#temperance trail

[mari-musing]

The (Street) Art Of The #baaw

17 November 2017

Ominous skies and a 54% chance of rain didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for a catch-up ride with my vibrant Instagram friend Shae. Yes, the first 12km were in a steady drizzle but we weren’t cold and were going to sweat anyway!

Shae is passionate about her art of the ‘bike against a street art wall’, and riding with her opened my eyes to all the murals I normally flash past and barely notice. I am generally more of a landscape girl - preferring to escape to nature over urban environments - but long have been keen to take photos of the huge Freo Octopus painting by Phlegm. I was glad to grab my chance with a willing ride buddy. (Most of my friends resist photo stops mid-ride - it messes with average speeds and Strava segments big time!)

In the week that the Australian people said Yes to marriage equality, it was also timely to stop at the shipping container rainbow.

On the #temperancetrail quest, I have notched up 29/31 alcohol-free days, and am planning to reward myself with something I love this weekend. My Babici Kyoto kit reminded me that peonies will be briefly available this month, a beautiful indulgence...

[mari-musing]

November Goals 2017: #temperancetrail 1. Stay strong on the Temperance Trail. ( a ) Temperance. Since 17 October, when I signed up for a five-race Summer Trail Series, I have achieved 13/15 alcohol-free days. I am really proud of my discipline. The goal is no booze most of the time so I am winning. ( b ) Trail. My trail running training is on track. I am getting stronger, I’m enjoying it. A short-term goal is to run the steep Double Dipper on the Zamia Trail; and to run twice around by the end of the month. ( c ) Beat IBD. My overarching goal is to achieve ulcerative colitis remission. Alongside temperance and exercise is reducing sugar. My base low-carb diet is sound but the treats were mounting, so I am avoiding empty, inflammatory calories.

2. Lose 2kg. If the above doesn’t take care of that I’m stonkered!

3. Join my run group’s Monday evening swim session. I now have the bathers, I just need the resolve.

4. Ride my bike once a week. I hesitated here because I don’t want to overdo things and force myself back on the bike. But I’ll put it down as a optional extra.

Tonight I have my first vedolizumab infusion. It’s a gut-specific immunotherapy. Let’s hope it works and I can kick UC’s butt!

[mari-musing]

Summer Starts Today! 1 December 2017 The 1st of December has dawned Down Under and I got the BEST post-run sweaty selfie with three of Australia's gorgeous friendly awesome Hockeyroos! 😄 Obviously if I want legs like a world-beating Olympic athlete I need to get out the bands and do crab walks in the carpark! (And um, apply some tanning products to my lily-white pins pronto! 😂) My goal for this morning's 5.5km Zamia Trail run was to go faster... and I did! I also signed up to some Strava December run challenges for extra motivational boost. 😁 What a brilliant way to start the month! 🏆 My major monthly resolution is all about the F's (and of course staying on the Temperance Trail): While many will gain Fat this Christmas I intend to get Fighting Fit, particularly as I will be Free From the Fifteenth! My other resolution is that, despite being made redundant from a job I loved, and where I could make a daily difference to people's lives, I will try to keep bringing sunshine to others this month. To that end, I bought a Pukka tea advent calendar for some friends who have been going through a tough time lately. Pukka means good; living a good life. I planned this, as the calendars are only available on-line, and will gift it today. 🌻🎁🌞

[mari-musing]

Tuesday Trails 14 November 2017 A happy dance for me this morning. 💃 Robert & I stretched our Bold Park run route to 6.6km and included sandy track and an extra hill. I was successful chasing best times on the the Double Dipper and the Tuart Descent, and my pace improved. Whoop! 🏃😄👍 #progression #running #temperancetrail 25/27 days #alcoholfree

[mari-musing]

Bouncing To The Weekend 10 November 2017 My lovely Sis & SIL joined me for a spontaneous dinner catch-up last night. I put up my hand to drive and kept intake alcohol-free and low-carb healthy. I did not even desire a wine or cocktail. On the #temperancetrail quest that's 21/23 days #alcoholfree in the bag. Today marks a calendar month until my first trail run. Training is on track. It is important for me to keep a steady check on weekly volume/intensity increases; bearing in mind I am my own clinical client, who is trying to heal an inflamed gut and achieve IBD remission. This morning, golden light and peppermint-scented shadows graced my run. Stair intervals gave me time to snap photos during recovery. Also, my face was a much brighter shade of puce afterwards than it looks in the photo! 🌄🌸🐕🏃

[mari-musing]

Cool day : Hot run 28 November 2017 Temperance Trail Progress: My face was still that red when I walked away from the car reflection! With 12 days to go before my first trail race, I slated a 8.7km trail run this morning. On the no booze side of my quest, I am currently 36/42 days akcohol-free. 😃🏃👍 🎶It Puts A Rose In Every Cheek🎶: You can't get more quintessentially Aussie than Vegemite soldiers and a boiled egg for brekkie! I bought an awesome protein smoothie straight after my trail run this morning so simplicity ruled when I got home. I suspect I may have needed a bit of salt after sweating a torrent too. 🍞🐣🌹 Booch brewing: It was time to test our flavoured kombucha second ferment today. Hibiscus and ginger/lime were winners. The jasmine tea was too strong; fewer leaves and a shorter fermentation next time but really excited at the results. 😄🌺🍋 🎶It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas🎶: The Husb & I got some Christmas shopping essentials in the bag. A new tree has been purchased. He thinks it's a monstrosity (I wasn't having some puny thing after 22 years of a tall live tree.) Assembling the tree is a job for Friday. In the meantime, I have indulged in lovely advent calendars - Pukka tea and Lindt chocolate - my favourites. 🎄🍫🌸

[mari-musing]

Sunday was a foodie kind of day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all fresh meals made from scratch (and lunch was low-carb spectacular even if I say so myself). I also whipped up a batch of nutty granola and protein balls.

I ticked off another alcohol-free night; that’s 10/12. Every night is an effort. The habit is so ingrained; I like the taste of wine; The Husb drinks beers in front of me every night. I almost gave in to a glass of white with tonight’s tuna steak but resisted. It was satisfying to update the numbers on my white board.

I have been testing various kombucha brands and flavours and found the two pictured quite palatable and not too fizzy. The probiotics are a gut health bonus!

Monday has dawned bright and sunny with a perfect forecast for the week; mid-high 20's (that's 70's-low 80's for you Americans). Bring it on!

[mari-musing]

Two Days In 2 January 2018 For all my great goals, 2018 has gotten off to a slow start; autoimmune diseases will do that to a person. I have weaned off a hefty prednisolone course and my body is struggling to make its own cortisol. The fatigue and brain-fog are debilitating; the neck arthritis (which was masked by pred) is killing me; but at least the bowel is holding up! And my motto is #alwayssmiling right? So goal chasing has been gentle. Other than the pie (and it was a good pie 😁), eats have been on point. I have mediated and stretched both days (highly motivated there because of the beck pain). Temperance starts tomorrow (on account of finishing my bottle of NYE wine 😉). I intend to run tomorrow, as my toe will be healed enough and neck pain be damned! 💪🏃🍓