Great North Jog Blog

So true

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:36:04 -0400

So true

Jog Blog

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:10:02 -0400

Hi everyone. Ok so this week I was due to start week 2 of my training.
On Sunday, after I completed session 4, later on in the day I felt a slight niggle in my left knee muscle. I didn’t think anything about it at first and just thought it was because of my training I had done the whole week. The next day (Monday) getting up and ready for work it was very sore and I could feel it pulling when going up and down the stairs. I thought as it was my rest day I would have time to rest my knee and hopefully it would be better the next day in time for my session. I did some research for what to put on my knee as I heard a lot of different things from different people of what to do. Put ice or cold compress on it, put heat on it, or combined ice and heat. I really was unsure of what to do. So I researched it online. I found that for acute injuries such as minor pulled muscles in the knee or sprains to put ice on the injury after the activity as this reduces swelling and discomfort. And to only put heat on chronic injuries before an activity to loosen and warm up the muscle. So I sat with a bag of frozen chips on my knee for no longer than 15 mins and took ibuprofen every 4 hours to soothe the pain. I had an early night and let my leg rest.
The next morning (Tuesday) it was much better and no pain was felt when moving it. It was until I walked up and down stairs that it started to niggle again however not as bad as the previous day. Oh dear, I hoped it would get better during the day as I couldn’t wait to start my second week of training. So yesterday after work I decided that if I jogged on it, it would only make it worse. So instead of not doing any exercise at all, as i don’t want the muscle to seize up, I did some gentle exercises in the form of lunges, knee presses and stretches to warm up my knee muscle and get the blood flowing to it. I did this for about 10-15 mins and couldn’t do any more as it was starting to niggle again. Ah dear never mind, I’m sure I’m doing the best I can. I’m not in pain it just twinges every now and then. I’m going to see how it is today and maybe go for a short, easy walk tonight just to keep moving it and then hopefully i can get out for a jog tomorrow. Fingers crossed. If anyone has any advice for me, it would be greatly appreciated as I can’t wait to get out and jog and continue with my training as I’m really getting into it and enjoying it :)

Jog Blog

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:21:37 -0400

Sunday 25th March

Week1 Session 4
Yeyy I’ve completed my first week. It’s been brilliant. I have really enjoyed it and so glad I have stuck with it. I think that writing this blog has helped to motivate me and keep me training so I can have something to write about.
So the clocks have gone forward so summer is here. And what a perfect day. It is hot, really hot that it is important for me to stay hydrated while running. So a bottle of water is always needed. Even when it isn’t hot.
I begin my warm up and I can’t wait to get outside. It’s so lush. Today I did a 30 minute easy jog, so it was important for me to really slow my pace down and to gently take smaller strides, rolling my feet from heel to toe to help me do so. I felt very comfortable and relaxed straight away. The music this time was upbeat but chilled, not to fast paced, a steady easy tempo which was easy to follow. The personal trainer kept telling me to just gently and easy jog, and that I should be relaxed :)
There was a few times where I did feel myself pick up pace and then was reminded that this is an easy jog and to slow down.
I did about 3 miles today and yesterday which I was happy about. When I came to the end of the session I slowed my pace down and just started to walk to get my heart rate down to a steady pace. My breathing was good and I didn’t feel really breathless, this making me feel that I am making good process.

