Photo from my Instagram

I looked on my running app yesterday (I use Runkeeper by the way and really like it) to see when I started running multiple times a week. Like ‘really’ running, as in this is something I want to do and try and get better at. It was September 2019, so 8 months ago.

To be completely honest, that 8 months feel like SO long ago. I remember coming home after running 2 miles and feeling so upset that I found it so hard. Truth be told, I’ve NEVER been good at running.

That girl who used to be last at every cross country at school? Yep, that was me. I even used to try and get people to pretend to fall over with me, so we wouldn’t have to carry on. I was that bad! I know a lot of people say that about school, but I really was always the last one. Granted I struggled with asthma quite a bit when I was younger, and I was always on the chubby side too.

Even when I got older, I used to try go on runs with my dad and sister and always ended up crying in frustation and feeling like I couldn’t breathe (I think I just never got the breathing right for running!)

I started with Coach to 5k last September, which I would highly recommend. I know it’s very popular, but I think there’s a good reason for that. It breaks you into running gently and is actually pretty enjoyable too. I did struggle a bit after completing Couch to 5k on what to do next, and also I don’t necessarily like the fact that it presumes everyone who does it can run a 30minute 5k, I still can’t do that 8 months on and I’m not sure I ever will!

I remember after Coach to 5k I started doing 3k runs and eventually building up to a 5k once a week. Now, I either do two 5k’s a week or one 10k. I made it my April goal to run a 10k and I’ve been doing it every 2 weeks since. I signed up to a 10k race in July but obviously that isn’t happening now. I am working on trying to get faster on my 5k time, and I know when I run with my dad, I’m much faster than on my own. Ideally, I’m definitely not anywhere where I’d like to be with my times, but I’m working on it and when I look back to where I started, I’m at least 5 minutes faster already.

I actually find it a lot easier to run a 10k than try and be faster on a 5k, I think I must be more built for distance than speed! In the near future, I want to go back to Parkrun which we started just before lockdown, and really enjoyed it. I also want to start running a few 10k races too, hopefully I might be able to do a later this year, or if not definitely next year. (I really want a medal, I know I’m ridiculous!)

In the distant distant future, I think I’d love to achieve a half marathon one day. I know for sure I will never do a full marathon, my sister has done one before (she’s much better at running than me, clearly she got the speed gene!), but I really don’t think they are good for your body and the amount of stress you put it under. If I one day did a half marathon, that would be more than enough for me and something I never thought I’d be able to do.

In terms of how/why/where/when in the actual running, I either do it in the morning after breakfast and afternoon. I usually listen to podcasts because I find I would get too bored with music, I like my mind to keep occupied. I recently got a running belt instead of just holding my phone, and I really prefer that. I don’t take a drink with me on any run, but if I’m doing a 10k I usually run back to my garden and have a quick drink of water whilst jogging on the spot, especially if it’s sunny. I also pop a few sweets in my pouch too for my 10ks and that is a LIFESAVER tip! I’ve recently started HIIT training at least twice a week too, and I think that’s helping my running aswell.

I feel like I’ve got a lot more things to say about running, such as why I love it and keep doing it, and my running essentials etc. Please let me know if you’d like to hear more about it, and I can write those up too.

Do you run?

One thing I seem to be going through a lot of recently is….books! I’m not quite sure how it’s happening because I only really read before going to sleep on an evening, but I’m averaging about 3-4 books a week which is a bit crazy, even for me. (Let me know if you’d like a book reading tips post or something?)

With that being said, lately I’ve read some great books and I wanted to share a few of them here.

HALF A WORLD AWAY

I’ve read another book of Mike Gayle’s and I really enjoyed it (The Hope Family Calendar) so I knew I would like this one going into it, and I loved it! It totally moved me, and I was so invested in the story. A story about two siblings who were put into care, lost touch and then found each other years later as adults, and it also deals with lots of different family issues too. It definitely isn’t a light read, especially the second part of the book, but don’t let that put you off!

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

This book is everywhere on Bookstagram accounts at the moment. To be honest, I get a bit put off when things are super super hyped up, but this was a different story. It’s a book about the life of a marsh girl, who gets involved with a wrong member of the nearby town. I can’t quite put into words just *how* beautiful this book is. Probably the most beautiful book I’ve ever read! If you only read one of these books, please make it this one. I’ve now lent it to my dad who I think will love it, and then my sister wants to borrow it after too. I think it’s a story everyone will love.

PAPER AEROPLANES

I love The Cows by Dawn O’Porter and enjoyed her latest novel, So Lucky, but I knew this book was about two young teenage girls, so it wouldn’t really be the same sort of writing. And it definitely wasn’t, so you can’t really compare the two, but I just loved this book and how it took me completely back to being a young teen again. She writes so well and describes the feelings and thoughts you have when you are that particular age, you almost feel like you’re back there yourself.

..And here’s a few recent 4 star reads too!

• Pretending by Holly Bourne
• One Minute Later by Susan Lewis
• The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell
• The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Have you read any of these?

