Breaking the pattern

There's something both uplifting and depressing about spotting your own behaviour patterns. On the one hand I think, "Great, I've realised that I do that - now I can change it and I won't behave the same again." But on the other hand, "Am I really that predictable? That's such a bad habit to be in, and it's so ingrained. I'll probably always act like that."

After writing about my new challenge of training to swim 5k, I've been a bit ill and run down. Nothing serious, just enough to keep me at work but barely managing anything else. In the last two weeks I've managed precisely one swim and one ballet class, neither of which went particularly well.

That in itself is fine. People get ill. It's best not to train whilst feeling ill, and a week or so off a training schedule doesn't cause failure.

The problem is that it's taken me longer than it should have to get back into training, and I've felt much less motivated to train.

I've seen it before...

When I trained for the marathon, I started well. I researched lots, I ran three times a week and happily logged the times and distances. Then it started getting harder (and quite dull); I realised that I wasn't very good at running and I got lazy. I was full of excuses. And we all know how that ended. (In case you don't, here's the link).

Then there was the half marathon. I did prepare better for this, but I still hit a point around halfway through when I was tired and fed up (and scared of failure) and I let my training slip. This post explains the situation, and is full of excuses. In the end, I pulled it together better. I got out for some decent training in the last few weeks and managed it (just): half marathon post.

I think it's the pause in training, combined with realising exactly how hard it is going to be to train well and the fear of being unprepared, which results in my failure to be prepared for the events.

How am I going to change this?

Quite simply, I have to force myself to keep training. To do each session that is planned. I need to find a way to turn that fear into commitment to train rather than a reason to hide away.

I need to be in the pool three times a week for the next seven weeks.

That's it.

Wish me luck!

Forty-ish days of vegetarianism

For Lent this year I went vegetarian.

In some ways it wasn't too bad - I enjoy vegetarian food and it didn't push my boundaries too much to cook and eat vegetarian.

However, in other ways it was really difficult:
1) Getting the right "texture" in dishes - we avoided meat substitutes like Quorn, so instead used vegetables, cheese or pulses as the filler.
2) My cheese consumption went sky-high! Cheese became my main staple in far too many meals. The fridge was full of different types of cheese. At one point we had at least 11 cheeses in the house. Then I discovered that some cheeses (particularly Parmesan) aren't actually vegetarian. Oops.
3) Restaurants were awkward. I hadn't realised quite how few options a vegetarian has in most restaurants, even in vegetarian-friendly cuisines like Italian. We didn't do a lot of eating out!

I had a few real cooking successes:

Caramelised Red Onion and Goats Cheese Tart

Homemade Vegetable Spring Rolls

Roasted Romanesco (which was served with a cheesy sauce)

Vegetarian Moussaka

I also made a yummy vegetable lasagne, packed full of courgette, aubergine and mushrooms, and couple of rather nice curries, but I totally forgot to take photos (#badblogger!).

Lent for me is about making a sacrifice, and there have definitely been times over the last six weeks when the limits of being vegetarian were hard. I am very much looking forward to returning to my normal diet - the roasting joint is sat in the fridge, ready and waiting for Sunday!

Urban stroll

We fancied a bit of good old-fashioned fresh air and exercise, so headed out of London to explore.

There was definitely a bit of irony to our beautiful stroll along the Thames with an industrial backdrop. A bit different to hiking around the Lake District or Derbyshire.

Anyways, it did the job and my step count for the day was above target :) Still loving my fitbit.

This Girl Can

There's a fabulous advert out in the UK at the moment which I want to share...

I was reading ChristyRuns this week and she wrote about the throw like a girl advert, which is pretty inspiring:

But I've got to say that This Girl Can is even better!

Most of my readership is US based (according to my blog stats), so you probably haven't seen it. Each time it pops on the TV, I get re-inspired. I'm sure it's actually got me to the gym on more than one occasion in the last month!

This Girl Can...

... make it to a ballet lesson after a tough day at work and push my muscles and flexibility to the edge.

... run every step in a half marathon, even if it is pretty slow.

... swim lengths, and keep swimming, and keep swimming.

... kick it in a karate or kung fu lesson.

... jump on a spinning machine or rowing machine for 20-30 minutes, even on a stupidly busy day.

This Girl Can

Ballet update

A couple of months ago I re-committed to my ballet classes, and I'm so glad that I did.

When I go to class I have an hour and a half of brain switch-off. Sometimes I even dream about work, so this time is invaluable in enabling me to relax and focus on something else.

When I go to class I become much more aware of how I hold my body and my posture improves.

When I go to class I smile and laugh. My instructor is hilarious, providing us with plenty of giggles between exercises, as well as thoughtful corrections.

When I go to class regularly then I'm much more able to work on my corrections. This way my dancing starts to improve.

And now that I'm attending class more regularly, people are being friendlier. I guess it makes sense to wait and see if a newbie keeps returning before you invest in conversation. Classes are starting to feel much more welcoming.


So, goals for the coming months?

