Posted on

The Great Pilgrimage Marathon 2023

I haven’t been blogging for a while now. I feel sad as it’s been such a presence in my life since… 2012? Wow. Clearly though I don’t feel as compelled to document aspects of my life in this format as frequently. I tend to use Instagram more, I guess (@AnnaTheAppleBlog).

However I enjoy writing my race recaps. If only for myself really so I have something to look back at and remember. And potentially it could be helpful for others if they’re looking for more of a colloquial account of what a race is like.

So anyway, I ran a race! A marathon… shocking I know. I ran the Big Pilgrimage Marathon in August.

Originally when I signed up I toyed with the idea of the ultra distance (8 more miles on top of the marathon). But sensibly, I went with the marathon. It’s not necessarily the distance on the day that I found a bit daunting, but the training itself.

I can comfortably squeeze in the training for a marathon these days without it impacting too much on the weekend time with Isaac and Kyle. That time is so precious.

To get my long runs in I’ve been getting up at 5am to get out of the house by 5.15am. So even if I run 18 miles (the furthest I tend to go) I’m back home by 7.30ish. This means I don’t miss too much of the morning with Isaac (which usually begins at 6.30am). To train for an ultra would mean a lot more 18+ milers. Not something I’m keen to fit in right now.

This race was very handy. It started at Mayflower Park in Southampton and I was able to pay £10 and get transport from Fort Nelson, just a mile from our (new) house. That way Kyle and Isaac didn’t need to get up with me and I could sneak out. The race started at 7.30am so it was quite the early start.

The race was to finish in Fort Nelson (so basically running from Southampton all the way home!) so it was weird being at the finish already. But the transport was super smooth and everyone was friendly and we arrived at Mayflower Park with about 40 minutes to go. So I could comfortably pick up my bib and have a last wee.

The Big Pilgrimage is a very chilled and relaxed event. It’s quite a small event – I think just over 100 people for the marathon distance – which helper it feel very friendly and local. I saw lots of familiar faces which was nice.

As we lined up for the start, I got that nervous feeling I always get before a marathon. Nothing is ever guaranteed or easy, no matter how many times you’ve done the distance before. So off we went. 

Because the field was quite small, I found myself amongst the lead pack. This concerned me a little because my immediate thought was that I was going too fast and also that I wasn’t able to put the route on my watch so if I lost them and was on my own I could be a bit stuck. On that note, the route was so well marked and the marshals great, that there was only one point that I almost missed an arrow (luckily, I was running with someone at the time).

The first section of the run is through Southampton, and you head over Itchen Bridge. I was prepared for this run to be quite undulating and having done this bridge a fair few times in the Southampton Marathon, it was fine. My pace remained around 8-8.30min/miles so I wasn’t beasting myself silly.

Then we headed over towards Netley. We ran alongside the coast and the terrain became off-road (though more compacted trails then anything too gnarly). Kyle, Isaac, my parents and Kyle’s mum would be waiting in Royal Victoria Country Park for me to run through, so that was a nice little motivator. It’s a familiar area to me as well so it felt really comforting, if that makes sense?

At mile five, I got to RVCP and saw my family. Isaac shouted “mummy!” which was lovely and tried to run after me. Very sweet. 

Something that was quite disconcerting about the race was that 99% of people were wearing hydration packs. I had intended on wearing one but I worried it was going to rub me raw (like it has done previously). The only issue was that the race was very eco friendly (lovely) and so at the water stations you needed to provide your own cup or have you pack filled up. So there would be no way for me to get water without carrying something. I decided, probably quite riskily, that because Kyle and my dad were planning on getting to different areas on the course that I could just get water from them.

Of course this is a huge risk – what if I missed them? What if I couldn’t find them? But I decided to wing it. However I did feel quite naked compared to literally everyone else who were all prepared for “self-hydration”. It was going to be quite a warm day and I realised I probably looked either very stupid or a bit cocky.

Oh I should also mention that during the race there are different points where you have to grab a sticker from a marshal and then, like a bingo card, stick it to your bib. This way you know you’ve gone the right way. The stickers were all unique to the different areas.

