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 and cooked 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:

• 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!

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!!

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 :-)

Post Run Pampering - Winter Treats for the Skin

As the temperature dropped in the last few days, I have been out braving the snow for my runs (out of necessity rather than choice - I couldn't get the car out to make it as far as the gym!!), and my skin had started to complain. Always a little reactive to the weather, and to the drying effects of my workout-induced sweats, my skin now felt permanently tight and dry, and I was getting increasing prone to the kind of pronounced redness that couldn't be hidden by any amount of make-up - not a look that I was particularly aiming for, and so I decided to give my skin a little TLC after this weeks Sunday long run. Having opted for an afternoon run (or rather, having gotten up so late that a morning run was out of the question...), by the time I got home, re-fueled and completed all my post-run stretches, I felt justified in being able to spend the rest of the evening having a luxuriously long soak in the bath. And so, lighting a few candles and dimming the lights in order to recreate a 'spa-like' setting, I got out all my favourite pampering treats, and prepared to indulge every part of my run-weary body.

First of these was my Sanctuary Spa Relax Nourishing Bath Soak. This is a rich, creamy bubble bath which is packed full of delicious-smelling essential oils, which fill the bathroom and help to completely relax and unwind me after a hard run. The bath soak also contains milk, honey and sweet almond oil, which soothes my skin and leaves it feeling nourished and moisturised without being too oily when I get out - bliss :-)

Whilst I'm letting my body soak up all the moisturising goodness from the bath, I get going on the facial. After cleansing with my usual cleanser - L'Occitane Immortelle Cleansing Milk (love this - brilliant at getting rid of all traces of make-up without being too greasy or drying out my skin. Slightly fragranced though, for anyone who can be sensitive to this), I give my face a scrub with Nivea Daily Essentials Skin Refining Scrub. This is a gentle scrub which exfoliates thoroughly, leaving a smooth, even surface for my Sanctuary Spa Brightening Facial Moisture Boosting Mask.

I use this mask regularly, particularly during the winter months, and find it invaluable in rehydrating my skin. It smells light and fresh, and the creamy texture glides onto the skin and is easily absorbed - I usually put on a thick layer, relax for 5 minutes, then top up where it has been absorbed before relaxing for another 5 minutes (you apply for 10  minutes or overnight, although I have never tried leaving it on overnight as have visions of very messy sticky pillows the next morning!). The mask contains shea butter and honey to nourish the skin, rosehip seed oil to help skin restore any damage, and lavender oil - which adds to the relaxing experience as well as calming the skin.

While the face mask is taking effect, I take the chance to smooth some John Frieda Frizz-Ease Miraculous Recovery Intensive Masque onto my hair, which has also suffered from the weather recently - like I said, I like to indulge all of me! Letting the hair mask smooth my locks into something more frizz-free, shiny and manageable, I give my body (especially arms and legs!) a good scrub with the Sanctuary Spa Salt Scrub, then shower all the products off ready to apply lashings of moisturiser - Garnier Skin Naturals Summer Body Moisturing Lotion for the body (I like the slight summer glow it gives, plus its the best/ longest lasting moisturiser I have found so far!), and L'Occitane Ultra Rich Face Cream for .. well, the face! 

This is another Shea Butter product, which is perfect for protecting my skin during winter months without making it too greasy - light and quickly absorbed, but hard working moisturising effect, well worth the money compared with some of the cheaper alternatives I have tried so far! I also love the packaging - a satisfyingly heavy glass bottle with pump-action top.

So, after all that pampering, I feel blissed out and ready to face the elements again... and bare my face in public afterwards without a rather over-zealous 'glow' from the great outdoors!

A question of Speed..

So far during my training, the dilemma of what speed I should be running at isn't really something that has entered my mind. That's not to say I have spent the whole time running at exactly the same speed - my schedule has been full of easy runs, steady runs and tempo sessions - however I have based all of these on how my body feels. Easy runs - I can talk the whole way around, or, less pleasant to anyone in the surrounding area, sing along to my favourite music (on the days that I am listening to it). Steady runs I up the effort a little, so I have to actually pause for breath between sentences, and on tempo days or during 'fast' intervals its a struggle to get more than a  single word out (it also starts to feel like my legs are going to fall off but I am hoping that's something that will improve once the strength work at the gym kicks in!). 

However, reading on to the next few weeks of running, I noticed the words ' marathon pace' start to creep in. According to my training plan, I will be running miles 'at marathon pace', 'below marathon pace' and 'faster than marathon pace'. All very well, but having never run a marathon before, what exactly IS my marathon pace?! Being proactive about these things, I got straight online and tried out the Runners World Race Pace Calculator. Basing my times on my last 10K, I entered my details... and was promptly predicted a marathon race time of 3:40 (give or take a few seconds). Now, I am an optimistic person and always like to think that I can do well when I put my mind to something or want something badly enough. A time of 3:40 in my first ever marathon however, when I have never run more than 10 miles before (and was pretty sure I was going to keel over when I did run 10 miles), seems exceeding unrealistic! So how else can I work out my pace?

