Pretty much as soon as I got interested in running, I got interested in 'Running People' - no, not just the Tarahumara, I mean all running people. People who run back to back marathons simply for the 'fun' (?!? When will I get to this point!!)) of it, or who run to overcome serious illness, grief, or addiction to smoking, drugs and an unhealthy lifestyle. These people were - and still are - a huge source of inspiration to me, and I like nothing better than to settle down with a good running magazine, a cup of tea and the latest article on the life of an extra-ordinary runner.
Recently, however, I have started to notice similar themes running through each article, and it began to ring a bell - bringing up distant memories of Sport Psychology lectures and discussions of exercise addiction. People who are elite athletes, or those who perform the amazing runner feats I admire so much, show (in the articles at least!) a true commitment to their running, covering a huge weekly mileage and dedicating large percentage of their time to the sport. They have strict exercise regimes, matched by strict diets for optimum performance. Many people who have talked about using running to overcome an unhealthy habit or lifestyle, claim to have changed their social life dramatically - swopping nights out with friends for an early morning distance run. All good and healthy, right?
Or is it. People diagnosed with an exercise addiction, spend large amounts of time exercising, sticking to strict exercise regimes and diets, and will choose the exercise before a social life - friends and family being firmly on the back burner. Sound similar? There is, in fact, a thin line between a positive, committed attitude to exercise such as running, and an unhealthy addiction, with the main difference simply being the runners attitude to their regime, and I started to wonder which side the runners I knew were on. And not just the famous ones mentioned in magazines - the more I read around the subject, the more I started to draw links to my marathon running friends - and myself!
Aside from the diet and exercise, addicted runners can become anxious and irritable if they are unable to complete a scheduled run, with the added feeling of guilt at missing training. Having had occasions when work has meant I haven't got home in time for a run, I (and my long-suffering boyfriend...!) can definitely relate to this. Missing a run makes me cranky and restless until I can next get out and get my 'runners high' to de-stress! Another symptom is constantly thinking about your sport (um, yep...!), buying lots of clothes/ trainers/ sports equipment related to running (again... yep...!!). So, do I have an unhealthy addiction? There is a way to test!
The Running Addiction Scale is a set of 18 questions which you score on a 5-point scale, from 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree'. Of these questions, 11 have been considered to be the strongest indicators of addiction: Where do you lie?
1. I run on a regular basis
2. If the weather is too hot, too cold or too windy, I will not run that day
3. I would not reschedule activities with my friends in order to run
4. I have stopped running for a period of at least 1 week for a reason other than injury
5.I would run with intense pain
6. I have not spent much money on running literature, equipment or accessories
7. If there were another way to maintain my present fitness, I would not run anymore
8. After I run, I feel better
9. I would continue to run while an injury healed
10. On some days, even though I do not feel like running, I do anyway
11. I feel that I need to run at least once every day
Another test which you can do on a regular basis can be found here - I scored 82, so I think I'm safe.. for now :-)
Scored higher and think you may need help? Cognitive therapy, switching to alternative exercise (e.g.swimming) to give your body a break and taking up yoga have all been shown to help - or speak to your doctor or running coach for advise.
Wednesday 8 May 2013
Wednesday 13 March 2013
The Zest Bootcamp Diet - a party-dress plan without running!
Going back to being a 'non-runner', or rather, a runner who doesn't actually do any running (despite having not run for over 5 weeks now, I still think of myself as a 'runner' - but then, I also still think I can play the violin and I haven't picked up one of those for at least 10 years....!) has caused me a LOT of problems. Which is surprising, to some extent, given that when I was in training, I thought running had caused problems too (the main one being breaking me - or at least, a small part of me!). Whilst I had - and still do - absolutely love running, I found myself having to overcome things like my hopeless time management/ organisation skills (once running hit the half hour mark and beyond, both the running part and the before, after and, on the longest runs, during eating needed organising in advance!). Social events, and even basic 'friendship commitments' were a struggle as the miles clocked up, to the point that one of my best friends resorted to writing me an actual letter, photo attached, to remind me that she, and life outside of running, still existed! And then there was the problem of correct nutrition (quick takeaways when I was feeling lazy were no longer an option if I wanted to perform my best the next day) - and extra cooking meant extra washing up (or rather, extra piles of dishes waiting to be washed up, since house work is not my strongest point..!).
These running-related problems however were all easily overcome, simply because it was something I wanted to be doing - and besides, there were many more advantages than perceived issues - not least the ability to eat more than I have ever eaten in my life, call it carb-loading and then still slip into dresses that are 2 sizes smaller than when training started. Bliss :-)
However, spending the last few months scoffing as much pasta as I can possibly can, followed by constant pre-and post-run snacks, is a habit hard to give up. In fact, it was something I hadn't even considered giving up until 2 weeks ago when, whilst happily chowing down on a big bowl of spaghetti, my friend (looking slightly amazed, or possibly a little appalled?! - at the amount I was eating) asked, bluntly, 'how on earth do you manage to eat all that!'. Quickly followed, after my automatic reply of 'carb-loading...' by an even more blunt 'For what?? You're not doing any exercise!'.
Cue me putting down my fork and checking my waistline as that fact sinks in. Followed by a sneaky weigh-in the next morning. Yep, 3 weeks of zero cardio work plus carb (over) loading does not make me a size 8! It also, more distressingly, does not make me fit into the size 8 dress which I had brought ready for my birthday celebrations next month.. drastic action was needed!
Remembering my success with the Zest Super Cleanse, I decided to opt for another Zest diet - this time, the Boot Camp diet - something I hadn't attempted whilst running because I a) didn't need to lose weight as I was burning it all off on the trails, and b) I was running - and needed to eat lots! which this diet definitely doesn't allow! The diet basically consists of 3 meals a day, with very low carbs (forget pasta, bread, rice, potatoes..), protein at every meal and more vegetables than on a 2 acre allotment! The first week, I found this TOUGH! Used to eating a lot, and regularly, I was starving for the first 3 days. By the end of the first week, I had adjusted slightly however, and cravings for chocolate and pasta had started to subside. I had also lost 3.6llbs - which was massive motivation to stick to it for the second week! When I say stick to it.. I have to admit I found myself cheating here! The diet involves 2 'fast' days, which I just couldn't do! So, small meals substituted the zero dinner and a low fat yogurt substituted breakfast. Given that I wasn't 100% true to the plan (hats off to anyone who is, I just didn't have will power...!) and that I couldn't follow the exercise plan which works alongside the diet due to my knee, the fact that I lost the weight was, in my opinion, pretty impressive!
The second week (minus a 'day off' at the weekend, when I annoyingly put a pound back on by scoffing cream teas...!) was much, much easier. My tastebuds had adjusted to the meals, which were a little more plain than I was used to - and the attempt at cooking the grainless pizza was much more successful (I found cooking for an extra 10 mins made the base much less soggy and it held together this time - also used a smaller aubergine, which could have helped..). This week I only lost 1.2llbs - but again, I didn't do the fasting or the exercise... and, for motivation, I could get into the dress and I still have 3 weeks before the party to actually make it look good (yes I got into it.. but breathing was not an option..!). And so, at the start of my 3rd week of Boot Camp, I am feeling optimistic :-)
So, my summary of the diet:
1. It's Tough! Well, come on... it IS called a Boot Camp after all, so it was hardly going to be a walk in the park! Expect (unless you are superhuman, unlike me!) to feel hungry, and to have some difficult sugar cravings during the first week. Stick with it though as once this passes, it will feel like a breeze!
2. It WORKS! As evidenced by my losing much more than expected. Well worth the effort in will power - and, because all of the meals include good quality nutrition, you know you are doing your body good, unlike other 'crash diets' which can have the same weight loss but not the same benefits!
3. It's affordable.. I don't know about you, but I usually find diets hideously expensive! Mainly because of the weird and wonderful, super-food type ingredients. Not so with the Zest Bootcamp - just normal salad, veg and lean meat and fish. The only slightly expensive meal is the pizza, which needs almond flour (harder to get hold of... and - sneaky truth - I used plain flour the first week as couldn't find it!).
4. The meals are OK... Actually I am probably being harsh here - most dishes taste nice. I didn't, however, find any tasted 'wow' - and as a food-lover, I missed this! But for 4 weeks, which is how long I am doing this for, the food is fine - and there was nothing I found I didn't want to eat, which again has happened on some other attempts at diets!
Anyway, I am off to happily tuck into my apple of the day...bring on the return of running so I can get back to carb-loading with a passion... ;-)
These running-related problems however were all easily overcome, simply because it was something I wanted to be doing - and besides, there were many more advantages than perceived issues - not least the ability to eat more than I have ever eaten in my life, call it carb-loading and then still slip into dresses that are 2 sizes smaller than when training started. Bliss :-)
However, spending the last few months scoffing as much pasta as I can possibly can, followed by constant pre-and post-run snacks, is a habit hard to give up. In fact, it was something I hadn't even considered giving up until 2 weeks ago when, whilst happily chowing down on a big bowl of spaghetti, my friend (looking slightly amazed, or possibly a little appalled?! - at the amount I was eating) asked, bluntly, 'how on earth do you manage to eat all that!'. Quickly followed, after my automatic reply of 'carb-loading...' by an even more blunt 'For what?? You're not doing any exercise!'.
Cue me putting down my fork and checking my waistline as that fact sinks in. Followed by a sneaky weigh-in the next morning. Yep, 3 weeks of zero cardio work plus carb (over) loading does not make me a size 8! It also, more distressingly, does not make me fit into the size 8 dress which I had brought ready for my birthday celebrations next month.. drastic action was needed!
Remembering my success with the Zest Super Cleanse, I decided to opt for another Zest diet - this time, the Boot Camp diet - something I hadn't attempted whilst running because I a) didn't need to lose weight as I was burning it all off on the trails, and b) I was running - and needed to eat lots! which this diet definitely doesn't allow! The diet basically consists of 3 meals a day, with very low carbs (forget pasta, bread, rice, potatoes..), protein at every meal and more vegetables than on a 2 acre allotment! The first week, I found this TOUGH! Used to eating a lot, and regularly, I was starving for the first 3 days. By the end of the first week, I had adjusted slightly however, and cravings for chocolate and pasta had started to subside. I had also lost 3.6llbs - which was massive motivation to stick to it for the second week! When I say stick to it.. I have to admit I found myself cheating here! The diet involves 2 'fast' days, which I just couldn't do! So, small meals substituted the zero dinner and a low fat yogurt substituted breakfast. Given that I wasn't 100% true to the plan (hats off to anyone who is, I just didn't have will power...!) and that I couldn't follow the exercise plan which works alongside the diet due to my knee, the fact that I lost the weight was, in my opinion, pretty impressive!
The second week (minus a 'day off' at the weekend, when I annoyingly put a pound back on by scoffing cream teas...!) was much, much easier. My tastebuds had adjusted to the meals, which were a little more plain than I was used to - and the attempt at cooking the grainless pizza was much more successful (I found cooking for an extra 10 mins made the base much less soggy and it held together this time - also used a smaller aubergine, which could have helped..). This week I only lost 1.2llbs - but again, I didn't do the fasting or the exercise... and, for motivation, I could get into the dress and I still have 3 weeks before the party to actually make it look good (yes I got into it.. but breathing was not an option..!). And so, at the start of my 3rd week of Boot Camp, I am feeling optimistic :-)
So, my summary of the diet:
1. It's Tough! Well, come on... it IS called a Boot Camp after all, so it was hardly going to be a walk in the park! Expect (unless you are superhuman, unlike me!) to feel hungry, and to have some difficult sugar cravings during the first week. Stick with it though as once this passes, it will feel like a breeze!
2. It WORKS! As evidenced by my losing much more than expected. Well worth the effort in will power - and, because all of the meals include good quality nutrition, you know you are doing your body good, unlike other 'crash diets' which can have the same weight loss but not the same benefits!
3. It's affordable.. I don't know about you, but I usually find diets hideously expensive! Mainly because of the weird and wonderful, super-food type ingredients. Not so with the Zest Bootcamp - just normal salad, veg and lean meat and fish. The only slightly expensive meal is the pizza, which needs almond flour (harder to get hold of... and - sneaky truth - I used plain flour the first week as couldn't find it!).
4. The meals are OK... Actually I am probably being harsh here - most dishes taste nice. I didn't, however, find any tasted 'wow' - and as a food-lover, I missed this! But for 4 weeks, which is how long I am doing this for, the food is fine - and there was nothing I found I didn't want to eat, which again has happened on some other attempts at diets!
