Category: Uncategorized

 

Hey friends! Sorry from the long hiatus from blogging! I’ve been pretty ill for the last few weeks and I spent most of my time on bed rest! I guess blogging is synonymous with running for me, and I didn’t feel much like writing about how fun it was to be stuck in bed all day haha! But I’m mostly better now and I had my first run back yesterday, so life is good again! Thank you for the kind messages and emails!

 

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Yesterday some friends and I headed up to central London bright and early to watch and cheer on our teammates in the London Marathon and the London Mini Marathon. It was a beautiful sunny day and the Mall (where the finish line is) looked amazing!

 

All the runners were handed black ribbons with their numbers in memory of the lives lost last week at Boston, and a minute silence was held before the races. The security and police presence seemed greater than in previous years too, which we were all thankful for.

 

The London Mini Marathon is a race that means a lot to me. Two years ago, it was the first “real” race (I did a 10k fun run before that) I competed in. It introduced me to competitive running, to the running team that I now train and compete with, and to the wonderful and iconic event that is the London Marathon. Running it was undoubtedly one of the best experiences of my life. The race is held over the last 5k of the marathon course just before the marathon itself starts, so the crowd support is unrivalled.

After the London Mini Marathon 2011, my first race!

 

Mo Farah himself is actually a three-time winner of the London Mini Marathon! The race is also great because runners receive the same medal and awesome goody bag as the runners of the full marathon do, which is obviously the highlight of the race Last year was my final year of being eligible to run the LMM, because I’m sadly too old now, and I remember feeling tearful as I came down the mall to the finish line as it hit me that this was my last time! But I know that someday I’ll run down that finish after running the full marathon distance, and I can’t wait for that day

The winning team of the London Mini Marathon 2012!

 

So yesterday although I was sad not to be racing, I had a great time cheering my teammates on! They all did fantastically and our team won again! Being able to train amongst so many talented athletes definitely has made me a better runner, and our team is so fantastically supportive of each other.

 

Naomi is my “little sister” and she especially did AMAZINGLY, coming in 3rd out of over 200 girls in 18:25 for the 5k!! And she’s only 13! She’s a little star and I’m so proud of her!! Love training with these girls

Naomi being carried post-race by her big sister Abi…despite “not being tired” haha

 

After my friends had finished, I headed to the finish area to find them and we watched the elites race on the big screen together. Both races were so exciting, especially the last mile of the men’s race!! We then picked up some food at a nearby Tesco’s and then headed to St James’ Park for a little picnic. Apparently the five runners needed a dozen Krispy Kremes after racing…who knew

 

Later in the afternoon, I went on my second run of the day (I did a short easy run that morning), taking full advantage of the beautiful sunshine! It’s always really hard coming back to running after an extended time off, but running with friends makes it that much easier

 

I also went out in the evening with two of my closest friends. Our favourite pub was having a 90’s music night, and all being 90’s kids, this made our evening! And who doesn’t love dancing the Macarena

 

Plus in just over a week Catherine and I will be performing a double concerto with an orchestra for the first time!! We will be performing it on tour in Italy this summer too, and I was beyond delighted when I was asked to perform it with my best friend! Right now I’m more excited than nervous, so I hope it stays that way!

 

This evening was my first session back at the track for a month or so! I had a speed session, and I think I conveniently forgot how fun but painful those are! Especially when you train with an 800m runner and a 400m runner! But having them pull me along makes me faster…or at least that’s what I tell myself when I feel like my legs are about to fall off  

 

I’m currently writing this post sitting halfway up the stairs, because my lactic-filled legs won’t carry me any further. Boy did I miss this!

Have you ever run the London Marathon? Did you watch it this year? I definitely plan to run it sometime within the next few years! I watch it every year and I love it

 

What is your favourite race? My favourite is definitely the LMM, but I also love National Cross Country!

 

What was the highlight of your weekend? Being able to RUN again!! And the marathon of course!

