Sacrebleu! Castle to chateau!

[roxymama]

Boo to injuries! Sorry that you are out of commission right now. I know the feeling unfortunately. But it sounds like the rest is helping the healing which is good.
IBIZA! - WHAT? JEALOUS!
DISNEY with free dining! - WHAT? JEALOUS!

It may seem like ages away but just think of all the months you get to obsess over getting to go?

 

[ZellyB]

Injuries stink! At least it sounds like nothing too serious and that some rest will help with the healing. I know it's hard to make yourself rest though.

Ibiza sounds incredible. Wow! And so glad you got a good free dining offer for a Disney trip. Woohoo!

 

[dancingtodisney]

Boo to injuries! Sorry that you are out of commission right now. I know the feeling unfortunately. But it sounds like the rest is helping the healing which is good.
IBIZA! - WHAT? JEALOUS!
DISNEY with free dining! - WHAT? JEALOUS!

It may seem like ages away but just think of all the months you get to obsess over getting to go?

HEY!!!! Aw thank you... I'm actually hoping that tomorrow I can go out for my first run! I'm just back from Ibiza, it was great, the weather was lovely but I ate and drank EVERYTHING haha
I'm so excited for it and then I'm like.... WHY IS IT SO FAR AWAY... Boo

There will be lots of obsessing and planning and re-planning

Injuries stink! At least it sounds like nothing too serious and that some rest will help with the healing. I know it's hard to make yourself rest though.

Ibiza sounds incredible. Wow! And so glad you got a good free dining offer for a Disney trip. Woohoo!

Ye it's not too serious, it's probably something I would have went to physio for when I was in my Dopey training phase but I decided just to let it sort itself out...

WOOHOO

 

[dancingtodisney]

Week 4

As I mentioned already this week I went to Ibiza with my friends to celebrate one of their 30th birthdays! Although the party island wouldn’t be my first choice of destination it was really a great trip and thanks to great weather and a lovely hotel I thoroughly enjoyed chilling by the pool!

I know what you’re thinking… that’s all well and good but isn’t this a training journal??! What’s happened to all my running? Well… I got back from Ibiza and was planning a very productive Saturday which consisted of running to the gym and then completing a circuit training class. This was the magical mix that I tried a few weeks back that had me feeling great afterwards so what could possibility go wrong?? Em….. EVERYTHING!!!

First off my stupid Garmin watch is becoming SO TERRIBLE at finding the satellite signal that I’ve ended up just running off before it connects because I completely lose my patience. Due to the delay getting going waiting on my watch I realised I would need to run just under 5km in 30mins which I can just about do on form and I was really not on form at this point. I ignored the voices in my head telling me I was never going to make it so I might as well quit and go back home for a cup of tea and carried on. I got about a mile in and realised there was no way I was going to make it on time for the class so I hopped on a bus to get the gym in time and planned to get some more mileage in afterwards. My bus driver however was having none of this and decided to stop and sit at bus stops with nobody waiting at them… I’d never seen this before… GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I finally got off the bus at the exact time the class was starting and still a 5min walk away. It’s not the sort of class you can jump into after it starts. I walked into a nearby park and sat down against a tree and had a little cry. I was just so frustrated.


I pulled myself together and walked around 4km home. I could feel my hamstring on the walk home so maybe it was faith that I didn’t do more damage at the gym. That’s what I’m clinging to anyway!
​

 

[ZellyB]

OK, that picture is BEAUTIFUL!!!!! And, hey, every training journal is better when you throw in some off topic stuff. At least I think so.

So sorry about the bad start on your reentry to training! I would have wanted to sit down and have a cry too. But, if your hamstring was sore, maybe you are right and it was just meant to be to give yourself some rest. Hopefully you'll get back to a normal schedule soon!!

 

[dancingtodisney]

Week 5

After my disastarous Saturday I decided to tackle a Monday morning workout.

What am I looking at???!!!

I got myself to the gym 30mins before the circuit training class and took to the threadmill, my legs felt REALLY heavy and I decided to stick with a 2:1 run/walk ratio. I completed 25mins and then got myself ready for class.

This class was INSANE!!!! Like the toughest one yet!! I was doing everything from burpees to jumping squats to pulls up to sprinting it was CRAZY!!


