Category: General ramblings

Sponsorship plea

Hey peeps.

Thanks for all the lovely messages on my last post- I keep going from feeling confident that I will manage the GNR, to waves of panic about not finishing and missing the train back home. Anyway, I am trying to stay in a positive frame of mind. A lovely colleague sponsored me the other day, and when I thanked her she told me that she was so impressed because of all I have been through this year. Sometimes when I refer back to my op, I feel a bit like I am making a meal out of nothing, seeing as it was a small op, no complications etc. But when I came home from the hospital I could barely walk, so I suppose the fact I am running now is a reason to celebrate, and a reason to feel proud that I have come back from that really.

Anyway, I enjoy running races, and usually just run for myself, but once a year I like to raise money for charity. This year I missed the Race for Life near me (races?), and didn’t get a place through the GNR ballot. But my Dad’s cousin worked for a charity (a branch of the Sheffield Hospitals Charity- the kidney research part)- they also run it each year (as well as doing other fund raising things) and I think the charity does really good work.  Anyway, they secured me a charity place, which sorted out my charity of the year dilemma.

Last year I did a few give-aways for people who sponsored me, but this year I am going to do a Great British Bake off style giveaway, and if you sponsor me I will send you out some home-made goodies. Any donations are very much appreciated- every pound adds up after all. So in advance if you feel you can sponsor me a little bit then I sent you my thanks xx

The link is here.

(I chose My Donate because the charity gets more than it would from other donating websites- something I didn’t know before).

On the subject of running, taper time is here! Yesterday my run went well and each mile was a little quicker, and today I did just over 3 miles, and again (despite the wind) kept a faster pace. When I started back, 3 miles was taking me nearly 40 mins, but on my own it is down to about 33/34, and with Sweatshop it is a bit lower. Anyway, tomorrow I have a late meeting at work (so no Sweatshop run, boo), and Thursday is pump. Friday night we are getting the train up, so no more running before Sunday! Ahhh!

But I am in a positive frame of mind.

And thanks again if anyone does sponsor me. Maria xx

Since I’ve been back

Hey everyone- I hope you are all enjoying the Indian summer (well, last week anyway). I got back on Saturday lunch time, then Monday was back to work, and all my blog posts have been holiday ones. But I have been back to randomly taking photos (and back to running regularly too) so here is a whistlestop tour of the last week.

So, running:

Sunday- 6 miles= felt OK.

Monday- same 6 mile route after work= much harder.

Tuesday- 3 miles slow

Wednesday- Sweatshop run! Super speedy middle section (I jog there and back slowly)- 3 miles in under 30 mins!

Thursday- Body pump! I had forgotten about all those press-ups!

Friday- Rest

Saturday- 10 mile run. I took it super slow and steady, didn’t look at my Garmin (turned it around on my wrist so I was not tempted) and tried to run on “feel” more. Took me just under 2 hours, but I felt OK at the end and I think at that sort of pace I could continue for the 3 extra miles.

Sunday- Rest

Today- Just under 4 mile run after work. For some reason my plan said 7 miles! But then I remembered about the taper (I think I still get one even though I just had a holiday?) and also got home from work later.

I bet you missed seeing pictures of me just back from a run? Well here you go:

The red face is back! (I think that was after the second 6 mile run, and it was rather hot out there that day!)

I got my vest for the charity I am raising money for.

The GNR is just around the corner! Eek!

Food has been tasty:

Yummy quinoa chickpea salad with a lime/coconut dressing (well lime juice, agave and dessicated coconut), with spinach, artichoke, basil tofu and dried mango. Sort of tropical fused with Italian! Had the leftovers for 2 lunches too.

Lovely chai latte (celestial seasonings Bengal spice teabag, vanilla soya milk and a splash of syrup I think) in my new cup, plus lovely energy ball bites by Something from Sarah.

Delicious sweet potato and pb, with a spinach and fig salad (yes there is some potato under all that pb).

Lovely post run breakfast of blueberries, chia seeds and muesli soaked in almond milk, topped with mango, plus coconut water.

Yummy granola to top my soaked muesli- love all the freeze-dried fruit.

My attempt at an acai bowl. We had these loads on holiday- this one (made 2) was made with: 2 cups frozen cherries, 1 big frozen banana (slice before I freeze them), tsp cocoa powder and a tsp vanilla bean paste whizzed up in the food processor. Served with chopped papaya, blueberries and banana, sprinkled with granola and drizzled with agave. It was pretty close to the ones we enjoyed in Hawaii.

