I have gf bread, gf pasta, biscuits and crackers.  I have many replacement gf foods but they rarely taste like the foods they are trying to replace.  They often look right or feel right but rarely taste right.  But these little beauties, made by my own freckled hands actually taste like choux pastry.  The texture isn't perfect (yet) but lets face it, food is primarily about flavour.

Meringues in the oven and soup already made for tomorrows little dinner party.  Just a simple affair. Mushroom pate and chicken liver pate with crackers, spicy hot pot soup (i'm undecided to do as it says and serve with rice as i don't have bread - but it is an early dinner so perhaps i don't need it) and of course, half the reason for having folks over - desert of individual meringues with summer fruit (like i have with the choux above) and whipped cream.

It has just occurred to me that i have to prep for my first triathlon on Thursday.  I leave after work on Friday to Leeds for my grans 90th - i'm staying over night with Alison and her boyfriend.  And i will most likely get back late on Saturday.  And the clocks go forward so have to make sure i am in bed in plenty of time.  Its a 2hr drive and i need to be there early!  Geez, I just worked it out. I have to set off at 6am.  Which is really 5am.  Yeah, i won't be getting back late on Saturday then, nor will i be getting much sleep - too many nerves.

Not so Lazy Sunday

Up too early this morning - 7am - due to falling asleep on the sofa at 10pm reading my new cycling magazine.  Still, it took me until 9:20 to get ready to go on my long run.  Jeff still not up either.

It was a cool morning but just right for tights, new running skirt (i have the preppy black and an aqua/green one - today was the aqua/greens premier run), a sleeveless then long sleeved cold weather top.  No rain predicted.  I used my Fuel belt with two bottle in it and a packet of chews.  I had my turn sheet to avoid any extra miles as this was already long enough.  12.2 miles mapped out.

Same as last week its mile 8 that i start feeling it in my calves.  But i kept a steady pace through out and managed to push it at the end again too.  I really like to finish strong and every run i do i pick up the pace at the end.  I'm really starting to get a good feel of what i can manage, how much i can push for how long.  It was about mile 9 that i started pushing harder.  This basically equates to me not becoming slower in the end, but that's just fine.  When i'm doing shorter distances i tend to up the pace for the second half and near the end really go for it, the last few minutes are often a sprint.

We just went to view a house and its lovely. I would put an offer in today!  We just need to find out if we could build a garage as unfortunately that is a must for his classic car.  I have a feeling we will miss out on this house because of that, so i'm not getting my hopes up.

Instead, i'm making more marmalade.  Today its light golden and thin shred.  The house smells delicious.

So, on to label designing.  And more house hunting on the net.

Blissful Swimming and Golden Sticky Deliciousness.

ON EXERCISE:
Oh beautiful empty pool, how i love you.  I was shocked at the peace and quiet in there yesterday after work.  I got my side lane that i like, up against the wall.  I remembered every thing to swim - cozzy, pull-bouy, watch and drink - flipped my book open and it landed on a workout i was happy to try - sometimes i flick to get one that suits my mood. I hadn't swam in 2 weeks, the pool was closed for 5 days and it had been so busy i was hesitant to go back, i get annoyed at inconsiderate swimmers all doing breaststroke and not leaving a lane for fast folks.  I had also been concentrating on running for a bit, so i was totally expecting this swim to be harder.  I felt like i had been training for years. I had an amazing workout. I loved the swim set, it was interesting and fun. Just fab!

Warm up
200 crawl  4x25 concentrating on distance per stroke
Main set
200 @T + 5sec  30RI
100 @ T x3  15RI
Bonus 1min rest
12x50 odd easy even fast. 15RI
Repeat set once

I added in 150m of pullboy as i was feeling so damn gooood!
Cool down 225 crawl
Total = 2625m

A woman interrupted me to ask about my book.  It really is great.  A really decent amount of workouts, great practical size for the pool side (A6) and of course the waterproof nature because its pages are actually plastic. I never dry it off, just leave it in the bottom of my bag.

ON MARMALADE:
I have finally got labels for my Marmalade.  And i have a new addiction.  Not to eating it, but making it (and giving some away), well okay, i really like to eat it too - or what would be the point!  I already have more oranges and plan on buying more this weekend. I want more of the dark and chunky but also want to make some lighter thin shred too.

It is the most satisfying thing i have done in ages. 

At least as satisfying as the cushions i made a few weeks ago.

One large brown teadybear soft brown one, two Pringle, one yellow and a bolster.
 All in a weekends work :)

This weekend is house viewings!  Can't wait!

Making marmalade. This is day one.  Poach fruit, boil pulp, squeeze out pectin and chop rind.
Day two is today, dissolve sugar, simmer until it will set - about 3 hours, jar.
Tomorrow, eat!!

