by thinkmarsh | Nov 15, 2017 | product review, self care, sleep
Central London has a new place to recharge and relax.
Pop & Rest is a new boutique studio in central London near Monument. When they first contacted me, I was intrigued about the concept. A place where I can nap? During the day? I was in. At my new work building, I have yet to discover a secret place to nap on the rare occasion where I overcommit myself and sacrifice my sleep.
On Thursday morning, I made my way down to their building. Unfortunately, I got a bit lost in Bank Station which made me arrive right at noon. The building has a reception desk, so I suggest that you arrive five minutes before your appointment in order for the Pop & Rest team to collect you.
I was escorted to their space, which was dimly light with electric tea light “candles”. The room is kept at 20 degrees Celsius as that has been proven to be the best temperature to fall asleep to, according to the Pop & Rest team. I was shown to my ‘pod’ which was made of cubicle walls enclosing a bed, nightstand with lamp, and a place to hang my jacket. The door was an accordion door for privacy. The walls did not go all the way up to the ceiling, but I was told this would be happening soon. There was also a little booklet on the nightstand, giving some tips on how to make the most out of your time in the pod, whether it be for napping, mediation, or relaxing.
The host explained that he would wake me up in 30 minutes, all I needed to do was get into bed. I took off my shoes and curled into the “half crawl” position recommended by the booklet. I opted not to use the blindfold or ear plugs. The bed was super comfortable, as were the pillows. Even though I was in jeans and a hoodie, I was still comfortable. My FitBit didn’t record me as sleeping, and I don’t think I did either. I was too worried about whether I would indeed fall asleep, how the host would wake me up, and all the crap I had to do when I got back to work.
Even though I didn’t officially sleep, I felt very chilled out when the host gently knocked on my door to wake me up. I took a minute to stretch out and put my shoes back on. I admit, my main concern was whether or not they change the sheets! I learned that it takes only two minutes to do so and yes, they change them after every booking.
Another service Pop & Rest offers is a shower facility. There are four shower cubicles and lockers to store your items. Towels and toiletries are provided by Pop & Rest, which means you don’t need to carry around extra things with you.
The business model for Pop & Rest has does very well in Spain, and I think will do in London too. Not only can freelancers or athletes use the space for catching 40 winks or cleaning up, but people travelling into and out of London can too. I was thrilled to learn that Pop & Rest are looking to open another site near my work at St. Pancras station due to the proximity to the Eurostar station.
I cannot wait to return to Pop & Rest the next time I have a long day of work booked in. If you are going to try, my top tips would be:
- Arrive 5-10 minutes early to check in with reception.
- Wear comfy clothes if you plan on sleeping or pack some pj’s.
- Book in for 60 minutes rather than 30. It just didn’t seem like long enough, even though a 20 minute nap can improve performance by 34% (according to Pop & Rest).
- They offer free coffee, tea and fruit. Place an order before your nap for a pick-me-up on the way out.
If you decide to book in, please let Pop & Rest know you heard about them through me. I really hope this model takes off because I love a good nap and you should too. Having a place to rest without having to travel all the way back home is a great way to recharge without loosing time on a commute. It is also much more economical than renting a hotel bed for a few hours. People who work multiple jobs, students, freelancers, those headed for a night out and more will soon be seeking out a pod. Hopefully, Pop & Rest start offering monthly memberships or multi-packs soon. A 30 minute nap is only £9 and worth every pence.
Thanks to Pop & Rest for inviting me along for a complimentary experience. All opinions are honest and my own.
by thinkmarsh | Nov 13, 2017 | books
With Kilimanjaro coming up in March, I have been slowly accumulating the kit I need. When I was in Houston in October, I found trekking pants, base layer leggings, and a down vest (gilet) at the outlet mall. On the weekends, we have been taking longer dog walks in the park as I build up the time on my feet.
But the wanderlust is real and I cannot wait for the trip. I am anxious to plan the next and the next trip after that. To help satiate me, I have loaded up my Kindle with a few adventure and travel books. I also reached out to my fitness blogger community for their recommendations too. Here is a great list of books to inspire you to be more adventurous.
Non-fiction
Wild: A journey from lost to found by Cheryl Strayed
I have yet to see the film starring Reece Witherspoon but this book is what got me thinking about going on an epic hike. To help find herself, Strayed hiked the Pacific Crest Trail solo and met some amazing people along the way.
