Scrub Love #babeswhoscrub

There are very few things I enjoy more than a long, hot bath. After a run, I particularly like to extend my "me-time" with a long bath and some pampering products.  My latest post-run discovery is this Mint Temptation coffee scrub from Scrub Love.

Scrub Love make AMAZING coffee body scrubs - a gentle exfoliating scrub made from ground coffee and packed full of natural ingredients that help your skin recover from the hassles of every day life - they soften, polish, hydrate and exfoliate. In every Scrub Love sachet you'll find organic coffee (obviously!) and fine salt including Dead Sea Salt and Himalayan Pink Salt as well as essential oils.

In the Mint Temptation Scrub Love you'll find aloe vera, tea tree oil, peppermint oil and argan oil. It's an invigorating, refreshing mix that leaves your legs, arms and body feeling amazing. A 200ml sachet like this will last a good few uses. I used just a little on each leg to help breathe life back into my legs after a running club session.  The scrub felt tingly and smelled mind-blowing.  That little kick of caffeine that helps your body to start to heal and recover...it felt like I had new legs.

Scrub Love body scrub can be applied in small amounts by gently rubbing it into the skin. You can wash it off straight away or leave it on for 5 minutes to let all those oils work their magic. I LOVE the smell of coffee, and mint and it left the whole house smelling amazing.  A few hours later though, Mr. B. was complaining about the smell of coffee so I've promised to only use it shortly before bedtime from now on!  I did have to give the bath a good clean after using it...it is quite surreal to wash the scrub off and see a whole sea of coffee around you.

I'm a total convert to Scrub Love. My legs have never felt better - refreshed and smooth.

Scrub Love 200ml resealable sachets cost from £11.95.  Next time I've got my eye on the Coconut Affair flavour.

TomTom Spark + Cardio + Music - A Runner's Review

I'm running again - yay! I'll admit that I'm still struggling to rediscover my running mojo after injury earlier this year but I do at least get out for a run once a week as I lead a running club on a Tuesday night so I've no excuse.  For the past couple of week's I've been using the TomTom Spark as my running watch during these sprint and hills training sessions with my friends and neighbours - putting it's heart rate monitor and running features through their paces.

The TomTom spark is a GPS Fitness Watch for running, walking, swimming, cycling, gym and more. With the Cardio option, the TomTom Spark comes with a built in heart rate monitor so you can track your effort as you run, or you can choose to workout in your heart rate zones.  I've tried using a heart rate monitor in the past and I enjoy seeing the stats but I've previously only ever used a chest strap which is uncomfortable and easy to forget to put on when you go out for a run; having the HRM built into the back of the TomTom is a luxury that means I can see heart rate stats every time I run.  This is particularly useful to me when I'm running a club session with intervals as I can use my watch to see when my heart rate is recovering after an interval. I've been really pleased with how accurate the heart rate monitor is, and despite needing to make sure the strap is quite firmly done up around your wrist, the watch strap is very comfortable.

Perhaps the biggest selling point for me of the TomTom Spark + Cardio + Music is in fact the music!  I hate having to run with a phone for music so I gave that up some time ago.  Recently I'd been really missing my music (and wanted to listen to the Couch to 5k tracks again) but the Bluetooth on my phone had died.  Thankfully the TomTom Spark comes with the option to wirelessly connect to a pair of headphones.  I've chosen to connect mine to my Aftershokz wireless headphones but you can choose to buy TomTom in-ear bluetooth headphones included with your TomTom Spark.  The watch can hold upto 500 songs on it and you transfer them onto the device as playlists from iTunes or equivalent using the TomTom MySports app.  I've packed mine full of fast dance music to get my feet moving at 180 strides per minute!

I've found the Spark really easy to configure. Using the touch-sensitive button on the watch I can set up pretty much all of the running sessions I'd want to using either time or distance intervals.  It took me a while to get used to the fact that the watch didn't beep at me when I'd come to the end of each kilometer but I've now got used to the gentle buzz that it gives my wrist when I reach the end of an interval.  I find the screen modes simple and easy to move between when I run - as you go you can see heart rate as a graph, % of time spent in different heart rate zones, time, distance and if you're running intervals, the time left until the end of that interval.

