Just a quickie --I still can't get over the effect of these holidays on my level of fitness. Just back from a Speed podcast and I seem to be slower than ever 
connect.garmin.com/activity...
Only three more days to go and it's back to normal thank goodness -- wonder what my poor old arteries must be thinking 
Morning deliaitaly
Well I'm going to try and get out this morning, will be my first run since 12 dec as I seam to have totally fallen off through running wagon and been hit by Christmas food and drink as well as late nights etc. I have put 8 lb on and feel really sluggish as oppose to in October when I was running 5k 3 times per week when I injured my leg. I ran on and hurt myself even more when I should have just stopped. Lesson learned there!!
Need to get my running mojo back. Been reading few blogs lately all full of support so, this morning I shall venture back out, slowly I admit but I'm going out there at least.
Take care
James
Hi James, best of luck, you'll doit -- probably take a week or two, but so what? I keep saying to myself that in January 2012 I was just a slob. Now i run 30 minutes mince pies and all!
Happy running, Delia x
Hi Delia, oh my goodness, it just killed me, I went back to week 4 thinking I will be fine, bloody hell!! But I didn't give up, I did it running for 16 mins. Now I know not ideal but I did it, back out on Saturday lol.
Thanks Delia
Have fun
James
Hahaha! Well done for getting out there! Take care, delia
A slow runner but still a runner Delia! This time of year has just got to be the worst for our poor bodies but it will soon be behind you (thats what you get for living in a country where the excesses go on and on and on and on......!!) and then you can get back to normal.
I am too frightened yet to get on the scales - will do that Friday (harks back to my weigh-in day at Slimming World LOL!) B210k here we come!!
Sue x
No way am I going anywhere near the scales! At least that bitch who said I was too skinny can shut up now!
I'm going to start B210k next month and meanwhile give my body a whole 30 days of C25k+ runs to build up and get rid of excesses so I'm right behind you Sue! Look forward to reading about that first run xox
Oh yes, I forgot about her!!!!! Haha, she can feel very happy and conceited now for you apparently "taking her advice"!!!
Sxox
Hi Delia, it looks such a nice place to run, along by a river and lots of green everywhere. And flat, too!
Don't worry, we're all feeling the excesses of the festive season... at least I am and I can't even run them off yet 
I'm going to do another 3K brisk walk today and if all's well I'll start inserting some jogging into my walks at the weekend.
Do you have 3 Kings Day in Italy too on Sunday? We buy a loaf of buns, and a little plastic king is hidden in one of the buns, and whoever gets the bun with the king is king for the day...
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Happy running 
xx
I love the sound of this!! Its amazing isnt it all the different traditions around the world - fascinating to find out how they all originate too.
Hope you get back into running real soon Mitts.
Happy New Year to you! Sue x
Hi mitts
This sounds really good fun, I would like one of those loafs, oh forgot after new year bread cut down lol
Went out and back to run week 4 this morning, oh my god. Well I did it but it almost killed me, but pleased I got out there and did it. Don't you worry you will soon be back running, best of luck and take care
James
Hi there my dear friend. No we don't have the three kings, but we have the "befana" instead -- a friendly witch who brings chocolates and sweeties if you have been good :
with her broom however, she does sweep away all the festivities. Daughter number 1, Jessica, is going back to Portugal (she will be sorely missed by her mum!) but I shall try not to console myself in food and drink.
I see you have been walking lots, well done. And where you are seems really beautiful. You know, I lived in NZ for a while. A place which is often compared to Switzerland. In mho Switzerland definitely has the edge on down under. Happy running to you too xox
Not sure about the befana... the three kings don't care if you've been good or not...
I know what you mean about kids flying the nest, but they have to go and we wouldn't really want it any other way - I'm always gutted when mine leave tho there's also the 'great to see them and great when they leave again' feeling in the background too. Complicated. 
I'm just back from the gym, biked 2K and then did 3K on the treadmill, felt fine so put in a couple of 1 minute jogs too. Why don't you have another go on the treadmill next time your weather's bad - I 'go' further quicker at the gym than I do outside. I find if I'm looking at anything other than the screen it feels weird and I hold on, but I can run free staring at all the info the screen gives you. You can do such fascinating things, work out how many steps you run per calorie, per 100m, at what speed, heart rate... fun
That is really impressive Linda! Cycling AND jogging, that's super!