Anyway, I got my RCVP sticker, drank some water, waved goodbye to my family and off I went.

The unique part about this race is that you have to catch a little ferryboat from Hamble to get to the other side of the river. So that’s where I was now heading. I was still in the lead pack, which was now spreading out a bit more. There were ultra runners already on the course as they’d started earlier so that was nice.

As I got to Hamble (mile 7 or 8 I think) I decided not to stop at the aid station for any snacks (or stare at water I couldn’t have) so ran straight to the boat. I think there were a few boats that would be going back and forwards but there was one literally about to leave and I hopped onto it. It seemed I was the last person and it left straight away! Fantastic timing.

It was very odd immediately stopping (I didn’t stop my watch of course). Everyone was taking photos and talking good naturedly which was nice. I chatted to an older woman who had been running ultras for many years. So interesting. The ferry ride was about 8 minutes long I think and as we came to stop we all hopped off and off we went again.

Now it became clear that there really weren’t many other marathoners, just ultra runners.

We ran to another coastal path and ran alongside the sea, which was lovely. And then we ran across a shingle beach which seemed to go on forever and that was a grind. Though the views were gorgeous. It was a little up and down but nothing crazy. You just had to be careful of your footing. 

I caught up to a man and we started chatting. He was another marathoner. We soon realised that we were actually the two lead runners! Mental. I think because it was such a small race and because we’d both been so lucky with catching the first boat, we’d managed to get ahead.

The coastal path went all the way down to Hill Head, which is very close to where my parents live and again the area became super familiar. At this point the other marathoner, Phil, and I had were having a lovely chat. We were chatting about training, races and all things in between. It was great. We were similar paced and the miles just ticked on by.

I was going to see Kyle and my dad again soon, at mile 10, and I explained my water situation to him (so he didn’t think I was mental not having water on me). I saw them and grabbed some water – which at this point was now an essential. It was becoming very warm. The sun was beaming down and there wasn’t much shade. But the water helped and off we went. It was unspoken that we didn’t wait for each other but just slowed down for the other and let them catch up again (when he stopped for a wee, or I stopped and grabbed water for example). It was nice to be running with someone, but no pressures. 

We ran down the Titchfield Canal path which I know very well. A path that seems to go on forever (about 2 miles). But it’s beautiful. I saw Kyle and my dad again, water was drunk again, and off we went through Titchfield. Past Titchfield Abbey, where the 15 miler racers were to stop, and then headed towards Wickham.

Now the route became less familiar to me. And from what I’d read about the course, I knew it was going to get a lot more hilly. Phil had run the race before so he gave me a good idea of what was to come.

Eventually we got to Wickham, where we ran along the old railway line. This was around 20 miles. As I reached Kyle I grabbed the water and realised it was almost empty and he’d forgotten to grab the other one. The water bottle isn’t a clear bottle and is quite heavy (one of those thermos style ones) so it isn’t very obvious when there’s not much in them. This panicked me a bit as I was so thirsty. Of course this is my own fault for not carrying my own water but Kyle was really worried and felt terrible for not bringing the spare, bless him. Not his fault at all!

I tried a bit of Diet Coke from my dad but ooof that didn’t go down well. I ran off burping away! But anyway, it is what it is. That was the risk I took after all.

I caught back up with Phil and we headed for a big climb. Because I’d built it up in my head it actually wasn’t that bad thankfully. But I knew it was only going to get harder. We had a long downhill stretch on a road and this actually felt so much worse. My legs were not happy at all. My pace had remained fairly consistent through the whole race – probably a bit faster than I thought I was going to go for an off-road more hilly event but I generally felt comfortable the entire race.

At mile 24 I suddenly saw Kyle pop out of the bushes. He’d wanted to find me again before the end to give me more water. I was so pleased to see him because I was really quite thirsty and the thought of more miles in the heat was going to be a struggle. Phil had offered me his water but I had declined because I knew he didn’t have much and would probably need it. Very nice of him though.

I had a big glug from Kyle’s water, thanked him profusely and off we went. Not far now!

