Pumpkin Carving

It’s that time of year, time to create a jack-o-lantern. 

Firstly, you have to choose your perfect pumpkin, and find the ‘just right’ side to create the face on.  Next,the gloopy, seed-filled insides get scooped out and the expression of your choice is skilfully carved into the pumpkin flesh.  A candle is then shoved inside to light it up and create that perfectly spooky mood.

Yes, good old Halloween fun explained in a few easy sentences.

These days I don’t get the opportunity to dress up for Halloween, but it’s still fun to carve the pumpkin, watch scary movies and eat Halloween candy. Heck, this can be done any time of year really but is especially fun in October.

This year I was amused to find out that British turnip carving was the original way to ‘celebrate’ the 31^st October back in the day.

Yes, carving a turnip.

My British colleagues explained how as children they used to struggle to hollow out their rock hard turnip instead of using its softer cousin like we do across the pond.

You can read about it here and have a good giggle thinking about just how incredibly difficult this must have been back in the day.

Flying Visit From An Old Friend

This week I had a blast from the past in the form of a flying visit from a high school friend. It was a super short visit to the Northeast but I think I managed to give him a flavour of the area in the day that he was able to spend here (and we certainly tasted as many of the local delights as one can taste in a day: see my food post here).

View of the coast from Tynemouth

 He had spent a good chunk of time exploring the wonders of London prior to his 3 hour train ride to get himself up North. Away from the craziness of the big city, I had to really think how I could ‘wow’ him with the very brief time I had available.


There is a lot to choose from since the Northeast has amazing landscapes, extra friendly folks, fantastic seaside towns, markets, museums, oodles of culture, cutesy tearooms, historic sites, stately homes, wildlife and lots more to offer people(where’s my commission from the Tourist office, eh?).


Tynemouth Priory

 So, what do you show someone who is here for just one day? My brain was whirring with all sorts of ideas until I settled on a few choice ones.


Since Britain is known for ‘fish & chips,’ and we all have to eat during the day, it made sense to suggest this as part of the visit adventure. The natural progression from this thought was to suggest that we head to the seaside (only 25 minutes by metro) to eat the aforementioned fish & chips.


A friend had highly recommended Marshalls in Tynemouth as “the best” place for us to partake in this traditional meal, and since Tynemouth is such a great place to visit on its own that idea fit in perfectly with the plan.

Tynemouth Beach

Tynemouth has a gorgeous coastline and beach with tons of character (and not only a place with ‘the best’ fish & chips but also a fantastic cake shop which I don’t know the name of unfortunately, but YUM! The fantastic selection of cakes is worth the metro ride alone).


Being from Chicago, where the architecture is amazing but not incredibly old in the scheme of things, my friend kept pointing to the really old pubs and other buildings saying “Is that building new old or old old?” which totally reminded me of myself for the first few years that I was in England. Now, after nearly ten years here my answer followed by a big smile was: “This is England, it’s old old.”


Newcastle castle keep

We then headed back into Newcastle city centre to view the actual castle. The Castle Keep is impressively old (built between 1168-1178 by Henry II) but it is also a tiny bit of a letdown if you are expecting a palace rather than an historic castle keep. I will need to explain this better to any of my future visitors.


We then popped around the corner to view the totally random Vampire Rabbit, the history of which is still a bit of a mystery.


We enjoyed a few local brews at two of Newcastle’s more atmospheric pubs which offer a wide variety of real ales (Bodega & The Bridge Hotel) and then carried on to The Raj Tandoori just off the Bigg Market for an incredibly filling four-course curry meal.


Newcastle's Vampire Rabbit

Britain has very good curry. I think you’ll find that fact a difficult one to argue with, so it had to be done even with our stomachs still full from our earlier taste o’ British cuisine.


All in all, it was a very picturesque and enjoyable day in the Northeast!

Soggy Beautiful Lake District

Coniston, Cumbria

Oh the joys of camping.

