So today being the last day of Janathon what do I do? Only leave my blinking Garmin at home (as well as my mobile and several other useful things I could have done with!) meaning no walk at lunchtime and I was going to have to do my last walk all in one go once I got home from work. I had 3.5 miles left to go to reach my target of 100 miles walked this month and a bloody freezing night for it, it was reading -1.5°C in my car on the way home….brrrr…not great! I headed out as soon as I got back and it wasn’t long before my bum and thighs had gone numb with the cold! I did it though, I managed my 3.54 miles in just over 52 minutes and met my 100 mile target for walking this month, yay! I did day 2 of the leg challenge when I got back and am writing this now still with very cold thighs and butt! I’ve just checked out #FitTeam12 February Challenge and not sure I’ll be able to partake in it all, I’ll have to see. In February the leg challenge continues but only on a Wednesday, as does the no/limited drinking challenge (and will for the rest of the year apparently!) plus 2 more challenges 1) to drink more water with 3 levels again ranging from 1.5 – 3L a day and 2) the press-up challenge to be done on Mondays and Fridays starting with 1, stand up, 2, etc. with your chest touching the floor each time or at least getting very close to it (!) and see how many you can do – aim is to get to 10. The water challenge should be fine as I’ve been trying to drink more this month anyway as will the leg challenge. Not so sure about the drinking challenge as I didn’t do that well on it this month, we’ll see! Hesitant about the push-ups because of my right collar bone trouble but may substitute it for something else.
Big well done to everyone who’s completed Janathon and hope you all enjoy a well deserved rest tomorrow, I know I will! Thanks to everyone for your comments this month and helping to motivate me along the way. Maybe see you again in June for Juneathon? Hopefully I’ll be back running by then 
Janathon stats:
31/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): Completed all required days for January
Janathon miles walked: 100.1
Today was one of those days where is I wasn’t doing Janathon I probably wouldn’t have headed out at all. I split my walking in two today, I walked 1.70 miles in just over 24 minutes at lunch and a further 1.85 miles in just under 30 minutes tonight. It’s been a really cold day though and trying to spit rain all day but not your normal rain, really cold rain and not nice as it hits your face. Still glad I headed out though, always feel the better for it.
January’s been a pretty busy month for me both in and out of work, the kind where I’d usually end up giving the odd night of exercise here or there a miss because of all the other stuff I’ve to do but not this month. I’ve made sure I’ve stuck to it and have felt the benefit of it especially with being busy as exercise for me is a great de-stresser so, as much as I might not feel like I have time for it before I head out by the time I come back I realise it didn’t actually take all that long and actually has probably done me more good than harm. I’ve really enjoyed getting out at lunch for a walk this month when I’ve had chance, not something I ever did before during work time and something I may well carry on. I’m not going to lie to you though I won’t miss having to head out in the evenings in the cold and dark once Janathon’s over!
1 more day to go, woo hoo! Only 3.5 miles left to go to reach my target of 100 miles walked this month, will I do it? Who knows? Anything could happen but lets hope so. 
Janathon stats:
30/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 1 set from week 5
Janathon miles walked so far: 96.5
So I saw War Horse last night with my Mum and sister Claire while the boys stayed at home and looked after the baby. We thought it was a great film and all three of us couldn’t help but shed a tear, we did find the war scenes pretty harrowing at points though. Before this month I’d not been the cinema in ages, I couldn’t even tell you the last film I saw that’s how long ago it was and then this month I’ve been twice and have really enjoyed it so plan to go a little more often, not sure really why I stopped!
We went for a Sunday lunch today to celebrate my Mum’s birthday. There were 6 of us – the birthday girl (my Mum) and Dad, my sister Claire and her husband Dan and baby Caolan and me. I had prawn and avocado salad to start, roast beef and all the trimmings for my main and then blackcurrant cheesecake to finish, yum yum! I have to say though the portions were pretty big, so much so I had to leave some of my cheesecake – very unlike me but more unusual was that I had no takers to finish it off as everyone was just as stuffed! I haven’t had anything to eat tonight and don’t think I need to now until the morning!
Bad food-wise this weekend I had homemade blackberry and apple crumble last night and then another dessert today – both delicious so no regrets and to be fair the first desserts I had all month so not too bad going. I had a gin and tonic with my Mum and sister last night at the cinema and then a another today at lunch and a glass of wine too so that’s now a total of 8 days in January where I have consumed an alcholic beverage, double what I was meant to be doing, aah well!
On the walking front I walked a total of 3.8 miles today which took just over 58 minutes.
Only 2 days left of Janathon – enjoy!
Janathon stats:
29/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 4 weeks worth done
Janathon miles walked so far: 93.0
Just a quick post for me today so that I can say I’ve walked, logged and blogged! Had a quick walk at mid-morning of 2.65 miles in 37 minutes. Later this afternoon I headed out with my Mum for an afternnon stroll and walked a further 2.42 miles in just over 39 minutes, lovely day for it.
Will catch up properly tomorrow when I have a bit more time.
Janathon stats:
28/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 4 weeks worth done
Janathon miles walked so far: 89.2
Had a quick walk at lunch today of 1.10 miles in just over 16 minutes. Tonight I then walked a further 2.08 miles in just over 32 minutes. Day 4 of the leg challenge done making week 4 complete. 
