Brighton half- spare place

Look at what arrived this morning:

Yup, the race pack. There is no way I am doing this (it is only 30 days away now), and when I came out of hospital and realised that, I had already missed the cut off for cancelling (where you don’t get a refund, but £10 off next years entry). After it came this morning I looked on the FAQ’s and it seems that you can transfer a number. So, if anyone fancies running it (it is Sunday 19th Feb), please let me know and I will happily send out the number to you. Seems a shame to let it go to waste, plus it is sort of annoying to see it there. Have a look on the website for details of the course etc. I have emailed them to get the transfer form so I am ready to go.

Thanks 🙂

Oh, and a few of you asked about those amazing chocolate pecans yesterday. I got them from the Montezuma’s website– I went there, must have registered my email address, but didn’t buy anything. Then a few days later they sent me an email saying they had noticed I visited their website and didn’t buy anything, so here is a 10% discount! Well, it was rude not to use it surely? So, if you are unafraid of Big Brother then might be worth a try! 🙂

Getting to know my Garmin

Hello all

I think I have cracked it! Nearly.

Yesterday I set out on a little walk, and decided to wear my Garmin to see how I got on. I actually wrapped up warm, walked around the corner before I remembered and had to go home and get it- whoops!

Using it was pretty easy- when I first turned it on (at home once I had charged it) it prompted me to select things like my age, weight, other stuff I can’t remember- for some reason I thought it was a twisty dial but it is just buttons on the side, so very easy.

Then, I had to press a button to search for satellites, and then press start. It did beep at me after I had walked one mile (one lap it said) but although I pressed OK the first time, the second time I didn’t notice and it carried on recording until I pressed stop. Not sure if I can turn that off because the beep is annoying, but if not it is not the end of the world.

Then it got a bit harder. The instruction manual said just to go to Garmin.com/intosports, or Garminconnect.com, and to download the software and then follow the instructions. I did the first one, but then realised that was for not using the internet or something, so then Andy helped me with the next bit.

Then it is not too hard- it plugs in to the USB port, and when you go to the connect site (and log in) you should in theory be able to click “upload” and it will upload new activities. This took about 3 goes and in the end I had to do it manually (clicking through “my computer” to find the file)- I un-plugged and re-plugged it in a few times as it did not seem to register. Anyway, hopefully it will get easier as I get used to it.

Now, I can’t do a fancy pants screen shot, but the photo came out OK. Anyway, this is what is exciting- there is a map, a line to show my walk and another one to show the elevation. How exciting. 🙂

I must say that using Nike+ is super easy and good for any techno-phobes like me (I only learned to type when I was at uni- before that I hand-wrote everything as I was actually “scared” of computers after something at school which I won’t bore you with), whereas the Garmin seems more complicated and I don’t think the website makes things that obvious. I think once I start running again (one day…..) I will keep with the Nike+ too- I like all the challenges on there and the count of my total miles, that sort of thing.

I actually walk faster than I thought. Also years ago I had a bad knee ( it is still not perfect)- it got really sore and painful of I was still for a long time (eg the cinema) and would feel like something was wrong when I went to straighten it after it was bent for a while. Crouching down then standing up was really hard as it felt like it would give way. The doctor just told me to rest it (which seemed silly when the resting made it worse) and to strengthen the leg muscles to help the knee joint. Since taking up running (and aerobics and body pump) it has been loads better- I had not really thought about it but just this last week I have noticed that going down stairs it has started to bother me again, and it is getting stiff while I am sitting. I need to start running again! I did feel several pangs of jealousy while on my slow walk I was overtaken by many many runners out for a lovely lunchtime run. But I am sure the time will fly by.

I went to the GP today, and am signed off for another 3 weeks, but she said to me (quite frankly) that it may be longer as the cyst is big, and until they take it out it won’t get any better- plus when they take it out I will then be recovering from an op. So, ideas to help me pass the time please!

