Posts Tagged by Running
Puppies and Olympic Excitement!
| July 28, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Uncategorized |
For those of you who follow me on Twitter, I apologise for spamming your news feeds with pictures of puppies. But now I am going to put them all over this post.
On Wednesday, I visited my friend and her new puppy! Say hello to Roxie, the West Highland White Terrier puppy!
And then Thursday and Friday I’ve been living at my aunt’s house because she has just gotten a puppy too! But this cutie isn’t just any old puppy…
…this is Questa, and she is going to be a guide dog when she is older! My aunt and uncle are fostering her for a year and training her, and she will hopefully go on to help a blind or partially-sighted person 
How on earth they are going to be able to give up this little cutie is beyond me. I couldn’t even put her down for a second!
She is SO playful, and I spent a good half hour playing with her on the slide. She is adorable!!
That completely exhausted her, and she had to be carried indoor and then fell asleep on me. This is TRUE LOVE and I am currently formulating a plan to steal her.
Okay, puppy time OVER now, I promise 
It has been seriously hot here in London recently, and after a horribly hot run on Thursday…
…I took yesterday’s run to the gym! It’s the new gym that I mentioned before, and this is why it is my new favourite place on Earth:
- I was the only one in the gym for almost the whole time! No waiting for machines or equipment = win!
- The treadmill HAS IT’S OWN FAN. Best thing ever.
- Has a cool “random hill” button on the tread which was fun when I got bored;)
- It is a nice 10 minute walk from my house, and has good opening hours so I can get in early morning or late night sessions! Oh, and their showers are actually nice!
- Young athlete discount means it is CHEAP:)
Just over 7 miles done!
I refuelled with an ice lolly on my walk home, which I’m sure all the elite athletes do too…
I always read running magazines whilst on the treadmill (being able to read and run is one of my many skills;) and I was SO excited to find Running Times in WHSmiths!! You know your life is thrilling when you get excited over a magazine…! It is my favourite running magazine and I stalk the website on a daily basis, but it was only available in America until now!
In the evening, my whole family (including my aunt and uncle who are over from New York) came together and sat down to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony. What did you guys think? I thought it was great, and SO British! But my aunt and uncle didn’t understand a lot of the connotations, and parts that left me and my family in fits of laughter just left them confused! But we all loved the James Bond bit:
The whole thing left me feeling very proud to be British!
What did you think of the Opening Ceremony? I thought parts of it were great (the young athletes lighting the cauldron, Rowan Atkinson+the LSO, David Beckham and Sir Steve Redgrave, etc.), but was it too domestic, to the extent that parts “baffled foreign viewers”? Certainly did in my uncle Anthony’s case anyway
What Olympic events are you most looking forward to watching? ALL Olympic running events (track and marathon), gymnastics, swimming, rowing, cycling…so pretty much everything! I will be glued to the TV for the next couple of weeks. And next Friday and Sunday I will be seeing the action live! 
Random: Tell me about what run/workout you are doing today! A 9-miler with my BROTHER (I take full credit for his transformation from a couch potato into a runner;) as soon as I can tear myself away from the Olympic coverage!
Have a great day friends!! <3
WIAW: Day in the Life
| April 18, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under WIAW |
Happy WEDNESDAY everyone! I have some pretty exciting things happening this week, so I’m literally counting down to Friday and the weekend!
I missed WIAW last week, so hopefully I’ll make up for it now with my Tuesday recap of eats and workouts!
I started my morning with a short easy run (in the rain…), and then quickly showered whilst my breakfast was microwaving away.
oatmeal with soy milk and banana, topped with almond butter and natural strawberry jam
Lunchtime involved a grilled vegetable and hummus sandwich…
…followed by a fruit salad and lots of veg
I always get hungriest in the afternoon, and since I train in the evening and eat dinner after that, I have a LOT of snacks! My current fave snacks include my favourite carrot cake loaf (getting my veggies in ) with PB…
…dry roasted peanuts (I am addicted)…
…and bowls of cereal with milk. I have become a cereal addict, and usually have about three bowls at a time! 
Shreddies or Bran Flakes with soy milk, and Shredded Wheat or Weetabix with almond milk
My evening session began with a half-mile sprint through the park in an attempt to not be too late for training:
In case you fellow TBBT fans are interested, it was this episode that I blame for making me late:
So so funny!!