Africa Solo by Mark Beaumont
This book I read before we rode from London to Paris. Beaumont set a challenge to ride from Cairo to Cape Town (self-supported) as a world record attempt. To do this, he would have to repeatedly have to ride over 100 miles a day in intense African heat. This book was shortlisted as adventure travel book of the year. If you are a cyclist, check it out!
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| Me and Dean at his book signing |
Road to Sparta by Dean Karnazes
With the launch of this book, I was lucky enough hear Karnazes speak here in London and talk about his passion for running. This guy is the original ultramarathon man, running 100s of miles on little sleep all over the world. He doesn’t even have a chair in his office, just gym equipment and a standing desk. This book explores his Greek heritage and retraces the steps of Pheidippides.
Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff
McNuff recently founded a Facebook Group called Adventure Queens and from the adventure told in Pants of Perspective, you can see why she wants many other women to go on a life-changing adventure. It takes a lot of guts to pack up your things, fly around the world and commit to running across an entire country. After finishing the last chapter, you will be ready to go too!
Cold: Extreme Adventures at the Lowest Temperatures on Earth by Ranulph Fiennes
Last weekend, I went to the European Outdoor Film Tour which featured Simone and Tamara climbing to the top of Kangchenjunga in Himalayas. Winter is coming so I decided this is the next book I am going to read.
Fiction
End of the World Running Club by Adrian J. Walker
Many people, including Sarah from Dreaming of Footpaths, recommended this book. I actually found it on my own when looking for new running books last spring. It is a post-apocalyptic thriller that has a out of shape man running through a demolished landscape without any laws to find his family. This is a #1 bestseller.
Call of the Wild by Jack London
We had to read this in school and it is still a timeless classic. Read the stories of a wild dog in gold-rush Alaska. Perfect for animal lovers and those wishing for snow this winter.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Written in 1870, this book dives deep into the ocean. Of course, as a fish nerd, I loved this book. You will probably find many references from modern day television or film originated in this book. There is a lot of details about the submarine, so get your engineering hat on.
Please note this post contains affiliate links. They cost the buyer nothing extra but help maintain this site.
by thinkmarsh | Nov 10, 2017 | community, exercise
There never seems to be enough time in the day. You wake up, eat, commute, work, hit the gym, commute, and eat again before heading to bed. As you repeat this routine day in and day out, there isn’t much space in there to give back to your community. What do I mean by community? Your friends, neighbours, colleagues, and people who would benefit from your skills. Here are four examples of initiatives that allow you to multi-task your workouts while helping others.
Like animals?
Cinnamon Trust– Help out the elderly and terminally ill by walking their dogs or playing with their cats. These pets are constant companions for people who might be bound to stay at home due to their health. Their pets have needs too, such as regular exercise too. You can also foster a pet should the owner have to go into the hospital for a few days.
Prefer people?
Good Gym– Founded in London but expanding rapidly across England, this non-profit has two programs to get you sweaty. The first is performing manual labour for people or companies in the local area. As a group, you may run to the selected location and clear a garden for an elder or paint the new community centre. The other aspect to the Good Gym is being pair with a ‘coach’ (an isolated elder). You will literally run to their home for a visit and then run back home again.
Want to empower women?
A Mile In Her Shoes- If you love running and helping women, this charity can use your help. Simply obtain your Leader in Running Fitness with UKA and then volunteer at one of the many run clubs across London. A Mile In Her Shoes work with women who are at risk or affected by issues related to homeless. You can help these women get back on their feet too by encouraging, coaching and running.
Help orphans with Down Syndrome
RODS Racing– This global team of endurance athletes is recruiting athletes. For every mile you run, bike, swim, your pledges and donations will help an orphan with Down Syndrome. RODS raises $15,000 (~£11,000) for one orphan at a time. This is half of the fees incurred for adopting these special kids. Many of the children are from countries where Down Syndrome isn’t understood or accepted. By relieving part of the financial burden, RODS ensures these orphans find a loving home faster.
Do you have other suggestions on how to multi-task your exercise with something else? Do you run to work? Or have ‘moving meetings’? Leave me a comment below with your tips.
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| My first ever marathon, repping RODS |
This post originally appeared on the now-defunct H2 Life Blog.
by thinkmarsh | Oct 30, 2017 | sport
A big part of the blog is letting my readers know about different sports, new fitness trends, and encouraging you to be more active in your daily life. Last month, I was thrilled when Decathlon invited me to be a part of the newly established Decathlon Blogger Community (DBC). There are 25 of us so far who will be testing out some of the kit offered at Decathlon while we try new sports.