I have: Listen to the radio, watch a series of Top Chef on TV, do brain training and suduko on the DS, tidy out some drawers/ cupboards, read some magazines/ books, write out some recipes into my nice recipe binder things, do internet shopping (oh, hang on, that is not such a good idea!)….

Thanks 🙂

 

Running accessories and getting higher tech!

Hey all, hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. A few of you have asked how I have been (and I don’t want to harp on about it)- I am feeling uncomfortable, but not in awful pain or anything. I have tried going for little walks (as am still off work but want to see how I get on with being a bit more active) but for some reason that makes it much worse, so I am not walking too far. Still a week and a half to my hospital appointment, and although my brain is going mad I know that I can cope with how I feel right now.

First and most exciting news- I bought myself a Garmin . What with the Kindle I am now nearly in the 21st Century according to Andy (still only have a texting phone, no internet for me!). Anyway, I got a postcard from Sweatshop saying that the Garmin 110 would be half price for this week, so I decided to get one. I did read reviews on Amazon and it seemed pretty good. I have run a few times with Andy’s Garmin- no idea of the number but it was a basic and pretty big one (plus he has it set to km so I spend the entire time working out the miles). At the moment I have got it out of the packet, charged it, and read some instructions. Oh, and located the satellites. I am thinking I will try it on a walk at some point, and so the plan is once I can start running again I will know how to use it. I have had my Nike+ for nearly 2 years now, and although I really like it, I do need to callibrate it a lot because it works on foot striking, not GPS. Plus I know that I really do love running, and it is not just a fad, so I know I will get some good use out of it.  This one has no HRM, but I did not think I would use it, and the HRM ones were much more expensive.

I also got a couple of running magazines to read- again not sure if I am just taunting myself because I can’t do any of it yet. Ah well, I will be well prepared. (Sweatshop postcard in the background too).

And guess what- there are bloggers popping up in magazines all the time! Freya was in Women’s Running mag, Rose is in Runners World, and.

Phil is in Running Fitness! How exciting!

OK, so if you have a Garmin (or other brand of GPS watch) which one do you have and what features do you really find great?  Does anyone have the same one (and any pointers would be fab- like how do you turn it off???).

How into the 21st Century technology are you? Internet/ smart-phones etc? I have had my current phone for over 2 years and it does me fine,although when I was in hospital I was thinking that an internet phone would be good as it would have given me something to do. But then I am not sure if I would feel the need to check things at lunch time/ all the time, and feel a bit more stressed, whereas now I can only check emails at home and other times I know it will wait. Makes sense?

More festivities

Evening all

I am sure by now everyone has their Christmas decorations up. Well, we are not allowed ours up as Andy thinks it might be bad luck? (Last year we were meant to go away but the plane got snowed on– we bought a little Christmas tree for the weeks before we went away- so it makes sense that if we don’t get one then we won’t have to stay and use it, right?).

But it does not mean I cannot be festive! The Christmas Fayre at school today was just lovely- (I even wore my Old Navy happy holidays top!)

Happy Holidays 2008!

and really put me in even more of a festive mood. Pumpkin gingerbread pancakes were a good festive breakfast too.

They never look good in my photos but trust me it was all about the taste!

On the way home I popped to Starbucks (2 actually!) but not for a chai latte (didn’t think it would be good pre-run fuel)-  in their 2 days of Christmas offers mugs were half price. I saw a lovely one a while back so decided to hunt it down. I could not resist a cinnamon roll either!

We shared one this afternoon with some Teapigs chai. Mmmmm.

I got home at about 1pm, and got ready for my run. I went out and did 8.5ish miles (my regular route)- I did consider 10 but I was so hungry (and cold- the wind was cold) so headed home. It was about 3 by the time I got home and I was starving! Not surprised seeing as my breakfast was at about 9am!

I had a go at a vegan Christmas cake this afternoon- from Vegetarian magazine although I made a few changes.