Roughing it in a tent with a tiny gas fire to cook your meals under the stars, where making a simple cup of tea turns into an adventure. Boiling the kettle on a gas fire takes nearly 30 minutes or alternatively, you opt for a luke warm cup of tea if your gas canister decides to run out of gas midway through boiling it! When it is finally done it is a lovely cup o’ tea.


A thin layer of waterproof material(aka: the tent) is all that protects you from the elements, rain, rain and more rain in this particular case. The rhythmic pitter-patter lulling you to sleep in the evening and the glow of the sunrise gently nudging you awake at the crack of dawn (if your bladder hasn’t already woken you up demanding that you to head to the toilet block).


Tarn Hows, Cumbria


Bed consists of a slightly stinky sleeping bag that just never quite feels dry but it makes the most comfortably cosy place to sleep after a long day of walking, exploring and breathing in the fresh country air.


From the tent pitch, the view is a beautiful landscape and the surrounding countryside is dotted with the cutest little sheep which makes it absolutely out of the question to choose roast lamb at the pub meal that evening since they're such cute little things.


The sky is full of fluffy white clouds switching quickly to giant streaky grey ones and back again. There was a great deal of rain coming down over the weekend in a combination of torrential downpours and light drizzles.


Driving North

 This may put some people off camping in the Lake District, but to quote a wise individual: there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad choice of clothing. Or something along those lines.


So really...what’s not to love about camping in the Lake District?

Stink-tastic!



(Tenuously linked photo)
Ruti sat within the coffee table on top of a pile of Runner's World magazines.

Today’s park run was a tough one for me. For no particular reason I found myself really struggling towards the end but I managed to make it through the finish line without stopping at all which is my primary goal.



On my way home, I stood on the Metro listening to my favourite choice of cool down tunes (a bit of Arcade Fire) and had an amusing epiphany of the aromatic variety.


I noticed a niffy whiff of stale sweatiness and slyly looked around me to see from where this rather manly scent was emanating. Subconsciously I realised I was placing the blame on a middle-aged man standing nearby until it dawned on me that the sweaty stink was really my own, tee-hee!


After the initial moment of embarrassment, I was actually very proud cuz hey.... I had worked up quite a sweat and had my very own potent Eau d’sport to show for it. Thankfully I was still wearing sporty clothes which gave me an excuse to be slightly stink-tastic, right?


Motto of the moment: Be proud of your athletic aroma, yay for sweat!

Unofficial Pacing & Cat Naps

Today is Saturday so that means of course that it’s a park run day! It was a warm sunny adventure in cow pat dodging at this morning’s run on the town moor (there were some especially fresh splats on the path at the start, bleurgh!). We had fantastic shorts & t-shirt running weather with the temperature around 55 F, or 13 C, with a not too harsh bit of sun to soak in a good dose of Vitamin D and a little dainty breeze to keep us from melting along the way. You can’t complain about those conditions one bit (unless you stomped through a pat, hehe).



I had an especially enjoyable run today because I had an unofficial pacing buddy. I latched onto her midway through the run and it helped me hugely (big thank you to her!). It was such an encouragement to have someone just ahead of me almost pulling me along towards the finish. We ran side by side for a bit and when she’d pull ahead it spurred me on to kick in that extra 10% and try to gain even standing again.


Through funnelling all my energy just to keep up with her, my mind was focussed on this goal alone and in turn this kept me from dwelling on any negative thoughts. Any momentary ideas about lack of energy, aching legs or the beginnings of a stitch niggling its way into my ribcage were banished. Negative thinking be damned, I was going to be her shadow, to stick to her like glue or linger like a bad smell!


We finally spoke to one another after the run near the finish line and I enthusiastically explained that, perhaps unbeknownst to her, I had attached myself to her pace and that it was her pacing that had helped me to finish well. I was happy to hear that she enjoyed the extra push as well. It seems that my determination to stick to her kept her on pace through to the end of the course too. Our unspoken and unplanned teamwork paid off in a true win-win style. Who knows, we may have the chance to help each other again and that may even be the winning combination to my achieving a new Personal Best!


