Running - Maria Runs

First run attempt

So today was my first attempt at a run since my holiday, which worked out at about 3 and a half weeks with no running at all.

I did not want to put any pressure on, as I realise that my legs would find it a shock, so I took my time over breakfast, and headed out much later than planned. I ran up to the lakes and around them, which was really enjoyable. I did have to stop and walk after mile 2 and mile 3, as my legs felt very stiff at that point, so I did some stretching and walked for a few minutes each time. While I was running my Nike+ was reading between 10.20-10.40 per mile, but by the time I got home I had done 5.7 miles in over an hour- can’t remember how many mins, but some of that was walking and a lot was stretching!

I feel this is quite positive really- last summer I did not have much of a break as we went away for less than 2 weeks I think, plus I was not running as far anyway. I remember the first year I started running, after my holiday I had to go down to a walk break every 5 mins or so, and it took me a while to get back up to 10k distance. I also managed to run up the steep hill (I had decided that I would be allowed to walk it), and clearly it should not take as long to get back up to my normal longer distances (I was doing 10 miles for my long run before I went away).

But when I got home I felt so tired! I think it really shocked my system. It also meant I was running late to meet my friends, but luckily they didn’t mind.

Hope all you UK bloggers had fun at your meet up.

So question- how do you get back into things after a break from your routine?

Accepting what you have got

Hey!

I think often we are all good at dishing out advice, but not following it ourselves. During my trip away I caught myself in that very situation. I will explain. One of my friends has a lovely figure (actually, they all do!)- full in the bust, quite curvy and looks amazing in fitted dresses etc. We were shopping and she kept on picking up big tops and skinny jeans and going to another friend (who is very very slim and was rocking the skinny jeans look) “I wish I had the figure to wear skinny jeans and tops like you”. I said to her “you have a lovely figure, you should love what you have as I bet there are loads of people out there who would love to look amazing in those dresses like you do” and she admitted I was right. I was impressed with my attitude, but really, that was not my attitude. I too was wishing I could wear skinny jeans, but they do not suit me!

I also have been guilty before of trying on clothes, they don’t suit me, and so then I get a little fed up about my figure. This time I tried on loads of clothes in one shop, and guess what. Some of them fitted and looked good. Some fitted and did not look good. Some of them didn’t fit. What did I learn? Clothes flatter different people. And my ultra slim friend tried on some of the same clothes as me (well, in a different size) but some of them did not suit her. So I decided that I am going to try and make sure that I accept what I have. Last week I had a little crisis of confidence when shopping for swim stuff (we are going to Discovery Cove and so need swimwear for the day), but after this trip I went home, tried on the stuff I have and decided that it looks fine. I have decided that I want to enjoy my holiday, and that I should take my own advice and accept myself. So that is what I am going to (try to) do. I hope you are all with me??

Back to general stuff- last night I went to body pump and decided to have some heavier dumbells for the shoulders track. I typically find it really hard, but this track the moves seem to be split more and I have found it a little easier, so I went for 3kg instead of 2kg for each arm (yeah, not heavy I know!) and I was prepared to swap back half way through to the lighter weights, but I managed it all the way through 🙂 This morning I had a 10 mile run. I got very hot and felt like I was going super slow, but in fact I was a minute faster than last week. Still a few minutes slower than my fastest time but not bad.

I have been packing today (not taking any running stuff with me) and am getting excited! All going well this time tomorrow we will be driving down to Key West! Whoopie I love holidays!

I think we have internet access in some places so I might manage a few little updates. So have a fab few weeks, and (Florida style) see you later, alligators 🙂

Bristol girly fun and 7.53

Hey all!

Hope everyone has had a good few days. I had a lovely time in Bristol with some girly friends.

I had a run before we left, and then topped up on fruit by having a Moma pot with blueberries and strawberries. Yum.

We hired a little apartment which ended up being right in the city centre (although I was driving and finding it involved getting lost in the one way system several times and then seeing it but it being no right turn etc). It involved a meal out as ASK (I am getting over my mushroom issues and had a mushroom sandwich thing), Starbucks chai tea (and I was impressed as they did not try to make me a latte, as is what always happens here when I ask for a hot chai tea), carrot cake in a coffee shop, a trip to Wales, walks in a little welsh town (and up a very steep hill), shopping for pretty summer dresses, hunting for frozen yoghurt (failed at this), a trip to Highclere caste (and of course the tearoom there), playing games in the apartment late at night, early mornings (thanks to the seagulls and the fact the bedroom had no curtains) and so many laughs. It was such fun. I did not take any pics and one of my friends put some on facebook but I have no idea if I can get them off there?