It’s been one of those weeks where Friday couldn’t come round quick enough for me but now it’s here and it’s officially the weekend, yay! Back at my parents this weekend to celebrate my Mum’s birthday and seeing War Horse tomorrow night with my Mum and sister as my Mum’s keen to see it, should be good, looking forward to it.
Last weekend of Janathon, it’s nearly all over! Have a great weekend!
Janathon stats:
27/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): Week 4 done
Janathon miles walked so far: 84.1
We went out for lunch with work today as one colleague is leaving and another returning from a secondment. We went for a Thai and it was yummy It did mean however I didn’t get chance to go for a walk at lunch and had to go tonight instead when I got in. I didn’t have too much time so decided to just do a quick 2 miles. I headed off and about 11 minutes in thought I’d check how far I’d gone according to my Garmin – only turns out it has recorded the time but no distance! So it didn’t quite end up being the short walk I’d planned as I reset it and started again from the point I’d got to and did 2 miles in just under 30 minutes. Day 3 of the leg challenge done, just tomorrow left to do this week.
I have a incy wincy confession – last night after I’d blogged my housemate offered me a glass of wine. At first I declined having already used up my quota of having an alcholic drink on 4 days in January as part of the other challenge I’m doing. I then succumbed and joined her for a lovely glass of red and am drinking another one too as I write this post! That brings it to 6 out of 31 days so far rather than the 4 I committed to and I know already I am likely to have another drink on the weekend as it’s my Mum’s birthday – well, it would be rude not to surely?! So not doing so great on the no drinking thing but everything else is going well!
Janathon stats:
26/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 3 out of 4 of week 4 done
Janathon miles walked so far: 80.9
No walk at lunchtime for me today, had to leave it until tonight. When I got back I headed straight out and clocked up 3 miles in just over 45 minutes. I had no option but to get on with the leg challenge when I got back tonight as I didn’t do it last night, all done now though and back on track.
From the Janathon blogs I’ve been reading it sounds like everyone doing amazingly well and really pushing themselves, it makes for great reading. Good luck to you all over the next 6 days – hope you all achieve whatever personal targets you have set yourselves and that you finish in the position you want on that dreaded table of doom! :-)
Janathon stats:
25/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 2 out of 4 of week 4 done
Janathon miles walked so far: 78.9
Today I went for a shorter walk at lunchtime of 1.59 miles in just under 23 minutes and then went for another walk of similar distance, 1.80 miles, tonight which took me just over 26 minutes. I decided to keep it short at lunch as it was a pretty miserable grey day here and raining so not the nicest. It was a lot better by tonight and pretty mild out too so good decision earlier. I’d like to say I got back to the house and proceeded with day 2 of week 4 of the leg challenge before I had chance to change my mind but I’d be lying which means I’m just going to have to do it tomorrow instead! 
I’ve had my appointment through for my bone scan, it’s not until the 3rd Feb which rules out any potential of me trying a small run to finish off Janathon,was kinda hoping it would all be sorted by now, aah well. I’ve also had to face up to the fact that it means in reality I’m probably not going to be able to do the Cambridge half either as it’s in March, just under 7 weeks away now I think. It’ll be my 3rd half marathon in a row now that I’ve had to pull out of due to some kind of injury. :-( Will just have to make up for it once I’m running again!
Janathon stats:
24/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 1 out of 4 of week 4 done
Janathon miles walked so far: 75.9
Today I walked 2.50 miles at lunchtime around the Science Park where I work in 37 minutes and then went for a shorter walk of 1.15 miles when I returned tonight in just under 17 minutes. Have to say tonight’s walk was a somewhat chilly one! I got the fright of my life on the way back too as a man driving along in the opposite direction to me slammed his brakes on and screeched to a stop just as he was in line with me or that’s at least how it appeared! He scared the life out of me, I took a look at the situation and it turns out he had passed a set of temporary traffic lights that were on red and there was single file traffic from the other side coming at him so he had to reverse back, can’t quite imagine how he missed the glaring red traffic light?! There’s a pedestrian crossing also on that road and on 3 occassions recently the traffic lights have been on red i.e. when cars stop and pedestrians cross the road and cars have just continued straight through the red light! Obviously a bit of a dangerous road for pedestrians. I got back to the house and proceeded with day 1 of week 4 of the leg challenge before I had chance to change my mind! ;-)
Janathon stats:
23/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 1 out of 4 of week 4 done
Janathon miles walked so far: 72.5
Today I headed out for my walk around midday. It was a lovely dry day but there was a ferocious wind – I wouldn’t imagine all that great for a run but it was lovely for a walk. I really enjoyed it and clocked up 3 miles in just under 39 minutes so fairly speedy too
I was lucky enough to see a pheasant in the garden this morning, not a regualr site I assure you! I was washing up and looked out the window to see it and it was a male one so very handsome indeed. He pottered round for a couple of minutes before heading next door so no time for a photo unfortunately.
Week 4 of Janathon here we come, hope you all have a great week
Janathon stats:
22/31 days walked
Leg challenge (per week): 3 weeks completed
Janathon miles walked so far: 68.8