After all that exertion of energy I’m feeling the need for a lil’ Saturday afternoon cat nap, or perhaps that’s just my cleverly constructed segue to allow me to include a photo of Zoot taking a cat nap in this post, you decide.

Either way, here ya go:

Zoot's Nap Swirl - disturbed from his slumber by the papparazzi

Candy Is My Friend

Fact: I've decided to separate my food related blogging from my day-to-day blog.


Fact: My new food blog is called Candy Is My Friend.


Fact: I am not a professional.


Since I seem to be writing an equal number of posts about random observations as I am writing about food it makes sense to me to have one blog purely for my foodie posts and to keep this blog for everything else. So here goes!

It's all in the name of foodie fun and to share a few recipes where possible. I am not a professional writer or photographer or chef for that matter so please keep that in mind if you choose to read my simple little food blog. It is purely for my own pleasure to keep track of all the deliciousness I've encountered.


So, let it begin.... http://candyismyfriend.blogspot.com/

Yum!

Sesame Salmon with Noodle Salad

Who doesn’t like being spoiled with a homemade meal after a long day?

Just put your feet up, relax, wait for the plate to be put in front of you and enjoy. Even if it is just a simple peanut butter & jelly sandwich I’d relish the fact that I didn’t have to make it myself, so it’s a huge bonus when it is a deliciously fancy meal that is very photogenic to boot!


That was exactly the case with this delicious dish of Sesame Salmon with Noodle Salad.

It used fresh salmon cooked gently by a drizzle of hot sesame oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds to add extra texture. The noodle salad was served cold with plenty of herby goodness from fresh mint leaves and coriander (aka: cilantro). There were plenty of hints of zing in the salad from the pink pickled ginger mixed throughout the rice noodles.

I’ll definitely be requesting that this dish be added to the chef’s ever-growing repertoire of specialities.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

I never realised just how straight forward making homemade peanut butter cups could be.  It is pretty darn simple, a little messy but there are only a handful of ingredients and no actual baking necessary.

So I’ve finally decided to try it and voila! The results are below (along with the recipe)! 

http://www.joyofbaking.com/candy/PeanutButterCups.html

The Joy of Baking webpage makes me drool and there are so many delicious looking treats to try next....hmm.... what to make?

Make and Mend Market Deliciousness.....

(Biscotti from: www.poorgirlskitchen.co.uk/)

How much do I love Saturdays when the Make and Mend Market is on in Newcastle? Tons!

It means I can head straight over to the market after the Newcastle park run to grab some post-run refuelling treats, yep....refuelling. It may not be traditional refuelling snackage, but it does the trick. 

How can a scrumptious almond biscotti dipped in white chocolate not be a good option to get your energy back after a 5k?

(Fudge from: www.poorgirlskitchen.co.uk/)

 Or perhaps a heavenly piece of Almond & Sea Salt fudge(American-style)? Too good to not taste it straight away.

(Treats from: www.poorgirlskitchen.co.uk/)

And of course you have to think of the post-refuel-refuelling.....for once you've done your chores and snuck in a quick nap, and you need a lil' pick-me-up.

So why not have a Citrus Macaroon, Peanut Butter & White Chocolate, or Chocolate & Chilli cookie at the ready to accompany that mid-afternoon cuppa to pep you up?

(Cupcakes from: www.petlambpatisserie.com)

And then there is dessert to think about (or perhaps you just have a wicked sweet tooth that just makes you greedy like me!) and cupcakes always come in handy. 

It's too difficult to choose just one....so don't! I chose Elvis(choc chip & Banana cake w/ peanut butter frosting), Chocolate Chilli, and the boozy choice of a Guinness cupcake with Baileys frosting.

Now i'll just have to ensure I keep running so I can enjoy a good refuel!