Putting my mind to working this out, I started thinking about what I actually wanted to run the marathon in, in a realistic sense (obviously I would WANT to run it in 3:40..!). Whilst you may think its odd that I haven't thought about this before, since entering the marathon my sole ambition has been to get round, and still be alive at the end of it! To me, running 26.2 miles seems a little impossible (I tell myself it's not, having seen some friends manage it more than once..), and putting a time limit on an 'impossible' task didn't seem necessary. However, if I really think about how I would feel about different finishing times, I came to the conclusion that anything slower than 5 hours I would be a little disappointed in (cue immediate fears that I will now take 6 hours...), and anything quicker than 4:30 I would be thrilled with. So, based on that.. my pace per mile could be anything from 11.45 min/ mile to 10.30 min/ mile (provided my maths is right, which is often debatable...). But how to narrow that down to a precise number?!

This is when I turned to my Garmin. Having accurately recorded the pace of all my previous runs, surely this would give some clues? So, switching on the computer, where all the data had been carefully downloaded, I started going through each run. Unfortunately, instead of helping, this just made me more confused! Basically every run I had done, whether its easy, interval, steady or tempo, short or long, appeared to have an average pace of 8.30 min/ mile! yes, in the intervals I was doing part of that mile a bit faster, and part a bit slower, but my body seemed intent on sticking to the same speed, regardless of how hard or easy the session felt - a speed that I'm sure I wouldn't be able to keep up for a whole marathon! So, as its faster than the lower end of my 'marathon range', should I pick the 10.30 min/ mile as my marathon pace, or should I be aiming for something a bit faster? I don't want to push myself too hard and not be able to complete the marathon, but equally I want to do as well as I am capable of... so now I feel a bit stuck!

Also, once I have worked out what my marathon pace actually is, just how much slower should I go for 'below marathon pace', and how much faster should the 'faster than marathon pace' be? This training seems to be taxing my mind almost as much as its taxing my body today!

So, any experienced  marathoners out there, advice would be very welcome :-)

My favourite winter-warmer breakfast for long run days

As my long runs have steadily increased in mileage over the last few weeks, I have been trying out some different breakfast 'strategies' to see which can fuel my legs the best. It didn't take long to work out that my favourite Sunday fry-up was not quite up to the job - I may not run out of fuel after a huge pile of sausage, bacon, beans, egg and toast, but 10 minutes into the run my body would protest and give me a crippling stitch, slowing me down to the pace where I would actually be overtaken by people walking (yes that actually happened - possibly one of my worst runs ever to date that one!) and giving me a rather strange gait at the same time! Other options that haven't worked are the 'light' cereals (think special K type's - taste good but try to go more than 3 miles after and I just run out of steam!), a banana (healthier, but again just not enough!), marmite on toast - which weirdly also always gives me a stitch - and croissants (probably self-explanatory!).

So, what does work for me? For shorter runs, I am still liking the smoothies I started having on the Zest Super Cleanse - they seem to wake up my body and are great for anything up to about 6 miles. Anything over that, I am so far finding a bowl of shreddies or, my favourite on an icy morning, a big vat of porridge! Now, I had given up eating porridge ever since Uni, when, having 'slightly' mis-calculated my budget for the month, I found myself hideously overdrawn 3 weeks before my next pay day (yes, I had managed to spend it all in the first week..!!). Having not much more than porridge in the cupboards, that was what I ate. Breakfast, lunch and dinner... for 3 weeks! By the end of that, I couldn't even look at a bag of porridge oats without my stomach groaning at me - and so, despite the huge amount of people telling me it would be great for my running, I put off going back to the oats.

However, as marathon training progressed and the importance of correct nutrition became more and more evident, I reluctantly convinced myself to give porridge another go. Still not able to face the 'plain' version of simple oats and milk, I dug around for some ideas on how to spice it up, made of the list of the versions I thought I could stomach, stocked up on a huge bag of oats (still so much cheaper than buying cereal!), and got cooking! 

Surprising myself, I found I actually liked the majority of the 'flavours' that I tried - and yes, for anyone who hasn't tried it before a long run it does do an excellent job of keeping you going, as well as warming you up for winter mornings! My absolute favourite way of making it though is my fruity nutty porridge.

