Monday 25 June 2012

Hey self control... How you dooooin??

So yesterday I did this post about how I was going to be focussing on nutrition as well as training for my next marathon. After I wrote this post, I (not on purpose) went to test my self-control by making these goods of undeniable deliciousness, also known as manna from heaven...

Yes these are that good that you will think they were made by God (so I've heard..)!
Why oh why, when I have decided to start really focussing on eating good things, did I go and make these gems? Anyway, it is a good self-control tester to have these lying around, but I kid not when I say the first person to turn up at my house can have the whole lot of them! Otherwise they will get some much needed freezer time until a worthy guest comes to visit.

How's your self control and what are your weaknesses? 
I am a major sweet tooth!

If you have ongoing head to head battles with your self control like I do then here are some gems (better than the ones above - or maybe not) to help you along the way...

Pinned Image

Self control Moving Motivation: 15 Inspirational Pictorial Quotes to Help You Start Exercising
I pretty much look just like this chick... In my mind!
 How to you exercise self control when temptation is put in front of you?

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and SELF CONTROL.
Galations 5: 22-23
  
 
 

Sunday 24 June 2012

Train, eat, train... Then eat some more!

I finally received my copy of what I call 'my running bible'. It's called Run Less, Run Faster and it's written by the wonderful people from The Furman institute of running and sport (aka FIRST). They are, in my opinion, GENIUSES!!! If you are looking at marathon training (or even half marathon or smaller distances) and haven't read this book then you NEED TO GET AMONGST IT!!! It's all about minimal training for maximum performance - could it get any better than this??

For my next marathon, which is in approximately exactly 125 days, 14 hours and 25 minutes (no I'm not a psycho (much), it's just on their website), I have decided to follow the FIRST 16 week training plan. Phew, 16 weeks is a long time! But... I do want to do a sub 4 marathon so the training is all MUCH needed. The official 16 weeks of training starts in about 2 weeks, and as well as focusing on my training, I will also be putting a huge emphasis on nutrition. It's all about running and eating I tell you!

So for the next few months (which at times WILL feel like a gazillion years) these reads will be hot in my wee hands:

 Thanks to my wonderful Mum who blessed me with a year's sub to Healthy food mag (even though I think it was secretly a bribe so I would make her things out of them... Love you Mum), and to This great website for the copy of my book that was uber cheap and came with FREE postage! Shout out ya'll! 

If you'd like to train with me then at the start of each week I will post up the training sessions for the week, as well as great recipes and foods for runners that I discover along the way - Please make sure to let me know if you do, I'd love to know!


What's your favourite training program and running foods? What are your thoughts on minimalist training plans?? Is less more??



Tuesday 19 June 2012

Passionate Passion Party


One of my favourite quotes but I had temporarily forgotten it....

The last few weeks I have felt a bit nonchalant about the whole running business. Coming into winter I often find it's not the most inspiring time to be running, as well as getting a lot more work (which is so awesome, but sometimes tiring). However, today I had an unofficial job interview in which I got asked what my passions were and what I did outside of school and teaching.

This got me thinking and got me talking about running. For any of you who know me, you will know that once you get me started on something I love and am passionate about, it's VERY hard to shut me up again. I thought I managed to be quite contained in this situation though - my husband would be so proud! So once I got talking about how passionate I am about running, why I run, why I love it and what my goals are, it made me really feel passionate again. Yay!

Last week I officially registered for this marathon again, which I was hoping would give me the burst of inspiration and enthusiasm I needed. Alas, I found that it didn't really help, but am letting YOU all know that if it is motivation and inspiration you need, talking about your passions REALLY does help and give you the boost you need. Or kick up the butt in my case. I really can't afford to keep sitting on the couch and just blogging about it all day, I actually have to do something at some point right!?!

So just some encouragement to you, if you are feeling a little nonchalant like i was, try to remember and maybe even talk about your passion, why you love it, why you do it and what it brings to your life, and maybe even others'.