Jog Blog

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:05:15 -0400

Saturday 24th March

Week 1 Session 3
Today’s session was a 30 minute steady state. For my warm up I mixed my stretches up a bit. I had some interesting advice from a friend on Facebook which was to not do static stretches before my jog. I had a look at a video on YouTube and took this into consideration, as this kind of warm up helps to warm your muscles up more efficiently and get you ready for your jog. You can then do static stretches after your jog. It helped a lot. I felt myself getting more geared up to get out and run and it got my heart rate pumping more before my jog, resulting in me not feeling as breathless early on. Off I went. The music on this session was much better than the last. A easy melodic tune made by piano keys. There was more of a solid beat to follow making me slow my strides down but lengthen them. I felt like I was lightly bouncing off the ground and I really got into the workout. And what a gorgeous day to be outside jogging. The sun was shining, the hustle and bustle of people making the most of it around me was making this jog more enjoyable. There was a cool, refreshing, misty breeze in the air. My dad was riding alongside me on his bike which was also very comforting. I’m feeling really good. I’m pushing on but keeping in mind what the personal trainer is saying to me through my ears. To really make sure I don’t shorten my strides as this will tire me out. I keep my arms moving to help drive me on. It’s going great! The music is fab and the beat is there for me to follow with my steps. I don’t feel as tired as I did during the last session and I know that this one is a little longer so I’m preparing myself mentally.
My dad smiling at me every now and then is keeping me motivated :)
The voice in my ears gives me the 1 minute to go mark and tells me to really push it for the last bit. So really lengthen my stride, still keeping with the beat. I can feel it in my pelvic muscles, but it’s a good feeling. I’m so determined to push on for the last few seconds. The music fades and I slow down gently to a easy walk to then begin my cool down and static stretches. A really successful jog :)

Jog Blog

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 09:54:12 -0400

I have thought bout nutrition a lot since doing some research about it. I had dippy egg and soldiers (toast cut into strips) this morning as eggs and bread are great source of protein to give you energy before a run. As its been a few hours since breakfast I am going to eat a banana and a handful of walnuts and almonds. I have heard that they are great to eat before a run to boost your energy levels.

I am raising money for the British Heart Foundation

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:04:17 -0400

I am raising money for the British Heart Foundation

Fundraising

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:59:50 -0400

So I thought that it would be a good idea to do the Great North Run not just for challenging myself and self achievement but for a good cause. I thought about raising money for The British Heart Foundation as I have done fundraising for this charity before when I bungee jumped off the Middlesborough Transporter Bridge. :)
So I have set up a JustGiving page. Check it out, your support means a lot :)

Reblogs

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:05:47 -0400

I have re-blogged some interesting facts and fitness advice below which are really interesting and a must read for fitness, training and exercise hope they help you too.

t-is-for-training: 1. Catch the running bug. You’ll continue to...

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:02:18 -0400

t-is-for-training:

1. Catch the running bug. You’ll continue to burn fat after your jog: People who run for at least four hours a week melt more calories than non-runners, even when they’re not running, a Yale University School of Medicine study reports.

2. Crank it up early. Working out harder during the first half of your workout and taking it easier during the second burns up to 23 percent more fat than doing the opposite, according to a study from The College of New Jersey.

3 & 4. Go hard — and make it quick. Staying at 80 percent of your max heart rate for 40 minutes can amp your metabolism for 19 hours afterward, research published in Obesity notes. And doing a shorter workout at 75 percent of your max aerobic capacity will give you a greater metabolic boost than sweating longer at 50 percent, a Colorado State University reveals.

5 to 7. Lift dumbbells … slowly. More muscle equals mega metabolism boost. Strength training can help you trim major fat, research reveals — and doing super-slow (versus normal speed) reps increases strength by 50 percent.

Plus, using dumbbells activates more muscle fibers than using machines, explains Gregory Haff, Ph.D., an associate professor in the exercise physiology department at West Virginia University.

8. Speed up, slow down. Alternating bouts of high-intensity and low-intensity cardio has been shown to torch pounds.

9. Put on weight (literally). Wearing a weighted vest (about 10 percent of your body weight) while walking can boost your calorie burn by 8 percent.

10. Download Rihanna, not Brahms. Listening to up-tempo songs actually makes you run faster and harder than listening to slower-paced music, British scientists say.

11. Let kettlebells ring. Not only does working out with kettlebells build muscle, but doing it for 20 minutes burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute-mile pace for the same amount of time.

12. Keep it up. As few as 80 minutes a week of aerobic or weight training helps keep you from regaining belly fat after losing weight, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

13. Add poles. Use Nordic poles while you walk, and you’ll burn 20 percent more calories, says research from The Cooper Institute in Dallas.

14 & 15. Lift first, nix the rest. Doing strength training before cardio can torch more fat than cardio alone. And if you do one move after another without pausing, “you’ll see more gains in strength and muscle mass,” says Dr. Pierre Manfroy, M.D., consultant for the book “100 Ways to Supercharge Your Metabolism.”

