Half Marathon Jitters

^I have a very bad case of it.

It's exactly two weeks tomorrow that I'll be trembling with anxiety about the mean feat that lays ahead of me (i.e. 13.1 miles of all-round body torture, to put it lightly! Haha, kidding. I hope). A gruelling slog with more than 25,000 fellow runners to accompany me (looking on the bright side, it'll make a nice change from always running solo!).



In times like these it's essential that I stay calm and plan ahead. Ok, so I haven't been upping the distance of my training runs per say, but I have been doing as much speed/interval training - combined with some treadmill hill intervals - as possible. I'm ever hopeful that this will provide an adequate amount of shock value to my body, in order for it to complete those 13.1 miles in a time deemed suitable for my runners'-ego.

Besides the niggling issue that is training, there are other, more fun things that I need to address. First of which being prerace nutrition; and second of which is my favourite part: HALF MARATHON ULTRA-MOTIVATING SOUNDTRACK! (Because let's face it, I will need all the motivation I can get)

Needless to say, there's a fine line when it comes to pre-race nutrition. Such a fine line that I'd be scurred to pop so much as a walnut in my mouth (repercussion: potentially too much insoluble fat. Drat). What makes things worse is the fact that there's so many contradictory advice articles on the web - coffee vs no coffee? Porridge vs low-fibre substitute? Fruit vs sports drink?!? Too much opposing advice, I CAN'T TAKE IT ALL IN DAMNIT! (and, calm...).



A pretty legit-looking article on Runners World suggests that between 1.5-1.8g carbs per pound of body weight should be consumed prior to a half marathon. I don't know how much I weigh exactly, but if I took a stab in the dark at 115lbs then that basically means that I should aim for between 172g - 207g carbs. Yes, that's right. The equivalent of a whole day's worth of carbs, all to be consumed before 9am! (the race starts at 9.30am or 10am, depending on which wave I'm in).

I eat porridge ever single morning, so effectively my body is used to this and thus it should be able to manage to digest it, despite the fact that it's considered a fairly fibre-dense meal. Sticking to what you know is probably the best option in this case. My usual combination of oats, almond milk, raisins, cinnamon and honey comes to approximately 82g carbs (according to the myfitnesspal app. Did I mention that I literally am in love with my new iPhone?). In accordance to the Runnersworld guidelines, I should be splitting my carb intake 6:3:1 at specific intervals in the run up to the race. So for me, my macros are as follows:

60% (consumed 3-4hrs prerace) = 103g - 124g carbs
30% (consumed 90 mins - 2hrs prerace) = 52g - 62g carbs
10% (consumed 30-60mins prerace) = 17g - 21g carbs

Doing calculations like these make me feel like I definitely have my shit together (oh sweet mathematic trickery, distracting me from the larger matter of the issue at hand).

Anyway, based on this little bit o' research, I think the best option for me is to stick to my porridge meal, consumed alongside a glass of fresh juice (toying between the idea of carrot, apple and ginger, or a new concoction that I'll need to practice making before the big day!) - that would be meal no.1. Next would be another glass of juice (beetroot for a nitrite boost), perhaps combined with something a little more sustaining. Finally, 30-60 mins prior to the race I think the good ol' banana will do juuust fine. Can't go wrong with a banana.



You might've noticed the running theme of coffee pictures in this post. Besides the fact I really like to take pictures of coffee (or, y'know, empty cups of coffee), it does sort of fit into this blog post - I didn't choose to put them in willy-nilly, people! Y'see, I have coffee on the brain as I'm seriously weighing up the idea of coffee vs no coffee prerace. I had planned to do a coffee fast (i.e. not drinking it at all from 10 days before the race. I know right, this is serious stuff we're talking about here), and then reintroducing it prior to the half-marathon, as I've read that caffeine works better as a stimulant after a (LONG!ish) break. However, now I'm a teeny bit worried that perhaps caffeine is indeed not the answer (I can't tell you how much I hope this is not the case. I drink coffee as an excuse prior to exercise; it's my prerequisite, and it is most definitely necessary, guys).