I use my TomTom Spark for running sessions mostly - I've hooked it up to automatically post my runs to Strava so that I can monitor routes and segments when I run.  I also tried using the TomTom spark as a general purpose activity tracker to track my steps and sleep but as an active member of Bounts, I really want an activity tracker that will upload my steps to Bounts for me to earn rewards so I've defaulted back until TomTom can built an integration with Bounts (hint, hint).  It's a shame though because the little fuel-gauge to indicate steps progress towards your goal is pretty neat and it would be good to have everything in one place so that my watch did everything, especially if I buy a pretty, colourful replacement strap!  In it's default black it doesn't feel very sexy to me - not something I'd wear all day as my main watch (although, much sportier types might find it perfect).

The TomTom spark is perfect for running - I think that without music, the battery will get me through my 5-6 hour marathon I've got planned for next spring!  I'm genuinely impressed. From the speed of the GPS signal location (no hanging around waiting to find a satellite!) to the ease of connection to my headphones, there's nothing complicated about the TomTom Spark, and yet it does pretty much everything you need it to.

But aside from running, I've also tested it out in the pool. I was very impressed by the accuracy of the distance and laps that it measured in the pool without a GPS signal.  I don't often swim any more but it is nice to take a look at how my performance changes over time.  And if you like stats...

...the TomTom MySports website has all the stats you can need!  I think its a fabulously clean and simple user interface that allows me to understand my runs and my progress.  If you are using your Spark as an activity tracker you can set goals and see how you're progressing towards them.  With the heart rate monitor data I can see effort against the different points in my run as a coloured indicator. I'm really pleased with the functionality available in both the desktop app (for synching the watch) and the website (for viewing stats).

The TomTom Spark costs from £109.99 to £229.99 (with cardio, music and bluetooth headphones).

Puressentiel Natural Running Remedies

I hadn't heard of Puressentiel before becoming a runner and , to be honest, other than massage relief, I hadn't really thought that hard about using essential oils for running remedies but the Puressentiel range offers a set of natural products based on aromatherapy oils designed to help aid muscle and joint pain, but also to relief allergies - something I really struggle with when running at this time of year.  Puressentiel make several other ranges of health and beauty products but for the time being, I've been trying out a few special remedies suitable for runners.

As I mentioned, I'm really suffering with hayfever at present and when I'm out running in the evening I can feel it on my eyes but mostly at the back of my nose. Hayfever makes me cough and it makes me bungled (that's a technical term) but it never gets that bad and I just sort of put up with it throughout the day but it starts to get me down.  Puressentiel hypertonic nasal spray is recommended for winter ailments (ie colds) but I'm using it for hayfever and it really helps to clear my nose before and after a run; simply press down and it sprays a very fine spray up your nose.  Even when I don't feel that blocked up, the difference I feel after use goes to show I am!

I've been taking my running very gently since my injury in February and so after each run I use a foam roller and also massage my lower legs.  I really LOVE this muscle and joints soothing balm which is a rick balm packed full of strong-scented arometherapy oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and juniper as well as natural camphor and menthol which make the air really come alive when you use it.  The balm is made from natural ingredients and is really thick but melts into your skin and makes it tingle - the perfect pick me up for tired legs.  Now all I need is a full time sports massage therapist to come and live with me and give me a massage with this Puressentiel balm after every run!

For aches such as tired feet or sore patches where your shoes or clothes rub, a similar set of essential oils does the trick but this time as a small tube of Puressentiel Muscles and Joints Gel designed for applying in small quantities.  I've actually found this gel perfect for my feet which I have to take a lot of care of since my injury; its a white cream which disappears into your skin and soothes and eases with nutmeg, marjoram and chamomile as well as peppermint and juniper.  Gosh, I love combining my love of running with my love of natural skincare!

Also look out for Puressentiel heated patches which can be cut down to size and which stay heated for upto 8 hours while releasing relaxing essential oils.

Puressentiel have their own page on the Boots.com website where you can buy from most of their different natural health and beauty ranges.

Ozeri WeightMaster II Bathroom Scales Review

Since I started running last spring I have lost two stone but when I injured myself at Christmas, I found that my weight plateaued and furthermore, ever since I ran my half marathon in March, some of the bad habits have crept back in and my weight has started to creep up.  This week I've decided to do something about it and I have a new set of bathroom scales to help me keep track of my progress and to monitor my BMI.

