Run to the Beat UK

Good Morning!

I'm back from my trip and almost fully caught up at work and on my sleep! I tried so hard to stay up last night to hear the US election results but just couldn't so I was happy to hear Obama was re-elected when I woke up this morning! Yes, I'm Canadian, but whatever happens in the US has a huge influence on us and, to be honest, I have more faith in Obama than I do in our own Prime Minister. Since this isn't a political blog, we'll just leave it at that ;)

The real purpose of this post is to tell you guys about the Run to the Beat UK half-marathon I ran while I was in London!

From the Run to the Beat Facebook page (source)

The race was on the Sunday, October 28, and by then we had already had 2 full days of sightseeing so my legs weren't exactly fresh, but on the up side the clocks there changed that day so I did get an extra hour of sleep :)

I had my usual bread, pb (not easy to find by the way; do English people not love the stuff as much as we do?!), a banana, and a few cups of coffee.  Then I took the tube to Greenwhich which was super easy and fun considering most people were on their way to run too :) I didn't take my camera with me on the day of the race, but I did get a picture of the O2, where the race started and finished, the day before when I went to pick up my race kit.

The race started about 10 minutes late, which I didn't mind at all since I was still in line for the washrooms when it was supposed to start! It was really cold and windy but thankfully the rain held off save for a few sprinkles here and there.

I wish I could give a detailed recap of the race, but the truth is I totally zoned out for this one! I tried to take in the scenery as much as I could but I was really just stuck in my own head for most of it.  I will say it was pretty cool to be running in neighborhoods that looked like the ones you see in British tv shows, and having people with English accents cheer you on is even more encouraging :P 

As this was a Run to the Beat race, there were bands and djs stationed along the course but I had my Ipod on the entire time; Taylor Swift's new album was keeping me entertained :P  This definitely wasn't the easiest course I've run. It was probably the hilliest, and there was one brutal hill at about mile 8 or 9 that made me want to hug the lady who was telling us that we had made it to top!

By mile 10 I was so ready for this race to be over.  We caught a glimpse of the O2 as we were running through one of the neighborhoods and it looked so close yet was so far away! I slowed down considerably for the last 2 miles, but I didn't stop to walk at any point during the race cause I knew it would be too hard to start running again.  I kept an average of around a 10:30 pace for a little over the first half of the race but that came down to 11:00 to 11:30 for the second half, so I averaged at just under 11:00/mile and finished in 2:24 which I was pretty happy with; still a 1 minute improvement over my last race :P

All in all, even though this wasn't my favorite race, I am so happy that I got to run in London :) I'll be posting a few recaps of our trip with lots of pictures soon!

Getting Ready for the UK

Hey guys!

Hope  your Monday wasn't too painful :P I have no complaints since I'm only working 3 days this week, then I'm off to the UK :D

London, 2010

My mom has always wanted to go but my dad isn't super interested so we're making it a mother-daughter trip. We've been to NYC together a few times and we always have tons of fun so I'm really looking forward to it!  We're going to be spending 5 days in London and 3 days in Edinburgh, and we're taking a few day trips to the surrounding areas too. I've been to both cities before and loved them so I'm more than happy to be going back!

Edinburgh, 2010

And, I'll be running the Run to Beat half-marathon while we're in London  so that adds to the excitement :)

We have a pretty good idea of what we want to see and do while we're away, but if you have any suggestions for either London or Edinburgh please let me know!

I may not get a chance to blog until I get back to Ottawa, but I'll try to at least post some pictures and let you know how the race goes on Sunday.

Take care!

Running Quiz

Hey guys!

How was everyone's week? I have to say it was a BAD running week for me! I just DID NOT want to do it. I ran a grand total of 4 miles between Monday and Saturday and I hated every step. So instead, I spent some quality time with the elliptical and did more strength training than I normally do. You know it's bad when I choose to do weights over running :P  Thankfully I had a great 8 mile run today so I hope that means things are looking up since I do have another half-marathon in 2 weeks!!

I saw this quiz, by Hungry Runner Girl, going around the blog world this week and thought I'd join in!

Fuel: Shot Bloks, GU, Energy Chews, Candy or Other?

The only fuel I have tried are the Honey Stingers gels. I love them so much I never bothered trying anything else! They are easy on my tummy and they taste great. And I’ll admit eating something that tastes like candy on a tough run has both physical and mental benefits ;) 

(source)

 Race Length: 5k, 10k, 1/2 Marathon, Marathon, Ultra or Other?  