Monday’s session was on the track, with 10 laps fartlek with fast+short recoveries, and yesterday’s session was a mix of longer reps and shorter reps in the trails in the park and woods, which was so fun! We did it relay-style which always makes us faster because we’re all so competitive! Even the warm-up is competitive and fast…a 7.03 mile is not my kind of warm-up!
After the session, a couple of us older athletes did this running-specific endurance circuit, which was killer! With sections for arms, core, and legs, it was a great all-round workout, and so tiring!
Seriously, after that day’s training I was done!
After collapsing on the couch with a huge glass of chocolate soy milk, I managed to drag myself into the kitchen to make dinner. Tofu stir-fry was on the table in <10 minutes. Gotta love quick+healthy meals!
Followed by a whole punnet of blueberries and half a dark chocolate Easter egg:)
After two hard workouts in a row and then an intense strength session for the first time in too long, I woke up unbelievably sore! I am moving like the people in this video today:
I know a lot of you ran marathons last weekend, or are running one this week, so you can relate to that I’m sure haha!
Is anyone racing this weekend? Anyone doing the London Marathon?! I am racing the 5k Mini Marathon, which is my favourite race ever! I am so excited for it!
What was the last workout/run that left you sore? Yesterday’s circuits…getting back into a regular strength routine is definitely going to make me sore for a while!
What is your favourite cereal? Currently, it’s Shreddies!
Have a great day friends!! <3
Awkward Runs and a Core Workout
| January 10, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Uncategorized |
Hey guys! Sorry for the patchy posting right now! My computer is not cooperating with me and it died today! I took it to the store, and got chatting to the manager there who is actually a runner himself! And in true runner-friend spirit, the store lent me a laptop to use, huzzah!
It’s frustrating since all my photos and programs are on my computer, but still, I’m grateful!
Today’s run was pretty hilarious. I don’t remember if I mentioned it on the blog (I have the worst memory!) but I did something funky to my hip last week during a workout, and it had been bothering me since. I was going to take today off (I didn’t run Sunday either), but that didn’t quite happen…
Typical. Well it was hilarious AFTERWARDS but during it was just pretty awkward. I think I broke my mile PR sprinting towards the nearest toilet though. TMI? Probably.
I have also been refocusing on strength for my running recently. I’ve lost a lot of muscle recently, and I’m feeling it in my runs! I also believe now more than ever that having a strong body makes you much less likely to develop injury, so that’s something I’m going to work on! Yesterday I did an hour of strength training, and I thought I’d share one of my current core workouts. I have different ones, but this one is probably my favourite!
Runner’s Core Workout
A strong core is essential for runners in keeping strong and injury-free. This workout uses all the core muscles, and incorporates many running-specific moves. Do each exercise for one minute, and try to do 2-3 sets.
- Modified Bicycle. Same technique as regular bicycle crunch, but you hold the elbow-knee position for about 3 seconds, then switch and hold, repeat.
- Around-the-world plank
- Bird-dog extension
- Advanced Wood Chop
- Supine March
I’ve linked to sites where you can see what the moves are in case you aren’t familiar with them 
I’ll be back soon with my race recap! I couldn’t post it today because the photos that have come through are on the computer (I’ll ask to be sent them again though, but I’m warning ya in advance, they are HORRIFIC) and also there’s been a bit of drama with some DQs…all to come tomorrow!
In the meantime, I’m off to snuggle with my best friend <3
Happy Running! <3
Running Chat V: Running Reading
| January 8, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Running Talk |
Hey friends!! I want to say first a huge THANK YOU for all the Facebook/Twitter/email/blog comment support for my race! I was nervous going into it but you guys gave me so much more confidence! It went really well on the whole, excluding a mild concussion, and when I get the photos and stuff I will do a recap for you. In the meantime, lets talk about running reading!
As my friend Lindsay always says, you gotta invest in your passion! One way I do this is by reading about running…a lot. Too much probably!
Just a few of my running magazines!
These are just the running books that are on my desk right now! I probably have at least twice as many in total.
My Favourite Running Books
I have a lot of favourite running books, but I’ve somehow managed to narrow it down to my top five for you! I’ve linked to them all on Amazon.com in case anyone is interested in reading the reviews on them, because I always find those interesting and more telling than any blurb!