The last few miles the conversation grew less and less and I felt the hills getting harder. We’d both agreed that if one of us felt good they should go and it didn’t surprise me when Phil slowly peeled away from me. 

We had two miles left, full uphill climb to the finish and I had nothing left in the tank to keep up. I watched him go and then slowly sunk into my pain cave. It was a tough old slog but I still felt pretty good considering the miles we’d run and the terrain. I was comfortable knowing that I’d be first female and second overall (wowee!) as no one was behind. I wanted to finish as strong as I could though. But it did feel like a crawl and the final stretch across the field towards Fort Nelson was brutal. No shade and a long stretch ahead.

I finished with a smile though as I saw my family, Isaac running alongside me yelling “mama!”.

So in the end, a happy second place, a first place female and 3:50:08, Not too shabby at all!

So all in all, a really great event. Well organised by the Big Feat Events, felt very local and friendly, and a fantastic course. It was beautiful. Varied, interesting, tough but enjoyable. I fully recommend. I hope to do it again!

My legs the next day definitely felt the trails… I’m definitely not used to this trail running business!

Do you like running with strangers in a race?

Do you prefer trails or road races? I’m a road girl but like the trails from time to time.

Posted on

MMA Training: The Physical And Mental Benefits

Hey guys! I have a fun post for you today – something a bit different for me…

Image

There are so many things in life we can do in order to make ourselves mentally and physically better. The good thing about this world is that there are so many different avenues and options. If you want to improve your fitness, there is plenty for you to do. If you need to talk to somebody about a particular issue you’re going through, there are lots of services that suit you. It’s just a case of putting yourself out there and actually taking the plunge.

In this post, we’re going to be talking about MMA training. When you think about mixed martial arts, you might immediately think about cage fighting and the violence that comes with it at times. The right way to look at it, however, is to view things through a self-defense prism. It’s also wise to think about the fitness elements and the social skills that you’ll pick up. It’s a great sport to get into and it’s something that can be very effective for you in your life. So, let’s talk about the benefits that come with it all:

Physical Fitness Is Enhanced 

MMA training allows you to gain so many physical benefits. If you head online and look at mma gyms near me, your entire lifestyle could change within a matter of months. The workouts promote the development of strength and endurance while working on flexibility. Striking, grappling, and ground techniques all required cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength. Regularly taking part not only helps you with your muscle building but also helps boost energy levels.

Your Mental Resilience Is Also Improved

It goes beyond physical exertion. You gather a sense of mental resilience over time. MMA is a pretty demanding sport and you will not get what you want right away. You will need to get through plenty of adversity and many levels of the learning process. The practitioners involved require you to stay focused and disciplined. When you consistently train, you’ll develop mental fortitude as you push past the limits of some challenges. Your work ethic and self-control will improve, and you’ll achieve a sense of accomplishment all along the way.

It Serves As A Stress Reliever And Well-Being Booster

There are so many things we can do in life to relieve stress. Some people like kicking a ball, some people like playing the drums, but a lot of people love hitting a punching bag. MMA training provides a very effective outlet for this kind of thing. An MMA gym allows you to channel your energy and frustrations positively. Striking pads and grappling both allow a sense of tension relief. MMA also encourages mindfulness and self-awareness.

Social Skills And Communities Are Built

There is a real sense of community camaraderie within the MMA community. Training in a very supportive environment creates a strong bond between a group. You get to work within a very good support group that allows you to motivate others and become motivated yourself. Friendships can be formed and even relationships.

Posted on

London Marathon 2023

The lead up to the London Marathon was not ideal for me. I’d been ill for about two weeks, was suffering from a bad cough and was almost feeling better but not quite there yet. Basically I needed a few more days and I’d have been absolutely fine. But no, I decided to run the marathon.

Look, I know it was a silly decision but it’s the London Marathon, which is pretty damn epic. We’d also already paid for the Airbnb and the trains – non-refundable. So off to London we went!

With Isaac staying with my parents, Kyle and I headed to London on Saturday morning on the train. Kyle’s brother, Adam, was joining us on route. This was really lovely as it was, of course, nice to have Kyle there but to have Adam as well, it made it even more special.