Sssssh...I can't ride a bike (blush!) Was brought up in pretty centralish London and mum wouldn't let me and brother Joe cycle. End of. It is so ironic that I now live in the Italian food valley -- 200km of flat land that attracts cyclists from all over the world, but I can't cycle hahahahahah!
PS Befana brings sugary goodies dressed up as coal for the bad guys like me!
I didnt learn until I was 17 for the same reasons as you but then a cycling mad boyfriend bought me a racing bike - lightweight frame, drop handlebars, toe straps, the lot - I had to learn then!! We progressed to a tandem later.......!
17 is 40 years younger than me!!!!!!
Delia - the bikes at the gym are fixed to the floor... you only have to pedal... At my gym they're fixed up to a TV monitor as well so if you take your earphones you can watch telly. Today I listened to a selection of songs from South Pacific and The Sound of Music tho', it was lovely
I didn't have a bike after I was five either, till I came to Switzerland. But it really is true... you don't forget how!
I did try when I came to Italy, but I fell off!
Non cyclst here too - wasn't allowed one (East London) until I wa 14 by which time I miraculously didn't want one! Learnt how to do it briefly at 22ish but never really got competent or confident. WE rented bikes on holiday in France last year and guess who was the only person in the family to fall off! Yes, me. OH is a bike person. Think I'll stick to the relatively secure (and cheaper) two feet!
Then I would definitely just use one at the gym!
Wow - I didn't realise running was so cross-cultural! I love the idea of the 3 kings bread and befana.
Hi Delia,
Great to see that you're running again, if slowly. I've been away for a few days and before I left you had just hurt your back, which sounded like it could be run-limiting for a while. Very pleased to hear that (apparently) you've recovered quickly.
I've already blogged elsewhere that I finally ran again this morning and managed something just over 15 mins (it was similar to the distance I do on speed, which is 16 mins but faster pace). Not great but I'm hoping the time/distance will be back in the next few weeks given some reasonable weather - my usual park tracks are pretty boggy at the moment so I'll be looking for new routes.
We've finished Christmas and New Year here - a little bit of cake left but the tree has gone and I'm wondering how long I'll still be finding bits of tinsel on the floor as I vacuum.
Enjoy the rest of your "holiday season" - and I love the sound of the Befana - she could come here a bit before the 6th though
Ann xx
Afternoon Ann!
Although I want to get back to a normal dietary regime -- as I have said in many blogs, in this house we have Italian, UK AND Russian celebrations -- I think the Befana gives us that lift away from that otherwise sad post-Christmas period. She will be parachuting out of a helicopter in our local square full of goodies for the kiddies. She is of course a member of the local fire brigade in drag (sorry ladies, but not Daniel Craig!) A bit of New Year silliness in a country where it's best not to think about politics
I LOVE the sound of the three Kings thing! Think I might introduce it as a new tradition in our house next year! I shall, of course, bake the bread so might be 'wised-up! LOL.
Good to hear you're back out there Delia, Jimbob, Sue, Mitts and Ann. It's nice to know that there is something now that we all do that can reverse the Christmas festivity overload! Rather than making half-hearted resolutions, you've done it already! (Although, Delia.... maybe your 2013 goal could be to learn to ride a bike.... because now you know that ANYTHING is possible ;-). )
*whispers* I lost half a stone over the holiday cos of this feckin' chest cold thing. So, silver linings and all that! And I very much look forward to joining you all and getting back to running. You're all very inspirational!
Brilliant weight loss Viv! I daren't stand on the scales yet, and, as I have said several times, every calorie consumed has really slowed me down running wise. Thank goodness today is almost the last of eating festivities.
Just think, today I did a pretty lousy run (stepping stone -- knackering) with 2 pairs of running tights as it had been bloody freezing of late -- only to be welcomed by 16/17 degrees of sunshine AND both pairs of pants kept falling down as I ran. Time to reboot!
Pictures; we need pictures!!
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Don't worry about being slow - you'll soon start to see an improvement once you get back into the routine and over the Christmas-excess.
Actually I have now realised that my crap running was little to do with mince pies and more to do with a brewing chest infection. I am now down and out for a bit. Delia xox
Z1R2, the initiation of the foot clouds and I'm sick :( 
The Joy of Running...
The stupidity of the ------
The absolute joy of being in this for the long haul (and with all of you)
The ups and downs of week 7
