by thinkmarsh | May 1, 2017 | race review, running, WMM
I am very happy to share with you my thoughts on the Virgin Money London Marathon (VMLM) my first Abbott World Marathon Major of 2017. It has been a challenging four months of prep for one race, but it was worth it. Thank you to everyone who reached out to me with best wishes in the week leading up to the race and then congratulations after. It meant a lot to feel the love.
Race entry and fees: Hugely popular with runners worldwide, VMLM has a 1 in 19 chance of winning the ballot. Most people opt for charity places or if you are fast enough, a’good for age’ entry. I ran with Plantlife who asked me to raise £1000 this year (it might change for 2018) after paying £50 registration fee. I probably ended up spending £200 of my own money across the several fundraising events I organized.
Course and bogs: I was in the red start in corral 8 and bumped into Haydy walking to the same start zone so we chatted a bit along the way. It was very organized and sign posted for bag drop in large trucks and starting pens in the main road. Before checking my bag, I popped a handul of EnergyBits and pulled out a Bounce ball for a last minute snack. The port-a-loos were arranged in little U shapes along the edge of the park, which made cueing much more organised. Charlie and Tom came over to say hi and to alert us to the shortest loo queue on the world. Score! I ended up leaving my corral after the start of the race to use the loo last minute anyways and was really glad I did.
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| Queues for the loos |
I wore my new
Kalenji bum bag from Decathlon which fit four MyProtein energels, my phone, and a 500ml water bottle with
Tailwind. There was plenty of water stations along the course at every mile from mile 3 to mile 25. Lucazade, one of the major sponsors, provided sports drink at miles 5, 10, 15, 19 and 23, as well as gels at two points along the way. Port-a-loos were stationed at several points along the way. I stopped at mile 8 for a quick pee (unlike Berlin when I stopped several times in a variety of locations).
Location: The race starts in South East London in Greenwich and ends on The Mall by Buckingham Palace. The 26+ miles winds it was through many of the streets north and south of the Thames.
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| Course map at the expo |
Atmosphere: This day has to be the one day of the year that everyone in London is happy. People are friendly, chatting with strangers along the side of the road and on the Tube. The majority of the course is well-stocked with people cheering for friends and strangers alike. Many spectators carry homemade signs and others hand out jelly babies to the runners. It is truly an amazing day to be in London, whether you are running or cheering. I am so grategul to have had James at Mile 20, my Team Naturally Run girls at Mile 22, and Advent Running at mile 24. It made all the different to get to the finish line.
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| Crossing Tower Bridge. Nearly 1/2 way! |
Goody bags and bling: The medal is substantial with good weight. I might have missed a chance from Princes Harry and William giving me my medal, but I didn’t think they would still be around by that point. My goody bag contained an apple, sweet and salty snacks, a few flyers about Virgin companies, plus a few drinks (water, coconut water, and a guava Lucazade). The finisher shirt that came in the goody bag was a bit odd because it has an ice cream cone on it saying ‘I licked it’. I really don’t get the reference.
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| New PB of 4:30:07 |
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Snack attack! Oldland was more interested
in the snack than my presence. |
Things to know if you want to take part next time: I would say not to bother carrying water with you as there are stations nearly every mile. But see how you do on your training runs to see if this is appropriate for you. I noticed with this training cycle, I became really hungry on long runs and craved real food. Next time, instead of gels, I would carry Clif bars or Bounce balls over the spare two gels. Sabine suggested I have James hold a snack for me, and I am so glad I listened to her! I would also encourage my supporters to carry a balloon or inflatable something so they stand out in the crowd. I tried to convince James of this this year but he didn’t believe me. He does agree with me now that it is best to leave the dog at home at home because of the packed crowds and all the sugary candy on the ground.
Feeling like you are up for the challenge? The Virgin Money London Marathon ballot opens 1 May 2017 and closes on 5 May 2017. Magazines are posted in the autumn to let you know if you have won an entry. Let me know if you are lucky!
by thinkmarsh | Apr 13, 2017 | clothes, fashion, product review
Yesterday on my way home from work, the Evening Standard had an article about how offices should offer showers and lockers to running and cycling commuters.
