Track Night

I am still now haunted by memories of school sports days and the expectation that everyone in a form group should take on an athletic challenge. One year I was off ill on the day the different challenges were assigned and my wonderful peers opted to put me down for the 1,500m running event.

On my worst runs now I get flash backs to how I felt struggling round and round and round the running track whilst my entire year looked on... it was awful. I hated every second of it, I thought I was going to die and ended up faking an asthma attack just to make the humiliation and pain end.

Which is why when GoodGym advertised that they were holding a track night I surprised myself by not only signing up but also being really excited at the prospect.

A small enthusiastic group of us turned up at Mile End Stadium ready to try and do our fastest mile and then a fun relay race.

In true GoodGym spirit there was a great atmosphere within the group, an emphasis on pushing yourself and doing your best but a focus on having fun and enjoying it. After a great dynamic warm up and slow jog to get used to the track we lined up ready to take on a speedy mile.

It felt like the longest mile of my life.

As one of only two ladies in the group I was prepared for the boys to dash off ahead of me but it acted as a fantastic incentive to keep pushing myself... and I am chuffed to say I hit a new PB... 7 minutes and 6 seconds... with a sprint finish!

With a fun relay race to finish with each of us sprinting 100m the only logical end to a Friday night track night was the pub.

Unfortunately, I was too excited about running to remember to take any photos but I will definitely be frequenting Mile End Stadium track again - at £3 entrance it is a bargain! The track was quiet, beautiful condition and as the evening got darker Canary Wharf lit up in the background.

Thank you GoodGym for a wonderful experience and putting my track fears to rest.

Fit not thin

For years I have been obsessed with the what the scales have to tell me, sweating over a pound, always aiming for a new target. I even had an app on my phone that let me chart my weight loss only adding to my obsessive weighing.

I have never been skinny but equally I have never been overweight. But it didn't hit me until I started to run miles a week and physically see that my body was toning up that I realised maybe what I weighed wasn't the most important factor. My weight hasn't dropped drastically but my body shape has changed hugely.

Which is when I started to look into other ways to measure my changing shape and stumbled across the Body Fat Percentage Calculator. I used the measurement method putting my height, waist, neck and hip measurements into a calculator online and was given a percentage which then fitted into one of the below categories:

Women

10-12% Essential Fat
14-20% Athletes
21-24% Fitness
25-31% Acceptable
32%+ Overweight/Obese

Men

2-4% Essential Fat
6-13% Athletes
14-17% Fitness
18-25% Acceptable
26%+ Overweight/Obese

I was pleasantly surprised to see that I fell almost smack bang in the middle of the "Fitness" category. Now for a girl who loves cake and big dinners it really did show that what I am doing is right. I don't have to live off salad leaves and steer clear of carbs. I can eat healthily and heartily as long as I am willing to focus on exercise rather than starvation. It seems obvious but this was a big realisation for me having opted for diets over exercise terrified of looking unfeminine and "ripped".

So now that I have had my epiphany and am determined to be fit not thin I won't be so terrified of the extra helping of pasta after a particularly gruelling run.

How do you chart your progress?

Review: YFumble

After years in the Brownies I have learnt to prepare for every eventuality which results in my handbag being full of everything from a pack of bobby pins to nail varnish to a magnet (don't ask why!) This is fine when matching an oversized bag to your outfit... not such a great quality when heading out on a run...

When the weather was cooler I could fill the pockets up on my Sweaty Betty Running Jacket (probably the best running item I have ever bought) but since the temperatures have started to climb I have been hunting for an alternative for carrying my:

• Oyster Card
• Bank Card
• Asthma Inhaler
• Mobile Phone
• Keys

After sending out a request on twitter a surprising amount of people suggested the YFumble and after spying the pink camo version I could not wait for it to arrive.

The YFumble passed the first test - my obnoxiously large phone (Samsung Galaxy Note) can fit into it along with everything else... yes everything!

Second test - it looked great - I love the pink camo.

Unfortunately, the third test didn't go so well. Running with the YFumble is fine, it is comfortable and takes up hardly any space when chucked in my gym bag. But, as I run with an app on my phone I often want to take a glance at the screen or pause it to do some strength exercises which is where the issue lies. Taking my phone in and out of the YFumble when on my arm and when having got my sweat on becomes trickier than taking off a sports bra. Then putting it back on is another ordeal.

I really wanted to like this product and was desperate for it to be a solution to my problem but, after several runs with it, I am finding it more of a frustration than a help.

Anyone got any other solutions?