I am a big fan of Ozeri's kitchen equipment and have used their kitchen scales in the past but this is the first time that I've tried their bathroom scales.  The Ozeri WeightMaster II is a digital bathroom scale which can measure your weight (cough... mass) and calculate your BMI.  It can also maintain user profiles so that you can monitor your own weight over time.

Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain weight or gain weight, the fact that the WeightMaster II can maintain a history of weight measurements means that you can track your progress.  You program in upto 8 different user profiles and from then on, when you step on the scale, it recognises you... measures you... then tells you how things have changed in the last 1, 3, 7 and 30 measurements.

Mr. B. and I have struggled a bit with the automatic user profile recognition.  Although we are different heights, we have quite similar weights at present and so the WeightMaster seems to umm and aaah when I step on the scale and will cycle through the user profiles before making a decision.  Mr. B. doesn't use the scales very often so I can't tell if he is having the same problem but in the short term, I deleted his profile (mwah ha ha) and this sped things up a bit and reduced the confusion.

One of the features I really like about the Ozeri WeightMaster II is that the display will turn green or red depending on whether you have lost or gained weight since your last measurement.  Ordinarily I only measure once per week but to test out the scales I have been trying them several times a day to learn how my body weight fluctuates throughout the day - its very interesting to see the times of day when it tends to turn red, compared to green and really goes to show why, if you are tracking your weight, you should always measure at the same time of day and week to get a good comparison.

I think that the immediate BMI calculation is a great idea as, really, this is more important than overall weight.  Again, because Mr. B. and are are different heights, it is interesting to see that currently he is officially classed as "overweight" based on his BMI result but as I am taller, I am classed as "healthy".

The Ozeri WeightMaster II scales can be switched from kg to lbs easily.  It comes in either white or black and is on offer at Amazon at present so costs around £30 (plus postage) from Amazon.  At present the Ozerio Touch II scale is on offer for £35 on Amazon and this model includes Body Fat, Hydration and Muscle/Bone Mass.

  

Training for a 5k Race For Life #RaceForLife

It is around 100 days until Lara and I run a 5 kilometre Race for Life to raise vital funds to support Cancer Research UK.  Our fundraising is off to a good start, with 30% of our £500 target raised already.  Our fundraising will really kick off in the next few weeks and there are lots of fundraising ideas and support packs available through Cancer Research UK online to help us.

Lara had been running with me almost every weekend, just for 1-2km each time, and often very stop-start.  With our Race for Life approaching, I am keen to try and teach her to run the distance.  About 10 months ago I went through the same thing myself.  I used the NHS Couch to 5k scheme to help me go from nothing, to running for a full 30 minutes without stopping.  It took me 7 weeks, running three times a week to be able to run 5km without a break and at the time it took me nearly 39 minutes to complete the distance.

Race for Life do have a series of 5k training plans available for whether you are planning on walking, jogging or running your Race for Life.  I have decided to teach Lara using my own interpretation of the couch-to-5k scheme because we really only get a chance to run together at the weekends and because she is 5, she can't reasonably go for a run without me during the week!!!

Next weekend I am completing my Run England "Leadership in Running Fitness" course so training Lara up is good practice for my new coaching skills.

This past weekend I hoped to teach Lara to run in short repeats.  To push your body even when your brain is telling you to stop.  This is a phenomenally hard skill to learn, whatever your age but it is very hard to explain and to justify to a 5 year old.  We jogged for 3 minutes, and then walked for 90 seconds.  We did this over and over again for around 4.2 kilometres.  We held hands, we talked and giggled.  I showed Lara some of my favourite countryside running routes (it always surprises me how quickly we can be in the middle of the country given that we live in a fairly built up town).  Yes she did pester me every time those 3 minute stretches were beginning to drag but when we reached the end of each interval we had a nice rest and a chat.  I loved it.  She loved it.  I can't wait to do it again.

This weekend I intend to vary the intervals a bit.  Maybe 8 minutes jogging, 3 minutes walking?  That's a harder test of your body and brain's ability to keep on running.  I'm sure Lara will take it all in her stride.  I think she has a lot of energy and can probably run a lot faster than me once she has mastered the art of will-power and has learned to pace herself.  I don't think it will be too long before she can jog the full 5km race distance with me - a massive achievement for a 5 year old.

I have set up a JustGiving charity donation website for myself and Lara which took a matter of minutes to do.  We would LOVE it if you could sponsor us to complete our 5k challenge, whatever you can afford.  

