Art Club - Tatooed Dave

Pretty interesting class. We are looking at tatooed Dave for 3 weeks. So taking one section and based on Matisse - it's all collage work.

Week 1

Art Club - A lesson in Anatomy

So back I go as part of me focussing on me again this year and I expected this to be a real chore as the things that generally bring me the most reward I resist. Art makes me feel better. I need this tatooed in my eye lids.

Yannis was back and we had an exericise to use only lines. Caron was getting frustrated and kept saying use a minimum of 10 lines. Straight lines only. So I am thinking what's your problem lady then realised she meant maximum, but was actually saying something else. Glad we got that sorted out. So that makes one stop and think. How to show the shape in front of you with only ten lines.

Oh I see. On the left is Yannis kneeling o the floor and leaning on a box. Canyaseewhaditisyet?


Then we had a longer pose. 20 mins I think. I carried on with the only using straight lines. Really enjoyed this one. Apologies for the poor quality of the images. It was a bit dark in the room and my digital camera needs recharging. These are off of the phone.

and one more:


Cool eh? I like this. I might do something with this one

Triathlon - Week Two

Monday - Run Club - Easy

Short one over London Bridge and back over Southwark Bridge.....easy easy easy after last week with John. He can't help but speed up can he on the second bit....oi oi. It's easy easy easy.

Tuesday - Swim Club
300m warm up
x4 25m Backstroke, Breaststroke, Front Crawl
x5 100m with 20sec rest
x2 25m skulling front of catch and first bit of pull with flippers
x2 25m doggy paddle (the above together sort of). Make sure quick change over and rotate
x8 25m with rest full stroke
25m race with partner - I win, still she had a bad ankle.

Still not sure about it, but think I am improving. Quite busy today. Nice crowd. Everyone asked if I made it back okay on Sunday. Oh the shame of it.

Wednesday - Run Club
Wow I surprised myself by actually going. As usual bit tired and nervous at the prospect of the possible 12k long run out. It was freeeeeeeeezing out there on Wednesday, but there were loads of us! The pace was quite fast and I was surprised that I kept up and felt pretty comfortable. So excellent run for me. We did quite a few hills round the back of CP Park and Sydenham. Ran past a house that me and the ex had looked at to buy last year which felt strange but okay.

There were some slow steep ups and fun fast downs - the others did some speed work whilst us less experienced runners kept up the back so they had somewhere to run back to. The knees held out, but now on Friday morning the hip is a bit sore. Still very excited about cycling with the legendary Fruitcake next Wednesday

Turned out that we ran either 7.3 miles in 1hr 7 or 8.3 in 1hr 13. either way I was on top of the world, well Anerley Hill, by the end of it.

Thursday - Day off

Friday - Cycling
It's pissing down! and have to go to the doctors about dodgy mole and hip pain. It woke me up last night (the hip not the mole). Scrabbled about in the dark and found some painkillers thankfully. Oh well. I think it'll dry up a bit later so I can go out at least on the mountain bike after lunch....hmmm foood.

Week 1 - Its the taking part that counts

Crystal Palace Triathlon Club - Week One

Well thankfully it is the taking part that counts when you start training as I pretty much guarunteed to be at the back no matter what activity I'm taking part in. Cycling especially, see be low oh oh dear - what gear?

So given the recent split and not wanting to mope at home or go out and spend loads of money on fripperies now I am going to have to get back on housing ladder again at rung one. I have been very enthusiastic and joined the Crystal Palace Triathlete Club again this year and have been to all the sessions I can to get fit, remain focussed on me and get some structure into my life.

Week One

Monday - Run at work
25 mins lunchtime - quite spritely with Emma. Pretty good first half - then tough second half. Speedy - 3 bridges.

Tuesday - Swim with club - drills etc.
Feels funny to be back in the water. Glad it's not 50m, not really

Wednesday - Run with club
Fartlek. Pardon me? No it's a type of training where you train a bit faster that your race pace for short bursts then recover then off you go again...well something like that. It was invented by some Swedish bloke after a crushing defeat in the cross country olympics some time last century. . . . I think.

Hard as Nails Me
It's bloody freezing standing around in your running kit in January at 7.30 in the evening for your run to start. Especially when you park a walk away. I was very nervous of this session as it was supposed to be between 10 and 12k. Would I keep up, would I be able to last that far? I was tired and and did not feel like going out so proud of myself for just doing it. Warm up was round Crystal Palace for a bit - 2miles(?) to warm up then did some stretches and ended up running round the rec x2 took 13mins 40. I have to beat this next time. We were supposed to be going at 10k pace, but am not sure still about all that and had no HRM. Silly Angel.

