THE VEGAN BRIDE

Failure is important. TED knows. I hearted J.K Rowling’s speech, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination.” I imagined a world where I would run every day for 30 days and go vegan. I was wrong. I hated being a vegan. I found it restrictive and pesto heavy. Being vegan was a step back for me, nutritionally, at that point in time on my journey towards super awesomeness. It was a lesson. Less dairy and less meat made me less hungry- that was a revelation. However, I missed my collagen supplement as that lubricated my knee bones so that I could run like the clappers to early nineties r n b and songs like ‘http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YTqmMDd3zs’ by Dario G. A design for my life whereby I am vegan Monday to Thursday might be an achievable goal in the next three months. It will take me a long time to be as delicious as Ellahttp://deliciouslyella.com/.

I am 1.5hrs behind on my 30runs in 30days. I had my labret scar/hole removed on 1st October and that was a set back. I couldn’t get it sweaty. I couldn’t eat either – dairy lea triangles were my only friend! The bright side is that the challenge has given me a repertoire of 10K runs – I can do 10K better, easier and smoother. My 10K’s are less grunt, sweat and mess. That’s a positive thing that I am grateful for. I will post photos of the labret removal before and after. It was an experience. That was also a lesson in the permanence of scars – it is very difficult to remove a scar. Skin, like most areas that experience trauma, holds each and every scar with a vice like grip. I also feel more at ease with the decision to cover all of my self-inflicted scars with bright, bold, colourful tattoos. Next week I have another sleeve session and I am looking forward to it. That will take me off the treadmill or the coast paths for a day or two but I’m ok with that. I might allow myself to extend October, just for me, because this month hasn’t been easy. And I’m ok with that.

“If you’re a climber, there’s always another mountain.
They take pictures of mountain climbers at the top of a mountain. They’re smiling, ecstatic, triumphant. They don’t take pictures along the way, ‘cause who wants to remember the rest of it? We push ourselves because we have to, not because we like it. The relentless climb, the pain and anguish of taking it to the next level. Nobody takes pictures of that. Nobody wants to remember. We just want to remember the view from the top, the breathtaking moment at the edge of the world. That’s what keeps us climbing. And it’s worth the pain. The crazy part – it’s worth anything.” (Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy).

Success is not a straight line. It can be an ugly mess with a slag heap of failures that on some days blots out the light. And that’s ok.

October

The nights are drawing in and to combat that feeling I have signed up to run for 30 minutes a day for 30 days for Les Bourgs Hospice. I’ve added into that mix a vegan element – that no dairy or meat shall pass through my digestive system for this time (channeling my inner Gandalf when the halloumi and parmesan monsters attack YOUSHALLNOTPASS). We tapped up the sunrise yesterday and set off from The Aquarium, in St Peter Port and ran along the cliff paths to Fermain Bay. We made it back to the car just before a pernicious rain turned into a brutal downpour. It was glorious.

Thankfully, Hotel Chocolat Gjanduja Bombs are vegan and the secret cupboard in the kitchen is well stocked with cacao based vegan things. After day 1 of being a vegan my fruit and vegetable intake has sky-rocketed, along with a feeling that digestive happiness and contentedness is achievable.

All in all it was a good start to what would usually be a grumpy, gloomy, sluggish month.

Last week I went to PureFunFit class, a rebounding/trampolining workout that was brilliant fun. There was a banging soundtrack, disco lights and an added boxing element blasted away my emotional cobwebs and released a euphoric, cathartic feeling of wellbeing that carried me through the week. It was £8 for the class and every penny of that was worth it. I felt rejuvenated and that I have found a good habit and weekly treat.

I’m going to hit the treadmill for my 30minutes of running today and this will be on my track list, ‘I got this feeling.’ There’s nothing in the rules of 30 runs in 30 days about taking dance breaks.