Month: August 2013

Breaking away from the crutch

Of headphones, that is.

When I first started running, it was to train for a race for life. I had not run since school (and even then I didn’t enjoy it) so I found a run/walk plan and followed it to the letter. I managed to run the whole race for life, and then realised I enjoyed it, so carried on. Anyway, I found the sound of my loud breathing very alarming, so I started listening to music while I was running to help me focus on something else.

After getting annoyed so many times as the headphones yet again fell out of my ears, I bought some with a solid band, and these are perfect. I have a tiny mp3 player which can fit in any small pocket.

I started doing other races (local 10K’s and a half marathon) but took my mp3 player with me. I was always sensible and had the music down very low, so I could hear people around me, the marshalls and so on.

At some point I discovered marathon talk, and began to listen to talking podcasts more and more. I had found that I was tending to run to the beat of the music, so if I was listening to something slow I would slow right down, or I would get annoyed if it was faster music and I couldn’t keep up. By then marathon talk planted the seed and I then signed up for the Stockholm marathon. In the run up to it we did a 20 mile training race/ run, and as it was run on the roads you could not have headphones for safety reasons, but I ended up chatting to the back marker for the first hour, and it was not too bad. Headphones were also banned for the marathon! So I had to run it with nothing to distract me from my breathing. In fact, I could have worn them as I saw other people with them. There was one point in a park, a little over half way I think, and it was very lonely as there were no spectators and not many runners around me. I really could have done with a little boost then, but hey, I managed it still. Andy also did the marathon and in his training he started out listening to podcasts (I think he would download some football ones) but soon he stopped and even on long runs he would not listen to anything and I could not understand how he managed it.

Since then I have not used my mp3 player in a race- I have actually found it enjoyable to look at the spectators, and take in the surrounding views and listen to what other people are saying.

Last year I had to have a break from running as I was awaiting (and then recovering) from an operation, and so to help me get back into it in May last year I started going on runs with the local Sweatshop running community group, and although some people listen to their headphones I never have. Sometimes I run with someone and we chat, sometimes I am on my own and I just think. I run there and back, and I suppose I could listen to something for that part, but I have never fancied it. I quite like just thinking and running.

I have also started running longer runs with Andy, and during those we would chat (or on the hills he would ask me if I was OK and I would try to answer through my gasping!)- I ran faster on those runs than any on my own.

Finally, I have started going to Parkruns. I love these- seriously check them out! Again, I see people with their headphones but I see it as more of a social run, even though I tend to run around alone.

Last summer I did a few runs while we were on holiday in Hawaii (as I had only just started running again and was doing the Great North Run soon after we got home) and it was wonderful to run by the sea (plus I had to remember the route back to the hotel…)- I didn’t want anything distracting me or taking my mind off it then!

I still enjoy listening to podcasts when I run on my own, but I do think running with nothing to listen to has benefits too. I like to zone out and enjoy a gentle run, and podcasts are perfect for those sorts of runs. But I still want to speed up, and I find that I run faster when I focus my mind on running a bit more and don’t have something taking my mind off my running. I still really enjoy running and I am glad that I can go out without the need for my headphones.

Do you listen to music/ podcasts when you work out? I couldn’t imagine a body pump class without the music, but then people lift weights in the gym with just their thoughts for company.

Cherry almond cookies (recipe)

I have been having a bit of an obsession with cherries and almonds recently. First up I have been loving making a cherry cake and amping it up by adding almond extract, flaked almonds and little bits of marzipan on the top.

I used this recipe and added some flaked almonds to make it even better!

The other day I bought a packet of cherries from Sainsbury’s, and after using some of them in some cherry and almond scones, I decided the rest of them would go in some cookies. I thought an oatmeal raisin base would be the best one to go for, so I looked up in the trusty Hummingbird book for ideas.

This recipe made about 16 huge cookies.

Ingredients:

135g butter/ pure spread

80g caster sugar

80g soft brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

150g plain flour

85g oats

1/2 tsp bicarb

85g dried cherries

30g flaked almonds

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C and line two large trays with baking paper.