16. Add pounds. Lift heavier weights for fewer reps to make your workout more intense — and burn more fat — Manfroy says.

17. Try aromatherapy. Exercisers who inhaled strawberry and buttered-popcorn scents torched more calories than those who sniffed neutral odors, according to research from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.

18. Box yourself in. Wii boxing knocks out nearly twice as many calories as some other games, like Wii golf.

19. Kick it. Playing soccer not only torches more fat and builds more muscle than jogging, but it feels less tiring, Danish research reveals.

20. Stay in shape. Fit people have more fat-burning metabolites in their blood than couch potatoes do, scientists say.

IN THE KITCHEN

22. Get more protein. Eating a protein-packed breakfast and lunch helps you burn more post-meal fat than if you eat lower-protein meals, according to Australian research.

23 & 24. Guzzle green tea — or coffee. Downing five 5-ounce cups of green tea a day boosts metabolism, says Lyssie Lakatos, R.D., author of “Fire Up Your Metabolism.” Two cups of coffee will also do the trick, one study shows.

25. Have an omelet. Eating two eggs for breakfast while dieting will help you trim more weight and body fat than if you ate the same amount of calories noshing on a bagel, scientists say.

26. Stay above 1,200 calories… ”The average person’s body goes into starvation mode if she eats fewer than 1,200 calories a day,” says Eric Berg, author of “The 7 Principles of Fat Burning.” “That’s stress, and stress creates more belly fat.”

27. … and cut calories gradually. If you diet, don’t trim more than 250 calories a day. Cutting calories too quickly slows your metabolism down, Dr. Manfroy says.

28 to 33. Munch on these. Almonds, cherries, yogurt, grapefruit, whole grains, and spicy foods have all been shown to torch fat.

34. Fuel up right. Eating a low-glycemic-index breakfast (such as muesli and peaches) will help you burn more fat during a subsequent workout than eating a high-glycemic-index meal (like waffles), researchers from the University of Nottingham reveal.

35. Think before you drink. Sipping as few as 90 calories’ worth of vodka can slow your metabolism by 73 percent, one study shows.

36. Graze. Women who go without eating for long periods are more likely to have higher body-fat percentages than women who nosh more regularly, one study notes.

37. Dine like a Greek. Eating a diet rich in monounsaturated fat (think olive oil, avocados) can help trim both weight and fat, research published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows.

38. Stop gorging. Your body can only handle so much food at a time, so stick to 600 calories or less per meal to maximize fat-burning, says Leslie Cooper, co-author of “Flip the Switch: Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism and Burn Fat 24 Hours a Day.”

39. Skip juice. Reaching for an apple instead of apple juice is not only better calorie-wise, but it’ll also do a better job of boosting your metabolism, Dr. Manfroy explains.

IN YOUR LIFE

41 & 42. Get C and D. Vitamin C can help you burn more fat, and D may help you lose fat, research notes. Aim for 400 to 500 mg of C and 800 mg of D a day.

43 & 44. Walk more (in denim). Researchers found that fitness-friendly offices (think treadmill desks, mobile headsets) helped people trim pounds and fat, as did wearing jeans to work, since dressing casual encourages you to move more. Wear comfy clothes when you can, pace while on the phone, and stand while chatting with co-workers.

45. Add fish oil (And work out). Taking 6 grams of fish oil per day and hitting the gym three times a week can help nix body fat, an Australian study reveals.

46. Work the day shift. Keeping nontraditional hours lowers levels of hormones that trigger satiety, increases blood glucose and insulin levels, and raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol (which can drive you to eat more), scientists say.

47. Nix the boob tube. Cut your TV time in half, and you’ll burn more calories each day, research from the University of Vermont suggests.

48. Go mental. People who visualized themselves training a specific muscle boosted the strength in that muscle group, researchers found.

49. Eat a smaller dinner. Your body may not digest food — and burn fat — as efficiently if you down a huge meal right before bedtime, especially because your metabolism is slower while you sleep, Dr. Manfroy says.

50. Jump-start your morning. Wake up your metabolism — and get fat-burning started — by doing some sort of exercise within the first few hours of being awake, Cooper suggests.

