Category: Running

Hey all! It is that time of the week again- one more day closer to the weekend! Thanks Jenn for hosting the midweek party.

I chose Sunday as my day, as I was running the Willow 10K.

Breakfast;

A little bowl of porridge with raisins and cinnamon (made with coconut milk)- I don’t like to be too full when I run, but I can’t run that far without anything either so I only used 25g oats I think.

Race drink;

I love the nuun tabs. I find it really hard to drink from the cups of water, plus I don’t want to drink too much before I set off, and I prefer to sip on my way around. So I take this with me on 10K + runs (and have it when I get home usually on shorter runs).

Yay I finished the race and didn’t have to walk!

Post race snack;

Alpro yoghurt and Lizi’s chocolate granola- the bomb! I was starving by this point as I finished the run at 12.10ish, and as we wandered around the shops for a bit got home after 1pm.

Lunch followed soon after;

Fruity bread (from the freezer, not home-made sorry) with pb, plus nectarine and fig. Me and Andy also shared a Graze box;

Copacabana which is milk and dark chocolate buttons and brazil nuts! Yum.

Dinner;

No photo here- we went to Andy’s parents- they always do a buffet style meal so I had 1/2 jacket potato, salad, beetroot, cucumber and some peppers/ tomato/ mozzerella on a tortilla.

And one of these- I baked these for work but also took some around to their house for tea – I had to have one!

Late night snack;

One of the scones I made with some blackcurrant spread and teapigs spiced winter tea. Mmmm.

There we go- a carb-tastic day!

I think the fig was my favourite- I have not had one for ages and they were on offer so I decided to go for it 🙂 Glad I did. Do you like figs? I used to be put off my the skin and only liked dried ones, but I really like the fresh ones now too, especially when baked, mmmm.

PS- I am so touched by the number of people who are donating for Cancer Research UK for my Great South Run- the giveaway is still open so check it out here. Thanks

Evening all!

Have you checked out my wishes post first of all- you never know some readers might get lucky!

Today was the Willow 10k- I kept calling it the Hatfield House one, as it is around the grounds.

We ended up parking in the wrong car park (as the written directions said to go there, and the map was of a different entrance) so had a bit of a walk to get to the start. I was hoping to run it all, and I was hoping for 66 mins, as I think that is the pace I am capable of at the moment. The run was lovely- gently undulating, through fields and on tracks- some lovely shaded parts (I wore a long sleeved top as it was so cold yesterday, and I was rather hot!). There were a couple of very steep hills- one at 5K where I really wanted to give up. There were very enthusiastic marshalls, which is always so fantastic as they give up their time to help out at these races. I didn’t take my mp3 player so it was just me and the sights, so I really felt I took it in more- although I was rather alarmed at my heavy breathing going up the steep hill! The final part was a killer too- you came out of the woods and into a strong headwind, up a hill and on long grass- the finish line in sight but 1k away! I wanted to stop and walk then (I felt a little sick and had real jelly legs), and the thought did pop into my head “if I am finding 10k hard, how am I going to manage 10 miles in 3 weeks time” but I pushed it away and tried for a strong finish. Even got to shake Bob Wilson’s hand (he set up the charity)- lucky him as I was sweaty haha!

This is me once I got home with my medal! I do love a good medal 🙂 Andy’s parents surprised us by coming down to see us (as it was almost a loop which you repeated I saw them just at the 5K mark) and so after we finished running we wandered around the lovely shops at Hatfield House before heading home.

The all important goody bag- including a £5 sweatshop voucher, kitkat and mikly way (no banana though), and a little Mr Benn pin.

I got a pirate one and Andy got a cowboy one! Pretty cool mementos I think.

Anyway, I was pleased because I ran all the way, and I think I came in at around 66 mins- the clock time said 67 but I was near the back and had to walk a bit before I went over the start line (the chip times are not available yet). So not my best 10k time, but not my worst either.

Onto the baking! I have been making some bribes for my colleagues- I often bake during the year for work anyway, so once a year asking for sponsorship I think it is ok.

Thanks Jess for the guess- but it was white chocolate (not cheese)- first up;

Pb and white chocolate blondies- these are always super popular at work 🙂

Using my new Lakeland baking trays!

I am so pleased at how they turned out! I keep saying to Andy I think they look like they could be on a market stall. He thinks this is me insulting my baking, but I mean on a nice farmers market stall or something. Like at the start of Rachel Allen’s Bake show. Do you know what I mean?

I also made some dark chocolate brownies- again these are always popular.

Yummy 🙂

I also made white chocolate fudge. Then I put them all into individual bags with a tie saying “in exchange for this blondie/brownie/fudge please sponsor Maria“- with the website and stuff. Fingers crossed it helps me raise some more. Fudge bags;

My table is covered in the little bags!

Blondie bags:

And brownie bags;

And one of each;

I think they look so pretty anyway! It was a lot of work to make them all, and bag them up and decorate them etc, but it is for a good cause and I am hoping people will see that.

Remember, if you sponsor me (see here for details) you can win some pretty awesome prizes, plus some of my baking too. 🙂

Anyone else racing this weekend? Hope you got on OK.

Oh and for fun, here is the first pic I took of myself;

I think I am looking a bit suspiciously at the camera! OK I have taken worse but it did make me laugh!

Night 🙂