There are many things i love about running, but up at the top of the list has to be cute
running skirts and new shoes.  I bought this skirt with the $75 gift card i won on Dailymile
(spare change for a sale 2nd skirt on sale too).
The weather was so lovely i wore it with no running tights.  Great day.

Curious about what this would say about my run yesterday. I did my usual route but in Fartleks. It ended up with an average pace of 8:10.  I'm doing a half marathon in 3 weeks, but i hardly think i will do a sub 2 hours. But, i wont be properly trained either.  This does state that my 10k time is actually over my personal best though. This makes me want to run a 5K to see how i would actually do.

Would you believe me if i told you i didn't realise how dirty my trainers were?
 I had no idea until i got my new ones.  They are a little white aren't they?!

As an Orthotist i find this very interesting (i look at the wear patterns of all my patients shoes), but even just a runner, its nice to be able to see what kind of runner you are.  These clearly show that i a a mid-foot runner.  There is basically no ware on the heels. The red arrows are to show that these areas are not worn, they just didn't have the blue on them. There is about 2mm of tread missing from these sections. I do love these shoes, i was properly fitted for them, but that was before i knew what kind of runner i was.  Though i have just repeated them (almost - new one are Cumulus 12 the old were 11's) but for my next shoe purchase i will investigate if there is a better shoe to provide mid-foot cushioning.  Until then, i need to dirty up my new ones so you can't see me in the dark!!

1273

That is how many calories i (supposedly) burnt off tonight.  I think i made up for last nights laziness. I did the hour spin class (880cal) then 15 minutes of running 9:14 pace 2.61K (193cal) then 15 minutes of hill intervals 2.61k at 9.14 pace (200cal).

I then came home and ate this.

Which is terrible healthy.  Miso soup with 1/3 red bell pepper, one celery stick, one pak choi, seaweed, rice noodles and a diced slice of tofu.  The bowl is really pretty large, and i didn't realize how many noodles i had added, along side everything else. I didn't think i was going to finish it, but 30 minutes later it was gone.  Now i'm a fast eater, souper fast eater in fact, so for anything to take 30 minutes for me to eat, it has to be big, and souper hot.

It was definitely both.  And guilt free too.

Just a bit of muffin baking today.

Today I had my arthrogram and MRI, if you want to know more, click here.

I tired to make the day more productive by baking too.

Yummie muffins – my favourite thing to bake right now.

Cream Crackered

After a lazy weekend with regards to exercise – i only ran 3.8 miles on Saturday, it was about time to get to the gym and work hard.  I did work hard all weekend but in a different maner.  I busted ass on my house and its finally looking respectable, homely and not like a cardboard recycling plant.  I actually barely sat down all weekend, even in to the evening. I was unpacking pictures at 11.30 at night.  It was like i had ants in my pants. But worth the effort i can tell you.

Banana coconut muffins

I have been battling with this a bit.  Working out or setting up house.  I’m the kinda girl that likes the house neat, tidy, homely and cosy. I prefer it with a husband in it, but if i can’t have that, then i at least want my pictures hung up and books on shelves.  I told myself as i was on my run, that if i only ran the short loop (3.8miles) then i would go for a swim later on in the day.  But i got carried away with the house. I did put my swim stuff in the car planning on going on the way back from Wrexham, where i was going to B+Q and Tesco’s.  But it was 6pm by my return trip, i was getting hungry and wanted to cook a nice dinner so it just didn’t happen. 

Sardines, leafy greens with avocado in

French style dressing and pan-fried pak choi

Sunday i thought that if i don’t get dressed properly; as dressing often hinders me wanting to workout for some reason, don’t ask as i can’t tell you why, then i would stand a better chance of going swimming.  So i just pulled on jogger bottoms and a zipped hoodie over my pjs, not even a bra.  But again, i got so involved with sorting the house, baking muffins and cooking a delicious lunch i just didn't get there.  I couldn’t pull myself away from what i was doing. Getting ready for bed was easy!

Mackerel Thai Curry from River Cottage Every Day – Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall

So i had to change my attitude a bit.  I have to say, that if i am enjoying what i am doing, or if what i am doing will make me happy, then its ok to miss an occasional workout.  The pleasure i get from walking in to a clean tidy sweet little home is immeasurable.  Having the time to cook a lovely lunch and dinner was superb – as were both meals.  It is worth the cost of a skipped work out.

 

And tonight, i totally made up for it.  The spin class was brutal. I really like the instructors style.  It was the first time I've had him and i like it!  Then i went straight to a run.  I still haven't memorised the km rather than miles pace so put it on 11 thinking that was 9:?? pace; and a 1% incline.  It was hard at first and i thought it would get better, once my wobbly legs went away, but it didn’t. In fact it got worse.  I wanted to slow down or reduce that slight incline from 2 minutes in.  It was hard. But i was determined to prove that its all mind over matter.  I battled my will for 18 more minutes and won.  And did so in style. The last minute, even though i had been puffing and panting the whole way through, i increased the speed to 12. It was a bloody tough work out but i was super pleased with myself. My mind won.  Then i find out 11 is actually 8:50 pace – bloody yee-haa, that's fast for me!!

