50 Things Before I’m 50 Challenge: Update

Here’s an update the challenges I’ve done since my last post:

Completed 13-20

A very relaxing evening with my friend at the Titanic Spa near Huddersfield. I’ve never been to a spa before, though I have been in saunas and jacuzzi’s. It was a great evening, in superb company – we could have talked the night away! The only odd feeling I got is that you wander around in the robes…including having a drink and nibbles in the hotel reception…sitting there as though you’ve just got out of a shower as hotel guests are sitting only feet away eating their dinner. Most peculiar to me!

I have grand ideas one day I will sew all my own clothes…it never happens though. So this was a start on this life-long project. I have to say I’m impressed that I cut and put together this pair of trousers in under an hour. There’ll be no prizes for the quality of sewing, but I’ll be wearing them once the weather warms up. I’m inspired now to get some warmer fabrics to make some PJs.

This month long challenge was inspired by my friend who took me to the spa. We joined forces to keep each other motivated. My rules were: no processed foods, no cakes, crisps or chocolate, no fizzy drinks, and no alcohol-free drinks (I’ve been AF nearly 2yrs now). I swapped cereal or porridge for eggs and veg in the mornings as shown in the pic. I cut down on carbs if I wasn’t exercising and increased the quantity of veg I was eating.

In all honesty, I didn’t particularly struggle with any sort of withdrawal or cravings. Having made the decision to be a person that ‘doesn’t eat sugar’ took out all the pain of any decisions. The hardest part was snacking, and feeling hungry after my main meal but balancing that out with more veg and less starchy carbs helped. As a bonus, and not part of why I chose to do this challenge, I lost over half a stone. Now, around 5 weeks later my weight is still where it was at the end of January having continued with some of the habits I created in this month.

We’ve been getting cottage cheese from Longley Farm for years, first delivered and after a while we’ve been nipping over the hill to collect it. We got 1kg boxes until they stopped those, and now buy 2kg boxes. My partner has been mostly responsible for cycling over Holme Moss or the Pennine Bridleway to pick it up as I’ve held onto the belief that “It’s too far for me to cycle”.

At around 23km away, and a rather large hill to negotiate, it’s felt like ‘too much’. But, this limiting belief was one I wanted to get rid of. I enjoy cycling and am planning more trips this year so this was a great way to start out positively, conquering this local day trip.

The first part of the ride is along the (almost) flat Longdendale trail and then one big climb at the Woodhead tunnels where the route goes very much ‘off-road’ and ‘off-trail’. That climb is brutal, even a seriously skilled mountain biker would struggle over the steps and the steep incline hits 27% and 31% briefly. We both needed to walk short sections.

On the top the route levels out somewhat and changes terrain to rough moorland, large puddles and a herd of fluffy friendly cows to negotiate before plummeting down and up to gain the summit of Woodhead road, the main Manchester to Sheffield A-Road. Our route then took us down to Dunford Bridge before another climb up to Hade Edge…and finally the short descent to Longley Farm.

I’d found a cafe to visit for refreshments only a few km from collecting the cottage cheese. After refueling at The Carding Shed (worth the visit for sure) we set off back reversing our route – with me carrying the 2kg of cheese in my handlebar bag.

Up, down, up up up, down down down….along the trail and up and down to home. Our route ended up totalling 50km with 804m ascent and with the cafe stop 4.5hrs. One tired Lynne did very little the rest of the day, and the next. I’m seriously proud of this ride, it’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and now I have it’s inspired me to do many more rides in the weeks since.

My gift back to my friend for the spa visit was to take her on her very first wild swim – don’t worry, she agreed willingly! I’ve swum through the last 3 winters, but last year and this winter I’ve barely been in the water. This means that my cold water tolerance was nil, just like my friends. We both braved the icy 5 degrees C water for 5mins, before getting out absolutely buzzing. Her immediate reaction part way through dressing was to get back in straight away! I’m so pleased she enjoyed it, and we’ve already planned another dip soon.

You may know that my partner and I trained as sports massage therapists back in 2009, worked at the London 2012 Olympics and on moving to Glossop set up our own business. We’ve since added to our training – I’m also a Personal Trainer and my partner is a Physiotherapist. Needless to say, I can have massage whenever I like, usually to sort out minor niggles before they build into anything that might lead to injury.

What I haven’t done before now is have a ‘relaxation’ massage with another therapist. This is why ‘having a massage’ went on my list. I timed my Swedish Massage after a week where I’d cycled 3 times, including a solo 57km hilly route in the Peak District. The massage was just what I needed to relax my tired aching muscles. I’m not sure going to another therapist will be a regular thing, but I won’t rule it out.

So pleased that I’ve read my 12 non-fiction books so quickly. Having a list to work through helped – I’ll do a separate post listing them all once I’ve finished the separate challenge of 12 fiction books (currently about to start #11). The book in the photo was my 12th non-fiction book, and one I’d highly recommend.

The last time I played badminton was at college around 30+ years ago. To say I was unskilled and hated it is an understatement. We had a ladder league that seemed to go on forever and I was constantly at the bottom. As it was a competition nobody would relent points and it was demoralising.

I wanted to put a new spin on this activity, because I do feel I could have fun doing it. And indeed I did. My partner played with me and was, as ever, wonderfully patient and supportive. The best bit, it was FUN! And, I wasn’t entirely rubbish, and I want to play again. I got hot and sweaty and that’s the sign of some good exercise while having a laugh.

In Progress and Booked (21-28)

21. Read 12 fiction books (10/12) UNDERWAY

22. 100 day accumulator burpees UNDERWAY (today is day 72)

23. Knit a jumper UNDERWAY

24. Falconry experience BOOKED 21/3/23

25. Visit Yorkshire Sculpture Park booked 24/03/23

26. Flight Simulator experience booked 24/03/23

27. Cycle Hadrian’s Wall- booked 24-26/04/23

28. Cycle coast to coast – booked 24-26/04/23

Left to do (in no particular order) (29-50)

29. Tadpole round

30. Stand up paddle boarding

31. Sea kayaking

32. Solo bivi

33. 15 trigs challenge

34. Run a marathon/ultra

35. Meditation retreat

36. Stand under a waterfall

37. Skinny dipping

38. Ride an ebike

39. Self created triathlon 

40. Bike tour with partner (to Scarborough?)

41. Bike tour with friend

42. Cookery class

43. Bounce Below experience

44. Canoe across Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales

45. Climb a Scottish Munro (Ben Lomond?)

46. Cycle the Hope loop

47. Deadlift bodyweight x1.5 (training has started on this)

48. Squat bodyweight (training has started on this)

49. TGU 1/4 bodyweight (training has started on this)

50. 5 Pull ups (training has started on this)

If you need a reminder of the challenges I’ve already done go have a read of my first post : 50 Things Before I’m 50 Challenge.

I’d love to hear if you’ve set any challenges for yourself this year – are they ones you know you’ll accomplish, or like me, is there something you’re going to start and not know if you’ll finished? Leave a comment below.

Adopting better habits and thought patterns can help us accomplish far more than we feel is possible. Life coaching conversations can help you make those positive changes. You have the space and time to explore what keeps you stuck, unfulfilled and not living aligned to your values. If this sounds like something you’d like to look into take a look at the Services I offer or get in touch to arrange an initial free and informal chat.

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