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...

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

  

 

 

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??

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...

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?