What are your passions? What helps to inspire or motivate you when you are not feeling the passion?

And I'll just leave you with this one last reminder - Whatever you are doing...




Thursday 14 June 2012

Find Your Strong

I was reading a blog post on one of my fave regular blog reads here and found a link to this website here by Saucony. 

Saucony have a Project called:

 
 'Find Your Strong' is a project in which they want to know what ways you find your strong? You've got to check out the site because they have some seriously encouraging, motivating, and inspiring quotes, people and video clips on there that will really push your buttons, tug at your heart strings and any other cheesy sayings you can think of! 

It also really made me think about how I 'find my strong'.

I guess I find my strong through having people around me that support and motivate me, such as my amazing husband, family and friends. Not to mention, my lovely readers and followers on here who are constantly giving me positive feedback which encourages me to push myself to keep going. Running really helps me to find my strong as, out there on the road (cue the theme song from Remember the Titans here and get your tissues - or not), it's just you and your mind and all that physical training that you do is only small compared to the mental training that goes on whilst running.

OK, I promise all the soppy stuff is out now, but I do want to ask you this:

How do you 'find your strong' and what keeps you going?

Monday 11 June 2012

Marathon Number Two...

It's official, I have just registered for my second marathon of this year. As you might recall from this boring blog post (not a joke) I confessed that I would like to attempt 2 or 3 marathons this year...

Well I have done one and I have registered for my second, but am not sure how a third one is looking. Don't hold your breath but don't rule it out either.

The marathon I just registered for is The Auckland Marathon which I did last year. It's in October so I have plenty of time to train. And this time I would like aim to do a... Wait for it...

It's coming...

Ok, I'm a little scared about putting it out there but here it is...

A SUB-4 HOUR MARATHON!!!

Yikes! Now I have told you all I will have to try really hard to make it happen! Got readers who are counting on me. This will be a huge feat if I can accomplish it so I welcome all necessary encouragement along the way :)

Last year for this marathon I did it as a fundraiser for this wonderful woman:

 
 And this year I have signed up to fundraise for this amazingly awesome charity!



"Christians Against Poverty is an international debt counselling charity that works through centres based in local churches. We have a high success rate in getting our clients debt free, which is achieved through the provision of a wide range of specialised financial services, personal support and ongoing education. It is this unique package that enables CAP to achieve such a high rate of success, offering hope and a solution to people in debt."

Ok, so there it is. I have put it out there so now I really have to do it!
Do you have any running goals that you are aiming to achieve? Any PBs you are hoping to reach? What is your next race? Would you like to run this race with me??

Watch this space for more on my journey to marathon number 2 for Curious Runner Girl :)

Sunday 10 June 2012

Hardcore to the full bore

More and more recently I have been doing things or realising things that have made me think about how serious I am getting about this whole running business. So much so that I thought you lucky people would like to read a blog post about it... Don't worry, you can thank me for it later :)

Here are my top 10 ways you know you are a hardcore runner (or trying to be, like me):

1. You have a shoe collection like this:


And you get more excited about new running shoes than you do about any other type of new shoes (sad but true!).

2. The pile of books on your coffee table, in the toilet, next to your bed, or wherever, looks like this:


Yes, all running books (Yes, that does say for 'Serious Runners' - I'm attempting to take things to the next level, I'll let you know how it goes).

3. You have started to wear sports brand clothing as casual wear - probably my saddest confession, I must say.

Thanks Nike for this casual wear

4. EVERYTHING tastes better dipped in some peanut butter!


5. Your earliest night of the week is a Friday or Saturday night (because you are doing  your long run the following day).

6. You have Nana naps that are longer than your actual Nana's naps.

7. You are constantly resetting your speedo in the car to measure distances of different routes.

8. You get more excited about buying new sports wear than you do casual wear.

9. Your life gets organised around your training plan.

10. You're always looking up running motivation and quotes like these:




11. You start planning your next race before you've even done the current one you are training for.


So what things to you do that show that you are serious about running? What are your 'hardcore' habits? Do any of these things sound like a bit of you??




