Mad dogs and English (wo)men go out in the midday sun!!!
Well – that was me today with a run – but juggling time with kids, a hubby and studies – sometimes you’ve just got to go for that run when you have the time, especially for Juneathon Day 4!
I’ll say now, it actually turned out to be a good run, but I will have a bit of a grumble – again my legs today were so tight and heavy and I did make sure I warmed up and stretched out before I ran, so starting find this a bit annoying.
Then whilst I ran my phone rang – it was the hubby, so answered and walked while I talked. Helped a little to loosen my legs. Then I came across some tree surgeons so ran passed quickly so I didn’t get hit by any bits of falling branches, but something managed to fly in my eye so had to stop to remove it from my eye and stretched my calves out again. Thought I’d have a drink of my water – didn’t open my sports lid properly and it managed to pinch my lip – ow! Then a fly flew my eye! Pollen seemed quite high too!!! Enough grumbling now – I then did manage to run quite well, considering it was quite hot, and made it home in one piece!!!
My route and music!Garmin – time, distance and splits!
Also managed four toe touches, four sit and reaches and four tummy crunches/sit ups!
So on Tuesday 19th May I got to attend a very exciting media launch in London’s beautiful Hyde Park, courtesy of Helen of HelBels who managed to get me invited along for which I cannot thank her enough!!! I also got to meet the lovely Adele – find a link to her blog here
Hyde Park, Helen and Adele
The media launch was for the Run It campaign by Join In. It was the first time I have ever attended an event of this kind and I was super excited, probably a bit over excited to be honest!
So what is Join In? I hear you cry, well I will tell you (even if you didn’t actually cry out or haven’t clicked on the very helpful hyperlinks above! ;-)) Join In are a charity whose mission is to encourage people to volunteer and help support their local sporting groups. It is a London 2012 legacy charity (thank you very much the Olympic games :-)) which is funded by government grant and their official partners BT and Intersport.
The Run It campaign, to put it simply, is to get more people volunteering specifically in the area of running! Be it for informal running groups (e.g. Parkrun), athletics teams or marathons. None of these events would be able to take place if it weren’t for people volunteering to help out – in whatever capacity that they are able to – marshalling, coaching, painting the club house, making sandwiches, taking subs… literally, the possibilities for volunteering are endless and make such a huge difference!!!
Who is this half person?
This was an amazing first event to attend, even though I personally have nothing to compare it to, I felt it was a very friendly, sociable and inclusive group. It was fun and informative. After initially arriving and milling around meeting people and saying “hello”, receiving our very lovely purple Join In t-shirts, there was an introductory few words from Join In’s Director of Sport and former 5km world record holder David Moorcroft. He brought across just how important volunteering is and one sentence which really sticks in my head is “If you love running, help others run”
David Moorcroft – “If you love running, help others run”
Supporters of the campaign, who were in attendance, were 10,000m 2014 European Championships Gold medal winner Jo Pavey (a massive inspiration to me!) and second fastest British female runner over a marathon Mara Yamauchi – both again highlighted just how important it is to have volunteers in the sport, without volunteers neither of the them would have had the amazing sporting careers and achievements that they do!
Jo Pavey is supporting ‘Run It’ a campaign from charity Join In to put more volunteers into grassroots running. For more information visit joininuk.org/run-it
After the initial chat, we couldn’t go to a running based media launch without actually doing any running could we? So we ventured outside, where fortunately for us the weather held out! Here I got to do the most exciting thing which was take a photo of Mara Yamauchi and Jo Pavey together, for Mara on her camera!!! I hope it was in focus!!! Slightly overawed!
So our warm up was led by Carlos from Intersport – this *ahem* gentle warm up was quite intense for the likes of me your amateur jogger, but was good fun! Then we headed off on a 5km run around Hyde Park – I kept at the back with Helen and a few others and the ’35 minute pace setter’. There was a couple of people marshalling (see – good examples of volunteering!) but somehow Helen and I managed to get a bit lost and we’re positive we did about 5.5km – but hey ho whatever I WON!!! No – not like that, I was never gong to beat the likes of Jo Pavey was I? – What I did win was a fun little competition. We had to guess how long it would take us to run the 5km, I said 00:34:30 and it took me 00:33:57 – so only 33 seconds out and the closest guess! Go me!!! So I won the bragging rights there – I know how slow… I mean how fast I am!!! 😛
Helen and I after our 5.5km… 😛
Afterwards I got to chat with David Moorcroft, who is lovely and friendly, and I mentioned my interest in running – and volunteering – and it’s ability to help those of us with mental health issues. He introduced me to Will – who discussed with me Hidden Diamonds – Uncovering the True Value of Sport Volunteers. It is quite overwhelming the difference that volunteering can make – not only to a community but to individual people. In some cases it can be literally life changing!