Anyway, I am off to happily tuck into my apple of the day...bring on the return of running so I can get back to carb-loading with a passion... ;-)
Monday 11 March 2013
The Brighton Chocolate Festival - a non-running blog post!
As you will have gathered from some of my food-orientated blog posts, I like food :-) Love it, in fact.. and, right at the top of my food- favourites list is ... Chocolate! Chocolate, in my eyes, is simply the stuff of gods. Or goddesses maybe... I always feel it is somewhat wasted on men as they never seem to appreciate it quite as much as the female sex!! Or as much as me anyway ;-) Many people have tried to wean me off the stuff - some say that it is fattening, some say it will give me sugar crashes (well, yes... it would. If I stopped eating it. So why would I stop??). Others simply say that it is bad for me... but, as of this weekend, I am pleased to say that they are officially, totally Wrong!
The reason I can now say this as fact is that I spent a very happy few hours on Sunday browsing the stalls at the Chocolate Festival in Brighton - a fantastic event for all chocolate lovers, and something I can't quite believe I hadn't been to before! The day had been planned as part of a Mothers Day outing - chocolate festival followed by a champagne afternoon tea at Bohemia - Yum! It had also been carefully considered in terms of my lack of activity over the last few weeks - going from running 5 days a week to nothing was having a knock-on effect on my waistline, so I was determined to watch, listen and treat my well-deserving mum... but NOT to sample.
Well... my determination to stick to the diet and avoid the chocolate testing was unwavering. For a full 2 minutes - which was about the smae amount of time it took for me to get to the front of the first stall, and for the very lovely man behind it to produced a large plate of gorgous dark chocolate buttons. Dark chocolate, I persuaded myself, does not count. Being packed full of minerals and anti-oxidants, it can, really, be considered as more of a health supplement. A bit like the pills I stock up on in Boots and occasionally remember to take in the mornings - onlyslightly much more moreish!! And so, venturing further down the line of exhibitors, I found myself taking a wide variety of 'supplements' of delicious chocolates, made from a range of cocoa beans and of varying strengths - and handed out by people truely passionate about their craft! I found myself learning about the different beans and new techniques for intensifying flavours (the Damien Allsop water ganache chocolates were just amaaaazing.. cannot rave about them enough!), testing new award winning chocolates from Sloe Seduction (a stall I found myself sneaking back to time and time again...) and warming up (it was seriously cold I have to say..) with proper, homemade hot chocolate with a spicy shot of vanilla - heaven in a cup!
Overall, if you are a fan of chocolate - or you know someone who is! - I would highly recommend going next year! As well as all the 'freebies' (also known as tasters....), there were some fantastic, beautifully presented products for sale which will make gorgeous presents for birthdays or Easter - one stall had some really pretty, hand decorated easter eggs for less than you would buy a basic cadbury's version in the local supermarket, with the added benefit of knowing all about where the individual beans came from which went into the chocolate (which tasted richly intense.. I know, as I tasted it :-) !
If you can't wait until next year, venture to London or Bristol and you can still have a chocolate filled day out - whilst educating yourself on all the health benefits to ease the scoffing-induced guilt!! Click here for more information - happy tasting!!
The reason I can now say this as fact is that I spent a very happy few hours on Sunday browsing the stalls at the Chocolate Festival in Brighton - a fantastic event for all chocolate lovers, and something I can't quite believe I hadn't been to before! The day had been planned as part of a Mothers Day outing - chocolate festival followed by a champagne afternoon tea at Bohemia - Yum! It had also been carefully considered in terms of my lack of activity over the last few weeks - going from running 5 days a week to nothing was having a knock-on effect on my waistline, so I was determined to watch, listen and treat my well-deserving mum... but NOT to sample.
Well... my determination to stick to the diet and avoid the chocolate testing was unwavering. For a full 2 minutes - which was about the smae amount of time it took for me to get to the front of the first stall, and for the very lovely man behind it to produced a large plate of gorgous dark chocolate buttons. Dark chocolate, I persuaded myself, does not count. Being packed full of minerals and anti-oxidants, it can, really, be considered as more of a health supplement. A bit like the pills I stock up on in Boots and occasionally remember to take in the mornings - only
Overall, if you are a fan of chocolate - or you know someone who is! - I would highly recommend going next year! As well as all the 'freebies' (also known as tasters....), there were some fantastic, beautifully presented products for sale which will make gorgeous presents for birthdays or Easter - one stall had some really pretty, hand decorated easter eggs for less than you would buy a basic cadbury's version in the local supermarket, with the added benefit of knowing all about where the individual beans came from which went into the chocolate (which tasted richly intense.. I know, as I tasted it :-) !
If you can't wait until next year, venture to London or Bristol and you can still have a chocolate filled day out - whilst educating yourself on all the health benefits to ease the scoffing-induced guilt!! Click here for more information - happy tasting!!
Changing Plans - a Landmark weekend.
This weekend marked the start of my changing plans for running in 2013. In fact, it has probably altered my running full stop - but its this year that I have my mind on. It all started with my trip to the Physio on Saturday morning. Now, I already knew this was a 'make or break' visit in terms of my Brighton Marathon plans - at my last visit, my very nice physio had, rather firmly, given me two options on this front: 1) she could try to get my knee 'Ok' enough to walk-run the 26.2 miles in April, provided I was prepared to not run/ swim/ cycle/ ride or basically MOVE in any way shape or form for 6 months after, or 2) she could fix my knee. Having my heart set on the marathon - and desperately not wanting to let down either the charity I was running for or the people who had sponsored me, I barely let the poor women finish speaking before grabbing the walk-run option! And so, armed with some carefully planned exercises, a rather large ice pack and some words of caution from the physio, we started trialling the new, take-it-slow marathon plan.
It's at this point that I should probably admit that the plan was just a 'maybe' chance, and that I was meant to be spending the week assessing how my knee was coping with the exercise. In which case, when I woke up on Saturday morning with a knee twice the size that it had been the week before, or even the night before for that matter, I probably should have accepted that the 'maybe' was rapidly becoming an 'unlikely'... but no. As I hopped unsteadily into the treatment room that day, not quite able to weight bear on my left leg, I was mentally calculating just how many 'hops' I could fit into 26.2 miles - and whether a hop-walk plan would be slower or faster than the walk-run one that we had previously discussed. In fact, it took a full 45 minutes for my brain to cotton on to what I was being (repeatedly!) told.. that the Brighton marathon was out.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I did not take this news well - in fact, I spent the majority of the remaining day sulking and grumbling to anyone who would listen (as none of my friends paid any attention to my grumbles at all, that was basically just me...!).But, Sunday brought around Mothers Day - and you can't grumble and sulk whilst trying to make a special day for your mum! So, giving myself a rather stern talking to, I decided to 'Get Over It'! In fact, I was not only going to get over it, but, I decided as I nibbled on some rather amazing chocolate at the Brighton Chocolate Festival (will write about that in the next post as it was far too good not to be told!) that it was going to be a positive!
All well and good.. but how do I turn being injured, unable to do ANYTHING even remotely active and missing out on the one event I had set my heart on... into a good thing?! Well, I made a list! Admittedly, it is currently quite a short list - but I am working on it :-) feel free to add anything ...
So, my list so far:
1. I have a tailored plan to address all of my imbalances, tight muscles, areas of weakness, potential posture problems, which even my mix of pilates/ yoga/ body pump and conditioning gym workouts didn't pick up or correct! I may be broken now, but when I do get back to running, I will be better than I was before. And you never know - a better posture may just make me faster - bring on the soon-to-be supercharged me!! (well... maybe not soon.. or that super... but you know what I mean!!).
2. I have an opportunity to be involved in running - from the other side of the fence! I may not be able to run in events for the next few months, but that doesn't mean I can't take part at all! All races require marshalls and volunteers to help on the day - so I have now applyed to volunteer at the marathon, and will be looking to get involved in anyway I can at events in my local area. A good way to put something back into the sport, and meet new people - never a bad thing :-)
3. .... oh OK so I only have 2 things on my list so far - I did say it was short! Give me time though as I'm sure there are more...
If anyone else has had to pull out of a race - let me know how you are getting on with NOT running! and good luck to the rest of you still racing and running injury free... I am only mildly envious.. honest..!!
It's at this point that I should probably admit that the plan was just a 'maybe' chance, and that I was meant to be spending the week assessing how my knee was coping with the exercise. In which case, when I woke up on Saturday morning with a knee twice the size that it had been the week before, or even the night before for that matter, I probably should have accepted that the 'maybe' was rapidly becoming an 'unlikely'... but no. As I hopped unsteadily into the treatment room that day, not quite able to weight bear on my left leg, I was mentally calculating just how many 'hops' I could fit into 26.2 miles - and whether a hop-walk plan would be slower or faster than the walk-run one that we had previously discussed. In fact, it took a full 45 minutes for my brain to cotton on to what I was being (repeatedly!) told.. that the Brighton marathon was out.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I did not take this news well - in fact, I spent the majority of the remaining day sulking and grumbling to anyone who would listen (as none of my friends paid any attention to my grumbles at all, that was basically just me...!).But, Sunday brought around Mothers Day - and you can't grumble and sulk whilst trying to make a special day for your mum! So, giving myself a rather stern talking to, I decided to 'Get Over It'! In fact, I was not only going to get over it, but, I decided as I nibbled on some rather amazing chocolate at the Brighton Chocolate Festival (will write about that in the next post as it was far too good not to be told!) that it was going to be a positive!
All well and good.. but how do I turn being injured, unable to do ANYTHING even remotely active and missing out on the one event I had set my heart on... into a good thing?! Well, I made a list! Admittedly, it is currently quite a short list - but I am working on it :-) feel free to add anything ...
So, my list so far:
1. I have a tailored plan to address all of my imbalances, tight muscles, areas of weakness, potential posture problems, which even my mix of pilates/ yoga/ body pump and conditioning gym workouts didn't pick up or correct! I may be broken now, but when I do get back to running, I will be better than I was before. And you never know - a better posture may just make me faster - bring on the soon-to-be supercharged me!! (well... maybe not soon.. or that super... but you know what I mean!!).
2. I have an opportunity to be involved in running - from the other side of the fence! I may not be able to run in events for the next few months, but that doesn't mean I can't take part at all! All races require marshalls and volunteers to help on the day - so I have now applyed to volunteer at the marathon, and will be looking to get involved in anyway I can at events in my local area. A good way to put something back into the sport, and meet new people - never a bad thing :-)
3. .... oh OK so I only have 2 things on my list so far - I did say it was short! Give me time though as I'm sure there are more...
If anyone else has had to pull out of a race - let me know how you are getting on with NOT running! and good luck to the rest of you still racing and running injury free... I am only mildly envious.. honest..!!
Tuesday 26 February 2013
Checking performance - fitness tests for runners
As much as I am usually motivated and positive towards my running, there are days (or even weeks, sometimes!) when I just don't feel like I am getting anywhere - in fact, some days (like last Sunday's long run!) I almost feel like I'm going backwards! Each run will feel just as hard, my speed will feel slow.. and upping the distance just seems unnecessarily torturous! It's at times like these when I find the need to start checking - and recording - my fitness. Yes, the last run may have felt just as excruciatingly painful as the first time I ran the same route, but does that really mean that I am just as unfit as I was a month ago? Well, no. It doesn't. The last time I ran, its more than possible that the wind was behind me, pushing me along rather than battling against me as it did this week. Or I could have been running across dry, firm ground rather than a treacherous bog - there are many factors influencing each run, and without an accurate, repeatable measurement to use to track my progress, it's impossible to truely see how far I have come.
Of course, if I was more organised (or just slightly more inclined to...), I would keep an accurate record of each run - time, distance, route, pace, weather and ground conditions - all very valid and useful factors which would allow me to compare the terrible run to the great. Now, I can truely see the benefit of this, and when I first started running I had every intention of doing just that - I even brought a brand new, smart notebook to record it all in (inner geek emerging again...!). Trouble is, when it comes to it... I can always think ofbetter more interesting other things to do!! And if you don't record ALL of the runs, somehow it all seems a little pointless. And then I find that none of the training gets recorded.. and I have no comparisons to make!
