When training for events and to increase fitness I have found one of the most important elements is a support network.  For me I would say this is invaluable.

My support includes the following:

• My cycling club Romford CC
• My secondary cycling club Hornchurch CC
• My running club Havering ’90 Joggers
• Members of a local triathlon club (although I am not a member) Havering Tri
• And of course friends and family

I can say with absolute certainty that whilst I am not at the end of my fitness and weight loss journey that I would not have achieved what I have to date without the support I received.

They have all been people who provided both emotional and practical help and were a tower of strength for me, especially when I was not feeling so strong myself, and I know are a group of individuals who all provide support for one another and will always help if they are able to.

Now I know many people do this alone and that is also possible but to give some examples of support I am referring to:

• My husband first and foremost who I am lucky is a cycling coach but also takes time out to ride and run with me at my pace to help me improve.  He is also at every event I take place in and vice versa with me doing the same for him.  He is also like my very own accountability partner as he knows what I am trying to achieve and can help encourage me along the way.
• Cycling club where there are too many to mention who have taken time to cycle with me and help me, and continue to do so, as I try and improve.  An example is when my husband and his friend Tim were going to do the Ride London 100 mile bike ride together in 2014 and decided they would ride with me instead, which was amazing.  Not to mention my secondary cycling club who are just as supportive.
• Running club with many who welcomed me and the amazing interval sessions conducted by Dave.
•  Local triathlon club that I am not actually a member of, though my husband is, but I am lucky that I have numerous friends in the club who have always offered support and advice when needed.
• Friends and family who I think for the most part just think I am a bit mental trying to do all this stuff – I probably am but then again the best people are!  Especially Helen, Laura, Steve and Nikki who is just so positive and mental and I love them all.
• I can’t forget the amazing Team Scrambled Legs who I have done obstacle runs with and who I am sure I would be left dangling on a 4 meter wall or face down in mud if it were not for their assistance.
• The amazing Nuclear Races family, especially Lisa, Tracey and Craig who have all helped me with hints and tips at their obstacle training sessions.
• And of course everyone who reads my ramblings on this blog – I’ve made virtual friends with several people who also offer encouragement which is amazing and really helps!

I can’t recommend joining a club enough as it can make such a difference.

I know I don’t look like your average sports person (I won’t say athlete as definitely doesn’t fit) and yes it can be hard when you tell people what you are training for and they look at you in complete disbelief but I am and I will and I continue to improve and will continue even more so.

Don’t expect everyone to understand the journey you are on.  Surround yourself with people who believe in you.  Strive for progress and not perfection.  Allow yourself to be a beginner as no one starts at the top – I made this mistake comparing myself to many people who have been running/cycling etc for years and wondering why I am not yet at their level.  Most importantly don’t give up and go and smash those goals!

I’ve just been on a two week holiday in the States and with me I took my running kit.  Running is not something I find easy and I knew if I took two weeks off I would struggle when I returned and was going to be going to some really pretty areas which would help motivate me to run whilst on holiday and so that is what I did.

That and the fact that I’ve been to the States a lot before I knew what to expect with portion sizes and how hard it would be to resist some of the tasty foods on offer – would be rude to travel all that way and not have pancakes, good pizza, bagels and lots of wine too!

I would like to say they were just casual runs, which in one way they were but I got lost on every single one – my sense of direction is not something to brag about.  Still I was not out to break any records (which is good as I am not that quick) and so took the opportunity to take photos on my way.

I ran in Basking Ridge, New Jersey:

Also Central Park in Manhattan whilst killing time as my husband took part in the Gran Fondo New York 100 mile bike race:

Next was back to Basking Ridge followed by Yardley in Philadelphia:

And finally onto Chicago to run along some of Lake Michigan.

As I ran I not only took photos of the areas but also houses up for sale because well you never know.  Could I live in the States? Absolutely! Either in the burbs with a house with a wrap around deck or in the city with Central Park on my doorstep – not asking for much really.