Quite funny as one of the reasons for joining was to get a different route to running round the park or the rec. Wanted to text the ex. Leave it!

1hr 7 mins. (including haning about time) 5.8miles

Realised I was cold as I had put the wrong top on.

Thursday - Day off (art club in the evening)
Rest

Friday - Swim with club
Drills and some hysterical tumble turn training, made me think of ex. sad.

Saturday - Run with club - track training.

Warm Up, Drills then x2 1000m at 10k pace. We kept going too fast. When I say we I mean them. We were supposed to be doing 1000m in 5mins 30. We did the first one in 4mins 50. Thank goodness as it felt like it. I think my 5k PB (pfff pb get me!) is about 27 or 28mins. I think. Second 1000m was still a bit fast then we did the video analysis. Quite cool. After that another x2 1000m. It was quite knackering, but at least my posture is pretty good and we managed the last 2 1000m on target. I imagine that is useful so you know what you can do and for how long. I am such an amateur!

I was glad for the girls being quite a laugh, but focussed and knew what they were doing. It was good to be with focussed people. I have done all my training on my own up until now and think this will be much better for motivation and consistency.

Flaying
Video says I need to work on balance in the arms and I am looking up! Took ages training myself not to look down at my feet and now I look like I am cloud busting.....mad.

Sunday - Cycle with club
Ooooh. Legs a bit sore. Very excited and nervous about this as I know I am slow, but once I am on my bike I love being on it. I got all my kit ready the night before, pumped up my tyres best I could, but a bit squidgy and tried not to think about the fact that the last time I rode Eduardo was er...September/October!

Obviously I opted for the slow ride. How hard could that be. I arrived at Elmers End with my nearly flat tyre. Dont buy a Blackburn Pump, buy a Pocket Rocket! I borrowed Karen's and it was fab. Charles had my tyres pumped up by the time I had realised that everyone else had cycling glasses on and overshoes - and I did not. Cheers Charles. I am such a girl! Well at least I did not put make up on.

CPT advertise the pace at 14-16mph for the slow ride. I already knew that was quite fast for me. (dont laugh!) Oh dear you'd think I could manage that....er no. I was that irritating person you are waiting for on every corner not actually puffing at the back...just slooooooooooow. My legs are weak, Luke. I just could not keep up. Was it all the exercise in the week? No Angel it was all the training you have not been doing in October, November and December and you have not got a clue how your bike works. Uh oh. So I had Phil with a hand on my back actually pushing me up the road. Humiliating.

I tried to keep on the wheel in front - Charles again, thank you, but we got cut off by traffic so slipped back again as Charles sped up to catch the others. All this and we had not even reached the start of the look we were doing. Ho hum.

By the time I got there Phil suggested I go right whilst they go left. I thought it was a shorter loop, but was in fact the way home. Oh no. They actually sent me home! Still it turned out to be a blessing in disguise and even after that I was out for an hour and half so pretty good start.

The good thing is I have started and you have to start somewhere. Did I really book a half ironman in June. I am sure triathlon is all about the bike...think the ex told me that.

Collapsed on Sofa and slept for 2 hours on Sunday afternoon. Karen G. Now I know how you feel.

Dust yourself off...

Hello

Where have I been, well September had bad pain in hip again so started the NHS route of checking it out. Then October was busy busy busy with the boyfriend's birthday preparations, going out and about and taking it easy with the pain being really bad. Had x-rays, scans, MRIs and all sorts over the last 3 months - in amongst which right at the end of October I split up with the boyfriend so as it was his flat have had to find a new place to live, job and normallity again. Friends rallied round and although Christmas was cancelled/odd and who did not have the lurgy - great what next? Still made fab new friend Annette who made a great dinner and Clare tried to keep me company. Thanks for trying. NYE was excellent - I think, found out ex husband is remarrying. Good for him. So the New Year starts here. Single me. First time in 20 years.

So last year has been really emotionally tough - divorce and split from the other one, but am getting there.

So thank you Jules for encouraging me to start this again. Here I am! and bigger thanks to everyone who has looked after me and made me feel loved and wanted again.

