13.1 mile run, sickness, and new shoes!

Sunday was my long run, and I wanted to try the distance that was a half marathon to see if I can actually do it, well yes I can.

Summary

Distance:	13.10 mi
Time:	2:01:10
Avg Pace:	9:14 min/mi
Elevation Gain:	284 ft
Calories:	933 C

I fuelled up propery before with some oats and a large banana, and for during the race I took some of these:

I was proud that I was able to complete the run, however my legs felt really exhausted after mile 8 and by mile 10 I didn't think I could do it as my knee's were starting to ache and was getting some thigh pain so I stretched for a bit and this gave me the get up and go again.

HOWEVER, after I came back from the run. I had SIS re-go recovery shake, showered stretched. Then I started to feel incredible sick, queasy, dizzy. Then 10 minutes later I was sick. I wasn't sure what was going on was it the gels, the drinks? I posted on a running forum that I am a member of and they said it sounds like dehydration.  I thought I was drinking enough, so now am making sure I drink at least 2 litres a day. I had some dry crackers and sips of water and did feel much better. The next day I called my dietician up, had to ring her as I have made a menu plan increase but my weight has dropped. Spoke to her and she said it may be my glycogen levels and low blood sugar. But I was properly fueled before I set up, I don't think the cliff shot blocks agreed with me as I did feel my stomach getting quite queasy. I think I may try a carb drink to have after an hour next time.

Shoes

Because of the pain I was getting in my knees, I went to a reputable run shop and asked their advice also took my old shoes incase it was something with the shoes. They said to me that I don't over-pronate but am a neutral runner!!! So now have a new pair of shoes,expensive day cost me £100 but shoes are the post important thing in running:

I had a rest day yesterday and boy did I need it could barely walk after running yesterday!! I did plenty of stretches and strengthening exercises. My legs are feeling so much stronger and can really see the improvement in doing stretches everyday.  Found this good video on youtube:

runners knee stretches

Also if you get chance check out this girlies blog has a great giveaway and great blog on fitness.

Has anyone else experienced sickness after a long run? 
Do you stretch after running? 

Cross Training and Recipe

Hope everyone is having a good week can't believe how quick the weeks seem to go by!!!I've been doing a bit of cross training, as finding running quite high impact. I actually started of as a cyclist, but picked up running at the end of last summer and I really love the both!! I am thinking of doing a duathlon in July time, I really suck majorly at swimming so thought a duathlon would be really good fun. This is me and my pride and joy

Yep anyone who knows me closely, knows me for my love of pink!! So I customised my bike with some pink handle bar covers and pink tyres and of course I go out dressed in pink. I need to be seen somehow.

I went for a fairly easy 15 mile ride with average speed around 15.8 mph, was quite pleased with that as it was so windy whilst out, and haven't been out much on my bike. I am heading for a longish ride today with a friend from a bike shop. I really need to clean my bike though its filthy!!!

Mixed Bean Cassoulet

Ingredients: 

• tbsp olive oil or spray oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 butternut squash de-seeded and cut into cubes.
• 300ml Veg stock
• Can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of tomato puree
• 2 bay leaves
• fresh thyme
• Can of butter beans
• Can of kidney Beans
• 2 Slices of wholemeal bread(blended into bread crumbs)
• 30g chopped mixed nuts
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 5-7 mins, then add the garlic and squash and cook for a further minute. Then add the stock, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, bay leaves, thyme and cans of beans. Cook for another 5 mins then transfer to a casserole dish 

The mixture will look a bit dry but the squash releases juices. I cooked it for around 40-50 minutes. Then took it out the oven and added the breadcrumbs and mixed nuts. 

Yesterday evening my boyfriend cooked me this:

Stuffed Squash with lentils and sunflower seeds and a bit of goats cheese.

Very impressed, he's not a vegetarian but knows the sort of things that I eat was really nice. 

Do you cross train? If so what do you do? 

Does your partner/ boyfriend/friends cook and eat things they don't usually eat? 

WIAW and recovery talk

So thought I would particpate this week.

 Firstly I have to recap on my awesome 10 mile run that I had on Monday. I felt so good all the way through it.

Summary

Distance:	10.00 mi
Time:	1:29:57
Avg Pace:	8:57 min/mi
Elevation Gain:	161 ft
Calories:	711 C

Sorry about the calorie info!! Comes with the summary on my Garmin. I was most pleased because the week before I did the same run my pace was 9.25. I really want to do the half in less than 2 hours. 

I also have decided that I really need to try and gain some weight, when I saw my dietician she said if it has stayed the same or hasn't increased to add in an extra 150, I didn't manage it the past two days but from today I am making the effort!! I came back from my run this morning, and had the worst pain in my hip and know if I want to take the running and cycling seriously I need to gain some and to try and get my periods back as the lack of oestrogen is bad news when it comes to injuries. I really want to properly recover if I am ever to be a good occupational therapist. I am not saying it will dissapear overnight or if it will ever truly go. But I can try though? Had an appointment with my therapist today and we spoke about how I am very much all or nothing which is a common trait seen in anorexia, when I cycle I don't just go for 5 miles I do 60 mile rides, I don't just run a few streets I train for half marathons, when I was very ill I didn't just lose a bit of weight but a lot. I am very determined and in the past this has been unhealthy but now I can turn it around and be determined to succeed. 