Not feeling inclined to carry on with a 'training diary', despite its obvious benefits, I turned instead to fitness testing. Now, early on, this 'fitness test' was such a vague indication of how I was doing that I didn't really even acknowledge that that was what I was doing! The basis of this 'indicator' was a long hill which, when first attempted, I couldn't run up. At all! I would literally get about 3 strides in and just have to give up (Like I said in my previous post, hills were never my favourite...!!). So, each week as I re-attempted the hill, I would make a vague note of how much further I could run. Them, when I could run the whole way, how long it would take me (the first time was nearly 13 minutes...!!). Seeing the steady progress as I reached the top in less and less time was great motivation and a good feeling of satisfaction! All well and good, but these days I can get up the hill in my average running pace, without too much difficulty - great to compare to the early days, but look at the more recent weeks and they are all they same, simply as that is the pace I want to be going at!
So, having 'lost' my usual indicator of fitness, I needed to think of some others. The first, and easiest one to go for was my resting heart rate. Easy to take, and no need for any equipment - simply count your pulse for 30 seconds before you get up in the morning (lie resting for 5 - 10 mins first), multiply it by 2, and write it down. Quite simply, as your cardiovascular system gets fitter, your resting pulse will get slower, as your heart is more efficient at pumping blood around your body (and therefore needs to pump less often). Do this everyday, and as an added bonus you can detect early signs of overtraining - if your resting heart rate increases, it can be a sign you are over doing it, and you need to decrease the workload for a few days.
Still using heart rate, you can also measure your recovery rate - simply do a set amount of exercise, and then time how long it takes your heart rate to drop back to a pre-decided level (e.g reduce by 50%). Again, the fitter you are, the quicker the recovery time!
The above 2 methods are quick and easy, and will show you an improvement in general fitness. I, however, wanted more detail! Specifically, I like to know that I am getting faster, stronger, and that I can go further... so, more tests needed! these are the ones I now use on a monthly basis:
1. Measuring speed - For this, I use the Coopers 12 minute test. Again, straight forward - warm up with a gentle jog, then run as far as you can in 12 minutes! You need to be able to accurately measure the distance, and you need a stop watch... and thats it! Obviously, as you run faster, you will go further :-)
This test has the added bonus of also allowing you to work out your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen you can uptake and use - so important for runners!). The formula for this is:
VO2 max = (22.351 x km) - 11.288
or VO2 max = (35.97 x miles) - 11.29
You can compare both your distance covered and VO2 max score with published data on athletes... I don't, simply as I find I am better when just concentrating on improving myself - but simple to find on Google if you want!
2. Timed lap - Again, measuring speed. Simply mark out the distance you want to use (400m, 800m or 1 mile - anything is fine as long as you keep it the same each time!), warm up with a 10 minute jog again, then run the distance as fast as you can!
3. Core Strength - Good core strength is essential to keep running without injury. For this, use the 'dreaded' (I hate it!) plank. Just time how long you you can maintain it for - the longer the better!!
4. Distance - This is one that I use the treadmill for. I start with a 10 minute jog, the reset the treadmill and start the test by running at an easy pace (I start at 8.5km/hr). Increase gradient and speed every minute by a set amount (you choose but keep it the same for each time you repeat the test!) - until you can't keep up! (take care here and don't overdo it - don't go falling off the back!!!). I then note down distance covered, and use this as a guide to my fitness levels and endurance!
So, all tests which I can do easily and without any additional cost (if you don't have a stopwatch, you may find one on your phone!). Obviously, if you can do these on a treadmill, you eliminate weather and ground conditions which can influence results - but do them outside and it more closely resembles your race. So, choose either - but make sure if you do one test one month on the road outside, don't then compare to the treadmill the following month - consistency will make each test more accurate!
Of course, if I was more organised (or just slightly more inclined to...), I would keep an accurate record of each run - time, distance, route, pace, weather and ground conditions - all very valid and useful factors which would allow me to compare the terrible run to the great. Now, I can truely see the benefit of this, and when I first started running I had every intention of doing just that - I even brought a brand new, smart notebook to record it all in (inner geek emerging again...!). Trouble is, when it comes to it... I can always think of
Not feeling inclined to carry on with a 'training diary', despite its obvious benefits, I turned instead to fitness testing. Now, early on, this 'fitness test' was such a vague indication of how I was doing that I didn't really even acknowledge that that was what I was doing! The basis of this 'indicator' was a long hill which, when first attempted, I couldn't run up. At all! I would literally get about 3 strides in and just have to give up (Like I said in my previous post, hills were never my favourite...!!). So, each week as I re-attempted the hill, I would make a vague note of how much further I could run. Them, when I could run the whole way, how long it would take me (the first time was nearly 13 minutes...!!). Seeing the steady progress as I reached the top in less and less time was great motivation and a good feeling of satisfaction! All well and good, but these days I can get up the hill in my average running pace, without too much difficulty - great to compare to the early days, but look at the more recent weeks and they are all they same, simply as that is the pace I want to be going at!
So, having 'lost' my usual indicator of fitness, I needed to think of some others. The first, and easiest one to go for was my resting heart rate. Easy to take, and no need for any equipment - simply count your pulse for 30 seconds before you get up in the morning (lie resting for 5 - 10 mins first), multiply it by 2, and write it down. Quite simply, as your cardiovascular system gets fitter, your resting pulse will get slower, as your heart is more efficient at pumping blood around your body (and therefore needs to pump less often). Do this everyday, and as an added bonus you can detect early signs of overtraining - if your resting heart rate increases, it can be a sign you are over doing it, and you need to decrease the workload for a few days.
Still using heart rate, you can also measure your recovery rate - simply do a set amount of exercise, and then time how long it takes your heart rate to drop back to a pre-decided level (e.g reduce by 50%). Again, the fitter you are, the quicker the recovery time!
The above 2 methods are quick and easy, and will show you an improvement in general fitness. I, however, wanted more detail! Specifically, I like to know that I am getting faster, stronger, and that I can go further... so, more tests needed! these are the ones I now use on a monthly basis:
1. Measuring speed - For this, I use the Coopers 12 minute test. Again, straight forward - warm up with a gentle jog, then run as far as you can in 12 minutes! You need to be able to accurately measure the distance, and you need a stop watch... and thats it! Obviously, as you run faster, you will go further :-)
This test has the added bonus of also allowing you to work out your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen you can uptake and use - so important for runners!). The formula for this is:
VO2 max = (22.351 x km) - 11.288
or VO2 max = (35.97 x miles) - 11.29
You can compare both your distance covered and VO2 max score with published data on athletes... I don't, simply as I find I am better when just concentrating on improving myself - but simple to find on Google if you want!
2. Timed lap - Again, measuring speed. Simply mark out the distance you want to use (400m, 800m or 1 mile - anything is fine as long as you keep it the same each time!), warm up with a 10 minute jog again, then run the distance as fast as you can!
3. Core Strength - Good core strength is essential to keep running without injury. For this, use the 'dreaded' (I hate it!) plank. Just time how long you you can maintain it for - the longer the better!!
4. Distance - This is one that I use the treadmill for. I start with a 10 minute jog, the reset the treadmill and start the test by running at an easy pace (I start at 8.5km/hr). Increase gradient and speed every minute by a set amount (you choose but keep it the same for each time you repeat the test!) - until you can't keep up! (take care here and don't overdo it - don't go falling off the back!!!). I then note down distance covered, and use this as a guide to my fitness levels and endurance!
So, all tests which I can do easily and without any additional cost (if you don't have a stopwatch, you may find one on your phone!). Obviously, if you can do these on a treadmill, you eliminate weather and ground conditions which can influence results - but do them outside and it more closely resembles your race. So, choose either - but make sure if you do one test one month on the road outside, don't then compare to the treadmill the following month - consistency will make each test more accurate!
Saturday 23 February 2013
Spicy, warming soups for snowy days
Having had a few weeks of warmer weather recently, I felt distinctly unprepared when the temperature suddenly dropped back to sub-zero. Not only had I somewhat prematurely removed all ice/ snow scraping equipment out of my car (optimistic I know but I had made the decision that it was now spring, and we all know there is no ice at springtime....??!), but I had also made myself a nice, healthy salad for lunch. Appetising when the sun is out or you are toasty warm already... less so when you are hunched up, shivering and surrounded by people wafting past with freshly microwaved steaming bowls of soup or delicious smelling HOT curry from the canteen. Which I couldn't go and buy because, in the absence of a proper ice scraper, I had used my bank card to enable me to see out of my windscreen that morning, and it hadn't survived (it also hadn't cleared much of the ice off my car, so a universally stupid choice of equipment - teach me to make decisions before my morning coffee!).
Inspired by the spicy smells of curry, I have therefore spent the best part of my Saturday morning cooking up a weeks worth of warming soups for the days ahead, along with some delicious homemade bread to serve it with - proper 'comfort' food with a healthy, runner friendly kick! The soup which I sampled today - and which definitely smells the best! - is my Spiced Pumpkin soup. This is a recipe my mum gave me last time that it snowed, and its the first time I have actually tried to make it - I would call it a success :-)
Spiced Pumpkin Soup
Peel, de-seed and chop 750g of butternut squash or pumpkin and add to a lightly oiled (I use the spray oil) large saucepan with a bunch of chopped spring onions. Place over a low heat and cook with the lid on for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Grate or chop a 5cm piece of ginger and add to another saucepan with 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 de-seeded chopped red chillies, 2 lemongrass stalks, split lengthways and a handful of chopped coriander stalks. Pour 1.2 litres of vegetable stock into the saucepan and simmer gently, with a lid on, for 20 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool before blending, then sieve into the saucepan with the pumpkin/ squash and blend again until smooth.
Return the blended mixture to the saucepan and add 400ml coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and the juice of 1 lime. Reheat and stir in a small handful of chopped coriander leaves before serving. If you like it extra hot and spicy, you can add some thin slices of red chilli as well!
I usually find if I make this quantity, I can make it last the week on it's own, or freeze if you want to keep it longer.
And now I have finished both cooking, eating and writing.. I'm going to have to brave the cold and get out for some training!!
Inspired by the spicy smells of curry, I have therefore spent the best part of my Saturday morning cooking up a weeks worth of warming soups for the days ahead, along with some delicious homemade bread to serve it with - proper 'comfort' food with a healthy, runner friendly kick! The soup which I sampled today - and which definitely smells the best! - is my Spiced Pumpkin soup. This is a recipe my mum gave me last time that it snowed, and its the first time I have actually tried to make it - I would call it a success :-)
Spiced Pumpkin Soup
Peel, de-seed and chop 750g of butternut squash or pumpkin and add to a lightly oiled (I use the spray oil) large saucepan with a bunch of chopped spring onions. Place over a low heat and cook with the lid on for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Grate or chop a 5cm piece of ginger and add to another saucepan with 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 de-seeded chopped red chillies, 2 lemongrass stalks, split lengthways and a handful of chopped coriander stalks. Pour 1.2 litres of vegetable stock into the saucepan and simmer gently, with a lid on, for 20 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool before blending, then sieve into the saucepan with the pumpkin/ squash and blend again until smooth.
Return the blended mixture to the saucepan and add 400ml coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and the juice of 1 lime. Reheat and stir in a small handful of chopped coriander leaves before serving. If you like it extra hot and spicy, you can add some thin slices of red chilli as well!
I usually find if I make this quantity, I can make it last the week on it's own, or freeze if you want to keep it longer.
And now I have finished both cooking, eating and writing.. I'm going to have to brave the cold and get out for some training!!
Friday 15 February 2013
Making friends with the physio - Essential injury prevention for runners!
When I first started running, or rather, when I first started admitting that I was running, I was instantly flooded with a barrage of well-intended advice. Most of it useful, and pretty much all of it geared towards preventing me getting injured (I clearly look like I break easily..!!). The advice which was flung my way with varying degrees of force included:
1. Give up...! The most common piece of advice from those closest to me...! Reasons varied from the fact that I already spent of my time running around like a headless chicken trying to fit a million things into each day (and therefore constantly being late for EVERYTHING, something that drives my boyfriend slightly mad...) and had no time for new hobbies, to the fact that it would cripple my knees/ back/ feet.. and potentially all other body parts which could be broken as I trip over my completely unco-ordinated limbs.
Each of these points I can argue against (with the exception of my co-ordination, or lack of it!). Running, clearly, will make me faster. I get around faster, I can do more stuff! Plus running helps me think, so my days will be more planned, structured and organised (or at least, they would be if I actually thought about that kind of stuff when I run rather than my usual daydreams..). As for the crippling effects, they can easily be prevented with the correct shoes/ running form/ cross training/ conditioning/ stretching... etc etc, as per advice given within the lists below! In fact, reading the latest Womens Running magazine, I actually found evidence that running can protect your joints - perfect :-)
So, that piece of advice I could happily ignore without any regrets. The rest of it? Well, that can be divided into:
a) Advice I took and appreciated.
b) Advice I thought was good, but still ignored - and then regretted not taking.
c) Advice I genuinely intended to take.. but just never got around to. Until it was too late...