We grabbed some lunch at Waterloo. We had some wraps and chicken bites from a place called Pure which was rather tasty and then headed straight to the Expo. Lots of tubes and DLRs later, we go there.

I picked my bib up and moseyed about a bit and then we headed to our respective hotels/Airbnbs. We met up later to get dinner at Franco Manca. We had a pizza each and a pizza to share as well as a vegetable platter. Exactly what was needed for the race ahead.

The next morning we woke up and got ready and had my little porridge pots for breakfast.

an Despite the email saying we should arrive at 8.44am for my wave 2 start we decided to not go that early. I’d only be standing around getting cold as my start time wasn’t until 10.05am. However we definitely left it too late.

As we headed on the tube and train we quickly realised how ridiculously busy it was. Then the final train to Blackheath stopped because the platform was too busy. While I was having a lovely chat to a girl who was running for the Guide Dogs (she gets to play with puppies after the race!!), I was starting to get worried. It was now 9.45am. Whoops.

Finally the train arrived and I kid you not, we ran to the blue wave. I had literal minutes to spare. Got a quick photo and then said goodbye and off I went.

I arrived at my wave just as they started moving off. No time for a pre-race wee!

So to the race itself. I didn’t feel my usual hype. I felt sick with worry. This was obviously not the right thing to be doing when I didn’t feel 100%. Running this would definitely not make me feel better.

The first few miles are quite boring. It actually reminds me a little bit of the Reading Half weirdly. A lot of residential buildings and people standing on pavements cheering. My main focus as I began running was to find a portaloo on the course. It started raining but I wasn’t cold thankfully.

I had such a low level of dread during this whole race. Basically knowing I wasn’t feeling well and knowing that was only going to get better. So I didn’t feel like I could fully embrace the euphoria of the start. I really didn’t know if I was going to finish or not. I was so worried and felt so sick, whether by nerves or just feeling ill I wasn’t sure.

Anyway, I found a portaloo. So that was one stress gone. As I was running I was finding I needed to cough a lot though. I couldn’t properly cough while running so decided I’d keep stopping in the portaloos so I could have a proper cough and wouldn’t freak out other runners. I did this 4-5 times during the race. It was funny because the first time I was like “be quick, be quick” but by the third time I was like “yeah just take your time, no stress”. Time was not something I was going to be worried about today!

Kyle had told me that Adam and him had planned to be at mile seven. In my mind I was just trying to get there. Don’t think of anything further, just get to mile seven. We got to Cutty Sark which was a great experience. Lots of crowds, the cool boat and just general atmosphere was like “YOU ARE RUNNING LONDON”.

Then finally I got to mile seven and I amazingly saw Kyle and Adam. It was so lovely to see them. It definitely picked me up. Though they were utterly soaked, I felt so sorry for them to be supporting in the rubbish weather. True legends that they were.

Kyle rung me a while later to say that would try to get to mile 14 to see me. At this point I wasn’t feeling great. Running was hard work. I felt like I was at mile 18, not mile seven. It just felt like such a monumental task to get to 26.2 miles.

I kept my focus on halfway though, knowing that it was just after Tower Bridge, which would be epic. I decided to put on a podcast. I wasn’t really taking in much around me, I was just looking down at the road and keeping myself moving forward. Let me tell you, so many gel wrappers! I basically just went into myself, like I was in my own little bubble.

To be honest, I didn’t really listen to the podcast. I couldn’t hear it properly anyway over the crowds. It was more something I could listen to for a bit and then fade out of. I just needed something else to focus on at times. I wish I’d have had my name on my bib because I really needed the boost. I was jealous of other runners get cheered along. I saw a few people along the course I knew, which was so lovely, but mostly I was in my own head in a little world of hell.

We went across Tower Bridge and that was amazing. The crowds were incredible and so loud! I felt such a buzz which was great. And I knew I was almost half way and that in itself was incredible considering how I was feeling.

