses. I had never had the need to drive so I would walk at least 20 minutes every day, and I now realise that this has kept me fit for the last 50 years. I enjoy swimming, once in the pool, often getting there is a challenge! I am not a good swimmer but through determination and a bloody minded nature I have got better at that. I was always one of those annoying girls at school who was in the hockey team, the rounders team and the athletic squad. I was too short for netball and not flexible enough for gymnastics, however I can still stand on my head do a forward roll and a moderate cartwheel which I will show off to the children I teach… primary age school children are easily impressed! I have always enjoyed sports but was never enthused by the cross country at school I often cheated and cut through the woods, had a little sit down for a while and then sauntered back to school. One memorable PE day found me and my best friends deciding that today we would actually do the cross country properly and not take our usual short cuts, consequently we arrived back at school in a good time finishing in the first 10. Only for our teachers to accuse us of cheating and sending us to the showers! Needless to say we never competed fairly again. So the unfit claim is probably not quite true. I also keep fit through gardening, which I approach as a sport rather than a pass time. I am not hyperactive but I am active, I can often be found dancing freakishly around the house or deciding to move furniture or decorating. In short I am energetic and I love life.

I am of course 50 that one is unavoidable but I don’t like it because in my head and in my heart I am still 23. The aging process is not something I have signed up to willingly. To summarise I go not gladly into that dark night. So all this exercise and training will assist me in my denial of age and reluctance to give in.

I am a very passionate person who cares deeply for my causes, I love without question. I do not like confrontation but I am quite ballsy and not afraid to put my point forward. My family and friends are very important to me and I will do anything for them, I am blessed with a large collection of both whose presence in my life enrich it greatly. Their support through this has been so encouraging and hopefully I will not let them down.

Of course, as usual I reiterate my point that I am doing this for my Raison D’etre and to this end I add my usual postscript to this entry. If you want to read about the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign its work, outreach, campaigns and research just log on to www.muscular-dystophy.org  and see why I am doing this. If you feel you want to support me then please log onto my ‘Just Giving’ account and make a donation www.justgiving.com/Team-LewisMDC. A huge thanks you to all of you who have donated already.

Thank you for your support.