Photo from my Instagram

The most recent two weeks, I’ve been working on a few healthier habits that I can incorporate into my lockdown life, and hopefully life after lockdown too. Like the rest of us, I’m having up and down moments, days, and even weeks really, so if that’s you too feel free to take all of this with a pinch of salt, and just take it easy on yourself.

new workouts

I feel like I’ve been on such a journey with exercise. Last weekend, me and my mum did a virtual 3 day fitness retreat which was filled with lots of high intensity interval training. I used to do that kind of exercise a few years ago, but I’ve lost confidence in myself with it and I haven’t done any since. Well, apart from now! I feel like I’ve fallen back in love with it and I want to do two a week, along with my running. I’ve also been doing lots of restorative yoga recently and I feel like it’s doing wonders for mental clarity and feeling more relaxed too.

less screen time

At the beginning of lockdown, my screen time was so high! Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a lot higher than I’d like it to be, but I’m slowly lowering it every week and finding things to do instead when I automatically reach for my phone. I’ve managed to finish off a small part of my craft project this weekend, and I love chilling out on an evening with a magazine for an hour without my phone too.

 homemade snacks 

I’ve done so much baking this week, and I love it! I love that I can eat the mixture out of the bowl when I’ve finished (definitely the best part, and always reminds me off baking with my grandma when I was younger), and that I then have a week of yummy snacks for when I get hungry.

cycle tracking

I’ve been tracking my cycle (which I’m sure is a whole other post in itself) but I’ve honestly found it so so helpful, and something I really want to continue. I feel like I’m finding out so much more about myself and my own body, and it’s a journey I’m really enjoying.

outdoor time

Making sure I get out for once walk a day at least (at the moment the UK government are letting us go outside for ‘unlimited exercise’) helps me stay feeling balanced and calm in the midst of this crazy world. Popping on a podcast and walking Harvey or going solo, gives my mind freedom for a minute or two and feels normal, which a lot of things don’t right now.

Do you have any healthy habits you’re working on right now?

Photo from my Instagram

Now that we’re over 6 weeks into lockdown here in the UK, I thought I’d do a little update of the things I’ve been enjoying reading/watching/listening and just generally, doing. Whether that’s to keep myself busy, distract myself from the news, or just do something a bit different. Maybe some of them you haven’t watched or tried yet, and you might like them too.

TV AND FILM

I’m 3 episodes in to Normal People, I gave the book 4 stars last year so I’m very intrugied as to how I’ll find the show! So far, I’m really enjoying it and it seems to of stayed pretty true to the book. I watched Dirty John which at the beginning was a bit slow, had a great middle, and a bit of a disappointing end I thought, although it is a true story and it was the right outcome, I thought it might have a few more twists and turns. As for films, we watched A Simple Favour the other weekend which I actually really enjoyed, even though I’d heard bad reviews of it. This weekend we watched the new Charlies’ Angels, which of course doesn’t live up to the classic (I love Cameron Diaz) but was pretty alright I’d say!

BOOKS/PODCASTS

I’m reading more than ever right now, so a few of the books I’ve really enjoyed recently are:
Conviction: a women listening to a crime podcast who finds herself involved in it
Regretting you: a love-story but not in the way you think
The Unhoneymooners: a fun read that will distract you from the current climate

In terms of podcasts, I’ve been loving the usual ones like Sh*gged Married Annoyed, The Fringe of It, One Step and the Deliciously Ella podcast. I tend to not really switch up my podcasts from what I normally listen to, unless I find a particular episode where someone I’m interested in is being interviewed!

INSTAGRAM

I don’t normally share Instagram accounts in my blog post but I thought I’d do a little list of some of my favourites incase you want to update your feed with some gorgeous accounts.
Creative accounts: @sienna.and.i @allthatisshe @sarah.simple.moments @imagineamy @georgiarosehardy @alexandriaandi @kutovakika @littlepaperswan @memyselfandsteph
Lifestyle accounts: @misskatyenglish @hannahgale @shemademagic @bethsandland @kerryvillers @katieellison @thehelsproject @laurenastondesigns

I’ve also been loving Lily Pebbles and The Anna Edit’s Saturday lives (they save them on their IGTV for later on in the week which is where I always watch them).

OTHER THINGS I’VE BEEN ENJOYING

• Baking
• Slowing down
• The gorgeous weather!
• Photo editing
• Treating myself to an Amazon order with a gift card I have
• Weekly Zoom quizzes
• Family facetimes
• Lots of yoga
• Running
• Evening routines
• Slow weekend mornings in bed
• Painting
• Connecting on Instagram
• Youtube watching
• Magazine reading

What have you been enjoying lately whilst we are in lockdown?

Photo from my Instagram

April seems to of flown by for me, even given the fact that lockdown is still happening in the UK (and rightly so I think). May looks to be much of the same, so again this months goals are very home based and things I can work on from the safety of my own home.

APRIL GOALS RECAP

Keep positive. I definitely tried to keep positive in April, of course there were lots of down moments and days when I just felt so off, but that’s a given with the state of the world right now. Some days were better than others, but I feel I did my best at this.

Keep creating. I’d say that April was a really creative month for me. I created lots of photos I was really happy with, did lots of painting and embroidery, and felt fufilled creatively. That’s something I’m really happy about.

Be kind to myself. Looking back, I can proudly say I was really kind to myself in April, and I’m so glad. It actually made such a difference to my mood, and productivity levels too. Hopefully this is something I can remember to carry on for the foreseeable until it becomes a habit, instead of something I need to remind myself about.

MAY GOALS

Push myself out of my creative comfort zone. Carrying on from earlier, now that I feel really happy with my creativity levels right now, I want to push myself further. Paint new things, try to create different images than I’m used to, and maybe even do some embroidery on a t-shirt or two. I can’t wait!

Try a new workout. Even if it’s just trying out a new Youtube video (for some reason I really want to try a Barre exercise) or adding some weights after I’ve finished a run, I think it will be good for myself and my body to change things up a little bit.

Work on mindset and positive habits. This month I want to do more work with affirmations and different meditations. I’m already halfway through a 10 day meditation youtube series, so hopefully I can keep that up for the rest of the month. There are a few other things I’d like to do too, so we’ll see.

What are your goals for May?