Saturday 17 August 2013
Brunei
Since we have no wifi at home yet and hence I can't blog any long posts here are some photos from this morning's run
Tuesday 11 June 2013
Baby boy!!!
I know, this post is long overdue and I have skipped months and months of pregnancy stories but here we are. Alexander Philip Chandler was born on 18 May 2013 at University Hospital Cardiff weighing chunky 8 lb 15 oz. I will not give you my birth story as I know some people who are yet to give birth and sometimes it is better not knowing. But for now I will leave you with some photos of our cute little boy. He has stolen our hearts completely
Wednesday 16 January 2013
January update
I know, it's again been a month since the last update but I am blaming it on holidays.
We've had lovely Christmas holidays. Both Shaun and I were off work for 10 days or so and it was just nice to get away from the office. Charisa came to visit and we've popped over across the English Channel to France and Belgium. If you want to see photos and updates on that trip have a look at Charisa's blog. Then we went to Wales for few days where we rang the New Year in. Shaun and Charisa raced the New Year's Eve 5 km race which looked really fun. They also went and did few rides out in the rainy windy weather and I was really jealous that I could not go out with them. Actually, frankly, my hormones took over and I was in tears couple of times because I also wanted to go out ride.
On Christmas Day Shaun and I did the local 5 km parkrun race and I was running quite well - still at that point (20 weeks) managing sub-9 minute miles. But then I didn't run after that for over two weeks. I kind of didn't feel like it. It was cold. I feel heavy and I feel like my belly is now getting in the way. But I finally went out last Sunday for 2.5 miles and I felt better. It is obvious that I am getting quite fit and the lack on consistent running is showing but I will try and do some more running over the coming weeks. As long as I am able to. But the dark cold mornings and evenings are really not helping.
In the baby news, we had our 20 week scan just before Christmas. Everything looked fine and the baby was healthy and we also found out we were having a BOY!!!!! We are both over the moon about it. The baby is moving a lot more now and I can feel him a lot in the mornings and evenings, although he does move during the day too. We think it's an athlete in making ;))) I am 24 weeks today and time is slowly ticking along. Although at this point I would quite like to be over and done with this. But we have to wait another 16 weeks.
Last weekend we finally did some work on the nursery and it is looking nice. Unfortunately, the baby will only be in that house for 3 months or so because Shaun is due to get another posting. Actually we should have the posting confirmed tomorrow so it will be nice to be able to plan. There are only two options for this posting so we think we know where we are going next, but it will be nice to get it down on the paper too. We think we are going somewhere where there is LOTS of sunshine (that kind of rules UK out, right).
Tuesday 11 December 2012
Mud Man
It really is winter over here. The last couple of weeks have been really cold and whilst I love cold crispy days, it's not that much fun when you have to work through them. Work has been pretty busy but manageable. The deal that I thought on Thursday had died, is back alive and made me stay in the office until 9 pm on Friday. Not fun. But I am looking forward to some time off between Christmas and New Year. Just chilling and not doing much. I haven't been taking much time off work this year because I am trying to save all my holiday and use it together with my maternity leave next year. So I am just plodding along.
Shaun and I raced last Saturday. There is a great sport events company here called Human Race Events (they were responsible for organisation of Olympic triathlon races) and we love doing their events. During the winter they put great off-road race series where you can either race off-road duathlon or trail race. Shaun did their off-road duathlon and I decided to do the trail run on Saturday. The run was just over 7 miles of mud and hills. I seriously have never done such a hilly run in my life. But it was so much fun. The night before the race Shaun was trying to talk me out of it as he was worried it would be too hard and muddy for a pregnant woman like me. But I decided to give it a go - what's the worst it can happen if I feel it's too hard - I would probably end up walking.
So I lined up at the start at the back because I decided to take it easy and just plod along at an easy pace and stay out of people's way and therefore minimising the possibility of tripping and falling. The first 2.5 miles weren't too bad - muddy but relatively flat and I was doing 10 minute miles. The next 5 miles were HILLY. You would literally have to go up a really steep hill which then wound back really steep downhill and then back up again - it went on like that for a while. I walked up the hills (and so did most of the other people) - they were just too steep for any meaningful running. But I ran everything else.
The race was so much fun, I have really enjoyed it. I was slow but who cares. It was the longest run I've done since I discovered I was pregnant and considering I am doing only ad-hoc training (when I feel up to it, which is not very often), I was really pleased with how it went. The next race is not until end of January by which time I will be 25 weeks pregnant so will have to wait and see how I feel by then.
Not much else is going on. I will be 19 weeks tomorrow. I am feeling ok, not great but not too bad either. I have put on around 7.5 pounds which is not too bad for almost half-way. We have a 20 week scan next week and hopefully we can find out if it is boy or a girl and start purchasing stuff.
