Author: Maria Runs

Back with a bump

So after the excitement of the weekend it was back to work with a bump!

I also realised I forgot (yet again) to do my Sunday training review and my memory is terrible! So here is what I remember:

Monday- run after work. Think it was about 5.7 miles or something.

Tuesday- Aerobics. Super sweaty. Full press ups! (Although my hands were sliding across the floor due to being so sweaty)

Wednesday- Audiofuel run- found it hard work but did it. Plus 25 mins yoga for runners.

Thursday- Body pump. Right, I have a question. At the moment I can do 15kg squats, but by the end it is my neck/ back that hurts. Do people have those special bar coater things to help with this? In the winter I kept my hoody on for that track and used the hood as a cushion- no way can I do that in the summer. I am putting it on the right place, according to my instructor anyway. So tips welcome.

Friday- 3.1 mile run before work. This set me up nicely for the day and helped with the body pump aches I am sure,

Saturday and Sunday- walking around Silverstone. I even forgot yoga because it did not feel like a Sunday! Whoops!

After work I planned a run- I headed out (complete with new red shock absorber Run bra 🙂  – I could do a magazine thing; “Top- Nike running specially chosen to clash with;  Bra (just seen)- Shock Absorber, sweaty messy face and hair-models’ own”) but I think I was probably a bit dehydrated from the weekend. I really hate using public toilets, and while I do use them (silly I know) I also drink way less when out so I have to queue for less. So at the race yesterday I think I had less than 1 litre of water all day (I did have stuff at home too, but it was hot). Plus I could not work out when would be a good time to go because I wanted to see the drivers parade, the red arrows and stuff, and had to allow half an hour for queuing. Anyway today a mile or so into my run I felt really weak and a bit shaky. I had taken water with me so made myself push on, and then the water I was drinking started making me feel sick. I had to stop for a bit, and then walked for a few minutes. I was having a conversation with myself that went like this;

“You have run 3 miles already, you can do 3 more”.

“But I feel really bad, I don’t want to make myself ill”.

“Mind over matter, come on you are just lethargic“.

“No, I think I am actually not in shape to run- come on you are not training for anything at the moment, and at least you did a run today”.

“OK, fine, we will try again on Wednesday“.

So that is what I will be doing. Home for some coconut water with pineapple! Yum! Tastes like pineapple juice. 🙂 Once home I felt fine, but I think I probably was dehydrated, and it is warm out there (plus yet again, I spent all afternoon outside teaching PE so not ideal). I have cooled down now!

So body pumpers- how do you cope with a heavy bar?

Silverstone weekend

Hey guys!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend- I did 🙂

We were up so early (6am on Saturday and 7.30 today) to get up to Silverstone in time, but it was fab. In brief, Saturday we had “roaming seats” which meant we could sit anywhere there was space, so we watched practise sessions and then the qualifying in one grandstand (luckily it was covered as it tipped it down!)- it was great, the cars were so noisy (I had earplugs though phew), but it was freezing cold! I think I shivered for the whole day. As soon as you went down to the ground it was fine, but up high it was windy. We also saw some other cars racing (in a different stand just to mix things up a bit), and Jenson and Lewis having a little chat on the vodafone stage after qualifying.

Today there were a few things before the race, but we had seats (in an open air stand) so we did not have to get there as early.  It tipped it down with rain once we were in our seats, but we had dressed for the rain and brought an umbrella, so we were OK! It did stop before the start (although Jenson and Lewis did ask for rain yesterday as they would have stood a better chance I think- we were in two minds- rain makes for a more exciting race, but then we would have got wet!). We saw the drivers go around on the back of a lorry, the Red Arrows did about 30 mins of awesome amazing stunts, and then it was race time! I won’t bore you with the race, as I am sure you would have watched it if you were interested. But I have never been to one before, and I was wondering how I would get on, as you can only see part of the track (and we could see the start of the pit lane too). Normally when you watch it on TV they tell you where everyone is, so I did think I might get a little confused. There were big screen TV’s showing the feed just as it comes on BBC, and when the cars were not near you could hear the commentary. Andy listened to the radio (on an mp3 player) but I wanted earplugs instead, but I did manage to follow what was going on. There were some exciting overtaking moves, and I was loving that the crowd were cheering every time Jenson or Lewis went past- loads of clapping and air horns and stuff! I had not thought about it before, but you know at a football match the players can hear the crowd, but in those cars with all the noise (and seriously, it is so much louder than on the TV, so much more high pitched) there is no way the drivers can hear, so I did not know if there would be any cheering during the race, just at the end. But it was great! 🙂 Andy was trying out his new fancy camera (one of those digital SLR ones) so no photos from me I am afraid!

What was not so great (but cannot be helped) was the awful traffic coming home today! The park and ride bus took an hour to get us back to the car park, and then the motorway, urgh, no idea what went on there.

Anyway, it was a brilliant weekend. And I have one question (Ferarri fans need not apply)- Jenson or Lewis?

I am for Jenson Button all the way- a few years ago (maybe 5/6?) one of my friends gave me an official photo of him as a birthday present, as I was rather taken by him! Andy even teased me that if I met him I would be even more star struck than when I met Mickey and Minnie Mouse (and yes I was an adult at the time too). 🙂 But I love having two Brit drivers in the same team, and I was still cheering on Lewis when he did some fancy handbrake style turning stuff in front of the grand stand to celebrate at the end! 🙂

Who’s idea was a run before breakfast?

As it certainly was not my idea! (yeah, it was Andy’s!)

Last night body pump was great- and phew I managed the full press ups again (not sure if I could manage more than 4 though haha!)- next week I am going to try higher dumbells as the triceps track finishes with a short lot of kickbacks, and also as the shoulders track seems to switch between standing up stuff and kneeling down stuff, and only a small time with the bar at the end I think I may be able to go a little heavier.