For this, I mix 50g of porridge oats with 300ml soya milk (I find this makes it much creamier, which I like, but you can use water or skimmed milk if preferred!) and simmer for a few minutes. Then I add a tablespoon of chopped nuts (hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts are my favourite) and a tablespoon of mixed seeds (pumpkin, sesame and sunflower - sometimes just sunflower as I like the taste!) and a tablespoon of chopped dried dates and apricots. Simmer for 3-5 more minutes, until fruit has warmed through and softened and the porridge is at the right consistency (I sometimes add a little more milk at this stage). Then spoon into my bowl, grate over hald an apple and drizzle with honey (go for manuka honey for an added boost to your immune system). YUM!

Other versions I like are cinnamon and banana - I make this in the slow cooker, adding a few cinnamon sticks to the porridge and milk mixture, then mashing in a banana at the end, and (slightly less healthy!), golden syrup :-)

Anyone have any other good porridge recipes I can try - or any other good breakfast ideas?

10 top tips to get motivated for running

Whenever I tell people that I am a runner, the most common reply I get is a resounding chorus of 'Why?!'. Now, having spent the last 2 years obsessively reading all things running related, I have perfected my response and have a ready stream of answers to this question. Depending on which day you may ask me, I may put my hobby down to anything from its anti-ageing effects (I have a fear of dementia, having witnessed it's effects, and will happily take up anything which is proven to delay its onset!), to chocolate-proofing my body (amazing how much more I can now eat before it ends up on my hips...), to decreasing the risk of a multitude of common health problems. Hell, sometimes I just say its fun! All of the above responses are, of course, true - running has amazing effects on both body and mind, and I do indeed find it fun, most of the time at least. But is any of that the real reason why why I run? Yes, if you are looking at why I am running today, all of that contributes to why I keep running. But thats not really what people are asking. What they are really saying, as they look at me in slight disbelief, is 'why did you decide to start running?' i.e., how did you go from someone who hasn't even run to catch a bus since leaving school to someone who would quite happily head out for a 6 mile run in the pouring rain?!

The answer, I have to say, isn't as straightforward or as obvious as anything I have read in any of my books or running articles. In fact, I'm not even 100% sure what the answer is! There were definately a lot of influencing factors, the first of which was a very good friend who was (and is) a keen runner. One evening, as we were having a quick drink down the local pub, she mentioned that she was signing up for the Eastbourne half marathon, but that she really wanted someone to run with. Full of wine enthusiasm for a new challenge (I get bored easily so anything new I usually jump at, even without the influence of alcohol!), I of course immediately said that I would enter too. And when I got a surprised 'I didn't know your ran...?' in return, I simply smiled, took another sip of my drink and casually asked when the date of the race was. I mean, no, I didn't run... but how hard could it be?!

Hard, is the answer. Very, very hard! Now, I have to admit that I was a little delusional about the state of my fitness. At school, I had been very active and into sports - I regularly swum, kayaked and went horse riding, and when I entered the running events on sports day each year, I generally did OK. That was, of course, at school. From college onwards, the sport had steadily declined as my social life and partying steadily increased. In my head however, once fit... always fit! I also had no idea how long a half marathon was - the word 'half' makes it sound deceptively small (I seemed to not notice there was also the word 'marathon' involved!). In fact, it wasn't until my friend invited me along for an 'easy' 10 mile run - only a few weeks before the race - that it bcame apparent I was NOT ready for this!

'10 miles... thats.. ummm.. from my house to....' was my reply. My face, when given the answer, said it all. Yes, I thought I was probably vaguely fit (muscle memory... surely that lasts for 13 years??!?), but really? Who on earth would run THAT far!! Quickly deciding that my friend was completely insane, along with the the race organisers for choosing such a distance, I had to come clean and pull out of the race. The idea of running, however, stayed with me, and I started idly browsing the internet in my lunch hours to look at training plans.Just to look at, mind, I didn't actually intend on doing any of them. But I printed them out, just in case.

My growing collection of training programmes sat quietly in a small pile at home, tucked in between the DVD player and the TV. One evening, home alone and idly flicking through the usual channels, they, for some reason, caught my eye, and the idea of going for a run simply popped into my head - like I said, I still don't fully understand why! But, go for a run I did! Choosing a plan by BUPA (they have a very good running site, particularly if you are new to the sport!), I set out for 20 minutes of walking for 2 minutes, running for 1 minute. 30 seconds into the first run, any illusions I had of being fit were shattered - I literally couldn't breathe! The plan was quickly adjusted to 15 minutes of 30 seconds running, 2 minutes walking - and even on that, the next day my entire body ached! The shock of realising I could probably be out-run by my grandad was the next 'influencing' factor in my running - I was determined to be able to run for 20 minutes at least! And so, three nights a week, I would sneak out - after dark, so that no-one would see just how red-faced and sweaty I got - or how much time I spent just walking (whilst still red faced and sweatiing - I really was unfit!). Six weeks on and I could do it - I could even run for a full half hour, without stopping! The huge feeling of satisfaction this gave me was enough to get me signing up to a race - this time a much more modest target of 10K. A much more realistic distance maybe, but I was still daunted by it (the shock of that first attempt at running still haunted me..!) and I didn't even tell anyone I was doing it until I came home, proudly sporting a 'finishers' medal around my neck. Now thats more motivation - medals, and a goody bag at the end! Never having raced before, and assuming you got nothing unless you were placed, I was more than thrilled with my 'bonus' bag of sports drinks, magazines and snack bars. This, I decided, was a good hobby! And so I signed up to more races - lots more - and upped the running, which by now I have to say I was a little addicted too.