And Christmas is just around the corner. Our last Christmas with just Shaun and me. Next year will be so much fun.
Shaun and I raced last Saturday. There is a great sport events company here called Human Race Events (they were responsible for organisation of Olympic triathlon races) and we love doing their events. During the winter they put great off-road race series where you can either race off-road duathlon or trail race. Shaun did their off-road duathlon and I decided to do the trail run on Saturday. The run was just over 7 miles of mud and hills. I seriously have never done such a hilly run in my life. But it was so much fun. The night before the race Shaun was trying to talk me out of it as he was worried it would be too hard and muddy for a pregnant woman like me. But I decided to give it a go - what's the worst it can happen if I feel it's too hard - I would probably end up walking.
So I lined up at the start at the back because I decided to take it easy and just plod along at an easy pace and stay out of people's way and therefore minimising the possibility of tripping and falling. The first 2.5 miles weren't too bad - muddy but relatively flat and I was doing 10 minute miles. The next 5 miles were HILLY. You would literally have to go up a really steep hill which then wound back really steep downhill and then back up again - it went on like that for a while. I walked up the hills (and so did most of the other people) - they were just too steep for any meaningful running. But I ran everything else.
The race was so much fun, I have really enjoyed it. I was slow but who cares. It was the longest run I've done since I discovered I was pregnant and considering I am doing only ad-hoc training (when I feel up to it, which is not very often), I was really pleased with how it went. The next race is not until end of January by which time I will be 25 weeks pregnant so will have to wait and see how I feel by then.
Not much else is going on. I will be 19 weeks tomorrow. I am feeling ok, not great but not too bad either. I have put on around 7.5 pounds which is not too bad for almost half-way. We have a 20 week scan next week and hopefully we can find out if it is boy or a girl and start purchasing stuff.
And Christmas is just around the corner. Our last Christmas with just Shaun and me. Next year will be so much fun.
Thursday 22 November 2012
16 weeks
16 weeks. I know, I know, this blog has every potential to turn into a maternity/baby blog. I promise I will try and do my best not to do that.
A lot more people know about it, especially at work. Although I kind of didn't really like how the news spread in the office. I really wanted to be the one telling people but there you go. I am feeling ok. Time is slowly ticking along and before we know it we will have our 20 week scan. We hope to find out the sex of the baby then. Hopefully, the little one will cooperate.
We had a lovely weekend at home in Wales. Our friend, whose husband is currently deployed in Afghanistan, came to visit with her two kids. One of them, my Goddaughter is very funny. She is 6.5 years old and says everything on her mind. It's funny because before they arrived Shaun and I were talking about what the world would be like if everyone was saying exactly what they thought rather than being polite. And then she turned up and we were both like "This is what the world would be like". On Sunday we climbed up Pen-y-fan, one of the higher peaks in Wales and very popular with hikers. It was a fun day out and at the beginning I was worried how I would cope but it turns out that when you are pregnant it is much easier climbing a mountain than going up two flights of stairs. Go figure.
I also went for a nice 3 mile run on Saturday and managed sub-10 minute mile pace. I was very pleased with that. Little things, eh.
The clothes is starting to get tight so I need to start buying few pieces here and there. I do not want to go overboard and definitely do not intend to spend a lot on maternity clothes but I do need to look ok for the office. So perhaps, this weekend I will pop over and do some shopping.
Not much else is going on. Work is thankfully not too busy at the moment and everyone is slowly starting to get into Christmas spirit. We have booked our litter continental break, with a visit to Belgium markets. Should be fun.
A lot more people know about it, especially at work. Although I kind of didn't really like how the news spread in the office. I really wanted to be the one telling people but there you go. I am feeling ok. Time is slowly ticking along and before we know it we will have our 20 week scan. We hope to find out the sex of the baby then. Hopefully, the little one will cooperate.
We had a lovely weekend at home in Wales. Our friend, whose husband is currently deployed in Afghanistan, came to visit with her two kids. One of them, my Goddaughter is very funny. She is 6.5 years old and says everything on her mind. It's funny because before they arrived Shaun and I were talking about what the world would be like if everyone was saying exactly what they thought rather than being polite. And then she turned up and we were both like "This is what the world would be like". On Sunday we climbed up Pen-y-fan, one of the higher peaks in Wales and very popular with hikers. It was a fun day out and at the beginning I was worried how I would cope but it turns out that when you are pregnant it is much easier climbing a mountain than going up two flights of stairs. Go figure.
I also went for a nice 3 mile run on Saturday and managed sub-10 minute mile pace. I was very pleased with that. Little things, eh.
The clothes is starting to get tight so I need to start buying few pieces here and there. I do not want to go overboard and definitely do not intend to spend a lot on maternity clothes but I do need to look ok for the office. So perhaps, this weekend I will pop over and do some shopping.