Peanut Buttery Goodness

I had my eye on this recipe since the May 2011 Good Food magazine arrived a couple months back, and I only got to bake these gooey deliciously peanut buttery brownies this weekend. 

They definitely came in handy to perk up a certain someone after his bicycle was stolen (grrrr!).

The combination of peanut butter & chocolate sure is a healing mix!  

Peanut Butter Brownies from BBC Good Food: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1272634/peanut-butter-brownies

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Cake. Delicious cake. Need I say more?

Well, yes I should probably say more, especially to explain the details about these glorious chocolaty creations.

My office is known for its impressive charity bake sales which means some members of the office (and even those who have moved on to other offices but still participate, lucky us!) have amazing baking skills. These skills are often honed by testing new recipes on unsuspecting colleagues.


For example, one might come into the office to start their work week thinking it was just another manic Monday. Low and behold out of the corner of your eye you notice there are some baked goods housed in tupperware perched on a desk. Soon an email goes around announcing that someone has been practicing their treat-making skills and bonding with their trusty oven over the weekend. Thankfully they have brought in the results to share with the rest of us.


A stampede of office workers with plates at the ready usually ensues followed by the sweet smell of chocolate or other delicious sugary concoctions wafting across the room as the items are dished out. Mumbled jumbled yum’s and other feedback can be heard as mouths are stuffed with the baked goodies. Just as quickly as they arrived, everyone returns to their desk satisfied and a little bit hyper.

Sylvia made these particular amazing treats, and my gosh they were a hit! Chocolate Guinness Cake(from the Hummingbird Cake days cookbook) & Chocolate Brownies.

The brownies were picture perfect and baked ‘just right’ in true brownie style, a little bit gooey on the inside with a bit of crunch on the outside. And that cake was one of the most moist, rich, chocolaty cakes I have ever eaten. It even has icing sprinkled with coco powder, the flavor of which compliments the cake perfectly. It is so good.


And, I have it on good authority that these beauties may just be at our next Bake Sale later this month. Mmmm-hmmm!

Angel at Sunset

I had the opportunity to check out the Angel of the North at sunset recently and as you can imagine it was extremly picturesque!

 It is an impressive view from afar and can be seen from the highway as you drive past but it is even more impressive up close and personal.

Staring up at the wings from the base of the Angel’s feet gave me a feeling of just how impressive this giant rust colored sculpture is and the fact that it’s right on our doorstep is even better.

If you aren’t convinced by the sculpture itself, then the fantastic views across the Gateshead countryside make it totally worth the ride to see it!

Parkrun paragraph: This week was Save the Children’s Born to Run a parkrun event as well as a Lucozade promotion event with free orange flavoured drinks being given out (hence the orange items of clothing being worn by the runners). The cows on the Newcastle town moor were particularly curious about the wave of orange-clad runners zooming past them this morning. One little moo-cow even tried to join us and jogged alongside the path for a little bit. There was even a small group of cows that were attempting to cross the finish line and had to be shooed politely away from the area for fear they'd block the path. All in all, it was a lovely morning for a parkrun!

Who is Born to Run a parkrun?

I am definitely born to run! And maybe you are too?

I know my American family & friends won't be able to participate in a parkrun this Saturday, but they may perhaps choose to go for a run in the spirit of it. It's all about getting people active & healthy and helping a great charity in the process.  Those of you in the UK might decide to have a go at trying out a parkrun especially since it's a great atmosphere full of like-minded individuals and it's free!

I've poached the below straight from the parkrun newsletter(why change what works?) which can be found here in its original context http://www.parkrun.com/about/news:

It's Save the Children Week and the charity is encouraging its supporters to run their local parkrun this Saturday as part of its "Born to Run" campaign.

Why? In the world's poorest countries, millions of children are dying. Illnesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia - dealt with easily in the UK - are allowed to claim 8 million lives every year. But we can all help bring an end to this dreadful tragedy, and a small donation goes a long way - as little as £3 can treat 8 children with life-threatening diarrhoea, £10 can buy a week's worth of malaria treatment for four children.