Sadly Kyle and Adam didn’t get to mile 14 – the trains were just rammed. He rang me and let me know. I updated him on how I was doing and said I would try to finish. I’d made that decision at mile 11… in a weird way I thought “well it’s only 15 miles, I can do that”. Obviously that’s a long way still though!

My next focus was getting to Canary Wharf. We’d been to dinner there last night and I knew it would look cool with all the high-rise buildings. It was also around mile 18 and that in itself is a great milestone. So that was my next focus.

I’d say around this point, from miles 13-18, I was probably feeling my best. I’d stopped going to the portaloos to cough and I was feeling like I could do this. My pace was fairly stable and I wasn’t declining. I got to Canary Wharf and of course my watch satellite went crazy with the high-rises. As if I was running a 6 minute mile!

My watch then went a bit doolally and became a mile out. So when I hit mile 20 my watch was telling me I was hitting mile 21. This was very depressing! Anyway Kyle’s next point was mile 21 so I was really looking forward to that. Especially because it was only around five miles before the finish! In fact as I’d hit mile 20, 10k seemed very doable. Hard doable but definitely doable.

I tell you what though, those final miles were tough going. My legs, which had originally felt absolutely fine during the whole race now were feeling really ropey. They were feeling very battered and like they could seize up. This was crazy to me because I wasn’t even running that fast compared to some of my other races. And yes despite not running that much during my two week’s of sickness, I had done decent training leading up till that point. Clearly this illness was really taking it out of me.

Anyway, the final miles seemed to crawl by. I’d switched to music at this point and was really trying to draw strength from the songs and crowds. When I finally saw Big Ben I knew I was almost there, a mile! But my God that mile really took it’s time. I saw the “600m to go” sign and it was like I was running through porridge. I couldn’t get my legs to move any quicker. Normally at this point during a marathon I’m all hyped up and speed up, but Jesus I absolutely could not.

We got to the Mall and all I cared about was that finish line. As cool as everything looked, I just wanted to finish.

3:47:59 – an utter slog and my hardest marathon.

Kyle rang me and told me he was stuck at Tower Hill because of the trains. I burst into tears. I just wanted to hug him and go home. It had started to rain again and I was getting cold. I had the aluminum foil blanket clutched round me but I was still so cold. I didn’t know where to go because Kyle wasn’t nearby. I just hobbled along, my legs in pieces, in a forward trajectory to just keep moving.

I found someone to take my photo and just as they were doing it a woman who worked at Sweaty Betty handed me some flowers which was lovely!

Then I stumbled to the Admiralty Arch, which was the only shelter I could see around me. I literally stood there looking like a sorry soul having no idea where to go. Eventually I was getting far too cold (after enviously watching people with their families putting on layers on GoreTex coats and hoodies) I decided to head towards a tube and make my way to Waterloo.

Communication between Kyle and I was tricky because he was stuck in the underground and had no signal so I just text him explaining what I was doing and hoping he’d head my way. Eventually, after I crawled towards Embankment we met up. Thank God! It was so lovely to see them both. They’d had a nightmare with how busy the tube had been and it sounded very chaotic. I was so grateful to see them though.

We headed to Waterloo and then squeezed on a rammed train to get home. At this point I was still so cold and feeling incredibly sick. My legs were in pieces as well. Basically I was not having a good time. The train was so full we had to stand/sit in the doorway of the train. There was just no space. It wasn’t ideal but at least I was warm and I could hear about their adventures – always more exciting than me just running!

Anyway long story short, I definitely shouldn’t have run the marathon. It was unbelievably hard work, I didn’t feel my usual marathon joy as I ran and finished. I just felt utter relief for it to be over… but then the realisation that I now felt so much worse. The sickness I felt continued overnight and even the next day. Food was the last thing I wanted, which is MADNESS as usually I’m ready to eat all the foods immediately after finishing.

I wouldn’t recommend running a marathon when you’re ill. Despite saying all that, I don’t regret it. It was an experience and I had a lovely weekend with Kyle and Adam. Just another lesson learnt!

Have you ever run when you’ve been ill?

Have you ever run the London Marathon?