Firstly, just to keep going to class at least once a week!

Also, to wear a leotard that I bought 18 months ago and haven't been brave enough to actually wear! It relies on my posture being amazingly good... (If you're interested, it's this one.)

Lastly, to smile during exercises - this was suggested by fellow ballet enthusiast DaveTriesBallet. It should add to the performance factor of each exercise and hopefully trick my brain into thinking it likes the more challenging moves. Simple and sweet.

Happy and healthy

I loved this little article on Cosmo Body yesterday: Three things that healthy people do every day.

The three things were [Spoiler Alert]: laugh, hang out with friends and treat yourself. All things that I've been enjoying recently.

Laughter
I read recently that people who laugh more sleep better, so I've genuinely been seeking out comedy programs on iplayer and podcasts to listen to in the evenings. Can't say if it's working but it definitely helps me switch my brain off from other stresses.

Hang out with friends
I so need to do this more. This weekend we had friends visit and it was sooooooooo nice. I love chatting and hearing about other people's lives. Note to self: make more plans with friends!

In looking for photos to go with this post, I struggled to find many recent pics of me relaxing with mates. Note to self: really, really make more plans with friends!

Treat yourself
I might be a bit too good at this one. At the moment I'm trying to remember to balance out treating with moderation. Last week I went to the whole foods supermarket which was wonderful fun (and I did buy some healthy fruit and veg!), and this weekend has been very indulgent. Will have to have a very sensible week of eating healthily and budgeting more carefully!

Which one are you good at?

Mid-week lull and learning good habits

Finally! A week where I'm not chasing my tail or working every waking hour. Loving it.

Of course, you might expect that I've had a better week on the workout front, given that work stress has relaxed. But you'd be wrong. I really am a lazy creature and totally enjoyed doing nothing for a couple of days.

It has taken until Wednesday for me to get out to the gym, and the only way I did it was to get in from work, change immediately and go straight back out the door; if I manage to sit on the sofa or glance at the fridge then that is it for the evening!

It's safe to say that self-control is not my natural talent. It's almost like I have to trick or convince myself to get out the door and workout.

My very first before/after workout selfies :)

I don't really believe the spinning machine when it says I've burnt off almost 500 calories. It might be because (although I tried my best) I wasn't always standing on the pedals when it told me to:

One thing that has been working better for me, especially during the week, is eating relatively sensibly. Yesterday I treated myself to a virgin bloody mary and a salad, before my (light and healthy) dinner.

Right, just need to keep it up...

Time for some accountability

Some of my recent escapades...

Where did my stamina go? I thought I was staying fairly fit and active, what with the skating and skiing and ocassional gym trips. But then last week I did a relatively strenuous gym session followed by some serious ski practise the next day (by serious I mean continuously up the lift, down the slope with little pause for breath or chat). It totally wore me out! I was soooooo tired afterwards - I practically collapsed into bed that night. And even after taking it gently for the next few days (just some light swimming), my muscles didn't recover forat least three days.

It's time I took my fitness a bit more seriously. How am I ever going to survive a long weekend hiking in the Peak District, a couple of days' worth of surfing lessons in Devon or a winter skiing holiday if I'm this out of shape?*

So I'm going to workout every weekday in June, and post my progress here on the blog. It might not make for very exciting reading, but it's my way of being accountable and committing to improving my fitness. 

For the purpose of this challenge that I've set myself, the bear minimum daily workout will be my favourite core workout session from the wonderful Jess at Blonde Ponytail, which only takes 10 mins so should fit easily into the busiest day. I also plan to get to ballet classes (did you wonder what had happened to the ballet? I've been averaging one class every three weeks recently), definitely get to my gym (it's so close that there's no excuse) and also maybe swim occasionally.

Wish me luck!


What are your top tips for getting fitter and staying motivated? Do you have a short workout routine that you'd recommend?

In other news - I plan to do some more posts about all of the amazing Alan Turing events that are happening at the moment. My twitter feed is full of exciting news from Alan Turing Years, The Imitation game and Bletchley Park Podcast...

* Currently none of these exciting sounding trips are booked, but you never know what's round the corner!

Summer round-up

Back at the beginning of the summer, before the sun even bothered to come out, I wrote this year's Summer Ambitions list:

It turns out that organising a wedding, moving to a different city and starting a new job for the first time in seven years takes quite a bit of time and effort! However, all things considered, I don't think I did too badly:

try stand up paddle boarding - I did this one! If you have't already guessed, this fun day out was my hen do (the British equivalent of a Bachelorette party). It was fantastic fun and I definitely plan on going again.

four ballet classes in a week - this one really has fallen by the wayside. Last summer I had plenty of times on my hands and achieved this aim quite easily. This year I think my "record" is a paltry two. But never fear my ballet-loving friends - I will be back and I will be dancing more.

get a facial and massage - half achieved. I had a wonderful, relaxing massage a couple of days before the wedding, which was perfect in every way. I'm sure I'll get round to treating myself to a facial at some point, and in the meantime I continue to enjoy my indulgent face mask every now and again.