Volunteering Boosts Happiness and Wellbeing
Right at the end we did get a few minutes to say “Hi” to Jo and we quickly discussed kids and running, but her taxi had arrived and she needed to go, but she was kind enough to have a photo taken with me.
Jo Pavey and me (looking slightly overexcited)
All in all – it was a brilliant event and I am so pleased that Helen was able to take me along. It’s definitely made me consider volunteering again soon – at the moment my aim is to volunteer at Parkrun each time I complete 10 runs – I’ve currently run 16 so only 4 more and time to volunteer again. The whole thing is brilliant, as volunteering inspires people to run and vice versa, this leads on to making friends and becoming part of a network of people and the running community.
Now before I sign off, you may be wondering about the posts title, well as we were getting ready to leave Jo was asking the event organisers if they’d seen her black trousers – as like most of us she’d layered up and worn other trousers over her running ones as it was quite chilly, so one of the last things I heard before I left was “has anyone found Jo’s trousers?” and indeed I still don’t know… 😛
There are currently 4,000 opportunities to volunteer on the Join In website – go look now – watch the video – be inspired!!!
Summary of contact details for Join In and their Run it campaign
Also, if you’re looking to setup a club Join In can help with that too! Check out Club Hub!
Thank you for reading – please like, comment and share this post – it’s so important to keep getting the message out there! Let’s get more people volunteering! 🙂 xxx
Recently I’ve been caught up in remembering how to study, dealing with my kids, my low FODMAP diet getting to me, life just generally catching up with me and feeling quite run down…
I have lost my running mojo and it’s ages since I’ve worn these beautiful trainers…
Did consider taking some berroca but it contains things I should avoid on my low FODMAP diet! Blooming typical!!!
Anyone else gone through a running low? What did you do to pick yourself up and get running again?
Any suggestions gratefully received and much wanted!!!
Today I was lucky enough to run the Cancer Research UK London Winter 10km run! What an amazing experience it was too. Especially as the night before I wasn’t sure I felt well enough to even walk the course let alone run it and getting there looked like it was going to be a mission as the trains were going to Cannon Street and none to Charing Cross. On top of that the Blue One woke up in a right tizzy, waking his sister in the process, and it took some time to calm him down which did not bode well!
The morning of the run I was waiting for the 07:34 train to London Bridge when I got a message that the friend I was going to meet couldn’t make it anymore as she had a bad ankle and she was completely right that it would be silly to run and do any further damage. So I was having a think as I really don’t like going to these sorts of events on my own when I remembered one of my other friends (My Godparents son) had said he was doing this particular run. I sent him a text, to which I got no reply – so did one better and text his wife! Got a reply that yes he was running and she and their kids were coming too and we could meet at the Warm Up Zone which was near Downing Street. Huge plus point to this meant I didn’t have to try and navigate the Bag Drop or go back after the run to pick my bag up my friends family kindly looked after the bags!!! Yay!!!
London Scenery
Feeling more confident now that I knew I was meeting up with people I enjoyed the rest of my journey to the venue, getting off at London Bridge and then getting the RV1 (which is a Hydrogen Bus) to just by the London Eye and then a pleasant if rather chilly walk across Westminster Bridge. Beautiful blue skies and nice views. I then waited for my friends – during this time I used the portaloos which weren’t too bad at all and the queues moved quickly. I had my first Polar Bear hug! Then I was getting rather cold standing around so went for a walk to see if there was a shop I could stand in and defrost – my toes and fingers were numb – instead I went down into the tube station – which was exceptionally well timed because within 5 minutes my friend and his family came through the barrier!
Check out that Bin Liner
After stripping off my superfluous layers (my goodness it was cold without them) and donning my very fashionable bin liner my friend I made our way to the start. There we waited for about 10 minutes, doing warm ups, as they needed to space out the waves of runners. Then with a bleep of a Garmin we were off! I waved to my friend as he was going to be considerably quicker than me. I settled into a pleasant jog listening to my playlist and enjoying the beautiful London scenery. Slight panic when I looked at my Garmin about five minutes in to see I’d only run 0.5km and I usually do 1km in about seven minutes – then went passed a sign which said 1km and with great relief realised my Garmin was in miles! Phew! Slowed my pace back down!
