Rants and Raves #21

I’m still being sensible and not running. I have another Physio appointment on Friday (ahh the joys of working from home and having a disposable income that I spend only on myself…). I’m hoping I can run on Saturday for parkrun but I’m not sure. It does feel better but I don’t want to have a period of stop-start running and prolonging the issue. Anyway, onto some rants and raves!

Rant: The new Disney Paris Half Marathon opened for entries yesterday. It sounds really cool and it’s obviously an easier option for us Brits than the Orlando ones across the pond…BUT they’re being rather cheeky about it. At the moment you can only enter it if you also book their Disney resort hotel, which makes it over £300. They’re only releasing the non-hotel entries in January. I mean come on, that’s ridiculous. They’re might not even be places left at that point.

I’m not tempted by the race I must say (I would be by a marathon but not for a half. I want to do the Orlando Disney marathon at some point), but I do think this is really sneaky and a bit unfair. It’s forcing people to purchase a bundle and spending a lot more. Not very ‘fairy tail racing’ if you ask me.

Rave: (This is just my opinion – no affiliation!) I’m signed up to Fabletics (yes, I’m a sucker), which means I need to ‘Skip the Month’ if I don’t want to pay the 40 quid every month that my ‘VIP status’ requires. However, I always have a little mosey before I do this…just in case.

Though I kind of disagree with this system of potentially forcing you to pay money every month (though it does go towards clothes, it’s not like it just disappears and you get good discounts on all the items) I’m a big fan of the Fabletics gear. I’ve not had a single item from there that hasn’t fit me or I’ve regretted buying. I’ve had a pair of capris, hair bands, a hat, sports bras, shorts, tops…all of really good quality. I can’t fault them. And I love the styles they have.

I recently bought the Fenway Vest (which I’d been lusting over since Claire showed hers off).

It’s really lightweight but lovely and warm. It’s nice and casual so perfect for going to parkrun in or popping down the shops. Or wearing around the house when I’m slobbing about a bit.

I also bought the Katana Longsleeve Tee which is perfect for running when the weather gets colder. It has little ventilation holes in the arms and back.

The Kemi Bra which is a ‘low impact’ sports bra so perfect for the gym (it’s so comfortable and has removable cups for that added extra). I adore the bright colour and pattern.

And finally the Orchard Tank which is great for the gym but also running (in summer anyway) as it’s got all the holes in it. I’m really pleased, and to be honest it wasn’t that expensive. Considering the prices of Nike or Adidas…or Lululemon (jeeze, remortgage the house why don’t I) I think I did well!

Rant: On the subject of workout clothes…it always amuses and confuses me what guys think is appropriate gym wear (I say “guys” because invariably it is the men, but women are not guiltless either). OK it is stupidly early in the morning when I go and, let’s be honest, who the hell cares what other people wear? But a guy was literally wearing a full-on painters/decorating outfit. It was like he’d come straight from work (which would be odd considering the time). He had paint all over his white overalls and was just casually lifting weights. As you do.

Another guy was wearing an entire velour tracksuit in lime green – I’m not making this up I promise you. Though you can always spot the runners…with their specialised kit on, as if they got lost on their run and ended up in the gym instead.

Rave: I spotted this in Tesco and decided to give it a go. I’m always concerned that my running and gym gear never gets the proper wash it probably needs and this was quite cheap.

I’m not saying I stink, but it’s nice to have a washing liquid (supposedly) aimed for sports kit. Plus they say you shouldn’t wash your sports stuff with your normal stuff…sweat transference or something 😉 I’ve never had an issue (though saying that, who’s going to tell me I smell? Now I’m panicking…) but I’ll give this a go.

Rant: I still haven’t moved. And I’m still sitting on a beanbag trying to eat dinner each night. What a sad image, eh! I’m too cool for school (just by saying that sentence eliminates me from the Cool Group). Anyway, Alfie has been a bit unsettled by the lack of sofas and furniture. He’s been lying on his blanket on the floor…despite having a bed!! A bed he has never used in the three years we’ve had the house. I think he then overheard me telling my mum I was going to get rid of it before I moved because he suddenly decided to start using it. Or it might be because I moved it closer to my beanbag…

Ahh what a mummy’s boy.

Rave: I’m still really enjoying listening to audio books on my walks with Alfie and when I make dinner. I’m currently listening to Me Before You and it’s really good. I wasn’t certain I’d enjoy it as it’s a tough subject matter, but it’s honestly such a lovely and realistic story. I fully recommend. I’ve just Googled it and, unsurprisingly it’s going to become a film. I just hope it doesn’t lose it’s very British charm and become Americanised. Absolutely nothing against Americans or American movies, it’s just this has so much Britishness in it it would spoil it to lose that.

Rant: The night before I left for Iceland I was casually watching TV when a GIANT spider ran over to me – I swear it ran AT me (with menace in its many eyes).

I’ve never moved so fast in my life I can tell you. I evacuated the lounge ASAP. Alfie, my resident spider-eater, wasn’t there because he was at my parent’s house as I was flying the next morning. So I barricaded the door as I was genuinely scared it would come and find me.

When I came back from Iceland I waited until Alfie was back before venturing into the lounge (yes, really). But I haven’t seen the spider since. I sit on my little beanbag every night in genuine fear that the spider is going to reappear and come for me. If I stop blogging…you know why.

What book are you reading currently?

