Marathon Training | Half Marathon Mark

So as you may know I am currently slowly jogging through my first ever marathon training plan and the start of February has seen my endurance run go up a few notches to around the half marathon mark. It is incredible to think that I have already doubled my distance in just one month from 10k to 14miles, and I have learnt a little bit while pounding the parent in the past few weeks.

Lesson 1: You Are Stronger Than You Think 

For the first time in my life I have actually started to see a change in my body, especially my legs. with every run they get larger, tougher, and STRONGER! Having spent the last few years being small and slim (with virtually no muscle tone) the goal when working out was always just to lose that few pounds of fat around my middle and arms, I never really saw the appeal of muscles....that was until now. There is a strange, overwhelming sense of achievement that I have as I see my legs muscles develop into these powerful limbs.

Lesson 2: You Will Have Good Runs & Bad Runs

Not every run is going to be an endorphins fuelled party like my handful of first endurance runs. As the runs get past the 10mile mark, my body is starting to adapt. I have noticed that the first 5 miles tend to be slow and boring.... but as soon as my muscles get warmed up then I usually get a good few boots along the next couple of miles (especially if my route takes me down a hill). I have also had my fair share of cold & miserable runs with very little to no excitement along the way, but as long as you are making every run count, the bad runs will make the good runs even better.



Lesson 3: The Last 2 Miles Hurt

Pain is inevitable... suffering is optional. This has been my mantra during the last two miles of my endurance runs as the distance creeps up. My legs become exhausted and start to burn, but this is an important part of training your muscles to the limit so they grow and develop. The most important thing to do is just not give up and keep in mind that nest week you are going to be able to run 2 miles more because of the work you put in now!

Are any of you training for the your first Marathon?

Comment & Subscribe

Sarahxx

A New Year | Part 1.....Going Vegan

Happy New Year!!

Are we still allowed to say that? I was holding off writing this post until well into January because this post is not about a new years resolution but a lifestyle change that I have been pre-empting for the past few months, and one I plan to stick to for the rest of my life and not just the year ahead, and that is making the Jump from Vegetarian to Vegan.

I started my meat free journey when I was 12 years old when on leaving primary school I made the concise decision that I no longer wanted to eat meat. My youthful decision was down to the basic concept that I didn't understand why as humans we would choose to slaughter and eat animals when we didn't need to. As I grew older, and throughout often having to defend my life style choices in many an argument, I slowly educated myself on farming conditions overseas, the effect that eating animals has on the environment and the major health benefits that comes from removing meat from your diet.

As the years passed and I turned 25, I had now spent more of my life as a vegetarian than I had a meat eater and it was at this point I began making a concise effort again to re-educate myself on matters of the environment, animal welfare and my health. It was also at this point that I came across the documentary 'Cowspiricy', when I realised that virtually all my reasons for being Vegetarian bleed through into Veganism. I discussed the ideas with closes friends and family, and the most I discussed it, the more I knew that if I wanted to live my most ethical life, I had to give up all animal products. Over the next month or two I started to cut down on the animal products I was consuming. I decided that the New Year seemed like the perfect point to make the change for good.

Since then I have been on a food adventure... sampling some great vegan alternatives to various dairy products, trying out Glasgow's impressive (for Scotland) range of Vegan restaurants and emerging myself in vegan online culture. 

I hope now that I can use this space to share this part of my life with vegan food hauls, recipes and vegan beauty. I would also like to say that I am very new at this so any help and advise would be greatly appreciated as I tackle this new ethical lifestyle. 

Hears to a Happy and Healthy 2016

Sarah xXx

Health | Dairy Vs. Soya?!

I have been A vegetarian for around 10 years now and even though my love of chocolate and cakes runs very deep I have been tempted to try a more vegan - or dairy free-  diet! With no meat it is very important for me to get lots of protein into my diet (especially if i'm working out and trying to tone up) My usual source of protein comes from meat substitutes (Quorn being my 'meat free' substitute of choice) as well as beans, cheese and milk.

I have recently been researching more and more into the benefits of cutting out Dairy in your diet;

* Clearer skin

* Less skin irritations

* More Energy

*Alternatives are often lower in Calories and sweeter

 As well as some claimed longterm benefits such as reducing the risk of certain cancers!!! 

There are several arguments for and against so I thought I might give it a go for a month and see for myself if all the benefits pay off!!

My Main Dairy free food swap is from:

 Flora light (margarine spread) to Pure Dairy Free Soya Spread

(source)

So far I am loving this spread, I think i may even prefer it to my old family favourite Flora! For butter lovers this would be a much harder switch but i find it slightly sweeter and creamer than my Flora light spread so it feel quite indulgent!!

And Semi-Skimmed milk to Tesco's Organic Unsweetened Soya Milk

(Source)

This milk seems to go off very quickly once opened, much faster than regular milk! I Don't notice much difference when added to my porridge in the morning but the taste isn't quite to my liking so much yet that I would enjoy tucking into a glass of it, although it is really yummy in....

Starbucks Vanilla Soy latte!!
I think I have found a new firm favourite!!

I'll keep you guys updated to see if i notice any benefits!

Thats all for now

Sxx