Monday 4 June 2012

Winter warmers...

We Southern Hemisphere-ers are now 4 days into winter - oh joy. Now myself being a summer gal and all I find winter to be the least inspiring time of the year. However, this year I have decided to try and embrace it and make the most of it. So here's a list of all of the good things about winter - yes, there are good things about it for all you summer-lovin' peeps out there!

1. Slow cooker/crock put meals - these are the goods sir!

If you do not have one of these bad boys your best be on your way to get one NOW!

Check out this site and this month's issue of this mag for some great slow cooker recipes!

2. Cosying up with your hunk of burning love to watch some uber lame but oh-so-sweet lurrrrve movies. Or if you're like me and my husband - some shoot-em-up-til-there's-blood-on-everyone movies. Ok, so we actually like both those types of movies, depending on the time of the month our moods.
My hunk of burning love - so hot right now!
 Note to all the single ladies looking for a man out there: The bigger the guns, the better the cosying up will be and the warmer he'll be able to keep you in those cold winter months.

3. Slippers - Just like this here pooch, I just love me a good pair of slippers.



4. Having all your blankets on your bed so that they are soooo heavy you can't actually move when you're in it.

5. Fires! Ok, so our wee pad does not have one of these but that means that whenever I go to someone's house who does have one I generally tend to curl up in front of it like a cat  well-behaved adult.



6. Running without having to take water with you because you are not sweating out of every pore in your body.

7. Winter fashion - such as boots, coats and scarves... LOVE!

8. Mulled wine - Oh So Good! This stuff not only tastes delish but it warms you up from the inside out - Bliss!

Could this mulled wine get any more wintery? It's even wearing a scarf!

What is your favourite season of the year? What are the things you like (or dislike) about winter?










Because I know you've been missing me!

I know it has been a little while since I have posted - a little too long for some of you... HA! So here is a bit of what I have been up to lately...

I have been working LOTS which is GREAT! For those of you who don't know, I finished my teacher training at the end of last year but haven't been able to get a full time job this year. I started off relief teaching and now I am practically full time doing that which is awesome. Still trying to get a permanent position but trusting that'll come in time - thus the reason I get excited when I have lots of work.

Loving working, getting the experience and, of course, having MONEY - BONUS!

I have also been training for and playing hockey lately - my team is doing great this season. And I am still doing bootcamp, which is awesome. We have 4 weeks left of that and then I get into my next training plan for my next marathon which will be the Adidas Auckland Marathon.

Exciting business - I know you are ALL wishing you lived a life as exhilarating as mine right now. Getting excited about having lots of work is a sure fire sign that you are not the world's most exciting person - Doh!

This weekend, however, is a long one which are always well loved in my household. Long weekends mean more time with my awesome husband, more sleep in time, more time with friends and family, and more time to spend just faffing around - who doesn't love that!?!

My wonderful husband, his father and my father (what lovely bonding time) spent Saturday building a cover over our front step while I was lunching and brunching with my girls (it's a hard life, I know). Yesterday was fun-filled church activities (I mean that too, that's not a sarcastic voice) and then today I had the pleasure of climbing this awesome mountain with my lovely friend:

Mount Manaia

View from the top of Mount Manaia - what a blessed place I live in!

This afternoon I get to spend going over plans for my next couple of weeks of work - I am excited about this as I will be in ONE classroom for TWO WHOLE WEEKS! Excitement city right there!

So don't go getting all jealous about how exciting and thrilling my life is or anything because no, I won't be toning it down anytime soon either. Sorry!

And about the running - well I know this doesn't really even cover much about that but keep posted for these majorly cool posts coming soon:
- Low mileage marathon training plans, and
- How you know you are getting serious about this running business...

I am enjoying my in-between-marathons low running training and getting to do things I can't/don't when I am in marathon training. Get amongst it - try something different :)

Enjoy your long weekend all your Kiwi and Aussie peeps!

Curious Runner Girl

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