Suicide watch

OK suicide watch... you can stand down! I've put my shoe laces back in my shoes and have refrained from hanging myself!
Yesterday was a good day, I did 30 minutes step and my core exercises took only 30 minutes instead of 45... I must be getting better at them with less rest periods in between sets. I went to my mams house to see my brother who I haven't spoke to for years and it was great to see him. When he'd left, my mam asked me my opinion on some diet pills. I tried to be supportive and listened to what they supposedly did and then asked her if she would like to save a few bob and start training instead. I expected a brush off but instead got a reflective pause as she tilted her head to one side. "What about my asthma?", she said. (My mam has horrendously bad asthma so much so that walking up a flight of stairs hurts). I looked at her and slowly said, "What about it?"

So, to my surprise, she has a pair of Adidas Adiprene trainers and looking at the wear on the bottom she doesn't look like she over pronates at all...having said that, she has only walked in them, so we have decided to go to Start Fitness in a couple of weeks and get her gait analysed. Another surprise is her trainers are 1.5 sizes bigger than her normal shoes. So, has she been listening to my waffle all along eh?
Another worry was the boobage... it puts her off that this will cause movement...she's embarrassed. Not a problem I told her, and ordered her an Odlo sports bra... my gift to her on the proviso she run/walks with me 3 times a week for 4 weeks. If after 4 weeks she doesn't want to carry on, she will get no complaints from me. 4 weeks is enough to get anyone hooked though I reckon!
We are starting slowly and at her pace. William once emailed me about an ultra and said, "You have to enjoy the experience enough that it will make you want to go and do it all again". I am applying the same principle to how I help my mam!

I also got an email from Shaun who is putting together a full body workout with weights in order to balance upper and lower body. He is revising the squats and deadlifts and has asked for my PB's at both and what date they were set. They were set Feb 13th to 16th, so it is pretty much a recent PB I think.

Another little revelation is a book I have just bought... something about Mental Mastery. I have searched and searched for an appropriate book about dealing with the unconscious mind and I have to say that this book is great so far. It describes how you can mentally overcome anything...even injuries. It talks about how your body regenerates (everything from your skin to skeletal system) and how your unconscious mind can influence this. Reading this took me back to a time when I broke my elbow 2 days before I was due to do my final fire brigade fitness test. I was heartbroken because I knew this was the time I was going to pass everything. The hospital told me I would never straighten my arm again. I was totally devastated as you had to be able to actually lock your elbows for the fire brigade medical.
The same day I was given that information I decided they were wrong, I would lock my elbow again. Within 2 weeks I had wallpapered my living room with said broken elbow, within 6 weeks I almost straightened my arm by doing exercises on my bed with my elbow on the edge holding dumbells and lowering the weight. It took 10 weeks from breaking it before I was stood in front of an open mouthed physiotherapist, showing how I could straighten and lock my elbow...something I can still do to this day!
If I can do that with a broken elbow, I can do it for a neuroma. I began yesterday reducing the size of it "in my mind". Maybe in 10 weeks that will be gone too eh?

The rest of the book is also very interesting. It gets you to answer multiple choice questions, grade the answers and then put them into a chart to decipher. Apparently I am highly motivated, have good and clear goals but I lack self belief and mental toughness and I can let my emotions get in the way of a situation. All very true! Now I just need to fix them. Work on that has already started! :-)

So, today I am attempting a run/walk... or should that be, Today I am going to run and walk... and all will be well!