Not much else is going on. Work is thankfully not too busy at the moment and everyone is slowly starting to get into Christmas spirit. We have booked our litter continental break, with a visit to Belgium markets. Should be fun.
Tuesday 13 November 2012
News
OK, so it's time to get this blog up and running again. It has been far too long....
Not much has happened since the last time I blogged. Not much and ... everything. Some of you may have recently found out our exciting news - WE ARE PREGNANT!!! It came as a huge shock to me. I am not sure why because, although we weren't really trying, we were kind of letting it happen. And when it did, it was a huge shock for me. Maybe because we found out the week after I raced Ireland 70.3 which means that I raced half-ironman whilst pregnant... and ate a lot of sushi... and did/ate lots of things I shouldn't have. So I was kind of freaked out to begin with. But as the time went on I became happier and more excited about it. Could it be the hormones?!
I will be 15 weeks tomorrow and the baby Chandler is due in early May. The first trimester was hard. I felt tired and sick and nauseous ALL the time. Try hiding that whilst you work 10+ hours in the office every day. Whilst I really really wanted to work out I struggled to do very much because I was constantly tired and sick. I only managed to do some exercise over the weekends but nothing much. I have only started feeling better in the last couple of weeks so I am hoping the worst is over. I even went for a 5 mile run on Saturday and actually felt ok. My pace is still not too bad. I can run comfortably 10 minute miles but I am sure I will very soon start to slow down rapidly. I even managed to get in the pool last night for 1500 m. Since I haven't swum for 7-8 weeks (swimming DID NOT feel good at all) my arms were not happy with me last night. But I think that is more due to lack of fitness rather than pregnancy.
We really did not tell anyone the first 13 weeks. There were couple of people who knew (actually 4 in total) and funnily other than one, all of them are in the US. I guess the secret is kept easily if not in the same country :))) I was really paranoid about telling anyone and so we only told my parents at 13 weeks. Then it was my boss and then slowly we started letting more of our friends know. I didn't want for them to find the news out on Facebook - I really wanted to tell them in person. And it was so worth it - the surprise and joy on their faces were priceless.
I guess I am slowly starting to show a little bit but I am still at that phase where if people didn't know, they wouldn't ask because I may have just had one pie too many. I still haven't put any weight on which is nice but I also don't think I am eating too much. The whole 'this is your excuse to eat whatever you want' is really not rubbing very well on me.
So that's the news folks. I will try and keep this blog updated weekly so it is a diary of the pregnancy for when it is all over. I have already started plotting my come-back races. Not sure whether it's premature but it is nice to have a focus. I was planning on doing Pukhet 70.3 next year but then I found out last week that this year's race will be the last one. Boo!!!
Not much has happened since the last time I blogged. Not much and ... everything. Some of you may have recently found out our exciting news - WE ARE PREGNANT!!! It came as a huge shock to me. I am not sure why because, although we weren't really trying, we were kind of letting it happen. And when it did, it was a huge shock for me. Maybe because we found out the week after I raced Ireland 70.3 which means that I raced half-ironman whilst pregnant... and ate a lot of sushi... and did/ate lots of things I shouldn't have. So I was kind of freaked out to begin with. But as the time went on I became happier and more excited about it. Could it be the hormones?!
I will be 15 weeks tomorrow and the baby Chandler is due in early May. The first trimester was hard. I felt tired and sick and nauseous ALL the time. Try hiding that whilst you work 10+ hours in the office every day. Whilst I really really wanted to work out I struggled to do very much because I was constantly tired and sick. I only managed to do some exercise over the weekends but nothing much. I have only started feeling better in the last couple of weeks so I am hoping the worst is over. I even went for a 5 mile run on Saturday and actually felt ok. My pace is still not too bad. I can run comfortably 10 minute miles but I am sure I will very soon start to slow down rapidly. I even managed to get in the pool last night for 1500 m. Since I haven't swum for 7-8 weeks (swimming DID NOT feel good at all) my arms were not happy with me last night. But I think that is more due to lack of fitness rather than pregnancy.
We really did not tell anyone the first 13 weeks. There were couple of people who knew (actually 4 in total) and funnily other than one, all of them are in the US. I guess the secret is kept easily if not in the same country :))) I was really paranoid about telling anyone and so we only told my parents at 13 weeks. Then it was my boss and then slowly we started letting more of our friends know. I didn't want for them to find the news out on Facebook - I really wanted to tell them in person. And it was so worth it - the surprise and joy on their faces were priceless.
I guess I am slowly starting to show a little bit but I am still at that phase where if people didn't know, they wouldn't ask because I may have just had one pie too many. I still haven't put any weight on which is nice but I also don't think I am eating too much. The whole 'this is your excuse to eat whatever you want' is really not rubbing very well on me.
