A Rainy Happy New Year!

I didn’t get the see the first sun rise of 2014. One, because I was still sleeping and second it was slightly overcast which turned into drizzle later. The sun only stayed out all day Monday.

Bike ride vista.

Not that I’m complaining, drizzle or no drizzle I was getting in my traditional New Years Day run. This year, a trail run complete with hills! I’m one happy girl to be back on the trails. Best bit? No ankle issues. Just the way I like it!

We saw in the New Year quietly at home with 12 grapes, a tradition I picked up from living in Spain and sparklers. The 12 grapes have to be eaten before the last companas or gong ringing in the New Year hits 12 from the bell in Puerta del Sol, Mardid. If you eat them all in time, you get 12 months of good luck. 

Earlier in the evening we went to Cannes just to look around. Not many people were out due to the drizzle, but a lot were queuing for oysters and picking the best seat in the cafes to watch the firework display later. To my surprise the Christmas market was still on as were the amusements. Uh Oh! What is it with amusement arcades and me at the moment?! I tried by best to the resist the toy grab machines and failed. Next up was the Indiana Jones Temple of Dome house. I’ve never been in one and had great fun working my way around. Yes, I went down the spiral slide 3 times! I hadn’t laughed so much in ages!

My workouts this week have been great. Hardly any ankle issues. I’m aware of being too over confident. If I go too fast too soon, 2 steps back. I’ve been strengthening the hamstrings and glutes with foam roller and fit ball bridges and hip raises. Ow! Single leg bridges on the foam roller today, really got them firing! I’m also taking part this year in Love Your Body challenge by Tone It Up. 6 weeks to get fit for Valentines day and see through a long January. I might not do all the workouts, I take inspiration and ideas from them and I like the fact that more girls get fit and healthy! No gym membership is required to do the workouts. That said I’m looking forward to the kettle bell workout, though a dumbbell can be used in place.

Talking about kettle bells, I had to up the one I got on my weekend Decathlon shop. When performing sets, the last 2 reps of each exercise should feel like they’re a little tough. If they’re easy, depending on what/how your training, increase the weight or amount of reps. The 6kg kettle bell turned out to be too light for certain exercises and I’ve now added a 8kg kettle bell to my home gym. It should be the perfect weight for explosive moves. I’d previously been using a 6kg dumbbell so thought the 6kg kettle bell would be okay. It seems my 6kg dumbbells and 6kg kettle bell weight different!

Mr AJ isn’t doing too good at the moment and may have to have surgery at the weekend. With his right eye no better after his course of antibiotics, I took him to see the eye specialist vet at the clinic. Turns out he has entropion, an ulceration on his eye that caused his eye to spasm. This then made his bottom eyelids roll in. To protect the eye, it sinks into his skull, the eyelid rolls in more and the cycle continues. His new names this week are Captain AJ and Pirate Cat. I thought his face had been changing recently, but didn’t know why. He’s currently on 3 different types of eye drops 8 times a day until Saturday, as the ulceration needs be healed before they go ahead and operate. He’s playing with his brother, eating, washing etc, which is a good sign. He’s a trooper with the medicine and vet. D just wants his food and hugs!

Feeding time on the way back from the vets.

How do you see in the New Year? How do you get through the long cold (if you’re in northern hemisphere) January?