Now, seeing a physiotherapist for an injury assessment fell very firmly into the last of those categories. I could very clearly see why this was a good idea - in fact, it was something that I was keen to do, thinking it would be interesting to see which bits of my body 'worked' and which bits didn't, and have a detailed, effective plan of injury prevention personally (and professionally!) tailored to me.
'Keen to do' and 'will do', however, are two very different things, and the 'book an appointment with a physio' remained sitting quietly at the bottom of my 'To Do' list. I will be honest here and admit the main reason for this was money - an appointment may not be expensive (the ones I looked at ranged from £25 to £40 for an initial consultation), but it did involve spending cash.. and somehow other things always seemed to crop up first! New shoes (category A, along with some gait analysis, and best buy ever!), new running jacket, new running socks, energy bars and gels to try.. the list of things a runner can spend money on is surprisingly endless!
That was, however, until I had an email (via Twitter) from Velocity Physio in Brighton. I had won a free appointment! Perfect timing, I thought - my weekly mileage was now the highest it had ever been and I had been starting to become slightly more concerned about whether my legs would be able to keep up with the pace. Not that concerned, obviously, as it took me 2 weeks to get around to organising the appointment. Which was booked for 3 days after I broke. Yes, thats right.. After! Having made the appointment, I headed off down to the gym, spent 45 minutes doing some intervals on the treadmill... and got off unable to use my left knee!
So, injury prevention turned into injury treatment... with an assessment of how and why my knee ended up dysfunctional thrown in for good luck. And I have to say, the assessment was great - probably more so if I had booked this a few weeks previously and therefore avoided the knee problem (I had inflamed the tendon attaching my quads to just below my knee apparently!), but still, useful for future reference.
The reason for my 'broken' knee? Well, it was largely down to my left hip - which was apparently more than a little stiff, in fact, it wasn't moving at all..! - and my left foot, which had a collapsed arch (yep, half of me is flat-footed, great!). My knee just got caught in the middle - and with the large amount of work it was having to do, it couldn't cope!
I also found out that my left leg was basically lazy. Possibly partly because half of it appeared to be dysfunctional, but it was definitely letting my right leg do all the hard work while it just flopped along beside. Not that it looked like that when I ran (I hope??!!), but as it pumped up and down in imitation of effective running, it was clearly just having a laugh. Put it through a strength test however (not a very hard one - I simply had to try and hold my leg in position while the physio applied pressure), and the weaknesses start to show! And there were quite a few - and a large difference between limbs!
Now that I know my areas of weakness, I know what to do once I am back running. Unfortunately, this is not yet and I am once again resigned to the pool while I panic about getting fit enough in time for the marathon. So, my biggest piece of advice to runners who have not yet had an injury? MAKE FRIENDS WITH A PHYSIO!! It may cost... but its cheaper, and certainly less frustrating, than getting 'fixed' once things do go wrong!!
For those runners who have had an injury whilst working up to a race, how did you get on with cross-training to fitness - anyone have advice on this for me?? :-)
1. Give up...! The most common piece of advice from those closest to me...! Reasons varied from the fact that I already spent of my time running around like a headless chicken trying to fit a million things into each day (and therefore constantly being late for EVERYTHING, something that drives my boyfriend slightly mad...) and had no time for new hobbies, to the fact that it would cripple my knees/ back/ feet.. and potentially all other body parts which could be broken as I trip over my completely unco-ordinated limbs.
Each of these points I can argue against (with the exception of my co-ordination, or lack of it!). Running, clearly, will make me faster. I get around faster, I can do more stuff! Plus running helps me think, so my days will be more planned, structured and organised (or at least, they would be if I actually thought about that kind of stuff when I run rather than my usual daydreams..). As for the crippling effects, they can easily be prevented with the correct shoes/ running form/ cross training/ conditioning/ stretching... etc etc, as per advice given within the lists below! In fact, reading the latest Womens Running magazine, I actually found evidence that running can protect your joints - perfect :-)
So, that piece of advice I could happily ignore without any regrets. The rest of it? Well, that can be divided into:
a) Advice I took and appreciated.
b) Advice I thought was good, but still ignored - and then regretted not taking.
c) Advice I genuinely intended to take.. but just never got around to. Until it was too late...
Now, seeing a physiotherapist for an injury assessment fell very firmly into the last of those categories. I could very clearly see why this was a good idea - in fact, it was something that I was keen to do, thinking it would be interesting to see which bits of my body 'worked' and which bits didn't, and have a detailed, effective plan of injury prevention personally (and professionally!) tailored to me.
'Keen to do' and 'will do', however, are two very different things, and the 'book an appointment with a physio' remained sitting quietly at the bottom of my 'To Do' list. I will be honest here and admit the main reason for this was money - an appointment may not be expensive (the ones I looked at ranged from £25 to £40 for an initial consultation), but it did involve spending cash.. and somehow other things always seemed to crop up first! New shoes (category A, along with some gait analysis, and best buy ever!), new running jacket, new running socks, energy bars and gels to try.. the list of things a runner can spend money on is surprisingly endless!
That was, however, until I had an email (via Twitter) from Velocity Physio in Brighton. I had won a free appointment! Perfect timing, I thought - my weekly mileage was now the highest it had ever been and I had been starting to become slightly more concerned about whether my legs would be able to keep up with the pace. Not that concerned, obviously, as it took me 2 weeks to get around to organising the appointment. Which was booked for 3 days after I broke. Yes, thats right.. After! Having made the appointment, I headed off down to the gym, spent 45 minutes doing some intervals on the treadmill... and got off unable to use my left knee!
So, injury prevention turned into injury treatment... with an assessment of how and why my knee ended up dysfunctional thrown in for good luck. And I have to say, the assessment was great - probably more so if I had booked this a few weeks previously and therefore avoided the knee problem (I had inflamed the tendon attaching my quads to just below my knee apparently!), but still, useful for future reference.
The reason for my 'broken' knee? Well, it was largely down to my left hip - which was apparently more than a little stiff, in fact, it wasn't moving at all..! - and my left foot, which had a collapsed arch (yep, half of me is flat-footed, great!). My knee just got caught in the middle - and with the large amount of work it was having to do, it couldn't cope!
I also found out that my left leg was basically lazy. Possibly partly because half of it appeared to be dysfunctional, but it was definitely letting my right leg do all the hard work while it just flopped along beside. Not that it looked like that when I ran (I hope??!!), but as it pumped up and down in imitation of effective running, it was clearly just having a laugh. Put it through a strength test however (not a very hard one - I simply had to try and hold my leg in position while the physio applied pressure), and the weaknesses start to show! And there were quite a few - and a large difference between limbs!
Now that I know my areas of weakness, I know what to do once I am back running. Unfortunately, this is not yet and I am once again resigned to the pool while I panic about getting fit enough in time for the marathon. So, my biggest piece of advice to runners who have not yet had an injury? MAKE FRIENDS WITH A PHYSIO!! It may cost... but its cheaper, and certainly less frustrating, than getting 'fixed' once things do go wrong!!
For those runners who have had an injury whilst working up to a race, how did you get on with cross-training to fitness - anyone have advice on this for me?? :-)
Friday 8 February 2013
Running and Shopping - What Girls Do Best!
Long before running became a passion of mine, I have loved to shop.For everything! Put me in any kind of retail situation and I will invariably end up parting with my hard earned cash. Take last night, for example. Whilst dinner was baking away in the oven (lasangne...Mmmmm...) I decided to pop down to the local supermarket and grab a bag of salad. Just that - Salad. Now, I know where the 'salad' aisle is in Tesco's.. you go in the door, turn right, and there it is. Unfortunately, I also know where the running magazines are.. and so as I entered the shop, I found myself sidling over to the left, thinking 'I'll just pick up Women's Running while I'm here...save coming back'! And before you know it, almost an hour has passed, my car is loaded up with not only Women's Running, but 2 new cookbooks (lots of pasta recipes, for 'carbing up'!!), some energy bars and gels (for the Sunday long runs.. may as well stock up now!) and some hair masks (um... will come back to that when I have thought of an excuse). And I had forgotten the salad - and burnt the lasangne...! Still.. I had new stuff... ;-)
Now, given how carried away I get when I'm just in Tesco's, you can imagine how I am once I get inside a running shop! As soon as I got into running, I got into buying running 'Stuff'. New trainers (essential - mainly as I didn't actually have any old ones!!), sweat wicking running tops (again...essential, Isweat perspire glow a LOT!) and seamless, non-rubbing Capri's. At first, I shopped for comfort reasons - my old, laze-around-the-house tracksuit wasn't really designed to do much more than slouch on the sofa and by the end of 10 minutes running would feel heavy, scratchy and like it was sticking to some very undignified parts of me!! So, reading around, I headed to the nearest sports shop and started trying on the 'proper gear'. Which is when I made my discovery: Running clothes can look GOOD! Get the right cut of top and some flattering colours.. and you can most definitely run in style!
Unfortunately for me, my discovery of stylish technical clothes did not coincide with discovering the less expensive shops and websites! This took a while - and it took even longer to find all the things I wanted, in the colours I wanted, all in the right size! I did, however, eventually create a list of all my favourite shopping sites - including:
Nike.com Just because I love Nike, rather than because it's generally cheap! They do some fantastic running stuff in bright colours and unusual prints to make you stand out on your run! My only grumble with this is I find the website frustratingly slow - but that may just be my computer!
Sheactive - A great variety of running clothes, all for girls! And, if you go to the actual shop in Brighton, really friendly, helpful staff :-)
Achillesheel.co.uk - Some great bargains if your happy to go with last seasons colours
wiggle.co.uk - A good range of running clothes, as well as catering for other sports - and good prices. Takes some rummaging though but you can get bargains again (can you tell I like bargains??!)
So, all these running shops have kept me happily spending my money for the last couple of years. Now, however, I have decided to go from shopper, to seller! And so, collecting up all my favourite running clothes (a combination of clothes I have tried and recommend, and clothes I have coveted but not yet got round to buying...!), I put them into my running store. But why stop at clothes? Before I knew it, I had added running books (I love to read...so can recommend majority of the ones I picked to sell, and the rest, like the clothes, are on my 'wanted' list!), cook books (LOVE to cook - and they are all running and sport focused!) and nutrition - from Nak'd and Trek bars (completely natural bars which are great for pre and post run - the Trek ones are designed for sport and perfect carb: protein ratio...and taste divine!) to gels, protein bars and the Cliff Shot Blok's that I will be using at the Brighton Marathon. My shop, basically, turned into my 'wanted' list!
Now, the shopping site that I use means that the products are sold through Amazon, and I get a small percentage of the sales. All good, as customers get the same security as if they are buying direct from Amazon, and the same low prices.. however, this did mean I had to search through the Amazon site to add the individual products (you can just add a whole section of the site, e.g. running clothes or sports, but I only wanted to include items I had personally checked I liked!). And somehow, by the end of setting up shop.. I was the owner of a gorgeous new Nike Storm Fly jacket... whoops!
So, please feel free to browse my shopping page - I will be adding to it as I try out new products :-)
Now, given how carried away I get when I'm just in Tesco's, you can imagine how I am once I get inside a running shop! As soon as I got into running, I got into buying running 'Stuff'. New trainers (essential - mainly as I didn't actually have any old ones!!), sweat wicking running tops (again...essential, I
Unfortunately for me, my discovery of stylish technical clothes did not coincide with discovering the less expensive shops and websites! This took a while - and it took even longer to find all the things I wanted, in the colours I wanted, all in the right size! I did, however, eventually create a list of all my favourite shopping sites - including:
Nike.com Just because I love Nike, rather than because it's generally cheap! They do some fantastic running stuff in bright colours and unusual prints to make you stand out on your run! My only grumble with this is I find the website frustratingly slow - but that may just be my computer!
Sheactive - A great variety of running clothes, all for girls! And, if you go to the actual shop in Brighton, really friendly, helpful staff :-)
Achillesheel.co.uk - Some great bargains if your happy to go with last seasons colours
wiggle.co.uk - A good range of running clothes, as well as catering for other sports - and good prices. Takes some rummaging though but you can get bargains again (can you tell I like bargains??!)
