Very early run

I set the alarm early today because I knew that after work I would be busy (more shopping for leaving presents). Once I had woken up and changed (I put my running gear at the end of my bed so no excuses!) and had a big drink of water I headed out. I only wanted to do a quick run, and at first it felt anything but, probably because I was still waking up! I am a morning person and do get up as soon as the alarm goes off; I can’t have lie-ins or anything like that. But normally I would be pottering around at home not running. Anyhow when I got to the traffic lights I had made it in 5 minutes which is my normal time. Altogether my speedy route took me 26 mins, so not bad in fact. I saw quite a few people out (no smilers today though- perhaps people out running at 6.30 am take running too seriously to smile??), including some people coming back from the supermarket with full bags- I suppose the checkouts will be quiet at that time! After my shower I enjoyed my first bowl of porridge for months and months!

I had a little experiment- last night I put in a bowl 15g flaked quinoa, 15g oats (usually have 30g oats that’s it), 15g raisins, 150ml milk and left it to soak overnight. Then this morning I cooked it for 2min 20. When it was cooked I added some cinnamon and also a sprinkle of blueberries and blackcurrants (from the garden of course!)- super yum!

The raisins soak up the milk and swell and go all juicy. The quinoa did add a different flavour, not sure how to describe it really but it was tasty.

As it turns out I was so relieved to have gone out first thing. It got so hot this afternoon that a run was the last thing I fancied when I got home. Maybe a gentle walk later!

I am super pleased with the presents though- my friend yesterday mentioned that she wanted a blueberry bush, and I wasn’t sure what time of year they would be sold, but I found a massive one covered in green berries. Hope they don’t fall off in my car on the way to work tomorrow!

I have also a lot of eggs to use up (my Mum’s chickens are busy laying and they brought some around at the weekend)- so only one way to use them up of course- brownies!

I have not tried the brownie recipe from Hummingbird Bakery yet, so I tried that this evening. I have not had one yet, they are still cooling, but they smell amazing, very chocolatey-mmmm.

I was going to go and see Toy Story tonight but think we will save it for the weekend as it is on very late and am a little tired. Anyone else looking forward to seeing it? Pixar always make classics.

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Shopping fun

Now I am not usually one for shopping. But today I went to a massive shopping centre with some of the girls from work. We needed to get presents for the Teaching assistants that work in our classes, plus leaving presents for people who are leaving. So I had a long day trapsing around the shops. At every paperchase I went into (and boy there were a lot) I kept seeing these cute little tuppaware pots. They are like russian dolls- 4 sizes all inside each other. Anyway I ended up treating myself- they will make lunch time fun! Although my friend did comment that they would be good for baby food. There is a little one which would be fab for a blob of nut butter!Β  Β£7 is not bad for a treat seeing as my friends were getting expensive bags and shoes and things.

What do you like to treat yourself with? I used to love clothes shopping (back when I had more money to spend maybe!!)- now I get tired wandering around shops all day and get a bit bored. I would rather get a nice plant for my garden or some baking things, or running clothes! My three fave hobbies!!

Also I know some people have had trouble commenting on here, but now the teething problems are fixed so comment away!

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Not such a great run

I was really looking forward to my run this morning. I had my normal breakfast of cornflakes and raisins, but I think I may need to think of something to add to it because I got really hungry. I was also have sort of stitches, but not quite, and at one point I had to stop because even walking didn’t let it go away. At first I wanted to “power through” but then I thought about why I am running. At the moment I am not training for any races, but would like to do some 10K runs in the autumn so want to keep my long run to above that distance. I am running because I love it, not to get quicker, or to beat my time. So I decided that stopping for 2 minutes in order to enjoy the rest of my run was ok. I did enjoy most of it- I saw a load of geese by the lake (cue me running at a sprint past them!), and as the sun was out but with a strong breeze I stayed fairly cool. In the end I did around 7.5 miles in 73 minutes (I took off the 2 minutes I stopped for). Ah well I am sure my next run will be better. Perhaps I should try having a different breakfast. When I first started running I didnt lile porridge before a run, even though I love it at other times. But I think my stomach is stronger now, so perhaps I might give it a go before a run one day. Watch this space!