 

Have a great week friends! <3

 

Thank you all SO MUCH for your comments and emails on my last post! Your congrats and advice were much appreciated I thought and prayed about it a lot this week, spoke to friends and family about it, and talked it over with the admissions tutor and I will almost certainly be deferring my place at UM. In many ways, it seems ridiculous to defer an offer with a very generous scholarship attached, but honestly this just feels RIGHT.  There are so many things that I had to take into account, but many of you also encouraged me to take the chance to travel while I have it, and I don’t think I’ll have a chance like this again in the future, so I’ve made the decision to take a year out

 

So the plan at the moment involves working for about half a year, and then spending six months travelling. My tentative current travel plans involve spend a few months living, training and racing in Brisbane, because my running club is partnered with one there, and a friend of mine did this last year and had an amazing time! Their athletics club usually competes in track races every weekend, so she travelled and raced with them and was in amazing shape when she came back! And I’ve always wanted to visit Australia, so training and living there would be awesome

 

And possibly even MORE excitingly, I am planning (again, this is isn’t set in stone by any means!) on attending a running camp at the High Altitude Training Centre in Iten, Kenya! For those of you who don’t know much about the running mecca that is Iten, check out this article.

 

It would be the most amazing (and undoubtedly humbling!) experience, and being able to meet and train in the same place as the best runners in the world would be incredible. Plus it would be the perfect opportunity to stalk my fave athletes Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe

 

So hopefully I would be going into college as a better athlete and a better all-round person I’M SO EXCITED bring on 2014 already!!

 

Aside from making big life decisions, this week has been pretty standard. Yesterday I had a great hill session on my favourite hill circuit with the team. Its a triangular hill circuit on the roads, with about 600m steep uphill climb. So the session was 16 hill sprints, followed by a relay around the circuit. Sprinting down the hill is the scariest thing ever, especially when you can hear a car coming behind you(!), but it’s one of my fave sessions for sure! Nothing kills your legs more like speed and hills! And I don’t know quite how I manage it but I somehow always get mud all over my legs no matter where my run is…

HOW DID I GET MUDDY RUNNING ON THE ROADS?!

 

Hill training will do wonders for your running, and is definitely something every runner can and should try to incorporate into their training! The benefits of hill running include:

• helps develop power and muscle elasticity
• helps reduce injury risk, as it strengthens your leg muscles
• improves stride frequency and length
• develops maximum speed and strength (short hills)
• improves lactate tolerance (longer hills)
• helps develop MENTAL TOUGHNESS (so important in racing!!)

 

In summary, hills are fab. Let the legs meet the lactic!!

racing up the longest hill ever at Parliament Hill

 

After the hill session, our team all signed a good luck card for one of our teammates who has been selected to run for England this weekend! GOOD LUCK JESS!!

 

This week has been more busy music-wise than normal. I had an early start for a studio recording earlier this week. I’m not a big fan of studio recordings because the microphones pick up absolutely EVERY sound, and I always mess up a  perfect take by just shuffling my feet or rustling the music slightly! Plus after hundreds of takes you are just EXHAUSTED. I think the most takes I’ve ever had in a recording is over 400! That was nine hours of fun right there

on the train on the way there with my beloved viola <3

 

There have been lots of rehearsals, concerts and quartet jobs on top of that. I had a quartet gig at the Foreign Office in London for a delegation from China, and it took me twenty minutes to get through security alone!

 

If nothing else, we definitely impressed them with our professionalism

 

Where would you most like to RUN in the world? I have a running places bucket list! So far I’ve ticked off running across the Golden Gate Bridge, running along the Seine and running up a volcano (Hawaii). Still got running in Kenya, running in Central Park NY and running in the mountains in Canada to go!

 

What is your favourite running workout? Hills, tempo, intervals, long run, etc.? I think hills are my fave right now, although I change my mind approximately every other day.

