Runs on my hit list next year

With the marathon in April, it makes sense to get a few medals along the way as part of training. When I did my half marathon last year, doing 'training' races really helped to push me and helped me to gage how my training was really going.

So here's a few on my list for next year.

1) F3 events

F3 events run a fantastic run series over the start of the year at Eton and Dorney lakes. With a choice of 5km, 10km, 15km or 20km they make great training runs, are super organised and have a great medal. For more information check out their website here.

2) Richmond Park by Capital Runners

Some of my most enjoyable runs have been around Richmond park. It makes a great training run due to its undulating paths and that famous hill. Capital runners has been organising inexpensive races here for years with several in the next year. Check them out here.

3) human race Kingston run

This is an oldie but a goodie. A few weeks before the marathon a great pacing run with a choice of 8.2 16.2 or 20.2 miles. A lovely flat course and superbly organised. Being well establishing in the London marathon runners diary, it's also a great place to meet other runners, get tips and get the buzz for the marathon. Find out more here.

Returning to blogging

Well, it's been a while. 

Sorry.

What with working a million hours a week, living in 3 cities in the last 2 years, job applications, and a million other excuses I'm back to blogging.

There are several reasons why I'm jumping back on the blogging bandwagon.

First in now full swing into London marathon training. I was lucky enough to get a ballot place this year. I still can't quite believe it. And I am more determined than ever to achieve my longstanding goal that is the daunting 26.4 miles.

In other news, I'm fulfilling another pipe dream of trekking to Everest base camp

In January. A 15 day hike in the Nepalese Himalayas. 

So will all the excitement I thought I'd start blogging again to keep you in the loop and to document the journey over the next few months. 

They'll be a mix of training chat, mountain photos and musings.

Hope you enjoy the ride!

A year of running.....

So exactly one year ago today I first laced up my trainers and went for my first run. 

It was a baby 1.4 miles with lots of walking, but arriving home the endopines were pumping and I finally realised maybe running wasn't God's punishment for eating cake.

2 months later I did my first 10km race at the energizer night run and I was hooked. A year on 5 medals later, I honestly don't know what I'd do without running.

This week I've did my longest race of 15km last weekend with my first half marathon in Paris this weekend. I never dreamt if ever be 'sporty' let alone a 'runner' and I wouldn't have made it here without the amazing support of my trainer at London fields fitness and the twitter community of runners spurring me on!

Thanks guys!

Here's to the next year! Tons more races on the cards and my first marathon!

Samira's super power shake

I have a new personal trainer who keeps telling me to eat more protein. In addition every health and fitness magazine is promoting high protein diets at the moment. I've always been a bit reluctant to use protein powders and supplements but decided to bite the bullet and give it a go, and the result has been surprising delicious and nutritious. 

After doing lots of reading, I decided to try Reflex Diet Protein, Reflex is a small company based in Brighton and uses huge amounts of research and technology to make their fitness supplements. They also have a huge range of types of protein and flavours as well as have a minimum of 80% protein in their shakes. 

My husband has been using their products for years so I thought I'd take the plunge and try the diet version of their protein powder.

The diet protein comes in a few different flavours, but I went for the banoffee version, super yum. Its high protein with less calories and additional ingredients which help with metabolism and weight loss.

With this in mind I've invented the Samira Super Power Shake.

Ingredients:

1 Scoop of good quality protein powder

1 espresso shot

1 banana

250ml of soya, almond or dairy milk

Recipe:

1. Make your espresso first and let it cool in the fridge (alternatively you can add ice at the end)

2) Using a smoothie maker, add the protein and the milk and blend until smooth

3) Break the banana into pieces and add

4) Add the Espresso shot

5) Serve

Its super yummy and good for you!

Book review: runners world cook book

I am slightly cook book obsessed, as you can see, so I was delighted when Runner's World launched a cook book just before christmas, and even more delighted when someone bought it for me! Its quickly become one of my most used Christmas presents and been super helpful for fueling marathon training.

The book starts with a section on "how to eat like a runner" and talks about nutritional needs of runners for effective running and recovery. Its really well written without being over sciencey but packed with useful information.

It also helpfully labels each recipe with a variety of tags, low cal, fast, pre race, recovery, which is awesome! 

Sections include: Breakfast, snacks and smoothies, salads, soups, pizza and tons of other things.

I think I found it most useful for baking snacks such as these banana oat energy bars and for finding healthy pasta recipes, as well as great quick and easy soups and stews. You can buy it here on Amazon.