I plan to drink a lot more than I do now in the week leading up to the half, so that my body is properly hydrated throughout the run (and especially so to counteract the diuretic effect of the coffee that I'll most likely be consuming, despite those silly pre-warnings), plus plenty of sleep. My body clock is adjusting to early morning starts because of work, and I've been really feeling the effects of going to bed past-midnight over the past week or so. Not good, not good at all!

Another post will have to be dedicated on the pressing issue that is my half marathon playlist; clearly, I got a case of verbal diarrhoea discussing my prerace diet, and this has tailed off to be something of a brain-explosion. And in relation to my jitters, well...it's barely touched the sides on nipping those in the bud. In fact, it's probably done the opposite.

Anyone else doing their first half soon? Any advice for a fellow noob? Anything is welcome. Just please don't tell me not to drink coffee, ok? Deal.



^Aha, me after coffee. Ok, so I'll stop with the coffee hype now...

Bargain-osities

Hihi!

So taking on the narrative for possibly every other health and fitness freakaleak out there, Holland and Barrett is the place to BE right now with their penny sale afoot. Besides the fact that the penny sale only actually accounts for approximately 20% of the store's stock (I'm sure it applied to practically everything the last time it rolled around - le sigh), I did still manage to catch some barGAINS. Namely: coconut oil and spirulina powder (a pantry newbie, but a worldie according to the hype! £13.99 - or 1p, rather, when bought in conjunction with my £14.99 jar of coconut oil).



I've also taken a major shine to the pic'n'mix section of Holland and Barratt (these can only be found in the larger branches, unfortunately), as I've come to the conclusion that it's cheaper to buy certain goodies (i.e. goji berries - with which I've started a full-on love affair - and some more expensive nut varieties i.e. brazil nuts and cashews) in the tubs. With the small tubs priced at £2.99 and the larger ones at £4.99, it makes sense to fill them up to the brim and get more stash for your cash than if you were buying the little plastic packets that contain barely enough to last a day in our house!

While that turned into quite an essay for what would appear to be such a trivial issue, but I'm a firm believer in bulk-buying to save pennies, because ultimately it's quite a lot more expensive for us Fitspo's to survive and feed ourselves well without spending the earth; for example, the price of a multi-pack of crisps is around the equivalent cost of two peaches (or even just the one in some places!). Let's not even go down the fast-food burger vs salad route, because believe me, salads don't come cheap, anywhere! Ironic yes, but hey - it does pay off in the long run (health-wise), and at the end of the day what matters is that you're feeding your body with the nutrients that it thrives upon (aka no cheap shiz). Goji-licious.



I also hasten to add that I'm shaking things up in the hair department. Nope, this doesn't mean that I'm chopping off my mane any time soon. I have merely switched shampoo/conditioner to something hopefully less er, chemically-enhanced, which I hope will breathe new life into my somewhat lack-lustre locks. I invested in the Tara Smith range in M&S, which was a mere fraction of the price it would've been taking into account a) my staff discount, and b) the current deal for a free conditioner with every shampoo purchase (both 250ml bottles). Not bad, eh? This shampoo and conditioner contains naturally-derived ingredients, including soy protein (lubrication), pathenol (strengthening agent), bisabolol and aloe vera (scalp calmer). I'm not very good with anything hair/beauty related, but by the sounds of it, the Tara Smith collection seems a pretty worthwhile hair investment (plus, I initially found the range as recommended online by hair stylist Daniel Dyer at The Lady Magazine. Just in case you decided against trusting my personal instinct!).

I've only had a couple go's but so far so good; my hair feels soft and seriously stroke-able (note: must stop stroking hair in public, very likely that it looks weird), not to mention the pretty packaging (I'm a sucker for marketing). However, my hair does still lack the oomph factor, but that probably has something to do with the fact that I generally leave it to dry au naturelle. Perhaps I should start blow-drying like the hairdressers do, or maybe go to the hairdressers more often come to think about it...

I also picked up some Got2b hair styling oil, which contains argon oil - something that every beauty blogger seems to be going crazy for, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Was something of a steal at £2.80 from Boots (was £4.20). So here's hoping for a future of beautifully flowing tresses (!) (and no more split ends allowed plz). Anyone have any hair-friendly recommendations for moi?