I plodded along quite happily, being overtaken and personally overtaking the occasional walker. I told myself once I’d run 5km I could have a walk, but I reached 5km and felt good to keep running, then I made it to 7km and felt I would be cheating myself if I walked but my pace was slowing. Though running through the zones of fake snow was quite fun! What didn’t help was that my music stopped with 3km to do. I was concerned the battery had died on my phone, but when I crossed the finish line it still had 50% left – so who knows!?!
I did chat to a nice lady for the last kilometre as were both jokily complaining that there’d been a sign to say ‘chill you’re near the finish’ to then pass the sign that said 9km!
Rounding that final corner and seeing the finish line was overwhelming – I was muttering to myself – “Come on legs you can do it” – unlike my first 10km there was no massive sprint finish, though I did go a bit fast for the last few metres and then finally it was over! I felt rather emotional – I’d done what I set out to do and run the whole 10km and according my Garmin (which I initially forgot to stop) said I’d run 10.10km in 01:09:20 – which was faster than my first 10km, just the icing on the cake! I got some cartons of coconut water, a polar bear hug and much wanted finisher’s medal!
I made it!!!
A fabulous day with a great atmosphere and really great meeting up with my friend and his family. Met up with them after – felt great getting my layers back on – and he kindly treated me to hot cuppa and chocolate chip cookie, which was very kind of him and much needed! We then went our separate ways and I travelled back to London Bridge and there I got myself a very healthy meal, to replace my lost calories of McChicken Sandwich Meal Deal, – Yum! Yum! Only a ten minute wait for the train and my lovely hubby collected me from the station! Just the perfect end to a lovely day!
So I made it! 31 days of exercise, 31 days of logging on running free and 31 blog posts… whew! It’s been an exhausting but also rewarding 31 days! Hip hip hooray for Janathon!!!
Today though I am feeling very full of cold, but knew I couldn’t end on a low for my very first Janathon, so went on a very gentle 2km run with Deputy Helen!
The walk to meet with Helen involved mud, I have to say I am not keen when the ground makes squishy noises under my feet!!! Ewwww!!!
Mud… Squelchy…Squish… Squish…
Disappointingly the Garmin I was so excited to use, I must have done something wrong as when I finished my run it hadn’t registered anything – but fortunately I’d set my MapMyWalk app running simultaneously, phew! Otherwise I’d have been very grumpy!
Didn’t want to over do it as I am facing a 10km run tomorrow – and feeling like I currently do I am not sure how I am going to make it – topped with the fact my journey up town is going to be a complete mission as trains are stopping at London Bridge! Urgh!!! Anyway – that’s enough ranting and complaining!!!
I just want thank everyone who has taken the time to read my posts, like them and start following my blog – it’s much appreciated! I enjoyed all the blogs I had viewed too – only wish I’d time to read more of them!
Well done to everyone who has taken part – you’ve all done amazingly!!!
Today didn’t go quite as planned as I got home later than intended as did my running buddy Deputy Helen so I fell back on the old faithful that is Wii Fit Plus!!!
30 minutes of Kung-fu, boxing, step aerobics, jogging (running on the spot is really hard work!), heading a football and then a balance game whereby my Mii is dressed as a penguin and I lean the island left and right to catch fish!!!
Plus I have a Wii Fit age of 23!!! Woohoo!!! Check me out!!!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Janathon and hoping to contribute a decent run for Day 31 with Deputy Helen and I’ll get to try out the Garmin Forerunner 10 that I’ve been lent (is it sad that I’m very excited by this?)!
Strangely the exercise hasn’t tired me too badly (most of the time – haha!) but the blogging each evening has been exhausting – though despite that I have enjoyed it immensely and gaining so many new followers and likes for my posts – it’s been truly amazing and being able to read so many other great blogs has been fantastic! Wish I had the energy and time to read more of them! The whole Janathon experience has been fantastic!!!
I had planned to go for a run this evening, but I would’ve been on my own and it was really cold and really dark and I quite quickly persuaded myself not to go! It might be me, but it seemed darker than normal tonight!
So instead I decided to involve the kids – literally, they were my gym equipment!
I had little people back lifts and little people air lifts – with increasing weights, starting with the Blue One and then finishing with the Pink One.
