A different set of Goals for 2021

I write a diary, I have written a diary since I was a kid, some of it is not very interesting and sometimes I don’t write in it for a couple of weeks and then I come back to it. Much to my little girl’s amusement my Mum gives me a diary for Christmas each year - a very normal WHSmith day to a page A5 diary - this year was no different of course!

At the beginning of each year I write some notes reflecting on the year that is ending and some notes and goals for the year ahead. They are really not resolutions, I have never been one for New Year’s resolutions - no new year, new you stuff, it is usually a trip I want to take or a goal race I want to run or something I want to achieve. This year though I am struggling. I am struggling because reading through the notes I wrote at the beginning of 2020 I go through a whole range of emotions - anger, sadness, frustration, disappointment. This time last year we had absolutely no idea what lay ahead of us - and the notes I wrote talked of an anticipated trip to visit friends in Australia and in terms of running plans to run my 9th and 10th marathons as well as my first attempt at an ultra and a multi-stage race.

Of course none of these goals came to fruition and instead I think like most people I have spent the year teetering somewhere between being scared shitless, overwhelmed and not totally losing my shit! I have been lucky enough to keep working throughout but overnight I found myself working from home full-time, managing home schooling for three kids and doing all shopping and errands for my 89 year old Mum whilst she was required to shield. Sorry I digress but the point is that the person that sat and wrote out her goals for 2020 had absolutely no idea what was about to happen, how life as we knew it would be turned upside down and how out of control everything would feel.

I wonder what I would have written differently if I had known what 2020 had in store for us. Well in a way I know what I would have written - because it is what I will try to write this year - goals that have nothing to do with travelling to far flung places and running big city marathons - 2020 has undeniably been an extremely tough year and we are not out of the woods yet and I am under no-illusion that certainly the first part of 2021 is going to be any easier, I think we are almost certain to go back into a national lockdown in the very near future and a return to life as we knew it this time last year feels like a long way off yet. Whilst it has been an extremely difficult year there has been some good news and some good stuff has happened and I think I have learnt a fair bit about myself, my ability to cope, what is really important to me and just how long my tether really is!

So my goals this year will all be smaller process based goals aimed at supporting the person I want to be as a mum, a friend, an athlete, coach and employee. Goals that support me being able to show up as the best version of me, goals such as sleeping and eating right, taking better care of me, so that I can show up for my friends and family and support them as they support me. Smaller goals that will mean I am ready to go back after those big goals when the time is right.

So come on 2021 let’s be having you.

Much love as always xxx

Oh and one final goal - stay injury free!!!!

Sport is coming back ... hurrah!!

I am at the point that I honestly celebrate every tiny bit of normal creeping back into our lives - but the truth is that even this long after lockdown started we are still extremely far from normal and in many respects life has still to resume. Over the last few weeks we have been able to do more - exercise outside more than once a day, slowly but surely non-essential shops have been able to open with strict covid secure conditions. Some children have been able to return to school and hairdressers, pubs and even theme parks are set to open in the next few days. Don’t get me started on how some of this stuff can possibly be prioritised over children returning to full time education - it is estimated that over a third of children have done NO work since schools closed before lockdown and it will be a long time before we begin to understand the effects of this extended period of home learning on those children for whom school is their safe place. (Sorry rant over - that is a whole different blog post!)

This week though I have had several small but significant causes for celebration - the first of which was Liverpool finally becoming English Premier League Champions - if you know me you will know this is such a huge deal in our house - and after a 100 day Premier League hiatus a bloody huge relief!   For my darling 12 yo football is life and Liverpool is everything and I couldn’t be happier for him - even though he has no comprehension that some of us have waited 30 years for this moment - for now we will just let him revel in the moment!  Now that they have lifted the trophy who knows he may actually be able to watch the remaining games of the season - match day nerves usually get the better of him and he prefers to follow the action on the BBC Sport website rather than watch the matches!

