So lately I’ve been slightly list-obsessed.  I downloaded a brilliant app that lets you create loads of individual lists and assign each one a little picture to identify them.  Once you’ve done something on the list, the app moves the item below the ‘Completed’ line; this is WAY more satisfying than it should be.  I shouldn’t get as excited as I do, but there you go.  As I mentioned in my last post, I’d already started ticking stuff off the list, and happily I can report that it is now down to 10 items remaining! Hurrah!  As a result, my flat is a LOT more tidy, and full of less crap.  I actually have floor space that I’m not sure what to do with, but rest assured I have no desires to fill it up with more rubbish.  It is amazingly cathartic to get rid of stuff you’ve been holding on to your years; it literally feels like a weight off my shoulders.

I wanted to get most of it done before the weekend, as I knew I’d be going up north to see lots of triathlon friends and support them all doing a half Ironman.  The infamous DIY Pirate Half IM was a roaring success, and spirits weren’t dampened by the intermittent rain and howling winds that popped up over the two days.  One year I may actually do the thing, hahaha.  In fact, it brought it home to me how little I’ve done, exercise wise, in the last 12 months.  I was reminded that exactly 1 year ago I’d said that I was going to sort my life out, get fit etc. etc. etc., and in May 2015, I’d do the race along with the others, for a change.  Oops.  Oh well, I am where I am.  However, part of the reason for having a big clear out was so that I’d finally have no more excuses for being a lazy bee-atch, and if I’d sorted all the other things I wanted to change in my life, then I’d have no reason not to sort the one remaining thing that has eluded me all these years – sorting my fat ass out.  It was so much fun this weekend, and the best bit was watching everyone achieve their goals, and do their best despite the rain and wind and cold.  Also my back was really killing me from standing all day on Saturday, which is RIDICULOUS because I’m not 100 years old, but my body may disagree with that at the moment.  When I was doing lots of deadlifting and weights, my back was soooo much better, mainly because I actually had some core strength.  Sadly my core is currently like that of a donut:  non-existent.  Anyone reading this that has read all the other shite I’ve spewed in the past with be getting the world’s strongest feeling of deja vu at the moment, and honestly, so am I.  I know I’ve said this a bazillion times before, but I’m determined to sort my shit out!  To that end, today’s bank holiday was spent shopping for food so I could batch cook stuff for the week, to ensure I’m taking lunch to work instead of buying it.  I’ve started tracking my food again, which really helps (My Fitness Pal is awesome), and I’m not taking any money to work so I can’t buy crap!  Now that most of my list is complete (the remaining 10 things are not particularly urgent or important), I can start to plan some goals for the year in terms of exercise.  I’ve got a couple of 10Ks planned for October and December, but I want to have stuff to work towards before then.  I’ll post them up here when I’ve worked them out so people can shoot me if I don’t actually do them!

I do have one long-term goal to look forward to though.  For the past few years, I’ve put my name into the ballot for the Chicago Marathon, and i’ve never been successful – until now!  I actually got in this year, although I’ll not be in a position to run it (physically or financially!), so I’m going to defer it to 2016.  Unfortunately that means paying the entry fee twice, but I think it will be worth it.  I spent a week in Chicago in 2002, before I headed to Australia for the year, and I absolutely fell in love with the city.  It is AMAZING.  I’ve not made it back there since, but now I have good reason to go back 🙂  Here’s the course map from last year:

Jeez that does look like it’s a long way!  Anyhoo, plenty of time to get ready 🙂  It is good to have a focus, even if it is longer term.  Now just to work on the medium and short term.  Watch this space….