 

Have a great weekend friends!! <3

 

I have some big news, which some of you may have seen if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, but for those of you who don’t know…

 

…I received my acceptance to the University of Miami this morning as an international undergrad! I haven’t discussed on here what I’ll be doing next year, because I’m not entirely sure yet to be honest. Right now I am planning to either take up my place at UM (that’s dependant on finances) or at George Washington University, or I’ve also been offered the opportunity to take a gap year and live and train with a running team in Brisbane for a while and then go to uni the following year! I’ll talk more about it once I’ve decided

Brisbane, Australia! Living and training here for a few months would be awesome:)

 

I’ve had a pretty wonderful week all round! Last Friday night saw an end-of-exam-week celebration at our favourite pub, followed by an early start the next morning with a 5 mile run and a yoga date with my bestie.

sorry Gabs for ruining a perfectly good photo of us;)

 

After our BodyBalance class, we headed out for lunch. Our favourite cafe was full, so we headed to a new place to us, which we ended up loving too! I had a soya latte and an aubergine (eggplant) dish, which was delicious!!

 

Gabby is a photographer, and is doing a music section for one of her portfolios, so she accompanied me to the afternoon rehearsal of a concert I had that day. We had a three hour afternoon rehearsal before the evening concert, and it was definitely one of my favourite concerts I’ve ever played in! The program and energy of the orchestra was so great:)

 

I had some of the coldest runs of my life earlier this week. For some reason the snow has returned AGAIN and not only was it snowing yesterday but there was also a wind chill of approximately –1000 degrees (possibly a slight exaggeration…). Yesterday involved a run in the park with the team, where we almost got blown over by the wind/blizzard, followed by a circuit session, then a two mile cooldown when I got back home. I honestly have never been so cold on a run, and I’m pretty sure I got face frostbite. I am beyond amazed by those of you who live in much colder places and still brave outdoor runs!!

 

Our circuit session was a tough one! We started with exercises with medicine balls and a few rounds of planks, and then we did four sets of 40 seconds of the following:

• Bench dips
• Alternate side sit-ups
• Star jumps
• T-leg raises
• Push ups
• Burpees

I cannot do 40 seconds of push ups, especially not four times! I have zero upper body strength, but I’m working on it!

 

I resorted to the treadmill for a couple of runs, but thankfully the multitude of running magazines I have stashed in my gym bag kept me entertained. Being able to read and run at the same time is a talent of mine

 

I almost always would prefer running outside to on the treadmill, but I do love using the ‘mill for tempo runs. I am one of those runners who absolutely cannot do a proper tempo run outside. I always start off far too fast to maintain the pace, and my tempos always turn into a strange sort of fartlek. Running them on the treadmill keeps my pace steady and honest, and gives me a proper tempo! (P.S. For more on tempo running, see these two articles).

 

And now I’m off to spend the rest of my evening cuddling my dog and catching up on the latest episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and Criminal Minds. Criminal Minds genuinely creeps me out when I’m watching it home alone in the evenings, but my little Buddy will keep me safe;)

 

Where did you go for university/college, or where do you want to go?

 

Do you incorporate tempo runs into your training? I don’t do them very often at the moment, but I hope to incorporate more of them in the future! To be honest I’m more of a fartlek/intervals gal…I love speed!

 

If you could live anywhere in the world for a few months, where would it be? Probably Hawaii or Australia…anywhere where I have access to a beach haha!

 

Have a great weekend friends! <3

 

On Friday I had a fun speed session on the track with my running team, and I went straight from that freezing cold snowy run to a meal out with friends. It was definitely one of my coldest runs yet, I was completely numb, even under layers! After the first set most of us ran back inside to grab gloves and hats before continuing. Dinner was eaten at my favourite local Mexican restaurant…their guacamole is to DIE for!! It was a fun evening! You can’t beat a night of running and Mexican food

 

Not only has it been FREEZING cold outside, but our boiler broke a few days ago so we have had no hot water or heating in the house! It has been SO cold that I’ve been carrying a space heater around with me from room to room…it never leaves my side! Also try not to be too jealous of my super cool slippers…

 

Because of the lack of heating, I spent the weekend staying at a friend’s apartment in Central London. We spent our evenings watching Friends episodes (I used to be completely obsessed with Friends when I was about 15…I would watch hours of it every day!) whilst eating cereal for dinner…truly living the student life!