Cream together the butter and sugars. Beat the egg and add this in, along with the almond extract.

Stir in the flour, oats and bicarb, and finally add in the cherries and almonds.

Drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking trays- they will spread when you bake them to leave big gaps.

(That is two cookies on a saucer, just to show the size of them- huge!)

Bake for around 12 minutes- you want them to be browned at the edges but pale in the centre as they will continue to firm up on the tray once they are out of the oven. Leave to harden on the baking tray for 10 mins before removing them and putting them on a wire rack to cool.

Took the cookies along with the little nutella cookies around to Andy’s parents. 

I am thinking I should try a bakewell tart at some point- I never liked them when I was younger, I think I found the almond flavour too overpowering (even though I have always loved marzipan), plus I don’t really like pastry, but the cherry and almond combination is a winner for me at the moment!

Do you find you like certain flavours at different times of the year? When I was out for tea with a friend there was a cinnamon flavour tea and she said that cinnamon belonged in the autumn and winter time, which I suppose is true.

A few reviews

So in the last few weeks I have been lucky to be sent a few products to try out.

First up, some Wild Trail bars. These are cereal bars with a difference!

  • 1 serving of fruit per bar
  • 1 serving of wholegrain per bar
  • Bound with fruit, not sugar
  • No added “secret” sugars or puffed rice
  • Dairy free, wheat free
  • Low GI

The ingredients are impressive- oats, date paste, raisins and other dried fruits, with a little glucose and rapeseed oil (as the final ingredients though, so not much). With lovely flavours like Orange & Apricot and Cranberry & Raspberry, I imagine there is something for everyone (and no yoghurt coating either, hooray!). Each bar is a good size (45g) and around 150 calories with 2.5g fibre to keep you feeling full. The first one I tried was the Sour Cherry one, and it was wonderful! As you may have noticed, I am a little cherry obsessed at the moment, so I was bound to like it! But the cherry flavour was strong, and made it not too sweet. I found them very filling too, and think these would make fantastic mid morning snacks for when I am back at work. They have more information on their facebook page, including a change to win a box of their bars each week, so check them out.

If you want to try them for yourself they are available now at Selfridges, Whistlestop stores, POD Food, Abokado, The Natural Kitchen, Chop�d, Tossed, Vital Ingredient, many farm shops, selected Budgens stores and overseas. Each 45g bar retails for 79p. Wild Trail Tel: 02087805660

I was also sent some cartons of Cocofina coconut water. I love coconut water, so I was sure I would love this, and I was right. But what is great is that it is 100% coconut water, no additives or flavours or anything else. The plain coconut water was so refreshing, delicious with some ice, and a perfect size too. They do some other flavours including Coconut water with Tea and Passionfruit, which I shall be keeping an eye out for, as I love iced tea and I would imagine this would be a healthier version. I have also seen on their website they sell coconut oil and coconut flower nectar, which looks like honey- I shall be keeping an eye out for those too!

Finally I was sent a rather funky kitchen gadget from the people at Umbra– RINSE: the next great kitchen gadget! Basically a bowl and strainer in one. It is very clever (I could have done with it last week when I was picking and washing all the blackcurrants)- You put whatever you need to wash in the bowl, you can tip the colander part out to the size and rinse under a tap, and then when they are clean, tip it back into the bowl and clip away the colander part. They also have a facebook page sure to be full of other interesting products.

As well as it being easy to use, I love that it is BPA free and also dishwasher safe.

When I was in Waitrose the other week I saw the words “peanut butter” out of the corner of my eye, and of course I had to sample some! Kingdom chocolate make some very unusual and wonderful sounding flavours (I bought Andy the cappuccino one although he has been sharing the pb one with me at the moment)- the peanut butter one is lovely, and I can read every ingredient (unlike my beloved Reece’s pb cups which you are better off not looking at…) so I thought I would share it with you guys 🙂

Have you tried any of these before? Or have you come across anything new recently that you love?