Back Lifts
Air Lifts
They thought this was hilarious and thoroughly enjoyed mummy lifting them up and down! I have to say it was one of my harder workouts – far tougher then a jog, especially as my gym equipment have minds of their owns! I think I pulled something! ;-P
Lots of fun and laughter was had so that can never be a bad thing.
Probably some Wii Fit for tomorrow – but we’ll see, only three days left to go!
That saying couldn’t be more appropriate today! All very exciting for me today – I did Parkrun at Dulwich Park – not only is this the first time I’ve attended a Parkrun somewhere other than Greenwich (Avery Hill Park), which I am feeling a little disillusioned with the moment, but it also took me back to where I grew up and brought back so many wonderful happy childhood memories! I already knew I’d love the Parkrun here before I even arrived!
Beautiful Park – Beautiful Weather
It helped that it was beautiful crisp sunny morning, with blue skies which puts you in a positive mood to start with! I collected Deputy Helen and off we headed, meeting with the lovely Jo and her friend Jane once we got to the park. Parking was reasonable as we got there quite early.
It’s obviously a very popular Parkrun as there were lots of runners in attendance (many visiting from Bromley Parkrun too) – all seemed
very friendly. The only issue this morning was the cold and the waiting in it whilst the announcements were made! Also the slight fear of icy patched under foot one we started running!
The standing in the cold affected me in the fact that when I started to run my toes were numb and it felt like I was running with concrete blocks on my feet – this sensation eventually wore off half way into the second lap of the park!
The course was lovely and flat with tarmac pathways or the option of running in the sand track (meant for horses), this was actually my saving grace as during the second lap my left ankle started to hurt, but I didn’t want to stop running as it’s the best I’d felt running a 5km in ages, so instead I ran on the sand and this lessened the impact and reduced the pain.
I have been on UK Fitness Bloggers facebook page asking on what exercise I can do to strengthen my ankles and it has been most useful with some great responses! Well worth joining – as it’s a group of like minded individuals and you can get advice etc.
I did seem to have my invisibility cloak on today as it felt like people were deciding to come off the pathway and on to the sand and vice versa directly by me, a couple of dogs also decided to go directly in front of me to get back to their owners! I am sure this wasn’t just happening to me though! This feeling did lessen on the third lap as all the speedy runners had already finished so didn’t need to get passed!
I actually really enjoyed the final lap, which was unusual as I am normally thinking “just need to finish”, as I came to the home straight I tried to step it up a gear and really wish I’d tried even harder as I did feel I had it in me but came in at a very respectable 00:32:09 – only 3 seconds slower than my PB at Greenwich and a 2015 PB which I am very happy with as my previous timed 5km this year was around the 37 minute mark – so this was a vast improvement!
Then this afternoon I had to meet with someone in Bounds Green – so there was four rather brisk walks to and from various stations. Made enjoyable as I travelled with my hubby, we were childfree and the sun was shining, an additional plus point was that I got to read my book whilst on the train and tube – which I haven’t done in ages!
Once we were home, I collected the kids from our amazing neighbours who looked after them whilst we were travelling across London, and they very kindly lent me a Garmin Forerunner 10 which I am very excited about. Can’t wait to test it out!
The hubby made us dinner he did the most amazing homemade pot noodle from the River Cottage Veg Everyday cookbook and it was delicious – highly recommend it!
Then after the kids were in bed we watched Maleficent – and it was phenomenal! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Another evenings run foiled by a poorly small person! I got in late from last day at work (more about this in another blog) and when the Blue One arrived back he was in a righty tizzy to the point he gagged and was a little sick, so he went off up to bed with daddy keeping him company until he settled and after requesting some Calpol (or should I say demanding) he was safely tucked up in bed, but I thought it best not to go for a run.
I did 30 mins on Wii Fit Plus! What would I have done for Janathon without the Wii!?! Got quite a few high scores!!!
Short and sweet and shared a day late as I fell asleep!!!
So this morning I thought for my Janathon Day 20 I’d go for a run in the evening when my husband got in from work but as the day wore on and it got darker and colder and I got more tired my conviction to go diminished to the point where when my husband did get in from work I pretty much wasn’t going and thought I’ll just do some activity on the Wii!
My hubby kindly just said “Go for a run!” – which is the best thing he could’ve done because I did! It wasn’t long but it was nice and refreshing! I’m glad I went! It feels good!
Jog on Mum 