I have blogged before about my preconceptions and worries about starting Pilates but that I decided to take the plunge and sign up to some classes. And I loved it but it was only a 10week course of classes and to be fair they were at a community centre... so perhaps I didn't confront my fears as much as I could have done...!
However, I have now confronted my Yoga fears and, as with the Pilates, they were completely unfounded! As I am a bit skint at the moment I was loathed to sign up to some Yoga classes having not cased out whether I even liked Yoga! So I signed up to a Sweaty Betty Yoga class in their new Jubilee Place Canary Wharf store.
I LOVE Sweaty Betty and have always been intrigued as to how they manage to run classes in such a small space. Arriving early for the class meant that I saw the magic happen as islands of clothes were pushed back, lights lowered and yoga mats set up ready for a class of nine to fit in.
Looking around at the group I started to feel pretty nervous - not many of the girls seemed to know each other and I quickly got chatting to a girl who hadn't taken part in this class before. I was reassured that the class was for beginners and we started.
The class was great! I felt like I was supported with each move but offered opportunities to try more advanced positions. I wasn't as bad as I thought I was going to be, I think a lot of that was down to the Pilates.
To be honest as much as I enjoyed the yoga, which was A LOT, I was feeling a bit like it was just a less core focused version of the Pilates I had been doing. But what was different, and will make me book another class, is the few minutes at the end laying on my mat with my eyes closed taking the time to let the stress of the day melt away. It is so rare in my life that I just stop and relax... it made me realise that it is something to cherish and something to actively make time for if not every day at least once a week.
Do you do Yoga? What does it give you?
Showing posts with label london. Show all posts
Showing posts with label london. Show all posts
Thursday, 5 December 2013
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Race report: Men's Health Survival of the Fittest
Apologies in advance for a very delayed race report on Survival of the Fittest. I was aching for the week following the event and was unbelievably drained! And then life got hectic!... enough of the excuses though.... here it is...
Despite our nerves in the lead up to the event I can honestly say that we all had a fantastic time! We had to arrive at Battersea Power Station a couple of hours early to register, pick up our timing chips and our Survival of the Fittest t-shirts. Registration was quick and easy and before we knew it we were stood with our Bromley by Bow Centre tops on and race numbers pinned in place.
As with any team challenge we were keen to stand out and the Bromley by Bow Centre top was just not enough so out came the face paint! Just as the All Blacks have the Haka we needed something to intimidate the other teams – our face paint varied from camo stripes to a cat through to the evil eye!
The atmosphere in the event village was electric and we enjoyed watching others tackle the obstacles before our race began at 3pm. And that is when the fun really started…!
The course starts with some innocent looking hay bales which in reality were a devil to climb over. As we progressed around the course the obstacles came thick and fast growing in difficulty from monkey bars to climbing nets through to scaling walls and crawling through cars! In the cold Nov afternoon one of the most breath taking obstacles was crawling through cold water under a net whilst being sprayed by a fire hose…!
After tackling these obstacles and a run through Battersea Park the finish line was looming. What is usually a welcome sight was being met with dread as the 8ft final wall stood between us and the finish. With team work and perseverance we all managed to scale the wall only to be confronted with the 8ft drop on the other side.
This event is special – not only because it is harder than anything I have done before but because of its focus on team work. We were not only supporting our own team mates through the obstacles but every other participant giving a much needed leg up or words of encouragement.
I may have suffered from sore arms and bruised knees but this has only added to the sense of achievement. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we will be showing off our medals with pride!
Saturday, 12 October 2013
My evening with Scott Jurek
For anyone who has read Born to Run the name Scott Jurek will mean something to you. Scott is one of ultra running's elites having victories in the historic 153mile Spartathlon, the Hardrock 100, the Badwater 135mile Ultra and the Western States 100mile Endurance Run.
Having read Born to Run (see my review here) and being completely inspired by it I was excited to read Scott Jurek's Eat and Run which didn't disappoint. I will write a review of this at another time.
When I saw that Scott was due to be speaking at the Bloomsbury Institute I jumped at the chance - it is one thing reading an inspirational story and another meeting a real life legend in the flesh.
Scott was charming, funny, open and honest. He answered questions, which undoubtedly he had been asked a million times before, as though he were answering them for the first time. What I found most striking was the way he looked back on all of his victories and what he hoped he would be remembered for:
"I want to be remembered as somebody who has been true... true to the sport... to being real and who hopefully inspires other people to find their own path"
He openly admitted that he was competitive and winning was important but that now he feels that he may have lost the ego to be so focused on winning. Scott definitely seemed keen to inspire other runners something that kept coming through when talking about his career now, the purpose for his book and his legacy:
"I'm doing my thing and maybe it will inspire someone to do their thing"
And that is exactly what Scott is doing. Hearing him talk didn't make me want to go out and run ultras but it did make me want to go out and run, get out into nature, explore, have my own adventures and find friends a long the way just as he did. The way he talks about his journey into running and the impact this had on his life is eye opening and many runners can relate to these sentiments:
"I was running toward something. It was helping me to sort out my life. You get those moments where you just have to survive on the trails just like life. Racing helped me push through the boundaries that I thought were there"
It truly was a privilege to hear Scott speak and he took the time to talk to and sign everyone's copies of Eat and Run. The message he wrote means a lot to me and he wished me good luck with my first ever marathon in April 2014. With Scott's blessing the only option is to do well, surely?