Save the Children is asking the UK public: what were YOU born to do? As a parkrunner, there are several ways you can get involved:

•Support Save the Children through your parkrun this Saturday - make a donation: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/secure/51_15286.htm

•Set up a midweek running class - help your fellow parkrunners get in top shape for a Saturday morning PB, or prepare new runners for their first parkrun, whilst raising valuable funds. Save the Children will subsidise a Leadership in Running Fitness course for parkrunners - learn more and order a free Leader's Guide:

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/48_runs.htm

•Show your support for Born to Run on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/savethechildrenborntorun 

So hopefully there will be lots of new parkrunners this Saturday making the most of the long Bank Holiday weekend with a lovely run in their local park. Enjoy!!

Lilac Loveliness

This weekend I happened across some fantastically fragrant lilacs while walking along the Tyne river.  The smell reminded me of home and brought back memories of my childhood.

When I smell lilacs it reminds me of  the numerous lilac bushes right outside my childhood bedroom window  whose aroma would fragrance the summer air. 

I actually remember at one point the neighborhood clan of kids spent some time sucking out the pollen in the middle of the tiny individual flowers and got a sweet little flowery hit. I can't help but think that it was someone's idea of a joke....or perhaps it was a dare of some sort. 

Hmm....either way, lilacs will always remind me of home.  

Bacon Sandwich Delight

While at a wedding this weekend I experienced one of the most amazing bacon sandwiches that I’ve ever had the pleasure to taste.

The delightfully delicious bacon buns were brought out at exactly the right time. Just when you have realised that you need a little something to soak up the glass or two of crisp white wine you've had and to fuel you for the rest of the evening's celebrations .... cue bacon sandwiches, voila!

Vegetarians turn away now please......

White bread buns toasted to perfection, the bacony goodness grilled just right with a slathering of butter gently melting into the toasted bread and dallops of brown sauce adding a bit of zing.


One must be extra vigilant not to get the greasy drips of deliciousness on one’s wedding finery and it was definitely a two napkin job.  Mmmhmmm...can’t beat it!


These simple creations hit the spot and were extraordinarily tasty. Alas, I do not think I could possibly recreate this edible epiphany-causer with my own hands, so I’ll have to make do with the memory and a photo (always with a photo!).


Yum-yum.

Even Ducks Love a Sunny Day

The weather today is gorgeous in Newcastle, in fact, the last few days have been fantastic Spring days which everyone seems to be taking full advantage of and enjoying to the fullest. I wouldn’t even be suprised to hear of a few unexpected sun burns after this weekend of frolicking in the all too infrequent rays of sunshine.

Even the cute ducks in Newcastle University’s Harry Potter-esque courtyard were out enjoying the beautiful weather and they seem to be multiplying?! I swear last time there were only two, so perhaps the word is spreading about how nice a courtyard it is, or perhaps that female is one hot lady duck and there will soon be fistacuffs between those three fellas over her affections? Who can tell. This was the first Saturday in ten weeks that I haven’t run the 5k parkrun and instead I volunteered at the event. It was a totally different perspective as a volunteer. Not only did I get to watch all the runners take off at the start but I also got to welcome them at the finish line which was really enjoyable. It also gives you a greater appreciation of just how much organisation and effort goes on “behind the scenes”, and that’s just from the tiny bit that I’ve seen this week. In future, when we give the volunteers a round of applause at the start of the parkrun i’ll be clapping extra loud.

Tenth 5k Complete in my Ten-Week Challenge

Me wearing my cute '10' pin from my friends and holding my Pet Lamb Patisserie treats

Breakfast: 2 oatcakes

Temp: 54 F / 12 C

Weather: rainy on and off with some gusts of wind(fun combo!)

Time: 27:43

Number of times played Bloc Party's "Flux": twice

(probably could have a whole playlist of just this song?!)

