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