Having read Born to Run (see my review here) and being completely inspired by it I was excited to read Scott Jurek's Eat and Run which didn't disappoint. I will write a review of this at another time.
When I saw that Scott was due to be speaking at the Bloomsbury Institute I jumped at the chance - it is one thing reading an inspirational story and another meeting a real life legend in the flesh.
Scott was charming, funny, open and honest. He answered questions, which undoubtedly he had been asked a million times before, as though he were answering them for the first time. What I found most striking was the way he looked back on all of his victories and what he hoped he would be remembered for:
"I want to be remembered as somebody who has been true... true to the sport... to being real and who hopefully inspires other people to find their own path"
He openly admitted that he was competitive and winning was important but that now he feels that he may have lost the ego to be so focused on winning. Scott definitely seemed keen to inspire other runners something that kept coming through when talking about his career now, the purpose for his book and his legacy:
"I'm doing my thing and maybe it will inspire someone to do their thing"
And that is exactly what Scott is doing. Hearing him talk didn't make me want to go out and run ultras but it did make me want to go out and run, get out into nature, explore, have my own adventures and find friends a long the way just as he did. The way he talks about his journey into running and the impact this had on his life is eye opening and many runners can relate to these sentiments:
"I was running toward something. It was helping me to sort out my life. You get those moments where you just have to survive on the trails just like life. Racing helped me push through the boundaries that I thought were there"
It truly was a privilege to hear Scott speak and he took the time to talk to and sign everyone's copies of Eat and Run. The message he wrote means a lot to me and he wished me good luck with my first ever marathon in April 2014. With Scott's blessing the only option is to do well, surely?
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
“Running’s pointless. All you do is start at one point and run in a big circle until you are back where you began.”
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this, most of
the time given as an excuse from people who don’t want to run and see no value
in it. And I must admit at times I feel the same which is why GoodGym is a
great incentive!
In short, GoodGym takes groups of people who want to run and
gathers them all in one place on a weekly basis. From that meeting place
everyone runs together to a local community organisation or project which needs
volunteers for a short amount of time. The runners run in, get the job done and
then run away again, back to where they started.
I have been going to GoodGym (almost) every week since
Christmas and the range of activities and community organisations I have gotten
to know over that time has been fantastic – one week I could be turning compost
on Stepney City Farm to painting the inside of a local Church. I must admit
there has been A LOT of poo shovelling and compost turning and although it is
smelly work it is something I wouldn’t have a chance to experience if I was
running for hours on a treadmill staring at a wall in my local gym.
But GoodGym is even more than this; they also match runners
up to local older people who could do with a bit of company. The idea is that
you run to your GoodGym coach (older person) have a chat and run away again.
Seeing my GoodGym coach, Veronica, is always the highlight of my week. She gets
me out there for a run even when it is the last thing I want to do because I
know that she is waiting to see me. We get the chance to chat about everything
from how gorgeous George Clooney is to the lack of local pubs and the
subsequent breakdown of community!
So, there you have it, running doesn’t have to be pointless!
Sunday, 8 September 2013
How *not* to keep fit on holiday
This was supposed to be an enlightening blog post on how it is easy to go away on holiday and keep fit whilst still enjoying your time away. Unfortunately, I didn't succeed in keeping fit and healthy on holiday... in fact, quite the opposite.
To put this post into context - It has been a busy year at work and at home with a lot of changes and challenges. For the first time in my life I decided to book a week away at an all inclusive hotel by the seaside for some much needed chill out time. The Mr and I decided on Tunisia and I have literally been counting down the days until we flew away.
I packed my trainers and running kit with visions of running along the beach and saw that the hotel offered free exercise classes including yoga at sunset... and, honestly, I had every intention of making the most of these. And then I arrived there... and the non stop FREE food and booze happened, and the sun was shining, and there were sun loungers on the beach and an excursion to the Sahara Desert... and, most importantly, I realised I was exhausted.
By the second day away I made the conscious decision to keep my trainers in my suitcase unless I genuinely wanted to go for a run not because I felt guilty that I hadn't. I decided I would join in the exercise classes only if I wanted to because it looked fun not because I felt I should. As it happens, in the end, I didn't do any sport (unless you count Aqua Gym following one too many G&Ts...) and I am ok with that.
I have returned to London refreshed, feeling more positive, ache free and genuinely excited about embarking on my marathon training.
To put this post into context - It has been a busy year at work and at home with a lot of changes and challenges. For the first time in my life I decided to book a week away at an all inclusive hotel by the seaside for some much needed chill out time. The Mr and I decided on Tunisia and I have literally been counting down the days until we flew away.