 

Once we had our fill of Friends, we hit the town! I was so excited when I found some Bansky street art…obviously I had to obnoxiously pose with it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who have been asking, yes I do go out most weekend nights, but I fit it around my running! I have no worries on Friday nights because Saturday is usually my rest day (unless I have a race on Saturday, in which case I hit the sack at approx 7pm;), and on Saturday nights I keep it fairly PG before Long Run Sundays! I try to get at least 7 hours sleep even after a late night out and that way I am certain that my long run won’t be affected!

 

Long Run Sunday was a beautifully sunny but chilly 8 miles on the trails. For fun, I threw in some mile repeats that averaged a 6.30min/mile pace, and finished the run feeling refreshed and happy There is nothing better than a relaxing run on trails on a sunny morning!

 

Over the 2.5 years I have been running I have become the master of the quick change. I was hired to play at two weddings on Sunday, and I had to get to the first one straight after my run, so I had to change and sort out my run-hair on the way to the first hotel. Both weddings were BEAUTIFUL though, and I love playing at them, even if I do start to reconsider my life after the millionth rendition of Pachelbel’s Canon

 

It’s on days like these that snack bars are an absolute LIFESAVER! I have some stashed in my bag and in my viola case too for emergencies!

 

After the weddings I ran home to make a quick dinner before heading back out to give a short recital at a care home, which I do once a month. I love the residents of the home- they are always so excited to see me and are the best audience ever!!

making a dinner from random leftovers that I found in the freezer! leftovers are a lifesaver.

 

The lovely residents surprised me with flowers after the performance! It was so sweet of them, and it totally made my day One of the women also invited me to join them for bingo later, but I decided to pass up on that one;)

 

Anyway, I need to step away from my laptop now and turn off New Girl (obsessed) and start the work that I avoided doing all weekend!

 

Where was the last wedding you went to at? I’ve only actually attended one wedding before, and that was in India when I was younger! I’ve been hired to play at a number though, the coolest being a military wedding at the Ritz, which included a sword parade down the Thames!!

 

What is your go-to snack? Almost all my snacks are energy bars…I love Clif and Luna bars!! I’m going through a Clif Z bar phase right now…they’re soooo good!!

 

Where is the best place you have ever travelled? I know this is a random question but I am trying to decide a place to holiday this year, and I’m stuck! I definitely want to go somewhere new to me, and I was thinking Canada, Mexico, Dubai or the US somewhere? And the best place I’ve ever travelled to is Hawaii!

 

Have a great week friends! <3

 

Last week was one of the most stressful weeks I’ve ever experienced. I had some major deadlines to meet on top of everything else, which meant too many all-nighters, one of which happened to be on Valentine’s Day! So instead of going out, I stayed up until almost 6am doing work, but it was all made better with some pink champagne to celebrate V-Day

 

Coffee was my absolute LIFESAVER last week. I might as well have had a coffee IV with the amounts I was getting through! When I stayed up at night to work, I had a kettle and a jar of instant coffee next to my laptop so I was on a caffeine buzz all night long!

 

Since Friday though, life has been back to normal! I had a quiet night in on Friday night and caught up on my sleep, and then celebrated the end of a stressful week with friends on Saturday and Sunday night, which was so fun!

 

There have been lots of fun training sessions in the past week in the freezing cold! Does anyone else get headaches after running in sub-zero temperatures? It feels like my brain has frozen and is slowly (and painfully!) thawing. Still, running in the cold > running in heat any day!!