Maybe you fancy joining the Pink Army this summer?  If you fancy joining in with the Race For Life challenge yourself then I have a £2 discount code off the cost of entry to any 2015 Race for Life.  Just quote RFLMel when entering the race online.  if you do join up, please leave me a comment below to let me know when and where you will be running - it'd be great to give each other support.

#TeamChallenge10 My First Half Marathon!

"It has been an eventful month since I last updated you on my 10 mile challenge.  One in which I have, indeed, run the full 10 miles.  Last March it had still never crossed my mind to run anywhere.  I was the heaviest I have ever been and did almost zero exercise.  Yesterday, 9 months after I went for my first jog/walk experiment, I ran my first half marathon.  Bonkers.  I still can't quite get my head around it.

I ran the Vitality Reading Half Marathon yesterday in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 43 seconds.  It was well within my 2.5 hour goal but still a long way off my original plan.  The weather was gorgeous (I got a bit sun-burned!) and I loved every second of it.  I just wish my legs hadn't felt so tired as my head and my lungs wanted to go faster.

My training went well right up until Christmas when I experienced a groin injury.  It has been a slow recovery and I only just feel like I'm approaching the same level of fitness that I had back in December.

In the past month I have completed my long training runs, 10 miles, 11 miles and then 13 miles.  I had a two week taper (for taper read... eat lots of food and watch TV instead of going running).  I knew I could manage the distance but until I crossed the start line yesterday morning, I had no idea what my game plan was going to be.  I just went with the flow of things and waited to see how I felt.

The Reading route included two long, hard hills but it did also include some great town-centre areas where the crowds were excellent.  The shouts of support definitely helped and there were two occasions where I managed aeroplane arms down the hills.  It was great fun and I'd definitely do it again.

Today my knees and legs are a bit sore and I have one small blister but I think I got off lightly.

So is that it?  Have I completed my 10 mile challenge?  No way - there is so much more to come.  a team 10 mile challenge, another half marathon, a sub 60 minute 10k and my little girl's first 5k race are all to come this summer.  I can't wait.

Race for Life - My Story, Our Challenge #RFL #running

My running journey has brought me a long way already.  This time last year the idea of putting on a pair of trainers and going for a run simply hadn't crossed my mind.  And now, here I am 10 days away from my first ever half marathon.  Running has given me a new lease of life, a new level of health and a sense of purpose and achievement and I'm excited to share that with the other members of my family, especially when great, great things can come of it.

This summer, Lara and I will be running a Race for Life together.  Lara will have just turned 6 years old and yet already she is enthusiastic about running and inspired by me!  Lara and I will be running 5 kilometers ( or 3.1 miles in old money) which is a phenomenal distance for any one of us to run, let alone a small person!  But Lara wants to do it, because she wants to achieve great things.

And what greater thing to achieve than raising money for Cancer Research UK to fund research into ways that we can diagnose, treat and prevent cancer.  This year I am working with Cancer Research UK to help spread the word about Race For Life running events that take place up and down the country; Race for Life will be supporting me and Lara in our training for our event and we will be fundraising together to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Race for Life is a series of women-only running events that take place across the UK.  You can run to set yourself a challenge, or simply run for fun.  Events include plenty of 5km races but also 10km, half marathon or even a sneaky marathon in October (I will admit, I have been tempted).  In addition to these races, Race For Life now also features Pretty Muddy events which are women-only muddy obstacle courses for those people who want even more of a challenge!  I am planning on running a Pretty Muddy event in September (the idea of mud freaks me out a bit so it really is a challenge).

For the 5km and 10km events children are allowed to run as well and if your child is under 6 years old, they can run for free.  The entry fees for Race For Life are very reasonable compared to other organised running events I've attended.  However, the cost of your entry is simply the cost of organising the event so Cancer Research UK encourage entrants to raise money through sponsorship that will contribute towards the cost of vital research into the fight against cancer.

I have set up a JustGiving charity donation website for myself and Lara which took a matter of minutes to do.  If you'd like to sponsor us to complete these challenge then head over there. But if you fancy joining in with the Race For Life challenge yourself then I have a £2 discount code off the cost of entry to any 2015 Race for Life.  Just quote RFLMel when entering the race online.  if you do join up, please leave me a comment below to let me know when and where you will be running - it'd be great to give each other support.