So after than rant... onto to what I ate yesterday!!! Which was actually a rest day for me, it was hard but I saw through it okay. I spent most of the afternoon cooking a traditional french dish, a bean cassoulet. I will upload the recipe tomorrow. 

Breakfast:

Oats with strawberries and strawberry flavoured protein powder

Lunch

I bought an onion squash from a local organic veg market, and it was so tiny and cute!!

I put some cottage cheese in it and roasted it with some more veggies and fish. This was consumed with my adorable cat Ruby!!! Who yes shared some fish with me!!

I snacked on some fruit in the afternoon whilst I was cooking dinner:

Basically underneath the crumb topping of wholemeal bread and some chopped nuts is butternut squash, butter beans, and kidney beans with plenty of herbs. It was so good and I shared it with my boyfriend who loved it!!! I also was able to freeze some. 

Whats your favourite way to eat beans? I love them in stews and casseroles. 

How do you spend your rest days? 

Are you an all or nothing person? 

training recap and job

The running training is going well, although I am thinking tomorrow will be a rest day. My schedule for this week is:

Monday: Long Run-10 mile run @ 10.32

Tuesday: Rest day

Wednesday: Easy Cycle- 30 mile cycle ride

Thursday: Tempo Run- 6miles (4 miles @9.02)

Friday- Cycle ride and short 3 mile easy run

Saturday- Speed Work- 7 miles (3x 1600 @8.27 w/800 jogs)

Sunday-Rest day

So I have included some cross training of cycling. I do love cycling as well, and after I have completed the half marathon I am going to be training for 100k cycle ride around Dartmoor with my boyfriend.

Today is my long run, and have had my pre run fuel of oats, banana, greek yogurt and some flax seeds. I am also trying a energy gel whilst on my run.

Update on the Job


I didn't get the job that I had applied for as it went to people with more experience. I was very disappointed as the interview did go quite well and got quite positive vibes from the interviewers. But with every cloud their is always a silver lining, the nurse recommended me to the NHS bank where you get to work in different wards and they give you training. So I have spent the weekend emailing someone and arranging for me t start I have to wait for the CRB and references to come back before I can start so will be a few weeks at least. But I am really happy and can't wait to start. You don't know how much I detest my current job, I just want to be doing something that is caring their really is no job satisfication in pulling pints!!

half marathon training plan

Well I do think 2012 is looking up to be a good year. My half marathon training is going well. I spent some time on the runners world website, and found this great tool that will give you a unique training plan that is suited to your ability and goals. You enter your details about your last race time, how long you currently train for, how hard you want to train and how long you have to train for and it gives you training plan. Mine came out like this TRAINING PLAN. 

Yesterday was my 10 mile run, I was feeling quite good up to mile 4. I think I maybe started out too soon as looking at my garmin my pace started to slow down

10 mile run by sarah_1986@hotmail.co.uk at Garmin Connect - Details

and towards mile 8 started to get some hip pain. But overall I was pleased with it, my average pace was 9.25 per min/mile I've been trying out some different things to munch on the go. Yesterday was some jelly belly sports beans. 

Only trouble was as my hands were quite cold was difficult to nibble on the go so today I have brought some gels to try as they will be easier to take on the go. 

When I came back from the run I was more than ready for some recovery food after quickly downing a recovery shake my appetite was about. My dietician recommended some eggs to me as she said they are one of the best complete source of proteins. I love my dietician she has known me for nearly 6 years!! and has seen me in the very dark stages of anorexia where my diet consisted of lettuce leaves and some tuna. I hated her when I first met her, but it was the ed side of me that hated her as I was in patient and no choice but to eat the food. Gradually over the years and through wanting to recover she has been really helpful. She really gets anorexia and never patronises and finds was for me to slowly introduce foods back through working at my pace. 

Poached egg with baked beans, wholegrain rye bread with some light cream cheese and mushrooms!!!

This was actually  really quick meal I have a microwavable egg poacher (yep lazy I know;) 

Today was an important day for me. After a 3 mile recovery run I turned from a runner

Oh how fetching running gear is!!!!

Into a smart lady!!!

I had a interview for a healthcare assistant job at my local hospital. I think the interview went quite well, tbh I was even proud of myself for getting the interview as the last time I applied I didn't even get that far. I will hear on Friday, the 13th of all dates!!! Let's hope its good news.

So runners what is your ideal snack to eat mid run?? Favourite recovery meal? 