 

Every Monday we have a team conditioning session after a run, which always kicks my butt! We start off with hurdle drills (leg swings over hurdles, jumping from standing start over hurdles, etc.), which are great for mobility and increasing muscular power and explosiveness. I suck at hurdle drills (reason #1000 why I am not a hurdler!!) but I am improving each week I find this the hardest- you never realise how high they are until you have to try this:

After hurdles, we do planks, then go into the circuit, which is different each week. We do our circuit workouts progressively, so we increase the intensity and time for each exercise over four weeks, then cut back for a week before increasing again. This week was a cutback week, so the circuit was shorter than usual:

 

Hurdle drills and planks, then 3×40 seconds of the following, with 1 minute between each circuit:

- lunge jumps
- push ups
- T-leg raises
- mountain climbers/sprint thrusts
- alternate leg V Sits
- burpees

 

The last couple of days there has been SUNSHINE here for what must be the first time all year! It has made for some beautiful trail runs:) This is one of my favourite spots, and I often sit here at the end of my run and just watch the river.

 

As with every trail run, I was pretty muddy by the time I had finished! I lost track of the time when running and realised as soon as I finished my run that I was seriously late for an appointment at the hairdressers, so I had to go straight to the salon, muddy legs and all! Thankfully I’m good friends with my hairdresser so she just laughed as I turned up all windswept and traipsed mud all through her salon!

 

Last night I went on a yoga date with my bestie! Gabby and I went to a BodyBalance class (a mix of yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi), and it was not only her first time doing yoga/pilates, but it was also her first EVER group exercise class! She loved it so we’re going to make it a weekly date

loving that sweaty post-exercise glow

I hadn’t been to a BodyBalance class in a while, and I had forgotten how much I loved them! I had conveniently forgotten how beyond awful I am at balancing….! I also didn’t appreciate the abs track after Monday’s conditioning session. Breathing hurts today.

 

After the class Gabby came back to mine and we chilled on the couch, ate Chinese food, and watched The Vow. Saddest movie ever.

 

And this evening we watched Dear John, which is another sobfest. I can’t take all these emotional movies!! Channing Tatum makes it all better though

 

What was the last movie you saw? Before these two movies, it was Les Miserables, which was AMAZING. But also a tearjerker. I need to watch a comedy ASAP…

 

Do you take yoga/pilates/BodyBalance classes? What is your favourite group exercise class? I used to go weekly to BodyBalance or yoga, but I fell out of the habit a few months ago. I’m looking forward to getting back into it! I also want to get back to spinning, because I loved that!! I only stopped because the instructor I liked was on leave, but now he’s back, so I can’t wait to get my butt kicked again!!

 

Do you have a favourite running route? What is it like? My favourite is on a trail that I have to drive to get to, but I have some nice ones nearby too that I enjoy running on. I also have a favourite hilly 7 mile route on the roads that I love!

 

Have a great day friends! <3

 

I feel ashamed that I have never talked about Mystic Brew on the blog yet. Going there again for lunch yesterday just reminded me of that sad fact.

all decorated for Valentine’s Day!

 

It is my local coffee shop and it is my favourite place in the WORLD. Their coffee is amazing, their food is all freshly made to order (the falafel wrap is to die for!) and the people who run the place are the nicest people ever:) My friends and I are obsessed and we practically live there.

their soy cappuccinos are DIVINE

 

I seriously needed that coffee after having a packed Friday evening! I did 6 miles on the treadmill whilst rereading an old running magazine and blasting out my Les Miserables album (one of the many benefits of having the gym all to myself! ) I can’t stand running at the same pace on a treadmill for an entire run, so I made the run a relatively easy progression run, upping the speed every o.25 miles until I reached a 7 min/mile pace.

 

I followed the run with a half hour strength circuit from the Nike Training Club app that nearly killed me. I find burpees tough normally but adding a plank row to that…!

I am so achey today, but I LOVE that feeling because it reminds me that I’ve worked hard!!