So, all these running shops have kept me happily spending my money for the last couple of years. Now, however, I have decided to go from shopper, to seller! And so, collecting up all my favourite running clothes (a combination of clothes I have tried and recommend, and clothes I have coveted but not yet got round to buying...!), I put them into my running store. But why stop at clothes? Before I knew it, I had added running books (I love to read...so can recommend majority of the ones I picked to sell, and the rest, like the clothes, are on my 'wanted' list!), cook books (LOVE to cook - and they are all running and sport focused!) and nutrition - from Nak'd and Trek bars (completely natural bars which are great for pre and post run - the Trek ones are designed for sport and perfect carb: protein ratio...and taste divine!) to gels, protein bars and the Cliff Shot Blok's that I will be using at the Brighton Marathon. My shop, basically, turned into my 'wanted' list!
Now, the shopping site that I use means that the products are sold through Amazon, and I get a small percentage of the sales. All good, as customers get the same security as if they are buying direct from Amazon, and the same low prices.. however, this did mean I had to search through the Amazon site to add the individual products (you can just add a whole section of the site, e.g. running clothes or sports, but I only wanted to include items I had personally checked I liked!). And somehow, by the end of setting up shop.. I was the owner of a gorgeous new Nike Storm Fly jacket... whoops!
So, please feel free to browse my shopping page - I will be adding to it as I try out new products :-)
Wednesday 6 February 2013
Fitness Classes for Runners
During my previous attempts at following training plans, I tended to be a little 'lazy' about doing anything other than the actual running. Yes, I was well aware that cross training and targeted conditioning work could help prevent the muscular imbalances which can arise when you do nothing but pound the pavements everyday.. but, I liked to run. Sitting pedalling on a bike or pulling myself lap - by - lap around a swimming pool just seemed, well, a bit boring really! And as for the squats, lunges and complicated movements involving gym balls, kettlebells or some other equally ominous-sounding piece of equipment - well that was just hard! And not in the painful-but-weirdly-fun kind of way that running was... it was just hard, painful... and if I'm honest, simply left me feeling annoyed and more than a little grumpy! Not pleasant for anyone.
My opinion on this cross-training was however rather forcibly changed when, having ignored all sensible advice being thrown at me, I both upped my training rather quickly and replaced cross training with... well, running! I couldn't get enough of it - or the 'runners high' that it gave me each night. My body, however, disagreed and after a few warning grumbles - and, to be fair to my legs, quite a lot of shouting - I was signed off from running with very painful shin splints. Any kind of weight bearing exercise felt like agony - even walking - and sudden drop in exercise made me a pretty grumpy person to be around!
After a couple of weeks sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I gradually came to accept that I was going to have to find some other form of exercise and so, with a slightly grumpy attitude and the phrase 'I'd rather be running' practically tattooed across my forehead, I started experimenting. Any activity which didn't hurt, I tried - and, to my surprise, I started to find I enjoyed it! OK, maybe not all of it... but using my body in lots of different ways was both challenging and made me much more aware of my strengths and weaknesses - something which, when I returned to running, I was very grateful for!
All the cross training I had done meant that I returned to running a stronger person than when I had been forced to stop - both physically (I now had strong everything, rather than just strong legs!) and mentally (doing and hour and a half of swimming when you find even 5 minutes excruciatingly boring is most definitely mentally challenging!!) - and, at the start of marathon training, I vowed to keep it up!
Given that I do the majority of my running alone, I have now opted for group classes for my non-running days - working out with other is a massive motivation boost and keeps me looking forward to going. Plus, there's the added bonus that, if your not feeling enthusiastic one day, chances are any friends you have made will drag you along anyway! Most gyms these days offer a huge range of classes - many of which can have benefits for runners. The ones I have been going to, and the ones I credit with keeping me injury free (so far...!), faster in speed work and stronger up hills are:
Body Pump
This is a non-impact resistance training class which works every major muscle group in your body. Using barbells and adjustable weights, you squat, press, lift and curl for up to 800 reps - and you feel it! The class is done to energising music and you have control over just how much weight you are using - so start low and increase every 6 weeks or so as you get stronger! I found this class brilliant for helping me with both speed and hill work, finding the hills now that I am stronger. The fact that it works all muscles evenly is good as well, helping to prevent imbalances, and keeping the arms looking as toned as the legs!
Body Conditioning
This class is very similar to body pump, only using handheld weights, or simply your own bodyweight. Again, lots of lunges, squats, press ups and sit-ups - and lots of sore muscles the next day! A great class for toning and a good introduction before body pump if you haven't done any strength work before.
Spin
I love this class! Its a brilliant cardiovascular workout and, being non-impact, is good to give your joints a break from all the running. It will strengthen your legs as well - so a good running alternative. Be warned though - its hard! The bonus is that you choose just how hard, as you control the resistance on the pedals (how hard you have to push...!) and the speed - although the instructor is very motivating and will encourage you to give it your all. The workout is again done to loud, upbeat music, and the setting is a bit like going to a night club (very odd when you go at 9am...) - but that all helps to keep you going! Also a great calorie burner, which never hurts ;-)
Circuits
This is a class which again works all of your body, but in short, intensive bursts. You will get your heart pumping as you run, skip or jump, and your muscles burning as you alternate sets of press ups, sit ups, squats, lunges and more. Because you constantly swop activity, the class never gets boring - and it never hurts for too long!! A good, fun class for both strengthening and cardio work.
Yoga and Pilates
I have grouped these together as I use them for a similar reason - to strengthen my core (I find pilates best for this but yoga is also good) and to stretch out my hard-working muscles - both essential factors in keeping injury free! I have to admit, it took me a while to appreciate the classes as I enjoy high-impact, high-energy exercise - but when you get into to 'zone', these are relaxing and a lovely class to do on a rest day, or after a stressful day at work. I like to follow with a sauna and steam room session when I have time!
So with all those classes, I keep pretty busy! Anyone else use other gym classes to boost their running?
My opinion on this cross-training was however rather forcibly changed when, having ignored all sensible advice being thrown at me, I both upped my training rather quickly and replaced cross training with... well, running! I couldn't get enough of it - or the 'runners high' that it gave me each night. My body, however, disagreed and after a few warning grumbles - and, to be fair to my legs, quite a lot of shouting - I was signed off from running with very painful shin splints. Any kind of weight bearing exercise felt like agony - even walking - and sudden drop in exercise made me a pretty grumpy person to be around!
After a couple of weeks sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I gradually came to accept that I was going to have to find some other form of exercise and so, with a slightly grumpy attitude and the phrase 'I'd rather be running' practically tattooed across my forehead, I started experimenting. Any activity which didn't hurt, I tried - and, to my surprise, I started to find I enjoyed it! OK, maybe not all of it... but using my body in lots of different ways was both challenging and made me much more aware of my strengths and weaknesses - something which, when I returned to running, I was very grateful for!
All the cross training I had done meant that I returned to running a stronger person than when I had been forced to stop - both physically (I now had strong everything, rather than just strong legs!) and mentally (doing and hour and a half of swimming when you find even 5 minutes excruciatingly boring is most definitely mentally challenging!!) - and, at the start of marathon training, I vowed to keep it up!
Given that I do the majority of my running alone, I have now opted for group classes for my non-running days - working out with other is a massive motivation boost and keeps me looking forward to going. Plus, there's the added bonus that, if your not feeling enthusiastic one day, chances are any friends you have made will drag you along anyway! Most gyms these days offer a huge range of classes - many of which can have benefits for runners. The ones I have been going to, and the ones I credit with keeping me injury free (so far...!), faster in speed work and stronger up hills are:
Body Pump
This is a non-impact resistance training class which works every major muscle group in your body. Using barbells and adjustable weights, you squat, press, lift and curl for up to 800 reps - and you feel it! The class is done to energising music and you have control over just how much weight you are using - so start low and increase every 6 weeks or so as you get stronger! I found this class brilliant for helping me with both speed and hill work, finding the hills now that I am stronger. The fact that it works all muscles evenly is good as well, helping to prevent imbalances, and keeping the arms looking as toned as the legs!
Body Conditioning
This class is very similar to body pump, only using handheld weights, or simply your own bodyweight. Again, lots of lunges, squats, press ups and sit-ups - and lots of sore muscles the next day! A great class for toning and a good introduction before body pump if you haven't done any strength work before.
Spin
I love this class! Its a brilliant cardiovascular workout and, being non-impact, is good to give your joints a break from all the running. It will strengthen your legs as well - so a good running alternative. Be warned though - its hard! The bonus is that you choose just how hard, as you control the resistance on the pedals (how hard you have to push...!) and the speed - although the instructor is very motivating and will encourage you to give it your all. The workout is again done to loud, upbeat music, and the setting is a bit like going to a night club (very odd when you go at 9am...) - but that all helps to keep you going! Also a great calorie burner, which never hurts ;-)
Circuits
This is a class which again works all of your body, but in short, intensive bursts. You will get your heart pumping as you run, skip or jump, and your muscles burning as you alternate sets of press ups, sit ups, squats, lunges and more. Because you constantly swop activity, the class never gets boring - and it never hurts for too long!! A good, fun class for both strengthening and cardio work.
Yoga and Pilates
I have grouped these together as I use them for a similar reason - to strengthen my core (I find pilates best for this but yoga is also good) and to stretch out my hard-working muscles - both essential factors in keeping injury free! I have to admit, it took me a while to appreciate the classes as I enjoy high-impact, high-energy exercise - but when you get into to 'zone', these are relaxing and a lovely class to do on a rest day, or after a stressful day at work. I like to follow with a sauna and steam room session when I have time!
So with all those classes, I keep pretty busy! Anyone else use other gym classes to boost their running?
Monday 4 February 2013
The weeks training - breaking new records!
This week marked the start of my 'serious' training - seen as such simply because the rest of my training plan is now all on the same page! Looking at what I am doing each day, I can now clearly see the words 'Race Day' written in bold, a mere 9 weeks of training away (Gulp!). Only the week before, I could put all the technical details on pace, carbohydrate consumption and recovery details to one side, to be 'looked at later'... now, it is later... and it's time to start thinking! And, as my plan smugly reminded me, time to up the effort...
And so, armed with my trusty calculator and the stores of articles I have been putting off reading for the last 10 weeks, I started on the task of 'getting serious'. First thing was the pace - this week marked the start of sessions which included the words 'faster than race pace', 'at race pace' and 'slower than race pace', so now was the time to finally decide on what that race pace was going to be! Since my last blog about pace, I have been giving a lot more thought on the speed I want to/ will be physically capable of running at for a full 26.2 miles, and I had vaguely decided to settle for 10 min/ miles until at least the halfway point - then if I feel good, I can go a bit faster. This would mean I complete the marathon in around 4.30 hours, a time that seems more realistic for my first marathon.
Now, given that my average pace for each run was 8.30 min/ miles (yes I'm not good at varying it!!), the 'faster than race pace' parts don't seem to be a problem. This covered all of the sessions from Monday - Saturday, so I happily did:
Monday: Rest (I am very good at this....!!)
Tuesday: 40 mins steady followed by 4 x 100m strides (got my maths wrong, so this was actually 40mins steady, 4 x 161m strides.. oops). Loved the strides as like ending a session feeling like I have really pushed myself!
Wednesday: Body conditioning class - full of squats, lunges and sit-ups which made me suitable sore the next day!
Thursday: This was meant to be a 50min steady run, however I have just joined a running club (more on that later..), so did the club session which was half an hour of Paarlauf (basically like a relay, so speed work with a short recovery in between).
Friday: 30 minutes of squats, lunges, sit ups, push ups and the plank (ugh) - at home as couldn't make it to the gym, so all without weights this time.
Saturday: 40 minute hill run. This was tough (still not liking those hills!) but again, really makes me feel like I have achieved something at the end so secretly do enjoy it! Was very, very muddy though (as you can see from my shoes!) - I was covered in mud from head to toe by the end!
So, that was all the 'fast' sessions done.. and then there was Sunday - the day of the long run! After last weeks attempt, I was feeling a little nervous about this. I was scheduled to run 12 miles - and last time I had failed to do 9! So, wanting to make it a little easier on myself (I figured it was important to get the miles in and have a good run than massively push myself and potentially not make it!), I chose to go along the Cuckoo Trail - a nice, flat, tarmac (mud free!) path. Now, according to all the information I had read, I needed to be doing the long run at about 30 - 45 seconds slower than my marathon pace, so for me, that would be between 10.30 and 10.45 min/ miles. So, I plugged all the distance/ pace details into my garmin, filled up my water bottle, and off I went... at 8.30 min/miles!