Lara has already started running with me once a week, starting at 1km and now working her way up to about 2.5km as a mixture of running and walking.  She is really hopeful that she will be able to run the whole 5km without stopping, come July although I have heard that the atmosphere at Race For Life is very relaxed and there is no pressure to run fast. I will be sharing some of our training experiences over the next few months in the run up to our big day.  

Hanging Up My Running Shoes #TeamChallenge10

No.  Don't Panic.  I'm not giving up running!

These are my trusty running shoes which have seen me complete my Couch-to-5k and well beyond but this week they are going to trainer heaven.  They helped me meet my MAJOR running goal, but now they are going into retirement.

Way back in July, I invested in my first ever pair of running shoes, having been advised that the pain in my knees after every run was probably related to running in generic "trainers" rather than specialist running shoes.  After a gait analysis session, these Nike Structure 17 babies came into my life and suddenly running became that little bit more comfortable.

Running shoes are recommended to be replaced between 300 and 500 miles but I had an alert set up on Strava to remind me to assess them when my shoes got up to 250 miles.  Which this weekend they did.  When I got back from my run, I just sort of "knew" that the shoes hadn't been supporting my feet in the same way as normal. I had blisters (not something I normally suffer with) and within an hour or so, one of my heels started hurting... possibly the first signs of the dreaded plantar faciitis (every runner's nightmare).  I knew my running shoes were done for.

This weekend I ran for 10 miles without stopping.

This is such a massive achievement for me.  Something I never imagined this time last year (in fact, running 10 metres hadn't even crossed my mind).  It is 8 months since I started jogging and just over 5 months since I joined Team Challenge 10 where a group of bloggers aimed to be able to run 10 miles in 10 months.  This weekend's run was hard.  And long. And, to be honest, a bit lonely.  But the weather was beautiful and the sense of reward at the end was immense.

But my running challenge doesn't stop here.  Between now and June, the Team Challenge 10 members will be working up to a group run together to "celebrate" our 10 mile achievements.  In that time, I have two half-marathons planned.  Also not something I ever imagined I would be typing.

And, if I am to complete these challenges, of course I need new running shoes.  Which is a fantastic opportunity for me to go shoe shopping.  I shall share my running shoe goodness with you next month!

#TeamChallenge10 Jantastic!

2015 is the year that I will run 10 miles non-stop as part of the Team Challenge 10 mile run in June.  To top that, 2015 is the year I will run my first half marathon.  And, all going to plan, 2015 is the year that I will run 10 km in less than 1 hour.

My #TeamChallenge10 journey has stalled a little over Christmas. I had great intentions and desperately wanted to get our running but I pulled a groin muscle on the 22nd December, attempted to run when injured on Boxing Day and then regretted it.  I could barely walk for a couple of days and then decided to chill out and recover fully before trying again.  It was heartbreaking watching all of my running friends clocking up the miles without me.

So, when the injury is fully recovered, it is going to take quite a lot to get me up off the sofa and out into the cold again. I blogged a little while ago about clever ways of making sure that I get out of the house and keep running of the wintery months and in the new year, my ingenious technique will be... Jantastic.

The Jantastic challenge starts on the 5th of February. Jantastic is an online community fitness programme designed to encourage and motivate participants to set and achieve their personal health and fitness goals for January to March. It's FREE and you can join in on your own, or as part of a team (I'm part of team RMR - the biggest movement of running mummies the world has ever seen!)

Over the period of the challenge you can set your own fitness goals for running, cycling and swimming (or a combination of all of them). You set your own personal goals through the Jantastic website and be receive regular motivation, reminders and encouragement, inspiring you to achieve their goals through the tough winter months. I've heard great things from last year and can't wait to join in this year - I'm hoping it will help me prep for my half marathon in late March.

When you run (or cycle or swim) with Jantastic you can also raise money for one of their nominated charities by getting your friends or family to sponsor you to meet your goals.

The other thing that I've done to help spurr me on in the new year is to sign up for Bounts rewards at bounts.it . Bounts gives you rewards for every time you do exercise (either by linking to a Strava or fitness app or when you check in at your local registered gym).  You clock up points which can be used to exchange for rewards such as shopping vouchers.  If you use my code button1405 when you sign up, we both get bonus points.