 

After that I headed off to a quartet job, and that hour flew by! I seriously have the best part-time job in the world! It’s well-paid, fun, I get to play at amazing venues, and almost always at weddings and other functions we are told to help ourselves to the food, which I take full advantage of

 

I then headed to a friend’s house for an evening of girliness and wine. There’s nothing better after a busy and stressful week!

 

I spent the following evening with my bestie, snuggled up in dressing gowns watching quality Saturday night tv shows and eating Chinese. I am so in love with her new kitten that I genuinely contemplated stuffing her into my bag and making a run for it.

true love <3

 

On a random side-note, I just watched this amazing documentary on the story behind the Kenyan domination in distance running, called Man on a Mission. The video follows Eamonn Coghlan, an Irish distance runner, as he travels to Iten and follows the story of Brother Colm and David Rudisha, amongst others. It is the best running film I’ve seen, and can’t recommend it enough! You can watch the hour-long programme online here for free.

 

What was the highlight of your weekend? My long run this morning in the sleet…that was a real test of fortitude, but I really enjoyed it!

 

What is your favourite coffee shop or hang-out spot? It used to be Starbucks or Costa until Mystic Brew came along! Now I’ve seen the light!

 

Do you have, or did you used to have a part-time job? I used to babysit a lot, and I did waitressing one summer, but doing paid music gigs is way more fun

 

Have a great week friends! <3

 

P.S. Thanks for all your advice on my video problem in my last post! I will sort it ASAP

 

I am the world’s biggest tech fail. Last week I recorded a vlog to post but had some major issues uploading it:

 

So I waited the 900+ minutes for it to upload, only for it to to then be stuck in the “processing” stage since then. And it’s been five days. So if by some miracle YouTube manages to finish processing my vlog by Christmas, then I’ll finally post the video I’ve been promising for a year now! Hopefully I’ll figure out a better way to do it ASAP!

 

In the meantime, I borrowed this “currently” survey from the lovely Julianna’s blog…

 

Current book(s): I just finished Tender is the Night by Scott Fitzgerald, which I got on my Kindle for 77p! I am a HUGE Gatsby fan, but this book just blew me away.

 

Current music: The Les Miserables album, non-stop. I actually have four different recordings of it (loser alert…;), but this version is my fave:

 

Current guilty pleasure: Friday night cocktails with friends

 

Current nail colour: Essie’s Mojito Madness, see the next photo

 

Current drink: Naked Green Machine juice. At first I was really put off by the colour (murky green…) but it tastes AMAZING and I love having it especially after runs:)

 

Current food: I quite fancy a cupcake right now.

 

Current favourite show: Grey’s Anatomy! Not that I haven’t professed my love for the show enough times on the blog already…

 

Current wish list: Saucony have just brought out a new natural running shoe: the Virrata. I am currently on my fourth pair of the Saucony Kinvaras, and these seem similar, but lighter and even more “natural”.

 

Current indulgence: Buying expensive running magazines that I can read on the elliptical when I cross-train so I don’t die of boredom. This habit is burning a serious hole in my purse.

Incidentally, I went on about how much I loved the Parliament Hill cross country course in my last post, and this magazine agrees with me!!

amen.

 

Current blessing: Having amazing people to work and train with that help make me better. My training group are a crazily speedy bunch, which constantly challenges me and pushes me to become faster. Ran a fab hill session today with this lot, and we made up the best hill sprint relay team in the world!

 

It’s the same story with my music too- I’m so fortunate to be surrounded by so many fantastic musicians! I’ve been playing in orchestras since I was six years old, and without others around me to inspire me to make myself better, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

after a concert last week!

 

Current slang: I don’t know if it’s slang, but I do say “blimey” a lot. When I was in the US last year people laughed whenever I said it, saying that I was “so British”!

 

Current outfit: It’s been three hours since I got back from training, and I’m still in my running clothes with muddy legs. Standard.

 

Current excitement: Being invited to be a member of Sweaty Betty’s “Fit Crowd”! I love Sweaty Betty and everything the company stands for. I’ll post more about this soon

 

Current mood: Sleeeeeepy! I am always more tired after having a running workout in the evening!