Le Soleil Brille à France

My body is still very much in holiday-mode at the moment, following my aforementioned two-week stint in South-west France to visit my parents (and to sunbathe. A lot. Until I got a severe case of heat rash all over, that is). It was shocked back into exercise-mode on the day of our return (Monday) - legs day, no less! Needless to say, my legs are still feeling the burn of 55kg barbell squats (it certainly has been a while! Helloo DOMS :/).

A break from the humdrum that is life in England was all too necessary for me. It was a welcome pause from the stress/chaos, and the fact that my parents live in a barn in the middle of nowhere was ideal for that very reason! Just the occasional noises from the horses in the neighbouring disused garden, plus the faint echoes of the water machines from the surrounding corn fields - these were the only sources of sound pollution, and could hardly be categorised as 'disturbances'!

I would say I ate very well in France, without steering too far off course - plenty of fruit and veg, lots of salad, icy water (the fridge ice machine was truly a god send in that heat!), and the odd cheeky beverage or two. While I did control my diet to a certain extent, I didn't restrict myself in any way - so yes, the odd patisserie did sneak its way into my stomach, and I was very content with that. When in France, ey!?

Ultimately, though, I did keep it as clean as possible. Overloading my plate full of salad-y goodness was a daily occurrence, as was a morning wake-up call of fresh fruit salad - mmmm, mmm! And one very 'foodie' event that I just need to mention would be the 'geant omelette'. This is a yearly event that takes place alongside the usual weekly Sunday Bric-a-Brac (basically a French car boot sale, but with the additional goat/pig for sale along the usual tat that you'd find in a standard car boot sale. Mum was tempted by the goat).

The Geant Omelette event effectively involved a tractor being used as a kind of crane to transport a giant saucepan over a fire, followed by a load of large-bellied Frenchmen adding the ingredients to the pan one-by-one. Cue the largest 'knob' of butter I've ever seen, a humungous amount of mushrooms and bacon 'lardons', and - wait for it - 1800 eggs! Holy cow(/chicken), that was a looot of eggs - far too many to be eaten by the couple of hundred attendees present!

To say I was glad that our holiday fell in correspondence to the geant omelette would be an understatement! Sad as it may sound, I've been wanting to go again ever since I attended the event back in my mid-teen years - haha! There's just something I find so fascinating about a fiesta based upon the humble omelette, and being the massive omelette-fan that I am, it's probably no surprise really!

Even though the British forecast is somewhat dreary and 'cold' in comparison to the soleil du France, I have to admit that my body is thankful of it - heat rashes are the worst! Hey ho, life goes on - back to work I go tomorrow, and I have a blummin' half marathon to prepare for next month! So yeah, 5 weeks of intense training commences here I guess. My belly just got all nervous inside...

I'm on Bloglovin

I'm very late in the game on this one...but I am now on Bloglovin, after being peer pressured by many a blogger suggesting that Blogspot was on its death bed. Who knows if that was ever true or not. The internet is so confusing. Nevertheless, Bloglovin is pretty sweet - easy to join and use, and just a generally better way to follow all your favourite bloggers in one place.

If you also made the transition to Bloglovin, just click on the following link to keep up to date with my escapades, and I'll most likely do the same back! ----> Follow my blog with Bloglovin <----

Post soon to come on my recent holiday to France. Plenty of foodie pics to share, plus a few dodgy action shots of my run round the corn fields (photography courtesy of my Mum!)...and a surfing exclusive ;).

The Iced Coffee days

My (terribly amateur) animation

Ah, the nectarous* perks of the summer sun. Iced coffee is most definitely up there (along with carrot juice) on my list of top refreshments to see me through this impalpable British heat. According to the Independent, the coming month is all set to compete with 2003's heatwave of a summer (where temps reached a whopping 38c! Do not remember that!) - not that I'm complaining in the slightest! I think we deserve a semblance of real Summer weather, don't you? This is my absolute ideal temperature (I've always said I was supposed to be born Spanish/Mediterranean).

There's not a particular art form when it comes to making iced coffee. It's a fairly simple process; mix a teaspoon of coffee (and sweetener of choice if you so choose) with a very small amount of boiling water, then add one ice cube and mix for a few seconds, or until the ice cube begins to melt. I add a trickle of vanilla bean paste in here just to liven things up a bit (I know I know, living precarious)...