Unfortunately, my body was a little more resistant to the idea of running than I was. A few months later, having been making idle protests which I had steadily ignored - basically telling my legs to 'man up' and just go faster... my legs decided to quit. Ignoring the pains in my shins (for a long time!) had resulted in stress fractures - and a long time off! Frustrating, and, by the time I got back to being able to start running, very demotivating! Since then, it has at times been hard to be a consistent runner - I am great when I have entered a race, but when I don't have a goal to aim for, or when the goal is a long way off (like the marathon), I struggle to get going.

So, needing to be a bit more consistent - and determined to make 2013 the year I actually stick to running on a regular, year-long basis, I have been trying out lots of motivational tips! These are the top 10 ones which work for me:

1. Set a goal - be it weight loss, a new pb or a new race distance, having a goal to aim for is the best way I find to motivate me. make the goal short-term (if the main goal is longterm, make some short term ones on the way!), make them achievable - but challenging! And make sure you record your progress - for me, being able to compare not running for 30 seconds to running for 5 minutes, then 10, then 20 and so on was a massive boost to keep me going

2. Run with friends - If your friends don't run, ask them to bring a bike along. Failing that, check out your local running groups - the majority are more than welcoming to beginners, and you have the added bonus of a wealth of knowledge and advise that the other more experienced members can share with you!

3. Change your route - heading out on the same circuit each day gets boring. Liven it up and give yourself something new to look at - time will fly by, you will vary terrain and gradient so keeps you fitter, and its a great way of getting to know the surrounding area a little better. Changing your route or time ofrun is also safer...

4. Reward yourself - post-run pampering feels even more indulgent, especially as you know your body has earned it!

5. Buy proper running kit - Wearing this will not only make you more comfortable on the run, but it helps you to feel like a runner - plus if you buy an outfit you love the look of, you will want to go out for a run just to show it off!

6. Make running a habit for 30 days - it takes 30 days to make something a habit - stick it out for this long, and going out will be almost automatic!

7. Varying training sessions - include hills/ intervals/ tempo and fartlek runs. Great for fitness, your body and keeps it fun!

8. Ditch the gadgets - Stop feeling the pressure and just run for the fun of it, concentrating on speed/ HR zones and distance can make you forget why you started in the first place!

9. Get a new gadget... yes, I know - contradictory to the above. But having a new gadget to try out can be as motivating as getting rid of them! If your on a budget, have a look at all the free and low cost apps you can get for your mobile phone - there are a lot of good ones out there!

10. Eat enough, drink enough - Ok so doesn't sound so linked to motivation, but when my diet isn't sorted, and , more commonly with me, I don't drink enough water, I get slow and tired - which makes me frustrated and does demotivate me. So stop the problem before it starts with a healthy, nutrient rich diet. If your kick starting your healthy eating, I found the Zest diet pretty good!

Cross-training for Runners - Gym Benefits

Whilst I have been a loyal member of the local gym for nearly 2 years now, I have to admit that my 'attendance record' has been looking a little patchy recently, and I had begun to question whether the rather large sum of money leaving my bank account was really worth it, or whether it would be better spent elsewhere (new shoes, anyone??). My new found love of running outside had meant that the treadmill, once my favourite, most only used piece of gym equipment, had lost its appeal and was now used solely on the rare occasions that running in the great outdoors wasn't an option. Given that, since my last shopping trip and with a little help from Santa, I am now fully geared up for winter, these occasions are few and far between, and so my gym bag has been left gathering dust while my trainers collect rather a lot of mud! I was, however, a little reluctant to actually 'do the deed' as it were, and cancel my membership. Whilst i didn't want to run at the gym, a few little niggles had started to crop up during training and I had been advised by a more knowledgeable running friend to do more strength training and incorporate some cross-training into my schedule - and this meant the gym could become a lot more useful to me! Or was there an alternative?

As I was toying with the idea of cancelling my membership, I came across an article (I think it was in an old edition of  womens running - another of my favourite magazines, always full of tips on nutrition, training and injury prevention that I find invaluable!) on how to recreate a 'gym' in your local park or along your regular running routes. Now, everything in the article sounded great. Obviously your cardio work was included in the running, but it also detailed how you could target each of the major muscle groups with different exercises, along with stretches and warm-up/ cool downs. This, I thought, was going to seal the deal - gym was going out and the great outdoors was.. coming in?!?