 

Current link: I know I’ve already talked about Saucony running shoes in this post but I just saw a sneek-peak at the newest Kinvaras!! To say I’m excited is an understatement. I have my eye on those purple ones, because let’s be honest, it’s all about the colour

http://running.competitor.com/2013/02/video/shoe-talk-saucony-kinvara-4_65497

P.S. I’m not sponsored or affiliated with Saucony, I just really love their shoes!!

 

And CURRENTLY I’m off to shower and wash my hair. Who am I kidding I’m about 0.001 seconds away from falling asleep. Hygiene is overrated.

 

What is on your wish list right now? I would kill for my own treadmill. Or a cupcake.

 

Tell me one of your current blessings!

 

Have a great week friends! <3

 

It has snowed a LOT here over the past week! London usually gets snow a couple of times a year, but this week has been worse than usual! I love snow, but it has definitely made for some interesting runs…

 

I’m trying to remember the last run I went on when I didn’t fall over or slip a dozen times…but honestly I love running in the snow! Sure it makes my runs at least a minute per mile slower, but it’s fun and at least its not ice! As soon as it turns icy though I hit the treadmill!

 

Winter running is undoubtedly tough, both physically and mentally, but I believe completely that training through the elements makes you a stronger runner.

“When winter plays you a tune to stay in bed or by a warm fire, embrace the cold, wet and dark. You’ll become a stronger and better runner because of it.” ~ Scott Jurek

 

And having friends who will battle through the snow with you on a run helps too

 

Unfortunately the snow has meant that both my race last week and the South of England XC Championships on Saturday have been cancelled! I’m really sad about the cancellation of Saturday’s race, because it would have been at my favourite course in Parliament Hill! It’s a tough course but it has amazing views and is so pretty:

 

The snow didn’t manage to hold off an 8 hour rehearsal followed by a 3 hour performance yesterday though. I love my music, but after 11 straight hours of playing my shoulders and back are killing me! Massage needed badly. Thankfully my deskie is awesome and we laugh our way through the pain

 

I am so fortunate to be able to tour with my orchestra every year, and I’ve been so blessed to have been able to perform in so many amazing places around the world. This year our music tour is to this beautiful place:

Lake Garda in Italy! I CAN’T WAIT!

Words cannot describe how excited I am for July to come. This will be my seventh music tour, but I’ll be performing a concerto with the orchestra for the first time, so that’s exciting (and scary…!) As much as I love the snow, I still say BRING ON SUMMER already!!

 

Running in the snow, or running on the treadmill? Running in the snow all the way! I always get so hot and bored running on the treadmill.

 

Have you got any trips/holidays/vacations planned for this year? Italy on tour and hopefully New York too with a friend, and possibly Maui with the family.

 

Have a great weekend friends! <3

 

Just in case you didn’t know because I haven’t mentioned it enough times on the blog already, Les Miserables is my all time favourite musical. I was lucky enough to play in the orchestra in a production of it a few months back, and it was one of the highlights of my year:) It feels like I’ve been waiting for the movie to come out FOREVER but it finally came out yesterday in the UK! I saw it today and was blown away! I am definitely going to watch it again soon it is THAT GOOD. And I’m not usually a big movie person because I hate sitting still for 3 hours, but I didn’t find that a problem with this film!

 

I only cried about a thousand times in the movie;) It was AMAZING and if Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway don’t get their Oscars for their outstanding performances, then I will not be happy!! Who knew Jackman could sing?!

 

Yesterday was my best friend Gabby’s 18th birthday! We have been best friends since we were four and practically grew up in each other’s houses. We became best friends in our first day of reception (I liked her hair and decided we would be besties…as you do…!) and we used to live on the same street, so practically every night was a sleepover at the other’s house. It’s amazing how much we’ve been through together: family deaths, alcoholic parents, depression, hospital stays…the list is endless! But we’ve stuck together and pulled each other through all of it. Fourteen years in Picstitch:

LOVE YOU GABS <3

We started our night by heading to our favourite restaurant- Ping Pong on London’s Southbank- where we ate out on the heated terrace. It’s a dim sum restaurant, and the food is delicious! We ordered the mixed vegetables and rice, the spinach and mushroom dumplings, and the vegetable spring rolls (not pictured).