Quickly realising my error, after the first mile I forced myself to slow to an easy jog (weird how hard it is to go slow! Or, slower than I am used to anyway..). Even a slow jog however only got me to 9.20 min/ miles - and I simply couldn't make myself go any slower! Giving up on the 10.30 min/mile plan, I decided to go for consistency - and this, I found, I could do! Every mile from then on was between 9.20 and 9.24 - and it all felt comfortable! All giving me confidence in my training plan - I had just completed the longest run I have ever done (only ever run 10 miles before, and that was in a race. Longest training run was 8 miles...) and I felt... fine!
Well, I say fine... my water ran out at mile 9 (need a bigger bottle!), and by mile 10 I felt STARVING! So, next time... more water, and something to snack on or give me a bit on energy - I am tempted to start trying out the gels, but I have to admit, I am putting it off as I just can't imagine them tasting very nice! But, in term of my legs coping... I was feeling great :-) All in all... a good week of running!
And so, armed with my trusty calculator and the stores of articles I have been putting off reading for the last 10 weeks, I started on the task of 'getting serious'. First thing was the pace - this week marked the start of sessions which included the words 'faster than race pace', 'at race pace' and 'slower than race pace', so now was the time to finally decide on what that race pace was going to be! Since my last blog about pace, I have been giving a lot more thought on the speed I want to/ will be physically capable of running at for a full 26.2 miles, and I had vaguely decided to settle for 10 min/ miles until at least the halfway point - then if I feel good, I can go a bit faster. This would mean I complete the marathon in around 4.30 hours, a time that seems more realistic for my first marathon.
Now, given that my average pace for each run was 8.30 min/ miles (yes I'm not good at varying it!!), the 'faster than race pace' parts don't seem to be a problem. This covered all of the sessions from Monday - Saturday, so I happily did:
Monday: Rest (I am very good at this....!!)
Tuesday: 40 mins steady followed by 4 x 100m strides (got my maths wrong, so this was actually 40mins steady, 4 x 161m strides.. oops). Loved the strides as like ending a session feeling like I have really pushed myself!
Wednesday: Body conditioning class - full of squats, lunges and sit-ups which made me suitable sore the next day!
Thursday: This was meant to be a 50min steady run, however I have just joined a running club (more on that later..), so did the club session which was half an hour of Paarlauf (basically like a relay, so speed work with a short recovery in between).
Friday: 30 minutes of squats, lunges, sit ups, push ups and the plank (ugh) - at home as couldn't make it to the gym, so all without weights this time.
Saturday: 40 minute hill run. This was tough (still not liking those hills!) but again, really makes me feel like I have achieved something at the end so secretly do enjoy it! Was very, very muddy though (as you can see from my shoes!) - I was covered in mud from head to toe by the end!
So, that was all the 'fast' sessions done.. and then there was Sunday - the day of the long run! After last weeks attempt, I was feeling a little nervous about this. I was scheduled to run 12 miles - and last time I had failed to do 9! So, wanting to make it a little easier on myself (I figured it was important to get the miles in and have a good run than massively push myself and potentially not make it!), I chose to go along the Cuckoo Trail - a nice, flat, tarmac (mud free!) path. Now, according to all the information I had read, I needed to be doing the long run at about 30 - 45 seconds slower than my marathon pace, so for me, that would be between 10.30 and 10.45 min/ miles. So, I plugged all the distance/ pace details into my garmin, filled up my water bottle, and off I went... at 8.30 min/miles!
Quickly realising my error, after the first mile I forced myself to slow to an easy jog (weird how hard it is to go slow! Or, slower than I am used to anyway..). Even a slow jog however only got me to 9.20 min/ miles - and I simply couldn't make myself go any slower! Giving up on the 10.30 min/mile plan, I decided to go for consistency - and this, I found, I could do! Every mile from then on was between 9.20 and 9.24 - and it all felt comfortable! All giving me confidence in my training plan - I had just completed the longest run I have ever done (only ever run 10 miles before, and that was in a race. Longest training run was 8 miles...) and I felt... fine!
Well, I say fine... my water ran out at mile 9 (need a bigger bottle!), and by mile 10 I felt STARVING! So, next time... more water, and something to snack on or give me a bit on energy - I am tempted to start trying out the gels, but I have to admit, I am putting it off as I just can't imagine them tasting very nice! But, in term of my legs coping... I was feeling great :-) All in all... a good week of running!
Monday 28 January 2013
Power lunches for work days - my favourite lunch time recipes
Now that I've decided to pay a bit more attention to my diet, I have had to start being much more organised during the week. Grabbing a quick sandwich on the way to work - or, on my 'healthy' feeling days, a supermarket salad - may be quick and easy, but it wasn't doing much for my post-work running, or my bank balance for that matter! So, back to planning my weekly menu's (a much cheaper way to shop, once you get into it and make sure you're using up any leftovers, or making additional portions to freeze for later). Sunday evenings are now spent cooking up a batch of runner-friendly dinners which can be quickly reheated after a late night of working/ running/ gym-ing and sorting out the horse - essential for me as anything which needs more than about 10 minutes prep when I get in is far to easily ditched in favour of the local take away, or a bowl of cereal depending on my bank balance!
Work-day lunches, however, proved to be a little trickier - mainly because I am a) easily bored if I eat the same thing all the time, or if I have anything that tastes bland, and b) I am lazy at making lunches the night before!!! By the time I have got home andcooked reheated dinner (usually about 9.30 - 10pm), the last thing I want to do is head back into the kitchen and start making more food! So, I have been on a search for some tasty, nutritious lunches which are quick to make, or can be made in advance, and that will give me plenty of energy if I go running straight from work.
So, having tried out a few different recipes, these are some of the ones which have made it onto my 'make regularly' list:
Lunches I make in advance for the week ahead:
These are the lunches I make when I know I'm really not going to have time in the evenings to get cooking every day - so I make a few batches, separate them into individual portions and just grab whichever I fancy from the fridge each morning!
1. Soup - So many varieties that I won't write out all the recipes for each, but generally I opt for veggie version's which contain either lentils or beans - my favourite being butternut squash and white bean soup! Warming (I heat in the microwave but if you don't have one, heat it at home and take in a thermos flask), filling, and packing a powerful punch of vitamins and minerals from the veggies, alongside carbohydrates, and good quality protein from the lentils and beans.
2. Ratatouille with baked potatoe - Love this one as its so easy to make, but tastes great and is an easy way of getting to your 7 a day (as recommended by Runners World this month, so the number I am aiming for!). I make a huge saucepan of the ratatouille at the start of the week (recipe below), then cook a jacket potatoe or sweet potatoe in the microwave at work, top with a few spoonfuls of ratatouille and put back in the microwave for a few minutes. Another good dose of carbohydrates - and if I want a bit more protein, I grill a couple of sausages (go for quorn ones if want to restrict calories), chop them up and add to the last few minutes when cooking the ratatouille - yum!
Ratatuoille recipe:
Chop up equal quantities of:
Work-day lunches, however, proved to be a little trickier - mainly because I am a) easily bored if I eat the same thing all the time, or if I have anything that tastes bland, and b) I am lazy at making lunches the night before!!! By the time I have got home and
So, having tried out a few different recipes, these are some of the ones which have made it onto my 'make regularly' list:
Lunches I make in advance for the week ahead:
These are the lunches I make when I know I'm really not going to have time in the evenings to get cooking every day - so I make a few batches, separate them into individual portions and just grab whichever I fancy from the fridge each morning!
1. Soup - So many varieties that I won't write out all the recipes for each, but generally I opt for veggie version's which contain either lentils or beans - my favourite being butternut squash and white bean soup! Warming (I heat in the microwave but if you don't have one, heat it at home and take in a thermos flask), filling, and packing a powerful punch of vitamins and minerals from the veggies, alongside carbohydrates, and good quality protein from the lentils and beans.
2. Ratatouille with baked potatoe - Love this one as its so easy to make, but tastes great and is an easy way of getting to your 7 a day (as recommended by Runners World this month, so the number I am aiming for!). I make a huge saucepan of the ratatouille at the start of the week (recipe below), then cook a jacket potatoe or sweet potatoe in the microwave at work, top with a few spoonfuls of ratatouille and put back in the microwave for a few minutes. Another good dose of carbohydrates - and if I want a bit more protein, I grill a couple of sausages (go for quorn ones if want to restrict calories), chop them up and add to the last few minutes when cooking the ratatouille - yum!
Ratatuoille recipe:
Chop up equal quantities of:
- Aubergine
- Courgette
- Red pepper
- Onion
- Tomato (can use tinned but use less in proportion to the other veg if you do)
Heat some oil in a saucepan and add all the veg, saute for a few minutes. Add 1 crushed garlic clove and a few coriander seeds, cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, or until veg is soft and cooked through (add sausages after 35 mins if using). Season with pepper and stir in a little chopped basil.
Recipes I make the night before:
These recipes are ones that don't take too long to prepare, and taste better when made fresh (although will keep if you want, except the rice salad).
3. Pasta salad - Again, lots of versions you can make to keep this interesting! My favourite is wholemeal pasta with diced cucumber, chopped red, yellow and orange peppers with a few halved cherry tomatoes added, and a small amount of diced cheddar cheese. Toss with a dressing made from 3 parts olive oil/ 1 part white wine vinegar and serve with a rocket salad.
4. Pasta and homemade pesto with rocket salad - I love pesto, but find the shop version a little salty and less healthy, so I like to make this version. To make the pesto, I blend 6 tablespoons of pine nuts with a small bunch of basil (I use leaves and the finer stalks), 2 cloves of crushed garlic and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add salt to taste (I don't usually add any, but I'm not keen on salt!) and mix with cooked wholemeal pasta (approx 300g - the recipe makes enough for 3-4 days worth!). I have this with a rocket, watercress and spinach salad to up the nutrient levels even more, and sometimes chuck a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts on top for added flavour.
5. Tuna and rice salad - This is a recipe my friend told me, and its my absolute favourite! The most filling of the lot - and so delicious I never want to stop eating it! To make it, cook 50g of brown rice. Mix the cooked rice with 50g tinned tuna (I use tuna in oil, as prefer the taste, but to be ultra-healthy and reduce calories just swop that for the version in spring water), 1 finely diced carrot, 2 sliced spring onions and a tablespoon of fresh peas (uncooked). Make a dressing by mixing 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp soy sauce and 2 tsp lemon juice. drizzle over the salad and mix well, add black pepper to taste.
So, those are some of the recipes I make when I am in the mood for cooking.. I will admit that some (very occasional..!) days, I still get to work without making my lunch - so I have a few more 'runner friendly' versions of lunches that I keep in my desk drawer for 'emergencies'. My favourites of these are the Food Doctor 'instant' pots - these are basically along the lines of a pot noodle, but with a much more powerful nutrition 'punch'! Just add water, wait a few minutes, and tuck in - I love the bulgar wheat and quinoa with asparagus, leek and mint - but all the versions honestly taste very good, and are surprising filling! The other option I have is the Merchant Gourmet Puy Lentils, which come in variety of flavours (I have the one with sun dried tomatoes and basil) - just heat the sachet in a microwave and you have a meal in minutes :-)
I'm always on the lookout for new recipes, so if you have any other good lunch ideas, let me know!
Sunday 27 January 2013
The weekend's training - post-snow running!
Before I started running, I was a huge fan of snow. Seeing even the slightest speck of a possible snowflake would instantly revert me to a state of complete overstated excitement as I rushed to find my sledge (often followed by acute disappointment as I realised that what I thought was snow was actually turning out to be nothing more than slushy rain, but that never deterred me..!). To me, snow was full of potential 'snow days' from work (I work in a rural area so get enough of the stuff and we get sent home before being stuck there for the week). Not being able to drive my car anywhere (it seems to enjoy snow as much as me and will take any opportunity to go 'skiing' - sideways, backwards, through the neighbours gardens - rather than just driving in a straight line) was the perfect excuse to wrap up, spend a happy few hours on the sledge followed by crunching down the lane to the local pub while something delicious and, most importantly, HOT cooked away in the slow cooker. Yes, snow made it a pain to get to my horse, or do anything with it for that matter, but the positives definitely outweighed this!