There has also been lots of tea! Especially teapigs tea, as I have been sent some samples 🙂 Lovely Earl Grey tea (the best I have had I think)

Yummy Lemongrass- so refreshing.

And warming spiced winter tea for a cool autumnal evening.

I also missed baking while I was away, and boy I made up for it this weekend! After running 10 miles, doing some work, and housework, I then made batches of white chocolate peanut butter blondies, another batch with added coconut, some peanut butter and strawberry fudge, and some dark chocolate orange brownies! Phew!

Then I bagged them up ready to take to work, to help persuade people to sponsor me. The little tags have the website on them. They covered my dining room table I cannot believe I made so many! Hopefully I will manage to raise some more funds for the charity.

Right, that is enough for now! I have been catching up on the Great British Bake Off (love it)- might try to squeeze in an episode before bed time.

Night 🙂

I love mountains

Hey peeps

I hope everyone is having a lovely summer- I hear it is finally hot in the UK- hurrah!

Gosh my visit to Canada seems a long time ago now. Last Friday we flew to Vancouver- by the time we landed it was something like 8pm in the UK, but midday there. We drove up into Whistler along the “sea to sky highway” with amazing views.

Once in Whistler village we forced ourselves to have a wander (whereas what I actually wanted to do was sleep) and have some dinner.

Of course I woke up at 5am the next morning- very bright and early!

Whistler village is so pretty- it reminded me a lot of the ski village at Lake Tahoe- lots of little shops, and lovely views of the mountains. We bought a 2 day pass for the lifts, and spent the days there in the mountains.

We got a gondola up, and then from there one day we got a chairlift even higher up- that was OK except for the fact that you then had to get the chairlift back down- it was super steep and high up!

Once up there, there were different hikes signposted around, although I am not sure I agreed with the difficulty levels- even the “easy” hikes had very steep bits, loose ground and you had to clamber over rocks.

At some points we could see across to another mountain range- the spike is from a volcano, and the rest of the mountain wore away, leaving only the central core.

I feel like the Vancouver olympic statue is so much nicer than our one, sorry London! Plus it is way up a mountain, which is always good.

From Whistler mountain we could see across to the other main ski mountain, Blackcombe mountain- the ski runs were very easy to see as gaps between the trees. Once we got over to that side, they turned out to be beautiful mountain meadows filled with wild flowers.

Hello from the mountain!

All the buildings had ladders underneath them, for when the snow did not reach as high as the door!

I liked the statue! But you had to be quick to get a photo before the next person came along.

Excited to be tall enough for something, for a change.

We also did the scariest thing- ride across from one mountain to the other, in a gondola. I thought it would go down one mountain, across the valley, and then up, but not, it was way up above the trees. I was not keen on this at all. And I had to do it on both days!!!

That is not from a helicopter, but from the gondola- so high up!

But the views were worth it- more hiking- more clambering over rocks- and we even got to see some marmots (they whistle, which is where the mountain gets its name from). They were not too bothered by people.

There were swarms of midgies all over this lake, but some fabulous views made it worth it (and the long hike).

And an even friendlier marmot!

The air was just so fresh.

Pretty sure Andrew had his camera out just in case I fell in!

Another ride on the gondola of terror.

But more beautiful views made it OK.

Mountain streams from all the ice/snow that was melting.

Meadows (ski runs) filled with flowers.

A grouse and her chicks walking across the path- there were loads of people on the path and they were not bothered at all.

Then we got the chair lift down the other mountain, and had a short walk back to Whistler village- over a gushing river.

Olympic rings!

We ate in the same restaurant each evening- The Old Spaghetti Factory. Last time we were in Canada we loved this place, and it did not disappoint. Yummy pasta, salad, sourdough, plus tea and a scoop of ice cream- a total bargain.

Then after 2 days there, we drove back to Vancouver for our flight to Hawaii. We left some time to stop along the way, and saw a few beautiful waterfalls.

So spectacular.

Anyway, that is enough photos for now! We have taken so many- it was very hard to cut it down to those.

Hawaii has also been fab, but I will post about that later. I am sure everyone has photo brain freeze or something to that effect.

Any news I have missed? What are you all up to?