Why coming last isn't always terrible: race recap dorney lakes 15km

  As part of my marathon training, I've been trying to book up lots of races to build up my long runs, so I was delighted to find out about The Windsor and Eton Winter Fun Run Race Series at Dorney Lakes after reading about it on Leah's Blog. They were offering a 5km, 10km or 15km option race, and have these races about once a month until April this year, with the latter races offering a 20km option as well.

I arrived super nervous, and having signed up for the 15km, the longest distance I've raced so far, and my longest run this year. The set up was great, with a mini race village, complete with food and drink stalls for spectators and a few stalls setting supplements etc. Dorney Lakes is Eton's Rowing Centre and where the Olympic Rowing was, it was so beautiful and a really lovely place to run.

As we arrived, the morning duathlon was finishing, which Dame Kelly Holmes was racing! Despite there being two events running, one after the other, the organisation was flawless. The stewarts were cheering and helpful. Registration was easy and we got our goodie bags before event starting, complete with zero cal red bull and an electrolyte supplement. 

The Race was laps of a 5 km course, with around 300 people competing but only 55 people doing the 15km race. 

We started off, with me lining up right at the back, and ran down through the trees to the end of the lake. With several attire disasters (sports bra breaking and hair band snapping) but the 2 km I was settling into my stride and feeling good. We turned about 3 km at the end of the lakes and ran back down the middle which was stunning, with cheers as we passed through the race village ready for lap two. 

I took a gel and started my pack of baby jelly babies as we passed through 5km and was feeling good starting the second lap. 

The runners were getting a bit sparse at this point, but I just tried to focus on keeping my slow and steady pace, passing the 10km point at 1 hr 10 mins. 

Starting the last lap, I knew I was at the back, I hadn't seen another runner for a while, but the stewarts were cheering me on and the competitors that had finishes were clapping and cheering.

The last lap was tough, but I kept consistently running and when I got to the 12km mark new I could do it!

Running into the finish line, last over the line, the cheers were huge from the organisers and those competitors that were left. It felt great. Longest run, and an ok time of 1:51 for 15km. I was chuffed.

The good: The course was great, the organisation was amazing, probably one of the best organised races I've been too, great choice of 3 distances, great medal at the end

The bad: The only bad things I can say is no bag drop, and few participants doing the 15km

Overall a fantastic and well organised friendly race!

Capital runners Richmond Park 10km

My first event of the year was the Capital Runners Richmond Park 10km. I signed up to this quite last minute as I've been off running due to shin splints and got the green light from my physio just a week ago for running. I did park run last week, a 2 other short runs in the week and though a 10km was the next step.

Given my current life of working in the midlands and living in London, I've found it quite tough finding running routes in the midlands for my long runs, so am planning to use low key organised races as long runs as much as possible. 

I've been meaning to do a Capital Runners event for a while and have been desperate to run in the beautiful Richmond Park. They have a series of 6 - 8 races a year, chip timed with a medal and are a really friendly bunch. The start time is also a friendly 10am on a sunday, so not too bad.

About 300 of us gathered on a glorious but cold day in the Park, and did 2 x 5km laps of the Park on path and trail. The course was "undulating" as they described it, but more hilly that other events I'd done in the past. My main aim was to complete the race without twinging or pain in my shins. I took it slow and really concentrated on form and going slow for the first lap, then let myself enjoy the second lap, taking in the beautiful views and the deer at the final kilometer.

I also listened to a Marathon Talk podcast interviewing Alexandra Heminsley who wrote Running like a Girl which was amazing! Especially as she was talking about running for yourself and at your own pace and that being ok (just as the fastest runners finished the course when I was starting lap 2!).

All round a great run with a slow time of 1:11 but happy that my injuries seemed to have recovered. There are lots more capital runners events this year that you really should check out here! They are really well organised, friendly and really are for all abilities. Let me know if you fancy joining me for one! 

Reviews - nuun and après hot chocolate

Back in December me and the boy went to the supercool SPIN x LCF festival in Shoreditch. I've been wanting to go to a London Coffee festival event for ages, and this didn't disappoint, I can home wired with tons of coffee and as a bonus some great products to help with my running training. 

Firstly lets talk about Nuun

Nuun is a new sports hydration drink which is tablet form that you add to water. Its purely electrolytes with yummy favours and as a bonus no added sugar and only 6 calories. I'd heard of nuun from some of my running buddies like Naturally Leah and was desperate to try them out, so I was over the moon to see their stall at SPIN x LCF and get to sample some of the flavours.   

I can away with the Strawberry Lemonade, Lemon Tea, Tropical and tri berry

Firstly the sciencey bit. As a doctor, I'm often in the realm of knowing a bit to much about the geeky side of things, and when it comes to a lot of sports supplements I'm soooo sceptical and tend to have a good read of the science to support what they are saying. 