And so, carefully memorising the instructions for each exercises (it was raining and so taking the magazine along on the day wasn't an option), I filled up my water bottle and headed off to the local park - literally a 2 minute walk from my house, compared to the 10 minute drive to the gym, even better! Completing the designated warm up and starting off with a short run, I swiftly moved on to what I really wanted to try out - strength work. This incorporated the use of park benches (think triceps dips, push ups..), trees (for some stretches) and series of squats/ general strength work which didn't require any 'props' at all. I started the first set of reps with enthusiasm, quite liking the idea of this 'outdoor gym'. However, by the end of the second set, I have to admit that the enthusiasm had dwindled. Now, the article I was basing this on had been written/ published back in the summer months - and I do honestly believe that, with a bit of nice sunshine and, most importantly, DRY weather, I would have enjoyed the workout. As it was, the sleeting rain had made the benches slippery to work with. The ground, which I had to come into contact with both hands, feet, and, reluctantly, body, was (obviously!) wet and muddy. And the few dog walkers who happened to be using the park at the same time were definately giving me odd looks - for good reason, a part of me thought!

By the time I had trudged back to my house 20 minutes later (I did cut the session a little short... I was not having fun!), I was feeling a little more inclined to return to the gym to see what it could offer. Not that I was giving up on the outdoors workout completely - come the summer I will definately be re-visiting this - but right now, in mid-winter, I have to say that I was not a fan! Wanting a bit more structure to my gym sessions if I did go (and needing reminding on how to use all the machines I hadn't actually used since my first induction...!), I decided to book a session with the fitness instructors there. I am lucky that this is a free service offered by my gym (maybe all gyms? But I have never joined any others..) - they will discuss what your goals are, test your fitness level if you like (I skipped this bit but probably should take them up on the offer at some point..) and then create a 'program' for your time at the gym.

To be honest, I wasn't particularly expecting too much out of this, thinking it would be a bit of a brief introduction, a quick, one-fits-all-program and not much more (skeptical of me I know!). But how wrong could I be! The girl who I met was fantastic - genuinely interested in what I wanted to achieve and very knowledgeable on both strength work and cross training options for running, alongside some new stretches that would be beneficial after the gym. So, I now have a strength work programme, focusing on my core but also the major leg/ bum muscles to help with hill work, some cross-training routines to alternate with running days- using rowing machine, cross-trainer and the bike. She also explained some of the classes to me, and I am now booked onto body pump and a spin class! All not only great for my running, but fingers crossed I will end up with a perfectly toned body at the same time! I am back in love with the gym! Anyone else find particular gym classes help their running, or got any gym workout tips for me?

Winter Running

Now that the warm spell over Christmas is threatening to break and snow is apparently heading our way, it's time for me to start thinking about preparing to run in the cold. Living in the UK, and it having technically been 'Winter' for some time now, this is something which I had really expected to have to deal with a little earlier, however so far all December and the preceding autumn months have thrown at me is a lot of water (thanks) and some rather dark evening and morning runs. Which means that, other than throwing a waterproof jacket over my normal running clothes, my running wardrobe hadn't really altered much since my summertime jogs around the block.

I finally realised that my 'regular' running kit may need something added to it during (and after!) a slightly colder run last week. Heading out in my Nike Distance Tech Capris (I LOVE these, so comfortable and manage to be flattering at the same time!), long sleeved t-shirt and Brooks Nightlife jacket (a post christmas bargin from Achilles Heel), I soon noticed that I was underdressed for the occasion! Living by the South Downs may make for some stunning scenery during my daytime runs, but unfortunately it also means that when the wind blows, it really does blow! And that particularly evening, the wind chill factor hit me hard as soon as I rounded the corner from my house. Not that it was freezing, but the drop of a couple of degrees was certainly noticed by my legs, and they didn't appreciate it! Both my thighs and calves felt tight the whole run, and despite extra time spent on stretches at the end of the session - something I can be a little lazy about - the next day I seemed to be walking a bit like a geriatric duck. Not a great look, and, given that it hadn't been a particularly hard run, the only thing I could put it down to was the cold - possibly meaning I should have spent more time warming up before pushing myself, but also something I hoped to be able to improve with some warmer running gear!