51. Get your snooze on. Sleep for a solid 81D 2 hours instead of 51D 2, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, and you’ll lose more fat. Sweet dreams!

Really interesting tips :) A MUST read

healthysexyhappy: 7 Healthy Foods That Will Fill You Up Bananas...

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 07:58:15 -0400

healthysexyhappy:

7 Healthy Foods That Will Fill You Up

Bananas - If you reach out for a banana when you feel hungry instead of an empty calorie snack, you’ll nourish your body and you’ll be ingesting way less fat and sugar than many snacks.

Eggs - As long as you’re not eating 12 of them in one week, eggs are good for you.

Almonds - Just one handful of almonds will keep you full for a long time because they are great at suppressing appetite.

Avocados - It contains good fats (monounsaturated fatty acids) and it contains protein that will fill you up nicely

Peanut Butter - You can easily find peanut butter that contains only 100% roasted peanuts (you can buy the organic and non-organic kinds). There are no hydrogenated oils, sugar or salt added to the peanut butter. This is a healthy option.

Oatmeal - Is a great super food because it’s low in sugar, high in fiber and it’s so quick to prepare.

Apples - Packing an apple for your daily snack will not only add one fruit/vegetable portion to your daily recommended intake and the fiber will fill up your stomach

Really interesting food facts to help when running and training :)

I came across these beautiful photographs of fruit. They look...

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 07:55:48 -0400

I came across these beautiful photographs of fruit. They look delicious and fantastic to eat when training for energy and nutrition.

Jog Blog

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:36:46 -0400

Thursday 22nd March
Week 1 session 2
Yesterday was another rest day so I had my second session to do today.
I did my stretches and 5 minute warm up along to the training audio.
I was feeling very confident and positive about this second session just because how well the last one went. The 5 minute warm ended and up picks the beat and change of tune to a happy, light-hearted tempo of music. I begin to lightly jog trying to time my strides in with the beat of the music. At first I find it quite difficult to get into the rhythm of the beat and tempo and feel myself jogging too fast so I have to try and slow my paces down which is quite tiring. This is all in the space of 5 minutes, which gets me thinking ‘have I been to ambitious and cocky about this training malarkey?’ haha.
I stick with it and try to remember the advice the voice of the trainer told me last time, to pull my toes up towards my knees. This helps to control my strides and to find the rhythm. The personal trainer is there to guide me again giving me encouragement and gives me another interesting bit of advice. This time he tells me to keep my arms at a 90 degree angle, near to my body. And to move them as I run. He then tells me that this will benefit me when I start to tire as by moving my arms will motivate my body to run and keep going. It works :)
As I get to about half way through the session I feel like I am into it now and feel like I am flowing and jogging to the beat of the music :) thank god!
I feel what I felt last time again, like my feet roll from heel to toe. This gives you the feeling that you are floating over the ground softly and not pounding with every step on the concrete. Eventually I start to feel good. It’s giving me this amazing feeling of freedom being outdoors and running. Being away from everyday life, daily situations, just being free and independent. It is really an amazing feeling. Quite powerful!

As I get to the last 60 seconds I really push and lengthen my strides.
The music fades and slows the the finale music again where I begin to walk slowly to get my breath so I can cool down. I feel a bit shaky but good. As I am walking I can feel the muscles in my calfs throbbing and I know that this session was harder than the first. I start to wonder whether it was me just being to ambitious and getting ahead of myself at the beginning for it to tire me so early and to not get into it properly until half way through or whether it was the type of music and tempo. Let’s see how the next one goes….

