Happy Friday! I cannot believe how quickly time is flying. I’m started to get those pre-Christmas panics (you know the ones…cards, presents, food, decorations). But it’s still October. Whew.
I thought I’d do a post on some stuff I’m loving lately.
Treats in the office:
Although it’s always sad when someone leaves, I do fully appreciate them buying cakes for us to indulge in. Or having a wife that bakes cake and has leftovers!
Clockwise: Halloween themed cupcake, oat and raisin cookie, caramel cupcake
Delicious! Nothing like cake to brighten up a day in the office.
Ben embracing the plank challenge:
I’ve been trying to do planks every other day, usually in an evening in my PJs just before bed. Ben sits on the sofa watching TV muttering some weak words of encouragement (“come on, it’s not that hard”). So when I’d collapsed into a heap on the floor I turned and challenge him to do a plank. I scoffed that he wouldn’t manage a minute.
Challenge accepted and accomplished! He proved me very wrong. He did a very successful minute plank. He refused to go further than a minute though. Apparently proving me wrong was enough.
Doing stretches in the ladies’ toilet:
Yeah it sounds weird. Yeah it is weird. I need to get these stretches in and so I’m squeezing them in wherever I can. Nothing major, just hip flexor stretches and pendulum kickbacks.
I live stretch in fear of someone walking in and seeing me though…Not like I haven’t already got a reputation at work of being a little bit strange (mug incident).
Slow cooker meals:
I’ve been enjoying a fair few slow cooker meals recently and I’m loving it.
It does involve a little preparation either the night before or in the morning, but it saves so much time in an evening. Perfect for when I’m back late. More on my favourite recipes to come!
Running in thunder storms:
My eight mile run on Tuesday evening began with some scattered bits of lightening which was all very exciting. On mile four, however, the heavens opened up and it was a crazy downpour!
Sorry that the video is a bit rubbish! You can see how hard it was raining in the puddles though. When I got home I was soaked and ready for a lovely hot shower.
Doing my best drowned rat impersonation
But other than getting drenched, it was a good run. I kept it fairly easy running 8.30-8min/miles. I wanted to ease gently back in to it after my niggle reoccurrence and also with the race on Sunday.
My best friend and worst enemy:
I recently got a new foam roller as I found my smooth one wasn’t quite ironing out all my kinks. So I upgraded to this bad boy:
A Trigger Point foam roller. It has ridges in it to mimic a person’s hand, attempting to emulate a sports massage. I love it. It really does get into your muscles and work hard. Plus it’s nice and small to tuck away easily. Now if only I could take this to work and use it in the ladies’…
Cold weather running gear:
I can run in the cold no problem. I get warm quickly and it doesn’t bother me. All except my hands. They never get warm on runs. Last winter I just used regular gloves and they were sort of OK but a nightmare when I wanted to do something on my iPod. Now I have some great running-specific gloves with a thumb area that works on the iPod/phone screen!!
Plus they just look cool and aren’t bulky. In fact I feel a bit like a magician in them
And here’s some random links for your viewing pleasure:
- Does foot strike really matter in running?
- 12 great core workouts
- Good advice for hill running
- 10 types of people you find at the gym – The last one is SO true.
What things are you loving lately?
What’s your essential workout item?
Foam rollers: do you use them? I can’t live without mine now.
That foam roller looks awesome and evil at the same time 😛 I love my running gloves, keep my hands nice and toasty, I like the ipod thumb idea. The rain at times this week has been mental, great job on getting your run in !
I love the foam roller. I can’t go back to my smooth one now.
Gloves are a winter running essential for me!
I stretch in the ladies too! And I also want to bring my foam roller into work. I think I’m going to invest in one of those ridged rollers, they seem hardcore!
Haha yes! A fellow loo stretcher!
Hi there! First time commenter but have been reading a while. Firstly I wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog and what a great runner you are! I wanted to ask about your view on safety and running, especially at this time of year when it’s dark etc. I try to stick to busy routes but often it’s not always possible! Do you have any tips? Good luck with your training! x
Hi! Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
I would say if you’re going to run when it’s dark (either in the morning or evening), ALWAYS wear something high vis (like a high vis bib), stick to areas you know well so you don’t get lost, try to run in well-list areas and always on the pavement never the road, always carry your phone, let someone know where you’re going and roughly how long you intend to be out for and just be sensible! Hope that helps! Thanks for reading 😀
That foam roller looks like he means business! Massive kudos for running in the rain, when I do I usually enjoy it but it is stepping out the door that’s the problem!
Yep that first mile is a killer, but once your warm it’s fine.
I have gloves like that with a key pocket- I love them they are so warm 🙂
I have a normal (smooth) foam roller and use it quite a bit, but not every day or anything.
That running weather is crazy!
I think I’m obsessed with my foam roller. Ben thinks I’m mad but I do quite enjoy it. And it’s great doing it while watching the TV hehe.
Omg stretching in the bathroom is hilarrriiiooouuuss. Totally done that before & always get terrified of someone walking in!
I’ve even come up with an excuse ready to go if they do catch me haha.
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I adore my crockpot. Seriously, in the winter its my best friend. I love making soups in it!
I’m loving it. It’s so easy and so tasty.
Go Ben!! 😀
That rain does not look fun but you good job powering through.
Those gloves look awesome! I kind of want them just for walking to and from class.
Sad about your coworker leaving, but the food is definitely a perk!!
Haha yeah I will so be wearing them on a regular basis too.
I love those gloves! It is such a nightmare trying to change your ipod with normal gloves.
I know!! Especially when you’re running it’s just so damn fiddly.
Those gloves look awesome! I used to be afraid of running in the rain, but that was when I would have my iPhone strapped to my arm before I upgraded to a Garmin! Those sweet treats at work look lovely!
Garmin’s are amazing. Just so easy to use and you don’t have to worry about them getting wet at all.
Looking forward to seeing some of your slow cooker meals to get some inspiration. My SC has been sat in the cupboard unused for way too long!
Having a dependable training partner is very important when building muscle. This partner can help spot you so that you can pump out those few extra reps that you could not do on your own. It can also help if your training partner is stronger than you because this can push you to work even harder.