Cocktail Time

Good day peeps. Hope everyone is having a nice Sunday. I have had a nice few days despite being at work which I really detest. But feeling myself get so much stronger running, and yesterday I went on a cycle ride it was meant to be a fairly easy cycle but being on the bike gave me so much freedom and ended up cycling up some hills. But it made me realise how much more work I need to do with food and I think the months that anorexia got really strong and I ended up in hospital I wasted some muscle damage so this is all the more reason to continue to fight no matter how strong the voice gets. (side note I was in hospital for really bad depression not for anorexia but I was barely eating at the time)   I want so much more than this horrid illness, I sometimes shudder when I think back to all the years I had lost to this illness and never want to go back to those dark days again.

Last night was a nice evening I cooked dinner for me and my boyfriend. I bought a load of squashes from the organic market in Totnes only place I have found different squashes. My local town stocks butternut squash and thats it. So I roasted some of this:

Which I believe is Kabocha squash I just love how orange they are inside:

I also cooked a sweet pototao.  I had this paired with a tuna steak and some broccoli and chantey carrots.

Me and my boyfriend had a fun evening planned making cocktails:

We made  Mojitos which were pretty easy to make. You just need

Rum

Fresh Mint leaves

Sugar

Lime and Soda Water

First step was to mash the mint leaves with one teaspoon of sugar

Then add 50ml rum 25 ml of lime juice and as much soda as you like and then the crushed ice on the top and alas two cocktails!!

Ever made cocktails? 

WIAW- Getting the new year off to a good start.

Well its been a long time till I have participated in this, mainly because no-one wants to read about plates of vegetables and fruit being consumed which is what my diet had consisted off, and it feels good to be able to eat proper food and fuel myself properly. 

This morning I started the day of properly with some oats, with natural yogurt and dried apricots. It has been months since I have ate porridge and it felt so warming and comforting. I need to work on the amounts I put in adding some healthy fats but is a step in the right direction.

After they had digested I went on an easy cycle ride did about 20 miles at a slow pace. I needed my legs to recover as I went on a long run the afternoon before did 9 miles, and this is my other bit of good news I have entered in an half marathon!!! When I was in a running shop I saw it on their counter and was attracted as it is traffic free and pancake flat!!!! Marathon details: http://www.ironbridgerunnerevents.co.uk/exeterhalf/ I actually have no idea how to train for a half marathon, will do some googling. I really love exercise so much and it has really helped me to get to a higher weight and eat more as I want to fuel my sport. I find I don't care so much about what I eat, my mood is a lot better and I learn to accept my body for what it is.


Lunch was spent with my lovely boyfriend. He cooked us something in his slowcooker, called gingered chickpeas with parsnips, carrots, and onions in a tomato sauce it was so nice. I had it with some roasted butternut squash:

Afterwards I had one of my cookies, these I have made before. But this time added honey and some  nakd pineapple raisins. It was adapted from this lovely girlies blog I actually made this in about 20 minutes when I came in from the bike ride as was waiting for Andy to pick me up.

After lunch and chilling out with Andy he took me food shopping, stocked up on essentials and then I went to my old house to pick up some things that have been their for months. We also stopped for a costa quite handy having a boyfriend who works in my favourite coffee place. So had a extra hot soya latte. 

This evening I cooked my favourite veg, roasted butternut squash with sage, cottage cheese and a chickpea salad!!

Favourite veg to eat in the winter? 
Any tips for a half marathon? 

Back for good I hope

Well I have been thinking of updating my blog for a while, and ever since I started reading blogs I loved the ideas of having goals but for some reason every time it came to the beginning of the month I was busy, had forgotten, or was struggling with things. I wanted to update before Xmas but didn’t really have the time.

Things are going a lot better and I feel confident that I will again pick myself up and make moves with my recovery. I think over the years I am finally learning to accept things, to accept that recovery and life for that  is not one straight journey that there will be bumps and bruises but it’s about letting those bruises heal.  I truly believe and hope that I will one day recover from an eating disorder.

Although my last relapse was horrid, some positives did come about. I realised that I did actually have people who really care. Two friends from college and someone whom I have known for years and consider my best friend were like a rock to me visiting nearly every day their kindness helped me through so much. I also learnt that I was taking on too much, I was working full time long hours till 2 am someday and I hadn’t allowed myself to rest. I realised what an amazing boyfriend I have who likes me no matter what has happened to me, it also enabled me to be completly honest with him and this has helped strengthen our relationship.

Although this year has been difficult. I am confident that the past is that the past and that I have it within me to make changes and make this a great year.

Goals:

• v  Complete a half marathon
• v  60 mile cycle ride around Dartmoor ( I have entered the Dartmoor classic with my boyfriend which is in January)
• v  Get to University.
• v  Continue cooking and making meals from scratch.
• v  Have some fun.
• v  Get a better job. (have an interview next week for a health care assistant with the NHS)
• v  Update my blog regularly.
• v  Learn to rest more.

Happy New Year everyone!!!! 

What things do you have planned for the year ahead? 

T