#TeamChallenge10 - Baby, It's Cold Outside

Brrrr, it has got a bit chilly and, I will admit, that I have struggled to find the motivation to get out and get running this month.  Right now, I am very glad that I booked myself onto a couple of races for December because I need a good reason to force myself to get out in the dark and the cold and pound those streets.

I have found that 'Virtual Races' from virtualrunneruk.com have been a great source of inspiration for me this month.  I very nearly didn't register for the 4 December virtual 5km runs as I wasn't sure that it was a good use of my money but I am sooooo glad that I did.  A virtual race works by allowing you to run (or walk or crawl) your race distance at a time and location that suits you.  Then you go out and run your little legs off and report back with your time.  Every person who completes their virtual run wins a medal and there are spot prizes on offer as well.  In most cases, a portion of your race fee goes to a nominated charity.

During the first week of December, I hardly got out to run at all.  All of my planned runs were postponed due to work, Christmas parties or birthday lunches.  By the time that it got to Sunday afternoon I couldn't escape the run any longer.  I put on my shoes and focussed my mind on that 5k virtual race.  I pushed hard.  My head hated it and tried on many many occasions to stop me.  But I stuck with it and shaved another 11 seconds of my 5k personal best.  I jogged on, planning to finish a circular route home with a couple of very slow kilometres of warm-down.

As I completed out the next couple of k, I realised that even if I just kept jogging at my warm down pace, I would manage a 10k personal best as well so I quickly altered my route home, added a few more kilometres to my plan and picked up the pace.  I eventually knocked two and a half minutes off my 10k PB.  Whoop.  Strava loved me that day.  And I earned myself a festive medal as a bonus.

Yesterday I completed my first real race of December - a muddy and frosty mixed-terrain route at the Muddy Welly 10k.  By my Garmin's calculations it was quite a bit short of 10k but I was still REALLY pleased with my time of 1:02:49 including a storming sprint finish!  All in all it was good practice for the now infamous "Gutbuster" race on the 28th December when I'm expecting it to be brrrrrrrrr freezing!

#TeamChallenge10 #Running in the Cold, Wet and Dark

Another month into my 10-month, 10-mile challenge and reality has kicked in. Running in the Summer, during the warm evenings with all of the sights, sounds and smells of a dusky evening is a distant memory now. Now the clocks have gone back and, other than the weekends, I have no choice but to run in the dark. The days are getting colder and the weather is no longer treating me so kindly but I'm proud to say that I've kept running.

Running club has helped. I am still doing a regular speed session once a week to try and pick up my pace (and it's working). Running with a group (and having to pay for the privilege) helps to ensure that I get myself up and out of the door.

This month I've scaled back the distances I was running. I had made it up to 15km on my weekend runs and I had really noticed that this has improved the strength in my legs (and in my head). But this month I've made the conscious decision to drop the distances back to no more than 10km so that I can prepare for a series of 10k races that I have booked over the coming months while really working on getting faster - not further.

Post-Race Selfie!

Since I last wrote, I have managed to fulfill another big milestone in my running journey - the ability to run 5km in less than 30 minutes. 29:35 to be precise! I guess the next challenge is to carry on this pace and crack the 1 hour 10k but I still have another 5 minutes to knock off that one!

Today I raced my first ever 10k race in the fog through the countryside just outside Swindon.  I wasn't really in the mood so my game plan was thrown out of the window straight away but I still managed to knock 55 seconds off my 10k best which now stands at 1:05:05.

I'm really enjoying my running at present. I enjoy it most when I'm alone because I have time with my own thoughts but I still find it fairly fun when I'm running as part of a group. One of my best ever runs was a cold, dark run between 8 and 9 at night while it was hammering down with rain. We were running sprints so I couldn't stop to avoid puddles as I ran which resulted in water up to my knees on a couple of occasions. This time last year I would have thought it was the stuff of nightmares but for some reason, that night, despite being soaked to the bone, I ABSOLUTELY loved it.

Plans for the coming month include starting my half-marathon training plan and running an off-road 10km race. I really have caught the running bug, haven't I?!?

#TeamChallenge10 - My Running Milestones

My first ever race!

One full month into my 10-month, 10-mile challenge and I'm a bit in love with running.  It becomes an addiction.  Got to go further. Got to go faster.  Got to have more running kit!