Luckily, 'Santa' had been kind enough to provide me with some new, winter-proof running kit, including a pair of Nike Thermal Element tights, gloves and a beanie hat. All of which I had been saving for when the snow started (and the mud had cleared up - for some reason I always like to keep 'new' clothes clean for at least the first couple of wears!) but now, in the interest of my legs, I was keen to try out! So, come Saturday, I did :-) Not feeling that it was quite cold enough for the thermal tights, I tried out the Nike Filament tights which I had got in the sales, topped with the usual long sleeved t-shirt (this time with a running hoody over it for added warmth) and running jacket. Pulling on my new gloves (also Nike... I am a bit of a fan!!) and beanie hat, I was at the perfect temperature as I set out. The weather was chilly, although not icy, and, with the wind whistling past my ears again, it felt good to have them covered up! All was going well for the first 3 miles - the new tights were so comfortable they felt like a second skin, my gloves kept the wind from drying out my hands and stopped my fingers from going numb, and the hat was doing a brilliant job of keeping me warm. I was pretty happy runing along the top of the downs, able to concentrate on the lovely view rather than the weather. Unfortunately, the British weather, unpredictable as ever, let me down! By mile 4, the wind dropped, the sun came out from behind the clouds and the temperature started to rise. As did mine! By mile 5, I was a red-faced melting, sweaty heap and, as much as I hate to stop  for anything whilst on a run (I find it really hard to get back into my rhythm if I do..), I had to stop. And strip... as fast as I possible could! Which made me realise the first rule of winter running: Wear lots of layers - and make sure they can be easily taken off and carried if you warm up!! Luckily, my hat and gloves, being slim, could fit in the pocket of my jacket, which I could the tie around my waist alongside my jumper. As they are also very light, they didn't feel in the way as I carried on my run - a big plus! Make sure your layers include gloves, something to protect your ears (and whole head if its very cold!), and check that base layers are made of wicking material to keep you dry and warm! As an extra tip, I now put my clothes on the radiator for 5 minutes before I go for a run - this way you are warm when you start out (I'm sure my muscles appreciate this!), and by the time the clothes have cooled down, you have warmed up - perfect :-) 

The second thing I would recommend is to drink lots of water - I didn't do this on my first 'cold' run - not being hot, I just didn't feel as thirsty - until I stopped, when I quickly realised my mistakes! You still get just as dehydrated, if not more, when you run in the cold so take a drink to sip on when you go out.

Make sure you also change quickly when you get home - getting out of any wet clothes (if its been raining, or you have just sweated THAT much!) will stop you getting chilled when you stop - and you will cool down pretty fast! To help with the 'sweating too much' issue - although its cold, don't over-dress! You will warm up a lot as soon as you are moving, so dress as though it's about 10 degrees cooler than it is, or you will melt like I did!

As for where to get winter running stuff from, like I said, I am a huge Nike fan! I have now worn their Thermal Element tights and found them just as comfortable as the filament tights, with the added bonus of feeling softer against your skin as you pull them on - and they are just as toasty warm as they promise (to be kept for very cold days only!). Looking around, I found some lovely, more colourful/ brighter running gear on the Sheactive website, although some was a bit pricey. For bargins I like Wiggle.co.uk and Acilles heel - anyone able to recommend any others or got some more winter tips for me?

Running without Gadgets

I had been considering running without gadgets for a while now, partly for safety reasons - as a women runner, this is something I do take seriously and, when out running on my own, I always make sure my music is turned down low enough to hear any approaching cars - and partly due to having read an increasing number of articles debating the 'inner peace' which a gadget-free run can apparently induce. It was, however, quite a big leap for me to go from 'considering' this in a 'maybe I really should try that'  kind of way to an 'I will actually do it' way! All of my runs to date had been accompanied by a wide range of gadgets, including my MP3 player, fully loaded with all my favourite running tracks to suit every possible pace, my Polar heart rate monitor and, my most prized possession, my Garmin 205. Not that I really knew how to use most of these - I would spend each run constantly checking my speed and measuring my distance, glancing in a 'knowledgable' way at my heart rate as though all the random numbers actually meant something to me (which they did - I'm just not sure what!). Then, as soon as the post run stretches were out of the way, I would settle on the sofa with a cup of tea and my laptop, plug in all possible gadgets and let my inner geek take over as I gazed fascinated at all the graphs and numbers plotted on the screen. And it was great! I could see speed, distance, elevation, maps of my routes, compare weeks and weeks of training and see time spent in each 'training zone'. All complete gibberish to me (I really must read up about how to actually use heart rates and training zones as I'm sure it would be useful to me now that I've started interval training!) - in fact the only bit I really understood was calories burnt - something which I could very quickly convert into numbers of chocolate bars! But, despite being clueless, I loved it all. So, how did I go from this to ditching my gadgets? Well, all it took was one gadget-induced disaster of a run...!

A few days ago, I carefully attached all the usual gadgets and headed out for the weeks steady run. All went well for the first couple of miles as I steadily jogged along to the sound of Emili Sande (not my normal running sound track and a bit mismatched to my pace, but a fab album!), happy to be out despite the drizzling rain that had started just as I left. Then, one-by-one, my gadgets started to pack up. First, the heart rate monitor suddenly decided I was dead. Try as I might, I could not convince it that my heart really was still beating (rather fast actually as I had over-paced myself a little at the start). Ok I thought, not a problem. I can live without knowing my pulse. And so I carried on...