clear out more clutter - this is turning into an annual event! I got rid of a whole load of stuff before the move, but I still feel like I have a lot of stuff. I am now the proud "owner" of a shed-sized storage locker which is quite well packed.

drink a fancy cocktail - managed this one a couple of times which is good. I mostly find myself gravitating towards the traditional mojito though - not very fancy but reliable and tasty.

get my skates on  - I know I did this at some point, but I'm failing to remember exactly when. Sometime this summer I was on my skates.

go running - nope. I have finally realised that running is really not my thing. I was listening to MarathonTalk (still one of my favourite podcasts) and they were talking about how they love running. One of the presenters made the point that, even though you don't always enjoy runs, you should still have a positive attitude towards it if it's something you do regularly. It hit a nerve with me: I don't enjoy running and I almost never have. So, running is off the agenda, to be replaced with all sorts of other exercise activities.

sit in the sun with a good book - this one has happened a few times :) Somehow I've actually read quite a few books. I might even manage a blog post about them at some point. To be honest, I haven't enjoyed them all and I'm currently hunting for great books.

make cookies - not quite, but I did make scones one morning.

get my nails done nicely - I got a pretty manicure before the wedding (nothing wild), and I've been painting my nails quite regularly over the summer. Colours have included: electric blue, pinky-beige, pale pink, purple, bluey-turquoise and purpley-grey (the current colour). It's surprising how much painting my nails lifts my mood.

wear a dress "just because" - this is something I'm definitely getting better at. I admit that jeans are still my first point of call, but there have been several weekends or evenings when I've thrown on a dress without an occassion to go to.

go swimming - I don't know how I haven't managed this one. Unless swimming in a lake after falling off a paddle board counts?!

How was your summer? What did you get up to?
Any good reads that you can recommend?

The green addition to my shopping basket

Would you believe that I've never bought an avocado before? Crazy.

Mashed avocado, juice of half a lime, half a finely chopped chilli and a small amount of finely chopped red onion. Guacamole the healthier and yummier way :)

Yes, there really were nachos somewhere under the salsa, grated cheese, soured cream and guacamole!

Finally! Stand up paddle boarding

I decided months and months ago that my next big sporty thing would be stand up paddle boarding. It's been a while since I've tried anything new so I stuck it on my Summer Ambitions list. It just looks fun and is supposed to be really good for your arms and core muscles.

So last weekend, I went out with a whole bunch if friends to try it out. The guys at Engage Watersports were superbly accommodating and helpful.

We started with a spot of kayaking:

Then some of us moved on to the stand up boards:

I found the actual "standing up" bit quite hard, but once I was stood it was pretty straightforward.However, I wasn't great at steering - you really have to pull the paddle right across the front of the board to get it to turn. And I wasn't quick either!

Next we played with getting two people on the board. Despite my slightly dodgy balance, this went pretty smoothly too. I discovered it worked much better for me if I stood at the front :)

Then our instructors happened to mention that they'd never had three people on a board. Challenge accepted!

I think we lasted about 7 seconds the first time and only about three the second time (because I bailed!).

After about 90mins of playing, we reorganised ourselves into two-up kayaks for the trek down the river to the pub for lunch. It was 2.5 miles each way and rather knackering - I thought I did quite well but the next morning my left arm was seriously sore! In a deep heat, ibuprofen and keeping it still kind of way :S

All in all a fabulous (if tiring) day out. I really want to get back on the stand up board sometime soon. Need to work on those arm muscles first!

 

All the photographs in this post are from ClareDowlingPhotography and are used with permission.

The return of the quad

Things have been crazy busy again this week, both work stuff and life stuff, but it's all turned out well so we finally have a more chilled and relaxed RainStorm back! (I plan to enjoy it because never lasts for long!)

For the first time in ages, we were able to head out to join the London Friday Night Skate crew for their Sunday Stroll. Out of all the weekly events that that run (Wed evening, Fri evening and Sun afternoon), the Sunday is the slowest and most relaxed. Once a month, they do a "snail stroll" which is even slower. Perfect for new skaters or those who haven't been out much.

It was a jam-packed with tourist sights route too: Buckingham Palace...

Horse guards parade (towards Westminster)...

Big Ben,Westminster, a traditional red double-decker and a boombox carrying photobomber!

Trafalgar Square...

The Strand...

Dury Lane (near Covent Garden)...

Then Regents Street and back to Hyde Park... :)

A very cheery marshall (standing in the road to keep it clear whilst we pass).

The marshals were amazing (as always) and I completely enjoyed how relaxed it was. Normally I struggle to keep up because I skate in quads rather than inlines: my wheels have a much higher surface area which means I'm fighting friction much more than my all-in-line companions. The slower speed suited me perfectly!

And, shockingly, there were quite a few other sets of quads out. Usually I'm one if about three quad skaters (in a field of 100-200), but last week I was one if at least ten! It's time for the quad to make a comeback!

My lovely skates :)