Whilst running in Central Park I found myself in the middle of an organised walk for Aids and being nosey listened for a short while to the speech being made which was very political and anti Trump and so I soon set off on my way again – as far as I could go as they were closing off parts for the event.

In Chicago originally I had said to my husband I intended to run round the lake.  Yes that is right I had no idea how big Lake Michigan was so when we arrived he pointed to what looked like the sea as you can’t event see the other side and said that’s the lake you are running round ha ha.  We just ended up running alongside it for a while – it was so hot and I am not great in the heat.  Absolutely stunning though.

In total I ran over 28 miles whilst on holiday and I am pretty pleased with that – also made me feel less guilty about having the odd Reese’s peanut butter cup and knowing the final leg of our trip in Chicago would be with friends who I could count on for a good drink – to celebrate their recent baby of course ;-p

Have a weighed myself since I returned? Um…….no!

As you know I did Brentwood half marathon on Sunday, my first half marathon, and if you read my previous blog post you will know it was not my best moment.

Since then I’ve had loads of comments, messages and support from people telling me how well I did and how I should be chuffed with myself. I am my biggest critic and so since Sunday have spent most of my time either feeling sorry for myself, sulking, beating myself up or having a bit of a cry.

I will explain why.

All of my training runs went better than that one event I was actually training for. My pacing was better in my training runs.   My hill running was better in my training runs.  My breathing was better in my training runs. I didn’t feel as down on myself in my training runs. It was like all the advice I’d been given and everything I’d learned just went out of the window and I fell apart.

My original goal when signing up for my first half marathon was to complete it in under 3 hours.  As my training continued and went well I then realised my goal should be to complete it in under 2.5 hours. Now I had received a lot of advice telling me that for my first half marathon I should just be aiming to complete it.

Before the event I wanted to complete the actual distance and did so with the help of my husband.  We completed it in 2 hours 21 minutes and so I think, rightly or wrongly, in my head I had this time that I was centred around and was secretly hoping I would better that. 

The week before I spent most of it in bed with laryngitis and a fever that completely wiped me out and despite lots of advice that I should pull out I decided to do the event regardless. Anyone who knows me will know I am way too stubborn and not doing it was not an option.

I was disappointed that I had several stops for water as my throat was on fire.  I was disappointed I overheated pretty quickly into the run.  I was disappointed the hills and inclines beat me.  I was disappointed I felt like I let down the two lovely friends who ran with me (who both could have smashed that but ran with me instead). I was disappointed that I found it such a struggle.  I was disappointed in how I felt and had to keep apologising to my friends running with me. I was disappointed my time was 8 minutes slower than my training run of the same distance. I was disappointed my husband would have been patiently waiting for me at the finish.

But you know what?

I did complete a half marathon. I did complete a half marathon when I wasn’t well.  I did complete a half marathon in under 2.5 hours, which was the original goal. So I didn’t do too bad I guess?

  
As a treat my husband has now entered the both of us into the Hackney half marathon and we will run together and I will not let this beat me!

This Girl Can!

As yesterday was Mothers Day it was my choice what we did in the day and so I started the day with another session of hot yoga.  Some of the people in the session amaze me!  We had a move called the crow and it is basically balancing on your hands with your legs off the floor – yeah not happening for me I would have face planted for sure!  The squatting I was fine with down to the floor and back up again but my weight on my hands and just my hands – will be a long time before I master that I fear!

And so what to do after?  Well it was a simple – a visit to a new trampoline park near us called Base Jump.

Base Jump is the biggest trampoline park in the South East spread over 35,000 square feet. It includes:

• two launch areas each with four trampolines and a higher level to jump from into either a foam pit or onto a giant air bag
• basketball slam dunk
• three dodgeball courts
• a trampoline halfpipe
• a huge freestyle jump area with 75 interlinked trampolines
• a battle beam with giant joust poles
• a soft play area for younger children
• and my favourite – a ninja challenge area that included a climbing wall, monkey bars, ropes to swing across, metal swings with a beam to work your way across, all of which are above a foam pit.

