Race for Life!

Well hello there!

Pre-run!

Over the weekend, I ran my very first charity race - the 10K Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK. The funds raised by people participating in this event go towards vital and groundbreaking research to treat and find a cure Cancer.

After weeks of training, I laced up my trainers and donned my pink t-shirt to run for this great cause. It is a cause which is very close to my heart, as I have lost three members of my family to Cancer, and have an uncle who survived Cancer.

This event took place in Heaton Park in Manchester, on a beautiful warm Sunday - thankfully not too hot! The atmosphere in the park as we all gathered was one of excitement and positivity - this day wasn't about death, but life-affirming and upbeat. I was inspired by the strength and determination of so many of the women as they took up the challenge to run in memory of the ones they'd loved and, in many cases, lost.

I'd opted to run the 10K, and after weeks of preparation, I finally faced the challenge. While I'd trained a lot, I don't think anything could have prepared me for the experience of running such a long distance (for me) alongside hundreds of other pink-clad women in one of the hilliest parks in England! I managed to survive blistered toes, heavy legs halfway through and a horrendous stitch in the last 500 metres. What kept me going was the knowledge that I was running this not only in memory of the people I'd loved and lost, but also that this charity was helping to save lives. The amazing work of Cancer Research could even potentially help save the lives of future loved ones - perhaps even my own life.

Post-run!

With that firmly at the forefront of my mind, I was thrilled to be able to hand over the funds I'd raised, as well as a bag full of old clothes, DVDs, CDs and books.

It really was a very moving and powerful day. It felt great to be part of a movement larger than myself, and reminded me to be grateful for the people in my life. So much so that I'm determined to do it all over again next year!

Read more about Cancer Research UK and Race for Life

Bye for now!

Race for Life Training Week 3

Well hello there :) Happy Easter to one and all!

Okay, so last week was a bit of a write-off when it came to race training...it was Easter so OBVIOUSLY I was going to slack off and attempt Death by Chocolate....don't pretend you didn't do the same!

Back on the wagon this week.

I'll be honest, after 4 blissful days off work catching up with people I've not seen for a while, I'm struggling to find motivation for anything that doesn't involve chocolate and lounging in the sunshine. (Down with work booo!) I've even gotten lazy with blogging but what else are holidays for?

I went for my first post-Easter run yesterday and noticed how stiff my thighs had become in the space of four short days, even though I've still been walking a little. This just goes to show how important it is to keep exercising and stretching in order to keep the fitness up. The run itself was fine, and I'm really pleased with how quickly my body is becoming accustomed to running longer distances.

My foot's been playing up something awful - yes, after six weeks of ditching the Primark Chelsea boots, I'm still having joint pain in my foot! Methinks a new pair of trainers will help with this.

Anyway, here's what this week's training schedule looks like:

Mon: Rest day, adventures with Mr Robin!

Tues: 5km run on hill setting on treadmill (29 mins), followed by 6km cross trainer in 25 mins

Weds: Rest day

Thurs: 1.6km jog, then fast run for 2 mins, recover with 2 minute jog = repeat 4 times then jog 1.6km to cool down; followed by strength training for 30 mins

Fri: Rest day

Sat: 7.25km run (3.29km easy pace, 4km race pace)

Sun: Rest day

Well and truly back on track this week - in more ways than one! Wish me luck! Or sponsor me if you like!

Bye for now :)

Race for Life Training Week 2!

Well hello there :)

This week marks the second week of my training for the Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK.
I'll be running the 10K with my friend Rebecca, and as I've never run a proper race before I'm slightly pooping myself.

I've decided to alternate my training weeks from intense to milder training, as I'm not used to running and have been having some joint pains (old lady problems). I've also started taking Omega 3 fish oils as these are really good for protecting the joint cartilage when doing high impact exercise.

As it's the Easter weekend and I've had loads to prepare for, I've not had as much time as I would have like to train this week. Next week I'll be fully back on the wagon (and will probs need to be after all those Easter eggs! Mmmmm fattening....)

So here's what this week's admittedly meagre training looked like:

Monday: 11.6km cycle in 20 mins on Cardio settings, followed by an hour's Zumba class and 10 minutes on the Cross Trainer

Tuesday: 11.5km cycle in 20 mins on Fat Burn settings followed by one hour's Yoga session

Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun: Rest Days/Easter/Gorging myself on as much chocolate as is possible for one human being to consume....naughty naughty!

Happy Easter everyone!

Bye for now :)

Race for Life Training! Week One

Well hello there!

This summer, I'm going to be running the 10K Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research.
This is a cause very close to my heart, as I have already lost 3 family members to Cancer (one of them recently), and Cancer very nearly took another one.

My friend Rebecca is going to be running the race with me, and so I now have just over 3 months to get in marathon shape!

I go to the gym regularly, but I must admit my standards have been slipping recently. I used to mix up my exercise routine so I would do some cardio and strength training in the gym and then go to fitness classes including my beloved Zumba and Insanity. Insanity is amazing...just saying.

Since working full time, however, I've been a bit complacent with the gym and mainly going to the fitness classes. Classes are great and much more sociable and motivational (an instructor shouting "YOU'RE NOT DONE YET!!" whenever I stop certainly motivates me haha!). However I find that I've reached a fitness plateau (major First World Problem right there), as I've been doing the same routines with little variation. I'm also finding that I'm now much stronger but my cardio fitness isn't going anywhere.

So, what better excuse to mix things up and get back on a treadmill than a 10K Race?!

well...almost, right?

I've just coming to the end of week one of my race training. Here's what it consists of:

Monday: 5K Hill Run on treadmill followed by 30 minute Cardio setting on bike
Tuesday: Rest Day (Very important for muscle recovery. Also had a cheeky Chiquitos when the boyf came to visit. Don't tell anyone shhhh)
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: 10K treadmill run, alternating between jogging and short bursts of sprinting, followed by 20 mins of strength training
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: 6.5km run on real terrain - first 3km jog, second 3km run (Running on real terrain is much harder, as the treadmill carries you along whereas on real terrain it's all on you battling the elements and uneven surfaces)

So that's it - wish me luck in week 2!

Have you ever run a charity race? Do you have any preparation tips? I'd love to hear them (I need all the help I can get!) Comment below and help a girl out! :)

P.S. If you're a generous soul and you'd like to sponsor me, check out my new JustGiving page. It would mean so much to me so thank you if you do!

Bye for now!