To be honest I'm really impressed with Nuun. The make up of electrolytes is really similar to the kind of fluid we give patients after and during operations, so these guys to seem to have done there research. Its a good well rounded electrolyte drink (my other favourite it Coconut water which is potassium heavy with not quite enough sodium). So thumbs up on that part.

Secondly the taste. These a seriously yummy and I am absolutely obsessed with the strawberry lemonade flavour and could well drink it all day. 

Performance wise I've been using these for 2 months now for running, spinning and gym. They are awesome for spinning, and I tend to take them on all my long runs now. I've also been using them as a quick rehydrate after getting home before a medium run and have found I then don't need to carry water with me on these runs.   

The only downfall I think is they do work about a bit pricey, a single tube is 6 quid for 12 which works out 50p a drink. This is a lot cheaper than some sports rehydration drinks, but I tend to find because of the convenience of them I use them a lot more than coconut water etc so run out quite quickly.

You can buy them online at  http://www.nuun.co.uk or look out for them at other sports shows over 2014.

The other sports drink I discovered at SPIN x LCF was Apres - the Hot Recovery Drink. These are a real treat. Personally after a long cold run, especially at this time of year, I love having a low cal hot chocolate when I get home. Its such a treat. This drink combines yummy chocolate malt with carbs, protein, antioxidants and vitamins - general all round goodness.  

I am loving having these as a treat once a week after a long run. A great bonus of picking these up at SPIN x LCF was meeting the guys who run the company and finding out about there great trail races in Brighton, One of my goals for this year is to run my first trail race, so I'm keenly looking at their events.

You can buy Apres Recovery on their website here.

Marathon training - 3 weeks in

So, with my race diary filling up for next year I decided to start my training in plenty of time, with space for the dreaded injuries that so many of my friends have sustained during marathon training. I changed jobs at the end of November to a much easier department for 4 months so thought that was a good time to start. 

I read nearly every marathon training plan out there, bought the fantastic Women's Running Marathon Training Guide and finally settled on a tried a tested Hal Higdon Training plan. I chose this plan as it didn't look too scary and lots of friends have used it for there first marathon. 

Having read nearly every blog/book/article out there, there were several aspects of training I was keen to ensure I incorporated to help prevent injuries and ensure I can get around the 26.2 miles.

1)Run lots.

It sounds silly, but for me I've had to change mindset to be running nearly every day and at every opportunity. I now plan my life around my running, for instant meeting friends for dinner at 8 not 7 so I can squeeze a run in first, or running back from the supermarket whilst my husband drives, and actually it is making running much easier, although I am constantly in my running gear now.

2) Cross training

Whilst training for races before all I have done is running, and as much as I love it, it can get mindnumbingly boring, so this time I'm making sure I incorporate other forms of exercise into my plan. At the moment I'm loving spinning twice a week, but in the new year I'm going to try swimming once a week as well. 

3 ) Rest days

I've discovered rest days need to be actual rest days, not days when your too busy to run so they then become a running rest day... I tend to have sunday as a rest day after doing my training monday to saturday. I'm trying to bake something new each week, chill with a film or relax with a book. Proper rest. 

4) Sport massages

Now, I haven't booked in for a sports massage yet, but mainly a runner swear by them so I'm on the hunt for a physio/massage therapist to book in with once a month for some muscle therapy. 

Moving on to my actual training so far, this is what the last few weeks have looked like;

Week 1

Monday - Military fitness with a hour of hill running carrying a car tyre 

Tuesday - 3 miles treadmill speed work with a plan from Women's Running January Issue

Wednesday - Rest

Thursday - 7 miles with lots of hills

Friday - rest

Saturday -  Ice Skating (I can count this as cross training right?)

Sunday - Rest

Week 2 

Monday - 3 miles

Tuesday - 3 miles speed work and 45 mins of Spinning

Wedsnesday - Rest

Thursday -  45 mins of spinning

Friday - 7 miles with hills

Saturday - rest

Sunday 7.5 miles in London 

Week 3 

Monday - on call at work

Tuesday  - 3 mile hill run

Wednesday - rest

Thursday - rest

Friday - 3 miles in York 

Saturday - 3 miles in Edinburgh

Sunday - Exhausted and ill

York Cathedral 

Edinburgh Castle

Has anyone else starting training for a marathon? How you getting on?

Addicted to running events

Me and my bank balance have a bit of a problem. I am addicted to running events. I'm having a phase of looking at Runner's World daily looking for new events to try to fill my diary up for next year! And have signed up to a few so far. 