When I got home I was so hungry so straight away alongside a big glass of water was some cherries and a cocoa orange Nak’d bar (after yesterday remembering how good they are!). MMmmmmmmm it was so good.

I am also excited about my sweetcorn- I have finally worked out how it is going to grow. There are some fluffy bits appearing along the stalks, and the seedy bits from the tassles are the pollen bits which need to drop down onto the tassles. So the actual corn will grow half-way up the stalk. Now I just have to wait πŸ™‚

I have potted onΒ some foxgloves (pretty flowers that seed everywhere) for a friends’ garden, tied up my little bean plants and also put one of the tomato plants in a bigger pot. I have spied another courgette growing- it won’t be long before it gets picked πŸ™‚

I nearly forgot- for lunch today I tried some of the dark chocolate peanut butter- wow that stuff is amazing! Like eating a snickers bar, only the best bits, and with dark chocolate instead of milk, and smooth………. so much yummy stuff today! I had it on a wrap with a sliced apple, although I am thinking next time I will try it with sliced banana instead.

I also made some white chocolate peanut butter cookies (mostly for giving away) and some sundried tomato bread for dinner.

But then disaster- I was going to try my frozen watermelon today, but my mini chopper stpped working. The motor was going but the stick that goes up in the blades is not turning. Hmm. I rang them up but bizzairly their phonelines are open until 4.50pm Mon-Thurs, and til 12.20 Fridays. Phone-call on Monday it will be! So I had some watermelon from the fridge instead (boring) but might try the frozen stuff in my blender tomorrow.

I had a nice walk this evening too, so many birds about at the moment. Now I am waiting for my dinner to finish cooking- bean and veggie bake topped with the leftover mozzerella from yesterday, served with the sundried tomato bread. Yum.

Yellow Courgette excitement!!

So when I got home today I went out on an extremely windy run! I managed 3.7 miles in 37 minutes, ten minute miles seems to be my general pace nowadays which I am pretty pleased with. For a snack before I had a Nak’d cocoa orange bar and seriously these are amazing! Yummy yummy yummy. I think I say this all the time but each time I have one they seem to get tastier!

When I got back I went into the garden and harvested my first yellow courgettes. They were only baby ones, but the baby ones taste so good and I am getting a little impatient- I have a feeling that most of them will be ready while I am on holiday.

I had a super dinner, I sliced a green courgette (yawn), yellow pepper and the baby yellow courgettes (pretty) and roasted them in the oven with some oregano and a squirt of oil. I put some green basil pesto and som mozzerella inside a part-baked ciabatta, then when the roasted veggies were done (25 mins ish) I put as many as would fit in the bread and baked for 8 minutes. Served with the left-over roasted veggies, plus a massive salad (with omega 3 flax oil of course). Super tasty!

Plus BIG news. πŸ™‚Β  When I logged on to Nike+ to upload my run I am finally onto the green level! Woohoo! The background is all pretty and the runs are now green instead of orange. So that means that since May when I got it I have run over 150 miles which sounds like quite a lot.

Off to a quiz now- Hooray for yellow courgettes (and green levels!)

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Three days in one

I hope this isn’t becoming a habit! Work was so busy and aerobics was cancelled Tuesday (just as well), Wednesday I got home at 9pm so was vry tired, and today I had body pump as usual- hooray!

Not much else to report. I just chopped up a huge watermelon (in fact it was small but you know much bigger than other melons)- I have most of it in the fridge, some for lunch tomorrow (yum) and have put some in the freezer. I am going to try to make a fake sorbet with it- as it has a nice crunchy texture anyway I think it will be very nice whizzed up.

Off now but hopefully back to normal service at the weekend!

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