5 minutes later, my MP3 player - a very old and cheap (but very small and lightweight, which I like) Sony version - somehow got stuck on repeat. There is only so many times that you can listen to 'Next to me' however good it is, and so, slightly frustrated, I slowed down slightly to fiddle with the settings. Whilst doing this (it was night time, in my defence, and the screen does not have a light), I managed to snap the clip off the back, meaning I could no longer re-attach it back onto my top the way I normally have it. I also, having my head down and concentrating on changing the song, ran head first into a lamp post. So, slightly dazed, and still listening to Next to me - and therefore still frustrated, I gave up on the music, switched the device to pick up the local radio and went to zip it into the back pocket of my tights. Unfortunately, this is the pocket I also keep my key in.. and yep, in fiddling around putting the mp3 player in, I somehow managed to get said key out. And not notice. Great.

Anyway, oblivious to the fact that I now had no house keys, I carried on for another 5 minutes. Just long enough to start sweating - which my earphones (not proper sports ones) decided to use as an excuse to start electrocuting me! Ouch - although I have to say this does make you increase your pace, if only for  second as you leap forward in suprise! And then, just to top things off, the battery of my garmin died. Along with most of my will to carry on running, and my love of gadgets!

So, for yesterdays run - still feeling decidedly grumpy at my gadgets - I headed out without a single one :-) And actually, I have to say, it was rather nice! It was the first time I have really paid proper attention to my surroundings - I am lucky to live in a gorgeous part of sussex, so this help to distract me just as much as the music did. I was also much more aware of how my body felt during the run - very useful to me as I use how I feel as a guide to whether its a tempo/ easy/ steady pace, rather than my actual speed. And as for inner peace... well, I'm not sure about that, but I did sort out a lot of things I had been putting off thinking about (mostly work!) and used the time for planning - resulting in a much more efficient me at the end... heres hoping all this new-found efficiency leads to a pay rise ;-) The only thing I did miss was knowing my mileage - not having my Garmin meant that I had to plan my route and stick to it to be sure I was getting the right number of miles in, and I find it miuch nicer to be able to see a path, think 'I wonder where that goes...?' ... and then find out! So the Garmin may sneak back onto my wrist, even if its not for every run!

Running on Diets - the Zest Super Cleanse

Despite sticking religiously to my training schedule over the Christmas period (with some moving around of sessions to fit around all the eating/ drinking and socialising that Christmas always brings!), I still found that, come 1st January, I was a good 6lbs over my ideal running weight - a target weight that I had carefully calculated using a formula I found in a past edition of Runners World magazine and was determined to get to. I was also - and possibly even more upsettingly - struggling to get my favourite pair of skinny jeans up above my knees. Now, I will admit that before I even started over-indulging in christmas pudding, mince pies and bucket-loads of brandy butter I wasn't 'quite' at the ideal weight, but I was close enough to not be too concerned and only had a couple of pounds to go. 6lbs however is a little too close to the half a stone mark for my liking (always my cut-off point for a diet to kick in!), so... Time for a January Detox!

In the past, January detox's have never really required too much thought - I would simply browse the shelves of magazines for any headlines screaming of huge weightloss miracles, fill up my fridge with carrot sticks, and resign myself to a week of feeling hungry. Well, I say a week, I don't think I have ever last past day three of any previous diets before I am sneaking back down the shops for the biggest bar of dairy milk I can find!  This year, however, I had another element to consider: I had to be able to run. Long runs, steady runs, hill runs and my first interval run all featured in the weeks running schedule, so being hungry and lethagic was most definately NOT an option - and I needed to make sure I was properly refueled after each session as well, both so the next run wasn't agony and to help keep injuries at bay. Now this caused me a dilemma - where was I going to find a diet that was both great for running mojo, and capable of getting me back into my skinny jeans before the next planned night out?! The answer? ZEST Magazine!

Now I have been a fan of this magazine for a long time - its always got great tips on being healthier and theres always some good events and new activities each month to put some 'zest' back into your life (not always the cheapest events I will admit, but I always get good ideas of new ways to spend my time and beat the boredom factor!). So this Christmas, when the January edition was squeezed into my christmas stocking, I read the '7 day super cleanse' with interest. Partly, because it promised me that I would not be hungry (something I was more than a little skeptical about - soooo many diets promise this and I am yet to find one where this is actually true!), but also because it seemed to contain all the nutrients a runner needs! The 7-day plan consisted of a large variety of vegetables, salad and fruit (great for carbohydrates and all the antioxidants my body would need following intense exercise), good quality protein from quinoa, pulses and fish, and essential fatty acids from nuts and seeds, alongside the oily fish. There was also a good supply of calcium rich foods - which as a women runner, particularly prone to shin splints, I try to eat a lot of. All in all, it seemed a pretty good plan to be starting with and so I carefully wrote out the weeks shopping list, headed off to the local supermarket, and prepared to be Super Cleansed!