This is my after pic (GROSS)

Even after a shower I was still red in the face… It felt SO SO GOOD to get a proper workout in though, I went to work with a massive smile on my face. As the day went on however I could feel my hamstring protesting. We have an in house misuse at work so I went to him after lunch and although he’s not a sports phsyio and I normally get a nice back massage I decided to tell him about my leg and see if he could help loosen it out.


He worked on my hamstring for almost 30mins and then told me it felt quite tight and he recommended taking a week off, rolling and stretching but ZERO running or gym classes and come back to him next Monday. I asked if he thought it was something serious and he said he didn’t think so, more like an injury that hadn’t been given sufficient rest to fully recover.


So… the rest of my week went something like this:

​

Tuesday: REST
Wednseday: Walk 2.3miles to work
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST
Saturday: REST & a little bit of a boogie
Sunday: REST​

I also got myself back to a Weight Watchers class also which I wasn’t too excited for, I hadn’t been since before my holiday but I was still down half a pound which is great! I was worried I’d have put back on what I’d lost so that was good!


Other random updates…


Friday I went to a really fancy restaurant in London (the chef is a judge on the UK Masterchef), this was quite a big deal for me! I’ve been working hard to get to where I am in my career and I’m finally very happy with my role and have also managed to get myself to a much better place financially. Moving to London was very expensive, the euro was weak at the time and I had a massive deposit to pay for my flat plus all the costs of flying back and forth for interviews etc. I then ended up in a job that wasn’t right and eventually out of work for almost month right after my holiday in Orlando for the Dopey Challenge and more (read my TR HERE – shameless plugging) all of which put a massive strain on my finances. I’ve since started my new job and had a couple of months to get myself in order, I was also due a tax refund from Ireland so when that came through I decided I was treating myself and prince charming to a really special evening. It felt so good to be able to do this! I gave me a really big boost this week that was badly needed.

Also it's my birthday in two weeks... WHOOOOP! Prince Charming is taking me to Amsterdam for the weekend, so exciting! I've never been!!

​

 

[dancingtodisney]

OK, that picture is BEAUTIFUL!!!!! And, hey, every training journal is better when you throw in some off topic stuff. At least I think so.

So sorry about the bad start on your reentry to training! I would have wanted to sit down and have a cry too. But, if your hamstring was sore, maybe you are right and it was just meant to be to give yourself some rest. Hopefully you'll get back to a normal schedule soon!!

#nofilter

Ye me too! I like the extra stuff people add in but usually there is a lot more running content than what I've been producing lately lol

Thank you! I just needed to get that frustration out and I've not felt that low about it since. I'm hoping (crossing fingers and toes) that week 6 is going to be my week!

 

[dancingtodisney]

Running Update

Guess what??!! I have a running update!! BECAUSE I WENT RUNNING!! YAH!!!!

Finally last week I got the go ahead to stop resting… WHOOP!

I managed to get out three times since and I know my distances are really short but I can’t tell you how great it feels to be out running again.
​

Run 1

I took it really slow and steady for this run and set my watch for 3:1 intervals. I managed to keep to my intervals the entire run which I was really happy with. My legs felt really heavy and out of practice but my heart was in it today and sometimes that's all you need!

AWKWARD HAPPY FACE!!

I got out for two more runs during the week




The last was one was super short and a bit of a spur of the moment run. I was over at Prince Charming's flat and he had to head out for a bit so I had my gear with me and I decided to get a quick run in! It was really HOT though so I kept it short and sweet.

I am so excited to be able to get back out running again! I've got 9weeks of training until the Dublin Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon so I'm working on a training plan to get me to the start line in good shape!

Other Updates:

I had a great birthday!! I'm lucky enough to have some of really close friends also live in London so I had a nice meal out and then I had a trip to Amsterdam! The weather was amazing we could not have picked a better weekend.

I've been doing lots of planning for my trip to WDW in 12 weeks! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! I still can't believe we are going!
I'll write a whole separate post on that trip planning!

And then... oh ye that other trip I'm planning to Disneyland Paris that this whole journal was supposed to be working towards hehe
There is a ticketed event on the Friday night (the night before the 5k) that includes food and exclusive access to the park after closing so I'm probably going to book that.



