Run Josie Run!!!!!

Thought I'd squeeze in a quick blog today, sorry if you have missed them.  We are away end of this week and am busy trying to get things sorted out so haven't had the spare time in the evening to sit and blog, which is a shame because I miss it, more than anything it really helps me stay focused.

So today was a momentous day for me, a totally new adventure ... I started running!!

Well, if you can call it that.  Yes, I think you can, because it is a start.

After some great advice from followers of my Facebook page I downloaded the NHS couch to 5k podcasts, bit the bullet today and went for it, will tell you more a bit later.

~BREAKFAST~

 

Kick-started the day with a hard boiled duck's egg, some wholemeal toast topped with marmite and a Ginger Berry Protein blast .... frozen raspberries, fresh strawberries, stem ginger, cinnamon, almond milk and chocolate protein powder, all bitzed up into a blast of flavour!

I know some people have trouble with the idea of eating duck's eggs, and I get that because ducks are cute, but they offer so much more nutritional benefits than your normal hens egg, and I think are a much better flavour.

I can handle a boiled egg in the morning, its baked egg type things I have trouble with, like omelette's, just find them too rich so early!

~LUNCH~

 

We bought some smoked mackerel fillets from the Food Festival we attended last week and I decided to make a pate with them.

So flaked each fillet up and then mixed it with ft free fromage frais, a good squeeze of lemon and some horseradish sauce also picked up at the food festival.

Spread it over a couple of spelt crackers topped with pumpkin seeds, so delicious.




Followed with a banana to maximise my afternoon planned exercise.

~AFTERNOON SNACK~

 

After a very successful gym and swimming session today I grabbed one of my Magical Energy Bars to give me a boost before I attempted my first ever run!

~DINNER~

 

No photo tonight as have made this before, but dinner was a Quorn bolognese with wholewheat pasta topped with freshly grate parmesan.

 

Recipe can be found on this blog!

~EXERCISE~

 

So this evening I am feeling like Wonder Woman ... albeit a little bit of a tired one!

 

I only have 3 days at the gym this week so really wanted to make the most of them.  So am doubling up each day and doing gym followed by swimming, obviously I won't be swimming as much as I usually do as don't want to exhaust my body, but am doing an hours weights in the gym followed by half hour in the pool where I will get between 40-50 lengths done.

 

I am so looking forward to going away ... but so dreading not being able to get to my beloved gym, I know I will miss it so much.  But at least I will hopefully then be biting at the bit to get back to it when we return.  (I am however packing a couple of my kettlebells ... luckily we aren't going abroad cos my baggage would be through the roof!!).

 

So today was also the first day of my 'couch to 5k' programme using the NHS podcasts.  I have done pathetic attempts at running before, but given up after a couple of minutes and collapsed in a wheezing bright red mess on the floor literally thinking I was dying!  I was very impressed to see how much my lung capacity and stamina had increased which must be down to the swimming I now do. 

 

The couch to 5k is a 9 week programme designed to allow total beginners to gradually build up their running abilities.

 

Week one is to be carried out over 3 intermittent days, so my next one will be on Wednesday.  For this week I have to start with a brisk 5 minute walk, then the lady on the podcast tells you when to start running, you then do intermittent 60 second running followed by 90 second walking.  In total you run for 8 minutes.

 

I found the first 6 fine, by the 3rd one I was really enjoying it, by the 6th one I was starting to feel it!  The 7th and 8th were hard work ... but I done them, and that is a great achievement, am pretty damned chuffed with myself.

 

I felt totally elated and wanted to run all the way home ..... but was sensible and walked instead.

 

A minute really isn't so long.  However am trying not to think about week 4 when you have to run for 5 minutes at a time!!

I have a couple of pairs of running shoes, one pair is a fab and funky pink pair that look the business, the other are more sensible in that they have in-built support for my heel which I suffer with.... I stupidly chose the pink pair today .. not a wise choice.  Practically will come before vanity next time!

 

I love to be outside anyway, I love walking, and to me this is just an extension of that.  I really don't think I will ever be into running marathons, but who knows, I am constantly surprising myself lately!!  I am actually looking forward to running in the rain and the cold .... sounds fab to me, just layer up!!

 

This is a link to the NHS couch to 5k programme:- NHS , it is totally free and full of advice and information.

Anyway, that's it for today
Thanks again for reading ... and supporting!

Jo
xx