First thing the next morning, I dug out my blender, prepared all the ingrediants for my breakfast - a 'red' smoothie... and then sat and looked at it. For a long time. So long in fact, that my housemate was actually starting to talk about lunch before I got on with making breakfast! I have to say, the combination of ingredients - which included both beetroot and grapefruit - really didn't sound very appetising at all, and I struggle to eat breakfast at the best of times! However, I had promised myself to give it a go, so finally I got on with the job of blending and chilling as instructed... and 20 minutes later took my first, very small, cautious sip. And.. it was YUM! I could happily have that every day - and despite only looking a small amount (a small glass was about 2 thirds full), it was suprisingly filling - possibly due to the seeds that were added in. Anyway, now more convinced on the recipes included on the plan, I tucked into the rest of the meals much more happily - and I have to say, there were only 2 in the whole week which I wouldn't make again. The first was a beansprout salad... I don't like beansprouts! and as this was the main ingredient, I did struggle with this a bit. The second was the dinner on the first day - stir-fryed veg and quinoa. Nothing wrong with this, but I found it a little boring to want to make again (although very filling and it does make you feel a bit virtuous having had such a healthy meal!). 

So, having now completed the full seven days.. how good was the diet? Well - the positives (and I think there were lots!):

1. I lost weight! But not too fast... Over the week I lost 3lbs - a great kick-start to getting into shape, and enough for those skinny jeans to do up without looking like the zip might burst open at any time, but not so fast to make it un-sustainable (I always find if I drop lots of weight too quickly, it just seems to go back on even faster when I go back to normal eating!).

2. I upped my running times! This was something I didn't expect - yes, I thought I would be able to carry on my running schedule adequately to not fall behind on training, but i still expected to find the harder sessions.. well, harder (!) on less 'fuel'. But, possibly because I was eating the right nutrients, and because I was now drinking more water (something I am bad at remembering to do normally!), I found that I actually ran each mile faster than I had previously - without feeling any more tired either during or after each run.

3. My quality of sleep was Amaazing!! This was one of the best bits! Again, nothing that i expected and not something that Zest had mentioned as one of the benefits of the super cleanse, but from day 2 I slept like a log every night. Normally I am a very light sleeper and will wake up at least a couple of times a night, and can often feel groggy in the mornings. All week, I had a great nights sleep and woke up without feeling like I had to down large quantities of coffee before I could function.

4. I had bags of energy, all day every day! Which was probably annoying to everyone else who was still recovering from New Years Eve and the festive over-indulgence!

5. My skin was.. radiant! Thinking this was possibly again down to an increase in water consumption, along with the nuts and seeds and the huge uptake of vitamins and minerals the meals provided me with. My skin loved it! And it showed :-)

6. I loved the meals - apart from the 2 mentioned above, I would (and will!) happily eat all the meals/ food included on a regular basis - truely 'Delicious and Nutritious!!

7. It wasn't too expensive - compared to other 'diets' I have tried, the bill for this week came to a lot less, and used more common ingredients (no random, never before heard of herbs or supplements here!), making it more user-friendly!


of course, everything does have a downside, even if its only small - so for a balanced overview of how I found this week, heres the parts I found more difficult:

1. Some days, I was hungry :-(  - This only applied to the evenings, on day's 2 and day 3, as I was never hungry during the day of after a run. On these days, however, dinner consisted of raw veg and a (healthy!) dip. Probably more psychological hunger than actually having my stomach rumble as I am used to having a hot 'meal' in the evenings, but I did find this hard!.On a side note, do make sure you make thses dips according to the instructions - I tried to 'cheat' by just sticking everything in the blender and turning it on... resulting in a very runny soup instead of a dip on day 2! Much harder to eat (I left most of it as it was either that or drink it from a cup, which didn't appeal..) and possibly a cause of why I was hungry!

2. I had to shop more often - some ingredients (beansprouts beiing the main one) have a very short shelf life, so I had to do 2 shops rather than the normal one - not a huge problem but a slight inconvienience.

3. Ermmm... ok so I can't think of a third negative! This plan was basically pretty good :-)


So, overall - if your a runner, I recommend this plan for a kickstart to a healthy new you! I feel heaps better than when I started and don't feel my running has suffered at all - if anything I found it got better (I did about 25 miles in the week, in a variety of sessions). Fingers crossed I can keep up the healthy eating for the rest of 2013!