5. Kara Goucher’s Running For Women: From First Steps to Marathons
Having read a similar book by Paula Radcliffe just before this one (How to Run), I didn’t have high expectations. I didn’t particularly enjoy Paula’s book because I found it impersonal and very beginner orientated (which obviously is fine, but not what I look for in a book). Kara’s book was much better. Although it still had a lot of advice for beginners, it was also great for more experienced runners, with useful training and racing advice. I particularly loved her personal stories, the ‘Dear Kara’ Q&A sections, and the section on injuries and her struggles with that. I also found the section on strength training very useful, as she shows how important it is and gives a couple of her strength workouts. A great all-round running book.
4. Daniels’ Running Formula: Proven programs: 800 m to the marathon
I borrowed this from a library last year, and I’m thinking about buying it now because I want to read it again! The title didn’t convince me at first, since I was pretty sure running couldn’t be ‘formularised’, but the book definitely won me over. If you are looking for a non-technical, personal book, then look to Kara for that, but if you’re looking to seriously improve your times over 800m/1500m/3000m/XC/5k/10k/13.1miles/26.2 miles, then this is the book for you! If you aren’t persuaded yet, this reviewer’s comment from Amazon should do the trick: “When I started training with Jack’s methods I was a 17:00 5k runner and a 29:00 5 miler. After following his plans CONSISTENTLY I now have pr’s of 15:17 for 5k and 25:32 for 5 miles.” An easy-to-follow training guide that is sure to improve your race times.
3. Going Long: Legends, Oddballs, Comebacks & Adventures
My running twin Tara sent me this book to read (I will shortly be sending it on to someone else so they can enjoy it too) and I absolutely love it. If you read Runner’s World magazine, you’ll know that they have a long feature every week telling an inspirational running story. I find them to be different from other magazines in that they are longer (usually around 3000 words) and very well written, just as stories should be. This book features the 30 best stories from the past seven years of the magazine. Every story is inspiring, motivating, and usually humorous too. Every runner should read this because it will make you fall in love with running all over again 
2. Lore of Running by Tim Noakes
This is a book that in my opinion is more for people interested in the science behind running. It is written by a physician who is also a health professor of exercise and sports science, so this is certainly full of credible information! The first part of the book takes an in-depth look at the physiology and biochemistry of running, It is a a great look at the science related to running, covering everything from injury prevention to “proper nutrition for weight control and maximum performance”. I also loved the fact that this book has a number of interviews with elite runners, who share their secrets to success. While this is not the best training guide or a good book for new runners, it is perfect for serious runners who want to go deeper into the effects running has on the body and how that affects your training.
1. Run Faster by Brad Hudson
I loved everything about this book. Some great advice on all aspects of running, a lot of which I have or am starting to integrate into my own training. I loved the athlete profiles, which showcase the elite runners Brad Hudson (the book’s author) has worked with, and the great results his training has brought. Best of all are the training plans. For 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon, there are three ‘levels’ of training plans. By having beginner, intermediate and advanced plans, every runner is catered for, whether they have been running for one year or ten. I also love that there are also plans for masters runners and youth runners, so no group is overlooked. A fantastic all-round training guide.
Running on the Web
I’m highlighting this one mainly for the benefit of my fellow non-US readers, as we don’t get the Running Times magazine over here (which is a shame, because I love it!). This website has amazing articles, videos, podcasts and forum. Plus Cait writes some awesome articles for it!, just as she does on her own site.
I won’t bother listing it because it’s pretty obvious, but RunnersWorld.com is also a go-to. I’m subscribed to their Racing News via Google Reader which is a great way to keep up with the world of racing!
Click on ‘archive’, read all the articles, and thank me later. It’s all written by a runner with a Masters in Exercise Science, and there are some fascinating articles on here! I particularly love this one on why running shoes don’t work and this part of a myth-busting article:
“11. Putting your hands above your head and staying up after a race/workout helps.
There’s a reason you want to bend over or lay down. Your body is telling you it doesn’t want to work against gravity pumping blood. So, next time someone tells you to get up after a race tell them to go away.”
This happens to me on a weekly basis, so I am definitely going to be using this argument next time!!
Jason, the author of this site, is a running coach (not to mention a 2:39 marathoner!) who writes some great articles. Many of his posts are on how to stay injury free (obviously something I need to work on!), and he has reconfirmed my belief that strength training plays a huge role in not developing injuries! I need to start hitting the weights again…
I love this site for the videos. I don’t watch much regular TV, but I’ll happily watch the videos on here for hours on end! There training videos and interviews with elite runners which are awesome! Just having that insight into the workouts of some of the best runners in the world is amazing. It’s also great for racing news, articles and how-to videos.