Of course there are a lot of children there though we were a group of four adults.  With no shame.  This is the sort of place anyone can have fun!  And we did!

Now I am partial to an obstacle and so it surprised me that when I got to the top of the 2 metre high platform it took me a while to jump off (into a foam pit).  I couldn’t not do it with 3 friends waiting and several children aged anywhere from I guess age 4 upwards successfully launching themselves off it!  I managed it 3 times though not gracefully and not landing how I wanted to either but still.

The ninja challenge I loved!  And I successfully got across the climbing wall twice, which pleased me as I know there is something similar at a Spartan race I have next month and also because I had fallen off something similar at Nuclear – nailed it!

Of course they cater for children and parties but also offer teen sessions on Fridays from 8-10pm and adult sessions on Fridays from 10-12pm.  Coming soon they will also be offering fitness classes.

If you’ve not been then you should get down there as you will have an amazing time!  I will be going back some time very very soon!

Fun little fact I learned from their website too:

‘you burn more calories bouncing for 10 minutes than you do jogging for 30.  Studies show that just one hour of jumping on a trampoline burns over 1000 calories.  It’s the best cardio you will ever enjoy!’  

Who can argue with that?  What are you waiting for?

 

 

I’ve done yoga before and heard people talk about hot yoga and I will admit I was intrigued and so when my friend and PT, Emma, mentioned that there was a studio near us that held these classes I signed up with her straight away, I mean it is literally 5 minutes from me so would be rude not to!

Yesterday we headed down to 121 Urban Hot Yoga with our bags including towels as we assumed we would be dripping in sweat, deodorant because well the whole sweating part and lots of water.  I was nervous – I always am when trying new things like this – the thought of entering a class full of people that can contort their bodies in weird and wonderful ways as I stand rigid like the tin man wondering why I cannot get my left and my right foot behind my ears whilst balancing perfectly.

I needn’t have worried!

The minute we walked in we were welcomed by a lovely man named Dean (who was actually lighting some candles and burning some incense – perfect timing or what?).  We went down to the basement studio and got ourselves signed in and was made to feel perfectly at ease immediately.  There was no stuffiness that I was worried I would find – an assumption that some yoga people take this very seriously with no talking or joking but serious intense yoga sessions but more hardcore in the heat.  We were introduced to our instructor, Maggie, and completely reassured that this caters for all levels and is a personal journey so not to worry what those around us are doing but to do as much as we comfortable with.

Yoga is a form of exercise that focuses on a series of movements designed to increase strength, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing.   Hot yoga is all of the aforementioned but with heat put in for good measure.  The heat helps you to stretch more and it also helps you sweat.  The moves themselves are detoxifying for your muscles, organs and glands and sweating furthers that.

As the hour and a half class began we started with breathing and then moved onto some of the movements.  There were 3 levels the first for either those who were new, had an injury or had recently given birth and then 2 further options increasing slightly in difficulty each time.

To my surprise i was able to do most even if a tad wobbly and not looking as elegant as some in the class who were clearly practised in these moves.  There were some I just couldn’t do – one in particular where your hands clasped each other behind your back but going under your bent leg and round the back of your knee.  There was a name for this but I cannot remember it though I was hugely impressed with those in the class that completed this with what looked like relative ease.

Emma and I had a few giggles as we battled to get the moves right and wobbled around but on the whole i think we did well and the instructor seemed to think so too.  One day I will be the one on the left and not the one on the right:

 

I sweated so much I looked like I had been swimming and drank so much too but we had a great time and signed up immediately for next week.

If you are thinking of hot yoga I would recommend and if you are local I would definitely recommend checking this studio out and if you are going next Sunday morning you get the added bonus of witnessing my attempts in the process!