Having only started running in the middle of June this year, September saw me reach a few of my running milestones.

• 1st September 2014 - Joined Team Challenge 10
• 10th September 2014 - Ran 10k for the first time (1 hour 18)
• 14th September 2014 - Ran my first 5k race (clocked a 35:53 time on a VERY hilly trail race)
• 21st September 2014 - Ran my first 3k race (18:33 cross-country fun-run)

September also saw me join a running group to try and improve my speed and technique.  I've started attending a weekly running course called Lady Bees which is run by an awesome lady named Karen who runs Elite Conditioning and really knows how to push you to use that spare 5% that you naturally hold back when you run.  The weekly, one-hour sessions teach drills and training routines for pushing your own boundaries and trying to up that speed.  As an example, this week we ran 10 one minute sprints with one minutes rest in between them.  It hurt.

Tonight I went for my regular Thursday evening tempo run and my legs and lungs still hurt, two days later!  But here's the thing.  Tonight I ran what felt like a hard, long, slow 5k and yet when I look at all my Garmin stats, its really obvious that my ploddy runs now are the equivalent of my speedy runs back in August.  When I really really pushed last week, I broke the 32 minute mark for a 5k run and I think, given the right conditions, I could get it below 31 minutes.

Forthcoming Milestones
My next big milestone may be the sub 30-minute 5k and I might even try for it during half-term at the end of October.

In November I have my first 10k race booked for Swindon.  With a couple more muddy off-road 10k races booked for December.  I must be crazy.  Who really wants to run on the 28th December???

Every week I add another 1k to my long run and I'm steadily moving up towards that 10 mile mark but I'd like to concentrate on improving my speed over a longer distance.  At present my long runs still feel like walking with a bounce!

I've also done a mildly bonkers thing.  I've booked myself onto the Reading Half Marathon in March next year.  By then, I'm hoping that I can meet the 10 mile #TeamChallenge10 goal so what's an extra few miles when you're surrounded by thousands of other people???

Mypure Natural and Organic Running Remedies #bbloggers #naturalbeauty #organic #review

This month, I decided to base my MyPure natural and organic cosmetics review on running remedies.  Having started running in June, I'm now building up my distance and my speed to get me through my 10 mile challenge; after every run my body feels like it needs a pick-me-up so what better way to test out some of the MyPure range of organic bodycare products?  For a relaxing post-tun bath I chose the Skin Blossom Therapeutic Bath Soak and for some TLC where my aches and pains need it most, the Bentley Organic Muscle Balm.

Skin Blossom Therapeutic Bath Soak

Skin Blossom is a new brand for me - I like the look of all of their products but the Therapeutic Bath Soak called me.  My post-run bath is a bit of a ritual and I've been on the lookout for something that would not only help me wind down in the evenings, but also help my legs on the way to recovery.  The combination of Lavender, Rosemary and Ylang Ylang essential oils makes this a beautiful-smelling bubble bath although I've noticed that the smell quickly disseminates and I don't really get the benefits of the scent once I'm in the bath.

Aloe Vera and coconut oils make this a gentle and kind addition to the bath with no irritants for my skin.  With over 98.8% organic ingredients it ticks most of my boxes. It is, of course, free from SLS, SLES, ALS, Phylates and Parabens, synthetic colour or fragrance.  The Therapeutic Bath Soak from Skin Blossom is a relaxing bubble bath but I think the short-lasting scent lets it down.  It costs £5.96 from Mypure.

After my bath, I would normally apply a body lotion but recently I've had some really really achey legs.  The tops of my legs feel stronger but this comes with a sacrifice after each run!  I've also struggled with the strength in my lower legs, ever since I twisted my ankle on holiday so the Bentley Organic Muscle Rub is a godsend.  It is a highly aromatic balm blended with natural oils with healing, relaxing properties for body and mind.

Bentley Organic Muscle Rub

The scented oils of camphor, mint, cinnamon, clove and cajeput (similar to tea tree) are blended with sunflower oil, beeswax and shea butter.  The balm is soft and easy to apply and you can feel it getting to work instantly; a gentle warming sensation.  This organic muscle balm is exactly what my legs needed and I'm feeling so much more alive after my runs since using it.  Mind you, the cat isn't so much of a fan and runs away from me after I've applied it!  The Bentley Organic muscle balm costs £7.20 for

You can find out more about Mypure on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.