I am all about reducing stink and have been run commuting for a few months in prep for the London Marathon. I have learned the hard way that millions of microscopic bacteria are the reason why your gym clothes smell after a sweaty workout. If you wash your clothes with the wrong cycle, temperature or detergent, you will compromise the fabric, reducing its quality. Poor maintenance of the fabrics means less wicking, longer dry time and the perfect conditions for bacterial growth. If I am running a race in hot temps, I stink a lot more at the finish line if I dump water on my head than if I don’t.
Nobody wants to be ‘that guy or gal’ who has an office strung up with sweaty gym kit with a smell that permeates the canteen. Here are a few things to think about to keep the smell of victory to a minimum in the office.
Tip 1: Choose the right material
When you are buying new workout gear, avoid cotton like the plague and instead look for:
Merino wool is a natural solution to avoiding post-workout odours. Made from the wool the Merino breed of sheep, this kind of wool doesn’t itch, helps you thermoregulate and doesn’t smell due to a natural oil secreted by the sheep called lanolin. Icebreaker, Smartwool, and ashmei are all brands that work with merino wool.
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| ashmei offices in Tring |
You can also look for the Polygiene logo. It is a silver-ion treatment of the fabric before final manufacturing occurs that prevents bacterial growth. It is permanently integrated into the fabric and will not wash out. Companies such as lululemon, Ron Hill, Adidas, Poc, DaKine and Polartech are just a few examples of partner brands that use this treatment on their products.
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| Polygiene socks make stretching out in the dining room more bearable. |
Tip 2: Wash it with the right stuff
This seems like the natural thing to do but sometimes the detergent we use or the water temperature settings don’t actually kill the bacteria. Don’t use fabric softeners on your tech fabrics as this could leave a residue that will effectively take away the wicking properties. A few products you could try are:
Revive by Odo Sport is designed to keep synthetic sports kit clean, oudor-free, and functioning properly. It shields the fabric from acquiring dirt between washes and adds a fast-drying agent to help kit to dry more quickly (which will keep stink down too).
Nik Wax Basewash® effectively cleans, deodorises, inhibits the build up of body odours, accelerates drying and improves cooling efficiency of synthetic base layers. If you have wool baselayers (we’ll talk about material choice in a minute), use NikWax Wool Wash™ instead.
Mr Black’s Sport Wash is all natural and biodegradable, yet able to squash the bacteria that cause your technical kit to smell a bit funky. Their philosophy is to prolong the life of your clothes as you have invested in them (and we all know how much good kit can cost).
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| Run commute warrior! |
A final option if you want to wash your clothes is to send clothes out during the day to be laundered. Indoor cycling studio and fitness gym H2 offers this as a service with a 48 hour turn-around time, which means the sweaty clothes never make it to your office to cause any offence.
Tip 3: Use Pay As You Gym (PAYG) to shower
Perhaps your training schedule only requires you to run or cycle in once or twice a week. If your office doesn’t offer shower or lockeroom facilities, look on the PAYG website to locate an inexpensive gym facility near work where you can freshen up and change before your first meeting. Long term it might not be cost-effective, but it could also help you smell fresh for the rest of the day.
Tip 4: Run home instead
Sounds simple enough, but make exercise a priority and run home from work instead of going to the pub. That way sweaty clothes can air out in the comfort in your living room instead of your work cubicle. Of course, it is challenging to keep the motivation up over the course of a day but think about how you will feel as the endorphins start flowing after a few minutes of sweating.
If you have any other ideas on how to keep your office from smelling like a locker room, please comment below. I know Londoners can be pretty creative with this sort of thing.
Portions of this post originally appeared on the H2 Life Blog.
by thinkmarsh | Apr 12, 2017 | health, holistic, relax, self care
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| My beautiful flowers from Prestige Flowers UK |
In today’s digital world with nearly instantaneous results, we have a tendency to overbook and over commit. It is a competition of how early we get up to go to the gym and how late we stay up to finish the newest episode of Orange is the New Black. We go to every birthday party, every leaving ‘do and never miss a workout. We never put ourselves first, which can lead us feeling tired, depressed and anxious. I say ‘enough is enough!’ It is time to take care of yourself so that you have more to give to others. Here are a few suggestions on how to administer self care. Note, these are things that make me feel better by keeping things pretty, simple, and calm.