Today marks my tenth 5k in ten weeks in order to raise money for Save the Children's Born to Run Campaign. I have now successfully completed my Ten Week Challenge and have raised over £386 in the process! I even had a little cheering section at the finish line today in the rain which was such a sweet surprise (in more ways than one since Emma had brought me a delicious cupcake, yum! Thanks!!).

The weather was not exactly cooperating with the runners but we can't have perfect weather all the time, now can we? Overall it wasn't too bad, but there was one particular part of the course when the wind picked up blowing the rain straight into our faces. For some runners this provided a little extra challenge to push through with a determination to keep pace and for others it kicked our butts a bit more than the usual(me!).

The big talk of the morning and on the parkrun Facebook page was the fact that the cows are back on the moor for the summer. Not to mention the actual 'evidence' that the cows are back on the moor, since it was a bit of a dodge 'em game on the path trying to avoid stepping in the pats. We had a rather surreal start to the run with two big ol' cows happily munching on the grass at the side of the path as we all swooshed past. It makes me wonder if all parkruns have their own unique set of residents that come with their course?

Even though my Ten Week Challenge is over I have well & truly caught the running bug and will endeavor to continue for as long as I am able to run. I have really enjoyed the past ten weeks of parkruns for my challenge. The whole parkrunning experience is something I will definitely include as part of my regular routine.

I have signed up to volunteer for next week's parkrun since there is always a need for volunteers to help the runs go smoothly each week for the runners. It's like a well oiled machine. I've truly appreciated how great an experience the parkrun is in these past ten weeks, and I'd like to say a big thank you to the parkrun team!

Also, a big thank you to everyone who has donated to my fundraising efforts for Save the Children and to everyone who has provided words of encouragement along the way!

Now I'm going to go eat my sweet rewards courtesy of Pet Lamb Patisserie's Make and Mend Market stall.....mmmm!

Only One More to Go!!

Breakfast: 1 oatcake(cracker)
Temp: 43 F/ 6 C
Weather: cloudy

Time: 27:06
Number of times played Bloc Party's "Flux": just once

Today marks number nine of my 10-Week Challenge for Save the Children's Born to Run campaign.

The cute beagle and its owner were back today. That little dog just makes me smile with its fast paced stumpy-leg trot, but gee whiz they are fast (or at least they beat me, ha!).

This week I really focussed on my posture again, and trying hard to keep the correct form to avoid injuries, and that usual post-run "ouch". I always pay a bit of attention to my form, but seem to get certain aches happening each week regardless.

I was given some advice (hold in my tummy/core area and try to keep my hips in line in the right place to avoid horrible posture) with the hopes of trying to avoid the reoccuring back ache that creeps up on my body after I've run. I also decided to try using smaller foot steps rather than long strides after reading in Runners World that it can help reduce strain on the hips and other joints.

I am sure I looked a bit goofy in doing so, especially since I was taking 3-4 steps for the 1 long stride of the fellas around me but if there is a chance that it helps reduce aches & pains then I am more than happy to look like a weirdo! I won't really know if it helped until later today/tomorrow, but I'm hoping something had a positive effect, and I will try it again next week and during any practice runs in the week.

So, now I have only one more 5K to go in my 10-Week Challenge! Yay!

If you're feeling generous and wish to donate some of your hard earned cash to a good cause, or if you've been waiting until the end of my challenge to donate (ahem, certain colleague who shall remain nameless but wanted to make sure I did the full 10 before donating!!) well then ...now is just about time and you can donate on my Ten Week Challenge Just Giving page here.

And if you have been on the fence about whether to try out a parkrun, then why not join people across the UK in trying it out as part of Save the Children's'Born to Run a parkrun' event on Saturday, 30th April? I can gaurantee it will be a great atmosphere! You can check out details by clicking here.

Happy running everyone!

Week Eight, Done & Dusted!

