Whites level + food poisoning = Unhappy Sarah!

I finally had the opportunity to do Whites level at Afan. I was both excited and nervous as I knew it was hard but it's one of the trails everyone talks about and Ryan loves it so I knew it had to have something good about it. We had a nice big omellete for breakfast and off we went!

Finally got to do it.

The old descent is now the ascent as the old ascent has been closed for some reason. We started off OK but for some reason I was finding it very hard! Not out of breath/puffy hard but body shaking legs dead tired, couldn't breathe hard. At first I thought I was being a baby (so did Ryan) Now I hate up hills anyway so naturally would have a moan but this was something different! I just felt like the bike wasn't working with me. It was tough! It soon became clear it wasn't the bikes fault but I wasn't myself. even at the top the flats were difficult and my body just didn't want to work. I fell over (on a flat!!!) Wacked my shin splints and CRIED! It was horrible and I knew Ryan thought I was being ridiculous as I have done harder rides!

Bruise from falling on the FLAT

I didn't get any better, I found myself sitting down on the downhills as I just had no energy to stand, my balance was off, I could barely lift my leg to get back on the seat every time. I then started throwing up and after a small panic attack, few more tears and the entry/exit of an apple, we headed back.

I really did enjoy the middle section after the wind farm and the final descent (as much as I could, considering).

As disappointed as I was I still knew there was something wrong with me. Confirmed by the next 4 days of throwing up, No appetite and 2 days off work! Doctor said it was food poisoning but I think it lasted too long for that.

On the plus side, I last 7lb. Unfortunately 1 week later and I have put 5lb back on. But at least I am back in the gym! I am very impressed with my muscle memory. I still have a long way to go to get me back to where I was but not as long as I thought. My running is back on. Did 800m in 3.28 which smashed the goal Ryan set me for 3.30. Just got to get my 2.4 down to 13 minutes from 15 now.

I found a great new inspiration -Erin Stern She is a track athlete. Same height as me - 5'8 and 4lb lighter. Watch the video she has up!

Comments

Beginning of fitness journey

Bit of insight into where my interest in fitness started ... As far back as I can remember I have always had insecurities about my weight, this probably stems from my darling brother! I was a chubby baby/child I guess, but he very kindly nicknamed me Oros - In South Africa, Oros is the name of the mascot for an orange squash. Although I was never overweight or fat in any way, it stuck with me that I was the chubby one - my sisters and brother are all skinny! I was a pretty average achiever. I always wanted to do more where athletics/sports team etc were concerned but was never great enough to stand out. I was the one that always went to practice but wasn't noticed, I preferred to mold into the back ground if I wasn't outstanding. I once did a race in primary school, the whole school was there to watch, I think I was coming like 3rd from the back and I didn't like it so pretended I hurt my foot so I didn't need to finish! Naughty naughty! I'm on the lef...

Fitness Motivation

I am so in love with the progress and physique of fitness model Jen Jewell aka fitnessjewell! Article on bodybuilding.com She does a lot of the modelling for bodybuilding.com and has done fitness competitions. Although her stats are NOTHING like mine and I could never look as good as her, she really motivates me to try hard and is living proof of what lifting weights does for a girl. Yeah OK, I know a lot of woman are frightened to lift weights for exactly that reason - they don't want to get big with muscles and look like the pic above, however that is what she looks like after intensive training, dieting, fake tan and pumped up for stage. Her body naturally is exactly what every girl wants and if they don't, they should!! What makes her interesting to me is that she hasn't always looked this way - it has actually taken 10 years, according to her bio for her to look like this. Admittedly a few years ago I probably wouldn't have l...

Running events

Ryan and I have done many running events in the last year or so and this is a run down of them all, ones I liked, didn't like etc. As I have mentioned in the thread Beginning of fitness journey , Ryan did the Mens Health Survival of the fittest in October 2011, We then booked to do the 'Night Fright' on 26th October. That was my first run and it was horrible, extremely hard, apart from the fact it was hilly, I hadn't trained either! We then decided to do Nos Galan - a 5k run in Aberdare town centre. This is a race which commemorates a Welsh runner who died at the event after doing a charity race. It is on New year eve at around 7pm, the atmosphere here was amazing! They have a celeb appearance - that year was Shane Williams. The only problem with this event is that given the time of year, the weather is always going to be bad! If I remember correctly, I ran this in 34 minutes and was quite happy with myself as it was my 2nd race and I still wasn't ta...

Sarah Louise Mey

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