Add a few more ice cubes before pouring in your milk of choice. I created the GIF above simply to capture this last part of the process; there's something about the way the contrasting colours of the coffee and milk gradually mix together that makes me really, really happy. And judging by the amount of coffee-porn on Tumblr, I don't think it's just me being a massive weirdo on this one. It is an actual thing - trust me (see ici et ici).

The only downfall of iced coffee is that it's far too easy to just gulp down in one go, and thus you're always left with a few unmelted ice cubes at the end; at which point it just makes sense to go and make another, y'know, just to make use of the leftover ice. Therein lies the (my?) problem; a vicious cycle of iced coffee guzzling.

Summer? Je t'aime.



*Nectar·ous adj., of nec·tar n.; A sweet liquid secreted by flowers of various plants, consumed by pollinators, such as hummingbirds and insects, and gathered by bees for making honey || The drink of the gods (Greek/Roman mythology) || A delicious or invigorating drink.

Crazy for Carrot Juice

Another beautiful summer's day most definitely calls for another tall glass of carrot juice to freshen me up before work. I juiced up around 22 carrots (plus one apple thrown in for good measure) the other day, which gave me just over a litre of the orange 'golden juice of healing' (source)! Lovely stuff.



And now for the (not-so-gory) details - you knew they were coming! Carrots are mostly known for their betacarotene and vitamin A content, which namely plays a role in maintaining vision. But besides that, carrot juice is good for a whole host of reasons. It's a cleanser for the liver, which makes it an excellent detox drink (perfect for those who've been to one festival too many this summer!).

As carrots are deep soil root vegetables, this means that they're able to absorb a vast array of minerals, plus plentiful amounts of B vitamins and folates. And the most important benefit of juicing carrots (as opposed to cooking) is that the body is more able to metabolize nutrients into the body's cells, since uncooked vegetables retain their enzymes. Raw vegetables provide all the enzymes you need for optimum digestion and absorption, and are an excellent source for quick and natural carbs/sugars (needless to say, a great choice for a pre- or post- workout treat, without the added fibre that can upset a stomach when eaten prior to exercise).

Here's a breakdown of the nitty-gritty deets for the contents of 100ml carrot juice (source):

2.1 mg of beta-carotene and 350 micrograms of vitamin A
Up to 3 mg of vitamin C, which is necessary to maintain immunity
0.2 mg of vitamin PP, which has beneficial effects on metabolic processes in the body
0.01 mg of vitamin B1, required for proper function of the brain and nervous system
0.02 mg of vitamin B2, needed to maintain healthy metabolism and vision
0.3 mg of vitamin E for healthy cells and synthesis of hormones (several times greater than in beet juice)

If you're as big a fan of the humble (yet powerful) carrot juice as I am, then it's probably worthwhile investing in a decent juicer (mine is a Kenwood, and was around £50). It's probably worth it in the long run, seeing as it's so expensive to buy fresh juices out and about (£3.30 for 300ml at Wagamama, say what!), whereas you can make a whole week's worth of juice for just a couple of pounds worth of carrots. It definitely pays off after just a few weeks of juicing! (well, depending on how often you buy fresh juice, anyway).

One last thing (and perhaps the most apt for fuelling our superficial tendencies) is that the carotenoids (antioxidants) found in various fruit and vegetables (especially carrots) actually help to naturally improve skin tone and produce a healthy glow (as opposed to the sun-induced lobster effect). Read more here. And with that said, need I sing its praises any more?



Hope everyone's enjoying this glorious (and completely un-British) weather as much as I am! Happy sunbathing/juice drinking (and may your tan be truly flourishing!).

Life Outtakes

Hiya M&S scallops. Where've you been hiding all my life? (Tonight's dinner/pre-run meal, fried with spinach and a few wee potatoes)


Currently in my running shorts, ready and raring to go...but my stomach is not having any of it (found these babies in TKMaxx last Winter fyi).


Wednesday's protein smooti (1 banana, 100ml almond milk, 250ml water, 1 scoop chocolate protein. YUMMY in my tummy)


Shameless 'y so serious' facial posin' (eBay outtakes btw - ps. anyone wanna buy this strange yet wonderful looking garment I have on? Non?)