Delicious no bake fudge

I always love the recipes on Oh She Glows – they are generally so easy to follow and delicious too. I often look there for inspiration if I fancy something different for dinner, but the baked and sweet goods tempt me too!

Recently Angela posted a recipe for raw chocolate walnut fudge, and once I read the ingredients I just had to make it!

Coconut oil, nut butter (I used half almond and half peanut), cocoa powder, agave, vanilla and nuts. I used pecans as I don’t like walnuts that much, and I sprinkled on some coconut.

I have had it in the fridge (no space in the freezer as it was filled with ice lollies!) and it starts to melt as soon as you pick it up, but it is delicious. It reminds me of raw chocolate, which makes sense as it is similar ingredients. Next time (I am sure there will be a next time) I would slice into tiny squares as it was hard to hold once I had taken a bite!

Have you been tempted by any internet recipes lately? 

 

Summer starts here!

Hey peeps!
How are you all doing?

My summer is officially starting today! I have been off work for a couple of weeks now, but I spent the first week back in school, and have been doing work at home (and popping back in a couple of times too) since then. But today, no work, only packing, because tomorrow we are off on holiday!

I have managed a few runs this week- on Tuesday I went out for a run before breakfast- I listened to an audiofuel intervals podcast and tried to keep up. It starts off with a warm up, then you do 3 minutes at a fast pace, 3 min recovery, 3 mins even faster, 3 min recovery, and then 3 mins at the fastest pace. I did the whole thing 3 times- I went around the lake and across the park behind the lake which was a nice change- saw loads of rabbits! My best pace was 7.23 but that would have been for a 3 minute burst and not a whole mile of course. My actual average pace was much lower but I suppose that is because the recovery part is very slow. I do like them, but I find that the slow parts are very slow and I find myself doing comedy leaps to try to keep in time.

I wasn’t hungry at all when I got home, but I had been out for an hour so I had a few almonds and some water before I went for my shower. Then I had some fresh pineapple with a passion-fruit Danio (see the seeds?).

Then it was time for a bit of work before I went to see my Mum (3 weeks since she finally had her op and she is doing so well 🙂  ).

On the way back I stopped at Aldi for some washing tabs and things, and noticed pumpkin purée on offer for £1.29 per can- this is the cheapest I have seen it anywhere. The sign said limited stock, so I bought as many cans as I think I can fit in my cupboard!

Later after lunch (I treated myself to caramelised onion hummus- yum) I had some delicious raw chocolate fudge (thanks to Oh She Glows).

Yum! In the afternoon I did some weeding at the allotment, before coming home for some dinner.

Wholewheat pasta with cherry tomatoes, avocado, lime juice and a little salt. Summery perfection.

We spent some time in the evening getting out clothes and other things that we need, although we have searched everywhere and cannot find our adaptor plug- where is it???

Today is generally a “use up what we have in the fridge/ cupboards” day, so for breakfast I had the last cherry/ almond scone (topped with almond butter and home-made blackcurrant jam), along with a peach, some watermelon and some pineapple. I need to do some weeding in our garden, and do some cleaning at home too (does anyone else clean before a holiday? I hope that it means I won’t have to as soon as we get back home), as well as sorting out the packing.

We are off to the North/West USA to visit some of the National Parks that are there, so we will be doing plenty of walking, although I won’t be taking my running things this time.

Also, I just came across this article (linked to by Hungry Runner Girl) and it is very funny- I was looking at the St Albans Parkrun photos from last weekend and yes, there was a guy running the 5k run wearing a tri suit- why??? And also, I can’t understand how people can do any exercise without their hair tied back! I usually do a french plait with my fringe now to make sure that no strands ever break free!

What are you up to this summer?

Do you clean before you go away on holiday?

Do you commit any of those runner fashion faux pas?

PS I have written some posts and I am hoping that I have set it up right and they will come up while I am away. Fingers crossed!