 

We stayed in a lovely 4* hotel near London Bridge for the night (we found a great deal online!). The bed was so comfy that I never wanted to leave it and the shower was probably bigger than my bedroom.

 

We had such a fun time…HAPPY BIRTHDAY Gabs!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s run was beyond cold. For some stupid reason I looked up the weather as I do before every run, and then decided to go with a crop top and shorts despite the forecast. I blame the lack of sleep for that genius decision. My limbs were completely numb by the time I got home!

 

And it looks like tomorrow morning’s long run will be in the snow, so I’ll try to be sensible this time and not end up getting frostbite or anything;) Saying that, last year it was snowing before and during a major cross country race I did, and we still raced in our vests and shorts. The worst part was that the race was delayed by 10 minutes, so we were all standing on the start line shivering! I guess it made us run faster though

 

What is the most extreme weather you’ve ever run/raced in? A hailstorm interrupted one of our training sessions on the track last year, and it got so bad that we all had to run inside to take cover!

 

Have you seen Les Miserables? What movies are coming our that you are looking forward to seeing? I can’t WAIT to Gatsby comes out…it’s one of my all-time favourite books!

 

Have a great weekend friends! <3

 

Hey friends! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and holiday season! I took a much needed break over the holidays to be with family and friends and just RELAX, which was great! I’m sure most of you are sick to death of all the holiday recaps, so I’ll just show a few photos from the last week or so to catch you up…

 

 my annual Christmas morning run:) it’s one of my personal favourite Christmas traditions, and the perfect start to my Christmas morning, even if it did rain the whole time

 

my contribution to the Christmas Day desserts: vegan salted caramel torte! It was a hit!

 

I think my brother was trying to take a photo of my aunt and uncle but clearly I had to go and ruin it. They flew back to New York a few days ago and I miss them already!

 

an evening spent in the recording studio

 

 

lots of lovely muddy runs! my poor Kinvaras before and after my run; they’ve been in the washing machine three times this week! good thing I love the mud…I’m definitely a cross country runner at heart:)

 

lots and lots of games played with the family. this where I got my competitive spirit from. I am the worst at Pictionary (I can’t draw to save my life!), but I am reigning champion at Articulate and Killer Scrabble. What a cool kid I am.

 

London’s New Years fireworks were beyond amazing this year!! I love this city so much, and I’ll be sad to leave it this year!

 

Happy New Years hangover! Except I added in a Step 2.5 which involved a team training session. That was interesting, but thankfully Coach made it slightly easier than usual to let us those of us who are older off the hook a bit

 

watching lots and LOTS of Grey’s Anatomy on my new laptop. I am beyond addicted. It’s ridiculous how many episodes I have watched recently.

 

on of my goals for 2013. only I’m not just aiming to crush just ONE personal best…I will crush ALL of them this year.

 

What was the highlight of your 2012? The Olympics, without a doubt. The atmosphere here in London was just incredible, and I got to see the athletics and both the marathon events. I’ll never forget it. Turning 18 also has been so fun, and I’ve had the best time being able to go out! Balancing that with my running has taken a little adjustment, but I’ve switched my weekly rest days to either Saturdays or Sundays which means I can go out on Friday/Saturday nights and not worry about it

 

Did you make any goals or resolutions for 2013? What are you most looking forward to this year? I am looking forward to working out where I’m going for university (I may be heading across the Atlantic…) and definitely to my music tour in Italy this summer! I’ve been to Venice briefly before on a previous tour but never to anywhere else in Italy, so I’m really looking forward to it! And I’m excited for what will hopefully be a great year of running!