​

 

[Ariel484]

Yay, great job getting back to it! That first one back is so tough but you rocked it!

Sooooo much Disney coming up! Can't wait to hear your plans! And happy late birthday!

 

[dancingtodisney]

Yay, great job getting back to it! That first one back is so tough but you rocked it!

THANK YOU!!!! I find it difficult to not get carried away, it's like I'm running again so I want to go at all full out but in reality I'm not ready for that... Slow and steady and all that...

Sooooo much Disney coming up! Can't wait to hear your plans! And happy late birthday!

Aw thanks!

 

[dancingtodisney]

Trip Planning

Walt Disney World
27th August – 4th September


12 weeks and counting!! Our fastpass+ window window will opening up in a few short weeks! EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

As I’ve said already this is a very impulsive/last minute trip I’ve booked with my sister Rachel

I AM SO EXCITED!!! I’ve never booked a trip so close to departure before and still it hasn’t really sunk in that we are going back so soon! Now usually the best deal for us is to book via the UK travel site and get free dining but those deals come out the year before so we were way too late for that. I priced up our trip direct with Disney with flights included and the full stay at All Star Sports. We were happy with the price but I also investigated booking it separately ourselves and renting DVC points. It worked out around the same price for both so we decided to go with renting as we’d be staying in a deluxe resort that way the only downside being again that we were booking so late so availability wasn’t great. That brings me onto:


Accommodation

1 night: OKW

We’re going back to OKW! I mentioned in my trip report that I’d not really heard very much about OKW and so I really didn’t know what to expect but we loved it so I’m more than happy to go back. We’re only staying here for one night so the plan is to not unpack at all, just dump our stuff in the room when we arrive on the Saturday and head to the parks and then leave our baggage when we head out Sunday morning to be transferred to our second resort:


6nights: ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE!!

YAH!!! I love AKL!! We’ll be in Kidini Village this time so that’ll be a change for us. We also stayed here in January and it’s just great when you want to have some chill time at the pool AND you get to roast marshmallows everyday!


1night: SSR

Finally we will stay our last night at SSR as AKL was booked out. We did consider the hassle of changing so many times BUT as they are both 1night stays we figure we will get ourselves fully packed when we leave AKL and just keep the last days outfit in our carry on so that we really can enjoy the end of trip as we’ll already have the horrible packing done, it’s like a bonus day!!



Dining

So far I have booked:

Crystal Palace (8.05AM on our first day – I just got a cancellation reservation for this yesterday WHOOP!)

Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch)

Tuskar House (jungle book reserved seating)

Sanaa

Jiko

Boma (breakfast)

Nine Dragons (lunch)

Sci-Fi Diner

Kona (dinner & breakfast)

TRex (lunch)

California Grill

The Plaza

Illuminations Desert Party


With all that sorted I started looking at park times and getting a rough itinerary together and then I realised that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was starting while we were there!!!!! YAH!!! We booked tickets for the very first night!!

Animal Kingdom is scheduled to be open until 11pm every night which is really cool as it’s so close to AKL!

Well there you have it







​

 

[Ariel484]

Okay, first of all - loving that picture of you ladies!!

Holy resort hopping! I totally would have done the same thing...why stay value when you can stay deluxe for the same price?? No-brainer!

Love your ADRs, so awesome that you got the CP cancellation! Ahhhh making me hungry!!

 

[dancingtodisney]

Okay, first of all - loving that picture of you ladies!!

Holy resort hopping! I totally would have done the same thing...why stay value when you can stay deluxe for the same price?? No-brainer!

Love your ADRs, so awesome that you got the CP cancellation! Ahhhh making me hungry!!

Aw thanks! We actually took that pic in the photo booth in the gift store at Space Mountain! It's cool that they include these pics with the photopass, we got a full size pic of each one below and then I think we paid for the paper print as well...

I know!! I wasn't actually looking it for either I just ran a general search for breakfast at 7.30am thinking I'd pick Kona or the Wave or something for our first morning because we are always awake early due to the time difference and there it was!! EEEEEEK! I went once before but my ex was being very un-disney like and so it wasn't the experience it should have been...