It will look better once it is covered in marzipan 🙂 Tomorrow I am going on a Christmas cupcake decorating course so I am hoping to have some good ideas for how to decorate the cakes. Other than that I have been relaxing- I had a busy week and somehow did 4 runs (Saturday- 4, Sunday- 8, Monday-5, Wednesday 4) plus aerobics and pump, and normally I would have had another rest day. I was meant to be going out to dinner after work yesterday, but I left work late (super busy) and had such an awful headache- my eyes were hurting as I was driving home looking at all the headlights, so I skipped that in favour of an evening on the sofa!

I might even write our Christmas cards later.

Are your decorations up yet?

Are you after anything in the Starbucks sale? And also, does anyone have one of the Starbucks cards? They seem really good- surely there must be drawbacks??

Coconut lime yoghurt cake recipe

I have still been enjoying all the lovely yoghurt sent to be from Rachel’s. Last weekend I tried out a recipe by Lucy Hyder, who created recipes for their “Moment’s” campaign. I fancied making a yoghurt cake, and so after reading lots of recipe books and scouring the internet, I came up with these.

I made these on Saturday, and they were so tasty that I made another batch today to take to work!

I based the recipe on the Lime yoghurt cake with rosewater and pistachios, from Rachel Allen’s Bake.

Preheat the oven to 180C, and line a tin with 12 muffin cases.

In a bowl mix 225g self raising flour, 1tsp baking powder, 50g ground almonds and 100g caster sugar.

Then add in one egg, 50g honey, 50ml rapeseed oil, 300g natural yoghurt, the juice and zest of one lime and some coconut extract. Then stir in 30g grated coconut. The batter should be fairly runny, so if it seems too thick then add some more yoghurt/ a little milk to thin it out.

Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the cases, and bake for 25-30 mins (until a skewer comes out clean). Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Icing is optional- for the first lot I used 100g light cream cheese, icing sugar (couple of tbs) and some coconut extract, and then sprinkled more coconut on top. The second lot I left un-iced. If you had some lime juice left then I suppose a lime glaze would be fab too- with lime juice and icing sugar or something.

Yum. Quite a summery flavour I suppose, but they were so tasty 🙂

Last weekend I made some pear yoghurt muffins for work. I used a recipe for plum yoghurt muffins (here) but I swapped in pears and added some ginger. I also only used one egg and possibly a little more yoghurt to make up for it.

Everyone at work loved them! I love it when pears are cooked anyway- they go all soft and so so sweet.

I also had one for breakfast last Sunday with some amazing Rachel’s coconut yoghurt and a papaya. Yum 🙂 The yoghurt helps keep them so moist and delicious.

Thanks Rachel’s for all the tasty yoghurt 🙂

View New Rache...JPG in slide show

Andy requested something he could eat with custard, so I made some little gingerbread pumpkin loaves.

I based it on the pumpkin spice cake recipe, only I added in a few tbs molasses and added even more ginger.  So they are vegan too.

Yummy they look good even if I say so myself!

I was off for a run this morning- about 8.5 miles in 1hr31, in the wind! It was more windy today than yesterday I am sure. I focused on enjoying the run and did not look at my Nike+ once to see pace or time or distance or anything. Plus because I did all that baking this morning the house smelled wonderful when I got back home!

Also this is what I got for my Dad for Christmas:

At Hatfield House there are some lovely shops, including a gallery. A local artist makes these mosaic tiles – they are paving stones for the garden to be sunk down into the ground. Anyway I saw this when I did the Willow 10K, but as I did not have any money I did not even ask about it. When we went yesterday they had other ones, but not the kingfisher one (which was perfect for my Dad)- I asked if they had any and they phoned the artist (who was local) who brought it up straight away! I am so glad I asked. It was heavy though (it is a bit bigger than a dinner plate I suppose). I am really excited as I think he would never guess what it is 🙂 Especially as he asked for clothes!

Lime and coconut- yes or no?

Yoghurt in cakes- yes or no?

How is your festive shopping going on?