I packed my trainers and running kit with visions of running along the beach and saw that the hotel offered free exercise classes including yoga at sunset... and, honestly, I had every intention of making the most of these. And then I arrived there... and the non stop FREE food and booze happened, and the sun was shining, and there were sun loungers on the beach and an excursion to the Sahara Desert... and, most importantly, I realised I was exhausted.
By the second day away I made the conscious decision to keep my trainers in my suitcase unless I genuinely wanted to go for a run not because I felt guilty that I hadn't. I decided I would join in the exercise classes only if I wanted to because it looked fun not because I felt I should. As it happens, in the end, I didn't do any sport (unless you count Aqua Gym following one too many G&Ts...) and I am ok with that.
I have returned to London refreshed, feeling more positive, ache free and genuinely excited about embarking on my marathon training.
Sunday, 21 July 2013
Race Review: The National Lottery Anniversary Run
Today I had the opportunity to race around the Olympic Park and finish in the Olympic Stadium... and it was AWESOME!
I wasn't too excited at the prospect of The National Lottery Anniversary Run, in fact I was dreading it. I thought it would be another case of more event than race, long waits and over hyped. The oversized running top and my boyfriend's missing race pack did nothing to fill me with confidence. But, despite this, crossing over the bridge into the Olympic Park the atmosphere was contagious.
The organisation seemed pretty good once we entered the park - my boyfriend sorted out the race pack dilemma and we hung around taking a few typical cheesy pre-race photos.
There were plenty of toilets - perks of being at a venue designed for lots of people. However, it was freezing and I did expect more entertainment before the race began after having been encouraged to get there 2 hours early. I couldn't even get a cup of tea as I saw too late, via twitter, that there were no cash machines in the park. Something which should have been highlighted in the booklet a bit better.
The starting blocks had a fantastic atmosphere, seeing Paula Radcliffe and Chris Hoy was a great addition. The warm up had a bit of the Mr Motivator about it but it was all a good laugh. The best bit though - setting off almost exactly on time which, in my previous experience, is almost unheard of!
As training hasn't gone well for me the past couple of weeks I vowed to myself that I wouldn't put too much pressure on myself. In fact I just wanted to finish! My boyfriend and I decided to run together (normally in a race one of us pulls away and we spend the whole time racing each other) which made this race something really special as we coaxed each other up the hills and sang out loud to the songs on the course. Parts of the route were amazing others less so but overall it was fantastic to find yourself winding round getting closer and closer to the stadium.
The finish was almost indescribable - running through the tunnels under the stadium, Chariots of Fire playing, hearing people cheering on the runners ahead of you then moving into the light and seeing row after row of seats. Breathtaking (if not a bit cheesy).
The best bit - high-fiving my boyfriend at the 100m mark and sprinting alongside him to cross the finish line.
This run was dubbed the "Back to the Stadium" run but to me it was the run that put me back in love with running and made me believe in myself again.
Were you there? What was your highlight?
I wasn't too excited at the prospect of The National Lottery Anniversary Run, in fact I was dreading it. I thought it would be another case of more event than race, long waits and over hyped. The oversized running top and my boyfriend's missing race pack did nothing to fill me with confidence. But, despite this, crossing over the bridge into the Olympic Park the atmosphere was contagious.
The organisation seemed pretty good once we entered the park - my boyfriend sorted out the race pack dilemma and we hung around taking a few typical cheesy pre-race photos.
There were plenty of toilets - perks of being at a venue designed for lots of people. However, it was freezing and I did expect more entertainment before the race began after having been encouraged to get there 2 hours early. I couldn't even get a cup of tea as I saw too late, via twitter, that there were no cash machines in the park. Something which should have been highlighted in the booklet a bit better.
The starting blocks had a fantastic atmosphere, seeing Paula Radcliffe and Chris Hoy was a great addition. The warm up had a bit of the Mr Motivator about it but it was all a good laugh. The best bit though - setting off almost exactly on time which, in my previous experience, is almost unheard of!
As training hasn't gone well for me the past couple of weeks I vowed to myself that I wouldn't put too much pressure on myself. In fact I just wanted to finish! My boyfriend and I decided to run together (normally in a race one of us pulls away and we spend the whole time racing each other) which made this race something really special as we coaxed each other up the hills and sang out loud to the songs on the course. Parts of the route were amazing others less so but overall it was fantastic to find yourself winding round getting closer and closer to the stadium.
The finish was almost indescribable - running through the tunnels under the stadium, Chariots of Fire playing, hearing people cheering on the runners ahead of you then moving into the light and seeing row after row of seats. Breathtaking (if not a bit cheesy).
The best bit - high-fiving my boyfriend at the 100m mark and sprinting alongside him to cross the finish line.
This run was dubbed the "Back to the Stadium" run but to me it was the run that put me back in love with running and made me believe in myself again.
Were you there? What was your highlight?
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