Aromatherapy Associates

Since I started running, earlier in the summer, I've found myself really enjoying my baths after a long run.  I've always loved a bath but somehow I'm enjoying them even more now that they serve as my reward for a great exercise session.  I always like to add a little something special to my bath to help with that mellow mood and there aren't many things more mellow than this Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil.

This bottle contains enough for 20 of the most relaxing baths ever.  Saying that, you're not limited to simply pouring this oil into your bath, you can also apply it to the whole body before you take a bath or shower; getting the maximum de-stress experience from the oil by applying it directly to the skin.  I think I prefer using it this way because I'm more in control of the level of oil used and I feel like some of the effects of the oil are more immediate.  Also, the first bath I poured the oil into was probably a bit too oily for me and did require me to clean the bath afterwards!

This Aromatherapy Associates bath and shower oil is designed to help you release the stresses of a long day.  For me, bath time is my time to switch off from work and from the noises and pressures of a busy evening with the girls.  The blend of oils includes essential oils chosen for their ability to help you focus and relax the mind. Frankincense, petitgrain, wild camomile and rosemary to help your mind sort out all the stresses of the day.

To me, the most intense note of the scent is the camomile oil which is an essential oil I sometimes use to help sooth inflamed skin for me and the girls.  I'm absolutely loving using this de-stress mind oil - it adds a chill-out element to me post-run schedule without making me so sleepy that I can't finish off all my jobs before I go to bed!

The start of my #TeamChallenge10 Journey - 10 miles in 10 months

Back in May, the week after Holly turned two, I decided to make some changes.

I was planning clothes that I would need to buy for a trip to the USA with work in a few weeks and realised that I was going to need to buy new jeans - my current ones didn't really fit any more.  I blamed the waistline issues on the previous time that I had been to the States in February and resolved to lose a few pounds before my forthcoming trip.  4 months on and I have lost nearly 2 stone through a combination of a massive reduction in the amount of processed carbohydrates I was eating, a significant reduction in alcohol consumption and, most importantly, I have started to run.

It may not be flattering... but this is me running my first ever timed 5k

This week I'm joining a team of 10 bloggers who, while none of us have ever run much before, we all plan to be able to run 10 miles in 10 months time.  It's called Team Challenge 10 and you can find out more about it on twitter using the hashtag #TeamChallenge10.

I started running in late June (having found that my change in diet lead to increased energy levels) using the Couch to 5k plan from the NHS.  Until this point, the last time I had chosen to run anywhere was approximately 19 years ago and to be honest, I was finding it hard simply running after Holly or Lara as far as the end of my road.

During the first week of C25k I was pleasantly surprised with how well I was getting through things.  I was ready to take on weeks 2 and 3 when I started to suffer with knee problems.  I was advised to take a week or two off for recovery and it would have been very easy for me to have abandoned the plan completely but I took that time to buy myself some shiny new running shoes (after having had a gait analysis to make sure I had the right type and wouldn't cause myself more injuries).

I got back on the wagon and worked on through the C25k plan until the end of week 7.  By this time you are running around 25-28 minutes continuously but I was feeling confident enough to push it up all the way to 35-37 minutes and was able to complete 5k with a bit of huffing and wheezing.  I'm not sure "running" is the term I would use for me yet... more like "jogging" or "walking with a lollop" but it'll do.

At the end of week 7 I completed my first ever Parkrun with a new-found running friend (discovered as a friend of a friend on facebook!).  It was hard but I completed it in 35:10.  Saturday mornings are normally packed full of swimming lessons and potentially even Rainbows this term so I'm not sure how much of a regular occurrence Parkrun will be.

After my first Parkrun I signed up for my first ever 5k race.  So, here we are in September and I have two weeks until my first race.  It is going to be a muddy, woodland and field route quite unlike anything I've run before.  I've been out of practice again for just over a week due to having twisted my ankle while walking on my holidays so I need to get out there and prep.

Once I've got over my first race then I'm going to take a more serious look at the plan I will need if I am going to increase my race distance from 5k all the way up to 10 miles by next June. It seems like an insurmountable challenge right now but I've found that with running, things that seem impossible one week may well be totally do-able the next.

If you'd like to join me in the challenge, feel free to tweet along, share your stories on my facebook page or hook up with me on Strava so that we can give each other a boost.  Good luck everyone.