Nazi's and Women in Art

Lee Miller

"Lee Miller is one of the most renowned female icons of the 20th century - a unique individual admired as much for her free-spirit, creativity and intelligence as for her classical beauty."

It's at the V & A. Go!

Born 100 years ago this year, she was an amazing woman. The quintissential modern woman. The first supermodel, turned photographer and war correspondent. Can you imagine? She wrote an article on the Nazi death camps for Vogue in 1945. There are photos of her in Hitler's bath. It was strange looking at the photo of her as a child and realised that she was raped that year. This might (might?) have accounted for her rebellious nature. Well she took some fabulous photos and had an amazing life meeting and being friends with Picasso and Man Ray. There is a portrait of her by Picasso at the exit and lovely one of him with her son. How lucky to have been surrounded by so many amazing people of her time. An inspiration.

Afterwards I sat in the cafe and did a couple of drawings. I am finally realising how important this is. To sit and observer. I think Picasso said that art was a kind of diary or something like that. If you look at Alice Neel the people she painted are all of their time. Love her!

It's funny going back to the art now. I still block myself and find a billion other things to do instead yet this is what truly makes me happy, why do I avoid it? It is so satisfying. I have been reading a Margaret Forster novel about Gwen John. Excellent account of how it feels to be an artist and a girl. It tells of a painting by her and it's imagined journey (taking its chance) from one owner to another through the ages and its power, how people see and feel differently, about their individual responses. A good read. Like Atonement. I immediately wanted to start it from the beginning again as soon as I had finished.

Northampton Tri

Wellingborough Pasta Party

Blimey that is a long way, Northampton, not the course, which was so lovely once we got there. The chauffeur was indisposed so I had to drive c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y so as not to upset his equilibrium. We thought it rather a good idea to try Gill's cocktails the night before and he suffered more than most, mind you if you will use a champagne sized shot glass what on earth can you expect. What part of my training plan involves B52 loading 48 hours before?Hmm. So we arrived in the lovely town of Wellingborough in the dark, which by all accounts gives the town a more pleasant aspect. Bags down and lets find the nearest Italian (restaurant that is). This proved a bit tricky what with my sense of direction and not knowing where we were. It was like one of those programmes where everyone gets drunk, eats a takeaway and has a fight on the way home, just about at the going for a takeaway point.... There was lots of "don't look them in the eye" as we trawled the High Street for our very own pasta party. Luckily a slightly skewiff young lady showed us to a truly top Italian restaurant with its own entertainment...well a lady of advanced years and in an advanced state of inebriation dancing round the place. More calls of "don't look them in the eye". She was having a good time and not bad legs for an older
lady. Well done her! I have a friend who lives there who when asked where he would recommend going out to recommended not going out at all. Oh dear. Yes theIndian takeaways outnumbered the locals.

Ging gang gooly
Stayed in very clean simple bed and breakfast (we bought the trusted Tropical Crunch) and stayed three in a room. I was the athlete so got pick of the bed whilst poor Paolo got the one that was like sleeping on a rather enormous bag of coins. I did not try Karen's. That would have been a bit wrong creeping in there at 6.00am after my first nervous wee.

Off Roading
So off to Grendon Lakes and registering and not getting nervous. I am good at not getting too nervous until I am actually in the water. Funny like the rest of my life. It'll be fine then you realised that you have made no real preparations and you have to wing it. Well not quite, but in my mind. Parking was in a field and Paolo did a bit of offroading....loves that car. Support team was great getting me to the start and I got my lovely long-sleeved T-shirt.

Blast from the Past
Opposite me was Fiona Boxall of BZW days. I don't think she was as pleased to see me as I was her. Competition I expect. Ha. So googles and faffing over I was escorted (yes like someone being led to the dock - geddit!) by coach Paolo and fellow Tinman Karen to the start.

(Why are you talking like that?
If
I am saying rather and sounding a bit posh I think its because I have been talking to Caroline on the phone and reading a historical account of Gwen John. Sorry Caroline its my only explanation.) Okay this is taking a bit longer than it should so lets get down to business:

• The Swim - 35:06
• The Bike -1:34:57
• The Run -1:04:46
• The Result - 3:14:50

The Swim

I always seem to be the last one in and was nearly the last one out 20/20 in my age group, but my first season, my first Olympic. I felt really comfortable except for when I thought the boys in the next wave would catch me up and drown me. Luckily I was so far
off course they just raced by. I have to say I really rather enjoyed the swim and was amazed at my calmness. I felt safer knowing there were plenty of other people in there too.
See how tricky the navigation was for me (eyes left) . I got the first buoy in a perfectly straight line and was perfect tight turn (in my mind). I could hear Coach Paolo andTinman Karen shouting for me and then could not see the second buoy. I was as they say all over the place. Everyone else seemed to be miles (100m) away in front. Oh dear. Still I was not bothered, my mind was starting to wander a bit and I say lots of weed and little fish in the lake. I got a bit tangled up near the bank in the weed between buoy 1&2 then finally got there.