 

[dancingtodisney]

MIA

I’ve been MIA lately and there’s many reasons why but I’ve tried to list out biggest factors for my own sanity:

1) I’ve HATED running lately, to the point where I’ve thought about not running the Rock ‘n’ Roll half that I’m signed up for in August.
2) I’ve failed miserably at several attempts to lose weight over the last year and I am now at my heaviest weight EVER having paid for weight watchers meetings the last three months. This also adds to the above hating running as running with extra weight is HARD.

Starting with the first I’ve not managed at all to get back into the running groove since completing Dopey in January of this year and even then I felt I should have been more prepared for that event. I don’t HATE running completely I just HATE being bad at it. I HATE seeing my average pace increase, I HATE being injured and I HATE feeling guilty for missing runs and failing to stick my grand plans. On the other hand I LOVE the feeling I have after a good run, I LOVE that I get to run events with my Dad and my Sister and I LOVE the sense of achievement I feel when I finish an event and get my bling!

On the second point I signed up to weight watchers at the start of April and felt determined to finally shift the serious amount of weight I’ve put on over the last year. I managed to lose 5lbs in the first week and then I just went back to exactly what I was doing before and steadily over the last few months I’ve put that back on plus a few bonus pounds. It’s so easy to get caught into a viscous cycle of feeling frumpy and lazy, doing no exercise and putting on weight. BLEUGH.


Onwards and upwards

I really don’t want to dwell too much on the last few months because I know that will just pull me back into a negative mind-set. I hit a low point last week and eventually gave myself a talking to. Bizarrely I’m actually a lot happier now than was a year ago despite being a couple of stone lighter and more ‘successful’ in my training. I’ve got a new(ish) job that I LOVE, a healthy relationship with a great guy, a new sense of independence in London and a far more active social life. I think my biggest issue is the amount of pressure I’ve put on myself and the all or nothing attitude I’ve had towards both training and a healthy lifestyle. I make these detailed plans that are so rigid and just don’t fit with my new life and as soon as I go off plan I scrap the entire week/month/training plan.

So… I’m looking to take this training journal in a bit of different direction. I considered starting from scratch but I am tired of giving myself all these ‘do-overs’ to be perfect again, I just need to accept that I’m never going to be perfect and that I need to give myself a break.

My Dad and my Sister are currently training using Hal Higdon’s Novice 2 Half Marathon plan so I’m going to use this a guide to my running distances. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Half is on the 7th August so that puts us at week 8 of the plan. Obviously I’m not 8 weeks into a training plan, I’ve been out recently for some 5k runs but I’m definitely not where I should be for this plan so I’m going to have to make some adjustments and I’m going to have to take it as it comes and see how I get along.

I’ve included the plan below as per the website



I’ve taken a rough stab at a running schedule for this week based on my current plans


My Mam is coming to visit me in London this weekend (arriving Thursday night) so I'm not too sure what I'll manage on Saturday but I will make sure I get a run in. I'm hoping for nice weather so we can get a lot of walking in. I’m also going to the gym when I can and mainly attending circuit training classes although I’m hoping to try branch out and in particular FINALLY try my first ever yoga class. I’m ridiculously NOT flexible and I think it probably has an effect on how injury prone I am so I’ve been saying for AGES that I would try yoga.

I actually started today with a 5k run to the gym where I completed a 30min circuit training class. My pace was terrible but I had decided before my run that I DID NOT CARE!! My goal was to run 5k and I ran 5k.

I also went back to weight watchers last Thursday (I actually ran to the class which I was really proud of!) and I’ve been tracking online since. I had a fancy meal out planned for Saturday with Mr C (Prince Charming is way too much effort) and I would usually use this an excuse to wait until next week but I have to accept that I have a social life and I just need to find the right balance.

SUPER LONG WORDY POST COMPLETE…

Oh… guess what?! Only 54 days until I return to the happiest place on earth!!!!

That gets a thumps up from me!

​

 

[Ariel484]

Obviously you know that I know just how you feel. It sucks. Proud of you for getting back to it!! Hope you like yoga!

 

[dancingtodisney]

Trip Planning Update - 48 Days until Disney!!!

