My Birthday Week

This week's training...
Saturday: Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge
Sunday: Rest day
Monday: Rest day
Tuesday: 4 mile run, zumba
Wednesday: 4 mile run
Thursday: 5 mile run
Friday: 3.5 + 5 mile run

This week I had a birthday. It wasn't a landmark birthday but for the first time ever I feeling a bit glum. My birthday has always presented a bit of a problem because so many people are away on holiday but the last few years I've been lucky and managed to get a few people together for celebrations. This year the weekends either side were accounted for and what with all the fun I've been having lately I was afraid it would be a bit of a non event. In the end I took the day off of work, which I don't often do, and opted to spend a day with my folks back home. My dad does a radio show on a Tuesday night so plans had to be kept relatively local but as I can count on one hand the number of times I've had rubbish weather on my birthday venturing out and about was not a problem.

I woke early to the promise of a beautiful day and opened my presents over a cup of tea with my folks. I got a couple of grown-up-but-things-I-really-wanted presents (you know, the kind that you get more excited about than you really should), my favourite candle, some posh toiletries, a stack of CDs, a dress, new lycra, a framed picture from my trip to New Orleans with my dad which is extremely special and a new Garmin. I also got some very cool presents from some friends including a stack of books on adventurous topics, an X-Men and Wolverine DVD box set (Hugh Jackman - yum) and a loom bands kit to protect against feelings of getting old :) I'm a very lucky girl.

Although the Garmin needed charging I took the lycra out for a test run right away. Bright patterns, cool tunes and sunshine made for a very bouncy run, all the more enjoyable after a couple of rest days. I got back to a smashing breakfast; pastries, yogurt, fruit, macaroons and a fantastic home made cake as the centrepiece. Just as well I did run!

We spent the morning at Hall Place. We've explored the grounds many a time but have never been into the manor house. I was keen to see the exhibition by Quentin Blake (probably best known for his illustrations for Roald Dahl) that is hosted there until the end of the month, which proved to be truly excellent. I also enjoyed browsing the local artistic talent that is showcased there and learning a bit about the history of my hometown. I never knew Bexleyheath was so interesting!

The afternoon was whiled away in Greenwich, looking around the market and enjoying a long, lazy and delicious lunch in Jamie's Italian. Free tasters, prosecco and dessert thanks to the Gold Card make it an excellent birthday treat and I will confess to indulging in a little retail therapy.

Italian style nachos... I win!

Lemon meringue cheesecake... nom.

Mum regularly attends a zumba class and asked if I'd like to do one with her. I love doing stuff like that with mum so early evening was spent throwing some shapes in the studio at the local leisure centre before heading home to catch up on birthday messages, phone calls and listen to dad's show with some more prosecco. A very indulgent day but a really lovely one.

My friends know me so well...

The training hasn't suffered too much this week, I even managed a double run today, but thanks to a bit of a cock up on my part I've got a massively busy weekend and I'm not sure how much running I'll be able to fit in. I have a fun day out in Brighton planned on Saturday and then it's down to the New Forest on Sunday for some camping with my cousin. There will be walking if nothing else and next week I know I can get back on track with both my training and what I'm eating.

As is usual for me around my birthday, I've been reflecting on the past 12 months, thinking about what I want to achieve and how I want to try and live my life in my next year. When I think about all that's happened and all I've achieved in the past 12 months the glum feelings I have been having just vanish. I am calm, happy, loved and content with my life, which makes me feel extremely lucky. Looking after myself and continuing to improve my fitness and health is still a top priority for the next year but I also want to try and simplify my life and take more interest in others. People are so interesting and sometimes I have so much going on I forget to take the time and trouble to make new connections. I've come up with a slightly less adventurous "35 before 35" list of things I would like to do in the next 12 months and am coming to terms with finally feeling like an adult. I suppose it comes to us all in the end.

Do you love or dread your birthday? Do you take the time to reflect on things? Whatever you're doing, have a great Bank Holiday weekend!