No Expectations

Quotes of the Day

"When one's expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have."
– Stephen Hawking

"Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments, but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures."
– Joseph Addison

"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure."
– Peter Marshall

"The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable."
– Paul Tillich

Music To Run To - Witchi Tai To - Brewer & Shipley

Witchi Tai Tai-Him-Or-Rai Ora nee Ka-Ora Nee Ka Hey Ney Hey-Ne No-Ah
What a Spirit Spring is bringing round my head makes me feel glad that I'm not dead

Running

If your shins and ankles ache after running, it is probably because of the angle that your foot hits the ground. I had no idea that this was why I ached so much after a run, I assumed I was just unfit and ran more to try to get fitter and strengthen my legs. But when recently going to buy some new running shoes, the guy in the shop told me all about pronation. Apparently it is very common for people to over pronate, about 75% of runners over pronate. That is the inner soul of the foot rolls inwards as the foot hits the ground. People who over pronate tend to also have low foot arches (flat feet). An engineer would be able to explain in more detail, but simplistically, this means that the impact of your foot fall, is taken by the ankles and shins, which is why over pronaters get aching shins (also known as shin splints) and ankles.

Anyway, so I needed some shoes and it turns out running shoe manufacturers make shoes specially for this condition, shoes that are specially engineered to change the stress points of impact when running. They are called motion control shoes and have a built up inner arch with loads of support that is supposed to redirect the impact energy. I was dubious as to whether these motion control shoes could actually correct the probem and end my aching shins and ankles, but to my amazement they did.

I bought a pair of Brooks Addiction 8 shoes for ladies, just like in the picture below...












I absolutely love these running shoes, I can now run and not even feel it the next day. No more shin splints, no more ankle pain, I am sooo pleased with these shoes. I think they are nice looking shoes as well, the design is not quite as "in your face" as most motion control shoes. They are stylish and well cushioned and the other bonus is that they come in half sizes.

I run in the morning when I get up, and it is a great start to the day, I am building up endurance and doing interval training to try to be able to run further and faster in the future.

I Quit Smoking

I quit smoking at the beginning of this year, 2009, around the same time as President Obama is said to have quit smoking. I checked today to see how he was doing and from what I read, like me he has been successful in his quit. It is said that he has used Nicotine gum.

I have in fact quit smoking many many times, but this is different, it is the most successful attempt so far, I feel sure this time I will never have another cigarette, something is different about this quit and I think is because I did it purely for myself, there were no other influences in my decision not to smoke anymore, only my own mind telling me that I did not want to.

I think that has made the difference, as in the past, I have been told by others not to smoke, so I do as I am told, but then once that influence or reason is gone, I reverted to smoking. Also this is the longest time I have stayed quit, ever and I rarely even think about cigarettes anymore.

I am still using the nicotine replacement therapy, I use the nasal spray and gum and have followed instructions to the letter. It seems that whilst using the NRT you overcome the psychological aspects of smoking, so that when you come to stopping all nicotine, after several months, you are already in the habit of being a non smoker. It is the habit that was hardest to break, the thing I always used to miss and feel that there was something missing when I did not smoke, but now I am quite used to doing everything I need to do without a cigarette.

Concentration and feeling blue was a big difficulty for me at first. I found it harder to do my work and felt kind of like there was something missing all the time, I used to enjoy fag breaks, standing in the sunshine, but now I enjoy going for walks and runs when I need a break, and I do not feel blue at all. My concentration seems to have returned to as good as it was when I was smoking, so I guess there is a transition period for a few months while your body gets used to being minus the 1000s of harmful chemicals contained in the cigs.

I am sure I will never smoke again, I do not want to, it is not an effort, it is just a choice now and I feel I have gained alot, in terms of health, less stress (as being a heavy smoker is stressful, always having to make sure you have an ample supply and somewhere to smoke) and of course financially.

It is the Budget Day today in England and smokers always get hit hard, with a pack already at over £5 ($10), I dread to think how much they will go up again today, but I do not need to worry about it anymore, the budget will have no effect on me this year.

Ahhh, clean fresh air, I love it!

Gordon Brown And Obama At Number 10 Today

Obama said today that the relationship between USA & UK is "More than just an alliance of interests, its a kinship of ideals"