Treat yourself- Fresh flowers aren’t just for Valentine’s Day. Prestige Flowers UK sent me a gorgeous bouquet a few weeks ago. The comments I got on Instagram were how decadent it is to have fresh flowers and others wished they had flowers too. There is nothing stopping you from picking up a beautiful bouquet every once in a while. Having them delivered was great too! They arrived in a really sturdy box whic would be manageable to carry home on public transport. I tend to pick flowers up on bank holiday weekends as I will be home for a few days in a row and can enjoy the flowers more than if I was at work.
Other treats that I enjoy once in a while include manicures with my mom or friends, trips to the cinema, and going out for a meal at my favourite resturant (aka Chipotle or Pizza Express).
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| Facial at the spa. So peaceful |
Skip a workout- Bet you never thought a personal trainer would say this. Sometimes, you just need a night off (please do not cancel less than 24 hours before your PT appointment) to refocus. There is a worry you will fall out of your training schedule but having a night off might be just the thing you need to get your mojo back. You body will appreciate the rest too if you tend to workout more than four times a week.
Have a lie in– I dare you not to set your alarm. It is glorious.
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| Sleeping on the #fitbitfifty bus |
Watch TV without multitasking– In my house, we are usually working on the laptop while the TV is on in the background (like I am now). But is that really an effective way to create quality work or to grasp plot of the show? Set a timer to just watch your show and chill, then get back to work.
Take a nap– It is amazing what a little power nap will do. Rest and recovery are very important when you are training, sp make sure you are getting enough of both. In addition, if you are burning the candle at both ends, you might need to be creative with your sleep schedule.
Revisit a favourite hobby– Usually we start a hobby because we enjoy it, and possibly because we are good at it. As we grow up, we loose the time to set aside for these fun pursuits. So pull out the sewing machine, dust off your SLR, or book a dance lesson to do something fun again.
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| I am learning how to make quilts (in all my spare time) |
Call an old friend– Sure, Facebook is great and so are emails but there is nothing like chatting to a friend on the phone. People seem to be so disconnected these days with text messaging and rapid fire emails. Reconnect the old school way.
Stop comparing yourself to others and let go of FOMO- This will drive you crazy and develop self-doubt. Be proud to be you. You might not get the same experiences as everyone else but it is your life to lead.
What do you do to take care of yourself? Leave a comment below and let me know.
Prestige Flowers sent me a bouquet of flowers. All views are honest and my own. They would be happy to deliver flowers for your Easter celebrations if you are looking to bring spring indoors. 🙂
by thinkmarsh | Apr 7, 2017 | running, yoga
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| Running to the finish |
In a perfect world, I would have wrote a post for ‘1 month until London Marathon‘ but the training plan I chose had me running two 20 mile peak weeks. It has been a long 15 weeks of training but I am feeling ready. Now that I am officially in taper mode, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. My mileage is decreasing, leaving more time for food prep and Dance Moms reruns (my latest guilty pleasure). With less than 3 weeks until my second World Marathon Major, how will my training change in the lead up to the starting line?
Less mileage– This is good as Strava just told me it is time for new shoes. I might use my Salomons 3D this week for short runs. In the post, I recently received Wiiv custom insoles which used photographs of my feet to create the perfect fit. Is 3 weeks enough time to break in new shoes and/or insoles? I am not willing to risk it so I will wait to try these insoles out.
More stength training with Julia B Fit– Every. Time. I. Say. I will strength train. Then I don’t. There just isn’t enough time in the day to work and train in all the disciplines that balance the time on my feet. Julia’s workouts are great because you can mix and match different sessions based on your training goals and how much time you have. You can get started in her online gym for free, so click on the link above and have a mosey around.
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| Thank you John Lewis for my new yoga bag. So fancy! |
More yoga– John Lewis sent me a ‘yoga at home’ kit from their wellness campaign. Like strength training, yoga is something I know I need to do more of as a runner, especially one who has Achilles tendonitis and periformis issues. The bag is beautiful and I can totally see it as a beach bag or carry on. There was also a resistance band in the bundle, which will be handy with the strength training point above.
More sleep– Seriously. If you are part of a sleep research lab, can I please be a study subject? I need eight to nine hours normally but then with big miles on top, even more. Any advice on developing quality sleep patterns?
More blogging– Having reached my fundraising goal a few weeks ago, I can now concentrate on writing posts about my time in South Africa, new kit I have been testing out from Get the Label and La Redoute (check out their fitness guide with a mini-profile on me), and trying electro-acupuncture for my periformis pains.
