Inspirational advent – 2nd December
Welcome to Day 2 of my motivational advent calendar. Thanks for have a look. Remember to join me over on Instagram for a new conversation starter each day where we will talk all things Christmas!
Inspirational advent – 1st December
It is my favorite time of year, advent time! Not only am I being active every day in December as part of Advent Running, but I am also sharing 25 days of inspirational graphics for your viewing pleasure. If you click on the image, it takes you over to Instagram, where I will be asking a new question about the holidays to learn more about different cultural traditions and holiday favourites. You will also be able to find my graphics over on Pinterest, if you would like to pin or share them.Please come back and see what new words of wisdom I am sharing each day in the lead up to Christmas. Enjoy!
Time for a catch up
Well hello there! I hope you have been doing well since the last time I posted. Lots has been going on behind the scenes here since October, so I thought I would catch you up. Some bloggers call these ‘catching up over coffee’ posts but I don’t drink coffee so grab a hot chocolate (feel free to add some Bailey’s) and let’s have a chat.
The biggest thing that has happened is my rebrand and new website. With the help of Think Marsh Studios, we have been working since the summer to give my brand a freshen up. Part of the delay is that Chris works days and I blog at night so it was hard to resolve issues quickly. But I am very happy with the result, a new logo inspired by 80s neon signs. I also switched from Blogger to WordPress as that’s where all the cool kids are. I am still deciding if that was a good idea or not as I am not a techy person but I am sure practice will make perfect.
A big change at our house was adopting a Crossbreed named Skipper at the end of September. She is 2 years old and we were told she is a Husky-Staffie mix but she also resembles a German Shepherd or Akita (but only weighs 15 kg). Her energy and intelligence levels are very different from Oldland, so we are all adjusting to the change. We are attending training classes with her on the weekends to improve her manners by Christmas when we head to my in-laws. She loves to run and play and was unofficial 4th dog last weekend at our local parkrun.
I also got the all-clear from my osteopath at Function360 to start running again. Tokyo Marathon is on 1st March 2020 and I officially started marathon training on 11th November. I did a few interval runs before that and some trail running in the Peak District with the Love Trails gang but am out of practice in terms of fitting all the miles in. Twice a week I teach spinning which I use as a substitute on my short run days. I am doing my physiotherapy twice a week too and checking in with my osteopath once a month to monitor my progress. The team at Function360 have always been supportive of my goals and I really appreciate that.
To compliment marathon training, I have (finally) hired a personal trainer named Sunni. I have seen her training clients at my gym for about a year and like how she encourages her clients and designs their programs. Many of the other trainers I see at my gym looked ridiculously bored when with clients, or spend more time chatting than training. I have met with Sunni twice now and it has been great refreshing my knowledge of all things PT. I should have started working with a personal training after my first marathon. I can’t wait to see how much stronger my body will be when I step up to the start line.
One thing I have talked about a bit on social media is how I am struggling with my mental health and weight. I have gained 15 pounds since March when Oldland passed away. 2019 has also been dominated by injury, which has limited the physical activity I can do. To help my body prepare for marathon training and reduce my calories, I have been doing a sober November. (Ultimately, I tried Sober October and was unsuccessful). To give me more incite into sober life and knowledge the benefits of this temporary change, I have been reading the Unexpected Joy of Being Sober too. As I would normally rather have dessert over a drink, it hasn’t been too challenging. There did seem to be a lot more social events this month (World Travel Market, camping in Peak District, leaving do’s, and birthday parties) but maybe my perspective is different because I am aware I cannot drink. I am quite happy with a Diet Coke or I discovered alcohol-free Kopparberg fruity cider. Sunday I can drink again and after the week I have had, I am looking forward to it!
Finally, I am working on my annual inspirational advent calendar and four gift guides for you. The advent calendar starts here on Sunday and the gift guides will go live on 2-5 December. Keep checking back every day in December through Christmas for a little hit of inspiration to keep you moving. Or you can join my team for Run Up To Christmas, which raises money for Mind charity. It is only £12, you get a medal, and it will be loads of fun. Our team target is 200km so the more people you get to join us, the less you have to run. 🙂
There is even more to share, but I hope to post a few more tales in December. It has been a crazy autumn, but also a good one. I am slowly getting into a routine and will soon settle in to a run/work/dog/sleep pattern of success. Bring on Christmas!
How has autumn been for you? Leave a comment and let me know.
Is 15L enough for a run commute backpack?
For a long time, I have been a fan of Osprey rucksacks for running and other outdoor pursuits. As a brand, they offer a female version of some bags, which can be really important when ensuring the correct fit. Recently, I had the opportunity to test out the Duro 15, a unisex hydration pack. My usual go to bag for run commuting is their Tempest 20 which has room for snacks, a change of clothes, my lunch, sunglass case, and a large wallet plus water pouches on the shoulder straps. I was curious to see if removing five liters and having a unisex design would be noticeable.The bag was extremely comfortable as soon as I put it on. The mesh fabric used to line the area that will be against your skin never chafed or scratched. It is very soft and helps with breathability. The front chest strap is adjustable so you have find a level that fit your body shape. There is also a hip belt which helps support the bag if it is full, especially if you are running. Keeping the bag close to your body assists with balance and center of gravity. The hip straps also have zippered pockets which are super handy for snacks, your phone or a debit card- things you may need quick access to while you are out and about. There are also small zippered pockets that you can use to keep organized, which is very appealing to me.