That’s all for today! I apologise in advance for all the spelling and grammatical errors in this post, but it’s late and I’m tired so that’s my excuse! 
Anyways, I hope you found this interesting/useful and I’ll be back hopefully with a race recap tomorrow!
Oh, and as much as I wish I could say I was, I am not affiliated with any of the above books, sites or people. End of disclaimer.
What are your favourite running books? Do you have any favourite running sites?
Hope you’re all having a great weekend! <3
WIAW: Running Inspiration
| January 4, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Running Talk, WIAW |
Happy Wednesday! Time for the usual WIAW! By the way, thank you all so much for the feedback on yesterday’s post! I was honestly expecting some negative comments about the weight loss, but everyone was so supportive, so thank you!!
WIAW turns 50 this week! Wow! A huge thanks to Jenn for everything she’s done with this!
In the morning, we said goodbye to my aunt and uncle who are flying back to NY today 
I’ll miss them! But I’m thinking of going to stay with them later this year for a bit which will be awesome!
Breakfast soon stopped my grieving over losing them to the States. Is there anything peanut butter can’t do?!
2 wholewheat English muffins with lots of PB and banana
Lunch was leftovers from Christmas. Our fridge and freezer are both brimming still with leftovers! I’m the laziest person in the world (running aside) so I’m really not complaining 
Two cranberry and squash pastry parcels and red pepper on the side.
My afternoon/pre-run snackage was great too, and almost as lazy…
A toasted basil tofu and Daiya cheese sandwich with a side of broccoli+cauliflower. Don’t judge my filling choice because weird combos are my thing. With a mug of coffee and Mockingjay to read. I started and finished the book today! Loved almost all of it and I was totally gripped, but I hated the ending!
Today’s workout:
It was good that it was shorter really, because I’m struggling more with my asthma on longer hard efforts. Asthma runs in my family, and I used to have it badly as a kid, but I thought I’d gotten over it! I’ve got to wait a week before the doctor sorts out the right inhaler to give me, which is frustrating, especially with an important race on Saturday! The cold really makes it worse, so I’m hoping for a milder day on Saturday and hopefully it won’t be a problem 
*Insert recovery snack of Clif bar and chocolate milk*
Dinner involved more leftovers! Surprise surprise! Yesterday we had dinner at an Indian restaurant, and I ordered WAY too much so ended up doggy bagging quite a lot! I decided to use part of it in my dinner:
Giant sweet potato stuffed with leftover chana masala and a side of spinach
My coach spoils us rotten (love him!), and gives us chocolate/presents for every good workout, PB, birthday, Christmas, etc. So I got a lil’ something for my PB a couple of weeks ago:
I don’t have the heart to tell him that a) I don’t eat milk chocolate and b) I don’t like orange chocolate. But it’s definitely the thought that counts, and I’m always touched by his generosity!
Just before Christmas, I posted about my coach giving me and the others on my team a Christmas present each (and more chocolate!)
I guessed that it would be a training diary and some pens, and a lot of you agreed. We were right! I opened my present late so I’d already bought one, but I just took mine back. His is better anyway
A Runner’s World training diary, and some 2012 Olympic pens too! I showed you my complete lack of arty skills yesterday, and this is as close as I am ever going to get to doing anything with crafts:
(The weird blurry bits on my diary front cover identify my team, which I try to avoid showing for safety reasons).
I always decorate my running journals to personalise them, and because I don’t want a photo circa 1980 featuring two spandex-clad runners on the front of it. I’ve also stuck my favourite running inspirational quotes all over the inside cover. These are a few of them:
<—— One of my favourite running quotes, from one of my running inspirations!
Do you have any favourite quotes, running related or otherwise?
Do you log your training in some way? In my diary and on Dailymile!
What is your favourite type of run, or running workout? Type of run…a nice long tempo run. Running workout would be 5x1000s probably! It’s a great shape-up and performance indicator for a 5k!
Have an amazing day! <3
Vegan Sports Nutrition
| January 3, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Nutrition |
Hellooo! Happy 2012! I hope you all had an amazing New Years! I did, and I spent most of yesterday recovering from it!