My biggest problem is living outside of london at the moment for work and being bored stiff of my running route options = zero, so I'm trying to sign up for lots of events as "training" for my marathon, rather than having to find routes around here. (lazy I know)

Anyways, here's whats on the agenda so far.

1. Brighton Half

I am a born and bred Sussex girl and spent most of my youth in the lovely seaside town of Brighton. This will be my first half marathon ( I had to drop out of run to the beat last year) and I'm oober excited about running in my hometown. Its on the 16th Feb and there are still charity places avaliable!

2) Paris Half

I love Paris, its such a beautiful and romantic city, full of treats like Macaroons, Crossiants, cheese, wine..... and I really wanted to do an event (or two) abroad next year, so Paris half it is! Its on the 2nd March.

3) Wholefoods Breakfast Run

Human Race run tons of training runs to help you with your marathon training, including a race your pace half and this wholefoods 8.2 or 16 mile run. Lots of runners seem to use this event as a training run with a medal, which is exactly what I plan to do, and hopefully to take some of the fear away from the Marathon in May.

4) Edinburgh Marathon

Crazy person that I am, I  am signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon. Having studied in this beautiful city I am thrilled about running here and have lots of mates still in the city so am hoping to get lots of supporters! I'm also running with my dad, who has run tons of marathons. Hopefully we'll still be talking by the end of it.

There's tons of others I've got my eye on including; The Electric Run on 26th April, Royal Parks Half , Bacchus in Sept and The Energizer night run again!

Let me know if your signed up to any of the same events

S

x

Pre marathon training training

So as you know I've signed up for a marathon. Its not until May so I'm planning to start my training in December with 6 months to go.

I wanted to start my training from a baseline of being generally quite fit, so have been trying out lots of new classes to gain a bit of overall fitness in the month of november, and its been a really nice break from just running.

So here's what I've been up to.

Military Fitness

Once or twice a week I head to Bootcamp Physical Training in Northampton (because that is where the NHS have sent me for a year) and do there Military Fitness class. Its an outdoor, headtorch lit, running through the woods type scenario with loads of variety and a great bunch of folks. Its tough, but I've already noticed a huge different in my general fitness in only a month.

Spinning

Now I used to be petrified of spinning, all those superfit people sweating buckets, but I joined Pure Gym for its cheap membership and 24 hour access (only 15.99 a month!) and thought I'd give it a go! I love it! Its fast paced and always makes you feel like you've had a great work out. They have spin classes everyday ranging from 30 mins to an hour.

Yoga

I've always wanted to be good at yoga. But never quite got there. All the slim toned yogi's sort of put me off. But I know its suppose to be really good for runners so I've been trying to go at Pure Gym once a week and have crazily booked a yoga (and surf) retreat in India in March at Soul and Surf

Long Run

I do love a long sunday run, and have been trying to keep this up during my pre marathon training training. Love it. I try and do between 6 - 10 miles a time. and have been trying to mix it up by running different routes each week.


So, what do you think?

How do you train when your not training for an event?

I did something silly....

So, this time last year I couldn't and wouldn't run. I hated it. and now I'm a convert, I've done something a little bit silly.

So, I took the plunge and signed up for a marathon!

In a wildly optimistic gesture I put in for a london marathon ballot place with my dad, seasoned marathon runner as its his 60th next year and he had said he'd only ever do another marathon if me or my brother joined him.

Unfortunately he got a ballot place and I didnt, so we decided to go for Edinburgh Marathon instead!

I actually went to university in Edinburgh, so thought it would be a good place to run as I know the sights and can visualise the route.

Here's the link to the big event!

So now starts the training, prep, blood sweat and tears!

First step find a marathon training plan that doesn't make me want to cry....

Any ideas?

Homemade crumble

On these blustery autumn evenings, nothing beats a good crumble. Especially on a sunday evening after a long run in the cold! And when you can make one almost for free. On many a running route I've found tons and tons of blackberries, longing to be picked!

Now, I've never made crumble before, but I recruited a willing expert/ friend (who happens to have a very convenient apple tree) and off we went.

So you need some blackberries, as many as you can pick.....

and some apples... 4 or 5 depending how many you can reach!!!

Wash all the fruit of and scrub the apples a little...

As our apples were a little under ripe we stew them (basically cut them into chunks and heat with a little water and sugar see here for details)

You then just layer the fruit, as much as you need to fill your dish and sprinkle with sugar (as much or as little as you like!)

Then add the crumble (you can cheat and but it ready made)

The crumble is made as per these instructions

And here you go! Half eaten before I could even get a pic!

Any good baking ideas guys?