As a hydration pack, this bag offers both a 2.5L bladder and two 500ml pouches. I think this gives it versatility and the options to take as much (or little water) as you need. Of course, the bladder will take up extra space leaving you less room to carry things like extra layers. For me, the missing 5L made the bag a little shorter than my Tempest 20 and therefore slightly more comfortable. The Tempest 20 does have an adjustable torso length to help with the fit but the though that the Duro 15 was too big for me never crossed my mind. I couldn’t fit both my changes of clothes and lunch in the Duro 15 but if I planned ahead for run commuting, it didn’t impact me. I would either leave a change of clothes at work or buy lunch in the canteen. Or if I was going on a long run and just needed to carry an extra layer and water, this bag is perfect.
Overall, I really enjoyed running in this bag. Even though I couldn’t cram all of my stuff in there, it was probably better for my body not to carry that much weight. Running with a rucksack (no matter what size aside from my 1.5L) always influences my posture and therefore running form. I like being prepared though, so tend to carry more than I need just in case it rains, I can’t find a shop, or I get injured. Of course, being restricted from carrying so much has benefits on my running performance. Looks like I should switch to the smaller pack to ensure my commute doesn’t turn into junk miles.
#
Do you ever run to work? What do you carry with you and how? Leave a comment and let me know.
Thanks to Osprey for the complimentary bag. All opinions are honest and my own.
Stand up paddleboarding in London
Yes, you read that right. I have been paddleboarding in London this summer while training for London Regatta. 2019 was meant to be the inaugural year where people could row, kayak or stand up paddleboard (SUP) down the Thames River from Putney to Greenwhich or Putney to Big Ben and back again. The river was to be shut to traffic, as well as the tide (by closing the Thames Barrier). Sadly, the weather wasn’t cooperating and the race had to be cancelled. You can imagine how many authorities and staff were involved to make it a successful and safe event. Of course, I was disappointed that it was cancelled but I could not fault the organizers for make a tough call. They had the safety of the participants in mind (both in terms of water quality and tide) which is the most important thing.
For the Regatta, SUP participants needed a board that was at least 11 feet long, a flotation devise and a waist leash (rather than an ankle). They also recommended a carbon paddle which would be lighter than a standard one. I was grateful to have Two Bare Feet support my efforts by gifting me a Entradia touring board starter pack in pink. Living in a flat in London, I don’t have room for a proper SUP board. An inflatable board suits me as it is much easy to store in our shed. The rucksack is 90L and fits everything inside. After a few times out, I realized the paddles can be strapped to the outside of the bag, making the inside a bit more roomy. It is fairly heavy to carry though. My husband and I estimated it to be 20-25 kgs (more than a checked bag). I took it on the Tube a few times and had to rest along the way rather than my normal rush. The weight is something to consider if you will be carrying it around town or travelling. with it. With practice, I think you would build up the strength to carry it more easily.
One way to make the rucksack lighter is to leave the pump and puncture kit at home. I used Wakeup Docklands near Royal Victoria DLR stop as the place where I trained. With my own board, I only had to pay a £5 launch fee. Or you can rent boards there for £20. They have both manual and electric pumps to inflate SUP boards which I took full advantage of. The dock they have access to is about a mile if you do the entire edge. There are other activities going on, such as sailing, swimming, and wake boarding, so you have to keep an eye on your surroundings. One of the instructors, Sarah, was extremely kind and offered lots of tips on how to improve my form and paddle stroke in order to increase my speed. The Regatta was meant to have a four hour cutoff which meant that I needed to keep a good pace going in order to finish. I was a little bit worried but now I have another year to train.
Inflating the board took a bit of practice. The pump has a handy inflate and deflate option which makes packing up much easier. One tip I have is to realize the board can take more air than you think. A few times, I didn’t realize it was a bit under-inflated until I was out on the water.
The bungee on the front of the board was handy for holding my dry bag down and clipping my water bottle too. I had started experimenting with having a small bucket connected to the bungee for the Regatta as I thought I would need to store a lot of supplies (dry clothes, food, etc). I am not sure if the 90L bag with pump would have fit comfortably under the bungee. This might be something to consider if you were starting in one place and ending in another.
I really enjoy spending time on the water and cannot wait to get out there again. Even though autumn has arrived, if the sun is out, I will be taking the board out. I just need to figure out how to keep my feet warm (maybe with dive booties?). Next summer, SUP’ing will probably be my sport of choice. I need to obtain a British Canoeing membership to take my board out on the London canals which would be a lot of fun and a change of scenery.
Have you ever tried SUP? Where is your favorite place to go? Leave a comment below and let me know.
Thanks to Two Bare Feet for gifting me the paddleboard. All opinions are honest and my own.
Recent Comments