I’m so excited for this trip to come around and it still hasn’t really sunk in that we are going back so soon! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

We’ve made some changes to our reservations adding in the new Skippers Canteen in Magic Kingdom and Frontera Cocina in Disney Springs and we’re only doing Kona for breakfast now and not dinner.

Thanks to the Brexit vote the sterling exchange rate has PLUMMITED so I’m not planning on doing as much shopping as I normally do in the outlets or the Florida Mall so we’ve just planned one shopping trip. I’m also trying this time to do less park hopping and try and give each park a full day, I’ve found that when we do multiple shorter visits we tend to repeat the same things like ride our favourite rides and not do much else whereas if we have a whole day we’ll do more walking around.

Here’s my plans for the first few days:

Saturday 08/27 (travel day): Arrive at MCO at 6pm from Chicago (immigration complete in Dublin so get to arrive as domestic flight in the US WHOOP!) & hopefully get to the Magic Kingdom for around 8.30pm… Maybe I’m being too ambitious? I’m hoping with online check-in we can head straight to the room and dump our bags and head straight back out. We did this in January and it was a pretty quick turnaround!


Sunday 08/28: Check out of OKW and leave our bags to be transferred to AKL.

ADR at Crystal Palace at 8:05AM – hoping for some nice pictures on Main Street and with the castle.


Spend the morning in MK with lunch ADR in Liberty Tree Tavern, I’m so excited to try the sticky toffee pudding! (picture from Disney Food Blog)

Head to AKL to check in

Evening in Epcot with our plan being to eat and drink in the world showcase


Monday 08/29: EMH in AK this morning and ADR at Tuskar House for 9.45am with the Jungle Book viewing package. Spend the morning at AK, back to AKL to chill and explore the resort and then dinner at Sanaa… BREAD SERVICE AND BUTTER CHICKEN PEOPLE!!!!

Back to AK for the evening show and see the park at night!

​

 

[Ariel484]

OMG...LTT dessert and butter chicken. You are KILLING me with these pictures right now!

 

[dancingtodisney]

My weekly Review 07/04 - 07/10​

Look at me posting a weekly review at the actual end of the week!

I had a relatively good week! I decided to give myself a break and just do what I could do which was actually close enough to what I had hoped I would do… do you get me?!

Right so here it goes…

Monday – I went for a run

It was exactly 5k which is a whole .1mile longer than my target AND I did the circuit training class at my gym

Tuesday – I didn’t go for a run… but I wasn’t supposed to so still #winning

Wednesday – I had a ridiculously bad sleep Tuesday night as my next door neighbours had people over… UGH so I ended up snoozing my alarm and giving up on going for a run. BUT then… I woke up again like 30mins later feeling a bit better so I got my running gear on and ran to work. Only about 2.5miles but I’m really happy I actually managed to run after such a bad sleep. ALSO I went to weight watchers and I was down… this was a good day

Thursday – No running, my Mam was due to arrive in and ended up being delayed and arriving super late. We stayed up chatting and it was well past midnight when I finally got my head to the pillow… not looking good for Friday

Friday – I WENT RUNNING!! This is a massive victory for me as this week was all about just getting out when I was supposed to and I did… YAH! I ran 3miles.

Saturday – Woke up feeling terrible, like I had a flu terrible... UGH! My muscles were also really sore and stiff I realised I was being a bit optimistic thinking I could run back to back days on my first week getting back into training. I decided to skip my run but walked 3miles instead with my Mam. We went into a nice pub to watch the Women Wimbledon Final, it was great to spend a day with Mam!

Sunday – I may or may not have ordered this for breakfast

I actually went for breakfast with Mam and Mr. Charming and we all ordered the same and nobody finished it, way too much food!

I also went for run… YAH!


So all in all a good week…. On to the next!

 

[ZellyB]

That breakfast looks delicious!!! YUMMY. I love the picture of you with your mom. So cute! I got a bit behind, but wanted to say YAY on the trip planning. That's a lot of moving, but seems like a great option to get all that deluxe accommodations!!

And, also congrats on getting back on solid training ground and it's smart to give yourself a break on getting built back up. Just do your best and be kind to yourself!!

 

[Ariel484]

Your breakfast looks amazing. Seriously, killing me with your food pics today.

Great week for you this week!! The mental battle is sometimes the toughest!