So, when the snow started to fall - and actually settle - this year, I was just as over-excited as ever. And this time I had an even better excuse to get out and play - I had running to do! As I already had the perfect winter running gear, the cold and icy conditions didn't faze me and I happily spent the first few days crunching along the trails, enjoying finding routes that hadn't yet been used by others - the satisfaction of being able to leave the first footprints in an untouched, perfect layer of fresh snow is addictive even now!
However, by the end of the week, the novelty of Lapland-style running conditions began to fade. Yes, the snow was very pretty and it still sounded lovely underfoot, but in the interests of staying upright, my pace had slowed considerably. Now, running through snow is hard work, so yes I was still feeling it a little in my legs, and the ice-dodging was great for my agility. All good for my easy and steady runs.. but attempting speed or hill work was impossible! Speed because of the slippery conditions and the need to be more observant about where I was placing my feet (i.e. not on an unexpected sheet of ice!) and hills because, once at the top, the only way down appeared to be sliding on various parts of my anatomy (usually my bum, which is the most dignified methods of descent..). I was therefore starting to feel a bit conscious that my running was deviating somewhat from my running schedule, and have never been so pleased to see the back of snow as I was this weekend! Never has a bit of rain made me smile quite so much!
And so, back on schedule, I was ready to up the speed and get back on track with the marathon training. Saturday was marked as a 5 mile hill run. Never a big fan of hills, this is one of the sessions that I have been finding the toughest - give me speed work any day! The idea of this hill run is to keep the same pace up and down the hills as I do on the flat - completely contradictory to my bodies preference of going fast on the flat, slowing down to practically a walk as I struggle up the hill, followed by a try-and-keep-up-with-my-limbs free-fall down the other side!
For the hill run this weekend, I had chosen a route which I have done, in parts, before - giving me a bit of confidence that I knew just how long and steep each hill was! The route includes one mile-long hill which has more gradual gradient (climbing from Jevington to Willingdon hill, if anyone knows the East Sussex area!), a short but ridiculously steep hill that leaves me gasping for breath as I just about make it to the top, a more gentle slope which is a bit easier on me in between - and a few flat sections linking the 3. Now, the first thing I noticed as I set off up the first hill, was how much easier I was finding it on my legs! Normally they are screaming at me to top before I'm even halfway up the first hill, and despite my best intentions, I usually end up slowing down a little. This time, I was almost heading down the other side before I had even noticed! Considering the lack of hill practise during the 'snow season', I am putting this down to the body pump classes I have started doing on my non-running days. All those agonising squats have definitely had an impact on my leg strength - and it was showing!
The second thing I noticed about my run was my speed. Normally, my legs would automatically settle into a pace of about 8.30 min/ mile - other than a quick check of the Garmin as I headed up a hill, I could be reasonably confident that my speed was pretty much dead on this. Saturday however, a glance at my watch as I finished the first mile shocked me with a time of nearly 9.15 minutes! Clearly my body had gotten a little too used to running at 'snow speed' - and I had to make a concerted effort to get back to the pace I wanted. Still, I got there, and stayed there, for the remaining 4 miles and felt pretty satisfied with my run- it helped that it had been an absolutely gorgeous sunny day as well, perfect running weather for me! Crisp, clear and sunny and just the right amount of exertion to give me my runners high - bliss!
And then came Sunday. The day of my long run, which is steadily creeping up each week. This time my schedule said to complete 8-10 miles - so I had decided to go for 9, with the option of adding in an extra mile if I felt good at the end (haha..). Now, the day was promising to be as good for running as yesterday - yes, it had rained overnight (quite heavily..), but the sky was now clear, the sun was shining.. what could go wrong!?
Everything, apparently! Full of love for the South Downs from yesterdays glorious run, I took the car and headed off up Butts Brow, one of my favourite running spots. Getting out of the car, I did slightly question my decision on the route - it was blowing a gale up there! - but I was well wrapped up and figured that even if its hard work against the wind on the way out, on the way back it would practically push me home, minimal running effort required! The weather, however, was clearly having a bit of a laugh at me. Every time I changed direction, so did the wind. Meaning I ended up battling against what basically felt like a hurricane the whole way around - it was tough, both physically and, more surprisingly, mentally!
And then there was the matter of the rain. Yes, it was now brilliant sunshine, but last nights downpour had turned the ground underfoot into a quagmire - so much so that, as I battled through some particularly deep mud, it managed to suck my trainer right off my foot! Unfortunately, the momentum I was having to use to power through the field meant I kept on full-flow for a good few strides before being able to slow down, stop, and retrace my steps to find the now sunken shoe. Even more unfortunately, this was only 4 miles in, leaving me another 5 to squelch through with one very soggy and uncomfortable sock!
Between the cold and wet foot - which by mile 6 had started to rub more than a little - and the constant battling against the wind, I was not entirely enjoying my run! This was combined with the fact that the ground, in the areas it wasn't knee-deep mud, was so slippery with surface water that for every stride forward, I was sliding 2 strides back. By mile 7 I was knackered, grumpy and seriously wanting to stop. My legs had also started to remember they had done a hill run yesterday (up to this week, Saturdays had been for cross training, so this was the first week they had to cope with a long run after being properly used the day before!). And. as much as I hate to admit it, at mile 8 I did actually stop.. mile 9 involved running past the car and back around another short loop and, with the '8 to 10' option in my head, I decided that reaching the minimum requirement for the day was quite enough!!
So, what have I learnt from this run? Well:
Number one - check the full weather report before going out - and choosing an appropriate route for the conditions! I'm sure, had I picked a flatter route out of the wind, I could have done the 9 miles much more comfortably!
Number two - Put a spare change of clothes in the car, if running away from home. My cold feet were begging for a dry pair of socks to drive back in!! And an extra jumper would have been good, as once I stopped it felt cold pretty quickly!
Number three - Leave some food in the car! I was starving when I finished, and would have been hugely appreciative of a quick snack rather than having to wait to get home. Something other than water to drink could be useful as well - I need to start trying out the sports drinks now I'm approaching the hour long runs as I'm sure I could they would help with recovery, as well as performance on the actual run.
Number four - Don't beat yourself up if your run doesn't go to plan! Yes, I stopped earlier than intended, but then, I had a great run yesterday, I did the basic amount I needed to... and its only one run! and therefore isn't going to completely derail my marathon aims! learn what you can from it, forget the rest of it and get on with enjoying the rest of the running - it can only go better!!
So, when the snow started to fall - and actually settle - this year, I was just as over-excited as ever. And this time I had an even better excuse to get out and play - I had running to do! As I already had the perfect winter running gear, the cold and icy conditions didn't faze me and I happily spent the first few days crunching along the trails, enjoying finding routes that hadn't yet been used by others - the satisfaction of being able to leave the first footprints in an untouched, perfect layer of fresh snow is addictive even now!
However, by the end of the week, the novelty of Lapland-style running conditions began to fade. Yes, the snow was very pretty and it still sounded lovely underfoot, but in the interests of staying upright, my pace had slowed considerably. Now, running through snow is hard work, so yes I was still feeling it a little in my legs, and the ice-dodging was great for my agility. All good for my easy and steady runs.. but attempting speed or hill work was impossible! Speed because of the slippery conditions and the need to be more observant about where I was placing my feet (i.e. not on an unexpected sheet of ice!) and hills because, once at the top, the only way down appeared to be sliding on various parts of my anatomy (usually my bum, which is the most dignified methods of descent..). I was therefore starting to feel a bit conscious that my running was deviating somewhat from my running schedule, and have never been so pleased to see the back of snow as I was this weekend! Never has a bit of rain made me smile quite so much!
And so, back on schedule, I was ready to up the speed and get back on track with the marathon training. Saturday was marked as a 5 mile hill run. Never a big fan of hills, this is one of the sessions that I have been finding the toughest - give me speed work any day! The idea of this hill run is to keep the same pace up and down the hills as I do on the flat - completely contradictory to my bodies preference of going fast on the flat, slowing down to practically a walk as I struggle up the hill, followed by a try-and-keep-up-with-my-limbs free-fall down the other side!
For the hill run this weekend, I had chosen a route which I have done, in parts, before - giving me a bit of confidence that I knew just how long and steep each hill was! The route includes one mile-long hill which has more gradual gradient (climbing from Jevington to Willingdon hill, if anyone knows the East Sussex area!), a short but ridiculously steep hill that leaves me gasping for breath as I just about make it to the top, a more gentle slope which is a bit easier on me in between - and a few flat sections linking the 3. Now, the first thing I noticed as I set off up the first hill, was how much easier I was finding it on my legs! Normally they are screaming at me to top before I'm even halfway up the first hill, and despite my best intentions, I usually end up slowing down a little. This time, I was almost heading down the other side before I had even noticed! Considering the lack of hill practise during the 'snow season', I am putting this down to the body pump classes I have started doing on my non-running days. All those agonising squats have definitely had an impact on my leg strength - and it was showing!
The second thing I noticed about my run was my speed. Normally, my legs would automatically settle into a pace of about 8.30 min/ mile - other than a quick check of the Garmin as I headed up a hill, I could be reasonably confident that my speed was pretty much dead on this. Saturday however, a glance at my watch as I finished the first mile shocked me with a time of nearly 9.15 minutes! Clearly my body had gotten a little too used to running at 'snow speed' - and I had to make a concerted effort to get back to the pace I wanted. Still, I got there, and stayed there, for the remaining 4 miles and felt pretty satisfied with my run- it helped that it had been an absolutely gorgeous sunny day as well, perfect running weather for me! Crisp, clear and sunny and just the right amount of exertion to give me my runners high - bliss!
And then came Sunday. The day of my long run, which is steadily creeping up each week. This time my schedule said to complete 8-10 miles - so I had decided to go for 9, with the option of adding in an extra mile if I felt good at the end (haha..). Now, the day was promising to be as good for running as yesterday - yes, it had rained overnight (quite heavily..), but the sky was now clear, the sun was shining.. what could go wrong!?
Everything, apparently! Full of love for the South Downs from yesterdays glorious run, I took the car and headed off up Butts Brow, one of my favourite running spots. Getting out of the car, I did slightly question my decision on the route - it was blowing a gale up there! - but I was well wrapped up and figured that even if its hard work against the wind on the way out, on the way back it would practically push me home, minimal running effort required! The weather, however, was clearly having a bit of a laugh at me. Every time I changed direction, so did the wind. Meaning I ended up battling against what basically felt like a hurricane the whole way around - it was tough, both physically and, more surprisingly, mentally!
And then there was the matter of the rain. Yes, it was now brilliant sunshine, but last nights downpour had turned the ground underfoot into a quagmire - so much so that, as I battled through some particularly deep mud, it managed to suck my trainer right off my foot! Unfortunately, the momentum I was having to use to power through the field meant I kept on full-flow for a good few strides before being able to slow down, stop, and retrace my steps to find the now sunken shoe. Even more unfortunately, this was only 4 miles in, leaving me another 5 to squelch through with one very soggy and uncomfortable sock!
Between the cold and wet foot - which by mile 6 had started to rub more than a little - and the constant battling against the wind, I was not entirely enjoying my run! This was combined with the fact that the ground, in the areas it wasn't knee-deep mud, was so slippery with surface water that for every stride forward, I was sliding 2 strides back. By mile 7 I was knackered, grumpy and seriously wanting to stop. My legs had also started to remember they had done a hill run yesterday (up to this week, Saturdays had been for cross training, so this was the first week they had to cope with a long run after being properly used the day before!). And. as much as I hate to admit it, at mile 8 I did actually stop.. mile 9 involved running past the car and back around another short loop and, with the '8 to 10' option in my head, I decided that reaching the minimum requirement for the day was quite enough!!
So, what have I learnt from this run? Well:
Number one - check the full weather report before going out - and choosing an appropriate route for the conditions! I'm sure, had I picked a flatter route out of the wind, I could have done the 9 miles much more comfortably!
Number two - Put a spare change of clothes in the car, if running away from home. My cold feet were begging for a dry pair of socks to drive back in!! And an extra jumper would have been good, as once I stopped it felt cold pretty quickly!
Number three - Leave some food in the car! I was starving when I finished, and would have been hugely appreciative of a quick snack rather than having to wait to get home. Something other than water to drink could be useful as well - I need to start trying out the sports drinks now I'm approaching the hour long runs as I'm sure I could they would help with recovery, as well as performance on the actual run.
Number four - Don't beat yourself up if your run doesn't go to plan! Yes, I stopped earlier than intended, but then, I had a great run yesterday, I did the basic amount I needed to... and its only one run! and therefore isn't going to completely derail my marathon aims! learn what you can from it, forget the rest of it and get on with enjoying the rest of the running - it can only go better!!