Honestly not only was Liverpool winning a huge cause for celebration but another signal of a bit more of a normal life creeping in - yes sport is coming back!!! We live and breath sport in our house, both watching and taking part and no sport for the last three months has left a big hole in our life. I think the boy felt it more than the girls as he has really missed the social side as well as the physical side of playing football every week. We have run, cycled, walked the dog, trampolined, played basketball and played frisbee to keep fit but we have missed racing, football matches and team practice.

But this week the boy and the big girl re-started tennis lessons - the boy declared he was worried he was rusty and a bit unfit but super excited - I honestly don’t know who was more excited me or him! Even the 14 year old who has mastered the art of looking completely unimpressed with everything looked mildly pleased and declared it was good fun! I admit I shed a small tear of joy to see them back playing with their friends. Better still the boy returns to football practice tomorrow, I know it will be different, they will play a lot of drills instead of a match to make it easier for them to observe social distancing and I am sure they will all be a bit rusty and unfit but the sheer joy of seeing them be able to train together for the first time in so long will far outweigh any awkwardness. For my part I can’t wait to catch up with all the parents!

For me I am pretty sure there will be no races this year, I have already deferred my entry for the Chicago marathon rather than wait for a decision to be made as to whether the marathon can go ahead. But for now I am just grateful to be able to get out and run some miles with my running buddy. Before we went into lockdown I was really struggling with my running mojo especially over long runs but lockdown has given me the space to refocus on why I run and realise I get to run so even if there are no races I will keep showing up and keep putting in the work because running makes me a better person. And when racing returns I will be ready.

Much love as always xx

Sometimes Life just gets a bit in the way and last week was one of those weeks ....

Marathon training requires a huge amount of commitment - and I don't just mean in terms of the time involved in actually running - more like the little things that you don't consider when you commit to running a marathon - things like the fact that you will be constantly hungry and probably constantly tired.

One thing I never factor in is the fact that after a long run in the cold I hardly have the energy to hold my own head up but if our 19 month old cockerpoo hasn't been out running with me she requires a lengthy walk on my return!!  Try reasoning with a bouncy fluffball that Mummy can't walk very fast today!!  On one such occasion I bumped into a very dreamy looking chap also walking a bouncy fluffball, he attempted to strike up a conversation with me - I could hardly speak I was so tired - in my head I was actually wondering how I was going to be able to make it home.  I managed to mumble something in response, needless to say he gave me a weird look and excused himself with a "well have a great day then..." as I shuffled off (literally) in the other direction - another one bites the dust.  (It is a constant source of amazement to me that I am still single btw!)

It would be nice to be completely selfish and focus solely on marathon training - eat, sleep and recover right all the time right?  But I am a single mum of three little pickles and I work full time and my life simply isn't like that - I don't think life is like that for most people and if I am honest I don't think I would want it to be.

Last week I took my Mum to my uncle's funeral - he died right after Christmas, he was very old and suffering with dementia and had a stroke before Christmas.  Mum and I managed to visit him in hospital, he was so frail and I think it was hard for Mum to see her brother like that.  I think there are times in life when you realise you are the adult now instead of your parents and this was one of those times I guess - another was when I realised I was the designated driver whenever we went somewhere instead of my Mum!!! It was lovely to be able to reconnect with some family we hadn’t seen for ages but did serve as an all too stark reminder of how short life is.

What I am trying to say is that with the best will in the world and no matter how selfish you are about sticking to your plan and never deviating, life will get in the way and throw you some curveballs. And I think the point is that life should get in the way, marathon training requires dedication and hard work but it also requires you to be flexible and to juggle and be creative with your use of time to get it all done.  But along the way it is important to remember that you have a life outside of running and that life itself is all too short.  So no beating myself up over one missed session, just get out there and live it.