I have definitely fallen in love with ½ marathons! It is the perfect distance for me since long, slow runs are my favorite. It’s a challenging yet manageable distance, and training for a half still gives you plenty of room for cross-training. Over the years I’ve learned that 5 and 10ks are just not my thing…and I’ve yet to build up the courage to register for a full marathon!  

Workout Bottoms: Skirts, Running Shorts, Capris, Pants or Other? 

Most days I run in capris from Target.  But I did get a Nike skirt capri for Christmas last year and I’ve worn it for all of my races. It’s fun to wear something a little fancier for a race :)

(source

Sports Drink: Gatorade, Powerade, Cytomax, you stick to water when you run or Other?

I only drink water on my training runs. Occasionally I’ll grab whatever sports drink they’re offering at a race but I have yet to master drinking from a cup while running so most of that ends up on my shirt :P Thankfully I always have my Camelbak with me which makes it much easier to stay hydrated!

Running Temperatures: HEAT or COLD?

Um neither. Yes, I’m a big baby when it comes to running temps. Thankfully I actually enjoy running on my treadmill so I can still run year-round.

Running Shoe Brands: Saucony, Mizuno, Nike, Brookes, Asics or Other?

I haven’t had any knee problems since I started running in my Nikes so I’m sticking with those!

Pre-race meal: Oatmeal, Bagel, Banana, Eggs, Cereal or Other?

I always have bread with peanut butter and a banana before a race. It’s easy, especially if you’re traveling for a race and eating in a hotel room without access to a microwave or refrigerator! Oh, and coffee, lots of coffee ;)

Rest Days: 1x per week, 2x per week, never ever ever or other?

I usually take one rest day a week.  I don’t plan it, I just take it whenever I feel like I need it and that varies from week to week.

Music: Have to have it or go without it?

Oh I have to have it! Music is a huge motivator for me, and the lyrics are more important to me than the beat. I love to get lost in an emotional song and even if it’s a slow one it will keep me going.

#1 reason for running: stress-relief, endorphins, you love to race, so you can eat all the cupcakes you want, weight-loss, love running for social reasons or other?

I think this pretty much sums it up! 

(source)

I'd love to hear your answers to any of these questions! Or, if you're a blogger and you've done this quiz let me know so I can go check it out :)

September Foodie Pen Pal

Hey Guys! 

It’s Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day again :)!  As you probably know, Foodie Pen Pals is hosted by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean.

This month I was lucky enough to get an amazing package from Kris over at Trying to Tri. I picked up my box after work and I was starving by the time I got home so I dug in to the peanut butter bars right away. Kris was kind enough to send me two bars but I ate one before I had a chance to take a picture.  I’m so glad she included the recipe cause they were delicious and I’ll be making them sometime soon!

I plan on saving the homemade pasta for when I have company over and I’m determined to actually use my crock pot this year so this soup base is perfect to get me started! I tested the jam in a good old pb & j sandwich and it was a really nice change from my regular strawberry jam :)

Finally, Kris sent me some running fuel! I’ve never tried any Gu products so I’m looking forward to giving these a shot, especially since they contain caffeine which I’m sure will be an added bonus for me :P 

Thank you so much for everything Kris! 

I sent my package to Ashlee, a blog reader, who was nice enough to write up a post for my blog. Thanks again Ashlee :) 

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Hey all! I’m Ashlee!

It’s my second time participating in The Lean Green Bean’s Foodie Penpal exchange and this month I was lucky enough to receive my box from Lisa.

As soon as I opened the box, I spotted peanut butter granola. YUM. I tried peanut butter granola for the first time a month ago and it was delicious, so I was super excited to see it laying there!

I’ve never had a Larabar or chocolate mint black tea, but I can’t wait to devour both (because I haven’t yet)! I had the tomato basil soup for lunch one day; it was filling. The real showstopper was the mug cake, though, which I ate almost immediately after opening the box (moderation, right?).

Thanks so much, Lisa, for all of the wonderful goodies! Cheers to another successful month! 

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If you're interested in participating in Foodie Pen Pals next month, click here to sign up! 
 Here's some info on how it all works:

 -On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via
email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get
their mailing address and any other information you might need like
allergies or dietary restrictions.

-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies
in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the
goodies you received from your penpal!

-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or
even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also
include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining
what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items
depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about
flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re
a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short
guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you
received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry
about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents.  Please note,
Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've
determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to
send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice
versa.