Thursday 24 January 2013
What (not) to eat and when (not) to eat it
Ever since starting my training, I have been aware of just how important nutrition is for running. Not really rocket science when you think about it - the only thing fuelling my legs is what I am putting into my mouth - so eat 'properly', my legs go faster (or for further... in theory!), live on a diet of chocolate and take aways and my legs, along with the rest of my body, will start to protest. And then stop , or at least slow down. Of course, look into it in a bit more depth, and there is much more too it. What you eat will effect everything from how much energy your body is able to make, and at what speeds it can go whilst making it, how soon into your session you will start to fatigue, how quickly you can recover before the next run - or how long you will feel exhausted for... even how well you can fight some of the less positive effects of the training plan, such as keeping your skin looking healthy and happy despite the regular attacks of sun/ wind/ sweat/ rain!
Whilst I understand all of the above, and, having obsessively read every article I can find on nutrition for both health and performance of runners, have a pretty good idea of which foods are high in the key nutrients I need - be it simple or complex carbohydrates or healthy fats for energy, protein for recovery, or vitamins and minerals for.. well, basically everything!, I am the first to admit that the 'finer' details of what to eat - or, just as important, when to eat it - leave me a little baffled. Now, this is probably largely due to the fact that when I get to the part of each article which carefully details exactly how to calculate how many grams of carbohydrates you should be eating on different training days, or what percentage of each meal should be vegetables, or the ratio of carb's: protein you should have in your recovery drink or meal, my brain instantly responds with an 'uurghh.. maths..' and shuts down. Leaving me cutting out (or printing) the article and adding it to the pile of 'read later' things - a growing pile which also includes calculations for mile splits, water requirements and electrolytes - basically anything which could be vaguely interpreted as maths related!
Now, my fear of maths is not a new phobia - I have hated the subject ever since leaving school (well, starting school if I'm honest..). I am, however, very aware that at some point in the near future, I am going to have to 'get over it'. I don't want to arrive at the marathon start line un-fuelled and unprepared - or with zero idea of how fast I need to be running each mile (I am aiming to run a negative split, so this does require a little maths!). The time for complicated dietary arithmetic has not yet arrived - I am saving this for when my mileage on the long run is over 12 miles (no rational explanation for this cut-off point, its just when I have decided to 'get clever'..!). In the meantime, I have been aiming to simply eat a healthy, balanced diet - one packed full of running 'superfoods' so that, even if the amounts are a little off, I am essentially supplying most of what my body requires.
This determination to eat 'properly' got off to a pretty good start, especially with my 'super cleanse' in January. I was eating well, and, by a trial-and-error type approach, was slowly working out how close to running I could eat different foods. So far, any high fat foods were out at least 3 hours before running - longer if I want to go at any speeds. Evening meals seemed to have a bigger effect on the next days running than my breakfast (although this definately has an influence as well). Low fat meals can be eaten between 2 - 2.5 hours before a run, as long as it's not too large (no complete pig outs!), and eating within 20 mins of finishing a light snack with a mix of carb's and protein makes me feel better faster - and stops me suddenly having a sugar crash and eating the entire contents of my fridge later on!
So, overall, I was feeling pretty healthy, and enjoying it - it's amazing how much more energy eating well gives you! But somehow, over the last couple of weeks, I have found myself... 'slipping'! It started with the morning tea-break at work. Now, after the Zest Super Cleanse, I had cut my caffeine consumption right back (I was on about 5 cups a day before this - slightly above the healthy limit I think!), so I had avoiding tea breaks. However, gradually I have started to join the rest of the office... and somehow, along with the cup of tea, I have started to join in on the biscuit eating. And then the chocolate bar run... and the afternoon cakes.. (my office likes sugar, clearly!). So, blood sugar levels throughout the day are rocketing sky-high one minute, crashing the next.
I had also stopped planning my meals. Claiming a lack of time now the hours of running had gone up, both the weekly food shop and the making of healthy lunches the night before had faded out - meaning I was grabbing a quick cuppa soup or shop sandwich on the way to work. Not exactly filling - which meant that, before I would head out for an evening run, I would grab a quick bowl of cereal - essential as without I wouldn't have the energy to run hard enough, but... I was still eating exactly the same sized dinner when I got in, despite my best intentions not too!! So, my ideal weight, something I was pretty much spot on, was creeping up - not something I want, I don't want more of me to have to carry around a marathon! I was also feeling the effects of not eating as much of the 'nutritious' foods (chocolate may be delicious but a bar of dairy milk doesn't have quite the health-kick for my body as a pile of fruit or veg!).
Now, although I had noticed the quality of my week-day runs going a bit downhill, the final kick up the bum which has made me want to sort it out was my run on Tuesday night. This was meant to be a relatively easy, 40 minute steady run. Being absolutely STARVING when I got in from work (Cuppa soup day....!), I opted for having a proper dinner, which I could cook and eat before 7, followed by gym at about half 9 when I had finished digesting it. All well and good, in theory - however.. my hungry brain seemed to interpret that decision into 'I will eat as much as humanly possible until 7pm'..! And so, I did. A huge portion of lasangne, garlic bread and (less huge) portion of salad later, I attempted to do the 40 minutes training. Of course, having now digested food and calmed the part of me screaming 'eat eat eat', I was well aware that that had not been a good idea, and that the run was going to be painful. So, when the stitch kicked in within 5 minutes, I grumbled at myself for self-inflicting pain and pushed through it. Previously (yes, I may have made similar mistakes in the past....!!), I have managed to hobble through the run - admittedly at a ridiculously slow pace, but I always completed it - and then told myself off for being so stupid!
This time however, slowing down did not help. by 10 minutes in, I was barely out of walk.. worse, I was steadily feeling more and more ill as the run went on. By 20 minutes, my stomach gave me a very clear choice - throw up in the middle of the rather busy gym, or stop. Quickly! I opted for the latter... halfway through my planned run, I had to give up! I had never, ever given up on a run before - I have had times when I have hated being out, but give it 5 minutes of pushing though and I always get past it and enjoy the rest - so having to stop this time was frustrating, to say the least! More so as I knew it was all my fault - I was not happy!!
So, now that I have had a bit of a kick from my body, I am back to being planned and organised - having a pre-run luch packed, plus nuts, fruit, veg sticks etc to snack on, leaves me no reason to sneak down to the snack bar for chocolate - and the lunches can make at home are much more runner-friendly than the shop versions (and, actually, often taste nicer - when I stick to the recipe!!). There may be something in the saying 'fail to plan and you plan to fail...' - and this time I'm sticking to the plan! And on the lookout for some new lunch ideas, if anyone has any suggestions :-)
Whilst I understand all of the above, and, having obsessively read every article I can find on nutrition for both health and performance of runners, have a pretty good idea of which foods are high in the key nutrients I need - be it simple or complex carbohydrates or healthy fats for energy, protein for recovery, or vitamins and minerals for.. well, basically everything!, I am the first to admit that the 'finer' details of what to eat - or, just as important, when to eat it - leave me a little baffled. Now, this is probably largely due to the fact that when I get to the part of each article which carefully details exactly how to calculate how many grams of carbohydrates you should be eating on different training days, or what percentage of each meal should be vegetables, or the ratio of carb's: protein you should have in your recovery drink or meal, my brain instantly responds with an 'uurghh.. maths..' and shuts down. Leaving me cutting out (or printing) the article and adding it to the pile of 'read later' things - a growing pile which also includes calculations for mile splits, water requirements and electrolytes - basically anything which could be vaguely interpreted as maths related!
Now, my fear of maths is not a new phobia - I have hated the subject ever since leaving school (well, starting school if I'm honest..). I am, however, very aware that at some point in the near future, I am going to have to 'get over it'. I don't want to arrive at the marathon start line un-fuelled and unprepared - or with zero idea of how fast I need to be running each mile (I am aiming to run a negative split, so this does require a little maths!). The time for complicated dietary arithmetic has not yet arrived - I am saving this for when my mileage on the long run is over 12 miles (no rational explanation for this cut-off point, its just when I have decided to 'get clever'..!). In the meantime, I have been aiming to simply eat a healthy, balanced diet - one packed full of running 'superfoods' so that, even if the amounts are a little off, I am essentially supplying most of what my body requires.
This determination to eat 'properly' got off to a pretty good start, especially with my 'super cleanse' in January. I was eating well, and, by a trial-and-error type approach, was slowly working out how close to running I could eat different foods. So far, any high fat foods were out at least 3 hours before running - longer if I want to go at any speeds. Evening meals seemed to have a bigger effect on the next days running than my breakfast (although this definately has an influence as well). Low fat meals can be eaten between 2 - 2.5 hours before a run, as long as it's not too large (no complete pig outs!), and eating within 20 mins of finishing a light snack with a mix of carb's and protein makes me feel better faster - and stops me suddenly having a sugar crash and eating the entire contents of my fridge later on!
So, overall, I was feeling pretty healthy, and enjoying it - it's amazing how much more energy eating well gives you! But somehow, over the last couple of weeks, I have found myself... 'slipping'! It started with the morning tea-break at work. Now, after the Zest Super Cleanse, I had cut my caffeine consumption right back (I was on about 5 cups a day before this - slightly above the healthy limit I think!), so I had avoiding tea breaks. However, gradually I have started to join the rest of the office... and somehow, along with the cup of tea, I have started to join in on the biscuit eating. And then the chocolate bar run... and the afternoon cakes.. (my office likes sugar, clearly!). So, blood sugar levels throughout the day are rocketing sky-high one minute, crashing the next.
I had also stopped planning my meals. Claiming a lack of time now the hours of running had gone up, both the weekly food shop and the making of healthy lunches the night before had faded out - meaning I was grabbing a quick cuppa soup or shop sandwich on the way to work. Not exactly filling - which meant that, before I would head out for an evening run, I would grab a quick bowl of cereal - essential as without I wouldn't have the energy to run hard enough, but... I was still eating exactly the same sized dinner when I got in, despite my best intentions not too!! So, my ideal weight, something I was pretty much spot on, was creeping up - not something I want, I don't want more of me to have to carry around a marathon! I was also feeling the effects of not eating as much of the 'nutritious' foods (chocolate may be delicious but a bar of dairy milk doesn't have quite the health-kick for my body as a pile of fruit or veg!).
Now, although I had noticed the quality of my week-day runs going a bit downhill, the final kick up the bum which has made me want to sort it out was my run on Tuesday night. This was meant to be a relatively easy, 40 minute steady run. Being absolutely STARVING when I got in from work (Cuppa soup day....!), I opted for having a proper dinner, which I could cook and eat before 7, followed by gym at about half 9 when I had finished digesting it. All well and good, in theory - however.. my hungry brain seemed to interpret that decision into 'I will eat as much as humanly possible until 7pm'..! And so, I did. A huge portion of lasangne, garlic bread and (less huge) portion of salad later, I attempted to do the 40 minutes training. Of course, having now digested food and calmed the part of me screaming 'eat eat eat', I was well aware that that had not been a good idea, and that the run was going to be painful. So, when the stitch kicked in within 5 minutes, I grumbled at myself for self-inflicting pain and pushed through it. Previously (yes, I may have made similar mistakes in the past....!!), I have managed to hobble through the run - admittedly at a ridiculously slow pace, but I always completed it - and then told myself off for being so stupid!
This time however, slowing down did not help. by 10 minutes in, I was barely out of walk.. worse, I was steadily feeling more and more ill as the run went on. By 20 minutes, my stomach gave me a very clear choice - throw up in the middle of the rather busy gym, or stop. Quickly! I opted for the latter... halfway through my planned run, I had to give up! I had never, ever given up on a run before - I have had times when I have hated being out, but give it 5 minutes of pushing though and I always get past it and enjoy the rest - so having to stop this time was frustrating, to say the least! More so as I knew it was all my fault - I was not happy!!
So, now that I have had a bit of a kick from my body, I am back to being planned and organised - having a pre-run luch packed, plus nuts, fruit, veg sticks etc to snack on, leaves me no reason to sneak down to the snack bar for chocolate - and the lunches can make at home are much more runner-friendly than the shop versions (and, actually, often taste nicer - when I stick to the recipe!!). There may be something in the saying 'fail to plan and you plan to fail...' - and this time I'm sticking to the plan! And on the lookout for some new lunch ideas, if anyone has any suggestions :-)
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