 

House photos to come soon. xx

Happy

Yep i'm pretty happy with the way things are going for me. I'm running and swimming like crazy. I do a spin class a week and i hope to use my bike and trainer when it arrives to do more cycling.  I don't like static cycling, but even more so when its on one of those horrible seat on the gym bikes.  Though in all honesty, i'm trying to get the motivation to actually go out on my bike on the weekends.

I have been researching Triathlons near me and they all appear to be an hour away. But, a girl from work said that if i do a close Sprint, then she may join me.  Her man does IM and they just got back from Florida where he did a half IM.  She says i'm crazy for considering aiming at a half IM and said she would never do a triathlon, but she is already wavering on that point so we'll see eh!

My plan is to do a sprint in the early season, April/May time, then do a olympic by the end of the season - October-ish. If i can do a couple of sprints then all the better.  Maybe the first one - pool based, and one open water.  As i assume the Olympic would be open water.

Though my pool is lovely, it annoyingly doesn't have a swim clock.  I'm going to ask for one.  but until then, its hard to do proper sets with proper timings and also to time myself to see how fast i can go.  I am getting a Poolmate - lap timing/counting watch - for christmas, but it wont arrive till after christmas sadly. They have a clock, so i timed myself, i was aiming at 1600m but got cramp in my foot (probably because of the hour hill interval run i just did) so had to stop at 1300m.  It took me 22 minutes.  I have no way to judge this but its 1:40 per 100m.  But i feel ok about it as i can feel my improvement almost weekly.

I am going to invite a couple of friends to do the Telford 10K which is on Dec 19th.  Jeff and his mum will be here, but i have had this race on my mind, in my plans for ages so they can tag along if they want to. Its not so far so...

laterz

Singapore is hot!

In Singapore's Botanical Gardens

I second guessed myself and didn't take my running stuff on the plane with me, so when it came to being in Taipei airport for 10 hours i was cursing myself.  Initially we were herded to concourse A where our transfer was.  A few shops, a couple of food places, old carpet, construction and seats you couldn't lie down on without contorting yourself like a Russian gymnast and weaving your feet through the arm rest, yes, i did it, it wasn't worth it.  But we found free wifi and were content for a couple of hours. 

Then our tummies got us to our feet in search of food. That was when we discovered we were sitting in the armpit of Taipei airport, and a stinky unshaven armpit at that.  As soon as i saw concourse D i regretted not having my running gear.  Wide, long and empty of passengers, i couldn't see the end. New and sparkly, concourse D was where it was at.  

Concourse D(lightful)

Unable to resist the potential sweat i could get on, i purchased some sweat pants from the Puma store and took to the fairway in my keens and push-up bra (yes and a top too).  And low and behold, the whole rest of the airport was as sparkly and new. Shops and restaurants galore, art galleries to peruse, prayer rooms for every religion and lovely little planted areas to sit and relax.  Unlike any airport i have ever seen before. Just lovely.  

I ran the whole thing, i ran to every gate in every terminal. it took me 35 minutes.  It got crowded in parts but i really didn't have to slow down. I got some funny looks but whatever. It was great to run after being cooped up for 14 hours.  It removed the water from my swollen feet and revived my sore glutes with blood.  Totally worth the $$ for the sweats.

Art on a building in Singapore

Sunday morning was my first run in the heat.  I got up at 6.30 and was out the door in the dark by 6.40.  It was hot and humid.  I was sweating almost instantly.  Sally was having a hard time finding satellites and asked a question i didn't expect. "have you traveled hundreds of miles since your last run?" Why yes Sally, yes i have :)  Q answered and she was all set looking for satellites over the right continent.  I didn't like the humidity, nor the heat.  Give me 15degF any day quite frankly.  I even had to walk a little bit.  I got a stitch in mile 2 and walked for a minute.  

Mutton Curry - delicious (with side effects)

My Indian dinner the night before had passed through me a little too fast, shall we say, and i was bloody starving (shame coz it was super tasty).  I took water with me thankfully but was feeling tired. I ran an out and back for fear of getting lost, starting in Little India i headed out to a park i found on the map but didn't find it.  I later found out that its the Itsana (palace in Indonesian) grounds and a highly guarded area.  Though it was a slow uncomfortable run i'm glad i did it as i felt great the rest of the day and it certainly helped me eat my unusual breakfast of pork soup and rice.

Bak Kut Teh and a strawberry and soursop juice