Hope

Hi f,

I run half-marathons but would love to try a full one. Give it a go you may enjoy it.

Anyway am just checking in. No gambling problems. Feeling steady enough in myself.. virtually no drinking you see.. the odd pint here and there. Just keeping myself on an emotional even keel.. thats certainly part of my answer to staying away from gambling.

All for now.. S.A

Hi S.A

Thanks for the post on my diary, glad to see no gambling issues and your feeling a lot better about things. Keep it up mate, we can do this!

Take care

Jimmy

Hi SA

Thanks for posting on my diary and a huge thankyou for all the support/advie over the past year, i bow to the odaat king!!!

First poster on my diary and nearly a year later you still post on my diary, so another huge thanks.

Glad your ok, take care and i hope you have a good weekend. ands

ps. As for the tears in the arcades, that is my reminder that i can never gamble again in any form whatsoever! It was a very lonely world when i was gambling, i was also a s**t dad.......But not anymore!

Go for a full marathon, SA!

The feeling that you will get when you run in the London marathon is one that you will never, ever forget!

I know, I've done it six times and you really do feel like a sports star all the way round the course.

Spending lots of time training for it will go a long way to aid your recovery as it would give you a massive incentive in the end.

If you can run half marathons, and you are prepared to commit yourself to a running programme a few months before, it can be done.

Go on, go for it!

Thanks for thoughts folks.. much appreciated as always. No gambling issues at the moment.. pootling along gambling free.

Yes, worried.. I think I will go for a full marathon at some point. I know i have it wthin me. I think within the next year.. if I keep my training up and injury free and lose a little weight then 2 hours for the half will be fine.. which would raise the possibility of 4 hours for the full marathon.. well being realistic perhaps 4 hours 30 mins.

I think I find with running is that it takes alot of dedication and it fills alot of time.. especially when one includes the feeling of being totally shattered afterwards lol I think my gambling was alot to do with "filling time" so its good that i fill my time with somehting healthy and productive.. keeps me out of mischief.

Anyway am basically fairly ok in myself. Thanks for listening.. S.A 🙂

Hi SA,

very good point you made on Jasmines diary about managing time....,your spot on in my opinion,this addiction needs a little bit of work and effort everyday to beat it long term :)......,lets be honest we all put in maximum effort day in day out when we were gambling!!!.

Glad your running is going well.

Seano.

There isn't anything written in this post. lol.

No gambling problems..Come on England! 🙂

Hi S.A. It's true for me too. Writing down my thoughts often lifts me or I write and then all of a sudden I realise something else about why I do things a certain way. And it's also true that we are creatures of habit and are quite sacred of change. Even a bad situation seems better then a new one. It takes practise my friend. Change a little thing in your life and see how you get on. You might surprise yourself and like it. One thing I don't do any longer, like you, is gamble. Even that posed safety and familiarity in my past life. Not anymore though. It was a positive change and no longer scary. Sending love and hugs. God Bless. Sabine. xx

4 hours and 30 minutes is my marathon dream target. I have run 6 marathons and managed 4:34. I am planning to run London again in 2012 when I will be much more comfortably off financially - perhaps this release of stress will enable me to run a sub 4:30?!

Keep up the positivity and enjoy the game this afternoon!

Hi SA

Just wanted to pop into your diary and thank you for all your support and posts on my diary over the past 12 months... thanks again, take care....ands

Thanks for your support everyone. No gambling issues at the moment. I really cant be bothered to even think about it. Quite a transformation from a few years ago. For the moment gambling has just left my conciousness completely. Am actually slightly at a loss as what to say. Not sure if that is a good thing or not.

A little shift in my thinking and i might actually choose to be happy but in all honesty I am feeling a bit miserable... just that slight underlying nagging sense of apathy and lacking in motivation that ive always lived with.

My washing up is left to fester once again. Bin bag needed putting out but i couldnt be bothered. Cleaning and dusting to do but i havent done it. Clothes to put away but they remain in several piles and randomily lying over the back of the sofa, on top of the tumble dryer and on the open doors of cupboards. The carton of orange juice I bought several weeks ago still lurks in the fridge and the salad has shrivelled and died. The state of my flat reflects the state of my mind... sort of.

On a positive I have a day off today, am gonna spend a little money on a new running top and other bits for my run at the weekend and get some new summer gear. Its a nice to be in a position to be able to do that. My running and swimming remains constant. If I could change my eating habits i'd be trully healthy and fit.. but my podgy middle stubbornly remains. Thanks for reading.. S.A

Hi SA

Sorry you are feeling a bit pants. This seems to be a pattern though, and it passes soon enough. Do you have high expectations of yourself? you know, like perfectionism?

I have a bit of that going on myself, and its hard to let yourself be a bit of a slob for a few days without telling yourself off.

Hope you get your mojo back soon.

Take care,

f x

Hi S.A,

Thanks for your post on my diary,much appreciated,i NEED to catch up on your diary SOON and i WILL for i do remember that me and you are very similar in our abstinence time and general recovery outlooks.

As soon as i have fully got up to date on reading your diary i will add some thoughts,its a double bonus in reality,me absorbing your thoughts and you maybe??? taking a little from me,

Regards for now,

"" A NEW LIFE ""

The time will come when you want to sort out your flat - we are all the same, there are some days where you just don't want to spend your time cleaning, etc but there are also some days when your mind is set on organising your life even more!

So glad that your running and swimming is still going strong and that you are all set for your event this weekend - I look forward to hearing all about it!