Jog Blog

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:49:47 -0400

Warm up
The session begins with slow tranquil music to start you off with your warm up stretching muscles properly before your run. The personal trainer’s voice comes on here. He (male) has a soft but direct voice which I find comforting. He talks you through this part, welcoming you to the program and explaining what the main focus of the session today is, which is to start off steady and to build up my stamina.
I do my stretches working from the legs up making sure I hold the stretch for 15-25 secs. After 5 mins the personal trainer tells me to shake off my legs and arms and begin to walk to then slowly take up the pace to a light jog. The music starts to increase pace and change into something a bit more up beat and dancey. I feel fab. I am lightly running to the beat in a nice steady pace. The music is good, it has a solid beat so it makes it easy for you to stick to a good pace. Every now and then the personal trainer will speak to motivate you and drive you on. He makes some interesting comments and tips to ensure your making the most out of your run. For example, he says: ‘today I want you to focus on pulling your toes up to your knees when you stride. So your heels hit the ground first and roll onto your toes softly. This is meant to make your stride longer. At first it felt a bit weird, but when you get into the rhythm of the music, the beat and comfortable pace it seems to flow naturally, as if your floating over the ground lightly.
I check the time on my iPod, I am half way through the session, so I plan my route in my head so I can end up near home. I am loving how warm it is outside and I think to myself that I have started my training at the best time, waiting until the lighter and warmer nights start. This jog is going brilliantly, I feel so good, I have my water, I am taking it easy, keeping the pace and keeping my strides the same size. The personal trainer talks just the right amount so your not bombarded with info or chat but short motivational comments which is very friendly and keeps me going.
It gets to the end of the session, and his encouraging words strive me to push a little harder for the last 60 seconds. He then congratulates me on this and tells me to slow my pace down to a walk. The music slows and gradually changes to a slow finale making me feel fantastic, I have done it!
I walk until my heart rate has lowered slightly before doing my stretches and cool down.
First session done, I can’t wait for the next :)

Ready to Run

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:02:19 -0400

Ready to Run

Jog Blog

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:00:02 -0400

The Jog Pods training program comes in a disc format. I simply put it into my laptop and everything is there for you from instructions to a personal diary chart to manage your training and sessions to images of stretches to warm up and cool down. Then there the training sessions. Which are split into 12 weeks. In those 12 weeks are 4 sessions. They are the jogging music sessions which are in mp3 format, so I dragged them into iTunes and sync’ed to my iPod.
The diary chart is made for you. It seems to be quite simple and easy to follow. You begin the week with a rest day on Monday. That’s why I started today on a Tuesday.

So here I begin my training for the Great North Run Tuesday 20th March 2012

Week 1 session 1
This session is a steady state which basically means a light easy pace jog, continuous for the duration of the session. This one is 29 mins 40 secs, minus 5 mins at start and finish for warm up and cool down.
I have got my running outfit on, Ipod ready and proper trainers which are essential in running as you could result in injuring yourself if you don’t wear the correct running shoe.

Jog Pods Half Marathon Training Series

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:40:51 -0400

Jog Pods Half Marathon Training Series

Jog Blog

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:35:46 -0400

Okay, so I thought I would start a jog blog as a diary of my journey throughout my training for the Bupa Great North Run 2012. Last month I successfully received a place in the World’s largest half marathon event and couldn’t wait to begin my training.
My desiring interest for taking part in this hugely popular event in Newcastle has always been there. Every year I would watch it on the tv and feel that excitement and buzz of thousands of people from all walks of life, uniting together to accomplish this fantastic annual event. Everyone has their own different reasons for doing it and that’s what motivates them, which I admire a lot. So I thought that this year would be my year, to challenge myself and go for it!

When I found out I was successful I immediately thought that it would be a good idea to keep a diary of my training, development and perspective of the whole process. This will help motivate me and build my confidence, because no matter how excited I am to start i feel it can be daunting to start training, from knowing when is the right time to start to sticking at it.

So here i begin….

Ive got myself a training program which I thought would be a big help in building my fitness and stamina to the level it should be for a half marathon. Yes I am quite fit already and participate in regular exercise but I need to be at a certain level of fitness to be able to handle the half marathon comfortably, so a good training program is essential I think. Another thing that is essential in running are a good pair of running trainers, which I will talk about later.
The training program I am going to be using is called Jog Pods- Half Marathon 12 Week Training series. It is basically a personal audio jogging coach, with 56 training sessions and over 47 hours of music to run to, with a personal trainers coaching combined. It sounds good so I thought I would give it a go. I just hope the music is good to run to, and the voice of the personal trainer isn’ too irritating as that could really put me off wanting to use it.

"It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop."

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:53:04 -0400

“It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.”

- Wisdom of Confucius