Before the partying began on NYE, I went to have a sports nutrition appointment at a sports medicine clinic in London. I found out so many things about my nutritional needs, what I need to work on, etc. These are the main things I learned:
- I’ve lost over half a stone since I was last weighed at the doctors a few months ago. That came as a bit of a shock, as with the amount I’ve been eating over this festive period, I would have suspected a gain more than anything else! I had noticed clothes feeling looser but I dismissed it as being in my head. I was quite upset about this because I thought I had been maintaining well, but the nutritionist reassured me that this happens, and it’s probably since I started training hard regularly with my team in October that I started losing weight. We looked into this and determined that I need to fuel better post-run. I usually just have a chocolate milk, but you should apparently have around 300-400 calories within 30 mins after a workout. We also decided that I should start weighing myself once a month or so just to make sure that I’m on track. I will talk more about this later though, because I’ve got a lot to say!
- I need to watch my iron intake more carefully. I used to be anaemic (about a year and a half ago), but now I’m in the safe zone. However, I am at the lower end, and as a female vegan runner, I definitely need to watch this! She recommended having figs every day, as they are a good source.
- Apparently you should get your fats from sources other than nut butter all the time. Something about healthy variety!
She said I should have avocadoes a couple of times a week, as well as chia seeds and flaxseed more regularly. - Must eat a Brazil nut every day, because that provides 100% of your daily selenium.
- I need to make sure that I replenish my salts properly. If you sweat a lot (which I do pretty much daily!), you need to rehydrate fully by replacing them. Just using more salt in your food isn’t enough, because that’s just sodium, which is only one of the four essentials. I am particularly lacking in magnesium and potassium apparently. So I’m going to be having Nuun tablets or preferably Powerade Ion 4 (because that provides some calories too) after every workout.
Those are the main points I left with. It was only a 30 minute appointment, but it was pretty in-depth! She also gave me a few meal plans, just to give me an idea of how much I should be eating at each meal more than anything else. When I posted about it on Twitter, a lot of people seemed interested in seeing a meal plan, so here is one of them (note: I altered a few items to make it more suited to my tastes, but the calories and amounts are the same):
2400 Calorie Vegan Meal Plan for an Athlete
Breakfast
2 wholewheat English muffins
1 medium banana
peanut/almond butter1 serving figs
Total Calories: 600 calories
Lunch
vegetarian chili
WITH
vegan cheese
Wholewheat rollAn orange and an apple
Total Calories: 450 calories
Snack
Homemade Trail Mix:
1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cup Raisins
1/4 cup cereal of choice
2 T dark chocolate chipsTotal Calories: 400 calories
OR pre-run options of:
1. Oatmeal, with 1/2 cup oats, banana, raisins and soy milk
Total calories: 35o calories
2. Clif bar and a large banana
Total calories: 400
Post-Run snack:
Chocolate soy milk and a large serving of blueberries
Total calories: 350
Dinner
wholewheat pasta
WITH
vegan pesto
chopped veggie sausages
mixed veggies
cooked tomatoesSalad
Total Calories: 550 calories
I have a few other vegan meal plans too, ranging from 1800-2200 calories, so if anyone is interested, please feel free to email me and I’ll send them to you 
And just because you should know about the highlight of my day, here is documented the first run in my new tempo shorts:
You know you’re a weirdo when that is the highlight of your day! I love them though and I am more determined than ever to collect the Nike Tempos in every colour and variety. They brightened up the oh-so-fun 9 miler on a treadmill with no air con and with no entertainment!
What was highly entertaining was a family game of Pictionary later in the evening. I love this game, despite my lack of drawing skills.
I have no artistic talent whatsoever unlike certain bloggers I know…any guesses?
Just in case you didn’t get it, because it’s just so clear to see, that is a panther. I don’t know why my team failed to get it either.
Are you arty? Clearly not haha! Art was the only subject I failed in school, and I dropped it as soon as I could!
What was the highlight of YOUR day? Running in my new tempo shorts and Pictionary!
What is something you need to work on, nutrition-wise? My family have all set eating 5 fruit or veg a day as their challenge in the new year, and mine are all listed above! I’ve gotta fuel right to run better!
Have a great day friends! <3
Running Through 2011
| December 31, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under New Years, Running Talk |
2011 was pretty much the best year of my life.
There were so many highlights, from meeting and running with my idol Paula Radcliffe…
Totally realised that photo was being taken…
And she signed my running journal! *swoon*
…to lots of traveling! We’re talking Germany, Finland, San Francisco and Hawaii this year.
Hawaii!