On the way to the third one I was starting to drift off literally and by the time I reached there
Coach Paolo thought I was really struggling, I wasn't - I was just not concentrating - probably due to tiredness, but felt fine. I heard him shout "Right" (scream actually) "Right? Right, if I go right I'll be going back the way I came???? oh sight. He's telling me to sight!" so I put my hand up to let him know that I had heard him. The next thing I know is a man in a canoe has paddled up (they are like the St John's ambulance of the lake) and asking me if I am okay. I thought crikey I must look like I am drowning then about 3 days laterrealised its because the International sign for stop the ride I want to get off in the swim is to lie on your back and raise an arm in the air. I am such an amateur. Still he did give me a useful tip. Rather than look for the buoy to look for the pylon (its much bigger and not even I could miss that). So onto buoy 4. Six hours later (well probably 5mins , but it felt like six hours) then back to land ahoy. This 4-5 trip just felt like I was in one of those crazy swimming pools they try and sell you at those expos. A giant bath with a wave machine at one end and you swim against it. Always cracks me up when you see someone actually give it a go on site. Reallyweird. Like a hamster wheel for triathletes (demented). You could do a proper winter indoor tri with one of those a running machine and a tracx. Need never leave your garage. I digress.

So finally stagger out of the swim and was so pleased to remember to get up the slope and over the timing mat as quickly as possible (usually do drunk standing still for too long) and then giggling all the way to transition. Team Angel was up on the bank telling me I had done 35 mins. I was really elated. Wow and I probably did 1700m in the end - at least.

I had cut my hand on a weed so was bleeding a bit on my lovely LOOK top. Tsk. Never mind. My transition was a bit slow, but what with my orthotics to manoeuvre not easy. Then giggling to the bike start where Coach Paolo made a comment about me not having to wheel it round the whole course. I was a bit worried about getting my feet in the pedals so rolled it half a
mile (okay 20m) up a bit.

The Bike

Hey ho this is where I ride like I have a dynamo fitted to the back wheel. Basically my cycling is really s-l-o-w and that's it really. Lovely villages and some encouragement from the 500 people who went past me. I think I overtook 2 people who swiftly overtook me. I remembered my
friend saying you can make it up on the downhills so I took my life inmy hands a couple of times, but still not so good. Someone asked how far was the finish and luckily (thank you for my odometer Coach Paolo) I could tell him. Well if I could do the maths. It's a bit of a joke that I cannot do simple maths. I was shouting "er 10, no 9 er hang on 12", but by this time he was miles in front and another hill hadloooooooomed up and I was standing on my smallest sprockets with someone saying "...make it easier for yourself. Change gear" Yes thanks for that. I have. No. 282 was friendly and we kept bumping into each other on the run, well not literally. He'd had a puncture on the bike and had to walk a long way back, I said he could have borrowed mine if I had known.Tsk. Never mind. I forget it's a race - note to self. Get in the zone.

I had a caffeine gel and then it was time for the 10k run.

The Run
For some reason this is really starting to be enjoyable. Despite the bad back, numb feet (what is that all about?) and bad hip I really do get a buzz out of running. I have always ended up injured before and given up, but this year I have reallyachieved so much and especially in the distances I can now finish. So it's 3 laps of the lakes so a bit off roady and not nearly as boring as the Human Race one...ugh tarmac, up and down....yawn. Terrible for the mind. This was a lovely course and there was plenty of support from other runners (the bus - three running together) and the organisers and of course Team Angel who ambushed me I think on the third lap, but although I was surprised, laughed so much, not too surprised. Very Coach Paolo!

The finish
I felt really strong at the end which gives me great hope for next year - I have entered the Switzerland Half Ironman. Oh. My. God! I know I can do the swim. I will be going on a long
distance training camp and well there will be the crowds to get me round....nervous laugh.