The road ahead? OK, I can't resist the temptation for New Year's resolutions...sucker. So here they are:

- Get enough sleep so that I wake up refreshed and energized.

- Plan ahead so I'm never ravenously hungry, which leads to stupid food choices.

- Eat consciously, with no mindless "what happened to my sandwich?" moments.

- Find motivation by participating in the online community and challenges.

- Appreciate the strength of my body at the gym, biking and running.

- Spend a part of each day enjoying the outdoors - and bring the dog when I can.

- Be genuine and try to enhance other people's self esteem.

- Driven and committed are good, but frantic and frazzled are not!

- Seek balance and nurture positive beliefs, relationships and actions.

I'm part of a lose 10 lbs in 10 weeks challenge, will journal food on FitDay and I've signed up for a squat/sit-up/lunge challenge. All very virtuous!

For the Christmas week we stayed in stayed in a small hotel in a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and explored the nearby mountains. The view from Dar Tassa is truly spectacular and we felt very welcome in the colorful cushioned living area, catching up on books and knitting. Our host, Mohamed, played mother hen, ensuring that there was enough heat in the lounge, coffee or mint tea, hot water for showers, taxis for walk shuttles, and even hot water bottles in our beds at night! He presented us with a fantastic chocolate cake on Christmas eve to make it a memorable event.

We struggled with the language barrier at the 13th century Tinmal mosque and nearby markets, and the feeling that we were being taken as tourists. Only Ali really felt comfortable negotiating with the traders for lower prices.

It was windy and rained a few times, but we walked about 10-15 miles a day in the mountains (a good thing, with the lavish breakfasts and fantastic tagines, bread and lovely desserts for dinners!). On cultural tour days, I ran on the path winding above the lodge - exhausting on the steep trail up, but exhilarating on the decline!

People mostly smiled at us as we guessed our way through unmarked mud streets in Berber villages, but the toughest part was cross-country route-finding! Our Spanish topo map had trails marked that we never found and we often had to just bushwhack on compass trend... which was fine until we came upon deep ravines and once a rocky cliff! We were continually traversing unstable slopes, and all ended up with spiky spines in our hands... Ali and I spent a fun day shopping in Marrakesh while the guys met up with a tour guide and had lunch in a Berber household.

The last night, after we laughed ourselves silly about the strange beet dessert, Mohamed arranged for the guests to dress in Berber garb and the lovely staff girls (we'd only seen briefly before) joined us for tea and put henna on our hands while we listened to Berber music.

The week was a great way to avoid a commercial Christmas and it was my first time without email in a few years! We played games, laughed together and the physical challenge left us falling into bed at too early an hour to get bored. A 3 minute video (shot with my ipod nano!) follows; click on the box to start.

Last night was the Stitch and Bitch (Knit club) Christmas party. Will and PoshTater cooked us an AMAZING vegetarian feast!

We all went home with Secret Santa wool and a challenge to show our resultant creations at the next mtg in the new Year.

Really a fun group, left to right - Nicola, Mary, Sue, Niki, me, Danielle, Lauren, Zarich, Will and Elizabeth.

Oh yeah, and Parsnip the dog!

Running with wolves! New Moon fever has hit London and I admit I've been delving into the paranormal/vampire/werewolf genre for the first time since my SISTER, Linnie got me interested in reading Twilight. We were sharing a room while visiting my Mom and she wouldn't stop reading and turn out the light! So hundreds of hours later after consuming vapid but best escapism reading and audiobooks, I'm really excited to see New Moon. Billy ridicules my shallow literary taste, but agreed to a make a fantasy photo. Only daughter Ali will go see the film with me. Sunday 5pm.. counting down...

Today was the first really cool day and until the wind takes the leaves away - the woods are absolutely spectacular.

But I need to pick a spring race, something to motivate me to push. I find myself walking, almost absentmindedly, when out with the dog without a training plan to follow. I guess its OK to have a bit of down time, but I don't want lose my hard-earned fitness base.

Had Ali home on a whirlwind tour last week during her half-term break from teaching. She was exhausted, but is enjoying teaching - at least most classes. I don't know how she gets through the day - I'm just not that patient.

Ali and Boo carved pumpkins, but we had no Halloween trick-or-treaters on our dark lane. Just as well, as I'd have had to give them granola bars since I resisted buying candy.

'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride.'

Well, with no firm race plans in sight, I've slipped a bit in the diet and fitness motivation... running really doesn't sound that great after a pub lunch. What did Bruno say, "I'm committing carbicide!" Yep, pancakes for breakfast with the kids today, ice cream on the menu after dinner. I'm giving myself until Monday morning to enjoy the ride - then I'll agonizingly try to lose the weight I can gain with astounding speed. Cheers!

It was a dark and stormy night, no make that day...

As the 10k runners waited in the pouring rain for the half marathoners to get to us, we wondered what we'd gotten ourselves into.... That cosy pub just opposite the lock was looking pretty good.

But after "wrong-way" Chopper found his way back on the tow-path after the closed section, they finally arrived (with an extra mile in the clock!). Fuelled with bananas and cereal bars, they were ready to set off again.Phil from Runcast.tv made a great video of the run.



Tactical error, as I was cold waiting, but neglected to leave my two coats with husband Bill before we started, so I had to carry them as soon as I warmed up (you'd think I'd never run before!) Nelly the dog was ready to go, and son Nick stopped grumbling...

It was more of a group run than a race, with cameramen moving through the group while most of us were chatting and waiting for stragglers every couple of miles - and Steve provided tourist commentary when we got into the historic Oxford colleges. (and made us run two loops around the treacherous cobblestone "camera" for filming video!)

Then we made the last stretch into the Stadium where Roger Bannister ran the first under 4 minute mile. It was my first time running on a track! I didn't make in anywhere near 4 minutes, but the race metals that Steve passed out made us all feel like winners! Thanks Steve!

Walking around Oxford in the afternoon we finally got that beer and sunshine... ahh!