Then it was time for a refuel:

I made some chia seed pudding, with a small mashed banana, cocoa powder, splash of milk, tbsp chia seeds and xanthan gum, left in the fridge while I was out. Then topped with strawberries and Lizi’s mango granola (with lovely pieces of dried mango in there yum). The pudding went really fluffy, sort of, a bit like angel delight! (Anyone else used to love that? Although we always had generic supermarket stuff so we called it milk pudding).

Anyway, as Andy was off to Silverstone today and leaving before 7am, he suggested I had a run in the morning (I was going to go after the waffle house today, as I would not get out over the weekend) so I didn’t wash my hair last night which left me no option!

Anyway, I left my kit out so from the alarm going off to heading out was 10 mins. I did my 5k loop in 31 mins, so I was pretty pleased with that. It was drizzling and windy when I left, but by the time I got home it was dry. I was starving though- I am always hungry the morning after body pump, and having been awake earlier I suppose made it worse!

Then (after my quickest shower) it was time for breakfast! This was porridge made with mashed banana, oats, milk and sprinkled with cinnamon. It was so good! I keep seeing people having mashed banana in their porridge, but have never tried it before. It is a keeper I can tell you!

I only just had time to dry my hair (this takes a good 15 mins which is why I normally wash it in the evening) before rushing off to work, but as the traffic is generally lighter on a Friday I was there 5 mins later than my usual arrival time, so not bad at all. As the day has gone on I have got more stiff (from body pump) and I quite liked having a run in the morning, so I might consider it a bit more, especially on a Friday when I can afford to leave a little later.

After work was the waffle house! Hooray! And unlike last time everyone made it this time so I had a lovely catch up over a pecan waffle. Mmm. I wish they did a peanut butter one though! What flavour would you love to see?

I also had the laziest dinner ever!

Yup, a veg pot! We did not know what time Andy would get home, and when we ordered out shopping I was still planning on a run after my waffle (yeah that would not have been a good idea I think!), so we decided on the second quickest dinner (if you are wondering, toast is the quickest). Delish anyway. What is your fave lazy dinner?

So off to Silverstone tomorrow 🙂 Have a fab Saturday everyone!

Audiofuel in the rain (and some food)

Yup, that was yesterday. Perhaps it was some kind of payback for Laura commenting that she learnt that running in the rain was not so bad- I agreed, and then of course, it tipped it down! As I was about to leave the clouds were black and Andy told me to take my phone (but I was not taking my belt so it would not fit in any pockets)- so I said to him that if it hailed he could come and get me! As I left it started raining really hard- the rain was going sideways as the wind was blowing so hard and it was stinging my eyes, and it was so hard to run in time as the wind was so strong! I also felt a bit tired, in a can’t-be-bothered mood. After a while the sun came out and it was a bit better, but I really felt like I had heavy legs and the last set of 185 steps per min was really tough. I had nearly talked myself out of yoga, but then I realised I would have to do it another day, and put that on here, so I did it!

I had a tasty dinner of half a baked aubergine with cannelini beans, passata and herbs and stuff, cooked beetroot on top of spinach and sprinkled with food doctor seeds (and topped with nutritional yeast). Yum. The beetroot turned the beans pink too! 🙂

I also had a snack of vanilla alpro, strawberries and some mango macadamia granola. Delish 🙂

Today after seeing Sarah using other dried fruits in her overnight oats, I decided to go with dried apple in my porridge instead of the usual raisins.

OK so it looks horrible, but really it was tasty- the apples plumped up overnight, and of course after being sprinkled with cinnamon everything tastes lovely!

Today I have an early dinner (so eat before body pump, as I did try eating after but by the time I got home it was 9pm and I was starving and felt a bit too weak at pump) so I never normally plan a snack between lunch and dinner. But, this means by the time I get home I am starving, and also get tempted by biscuits in the staffroom,  so today I was being prepared (and having never been in the guides it must be impressive that I can be):

The nakd bar was for my morning snack, and the Eat natural mini bar was to have before I came home (to stop me being tempted by goodies in the staffroom- and it worked hooray).

Once home I had some chai tea (called “Baby it’s cold outside”- what a fab name) and an apple to keep me going. 🙂

So, I am already looking forward to the weekend (Silverstone yay!)- Andy is going with his Dad tomorrow to watch the practise sessions, and I am off to the waffle house (hoping that more people turn up this time hee hee)- it is going to be brilliant! Ear plugs at the ready 🙂

So, any exciting weekend plans ?

Full press ups yay!

That is my excitement for today! Went to aerobics and at the end we always do a few minutes of stuff like the plank (and did proper one of those too, no knees on the ground here), push ups and suchlike. When she told us to start press ups (apparently it will be rude not to do them!) I thought “well, I did full ones at body pump, so it would be silly not to try again”- and I managed them! Not sure how many, but a few more than 4 anyway!

Before aerobics I had a lovely snack of teapigs chai and a small eat Natural bar from the giveaway I won :). Tasty. Thanks Lucy 🙂

For lunch I had my first garden courgette- how exciting! I had it in a yummy Food Doctor bagel with some cream cheese. Tasty 🙂 And loads of pepper too. Those bagels are so filling- I love them!

Also, how out of touch am I with fashion? Seriously, I went on M&S website just now to order a few bits in the sale, and I got some white leggings (for wearing under dresses in the summer- thought they look more summery than black ones) and I came across “treggings”. Now, I have heard of “jeggings” (jeans/ leggings hybrid) and had to look up treggings- apparently it is trousers crossed with leggings- more structured than plain leggings but still to wear under dresses and tunics. Anyway, they say you learn something new every day (or do they make stuff up every day?). So what did you learn today?