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Tuesday 27 March 2018

I’m Training for my First Half-Marathon: Part 2



Less than two weeks to go… 

I’ve hit a wall with running, not the one they talk about on TV where you a half way through a race and you break through the invisible bricks in a blaze of glory. No, over the last two weeks I have forgotten why I ever wanted to run a half marathon in the first place. While I continue trying to keep positive and remember that it will all be worth it (hopefully) when I cross the finish line, I wanted to learn some things I’ve learnt about myself and running over the last three months of training:

-        Your feet won’t look pretty – I’m going to get the grossest one out of the way. Maybe feet are already disgusting but constantly slamming your feet on the floor at high speed will just make them worse, who would have guessed? To date I am one toenail down but ask me again in two weeks and I may be another one lighter. Sandal weather is going to be interesting.

-       Another thing for the to-do list – The thing people always tell you about exercise is that it is a great stress reliever, and it’s true, the rush of endorphins and time to think are great for mental health. When I signed up for the half-marathon I thought, ‘great I can run away the stress of, dissertation, job applications, assignments, impending adulthood…’ but what I’ve discovered recently is how time-consuming training is. Running no longer fits in with the rest of my life meaning I have to schedule it in which has been a challenge recently with so many other things going on. I now treat a run like the last thing on my to-do list and after I can relax and let the exhaustion take hold. There is nothing better than a post-run nights sleep.


-        I have poor will-power – I admit it, I have weak will-power when It comes to exercising. Recently my calves have felt strained and it’s made running painful at times. Then my weak will power comes in as I walk for short intervals and feel defeated even after covering nine miles. As much as I tell myself how much I can do it and that I’ll feel great when it’s over – my head is also willing me to stop. I now hope that the atmosphere and crowd of the race will keep my legs moving and my weak-willed-self running.

-       When am I going to feel fit?! There is something strange about exercising a lot more than ever while feeling tired and aching on the daily. My expectations of leaping out of bed everyday with killer abs and physique to match have been severely unfulfilled. On the bright side my leg muscles feel firm and I feel healthier overall, needing to do regular exercise has massively upped my water uptake and I’m trying to be conscious of what I eat before a run. Once I’ve finished running training I’d really like to focus more attention on building up upper-body strength and flexibility.

You’ll hear from me again after I’ve passed that blessed 13.1 mile mark. The final countdown (d-d-doo-doo) is now on, wish me luck!



Thursday 8 March 2018

International Women’s Day 2018: Recent Reads and Recommendations


Maybe you’ve been avoiding social media, televisions and the overall population since January 1st but 2018 is the Year of the Woman, i.e. the one-year anniversary of women over 30 getting the vote in the UK. Apparently, this month is also women’s history so it stands to reason that International Women’s Day 2018 is a big one, and I’m here for it. Still in need of some inspiration? Well it’s the perfect time to pick up a book or two from some first-class females. I’ve specifically chosen those that I’ve read recently, one of which I’ve only just started but know it’s a perfect fit for this mini list.  

Moxie – Jennifer Mathieu 
'Moxie girls fight back!' You may have heard of Moxie because it was featured in an incarnation of Zoella’s book club last year. Please don’t let that put you off, this story of a 16-year-old taking on her sexist-dress-code-pushing and football-player-worshipping Texas high school is possibly the most inspiring feminist book I’ve read. The characters are so developed and the issues are explored in a mature and sensitive way so that’s it’s an addictive read for all ages.  

Eat Sweat Play: How Sport Can Change Our Lives – Anna Kessel 
I added Eat Sweat Play to my Christmas list for some much-needed half-marathon training, turns out it was a lot more than inspiration for my lazy self. In fact, this book is a breakdown of sexism in sport and the media.  No, I have no aspirations of being a professional athlete or sportswoman but what this book did so insightfully was break down taboo's that are prevalent all over society. It is consistently thought provoking and as I consider it my first feminist non-fiction read, it has opened the door to a desire to read so many more.  


The Power – Naomi Alderman 
This is the book that I’ve only just started, in fact I’ll admit that I’m only 70 pages through. If you liked the Handmaid’s Tale (book or amazing TV show) you will love The Power’s way of exploring gender relations through a dystopian setting. As part of our first ever ‘book club’ myself and my housemates are all trying to get through this book before the end of March, why not get a copy and read along with us? 

Want to know what's next on my reading list? Follow me on Goodreads!