Anyway, I was intending on going for a run when I got home yesterday, but we decided to go to Highclere castle (fans of Downton Abbey may be excited to hear that they film it there, and I was interested to know that it used to be home of the man who discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb) on the way home (kind of on the way) and when we came to drive from there the M4 was shut so we had to go up to Oxford. Anyway, my car does not have air conditioning so for the entire 3.5 hour journey I was baking, and had only had tea at the tearoom (no water in the car), and had a scone for lunch. I was so hot and sticky that I decided a run would probably make me ill, so I had a shower instead (and a walk to the allotments- you will be glad to hear that the lady has dug up her potatoes, but not the shed, and also took a little blackberry bush (I say bush, it has 3 leaves) which I found while digging up all the weeds and I do not believe she knew it was there- this annoyed me a little as I think if I had left all the weeds then she would not have known about it!). Gosh I am rambling today.

So, this morning it was magic mile time! I got up, changed and drank some water and headed out. It was raining hard. I had mapped out the route, which was a loop and a half, no road crossing needed which would make it more accurate. Anyway, I set off and after a few mins realised I was going too fast- I had to slow a little and then after that got into a bit of a rhythm. I could see the lampost that marked the end I sprinted towards it (imagining the crowd cheering me on) and I was SHOCKED to see that my time was 7.53. Crazy! My best 5k time is 28.10, so I was hoping for a little under a 9 min mile (as this is shorter I should run is faster), but I also feel like I have slowed down a bit recently, so I was not going to be upset if I was slower. But that was amazing! I had no idea I could run that fast! But then I had to walk home as I was gasping for breath.

I had my last Moma pot for breakfast after that, and it was much needed!

Now I have started packing for our holiday 🙂 Some of you may remember that at Christmas Andy and myself were supposed to be going to Florida and a few other places, but our plans were scuppered by the great British winter weather (see here). Anyway, we are off on Saturday for a slightly longer holiday (we added on a few more places as we can go for longer in the summer) so off to Miami, Key West, Orlando (and Discovery Cove- my surprise Christmas present), Savannah and Charleston 🙂 So our bed is now covered in neat piles of tops, cropped trousers, swim stuff etc. Pretty sure I won’t need jeans! I want to leave some space for some Old Navy, Gap and Skechers shopping.

But I will also be tempted by all the clif bars and peanut butter! So, I am after recommendations for stuff like that! What should I try to bring back with me??

And my last post had a lot of questions about the basil tofu! I get Taifun tofu, which comes in a 200g pack, in the chiller section (usually in the veggie section of that with all the cauldron stuff etc). It says on the pack you can eat it cold, so I usually have it in sandwiches and stuff. They also do almond and sesame flavour, which I tried but found a bit smokey for me. I think they do an olive one too, but I don’t like olives. I have bought it from Waitrose before, and from Ocado. Hope that helps 🙂

Holidays are busier than work days!

Sort of!

I somehow thought that I had loads of free time, but in fact I have been super busy these last few days. Wednesday I went out and did my Audiofuel run before breakfast, as I had loads to do. This was good, but hard work- probably a little further than I normally would run before any food. Plus it was warm, but I did take water with me.

Then it was a busy day of going into work, a quick rush to the shops (not to put a downer on it, but I need to find something to wear to Discovery Cove- swim shopping is what I dread the most) and then cheering myself up at the allotment!

See this bed at the bottom? Well it goes the whole length of the allotment and that was what I spent a lot of the 3 hours digging up! And that pile of rubbish is what the lady left behind- after clearing 8 tubs of the stuff I dug up I could not be bothered to move her stuff. Plus I was a bit worried that there might be a frog or a hedgehog living in it.

This is it from the other side- I was not going to attempt digging up the potatoes (they cover about 1/3 of it I think) and apparently the lady is coming this weekend to take away her shed and dig up the potatoes. This picture makes it look like there is loads to do, but honestly it is just the potatoes now!

Thursday I did some yoga before breakfast (yoga for weightloss- I downloaded a few other ones which looked good, and at my level as this was a beginners one). Then I had some friends over. I was pretty pleased (food related) as we all bring something, and tend to snack and chat- often I get tempted by the crisps, nuts, cakes etc. But this time I had a Food Doctor pitta, some crudites, half of a berry crumble bar, and a lot of watermelon.

Watermelon just looks so refreshing 🙂 Love it!