Posted on

To run or not to run the London Marathon

So clearly blog writing and me aren’t exactly a big thing right now. But I do still enjoy popping on here and writing down some thoughts from time to time, regardless of whether people read them or not (and if you do, that’s so lovely thank you).

I think the main issue is that I use Instagram as a daily update on life, so this long form of writing seems superfluous and unnecessary. That said, the nuances and details do get lost in those tiny little squares. No one there wants to read an essay but at the same time I can post frequently enough that I don’t feel the need to write a lot here.

That said, I felt the urge so here I am.

A little update then I suppose. I knew that having children would change my life. I knew sleep would probably suck (yep, it did and still does – no lie ins and still consistent nightly wakes). I knew I’d have to de-prioritise things I love, like going further afield to run marathons, more frequent holidays or weekend trips. Of course these things aren’t impossible, but they’re just further down the list for the things we want to spend our time and money on.

I can still train for and run marathons thankfully. Since having Isaac in July 2021 I’ve run five marathons. I’m very proud of this. At the same time though, it is a juggling act and requires the goodwill and patience from Kyle and family members who help with childcare and support.

But yes, I was aware things would change post child. What I didn’t realise though was the illnesses. The never-ending string of sickness that Isaac and then consequently Kyle and I are have to deal with. It’s not an exaggeration to say every month something hits us. I’ve been told this is an entirely normal issue and it’s due to Isaac being all brand new and going to nursery, which is riddled with bugs and bacteria, all of which he’s new to. It’s great for his immune system and if it doesn’t happen now, it’ll happen later when he goes to school.

That doesn’t make the present feel much better when we’re constantly sniffing, coughing, or wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa slowly dying.

Currently I’m suffering from a rather grim cough and flu/cough-like experience. Thankfully COVID negative, but to be honest it might as well be for how bad I feel! And of course I have the London Marathon in a mere few days. Nightmare.

Honestly, when I was hit down with this last week I thought I’d be fine as I had well over a week but now midweek on race week I’m starting to get nervous. I haven’t run since Good Friday (a week and a half ago).

Now London was never going to be a super fast time and to be honest I’m OK just plodding round enjoying the atmosphere. But I don’t want to have a miserable experience and feel awful running. I also don’t want to knock myself down for another week afterwards for pushing myself all those miles, because regardless of how fast or slow you run you’re still running 26.2 miles.

I’m going to make my final decision on Friday. I intend to run tomorrow morning to see how it goes as well. It’s a delicate balance of testing the waters but not pushing my body to regress back to peak illness.

If by Friday I’m still feeling dreadful, Kyle and I will still go to London and enjoy ourselves. My parents are looking after Isaac, we have an AirBnb all paid for (past the point of refund) and some expensive train tickets to use. So we might as well go and enjoy ourself (i.e. go to lots of foodie places away from the crush). I hasten to add, I highly doubt I’ll be doing any supporting. We will probably head back home early Sunday to beat the rush. I know that seems a bit miserable and mean but I think I’m just going to feel a bit too grumpy. I want to run the marathon and I will be annoyed I can’t. A pathetic thing to admit I realise this but hey ho.

So fingers crossed it works out OK. Either way, we’ll have a good time either running around London for the marathon or for lots of food.

Have you ever run when you’re ill?

What would your advice be?

Posted on

Things I’m Loving Lately – back from the dead!

Life has been flying past us. It’s crazy how quickly time is going by. I haven’t been blogging (obviously) and it makes me sad. I love writing my thoughts down, regardless whether people read them or not. Sometimes I dabble with the idea of just writing a diary now but again, time just gets away from me.

Anyway I thought I’d do an old school Anna The Apple blog…. Things I’m loving lately.

Puzzles

I recently got COVID and it was one of the things I thoroughly enjoyed just wrapping myself up in a blanket and doing (when my toddler allowed me if he was around). I can’t believe I managed to escape COVID for three years and then bang, we come back off holiday and all three of us test positive. I’d felt ill for more days than I would normally and kept waking up with a banging headache so I did a test… and straight away a thick line appeared. And for Kyle and Isaac too. Bad times! But the silver lining was discovering my love and addiction for puzzles.

