System Overhaul

The last few weeks have felt like week of weekends. One day shops are open, the next closed. The festive season’s fantastic but I’m craving a new routine and new adventures. One where I don’t fall asleep for an hour or more when I get back in the evenings. I blame the cats. They curl up next to me, looking cute and cuddly. I feel I’m always in a constant battle. Half my mind has a do list, what I should be doing, what I want to be doing and the other half has it’s own thing going on. I feel constantly caught between wanting to be outdoors, out the house and staying in getting what I should be doing done, when I want to be outside running errands early, working! And those evening naps, my mind’s still telling me to get up and get cracking. It time for a major system overhaul.

And we’ve still got one more holiday to go. Any kid in Spain will tell that Papa Noel might visit, but it’s the Three Kings who bring christmas presents on the 6th January after parading though the streets the night before . They arrive by boat, bringing with them carnival and sweets. Sacks of sweets. So many you dive picking up as many as you can! 

After the excitement of NYE 10km race, New Years Day was quiet. Gym in the morning and exploring more of Parc Colloserola overlooking the city in the afternoon. Friday, my first run of the year and the stadium stairs. 3 times which maybe in hindsight maybe wasn’t the thing to do after the NYE race. Still sore slightly from running a faster than usual 10km and felt each time the last 2 tiers!

Barcelona from Parc Collserola New Years Day

Saturday I brought back prisoner get ups to my workout. Basic, but great for working abs, legs and balance especially if you switch up legs with your less dominant side doing the work. Sunday, a trip out the city after an easier 14km along the beaches. Early, which made all the difference. Less people out on Sunday strolls means more space for me to run along the promenade! Mid afternoon we took a late ride to Monserrat.

Turn around 7km beach

Monserrat mountain’s about a 40 minute drive outside of the city, with the main attraction, Monserrat Abbey. I’ve never been and it’s been on the see places list for months. We arrived just before sunset, had a coffee to warm up, before a quick tour of the abbey and finding some steps that lead up the mountain. Some people were coming down with headlamps but the temptation not to explore was too great. It was dark but it was the Wolf Moon. The first full moon of the year. Everything lit up by moonlight. Some places so bright it bounced off the rocks, bright as daylight. No torches needed! Looking up was amazing. 895m above sea level and not a cloud in the sky, just stars and the sound of silence.

Hope you had a great weekend! Does anyone know how to quit chocolate covered almonds? I can’t stop raiding the jar. There’s more dark chocolate that almonds on the them, so I can’t even say they’re a better for you option. Don’t buy them is the obvious answer! But seriously, I need to break the evening naps. The constant feeling of dissatisfaction and disappointment as things don’t get done, rolled over to the next day and then the next is really bugging me too much.