Much love xx

The 2 pieces of kit you need when you start running

So last week my friend and I made our annual trip to Lululemon with our hard-earned vouchers for completing their January Strava Challenge. As usual I spent ages gazing at the row upon row of kit in a dazzling array of colours, shapes and sizes and as usual everything I bought was black!. If you know me that will come as no surprise - there is nothing wrong with black kit ok!

Anyway the trip got me thinking how daunting it can be to work out what, amongst all this kit, you actually need if you are just starting out - there is so much choice out there, so many gadgets and so many bits and bobs that people will tell you are must-haves - compression tights, underlayers, specialist socks, gloves, hats, headbands, technical shirts, and let’s not even start on all the wearable tech - that is a whole new post right there!

So what do you really need to get started? I honestly think there are really only two things worth investing time and money in when you are just starting out - and by that I mean if you invest a bit of time into doing some research you can save yourself a load of money. So here you go my top two bits of kit are:

1. A good sports bra - (if you are a guy you can probably skip this one!) - seriously getting the right bra will make your whole running experience much more comfortable - even if you are small you will need some level of support.
   
   Do a bit of internet research to work out what kind of support you need - most bras are categorized in terms of size, level of support and the sport for which they are intended.
   
   Once you have worked out what type of bra you need have a look at websites like www.SportShoes.com for deals and check out TKMaxx - they always have great choices at good prices if you don’t mind a little rummage!
   

2. Shoes - badly fitting/old/unsupportive shoes can land you in a world of trouble and put you out of action before you even get started.
   
   If you are unsure where to start it may be worth visiting a good retailer to get a gait analysis done. Runners Need is a really good place to start - the stores are always very friendly, have a great range of shoes in stock and are able to offer sound advice on what you should be wearing.
   
   Right now Runners Need will swap your dodgy old trainers for a sparkly £20 voucher off a new pair!
   

   Stores will usually offset the cost of the analysis against any shoes you buy instore but you may end up paying top dollar for your shoes. Instead don’t be afraid to pay for the analysis and then go shop around for a good price - again www.sportshoes.com have great deals and if you are not fussy about having your shoes in the latest colours (they are just going to get muddy anyway right?!) you can usually get last season’s shoes online for around 30 - 50% off the full price!

So a good bra and good shoes and everything else can wait, hope this helps. Shout if you have any questions!

Much love xx

The 5 most common excuses for not exercising

When it comes down to exercising the phrase I hear the most is “I can’t because ….” So here I have put together the five most common excuses for not exercising and debunked each one!

1. I don’t have time - this is by the far most common reason I hear. Ok I get it we are all super busy, it is not a competition to see who is most busy. But here is the deal, it really just comes down to what you prioritise - if you make watching tv a priority you probably won’t have a lot of time to exercise - what I am saying is if you make exercise a priority you will make time to do it.
   

2. I don’t like exercising on my own - ok so don’t - find a buddy, rope a mate in. Personally running is my headspace so I relish being able to run on my own - although there is nothing better than having a mate along for a long run! But if you don’t like exercising on your own, grab a mate to exercise with or join a group class for extra motivation.
   

3. It’s boring - let me tell you a secret - I find swimming agonizingly boring - so guess what - swimming is not my exercise of choice. Why? Because I just would end up not going. The point is find something you love and then you won’t find it a chore - think outside the box - why not try dance classes or borrow a mate’s dog and go for a walk?
   

4. The kids/family come first - don’t they just! And so they should! As I said before running is my headspace and I guarantee that having that headspace time makes me a calmer mum! If you can’t get away what about taking the kids with you - in a buggy or if they are bigger they could cycle whilst you run. Or you could all just go for a bike ride together?
   

5. I can’t afford a gym membership - ok so some gyms are pretty expensive but there are some great pay-as-you-go options and in this day and age there is so much free content on the internet - loads of workouts you can follow from the comfort of your own home!

So there you go, the five most common excuses for not exercising and a whole host of reasons to exercise - just go make you a priority!!

Much love x