I just find them so relaxing. The beginning where you’re sorting the pieces, then finding where they go. I just love it. I do it as a break from work or in the evenings when I get a chance, maybe watching a TV show as I go. I’ve so far completed two puzzles and I’m well on my way to a third.

Friarjacks Luxury Flapjack

Through Instagram I won a 2kg luxury Valentine’s Day flapjack and oh my goodness, let me tell you. It was INSANE.

Friarjacks Valentine’s Day flapjack

Chock-a-block full of chocolate, sweets and biscuits. It was so tasty! Kyle and I just ate our way through that thing in the week. It was dangerous to have on the side. But such a perfect afternoon snack with a cup of tea. I’ve since gone on their website and there are so many flavours I now want to try. Perfect present for a loved one who has a sweet tooth.

Naenka Bone Conduction Headphones Runner Pro

I was recently sent a pair of headphones for running from Naenka. They’re bone conduction headphones, so the sound come through your cheekbones rather than through your ears. They sit comfortable over your ears and round the back of your head and thankfully don’t bounce while I run.

They’re perfect for outdoor running when you want to pay attention to your surroundings but also listen to music as your ears are still able to hear external sounds around. This is key for me living in a city because it’s always so busy with pedestrians, cyclists and traffic. It can be dangerous to be fully immersed in the audio and so you’re not paying attention to the hazards around you.

I would say they’re best for music rather than podcasts though if you do live in a particularly loud and busy area because the sound isn’t as loud as it would be if it was a bud in your ear. It can be tricky to hear people talking compared to just listening to music. However in less busy areas where the traffic isn’t quite as heavy, it tends to be fine.

The battery life is great as well – over eight hours! So I don’t need to worry about charging them every other run. Amazingly they’re also waterproof so you can even use them swimming. That’s so cool!

Batch Cooking

I’m a huge fan of batch cooking to make our life easier in the future. This is especially true for Isaac. If I ever cook something for Kyle and I that I can also give to Isaac I just make larger portions so I can put some in little pots and pop in the freezer.

Every so often though I’ll make one big meal just for Isaac and I portion it all off for him. In the freezer I have so many little pots with things like pasta meals, chilli, cottage pie and now chicken pie.

I love doing this because it means in an evening when it’s Isaac’s dinner time I can just whip one out of the freezer, reheat and serve straight away rather than spending ages trying to think and prepare something for him.

Legacy of Hogwarts

I’ve also recently been loving playing the new Harry Potter game, Legacy of Hogwarts, on the Steam Deck (which is basically a handheld computer). Kyle’s playing his own version of the game on the PS5 which is fun as we can both discuss where we’re at and what we’re doing. It’s basically an open world role playing game.

I love open world game because it means you’re not restricted or forced to do certain levels/tasks. You can kind of free wheel it. This usually means I take ages though doing anything as I get distracted with side quests or exploring, but I love it. It’s available on most platforms I believe so well worth a look if you’re a Potter fan who enjoys gaming!

Edith and Blanche

For Isaac’s clothing we mostly use hand-me-downs from friends, peppered with Vinted and charity shop purchases. I’m a big fan of using second hand because for little ones they really aren’t wearing them for that long so the quality is still amazing. I don’t want to be spending a fortune and I want to be more sustainable in our purchases, so it works perfectly. When we do buy brand new items, we want them to be special and items that will last. This is why Edith and Blanche is our favourite children’s clothing (and toys) shop.

For Christmas, Isaac’s great grandmother, Ginny, sent us a voucher for their shop so we bought two items. Beautiful woolen rainbow dungarees and a pair of green trousers with patches on the knees. Both items look so cute and

And that’s my list! I really do need to get back into the groove of blogging… I’d love to do a recap of our Orlando holiday (which was amazing), my running and also a little Isaac update as he’s now 19 months old! But for now I’ll leave it there.

Do you buy second hand clothing?

Do you enjoy puzzles? Or what do you do to relax your brain and body?

**Full Disclosure: I was sent the headphones for free in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.**