But the best thing that happened to me this year was running. At the start of this year, running was fun. Running was something I did a couple of times a week for fitness. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it! Nothing beat that feeling of a runner’s high! But as the year went on, that grew and grew into a true passion. It is something I literally cannot go a day (or even an hour!) without thinking about.
It’s the kind of love that makes you drag your butt out of bed when it’s still dark and you’re still half asleep.
It’s the kind of love that you spread to everyone around you.
The day that my friends, who had never run before, all completed a 10k for Cancer Research. So proud.
The kind of love that is blind, and can lead to serious stupidity.
The kind of love that drives you to train in all conditions, because no downpour is going to get in the way of a run!
Wettest. Run. Ever.
The kind of love that makes up the majority of your reading material.
The kind of love that fills you with such joy that it makes you wonder what life would be like without it.
For me, 2011 will forever be the year when my love of running began.
And this is only the beginning.
I can’t wait to discover where running takes me in 2012.
Question: What was the best part of your 2011?
Dealing with Shin Splints
| December 19, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Injuries, Review |
Hey guys! I hope you all had a great weekend! I definitely did, but I’ll do a proper post with a little recap later! And it’s less than a week till Christmas now aaah!!
A post about shin splints is currently my most requested post, so I’m more than happy to oblige! Since February, I have seen five different physios about my shin problems, had two MRIs, one bone scan and three different diagnoses, one of which was completely wrong! No calf strain here! Anyway, all this has meant that I have become pretty experienced in handling shin problems. Still, please bear in mind that I am not qualified to give medical advice but that these are all things that I have been told by my physiotherapist.
So what are shin splints? It is the second most common running injury after Runner’s Knee. Shin splints are just a general name for a number of shin problems- anything from stress fractures and compartment syndrome to the less severe tibial stress syndrome, which is what shin splints generally is. You can read more about shin splints treatment/prevention/causes etc here.
The best treatment for shin splints is simply to not run until all pain fully subsides (usually around 2 weeks) and then slowly get back into it. I have the permission from my current physio to run at the moment, but with reduced volume, and to be very careful about it!
So, I’m treating my shin splints by…
…ice massaging my shins every day:
….applying anti-inflammatory gel 3x a day:
This kind of thing can be bought from any supermarket, and is really great!
…shin strengthening exercises:
…calf stretching (tight calf muscles can lead to shin splints, and apparently mine were ‘rock hard’…oops!)
Don’t forget to hold stretches for 30 seconds to properly stretch the muscle!
…and finally, compression sleeves!
The company 2XU kindly sent me some calf compression guards to try out. My physio also recommends them for shin splints, saying that wearing them whilst running reduces the friction between the muscle and the bone…? Okay, I can’t remember exactly what she said about it, but it was along those lines! 
They are extremely comfortable, and much more lightweight than I imagined! I think I was half expecting some sort of legwarmer, but they’re pretty thin, which will make them suitable for summer running too!
The only thing I would say is that with compression gear, you definitely need to make sure you measure your calf width and then check that against the size guide before buying! Compression gear obviously have a pretty snug fit, and you wouldn’t want them to be too tight or too loose!
I’ve been wearing them on every run recently (even under tights!) and they are so comfortable! They are also helping to reduce the calf soreness that has been accompanying my change in running form, which I am really thankful for! Plus, no shin pain whilst running in them!
I’ve also been wearing Nike’s compression socks a lot, but I find these more beneficial. I’m thinking of investing in some compression tights too! Yup, it’s official- I’m a compression convert! 
Have you ever had to deal with shin splints, or a similar running injury? Shin splints are a real pain, but I think the trick is to catch it early, RICE, and strengthen those shin muscles!
Do you use any compression stuff? Compression socks and calf sleeves now! Love them, and I definitely notice a palpable difference in my muscle recovery when I wear them compared with when I don’t.
Are you good at stretching? Yes I am pretty good at stretching properly now! Still need to work on doing regular core work though…!
And if you have any questions, feel free to ask below or on my Formspring and I’ll be happy to help!
Two Weeks Countdown!
| December 12, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Christmas |
Hey guys! Hope you had a great weekend! Mine was..eventful! I’m really looking forward to this coming week, because it’s full of friends and carols and running and Christmas!
It’s LESS THAN TWO WEEKS now till the big day!! Can you believe it?! And I need your honest opinion here: is my Christmas outfit too much?
