by Mollie Millington | Feb 4, 2020 | running
On 11 January, I celebrated my 50th parkrun with a few hundred of my neighbours, James, and a few London friends that I know because of running. I realize though that many of my readers are from outside the UK so might not be familiar with the concept of parkrun. Read on to learn more….
Paul Sinton-Hewitt held the first time trial 5K in October 2004 in Bushy Park in London. Over a few years, the name changed and the locations expanded before finally adopting the name parkrun in 2008. (Note, it is always a lowercase p). Run entirely by volunteers, there are over 700 parkruns in the UK and globally. Japan, South Africa, USA, and Italy are just a few of the countries that have events. You can see a map here and look for an event near you.
Parkrun is about inclusivity. Everyone is called a finisher (1st finisher, 2nd finisher, 401th finisher, etc). You can walk or run, as a tail walker stays at the back to ensure no participant finishes last. Dogs (on a lead) and prams are welcome, as well as kids. As an alternative, parkrun junior takes place on Sundays and is 2km, which may be more manageable for the wee ones (aged 4-14 welcome). Personally, I love seeing families out together on the course, encouraging each other to complete the distance. My local event is two laps, so some kids drop out after one lap. No two courses are the same in terms of route, terrain, or elevation gain (just the distance), which makes parkrun tourism a popular hobby (where you travel to other parkruns and try them out).
You might be wondering how does parkrun work? First you need to create an account and print your barcode. Some events may laminate your barcode for you or you can order a key tag or bracelet with your unique ID on it (I found that sweat started to ruin my barcode paper). Next step is to find an event and arrive 5-10 minutes early for first timer briefing. You will learn more about the course, where you can leave your personal belongings (at your own risk) and if people stick around for tea and coffee after. The easy bit is completing the 5k at your own pace. If you are feeling speedy, you can race others at the front or stick with the tail walker in the back. Some events will have pacers available (you need to check their event page for more info on this). One of the important things to remember is that parkrun shares the local park and paths with the community. You do not have exclusive rights of use and need to share with people out enjoying nature who might not be taking part in the parkrun. When you finish, be sure to stay in the order finisher order so you can receive a token that says what number finished you were. This token get scanned with your personal barcode and processed later that day. Usually, within a few hours, you will have your official results by email. Logging into your account, you can see where you have run and all of your times.
If you run 50, 100, 250, or 500 events you get a free t-shirt as an incentive. Think about it- Peloton gives you a free tee after 100 classes, so this is a pretty good deal! Juniors get a free t-shirt when they hit 10. The other kind of t-shirt you can get is after volunteering 25 times. I was injured most of 2019 so ended up volunteering a lot or so I thought. I am only at 11! Time keeper, handing out finisher tokens, scanning barcodes, giving the first time briefing, setting up the course and taking it down are just some of the roles volunteers can sign up for.
The aim of parkrun is to stay free forever, which is why many brands have created partnerships with parkrun. That is fine with me as money and time are two of the biggest barriers to people when it comes to physical activity. If we can eliminate one, that can make a big difference. Running and walking should be one of the more accessible activities as all you need is a pair of shoes and to walk out your front door. The timing aspect of parkrun lets you monitor your progress without needing a fancy watch or app, which can again be costly.
My first parkrun was in July 2015. My husband and I love to visit new parkrun courses when we travel and have tried nine different ones so far (aside from our local course). Some parkruns are open on Christmas and New Year’s Day too with New Year’s being a double run challenge in some areas. Making running fun will get people coming back for more. I would love to do a double one day but usually have to work on New Year’s.
Tell me in the comment below, what is your favorite parkrun course? If there isn’t one near you, why not consider starting one up in your local area? For me, it has been a great motivator for me to get out of bed on a Saturday and spend time with my local community. Plus, it is something active James and I can do together, even though he beats me every time.
by Mollie Millington | Feb 2, 2020 | exercise, quickie
Of course you do!
When I first started this blog, I would share a new 13-15 minute workout on Sundays. You can also check for posts tagged ‘quickie’ to mix and match. Minimal kit is required so you can do it anywhere. It is handy to have a timer or watch with a second hand to help you stay on track. If you are unclear what the exercise is I am describing, please look for a video or arrange for an in-person tutorial. I am slowly working through ‘how to do a ….’ posts that will help you know what exercise I am describing. If you aren’t sure though, have a look on Google.
