#100daysofsummer

100 days from tomorrow (24^th May 2014) will be the 1^st of September.

The 1^st September usually marks the end of the summer holidays, I’m not ruled by academic years anymore; but having the academic year structure be part of your life for so long, it ingrains into your head a little bit.

So with 100 days of summer left; I've decided to make a ‘Summer Bucket List’, so I can make the most of it and not let it flash past in a daze of pub gardens and daisy.

Punting in the River in Oxford

Lots of picnics in the Park

Notting Hill Carnival

Cowley Road Carnival

Read 3 Books

Spend a whole day eating all three meals outside

Outdoor Movie

Theme Park Day

Go to the beach

Run 10 miles

Big Summer Family Picnic

Go for a long hike

Make Daisy Chains

I’m also going to be joining the #100happydays movement and documenting 100 happy summery shots, but adding to it my own hashtage #100daysofsummer.

Join me – let’s make memories this summer.

What’s on your summer bucket list?

Focus, Focus, Focus

It’s been a bit quiet on here; which either means I’ve given up and failed completely or life has been so busy that I have not had time to update my going-ons. Fortunately it has been the latter.

Last week at work was hellish and super busy, lots of late finishes in the office, lacking in energy, not exercising and making bad unhealthy choices – also known as falling off the wagon.  But now I find myself in the middle of a new week, 2 workouts in and lots of healthy clean eating back on the cards – officially back on the wagon.

‘Falling off the wagon’ comes round a little too easy; there are many triggers that can cause a fall. As I’m starting my health journey, clean eating and training had been one of my main focuses; but as a busy week at work was brought on by  a looming deadline at work, my overall focus for the week was the project I was working on in the office, and not my training plan. This temporary focus then caused me to take a step back from my loving friends and family that are my support system, as I was too stressed to have proper chats with them and reach out to them.

So with one little trigger of work; it became a tumble weed of other excuses. With 5 months to the half marathon I can’t be losing my focus on running too often, so from today I pledge to make healthy eating and half marathon training my main focus in life, finding time and not having lots of excuses. I'll update you later in the week on how I am planning to stay focused in more details. 

1 hour is only 4% of your day. 

Tuesday Thoughts

I found this little nugget on an e-newsletter I receive from a nutritionist and seems it fits in very well with my new attitude to healthy and nutrition.  Since starting my new journey to a healthier and fitter me I have felt like a new person and haven't got a cold once, and hay fever doesn't seem to have caught me this season.

More updates to come this week :-).

“Nutrition is to your body, like fuel is to a formula one engine.  Your body is amazing, one of a kind.  There is only one of you and food should be tailored to what makes you feel your best!  Getting your food choices and eating habits right is THE most important thing in your life.  Without it, your body slowly weakens much quicker than it should, you get ill more often and colds and flu’s last longer, you are more prone to attack, you feel lousy and are not focused or productive in your every day life”.

On to the Next RUN!

5:55 am – I’m awake as a lark, with the sun shining through I was looking forward to getting out in the fresh air and stretching my legs, with an easy 5K to start my day. I got dressed, headphones in and headed out the door. It had rained a little bit over night, so the ground was a little damp, but I wasn't too worried as the majority of my route is on pavement. So I warm up with a brisk walk to the start point of my 5K route and started running.

This is where is all went wrong, it started getting a windier and rain was spitting down a little – my first thought was nice, when I get really into the run, the rain will be welcoming and cooling and this wind is fresher than any air conditioning unit. As the run progressed I started getting wetter and colder, and felt like I was just dragging my body through the empty streets of Oxford. I powered through, because I’m determined not to give up easily, but it was tough. When I got back home, I felt disappointed with my run and my immediate thoughts were I best go for another run this evening, to make sure my running mojo is back, and to fall back in love with running after our temporary fall out this morning.

Whilst pondering life in the shower, I was shocked and impressed at myself. The old me would have probably given up running after than run, and not be planning my next one.  I’m not sure if because during the last few weeks my attitude to facing challenges has changed, or the fact that I have signed up for the half marathon and told people about it, so I have to deliver. I’d like it to be the change in attitude, but I fear the latter is my biggest push.

I’m going to put this run down to bad weather fueling a bad attitude,  producing a bad run. But a bad run is still better than no run, and that for me is a victory within itself.

So as Jay-Z Personal Trainers says…on to the next RUN!

Hey, I put some new shoes on, And suddenly everything is right.

I LOVE SHOES, all types of shoes, heels, wedges, flats, boots, trainers. I've got shoes at the back of my wardrobe that I've never even worn, but do I part with them when it comes to our annual clothes/shoes clear out? HELL NO! Shoes are a wonderful work of art, and make legs look amazing, build confident and can make an outfit - and I will make an outfit out of all of them one day.

Getting into running, I knew I'd have to go buy some decent running trainers, as my old trusty gym trainers were just not up for the job long term. They are great, comfortable and reliable - but they were getting old (3 years) and a little worn. So I read up about looking for some new running trainers, but there are so many out there on the market, it was hard to know where to start. So instead of spending hours on the internet searching through the tonnes of running trainers, I thought (and as recommended by Dad), it's probably best to head down to a running specialist shop, so they can have a proper look at my feet and how I run etc.

So on Saturday morning, Dad (not my usual shoe shopping partner) and I  headed to the running specialist store in the village my parents live in. Now it's not a big village, but for some crazy reason this small running shop seems to attract people from everywhere, and for a Saturday morning in a sleepy village, this place was buzzing (I think less people attend the Saturday Service). Whilst we were waiting to be seen, I looked up at their display of trainers on offer and I was just as overwhelmed by it as I was when looking online...so it was over to the specialist. As soon as we saw the running specialist and I talked to him briefly about the distance I was currently running and planning on running etc, then mentioned how I wear insoles to re-align my feet - he had a trio of potential shoes lined up for me.

I tried each suggested pair on, and had a run with them on the treadmill. Honestly they all felt a lot better than my old Nikes, but one pair stood out more than the rest - the bright red Nike Fitsoles. Not only did the colour make them stand out, they are very lightweight but feel really firm at the same time. They have a built-in insole which seem to mould to my feet and keep my ankles and hips aligned. So £95 later, I was the owner of a new pair of bright red Nikes (my 3rd pair in my wardrobe). 

Now I've tried them out on a proper run, they just feel like a soft, firm extension to my feet. I'm in love. 

New Month – New Challenges

My alarm is set for 5:55am from Monday to Friday – I don’t make it out every morning to go to the gym or for a run, but I manage to make around 3 mornings a week on average, combined with a boxercise class and an outdoor run on the weekend, I’m hitting my 5 workout a week target.

So with the number of workouts sorted and being the 1^st May (New Month – New Challenge), time to start the half marathon training, and to push me along I’ve only gone and signed up for the Oxford Half Marathon on the 12^th October. AHHHH!!!!!!!! 

However I am up for the challenge, and I’m going to do it, and going to ACE IT!

With just under 6 months to go – I have hopefully got enough time to get fit & ready and do it in a decent time. Instead of laying out a 6 month plan, I’m going to split it into a monthly plan. Really long plans do not work for me – I see them as far too daunting, and give up too easily. 

So the May monthly plan:

• Sort out my running technique - as my shins are hurting a little after a run
• Get proper running shoes
• Run outside more (don't be a chicken and get off the treadmill)
• Keep to 4 runs a week

It's not much really - but 4 weeks goes so quickly,  before you know it, its the end of the month and I've only done one run outdoors.