So that's the news folks. I will try and keep this blog updated weekly so it is a diary of the pregnancy for when it is all over. I have already started plotting my come-back races. Not sure whether it's premature but it is nice to have a focus. I was planning on doing Pukhet 70.3 next year but then I found out last week that this year's race will be the last one. Boo!!!
Friday 15 June 2012
Changes, changes..
Well hello!!!!
I know, bad at blogging....AGAIN. I know I should really stop mentioning it even. Anyway..... Maybe a bullet point blog post is in order....
Not much has been happening lately. After London marathon I decided to take a break from the sport. I had a look at my life and realised that I was trying to do too many things at the same time. And I ended up being too stressed and just plain tired. I knew I needed to make priorities and make some changes. And I did. And once I actually decided to do that I felt as if the weight was lifted off my shoulders. So I have decided to take the rest of the year off from triathlon. In the beginning that decision felt easy - Shaun and I finally had time to do all the fun stuff we wanted to do for a while but never had time - like hiking up some mountains and walking along Welsh coastal paths. We were loving it. However, as the time moved on, more recently, I am really missing it. I am dying to do some structured training and racing but I know I need to be patient. There will be plenty of time for that. I do miss the structure and routine of my training life though. But I have made a decision and am sticking with it. Another six months off and I should enjoy it. Come January 1st 2013 it will be back to work.
In other news, Shaun has been away for the past 3 weeks. He was due to be back in the UK tomorrow but then I got a call last night saying that he is not back until Monday morning. Urgh!!!!! Plus, his next assignment, from the summer 2013, is most likely to be in Brunei which we are really looking forward to. It was the first place where we lived as a newly-married (and oh so young) couple all those years ago and we loved it. This of course means that there will be some changes in terms of my work but I am not deciding or taking any action just yet - past has proved that these things in the army change all the time so nothing is ever 100% certain. But if we do end up going there, it will be soo good to be closer to my sister and niece (who live in New Zealand) and see them more often. And of course to race in some new places :)))
I am so excited about all the sport this summer - CAN'T WAIT!!! Wimbledon is just around the corner. Then Tour de France, and then finally....THE OLYMPICS!!!! London is already buzzing and I can't wait.
I am moving flats in London !! From the end of next week I will be saying bye-bye to Fulham. I love Fulham and have lived there on and off for year. But I am really excited to be moving to Holland Park. I love my new place and I absolutely LOVE the location - Hyde Park is literally less than a mile away.
Ok, that seems to be all I wanted to write about this time. Oh and the fact that we have been having some really rubbish weather. Where is the summer????
I know, bad at blogging....AGAIN. I know I should really stop mentioning it even. Anyway..... Maybe a bullet point blog post is in order....
Not much has been happening lately. After London marathon I decided to take a break from the sport. I had a look at my life and realised that I was trying to do too many things at the same time. And I ended up being too stressed and just plain tired. I knew I needed to make priorities and make some changes. And I did. And once I actually decided to do that I felt as if the weight was lifted off my shoulders. So I have decided to take the rest of the year off from triathlon. In the beginning that decision felt easy - Shaun and I finally had time to do all the fun stuff we wanted to do for a while but never had time - like hiking up some mountains and walking along Welsh coastal paths. We were loving it. However, as the time moved on, more recently, I am really missing it. I am dying to do some structured training and racing but I know I need to be patient. There will be plenty of time for that. I do miss the structure and routine of my training life though. But I have made a decision and am sticking with it. Another six months off and I should enjoy it. Come January 1st 2013 it will be back to work.
In other news, Shaun has been away for the past 3 weeks. He was due to be back in the UK tomorrow but then I got a call last night saying that he is not back until Monday morning. Urgh!!!!! Plus, his next assignment, from the summer 2013, is most likely to be in Brunei which we are really looking forward to. It was the first place where we lived as a newly-married (and oh so young) couple all those years ago and we loved it. This of course means that there will be some changes in terms of my work but I am not deciding or taking any action just yet - past has proved that these things in the army change all the time so nothing is ever 100% certain. But if we do end up going there, it will be soo good to be closer to my sister and niece (who live in New Zealand) and see them more often. And of course to race in some new places :)))
I am so excited about all the sport this summer - CAN'T WAIT!!! Wimbledon is just around the corner. Then Tour de France, and then finally....THE OLYMPICS!!!! London is already buzzing and I can't wait.
I am moving flats in London !! From the end of next week I will be saying bye-bye to Fulham. I love Fulham and have lived there on and off for year. But I am really excited to be moving to Holland Park. I love my new place and I absolutely LOVE the location - Hyde Park is literally less than a mile away.
Ok, that seems to be all I wanted to write about this time. Oh and the fact that we have been having some really rubbish weather. Where is the summer????
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