Whole30 rules– After having to stop and use the bathroom four times on my 20 miler on Sunday and three times during Berlin Marathon, I need to get my GI system under control. I will loose a lot of time trying to find a bathroom during London Marathon but also it is no fun having to worry about having an accident for 4+ hours.
What do you do in the last two weeks leading up to a big race? Let me know in the comments below.
by thinkmarsh | Mar 22, 2017 | exercise, fitness
Spring seems to have sprung so now it is time to work on coming out of your winter hibernation. I already have students asking me how to get a flat stomach. I suggest starting to spend more time outdoors by walking or running in the park. Meet friends for a cycle ride along the canal. Take the kids to the playground and climb on the equipment with them. Get your body moving to get stronger and healthier in no time.
Here are 8 moves for a slender summer tummy you will be proud to show off in your swimming costume. Start with 30 seconds each, and each week add 10 more seconds. Add 30 seconds of star jumps between each one for a cardio boost! Remember to check with your doctor before beginning a fitness program.
1. Side planks (30 sec on each side. Don’t let the hips drop)
2. Partnered leg lifts (One person stands and pushes away the other’s toes as they lift them up to 90 degree)
3. Ballet crunches (Start laying on the ground and hold arms in ballet 1st position. Then move in an anti-clockwise direction pausing at 3, 12, and 9 on the clock face. Repeat 10 times then switch to other direction)
4. Roll back and reach (Sit with feet on ground and knees bent. Hold arms straight out in front of you and slowly lower your torso back with your hips being the pivot point. As you lower, bring one arm out to the side and reach behind you until you feel you cannot go any lower (you will develop a greater range of motion with more practice). Come back up by imaging a string is attached to your chest and drawing up upward. Repeat on the other side.)
5. Supermans (Lay on stomach with arms and legs extended. Raise opposite arm and leg a few cm off ground. Hold for 3 seconds. Alternate sides)
6. Step in and out plank (In plank position, step left foot out 1 step to the left, then right foot out to right 1 step, then left foot back to centre, followed by the right foot. Continue)
7. Tea pot (Standing up, have a weight in one hand. A jug of laundry detergent or bag with a few books in it will work. Place left hand on left hip and have weight in right hand. Slide right hand down outside of right thigh until you are just above knee. Then use abs on left side to help you stand upright. Complete one set on the one side for 30 seconds, then switch to the other.)
8. Standing side crunch (Place all of weight on left leg. Hold on to chair or wall if you have poor balance. Raise right arm above head and point right toe to ground. Bring right elbow to right knee at 45 degree to body. Extend arm up again as you point toe but try not to put any weight on right foot to keep tummy working. Repeat for the 30 seconds, then switch sides.
The foods you eat and drink will affect how your midsection looks too. Here are some food and drinks to avoid developing a bloated stomach. Keep a food diary to see which ones affect you the most.
- Fizzy drinks are filled with gas, which then is released inside your stomach and intestines. Often times fizzy drinks will have excess sugar too, which contributes to the bloating problem.
- Chewing gum is thought to bring air into your stomach so stick to the mints before a big night out.
- Dark green vegetables, like kale, broccoli, and cabbage, can cause bloating and flatulence, but if you eat them regularly, your intestines will increase their efficiency at digesting them.
- Dairy causes bloating in many people with and without lactose intolerances. Pay attention to how your body responds to milk, certain types of cheese, yoghurt, and ice cream, and then avoid the ones that give you trouble.
Another crucial element to reducing the amount of fat stored around your waistline is to get enough sleep! Added stress and lack of rest releases a hormone called cortisol. Too much cortisol can cause excess fat to accumulate around your midsection.1 If you are eating right and exercising, but not seeing a shift in your body shape, take a look at your sleep patterns to ensure you are getting enough quality sleep. Aim for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you are training more than usual, you might need even more.
Leave a comment below and tell me how you are emerging from your winter hibernation.
1Moyer, et el. Obes Res. 1994 May;2(3):255-62.
This post originally appeared on So Sweaty’s blog.
I am very happy to share with you my thoughts on the Virgin Money London Marathon (VMLM) my first Abbott World Marathon Major of 2017. It has been a challenging four months of prep for one race, but it was worth it. Thank you to everyone who reached out to me with best wishes in the week leading up to the race and then congratulations after. It meant a lot to feel the love.
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