Breakfast: brown toast w/ peanut butter & honey

Temp: 46 F / 8 C

Weather: sunny(what is that again??) & clear

Time: 27:02

Number of times repeated 'Flux': only 2

So that's week eight of my Born to Run 10-week Challenge for Save the Children done & dusted! What an amazing morning too, where did this sun come from? I can hardly remember when it was this nice out... dry, crisply cold, clear & bright - ideal conditions for a run, I think you'll agree. Today would have been fantastic first run conditions for someone trying the parkrun for the very first time, and I hope it actually was for someone, somewhere!

Seems silly to discuss food intake, but it is what fuels our exercise so ... I was slightly worried about my change in breakfast foods (I was out of my usual oatcakes - which is just a type of healthy oat cracker for those of you not familiar with them....ahem, mom). I can happily say that I did not get a stitch today, but I was aware of the fact that I either peaked too soon, or perhaps just flat out ran out of energy, not sure how one knows the difference between the two really. Either way, I felt pretty drained during the last kilometer and a half compared to the rest of the run, but I was determined to keep my little footsies going and managed to do so thanks to good ol' Flux (gosh i'm obsessed!) and the other songs on my playlist doing their bit too. Maybe the above is actually a sign of breakfast failure, hmmm....

Speaking of being obsessed with certain music, I thought I'd include the list of songs from my '5K Vroom' playlist since they have helped me get my cupcake-loving self across the finish line each week for the past eight weeks. These songs are the priviledged few that made thefinal cut from all the ear candy in my itunes, so these ditties deserve a big pat on the back for their super-duper inspirational qualities......or they at least deserve a lil' mention on my blog, so i'm giving kudos where deserved.

So, in the order of play....here they are:

1. Only Girl In the World - Rihanna

2. Boom Boom Boom - The Outhere Brothers

3. Bonkers - Dizzee Rascal

4. Born Free - M.I.A.

5. Flux - Bloc Party

6. Like a G6 - Far East Movement

7. Superstylin' - Groove Armada

The above is roughly 28 minutes of tunage, and depending on when I've pressed play at the start the overall goal is to finish before the rather dragged out ending on Superstylin' actually ends(assuming I haven't pressed repeat on Flux, which throws off this timing). It's been pretty close a couple of times but luckily the ending just drags on and on and on.....

Recovery Drinks & Robot Wars

Well, it was my first time using a recovery drink this past weekend(a tasty banana flavoured freebie that came with Runner's World magazine) and I'd say it was a good experience.

After the run (and drinking the recovery drink) I then spent the rest of the day galavanting around the Newcastle Science Festival Maker Faire.

I'd say the fact that I had plenty of energy to roam around all afternoon checking out fun things like a mini robot wars display was evidence of the recovery drink being a useful thing. Or, it could have been the extra shot latte from the 'buck that provided the much needed energy boost, either way I had a good day at the Maker Faire and contrary to popular belief, I didn't need to sneak off into a corner to grab a few winks.

So I may be trying a recovery drink again as part of my running routine in future. Now I just have to figure out which one...

Week Number Seven in the parkrun House...(ya gotta say it in a Geordie voice)

Breakfast: 2 oatcakes (yum!)

Temp: 39 F (4 C)

Weather: White Cloud

Time: 27:10

Number of times I hit repeat for the song 'Flux': 2

Today's run went well and appeared to be a very popular week for the parkrun. I'm very curious to see just how many runners were recorded this week since it did feel rather full at the starting line. There was lots of water, mud & mush along the route but the sky held back the rain and it was a pleasantly overcast morning, perfect for a run.

This week I've managed to go for two short runs and a yoga class during the week and i'm never quite sure whether I've done 'enough.' I suppose since i'm currently injury free and have been able to successfully run the 5k each week then whatever i'm doing has been 'enough' so far, but I will need to take it up a notch with a proper plan if I want to seriously try to knock some time off my PB in future. For now i'm very happy to be well on my way to achieving goal number 1... to complete my 10 week challenge. It's going alright so far with 35 kilometers down, and only 15 kilometers more to reach my 50k goal! Woohoo!