Then it was body pump time, and actually I was really pleased. We always do a stretch at the end (for the glutes I think)- you lay on your back with one leg up in the air, then you cross that leg over the other one, reach through and hold on to the other leg. Not sure if I have explained it? Anyway, I have always struggled with this, being inflexible,and have always had to hold my leg first, then hook the other leg over the top, but the last couple of weeks I have managed to do it properly, and I am wondering if the yoga is actually making a little difference. It will be a long time til I can put my forehead on my knee though!

Anyway, I was hungry after that, so I went for a Moma porridge pot, as I have been sent a few Moma products to try and I could not wait for breakfast!

Verdict? Delicious. It is ready made bircher muesli- this one is made with yoghurt, apple juice, oats, apples, peaches, agave nectar, rice starch and lemon juice. It was lovely and very filling. Yum.

Today I had another pot for breakfast;

This one was a blueberry one. Then I was off for a 10 mile run (I have a family wedding this weekend so would not be able to go out tomorrow or Sunday morning)- this was hard as my legs were getting stiff from body pump last night (I also drank a lot of water before I left so I had to stop at the toilets in the park!). It took me longer than last time, 1hr50 something, but with the stop that is not too bad.

After a snack and a shower I was off to meet a friend for lunch- we went to Starbucks and I was excited to see they sell their chai teabags!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woo hoo!!!! I mean, perhaps they have for ages, but I have not looked/ noticed them before. After resisting ordering Teapigs for ages, I am yet again adding to my tea collection.

Then I was off for a haircut (plus buying a dress for the wedding tomorrow- last minute much?).

So there we go. Some exercise, some socialising, and some de-stressing.

So nice weekend plans? The wedding will be keeping us busy as we have a family lunch on Sunday too. Hope you all have a good one.

Laters dudes 🙂

Gardening= workout

Hey

So this morning I got on with one of my fave holiday activities- a run in the morning.

During term time I generally go out after work- I can run about 3 miles before breakfast, but then with the shower and stuff after it means getting up very early- I would rather take my time after work and run a little further. Anyway, I have been getting the feeling lately that I have really slowed down- perhaps it is the warmer weather and also that I have been tired from work. Anyway, today I decided I was going to push myself and see what I was capable of. It was a hard run, but I kept an eye on my Nike+ and generally my pace was between 9.40ish and 10.15 per mile- good for me. At one point it said 17 and then 24, so I think it lost the signal for a bit. Anyway, in the end I did 5.8 miles in 59 mins, which is much closer to my recent 10K time. I was feeling like I was back to the speed when I first started running (10K in 70 mins) but with this, baring in mind I had to cross roads and things, it was closer to my pb of 61.30.

I had a delicious smoothie in a bowl to cool down when I got back

A frozen banana, raspberries, cocoa powder and Kara coconut milk.

Sprinkled with coconut as I love that at the moment.

I made a lovely lunch- cooked some quinoa with a tin of tomatoes, spinach and some pesto, and added it to roasted peppers, courgette, beetroot and cherry tomatoes. I made a big batch so I can have it for other days too. Topped with food doctor roasted bean mix.

After that I headed up to our allotment for some weeding action. It was more overgrown than I remembered!

There is bind-weed everywhere!!

At one point I got very freaked out as I went to chop the bottom of a massive thistle, and nearly squashed a frog- gross! Luckily it hopped out of the way, but I may or may not have screamed, then shouted “sh*t” (this is very rare for me to swear) and then panicked about people seeing me! Anyway, I weeded for over 2 hours. I must have moved 7 or 8 big piles of weeds to the enormous compost heap. Mistake number 1 by me was to only take a small trowel and hand fork- next time I will bring the proper tools!

Please tell me you can see a difference!

We have to leave the potato plants as apparently the lady might come and dig them up!

We do have some raspberry canes, and a blackcurrant bush which I hope will get left for us- I gave those a massive weed too.

Once home (this was a good two and a half hours later) I was starving so decided to replenish my blood sugar with a lovely Eat Natural bar. Mm. I then went to Habitat in the hope of getting some bargains, but alas, too late (despite the signs still being up) they have closed! Ah well.

Instead I got some more dried mango, and made some chocolate covered mango, being inspired by Nicky.

Some with coconut, to add to the tropical theme! I love Divine dark chocolate mango, but had never thought of making it myself until I saw it on her blog– genius 🙂

I was still hungry, so then I had some more Rude Health Oaty things, with pb, raspberry spread, and some Earl Grey tea. That gardening has made me shattered! What a good workout!

I am off to zonk out now! My question- what activity do you find subs as a workout?