I want you to be safe, so please consult your doctor before engaging on any fitness regime. Remember to go for QUALITY over quantity. Breath on the excursion (ie, exhale when pushing yourself up on the push up, inhale as you return to the ground).
Let’s get started!
3-5 minutes of warm up– walking or jogging (can be in place or going up and down stairs). You want to break into a light sweat. Warm up is important because it lubricates your joints and warms up your muscles, two things which prevent injury.
1 minute of jumping jacks/star jumps– A modification to make this easier is rather than jumping extend your leg out to the side and touch your toe to the ground and alternating sides.
1 minute of squats– Feet are shoulder/hip width apart. Toes are pointing forward. Sit back and stick out your bum (as if you were going to sit on the toilet). Be sure to keep your knees behind your toes. Extending your knees beyond your toes may injure your knees. Progression: easier- actually sit in a chair. Don’t use arms to get up but instead think of a string pulling you up from your chest. More difficult- Hold weights or wear a backpack with some newspapers or magazines in it for extra resistance.
1 minute of push-ups/press-ups– These can be in several forms (from easiest to most difficult) incline against wall or counter top, kneeling, on toes/normal, decline (feet elevated). Perform whichever one you feel most comfortable with. No matter which position, remember to keep your body in a straight line. Keep hands underneath your shoulders. Don’t stick your bum up in the air!
1 minute of leg lifts– Lay on your back with legs extended. You can have your hands underneath the bottom of your bum for support (hope that makes sense!). Lift straight legs up the in air and slowly bring down to the ground. If your lower back comes off the ground, modify your movement so this does not happen. This may mean that your legs are raised straight up and you can only lower them to 45 degrees. That is a good place to start until your back is stronger.
1 minute of Supermans– Let’s get that lower back stronger! Laying on your tummy with arms extended above your head, lift opposite arm and leg in unison and return to the ground. Only lift as high as is comfortable for you. This exercise does not call for a big movement. To make this a little more challenging, lift all 4 limbs at once. Don’t forget to breath.
1 minute of hip raises– Time to work the hamstrings (you always want to work complementary muscle groups). Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Raise your hips so there is a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower hips 2-3 inches (a comfortable range) and raise up again while squeezing your bum. Keep your core tight by visualizing a string pulling from your belly button to your spine or kicking your abs tight to prepare for someone to punch you in the stomach. (Don’t try the punching thing at home though)
1 minute of lunges– Do these either standing in place or walking down the hall. Start with feet together. Take a large step forward and lower your back knee almost to the ground (or within your comfortable range). Remember to keep your knee behind your toe. Do not lunge forward. Alternate sides.
1 minute of dips– On a sturdy chair or bench, sit on the edge of seat with hands beside your bum. Drop hips off of seat (keep bum close to the seat) and lower yourself down as your elbows point behind you. The closer your knees are to you (and more bent such as at 90 degrees) the easier this will be. To make more challenging, keep legs straight out in front of you. Rely only on arms to push yourself up, not your legs!
Repeat as you’d like! Stretch out when you are done to help prevent delayed onset of muscle soreness. I have a cool down and stretch video over on my YouTube channel that you can use if you aren’t sure what to do.
Count and record your reps to monitor your progress as the weeks go on. Try to keep your heart rate up by resting no more than 30 seconds between exercises. (Of course listen to your body and take more time if you need it).
Good luck!
by Mollie Millington | Jan 28, 2020 | class review, yoga
Growing up with four proper seasons, I must say I really miss having a proper winter. I find London has two season- cold and raining and warm and raining. I try to find snowy mountains at least once a year. We are very fortunate to have friends who own a chalet in Verbier, Switzerland which makes it much easier some years. Last year, I tried skiing in Italy for the first time and loved it. While I won’t be able to ski until after the Tokyo Marathon (not long now!), the apres ski culture is still something I enjoy when I can.
When my friend, Alison, told me about yoga for skiers in Central London, I was quite keen to join in. For only £10 and not too early on a Friday morning, I signed up immediately. Savage Garden Rooftop bar, which is near Tower Bridge station, has kitted out their space with cosy wooden panelling, red tablecloths and ski-themed decor. Yeh Yoga instructor, Emily, was bright-eyed and bushy tailed as I arrived a little bit early for my class. Alison and I were long overdue for a catch up and with early work meetings, 7am was the only time we were free to chat. We go way back to when I lead the Boutique Sport run club in Piccadilly Circus. Over the years, we have stayed in touch, primarily through Facebook, cheering on our fitness pursuits. She loves skiing too but we have yet to go on a holiday together. She has been going to Yoga for Skiers every Friday morning and I see why she enjoys it.