Today I've officially tried my first post-run recovery drink. It was a very tasty banana flavored one that came free with my Runner's World magazine. I'll have to comment later on the effectiveness and/or after effects, but so far so good! I think the first test was definitely the flavor, and it passed that one with flying colors (phew!).

A good chunk of my weekend will now be spent baking treats for our big Comic Relief(aka: Red Nose Day) Bake Sale at work next Wednesday. The plan is to bake good ol' American-style corn muffins and Be-ro Coffee Kisses which can only attempt to live up to my colleague Emma's Coffee Kisses! I find baking to be very therapeutic & enjoyable, but only when the outcome is successfully tasty of course. My department is quite well known for our very charitable bake sales and it probably helps that our office as a whole has a wicked sweet tooth and absolutely loves snacking! We all muck in and bake or buy enough treats to feed a small village which we then provide as snackage throughout the day to our colleagues for a small monetary donation, all in the name of a great cause. The best way to sum it up is: Yum!

Speaking of charitable donations, THANK YOU VERY MUCH to everyone who has already donated to my Ten Week Challenge in aid of Save the Children!! With your help I have raised over £330 so far which is awesome!

And just in case you want to see the proof, here it is: www.justgiving.com/melissastenweekchallenge

Flour + milk + eggs = pancakes!

My tasty (not so healthy) training fuel this week has been the glorious pancake in all its forms...it's such a simple treat made from a few basic ingredients, but it is so versatile and so very more-ish.

A savory one - ham & cheddar cheese with a sprinkle of mustard powder & brown sugar, mmm!

Some people make flipping them look so darn easy! This one ended up a classic British style pancake with sugar & lemon.

My efforts at making American pancakes, eaten with butter & maple syrup.

Whether it's fluffy American pancakes slathered in butter and smothered in maple syrup, or perhaps one of their slimline British counterparts sprinkled with sugar and a drizzle of lemon juice, or even the classic French crepe expertly flipped about in a pan. They are all deliciously mouth watering in their own way and oh-so-tempting when they are placed in front of you. Who could say no to a yummy pancake! Are they good fuel for a run? I'm certainly crossing my fingers on that issue.

Sixth 5k down, only four more to go!

Temp: 41 F or 5 C

Today's Weather: white cloud (according to BBC weather)

Today's Time: 27:47

This week marks the sixth 5k in my 10-Week Challenge and today's run was a mini challenge in itself.

I've had a bit of a cold that has left me feeling rather 'blah' overall this week and therefore not up to much exercising (I know, i'm a bit of a wuss!). Unfortunately this has meant that through the week when I would normally have done my training (yoga, spinning and at least one other run) I've decided to take it a bit easy in the hopes that the cold would just go away. I know some folks say that exercise helps you to get better. I applaud them for being able to power through their colds but I am a firm believer in the power of resting(long live the nap!).

My goal for today's run was simply to complete it without stopping and I've achieved that goal so I'm quite content. Phew. Is it time for a nap now?

On a running related note, a colleague of mine who has not run since school has mentioned that she has decided to run one of the 5K 'Race for Life' events happening this summer here in Newcastle. What a great way to raise money for Cancer Research UK and get herself moving at the same time. I'm very excited for her and who knows, she may even decide to join the growing group of her colleagues at the Park Run 5k one Saturday morning! *wink, wink*

This week I've finally received my first Runner's World Magazine, woo! It is definitely a good read and very inspiring. Although i'm not sure I will ever be a die-hard runner who travels the world marathon'ing, I think I will definitely be able to learn some techniques and tips to better my run. Plus it came with a sample of some sort of banana protein recovery shake which I have yet to try, but having this sachet of shake-to-be in the house makes me feel like a 'proper runner' for some reason. I haven't subscribed to the idea of needing fancy recovery drinks and refueling snacks yet, but I may be persuaded if it does the trick(and if it tastes yummy, ha!).

Today's