Maybe I should have worn it without the Santa hat… 
So a lil’ recap of my weekend for you, in 12 5 Days of Christmas-style…
5 hours of solid Christmas shopping…
I’ve now got almost all my presents, and the rest I’m just ordering online! Win!
4 hours spent busking in a shopping centre to raise money for charity…
£814 raised! Now that kind of generosity is true Christmas spirit 
3 soy gingerbread lattes to keep me going…
Most expensive addiction ever!!
2 times I cried whilst watching Elf. And that’s not including the happy tears that were shed when I saw that it was on tv! 
Don’t laugh at me, it’s a very emotional film!!
1 amazing pain-free run in my new shoes! 
It was an early morning one, so I am still sleepy here…
The usual early morning run thang: slept in running clothes, no brushed hair, brain still asleep. Which is why I left dressed like this when it was 5 degrees outside. Smart.
Honestly, I cannot even express how excited I am for Christmas! The best part for me (cliché alert!) truly is family. The whole gang are flying in on Christmas Eve, so I’m praying there’s no snow to hold them up! And not to sound materialistic or anything, but I’m pretty jazzed about how many presents we have under our tree right now…
Uh…yeah! We have a huge family by the way, these aren’t just for a few of us!
What was the best part of your weekend? Probably raising that much money…we usually raise a lot less than that, so it was a great surprise!
Have you done all your Christmas shopping yet? YES I have been organised this year! I usually leave it till the day or so before, but now I’ve got all of them ordered or bought already, which is a first!
Is Christmas a big deal in your family? Some of my friends don’t celebrate it at all (different religions), and some are pretty apathetic to it, but it is the highlight of the year for us!
When Not Running…
| November 28, 2011 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Uncategorized |
I absolutely loved this weekend. Much as I love my usually hectic running-around-like-a-headless-Tofurkey lifestyle, having a free calendar for a couple of days is just perfect. For the first weekend this month, I had no races!!
My body has definitely needed a break. Adjusting to running hard three days a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturday race), and sometimes more, has not been easy! I definitely felt this during Thursday’s workout…
Like I said, I’m not worried about it, but I am being cautious, especially given my previous injuries! I’ve had Friday-Sunday keeping everything totally easy on my legs, doing lots of yoga, like Yoga for Runners from YogaDownload.
I needed these days off, because this week is going to kill my legs. Track training with my coach and the sprint group on Monday to work on my awful race starts…
…then usual training with my distance group on Tuesday and Thursday, and race on Saturday. Uh, sorry in advance legs! I am going to be icing them every night and being super-careful to watch out for any problems.
Actually, the whole staying-off-my-legs plan totally went out of the window during my shopping trips this weekend! I was attempting to tackle my Christmas shopping early, but failed miserably…
NONE of these bags are presents! I got some new boots in the sale which I am in love with (£50 down to £18!) and a new black lace concert dress that is so so beautiful! I’ve got a concert this Saturday so I’ll show it to you guys then 
It’s also perfectly normal to use your non-running time to bake muffins instead. Happy Herbivore’s maple pumpkin muffins are my new favourite thing in the world, and I’ve almost finished the whole batch already! 
Warmed up and topped with lots of cashew butter
Crumbled on oatmeal
On Saturday night, I headed out to Nando’s, a Portuguese restaurant, with my church group. Even though Nando’s is primarily a chicken restaurant, their veggie options are awesome!
Veggie burger wrap with a side of Luso beans (slow cooked black beans and cherry tomatoes), which was delicious!
I LOVE being able to go out and eat lots and stay out late on Friday or Saturday nights for once, because most of the time I have to run or race early the next morning so I have to skip out early. Or maybe it’s because I don’t get invited out because I am too embarrassing to be around in public. Who knows…
And of course, no weekend is complete without PANCAKES! Pancake Sunday is one of the highlights of my week!
Same as last week- my favourite gingerbread pancakes! Next week I am thinking Christmassy themes…maybe mince pie pancakes? Or candy cane pancakes sounds pretty darn good to me too
Was your weekend a busy one, or relaxed? Relaxed, but next week’s is seriously crazy to make up for it!
Did you get anything good in the sales? I’ve ordered few people’s xmas presents in sales online which I’m happy about! Usually I leave everything till the week before, but I’m determined not to this year!
Random Q: Are you a fan of mince pies? I’ve never actually had a mince pie before! When I was younger I thought it was real mince in it, so I steered well clear haha!
Have a great week friends! <3