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| Some of the DBC gang |
I have been familar with Decathlon since arriving in the UK. I was lucky when I first arrived in London because there was a Decathlon near me. Any time I tried a new sport (like ballet, open water swimming, cycling) I knew I could purchase quality kit at affordable prices from the store. In fact, my road bike is a BTwin. They offer equipment and supplies for over 70 sports, all under one roof. That was back in 2011 when there was only one Decathlon store in London. There are now 28 stores throughout the UK and the plan is for there to be a total of 300 by 2027. Perhaps after that world domination? Decathlon can currently be found on four different continents.
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| Finding out what more about the circuits |
As a way to meet the other bloggers, we met up at the Decathlon London office for some fun and games. We started off with a circuit set outside in the car park. Charlotte, Bethan, and Stephen were on my team and we dominated! The stations were chest press, battle ropes, walking lunges, and slam balls. I am pretty sure it helped that we had four people on our team rather than three as your earned points for each completed rep.
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| Teams at the ready. Turns out most of us don’t know much about European sports teams and stats. |
There was also a pub quiz which was so difficult because I don’t know too much about professional sports. I would rather play any that sit around and watch it, which seemed to be a general consensus. My husband would have dominated at this quiz. Luckily, Stephen knew a fair bit and Charlotte is up to date with her footballer wife gossip. It was close, but I am happy to say Team Yellow won.
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| Team selfie! |
We will be learning more about the program in the coming months. With over 20 Decathlon brands to choose from, I don’t think we will run out of activities to try. If you would like me to highlight a specific sport or want to learn about a Decathlon product, leave a comment below and I will see what I can do.
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| We are the champions. |
Thank you to Decathlon for believing in what what this blog is all about and my mission to get more people active by discovering new fun ways to move more.
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| Capturing all the action. Bethan was committed to the cause in her weighted vest |
by thinkmarsh | Oct 23, 2017 | clothes, product review
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| Mammut shorts on the move |
About a third of my wardrobe is activewear. I tend to prefer technical fabrics over cotton because I have trouble regulating my body temperature and prefer to wash things after wearing a few times to reduce my impact on the environment. As I have mentioned before, I like to trial test products a few times before I let you know what I think. Here are a few pieces I have been trying over the last few months.
The first are Mammut MTR 71 Shorts, which I found to be super versatile. I used them for marathon training, indoor cycling, dog walks, and plain old home workouts. Having the inner shorts helped prevent chafing between my thighs when I had longer runs planned. There is a small zippered pocket in the back on the waist and a key pocket on the inside front. The fabric is breathable and very stretchy due to the spandex component. The large was a little big on my thighs so I found the inner shorts would sometimes ride up. I think if I had the mediums, it would have been fine. There is also an antimicrobial treatment to the fabric to reduce odor, which means you can pack light on a camping trip without having to worry about worrying about the smell.
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| Mammut shorts and my OgiYogi hoody |
My OgiYogi hoody and leggings came to me in May. We had such a fantastic summer, I haven’t had a chance to wear these until recently. I am so sad because they are truly amazing! The leggings fit perfectly and are great at balancing my body temperature when I start sweating. I also found the print flattering event though I normally avoid horizontal stripes. The merino and bamboo hoody is super soft and warm, with a concealed zip and thumbholes (check it out in the above photos). It has pockets and a longer length torso. I do wish the zipper would open from the bottom because the longer length has to fit over my hips which it does but I don’t think it is super flattering. I guarantee I will be living in these pieces this autumn for running, spinning, and lifting. And sitting on the couch while I write blog posts.
You might not know that Hunkemoller sells more than lingerie. They recently started offering sportswear in a variety of styles (including a Blogger line). I received a black Hunkemoller top with a mesh back panel in early 2017 and have found a ton is uses for it. The front is a solid piece of black fabric with a normal crew neck. When we went to Cape Town, it was a beach cover up and a cute top to wear to the bar.
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| Breakfast on the deck before swim time |
The back really is the fun bit. In London, I use it as a layer to go to the gym over a bright sports bra. Unfortunately, this particular top isn’t available any more but there are new lines offered several times a year.
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| Ready for a night out |
If you have any questions about these pieces, leave a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you to all of the brands for providing me with samples to try. All opinions are honest and my own.
The business model for Pop & Rest has does very well in Spain, and I think will do in London too. Not only can freelancers or athletes use the space for catching 40 winks or cleaning up, but people travelling into and out of London can too. I was thrilled to learn that Pop & Rest are looking to open another site near my work at St. Pancras station due to the proximity to the Eurostar station. 
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