A small class of about eight people had both Emily and an assistant to keep an eye on our form as we woke up with the sunrise over London. The view from Savage Garden overlooked the cityscape. It was dark when the class started and slowly the light started to brighten. But it was overcast, so no glorious sunrise could be seen. We started off with moves that warmed up our bodies and got them ready for exercises that strengthen our bodies to hit the slopes. Most of it, I was not very good at but I can see how weekly sessions would prepare me for the slopes. There was lots of stability and some crazy ‘ninja’ moves that are supposed to help you stand up if you fall. I was absolutely rubbish at these! Laughter was welcomed as most of us struggled to succeed at these movements and were falling all over the place.
The other reason I was excited about this class was that I could wear all of my nerdy kit themed kit and not look out of place, or so I thought. My Terez leggings has photos of ski slopes and I wore my Hey Holla ‘Apres Ski’ sweatshirt too. While Emily was amused, no one else seemed to notice. Oh well.
I haven’t been back but I think this class is perfect for everyone and a great deal at £10 (plus Eventbrite fees). I might even try to go to Savage Garden in the evening for the mulled wine and shot skis at some point.
by Mollie Millington | Jan 13, 2020 | Uncategorized
I can’t believe January is half over. Sorry I have been absent from the blog. As you know, training for Tokyo Marathon started in November and continued over Christmas. Peak week (my longest run of 20 miles) is still a few weeks out so Sunday mornings are meant for running until further notice. All this running is quite taxing on me, as you can imagine. In 2019, I didn’t train for a single marathon. I forgot how challenging it is! It is definitely a team effort, especially this month as the runs are getting longer. In order to cope, I have been relying on James more to help me with chores (such as putting away the Christmas decorations) and cooking. It has been a big help (thank you, James!).
The other two areas I have been focusing on is training Skipper and sleeping. While we were initially excited about having a younger dog who would be up for exploring the outdoors, she is proving to be very independent and challenging. We have competed some training classes and are using books to help us develop her recall skills (coming when called). As she is a husky-mix, we probably will never be able to let her off-lead. She is a great running partner and getting me going on shorter runs. Yesterday, at our training lesson was the worst she has ever been with me. I have bruises on my hand from her biting my jacket and arm. We are nearly at out wits end but I want to keep trying with her. Unless she continues to bite me. (It is usually when she is over-stimulated and unable to do what she wants, which is why we need to keep training her!)
Sleeping. So glorious. I can never get enough. This year, I am aiming to get into my bed by 9pm and then lights out by 9:30pm. I am hoping the additional sleep will help me be less hungry during the daytime and also reduce my stress level and therefore abdominal fat. Working with a nutritionist, I am monitoring my calories and macros to help me re-learn about much I should be eating versus giving in to my cravings. At night, I am now listening to Slimpods from Thinking Slimmer (gifted) is part of my bedtime routine. I have been enjoying them for a while on my commute, but now I have upgraded to their Gold Program. There are daily videos, four different Slimpods to go through over the twelve weeks and lots of community support on Facebook. You can even get a free 10 day trial by signing up here.
How are your intentions for 2020 shaping up?
Earlier this year, I stated on Instagram that I was going for quarterly goals over new year resolutions (see above). For now, I am focusing on sleep, marathon training (which incorporates physiotherapy, strength sessions and track), and sticking to my nutrition plan. Slowly it is coming together, but it isn’t leaving me with much left to give- physically or mentally. It is a temporary thing until after peak week. I have a ton of blog posts floating around in my head, as well as some old ones that didn’t transfer over to the new site I will update. Please bear with me as I get going again. There is lots going over on my Instagram, so please follow me there if you haven’t yet.
If you know someone going through marathon training, give them a little extra love as their miles ramp up. They will appreciate it!
This post contains affiliate links. They cost you nothing additional but help to contribute to the cost of running this blog. And sorry there aren’t many photos. WordPress is acting up.
by Mollie Millington | Dec 24, 2019 | advent, motivation
How often do you express gratitude? Whether it is genuinely thanking the barista who makes your coffee every morning or writing in your journal a few things you grateful for just before bed, keep things in perspective by acknowledging all the good things you have in your life.
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