Will you watch a film of a book you enjoyed?

Spiders: fear and flee, leave be, or find and kill?

14 Replies to “Rants and Raves #21”

  1. That’s interesting about Fabletics, as you are the only person that I have heard say positive things about it. Not just the way they do business, but their delivery (a lot of stuff never turns up) and the quality of clothes. I thought about trying it myself and casually mentioned it on Twitter and got about 30 tweets immediately saying don’t do it. It’s a shame, because everything looks so amazing.
    Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Mediterranean Tuna Steaks by DanniiMy Profile

    1. I’ve never had any delivery issues with them and every item I’ve had from them has been great. I genuinely think they produce good quality items – they fit nicely, they feel like they’ll last (good quality materials) and really stylish. I’ll continue to keep buying from them. It’s a shame they’re not consistently good for everyone though 🙁

  2. Ooh, thanks for the insight on Fabletics – I’ve thought of signing up but I don’t like the idea of anything that locks me in to paying money as I know that I’ll forget and not cancel it!
    I really like audiobooks – great for when you feel all music-ed out. I did the Audible monthly subscription when I was training for the London marathon and it was a bit of a life-saver! x
    LilyLipstick recently posted…Seoul Snapshots – Gangnam StyleMy Profile

  3. Oooh. Reading. Currently Don Quixote, one of the Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes books, and the first Albert Campion book (Death at Black Dudley or something like that. I’m rubbish at titles).

    I will watch films of books – and vice versa (I really need to get hold of Parade’s End, which was such a marvellously impressionistic book. I’m intrigued to see how it was made into a series).

    And, spiders: scream, run away, try and get someone to sort it out for me if at all possible. I am a WIMP.
    Jane recently posted…HubrisMy Profile

  4. Oh that is really cheeky of Run Disney! That’s a shame. I remember ogling the medals when we were wandering around the London Marathon expo with the in-laws.

    Yes, absolutely would go and see a film if I liked the book. That said, I usually find the book to be better. I think the only one I liked equally was The Green Mile.

    Hope your physio goes okay!
    Steph recently posted…Getting started on Weigh in WednesdayMy Profile

    1. Most of the time books are better – you just get a better in depth story rather than the stream-lined version. But I have to say there is something about film music that can bring a story to life. Jurassic Park and Lord of the Rings for example. Superb movies. Good books but I thought the movies were better.
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…Happy things…when I’m still waitingMy Profile

  5. I am with you on the Disney half! I don;t think the US ones are an option for me as they are never in holiday times, but we can do a weekend in the train easily. We have already booked a hotel outside the park ( we can cancel) but have to wait until January! The deal is rubbish though only one race entry per room, so if we both wanted to do it only one would get in for sure anyway. We are hoping it is such a rubbish deal that there are plenty of spaces left!
    Argh- spiders- I don’t even like seeing photos of them and have to hide them from my facebook newsfeed! We had one at the end of the summer holidays and it ran under the sofa- I was crying and refusing to get down, and I really didn’t sleep well for days- we found it about 5 days later (Andy squashed it) and I was so relieved. I don’t mind the smaller ones but the big black hairy ones just move so fast! I feel your pain. Once I had to text Andy as he was out, one ran out and I threw a book at it, but only caught it by one leg so it was wriggling about. I had to use dining chairs to walk around the house (stand on one, move the next one) until he came home and properly disposed of it. I console myself with the fact I am vegetarian means I have not killed lots of other animals, so the spiders are the only ones on my list.
    Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…KauaiMy Profile

    1. That’s a good idea about getting a hotel and hoping for the best. I think that’s probably sensible.
      That is a serious phobia you have there!! I’m not quite as bad as that (though that said, I didn’t have a chair to stand on so maybe I am!). I’m a meat eater and I still don’t like killing spiders. I think it’s more that it’s gross than anything. What do you do with a squashed spider!?
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…Happy things…when I’m still waitingMy Profile

  6. I did see that the Disney Paris half was open for entries now…but at cost! This makes me sad. 🙁 I think it works out cheaper than the American versions though. The Americans seem to pay ridiculous amounts of money for their races!
    That Fenway Vest looks great and really suits you. I don’t understand how anyone could go to a gym in a painter/decorator suit though?! What was he thinking?! Were people staring?!
    Bless Alfie! Bella started sleeping in her bed after we had moved. She’d had it for the past three years, but actively avoided it until we placed it inside a box in the kitchen of our new house at night. It’s now her hidey-hole and she loves it! Aren’t animals strange?!
    Mary recently posted…Busy teaching timesMy Profile

    1. It’s hilarious what people wear to the gyms. At the risk of gross generalisations and stereotyping, my gym does attract a lot of shift workers I think because of the times it can open. So you get a lot of manual workers and lorry drivers I think. And to be frank, I don’t think they actually care! I’m not saying that’s true for all manual workers/shift workers but for the ones in my gym…
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…Happy things…when I’m still waitingMy Profile

  7. I swear by anti-bac cleaning stuff for my gym kit! I’ve used that tesco stuff a fair few times and now I’ve got some dettol stuff. I read somewhere that you shouldn’t wash technical stuff on hotter than 30 degree and no fabric conditioner either because it makes it last longer, but you do sometimes get a funny whiff after a few washes (or at least I do!) but the anti-bac stuff really helps. I use it on my tea towels and bath towels too.
    Helen recently posted…Back to businessMy Profile

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