And do you prefer mountains or beaches?

 

 

Packing and emptying

Packing my suitcase, and emptying my fridge that is!

Well the last few days I have been trying to use up everything (no photos again because for some reason I can’t get it to upload). Yesterdays breakfast was lovely- Alpro plain yoghurt, doughnut peach, and some pumpkin tea bread with pb. (I made the pumpkin teabread with 1 cup dried chopped figs, 1 cup raisins, soaked in 300ml tea, plus one cup of pumpkin puree, 2 cups flour, 2 eggs..)- delicious.

Last night was a Sweatshop run- we did a route that was about 3.2miles, and I kept the front of the group in sight- made it back in 31.35! Pretty fast, especially as it was hot!

Finishing that I had a lovely dinner of balsamic tofu (I pressed the tofu and then soaked it in balsamic and dried basil before baking) with a salad of beetroot and avocado- things that needed using up!

I have been sorting out things at the allotment a bit- some weeding, planting a few more plants, picking mountains of raspberries (and now eating them as they needed using up!).

Today I was packing (and waiting in for a parcel) and went out for a slow 4 mile run (in the baking heat this afternoon)- soon I shall be running along the beaches, or something like that.

I am taking my running shoes on holiday with me- I have never done this before, and usually take the opportunity to have a rest from running on holiday, as I think a rest makes you come back with more enthusiasm. Plus we always walk a lot on holiday- we are not ones for lounging about- we do a lot of sightseeing, so I never want to be tired from a run during a long walk or something. But this year I had a rather long enforced rest, and I am concious that when I get back I have 2 weeks before the GNR- not long to get up to that distance (13.1 miles- eek).  Andy is taking his too, so we are hoping to have a couple of runs together each week- not much, and not extending anything, but hopefully it will minimise the fitness loss. That is the plan anyway.

Our holiday is a rather special one- at Christmas we were meant to be going to New York, Washington and Philadephia for Christmas (and then to the beach in Florida) but as I was in hospital we had to cancel. Andy promised me that if we had to cancel it, we would go to Hawaii, and that is where we are headed! We have a stop in Vancouver, so are off to Whistler tomorrow, and then after that to a few of the Hawaiian islands- I cannot wait- might even get to visit the Dole pineapple plantation and see a volcano! Eek! Better finish my packing 🙂

Do you have any trips planned this summer?

Anywhere you can recommend?

Sweetie Tea!

Hey peeps

I hope everyone is still loving the Olympics- I sure am!

I got an email from Twinings this week, telling me all about their new range of teas, and I must say, they sound right up my street! They sent me a couple of them to try (Jasmine Pearls and Honeycomb Camomile) although I love the sound of the whole range.

They seem to be based on old fashioned sweet shop sweets- ones in jars that you used to buy a quarter of (makes me sound old, although I never knew what the quarter meant!).

Click on the links if you want to see photos, as my net-book is refusing to upload photos for some reason.

Honeycomb camomile tea (sounds nice- I really liked camomile tea when I tried it before, but have not bought any for ages): This is lovely- really mild and fresh tasting, with a hint of honey- sweet but not too sweet. The teabags are those fancy silk “temples” and they look so pretty with the yellow buds. The tea went a very bright yellow colour too.

Gingersnap Peach tea (sounds like it would be my favourite- on holiday last summer I became rather a fan of ginger peach tea). I will be on the look out for this as it just sounds amazing, and I bet it would make a nice iced tea too.

Mint Humbug tea (also sounds lovely- I do love a nice cup of mint tea)

Liquorice Allsorts Earl Grey Tea (This must come a close second in ones that I want to try- I am having an Earl Grey phase at the moment)

Jasmine Pearls Green Tea (athough I am not a massive green tea fan, it still looks pretty. Not sure what sweet they are aiming for though, any ideas?). This tea was very mild tasting, which I liked, as I often find green teas too strong, even if you only brew them for a minute or two (this recommended 2 mins). Again the tea “pearls” looked very pretty in the silk pyramids, and it turned the tea a very strong green colour. It was not as perfumed as other jasmine green teas that I have tried, but I preferred this one I think as it was overall milder in taste.

Which tea do you like the sound of the most? I am torn between the Gingersnap peach and the Earl Grey, although I like the sound of the mint and camomile too, those first two are a little more unusual.

What sweet would you love to see made into a tea?